On Hiatus Improv

Normally I carry a notebook around with me in case inspiration strikes, I have time to write, or I just need to jot something down, but the past couple of days I have misplaced it, which has been most inconvenient. And naturally while babysitting yesterday, after I put Des to bed, I though I would sit down and write a blog post.. only one problem, I couldn't find any blank paper to write on. The only thing I could find was a giant coloring book, so I ripped out a page to write on the back of... and instead I started coloring the picture and intermittently writing when I felt the need to do so.

This is Bernadine the kick ass dragon... that I need to finish!

Amazing opportunities continue to present themselves to me and it so reassuring! It isn't always easy taking a giant leap of faith and moving to a new city to try and pursue life as a comedian, as a matter of fact it feels down right crazy sometimes, but then there are some weeks that just make you realize that it might be crazy but it is so worth it. In addition to my new job, new class, and new yoga routine (and yes, in case you are wondering, I have started it and I love it!) our old improv group is making a come back as is my old coached ensemble! My close group of friends here in Chicago all met through our Improv For Actors class this summer and decided to to continue working together as an improv group, however we all got busy so it was hard to find time to get together, rehearse, and book shows. But with the new year we have decided to give it a go again, and this time we have a name! That's right, we are called On Hiatus (And you can like us on Facebook HERE or follow us on twitter at @onhiatusimprov) and we already have three shows booked for February (talk about making a comeback!!). If you live in Chicago come and check us out February 4th and 11th at The Lab at AJ Hudson's at 8:00pm and February 6th at Back Room Comedy at 8:00pm.

In addition Jessica Mitolo, our coach from The Jessicas, emailed us to see if we would be interested in opening for Twisty, one of the house ensembles at Second City! Which is amazing because we all loved playing together so much and we wanted to keep doing things together! So for only $12 ($6 for Second City students) you can come see The Jessicas and Second City House Ensemble, Twisty, perform on Saturday February 15th at 9:00pm in the De Maat Theatre.

Ok I will cease with the shameless plugging of my upcoming events. I am just so stoked to be doing improv with some of my favorite people again! I am also just excited to be busy again... nothing like running out of things to watch on Hulu.

In other news I did start doing some of the yoga from the DVD that I bought and even though I have only done it twice I already love it and I am excited to continue.

So I guess you could say I am just full of excitement from how 2014 is going for me already!!

Oh Hot Damn, This is My Jam

This has been a big week for me, I started a new job, a new improv class, and a new yoga routine (ok... so I haven't started it yet). Thankfully all of this happened just in time for me, I was getting very antsy hanging around my house for hours on end.

From now on 35-40 hours of my week now consists of playing with a 3 year old who loves art and yelling. It feels great to be working again... My days are now filled with smelly markers, "sgetty O's," and baby dolls... and there is nothing wrong with that! Come on, be honest, you would love to get paid to color with smelly markers and build sand castles with magic sand. And who wouldn't love that?

I enrolled in Scenic Improv 2 this term at Second City and I can already tell this is going to be the best class I have taken. The teacher, Rachael Mason, is so good at explaining concepts and putting the complexity of improv very simply. I have already learned so much in only 3 hours of class. My favorite thing she talked about is actually something I have been working on for a while which is just being able to shed my inhibitions. Viola Spolin, fondly considered the mother of improvisational theatre, invented improv games to help non-english speaking children in the arts. Her son Paul Sills, founder of The Second City, thought, well if kids can do it then surely adults can. And hence the history of Second City in 10 seconds or less. Scenic Improv 2 is going to be about getting us to play like kids, to stop worrying about if we are messing up, doing it wrong, or being judged and just give 110% to the scenes. This is going to be great for me since the feedback I got after not being accepted to continue in the Conservatory was to commit to my character and scenes and not back down.

One thing in particular that Rachael said that has become my new mantra for improv, "Decide now that this is your 3rd drink jam!" Essentially just decide that you are going to lose your inhibitions and dance as though your 3 drinks in even if you don't know the song. I LOVE THIS! Because I am also that person at the club that will just sit on the sideline while other people dance claiming "Oh...I don't know the song..." and "Oh... well... I am soo not drunk enough yet..." So I guess I have a little bit of work to do on both my improvising and socializing skills.

Oh... yeah... and my "new yoga routine." I guess it's not a routine if I haven't started yet. I have taken the first steps to a new yoga routine though. From the comfort of my bed I can see my brand new yoga mat and yoga DVD, I have a brand new Contigo water bottle that coincidentally matches my yoga mat, and I have plenty of pairs of yoga pants that would love to (for once) be used for their actual purpose. If you're in the market for a new water bottle don't get a Camelbak they (Suck!) leak... Contigo is so much better (Sponsor? **hint hint Contigo**). In my defense it is very cold in my house... is wrong to do yoga in a sleeping bag? Okay... ok... I will do some yoga... eventually....

The Shivering

It's hard enough coming home from vacation and being unemployed, but Chicago made it so much harder with it's -12º feels like -40º temperatures. Did anyone really expect me to leave the comfort and warmth of my bed? 

Sunday was cold, snowy, gray, and windy

Monday was so cold it actually hurt to be outside. It felt like someone with a million little frozen razor blades was having a party on my thighs! 

But hey Chicago! At least it was sunny, you win some and you lose some! 

I did leave my house, but only to go to the bank, my brief venture out into the world persuaded me to set aside all other responsibilities and set up camp in my room, under three blankets, with my computer, iPad, and phone. I am not sure exactly how many hours of television I watched, but I watched the entire season of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and half of the season of The Sing Off. I also played an exorbitant amount of Candy Crush and Tiny Wings. 

Today I will get out of my warm and cozy cocoon of happiness and attempt to face the world. I have a To Do list a mile long and a case of cabin fever that could rival Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson from The Shining).

I mean look at the resemblance: 

But all joking aside I am going to get out of bed, make myself some buttered noodles (because I am an adult and I can), and find something to do with myself today. The Rail has all you can eat Spaghetti and $5 glasses of wine tonight, if anyone wants to join me... 

Stay warm everyone! 

A Serendipitous Encounter

Before I head back to the frozen wasteland of Chicago I got to have a bit of fun with my family and some unexpected old friends.
Due to missing the big family Christmas get together my mom invited my aunts, uncles, and cousins over on New Year's Day for Chili. The day before my mom and sister and I spent all day cutting and preparing a triple batch of Chili. This included pounds of sausage, 6 onions, and a ton of canned tomatoes!

Mary making Lemonade

It was so wonderful getting to catch up with and see my whole extended family. It was so nice to have the opportunity to see them as well as get to know my brother's girlfriend.

Thursday ended up being a day of running around and doing errands with my mom and sister. But in the middle of the errands we were able to find time to have a nice brunch and also go and see Catching Fire at the theater. Then last night my brother took us all out for dinner and drinks (since he is living at home he gets to take the family out since my parents aren't charging him rent). We had delicious burgers and martinis all on my brother's dime. 

Other highlights of the past couple days was getting to try my dad's homemade salted caramel sauce. My dad and older brother spent a lot of time working on and perfecting a caramel recipe to can and gift to all the neighbors. 

Apples and homemade caramel

In a true serendipitous moment two of my best friends from college were in Colorado on a ski trip, and with only a two hour distance to trek to see them it seemed silly not to. We met halfway between Breckenridge and Denver in Idaho Springs to have the famous Colorado style Mile High Mountain Pie at Beau Jo's Pizza.

It was such a treat to get to see Taylor and Jordan at such an unexpected time and place. It felt just like old times hanging out, gossiping, and catching up on life adventures. 

Derpin' just like old times! 

I missed these crazy kids as if they were my own family. It was so great to hear about all the cool things they have been doing since last May. But to be honest I am already counting down the days until they move to Chicago (I don't even care that is a year and a half away). 

Check out that hair! And yes... that is a frozen waterfall in the background! 

This trip home was a much needed break from work, cold, and the city. I got to relax, sleep in, and eat lots of free food.

One more night of my favorite meal (Puttanesca Spaghetti) before heading home (my new home) to the Windy City.

New Year: New You?

Happy New Year! I wish I could report that I had a crazy blowout celebration to ring in 2014, but I sat on the couch with my parents, aunt and uncle drinking wine and watching only the boring parts of Country Strong, due to a scratched disc, and The Italian Job. Compared to last year, reading Harry Potter alone on the couch while babysitting, I have to say this year seemed like a crazy blowout celebration.

Brace yourself for the onset of the avalanche of  high and mighty resolutions about how people are going to better their lives. People vowing to exercise more, eat better, and other such aspirations for a healthier more fulfilling life. I don't know if I reject all attempts at New Year's resolutions because I don't want to be cliche and "mainstream" or if really I am just jealous of every person who is able to make a significant resolution and actually stick with it.

In reality I should definitely eat healthier and I think I would feel better if I could motivate myself to get off my butt and exercise a bit. But I don't make resolutions that I know I wont stick with even to January 2nd.

So instead of a New Year's "resolution" I am going to officially put out into the universe my 2014 New Year's Projects. I only have two but they should keep me busy enough!

1. My Actually-Blog-on-a-Consistent-Basis Project: I started a blog in 2013 but I am going to utilize it better and more frequently in 2014. While a blog should really be used incredibly frequently (daily, or at least every business day). I am giving myself the (possibly outlandish) goal of writing a blog at least once a week, EVERY WEEK! My reasons for this are 3 fold.
          1. If I want to continue in the comedy field I need to learn how to write, write often, and be        
              totally fine with people reading or watching anything that I have written.
          2. There is only one way to break myself of the monotonous writing style that I find so    
              easy to fall into.
          3. There are some things that I can't ever seem to wrap my head around or truly understand until I               put it down on paper. Call it therapeutic, call it crazy, I don't care after it's down on
              paper it's off my mind and nothing feels better than an empty mind.

2. My Improvised Paint Project: I love painting, but I hate how much time it takes me and how caught up I get in the little details of the painting being perfect. Which leads to me being frustrated by the imperfections and either spending far too many hours being dissatisfied with my painting or setting aside the project altogether to be forgotten in my closet. So I recently bought a bunch of canvases on sale at Michael's to start what I am calling my Improvised Paint Project. The premise of this being that much like in improv I will take a suggestion of something, anything really, and using that as inspiration for a painting. What I have decided is that I will give myself time limits. From getting the suggestion I will have 5 minutes to free associate the suggestion, decide what I want to do, and sketch my idea. Then I am only giving myself 30 minutes to paint. After 30 minutes whatever I have is it, it's done and it can't be revisited (just like improv!!!!).

I am actually super excited about both of these things. I have had both "projects" in the back of my mind for a few months now, which means that I fell to the New Year: New You draw by putting off these projects. Just call me one giant cliche! "I have this really great idea... I guess I will start it in the new year!"

Wishing all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous year!