“2013. Helluva year.” That’s something that someone in the year 2030 will say when they’re cracking open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. It’s been a roller coaster. It had its ups and it had its downs. When things were up, they were at their highest. I felt like the King of the World standing on top of a mountain during those times. When things were low, well, I felt like the black cloud in an Abilify commercial. Some major things happened to me this year and I believe I grew tremendously as a person and as a performer. I learned about important values like compassion, confidence, discipline, reputation, self-control, perseverance, honesty, sincerity, respect, teamwork, sacrifice, and trust. I set goals for myself and accomplished them. I proved to myself (the only person you need to prove anything to) that I can accomplish anything I set out to accomplish. Write it down. Put in the work. Fail. Put more work in. Get it done. If it doesn’t go according to plan or the way you pictured it, try again. Repetition, repetition, repetition.
31 days of improv
In the very beginning of 2013, I had set out to do something that no one else in the community had ever done before. I wanted to do 31 straight days of improv. Why? Because I knew that doing that would take me to the next level as a performer. Any butterflies that I had before a show completely vanished throughout the month. With every show, I learned something new about my abilities. I did it. I grew so much as a performer within those 31 days. and am so thankful for all the people who helped me accomplish my goal. I think what I learned may have taken me years performing to learn, but because of repetition night after night I grew leaps and bounds. I still am amazed that I was able to do it. That definitely got the ball rolling for me for the year because it sparked confidence in me that I can do anything. It lit the fuse.
Switch Committee performs at iO
As a comedian, being able to play at iO was something I wanted more than anything in the world. Even though I didn’t make a Harold team, I knew that if I kept at and kept working hard I would get to where I wanted to be. At the time, I didn’t understand it, but EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. I can’t stress that enough. I remember thinking that drowning my pain with booze was the only answer, but greater minds prevailed. So I kept performing. I just kept at it. Show after show. Night after night. Barprov, barprov, barprov. I set goals for myself along the way. I wanted to be on a Playground team….and I made it. I love that team. I wanted to get into the Second City Conservatory…and I did it. I love my class. I set out to accomplish everything I dreamed of. Switch Committee performed twice a week for months on end until finally, we were given the greatest opportunity in the world. A chance to perform for Charna Halpern at iO. It was a moment that I’d (not even knowing it) been preparing for my whole comedic career. That show would open the doors for us and change our lives. It led to us traveling around the country to different festivals (Detroit, Denver, Cleveland, Eau Claire) performing as headliners and teaching workshops. Flash forward 7 months and we’re still performing every Thursday in the Cabaret Theater in iO. Performing with my best friends in my favorite place in the world is the definition of happiness. I love these guys and look forward to every show with them.
Work’s great
I work for an awesome company and am on an awesome team (sales). They’ve been nothing but good to me. Within the past year, I’ve been promoted and given my own office. I remember when I first started, I wanted to work as hard as possible to excel professionally and grow in my position. I wanted to learn as much as I could in my field and apply that to better the company. I didn’t want to just go through the motions. Hard work always pays off. Without this job, I wouldn’t have been able to pay for classes and I wouldn’t have ever met the boys of Switch and Switch might never have happened. I have to thank my friend Shirin (you seen The Joker take the wine glass out of her hand in The Dark Knight) for telling me about this job after I met her when we were doing extra work years ago. Everything happens for a reason.
Still sober
In February, it will have been 2 years since I last had a drink. Every failure or disappointment I have experienced has been a test of strength. At any moment, I could throw it all away and drink my sorrows away, but at the end of the day, what would that accomplish? It would be a temporary thrill and most likely (based on the kind of drunk you are) would lead me to do something to damage myself, my reputation, and my relationships with friends and family. No one respects the sloppy drunk guy (or girl). No matter how funny they are. Be known for being a good person that’s talented. Not for being wasted.
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In 2013, I’ve learned…
- EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.
- Anything is possible.
- Trust your instincts. If you have a bad feeling about something, you’re probably right.
- You can’t change people nor should you try to.
- Don’t make someone else your priority. The most important person in your life is you.
- Appreciate the little things. When it feels like the world is coming down on you, stop and think about all that you have and all that you’ve accomplished.
- Stay humble. You’re not better than anyone. We’re all in this together.
My resolutions
- I’m going to be present more. That means less time staring at my phone and more time engaging with other people.
- I’m going to read more. I think I read one book last year. Probably read a million articles, but one book. It’s embarrassing.
- I’m going to master and perfect a solo routine.
- Switch Committee is going to write and perform a sketch show.
It’s a new year. What are you going to do? What are your resolutions?
