Saturday July 10th, 2010 - Lake Villa, IL

   One of the most educational if not fun things I’ve ever done was get involved in the pro wrestling business in my early twenties. I will admit, had I been blessed with even a tenth of one iota of physical ability, I’d have been inside that ring in a New York minute baby.

   Instead, I got to be involved both as a ring announcer and TV commentator, and looking back that was a great way to do it. I didn’t have to sacrifice my body and I still got to have the fun of being around the circus. Talk about colorful characters, wrestling is chock full.

   Most of my experience was with a bunch of guys based in Milwaukee who used to lose on purpose on television matches for the AWA (American Wrestling Association) which was based in Minneapolis. They had their own federation in the Milwaukee area that had several incarnations over the years, but it was basically the same group of guys renamed.

   Eventually, I bought the organization which included a 22 foot former WWF ring and a rattle trap truck to haul it to the venues. I don’t think that truck ever started when I had it, but it went along with the deal so I took it. I ended up having to tow the truck to shows so I could be sure it got there. No ring, no matches. No matches, no money. It’s a no brainer.

   I ran shows for about a year, and learned more during that time than just about any other in my entire life. I learned about promotion, how to be in charge, sales, politics between a mixed bag of people and a whole lot more. The main thing was the subtleties of wrestling as an art form, which it really is. It’s poor man’s opera, the storytelling is the main thing.

   Each match tells it’s own little story, and there’s a good guy (aka ‘baby face’) and a bad guy (the ‘heel’) who lock it up in the ring and let their story lines play out. Sometimes the bad guy will sneak in and win, but mostly the good guy comes out on top in the end. It’s a beautiful thing to watch when it works well, and I’ve seen examples of it over and over.

   The person who comes up with the story lines is said to have ‘the pencil’, and has to put all the story lines together so it all flows well as an evening’s entertainment. It’s not at all easy to do, and I respect those who do it well. It’s hard enough trying to do comedy well.

   A wrestling term that describes a heel’s wrestler’s negative reaction from the fans when doing what most consider to be wrong is called ‘heat’ or ‘getting heat’. I immediately had a revelation when I heard LeBron James signed to play in Miami. He infuriated his whole home town, and turned heel in the basketball world. He’s now changed how fans see him.

   The funny thing is, what team did he choose? The Miami ‘Heat’. Coincidence? It guess it COULD be, but that caught my attention right away and it made me laugh. This whole big fiasco is just an old pro wrestling story line. The good guy turns bad, and then people pay their money to see him get his mouth shut by some other baby face. It’s all calculated to sell tickets, which is what all this hype is about. LeBron went from baby face to heel to help the NBA sell more tickets. Sorry Cleveland, you’re buying in exactly how they want.

Tags: LeBron James

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Friday July 9th, 2010 - Lake Villa, IL

   I heard on the radio today Mel Turpin committed suicide. He was 49. He was probably best known for his infamous nicknames of ‘Dinner Bell Mel’ and ‘The Mealman’ among others, but he was a basketball player for the University of Kentucky who was drafted the same year as Michael Jordan. He’s considered one of the biggest NBA busts of all time.

   He was about 6’10” and always seemed to struggle with his weight, hence his array of colorful monikers, but I remember meeting him not long after he was drafted. I was just getting started on the road and was working in Lexington, KY, probably for the first time.

   I don’t remember exactly where or when, but it was in some sports bar complex where the comedy show was. I was in my early twenties and after the show I was hanging at the sports bar with some comics and club people and there was Mel Turpin hanging out too.

   It was hard to miss a 6’10” black guy in a crowd of twenty something Caucasian college kids, but what stuck out more than that was his very calm demeanor. He was just a guy at a sports bar, minding his own business. He wasn’t bothering anyone or trying to scam free drinks or anything other than being a customer. Nobody bothered him and he blended in.

   At first I didn’t know who it was, so I asked one of the comedy club workers. I’ve been a huge sports fan all my life and knew since we were in Lexington, KY which is a college basketball haven and a large black man sitting in a sports bar is allowed to stay there with no hassle it had to be a basketball player of note, not just the security guard. I was right.

   Mel Turpin was a celebrity name back then. Like I said, I don’t know the exact date, but it was right around when he was drafted, and his future was very bright. He could’ve been  an arrogant  prima donna and I bet he could have gotten away with it, especially in a place like Lexington where basketball is a religious experience. The world was his oyster then.

   As the night went on, we were shooting pool and hanging out and as fate would have it, Mel was sitting at a table near the pool tables. I was standing next to where he was sitting and he was still taller than me, but we struck up a conversation for a few minutes. I don’t even remember what it was about, but I know it wasn’t about basketball. We just talked.

   He was a very decent, laid back down to earth guy. We had our exchange and at the end of the night as we left I caught his eye and waved and he waved back and that was it. But  after that I was always a big Mel Turpin fan and was very sorry to see how his life played out. I’ve met a ton of full of themselves divas in my day, but not Mel Turpin in the least.

   At the time, I had a brush with a celebrity. He was a hot name and life looked to be rosy for his infinite future. Not long after that he flamed out in the NBA and it spiraled all the way down to the point where he shot himself in the head before he was 50. That’s not the way any of us expect life to be, but all too often it is. I sure hope he’s in a peaceful place, being able to be the Mel Turpin I met way back when - a friendly easygoing nice person.

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Thursday July 8th, 2010 - Hot Springs, AR

   I had to put a plug in today for a funny young comic named Michael Palascak, who will be making his national TV debut this evening on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is absolutely deserving of this shot, and I predict not only that he’ll knock it out of the park tonight, but we’ll all see a lot more of him on TV in the near future. This kid just has it.

   He’s very clean cut Midwestern, and grew up in Indiana. I think he’s originally from the Chicago area and moved back, but I doubt he’ll stay very long. He’ll be headed out to Los Angeles to stay if he already isn’t out there now, and I hope he’ll remember me someday.

   Like with Frank Caliendo, my act has nothing at all in common with Michael Palascak. He’s very light and goofy, with no edge at all. He’s in his twenties, and talks about living at home and being a slacker and looking for ways to stay there forever. He really is funny, and I don’t begrudge him anything. He’s got a fantastic work ethic and he’s earned this.

   There are certain comedians that just have ‘it’. It’s there even when they’re not polished yet. I saw it with Frank Caliendo, and I was right. I see it with Michael Palascak too. He’s got a natural stage presence and a pronounced rhythm and he’s about as likeable as it gets.

    He’s also about as non threatening as it gets, and women like him. He’s good looking, but not in the macho heart throb bad boy way. He’s self depreciating in his act and I think he’s destined for big things. He’ll get a Comedy Central special, sitcom, movie deal or all of the above. The reason I say that is not just because of his talent, this kid WORKS at it.

   I’ve hosted the Monday night Rising Star Showcase shows at Zanies in Chicago for the past couple of years, and more often than not, there was Michael Palascak showing up for a guest set, video camera in hand. He ALWAYS taped himself, and was always open to a suggestion if anyone had any. I’ve always been impressed by how he’s handled himself.

   Frank Caliendo has an outstanding work ethic also, and there’s another one who I think deserves all the good things he gets. He’s out there busting his ass, and I respect him for it unconditionally. Jealousy isn’t a factor with either of these guys. They worked for it all.

   I’ve worked for it too. I may have had some sidetracks and distractions, but I put in a lot of time and effort and paid a lot of dues myself. I have a different path than a Michael or a Frank because they hit it a lot younger than me. IF I hit anything, it will be late in life and that has a whole different mindset. I’ll worry about that later. Tonight I cheer for Michael.

   I’m flying down to Little Rock, AR with Bert Haas from Zanies to help him retrieve his father’s belongings from a storage area. We went down last year to get a car, and it was a fun time actually. I owe Bert countless favors, so when he asked it was an easy decision.

   We might miss Michael Palascak’s set, but I’m sure we’ll both see it later. I know we’ll both be cheering for him though. He’s earned it, and it’s good to see a nice guy get ahead.

Tags: Michael Palascak

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Wednesday July 7th, 2010 - Chicago, IL

   I said I wanted to make Wednesdays my booking day each week, but this is ridiculous. I ended up running around most of the day trying to make deadlines, and the level of stress I was operating under was somewhere between conniption fit and full tilt cardiac arrest.
 
   I finally received a call from the cruise ship booker who said she wants to try me out for an audition run next weekend. I’ll be out five days and need to have thirty minutes of very clean material and thirty minutes of pretty much whatever I want, within reason of course. That’s no problem. The problem was getting paperwork faxed back to her by 5 o’clock.

   She sent me all kinds of new hire paperwork I was required to fill out, and of course my printer was out of ink. I usually keep a spare cartridge around, but for whatever reason not this time. I had to get in the car which was of course out of gas, and go fill up. The pumps were full, and I had to wait for the slowest bunch of gas filler monkeys I have ever seen.
 
   Then my card didn’t work in that pump, so after three tries of swiping, I went inside and had to wait for some halfwit to scratch off lotto tickets before I could ask the fresh off the Taliban recruiting poster, non English speaking pissed off at life clerk to run it through. It took another several minutes to get him to understand English. My patience evaporated.

   I filled the tank, and of course it was one of those slow fill pumps that after a couple big slices of watermelon I could urinate faster than. Then I dropped my gas cap directly under the car and had to crawl underneath to reach it, which I couldn’t. I had to move my car so I could get out and snag it, but then the next car was trying to squeeze in behind already.
 
   Today had a full moon style weirdo vibe and it seemed like a movie was being filmed as it was one insane obstacle after the next. The interwoven synchronicity of it was eerie. When I’m not in a hurry, this never happens. The one day I’m on a deadline - it’s a crisis buffet. It was uncanny how many things were out of whack today, but I had to press on.

    I sped over to Office Mega Max Outlet Warehouse Depot to get my printer ink. Out. Of course. I laughed in the guy’s face, got back in the car and then got stuck in traffic behind a preoccupied lard ass minivan mom babbling on her phone about her son Egbert’s soccer prowess. I wanted to jam that cell phone up an orifice of her choice, but I was in a hurry.

   I really can’t stand that feeling of high stress, but I’ve had it a lot in my life. I needed to get this done, because the booker was going on vacation tomorrow and wouldn’t be back until next week when I’d already be out at sea. And, of course she was in Florida and that means I lose yet another hour to the time difference. This was a movie script and a half.

   I got the ink, raced home, put the cartridge in my printer, ran off the stack of documents and raced to my bank to use their fax machine. I got there and of course the pen I had was out of ink. No joke. Then, I didn’t have the fax number so I had to go home and get it and that put me through the roof. It’ll be funny soon, but today it was raw, uncut pure stress.

   I finally ended up filling out the paperwork, getting it faxed to the booker with maybe a three to five minute window to spare. She called and said she got it, and was actually very calm and friendly. I thanked her for the opportunity and apologized for the close call, but she said it wasn’t an issue as long as I got it to her today, which I did. But it wasn’t easy.

   I hope this isn’t an omen of things to come. I like to avoid these stressful situations if at all possible, but this one was unavoidable. There was an opening, and she thought I could fill it. I’m sure a lot of other comedians could too, so I’m not complaining. This is my big chance to crack a whole new market, and I know I’m going to do fine. I’ve paid my dues.

   It’s not bragging at all, I’ve earned this shot. I talked to a few people I know who have a history on the ships, and they all told me the same thing - just show up and do whatever is asked. That’s exactly what I intend to do, and not be a problem off stage. That’s the place most of the problems happen from what I hear. I’ll keep my mouth shut and be invisible.

   I’m not looking for trouble, and I know how many comics behaved at clubs for all these years. There’s a certain percentage of idiots who come in and strip mine anything positive about a gig, and the next time through there are all kinds of rules made because of them.

   I’ve never been like that and don’t intend to start now. I need to follow directions to the exact tee, and stay out of the way the rest of the time. That’s why it was so crucial to have this paperwork in by the end of today. That’s what the booker needed, and she said it in a very nice, clear but firm way. If I didn’t get it in, I wouldn’t be able to get this booking.

   I got it in, even if it was by the skin of my teeth. I received a confirmation email saying I’ll get my itinerary for the run from her assistant, and I’ll be flying out of O’Hare airport late next week. Other than that, I have no idea where I’ll be going. It could be Haiti and a tar ball tour around the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for all I know. That’s ok, I’ll do it.

   This can’t hurt me in the least. I’ll pass the audition and be as nice as I can to everyone I meet. I’m not going to come in as the cocky diva, and I’m not egomaniacal enough to get any ideas that I’m important in any way. I’m eye candy for passengers for two short sets. I get that. Between the food and ports and activities and everything else, I’m just a speck.

   That’s ok. It takes the pressure off. I’ll get to see some places I haven’t seen before and I’m never sad about that. I paid for a passport, so why not put it to good use? I just might end up enjoying this and clicking with the lifestyle. Or, I could totally hate it and this is a day I’ll look back on with scorn. I doubt it though, how bad can it be? Famous last words.

   I had dinner with one of my former students, Judson Graham. He’s trying to pursue the comedy business as a career, and asked if I’d coach him through his first year. I told him I would, only if he agreed to listen and then offer an endorsement when the year is over. He has a lot of raw potential, but he’s very bright off stage and I think he’s got a lot going for him as far as intangibles go. He’s smart, good looking, Jewish and focused sharply on his goals, all I never was. That’s why I’m thrilled to get a cruise ship shot this far into it all.

Tags: Judson Graham

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Tuesday July 6th, 2010 - St. Charles, IL

   Another outstanding comedy class session at Zanies tonight, this time in St. Charles, IL at Pheasant Run Resort. This was the last week of this particular series, and all the people in it were extra sharp students. They’d either missed a class or two in the past or wanted a chance to get back into it, and I offered it at no cost just to create some goodwill business.

   I love teaching anyway, especially to students who want to soak it all up like I did when I was starting out. I brought Bill Gorgo with me and together we always have fun and are able to feed off each other’s creative energy and teaching vibe. We make a splendid team.

   Performing comedy is still my biggest thrill, but teaching is running a close second. It’s extremely satisfying to be able to help someone live a dream, but also a challenge to earn someone’s trust and have a person buy in to what I’m trying to teach. It never gets boring.

    Every person is different and that makes every class different, and that keeps it fresh on a teaching level. Some students are better than others, but this group had some top quality people who wanted to learn. Even though I did it for free, it was worth the weekly drive.

   Eric Hedman is an example of a top flight student. He’s a couple of years younger than me, and a fireman in one of the Chicago suburbs. He’s married with kids, and being a dad is the basis of his stage persona. He was in a previous class session and his act grew every single week. He was hungry to learn, took to heart what I said and it sped up his progress.

   He came back again and did the same thing. Bill and I were pummeling him pretty good but that’s exactly what he needed to hear. Kudos to him for standing on stage and taking a verbal beating from two different sides of the stage. That’s how to really get better. Fast.

   Eric gets out in the open mike scene in Chicago and sees how it is. He loves comedy on a level higher than most people, but also has a family to support. I think there are so many Eric Hedman types in North America, I couldn’t begin to count them all. I’d love to have the chance to let them all come out of their shells and grow in a good way like Eric has.

   Younger people are fine too, but someone older has life experiences to build upon and a completely different way of putting their comedy together. It’s fun to watch them grow up as performers, and in many cases it adds excitement to their entire life. What a thrill to be part of something like that, and an honor too. In my mind, that’s the way to spend a life.

   Bill is winding down his real life teaching career, and would love to do more events like this. I would too. We’ve got a comedy writing one day full seminar coming up on August 1st, at a place to be determined. The guy promoting it hasn’t chosen a final destination yet.

   He will, and we’ll show up ready to teach. That’s never the hard part. The hard part is to find people to fill the seats. We’re starting to do that too, even though it’s not taking place fast enough. It never does. All I can do is keep growing as a teacher and see where it goes.

Tags: Eric Hedman

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Monday July 5th, 2010 - Kenosha, WI/Chicago, IL

   Back to the kind of Monday schedule I love. Most people hate Mondays, but when mine are like this it’s my favorite day of the week. It’s jam packed with things I love to do, and I get to hang around quality people who are of a like mindset. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

   First it was lunch in Kenosha, WI with Mark Gumbinger’s regular lunch group. Mark is the movie director I worked with in ‘Dead Air’, and he has a regular lunch scheduled at a Chinese buffet for all who can attend. My friend Lou Rugani from WLIP played the main character in the film and he’s a regular along with Mark’s brother Mike. It’s a fun group.

   They’ve taken me in their circle of friends and I’m glad to be included. We enjoy each other’s company and laugh a lot, and the food is reasonably priced too. I ate right and was a good boy at the buffet. Lots of vegetables and salad and melon for dessert. Lots of water too. It’s getting easier and easier to eat better, mainly because I want to make it happen.

   Tonight it was back to Zanies in Chicago for a double dose of comedy class and hosting the Rising Star Showcase show. Both were absolutely stellar, and that kind of energy will keep me going all week. This is how every day should go, and it’s a great way to start any week. Being around creative people gets my own vibe flowing and it’s a win/win for all.

   This was an especially good class, according to Bill Gorgo who taught it. The members were a little older, and had more life experience which is always good. They got their four weeks of lessons as promised, but I like to give bonus classes whenever I can and this was one of them. Since I was going to be there anyway, I wanted to have a session with them.

   We talked about the big picture of comedy and some people asked questions and I had a few guests sit in like I usually do. I like to offer people a chance to sample the class as it’s the best commercial I could possibly do. They get to feel the energy that flows when class starts hopping and we had a great one today. Bill and I and the students totally hit stride.

   The same rang true with the Rising Star Showcase. WOW, what an audience. It was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, and it was packed all the way to the back of the room. Maybe it was the weather, and people wanted to escape the heat. Zanies is air conditioned and it was comfortable in there all night. Whatever the case, this was a super hot crowd.

   My job is easy when it’s like this. All I really had to do was say ‘That was’ and ‘This is’ and sit back and watch them laugh. It’s not always like that, but when it is it’s a night off. Nobody heckled. Nobody left early. I wish these people would all follow me on the road, or at least tell their friends. They had the vibe all audiences should have. It was a blast.

   Nights like this give me hope. I love being in class and feeling that energy and to follow it right up with the high of a hot crowd is a combo platter I could handle every night. In a perfect world, I’d be able to do it every night - not just Mondays. I feel productive and on point with my life’s purpose. I wish every day was like this, but I’ll settle for Mondays.

Tags: Mark Gumbinger

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Sunday July 4th, 2010 - Kenosha, WI

   It’s only been four days, but I‘m starting to feel noticeably better about myself on every level. I’m not going to get cocky, but I am pleased I made it even this far. I’m making the daily decisions I should have been making decades ago, but took until now to finally do.

   Even if I do manage to stretch this out into weeks, months or even years, I still blew all kinds of opportunities to have been a lot farther along than I am now, and I have to forget about that and focus on whatever time is left. That’s SO not easy to do though. It’s almost impossible not to imagine what could have been had I been on a path like this years ago.

   Had I had this kind of focus when I was 30 or even 35, who knows where I could have ended up? I should have all kinds of CD and DVD projects finished and movie scripts in the can and all kinds of other creative and entrepreneurial stuff that’s paying me off now.

   Instead, here I sit with my education, trying to salvage at least a little scrap from all the wreckage that I can hopefully use to build into some kind of makeshift shelter to keep me protected from any more storms that may decide to come my way. I didn’t expect to be in this situation this far into the game. I thought for sure I’d have it al figured out by now.

   I received word today I’m going to get my trial run on a cruise ship. They want to send me out in a couple of weeks for four days. I’m not sure where I’m going, but it’s a chance to prove myself to this particular cruise line. Allegedly, they’re looking for regular acts.

   The pay is decent, and I know I’ll nail this. Much of it requires that I work clean for one 30 minute set and the other I can do pretty much whatever I want. They also might want a five minute teaser set at the top of the run to attract passengers to one of my two shows.

   I know how to work clean and still get laughs, so that won’t be an issue. What might be a slight concern is if they want to send me out all the time. Am I ready for life on a boat? I won’t know until I try it. Maybe. Maybe not. I’ve heard all kinds of stories about how it is and it’s not for everyone but neither is comedy itself, and I’ve lasted in that for 25 years.

   This is a very big step that I need to think through before I make any commitments. It’s a career milestone that could either be an answer to my problems or the cause of a whole lot more, like radio was. I wasn’t prepared before I dove head first into that cesspool, and I’m still paying for it all these years later. This is different. I’m a lot more seasoned now.

   I’m sure these decisions are much easier for an outsider looking in, but from where I’m sitting, it isn’t so cut and dried at all. There are options on each side and I have no idea of what the correct choices are. Had I known years ago, I’d have made a lot better choices.

   I guess it’s all part of the learning process, but that knowledge doesn’t come cheaply. It sucks valuable time out of the prime of life, and by the time whatever wisdom that comes from it my grandmother’s old saying rings true. “Too soon old, too late smart.” SO true.

Tags: Cruise Ships

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Saturday July 3rd, 2010 - Chicago, IL/Dyer, IN

   Jerry Agar called and asked if I wanted to be on the air with him today as he had a shift on the radio. We weren’t able to do a Kidders show because Ken Sevara’s voice is acting up and Tim Slagle was preparing for his yearly 4th of July weekend party he likes to host.

   Any time I have a chance to spend an hour on WGN radio in Chicago, I take it. That’s a monster station, and it’s always worth being on it because of the exposure to hundreds of thousands of people all over the Midwest I’d likely never get in front of any other way.

   That truly is a broadcast, going out all over the place to all different types of people. It’s an opportunity to do a sixty minute commercial for myself I’d never be able to pay for, so that’s a chance I had to take. I know I have projects going, but this was worth my time.

   Jerry decided it would be a good topic to talk about traveling America for the 4th of July week so he picked the right person to kick it off. I bet I’ve seen more of the United States than 99.999% of anyone other than truck drivers or hitch hikers. I’ve spent my entire life on the road, and seen all four corners of the continent and most every crevice in between.

   We had a fun segment, and it lit up the phones. That’s the great thing about a big station like that, virtually ANY subject will light up the phones because it relates to someone that happens to have a radio on. We didn’t need phones though, Jerry and I know what to do.

   We used to go off on stuff like this all the time when we first met twenty years ago back at AM 1480 WFXW, the tiny station he worked at in St. Charles, IL. That station isn’t on the air anymore, but we sure had fun while it was. We knew nobody was listening, but we still tried to do entertaining radio anyway. We used to dream of being on WGN someday.

   Neither one of us are rich or famous on a large scale, but we sure did live our dreams of being on WGN. Had someone told either one of us twenty years ago we’d achieve that, it probably would have blown our minds right out of our ear. I enjoyed every minute of our time on the air today, even if it wasn’t exactly the way we thought it would be. It was fun.

   Jerry has to be back in Toronto and I am doing what I’m doing, but for an hour we were exactly where we dreamed of twenty years ago. Yes, the Kidders were and are a blast, but this is what we both wanted back then - the two of us bantering back and forth on WGN.

   Jerry had to be on the air until 9pm, but I left and went to Tim Slagle’s house in Indiana for his yearly blowing up of mass quantities of legal fireworks. Ken Sevara also came out with his wife Lori and Jerry showed up after his shift. We had a Kidders reunion anyway.

   We all know we could probably be doing better, but we could all be doing worse too. It was great to be together as a group, and we enjoyed blowing up all the heavy artillery Tim bought. Good times with good friends are never a bad investment. I spent this day well.  

Tags: WGN Radio

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Friday July 2nd, 2010 - Lake Villa, IL

   Boy, am I getting old. I had all I could handle to crawl out of the rack this morning after one little lap in the mall yesterday, and I was ashamed of myself. I did some stretching for a while before I walked, but still - my wiry nimble body of youth is gone. Rest in peace.

   I didn’t have much time to dwell on my shame because I had to get to the bathroom in a hurry. I started a two week inner colon cleanse yesterday and those fiber pills don’t waste any time. I woke up and knew immediately I hadn’t been cheated. That stuff went through me like a Canadian quarter in a vending machine, and I thought it was going to get ugly.

   It’s only about a dozen steps from my bed to the toilet, but I really didn’t think I’d make it. I felt cramps in places I’ve never felt them before, and walking made them worse. I had to really concentrate on taking every single step, and also on not laughing too hysterically.

   That could have lost it too. I don’t know if I’d have laughed afterward, but thankfully it wasn’t an issue. I made it, barely, but somehow I knew I’m doing the right thing here. Not just with taking some fiber pills, but with my life in general. I really feel I’ve got the right vibe, and good things are going to start happening soon. I don’t know why, but I feel that.

   I’ve felt it before, and I admit I’ve gotten away from it somehow. If I knew why, I guess I wouldn’t be in the situation I am. But that’s life - ups and downs, and how we all handle them. Timing is everything too. Can we have an up time and parlay it into even more? I’ll bet that’s totally true, and I hope to find out. I want to experience the best life has to offer.

   I thought about that as I sat on the toilet, wondering if I’d have to call either a plumber or an ambulance. Or both. What IS the best life has to offer, and how can I get it? What’s my true heart’s desire? Does anybody know their own answer? I’d bet not all that many.

   I want to be a servant. I want to be a mentor. I want to be a world class creative genius. I want to be challenged to the fullest of my abilities. I want to be an encourager of people and their dreams. I want to be a great friend, lover, partner, husband, father and provider.

   I want to work every single day of my life doing exactly what I love. I want to be in the best of health physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. I want to help others find a way to heal their dented can past, as I’m working on healing my own. And I want peace.

   Maybe I won’t achieve any of it, but that’s what I want. I sure didn’t expect to be jarred awake by erupting bowels to cause me to think about it, but I was. And I did. And I put in a good day of work today trying to keep the positive momentum going. I went back to the mall for another lap, and felt each step of it. I ate very well and also drank a lot of water.

   Two days of this is not enough. I’ve done it before. It’s turning that into weeks and then months and then years. THAT’S what true success is, at least in my eyes. A nice chunk of money would be nice, and a special woman too. I’m preparing myself  now to get all that.

Tags: Dented Can

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