Kim and Walton are just a couple examples of storytellers whose dedication to their craft has inspired me to do better, to be better, to reach for the unattainable when performing on stage and screen.

When I say "Craft," I don't mean "Arts & Crafts," the kind of stuff you pass over without a glance at an artist co-op, swap meet, or the county fair. I mean "Craft" as in a combination of natural ability and focused hard work needed to develop world-class storytelling skills. There are far too many of these artisans to list in one rant. And rest assured there are many, many more I'd love to comment on. These two just happen to be on my mind at the mo. Like those yet to be listed here someday, they have taken the craft to another level. They're not considered A-list actors or leads as far as I know, although they should be. They are simply the actors I'll go out of my way to watch tell the story and become the character. They are among the many actors I look forward to tricking me into forgetting they're just playing "dress-up pretend" even if it means making me uncomfortable during the observation process.

Truth be told, I was actually formulating a piece on the importance of oral tradition prior to this "event." Having these freaks capture my imagination to this extreme only confirmed that I was meant to at least mention it.