Phooey on being sick.  I is sick of it, I say!   Odd that the last time i fell ill, was also the last time I ‘enjoyed’ some spare time.  It’s official…I’m allergic to time off.  Happily, as I write this, I am well into my plan to cure myself, with the help of my good friend Jameson.  By tomorrow morning, I vow, either myself or this flu will be dead.  Feel free to root for your fav’rit.

Anyhow, despite my rampaging grossness, I still dragged myself out to the Elmdale Tavern last nite for some CRUSH IMPROV, as they kicked off their new regular gig of ‘Bout Time Improv slugfests.  It may not have been a good idea on my part, woozy as I was, and I did my best to quarantine myself at the back.  But then a couple of cool things happened.  First, Crush managed to pretty much pack the place on the first Monday after new year’s, so huzzah for that!  A dandy way to inaugurate the event, says I.  And second, people I know started to show up, and even more bizarrely, sat with me!  In fact, I probably wasn’t even going to post about this, but Oberholzer’s already gone and got HIS post up, and I refuse to be outdone.

Anyhoo, smooth Tim O and I chatted for a spell about theatre and all sorts of similar posh nonsense, others wandered in and enjoyed their Elmdale pints and quarts like God intended, afore emcee Brad MacNeil got the night’s fisticuffs underway.  Starting a new round robin-stylee twist to the event, previous winners Grimprov (with new team member Mike Kosowan, the scene-stealin’ pope from RED NOSES) squared off against Crush homers The Neighbourhood (with Al Connors subbing in for Ken ‘the God’ Godmere).  Format remained the same…a first half of quick improv games, leading to a final long scene from each team.  But the ‘rules’ are really just window dressing for the meat of the matter…a good night of sweet, sweet improv fun.  And that’s what we got… there was a particularly swell game using someone’s twitter feed as dialogue, and Cari Leslie’s blind gay hobo was the highlight of the nite for me.  Well, that, and being joined at the table by the ubiquitous Nancy Kenny.  That was a treat too, even if I was too woozy to join everyone for pizza afterwards.  Next time!
…and by ‘next time’, I DO mean the first monday in February, when the Crush gang returns for The Neighbourhood (the winners of last nite’s round) to defend their title against a new team.  I’ll be there fo sho.  ‘Cause it’s fun!  Good enough reason, yeah?  And hopefully next time, I’ll be well enough to get into the pickled eggs.  Fingers crossed!  Peace, love and soul,

The Visitor (and Winston)

PS: 211 in 2011 update:  We’re four days into the new year, and I’m two movies in…1968’s spaghetti western RUN MAN RUN, and 1975’s Corman classic DEATH RACE 2000.  Both get thumbs up from me.