When too much is too much

I cut back on my obsessive open mic going for a few weeks. I didn't see the point of it. I had a set that worked and other than to keep fresh how many times a week is necessary anyway? Add in a good 3 month dose of writers block and what's the point. I found myself looking for alternative spaces to do comedy. I will be hosting a booked show starting this Feb. once a month with 10 comics a night. It is impossible to get good at anything in this world 5 minutes at a time. I make my kids practice there music for 30. Plus they just go right upstairs...no need to drive for 2 hours and wait for 2 hours to do 5 minutes. I have my favorite open mic's. I like the Stress factory for there audience and to see my friends. I like the Lantern for the quality (usually of the comics...some nights are better than others) and Sal's it great for the above reasons and then there is Sal of course.

So I cut down to 2 performances a week for the past 3 weeks. Guess what happened???? My writers block lifted. I don't know why. Maybe because ...I thought I was done for the day when I knew I had a mic that night. I found myself...performing in my everyday life again. Cracking up the produce guy at the supermarket. Being hysterical at motor vehicle. The curse is over. ...at least for now. I have been coming up with new stuff for several days in a row now. Some not all usable for a set.

SO this all said I want to hear about your writers block and if it correlated to doing too much and burning yourself out. How have you gotten your writers block lifted I want to know? Also what are your favorite open mic's and why?

My favorite open mic's are based on a few criterion. I do like one that is fair. I like the mc to do no more than a few minutes in between sets. I don't mind if he does 5-7 at the start the room usually needs it. I hate when the mc does a complete set between each performer. Rule of thumb ...I don't want to be there for more that 2 hours do the math. No more than 20 comics. Lastly give me a real audience and it seems I will forget about a lot of the above. I am booked for 5 real non bringer shows in the next few months and find that using the open mic's to hone a set with a goal in site makes it seem much more productive and meaningful for me.