I Am...

Hallo. This section goes to a further depth in describing myself. At least, I will describe all the things I wish you to know about me. So that you will think I'm cool and my life will be complete.
...Aheh, alright, not really (sorta).

I Am...

I grew up in a city considered the "first-ring suburbs"; middle- to low-class, mixed race, scrappy little city. We had a tree in the back yard that my brother and I could climb to the very top, much to the dismay of my mom (my dad just said, "never climb higher than you want to fall."). I sat in the swaying limbs of that red maple and would stare out over the buildings, the park, the railroad, at the tight cluster of skyscrapers in the distance: Minneapolis. It was my Emerald City, the place I had to reach to have all my problems solved. 

If you're a photographer in Minneapolis, you are required
BY LAW to do this photo on one of the 35W cross-overs.

Over the course of my life so far, I've worked, lived, partied in, and loved my Minneapolis. I went to college, learned, made friends, and grew to love Saint Paul as well. Between the two flows the Mississippi River, whom I love from afar so she won't drown me in her icy depths and sweep my soggy corpse down to the locks. 

...that got dark. whoops.

Here are some CUTE BABY pandas to lighten the mood!

I earned a degree. I immediately failed to do anything with it. A recession and a lazy artist do not an upstanding member of society make. In 2012 I developed severe depression and anxiety. I started taking meds for it, but it still fucks my shit up every once in a while. I might blog about it. I might not.
I was married. It was nice. Then it stopped being nice and we stopped being married. We're still friends, which has become nice again. 

Partners in life? No. Partners in Shenanigans? ALWAYS

I work at the MN Renaissance Festival. I direct a troupe of crazy, hilarious, brilliant improv actors who have taught me as much about directing a group as we all have learned about performing as one. I was told over and over, "commedia dell'arte will never work in the streets here," and I thought that was bullshit. We've been performing, singing, tumbling (unintentionally), joking, and entertaining since 2006, so I don't think "it'll never work" is in our future. My heart completely belongs to commedia. What's commedia dell'arte? Lemme Wiki that for you.  Here's our mask-maker's website, an unmatched craftsman.

I couldn't tell you what is going on here, but neither could they.
Photo credit to the inimitable Ryan Haro.

I perform comedy with other groups related to Fearless Comedy Productions, a new company focused on pushing the boundaries of comedy performance and supporting comedy artists who are "fearless" in their work. I throw insults at my idiot compadres in Vilification Tennis, I try out new improv games at Fearless Lab, and I'll be participating in a new improv structure show called Double-Blind Improv. Neither the actors nor the host knows what challenge is presented. I've noticed several people calling me funny recently, like actually in the context of comedy we're doing. It makes me feel weird, partly because this Midwestern Female has been societally trained to refuse compliments, and partly because it didn't occur to me to wonder about what the others thought. Performing at a show is like just hanging out with my friends and laughing at witty stuff, it's playing pretend games like when we were kids...it's just been fun.

The Apropos of Nothing podcast hosts, giggling. Like you do.

I'm'a wrap it up. All the things mentioned in the previous section are all accessible through the Fearless Comedy Productions link. I'm selfish and didn't want to individually link all the things I talked about. Thanks for checking out my entries. I'm glad you're here, and I'd love to hear your comments, reactions, and jokes about any of my posts. Welcome.