Battered, Bruised and Frozen.

Today a handful of Hessians, along with some Continental forces and a strong showing of Britsh arrived early at the Howell Farms in New Jersey to film segements for a New Jersey Network (NJ PBS) show about the battles of Trenton called 'Ten Crucial Days'. It was fuck-all cold this morning when we arrived, and the wool outfits are surprisingly inefficient in such cold weather. My feet were actually getting numb until I broke down and put on my spare pare of hose.

Filming started off easy, just a bunch of marching shots. The script we were given actually said we should be marching 'Arrogantly, yet confidently' - Oooh-kaaay. Anyway no real problems.

The next shot had us Hessians bursting out a farmhouse in disarray and surprise. We would struggle, some would get hit and go down. The remainder would surrender to a pack of Continental troops that would advance. The trouble here was that the farmhouse was full of junk that made it a near deathtrap. Piles of firewood, and a sleigh. with a huge mounting bar. It was dark, and we had to cram ourselves in with loaded muskets (some of us, anyway). Then we had to burst out of a normal sized door to meet fate. This was, perhaps, an accident waiting to happen, and it did. One of our numbers didn't notice the sleigh's mounting bar and tripped over it. He fell and hurt his arm, being unable to get up and in a lot of pain. Mark and I went outside to get some medical help, it was a long time in coming. I stood outside, alone facing a confused camera crew, Continentals, and assorted tourists watching the filming while a couple of folks with EMT training went in to help. I figured it would be best to stay out of the way. But I felt real naked. Having to do something I went over the to Contintental line and told them what had happened so they could stand down while the problem was resolved.

Eventually, he was taken out for some treatment (when the abulance arrived). and the film resumed. We set and order to exit from the building. My role was to be confused, and holding my Mitre. I would put it on, try to cock my musket and take a hit. We did the first take, I took the hit and went down hard against the full barn door, which was free floating. The guy on the other side who had given us out cue was almost knocked over from my impact.

This being a movie, there were several takes. Each time I did the same thing: Run out, put on my Mitre, try to cock my musket, and take a hit, then slam against the barn door and slump to the ground. I don't die light, I got down hard and realistic as I can. I ended up with bruises on my thigh and chest.

We did some more filming assaulting a small creek bridge. Then we went to lunch - probably one of the poorest catered lunches I've had on one of these filmings. A cup of soup, some bread, and a bag of potato chips. Oh and a soda or water. Pretty slim. It wasn't bad soup, but it was a bit limited fare.

Afterwards we did some more fighting scenes, and I took a hit on one, falling to the cold, hard bridge. I lay there as a casualty until cut was called but then they wanted some close-ups of the casualties. So I lay there with my eyes closed as the cameraman went over us verrrrrry closely. The ground was very, very cold.

So here I am, wind burned, sun kissed, bruised, slightly thawed, and dazed. All this for a TV documentary this will be coming out in 2007, if it isn't cancelled.

Somehow, the end of this blog entry needs to be "and what?! Give up Showbiz?!"

Winter's Revenge

Snow dropped on Saturday Night, giving the city 14" or so of the white stuff. No real biggie, just some shovelling and trouble getting my car into my space in back ( I rarely use as it is 4" wider than the car itself.

Today as I brought SaraBelle to the vet, there was still some ice on the ground. I hit a patch on a wheelchair curb and lost my balance. I had the presence of mind to keep SaraBelle's carrier from flying out of my hands so all that happened was that she was set down a bit harder than usual.

Trouble is, I seem to have wrenched my calf muscle while going down. Ibuprofin helps, but its till hurts.

Wah!

Multiple Things in My Life

Its snowing out right now, big white fluffy flakes. Its going to be the first big snowfall of what has been a very mild winter. I guess I'll be getting exercise tomorrow by shovelling it off my car and out of the thing they call a parking space behind the building.

I had a brief contact with a woman who saw my personals profile and wrote to me. It looked like we were actually going to meet, but then she balked and stopped emailing me. No word as to why. But there never is. Oh well.

A family friend also gave me the name of a person who is recently single herself and said I should contact her. I'm wondering about this. Said person lives in Center City (by my old elementary school no less). I suppose for completeness' sake I should make the effort. Who knows, might be fruitful, but I am of the opinion that blind dates (or even semi-blind ones) really don't work so well.

In politics, my attention this week was focused on the Duetsche-Bag who was in NASA. Another one of those lovely Bush-administration hacks that they put in place in the grand tradition of FEMA's horse primper. This Asshole was trying to force creationism down NASA's throat by making them insist that things like the Big Bang are 'merely theories'. The result was scientific backlash. The Bad Astronomer covers this best right here.

The short of it is that the man resigned because they found a convenient excuse. He had lied on his resume. He now whines that it was a political ploy (irony meters around the world explode). Wrong again, shitwipe. Hope maybe you can take some hints from other Bush-boys and enjoy your new career as a gay prostitute.

For those who wonder, SaraBelle is still doing fine. Now weight gain or loss, but no shrinkage of the tumor either. She's still chipper and jumps into my lap at every opportunity.

SaraBellian Update

I haven't posted much about SaraBelle of late, so I figured I should bring everyone up to speed. Two weeks ago she had a blood test to see if here white blod cell count was high enough to repeat the pill treatment. She failed, but just barely. A week later she had the test again and this time passed. But by the time I got the news I was about to leave for Sin City and so could not get the perscription filled, let alone give her the pills. So we skipped a week, and I got the pills today. She's had one and will get the other tomorrow. Then we continue the cycle. The good news is that she has gained another .2 lbs. yay for small victories.