Things I Stupid Hate:

1. Stubbing toe
2. Walking on a windy day without a hair tie
3. Overly ironic karaoke
4. Uncontrollable coughing
5. Hamburgers made with egg

Today Arnie and I went to a taping of the public access show Chic-A-Go-Go! It's basically a dance show for kids, parents, and any other random person who wants to dance to Gwen Stefani or James Brown songs...but mostly it's for the kids.

The camera man (far right) also acted as the coordinator, letting people know where to go, when to dance, etc. He also vamped a bit in between set changes in an attempt to keep spirits high.

Cameraman: Hey! So anyone seen any good movies lately!?

Slience

Cameraman: Ok! Has anyone seen K-Pax?!?! It's got Kevin Spacey in it, and he's this alien..No? No one seen K-Pax?

Chic-A-Go-Go Host: He was also in the Negotiator.

We were told they were taping two shows. Arnie and I sat out of the first, but decided we'd dance a bit in the second taping...and we did..or tried to at the very least. At the end of that taping the Cameraman asked everyone to stay for an extra 15 minutes and dance to a few more songs so they could use it as filler for a third show. When they abruptly began Arnie and I were still on the set, so we danced. I noticed that all the children left, it was just adults dancing, which made it seem like a completely different show...Arnie did a lot of air guitar.

The Chicago Improv Festival is this weekend so Stacey and I decided to see Weirdass, Stephanie Weir and Bob Dassie's two person show, at i.O.

It was a great show and refreshing to see something different. In fact I rarely see improv shows or plays anymore. When I was taking classes at i.O. and Second City years ago I remember seeing improv shows that blew my mind, and watching Weirdass tonight brought some of those feelings back.

Afterwards I met up with Arnie for drinks and we ended up back at i.O. for a CIF After Party. There were a few psuedo-celebrities there for the festivities but it was more fun to see people I haven't gotten a chance to see since I've been back, like Rob who went through the i.O. training center with me.

Me: So what's new?

Rob: Nothing. Is there ever anything new? Nothing new.

Fun night.

It was nice to have a greenroom.

Taylor = Engaged as of a few weeks ago.

I asked her to send me a picture of her and Blagden Phosphorous III (she's calling him BP3) to use for this post, but I have yet to receive it, so this was the only other option.

Congrats!

Jana and her boyfriend Jayh have decided to live together and he moved in last week. Also, Jana has recently been diagnosed with Celiac disease which means she's allergic to wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy, breads, red meats, cheese, cane sugar...you get the picture.

Jana: It's like quitting smoking but worse. When you quit smoking you don't hang around smoke. I have to quit eating...but I still have to eat.

This has caused Jana to get a little mopey and hyper-sensitive about her body at the same time. It has also caused her to convince herself that Jayh is suddenly a doctor.

Jana: Jayh! Feel my bone! Can you feel it deteriorating? Jayh! Why has my toe hair stopped growing? Does gluten make your toe hair grow? Jayh! What time are you coming back to take me to work?

Jayh: I'm never coming back! I'M GOING TO MISSISSIPPI!!!

Congrats.

Wait. I mean 'congrats on moving in together.' Not 'congrats on being diagnosed with a life changing disease.' Ok.

Time for another installment of 'Highlights from Doug's High Seas Travails.'

or

I Didn't Do Much Today So Let's Check in With Something More Interesting

or, just

A recent email from Doug:

Was in Southhampton, England today. We went to a TGI Friday's but the food was different.

and later...

It's cool to travel to all these places, yet a little disappointing that unless you go on a tour you really don't get to see much while you're out.

and later...

Ship life is OK... the security team is from Israel and they're cocks. They yell at people and abuse their power, especially with other crew members like us who have many more priveleges and work much less than they do. It's an extremely classist environment. And I'm near the bottom. Other than that, people are pretty much nice.

These stories, delivered with heaping spoonfuls of sarcasm and sass, would be much better in person.

A recent comment on Arnie's blog.

[sigh]

This prompted me to wear 'real' clothes to work today. I even put on jewelry. The pajama pants were bought a week ago. They probably will find a home in the back of a dresser, never to be worn again. They'd just remind me of the morning I was depressed, and the fact that it was documented, and noted by an anonymous blog reader. The pants will also remind me that my first reaction wasn't to find the humor in this, it was the second...which is slightly unsettling.

Please excuse me while I imagine sock puppets in White Sox uniforms playing baseball against adorable kittens....that's better.

Note to self: Don't fall asleep on arm.

Yesterday I went to my first baseball game of the season at Wrigley (I know, I know) with Mary Beth.

Mary Beth can count on one hand how many times she has eaten red meat. Today she had her first hot dog. It was like watching a child see their first magic show.

She also doesn't know much about baseball but still finds things to entertain herself.

Mary Beth: I think my favorite part of baseball is watching the players throw around the ball before they start the inning. It's like their saying 'Man I am SOOO bored. Hey! Let's throw this around!" It's really arrogant. I love it.

We spent the majority of the time talking about our show which was opening up in a few short hours, and music in general.

Mary Beth: In the German language there is actaully a word to describe having a song stuck in your head.

Me: What is it?

Mary Beth: I can't remember. But it's really good.

A conversation through the bathroom door:

Me: What time does your flight leave today?

Arnie: 3 or 4 maybe? I don't know.

Me: Ok.

Arnie: Don't pray!

Me: Why?

Arnie: I don't like it!

Me: Then you don't have to do it.

Cowlick got the photos back from the shoot.

Nope...definitely not cool.

Tomorrow we'll be opening Cowlick: The Musical. It'll be running on Friday nights at Second City's Donnys Skybox at 7:30pm for the next five weeks.

And yes, this is another shameless plug.

Tonight Tim and I went out for drinks.

A man at the bar brought in his 10 week old pit bull/boston terrier puppy. Every time a new woman sat at the bar he would go up to her and put the dog in her lap, tell her she had ten minutes, walk back to his chair, and proceed to have a conversation the woman from across the bar so everyone had to be involved.

We were so wrapped up in the dog, I didn't realize, until I looked up during the ninth inning that Mark Beurhle was pitching a perfect game.

It couldn't hurt to learn not to focus just on what's directly in front of me, even if it is an adorable puppy.

I, like many other bloggers, can keep track of how people get to this site. Mostly people find my site from other friends' sites, but every so often people google something seemingly unrelated and find themselves reading about my moves (by moves, I mean my cross country relocations and not my ability, or lack thereof, to dance). Here are a few of my favorites:

"a scorpion bowl is" chinese restaurant
Pirate theatre Boston December 2006 Boston "Pirate"
Splits his pants
"can't find a job" Chicago
Jarah Marino


A while back I mentioned to Callahan that my page popped up when you googled Jarah Marino.

Callahan: Are you sure? Cause I look her up all the time and I don't see your site. Man, she's such a cool chick!

I miss Callahan.

PS-I took this picture in the church around the corner from my apartment in Boston. I've already forgotten it's name.

Living out of suitcase is wearing me out. I've unraveled more than once while just trying to get ready for the day. I didn't realize that having socks in a dresser, or shirts hanging in a closet, or shampoo in a bathtub brought such a sense of comfort and safety.

Two more weeks.

Did I mention that Cowlick is working on a new show?

Next Friday we are opening 'Cowlick: The Musical' at Second City.

The shows I did at The Theater were music heavy and although I don't mind singing, I didn't think I was great at it. One of the musicians, Markus, a German guy who graduated from Berkeley School of Music, offered to give me some singing lessons.

Markus: You have gotten a lot better...well you don't necessarily sing much better, but now I can tell you like it, and that's all that matters to an audience.

Cowlick has been spending a lot of time together to prepare for the show and we all have head colds now. Let's hope they clear up by Friday.

Cast photos today.

The Playground is celebrating their ten year anniversary so they went all out and hired a professional photographer to take pictures of the member teams, including Cowlick.

Photographer: You guys are just asking to be on the hidden page of my website.

Just like The Theater we took some shots inside and some on the roof. Unlike The Theater we have total creative control; from the content of our shows, to the way we represent ourselves for posterity, so these photos were much different.

We, happily, are not the cool kids of comedy.

Dear Butt,

What's the deal? Seriously, stop it.

Love,

Sarah

Highlights from an evening with Kara and Jana:

[CRASH]

Kara: What was that!?!

Me: I just fell down the stairs. But I didn't drop any of the peanuts in my hand. You want a peanut?

and later...

Jana: PS-I'm fixing your haircut next week.

Me: Why?

Kara: Is it hurting your feelings too?

Jana: Big time.

and even later...

Kara: Jana you are going to be such a cute pregnant lady.

Jana: Your are going to be too.

Kara: Sarah I can't picture you pregnant.

Jana: No, I can't either.

Fun Night.

I've always been amazing at the body's ability to heal, and after working in doctor's offices for years, I'm as equally amazed at the brain's ability to forget pain. Once your out of it, you move on with your life...cause for most people being healthy is normal, and normal is almost always taken for granted.

I've been home for over a month and it didn't realize until today that I've been sleeping through the night for a while now.

At least they were only $7.

It's entirely possible they will not be replaced until I go on another road trip.

I have no road trips scheduled.

The Lawyer: I got this pair of magnetic baseball schedules in the mail. You want them?

Me: I'll take the White Sox one.

The Lawyer: But they're a pair!

Me: Ok, I'll take the Cubs one and give it to my boyfriend, but that will go on his fridge. I'll put the White Sox one on mine.

The Lawyer: Boyfriend, eh? How about this! You two buy a place together, through me of course, and then you can put them on the same fridge!

Me: Well...I just moved...

The Lawyer: Not there yet? Ok ok, got it. Not there yet.

Nothing says 'Happy Easter' like matching breakfasts. The only difference is I had coffee and orange juice while Arnie opted for the 32 ounce Diet Coke.

Arnie: If you post that people are going to think I drink Diet Coke with breakfast all the time.

Arnie does not drink Diet Coke with breakfast all the time. Let us rejoice and be glad.

BJ and I made Mii's on Scott's new Wii tonight.

While living in Boston Arnie bought his Wii and he and Young decided to make my Mii. It looks like a hispanic version of me (I think) and is named 'Shitbox.'

BJ: Geez. Why Shitbox? What does it mean?

Me: I have no idea.

Scott: Did you do something?

Me: It's just a nickname...I don't know where it came from.

It's interesting to watch people makes Miis, seeing which features of their face the take pride in. BJ took about five minutes to find the right eyebrows.

Things currently in my purse:

Work out pants
Camera
Camera Battery Charger
Twin Peaks Season One
Ipod
Ipod Charger
Nicotine Patches
Three packs of gum
Wallet
Bottle of water
Cell Phone
Cell Phone Charger
'The Talisman' by Steven King and Peter Straub


I'm fully prepared to avert addiction on a desert island with a power outlet, TV and DVD player, and an elliptical machine.

After four grueling rounds of interviews I never heard back from the California Company but in the time I waited for their call I successfully talked myself out of taking the job. Essentially they wanted me to run their Chicago office as if it was my own company. Taking the job would leave little time for performing or rehearsing and I know that for a while I would just tell myself I'm temporarily focusing on making money, but really I would be quietly closing the door on whatever acting career I have. No thank you.

Instead I took a part time job at a law office that is flexible and leaves time for performing, rehearsing, and auditioning. I'm totally honest with them about where my investment lies and they encourage me to take time off if I need it. Perfect.

The Lawyer: So here are your keys. You would think that the key with snake skin gets you into the lawyer's place, but no, it's the moo cow.

Taxes.

Since most of my belongings, including a few of the many W-2's from 2006, are in boxes at Tim's house, it looks like I won't be ready to do my taxes by April 15th.

So I filed for more time a few days ahead of time, before the deadline for filing for more time ran out.

Dear Favorite Jeans,

I know that you and my butt have been fighting for a while and I'm amazed that you've lasted this long. But the day I felt a breeze where I shouldn't, I knew your day had come and I wasn't ready. I'm not giving up on you Favorite Jeans so I've haphazardly stiched a jean patch (a patch of a darker color that kind of makes it look liked I peed) on you. I've talked to my butt and it said begrudgingly that it'll try take it easy on you. It'll try not to get bigger, but it can't promise it'll ease your burden and get smaller; it may just maintain. Hold strong tiny worn threads, I believe in you.

Love,

Sarah

Opening Day.

When last season ended I told myself I'd splurge and buy the MLB package for this season. But I also thought I'd be in Boston. No need now.

Last season I became pretty accustom to watching baseball and football games alone. As I said before it is more fun to scream at the TV with someone else, but without the option I became comfortable and now I actually prefer it.

To be honest, I did a lot of things alone for seven months. Eat, take walks, watch TV, sleep, etc. At first I fought it, then I got depressed about it, then I just accepted it. Although it was usually tinged with a bit of sadness I learned to like being alone. Just to think about things; including why I was alone so much. I even had a few days where I never spoke to anyone.

Since I've been back, and for the most part filled with a good amount of anxiety I've felt the need to huddle away and think just like I did in Boston, and when I do, I keep coming back to the same question now that I did then. 'Did I make a mistake?'

Score Today: White Sox 5 Indians 12

Chinese Food tonight.

Arnie's Fortune: Others look up to you.

My Fortune: It would be good to treat yourself to dessert.

The Chinese have officially given up.