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Monday, October 30, 2006


"How I Became an Actor"

Today I took a much-needed day off from work, and spent most of it engaged in one of my favorite hobbies -- Star Trek CCG. In short, it's a popular (and painstakingly strategic) Star Trek customizable card game that first hit the market back in 1994. I've been a fan ever since.

In the mid-to-late 90's (when I was still in high school), I had a best friend with whom I would often get together, and he and I would challenge each other under the rules of the game. Usually he won, but it was immense fun nonetheless, and provided me with much inspiration. Years later, I still play, only now it's morphed into a solitary strategy game in which I tend to set up realistic recreations of various "events" or periods within the Star Trek universe, play out the random nature of the game, and see what happens.

Today I recreated the entirety of seasons 1-3 of the the television show, Deep Space Nine, based solely upon the cards in my collection. (Yeah, I know, I'm a "geek" -- but proud of it!).

Sure, the game ended up playing out contrary to the original television spisodes, but, it goes to show a unique part of my personality. Not only am I a dedicated Star Trek fan with an active imagination, but I absolutely love strategy games that require great patience and can end up creating historical "what-if's". I love the opportunity to dream up alternate realities that could result if certain events had happened differently. I long to be a storyteller.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Throughout life, I've also taken an interest in roleplaying, such as with a group of friends back in college (Star Trek and Star Wars universes), I enjoy board game and computer-based Civil War strategy games, I love realistic MLB baseball recreations, I'm a huge fan of games such as Axis and Allies, and empire-building simulations. I've also been known to draw detailed maps of far-off worlds, and use my drawing skills to dream up entirely new starship designs. I even run a popular online Star Trek roleplaying game!

In short, I've developed an addiction to exploring history ever since I was young, and I've found ways to use my creativity and imagination to dream up new ways to play within that history. Heck, I was even a serious Civil War reenactor for ten years of my life. I portrayed the field musician (aka, "little drummer boy"), and later as I grew older, I even carried a live rifle. And if that's not enough, I was also a first-person interpreter at a "historic village", as well as at a National Historic Fort.

Yes, I admit it, I have a passion for history, and finding ways -- in my free time -- to learn more by recreating it. But, that's only part of how I became an actor...

Back in grade school (K-8), after I had already been a Civil War reenactor for a number of years, I discovered the stage. I had a few small roles here and there, nothing stellar. But then my family moved from small town Wisconsin up to big city Minnesota. I finished the last year and a half of grade school, and started high school. During my sophomore year, I gave up playing JV baseball, and instead focused all my extra-cirricular attention on theatre. I increased my roles and started to improve my acting interests. I found a new home for my imagination.

Then came college, and by choice, more theatrical training -- this time on a professional scale. I found myself acting in a few Hollywood films. I took an interest in local/regional film and theatre. I graduated with a degree in Creativity (art), and four years of study in acting. Then I entered the "real world". Now I actually make a living exploring my imagination and playing pretend. And, more often than not, my time goes toward entertaining others, and inspiring them to be creative.

So, what have I learned from all this?

It is -- without a doubt -- who you are, and where you come from, that determines you will become. Even the little things can shape your future.

All of this -- my intense love of history and playing pretend -- started because of a simple childhood interest in learning more about the past... an interest that eventually blossomed into a full-scale hobby of reenacting it in real life. A simple love for watching a favorite science fiction television show, blossomed into a passion to learn more about that fictional environment, and in turn, the real-life production that went into filming it.

Who would have known fifteen years ago, that that ten-year-old kid who loved reading about the American Civil War, or dreaming about the Star Trek universe, would one day see his face up on the big screen in a movie theatre, or have his name advertised on a playbill for a professional theatre show he would be in?

It's amazing really. We all start out so small in life, yet with passion and determination, anything we dream of can become a reality. Never give up on that dream, no matter how unusual it may seem. Grab it, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride!

Then, someday, maybe you'll be the one looking back and saying, "Yep. This is how I became who I am. This is where my passions led me."

Be passionate. Be you. And above all, sieze the day!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon

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Jon Baas

Blogging Since 2002!
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USS Enterprise 1701-D
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