Fail: Yesterday, my boss's boss told me that he was not satisfied with the volume of my work and that he has noticed it has been much lower over the past many months compared to when I first started. This was, apparently, my first and last warning.
First off, I started this job pretty much at the start of the summer, making it the only thing I was really doing other than chilling at home. Of course my work volume was higher! When the school semester started again in the fall, I had to divide my energy and time. Also, I'm not the kind to make a big show everytime I complete a task. I just do it and move on to the next thing.
Here's by Boo-yah Counter strategy: I am now, effectively, keeping an event log of my work. Everything I do, no matter how menial, gets an entry with a start and finish and anything related shares the same PID (project ID) number. If he questions me on my work, I can at least have some documentation to show him.
Also, I'm looking for another job. I wont take bullshit.
Also, I'm looking for another job. I wont take bullshit.
Yay, good for you! I'm finally taking that approach to my current job.
Job related - Booyah: I applied to an awesome looking web media company for an awesome looking senior web developer position. They contacted me for an interview the next morning!! Major Fail: I forgot to check the location... way up north. I had to say no ;-; Booyah: At least I know I did my resume and cover letter right, and I potentially look awesome ^_^
Fail: Might spend the summer working 7a to 3pm in a warehouse with no AC hauling medical records. Boo-yah: Got an offer for a job at a hospital working registration and admitting. It also might pay more than minimum wage. A glimmer of hope in the distance.
Booyah: interview for a full-time Microsoft summer internship tomorrow; I'm really optimistic about this job Fail: I was kinda hoping my Rainbow Dash pin would come in time (even though it would probably be a terrible idea to wear it there)
Fail: My house got broken into at some point today. Boo-yah: They didn't take anything too valuable. They got some jewelry that had sentimental value for my mom, but besides that all they took was a big container of change, my Xbox 360 and my PS3. I think I'll live. I don't mean to seem like I don't care about material things though, if they'd taken my PC or one of my guitars I'd be pissed.
Fail: My house got broken into at some point today. Boo-yah: They didn't take anything too valuable. They got some jewelry that had sentimental value for my mom, but besides that all they took was a big container of change, my Xbox 360 and my PS3. I think I'll live. I don't mean to seem like I don't care about material things though, if they'd taken my PC or one of my guitars I'd be pissed.
Your robbery is the next generation of a robbery that happened to me about five years ago. All they took was jewelry, my Xbox, and my PS2. Oh, and one of our cars, but we found that parked at the middle school.
A month ago I signed up for a stand up comedy contest here in Berlin. It's a slam-style event, so 5 minutes in the first round, and the audience applause decides who will get through to the final, where the competitors get another 5 minutes, and the overall winner is decided by audience applause again.
Boo-yah: I'm trying something new! This will be the first time I've ever appeared on stage to an audience who doesn't know me as a juggler. When I'm hosting shows I don't juggle, I just do stand-up-style comedy between acts. But if my material isn't funny I don't mind, I just introduce the next act. And in my 55 minute show, which is full of all kinds of comedy, I'm billed as a juggler first, and very rarely tell jokes.
Fail: I've thought about the show quite a bit, but three days before the contest is the first time I've seriously planned out what my routine will be.
Fail: I've only written one joke.
Boo-yah: Thankfully I don't rely on jokes to be funny.
Fail/Boo-yah: Normally I don't need jokes to be funny. I can just be funny. Except normally I have plenty of time to ramp up the comedy, and no expectations from the audience in that time to be hillarious. Now I only have 5 minutes to establish a character and be funny enough to get to the final.
Fail: I just ran through a routine with a stopwatch. I have 9 minutes of material. Some of it is funny, I guess. I need to take out all the dross, and leave just the funny stuff. Unfortunately, nothing is a classical joke, so I've no idea what is the funny and what isn't.
I'd bet that after some practice, you could make some side money booking at comedy clubs. Even if your comedy routine is mediocre, you could fall back on your talents and close out the show with a comedic juggling routine. Hell, it worked for Gallagher and all he did was hit melons with a hammer.
Speaking of Gallagher, this little girl dressed up as him for Halloween is adorable:
I was watching some of his work the other day, and a few other 80s comedians as well. I have this to say:
80s standup and sketch comedy is almost universally unfunny.
That is all.
I was about to disagree until I did a quick wiki, and it turns out the SNL casts I often refer to as the beloved "late 80's" era was more like 1990-1993. It started getting good again around 88-ish with Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey but was still waiting to hit its stride.
Now my most prominent 80s standup vision is Andrew Dice Clay, which makes me want to go hide in a corner.
I was watching some of his work the other day, and a few other 80s comedians as well. I have this to say:
80s standup and sketch comedy is almost universally unfunny.
That is all.
I've been an improvisational comedian for the past seven or so years now, and I've performed in front of audiences nearing 200 people, and played in clubs on the Chicago improv circuit. I have this to say:
You have no idea what you're talking about.
SCTV (1976-1984) Kids in the Hall (formed 1984 for club performances, TV show began 1988) The foundation of Chicago's iO, from which we got the Upright Citizens Brigade and a host of SNL alums Bill motherfucking Hicks (active 1978-1994)
I could go on, but fuck it, I feel like I've already made my point.
Boo-Yah, totally awesome last night out for my anime and manga society? Had such a great time watching some films and having some drinks then finished it off with an hour long game of ninja tag. I hid under a bench and did rather well.
Fail, The drunken fuck monkeys from upstairs got back a couple of hours a go and have not stopped making noise. Its not just normal noise its shouting and screaming and as far as I can tell one has ripped a radiator off its hinges. I am getting more and more tempted to call campus security but I really don't want to be 'that guy'. Forgot to add that its 4 in the morning UK time and that I have a presentation to do in the morning.
Boo-Yah, a friend and I have deiced to cling film their doors to their rooms, triple layered, when they do this again.
My life has been switching between scary and awesome so quickly over the past few weeks, I feel like a fucking commutator.
Fails: Got behind on school work a few weeks back, leading to a large number of all-nighters (including a week with four consecutive ones) and late assignments. The hit to my GPA from this semester is probably going to single-handedly prevent me from getting into MIT or Carnegie for grad school, and that's even if I don't wind up getting myself on academic probation for the aforementioned screw-ups. Probably also missed any chance of getting a good job this summer. Also, going back to Rochester this summer, and probably going to be bored.
Boo-Yahs: I'm actually going to make it through the semester, and I probably won't wind up on academic probation. I got officer positions in the two student groups I like. I got an A+ on a statistical physics project, with praise from the professor. My friends are really fucking awesome. Portal 2 happened. I saw Tony Kushner's new play, which was an intellectual orgasm. This Friday I'm going to Arcadia for another intellectual orgasm, followed by the Book of Mormon on Saturday. I watched Rocky Horror with a girl, got laid, found out she's an order of magnitude nerdier than I am, and got asked on a date.
The hit to my GPA from this semester is probably going to single-handedly prevent me from getting into MIT or Carnegie for grad school, and that's even if I don't wind up getting myself on academic probation for the aforementioned screw-ups.
Does RIT do grade replacements? That shit is like grade wizardry.
The hit to my GPA from this semester is probably going to single-handedly prevent me from getting into MIT or Carnegie for grad school, and that's even if I don't wind up getting myself on academic probation for the aforementioned screw-ups.
Does RIT do grade replacements? That shit is like grade wizardry.
I'm going to Columbia's engineering school, and at least one of the courses is one I will not take again except under extreme circumstances anyways.
That blows. I'm finishing my degree a semester early, and then using second semester to retake various courses before I start applying to med schools, just so my GPA is badass enough for them.
I've been an improvisational comedian for the past seven or so years now, and I've performed in front of audiences nearing 200 people, and played in clubs on the Chicago improv circuit. I have this to say:
You have no idea what you're talking about.
I never found Second City to be that funny (it was always on channel 9). While I really liked Kids in the Hall, they were really, really hit-or-miss, and their later stuff (closer to the 90s) was way better than their earlier stuff. Most of SNL I found terribly unfunny, and UCB, like KitH, has always been very hit-or-miss. Bill Hicks was all right, but again I was never a huge fan. SNL from the 80s is almost painful to watch for the most part today.
Comedy got much better toward the end of the 80s and into the 90s, but for the most part, it doesn't hold up well today in my opinion. Carlin was pretty good in the 80s, but the man transcended decades. But Robin Williams' 80s stuff? Most of the actual comedy I recall enjoying from the "80s" was actually early 90s, with a few notable exceptions.
Also, note that I said almost in my original post.
Comedy routine coming on well. The 5 minute time limit is scaring me. I have a single punchline in the routine, and it is my own name, said like "I'm Luke Burrage, good night!" as the very last thing in the routine. The setup to this punchline is quite long, and I'm worried if people laugh at all I won't be able to control the length of the telling. At 5 minutes, the technician starts playing music. At 5:30, the mic is killed.
Ending a juggling routine at the right time is easy, as I either juggle to music or have the entire thing worked out throw by throw. I'm not used to just talking, and stopping within a time limit.
Did the stand up comedy contest! I think I did pretty good, though it was a tough crowd (very empty, and I was on last). I was aiming for interesting/amusing rather than funny, and hit that mark okay.
Timing: I managed to fit my 9 minutes of material into 5 minutes of stage time, a fact that the host pointed out right away. I didn't win anything, but I was invited to take part in some other standup shows in Berlin in the future. I'm not sure if I will or not.
I think I need to work on my delivery quite a bit, because the extreme motor-mouth approach that I've developed by years of podcasting doesn't allow a lot of time for laughs, or any kind of audience reaction. In fact, I think I stunned most people into silence with just how fast I was talking. Not a good idea for stand up comedy, I don't think!
I think I need to work on my delivery quite a bit, because the extreme motor-mouth approach that I've developed by years of podcasting doesn't allow a lot of time for laughs, or any kind of audience reaction. In fact, I think I stunned most people into silence with just how fast I was talking. Not a good idea for stand up comedy, I don't think!
Pacing is very important, but I'd wager from all the time we've heard you speaking and interacted with you on here, that once you get a good handle on that, you'll be quite good. It's always good to have more than you need, material wise(to tell you something you already know), because if a bit fails, you can switch away from it without much worry.
Boo-yah: Finished with my finals for this semester. Fail: Found out my sister was hit in the face with a softball and had her teeth knocked back. She's okay now, but they had to do some surgery to get them back into place.
Comments
First off, I started this job pretty much at the start of the summer, making it the only thing I was really doing other than chilling at home. Of course my work volume was higher! When the school semester started again in the fall, I had to divide my energy and time. Also, I'm not the kind to make a big show everytime I complete a task. I just do it and move on to the next thing.
Here's by Boo-yah Counter strategy: I am now, effectively, keeping an event log of my work. Everything I do, no matter how menial, gets an entry with a start and finish and anything related shares the same PID (project ID) number. If he questions me on my work, I can at least have some documentation to show him.
Also, I'm looking for another job. I wont take bullshit.
Job related -
Booyah: I applied to an awesome looking web media company for an awesome looking senior web developer position. They contacted me for an interview the next morning!!
Major Fail: I forgot to check the location... way up north. I had to say no ;-;
Booyah: At least I know I did my resume and cover letter right, and I potentially look awesome ^_^
Fail: Might spend the summer working 7a to 3pm in a warehouse with no AC hauling medical records.
Boo-yah: Got an offer for a job at a hospital working registration and admitting. It also might pay more than minimum wage. A glimmer of hope in the distance.
Fail: I was kinda hoping my Rainbow Dash pin would come in time (even though it would probably be a terrible idea to wear it there)
Boo-yah: They didn't take anything too valuable. They got some jewelry that had sentimental value for my mom, but besides that all they took was a big container of change, my Xbox 360 and my PS3. I think I'll live. I don't mean to seem like I don't care about material things though, if they'd taken my PC or one of my guitars I'd be pissed.
Boo-yah: I'm trying something new! This will be the first time I've ever appeared on stage to an audience who doesn't know me as a juggler. When I'm hosting shows I don't juggle, I just do stand-up-style comedy between acts. But if my material isn't funny I don't mind, I just introduce the next act. And in my 55 minute show, which is full of all kinds of comedy, I'm billed as a juggler first, and very rarely tell jokes.
Fail: I've thought about the show quite a bit, but three days before the contest is the first time I've seriously planned out what my routine will be.
Fail: I've only written one joke.
Boo-yah: Thankfully I don't rely on jokes to be funny.
Fail/Boo-yah: Normally I don't need jokes to be funny. I can just be funny. Except normally I have plenty of time to ramp up the comedy, and no expectations from the audience in that time to be hillarious. Now I only have 5 minutes to establish a character and be funny enough to get to the final.
Fail: I just ran through a routine with a stopwatch. I have 9 minutes of material. Some of it is funny, I guess. I need to take out all the dross, and leave just the funny stuff. Unfortunately, nothing is a classical joke, so I've no idea what is the funny and what isn't.
Updates later!
Speaking of Gallagher, this little girl dressed up as him for Halloween is adorable:
80s standup and sketch comedy is almost universally unfunny.
That is all.
Now my most prominent 80s standup vision is Andrew Dice Clay, which makes me want to go hide in a corner.
You have no idea what you're talking about.
SCTV (1976-1984)
Kids in the Hall (formed 1984 for club performances, TV show began 1988)
The foundation of Chicago's iO, from which we got the Upright Citizens Brigade and a host of SNL alums
Bill motherfucking Hicks (active 1978-1994)
I could go on, but fuck it, I feel like I've already made my point.
Fail, The drunken fuck monkeys from upstairs got back a couple of hours a go and have not stopped making noise. Its not just normal noise its shouting and screaming and as far as I can tell one has ripped a radiator off its hinges. I am getting more and more tempted to call campus security but I really don't want to be 'that guy'. Forgot to add that its 4 in the morning UK time and that I have a presentation to do in the morning.
Boo-Yah, a friend and I have deiced to cling film their doors to their rooms, triple layered, when they do this again.
Fails: Got behind on school work a few weeks back, leading to a large number of all-nighters (including a week with four consecutive ones) and late assignments. The hit to my GPA from this semester is probably going to single-handedly prevent me from getting into MIT or Carnegie for grad school, and that's even if I don't wind up getting myself on academic probation for the aforementioned screw-ups. Probably also missed any chance of getting a good job this summer. Also, going back to Rochester this summer, and probably going to be bored.
Boo-Yahs: I'm actually going to make it through the semester, and I probably won't wind up on academic probation. I got officer positions in the two student groups I like. I got an A+ on a statistical physics project, with praise from the professor. My friends are really fucking awesome. Portal 2 happened. I saw Tony Kushner's new play, which was an intellectual orgasm. This Friday I'm going to Arcadia for another intellectual orgasm, followed by the Book of Mormon on Saturday. I watched Rocky Horror with a girl, got laid, found out she's an order of magnitude nerdier than I am, and got asked on a date.
Holy shit, I've been busy.
The stress right now is fucking murder, though.
Comedy got much better toward the end of the 80s and into the 90s, but for the most part, it doesn't hold up well today in my opinion. Carlin was pretty good in the 80s, but the man transcended decades. But Robin Williams' 80s stuff? Most of the actual comedy I recall enjoying from the "80s" was actually early 90s, with a few notable exceptions.
Also, note that I said almost in my original post.
Fail: Because she's leaving in July.
I'm so fucked.
Ending a juggling routine at the right time is easy, as I either juggle to music or have the entire thing worked out throw by throw. I'm not used to just talking, and stopping within a time limit.
This shit is hard!
Timing: I managed to fit my 9 minutes of material into 5 minutes of stage time, a fact that the host pointed out right away. I didn't win anything, but I was invited to take part in some other standup shows in Berlin in the future. I'm not sure if I will or not.
I think I need to work on my delivery quite a bit, because the extreme motor-mouth approach that I've developed by years of podcasting doesn't allow a lot of time for laughs, or any kind of audience reaction. In fact, I think I stunned most people into silence with just how fast I was talking. Not a good idea for stand up comedy, I don't think!
Fail: Found out my sister was hit in the face with a softball and had her teeth knocked back. She's okay now, but they had to do some surgery to get them back into place.
I really REALLY hate that movie.