Going Postal

Tonight Liquor and Dreams had a killer show at the Second City e.t.c Theatre along with A$$holes on a Train. Everybody brought it tonight and genuinely had a good time being on stage and off.

In the show I get to play and sing a little ditty about our wonderfully pathetic US Postal Service. It's inspired after years of abysmal service, the clerks that work there and have absolutely no sense of customer services, and the overall inefficiency of the entire system where you pay for overnight and the package gets to its destination in two weeks. It's so bad that I've stopped reading my own mail (so don't send me checks in the mail if you're trying to pay me. PayPal is accepted here! ). So, I seized the opportunity in this show to highlight the USPS' better features in song and dance.

The coolest part tonight was the amount of props I was getting about that song. In other instances, I was getting accolades from ensemble members and other actors. It's all appreciated. Believe me. However, a part of me also knows that we support each other regardless of whether or not the scene/bit/song was actually good. It's nice to hear from complete strangers about how a song affects them and totally drives the point home. At Corcoran's, people all night were hitting me up on "that Postal service song" , and telling me on how they loved it. Yes, my ego went on a big high tonight!

If you haven't seen/heard the track, you get one more opportunity next week!

Currently watching : Battlestar Galactica - Season One Release date: 20 September, 2005

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First Time For Everything

Today I spent about an hour in Lake Michigan at the Montrose Dog Beach. It's the first time I ever really got into water above my waist in almost 9 years af being here in Chicago . It was really nice. My dawg and wifey played with me in the water. I'll probably do it again!

Currently listening : Roll with It By Steve Winwood Release date: 29 June, 1992

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Please Don’t Stop. It’s Lonely At The Top.

Luckily things have been winding a bit down (no more classes for example) and the Conservatory shows run for just a couple more weeks. The understudy work has been rather nonexistent for now (totally not complaining on that ) and Salsation stuff has been pretty quiet (though I may be going on my first out-of-town gig for them soon ). Work has been "work" and actually for once not the thing that's overpowering me right now with expectations.

For the last few weeks, the whole "theatre burn out feeling" has been pretty foremost on my mind. Last night I got a rejuvenated feeling in my mind and body. Recapitulation got together to begin rehearsals for a couple of upcoming shows and to prep ourselves for a potential new longer-form run at Donny's Skybox. It was the best rehearsal in a long while for me! It was a self-directed rehearsal format-wise but we threw down on the longer-form stuff. It to me was back-to-form for the group as I feel we're ultra talented and can pull off the more difficult/intricate musical forms. I like short form every once and a while but it's more rewarding to me to do full blown 45-minute improvised musicals with key elements of regular, scripted musical thrown in.

It's nice to play with a group of individuals who I respect both personally and professionally. In this line of work, it's rare to work and like everyone in the ensemble. I'm glad I've got this one .

Currently listening : Zeitgeist By Smashing Pumpkins Release date: 10 July, 2007

Don’t Try, Just Be

When you look into the reality a mirror gives
What do you see?
Is it all everything you wanted to be?
Or everything that you are?
Spend a lifetime comparing your life to others
And you're subject to their whim, their insecurities,their goals
To make you into something you're not.
Spend time knowing yourself first.
Be confident in that knowledge and belief
And all comparisons to others become irrelevant.
"Good _____ is good _____ is good _______"
No matter how its reflected.

Currently listening : Zeitgeist By Smashing Pumpkins Release date: 10 July, 2007

My Latest Acquisition

I finally am playing on a drumset that kicks my arse It sounds great and makes me sound a lot better. I have to get used to it a bit as I also got an additional floor tom, new throne (nice and cushy for my bony arse), and a set of new hardware for the cymbals (which totally kill what I was playing on before). I had a member of the band donate a double-bass drum pedal to suit. Listen to the next few MWR and CR recordings for yours truly to be playing his drums on them!

Currently listening : TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs By Eliot Daniel Release date: 20 August, 2002