Non-improv, just for a moment.
I saw a guy outside 7-11 trying to make a phone call. He didn't have change in his pocket. A woman walked by. He said "Do you have any spare change?" The woman replied "Can you give me a good reason why you're not gainfully employed?"
Holy spit.
Why she had to take a simple interaction and turn it into a demeaning situation is ignorant and evil. Karma is coming to get you, lady.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Delusions of Awesomeness?
So I'm glad I'm a "Snoopy Thomas" and enjoy reading my RFT family's 'blogs.
I went on a roller coaster ride this weekend. Elated, disappointed, carefree, impassioned, downright glum, etc, etc. They were all there.
And then I read Kory's post.
It made everything okay. I know I'm not exactly the Fonz, I just ain't cool... That leads to me overthinking life and all it's aspects. So I'm thinking, fuck. I dropped the ball with the Jam thing. I know I wasn't "in charge" per se, but someone should be trying to maintain order. The Jam in question is the Friday one before the show... We couldn't seem, for the first while, to get on the same page. Half were warming up, half were chilling. Totally fine, but I can't help but notice that doesn't happen when Crad and Kevvy are in the house.
Just an observation.
But then, I read Kory's post, and he says he got a lot out of the jam, and enjoyed the discussions we had later on. Good to hear. It makes it seem like nobody should lose their head. Particularly, myself.
I went on a roller coaster ride this weekend. Elated, disappointed, carefree, impassioned, downright glum, etc, etc. They were all there.
And then I read Kory's post.
It made everything okay. I know I'm not exactly the Fonz, I just ain't cool... That leads to me overthinking life and all it's aspects. So I'm thinking, fuck. I dropped the ball with the Jam thing. I know I wasn't "in charge" per se, but someone should be trying to maintain order. The Jam in question is the Friday one before the show... We couldn't seem, for the first while, to get on the same page. Half were warming up, half were chilling. Totally fine, but I can't help but notice that doesn't happen when Crad and Kevvy are in the house.
Just an observation.
But then, I read Kory's post, and he says he got a lot out of the jam, and enjoyed the discussions we had later on. Good to hear. It makes it seem like nobody should lose their head. Particularly, myself.
As for the Sunday jam, keep coming, you high school nosebowlers, you. We're making headway already, and it's only been two weeks for some of you. Good work.
Oh, and as I was mentioning to Stew, and as you all should know, The Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" album is stuck in my mind. Despite it's 2002 release, it's just as good and relevant right now. Listen to it, and be enlightened.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Improvin' and Help!TVin'... Alternate Universes?
Methinks I'm hosting second half of Theatresports today.
That'd be fun.
The first half will feature the winners of the Nosebowl, Mac, and they will be sizziling. I expect myself, Chad (my Hardy Boy brother), Amy and Mat will be in for a hot match. We're their opponents. I predict a tie, 8 to 8, and we'll have to break it with "Da Doo Ron Ron" (you know, that snappy little tune by The Crystals, or *sigh* Shaun Cassidy). But who cares about score, right?
On a wee bit of a sidetrack, some of you know that I've appeared a couple of times on Help!TV recently. Once with my fellow RFTers, once on my own. And I learned a valuable lesson: You can't always do what you want. I've been spoiled by improv. When I was given a specific activity to do by the director (he wanted me to pretend that I was "passing gas"), I really didn't think it was cool. Then I realized, "Dude, this is what acting used to be all about. Somebody gives you some lines or bit of business, then you do it."
Whoa.
It has been a while since someone has told me what to do on stage (or in this case, on screen... uh, television, I don't really know the proper terminology) . It was a nice dose of reality. It helped me to understand why the dude with the fake russian accent says "Now that's what I call a car alarm" on that Smirnoff commercial. Somebody told him to do it. He's not inherently uncool, the writer of that line is.
It's not to say you have no input as an actor. You don't tell the director that their idea sucks, you show them (by doing that bit as best as you can, and if it looks stupid, a good director will change it). I still love improv, and I still love that rush it gives me that no other theatre can. I just think being told what to do was... in retrospect... refreshing.
That'd be fun.
The first half will feature the winners of the Nosebowl, Mac, and they will be sizziling. I expect myself, Chad (my Hardy Boy brother), Amy and Mat will be in for a hot match. We're their opponents. I predict a tie, 8 to 8, and we'll have to break it with "Da Doo Ron Ron" (you know, that snappy little tune by The Crystals, or *sigh* Shaun Cassidy). But who cares about score, right?
On a wee bit of a sidetrack, some of you know that I've appeared a couple of times on Help!TV recently. Once with my fellow RFTers, once on my own. And I learned a valuable lesson: You can't always do what you want. I've been spoiled by improv. When I was given a specific activity to do by the director (he wanted me to pretend that I was "passing gas"), I really didn't think it was cool. Then I realized, "Dude, this is what acting used to be all about. Somebody gives you some lines or bit of business, then you do it."
Whoa.
It has been a while since someone has told me what to do on stage (or in this case, on screen... uh, television, I don't really know the proper terminology) . It was a nice dose of reality. It helped me to understand why the dude with the fake russian accent says "Now that's what I call a car alarm" on that Smirnoff commercial. Somebody told him to do it. He's not inherently uncool, the writer of that line is.
It's not to say you have no input as an actor. You don't tell the director that their idea sucks, you show them (by doing that bit as best as you can, and if it looks stupid, a good director will change it). I still love improv, and I still love that rush it gives me that no other theatre can. I just think being told what to do was... in retrospect... refreshing.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Putting Off Procrastination
Between Theatresports, life, and extremely lofty hobbies, there isn't much time for serious business. Let me explain...
One of the things I do is gather information. I currently have a document which will be close to 100 pages when it's done, cataloguing the greatest performances in rock history. Every billboard number one, and several rock critic's choices (Mainly, critics from Rolling Stone, Scotland's Martin C. Strong, and Radio One's John Peel... he can't add any more choices, because he's dead). I also obsessively follow EA sport's NHL series, and my NHL 2006 is seriously in need of updating. I must have every roster perfect. It's my thing.
Sadly, I have been putting off a pretty serious task. I told members of my family that I was going to expand a tribute I had made to my mother. I did a 15 minute presentation in 2002 showing her path and what a special amount of power she had. For those out of the loop, I lost my mother when she took her own life in 2001.
I was going to do a combination live performance, slide show, and video presentation, myself playing all the characters in her life. Many people offered to help me. I even had permission to film in Alberta Hospital (well, I had talked to someone about it).
It's hard to start. I gotta do it.
One of the things I do is gather information. I currently have a document which will be close to 100 pages when it's done, cataloguing the greatest performances in rock history. Every billboard number one, and several rock critic's choices (Mainly, critics from Rolling Stone, Scotland's Martin C. Strong, and Radio One's John Peel... he can't add any more choices, because he's dead). I also obsessively follow EA sport's NHL series, and my NHL 2006 is seriously in need of updating. I must have every roster perfect. It's my thing.
Sadly, I have been putting off a pretty serious task. I told members of my family that I was going to expand a tribute I had made to my mother. I did a 15 minute presentation in 2002 showing her path and what a special amount of power she had. For those out of the loop, I lost my mother when she took her own life in 2001.
I was going to do a combination live performance, slide show, and video presentation, myself playing all the characters in her life. Many people offered to help me. I even had permission to film in Alberta Hospital (well, I had talked to someone about it).
It's hard to start. I gotta do it.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Funny Nickname... I Like It!
So it starts.
After longing, burning, and much gnashing of teeth... I'm finally on the RFT website.
As Shawn "Funny Nickname" Pallier, even. Actually, I'm down with that. Craddo once described a nickname to me as somewhat as a badge of honour, and I do, indeed, have a nickname. It has always been simply "Pallier". I know, I know, that's just my last name... But people use it as a nickname, so I'll take it.
Just for history's sake, here are some other nicknames (and alteregos) bestowed on me:
Pee Wee
Shortstuff
Spawn
Kid Kurious
3Deep
Dutchess Fruity Pants
I need a drink.
After longing, burning, and much gnashing of teeth... I'm finally on the RFT website.
As Shawn "Funny Nickname" Pallier, even. Actually, I'm down with that. Craddo once described a nickname to me as somewhat as a badge of honour, and I do, indeed, have a nickname. It has always been simply "Pallier". I know, I know, that's just my last name... But people use it as a nickname, so I'll take it.
Just for history's sake, here are some other nicknames (and alteregos) bestowed on me:
Pee Wee
Shortstuff
Spawn
Kid Kurious
3Deep
Dutchess Fruity Pants
I need a drink.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Insider and Outsider?
Okay. Here Goes.
I gots ta be true to what I want this 'blog to be all about.
I'll admit it, to the 2 of the 30-odd people in the group that I haven't admitted this to already; I am still in AWE of all of you. I am still the wide-eyed, nervous little man that I was the first day I joined. I don't mean to excuse my behaviour, just to explain it. By that, I mean that I still have gi-normous difficulty having basic social interactions with improv genii(?)... er, geniuses. And believe me, you have to be one to stick in RFT.
Aha. That's what I do all the time! You see that up there? I didn't mean to selfishly refer to myself as an improv genius. I meant everyone else. Yet, I don't mean to give myself a pity party by saying I'm not. 85% of my interactions within the group go something like that: I look unjustifiably snobby, like I don't know what I'm doing, or like I'm trying to get attention. Dammit. I also realize some people who used to think everything was cool in Shawnville might be totally baffled by what I'm even trying to explain. But I can't help it, it's in the back of my mind, and I want the grimy little goblin-thoughts to go away.
Look, point being, I'll get better. It may take me years, but I'm gonna find a way to control the shit that comes out of my mouth. I'm nervous as hell, and love you all. It's like I've got 35 girlfriends who are way too cool for me and I don't want them to dump me. It stinks of desperation, but it's true. It's not wise to admit, but it's true.
I don't want pity. I may or may not be an asshole. I just need to change that fanboy love into admiration, so I can move past this and be me. Yes, I am an insider. I'm in the cast. Yes, I am an outsider. I make myself that every week. See above for symptoms and cure.
Whew. Scene.
I gots ta be true to what I want this 'blog to be all about.
I'll admit it, to the 2 of the 30-odd people in the group that I haven't admitted this to already; I am still in AWE of all of you. I am still the wide-eyed, nervous little man that I was the first day I joined. I don't mean to excuse my behaviour, just to explain it. By that, I mean that I still have gi-normous difficulty having basic social interactions with improv genii(?)... er, geniuses. And believe me, you have to be one to stick in RFT.
Aha. That's what I do all the time! You see that up there? I didn't mean to selfishly refer to myself as an improv genius. I meant everyone else. Yet, I don't mean to give myself a pity party by saying I'm not. 85% of my interactions within the group go something like that: I look unjustifiably snobby, like I don't know what I'm doing, or like I'm trying to get attention. Dammit. I also realize some people who used to think everything was cool in Shawnville might be totally baffled by what I'm even trying to explain. But I can't help it, it's in the back of my mind, and I want the grimy little goblin-thoughts to go away.
Look, point being, I'll get better. It may take me years, but I'm gonna find a way to control the shit that comes out of my mouth. I'm nervous as hell, and love you all. It's like I've got 35 girlfriends who are way too cool for me and I don't want them to dump me. It stinks of desperation, but it's true. It's not wise to admit, but it's true.
I don't want pity. I may or may not be an asshole. I just need to change that fanboy love into admiration, so I can move past this and be me. Yes, I am an insider. I'm in the cast. Yes, I am an outsider. I make myself that every week. See above for symptoms and cure.
Whew. Scene.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Hey Ladies, get Improvy... Ding-ding ding a ling.
Hooray for the Sunday Jam.
As to be expected, a good crowd showed the day following what was an impressive and entertaining Nosebowl. But I do have one complaint: SAUSAGE FEST! PEE PEE PARTY!
Let's be frank about less frankfurters. Ladies, we need you. I would really like to make sure that I don't feel comfortable making jokes about sodomizing ducks and whipping my dink out (my horrendously overused joke this week).
Yeah, ya heard me. Dink. Pee Pee. Sausage & Frankfurters. I seriously need a good bit of soap stuffed in my cry/piehole. But that's what these posts are gonna be like. It's called "my naked self" for a reason; I'm not holding back.
I told a Nosebowl competitor that she did a good job at the tournament. She looked at me like I was the guy on the cover of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" album. Look it up (google images). That's what I think she pictured when she looked at me. Seriously.
I told her, female with the straight shoulder-length hair and jeans farmer rolled into capris, that she did a good job because she did. And so did a lot of other ladies. And we need you.
Thank god Chad has foresight. I was so busy with the coaching thing that I didn't invite a single, solitary Nosebowler. Nada. Zip. Pfft. I know many were guys, many were gals. Yesterday, 100% guys. Very talented and deserving guys. Come on down alleeyall Gentlewomen. You deserve a 2 hour free workshop too. Every Sunday.
And for all ladies who used to come and don't anymore (I'm looking at you, Supernin(Jen)do), we miss you, and you're still welcome.
As to be expected, a good crowd showed the day following what was an impressive and entertaining Nosebowl. But I do have one complaint: SAUSAGE FEST! PEE PEE PARTY!
Let's be frank about less frankfurters. Ladies, we need you. I would really like to make sure that I don't feel comfortable making jokes about sodomizing ducks and whipping my dink out (my horrendously overused joke this week).
Yeah, ya heard me. Dink. Pee Pee. Sausage & Frankfurters. I seriously need a good bit of soap stuffed in my cry/piehole. But that's what these posts are gonna be like. It's called "my naked self" for a reason; I'm not holding back.
I told a Nosebowl competitor that she did a good job at the tournament. She looked at me like I was the guy on the cover of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" album. Look it up (google images). That's what I think she pictured when she looked at me. Seriously.
I told her, female with the straight shoulder-length hair and jeans farmer rolled into capris, that she did a good job because she did. And so did a lot of other ladies. And we need you.
Thank god Chad has foresight. I was so busy with the coaching thing that I didn't invite a single, solitary Nosebowler. Nada. Zip. Pfft. I know many were guys, many were gals. Yesterday, 100% guys. Very talented and deserving guys. Come on down alleeyall Gentlewomen. You deserve a 2 hour free workshop too. Every Sunday.
And for all ladies who used to come and don't anymore (I'm looking at you, Supernin(Jen)do), we miss you, and you're still welcome.
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