A Link a Day Keeps the Brain…Happy…

…eh I’m not up for the rhyming cliches today, lovely lurkers. I do have a Very Special Link List ™ for you today, though. Happy reading!

Ten hand-to-hand combat myths writers need to stop using. Because it’s rare to find an article like this focused on the writing, not necessarily the direction or acting.

My Mom’s new blog.

Behind the Scenes of Daredevil’s Stunts–this show just continues to excel in the action sequence area.

One of the performances I’m gearing up for: my presentation The Fight is the Story over at Denver Comic Con.

The silliness that is the Walking Dead’s Red Nose Day sketch. “If only we cold do something…lighter…”

The very soon upcoming event, The Five 5ths of Labyrinth, benefiting the Boulder Fringe Fest. Gotta go to rehearsal for this right about now, actually…

Look what I’m offering you. Your dreams….

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The More You Holmes

From: ep. 2.2

Line: SHERLOCK: You’re brown as a nut; clearly you’re just back from your holidays.

Reference: In A Study in Scarlet, the very first ever Sherlock Holmes story, Stamford says this to Watson: “Whatever have you been doing with yourself, Watson? You are as thin as a lath and as brown as a nut.” In ep. 2.2, Sherlock says the above to Lestrade, thereby nailing his real reason for being in Dartmoor.

Five 5ths of Labyrinth promo vids

I am in two out of the 5 5ths of Labyrinth, lovely lurkers–it’s the annual benefit performance for the Boulder Fringe Fest. Behold, the two trailers for the 5ths in which I appear. Marvel at my contact juggling skills, and visit the BFF website for more information and to get your tickets.

No Rest For the Weary…

I am just on the exhale end of the one deep breath I had between Spring semesters-and-quarters and what’s coming up for me for Summer. Plus enough personal-life / health complications to drive one to drink (not that I need an excuse)…(not my health, btw, in case you were concerned)…

Front Range ended in an avalanche of research papers, followed by Metro, ending rather the same way but in an online format.

These troublemakers called their course blog World Wide Bromance. From FRCC, Comp I.

DU’s Children’s Lit course just had its conclusive class last night, and it was some illuminating conversation re: Ender’s Game as YA lit (or not), and Harry Potter, censorship, and mythology. Also the importance of instilling the love of reading in young people.

Inspired by the “shelfie” movement, I have been enjoying arranging still lifes including books in use. This from the last day of Children’s Lit at DU.

Regis, as per usual, is all one-on-one and online. I am still working with the children’s author/psychology Capstone project with one student, and facilitating Writing The Novel I with another. Her novel is this great piece of politically-intricate High Fantasy which I’m excited to help her hone.

So, lots going on, right? sorry it’s been a bit, lovely lurkers, but here’s what’s up:

Starting next week, I’ve got a Comp II class at Front Range, which I’m going to attempt to teach under a theme. This summer’s theme is: Creativity and Innovation. This should make for more interesting required reading and still a wide array of topic choices for the students’ research.

The week after, both DU and Metro begin: the latter is another online section of Staging Cultures, which you’ve heard me describe before, and the former is an undergrad course called Art and Interpretation. We’ll be looking at art, looking at how to look at art, and making some art of our own.

Non-university teachings and lecturings and such include my annual panel presentation “The Fight is the Story” over at Denver Comic Con, and the delightful summer dance camp class I do in Longmont each summer, wherein I show young ballerinas how to fake-punch each other in the face.

Finally, there’s the Five 5ths benefit performance at the BPL–this year, it’s the Five 5ths of Labyrinth. I’m in two of the five fifths, and am having a blast while having trouble remembering my lines….

So, that’s about it. Kinda plenty, eh? Oh, you want to know about the personal stuff now? Nope, sorry, that’s confidential (unless you meet up w me in person and buy me a pint. Then we’ll talk)…

The More You Holmes

From: Elementary, ep. 4.24

Object: a beautiful old ring with a large blue stone set at its center

Reference: well, duh, obviously this has to be The Blue Carbuncle, though in this ep it isn’t actually named as such (though we hear the name of the Duchess of Morcar in connection with it, which is in the original).  Here, it’s not a loose stone but a ring, not hidden in a goose but in Sherlock’s fireplace, and is an heirloom of Sherlock’s mother’s, which Morland Holmes is looking for (Sherlock thinks) to use as a bribe. As in Doyle, however, Sherlock does not give it up, but keeps it. No, really, he keeps it in the canon too–read it. He keeps the black pearl of the Borgias and the Mazarin stone, too, you know.

Retrospective Review #6 1/2: Many Happy Returns

My latest for the fine Sherlockians at Sherlock’s Home.

Sherlocks Home

Written by Prof. Jenn

Before the resolution of the insane “How did Sherlock survive” cliffhanger in Series 3, we got a charming little short released online called “Many Happy Returns.” The title is already a play on words as it refers not only to birthday greetings but also the imminent return of Sherlock. If you’ve never seen it before, watch it above.

Our story opens with the identical opening score from The Blind Banker, and we see a Tibetan monastery scene with the unveiling of a villain, which hard-cuts directly to newly-fanboy-crazed Anderson, who is in a pub with Lestrade, maps and notes spread out all over the table. We understand therefore that Anderson is quite changed from his previously antagonistic point of view, having turned 180 degrees from main accuser of Sherlock in “The Reichenbach Fall” to this bearded obsessive, and we also hear that this obsession has cost…

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Left Hand Right Brain

My appearance on former student JD’s Left Hand Right Brain podcast is up and listenable-to. I’m doing this from my phone so it may not work–I’ll fix it later if not, don’t worry.

 Please to enjoy the discourse on creativity, theatre, clowning, and the Patronus.

http://lefthandrightbrainpod.com/?powerpress_embed=970-podcast&powerpress_player=mediaelement-audio

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5 Reasons Sherlock Fans Should Watch Elementary

My latest Sherlockian musings for Sherlock’s Home. This time, discussing Elementary.

Sherlocks Home

Written by Prof. Jenn

If you are reading a site called Sherlock’s Home, you are probably a die-hard Sherlock fan. A Cumberperson. A FreeMan/Woman. Whatever. Today, though, I’m here to teach you that there are other vastly entertaining and brilliantly done Sherlockian things that exist that are just as good as our beloved Sherlock (dare I say better? Well, not quite in this case, but…). One of these things is the CBS series Elementary. Here are five reasons why you should watch it…

5. Nods to the Canon

I’ve heard fellow Sherlockians look down on Elementary as a cheap knock-off of Sherlock at best or a totally non-Sherlockian show that uses the name at worst. I disagree with these folks, as it’s obvious the writers know their Doyle, judging by the references and nods to the canon all over the episodes (I recently broke down one of the most Doyle-riddled…

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