Do you ever have a moment when you realize something about
yourself? I’ve been having those moments
a lot this summer. Mostly recently I
have come to the realization that I really enjoy comedians. Specifically, I enjoy hearing about their
process of creativity and have been reading various books by comedians. Miranda Hart.
David Sedaris (not labeled a comedian, but definitely teeters on the
line in my mind). Mindy Kaling. Steve Martin.
This was not intentional, but just sort of happened. And this week I noticed the trend.
I’ve been on vacation this week and on Friday I made it out
to the library. I picked up Steve
Martin’s book “Born Standing Up,” First, Martin is a spectacular writer. He is not cliché with his words, yet is able
to beautifully describe a moment in a way that captures you. I knew he was writing, but didn’t know how
gifted he was with the pen/typewriter/keyboard (you get what I’m saying). He only covers the first part of his career,
that of a stand-up comedian…
“In a sense, this book is not an autobiography but a
biography, because I am writing about someone I used to know…I ignored my
stand-up career for twenty-five years, but now, having finished this memoir, I
view this time with surprising warmth.
One can have, it turns out, an affection for the war years.”
As I became increasingly engrossed in the book, which I read
in one day (the gift of being on vacation), I found myself fascinated by the
development of his act. Later, as I
drove home, I wondered what it would look like for to be a comedian, or a
comedic writer. In reading Martin’s
book, I realized that being a comedian doesn’t just mean being funny. It takes an exploration of what makes people
laugh, connecting with the audience, and understanding how to play with their
expectations. I began to dream of
experimenting with comedy. If I enjoy
this so much, why has it never felt like an option (I think I know the answer
to that question)?
Last night I performed at an open mic night as part of my
friend’s 30th birthday party.
It has been a long time since I have performed anything and the prospect
felt enlivening. I had planned to sing a
song about “Pride and Prejudice,” but decided to add some comedy before singing
(nothing like Jane Austen themed comedy to get a crowd rolling). I really enjoyed crafting what I was going to
say. Creating points to cover, while
allowing for there to be flexibility in what I said exactly. I practiced in my car, in the shower, and as
I got ready. I really enjoyed myself
last night. It was messy and not everything
I said elicited a laugh, but it was fun to experiment and try something new.
I’ve been wondering what it looks like for me to welcome in more
of my creative self into daily life. I
don’t have a lot of answers at this point, but I do feel freed to
experiment. Perhaps it’s time to find
avenues to sing more? Maybe I’ll take an
improv class? Sometimes I just wait for
things to happen, but today I feel oddly empowered to step out and try something
new. And I think this all started last
spring when I began to blog more regularly.
So, here’s to continuing to unleash creative me even
more! What within you might you need to
unleash upon the world?
Are you going to play a Banjo too?
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