I returned to my acting class last night after a two-week absence, I found I missed it, and everyone there missed Red a lot more than they missed me. I’m used to that.

We did improv, acting out some different scenes. I had a good idea for an improv character, but I chickened out and didn’t raise my hand.

I did a scene with Holden which Christine chose for me, and it was a good choice. I was a father trying to talk to his son,  Holden was moving away and the two had one of those awkward but well-meaning conversations in which the father stumbles awkwardly, asking inappropriate questions and regretting failures in his own life and the son tries to fend him off politely, rolling his eyes as children so often do.

It’s a scene every father has been through, and Holden, who is 25 and have have good chemistry together.

Christine interrupted me to tell me I speak too quickly, I needed to breathe between lines and slow down. I loved this scene and the interplay between Holden and myself. I think we’ll work on this scene some more.

There is a showcase at the end of the class where we can all perform a scene or monologue on stage, it’s voluntary and I don’t think I’ll go on stage, but I will go to watch the other.

I think I’ve taken my T.S. Eliot monologue as far as I can go with it, I think the class is moving forward beyond the monologue. I think I ‘ll post one last round on the blog.

The monologue was – is –  a valuable experience for me, I learned a lot about myself. I discover that I talk slowly and easily in front of crowds with no script, but I tense up dramatically when I am reading.

I am learning about myself and my creativity in the class, that alone  makes it very worthwhile to me. Red is an amazing dog, he lies on his special carpet with people shouting and dancing all around him, he never moves much or interrupts anyone’s work.

He is much loved there.