Suck Less: Encouraging Quotes from My High School Drama Teacher

I have recently rediscovered a comfortable place in the theatre department. I can't help but think about my early theatre days.
My high school drama teacher/director was a true genius. He lifted Jerome High School's theatre program from the ground up. And by "the ground," I mean a 6 ft pit in the ground. He now teaches at College of Southern Idaho. He was one of my mentors in my teen years and basically introduced me to drama. He complimented me a few times. But these quotes are different. Most of these quotes listed below were directed at me. But in his defense, I had it coming each time. I believe he's said worse things to other people. But these are the ones I witnessed. In alphabetical order!

"Act!"
His response to people not acting.
"Every time you wear that shirt, it looks like you have techno boobs."
In nregards to my "2 turntables and a microphone" Beck t-shirt.
"God Scott, wasn't that a little racist?"
I know what I said. And it was.
"Hey Christian music: Get some talent!"
Upon changing stations in the car.
"I wish I was a football coach so I could swear at you."
To the whole team.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Scott Hall has to pee!"
Announced to the Kiss Me Kate cast.
"Nobody's gonna buy that."
After I performed a 1-miniute audition piece; my directly Bible-quoted, 1-man acting adaptation of Mary being toldshe would give birth the Jesus.
"Scott, this cost me over 100 dollars..."
I turned in my Kiss Me Kate script 6 months late. Brown said this to me and I just crept away. 
"Scott, Vince's has only been my T.A. for a week and he's accomplished 10 times more than you ever did all last semester."
He was right.  
"Scott... wow..."
Senior year, in the van on the way to Boise. I said the most inappropriate joke in the world right in front of him and a van full people, innocent girls included.
"Scott, you can't just go and start painting without being told what to do! Now we have to do this whole thing different."
Painting the Greater Tuna set; a bright green stripe across a black flat.
"SHUUUUUT! UUUUUP!!!!"
This was backstage of It's A Wonderful Life. Directed to everyone. We all remember. 
"So you're not contributing to society in any way at all?"
I was 19, waiting for mission papers. No job. No school.
"Somebody PLEASE stop this. NOW."
Me, Wyatt and Brian did an improv piece... it was a commercial for a gay cruise...
"Suck less!"
Acting advice... So many times....
"Thank you, Scott, for knowing all of the words to that song and not helping us out AT ALL."
One day, I rapped to Beck's "Loser" and "Where It's At" while everybody else actually built a set for It's A Wonderful Life.
"That was dumb. That was just stupid."
Me, Wyatt and a few others did a prop-centered piece put together in 20 minutes. We passed a Christmas present around to each other and told made-up stories of family members dying on Christmas. I could tell he was talking to me when he said this.
"...This is so gay..."
Mr. Brown is my hero. He taught me and all my fellow classmates to never say "gay" or "retarded" in a derogatory manner. He never said it. I was 18 on opening night for the human-rights classic Laramie Project, the cast put together some money to buy him a classic director's chair. When he saw it, he sat down and was trying not to cry. This suddenly turned into a mischievous snicker and saying this. To me, it was the least expected, funniest thing in the world.
"Those assholes!"(starts running)
Me, Brown, Luke, Jeff Horgan, Wyatt and Brian were walking the streets of Coeur d'Alene after state drama. Heading straight to Arby's. As we walked, 2 school buses had parked in the Arby's parking lot. We all ran very fast that night.
"What are you doing up here? Get out!"
Multiple times, in the tech booth, to everybody. "What is this recycled garbage???"
He walked into his room while some girls had cranked up Kely Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You."  
"Yeah I'm worried about you. I never know what's gonna come out of your mouth."
Referring to me singing an improv song about him for the Kiss Me Kate audition and me yelling "Kiss her, dammit!" at a It's A Wonderful Life rehearsal. 
"You guys better get your shit together."
I'm sure he's said this multiple times. But I definitely remember him saying this to me, Wyatt and Brian the week before Complete Works of Shakespeare and we weren't memorized. 
"You guys suck out there. It's not even funny. It's like you're not even trying."
Talking to Vince & I during lunch after seeing us host Tigermania.  
"You lazy bastard."
Referring to Wyatt not getting his driver's license.  
"You're doing okay, Scott. I still haven't had to give you a 'come-to-Jesus' meeting."
And I never did, thank goodness.

What Will We Remember? Songs of 2014

Via research: The most critically acclaimed songs of 2014 (from all publications end-of-year songs lists).

1- Seasons (Waiting On You) Future Islands
2- Chandelier Sia
3- Two Weeks FKA Twigs 
4- Never Catch Me Flying Lotus (ft Kendrick Lamar)
5- Red Eyes The War On Drugs
6- Queen Perfume Genius
7- Can't Do Without You Caribou
8- (Club Goin' Up On A) Tuesday iLoveMakonnen (ft Drake)
9- Close Your Eyes (And Count To F***) Run The Jewels (ft Zack de la Rocha)
10- Move That Dope Future (ft Pharrell, Pusha T, Casino)
11- Drunk In Love Beyonce (ft Jay-Z)
12- ***Flawless Beyonce (ft Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
13- Blank Space Taylor Swift
14- Turn Down For What DJ Snake & Lil John
15- Shake It Off Taylor Swift
16- Transgender Dysphoria Blues Against Me!
17- Blockbuster Night Part 1Run The Jewels
18- 0 to 100 Drake
19- Digital Witness St. Vincent
20- i Kendrick Lamar

Scott E Hall's 2014 Power Rankings

Hey everybody! 

Here's a list of things I learned to love in 2014. Some of them have been around for a long time, but I never got into until 2014. Some of these things are very much "only-in-2014" things. Things that lasted throughout the year- hobbies, music, public figures- that have never filled my tear before. It's my year-in-review, in list format. Lists & Reviews... my 2 favorite things!

Much like college sports power rankings, I have a top 25.

HERE WE GO

#25: Salt Lake City, UT 

I used to hate SLC, now I love it. I had a lot of great memories there this year, but I got lost downtown back in May and it kinda sucked, thus this isn't in my top 10.

#24: Arthur Russell

"Humble-man's" disco is the coolest idea ever. I've been missing out on this guy! Yet my fave track by him is his James Taylor-esque "I Couldn't Say It To Your Face." 

#23: Annie Clark

I knew she was great before, but really, who else plays guitar like that?

#22: Team rap

I had UGK's "Int'l Player's Anthem" memorized by March. My favorite rap song of 2014 was "Close Your Eyes..." by Run The Jewels. Also got into Kanye's "Gone" for some reason.

#21: Car radios

I'll never forget driving in my 1999 Ford Escort and listening to music with the window down for 10 days in June. This would rank higher if my car didn't shortly self-destruct.

#20: Organs

I LOVE organs! I'm listening to The Band as I write this!

#19: Girls Album

Finally heard this whole album this year. It was surprisingly emotional and lovable. This album is 10 times better than their 2011 crap.

#18: Logan Canyon

Logan canyon isn't the prettiest thing in the world, but I explored the whole thing this summer. The best parts are at the top.

#17: Burial Untrue

I bought this album specifically so I can have 24/7 headphone access to it.

#16: The ever-growing Run The Jewels empire

"Everybody doin' it!"

#15: Steve Kerr

My favorite NBA team hired Kerr as head coach, now they're the league's most dominant team! They used to be a fun, unpredictable team to watch. Now we all just expect them to win!

#14: The Statesman

I wrote music reviews (and occasional news stories) for USU's newspaper in 2014. 

#13: Love songs
I started making themed playlists on spotify: 100 Love Songs, 100 Love Songs pt 2, 200 Love Songs (attempt). There's nothing better than a good, unique love song!
#12: Mark Kozelek
Sun Kil Moon's Benji was my album of the year. I didn't like his other stuff much, but then I discovered Mark's 90s band Red House Painters! "Katy Song" made me cry on the first listen.
#11: Stephin Merritt
Digging into The Magnetic Fields has completely turned my mind around about songwriting. His lyrical content and diverse reflections of "love," make him a unique, personable leader.
#10: Concerts
Neutral Milk Hotel (w/ Elf Power), TV on the Radio (w/ Twin Shadow), Beck (w/ Future Islands). Considering I only go to a couple concerts a year, I think I hit a jackpot.
#9: Providence, UT
I'll never forget driving around Providence and Millville in the first half of the year. I'll never forget running 10 miles on a Saturday morning through Providence as old people waved at me from their porches. I know Providence/west Cache like the back of my hand.
#8: Blogging 
Between posts and drafts, I have over 140 on this 30-month-old blog. 97 were from 2014. I also started 2 new blogs during the year. This is my new hobby. Thank you 2014.
#7: Powerade
I bought a Powerade every day this summer. My obsession was getting pretty bad.
#6: Future Islands "Seasons (Waiting On You)"
The 1st time I heard this song, I was like, "This is good." I thought that all year long and it only grew on me. And I'm not the only one. "Seasons" is on more "top-10-songs-of-the-year" lists than any other song, as well as the most #1 spots. And did you see this performance on Letterman? 2014 Dominance.
#5: Broken Social Scene You Forgot It In People
I never listened to this album until April this year. It was surprisingly life-changing. I expected a very much 2000s indie album, but it's so much more than that. It's a lyrically interpretive, musically energetic, emotional, adolescent experience. It makes me think about running away from everything and being with my friends all at within 55 minutes. Every song on here has a new place in my life.
#4: Taco Bell

Their dollar menu changed my life. In August, I would wait until midnight on Sundays and buy stuff there on the Sabbath's immediate end.
#3: Deerhunter Halcyon Digest / Bradford Cox 
I probably listened to Halcyon Digest more than any other album this year. To me, it's full of joy. Yet it's an awkward, affordable expression of loneliness. I always thought of Deerhunter as some overrated Pitchfork crap, but I realized who they really were once I understood Bradford Cox's personality (you should wiki him). And "Desire Lines" is my new favorite guitar track.
#2: 2014 Albums
Benji. To Be Kind. Run The Jewels 2. LP1. Plowing Into The Field Of Love. Lost In The Dream. Black Messiah. pom pom. You're Dead! ...AM I MISSING ANYTHING? It was just so full of music that I will probably be keeping around for a long time.
#1: Logan YSA 35th Ward 
I loved living on the island. I sometimes miss Cambridge Court. I remember my crazy roommate kicking cars in the middle of the night and getting arrested. I remember talking with my neighbors about dating. I remember waking up to a bird's nest with chicken eggs on my car. I remember being in the Elders Quorum Presidency with Dell Durant, Ryan Burt and Jaque Johansen. I remember people lending me their knee braces when I struggled training for my half-marathon. I remember jam sessions, dinners and game nights. I remember Bishop Skeen pinning one of my Statesman articles on the ward bulletin board. All those things within 4 months! Thanks guys.