Why do I keep doing that?

On Saturday, I performed at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda. It was a strange crowd with the ages ranging from 16 to 97. I performed 20 minutes and actually had a lot of fun but apparently did not do that great. Unfortunately, I am delusional; I cannot differentiate my having fun from the crowd having fun. After my set, I sat next to my wife and said, "I think that went really well." She just looked at me, shook her head and grimaced. I love my wife and I love her candor but that one stung a little.

The problem was that I kept going off on tangents and acted very weird on stage. This translated into fun for me but awkward for the audience. I did not realize this because I was under the assumption that if I'm having fun, the audience is having fun also - not necessarily true. Every time I had built some steam, I'd immediately go off-the-cuff and derail my set. Additionally, I screwed up a couple of old jokes and was sloppy through the entire set. I need to harness that energy and pick my spots carefully rather than just spew whatever enters my mind. The more I think about it, the more I wouldn't change that set for anything. The audience paid $5 for that show; in Bethesda, you'll pay $5 just to park. Hopefully they were entertained, if not, maybe next time. I'll never grow if I don't take chances. I probably learned more from that set that any set I've had in the last month.

While were on the subject; I shaved my pubes yesterday. I like to knock down the foliage every once in a while just to keep things tidy. I like to keep the yard looking trimmed if you know what I mean. Once again, my problems stem from self control. I got a little carried away and am now miserable. I've been overzealous in the past with my trimwork and have suffered the consequences. Apparently, I didn't learn my lesson because I am itchy today and if memory serves me, I will remain this way for a good 5-7 days. What is my problem?