Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Loving or leaving people.




Something that has come up in coversations with my friends recently is the thought of loving or leaving people. Sure I know that we are supposed to love everyone. At what point do you have to draw a line and say, 'from here on out you are on your own'?

I have a couple friends that I heart dearly. (Notice my use of heart instead of love, it's not a word I throw around lightly, probably something to do with my commitment-phobia. Which I think that I am getting over, but that is for another posting, back to our regularly scheduled blog) There isn't much I wouldn't not do for my friends, except help them move, which I will do, just not excited about it. I like to think that my friends can come to me with all of their issues and I will help them work them out. I don't think of myself as a know it all or a guru or anything, I have worked for a while to become the person my friends and family trust with their issues. I don't go blabbing around town about people's business. It's not for everyone to know, or anyone else besides me and that friend. I want to help my friends but I feel like sometimes it doesn't matter. They are going to do what they are going to do, the hell they will go through be damned.

I say all of this to ask the question. When do you get to that point that friend becomes a bad ROI (Return On Investment)? I know that we shouldn't look at people as investments, but the are! You invest your time, efforts, money (hanging out isn't free), reputation, credibilty, etc into those people. I don't become friends with someone thinking that I am going to get something out of them other than a friendship, but I have had some friends that I don't even get that. I feel like they are a black hole of my efforts and resources. So when should someone cut thier losses?

I want you to know, sometimes, I am a crappy friend. I know this. I break plans, I get lazy and don't want to meet up with people, I indirectly insult them, (usually not meaning to), but I want and try to be a good friend.



Leave a comment, let me know your thoughts.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Winnie the Pooh says "Think, think think"



I wouldn't say that I am having writers block. I just have no clue what to write about. I have thoughts that come through my head, but nothing that makes a solid cohesive thought. One second I am thinking about what to write, the next I am thinking about Jim Carrey as the Riddler in Batman. Then it's on to should I eat this banana on my desk.

I would have to say that it probably all boils down to the fact that I have been not once but twice diagnosed with ADHD/ADD. When I say diagnosed we are talking about off the charts. when your doctor says, "I've never seen something like these results before, I am amazed that you can sit here and listen to what I am saying". That is a REAL boost to the self esteem, OH WAIT, it's not. (Also when the Doc said that I was thinking about a bird that flew into a nest out side of their window *TRUE STORY!*)

When I was a kid, I was fairly hyperactive. In my mind, I didn't think that I was anymore active than the next kid. I would demonstrate typical ADHD behaviors. I would do my homework but not turn it in. I never knew why I would do that. I guess it was a fear of failing, or succeeding. Which really seems backward, but I would do that anyway. I was always the kid that had his desk either in the corner by myself, or RIGHT next to the teachers desk. When I was first diagnosed I was put on Ritalin and Cylert. These drugs were "Zombie" me out. I wonder if that's why I gravitate to Zombies. Who knows. I would go to school and come home and crash for the night around 5p. I hated it.

Around age 13, I took myself off the meds and learned coping mechanisms that I still use to this day. I know that I perform better if there is some sort of music on that I can get into a rhythm when I am working on something. When I go out with my friends, I need to face the wall side of a table so I focus on my friends and not who's coming in the door or the TV that's on.

Don't get me wrong, I think b/c of this I get a lot of my creative energy. I continually learn how to harness that energy and focus it into a project. It's that energy that I feel people like about me, I am excited about a lot of things and that energy is contagious. I love that. I like when I get a group of people going the same direction. I am so humbled when it happens as well.

I would say that I am just as normal as anyone else. I just have to work harder to focus. I think that when I am lasered in, there is not stopping me. I get into this zen type state when that happens. I think that's why I get into a weird mood after I do an improv show. I am so focused on what's going on, it takes me a few minutes to snap out of that.

I know that this posting wasn't as entertaining as the other ones have been, but win some lose some. Perhaps I will put a something funny at the end but I will probably start thinking about the Riddler again, see I am doing it now. I mean his name was Edward Nigma! E.NIGMA! CRAZY!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Things I do to entertain myself...



I like to think that I am just like everyone else when it comes to the day to day life. I like eating delicious foods, I like looking at pretty things, I like being entertained, and I like naps. Every so often, it dawns on me that I am a 30 year old man child. I would say that more than half of my day, let's call it 65% is spent making up little games to entertain myself. (read : NOT PLAY WITH MYSELF, YOU PERV!) The following are a short list of things that I do when left to my own devices.

I write haiku's.

Often when I'm bored
On my fingers, count the beats
ENTERTAINED AGAIN!

I did just write that. I don't know I like writing haikus, I always have.
In fact I have been keeping a file of them on my iPhone. When my old iPhone died, I cried a little on the inside. I lost all of my pics and haikus. I knew I could get the games and such again. On a side note, it is REALLY tough to go 5 days with out a phone, let alone and iPhone.

I make up games when I walk down the street.

Sure, everyone since they were a kid played, 'Don't Step on a Crack, or You Break Your Mother's Back' I love my mom just as much as you love yours. Do you want to see your mother with a broken back? Well I don't want to see ANY mothers with a broken back. Famed 90's Rap Group Kris Kross said it best 'Broken backs are wiggity-wiggity-wiggity wack!' Well said KK! Krossed out 4EVA!

Other games I play when I walk down the street. F or P. I believe that I have talked about this game before on a video post. I am not the first person to play this game, I am the first that gave it a name. F or P stands for Fat or Pregnant. I know that it doesn't make me a good person to play this game. I will have to atone for my sins on this at some point. I also have previously mentioned that I don't mind if a girl is curvy. I also think pregnant ladies are SO pretty. There really is something attractive about a pregnant glow. With all of that said, I play it a lot. I know it's not nice... Do you forgive me?

Other random games :
Sometimes when I am supposed to be working, I get the bottle of hand sanitizer and I try to get all of the bubbles out of the gel. It's harder than it looks.

I try to get songs stuck in people's heads.

Check this out..

Private eyes (CLAP-CLAP)
Are watching you (CLAP-CLAP)
They see your every move.

Private eyes (CLAP-CLAP)
Are watching you (CLAP-CLAP)
Private eeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyeeeeeeees... are watching you.

Tell me you didn't sing along?! I know you did.. In an hour from now, you can thank me.

The only real challenge to entertaining yourself and making up little games is that I tend to move on. In fact I am getting a little bored writing this out. I am sure that you are feeling something similar reading this... NO WAIT.. No you aren't. You're still singing Private eyes (CLAP-CLAP), aren't you?!

After reading this post again, I sound sedestic. I am really nice!

What about you dear reader? What games do you play.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Foot-in-the-mouth-itis


Hello readers,

I suffer from a medical condition called Foot-in-the-mouth-itis. While this condition is not contagious, it is however horribly painful to go through. There are no known cures for this disease other than keeping your mouth shut. Allow me to give you a couple of examples of how I have had Foot-in-the-mouth-itis flare ups.

*I have changed the name of the girl in this story to protect the innocent.

About a year or two ago, I was attending holiday party when I was visiting Fayetteville, Arkansas. As the evening wore on I was speaking to a couple people and it was found out that I live in NYC. They said you need to meet Georgia*, she just moved there not to long ago. So I was introduced, Georgia was a cute girl, not super thin, but not fat either. She had curves. I like curves on a girl, not the women only gym though. We exchanged contact information agreed that we should hang out when we both were back in the city. Fast forward a month or so, we set a night to hang out. The plan was to meet at her place, then go out to dinner then stop by a couple bars. I would like to take this moment to state that I wasn't looking to date her, not that I was against that idea. I show up at her place with a bottle of red wine (classy move). We are drinking wine with her roommate while they both are finishing getting ready to go out. We were having the usual new friend conversation, where you are from, what you do for work, what you love about the city, etc. At some point Georgia made a joke that she does something stupid. I appologize that I don't remember what Georgia said, after reading the rest you'll understand why I forgot. Here is what happened next.

Georgia: Oh I am just stupid when it comes to _________.
Me: That's probably because you smoke so much crack.
Georgia : Oh I would probably be a lot thinner if I smoked crack.
Me: OOOOH! You must be smoking the fat crack.

As I made the "K" sound on the word crack, I knew I had made a mistake. I decided I needed to fix it, but I was set on the joke and I didn't want to let it go.

At this point Georgia shoots me a slightly angry, slightly confused look.

Me: OH! What I meant to say was: You must be smoking the high calorie crack.

Believe it or not, this didn't help. It actually made it worse.

At this point Georgia has an AK47 of daggers shooting out of her eyes. Somewhere along the way, I have learned in life that the easiest way out of a bad situation is just to own up to it. So I attempted that

Me: I believe that I just accidentally called you fat, twice. (read: now 3 times)
Georgia: Ya, you did.

Long story short, the rest of the evening, she was VERY rude to me. (Understandably so). I tried to appologize the next day, but the damage was done. I haven't spoken to this girl since that night.

I feel that this is a lesson that should be taught to children in schools across the country. Don't be that guy.

You'd think that I would have learned my lesson. You'd be wrong.

My most recent foot-in-the-mouth-itis flare up.

On Facebook on the right hand side of the site they post "People you might know" based on the fact that you have X number of mutual friends. Yesterday I see that they are suggsting that I become friends with Amy Schumer. It said you have 10 mutual friends with her. I click on her name and look at the mutual friends we share and they are mostly performers (actors, magicians, comics, etc). I figure that she must be a performer herself. I look at her pics and I am trying to place how I know her. She looks VERY familiar to me. Then it dawns on me; she was on Last Comic Standing. I liked her sets and thought that she was REALLY funny. I tried to add her as a friend on FB, and it says "Cannot accept friend request, because Amy has 5,000 friends and isn't able to accept any new ones" I thought, ok that's cool. She was on a national TV show. Later that night, I was hanging out with a new friend and we went to see a show at the UCB Theatre b/c it's cheap and fun. As I walk in, I look and there is Amy Schumer headed on her way out. I thought, "WHAT A COINSIDENCE!" and decide that I am going to introduce myself. Here's how this converstation went. You tell me if you can figure out where I put my foot in my mouth.

Me: Hi, you're Amy Schumer, yes?
Amy Schumer: Hi. Yes I am.
Me: This is such a coinsidence. Earlier today I was on Facebook and it recommended that you and I should be Facebook friends b/c we have 10 mutual friends. How do you know __________, ___________ and ____________? (Again, I am not using the names to protect the inncoent)
AS: Not to be a b*tch, but I have over 5,000 friends on Facebook and I don't know them all.
Me: Right, because of Last Comic Standing. I thought you were really good. I just thought this is a huge coinsidence.
AS: Look, I have to get going.
Me: Ya, I understand. You aren't being a b*tch because you are busy and have to run. (read: you're being a b*tch)
AS: PSH... Whatever.

At this point Amy turns and leaves. DANG IT FOOT-IN-THE-MOUTH-ITIS!!! You strike again!!

These are only two examples.

So kids please let this be a lesson to you.
Don't be a Christoher, THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Life is full of challenges and it is NOTHING like the Physical Challenge on Double Dare



Screw you Mark Summers! You came into my home everyday when I was growing up. You entered my life and home via the TV. Here are some lessons that I have learned from your show that I have found to not be worth a hill of beans.


#1. It never helps the situation to raise the stakes when I am faced with a VERY difficult question: (Do I take this job?, Is this dating relationship working?, How do I impress my boss while remaining cool?, How do I look cool?)



Double Dare Example 1:
Former Girl Friend: Do you think that I need to lose weight?
Double Dare response: Could you repeat the question?
FGF: Do you think that I need to lose weight?
DDR: DARE!
FGF: What?!
DDR: DOUBLE DARE!
FGF: Are you double daring me to lose weight? So you think that I am fat!?
DDR: PHYSICAL CHALLENGE!!
FGF: AND NOW I DON'T EXERCISE ENOUGH!!! MY MOTHER WAS RIGHT ABOUT YOU!


#2. Most times you don't want to find things up a nose or under a food item.



Double Dare Example 2:
Scene : Pizzeria

Former Girl Friend: OH Gross! I found a band aid under a piece of pepperoni! Can you get the waiter!?
Double Dare Response : SWEET! Are we going to win a matching set of Rollerblades?
Former Girl Friend: Are you retarded?


My 3rd and final point. It's never good at ANY time to be covered in slime. (Unless you are a new born baby. WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY!)



As many of you know Mark Summers lead a life of lies and deceit. He wanted us to get all sloppy and messy and not necessarily know the capital of random US States, when the whole time he was OCD! How could a guy when likes the fringe on his rugs to be all neat and orderly wish you to be covered in green slime and pull boogers out of a gigantic nose?

Now the saddest part of this posting isn't the fact that I may or may not be growing up, it's the fact that I still find it to be a perfectly reasonable response to challenge someone to a physical challenge when I don't know the answer to a question.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

ACK!

Life is crazy! I promised I am going to update this more often, and you know what... I will.

I have been working like a crazy person! I mean it’s not enough to work 40 hours a week at a job, but between Master Debaters, 10 minute talk show and other acting projects I barely have time for myself. I found that I am going to have to take Monday nights off. That’s my day off.

Heart your faces.