Let's not kid ourselves. The reason anyone would want a model of Howl's Moving Castle is the same reason that people climb 'unclimbable' mountains or that societies put people on the moon: to prove that we can. In this case, finding the template for a papercraft HMC isn't difficult. Any search engine will happily give you the pages with the parts.
English instructions are another thing. As is a steady hand with a blade and the patience of a Valium popping Tibetan monk.
Now I've checked over the various language instructions which are available for anyone who is contemplating this project, and I feel confident that I can pull this off. What is going to be a necessary evil is carving out the pieces. Good grief, that is one of the most forbidding aspects of this
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Opening Night
Opening night is in progress and we've just survived the first three songs. Yes, the official opening night is tomorrow when paying customers are going to be in attendance for our play, but there are actual people in the chairs in the house and it's making for an interesting night.
For one thing, having the energy from the audience makes this a wonderful experience. As much as anyone will tell you that acting is fun (therefore it's referred to as "play"), there is only so much enjoyment you can get from showing off to each other. Having new faces to perform in front of makes a world of difference, and ups everyone's acting game. Personally, I had a blast and enjoyed the experience, and I still have about 3/4ths of a play to go.
The sword of the pirate king just snapped off at the hilt during the start of the second song (I Am A Pirate King) which was a heartstopping moment but quick thinking between the King and Frederick saved the day.
For one thing, having the energy from the audience makes this a wonderful experience. As much as anyone will tell you that acting is fun (therefore it's referred to as "play"), there is only so much enjoyment you can get from showing off to each other. Having new faces to perform in front of makes a world of difference, and ups everyone's acting game. Personally, I had a blast and enjoyed the experience, and I still have about 3/4ths of a play to go.
The sword of the pirate king just snapped off at the hilt during the start of the second song (I Am A Pirate King) which was a heartstopping moment but quick thinking between the King and Frederick saved the day.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Time Machine
I know that sometime in the next week I'll have five minutes to rub together, but exactly when that is going to happen and where it's going to be coming from.
Between that sentence and this one, 24 hours have passed and I'm right back where I was when I began. In the green room of the VVC production of Pirates, trying to avoid too much chit chat while I'm getting ready to hit the stage. I don't have any problems socializing with folks in a production, in fact it is one of the things which makes being an actor so much fun. But I do need a few minutes alone to ground myself and sometimes it isn't easy. When the energy is high in the back, not getting pulled into a conversation is tricky.
We've got only a few more days before opening night and things are looking like they've come together nicely. The cast sounds very good and as far as I can tell the scenes have a nice, natural life of their own and the story of the Pirates of Penzance is intact and ready to be told. Fingers crossed for a fantastic performance!
Between that sentence and this one, 24 hours have passed and I'm right back where I was when I began. In the green room of the VVC production of Pirates, trying to avoid too much chit chat while I'm getting ready to hit the stage. I don't have any problems socializing with folks in a production, in fact it is one of the things which makes being an actor so much fun. But I do need a few minutes alone to ground myself and sometimes it isn't easy. When the energy is high in the back, not getting pulled into a conversation is tricky.
We've got only a few more days before opening night and things are looking like they've come together nicely. The cast sounds very good and as far as I can tell the scenes have a nice, natural life of their own and the story of the Pirates of Penzance is intact and ready to be told. Fingers crossed for a fantastic performance!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Odd Duck
On the VVC campus today there are a variety of waterfowl which really shouldn't be here. I think that they are here because of a mixture of unseasonable weather (it is late February and is balmy warm), and wind (this is the High Desert after all)
There are coots on the ponds which isn't unusual at all. I can't count the number of times where I've seen there small, dark pod-like bodies scuttling over the choppy surface of the wind blown lake. There are also magpies and blackbirds making a noisy chorus in the trees as well. But most surprisingly are the Canada geese which have planted themselves on the Northern edge of the main lake and are placidly snacking away on the greenery. What on earth are they doing here? They aren't making a sound aside from the crunching of leaves, so I'm missing their hollow honking, but it is so great to see their plump bundles bobbing on the surface of the water. I don't know how long they are going to stay here, and who know where on Earth they think they actually are, but what a treat to see!
I also got the part of Prez for The Pajama Game. Yee Ha!
There are coots on the ponds which isn't unusual at all. I can't count the number of times where I've seen there small, dark pod-like bodies scuttling over the choppy surface of the wind blown lake. There are also magpies and blackbirds making a noisy chorus in the trees as well. But most surprisingly are the Canada geese which have planted themselves on the Northern edge of the main lake and are placidly snacking away on the greenery. What on earth are they doing here? They aren't making a sound aside from the crunching of leaves, so I'm missing their hollow honking, but it is so great to see their plump bundles bobbing on the surface of the water. I don't know how long they are going to stay here, and who know where on Earth they think they actually are, but what a treat to see!
I also got the part of Prez for The Pajama Game. Yee Ha!
English Hunger
Writing can be endlessly fulfilling, but it is also something that requires a certain amount of patience and dedication to do well. For the moment, I'm sitting in the middle of an English class and am surprised at the variety of people who have found themselves sharing the same aisle as me. There is a nice mixture of men and women of all ages and ethnicities, and all coming to the same conclusion. This class requires patience.
This is going to be fun. :)
It looks like this is going to be an opportunity to finally read "The Hunger Games". That is the main book which will be used for this class and I've been interested in checking out this series mostly for the title. Judging a book from it's cover is hit and miss. Harry Potter mostly left me cold because the title of the series is reminiscent of someone trying to hard to come up with an atmospheric name for a character.
But The Hunger Games sounds.... well... interesting. I've picked up the book in the bookstore and was less than impressed by reading the dust jacket. However, there are lots of blurbs which don't do justice to the stories between the leaves, so I'll use this class as an excuse to try them out.
This is going to be fun. :)
It looks like this is going to be an opportunity to finally read "The Hunger Games". That is the main book which will be used for this class and I've been interested in checking out this series mostly for the title. Judging a book from it's cover is hit and miss. Harry Potter mostly left me cold because the title of the series is reminiscent of someone trying to hard to come up with an atmospheric name for a character.
But The Hunger Games sounds.... well... interesting. I've picked up the book in the bookstore and was less than impressed by reading the dust jacket. However, there are lots of blurbs which don't do justice to the stories between the leaves, so I'll use this class as an excuse to try them out.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
New Cats!
Today the house is now opened to two new furry faces who need a loving home. Georgia and Simone are two female calico cats judged to be about 4 years old. They are completely beautiful and it's obvious that even thought they are sisters and share many things in common aside from just DNA, Gorgia is the dominate one. She was meowing in the den and calling out for company while her sis disappeared behind some books in the bookshelf and only appeared much later. I only caught a quick glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. By the time I turned around she was gone to the shadowy closet to wait a few more hours before getting her courage up to go exploring again.
What beautiful cats!
What beautiful cats!
Guy Fawkes, the man, the myth, the 'stache
Considering the fact that the character that I'm playing for the upcoming VVC production is a turn of the century armsman, I'm contemplating growing a Guy Fawkes 'stache. I am growing out the goatee which is fine and everything, but I've really been enjoying my clean shaven look this year. However, there aren't that many opportunities for a guy to actually grow a Guy... so we'll see what happens.
But like anything good and worth talking about on the internet; if I do it, I'll post photos.
But like anything good and worth talking about on the internet; if I do it, I'll post photos.
Cheesy King Cake
I'm not kidding when I say that the King Cake recipe which I'm in the process of making has a ton of cream cheese in it. As I'm typing this, the cake is completed and frosted, and is on a shelf waiting for this evening when I can tear into it and sample it's sugary goodness. But part of me is willing to take a more cautious approach over the Parana like feeding which more commonly accompanies my kitchen creations.
I like cheese cake, and cream cheese is a great ingredient. But this recipe really does push those bounds.
To start with, the cake can be imagined as a twist, an oval of pastry which is entwined into a braid. One half of the braid had apples, raisins and nuts. The other one is a tube of cream cheese which is wonderful but not the easiest thing to use for a braided filling. I'm just happy that I was able to keep the cake in one piece from the board to the cake pan. By the time I'd assembled this particular creation I was ready for a break.
It does look fantastic, and elaborate and over the top which is what my intention was. Still, that much cheese has got to be violating a health and safety code somewhere in the High Desert.
I like cheese cake, and cream cheese is a great ingredient. But this recipe really does push those bounds.
To start with, the cake can be imagined as a twist, an oval of pastry which is entwined into a braid. One half of the braid had apples, raisins and nuts. The other one is a tube of cream cheese which is wonderful but not the easiest thing to use for a braided filling. I'm just happy that I was able to keep the cake in one piece from the board to the cake pan. By the time I'd assembled this particular creation I was ready for a break.
It does look fantastic, and elaborate and over the top which is what my intention was. Still, that much cheese has got to be violating a health and safety code somewhere in the High Desert.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
King Cake Strikes Back
How hard can it be to make a King Cake? Now I'm not really a stickler for tradition when it comes to food, so even though today is Ash Wednesday, I'm all for making a King Cake and I want something that is visually stunning. The last time that I made this sort of cake, it really didn't come out the way that I planned. Sure, it was tasty and all of the other necessary qualities which makes baking so rewarding and encourages the new chef to keep plugging away at the recipe books. But it was missing that quality of visual appeal.
In a nutshell, I wanted something that lept off the plate and punched the would-be diner in the face. Visually at least.
If I remember correctly, I settled on having a plate of cinnamon rolls that were frosted together and then decorated with a frilly design. Yes, it tasted just fine. But it wasn't the Tim Burton styled cake that I'd imagined.
This year I'm determined to do better than that. I really do have an idea for a cake which will be a combination of geometric shapes and colors so that while the cake will be delicious it will also be memorable in the best of ways. I think I've got a winning recipe this time. It's far to elaborate to go into here, but it is a braided pastry that will have electric neon icing. Oh, and apples. It will have apples as well.
If I can pull this off to my satisfaction, I'll post pictures. If not... well there's always next year!
In a nutshell, I wanted something that lept off the plate and punched the would-be diner in the face. Visually at least.
If I remember correctly, I settled on having a plate of cinnamon rolls that were frosted together and then decorated with a frilly design. Yes, it tasted just fine. But it wasn't the Tim Burton styled cake that I'd imagined.
This year I'm determined to do better than that. I really do have an idea for a cake which will be a combination of geometric shapes and colors so that while the cake will be delicious it will also be memorable in the best of ways. I think I've got a winning recipe this time. It's far to elaborate to go into here, but it is a braided pastry that will have electric neon icing. Oh, and apples. It will have apples as well.
If I can pull this off to my satisfaction, I'll post pictures. If not... well there's always next year!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Neverwinter Long Winter
I'm officially placing Neverwinter Nights on hold until I can get some writing done and over with. The game is amazingly addictive and unfortunately has the capability of taking up all my free time and then some. Fantastic story and characters, but the bottom line is that I've got more writing that time this week and so I'm putting my game on hold until I can justify some serious gaming time in the evenings.
The current project is from Moffet, which is always a treat for me. The artist is amazing and has a way of setting scenes which keep the story moving along at a good clip. I think that he's discovered that comics need to flow at a healthy pace to be interesting. I try to write in a way which captures that sense of the story being told efficiently and entertainingly, and his hallmark brand of artworks meshes well to this.
Speaking of meshing well, I finished a painting for Faith's wedding. The reviews so far are mixed. Personally, this is a piece which has some serious emotional attachment for me. However, some people don't think that this would be a fitting gift because the acrylic and canvas piece was created from an idea which was started with Ray. I don't care. I think it looks terrific.
The current project is from Moffet, which is always a treat for me. The artist is amazing and has a way of setting scenes which keep the story moving along at a good clip. I think that he's discovered that comics need to flow at a healthy pace to be interesting. I try to write in a way which captures that sense of the story being told efficiently and entertainingly, and his hallmark brand of artworks meshes well to this.
Speaking of meshing well, I finished a painting for Faith's wedding. The reviews so far are mixed. Personally, this is a piece which has some serious emotional attachment for me. However, some people don't think that this would be a fitting gift because the acrylic and canvas piece was created from an idea which was started with Ray. I don't care. I think it looks terrific.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Neverwinter Redux
Ever had one of those titles which you just can't get out your system? Neverwinter Nights is mine. At least one of them.
From the top, with the band
This is the first day of Pirates rehearsal that is taking place with the full orchestra along for the ride. It is making a huge difference, and is giving the merry pirate band confidence which was shaken after a spotty rehearsal the night before. I'm not sure what was causing such a star-crossed rehearsal, but I think that everyone left yesterday thinking that maybe this production of the famous G&S play just wasn't going to happen.
But a good night's sleep and a huge base drum later, we're right where we should be. Still a little shaky, but coming together nicely.
On a completely unrelated note, there is a huge Blockbuster video store that is going under in Yucipa. I'm not above hovering over a business going under like a vulture, so I headed out with my babe to see what deals we could score. The complete second season of Battlestar Galactica is now in my library. Woot! Now to find the time to actually watch them...
But a good night's sleep and a huge base drum later, we're right where we should be. Still a little shaky, but coming together nicely.
On a completely unrelated note, there is a huge Blockbuster video store that is going under in Yucipa. I'm not above hovering over a business going under like a vulture, so I headed out with my babe to see what deals we could score. The complete second season of Battlestar Galactica is now in my library. Woot! Now to find the time to actually watch them...
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