Hey, everybody,

I've got a Fringe show!

Along with Jocelyn, Ann and Chris.

So... come to it, okay?

Wow.

I wrote an essay yesterday afternoon for a presentation worth 40% of my mark that I would be making later that day.

I finished it and presented it. The professor was vocally impressed.

The one last bit of the assignment--a two-page report of how the presentation went--was due this morning at 10am. If I handed it in late, "my mark would be significantly reduced".

So, I started it last night. Then, I fell asleep at the computer.

I woke up this morning at 11:30.

I.

AM.

AWESOME.

I've had a rather eclectic couple of days.

Yesterday, for example, I bought an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and a violin. These were through my friend who works at a music school which is getting rid of its old instruments, so these were all very cheap.

Actually, the electric guitar is virtually brand new and plays well. The acoustic is a tad warped, but playable. And I don't even know how to play the violin, but I'm learning now.

All in all, I'm living the high life. No?

Stress crisis averted.

For the time being.

Poetry recommendations?

Specifically, American and Canadian poetry.

Within perhaps the last fifty years or so.

Who and what are some of your favourites?

Y'know, as I approach the end of my fourth year (of five) at U of T, I can't help but express my disillusionment at where I am right now.

To be completely honest, I wish I'd had more foresight--granted, I was 17 when I had to choose my school, and far too naive (not necessarily because of my age, but rather because I'm just naturally dim)--to have planned my time here more efficiently.

I would not, for example, be in this rather crummy position of having to take a fifth year due to a mid-degree switcheroo.

I'd have not spent 4 years flip-flopping between majors and career choices in denial about the viability of a career in the arts.

I'd perhaps feel somewhat more confident in my creative abilities, because I'd have spent more time reading and working on my writing instead of merely conjugating, sleeping and sometimes-scribbling.

I'd have experienced the 2nd year of the Classics program IN SECOND YEAR, thus decreasing its chances of ruining any hope I'd have had for grad school (which it has done during this, my fourth and penultimate year).

I'd have taken Improv 101 during my second year for free... because I would have checked the map before wandering around the wrong area of town before giving up.

I'd have better managed my finances.

I'd have looked far enough into the future to think about grad school as a way to make myself care about undergrad.

***

Now, I suppose we all have regrets. But, given my horrible, HORRIBLE decisions over the past four years, I'm feeling the sting thereof A LOT.

UUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

This is a conversation which ACTUALLY happened earlier today.

***********************

CHRIS BERUBE
How are you feeling about tomorrow's exam?

BRANDON
Well... I have all of my notes, and as long as I buckle down for the next few hours and focus, I should be okay.

Notices someone passing by on the street.

BRANDON (cont'd)
Hey, is that Paulo?

Opening window and yelling into the street

BRANDON (cont'd)
HEY, PAULO! PAULO!

Closing window

BRANDON (cont'd)
No, I don't think it was him.

CHRIS
...

***********************

Yeah!

The worst thing about having influences is that you lose sight of your own originality in that admiration.

So.

Here's a bunch of cool stuff that's happened to me lately.

1) I was walking to class when I passed by a nice man who was singing opera in a trained baritone as it played on his iPod. My guess is that he was part of the opera program (I'm a detective, btw). I was impressed.

2) I was asked back to Carter to help out with audition day, which was pretty cool. I got to sit on the panel with Ms. O'Brien and helped with the whole selection process of the new Grade 9 class, which was mega spiffy.

3) I have Bronchitis! I'm on meds! AWESOME!

... Actually, the second point was probably the one I wanted to mention the most. Just because.

'Kayluvyoubye!

A summary of what I've been up to lately:

1) Improv @ Impatient Theatre Co.
2) Biweekly shows opening for The Sketchersons in sketch comedy troupe "Etched in Sketch."
3) Cohosting a radio show with my friend titled "Song Trek: The Final Funtier."
4) Biweekly podcast "Podcast of Champions" (about to start)

... And I've been seeing shows (comedy, improv and otherwise) each week.

So far, the New Year's resolution is kind of shaping up. KIND of. I still have to look for a pertinent new job. Or a couple.

Anything right now to shake me out of routine and to avoid the rut in which I found myself this past summer.

Go, team!

So.

Changes instituted so far:

1) I'm taking classes with The Impatient Theatre Company. I've only just had my first one, but it's nice to get back into improv, to be able to approach it, having gained perspective on things. I plan to go to a lot more shows in the future, and maybe participate a bit... have more of an open mind.

2) Aside from one hot chocolate and a cookie, I haven't bought any outside food. I've been making meals all week (a stretch for me--I know), and am generally impressed at the variety I've been able to whip up.

3) Latin is going smoothly so far. Greek is another story. I have a test tomorrow for which I haven't yet begun to study. Ohhhhh well.

4) I'm a little bummed because the deadline for Acta Victoriana sort of slipped by me without my noticing. Oh well. Maybe next year?

An okay start, but this is still the tip of the iceberg. There's a lot I still want to do and get accomplished by the time I graduate, and sitting around won't really help me get there, so... I guess... onward?

So.

I've found a little notebook in which I scribbled my first of several attempts at writing a novel.

I was 6 years old.
It was a novelization of the movie The Addams Family Values.
(Which I had recently seen).

Now, I didn't finish writing the book. I got pretty far, but forgot about the whole camp subplot, and then just added that and lost momentum when I realised I had erred.

Also, for some reason, I remembered a lot of weird plot details.

Choice passages:

PROLOGUE
Gomez Addams sits himsealth down with Martisha Addams Gomez im having a BAby right now Martish Addams says Right Now.

CHAPTER MORTICIA
Martisha Lurch Pugsley Grandma Wednesday Gomez Thing was driving home and Fester.

CHAPTER ADDAMS' HOME
It was dull it was dull really dull at swimmming I'll be the vicktom said a little girl Wednesday had to be the puyrson to save her i can't, swim said Wednday the girl drowndeid.

When it was night Wednesday tried to ascape from summer camp but they found her climbing the gates with her nerd boyfriend they reliesd they hated drama camp.

***

Rock!

I am about to do something very impulsive.

This, despite impulsiveness being characteristically Brandon, is especially UNcharacteristically Brandon in a big way.

Updates mayhap to follow if I am successful...

Ugh.

I am so boring.

***

On a related note, here's that video I mentioned that I was in awhile back. This past Feb I was in a film for the Ryerson Film Festival, which was later featured in Nuit Blanche.

I play a member of an early 90s boyband called "4Play" who sing about safe sex. I'm O-Hip, the chunky black guy with street cred.

It's pretty rad.

So.

It's 4:30am and I'm still awake.

I've been in Pickering for awhile, and I haven't had the Internet. So... I've been watching lots of movies and TV on DVD while stewing at home.

Christmas break has been pretty okay... we had our first all-family get-together in over 7 years, which was nice, if a little awkward.

I got me a new iPod, and I are thrilled.

I've passed both my languages, which is good news, because it was getting a bit scary back there (and for LATIN!?!). This ends my punitive Latin posts for the time being, but I will nevertheless need some way to practice.

I've been trying to write (creatively) a lot lately, but have had little success. It's been difficult because I have so few ideas, and feel that I am quickly failing at what I used to enjoy doing. How can I succeed if I can't even grab ideas out of the ether and expand upon them? Although I feel that what hinders me the most is my second-guessing of myself--which is both good and bad (I mean, I definitely need a censor to rein myself in from time-to-time).

***

I want to:

1) Take improv and/or writing classes somewhere. Soon. I'm bored and stuck in routine. I don't think I can really grow creatively if I just attempt to do everything on my own.

2) Find a new job closer to what I want to do.

3) Figure out WHAT it is I want to do. Or, rather, now that I at least recognize what I want to do, work towards that goal as ambitiously and passionately as I can from now on.

4) See an opera. Which doesn't really have anything to do with anything I've said, but... still... it would be cool.

Studere duas disciplinas, probationis heri, est amor.

Da mihi, o Schola, basia mortium mille. Amabo te.

Quid agendum est?

In hoc diario dolorem meum vobis praesto, per ironiam scribitur Latine, causa illi (quamquam non perfecti est, conatus sum tamen).

***

Videor neque concitatus neque excitatus non esse. Quare est?

In principe, tam felix studendum eram. Cum tanto studio discere linguam Latinam incepi; sed hac nunc difficillima, ignavus factus sum.

Et haec ignavia factus est occasus meus. Probatione cedi? Cursum? Dum exitus recipio, non sciam.

Beatus sum hac lingua me loqui scribereque potuisse. Non volo Latinam perdere. Disciplina studiorum mea fiet Graecus. Amo graecum, sed hunc non volo solum studere. Ambos discendi sunt mihi ut disciplina Antiquarum idonea ageam.

Eheu.

So.

The Bob is over for another year. Tonight (or, Saturday night) was our final of three performances. And after a rather shitty Thursday night (the audience decided that they did not want to laugh), we had a spectacular Friday, and a pretty amazing Saturday.

We've just had our cast party, and everyone has pretty much gone; which is sad, because I'll definitely miss not seeing everyone at least once a week.

All in all, my first Bob as co-director went pretty well. Thanks, of course, to the amazing team (Marcel, Cat, Una, Chris, Aidan, Laura, Chris K., Cathy, Linn, Dan and Dan E.).

... But now what the hell am I supposed to do with my time?

***

Anyway, I still haven't heard any word from the Sketchersons in re: that other group they're starting, but Ann (hi, Ann!) and I are going to their show tomorrow. So, maybe they will acknowledge me long enough to tell me what's going on?

UPDATES!

( So, I auditioned for The Sketchersons... )
( Then I saw Charlie Kaufman's new film... )
( I'm seeing The Bicycles tonight! )
( I also bought new pants... )
( Job? Future? )
Annnnd, come see The Bob! This Thursday, Friday and Saturday (that's November 13, 14 and 15).

8pm
Isabel Bader Theatre
Check out our website:

www.thebob2008.com

Here's the trailer we filmed for The Bob 2008: In BOB We Trust

http://blip.tv/file/1386237/

Updates to come later.