Facebook and other social media is the central focus of our generation, like it (ha) or not. In many ways, Facebook is a double edged sword. There are good things about it and bad things about it. On the one hand, it is an easy way to share and preserve memories. No matter how much Facebook tries to make me have an imaginary farm, poke other people (why?), or "Like for Jesus ignore if you want to go to hell;" it's really a website about photographs. Photographs are memories distilled into an image, and as much as people dislike it sometimes, Facebook is an almost unlimited vault of memories. On the other hand, Facebook is a huge reminder of how dumb you were 5 years ago, 1 year ago, a moth ago, last night, etc.
I'd like to analyze how my life has changed by comparing new and old facebook photos. Let's get really personal and really embarrassing.
(Disclaimer: formatting this was very difficult, so pardon the sometimes erratic placement of photos)
SUBJECT ONE: FAKE MUSTACHES
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| 2008 |
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| 2012 |
LEFT: Acting as a made-up reporter, Lawrence Flatts in a very silly and very poorly produced video series my friends and I made in high school entitled "Officer Jenkins."
RIGHT: Acting as James Lipton, host of "Inside the Actor's Studio," on the slightly better produced Ohio University sketch Comedy show "Friday's Live."
This is what gave me the idea to start this blog, because I only just realized how ridiculous it is that these photos exist four years apart from each other. The biggest similarity I would say is that I still look ridiculous in a fake mustache. The biggest difference is that on the right I am saying something that is (mostly) scripted, and on the left I am saying something that is (mostly) nonsense.
P.S. I cannot grow real facial hair in either of these pictures.
SUBJECT TWO: BEING FUNNY
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| 2006 maybe? God only knows |
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| 2012 |
LEFT:Me trying to be funny
RIGHT: Me trying to be funny with a better haircut
I don't think I need to comment on the silliness of the photo on the left. What I would like to comment on is the number one reason why I would consider college to be one of the best times in my life. Here at Ohio University, I have so many mediums in which I can practice being funny. There is a responsive audience and a community of other comedians that help me change my bad material and improve my good material. You can't see it in the photo, but in the one on the right there are people listening. In the one on the left there is not an audience watching me sit in leaves.
SUBJECT THREE: RELATIONSHIPS
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| 2009 |
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| 2012 |
LEFT: Spanish video project with my high school on-and-off girlfriend
RIGHT: At a party with my current girlfriend
Now we're getting really personal, I will try to be objective. In high school, I had a pretty poor understanding of how a healthy relationship should work. I know I'm supposed to be acting in the picture on the left, but the face I'm making sums up my main high school relationship pretty well. There was not the proper give-and-take that a good relationship needs, and for the most part each of us acted pretty selfish. We were teenagers, and it was a learning experience. My relationship today has much better communication and is going well so far. Relationships are always something that we have to learn from no matter how they end up, and I think today I'm doing a better job of learning as I go.
SUBJECT FOUR: FAMILY
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| Taken around 1996, posted 9/7/2012 |
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| 2010 |
LEFT: Sitting with my littlest sister right after she had been baptized.
RIGHT: Trying to be cool like my dad.
I'm happy to say that throughout all our difficulties, I have stayed very close with my family. Relationships between family are always interesting because they are strengthened and weakened through events that you experience together. Births, deaths, marriages, divorces, reunions, fights; these are all occurrences that a family enjoys or endures together. Even though the photo on the left was taken just at a time when I was starting to become much less religious, I was still there to see Ruby get baptized. I know it's weird to use the photo on the right as a "current" photo, but the date I posted it is important. I found that photo while looking through old pictures the day after my dad died last September. His passing was and still is one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced, but I still have my family to go through it with me. I like this photo in particular because I still try to emulate my dad all the time - he was one of the funniest people I have ever known, and whenever I'm trying to make people laugh I still think of him and how much his sense of humor inspired me.
SUBJECT FIVE: DAILY ACTIVITIES
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| 2008 |
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| 2013 |
RIGHT: Improv scene
Wrestling and improv are not as different as one might think. In both activities take extensive practice to improve. In wrestling, you are working against a stranger, while in improv you are working with your friends. In both activities I have made some of my best friends, and in both activities I have learned lessons of teamwork, endurance, and foreseeing moves that haven't happened yet. While wrestling was something I decided I didn't want to continue after high school, the way I am enjoying improv now I may be doing it for a long time, which is why I practice as much as possible to continually try and improv(e) myself. The biggest difference is the uniforms. The biggest similarity is that that are many instances in improv where I have to grope men.
Zane,
ReplyDeleteNot only was this blog commical but it also gave me a much better sense of who you are personally. You let us into who you are as a person and I really appreciate you sharing your photos and experiences with us. Your writing approach for this blog is absolutely genius in my opinion and you maintain an honesty with the reader that is awesome. Ex: you aren't afraid to laugh at yourself and admit to being a little confused at times (disclaimer). I loved when you joked about how you couldn't grow a real mustache at either of the times the pictures were taken. I also loved your transitioning between the different subjects and how you kept it flowing. Ex: "Now that we're getting really personal, I'll try to stay objective." You did a really nice job at analyzing yourself critically yet keeping the emotions light and airy. I was left wanting more and I think it could've been cool to compare where you're from in relation to athens or your high school friends in relation to college friends or something. It was really great zane! Nice job! Thanks for making me laugh after a long day!
This was such an interesting idea for a blog post! I'm completely jealous that I didn't think of this first. lol.
ReplyDeleteI think this blog post was a really good way of letting your audience (so to speak) know who they're working with. Not only are you Zane: the very talented writer and comedian, but you are dynamic and multi-dimensional. We get to see parts of your life that we wouldn't otherwise see or know.
I really liked how at the end of each section, you compared and contrasted your personal state between the two time periods.
I also would like to acknowledge how much I can appreciate how personal you can get with your audience. You talk about some heavy subjects, such as relationships and the passing of your father (btw I'm really sorry to hear about that), but you maintain the same tone and objectivity throughout.
I loved the line "RIGHT: Me trying to be funny with a better haircut". You really are a funny person, and I think it just comes naturally to you, and really comes out in your writing. And not in a forced kind of way, but more just you being you.
I feel that there are parts that you could have expanded on and given more back story. However, as this is a blog post and not a full blown essay, I think you gave away the perfect amount; the amount you wanted. I definitely think that this has a bunch of great potential essay topics within it.
As always, I really enjoyed reading this.
Really great job, Zane!
I have to agree with Katie here on the praise and on the suggestion that this isn't quite a fully-fleshed out piece of writing. It's a lot of beginnings for sure.
DeleteI think it goes without saying that an entire essay and more could be written about your father; and the fact that you associate humor with his life, and even with his legacy, will be a way to make a damn good essay if/when you try it. I can see the contrasting tones creating a devastating effect.
Beyond the workshop suggestions, I'm sorry about your dad, too. He would have of course been proud to see you nailing your standup debut, among other things.
For this post, though, I'd like you to sort out what's essayable and what's not. I think you're letting yourself off the hook a bunch with your commentary about relationships and other topics. The jumpiness allows you to move past each topic without getting into it. And though I appreciate the premise, it seems like you're not really sure what to do with some of the contrasts you're suggesting. A classic before-and-after could do the trick, and that's what you're pulling off with mustaches, being funny, and relationships. But you're not really writing an essay about transformation and memory, necessarily.
Good stuff, in general, of course, but I see ways forward.
I'm reading E's comment below and I think she's right on. Telling the story of your dad--if you're up to it--interspersed with stories of your development as a comedian will be a knockout.
You're a good writer. It's so easy for you to be funny that you might go there first even when you have a bunch of other options.
DW
This was extremely creative, entertaining and yet still heartfelt. When I first saw the title, I was like "ahh,this is the perfect idea to write about!" and you took it even further through your balance of humor, objective insight and personal experience. In the first sentence, I laughed so much at "like it or not" and in the last section, "improv(e)." It is definitely those little word choices that really show how great a writer you are.
ReplyDeleteAlso I definitely agreed with Erica about how this shows who you are and with Katie that you still obtain an objectivity. I loved hearing about your experiences with your relationships and was touched that you shared your relationship with your Dad with us. I can hardly imagine - it must have been really hard and must still be really hard sometimes - but you did a good job at addressing it. Do you think you could write an another essay on your relationship with your Dad? Since he inspired you to be a comedian and continue your improvs, I think it would be a really good dedication to him. Also I thought that is amazing and sweet that you think of him when you perform.
Amazing job again! :)