Colin and Brad: Take 2!

Holly and Kelly: A lot of you have started following us just within the last few months, so if you would be so kind as to allow us to indulge in a brief trip down memory lane: So remember way back in the day when we were a bunch of young college kiddos completely stoked out of our minds because we met Colin and Brad in Richmond almost four years ago? (In case you didn't remember....this may help jog your memory).  We thought for sure that this gut-busting night of improvised hilarity would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Make that twice-in-a-lifetime.  History repeated itself last Friday night.  Well...almost.

We packed a bag and road tripped down I64 to the city of Ashland, KY, so close to both West Virginia and Ohio that you can see it.  Yes, the dynamic duo of humor were doing a show there that night, and thanks to our awesome trip-planning-guru of a dad, we scored a nice hotel literally a stone's throw away from the venue.  But not before hitting up local eatery Fat Patty's.  Man oh man, that was one glorious open-faced roast beef sandwich! And our waiter was really nice and super awesome. Once we got to the theater we had to wait a bit for the stage to open. We had to buy our tickets separately, so our seats weren't together initially. Right before the show started though, we orchestrated a plan to move a few rows back to some empty seats so that we could enjoy the show together. So we did. And it was glorious!!!!

The sign! 

It was a really funny show! If you read when we saw them in Richmond, you'll see that Holly went up on stage for a game called "Fill in." Whenever prompted, the stage goer had to fill in an incomplete sentence with a word, phrase or whatever. The results were pretty amusing. Well, this time, Kelly got called on stage for the very same game! (There is a video but Holly has it). Then they did the Sound Effects game, which if you've seen Whose Line is it Anyway, you know how that game goes. But if you haven't seen it, you can figure it out. Anyway, our section got to do Brad's sound effects! (see video below). But it was utterly hilarious; and let me tell you having had the experience it is extremely difficult to come up with something clever right on the spot, know that we have both had the experience of attempting to do so. Then like they did in Richmond, they did the "Crime" game, in which Brad (without his prior knowledge) had to guess a crime he committed, verbatim, with a little help from the audience. The crime was as follows:

He duct taped a penguin to the ceiling, lit a cloud on fire in Paducah, KY at Terry's Polar Bear Shaving & Tires & Tubes with a ping-pong paddle. Ya'll, we are not making this up. And yes they did the mousetraps game again. And yes we cringed a lot. Unfortunately, they did not stick around at the end for meet and greets like they did in Richmond, but that's ok. We still had a really awesome time, and it was great for us to road trip, laugh and enjoy each other's company. The time we get to spend together is a treat for us, and we don't ever take it for granted. God has blessed us with a good relationship in which we share a lot of interests, including lots of funnies.

Learning to Love Laughter: A Whose Line is it Anyway tribute

Kelly: Holly and I would like to talk about something we love very much, other than Jesus Christ, our family, friends, each other, Berea College, etc. Yep, this is another "this is why we love this" blog. But today's topic is actually regarding a television show, one of our favorite television shows to be exact. I'm not saying it IS our favorite, because MY favorite of anything changes every five seconds or so, so I'll just say it's one of our favorites. I think you get the point. Anyway, today we're talking about Whose Line is it Anyway? If you don't know what that show is, I pity you.

Our love for this improvisational comedy started.....oh, man I can't even remember. I watched it on and off in high school when I could, and at one of my friend's birthday parties we did some improv and had a great time! Holly took a drama class in high school, but she probably could tell you more than I can (I'll have her mention the gun story. Don't worry; nobody was hurt). But going on, it wasn't until this summer when Holly and I were on campus in our cozy basement room and for some reason we just wanted to start watching it again. So we did. I actually found a website (thank you Lord for stumbleupon) about a year ago that has EVERY SINGLE episode, both the US and UK versions online!!!!!!!!! Every night though this summer, we would watch 2 or 3. Some had us chuckling every now and then, while some had us on the floor in tears laughing so hard. Seriously, I LOVE COMEDY. Laughter in my opinion is the best medicine; for me it
provides distraction, relieves the stresses of nursing school and allows me to spend time with my sister. And it's contagious! One part of an episode sometimes keeps us laughing for days!!

Now though, since sis and I are so busy, we usually watch Whose Line once a week, sometimes 2 days a week. Every time though we get the same satisfaction of living just a few seconds longer. I read a study on the internet that said every time you laugh you live 2 seconds longer. I think I just added 10 years to my life since we started watching Whose Line again. And the best part? NOVEMBER!!! What's going on in November? Well, the definitely us going to Richmond (about 15 mins. away) to see a live performance from none other than Colin and Brad (2 regulars from Whose Line!) I've read NOTHING but good reviews, and I must say I am so freaking excited beyond belief! 6 weeks on Friday! November 18. Remember that day, folks. I close with this; laugh. Find something, anything, every day that makes you laugh. You will be amazed at how much better you feel. That's all. Off to bed; my butt's gotta get up at 4:00. No, not PM. Cheers!

Holly: Oh man, this is so great!  I really have nothing conducive to add to this (other than my pathetic attempt at improvisational comedy), so I will just reiterate what my dear sister said and say that I will cherish those basement room memories, and the countless times since then, for the rest of my life: growing closer as sisters and laughing at four fully-grown adults making complete goofs out of themselves and getting numerous laughs from just a couple of stressed-out college kids! And I do agree and fully support the theory that laughing really does make everything better. 

Ok, now for the story, and I promised myself that if I ever got the opportunity to meet ANYONE from Whose Line that I would share this story (so Brad and Colin, beware): My junior year of high school I did backstage work for the drama club, and one day my teacher/the director asked me if I would play a small, non-speaking role as "the killer" in the play (I wasn't even credited...no one really even knew it was me, except the cast and crew).  Of course, I enthusiastically agreed, but the only condition was that I had to fire a gun onstage.  Don't worry...it was just a starter pistol loaded with blanks.  Opening night comes around, it's a totally packed house, and the lights go down and it's my time: I tiptoe on stage in my all black and earphones (yes, it was loud), and I go to pull the trigger and I hear a "click".  Nothing happens.  I pull the trigger a few more times, but "click", "click", "click".  Not even a few seconds have passed, and, realizing the gun is not going to work for me, I yell "BANG!" as loud as I can.  The audience completely erupts in laughter and (bless their hearts) the cast continues as if the gun went off. 

All I have to say is, 1. thank God the play was a comedy, and 2. my teacher/director absolutely LOVED the "bang!", so much so that it was kept in for the next two shows! 

I am also completely stoked out of my mind for November.  Just in case you didn't already know that.  Hope you've laughed today.  :)  If not, then, watch the video below (it's Kelly and I doing what we love to do on a Friday night).  Blessings. 

Have you laughed today? :)

(video shooting courtesy of my roommate Amanda!)