So last night my friend Tom and I went to Ball State to see David Sedaris. My mom was supposed to go with me but with all the drama that happened at their house the last few days, she opted to stay home. Bummer for her because Sedaris was great! Tom met me at my house and drove my car, since his little 'stang has trouble in the rain. All good because I could take a painkiller to get through the rest of the night. He's a good driver.
Anyways, Sedaris read lots of new stories and they were all really funny. We had good seats right near the front. I had heard an interview with Sedaris about his tours. He brings out the new stuff he is working on and makes notes as he reads to the audience. So if he reads a section he thinks is funny but it doesn't get a laugh, he'll mark it. Stuff that gets a big laugh, he'll mark. He was up there marking up pages like crazy. He said last night that these stories get chopped up by the end of the tour and can go through tons of rewrites just based on audience reaction.
Some of his stories cracked me up simply because I could see myself doing the things he described. Like telling a 4-year-old that his mother sold everything of his- toys, bed, clothes, even his name. That is so wrong but I would do that.
His work is funny. Naked is a good book and so is When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Santaland Diaries has some great stories in it. But what's even better is when he reads his works. It just somehow makes it funnier.
I'm fully inspired to start writing again. I think I have enough crazy stories in my family to give me material for a long while. And mom already approved it...as long as I don't show anything to April. Ha.
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