I’m facing two deadlines.  A rewrite and tweek on the stand up material and 30 minutes of funny for Townies.  I learned about input in Atlanta from a corporate trainer who went by the name of “Coach Joe”.  He reminded me of that teacher we all had at some point that wanted so desperately to teach you something he resorted to wearing weird hats or a zany tie to do it.  Coach Joe kept pointing to his ear saying “Garbage In” then he’d open his gape and move his index finger toward it but at the last crucial second before he inserted his finger into his mouth he careened it sideways and point at you saying “Garbage Out.”  The he’d get real into it, using both hands in a magnificent display of coordination, “Garbage in, Garbage out, Garbage in...”

 

So anytime I have a lot of material to output (writing or creating a show script) I think of Coach Joe. It’s an awesome way to counter act the dreaded writers bloc as well.  So for about three days a month all I do is read and watch, that’s my input.  Sometimes I’ll go to the library and pull about 10 magazines off the shelf - anything Scientific America, Cooks, Bungee America, whatever, I’m looking for variety and from a lot of voices.   Even though I don’t speak the languages I like to watch Latino and Chinese Soaps or go to a mall and people watch. (I’m not saying I go out and stare at people, just being observant.)  I also like to ride the city buses around without a particular destination, oooo the humanity.

 

I would love to read Steve Martin’s new biography but I’m afraid to because I feel like if I read about doing stand up it will take some of the desire and fire out of me.  Like after ya’ read an interesting and wonderfully written book about climbing a mountain - you’ll never actually climb that mountain but you’ll have the experience by proxy.

 

So I’m glad not to have to schlep into the city this week in the cold rainy nights but I want something to show for the week before the holidays.  About setting goals:  I once heard that if you do just one thing a day toward your goal you are much more likely to attain your goal than people who try to do it all at once.

 

Also, I met two people last week (on different nights) who are also starting out in comedy. I liked them a lot as people and I’ve asked them both if they’d like to work on Townies in some sketch’s.  So we’ll see, but I have a good feeling they’ll make with the funny.