The Saturday Night Live experience taught the speaker to become tougher as it required repeatedly attempting to rise from the ashes like a Phoenix even in the face of disappointing performances that couldn't be avoided.
A writer describes the experience of working in a writers' room in the 90s, where scripts were written on legal pads and typed up by a team of typists. He shares an anecdote about being mistaken for a typist by new colleagues because he didn't go to college and was working as a standup comic.
The speaker reflects on how playing basketball with men taught her to not be self-centered and to observe others. She also mentions the unique challenges women face in pickup games with men.