sucker for popularity

I know I'm dead and everything and I should have faded away into obscurity like most of my contempories... but I cant help myself. I love it when people talk about me. I simply adore it. So why should I fade away if I can hang out and listen to people talk about me, me ,me! Of course you couldn't tell by looking at me, I'm by now pretty adept at keeping a stoneface whenever I am the centre of attention. But when no-one's looking I'm jumping up and down at every mention of my name. I get off on it better than any of the rumbles in the hay I had with maria, or well perhaps I shouldn't go into names at this point. But anyway I've made up my mind, dead or not as long as people talk about me I'm gong to hang around.

Uncurling

It might be because my hair is mostly straight.

It might be because I can't stand chaos.

It might be because I like to make the world just a little better.

But I can't resist a curled phone cord. It's like a fridge to a magnet: I have to touch it. Not only that, I wist it, I turn it, I give it my very best to try to unravel, uncurl, straighten that cord. I delight in studying which way it twists and turns and then to turn it the other way. I love to purposely twist it myself to be able to untwist it afterwards. I ask people to curl it up for me in particular devious ways, so I can spend an afternoon uncurling happily. I like the feel of the firm chord between my fingers when it tries to get to its natural state itself and I love the "snap" with which it gets to that state after I lend it a hand. I love to wrap my finger in one of the chords natural curls.

I won't every buy a phone without a curly chord.

So. Do you have some curls for me?

It always looked to good to be true.

Hi everybody,

when I'm thinking of famous dead peoples with guilty pleasures. I can't keep this one to myself. Yes it is a very little known fact that Holland’s most loved grandma Annie MG Schmidt had a very dark side. Everybody knows her for her nice children books but if she had the chance she went into some very shady cafe's to be part of the old lady's mob. In this picture we see Silent Schmidt (her mob name) together with Purple Pam discussing a plant to corner the champagne market.

I don't know about you but since I know this I can't help it but to look for hidden message's in her books. I think I’m on to a big one following the way to “de torteltuin” ...............

Choo choo

I was a very public figure, and a lot of my pleasures, guilty or not, are already widely known.

However.

I managed to keep one of them a secret. Not only that, I did it because I felt so darn guilty about it.

Trains.

Yes, I was a train spotter. I loved seeing them come and go and making a note of it in my train diary. I took my diary with me wherever I went and kept it complete and neat. Every train I every so I noted down with great care. The type number, of course, the model, but also the state it was in. Any bruises or dents it had. Where I saw it. I had no use for it other than writing it down.

I couldn't let this pleasure of mine get out in public of course, no one would have taken me seriously anymore. I would have been the worlds laughing stock. So I kept it a guilty secret.

At the end of my life I had the stack of train diaries take care of by a good friend. I am glad
I kept on doing it during my life, so I know for sure that I made an impression on the world by leaving it my collection of spotted trains...

Strawberries

I keep them in the top drawer of my desk in the oval office.
That's a small and secret drawer, and it leaves just enough room for them not to get crushed.
Cause when they get crushed, I have a bad day. Very bad. Those are the days I start wars.

I take the first one around 11 am. I live up to that moment, wait till everyone's gone, and then....

Aaah. The best part is when I use my tongue to explore the surface. After that, I put it in my mouth and close my eyes. I try to keep it inside without swallowing for as long as possible. My personal record is 2 hours 14 minutes. Then the minister of Defense entered bringing the news that they found Saddam. I was so happy I almost choked. And accidentally I swallowed.

Here I had one in my left cheek. It stayed there for 28 minutes. Then I had to deliver a speech. Sometimes I manage to keep it inside during the speech. Then I am not paying attention to the speech and people find me stupid. Which, of course, I am not.


Here I was trying out two at the same time. That didn't work. I didn't know on which one to focus anymore. Instead of double pleasure, I got a headache.

Making faces

Doberdan!
I have to tell something. I like making faces in photo booth. Photo boots are good. They private.
If I go to station Beograd, I always go in photo booth. I like closing curtain behind my back. It makes me feel safe. And I practice faces for new speech. No good speech without good faces.
What do you think of my face on the up right? I call it Bathroom. And under that also on right is face called 'spit'. I created it for Carla. Misses Del Ponte likes spitting.
The face under on left is for grand children mine and is called 'hush'. I make face when I sing them in bed. Mira say Hush is my sweet face. I don't like showing sweet face. The second face under left is Unexpected. It was my last face.

Slobo
Слободан Милошевић

Strong and Dark

Dark, darker, darkest
Strong, stronger, strongest
My mind is racing
My heart beat pacing
The scent is embracing
my nostrils
keep telling me I need to score
for more


Accepted or addicted
restricted or convicted
As long as it enters my system
I can keep the rhythm
of every new day

Hot, hotter, hottest
black, blacker, blackest
No need for dilutions
Or sugar infusions
I don't want intrusions
when sipping black fluids
it shivers through my spine
It's the best guilty pleasure of mine

Stitch me up!

People were never expecting it, and in fact were shocked when they caught me in action. Due to the miniature nature of the activity I always had to wear my reading glasses and that by itself induced huge distress. But I have to admit, it is much better than sleeping with the mob or singing to the president. The satisfaction a perfectly performed double intercalating cross stitch or single threaded couch can give is immense and has, at least in my opinion, been grossly underestimated.

People have never realized that the reason I was often late on the set was not my proclaimed alcohol and drug problem, oh god, no. Yes, I was addicted, but not on the chemicals. No I was addicted on my embroidery work. If I was only a hundred fern stitches apart from the final result, I simply had to finish them before I could leave my trailer. And you know what is so funny, for only $19.99 I can embroider myself nowadays.

Yours MM

Rod's Party

Hey guys, great that you want to come to my party! It'll be a 45 minutes one, so don't stop partying after 38 minutes already, okay?

I'd like to kick the party off with sung monologues of at most 1 minute. That way we'll really get into the party-spirit and won't give too much information, which could ruin the party.

The birthday boy will get to smack a balloon in front of a person of his choosing.

Don't fall into the trap of asking a question, just state it! No one likes questions on parties, we should just have fun!

The birthday boy gets to blow out all the candles.

We'll all wear name tags, but, just in case some confusion arises about what name you have, just quickly clean it up and do not make a big deal about it. "Hey Bob!" "My name is Rob, but wat on earth does that painting do there?"

The birthday boy always wins all games.

If you give a gift, name it as soon as possible. Don't postpone by admiring it, name it!

The birthday boy gets first pick of where to sit at diner.

Group song is a definite possibility at this party. If you feel a group song coming up, go for it! That way the party will be more fun!

The birthday boy should get most of everything.

If later in the party a monologue occurs, say the 6th, the 7th and the 8th, try reintegrating information about what we know of the party in the monologue. Stress your relationship with other characters. That way the party will be more fun!

The birthday boy should be loved by everyone.

Summing up stuff that happened during the party is great. Some parties get complicated, sum it up so everyone knows what's it about again.

The birthday boy should be admired by everyone.

On television, split screen is a possibility. And anyway, everyone loves watching telly at a party!

The birthday boy decides which movie to watch.

Have a great party!

Oh, and before you come to the next party, write down the Guilty Pleasure of a famous dead person. Don't forget the picture!

Funny people

Absolutely right Coolman!
This was last July in Barcelona. This family looked worse every morning. Children crying, parents giving each other the silent treatment. Wonderful. :-)
It became a reason to have breakfast in this place every morning!

Fun! But....

Monologues are fun. But include the why, and they will be even better. I bite my nails. WHY??
Also, take a breath when doing your monologue. Think of what you have said before.
And: monologues should be short (1 minute).

Dragging is fun. But don't drag someone in the scene by holding his/her hand. Eye contact should be enough. Trust that.

References are fun. But keep them local. Diemen Tigers instead of Lakers.

La Ronde is fun. But not with 8 players in a row. So we play La Ronde with 5 players, and then numbers 6, 7 and 8 have a scene with one of the first 5. At some point they will do a monologue as well. These monologues should not bring new info. Add to what's already there.

The camera is fun. But be aware of too many focusses. With one person on the chair, and one close to the camera, don't add an extra focus in the back. And vice versa.
Also, don't take the camera of its tripod. You have 3 options if you want to film the characters onstage:
1) zoom in for a close up
2) characters will move to the camera
3) hands/fingers before the camera will portray characters

Homework is fun. Add pictures to your previous posts on the blog.

Enjoying the bad times of someone else

This evening I was traveling by train when a couple took the seats opposite me. I was pretending to read but, of course, I was actually listening in on their conversation. And it was terrific.

"Alfred was really glad that we are going to celebrate christmas with them this year on the 25th." "Oh, and of course you didn't tell me!" "..."

"My mother thought that you could have been somewhat nicer to her."

I was enjoying myself so much that I thought that they might have been planted there by the NS to give me a good feeling about myself.

Indulgence

When time has come for digestive celebration
My mouth will water during preparation
Picking the products, yes, I must focus
Cutting the mushrooms, ‘tis no hocus pocus

Pasta, tomato, they take it in turns
White sauce poored over… oh, my stomach yearns
Oh, grated the cheese that I sprinkle above
This dish of mine is layered with love

Then in the oven, the virtue of patience
Thirty-five minutes of cruel temptations
My nostrils are filled with a heavy aroma
The beauty of which nearly gets me in a coma

At last it is ready, this cathedral of food!
Cursed are thee, who now dares to intrude
A serving for Me, and one for Myself
Then I take the remainder, a spoonful or twelve

The feast has now ended, the meal devoured
Leaves me on the couch, by fatigue overpowered
You may call it a pleasure, or call it a flaw
But eating lasagne is not against the law

My pleasure

I measure
the level of pleasure
in situations
when I feel stupid and fat

I count
the amount
and proudly look around
in the circle of friends that I never had

In my head I repeat
on a slow and loud beat
all of those true things
that I've never said

At night I wonder
I toss and I ponder
and listen to the purringof my cat who is dead

The session that shouldn't have been.

First Rod tells us in the rehearsal he is so happy we screwed up and then I screw up some more by leaving my notes in Arnhem. Is this one of these moments the universe is trying to tell you something? Is this an evening that should not ever be mentioned again. Well I’ll take my chances and write al little about it. If I‘m struck by lightening while writing this we’ll all know enough, if not LEARN!

We played a la ronde guilty pleasure style and got kind of stuck in our story’s these are some of the notes which might help us getting unstuck:
* Do time dashes later in the show (things like 5 years earlier)
* Mention in your opening monologue how the guilty pleasure affects your life and try to avoid plot, questions and relations.
* look for details/ shiny objects and don’t be creative (creative/original stuff will come from good listening and group work)
*Be serious and comedy will come.
* If there is stuff unclear to you after the la ronde help yourself and the audience by clarifying it.
* We’re looking for truth (if you feel it is true for the character It can affect people.)

Wow I survived, no big cracks have opened in the earth to swallow me so we just might be on the right track.
GO GO GO Guilty pleasures.

PS did you know I like tot watch the extra bits on dvd’s?

Guilty wall tile poetry

Soon in a souvenir shop near you:

"A guilty pleasure a day keeps the doctor away"

"Pleasure is not for the weak of heart
If you achieve it you must be really smart"

"If you make sure you don't feel guilty, you're life can't be really filthy"

"How much you enjoy your guilty pleasure is a good lifestyle measure"

La

I here must admit to a terrible pain
I tried to deny it, but that was in vain
The lure of her tunes always gets me to listen
My feet they start tapping, my eyes start to glisten
And yes, I agree with your most dreadful fears:
I just love the music of "La" Britney Spears.

And worse: these desires don't make me feel filthy
My conscience is clean, my pleasure not guilty

Can I be saved? Do I want to be saved?

Guilty of Poetry - Poetry is Guilty

Dark nights in winter - Nights dark, so dark
Loving people - People loving
I don't care - Care do I not

Depression

One solution - Solution #1
Shop till you drop - Drop when you shop

Drop by at IKEA