The Process of Process

For the better part of 2005, I participated in a weekly Sunday morning workshop at Second City (9am on Sundays, my friends, a true sign of commitment) led by Micheal Gellman. The plan was to work with Micheal on his theories of scenario one-act improvisation and put them into a show. All the while, our rehearsals and shows were documented and then shaped into a book by Mary Scruggs. The book is modeled after Stanislavsky's An Actor Prepares where all the characters in the book are fictionalized, but based on real events in classes and rehearsals. I don't expect to pick up Micheal's book and be able to recognize myself in it.

As an improviser, this experience was very beneficial. Even after all the training I have had, and after a decade of teaching improvisation, I still had a thing or two I could learn. One of the most important things I learned was what it really meant to explore the silence. Not just silence, "the" silence. I used to think it meant to keep your mouth shut until you think of the next thing to say. With Micheal, I learned it's about leaning into the moment and the emotional life of your character. It's an opportunity to forward the scene without words, purely through emotion and interaction. Pretty cool.

Also through this workshop I met Blaine Swen, which led to my all too in-frequent performances with The Improvised Shakespeare Company and through the stage manager, I met my fiancee, Julie. Needless to say, I hold my experience with this workshop in high regard.

The book is out and there will be a book signing today.

"Process: An Improvisers Journey", - today - Wednesday January 30 - from 5:30pm - 7:00pm at the Second City ETC. Theater in Chicago, IL.

It's free. I hope you can make it. Mary and Micheal will be there along with several of the workshop participants, like me.

Gellman even has a MySpace page about it! That's like your grandfather wearing an iPod! Please visit him. It's rather sad. His only friend is that Tom guy.



ROBOWRITERS RETURNS

This Saturday, Robowriter fans! 1pm - 3pm at Gorilla Tango, 1919 North Milwaukee. $5. Bring whatever scenes you are working on or show up to laugh and be inspired.


ONE MESSAGE. LOUD AND CLEAR.

An addendum to yesterday's post. On Tuesday, March 4th, if you don't have a blog, but still want to participate, use the comment sections of your favorite blogs to spread the cyber shout - IMPEACH BUSH NOW!

Also, Don Hall and I are working on putting up another edition of The Nod that night to cap off the day.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"A travel agency in Germany is offering a flight where all the passengers have the option to be what?"

Guess this was an easy one - no one bought into the answers "Drunk out of their minds,""Available for networking," or "A member of the Mile High Club"

100% got it right with "Naked as jay birds"

According to Reuters, German nudists will be able to start their holidays early by stripping off on the plane if they take up a new offer from an eastern German travel firm. Travel agency OssiUrlaub.de said it would start taking bookings for a trial nudist day trip from the eastern German town of Erfurt to the popular Baltic Sea resort of Usedom. One thing I have observed about nudists, they are made up of the people you least want to ever see naked. It would be my luck on this flight to be wedged in between two hefty guys whose naked rolls of flab spill over into my space.

The Process of Process

For the better part of 2005, I participated in a weekly Sunday morning workshop (9am, my frioneds

One Message. Loud and Clear.

I hate State of the Union addresses. Even when there's a president in office that I like - which has only happened once in my adult life - I can't stand listening to them. They are nothing but shallow pep rallies for the GOP. The applause breaks are more calculated and stilted than the canned audience of a pre-recorded sitcom. I'll watch some of the post-game antics on the news shows, but even that's mostly prepackaged spin responses that aren't very insightful.

The last State of the Union address I watched in it's entirety was in 2002. The big one after 9/11. At that point, I had some hope for the administration. They had responded to 9/11 by going after the Taliban in Afghanistan, a measured and appropriate response, in my eyes. But in that 2002 speech, Bush laid out the Axis of Evil - Iraq, Iran and North Korea. The bone-headed dickwad actually used the word "evil" making his inferences the seeds of a Holy War. The response to 9/11 was no longer about protecting ourselves, it was about God. Our God over their God. Way to stir the pot, George.

That speech also contained Bush lying to the world about Iraq's attempts to build a nuclear bomb by trying to buy yellow cake (unfrosted) in Africa. Which never happened and most intelligence agencies around the world refuted.

Here's what I am afraid of... It's George W. Bush's last year in office and everyone is focused on the campaign and the future. Understandable, except George is still in office and as much as we'd like to call him a lame duck, he isn't going to act like one. And as much as we want to go to sleep and wake-up to a new president, we, the American people, need to hold him responsible for his high crimes and misdemeanors. We want to brush it under the rug and just get him the hell out of there. But if we allow that, we allow the new president, and future presidents, the options to continue his law-breaking antics. We have set a precedence of non-punishment.

I want my voice to be heard and I want your voice to be heard. Me standing on the street corner shouting looks like a nut with too much time on his hands. Me and a few other people looks less lonely, but our voices aren't going to rise above the traffic sounds.

Here's what I propose...

One Message. Loud and Clear.

On Tuesday, March 4th, I will simply post on my blog

IMPEACH BUSH NOW!

And I want you to join me. If you have a blog and share the same sentiment, post only "IMPEACH BUSH NOW!" on Tuesday, March 4th. If you don't have a blog, start one. If you read other blogs, please share the plan. I want to create a global "cyber shout" that cannot be ignored. I will also send this announcement to every member of congress.

Will it do anything? My jaded side says probably not. But we shouldn't let Bush ride out his last year without a fight. Help me spread the word.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"A town after my own heart. Battleboro, Vermont residents will vote on an issue that calls for what?"

58% said "That kids must cover their ass cracks"
- I do believe this, but it's more of a safety issue. Small animals, like mice and squirrels, could try to hide in there and get crushed.

14% said "That all restaurants have vegan options"
- True. I do wish there were more vegan options other than salads and fries. Blooming onions don't count.

No one thought it was "That Richard Simmons be forced to wear pants"

28 % got it right with "That Bush and Cheney be arrested"


According to the Rutland Herald, Brattleboro residents will vote on Tuesday, March 4th on whether President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney should be indicted and arrested for war crimes, perjury or obstruction of justice if they ever step foot in Vermont. The idea is spreading: Activists in Louisville, Ky., are spearheading a similar drive, and he said activists were also working in Montague, Mass.. The article goes on to say the indictments would be the "law of the town of Brattleboro that the Brattleboro police ... arrest and detain George Bush and Richard Cheney in Brattleboro, if they are not duly impeached ..." Kurt Daims, the organizer of the petition drive, said "If Hitler were still alive and walked through Brattleboro, I think the local police would arrest him for war crimes." I don't think it's fair to compare Bush to Hitler. Hitler was a much better public speaker.

Heil, Bush!

With Your Help...

I know times are tough and it's hard to think about giving, but for just a few cents a day, you can help buy this man a pair of pants.





Sadly, this man wonders the streets of New York only able to afford this thrift store ensemble of a pair of striped boxers and a flamboyant wife-beater. The minimal threads of cotton he is able to clothe himself with is equal to the shreds of dignity he has left.

This condition has led him to shaving his armpits and airing them out to dry in public.

This man can sometimes be seen late at night on obscure television channels parading around with overweight people obsessively trying to agitate their sweat glands to music played by dead people. The only rare sighting of him wearing pants is on a DVD about "loving oneself." Clearly, the love he has for himself is of an abusive nature and he is in need of a professional to intervene. This man should stop seeing himself immediately!

With your donation, we might be able to get this man the clothes and the help he needs.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Friday, I asked...

"La Tasca, a Spanish Tapas restaurant in Richmond, Va. was recently fined $2,000 for serving what?"

42% said "Patatas A Lo Pube"
- Yum! Try it with the crabs.

No one went for "Toe-tilla Espanol" or "Pinchos Mucus"
- Both of which are wonderful with a little mole sauce.

58% got it right with "Sangria"

According to the AP, since 1934, the state of Virginia has prohibited mixing wine or beer with spirits. Frances McDonald, vice president of La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurants, found that out the hard way when his Alexandria location was cited for violating the sangria ban in 2006 and fined $2,000. McDonald said his business received no warning about the ban. Well, first off, ignorance of the law is no excuse, buddy. And this law makes perfect sense. Just ask anyone the morning after a robust evening of bouncing around between beers, wine and shots. That pounding in my head and that multi-colored swill spewing from my guts are an affront to mankind.

Saturday Morning Cartoons!

"El Kabong Strikes Again" (1960)



Quick Draw McGraw was one of many characters in the the Hanna-Barbera cartoon stable. While individual cartoons themselves seldom rose to the level of classic, the characters themselves certainly did. Most everyone knows or has heard of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss, but few would be able to quote any storylines. The characters were known for doing one or two things and they did that one or two things over and over again. Still, the characters were fun and, as a kid, I didn't care so much about the story.

Quick Draw was a horse in the Old (south) West with a sidekick burro named Babba Looey, often acting as the sheriff and deputy of a small town. Someone would need help and Quick Draw would answer the call. Sometimes, for no discernible reason, he would go as his alter-ego, the Zorro-esque El Kabong. There are other oddities, too. Even thought Quick Draw is himself a horse, he rode a horse. As did Baba Looey. Quick Draw also had a pet dog named Snuffles. And everyone else in the town is human.

The Quick Draw McGraw Show debuted in 1959 and tapped into the popularity of all the westerns that were on at the time. It has run in syndication ever since.



The Quick Draw McGraw Show was sponsored by Kellogg's. McGraw even appeared on boxes of Sugar Smacks. Yum... Sugar Smacks.

RECESS-ion!

Looks like Uncle Sam's going to give us some money to go play! Woo-hoo!

As is typical with the Bush Administration, the folks who could really use a break aren't going to be getting it. They just want to give us some money to go spend and stimulate the economy. This is just a leftover of Bush's days as a drunk when he would buy everyone a round to prevent him from drinking alone.

This recession - that we are not actually in but have been on the brink of for a very long time mainly because everyone in Washington is too much of a pussy to call it a recession - is all our fault, really. We are at war, and we, the American people, are not taking it seriously. Resident Bush, the great visionary, called us on it right after 9/11. Right when we were ready to roll up our sleeves and sacrifice for our country he gave us a directive - "Go shopping!"

Did we listen? Apparently not.

Even though it looks to me like a lot of people are buying a lot of things. I am seeing more iPhones and Blackberrys than I did six months ago. My fiancee and I bought a new couch last December. I rushed into a Target last night five minutes before closing and bought the 30th Anniversary DVD edition of Blazing Saddles (It's on sale for $6.50, by the way - Yee haw!). There's always a line at the Starbucks I go to. So, who's not pulling their weight? Poor people, that's who! They're too busy blowing their minimum wage paychecks on almost paying the rent. They are taking their unemployment benefits and jacking up the price of ramen noodles with their reckless spending.

The stimulus package is too little, too late and is just a placebo to make us think that congress and the administration are actually doing something. All they are doing is showing that the government is full of idiots who love to spend money when the country is trillions of dollars in debt.

Wish my budgeting system worked that way.

Oh, wait, it does. That must be that Trickle Down Theory at work.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"According to producer Michael G. Wilson, the title of the new James Bond film is what?"

14% said "The Stealth Affair"
- Nope. Sounds like a Pixar movie about adorable hi-tech fighter planes in love.

14% said "Silhouettes"
- Good description of the opening credits, but sounds more like a Lifetime Original movie with Valerie Bertinelli.

14% said "Die Another Golden Tomorrow and Live Forever Twice Dr. Octopussy"
- How about "To Overkill Another Day"?

58% got it right with "Quantum of Solace"
-

According to the AP, producers have revealed some of the secrets about the latest James Bond film, due for release later this year, including the inner turmoil that drives its suave superagent hero and its title: Quantum of Solace. WTF? Daniel Craig, who claims the title has grown on him, said Bond author Ian Fleming defined a "quantum of solace" — it means, roughly, a measure of comfort — as "that spark of niceness in a relationship that if you don't have, you might as well give up." Ummm... Where's the danger? Where's the mystery? Where's the cool factor? It sounds like the dry dissertation of a psych grad. Look for long scenes of Bond broodingly taking personality quizes in Cosmo.

Thursday Mornings

First off, thank you for reading this blog. It's made a tremendous difference to me as a writer and if no one were reading it, I would have stopped doing it. But people do read, so I try to post something new Monday through Saturday by 8am, usually earlier.

If you are one of my early morning readers, you'll have noticed that I tend to post late on Thursday mornings. On Thursday mornings, I have coffee with my friend Andrew. We meet at 7am at Metropolis in Rogers Park and then walk over to where he works. It is here that we have a talk. But it's not just any talk. It's called "peer empowerment." PEP, for short.

Now, I know that already sounds weird. Maybe it is. It's certainly not a common practice among we humans. Here's how it goes, one of us talks for thirty minutes while the other one listens. Then we switch. And that's it. We don't try to solve each other's problems or in any way try to dissect what the other person said. We just listen to one another.

There are a few guidelines we try to follow. While listening, we try to avoid being judgmental. If I notice myself having strong opinions about what Andrew's talking about, I try to let go of it and try to stay focused in the moment about what he is saying. While speaking, we try to stay in the moment and try to "dig in" to whatever issue we're exploring for ourselves. We try to avoid speaking about the past or telling stories. Also, while speaking, we try to avoid being entertaining for the other person. We are speaking for ourselves, getting thoughts and feelings expressed so we can better grapple with whatever's going on in our lives. Afterwards, we might exchange a few comments about what we talked about, but generally we don't. Absolutely everything we say to one another is confidential.

I didn't realize this until recently, but Andrew and I have been doing this for five years. Time flies. It's an effective tool for getting a lot of things about career, family and relationships out of my head and into a realm of possibly doing something about them. There's also something really great and hard to describe about speaking and having someone attentively and non-judgmentally listening for thirty minutes.

Give it a try. It doesn't seem to work too well for family members and couples. Usually because the person talking tends to be talking about the person trying to listen without judgment. Virtually impossible for a married couple to do!

So, that's why I'm usually late on Thursdays. Blame Andrew.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"Miniclip.com features a shooter game where kids get to use what for targets?"

30% said "Illegal Immigrants"
- That's the republican version of the game.

25% said "House Pets"
- Yes, but they can only shoot the ones that scratch the new furniture. My fiancee would love this game.

15% said "High School Students"
- Yes, and then they move to the next level, which is college students, and then co-workers.

30% got it right with "Presidential Candidates"

According to The Smoking Gun, Presidential Paintball, a popular online games site offers kids the opportunity to assume the identity of a leading presidential contender and then shoot their political opponents in a series of armed confrontations in the White House. While the ammo is paintball, the game on the highly trafficked miniclip.com site allows kids to train a rifle scope on six presidential aspirants and squeeze off a hail of shots (which are accompanied with a rat-a-tat sound). I think a better name might be My Little Assassin.