Girls Without Lipstick

Celebrating the life of Cerulean A friend’s baby who is...

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:28:48 -0500

A friend’s baby who is super adorable and just turned two.

Improv Nerds Only

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:21:03 -0500

dangurewitch:

Ever since I joined a UCB Harold team, I’ve been searching for ways to amplify a sense of discovery and fun in an environment too often full of overthinking and overanalysis. A recent very fun workshop with Anthony King got me thinking, as did my team’s fun show last night, and I wrote up a little personal manifesto of sorts. (If you’re not into improv, this might be boring.)

———

Improv semantics drive me crazy. Pattern. Premise. Heightening. Game. Stakes. Status. Analogous. Plot. These words/concepts exist for a reason, help make for a unified UCB Theatre curriculum, and can be helpful as we learn and grow as improvisers. But what if we decided we’re done lying under the weight of these words, and we put them in a drawer and closed it?

What if improv only had two rules:

1. Make each other right and make big decisions & assumptions until something fun happens.
2. Follow and expand upon that fun thing, fearlessly and without looking back, together.

If you haven’t found something fun, it’s because you’re not making each other right or you’re not making big decisions or assumptions.

If the fun thing starts to become less fun, it’s because you’re not fearlessly expanding upon it together.

I honestly can’t think of one concept in improv’s vast semantic treasure chest that isn’t addressed by this simple philosophy. All the axioms we know and love (“Don’t be coy,” “if that then what else,” “play game not pattern”, etc) are contained within it, but instead it puts “fun” at the center of good improv - right where it should be. All this talk of pattern vs. game, active vs. inactive, unusual thing vs reaction to unusual thing - this stuff is not incorrect. But maybe it also sort of fucking sucks, because it gets you thinking of improv in math terms, and improv isn’t math. Improv is discovery and fun.

Semantics can mean a lot. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to be onstage in front of 150 people thinking “I better react to this unusual thing with a game (not pattern!) move that we can heighten.” That’s valid theory, but it’s not helping me create and discover funny things in the moment. I never used to think that way before someone told me to.

I just want to get up and make you right and make big choices until fun shit happens, and then have fun fearlessly exploring that fun shit. Still doing the same thing, just thinking about it with a simpler and more inherently positive lens that puts the focus back on the reason we do this: joy.

———

I realize this is just a rephrasing of an age-old improv conversation, but I’d still be interested to hear other performers’/students’ thoughts.

Kyle, this is mostly for you.

But also, I think those two rules are wonderful rules for conversation in general, when you’re just shooting the shit with someone. A good portion of my favorite conversations I ever have with anyone is when one person suggests something kind of ridiculous and the other person goes with it and neither person gets weirded out by the absurdity but just accepts it and explores the idea.

The one I can think of now is last year when Josh and I were discussing if we would rather have Obama only poop hope or only poop change. All I remember is something about having great foreign policy when it came to Mexico. Anyway. Good call, Mr. Gurewitch.

Yes. That conversation did happen and it was fantastic. I wish I could remember all the nitty-shitty details.

I’ll be seeing my dadmy brother and sistersmy gran and my...

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:16:01 -0500

I’ll be seeing my dad
my brother and sisters
my gran and my mum
they’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

You won’t understand
but you will learn someday
that where ever you are
and what ever you face
these are who make you fell safe
in this world

A gorgeous song about family and his daughter and that also gets the heart of why I love Christmas. It has me crying.

It makes me more scared to leave while at the same time comforted in the reminder I will always have a place to turn to when ever I need.

(via rachelmercer) Lebrontaclaus? Nike’s version of Santa...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:52:59 -0500

(via rachelmercer)

Lebrontaclaus? Nike’s version of Santa Claus OR the greatest dinosaur to never exist?

carolinemartin: joshuar: carolinemartin: joshuar: carolinemar...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:17:28 -0500

carolinemartin:

joshuar:

carolinemartin:

joshuar:

carolinemartin:

This is what I want to do. Right now.

Right right now.

Yeah! fuck Nebraska!

And do it. bring 3 other friends. Split gas 4 ways. Pull into camp sites after dark and leave before morning so you don’t have to pay. Buy produce, volunteer at farms. Look pathetic and on an adventure and the good will of the American people will carry you miles and fill your belly many times over.

Who are my three friends?

annetta, joe, horak, hunter, other people from NC I am not aware of, matt, obar, adam, lonachic, cameron and/or caldy. You know, to name a few.

Right now might not be possible. But you could make this happen.

Quit poking holes in my self-defeating arguments. It was more of a call for entries anyway. :[

Sorry. Seeing the possible is in my nature. I’d say I will cut it out, but I wont. :)

carolinemartin: joshuar: carolinemartin: This is what I want...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:03:00 -0500

carolinemartin:

joshuar:

carolinemartin:

This is what I want to do. Right now.

Right right now.

Yeah! fuck Nebraska!

And do it. bring 3 other friends. Split gas 4 ways. Pull into camp sites after dark and leave before morning so you don’t have to pay. Buy produce, volunteer at farms. Look pathetic and on an adventure and the good will of the American people will carry you miles and fill your belly many times over.

Who are my three friends?

annetta, joe, horak, hunter, other people from NC I am not aware of, matt, obar, adam, lonachic, cameron and/or caldy. You know, to name a few.

Right now might not be possible. But you could make this happen.

Adorable puppy tries to whistle The CUTEST thing I have seen all...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:43:00 -0500

Adorable puppy tries to whistle

The CUTEST thing I have seen all week. Without a doubt.

carolinemartin: This is what I want to do. Right now. Right...

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:34:26 -0500

carolinemartin:

This is what I want to do. Right now.

Right right now.

Yeah! fuck Nebraska!

And do it. bring 3 other friends. Split gas 4 ways. Pull into camp sites after dark and leave before morning so you don’t have to pay. Buy produce, volunteer at farms. Look pathetic and on an adventure and the good will of the American people will carry you miles and fill your belly many times over.

holy crap. Wolfram Alpha is amazing. And could actually settle...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:25:00 -0500

holy crap. Wolfram Alpha is amazing. And could actually settle the debate I have been having about who has the more awful weather.

My favorite chart is the wind-speed one. It clearly suggest that Cleveland’s winter is windier than the windy city.

Wo!

Dreams of moving from one cold city to another slightly colder...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:21:49 -0500

Dreams of moving from one cold city to another slightly colder city.

Chicago, you are ruining my ability to finish the damn paper.

From Wolfram

This. Looks. AMAZING! 50 Dangerous Things (you should let your...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:44:00 -0500

This. Looks. AMAZING!

50 Dangerous Things (you should let your children do)

I am sure you will hear more about this from me soon.

Edit/Note: I just bought it and if the shipping information is accurate I will have it in very early January. Expect a full review and ridiculous photos as I intend to try everything in the book.

Simply lovely.

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:45:36 -0500

Simply lovely.

not-so-brief chat with Randall Stephenson of AT&T

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:21:06 -0500

not-so-brief chat with Randall Stephenson of AT&T:

Now there was silence again. This time I was the one not talking. There was this weird lump in my throat, this tightness in my chest. I had this vision of the future — a ruined empire, run by number crunchers, squalid and stupid and puffed up with phony patriotism, settling for a long slow decline.

Fave Steve Jobs on why the CEO of AT&T is an asshat. Great read even if you don’t have an iPhone (which I don’t)

Unicorn Chaser

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:34:55 -0500

Unicorn Chaser

Teen girl sends topless pic to boyfriend. Classmates see it, bully her. School finds out about it, suspends her. Parents find out about it, ground her for a summer. Girl kills self. Media blames dangers of "sexting," not vicious shaming from classmates, school, and parents.

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:28:29 -0500

Teen girl sends topless pic to boyfriend. Classmates see it, bully her. School finds out about it, suspends her. Parents find out about it, ground her for a summer. Girl kills self. Media blames dangers of "sexting," not vicious shaming from classmates, school, and parents.:

It wasn’t SEXTING.

It was you, adults, all the adults in her life. The high school assholes too, but they’re in high school. You’re adults. She was thirteen years old and she was driven to her grave for nothing and there was nothing inevitable about this.

And you should understand that. You should go to her grave as a penitent every day of your lives, all of you, like Leontes and Claudio, and make of yourselves a lesson for others. This is the real world, so you won’t get the kind of results that Leontes and Claudio did. She’s never coming back.

You should just do it because it’s the right thing to do. Because it is, honestly, the least you can do. Because she wasn’t killed by this year’s sexy scary cyber-youth-trend. You could have saved her if you hadn’t ALL been so busy reinforcing values that are killing our daughters.

Stop killing our daughters. Stop killing our daughters. Stop killing our daughters. Stop killing our daughters. Stop killing our daughters.

Stop.

My optimism is hard to diminish. But things like this really make me stop and hate the world a little.

Sorry to shit all over your morning, but this is important.

Found on reddit

Student Brings Typewriter To Class Video

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:41:44 -0500

Student Brings Typewriter To Class Video

Ommwriter What looks like the most peaceful writing space ever...

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:30:20 -0500

Ommwriter

What looks like the most peaceful writing space ever created on a computer.

asymptotic: Awesomely bizarre light show freaks out...

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:53:00 -0500

asymptotic:

Awesomely bizarre light show freaks out Norway

There is a lot of babble, panic, conspiracies, and speculation on the Internets about what the hell this spiral is.

Bad Astronomy takes the skeptical approach and explains how it could easily be a rocket spiraling out of control.

Know one knows for sure yet, but to assume supernatural or alien causes is a bit of a leap.

It also takes away from the true wonder of the moment. Even if it is “just” a rocket spiraling out of control, take a second to think about how something so mechanical and so mundane can craft something of such beauty and wonder entirely without intention.

If Improv Everywhere Happened in a Strip Club...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:48:30 -0500

rachelmercer:

charlietodd:

I don’t believe I will ever stage an Improv Everywhere event in a strip club, but this story emailed to me by a stranger today is interesting:

Charlie,

I recently heard the “Best Gig Ever” story on This American Life and wanted to relay an experience I had. A few years ago, I and several buddies of mine decided to go to a strip club after work. We became sick of dealing with the hot girls who knew they looked great and expected everyone to offer them tips and praise. This night we decided to only tip the least attractive girl in the bar. When our “Queen for a Night” danced on stage, we clapped and cheered and each of us clamored to put dollar bills in her garter. Our enthusiasm proved very infectious as the other patrons soon decided this girl was an over-looked gem.

We soon discovered that this act of throwing off the balance of nature in the club produced unintended results. Our frumpy dancer began to gain self confidence and dance more enthusiastically throughout the night. This new confidence and patron cash flow changed the natural pecking order, frustrating the normally high earners. In fact, the whole thing was so upsetting to the pretty girls that one came over to a friend, demanded to know why he thought the other girl was so hot, and ultimately slapped him across the face. The bouncer witnessing the entire episode came over and threw the hot stripper out of the bar. It had to be the first time that a stripper is thrown out rather than an unruly patron.

As the evening pressed on, the bouncer felt he had to step in to reestablish the social pecking in the club and asked us to leave. Our “Queen for a Night” hugged and kissed each of us good night, while strutting around the bar with a hundreds of dollars stuck in her garter belt. She said it was her greatest night ever.

rachelmercer: Science World Canada makes the best tribute ever...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:29:26 -0500

rachelmercer:

Science World Canada makes the best tribute ever to GILFs everywhere.