The Middles and The Middles

It certainly isn't "The Highs and the Lows". . . . .Saturday night , I did stand-up at the Comedy Studio. The previous Saturday, the place was packed , Josh Gondelman hosted everybody was on their game-Chrissy Kelleher, Pat Bocuzzi,Renata Tutko I can't remember who else and the Walsh Brothers were headlining. It was so packed, I had to stand in the doorway to see the show. I was in pain the next day from leaning like that. Truly , it was a great and fun show. SO . ... .that 's what I had in mind when I got to the club on Saturday.
This week . . ... nothing like the previous week. The audience was much more subdued than the previous week. They were mellow. Rick Jenkins was hosting and I went on second after this month's Comic in Residence , Josh Gondelman. I was really looking forward to this week. I had a couple of new ideas and one of them had 2 jokes built in. After doing it, I found another joke. Though I think the 2 new ideas are going to eventually be really good, Saturday night ? Not so much. . . .. One of the premises is " I think every woman has a thong gone wrong story" I don't just think this, I know it. However, I need to provide some examples of this phenomenon. My only example was how sometimes you get a new one and you end up putting 2 legs in - where only one should be. Granted, it needs work, but I think it will eventually get there .
I probably shouldn't have led with that , but I figured, they weren't giving anything up for me. Sometimes, I'm just doing the show for Rick. He's seen me every time I have been to the Studio, he runs the place, so I'm trying to do something new for him, because I know he actually pays attention to the show. No, it's not just for him, but sometimes it gives me a focus that can loosen me up. Because . .. . .sometimes . . . . . Rick is the only laugh I hear and he may just be laughing because it's new. . .or . .. because he's seen the joke get a laugh every time . .. .except this time.
But I digress. . . . Then I did a little bit I've been thinking about how "do you remember the first time you knew you were straight ?" I give my example , which is really just a set-up for the poor choices I will go on to make in life and then I went into a bit about my friend , who just got gay married, who remembered when he knew he was definitely gay. Granted , it's a minimal description, but it got a good reaction, for this crowd. So, it 's going to be a keeper. It needs to get neatened , but it's still good , as is. Then , I added a bit to my whole Visitor Information Center section. It fell flat -soft- but flat. I have to figure it out. So, it didn't set the stand-up world on fire , but it was something new. Maybe a Saturday night isn't the right time to try new stuff, but the comics behind me didn't the greatest responses I've ever seen them get. Like I said, the audience was a bit laconic.Even Renata, who has great material, got wet socks dropped on the floor. Nothing. I think they really just wanted to see someone fellate a dog. A willing dog but I think they just wanted to hear dirty bawdy jokes all night. By the time I figured that out, I was long done . Erin Judge was the headliner , the last time I saw her , she killed . This audience, they weren't giving it up .
At the end of the night, Josh Gondelman came up to me and gave me a suggestion about rearranging the way I tell one of my jokes. It's something that I have been trying to figure out for awhile. With a very minor adjustment, he has made it much better. I can't wait to try it onstage ! So, I actually felt pretty good about what I did. The new stuff, that worked, garnered a good enough response, to encourage me . I felt really good about the evening. I didn't have enough energy to hang around afterward. It gets so loud in the bar on the second floor, the energy to converse is just draining . Plus, I had to work the next day.
I worked at the booth on Sunday. 9-5. It was a long -ass day. Also, it was the last day for a girl who had just started it May. She was really nice and I am going to miss her. She is moving to San Diego (apparently , that 's where all the good ones are going !). God Bless her, she's been working 7 says a week since she started with us to save up for this move. She's been pretty loopy the last couple of weeks, from fatigue. She had a great outlook and attitude and was really easy to get along with. We had pizzas from Upper Crust delivered. I forgot how good that pizza is ! Lisa G. , I'll miss you !
It was slamming all day long. It was exhausting. I kept saying the Serenty prayer in my head "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can , and the wisdomn to know the difference". I didn't have anybody that was incorrigble, it was just relentless. I had a lot of people who couldn't decide on which trolley company to buy a ticket for. Honestly , they are all good. ANY choice will enhance your vacation experience. I feel bad when they tell me that I've been the nicest person they have dealt with since they've been in Boston. I'm not bragging here kids, I 'm just doing my job . If I'm the nicest person they've dealt with , I feel bad for them .
The day itself was beautiful. The sky was a bright blue and the clouds were fluffy and white . At lunch , I went and sat on a bench and read a magazine. There weren't as many dogs out yesterday. At least , not while I was on lunch. When I got home, all I had energy for was to have a salad and I fell asleep some time after 10 and before the 11 o'clock news. I couldn't read or putter. I was sepnt.
Here I am today. I am up and blogging. I haven't dressed for the day yet. I've had my cup of tea and I'm in the middle of some oatmeal. I will greet the day later. . . .