Debate in the Austin American Statesman

Apartment complexes are springing up in the Burnet Road area of North Central Austin, the neighborhood I have coined "LoBu"-- for Lower Burnet. I envision the LoBu neighborhood as the Burnet Road corridor, bounded on the south by 45th Street and going all the way up to 183.

The heart of LoBu, however, occurs south of Anderson Lane.  And the heart of the heart  of LoBu is the Burnet Road strip south of Koenig Lane. Remember this is "lower" Burnet Road.

LoBu also happens to be one of the happening nodes for Austin development, a place for the rapid building of apartment complexes, condos, pricey duplex residences and the popping up of restaurants in the neighborhood previously know as Brentwood. The city even planted a stone with the word "Brentwood" on it over by the Omelettry. The Omelettry was a LoBu fixture long before there was a LoBu. The Omelettry, a restaurant especially known for its breakfast and brunch menu, only accepts cash. How cool is that in the era of plastic!

So the Austin American Statesman did a feature on LoBu, on February 11, 2013, entitled "Burst of Growth Raises Hackles in Brentwood." The article considered the possible downside of the plethora of building as an assault on "the dynamics of the neighborhood."

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/burst-of-growth-raises-hackles-in-brentwood/nWLQP/

The Statesman fortunately printed a great rebuttal letter from Heath Hignight on Feb. 14. Hignight was critical of the overly simplistic argument posed by the original article. Heath took issue with the paper's knee jerk assumptions, "Neighborhood folks are against growth; developers and 20-something singles are for it." Bravo Heath!  Heath pointed out an advantage of the new business establishments-- they allow for walking to take care of many shopping needs as opposed to using the automobile at all times.

LoBu has to be North Central's burgeoning best answer to SoCo, the notorious hotspot of Austin hipness just south of the river. And certainly South Austin carries a certain bohemian bonhome. Loyalists to the South Austin experience feel the closer proximity to San Antonio and sympatico Tex-Mex culture, make everything down there inherently superior to the north side. Go far enough north and you do achieve dull Dallas suburbanicity and cookie cutter conformity. But, LoBu actually has a blue collar soul, the original home of Threadgill's gas station and beer joint, the place where Janis Joplin learned how to yodel at the side of Kenneth Threadgill. LoBu used to be the outskirts of town, a place for drive-in movies, bowling alleys and honky tonks. So be it SoCo. We're like you were fifteen years ago, the new kid on the happening block.

Ken Criste-- On Comedy (Part 2)-- Ltr to Whitney

From: Ken Criste 

Date: Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 7:48 AM

Subject: speech

Whitney,

Congrats on your first comedic speech success. John has high praise for your efforts!

Keep a few things in mind while you visualize your performance(s).

The audience for comedy comes to laugh so they are automatically "on your side" and 99% will go along for the ride. Think of yourself as driving a bus. Everyone on the bus ordinarily just wants to enjoy the scenery and relax...you are the bus driver and the more confident you seem the more people just "accept". You do not seek approval as much as you just want them to enjoy.

The audience is conditioned to laugh. harness that and use it to help them enjoy your performance. A performer who is unsure or not confident will be shifting a certain psychological responsibility to the audience to "take care of the performer" or feel pity or something. They didn't pay for that.

Learn the set up/punch format in the beginning and the more cleverly you disquise this the funnier and more intelligent it will be. Of course if you observe the older female comics you'll see how married they are to this delivery and its the type of stuff they do the type of jokes which the audience comes, pays for, expects..no shame in structuring this way if it suits what you are about.

Anyway...take a couple acting classes... you'll learn some things and you might even get parts in movies commercials voice overs etc!

Ken

on. You 

Ken Criste on Comedy (Part 1)

Ken Criste-- Comedy Coach

1)   Occupy your 1-2 feet on the stage.

2)   Own your material.

3)   Set-up and Punch.

4)   Work clean.

5)   Audience wants you to succeed

6)   …. And they want to go along for the ride.

7)   If you’re unsure about where you’re going, they’ll get upset.

8)   Strap them into the back seat &

9)   …. Take them for a ride.

10)   The minute you show your ass, you’re going to lose them.

11)   They are in your hands.

12)   You’re entertaining them—not looking for their acceptance.

13)   … though it’s nice to get.

14)   They’re like kids, first graders, looking to you for entertainment.

15)   Entertain them.

16)   Take them.

17)   You don’t have to ask permission.

18)   Put them in the back seat, strap them in, and take them for a ride.