The week that was
It was a busy week, and I was running late with my column. So, I thought it would be easiest if I just took a page out of my diary and shared that with you. It follows:
• Sunday: I woke up in the hotel in Washington, D.C., at 8:30 a.m., even though I was out really late the night before. What a night! See: Saturday’s entry.*
* Entry not included. Sorry.
I ate the breakfast buffet at the hotel. Luckily, they had an omelet station. I don’t like it when they put the eggs in a big silver tray and keep them warm under a heat lamp. It turns into a bright yellow brick of eggs. The yellow square is unappetizing. That’s just a weird shape for eggs.
My Aunt Terri and I lounged by the pool until checkout. Afterward, we went to the farmers market in Dupont Circle. They had a lot of artisanal cheeses, sorbets and herb-infused waters. It was gastronomic heaven. Later, I dropped her off at the Metro station so she could catch a train back to Virginia. I drove back to Pittsburgh.
• Monday: Met up with Mayor Bill Peduto. Brian Edward and I went to the mayor’s office to interview him for the 100th episode of ‘Burgh Vivant, Pittsburgh’s cultural talk magazine (Subscribe! It’s free). After the interview, Mayor Bill took us on a tour of his office. He has a lot of cool stuff in there: a couple of Burton Morris paintings, and a few artifacts from previous administrations, including a 3D model of Pittsburgh from Sophie Masloff’s era. I stood over it and pretended to be Godzilla. It’s what you do in these circumstances. Also, I wanted to update it by picking up the Civic Arena and throwing it in the trash, but the mayor stopped me.
• Tuesday: I got a great haircut. Somehow the stylist elongated my face. It looks more square than round, and I’m thrilled with the illusion.
• Wednesday: It was the first international “Say Day.” Chicago improviser TJ Jagodowski organized an event in memory of his late friend Jason Chin. Jagodowski (by the way, that would be an awesome name for a Pittsburgher) said lovely things for his friend at a memorial and decided he wanted to say lovely things about all of his friends while they were alive to hear it. So, he organized the event. A group of Pittsburgh improvisers, Kristy Nolen, Jason Clark and Chris Leone (all from the Arcade Comedy Theater) picked up the ball here locally and invited everyone to a party at the Sharp Edge. We gathered at the bar and said nice things to each other. I found it easier to give compliments than receive them. We shared a lot of laughs. Mostly, we told stories about how we met each other. I met a lot of them on stage at the Improv Jam, where you are randomly teamed up with people and have to perform a scene with them. Yes, it’s both as fun and as frightening as it sounds.
• Thursday: Basked in the glory of “Say Day” as long as I could. Then, I realized I was on deadline. On Wednesday, I had turned to my friends John and Connor, and said, “I have to write 500 funny words by tomorrow.” My friend Connor said, “You have to write 500 words and be funny? Every week?”
I admitted, “Well. I hand in 500 words. They’re not all funny.” (This week you’re getting 600 – Bonus!)
• Friday: I handed in this.
• Saturday: You are here. Enjoy your week!