The beginning of the week found me in Cleveland.  I'm lovin' the talent and the opportunities I'm finding there.  I told my fellow comics in Dave Schwensen's workshop, it feels like my car has wings when I head North.  I look forward to spending more time checking out the Cleveland comedy scene. Plus, the comics I've met so far are just nice people.  Check out www.clevelandyucks.com, a great resource for comics and other funny minded souls in the area.

Today we went to Yellow Springs.  All in all, it was a good day.

Grove City's Night on the Town was a fun event.  Audience was great!  I did a warm-up set at Nora's and it was fun, too.  Husband Jeff played guitar at the Sommer House Gallery and Nora's.  Jeff's tip jar was overflowing at Nora's.  Nora and John, thanks again!  

Comedy performance opportunities are presenting themselves quite a bit this week.  I've booked 3 paid gigs in 7 days.   I also found out about open mic nights at Spikes in Hilliard Weds. for comics and Tues. for musicians.  I'm excited about checking the place out. Thanks to Lisa Gain, a silver throated singer/song writer, who I shared the stage with tonight.  She enlightened me about the opportunity.

 I'll book some days with Nora to perform at the Coffee House in July.  

A fun night for the family.  Mommy did stand-up at the Bingo spot tonight.  This was the first time husband and boys saw me perform.  I was so glad Stacey Rings could be there tonight. Her presence made me at ease. She did the audio recording (she, unlike me, remembers to push the record button) Max video- taped the set while I made jokes for around 20 minutes. 

It was work preparing the new material, but the audience enjoyed the new stuff, so it was worth it.  Lot's of kids, glad I worked up the bit on decorating Easter eggs.  Thanks to Nathan and Joann Huntwork for the egg decorating adventure.  

Stacey predicts an Artimisia meeting in May. Yeah!

Rebecca Arthur did a great set last night in California.  She did not progress to finals, however.  This reminds me to remember what's important in this craft of comedy.  

If I advance in a contest, that's great, but it's not why I do the jokes. I do comedy to hear people laugh.

I enjoy my computer work a great deal, yet I read about comedy and do this joke crafting and performing as much as I can to improve my craft in stand-up.  I'll admit it, I'm a wee bit obsessive about doing a good job at things.  

I'm auditioning on QFM96 Monday morning at 9:30 am for their annual comedy contest.  I hope to hear them laugh.

This has been an eventful week for my comedy work.  

I had an enjoyable conversation with another Columbus comic, Marty Daniels, early in the week. He's the founder of the Bingo Comedy troupe.  I'll perform with the group April 24th.

We had a blast at Jo Ann and Nathan's place rehearsing with Jared Bader Weds. night.  We were getting ready for the Thurs. night show at Nora's   Nathan had recorded Brian Regan's stand-up and we attempted the perilous activity of eating dinner while watching Mr. Regan's very funny stand-up.  

We worked up a Help Desk improv bit and tried the new line up at the Thurs. night show.  We started with our shared brain bit, then I did my stuff, then we closed the show with the Help Desk improv.  The place was packed with people and laughter.  It was our longest show to date and Jason Young was there to record the event.   

The recording was great for two reasons.  One, I like to learn from watching what we do. Two, I wanted to submit a tape for a Comedy Central competition. 

Yesterday Jason edited stand-up from Thurs. and combined it with some of the showcase from the California Comedy conference.  I mailed the combo 7 minute audition tape out to NY, NY last night.  Keep good thoughts and check back for updates,  I should know if I'm performing in the Chicago area by the first week of May. Thanks to Tom Robbins for calling me from Missouri to tell me about the competition.  If you'd like to read about the contest, www.comedycentral.com/laughriots. 

In my desire to learn more about the art and business of stand-up I have registered for a comedy workshop in Cleveland with Dave Schwensen. After attending the workshop I'll perform at the Cleveland Improv on May 12.

Great news for another tall comic
Rebecca Arthur, 6' 4" of 100% comic, has made semi-finals in the California's Funniest Female competition.  I met Rebecca at the Comedy Conference in California and we did our Star Search auditions together. She is very funny and I'm delighted to hear she's getting the recognition her talent deserves! Read more on Rebecca: www.tallcomic.com

Today I define happiness as a warm Spring day and some time to work around the house.

Yesterday I cleared the winter debris and weeded one of our backyard gardens.   I was reminded of the hope in Spring dirt.  

New beginnings in the moist fertile soil with so many bulbs pushing their offerings to the surface.  Seeds are nearly jumping out of their packets to join in the growing, too. Soon there will be blooms aplenty.  

Winter really makes me  appreciate Spring.  When I was living in the South, I took for granted the constantly blooming and growing plants that surrounded me.  I guess it takes being without to know the bounty of having. 

Considering the day, it looks like an Irish poet spirit is surfacing in me  much like the daffodil blooms are coming up in the garden.

Ad copy -  Lost: 2nd month of 2003, answers to February.  Small reward. 

That is to say it was a whirlwind of a month for me, maybe it was for you, too.  This was a big month for travel with the project I'm working on for State Auto Insurance. I was on the road three of the last four weeks.

I met some wonderful people during my travels.  Many of them were in South Carolina.  

I love the open heartedness of people in the South.  On a culinary level, I enjoyed great Mexican food, some wonderful confections made by Sheila and Tammy and I consumed enough sweet tea to fill a koi pond.

I enjoyed a quote on an email to me from South Carolina's Dawn Blackwell: 
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."   

After being on the road for 3 weeks.  I'm taking the day off to play with the boys and clean the toilets.  

Thanks to Patty Bloom in SC for the illustration 
and to Casey Shaw for creating it for USA Weekend.

The Artemisia Collective hasn't met this month. I hope our collective of women artists will find the time to meet again soon.  I enjoy our time together.  Here's a portrait of our inspiration; the Master artist Artemisia Gentileschi.  

I'm on the road three weeks this month.  Next month should feel lots more homey.

I found out about a local group of theater women, Women at Plays.  One of the group, Katherine Burkman, is having an audition/reading of  her original play called Open House next Saturday.   

Interesting concept of the play Open House, the production takes place in a home with the audience being a part of the open house.      

The first Coffee House show was last night.  The place was full.  John and Nora really did a nice job getting it ready for comedy; special lighting, rearranging the tables and  getting a sound system.   Nathan and Jared were great in the improv bit.  I learned quite a bit last night about entertaining a well java'ed crowd.  $37  was donated by the audience for the Grove City Arts Council.  

Started writing for the upcoming Feb. 13 show.  

I came home last night and 3 year old George started telling me about flying ships in a Star Wars video game.  He yeee-haa's as he flies his ship...away from the battle zone.

The CRO office at State Auto was a delight to support this week.  Thursday some of the folk  found out I did comedy in addition to computers and they want to come to the next show.  

I wish we could use the back of my head for head shots.  Here, Jason compromised and took a profile, just before I left for CA.  He took this one as a joke, but ended up using it along with a couple of others for the video cover.

How does one adorn a space helmet with a beehive do?
Another mystery of space travel.

My mom had REALLY big hair. (see photo).  Such was the style, then.  Mom had her hair done once a week.  She was a gossip columnist in Texas.  Her column was Spotlight on Spaceland.  

Well, it's been a busy time all the way around.  I catch quiet moments to meditate and do yoga. It gets me through.  

The guys in PC services at State Auto are great.  I'm enjoying  working with such a bright, fun-loving bunch.  Five of us were able to rehearse the "Shared brain" improv bit during lunch yesterday.   I hope we can rehearse again and the put the bit in the Jan. 30 show.

Cookie made a request for a Julia Childs bit.  I'll see what I can do.  I'm starting to rant bits when I'm alone.   There is nothing like a deadline to inspire me to get my act together.

Max's Pipe Cleaner Guy

I've been writing so much lately that I've needed to change my mouse hand to the "south paw" for awhile. 

I've got so many bits  for the comedy shows coming up that involve other people.  It will be interesting to see how much of the first show is just me. 

Both kids got the "no cavities star" at the dentist on Friday.  That's super, man.

Happy New Year!!!!

Me and George at the Flying Saucer 

We took a family trip with grandparents to Niagara Falls to bring in the new year.  We enjoyed the many light displays and festivities and (relatively) mild weather while we were there.  

We frequented the Flying Saucer Restaurant.

The falls were lit in the evening with colors gracefully changing to all the hues in the rainbow.  Our room faced the horseshoe falls.  I had time for yoga and meditation watching those falls while Jeff and the boys  were down playing arcade games.   It was incredible.  

I changed the photo on the home page and gave instruction on how to get to it this time.