On the road...and on the clock

3/30/2018

Gabriel Rutledge, me, Matt Markman and Sid Davis before a show at Laffs in Tucson, AZ.

I spent the last 8 days traveling. Over the past eight days I’ve driven to Tucson, AZ, flown to Orlando, FL, performed in 5 comedy shows, produced one, met up with my best friend and his wife, met up with an old friend and her husband, sang karaoke, danced at a night club with a total of 6 people, attended an eLearning conference, met the most important photographer in the world, made new friends in Orlando, and got food poisoning.

And I feel authentically blessed in every way.

Getting to perform comedy on the road (outside LA) is always a pleasure. Audiences are always more into the shows. This is date night. And girls night. And boys night. It isn’t “free ticket” night.

My favorite place right now is Laffs Comedy Cafe in Tucson, AZ. Not just because the owners are great. Not just because the Hooters is fantastic. Not just because my friend and his wife live there. But because the crowds really do appreciate great comedy. After the shows people take pictures, they talk to the comics, and they say “thank you.” Which oddly enough, a great compliment.

While sitting at the the bar during the middle act, one guy asked if he could just chat with me. He wanted to brag to his friends that he chilled with the comic. It was a great moment.

Also...promoting the show around town is fun. I’ll go to multiple venues and let people know where the best show in town is.

Briana and Iliana were kind enough to take this pic. Other waitresses from Hooters came to the show.

Everywhere I go, I meet locals to build fans. This is Malory. She and I still chat through snapchat. So on my way home I stopped by San Bernardino County to catch up.

After my weekend I headed home with a stop in Claremont. At the Flappers in Claremont I produced a student showcase. Five students I’ve been working with tool to the stage after 6 weeks of working on material. Helping people craft their art is something I love. Helping them find their voice and share my experiences is the best way to give back. Watching them take the stage was a honor and a privilege.

The next morning I flew to Orlando. Let me say this. LAX is the proof of Satan’s existence.

Landing in Orlando was a bit overwhelming. I don’t fly often, so the process is new to me. But once I landed, I got my bags and headed to the Learning Guild Conference. Tuesday through Thursday was filled with amazing Key Note Speakers and new innovations in eLearning and microlearning.

One of the keynote speakers Platon of The New Yorker explained how to find humanity in art and images. It was a powerful speech. This man has photographed every major world leader and influencer for the past 30 years. He’s a modern genius. I took a picture with him. I made a joke I should just have him take a picture of me. That it be worth more as a “Platon Original.” He didn’t laugh. But the founder of the conference did. I took a pic and then turned it into B & W to make is fancy. I’m sure I failed at that too.

I also had the privledge to perform on a great show at Savoy in Orlando. Getting to travel for a work conference and perform across the country is such a cool perk of my life right now.

Getting to perform at Savoy. A fun night club in Orlando.

One of the highlights was meeting so many cool people in Orlando. I met teachers from all over. Business professionals. Instructional designers. And awesome bartenders.

While in Orlando I met a very funny, smart, pretty bartender who made my stay the first few nights that much easier. It’s amazing how nice people are once you start creating a conversation.

I also got got to meet up with old friends who live in the city. We ate great food, sang bad karaoke, and danced at a club with 3 girls from Rhode Island. For two reasons. They were cool and the only ones there.