Finally, I'm off my theatre hiatus. The Itch has been scratched! I'll be getting back on stage for The Belfry's upcoming production of "The Scarlet Pimpernel." I got the call earlier today and I couldn't be more happy to be working with the people involved in this show. I was cast as "Ozzy," which all I know about that character is that he's in the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. If you're not familiar with the story, that means I'm a good guy. The production goes up at the very beginning of June. Rehearsals start nearly immediately.
The cast list hasn't been announced, so I can't go into details about who is playing what. But, from the list I have heard so far, the cast is very talented. There's a few people I've seen on stage before, but haven't had the chance to work with. I'm quite looking forward to that. Michael Moyer, who played Rapunzel's Prince when I was in "Into The Woods," is directing and it will be nice to work with him again.
I'm realizing something about myself from these auditions. I guess I knew this already, but it's my vocal audition that gets me parts. It's probably why I haven't done a straight play for a long while. My voice is my crutch. I'm not saying I won't get parts without it. I'm not a bad actor, but I probably need to be at least a better auditioner when it comes to the script read. And the dance... I'm not good at the dance part...
Losing some weight would probably open up a door to better parts. There's not a lot of plum roles that call for an overweight lead... then again, I know my niche is as comedic charactor actor. But, if casting is at least half looks (which it is and I accept that), maybe I should be working on my looks, too. Heck, slimming down is likely to open up whole other world of roles for me.
In the meantime, it'll be "Into The Fire" as I join the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Please note that "Into The Fire" is a song in the show where the League is formed. That was supposed to be a joke... Yeah, it wasn't so good.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The Love's the Same
There's was a lot of talk in Indiana last year about a prayer being said before a State Congressional Session. The Speak of the House at the time, Brian Bosma (R), was adamant about saying a "Christian" prayer, while others said it was a violation of Church and State. That's the basic story. And, for the record, I do agree it's a violation of Church and State.
But, that whole controversy got me thinking about why people get offended when a Christian prays for them. Or even, why anyone gets offended when a someone prays to their god for them. I don't get it.
Personally, if someone wants to pray to their god for me, go for it. Thank you for loving me enough and respecting me enough to want your god to bless me. That's how I feel about it. And, that's the spirit in which I pray for people. You might not be a believer in my God, but my prayer for you shows how much I love you. You don't have to understand my God to understand that sentiment - I that respect and love you enough to want my God to work in your life.
Then, I wonder how would I feel if, say, a Muslim asked to pray for me. And, I have to say, I wouldn't have a problem with it. It works both ways.
In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" And in Matthew 25:45, he says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" (Take a moment to read the Parable of the Sheep and Goats these quote come from.)
I take that to mean that it doesn't matter what "religion" you are, live your life with love, even if you don't know the love you share is the same that Christ shares... That's the simplistic version anyway.
But, that whole controversy got me thinking about why people get offended when a Christian prays for them. Or even, why anyone gets offended when a someone prays to their god for them. I don't get it.
Personally, if someone wants to pray to their god for me, go for it. Thank you for loving me enough and respecting me enough to want your god to bless me. That's how I feel about it. And, that's the spirit in which I pray for people. You might not be a believer in my God, but my prayer for you shows how much I love you. You don't have to understand my God to understand that sentiment - I that respect and love you enough to want my God to work in your life.
Then, I wonder how would I feel if, say, a Muslim asked to pray for me. And, I have to say, I wouldn't have a problem with it. It works both ways.
In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" And in Matthew 25:45, he says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'" (Take a moment to read the Parable of the Sheep and Goats these quote come from.)
I take that to mean that it doesn't matter what "religion" you are, live your life with love, even if you don't know the love you share is the same that Christ shares... That's the simplistic version anyway.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
More P in the House
Cap'n Jack is just about a year old now and he's massive. He's not fat, he's just thick and heavier than he looks. He was 13lbs. when I brought him to the Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic (Very cheap compared to Vets, highly recommended) to get fixed. Which leads me to the reason we finally got him fixed. There's more pussy(cats) in the house.
We wanted to get another cat to keep Jack company while we were away for the day. So, we wound up at PetSmart one Friday evening. There were four kittens that were oh-so adorable waiting to be adopted. The two orange and white tabby brothers were tiny, and about 2-3 months old. Neither had been fixed, but with another male in the house, more kittens wasn't going to happen. There were also two grey striped sisters around 4 or 5 months old. They had been spayed, so no worries about more kitties there either. They all were rescued from a kill shelter. We asked to play with them all and my wife and I took turned holding, petting and playing.
The PetSmart people told us to adopt one of them we'd have to fill out adoption forms and that the From The Heart Rescue people would be there the next day if we wanted to come back. Well, the next day, it snowed and the shelter people cancelled. We were told they'd be back in two weeks. "Oh, well," I thought, "Guess we're not getting another cat right now. Those will probably be gone in two weeks."
Well, that Sunday, we were eating lunch in the area and decided to go show the kid the cats we were looking at so he could have some input about which cat to adopt. Turns out, the shelter people were there. After playing with the cats some more, we decided to adopt the two sisters. I didn't have the heart to split them up, so now we have three cats... Jack, Hannah and Misfit. Now, we each have our own cat. Hannah is my baby. Misfit is the kid's and Jack is, and will always be, my wife's.
I want to stop for a minute and tell you if you are thinking about getting a pet, look up From The Heart Rescue. They charge a $90/$125 adoption fee for cats and dogs. But, they also keep their pets up-to-date on shots and spay/neuters. If you're getting a pet from the "free puppies" or "free kittens" ad, that's fine, but bear in mind that you'll end up paying more at the vet for shots and alterations. Why pay more when you can pay less for a pet that's up-to-date on shots and has been altered?
Anyway, Blogger's being a bitch and I can't upload a picture of the new cats. I'll get a picture up here eventually. Maybe, I'll even start posting weekly kitty porn picts, once I figure out the best way to do that. But, here's some links to pictures the shelter took for their records: Hannah (previously known as Silky - blah) and Misfit (previously known as Minnie - blah too).
So, how are these cats getting along? Well, pretty well actually. Jack's a stud and his quite happy to have two playmates (and I mean that in every sense of the word) in the house. Hannah has settled in as the resident purr monster. Just touch her and her engine is off. Misfit... well, Misfit is definitely aptly named. She's a jumper and has been frequently been shooed out of the kitchen sink.
Jack and Misfit still fight... a lot. There are tons of cat howls and growls as they fight. But, it doesn't look like they are hurting each other. It looks more like kitty courtship. I think it's taking Jack a while to get him some because the other two are so small and he's so big. And, in a tiny cat way, neither of them are ready for cat sex. But, oh, how they tease Jack.
Misfit will start all of the fights with Jack. He, being the gentle giant, will play along not clawing or biting just bopping. The instant he gets the upper hand, Misfit starts yelling. "Won't someone save this fair maiden from this beast," she seems to cry. I swear they fight like they are a redneck couple and we are the cops called in to investigate domestic abuse. We'll break them apart and Misfit complains, "Don't take him away, I love him. I don't want you to arrest him. We were just playing." And, the next minute they are cuddle up together, licking each other. Hannah just lies down and purrs.
Misfit is a jealous bitch, too. She and Hannah were sleeping on our bed when Jack jumped up there. He went over to Hannah and started licking her clean. Misfit woke up, saw Jack licking her sister and proceeded to get between them. She was successful because Jack started licking her instead. Hannah got up and moved. Jack and Misfit were laying together lick each other. It looked like two teenage cats on the couch. That's when I noticed Hannah. Her nose was up Jack's butt and she was licking his balls. That's right - Kitty Orgy on our bed. Like I said, he's a stud.
We wanted to get another cat to keep Jack company while we were away for the day. So, we wound up at PetSmart one Friday evening. There were four kittens that were oh-so adorable waiting to be adopted. The two orange and white tabby brothers were tiny, and about 2-3 months old. Neither had been fixed, but with another male in the house, more kittens wasn't going to happen. There were also two grey striped sisters around 4 or 5 months old. They had been spayed, so no worries about more kitties there either. They all were rescued from a kill shelter. We asked to play with them all and my wife and I took turned holding, petting and playing.
The PetSmart people told us to adopt one of them we'd have to fill out adoption forms and that the From The Heart Rescue people would be there the next day if we wanted to come back. Well, the next day, it snowed and the shelter people cancelled. We were told they'd be back in two weeks. "Oh, well," I thought, "Guess we're not getting another cat right now. Those will probably be gone in two weeks."
Well, that Sunday, we were eating lunch in the area and decided to go show the kid the cats we were looking at so he could have some input about which cat to adopt. Turns out, the shelter people were there. After playing with the cats some more, we decided to adopt the two sisters. I didn't have the heart to split them up, so now we have three cats... Jack, Hannah and Misfit. Now, we each have our own cat. Hannah is my baby. Misfit is the kid's and Jack is, and will always be, my wife's.
I want to stop for a minute and tell you if you are thinking about getting a pet, look up From The Heart Rescue. They charge a $90/$125 adoption fee for cats and dogs. But, they also keep their pets up-to-date on shots and spay/neuters. If you're getting a pet from the "free puppies" or "free kittens" ad, that's fine, but bear in mind that you'll end up paying more at the vet for shots and alterations. Why pay more when you can pay less for a pet that's up-to-date on shots and has been altered?
Anyway, Blogger's being a bitch and I can't upload a picture of the new cats. I'll get a picture up here eventually. Maybe, I'll even start posting weekly kitty porn picts, once I figure out the best way to do that. But, here's some links to pictures the shelter took for their records: Hannah (previously known as Silky - blah) and Misfit (previously known as Minnie - blah too).
So, how are these cats getting along? Well, pretty well actually. Jack's a stud and his quite happy to have two playmates (and I mean that in every sense of the word) in the house. Hannah has settled in as the resident purr monster. Just touch her and her engine is off. Misfit... well, Misfit is definitely aptly named. She's a jumper and has been frequently been shooed out of the kitchen sink.
Jack and Misfit still fight... a lot. There are tons of cat howls and growls as they fight. But, it doesn't look like they are hurting each other. It looks more like kitty courtship. I think it's taking Jack a while to get him some because the other two are so small and he's so big. And, in a tiny cat way, neither of them are ready for cat sex. But, oh, how they tease Jack.
Misfit will start all of the fights with Jack. He, being the gentle giant, will play along not clawing or biting just bopping. The instant he gets the upper hand, Misfit starts yelling. "Won't someone save this fair maiden from this beast," she seems to cry. I swear they fight like they are a redneck couple and we are the cops called in to investigate domestic abuse. We'll break them apart and Misfit complains, "Don't take him away, I love him. I don't want you to arrest him. We were just playing." And, the next minute they are cuddle up together, licking each other. Hannah just lies down and purrs.
Misfit is a jealous bitch, too. She and Hannah were sleeping on our bed when Jack jumped up there. He went over to Hannah and started licking her clean. Misfit woke up, saw Jack licking her sister and proceeded to get between them. She was successful because Jack started licking her instead. Hannah got up and moved. Jack and Misfit were laying together lick each other. It looked like two teenage cats on the couch. That's when I noticed Hannah. Her nose was up Jack's butt and she was licking his balls. That's right - Kitty Orgy on our bed. Like I said, he's a stud.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
Fell at the Fall
I don't know why I have never said something about the Adam and Eve story in Genesis before. Something this weekend just hit me over the head about it and I need to share.
The story of the Fall is not about how sin entered into equation. It's not about a snake deceiving man. It's not about man's need for knowledge. It's not even about how man or this world was created.
Before Eve took a bite from the tree of knowledge and got Adam to do the same, the Garden of Eve was a pefect place. A literal heaven on earth. Man's relationship with God was perfect. Then, the snake came along, tempted man with an apple, and *boom* we're all a bunch of sinners.
This story is about why we need God in our lives. When man disobeyed God, our relationship with him was shattered. So, it is the same today with sin.
Back before the Fall, our relationship with God was perfect because we didn't sin, we didn't disobey His rules, and we were pleasing to the Lord. We needed that relationship with God and vice versa. As God himself says in Genesis 1:31, "It was very good." Afterwards, the relationship became troubled, to say the least, and we've been trying to heal the wounds ever since.
The story of the Creation and the Fall is not about the first man and woman. It's not about how the world came into being, nor how quickly. It's an allegory showing why we need a relationship with God. Without him, we are broken.
I don't want to go into more detail than putting that thought into your head. Think about it, meditation on it, whatever you do, do it. Once you understand the allegory, you can maybe better understand the rest of the Bible's message and why we need to fix the broken pieces of our relationship with God.
The story of the Fall is not about how sin entered into equation. It's not about a snake deceiving man. It's not about man's need for knowledge. It's not even about how man or this world was created.
Before Eve took a bite from the tree of knowledge and got Adam to do the same, the Garden of Eve was a pefect place. A literal heaven on earth. Man's relationship with God was perfect. Then, the snake came along, tempted man with an apple, and *boom* we're all a bunch of sinners.
This story is about why we need God in our lives. When man disobeyed God, our relationship with him was shattered. So, it is the same today with sin.
Back before the Fall, our relationship with God was perfect because we didn't sin, we didn't disobey His rules, and we were pleasing to the Lord. We needed that relationship with God and vice versa. As God himself says in Genesis 1:31, "It was very good." Afterwards, the relationship became troubled, to say the least, and we've been trying to heal the wounds ever since.
The story of the Creation and the Fall is not about the first man and woman. It's not about how the world came into being, nor how quickly. It's an allegory showing why we need a relationship with God. Without him, we are broken.
I don't want to go into more detail than putting that thought into your head. Think about it, meditation on it, whatever you do, do it. Once you understand the allegory, you can maybe better understand the rest of the Bible's message and why we need to fix the broken pieces of our relationship with God.
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