Quick "Get you up to date details"
I moved from Chicago to Oregon on May 6th, 2015. This year.
I came here to help support, grow, and build a theater company from the ground up.
That Company is Oregon Adventure Theatre.
This summer I'm playing Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing and several small parts in Macbeth.
I started coming to Oregon to do shows with this theatre three years ago. Will, the Artistic Director called me on the phone while I was living in Chicago and said,
"Ryan, I want to start an outdoor shakespeare company out here in Oregon. I want it to be lit entirely with campfires and lanterns, I want to use Comedia del Arte' masks, and I want to take people camping. The show this summer is Midsummer Night's Dream. You wana come play the lead role?"
I think its safe to say I'd bought the ticket out in less than a week.
From then until now, I've fallen in love. Fallen in love with the Northwest, with Portland, and with this Theater company.
What we do out here is different, more visceral, and more connected to the earth than anything I've ever been a part of.
We take Shakespeare, focus on the things that make it the most exciting to watch - the things that an audience connects the most with. We take the language, and make it absolutely, 100 % accessible to even the least well read Shakespeare novice.
We perform in peoples back yards all across the Portland area, in High school auditoriums, on farmsteads and in the woods.
I fell in love so hard, that last February, I decided I would move from Chicago, to Portland, to help build this adventure. I left my family, my friends, my career out there - and I came here - to chase a dream.
We open in 7 days.
Come see us on Alberta street opening weekend.
You wont regret it.
Ryan
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 25
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 25
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Alright folks. I've procrastinated and put off this final post for almost a week and a half now. Though it feels like the better part of a month.
The long and the short - is I made it. By the skin of my teeth, I made it.
Total cash from the subway - 719
Total hours playing guitar - 52
Wage per hour 13/ hour
I had to call in on an early paycheck, and not pay as much as I'd planned on a bill, BUT - everything got paid and I made it through.
I learned a lot this last month. It wasn't like the 1st year I did this. I mean - there were similarities, sure - but, it was completely different. Much more of a grind, of a hard, hard grind.
A good friend of mine who was following the blog sent me a text just before I stopped posting back in January, and she said something like
, "Hey - it sounds like your having a rough time - a really rough time - if you wana talk it out - holler"
And it was the first time, seeing her text, that I really looked at what was happening, how I was feeling, and that - yeah - I was not the Ryan I usually am. Not the Ryan I am now. I was caught up in this death grind where all I did was eat, sleep, play guitar in the subway, and go to rehearsal. And I guess I forgot how hard that is. How absolutely challenging.
But what really hit me hard, smack in the face, wasn't that it was hard - or that I was over worked and exhausted. It was that - I'm pretty tired of playing in the subway. That's never happened before. Ever. In all the years I've been doing it. Its a hard hard job playing for a crowd composed mostly of people who barely know you're there. And you find the rare gems - you pull out the rare stories, and they're wonderful - but the hour to hour, the minute to minute of it - It's a hard hard thing.
Now - don't get me wrong - I'm not done busking. haha. That's just crazy talk. But the idea of making it my main source of income - That - just can't happen anymore. Because it ate me last month. It opened wide, and gobbled me down.
SO - Moving forward -
this month has a little different feel to it.
I'm working on three different projects -
James and the Giant Peach with Filament Theatre - Opening February 11th
Tounges - with a mystery director in an abandoned space - Opens in March
Spoon River Anthology - Oakton Community College - Music Directing - rehearsals start at the end of February.
As well as various gigs at City News, Underground Wonderbar and The Store
I'm learning buckets of music for Spoon River and I'll be posting em up on here as well as Soundcloud and some You Tube stuff.
So - There's gona be alot of music this month. Buckets of it. :)
Happy February yall.
Ryan
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Alright folks. I've procrastinated and put off this final post for almost a week and a half now. Though it feels like the better part of a month.
The long and the short - is I made it. By the skin of my teeth, I made it.
Total cash from the subway - 719
Total hours playing guitar - 52
Wage per hour 13/ hour
I had to call in on an early paycheck, and not pay as much as I'd planned on a bill, BUT - everything got paid and I made it through.
I learned a lot this last month. It wasn't like the 1st year I did this. I mean - there were similarities, sure - but, it was completely different. Much more of a grind, of a hard, hard grind.
A good friend of mine who was following the blog sent me a text just before I stopped posting back in January, and she said something like
, "Hey - it sounds like your having a rough time - a really rough time - if you wana talk it out - holler"
And it was the first time, seeing her text, that I really looked at what was happening, how I was feeling, and that - yeah - I was not the Ryan I usually am. Not the Ryan I am now. I was caught up in this death grind where all I did was eat, sleep, play guitar in the subway, and go to rehearsal. And I guess I forgot how hard that is. How absolutely challenging.
But what really hit me hard, smack in the face, wasn't that it was hard - or that I was over worked and exhausted. It was that - I'm pretty tired of playing in the subway. That's never happened before. Ever. In all the years I've been doing it. Its a hard hard job playing for a crowd composed mostly of people who barely know you're there. And you find the rare gems - you pull out the rare stories, and they're wonderful - but the hour to hour, the minute to minute of it - It's a hard hard thing.
Now - don't get me wrong - I'm not done busking. haha. That's just crazy talk. But the idea of making it my main source of income - That - just can't happen anymore. Because it ate me last month. It opened wide, and gobbled me down.
SO - Moving forward -
this month has a little different feel to it.
I'm working on three different projects -
James and the Giant Peach with Filament Theatre - Opening February 11th
Tounges - with a mystery director in an abandoned space - Opens in March
Spoon River Anthology - Oakton Community College - Music Directing - rehearsals start at the end of February.
As well as various gigs at City News, Underground Wonderbar and The Store
I'm learning buckets of music for Spoon River and I'll be posting em up on here as well as Soundcloud and some You Tube stuff.
So - There's gona be alot of music this month. Buckets of it. :)
Happy February yall.
Ryan
Friday, January 30, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 24
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 24
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
1/29/15 44.00
Below Goal: 176
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual:
TIME:
WHERE:
CD's Sold:
Temp: High 37, Low 21, Current 35, feels like 23
The difference between this winter and last winter, is so, insanely huge.
We're coming up on the last stretch of this race. Its going to be more than 25 days, but I basically have 3, maybe 4 days of playing left. and if I make 50, or close to 50 on each of them, with some finite finagling, bills will be paid, and I will rejoice in not having to go downtown for a good bit of time after February 5th.
To the Subway Batman!
Ryan
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
1/29/15 44.00
Below Goal: 176
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual:
TIME:
WHERE:
CD's Sold:
Temp: High 37, Low 21, Current 35, feels like 23
The difference between this winter and last winter, is so, insanely huge.
We're coming up on the last stretch of this race. Its going to be more than 25 days, but I basically have 3, maybe 4 days of playing left. and if I make 50, or close to 50 on each of them, with some finite finagling, bills will be paid, and I will rejoice in not having to go downtown for a good bit of time after February 5th.
To the Subway Batman!
Ryan
Thursday, January 29, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 23
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 23
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
1/29/15 44.00
Below Goal: 176
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 44
TIME: 5
WHERE: Clark/Division, Monroe Red, Monroe Blue, Lasalle
CD's Sold: 0
Temp: High 37, Low 21, Current 35, feels like 23
The difference between this winter and last winter, is so, insanely huge.
And I'm off! I'm finishing a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch ( The best cereal on the continental and sub continental regions of planet Earth) and I'm headed out.
I'm supposed to meet this fella at Jackson Blue to get a copy of something he filmed weeks back. We'll see if it pans out.
Talk to yall later tonight!
Ryan
UPDATE
Today was a marathon. Not only did I play for the entire 5 hours, but I was kicked out of every station I went to besides Lasalle. I've never been kicked from so many stations in a day.
SO I realized I haven't given yall a play-by-play of a day in the subway for a long time and today is a great day for that. So here goes.
I left at 10:15 - which is remarkable for me and earlier than I've left any other day this month.
I get off at lake, use the restroom in the Daley Center, walk to Washington. Jose - the blind dude who plays killer guitar riffs - is there. He tells me its locked up. Kevin is coming and then the fellas who sing accapella after him.
So I roll to Jackson Blue - Mohammed is leaving, and Ozzy is setting up, so I head to Clark/Lake, which I've never been to.
I play at Clark/Lake for about 30 minutes, make 7 dollars, and the K9 dude shows up. I pack it all up the second I see him, and he doesn't take my licence away (Cause I'm on the 3rd strike with this one dude. One more time, and he takes it, and I'm out another 15 bucks for another one).
So, I wait 8 minutes for the southbound train and check in at Jackson Red - Accapella dudes are there - They tell me Ron is coming at 2 and I should check back at 2 - but I know ron - and he's gona sing past 5, which is when i'm leaving, so its not worth my time.
Its 12:30 now and I'm at Monroe Red - I make really great money for an hour and 15 minutes. prolly 20ish dollars, and then I get booted by a CTA worker, who's superior is coming down on him for letting me play and not kicking me earlier.
Off to Monroe blue - its 2:00 now. I make 8 dollars.
Its 3 now. I make 7 dollars.
At 3:45, a dude, who hangs around between Monroe Blue and Jackson and may or may not be homeless, tells me he's going to Mcdonalds and asks me if I want anything (It's ok - I know him. I see him all the time. We talk, we laugh, he discretely asks folks for change, I ask folks for dollars in exchange for my lofty notes. We're pals.) I give him 1.20 and he brings me a McChicken - which - is absolutely glorious, and only makes me feel sick for about 30 minutes.
4:07 I'm booted from Monroe Blue - a First.
At this point I'm basically sounding like Ralphie's dad in a Christmas Story, talking under my breath. Who know's what I said, but I'm assuredly going to hell for it.
I roll to Lasalle, make 7 dollars thanks to a nice boy, who, I really think saw how upset I was ( Because I wasn't playing music. I was just standing there with my Ukitar staring at the wall wondering how on earth I was going to motivate myself to play for another 30 minutes - And - at the same time, deciding if I should throw my Uke at the wall) And I call it quits at 4:45 because I can't take the feeling of all this stuff hanging off my body any longer.
I get on the train with a backpack, a guitar, and a ukulele, I eat my sandwich and chips. I finish reading Zenocide, I get to rehearsal an hour early, I sit in the greenroom for an hour, getting rid of all the frustration of the day, get out of rehearsal at 10:30, ride the bus home, pour a cup of throat coat and a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, write a blog post, give Phil his meds, Prolly play some silly game for 20 minutes - turn on my electric blanket to 4 - and call it a good, hard, very long day.
OH and I GOT that Video from Smokey while at Monroe Blue - But its in a wierd format - so I don't know how to upload it yet.
AND THAT WAS MY DAY!
It was long, hard, not very glorious, and I didn't even make a full 50 dollars, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I came very close, and I played for 5 hours. I'm gona call that good folks. Good as good.
Alright - Night time.
Ryan
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
1/29/15 44.00
Below Goal: 176
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 44
TIME: 5
WHERE: Clark/Division, Monroe Red, Monroe Blue, Lasalle
CD's Sold: 0
Temp: High 37, Low 21, Current 35, feels like 23
The difference between this winter and last winter, is so, insanely huge.
And I'm off! I'm finishing a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch ( The best cereal on the continental and sub continental regions of planet Earth) and I'm headed out.
I'm supposed to meet this fella at Jackson Blue to get a copy of something he filmed weeks back. We'll see if it pans out.
Talk to yall later tonight!
Ryan
UPDATE
Today was a marathon. Not only did I play for the entire 5 hours, but I was kicked out of every station I went to besides Lasalle. I've never been kicked from so many stations in a day.
SO I realized I haven't given yall a play-by-play of a day in the subway for a long time and today is a great day for that. So here goes.
I left at 10:15 - which is remarkable for me and earlier than I've left any other day this month.
I get off at lake, use the restroom in the Daley Center, walk to Washington. Jose - the blind dude who plays killer guitar riffs - is there. He tells me its locked up. Kevin is coming and then the fellas who sing accapella after him.
So I roll to Jackson Blue - Mohammed is leaving, and Ozzy is setting up, so I head to Clark/Lake, which I've never been to.
I play at Clark/Lake for about 30 minutes, make 7 dollars, and the K9 dude shows up. I pack it all up the second I see him, and he doesn't take my licence away (Cause I'm on the 3rd strike with this one dude. One more time, and he takes it, and I'm out another 15 bucks for another one).
So, I wait 8 minutes for the southbound train and check in at Jackson Red - Accapella dudes are there - They tell me Ron is coming at 2 and I should check back at 2 - but I know ron - and he's gona sing past 5, which is when i'm leaving, so its not worth my time.
Its 12:30 now and I'm at Monroe Red - I make really great money for an hour and 15 minutes. prolly 20ish dollars, and then I get booted by a CTA worker, who's superior is coming down on him for letting me play and not kicking me earlier.
Off to Monroe blue - its 2:00 now. I make 8 dollars.
Its 3 now. I make 7 dollars.
At 3:45, a dude, who hangs around between Monroe Blue and Jackson and may or may not be homeless, tells me he's going to Mcdonalds and asks me if I want anything (It's ok - I know him. I see him all the time. We talk, we laugh, he discretely asks folks for change, I ask folks for dollars in exchange for my lofty notes. We're pals.) I give him 1.20 and he brings me a McChicken - which - is absolutely glorious, and only makes me feel sick for about 30 minutes.
4:07 I'm booted from Monroe Blue - a First.
At this point I'm basically sounding like Ralphie's dad in a Christmas Story, talking under my breath. Who know's what I said, but I'm assuredly going to hell for it.
I roll to Lasalle, make 7 dollars thanks to a nice boy, who, I really think saw how upset I was ( Because I wasn't playing music. I was just standing there with my Ukitar staring at the wall wondering how on earth I was going to motivate myself to play for another 30 minutes - And - at the same time, deciding if I should throw my Uke at the wall) And I call it quits at 4:45 because I can't take the feeling of all this stuff hanging off my body any longer.
I get on the train with a backpack, a guitar, and a ukulele, I eat my sandwich and chips. I finish reading Zenocide, I get to rehearsal an hour early, I sit in the greenroom for an hour, getting rid of all the frustration of the day, get out of rehearsal at 10:30, ride the bus home, pour a cup of throat coat and a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, write a blog post, give Phil his meds, Prolly play some silly game for 20 minutes - turn on my electric blanket to 4 - and call it a good, hard, very long day.
OH and I GOT that Video from Smokey while at Monroe Blue - But its in a wierd format - so I don't know how to upload it yet.
AND THAT WAS MY DAY!
It was long, hard, not very glorious, and I didn't even make a full 50 dollars, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I came very close, and I played for 5 hours. I'm gona call that good folks. Good as good.
Alright - Night time.
Ryan
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 22
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 22
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
Below Goal: 170
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 0
TIME: 0
WHERE:
CD's Sold:
Temp: High 31, Low 24, Current 30, feels like 21
Took a break today.
Unplanned break.
Not in the plans.
No call.
No show.
I feel insanely guilty about it.
It was 11 am.
Breakfast was finished
Pals had left
My body said
"No, Absolutely no."
And I stayed home.
And then I wrote a poem about it.
Ryan
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
1/28/15 00.00
Below Goal: 170
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 21
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 0
TIME: 0
WHERE:
CD's Sold:
Temp: High 31, Low 24, Current 30, feels like 21
Took a break today.
Unplanned break.
Not in the plans.
No call.
No show.
I feel insanely guilty about it.
It was 11 am.
Breakfast was finished
Pals had left
My body said
"No, Absolutely no."
And I stayed home.
And then I wrote a poem about it.
Ryan
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 21
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 21
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
Below Goal: 120
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 16
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 34
TIME: 2.5
WHERE: Monroe
CD's Sold: 1
Temp: High 31, Low 24, Current 30, feels like 21 - Clear
Father winter is back, showing his Gnarly little head.
This is - most definitely, my favorite breakfast on the planet.
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
1/27/15 34.00
Below Goal: 120
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 16
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 34
TIME: 2.5
WHERE: Monroe
CD's Sold: 1
Temp: High 31, Low 24, Current 30, feels like 21 - Clear
Father winter is back, showing his Gnarly little head.
This is - most definitely, my favorite breakfast on the planet.
The glass of very, very suspect cloudy yellow, is, infact.... Emergen - C :)
French toast has always been one of my favorite foods. However, its something that falls off my radar at times - And I forget how easy it is to make. I make some kind of eggs every morning - and all you have to do, is dip the bread in the eggs before you cook em. What? Holy biscuits. How could I forget how easy that is?
So I've been making up for lost time and have eaten french toast 6 out of 7 days this week. :)
Would you believe it if I told you I'm on target to leave ON TIME and get a FULL 5 hour day in? Or very close to on time. I still have to give Phil his anti-biotics and that can take some serious time some mornings - BUT - I'm very very close.
Wait - no - Now I'm behind. 15 minutes has gone by because I got distracted picking out The Water is Wide on Nathan Scheetz guitar.
THIS is what Happens! FOCUS WESTWOOD.
So, I'm guessing, that by the end of today, I'll have "Hey Soul Sister" down pretty solid. Cause Oh Susannah is only about 1:45, and lord knows I'm gona get bored of that pretty quick. :)
ALRIGHT!
I'm off.
Have a great day folks. Stay warm. And thank ht heavens you're not in New York today with their 2 feet of snow. :)
Ryan
EDIT.
Such big plans we have. 5 hours plans, 6 hour plans. 2.5 hour plans.
Today was a fairly regular day. But I realized today that my plan is flawed. There is no way, that I can leave at 11, and play for 5 hours straight, and leave at 5. There's just no way. There's time gone from checking in at spots, and time gone from inevitable bathroom breaks.
I feel like this month has been more about time than anything else. Last year it was about the cold, and every dollar - this year its about time. I think - but who knows really :)
I talked with Will Steel into the wee hours of the morning tonight about Oregon Adventure Theatre, what's next, and what the plans are for this summer. Macbeth, and Much Ado About Nothing - In rep, in backyards, across Portland, through September. Some things just sound perfect. Don't they?
Folks - Its been a hard day. A day where you look back and think - I've had it with this day job. It was great for a bit, but - I'm very very over it. And its not even the playing the guitar and singing. Its the Carrying all the coats, and the guitar, and the uke, and my backpack, down to the subway, to all the stops checking in. Then to rehearsal, on all the buses. Then home, on the buses and trains.
I feel like a crazy bag lady with all my gear. There's too much to sit comfortably in 1 seat. especially if I decide to buy groceries on the way home like I did tonight. Then there's so much stuff, that I start getting angry at it - Like its all this stuff's fault I'm in a bad mood.
I forgot how hard it was. Playing this much. And in the long run and the large scheme of it all, its not ACTUALLY that much. Some jobs are hard. Coal miners. They have hard jobs. This is cake. But we all need to complain once in a while right? It feels very out of character. I don't understand it.
But - regardless of it all. Tomorrow, I will eat breakfast with Ashley Spessard, I will write a blog post, I will give Phil his Anti-Biotics, I will go to the subway and play for 3-5 hours, I will go to rehearsal and pretend to be a Scottish grasshopper, I will come home, give Phil his anti-biotics, write a blog post, do something ridiculous for at least 15 minutes - and curl up in my electric blanket and let it whisper me to sleep.
Love - from Ryan and the very upset hedgehog on his lap
- Good night
EDIT.
Such big plans we have. 5 hours plans, 6 hour plans. 2.5 hour plans.
Today was a fairly regular day. But I realized today that my plan is flawed. There is no way, that I can leave at 11, and play for 5 hours straight, and leave at 5. There's just no way. There's time gone from checking in at spots, and time gone from inevitable bathroom breaks.
I feel like this month has been more about time than anything else. Last year it was about the cold, and every dollar - this year its about time. I think - but who knows really :)
I talked with Will Steel into the wee hours of the morning tonight about Oregon Adventure Theatre, what's next, and what the plans are for this summer. Macbeth, and Much Ado About Nothing - In rep, in backyards, across Portland, through September. Some things just sound perfect. Don't they?
Folks - Its been a hard day. A day where you look back and think - I've had it with this day job. It was great for a bit, but - I'm very very over it. And its not even the playing the guitar and singing. Its the Carrying all the coats, and the guitar, and the uke, and my backpack, down to the subway, to all the stops checking in. Then to rehearsal, on all the buses. Then home, on the buses and trains.
I feel like a crazy bag lady with all my gear. There's too much to sit comfortably in 1 seat. especially if I decide to buy groceries on the way home like I did tonight. Then there's so much stuff, that I start getting angry at it - Like its all this stuff's fault I'm in a bad mood.
I forgot how hard it was. Playing this much. And in the long run and the large scheme of it all, its not ACTUALLY that much. Some jobs are hard. Coal miners. They have hard jobs. This is cake. But we all need to complain once in a while right? It feels very out of character. I don't understand it.
But - regardless of it all. Tomorrow, I will eat breakfast with Ashley Spessard, I will write a blog post, I will give Phil his Anti-Biotics, I will go to the subway and play for 3-5 hours, I will go to rehearsal and pretend to be a Scottish grasshopper, I will come home, give Phil his anti-biotics, write a blog post, do something ridiculous for at least 15 minutes - and curl up in my electric blanket and let it whisper me to sleep.
Love - from Ryan and the very upset hedgehog on his lap
- Good night
Monday, January 26, 2015
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 20
25 days, $1080, And a Bucket of Stories - Day 20
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
Below Goal: 94
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 14
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 29
TIME: 2
WHERE: Chicago, Jackson
CD's Sold: 0
Temp: High 29, Low 28, Current 26, feels like 21 - Light Snow
Father winter is back, showing his Gnarly little head.
Today has been one of those days where you have enormous plans. Huge plans. And then they slip away from you 10 minutes at a time.
Nut however frustrating the morning was, I have something very special, and very important to show you all.
Goal: Play in the Subway 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 25 days making at least 1080.00, which will cover all my bills for January.
Updated 1/20/15
Need 750
1/21/15 15.00
1/22/15 27.00
1/23/15 85.00
1/24/15 56.00
1/25/15 00.00
1/26/15 29.00
Below Goal: 94
Above Goal:
Under Hours: 14
Over Hours:
Total Days off taken
Days off this week
For Today
Goal: 50
Actual: 29
TIME: 2
WHERE: Chicago, Jackson
CD's Sold: 0
Temp: High 29, Low 28, Current 26, feels like 21 - Light Snow
Father winter is back, showing his Gnarly little head.
Today has been one of those days where you have enormous plans. Huge plans. And then they slip away from you 10 minutes at a time.
Nut however frustrating the morning was, I have something very special, and very important to show you all.
THE UKITAR
You know whats holding it together? Picture hanging velcro. 4 strips. 4.29 at Sears. It holds 16 lbs of weight. Which means I can pick the whole thing up by the Ukulele, and its solid.
My huge plans for the day, were to leave around 1, play for 3 or 4 hours at Monroe, take a break, and head to grand or Chicago at 6 with Mo and play for another 3 hours. But its 3 PM, and I'm just leaving, which is problematic. But it is what it is.
I can barely play the Uke right now. I know 4 chords. C, G, Am, and F. And I know about 2/3s of "Oh Sussanna" and "Hey Soul Sister". The real joy, and success of the Ukitar is not that it will undoubtedly make me more money just for having it, or that eventually, I'll be able to do really crazy, fun things like switching back and forth. No - The real awesome power of this new instrument - Is that It will force me to learn how to play the Uke, because it will be with me every day. And that's a cool cool thing.
So I'm off. Mo and I may meet up tonight with the fellow that took that amazing photo of us at City News and shoot some video - but it also may fall through because We haven't locked down a place to do it. I'll keep you updated.
Ryan
So the Ukitar is a hit. :)
I opened up my case at Chicago and made 9 dollars right off the bat playing Oh Susannah. Brilliant.
I now know all the lyrics to that song - See - Progress. :)
Mo and I met up at Jackson and filmed some music with Bill Motchan, the guy from City News who took that incredible photo last Saturday. He said He'd get the footage up on YouTube within the week - so I just can't wait for that.
I've started working on learning the music for my next show, Spoon River Anthology, and its all very very lovely - The kind of thing that just gets stuck in your head all day long.
I'm music directing Spoon River - Its going up at Oakton Community College in April.
Which, is something I have zero experience in. I mean none. I don't even think I've taught a single person, in my life, an entire song. But the woman who's directing it knows me and said, "You can just learn the music, and then teach it to these kids like you're in a jam session with them. Just learn the melody and a harmony or two, and sing it, and have em sing it back."
What?
But I'm going to do it. I'm about as nervous as nervous gets, because I have to convince these kids - and the musicians we hire - that I know something about music. - Maybe not though - Maybe I just tell em all up front that its going to be a fun lil roller coaster and to keep their arms and legs inside the ride at all times for their own safty.
At any rate
Here's my first take on the first song of the show.
Thu thu thu thu thu thu Thats all folks!
Ryan
So the Ukitar is a hit. :)
I opened up my case at Chicago and made 9 dollars right off the bat playing Oh Susannah. Brilliant.
I now know all the lyrics to that song - See - Progress. :)
Mo and I met up at Jackson and filmed some music with Bill Motchan, the guy from City News who took that incredible photo last Saturday. He said He'd get the footage up on YouTube within the week - so I just can't wait for that.
I've started working on learning the music for my next show, Spoon River Anthology, and its all very very lovely - The kind of thing that just gets stuck in your head all day long.
I'm music directing Spoon River - Its going up at Oakton Community College in April.
Which, is something I have zero experience in. I mean none. I don't even think I've taught a single person, in my life, an entire song. But the woman who's directing it knows me and said, "You can just learn the music, and then teach it to these kids like you're in a jam session with them. Just learn the melody and a harmony or two, and sing it, and have em sing it back."
What?
But I'm going to do it. I'm about as nervous as nervous gets, because I have to convince these kids - and the musicians we hire - that I know something about music. - Maybe not though - Maybe I just tell em all up front that its going to be a fun lil roller coaster and to keep their arms and legs inside the ride at all times for their own safty.
At any rate
Here's my first take on the first song of the show.
Thu thu thu thu thu thu Thats all folks!
Ryan
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