I can't believe it, today was a good day....

You ever had one of those days, where it was a really good day? Not just a good day, but a REALLY good day? I guess you could say that I had one of those days yesterday - beyond that of a day that's just, "okay, I woke up, I'm alive." And so yesterday, our job pulls what I thought was a shocker, especially since in the back of my mind, I'm always thinking about how top tier at my job, don't really appreciate the drivers of the company. They don't pay us nearly enough for what we do, but, BUT, I guess I can now say that at least after yesterday, I feel a very small sense of being thought about, since they shut down the job yesterday, and had "Driver Appreciation Day" at Magic Mountain. And like I said, my job doesn't like to give up on the money, and for them to spend even what have may been a dollar, on us peons, is a shocker to me. They may not have spent that much, getting a coporate deal on a bunch of tickets for some of its employees, a meal package for them as well, with a coporate type entertainer that does that "family" type entertaianing, while we eat. Okay, I will admit, it was cool - at least the free ticket, and the grub. Would have been better if they would've set it up for us to go on a holiday, or a weekend, where I could have actually used a free ticket to bring someone else with me to the park. It's kind of difficult to find someone to go with, when it's on a workday. But oh well, beggars can't be choosers. I'm a roller coaster fiend, and since I hadn't been to the fun park in some time, I'll roll on my own - sometimes its better that way than having someone with you, whose punk ass doesn't like to ride anything. And I ride it all - at least I ride all the roller coasters. No games, no buying that overpriced crap they call food, no souvenir shopping, not even trips on the water rides - though it was hot, and I would have rode, if someone would've came with me . My entertainment value though, comes from getting on as many roller coasters, in as short as time as possible. I know I have a timetable set for myself today anyway. I have to leave the park early, 'bout rush hour time, 'cause today is an important day for me. The amusement park is just the beginning, in a day that will present itself with an opportunity by its' end. 'Cause when I leave today, I have to make my way over to the IceHouse comedy club, to get taped for Comedy Time television. I'm not too knowledgable about Comedy Time. I know that they are legit. I know that they are a company, part of other companies I guess, that provide "cable" like entertainment on cell phones. People have to subscribe to the services, in order to receive all the entertainment on their phone...I'm pumped, 'cause the way I came into it, is almost like a miniature True Hollywood Story story, and a very miniature "discovery" of me. I did a best of the valley contest about a month ago. I did two rounds - a round to qualify to go to the finals, and the final round of course. I didn't place in the final round, though I thought I should have, third at least. Oh well, that's comedy. So flashback to Monday. Going through my website email, I find an email from some dude at CMT. He also calls my home phone, while I'm out that day on a job interview. Hmm, okay, who the hell is Comedy Time, I'm thinking. I hit him back, where he proceeds to tell me the deal about CMT, and that he actually searched me out from that competition. But what is really sweet, is what he proceeds to tell me afterwards. That he wants to tape me in the main room of the IceHouse, which if used, would be broadcast on those phones that carry those channels. Not only do I get twenty five dollars (are you kidding me? perform a set at the IceHouse, and get gas money?), a tee shirt, and the opportunity to perform in front of the owner of the IceHouse, and possibly an industry development guy, but I get "good tape." Good tape is a term us comedians use to describe doing a set at a big name club, with the club logo in the background to authenticate, and getting a copy of that set. Good tape is so hard to get, because it's hard enough as a nobody comic to get on a stage at a real club, but to get a copy of that with that comedy club logo in the background, AND to have a great set, AND for the copy to come out nice, without no loud background, no technical difficulty, is HARD TO GET!! The planets have to be aligned right for all this to happen. But comics looking to get more exposure have to have it, and I know that I will get a copy of the set I will do tonight. All I have to do is make it a good set - no matter how big or small the crowd. Good tape is the objective, so I can throw it up on my website...As I stand in line all day at various roller coasters at Magic Mountain, I go through my set, over and over again, until it is au-to-matic! I edit mentally in my head as I need to, to get the set right, perfect. The only time I'm not thinking about the set, is when I'm pulling G's on Tatsu. After getting my share of roller coasters, or at least riding all the roller coasters I wanted to ride (Tatsu, Deja Vu, Revolution, Viper, Riddler's Revenge, Scream, Ninja, Batman, Goliath). Okay, I've accomplished what I wanted. I've got my fix. Now it's about 5 p.m. The plan - make my way home real quick, settle down to make the transition mentally to my performance tonight, and leave early enough to get there by 7:30, even with L.A. traffic. I get home, mapquest my destination, grab my digi video cam, in case they bullshittin' about giving us a copy of the set, and head out the door at six. I get there about 6:45 and I kick it, shootin' the shit with other comics as they arrive for the show - seven of us total. During those in-between times of talking to the other performing comics, I go through my set again and again, till in my mind, it's how I want to perform it, and then I let it go. Well before the show starts, we receive our twenty five dollars, and our free drink ticket. I use mine's to get a bottle of water - about ten minutes before I hit the stage. Gotta make sure the mouth ain't dry, but this set is too important to use the ticket to get alcohol. Don't want to be too relaxed and make a mistake. Gotta be as focused as possible when I take to the stage. There's no room to mess up a joke or punch...I stand in the backroom waiting to be called, because I'm next, and the host is on stage throwing out a couple, before he brings me up. I know if I can just get through to my first punch, with it going over well, I can relax and enjoy myself, the crowd, and my set...I take to the stage, and my first joke goes well, given the meager size of the audience. From here on out, the state of my mental is to not rush, speaking clearly, not too fast, and getting the timing and pacing right. I already know my material, I just need to not step on any words. I had what I should consider to be a great set - not because of whatever audience reaction I hear for myself while on stage, because no matter what you may hear on stage, it always sounds not as strong on tape. But I considered it to be a great set because as I step off stage, and walk up the aisle to go through double doors to exit the main room, I'm stopped by the owner of the club, who identifies himself, and tells me that he enjoyed my set, watching it from the rear of the room. I thank him, proceed through the double doors afterwards, and with the guy who even called me to do this whole thing anyway. He gives me my free t-shirt, tells me that my tape should be done in about ten minutes, and that I did a good job as well...and then a development guy from Comedy Time approaches me, introduces himself, hands me his card, and tells me to follow up with him. I thank him and say that I will. I really don't need to call this guy. My validation of me belonging on the comedy stage, comes from someone appreciating what I did on stage, and just stepping to me, saying that they felt what I gave - or they understood what I was doing in a way not caught by everyone else. Of course, I will get back at the guy, and see what he's talking about. But in the interim(ha! you know you loving my vocabulary style), I will just enjoy this day for what it is and was - a good day. Not much could fade it. I even lost my cell phone today somewhere on the grounds of Magic Mountain. I was heated for a minute, 'cause that's just how you get when you lose your cell phone - it's like losing a child almost. But even if I don't find my phone, it's whatever, fuck it. My contract is up with Nextel in October, and I was planning on leaving them anyway - they suck!..and this day belonged to me. I didn't even get any trim today, and I never thought that any day could belong to me without getting any trim. The ride home from the IceHouse for me, was the same ride home for the guy that wins in an important heavyweight championship bout... When I'm in my car other days, I often listen to a song by Michael Jackson off his Dangerous album, called "Give In To Me." It's a rock song with some sick ass strings on it. When I was going home last night, I was listening to it. What is it about driving at night, blaring a kick ass song such as that one, that gets you going? I've played that song too many times to remember how many times I've played that song, and would know every note of that song anywhere. And even though over those countless amount of times I've listened to the song and the strings on the track, there was something about owning the night that made the song like the first time, making the strings on the track sounding that much sweeter.

Here ended the lesson....

so um, yeah...just when I get in a journal entry earlier today, thinking I won't have anything to talk about for another couple of weeks, I have one of those days, where it becomes a double entry day. Sooo, I have to go to D.C. next week for my cousin's wedding, and I really want to be able to go to D.C., and try to drop a name, so I can perform at a "real club" in D.C. At least, that's my mindstate as I start my day, hoping to be able to get a set in, at Michael Colyar's room later that night. The plan: kill at Michale Colyar's room, get approval to use his name when I go home. The plan is in motion, and I'm going to leave my martial arts class early, so that I can be perfectly on time to hopefully get a fill-in for the beginning of the show. I even have my outfit laid out of what I'm taking to wear that night on stage. Start out with my white Phat Farm, drawstring, light textured sweats, with the dark blue and red stripe running down each side of my leg. Then I'm going to wear my extra large, red, ten dollar TJ Maxx Nike tee. Throw on top of the tee, my large sized white, muscle tee, with the raised blue and dark blue Nike print on the front...gotta let the red tee expose itself from the shoulders and at the bottom. Throw on my red D.C. Nationals baseball hat...and the piece de resistance? My all white Nike Air CR1's, size eight and a half(don't joan, I love my little feet)- I've may or may not have worn them more than ten times, but I still keep them in the box like, back to formula. The outfit might sound familiar to some - it's the same outfit I'm wearing on the homepage of my website. And no, it's not the only outfit I have to wear, but it is THE outfit to wear when I'm planning on going to destroy. Whatever your occupation, everyone has THAT outfit - the confidence gear. I'm right and ready to bring it tonight at Mike's room tonight...everything so far, is working according to plan. I leave my class at eight thirty that night to make it to Mike's room by nine. I'm taking a chance on spending gas to get to his room by nine, without the guarantee of a set. But I've talked to Mike's wife before, and get that feeling that even though there are rules and procedures for Mike's room, she genuinely wants to try to help unknowns if she can - as long as every Tom, Dick, and Harry (or every Mike, Reggie, and Chris for that matter) ain't looking for a handout. I'm there perfectly on time, and Brooks (Mike's wife) gives me the notion; didn't want to rock the boat, she tells me "Hang back and I'll see what I can do." So I hang. Not to many people in the audience as of yet, so it's prime opportunity to cash in. They throw on unknowns to fill time until the audience fills out. Mike starts the show, does of a little bit of him, announces that he will be bringing up a couple of new guys - per his lineup given to him by his wife. Now I know I'm officially going up. He directly addresses the three comedians that will be going up first(me, and the other two comics). Then he looks at me from the stage, as I stand near the back of the room, and says I'm going up first. His room, his rules - no problem. I WANT TO GO FIRST! Blow this stage up, and show them who Chris Reese is. I'm ready, absoulute confidence in myself, and my proven material. It's time. He brings me up, and with confidence I step to the stage, shake Mike's hand as he hands off, quickly place my wallet on the stage against the back wall(because of how light my pants are, a wallet sitting in my pocket destroys the integrity of the look of the pants, with it just swinging around down there), and I grab the mike, and set the stand out of my way. Time to wreck..."So is it hot enough for y'all yet?"....first punch goes off okay, not the reaction that I was expecting. Okay, I got more..."I guess if we run out of aluminum foil at a picnic, we can just start laying black people down on the grill." Okay, again, some laughter, but not what I'm expecting or at all looking for. That's as good as that bit went. Moving on, switching to the next bit, I'm not at all feeling love - as a comedian, you know when you're getting it, and when you're not, though some, however few, are giving you their audience. Now I've let THEM get to ME, and I know I've let it rattle me out of my game. Now I'm just spitting out material, rather shoving down their throat, what is apparently not working-laying the proverbial egg on stage. The light is early, and I have to get off the stage. I finish what I'm on, and take leave of the stage - shaken not stirred. "What's wrong with this crowd?!", I'm saying to myself. Mike takes back over the mike as he comes to the stage, takes riffs on my set, commends my confidence, and tells me to stick around for the critique. Later, I get a chance to talk to Mike, and he tells me that I may have noticed that the light came on early. He never saw my set, but he just knew people inside weren't laughing like they should have been. He tells me he wants me to come back in three weeks, where he can literally sit down, watch me do my set, and write notes to critique. Let me say that again. Michael Colyar is going to watch me do a set, write notes, and talk to me to critique and give advice. WOW! That can't be bought, and is more precious than anything for a comic trying to come up. NO ONE wants to talk to you out here in Los Angeles, unless you can do something for THEM! And Mike wants to see not just me, but comics in general grow and get better. Whatever you think of Michael Colyar's standup, gold is found in the words of a comedian who has found that destination, that you as a comic, are trying to get to. They say in comedy, you learn more when you bomb, than when you have a great set... Mike tells me, "Five minutes, you ain't got time to fuck around. Hit 'em quick, let 'em know you funny, then you can say what the fuck you want"....and here ended the lesson.....

Happs on the crapps...

So, to the four or five people that may actually be reading my "blogs", or IF anyone is reading for that matter, you might be asking "How come he doesn't write in his journal more often?" To which I respond, "the way I see it, there's generally nothing in my life to talk about, until there's something in my life to talk about." - much is the life of the struggling comic. My personal daily/weekly struggles/chores remain pretty much routine. On the days I work, I get up, go to work, and then hit a mic after work - OR go home and go to sleep 'cause I'm too tired. On the days that I don't work, such as today, I get whatever errands I need to get done, done. In the evening, I go to Aikido class for an hour to two hours - and then I go hit a mic, or go home and go to sleep because I'm too tired. It seems like I may have a lot of time in between, but actually I don't. For me, I have defined what's important to me, and what I must do to accomplish the goals that stem from what's important to me. The things that are important to me right now are: 1) getting better at comedy, i.e., writing more, writing better, finding my voice, and gradually moving out from the open mic circuit. I am getting tired and bored of the open mic scene, and when that happens, more than likely it means you need to be challenged more. For me, it means doing better rooms, tougher rooms, expanding in general. Open mics in L.A. generally consist of more comedians than audience, and that's really never good, because you can never trust the validity of material against other people you're competing against - and open mics are more often than not, just painful and grueling - not to say that I'm Chris Rock, but there are a lot of people at these open mics that are just not funny. So now my "career" is at that point where I'm trying to get from the low point on the totum pole, to the middle point - networking to do better rooms/audiences, getting tapes made (so you can send them to various people), and just writing and performing, performing and writing. I will know when I have officially left the low point on the totum pole, when I either find an agent or manager who believes in me, and wants to represent me, or I am making an actual living off of doing comedy. It's actually not THAT hard to make a living doing comedy. You can do well from bookings on the college circuit, or from bookings in clubs...it just takes a lot of leg work. I myself want to give myself a couple more years before I do that - again to help establish a voice, become stronger. In the meantime, I write to find that voice...I did have a contest that I performed in last week...I didn't place, which I feel I should have at least been third. The fact that the people who judged talent that night, didn't recognize what I felt was strong material in the set I peformed, does not bother me now, though it did that night. After all, this was a contest in a bowling alley in Canoga Park, and not at the Improv or Laugh Factory. Many people told me that night after I performed, that I had excellent material, so I know it wasn't just me. But as one my fellow comic friends who placed second in a different part of the competition stated, "there are no points for second place." For me, at this point in my "career", nothing could ever be more true. When I can't perform, and make it obvious that I should've won hands down, then I have to get better than everyone else. I am dead set on accomplishing that...2) I am in the process of working on my own business right now, and no matter how simple a business is, such is mine, planning must be done, which is what I am in the process of doing now-concurrently, while I'm working at a job I'm desperately trying to get away from, while I'm peforming, and trying to write new material. Though I don't anticipate my business to start until February 2008, just like the movies, certain things must be in place before that time, so that when I'm ready to market it, everything is ready to go. That is also on my plate...3) I'm into my Aikido training, it is as equally important to me as my training in comedy. I will have that, even though I may not know how comedy and my eventual business will turn out. It is something you just understand or you don't. Plus I just like it...I wish I could say I had some sort of social life, but I don't. Actually I don't really care about socializing that much out here in California. Honestly, I don't like the people too much out here, but I'm trying to get better on judging people on an individual basis. There are good people out here though - even some that are native Californians... It would be nice however, to have someone that I was seeing on whatever downtime I had during the week, and on the weekend. But L.A. is an extremely difficult place to meet a cool young lady. I keep thinking to myself, if I was in D.C., it wouldn't be like this. But when I think about it, if I was in D.C., with a girlfriend, would I be as focused on what I'm trying to accomplish at this point in my life? Would I be out here in California taking my best shot at life? Someone who I used to work with at Safeway, back at home, once gave me great advice. She said, "get your career together, and the decent women will follow." I'm exactly in the point in my life, where I should be able to expect a certain quality of woman, not settling. However, I'm not exactly at that point where I have established myself, where I can say I'm certainly bringing something to the table- I'm exactly in that transition stage, and it doesn't help to be genetically flawed either. So I must continue on, remaining focused, as unexciting as this part of my life may seem. All I can say is, it ain't easy to be focused. Unless you look like Boris Kodjoe, all focus gets you is into the loyalty program at the local twenty four hour porn store....Dad, hope you pulling some good strings for me up there...