Friday January 14th, 2011 - Cary, IL Sometimes it’s fun to just hang out and do nothing. This is one of those times. I’ve got all kinds of plots and schemes heating in the oven, and that’s exciting, but for a few days I’ve got the chance to visit friends and enjoy life. To me, that’s as enjoyable as anything. I’ve got a few bucks in the bank, my bills are paid, and my time schedule is flexible for the next little while. I hit it pretty hard on the ships the past few months so this is the time to relax a little. I earned it, and I love every last minute of it. It’s like a mini retirement. It’s a good thing I’m boring and have low standards. Simple things please me, and I can be thoroughly satisfied with not all that much. For example, I’m enjoying my ‘83 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham just as much as if it were an expensive show car. No kidding. It’s a big tub, but it runs great and it’s fun to drive. It sucks gas, but it’s paid for. I’m loving it. Today I used it to visit friends. First I met with a former comedy student named Cathy Rubino. She’s loaded with talent, but not necessarily as a standup. She’s more of a writer, but she‘s on the ball. Her mind is razor sharp, and she doesn’t realize how good she is. Cathy has the talent to be great, but that’s not always a guarantee it will happen. She has a husband and five year old daughter, and life often has other plans. It’s hard enough to be out in the clubs every night clawing for stage time without having to keep a family going. There are a lot of people in that position, and I feel for them. At least I had a shot to get out there and live my dream guilt free. I made the decision to go for it at a young age, and I never looked back. Sometimes I wonder if I made the correct choice, but I’m sure I did. Cathy is a total sweetheart, and the main thing I can do is encourage her to keep writing. Being a mom is much more demanding than comedy, and she can come back to it later if she really wants to. There are many outlets for creativity. The main thing is to pick one. After that I had lunch with Marc Schultz and Tim Walkoe. Tim is one of the top comics in Chicago, and he’s got to keep hustling just like I do. He does some cruise ships and has similar stories to mine. It’s not an easy gig, but neither is comedy. This is what we chose. Jerry Agar came back from Toronto and I picked him up at the airport in the afternoon. He’s got his own mammoth task trying to work in Canada and live in Chicago. We talked about how hard it is, but he doesn’t have a choice. That’s where the work is, deal with it. Jerry and his wife Ann and I went out for a wonderful dinner at a steak house out in the suburbs near their house. It was really nice to relax and chow down and visit. We’ve been friends for over twenty years, and know each other’s history. Old friends are the dearest. Normally, being off on a weekend would really bother me. Not today. I got to enjoy the friendship of outstanding people, and enjoy life to the fullest. If that isn’t living, what is?
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