A lot has happened since school began again. I've discovered astrology, ran my legs out in water basketball and was hired to work two jobs. Along with my intelligent and girlfriend, we both were recommended as tutors for the writing lab. Not only that, but it became official and were awarded the positions. Now, according to our soon-to-be bright and intelligent co-workers, we're helping stupid people with bad papers. It's funny how the other workers hold a superiority over the "other students." I just want to get paid. Just kidding, I think. I want to say that I'm in it for the right reasons, but I'd only be partly lying to myself and this blog. If I was in it for the satisfaction of helping students "realize their own mistakes without telling them," I wouldn't care about a paycheck at all, but that's not the way life works. I'm actually hoping to take knowledge along with a paycheck. I'm just like a positive college professor. We'll see how this job progresses throughout the year. Along with that, I will also continue holding my position as the Technical Director's Assistant (or as I like to put it "Assistant to the Technical Director). Every job needs a proper heading. But really, I don't consider it a job. I always thought a job is something you're supposed to hate or something you spend all day Sunday dwelling the notion that tomorrow is when you "go to a job," but now it's exciting that I can go cut, drill, bolt, screw and sweat and get paid for that. And then there's the job I have in the shop. Haha. Just a little humor to go along with this. But then the fun does go away when the work becomes tedious and the cutting is off center, drilling is not deep enough, bolting is too tight, or the screws strip, then a new form of hate emerges. God I love school!

On another positive note, I have been casted in David Ives' absurd comedy "All in the Timing." The character I have been casted to portray is Leon Trotsky. Yes, I am thrilled to be in it! The first read-through is tomorrow and this weekend I have already dove into the script head first. I am experimenting with a few new ideas for character preparation. I want to create a process. I might even start a new blog and devote it to the process of character development. Come up with certain things I can do, think, wear to better suit my portrayal as the Russian revolutionary. So far, I have read the script continuously and am slowly getting the dialogue memorized. Today, I began researching Trotsky's life. He's really a fascinating person. He believed heavily in Marx's view on the economy and used it as an influence to develop his own phliosophy. Trotsky also heavily faught with Stalin. The two, while agreed on basic principle, disagreed once the inner core of understanding progressed. There's a lot that I do not understand. I know basic understanding of Socialism and Communism, but a lot of what Trotsky goes into is way above my head. Maybe I have to be Russian and a hard worker in order to sympathize. It all sounds really cool though. I love revolutionary ideals. The thought of going out there and fighting really shows thoughness. It's all about the little people and unionizing. I wonder if Trotsky would rather fight for starving factory workers or bitchy writers. I can think of one thing they all have in common: let's go to the men in charge and demand what we need or else. I love the or else, because you only can imagine what it is. Anyways, Trotsky's biography online is really long and I want to gradually learn who he is, but no try and become him on stage. I do have to remember that I am portaying him, not becoming hom. I'm somewhat juggling two acting philosophies. I'm trying to weigh an even balance of theory from Stainslavski, Brecht and basic modern acting. I'm now going with Stainslavski's observation theory, where you watch the person of immulation or person of inspiration and merely watch for certain traits that stand out that you could do in hopes of convincing an audience you are that person, BUT here I go again. Brecht makes it clear that you are only portraying a person, whereas taking on traits for preparation can lead to Lee Strasberg style of Method Acting (I hate method acting). My biggest concern is whether to portray the real life Trotsky or the David Ives image of Trotsky. While both might be the same, it's my job to find a line that symbolizes doing too much and make sure not to cross it. The piece is really funny, but towards the end it's quite tragic. I see the ending as very serious, however I'm worried that Ronda wants to go for all laughs. Being an absurd comedy, I think an understanding of the harsh reality is in order for use as a wakeup call to the audience. And the ending monologue, broken up into dialogued chunks really hits you hard with something to think about, and I love it! I really feel moved by the role. Anyways, I have managed to write a lot about this so farm so I'll stop for now and continue later.

This past weekend, I went white water rafting. It was a lot of fun! I love exhilerating feelings of experienceing nature in a thrilling way. As cliche as it sounds, it motivates me to go out and really live. Skiing is fun and rafting is fun, now I have to keep searching for more thrills. Below are some pictures taken near the campsite. I would have taken pictures in the raft, but my phone would be DEAD right now if I had. So below are a bunch of dam(n) pictures. Hehe. We had a lot of fun with dam(n) jokes. It was really scary looking down. We were REALLY far above the groung.

Who needs _______ when you have The Faint!

Who needs drugs when you have The Faint! Who needs alcohol when you have The Faint! Who needs reality when you have The Faint! These of course are questions, but I'm phrasing them as exclamations, because I would yell them out right now If I were witnessing another concert by this band. Every aspect of the performance went beyond my possible expectation. I had seen Youtube videos of their concerts, but being there with the bright strobes flashing rapidly and the heavy thuds in your heart from the bass really left me fully elated. I think one of the only ways to describe that night was in a hypnotic daze. There wasn't a single person there who wasn't either dancing or bouncing their feet to the beat. Their music moves you metaphorically and literally. I didn't believe in the Pied Piper until that night. I feel like I could do the unthinkable in that type of atmosphere. The more I try and describe it, the more I become enthralled with the memory of it and find myself drifting off. Anyways, here are a few pictures from the concert. The first few are not mine, but show a better quality compared to my camera.

I with that politics had little impact on my life, but truthfully when I watch something on the news I have to become emotional towards it. This excludes many things of course - I'm referring to only the things I care passionately about. Dad asked me what I thought about Russia invading Georgia and I told him that it's horrible that people are being bombed. And he followed it with asking me if we should go in and help. I responded once again, but this time telling him that I haven't researched into the matter entirely yet. I did mention that Bush telling Russia "no, no," with a wag of the finger is a little harsh. By heart, I'm a pacifist. I say that I could never get into a fight, but if someone hit my mother or girlfriend, I would handle the matter in a not-so peaceful route, which kinda defies my character, but what would you do? Anyways, I don't believe anyone should bomb period, but America really cannot talk. I mean, if we do interfere, the reasons behind it would be for making Bush look like he did something right before leaving office. I did read an article that suggests Bush has a conflict of interest, because he has a lot of money tied to the oil that's coming from the pipeline that's running under Georgia and that there are three places which the pipeline ends: the Caspian Sea, Iran and Turkey. It's all very interesting. I wish I knew my history a lot better. I'm hearing people saying this might escalate into another Cold War. My response: Well, it's not so cold outside.

On the Obama trail: more people still hate him for the color of his skin. You know, I think I've finally had it with these racist americans. I do not capitalize for the very reason I don't believe they are (A)mericans. I began thinking that I shouldn't let intolerant FOLKS get me down, but I sort of believe that it's not Obama that doesn't have the experience to rule America, it's America who doesn't have the experience to let a black man rule America. Many people tell me it's just the south acting this way, but in the long run, I think there are a lot more racist people covering up their unjustly and loathsome reasons with excuses like "he doesn't have enough experience." Here's a clip of Obama handling a bunch of heckler's in the crowd while trying to give a speech. I think he handles it decently:



Here's how George Carlin handled a heckler. I think Obama should do this if he continues having more hecklers:



In lieu of that, I think people should be more honest. This is what pisses me off: yes, you do have a right to protest, but take for instance the episode on Bill Maher, there's a place to do it and a place not to do it. I mean, protesting while Obama is giving a speech. I feel the same way about the protesters during McCain's speeches as well. This is just an opportunity for loudmouth people striving for attention, not the cause but themselves, to parade on television. Well, I'm all tapped out for the night. I think Carlin said it all.