Author: Jackie Pick

Jackie Pick is a former teacher and current writer living in the Chicago area. She is a contributing author to multiple anthologies, including Multiples Illuminated, So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real about Motherhood, Here in the Middle, as well as the and the literary magazines The Sun and Selfish. She received Honorable Mention from the Mark Twain House and Museum for her entry in the Royal Nonesuch Humor Writing Competition. Jackie is a contributing writer at Humor Outcasts, and her essays have been featured on various online sites including McSweeney's, Belladonna Comedy, Mamalode, The HerStories Project, and Scary Mommy. A graduate of the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, Jackie is co-creator and co-writer of the award-winning short film Fixed Up, and a proud member of the 2017 Chicago cast of Listen To Your Mother.

Chumbawumba meets Celine Dion, Or I’m Using an Improv Note!

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I spent my precious free moments today trying not to think about The Project.  Much more fun to lick my wounds, right?

I lost that battle and surrendered to the Projects.  I have notes to myself all over the house.  On receipts, on envelopes, on Post-Its.

Thoughts of figuring out some technical aspects interwoven with thoughts of characters and pacing.

I surrendered.

I made a schedule for writing and researching for the show.   Hours wrestled from sleep and rescued from commitments that will be ending this week.  Mothering of two toddlers not compromised.

I surrendered.

Draft by New Years.

Appropriate (and much drooled-over) scripting software will be here tomorrow.

Sorted my pile of musical theater DVDs to refresh and inspire (or terrorize) myself.  Made a Netflix list.

I’m ready.

I can’t not do this. I keep saying that, so it’s time to act on it.

I’m reminded of an improv note I got once, “THIS is the moment.  Don’t build to a moment down the road.  Make this the moment.  Then make the next moment that moment.” 

 I’m back up again.

I surrender.