Coulda Woulda Shoulda Take Two

ImageFor those who tried to click on this yesterday, I do apologize. A technical glitch (ie. ID10T error) caused this post to temporarily post prematurely.

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Nothing quite says “good morning” like walking outside and realizing your car has been stolen and nothing quite makes finding the car bittersweet like discovering that the thief kept all of your electronics.

Granted the whole issue is 90% my fault. If I hadn’t decided to unpack my car in the morning because I was “tired” from a road trip, I’d still have my camera, IPad, and laptop. Lesson learned.

And I’d still have my video footage of my comedy as well as the boys high school graduations if I’d backed my camera up to more than just my laptop. But I didn’t.

Oh well.

Coulda woulda shoulda does nothing for how I feel about the whole situation though. Truth is, I feel violated.

Feeling violated is a perfectly normal response. Staying stuck in that feeling however, is not.

Even though I wrote a rather funny comedy bit about how the police officer didn’t believe my car was actually stolen and even though I got to tell my bit on a nationally syndicated radio show (Thank you Daren Streblow for that wonderful chance), it was months before I could tell that bit without my voice shaking.

I kept telling myself “It’s just stuff, no big deal. At least we got my car back” but I didn’t really believe it.

My “stuff” – my tapes, my stories, my photos, were stolen in July 2013. It is now March 2014 and only now have I saved up enough money to replace my lap top and my camera. I even took that as forgive me for this “a sign from God” that maybe I shouldn’t do comedy ever again.

I mean let’s face it, all proof that I’d ever done comedy was now gone.

We let fear get the best of us during the in between stage of theft and recovery. I live in Fort Knox. I no longer keep my front door unlocked. I keep lights on in my house, I leave nothing in my car and I don’t go anywhere alone.

I really needed to take back my peace of mind. I made the decision to replace what was stolen once and for all.

This is my first post on my new laptop. This is me telling whomever stole my stuff that you can’t steal my heart.

Honestly, I could have probably found a way to replace it sooner, but I think I was punishing myself for allowing it to be stolen in the first place and put it off.

I convinced myself that my $299 Samsung tablet was good enough. It wasn’t. Not for what I do anyway.

I write.

I do stand up comedy.

I take amazing photographs.

I love sitting on my back porch, writing in the sunshine.

I’m doing that today.

I win.

Question for you dear readers. Have you ever had anything stolen? How did you deal with it?

A Subversive Revolution

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This is my last resolve quote. I’ve sat on it for quite a long time. I looked up subversive and it doesn’t sound like a nice person at all. It sound’s rebellious. I’m not rebellious. (okay so that’s a total lie.) And then I remembered, I said “tits” on a Facebook Post and I’m a Christian. That’s pretty subversive if you ask me. Granted it was totally in context of the point I was trying to make even if it is shocking.

I’ve sat here at my desk for well over a week trying to come up with my end of year blog. Every year I take inventory of my life. I write what went well, what didn’t and ponder where I want to go next year. Something ate at me though.

All I saw for days was what I didn’t do in 2013. 

I didn’t ride with the Tulsa Diva’s like I said I would.

I didn’t walk the Rt 66 Marathon or run in a 5K

and I still stink at banjo. I didn’t practice enough so I have no one to blame but myself.

Now the fact that I had a physical limitation that took most of that off the table did not matter to me, all I could see was I failed my physical goals for the year. I couldn’t see my successes at all.

You know what?

As I wrap up 2013, I’ve decided that the most subversive thing I can do, for today, is to tell my broken brain to shut the heck up and start agreeing with God that I am who He says I am. I’ll admit that I do sometimes struggle with that.

2013 rocked!

I began 2013 with one word on my mind, Resolve. Every week I’d look up quotes that spoke to me and focus on them. It’s interesting to me to see the theme now.

  • Dare to be powerful.
  • Be my own best friend.
  • Get outdoors.
  • Free myself from criticism, fear, negative self-talk, and discouragement.
  • Push myself to my limits
  • challenge myself
  • be fabulous
  • don’t give up
  • trust my courage.
  • Remember who you are.

Wow, what a list. I did all that. While it’s true I didn’t do it all perfectly every day, I did do it to the best of my abilities. That’s an accomplishment. I also allowed myself to go on a four day vacation with some friends – only the second time I’ve ever done that in my life. That’s pretty cool.

  1. I gave up my IPhone in order to reconnect with real people face to face instead of online.
  2. I got a ton of stage time performing locally. While it was exhausting, it was fun.
  3. I met some personal heroes like Anne Lammot, Mark Lowry and Jennifer Rothschild (we sat next to each other on a plane. It was awesome)
  4. My humor piece about never having met Mark before is the most shared story of the year. He’s read it, I’m embarrassed, but I am allowing myself to admit it is funny and besides now that I’ve met him I’m a little less embarrassed that he read it. oh and thank you thank you thank you for that! You guys are awesome.
  5. I drove 15 hours by myself to podunk Indiana to compete in a clean comedy challenge next to comics who’ve been doing this for years and in front of national celebrities — AND I allowed myself to be critiqued by them. HOLY CANOLLIES — that woman – the one brave enough to do that did not exist five years ago — I’m just saying – we’re talking full on miracle here.
  6. I graduated from Thelma Well’s Daughters of Zion mentoring program and was awarded 30 college credit hours from the seminary she teaches at in Indiana. How cool is that?

Why do I get the feeling that I’ve spent 2013 being subversive and revolutionary and I didn’t even realize it?

I’m presently in a boot, recovering from surgery on my tibia. One of my goals for 2014 will involve physical therapy and learning how to walk again. Beyond that though, I’m still stuck. I don’t have my word or a scripture verse. Somehow, I’m okay with that.

Maybe all I need to do in 2014 is show up and leave the rest up to God.

What do you think?

Where in the world is Deana?

Hi everyone. I know I’ve been rather absent on the blogosphere and I am sorry about that. Truth is, I’ve had surgery on my right leg. Due to an old childhood injury, my right leg is messed up and I’m getting it fixed. I had my tibia lengthened three weeks ago. Doesn’t that sound like […]

Family Comedy Night Agora Event Center, October 18, 2013

1391582_10151919479211352_959707994_nThe flier say’s 7, but the show actually starts at 8:00 pm. Hope to see you guys there!

 

Have you ever seen a COMEDY tackle the sobering sin of ADULTERY?

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Guest Blogger: 
Christopher Shawn Shaw, 
Director/Producer/Editor
One Nightstand
Starring Thor Ramsey, Kimberly Durrett,
Charles Anteby and Nathan Ford.
Directed by Christopher Shawn Shaw.
Have you ever seen a COMEDY poignantly tackle the very sobering transgression of adultery? Well, here’s the news! The long-anticipated ONE NIGHTSTAND Comedy ministry short film that I had the privilege of Directing and Executive Producing is NOW AVAILABLE on DVD!

ONS_PosterONE NIGHTSTAND is an Award-Winning short film that stars Pastor and Comedian Thor Ramsey as an adulterous, traveling businessman who hires a lady of the night (played by Kimberly Durrett), but before she arrives, God intervenes through two quirky hotel employees (played by Charles Anteby and Nathan Ford) and the sobering contents of the hotel nightstand. Written and Produced by Gary Emrick and Directed by Christopher Shawn Shaw, this poignant Comedy also features Christine YoungTom CostelloLori GeorgeMaria CasasRick Segall (“Little Ricky” on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY), and Susan Silvestri.

People have really enjoyed this DVD, which also includes Behind-The-Scenes Special Features, so purchase your own copy today, and schedule to host the ONE NIGHTSTAND screening at your fellowship!

For Church fellowships or other organizations and venues who’d like to host public screenings of ONE NIGHTSTAND
(which also includes the option of Q&As
with the Filmmakers and/or Lead Cast),
please see the attached .pdf document.
ONE NIGHTSTAND_Screening_Options

For more information regarding the movie One Nightstand, see the following links: 

For more information about Christopher Shawn Shaw:

Alas Poor Knorth

Alas poor Knorth!
Judge her not by her name.
A knewborn not yet in knickers,
Knighted by knapweeded locknuts.
What knackery is this?

As far as the Knorthwest is from the Ksoutheast, those knaves know no bounds in knomenclature.

 

(side note: when I first wrote this poem, the rumor was Kayne and Kim spelled their newest daughter’s name Knorth. I’ve since been corrected. They have simply named her North West. — oh that is much better. Good gravy.)

Friday Funny: Give A Little, Laugh A Lot – Woody’s Corner Bar

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This Monday, May 27, 2013 the Local Comedy Community will come together for a MARATHON COMEDY EVENT like you’ve never seen!

 

We will be taking items all night, and your donation could earn you some great tokens of our appreciation.

 

For anyone donating more than $100, you will be allowed to choose any comic from our lineup and they will perform a private 10-Minutes of comedy for you in our PBR room (our version of the Champagne Room).

 

Our comedians will also ROAST anyone in the crowd you want for your donation of $10 per minute!

 

There will be lots of laughs and many surprises! Come enjoy a fun night to give to those who have lost so much. We’ll see you Monday!

Woody’s Corner Bar, 325 East Second Street, Tulsa Oklahoma

 

Having Fun with Slay N Savage — I’m going to be on the radio!

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Oh my gosh guys and gals, I’m going to be interviewed on the radio tonight and I can’t find a thing to wear! What does a woman wear for her first radio interview? I have no idea. No wonder God tells us to go into our closets and pray, he knows that’s the one place in a woman’s life where she needs prayer.

Please let this fit!

Don’t let it be out of style.

Make it look good on me.

 I know what you are thinking — CHILL OUT WOMAN, IT’S RADIO, not TV, we aren’t going to be able to SEE you anyway. And you would be right. So big deep cleansing breaths…

Much better now. Thanks.

I’m going to be on Blog Talk Radio tonight on the SLAY’N SAVAGE show. 10:00 Central Time.

Joe Slay and Joie Savage and I will be getting together to talk about life, comedy and this great city of Tulsa that I live in. I’m super excited and cannot wait to talk to everyone.  Hope you can tune in.

CLICK HERE TO TUNE IN.