Alan and Amanda

Recap of the Chicago Improv Festival 2010

2010-04-26T12:49:31Z

Well I just dropped Cameron off at the Midway airport and am getting ready to take a nap. This weekend did not have a lot of "sleep time" for us. But while I wind down I thought I would write about how EXTRA SHELVES did in their first festival and how it was to have Mike and Cameron in town for the weekend.

Friday - Mike and Cameron came into town at almost the same time but in two different airports so Amanda and I had to come up with some creative ideas to pick the guys up. What we ended up doing was to have Mike take the Blue Line from O'Hare and I meet him at the Addison stop and for Amanda to leave work an hour early so that she could grab Cam at Midway Airport. This worked out pretty well. Mike had a urge for some Chicago deep dish pizza from Gino's East so when we got home we ordered the pie and had it waiting when Amanda and Cam got home.

From that we went to perform our first show of the weekend at Pressure Cafe. This is the same spot that we did our show two years ago to a packed house and seemed like the perfect place for a warm-up show. Amanda brought about five friends from work and Bryan and Sarah were kind enough to bring some of theirs as well as our old neighbors Lindsey and John. The show went GREAT and it was a lot of fun to play with the guys again. After that we went for drinks at Mullan's where the official CIF after party was held. We ended up closing that down and getting to bed at 2:30am.

Saturday - As I mentioned in a previous post, I am done with taking improv classes. And I am fortunate to end my run of classes with Mick Napier of the Annoyance Theater. Well, Mick was kind enough to let Cam and Mike sit in on our last class. I was a little worried since there was already like 15 people in class and did not want to make anyone angry at having two outsiders join in on the last day. But what's wonderful about Mick is he does not care. Like to an AWESOME level of not caring. In fact one of the best improv moments happened to me on that same day even before we did any improv. Mick was behind the bar and I had just introduced him to Cam and Mike and he said "Hi" and made some nice small talk with the boys while pouring two shots of scotch. One he put in front of me and the other he took for himself I took a second to look at what was in front of me and then looked at him and he had this look of "Well fatboy, you going to drink with me or what?" I grabbed my glass, with a toast and we slammed them down. He went about his business and I just geeked at how cool a moment I just had with a person that in one hand I look up to as a improv role model and now also look at as a person I enjoy talking with over a few drinks. It was great and even for such a small thing I will always remember it...

I think the hugest thing I have taken from him is that "I don't care" attitude and honestly I believe it is EXACTLY what I needed in my improv. If not? Honestly.. Who cares?

The class itself was a blast as always. I have been in Chicago for two years and I wish I had spent all the time taking classes from Susan Messing and Mick. What they are selling feels right. It is right and I am extremely happy right now. After class we did our normal eating and drinking at The Fat Cat. I love my classmates. All of them funny, smart and talented! We have a plan to continue playing together and I think that's good.

Then we went home and slammed into our pillows. Our new house is great for entertaining. Cam and Mike each had their own bedrooms which was huge. Speaking of huge, when we woke up my wife showed once again how AWESOME she is. While we slept she had made the biggest meal I had ever seen. Sirloin Meatloaf, Cheesy Basmotti Rice with Broccoli, Salad with orange bell peppers and fancy tomatoes and Le Brea Bakery sesame seed bread! Plus she made fresh chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes! Needless to say we dove right in!

It was then on to our big show! The studio theater we were in was great, the show was sold out and we were the last of three acts. The talent level in our time slot was wonderful. The first group was a two person team made up of a boyfriend / girlfriend situation from LA called NOW? and they rocked the house! Then another two person team called Bearded Men did their thing dressed as old grannies and had a zesty set that the audience ate up and then we went on. Our suggestion was "Tackle Shop" and the show went great! I so love working with these guys. We are just so different at what we do and how we approach improv that I personally feel our shows have a bit of everything.

After the show we hit Mullan's again and then back home to watch the video. The only sad part of the whole weekend was that my tripod was too short and the people in the theater blocked it from getting the show on film. Boo...

Sunday - I woke us up too early for "Hangover Brunch" but Amanda's cousin Sherie met up and we had a great time. Mike was a little grumpy at me though. After brunch we went back home and the guys caught some zzz's. Then at noon I wanted to go see the apprentice teams perform at Gorilla Tango since I had been in contact with the three woman group from Kansas City MO. Mike had to ditch half way through the show but Cam and I saw all four and then headed back home. Once again, heads hit pillows and we were back asleep. When we woke up Amanda had once again out done herself by making Chicken Chili! Cam declared it "The best thing I have ever had" (I got a pretty wonderful wife folks...). We had planned on hitting the closing roast and party for CIF but after the soup and actually sitting on the coach I think we were just done. We all went to bed at 9pm...

Monday - At 4am Cam and I got up and I gave him a ride to Midway so he could head home. We had a great conversation about theater and musical theater history and then we said our goodbyes. I hope EXTRA SHELVES gets into the Austin Festival so we can perform and hang again.

Tonight I get to once again sit in with a group I hope to be apart of. I had a fun time playing with them and am looking forward to it again. Then Saturday I start back with a team I play with and enjoy a lat called Old Dogs. They were kind enough to give me a break so I could finish Annoyance and my midnight run at Comedysportz as a stage manager. (No more midnight show for this little badger for a while, let me tell you...)

What a great week!

Easter grilling!

2010-04-04T18:50:27Z

Eastern grilling!, originally uploaded by josiahbadger.

Hanging at our friends place for an orphans Easter.

I miss the X49 bus

2010-04-01T23:27:48Z

I miss the X49 bus, originally uploaded by josiahbadger.

Chicago CTA cut all the express routes on our main street so now its a
sardine can in here...

Meili gets some sun

2010-04-01T15:47:25Z

Meili gets some sun, originally uploaded by josiahbadger.

I took the film off the windows and now the kid is enjoying some sun...

Photo blog from Flickr

2010-03-29T18:51:12Z

Looks like I got the bug in our system fixed and now can blog from my phone again. Expect many pictures of me annoying my dog and wife in the future...

Cheers!

I should know better...

2010-03-29T18:50:23Z

I should know better..., originally uploaded by josiahbadger.

Sausage on a hamburger? CRAZY!!!

Seven years...

2010-03-28T19:50:05Z

I never learned a musical instrument, just never seemed to have the aptitude. But in middle school I found something else. I found theater. From middle school to high school I performed and worked on plays and every one I did seemed to open up a new aspect of the art to me. While my friends went on to college to study I worked and did as many plays as I could. I read books about theater history, I read plays and I researched the actors that I admired. As the years went on I became a stage manager (still one of my favorite jobs in theater and a skill I take great pride in) to be a better stage manager I learned to direct plays. I targeted the directors that were doing the work I liked. Solid, consistent and above all else. Smart. In someways I felt sorry for these people becuase once I got it in my head I wanted to work and learn from them I was in their face until I got too. I learned a lot. The only director I never got to work with was named Mark Norwood I regret that I could not make that happen since he is such a talented actor and director.

Then I got invited to be a part of an improv troop in Fresno and my path started to change. Double so once Second City came to Fresno. I had never seen theater like what they were doing! It was instant, it was funny and most of all it was magical! And I wanted to do it...

Three months later I was auditioning for the Second City Conservatory in Los Angeles. I was really putting my foot out there on this audition (in all honesty I didn't REALLY qualify for the audition) I got up there and I poured my heart out at that audition. And three weeks later me and thirty other people were admitted into the Conservatory. It was the hugest thing that ever had happened in my life. At the orientation I was told my life would never be the same after a year learning from Second City and they were not wrong. As with anything I devoured any info I could find and I watched every show I could see. When I saw a performer that was doing things that clicked with me I made note of what theaters they came from. Second City, iO, Annoyance, Comedysportz. It looked like a recipe to me. And I vowed to follow it. (Not really thinking that each of these theaters were a year long program) As I did that I also started performing more and more. By the time I left LA I figured I had performed in 200 plus shows.

I got to be in two house ensembles at the Second City (training center). Then I moved on to iO West and did their year long program and then made it onto a Harold team. I was doing two shows a week and starting to coach other teams.

Then I met a wonderful woman and fell for each other and got engaged. I followed her to Chicago. The pinnacle hub of the art of improvisation! Where most of the greats got started. For five years I took classes without stop and once I landed in Chicago I picked right up again at Comedysportz. After the first year there I moved onto the Annoyance and am only three classes from finishing that. I'm getting to work with Mick Napier and (for now) he will be the last teaching in this my seven year journey. Sometimes I think I bite too hard on a idea or a passion. But looking back I have performed improv from Los Angeles to London. I have performed with some of the most talented people I have ever met and learned from people that are gods in the community. I don't know whats next for me, hopefully I will break more into performing in Chicago (It has not been as easy a nut to crack as I would like) but I do know that I have no regrets. And I am very proud of what I have done.

I think there are some people out there that should know I would not have been able to do any of this without their support and I want to mention them and thank them -

My Mom and my little brother, My wife Amanda, John Masier, Randy Stump, S. Eric Day, David Razowsky, Scot Robinson, Tom Booker, Michael Pollock, Kate Wiswell, Fred Cross, Amy Seeley, Carlos Santos, Brent Tubbs, Rick Kent, Chris Compton, Mike Ross, James Grace, Jason Pardo, Josh Funk, Craig Cackowski, Dan Pessano, Mick Napier, Susan Messing, Cameron Fife, Mike McLendon, Nathan Clark, Matt Elwell, Rene Duquesnoy, Chris O. Biddle, Harz Sondericker and Erin Pallesen.

Saint Paddy's day and the Chicago River.

2010-03-13T23:57:17Z

Today Bryan, Sarah and Amanda went to see the river get dyed green for Saint Paddy's day. I could not go since I had class at Annoyance. Here are some pics -

Some videos from the snow

2010-02-10T18:46:34Z

The difference 20 years will make

2010-01-29T17:29:42Z

I found one of the first head shots I ever did. I was 19 at the time and going to do a cattle call in Fresno for a movie that was going to shoot at the time. (Some Sci-Fi movie) Now I know I have had some plastic surgery between these photos but it's a little crazy to me how different these two shots look.

This, that and a dash of 'other'

2010-01-25T17:47:57Z

My mom wanted to see what her grand kid was up to. As you can see she is JUST as worthless as ever.

So lets see what's been up since my last update?

Chicago is on a "weird" winter so far. Not as cold and snow filled as last year but that's OK.

Amanda joined a "Corn hole League" (for you west coast peeps check this link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornhole) So every Wednesday her and a friend from work will be tossing bags and drinking beer. Me and the other hubby will be the cheering section. Half price wings and beer specials wake it even more fun.

Amanda and I are coming to California in February and I am really excited to see some friends and family AND! I am performing at iO West on the main stage! More on that here - http://siteadelic.com/feb12th

I'm also stage managing again for a midnight show at Comedysportz. Then I joined a group that meets on Saturday mornings... So the weekends have become long for me.

Nothing new on the job front for Amanda and I. Still waiting...

Amanda got a new phone. She got a Blackberry Tour and seems to like it, the battery life kind of sucks. I still LOVE my droid! It really is a dream phone for me. I am still amazed with the things it does.

I'm watching Dexter season 3 and loving it! It's such a weird show but I like quirky shows. Now to see if Amanda will watch it.

My body has grown a earlobe in the center of my back... Just kidding, checking to see if you are actually reading this.

I don't know, I guess not much else is going on. What's up with you?

Christmas and a 2009 recap

2009-12-30T13:49:20Z

We got through all the Christmas craziness with out too much fuss. We kept it pretty low key this year since we are recouping from all the wedding and honeymoon expenses. Christmas Eve in the afternoon we drove to Toledo and let me tell you we may do that every year we go to Toledo for the holidays! There was NO TRAFFIC at all! I'm pretty sure we made it there in record time. Meili helped by sleeping most of the trip. I don't know if it's becuase she is getting older or just more used to the 5 hour drive.

We did the normal Widmer family hotlap - Grandmas house, parents house then uncles house. Lots of food and lots of fun. The only down side was the ring we got from Robbins Brothers (remember the company that went belly up right after we gave them $1100?) broke at the bottom of the band. It REALLY upset me since it was a huge stress to me this summer and something of a miracle that they actually got us a ring before they closed their doors. More on the ring later.

One of the highlights of the weekend was Amanda's mom got Band Hero (the Guitar Hero version of ROCK BAND) it was tons of fun seeing everyone sing and play drums or guitar. Kent is a wiz on the drums and got 90% to 100% on singing even it he had never heard the song before. His version of "Do you really want to hurt me?" by Culture Club sounded like a lounge singer version. It was AWESOME!

We got home to a cold and snowy Chicago. It does not seem as bad as last year but the effects of winter are in full effect. We want comfort all the time and do not really feel the need to go out as much... YAY!

We are also waiting to hear if Amanda has a permanent job here in Chicago or if we have to move to a new city. Earlier we were looking at Atlanta Ga. now we are tentatively looking at Tucson Az. Her boss has indicated that she will get a job here but we have to cover out bases.

We have been married three months now. People keep asking how it feels to be married as if we somehow gained super powers when the rings went on our fingers. Really the one big difference I notice is that we are not planning a wedding anymore. That's not to say we are not happy to be married it's just that the wedding planning is SUCH A HUGE part of 2009 that there does not seem to be a time that we were not planning it. And we have been together for four years now! Crazy...

I went to Zales Monday to get my ring re-sized and took Amanda's to see if they would fix hers too. Turns out Zales has a pretty good jeweler on site and can not only fix her palladium wedding band from Robins Brothers but also weld it to her Platinum engagement band. My ring was a full size too big (go figure!) and after picking it up last night fits like a glove now. We will get Amanda's ring next week.

For the new year we are throwing a party again. But this time we actually have the room to do it! So nice... Last night we went and spent a grip of money at Costco so it should be a fun time.

Looking back at 2009 -

Our first Christmas in Chicago - Everyone made us feel at home. Eternally grateful to Bryan and Sarah and Amanda's family.

Our first party in our small house - Played Wii and generally rubbed elbows with everyone since out place was so small. Bryan on Sype with Will in Fresno and someone dropping their pants on the cam.

President - We got to go to Obama's rally in the park by a total fluke. Standing there and watching the person you voted for win was emotional to say the least! Then CNN picked up some of the video I took of the rally with Amanda's point and shoot camera.

Fresno - The morning after the rally I flew to Fresno and surprised everyone! Much fun.

Wedding planning - Kicked into high gear! Fired a best man, got a new one.

New Friends - Chris, Mike, Greg, Harz, Jerome, Nicole, James and Rima, Shane and Lindsey, Kristen, Lindsey C. and many more made 2009 an AWESOME year!

Truck - Paid off Amanda's truck!

Improv - Graduated from Comedysportz and spent the summer doing shows there. Started Annoyance and put together a two man improvised musical for a competition and did pretty good. Auditions not so good, but whatever...

Work - Got my hours cut down to half time two months before our wedding. BOOOOOOO! Picked up some new clients and sold some websites to make up for the loss.

Travel - Amanda went to Colorado and PA for conferences and then I got to go to Portland with her for one. I spent a weekend in a luxury cabin in Wisconsin with friends riding ATV's and eating great food!

New home - We moved again in 2009! This time to a three bedroom duplex and I can't say I have been happier with a place as I am with this one. And for once we have all the room we need.

Grandpa - Amanda's grandfather passed away in his sleep just a few weeks before the wedding. Very sad.

We got married - WOW! What a ride! But it all turned out great and people are still talking about it (although I am done with hearing about it...) Thank you to everyone who helped!

Honeymoon - Our first vacation in over a year and what a trip! We love Kauai! The island is magical and the people laid back and wonderful. I lost my ring and got it back. We had a house and a red mustang convertible, rode horses and ate at a Luau! We saw Pearl Harbor and the Grand Canyon of the pacific. Really just the thing we needed and thank you to everyone who put into the honeymoon fund to make it an extra special trip!

What's that you say? - After years of Amanda asking me when I was going to get my hearing checked I did it. And sure enough, I'm hard of hearing and may have been my whole life. YAY! Lucky for me my hearing can be corrected with hearing aids. Sadly insurance does not cover them and we don't have the $3000 - $6000 they cost... Until then don't mumble around me OK?

Those are the big things that jump out to me. 2009 was all in all a good year with some great things that happened and I am looking forward to 2010!

Badger's Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

2009-12-24T13:58:57Z

So this week I wanted to make my own chicken pot pies. I hopped on the interwebs and searched for "Easy Chicken Pot Pies" what came up were all very easy but they were also large pies and I wanted to make individual pot pies like you get in the frozen food section. I took inventory of what I had here at home and then made my way to the store. Here is what I ended up with - (This is a GREAT recipe for guys! Super EASY!)

2 Large cans of canned chunk white chicken (use one if you like your pies less meaty)
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 bag of Vally Fresh Red Potato and Green Bean Steamers
2 boxes of Pilsbury Ready Made Pie Crust
4 small pie tins or if you can find them like I did pot pie tins

First get your pie crust to room temperature so you can lay the crust into the tins. Now the crust is of course round, don't sweat this since you can splice pieces together. I used three out of four of the crust rolls that I had and froze the last one. Put the finished tins to the side.

Steam the bag of veggies (takes 6 minutes)

In a medium size pot pour your soups, can of chicken and the veggies. You can also add more veggies at this time. Since the veggie bag comes seasoned I did not add any more seasoning. Cook over medium heat until warm.

Place two scoops of your mix in each pie tin (more if you have it) lay your top crust on the pie and pull off the extra. You will have to take the extra strips and make the last pie top from these not a big deal guys, put a little flour in your hands and roll it together then flatten it out. Mold the pie top to the crust in the tin until you have a raised edge all around. With a fork go around the edge pushing down until you have a serrated pattern all around. I also took a knife and placed two vent holes (but I don't think you need to, it just looks nice to me)

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees, place the pies in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. DONE! You now have individual pot pies!

Amanda liked them but had some notes for me so I thought I would add those here. She suggested thinning the pie filling a little with chicken broth and adding more veggies and less chicken. I would also think you could make a nice Shepherds Pie this way with ground beef seasoned with onions and pepper on the bottom, a layer of sauteed carrots and then mashed potatoes. Bake open topped or cover with pie strips in a cross thatched pattern. YUM!

Avatar - A Badger review!

2009-12-21T01:18:06Z

Many of you may have missed a little gem of a movie opening in theaters this week called Avatar. In case you did let me give you a little Badger review. Honestly, I'm not going to do the whole "This movie is directed by" blah, blah, blah. Everyone knows who James Cameron is and we all saw Titanic. By that I mean WE HAVE ALL SEEN TITANIC! In fact every single being on this planet that pumps red viscous fluid in their veins has seen at least one movie by James Cameron.

Now, as for the movie plot let me sum it up this way -

Pocahontas meets Dances with Wolves meets Apocalypse Now... In space!

Oh, and there are flying dragons / dinosaurs that only bond with one person their entire life (Ala The Dragonriders of Pern)

No, really. That's the story.

Now I could end my review right now and go eat the piece of chocolate cake that is waiting for me in the kitchen, but I really feel that there is more to this movie than a paper thin (and more than a slightly preachy) storyline.

This is a a good movie. I honestly did enjoy it immensely! The effects and the 3D that Cameron has put together feel like you are there. Also I personally did not end up with a headache like I usually do when I watch a 3D flick. I think the thing that really blows my mind is the consistency of the whole movie. You never once think that something feels out of place during the whole experience. Never one effect that outshines the others. The tech that the humans in the story have is sensible and more than once I found myself thinking that in a few years we could have those things. On the other side the world of the Na'vi (The ten foot tall blue natives) feels alien and dangerous.

The stars are actually well cast and people I consider to be very talented but much like a Star Wars movie the dialog is many times predictable (and often just bad.) I could have done without a full blown Braveheart "Round up the troops and inspire them to beat incredible odds" speech. Besides all that, this the movie is very entertaining. If you turn off your Flux-Reasoning Capacitor and just sit back and enjoy you will find Avatar to be a great popcorn movie full of eye popping effects.

I have already heard rumors of a sequel and and I assure you I will pledge some of my hard earned money to see where our blue friends go next. Maybe we can get something more like The Empire Strikes Back on the next go around.

This badger gives the movie four out of five paws.

Our tree is up!

2009-12-06T22:35:09Z

Our tree is up!, originally uploaded by josiahbadger.

I forgot about some of the cool ornaments we have aquired in our travels, including one from Devils Tower and a pinapple from our honeymoon. I managed to salvage the Pekingese angel orenament that the wings broke off of last year.