Guy and gals, I have an announcement. It is not a sad announcement, so don't be sad. But it is this: Nanowrimo is over for me this year. And while normally, that would be a "hooray" sort of moment, it is slightly less so this year. See, I've just decided to abandon the quest for now. Or at the very least to suspend it until another month.
Well, I still plan to write. I enjoy short stories and backgrounds and the like, and I was already trying to do more of that more often. But I have a lot of things going on in my life right now, and I just can't balance out the time I need to get it done. What's the point of reaching the goal if it is literally sapping my joy of writing from me?
And I do still love writing. I have some script stuff I want to work on. Several projects, actually, and things that I simply cannot wait to get up and moving. But I've had to basically suspend that effort for the month, because I can't work on those while trying to write novella.
And yeah, I just haven't been feeling it. I liked some of the stuff I was writing, but the effort to beef it up was just taking too much of a toll. It was more of an obligation than any kind of fun. And I need some fun in my life. Not "satisfaction of getting the job done" fun, but some "haha fun fun 'til my eyes bleed" fun. Well, some type of fun other than the first one.
But I will still be here. I will still write some this month and end with a final word count. I may even just set a smaller goal and shoot for it instead. And as always, I am more than willing to encourage others that are still working to wards the big goal. So don't think of it as going away forever. Think of it as Cal Ripken taking the night off. I'm still here. It's still groovy. And more than anything, I'm quite content with my decision.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Grow Up.
Seriously. Grow up.
I said it a few days ago, and I stand by it. It's the only way that we will ever get anywhere as a country. Assuming, of course, that people actually want to go forward as a country.
We have all sat through the most derisive, divisive, and outright sickening campaign of modern history. Or maybe it was just the most transparent one. Who can really say?
But the reality is that no matter what party or ideal you support, as an American a person who opposes your ideals has been in office almost half of the time the country has been in existence, if not more. And you know what? The country didn't die.
Despite treating minorities and women as second class citizens for years, we're still here.
Despite dipping as close to financial ruin as perhaps is possible without actually breaking in half, we're still here.
Through all of the adversity and terror that would seek to tear us apart, we are still here.
And we will be here tomorrow. And the day after that. And the next day. And a year from now. And so on.
So no, the election... the re-election of one man for a four year period does not spell the end of modern civilization. God has not abandoned you, or at least not for that specific reason. The sun will continue to rise in the east and set in the west.
Now is not the time for the garbage that got us into this horrible place. Now, more than ever, we need to look at how to play nice and work together. Neither side overpowering the other is going to get us where we really need to be, and that was never what the Founding Fathers intended.
Despite signs that things will return to status quo, I still hold onto the fragment of a belief that we can find a way to make this thing work. The first step is to stop acting like immature children who didn't (or did) get the toy they wanted and to look ahead to how to make the country the best it can be.
Regardless of party or affiliation, we are all Americans. And it's time we sucked it up, took some responsibility, and made a hard choice or two. And if you're too busy feeling like the country is completely mismanaged to do it, then seriously... grow up.
I said it a few days ago, and I stand by it. It's the only way that we will ever get anywhere as a country. Assuming, of course, that people actually want to go forward as a country.
We have all sat through the most derisive, divisive, and outright sickening campaign of modern history. Or maybe it was just the most transparent one. Who can really say?
But the reality is that no matter what party or ideal you support, as an American a person who opposes your ideals has been in office almost half of the time the country has been in existence, if not more. And you know what? The country didn't die.
Despite treating minorities and women as second class citizens for years, we're still here.
Despite dipping as close to financial ruin as perhaps is possible without actually breaking in half, we're still here.
Through all of the adversity and terror that would seek to tear us apart, we are still here.
And we will be here tomorrow. And the day after that. And the next day. And a year from now. And so on.
So no, the election... the re-election of one man for a four year period does not spell the end of modern civilization. God has not abandoned you, or at least not for that specific reason. The sun will continue to rise in the east and set in the west.
Now is not the time for the garbage that got us into this horrible place. Now, more than ever, we need to look at how to play nice and work together. Neither side overpowering the other is going to get us where we really need to be, and that was never what the Founding Fathers intended.
Despite signs that things will return to status quo, I still hold onto the fragment of a belief that we can find a way to make this thing work. The first step is to stop acting like immature children who didn't (or did) get the toy they wanted and to look ahead to how to make the country the best it can be.
Regardless of party or affiliation, we are all Americans. And it's time we sucked it up, took some responsibility, and made a hard choice or two. And if you're too busy feeling like the country is completely mismanaged to do it, then seriously... grow up.
Monday, November 5, 2012
To All Voters, Great and Small...
All right. Time to lay it all down. Here are my various thoughts to various people concerning the impending D-Day of the election:
To Democrats (or those inclined to vote that way): You already know what you have to do. Your path should be obvious, but don't for one second be complacent. We already know that there are people out there willing and able to cause dissension in the voting effort. Sheer force of effort and numbers is the only thing that will offset that. Stand strong and finish the job you started.
To Republicans (or those inclined to vote that way): I... I understand that you are inclined to vote for the more conservative candidate. It's an ideological choice moreso than an endorsement of Gov. Romney. But... really? That's what you want? And is this how you want it? Regardless of how this election pans out, you as a party need to take a serious look at how you allow things to be run. Your platform is hardline and uncompromising, which effectively alienates any of the groups that you might eventually woo.
And your presidential campaign advisers have played every dirty card in the deck, and even bought a new deck. Four years ago, I made the observation that I could not abide by people willing to make use of these tactics. I still stand by that. The future survival of your party lies not in doubling down on the crap that's sort of worked in the past but in finding new ways to rebuild the many bridges you have burned the ground. Sadly, that's all that I can offer you.
To Third Party Candidates (and those inclined to vote for them): I get where you're coming from. I really do. And I feel like you have a real chance at building strength and becoming full on threats to occupy all offices and positions. But this isn't your time. Not for me. Maybe after the continuing implosion of the Republican Party, there will be more space for you to make a foothold. But for now, I feel my time and effort is better served supporting a candidate that deserves a chance to continue. Four years from now, though... who knows? Keep fighting for it.
To Everyone (voting or not, regardless of who you support): we need to grow up. I say we because this affects every single person in this country. Much like four years ago, we have faced some of the most divisive, underhanded, and downright deplorable tactics during this presidential election cycle. And while neither side is completely innocent, one side is more blatantly guilty than the other.
If you think there's a personal bias there, you're right. I am completely biased towards the truth, towards reason, and against playing towards people's base fears. That anyone in any party would try to do such a thing is disgusting, but there's a clear, simple reason why they continue to do it: on some level, it works.
Which brings us back to us. We, as a nation, as individuals and collectively as a people, have got to step up our diligence.
We have to stop hearing only the things that we want to hear; the things that make us feel better about ourselves. We have to stop acting like there are easy answers. Like there is someone out there that has some mysterious plan that is destined to work perfectly, and accept that there may be stumbles along the way.
We have to stop holding one person accountable for our status in life and look towards larger, fuller pictures. A president can help affect change, but he/she needs support. Not through some super majority that was an illusion to begin with, but through true, bipartisan efforts.
No one that has any vein of sense can say that the Republican party has done anything other than attempt to undermine the efforts of the President or Democrats these past four years. They said as much, in public and out loud, and a large group of people would celebrate the blind ignorance that sent the GOP against the public interest and against policies that they themselves endorsed before they opposed them. No one wins when we become so focused on winning that we're willing to destroy what we're intent on getting in order to do it.
But I'm not going to get into the heavy again. Again. No, I'm going to dial it back and say what I said four years ago. We are all people of fair reason and moderate conscience. Search your heart, focus your mind, and look through the lies to see the truth. Then vote with all of that in mind.
I can't tell you which way you should choose, but I can say that when it's all said and done, I believe that our President has done enough to warrant another four years in office. I also believe that his opponent has promised little aside from being "the other choice" and even then, the ideas that he does endorse are counter-productive to what would make this country thrive.
And like four years ago, I believe that Mr. Romney has had the worst possible supporting system and advisers during his campaign. I refuse to support anyone that uses them and their tactics, especially if might allow any of them access to some sort of office or Cabinet position.
So there it is. Way too rambley and probably ignored. But I felt like I needed to get it all off of my chest. Good luck, godspeed, and happy voting.
To Democrats (or those inclined to vote that way): You already know what you have to do. Your path should be obvious, but don't for one second be complacent. We already know that there are people out there willing and able to cause dissension in the voting effort. Sheer force of effort and numbers is the only thing that will offset that. Stand strong and finish the job you started.
To Republicans (or those inclined to vote that way): I... I understand that you are inclined to vote for the more conservative candidate. It's an ideological choice moreso than an endorsement of Gov. Romney. But... really? That's what you want? And is this how you want it? Regardless of how this election pans out, you as a party need to take a serious look at how you allow things to be run. Your platform is hardline and uncompromising, which effectively alienates any of the groups that you might eventually woo.
And your presidential campaign advisers have played every dirty card in the deck, and even bought a new deck. Four years ago, I made the observation that I could not abide by people willing to make use of these tactics. I still stand by that. The future survival of your party lies not in doubling down on the crap that's sort of worked in the past but in finding new ways to rebuild the many bridges you have burned the ground. Sadly, that's all that I can offer you.
To Third Party Candidates (and those inclined to vote for them): I get where you're coming from. I really do. And I feel like you have a real chance at building strength and becoming full on threats to occupy all offices and positions. But this isn't your time. Not for me. Maybe after the continuing implosion of the Republican Party, there will be more space for you to make a foothold. But for now, I feel my time and effort is better served supporting a candidate that deserves a chance to continue. Four years from now, though... who knows? Keep fighting for it.
To Everyone (voting or not, regardless of who you support): we need to grow up. I say we because this affects every single person in this country. Much like four years ago, we have faced some of the most divisive, underhanded, and downright deplorable tactics during this presidential election cycle. And while neither side is completely innocent, one side is more blatantly guilty than the other.
If you think there's a personal bias there, you're right. I am completely biased towards the truth, towards reason, and against playing towards people's base fears. That anyone in any party would try to do such a thing is disgusting, but there's a clear, simple reason why they continue to do it: on some level, it works.
Which brings us back to us. We, as a nation, as individuals and collectively as a people, have got to step up our diligence.
We have to stop hearing only the things that we want to hear; the things that make us feel better about ourselves. We have to stop acting like there are easy answers. Like there is someone out there that has some mysterious plan that is destined to work perfectly, and accept that there may be stumbles along the way.
We have to stop holding one person accountable for our status in life and look towards larger, fuller pictures. A president can help affect change, but he/she needs support. Not through some super majority that was an illusion to begin with, but through true, bipartisan efforts.
No one that has any vein of sense can say that the Republican party has done anything other than attempt to undermine the efforts of the President or Democrats these past four years. They said as much, in public and out loud, and a large group of people would celebrate the blind ignorance that sent the GOP against the public interest and against policies that they themselves endorsed before they opposed them. No one wins when we become so focused on winning that we're willing to destroy what we're intent on getting in order to do it.
But I'm not going to get into the heavy again. Again. No, I'm going to dial it back and say what I said four years ago. We are all people of fair reason and moderate conscience. Search your heart, focus your mind, and look through the lies to see the truth. Then vote with all of that in mind.
I can't tell you which way you should choose, but I can say that when it's all said and done, I believe that our President has done enough to warrant another four years in office. I also believe that his opponent has promised little aside from being "the other choice" and even then, the ideas that he does endorse are counter-productive to what would make this country thrive.
And like four years ago, I believe that Mr. Romney has had the worst possible supporting system and advisers during his campaign. I refuse to support anyone that uses them and their tactics, especially if might allow any of them access to some sort of office or Cabinet position.
So there it is. Way too rambley and probably ignored. But I felt like I needed to get it all off of my chest. Good luck, godspeed, and happy voting.
My Not So Subtle On Voting Issues
If you want to be that "certain type of person" that manipulates
facts or just outright lies to try and get your way during the campaign,
then that's fine. Okay, it isn't fine, but it's on us as a people and
an electorate to stay informed (self-informed, even) and expose lies.
But when it is time to vote, your time is done. The whistle has blown.
Your case is closed. Like the oh so many cooking shows on, it's
hands-up and no more working.
When I say that everyone should vote, I mean it. I mean that even the ignorant, the ill informed, and dare I say it, those who simply disagree with me should be allowed to vote. It is their duty, but more importantly it is their right.
Sorry if I get a little soapbox-y about it, but it means something to me. People fought and died, literally, so that people that look like me might have a chance to vote. So that all people could. It wasn't the beginning of that fight, and it likely won't be the end.
So it's not some game to manipulate an outcome when you do or say anything that might affect that right. It is a mockery of those people that put their lives on the line not so long ago. It is a mockery of the foundation upon which this country was founded. And beyond that, it is insidious and the lowest form of deceit. It is nothing short of treason. It is the very fundamental alteration of national politics and policies that certain people swear their opposition are trying to perform in office. And yet, it is the game they play.
Except it is not a game. It is not. It never was.
So go out and vote. Don't be dissuaded. Stay in line. Do your part. Speak your voice. Don't let those that would treat you as less than a person get away with it. Do... something. You have that right. You have that duty. And no one, try as they might, can take it away from you.
When I say that everyone should vote, I mean it. I mean that even the ignorant, the ill informed, and dare I say it, those who simply disagree with me should be allowed to vote. It is their duty, but more importantly it is their right.
Sorry if I get a little soapbox-y about it, but it means something to me. People fought and died, literally, so that people that look like me might have a chance to vote. So that all people could. It wasn't the beginning of that fight, and it likely won't be the end.
So it's not some game to manipulate an outcome when you do or say anything that might affect that right. It is a mockery of those people that put their lives on the line not so long ago. It is a mockery of the foundation upon which this country was founded. And beyond that, it is insidious and the lowest form of deceit. It is nothing short of treason. It is the very fundamental alteration of national politics and policies that certain people swear their opposition are trying to perform in office. And yet, it is the game they play.
Except it is not a game. It is not. It never was.
So go out and vote. Don't be dissuaded. Stay in line. Do your part. Speak your voice. Don't let those that would treat you as less than a person get away with it. Do... something. You have that right. You have that duty. And no one, try as they might, can take it away from you.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
HouseTV Review: Arrow - "Pilot"
Coming into Wednesday night's premiere of Arrow, the big question was: can the CW's new hero series carry the same success as its previous entry Smallville, or will a show about a nonpowered vigilante fare as well as their last attempt, Birds of Prey. Do you remember Birds of Prey? No? Lucky you.
Let's be honest here. Despite not being a perfect replica of DC Comic's iconic Superman, Smallville did offer the core of the character and (eventually) a hearty helping of his supporting cast that we know and love.
And realistically, the character Green Arrow has never had the same appeal to the average fan as Superman. Who does, really? Yeah, yeah... Batman. But you know you aren't getting a TV series based on him anytime soon, so deal with it. Ironically enough, though, Green Arrow's best showing may have been during Smallville's run, where Justin Hartley played the character as a "Batman-lite".
So too does Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen), showing us the hard-edged, driven side of the "Arrow" in this first episode. We arguably don't get to see much of Oliver Queen's softer side during this episode, but that's mostly because a great deal of it focuses on Oliver setting up his new base of operations. We do get to see a little of Oliver building his "reckless playboy" alter ego, though, with varying levels of success and what are sure to be pretty intersting repercussions.
As for the story? Well, purists will find it odd to find that Oliver has a few extra family members floating around among other changes, but fans of ye old Smallville know that shows like this normally take certain liberties with respect to their character history. And at least in Arrow's case, Oliver's history isn't so popular as to agitate too many people. Without giving too much away, I would say that the show seems to have created a cast that will leave comics fans anticipating what is to come while still leaving a bit of mystery.
And speaking of mystery... there are quite a few mysteries put into play in this pilot. But unlike some shows which seem outright confusing by juggling a ton of plot points, there's a certain streamlining that seemed to take place here. The story rolls like a well oiled machine, and even a popup reveal still feels like it was all part of the larger scheme.
The main thing I took away from the show was that it knew what it was doing. Yes, it might be a little darker than some might prefer (Oliver Queen most certainly doesn't carry Clark Kent's moral compass, and it shows heavily here). But it created that darker, grittier world and then went with it. It's the world that Oliver belongs in, at least for now, and it works.
As pilots go, this was pretty solid. It did what it was supposed to do, creating the origin and backdrop of the character while also managing to tell a story, and a pretty good one at that. I went into this show with very low expectations, but after just 20 minutes, I was floored by how drawn into it I got. And I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where its going.
Rating: 9/10 (An excellent start to a series that shows surprising potential. Now if only it doesn't find a way to muck it all up...)
Let's be honest here. Despite not being a perfect replica of DC Comic's iconic Superman, Smallville did offer the core of the character and (eventually) a hearty helping of his supporting cast that we know and love.
And realistically, the character Green Arrow has never had the same appeal to the average fan as Superman. Who does, really? Yeah, yeah... Batman. But you know you aren't getting a TV series based on him anytime soon, so deal with it. Ironically enough, though, Green Arrow's best showing may have been during Smallville's run, where Justin Hartley played the character as a "Batman-lite".
So too does Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen), showing us the hard-edged, driven side of the "Arrow" in this first episode. We arguably don't get to see much of Oliver Queen's softer side during this episode, but that's mostly because a great deal of it focuses on Oliver setting up his new base of operations. We do get to see a little of Oliver building his "reckless playboy" alter ego, though, with varying levels of success and what are sure to be pretty intersting repercussions.
As for the story? Well, purists will find it odd to find that Oliver has a few extra family members floating around among other changes, but fans of ye old Smallville know that shows like this normally take certain liberties with respect to their character history. And at least in Arrow's case, Oliver's history isn't so popular as to agitate too many people. Without giving too much away, I would say that the show seems to have created a cast that will leave comics fans anticipating what is to come while still leaving a bit of mystery.
And speaking of mystery... there are quite a few mysteries put into play in this pilot. But unlike some shows which seem outright confusing by juggling a ton of plot points, there's a certain streamlining that seemed to take place here. The story rolls like a well oiled machine, and even a popup reveal still feels like it was all part of the larger scheme.
The main thing I took away from the show was that it knew what it was doing. Yes, it might be a little darker than some might prefer (Oliver Queen most certainly doesn't carry Clark Kent's moral compass, and it shows heavily here). But it created that darker, grittier world and then went with it. It's the world that Oliver belongs in, at least for now, and it works.
As pilots go, this was pretty solid. It did what it was supposed to do, creating the origin and backdrop of the character while also managing to tell a story, and a pretty good one at that. I went into this show with very low expectations, but after just 20 minutes, I was floored by how drawn into it I got. And I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where its going.
Rating: 9/10 (An excellent start to a series that shows surprising potential. Now if only it doesn't find a way to muck it all up...)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
"Debate Night! Woo! Finally-Zzzzzzz...."
My prediction for this debate:
The President will be clear and a little wordy, but only so much as he needs to be to explain things in realistic terms. His critics will pan him for the same illusionary issues they always do, disregarding any common sense that he might apply in his answers in favor of pinpointing miniscule, entirely reasonable errors and inflating them into monumental "game-changers" ("That word... I do not think it means what you think it means...)".
His supporters will (of course) accept any missteps as practical ones. The President's campaign will continue on almost like normal, since they never planned to treat the debate as something that will overtly change their current strategy. Okay, a stump speech or two will probably have some editing to reflect some comments. Fair enough.
The Governor will make a valid point and a half before side scrambling into talking points and catchy phrases. He will inevitably drop one of the various "zingers" he has been working on using. If he does it more than once, at least one of those attempts will fall flat or blow up in his face.
Not that it matters much anyway. His critics will pan him as being evasive, which he will be because... well, with the campaign he's been running, he has no other alternative. Truth and reality have oddly become his enemies at this point, and I hardly see tonight as the time that he reins it in.
Meanwhile his supporters will celebrate his "aggressiveness", even if it isn't backed by any sort of logic or facts). Because in business terms, aggressiveness is celebrated over getting actual results. You're a Man/Woman of Action, and that's to be respected. (It's the reason why anyone has ever listened to Donald Trump about... well, anything. Because he acts like he knows what he's doing.)
The Governor's campaign will run around for the next week citing some sort of moral victory, despite the fact that said words or phrases or factology in no way denote anything either uplifting for the Governor or damning for the President.
At the end of the day... week? Nothing's really going to change. Even if the Governor gets a slight bump by pressing a few issues, those numbers will revert as soon as he starts running his mouth in public again. And even if they stick, he's still behind the curve that he needs to be ahead of at this point.
The President, however, is not really looking to change the game. So a wash is just fine in his book. He's unlikely to go for a "knockout punch" in fear of somehow making an exploitable misstep. So he'll cruise through the debate, then go on about his business as if it was just another Wednesday.
Having said all of that, that's just my take on it. Any given moment can shake up even the strongest prognosticator's plotting. So happy debating, everybody. For people who have no gumption for political rambling, have fun ducking and covering. I'll see you when the dust has settled again.
The President will be clear and a little wordy, but only so much as he needs to be to explain things in realistic terms. His critics will pan him for the same illusionary issues they always do, disregarding any common sense that he might apply in his answers in favor of pinpointing miniscule, entirely reasonable errors and inflating them into monumental "game-changers" ("That word... I do not think it means what you think it means...)".
His supporters will (of course) accept any missteps as practical ones. The President's campaign will continue on almost like normal, since they never planned to treat the debate as something that will overtly change their current strategy. Okay, a stump speech or two will probably have some editing to reflect some comments. Fair enough.
The Governor will make a valid point and a half before side scrambling into talking points and catchy phrases. He will inevitably drop one of the various "zingers" he has been working on using. If he does it more than once, at least one of those attempts will fall flat or blow up in his face.
Not that it matters much anyway. His critics will pan him as being evasive, which he will be because... well, with the campaign he's been running, he has no other alternative. Truth and reality have oddly become his enemies at this point, and I hardly see tonight as the time that he reins it in.
Meanwhile his supporters will celebrate his "aggressiveness", even if it isn't backed by any sort of logic or facts). Because in business terms, aggressiveness is celebrated over getting actual results. You're a Man/Woman of Action, and that's to be respected. (It's the reason why anyone has ever listened to Donald Trump about... well, anything. Because he acts like he knows what he's doing.)
The Governor's campaign will run around for the next week citing some sort of moral victory, despite the fact that said words or phrases or factology in no way denote anything either uplifting for the Governor or damning for the President.
At the end of the day... week? Nothing's really going to change. Even if the Governor gets a slight bump by pressing a few issues, those numbers will revert as soon as he starts running his mouth in public again. And even if they stick, he's still behind the curve that he needs to be ahead of at this point.
The President, however, is not really looking to change the game. So a wash is just fine in his book. He's unlikely to go for a "knockout punch" in fear of somehow making an exploitable misstep. So he'll cruise through the debate, then go on about his business as if it was just another Wednesday.
Having said all of that, that's just my take on it. Any given moment can shake up even the strongest prognosticator's plotting. So happy debating, everybody. For people who have no gumption for political rambling, have fun ducking and covering. I'll see you when the dust has settled again.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Of Mice and Men (and Replacement Referees...)
Oh, look. It's the news. I promised not to watch too much of you, because you make me so very angry sometimes. But I'll check you out and-hey, what's this now? What are people making such a big hooplah over? Oh. Football. Really?
So what I'm gleaning from the stories I'm seeing is that sometime late last night, the greatest tragedy in the history of professional sports occurred. People are talking asterisks and malfeasance and pitchforks and boiling lead and other, less reasonable things like actually getting the officials that are on strike back to work so that these types of missed calls don't happen anymore.
Yeah. Right.
Now by no means am I saying that it's a good thing for refs to get a call wrong (replacement or otherwise). But I will say the same thing I have for years on the subject of a referee "robbing" a team in the last seconds of the fourth quarter: if you're ahead by the margin that you should be at that point, then you can't have anything taken from you.
In short: don't want to lose? Be up by 10 points. Boosh.
Now, if you want to argue that officiating during the game kept you from being up by said 10 points... well then you may have a stronger argument. But I will probably then play the card I like to call "It's a motherlovin' game! It's football! Don't you have more important things to worry about? (And yes, Wisconsin, I'm aware that you don't think that you do for 48-72 hours a week, but I assure that you do.)
I get that football is a part of our American heritage. But no matter what strange injustices might occur, we have to embrace the fact that they just aren't really that big of a deal.
But anyone can feel free to point out that I said this a few months from now, sometime shortly after I scream the sentence, "How?! How could this have happened, Atlanta?! You were 3-0! This is the worst tragedy in the history of America...!"
That's only fair.
So what I'm gleaning from the stories I'm seeing is that sometime late last night, the greatest tragedy in the history of professional sports occurred. People are talking asterisks and malfeasance and pitchforks and boiling lead and other, less reasonable things like actually getting the officials that are on strike back to work so that these types of missed calls don't happen anymore.
Yeah. Right.
Now by no means am I saying that it's a good thing for refs to get a call wrong (replacement or otherwise). But I will say the same thing I have for years on the subject of a referee "robbing" a team in the last seconds of the fourth quarter: if you're ahead by the margin that you should be at that point, then you can't have anything taken from you.
In short: don't want to lose? Be up by 10 points. Boosh.
Now, if you want to argue that officiating during the game kept you from being up by said 10 points... well then you may have a stronger argument. But I will probably then play the card I like to call "It's a motherlovin' game! It's football! Don't you have more important things to worry about? (And yes, Wisconsin, I'm aware that you don't think that you do for 48-72 hours a week, but I assure that you do.)
I get that football is a part of our American heritage. But no matter what strange injustices might occur, we have to embrace the fact that they just aren't really that big of a deal.
But anyone can feel free to point out that I said this a few months from now, sometime shortly after I scream the sentence, "How?! How could this have happened, Atlanta?! You were 3-0! This is the worst tragedy in the history of America...!"
That's only fair.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
"An Inelegant Truth"
By now you've heard eight shades of why Mitt Romney's infamous "47 percent" comment bothers people. Let me explain in some part why it bothers me personally.
First, let me play a little devil's advocate and say that any statement can be taken out of context. It happens with people of all walks and statures, and over things that are both trivial and significant. Heck, you can even build an entire convention around it (not that I give the GOP any real credit for creating such a crapstorm over the President's "you didn't build that" comment; their dog and pony show was a pretty silly thing to do...).
Having said that, let me be clear: there is nothing about what Mitt Romney said that I like. There is no spin to be placed on it that makes me feel any better about it.
Because what you have to understand about what he said is that it isn't a new thought. A lot of people have gone through life aware of the fact that people with money, regardless of how they may have acquired it, have a problem with it being used to help less fortunate people. They perceive it as giving the lesser fortunate person a "handout". And furthermore, the more fortunate person perceives the world as owing them something for taking care of these less fortunate people.
As such, they view those other people, the less fortunate ones, exactly the way that Romney portrays them. In their minds, they are not only dependent on the government for assistance, but these poor souls feel some sense of entitlement to government funds. They deserve to be taken care of, like it is owed to them or something.
Except in some cases, this is entirely true. The elderly, the disabled, soldiers who have fought overseas... these people are quite entitled to benefits from the government. Alternatively, there are countless others who are just down on their luck and need some temporary assistance. These people also need a little help from the government, if only for a little while.
The continued notion that not only a significant amount but also the majority of people who have little to no tax obligation (and by that we mean income tax; other taxes are paid in various ways) are somehow a bunch of self-entitled freeloaders is not only incorrect but a little insane. It's the type of self-delusional tripe that rich people feed themselves so that they don't feel so bad about getting over on the system through their own dodges and tax breaks.
And that's why what Mitt Romney said strikes such an ugly chord with me. Because it bothers me that he can speak those inaccurate numbers so dismissively. It bothers me that he can say what he said about almost half of the population of my country to a room full of people and not have that room of people have an issue with it. It bothers me that he said it not just because it was a personal opinion of his, but also because he knew that was the type of thing that they wanted to hear.
There is no greater truth to it. As political strategy, it's suicide. And to paraphrase Bob Schieffer, there is no fathomable reason that a candidate running for high office should say something like that. Unless, of course, you have the poor judgment and lack of character of a Mitt Romney.
That same lack of character, for the record, allows Romney to attack President Obama using excerpts from a speech the President made over a decade ago. And, as is par for the course, taken just out of context enough to be warped into the Republican's own sense of reality.
That's what we've come down to now. We've reached the point where people can twist less damning phrases out of context to build their monsters, all while spinning their own miscues into "harsh, inelegant truths".
Tuesday night, the President let Romney off the hook by admitting that everyone can misspeak sometimes.
Less than 24 hours later, the GOP couldn't help themselves from going on a witch hunt with footage that's over a decade old.
Because really, you should hold everyone's words, every single one they have ever spoken, against them. No matter how inelegant. Isn't that right, Mitt?
First, let me play a little devil's advocate and say that any statement can be taken out of context. It happens with people of all walks and statures, and over things that are both trivial and significant. Heck, you can even build an entire convention around it (not that I give the GOP any real credit for creating such a crapstorm over the President's "you didn't build that" comment; their dog and pony show was a pretty silly thing to do...).
Having said that, let me be clear: there is nothing about what Mitt Romney said that I like. There is no spin to be placed on it that makes me feel any better about it.
Because what you have to understand about what he said is that it isn't a new thought. A lot of people have gone through life aware of the fact that people with money, regardless of how they may have acquired it, have a problem with it being used to help less fortunate people. They perceive it as giving the lesser fortunate person a "handout". And furthermore, the more fortunate person perceives the world as owing them something for taking care of these less fortunate people.
As such, they view those other people, the less fortunate ones, exactly the way that Romney portrays them. In their minds, they are not only dependent on the government for assistance, but these poor souls feel some sense of entitlement to government funds. They deserve to be taken care of, like it is owed to them or something.
Except in some cases, this is entirely true. The elderly, the disabled, soldiers who have fought overseas... these people are quite entitled to benefits from the government. Alternatively, there are countless others who are just down on their luck and need some temporary assistance. These people also need a little help from the government, if only for a little while.
The continued notion that not only a significant amount but also the majority of people who have little to no tax obligation (and by that we mean income tax; other taxes are paid in various ways) are somehow a bunch of self-entitled freeloaders is not only incorrect but a little insane. It's the type of self-delusional tripe that rich people feed themselves so that they don't feel so bad about getting over on the system through their own dodges and tax breaks.
And that's why what Mitt Romney said strikes such an ugly chord with me. Because it bothers me that he can speak those inaccurate numbers so dismissively. It bothers me that he can say what he said about almost half of the population of my country to a room full of people and not have that room of people have an issue with it. It bothers me that he said it not just because it was a personal opinion of his, but also because he knew that was the type of thing that they wanted to hear.
There is no greater truth to it. As political strategy, it's suicide. And to paraphrase Bob Schieffer, there is no fathomable reason that a candidate running for high office should say something like that. Unless, of course, you have the poor judgment and lack of character of a Mitt Romney.
That same lack of character, for the record, allows Romney to attack President Obama using excerpts from a speech the President made over a decade ago. And, as is par for the course, taken just out of context enough to be warped into the Republican's own sense of reality.
That's what we've come down to now. We've reached the point where people can twist less damning phrases out of context to build their monsters, all while spinning their own miscues into "harsh, inelegant truths".
Tuesday night, the President let Romney off the hook by admitting that everyone can misspeak sometimes.
Less than 24 hours later, the GOP couldn't help themselves from going on a witch hunt with footage that's over a decade old.
Because really, you should hold everyone's words, every single one they have ever spoken, against them. No matter how inelegant. Isn't that right, Mitt?
Friday, September 14, 2012
Flashback Friday: "You call these grapes..?!"
"They taste like Fresno!"
I was far too young to understand the subtle in-joke of those fateful words, but even then they stuck with me. The line, of course, is the last thing spoken before the opening credits rolled in the 1986 CBS mini-series Fresno. I feel like this is one of those things that got swept under the rug way back when, but maybe it has a fan or two that I'm not aware of.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Why I stopped Spreading Joy (Sorta).
Happy Birthday.
I admit that it's not a difficult thing to
say. Heck, typing it doesn't take much
effort, either. And you can pretty much
program an app or two (or seven probably) to wish your friends a good one on
their special day. So why then did I
abandon the practice of wishing my friends a happy birthday on Facebook?
Well, that's a good question. The answer is just a little complicated, but
not really so.
First, it's not for lack of noticing. It's fairly impossible to be part of a social
networking environment and not see that someone's special day is
happening. Either the system tells you
its their birthday, you see someone (possibly the birthday boy/girl in
question) mentioning it themselves, or some combination of the two. So it's never as simple as "I didn't
know".
And as anti-social as I can be at times, I am not
opposed to giving people greetings. People
that know me know that I will, at times, go above and beyond to send heartfelt
sentiments their way. And therein lies
the problem.
See, way back when, I really liked wishing people
a happy birthday. It was fun for me to
come up with some little wish or comment to put onto their wall. But I'm a prideful person. It’s important to me that I actually exert
the effort to be sincere and heartfelt.
I want each person I give a greeting to feel like it was something
unique and personal to them.
And honestly, I just haven’t had the time. It worked just fine when my friends list was
just over a hundred. But now that it’s
several times that number, I see that it’s someone’s birthday almost every
day. Sometimes multiple people. And I’m not online 24/7 (and have no desire
to be), so all it would take is a lapse or two and I’d have forgotten someone.
I’ve thought about alternate solutions to the
problem. I considered only sending well
wishes to people I was pretty close to, but I didn’t want to have to go through
the grueling process of evaluating my friends to see who would be “worthy” of
my time versus who wouldn’t. Likewise, I
didn’t want anyone to feel slighted just because I didn’t get around to them
while I was mulling over whether I would get around to them.
So I took the rather draconian approach of not
sending birthday wishes to anyone. Save my
girlfriend Danielle, which we can all agree is a wonderfully appropriate and
loving thing to do. I’d rather just
spare myself the drama, even if it comes at the expense of doing something I
genuinely used to love.
So if your birthday happens to roll around, and
in sorting through your messages you find mine absent, please: don’t think too
much ill of it. I’m honestly happy that
you’re a year older. I just didn’t get
around to saying it, is all. Which,
believe me, is sadder for me than it is for you.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
(Spoiler-Free) Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man is the story of... well, let's face it. Between the character that has three films released already and the obvious geek status of everyone that bothered to click the link here, you should know the story by now. Kid gets bitten by radioactive spider. Learns about power and responsibility the hard way. Profit.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Blast from the Past... ish.
Okay, so I've dropped the ball when it comes to Flashback Fridays. Or Heavy Nostalgia Thursdays. Or whatever the heck I was calling these little trips down memory lane to shows I remember from my younger days. But in my defense, I've dropped the ball in so many other places when it comes to this blog.
Not exactly an award winning mea culpa, I know.
Anywho, I wanted to take a moment to talk about this particular show, which was notorious for being memorable in one exact way. I speak of course, of Hi, Honey I'm Home!, a short lived sitcom of the early nineties with a relatively straightforward premise.
Not exactly an award winning mea culpa, I know.
Anywho, I wanted to take a moment to talk about this particular show, which was notorious for being memorable in one exact way. I speak of course, of Hi, Honey I'm Home!, a short lived sitcom of the early nineties with a relatively straightforward premise.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Planet Houston Podcast - Episode 302: It Happened Again
Download this episode.
So yeah. This show. Totally happening again. And it's just as horribly formatted as it ever was. But hey, there should still be fun to be had by all. So enjoy this decidedly more rambley, definitely less interviewy, episode of Planet Houston Podcast.
So yeah. This show. Totally happening again. And it's just as horribly formatted as it ever was. But hey, there should still be fun to be had by all. So enjoy this decidedly more rambley, definitely less interviewy, episode of Planet Houston Podcast.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Surviving the Big 2-4: Taking the Stage
Okay, let's face it. When it's all said and done, you're the ones being put in the line of fire. You're the ones that the audience will see, and inevitably the success or failure of the writing and direction of the show falls squarely on your shoulders.
And you wouldn't have it any other way.
But still, let's not kid ourselves here. You've got an uphill climb, and here's a few of the reasons why:
Flying Blind
You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Literally, that is. Your first chance to see a script will be the morning that you show up to work on it. Unlike a normal audition, you're pretty much getting placed into a show blind. They'll be no extra time to read the show early. No opportunity to Wiki a synopsis of the show. It's you and whoever else gets picked for ten minutes.
But on the bright side, it's just ten minutes. It feels a lot longer than it acutally will be. And ibefore you know it, it will be all over. But until then...
Manage Your Stress
One could argue that the ticking clock will impact the actors the most. Yes, your director will feel for you, but in the end you'll be the one feeling the pressure of being off book by the 8PM deadline.
The easiest way to wreck your fun and ruin your day is to get into a panic over time. Try to find moments to relax and unwind. Take a break from your script and just hang out. Not for hours on end, mind you. But take breaks to keep your head screwed on straight. Your brain will be better prepared to memorize and function if you do.
Get the Gist of It
The end goal is to have a perfectly learned and executed script. Believe me when I say that the goal is rarely met, and even then roughly so. The ultimate survival tactic is one of last resort. If you can't hack all of the lines word for word, then try your best to keep the spirit of them intact. Work with your fellow actors to prevent the one thing that will derail any stage performance: getting lost in the woods.
So long as one person on stage has an idea of what's going on, all is not lost. No matter how badly you think that things might turn out, there's always someone that thinks that things will be worse.
Manage Your Nerves
Last summer, everyone was on edge. Every single performer. Not one person was calm, and if they say they were, then they're a liar. I'm usually as cool as a cucumber, and I was edgy. It's probably the most on edge I've ever been before taking a stage, and (God willing) I will never be that on edge again.
But the entire cast and crew are pulling for you. Not just from your show, but from every single show going on. Every single person in every single show, every single writer, every single director, every single techie and stage manager, and (most importantly) every single audience member.
They're a forgiving group that will respect you giving your best effort and appreciate the work that you put into it. So worry less about your performance being perfect and focus on doing your best to get the show at its best. Everything else will work itself out.
So that's it. Everything is about to live in a few hours. I'll be no doubt stressing over it in short order, and the rest of the group will be under the gun soon enough. Godspeed and broken legs to everyone participating, and please remember to come out and support the effort by seeing the performances Saturday, Feb. 4th at 8PM.
And you wouldn't have it any other way.
But still, let's not kid ourselves here. You've got an uphill climb, and here's a few of the reasons why:
Flying Blind
You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Literally, that is. Your first chance to see a script will be the morning that you show up to work on it. Unlike a normal audition, you're pretty much getting placed into a show blind. They'll be no extra time to read the show early. No opportunity to Wiki a synopsis of the show. It's you and whoever else gets picked for ten minutes.
But on the bright side, it's just ten minutes. It feels a lot longer than it acutally will be. And ibefore you know it, it will be all over. But until then...
Manage Your Stress
One could argue that the ticking clock will impact the actors the most. Yes, your director will feel for you, but in the end you'll be the one feeling the pressure of being off book by the 8PM deadline.
The easiest way to wreck your fun and ruin your day is to get into a panic over time. Try to find moments to relax and unwind. Take a break from your script and just hang out. Not for hours on end, mind you. But take breaks to keep your head screwed on straight. Your brain will be better prepared to memorize and function if you do.
Get the Gist of It
The end goal is to have a perfectly learned and executed script. Believe me when I say that the goal is rarely met, and even then roughly so. The ultimate survival tactic is one of last resort. If you can't hack all of the lines word for word, then try your best to keep the spirit of them intact. Work with your fellow actors to prevent the one thing that will derail any stage performance: getting lost in the woods.
So long as one person on stage has an idea of what's going on, all is not lost. No matter how badly you think that things might turn out, there's always someone that thinks that things will be worse.
Manage Your Nerves
Last summer, everyone was on edge. Every single performer. Not one person was calm, and if they say they were, then they're a liar. I'm usually as cool as a cucumber, and I was edgy. It's probably the most on edge I've ever been before taking a stage, and (God willing) I will never be that on edge again.
But the entire cast and crew are pulling for you. Not just from your show, but from every single show going on. Every single person in every single show, every single writer, every single director, every single techie and stage manager, and (most importantly) every single audience member.
They're a forgiving group that will respect you giving your best effort and appreciate the work that you put into it. So worry less about your performance being perfect and focus on doing your best to get the show at its best. Everything else will work itself out.
So that's it. Everything is about to live in a few hours. I'll be no doubt stressing over it in short order, and the rest of the group will be under the gun soon enough. Godspeed and broken legs to everyone participating, and please remember to come out and support the effort by seeing the performances Saturday, Feb. 4th at 8PM.
Surviving the Big 2-4: Finding Direction
Direction is a sometimes thankless job. But anyone that says that directing is easy has never either never tried it or did it poorly. A director is the bridge between what the writer creates and what the people see. They carry the vision forward, and then add their own touch while still retaining the core of the writer's vision. They lead the actors in the direction of this overall vision into a performance that will enlighten and entertain.
So, yeah. That's easy, all right. And good luck with doing it in twelve hours.
Directors during the play festival will have all of the normal challenges of directing with the added burden of being on the clock. Because of that, there are some special items they should consider. I openly admit that directing is the one aspect of theater that I have the least experience with, but I also admit that, having worked with different directors over time, I should have some sort of insight on how this works.
Keep It Simple, (Not So) Stupid - Setting the Stage
It goes without saying that no one expects a miracle out of you. If you get the show on, you've pretty much done your job. Your best bet for doing this is making the goals you set for yourself be believable ones.
Every director that I've ever worked with starts with a vision of what they ideally want. Then slowly over the course of time, they pare that vision down into what is possible. To survive the play fest, you should embrace the "what is possible" phase as soon as possible, if not immediately.
You're going to have limited resources. Basically, all you have on tap is what may be at the theater itself and what you can grab or pin down within the course of a few hours. It's not all bad, though. The modern age provides you with access to the internet, and through it any of a number of music and audio clips to make use of.
Although again, I would say to keep it simple. The fewer sound and light cues you have, the easier everything will manage to be.
The same principle will work with regards to set pieces. Again, less is probably more. Your best bet is to rely on the basics of tables, chairs, small props and assorted coverings. If you're lucky, your writer(s) will have given you enough slack to make this stress -free. If they haven't, then you're going to have to make the call on how much of a hoop you plan to jump through for them. Again, my personal opinion is that less is more. Let you actors help you paint the scene. Speaking of which...
Keep It Simple, (Not So) Stupid - Managing Your Peeps
I'm not going to say that you should be hands off with your actors. There should be enough time to manage blocking and giving some motivation/direction notes if need be. but I will say that you do need to be aware that they too are under the gun. If your actors get their lines remotely down and can manage to add anything beyond that, then more power to them.
Do not make the mistake of trying to micro-manage your performers. Know when to wrangle them in, and then know when to give them space to work on their own. And believe me when I say that you'll have plenty of other things that you can focus on in the meantime.
So, yeah. That's easy, all right. And good luck with doing it in twelve hours.
Directors during the play festival will have all of the normal challenges of directing with the added burden of being on the clock. Because of that, there are some special items they should consider. I openly admit that directing is the one aspect of theater that I have the least experience with, but I also admit that, having worked with different directors over time, I should have some sort of insight on how this works.
Keep It Simple, (Not So) Stupid - Setting the Stage
It goes without saying that no one expects a miracle out of you. If you get the show on, you've pretty much done your job. Your best bet for doing this is making the goals you set for yourself be believable ones.
Every director that I've ever worked with starts with a vision of what they ideally want. Then slowly over the course of time, they pare that vision down into what is possible. To survive the play fest, you should embrace the "what is possible" phase as soon as possible, if not immediately.
You're going to have limited resources. Basically, all you have on tap is what may be at the theater itself and what you can grab or pin down within the course of a few hours. It's not all bad, though. The modern age provides you with access to the internet, and through it any of a number of music and audio clips to make use of.
Although again, I would say to keep it simple. The fewer sound and light cues you have, the easier everything will manage to be.
The same principle will work with regards to set pieces. Again, less is probably more. Your best bet is to rely on the basics of tables, chairs, small props and assorted coverings. If you're lucky, your writer(s) will have given you enough slack to make this stress -free. If they haven't, then you're going to have to make the call on how much of a hoop you plan to jump through for them. Again, my personal opinion is that less is more. Let you actors help you paint the scene. Speaking of which...
Keep It Simple, (Not So) Stupid - Managing Your Peeps
I'm not going to say that you should be hands off with your actors. There should be enough time to manage blocking and giving some motivation/direction notes if need be. but I will say that you do need to be aware that they too are under the gun. If your actors get their lines remotely down and can manage to add anything beyond that, then more power to them.
Do not make the mistake of trying to micro-manage your performers. Know when to wrangle them in, and then know when to give them space to work on their own. And believe me when I say that you'll have plenty of other things that you can focus on in the meantime.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Planet Houston Podcast - Episode 301: ...Mehhhh...
Download this episode.
For anyone that's noticing, the show is back now... sort of. As you will see, it's still a little rough around the edges, but the good stuff is still there. Today's installment isn't particularly segment heavy, but you don't want to miss out. Highlighting the show is an interview (... yes, I said interview) with Upstart Theater Company's Timothy Reynolds. You might know him from other stuff. Join us as we talk about the upcoming event Winter's Tales. So strap in, plug up, and brace yourselves. I'm apparently just bored enough to start the crazy train again. And you're welcome.
For anyone that's noticing, the show is back now... sort of. As you will see, it's still a little rough around the edges, but the good stuff is still there. Today's installment isn't particularly segment heavy, but you don't want to miss out. Highlighting the show is an interview (... yes, I said interview) with Upstart Theater Company's Timothy Reynolds. You might know him from other stuff. Join us as we talk about the upcoming event Winter's Tales. So strap in, plug up, and brace yourselves. I'm apparently just bored enough to start the crazy train again. And you're welcome.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Surviving the Big 2-4: Writing in Short Order
So you want
to write a play, do you? How long do you
want to take? A year? Few months?
Oh. A day.
You’re insane.
Oh, not a
day. Half that time? You’re even more insane. But you are perfect material for a 24-hour
play festival like Winter’s Tales. But
before you get your laptop cracking and begin a steady infusion of caffeine,
let me give you a few pointers to get you going.
Your real
reward will be seeing your work take life at the end of the cycle. Your best chance for reaping that benefit is
to make sure that you build the proper framework for the rest of the
participants to work with.
Know Your
Limitations – Time! Part 1
There are
two time constraints to keep in mind.
The first is a real time barrier of roughly eight hours. That’s how long you’ll have to plot, write,
edit, and submit your script. But also
keep in mind that that given time frame is overnight during the first day of
the festival. So unless you’re a natural
night owl (or you just have an out of whack metabolism), consider that you will have
slightly less time than that as your body begins to slow down over the course
of the morning.
What this
means is that your best bet for success is to come up with all of your major
ideas and plotting as early as possible.
I’m not big on outlining, but if you need it, then go ahead and do it
early. I’ll go a further step and
suggest that you script several possible ideas/outlines in the first hour or
so. Because if an idea goes south on
you, you don’t want to be sitting around at 1AM in the morning with no idea of
what to go to next.
Know Your
Limitations – Time! Part 2
Your second
time constraint is a writing barrier.
The desired length for your written show is 10 minutes. That translates to about 10 pages of scripted
text. I would strongly suggest that you
use a piece of formatting software to write your script. That will help put the pieces into proper
perspective, make them easier to read for others, and help give the proper
spacing/format to actually pan out to ten minutes. There are several free options available if
you ever want to make use of them (I’m somewhat fond of Celtx, myself).
Find Your
Comfort Zone
Every writer
will occasionally feel the need to challenge themselves creatively. I will suggest that you pick another time to
do so.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not
saying that your piece cannot be thoughtful, inventive, or even abstract. But if that’s not your wheelhouse, this is
probably the wrong time to indulge that whim.
I know the
feeling well. I thought, foolishly so,
that it would be a good idea to go with an abstract concept for my writing last
summer. How did it go? How many times have I mentioned dumping my
first concept, again…?
Just keep in
mind that with only hours to work and several other constraints to consider,
choosing to right outside of the box is just giving yourself one more
handicap. And speaking of other
constraints…
Consider
Your Directors – Setting the Stage
Naturally,
your script should not detail things
that will be difficult or impossible for someone to create in under a day. That doesn’t mean that you can’t use certain
settings; it just means that you need to consider the environment.
Directors
will have access to limited space and resources. Yes, this is their problem to sort out (which
I will get into later…), but it can only help them when you don’t start digging
them a larger hole to work out of.
It is a
simple matter to set the stage without setting the stage, so to speak. You want a scene in a laundromat? That’s fine.
But if you want the scene to include an actual washer or drier, you
better check and make sure that there’s one available. Yes, there are cheats that can be used, but
it’s simpler if you try to keep the workspace in mind. Which brings me to my next point…
Consider
Your Directors – Making the Moves
My favorite
part of any script is the dialogue. It’s
probably the thing that most clearly reflects itself in my head as I think up
ideas. But even with that, I recognize
that a script does need some stage directions.
This is less a play-by-play of each and every action a character will
make and is, again, a framework for the director and actors to work with.
When
considering what actions to include and exclude, I tend to ask myself the
question: “Is this action important to the scene or my vision?” If the answer is yes, then that action goes
in with as much detail as necessary. If
not, then I tend to leave it open. The
trick is in balancing making a clear picture with tying a director’s hand with
lofty descriptions.
Consider
Your Actors – Casting Call
If history
is any indicator, there will be limited resources with regards to
performers. Even if there is a wide
berth of performers to choose from (and here’s hoping that pans out…), you
still need to keep in mind that directors will be making the casting
choices. So don’t go too crazy trying to
pen a part that you feel would be suited for one particular person. That person may not be available, and on top
of that it’s not your job to make a choice like that.
Now that isn’t
to say that you should feel limited in your ability to create characters. People play above and below their age ranges,
do accents, etc. all of the time. Feel
free to create any characters you want in whatever standing you see fit. It will, however, smooth things over if you
give your characters a little bit of leeway.
Speaking of which…
Consider
Your Actors
This one is
kind of a no brainer, but it bears saying.
Don’t go crazy when it comes to what characters say or do or how they
interact. My main, major general rule of
thumb (and a solid suggestion) is to steer clear of heavy romantic
interactions. Hugs are pretty safe, but
anything beyond that should be left up in the air (or just left out). Seriously, no one is signing up for this
expecting a love scene, and those types of actions take weeks (or longer) for actors
to develop a comfort level in. Try not
to make the performers have to do anything that’s going to leave them with
emotional scars.
To Make A
Long Story Short (Too Late)…
I would
never want anyone to feel limited in their ability to tell a story, paint a
picture, or express themselves. But in
this particular endeavor and in this environment, it is important that the
writer realizes their role. You are making
the blueprint for what everyone else is
working with for the next half of the festival.
And to a certain degree, how well you do that will eventually affect how
hard or how easy that task will be.
(Next time,
my (most likely much shorter) advice for directors. Yes, I’m going to tell you how to do that job
that I never actually do. I’m like Dr.
Spock that way…)
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Surviving the Big 2-4: Part One: Making the Choice
This February will mark the second 24-hour play festival to grace the local area in the past year. These articles serve as a guide for those returning or those new to the experience. These are my personal reflections, opinions, and offers of advice. Take or use them at your own discretion and/or peril.
So, you've heard they're holding a play festival. Boy, you wish you had caught the auditions for that one so you could have... Wait a minute. It's a twenty-four hour play festival? So there's still time for you to get involved! But should you? Keep these factors in mind when making the choice on whether or not to participate.
What it isn't...
It's not easy. At some point during the experience, not matter what facet of the festival you end up participating in, there will be stress. Either the pressure of creating a new work under tight constraints, the pressue of managing people, stage space, and time with limited access to all of them, or the sometimes lofty task of learning an entire scene(s) on short notice (I will expound on each of these in more detail later).
It's also not a personal showcase for yourself. You will at times be dependent on others to survive the experience. Input, feedback, and direct assistance will no doubt be required at varying points in time (not to mention coffee). It is not nor will it ever be about your glory. You should remember to stay humble. It won't be too hard; you'll be crippled and debilitated on an hourly basis.
What it is...
In many respects, it is exactly what it sounds like. The event takes place over the course of a single day. It runs from Friday evening (when the participants meet and get to know each other (or know each other better or shoot the breeze for the umpteenth time... you get the idea) on through the night (when the writers hammer feverishly away at their keyboards and their foreheads in frustration) and all through most of the following Saturday (when the directors try to squeeze weeks of rehearsal time into 6-7 hours).
What else is it? Well, it's also fun. If you have any creative talent or even aspirations, meeting the challenge of a festival like this will (hopefully) have as many fun moments as there are frustrating ones.
And speaking of fun, you get the benefit of hanging out and/or working with a huge cross section of the local theatre community. I'm not going to lie and call it an excellent networking opportunity, but it can't hurt to touch base with a person or two.
So the short version is...
I won't lie and say that you should definitely do it. In the end, it will be a personal decision based on your courage, time, patience, and desire. People will no doubt have any of a number of reasons why they can't or shouldn't do it.
I can only tell you that last summer was a mad, crazy, frustration-inducing, joyful, chaotic whirlwind of a spectacle. And I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. If you're thinking about it and are on the fence, I'd say go for it. But don't blame me if you have a bad time. it will be what you make of it. But what you make of it can be a very great thing.
(Tune in next time, when I give the brave and bold writing corps some friendly advice on how to pull an all nighter. Because yeah, I'm really good at that...)
So, you've heard they're holding a play festival. Boy, you wish you had caught the auditions for that one so you could have... Wait a minute. It's a twenty-four hour play festival? So there's still time for you to get involved! But should you? Keep these factors in mind when making the choice on whether or not to participate.
What it isn't...
It's not easy. At some point during the experience, not matter what facet of the festival you end up participating in, there will be stress. Either the pressure of creating a new work under tight constraints, the pressue of managing people, stage space, and time with limited access to all of them, or the sometimes lofty task of learning an entire scene(s) on short notice (I will expound on each of these in more detail later).
It's also not a personal showcase for yourself. You will at times be dependent on others to survive the experience. Input, feedback, and direct assistance will no doubt be required at varying points in time (not to mention coffee). It is not nor will it ever be about your glory. You should remember to stay humble. It won't be too hard; you'll be crippled and debilitated on an hourly basis.
What it is...
In many respects, it is exactly what it sounds like. The event takes place over the course of a single day. It runs from Friday evening (when the participants meet and get to know each other (or know each other better or shoot the breeze for the umpteenth time... you get the idea) on through the night (when the writers hammer feverishly away at their keyboards and their foreheads in frustration) and all through most of the following Saturday (when the directors try to squeeze weeks of rehearsal time into 6-7 hours).
What else is it? Well, it's also fun. If you have any creative talent or even aspirations, meeting the challenge of a festival like this will (hopefully) have as many fun moments as there are frustrating ones.
And speaking of fun, you get the benefit of hanging out and/or working with a huge cross section of the local theatre community. I'm not going to lie and call it an excellent networking opportunity, but it can't hurt to touch base with a person or two.
So the short version is...
I won't lie and say that you should definitely do it. In the end, it will be a personal decision based on your courage, time, patience, and desire. People will no doubt have any of a number of reasons why they can't or shouldn't do it.
I can only tell you that last summer was a mad, crazy, frustration-inducing, joyful, chaotic whirlwind of a spectacle. And I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. If you're thinking about it and are on the fence, I'd say go for it. But don't blame me if you have a bad time. it will be what you make of it. But what you make of it can be a very great thing.
(Tune in next time, when I give the brave and bold writing corps some friendly advice on how to pull an all nighter. Because yeah, I'm really good at that...)
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