Not Enough Time

Monday September 10th, 2007 - Chicago, IL/Lake Villa, IL

Time management is becoming an issue. There are too many things going on and when I work on one thing everything else lags behind. Mondays are my busiest day and today was extra packed. It was squeezing the proverbial six pounds of potato salad into a two pound bag and the bag was breaking. But who eats proverbial potato salad and if they do why do they put it in a bag? Potato salad is supposed to be in a plastic container, right? I think it is but I don’t have any extra time left to devote to potato salad quandaries at the moment.

I just cleaned out my emails and phone calls in Utah last week but they’re starting to pile up again. I couldn’t answer them today because I was preparing to teach the new comedy class at Zanies in Chicago and after that I would host the new talent showcase. That’s my usual Monday schedule as of late and believe me it’s a full day of work. Not only that I’ve moved so far out in the sticks I have to leave extra early to make it into the city on time.

Today I needed to come in early to have dinner with Bert Haas. Bert is the booker and I had to cancel a couple of gigs coming up because of scheduling conflicts. He was working on some things and had time between that and the showcase so he suggested we go grab a meal and work everything out with schedules, classes and anything else that needed fixing.

I also needed to drop off laundry and pick up mail and run those kind of errands. I got a head start on traffic but still got trapped in pockets on the way in because it was raining. It shouldn’t have backed up traffic but somehow it did and that took even more time away. I made it to the city and fought more traffic and ran my errands and made it to Zanies about 4:30 to meet Bert who was also running late with a backlog of calls so I waited for him.

All these little things drain time away from life I’ll never get back. I can’t get to working on stuff if I’m stuck behind a truck in the rain on the freeway trying to get into the city. It isn’t only me and I don’t know what to do about it. Who’s got time to do everything? Not me. Day after day it’s a struggle just to get the basics done and everything else piles up.

I met with my writing partner Rick last week and still haven’t gotten ONE word finished on our movie script project. I need to do that but when? I had to teach class today and not only that Warwick was recording it so that was another issue. He was running late too and by the time we both got there we had had a full day of stress and class hadn’t even started.

Bill Gorgo sat in so he could see how and what I taught in case he ever might fill in for a future session. He’s already a teacher and a comedian too so I know he could do it but the method I’ve come up with over the years is pretty smooth by now and works well. It’s not necessary to switch it and he gets that so he felt like hanging out and observing this round.

I never mind at all because he really adds to the mix and the students are getting a bonus for their money. This looks like a good group and there are some real characters in it. I am always amazed that people still want to learn about comedy and this class is packed full of more. The class went well and we recorded it so now we’ll see if it can be cut up and sold.

That’s the key to everything I’m doing right now. How can I sell it? I love teaching but I have never made a lot of money from it. Bill is a full time teacher and is very good at what he does and is passionate not only about his teaching but about the students in his school.

I know I’m the same way with my class but it’s of legend how poorly teachers get paid. It’s been an issue for years and years and I don’t want to quit but I don’t want to work for nothing either. I make a few bucks at it but after gas and a hamburger and all the time I am spending preparing for each week I really don’t come out all that far ahead financially. I’m probably actually losing money in the long run but I enjoy it so much I don’t want to stop.

It makes it a little easier to get a chance to host the showcase shows. Over the years I’ve done enough showcase shows as a showcaser for free that it’s nice to finally get paid. That helps make it worth my drive into the city to teach but still it isn’t making me wealthy. I’m surviving and supplementing my income but the huge money isn’t ever going to be there.

That’s why I need to pull off something extra like the comedy classes on line or finishing up the movie script and selling it or some other kind of side project. My big idea I thought of in Utah is a money making enterprise also but that’s going to take a lot of steps to get it going and it’s nowhere near ready to start paying off any time soon. In fact it will cost me money as I get it started and I need to keep working so I can pay to get that project going.

I’m still doing what I enjoy though so no matter what happens at least I’ve got that. It’s all revolving around comedy in one form or another and that’s a HUGE positive as far as I can see. I’m not getting rich but I’m not starving either and my days are packed with what I have always wanted to do. I am sure I’m not the only one struggling with time issues but I’d be miserable if I was doing it while working a day job I couldn’t stand for low money.

I think that’s what most of the world does every single day and so no wonder everybody has a short temper and a bad attitude. Everyone is trying to do their own hustle and find a way to make a buck. I don’t have a problem with that but when it’s not honest it bugs me.

There are now several weasels ‘teaching’ comedy classes and I’ll admit that it absolutely bugs me. I’m not upset if a qualified comedian teaches one. Bill Gorgo can and has taught his own classes in the past and they were excellent. I would pay to take his class and he is qualified to teach. He knows how difficult it is and like me he does it because he loves it.

I just resent it when idiots spring up from the mud with no credentials as a comedian and then try to make off with the students’ money. They are the ones that charge the most and deliver the least in return. What amazes me even more is that there are people who will go to their classes and allow them to perpetuate the scam even more. It does rankle me a little but what can I do about it? I guess I’ll have to accept it because they‘re not going away.

True competition is healthy. Ford needs Chevy and McDonald’s needs Burger King. It’s a checks and balances thing and keeps things on the up and up. I am totally fine with other comedy classes. I just have a problem with ones that aren’t taught by actual comedians.