Slap Happy

I kinda forgot I had a blog.  What better way to remind myself (and you), then by a shameless plug?

KONY 2012

I'm sure you're tired of hearing about this...  If you haven't seen it yet, you're really good at ignoring things.


KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.


What?  It's 30 minutes long???  Yes, it is, watch it.  It's worth it.

I knew a couple of the guys who started Invisible Children, and have seen the journey for about 8 years.  Now that this Kony 2012 thing is going viral, I'm seeing more and more articles criticizing the way they are going about the Uganda crisis.  Which frankly, seems stupid to be.  Regardless of how it's approached, how money is spent, whatever, JOSEPH KONY MUST BE STOPPED.  It's awful what he's doing, and his time with the LRA must come to an end.

Do your research, be a part of it if you want.  Personally, it's something I believe in, and I'm excited to see an end to the havoc this man has caused in Africa.  

It's time to change the world: KONY 2012.

One Year.

How can a year both fly by, and take forever at the same time?

Today marks a year since I've moved to New York City.

I had a good moment when I thought about my day today.  It was the year anniversary since the move, and I had improv class at one of the best improv institutions that exist, I worked with a family I love, and I had rehearsal for a show in the city.  Though I often don't feel it, I AM DOING WHAT I CAME HERE FOR.  That feels good.

Happy Anniversary NYC.

A letter from Chuck Palahniuk

Yes, you read the title right.  A few years ago I received a package from none other than Chuck Palahniuk.  I've been wanting to blog about this for a while, and took some photos when I was home to show the goods.  If you are a fan of him, this will make you love him even more.  If you are NOT, go read/see Fight Club, Survivor or Invisible Monsters...  THEN you'll know...

Here's what he sent me:

 

A handmade necklace.

 

My 'power lamb' like the power animals in Fight Club.

 

Recordings of some readings.

 

And, an incredible response to the letter I initially sent.  The request for the letters were that they weren't simple 'fan letters' but you had to talk about yourself and ask him a question.  At the time, I was in a play writing class, so I asked him for advice on how to write the idea I had.

Here's what the letter says:

Dear Jenn (…you actor, you),

I think I understand your hesitance to say you’re an actor.  I feel the same way about being a writer – both professionals seem so trivial compared to ‘nurse’ or ‘bricklayer’.  Their universal appeal reduces their importance.  Still these are jobs that need to be done, and they’re both very tough work.

My literary agent is an actor, on Broadway and in films and television.  His life is a constant search for projects, then traveling to the locations, then doing his job and later promoting the finished product.  The film or play or television show.  The stories make me shudder.  It seems to exhausting, but the glory of his career is that he’s seldom working alone.  He’s surrounded and supported by peers who value his work choice.

In writing, it’s more effort to find peer support.  But the work is similar to acting: finding ideas, executing them, then marketing the product.  The weekly workshop I attend gives me peer support, and so does my publisher.

You have that support in school, but it’s crucial that you create a structure that supports your work throughout your life.  Just keep that in mind.  To make a full-time income from acting, you probably will get to see the world.

To keep you company on the road, I’ve made you the enclosed necklace.    While I travel, I collect rocks, and for you the center stone is an oval of pink rhodnite between disks of pink coral and red coral.  Beside those are rose quartz, bone disks, and red jade.  They might not be pretty, but they’re unique.

About your script class, consider focusing on just one Deadly Sin, and present a monologue or scene where one or more people ‘confess’ at a support group of sorts.  Or for ‘avarice’ you can present some boardroom and stockholders meeting.  Use a group setting appropriate to the sin, and go deep with the topic.  By covering seven topics you risk staying on the surface too much.  For ‘lust’ it could be sexaholics anonymous’.  You get the idea.  Funny, then tragic then resolved and transformed.

My theory is that support groups have replaced the key function of churches – to give people one place where they can go and present the Worst Parts of their lives.  They can confess, look terrible, and be forgiven and accepted by the community.  If this happens weekly, a person will never drift so far from humanity that he/she is lost.

For now, let the rocks bring you strength and inspiration.  I’ve sent you some CDs of me reading tour stories, my voice is terrible, but it’s part of my job.

I’ll shut up now,

Chuck Palahniuk

PS-It’s okay to be an actor!

Amazing right?  I know, I know...

Quidditch World Cup

(whoops, forgot to post this in NOVEMBER)

If you're thinking, 'Quidditch World Cup?  Nerdy...' let me stop you right there.

Actually, I won't stop you.  It is nerdy, but let me tell you, it was AMAZING.

Okay, so if you're a fan of the movies/books, then you know Quidditch is a game played in Harry Potter, where the players are flying on brooms.  So how could this be played in real life?  I'll answer this question, and you'll roll your eyes...  they run with brooms in between their legs.

It sound super dumb, I'm aware, but these people are legit athletes!  There was quite a bit of tackling, injuries, and amazing showcases of athletic abilities.  I was not expecting any of that.

Let me summarize the way it's played: There are two teams of 7 players on each side.  Each time has 3 chasers, who play with the quaffle, which is used to score.  They can score through the 3 hoops from either the front of the back.  Then there are the beaters that handle the bludgers.  Only the beaters are allowed to handle them.  If they hit a player with a bludger, then that player has to run back to their hoops and touch them before they can return to play.  Then there is one seeker per team, who's job is to catch the snitch.

Now one of the best parts of the entire game, is that the snitch is a person.  They get to do whatever they want, and it's AWESOME.  They leave the field, tackle other players, sit in the stands, steal the microphone from the commentators...  It's hilarious, and incredibly entertaining.

I did not think I'd enjoy watching the sport as much as I did.  It was AWESOME.  I actually worked the event, live updating scores and plays on one of the 9 fields.  There were booths with Harry Potter merch, food sales consisting of turkey legs and butterbeer, and THOUSANDS of fans.  This isn't some little thing.  There were 94 teams, from UCLA to Harvard.  I'm so glad I was a part of it, and I'll remember it forever.

Sharing a table with a stranger at Starbucks...

What...?  You don't do that?  Your town has a decent sized Starbucks?  So that if you wanted to work in one, you could easily find a table, and an outlet?

Yeah welcome to New York...  where you share tables with strangers...

ps-check out my etsy shop.

Book Club

 "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer

Oh what?  You're looking for something new to read?  Let me change your life by suggesting this incredible book by Mr. Foer.  By now, you may have seen the trailers for the film with Tom Hank and Sandra Bullock.  I haven't seen it yet as it is in limited release, and I'm currently in my parent's small town, but bet your bottom dollar I'll be seeing it next week in NYC.

I loved loved loved this book when I read it a few months ago.  Jonathan Safran Foer is brilliant, and you can't help but to wonder if he's a little crazy too.  Even the format of the book is like art at times.

(If you want to see a book of his that is REALLY art, check out Tree of Codes.)

Seriously, read it.  Have a Kindle?  Email me, ;)