JulieAnneM

... for lack of a better title, because the cult classic film has kind of been a lifeline and a gateway for me to get out and be me.

The first time I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show was at a General Cinemas 4-screen theatre in Modesto, CA, near our main shopping mall. This was around 1989 or thereabouts, definitely after I turned 18.

I was scared as hell to be picked out as a virgin (first-time attendee) and didn't want to go through the "sacrifice" with the local cast. (Trust me, it's like your first time...  You get through it... Use your imagination, ok?) Fortunately, I had friends who had my back, and I got out of it. I should make that up for real one day, with my local cast.

I went to showings from 1989-1992 or so up and down Northern California, since the local showings were infrequent. I have fond memories of two theatres in the Sacramento area (one near Arden Fair Mall, the other near Birdcage Walk/Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights... Both theatres are long gone now.) There was also the ABC Center Theater in downtown Fremont, and one main theater in Berkeley. I did make it to the Camera 3 theater in downtown San Jose during FanimeCon, about a year or two before I moved out from California to Phoenix.

I started out going in boy-mode, but I got more daring and courageous when I discovered a cast in Phoenix, who regularly performed at an AMC multi-plex minutes from my home. It was only a matter of time before I figured, "Fuck it. Go as Julie Anne..."


.... And I never looked back. I ended up joining that cast, and two successor casts. We're looking for another theatre in addition to the one our sister cast performs at in midtown Phoenix. I'll return soon, I'm sure.

One thing I'm suited for, given my potential high-functioning autism, is accumulating and memorizing all sorts of alternate dialogue, or "callbacks" to action on the screen and shadow cast. (I've declared myself the "Callback Queen" in the area.)

Roles performed:
Riff Raff (last minute fill-in)
Janet (costume night. I was cosplaying as Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction.)
Dr. Scott (fill-in)
Trixie (one time)
Criminologist (took my own take on it. Throughout the show, I ended up stripping down, and would be in just a bra and panties by the time "Super Heroes" came up on screen. Thanks, Shelbie, for inspiring me! =^_-;= )

Owned:
The film on...
VHS (bootleg, UK edit - with Super Heroes, with Japanese subtitles)
VHS (official release, US edition - no Super Heroes)
DVD (25th anniversary, UK and US edits, tons of extras, including audience participation audio track)
Blu-ray (has some decent extras, including auditions for shadow cast on the disc)
Film soundtrack (digital download)
Audience Participation album (digital download)
Film soundtrack, karaoke version (digital)
Stage cast ("The Rocky Horror Show", Roxy cast, digital)
Calibur Press comic adaptation
A set of three figures (Dr. Frank N. Furter, Columbia, Riff Raff)
Sal Piro's "Creatures Of The Night: The Rocky Picture Show Experience" book

Number of times viewed in a theater with a live shadow cast: Well over 100 times. I do not know the exact count.

And here I am... Writing this journal entry... In line to get in for seating to RHPS. I can't wait to do the Time Warp again... And again... Until I die.

"Time Attack (Automatic)" - from GP Rider (Sega X-board arcade hardware)
Motorcycle racing game, developed by Sega AM2, released 1990.
Composed by: Takenobu Mitsuyoshi

Because it came up in my On This Day this morning... I may make it a public post. I wrote it in response to someone doing well for themselves, I believe...

"Meanwhile, old fools like me waste their potential, somehow manage to crawl out of their car after plowing it into a bus at 65 mph, lose a decent job afterwards, and live... with some level of increased aches and pains for the rest of their lives... Still trying to find their place in the world.

"I'm a year and a half away from 50... And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any regrets, looking back upon my life.

"I really did not expect to survive that car crash. I'm still playing it by ear as far as my life journey goes. Maybe I'm nothing, or I never was special... To some people, I seem to be. Some days, it doesn't feel that way."

Some comments from that time:
Kristi (Kit): "I can relate. Glad you are still here, Julie "

Kara M: "You're still here, that's what really counts. ❤"

Angeline: "You are special Julie Anne...
You're a survivor...
I'm glad you're my friend."

Lauren (Lo): "julie, you are one of the kindest, most unique people i have ever met in my life and are so unapologetically yourself that you're a constant source of inspiration to me. i can say with one hundred percent confidence that you are special and i wish there were more folks who would take your lead."
(I'm so humbled... ^____^ ;_; )

The Artist D: "You're fabulous."
(You were fabulous before me.)

^~^ uwu

... because I'm a hack, and I suck at it.

I'm learning that I'm probably going to have to start at the medium or lightest skin tone, paint it flat within the lines, and go from there.

Mind you, I'm still learning tools - I know GIMP, I just need to get used to Sketchbook, and probably Clip Studio Paint Pro (Reinstalled and updated it - next wave: The Wacom tablet driver reinstallation.)

And now, an Unscheduled Digression...
** Reset my Windows 10 Pro 64-bit tower late last year, because for some unknown reason, everything but the mouse pointer would consistently freeze up two minutes after boot up and bringing up the desktop. It didn't do it in Safe Mode. I'm being really careful, though PCs have been my main interest for almost 30 years. I've been reinstalling all my tools and apps on an as-needed basis. I focused on getting the system back up and running smoothly.

Now, back to the good part! (Thank you, Michael Bolton and The Lonely Island)

Speaking of years, and being an "old-timer" - I signed up for AARP (A United States-based interest/advocacy group for those 50 years and up) - I figured (puts on Vulcan pointed ears and arches a well-shaped eyebrow)... it was ... the *logical* thing to do. (Groaaaaannnn.... Yeah, it was a bad joke, but I'm a Trekkie, so... deal with it. ^_^; ) I'm a few months away from 50, so I guess I really will see if life does begin by then.

Seriously... I was inspired to come out of hiding about a decade ago... And, I have been fortunate to still be around, somewhat under the radar... I'm kind of glad I'm not famous enough to have undue attention upon me.

Anyone who does stupid stuff, like doxxing (Google it.) people or cyberstalking them, when they're trying to go about their journey, being who they are... Those people are lower than scum. They don't even deserve to be on the same plane of existence.

I'm no hero. I'm not a savior. Heck, on some days, weeks, and even months, it takes all the effort I can to adult, or even human. I'm happy for the moments I have where I can be me. I hope it all pays off eventually, and I can thrive again, instead of just surviving.

Day by day, that's all I can do... I'm happy for the ones who are my friends, and are still with me. I mean that, sincerely. <3