Simple Complexities"Great improvisors are like priests. They are thinking only of their god."
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Simple Complexities "Great improvisors are like priests. They are thinking only of their god." |
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Thursday, July 31, 2003 What's the deal with... I'm going to see Jerry Seinfeld tonight! Thanks to my friend Paul Evans and the sacrificial heart of Gregg Stokes who gave his ticket to me. I'm trying to hide my excitement and be cool, but imagine what band or sporting event would most excite you and that's how I feel about Jerry. "That think tank thing's gonna be big. Mark my words." posted by Joe | 11:46 AM Tuesday, July 29, 2003 Come One, Come All! All of you are cordially invited to the following events in my life. You should come to at least one of them because you want to be with me...and another one because you feel guilty about not coming. 1. Saturday, August 2: Our Housewarming Party! It starts at 3 pm and goes until all hours. Shoot me an email if you need directions. We will be feeding people around 6 pm. 2. Saturday, August 16: Introducing "Unlikelty Probability" This is a new improv group that has formed with my friends from Second City. We will be performing at the Art and Coffee, which is located in NW Vegas at the intersection of Tenaya and Alexander. $5 gets you a coffee drink and the hour long show. It starts at 6:00. 3. Friday, August 22: Five Dollar Funny This is Saga's comedy romp. It's going to be great. 8 pm at the Clark County Theater in the Library located on Flamingo at Maryland. Tickets are $6 in advance, $8 at the door. Check out the website for details. 4. Friday, August 29: Five Dollar Funny Same as above. 5. Monday, September 1: Second City Student Showcase This is a graduation of sorts from third level training. The show is at 10 pm at the Las Vegas Little Theater (3844 Schiff Dr. Call 362-7996 for directions.) Tickets are $5. posted by Joe | 12:29 PM Thursday, July 24, 2003 Experiment The following is an improvised story. A practice in stream of consciousness writing. I have no idea what it will be about. When I have finished I will only correct spelling and grammar. The story will be left unchanged. Lets see if this works: Four crickets sat on a leaf. To them the leaf was a boat in the middle of a chaotic lake filled with vile creatures and vast wilderness. The leaf was safe. The leaf was home. One day a most remarkable thing happened. "I'm moving," said the smallest cricket, a dark brown personality with brilliant yellow eyes. "Moving?" The largest and most popular cricket laughed as he spoke. "Where would you go? Look at you...you would not survive one day in the wilderness. You are small and not very bright. Besides, The Great Cricket has clearly taught us that movement is futile. Only staticity draws us into oneness with the universe." The lead cricket closed his golden eyes and began to meditate. The two other bugs followed his lead. "I'm still leaving!" The irreverent rebel interupted. "I'm leaving and you can't stop me. There is no Great Cricket. I've never seen him anyway. All your religion is good for is creating boring non-eventful lives. I would trade one day in the wilderness for a lifetime of days on this leaf." "But you are so young," the oldest cricket belched. "Be patient, young grasshop...er...cricket. One day you may be ready for such adventures. When I was your age I nearly left the leaf as well, but a wise old cricket reminded me that youthful decisions are always regretted. So I stayed...and I haven't left since. It will pass, my son. Let it pass." "I will not let it pass." The young cricket grew angry and loud. "I will not make your mistake. I will leave. Today, if I must." The small cricket hopped to the edge of the leaf and began to leap. "Wait!" the last cricket chirped. All bug eyes turned to him. He was frail and old, nearly as old as the third cricket. He rarely spoke and when he did nobug really ever listened. He lifted his head, "You must go, my son. It is your destiny." "And who are you to speak of destiny? You are the least in the colony?" The lead insect spoke in a deep voice. "I am the voice of experience," the enigmatic cricket said. "I have been in the wilderness. I have left the leaf." "You left the leaf and yet you returned?" The young cricket chirped. "How...why?" "There are those who never leave and condemn those who do," the sage said as he eyed the leader. "And there are those who leave and never return...But there are also those who must leave so that they can find the joy in the journey home." With that the old prophet smiled at the young journeyman. And with one leap the tiny traveler began his journey home. posted by Joe | 9:12 PM Wednesday, July 23, 2003 L ve: i or o? Its the same thing. I had a great lunch with Jimmy today. I'm glad that we are friends. We are very similar and very different at the same time. I was thinking today about all of the people that I have met since we came to Vegas over eight years ago. So many people, literally hundreds, probably thousands. I think about all of them and wonder how I ended up sharing my life with the people that I do. Of all of the thousands, today I had lunch with Jimmy, today I live with the Parkers and Citizens, today I talked about everything under the sun with Sean and Heather. Who knew? Who could have guessed? I think about what would have been if I had become a gen-x megachurch pastor like I wanted to a few years ago. I wonder if I would have less friends. I think that I would know thousands but only truly love a few. Right now I know almost everyone in Apex...I should say that I know almost everyone who comes to the Sunday Gathering. There are lots of people in house churches that have no idea who I am. But I love those 150-200 people who make an effort to come on Sundays. I love almost all of them...all except for Tommy. Ha. I feel overwhelmed with friends. I'm a very blessed man. This strange life of mine is the life that I want. How many people on planet earth in 2003 get to actually live the life they want? Too few. Last year, both for me and for my larger community, was a year of death. No one really disputes that. It was painful, difficult and scary. It was boring and confusing. This year, praise God, (search every entry I've ever written and you will find that I never say 'praise God' so I must really mean it because though part of me wants to delete it, I'm not going to.) This year is post-death. And yet we live. This year is the year of resurrection. This year is heaven. This year made last year worth every painful second. This year there is peace. This year there is life. Wake up, sleeper. Rise from the dead. Cause the King is shining on you like the sun. posted by Joe | 11:48 PM Sunday, July 20, 2003 Comedy's Comin... Rehearsals start this week for Five Dollar Funny, a Saga Comedy Show opening August 22. Tonight I officially turn into Joe the Promoter. Please, please, please tell all of your friends about the show...it's gonna rock. Click Here. posted by Joe | 10:16 PM Friday, July 18, 2003 I Have A Dream, actually I have quite a few... Ah, the beautiful insanity of life. So many dreams, so much fear to follow them. This week I have met with my friends. One who dreams of starting a church, one who dreams of producing a feature length motion picture, one who dreams of making guitars in his garage, one who dreams of making an honest living from his art, one who dreams of growing up to be a good wife and mother, one who dreams of a new vocation that helps people, one who dreams of a business that can survive and be a ministry, one who dreams of a career in music that's not money driven, one who dreams of leaving Best Buy for SNL, one who dreams of a day when her kids won't wear her out, one who dreams of enough free time to follow his dreams. And then there's me. A compulsive dreamer. The dreamer of dreamers. There is nothing more real than a dream. Reality is the fantasy that everyone must endure to survive to our next dream. Our very dreams themselves are our ultimate reality...not the attainment of our dreams, but the very truth that we do dream. It makes us who we are...it makes us NOT monkeys or tadpoles...it makes us creators. The Creator created little creature/creators to create in his image. Pointlessness points to a Creator. What use is beauty? music? love? It is pointless...a waste of energy. Only a Beautiful Creator would create creatures capable of creating beauty. This, today, is my ultimate apologetic. This makes me a theist. (Not atheist...a "theist".) A cosmic computer program could have never made a blowfish, a rainforest, or Michaelangelo. Dream. Create. Dream Again. posted by Joe | 4:21 PM Monday, July 14, 2003 A Friendly Prayer God, Grant me Debbie's Compassion Grant me Eli's Enthusiasm Grant me Aidan's Giggle Grant me Ernie's Devotion to Love Grant me Doug P's Integrity Grant me Greg's Commitment to Friendship Grant me Jim's Faith Grant me Jeremy's Passion Grant me Kenny's Attitude Grant me Doug C's Child-likeness Grant me Kelly's Honesty Grant me Cheryl's Heart Grant me Tommy's Commitment to Brotherhood Grant me Meghann's Selflessness Grant me Jimmy and Nicole's Desire for Right Living Grant me Gregg's Levity Grant me Heidi's Maternity Grant me Sia's Faithfulness Grant me Allan's Enthusiasm Grant me Sabrina's Patience Grant me Nancy's Empathy Grant me Jennifer's Endurance Grant me Rebekah's Intensity Grant me Susan's Hospitality Grant me Lori's Sacrificial Heart Grant me KO's Paternity Grant me the Harshman's Generosity Grant me Sean C's Joy Grant me Sean O's Desire for Holiness Grant me Flick's Contentment Grant me Adam and Michelle's Fortitude Grant me Mo's Riskiness Grant me Shad and Sherry's Momentum Grant me Keith's New Eyes Grant me Phil's Determination Grant me Dale's Humility Grant me Ramon's Thirst for Righteousness Grant me Gene's Insightful Grin Grant me John W's Tenderness Grant me Brent and Tari's Enthusiasm Grant me Kevin R's Commitment Thank you God, for my role models. posted by Joe | 7:51 PM Sunday, July 13, 2003 What I Want I want to start getting up early to exercise, pray and write. I want to stay up late and hang out with my community. I want to sleep 8 hours every night. I have to pick two of the three... posted by Joe | 11:09 AM Saturday, July 12, 2003 Home We arrived late tonight (friday). 2070 driving miles from my in-laws to my driveway. Must get sleep... posted by Joe | 12:58 AM Monday, July 07, 2003 An Apology My friend Dale Neven gave me a book to read about four years ago. I just started reading it and it is phenominal. I think that it might be a God thing that I have decided to read it now after coming to many of the conclusions on my own. It's a book by Franky Schaeffer called Sham Pearls for Real Swine: Beyond the Cultural Dark Age-A Quest for Renaissance. Sorry Dale, I had no idea... posted by Joe | 11:16 AM Saturday, July 05, 2003 My Point of View From where I sit I can look out of a window just over my computer screen to see my family outside in Memaw and Papaw's back yard...a full acre of grass and trees. My wife is pensively swinging in the country swing reminding me of the first few times that I came here to visit her during our engagement. Eli is driving a red kid-sized Jeep that Papaw brings over from a friend's house whenever we visit. Last year he couldn't figure it out. This year, I have to say, he is a pretty darn good driver. Weaving in and out of the trees and parked cars. Aidan rides shotgun, binky in mouth. Very very content to be the passenger...next year he will want to drive. They are city boys exploring the wonders of Indiana. It makes me smile. I sit at this desk drinking McDonalds coffee, which as it turns out is the best brew in town. I'm thinking about my flight tomorrow morning at 4:30 am...whoever heard of such a thing? I'm excited about my improv class and seeing Phil who will be in Vegas when I get there. I'm amazed that I will fly home, spend over a day there, and fly back here in less time than it will take to drive back next week...such is technology. It would have taken George Washington months and months to get from here to there. And he was the President... My sister-in-law Angie is now on Morphine with her brain cancer. I have been able to see her often and she seems in good spirits whenever I am around. It is sad though. The family is inside now and Eli is begging to use the vacuum...so I'd better go decide if that's what he should be doing right now. For the record, that's one of the hardest parts of parenting. Deciding when a four-year old should be allowed to vacuum and when he should be forced to play with toys. Pax. posted by Joe | 9:48 AM Friday, July 04, 2003 God Bless America Why I love America: 1. I can try to become whatever I want. 2. I have more than I need. 3. I'm free to do whatever I want. 4. My kids are sheltered from most of the world's violent reality. 5. It's my home...everybody loves where they are from. Why I hate America: 1. I can try to become whatever I want. 2. I have more than I need. 3. I'm free to do whatever I want. 4. My kids are sheltered from most of the world's viloent reality. 5. It's my home...everybody hates where they are from. Happy Independence Day. posted by Joe | 9:23 AM Wednesday, July 02, 2003 Deep? Now we are in Indiana at Deb's parents. The trip is going well. I'll be flying into Vegas this weekend, but since my speaking engagement was pushed back, I will only be there for a day or so to take my first class of third level Second City training. Then we will begin the journey home on Wednesday, a week from today. I'm reading Philip K Dick now. He was a sci-fi author who wrote a few decades back. He was also influential on The Matrix creators. My wife says that I don't blog anything spiritual or deep anymore...maybe she's right. Maybe she's not. Maybe I'm not deep anymore. Maybe deep is in the eye of the beholder. Either way, she's right in noticing that the things I think about these days are different than they used to be. I'm happier at least. I had breakfast a few days ago with a long time friend who asked if I was less depressed because I have a peace with God or because I'm running from Him...I said, "I don't know." Maybe I'm running with Him. Being back in the midwest has made me see how different I turned out than I should have. It has made me realize that I like the me I have become. I also realize that I used to like to come home to shock people with my differences and now I just want to hide them and get back to Vegas so that I don't have to come across as a rebel or disrespectful. Here' s something deep: Jesus is still calling me out of religion and into the real and living Kingdom of God. The last few steps out are the scariest and most difficult. I'm not going to look very "christian" when its said and done. Oh well...such is life among the devourers of the red pill. Peace to you. posted by Joe | 7:22 PM  
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