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?
1 comment:
Are you going to play a Banjo too?
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