Stand-Up Comedy Routine: Perform a short comedy routine.

“I am in front of a microphone, and my heart is pounding so hard that it could leap out of my mouth. My armpits are sweating profusely, I feel like I am having an out of body experience, and my mind is racing at warp speed. In a few seconds, I am about to do my very first stand up comedy show. [...] Going back to my first stand up comedy show, I step forward onto the stage, and pick up the microphone with my sweaty palms. The chatter in my brain miraculously clears, and I do my first joke. Then I hear something that sounds like laughter but due to my hearing impairment, it sounds blurry as if it is an underwater rumbling. I look more closely at the audience and see that they actually laugh. Yes. I made them laugh, and I feel less pressure. I crack another joke, and then I hear the underwater rumbling sound again. Laughter! And at that moment, I was hooked and seduced by the stand up comedy mistress who can be cruel at times.”

“So now it’s Friday. There’s an open mic at 8pm. The sun is setting. I sit outside with my laptop, organizing my material. I feel so peaceful in my entire body. Something feels very right. I print out my material and go to the garage to practice. I’m amazed that I can do most of the act without looking at my notes. The material feels great. I don’t know if it’s funny, but I enjoy saying it. As I drive to the open mic, I’m in the flow. Every song on the radio sounds perfect. I envision myself on stage. I’m not even thinking about the laughs. I’m just thinking about how good it feels to be up there. [...] It’s my turn. I go up and my material flows out. People are laughing – sometimes just one person, but sometimes the crowd. By no means am I killing it, but it feels like a party compared to bombing. I feel peaceful, confident, in the flow. My 5 minute act feels like 30 seconds.”