Bikram

I tried Bikram yoga for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It's the kind of yoga where they crank the thermostat up to 105 degrees and then you do yoga for an hour and a half while sweating balls. Did I say sweating? The word "sweat" does not really encompass the sprinkler-like way my body's moisture reserves evacuated through every pore. Dripping. Drenched. Soaked. They warned me in advance to bring a big towel. I don't know if one was enough.

When I first walked into the room the temperature was pleasant. It was a like being in a sauna, only not as humid. I wasn't doing anything strenuous yet. Plus, it was freezing outside and the warmth was more than welcome. It doesn't take long, however, before you really start to feel the effects.

I am proud to say that I made it through the full ninety minutes without feeling light-headed or needing to lie down. Several other people in the class lie down on their mats for a few minutes at a time. I'm told it's common, and in fact during the brief orientation the instructor made it clear that it was not only acceptable but encouraged to do so at any point during the class. The only real difficulty I encountered was that some of the poses were just beyond my skill level, and while we were told to only go as far as we comfortably could go, I wasn't always sure what to do when I couldn't do the full-out pose the more advanced students did.

Did I enjoy the class? I would have to say no. At one point the instructor came by and asked if it was more intense than I expected, and I said no. I wasn't trying to be badass. What I meant was, I'd been told ahead of time that this was going to be VERY intense, and the class lived up to its expectations. By the end I felt dazed, and my body felt like it was made out of jelly. The studio is only four blocks from my apartment, but I still waited for the bus because I just wasn't up to the walk. However, for the next couple of days I felt AWESOME. Sore, but awesome.

I thought maybe I should try a less exhausting yoga class, but one of the things I liked about this was the sense of accomplishment when it was over. A few days later I did go back and try a beginners' Vinyasa class, which was informative but didn't have the same "holy crap what have I gotten myself into?" vibe that made the Bikram class so exciting.

Would I go back? If I could afford it, I'd like to think maybe I would. Yoga ain't cheap. I have a couple home yoga tapes, but they really don't do it for me. It helps to have the instructor there. At the same time, not knowing anybody there added to the anxiety level. Also, I'm not a fan of all the talk about "chakras" and "union" and whatnot. It gives me the embarrassment shivers. I'm there to lose weight. I'm not on some kind of spiritual journey.

So, yeah. Bikram yoga. I'll give the whole experience two and a half stars out of four. Two and a half sweaty, sweaty stars.

Epic Fail

I seem to be on a bit of a self-destructive streak, diet-wise. My whole plan to drop 10 percent of my body weight for Neverwhere? Check it: I gained four pounds. I've had the house to myself most evenings for the last month while Mandy is in rehearsal. I thought it would be a good opportunity to really dig in and make the whole diet and exercise thing happen. Not so much. I watched a lot of movies, and recorded a lot of music. And ate a lot of crap. And exercised... very, very little.

So today I walked to work, and I walked home. And I intend to repeat the process tomorrow. That's four miles a day. I'm not sure what to do about the diet yet. For reasons too ridiculous to go into, my office is continuously supplied with cake. It's out of control.

1 Down, 364 To Go

2010: The Year We Make Contact. If Arthur C. Clarke is right, we should be getting a second Sun due to an alien race accidentally detonating Jupiter this year. That should be cool. Of course, he was wrong about the orbiting tourist destinations being ready nine years ago, so maybe Sir Arthur wasn't such a smartie after all.

The holidays are winding to a close, and as per usual they went much better than I always fear. Christmas Eve saw a lovely dinner and gift exchange with my wife's family. Christmas day was spent lounging around with the in-laws, with more gifts (Check it! I got an Amazon Kindle, AND Final Draft! No excuses now; I've got to get some real writing done.) and another nice dinner. The day after Christmas we met up with my family along with some old family friends out in the burbs. A nice time was had by all. Then Mandy and I rang in the new year with some friends up in Rogers Park and spent New Years Day on the couch eating junk food and watching bowl games. The Northwestern game was a great one; too bad the Wildcats couldn't pull it out.

It's resolution time again. Every year I make a few, and they pretty much always get forgotten. This year I am not "resolving" anything. I am simply make a few suggestions for myself. First suggestion, lose some weight. This morning I weighed in at 288.8 pounds. Five of those pounds were added in the last week. I need to spend less money on food, and therefore I need to be more selective about the food that I buy. Plus, I've got this kettlebell thing, and I want to give it a serious try. My goals are modest. Right now I want to lose ten percent (28 pounds) by the first rehearsal of Neverwhere. I think this is a reasonable, attainable goal. After Treasure Island I owe it to my knees to make the effort.

Suggestion #2 involves my theater career more directly. I have decided it is time to find an agent. I have no idea how to go about finding such a thing, but I have friends with agents and I will start by getting feedback from them. I will probably start by preparing headshots and resumes for a mailing. I'm gonna wait until the postcards for Neverwhere are ready, because I think that would be a cool thing to send along. But I'll ask around a bit first and make a plan.

I have one or two other suggestions for myself, but they are private. I'm sure you'll understand.

In the meantime, I still have the fight direction on The Ring Cycle and Under Ground to keep me busy. Plus, I've created a new website for my music at www.clownstigmata.com, and posted several songs at Last.fm. I'd love your feedback!

Happy New Year, everybody!

December Daze

The year is winding down. (The decade is too, and good riddance to it. But that is not what I'm writing about.) I have a hard time concentrating during December. The weather has taken the season's first real turn toward unpleasant. I have to adjust my wardrobe accordingly. I have to worry about shopping for Christmas gifts. I worry about my plans for New Years. I worry that I don't see enough of my family during the holidays; then I worry that I won't find a reason NOT to see my family. And I have to weave my day job and theater schedules through it all. And now I've got a head cold and feel like crap.

Bah. Humbug.

It's not all bad, of course. I've got some great stuff going on. I'm the fight director for perhaps the most ambitious project I've ever been a part of: The Building Stage is doing a 6-hour adaptation of Wagner's Ring Cycle. The project is being co-directed by Joanie Schultz and Blake Montgomery, and features none other than my lovely wife Mandy. It will be Mandy's and my first theater collaboration in a really long time.

I'm also doing fights for a cool one-act called "Under Ground," written by Jessica Wright for this year's Rhino Fest. The story is awesome. It would fit perfectly in an issue of Weird Tales.

Beyond that, of course, is Neverwhere. I have begun working out. I'm trying this kettlebell program I found. So far so good; each workout leaves me with a full-body soreness the next day. I kinda like the feeling.

It's been over a month since my last post, but quite frankly I can't think of much else right now. Must be the Sudafed.

Neverwhat?

As I mentioned before, I have been cast in a stage version of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere at Lifeline Theatre, to be produced next spring. Our illustrious director Paul Holmquist, who also directed me in Lifeline's Busman's Honeymoon, has decided to embark on a busman's holiday of his own by turning a vacation to London into a research trip. He will be documenting his travails on a new blog, Neverwhat? I, for one, am looking forward to some enlightening entries.

The Sharp End of the Sword

On Saturday I and fellow Treasure Island castmates Patrick Blashill, Rob McLean and Sean Sinitski along with fight director Geoff Coates sat down for the Talk Theatre In Chicago podcast to discuss our show and the art of staged violence. It was a huge thrill for me as I've never been interviewed before. The interview took place in Lifeline Theatre's rehearsal space, and you can hear the El going by the window every couple of minutes.

We followed this interview with our first two-show Saturday of the run. By the time I got home that evening I was so tired I couldn't even sleep. I've lost twelve pounds since we started tech. And if we can maintain audiences like these for the next few weeks we'll probably extend the run into November. By the time we close I should be lookin' GOOD.

I Don't Mean to Toot My Own Horn...

... but BEEP BEEP, people! The reviews for Treasure Island have been rolling in, and it looks like we're a hit! I've linked below to several of the reviews, and included a few choice excerpts here and there.

Chicago Sun-Times - Dig up 'Treasure' at Lifeline show - "The ensemble is terrific, with Chris Hainsworth, Christopher M. Walsh, Ezekiel Sulkes, C. Sean Piereman and Eduardo Garcia as a fine bunch of battered and battering gold-diggers."

Chicago Theater Blog - Lifeline creates an all-hands-on-deck winner - "Chief among equals: Christopher Walsh as the rum-and-rickets-infused Billy Bones, a rogue whose “thundering apoplexy” proves the catalyst for the story’s rollicking treasure hunt."

Chicago Tribune - Full-blown 'Treasure Island' sails into Lifeline: Prepare to be boarded - "Thanks to the inventions of designer Alan Donahue and a slew of deliciously droll performances from the likes of Robert McLean, Christopher M. Walsh and young Warren Weber, this is an engrossing adventure that Kauzlaric unfolds at break-neck pace."

Chicagoist - Shiver Me Timbers! Lifeline's Treasure Island Is Explosive - "This show is as close to perfection as they come, and if you have a thing for pirates, it’s just that much better."

Dining Chicago - Fabulous coming-of-age classics: ‘The Fantasticks’ and ‘Treasure Island’ - "Along with Sinitski, Christopher M. Walsh, as Billy Bones, and Patrick Blashill, as Dr. Livesey, deliver exceptional performances, and director Robert Kauzlaric’s staging is impeccable."

Gapers Block - A Pirate's Life for Me

Newcity - Review: Treasure Island/Lifeline Theatre

I am tired and bruised, but immensely proud of this show. Yar.