Open Letter to Man at the Valvoline Oil Change
Dear man at the Valvoline Oil Change in Crystal, MN, I don’t know why I winked at you, but rest assured it was an involuntary muscle spasm. When you came up to my car and asked me if you had oil all over your face, I didn’t know what you were talking about or how to react. And that’s when my face decided to wink in a reactive manner. It’s not that you were not an attractive fellow. I just enjoy boys as friends and not lovers. You may feel the same way, I do not know. Our uncomfortable small talk post-wink didn’t indicate your feelings one way or another. Please...
Read MoreFor the Love of Improv
Improvisation is a lot like life, and that is why I love it so much. It burns into existence for such a short time and then it is gone. It is something very special for those who observe it, and has little to no impact on those who weren’t part of the experience. Last night, the Mustache Rangers had a pretty amazing set at Improv a Go-Go. The Mustache Rangers are two space adventurers from the 1920s that Corey Anderson and I created to play improv with. We’ve been playing these bumbling and immature characters on stage for a few years in the context of an ongoing serial space...
Read MoreThe Coffee Mug
Question: How do you make certain that no one in the office will take your coffee mug? Answer: Get the stupidest one possible. Cats with wacky eyes and Chuck Taylors are a good start.
Read MoreCigarettes and Neutrinos
It doesn’t matter if you walk into a creepy alleyway, homeless people will follow you down there asking for cigarettes. Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? I’m involved in an improv group called the Neutrino Video Project: Twin Cities. With three cameras, three directors, three brave “runners,†and lots of improvisers, we create instant movies for audiences. On the last of Friday of every month at the Bryant-Lake Bowl, we take off from a packed theater to hit the streets and film a movie that will be run back to the packed theater for the audience to...
Read MoreShould we talk about the weather?
I’m coming into this a few days after the fact, but a ton (not literally) of snow fell on the Twin Cities as a going away present from our friend March. This comes as a shock to the system due to the 50 degree days preceding this fluffy white precipitation. The snow fell all day long Monday, and it was all anybody talked about. And that’s fine. Why is that fine? Because sometimes I don’t need to have a meaningful and important conversation with you. The weather is right there in front of us. It is a simple and shared experience. We can very easily exchange a few words on the...
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