Turabian Days

I finished all but the conclusion of a cute little history paper last night. (This means all the content is in some form of preserved electronic media, and not running loose in my brain.) Now I get to sit down this afternoon, dust off the grammar manuals, and see that it gets into the proper shape and size for turning in on Friday. Sigh. Found a nasty, nasty dangling modifier in Robinson Crusoe (oh, yeah, there's dozens, but this one was really bad) in which it seems that Friday shot a wolf which was in his (Friday's) head. Giggle.

It's been an interesting several days since I really blogged. Obviously, a lot has gone on in the world with hurricanes and chief justices and the like. I should post about them, only many people have already done so and in much better fashion that I could offer to. (DAAGH! I just ended a sentence with a preposition, having spent the last week hollering at my roommate to stop doing so herself. Shame.) A lot has gone on with me, too. I went to Washington DC. Twice. In two days. The first day I went with a little group to experiment with praying and counseling outside Planned Parenthood in the afternoon, rather than in the morning. It was very moving--a lot of women stopped to talk to us, if briefly, whereas in the morning there are many more people moving around, from both sides of the debate, and communicating is more difficult.

Sunday afternoon I went to the Air and Space museum, as you might be able to tell by the pictures I posted...yesterday I think. I don't remember. I'm on drugs and remembering things is difficult. (Stupid head cold.) Anyway, went to the musesm and had a great time--too bad I didn't have someone with me who really knew a ton about plans and stuff, like some family members I know. (-: But, one of the guys who was with us is the son of a personal friend of Patty Wagstaff, having been a pilot for (United?) Airlines while she was a flight attendant. Cool, yes? All these retired-military kids are entertaining to have around.

That reminds me of something esle I discovered in the last couple days: Google Earth. Talk about something addictive...there were over a dozen of us here in the lab yesterday, looking up everybody and their attorney's adresses, shwoing pictures, and marvelling at the terror instilled in one's heart by the idea that anyone and everyone has access to detailed satellite images of your entire world. Campus looks pretty sweet from up there, though, I must admit.

All else is interesting but not really writeworthy, in my humble opinion. I'm convinced that my Political Science teacher is an anarchist. The director of the fall play finally finished casting the thing yesterday at lunch, so now I know who I get to work with the rest of the semester. (And who we'll have to costume....gosh. Did he have to be to tall?) Helping with the call-back auditions was a really cool experience. It was fun, and enlightening, to create different combinations of actors/actresses and see how the dynamics changed with the characters. It was also interesting to see how each person approached the entire audition differently. Confidence in personal ability is a good thing--it gives you power and a sense of presence. Confidence in your getting the part is a bad thing--it gives you overpowering presence and intimidates the atmosphere in the room. Whether conscious of it or not, many intense players have that overweening effect. It was funny to me that I sensed it, as did a couple other people, but the director herself did not. I think she was too zoned in on the actual people and how they were playing the part, to concern herself with how they were playing the room.

A good call. After all, it's the part she needs to concern herself with. It was a tough call for one character, though. We disagreed, at the fundamental level, on who to cast in the lead. (One of the leads, I should say.) She wanted someone with a great deal of power and presence, who acted well and seemed very adaptable. I wanted someone who was a little quieter, whom we know to be adaptable, but who unfortunately did not bring a lot of power to the role during the audition. What to do? It's so very hard to choose between two people who are so good!

D says 'I can reign her in.'
I say 'She's an unknown quantity. Are you sure?'
D says I made this mistake last year and couldn't keep someone in check.'
I say 'Your call.'

She picked her. I think, as a director, she can reign her in and do a good job molding the character, but I shudder at the faint, nagging possibility in my mind that there might be extra-theatrical personality clashes in the works. (I know she's reading this, too. Sorry!) I know that Ms. X was good and directable and everything in the audition, but isn't that the point of an audition? Wouldn't one want to be as placating and meek as possible in an audition, to show that one is cooperative? It seems that, once you've got the part, you're more than welcome to settle down in what you think is the proper characterization, and let the director just direct until she's blue in the face.

We'll see what happens. I think, in the end, she made a good choice, based on the fact that she did prefer Ms. X, personally. I hate working with someone who is unhappy with a lead they cast. Ugh. Anyway. Anyway, anyway, anyway.

I had fun, and am now looking forward to getting down to business with this play. Now that my first paper (of 7) for the semester is complete. Must clean room.