Saturday October 6rh, 2007 - Vernon Hills, IL
I was up very late last night hanging out with some friends after the shows. Stan Stankos is the feature act this week and we’ve known each other for years. He also went to college with my friend Warwick and his old girlfriend Sandy who I worked with at 93QFM a long time ago. That whole thing is inbred but we’re all friends on different levels for many years so we hung out after work and caught up on a lot of things. Stan brought some friends out from a theatre group too and they were great so we all stayed out and had fun until 3am.
There was something really special about working at 93QFM in Milwaukee. That was a legendary rock station in the 70s and 80s and when I worked there it was full of wonderful people who I still talk to today. I can plug the station because it’s no longer on the air. We still have reunion lunches from time to time and many of the people who worked there are doing bigger and better things. There were a lot of true characters there and it was a blast.
David Lee ‘The Lee Monster’ was working middays with us but now he’s the voice of a lot of things nationwide including monster truck shows and Monday Night Football games on the radio. He and his wife Karen come out to see me once in a while and they’re bigger Packer fans than I am if that’s possible. They’re from Green Bay and they’re both great.
Sandy Maxx and I used to do weekend shifts and she went on to a great career in radio. She was doing middays at WMYX in Milwaukee but now she’s working off air at WTMX in Chicago as a promotions director. She also used to do the hostess gig for Brewer games on the scoreboard and was fantastic at it. Sandy is a pro all the way and works really hard.
All kinds of people who did well for themselves came out of 93QFM. Gene Mueller is a legend in Milwaukee radio and he started there. Tim The Rock And Roll Animal made the national news for sitting on a billboard and getting The Who to play Milwaukee. He’s very cool and could really tell great stories. He also WAS a story. Everyone has an Animal tale. John Perry is now successfully running WIIL in Kenosha and has been for several years.
Mark ‘The Mangy Man’ Krueger is also on the list and he’s a legend all by himself. To be called ‘The Mangy Man’ and like it takes quite a character and he’s exactly that. He is a super person and one of the absolute funniest people I’ve ever met in my life and everyone who worked at QFM agreed. He could have probably been a way funnier comedian than I ever was but he chose not to do it. He’s very successful working at a newspaper in town.
There are still a lot of people in Milwaukee radio who started their career at QFM and I can think of Downstairs Dan, Patti Genko and Steve Palec off the top of my head and I’m sure there are a ton more if I would think about it longer. That station was a great place to get started but unfortunately it wasn’t managed very well. I won’t get into that whole big mess because it won’t change anything now. The damage is done but the people who were there didn’t let it defeat them and many of us went on to do bigger and much better things.
Still, it’s very cool to be a part of the fraternity of former QFMers and any time we have a chance to get back together and hang out it’s a good thing. Last night was another chance.
That didn’t make it easy to get up for a 9am football game but I did it anyway. I didn’t want to miss my friend Jerry Agar’s son Tanner play and I told him I would be there. He’s a great kid and I wouldn’t miss it. We’ve lived in different cities all of his life and now that I’m able to show up I feel a duty to do it to show support. I know it makes him feel good.
This was my third game and his team easily won the first two I attended. Not today. The other team stomped them pretty good and after the game Tanner was feeling pretty low. It wasn’t the end of the world but he could see it from where he was and I thought it was my job to give him the pep talk so I did. I pointed out a few good things he did personally and a few good things that his team did and before long he was telling me how he could get his game up for next week and keep improving. His excitement made me excited and I think it helped us both. That kid is going to be something special whether he plays football or not.
Tonight was not very special at Zanies. The Cubs played a game that started at 5pm. We had a show that started at 7pm. We had about 20 people in a room that seats 400. There is nothing to do to fight those situations. I remember when the Bulls were winning in the 90s and it killed the local club and restaurant business in Chicago. Except for sports bars all of the rest of the places wanted Michael Jordan to break his leg so they could make a living.
I don’t think that will be a problem with the Cubs. They ended up losing and that’s over with for another year but for the first show it killed our business. The people who showed up were really good though and it wasn’t horrible at all. We actually had fun even though the club lost money but that’s how it works. They were glad the Cubs lost and I see why.
The late show was an abomination. There were about 60 people which is more than any of the people at the club thought would show up but they were terrible. There was a party of a dozen or so that had a birthday celebration for a woman who was absolutely stunning. She had huge breasts and normally I’m a big fan of those but these weren’t even worth it.
All of the people in the party were obnoxious and her boyfriend or husband or whatever he was was a total pinhead. He had his head shaved and sat there with his arms crossed to show his disdain and kept yelling ‘Git ‘er done’ which is the moron mantra. What an ass. I could see it being a problem but I didn’t want to let it get out of hand either. It’s delicate.
By the time I got up there the entire audience was broken up into discussion groups. To get angry was futile so I tried to just plow through my jokes and do my time. I had already gotten my paycheck and I know everyone at the club so it’s not like I had to worry about anything like that. I bit my lip and tried to plow through it but that idiot kept poking me.
He kept yelling and it got to be annoying. Between ‘Git ‘er done’ he put ‘Go Bears’ into the mix and I tore into him after about the dozenth time he interrupted me. I don’t have to fake my disdain for the Bears so I let him have it with both barrels and then reloaded and it went too far. I ended up insulting his girlfriend or wife or whomever it was and she was as angry as anyone I’ve ever seen who looked that good. They left for a while and then came back which was really uncomfortable. I took it too far and I shouldn’t have. I regret that.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Saturday October 6rh, 2007 - Vernon Hills, IL
I was up very late last night hanging out with some friends after the shows. Stan Stankos is the feature act this week and we’ve known each other for years. He also went to college with my friend Warwick and his old girlfriend Sandy who I worked with at 93QFM a long time ago. That whole thing is inbred but we’re all friends on different levels for many years so we hung out after work and caught up on a lot of things. Stan brought some friends out from a theatre group too and they were great so we all stayed out and had fun until 3am.
There was something really special about working at 93QFM in Milwaukee. That was a legendary rock station in the 70s and 80s and when I worked there it was full of wonderful people who I still talk to today. I can plug the station because it’s no longer on the air. We still have reunion lunches from time to time and many of the people who worked there are doing bigger and better things. There were a lot of true characters there and it was a blast.
David Lee ‘The Lee Monster’ was working middays with us but now he’s the voice of a lot of things nationwide including monster truck shows and Monday Night Football games on the radio. He and his wife Karen come out to see me once in a while and they’re bigger Packer fans than I am if that’s possible. They’re from Green Bay and they’re both great.
Sandy Maxx and I used to do weekend shifts and she went on to a great career in radio. She was doing middays at WMYX in Milwaukee but now she’s working off air at WTMX in Chicago as a promotions director. She also used to do the hostess gig for Brewer games on the scoreboard and was fantastic at it. Sandy is a pro all the way and works really hard.
All kinds of people who did well for themselves came out of 93QFM. Gene Mueller is a legend in Milwaukee radio and he started there. Tim The Rock And Roll Animal made the national news for sitting on a billboard and getting The Who to play Milwaukee. He’s very cool and could really tell great stories. He also WAS a story. Everyone has an Animal tale. John Perry is now successfully running WIIL in Kenosha and has been for several years.
Mark ‘The Mangy Man’ Krueger is also on the list and he’s a legend all by himself. To be called ‘The Mangy Man’ and like it takes quite a character and he’s exactly that. He is a super person and one of the absolute funniest people I’ve ever met in my life and everyone who worked at QFM agreed. He could have probably been a way funnier comedian than I ever was but he chose not to do it. He’s very successful working at a newspaper in town.
There are still a lot of people in Milwaukee radio who started their career at QFM and I can think of Downstairs Dan, Patti Genko and Steve Palec off the top of my head and I’m sure there are a ton more if I would think about it longer. That station was a great place to get started but unfortunately it wasn’t managed very well. I won’t get into that whole big mess because it won’t change anything now. The damage is done but the people who were there didn’t let it defeat them and many of us went on to do bigger and much better things.
Still, it’s very cool to be a part of the fraternity of former QFMers and any time we have a chance to get back together and hang out it’s a good thing. Last night was another chance.
That didn’t make it easy to get up for a 9am football game but I did it anyway. I didn’t want to miss my friend Jerry Agar’s son Tanner play and I told him I would be there. He’s a great kid and I wouldn’t miss it. We’ve lived in different cities all of his life and now that I’m able to show up I feel a duty to do it to show support. I know it makes him feel good.
This was my third game and his team easily won the first two I attended. Not today. The other team stomped them pretty good and after the game Tanner was feeling pretty low. It wasn’t the end of the world but he could see it from where he was and I thought it was my job to give him the pep talk so I did. I pointed out a few good things he did personally and a few good things that his team did and before long he was telling me how he could get his game up for next week and keep improving. His excitement made me excited and I think it helped us both. That kid is going to be something special whether he plays football or not.
Tonight was not very special at Zanies. The Cubs played a game that started at 5pm. We had a show that started at 7pm. We had about 20 people in a room that seats 400. There is nothing to do to fight those situations. I remember when the Bulls were winning in the 90s and it killed the local club and restaurant business in Chicago. Except for sports bars all of the rest of the places wanted Michael Jordan to break his leg so they could make a living.
I don’t think that will be a problem with the Cubs. They ended up losing and that’s over with for another year but for the first show it killed our business. The people who showed up were really good though and it wasn’t horrible at all. We actually had fun even though the club lost money but that’s how it works. They were glad the Cubs lost and I see why.
The late show was an abomination. There were about 60 people which is more than any of the people at the club thought would show up but they were terrible. There was a party of a dozen or so that had a birthday celebration for a woman who was absolutely stunning. She had huge breasts and normally I’m a big fan of those but these weren’t even worth it.
All of the people in the party were obnoxious and her boyfriend or husband or whatever he was was a total pinhead. He had his head shaved and sat there with his arms crossed to show his disdain and kept yelling ‘Git ‘er done’ which is the moron mantra. What an ass. I could see it being a problem but I didn’t want to let it get out of hand either. It’s delicate.
By the time I got up there the entire audience was broken up into discussion groups. To get angry was futile so I tried to just plow through my jokes and do my time. I had already gotten my paycheck and I know everyone at the club so it’s not like I had to worry about anything like that. I bit my lip and tried to plow through it but that idiot kept poking me.
He kept yelling and it got to be annoying. Between ‘Git ‘er done’ he put ‘Go Bears’ into the mix and I tore into him after about the dozenth time he interrupted me. I don’t have to fake my disdain for the Bears so I let him have it with both barrels and then reloaded and it went too far. I ended up insulting his girlfriend or wife or whomever it was and she was as angry as anyone I’ve ever seen who looked that good. They left for a while and then came back which was really uncomfortable. I took it too far and I shouldn’t have. I regret that.
I was up very late last night hanging out with some friends after the shows. Stan Stankos is the feature act this week and we’ve known each other for years. He also went to college with my friend Warwick and his old girlfriend Sandy who I worked with at 93QFM a long time ago. That whole thing is inbred but we’re all friends on different levels for many years so we hung out after work and caught up on a lot of things. Stan brought some friends out from a theatre group too and they were great so we all stayed out and had fun until 3am.
There was something really special about working at 93QFM in Milwaukee. That was a legendary rock station in the 70s and 80s and when I worked there it was full of wonderful people who I still talk to today. I can plug the station because it’s no longer on the air. We still have reunion lunches from time to time and many of the people who worked there are doing bigger and better things. There were a lot of true characters there and it was a blast.
David Lee ‘The Lee Monster’ was working middays with us but now he’s the voice of a lot of things nationwide including monster truck shows and Monday Night Football games on the radio. He and his wife Karen come out to see me once in a while and they’re bigger Packer fans than I am if that’s possible. They’re from Green Bay and they’re both great.
Sandy Maxx and I used to do weekend shifts and she went on to a great career in radio. She was doing middays at WMYX in Milwaukee but now she’s working off air at WTMX in Chicago as a promotions director. She also used to do the hostess gig for Brewer games on the scoreboard and was fantastic at it. Sandy is a pro all the way and works really hard.
All kinds of people who did well for themselves came out of 93QFM. Gene Mueller is a legend in Milwaukee radio and he started there. Tim The Rock And Roll Animal made the national news for sitting on a billboard and getting The Who to play Milwaukee. He’s very cool and could really tell great stories. He also WAS a story. Everyone has an Animal tale. John Perry is now successfully running WIIL in Kenosha and has been for several years.
Mark ‘The Mangy Man’ Krueger is also on the list and he’s a legend all by himself. To be called ‘The Mangy Man’ and like it takes quite a character and he’s exactly that. He is a super person and one of the absolute funniest people I’ve ever met in my life and everyone who worked at QFM agreed. He could have probably been a way funnier comedian than I ever was but he chose not to do it. He’s very successful working at a newspaper in town.
There are still a lot of people in Milwaukee radio who started their career at QFM and I can think of Downstairs Dan, Patti Genko and Steve Palec off the top of my head and I’m sure there are a ton more if I would think about it longer. That station was a great place to get started but unfortunately it wasn’t managed very well. I won’t get into that whole big mess because it won’t change anything now. The damage is done but the people who were there didn’t let it defeat them and many of us went on to do bigger and much better things.
Still, it’s very cool to be a part of the fraternity of former QFMers and any time we have a chance to get back together and hang out it’s a good thing. Last night was another chance.
That didn’t make it easy to get up for a 9am football game but I did it anyway. I didn’t want to miss my friend Jerry Agar’s son Tanner play and I told him I would be there. He’s a great kid and I wouldn’t miss it. We’ve lived in different cities all of his life and now that I’m able to show up I feel a duty to do it to show support. I know it makes him feel good.
This was my third game and his team easily won the first two I attended. Not today. The other team stomped them pretty good and after the game Tanner was feeling pretty low. It wasn’t the end of the world but he could see it from where he was and I thought it was my job to give him the pep talk so I did. I pointed out a few good things he did personally and a few good things that his team did and before long he was telling me how he could get his game up for next week and keep improving. His excitement made me excited and I think it helped us both. That kid is going to be something special whether he plays football or not.
Tonight was not very special at Zanies. The Cubs played a game that started at 5pm. We had a show that started at 7pm. We had about 20 people in a room that seats 400. There is nothing to do to fight those situations. I remember when the Bulls were winning in the 90s and it killed the local club and restaurant business in Chicago. Except for sports bars all of the rest of the places wanted Michael Jordan to break his leg so they could make a living.
I don’t think that will be a problem with the Cubs. They ended up losing and that’s over with for another year but for the first show it killed our business. The people who showed up were really good though and it wasn’t horrible at all. We actually had fun even though the club lost money but that’s how it works. They were glad the Cubs lost and I see why.
The late show was an abomination. There were about 60 people which is more than any of the people at the club thought would show up but they were terrible. There was a party of a dozen or so that had a birthday celebration for a woman who was absolutely stunning. She had huge breasts and normally I’m a big fan of those but these weren’t even worth it.
All of the people in the party were obnoxious and her boyfriend or husband or whatever he was was a total pinhead. He had his head shaved and sat there with his arms crossed to show his disdain and kept yelling ‘Git ‘er done’ which is the moron mantra. What an ass. I could see it being a problem but I didn’t want to let it get out of hand either. It’s delicate.
By the time I got up there the entire audience was broken up into discussion groups. To get angry was futile so I tried to just plow through my jokes and do my time. I had already gotten my paycheck and I know everyone at the club so it’s not like I had to worry about anything like that. I bit my lip and tried to plow through it but that idiot kept poking me.
He kept yelling and it got to be annoying. Between ‘Git ‘er done’ he put ‘Go Bears’ into the mix and I tore into him after about the dozenth time he interrupted me. I don’t have to fake my disdain for the Bears so I let him have it with both barrels and then reloaded and it went too far. I ended up insulting his girlfriend or wife or whomever it was and she was as angry as anyone I’ve ever seen who looked that good. They left for a while and then came back which was really uncomfortable. I took it too far and I shouldn’t have. I regret that.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Where's Miss Right?
Friday October 5th, 2007 - Vernon Hills, IL
I’m back in Vernon Hills at Zanies this weekend. I was the very first comedian that ever performed on the stage when it opened back in 1992. Nobody remembers that and I forget it as well until I look at the plaque on the wall. There was an article in the local paper back then with a picture of me because I was the opener that week. It was luck of the draw that I happened to be booked as the opener then but now I’m booked back to be the headliner.
Just like the shows earlier this week in Janesville and Fort Atkinson, both shows tonight were about as different as could be. The first crowd was on fire and I loved them. The late show was the late show Friday and those can be rough. Of course the late show is the one where I had several people I know come and see me but that’s the way it goes. It’s all too common for that to happen and I can’t figure out why. It sure keeps me humble though.
The first show was absolutely killer. They were a little older and smart and laughed very hard. It was easy to get a roll going and I did a lot of subtle bits that I enjoy doing and that makes it fun for everyone. They were buying it all and I was having a blast. That’s the way it should always be but sadly it isn’t. I know that so I relaxed and totally enjoyed this one.
There was a scorching hot blonde right in the front row and I had my eye on her as soon as I got on stage. I could see her hands and there wasn’t a ring in sight and she was sitting with another woman but it didn’t look like they were dating. I’d guess she was in her later 30s but she was very good looking and I would have loved to make a connection with her.
About ten minutes into my show she started talking to the woman she was with and was a complete pain in the shorts the whole show. Everyone else was fantastic but she couldn’t keep her pie hole shut to the point of distracting people around her. Here’s the one I really would love to hook up with and she won’t keep her mouth shut during the show. I tried to be polite but after the fourth or fifth time I had to light into the both of them and they still didn’t get it. The rest of the audience loved it of course but there went my shot with her.
I closed really strong and just loved the rest of the audience and after the show a big line of people shook my hand and told me how funny I was and I always try to keep my focus on them but I couldn’t help noticing the blonde and the other woman walk right behind all those people and not even look in my direction. I’m not sure if they were angry or not but I was sure that she didn’t want anything to do with me or she would have looked my way.
That took the wind out of my sail but I couldn’t show that to the other people. I sat and shook every hand and thanked them for coming and they were wonderful but I would have traded it all for a chance to talk to that blondie one on one. Usually I don’t chase after any women in the audience but this one was an exception. Why did she have to come to a live show to talk with her friend? In all my years I still have never been able to figure that out.
There are a lot of other places she could have gone to babble all she wanted and nobody in that place would have cared. But she had to come to a comedy show and distract me with both her talking and her hot body. And then she wouldn’t even glance my way as she left.
It’s funny in a way but it’s also really disappointing. Rock stars get the chicks and that’s how it’s always been. For whatever reason I am not a guitar player so I have to get teased by her thinking I might have a shot and then watch it all crumble in front of my eyes as the audience has no idea what’s going on. They were all having a blast and couldn’t care less.
The second show was a lot different. There were about half as many people and they all had a different vibe than the first show. It was a little louder and drunker and I had to take it even slower and act things out so they’d get it. I tried some new material and focused on trying to perform it rather than just recite it. It was a workshop for me and I worked hard.
After the show there were some people I didn’t know were there who came up to say hi. One was a former student who took my class years ago. He came out with his wife and he said his graduation was one of the highlights of his whole life. That made me feel great but I wish he could have seen the first show. I wasn’t happy with the late one at all but he and his wife both loved it or at least they said they did. I smiled and said thanks but I wasn’t at all proud of that show. When nice people come out to see me I want to give my total best.
Another person I didn’t know was there was a woman I had the total hots for who blew me off for some rugby player. She brought him out with another couple and when they all came walking up I wanted to crawl under a table because I was so embarrassed. If it were the first show I would at least have been proud of my work but she came up and gave me a hug and a kiss and I wanted to be anywhere but there. Why do women have to stick it in my face when they pick someone else over me? It hurts bad enough when I get blown off but then to bring the guy she’s with makes me feel even worse. What is the best that I can hope for? I make them both laugh and then they are in a good mood to go home and have sex. Hey, great. I just warmed her up for him and I don’t get a thing out of it but ‘See ya!’
I must be paying for being a lout to women in a past life or something to keep this streak going. She looked great of course and I would still love to go out with her but I doubt if it will ever happen at this point so why come out and make me feel like an ass? When I have been in these situations before I’ve seen it break up with the other guy and then they come back to me again and I just don’t want to keep playing second fiddle my whole life. I have been a little brother and know what it feels like to get things second hand. Who likes that?
Then to make it a total train wreck people start setting me up with their single friends. It usually turns out badly and then my friends are upset because I didn’t fall madly in love at first sight with their loose end carpet remnant and then there are hurt feelings all around. If I was meant to be married it probably would have happened by now. I’m glad I didn’t just force the issue in my 20s because I’d no doubt be divorced now and have big bills to pay.
The thing I need to remember is that I was the headliner at Zanies and a couple hundred people who paid to see me walked out of there thinking I was hilarious. My dream when I started comedy was to become a top flight headliner and I have accomplished exactly that. I need to be grateful for the opportunity and I totally am. That has nothing to do with any of my personal life and the two are not related. Sometimes that’s not easy to live in reality.
I’m back in Vernon Hills at Zanies this weekend. I was the very first comedian that ever performed on the stage when it opened back in 1992. Nobody remembers that and I forget it as well until I look at the plaque on the wall. There was an article in the local paper back then with a picture of me because I was the opener that week. It was luck of the draw that I happened to be booked as the opener then but now I’m booked back to be the headliner.
Just like the shows earlier this week in Janesville and Fort Atkinson, both shows tonight were about as different as could be. The first crowd was on fire and I loved them. The late show was the late show Friday and those can be rough. Of course the late show is the one where I had several people I know come and see me but that’s the way it goes. It’s all too common for that to happen and I can’t figure out why. It sure keeps me humble though.
The first show was absolutely killer. They were a little older and smart and laughed very hard. It was easy to get a roll going and I did a lot of subtle bits that I enjoy doing and that makes it fun for everyone. They were buying it all and I was having a blast. That’s the way it should always be but sadly it isn’t. I know that so I relaxed and totally enjoyed this one.
There was a scorching hot blonde right in the front row and I had my eye on her as soon as I got on stage. I could see her hands and there wasn’t a ring in sight and she was sitting with another woman but it didn’t look like they were dating. I’d guess she was in her later 30s but she was very good looking and I would have loved to make a connection with her.
About ten minutes into my show she started talking to the woman she was with and was a complete pain in the shorts the whole show. Everyone else was fantastic but she couldn’t keep her pie hole shut to the point of distracting people around her. Here’s the one I really would love to hook up with and she won’t keep her mouth shut during the show. I tried to be polite but after the fourth or fifth time I had to light into the both of them and they still didn’t get it. The rest of the audience loved it of course but there went my shot with her.
I closed really strong and just loved the rest of the audience and after the show a big line of people shook my hand and told me how funny I was and I always try to keep my focus on them but I couldn’t help noticing the blonde and the other woman walk right behind all those people and not even look in my direction. I’m not sure if they were angry or not but I was sure that she didn’t want anything to do with me or she would have looked my way.
That took the wind out of my sail but I couldn’t show that to the other people. I sat and shook every hand and thanked them for coming and they were wonderful but I would have traded it all for a chance to talk to that blondie one on one. Usually I don’t chase after any women in the audience but this one was an exception. Why did she have to come to a live show to talk with her friend? In all my years I still have never been able to figure that out.
There are a lot of other places she could have gone to babble all she wanted and nobody in that place would have cared. But she had to come to a comedy show and distract me with both her talking and her hot body. And then she wouldn’t even glance my way as she left.
It’s funny in a way but it’s also really disappointing. Rock stars get the chicks and that’s how it’s always been. For whatever reason I am not a guitar player so I have to get teased by her thinking I might have a shot and then watch it all crumble in front of my eyes as the audience has no idea what’s going on. They were all having a blast and couldn’t care less.
The second show was a lot different. There were about half as many people and they all had a different vibe than the first show. It was a little louder and drunker and I had to take it even slower and act things out so they’d get it. I tried some new material and focused on trying to perform it rather than just recite it. It was a workshop for me and I worked hard.
After the show there were some people I didn’t know were there who came up to say hi. One was a former student who took my class years ago. He came out with his wife and he said his graduation was one of the highlights of his whole life. That made me feel great but I wish he could have seen the first show. I wasn’t happy with the late one at all but he and his wife both loved it or at least they said they did. I smiled and said thanks but I wasn’t at all proud of that show. When nice people come out to see me I want to give my total best.
Another person I didn’t know was there was a woman I had the total hots for who blew me off for some rugby player. She brought him out with another couple and when they all came walking up I wanted to crawl under a table because I was so embarrassed. If it were the first show I would at least have been proud of my work but she came up and gave me a hug and a kiss and I wanted to be anywhere but there. Why do women have to stick it in my face when they pick someone else over me? It hurts bad enough when I get blown off but then to bring the guy she’s with makes me feel even worse. What is the best that I can hope for? I make them both laugh and then they are in a good mood to go home and have sex. Hey, great. I just warmed her up for him and I don’t get a thing out of it but ‘See ya!’
I must be paying for being a lout to women in a past life or something to keep this streak going. She looked great of course and I would still love to go out with her but I doubt if it will ever happen at this point so why come out and make me feel like an ass? When I have been in these situations before I’ve seen it break up with the other guy and then they come back to me again and I just don’t want to keep playing second fiddle my whole life. I have been a little brother and know what it feels like to get things second hand. Who likes that?
Then to make it a total train wreck people start setting me up with their single friends. It usually turns out badly and then my friends are upset because I didn’t fall madly in love at first sight with their loose end carpet remnant and then there are hurt feelings all around. If I was meant to be married it probably would have happened by now. I’m glad I didn’t just force the issue in my 20s because I’d no doubt be divorced now and have big bills to pay.
The thing I need to remember is that I was the headliner at Zanies and a couple hundred people who paid to see me walked out of there thinking I was hilarious. My dream when I started comedy was to become a top flight headliner and I have accomplished exactly that. I need to be grateful for the opportunity and I totally am. That has nothing to do with any of my personal life and the two are not related. Sometimes that’s not easy to live in reality.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Viva Fort Atkinson
Thursday October 4th, 2007 - Fort Atkinson, WI/Lake Villa, IL
Another busy day. Good thing I’m keeping a diary of it all because if I didn’t it would all run together in a big blur. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to sit around at the old folks home in my last days and read about how many things I had going way back when. I’ll gum a big bowl of soggy oatmeal and marvel at how much I packed into my life. That’s the plan anyway.
The main thing is I’m having fun with all my projects. I’m not on any kind of schedule or path and that can be kind of disconcerting because I’m not sure what my outcome will be. I am not doing things the traditional way at all and that brands me as even more of a kook and a maverick with the powers that be. I have always been looked at as a lone wolf and it hasn’t helped my reputation much with people who are in charge. Whether it was radio or comedy or even pro wrestling I was the outsider and the establishment thought I was nuts.
There’s good nuts and bad nuts. Thomas Edison was considered a nut as was Einstein. I would love to be put in that category of crazy but I’m not flattering myself to think I am. I am just trying to improve every day and be the best me I can be. That’s one bit of wisdom that has leaked through the cement in my head after all these years of fighting the system.
Comparing myself to others is not what I need to be doing I’m not like most comedians in many ways but in others I’m a total fit. It’s a pretty complex situation that I will go nuts trying to figure out and it won’t be the good nuts. This is a difficult business in a life that’s even more difficult on a planet that isn’t even in the busy part of the galaxy. It’s all over in a cosmic blip so why get upset about anything? I need to keep going and have some FUN.
It’ll all be over soon enough anyway so why not enjoy it and do what I want to do? Who am I trying to impress? The people who like me really like me and the people who do not really do not. What can I do to change that? I guess I’d have to be a different person and I don’t want to do that now. It’s taken me a lifetime to build this one and I’m happy with it.
Tonight I worked at a biker bar called Fat Boyz in Fort Atkinson, WI. Not a gig to build a career around but it was something to do on a Thursday night when I was off. It came to me in a package deal with the show in Janesville on Wednesday so I took them both. They were about as opposite as it gets and not many comedians could pull off a show for both. I am one of those people and I gave the people everything I had and they really enjoyed it.
The place is tiny but they squeezed about 80 people in there and there wasn’t a place for anyone to walk. Fire codes were stretched and the air conditioner was broken so it was an entire room full of sweaty people sitting close together for a couple of hours. By the time I got on it was a funky sweaty steam room but they were there to laugh and they were ok.
There were a few biker types and a few regular people and a few irregular people and all formed one audience so I tried to work to all of them and it was a real challenge. I have as much experience in this situation as anyone on the Earth and I pulled it off without a hitch. I even got paid a bonus from the owner who was thrilled. Job done. Back to civilization.
Another busy day. Good thing I’m keeping a diary of it all because if I didn’t it would all run together in a big blur. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to sit around at the old folks home in my last days and read about how many things I had going way back when. I’ll gum a big bowl of soggy oatmeal and marvel at how much I packed into my life. That’s the plan anyway.
The main thing is I’m having fun with all my projects. I’m not on any kind of schedule or path and that can be kind of disconcerting because I’m not sure what my outcome will be. I am not doing things the traditional way at all and that brands me as even more of a kook and a maverick with the powers that be. I have always been looked at as a lone wolf and it hasn’t helped my reputation much with people who are in charge. Whether it was radio or comedy or even pro wrestling I was the outsider and the establishment thought I was nuts.
There’s good nuts and bad nuts. Thomas Edison was considered a nut as was Einstein. I would love to be put in that category of crazy but I’m not flattering myself to think I am. I am just trying to improve every day and be the best me I can be. That’s one bit of wisdom that has leaked through the cement in my head after all these years of fighting the system.
Comparing myself to others is not what I need to be doing I’m not like most comedians in many ways but in others I’m a total fit. It’s a pretty complex situation that I will go nuts trying to figure out and it won’t be the good nuts. This is a difficult business in a life that’s even more difficult on a planet that isn’t even in the busy part of the galaxy. It’s all over in a cosmic blip so why get upset about anything? I need to keep going and have some FUN.
It’ll all be over soon enough anyway so why not enjoy it and do what I want to do? Who am I trying to impress? The people who like me really like me and the people who do not really do not. What can I do to change that? I guess I’d have to be a different person and I don’t want to do that now. It’s taken me a lifetime to build this one and I’m happy with it.
Tonight I worked at a biker bar called Fat Boyz in Fort Atkinson, WI. Not a gig to build a career around but it was something to do on a Thursday night when I was off. It came to me in a package deal with the show in Janesville on Wednesday so I took them both. They were about as opposite as it gets and not many comedians could pull off a show for both. I am one of those people and I gave the people everything I had and they really enjoyed it.
The place is tiny but they squeezed about 80 people in there and there wasn’t a place for anyone to walk. Fire codes were stretched and the air conditioner was broken so it was an entire room full of sweaty people sitting close together for a couple of hours. By the time I got on it was a funky sweaty steam room but they were there to laugh and they were ok.
There were a few biker types and a few regular people and a few irregular people and all formed one audience so I tried to work to all of them and it was a real challenge. I have as much experience in this situation as anyone on the Earth and I pulled it off without a hitch. I even got paid a bonus from the owner who was thrilled. Job done. Back to civilization.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Funny, Funky And Fun
Wednesday October 3rd, 2007 - Janesville, WI/Milwaukee, WI
Lots going on today. If there’s one thing I’m not doing it’s goofing off. I have been very busy lately and it’s getting busier by the day. Today was jam packed and I loved it all. I am doing what I love and loving what I do and when that happens depression can’t touch me.
Today really fell into place and everything worked out perfectly. First I had a lunch with Vince Vieceli. Vince is a comedian I’ve known about fifteen years. He moved to LA and it was coincidentally the time I lived out there so we hung out there and then we both moved back here and stayed in touch. He’s a really talented writer and that’s what he loves most.
Most comedians are either writers or performers. Very rarely does one naturally do both equally well. It’s like being left or right handed. Most of us favor either one or the other. It isn’t good or bad but it is a reality. I probably am more of a writer than a performer also.
Vince made some excellent critiques on an outline of a CD I want to produce giving tips on how to start out in the comedy business. I thought I had organized some good ideas for an outline but he came along and sliced and diced and boy did he improve it. He should be an English teacher. He apologized today for being so harsh but I thanked him for his help.
He did help a lot and I still have the outline. I hope to record it soon but I haven’t had a block of time or a chunk of money to make it happen. That’s changing and I hope to get it finished this year. We decided to hook up halfway between his place in West Dundee and mine in Lake Villa.
We had a delicious lunch at some little pub joint that served food. Boy was it delicious.
Everything was prepared perfectly and we ate outside in the sunshine. We talked about my business idea and not only did he have good ideas he also has a sister that designs websites and a brother who is a world class artist. He did Chicago Style Standups’ website and promo flyer and we get nothing but compliments about those from everyone.
We jotted down a ton of ideas and it was a productive lunch. I also had one of the very best roast beef sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life. Vince picked the joint and it was really a good call. Things are just falling into place and I want to claim that so it keeps coming.
After lunch I had a little time and didn’t want to go back home just to leave again so the idea that popped into my skull was to go to the Volo Auto Museum and gawk at old cars. I haven’t been there in several years and it was a blast the last time so I decided to go back and see what I missed. They have a lot of famous cars like the Batmobile and the Munsters coffin car and all kinds of other movie and TV vehicles. Plus they have a couple hundred older cars for sale for people with money to burn. Good thing I don’t or I probably would have bought one. There was a lot of tin that caught my eye but the Batmobile was coolest.
I’m to the point now in my life where just looking at the cars satisfies me. My Mitsubishi for $600 is functional and I am having as much fun with that as I would with a classic ‘60s muscle car for $26,000 which is around what many of the top ones were going for. I loved looking at them all and it was a great way to kill some time on a spectacular weather day.
I hopped into my own personal Batmobile and headed toward Janesville, WI for a show that began at 7:30. After a lifetime of making hellacious cross country drives for not much money it’s always a perk when the drive is under 100 miles. I worked this gig the opening night back in June and I had just moved to Lake Villa so I remember it being manageable.
Today it was even shorter than I remembered it. I just had a stereo put in my Batmobile and was blasting all my favorite tunes the whole way as I jotted down ideas on a notepad. I am in a creative spurt lately and it’s flowing like water from a sprinkler. I can’t keep it all written down but I tried to make notes on the steering wheel on the open highway. A few times I had to pull over and write down a complete thought but I never mind doing that.
The place in Janesville is called The Armory. It’s a beautiful room with a great stage and sound system but the audience was pretty small tonight. They changed nights and haven’t been able to train the audience apparently but those who did show up were very friendly. I could sense they were very conservative and a little older so I was squeaky clean and went slow so they could follow along. I found their vibe and worked to their rhythm. It’s been a lifetime of doing shows to know what to do but I do and tonight I gave them a good time.
They lined up to shake my hand after the show and say how much fun they had and I am never upset to hear that. I smiled and thanked them and totally meant it. It didn’t hurt that the manager was right there the whole time and watched it all. Her customers were happy and I told as many as I could to come back and they said they would. She was just elated.
After the show I drove as fast as I could to Milwaukee to catch the last part of George Clinton’s show at the Northern Lights Theatre. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and I have been wanting to get a dose of the funk for a while now. He told me in Houston that I have a lifetime pass but I didn’t want to abuse it. I emailed his manager and sure enough I had a pass waiting for me at the door. I got there late and the woman behind the counter looked at a straight laced Caucasian with a skeptical look but when she found my name on the list she let me right in. I’ve paid to see them too many times to count so this was a real treat.
George’s shows usually go long so I was glad to still get some funk. I walked in right as Michael Hampton was cranking out the guitar solo of ‘Maggot Brain’. That is an amazing guitar riff and if you haven’t heard it I recommend it. I’ve turned a lot of rock fans on to it and they are amazed at how intricate it is. I just got lost in it and so did the audience. After he finished he got a huge ovation as usual and I knew right there it was worth my drive.
There’s something magical about a live P-Funk show and I never get sick of it. I am in a cult of fans that think they are the best live band ever and I still think that. George is still a master showman and after meeting him in person it was even more fun to watch him work his magic on the audience. He holds the whole show together and I’m glad I could come.
I hope I’m still that sharp when I’m 67. He still has ‘it’ and I learned by watching. There was a nice crowd in the place and they liked it too. What a day. I did a show, saw a show and enjoyed great weather. I ate good and hung out with a friend. Does it get any better?
Lots going on today. If there’s one thing I’m not doing it’s goofing off. I have been very busy lately and it’s getting busier by the day. Today was jam packed and I loved it all. I am doing what I love and loving what I do and when that happens depression can’t touch me.
Today really fell into place and everything worked out perfectly. First I had a lunch with Vince Vieceli. Vince is a comedian I’ve known about fifteen years. He moved to LA and it was coincidentally the time I lived out there so we hung out there and then we both moved back here and stayed in touch. He’s a really talented writer and that’s what he loves most.
Most comedians are either writers or performers. Very rarely does one naturally do both equally well. It’s like being left or right handed. Most of us favor either one or the other. It isn’t good or bad but it is a reality. I probably am more of a writer than a performer also.
Vince made some excellent critiques on an outline of a CD I want to produce giving tips on how to start out in the comedy business. I thought I had organized some good ideas for an outline but he came along and sliced and diced and boy did he improve it. He should be an English teacher. He apologized today for being so harsh but I thanked him for his help.
He did help a lot and I still have the outline. I hope to record it soon but I haven’t had a block of time or a chunk of money to make it happen. That’s changing and I hope to get it finished this year. We decided to hook up halfway between his place in West Dundee and mine in Lake Villa.
We had a delicious lunch at some little pub joint that served food. Boy was it delicious.
Everything was prepared perfectly and we ate outside in the sunshine. We talked about my business idea and not only did he have good ideas he also has a sister that designs websites and a brother who is a world class artist. He did Chicago Style Standups’ website and promo flyer and we get nothing but compliments about those from everyone.
We jotted down a ton of ideas and it was a productive lunch. I also had one of the very best roast beef sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life. Vince picked the joint and it was really a good call. Things are just falling into place and I want to claim that so it keeps coming.
After lunch I had a little time and didn’t want to go back home just to leave again so the idea that popped into my skull was to go to the Volo Auto Museum and gawk at old cars. I haven’t been there in several years and it was a blast the last time so I decided to go back and see what I missed. They have a lot of famous cars like the Batmobile and the Munsters coffin car and all kinds of other movie and TV vehicles. Plus they have a couple hundred older cars for sale for people with money to burn. Good thing I don’t or I probably would have bought one. There was a lot of tin that caught my eye but the Batmobile was coolest.
I’m to the point now in my life where just looking at the cars satisfies me. My Mitsubishi for $600 is functional and I am having as much fun with that as I would with a classic ‘60s muscle car for $26,000 which is around what many of the top ones were going for. I loved looking at them all and it was a great way to kill some time on a spectacular weather day.
I hopped into my own personal Batmobile and headed toward Janesville, WI for a show that began at 7:30. After a lifetime of making hellacious cross country drives for not much money it’s always a perk when the drive is under 100 miles. I worked this gig the opening night back in June and I had just moved to Lake Villa so I remember it being manageable.
Today it was even shorter than I remembered it. I just had a stereo put in my Batmobile and was blasting all my favorite tunes the whole way as I jotted down ideas on a notepad. I am in a creative spurt lately and it’s flowing like water from a sprinkler. I can’t keep it all written down but I tried to make notes on the steering wheel on the open highway. A few times I had to pull over and write down a complete thought but I never mind doing that.
The place in Janesville is called The Armory. It’s a beautiful room with a great stage and sound system but the audience was pretty small tonight. They changed nights and haven’t been able to train the audience apparently but those who did show up were very friendly. I could sense they were very conservative and a little older so I was squeaky clean and went slow so they could follow along. I found their vibe and worked to their rhythm. It’s been a lifetime of doing shows to know what to do but I do and tonight I gave them a good time.
They lined up to shake my hand after the show and say how much fun they had and I am never upset to hear that. I smiled and thanked them and totally meant it. It didn’t hurt that the manager was right there the whole time and watched it all. Her customers were happy and I told as many as I could to come back and they said they would. She was just elated.
After the show I drove as fast as I could to Milwaukee to catch the last part of George Clinton’s show at the Northern Lights Theatre. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and I have been wanting to get a dose of the funk for a while now. He told me in Houston that I have a lifetime pass but I didn’t want to abuse it. I emailed his manager and sure enough I had a pass waiting for me at the door. I got there late and the woman behind the counter looked at a straight laced Caucasian with a skeptical look but when she found my name on the list she let me right in. I’ve paid to see them too many times to count so this was a real treat.
George’s shows usually go long so I was glad to still get some funk. I walked in right as Michael Hampton was cranking out the guitar solo of ‘Maggot Brain’. That is an amazing guitar riff and if you haven’t heard it I recommend it. I’ve turned a lot of rock fans on to it and they are amazed at how intricate it is. I just got lost in it and so did the audience. After he finished he got a huge ovation as usual and I knew right there it was worth my drive.
There’s something magical about a live P-Funk show and I never get sick of it. I am in a cult of fans that think they are the best live band ever and I still think that. George is still a master showman and after meeting him in person it was even more fun to watch him work his magic on the audience. He holds the whole show together and I’m glad I could come.
I hope I’m still that sharp when I’m 67. He still has ‘it’ and I learned by watching. There was a nice crowd in the place and they liked it too. What a day. I did a show, saw a show and enjoyed great weather. I ate good and hung out with a friend. Does it get any better?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Psychobabble Calls
Tuesday October 2nd, 2007 - Lake Villa, IL
Time is starting to get crowded. I better nip it in the bud now or it will get out of control again. I have too much to do in too little time but it sure is fun stuff I’m doing. I am doing exactly what I enjoy but I’m getting scattered. I need to reel it in a little more and be smart with time management. The reality of 24 hours in a day is not making it easy to keep up.
Today I intended to get a lot of work done around the house but didn’t do a damn thing. I got a call from Marc Schultz to go to lunch and I said yes. Marc and I always have fun at our lunches and we do occasionally talk business which we did today. He has a plan to get more corporate work and needs me to make a tape that shows I can work in that arena. It will pay better but I’ll have to adjust my persona on stage to do it which I am able to do.
After lunch I was fully intending to come back and get something done but the call came from Mike Preston asking me to bail him out of a cancellation on his TV show. It’s always fun to be on Psychobabble so of course I said yes. I’m only off tonight this whole week so he lucked out. I know what it’s like to have someone cancel on me so I’m glad to bail him out. I’ve been on the show under many circumstances but tonight I played a nut character.
His name is ‘Joe Stradamus’ and he’s a distant descendant of Nostradamus but he didn’t get the full inheritance of the gift of predictions so he’s a ‘partial predicticator’. The fun of it all is that Mike is so loose with it. He asks what the character is and what if anything he might ask or add to make it work. Other than that it’s up to me to try and find some funny in there somewhere. I’m pretty quick and can usually pull something out and I also wrote a few ideas down and we went in and it was a funny segment. I liked playing such a goof.
It reminds me of when I used to book pro wrestling shows. The good guys were always the biggest weenies outside the ring and the bad guys were the nicest. I can see why acting is such a popular career choice because it allows a person to be someone else. I don’t have much acting experience and really don’t have a desire to be an actor but once in a while to play a kook on the Psychobabble show is a refreshing night of something new. It’s a gas.
I am also booked tomorrow and Thursday in a couple of Wisconsin gigs I didn’t expect. I had planned to go to Milwaukee and see George Clinton at the Northern Lights Theatre. I haven’t seen George perform live in a long time and am going through funk withdrawal.
The show is in Janesville and starts at 7:30 so hopefully I can head up there and catch at least the last few songs. I emailed George’s manager and she said she’d leave tickets at the door for me and a guest. I was going to go with James Wesley Jackson who used to be the opening act for George for years but he can’t make it either. That’s just how it works out.
I was going to use these few nights to work on my business idea and my act and also my bookings too. I am behind on booking gigs and that’s another whole skill in itself. I did get a weekend in the Washington D.C. area for next weekend so that’s a good thing. My dates are filling up slowly but I’m at least getting work every week. I’ll be ok the rest of 2007.
Time is starting to get crowded. I better nip it in the bud now or it will get out of control again. I have too much to do in too little time but it sure is fun stuff I’m doing. I am doing exactly what I enjoy but I’m getting scattered. I need to reel it in a little more and be smart with time management. The reality of 24 hours in a day is not making it easy to keep up.
Today I intended to get a lot of work done around the house but didn’t do a damn thing. I got a call from Marc Schultz to go to lunch and I said yes. Marc and I always have fun at our lunches and we do occasionally talk business which we did today. He has a plan to get more corporate work and needs me to make a tape that shows I can work in that arena. It will pay better but I’ll have to adjust my persona on stage to do it which I am able to do.
After lunch I was fully intending to come back and get something done but the call came from Mike Preston asking me to bail him out of a cancellation on his TV show. It’s always fun to be on Psychobabble so of course I said yes. I’m only off tonight this whole week so he lucked out. I know what it’s like to have someone cancel on me so I’m glad to bail him out. I’ve been on the show under many circumstances but tonight I played a nut character.
His name is ‘Joe Stradamus’ and he’s a distant descendant of Nostradamus but he didn’t get the full inheritance of the gift of predictions so he’s a ‘partial predicticator’. The fun of it all is that Mike is so loose with it. He asks what the character is and what if anything he might ask or add to make it work. Other than that it’s up to me to try and find some funny in there somewhere. I’m pretty quick and can usually pull something out and I also wrote a few ideas down and we went in and it was a funny segment. I liked playing such a goof.
It reminds me of when I used to book pro wrestling shows. The good guys were always the biggest weenies outside the ring and the bad guys were the nicest. I can see why acting is such a popular career choice because it allows a person to be someone else. I don’t have much acting experience and really don’t have a desire to be an actor but once in a while to play a kook on the Psychobabble show is a refreshing night of something new. It’s a gas.
I am also booked tomorrow and Thursday in a couple of Wisconsin gigs I didn’t expect. I had planned to go to Milwaukee and see George Clinton at the Northern Lights Theatre. I haven’t seen George perform live in a long time and am going through funk withdrawal.
The show is in Janesville and starts at 7:30 so hopefully I can head up there and catch at least the last few songs. I emailed George’s manager and she said she’d leave tickets at the door for me and a guest. I was going to go with James Wesley Jackson who used to be the opening act for George for years but he can’t make it either. That’s just how it works out.
I was going to use these few nights to work on my business idea and my act and also my bookings too. I am behind on booking gigs and that’s another whole skill in itself. I did get a weekend in the Washington D.C. area for next weekend so that’s a good thing. My dates are filling up slowly but I’m at least getting work every week. I’ll be ok the rest of 2007.
New Car Tunes
Monday October 1st, 2007 - Lake Villa, IL
New month, new stereo. I took the Mitsubishi to the Best Buy in Gurnee today to have a stereo put in it. The original one didn’t work and I don’t know why. When I turned it on it lit up and I could see numbers but no sound came out. I know I like to drive with it off a lot but I also like to have the option of listening to something to make my drives bearable.
I’ve had several stereos put in my auction rat cars at Best Buy and it’s a sweet deal. It’s around $100 for a brand name unit that has a CD player and I’m good to go for road trips. If the engine blows and I have to leave it somewhere it’s not the end of the world if I have to lose a $100 stereo. I don’t understand why anyone needs a $5000 car sound system.
But then again I don’t understand why anyone needs a $5000 car. I’m happy with going to the auction and fishing out the jewels but that’s me. I’ve grown accustomed to it now. I would still do it even if I had a million dollars. There’s something fun and satisfying to buy a running car for under $1000 out the door and put several thousand miles on it. I love it.
There is something to be said about enjoying life. The idea of life being not getting what you want but wanting what you get makes a lot of sense to me as I get older. I still want a few things I haven’t gotten but as far as my car situation goes I’m ok with it. It’s growing into a part of my persona. People I haven’t seen in a long time ask ‘What car this week?’
I enjoy my car adventures and what’s wrong with having fun? Teaching comedy class is fun too and tonight we finished up a beginner session. There are some interesting students in this group and it was fun to watch them go up and take their first crack at going solo. It is a delicate situation because I have to rip them and stop them from developing bad habits but I also want to encourage them and keep them interested. It’s a fine line and I try to not crush their hopes before they even start. But what I tell them is right and they need to hear it at some point. Bill Gorgo sat in this whole session and he also made comments as well.
Bill and I have a good synergy in teaching and I like having someone else to add input to the mix. I never had to be the only authority and it’s fun to take someone’s raw talents and help shape them into something tangible. Bill enjoys it too and we had a productive class. I know they got more than their money’s worth and nobody got cheated. It was a win/win.
After class I didn’t have to host the new talent showcase because there wasn’t one. I felt like I was cheating someone out of a work day because my Mondays are usually so tightly packed but it felt good to have a little time off. Bill and Warwick and I decided to go get a nice meal and relax a little. Red Lobster sounded good to all of us so that’s what we did.
I love Red Lobster. Seafood is my favorite and they just do it right in my opinion. We all ordered the endless shrimp and loaded up until we could barely walk. It was a blast and no huge chunk out of the wallet either. Whether I ever get rich and famous doesn’t mean this stuff can’t be fun. I left Red Lobster and got in my auction car with the cheap stereo and it sounded fantastic all the way home. Simple pleasures are best and today was full of them.
New month, new stereo. I took the Mitsubishi to the Best Buy in Gurnee today to have a stereo put in it. The original one didn’t work and I don’t know why. When I turned it on it lit up and I could see numbers but no sound came out. I know I like to drive with it off a lot but I also like to have the option of listening to something to make my drives bearable.
I’ve had several stereos put in my auction rat cars at Best Buy and it’s a sweet deal. It’s around $100 for a brand name unit that has a CD player and I’m good to go for road trips. If the engine blows and I have to leave it somewhere it’s not the end of the world if I have to lose a $100 stereo. I don’t understand why anyone needs a $5000 car sound system.
But then again I don’t understand why anyone needs a $5000 car. I’m happy with going to the auction and fishing out the jewels but that’s me. I’ve grown accustomed to it now. I would still do it even if I had a million dollars. There’s something fun and satisfying to buy a running car for under $1000 out the door and put several thousand miles on it. I love it.
There is something to be said about enjoying life. The idea of life being not getting what you want but wanting what you get makes a lot of sense to me as I get older. I still want a few things I haven’t gotten but as far as my car situation goes I’m ok with it. It’s growing into a part of my persona. People I haven’t seen in a long time ask ‘What car this week?’
I enjoy my car adventures and what’s wrong with having fun? Teaching comedy class is fun too and tonight we finished up a beginner session. There are some interesting students in this group and it was fun to watch them go up and take their first crack at going solo. It is a delicate situation because I have to rip them and stop them from developing bad habits but I also want to encourage them and keep them interested. It’s a fine line and I try to not crush their hopes before they even start. But what I tell them is right and they need to hear it at some point. Bill Gorgo sat in this whole session and he also made comments as well.
Bill and I have a good synergy in teaching and I like having someone else to add input to the mix. I never had to be the only authority and it’s fun to take someone’s raw talents and help shape them into something tangible. Bill enjoys it too and we had a productive class. I know they got more than their money’s worth and nobody got cheated. It was a win/win.
After class I didn’t have to host the new talent showcase because there wasn’t one. I felt like I was cheating someone out of a work day because my Mondays are usually so tightly packed but it felt good to have a little time off. Bill and Warwick and I decided to go get a nice meal and relax a little. Red Lobster sounded good to all of us so that’s what we did.
I love Red Lobster. Seafood is my favorite and they just do it right in my opinion. We all ordered the endless shrimp and loaded up until we could barely walk. It was a blast and no huge chunk out of the wallet either. Whether I ever get rich and famous doesn’t mean this stuff can’t be fun. I left Red Lobster and got in my auction car with the cheap stereo and it sounded fantastic all the way home. Simple pleasures are best and today was full of them.
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