I do like being right.

I ended my previous post by saying that I sensed some positive changes were on the way. Turns out I was right. I don’t want to turn this post into a brag or, worse yet – a “humble brag” but I think it is good to mention it when things start going well/better – if nothing else, it is a form of gratitude.

I’m in the final back & forth edits for a short piece that should be appearing soon in the Los Angeles Times – assuming it and I survive the editing process. Sure, it’ll be in the “online edition” for all the world to see – and which I plan to shamelessly self-promote, but it will also be in the print edition. I don’t care how old or young you are, there IS something special about walking to the end of your driveway, picking up a major metropolitan newspaper, opening it and seeing your name in a “by line.”  …and of course, on the slim chance that it doesn’t get published, I can always come back and edit this paragraph out.

I have finished the redesign of the Ask A Punk website. It isn’t a major overhaul and there haven’t been a ton of bells/whistles added but, since I do it all myself, it is still a bit of an accomplishment. I have delayed putting up the new posts and gearing up the necessary self-promoting etc. because I will also be putting out my first “eBook.” at the same time. I have turned the 1st year of Ask A Punk posts into an ebook that I’ll be giving away for free (at first) on every reading device known to man… and since I am doing that all by myself too, there has been a bit of a learning curve and several technical hurdles to overcome, but it all seems to be coming together now.

My weekly “LA Cartoon” is slowly starting to get some notice too.

Work. Paying work that involves a lot of thinking and the typing of funny things also appears to be in my near future again. and I should be teaching a new improv class soon. …and both of those things always makes me feel better.

…now if the Red Sox could only start winning.

Dawn of a new day.

This is what dawn looks like from my front door.

I’ve always been a nightowl. Even as a child, I preferred to stay up late and sleep in. I know this isn’t at all uncommon, especially for Americans. Lately though, my nightowly ways seem to have magically shifted and I find myself waking up before the alarm on a shockingly regular basis. I promise you this was not planned… but I have grown to like it. Stranger still, I find myself able to really focus and write in these early-morning hours, before coffee, before checking email and facebook etc. It is almost like discovering a new muscle. I’m not quite ready to start strapping on my sneakers for early AM runs just yet… but who knows?

Creative work has been going well, even if I haven’t gotten around to posting about it lately.

  • I’m five weeks in to teaching an improv class at bang. At our theater ‘level 2’ is all about “characters” – how to create them instantly and how to (hopefully) hang on to them for the duration of a scene, or even for an entire long-form set. I love teaching this stuff because I’m not an improvisor who creates a lot of big or cartoonish characters… but even “small” characters are insanely important to a good scene or set… more important than any “plot” or “conflict” you could come up with. Create a person with a point-of-view or a consistent attitude/worldview and trust me: The “plot” will take care of itself.
  • So far this calendar year, I’ve written two spec sitcom pilots and outlined two new comedy feature ideas. That would be bragging if I felt like I could take credit for any of it. I honestly don’t know where all this output is coming from. In fact, I’m afraid to over-think it, for fear it might evaporate…. so that sound you hear is me typing as much as possible, as fast as possible.
  • Still booking shows and doing readings around Los Angeles every chance I get. This Friday I’ll be returning to The PEZ Show at Actor’s Comedy Studio. A great show in an awesome little space. Some other shows are in the process of being booked for April and May. Stay tuned for those.

I sense that some positive and long-awaited changes are coming. Can you feel it?

New Month. New Stuff.

Starting off a new month with a new bit of fun. Last Friday night I drove across town to record another episode of the StoryWorthy podcast with hosts Christine Blackburn and Hannes Phinney. Always a fun time… and the episode is already posted and ready for downloading. You can find it at the iTunes store of course or just go directly to the StoryWorthy website… and hey, don’t just listen to my episode, check out some of the other great stories by awesome storytellers.

Meanwhile, I’ve started teaching a new “level 2” improv class at bang on Tuesday nights. Last week was the 1st of six classes, and it is already shaping up to be the highlight of my week. Teaching this stuff is always a treat, but it is even more fun when the students are this funny, fearless and eager. It is really inspiring.

Used to the Muse.

By almost any standard, 2012 is off to a good start.

Creatively I was visited, and a bit roughed-up by, “The Muse” all through the month of January, and I’m not complaining about it. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not really a  touchy-feely, new-age guy, but I’m having trouble finding a rational explanation for what occurred. In less than 30 days after New Year’s Eve,  I managed to write – from blank screen to finished script – not one, but two “spec sitcom pilots” … a feat that would normally take me half a year. Odder still is the fact that these two scripts didn’t spring out of ideas I had been mulling around for a while etc. …no, they both came to me like they were being downloaded directly into my head. No kidding. It was an exhilarating and unfortunately very rare feeling. I simply couldn’t type fast enough to get it all down – and I can type hella-fast. This would only be bragging if I pretended I understood it and was trying to take credit for it. More than anything else – I’m just grateful for the experience when it happens. And yes, the scripts have started “going out” and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far… although no one has busted out their checkbook…. yet.

My January performance at Comedy Central’s “Sit n Spin” show went well. I hope to have the video posted to my Funny or Die page in a week or so. Looking forward on the calendar, I’ve booked a return engagement at the PEZ Show, Alex Alexander’s great ‘readings’ show at the Actor’s Comedy Studio, and I’ve submitted material to a couple of other shows on new (for me) stages. Will keep you posted on all that… and keep an eye on my “Performance Calendar” over here on the right –>

And last/not least:  I’ll be teaching a new “level 2” improv class at Bang starting next week which I’m sure will be the fun highlight of my week for the next 2 months… I just have to make sure it is equally fun for the students.

Welcome to 2012

The new year is less than a week old and already plenty busy. Before I get to all that, I’ll do a quick recap of the year we just wrapped up.

I would be lying if I said 2011 wasn’t a challenging year. Just like nearly everyone else I know, I dealt with a lot of changes – some good. some bad, some just different, but when all things are considered 2011 was a much better year than 2009 and 2010 so we’re clearly trending in the right direction. Some highlights:

  • I did a lot of shows all over Los Angeles – mostly “reading/essay” shows, which got me on some new stages, introduced me to some new people all over town and, since some of the shows were recorded for various podcasts, got me a bit more into the ears of the world’s cyber-citizens.
  • TWO of my spec ‘sitcom pilots’ were recognized in 2 different writing contests,  which raised my profile a little bit and gave me an excuse to finally travel to Austin Texas for their unbelievably awesome film festival.
  • I picked up some interesting freelance work – “adapting” the scripts of some Japanese anime feature films for their english-language DVD releases.
  • I had a lot of fun teaching some very funny & creative people in both improv and writing classes.
  • I wrote. a lot. You have no idea how much time I spent sitting right here, typing away… which is one of my favorite pastimes.
  • My home-away-from-home; Bang comedy theater got a big injection of new people, ideas & energy. This is always a good thing and it has definitely increased my excitement to “get down to the theater” just to see what is going to happen next.
  • I put my long-running punk-rock advice blog, Ask A Punk on “extended hiatus” after three and a half years of weekly posts (never missed a deadline people!) I didn’t take the site down, so if you’re interested, you can still go check it out and read every post. I’m still getting mail from some readers, which is nice, and I tell them the same thing I’ll tell you: I reserve the right to start it back up at any time… so stay tuned.
  • I entered the world of podcasting with an East Coast friend and, even though we’re still developing our ideas, it has been a lot of fun taking on the new challenge – both technically and creatively.
  • I saw Bigfoot. Twice.

Looking ahead now to 2012:

  • I already have some exciting shows scheduled (see the calendar link to the right of this post) including, in a few weeks, a return engagement at Comedy Central’s “Sit n Spin” show… one of my very favorite gigs here in Los Angeles.
  • Next week I start teaching a ‘level 2’ improv class at Bang.
  • I’m in the final draft stage of yet another spec sitcom pilot and the outlining stage of the one after that.
  •  Even though I put AAP on hiatus,  I’m still hitting my weekly deadlines on my cartoon blog, Another LA Cartoon. The feedback I’ve gotten on that has been thrilling and there might, might even be a small “gallery showing” in my future. More on that as it develops.

I hope 2012 is a great  year for you, for me & for everyone.

( PS: OK, I didn’t see Bigfoot. )