Birthday Suit - this is a long one

"Your birthday suit needs a better tailor."

I rushed from the Amtrak station, showered, and took the bus to 6th street. The college kids were out in full swing. I jumped to an uncountable number of bars, sharing shots mostly with bartenders who comped me for my big day. At Dizzy Roosters they announced my birthday and strangers whooped as I jumped on the bar, grabbed a shot nestled on a high shelf, then ceremoniously signed the rafters. The bouncer asked for my number and in my buzzed state I obliged.

At the Velveeta Room, the second stage for Esther's Follies - what proud Austinites consider the best locale for improv comedy - I got a birthday comp entrance. Later I headed to Mohawks on Red River. The Mohawk was a complete change in vibe from the 6th street scene: UT shirts were traded for band tees, baseball caps became knitted beanies, jeans replaced with skinny pants, and sweatshirts were leather jackets. The band was rocking and I met up with one of my Craigslist contacts, Hans.

From there we headed east to a yuppy club. The seating was queen size beds, an uptight crowd, but it was the bartenders birthday too so he made me a few special cocktails. We headed next door to a hopping Jewish deli where I topped my night with chocolate milk, fudge blintzes, and fried pickles. It was my birthday after all.

Hans and I headed back to 6th to find a cab when the bouncer from the Rooster pulled up and offered us a ride. Hans and I weren't exactly on a date, but I was dropped off first and I can only imagine the awkward conversation between the two of them after I left.

Sunday I headed back to Esther's Follies because they were offering a free improv class. I am neither funny nor comfortable on stage, but I thought this would be a great experiment in overcoming my anxieties. I got on stage a few times in front of the 30 attendees, and I neither puked nor shook uncontrollably, both my normal responses. The teacher was IO and 2nd City alum, founder of Chicago's Annoyance Theater, Tom Booker. He called me out for my shyness and offered a few tips to remember: 1. If what you're doing has never been done before then it can't be a mistake 2. Don't be afraid to make a mistake. 3. Don't suck.

Later I went with another Craigslist contact to Ruby's BBQ, then to play pool. It was a good time, though all the question and answer stuff became a chore.

Tom Booker made another point about performance. Responding 'no' stops the flow but asking questions gets people stuck in their head. One solution is to make a statement to elicit a statement, responding each time with "Yes, and..." Next time I'm out with a new person I am going to ditch the Q&A and try the improv approach. I imagine it will go something like this:

ME: I write stories.
GUY: Yes, and I like to read stories.
ME: I like lamp.
GUY: Yes, and I too like lamp!