The Empire Strikes Back

I guess we can call it a setback, and I've talked to some of you about it (and yes, I need to get on a better blogging schedule), but if you haven't heard, Tavern on the Greene fell through. I'm not mad, just disappointed really. Had I actually cut my hair like they wanted me to (the liked the slicked back look), then I'd be mad. I finished training and got the "we'll let you know," which I found odd, since I filled out tax info and everything. I talked it over with my buddy Dave (dude has been a gem for Playing in Traffic improv and a great friend), and he reassured me that God has a plan for everyone, and he's using you (meaning me, but could be extrapolated to "one..."you know what, forget the semantics) for His highest good. So I think He knows what's best for me. Looking back, I'm actually kind of glad it worked out this way, because while I'm pursuing the goal, I don't want to work somewhere that's underhanded and not forthright, and this place is a BIG union place (please let the record show that I'm neither suggesting nor implying that trade unions are underhanded nor forthright, it's just this particular place). I'm not crazy about the place I work right now, but it's a means to an end, and I'm thankful that I can keep a roof over my head and food on my plate. The plan will happen. To add to matters, my dog Sable had a stroke the other day, and I hear she's fine, but I really didn't need to hear about her being sick. If you've ever met Sable, she's about the sweetest thing you'll meet; Shelly (God rest her soul) was the watchdog, while Sable is everyone's friend. She's the sweetest little baby, and I hate that she had to go through any pain. Believe me, that was on my mind. I'm also trying to get signed up for the next level of classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade, but they're selling out, and I really like my 2 times a week deal that I have. I'm going to talk to my teacher tomorrow and find out about 201 openings. Honestly, I'd love to skip a few levels, and most of the things we've been doing, have been total review (there's some really great nuggets of information, and I really like my teacher, Ari. He reminds me a lot of my comedy mentor/teacher/friend Brian Chapman, but he swears quite a bit. Not really for affect, that's just the way he talks. The way it works is you take 101, 201, 301, and then you're eligible to audition for a house "Harold" team (a "Harold" is a type of long form improv invented by improv guru Del Close in Chicago in the 1960's). I don't want to wait too long to take those classes, I'd prefer to just knock them out. Hopefully, it will all work out.

When you sit and worry about something bad happening to something or someone, it usually happens (there's some validity to what they say in "The Secret"). Tony Robbins is another guy who's great at "vision-casting," and I hate to say it, but I'm not sure you two are "vision-casting" positive things for me. Thank God for my friends in Atlanta and elsewhere who are really rooting me on and seeing the positive coming to me despite this minor setback. People talk about the power of prayer, or "putting out good vibes," or whatever, but they all stem from the same source. Believing that you can. Even if no one else believes in you, or if someone says they believe in you but they really don't, it doesn't matter. Set you're goal and stick to it, because the only person you'll really let down is yourself, and you only really fail if you never try. Now all I need is an After School Special to tag those last few lines on, and I'm set.