Something about FASS

Yesterday was the read through for the FASS 2009 script - the theme this year is "Spies" (Live FASS, Die Tomorrow). In all honesty, I'm kind of "meh" about the script this year. While there's definately some funny stuff in there, a bunch of the humour is also not entirely my style, shall we say - a lot seems picked more for the shock or "I can't believe they just said" variety. The plot is also rather thin and doesn't seem well thought out. Not that FASS plots tend to be fantastic works of literature or anything, but this one nonetheless feels like the weakest one of the FASSes I've been involved with, at least at the first read through.

I'm only in one scene this year (again), but at least I've got more than two lines. My character has about a third of the lines in the scene. No song, though, unfortunately. The scene itself is ok and doesn't have any of what I would consider the more "questionable" humour. The scene does, however, seem extremely tangential and really has no meaningful connection to the main plot.

As far as FASS roles go, my best one was, undoubtedly, Roman (2006), with Thurman (2004) being a close second. My 2007 parts probably come in third, with the highlight for that year being that I got to wear a costume that wasn't just jeans, a t-shirt and an accessory. Dr. Toolittle (2001) and this year's part are probably about equivalent, tieing them for fourth, making 2005 and 2008 tied for my least favourite. To be fair, though, in 2005 I was commuting from Toronto so all I wanted was a small part that year.

Overall, I think some of my disappointment with this year's script comes from the sense that there's some missed potential. I think there could have been an interesting, amusing and coherent plot in there, but it mostly comes across as a string of loosely connected scenes where people crack jokes, scheme and plot but in the end, not much happens.

All this is, of course, a matter of personal taste. Even without much of a plot there's stuff to laugh at, though that will vary depending on individual sense of humour. I think it would be interesting to know who was the main writer for each scene as I suspect there may be some correlation with the type of humour in each scene.

Anyway, I think I've rambled on long enough about all that. Should be a fun month, regardless.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Full Spiral

Today was my first day back in school as I start my PhD at UW, having come full circle, in a way. It's really more of a spiral, though, since I'm not back exactly where I started, as my last time at UW was as an undergrad, so I am moving up in the world! In a manner of speaking, anyway.

The first day was largely uneventful, overall. I went on an epic quest to get office and lab keys, my student card and the like, going up several levels in the process no doubt. No classes today, since the class I've signed up for this term doesn't start until tomorrow, and I'll probably end up sitting in on some other classes as well before finalizing my courses for the term.

I had expected being back on campus for the first time in about eight years as a student to feel stranger than it did, but then I suppose that I'm on campus often enough for things like FASS, orchestra and CTRL-A that in a way it almost feels like I never left, in a way.

Anyway, it seems like I should have a reasonably slow first week or two to ease myself back into life as a student.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Of Time Warps and Spoony Bards

Amonst various things, I got the Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy IV for Christmas. Been playing a bit and enjoying it so far, and I was glad to see that Tellah's "Spoony bard" line was still in the updated script (he said more after that than I remember, but his quintisential quote was unchanged) - I rather suspect that a lot of long-time fans would have been disappointed had it not been there. I've actually been having a slight bit of a disconnect while playing the DS FF IV. It sounds pretty much exactly how I remember it, but it looks different, even if map layouts are the same. That aside, been liking the remake thus far.

And speaking of time warps, I also got the DS port of Chrono Trigger. It seems to be more or less the same as the SNES version (with some added content), but I'm looking forward to delving into it once FF IV and my replay of FF X-2 are finished. Chrono Trigger is probably the game I've played through the most times, easily one of my favourite RPGs, so, w00t!

That's all for now.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

One Week

It's now been about a week since my last day of work, and I have to say I haven't missed it. At all. This past week has been so relaxing! And it's not like I haven't done anything, either. I've been putting some time in on one of my projects and have made some decent progress - in fact, I feel like I've been at least as productive as I generally was for an average day at work, and so far I've only been doing project work in the afternoons. It goes to show, I think, that working on something I care about, and feel invested in personally and (possibly most importantly) have some actual creative control over, as well as control over how I spend my time, can make a big difference in how motivated one is - or at least how motivated I tend to be.

Just three more weeks until I start the PhD, so hopefully I'll be able to make some good progress on the project by then.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Roving Observations

On my way home from errands this morning, I found myself briefly behind a mini-van with a license plate that said "EMBRO". Now, I know Embro is small and insignificant, but it's still remarkable that they managed to stuff the entire village into a single mini-van.

Or perhaps they're all a bunch of clowns.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Starlights

I have recently started (re)watching the fifth season of Sailor Moon, as I am planning on making an AMV (anime music video) using footage from it to the Arrogant Worms song "Boy Band". Those of you familiar with the season can probably guess what I'm going to be focusing on. Links will be posted here whenever I get it complete (hopefully sometime this month).

Anyway, as I was watching the season, it occurred to me that most of the senshi get a bit shafted in the transformation sequence department - most of them appear to get stuck with essentially the same transformation throughout all five seasons, whereas Sailor Moon more-or-less gets an upgraded transformation periodically (I want to say each season, but I'm actually not sure on that).

Oh well, I suppose that's one of the perks of being the star of the show.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

One Day More

It's been a tradition of mine for a while, since my very first coop work term back in undergrad, I think, that when I've got one day left in something of which I am looking forward to the end (such as my work terms), I would listen to "One Day More" from Les Miserables. It is a good tradition, I think, so as I type this, I have put on my Les Mis CDs and will listen to the whole thing since its been a while since I've listened to them and they're good music. And, of course, "One Day More" will be in there somewhere.

Anyway, Freak Out,
-TFitC

Political Theatre

After a rather dull, shall I say boring, federal election this fall, it appears that we've actually got some interested drama (or perhaps, melodrama) on parliament hill. The opposition parties seem to be poised to form a new coalition government should the Tory minority government fall to an impending confidence vote. Of course, the Tories are likely to do some political manoeuvring of their own so who knows how it'll end up. Might make for some entertaining viewing in the mean time, more so than our normal political fare, at any rate.

And, whilst I am posting: THREE.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

One With the Worms

I am down to the final week of my countdown. I had been thinking of doing a daily countdown during this last week, but I suspect the week will be over before I know it so there doesn't really seem much point. I'll probably chime in again before the last day, though.

Also, I went to see an Arrogant Worms concert last night in Hamilton with a couple of friends. It's for their new CD, Torpid. As always with the Worms, it was quite entertaining and there was a good mix of songs from the new album along with favourites from the older albums.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

Two

Two weeks, two weeks,
the Cape-Freak(*) cried
'till freedom is at hand!

I've waited days, nights,
hours long
rubber ducks and marching bands!

-From "Two Weeks, The Cape-Freak's(*) lament"

The above is an excerpt from the beginning of a, somewhat nonsensical, poem that a friend wrote in response to a complaint from me, via e-mail, that there were still two weeks to go in my second co-op term (the job was terribly dull). So, now, when I'm two weeks away from a transition, I sometimes like to quote it. I'll have to see if I can dig out the full version from my e-mail archives... if I still have them somewhere.

In any case: two.

Freak Out,
-TFitC

(*) Replacing my real name with my internet alias