Another mix tape for you

Weezer my love

Okay, so I feel super duper lame for doing this, but......I saw this video on a fellow improviser's blog *nods at Jared* and this is pretty much the best video, like, ever right now. It combines two of my favorite things-Weezer and time wasting viral videos. Seriously, watch this. Especially if you liked the episode of South Park about viral vids.

50 worst album covers of all time

Bryan, formerly of H7, passed this along via the e-mail chain. I thought it was hillarious and as a reward, I'm passing the funny on to youuuuuuuu! (think car salesman commercial) Enjoy, y'all!

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-worstalbumcovers-pg,0,531818.photogallery

Improv blog topic: Warmups

My opinion is this, and this is very basic: Warmups are necessary. It doesn't matter how much experience you have as an individual or as a group. Each time you come together the mood of the group is different due to outside influences. Warmups not only put you in the correct mindset (I am here to work/play, I am turning my brain on random) but they also help you figure out what your group dynamic at that exact moment in time is, so you can live in that exact moment in time. Also, it's a good time to goof off and be silly with your fellow teammates, which creates trust and camaraderie-necessary for any great troupe.

A mix tape of what I'm listening to currently

What makes a good troupe?

Month 2 of the "everybody with a blog in the Kansas City improv community posts a blog entry about a specific topic." (it's my own personal title for it. I should lengthen it...) This month's topic:

What makes a good troupe?

*People-The people in your group, experienced or not, have to have a good attitude about things. None of this "I'm going to show up to rehearsal with a mournful expression on my face and let everyone know what a huuuuge sacrifice I'm making for them so I can grace them with my presence" crap. The best groups have people who walk in the door with the mindset of, "Holy crap, I get to play with my friends today!!!!"

*Support-A good troupe's members know they can absolutely count on their fellow members onstage, and hopefully off as well. There's a level of trust that can only be built by actually caring about one another's lives on an everyday basis. Enjoy being with one another, even if it's only a couple of you at a time on, say, a shopping trip. (what?) Be there during the good times and the bad.

*Performance-Regular rehearsals and regular performances=a good thing.

*Have fun!-What other reason could you possibly have to be doing this? Every once in a while, you just need to experiment and goof off. You might even invent a cool new format while you're at it!

*Trust-Don't control things just because you think you always have a better idea than someone else. Allow your fellow troupe members to continue that scene and see where it goes without your input. Think twice before inserting yourself into a scene, something amazing might be about to happen and your presence might just kill it. Edit when necessary and you will be loved.

*Tommy Todd-Oh come on, you were thinking it too.

Kansas City Improv

Okay, so everyone in the Kansas City improv scene posted blogs stating the best and worst things about the scene here. Seeing as how I'm not terribly experienced and certainly don't have big enough picture to truly comment about such things, I don't have a lot of room to say much, but........

Best-New players are discovering improv all the time! Myself included! We are taking our first tentative steps into this big beautiful world, much like Bambi, and discovering it in all it's glory.

Worst-There appears to be a lack of training in this town, unless you were lucky enough to discover improv in high school, and we don't have many sources with which to draw mentorship from, much like Bambi after his mother was shot. It is a little difficult to find your place amongst the highly experienced and uber talented when you're just beginning, and at times it makes one feel unwelcomed. (Fortunately there are some out there who encourage and draw in improvlings such as myself)

Just this newcomer's humble thoughts on the matter, pretty much the only angle I can clearly see to comment on.

Super fantastic....

http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-3172-Security-Check-Point/dp/B0002CYTL2

Read the product reviews at the bottom, hillarious!

Before the show....

If you follow my photo blog you'll know that I went filming with the Hypothetical 7 a week or two ago. Here is the video we took, after editing and whatnot, of course. It was the first thing we showed at the Westport Coffeehouse so it made gullible people think, "Hey...they's been walkin' around Westport all day...how'd they change clothes so quick? They're magic!" (gee I hope nobody in the audience was that stupid) So yeah, anyhow, thought this video was cute and figured I'd share it. Enjoy!

Yeah, that'll happen.

I got a jury summons recently. The date of my "appearance" is March 12th. First of all, that's a Wednesday, when Jason goes back to work. Second, they want me to appear before Leigha even gets on the bus. Third, I put in an appeal saying I can't find childcare...and they basically said, "Whatever, see you March 12th." Yeah.....................................if I'm still a resident of Leavenworth County by then, I'm so bringing Brianna with me. This is rediculous. They say you're responsible for finding your own childcare but that you can postpone your "service" if you can't and I did just that, which was denied. Um, yeah. Not happening.

I'm just going to allow you to draw your own conclusions from this.

Recognition: I has it.

I went to Roving Imp rehearsal tonight and John told me that our production of "The Complete History of America (abridged)" tied for third as "best overall play" in the Kansas City area. We were listed in the proffessional category, too! I can't believe it, that's such an honor! I'm so proud to have been a part of it. It's such a shame that we literally had to cancel 1/2 our performances due to nobody showing up. Jason is the only person who came to see me, even though several of my friends said they'd make it. Some had good excuses (sick kids and no transportation) some did not. I wish someone could have come so they could understand why this is such a big deal for me.

Review

Here's a review of our set:

"Antiprov started things off right with the best introduction of the night - choreographed dancing to a skipping CD. I was immediately focused and ready for a fun set. The team was not subtle about their message: they knew the rules of improv, and they were dead set on breaking every single one before our very eyes.

Antiprov became the first team in Thunderdome to bring short-form to the competition, which was a refreshing change of pace. A lot of the games worked great. But quite a few of them reminded us of why improv has rules - there were several scenes that, when breaking the choice rule, couldn't quite get off their feet or become more than just a gimmick.

The fast pace of the set was exciting, but it also made the team appear more nervous and panicked then they probably were - and rushing though things led them to fumble some game descriptions. In a normal short-form set, this wouldn't matter as much, but for Antiprov, the jokes were often in those descriptions.

The team was incredibly crafty in thinking up rebellious ways to make fun of the art of improv, and possibly my favorite line of the night was "We don't need a suggestion for this one," followed by the brandishing of scripts. Using the audience suggestions to make a Mad-lib (and making fun of themselves at the same time) was a brilliant moment and one of the spotlights of the entire night."

-"Anonymous" reviewer on the improv boards.

I'd say this is a good review, and the critiques are completely fair. There is a way to break the rules correctly, but it is extremely difficult. Sometimes we'd hit it dead on and it was fantastic. We didn't quite get there Friday but it was still great. The fast pace was due to the fact that we practiced getting our set done in 15 minutes despite the 30 minute time limit. We were told by our coach to keep up a fast pace and laughter would slow it down to the proper amount. Great and accurate notes, but we were so used to hitting that breakneck stride that I guess we didn't realize it would look quite so frantic from the audience, although I know that was appreciated as a contrast to the longforms, which were also great, this was just different.

Tonight, tonight.

Is the subject line from West Side Story, or a Smashing Pumpkins song? You decide!

Improv Thunderdome The rules of this make-it-up-as-you-go cage match haven't changed: Three teams compete for 30 minutes apiece, with the audience's favorite advancing to the finals this spring. In Round 1 last month, the funniest, most ambitious team rightly advanced after reducing the sell-out crowd to sinus-clearing laughter. Round 2 features what might be the three most ambitious improv formats to share a bill in recent history. Scriptease will improvise the final half-hour of a widescreen disaster movie, with audience help; Babel Fish promises to mine Beckett-style theater of the absurd for what it's calling "lowbrow, mass-consumption, entertainment history"; and Antiprov threatens a conceptual pantsing of the short-form games and scenes that have for decades been improv's mainstay. (Added attraction: Trip Fives Jared Brustad and Ed Doris do a two-man show at 7 p.m.) Friday, Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. at Westport Coffeehouse, 4010 Pennsylvania, 816-678-8886. (Alan Scherstuhl)

-The Pitch

...And the Improv Thunderdome has its second session at 9 p.m. Friday at Westport CoffeeHouse, 4010 Pennsylvania. This one will feature Babelfish (Joe Henley, John Robison and Nathan Stewart) vs. Antiprov (Scott Connerly, Jessica Robins and Joe Stephenson) vs. Scriptease (Rene Boudreaux, Drew Davidson and Clayton Ingram). The winners earn a place in the Thunderdome finals on April 12. Tickets cost $8. The show follows a set of “A Pair, Unsuited” by Ed Doris and Jared Brustad at 7 p.m. ($5, or both for $10).
Brustad and Doris came up with the Thunderdome concept.
“The first idea was to have a bunch of teams compete one week, then have the winning team come back the next week and then, like a king of the hill thing, have the others try to knock that team off,” Brustad said. “The problem was the local improv community really isn’t big enough to do that yet.”
The alternative was this once-a-month competition loosely based on a concept used in Philadelphia. It allows the teams time to prepare and even rehearse as much as you can in improv. It also inspired a few births of improve teams.
“Because of Thunderdome there are people who weren’t associated with any group but just wanted to get on stage,” Brustad said. “The Babelfish members used to be associated with other troupes but just wanted to try this.”
Loaded Dice (Clay Morgan, Rob Grabowski, Patrick Lindorst and Charley Belle) won the first Thunderdome in January. While Brustad said they really were the best prepared of the three acts that night, they also brought the most friends and family. That’s not a bad strategy considering the winner is determined simply by audience vote.
The ultimate winner will claim the biggest share of the box-office pot, which is what’s left over after the CoffeeHouse is paid, Brustad said. After one show, the pot is at $300. The final preliminary round will be March 15. Brustad said they also hope to get the champion a spot on the KC Improv Festival tentatively scheduled for September.
For more information, call 816-678-8886 or see westportcoffeehouse.com (Ward Triplett)

-The Kansas City Star


As of this moment they have stopped taking reservations because it is sold out. Eep! This is exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. Tonight is going to be so much fun.

It's James!

I've mentioned James from the Roving Imp in my blog before. Recently he got his first brush with fame, serving George W. Bush breakfast! I saw the status update on facebook but figured it was just him being silly. Apparently not. Here's a link to the news story, it's the first video there, just click on the picture with all the people standing in a group:

http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=5646215&version=10&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Musically inclined

I need to get out and see some concerts this year. I only managed to make one last year, and it was beyond stellar, but I need to go out and do more. Maybe I'll have Jason pick out the band this time, tee hee! When I lived in Denver it used to be concert, concert, concert. Seriously. And at the end, I typically had a setlist, broken drumstick, guitar pick, sore throat and shin bruises from the underaged kids who seem to think the ABSOLUTE best thing you can do at a concert is mosh, even though the nineties are long over and good riddance. FYI, that's why I got those huge Daria boots that I have. Anyhow, I would like to see the Killers some time, and I'm toying with the idea of flying out to LA to see Ima Robot. Because that would be sweet. I would also like to see Jimmy Eat World sometime. Oh, and I want to make a point of checking out some local bands at some point as well, after all, I do know of one that is connected with the improv community, and that might just be a good place to start.

It's been a while since I've seriously rocked out.

e-mail collage

The Hype 7 has an e-mail chain that we use to send each other information on rehearsals, shows, sketch ideas, hang outage, and jokes. Recently we've been making fun of The New Yorker cartoons, and here is something Tiffany pieced together from our e-mails:

The New Yorker Ball Escapade!

- A Collaboration by the Hype 7 -

*Tiffany Intercepts New Yorker Ball and takes off in the other direction in hopes of hiding it in an undisclosed location*
Tiffany guards the door of a secret bunker on the outskirts of Washington D.C. Through the window of the door, we can see the New Yorker ball. Tiffany says..."I hear eating celery is actually considered exercise."
Jessica is stalking down the corridor of a secret bunker near Washington D. C., completely clad in black. Her hair is in a ponytail and we can see a tool belt with various gadgets sitting low on her waist as she stealthily creeps through the building. As she passes door with a window in it, we can see Tiffany sitting behind a large mahogany desk, sporting an eye patch and cleaning her nails out with a short switchblade knife. She is leaning back in her chair with her feet casually propped on the desk. Just beyond that door is a cell with striped bands of moonlight illuminating a "New Yorker cartoon ball" that is weeping silently behind the bars. The caption reads, "Oh snap, I forgot to pay the water bill!"
As Jessica's eyes alight on the New Yorker Ball she slinks silently with ninja-like grace towards the door. She eases it open so that she can reclaim the New Yorker Ball. Luckily Tiffany remembered to pay the water bill. And a bucket of carefully positioned water falls down onto Jessica's head. "Ah ha! I have caught you!" Tiffany cries out. Jessica, now resembling a drowned rat in her black clothes and dripping wet stubby ponytail does a quick back flip out the door and disappears into the night.
And little did Tiffany know that before Jessica ran out of the corridor, she managed to attach a roll of toilet paper to the bottom of Tiffany's shoe, thus ensuring that wherever she walked she would drag an embarrassingly long string of paper with her. Even worse, Jessica had written "I like cheese and mittens and cheese mittens" on the paper.
Tiffany sits at her desk, a call comes in, it seems Will Smith is signing autographs at the mall. Tiffany bolts out the door to get an autograph, but alas, Will Smith is not at the mall, it was I who made the call. Now with Tiffany out of the office I am free to enter and retrieve the "New Yorker" cartoon ball. Which I do with ease. She thought it would be so easy, that we would just forget about the cartoon ball. Ha, the cage the ball was crying in isn't even locked! After stealing a hand full of Wheat Thins from a box on her desk I simply walk out the door with the cartoon ball.

The End

photobucket survey

1) Answer the questions below
2) Take each answer and type it into Tinypic/Photobucket
3) Take a picture from the first page of results copy the html code.
4) You cant copy the persons answers who posted this before you

1. Age on next birthday:


2. A place you would like to travel:


3. Your favorite place:


4. Your favorite object:


5. your favorite food.


6. Favorite animal:


7. Favorite Color:


8. The town you were born in:


9. The town you live in: Well, I searched for Basehor, but the only thing that came up was a map to someone's house...not posting that, so here's KC:



10. Type of pet: Currently-


11. Name of your love:


12. Your nickname:


13. Middle name:


14. Last name: (the one on the bottom is Brianna)

Shakenumup

I am in a bit of a jeans dillema. I hate shopping for them because no matter how you stuff fat into new jeans it's completely unattractive, so until you wear them long enough to where they're looser, you muffin top like crazy. Not to mention a size at one store is completely different from the same size at a different store, and within the same store different styles are completely different in the same size, even if they're the same brand! Ugh. Luckilly, as I was looking in the mirror this morning I noticed my face is starting to get thinner again, which means I'm losing weight again. I've been on a plateau ever since I found out what is in some of that low fat no sugar crap they hock as "healthy." I'd rather eat less chemicals, thank you very much, but it's very hard to find more natural foods that are good for you that TASTE good. I think I finally found a good balance, and we're back on track. Yay! I've been running low on steam lately and I needed to get away so we went to Denver this weekend to visit some friends of ours, which was awesome. I haven't been out there in a while and I need to get out more often, I really do. I still don't feel 100%, but every little bit helps. Plus the year is heading into an upswing right now, Winter is about 1/3 over, which is nice, so hopefully that'll do it for me. If not I'm going to have to take another trip. :-) I might just do that anyhow. Blah, I feel like I'm opening my skull and emptying my thoughts into this posting....like I need to air out some things. Maybe I do need to. *shrug* Oh, and FYI, I'm getting closer to meeting my goal for my summer plans. Eee! I am very excited!

RIP, Heath Ledger

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/heath.ledger.dead/index.html

I'm not a huge fan or anything, but this is a bit of a shock...I can't believe it.

Audition announcement

AUDITIONS!


Are you a pathetic has been? Washed up? Tired of the Branson circuit? Or maybe you're a b-list behind the scenes type skirting the edges of the red carpet. Or perhaps you're a one hit wonder from the sixties, seventies, or eighties. If so, Geico wants you!

This exciting opportunity will give you the chance to sit behind a "normie" and listen to them drone on and on about their car accident, then we'll have you break in and do your "look how cute I am" schtick that only baby boomers will recognize! We guarantee many people will see your face on TV once again, and some might remember you!*

So come join us for this desperate attempt to feel loved again! (also, if you have any random animals lying around your house, please bring them. We would like to shoot a commercial with them in which we insert a computer animated gecko that will talk them to death about nonsensical random gibberish.)

*actual ratio of people who might remember you vs. people who have to ask their parents who you are: 1,256,573 to 1


Seriously, Geico, what happened to you? You used to be cool.

Last Laugh Lane

Leigha had a birthday party this afternoon, so we went to Target to get a gift for the child whose party she was attending. On the way there I saw a Kansas vanity plate that read "knitter." Wow. I am shocked that I was priveleged enough to see that one. I mean, think about it. This is KANSAS we're talking about. 90% of the state doesn't have anything to do, and the rest of us get to live in Kansas City. I would imagine that a loooooot of people in Kansas knit. Therefore, seeing the plate that says "knitter" (and it had the LV in the corner that stands for Leavenworth County, so I know they're local) around here is astounding. Anyhow, before we went to Target I went to Old Navy to see if there was anything interesting to be had. I hate going to malls on Saturdays. Especially when the guy doesn't see/ignores the stop sign that tells him I have the right of way and I literally had to hop the curb to avoid being taken out by the uberselfish SUV driver. Ugh, I thought I got away from that crap when I left Denver. No, really, uberselfish SUV drivers: about 40% of the reason we left. (the other 60% was various miscellany, including high prices and hyperurbanization) Anyhow, so I get to Old Navy and they're having a SALE!!! Huge, huge sale, FYI. Stop reading and go, like, now. Did you have a great trip? K, great. As I was saying, big sale (I know, wasn't it great?) and I got a large bag full to the top of clothing for only $30. Yay! I love sales. We swung by Target, got the present and some wrappings, and I dropped Leigha off at her party. Poor Bri is jealous. I remember being sad when I wasn't invited to parties for my sister's friends. It's hard being the second child. Anyhow, Antiprov is tonight, and I'm not going to lie to you, I'm getting nervous. This is the first time I've helped create something so revolutionary and I am apprehensive about what it's going to turn out like. That's the beauty and curse of improv....even YOU don't know what will happen.

More Thunderdome

Thunderdome also made it into the Kansas City Star, the main newspaper here. http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/story/437298.html

I've been in things in my small, hometown newspapers growing up, but never in a major paper like this. If they do a writeup for next month's as well, my name is going to be in it. Eep! That's rather awesome! I'm really getting excited here!

15 bytes of fame

Many of you have heard of my little improv group "Antiprov." I don't remember if I mentioned what it is and what it's for....well, we're competing in the Improv Thunderdome, which starts this weekend. We don't compete until February, but here's a wicked sweet article about this month's competition: http://pitch.com/search/events.php?oid=509698 I am looking forward to seeing who wins, this is really fun. I happened to be in the vicinity of the Westport Coffeehouse last night (so much in the vicinity that I actually went into the building and had a glass of water! *thrilling blog, Jess* ) and saw the large poster on the outside of the building advertising for it:
Very cool. I can't believe I'm involved in this, it's exciting! I feel extremely priveleged. I doubt we'll win, but for me, that's not what this is about. I am enjoying creating a new form of improv with the very little experience I have, and I can't wait to present it and blow everyone's socks off, even if it's just because we sucked so much (yeah, not likely). At least waves will have been made.

Moving forward

We took down the Christmas tree this evening. Brianna flipped out. "I don't want you to! It's Christmas!" Little booger. We explained to her that Christmas was over and that we'd put it up again next year, but that wasn't good enough for her. In fact, I honestly thought she was going to cry. I managed to put a stop to that, however, when I told her the next holiday was Leigha's birthday. "Yaaaay!" Leigha then started in with, "Oh, yes! We can put up birthday decorations for me!!!" RIP, Christmas '07. You were a good one.

Don't think just because I got a lot of money I'll give you taco flavored kisses, honey!

Tiffany came over today. Her car is leaking oil and she asked Jason to look at it. We were hanging out upstairs when Jason came up and said, "Uh, who changed your oil last?" "Wal-Mart....why?" "Did you make them mad at all?" "Maybe, why?" "Well....." He told us, we cracked up, he took this picture:


Nice. :-D Tonight we drove to Lawrence for a UHF viewing party at Jen's house. Almost all the Hype 7 were there, and Jason and the girls came. Jen had made mini pizzas and we laughed and talked in the kitchen for a while before watching the movie. Toward the end Brianna turned to Jen and said, "Can I have another pepperoni cookie?" She was talking about the mini pizzas. We ended the evening with a rousing game of "Where have your fingers been?" An awesome improv game in which you point to someone and say a location, then they act out a scene using their fingers as the characters.

Headlight disco

New Year's was fun, went to a couple different parties, played a ton of Guitar Hero. This is going to be an awesome year, I can totally feel it. Especially because it's noon and I'm in jammies and a fuzzy robe. If this is how it starts, it already rocks. At any rate, this posting is to inform you of my intent to start a new blog for this year. I'm going to maintain this one, but I'd like to also keep up a photoblog with one picture for each day, all 366 of them. (Check the calendar, it's a leap year) I will not be able to post each picture on that day because of how life is, but I will take one picture each day and post it with something about the corresponding day. It'll be a great overall snapshot of my life, I think. :-)

http://sugarbumkin366.blogspot.com/