One of my acting classmates blew me away with a piece of unsolicited feedback the other day. After viewing an impromptu acting performance where we were encouraged to say things that are not said in polite company, my classmate whispered to me,

“I think you’re dying to be more provocative.”

She had me pegged. The technique we’re learning encourages us to notice and verbalize things that we wouldn’t generally say in typical social situations. For instance, things like, “you’re legs look hot,” or “you look disheveled,” or “you have a big nose,” are all statements that are encouraged in the classroom. What we say can’t be fake — it must be truthful to ourselves, and not forced — but it’s meant to help each actor explore a full range of emotion brought on by another person.

The vibe I was sending, unconsciously, from my seat in the audience to my classmate sitting right next to me, was one of intense excitement and interest in events unfolding in front of me. There was a lot of body movement. Audible laughter. Oohs and ahhs. I was watching two people be honest with each other on stage, and I was totally into it. It was better than a movie.

But why? Being provocative is interesting, and being interesting is attractive. Maybe it’s Freudian — I’d buy that. But the next question is how. I’ve found this. It’s good. Read it. It’s about blogs. If you cut the fat off the top, it’s about life.

Which brings me to my most recent post, the topic I had originally intended to address. That’s my most provocative post to date. I’ve gotten a ton of responses, just not here, with varying degrees of emotion attached. Some were unexpected, some were heated. I appreciate them all.

Keep them coming.