Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

The first episode I ever saw that aired in August of 1993 was Day of the Dumpster.  To an impressionable seven year-old, that world was everything.  While I could respect the other rangers, I was truly a fan of Billy, the Blue Ranger.  Maybe it was because he was the nerd/outcast who became stronger, but still stayed true to who he was as a person, or maybe it was the cool trident staff/lances he had for his special weapons.  Either way, it was a great motivator for a boy who, only the day before, had his father pass away from a heart attack in the night.

When looking at it retrospectively, Billy's transformation mirrors my development over the years in many aspects.  Learning to accept and love yourself in spite of external factors is a challenge for many people; some have chosen to ignore that difficult struggle and replace it with something else.  It may seem like I disapprove of it, but that's not true really.  We are all different and what works for some doesn't necessarily work for others.  For me, I have found the journey of self-exploration and development a far more fascinating subject than what others may have chosen.  My method of development has been through the practice of Capoeira, as I have written at length about in previous posts, videos, and my teaching blog.  Those are easy to find, so I would be repeating myself here.

It was ironic at the time that an academically-focused boy such as I was and am would be so into a martial arts television program.  Sure, there was a method of fitness in my life while I was at school (something for which I am thankful for) but when not on the field, I would be enveloped in studies or at home playing games with my two older brothers.    I catch some of the older episodes once in a while when online, and old feelings come flooding back into being.  Serious Alpha 5 was tolerable; over-excited Alpha 5 was punchable. When Tommy came along, I was mad at him, then cool with him, then a bit mad at him, then he became awesome.  I was surprised as I grew older how consistent each of the following series were with retaining consistency with the universe.  That got less and less so in later teams, but that's around the time when I stopped watching and played more games/studied/performed in theater.

In the back of my head, I've always dreamed of being on the team, as many kids my age have done.  Somehow, that dream never went away, even as I got older.  Maybe it's not so much the suit, the zords, the weapons (all of which are more than enough reason to be on the team!), but I see that dream continuing into my adult years as a way to explain both my easy communication with my young students and my ease of which I talk to children in general.  I've just wanted to be a good role model for them, and so I talk to them honestly, and I'm nice, without treating them with indifference and not backing down from rules I've given.  It's a good mentality for someone who is a teacher: take care of the kids when they are younger and they'll take care of you when you're older.  These are the people that will run things when I am long gone, so I hope to develop them into decent people at least a little bit.

With a wonderful muse in my life lately, I certainly hope to write more frequently.  After being gone from it for so long, writing again as if I had never stopped is refreshing and encouraging.

-David

Capoeira Teaching Blog

Most of my posts from now on will primarily be on my other blog, which relates to my experiences in teaching capoeira. If the RSS feed works, I'll do that. If not, I'll try and copy a link to any recent posts here.

Capoeira: An Assistant Instructor's Perspective


--D

A Little Story

This will be well-edited to protect people, of course.

A group of friends and I were working on a project outside at their house, and for some reason, a couple of people started talking about names that work for boys and girls.  Then one of the people, a mother of one of my friends, just chimes in with "I give all my miscarries unisex names because I never know if they are a boy or a girl."

...

"I always like to pretend what they'd be like as a boy or a girl."

Honest to god, my only reaction was to say out loud, "Yeah, that's...um...yeah."

I was waiting for a moment for that woman to say something completely off the wall and there you go.  That kind of killed the mood for me that afternoon.  I was fine with the rain, but jesus.

--D

Even more pictures from "Boxes"

I might have been lazy and double posted some.  Call me on it, please.

-D

Beard dream

It's not easy for some people to remember all of what they dream.  Usually it's easier to remember important snippets of information or just a general description of the events, glossing over the weird shit that makes the dream ever more charming.  

I thought I'd bullet the various dream situations I've had recently.  My dreams have become more vivid and easier to remember since graduation, so the lack of stuff on my mind must be the cause of these images.

• One dream involved the actors I was in company with freshman year of college meeting up at some sort of reunion/concert that happened to be a reality show.  I don't watch those shows, so this one was fucking weird.
• Last night, before I woke up, I dreamt I had a beard that was thick from sideburn to sideburn.  It was short, not all Alan Moore long, but it was quite thick.  
• Another involved some sort of cowboy-like riding of a whale.

That's about it really.  I hope to begin lucid dreaming someday, which should be fun.  I want to explore Arcadia!

--D

More Pictures from the set of "Boxes"

"Boxes"

So here I am, slightly sore and a little bit rested after a 7 hour night shoot for the short film "Boxes." All my stuff is done, so I don't have to come in for night two, but I thought I'd blog the experience for my particular section.


"Boxes" involved five shoppers fighting over the contents of a series of boxes in a small store. There's the cashier, played by my good friend, Robert Linden.

Here he is getting some food in the break room and being a badass behind the counter in between shots.  He had to be there most of the night, from 7pm to roughly 2-3am.  Lucky bastard, all he had to do was sit around and look cool.

Shopper 1 (Stan) and Shopper 2 (Simone) were finishing up their scene together, which is the first kill. It involved a pretty gunshot to the head of Stan, who is playing a blind man.  Here's video of the shot itself (keep track of a chunk of gore).

Next came my interaction with Simone's character, who I stab in the back with a nice little knife (it's in the first picture).

Here's the awesome effects guy attaching the blade to her back.

At midnight, both Stan and Simone had to take off, and it was good that they both finished their parts right at the stroke of.  Next came the fight between Shopper Four (Jamie/James) and myself. Here's before the carnage.

We shot a few wide-angle master shots of the fight, sans blood/injuries of course.  Those came with the sub-masters we shot once we ran through the fight for the camera a couple of times.  James was really wailing on my back during the tackle, which got some worried questions from the crew, combined with a bit of "that was cool" subtext.  Here's the fight rehearsal we had on Tuesday to give you an idea of what we were up to.

Slowly, but surely, we got through the fight one section at a time.  The make-up effects were brutal-looking and this fight was pretty damn fun to film.

We finished all of my stuff (and everything for the night) an hour early, so it was time for all of us to head home.  Frankly, this was both tiring as fuck and fun as hell.  I've uploaded some other photos of the shoot to my Tumblr account, so check those out.  

Once I get a copy of the short, I'll be sure to post it here.  Time for a late breakfast.

--D

Yeah, Tumblr

That place isn't posting the entirety of my blog entries and is cutting them off early. Since this entry should be up on there soon, here's a link to this blog.


Longer entries shall come later. Gonna go do some fighting, thrice in one afternoon! I feel so chivalrous.


--D

Tumblr!

http://davidvick.tumblr.com

My posts here should start importing over to that address in an hour or so. It's nice, feels like I'm Web 2.0 or some shit.


--D

Something, AGAIN!

It's too damn boring in this computer lab. It's an easy job, but man I'd rather be doing something like walking around or whatever. Least the people here are chill as fuck and nice. Better than being one of those Desk Assistants in the dorms.

Speaking of dorms, I was reading my D&D Monster Manual 3rd Edition on the shitter today and I remembered about the two groups I had a chance to play D&D with. I was DM for one of them (a really shitty DM) that got carried away with power. That fucking game sounded like an episode of the Power Rangers. And by all intents and purposes, it could have been. And it would have been better written than any of them. Except for the Green Ranger Saga; that shit was baller.

I ran a PC in the other one. That shit was fun because these guys knew what the fuck was up and were pretty cool. The DM was a tricksy hobbitses though. He kept setting up traps for us in this tower with 5-7 levels of bullshit, but at least the ending of that session was killer since we faced off against a skeleton army. That situation seems daunting when you're a few beers in and just going with the game.

It would be nice to get back to that shit, maybe try out the 4th edition stuff with some Shacknews fellers at QuakeCon. That is, if we aren't blasted drunk.


Tommy was the best,

--D

Blog Entry Number... Something

Fuck it all if I even attempt to update this blog regularly. I think it's about time I try to write for myself instead of thinking about who is reading this damn thing.

That whole mentality started when I sent a link to one of my old ones to this monstrous whale of a woman who just was the epitome of smugness. Yes, you buy clothes that complement your figure. Too bad your figure complements a buffet.

I sent this bitch a link to my blog a while ago and she's all "This blog is pretty self-centered."

...

NO SHIT.

That's like her giving me a sandwich and me saying, "Oh this has items in between bread." Not a likely situation in her case, but it's an example.

Yet, due to my gullibility and eagerness to please people, I followed her advice. Enough of that though, I'm writing this blog exclusively for myself, which is how it should be. The "epiphany" posts will be few and far between now, so expect more of my natural charm, wit, and raunchiness to come through in spades.

Regards,

--D


P.S. Oh and check this shit out when the website works. It's a fun game. www.brokenpicturetelephone.com

Boredom at the Computer Lab

So things have become ever so stressful after graduation, which was to be expected I guess. The whole situation right now with the economy has left me scrambling to find a decent job other than here in the computer lab. While Capoeira and the stage combat class keep me motivated and hopeful, I remain determined to find a decent job while I continue the film and theater life I have laid out for myself.

I've had one audition this past weekend and another is lined up for this next one, so I'm excited for them. The grad school application is about 60% done, and I should be able to get part of it in by Friday. The rest of it involves the Grad School department of the whole university and the GRE test (which I can't afford now)... so I guess I'm screwed in that matter. Well, looks like I'll have to wait to take grad school next year.

That's it for now.

--David

Nervousness

It's a strange beast. It can go away for a few seconds, but it's always there in the pit of your stomach. Finding a justification to feel or not feel that way doesn't take it all away.

It's an audition I have tonight for Rosencranz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a workshop play being produced at the University of Arizona. Though I have only spoke the words of Shakespeare on two separate occasions (both monologues), that doesn't help with the nervousness expected during an audition. I'm fully confident that I know the words and have some (barely justifiable) blocking, but that nervousness in the pit of my stomach rattles me. Hopefully my new found focus will pull me through the endeavour. That and a bit of support from fellow actors and friends.

I just don't want a huge part in that play. I'd rather be one of the characters from the Shakespeare play than Rosencranz or Guildenstern. If I had more time, then I wouldn't care as much. Things will work out in the end though.

Ironically, I'm not nervous about the auditions for the Media Arts Student Films this Friday. In fact, they'll be a cakewalk compared to tonight. We'll see though.

--D

New Site

I finally registered www.davidvick.com for my acting resume.  Feel free to check it out and swing me an e-mail at david (AT) davidvick.com.

--D

Thoughts on Capoeira

This will be cross-posted among my various internet profiles, so bear with me if this is repeated.

When I first started capoeira, there were many different voices saying many different ways of doing the same thing. It was confusing to people who had just begun, including myself. I was told not to think, but do. In spite of that advice, I thought more about the movements and what they meant, not only in the roda, but to myself as well. Perhaps I thought about it more than my peers, but that is how I have done things and will continue to do with other endeavours. This will, ideally, lead to minor realizations as I continue my practice of this art.

As much as it is emphasized in capoeira that training with a group, even if it's a group of only two, is best, there is a part of capoeira that is internal. Capoeira is a martial art and dance, so the personal exploration of each of those categories is very much present in capoeira. In fact, it is almost essential to the nature of the jogo.

Many times, from the time I began training to the writing of these words, I have seen students go from group to group, teacher to teacher. This is understandable for those that are just beginning. Schools have varying personalities. With students who have trained for longer periods, though, it is confusing. While one teacher demonstrates a movement in one fashion, another could show the same move explained differently. In the meantime, you're forced to adapt to their teaching style and their explanations, potentially hindering training beyond the classes or workshops.

A great student reaches beyond the boundaries established by the instructor to develop their vocabulary in capoeira while always having that "home" to return to if one gets lost. Going from teacher to teacher training for long periods of time is like moving from one country to another, but still thinking you're in the first country. How can you explore what's beyond the borders if the borders keep moving?

Any one, capoeirista or not, can learn the movements. To not think about where and when they can be used is to walk blindly into a roda, confused as to their significance to everyone and yourself. Of course, a student can learn and become a great capoeirista alone, but without guidance, knowledge, and-above all-respect, progress will become slow or stagnant.

It is only now, after three to four years of practice as of writing this, that I have grown a taste for discovery beyond what I have been taught. My boundaries and base are solidified and my will to push forward is increasing exponentially. My passion for the game is growing; my thirst for expression must be satisfied. This would not have been possible were it not for Capoeira Mandinga.

I owe a great deal to this group that I want to thrive because everyone on my path through this maze of movement and music has given me something that I will treasure. I owe it to Mestre Marcelo and Luar do Sertao for having a family that I can feel at home with, even when far away from my own. More importantly, I find the will and strength to do what I do not just for my instructor, or my mestre, or even the group. I do it for Capoeira in its entirety, and that gives me hope.

--Feiticeiro

Living Room Rock Gods

Great website full of covers by guys and gals who take playing seriously.

http://lrrgs.blogspot.com

--David

Late night update

After finishing the first part of the book Taylor and I are writing, it seems that an update to the blog is in order.

Summer is just about halfway finished here. My broken wrist is starting to get back to normal, yet it still remains fairly skinny. Normal functions should arrive soon enough. Even with the two new jobs that I picked up, one on campus and one at the Parks and Recreation department, I find myself having quite a bit of extra time for things like writing, gaming, and training capoeira. And of course, the radio show that Taylor and I do weekly.

shameless plug: www.themtironstagshow.com

I find my absence from theater and film for such a long period of time to be unsettling. There is a theater no more than five blocks away from my place, yet I haven't made an attempt to audition there. Perhaps I should, it's been such a long time since I've acted.

With the added responsibility I have grown to accept and respect in capoeira, I feel that I have matured just a little bit. Even if it is just a bit of maturity, it is something worth noting. Considering the behavior that I have chosen to take on a near constant basis, it's quite remarkable.

Well, that's all for now. Perhaps I should start working on my personal website a bit more. If I'm going to whore myself out there, I gotta make it look good, you know?


--David

A New Venture

A friend and I have decided to write a book. Chapter by chapter, we will write on and off about whatever comes to mind when I write the first chapter. It could be a fictional narrative, a self-help book, whatever! It will be a book however, that will definitely have a style of its own. Length and content is at this time undefined, but the story should be done by the end of this summer.

Mark my words: I will make it into the press!


--David

The color yellow, wacky sounds, and the kids

Are all right. My new belt in capoeira fits and looks nice. It's added motivation to keep learning/teaching and pushing myself and my concentration as far as it can go. That teaching job at the Parks and Recreation Department is a great opportunity to be able to teach and refine what I already know to new/some experienced students.

The radio show Taylor and I started back in Fall of '05 started back up again also. Check it out at www.themtironstagshow.com. We teamed up with these guys who run Flamegoat TV on Justin.tv, so we're moving on up and such. Fair warning, the shows are definitely NWS and not for the faint of heart.

The new pics of my nephew are pretty awesome. The guy's growing pretty well, and hopefully I get to see him again sometime later this summer.

That's it for now. Stay tuned!

--David

Afternoon Meditations

This was written Saturday afternoon during what I hope to be many more meditations. The Indian Art Fair was taking place nearby.

Concentrate on your breathing and things become secondary, even distant in nature.

A cool breeze, almost chilly, blows from North to South. I breath and I acknowledge its properties, becoming almost calculating in behavior. It isn't felt, but its feelings are recognized.

Concentrate on your breathing and trains of thought pass by the station.

I'm walking a dog along a path. Soon an onslaught of potential possibilities invade that path like foul beasts ready to disrupt. I focus on the path ahead, and they disappear into the gloom.

This is possibility and outcome, a mindset of worry and dread and anticipation for what may or may not happen. This is the mindset that plagues me constantly. It must be controlled.

Drum beats of a percussionist sound in the distance. Cars pass; birds sing; people laugh, chat, and cough. The breeze is back again. It chills my spine, feeding goosebumps their essentials to grow.

I must move into the sun and embrace the warmth. My mind is calmed for now.

--David