If at first you fuck it up...well....try. Just try.

Firstly, a bitta bidness:

Upcoming performance dates:

Friday, September 24th at the Upfront Theater in Bellingham, with the Stretch'd Mouth Rascals, Improv

Sunday, September 26th at Sketch in Time at the Arts Club Theatre on Granville Island, with Improv Outlet, Improv

Hopefully (yet to be fully confirmed, but very likely):

Wednesday, September 29th at El Cocal, Standup (Commercial and Parker)

Thursday, September 30th at Zizanie, Standup (7th and Fir)

Sunday, October 3rd at DV8, Standup (Davie and Seymour)

Am working on putting a box on the side of this thing that always has my show dates, but it requires html and that is not my forte.

So, had a totally crazy week, what with working, seeing fringe shows, being in a fringe show and doing shows in Bellingham. I am so impressed with the calibre of work at this year's fringe festival. I can't tell you how many good shows I saw. Seems like every day someone talked about something new that you just "had" to see. Remarkable. Had some pretty good schmooze time, too. My advice to you? When the Pick of the Fringe starts this week, go see Cactus and Father's Day. And, if you ever EVER hear of the Back Kitchen Release Party or Plentiful playing somewhere, go see them, too, because they were wonderful and more wonderful.

I drove all over hell's half acre today, delivering flowers, and, while driving back, had a rather emotional conversation with my popster. I think I have been neglecting my family of late, and what the hell good is life if you let your family slide away? Time to reorganize my priorities. I think here is a good place to point something out. Now, most of you already know this, because you know I talk about Phil so much, but I think he doesn't know this enough. He is an enormous part of why I'm good at being funny and fast, and my undying love for improv and comedy. I trundled along with him at a very early age to watch late night Theatresports at City Stage, back in the early eighties. A deep love of storytelling, teamwork, wit, and brains was instilled in me, and I remember having such great conversations with him about the art form. It seems to me that we had a very nice relationship surrounding writing and performing as I was growing up, but somewhere along the way that connection kind of short circuited. I think that I never felt like my work could live up to his. I mean, it's kind of intimidating to have parents who are geniuses at what they do. It's only now that I'm really developing my confidence in my skills as a writer, comedian and theatre artist, and, surely, I owe so much of my talent in no small way to my parents. In particular, I believe that so much of my understanding of comedy and improv come from my dad, Phil. (Listen, other parents, you'll get your own damn blog entries later, I don't wanna hear any complaints).

The funny thing is, no matter how much he tells me that he wants to be part of my work process, I still have this weird thing that I want things to be perfect when they land on his doorstep. You know how you want your parents to be proud. I want him to see that he has been so deeply ingrained in me, that it's like he's with me all the time when I'm working. I'm going to make more of an effort to include him in my process, even though I will feel quite nervous and naked about it at first. These things take some getting used to.

Why does it seem easier to say/write these things thinking they are just going off into the ether than to just say them right to him? My brain gets in my way sometimes, I think.

Anyway, Phil, I love you.

Now, I'm going to the Beastie Boys. Dance, dance!

x
r.