Don’t you hate it when life does stuff to play with your mind? Like giving you the chance for something NOW that you thought that you wanted YEARS ago, and you aren’t even sure if you can have it now? Wow, how is that for cryptic. Well, here is my little heartbreaking story.

   I am currently involved with the Improv and Social/Political Issues group here at the University of Florida. It is a class. It meets at the same time as Theatre Strike Force, the club that the class was originally based on. (I personally believe that they should either remove the class part, or separate the class from the club, to filter out the people that WANT to do improv into one pure group, but that is another topic).

   I am taking an Independent Study course that meets at the same time as the Improv class (thus Theatre Strike Force (henceforth TSF)), so that I may assist the grad students that teach this group of 70+ students / club members. I am a little intimidated by my new role as assistant to the instructors. In past years, I have participated in TSF as the club (before it was a class), and I have experience that will add to their teaching, I’m sure, but it’s weird to be standing on the other side of the metaphorical podium.

    As I mentioned, years ago, I was a member of TSF. From Fall of 96 through Spring of 99, every semester on campus would find me very involved with improv, and loving it. As an aspect of the club side of things (also a carry over from these more innocent days), TSF has club officers. In the old days, many of my friends were officers of TSF our last year there. I never was. Well, today in class, I was nominated for the officer position of Vice President. The way elections work, President is elected first. If a presidential candidate is not elected, they may opt to participate in any of the “lower” ranking elections, and perhaps fill another position. Well, VP is the 2nd highest, so even if I were not elected, I would still be eligible for the elections of Treasurer, Secretary, and Historian. 

   I was ecstatic. Think of it. I could lend my experience of years ago, and what TSF was before it was a class. I could participate with my beloved improv group on a deeper level, and have a say in the direction it is going. Then it hit me. I am going to have to decline my nomination. I have graduated, and I am only taking this class on the good graces of my employers and the theatre department. If I cannot take this class, or one similar to it in the Spring, I can not attend, as the class meets during my work for the first of 2 hours. And, as much as I feel I have to offer, I feel it is just past my time.

   So I sit here, and have to prepare my speech for elections on Thursday. It saddens me, but I know it must be done, and I have to but laugh at the irony of life to give me the chance now to do what I could have done years ago. But maybe I wasn’t ready years ago, and I am now. And I should do it now, and it is only me holding me back, but I have to do what I feel is right. Let the new generation rule themselves without my age-old wisdom.

  “I’d love to be VP, and I’d be DAMN good at it, too. I have a lot of experience, and am from the “old-school days” I actually worked with Heather Roberts, and the members of the Danger Chimps, and other names you may have heard. I learned along side of so many people who are now in Chicago practicing Improv on the more professional level. I’d love to do this, but I can’t, because I can’t guarantee I’d be here in the spring, and because I realize that sometimes the people from “old-school” days just belong in the retirement home of improv as the new students find their own way.”

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