Kalquessa's inquiring mind wants to know . . .
kalquessa is doing the Five Things meme, and I commented, and here's what she said she wanted me to nanner on about:
Stage Acting
Wow. Where to start with this one. Well . . . as far back as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed acting. When you're a child, it's called "pretend," and it's always been great fun. One might find this kind of a surprise, because I really don’t like to improv, but give me a script or a character to develop, and I love it. I took acting in college, and one of my teachers told me I’d make a great character actress someday. I think a part of me will always regret not having the courage or the confidence to pursue acting more seriously.
Oral interpretation/reader’s theater is one of my favorite forms of stage performance. It was one of my favorite classes in college, and I've been involved in one or two oral interp pieces for church.
After college, I got involved in community theater (two stand-out experiences were Pirates of Penzance and Sweeney Todd) and did an average of a show a year for about twelve years. I’ve been in musicals, comedies, and dramas. I’ve been a member of the chorus, and I’ve had the female lead (note: that’s not the same as a “romantic lead”). I’ve even had vocal solos, which is pretty amazing, since my voice is more suited to a chorus. I’ve been in costume shows and modern shows. I’ve done Gilbert and Sullivan, Sondheim, Agatha Christie, and Neil Simon. I’ve played an Irish maid, Mary Magdalene, a New York divorcee, a Southern mom, an hysterical spinster, a former homecoming queen, and a manipulative lower class bitch. I’ve lost my skirt on stage.
One of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received was from one of my favorite co-worker/actors, who told me after a rehearsal that I was going to steal the show with my drunk act (see manipulative lower class bitch, above).
(Second biggest compliment was how professionally I recovered after losing my skirt on stage.)
In a lot of ways, I prefer monologues, because I’ve only got one person's lines to worry about-mine. Otoh, I love working with people, and though I often feel out of place at cast parties, I love rehearsals and the socializing that comes with.
I miss stage acting so freakin’ much that sometimes it actually hurts. However, I’m going to be in the church Good Friday production (playing Mary Magdalene) this season. And I am so ready for that.
Widescreen
What can I say about my love of widescreen? When something is shot in widescreen, it should be shown in widescreen. Not many people understand this. They say they find the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen annoying, that they’re missing part of the picture. But they’re not. Movies shot on widescreen do not have the same aspect ratio as TV or as movies shot pre-widescreen. And if something is pan-and-scan, or shown standard when it’s a widescreen production, part of the picture is missing.
I’ve been conscious of this ever since I was a child. I remember quite clearly watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on TV, and my dad would explain to me why we could see the dancer in the middle of the screen, but the dancer on either side was cut in half.
For a current example, see this entry.
Jensen
Jensen? Who Jensen? Jensen who?
You mean Ackles, Cheese Elf? Oh, good grief. You really want that I should take up that much space? You really want to get me wound up? Okay, here goes. *cracks knuckles*
How do I love Jensen? Let me count the ways. (Actually, that will be a post in and of itself, because I'm still having trouble finding the words to express my admiration.)
I was introduced to the work of Jensen Ackles in October 2007, when izhilzha sat me down to watch SPN. After a few (a couple?) weeks (days?) I was completely enamored of the guy, not just as a pretty face (which he totally is), but as an actor. He does things I couldn’t even dream of accomplishing. His mastery of nuance is a thing to behold. And he’s not afraid to make a fool of himself. He just . . . is an amazing actor. Full stop.
As a man, he is beautiful. And I don’t know how else to explain that. Because it wasn’t until I saw him as an actor that I fell full-on for his looks. But he is a beautiful man, and he gets better looking the older he gets.
Plus, by all reports and con clips and interviews I’ve seen, he’s a kind, generous, patient human being. He has charm and charisma and manners, and he's so down-to-earth and honest in his reactions and responses. There’s no such thing as the “perfect” man, but dang.
I’ve said it often, and only half in jest: Jensen Ackles is evidence of the existence of God. Someone whose genetics combine to create someone as physically beautiful as Jensen, who is also as talented as Jensen is . . . that just doesn’t happen by random chance. There’s a design behind that. I am, no pun intended, awed by the man, both the actor and the person. (And yes, I know that as a human, he's flawed, he's got faults. But we won't get into that here.)
I probably sound like a crazed, rabid fangirl, and I'm being redundant with the use of amazing, but this is all honest feeling. And my concern for him is as a person first and foremost. (Conversation threads that do nothing but objectify him as nothing more than . . . well . . . an object well and truly drive me batty.) Because he just seems like an amazing man.
A/V Geekery
Well, actually, for me, there’s not much to tell. Geo is the A/V geek in the family. He’s always been an A/V geek, and has far more patience with the technical aspects of stuff than I ever well. You should see the sort of process we have to go through just to turn on the TV so I can watch the Tivo. It takes a minimum of two remote controls, sometimes three, depending on which auxiliary unit I’m watching through.
Sorry, Cheese Elf, but that’s about it.
“George? How do I turn on the TV so I can get sound and a picture at the same time?”
Dancing
I love to dance. I always have. Square dancing and reels were favorites when I was a child. I took ballroom dance in college, and a favorite past time with my friends and me was turning on the tunes and singing and dancing in the dorm. Geo and I took ballroom before our wedding. I took belly dancing last February.
I love the movement of body to rhythm. For me, it’s more than fun; it's like a celebration-a thanksgiving, if you will-of the physical body in which our souls reside. It’s a way to just let yourself be inside your body, and the best part is when you’re able to move past the self-conscious stage to the pure movement and release and celebration and fun.
When people discover how much I love to dance, they’re often surprised. I find this rather amusing. Apparently, they see me as a very straight-laced individual (not so surprising), so when people see me dance, and particularly note how much hip I tend to incorporate in my dancing, they’re . . . taken aback. I’ve even had people ask me if I am or used to be a dancer. About the most dance I took growing up was 6 - 8 weeks of ballet when I was in 3rd grade.
I don’t dance nearly as much as I should, and sadly, Geo doesn’t really like to dance. Though he has gotten out on the dance floor for me from time to time.
So. Anything else anyone want to know?
Stage Acting
Wow. Where to start with this one. Well . . . as far back as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed acting. When you're a child, it's called "pretend," and it's always been great fun. One might find this kind of a surprise, because I really don’t like to improv, but give me a script or a character to develop, and I love it. I took acting in college, and one of my teachers told me I’d make a great character actress someday. I think a part of me will always regret not having the courage or the confidence to pursue acting more seriously.
Oral interpretation/reader’s theater is one of my favorite forms of stage performance. It was one of my favorite classes in college, and I've been involved in one or two oral interp pieces for church.
After college, I got involved in community theater (two stand-out experiences were Pirates of Penzance and Sweeney Todd) and did an average of a show a year for about twelve years. I’ve been in musicals, comedies, and dramas. I’ve been a member of the chorus, and I’ve had the female lead (note: that’s not the same as a “romantic lead”). I’ve even had vocal solos, which is pretty amazing, since my voice is more suited to a chorus. I’ve been in costume shows and modern shows. I’ve done Gilbert and Sullivan, Sondheim, Agatha Christie, and Neil Simon. I’ve played an Irish maid, Mary Magdalene, a New York divorcee, a Southern mom, an hysterical spinster, a former homecoming queen, and a manipulative lower class bitch. I’ve lost my skirt on stage.
One of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received was from one of my favorite co-worker/actors, who told me after a rehearsal that I was going to steal the show with my drunk act (see manipulative lower class bitch, above).
(Second biggest compliment was how professionally I recovered after losing my skirt on stage.)
In a lot of ways, I prefer monologues, because I’ve only got one person's lines to worry about-mine. Otoh, I love working with people, and though I often feel out of place at cast parties, I love rehearsals and the socializing that comes with.
I miss stage acting so freakin’ much that sometimes it actually hurts. However, I’m going to be in the church Good Friday production (playing Mary Magdalene) this season. And I am so ready for that.
Widescreen
What can I say about my love of widescreen? When something is shot in widescreen, it should be shown in widescreen. Not many people understand this. They say they find the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen annoying, that they’re missing part of the picture. But they’re not. Movies shot on widescreen do not have the same aspect ratio as TV or as movies shot pre-widescreen. And if something is pan-and-scan, or shown standard when it’s a widescreen production, part of the picture is missing.
I’ve been conscious of this ever since I was a child. I remember quite clearly watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers on TV, and my dad would explain to me why we could see the dancer in the middle of the screen, but the dancer on either side was cut in half.
For a current example, see this entry.
Jensen
Jensen? Who Jensen? Jensen who?
You mean Ackles, Cheese Elf? Oh, good grief. You really want that I should take up that much space? You really want to get me wound up? Okay, here goes. *cracks knuckles*
How do I love Jensen? Let me count the ways. (Actually, that will be a post in and of itself, because I'm still having trouble finding the words to express my admiration.)
I was introduced to the work of Jensen Ackles in October 2007, when izhilzha sat me down to watch SPN. After a few (a couple?) weeks (days?) I was completely enamored of the guy, not just as a pretty face (which he totally is), but as an actor. He does things I couldn’t even dream of accomplishing. His mastery of nuance is a thing to behold. And he’s not afraid to make a fool of himself. He just . . . is an amazing actor. Full stop.
As a man, he is beautiful. And I don’t know how else to explain that. Because it wasn’t until I saw him as an actor that I fell full-on for his looks. But he is a beautiful man, and he gets better looking the older he gets.
Plus, by all reports and con clips and interviews I’ve seen, he’s a kind, generous, patient human being. He has charm and charisma and manners, and he's so down-to-earth and honest in his reactions and responses. There’s no such thing as the “perfect” man, but dang.
I’ve said it often, and only half in jest: Jensen Ackles is evidence of the existence of God. Someone whose genetics combine to create someone as physically beautiful as Jensen, who is also as talented as Jensen is . . . that just doesn’t happen by random chance. There’s a design behind that. I am, no pun intended, awed by the man, both the actor and the person. (And yes, I know that as a human, he's flawed, he's got faults. But we won't get into that here.)
I probably sound like a crazed, rabid fangirl, and I'm being redundant with the use of amazing, but this is all honest feeling. And my concern for him is as a person first and foremost. (Conversation threads that do nothing but objectify him as nothing more than . . . well . . . an object well and truly drive me batty.) Because he just seems like an amazing man.
A/V Geekery
Well, actually, for me, there’s not much to tell. Geo is the A/V geek in the family. He’s always been an A/V geek, and has far more patience with the technical aspects of stuff than I ever well. You should see the sort of process we have to go through just to turn on the TV so I can watch the Tivo. It takes a minimum of two remote controls, sometimes three, depending on which auxiliary unit I’m watching through.
Sorry, Cheese Elf, but that’s about it.
“George? How do I turn on the TV so I can get sound and a picture at the same time?”
Dancing
I love to dance. I always have. Square dancing and reels were favorites when I was a child. I took ballroom dance in college, and a favorite past time with my friends and me was turning on the tunes and singing and dancing in the dorm. Geo and I took ballroom before our wedding. I took belly dancing last February.
I love the movement of body to rhythm. For me, it’s more than fun; it's like a celebration-a thanksgiving, if you will-of the physical body in which our souls reside. It’s a way to just let yourself be inside your body, and the best part is when you’re able to move past the self-conscious stage to the pure movement and release and celebration and fun.
When people discover how much I love to dance, they’re often surprised. I find this rather amusing. Apparently, they see me as a very straight-laced individual (not so surprising), so when people see me dance, and particularly note how much hip I tend to incorporate in my dancing, they’re . . . taken aback. I’ve even had people ask me if I am or used to be a dancer. About the most dance I took growing up was 6 - 8 weeks of ballet when I was in 3rd grade.
I don’t dance nearly as much as I should, and sadly, Geo doesn’t really like to dance. Though he has gotten out on the dance floor for me from time to time.
So. Anything else anyone want to know?