Wasting Time Productively

Friday January 23rd, 2009 - Chicago, IL/Milwaukee, WI

I’m off this whole week and thought I’d get a lot of work done but I haven’t. I’ve been too busy having lunches and hanging out with friends but that’s an important part of life I have been neglecting too so what can I say? I can’t please everyone so I’m pleasing ME.

I had a great time lunching with Jerry’s Kidders and Harry Teinowitz and Jim McHugh earlier this week and today I grubbed with another old friend Brian Seery. I’ve mentioned Brian before and I’m sure I will again. He has nothing to do with comedy but is one of my all time favorite humans. He’s as solid as they come and I’d sacrifice my life for that guy.

A friend of a friend used to play hockey with Brian years ago and Brian bought a house years later and needed a roommate. I did too. That mutual friend hooked us up and we’ve been tight as a drum since. It’s been about a dozen years now and he’s one golden chap.

Brian Seery is the guy at the top of the short list of people one calls at 3am in a blizzard when the car breaks down and the AAA card is expired. Brian would not only show up to help get the car started but also have some hot chocolate and a sandwich as well. He’s the best and no matter what I ever do in life I’ll always owe him for helping me back then.

He’s one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met and he always has two jobs and a business of his own going and he told me today how it all has fallen apart on him. He had a tanning salon and a burrito store franchise and they both went out for various reasons. It broke my heart to hear about it because I know how hard he works but he was not fazed.

We ate at the strip mall Chinese placed called ‘Wok King’ that we used to like so much when we lived there and it was fun to hang out and catch up. Brian is a regular guy and he thinks I’m one of the top five comedians of all time. I wish the public thought that as well but they just might at some point. I’m not done yet and it only takes one break to make it.

I could have done some work tonight but instead I went up to Milwaukee to have dinner with the woman I’ve been seeing lately. She’s been having a rough week and I wanted her to relax a little and make her feel special. She really is a sweetheart and works her ass off and has a five year old son to raise by herself and that’s never easy. I totally respect her.

We’ve been hitting it off very well and it’s going to come down to a point where we are going to have to decide where we want to take this. Having dinner and lunch dates is fine and we’re both enjoying it but taking it farther is a big decision. She’s still having trouble with her ex who is a maniac apparently but she admits it was a mistake so what can I do?

Everyone makes mistakes and it’s how we all make up for it that determines how life is going to turn out. She and I know each other pretty well and know the faults and baggage so that’s an advantage for us both. She’s a hard worker and smart and funny and gorgeous after all these years. I haven’t met anyone with all of that going on in a long time and if it does go any farther that’s totally ok with me. The Queen of Uranus throne is available.