I'm a very committed actor. When I am onstage, without question I'm "in the moment" and "really listening" to what's going on around me. A good example was tonight during Little Women, while Jo was singing her big, baffo Act I closer-- I stood there, looking my Amy-est, and here's what I was thinking:
You know, A. A. Milne's essay The pleasure of writing really reads like a clever blog. I wonder what Milne would blog about, if he had one? Probably he'd just post his essays, and instead of having them published as articles in magazines, his blog would just be popular like Post Secret or something.
See? Told you I'm committed. Hopefully our director will read this and he'll cast me in more things because commitment is everything, clearly.
Anyway, since I'm an obvious fan of essays-- true essays, not the crappy 5-paragraph papers we called "essays" in high school--and I'm a big fan of blogging, I started comparing the similarities between mediums. For your reference, the dictionary definition of the term essay:
essay: a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.
Why does this matter? Because guess what, all of you, you blog-writers-- you are all essayists, and you didn't even know it!!! I'd like to bring this up in my The History of the Essay class next semester. Oh, you didn't know there's even a class called that, did you? Well there is, I plan on taking it, and I stick by the argument that the blog is nothing less than contemporary, unconscious essaying. LONG LIVE IT!
Now, I'm going to give you some reading suggestions. Don't ignore them, because I know people like to ignore links in blogs. I promise they're worth your time and I expect to hear back with a report on what you think of them (just kidding. Or am I?). My Love Journal girls will most likely appreciate "The fire bogey" more than any other.
The cupboard by A. A. Milne
Smoking as a fine art by A. A. Milne
In the praise of old houses by Vernon Lee
A bachelor's complaint of the behaviour of married people by Charles Lamb
The fire bogey by W. N. P. Barbellion
2 comments:
I love them all. I believe that my "cupboard" is my junk drawer in my nightstand. I haven't managed to scare away any of Brads friends yet. Also, I'm glad for technology because now my journal can't be lost to a fire. I don't even have to be at home to read it! So basically what I'm saying is here is my report back on your list of essays.
I refuse to be called an essayist. Of course, I mostly just make lists and long-winded stories. And I usually add videos.
Oh, and screw Chris! I'D cast you in anything based on that moment you were in. I'd even rewrite a show to give you a bigger part!!!
Post a Comment