#wilde thoughts

[forbiddenpondrocks]

I think artists need to draw our OCs doing holiday portraits/silly card pictures more often. Get them dressed up in gear for whatever holiday they celebrate, and make em pose for a family holiday card. Hell throw a jolly homeless man in there.

[tfortrevor]

Relistening to TMA has me thinking “ceaseless watcher,turn your gaze upon this retched thing” when interacting with slightly irritating clients. I am Jon and the apocalypse is working at a front desk. The ceaseless watcher is the owner telling Karen’s to fuck off and stop being rude to his staff. I wish he could explode them

[forbiddenpondrocks]

It's kind of trippy what you learn as you exist.

When i joined this site I was of the mind "if I reblog/comment/or make any noise what so ever, people will kill me in some creative ass ways". Which was a canonical way for me to act as I did this across most social media apps.

But I grew. And I learned, and no one has sent killer clowns after me (and im not scared of clowns anymore). So it's cool as hell when I just sit and remember sometimes life is great, and it really can get better.

Who'd 'a thought.

[tfortrevor]

Working at a vet clinic is so fuvking wack, seeing people say goodbye to their best friends in the same room a litter of 11 golden retriever puppies was 30 minutes earlier for their first vaccines. Epic highs and lows of highschool football

[wildeerps-blog]

It's nearly 2am and I just got home from work. How do I fit everything I need to do in the time before I pass out from exhaustion?

[antonwilde-blog]

what i saw this week: "The Daisy Theatre" by Ronnie Burkett

When I first moved to Vancouver, I heard a lot of people say that Vancouver's art scene was in a sad state of affairs. Not having any sort of context, I pretty much believed them. However, that lasted for all of a month until I discovered the endless amount of art, music, theatre and performance events that happen every weekend in the city.

Personally, I think the people who "couldn't find" a good show to go to were lazy. 

Last Tuesday, my friends invited me to see "The Daisy Theatre" by Ronnie Burkett at The Cultch. I had heard of his work for some time, but never had the opportunity to see a show, so I damn near leapt through my phone to answer their invite.

Quick Background: Ronnie's speciality is puppetry and not only does he write and perform the shows himself, but he creates the puppets as well. He's basically a mad scientist of the theatre.

"The Daisy Theatre" is a show where no two performances are the same. Burkett's written a show which he performs (and improvises throughout) based on how the show flows for him that evening. A lot of the characters felt manic at first, but I realized that he's, for lack of a better phrase, making his stream of consciousness physical. Yeah, he's got a script, but whether it's performed in or out of order, he's organizing the story's flow, characters, voices, movements, and songs in the moment. It's stunning.

Personal favourite characters were Esme Masengill, the decrepit vampire glamour girl; Edna Rural, the housewife from the Prairies whose story was beautiful and heartbreaking; and Mrs. Madeline Porterhouse, a cow who owns The Daisy Theatre. Though, to be honest, Madeline didn't have much stage time and I think I just fell in love with her character's voice.

Esme, Edna and Madeline – early versions from Ronnie's Facebook page

I left the show with friends, we shared a cab ride home, and halfway there I felt this exhaustion come over me. I thought maybe it was because I had went to the show straight from the office, but when all I could think about was the show it became clear that was reason I was worn out. "The Daisy Theatre" was an emotional roller coaster – philosophical, funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, provocative, inspiring – and I was exhausted from each emotion.

And if that's how I felt after one show, I can't imagine how Ronnie does it night after night. There are dozens of characters in that production and he has a voice for all of them. Words for all of them. It's hard to understand how he holds it all in his head.

Thinking on that, I remembered a line that Schnitzel – the fairy boy puppet Ronnie used to share his life philosophies – said during an impressively long monologue. It had started with talking about The Creator and how he pulls the strings of each puppet, and somewhere along the way Schnitzel gets meta saying that maybe The Creator uses The Daisy Theatre to say things he's too scared to say himself on a stage*.

*disclosure: Right, like I remember verbatim what he said. It was on Tuesday.

I think any performer can relate to that idea on some level. Being a drag queen, I use Shanda's character every time I paint my face to bring out something I keep locked away most days. Actors, writers, musicians – hell, even Beyoncé has Sasha Fierce – they all feel that in some way. I suppose this time it struck me because I could see the man behind those words. The puppet may have been on stage, but Ronnie doesn't disappear. He's towering over them and it was a strange moment to see the character say the words but to hear the man speak the truth.

When I was younger, I used to hold back quite a bit and was a relatively quiet kid because I was afraid my opinions or point of view would either hurt someone's feelings or make me unpopular. We've all been there. Lately, I noticed that old habit creeping back and it's been weighing on me so, not to say that Ronnie's puppets have inspired me to be a warrior princess, but I think they've confirmed my worries and given me the kick in the ass I needed.

Shanda Leer's still going to be your favourite tipsy aunt at a wedding, but Anthony's going to put some of that sway into his walk.

Check out "The Daisy Theatre" at The Cultch until December 15. Y'all won't be sorry.

[antonwilde-blog]

Why am I still listening to "Body Talk"?

Oh right, because it’s amazing. I’m not exactly sure how I could describe Robyn to someone who was looking for a new music recommendation other than “justfuckinglistentothis”. Robyn’s demographics are all over the map, but I have found that she has a particular resonance with gay men. I don’t have any proof other than having a lot of gay male friends who are all familiar with robyn, past and present.

And being a raging 'mo, myself. Obvs.

Remember "Do You Know What It Takes"? I do. So do my friends, and you know what? We’ll still jam to it on the regular. Of course, then I look around and see that there are throngs of people in the same boat and I’m quickly reminded about the gay bubble. You know, that bubble gay men sometimes get enveloped in when they actually start to believe that they hold the keys to the latest trends in music, fashion, nightlife and pretty much anything with substance.

Sure, it’s about 89% true but there’s always that other 11% we have to be conscious of.

But seriously, back to business, Robyn kills every track on this album. Being that it’s a compilation/best of from the previous mini Body Talk albums, I wouldn’t expect any less. It’s just that, with this album, Robyn not only meets my expectations, she dropkicks them in the balls and says, “...don’t you ever doubt me again you pretentious queen”. Luckily, I’m not basing that imaginary encounter on a real world experience; I’m imaginative and quirky, why am I single?

Hmm... typing that last question, I think I’ve hit upon the reason why I, and every other gay man I know, have devoted themselves to Robyn in the past year: she’s saying out loud what we’re all thinking.

Why am I single? Not only does she say/sing/talk it for us, she looks fucking fabulous at the same time. Maybe it’s the amazing creative identity and strong music production Robyn has created for herself that lets us just give into her music and dance with our eyes closed because - gay pro tip! - that makes us dance like 1000 times better.

I mean, on the surface, Robyn’s lyrics aren’t exactly what I would call deep. They’re clever and much more engaging that anything Lady Gaga or Katy Perry has churned out in recent memory, but all the same they’re focused on two main themes: being a hard-ass, incomparable, stone cold bitch; and heartache. Two things I am very familiar with. IT’S LIKE WE’RE THE SAME PERSON (only I’m far less talented and pretty).

At any rate, I love Robyn. Back in ’97 when her first album Robyn Is Here debuted, it took over my life and I said to my friend,

“I really like this girl. A lot”, which was I-need-to-act-tough-because-I'm-in-junior-high-and-don’t-want-to-get-called-a-fag code for “Ohhhhhhmyyyyyyygawwwwdddd this song is my life! I never want it to end! I love you, Robyn!!!!!!!!!!”

Back then, you walked a fine line between letting your queerness shine through 24/7. Little glimpses here and there were fine, but a round the clock pride parade would get you ostracized and have the teacher’s talk about you after hours.

Oh Robyn, you were a stepping stone that turned into a plateau.