IT BEGINS!! A list..

Yes. The January we all knew was coming. It should be fun. Let's do this!

a) Six Ring Circus begins again! (good god, there's a myspace page) Students and graduates of the Brave New Institute perform improv for a nominal donation.. it's awesome.

The team I coach, Dr. Rocket, just gained three more members. This team's collective I.Q. is intimidating. Thankfully, they use their powers for good. They're up tonight at 7:30 p.m., at the Brave New Workshop! $1 donation! w00t!

b) We Gotta Bingo opened last weekend, and got a really nice review. Thursdays - Sundays at Hennepin Stages, through February 6th! W00t!

c) OMG! This Friday ONLY at the Mixed Blood Theatre, 11 p.m., $5 - - lovely improv ladies recount awkward stories of their adolescence. It's brilliant.

d) Improv A Go Go this Sunday at the Brave New Workshop, 8 p.m., $1 - - Explorer's Club returns!! Along with the mysterious Snakes & Cakes.. All of which makes me giddy.

e) If you're at the MOA, myself and co-worker Rebecca will be performing at 12noon, Saturday - Monday, as part of their eCommunity event. We will be dressed like caffeinated water droplets, as that's basically what we are.

If you're a performer in the Twin Cities, you will probably end up performing at least once at the MOA. As Mr. Doughty says, 'we're all going to Reseda'. The MOA might be my Reseda.

BUT, it's an adorable show (directed by the awesome Shanan Custer, no less), and we will teach you about the hydrologic cycle. See?

.. and then we'll go to Nordstrom's Rack. Just cuz.

f) I start teaching again. Yea!!!! It's the sum total of 6 hours of my week, but it's what carries the most weight for me. It requires the most preparation, and also the most fuck-it-all. It feels like going to war. But a really silly war. Perhaps just a police action. I'm excited. Wish us all luck.

Also...

I can't make it, but you should go... My bf is performing at Rick Bronson's House of Comedy at the MOA, tonight at 8 p.m.. Auditioning for the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. THIS IS SO COOL. And the comics involved are just plain, stupidly awesome.

Come out Tuesday Jan 12 and see 12 professional comedians audition for a spot on the biggest and most influential comedy festival in the world: The Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. Show starts at 8pm. Each comic is doing six minutes of time. Please come out and support the Twin Cities scene and laugh your ass off.

Hosted by Rudy Pavich and featuring special guest John Conroy. Here are the comics who will be performing for a spot in order:

Gabe Noah
Jamie Blanchard
Dwight York
Maggie Faris
Mike Brody
Bill Young
Steve Gillespie
Kjell Bjorgen
Patrick Bauer
Tommy Thompson
Chris Maddock
Jessi Campbell

Madness! Really cool stuff, honestly. I feel like I've been typing in exclamation marks for the entirety of this blog.

Final cool things:

a) Streamable MS3TK on netflix.

b) Streamable Anthony Bourdain on netflix.

c) The Cleveland Show is still funny (and on hulu).

d) If your pasta dish tastes boring, add salt and bake it.

e) Clementines are in season.

Hoping your Tuesday is lovely! (I have 4 minutes to shower)

Onward.

That image made me very happy.

But not prefacing it just made it jerky. So sorry!

So to temper this, I am including a posting from "The Daily Puppy". It's very important.

His name is Darwin, and he's "quite the little social director whenever in a group of other puppies."

There. I feel better. Good morning!

Onward.

heh. :)

Bad kid!! Bad kid me!!

Ohhhhhh. I've gotten back into the once-a-month posting habit. Which, as we know, is bullcocky. But thank you lovely people!! For reading and things!! YOU ARE AWESOME!!! Sending hugs at you right now, wherever you are!!

My mom was in town. For nearly a week. (Given the xmas snow beating we took, she waited until routes were pronounced clear by the weather gods. Or at least pronounced non-apocalyptical. Which is fun to say.) I had taken the week off around xmas to hang out with her. For better or worse, she arrived as my schedule was kicking in again. Ah well..

The time she spent was wonderful and so generous of her!! It is also the interruption of quasi-normal routines, and acknowledging that I spent all of 30 minutes of the week alone. (During that time, I tried a exercise routine off of the hulu.com. This is what might do, if you are 34.)

What we did:

- Take Your Mom to Work Day! Luckily, I work in a museum, so there is much to see, and many nice people to show your mom off to. The steps to showing off your mom involve:

a) "Hey, this is my mom!!"

b) Everyone says nice things.

Win!!

- Snack! We destroyed boxes of Triscuits. I could not be happier. We did not snackrifice.

- Wallpapered the kitchen ceiling. There is nothing more terrifying than taking a wet, sticky patterned yard of paper, and matching it to another wet, sticky patterned yard of paper - - above your head. Why?! Neither of us wallpaper -- Neither of us were raised that way*!

But it's done. The kitchen ceiling looks lovely. We didn't swear that much. We faced our fears. It was the hero cycle over and over.

- She came and saw "We Gotta Bingo** ***". Which was so awesome of her. (and Sue and P-Bau!! Thank you!!) No one should have to experience interactive theater unless they really really want to. I don't know if any of them really really wanted to, but they did it!! Thank you!!!

And now she's safely back in Sux City. Merrr..

Things I'd like for 2010:

- Gotta see family more. I don't have that much family. This should not be that big of a deal. Mom needs to be seen at least once a season. I need to get down to AZ to visit my sis. Or, better yet, meet them someplace fun. Which brings us to...

- Keep the travel bug alive. It's so easy to get caught in schedules - - make the time, save the money, make it happen.

- Listen to more classical music. Oh man. I technically have a degree in music. The last twelve years of my life have been orchestra-free (which the previous ten years of my life involved a lot of youth symphony. And college symphony. And pit orchestras. I caught the youtube clip of Amanda Palmer playing Tchaikovsky.. I know this piece. I've accompanied this piece. It's big and show off-y. And lovely.)

So, yes. More classical music. Maybe start with the easy stuff - - which is Dvorak and Copeland for me. Big, gorgeous, melodic picturesque shit - - with lost of brass. And then move into the brainier stuff. A woodwind quartet (which sometimes sound like really talented ducks). A stuff-up-your-shirt minuet. I can feel that this may be like going to the gym.. but I'll feel really good afterwards, honestly.

- Blog more. More blogging makes for better blogs.

Speaking of, this one is running long. And blabby. Happy January thaw, lovely people!

Last note: I dreamt last night that I died. And as they were throwing the dirt on my face, I was just trying to convince myself to let go, and I couldn't. Macabre dream #256.

Onward.

*Honestly. I was raised warned about the terrors of wallpaper. It's a bitch to take off. It's there forever. It's not worth the effort. I was similarly warned about democrats and ear-piercing.. and non-land-grand universities.

**"We Gotta Bingo" is open until the first weekend of February! W00t! This weekend was our opening weekend - - we're all exhausted. A four show weekend is awesome. A four show weekend following a week of rehearsals (plus real life) is tuckering.

*** I love being part of a cast which is mostly over 30. We do our job, we have fun, we support each other, we maybe go out for a drink afterwards, we have kids, we have jobs, we go home. There's a normalcy to it and to this group of people. Even if we play dress up. So very lucky.

What can you say..

I need to get up and create a driveway. But..

- Hot Yoga again! This time I dressed appropriately, brought water, and survived! Perhaps not the mindblowing experience of last time, but delicious!

- Tried Yoga Sculpt. It was a poor decision, although I may go again. (pleasepleaseplease let not the 23 year old yoga instructor think that the classics station is perfect background for body rock. Jon Bon Jovi, unless drunkenly sung at a wedding, is nasty.)

- "Yoga Sculpt" handed my ass to me. Ow.

- This studio (I feel like a tool saying studio) is not about happy-making yoga. This is get-fit-and-talk-about-your-abs yoga. I like the exercise, but miss the happy-making yoga. I will go on search for happy-making yoga. Until then, my "abs" feel super special.

- It's such a weird mix of people. There's people who look like me, then there's suburban housewives, there's generally two business men, and then there's people who are probably fire dancers and models in their real life. (The firedancers and models come to class in dreads, earrings and little else. Amongst the suburban housewives dressed in Calvin Klein yoga gear. Fascinating!)

Beyond that...

- I've gone to some auditions, I've taught, I've worked, I've seen some lovely people..

- Spiked opened! Delightful! Again, secret code of "Santa" gets you discounted tickets, yes. :)

- I've been basically circling. Not really getting anything done - - just maintaining. My house is basically clean (even if it needs repair), my laundry is kinda clean (it's folded!), the dishes are kinda clean, the pets are basically healthy (gotta dope Pickles' ears).. Maintain maintain. Anything new or created? Not so much. ... Except for my 2009 Xmas mix, which doesn't really count. If you would like a copy, I will be sharing with you as soon as I see you in real life.

Time to shower and freeze..

Onward!

People seem happy

People seem happy at the museum today. That's nice. I forget that people, when they come to a museum, are generally happy to be there. It's a break in their routine. That's nice.

Things:

- Diego (as in "Go, Diego, Go") is teaching our children ("our" children? What a jerky thing to say. Presumptive.) ...things. I do a short show about Bears at the Museum. I've had at least two under-five kids get all up about the Spectacled Bear (the only bear in South America).

a) Spectacled? That's just damned hard to say.

b) What person over 30 has heard of the Spectacled Bear?

c) Chupacabra-Diego-mash-ups are inevitable.

- We went to Java Train yesterday. It was actually really lovely.

a) It's.. train themed. Trains and silos.

b) They have a train for your children to play in. When children play in a train, they scream a lot. Much like hobos would.

c) You can get hot dogs, mac n' cheese and ice cream at Java Train. ALL AT THE SAME TIME!! Hoboriffic!

- Back to tech rehearsal tonight! Er.. Dress rehearsal. Since I'm pattering in three's..

a) The music is beautiful! That Dennis knows how to arrange a song!

b) The sketches are funny! That Jim! That Josh Will! That Racheal! Delightful!

c) Pickles might have a part in it. (Pickles is my tiny dog with a bum leg.)

Pickles says promo code "Santa" for tix! And check out our calendar, to see what fancy guest star will make a fancy cameo appearance! (This Sunday, Ferrari McSpeedy!!)

Spiked.

Onward.

Tut tut...

Yesterday was a grease'plosion! A delicious delicious grease'spolision. Along the lines of "hey, 23 year old, wanna live? Like really really live!? Let's do this!"

To show you how serious we were, for a tiny dinner, we shared some poutine at Duplex.

And you're thinking, Jen, that looks disgusting. To which I would answer:

a) yes. It is. It's french fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy.

b) Canadians love it!

c) If you order it at Duplex, it looks all sexy n' stuff, honest.

Just a little half order. To justify, you can say, well.. it's like you ordered fries, and then a cheese and gravy sandwich. Somehow, that makes it better.

And, then, around 10 p.m., we made scotch eggs.

Egads! A scotch egg is a hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage, breaded, then fried. We did it all homemade..

a) Fairly easy to make!

b) It's super comforting food! Like if breakfast came in baseball-sized portions.

c) Yeah...

Today, it's all oatmeal and apples and seaweed and slaps in the face. Promise. Yesterday, truly, was epic.

Saturday was a trip to Duluth! Unless you work in the service industry, people move a bit slower in Duluth.

a) Hi lake! Except when you swallow people, I likes ya!

b) Got up to do a couple of guest sets. Yes. I am trying stand up. I have some jokes. I need to write more.

c) I improved! Second guest set went fairly well. First guest set, I heard the drunk guy on stage left whisper "transsexual". What? Fine.

d) Met one of the most terrifying people. A very very drunk 23-ish year old 6'4" blonde tattoo'd infant of a man with military training. Who wanted to tell the stand ups how awesome they were by yelling and slapping them hard on the shoulder. And then getting horrifyingly quiet for about 30 seconds. Jesus.

We ate breakfast at Uncle Louis' and headed home. (Some guy wanted to win the "Hey I'm gregarious game!" here. Super jovial, his whole family basically surrounding me, but got almost offended when I tried to talk back. Let's play the gregarious game! Nope, it's a one man show. Sorry.. jerk.)

Ended up hosting Sunday Funday Double Team at the Spring Street, which was fun, until I was reminded about that whole not-being-23 thing again.

Note: If you do stand up, people might want to buy you shots. They think it's fun. It's really not. Really really not. Please eat some seaweed.

Happy Wednesday, friends! :)

Onward.

It's a little bit funny.. this feeling inside..

- I have a new tire. Thanks, Tires Tires Tires.

- Some gentleman who wasn't quite right decided to show everyone (including my mom) in the waiting room why men like Dodge products, as the Dodge Ram logo looks like fallopian tubes.

- To South Dakota! Grandpa looks awesome. Pam got a sassy new haircut. We ate a plate of beige. I've blogged about Tobie's before!!

- We drive back from SD through NE to IA. Rolly pretty. Mom points out where another horrible massacre happened. (That particular account linked is from 1896 and is wincingly horrible and racist. And the accounts that actually happened are also absolutely horrible.)

- Despite the horrible things that happened so close, NE Nebraska/NW Iowa is filled with some of the nicest people in the world. Eye contact and hellos from strangers! Dreamy!

- We get home and a lovely friend stops by! Yeaa!!

I don't wanna go. It's starting to hang in. This was too short. I miss my family. It's nice to be all together again.

"Pushing Daisies" really is a lovely show.

Onward.

P.S. Soon to come, a breakdown of Venture Bros. females! How all of the women who will actually have sex with the male characters must have one horrible, possibly disfiguring flaw (low creepy voice, invisible outer layer of skin) while the one actually possibly physically perfect woman (Molatav Cocktease) won't. What does it mean?? (NOTHING!) You're welcome.

Onward.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Quick little notes before getting back to SUX family mom time:

- Up was a beautiful, loving, funny, cautionary tale about obsession.

- I loved it, and laughed and cried much.

- Finished off, with mom, that bottle of 2002 Beringer White Cabernet Sauvignon from the basement.

- Did the aging process help it? What was originally supposed to taste like? I'm assuming apple juice.

- Should a cab be white? No! It was a very racist pink bottle of wine.

- I have the slighted, pink-colored headache this morning.

It's good to be back in the familiar. I am thanksful for blue skies and couches, and to just having family and for the family themselves. To house and home and shelter, clean air and water and the good things that come from them. To puppy dogs and kitty cats. To the people, who aren't here, whom I'm lucky enough to know and love. Which includes you - - THANK YOU!! Sending love your way. I am blessed and thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving... :)

Onward.

Am I doing this wrong?

There's moments, such as last night, such as this morning, that I get stuck and sad. And right now, that brand of stuckness is "am I doing this wrong? I might be bad at life. This sucks. I'm sad."

I don't feel like counting blessings. I feel like wallowing in this for a while.

I will count my blessings. I just don't feel like it right now.

Before jumping into the pile of Fuck-it-All, let's check on our weekly horoscope..

I agree with football coach Lou Holtz, who said, "The problem with having a sense of humor is often that people you use it on aren't in a very good mood." It's possible to work around this difficulty, however. What you have to do, before you unleash your levity, is conjure up empathy for the sourpuss in question. You should also make sure that your intention is not to mock or poke at the person, but instead offer a potential escape from his or her locked energy. By my calculations, you could be an expert at this kind of psychic judo right now. For best results, practice on yourself. Whenever you're headed toward a negative thought or emotion, nudge yourself away with a jest or wisecrack.

:( .. I will get on that. As soon as I'm able. I promise.

a) Dr. Rocket had one of their best damn set at Six Ring Circus last night. Goddamn. I greedily want them to submit for TCIF and IAGG and all that goodness. That little light of their's, I wanna watch it shine for a very long time. Go, gentlemen, go.

b) I've started Christmassing. I do like Christmassing. Certain things are being purchased. I hope certain people like them.

c) I didn't get the part that I had second callback for. My response to this is mostly "Aw, that's okay." I wanted it, but I didn't really expect to get it. Just proud to get second callbacked.

d) A poorly done haiku:

I'm jumping into

My Kia. It needs an oil

Change. Such is life, yes?

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your's.

Onward.

Ohhhh, Thanks, Friends!

Thank you so much for a) reading b) responding. That's it. Michele is right. There's nothing better than people letting you know they read and they're okay with what you're writing. Thank you thank you thank you!!

Sunday was a lovely zoom. My Saturday horoscope told me to be on time for everything on Saturday (I did good!) and it carried over to Sunday. Yea! We Tony n' Tina'd for over 300 people, then to Improv A Go Go (where we got to be dirty and at least talk about all the stuff.. - - naughty, but fun. We didn't actually get to the skullf**king, but we probably should have.. maybe.)

And then Troy and James made me cry. w00f. In that deep-I-am-so-throughly-delighted-way that my nose has no excuse but to run. Yea! (James Moore, my friends, is up for anything, and that's makes me so happy. Very lucky.)

Then to SpringStreet to see good good people, and to home.

Monday got usurped by "Hot Yoga". One hour of "Hot Yoga" and I was worthless for the rest of the day.

a) You step into a room in your already stinky, unwashed yoga clothes. You notice that the room is set around 100 degrees f and humid. Dear god.

b) You lay on your yoga mat, contemplating the fate you have actively chosen for yourself. The person beside you is already sweating. We're doomed.

c) A very positive and firm woman walks in, and shows you how to breathe (first by pressing your fists into your neck.) I assume that certain things require that you breathe differently, but the only other thing I can think of beside yoga is pregnancy.

d) You sweat and sweat and oh and you stare at yourself in the mirror and you look at other people and your mind is so caught up in how damn hot it is, that there's no time for any other annoying nagging grocery-list thoughts. Enlightenment achieved!

e) We start doing alot of little Savasan (death) poses in between moves towards the end, which sounds all sexy and petite mort-ish but is really, at this moment, laying down for 20 seconds and praying that the firm woman will let us do this more.

f) She also has us rub our third eyes on our knees to "wake it up". I love the idea that my third eye is just really sleepy from too many cartoons and milk shakes.

g) Some of the stretches were for "wringing out our colons" and some were for our lymph nodes. I am soaked in colonic excrement and tummy toxins. I wonder how bad the room must smell, but it's currently too hot to smell anything. Everything's instantly turning to vapor and then to find particulate ash, certainly.

h) There is always at least 1-2 yoga bad-asses in the class. They tend to have chunky arm tattoos and concentrating snake-like eyes. I wonder how they go through the rest of their lives, what they do for a living. Does the rest of the world see how bad ass they are? Do they actually float to work or just materialize? I do not know.

i) Class is done. The firm woman shares in her thankfulness. We are all exhausted and beaten and thankful.

k) I am soaked. The women's showers fill up really fast. (I think there were only two gentlemen in the class itself.) I ask the firm lady about my hyper-extending elbows. Her name is Jennifer.

l) I leave shaken and floaty. I feel destroyed. I cross Excelsior to wander blinky through Trader Joe's.

m) I NOW FEEL GREAT! Water tastes amazing. Let us unyieldingly step into the world and breathe. I buy frozen veggies and use my purse as my shopping bag. I am wearing a Rainbow Bright sweatshirt. W000000...

n) I spend the rest of the day intaking cream based soups, cured meats, wine, coffee, 2 cigarettes, and 3 pieces of frozen pizza (which has formed a baseball shaped lump in my lower.. tummy). ...Owww.

Also, got to see dear friend Sue yesterday. Awesomes. I think I talked her ear off. I owes her.

Today is taking some photos (I hope it goes well! The subject matter is awesome, I just worry about light and things) and Six Ring and hanging out with the boy until tomorrow comes. Tomorrow begins family. oooooooof! Good, but also very comfortable here in Minneapolis. Right now, on the couch, tomorrow sounds intimidating. But it will be good! GOOOD! (right? please?)

Onward.

It's a foodie sort of day.

But first..

Things I like:

- Train songs (you know, Johnny Cash with some where to go..)

- Sing-a-longs (come now, I was born in 1975. How many times did I see the Coke-a-Cola commercials? How much did my mom vacuum to Cat Stevens? Much.)

- Backing vocals (we'll talk about that Edward Sharpe and his army of singers later)

It seems I also like songs that have videos of Canadians walking through the woods in masks.

Basia Bulat's "In the Night" (Jen's xmas mix 2008!) - ooh! Isn't she adorable? Isn't her hair perfect? Is that an autoharp? Look, furries! Skeletons! ooh! That's good folk rock video, friends.

And now, unexpectedly, the Hidden Camera's "Awoo" (almost Jen's xmas mix 2006, switched out for "Boys of Melody") .. Why, here's the video!

(the screen shot at moment 2:13 and 2:26 might be my favorites. Dancing wolf heads!*)

Goodness. Did something happen in Canada? Was camping suddenly a trend? Did Jung become very popular amongst the friendly folky rocker sorts? Well done, Canuck art students of the world!

Anywhoo..

It was the last day of class with the 9ish-13 year olds, and I'm speechless. Crap. I'll miss them. This was so good. When class embodies those perfect mixes, when we are so lucky to be amongst the best of company - - smart and funny and weird and brave. So, here is to Noah, Kevin, Sophie, Liz, Gabriella, Talia, Brianne, Emma, Kayli and Mackensie. And to their parents, who were a joy. And laughed and laughed at their performance. It's an awesome thing to see this age group get belly laughs, and to see them relish in it. Oooh. That's good.

I stopped by the MCAD art sale. NOT BAD, you arty people you. It also was interesting to be in a Minnesota moment, jamming crowds of people into tight spaces to look at stuff. Much like the State Fair or Grand Ol' Days, but with more coffee and white paint.

Then to Keefer (see previous food happy post), then to a callback, then to the Museum where three to four years olds announced to me that all one needed to protect oneself against the chill of the Arctic Circle is a rainbow.

It was a very lucky day.

I stopped for tiny dinner and a drink at the Red Stag before heading home, and totally got to see Butch & Katharine by chance! Ah! Delightful!!

Katharine noted how funny it was to see each other at this particular business, as it's a restaurant owned by a woman that we once both worked for. (I actually met Katharine first, in the year 1999/2000 or so. She did an awesome job. My performance was questionable. Back then, I had met/seen Butch only briefly, enough to tell Katharine that her fiance' was very awesome and very funny. She showed me her wedding binder. Katharine, then and now, kicks ass.) So, 1o years later, here we are. *grin*

We are very lucky, it's true.

Red Stag is and was an indulgence.

a) Butch was right about the martini. Goddamn smooth. Thank you, Splendid Things, for the wooden drink-fetching nickel!

b) I had a small plate of pork belly with fennel and pureed leeks. Meaning, basically, for dinner, I had a fat'splosion. Oh man. Even the leeks had fat in them (olive oil and possibly cream). Delicious fat'splosion!!!

c) I had a Spanish coffee for dessert. Ollie, the kickass bartender, carmelized the sugar on the glass by lighting brandy in said glass on fire. It was beautiful and ridiculous. Good god. (Unfortunately, all my brain could compare it too was Quark's on Deep Space Nine. Drinks with dry ice in them and such. Merh. This does not do the pretty blue flame justice.)

Now I am home, and the animals have been fed, and I need to empty the cat box. It was a long day, but it was good. Someone awesome comes home late tonight, and that's really really awesome.

Tomorrow, Suburban World and Vikings and the LAST TONY & TINA'S and Improv A Go Go and then the Spring Street. hew.

Onward.

P.S. I've been using the phrase "In their wheelhouse" way too often the last two weeks. I am a poser. Please stop me.

*I can't see anyone in an over-sized cardboard head without thinking of Jimmy deSimone in one himself in one of the last (?) Collective Fringe shows.. Was he Jimmy Stewart? Was he Kapra? Was he President Carter? The brain blurs.

Hey, there's pork in my donut - a food post

Yes. Here is to Keefer Bakery, makers of fine and cheap Chinese pastries. (You already know where it is. On the West Bank, across the street from the 400 Bar, two doors down from the Red Sea.. see? You knew!)

If you go, order yourself a $1 custard bun and feel like bad ass. So flaky! So not overly sweet! So delicious! I ordered myself a $1.25 BBQ bun, which was the perfect lunch yum. Delish!

I also ordered myself a sticky rice dumpling, which my brain said "it's like a donut" until I got to the yummy weirdo pork center. Yes! Well done, friends!

Onward.

.. Cavalier.. and Acrobat.

It's a two coffee sort of day. Usually by Thursday or Friday, coffee consumption is increased. Thursday, I was cool. Friday, there's no denying the need or desire for more.

- Finally saw the Star Trek movie, and was shocked at how good it is. I know - - you all said. But it's really good. (it's also the perfect movie for a, say, 13 year old boy. Nothing too gross, the sex is all silhouetted and stuff, and it's all about ADVENTURE! more ADVENTURE!!! and stewardess outfits that you go to war in.)

- 'Made tiny brains last night... well, baby cabbages that look like braaaains. (brussels sprouts are delightful! You steam 'em, make 'em all mad and bright green, and then you can pan fry them in whatever delightful fat you have lying about. They got treated to a bath of bacon.)

- 'Also made an apple crisp.. crumble.. crisp last night. It is easy. (You cut up things you want to stew in their own juices. You salt and sugar them a little. You mix flour and brown sugar and a little salt and some oatmeal with butter and/or oil. You cover the stewy things in the yummy brown sugar things and put it all in the oven. You forget about it until your house smells nice and the stewy things are.. stewy. And bubbly. Then you stare at it and try only a bite because you ate too many tiny brains.)

- I have eaten more bacon in my 30's than I've eaten in the entire other.. 30 years of my life. Bacon, you're so late-this-decade.

- So is bringing back hits of childhood.. What the world truly needed was the "Dungeons & Dragons" cartoon on DVD.

In digging through the youtube, I find I really only need to hear the opening intro song to be happy. Hey look! Pole Position!

Ogh.

Actually fairly catchy is the Kidd Video opening.

Maybe tomorrow we'll dig out Gummi Bears or (better yet) the Get-A-Long Gang (catchy!*) or Shirttails (a funkier bass line than I remember).. Egads, Galaxy High.

Onward.

P.S. I've always wondered about the lyrics to the Get Along Gang opening. Honestly. It's been one of my personal ear worms for decades. In seeing it in print, I feel it was possibly translated from the Japanese.)

Get along gang get along gang
Each one so special in his own way
Montgomery's the leader and he's such a good sport
the get along gang get along gang

There's Woolma and Dotty with the spirit
And Bingo the fresh doesn't rule it
The Logical Portia will figure it out
And that's the spirit of the leadership

get up, with the get along gang
Come on! Their adventures don't end
Get up! (With the Get Along GA A A A A A Ang, ua ua ua ua ua ua ua ua)
Get up! With the Get Along Gang

Thanks, childhood.

Onward.

Little dribblies..

Just writing without inspiration.. No real point to drive home. Except for...

Finger foods at bowling alleys!

I am not good at bowling. I got to bowl with someone who was. This was pretty awesome (the possibilities held within bowling.. Things like scores! We abided, indeed.) We went to Elsie's, which is also pretty awesome.

We ordered mounds of fried food, and then stuck our fingers into bowling ball holes. As thousands have done before. It took about 30 seconds for this to dawn on my now-viral-paranoid self . It was akin to touching cash, which we all know is covered in crack and AIDS.

I ate my finger food with a fork. It was still delicious, although I'm shaking my head as I am probably becoming the first on my block to walk through Target covered in surgical gear and face masks. (It hasn't happened yet. Just wait for it.)

Things Pleasing:

- That Thanksgiving isn't until next week. I'm not mentally prepped for it.

- That I can read the Twilight books if I really want to. But I don't have to.

- The Cleveland Show. Really. It's delightful. Way more gentle (and, to me, funnier and smarter) than Family Guy or American Dad or whatevers. Really. Well written. Diggin' it.

- Being spoiled like crazy with unexpected treats. Thank you!!!!!!

- Peter Bagge. My sweetie loves Peter Bagge more than Peter Parker ever loved Gwen Stacey. And PBau wouldn't break Peter Bagge's neck or anything. Boingboing had a link to Reason Magazine. (I'm not a Libertarian. But it feels weird touching their stuff. The reaction of "Hmm.. I can see why you like this stuff, but I'm not sure if it's for me. Here's your stuff back.") which held this pretty lovely Peter Bagge breakdown of birth control and PlanB. It's old, but it's funny.

Must put words into my head! Get in there, words! Maybe I'll put some actions with those words. Yes! Crazy! Let's do it!

Then, I'm gonna go eat lunch with Jim. (eeeeee)

Onward.

Don't look at my spending history

If I am an American, and if us American are defined by what we consume, I consume a lot of:

- Bar food

- Coffee

- Gas stations

- Car payments

- Target

- Music downloads

There isn't a little sheep that pops up when I open my Wells Fargo page, and assures me that I eat organic. (Cuz I don't. But the sheep would be adorable.) There's just numbers and words and Threadless orders.

Saturday day was full of work! (oh my god! I got paperwork done! Assessments and counts and.. whew.). It started with "bring a friend to class" at the big-giant-kid's Theatre, which was nonstop madness and hilarity. I'm still giggling. And then to the big-giant Museum for many many people and much much cuteness.

However, Saturday night was filled with tap shoes and bowling s (The tap shoes were found at Savers.. They fit beautifully! Must tell Jill - - I have a tap shoes we can share!).

To the Suburban World, and then to Improv A Go Go for Explorer's Club! Then to Spring Street Tavern for Open Mic and big-giant screen Beatles Rock Band. You can come too!

Have a lovely rest of your weekend!

Onward.

Why did I do that?!

I did it because:

- If one has the indulgent luxury of having cold pork roast in the fridge, and it's after 10 p.m., and a folded-over cold pork roast half-sandwich with a little bit of margarine or mayo reminds you of eating the exact same thing with your mom late at night, well, then, of course you should have that half-sandwich.

- I made cherry tarts. I've had these cherries in the freezer for months. Used the last of the marscapone cheese (which was another fun and indulgent treat). Made cherry marscapone tarts. Had one. If the tarts are warm, you should really have one.

Now I'm topped off full. And it's 12 midnight. Really? Completely unnecessary, but very good.

- Back to the yoga mines. It's good. I'm actually sore from class yesterday. Ding.

- Saw Four Humor's "Love is Furry.. and Blind." What a delight. It's a farce! They made a farce! Whatta cast! Whatta bit! (seriously. There's a bit in there I could watch for literally hours.) Whatta set. (I'm not much of one for too sets. This one was right up my alley. Plus, it was goddamn classy. That's right, people.)

- Got to hang out with Sass and Natalie. Sass might be my brother from another mother. I'm gonna ask him if that's okay. And then treat him like any good big sister should, and try to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend.

Time to find and then stuff more monologues in my head. Get into my head, things. Yes, you, dear Mr. Albee. Let's see if we get along, shall we? Or I shall have to go hang with that Williams fellow and, truly, no one wants that. I know. This could just be silly. I understand. But we might as well try.

On Sunday, we get to go back to the Suburban World! Yeaa!! I'm prepping my psyche. Awesome.

Onward.

P.S. The last episode of Glee made me cry. Goddammit. Here's my cool kid's card. You can keep it. Momma needs her stories. (aghh! Seriously. I didn't see that particular twist coming. Brown beer, corn tortillas, and pow! I'm crying over a sitcom.)

P.S.S. Really - - I'm not hormonal. I'm just a sucker.

Onward.

Things that rock..

A random assortment..

But before all that: what doesn't rock is trying to paint with a brush paint that is made to spray. I bought a can (not a spray can, however) of RustOleum gloss black. It happily covered wood, metal, and ceramic. So easy when sprayed to a saturation point. So lame when brushed on. I've taken to brushing it against the grain, in globs and globs. My yellow kitchen thinks I'm nuts, but I swear it will look sweet. SWEET! If I don't cover my yellow kitchen in gobs of gloss black. Agh.

Things about Minneapolis that are good. Purely purely good. I complain about this place on a regular basis (grumblesnarlgross), but.. there is another side, of course..

a) These lake-thingies. I didn't really get them until about 2 years ago. Lake thingies tend to also inspire things like parks and civic pride. You can also live a metaphor by walking around the same lake daily.

b) All the construction trucks around my neighborhood. Crews, working on houses. *fingers crossed*

c) Our Improv scene. Goddamn. We are some of the luckiest people in the world.

d) Our Theater/re scene. Our improv scene probably wouldn't have it's rabble-nest of a home without the regular, old theater that's been here for so long.

Which brings us to last night..

e) Chicago Avenue Project at the Pillsbury House Theater. There are few things I get behind with full belief and full heart, unironic and true. This is one of them. This project is pure good. It has it's hiccups and sometimes people made it hard or complicated, but - - the cool thing is: everyone believes in it. We have fun. It's all about the kids. And the fact that some of the most talented performers in the city can come and support kids by doing what they do best... Yeah. It rules.

The kids also get to see a bunch of grown ups working together, men and ladies, being silly and smart. And the grown ups get to hang out with a bunch of kids, who are silly to begin with and too smart by half. This is good.

Plus, CAP has a habit of collecting good, fun, unselfish people. And truly funny people. I laughed a lot. Thank you!

(Note: When a first grader tells you she's in 3rd grade, and then confirms that she indeed learn to "do everything" in school today, don't be surprised if she spend the next 3 minutes fake-burping in your face. Angel-looking 7 year old, in mismatched neon plaids and a flower hijab, fake burping over and over. Gross, rude and really really funny. Curses!)

I'm considering making marmalade it's own food group. Our lives would be even more delicious with just a bit more marmalade involved. Really, well done, marmalade workers of the world!

It's back to the Museum today, and then tomorrow begins the Spiked rehearsals. Look at this line up, people!

Corey Anderson Jody Briskey Molly Cox Dennis Curley Rachael Brogan Flanery Madde Gibba Andrea Guilford

Katy Hays Jay Melchior Tina North Tod Petersen Jim Robinson Jen Scott Joshua Will

With special guest appearances by:

• Regina Zona — Opera Program Director, University of Minnesota-Duluth
• James Rocco — Producing Artistic Director, Ordway Center
• Ferrari McSpeedy — Twin Cities' top improv comedy duo
• Drew Jansen & Jimmy Martin — composers, pianists, singers extraordinaire
• Matt Peiken — 3-Minute Egg journalist and comedian
• Melissa O'Neill & Tim Witry — popular husband-and-wife singing duo


• PLUS:

Madison Olimb Mark Bergren Jim Detmar Greta Grosch Katy McEwen Beth Gilleland Michelle Cassioppi Jeffrey Cloninger

James DeVoll Erika Sjogren Michael Frear Ahna Brandvik Josh Carson Tom Bengston Raquel Swanson Angela Walberg

Good gracious! that's the first time I've seen that whole list - - I'm freaking out. Yea!! Some old familiars (we have generations of BNW alum appearing), and some peeps you may not have seen in a while. Swoonerific. It should be lovely. :)

Onward.

More cut scenes please...

Someone posted this - - I've seen it a number of times (but it feels like I never get to finish it, as there's usually people wanting to play the actual game.)

I love this intro - - it's beautiful in so many ways. There's some hella good 20-something computer artist types who should be damned proud.

I am tuckered! ARRRGHHH!!

Chicago Avenue Project has opened! YEAA!! Two more shows, one at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) and one at 7 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Pillsbury House Theatre (35th & Chicago Ave S, Mpls) FREE!! We opened tonight - - it's a bit strange to see the madness from onstage - - it just looks wholly regular and natural. From the audience, I remember the little kid logic and foam-core other-reality as much more surreal and otherworldly. From stage, it's as natural as a flat or a costume. (which, by their very nature, aren't natural at all)

Please come if you can! One of the lovely parts of Chicago Avenue Project? The grown ups get to have Mexican food & drink after the shows. Awesome.

Sunday started with: The Suburban World theater has re-opened, and has taken the chef from the Uptown Bar and their breakfast menu. I'd never been in the Suburban World before.. Good god. What a strange mix of sweet and creepy kitsch.. But not done well enough to be either. It could be so good for so many things.. hopefully at night, as it is a dark cavern of plastic fir trees and urns and blue paint and moving clouds on the ceiling. (This is not what it looked like on Sunday morning, watching ancient and trippy 1930's Raggedy Anne cartoons.)

Honestly, if someone had given me an ancient theater, I probably would have decorated it exactly the same. (my house nods in agreement).

Otherwise.. (mew mew mew).. Next time, I promise a happy blog full of witty stuff.. But until, take care of you!

Onward!

Because Michelle says I should!

Yes. This much is totes true. (Hi Michelle!)

The end of this week sniffed of oddness. Nothing fatal, just.. aghh..

1) Stepped on a dead mouse. Who had died in a 5x12 glue trap. Right before teaching a class (who were AWESOME, by the by). Stepping on the mouse (and glue.. and pulling my clog and foot up from the mouse and glue) elicited a flurry of:

a) Swearing. Mother f word and everything.

b) crunchsquish

c) OhmygodGROSSAmouseThatpoormouseI'msorryitdiedWhatahorriblewaytodieCan'tlivewith miceIjust stepped in somethingdead *immediately pictures walking over dead people to save yourself* AGHHHH!!!

d) What the hell?! This doesn't happen! I have to go teach class! Get my head in the game and teach class! *rubs foot on carpet as walking into class*

No one needs that.

The second thing that happened was on Thursday.

I punched a hole in my car. Not a large hole. Just the perfect key shaped incision. With a key, using the force of my trunk. See?

Not on purpose. Just a random puncture into my automobile's exterior, while putting my computer in the trunk. *sigh* What?

Nothing fatal. Just odd.

Friday was spent in a large dark room, watching grown ups dress up like elephants and space cheetahs.

This was not odd. This was awesome. (awwddsome? oawddsome?) Chicago Avenue Project performs this Monday at 7 p.m., Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.. At the Pillsbury House Theater - Free!! The actors are great. I have seen them all. They give excellent performances. You will laugh and feel good. Come giggle!

However, no matter how much you love a process, 7 hours on a stool makes your back hurt and makes you wanna go ride a bike far and away. Possibly around a lake and to a Dairy Queen. Double however, someone purely awesome brought me a sandwich around 2p.m.. Yea!!

What does the rest of the weekend hold? The final dress rehearsal for Chicago Avenue, then going the Spring Street for debauchery on Sunday night, per usual. For this week only, Stand up Open Mic and Beatles Rock Band are replaced with a benefit - - which will include real live rock bands and real live stand ups too. Yea! Come on by..

Monday is for memorizing.

Tuesday is for THEEEater.

And Wednesday is for wrehearsals for the Xmas show.

I can feel this year slipping away. It was only a matter of time. It just feels like summer is a pause to inevitability of winter, and once fall hits, everything zooms. It's possibly the nature of how we make a living (summer is generally a slow time for live entertainment). Or it's just possibly gettin' old.

Hopefully I'm not being dramatic. I have more elephants and space cheetahs to accompany.

(And yoga classes to take! For the first time, in crappy traffic, my subconscious barfed out the thought "I wish I was doing yoga right now". I have never thought that about.. almost anything. I'd rather be skiing or fishing or knitting - nope. *with the possible exception of peeing. Wouldn't we all rather be peeing? No? Gross.*) So.. yeah. I think I'm going back to the fancy place. If you go often enough, the cost of each class is affordable, even. Wish me luck.)

Onward.