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May 2, 2006

Brain Dump

Got the new Tool Album, 10,000 Days. I heard 89x say that it is the coolest album art ever. I’d have to agree. Vicariously is a very bad ass song.

This brain dump is brought to you buy my first listen to my favorite bands latest opus.

Sports
Wings fucking lost. Fuck. Fucking fuck. During this series I realized how much I respect the game of hockey for having guys like Steve Yzerman. What a fucking HOCKEY guy he is. Anyone blaming him is a nut. I’m not sure who’s to blame. Still, I can’t believe they found a way to blow a 2 goal lead. Well, I guess all you can say is GO0o Pistons!

In the last month I:
Went to Phoenix, Az
Saw my niece for the first time
Performed in a Neutrino Project
Performed a show in the dark with Jokyr and Jesster
Saw a bunch of great shows at the Phoenix Improv Festival including but not limited too Cog, Great Adventure, and Jokyr and Jesster
Managed to get pulled over AND given breathalyzer tests twice, I passed
Took three exams, wrote two papers, and worked in a shop where I assemble rod holders
Wrote a resume
Went on an interview
Was photographed in my wet underpants
Started smoking again…ugh
Cried, smiled, and cried while smiling

Phoenix was very cool for me, and I think it was a great thing for Lisa and I. We came back revitalized, and it was nice. School, and work, and driving get in the way of us having a good time together so often, the change felt good.

During the fest Chuck taught a great workshop (with me as Mr. Helper), I saw some great shows, and I made some observations about improv in general. Since then, I have been working on my own scene work quite a bit. Improv theory seems to arrive in spurts of simplicity for me. I only wish its application were as simple.

Based on my observations I have hastily drawn some conclusions.

The first conclusion refers to any given improvisers emotional output, and the intensity at which it is delivered. A level ten in emotional output is deceiving, and is often exposed as a six when scrutinized. Try it. Sit with a director, friend, fellow actor, whatever. Have them count off ten second intervals, and at each interval intensify an emotion, until ten is reached. Hold that feeling for twenty seconds, and flex it if possible. Then lower it to about a seven. End the exercise, take few seconds to walk it off and breathe, then do it again. Use a different emotion. Don’t hurt anyone please.

The second conclusion deals with backline support in a team setting. A team of improvisers finally “scene painted” in a way that wasn’t annoying. Apparently, I like scene painting when the back line uses it to intensify an improviser’s choice, but not to direct a particular scene. As an actor, I will use the time that the scene painting is taking place to hold and intensify my characters emotion.

CTAS has made some strides toward their newest form. Tailgate is coming together as well, and I’m curious to its life after Thursday.

The Tool album is cool. I’ve been repeating tracks one, two, and four all day.

Some rock-ass lyrics from Track 1 – Vicariously:

I own the TV
'cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavor
It happens to be

Don't look me at like
I am a monster
Frown out your one face
But with the other
Stare like a junkie
Into the TV
Stare like a zombie
While the mother, holds her child
Watches him die
Hands to the sky cryin,
"Why, oh why?"

Cause I need to watch things die
From a distance
Vicariously, I
Live while the whole world dies
You all need it too - don't lie.

-Fin

Posted by Clifton at 5:18 PM