You're the Best Around! Or Nah.

About a week before Christmas I was in the living room with my mom and my younger sister when my sister made the bold claim that I was the best improviser in my company. It's one of those blindly supportive things that family members tend to say and it's generally the sentiment you'd expect from family. What caught me off guard, however, was my mom's response. "No, (this guy) is really hilarious!"

Things Pile On

This week I got massively overloaded and one responsibility stacked on top of another until the whole Jenga tower came crashing down. I like to think that I generally know my limits, but every now and again I let all the things I do get the best of me. I don't know that every person is like this, but I know that once I start feeling overwhelmed all progress on all things ceases. The struggle from there is getting the wheels moving again, even if they move very slowly.

My temptation is to apologize profusely for missing blog posts. I want to mention how terrible and lazy I am. I want to make jokes that an ape could adhere to a schedule better than I can and that I am more beast than man. But you know what? Screw that. Apologizing and feeling self-conscious and bad about myself is what made me shut down in the first place!

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed and falling behind on your self-imposed responsibilities, remember that you're human. You're not terrible or lazy, you're a person who's got a lot on their plate. You've probably put a lot on  your plate. There's no shame in that, and don't let someone make you believe that there is.

Take a break, form a new plan of attack, and dive back in. If you're like me, you probably need a moment to forgive yourself for being a human and not an all-powerful problem solving machine. Once you're able to do that and re-organize your thoughts, you'll probably produce better results after that break anyway.

Here's a list of the things that I'm doing: 

• Commuting an hour each way to improvise twice a week
• Working 25-30 hours as a server
• Trying to organize a group of improvisers in my immediate area
• Planning new classes for the winter session
• Legitimately attempting to budget during Christmas season
• Writing and "promoting" a blog twice a week

There are a lot of minor stresses that encircle each of those things and that make my head start to spin. But those are all things that I want and need to be doing. Most of them are things that I have chosen to subject myself to! I've taken my break and now it's time to refocus. Let's all dust ourselves off, get our heads straight, and forge ahead like we need and want to. 

I believe in me and I believe in you, we can handle these things!

Spolin:A Basic Understanding

I've been looking for some more theory to have rattling around in my brain and I managed to get my hands on Improvisation for the Theater by Viola Spolin. Spolin is regarded as the "American Grand Mother of Improv" and basically all improv theory comes out of her work in some way or another. I haven't finished the book, so if there's a twist ending don't spoil it for me. Here are some

 of the basics that I've gleaned:

Voila! Viola Spolin

Nashville Improv Community

Last Tuesday night I had the honor of performing with three other improv groups in Nashville at Zanies. The line-up was Nashville Improv Company, Sprocket Improv, LOL!Nashville, and Tongue N Cheek Improv (or TNC as their fan page bills them). It was a super fun night and it was very nice to get together with some improvisers who I hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to before. Also we all brought in a lot of people and started practically zero fires, so we'll probably be invited back!

Where I Say Nice Stuff About Improv Friends

Love and Improv are similar in at least one way: they both can seem impossible until you find the right people. I've found the right people.

The Nashville Improv Company with Tara DeFrancisco and Michael Tatar!

Dealing with Pre-show Anxiety

Most days I feel like I could take on the world and at least go even, but sometimes the creeping spectre of doubt is able to land a few hits on my psyche. Pre-show nerves, it happens to the best and most experienced of us. If you're nervous, that's great! It means you're taking risks and leaving your comfort zone. After the jump, I'll go over a few ways that help me cope with anxiety.

First step: Breathing and wiping down your sweaty palms.