A Bonus Day

Friday February 29th, 2008 - Waterford, WI

Leap day. This is the bonus day we get every four years and I was watching on TV how we are supposed to make it a special one and do what we really enjoy. The reporter I saw was interviewing people and asking them what they were going to do and it received a lot of different responses. One guy was going to skydive because he always wanted to do it.

My question is why can’t EVERY day be like that? Thanksgiving too. We don’t have to cook a turkey in November to be thankful and I try to give thanks every day. There’s a lot to be thankful for and sometimes it can all get lost in the shuffle but it’s there. Every day.

I made the most of my bonus day today. I did stuff that I knew was the right thing to do. I got up at 7am and had an apple and stretched out for a while and then went for a walk in my neighborhood. There were two older ladies standing outside talking and one said ‘Hey you’re getting physically fit!’ It felt great when she said that and I smiled and waved.

Even if I’m turning the heads of 70 year olds I’m still turning heads. I’ll take it. I felt as good about getting out there and exercising as I did having someone notice it. When I got back home I felt like I had done something and that’s how it’s supposed to feel. Then the rest of the day really is a bonus after that. Good habits start with one day and this was it.

After the stretch and walk I sat down to do my Gene Perret comedy assignement. That’s another good thing I’m glad I have been working on because it helps me get better at my joke writing skills. I took a couple of hours and really focused on it and lost myself in the assignment for a while. If I can put that kind of effort in more often I’ll get a lot better.

The vibe was totally good as I headed up to Waterford, WI to do a gig at a place called ‘Cotton Connection’ which is a banquet hall. It was a dinner show package and they were a fantastic audience even though they weren’t that large. Everything I did worked and the whole night was fun. There’s something to be said about having fun and I‘m saying it.

My friend Russ Martin came down from Franklin to hang out and he ended up hosting the show. Russ is a former student and a great guy who didn’t get started in comedy until his late 50s. The good thing about comedy is that it can be done as long as someone has a breath and can walk to a microphone so he’s in good shape as long as that’s in the mix.

I have met several people over the years that started late in comedy and every one has a regret they didn’t start earlier. Bill Gorgo didn’t start until he was almost 40 and he’s very funny and has done well. Life gets in the way of us all and that’s just how it is. I’m glad it didn’t stop Bill or Russ or any of the other people who gave it a shot. Comedy is a blast.

Russ is improving all the time and he has the exuberance of a kid which is refreshing to be around. It doesn’t matter his age, he LOVES comedy and I love to be around anybody who loves comedy because I do too. We stopped for a meal after the show and discussed comedy stuff and enjoyed it all. We didn’t need a ‘bonus day’ to do what we both enjoy.