Dudes of Lee Street

NOTE: I tweet minor, relevant updates on a very regular basis, so follow me on there. I also take way more pictures than I blog, so check out my flickr page regularly as well, if you please.

Hey everyone,

Here is my first post from the amazing city of Chicago. I am going to be here until June 29th, and am hoping to make a larger commitment to keeping the four regular readers of this site interested and engaged. If you did not know, I am in Chicago taking some summer immersions courses, which are essentially week-long, intense, fast-paced classes. I am taking two improv and two comedic writing classes. Most importantly, the classes are being taught through Second City, the comedy (and most definitely improvisation) capital of the world. The alumni list of Second City is remarkable and, to be quite honest, just a bit ridiculous. It seems unfathomable that so many great names came from one place.

But anyways, I’m not going to dwell on how fantastic Second City is, but instead move into what is taking up my 19 days here in Chicago. In fact, my blog will be briefs about what I am doing in Chicago, and length about why I am doing it and how I feel, that sort of thing. That will come in the forthcoming days.

Let’s start from the beginning: Last Thursday Austin and I took the train to Chicago. The Amtrak. That was a poor decision. There were two distinct points in the train ride. One: At one point the train was traveling so slowly that we were actually passed by a stray cat I spotted outside. Two: We traveled backwards for five minutes. I took some footage on the train and, due to slow speeds, edited it on there, as well. Here’s what I did when I was bored:

The first night we were in Chicago, we joined up with Charlie (with whom I am staying) to take in a Comedy Sportz (with the z) show. They were made up of seven improvisers, split into two teams and a referee, and did short-form improv. involving the crowd and scoring and whatnot. It was a lot of fun and a great first show to take in.

After that we went to a karaoke bar, had some drinks, and sang Love Shack on the karaoke machine.

Charlie and Drew relaxing in Grant Park

Friday consisted of a trip to Grant Park, where the free, annual Chicago Blue Festival was taking place. We heard some good music, saw some very interesting people, but most of all relaxed and got shunned by Charlie due to our lack of frisbee skill. We then went out to eat with Charlie’s family and some friends, and ended up watching the Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 at his Aunt’s house while enjoying High Life Lite, which I found out exists.

A bus belonging to a traveling Blues Band

Saturday, Charlie’s internship with XRT Radio required he spend some hours under a tent distributing swag and selling t-shirts. Austin and I took advantage of this and explored Chicago. We explored Chicago to the point that we ended up in Indiana.

Sunday (today) was the Cubs game. I was excited (and Austin uncontrollably ecstatic) to see Wrigley Field. The game was a blast as Ryan Theriot hit a walkoff single.

Then I made my way to Old Town Chicago, to Second City, where my time here in Chi-Town really started to come to. After the Cubs game I parted ways with the crew and was forced to navigate myself the 3-4 miles to Second City, using only my wits, a transit pass (amazing birthday gift), and a mediocre Edge Network iPhone. This may sound like a joke, but the idea of a city this large mixed with my having to travel places I’ve never seen on public transportation with names I’ve never heard of intimidated me. I felt a great sense of pride and accomplishment when I finally made it to Second City. Once I had arrived I began to feel overwhelmed. Something I had worked extremely hard for, something that could help shape who I am going to be “now that I’m a grown up,” was actually happening. I had finished my pilgramage to comedy’s Mecca, but now I didn’t know what to do. It’s an odd feeling when something you want so badly is actually before you. I sent a frantic text and was comforted by my sister. We had what was basically a meet-and-greet, even less than an orientation, and then all made our way to the Second City Mainstage Show (great).

This blog is so dang long, I’ll talk more later. Thank you dearly for reading. Check out my flickr.

Love,

Kyle.