It’s early Sunday morning. I sit by the fire, at the campsite. It’s just me and the birds and a couple other early risers.

Typically I work on these emails throughout the week, and schedule them to come out at 8:08AM Eastern on Sunday mornings. This time I'm writing this in one sitting.

This hasn’t been a typical week. Even for the atypical times we’re in. We moved our eldest child out of the house and over to their college campus. They’re ready to begin an exciting new chapter. It often seems that I have all the emotions one can have, at the same time.

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.

I’ve also not been putting in the work to get to the desired outcomes I’ve been meaning to. My system needs an upgrade so that I can focus.

Last issue I asked if anyone reading would be interested in hearing how certain processes might help creative people. I’m rebooting my own Side Project Sprints. More to come on that next week.

Open mic

I’ve performed standup several times. It was amazing and I love it. I think I’ve got a good foundation to really dig in and make more progress.

When I performed previously, it was for my friends and family, and the friends of family of the other people I was performing with. This was all through the amazing Couch to Mic course, which runs in Portsmouth, NH and Portland, ME.

It was a very safe space, and I relished it all. The meeting of new people, collaborating with them, performing with them, and just hanging out with them. I’ve made great friends thought this.

The next step for me was to try a less safe space. I envisioned open mics being a situation where you perform for a bunch of highly competitive and critical comedians as well as a couple disinterested people at the bar.

I went to my first one, and it was mostly comedians in attendance. Working on their stuff. They were very supportive. Gave me quick tips and encouraged me to do another one as fast as I could find the next open mic.

On the drive from my house to the Open Mic, I decided that the bit that I had planned to perform really wasn’t funny. Yet. I can’t “find the funny” or “find the game” yet.

So, I decided to take a sketch I wrote for the Hello Party People! Show on 8/24 and adapt it to a standup format. I was thinking about all this while driving.

Once I parked I went into the Open Mic venue (the awesome Book and Bar in Portsmouth, NH.) and grabbed a seat, and took out my notebook.

I added a brief intro, and closing. Made a couple tweaks to the middle, and wound up with something to perform.

I was worried if my choice to change the original bit was just my Lizard Brain convincing me that I should not do that piece. That maybe I shouldn’t go at all. Who the hell do I think I am? Turn around, and go home.

I’m glad I skipped that piece and updated the other. I’m glad I got out there, up on stage. I think I did OK for my first go. I had great conversations afterward and got real honest encouragement from people I assumed wouldn’t do that.

When I got home, I stayed up too late and fleshed out the bit. I can’t wait to get back up there and try it again. Maybe it’ll bomb and be terrible. I can’t wait to learn why and what I can do to improve it for the next time.

What’s on your mind? What can you “try on” this week, and see what outcomes arise? What have you always wanted to do but you are too scared to?