For this exercise we play high energy music for participants to dance to, but there are some rules involved: the facilitator chooses someone to start dancing, the first dancer taps on someone near them to start dancing and so on until everyone is dancing. The exercise itself has a variety of versions. For this version the focus was on the following leadership skills: 1) Giving/Delegating a task and 2) Taking Initiative/Leading in a task. In addition, the participants had to commit to the exercise as if  their inclusion in the leadership program depended on it – basically “dance like you have never danced before.” It’s fascinating to watch the approach that the group takes in choosing the next person to dance while others wait to be chosen or hope to NOT be chosen, even though it’s inevitable all must participate – very applicable to our daily jobs and lives. So often we may not like delegating, being chosen for a task or being left out of a project. This exercise reminds us of these things.

The exercise, as expected, started out with great enthusiasm and laughter. The first person to dance set the bar with intense dance moves and the dancing fever spread on with an unusual pattern. And then all of sudden someone had fallen to the floor during her dance. At first it seemed like an “oops, I fell and am getting back up” until we heard her cries of pain and someone yelled “turn off the music.” The woman had dislocated her knee!!! People swarmed around her. Someone yelled to call 911. The guy next to me said, “I’m an EMT. I can help.” and he jumped in. Then all of a sudden, the guy next to her, who works for an ad agency, jumped into action and popped her knee into place while the EMT went through a series of asking her questions for coherency. Meanwhile, as the facilitator, I was in utter shock, crying on the inside because I had never experienced this. There was nothing I could do in the moment as what needed to be done was happening. I was not needed in that moment but didn’t know what my immediate future held.

As everything calmed down within 10 minutes and the woman sat back in her seat everyone seemed to turn to look at me at the same time with looks of “Now what?” I honestly didn’t know what to do next in the moment. I’ve never trained or prepared for this. The panic was over. The group, who were strangers and just met for the first time by the way, had instantly bonded and now looked to me for the next direction. With all eyes on me, I said the first thing that came to mind, “Well, looks like the dance party is over!” and everyone laughed. The mood had quickly lifted from fear of the unknown to back to business. And honestly it made for a great example of why we use improv techniques in training … “Here’s an example of ‘shit happens’,” I said. How we respond to unexpected situations is what is important. Some participants were thanking the injured and embarrassed woman to make her feel better – “Hey thanks, now the rest of us don’t have to dance!”

I didn’t spend time lamenting over what happened other than to say “This has never happened before. Wow! Okay, let’s move on to something called ‘yes and’, an exercise that focuses on being flexible to change and new ideas.” We all moved on and I completed the session. Afterwards I told the client how internally freaked out I was and she said she couldn’t tell and that she was impressed with my professionalism. I then reflected on the moment and realized that my reaction was one of calmness. From all of my training I know that mirroring can impact a group – if I visibly freak out so will others and if I stay calm so will others. Obliviously I was “practicing what I preach” and using all of the skills that I try to instill in others.

After training/orientation I attended the group’s reception, mainly to check on the “dancer gone wild” and to find out how the session impacted them. Several of them said, “We wanted to dance! We need to do this exercise again.” “We will,” I assured them “but with a disclaimer to dance SAFELY like you’ve never danced before.”

If you were in this situation what do you think you would have done? Tell us – we want to hear from you.

Carolina Improv Company Training & Entertainment, with offices in Myrtle Beach, SC and Chicago, IL, offers customized training programs in the areas of customer service, sales, leadership and team building. We also travel to anywhere in the world to provide our services. For more information visit www.improviseyourbusiness.com. To learn more or to book a session contact Gina Trimarco Cligrow at gina@carolinaimprov.com

There’s an exercise we use often as an icebreaker called Sound Ball. It’s a silly pattern game involving the tossing of an invisible ball to other people in a circle WHILE making a noise of their choice. It’s fun to execute to watch the participants’ wallscome down as they get over the fact that they are having fun while learning. What are they learning? Many things at the time:

1) To communicate non-verbally with eye contact and body language as they have to be clear on whom they are giving the ball to while the receiver is accountable to be ready to accept the ball at any given moment. There could be 20
other people in the circle and they all need to be ready to accept this “hot potato” just like one might need to be ready at work to accept an unexpected task or project.

- Miscommunication is common at work. We think we understand the message or we think we communicated clearly but sometimes we have too much going on in our own worlds and minds that we either drop the ball or aren’t sure if the ball was thrown to us or the person next to us. Eventually someone gets the ball throwing back on track, similar to how things transpire in the work place. In this exercise we often hear, “Did you throw it to me?” It takes two to play ball and both of those people need to be connected and hyperaware of what’s going on around them.

2) To communicate with an unexpected sound or noise that is not a clear directive but an obvious communication
intended for one individual in the circle.

- This is probably the most fascinating and fun part of the exercise as people come up with the most creative and unexpected
sounds to accompany their ball toss. Some have words, some are animal noises, etc.

3) To be in the moment to complete three tasks at the same time (multitask) – receive the ball, pass the ball, think of a cool noise to make while passing the ball.

- This is another great moment for debrief when the participants say, “There was so much to do at the same time and I wanted to
be good at it and have a really cool noise that stood out.” This is so indicative of the pressure we put on ourselves to complete a task as expected and be accepted for our work. Some participants actually become stressed about this. We like to break it down to show them that they don’t need to be so hard on themselves by saying, “Okay, so you had three tasks – catch the ball, throw the ball and make a noise.” When put in those simple terms they usually laugh realizing that it really was just that simple. Do we over complicate our professional and personal lives by over dramatizing the task at hand instead of celebrating our small victories?

4) To learn about group dynamics and different personality styles through observation of the “cool noises” being created.

- When we debrief this exercise we often hear that the participants were surprised at the sounds their co-workers created – they didn’t
expect what they heard. It’s almost as if they learned something brand new about a co-worker solely on a sound. Maybe it’s because we are not always encouraged to be ourselves and show our personalities at work. Being “childlike” is not always acceptable in some work cultures yet in these training sessions it’s as if the adults are at recess for once.

5) To learn how to include new people in the circle instead of going to the same people over and over again, thus avoiding the mundane patterns we tend to create at work and in life.

- The human dynamics in this are always consistent: participants, without realizing it, make sure that everyone in the circle has received the ball through the first round. They make sure everyone gets a turn and isn’t left out of the game. But after that patterns form and we see them giving the ball to the same person over and over again, perhaps out of comfort. Maybe they know that person really well at work and they feel safe with
that person. They can trust that one person to catch the ball they’ve delegated. We all fall into patterns at work and sometimes we need to be pushed out of our comfort zones to make an impact on our jobs, with our co-workers or with our clients. A new pattern creates new ideas and new successes.

The motivation behind this blog is a comment from an evaluation in a recent training session that said: “Could do without the ball game.
Maybe use a real ball instead of an invisible ball so that it’s not so confusing.” For most of the participants the ball WAS real once they made it their reality. We are only limited by our imaginations. If you can visualize something, it will happen. If you can accept an idea, you won’t be confused. See the world through the eyes of a child and the world can be yours.

By Gina Trimarco Cligrow

We hear it all the time … “they’ve cut drama and arts classes at my child’s school.” It’s a sad, but true reality. Another reality is the fact that a theatrical curriculum fosters the skill and creativity of self-expression through a visual, auditory and kinesthetic experience. Eric Jensen in Arts with the Brain in Mind states that, “brain research has increasingly shown that the bodily-kinesthetic arts contribute to the development and enhancement of critical neurobiological systems including cognition, emotions, immune, circulatory, and perceptual motor. Kinesthetic arts deserve a strong, daily place in the curriculum of every K-12 student.” So, while it’s important to learn multiplication tables and the history of the Civil War, it is equally critical to learn self-expression and communication skills to become successful and productive adults. Chances are that children will have a better opportunity to learn how to communicate in an improv class rather than in Algebra or History. Taking an improv class provides a variety of benefits for kids, aside from feeding their inner performers. Carolina Improv Company offers a two-week improv summer camp to give kids the opportunity to learn while playing.

First, let’s talk about improv in general. Most people think of comedy, especially Whose Line Is It Anyway? or Saturday Night Live when they hear the word “improv,” which would be correct. However, comedy is only one byproduct of improv. The art and science (yes, science) of improv can be applied to so much more, especially general life skills. The reality is that everyone, especially children, improvises every day. Webster.com defines “improvise” as: “to compose, recite, play, or sing extemporaneously; to make, invent, or arrange offhand; to make or fabricate out of what is conveniently on hand.”

Learning improv helps to “re-train” the brain to actively listen, communicate verbally and non-verbally, be open to ideas, respond quickly in the moment, use imagination, collaborate, effectively use emotions, be more engaging, be flexible to change and be more hyperaware of what’s going on around us. All of these skills are necessary for effective interpersonal communication skills.
In the comedy world, improvisers are trained with skills to spontaneously create a script based on audience suggestions. They rely on fellow improvisers to collaborate ideas together, while making each other look good, for the purpose of pleasing the audience with the bonus of relishing in their abilities to deliver a memorable experience. And while they (and all of us) are born with these skills we tend to lose them because we don’t practice them the way we did as children. If you observe children you will notice that they are the best improvisers with the best imaginations. They have an easier time letting go of inhibitions. They don’t censor themselves. They don’t worry about being judged for their off-the-wall ideas or imaginary friends. They truly have fun in the moment. However, all of this needs to be continuously supported and fostered in children.

At Carolina Improv Company the most obvious outcome we observe in our kids classes is the overnight improvement in confidence amongst all of the kids. One mother even said that her daughter gained confidence to try out for cheerleading just because of improv. Why, you wonder? Here are some reasons:

A “Safe” Space: We create a learning space that is free of judgment in which all students are supported, respected and encouraged by the whole group. In improv there are no wrong choices, only stronger or more effective ones. As a result of this, their confidence levels increase as does their abilities to solve problems and act on decisions. And, they quickly learn that they are all in it together in class. Because they are part of group exercises, the spotlight is not on one particular child. The easiest way to succeed is through supporting and applauding each other in being uncomfortable with taking risks and possibly failing. And failure is okay. We learn through failure. How we handle failure is the bigger learning lesson. Once a child feels safe, he or she is more willing to participate and engage with the other students. This platform also supports an anti-bullying culture.

A Sensory Experience: Improv provides a multi-sensory experience. Students learn from the visual stimulation of observing how other students interpret and express emotions in specific improv exercises. Auditory learning also takes place through listening to the varying intonations inflections and emotions in other students’ voices during exercises. They also learn kinesthetically through physical movement in class. One of the key learning strategies in improv is “learning by doing”, meaning, “Don’t talk about building a bridge. Build the bridge.” Pantomime also provides kinesthetic learning opportunities, especially for children with motor skill difficulty. Through pantomime exercises they can learn how to tell a “story” without speaking and this is especially beneficial for kids who are self-conscious about speaking or who lack confidence in their verbal skills.

Spontaneity and Problem Solving: Guiding students through improv exercises allows them to think “outside of the box” by allowing them to use their imaginations to create whatever they want, knowing there is no judgment in their creations. When given the space to explore and heighten they will naturally feel free to solve problems in unconventional ways through trial by error. Again, there’s no wrong way in improv and there are always multiple ways to doing things.

If you’re looking for an opportunity for your child (or even yourself) to improve his or her confidence, be less timid, improve communication skills, be supportive of others, think quickly and adapt to his or her environment (or situations), an improv class may be the answer you’ve been looking for. The ability to think in the moment through improv is a “real life” skill that is valuable for every child. Oh, and, one more thing, they’ll have fun since improv offers an “anything goes” playtime experience. They’ll just happen to learn a few things while playing! We won’t tell them that they’re learning things, if you won’t.

improv training session

When you hear the word “improvisation” or “improv”, what do you think of? Many think of comedy, like Whose Line Is It Anyway? or Saturday Night Live, which would be correct. However, comedy is only one byproduct of improv. The art and/or science of improv can be applied to so much more, especially staff training. The reality is that we improvise every day of our lives – some of us more than others. Webster.com defines “improvise” as: “to compose, recite, play, or sing extemporaneously; to make, invent, or arrange offhand; to make or fabricate out of what is conveniently on hand.” And from the Latin word of improvisus, it literally means “unforeseen”. Isn’t it fair to say that we all encounter the “unforeseen” on a regular basis in our daily jobs and lives? How we deal (or improvise) with the unforeseen is the true test for how successful and effective we will be with our internal and external customers and everyone can improve a variety of skills through improv training.

Using improv techniques and exercises in staff training continues to grow as a popular option in soft skills training in today’s economic climate. This type of soft skills training “re-trains” the brain to actively listen, be open to ideas, respond quickly in the moment, collaborate, effectively use emotions, be more engaging, be flexible to change and be more hyperaware of what’s going on around us. All of these skills contribute to increasing productivity and revenue while building authentic relationships with everyone we work with. Improv humanizes us by reminding us of our core values and beliefs that we sometimes forget about because we put walls up. People want to connect with each other in just about every industry. Customers want to buy from people they like. While many brick-and-mortar retailers lose business to online purchasing options, many industries thrive when they create a connection with their clients and this requires interpersonal communication skills.

In the comedy world, improvisers are trained with skills to spontaneously create a script based on audience suggestions. They rely on fellow improvisers to collaborate ideas together, while making each other look good, for the purpose of pleasing the audience with the bonus of relishing in their abilities to deliver a memorable experience. And while they (and all of us) are born with these skills we tend to lose them because we don’t practice them the way we did as children. If you observe children you will notice that they are the best improvisers with the best imaginations. They don’t censor themselves. They don’t worry about being judged for their off-the-wall ideas or imaginary friends. They truly have fun in the moment. As adults we are encouraged to NOT behave in these ways and this weakens our natural skills to improvise and use skills we already possess.

Improv training is not new. It really picked up momentum in the 1950s when a woman named Viola Spolin developed exercises or “games” for actors to unleash creativity with a focus on “play” to unlock the individual’s capacity for creative self expression. Her book “Improvisation for the Theater” became the foundation for theatrical and improvisation training and this ultimately led to the birth of Second City and Saturday Night Live. In the world of “applied improv”, the use of improv training has been applied to every industry imaginable. While the techniques are not new and trendy, the technique applications are always unique, based on the objectives of the subject matter being taught or presented. By participating in improv training, people are able to re-capture the skills necessary to provide excellent customer service, sell more effectively, build relationships, communicate better, brainstorm ideas, lighten up and get along better with others.

Improvisation improves training and is a perfect fit for any business, with the following benefits:

Learning By Doing: Studies show that we retain more information when we physically apply what we are learning. By applying improv activities to content, the experience is more memorable, motivational and engaging. Instead of sitting through lectures and “death by PowerPoint”, improv allows for the opportunity for people to learn in chunks of time by getting up and applying an exercise to something that was just presented. For example, in an exercise called “First Word/Last Word”, participants work in pairs to have grammatically incorrect conversations for the purpose of learning how to actively listen to every word they are speaking to each other. If one person says “I like ice cream”, his/her exercise partner has to start the next line of dialogue with the word “cream” and might say “Cream in my coffee tastes good” and so on. As a team they have to focus on listening to each and every word to accomplish the exercise. The true learning occurs during the post discussion (“debrief”) of the exercise, led by a trained facilitator, to help the participants understand what they learned from the exercise. Just the simple question of “How did that feel?” by the facilitator opens all kinds of feelings and emotions, such as “I had to be in the moment. I couldn’t think ahead about what I wanted to say. As soon as I had a new idea, my partner changed it with their own idea.” Do this exercise enough and active listening will increase immensely.

Fun, Laughter and Team Development: Many participants of improv training are often uncomfortable in the very beginning of a training until they realize that they are all in it together, meaning they are all feeling uncomfortable, silly and awkward. A good facilitator creates a safe environment to make it okay to feel this way, to make it okay to fail in front of others. Ultimately this leads to laughter and camaraderie and higher learning retention. Improv exercises also help to break down barriers of participants who are resistant to training, while helping to relieve anxiety and fear.

Personality Profiling: Using improv exercises, also called “games”, is a great indicator of personalities, providing that you are hyperaware and observant of behaviors. Improv can be used to learn if employees are “in the right seat on the bus” by displaying their abilities to communicate, play well with others, be in the moment, stay focused, commit to the task at hand and much more. Additionally, improv improves the ability to “read” people quickly, including verbal and non-verbal communication. Aside from training, improv exercises can be used in an interview process or in effectively assessing clients’ needs.

Being Centered and “In The Moment”: Many of us are “boxed” into a corporate way of thinking, yet still need to balance a holistic approach to running a business. Improv training helps employees come up with creative and positive ways to approach company culture, customer service and quick, mindful thinking. It also helps staff members to focus in 100% on a client, instead of talking to co-workers during a service or texting in front of clients, etc. Dedicating full attention to internal and external customers will build relationships and improve the bottom line.

Being A Good Partner: To be successful in business today, it’s essential to become “partners” with clients by adding value to their experiences. Being able to “think outside of the box” to uncover client needs will help grow a business and there are many improv exercises that focus on re-training the brain to “explore and heighten” ideas. In improv we also stress the importance to treat others like “rock stars” – we use exercises that focus on treating others like they are amazing and in turn we will look amazing for doing so. It’s about engagement and engaging clients to come back.

There are a variety of tools and learning resources available to learn how to apply effective and engaging improv to training programs. The best resources are local improv classes and workshops led by improv practitioners. Classes will get you in the mindset for this style of training. Also, bringing in an improv training company to facilitate staff training is a great way to get everyone involved instead of a manager having to lead it – this also puts management in a light of “rolling up their sleeves” to participate with the team. While improv can be read about or watched on YouTube videos, the best way to learn how to use it is to “Do it,” a common phrase in improv. We often say, “Don’t talk about building a boat. Build the boat. Show us.” If you want to read about the improv experience there are many books available including the aforementioned “Improv For The Theater” by Viola Spolin, plus “Training To Imagine” by Kat Koppett, “Business Improv” by Val and Sarah Gee and “Improvisation, Inc.” by Robert Lowe. A great website to explore is www.appliedimprov.ning.com

We all understand the importance of ROI and you might be wondering how to measure or benchmark the success of improv training. The best way to measure improv training is my monitoring sales and comment cards after continuous training. One improv session will not increase sales overnight. To be successful at anything we do, we need to practice. Whether it’s yoga, massage or customer service, practicing techniques over time will increase competency and productivity. The same thing is true for improv. Investing in improv training that improves listening, emoting, relating, supporting and thinking will lead to repeat customers who spend more money, while recommending and endorsing your business. Additionally, employee turnover will remain low and effectiveness will remain high. Who wouldn’t want to work somewhere where learning and laughter is encouraged?!

Ah, the C word. Many people are allergic to it. In improv training we preach it as if it were the gospel. We need to commit to ourselves and partners on stage (and in life) if we want our relationships (or projects) to be successful.

Dictionary.com defines COMMITMENT as “the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself; a pledge or promise; obligation.”

The words “promise” and “engaging oneself” resonate the most with me. When we commit to anything we not only promise others that we will follow through on doing what we say we plan on doing, we also promise ourselves that we will succeed.

As an improv instructor and training facilitator for Carolina Improv Company, I am constantly side-coaching others to commit in the moment to the exercise that I’ve given them to do and to not worry about failure. “Just commit. Try it.” The worst thing that will happen is failure. Strike that. The BEST thing that will happen is failure because when we fail, we learn how to succeed the next time. I also find myself giving this same advice in general to friends in a variety of areas – jobs, health, relationships, you name it.

What has really made me hyperaware of “commitment” is my current commitment to my health. On January 2, I made a promise to myself to lose weight and ultimately improve my overall health. In six and a half weeks, I’ve lost 23 pounds. Of course, I’m now hearing, “What are you doing? How do I do that?” And my answer is COMMIT to yourself. What I’m doing is not an overnight gimmick, but it may not be for
everyone. What works for me logistically does not matter. Fundamentally what works for me can work for everyone – COMMITMENT. The bottom line is that whatever people choose to do to lose weight, find love or get a new job, they need to commit to the plans they set to be successful. They need to engage themselves to believe that they can do whatever they set their minds to do.

And for inquiring minds that really want to know what I’m doing … I’ve changed the way I eat (smaller portions, no dairy, no caffeine, limited alcohol, low carbs, low fat and as much organic as possible), plus working out five to six times a week (sometimes more). At first it seemed overwhelming to think about how I would stick to this, so I committed to making it one day at a time and it gets easier every day … especially knowing others are watching me to see if I’ll fail or how much I’ll succeed.

Gina Trimarco Cligrow & Eileen Soisson

My best friend and business partner Eileen Soisson, president of The Meeting Institute, invited me to make a presentation with her on behalf of Carolina Improv Company called “Using Improv in Training” at the National Parks and Recreation Association Congress last week in Atlanta, GA. This was an amazing opportunity to meet people who may not be familiar with the benefits of applying improv in business. Specifically for this industry they can use it both in training of their employees of all levels and can also use it to create programs for adults and youth. It was extremely rewarding to watch the light bulbs go off in their heads as we presented improv techniques they could use. And most exciting was being asked for a proposal to go to Italy!!!

This trip also provided for other great experiences, such as the most amazing customer service at the OMNI Hotel at CNN Center. They not only met our expectations, they anticipated and exceeded our expectations. I’ve never stayed at an OMNI, but here’s a great example of how important it is to realize how one location can set the example for all locations in a chain. I can only assume that every OMNI is amazing based on my experience. WHAT IF the experience had not been good? Just something to think about in customer service and branding.

While in Atlanta we also met with an existing client to do some team building. Little did we know that this training would need to be suitable for employees in Atlanta AND Boston, via video teleconferencing. In the true spirit of improv, I had to quickly figure out how adapt my interactive improv training plan for those watching us from afar so that they could also participate. Sure enough, it worked out great and mostly because I didn’t stress about it and approached it as if I had always done this type of training. We then went to dinner with the Atlanta team to Divan Restaurant & Hookah Lounge. Another great experience! The menu was so eclectic and diverse that it was nearly impossible to choose because I wanted to choose everything. Highly recommend the goat cheese with apricot. It was also my first hookah experience. And then the improvised singing began within the group, specifically by one team member named Cecilia. Oh, how I wanted to kidnap her for our cast in Myrtle Beach!!!

So, I met great people, made new contacts, experienced an amazing hotel and learned how to smoke from a hookah, but the best part of the trip was the six-hour drive home. Keep in mind that I don’t do well sitting for that long and luckily we had several unplanned stops that turned into a new pastime … shopping at Travel Centers. Yes, Travel Centers, aka Travel Stops, aka Travel Plazas. Some may call them “gas stations” as we did until we were quickly corrected by a “regular” at Love’s Travel Stop in Thomson, Georgia.

We fell in love with Love's

We needed to stop for gas and chose Love’s because of Eileen’s son, who had apparently been there on a trip with his grandmother. When he returned from his trip he told Eileen how much he loved going to Love’s with grandma. Needless to say, we were intrigued by a five-year-old’s fascination with a gas station … I mean Travel Center. The second I walked in, I understood why. The first thing I saw were giant stuffed Teddy Bears at the back of the store. From a child’s small eyes and height, this must have been absolutely magical. Eileen walked in and seemed just as mystified. And as we perused row after row we proceeded to behave like cackling teen age girls at

Purses and Power Tools. Which to choose?

the discoveries we made from automotive products, pink leather jackets, footballs, purses, beef jerky, winter hats that looked like animals, television accessories, books on tape, CDs, DVDs, toys, toiletries, beer, wine, novelty baseball caps, multiple flavored coffees (no tea though) and on and on. It was like a Wal-Mart in 4,000 square feet. And of course we cannot forget the showers, which I was tempted to try out.

We were laughing so hard and carrying so many unneeded items that one of the employees came to ask us if we were okay.We apologized for our silliness and continued to shop. Upon making our purchases we apologized again for being so silly and then some random customer asked us if we had been drinking and informed us that they had us on video laughing. Such a valid question based on our behavior but of course we had not been drinking. He continued his interrogation asking if we had used drugs. Again, no. For a minute I thought maybe he was security or a cop but the cashier told me he was just a regular trucker. He was the one to also correct us that we were not at a gas station, but at a Travel Center and that Love’s was actually not the best Travel Center on the road. This did not sit well with who appeared to be the head cashier. The trucker said that Pilot and Flying J were actually better and gave us the exact exits for each, informing us of the great deal on fleece blankets at Flying! The head cashier was quick to tell us that Love’s was better and that Pilot employees were leaving their jobs to join Love’s. Fascinating! After Eileen’s $70 purchase and my $30 purchase (not including gas) we proceeded on the road looking for more Travel

Every trucker needs a dollie!

Centers while quickly becoming more addicted with each stop. Along the way we visited a Pilots Travel Center, Stuckey’s Travel Plaza Express and a BP Shop and found items unique to each of their locations, including fried chicken, life size dolls, fleece blankets (2 for $7.00) crystal knick knacks, John Wayne/Betty Boop/Elvis souvenirs, pecan logs, bandanas and more.  And we really did start to take it a little seriously as we explored merchandising techniques, as you can see in this video about AV accessories. If you’re one of our friends or family members you might be able to figure out where this year’s Christmas presents came from! By the way, Stuckey’s has a website to order pecan logs!!! We didn’t find Flying J, but I have learned through further research that Flying J owns Pilot. Who knew?!

And of course we encountered more showers! Our favorite thing was hearing “Customer 13, your shower is not ready to use. Please proceed to shower stall 4.”

In case we forgot to shower, here was our chance!

And if you’re wondering why we were laughing so hard and were so amazed by this experience it’s because we had just been shopping in Atlanta for things we didn’t need (accessories) at a place called Charming Charlie’s and had been trying to justify spending money on jewelry. The humor hit us at Love’s – we realized that most women can find a way to shop ANYWHERE, including a GAS STATION! You never know what you’re going to find when you’re willing to “yes and” by opening your eyes in everything you do … including pumping gas!