Disney Leap Day

Each year Disney puts on special events and promotions to draw people into their parks.  Disney has certainly knocked it out of the park the past couples years with the huge Happiest Celebration on Earth campaign for Disneyland’s 50^th Anniversary, their Magical Gatherings campaign, and recently the create your memories campaign.

This year is no different as Disney is taking advantage of the leap year in promoting One Extra Day.  For the first time ever both Disneyland Park in Anaheim and Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando will be open for 24 straight hours.  I love Disney’s campaigns; they are always innovative and exciting.  Which this one definitely is!  I know several Disney aficionados making the trip to a Disney Parker today to be apart of the action.  Everyone should take some time to enjoy their Leap Day!

Book Review: Say Yes And

Say Yes And By Avish Parashar

Week in and week out I preach the message of “yes and” on this blog.  It will change your life, it will take you to new places, and it will make you happier.  Recently, I received an advance copy of the book “Just Yes And” by Avish Parashar, and it was great to sit back and read a book walking right along my philosophy.  Following the improv theory about staying in the moment, Parashar encapsulates the idea of life being a series of moments where we get to navigate through with the positive movement of “yes and” or the not so positive outlook “yes but.”

This book clocks in at a solid 89 pages, highlighting one of its best attributes, the ease of reading.  I knocked it out on a flight from Chapel Hill to Chicago and felt like I had the time to take it all in.  The pages flowed quickly and the thoughts came rapidly, making it an enjoyable and thoughtful read.  This book focused on one main concept, changing from a “yes but,” to a “yes and” philosophy, which brings it to its greatest weakness a bit of repetitiveness along those lines.  On the flip side, it is great to really delve into one portion of your thoughts and theories. I recently took an improv workshop on initiatives, and we spend4 ½ hours just doing them, and boy did it push me to the limits of learning on that skill.

The crocks of the whole book highlights how Parashar shifted into the “yes and” mindset, highlighted by his first story.  Parashar was unwilling and uninterested in going to see his college improv comedy team perform, eventually a stubborn friend forced him there, and the rest was history, and his life was changed.  It is amazing how those small moments can sometime pass us by, and we might never walk down that path of unleashing a new life journey.

Some of the most important points highlighted the idea of how we “yes but” out of control, this lets us stay in our little bubble.  We “yes but” out of fear, because we are afraid to take the trip down the path less traveled.  In all of those instances the communication with ourselves is almost just as important as our communication with other people.  Parashar talks about how to “yes and” yourself a dilemma we all find ourselves in from time to time as the gateway to pushing the yes and philosophy into the outside world.

The part of this book that really made sense to me was the section starting on page 48 where Parashar discussed how to become a superstar.  He talked about Seth Goodin in the book, and this section particularly reminded me of my favorite book Linchpin by Goodin, but took it to the next level of inserting the “yes and” philosophy into those theories.  Parashar describes, “saying ‘yes and’ is how you get the reputation for reliability.  That is how you become a superstar.”

As with all philosophies there is the shadow side.  How do I become a “yes ander” and not become a push over, or become overwhelmed.  Parashar has some great antidotes to help with that also.  Each of his chapters feature simply described to do lists on how to take his ideas and put them into practice.  He also describes how, “being skilled in the art of redirection is not about being a pushover.  It’s about being one of those rare people who helps others get what they want while still getting what you want.”

Overall Say Yes And is an excellent little read, which takes the art of improvisational comedy and drops it into the modern world of work, family, and relationships.  A simple read that will put a positive spin on your current processes of getting things accomplished in an easier and more positive way.  The book is being released today February 28^th, and if you order through amazon today, you can submit your order number to receive $200 of downloadable bonuses.  Also check out Parashar’s website www.SayYesAnd.com for more information about the different services he offers.

TED: Jeffrey Kluger: The sibling bond

Enjoy this interesting TED talk about our siblings, what them mean in our lives and how they affect us!

Live Your Life and Do Good!

The DSI Comedy Theater

I recently accepted a new job, and started the process of moving across the country from my current life.  I have been living in Chapel Hill North Carolina for the past 4 years, and very quickly I received and offer for a new job, accepted, and got whisked away in the process of moving and transition.  The great things about transitions is we get to sit back and be introspective, we see the good the bad and the should have done’s!  I have really enjoyed these last couple weeks, and I think they have really forced me to solidify my life philosophies and purpose going forward.  While this has been something I have been thinking about for a while, this direct major crossroad in my life has forced me into action.  So sit back relax and enjoy as I wax and wane a bit about what I have discovered.

I have always been an easy and quick transitioner.  When I went to college, within one evening I had friends and a purpose, when I moved to Arizona the first time, I quickly found my way and excitement.  When I moved to North Carolina, none of that happened. Maybe it was because for the first time in my life I didn’t have school, and it took me awhile to find out what that meant for me.  Maybe it was because I didn’t find the friend connections to really push me.  For whatever reason, I spent a lot of time struggling.  So much I thought about leaving during that first year, I thought about my options and what that would mean to make another transition so quickly.  Happily I did not do that, and truly that was probably never actually an option, but the thought process existed.

Then a few things changed.  First and foremost I took an improv class at DSI Comedy Theater.  Improv was something that I was enamored with for a long time.  I loved Whose Line, I watched the improv team at my grad school, and just wanted to always give it a try.  I knew DSI existed, and why I waited so long, I am not sure, but the right things come along at the right time.  From that first night of class, with the ever awesome Paula Pazderka, I knew this was the thing I wanted to do.

My staff on the last night I lived in North Carolina

At some point I also found another shift.  In all fronts, I found some people who truly cared about me, be it at work, church and the improv world.  I am reminded directly of the Amy Poehler Harvard graduation speech, “find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”  I found some great people, the one’s who challenge you on a continual basis, the one’s who want you to be a better, the one’s you can argue and debate with in a mutually beneficial way, where everyone leaves the conversation better.

Life in improvland flourished.  Soon I was a company member, I kept collecting teams to be apart of, soon I was allowed the awesome privilege of teaching and coaching others.  Improv became a very important outlet and purpose in life.  I had friends and deep connections outside of work, one of the best outlets that I developed in going to a place where I did not have family or friends before moving there.

One thing I have always known about myself is I need to be connected on an emotional level to the things I am apart of, and the people I am with.  I found these things in improv, DSI is a real gem, a place where “yes and” truly lives and people get to work together to make great things happen on stage.  The Newman Center where I have been attending church was a place where I was also finding community.  At work I had solidified a great friend group and hired a staff of students I truly cared about and worked best in my style of supervision.  All of these things add up to a very difficult place to leave, hence the current state of separation that I am working through.

Through all of this work I have learned several things.  First and foremost I am 100% emotionally connected here.  I am a Tar Heel and I am proud of that, I have gotten to meet and work with amazing people.  At my core I am an improviser, that is something I will NEED to have in my life forever more, and probably the thing I want to spend the most time with going forward.

Also, over the last couple days I have received very humbling words of thanks and love from all aspects of my world.  At work we had a goodbye lunch that was every emotional and kind.  At DSI I was given the opportunity to perform several shows over my last weekend and was given maybe one of the nicest gifts I have ever received, in which people wrote out what the liked about me the person and as an improviser.  I have had many authentic and genuine conversations with people recently about what I meant to them, some that I have known and many impacts I have had on others that I was unaware of.  While it has been amazing to have these conversations, I wish we took the time to tell the people we love that we love them on a more regular basis.  There are so many people I want to say nice things to, and tell them this is what you did for me, and sadly with my limited time schedule those things won’t be able to happen.  I hope to not let that occur in the future and be freer with my authentic conversations.

Lastly, this whole experience has really allowed me to fully actualize my life philosophy.  At some point during this past year I started using the following to phrase “live you life and do good!”  For the first part I think we need to spend more time actually living the life and doing the things we want to do.  Everyone spends too much time not doing what they love, or day dreaming about that cool idea instead of going out there and actually doing it.  Limit the should have done’s, create an actual to done list!  No one else is going to tell us to follow our dreams or take that big step, actually its quite the opposite most people ask you to think out your options and take the safe bet, but we should not.  As in an improv scene we need to make bold choices early and often.  And the last part is do good, a pretty simple adage.  If at every moment I ask myself am I doing the right thing or doing something that is good for myself and others then I am probably on the right track.

TED: Lucianne Walkowicz: Look up for a change

This TED video features an astronomer talking about the night sky as a natural resource and how we cannot lose this precious commodity.  When I was young I definitely came from a place where you could see the stars, and now that I live in more populated places the sky is something I definitely miss!  I also love the section about crowd sourcing scientific research, check it out and see how you can get involved!

TED: Drew Dudley: Everyday Leadership

Enjoy this TED video about redefining leadership in an everyday setting.  After watching this video, I hope you go out and create your own lollipop moments!

 

Coaching Changes

I have been a member of Omaha 9, one of the harold teams at DSI comedy theater for the last ten months.  Over that time period, we have been under the tutelage of three different coaches.  The goal at the theater is not to play roulette with our coaches, but through circumstance we have been through a couple.  Getting a new coach always comes with new styles and adjustments, but over our three I can see that out team and myself have become better improvisers.

Through every change there is always a bit of nervousness about who the new coach will be.  What will they do, what is their style, and how will the coach us?  It’s always exciting to get into that first rehearsal and see how things will go.  Each change also presents that moment where the desire to lock onto the past and not want to move forward creeps into the consciousness.  Our three coaches have vastly different styles, and those differences have affected the development of our team.

After each first practice, I left the theater excited about the process moving forward.  In the land of improv there is always more to learn, there is always space to improve skills, and I am always looking to get better.  Studying under a new coach with a different philosophy on the process pushes the learning forward.  New activities, new games, and new flows.

Change in leadership happens, and it can be a scary times.  Ultimately it is important to thrust yourself into the new, and not let the nervousness hold you back.  It is really easy to be an impediment to moving forward, and not embrace the challenge and change.  If we hold back and prevent ourselves from engaging, we will never move forward and learn more.  Embrace the change!

TED: Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

Any time I get to see a TED Talk about positive psychology, I get excited!  The other thing that got me pumped about this talk was how funny it was.  Shawn does an excellent job of weaving humor and excitement into his talk.  I really enjoyed the push for positivity, describing how our brains work better,and  are smarter on the positivity pill.  Shawn also does an excellent job of laying out five simple steps you can implement on a daily basis to improve your happiness.

200th Post

Wow, 200th post, who saw that one coming?  I guess I did when I posted the last entry and wordpress said I was at 199.  I recently accepted a job at the University of Arizona, and am excited to be moving back to the desert.  One of my goals in the upcoming semester is to retool and refocus this blog.  I have been dropping posts for the past year, and am excited to look at what I can do to take this blog to the next level.  So here I am in the next three weeks I am moving across the country, it’s probably one of the busiest times of the year, and I am making the committment to get back on the blog.  We are in the middle of the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, I’m finishing up my teaching tenure at  DSI, and looking at what is next for me in the realm of improv, and I think in any moment, I need this blog the most.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you!

Robot Improvisation

Photo by Sarah Hoye CNN.com

You may think this article is about my glorious moment in the sun on the two person improv team, Robot Girlfriend, luckily for you, its not!  Actually, I’m going to talk about this article on CNN which really caught my attention.  It featured Heather Knight a social robotic scientist who is working with a robot named Data who does standup comedy.  Knight is working with the robot to teach it basic improvisation skills.  During its act, audience members hold up cards detailing their opinion of the joke.  The robot then scans the cards, analyzes the sound level of the laughter and reacts to the audience.  Those reactions could be a punch line as to why the joke wasn’t funny, continuation of the present material, or a switch up to other stories that might elicit a better reaction.

Computers acting more like humans always kind of creep me out a bit.  On one level I feel a little weirded out by robots that are humanesk, it’s like going to Disney World and seeing Abraham Lincoln talk and it just feels a bit off.  I also always get these crazy I, Robot or Matrix type visions of the world being taken over by robots.  Thankfully the article confirmed we are a long way off, if ever going to be in a place where that could happen.  I was comforted by the fact that all of the current computer power in the world, on every single computing system humans have ever created, equals about one human brain.  Whew!

I did really relate to the section of the article that discussed where improvisation comes from.  It’s all of the built up knowledge for out past, humankinds past, and we process that to make snap decisions in the present.  It also comes from that space between boredom and complete panic that we are fully out of control.  The article states, “improvisation can be thought of as a continuum between unthinking reactions and fully engaged playfulness.”  That is one percent true, the best improvisation comes from the moments when we don’t need to think and we are just reacting.  We feel totally comfortable on the stage and we just get to play.  It’s getting to that place of comfort and play that is the hard part.  I always tell my students they need to let go, feel like you aren’t control, and that is the space you will find the most control.  If you can do that, the funny will happen!