Wednesday, October 22, 2008

On the subject of Being One

There is a lot of drama out there.

Candidates want you to believe their opponent likes killing babies. They want to make you think their opponent wants to attack you with thumb tacks. You need to know that their opponent is a total piece of sh...aving cream!

It's enough to make one sick... and I am one.

The stock market has no rhyme or reason. Life is full of expectations and all the traders can do is expect the worst. My 401K - a lot less than it was back when it was just a savings account.

It's enough to make one sick... and I am one.

The team I am not allowed to talk about has not been able to become a winning team. As a matter of fact, my college team stinks. People want to see heads roll for every little thing from bad coaching to softball questions to typos.

It's enough to make one sick, and I am one.

I went into improv class with the choice to be awesome or awful. My dog helped make the choice by his need to be let out every 15 minutes from midnight to 2 AM the night before, and a sound sleeping wife had no idea what was going on... so I was Doggie Door Man.

So as my worn out self went into improv, I couldn't act or think my way out of a doggie bag. It was just brutal. Interestingly enough, my teacher had a solution by taking away what is my biggest strength. He told me that I had to basically become a statue and do the entire scene motionless. 

It was awesome, as my character took shape from the opening minute. If the audience was looking to laugh, they were out of luck. The drama of the week had taken its place in class, and I was driving it. 

In the next scene, restrictions came off, but the drama continues in a poignant scene about someone who had almost killed his friend's friend in a car accident. 

Afterwards, I jumped up and screamed, "I just went dramatic on your ass!" Now, that was out of character, but it was just want I needed. In trying to find a way to make others laugh, I discovered it was more interesting, at this point, to make them think.

It was enough to make one happy, and finally I was one.

In these days approaching the election, and the wacky days in the market, take time to save some drama for yourself. It may have a surprising effect on you.

Good night, fellow thespians!

Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger

No comments: