Month: May 2021

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been able to establish some relatively healthy boundaries and habits over the past few lockdowns. It’s one of the good things to come out of this overall really bad thing.

But I’m worried all these boundaries I’ve set and improved upon might just come crashing down after society opens up again and we’re allowed to go back out to “normal.”

Will these habits stick? Am I a changed person now? Or was all the work just a result of imposed boundaries from an outside source? Like how when you’re in school, it’s easy to meet deadlines because there are consequences if you don’t finish the work on time. But when you’re self-employed… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When you have nothing else to work on, you can stay home and work on yourself.

I can one hundred percent turn down a Zoom show. No problem. Easy. There’s just too much Zoom!

But a one-off improv show at SoCap on a Wednesday night when I know I have a lot of stuff to do the next day, but maybe I’ll stay late and have a drink and catch up because what the hell, it’s “networking” and comedian friends are so friggin’ funny and hey, I haven’t seen them in two friggin’ years so OK maybe I’ll just have one…

What do you want? I’m an extrovert. This has been really hard for us.

CUT TO: It’s 3AM on the QEW and maybe I should just crash at my brother’s because I’ve got to be back in the City tomorrow… But no, I can’t wake him up now because he has to be up in three hours to go to work…I’ll just go home. I’ll grab a Coke to keep me awake for the rest of the drive, and heck, why not some nuggets too?

Good thing there’s no traffic at 3AM!

Pretty typical of the way things used to be.

Over the past little while, I’ve formed way better habits around:

  • Accounting & financial knowhow
  • Eating at home regularly
  • Getting the right amount of sleep (more than enough, in fact)
  • Exercising more regularly and getting more fresh air
  • More quality time with my husband (not like that pervs. I’m talking marathoning It’s Always Sunny because it counts as R&D in my line of work.)

I’m having a hard time not worrying about what comes after all of this. I’m getting my 1st dose of vaccine on Thursday, bringing me one step closer to “back to life, back to reality.”

So, when this is all done, will all this hard work fly out the window? Or am doomed to fall back into old habits?

Have I really changed that much?

When it comes time to go back to normal, will YOU want it to?

I know we’re on the other side of it now. There’s a promise of being able to gather together again soon, at least outdoors anyway, and here in Ontario. I am so comforted by this.

BUT we’re not completely out of the woods yet, and if you have goals or dreams you’ve been wanting to work towards, I’m here to tell you there will never be a perfect time or ideal circumstances. So just get on the damn horse.

I’m talking about improv, here. But if it applies to anything else you might be interested in learning or experiencing, then let it sink in for you too.

I really want to learn improv, but I don’t want to do it online. Should I do it online anyway?

A question I’ve been asked a few times over the course of the past year and some.

I’d rather eat a piping hot steak and twice-baked potato from the Keg in one of their fancy dining rooms and sip on some delicious Ontario VQA in candlelit ambiance. But that’s not in the cards yet. Is it gonna stop me eating meat and getting drunk? NOT. A. CHANCE.

Let me be clear, I really want to TEACH improv in person. But that ain’t happening any time soon. Am I going to do it online anyway? Oh hell yes.

Improv Llamas

Online Training – Pros and Pros

I’ve been finding so many great things about running improv classes online right now. If it’s something you’re passionate about, I don’t think there’s a point in waiting to do it in person. You’ll have missed out on however many months of doing this cool thing just waiting to be able to do it in the same physical space as other people. Meanwhile, once we get back in person again you’ll have all this experience under your belt to finally get to take to the stage!

(Actual response I sent someone.)

Who cares if when you play Word-At-A-Time you’re going to ask Tim to repeat his word twelve times? That’s just where we are right now. At least you’re putting in the work. Putting in the time. Building up those 10,000 hours.

When we get back to playing in person, it’ll be that much sweeter. I can’t wait to play mannequins again. Or touch to talk. Or any of the wonderful trust exercises / warm-ups that involves getting all tangled up and then untangling each other.

We’ll get there, but for now – make the most of your situation. Learn as much as you can about the non-touchy part of improv.

Take a class. Sign up for an online workshop. Participate in a global digital festival. Do a scene a day for 100 days. JUST DO THE THING.