42: Improve on another post: My post 30: two ingredient drinks

In one of my previous posts, I pitched that HD could make alcoholic drink flavored ice cream. It would be simple, yet classy. The technology to make alcoholic ice cream exists because wine ice cream is a reality. (A magical reality)

I think that this idea can be improved by making HD ice cream bars. Not like the treat bought in stores, like the restaurants that sell alcohol. Alcohol bars that sell alcoholic ice cream.

For many people, going out to a bar is a luxury. They know they are going to spend some money on something that they don’t necessarily need. If they are anything like me, they are probably going to spend way too much on something they don’t necessarily need.

In my mind, the alcoholic ice cream would be served in a bar setting, with a bartender and the atmosphere of talking to other people who have also decided to go to that bar. People want to talk to each other at a bar, it’s an opportunity to meet new people and learn about others. For many, going to a bar is a luxury, not just because of the money that will be spent there, but because it’s a luxury to meet others with your shared interests and to learn more about the world around us.

Imagine going to a bar and ordering a gin and tonic. The bartender serves up a bowl filled with alcoholic, gin and tonic flavored ice cream, with a lime wedge on top. It would be exciting! You would have the opportunity to have a great drink, talk to the people around you and eat ice cream!

It takes the alcoholic ice cream out of the hands of recently dumped people and into the hands of those who want to chat and have a great night!

41: Act on Passions: And a step to the right

During my time with the cast, I have met some wonderful people. Some of them have had my safety in mind every step of the way, even questioning my previous relationships and offering to kick some asses for me. Despite being younger than a lot of the cast, they treat me as an equal and as a manager, just as they would someone their own age. It’s quite rare, from what I have found in life so far, to be treated as an equal by someone older, even if both people are equally experienced in the thing at hand. I’m glad that I have this experience so I can know to require that respect of people I work with in the future. They respect my opinion on the other cast members and their abilities and what I think needs to be done to make our show better.

I’m glad to have met a community of people that also like this show, including the friends and significant others of those on the cast. I’ve met local drag queens and burlesque dancers and and on a first name basis with may of them. Rocky Horror Picture Show is part of a amazing larger community of performers and amazingly talented people in Richmond. I have met so many local people who are heading straight to the top of the charts in their chosen profession or hobby because of this show. I will be forever grateful!

I even met my boyfriend at a Rocky Horror Picture Show. He came to a show and was drunk by Eddie’s debut. I knew he was coming to the show and was super nervous! From then on though it was all flirting and cuteness. Apparently, Rocky Horror Picture Show controls my life!

Such a loving couple.

In my future with the Rocky Horror Picture Show cast, I plan to take on more roles. I want to be a person that can fill any character needed at the time. My next task will be Dr. Frank-N-Furter. He’s the biggest character to take on, but I think I am ready to do it! I know I have the support of my cast behind me. They would help me through any obstacles that I come across. I’m not sure where I will be with this cast in the next few years. I hope I still find it as fulfilling as I do now. If I move on from it though, I will always remember the loving relationships I made here and I will definitely always remember those silly callbacks!

40: Act on Passions: It’s just a jump to the left

I have very few problems with Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Sometimes though, it feels like I waste my life on it. I have a drawer full of costuming. I have spent hours sewing sequins and ribbons on clothes. I have searched thrift stores for days to find the perfect shoes. I have a box full of otherwise useless makeup. Glitter, gluesticks, dark brown foundation. I have so much brain space taken up by this movie. Every line, every scene in order. When a callback comes and what to say exactly, throughout the entire movie. What props need to be on stage for every scene and the scene after it. I know a ton of random facts about the show.

In the original stage production of the show, Tim Curry was blonde.

Dr. Scott busts through the wall because they forgot to make a door in the lab.

When the show first aired, it flopped, but gained success as a midnight show.

Riff Raff’s shoes have a cuban heel (curved in at the back like a cowboy boot).

Columbia’s floorshow corset is on upside down.

There is an actual Easter egg hidden under Frank’s silver chair. (seen below)

But then I remember that these people are like my family! It seems like a chore to have to some months. When I have too many other things to do, and it just seems like another obligation. Parties come up, exams are the next day, friends are in town, but then I get to Rocky Horror and see my cast and I remember why I love it! These people are a second family. They know me and my troubles and my strengths. They have helped me through hard times. They get concerned that I eat enough and that I’m being safe getting to the shows. When I brought my boyfriend to a show, it was like introducing him to my family. I was glad when they approved and told me he was a good one.

Like a family, we have our problems and our arguments, but at the end of the day, we all go to breakfast after the show and chat about our lives and interests, which are generally quite nerdy.

I’ve learned a lot about myself from Rocky Horror Picture Show. I gained a lot of my self-confidence through doing the show. I spend every show in front of an audience acting, and often acting in my underwear. Because of this, I’m confident in my body and my ability to rock that stage! From running the merch table, I have grown in my selling skills as well as my ability to talk to people and explain everything we have to offer in a few seconds to grab their attention.

All in all, I believe that I am a better person because of Rocky Horror Picture Show.

 

39: Act on Passions: Don’t dream it, be it

After being Columbia for a whole year, I realized that our only Riff Raff was going to be studying abroad and that we needed a new person to play him. I decided to step up to the plate. Being Riff Raff was a whole different animal. Columbia is bright and cheery and confident throughout the movie. Riff Raff is mopey, a bit strung out and angry. It took a few shows to get used to it, but I eventually settled into the character, with my own twist.

Women rarely play Riff Raff in Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow casts. It is a traditionally male played character. I wanted to girl it up a bit! This was a big moment because it took the confidence in the rest of the cast in me to trust that I could do it and still be an effective Riff Raff. Thankfully they did!

For reference, here is our old, male Riff Raff and me as Columbia

And here is me as the new Riff Raff, complete with a sequin bra

Not the best photo face, but it shows off my feminine cut jacket and shirt and sequined bra. I also do my makeup in pinks and purples, except for those deep cut cheekbones, of course!

From taking on this second character, I must have proved something to the managers, because they asked me to be the manager of the transies. It is my responsibility to teach all of the new transies the Time Warp and what they should wear for the show. It is a huge responsibility because it is the part the audience generally come in already knowing. They know what to expect for this! They have real expectations that I have to meet with my transies! The good part is that I am incredibly proud of my transies! They are willing to learn and willing to change when I ask.

I am also in charge of running the merch table, at least for the last few months and until our merch queen returns after having her baby. This is also the cast managers putting a lot of trust in me to run the table and large amounts of cash, really, our only income.

It’s really a wonderful feeling to have people put that much trust into you. I hope I do not disappoint them, and take their points to improve at every turn.

For funzies, here is a picture from the end of the show when I’m Riff Raff

 

 

38: Act on Passions: It seemed a fairly ordinary night

I got started in Rocky Horror a year and a half ago after only seeing the movie twice beforehand. I started as a props person, which was a great place to start. I had to learn every part of the movie and the order it went in, so I could have the props set out and ready for the face characters to use. It’s a lot like being a behind the scenes, tech person for theater. I started with a large group of people on Halloween weekend and I was the only one to stick around for the next month.

After earning my wings as a props person, I moved up to being a transie, a party goer and member of the planet Transexual, where Riff Raff, Magenta, and Frank are from (post 37 has the whole plot written out if you’re confused). Transies still set up props for the majority of the show, but also get the fun of dancing the Time Warp, which is the one song everyone seems to know from Rocky Horror Picture Show.

By February, I was more comfortable with the show. I knew every scene in order and the props it needed. I told the manager that I wanted to start playing Columbia, so I spent a month making my own costume. I hand sewed a ton of sequins to a tank top and a corset, and ribbons to pair of shorts. I collected the perfect socks, fishnets, pajamas and shoes. I was ready!

I was ready. I knew my lines. But I was so nervous! I would be on stage in my underwear. With a whole audience watching me, with a screen behind me. I couldn’t watch it while I was performing, so I had to know everything that was going on on the screen by what was said. The first show, I was really nervous. After the second show, I was getting better. I improved every show, watching it several times before the show every month and practicing in my house.

The strangest part was that I started to get past the whole, being in my underwear, thing. I’m not sure what changed exactly. Maybe I got more confident in that I was screen accurate. Maybe I just stopped caring what the audience thought about my body.

I think that this is probably the best thing I have learned from doing Rocky Horror Picture Show. I became more confident in myself. I could be in front of an audience. And not even just that, I could be in a corset and thigh highs in front of an audience! I didn’t care what they thought about my body or my acting or me in general. They could all be sitting there thinking “What a walrus of a human being that is” and I wouldn’t care!

This has translated to me being more confident in my day to day life. My fashion choices grew. I cut off all my hair, because I look damn good with short hair. If I meet someone and they don’t like me, that doesn’t bother me. They can go away. I have confidence in my job too. If my makeup is a bit off one day, who the hell cares? I can talk to just about anyone I meet.

37: Act on Passions: I would like to take you on a strange journey

My one of my passions is The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical from the 1970’s. It stars Tim Curry as the mad scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

Susan Sarandon as newly engaged woman, Janet Weiss. Barry Bostwick as Brad Majors, Janet’s soon-to-be husband.

Little Nell as Columbia, a groupie and fan of Frank. Patricia Quinn as Magenta, a maid. Richard O’Brien stars as the butler, Riff Raff, and is also the creator of the original play and many of the songs.

The story follows Brad and Janet as they get engaged, then as they are driving one night, they get a flat tire. They remembering seeing a castle up the road and go there to see if there is a phone they can use. They then get swept up into a party of Transylvanians. Frank invites them to see his newest creation, a man. A man made for Frank to use sexually. It’s a weird movie, don’t get me wrong.

Things go downhill for Brad and Janet from there. They watch Frank murder an old creation. Then they are forced to stay the night, where Frank comes into their separate bedrooms, and … well let’s just say this movie is rated R. Then Janet gets mad a Brad and sleeps with the creation, Rocky. Frank gets mad at all of them. Then a former Nazi and science teacher of Brad and Janet shows up, looking for his nephew, who Frank murdered a few scenes earlier.

They all have a very angry dinner together, which ends in a chase scene. Frank then turns them all to stone to get ready for the floorshow, aka, a dance scene.

During their group dance, the butler and maid (Riff Raff and Magenta) burst in and state that they are in charge now and will be returning to their home planet, without Frank. After a heartfelt song, Frank and a few others are killed, and the entire house gets lifted up to go home to the planet of Transexual.

It’s a weird movie. A movie that I have seen at least 100 times. I did not look up the order of these scenes before writing them, and it’s been a month since I last saw it. That’s how well I know this movie.

The reason I know it so well is because I am part of Orgasmic Rush of Lust, Richmond’s only Rocky Horror Picture Show live shadow cast. We perform the movie the first weekend of every month at BowTie Cinemas, acting it out in front of the screen while the movie plays on the screen behind us.Part of the fun of the show is that there are callbacks that the audience can yell at the screen. The callbacks are generally mean and hopefully dirty.

I joined the cast after I had only seen the live show twice. I started because it seemed like fun! A good way for me to get out of my shell a bit and try something new. I started on props, then moved to be a Transylvanian, then into the face characters of Columbia and Riff Raff. I’ve been doing it for a year and a half and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it!

36: Opposite of Indulging: Makeup makes the world go ’round

Indulging for many people is getting new makeup. Something nice and probably a bit overpriced that make you feel like a million bucks when you wear it. The opposite of that is dollar store makeup. It’s cheap. It’s normally sparkly and bright, but doesn’t last long.

Dollar store makeup is meant for kids to play with. For them, it is an indulgence! They are allowed to buy some with a few dollars that they earned or were given. They can choose whatever colors they like. They get to play and pretend to be adults for a little while. To little kids, dollar store makeup is the chance to be a artist on their own faces. They make a game of it, doing each other’s makeup and trying new things. They don’t care that blue eyeshadow is a bit too 1980’s for today. They like the color and they are going to use it, no matter what.

I think that as adults, we need to return to this level of fun with our makeup. For many of us, it has become a chore. Everyday, foundation, mascara, eyeliner, neutral eyeshadow, bronzer, blush. It’s an easy system, and we can do it half asleep. I think people should be encouraged to have fun with their makeup again! Use bright colors during the day! Wear a red lipstick! Wear a purple lipstick! Who cares!

 

My everyday makeup.

I decided to play with my makeup! Blue and green eyeshadow and purple lipstick! Way outside what I’d be comfortable wearing normally

I decided to play with my own makeup. I learned some new things! Like a blue in my makeup pallet that looks amazing on me, that I normally would have never tried. I’m thinking I’ll try something similar next time I go out for a party!

As kids, makeup was an activity done at parties. You would have the opportunity to play with new colors. Have your friends do your makeup. Try new techniques you know probably won’t work on you, but they just seem too fun! Try glitter, hell, try full on sequins on your face!

I think that an event HD could sponsor would be a day of doing makeup like we did as kids. It’s an indulgence to get to be a tiny artist on your own face or someone else’s face. HD could take over an open space in a mall and provide nice, expensive makeup for people to come through and use. Friend groups would be encouraged to do each other’s makeup. People would be encouraged to try something that they normally wouldn’t try. Something that scared them a little to try, like a bright blue eyeshadow. It would be an indulgent experience to use the expensive makeup and to have fun trying new things and to be a kid again.

35: Opposite of Indulging: (sink laundry)

Doing laundry is a chore, yes, but think of how amazing you feel after having done it. All of your favorite clothes are clean! You smell awesome because of that new fabric softener you bought! You can wear anything you want! A whole closet is up for grabs to you! The world is yours! You can dress any way you want!!

But, thinking of the opposite of that luxury of clean clothes, I think of not having clean clothes. And when it gets to be so bad, that you are forced to wash essential items in the sink because you do not have the time or money to go to the laundry mat. The you spray your jeans with Febreeze and Old Spice body spray, and continue for another couple of weeks until it gets so pathetic that you find a few hours one day and do all your laundry, even bed sheets and towels.

Fun fact: 90% of my socks are polka-dots

Washing socks and underwear in the sink is kind of gross. You try to do it when roommates aren’t around, so you are judged too hard. Then you try to find places around your room to hang them until they all dry, but they never have the same soft and clean feeling as when they are washed in a washing machine.

This got me to thinking. If sink laundry is the absolute opposite of indulgence, and washing machine laundry every week or two is just a normal, responsible human being chore, then what can make doing laundry a luxury, besides having clean clothes?

What if your clothes had a sweet vanilla scent? Or strawberries? Or lemon sorbet? It would be awesome! Sure, that clean laundry smell is great, and sometimes you can get fancy and have a lavender scent, but the sweet, sugary smell of ice cream would be fantastic!

I think HD could get in on this market of a new kind of indulgence, Ice Cream scented laundry detergent. They would be a great way to make even the most mundane chore a little bit more of a luxury. If every time you did laundry, the clothes all smelled like a favorite dessert treat.

What would make it even better is if they made a laundry detergent in small packs that could be used in the sink. Fill a sink, or large container with water and drop one of these packets in. Your opposite of a luxury laundry day in the sink can be made a little nicer with a fantastic smell.

34: Opposite of Indulging: Party Pails never die

One night, I came home and opened the freezer to get some ice. My freezer looks like the average college kid freezer. A few bottles of liquor, some frozen ground beef, ice cubes. That’s normally it. That night though, there was an entire container of Party Pail ice cream.

I asked my roommate about it the next day. Did he find it on the street? Did he make the adult decision to buy a giant container of ice cream to eat alone? Was he planning a party for 5 year olds? Why would a 23 year old man buy Party Pail ice cream on a whim? The answer was that a friend of his had it, intending to eat it as a celebration for moving into their apartment, but had never gotten around to it. They had offered it to him and he, of course, accepted the offer with open arms.

good lord it even has a handle

If you have never had the pleasure of eating Party Pail ice cream, let me tell you, it is not very good. It’s edible, yes, but it’s meant to be a cheap, bulk item for children’s parties. Not for the refined pallet of adults. It is not the sweet indulgent flavor of HD, nor does it try to be anything but what it is. But it was free, and how do you turn down free food, let alone free ice cream? The answer is that you don’t.

Even though this weird item living in our freezer was not very good, we found ways to work with it. We made smoothies and milkshakes. We ate it in celebration of my roommate getting into grad school. We used it as a simple way to quickly indulge in a treat, even though this was not an indulgently flavored item in our freezer. It turned into a way for us to spend some time together. We didn’t need to plan to have nice food in our house to celebrate with, we didn’t need to go out to get something. If we both found ourselves at home and one had something to celebrate, or had had a bad day and needed some cheering up, the Party Pail was there.

It took us a couple of months to finally consume all of the Party Pail. It never tasted any better, but that didn’t really matter because we were using it as a way to talk and indulge by just taking some time out of our day and talking to each other. I finally finished the Party Pail one night after having spent the whole day writing a seven page paper.

I’m not at all trying to say that the Party Pail was the indulgent part of this. It wasn’t. But having the treat ready to go in my freezer without thinking about was. It’s like having a break from your day ready to go at all times. You don’t have to run to the store. You don’t have to think about whether or not it is there. It is.

Party Pails never die.

33: Narrow Ended Goal: Sharing is caring

Narrow Ended Goal: Broke college kid that still wants to binge on some ice cream every week, without breaking the bank.

So, this post is basically me making a thing for myself. I, like many of my other college buddies, do not have much disposable income. Sure, we have a few dollars here and there to blow, but a $5 pint of ice cream is not one of the things we like to get. It’s too small and the excitement is short lived. HD does not pander to us. Ben and Jerry’s does, with names like ‘Half-Baked’, but even then, most of us simply do not have the money to spend on ice cream.

What we need is a cheaper, but still indulgent ice cream that we can have. While HD would never waver on their quality, I think that they could do an almost two for one deal. something that could be shared by two people, each splitting half the cost. This could be shared by two crying friends or two movie watchers or a loving couple. It would be a larger container,  split right down the middle with two flavors. Preferably, two flavors that work well together, so one spoon with both flavors intertwined doesn’t taste awful.

The main idea to this is that it would be a larger container. A pint and a half seems ideal to me for this. It needs to be big enough for two people to share the entire container in one sitting without feeling ill at the end, but still more than a pint, because let’s face it, a pint is never enough for two people. I can eat a whole pint myself and probably will after this project is over. (A pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Or beer.)

Ben and Jerry’s takes over the world.

Ben and Jerry’s has had a very similar idea, with their new Core ice cream. It has a center of the lovable goo that is normally swirled around in the ice cream. This, while it does sound delicious, is not the same idea though. It is going to be more expensive and is not physically more ice cream.

I want people to pay about the same for a a pint and a half of two flavors, so they are each only paying about $3-4 for an indulgent treat to share. This price is easy for each person to pay. They each get a flavor they like and since the two flavors would be equal in the container, there is no question as to who ate more and should pay more for the treat. It takes the guesswork out of sharing and gives a treat for not one, but two broke college kids at a time.

Or one person could buy the whole thing and be a happy camper. Whatever floats your boat.