PROLOGUE:

This post asks the question: “What’s your process?”

Of all the posts up to now, this has been the hardest one to get around to writing. There are several reasons for this. The first is that, at this point, it’s been six months since the blog was launched and there are still only two readers. Who’s fault is that? Well, today, in a mad rush of whimsy, I decided to email and private message six people I know. So there. How’s that for balls to the wall? I don’t know what came over me. I must have had that homeless has-been dream again last night. I felt like a complete whore, by the way. Not in the dream—today. Today, when I solicited those few decent folks for my own personal glorification needs Yuck. A whore. Not in a good way. In a very very bad way. OK. That’s out in the open.

Aside from no readers, what has also come to light is that I have yet to get onstage and start doing stand up again. That’s what this blog is supposed to be about –my glorious and long-awaited (by me) return to the little raised platform at the bottom of the dungeon. Oh god. The palpitations are starting again. Not now. Not now. Uh-em…sorry. Okay, so it’s taking a tad longer than I had expected it to take back in 2014 and 2015, and in 2016 and last year. Umm, what can I say? I’m getting there (Am I? Am I really?). All I know is this blog was not meant as an endgame, but as a sort of lubricant for my reentry into the cavernous depths of a comedy room. Instead, it seems I’ve gotten lost in the lube. But circle back with me next month. I’ll have more information on the status then.

Right, the last challenging aspect of how to write a blog on what my process is is that I’m not sure how to answer the question. But here goes.

THE PROCESS:

A question I hear being asked a lot of people who write and produce artistic work is “What’s your process?” Nobody has ever really asked me this, but I figure I ought to practice an answer in case it ever happens. Also, I am interested in actually being able to answer this for myself.

…some time later….

UPDATE: In my quest to find out, I am afraid the question “What’s your process?” has proved itself to be too lofty. More to the point would be “Is there a process?” And then that question becomes hard to answer too because it depends on what we’re asking it about. Life? Writing? Both? Aaaargh. I can’t.

So, what I’ve come to is that I can only look at what is and see if that has any type of continuity or cohesiveness to it. Let’s see.

Well, if we’re talking about life, it’s fair to say that there is some recognizable process of development from birth to death (and then maybe back around again if you believe in that sort of thing which I do but which is not important here but kind of is in a way too but only if you believe in that sort of thing). As for my particular case, all I can offer is this handy illustrated chart.

Now, I’m not going to do any chart analysis for you. I think the timeline in Chart 1 is self-explanatory and offers a lot of clues into the current state of things. And, besides, I’m still not sure I understand any of what’s gone on up to now. Thank you for respecting our privacy at this time. We’ll be taking no further questions.

And now I would like to direct your attention to Chart 2.

OK, that was Chart 2. Thanks again.

And that concludes PROCESS: Part 1. See you next time.