All the myths are true

Oh the magic of Mythbusters.

I have decided to embark on what is sure to be a long quest: watching every single episode of Mythbusters ever produced. I like the show because not only is it entertaining, but it teaches me things. Mostly these tidbits of knowledge are about as useful as my grandfather's constant anecdotal tales at dinner time, but sometimes there's one that could be helpful, like the fact that going in and out of your car while pumping gas can create a static spark that could catch fire.

For the most part, I admit, it is fun as hell to watch Jamie and Adam blow shit up. Or drop things from insane heights. Or shoot random things. I like watching their endeavors. If I were a science person more than an art person, I would so be working towards employment at that studio.

I had my first production meeting for the theatre company I'm an intern at. Well, the intern. I'm the first and only intern they've ever had. I'm so excited. Just hearing about this show that we're doing gave me chills. I can't wait until things go from ideas to reality. I think that's one of my favorite parts of theatre, to be quite honest. I love being a part of that process.

Well, I'm completely trashed, though to be honest I don't know why, so I will say adieu.

Cheers,

-T.A.D.

Ain't nothing like the real thing

Today's post is going to be about a show that, despite my original predictions, has grown close to my heart. Some people hate it, some people love it, some people feel indifferent towards it... Glee.

Before you judge me, let me explain something about Glee. Yes, I am fully aware of the sheer ridiculousness of the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Yes, I am also fully aware that most of their covers are not as good as the original songs. I am aware of the fact that these are not characters that exist in real life, and thank whatever god you believe in for that. They are all a bunch of drama queens, and at points, they can be completely irritating due to their unrealistic tendencies.

HOWEVER, there are a number of reasons why I love Glee and its quirky cast. Firstly, while, as I stated last paragraph, I know that the covers are not as good as the original songs, but at least tweens and the like are experiencing the wonderful music of artists like Journey and The Beatles (not enough, however). Secondhand is better than not at all. And for some people, myself included, hearing the covers on Glee has given us inspiration to dig through older CDs to find the originals. Secondly, and probably more importantly, I find that I watch Glee, thinking to myself about how unrealistic the situations are, and then, out of nowhere, they hit me with a moment so real I wonder how they managed to capture it so truly and beautifully. My favorite example of this is the shockingly honest portrayal of Kurt's relationship with his father. However, I've found that they've managed to tackle many real issues with almost brutal honesty, and by finishing every particularly emotional episode with a warm-hearted cast song, they still end the show with a happy note (pardon the pun).

In addition, there are a number of extremely talented singers, dancers, and actors on the show. I am always impressed by Lea Michelle's triple threat, and the fact that her character is so unreal is part of what amazes me most about her. She is playing an exaggerated character, as they all are, but she has moments of emotional honesty that worm their way into your heart. Even Sue Sylvester, who everyone loves to hate, and who is probably the most exaggerated of all the Glee cast, has moments of crushing reality when you see her with her sister.

I think that one of the things that fascinates me about Glee is how the show is able to maintain a balance between the fantastical and the real. In one episode we see characters wearing Lady GaGa outfits (for several days in a row) and we also see a heartbreaking scene in which Kurt's dad rails on Finn for using the word "faggy." It is this balance that captures me.

(okay maybe it's also partially the good singing and theatricality)

Cheers,

-T.A.D.

In the real world

Sometimes I'm told that I'm lazy or boring for wanting to just stay at home all day watching TV shows or movies, or reading books. I guess you could say that's true, but I only ask that you wait for my reasons before you judge me.

Reality is boring sometimes. The real world gets boring and so we seek different worlds, more exciting worlds, worlds in television shows, movies, books, plays, tons of things. I like to escape reality sometimes and get captured in the thrill of it all. I like seeing what people's imaginations can conjure. Magic wands and potions, lasers and space cowboys, pie makers who can make the dead alive again; these things excite me and inspire me to imagine my own fantasies. I love storytelling. I love good characters more than almost anything, so when I find a show that writes its characters well, I appreciate it.

Other times, we need to know that our reality is better than alternates. I watch Dollhouse and shudder and think "what if." It reassures me when I see people screwing up in fantasy worlds because they screwed up too. I like it when characters aren't perfect; they're people. You follow the choices they make and sometimes you agree with them and sometimes you don't, but either way, you enjoy watching them grow and change. I get very connected with characters in shows and movies. I think I have a very large capacity to suspend disbelief. I feel close to the worlds I encounter and observe. When a character messes up or does something we didn't want them to do, we watch them learn from their mistakes. When they do something wonderful that we've been waiting all season for, we celebrate and see that we can move forward as well.

Another great thing about these realities is the fact that no matter what genre you watch or read, you encounter the same very human conflicts. It doesn't matter if you're in the world of Firefly, 500 years or so into the future, or Merlin, way back in the time of King Arthur (well, slightly before his time), you see the same issues at the root of these shows. In LOTR and Star Trek, we see the same things. This grounds movies and shows in the reality that you and I are familiar with just by being humans.

I love sharing the worlds I find. I cherish them and love them, and to share a good story with someone is so wonderful, which is why I want to make it my life by going into theatre. Everyone interprets things slightly differently, which makes it so cool to watch something with a huge group of friends and then talk about how it moved you all in different ways. The same can be said about a good book, I'm just generalizing here. My dad and I share our love of stories, and even though some people don't think of the time we spend together as "quality time," I strongly disagree. We sit down and suspend disbelief together. We let shows touch us and move us and anger us. We let characters into our hearts and minds. And then we get all riled up when we talk about them, it's wonderful!

Dad and I sometimes just conk out in front of a screen for hours. And maybe some people don't get it, but I think we learn more about each other by witnessing these stories and seeing each other's reactions to them than we do by having some pointless conversation about something neither of us particularly cares to talk about. I love seeing the good in people and in shows. Or seeing the spark of similarity between a friend and a character. My dad wrote me a letter one time that moved me to tears. It was about a lot of things, but part of it was about these stories that we share, and he wrote a page telling me how I was like certain parts of certain characters. I wish I could do the same for him without just seeming like a copycat.

Stories are something to be treasured, and while I agree that I spend far too much time in front of glowing boxes, I do treasure the stories I see and read.

Sometimes we learn more about ourselves than we realize when we see a character go through an all too familiar situation. Pay attention next time. You'll see.

-T.A.D.