Maniacal Mondays

Monday October 6th, 2008 - Chicago, IL

My busy Mondays are getting even busier. I hope I can handle it. It was enough of a job trying to make everything fit as it was. Between having to get downtown and back to be a part of Jerry’s Kidders in the morning on WLS and then going back downtown to host the showcase show at Zanies at night I had my plate pretty full. It was two work days in one.

Tonight I added another comedy class to the mix. Since I’m already scheduled to appear at Zanies for the show it makes sense to have the classes then. I’ve done it before and that schedule never bothered me but I wasn’t doing the radio show then. This could get tricky.

All of these things won’t last forever but for now they’re all in various stages of growth and it’s an endurance test to tackle all of them in one day. I get up around 6am to take the train because it’s 1/4 of the cost of what parking would be which is $28. I won’t pay that.

The train schedule is limited though and the only one that I can catch back gets me in at about 2:30pm. Then I have to check emails, return calls, shower up again and drive right back into Chicago to be at Zanies for class at 6pm. I live pretty far from the freeway too.

There’s really no down time except on the train or in the car. I usually read on the train or do a crossword puzzle or sleep and that relaxes me but the drive is just the opposite of that. I have to fight construction and traffic and it’s a challenge to make it by class time.

I cut it way too close tonight and that’s going to stop. It stresses me out and I don’t need that in my life right now. Bill Gorgo is teaching with me on this session because he’s very calm and laid back and wants to do it. He’s a high school teacher by day and this is a treat for him because he loves both comedy and teaching. He’ll help take some of the burden.

We had five show up for class tonight but they’re all good people. I didn’t promote this like I could or should have but I’m starting from scratch and this is what I could do. I had a list of people to contact and I did and this is who showed up. I’m planning on doing one next month too and that should be better. Word will get out and I’ll organize it better too.

This is all a lot to handle but I feel like it’s worth my time. If I had to drop anything I’d stop doing the radio show but to be on a major station like WLS on a regular basis is not a perk to be taken lightly. I have the potential to reach a lot of people each week for no cost.

But there is a cost. Time and energy. By the end of the day on Mondays I’m just wiped. It’s not so much physical as mental but it’s a drain all around. I almost nodded out behind the wheel a few times on the way home tonight and it was a chore to finish driving home.

I need to be careful on how I spend my time. Tuesdays are usually a waste because of an action packed Monday but that’s not good because it makes Wednesday a catch up day. It keeps going until the weekend gigs and then the Mothership Connection on Sunday night. All of this requires thought and preparation and just plain hard work - but I love to do it.