Comedy Studies

So, in my day job, I help out with the administration of Comedy Studies--a full semester's worth of training in comedy at Second City, with credit given by Columbia College. And I help out in the most drudge-like ways--making sure applications are handled, helping kids understand consortium agreements, that kind of thing. I do, though, get to meet them all when they come in the door and I do a little orientation and help them figure out campus. That's fun. . . because, you know, for the most part, they're all already really funny. And when they first meet, it's as if the most burningly important thing in the world to get done is to out funny one another.

Well, last night, I was final in town for one of their final performances at the Second City Training Center Theater, so Dan and I went. Ordinarily, I fear a number of things done by young people--musical theater, oboe playing, stand up comedy, improv, tap dancing. I fear them, because there is the possibility of them being very very very bad. I think it's endearing whether they're good or bad, but I am a pretty empathetic person and I get easily overwhelmed by embarrassment on behalf of other people. Well, dumb to even have those worries last night.

Those kids were AMAZING!!! So, funny and smart and funny. Both cohorts of students were great, but the second group was so weirdly meta in their funny--poking fun at vaudeville, poking fun at the improv form, poking fun at the act of acting, all while still being really funny and entertaining--that I'm still thinking about how smart they were.

Impressive stuff. And as it turns out, even doing mundane things like handling applications for Comedy Studies, makes you kind of a V.I.P. at the event. We didn't have reservations, but we totally got seats through the director of the Training Center waving us in past the guy with "the list" (Thank you, Anne!). And Jason, my super nice counterpart at Second City, brought Dan and I free cokes. . . but they arrived looking like this:

Even the drinks were funny. Yah.

Zoo Lights v Festival of Lights

Maybe it's not in keeping with the Christmas season or the general good cheer of this blog to say that if the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights went head to head in a death match with the Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights, that I feel pretty confidently that the Lincoln Park Zoo would get schooled. I will be going to the Festival of Lights soonish and will also take photos and maybe you can be the judge. We loved our time at the zoo here in Chicago on Saturday, but I think the Cincy Zoo has a much better overall plan/scheme/design than the kind of stripey frenetic thing happening in Lincoln Park. . . but we'll wait and see when those pictures go up.

What I know for sure, though, is that the Cincy Zoo doesn't do anything confusing like throw a wreath around Tutankhamun and try to dress him up as a Christmas guy. Pretty sure that wasn't really his bag.



The one thing that the Lincoln Park Zoo does have that the Cincinnati Zoo doesn't, is the impressive back drop, as evidenced here. Chicago is an unimpeachably beautiful and grand town and really shows off during the holiday season.

Zoo Lights

Dan and I decided that a good way to work some of the kinks out of my back (there's been some tragic back pain lately. . . but I'm on the mend. Sincerely) was to soak up some Christmas cheer at the Lincoln Park Zoo Light extravaganza. We soaked up cheer. I got exercise. We ate hot soft pretzels and cocoa and looked at some monkeys. It was a good night.


And Dan has begun his traditional thug-disapproval pose in front of all things cute and Christmasy. It's all for show. He loves the season. But it's so preposterous--this pose for photos at Christmas time--and it makes me laugh and laugh and laugh--which I'm thinking may really be why he does it. Last year, he posed this way in front of such things as a giant blow-up Clifford the Big Red Dog, a redonkulously cute installation of anime panda bear statues and a live nativity creche. Seriously, I know it's weird that I think it's so funny, but I come close to messing myself everytime.

More Cleveland Thanksgiving

So, if we're lucky during the Bardsley Thanksgiving in Cleveland, Dan and his brother have a hootenany for the rest of the family. They both have upsettingly beautiful voices and they often do this performance that mixes a perfect blend of pretty, heart-rending and the dumb/funny that twins inspire in one another. There are few things better than them playing together. And we lucked out this year.

So here are two videos taped on my crappy camera at a family party--which explains the coffee house chatter. The first song is them not getting through Rocky Mountain High, but not getting it through it in the funny way they have. And the second song, "My Favorite Chords" by the Weakerthans, Dan recorded a version for me for my birthday, so when he looks up and smiles at the moment in the song that goes "it's such an enormous thing, to walk and to listen". . . that's for me, or maybe, really, for me and Dan.

It's okay to be jealous of any of this . . .

Little Froggie Luchador

La Rana! The newest in the luchador family. I love making all of my little critters, but the little peaceful Mexican wrestlers are always my favorites to put the finishing touches on.

And this last pic as proof that they're even cute naked.
(which, secretly, is how these guys like to be anyway. . . dressed as wrestlers because they like the glitz and the glam and people thinking of them as muy macho, but they're truly more lovers than fighters.)

Caterpillars and apathy

new embroidery available on fivetrees (except the blue pillar. . . he sold at Renegade)

this little 'pilllar sold in the first few hours of Renegade. A super nice lady handed it to me with a look of glee after looking at it for only a minute or two. Sincerely, that's the best kind of compliment--that brief look, grab and out thrust of the arm accompanied by giant smile that says, "oh my gosh, yes please, sell this to me." Thank you, stranger. You made my day.

Cleveland Thanksgiving Continued

Friday night of our Cleveland Thanksgiving adventure, we went to meet Dan and Scott's old high school friends for drinks. Right before meeting them, we stopped in at the Prosperity Social Club in the Tremont neighborhood for a quick drink. Dan's friends were fun, but I wish we could have spent the whole night at the PSC. The perfect cozy neighborhood bar that you find all over the upper midwest.

Bad Blogger! Bad!

I have fallen woefully behind here. But it's been so busy. Thanksgiving in Cleveland and Amy's little sweatshop kicked into high gear for Renegade (which I was only physically able to do one day of. . . so a bust after all that work, but that story to come in later posts as I get caught up).

But first Cleveland! Which is so much fun every year--Turkey Day with Dan's people, hanging out with Susan and Tony and Karen and the Brother's Phillips. Dan is a twin and that's especially fun. No one tickles Dan quite like his brother Scott does. They have a slightly different funny than the rest of the world.

But here were some of the sites.

The Westside Market. I make everyone go every year. Eventually, folks are gonna say no and I will have to go alone, but I desperately want one of these in Chicago. A huge market filled with independent meat and bread and cheese and chocolate and crepe, and tea and coffee and herb vendors. It's open a few days a week and all of the food looks 100% better than what's available in the grocery store. If we had one of these in Chicago, I wouldn't shop for meet anywhere else.

Plus the building is unbelievably beautiful.

Renegade Craft Fair This Weekend!

I am showing at Renegade this coming weekend. If you're in Chicago, stop by! I'd love to see you there. Dan and I will be at the booth eager to see familiar faces.

new cowls at fivetrees

ingenuity

I could transfer designs to fabric for my embroidery projects a bunch of different ways, but the cheapest (and greenest) is using my office window and the sun as a light box.


Clearly a few caterpillars are on their way. . .

Interview

Crazy. I just did an interview with local Chicago CBS about selling things on Etsy.

They may take this logo down for copyright infringement. . . but even if they do, Chicagoans, please tune in to CBS local news this coming Monday to see how twitchy and weird I look on camera talking about my work.

And thanks Dorothy and Jerry! It was super great meeting you and talking in my wee office in Cicero. Happy Day!

Newer Rattles

Rattle-tastic!

Happiness is. . .

a cold frame made for you by your husband.

what was cool when it was being built in the basement, is now resplendent in the backyard. this weekend (in November!!!), planting begins.

Plus, Henri!

he'll be posted to the etsy site soon!

Fall Loveliness

I might also be embracing fall with a family walk--me, D and L.P. If fall weren't the lead in to winter, it would be my favorite season. Because, seriously, what's prettier than fall trees?

or funnier than kid designed pumpkins? tres adorables!

Holy Fall Cooking!

I am embracing Fall with open arms and food. Loads of soups. My first first chicken pot pies from scratch. Cranberry bread. Brussel Sprouts. Catatoes or mashed parrots--Dan's awesome combo of mashed potatoes and carrots.

the handsome husband denuding the brussel stalk.

How pretty is that? I was super proud. If you ever make chicken pot pies, steal this crust recipe. Fill however you like, but this crust is awesome.

embroidery heading shopwards

Embroidery! More is on its way, but these are the bad boys I have been able to finish so far. The one that looks like a bike wheel (spokes and all) is the back of one to show the stretching treatment they get once finished.