A Journey Into Magic Hedge

Tisher and I took a walk by the lake this afternoon by way of the bird sanctuary. I was stunned by all the names, both Latin and English, Tisher knew of all the birds we saw.

After about 20 shots of birds this was the one that turned out ok. Tisher said this is some kind of pest bird or something.

There were lots of boats out on the lake and I discovered my camera had a significantly longer zoom than I thought. I was able to zoom in on the richies taking their schooners out for joy rides.

Most of the boats didn't have names or they had more conventional names which didn't really spark my interest. Cheep N Deep however seems like the tooliest of tool names. I don't know what its even suppose to mean.

Tisher: Why would they spell cheap that way? To visually rhyme with deep?
Me: They want people to know they may be cheap but their pockets are deep.

Graffiti 103

Saw this in Logan Square which seemed appropriate. Seemingly a riff on internet catch phrase and meme "cool story bro". I like vests, I went through a period in high school where I was wearing a fleece vest all the time. If memory serves I'd use it to cover my incrementally increasing pit stains. Now I have one blue dressy type vest that I'll wear if I want to give a show outfit a little extra pop.

Scorn for those people who attempt, and sometimes succeed, to pull of a vest is misplaced. In all of fashion scorn seems inappropriate. Except maybe for sweat pants worn in public.

"He who observes etiquette but objects to lying is like someone who dresses fashionably but wears no vest." -Walter Benjamin

'Much Ado About Nothing' & 'Monsters University' Reviews

Much Ado About Nothing is the Joss Wedon adaptation of the Shakespeare romantic comedy. The film follows two couples in a will-they-or-won't-they game of love set in the back drop of a week at a party mansion. The movie is set in the present and filmed in black and white which is at times problematic with the 400 year old script but is mostly a harmonious reimagining. 

The film starts off a little rough and dissonant. It seems in the first 20 minutes or so that the actors are struggling with the language and the sizable amount of exposition. Once that hurdle is jumped the plot gets moving and the actors seem to get warmed up. The leads Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof especially seem to build up steam and give amazing nuanced performances. The famous Beatrice scene "Oh God, that I were a man" is worth the price of admission. 

The extensive supporting cast fills out the movie with humor and energy, Nathan Fillion almost steals the last third of the film with his portrayal of idiotic constable Dogberry. The only hiccup in the cast is Sean Maher as the villain who seems confused and out of his depth.

A fun energetic modern film based on an ageless classic.

See It.

Monsters University is the 12 years in the making prequel to Monsters Inc. The movie follows Sully and Mike as they go to monster college and become friends. The plot is reminiscent of many underdog and college stories most closely resembling Revenge of the Nerds. The heart of the first movie is present in its prequel but some of the creativity and magic is lost.

Aimed at kids with some tidbits in there for adults. One joke in particular I loved: Sully and Mike's friends mom drops them off and then says she'll just be waiting listening to her tunes which turn out to be jarring death metal. But for every joke that hits for kids and adults there are five more which are obvious tropes put into the animated-kids-movie joke machine and spit back out.

Good for kids, slightly wearying for adults.

Rent It.

29

Subtitle: Habits my father gave me in two parts

Around two in the morning I turned 29. I've never put much expectations on a birthday since I had a pinata and Magic Mike perform for my 7th birthday, you can't really top that. Today was a good day, the HR lady got everyone bagels and fruit in celebration of my birth. She also inconspicuously gave me a cup cake with a candle and a book of matches, presumably for me to have my own little party and make a wish in secret in order for it to have a greater chance of coming true.

After work I met HP and Tisher to see Monsters University. My pick of course and the first animated movie I voluntarily went to see since the original in 2001. Afterwards Tisher and I went to Pick Me Up for dinner and of course, my birthday necessity, chocolate cake. It was a great day: I saw a movie, ate chocolate cake, and spent some time with two of my closest friends.

Reflecting on 28 it was a good year. Some downs but mostly ups, I think there's a lot to be done, a lot of potential for the next year. Tonight, though, two things especially made me happy, habits I realized I picked up from my father.

Surprise Me. Ever since I can remember whenever my dad is in a situation, usually at a restaurant, when he can say "surprise me" to the server or employee he does. If he's offered a number of options or suggestions he enjoyed having the person pick and being surprised. It's something I started doing a couple years ago and I continue to do. Our server at Pick Me Up said they had two types of chocolate cake: flowerless and vegan espresso. I asked her to surprise me and she brought me the vegan espresso chocolate cake which I was hoping for and which was delicious. I don't know why but that small interaction always excites me and makes me extremely happy.

Chocolate Cake. Growing up my father always told this story about his Grandma Bertha. One day when he was visiting her farm she asked him what he wanted for breakfast the next day and he said "chocolate cake". She made him chocolate cake for breakfast the next day and every subsequent time he went to visit her. As her grew older he became a little tired of chocolate cake in the morning but would always eat it without complaint because she would make it from scratch. Because of this whenever there is chocolate cake left over from a birthday or graduation or anniversary we would indulge in the Nelson Breakfast in honor of Grandma Bertha. Because of this or maybe despite it it's always been my favorite dessert and holds a scared place in my heart.

For me any big event, any milestone, any accomplishment, any disappointment has to be celebrated or mourned with a slice of chocolate cake. It's tradition, a Nelson ritual.

My 29th birthday was no exception.

 

Humid

Summer stuffstuff spewing
from bloat ripped cloud seams
soaking my under arms
pointed pit stains
and redden my cheeks
with shame
not the season of the pea coat
but the season of the peepee coat
I think and giggle like the grade schooler I never was
warm unpleasant dampness
causing me to sweat and lightly soak
my collar which tends to stick
or chaff or trend toward stink
oh sweet summer you over lauded bog
sticky sponge air massaging
exposed skin like giraffe tongue
grip peeling white birch bark

I'd trade all barbecues:
those that have been Q'd
those being Q'd
and those yet to be Q'd
for steady jacket weather.

A Small Victory

I think my basil plant is drowning. I've moved it inside so I can regulate the water intake better. All the rest of my plants seem to be flourishing. I woke up the other day to find my first flower. I didn't notice a bud or even the hint of a bud in the days leading up to it so it was quite a surprise. It feels good to have plants and watch them grow. I sit on the porch and visit with them quite a bit although I haven't started talking to them yet. I'm sure that'll come soon. It's suppose to help them grow, maybe I'll even sing to them.

"The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises." -Leo Buscaglia

Confidence and Trust

There's a lot to be said for trust as a performer. Getting to know your fellow players, feeling comfortable around them, trusting them to take care of you and support your ideas and vice versa. But it's not a necessity and at times can be a crutch. At a certain point, after a couple years of performing, you should have the confidence and skill to perform with anyone at anytime regardless of what they are doing.

Trusting a fellow improviser on a team or in a scene means you believe that they have ideas and they are making deliberate moves and that they are trying to do something fun. It does not mean that you will like those moves, it does not mean you will understand those moves, and it does not mean those moves will be made with utmost consideration to your feelings or what you want to do. At The Hague show yesterday some of the people were feeling bad after the show and the word trust was thrown around. I know everyone on the team, I like everyone on the team, and I trust everyone on the team. Trust everyone to show up and make moves and go with the flow. I don't expect people to know what I want to do or follow me in every move that I make, what I do expect is collaboration. I don't care if someone tags me out from a scene I just tagged into, I don't care if someone comes in shortly after I make a really thick initiation and diverts a scene someplace other than what I intended. Ultimately improv is a collaborative artform and were all here to impose our perspective on this nebulous thing that we are creating, most of the time its going to be chaotic, periodically it will be streamlined, but as long as we are equally taking part it's a success.

It's a matter of confidence both in oneself and in ones teammates. I've been performing for a while now and I'm comfortable enough to go in to most any situation and do what I do. I'm confident in my teammates to do the same. I'm not interested or concerned with being polite or worrying about how things are viewed or second guessing anything or judging anyone. What I am interested in is unconstricted collaboration.

It all boils down to fear. "I didn't do this" "I wanted to do this" "I'm not comfortable" "I was lost" what have you. There's a simple solution: make a move.

'This Is The End' & 'Man Of Steel' Reviews

This Is The End is an apocalyptic comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. All the actors in the film play themselves and the story revolves around a party thrown by James Franco that is interrupted by the Rapture. Things unravel and the result is a mismash of zombie, action, horror, and disaster movies through a comic lens.

The performances are joyful, the jokes are funny and non-stop, and the premise is a simple but crazy avenue for us to see these comedians do what they do. Not a whole lot to the film, about what you'd expect from the title and a brief plot description, but it delivers fun and laughs in spades.

See It.

Man Of Steel is the current Superman franchise reboot. The film starts off great, it takes a page out of Batman Begins playbook and tells the story of Clark Kent's birth on Krypton, adolescence and adulthood through a series of non-linear flashbacks establishing Russel Crowe and Kevin Costner as his two interstellar daddies. The journey of how Clark Kent/Kal El becomes Superman is engaging and the performances given by everyone in the film are spot on.

The film takes a turn once Kent/El dawns the suit and fights the bad guys. What follows is a gratuitous 50 minute action sequence with so much collateral damage it forces the viewer to tune out. It goes on for so long, so many buildings are destroyed and presumably thousands of people killed in those buildings that you de-invest and are just waiting for it to be over. The script also suffers periodically with cliched dialogue and religious symbolism. The film also clock in at 150 minutes making the long boring parts unbearably so.

Half a great movie, half a bad movie. The result: a mediocre movie.

Rent It.

Summer Solstice

Today is the longest day of the year and the first day of summer. A time for change, development, and growth. Who knows what lays in store in the sun filled days and the warm clear nights to come. Summer rains and heat and big bright full moons. Potential, opportunity, and stirrings of feelings that have been asleep.

Celebrate the solstice and burn those things that remind you of winter and pain and loneliness.

Graffiti 102

Found this in Richmond. Matt thought it might be part of a project by local anarchist group The Wingnut, he and I hypothesized it could be some statement about American poverty and hunger and wars overseas. It could also be some grass roots campaign for the home cooking movement but no chef or foodie organization has taken credit for the graffiti. Either way it's a good message. I eat at home all the time. Brussels sprouts and sweet potato fries are my current dishes de préféré.

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water." -W.C. Fields

"Like religion, politics, and family planning, cereal is not a topic to be brought up in public. It's too controversial." -Erma Bombeck

James Balog and 'Chasing Ice'

I recently watched Chasing Ice a documentary about the melting of glaciers due to climate change. James Balog, a photographer, becomes obsessed with photographing ice and then sets out to document the shrinking of various glaciers over a number of years. For a "climate change" doc I suppose it's effective but for me that's not something I ever doubted or needed proof to believe. What fascinated me about the film is the simple landscapes, the images. A type of nature that I had never seen so in depth before. At points Balog's waxes poetic about ice and the beauty it contains, that for me made the film and made me want to visit Greenland.

If you're a conservative Chasing Ice is a necessary watch for it's political and environmental message. If you're an artist it's a necessary watch as an example of how artistic expression can have a political message as well as being fulfilling creatively without any dissonance between the two.

Check out more photo's by James Balog or watch Chasing Ice on Netflix.

Imprisonment

My biggest fear is jail time.
Not the inmates or the institution or the showers.
The spacial confinement.
When I was a child I was afraid of being locked into things.
Closets, rooms, haunted houses, roller coaster cars.
I had panic attacks whenever I was playfully smothered.
Or held down or had my arms pinned.
I took no pleasure in play wrestling or being tickled.
Overt restriction of any kind terrified me.
As I grew older this fear expanded.
I became afraid of crowded places.
Places I had never been.
Unknown social situations.
Over the years I had run ins with the law.
An enclosed cell became my jittery, trembling, sweat-soaked nightmare.
There came a point last year when I was confined.
My worst fears realized.
And my mind rattled in it's cage.
And fought and clawed against reality.
And when I was ready to give up, give in, something changed.
Shifted. Realigned. Opened up.
My surroundings were a reflection of my self.
I was restricted by my addiction.
Any exercise of my will was hollow.
Acting out for no other reason than to divert attention.
I wasn't free, I was fleeing.
Of course I was afraid of prison, I was constantly on the run.
From responsibilities, from consequences, from emotions, from anything I could out distance.
I got a glimpse of what being free was.
Comfort in my own skin. Ease. Peace.
Ultimately I discovered everything that is outside is uncontrollable. People, places, situations.
I can control myself and my reactions.
With an honest look at who I am, what I want, and how I act I can put my feet on the path of being truly free. Freedom within myself regardless of my situation or geography.

Now I rarely think of jail or cells or locked things. And I'm farther away from them than I've ever been. Only the ghost of my past fear remains.

Slowly dissipating.

Panang Curry: Thai On Clark

Tisher and I went to Thai On Clark tonight, a place I'd been scoping out since I moved to Uptown last year. The Panang was decent, passable, but nothing to write home about. It had fresh basil, red, green, and yellow peppers with a good balance of spice but the big detractor was the consistency. Watery with no real flares of peanut or coconut. Satisfying but not thrilling. More functional than enjoyable. Would I go again?

No.

Although the food was not particularly memorable Tisher and I's fortunes were so vapid that they ended the meal on a humorous note.

Tisher: Jesus. "It's okay to slow down and smell the roses." Was their ever a fortune less sure of itself?

Convenience Not Necessity

I've never been a fan of cell phones or the idea of being in constant communication with people. I don't think it's necessary- it's overkill, it's a crutch. The past couple days I was in Richmond I left my phone at Matt's house and only checked it in the evenings. I won't say that it was liberating or anything that epic but it was nice. There really was no need to be in touch with anyone and I would allege there is never a time, outside of medical type emergencies, when people need to be that accessible.

Cell phones are nice. They make things easy and they can be entertaining, they are great at alleviating boredom. But people become accustomed and then dependent. It's like an addiction. When I got back today and walked into the green room before Schwa 5 people were sitting around on their phones. It's unnecessary and it detracts from the here in now. People become more invested in this non-existent digital life than the life they are actually living. Sure, it can be more superficially engaging, the constant input of information makes you feel in touch and in the know but you're losing the here and now.

If you're hanging out with someone don't check your phone. You should be engaging with that other person and anything outside of that can wait.

Instead of looking stuff up or playing games on your phone talk to those around you or simply observe what's happening in the actual world.

Cell phones make things easy but it's becoming so easy it seems to be making interacting in the real world hard.

Put it down or leave it at home. Just once in a while and remember what it's like.

The Coalition Theater

Tonight the Coalition Theater opened its doors for the first time and it was an incredible evening. Matt and I were in the space all day getting everything ready for visitors. If I didn't know before I realized in this visit that Matt is a perfectionist. Opening a theater is kind of like a wedding, there's so many little details that need attention that you would never have thought off. The audience was packed and full of the RCC's friends and family. I was fortune to play with Middle Management- Matt, Katie, and David's three person show, the founders of the theater. We had a great set and it was such a joy and a privilege to play on that stage during the first show.

Two more RCC teams played after us and all in all it was a great night of improv. There was such a sense of fun in the room and watching the show I felt a part of this wonderful opportunity, this great potential. I can't wait for the theater to be open to the public and for them to start doing weekly shows. There's no telling where they'll go from there.

Matt's wife Katie prepared a wonderful spread for the occasion. I skipped dinner because we were doing last minute preparation so I feasted on cheese, crackers, and fruit. Delicious.

When Matt left Chicago in 2009 we talked a lot about what he would do in Richmond with improv.

Matt: Well, I think, I can do everything there I want to do here but I can do it faster in Richmond. I want to coach, I want to teach, and at some point, the big dream, is to open an improv theater.

After four years he did it and I couldn't be more proud of his accomplishment or more grateful for his friendship.

Construction, Clean Up, and David Arquette

Matt and I spent most of the day at the space prepping for tomorrows soft soft open. A private event, due to city red tape, for family and friends. The first show in the yet to be christened Coalition Theater. When I first saw the space I was wowed. The paint job, the stage, the kiosks, everything looks amazing. But a lot of cleanup and small stuff had to get done before the theater would be ready to receive.

Matt cleaned the bathroom with some wonder product called Krud Kutter while I unwrapped and unpackaged chairs.

Matt meticulously painted trim while I hauled out garbage, swept, and mopped.

It was a long day and there was still more to be done. But it was a satisfying days work. It always feels good to work hard and it felt especially good to help my friend with this amazing dream that he's realizing and in some small way be a part of it. The rest of the evening wasn't nearly as joyful but it was interesting.

Matt took me to this event that was being sponsored by the RCC the World Air Sex Competition. Like Air Guitar I guess. And evidently they some how got Scream 1 through 4 star David Arquette to judge. It was a surreal event with lots of weird conceptual pantomimed intercourse. The highlights though were some of Arquette's notes.

David Arquette: I liked how you really walked the line there. I thought you were going to die. (thoughtful pause) Death: the ultimate orgasm.

and

David Arquette: I mean you didn't cum and that's what I'm looking for. (earnest) I want to see The Big Spill.

Graffiti 101

I flew out to Richmond today to visit Matt. After four years of doing shows at different venues the Richmond Comedy Coalition is opening a theater of their very own. This is a mural in a lot behind their space. It reminds me of Stephen Gammell's illustrations for the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark series. Disturbing and fascinating.

“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself." -Kafka

A Disturbing Dream 12

I'm in a secret room. It's in Chloe's new apartment but it's not her apartment. The room is boxy, yellow, and empty. She's sewing my eyes open. Next she is sewing my joints and limbs to little nooks and pulleys in the walls. From some unseen place she operates a machine that makes me dance like a puppet. There's a trap door in the floor. I know, even though I don't know how I know, that some time soon I will be lowered into the room below and be made to dance, recite, or perform in some way.

My appendages are pulled about, I climb the walls, flip, flop, somersault, and jive. A doorbell rings and everything stops. The strings fall off and I exit out to the sidewalk. Chloe calls after me "Come back! I'm having people over!"

I call over my shoulder "Not today."

Cover and Concealment

Baseball season and spring bring a lot of out-of-towners into the city. That part of the summer use to bother me. Every where felt crowded. I felt my unjustified ownership of the city being infringed upon. "I belong here and you don't" kind of a feeling. Riding the train home from work today I discovered a different feeling. Comfort. The train was packed with non-Chicago resident Cubs fans. Having so many tourists in town over the summer is like a security blanket, camouflage. There's a solidarity between Chicagoans that's not present in the winter. It's much easier to glide through the city unnoticed in the summer. And with so much commotion going on, with so many people around, you can catch some interesting things. People acting like they are unobserved because there are so many people around or because they know they may never be in this particular city again. I've observed some remarkable honesty.

With so many people in summertime Chicago not knowing where they're going you almost become invisible if you do know where you're going. I wouldn't like to feel invisible all the time but sometimes its convenient even fun. Seeing so many people who are so obviously other I feel closer to the city, more a part, not in an exclusionary way, but more a sense of home.

I also love the summer because so many more people ask for directions. I love giving directions.

The Lottery Rose

I encountered this rose bush walking home from a movie and it reminded me of a book our teacher read to us in 4th grade- The Lottery Rose. It's about a boy with an alcoholic mother and an abusive father figure. The boy is a loner and trouble maker the only interest he has is in flowers. He wins a rose bush from the local grocery store and comes home and is beaten by his mother's boyfriend. After which he's taken away from his mother, put into a foster home, and enrolled in a all boys boarding school the only thing he brings with him is his rose bush. The rose bush is a symbol of hope not only for his life but also his ability to open up with others.

The book is about growing up and what I remember most is identifying with the boy's solitude. His loneliness.  This feeling of being alone and unknowable and the hope that given time, given opportunity, there's a chance at friendship and love. Thinking back on it the book seems a bit heavy, a bit complicated for 9 year olds. But I remember loving it, I remember, maybe for the first time, having that feeling of hearing part of my story. Not that I had a bad childhood because I didn't, I don't even think I struggled overmuch but as far back as I can remember I've been a loner and especially when I was younger I found it very hard to engage with others. Connecting was difficult. My default was silence or retreat. That's not much of a problem any more but I still like to be alone which can be lonely.

I think I fell in love with flowers because of this book. Flowers fill me with hope.

A Fable About Heartache

There once was a dog and an old man that belonged to each other.
They lived next to a meadow that boarded a wood.
They were happy.
The old man would take the dog on long walks.
Across the meadow.
Through the woods.
Down gorges and up ravines.
Into creeks and rivers and ponds.
At dusk they would sit together on the porch.
And watch the birds turn in and the insects come out.
Watch the bats dart about feasting on pesky mosquitoes.
Watch the fireflies engage in their secret rituals.
From time to time the old man would reach down and scratch the dogs head.
Every once in a while the dog would lick the old mans ankle or nudge his leg.
But most of the time they sat in silence simply enjoying each others company.
One day the old man did not get out of bed.
The dog whined and barked and jumped on the bed but the old man could not be roused.
Odd smelling men came and took the old man away.
They did not take the dog, he was hiding under the flowers and tall grasses of the meadow.
As night came on the dog wandered into the woods to look for food.
The moon was full, bright, and beaming.
The dog came into a clearing and saw a coyote.
They looked at each other for a time then began to play.
Wrestling and jumping and yipping and howling.
Then they ran.
As they ran through the woods other coyotes began to join them.
The dog became part of the pack that lived in the woods.
He made many friends and played many games.
Smell the rabbit, catch the fish, and chase the tail of grandpa coyote.
The dog was happy. He became part of a new family.
Time past.
One day at dusk he came upon the meadow.
He looked out and saw the house that was once his.
And thought of the old man.
The dog felt a twinge in his chest.
A pain.
An absence.
Then he raised his head and howled at the moon yet to rise.

Life And Death

"There is in every one of us an unending see-saw between the will to live and the will to die." -Rebecca West

'Deceptive Practice' & 'Now You See Me' Reviews

Deceptive Practice is a documentary about magician Ricky Jay. You may know him from The Prestige or season 1 of Deadwood as well as countless other TV and film appearances but his primary passion and focus is on the art of magic.

The film follows Ricky Jay's career from the age 4 to present. Interviews with Ricky Jay inspired with archival footage of his performances as well as performances from the mentors that taught him sleight of hand. Ricky Jay discusses his particular magic philosophy and we see a development of an intriguing man who went through a number of transformations that we see but he never discusses. In the 80's for example his hair and beard are long and his act is as boisterous as a Sam Kinisin routine.

The film is also a lesson in the history of magic. Ricky Jay describes the great magicians that inspired and taught him going back to the early 1900's. Deceptive Practice is not only a portrait of Ricky Jay but a love letter to magic itself. It's full of small beautiful moments of magic described by others as done by Ricky Jay. One in particular by a Guardian reporter that while she recounts it begins to weep.

Mysterious, engrossing, beautiful.

See It.

Now You See Me is a heist-thriller with magicians. There's no real acting to speak of done by the star studded cast and Morgan Freeman in particular phones in his performance. The story seems to be so focused on the magical effects it contains it forgot to have dialogue that make sense or a plot that can be followed. There are extended parts of the movie that literally make no sense, you have no idea why the participants are doing or saying the things they are. But there is lots of cool CGI magic.

Don't See It.

Steve's Guide To A Day Job

my desk

1. Fulfillment- If you have a job you love you're in luck. If you have a job you like, enjoy it as much as you can. If you have a job you hate, get a new job. If you have a job you don't feel one way or the other about take pleasure in the work that you do. Be proud of doing a good days work, work your hardest, and be positive, let any angst roll off you like water. You have to take some measure of fulfillment form your job or you will be perpetually discontent. That may be something small or it may be big if you have a job that engages you. The important thing to remember is that every job is important in some way. No job is too small, no job is unimportant, no job is beneath you. I suffered under the idea that I was too smart for every job I had and it made me miserable. You get payed to do a service, render the service, and enjoy the feeling of being of service.

2. Commuting Materials- If you drive, bike, or ride the train keep yourself engaged. Don't let that half an hour be wasted time. Read, listen to podcasts, music, or audio books. Engage with something it will liven up your day and get your mind rolling on some interesting things if you have a relatively mindless job.

3. The Internet- If you have internet access at your job find out what restrictions, if any, your work has. Find sites that you like, that make you laugh or have interesting content. When your bored, need a pick me up, or need a break- do some well deserved surfin'.

4. Lunch Buddies- Every once in a while make a lunch date with friends. It'll brighten up your day and break up your week.

5. Work Space- Personalize your office space. Pictures, kitch, quotes whatever. Make a place you are comfortable in with things around you that make you happy.

6. Office Politics- Be on equitable terms with your co-workers. If you don't like someone at your work or someone rubs you the wrong way don't let it effect your attitude or your performance. Whatever someones issue may be more often than not its a result of their own dissatisfaction with their life or with their job. It has no bearing on you or your work. Don't take anything personally. Do your work as best you can and if you have a problem with anything or anyone talk to someone about it. Whatever issues arise at work, they're not worth it.

7. Get home fast and do whatever you want!

A Moment of Grace 2

This morning I was feeling a little grumpy. I didn't get enough sleep, I woke up late, I didn't have time to enjoy my morning coffee and cigarette, the weekend seemed far away.

Standing on the train platform I was dreading the day ahead of talking to obtuse and/or agitated psychologists and scrounging the internet for entertaining things to read.

The sun came out from behind a cloud and warmth crept up my face. I looked up and on a roof top a block away I saw women dancing. Practicing some swooping joyful piece dressed in lively pinks and oranges. They were too far away to hear the music that accompanied them, if in fact there was any. Their movements were underscored by the rumble of trains, the mummer of my fellow commuters, and the ambient sounds of the city. It seemed so fitting, so right, so perfect.

I watched enthralled until the train arrived and whisked me away.

Missed Connections

Again, I saw you
you were reading
so was I
I tried and tried
to catch your eye
hoping
something lingered
a glint or glimer
but you weren't looking
when I was
you walked away
and I willed you
to turn around
but if you did
my glance was gone

'After Earth' A Review

After Earth is a post apocalyptic scifi movie and Will Smith's recent installment in his ever expanding quest to make his son a movie star. A thousand plus years in the future the human race has left earth and populated a new planet carving out a place for itself only to be attacked by invading aliens. The warriors who fought and won the war are called Rangers who were lead by General Cypher Raige(Will Smith). The movie opens with Kitai Raige(Jaden Smith) in training to be a Ranger. Daddy Raige takes Little Raige on a routine training mission but they run into an asteroid shower and crash land on Earth. Our world has been taken back by the flora and fauna which have evolved to kill humans. Daddy Raige and Little Raige are the only ones left alive in the crash and Daddy's legs are broken so Little Raigey has to go out into the dangerous world that was once ours to retrieve a homing beacon in order to be rescued.

The premise of this world is intriguing, it's a good scifi concept movie. The CGI is great and a lot of work was put into the conception of the future Earth and this possible future civilization. The story moves and the action is fun. The biggest problem and the only problem really with After Earth is its lead: Jaden Smith. Jaden looks 11 years old, he can't act, he can't emote, he doesn't look natural in any situation, everything is forced and contrived. When he's running or jumping or swimming he's believable(other than his small frame which always seems to be years behind his actual age and the ages he's cast as) but when he opens his mouth his performance and the movie crumble. Will Smith does what he can to inject some of the older Smith gravitas but most of his performance in the movie is audio.

An entertaining yet underwhelming summer scifi flick not worth paying money to see.

Rent It.

Rituals

All the performers I've met have pre-show rituals. Some people take a pre-show poop. James eats two bananas before a show. This guy Colin who was on my first team would get really intense and shadowbox and do hard rock air guitar. Everyone has their thing. More often than not now I try to get to the theater half an hour early, sit some where quiet and read or listen to music, just try to get myself centered, and I always have a Redbull. I like to get to whatever theater I perform at before anyone else does, I don't know why, I just like being the first performer their, watch the performers arrive and the room fill up. I think it just adds to the magic of it for me. This empty space devoid of energy holds endless possibility and you just watch it happen.

The show I've been doing on Sundays after Schwa picked a name: Two Scotts, Two Nelsons, and a Uhlir is now Prime. For a long while now Craig has sworn by Gatorade Prime. Craig and Jim used to take it before their shows and now we take it before our shows. It's a "gel blend of carbs and vitamin B that delivers energy when you need it most" it's suppose to give you energy fifteen minutes after you take it. I don't know if it works but it sure feels like it works. We joke that it feels like one of the Looney Toons whose shoes turn in to rockets.

Prime shows feel like they've been getting better and better especially since we played with Lutz. I always sweat, we always have fun, and we always make each other break.

You could make the case we owe it all to the prime.

Meltdowns

Last night The Night Shift hosted our third incubator night at The Playground. Ten teams made over the past three years did short sets, the point of which was to celebrate each other and the theater. The show is always fun, packed, and some groups experiment with different ideas or forms. One group however had a palpable meltdown on stage which was kind of horrifying to watch and I'm guessing horrifying to be a part of.

The set opened with one of the guys dressed as Jay Leno doing a relatively fun bit to take the suggestion. Another guy, lets call him Ralph, took offense by this, cut him off, and took the suggestion instead getting a female teammates name. Ralph started a scene with that woman, who had apparently just come from a date, and tried to get her to talk about her date which she clearly didn't want to do. The next scene Ralph was on the side throwing balloons at the ceiling pulling all the focus. After that scene another guy came out to get another suggestion and he very sarcastically said "Ralph is so funny! Can we get something about how great and funny Ralph is!?" They tried to do more scenes, during a couple of which Ralph asked the woman about her date seemingly hiding or projecting some kind of jealousy. After four minutes I pulled the lights because everyone was looking defeated. It was wild.

I understand having interpersonal issues with your teammates, I certainly have had them, and I get feeling the urge to take it to the stage as if it'll be easier to resolve there, but it never is. Bringing real life aggression or anger at someone else on your team to the stage is unpleasant to watch and toxic for your teammates. Bringing a wholly selfish, superior, chip-on-the-shoulder attitude to the stage is boring to watch and just makes you look like a real life asshole.

If you don't want to do improv, if you're not having fun doing it, if you don't care for members of a team you're on, it's simple.

Stop doing it.