3 Double Buffaloes

I have been packing and cleaning a bit of my room each night for the past few nights. I can't really give you a specific part of my room because I sort of drift from one area to the next, assuming it will all eventually land in some box or suitcase or something. Forget trying to organize it. It's not like packing up a house where you write "kitchen" or "master bedroom" on the side with a sharpie. All my boxes just say "room" on the side.

Anyway, I was going through some notebooks I found on a shelf, trying to decide if they really needed to be kept or not, and I found a page where I had written down the steps of a tap dance I learned at AMDA. I wish I could scan it and put the actual page up so you could see it, but you'll have to take my word for it that the writing is sloppy and frantic.

Here's what it says:

4 single
4 double
4 triple
4 double-triples
4 double hops - 2 triples between

Repeat with pick-up/standard

Stomp-->Buffalo
triple pick up
brush hop
3 double buffaloes
flap shuffle step flap shuffle step flap flap shuffle step flap step stomp

And directly below this I wrote:

DEATH

...as though that were the final step of the dance.

I laughed so hard when I read this, I nearly peed myself.

'Night,
Jules

NCBSCE Day

OK, now I'm worried. I went to the comic book store yesterday after work, and it as closed. And as I approached it, I remembered that I had done the same thing a week ago and had gone away thinking they must close early on Mondays, or perhaps it was some sort of holiday like, National Comic Book Shop Closes Early Day or something. Oh well, I thought to myself, shrugging my shoulders. I'll try again some other day. And then I promptly forgot that this entire event took place. Until I did it again.

This time, as the memory of the previous failure burst forth into my startled brain, I became concerned. What if they don't close early on Mondays, what if they just...closed.

Guilt.

No, don't be silly, Julia. Just because you missed 2 Wednesdays in a row, does not mean that they were forced to go under. You didn't buy THAT many books a week.

Determined not to forget, I rushed home and got on the computer. According to their website, they are open 7 days a week. However, there are no hours listed. I tried calling the number, thinking their answering machine would list the hours they were open just as Otto does. But I was greeted by a robotic voice merely informing that the humanoids I was attempting to contact were not present. I know they're not present, you moron! I was just there! I want to know if they've been forced out of business by this stupid economy.

I shall have to investigate further, and report back. Tomorrow. They HAVE to be open on Wednesdays because that's new comic book day. And they just remodeled, so they must have been doing well. Right?

OK, I'm not going to worry about it.

Being forced to watch yourself on screen should be considered illegal torture. Erm. Well, actually, ANY form of torture should be illegal, but as we Americans are learning, that is sadly not always the case. Now I'm all depressed and I feel shallow for comparing something so stupid to torture when there are people out there who are going through real pain.

I shouldn't blog when I've been drinking.

Here's the story:

I went to my acting class today (that would be Acting With the Camera, just in case you forgot) and watched the scene I had done last week. It was awful. And I know I say that, and you will all think it couldn't possibly have been that bad, but it was. Even Rachel said that she was watching it, thinking, "That's not Julia." She said it was like I wasn't even in my body. For some reason I got up there and I went through the motions of the scene, but I wasn't there. The last take I did was better, a little looser, but still not great. I was completely blocked. I'm still not even certain I can fully explain why that happened.

The problem with film is that it is so subtle, you don't really need to do a lot of work. You just have to be yourself in the role you are playing. I tried to tell Rachel that I wasn't anything like the role, so it was hard, but she said that wasn't true. That I was, in fact, perfect for the role. All I had to do was be me. But I can't do that. I'm afraid that just being me isn't enough. I'm afraid I'm not enough. And that's what's holding me back. Me.

It seems like such a little thing that I should be over in a second, but the truth is that we all spend our lives fighting with ourselves. The only person standing in our way is us. That's not the most elegant way of saying it, but it's a truth. Maybe even THE truth.

Well, the end of the story is that Rachel took me to get a drink, and we talked and I feel better, but I know that there is still a long road ahead.

Gosh. Sorry to turn so serious on you. I'm going to hang with my roomies now, but I'll keep you posted.

Later,
Jules

Soap Operas with Superpowers

I haven't been to the comic book shop in 2 weeks.

I KNOW!

And it's not because there aren't things I want to be reading. In fact, they just launched a new Batman and Robin title in which Batman is played by former Robin Dick Grayson and Robin is played by the illegitimate son of Bruce Wayne and (sometime) villain Talia, Damien.

So, basically, comics are like printed soap operas with superpowers.

Hmm, I was making a joke, but that actually isn't a bad analogy. Soap operas run for years with essentially the same cast of characters, and they must constantly find new ways to mess up those characters in interesting and world-ending ways.

Except, soap operas have bad acting, and that's pretty much taken out of the equation when it comes to comic books so you still get the great character-driven plot-lines, but without the cheesy line readings and the "I've just smelled something unpleasant" dramatic close-ups.

This was not at all what I wanted to write about today. I actually wasn't planning on writing much of anything because I really have nothing to report. I packed one suitcase last night that I plan to wheel over to my new apartment, but other than that, I don't really have anything interesting to tell you.

Oh, well, I did watch 5 episodes of Heroes season 3 last night. This was while I was packing. Here's the thing about that: season 3 is nowhere near as good as season 1, but not quite as bad as season 2, and they have this annoying habit of cliffhangers which make you want to know more. And it's hard, because there are a lot of things that disappoint you, but every once in a while, something brilliant happens that is just enough to make you hope.

I was talking with my sister about it, and found that her observations were absolutely correct:
"I find that while I'm watching season 3 it just makes me nostalgic for season 1."

Yeah.

But, as Becky would say, "Aww, Sylar...eeeeep," (in a deeply sympathetic voice).

Yes, Zachary Quinto is perhaps the only reason to keep watching.

Funny how he's the best thing about Star Trek too.

Hmmmm....coincidence? I think NOT!

Later dudes,
Jules

Spock Wallpaper

Okay, I couldn't figure out how to make it so you could click on the side picture to make it bigger, so I'm just going to post it here, and you can click on it to really get the full effect.

Showcasing Pizza

Well, I've done it. The showcase, it's over. It was fun!

See, Julia, there was no reason to be all freaked out...

And now that I know more what to expect, the next one will be even better!

In the meantime, I am going to sit here and eat the Tuscan six cheese pizza I just ordered from Papa Johns (hey, it's late and I clearly did not plan for this because I have NO FOOD in the apartment, and I'm STARVING. I can never manage to eat a whole lot before a performance. My nerves make me lose my appetite, but then, after all the adrenaline has been pumping through my body, I get to the end of the show and I am in serious need of sustenance. I thought I was going to faint on the subway ride home, and I feel certain that the other passengers did not appreciate the noises my stomach was making.) Anyway, I'm going to sit here and eat and watch Conan and relax.

I just wanted to give you a quick post so you don't think I've lost my mojo. I am determined that June will be a good blog month. I can't promise anything for July or August but....

Oh, and Liz, I totally watched Journey to Babel and now my obsession is bordering on mania. Seriously, I think I sent you the Spock wallpaper I made. THAT TOOK ME ABOUT 2 HOURS! 2 hours of searching for Spock photos and arranging them to form a collage. And now, every time I look at my computer screen I squeal with joy.

I showed it to Rachel and I think I frightened her a little.

Whatever.

Spock rules.

Goodnight.

Spock, Beast, and Tony

I don't understand. What is my obsession with logical, emotionally damaged, pointy-eared crimefighters? Well, okay, Spock doesn't exactly fight crime. But that other stuff was true.

I am convinced that it all comes back to Beauty and the Beast. My favorite fairy tale.

The Beast is highly intelligent, despite his uncommon appearance. He is also deeply flawed. His arrogance led him to become a beast in the first place. He must then find a woman who can see past his flaws to the truth of his heart underneath. He is tortured by his state of being, convinced that he cannot love or be loved, and so he hides himself from the world.

Batman, Spock, Angel (and Spike, for that matter), Darth Vader, Dan Rydell...these are all, in some way, based off the Beast character template.

And yet, do I, in any way, fit the Beauty template. Oh HALE no!

First of all, Beauty is patient. And understanding. And kind.

And while these are qualities I do possess in every day life, they seem to mysteriously disappear on holiday when it comes to relationships.

This, by the way, has nothing to do with the previously mentioned 'boy'. I am merely ruminating on my odd predilections. Ho ho! That was an impressively pretentious sentence.

You may have guessed already, but I'm at work again. This is a bad habit. The trouble is that I am working all by my lonesome right now, and there are only so many times you can straighten piles of t-shirts before you start going a little stir-crazy. However, this also makes my thoughts a bit disjointed because I stop writing every time a customer comes in.

Bah. It looks like it's going to rain. Ah well, at least I don't have to be out in it.

I really have nothing left to tell you except that my showcase is this week and I'm NERV-ous. Why? I don't know, but for some reason I get a knot in my stomach when I think about it. It's okay. I can do this. It's going to be great.

This could also help explain my Spock obsession, right now. It gives me something less anxiety-inducing to think about.

OH MY GOSH! I haven't even talked about the Tony Awards yet!

Did everyone watch? No? Just me then. Well, and Mom, but only because I called her to make sure she was. And Rachel, WHO WAS THERE! Yes. And I do believe I heard her shriek when Audra McDonald came out to present an award. Rachel loves her.

And now that I've watched the Tony's, I 've discovered that there are many shows I would like to go see. Next to Normal is high on the list, along with Billy Elliot. And God of Carnage. And Reasons To Be Pretty. I already saw Exit the King for which Geoffrey Rush won best actor in a play. He totally deserved it, and his speech was fantastic. You can probably find it on youtube if you missed out.

Okay, I'm signing off now. But this was a nice chat. We should do it again sometime.

Jules

PS-Do you see how good I'm being? I think I've updated almost every day this month! Okay, shush, I shouldn't jinx it.

More Answers

DUDE- So, now I'm going to weep in the corner. You didn't answer any of MY questions in the post. What am I chopped liver?

Gah! I'm sorry! I had completely forgotten that you wrote me questions on the other post. See what happens when I try to write a blog entry WHILE watching Star Trek AND ought to be asleep in bed? Okay, here I go, answering questions:

Has the acting class you were doing ended yet? How is/was it?

It hasn't ended yet, and it is going very well. I find that watching myself on film is akin to torture, but other than that, it's super.

Did you get my fast, rambling message about a month ago about Zach and how he works for DC comics?

Erm, yes. But I'm not entirely certain I understood it... Regardless, that is SOOO COOL for him, and I should friend him on Facebook (when did friend become a verb?) immediately so he can give me a tour.

When do you move into your new place?

I already have the keys and I've signed the lease and all that jazz, so I can really move in whenever I want. I plan to sort of trickle in throughout the month, but the big moving stuff probably won't be until reinforcements (Mom) arrive, around the 16th or 17th maybe.

And yes, I will definitely post some pictures. And you are always welcome to visit, though it may be a little cramped.

Ignoring that last question...

(to be fair, I did comment after you posted this new post whining)

Whining?! I wasn't whining! I was making a sniveling, shameless plea for validation. Not at all like whining. For one thing, the tone of voice is completely different.

Hey! Stop stealing all my best lines, you two-bit hack

Tee hee! You should know, dear sister, that I have always and will always steal my best stuff from you. AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP ME! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Just kidding.

Actually, I was writing that thinking, "Liz will get a laugh out of this, even if no one else will."

That's all for now folks, unless the muse strikes later. And if she does, I hope she doesn't hit me too hard, sometimes she's a little too rough.

Later,
Jules

Answers and the IMDb

From looking at the time of this post I think you are in for some overtime!

No silly! I didn't write that post at 6am, I just scheduled it to post then. See, I had already posted the Beheading entry, and I didn't want to overload you with too many posts in one day. I like to spread my writing out as thin as possible. Like butter on my toast. Oh, who am I kidding? I heap my butter on toast. Forget that metaphor. What was I even talking about? Mmmm, toast.

Maybe you should get a friend and rent a camcorder and act out the scenes and then show that to your artist and they can pick the close-ups and stuff. Time-saver? Or time waster? I open the floor to the other regular commentors for a vote.

Well folks? What do you say? It sounds like the sort of thing someone on a sitcom would do, resulting in hilarious shenanigans. In other words, just another day in the life of me.

I notice that no one felt the need to comment on the excerpt. I realize I didn't give you much, but it was something...and I don't share many somethings that I've written.

That's fine. I'm not hurt.

(Weeps quietly in a corner.)



I'm over it.

Hey! So, I may be watching Star Trek right now. (No, not the movie that just came out, although I did go see it again last night.) There is a strong possibility that I am watching the original series online. It is also possible that I strolled over to my favorite website the IMDb, looked up Star Trek and found that you can watch episodes of the original series. And I may currently be watching the episode Court Martial from the first season. Maybe. But don't hold me to it.

But if I were, I would tell you it is both incredibly cheesy and incredibly awesome all at the same time. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??!!

Let's see: cheese is awesome, things with cheese on them are awesome, and awesomeness is often measured in amounts of cheese (just go with it).

Conclusion? I should not type blog entries while watching Star Trek. It makes me weird.

'Night,
Jules

Writing on the Job

Wow. I have an incredible need to write right now. Which isn't very convenient considering I'm currently at work. True, we aren't very busy, but there is a sense of guilt I have sitting at the computer and typing when I could be...er...straightening the piles of shirts. Or...you know...other stuff.

Okay, I just did a once-over for the whole store and it looks spotless and I am still alone. I guess I'll let myself write for a while and just let that guilt grumble quietly in my mind corner (it only has one, I don't know why).

I should be working on the comic book I'm supposed to be writing. But there is something about the feeling of typing as fast as my thoughts pour out of me that I miss when I sit down to work on the comic book. I think the problem is that I'm not used to the medium. It takes me longer to write because I have to break down the dialogue into play script form, and then add descriptions of what the picture should look like. For example:

(Alex, behind the restaurant, she is leaning near the dumpsters, dry-eyed but clearly troubled. Ryland opens the back door, startling Alex.)

Ryland: Relax, love. It's just me.

(A settles back, leaning against the brick. R pulls out a cigarette and lights it.)

Ryland: Michael can be a right bastard when he wants to be.

Alex: Opinions given in ignorance can make anyone a "right bastard".

(R, smoking, looks sideways at her, his eyes teasing, smiling.)

R: Fortune cookie or ancient proverb?

(Close on A, a small smile, the first we've seen from her in a while.)

A: Experience.

R: (off) Why 'ignorance'? Not that I think Michael is particularly keen in the smarts department, but it seems an odd choice of words considering the subject.

(Still close on A, but she is no longer smiling. She doesn't look sad, exactly, more resigned, stoic.)

A: Never mind. It doesn't matter.

Just typing that up took at least 15 minutes, and it's barely a page worth of comic book. The trouble is that I constantly have to decide what you need to see. In my head, the whole scene happens seamlessly. I watch them interact as though I were watching a movie. But in a comic book I have to translate that into snapshots which encapsulate each beat of the story. I also want it to be visually interesting, and since there tend to be a lot of talking heads in my stories (there will be action as well, but the stuff I love is the character stuff) it gets harder and harder to come up with new and different pictures. Also, I'm not an artist. Maybe when I find someone to collaborate with (preferably someone who has comic book-drawing experience) they will tell me I'm doing too much. Or too little, though I doubt that's the case.

Ah well. I should bring this to a close.

See you next time, folks.

Julia out.

Four Beheadings and a Date With Duncan

Perhaps you have found evidence that I am watching Highlander right now. And, being the fine detectives I know all of you are, you have likely concluded that it is my current obsession or "project" as James and Kathleen would put it.

There's this thing called Hulu, you understand, and it has all sorts of neat things from my youth designed to take up hours of my time. For example, I started by watching Doogie Howser, M.D.
Awww, Neil Patrick Harris is just too adorable!

Then it was Arrested Development, of which I had only ever seen the first season.

And then I stumbled across Highlander.

This was a show that I only ever watched occasionally while it was on the air, but hoped to one day see it in it's entirety from the beginning. At last, my dreams have come true, and they have brought Duncan MacLeod with them.

It's worth it for the outfits alone; I mean, how many times can you see a guy in an oversize button-down shirt tucked into high-waist jeans and an occasional vest before you start to seriously miss the 90's?

Not only that, but Highlander has taught me a very valuable lesson: behead first, brood later.

It is a lesson that, unfortunately, Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod never seems to get right, no matter how many times I try to teach it to him.

It is also a lesson I would like to utilize in the store. There have been a number of times when I have thought to myself, "Self, that rude customer would be a much nicer person without her/his head. For one thing, it would successfully detach their mouths from their lungs, for we all know one cannot speak without air."

Sadly, when I ran this suggestion by my bosses they were less than thrilled.

"But Julia," they said, "we don't have anything sharp enough to cut through bone."

Which begs the obvious question: How long does Duncan spend sharpening his sword? Or are Immortal necks made of butter?

And thus concludes the post that I began writing many moons ago when I was watching Highlander obsessively. The obsession has died down, now, mostly because the show stopped utilizing Richie, my favorite character. Apparently they eventually just kill him off, but I didn't get that far.

Onward to the next obsession: Star Trek.

I just saw the movie this past Monday. What is wrong with me that I waited so long?

I have never been a Trekkie, somehow I missed that whole section of Geekdom. I remember watching an episode in my science fiction class in high school and thinking this could be dangerous for me as I imagined all the hours I could spend (not to mention the money) on catching up.

So far, I just want to see the movie again. But I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of watching a few episodes of the original series.

Interweb, here I come!