Nippy November (HAHAHAHAHAHA NIP)

First off, listen to Childish Gambino.

Yeah, that's rapper/actor/comedian Donald Glover, a.k.a. the reason I will never work in film and T.V. His lyrics predominantly center around the identity crisis of being a geeky black guy in the mainstream. There's a ton of insecurity between the lines. It's something I can definitely relate to. And hell, it's cool to hear that stuff vocalized. That said, his mere existence floods the market--so I'm afraid he must be destroyed and quietly replaced by yours truly.


I'm spending a lot of time in coffee shops again, hanging with buddies before our show. We do a lot of talking, and it sort of helps with the malaise. The general consensus seems to be--we want to work on art that's worthwhile, we want to be proud of our work, we want a project that works us so hard that we get our perspective back. It probably stands to reason that we'll have to create it if we can't find it. I can only speak for myself here, but what my life needs is a serious electric jolt in the taint. Let me rephrase that--I need to punch myself in the taint.

Metaphorically.

Chances are that will entail getting a second job (as I just started training at Anthropologie.) That has nothing to do with my artistic growth, but it'll take a lot of the headache away. I've been getting teaching gigs and a handful of paying shows, but that's barely enough for survival. I've been living in Boise for two months now, and I don't have a bedspread....or a dresser...or anything up on the walls. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of 'stuff'...but at the same time, I can't continue to live a Totally Boho (Season 2 coming to DVD!) lifestyle if I'm planning on setting down some roots. I'd LIKE to have people over one day without feeling embarrassed.

Currently it's, "Hey...uh..come on over! I have a...chair. Oh! And you can read one of the six books on the shelf if you'd like! How 'bout that? Ticklin' your fancy?"

"Don't ever refer to my 'fancy' again."

In other news, it's chilly. It's cold as hell. These days I'm walking around looking like a hipster Ezio Auditore with all the layers I'm wearing. I'm diggin' fall, though. Fall here is gorgeous, and it seems to rub off on everyone in this town. It makes me a bit piney. To be fair I'm not pining after anyone per se, but a chilly walk home at night is a lot nicer when you've got open arms to come home to--and when you've spent all day surrounded by cute ladies in fantastic hats it's easy to let your mind play romantic music and turn everything into a black and white film. If I had my druthers, my FANTASY would include much more swordplay and frequent candlelit dinners on the bridge of my zeppelin (S.S. Onion Booty.) Our relationship would be adversarial. We'd call each other things like "Arch Nemesis", "Bane of my Existence" and "Cute Little Bucket of Vengeance". We'd decorate our rooms with good intentions, but end up covered head to toe in paint, glitter glue, and elbow macaroni. And we'd listen to a LOT of videogame music.

Also this:


To conclude, bullet points!

• Hunters (the graphic novel I'm collaborating with the gentleman above to write) is being outlined right now. Can't wait to start writing the scripts and drawing it out.
• I'm still kinda sick, so no more games of Cough-In-Your-Eye until I get better.
• My current theater wishlist includes: Woyzeck, Uncle Vanya, Waiting for Godot, One For The Road, The Dumb Waiter, and a devised movement/clown piece.
• I'm in a book club! I also purchase doilies and put costumes on my cat.
• One of the previous three statements is true.
• LISTEN TO KIMBRA.
• What do Skyrim, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Saints Row the 3rd, Uncharted 3, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, and Regina Spektor have in common?
  
• I want them all.

Be good, cats! I've got ups to push and outs to work.

Love and other thugs,

Dak

Rain Check

Fall arrived in Boise, decked out in a cute vintage rainstorm and a hand-knit grey sky. Scarf weather! Military coat every day weather! Thinking about life weather?

I recently (read: finally) all but landed a job at the local Anthropologie store, which is pretty flippin' cool for the sake of a steady income and discounts on adorable housewares, but much less cool considering my good friend applied first and is far more qualified. Unless they were specifically trying to fill a Black Male Position, in which case she still may be more qualified. Regardless, a job is a job is a job. I also happened to apply at a local restaurant as well, so I may be dual-wielding employment again for the first time in a while. Tri-wielding actually, considering the show I'm working on and the workshops and afterschool classes I'll be teaching at the charter school and local university. And here I thought I didn't have much on my plate...

Artistically I've been wrestling with the "what I want to produce v.s. my current abilities to do so" thing. In actuality, I think it's just laziness. I haven't taken the time to sit down and mash something out, nor the time to do the necessary research to form a starting point. What's an outline? You mean you don't just sit down in front of a blank page, clap your hands, and produce magic? HOW PREPOSTEROUS! I ended up doing what I usually do in those situations and flipping through my backlog of creative writing. It's helpful and unhelpful.

Maybe it's the season, but I've been really moved by my friends in relationships right now. Over the past few days I've spent a lot of time with fantastic couples, and it's really made me long for a partner in crime again. I know the feeling will pass, but the prospect of waking up with someone in my arms just seems wonderful right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm still extremely picky--so it's not like I'll just stroll downtown and and pursue the first girl with a funky hat and an affinity for Firefly, but I also can't deny the vicarious warmth and calm I get from being in a room with a couple in love. Maybe that's weird. Who knows? I stopped worrying about 'weird' a long time ago.

Either way, I'm taking care of me.

Be well, and let me leave you with this--

Don't make yourself wrong. I won't either.

Dak

The Unknown

In this strange yet exciting between-show period, I've found myself taking as much solace in the unknown as possible. This is always been somewhat difficult for me. As much as I want to be free-wheeling and devil-may-care, I often fall into moments where I'm biting my nails in the corner of the room, worried about money stuff, job stuff, life stuff, or show stuff. I've always thought it irresponsible to dispense with those worries in favor or letting things fly--but now that notion is keeping sane.

Well...that is...as sane as I ever was.

I may be shooting myself in the foot by even sharing this, but after seeing Dwayne Blackaller's play, re/fraction, I've gotten onto a HYOOOOJE kick about writing a 2 or 3 person piece that shares that quality of fun and experimentation. Knowing me, it'll be some frenetic, ridiculous thing but I don't entirely see that as negative. In addition, I'd like it to have some personal meaning for everyone involved. I've got a lot of extremely talented friends who, I find, don't always have the opportunity to completely show off their chops. We get rockstar shows sometimes, but I'd like to develop something that really comes from THEM. Something that throws them in the fire and stretches the performance muscles a little.

Naturally I have no clue where to begin. There's a lot I want to say, and a few of those things are even RELEVANT! L..like two or three of them.

Also! Life update!

Might be working at the Zooey Deschanel store soon! I'll know by next week. That'd alleviate most--if not ALL--of my job stress. I can kick my feet up and purchase some dinnerware! Y'know...because it's the little things in life.

HEAD rehearsals begin next week. Take that as euphemistically as you will. I can't wait to work with the cast, which includes some of the most awesome people I know.

I'll be teaching CLOWNING at the ANSER center in Boise all next week after school. 1st through 4th graders! It's pretty wild...I have no idea what to expect. I won't hit them with the MOST insane stuff...at least not right off the bat. I'll really have to start with the basics...but children seem inherently less socially awkward than adults, so I'm excited to be surprised by these kids.

I had a "Jeez, I'm putting on a few sweet pounds" moment last week. Thanks to my buddy's bike, I am no longer concerned. In addition, my good buddy and I will be enrolling in fencing classes soon. Yeah, that's right. We'll be bucklin' the SHIT outta' that swash.

Alright kids and cadets. Be good. Live ridiculous.

-Dak Attack

Re-emergence!

WELL--

I'm in Boise now! Officially! I'm a transplant!

So updates...I guess there are several, so I'll break it down into bullet points.

• Doing a show with Alley Underground called 'Voices From The Boise Hole'. It's a new play developed by local playwrights, Jason Haskins and Evan Sesek. It's a series of monologues based on various Boise-ites. HIGHLIGHT: I do a monologue about being black in Idaho while another character does one about having his first black friend.
• Two Gents wrapped up very nicely. I definitely fell into a post-show, "I still have no place to live" "What am I doing with my life?" "Am I a humungous failure?" doldrum, but it's now entirely taken care of. Well, almost entirely...I don't have a trash can in my room... I think that'll solve a lot of issues. HIGHLIGHT: Even after the show closed, I've been getting offers of interest from directors and theatre folks. AND LADIES--that's not true at all.
• Entirely single and pretty jazzed about that. Cuz I don't need no BITCHES EFFIN' UP MY--no no no, that's silly. I'm just really content with myself right now. I think I'll eventually want to be with someone, but I'll just let that part play out. HIGHLIGHT: Saying something extremely geeky or embarrassing, waiting a few seconds, then yelling "WHY am I SINGLE?"
• NERD UPDATE! Not much to say here, really. Marathonned Avatar: The Last Airbender nearly twice in a row, got really into Sherlock, and politely gave Soul Eater a try. Verdict? Avatar is amazing, but you probably found that out in 06', Sherlock is goddamn incredible, and Soul Eater is just plain bad. If I was thirteen, I would've REALLY enjoyed it--but the characters are just too...well...stupid for me to deal with. They aren't even oddball--FLCL was oddball--they're just wholly moronic.

Er...wow, yeah. That's all the main stuff, I suppose! I'm in the process of looking for a second job at the moment, and so far it's working out. I really don't want to jump back into serving, but it's honestly the best money around my area--so looks like I'll be strappin' on that apron again! IF YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

More to come as I start updating more regularly again!

Peace out and Pee South,
Deeks and Geeks

Really..? THIS is your update?

Granted, yes...I owe my blog more than a couple-sentence drunk update.

More to come--I saw two gorgeous shows today. I'll extrapolate later.

But right now it's like...listen...it'd be awesome to be super interested in someone who was equally as interested in me. Missing that. In a big way.

I want someone to impress again. Maybe that's why it's not clickin' for me. Am I anticipating? I don't usually do that.

Got an apartment, though (Thanks entirely to my amazing mother.) Movin' in Monday.

MORE TO COME FOR REELZ.

-Dak

Out of Words

I've had so much trouble writing lately--and I've started to think it's because of something...wrong..with me.

Not the case at all. It's just a matter of WILDLY second-guessing the things I have to say. Or want to say. Or GET to say.

I feel like I fell out of love with myself for a while. Reality is: my life is fucking incredible right now, and because its gotten so good--it's become easier for me to dream small. The inspiration, the drive and energy for what I want to accomplish seemed to disappear from me for a very very long time. I stopped caring. Started floating. Doing things the easy way. Stopped laying it all out on the table for fear that my life will just evaporate. Wisp through my fingers like a fistful of smoke. Maybe I snuck and told myself I was too 'grown-up' for big dreams.

How dumb is that?

Especially in the field I've chosen...there's no TIME for me to dream small. No time to think I've succeeded in a few minor roles and now I've got the assurance and ability to approach the REALLY big ones. Confidence? Yes, absolutely. Assurance? No. Definitely not.

Kickin' the mighty bucket might be the only sure thing we can truly count on...so I'm going to stay vigilant about my routines. I'm not going to let myself slip into the easy track again.

Because that'd be easy. I don't want easy. I want adventure.

Love you all, goddammit.
-Dak

Midnight in Paris and 2:40 in Boise

I saw Midnight in Paris with a pal two nights ago, and while I'm not an enormous Woody Allen fan, I really enjoyed it. Titular stuttering intellectual Larry Stu aside, I found myself really feeling a strong connection to The Message of the film.

Okay, maybe the message is "Don't marry a bitch." but that message has been done to death.

More important to me was the fact that in the end, the film made me want to be more me. It made me want to really turn off the censors, take an honest look at myself, and do some organizing. Yeah...it made me want to read more T.S. Eliot and flit through The Sun Also Rises again too...but hey. It was a sort of "Take back your life" in clever overdrive.

Okay so yes, all the characters in 'The Present' were awful people to the point of farce, or ridiculously beautiful and inexplicably attracted to Owen Wilson. Everyone in the past was Quirky yet lovable...typical fantasy fare.

But I don't know, man...it definitely made me think. Of what? I'm not sure. It still kinda feels like I've been flying by the seat of my pants for the past six months or so...but at least I feel a little more directed.

It's all interesting, isn't it?

-Dak Attack