Monday equaled not eating. It was Yom Kippur, and I feel pretty repented. I went to Kol Nidre services with Jake, Sunday night. I went to class on Monday which is something I don’t generally like doing…but I really like going to comedy class. I’m actually surprised we didn’t have classes canceled, what with Jews running the comedy world and what not. The hunger itself wasn’t terrible. The worst part was lunch where Jake, Amy, and I sequestered ourselves away from everyone eating. We formed our own little Warsaw ghetto seperated from all the Gentiles…which is kind of counter productive when you think about it. Jake, Danna, and I broke fast that day at Chili’s. There’s no reason, tradition-based or otherwise as to why we went there. Jake started talking about it during lunch and I realized I really wanted their buffalo chicken sandwich. Also, the Torah specifically commands that Jews enjoy bottomless nachos and salsa for $2.99.

Tuesday was a lot cooler than Monday; mainly because I got to eat whenever I wanted, but also for other reasons. This was the day when Steve and I (along with Bre and Steph) were going to do our Vaudeville sketches at Columbia. We took two cabs down to the South loop, and it was me and Anne in one cab, and Steph, Bre, and Steve in the other. It was great! I essentially picked Anne’s brain the whole way down. Any free time you get with any of the teachers is pretty amazing because you just get to ask all those comedy questions that you’ve always had. On the way there, we saw an anti-Chicago 2016 Olympics protest. In the words of James Folta in the Octopocolypse sketch, “This will come into play later.”

We got there, and realized that this was quite the fancy affair. I know this because there were people in suits, and we were beings served extremely small, but also perfectly proportional tiny sandwiches. The upper crust were mingling, so all the kids (and Anne from time to time) stayed in the corner because we weren’t entirely sure we were supposed to be here as we weren’t dressed up, and we were just there to tell jokes. The gathering was for some of the trustees (there were about 20 people at this thing total) of Columbia College to meet the new chair of the Theater Department. We were there to show off the Comedy Studies program. Our sketch went well, and afterwards, all of the bigwigs came over and were telling us “good job” and what not. At one point, someone came up and shook my hand. I noticed his Chicago 2016 pin and I mentioned the protest I saw on the way to the event. He mentioned that he was going to Copenhagen the next day (today, if I did my math right) to help lobby for the games. He asked if I supported the bid, and I said yes. So he told me to wear my pin proudly. I told him that I didn’t have a pin, so he gave me his. Pretty cool…right? Right?

After that, Bobby, Steve, and I went down to Wrigleyville for dollar burger night at the Houndstooth, and then went to go see the Reckoning at I.O. While I was there, I ran into Prescott Gadd. For those who don’t know, Prescott is affectionately known as the Gaddfather, as he is one of the founders of Major:Undecided. He is now the second Majors alum I’ve randomly run into at an improv show in Chicago.

Today in Jet’s class we took some of the projects we’ve been doing (either making a scene of struggling with an everyday object, or creating a physical scene with a partner or group) out into the street. Essentially, we were flash mobbing people. We ended up walking around a park and a farmer’s market. The bit I was doing involved me trying to help move/sit down/calm down/sober up Brad, who was pretending to be extremely drunk (or as one bystander asked us, sick, or possibly diabetic.) It went extremely well for us. Multiple people asked if he was all right, and tried to offer help. We definitely made a lot of people uncomfortable, which is always a goal of mine. As I was walking back to class, I realized how different this was from say…listening to a lecture and writing papers.

After class today Chris, Glenn, Alex, and I wrote and choreographed our silent movie sketch. I don’t want to jinx it…but I think it’s going to be a laugh riot.

In other news, I bought tickets today for Big Fan on Friday. But this isn’t just any showing of Big Fan. First off, a bunch of us are going (Justin, Sam, Bobby, Chris, Alex, and I.) But more importantly, after the movie, there’s going to be a Q&A with the director and writer Robert Seigel, as well as Patton Oswalt. Win!