Had an idea today for a Shadowrun one-shot involving a corp trying to steal cap and trade certificates due to overloading emissions. 3 stage, steal, cover trace, and kill those in the know. Eco-terrorists take the building while the group is inside. Could be fun. No time now to write it up.

—

Great night at rehearsal last night. Seems MacDuff will be quite the action star in this production. I get to practice falling and tumbling reminiscent of parkour. But, I need to start looking into primer-only loads for a snubnose revolver, in case the space is too small for a half-load shootout. I think when we did the Dead Guy, we used half-loads, but I can’t remember. Got to put my two cents in for fight choreography, though. And I do feel like kind of a bad-ass. My skills serve me well in this.

—

Essentially acting as assistant casting agent for the stuntpeople in this film is a little tough. The director and I have not really clicked; we just have different tastes, I think. But, since I don’t know what he would like, I can’t just cast people. Plus, I want to work more with him, since he has opened some doors professionally for me, so I can’t just cast any old muppets. Luckily, I have some pretty cool people who are thinking about doing it.

—

Need to write choreography for this workshop this weekend. Luckily, a friend just messaged me asking for assistance with a high school production of Oklahoma, so I got to clarify my own thoughts, while hearing from her other advisors. Cool beans. Now to just motivate myself to get to work.

—

My new class has an intimidating reading schedule and the professor’s criteria for getting an A is a little daunting. Then again, what he expects from freshman in a 200-level course can’t be too taxing on my experienced and wizened intellect. Can it?

—

Haven’t had a decent workout since La Cage started. I feel like my body is beginning to decay from all the sitting around. But I can’t seem to find the time… My schedule is my own fault. I need to make some space. I have not seen some of my friends in what seems like ages.

While I guess I see this as technological progress, releasing a tablet computer which does not have simple support for stylus writing is inane.

Have you ever wanted an underpowered laptop with no keyboard? Or an iPod that would never fit in your pocket? Then, have we got a money-sink for you!

Jeers.

I was staring at this. I was not in the best of moods, and it struck me as apropos.

It is the business card of Jules Mann, whose beautiful art can be purchased here.

Is it the journey that matters? That is what many people believe. But, in learning to appreciate the journey, how does one feel fulfilled enough to continue?

In the last few years, I have made colossal strides toward achieving… something. My dream? My goals? Happiness? I don’t really know. I picked a path and I have been clearing brush from it as I go.

Examples or GTFO:
(more…)

Warning: This is *graphic* storytelling.

I was listening to auto-tuned scientists at Symphony of Science and something occurred to me: while faith seems to have been a notion conceived to easily answer the question of what our place is in the universe, that answer has changed considerably, yet still carries the same moniker.

I shall explain, since that sentence was ill-conceived and verbose.

Taking the Bible as an example, man sits at the highest point in a hierarchy of earthly beings. He is to act as master and custodian for the planet, an edict handed down by God Himself. In an unforgiving and vast universe, to be the ruler of the only place we can currently visit is a strong enough argument to forget the question altogether. And so faith allows us to avoid dwelling in that uncertainty.

But faith (again, using the Bible as example) also teaches us that in our mastery over this world, we should be humble and uncovetous. Because among the other 6 billion masters, our place is not clear. Yes, we are to be equals, but how to settle differences? Men rule earth, but who rules men? God, I suppose, but in such a hands-off way, that we simply have to have societies to avoid constant argument over proper behavior.

Argh. I had this great thought this morning, but I’ve lost it now. It revolved around using faith to elevate man above insignificance, but in modern times being used to show how man should always be deferent to a higher authority, whether that’s God or simply the men who are smart enough to use the concept of God to confuse the simple-minded.

I thought I had it all worked out how terrorism is actually the result of this, but then I had to go and WORK and mess it all up.

Still, it got me writing again, which I suppose is worth it. I will not edit this, this time.

Look.

I understand that the Health Care thing is divisive, moreso because we have a president that has the kind of love/hate charisma that is attributed to the most influential leaders of history, including the incredibly evil ones. I understand the arguments on either side (personal responsibility vs. providing for humanity). And while I think the latter is more Christian and I am confused by the protests, I am proud to see that America is still a place where people are allowed to gather at the seat of power in Washington and be heard without fear.

But FOX News is lying to you. Please stop listening to them. Glenn Beck is lying to you. Sean Hannity is lying to you. They have strong beliefs and supposedly America at heart, but they are using their media influence to create hatred and deceit.

Go out. Oppose. Demonstrate. Protest. Shout if you must. But do so to peacefully appeal to your elected officials.

Ok, now have some comedy.

Why no blogging, Buddha?

In previous weeks, I have had no just cause, but for the next two, I have 8 just causes. I am working the equivalent of 8 (at least part-time) jobs:

1. GS Design (my real job)
2. The New Century (my current show)
3. La Cage aux Folles (my next show)
4. A Murder Mystery for Halloween in Lake Geneva (a show I’m doing n between)
5. Voiceover work at Raven Software in Middleton
6. Fight Choreography for Edgewood College in Middleton (total coincidence)
7. Freelance web job
8. Grammar class at UW-M

Currently, the filming schedule is on hold.

You brought this on yourself, say some friends, but really I did not know they would all funnel their major portions into the same 2-week period. Frankly, I should have foreseen that, but I sometimes call Murphy a liar.

And naturally, I am sick this week. Oh Murphy, your vengeance is disproportionate. Can’t I just buy you a beer?

— from a few years ago.

Controversy has followed a scheduled “back-to-school” speech U.S. President George W. Bush is set to deliver on Tuesday.

A small group of protesters gathered outside Wakefield High School in the Washington suburb of Arlington as the president’s motorcade was arriving for his midday speech.

One sign read, “Mr. President, stay away from our kids.”

The seemingly innocuous speech welcoming children back after the summer break has been overshadowed by the politics surrounding the “No Child Left Behind” debate that has gripped the country’s attention.

In the speech, scheduled to begin a little after noon ET, the president will speak directly to children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school, the White House says. An advance copy of the speech suggests he will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.

When plans for the speech were first unveiled, it was accompanied by a set of directives to schools opting to broadcast the speech. The directives concerned ways to get students to write essays about how to help the president do his job.

Critics saw that as political interference, even as the administration dismissed it as a harmless way of helping schools in their civics curricula.

His opponents further suggested the address to schoolchildren was part of his strategy to overhaul the education system in the United States. That divisive debate has dominated the nation’s attention all summer.

“President Bush has turned to American’s children to spread his conservative lies, indoctrinating American’s youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves,” said the Florida Democrat chair, adding, “It’s inappropriate to use taxpayer dollars to broadcast White House politics into the nation’s school system.”

The White House attempted to put cold water on the controversy by releasing the speech without any such directives on Monday.

But based on the presence of protestors, that may not have been enough to quell outrage.

—

No, this never happened. But I wonder if it had, if the people now opposed to having this speech in schools would instead have been accepting of its arrival. Similarly, would they have brushed off the protests as “typical liberal soft-hearted nonsense?” It seems to me, this issue has nothing to do with any policy or rational belief against indoctrination. After all, I do not remember hearing a “liberal” agenda telling children to think like them or they are somehow unpatriotic, weak Americans.

Rather, I have heard an emphasis on individuality, even on sedition, if one were to take after Thomas Jefferson. Would such encouragement be responsible, or “better?” I am in no position to say. But I can say that — empirically, based on evidence — one group is more noted for their ability and willingness to indoctrinate. And the other is not.

I suppose which is which changes based on your individual perspective.