IN MY HEAD...

I’m writing this post from an apartment in downtown Los Angeles, California.

Because of Theatre Strike Force, I was able to fly 3000 miles away from home and still have friends, 2 who I hadn’t met before I got here. But Filup Molina and Erik Voss are TSF alum and because of that going out to lunch with them was a natural as if I had known them for years. Not to mention they both got me into improv shows when I hadn’t even asked! Some badass guys. =D

Katie LeBlac took me to the Laugh Factory for some hilarious stand-up and The Groundlings for some awesome improv and sketch!

TSF has given me some great things, but having friends all over the country is by far the coolest.

I was already pondering the idea but talking to Voss and Molina cemented it in my brain. I am going to start creating sketches and film shorts and hosting them on my youtube channel. I have always watched my idols and just wished that I could walk in their shoes but never did anything about it. Although it’s just a small step, it is way better than standing still. Doing TSF and stand-up is making me a better comedian but creating my own sketches will give me invaluable experience. My writing will get better and I can even see how the world reacts to what I think is funny.

I really have no excuse for not creating sketches and I’m in one of the most supportive improv and sketch comedy clubs around. Hopefully my sketches will not only help me better myself as a comedian but be a hit, as well. It’s all because I’m tired of wishing. If you want something, you have to go get it.     

This weekend I auditioned for NBC’s hit television show, The Voice. The closest city for the open auditions was Atlanta, GA. I went with my girlfriend, Lynnea, on the day before our audition since we did not want to make a 5 hour drive twice in one day.

As we were entering the city we realized that there was an unusual number of cops every few miles down the road. Also, traffic was terrible going into the city but the other side of the 5 lane highway was empty. Then all of the sudden a few patrol cars and 20+ motorcycles speed by on the empty side of the highway. Then we see a limo, with two American flags on the hood, surrounded by cars and being followed by a S.W.A.T. van. Lynnea says it was the president’s motorcade but I wasn’t sure so I checked my smartphone for Atlanta’s local news and sure enough, Obama was in Atlanta doing fundraising for something.

Once we got to the hotel we went downtown for dinner. We ate at Hard Rock Cafe which happened to be right across the street from the building holding the auditions. The Jumbo Combo was delicious…

The next morning we checked out of the hotel and made our way downtown. We had about four hours until our audition time of 3pm but we wanted to ensure a spot in the front of the line. As it turned out, they were only letting the 11pm block in so we decided to walk around Atlanta. We were only two blocks away when we stumbled upon the St. Patties Day Parade! It was a perfect way to kill the time until our audition.

Around 2pm we went back and noticed about 150 people already lined up down the street for the 3pm auditions. We quickly jumped in the line and waited until 2:15 at which point they started letting us into the building.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE VOICE AUDITIONS WORK, HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

1. Security check: Pretty standard check, bags are searched and pockets emptied.
2. Wait in line: Upstairs was just an open room with nothing but support pillars, two of which had The Voice logo on them. After crossing the room, you ride another escalator to the same type of room, except this one has people in it. There are about 20 lines that the people auditioning stand in. We waited about 30 minutes and then they started giving us wrist bands and seating us.
3. Wait in chairs: Once you have your wrist band you sit in rows of ten with other singers. I actually chatted with my neighbors and we talked about our singing experience and what we thought the auditions would be like.
4. Wait in different chairs: After about 10 minutes they brought groups of 30 singers, 3 rows, into a different room that also had chairs in it. I was sitting next a new person this time so I was quiet until the girl to my left asked me where I was from. Her name was Courtney and chatted until our row was called to move into the next room.
5. Outside the door: At this stage they take you right outside the door of the room you will audition in. After a few more minutes of waiting the previous group exited, signaling we were about to be next.
6. Audition: Once in the room there are chairs against one wall and a table on the other. Sitting at the table was a man named Romeo Johnson. He is the actual vocal coach for the show. Not all groups get the same judge. He called us up one at a time and asked for our name, age, where were from, and the title of the song we were singing. After that you sing. There’s no specific time limit but it was generally a verse and a hook. Most everyone in my group was good. There was one who was terrible, one who got nervous and voiced cracked during a song, and one who got a callback. Turns out it was Courtney who got a call back. I hope she makes the blind auditions so I can say I met her.
7. Exit: After we all sang, Romeo thanked us all and said just because we weren’t picked doesn’t mean we have terrible voices, just not what he was looking for, except Courtney of course. She stayed behind for a few minutes to get what I assumed details about the callback. Then I met Lynnea outside and we drove home.

Overall the trip was great and it was cool to discover how the audition process works. Maybe I’ll audition again next season… we’ll see. ;)

DISCLAIMER: no one likes to listen to anyone else complain about their problems because we all have our own problems to worry about. I just wanted to vent but I didn’t want to burden one of my friends so the Internet seemed like the logical choice.

I remember a time when I never had to study and I always got straight A’s. Then I enrolled in the IB program where I had to study but I still had over a 4.0. Now I’m in college and I feel like I’m getting jumped in an alley by a group of thugs and the only thing I can do is cover my head and hope they don’t crush my brain. (by “thugs” I mean classes, and by “brain” I mean brain).

Every lecture I attend and every chapter of a textbook I read, I just cement the realization of how little I actually know. I used to work on graduating with highest honors now every single homework problem I solve is a major victory. I spend more time in office hours than lecture because I’m way past the point of understanding something just because I heard my teacher say it once. Now it’s hearing my teacher say some jibberish, going home to read the same jibberish, going to office hours to ask questions about said jibberish, doing several problems to help my understanding of the jibberish and then hoping I use the jibberish right on the test. Jibberish.

I wonder everyday if I would do better if I quit TSF but I always decide that I wouldn’t because I would probably just spend that extra time playing Modern Warfare instead of studying. However, I’m already planning my study schedule for spring break which is a sad thought. Everyone made college sound like a huge party. Although there are parties, no one warned me about the workload.

Okay, I’m done whining like a little girl. It’s time to put on my big boy pants and get my work done. Also, I have to go to class…

I also read this book over break. If you don’t know, I love The Office and comedy in general. My wonderful girlfriend gave this book to me, being that she was the one who introduced The Office to me in the first place way back when.

Fun Fact: Mindy Kaling mainly writes for The Office and doesn’t write her character Kelly’s lines. This is why she isn’t a main character on the show.

This book starts out with a funny intro, childhood memories, her move to New York and her rise to fame, then a whole chapter just for The Office, and then moves into relationship and girly stuff. I’m going to admit it… Once I read the chapter title “Someone Explain One Night Stands to Me” I stopped reading it. I’m glad she left that part for the end.

The whole 3/4’s of the book that I did read was great stuff. Mindy Kaling is funny and has an interesting story and I am glad she shared it. I would recommend those 3/4’s of the book to anyone.

But I must judge the book in its entirety. This is mainly a girl’s book. In Bossypants by Tina Fey, Tina jokingly thanks any men who are reading the book assuming men wouldn’t buy or read it. Mindy’s book reads as if she was certain a penis would not be within 20 yards of her book.

This book is for comedy nerds and women… but mainly women. Nonetheless, it is well written, witty, and interesting. I give it a 4 out of 5 on the whole and 4.7 out of 5 for women who also enjoy comedy.

However… Guys, if you want a sneak peek into the mind of a woman (its a scary place, you’ve been warned) then definitely give it a glance. haha.

So I’ve been reading a lot lately and I thought it would be fun to review the books. Although I’m not really a county music fan, I have huge respect for Brad Paisley and love most of his songs. I became a fan when I was in Daytona and one of my brother’s friends gave us free tickets to his H20 Tour Show. He is one of the best guitar players I have ever seen and/or heard.

His book starts out telling how he received his first guitar from his grandfather and how it changed his life forever. He started taking lessons and formed a local band with a bunch of senior citizens. After that he opened for the Country Music Jamboree at the age of 13 and was more of a novelty act even though he was already incredible talented on the guitar. But it wasn’t long after he attended college as a music management major in Nashville that he got his record deal. He was noticed while he was an intern at a record company. 

The book was an easy read and extremely interesting. Each chapter has a quote about Brad from someone famous and in the book they are marked solos, as if each chapter is its own song. Also each chapter ends with a guitar tip from Paisley himself, most of them a metaphor for life. 

Even if you aren’t a country music fan I would suggest reading this book because its funny, interesting, and not very long. 4.5 out of 5.