Nice Doesn't Cut It

Sunday December 5th, 2010 - Kenosha, WI

   All right, ENOUGH with the nice guy thing. After a quarter century of getting kick after kick to the head, ass and groin - it’s finally time to start putting comedy business ahead of show. I’ve always done things for the fun and experience, but that leads to poor choices.

   This whole weekend was a greasy pig rape. Had I stayed home I could have gotten more work done that would have eventually been worth more than the money I brought in from the one show I did do. In the end, I ended up losing money, time, energy and self esteem.

   It takes a lot of effort to get out and do a road gig. Sitting in a car for several hours isn’t  all that‘s involved, even though that in itself is a lot harder than it sounds. Rock bands get to ride on a tour bus driven by someone else. Comedians have to drive our own vehicles.

   Today’s drive was a lot longer than usual, probably because I haven’t done it in a while. I’ve been on the cruise ships, and that can get long and drawn out in it’s own way. I have had my fill of travel, and a dream gig now would be one ten minutes from where I live.

   I can’t let any of this get me down though. These are all great problems to have. It’s like the feeling of bloat after going to a delicious buffet. Better to have experienced the best of everything and gotten sick of it than wondered what it would be like and never tasted it.

   Many people I’ve talked to over the years have envied the fact I chose to go out and live the road life. I can say for sure I’m glad I did it once, but I don’t know if I could do it now if I had to start all over again today.  Road life comes with a toll, and everyone has to pay.

   I guess the travel part just doesn’t interest me anymore. Not right now anyway. Quincy, IL isn’t all that different from Tomah, WI. I’ve been to both places in the past anyway, so why am I tearing my hinder apart to get to either place? It was to perform, but that’s not a good business reason either. There are 50 random people to see me a lot closer to home.

   It’s time for some new adventures in a more confined location. Let’s see if that works as a combination. Traveling the country for small crowds hasn’t been the answer. Maybe if I can find a way to get larger crowds in less places, I can finally kick something into gear.

   There has to be a way to turn this around. I could sit and snivel and focus on the bad but I refuse to do that. Road life has been a fantastic adventure for a quarter of a century. I did exactly what I said I would and saw places most people never see. Now it’s time to switch it up a little and redirect my energies into something that’s fresh and new, at least to me.

   The fact is, this is a BUSINESS. I can’t keep doing what I’m doing and succeed. I really need to focus more on the big picture and less on trying to do favors and be ‘nice’. That’s been my biggest problem. I’ve been nice to a lot of people, and it rarely comes back. Now it’s time to be nice to me and listen to my inner voice which is yelling at me to evolve and reinvent myself. I’m no longer a journeyman road dog working low end gigs. That’s over.

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