What do you do for fun?

I'm constantly amazed by these kiddos of mine. OK, I've said it before, but I'm gonna say it again.

I'm amazed.

This week Abbi was voicing her frustration with not being in a play for a while. She so wants to be in one but our town really hasn't had much to offer her lately. There will be try outs for a musical in a couple of weeks but she was feeling like doing something now.

So she starts thinking about maybe memorizing something. Hmmmm,, what could it be? She really likes V is for Vendetta and had memorized his V speech for the Live and Learn Conference,, hmm. I suggest maybe a Shakespeare play, because I have the complete works of the bard right there in the living room. :) She jumps at that. "YES!" she exclaims. *g*

But what should she memorize? She decides on an excerpt from A Midsummer's Night Dream. She likes monologues,, long ones. She can go on and on with stuff that she's memorized, and she does it so quickly. It blows my mind. I've never been very good at memorizing so I am in true awe. :)

This is what she decided to memorize:

HELENA

Lo, she is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
Have you conspired, have you with these contrived
To bait me with this foul derision?
Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
When we have chid the hasty-footed time
For parting us,--O, is it all forgot?
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our needles created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grow together,
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
But yet an union in partition;
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem;
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart;
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one and crowned with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury.

HERMIA

I am amazed at your passionate words.
I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

HELENA

Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
To follow me and praise my eyes and face?
And made your other love, Demetrius,
Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,
To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
And tender me, forsooth, affection,
But by your setting on, by your consent?
What thought I be not so in grace as you,
So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
But miserable most, to love unloved?
This you should pity rather than despise.

HERNIA

I understand not what you mean by this.

HELENA

Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back;
Wink each at other; hold the sweet jest up:
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
You would not make me such an argument.
But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault;
Which death or absence soon shall remedy.
****************************************8

Yep, all of that. And we thought we'd maybe do it up good. Have someone record us doing it (I'll do ALL of Hermia's lines *g*) and I told her maybe we could put it on youtube or something. I'll share it once we do it.

I think she had it down in about a hour.

Gotta love this unschooling.

Oh,, and below is the beginning of a poncho she decided to make this week.