Jump

I played a character who was silly and most definitely stupid. He's a good-for-nothing slacker who sits around all day waiting to win 4-D. He's a disgusting, loathesome character. Someone for everyone to laugh at; the butt of all the jokes. He's funny, but in a pathetic way. He's a handsome chap though, which was why I agreed to play him. Regardless, it's probably his only redeeming feature. He drinks, smokes and waves to pretty girls who walk by.

Especially if she is freaking hot, in jaw-dropping 3-inch heels and a little black dress and channeling Britney Spears.

If there's one thing he has though, it's the drive.

Drive, and crazy determination. That is why I probably enjoyed myself so much. What do characters do so that the audience can relate to them? Play, with undying determination, to the character's goal. And this guy gets what he wants.

He lost his potential winning 4D ticket to the wind.

If it were me, I would give up. It's a ridiculous fight. I'd mull over it and get on with life.

He didn't. Odds are nothing. He just got off his ass and ran. He ran and he ran and he ran. He hopped, skipped and jump. He tried to snatch it out of the sky. He tried to use both hands to lay a clap on it. He even wanted to body slam it when it touched the ground but he might as well have used a butterfly net with a hole the size of a bowling ball. It is heart warming to see a person try so hard. It's the reason why we root for the underdog.

The fucking ticket even flew into the water and he jumped in with utter disregard for wet underwear!

Sometimes we second-guess ourselves too much. We hesitate. We doubt. We wait for more guarantees. Extra-comfort. Someone to give our confidence a boost. Someone to say that they'd be there if we fail. We think. We pause.

And we think of the what-ifs that aren't helpful at all.

Instead, plunge into the deep end. Regardless. The path is in front of you. Uncertainty is a wasteful emotion.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Edit: I just touched the area above my left eyebrow and I felt a bump caused by my attempts at being Jackie Chan during the playground scene. And I find it an insanely apt metaphor for setbacks, pain and disappointment.

Dust yourself up and try again.