TRYING NEW THINGS!

This has been an eye opening week for me! I started this year with a very busy tour schedule. For the most part being on the road for the first 3 months straight of the year. All of a sudden, I find myself home for 3 weeks with little or no shows to occupy my time. My first 3 days were spent in a whirlwind getting home stuff done. As is my usual routine, when I am home, I hit the ground running! Laundry, dishes, lawn care, car maintenance, dates with my wife, time with my son and family. I get it DONE!
BUT....

This stretch of time is different. It is the longest I have been off the road in a year. So after the first 3 days, I had done all my "to do" list and have been looking down the barrel of a very long break.
My wife is happy I get to be home and relax. After so much daily grind being on tour, it is great to be home and to put my feet up for a bit. I am just TERRIBLE at relaxing! I love what I do for a living and play as hard as I work when I am on the road. So being home and not having anything to do has had its mental challenges.


As a New Year's resolution, I told myself that I would try new things this year. I wanted to challenge myself to break out of my comfort zone and really get out of my own ruts. I crushed that goal this past week! Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent going to see my wife's Improv shows at the Hideout theater here in Austin Texas. After the shows we went and hung out at cast parties and with her friends she has cultivated in my absences while I have been on tour. As social as I am on the road, it is a different feeling being introduced to so many people who have heard about me, but never seen me before.
Sunday, my wife's duo improv partner had to back out on her and she asked me to get on stage and do a 30 minute show with her. I must say that it is a much different performing experience to get on stage and not have any lines or bits to fall back on. I am used to saying my first lines in my head before I walk out on stage. To not have any, just get out there and start talking is kind of like showing up to do a book report where you haven't even seen the movie, only talked about it with your friends 10 minutes before class. We had a blast though, and apparently I didn't let her down, because she was really happy we got to perform together and wants to do it again. Yay!

Monday, my friend Peter Boie and I launched our podcast called Monday Club. You can check it out at this link (mondayclubpodcast.com) I am really excited about doing this project because I am learning so much about recording, story boarding, broadcasting and opening myself up in a new way. We have a handful of episodes in the bag and I feel like the episodes are getting better and better the more we find our groove.
I also have started to TRY and play the guitar. I don't know how I missed it as a kid, but I never learned an instrument. I got a solid D chord down already so look out billboard top 10000 :). We will see about the rest, but it does feel really good to challenge my brain and body to something all new. It reminds me of learning to juggle. I remember seeing others do it and thinking to myself, "See! It's possible!" My fingers don't yet agree, but my brain knows I can do it.

Yesterday, I spent the day with my best friend from High School. First of all, we only see each other once or twice a year. Mostly because of our very opposite schedules and the fact that he lives about an hour away, it's just tough to make the time. That being said, we both made the time to have a full day of hanging out together. We started off by going to play golf. I only get to play golf once or twice a year, which isn't nearly enough to get good, but I am just good enough to have a good time and not lose too many balls. Yesterday I had a great golf game! I even got a few legit birdies and pars. Most importantly, it was a beautiful day outside and we had a great time reconnecting and laughing. After golf, we went back to his house that sits on 5 acres of land and rode his two new dirt bikes. Let me say that I have gone through the training to get a motorcycle license... about 15 years ago. It has been about that long since I've been on a motorbike. But I guess that saying, "you never forget how to ride a bike" is true, because after a few stalls to get it going in first gear, I was tearing off and riding around like a boss! I ALMOST backed out of riding when he suggested it. I was thinking of all the reasons why I shouldn't get on a motorcycle after not having ridden in so long. I am so glad I didn't listen to myself and just jumped on. I know this sounds sappy, but there is a lesson in doing something slightly dangerous and overcoming it. I wasn't doing jumps or racing on the highway, I was pretty much in 2nd or 3rd gear the whole time. Logically, if I did need to bail off the bike I would most likely have been okay. What I was doing is getting over that nagging voice that says, "this is dangerous" and instead listening to that voice that says, "you can do this!". Memories and confidence are made by listening to that second voice. Don't be stupid, but don't forget that you are a strong and powerful person either.

Like I said, this week has been full of opening myself up to new experiences. With one more week to go of being home, we will see where life takes me. Today however, I am going to be sitting in my living room playing some video games. After all that golf and dirt biking, I am icing my ankle and staying in. Thanks for reading! :)