The clouds are brewing...

davejennings.net dvj4.blogspot.com

I am looking South from a window in the Second City Training Center offices.

I have been watching the sky over Chicago change color. The clouds are lowering onto the Sears Tower and the Hancock Building.

A hard rain is just beginning to cut through the air and pummel the windows, and the lights just flickered a second after the thunder and lightning flashed.

The clouds are billowing out like a boiling pot of lentil soup as they swirl around the Chicago skyline, and daylight is slipping away as the windows lit in office buildings seem to appear out of nowhere.

A thought appears in my head, "A much needed win for the Cubs will likely be called today"

A second thought has overshadowed the postponed baseball game, "What a fucking stupid week to purchase a bike, Dave, fucking stupid. Why the hell would you chance riding your fucking bike three and a half miles when you knew it might rain. Oh, no, Dave, you are such a fucking idiot. You thought you could fucking beat Mother Nature? Are you fucking serious? You don't even have a fucking fender on your bike. What the fuck? Even if it stops this biblical rainfall before you leave, your ass is going to be soaked by the time you get to Wrigleyville. There is a god-damned waterfall running down the window in front of you right now, and you didn't even bring your fucking bike seat in with you, because you are a moron. The Sears Tower just fucking disappeared from sight because it's raining so hard... What's that sound? Hail? Fuck me. Seriously? Hail? Where the hell did the Hancock Building go? Gone? Gone? Yup. Gone. Stupid Dave. Stupid freaking Dave.

"You are a moron among morons, Dave, a fucking King of the Idiots, a turd among men...

summer 2009, quitting?

I am looking forward to my first summer in Chicago, and a few weeks ago, I realized that I had spread myself too thin.

The Music Box needs some more of my time, the Museum is getting to be more of a chore than a joy, and all together I work 70+ hours a week, plus my internship, plus rehearsals, plus class... there is just no more time.

So, I have talked to one of my bosses about taking on a little more at the Music Box so as to get some more revenue for the theatre, get me some more evening time free, and supplement my income that I loose when i quit working at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Although I like MSI, I need to focus on why I moved to chicago and spend more time on this little jewel I found within the Music Box Theatre. This is not why I moved here, but I have to jump into it more while balancing my life and the reasons why I did move here.

So, I quit MSI, wow.

In the last year I have quit three jobs, that;s pretty amazing.

A Gummed up connection

So, I just signed into Facebook to find two friends of mine had posted in their status about gum at nearly the same time.

The weird thing is that neither of these people have ever met each other and they are currently 400 miles away, but there were their posts, right above each other:

Here they are:

Conrad Franzen hey man I dont care if you want a piece of gum!!! I work hard for my fuckin artic blast!

Peggy Flanagan really wants a piece of gum.17 minutes ago ·

Trains

Trains

I had an interesting thought last night regarding the ‘L.’ I got off a Purple Line Express last night at the Belmont stop and waited for a Brown Line train. Both trains should have gone to the same place, but you never know. Purple Lines appear when you least expect them, and suddenly you are miles off track. So, I go onto a Brown Line and then off at Sedgwick. When I did, my friend Kelly was getting off the train.

Kelly had taken the Red Line from Lawrence, gotten on to the same Purple Line train I was getting off of at Belmont, fearing the same thing I was fearing as to the unpredictability of the Purple Line, she got off at Diversey a and got on the same Brown Line train I was on.

My thought is this, how often do you think that on the CTA do you get off a train that someone you know is getting on?

How often is there someone you know in another car?

How often is there a complete stranger that is taking the same route you are taking and switching from and to the same trains you are?

This city is huge. There are 2.8 Million people who live in the City of Chicago, and there are more than 9.5 Million who live in the Chicagoland area. Approximately 1.7 Million people take CTA trains and busses each Day. According to an advertisement I pass every time I ride the Brown Line there are over 66,000 people who ride the Brown Line every weekday.

66,000 is six times the population of the town I grew up in. It is ten times the size of the high school I went to. 66,000 is larger than the entire staff and student population of the University of Minnesota—the forth largest populated school in the country.

So, the next time you are on the train, think about who you might be missing. It might be a friend or foe, or just that crazy guy eating a tuna fish sandwich…. but it won’t matter if you do not get your head out of the Red Eye.

That is all.

Better Know a Writer: Andy Rooney

Better Know a Writer: Andy Rooney

davejennings.net dvj4.blogspot.com

It is my opinion that Andy Rooney was the first blogger, video blogger, and is one of the most influential men in America. At Age 90, he is a down to earth guy with opinions and an editorial eye that every other writer and editorialist should strive to accomplish.

You may disagree with me, but for nearly 30 years he has had a few minutes at the end of 60 Minutes to chat about whatever he might like to. He has had an amazing career in writing for radio, television, papers, books, and of course his pieces on 60 Minutes. He was one of the first reporters to write about the Concentration Camps at the end of World War II, and he has had a long and storied history writing for CBS and others on everything from Black History to Baseball.

He is not a perfect man. His age and experiences sneak into his words and opinions every now and again. He is one of the very few current event writers and journalists who have had a career spanning over 60 years, and because of that his words and opinions that would have been accepted 50 years ago are not politically correct today. But he has never written a word with malice intent, and he has only looked to write the story as he sees it. He has been upfront and honest about his liberal bias, and other biases that make him a man of integrity.



Andy Rooney: "I'm Trying To Find Out What Blog Means. It Seems Vastly Over-Rated As A Communications Tool"... (Huffington Post, 11/5/2005)

Tarantino: The Improvised Show

Tarantino: The Improvised Show

davejennings.net and dvj4.blogspot.com

Starting January 31st, Saturday nights at 10pm are a time for black suits. A time for fingers itching for the trigger. A time for raised voices and raised tempers.

A time for Tarantino.

Tarantino: The Improvised Show is a one-hour homage to the man himself, creating before your eyes on-stage the Tarantino movie that hasn’t been made yet. So come to the Playground Theater and remember: the only thing you can trust is the gun in your hand.

tarantinotheshow.wordpress.com

Cast
Lisa Burton
Justin Franzen
Brian Hoolahan
Dave Jennings
Dave Urlakis
Allison MacWilliams-Brooks

Director:Tyler Samples
Assistant Director:Allison MacWilliams-Brooks

Chicago, you're a hell of a town

Chicago, you're a hell of a town.
www.davejennings.net http://dvj4.blogspot.com/

Hey Chicago, why do you do the things you do?

Tuesday marks my 5th month in the Second City.

This town is like an abusive boyfiriend. It smacks you around, but you know there's something good in there. It forgets your birthday, and then it takes you out to a really nice dinner. It draws you in, and doesn't let you leave.

I have been scraping away for five months, I was at the end of it all. I am down to my last dollar. It has been a roller coaster:

September:
Moved to Chicago, great apartment, great friends, no job.
Found two jobs, part time. Working 50 hours a week. Making ends meet.
Got into the Second City Conservatory.

October/November
Auditioned for a few things, did not get anything.
I could not get an "in" anywhere.

December
Worked a lot, covered bills, head above water--- but barely.
Got a partial lay off from the Museum of Science and Industry, and I had to watch some great people get laid off completely. THat sucked a lot.
My catering job dissappeared... I had no shifts from Dec 20th to Jan 20th
The city got cold, not frozen like Minneapolis, but cold.

January
Still cold.
Job searching sucked.
Broke up with my girlfriend, which sucked. I was so stressed about everything in my life.
Budgeting everything.
Can't even get an interview for a job.
Making plans in my head about how to move back to the farm
Get into a great show: Tarantino: The Improvised show (www.tarantinotheshow.wordpress.com)
Got into a student/independant film where I play a villain, which is great... a fun film. Great for a reel.
Obama became president.
Got an internship working for Second City in the Training Center.
Got an interview, got a second interview. Got the job.

As the ticking in my bank account seemed ready to explode, Chicago took me out to dinner, calmed me down, and told me that I was loved.

Fuck you, Chicago, fuck you. Ok, we can work this out.

Looks like I am here for awhile.

If you’re cold, get used to it…

If you’re cold, get used to it…
Davejennings.net or dvj4.blogspot.com

Hello All,

All right, it’s cold, we all know that. There is no way to get over it, we just have to deal with it. I am not going to talk about the fact that in Minneapolis right now it is -4 or that in Chicago it is the balmy 6 degree (Fargo, ND is a steamy –9 degrees).

Instead, I want to talk about how we get used to it, Say what you will, in October we start complaining about days in the 50s, but come March we are excited about 40s, or even April’s 60 degree weather has people wearing shorts.

We all have an innate ability to deal with the crappy weather. I have talked to people who have recently moved to Chicago from Texas and North Carolina, and a month ago they could not handle temps around 30, but this weekend we got up to the 20s down here on the lake, and they were excited and living it up.

I guess what I am saying is nothing new, but I am always impressed by how our bodies can adapt and grow resilient to the cold or the heat. During the course of only a few months each year we are able to withstand temperature changes varying from -20 to 110 degrees. Sure, we have heat and air conditioning, coats and scarves, but I believe we also have resilience and strength. We have Midwestern blood from pioneers who emigrated, traversed great distances, and then said “This is far enough. We are tired, and this is nice enough.” Then, like good Midwesterners our forefathers were just as stubborn as we are today, we have refused for generations to move to warmer climates.

And so, every year we convince others to move to this frozen land by saying “Come visit me this summer, you’ll love it!” and then once we convince people to move here they have no way to get out, and then the next year we are able to get them to get more people to move here.

So, here’s what I say: Keep playing this game. Misery loves company. It can always get colder. keep you chins up, campers.

That is all.

Snow, a whole hell of a lot of snow

This morning I went out and got Dunkin’ Donuts for a rehearsal that we were having at the apartment.
Dunkin Donuts has many memories and a very emotional response to many of those who grew up around Dunkin Donuts. Here are some of the things I know about the extents to which others will go for DD:
· I know someone who will ship their father bags of Dunkin Donut’s Coffee a thousand miles because the coffee is “So freaking amazing….”
· I have a friend that will recite their old commercials verbatim from the late 1980’s
· Some people will refuse to do anything, but as soon as you mention going to DD, they are off the couch, with shoes on, and happy as a clam to get out of the apartment
· Dunkin’ Donuts has a power over people to make an early morning meeting or rehearsal ok
· Joe Biden had a racial slip at a Dunkin’ Donut
· In NYC, Dunkin’ Donut’s were giving out a pound of coffee beans to people who donated blood (because that’s a good idea)
· They use Styrofoam for their coffee in their shops, and that is no body’s friend.

Here are some of those commercials in case you need a walk down memory lane:





Old Dunkin' Donuts Commercial... - video powered by Metacafe





How could you not love him?

That is all….

Better Know a Beard

http://www.daveJennings.net and dvj4.blogspot.com

Better know a few…..

Hello Folks,

My post yesterday about facial hair reminds me of a few people who I hold in regard. In this special “Better know a_______” I give you some of my favorite facial haired people of all time.

Better Know a Former Milwaukee Brewer
Rollie Fingers

Regarded as one of the best relief pitchers in Major League Baseball, he was also one of the first to be groomed for that position from his minor league days. Rollie is known for his mustache, a genuine Handlebar, roughly 100 years out of style. Rollie has had the beard since he played for the Athletics. In a true moment of steadfast, he grew the mustache to get a bonus, as did many of his teammates as a publicity stunt. He was the only one not to shave it off when traded, and it became his trademark. Now, over 30 years later no one can imagine a clean faced Rollie.

Highlights from his career: (This is right from Wikipedia!)
Fingers won both the American League MVP and Cy Young Award in 1981 while with Milwaukee. In 1974 he was given the World Series MVP Award while with Oakland, earning two saves and one win. Fingers won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award in 1977, 1978, and 1980 with the Padres and in 1981 with the Brewers. He saved 29 games for the 1982 Brewers, but he pitched most of the season in pain and was forced to miss the Brewers' first trip to the World Series — where they were beaten in seven games by the Cardinals — and any prospect of a showdown or two with Bruce Sutter, who proved vital to the Cardinals' winning effort.

In 1992 he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining Wilhelm to become only the second reliever inducted (Eckersley, Sutter, and Gossage have since followed). In 1999, he ranked Number 96 on The Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Fingers later pitched a season in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball League.

Better Know A President
Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B Hayes is an interesting one. He grew his beard when serving in the Civil War. Hayes formed a military company with some of his literary club friends from Cincinnati. He became a major in the army, and rose up the ranks to a brevetted major general by the end of the war. Under his command was another future president, William McKinley.

The 1876 election was as controversial as any other election in modern history. Hayes was a quiet guy, nice enough, and he lost the popular vote, but won the electoral vote by one vote after a special congressional commission awarded him the presidency. He was sworn in in secrecy one day before the public inauguration for fear of something bad happening.

Better Know a Weather Man….
Jimmy “Dutch” Gaines
http://www.secretsofthecity.com/magazine/blogs/dude-weather

I have no idea why Jimmy has those sideburns. He has had them for most of the time I have known him over the past 5 years. They are a part of this Weather Man (I divide it into two words because he is just that, a Man who does the weather…. Or as he also claims, a Dude who does the weather.

Jimmy is a true New Yorker, even though his stint in NYC was short, he has some great stories about his time there, and moreover he headed back to the Midwest where his NYC feel gives him an edge the Minnesota Nice is fearful of.

Please check out his video blog whether you weather in the Twin Cities, Chicago, Milwaukee, LA, SFO or NYC.
http://www.secretsofthecity.com/magazine/blogs/dude-weather