A Ship Comes In

Sunday July 4th, 2010 - Kenosha, WI

   It’s only been four days, but I‘m starting to feel noticeably better about myself on every level. I’m not going to get cocky, but I am pleased I made it even this far. I’m making the daily decisions I should have been making decades ago, but took until now to finally do.

   Even if I do manage to stretch this out into weeks, months or even years, I still blew all kinds of opportunities to have been a lot farther along than I am now, and I have to forget about that and focus on whatever time is left. That’s SO not easy to do though. It’s almost impossible not to imagine what could have been had I been on a path like this years ago.

   Had I had this kind of focus when I was 30 or even 35, who knows where I could have ended up? I should have all kinds of CD and DVD projects finished and movie scripts in the can and all kinds of other creative and entrepreneurial stuff that’s paying me off now.

   Instead, here I sit with my education, trying to salvage at least a little scrap from all the wreckage that I can hopefully use to build into some kind of makeshift shelter to keep me protected from any more storms that may decide to come my way. I didn’t expect to be in this situation this far into the game. I thought for sure I’d have it al figured out by now.

   I received word today I’m going to get my trial run on a cruise ship. They want to send me out in a couple of weeks for four days. I’m not sure where I’m going, but it’s a chance to prove myself to this particular cruise line. Allegedly, they’re looking for regular acts.

   The pay is decent, and I know I’ll nail this. Much of it requires that I work clean for one 30 minute set and the other I can do pretty much whatever I want. They also might want a five minute teaser set at the top of the run to attract passengers to one of my two shows.

   I know how to work clean and still get laughs, so that won’t be an issue. What might be a slight concern is if they want to send me out all the time. Am I ready for life on a boat? I won’t know until I try it. Maybe. Maybe not. I’ve heard all kinds of stories about how it is and it’s not for everyone but neither is comedy itself, and I’ve lasted in that for 25 years.

   This is a very big step that I need to think through before I make any commitments. It’s a career milestone that could either be an answer to my problems or the cause of a whole lot more, like radio was. I wasn’t prepared before I dove head first into that cesspool, and I’m still paying for it all these years later. This is different. I’m a lot more seasoned now.

   I’m sure these decisions are much easier for an outsider looking in, but from where I’m sitting, it isn’t so cut and dried at all. There are options on each side and I have no idea of what the correct choices are. Had I known years ago, I’d have made a lot better choices.

   I guess it’s all part of the learning process, but that knowledge doesn’t come cheaply. It sucks valuable time out of the prime of life, and by the time whatever wisdom that comes from it my grandmother’s old saying rings true. “Too soon old, too late smart.” SO true.

Posted via email from Dobie Maxwell's "Dented Can" Diary