Now I can build a life that I don't want to escape from.
Welcome back to Let’s Talk, a series of conversations about life’s biggest questions. Today, I’m so excited for you to meet my friend Alrinthea Carter.
Alrinthea Carter is an improviser, photographer, and writer based in Greenville, SC. She is the Executive Producer and Player Advocate of Alchemy Comedy Theater, where she also teaches improv and created the Black Lady Improv Workshop. She has served as Producer for the New South Comedy Festival and the Greenville Comedy Marathon, and she studied at Alchemy Comedy Theater, The Pack Theater, Camp Improv Utopia, and Second City of Hollywood. Alrinthea's photography focuses on the landscape of the abandoned south. She is hopelessly devoted to Prince, the search for the perfect sandwich, and finally finishing that stack of books on her nightstand.
In this episode, Alrinthea and I explore what quarantine has taught her about priorities and mental health, the magic of human connection, the low-key food media that got us through early lockdown, and comedy’s role in our need for escape. We also talked about self-care and made serious predictions about the future of hugging.
This conversation brought me a lot of joy, and I’m grateful to Al for sharing her generous spirit and optimism with us all.
Listen above or find us in your favorite podcast app.
When asked about the essential nature of laughter, Alrinthea responded:
I think that comedy is one of those things that is very crucial, but people don't realize that until they really need it… It gives you a chance to enjoy life and take a break from having to go out into the real world for a little bit.
As we discussed how the pandemic has helped her clarify her needs and desires, Alrinthea compares this year to the Before Times:
It’s made me ask myself what I’ve been clinging onto to avoid taking really honest inventory of how I’m doing in any situation. Feeling like you’ve had something stripped away… really points out where you were using [your schedule] to distract yourself from the fact that you weren’t happy with how you were progressing… I was working several different jobs and busy all of the time, and I think a lot of that was because I was trying to escape…whatever. But now I can build a life that I don’t want to escape from.
Al and I want to hear about your favorite low-key food media, too — share it in the comments. And it would help us if you subscribe and give Let’s Talk a rating wherever you listen to podcasts!
If you enjoyed this conversation and want to hear more regular people exploring the big questions of our time, check out earlier episodes of Let’s Talk. I’ve loved every single one.
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