"In approaching a part, an actor should really have begun his work years ahead of time. That is, he should start as soon as possible to train his voice and his body so that his instrument of expression will be as responsive as he can make it...
Everything will be grist for his mill."
-- Carl Allensworth, in his The Complete Play Production Handbook
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Grist comes from Old English, and it sounds like it does. Ironically, this word which describes the action of grinding or the material which is ground, has survived in its original form, with no warping or respelling, and no real descendants. We have relatives, but no grandchildren, of this great word. And even the quality of its expression calls forth sounds of minuscule destruction, grains toppled, tiny fragments falling apart in grit.
Humans develop languages, and they survive longer than we do, sometimes better.
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Had a lazy morning which caused a crazy day. A deflating afternoon, and now, a remedial evening. I am the grist of my own grinding.
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