You teach me and I'll teach you (12/17/09)

Journal:
I'm printing things for my portfolio and it's taking freakin' forever. Is it sick that I'm actually excited for my interviews?

Grade: 100
My Fair Lady and college things.
I really like MFL, and I'm really surprised. :)

dkjfad 12/16/09

Journal:
Filled out Montclair honors college app... THE ADMISSIONS OFFICER DIDN'T CALL ME BACK. :(

Grade: 100
My Fair Lady. I actually really like it.

Zebra chaser! (12/15/09)

Journal:
* Requested letters of rec from Ms. Paprota and Ms. Meagher-Diello.
* Worked on editing of Don't Cut Class.

Grade: 100
We teched all day. Struck dance show. Started hanging lights for senior showcase.

So much for the simple hearts (12/11)

The only day I didn't stay after this week...

Grade: 100
Edited Jumbo, Fishbone and The River Behind the Guard Rail. Woohoo. I'm gonna enter Fishbone in the NJ Playwrights' thinger.

Where'd you get that orange belt? (12/03/09)

Journal:
Submitted Depaul and Ohio applications. I need to get my portfolio stuff out... Like, now.

Grade: 100
Tech.

Swat that fly! (12/01/09)

Journal: Portfolio gatherings. Bolero memorization.

Grade: 100
5th - 8th: TECH!

Crap (11/30/09)

Journal:
Finished Pygmalion. Started DCC rough cut. Memorizing Bolero.

Grade: 100
5th: Started writing a critical anaylsis for my SUNY portfolio.
6th & 7th: Discussed Pygmalion with freshmen.
8th: Met with Cipperly about college stuff.

The Alternative Route to Brick Lake Avenue

Journal:
Memorizing Bolero.
Ohio U application is done.

Grade: 100
Striking/tech all four periods. I drilled legs into platforms. My wrist hurts. Okay, bye.

I've got friends in all the right places (11/23)

Journal:
I'm researching the faculty. Hurrah? Today's school is DePaul. Tomorrow's will be Ohio. I also submitted my Montclair application... There was no essay on there? Weird. Whatever, maybe it's part of a supplemental that you don't get until after you pay, like SUNY. Anyway, yeah. Bye.

Grade: 100
5th: Interview talk.
6th & 7th: Finished the last of my essays, found the requirements for the portfolios at all of my colleges and listened to Weezer.
8th: Mock interviews with Katelin and Javi.

K.

I love it when a plan's gonna come together eventually (11/12/09)

Journal:
Showcase materials... Yay. I'm so tired of this.

Grade: 100
Phillip Watt. Hurrah. I did well today. My monologue was... organic. Had a couple of really good, organic impulses.

11/10/09

Journal:
Essays... Gathering showcase materials...

Grade: 100
5th/6th/7th/8th: Monologue workshop with Phillip Watt.

They're strange, but we share the same blood (10/13/09)

Journal:
Dialoging bullshit for my essay... Trying my hardest. Whatever. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college. I want to go to college.

Grade: 100
5th: Essay talk. Gave Katelin feedback.
6th & 7th: History lesson. Took notes on modernism. (We are living in post-post-modernism?)
8th: More essay talk.

My backpack's got jets (10/08/09)

Don't Cut Class shooting test today... We worked on quite a complicated shot. Haha.

Grade: 100
5th: Budget talk.
6th & 7th: Tech with Sisco. To-do list is up on Google docs.
8th: Marketing talk!

I don't wanna bowl for Fedorka (10/07/09)

Stayed after for Hope's auditions today. (Extra credit. <333)

Grade: 100
5th: Talked about open houses and college application stuff and... Yeah. It was all over the place.
6th: Neighborhood 3 auditions.
7th & 8th: Giant Dinosaur tech!!!!

I've got a new straitjacket in the same old room (10/06/09)

Journal:
Contemplated new thesis...
Sent schedules to my extras for Don't Cut Class.

By the way! I have these folks as my extras so far:
* Gabe Spector
* Allison McCabe
* Jon Gryl
* Katelyn Covington
* Emily Kates
* Daria Hunter

(But I need more...)

Grade: 100
5th: Essay talk.
6th & 7th: Critical thinking (MIND FUCK) and Modernism. Read Six Characters In Search of An Author.
8th: More essay talk.

The radio plays our favorite song (10/5/09)

Journal:
Portfolio work. Sent two plays for feedback. Looked at all colleges' submission requirements... SUNY and OSU are the only complicated ones.

Grade: 100
5th: Talked about portfolios and auditions.
6th & 7th: Viewpoints with freshmen.
8th: More portfolio stuff... Looked up portfolio requirements for schools.

Calm like a bomb (10/01/09)

Journal: Production meeting/camera test for Don't Cut Class.

Grade: 100
5th: Resume talk.
6th & 7th: Independent activities/Meisner with freshmen.
8th: Stupid newspaper.

I like your new hair (9/30/09)

Journal:
* Don't Cut Class schedule.
* E-mailed potential extras.
* Revising Shawn's essay.

Grade: 100
5th & 6th & 7th: Scheduling.
8th: Budgeting lecture.

The Pencil Rain (9/29)

Journal:
Letter of rec requests... Worked on revising my essay on Shawn... Started reading Six Characters In Search of An Author... Uh...

Grade: 100
5th: Essay talk. Gave Katelin feedback.
6th & 7th: Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom auditions.
8th: Essay talk. Contemplated our thesis statements.

Thesis: One's creative presence supersedes their physical.

Note to self: Don't be pretentious. It's not my brand.

Your minutes are up now (9/21/09)

Journal:
Read Four by Christopher Shin. No monologue for me. The only character whose type I fit has one monologue and it's extremely passive. Maybe something from True West? I'm not sure. I need a contemporary dramatic...

Grade: 100
5th - 7th period: Headshots
8th: Looked for monologue

Debate Notes:
1. Should art always show good triumphant?
If that is how the events truthfully play out, then yes. While I believe an unhappy ending is fine where it's warranted, an ending completely devoid of hope is very rare. Even if you take some of the unhappiest endings of all time, there are still sparks of hope, however dim, at the end. For example, the Capulets and the Montagues resolve their feud over the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Horatio lives on to tell Hamlet's story and Fortinbras takes over Denmark.

And even if the ending for the subjects of the work of art are dismal, the hopelessness of it is the hope of changing the way people see things after seeing the hopeless art. For example:
While it seems rather hopeless for the young boy, who is moments from death, but the photo stands as an icon of awareness of the devastating famines that have plagued Africa for years and continue to this day.*

2. Should art follow truth without concern to social codes and moral values?
Yes, of course. Although, I think if there's anything frivolous about the breaking of the conventions, it's just as bad as conforming to bad ones. It's like a high schooler running down the hallway screaming "fuck you" to everyone he passes. There's no real purpose for it besides to shock people.

I think it should have a justifiable (by the artist) reason for breaking the "rules."

* (The photographer of this photo committed suicide three months later. Thought that was an interesting bit of information.)

(9/17)

Journal:
Portfolio work. Looking at all of my plays and screenplays and choosing the best bits and pieces.

Grade: 100
5th: Portfolio work.
6th & 7th: Four minutes of reality.
8th: Portfolio work.

I don't know (9/16/09)

Journal:
* Contact sheet (Google Doc)
* Worked on Common App essay.
* DePaul application.

Grade: 100
5th: Collaboration lecture.
6th & 7th: taught freshmen about chutes catwalks and ladders.
8th: Camera equipment inventory.
Made a date for working on the shot sheet with Katelin.

Illusions (9/15/09)

Journal:
Proposal for showcase
Google Group
E-mailed script

To-Do:
Shot-by-shot schedule

Grade: 100
5th: Essay talk. I wrote a pretty crappy essay in the fifteen minute exercise, but it gave me ideas, so that's good.
6th-7th: History/debate with the freshmen. That kid John is cool.
8th: Got a topic for my common app essay. (Due Tuesday.)

And we're back... (9/14/09)

Journal:
Hammered out scheduling conflicts with Bicsko.
E-mailed Aladren.
Made final revisions to script.

To-do:
Make shot-by-shot schedule.
Send out script.

Grade: 100
Monologue talk 5th period.
Movement/voice with Freshmen. I helped some of them improve their centers. (6th and 7th)
Talked to Bicsko, worked on shot sheet 8th period.

Ewew grosssss

Grade: 100
We sorta had a history lesson today? I dunno, it was one of those informal days where we spent half the class talking instead of having an actual lesson to do. Learned about Cardinal Richelieudouchebag and his Neoclassical This-Is-Perfect-Art format of plays.

Stayed after for the dance show today. Sons and Daughters is sounding pretty good. I just lost the game. Byebye.

xoxoxo,
Daniel Baker

I'm a midnight toker

Both Days:
JUMBO - 30 minutes
I'm now up to three scenes and twenty-something pages... Cool. I think some of the cursing may be frivolous, but I'm just gonna worry about that when I go back to write a second draft.

Wednesday:
Grade: 100
Helped Matt finish hanging lights for dance show... Nothing too exciting about that.

Thursday:
Grade: 100
Read Speech & Debate in class... Pretty awesome. Signed myself on as an assistant director.

Beep Beep,
I'm A Jeep

What's wrong?

Writing: 30 minutes
Worked on JUMBO for a bit and also started throwing shit against the wall for my one-man play. I have a subject and a title (of course, leave it to me to think of the title first.)

Grade: 100
STICK RIVER'S CLOSING PERFORMANCE OH BOY SUPER FUN AWESOME DAY.
Struck for the dancers, started hanging lights... I seem to be caught in a cycle.

You know what,
You know who

Load up on guns, bring your friends

Monday:
Writing: 30 minutes - JUMBO
Grade: 100, NHS rehearsal + college discussion.

Tuesday:
Grade: 100, worked on play during classtime in CAD.
Stayed after to tech NHS ceremony.

Wednesday:
Writing: 30 minutes - JUMBO
JUMBO is a new play that I started working on... Three male characters, 22 fucks in 16 pages... Sounds a lot like David Mamet. Probably going to end up being my second two-act play.

Grade: 100
We had a history lesson today on Commedia Del 'Arte... I love history. Took notes and worked on Commedia outline.

Daniel Baker,
Is Great

He's cool for cats

Grade: 100
I hung lights in class today and took charge of the whole class, pretty much. Kept people working, got some stuff accomplished. Not much else to say... I don't think I'm cut out for light design.

la,
db

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

SOC: 20 minutes
Switching the format over to writing. Did a 20 minute SOC today. Topics covered included Smart Chips, swine flu and jalapenos. Nothing short of amazing.

Play: 20 minutes - Millard Fillmore
I started writing a play about Millard Fillmore attending a wedding... Uh... Yeah, that works for me. I think the idea is really funny, actually, and I might want to finish it. I'm not sure yet.

SAT Prep: 30 minutes

Grade: 100
Did Meisner today and had a really, really great moment with Katelin. It still hurts.

Always,
Baker

Oh, Sandford.

Movement: 30 minutes
Went for a Wii Fit run today in the beautiful air conditioned house. Waaaay too hot for an outdoor run. Besides that, I did some yoga and I did a push-up challenge in the game where the goal is to do more push-ups than your trainer... Frickin' computer did 40 push-ups. I did 41. My arms still hurt...

Voice: 20 minutes
I did my warmups and the such and was helping my sister record some music for a project at school, so I was singing as well.

SAT Study: 1 hour
The math section is so much easier than it seemed on the PSAT.

Grade: 100
Meisner! I was one of the example children today... Also participated in the framing discussion. It was very interesting. I'm excited for the film project.

Always in the loving spirit,
Daniel Baker

And I know...

Movement: 20 minutes
No Wii Fit, just stretching and running on my own. It was so nice outside today.

Voice: 20 minutes
My usual warm-ups. Did a little songwriting as well, so I sang.

SAT Study: 1 hr
I decided that, if it's acceptable, that instead of reading aloud every day, I'm going to take part of my journal time to study for the SATs. Today, I did an entire chapter of Mathematics... I'm starting from the beginning and going to the end, so today was easy... Just brushed up on some properties, did some practice problems. Can't wait for the hard part.

Can't hardly wait,
Daniel Baker

Media Frenzy

Grade: 100

Holy Jesus, it's a good day. 100 for running the organizational side of striking during the day and for helping out with the program auditions during the evening... And of course, casting mine and Hope's movie, but of course, that is extracurricular, so it doesn't count.

Looking around for love,
Daniel Baker

Down rodeo

Grade: 100
Began strike... Byebye Midsummer set.
Proactive. Stayed working the whole time. Etc.

After school, stayed after to meet with the guy who's renting out the auditorium tomorrow. Hooked up some microphones and the CD player.

dlfadkf,
dfjadrivj

Oh

Midsummer is over. Time for the blog to make its comeback...

Movement: 20 minutes
Went for a quick run on the Wii Fit.

Voice: 20 minutes
My daily warmups (lip trills, scales, panting, etc.) and some singing. Not much at all.

Reading Out Loud: Radio Golf by August Wilson - 20 minutes
Something contemporary. Stunning.

Grade: 100
We talked today about the future. I cried a tiny bit. Just a tiny bit... It's coming.

Love Eternally,
Daniel Baker

Reasoning seasoning

Grade: 100
Did the paint inventory with Allie. Finished every can. Ran out of time before we were able to record it on the list, but left a clear indication as to which cans were the ones that needed to be accounted for, so whoever does it next, if it's someone besides Allie and me, will be able to know what they need to do. In theory.

After school, stayed for program auditions. Felt old.

Gettin' too old for this shit,
Daniel Baker

Grrrrrrrrrr

Grade: 100
Taught Glenn the blocking today and then gave him a quick lesson in pursuing objectives, tactics, obstacles and expectations. I wish we had had time to tell him about given circumstances.

blah,
blah

Yay.

Movement: 30 minutes
I finally went for an outdoor run. Don't know how far it was, but whatever... It was nice. Did some stretches and yoga with Wii Fit to warm up.

Voice: 20 minutes
Lip trills and scales, diaphragmatic breathing... Yay for breathing.

Book work: 20 minutes
I'm going through all of my objectives and whatnot. Also brushing up on my memorization... I'm trying, I'm trying.

Love me tender,
Daniel Baker

My back hurts

Grade: 100
Speed-through today. Did alright. I'm working on my lines some more now, actually... Stayed after school and taped the stage. Pretty solid day.

Uh...
Daniel Baker

Yay

Grade: 100
Made some last minute touch-ups to the lights for Bright Obvious. Put some gels, made them narrower... Blahblahblah. Then I had a battle with the microphones, trying to get them to work. In the end, I lost. I am currently tending to my wounds.

Also, I know it's 3:20am. Shut up, I'm going to bed now.

Dlnoevle Baklrways

Shake your bootie

Grade: 100
Cleaned the auditorium today. Acted like a douchebag to Hopey. Gave her hugs and told her she was great. Called Matt an amateur who's too cool to spike his set because he remembers things. Overall, very productive day.

The Lovin' Glovin' Dovin' Good Feelings Always,
Daniel Baker

I am tired!!

Grade: 100
Hung lights with Matt and Allie, and unfroze lock off trailer! 100 for solving problems.
Stayed after.

Love Always,

Daniel Baker

Opinionation Operation

Grade: 100
Didn't do much today... Worked my lines for a little while. Then read 11,002 Things To Be Miserable About. What an... interesting book. I don't know what else to write. There is nothing else to write. Except, of course...

LOVE ALWAYS,
DANIEL CAPS LOCK BAKER

Life is a fight

Grade: 100
I deserve a 100 for working on moments... Again? Sorta. Today it was more full-on though. I think I'm doing an okay job of playing around with my character... I haven't been called out yet. At least not to the same degree as Hopey... Poor Hopey.

Taking Love To the Limit,
Daniel Baker

Scheduled Outage at 4:00PM PST.

Movement: 20 minutes
Wii Fit, for the first time in a week or so... I did my usual. Yoga and running. I unlocked a new game in which I can challenge my virtual fitness instructor to a push-up contest. I did fifteen, he did fourteen. I win.

Voice: 20 minutes
I CAN FINALLY DO LIP TRILLS!

Book Work: 30 minutes
I'm memorizing... I'm halfway through Act III, Scene I.

Grade: 100
Did a run-through of our scene today... Then did some moments. I think they're called Moments. Whatever. We did some character work... I got up from the chair. Hehe.

Au Revoire,
Daniel Baker

Hudson

Grade: 100
Blocked my first scene FINALLY! I think I deserve a 100 because I'm playing around with the character and making choices and stuff. It's going to be an interesting performance.

Always Lovin' The Moonlight,
Daniel Baker

Cut the kitchen

Grade: 100
Workshop with Atlantic Theatre Company... Well, it was interesting. There were some parts I agreed with and others I didn't. I liked the process but I hate how vague the objectives have to be. "To get someone to see the light." Too heady and vague. I need more concise objectives in order for it to work for me. I enjoyed the workshop though.

Love Is More Than Just A Game For Two Always,
Daniel Baker

I'm pleasant

Grade: 100
We saw Cripple of Inishmaan today... Good stuff. Participated in the post-show discussion.... Behaved myself on NJ Transit... Didn't get my car towed for parking in a school zone... I deserve a 100.

Letting Love Reign Down Upon You,
Daniel Baker

Oh yeah, life goes on

Grade: 100
Light inventory... yaaaay... I'm so bloody tired. Let's see... Did I do anything else today? No, the light inventory took up just about all my time. Shop went by fast today... Byebye.

Love Always,
Rakin' Shakin' Daniel Bakin'

Suze Orman is angry

Grade: 100
Hurrah for finishing Masonite and trying to figure out the damned orchestra lights. I also mapped out the chain link fence (or started to at least...) with Matt. I worked the whole time and learned some new stuff about the house lights... So, that's good. Always good to keep learning.

Alive with the glory of love,
Daniel Baker

Forest music

Grade: 100
I'm tired. I deserve a 100 for participating in the workshop with Rachel. Stella Adler has an interesting method. I think I'm gonna look more into it. Anyway, we didn't do much else, so I don't have much else to write about. I stayed after school and "mentored" Danielle in stage managing... Oh boy.

Rekab Leinad,
Syawla Evol

Candy Island

Grade: 100
I deserve a 100 today for getting the cyc out of the way. Matt and I made a pretty nifty little rig to bring things up and down that annoying (and dirty) balcony/catwalk/whatever it is. Then we laid Masonite and were being too anal for our own good. I was working the whole time... I deserve a 100, please and thank you.

Love

Always,

Daniel

Baker.

Aw, Hope just told me I'm a good writer

Grade: 100
Stayed after today for the Bright Obvious rehearsal. In school, we started prepping for Midsummer. I'm very excited about it. I started writing the press release and at home I started to record a rough copy of something I composed. I have no idea what it could be used for, but it's kinda dark. And has reverb. So maybe like... a cave. Yes, a cave. I don't care if there's no cave in Midsummer.

Always Love,
Daniel Baker