Second Most Embarrassing Moment
Karen: Oh my god, I haven’t seen you in ages! When was the last time?
Dan: At the drugstore last year. How’s your halitosis, by the way?
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Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
How I learned to write
January 11, 2010My 15 minutes of fame (ok, maybe more like 2).
January 5, 2010This Year is Different
Ned: Whew! Great start on my New Year’s resolution! Amazing run, REALLY feeling the burn.
Sal: You just ran for the bus.
Ned: So.
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Also, this made my day. My week even (maybe my month, I’m still deciding):
So what if I paid him $5 to make fun of me?
Ok, so maybe the $5 went to charity, but I’m just sayin’. Although I have to say, that insult looks more like a compliment to me.
I know a gay
January 4, 2010My friend, Andrew, has begun his own 100Days pledge:
Easily, one of the most important and rewarding events of my life thus far was telling my friends and family that I am gay. In the years since, I have become increasingly more active in the LGBT community, recently attending the National Equality March in Washington DC. At that rally at the foot of the Capitol and others I have attended, it has been repeated that in order to create change, you have to tell people you’re gay. Friends, family, coworkers. You have to let them know that they know someone who is gay… Therefore, for my Hundred Days project, I will tell one person daily that they know someone who is gay – me.
Such an amazing and inspiring project, you should definitely check out his blog: youknowagay.
And in honour of Andrew, here is today’s twitterplay:
Come On Out
Hector: Carrie, can I-
Carrie: Wait. I know what this is. Oh my god. You’re gay.
Hector: N-well yes. Obviously. But can I use your pen?
The 27 List: A Life Composition
January 1, 2010So, it’s 2010.
And I’ve made some kinda-sorta-but-not-really New Years Resolutions. It’s more like I made a list of things I would like to be included in 2010. Some are really resolution-y (i.e. I want to make a habit of doing so-and-so more often), some only have to happen once and some I don’t actually have any control over.
And I know it’s not strictly do to with 100 Days, but it kind of is because doing this project has helped me realise that putting something in writing does actually help me to accomplish a goal. That, and if people are watching/reading what I do/write, I better not mess it up.
Oh and fair warning: some things on this list are a little cheesy, but I’m afraid there wasn’t really any way around it. Because I really do want to do a few damn cheesy things. Also, there are 27 items on the list because 2010 is the year I turn 27.
The 27 List
- Have a real outdoor adventure (trekking, cycle camping or something similar).
- Act in a film/piece of theatre in which I’m extremely proud of my performance.
- Say yes to something I would otherwise have said no to out of fear/anxiety/nervousness.
- Run a marathon.
- Take a huge risk in a performance situation.
- Perform a piece of music.
- Watch a sunrise somewhere amazing.
- Do a project with Likely Story that combines social media with performance.
- Get my UK driving licence.
- Direct a film.
- Learn a magic trick.
- See something I’ve written get performed/published* in some way.
- Have a serious adrenaline rush.
- Learn how to do something I never thought I would do.
- Make a piece of furniture.
- Win something.
- Get a huge surprise.**
- Record an audio drama.
- Surprise someone by making them a cake.
- Make a new friend.
- See someone I’ve known for awhile in a totally new way.
- Play a ridiculously elaborate practical joke.
- Spend a day volunteering for something I feel strongly about.
- Cook something using herbs I’ve grown myself.
- Use social media to keep in touch with friends and family more fully (i.e. share pictures on Flickr or videos on YouTube).
- Paint a picture and hang it in my house.
- Make a proper toast with a speech and everything.
*I use ‘publish’ in the loosest sense of the word.
**Not a surprise party.
So there it is. I think it would be a pretty good year if I got to 31 December 2010 having accomplished all that.
P.S. Here’s today’s twitterplay:
Hainault via Newbury Park
Peg: I feel like taking my jeans off on the tube just to see what people would do. I wonder if anyone would talk to me then!
Iris: Doubt it.
30 Days In
December 30, 2009What in Tarnation
Jim: Not sure what to wear to this cowboy party.
Nancy: What are the options?
Jim: Wyatt Earp, John Wayne or Dr Quinn Medicine Woman.
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Just wanted to say thanks to all those who have thrown suggestions my way both here and on Twitter. I’ll get to them all before the 100 Days are up. Promise.
In the meantime, here’s a twitterplay I wrote a few days ago based on a suggestion from Bryony:
Balcony Party for Two
Christina Aguilera’s ‘Beautiful’ plays on a laptop.
Betty: I do a great Christina.
Graham: Mine’s better.
Christina-off ensues. Graham wins.
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Looking back, a fair few of my twitterplays have been based on moments from my life.
Not that this one is. Um. Have I said too much?
I’ll just leave you with this:
On the Mining Industry
December 22, 2009First Day Down the Mine or How I Developed Chiroptophobia
Two headlamps in the darkness.
Squeaking.
Gary: What the-
Pete: Bats.
Short pause.
Gary: There are bats in here?
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Well, it’s sort of inspired by the mining industry. Takes place in a mine anyway. I mean it’s obviously a metaphorical criticism of the industry as a whole.
I’ll just leave that one for you to figure out.
Thanks, Sam, for the inspiration. I’m still narrowing down ideas for the arty French pornography twitterplay, so watch this space for the next few (and by few I mean 78) days.
Any more suggestions?
Anyone?
20%
December 20, 2009Silent But Deadly
Julia: I’ve run out of ideas.
John: Wait!
Julia: What is it?
John: Hang on.
Pause
Julia smells something eggy.
John: Nope, just an SBD.
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As you may have noticed, I’ve lowered the tone to fart jokes. And it’s not the first time. I’m actually growing quite fond of John. So far my twitterplays have featured ‘pissin’, a bowl of hair, a field of shit, and wedgies to reference but a few.
What does that say about me?
Wait. Don’t answer that.
So, I’ve made it to day 20 of 100 Days and I’m feeling pretty good. I’ve had a few seeds of ideas for future twitterplays (I mean I haven’t even touched on poo or periods yet), but if anyone wants to throw some inspiration my way that would be cool.
Just leave a comment here or on Twitter (@gregwohead) with anything at all— a word, a name, a photo, a title, a situation, a link to music. Just whatever. And I’ll use it as inspiration for one of the next 80 (!) plays.
Thanks for keeping up with me.
-Greg
The Art of the Twitdrama
December 11, 2009So how will tweeting a play a day for 100 days make me a better person?
I wondered that myself.
I think mainly it’s about committing myself to be creative in a way that’s really do-able. I have ideas all the time— for plays, writing projects, short films, whatever— but it’s very easy just to have the idea and then let it go or think of a million different reasons why I can’t/shouldn’t/don’t actually want to do them.
So they don’t get done.
This is a way for me create something every day, however small, and more importantly to show what I’ve created. Because that’s the other thing. It’s about throwing loads of ideas out and seeing what sticks. Already, I can see that some twitterplays have worked and others haven’t, but the great thing about doing them every day for 100 days is that it doesn’t really matter if some are utter crap— there will be loads of others to distract you (though I suppose that theory doesn’t hold well if they’re all utter crap).
And maybe there will be a few that make me really proud.
It may sound a bit silly to talk about twitterplays like this, but it’s actually turning out to be a real art. With only 140 characters you have to carefully consider what is absolutely necessary to tell a little story and cut out everything that isn’t. You have to consider precise names that convey characterisation when there isn’t enough space to describe a character. And what does a title add to a play? Where do ideas come from?
I still don’t know exactly where I’m headed with this project, but that’s another part of why I chose it, I guess. To feel it out as I go and decide the next step from where I’m standing now.
So that’s why I’m doing it.
Well, that and so I can get business cards that read:
Greg Wohead, Twitterplaywright.
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This Time I’m Serious *
Jo: I’m pregs.
Ben: Yeah?
Jo: So.
Ben: Well, here. It’s all I have on me.
Jo: You do realise you can’t just sponsor it for 50p a day.
*This and all my twitterplays for 100 Days to Make Me a Better Person can be found each day for the next 89 days by following me on Twitter: @gregwohead. They won’t all be posted here on the blog. I’m too lazy.
Tina and Jeremy
December 9, 2009Thirtysomething and Counting
Tina: I find some things are electric. Like Dolly Parton.
Jeremy: Why did you tell me that?
Tina: Just thought you should know.
I think that one pretty much speaks for itself.
Sounds like someone’s got a case of the Mondays.
December 7, 2009I’ve hit up against the first little hiccup in my 100 Days endeavor. I can’t seem to write a play today.
And I’m not the only Hundred Dayer who seems to have hit a stumbling block. I won’t name any names, but I noticed (as I avoided my own 100 Days task by finding and reading every 100 Days blog I could find) that several other people are writing much shorter blogs than usual or otherwise (dare I say) copping out. Now, don’t get me wrong, many people have done some tip top work and continue to do so day after day (see: Mr Scribblehound, Laurie Rowan), but I have to say I’m glad I’m not the only one who seems to find Day 7 the most difficult day yet.
Maybe it’s because the newness is wearing off just a teeny bit. It was so exciting at first discovering everyone’s projects (and still is, mind you) and taking the first few steps into 100 Days, but I can’t help but begin to feel the reality of how many 100 days really is (100 obviously, but you know what I mean). I’m not sure I’ve been able to keep anything up for 100 days straight. At least not anything I can think of.
Or maybe it’s just a case of the Mondays.
I’ll just get on with it, shall I? Lemme think…
(two hours later…)
