8/24 Yeah I was right

I was right. It's more fun to be a participant than to have to work the tournament. I loved helping last year when Milwaukee hosted...but must admit that drinking beer and lying in the California sun is more fun.

Yesterday, continued--My first workshop was Telling the Truth About Yourself given by Sam Bennett. She works with Sam Christiansen who is well-known, apparently by everyone but me. The two hours we spent with Sam were magic. It was all about knowing who you are and being that person to the nth degree. In comedy we can play up our "faults" all the way to the red zone and it will be hilarious because we are basically being ourselves, just amped up. We went through exercises that left us with a pretty good description of ourselves. Then we practiced walking in to meet a casting director and using some of our descriptors to answer the question, "Hi, how are you?" Lots of fun.

The second one I attended was Improv Your Life that Lauren Pritchard from CSzLA held. Delightful--both Lauren and the workshop. She took the improv "rules" and applied them to everyday life in order to be more successful. Another well spent few hours.

Last night was scrimmage, and it was a highlight. People just jumped up on the stage when they felt like it and it was fun playing with other people. Mine was Dueling Soundtracks. I needed to get up on the stage because the photographer from the Times was there and shot photos of everyone Andy had interviewed.

Then we just did scenes instead of games and you could measure the fun because Bron was taping and you could hear her higher pitched laughter throughout; likewise with my lower pitch laughter. Kind of harmony.

I sat by Jill Headen from Dallas (a really nifty lady) and I think she's probably bruised because I kept elbowing her.

We did experience a little cultural dissonance when Bron was the Tab Ghost and ultimately displayed anger that someone had brought in Diet Tab. She didn't notice her redundancy until someone told her after the match.

Dick arrived during the evening and of course everything stopped when he was acknowledged. He doesn't like fanfare about himself and said a few words, then scurried up to the balcony to watch the show.

The other three Brits (Stephen, Ste and Rachel) all did well in the scenes too, Bron captured the evidence on video.

After the srimmage, CSzLA presented a Usical, based on the life of an audience member. This time it was Tony Marcellino (Portland)--the day he won a bear in the claw machine. Omigod, I almost lost control of all bodily functions. That group was freakin' amazing.

Afterward we went to the designated bar of the evening (Daddy's). I stayed for one drink and Luke (Portland) walked back to the hotel with me since we both were meeting the bus at 6 AM.

EXCEPT--I'd walked everywhere all day and my knee was causing problems. Didn't sleep a wink all night. I dreaded standing in line for hours. It saddened me, but I decided I needed to spend a day off my feet. So at 4:45 AM I wrote a note and took it down to the valet parker (almost wrote ballet parker, I'm so inundated with CSz). I didn't want Jeremy or Luke to worry about me because we'd been talking about this for days.

I did sleep from about 5:30-7 and when I woke up found a voice mail from Jeremy at 5:55 saying, "Dammit, Jer, we are going to carry you. Now get down here!" Such a sweetie, but I make about 12 of him (hyperbole, exaggeration for effect). Can't wait to hear how they did and how many of them made it on the show.

I walked across the street for coffee and a muffin and sat by the pool eating and drinking. A beautiful morning, which helped my disappointment somewhat. Then after Rach and Bron left I changed into my swimming suit and went down to the pool. Beautiful people or no beautiful people, I was going to show them an overweight, grandma body--because I LOVE to swim. Also thought it might be a nice easy way to exercise without putting any weight on the knee.

After a while the pool became busier, and most of the folks were CSz. I loved that. Brian Green and Angelo Farina arrived while I was on the phone with a friend. I said, "Gotta go. There's some guys I gotta kiss." So Milwaukee's group is here now. For a few days I was the only one. Others are Dick Chudnow, of course, and Tim Higgins, Nicole Devin, Amy Lukow, Matt Garnaas, and Lynna Knurowski (sorry if I messed that up).

Tonight a group is going to Improv Olympics--it's free, and then a bar afterward. Can't remember the name, but it's featured in the Daily Groaner, a new bar every day. Great idea.

I know I'm forgetting lots of stuff and hope others will fill in the blanks.

(Personal note: Yesterday morning a FedEx arrived for me. It was a card from my daughter, Jill, with a sizeable amount of money in it. The note basically read that she loved me and wanted me to have a great time at WC without worrying about money. Wow--somebody raised that girl right.)