Lay Off, Will Ya?!

People really need to stop getting all angry and shit over Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) trying to expand his horizons. For those of you who haven't been following, or live under a rock, the young boy wizard (as he'd prefer not to be called) has a role in the play Equus in which his character has an erotic relationship with horses. He also happens to spend part of the play nude.

I was reading an article today, and some father wrote in to say that Master Radcliffe was once a role model for his son, but that he would no longer be going to see the Harry Potter films, or any other work starring Daniel, for that matter (damn that's a long sentence). Well, mister, I can tell you right now that if your boy wants it bad enough, he'll find a way to see the rest of the Harry Potter movies. You are also teaching him that to expand ones horizons is a bad thing. Mr Radcliffe is simply trying to become more than just the kid who played Harry Potter in like 8 movies. Can you really fault him for that?

Well, no, would be the answer. Because the REAL issue here is that Mr Radcliffe has a part that involves being nude on stage. Something most of you probably don't know, is that he is also only 17 years old. I'm positive that some sicko will attend the play if only for the chance to see the little soldier (not that it's little, or big for that matter).

I gotta say, Equus is a helluva play, and a very daring role. We had it done at McGill and it was very popular amongst the students. It's a challenging role, and requires the actor to contend with some pretty serious issues (love for horse, yes more than just that kind of love). In my opinion, Daniel is taking a chance to step out of the HP shadow and become an actor with more than just a passing likeness to a character from a book. He's trying to broaden his repertoire, and show that he can do more than just recite ridiculous-sounding spells while waving a wand.

Seriously, the boy has talent (that's debatable, I know) and we'd all like to see what else he can do. This is evidenced by our most recent child-actor-turned-serious-movie-mogul, Leonardo DiCaprio. He started out as this kid, who got the role of a lifetime as Jack Dawson on James Cameron's Titanic. And now look at him. He got nominated twice in the same category for the Golden Globes, essentially running against himself for an award!! He has outgrown the young, "look who cute I am" phase of his career, which actually prompted a withdrawal from the stage light to find projects that were worth doing.

Kudos to you, Mr Radcliffe for doing something beyond the typical child actor stereotype. And shame on all you parents for dismissing what could be the best move of his entire career, keeping in mind that it's HIS career for chrissakes.

Reminiscence...

There are times when I really miss university. I miss the routine of a set of courses each week, most of which could be skipped if the material was online. I miss having friends around 24/7, with whom I would procrastinate (on Facebook). I miss the focused direction of energy during exam periods where you knew what you had to know, and you studied it. Make note, I don't miss exams in the least.

University was fun, it was exciting, it was new. Something was always going on, things were constantly in motion. I feel as though now that I'm in the "real" world, things slow down quite a bit. My job, for instance, isn't as dynamic as McGill campus. I'm stuck at a desk, in front of a computer for 8 hours of a day. For 5 days straight. I don't have the luxury of going for coffee in the middle of the afternoon with friends. I can't spend hours on Facebook because shit needs to get done (not that I would, or did). And I can't skip out on work since my mom is the boss.

But then I remember this time of the year. When McGill managed to muck up the exam schedule such that we'd be writing exams one after another. I remember that instead of being paid, I was paying. I remember how little my existence meant to the university. Life sure has changed in 6 months.

Being a working member of society certainly has its advantages. I get paid every 2 weeks. I can leave my work at work (most of the time). I'm not pulling all-nighters for an exam that matters very little in the grand scheme of things. And I have a say in the direction of my company. No longer am I just a 9-digit number who forks out several thousand dollars per year. Those days are long past.

To think, just 8 months ago, I was suffocating in grasp of McGill's administration. Worrying over my grades and the graduation that got postponed. So much has changed in so little time. Hell, even the city of Montreal is fading in my memory. I'm rediscovering my hometown, reforging relationships with my family. What hasn't changed are the friendships that were forged over the past 5 years. Many did not survive, but many more did. I have a wife now (so-to-speak), and friends I'll be seeing when I get over to the other side of the Pacific. I'm more comfortable in my skin than I've ever been, and I'm moving towards a new destination. A new career.

We all look to the past for inspiration. I think now it's time to look to the future. So here's to walking off into the sunset, and all that lay beyond it....