Happy New Year!
Check out my annual year in review video:
That’s one second of video for every day of last year. (You can also watch the seconds from 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015, if you’re interested.)
I love doing the One Second Everyday project because it’s an unpolished, authentic glimpse of a year in my life. Nestled in-between exciting trips and big performances are many cups of coffee, treadmill workouts, and rainy days at home. Every year I look back and see a year full of peaks and valleys, and I’m reminded how much more exciting the peaks are when you can appreciate the valleys, too.
The year started with a trip to Florida for the Orlando Fringe Winter Mini Fest. That festival marked two straight years of festivals around North America. I collected a ton of press and awards, and made dozens of friends with performers from all around the world. But I started to get burnt out, so after the Winter Mini Fest I decided I wouldn’t travel as much in 2019 and just focus on myself.
You know that feeling when someone isn’t into you and it makes you want to get to know them that much more? Well, that’s what happened with traveling last year. As soon as I said to myself “I don’t want to travel as much this year” my phone started to explode with requests for work in all sorts of places. I think I ended up traveling more this year than ever before.
The first big event was in Dubai. It was my first time in the Middle East and I’ll never forget it. Then came a four month residency at the Chicago Magic Lounge amidst events from coast to coast. Throughout the spring I made some appearances on Windy City Live, Good Day Chicago, plus a dozen of the top radio shows, podcasts, and newspapers in the city.
While I was doing the residency at CML I finally got clearance to start running again. After a sprained ankle and broken toe in 2018 I had been taking it easy, but once I went out again I didn’t stop. In the first couple months of spring I ran the Shamrock Shuffle and Chicago 10K. Then, on a whim, I signed up for the Soldier Field 10 Miler. I wasn’t fully trained for it, but it was the best thing I could have done. I finished under my goal pace and was thrilled to know I could finally go for longer distances. So I set my sights on a half marathon in the fall.
After my residency ended at CML I headed to Pittsburgh for a six week run of shows at Liberty Magic. I did six shows a week while I was there. I went to Pittsburgh with a 75 minute act and left with a 90 minute show. Since I was in the same location for a month and a half I was able to focus on other things. Instead of early flights, rental cars, and hotels I could concentrate on writing, reading, running, and more. And, as a result, the show got better and I had more fun doing it.
Something I’ve learned about myself this year is that the amount of shows I’m doing is finally filling a quota for my level of energy. When I was younger I was somewhat hyperactive, mischievous, and full of energy. I thought I was an extrovert. I was loud and a little obnoxious because I had all of this energy with nowhere to put it. But now, I realize that I’m finally channeling that part of me into something useful. I’m using my time onstage to connect with other people in a positive way. Several nights a week, I give people a feeling of mystery, laughter, and an escape from the valleys of their own lives.
With my energetic side fulfilled I’ve found that I am actually quite introverted. Outside of shows I find myself seeking alone time with a book and a cup of coffee. I prefer movies over bars and museums over parties. I am no longer seeking attention in the way I once was. What a lovely realization.
Speaking of movies - I saw some really great ones this year. I highly recommend Parasite, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Little Women, The Irishman, Midsommar, and Marriage Story. I also saw a brilliant production of Hamlet at Chicago Shakespeare, plus concerts by some favorite artists including Marc Broussard and John Mayer.
Somewhere in the middle of everything I bought a typewriter and sought out a more analog life. I started to really detest social media. It was taking too much of my time. I tried all of the tricks - setting my phone to greyscale, setting timers, not going on apps during the weekends, and more - but none of it worked. I kept scrolling twitter or posting to instagram, but it wasn’t making me happy.
I’ve never been able to build a big following online - offline, though, people seem to really like what I’m doing. I have fans of my live events in Chicago that come to every show I do. So I said back in August that I would delete my social media after I’d tied up a few loose ends. Last month I did exactly that.
The fall and winter were full of corporate and college events throughout the US and Canada. Oh, and I successfully trained and ran the Chicago Fall Half Marathon in a nasty, misty morning that I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to do another.
We also saw Derren Brown's brilliant show “SECRET” on Broadway. In college, when I was feeling a little lost, I found Derren’s work on YouTube and was blown away by his artistic approach to mentalism. I was questioning my career move at the time but that was the push I needed to give it a go. Now, fifteen years later, I’m thrilled to call him a friend.
More than anything, what I'll remember this year is people on their phones. I’ve had to tell people to put their phones down during Broadway shows and Oscar winning movies. I’ve called at least a dozen people out during my shows for causing a distraction, too. My memory of everything I did this year is clouded by people on their phones.
I’m a longtime fan of John Mayer, for instance, and was excited to finally see him in concert. But all I remember is the people on either side of us, mindlessly texting or scrolling their social media feeds instead of being present and appreciating the raw talent onstage. People are incredibly unaware of how their phone use disrupts the experience of other people around them. The glow of your device in my periphery directly relates to how I experience what’s going on in front of me, too.
We saw a Monet and Manet exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute this year - through a sea of cell phones. Hamlet was brilliant, but I can still hear that lady’s ringtone echoing through the theater. Talk about being pulled out of the Shakespearean time period! Not to mention all of the people who constantly bump into me on sidewalks or in the aisles of my neighborhood stores. It’s a shame, but that’s what I remember.
I can’t believe this decade is coming to a close but I’ve always loved new beginnings. In 2020 I’m continuing my push into an analog life. I’m going to work harder on my show and my running and…that’s it. It feels great to be focused and not worried about a dozen other things that don’t matter. And it feels great to be back writing Thursday Thoughts again after a much needed break for the holidays. See you next week!