Monday, May 6, 2024

well... that slipped by me. MAYYYYYY!

And indeed it did. 

I haven't been overwhelmed. 

There has been a lot going on. 

Through the cracks, these things. 

April/May is actually more of it's own little polycule, but things can be broken down. 

 - Got to write and read a short story for TableSalt Production's annual storytelling show. The theme this year was Fiction; it was so so lovely to play over in that field. Also, DID THE OTHER STORYTELLERS MAKE ME LAUGH CRY? They did. 

 - Got to perform with the Unnamed Jill Bernard Project at HUGE  a couple of times, and that truly was more fun than fun. DELIGHT! 

 - COMPAS: Memoir with Ecumen down in Mankato finished up, and I started (once a week) at an elementary school is Roseville. 

I'm finishing up two weeks up in Anoka with the Middle School for the Arts Center Base students, which has been filled with a lot of joy. I wrote a call-and-response story and song for the students, which we'll be either performing or recording for their annual arts festival in a week or so. Also, 8 bars from Ozzy's Crazy Train and 24 bars from the Greatest Showman. 

 - I taught a Spring Break Musical Theater camp at the Guthrie, and got to work with the amazing Amanda Weis. If you get a chance, always work with Amanda, and always take your lunch in the break room with understudies (understudies who are, by the very nature of the job, incredible folks.) 

 - Bring Your Kids was just lovely, and we were lucky enough to play with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz! Thank you to Chris and Shari for saying yes to the silliest of Saturdays!

 - Getting back into the ever-lovely Library Studio. <3 

 - Also got to workshop my solo musical improv 5 Music Videos with the incredible Katy Berry of Baby Wants Candy. That was a delight! 

 - I took the children to a stadium-style concert. AJR was great. The Australian opening for them declared the Goo Goo Dolls to be one of their favorite American bands, and my baby GenX eye rolls tore the ceiling off of the Xcel Center. AJR's visuals were great, and 12,000 audience members finding games with each other was the sweetest. Who knew? 

So what's up, MAYYYY?

 - Nudge is back at HUGE, Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.! We had a first performance last week, and it was so dang lovely. 

 - I'm truly excited to run an Intro to Improv workshop for the Minnesotan Librarians Association's annual conference! 

 - I'm playing music at “Friends Indeed: a fundraiser for the Centre for Expressive Psychotherapy in Bangladesh.” Wednesday May 15th at The Hive Collaborative. Comedy and loveliness!

 - I'm playing at the 331 as part of the Minneapolis Songwriter Rounds, 9:30 p.m. on Thursday May 23rd. So late! Looking forward to it. So sleepy!

 - BRING YOUR KIDS! Saturday May 11th, 4 p.m.! 

It's sort of domestically focused over here. School is accelerating to the end of the year as it must do - - Concerts! Graduation! Musicals! Testing! Popsicle Runs! It's a lot, but also, lucky and fun. How is it almost mid-May? How is it almost June? 

I went to my friend Ruth's Celebration of Life on Saturday, and she would have loved it. It turns out lovely, generous, blazingly smart, and funny Ruth of course had a family that is lovely, generous, blazingly smart, and also truly funny. (Jim's funny!) It was so so kind of them to offer to bring people in. And for them to bring the purple Neon. Oof. The event did what it was supposed to do; it means she's really actually 'gone'... or, she's still around, but just not accessible to us. Her legacy - her warmth and time and support - is, our memories of her. I'm so grateful. 

Literally woke up on Saturday, "Why am I sad?" Because you're going to a friend's funeral. Ah. 

If you have the means, HUGE is doing a fundraiser and oh boy, we could use your help. Details here