OKRF 07
Ugh. I'm horrible at keeping a journal.
In some ways this was the best run of festival I've had yet, and in others, it was the worst. I have been busier, more constrained, more monitored, more pressured, more limited, and more stressed than I ever thought possible or wanted to be.
But I've also made more friends, made OKRF more a part of who I am, and been changed by it for the better. My major regret is that I wasn't able to see or interact with most of the people I really enjoy interacting with due to what we will call 'various restraints' for the sake of diplomacy.
On that note, almost all of my negative experiences with this run I can attribute to my own desire to do more, to be a greater part of one thing or another. Dance, Parade, Pub Sing, Dance, heck, even the love/hate relationship I have with the Woodlands.
Heh. There is one thing I can safely say I don't want to pour more of myself into, and that's the knighting ceremony. I know that thing like the back of my hand, now. The most frustrating part of it was that character-wise, i just felt akward being there. As Twitch, I have never felt comfortable having a real interaction with the nobility. With who and what he is, I've always felt very ground into the dust, so to speak, as if he would be lucky to come out of an encounter with them alive. (except the princess, of course. It always seemed perfectly natural for her to drop the Regal Bearing whenever she could and just play around.) At this point, I want to say that that's mostly not anyone's fault, simply a circumstancial artifact.
If any of this seems like I'm trying to spit venom at anyone, I'm not. This season has been demanding of me, physically, psychologically, and emotionally, but it was my fault. I asked to be made more useful, and useful I was made. But each sacrifice has given me something back, and those gains have been both priceless and impossible for me to articulate.
My abilities and skills have been taken to their limits and been found wanting this year. If it kills me (and if it does, it won't kill JUST me), that won't happen again.
I have been brought as close to tears as I've ever beenon site; not once, but twice.
I'm resolved and fired up for the next round. I am determined to make next year more enjoyable and all-around better for the patrons, my fellow performers, and myself.
On that note, life imitates art. Twitch's prime motivator, his passion, is to be carefree, and his foible is that he is guide and protector of a band of lost children: Likewise, OKRF has always been about enjoying myself and pure fun, but I'm giving myself over more and more with each passing year to making the experience better for everyone else.
Eh, enough of that, here's the fun stuff:
First, I'd like to apologise to anyone who attended the 2:30 dance show on any given day, be you a performer, a patron, or a musician. If it was painful for me, it had to be excruciating for you. That's not going to happen again.
Twig becoming a character in his own right: amusing to the extreme.
Twitch was given what I consider to be the equivalent of knighthood: A certificate of knighthood, given to me,voided, by Laird McRea. It fits Twitch so much better than the actual title would.
One of my other proud moments: Dancing my way THROUGH a pair of rope sandals.
Luckily, next season that won't be an issue, as I'll be sporting my custom boots.
Korabushka is still my favorite dance. I'd better be able to either teach that thing or dance it next year.
I now know how to waltz. Thanks, Bob! (this continues my tradition of learning something dance-related at every Cedleigh I attend.)
I used to think of Twitch as some sort of potential jester. this year I was Prissy the Peasant Queen's jester, adn I found out, to my simultaneous disappointment and and amusement that while he may be a fool, he's a terrible jester.
I used to think I was too loud when I tried to project my voice. Teaching a dance show showed me that I'm not even close.
My interaction skills need work. I constantly felt rusty and unsociable this year.
I need a bigger drum.
Apparently, I come off as an asshole more than I used to/thought I did. This has both advantages and drawbacks.
I'm still sick of the fascination with pirates. They should go the hell away. (That's a bit extreme. But I'd rather that than everyone trying to be and/or hump one.)
The cadets kicked so much ass. Seriously. I only wish they'd have been able to dance, because they loved the rehersals. they even learned to lilt!
In some ways this was the best run of festival I've had yet, and in others, it was the worst. I have been busier, more constrained, more monitored, more pressured, more limited, and more stressed than I ever thought possible or wanted to be.
But I've also made more friends, made OKRF more a part of who I am, and been changed by it for the better. My major regret is that I wasn't able to see or interact with most of the people I really enjoy interacting with due to what we will call 'various restraints' for the sake of diplomacy.
On that note, almost all of my negative experiences with this run I can attribute to my own desire to do more, to be a greater part of one thing or another. Dance, Parade, Pub Sing, Dance, heck, even the love/hate relationship I have with the Woodlands.
Heh. There is one thing I can safely say I don't want to pour more of myself into, and that's the knighting ceremony. I know that thing like the back of my hand, now. The most frustrating part of it was that character-wise, i just felt akward being there. As Twitch, I have never felt comfortable having a real interaction with the nobility. With who and what he is, I've always felt very ground into the dust, so to speak, as if he would be lucky to come out of an encounter with them alive. (except the princess, of course. It always seemed perfectly natural for her to drop the Regal Bearing whenever she could and just play around.) At this point, I want to say that that's mostly not anyone's fault, simply a circumstancial artifact.
If any of this seems like I'm trying to spit venom at anyone, I'm not. This season has been demanding of me, physically, psychologically, and emotionally, but it was my fault. I asked to be made more useful, and useful I was made. But each sacrifice has given me something back, and those gains have been both priceless and impossible for me to articulate.
My abilities and skills have been taken to their limits and been found wanting this year. If it kills me (and if it does, it won't kill JUST me), that won't happen again.
I have been brought as close to tears as I've ever beenon site; not once, but twice.
I'm resolved and fired up for the next round. I am determined to make next year more enjoyable and all-around better for the patrons, my fellow performers, and myself.
On that note, life imitates art. Twitch's prime motivator, his passion, is to be carefree, and his foible is that he is guide and protector of a band of lost children: Likewise, OKRF has always been about enjoying myself and pure fun, but I'm giving myself over more and more with each passing year to making the experience better for everyone else.
Eh, enough of that, here's the fun stuff:
First, I'd like to apologise to anyone who attended the 2:30 dance show on any given day, be you a performer, a patron, or a musician. If it was painful for me, it had to be excruciating for you. That's not going to happen again.
Twig becoming a character in his own right: amusing to the extreme.
Twitch was given what I consider to be the equivalent of knighthood: A certificate of knighthood, given to me,voided, by Laird McRea. It fits Twitch so much better than the actual title would.
One of my other proud moments: Dancing my way THROUGH a pair of rope sandals.
Luckily, next season that won't be an issue, as I'll be sporting my custom boots.
Korabushka is still my favorite dance. I'd better be able to either teach that thing or dance it next year.
I now know how to waltz. Thanks, Bob! (this continues my tradition of learning something dance-related at every Cedleigh I attend.)
I used to think of Twitch as some sort of potential jester. this year I was Prissy the Peasant Queen's jester, adn I found out, to my simultaneous disappointment and and amusement that while he may be a fool, he's a terrible jester.
I used to think I was too loud when I tried to project my voice. Teaching a dance show showed me that I'm not even close.
My interaction skills need work. I constantly felt rusty and unsociable this year.
I need a bigger drum.
Apparently, I come off as an asshole more than I used to/thought I did. This has both advantages and drawbacks.
I'm still sick of the fascination with pirates. They should go the hell away. (That's a bit extreme. But I'd rather that than everyone trying to be and/or hump one.)
The cadets kicked so much ass. Seriously. I only wish they'd have been able to dance, because they loved the rehersals. they even learned to lilt!