Cell Phones

Cell phones have made a lot of things easier. But with all the ease they have afforded our lives I think there's a price. People become so indoctrinated to cell phone culture so attached to their cell phones something is lost.

People shouldn't be available for communication at all times. Being in contact is great but being in contact with people all the time detracts from your sense of self. The more we are in constant communication the more we define ourselves through other people as opposed to having a clear sense of who and what we are. I walk around and I see people on their phones constantly, talking, texting, or surfing the net. We need to be alone with our thoughts from time to time. Having a constant stream of information gives us no time to reflect and grow.

In the past ten years or so cell phones and email have become more prevalent which has built this expectation of a quick response to any question or attempted contact. People frequently get resentful or put off if they don't receive a response from someone in a timely manner. This is unreasonable.

We don't have to communicate with someone just because they want to communicate with us. If you are doing something, if you are involved with something socially or romantically or professionally people can wait. That may be a couple hours or a day. Just because we have the ability to communicate with each other almost instantaneously does not mean we should do so. And quite frankly it can be rude. When I'm in conversation with people and they are periodically halting our conversation to respond to a text, that offends me.

I urge people to, every once in a while, leave the phone at home.

The Album Returns

The Album has our first show since October coming up a week from Saturday at the Kzoo improv festival. The Album was my first team made up of my best friends. We've drifted apart in recent months but hopefully the show will bring us back together. I'm very excited to take the stage with my friends again to see how they've changed and what results. The last show we had in Kzoo was one of our best. Our opening is a series of personal monologues. I'm looking forward to what they'll be. Some old monologues maybe which would be great to hear again and maybe some new ones, new discoveries.

Your first team will always have a special place in your heart. Maybe the most special place. The Album was there for me when I was living in Rockford and my life was on hold. The Album was there for me whenever I needed a place to stay or a friend to hang out with. The Album was there for me when I needed help with my sobriety. The Album made me into the performer that I am today. Any modicum of success or opportunity I have I owe to Eli, Alex, Megan, Matt, Travis, Amrita, Will, Jillian, BK, and Vince. And of course Craig.

The clip is from our DeMaat run in the summer of 2010. It's one of my favorite improv moments. It's not super funny, I know. But it is honest and simple and discoveries were made while were doing it.

We also picked up a show 5/15 at the CIC at 8. Love to see you there.

Album Love.

Next Level Moments

Rick shows recently I've been really proud of. I feel like we're on the cusp of some kind of big discovery. Last Friday we had this moment that was inspired by something Katie said. In an early scene she said something like "My only friend Tyler committed suicide." Later in the show I tagged in to be Tyler killing himself. This got a groan from the audience as it should. James, Pants and Ryan played into it and I tagged in again to be Tyler after he shot himself, then again to be Tyler calling for help and getting a wrong number, and again as Tyler failing to ask someone out. The whole time the other guys were setting me up. Katie felt bad about dropping suicide but we brought it around by exploring that kids life and bringing some levity to it. During notes George said we could have done it longer. At first the audience was put off, then we turned them, by the end they were loving it. George advised us to recognize these moments, to capitalize on them.

We had another great show last night. The show took off during a scene with Ryan and James. John came on and said James was a kid on top of a kid in a trench coat. Pants came on to be that kid then John got on Katie's shoulders to be another kid, eventually I came on for Ryan to make it a scene at a bar where everyone involved were kids on kids shoulders. It sounds dumb maybe but it was fun and funny. To be honest it felt perfect. And the audience knew it. Later we called the idea back and I was a giraffe with John on my back with Katie under me chasing Ryan with Pants on his back and James on Pant's back. It was absurd and incredibly fun.

You'll have moments where you don't know what to do. Make a strong move. Follow the pattern. Keep it simple. You will make the most amazing discoveries.

Be Bold.

A Fable About Love

There once was a young badger who lived in the woods.
He did not feel included with the other badgers, he did not feel a part.
He always felt there was something different about him.
He did not get along well with other badgers.
He fought often.
He had few friends and no potential mates.
He was aloof.
The badger was not concerned with the things other badgers were concerned with.
Food and territory, these things did not concern him.
The thing he liked most in all the world was to go out at night and stare at the moon.
The moon he could identify with.
He desired to be free, up in the sky beholden to none.
One night he found a lake, a lake no other badger had visited.
And it was a full moon.
The badger drank deep of the clear blue water and looked up at the moon.
"Sweet moon, I have admired you from afar long and long. I have kept my love to myself longer still. I love you and if you have any love for me, answer me."
After the badger spoke the lake bubbled. And churned.
Out of the lake, out of the reflection of the moon in the calm waters a figure rose.
"I am here my love. I have looked down on you as you have looked up on me. I have loved you so. Embrace me."
The badger and the moon danced until the sun started to creep up the horizon.
"My love," said the moon "I must go, I have to tell you I can only come to you when I am full and strong."
"I will wait." the badger responded.
The badger and the moon danced happily for three days each month.

And it was enough.

'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' A Review

 

'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' is about Jiro Ono, an 85 year old sushi master, on his continuing quest to perfect the art of sushi. It also follows Jiro's oldest son Yoshikazu who works for him. The movie is simple. Jiro's routine is simple. His restaurant is bare bones, no appetizers, no Saki, reservations are taken a month in advance. The dining experience lasts around 15 minutes. Jiro has dedicated his life and what would seem every waking moment in that life to be a better sushi chef. He is constantly trying to improve the taste and presentation of his sushi. 

What's left out or implied in the movie is the effect this has had on Jiro's family life or lack there of. His wife is referenced but never shown. His sons childhood is talked about briefly. Jiro says "I let them graduate high school, they wanted to go to college but I convinced them to work at the restaurant." There's something sad or fatalistic about his sons lives. His younger son started his own sushi restaurant while his older son waits to succeed his father. There's a heartbreaking scene where Yoshikazu tells us what his dreams are "I use to want to be a fighter pilot, then I wanted to be a race car driver." You don't know if Yoshikazu actually wants to be a sushi chef. He's an amazing one but you don't know if it's actually what he wants to be one. He might. It's not clear that he doesn't enjoy it, doesn't love it, but you get the sense that his father and him feel differently about sushi. 

 Jiro's philosophy on sushi can be applied to anything. Whatever you have a passion for his approach to sushi will identify with. But at the end of the day I think this movie is about Yoshikazu. What are his passions, what are his dreams, what's it like living in your fathers shadow, being guided down a path you may not want to take. The movie was inspiring and joyful and bittersweet.

See It.

Groh Show with Danny Groh #9 & #10

Our serious episode. Touching moments punctuated by goofy songs and raps.
Last Saturday we were live for the first time from the Upstairs Gallery.The show was a lot of fun. Danny was visibly feeding off the audience. I've never seen anything like it.

Graffiti 60

2009: Joseph Frugoli has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence. He also faces one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.Investigators say the detective caused the crash that claimed the lives of two promising young men: 21-year-old Fausto Manzera and Andrew Cazares, 23.

Currently the case is still pending with Frugoli out on bail.

Chicago cops might be someone's new project: Graffiti 51

Headphones

When I was college I always had headphones on wherever I went. I'd listen to mix tapes on my walkman and walk through campus blocking everyone out. I felt pretty isolated in college and in retrospect I think it was a way for me to isolate myself. Make myself a loner before I was isolated by my peers. My headphones were one of my major props.

During college iPod's got popular but it was still during a time where everyone didn't have them. Always being plugged in wasn't common place. After college I stopped wearing headphones everywhere and my grudge against iPod's started.

I'm morally apposed to iPods and Kindles. Anything that takes the physical tape, CD, or book out of the equation irks me. I think there's something lost, something soulless about it.

Since college iPods and listening to music wherever you go is common place. Today I saw a coworker put in his iPod simply to go downstairs and pick up a sandwich. People seem to be so averse to interaction now. People miss things that are going on around them because they are too concerned with their own insular protected world. Plug in, disengage, revert from the world. Put yourself on auto-pilot.

Something I use to do religiously in college bothers me now. The world has changed and in a big city like Chicago everyone is plugged in and seemingly afraid of participating in the world around them. What bothers me is that it makes people look like machines. Plugged in, satiated, calmed, quieted, lazy, cogs in a clock. It reminds me of the lotus eaters in The Odyssey.

Take out your headphones. Listen to the people around you. Feel the city, the trees, the buildings, and the traffic. Take it in and make your mark. Participate.

Don't be a drone.

Too Afraid

I've been listening to this song a lot recently and thinking about love. There's a scene in 'Moonstruck' where Nicholas Cage talks about love. He says something like love is a destructive force and we need to embrace it. I wouldn't go that far but I know that love, romantic love especially, is a complicated thing. It's not all good times. The bad times or the hard times or the crazy times mean just as much. They give your relationship depth and dimension. When I was in Richmond Matt said something to me that got me thinking.

Matt: Well...I think...if you don't break up a couple times, if you don't come close to ending it a couple times, then it's not the real thing. Katie and I came close 3 times.

Love isn't a small thing. It's not a cute thing. It's something to be afraid of because there is a lot of risk involved.

You can't escape it and you don't want to. It drives us all.

'Lockout' A Review

Lockout is a movie about space prison. The presidents daughter gets captured by the inmates of the space prison and there is only one man who can get her back. Guy Pierce! The movie is very similar to Escape From L.A. It's remiecent of a 90's action movie with a lot of snark and sass as well as action. Guy Pierce is an odd choice for a roll that has Bruce Willis written all over it but because of that he brings a freshness and intelligence to a character that has been played out. The movie is exactly what you'd imagine it would be. There's no surprises but the ride is fun and you're never tempted to look at your watch. There could have been more action and more time spent on Guy and Maggie Grace actually navigating the space prison. But you can't expect Lockout to be a perfect movie. It's about space prison.

Rent It.

Aggressive Play

Before the Deep Schwa show last Sunday it was clear that all the guys were kind of riled up. It was Craig, Timmy, Danny, Brett, and I. The previous weeks show everyone felt a little wonky about. I felt great of course, I'm still in awe of everything. Everyone was amped up and when we took the stage we all attacked.

It was an infections kind of energy. I felt myself getting keyed up because they were all keyed up. We jumped on everything, played fast, physical, and we were all onstage the whole show. We played with aggression but at the same time supported, accepted, and listened to each other. There were points we were all yelling and someone would shout "shut up" so one person could get their idea out. And even those moments there was no malice or rudeness involved just the instinct to push forward. To move fast and hard. Craig and I were sweating pretty good by the end of the show.

We all agreed it was a real fun, good show. The whole time I felt this momentum from my teammates, the audience, as well as the content of our piece, driving me forward. It was like being swept along on a fast moving current. I felt like it was the first Schwa show where I held my own. We all drove and I took an equal part.

Sometimes you'll find yourself with low energy. You'll be sick or tired. Or you'll find yourself in a show where you feel stuck, like you're in a swamp. Those are the times to get your self pumped up. If you start something with energy, precision, aggression and play you'll create your own current.

Then all you have to do is ride the tide till the lights are pulled.

Panang Curry: Rice Bistro

While I was visiting Matt I discovered he had started a blog, the long ago idea for which inspired my reviewing Panang Currys, reviewing BLT's in Richmond. You can find it here: Matt's BLT Blog. It inspired me to dive back into my quest for the best Panang Curry in Chicago.

Punam and I went to Rice Bistro up the street from where I live. It's a place we had been meaning to go to for a while and finally made it to. The Panang was a pleasant surprise after the streak of bad ones I've been on. The curry itself was the perfect blend of spice and peanut flavor, a little thin for my taste but forgivable. The peppers and basil were fresh and texturally a nice contrast to the chicken and rice. The chicken was plentiful and well cooked but could have used a little more flavor. Overall it was good not great. It didn't blow me away but it was certainly satisfying. Would I go again?

Maybe.

Shadows

they conceal and reveal

offer dangerous protection

no one knows what's under them

or sees in them reflection.

comfort in the dark, risk in the light.
the hidden places are discreet,
cool and secret.
the curtain of night wraps hearts
in soothing waves.

shadows cushion fear
and truth seeps through the cracks.

Echo

The team I'm coaching picked a name last night. The name came from the space we rehearse in. It's this weird cavernous store front, not in use. There's trap doors and a weird sauna/dungeon in the basement. They've been doing some great work and I'm really excited for their first show.

May 14th 1030pm iO.

Plant Talk

From the Terrific Show. Matt and I are two plants just hashing out what it's all about.

Graffiti 59: Richmond

There's a lot of graffiti in Richmond. If you are looking for it you can see it all over. In any city and I think it says something about that city. Richmond graffiti differs because most of it is tags. There's very few stencils or stickers that are graffiti for graffiti sake. There is a ton of stickers that advertise bands and tattoo parlors but not a lot that are artistic or make a statement.
Devil Mitt in Pipeline Park.
I'm guessing Cntralex is the artist. This was also in Pipeline Park.
“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they're having a piss.”-Banksy

“Art is an evolutionary act. The shape of art and its role in society is constantly changing. At no point is art static. There are no rules.”-Raymond Salvatore Harmon

“Graffiti is an impulse to get recognized”-Mint&Serf

Art Fair

As part of the G40 Art Summit there was an art fair this afternoon. In this abandoned factory they had 8 muralists painting all day, food and drink, and some booths where various things were sold. Above is a chair sculpture made out of chairs.
This was on the access door of one of the factories.
This was probably the weirdest one. Human Dart Board.
This guy was putting the finishing touches on this piece. Extra shading and stuff. It was fascinating to watch the artists work. I don't know why but I love the smell of spray paint.
I didn't really know what to make of this one.
This one was probably my favorite but you can't see it that well because of the scaffolding.

The fair was packed and it was nice to see everyone there supporting the artists and the project. Later we went to "Pipeline Park" which is just a walk way on top of a pipe along the James River. It's right across from the Heron Rookery so we got see a bunch of herons fishing the James. The river was bubbling the sun was shining.

It was a great day.

Nature

Yesterday Matt and I went on a hike at Pocahontas State Park. There's a lot of nature in and around Richmond. It's one of the big things that Chicago lacks. Some place to go and be away from the city. We hiked for a good two hours and talked sporadically.
I feel the most comfortable and at peace out in the woods. I realized while we were hiking this is what I'd been missing. I need to make time for nature in my day to day life. I need to make time to get out of the city and decompress. This trip is making me realize you need to get out of your life every once in a while to insure the richness of it. You can only create in a vacuum for so long.

Sometimes you need to go listen to the trees.

Terrific Six

(before the show yesterday)

Matt: Well we need to talk about what we're going to wear.

Me: I got my black cowboy shirt of course and I got this white cotton shirt with this green vintage tie. Those are my options.

Matt: Lets see the shirt and tie.

Me: (displays)

Matt: We had talked about suits.

Me: Yeah man I'm in if you're in. I just don't have a white shirt to wear.

Matt: Alright(exits for a couple minutes) here we go(has white shirt and suit in hand). This suit hasn't been worn since the last time you wore it for my wedding.

Me: Really? Super cool(takes suit, starts to exit, sees Matt taking tag off blue shirt). You're not wearing a blue shirt?

Matt: Yeah, why?

Me: Why aren't you wearing a white shirt?

Matt: I didn't think we'd be matching. I was going to wear a blue shirt and brown shoes.

Me: Naw dude. We match or I don't want to wear a suit. You can wear a suit if you want to wear a suit but if we're not matching I'm wearing my cowboy shirt.

Matt: Ok. (pause, hesitant) I just don't want to wear white.

Me: Ok. Do you have a blue shirt that'll fit me?

Matt: Yes. (exits)

Me: (loudly) I don't understand. Why don't you want to wear white?

Matt: (sticks head out of door) Ah. It just. Seems to 'Resivour Dogs' you know?

Me: (laughs) Ok you weirdo.

Matt and I had a great set. I was really nervous before it. I was billed and introduced as 'from Chicago'. For whatever reason I felt some pressure from that. I felt like there was probably a certain amount of expectation from some of the audience and definitely from the Richmond improvisers. Most importantly I didn't want to let Matt down. Which I'm sure I could never do but still that was my biggest concern. Of course I didn't need to worry about any of that. We took the stage and everything clicked like it use to on The Album. We were mirroring, predicting each others moves, and having a ton of fun from the first scene. The suggestion was 'dinosaur'. Our first scene was a T-Rex wife trying to convince her T-Rex husband to try fruit. We played fast and fun and did some goofy voices.

Matt and I talked afterwards. We both wish we had an opportunity to do that show consistently. To see where it could go.

I'm so grateful and happy that we got to do it. It has been something Matt and I have been talking about for years now.

Can't wait till we get to do it again.

Murals

Richmond is currently part of the G40 Art Summit. I'm not exactly sure what it means or what it entails but because of it there are murals being put up all over Richmond. I've made Matt pull over whenever we've seen one driving around. I love it. I wish more cities would put up murals. Every building is an open canvas waiting to be filled. Murals or graffiti in general create a more unique city. A city with a heart and personality rather than blocks of passionless concrete. I think it also makes a connection among the citizens. Art like this creates community. It gives the citizens ownership of their city. It makes the city more approachable. More welcoming.

The turtles are Matt's favorite.
This is Matt and I's least favorite but still pretty cool.
The hawk was on the side of an antique shop.
Robot Elephant with a hamburger shot with arrows. I bet the artist saw this in a dream. I thought of the Beanpole when I saw this one.
This one was my favorite. There are robot dogs described in the book 'Snow Crash'. This is exactly what I thought they'd look like. This pup still likes to play ball too.
Broken Captain America Robot. I couldn't tell what this was until I got a block away.

It seemed kind of fortuitous that all this was going on before and during my visit. Murals and street art and graffiti inspire me. Walking around the city with these huge pieces of art to keep you company.

I felt welcome and my heart smiled.

It felt like Richmond knew I was coming.

Richmond Bound

My Richmond vacation is finally here. I leave tomorrow. I'm very excited. The first time I visited Matt was in '09. I rode my motorcycle out there, did a show, and some site seeing. It was an amazing experience. The journey out there, the visit, and the journey back.

The second time I went to Richmond was for Matt's wedding in 2010. The experience and the wedding itself were perfect. No show that visit but lots of good times.

Tomorrow Matt and I will finally get an opportunity to do our long awaited two man show. We're billing ourselves as 'Terrific Six' the first name of The Album. We did our first three shows as the Terrific Six(there were seven members) back in '08, it was our interim name. It was the name we used for my first improv show ever. I've only been able to play with Matt a couple times since he's moved but whenever I do it's great. I can't wait to take the stage with him. Just him and I. He told me tonight I would also get to sit in with the Richmond Comedy Coalition ensemble closing the night. They're doing a 'Bat' which is a improv show in the dark. I haven't done one in ages so I'm kind of nervous.

It'll be great to see Matt, perform with him, and see the people I know through him(Matt's wife Katie especially). It'll be great to get out of the city. It'll be great to relax. It'll be great to watch improv with my favorite guy to watch improv with. It'll be great to see 'Lockout'. It'll be great to walk in the woods.

I can't wait.

Weird iO Conversations 3

(after Schwa, a high school improv troupe from Kansas City called Exit 1-6)
Boy#1: Hey! Great show!
Me: Thanks, man. Thanks for coming.
Boy#1: Oh yeah. You're one of our favorites.
Me: Thanks, man. It was nice to see you guys last night and again tonight. Exit 1-6.
All: Exit 1-6!
Boy#1: My buddy has something he's got to say to you.
Boy#2: I feel for you man. I change my shirt half way through shows.
Me:(surprised) Yeah man. Pit stains are the worst. I just changed into this thing before the show but it's inevitable(grins).
Boys#1&2:(laughs)
Me: I know a guy who use to put maxi pads in his armpits to prevent it.
Boy#2: Weird.
Me: For sure. I like to come off the stage sweating though.
Boy#2: Yeah. I'm always like a sweaty mess like two minutes into the show.
Boy#1: He totally is.
Me: I bet. Ahh...When are you guys flying back?
Boy#1: Tomorrow morning.
Me: Well...have a safe flight fellas. Hopefully we'll see you soon.
Boys#1&2: Later!

Hope

Beanpole sent me this today. Looking at his artwork always makes me feel inspired. Makes me feel good. He sent this to me with no title. It made me think of hope because it's been on my mind recently.

Climb the rope for there is hope
do not stay in the land of nope
watch out for the slippery slope
there are simple ways to cope.

Think of what you'd like to be:
a bear in the brush
a bird in a tree
light on a leaf
or the bubbling sea.

Take your chance.
At possibility.

'Wrath Of The Titans' A Review

Amazing special effects, corny dialogue, confused acting, a nonsensical plot line. Super fun if you go into it with no expectations. My favorite moment is when Liam Neeson as Zeus says to Ralph Fiennes as Hades "Lets have some fun!" right before they start killing a bunch of hellish monsters.


Rent It.

Graffiti 58

I feel more than ever a desire to dance. Frequently. Not in any appropriate place, not places designated for dancing. The past three Rick shows I've danced. I dance to get in peoples faces or to throw out unwanted energy . To try to express those things that can't be expressed or that I can't find the words for. The hidden things. The things too big for words. Aggression, Fear, Hope, and Love. For Joy too.

"I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance." -Friedrich Nietzsche

"How can we know the dancer from the dance?" -William Butler Yeats

Filling The Void

Sometimes I imagine my Grandpa Irv giving me a talk. Bolstering me up.

If you remember one thing, remember everything is going to be ok.

Dark times or low spirits can come upon you like a storm in the night.

Loud and scary and fast.

Coldness and noise overwhelm.

No matter how chaotic it may be, how blinding.

Remember. All storms pass in time.

They blow themselves out.

They cannot last. Remember this.

So when you find your self in the center of a storm.

Close your eyes,

Rest your spirit,

And wait.

And then open them.

You will see clear skies and be warmed by the sun.

Rest and heal my boy. There's a whole world out there to enjoy.

Then he wraps me in a big, warm, hug.

Groh Show with Danny Groh #8

Episode 8 literally can't be stopped. Danny and the boys talk Power Wheels, growning up in Wisconsin and Rockford, the winner of the 2012 What Would Win Invitational Tournament, a school in New Jersey that wants to ban hugs, and Danny's dream movie role.

Games

Jillian shared this with The Album two years ago. I think it is the most amazing, funniest, inspiring thing. We worked on games this week with my team and I sent this out to them as an example of like the most ideal game. Like the Platonic ideal of a game.

Improv is simple. You establish what the game or the scene is in the first 30 seconds. The problems come in when people try to over complicate stuff or build when they just need to follow.

For me, this is an example of the most perfect sketch. Simple. Fun. Inspired. I strive to do stuff like this every moment I perform. Sometimes I get close and it makes me happy. The other week The Night Shift had a show and Jeremy, Carrie and I did a silent globetrotters scene. We just mimed crazy basketball bits, it went on for a minute with Noah and Damian whistling the globetrotters theme, and then Damian edited. The audience lost their minds.

Everything is simple.

Pink is Perfect

Pink is perfect

green is gold

Only you

my heart holds.

Which way coming

which way going

I'll find you

unrelenting.

Deep Schwa

A dream came true for me yesterday. I played with Deep Schwa. I've been watching them almost every Sunday for four years. They're my favorite team.

Craig told me a while back that I'd be playing with them sometime soon. Last week he told me to wear show cloths this week. I didn't really process it at the time. But at iO that's all I ever wanted to do. I wanted to be on Schwa. They're the best team. They anchor the Sunday night slot and always crush. And I did it. I played with Schwa.

The show was crazy fun. Kate, Timmy, and Craig were firing on all cylinders and I just tried to pepper in where I could. I did try to wail on Timmy as much as possible. I called him out for looking like Bugs Bunny which made him break super hard. It was comfortable and effortless and joyful. I guess it wasn't the greatest show. Nothing huge or poignant was discovered but we had fun. We were four girls in a car going to an Indian burial ground. Candice, Courtney, Trisha, and Sarah.

I felt like a minor league player being pulled up to the majors. I felt like I got the tap on my shoulder that means you're in the club. Literally a dream come true. And the reality was even better than I had imagined. Having Craig sit behind me and grab me and look at me expectantly, and surprise him from time to time. It was the most gratifying-beautiful feeling. I got pulled up and I could play ball.

Come see Deep Schwa every Sunday at iO at 8pm. I will be there.

Jamison Talks Collegiate Sports

I hate sports. Jamison feels differently.