We are here

Hey folks

We are in Chicago. Our stuff is in our new place... which I love... and I am tired, very tired.

Tomorrow is for more unpacking and finding a job.

Woot.

That is all

Packing it up

Saturday was "We Got The Truck Day"

A beautiful yello Penske that is about 2/3 full at this point with all of Tylr and Lisa's stuff.

Good news, I think all of our stuff will fit in the truck with perhaps a little overflow into my pick up.

Great news: I have the truck with all of Lia and Tyler's stuff, and I will be selling it all off to fund my next year in Chicago--- Ha! Take that FUCKERS!

Most of my stuff i going into the truck tomorrow (Monday) so I am packing, cleaning, and throwing stuff out...

Anyone want a desk?

Strong Statements

Say what you will about Democrats, Republicans, the Green Party, and everyone else... you have got to admit that Obama's speech was amazing. In front of a live audience of 75,000 people and millions of Americans watched on television, Obama delivered a wonderfully intelligent speech of hope, change, and reasons why McCain is wrong for this country.

I was not a Clinton or Obama supporter during the primaries. I refused to make a real decision, but I am now sold on Obama.

That being said, my roommate Chris and I wonder if they focus group tested the phrase "Obama Biden." There a very small change needed to make "Obama Biden" into "Osama Bin Laden"

During the biography video shown before his speech at the DNC last night Michelle and Barack Obama spoke about his strange name (Remember too that there are people still worried about his middle name Houssein, and that whole Muslim thing). I think that they are just trying to make it hard on themselves.

Someone must have said, "Hey, do you guys think that 'Obama Biden' sounds a lot like that Osama guy?"

"Yeah, but Americans will not hold that against us."

Are you kidding? As a whole, we are not that smart.

Have you seen "Deliverance?" It's real. There are people out there like that.

Do you realize we elected a C student for two terms instead of two boring orators with spectacular educations?

I guarantee that there will be people who change their vote in the booth because they will see the last names in bold and have a flash back to 9/11 news coverage-- and suddenly Anytown, U.S.A will vote for their crazy old "Grampa McCain" instead of "Osama BinChange a lot."

Thank You, Minneapolis Show

Wow.

Tonight was great.

Thank you.

Thank you to the 20 improvisers who kicked ass, 5 groups plus a monster jam at the end was a hell of a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity for us to say "Thank you" to the groups we love to perform with.

It was funny, it was meaningful, it was spectacular.

Thank you to those who made it out, thank you to those who tried to make it out. Thank you for your laughs, support, thank you.

bookend shows

This will be a day bookended by shows.

I awoke from only 3 hours of sleep this morning to go to ComedySportz and do a great show for a group of teachers in Waconia... I still do not know where Waconia is, except that it is South and West.

Tonight is our "Thank You, Minnapolis" show at the Brave New Workshop. Things could be a little nuts tonight. I you are still debating coming, you really should just show up.

From here on out it is a lot of packing, cleaning, and final hand off.

I spoke to my mother today, she asked how I was doing-- I responded with "Well, moving is one of the most stressful things in life, and I am doing it without enough prep time... so I am a little stressed."

"Oh, I suppose. Well, I wish there was something I could do, but seeing as I can't-- just call me and let me know how you are doing."

That was nice. That was acceptance of the fact that I am actually moving to Chicago on her part. This is good... it means she is finally ok with my move.

So, come tot he show tonight, it will be great... see you there.

-Dave

So Much--- so little time

Brewers ar keeping the wild card dream alive

One week from now I will be unpacking in my new apartment, yet I have not gotten much packed in my current apartment.

Currently:
*I have friends getting Married in New York
*My Current roommate is getting ready to move out of our current place and he is moving his girlfriend into their new place
*I am moving 400 miles away
*I am getting ready to audition for the Second City Training Program
*I am trying to find a job
*I am finishing things up at the BNW
*trying to say hello and good bye to everyone


Holy Crap.

I have an awesome positive energy right now, but I am also sick to my stomach...

Really excited. I just want to worry about moving at this point...

Check out davejennings.net

Time Lapse

August 3, 2008
www.Davejennings.net

Hey there folks,

INTRO---
Welcome back. So, since my last writing I have lost three keys on my new laptop. It was a terrible experience, and I offer it up only because it is making typing slightly more difficult. I lost my S, E, and 4 key in an amazing drop from one hand and catch by another hand. Alas, I need to order a new laptop keyboard from Dell and install it myself. Dude, I got another Dell. Dude.

As I am typing this on my broken keyboard I am trying a little experiment. I am using the camera on my laptop to do a time lapse session on what happens during the art fair in front of the Brave New Workshop. I’ll post the video if it is at all interesting. So, if the thrill of reading my blog is not enough for you, you can now watch from my computer screen a video of what happens over my shoulder as I am typing in front of the BNW.

Do you use iGoogle? If you don’t, you should. It should be everyone’s new homepage. It is amazing. It gets the DVJ4 seal of approval.

CHICAGO UPDATE
Looking for jobs, looking for places to live. Everyone and their mother ask me about Chicago on a nearly daily basis. I suppose I don’t mind talking about it, when I am not talking about it I tend to freak out a little and worry, but when I am talking about it, I just get annoyed by the fact that I have no idea what is going on at all. Lisa and Tyler (Burstin’ and Petri) both have Fringe Shows to keep them busy, I just have the BNW to keep me busy… which does keep me pretty busy, I suppose. I have been searching on Craigslist.org for housing and jobs almost nonstop for the past two weeks. Anyway, everyone asks me about it all the time…

IMPROV UPDATE
No real update here, just rehearsing, a little ComedySportz here and there.

BREWERS UPDATE
Alright. Yep. The Cubs won the entire series in Milwaukee.

That is all

"Fixing the internet" is not in anyone's job description around here... oops.

July 30, 2008

Hey there folks,

So, it’s been a few days since I wrote, and I apologize for any of you who were hoping for my expose on Wisconsin vs. Minnesota—that is going to be a great one, and it is going to be a long and balanced look from my biased opinion.

Today I have been totally delayed on everything because of working with a tech on the internet at the Brave New Workshop for the past four hours. So, I have not been nearly as productive as I would have liked, and I will be keeping this entry pretty short.

CHICAGO UPDATE
Lisa, Tyler and I are heading down to Chi-Town to find a place to live on Sunday the 16th of August. I have dubbed this the “Apartment of Bust” trip. Petri (Tyler) Burstin’ (Lisa) and DVJ4 (Me) will be making the trek with all plans to have a place to live after our three day journey. People keep asking me if I am excited, and yes, yes I am. But it seems very surreal. I think that it’s strange to suddenly be moving to another town as I am going to be running myself ragged right up to our departure on September 2nd.

IMPROV UPDATE
I am so excited for a rehearsal with the “Untitled Harold Experiment” this weekend, it’s not funny. I also have a ComedySportz Show Thursday night, so come out and see me kick some ass.

BREWERS UPDATE
The Brewers have lost the first two games of this series against the Cubs. I did not see the inning last night where the Cubs scored 5 runs, and I am glad I missed it. I have a theory that under the national spotlight of playing on ESPN tonight that the Brewers will be victorious. Also, I was afraid to blog about them for fear of ruining their luck, but I guess that did not matter, so let’s see them kick some ass tonight. That is all I am going to say about the game, except that they will probably have to score early in the game to make a win possible

THE LARGER PICTURE
This is where I would normally write an expose about one thing or another, no time right now…. So moving on….

BETTER KNOW A POLITICIAN-- Ehud Olmert -- Prime Minister of Israel
Several of my RSS feeds tell me that Prime Minister Olmert has announced that he will be vacating his office after the elections in September, so let’s take a look at him and learn a little bit about him, shall we?
• Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been the center point of a a high-profile corruption investigation, announced Wednesday that he would resign his office after his party chose a new leader in September elections.
• He has been under pressure in a high-profile investigation, suspected of illicitly receiving large sums of cash over a long period from a Long Island businessman.
• He has denied all implications of wrongdoing
• He became acting Prime Minister in January of 2006 after Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke
• He became Prime Minister after elections in May 2006
• His wife is an artist, playwright, and a leftwing politico (who claims to have voted for him for the first time in 2006!)
• From 1993 to 2003 he served as the Mayor of Jerusalem—where he improved transportation in the city be bringing in a light rail system
• In February of 2006, scandal hit the acting Prime Minister’s cabinet after a little case of police brutality when they were forcing the eviction of an Israeli Settlement
• He and his wife have 4 children as well as an adopted daughter
• One of his sons is Vice President of Nickelodeon


That is all—for now….

The Mafia, Baby Showers, and Teddy Roosevelt

Hello Folks,

Here I am figuring out this blogosphere world, and I ask you all to bear with me. I am starting to learn what the people want.

What I am really trying to do is have a combination of things in my life--- interesting happenings to me, followed by some larger topic that everyone can talk about and argue about, and then a little piece at the end of each entry where I take a moment to profile someone I think you should know a little information. Sometimes this will be a moment called “Better Know a Brewer,” “Better Know a Politician,” “Better Know an Improviser,” “Better Know a Hero,” and other aspects from the “Better Know a ____________.” I think it will be a good way to get stuff going around here.


INTERESTING THINGS I’VE BEEN UP TO: BABY SHOWERS AND THE MAFIA
(Some credit for this needs to go to John Haynes and others who have came to the same conclusion)

The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre is like the Mob. Here’s why:
· We have an internal structure.
· We’ve been around for 50 years.
· Everyone knows who we are We have connections all over the country.
· We bring people into the “family” that is the BNW.
· We’ve got our fingers in a lot of business.
· We work so closely together, and we must inherently trust one another—we share life experiences together.
· Weddings, baby showers, funerals—they are all shared.

When I started at the BNW six years ago people brought their dogs to work, now they bring their kids to work with them. In one room we will have kids watching the “Backyard-i-gans” on a lap top and playing with plush toys, and in the next room there will be actors working on a sketch with a couple trying to fuck each other in a voting booth but it goes all wrong when they realize they have differing political views on abortion (that’s not really a sketch—but I think it’s a good idea for one). There is nothing stranger than those two extremes in dynamics.

We had a baby shower for the Bozics who are awaiting the arrival of a little girl. Some of the women of the “Brave New Workshop Family” put together an amazing baby shower (kudos to Beth and Lauren for that!) It was like a scene from a mob movie set in the 1950’s where the whole family is enjoying a picnic on the estate. This is what makes the BNW so cool. We get along together, work and play cross, and we become parts of each other’s lives. ---Also, you can never leave the BNW. Once you are in, you can never leave- alive. That’s why I am moving 400 miles away. They are shipping me South. If I stop blogging, it probably means I am dead. The Don had me whacked.

BREWERS UPDATE

So I was right, the Brewers pulled it out last night with a win against the last team in the division. And then they lost today against the same team. I was watching the game on my computer during the baby shower. I could not believe it. The score was 11 to 6 at the end. The Cubs won today, so the brewers are again one game behind the Cubs and now they are heading into a series with the Cubs, this looks rough. I can’t talk about this anymore.
I will most likely be watching this entire series. (4 games) I do not want to talk about it. So scared of jinxing this.

I am working on a little diatribe on Minnesota VS Wisconsin and the feelings between residents of each great state.

BETTER KNOW A PRESIDENT

The current Brave New Workshop show has a great sketch about my favorite president of all time, Teddy “Motha-Fuckin’” Roosevelt (That’s how he’s referred to in the show). I have long loved Teddy Roosevelt. He is a hero to me. Paintings depict an amazing smile and a character prescience that transcends the ink and years since his death to stir a pride in America and the office of president that no president in recent history does for me. Below are some important facts about our 26th President of these United States. (Most of these facts actually come from a book! “Theodore Roosevelt—A Life” by Nathan Miller)

· Roosevelt’s father never laughed at his children when they asked questions as children often ask… he would instead answer then and treat his kids like adults.
· He was a sickly child who overcame asthma after his father’s encouragement to exercise, learn boxing, and travel with his family to Europe and the Middle East.
· He attended Harvard and is a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (as is the author of this blog)
· His first wife and his mother both died on the same day in the same house
· TR was an author of several historical books
· TR delivered his famous line, “Speak softly…” at the Minnesota State Fair in 1901
· TR became president after serving as vice president for McKinley
· He declined to run for a second term since he considered McKinley’s term to have been his first one, then he pretty much handpicked Taft as his replacement, and was so furious at how Taft ran the country that he ran against him for the Republican nomination in 1912, lost, and founded his own third party.
· He was the most successful third party candidate of all time when he ran as the Bull Moose Candidate

Here's a preview of the future, THE BOARDER BATTLE—MINNESOTA vs WISCONSIN

That is all.

Opening Night and some Brewers you need to know

Hey there folks, so I promised on Thursday to have a post about the Milwaukee Brewers, however Friday was just a little nuts in the life of David Jennings. It was opening night of the Brave New Workshop’s new show ’The Lion, The Witch and The Warhero—or Is McCain Able? It’s a great show. I have not gotten to sit and watch the entire show as of yet, but I have seen all of it over the past month in one way or another—and it is fantastic. There are a ton of songs, some great video, a new stage, new 42 inch flat screen TV’s, and a cast of some really dedicated actors who put together a great show. Credit has got to be given to the cast who spent their 4th of July weekend with Caleb and his brother rebuilding the stage.


Also, credit to Max, the new tech for helping me with the new Carpeting in the theatre, Kyle for helping lay down the new carpeting even though he was sick as a dog, and the entire staff for cleaning the place up and helping me paint the stage, the floor, and the risers. The BNW looks better than it has over the past 6 years I have been here, and I am proud to be turning the reins over to someone who will inherit a great staff and a building worth taking care of.


One cool thing from opening night is that I was able to get cardboard cut outs of the candidates. So we took a bunch of photos with them and the cast.


I will have pictures of opening night up tomorrow when I have my cord to connect my camera with my computer. I know, lame.


THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS---


So here’s the deal, the Brewers swept the St Louis Cardinals with a final win in the 4th game of the series on Thursday. This took them to one game behind the Cubs for the NLK Central Division, and the first time they have been second in the division for about 7 weeks. They are three games ahead of St. Louis right now, and due to the Cubs second loss at home against Florida this afternoon, if Milwaukee wins against Houston today they will slip into first in the division, something that they would have done Friday if the 7 game winning streak had not been brought to an end by Houston. Seven games is a great winning streak, and they were the only team to have a win streak that long following the All Star Break. The ten game streak of the New York Mets spanned the All Star Break, and was still an incredible feat.


So, the Brewers are playing well, in fact they have had the best record in all of baseball for the past month or so…. So what’s the deal? Here’s a little lesson in Brewers players you should know (this should be interesting enough for almost anyone):





Prince Fielder (Son of former Detroit Tigers First Baseman Cecil Fielder)(24 years old) is a first baseman with a mean swing. He bats left and throws right. He is a vegetarian. He’s been with the Brewers since 2005 and was in the 2007 All Star Game and holds the Brewers record for single season home runs, and is the youngest in MLB to break the 50 home run mark. This is a guy you can count on to hit a few runs in almost every game.


Corey Hart is not an 80’s pop star. He’s an awesome outfielder for the Brewers. You saw him try unsuccessfully to end the All Star Game in favor of the National League, but he was up against some pretty big odds getting that ball to home plate from the outfield. He’s a big guy… 6’6” and 220 lbs do not mess around. He’s only 26, but is married and has three kids. He’s been with the Brew Crew since 2004. Leading into the All Star Break he had 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases. Kiss his big white Kentucky ass.


Ben Sheets is Olympic level, I mean that literally. He pitche 22 inning for the US team in the 2000 Olympics. He was the starting pitcher for the first game of the season in a 3-4 win over the Cubs (in the snow/rain) and has continued to deliver over the season. He was the first Brewer pitcher to start the All Star game in (2008). He’s a great pitcher, has a mean fastball (98 mph) and is a righty.


CC Sabathia – ALRIGHT, fine, we’ll talk about Sabathia. He’s the new guy on the team. I mean, really new. He’s a great pitcher (seen in this little Cardinals debut, he pitched three consecutive full games against them) and he has an interesting swing that makes him one of the best hitters with regards to pitchers across the league. He’s been with the team since July 7th, and has been kicking ass.


Tomorrow I will talk about Ned Yost, Brewers manager


I think that Sheets and Sabathia are back for tonight’s game against the Astros, so we should have a pretty great win on our hands.



That is all for now.