Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Life is Drama.






As requested by Amanda over in Israel, which as you may know is at war with the hazbullah, but apparently not as dire as my life seems to be. Actually, things are okay. Spent a couple days shopping with my daughter, had a great time. Got her a Bonzai tree, which she had said she wanted, plus tons of clothes.

I am starting to feel a little better about losing my friend/cousin Marc. He had been given less than a year to live, so we would've been saying goodbye to him soon anyway, and so the suicide part is less stinging now.

My buddy Stephane learned about helping people out. He was staying here for the holidays, so he agreed to look after three peoples places. Two with cats and one with plants. The plants one is down the hall from me, but after last summer, when I killed her plants, the request went to stephane. So one place, the cats are old and everytime he goes over, there's shit and puke everywhere. The other place, he flushed the flushable cat litter, and it flooded the suite below. Stephane works a lot with drywall, so he had to help fix it on his days off, with sewage pouring down on him. The other night he was over with another friend at my place watching a DVD. My player stopped working, and so he went next door, and borrowed my neighbours. Well, you guessed it, the neighbour had someone else looking in on the place, and they told my neighbour her DVD player is missing. So now poor Stephane is getting enraged french woman phone calls from Quebec. Anyway, I was away when he tried to return the DVD player till this morning when he came over and put it back. So much for helping people.

My old roommate Darryl Lenox is coming in to do the New Year's Eve show at Yuk Yuks, so I'm gonna hang out with him.

Friday, I go back to the Cancer Agency for another CT scan, and an appointment to get a consult for my kidney operation.

But my city isn't being shelled by anything but rain and snow, so here we go into another year.

Enjoy the pictures of me and her highness!

Monday, December 29, 2008

sometimes endings are beginnings too






In the last two days I have gone from shovelling the church parking lot, having lunch with K's extended family, going to a memorial gathering for my cousin (picture with my aunt above) and finally hanging out with my daughter.
I will miss my cousin a lot, but sometimes the best you can do is keep trying. Today, Breanna and I will go spend some money. This holiday is a turbulant path (of weather and emotion) but it is headed towards things be good. Spending time with my daughter seems to make everything feel okay. My life continues to have plenty of drama, but at least it's not boring(for my readers anyway).

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

the most dysfunctional time of the year








Well, I managed to finish my tour, get my rent and get home. Did a show with some Vancouver comics at the Jupitor.The blizzard started as soon as I got here, and now I am pretty much home bound. Christmas Eve was so exciting when I was a kid, but as time goes on, it becomes a hurdle i have to get through. Waiting for me in January is some more medical issues (kidney stone) and a memorial for my cousin Marc. I still find myself in shock about him not being around, and haven't been able to make contact with his family since I got back. I won't be able to see my daughter till after Christmas, so I haven't done any shopping. I was going to today, but the snow is coming down, and the city is locked up so I'm staying in till the Christmas Eve service tonight. I may have to bus it, because the roads are a mess. I am really just trying to stay relaxed, not make myself upset about things, and keep the faith.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

back to my roots






It's thirty below and I am midway through my first road trip to Alberta since this time last year. A lot happened in that year, and a lot didn't. I am pictured with my sister, whom I haven't spoken with in a couple years. I went out to Camrose where I saw my mom and a few great friends and froze my nut. It is always grounding to go home, get my ass kicked in Scrabble, and hang out with high school pals, who took turns giving me lifts around. Primarily Nathan and Kevin. Kevin is the white haired guy, and he and i get together everytime im around. Now I'm in the comedian's condo, in Calgary, waiting to catch the bus to Castlegar - then its off to langley.

A terrible thing happened when I was in Camrose. My cousin Marc, whom i had come very close too in the last few years, recieved a diagnosis of a terminal brain tumour, and took his own life last week. I found out when my mother got the phone call after dinner the night I arrived. It was lucky for my mom and me, that we were together when we found out. i am only now accepting it. It will be a tough time when I get back as his family wants me to assist in putting together a memorial. I am going to try write some stuff on the bus. I have a song my mother thinks I should play. "Fickle Mystery" (in case you didn't guess K)

I stayed over one night at my friend Shelley. I didn't get a picture of this time, but thats her daughter and mother above.

I am enjoying myself, considering everything. It does feel good to be back, doing the life that, in a strange way - I still love.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Gotta be blacklisted somewhere.




Fortunately its the worst room in town. Not that the Soho is a bad bar, the staff is cool and the girls are sexy. Unfortunately it's comedy night is run by one of those failed comedians I was talking about. Anyway, after months of not going there, I was looking for a local room for the crew and cast of the film I had done, to see me do comedy, so I went down to do it. Just about the only thing going for it is that it has been going a long time. The money is shit, but the fact that the management has let it go on after weeks and weeks of terrible shows, and worse audiences, makes me think their accountant sees some advantage to it. Anyway, for 80 bucks, i was going to do it, so i told some people i would be there. Then the mc/producer/english ponce facebooks me (cause thats how tough he is) to tell be someone else is booked. I tear him a new one and he renegs. So I go down there, and coincidentally there's a pretty good crowd. Turns out its the bartenders last night, and the staff is all there - sitting by the stage. In spite of the MC's usual unintelligible prattle, the audience stays. I am told I can do as much time as I want. Since the MC failed to take advantage/pay homage to the going away party that is happening - so I do, with great results. The staff loves the attention. About 40 minutes in, the Ponce gives me the light (a red reflector light that looks like it's off his bicycle helmet) I acknowledge and move towards my closing bit. Before I can get to the end, this git walks very obviously to the front and gives me the light again. (did I mention he couldn't remember my name when he introduced me?) So I made fun of it, and tried to rewind to a closing. Now since I was only getting 80 bucks, I told them to buy my CD before they put money in the bucket. So after the show, one of the amateurs sent to do the panhandling, told the ponce the reason there wasn't much in the tin cup was because they bought a CD instead. This sends the pencil-necked immigrant into a fit, so he shorts me the money. Oh well, I was too busy surrounded by sexy girls who loved the show. Best one ever - the staff said.

Since then I've been getting Facebook messages from this English poof, referring to my "stunt" calling me "silly" and "a child in a man's body". I understand now why his jokes are so weak - even his rage is pantywaisted.

But this is how legends happen. All part of being unforgettable.

Meanwhile, here's some pictures of me skating with K, and NOT obeying her advice that if I wanted a girlfriend, I should quit putting pictures on my blog with me and pretty girls.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

sometimes it feels like the world is


out to get me. I realize my cancer is in remission, and this is good. Very Good. but meanwhile, the state of Vancouver comedy is not good. More rooms - less money. Seems like when a new room gets going, it doesn't take long before the pay goes from shit money, to zero money. And comedians are lining up to do it. Makes me wonder if there will ever be a professional standard in this biz. Pro's doing favours for these low-balling producers (all of whom are failed comedians) and amateurs making stand up look bad. meanwhile, the audiences have no problem shelling out 7 bucks for a beer, but happily watch comedy for free. There is this new thing about passing the hat at the end of the show, which is as rinky dink as it gets. This is a practice that has come from street performers and is pretty much panhandling. So what's a guy to do. I just signed a petition to stop the potential Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) strike, but it feels like comedians need some bargaining leverage ourselves. A comedian strike? There will always be scabs in comedy. And these producers could give a shit about the show. As long as they get their cut, they will put anyone up,(or do it themselves - God help us all) promising exposure and experience to performers, while telling the audience they are seeing a pro show. I do go and do shows to help things along, but once I start to feel like its just another free bee, I have to stop. I know what the value I bring to a show is, and I give away sparingly. I wish my colleagues would start to show some standards too.

I thought this would make me feel better, but it hasn't. Maybe I'll post a happy picture of me, and that will help.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Played Santa in a Horror movie!






Pictures - now story later. My computer has been very slow lately and I've been very busy, so haven't posted in a couple of weeks. Sorry. First day off in five - which is pretty good for a guy recovering from cancer. That - by the way, is in total remission, and so now I'm just trying to get back to normal - whatever that was, if it ever was...

Anyway, did a student film playing the lead role of Santa. The other star was a 12 year old girl, who kicked my ass pretty much. She was very good, and I have a feeling this is gonna come out good.

Monday, October 27, 2008

life goes on.






In the pictures is Sam and Sally Easton, me and Kathleen at the Neil Young Concert, a couple of drinking buddies, and Marion at the show in Victoria which, as you can see, was porrly attended!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

the girls of cultus lake




Did a show in Cultus Lake and as usual, the girls loved it.

Friday, October 17, 2008

cancer update



I went yesterday to see Dr. Chi. The news was good. My lymph nodes had shrunk to the point where no further treatment is required. This means that the cancer is dead, and only scar tissue remains. They will still keep checking on me for ten years though, so its not something i will be able to live without. I do have to begin living a healthier life, however. I am over weight (248 lbs) and I have to quit smoking. This reality has left me unhappy and so i remain inactive and smoking. However, there is time to fix that. Meanwhile, my love life continues to be at a standstill, regardless of the fact that I have many women in my life, who show a lot of affection for me, but nothing "romantic". This might have something to do with me being a smoking fatso, hard to say. Anyway, I have two shows this weekend, and I won the poetry slam this week. The conservative got re-elected, even though i voted strategically (ie Liberal).
Not much inspiration in the blog I admit, but at least I'm still writing it. I have a show next weekend in Victoria, and hopefully my island dream girl will show up.

Monday, October 13, 2008

thanksgiving and the ghost train






This long weekend was pretty active, starting with the comedy show at Rossini's being canceled. Dissappointing, after just having gone on the Urban Rush TV talk show, to promote it. But it was a good four month run, so these things happen. The restaurant seems pretty empty most of the time, so it may just have been the wrong venue. Then I picked up Breanna and brought her out to stay over on Saturday so we could go to the Ghost Train, a Halloween thing that runs in Stanley Park. Th etrain itself was not as scary as other years, but we did have a lot of fun, and ran into old friend Steve Colson and his cute family. Sunday, Bree and I went to church and then i drove her back to her mom's. Kathleen came over and cooked a brilliant Thanksgiving dinner, and a few friends came over for dinner. One of them called after her left to tell about an accident down the hill where a car had crashed into a ground level apartment, so we went down to check it out. It appeared the driver had had a heart attack, and lost control. All in all, and interesting weekend. And now its raining, and doesn't look like it'll stop for a few months.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

the end of the world

so some of my friends have lost a lot of money. other friends say its the beginning of the end. america's going broke, panic will set in, riots and martial law to follow. I dunno. fortunately, or not, i don't have stocks, so i haven't been affected directly.

I have a CT scan tomorrow, the results of which I won't know for a week. this makes me a little anxious. still haven't quit smoking, so i feel like i'm not doing myself any favours.

meanwhile my love life is perplexing. i have many females around in my life, but i just can't seem to find the right fit. i met a woman around my own age the other night, but she's been seeing younger guys, hmmm. I have been criticized for dating much younger women, which sometimes makes me feel young, but mostly makes me feel old. But they seem to be the ones that do it for me, and I do it for them. I wonder how it is for older women going out with younger men. They complain about not being able to have a solid relationship, but they are going after frat boys playing video games. oh well. i think i'll give up for a bit.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

life is good-ish






Spent some time with my daughter - did four shows last week - and did a poetry slam and a set at The Arts Club last night. Tonight, well, its a friend's birthday so I might got out for a beer to celebrate. I have a voice audition tomorrow, so can't stay out too late.

Photos show the free toll on the coquihaula, croquet in Kelowna, me and Rayne at a film fest party (before the police incident) and JP mass the comedian.