the end is here - - FatTony
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Below are the 31 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Tony" journal:[<< Previous 31 entries]
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01:19 am
[Link] | Cast that harold troupe!
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01:37 pm
[Link] |
Fish Mural
Last night's Harold workshop went well. It was awesome to feel really supported by having 20+ people show up...and righteous that everyone had all gathered together to work on bettering the improv scene here in DFW. I'm looking forward to the harold auditions on Saturday. I think there are some great shows to come not only from the troupes made this weekend but from everyone I saw last night.
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02:15 am
[Link] | "sometimes when creating our harold we focus so hard on what we're trying to create that we miss what we're creating".
rad
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01:42 pm
[Link] | Liz is right! Fear in improv stems from a lack of control. A fear of the unknown.
http://fuzzyco.com/improv/books/top_10_blindspo.html
While reading this article by Liz Allen I remember I couldn't help but think about how fortuitous it was that she just happened to be in Chicago for a week while we were there. And just happened to be teaching one week in the intensive. And how my group just happened to get her...
wicked sweet
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03:15 am
[Link] | Adam Neese took some head shots for me. Your thoughts on which to use? I haven't really cropped all of these yet...anyhow
1 
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10 
phew, 2 many mugs
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03:29 am
[Link] | dude, these ladies think I don't like hugs.
1.) they're dead wrong
2.) they don't even know
3.) nuh uh!
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12:31 pm
[Link] | whoah, doagies...
w-w-w-wild n crazy weekend.
I'm glad to have finally been able to sleep in till noon. I'm glad to wake up to cool weather but to have warm feelings. My new DCH friends are making me pretty happy. Its nice to be getting a little love. Things around the homestead still aren't good enough to make mama D and papa D happy, but at least they're not super pissed...they just expect more. They both want me back in school, but I don't really want myself there. So, i'm going to have to figure out a plan that looks pretty to them. Maybe I can be the next Kenny Chesney. I wish I didn't have to wait another month to do my workshop. I'm worried its going to be too crowded. The space I'm hosting it in is pretty small. I think that even 12 people might be pushing it...we'll see...won't we?
Last night I got to sit in on a level 1 class and a level 3 class. The level 1 class here is currently primarily games. With the way the timing of things is working out I might likely get my hands on this group of level 1 students eventually. There's still a lot of fear and personal expectations getting in the way of some nice playful/vulnerable improv...its only level 1 though...the level 3 class was pretty fun, but I was asked to play and I wound up getting out a pretty decent amount. I probably should have left even more space for them to play. However, I did initiate a few scenes that got off to nice tag runs or established games that were easy for everyone to walk in on. So, at least they got a chance to get a taste of what else is possible, and how it comes about.
take the fruit from the tree
break the skin with your teeth
is it bitter or sweet
all depends on your timing
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11:14 pm
[Link] |
pupdate
Today was kind of depressing. Up at 8am for a 13 hr workday sitting outside in the cold recording football. At some point I looked at a picture on my phone of myself, steph, and joey and I started to miss on my Chicago friends pretty hard. I felt a lot of love when i was there. Don ofthedead called and it was nice to talk to him. Joey wanted me to come out for Mason's b-day in ft.werps but i'm too beat and I've got to be up at 6 tomorrow morning for work again.
I'm working hard, but not making a lot of progress. gross.
on the A+ side, teaching improv is starting to look more likely. I'm ready to time travel to 2010...'09 is giving me hard times.
Hard Times, bro
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10:22 pm
[Link] | I had fun in Austin for the Janik/Beeler wedding.
My workshop wasn't very well attended, but I appreciate the people who did attend.
I found a box of my old things in the attic. It has old scripts, and writings from people, notes, the 8th grade picture from HMS....fun stuff
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01:18 am
[Link] | Right around midnight things took a turn for the sweet.
Kerri Lendo's short film that I was in earlier this year won the Austin's Funniest Filmmaker contest tonight. That's pretty sweet.
I have two interviews tomorrow for different youth sports photography & video companies.
Then auditions at Six Flags for Fright Fest.
Then a Andrew Jackson Jihad with the County Lines show.
sweet.
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01:08 pm
[Link] |
bone-stripper's revenge
ha, damn dude...My moms is out of town, but I woke up to this text from her this morning
"Dear Chef Cody,
The kitchen closes at 10pm. Please get all your cooking and eating done before then, and also clean your mess. The smell woke me up Sat night, and kelsey last night. Sorry but we're not night owls like you."
shiiiiiit...I just made some quesadillas...and I did clean up my after myself. I left dishes in the sink, but there were other dishes in there as well...ha, its so stupid...I don't complain to them about all the irritating shit they do, I just deal with it. I'm glad they are letting me stay with them, but "ohhhhh, booo hoooo, the smell of cooooooking woooooooke meeee uuuuuup...waaaaa, i was sleeping but it smelled like someone was toasting a tortilla on the gridddddddle".
ugh...ha, and I can't believe I got tattled on at 24. Its so lame that my sister went through my moms to deal with this. She's already bitching to me about enough things that I don't really need her telling me to go further out of my way not to be "inconsiderate".
Jokes!
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01:29 pm
[Link] |
lone star crepe
I went to Casey's CD release show last night in Denton.
I don't think I've been to rubber gloves since Joey had his going away show to leave for L.A. It was fun to be back in there. I think the Dismemberment Plan I saw there was the best show I've ever seen there.
County Lines show up top was awesome. I couldn't have been closer to the front of the stage so I didn't really watch anyone behind me to see how they were enjoying the show, but I found it awesome.
The second act was called my new science project, or something like that...the guy smeared fake blood on himself and played on the floor instead of the stage. He stumbled around talking in a weird semi-zombie state, kind of speaking in a voice that sounded like he had too much spit in his mouth. The music was alright, but the gimmick actually turned me off.
Disco:Hate was awesome. My favorite part was the intro. They came out where mirrored cubes on their heads and moved their hands like they were blind, trying to find their instruments. However, the concept was dropped by the end of the show. Although the music was great, I wish they had kept up with the persona until the show ended. It gave me a couple of ideas for my solo project down here. Once I've got a little more time to work something out, I think its going to go over pretty well. It will at least be fun.
Damn, ya'll, i'm so lame. I haven't provved in WEEEKS.
There is a free jam on wednesday...and a free workshop today at 5 that I likely won't make it to.
Paul gave nikki, myself, and this old jerry's kids guy a ride last night. Ha, the guy he gave a ride to asked Paul to borrow a couple of bucks to get in to the show on our way there. Then, when we got there he paid for paul to get in, and started buying lots of drinks for paul. He got super wasted and after the show we went to Fry St to hit up more bars. I had never been to Fry St. since I've been 21. The crowd at the bar was pretty sad. Lots of frat/sorority drunks getting real stupid, and looking real angry...well, kind of angry, and kind of lost.
My moms had wanted me to look in to going to UNT, but last night pretty much solidified my opinion that I would really like to move there. I realize that there is more to Denton...but it totally small pond bummed me out, bro! ! !
So, the dude that rode with us would buy us a drink at the new bar. Then he would demand that we drink it as fast as possible, and move on to the next bar. After a couple of bars I started to get a little sloppy, but it was fun.
After the bars he wanted to get Jimmy John's. Again, he said he was buying and told us to get the biggest mostly gnarly sandwich we wanted. So, I got something and ate it. and I was full. But he kept saying "dude, nother sandwich?" "get another one, dude". He went and bought another for himself and cut it in half and then gave half to me. I took a bite as to not be rude, but then realized that there was no way I was going to eat it so I just let it sit there. Instead of eating the other half of the sandwich after that he went and got another sandwich.
I loved it all.
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08:34 pm
[Link] |
Dude
Mama D's been keeping me busy with chores lately. Looking for a car isn't going tooooo great. The cash for clunkers program took away a lot of the vehicles in my price range. I'm not really familiar with the process of buying a car so I'm king of plodding through it pretty slow.
Applying for work has gone ok. I have a couple of interviews next week. A couple for youth sports photography/filming. I'm going to audition for haunted houses at six flags. That job doesn't pay so well, but it might be fun. Today I applied for a job at this place called mad science that I really hope I get. I spent a pretty good amount of time on my application. They're a company that sends out performers to do science demos for kids at schools, birthdays, summer camps...I think I would be good at it, and I've got pretty good experience doing things like that. So, we'll see...
While I was out back watering the plants I had a memory of being about 5 or 6 years old. I remembered using the leaf blower to clean off the patio, and deciding to point it at the dog's water bowl. My moms saw, and got mad. I suppose she was worried I might have electrocuted myself. She sent me to my room. I came out a couple of minutes later and requested to be spanked instead of being temporarily grounded. She asked if I was asking to be spanked because I deserved it or because I wanted to get out of being grounded. I told her I wanted out of being grounded, and then she sent me back to my room...I guess that's a weird story, but I think its kind of funny that I weighed the options of physical pain to boredom and opted for the former.
I'm about to head to Denton for the Disco:Hate CD release. I wish I was at del close to see worst heckle ever and party with some serious dudes.
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02:39 am
[Link] | I challenged Ryan to a chili cook off.
9/11/09
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10:13 pm
[Link] |
Eastbound and Down
That was the last I saw of Chicago.
My Mom's brother, Uncle Rusty, picked me up in his big rig to give me a ride back to my parents house in TX.
This was officially the most time I had ever spent with Uncle Rusty. My interactions with him were limited to holidays. He had a son that was my age, my cousin...however, he committed suicide a couple of years ago...Soooo, I knew that this ride might get a little weird.
Uncle Rusty had a lot to say. We talked pretty much the entire ride home. The only other entertainment I had were the road signs with silly names...
On the ride Rusty told me quite a bit about his life. He dropped out of school before high school. His dad was an alcoholic, and apparently not the best father...My moms is a few years older than he is. She left the house when he was 12.
Rusty told me about all the trouble he got in to as a kid. He told me about the time his dad was dropping off some propane at a gas station, and Rusty wandered around back behind the station. He found a car covered with a sheet, and started peaking under it to find some real nice car. An old man came out and asked what he was doing. Turns out that the old man's son had bought the car before going to vietnam, but had never returned. My uncle didn't have enough money to buy the car, but the old man let Rusty mow his yard for 2 summers to pay the difference...Rusty told me about all the trouble he got in to with that car growing up in Gun Barrel, TX.
The sun started going down and we pulled in to a rest stop for the night to sleep. It stormed hard during the night.
The next day it rained quite a bit, but we eventually made it to Baton Rouge to drop of his load of compressed gasses. By this time I was getting a little restless.
Several stories about 80's rock shows later we finally made it in to TX. The first thing we did was stop at whataburger for lunch.
I stayed the night at Rusty's house in Houston that night. His relationship with his old lady was kind of tense. I know quite well how that goes...Innocent questions get responses with irritated tones...it was a bit uncomfortable to be in the middle of.
The next morning we made the drive back to dfw from Houston. We stopped in Hunstville for lunch at a bbq restaurant.
Rusty used to live in hunstville with his wife and kids. He had shown some weakness during the ride when he talked about his dad being no good, and when he talked about how hard trucking had been on him over the years...but, when we got to that bbq place I could tell he was really bummed. I bet the last time he was there was with his son. It got a little hard for him to talk at some point, and we both just kind of ate our food and didn't say much. After lunch he drove me around the town and showed me Sam Houston university as well as the prison where they perform all of Texas' executions. The tour was probably for both of us.
We finally made it home, and I was glad to be there. However, I had a pretty good time on the trip. Rusty is a real sweet dude...I feel bad that things have been so tough for him.
So, now that I'm home it turns out we're getting a swimming pool...that's fun...It is nice to sleep in a real bed again. Although, I have yet to get a good night's sleep. Mama D has had plenty for me to do already. There have already been a few times when I was pretty irritated by her asking me to do things, but I'm in her home so its back to playing by her rules. Just more incentive for me to get to work I suppose.
I already have a show confirmed with Hard Times in September. I've got to learn the songs pretty quick...
Not a lot else has changed. I caught the cats making out while sitting on the dryer.
Our oldest dog had to have surgery to remove some fatty mass, and they left a tube in his chest that is to be removed next week. He is wearing a t-shirt to catch the bloody discharge that flows from it periodically.
home sweet home
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10:37 am
[Link] | haha...damn, I just got an email from a fellow IO performer asking me if I wanted to come audition for a comcast commercial in Chicago in a couple of days.
...well played, poverty...
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11:39 am
[Link] | Joey asked if I wanted to play guitar in Hard Times when I get back to TX next week.
sweet.
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02:13 am
[Link] |
Let's Get Out of This Place
I had another 5b show tonight. I felt weird going in to the show, and I felt weird after about my performance. I found out after that jet was there to see it and I was a little embarrassed. Oh well...its just one show. I had fun watching the other troupes tonight. Its going to be a big time bummer leaving next week...
I went downstairs for the 10:30 show tonight and the show filled up so the interns asked us to move to the student section....which we complied with as we generally do. Then the student section filled up and they kicked us out of there so we went to stand in the hallway where we've watched a handful of shows from. This female intern came over and told us we couldn't stand in the hallway to watch the show. I asked her if I could finish my beer, we still had about 5 minutes at this point....She said yeah, and then added that it wasn't kosher to sneak in through the back door. I'm not sure why she accused me of that, but I had been in the room for over a half hour at that point...anyhow, I told her I hadn't snuck in but she didn't seem to believe me. I finished my drink and while I was waiting for steph to close her tab the intern came back over and told me to leave. I told her I was going to, but I was just waiting on steph to close her tab at which point steph walked up. We both started to walk out the back, at which point Uhlir began to ask why they were making us leave and then told us to come back in and watch it form the green room.
Anyhow...i know that intern was just trying to do her job. I was trying to comply though, and it is still going to be awkward if I see her around this week.
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01:08 am
[Link] |
dragon tits
Snap city, I'm going to have to call July 19th one of the days that left me feeling the best ever.
I lazed around most of the day until my 5b grad show tonight. Before the show I let the group know that I was going to be moving back to TX in a couple of weeks. It was a bummer to have to break the news, but people had a bunch of awesome nice things to saw about me. So, that felt great...It sucks having to leave the group that I've started to connect with...it sucks to have to leave the city and the improv scene right when things start getting interesting. I suppose I can always come back though.
My 5b show tonight went alright. I had a few rough patches, but I think that overall I did pretty well tonight. There was a scene that took place at a Sonic, and I endowed someone as TJ and then the whole scene totally derailed...I feel a little guilty about that. Ha, I like that someone laughed so hard when Hartman asked me what I do and I said "I eat pussy"...it was fun to play. I'll surely miss all those dudes.
After the grad shows we went downstairs to watch 3033 and middle aged comeback. However, 3033 wasn't there tonight so Jim and Craig played again with myself, stephanie, and two other students. I was pretty nervous, seeing as how that is a cream dream come true. I had never played a show downstairs. The house was full. I think we did pretty well though. Things started off a little complicated, but once they fell into a nice groove the show took pretty good shape...I'm just happy to have gotten to play with Jim and Craig. Those dudes are awesome...and they've left me with quite a bit to think about after tonight's show. Its kind of like playing music with people who are really talented. You can only so much from observing them. It is a completely different thing to play with them...gahhh, I feel a little like I might be letting people down by moving...I know that no one would likely say that to me, but I was quite looking forward to getting to work with people more. To leave now before we've even really had a chance to work together at all is a big ol' bummer...I suppose I can always return.
Anyhow,
I'm going to go ahead and let myself feel proud tonight.
fist pump
Remaining Shows:
Mon 20th - Gingers
Tues 21st - Cal's Giant Beehive. The playground @ 8
Thursday 23rd - Open Court?
Sunday 26th - 5b show. IO @ 9pm
Sunday 2nd - 5b show. IO @ 9pm
Monday 3rd - Sit in with Scootz. 8 @ the playground
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09:23 pm
[Link] | I woke up early today, and decided to fo to a free workshop offered by my friend Scott Morehead. The subject of the workshop was when to walk on vs when to edit. A lot of the people at the workshop were from team bobby, who is a high school troupe that performs at one of the theaters I perform at.
It was a lot of fun doing improv with the high school kids. They've got pretty good skills. Some of them are still held up on trying to find a problem to fix/argue in every scene. However, overall they were great.
I think that improv should be a much larger portion of high school kids theater educations. Maybe one day I'll put my crosshairs on that one...right now I'm headed to IO to make the best of the time I have left here chilling with steph and seeing good improv.
And bird is in town!!
Ka-kaww
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07:09 am
[Link] | The Return of DJ Qualls?
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06:07 pm
[Link] | louie and I did a shot of this earlier
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01:59 pm
[Link] | I told facebook, but I suppose I should tell you too, LJ:
I just made some chili, and it turned out awesome. Cinnamon was the secret weapon. You can't realllly taste it over all the other stuff. However!!! you can smell it.
it smells like freedom
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08:14 am
[Link] |
get weird
manj, no weeds. I can't sleep. I'm anxious. I keep having weird dreams that don't register. I've been singing harherrar to myself in my head since the show last night. I've got toy-ode-uh playing on a loop in my dome. I went to bed 5 hours ago but I'm awake right now like its christmas morning or something. I'll crash later, I suppose.
Last night Nikki and I went to watch Justin play solo-acoustic at a bar called Ronny's. There were a small handful of people there to watch the shows. I hadn't been to a music show in quite a while...especially not anything local. At times it was a bit uncomfortable to watch Justin react to the audience between songs. He'd ask people to come closer, or tell them that if they felt the urge to dance or flail their arms or clap, that it wouldn't be frowned upon. I started thinking about improv, and how the feedback loop is more immediate. The audience responds or doesn't respond to things and you can get a bit more of a read in the moment on what's working or what isn't. Improv still requires some removal of one's self from the audiences expectations. In so much that one shouldn't pander to the audience. With music though it seems like more of an iron-clad sense of confidence is needed to bolster one's ability to go through a set without worry. People don't respond with the same immediacy. I think that everyone at the venue enjoyed justin's music, but they weren't cheering when he would switch to a chord they liked...I dunno, I both respect and fear the position of solo musical artist.
It is weird to have come to this point, but watching music did make improv seem a little less scary. It also reminded me of my style of attack in performance. When I used to be in rock bands I had a desire to "rock out" as hard as possible. Last night I was less than impressed with the performance aspect of the other groups. Lots of standing and staring, not a lot of rocking out. I suppose its a choice. Not everyone in every band is going to rock out...I love to rock out though. If I'm not, I feel like I'm not giving all of myself. I desire to give all of myself because I don't want to think back later and feel that I could have given more. Also, rocking out sort of sends the message that you stand behind your art. In a way it says "this rocks me. If it doesn't rock you, fine...take it or leave it...but this is the best that I can do"...
shit, even adam neese of 02 rocked harder than these creeps...I guess I'm a sucker for showmanship. Though, based on my show last wednesday, you'd hardly guess that.
burn.
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08:34 am
[Link] |
Laughganistan
I'm a little upset with myself for my performance in my show tonight. I had a feeling before it even started that it was going to be low energy. Then, sure enough, right after the opening the energy dropped out of the bottom...we picked it up a little bit, but it fell out again...I kept getting in to scenes that had already started and hesitated to initiate because I didn't want to be in the show too much...The show needed it though. It need something. I wish I would have attacked more. That was my instinct, but I ignored it.
gahhh...improv is supposed to be fun. At least I have another show in a few days to help wash this feeling away. Sucks that Josh and Brett were there tonight to see this show...oh well.
Last night I was walking home all high and eating a slice of pizza. I started thinking about yes and vs if then, and began to question if one was more important.
I doubt that anyone might argue that yes, and isn't important. More experienced players know that it doesn't mean literally saying yes to everything, but rather accepting everything...and then of course adding to it. I suppose that is where the if then comes in...Yes! (if then) aaaand...
I've been struggling for a way to exactly articulate a recent revelation I'm still attempting to apply to my improv. I realized that my favorite troupes to watch are the ones that use everything...the ones that really respond to the last thing said. Its easy in improv (especially once you are aware of the idea of game) to find yourself a few lines in to a scene assuming that you know where it is going. So, you start making game moves and attempting to progress the scene towards the destination you discovered in the first few lines. However, sometimes when this occurs it cause the blinders to go up that keep people from recognizing the intricacies of the scene. Fun gifts and discoveries are passed by in the moment because the players eyes are on their destination. It is my belief that its all about the journey. In the end no one realllly has anything invested in a scene. Nothing physical...the audience doesn't really give a shit if the characters get together or if they break up...they might come to desire one or the other, but in the end the audience isn't really affected by this. They will accept any number of outcomes as long as the players commit to them...What is important is honoring the moment.
So, I've been noticing this trend among my favorite shows to watch. Its so much fun to watch people really use, react, and respond to everything. I understand the inclination to want to "figure out what a scene is about" up top, and granted, sometimes you do figure it out and everything does work out. Still, a lot of times its this mindset that causes people to miss what's in front of them. This is particularly apparent with newer players who get so worried and worked up in trying to do things right that they don't use any of the fun gifts the create for themselves, or play with any of the fun discoveries or accidents that have happened. It is very simple to say "I made you a cake" "yes, and it is my birthday" "yes, and I also got you a card" "yes, and you had everyone at school sign it" "yes, and they love their school's starting quarterback"...Its easy to move from thing to thing to thing...so, you created a coherent story line, but did you explore anything? Wouldn't it have been more fun to respond to "I made you a cake" with some details about the cake? Why not?
Maybe this is all common sense. It is something I believe to have done sometimes without reallly knowing it...but now that I've put my finger on it. I've really started to value the importance of saying if then because it honors the last thing said. Not that yes, and doesn't...but, sometimes it feels more like a way to move scenes forward...but what's the point of moving on from place to place without ever really exploring where you are?
jesus, what a ramble...ha, see, I still can't articulate this as succinctly as I would like.
Chances are someone else has already done that better than I could.
Bill Arnett said "Go deep rather than broad"...that's kind of what I'm getting at.
Mr. and Mrs. Pessimism
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04:22 am
[Link] |
TadPaul
I had my second 5b grad show tonight. It went pretty well again...ha, and once again I did not meet my goal for myself this week. While watching some of the other troupes for some reason the thought came to me that I don't know how to do a Russian dialect. The opening to our show was this olympics scene, and I wound up being Russian. I got in my head a little about how shitty my accent sounded. Things didn't de-rail...still, I want to get back the power of my voice.
Watching the shows again this week was fun. I have another show on Wednesday this week and then one again this Sunday.
A troupe of older cats asked me to sit-in with them to see if they might want to add me. That's pretty flattering.
I'm still stressed about being broke and unemployed. 2009, when are you gonna learn to chill?
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03:48 am
[Link] |
New Show Promos
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09:22 am
[Link] | We had our first 5b shows last night. I had a lot of fun watching all the other groups perform their formats. Its weird after all this time to still be seeing people in my level whom I have never seen before. Fun though...
I had an alright show last night. I was really nervous before it started. I almost threw up right before it was time to go on, but I managed to keep my cool...I didn't do all that I wanted to do...my characters were all pretty close to me, and I didn't play up my emotional choices as strong as I had hoped...Still, it was a pretty good show, and I feel alright about what I did.
8 more weeks of this fun
I was supposed to go to six flags today but i'm too broke, and I've got a tummy ache
awwwwwwww :(
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11:46 pm
[Link] |
movie mix em ups
I performed at Ginger's tonight. It is a small bar on the west side of town. There were maybe 8 people watching the show, and two other people in the show with me. We performed a format that I've been waiting for quite some time to try out. It went pretty well...I'm excited about this format. Not only does it seem to have a lot of potential, but I also believe that the cupholders haven't done it yet...they've kind of done everything.
Maybe I should direct the format and put it up? Or assemble a troupe to perform it with?
Damn, good thing I have another show tomorrow night. I'm totally jonesin now.
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05:20 pm
[Link] | Daaaaamn...I just made some killer chili.
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11:16 am
[Link] | 11 - stranger for a day
15 - Ghost Dick @ gingers
16 - stranger for a day
30 - stranger for a day
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