Saturday, May 19, 2012

Captain Kirk!!!

A picture of the plaque at Riverside, Iowa, re...
A picture of the plaque at Riverside, Iowa, reading "Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk March 22, 2228". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I was speaking with my daughter recently, as I get to do, as, I'm her dad, and I came to the conclusion that improv is everything. And the ultimate example of it comes to me in the form of, Captain Kirk.

I do understand that he's a character from a fictional TV show that aired first in the 60's, however, it follows that his method for original thinking in pressure situations is what made him unique.

I'm always reminded of the scene from A Piece of the Action when he becomes a mobster, in order to undo the violation of the Prime Directive that was made when a previous starship visited the planet what was it, a hundred years ago?

The best illustration of Kirk's improv ability comes from his creation of the game of Fizzbin. A mythical card game he makes up on the spot, and he even has Spock to back him up, and fill in the details. "Each player gets six cards. Except for the dealer, and the guy on the dealer's right, who get seven, except on Tuesday," is how he starts out. The henchmen guarding Kirk and Spock are immediately sucked into the game, and distracted to the point wherein Kirk 'accidentally' drops a card on the floor, and everyone looks at it. Kirk flips the table, Spock takes out another with a Vulcan nerve pinch, and they make their escape.

I've spoken several times before, or at least once, about that you don't wake up with a script on your nightstand, telling you what to do, where to go, and what to say. We are not robots, we have free will to do as we want, and we are accountable to whomever you hold in high regard. You may have a plan as to what you're going to do today, but you truly don't know how that's going to turn out.

You may have to improvise. Thinking on your feet is a valuable skill, that can be cultivated, and learned. You probably won't have to escape from henchmen that are holding you prisoner, however, there may be a situation in your life where you find yourself unexpectedly.

At which point, you might have to play Fizzbin.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.
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