Fun Around a Thousand

COZUMEL

2011-10-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

Most people never go on vacation. 'Not enough money,' they say. 'What, cash in my RRSP to sit on a beach somewhere and get sunburned?' 'Not gonna mortgage my house so I can afford to travel.'

I don't have an RRSP or a house. What I do have is the ability to save up around a thousand bucks and go away for a week or so a few times a year. No, I don't have kids along. Yes, my girlfriend pays for herself (splitting hotel costs in two is always the best way to save) and no; we don't stay in luxurious resorts. Clean, safe accommodations within walking distance of local restaurants and activities are what we seek.

Friend, chances are that you or someone you know is also a Thousandaire. If you desire vacation time and have the ability to be selective with dates and destinations, there's no reason why you cannot enjoy a vacation of your own.*
*your enjoyment may vary

It was with naught but enjoyment in mind that we grabbed a cheap flight to Cozumel, Mexico. Basically paying only the taxes and fees, we took advantage of a deal on a direct flight into Cozumel International Airport, just outside the main island town of San Miguel.
Cozumel is located off of the Yucatan Peninsula across the water from Playa Del Carmen, due south of the famous resort of Cancun, which has become a spring break destination for the 'Girls Gone Wild' set. We're a little past that scene, as we long ago discovered our preference for sipping fine tequilas as opposed to slamming shots of the discount paint-thinner variety.

Disclaimer: I speak fluent Spanish. My girlfriend, however, does not, and she had no problem making her way around town on solo excursions. Many Cozumeleños speak English, and those that do not are helpful in a friendly 'finger-pointing' way.

The essential way to get around Cozumel is to rent a car. All the best beaches are outside town, and the island is quite small, you can drive the entire way round in about 90 minutes. The car rental agencies are across the street from the airport, and booking ahead through Expedia will, secure a great price. As with any local airport in Mexico, avoid at all costs being sucked in by promises of better deals on rentals, hotels, or Cialis by the time-sharing presentation folks; just make a beeline straight across the road to the rental agency. Be aware that the additional insurance is mandatory to drive in Mexico. As for the class of rental car, we gladly stuck with the compact size, as the town streets are quite narrow. Unless you're staying at a big resort, you'll need parking. While street parking is an option, your best bet is a private lot (look for the large 'E' for 'Estacionamiento') which we were able to negotiate for about $10 for the week. (This is where speaking Spanish can be handy!)

We stayed at the Suites Colonial due to a friend's recommendation. We booked the room through hotels.com and at the time, this was the best value. Prices and availability may vary according to season, so do a search on Cozumel at hotels.com before you book.
Our hotel was just off the main Zocalo, and we practically had the place to ourselves the whole week. The rooms could be a little brighter, but with a kitchenette with fridge to store our beer, water, juice and snacks (bought across the street at the OXXO market) and an air conditioner in the bedroom, the 53 dollars a night we paid was a great deal. Every morning we walked a few blocks to sister hotel Casa Mexicana for a delicious full breakfast that is included. Score yourself some good Karma and make sure to tip the breakfast chef and wait staff!

After breakfast you'll want to hop in your car and head over to Playa San Martin, an undeveloped stretch of beach which is simply Paradise. No vendors and no cruise ship tourists, and there is a limited amount of Straw Palapas for shade, but no chairs, so bring towels to sit on. At San Martin itself, there is no food or drink service, so unless you're going to drive down to one of the great Seafood restaurants on the east side, you're going to have to bring food and drink along. Bringing a soft collapsible cooler from home is a cheaper option than picking one up from the San Miguel Mega (Walmart equivalent.) If you want something more than beer, water and snacks, you can grab some Tortas (sandwiches) from any of the innumerable places in town, or grab some chicken in a bag from a roadside stand to take with you.

While waiting a half hour to swim after eating may be an old wives' tale, there's nothing false about being aware of the surf conditions when swimming anywhere on the east side of Cozumel. All but the strongest swimmers may wish to stay less than waist deep in the water, especially on days of rough surf. Yes, lifeguards do patrol these beaches on occasion, but the undertow can be extremely strong even on days when the waves are deceivingly low. For experienced swimmers, swimming and body-surfing in this open ocean is fantastic.

After a hard day in the waves, you'll have worked up an appetite, so the freshest seafood and most amazing Margaritas can be had at Playa Bonita, about halfway down the eastern perimeter road. It's definitely more of a 'locals' place than the more touristy 'Mezcalitos' beach clubs at the north or south end of the road. Playa Bonita closes when the sun goes down, so make sure not to miss out!

As far as beaches on the west side of Cozumel, that's where you'll find all the snorkeling action. Calm, clear water is the norm here, but unfortunately so is the proliferation of 'beach clubs' meaning deck chairs and cruise ship tourists. However, it's a big coast, so drive south of town, park the car and go for a walk along the beach until you come to an isolated stretch that suits your fancy. Remember: there's no such thing as a private beach in Mexico, and they don't charge for parking. Beach access is open to all, only the use of chairs and facilities are charged for. Plenty of (fairly pricey) food and drink options will surround you if you don't feel like bringing your own that day...but even what seems like pricey for Cozumel seems cheaper when you keep things in context: when was the last time you paid two dollars for a beer in Canada, or had a complete meal for two, including drinks for under $20? It's worth paying a bit more for drinks or a meal on the west side of the island in order to enjoy some truly spectacular sunsets.

As far as nightlife in San Miguel, Carlos n' Charlie's is there for those that prefer the wild gringo scene, but we spent most of our nights crooning away in a small Karaoke bar right near our hotel....karaoke is huge in San Miguel, with big and small clubs alike offering a wide variety of experiences. Most nights we had the place practically to ourselves, and the playlists were unbelievably diverse-everything from the current hits to Mexican rock to the 70's and 80's hits and alternative tracks we grew up loving.
When it came to dining out, while we did enjoy a lovely charcoal-grilled steak dinner one evening, complete with (unfortunately) chilled red wine (the restaurateur claimed the cruise ship crowd demands it that way,) most of our evening meals began and ended at LOS OTATES. Tacos, Quesadillas, and the traditional Mexican soup Pozole were what filled our bellies for the week. Frequented by locals and tourists alike, there is simply no place like it for deliciously grilled Mexican food at cheap prices. Sure, having a drink or two and some appetizers at Casa Denis in the Zocalo is a nice experience, but the same price will get you a belly-busting meal at Los Otates.

So, what about some fun other than just lying on the beach? Well, the one advantage of the ever-present hoards of time-sharing reps that roam the island is that in exchange for 1.5-2 hours of your time, innumerable perks can be yours, according to your desires. Be it a day at an all-inclusive resort, free jeep rental, snorkeling trip, or scuba trip, one could literally spend the week going to a different timeshare presentation each day and then enjoying the fruits of their labors. Be aware: it is quite a 'hard sell', and be prepared for the unpleasant stares of those who know they won't be making a sale. We chose the scuba option, and enjoyed our first beach dive so much I contacted the dive company for a second boat dive which I paid for (around $70.)

For those wishing to go to the mainland, the vehicle ferry is a bit pricey (about $100 return) but essential if you want to drive down the coast to explore the ancient Maya ruins at Tulum on your own. Along the way are spectacular Cenotes (underground caves) offering snorkeling and diving in crystal clear freshwater caverns. A pedestrian ferry across to Playa Del Carmen is cheaper and faster, offering more flexibility, but you'd have to take a bus or tour down to Tulum. Although the vehicle ferry trip seemed lengthy (about 2.5-3 hrs) the return trip in the evening offered a fantastic view of the stars that we enjoyed with a bottle of wine on the upper deck.

THE MATH:
Car: C$65.49 (total approx. $200 including gas and insurance)
Air: C $768.00 (for 2)
Hotel: C$383.98
Food/Drink/Incidentals/Duty Free...all up to you, but our Grand Total for the week for everything was under C$1100 each including tax. What a way to spend a week in Mexico!

Suites Colonial


View from Casa Denis


Taco at Los Otates


West Coast Beach


Playa Bonita


East Coast highway view


East Coast Highway view


Margarita at Playa Bonita


Playa San Martin


View inland from the East Coast Highway

Meal at Los Otates

View from the Vehicle Ferry

Tulum

Menu at Los Otates

Karaoke Star.

Mexican Zoo.

Birthday Blog

2009-12-08T22:12:00.000-08:00

I'm under strict orders here to summarize my birthday in 2 sentences. Here's one: Yuji's = not all it's cracked up to be.

Two: Being in Vancouver with the lady i love is absolutely all it's cracked up to be.

Random Notes

2009-09-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm on 'hold'(which means the creative types are seeking client approval) for a voiceover gig which may or may not record monday. Been here many times before and my experience is that the longer these things drag on, the less the chances get. It would be my first voiceover gig so no matter what, it's progress.

I need some sort of exercise program now that my free gym membership is up. One can only do so many recorded taebo sessions. This program has to include some sort of weight-lifting, as pure cardio doesn't seem to work for me, causing me to crave carbs and get faaaaaaaaaaaat.

Deborah Merrick is The Bees' Knees. I don't know what that means, other than the fact that those knees are 3000 miles away. arg.

I should be exercising...

2009-07-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know about this blogging thing. Once upon a time, when I was far away, it seemed a useful way of keeping people updated on stuff. Now I'm not far away anymore and I'm not sure of its purpose other than as a writing exercise.
Of course, now I'm far away from some people that I wasn't before, now that I'm back closer to people whom I was previously far away from.
It felt good being far away from where I was from, like I was accomplishing something, doing things.
Now that I'm back in my 'home town' it feels like I'm spinning my wheels, like I'm not accomplishing much. When I was away, even if there wasn't anything going on, there was always the comforting thought of 'At least you got somewhere.'
Now the feeling is kind of one of 'Shore Leave's over.'
Somehow, summer has flown by...and the bell has rung and I'm back sitting in the classroom trying to stay awake, watching the clock, hoping that 3:30 comes soon.

Difference between Rich Kids and the rest of us

2009-04-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

Biking through tony Rosedale I happens across some kids selling lemonade, proceeds of which go to some charity in Africa. Lemonade's a buck, lemonade and cookies $2.
Being a proponent of the New World Order and its cashless society, only scratch I have on me is a quarter.

Now, seeing as the actual cost of a glass of lemonade to them (I mean Mom and Dad) is probably around a penny, I'm thinking they still come out ahead...well not little Tiffany (or Stephanie, Jessica, Cassiopia...yes, I'm dating myself with the 80's rich girl names instead of Maddox or Potion) according to her, when I asked her if a quarter was enough, she said "Sure, enough for a quarter of a glass."

Next time I'll bike Forest Hill...chances might be better of finding a mensch under 12.

Meet the new Van...same as the old Van.

2009-04-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

Back in VanCity for 9 days, 8 nights of non-stop shtupping.
Well of course...there's nothing else to do when it rains non-stop. Actually snowed here yesterday. I was blamed.

It feels kind of like I never left...which leads me to wonder if the last 3 months were not in fact some LSD-induced hallucination. Seeing as I can't seem to find any keys to a Vancouver apartment, I'd say probably not.

Things were getting a bit busy in Toronto before I left, I had signed with a voice agency and missed a big audition for Nelvana this week...damn. Next time.

It'd be nice to be working enough to be able to afford to maintain residences in both cities and fly back and forth for work, maybe sublet the Vancouver place to someone I could kick out with advance notice whenever I roll into town, or get a dog that's smart enough to feed itself, take itself out for walks, and look after the place when I'm away.

Speaking of dogs, I was out running and saw a Doberman standing beside a similarly coloured Daschund(what the kids call a wiener-dog.) The daschund looked like something the doberman had pooped out. So that's how wiener dogs are made.

Smells like writing

2009-03-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

To avoid creation of any actual material...

Living in the middle of the city and also in the middle of nowhere at the same time. I'm a 10 minute bus ride from a subway station but a half hour walk from any other bus: the rich folk all drive cars, you see. I did discover a secret way to walk along the railway tracks straight to Yonge Street without meandering through endless cul-de-sacs...it'll do till spring comes and I get the bike on the road.

Don't know how long I'll live here. Doesn't feel like home for some reason, possibly due to aforementioned train tracks in lieu of backyard ocean.

I need a job of some sort. My cash savings will only last so long, and murder mysteries are not regular enough at this time of year to pay the bills, also unlike Vancouver, I'm the new guy and lack the seniority to be offered every show...there doesn't seem to be much out there right now, good thing for savings.

I love being able to see Natasha regularly...being a GOOD DAD, best I can. Picking her up after school, going to a movie or a spur-of-the moment Marlies game for $10. Yes, for $10 you can see basically the same AHL team the Leafs have been icing all season- two words for anyone paying to go to the ACC: SUCK-ER!

I DO miss Vancouver, the ocean and mountains on a rare sunny winter's day...the Oyama Sausage Factory...not the high price of basic groceries though...that $6 jar of peanut butter and $13 block of cheese goes for 3 and 7 dollars here, even at so-called 'expensive stores'

Since noone is reading this I may as well pontificate further on the raging debate going on in my head right now without the need to be cryptic...Vancouver wasn't just sea and sausages...if by chance she's reading this right now she may be shocked to see me admit that I fell unexpectedly head over heels in love, and especially since moving out on my own in Hogtown nary a moment goes by that she is not missed.

To find such a love so soon after being married was perhaps unwanted, but not unappreciated, despite whatever 'resistance' I may have manifested out of fear, stupidity, or restlessness.

Moving back to Toronto has forced me to look at that love, and decide if I want it to have a future, whatever sort of future that might be remains mysterious save that it would be free of any type of legal committment: To that is something we have both heartily drunk.

But is it the Safe Choice? It seems to be the easy choice, the expected choice(for both of us) in some ways, the Hard Choice in others...beats being alone, or does it? Certainly takes the pressure off finding anyone ELSE, at our age...in our business...that UNDERSTANDS what we're going through like we both do...if it's the Safe, the Pussy thing to do, then that's never been what I'm about.

I made a mistake long ago that led to certain things that I don't think I could stand repeating...but didn't seem like a mistake at the time.

Shit, it's 2AM..nothing left to do but seek inspiration from the Drowned God:

God of the Sea
Help me to Be
Help me to See

oh, yeah...for those of you that hadn't heard, that's my new religion right there. Made going to church LITERALLY a day at the beach!

Haiku

2009-02-26T14:35:00.001-08:00

you sent me cheese then
we couldn't go on like this
now i eat your love

McKetchup

2009-01-29T08:21:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I was on my way to my brother's birthday party and I realized I hadn't eaten in about 7 hours, so before the night of drinking and carrying on, for some reason I decided to stop at McDonalds for a bite, probably because it was near the bank machine.

After ordering the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Chocolate shake, which, with Fries, came to $10.03, corrected to $9.70 without the Fries ($6 for a McDonalds burger is a folly I don't plan on repeating) I discovered that this $6 burger did not come, as I had requested, with no ketchup and extra mustard, but instead with no mustard, no pickles, and nothing else but ketchup and onion, and no damn napkins.

I was running late but damn if I don't decide to pull in and bring this $6 crapfest to the attention of the manager, who replied that despite my insistence that this burger should be on them, they could not refund my money but she would make me another one PERSONALLY.

Not wanting to start a war in McDonalds with an $8/hr earning manager, I griped loudly about the poor customer service, but fine, would she please fix me a burger with no ketchup that was GUAR-anteed to contain ample mustard and pickle.

Pulling out of the parking lot and fudging open the burger on the way back to the highway, I peered inside the bun to check: pickles, onions, NO ketchup...and two faded yellow spots that looked like the mustard stains that never come out of your favorite white shirt. UGH.

Biting into it, it was dry as a bone.

What to do...

Inside the takeout bag atop the napkins and complimentary fries(for the inconvenice) was a package of ketchup...

Lesson learned: if one is forced, by the misfortune of circumstance, to order at McDonalds...just eat what they give you.

Needs Meme

2009-01-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

So what you do is Google “{your name} needs”, and record the first 10. Here's what I got:

Sean needs a Girlfriend. Duh...put her on a plane, somebody.
Sean needs a Belt. Of what?
Sean needs a bigger Cannon.Well!
Uncle Sean needs You. Ok.
Sean needs Five Cakes. Who doesn't!
Sean needs Wrestling Shoes. Sure!
Sean needs Australia. Really? Never given them much thought...
Sean needs to quit feeling sorry for himself. Who IS this??
Sean needs some new underwear. Got some for christmas, thanks.
Sean needs a Band! Yeah! Dig up Bonzo!

Open Blog, Open Itunes, Press Play, Walk On.

2008-12-13T17:45:00.000-08:00

And love is not the easy thing...
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can't steal it
No they can't even feel it
Walk on, walk on...
Stay safe tonight

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom

Walk on, walk on
What you've got they can't deny it
Can't sell it, or buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Home... hard to know what it is if you've never had one
Home... I can't say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the hurt is

Leave it behind
You got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you feel
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you sense
All that you speak
All you dress-up
All that you scheme...

thank you.
i love you.
sean

While Rome burns...

2008-12-01T02:03:00.000-08:00

why can I never remember my password to log into this damn thing? between facebook, gmail, hotmail, banking, this one is the one that always stumps me...

having a fine ol' time being Dean Martin bemusedly taking in my final observations of this place. went to a grand improv show at the sunday service that was their anniversary show, celebrated in grand fashion by the waitress stumbling a drink down Deb's back. Free vodka shots abounded!

The folks at Sunday Service have become friends I'm going to miss, Taz and I are doing a corporate improv show Tuesday evening, which along with a recent commercial and some Murder Mysterys has become my main source of income to keep me going till I give this part of the world the old 'Exit...Stage Left.'

...not that I've become a gay cartoon character, despite rumors and some facebook profile pics to the contrary.

Tearing Apart Again...

2008-11-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

27 days left of Vancouver. Today is a shitty, rainy day, as opposed to yesterday's Sunshine. Not wanting to waste a single moment left.

The letting of goods has begun, yesterday someone bought my table and desk, leaving a big hole in my place and some fancy re-arrangin' to set up the computer...I didn't think they would go that quick, now someone's interested in my dishes, so I'm thinking twice about what I'll actually need to get through the month. Probably set aside what I'm giving to friends and use those to the end, and sell the rest.

Fuck, it's kinda depressing to be thinking about this as 'the end.' Yes, it's an end, but also a beginning (again) back in Toronto, and in the bigger picture, neither the end, nor a beginning, but just another stage of the journey, man. Sorry to get all hippie on you, there.

My pal Marty was telling me of his current focus on enjoying every moment and trying not to think of either future pleasures or anxiet(ie?)s, which seems to be a good way to be right now...cuz after all, what does it matter? We all know that Obama is the Antichrist who is going to bring about the Rapture in 2012, and unless you're an Evangelical on vacation in the Holy Land, you're pretty much screwed.

Fuck You.

2008-11-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling really angry right now and i don't know why. actually, i do, it's a feeling that things in my life are not in my control. and that's angry, as well as stupid.

for a guy who purports to be good at improv, i have some serious control issues.

it's a childish thing, and a stupid thing, the childishness and stupidity of which makes me even more angry.

i'm forced to be feeling things and doing things which i don't want to, and it pisses me off.

i suppose dealing with it this way is the healthiest option, as opposed to, say, bombing a random country for supposedly doing some shit which we can make up after the fact...the meddlesome truth of whether they did it or no, that shit's for the next guy to deal with...and that's what Pardons are for.

so other than bombing the shit out of people if such armaments are within your disposal, what is actually a good and reasonable way to handle this shit?(wow, how many times am I saying shit this post? start a drinking game at your own risk) hmm...let's look to the role models:

my dad is angry he didn't do what he wanted for a living...kept it bottled up inside, sporadic bursts of assholeness to the rest of us.
my uncle never really got it together and made shit work, expresses it to the world when hammered; general reaction of 'Ugh...Come On.'

Neither option particularly appealing...and yoga and meditation is for pussies. drinking gets you posts like these.

Goodbye, Funnyman.

2008-09-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Imitating you gave me the Irish accent that I'll be doing for the rest of my life, and I'll think of you.

You looked after my little girl on weekends when I had to work, even though she put a sandwich in your VCR.

You encouraged me to come out to Vancouver, saying that's where you would go if you were coming to Canada today.

You were King of the City every year on St.Paddy's day. It will never be the same.

You told Brenden to have Manners.

Goodbye Uncle Frank, the world's a little less Irish today. And heaven's a lot more fun.

6 Months Later...

2008-09-04T23:27:00.000-07:00

I've been fired a bunch of times in my life:

I was fired as a waiter at Kelsey's when I skipped work to go to an audition. I was a terrible waiter.
I was fired from a job 'selling' advertising for some stupid cable television channel...after 2 days!
I was fired from a short film that the writer/director decided he wanted to play himself, cuz the role was really about him. What a dope.
I was fired from a company called Sprint Canada(remember them?) but because they also fired a bunch of other people that were making too much money it was called 'downsizing' and I got a big fat cheque.
I was fired from a gig performing in Florida by a crazy person who I heard was later also fired.
I was fired from a gig performing on a Haunted Trolley tour in Vancouver for using period language...apparently although women were once upon a time referred to as 'broads' it hurts West Coasters' feelings to be reminded of this, even by a dead guy who got shivved by one.

feelin' fine.

2008-03-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

i was working doing a job that i hated but paid a lot of money, so I walked away from it last week.
i feel great.
actually, it wasn't so much the job i hated but the guy i was working for was an asshole.
so i'm gonna be back to strugglin for $ for a while, but not struggling for my SOUL.
magically, once I decided to take that step, all sorts of creative shit somehow opened up.
I'm performing something like 4 times this week, and I have several auditions of the potentially paying kind...which may lead to nothing...or Iceland...or parts in between.
but no matter what, I'm feeling good again.
and feel free to buy me dinner.
and thank you if you already have.

What Will Make Me Happy?

2008-01-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

what will make me happy?
a bucket of cash?
a big powdered stash?
a black leather whip?
some rouge upon my lip?

what will make me happy?
some firm flesh to squeeze?
a little girl saying 'daddy please?'
a buddy playing shinny?
a bike to make me skinny?

what will make me happy?
a pricey bottle of booze?
a wet dripping cooze?
dancing till the dawn?
a dog running circles
on a green covered lawn?

what will make me happy?
none of these things.
to not wish the phone rings.
to do what i want to do.
what will make me happy...is you.
who?
i haven't a clue.

Welcome Back to Vancouver...and F-You!

2008-01-10T23:07:00.001-08:00

An odd exchange crossed my mind yesterday listening to the wheels lower on the descent to Vancouver...'Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain...Air Canada apologizes for the fact that instead of lowering the landing gear, your luggage has been jettisoned into the sea. Local weather is overcast and the temperature is 6 degrees. Hope you enjoyed the flight.'

Thus it was no surprise when the carousel grind to a halt with one of my bags missing. Looking forward to spending some quality time on the phone to the Air Canada call centre in India, the commute home began with just missing an empty bus, instead spending 20 minutes inhaling second-hand smoke emanating from a chattering ethnic group that, despite my muttered wishes, apparently possesses some immunity to lung cancer. Stepping in the door 90 minutes later, the phone rang and Air Canada wanted to see if I would pick up my bag, as delivery could take up to 3 days...

I blame my brand-new luggage. It's cursed. Anyone with a purification ritual to take the stink off of this bad maiden voyage, let me know.

2008 is Here!

2008-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

2007 is gone. 2009 isn't here yet. 2008 is all there is.

be happy.

I'll take 'What am I' for 100, Alex.

2007-12-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

I was frustrated trying to develop a recent project, and realized some of the frustration was that I didn't know what it was. Was it a comedy? A drama? An hour? A half hour? A feature? Once I found some clarity in what I was trying to do, it got a lot easier.

I need to find some of that clarity in looking at myself. What am I trying to do? Am I an actor? A writer? A vacuum cleaner salesman?? When I came to Vancouver and concentrated solely on acting, good things happened. I started to work on some writing projects and more good things happened. Then good things stopped happening, and of course, I blame myself...but I'm still plugging away. Are they the wrong projects? Should I be memorizing monologues instead of writing? Should I be writing 12 hours a day? Where do I want to go, and what do I want to be???

I'm hangin' on...you're all that's left to hold on to.

2007-11-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

Fuck, will this rain ever end?
Lots of 'joe job' work lately, and a few auditions, but no paying acting work. I haven't landed a paying commercial or film/tv job in over a year. Indie films/dinner theatre notwithstanding.
Something's gotta give...hopefully not my liver. hee heee...

My pal Marty and I are finished a first draft of our screenplay. Best case scenario: It's a writing sample to get work. Worst case: puh-lenty of paper airplanes so we can seize power.

I'd like to get to Whistler before Christmas. not going home till dec.24, so maybe that week. Be nice to ski that glacier when it's not trying to kill me.

Deb and I are friends. dear dear dear friends. which is great. maybe better than anything else, ever.

The Leafs won today and beat the hell out of Ottawa, which is awesome. The best way they could follow that up is by booting Peddie out of there and the Teachers selling their 58% to Jim Basillie...but until that happens, for now, all is well in Leafs Nation.

me

Encouragement Gadly Accepted.

2007-11-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

In response to a comment left on an earlier post, someone said "Don't Encourage Him."

How dare you. You'd think you would have learned your lesson this summer. If your problems are so large that you can't stand to see others following their path, that's your problem. What is it within you that thinks you constantly have the right to tell me how to live my life? Look to your own house. Are you looking for someone to beat some sense into you? I get the feeling that would make you really satisfied. Look up "Dominatrix" in the phone book, because that's not the business I am in.

This may do more harm than good...

2007-10-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

your peeper blue eyes
that see into me forever
in my soul, my hardened heart
drawing me out, i can't live without
i have been seeing all my life
in childhood dreams
inside depths of manhood's madness
they are there
watching
willing
waiting
wanting
eating me
haunting me till the end

For what we had...thank you Deb.

2007-10-18T23:41:00.001-07:00

It's a marshmallow world in the winter
When the snow comes to cover the ground
It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day
I wait for it the whole year round.

Those are marshmallow clouds being friendly
In the arms of the evergreen trees
And the sun is red like a pumpkin head
It's shining so your nose wont freeze.

The world is your snowball, see how it grows
Thats how it goes whenever it snows
The world is your snowball just for a song
Get out and roll it along

It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts
Take a walk with your favorite girl
It's a sugar date, what if spring is late
In winter it's a marshmallow world.

you

2007-10-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

you made me a person again. I'll never forget that.

No Summer of Sean

2007-08-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

...not even a Summer of George. Going back for Natasha's graduation and having her here was great...but work-wise, 2007 has been the Pits. What a difference a year makes. I'm starting to wonder if it was a mistake to join the union last year, as everyone I know is cleaning up on these non-union acting jobs.
What's frustrating is I've been doing more creative work on a consistant basis than in any time in my life, performing improv constantly in front of audiences, 2/3 of the way through the screenplay, and in the best physical shape I've ever been in, yet somehow it hasn't translated into career success. Maybe this is a simmering, a percolating time now that I've got the ingredients I need together, maybe they are all brewing together inside me, cooking.
Well I've got news to whoever the Master Chef is: God, Buddha, The Universe, Steve, whoever...I's Done. Turn off the stove and take me out, cuz this boy's gotta eat, damnit!

Late Night with...me!

2007-07-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...I had promised to post more often. I will. seriously. it was in my head a while back to commit to a weekly column-type thing as a way to prod my writing along. I would think of ideas throughout the week and write a weekly post with my news and views...only whenever I found myself at the keyboard, I couldn't for the life of me remember what I was going to say.
So tonight at 3am PDT I am here because I don't want to go to bed, I have an audition tomorrow morning for Men in Trees where I am supposed to look like a guy who drinks a lot. So basically playing myself. Problem is, this being Vancouver the competition for looking like an alcoholic is pretty stiff, so I thought after working a concert load-out for Dancing with the Stars (yes, some people actually paid big bucks to see a watered-down version of what suburban couples watched at home for free) I decided to have a few brewskis and write a coupla words.
Let's see...what else is going on?
It occurred to me this evening that I have no song for the summer of 2007.
This must be rectified immediately.
It is quite odd that in this summer of living in the house by the beach my gal-pal and I have had no real song that we've spent mucho time boogying down to...and in fact, we've only been to Kits beach together once or twice. Yeah the weather's been shit, but still...we gotta get a song going.
For me the past 2 summers have had a song that defined them...summer 2005 was the Cure's 'Labyrinth' (for a variety of reasons) and summer 06 was when I was the last dude on the Planet to discover Stevie Wonder's 'Living for the City'. Yeah, I'm white.
But what is summer 2007? I have no idea.
I haven't really been adding a lot of new music to my library recently, and that's part of the problem...looking back, the last new song I took on that really 'hit' with me was Aerosmith's 'Pink'...but that was winter 06. Time for a new tune to listen, dance and Party to. Please send your suggestions.

(gasp)

2007-06-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

today's my first day off in like a million years after the Dragon Boat festival, Police concerts, and moving crap. been doing a lot of improv lately too and long hours and late nights have got me to the point where I can't last through an entire half-hour of TV before falling asleep at night.
This morning I got up at the schockingly early hour of 10, walked across the street to a fantastically deserted Kits beach and went for a dip in a lucidly clear ocean. this was before breakfast.

I had my bike stolen from behind my new place last week, which kind of tainted everything about my new place, but my faith in humanity was restored when a stranger from craigslist offered me his old wheels after reading my angry rant wishing ill upon the thief. it's actually a better bike than my old one, although it doesn't look quite as snazzy, great since I don't want this one to vanish.

Tomorrow it's back to the work routine before flying out to Ontario monday night for Natasha's graduation. will try and hold onto the physical memory of icy salt water as I sweat through a Toronto summer.

Random Notes

2007-06-10T03:28:00.000-07:00

I've moved. Living near Kits beach, which is full of retards. Although with the crappy weather, they're staying away.
I have a lot of underpants. as well as socks.
Life gives you what you don't want sometimes, and not what you Do. I didn't want cable, now I have free basic service. I wanted Internet, but didn't have it at all, now I have crappy High Speed Lite(sucks) but will soon be getting highspeed from the cable company, which I didn't want.
It is amazing how some people who you consider an integral part of your life, consider you a marginal part of theirs. Those who you would require to be present at life's important moments will often not feel the same desire in return. This seems to be a completely random selection process which one has no control over, wishing otherwise is a recipe for insanity.
The Sopranos this season is the Best Television Ever.
Is it just me, or is something up with all these Asians that live here now? You know what I'm talking about.
Say what you will about his son, but for my money nobody ran the CIA more effectively than George Bush Sr.

The Golden Shaft

2007-05-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

Honestly, get your mind out of the gutter...it's just a commercial contest for Shaftebury beer I filmed with my pal Artine. You can see it at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nuBYbZ351SA

The End is Near...

2007-04-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

The End of living in this crappy basement!!!
I'm moving June 1 to...another basement.
But this one is a great place, a 1-bedroom with tons more natural light and it wasn't cobbled together in 15 minutes by Homer Simpson. I'm going to have a stove. A STOVE! An ACTUAL SIZE FRIDGE!! I can still keep my BBQ that I found on the sidewalk, too!
All this for the same price I'm paying now, plus I have to do some yardwork for the reduced rent. But I don't care...yardwork is relaximicating. Plus it's really close to trendy Kits beach...but still close to my beloved Jericho. I can't wait to move.
There are also NO ANIMALS in this house...anywhere! I have had such an assful of these damn dogs tapdancing over my head...

Spring is Here

2007-04-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much back to normal after my March of Nightmares...Spring seems to be finally here, while I haven't found a new place yet, the warm temperatures make this place liveable until I can find new digs. I've decided that even if it takes spending more money or actually having to -gasp-take the bus to the beach, I have to live in a place with a bit of natural light, an oven to cook with, and a bathroom that doesn't evoke the 'Bring out the Gimp' scene in Pulp Fiction.

spent last thursday and friday with my Dad and Carole, probably gained at least 10 of my illness-related weightloss lbs. back cuz of all the meals dad bought me...went skiing in Whistler on Friday but visibility was really poor and I thought I could get above the clouds by heading up to the peak of Blackcomb Glacier...but ended up blindly struggling to get back down through a snow and windstorm, which would have been tough even if I had skiied more than once in the past year...so after heading to the top in order to spend the day hitting bottom(ouch!) things are looking up for me, I'm spending the week shooting an independent PAYING film (!!) and recently heard a great piece of news regarding my gum surgery: The majority of the costs, around 80% are going to be paid for by the Actors' Fund of Canada. This is not my union, I don't have any union benefits yet because I am not a full member, but applied to the actors fund for help with the cost of the dental surgery...and help they did. I am so grateful to the fund which is basically a registered charity that assists entertainment industry professionals who have urgent financial costs, and when the day comes that I am in a position to be able to make a donation to them, you bet I will. You can find information on them at actorsfund.ca
and I encourage anyone to make a donation to them if you can or attend one of their regular fundraising events, they really saved my ass(and my teeth!) someday they may do the same for you.

Getting back off my ass.

2007-04-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Good Friday. This boy's been feeling a bit like he's been nailed to a tree for the past week...and not for telling people to be nice to each other...unlike a certain fellow about 2000 years ago.
SOMEONE made the mistake of not heeding the Ides of March...and found himself in the Mergency Room last friday evening with a high gum-surgery related feevver.
Seems the combimination of freezing temperatures in his shitehole apartment, dehydration and malnutritionness caused by a lack of desire to put anything near his swollen cakehole, all added up to put this lad in the hopsicle for the third occassion in his short eventful liff. Almost 25 years to the day after Dr.Mustafa left him...oh, screw the third person witticisms...ME... sliced and bleeding worse than a Somalian 12-Year-old girl on her birthday, and precisely 14 years after shoddy mexican vitamins left me sans gallbladder...Mr. 'Doing-it-out-West-on his own's body decided to rebel at the stupidity of scheduling an optional procedure at such an unlucky time of year and succumbed to some sort of infection which I am just getting over riiight...about....NOW.
That's assuming the Leafs beat the Habs tomorrow. Which even if the Islanders sweep their next 2 games and knock BOTH those bad teams outa the playoffs, is all I ask. I dessert it.

CUT TO:
Last saturday-Deb's toasty warm apartment-day
Leafs are up on Penguins 4-1 in the 3rd period...the lead evaporates and Sean's body temperature rises....by the time Pissburgh ties it up with 4 seconds to go, about the same time as the guy's Heart Attack in the stands at the ACC, Sean's fever spikes again and he has to go have a cool shower, where he remains till they bring it home in O.T.

If tomorrow's game is even CLOSE...we may be talking relapse.
Now please excuse me while I go shop for a defibrallator.

A Gummy Bear

2007-03-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

Well, it's done...the final procedure which will supposedly allow me to keep my choppers till a ripe, old age....assuming I don't decide to give up Flossing...which if I get really mad at myself, I may just decide to do one day...that'll show me...heh heh...
So it's another weekend of no-talking, no eating solids, no drinking exile...luckily there's 2 Leaf games this weekend, but if they torture me again like they did yesterday by giving up a 3-goal lead...think I'll pop some T3's and switch over to Berenstain Bears on Teletoon.
Unfortunately I'm already sick of the isolation, I got the flu on tuesday and have been stuck home ever since, so I'm past the whole 'enjoy being doped up on painkillers and zoning out in front of TV' phase. I also need to make some money pretty much starting right next week, but not sure how that's going to happen. Haven't had an audition in a long, long time...being an Apprentice Union Member really sucks, can't do non-union commercials where the $$ is, and aren't first choice for the film and tv stuff yet. arrrgggh.

Everything Old is New again...

2007-03-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

OK here we go...
I got a new phone. Sort of. It's my Old Phone. My new Motorola phone I got for signing my money away to Telus for 3 more years sucked ass. Don't get me wrong(in case you're one of the people who saw the ad for my new phone on Craigslist)..it's a great mp3 player, camera, video and voice recorder...it's just not a great phone. Which is what I already had. Oh, and the alarm on the new phone was totally unreliable, I was late twice last week. So back to the old and hopefully to the bank with the new.

Short update, I know, but more later...

me

Stay With Me...

2007-03-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

I KNOW, I haven't posted anything in forever, most of you have probably gone on to read more entertaining blogs by now...but I'll be back later this week with an update. Gum surgery went well, but I think they also did my boobs while I was all dopey...

me

Ta-ta-Toothy

2007-02-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

This morning was Day 1 of the Gingival Graft...where they basically rip flesh from the roof of my mouth and then Laser it onto my lower gumline. A weekend of TV and eating through a straw awaits. The Ativan I was given to 'relax' didnt have quite the kick the other stuff had 10 years ago where I was completely out of it...but the prescription for Caffeine-free Tylenol should suffice. Hey, I'm not drinking for the weekend, so why not substitute with painkillers. I'll be posting my favorite Painkiller recipes later on.

The big one (2 Grafts) is scheduled for April 5. I wish it were NOW so I could get this over with...but paying for it isn't something I wanna get done quick. I'm toying with the Idea of having a Fundraiser to help pay for the $3000 bill....I could get a venue for free but not having been in town that long, I'm not sureI know enough people that would come out and we could do more than cover costs...if I could make $1000 to help with the surgery, it would be swwweeeet. And I would need a bad. I mean a band. A bad band. Cheap beer, 50/50 draws, a band....potentially a party to pay the periodontist.

Huh?

2007-01-29T01:06:00.000-08:00

Seems like over the last week I've thought of a bunch of things to report, but not much enthusiasm to get down n' do it...right now can't think of any of them. Helped Natasha preparing for her audition for the Arts High School....as much as I could over the phone...made me feel like I was actually working on something, which was great. Great. Wow, what a totally uninteresting way to describe things. Too many things are great. I'll tell you what isn't...this post.

me

Worst Hockey Day...EVER.

2007-01-14T00:21:00.001-08:00

Hockey Day in Canada...errr...in Chilliwack.
Best Pals a thousand miles away...but still, great view, winter weather, fridge fulla beer and nothin' but a relaxin' time to celebrate the Great Game, right?
Wrong.
7AM: Come downstairs to find that Ben One-Eye has pissed all over the floor despite being let out to leak last night at midnight, and i'd set my alarm to avoid exactly this kind of thing. Bad Dog.

10AM: I sit down to do some work and my laptop is fucking with me. The battery's fried, so it's more of a small desktop now.

1PM:Go out to get some suds n'grub and find that Bad Dog has apparently vomited all over the floor while I was out.

1:30PM: Clean Up the vomit and come back inside....Bad Dog goes out to poop...but proceeds to Eat half of own Vomit...which contains 3 bars of soap responsible for vomiting/pooping barrage.

4PM: Settle down to watch Toronto lose 6-1 to Vancouver thanks largely to the inept goaltending of Andrew Raycroft...and sigh that I have to live with the ignominy of this defeat for another year...unless these 2 teams meet in the Stanley Cup finals...so, it's gonna be a long year.

Max beaten with Shakespeare's Arm...

2006-12-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

...would have surely been the title of today's posting had the 5 of us(actually 4...Rico had been picked up by the wife already...at 1:30 AM...ugh..Newlyweds...) not hustled Max into a cab as he shouted homophobic slurs at some guy who may or may not have propositioned him in the washroom...welcome back to Guelph. I invite Al, who apparently reads this thing thrice weekly, to comment here and fill us in on the goings on back at Casa de Mark afterwards...was he able to soothe Max's Primal Rage with some lovin'? I'm sure it would have been OK with his wife...it's not really cheating if it's with another guy you've known for 20+years, is it?
As for the evening itself...fun times with old pals falling into familiar roles while consuming hearty amounts of booze and everything else...the specifics of which I CAN go into, cuz I snagged the receipt! Just for fun...:
7 Creemore(yours truly)
8 1/2 Keiths(Stephan...more than matching me, considering I arrived an hour before him; hey, he's German.)
3 Harp(Rico...what can I say...Newlywed.)
2 Caesars(Rico again...but seeing as he was PICKED UP by the wife...)
Now here's where it gets interesting...Al had
2 Moosehead
Mark had
5 Millers
but sometime throughout the night those two switched to the hard stuff along with the aforementioned Max and between the three, heroically sucked back
8 Rum, and
10 Rye
at least one of which was shattered on the ground by Max 'Turned down by a Grandma' Rao....

The pre-tip damage of $320 also included food, most notably Al's Mozzarella Sticks that ran him $7.29 for 6, 5 of which were enjoyed by all those not named Al.

Tune in later in the week for part 2, hopefully coming soon from the original Trailer Park Boy himself, 'Big' Al Landriault.

No Snow....but All is Right with the World.

2006-12-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

I've been back east for just over 3 days now...it's not like last Christmas: there's nary a snowflake to be found, but I finished what little shopping I was to be doing in a few hours this afternoon, picked up Natasha and we had the World's Finest Chicken Wings at Duff's
and I just tucked her into bed...so in my world, at least for now, all is well. The homestead is still very much a construction zone of drywall and 2 by 8's, but there's a Christmas Tree...tomorrow we'll decorate it...maybe I'll finally get around to hauling my ass onto the Elliptical Trainer to get into some pre-holiday exercising...not that I've been hitting the Xmas sauce too much...over the 3 days I've had about 7 drinks...positively teetotalling figures compared to my usual holiday consumption. Of course, we haven't hit Duff's yet with the Lads, and what with missing Hockey Day in Canada this year, things are looking mighty dry on my end....

Merry Xhristmas!

Non-Leaf related.

2006-12-10T23:50:00.000-08:00

Cuz I just don't care anymore.
I'm 35 fricken years old now...and heres how it looks:

My annual rib injury is slowly healing so that it doesn't hurt constantly to lay down.

There's a crazy woman living upstairs who is the wife of my landlord who seems to think it's my fault there are no proper sound-deadening walls in the house.

A woman who I thought was giving me a lift home tonight asked me 'Why are you getting in my car'...turns out she was talking to someone else when she offered them a lift, and that I 'Shouldn't assume' things...this woman is the worst person ever.

I had some thoughts about Buddhism after reading a book and doing some mind-relaxing exercises and came to the conclusion that:
-When you watch something, say, a Hockey Game, it is impossible to watch a team you care about(not that I currently have one) and see what is really happening. One needs to watch without a Want in order to see the Reality.

-We often hear actors say the Human Body is their 'Instrument'....like a compass or musical instrument, I suppose. My understanding of the definition of 'Instrument' is that it is to Detect What is There. That's it. An instrument has no brain. So we'd all be better off if we stopped thinking so much and just detect and respond to What is There.

me

Posting for the sake of posting

2006-12-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

I have to get rid of the last post on top...otherwise the Leafs will never win! Not My Fault, hear me? Not...

Actually there's lotsa other stuff to say, too..busy writing an outline for an animated film based on an idea my pal Lionel came up with...could be big...pal Marty and I are also hard at work on another project...longtime readers will remember my stint as Queen Elizabeth last May, well apparently they want the old Dame back for a Christmas party next week...$$$...have a gig dealing Poker and Blackjack a few nights a week till I go back to Ontario for the holidays, wow, picking up a useful skill that I always wanted to really learn AND get paid for it? Nice.
It's Sean week on your local TV, my episodes of 4400 and Intelligence both aired last week and this week. Hope you all loaded up on eyedrops beforehand so you didn't miss me with any pesky blinking. The 4400 resumes production sometime shortly in the new year, here's hopin' they bring me back...and as Intelligence creator Chris Haddock said to me at the wrap party, 'Your character's still alive!!!' Hey, it'll do till I can get on Smallville.

I'm a Jinx.

2006-11-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

I don't get it.
While I was in LA the Leafs went undefeated....so I come back here and even trek out to a few bars to try and watch some of this magic...now they can't win.
Well, they can, but not when I watch.
The one game they've won since I've been back, I don't see.
Even watching on tape delay doesn't seem to work...thought all was well when they went up 2-0 vs. Buffalo...but lose 7-4.
Poop.
Saturday vs. Boston should have been a Leafs comeback win...Down 2-0 to the Bruins, so I take a nap during the game before the Rolling Stones concert...and Sundin scores to make it 2-1, but I woke up a bit after that and Boston puts it away...
Now I've downloaded a program to actually WATCH games via the internet...it picks up TV streams that people put online, but it's glitchy: testing it out watching Calgary-Anaheim today but was at the mercy of the guy who actually HAS the TV changing channels...
My point is: Now that I can watch online, Toronto's season may just go into the dumper. Blame Me.

LA Stories

2006-11-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

Recovering from a bit of Post-LA letdown...it wasn't as scary a place as I thought, nor was it as exciting. For those that have never been there, downtown Hollywood (the place where I was kinda stuck for most of the time) is like Yonge Street...seedy, scuzzy and cheap. Just the kinda guy I am!
As for how the class went, it was great, the kind of stuff we worked on can be found HERE

Now time to keep building momentum in V-Town. Hey, the Leafs are on a Tear. Of course, I probably just jinxed it...

Enjoy some LA Pics. I miss the mexican food already...

me

Speaking of Rape Showers....

2006-11-04T00:55:00.000-08:00

Went and saw The Hip tonight at the renowned Commodore club. Again: Gratis. Thank-you Nasco, but actually, thank you Bobby Ray, the Hip's road manager who I did the load-in with and set me up. Here are some pics from the floor. Yes, it went through my mind several times during the mosh extravaganza, that I may possibly be getting Too Old For This Shit. Being close is great, and anyone who has never seen Gord Downie emote from the first 5 rows is missing out on a performance by a true showman...I've been lucky enough to see the Hip thrice now, (twice that I can actually remember) but it's been awhile since I've been to a General Admission floor show...the Cure 1996, I think.
10 years later, here's what it looked like.
'Scuse me while I go hose down.

Stupid Gigs, Part Deux....

2006-10-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

Doing this Standardized Patient Testing today. Basically it's an acting gig where we pretend to have certain symptoms for Med students to examine us, and today I had to have my melon poked and prodded all day for a Cranial Nerve Exam. All I can say is...wow...apparently there IS something to be said for getting through Med School on Charm alone, like the old Kids in the Hall sketch said...even though the 'gross' tests such as the Gag reflex test with the toungue depressor and the olefactory tests for sense of smell were supposed to be skipped each time, of course when there are students involved, screwups abound. The line of the day came from a barely fluent Hispanic soon-to-be doctor: 'Can you smell my hand?'

now pardon me while I go take a much needed 'rape shower.'

Stupid Gigs

2006-10-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Pirate boat gig is over, and at least I got my guaranteed 50 bucks a show. Now into the gig as the 'Costumed Guide' for the Haunted Trolley Tours, and it's turning out to be the shits. A bunch of nights were cancelled due to slow sales, and the whole thing is disorganized beyond belief, and I'm getting blame for a whole slew of crap which I have absolutely nothing to do with such as leaving latecomers behind and not being given the Information I need to do my job...as if that wasn't bad enough, I received crap for using some non-PC language in front of a school group. Gee, have me do a 2-hour show telling tales of Death,Sex,Drugs and Murder in Vancouver over the decades and it's SHOCKING that there may be some potentially offensive subject matter.
I wouldn't care except that this crap is starting to hit me in the pocketbook, doing all the tours with no nights off would have netted about 2 grand, now I'll be lucky to clear half that. Would I have booked the Improv workshop in LA had I known? Maybe not, but there's no goin' back on that one.
...And it's the one thing I am excited about: first trip to LA ever, great workshop with the Artistic Director of the LA Second City who has a simple approach that I think really works for me, and a chance to see my pal Lionel Douglass for the first time in 15 years has me jazzed. Now if only I can find a cheap place to eat right near my motel...like for 50 bucks a week??? Dream on....

Soundtrack of Your Life

2006-10-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Let's see:

here's how this works:
Soundtrack of your Life!

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool...just type it in man!"

Here we go:

Opening Credits: My Girl(Gone, Gone Gone)-Chilliwack (JESUS!! do i WANT to go on???)
Waking Up: Wild Honey Pie-The Beatles
First Day At School: Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd
Falling In Love:Going Nowhere-The Cure (!?)
Losing Virginity:Black Day In July-The Tragically Hip (!!??)
Fight Song:Wrong Number-The Cure
Breaking Up:Going to California-Led Zeppelin
Prom:Kyoto Song-The Cure
Life:Night Time is the Right Time-Ray Charles
Mental Breakdown: Savoy Truffle-The Beatles
Driving: Gift Shop-The Tragically Hip
Flashback: Bring it on Home-Led Zeppelin
Getting Back Together: Just One Kiss-The Cure
Wedding: Death of a Disco Dancer-The Smiths (WTF???)
Birth of Child: For You Blue-The Beatles
Final Battle: Boy Inside The Man-Tom Cochrane (whoa!)
Death Scene: Get Back-The Beatles
Funeral Song: Run Like Hell- Pink Floyd (hahahahahaha!)
End Credits: The End of the World-The Cure

ha.

I know what the Fu*k I'm doing.

2006-10-03T00:39:00.000-07:00

So tonight we had the 'dress rehearsal' of this dinner theater thing I'm involved with...basicaly as a way to make a guaran-mother-fing-teed 50 bucks a show to act in. It goes....ehhh.

Audience isn't paying, is drunk, they kinda like it, but problem is the show only clocks about an hour and a half...maybe we could push it to 2 at most...but the boat takes 3..yes Gilligan, it's a 3 HOUR TOUR...

The other problem is the show is being sold as a "Pirate Dinner Theatre"(it takes place on a boat) but the Pirates don't make their appearance until the show's almost over....biiig problem IMO...the other problems being that the audience participation factor needs to be way more, it needs to be basically Murder Mystery on a boat with the same involvement, who let the Pirates onbard to steal the Jewels etc. and give them a prize for attempting to solve the damn thing....

And after the show I had a talk with ONE of the Producers, who happens to agree with me.
Problem is, it's not the Producer who is doing the Lion's share of the Writing and Directing.
So I Sez to the guy: Your Instincts were right, and you have to take this to your partner and insist upon this, because you're putting up 50% of the money.
So we'll see what happens...but whatever does, I can take from this a knowledge that at this stage of the game I have a pretty solid idea of What Works.
I'm 34 years old,(Gasp!) and have spent the last 15 years being involved in a lot of shitty gigs.
The time for that has past.
And paying or no, I won't do shitty gigs anymore.
Unless they agree to listen to me at the time they take me on and want to involve me as someone that can FIX their shitty show, and of course pay me accordingly.
But part of me screams 'That Way Lies Madness' and the COST of getting involved and wrapped up in the EGOS of these showbiz beginners will far outweigh the benefit.

I dunno...but there are 5 performances of THIS show left to prove me wrong...

me

thoughts on mortality

2006-09-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

I had a realization this morning as I was standing in the bathroom: there will come a day that I die. I have no idea WHY this hit me, other than the fact that my bathroom is a pretty fucking depressing place which I really should find a way to somehow brighten up...but for some reason after brushing my teeth I realized that dying is not some theoretical event, it WILL happen. I remember having a similar thought about this when I was a kid, waking up in the middle of the night and crying about it.

I was hit by another thought while walking down the sidewalk an hour later, and maybe this was WHY I had the first thought, which was, to get to the second thought which was: Dying is something which everyone is guaranteed to do at some point...but what happens immediately afterwards is still a huge fucking mystery, but chances are, it'll be the biggest thing you do...well..ever.

in comparison, accomplishing the stuff you want to do in this life seems relatively easy...because If you can die, you can do anything.

I may just put that on a T-shirt.

Arrrgghh

2006-09-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Boy, am I pooped. Worked grunt work last night till midnight, then all day today at GM Place on a concert load-in before popping home for dinner..In about 20 minutes I have to head back to GM place for the loadout (which means dodging high-speeding AV cases flying up and down ramps) till 3AM, then it's straight home to bed before rehearsal for stupid low-paying dinner theatre thing at noon tomorrow followed by ANOTHER event strike till 9 or 10 tomorrow night...24 hours from now I will hopefully be relaxing with a beer, till then I feel like snot.
Thank God I'm shooting Intelligence on Tuesday, I think of it to keep myself going through this slog.

hey...what the hell am I bitching about? My Uncle Dave broke his hand, ribs and fractured his hip on his motorcycle...now I feel like an idiot for whining.

me

Still on a roll...

2006-09-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

Things have been mighty dry here of late...other than sporadic one-off dinner theatre type gigs, it's been slow...until I got a call today that I had snagged a role on an episode of the new CBC series Intelligence again, without having to audition. This headshot seems to be doing wonders for me, but it would be nice to actually start landing roles that I audition for.
But I ain't complainin'.

I'm off to do a cabaret show where I do nasty things to a Minnie Mouse doll. Some of you may remember it from the picture in the National Post article a while back.

me

Red Hot Sushi Peppers

2006-09-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

This evening I worked striking the Chili Peppers concert at GM Place...and came to see the concert first...pretty sweet gig: see the concert from the floor(ableit the back of the floor) then get paid 80 bucks for the load-out. It's kinda wierd appearing onstage mere seconds after the band has left to start loading up speakers...long after the group had left the building I loaded some stuff out of their dressing room, I snagged a piece of sushi from the rock-star platter. Flea's hands may have touched it. eewww.

me

George Takei!

2006-08-31T00:23:00.000-07:00

The world's greatest Japanese Homosexual.

With Khyron and Ux.
(my friend Brenden and I in 199..7?)
Speaking of Brenden, he emailed me a script I wrote that long thought lost...so check out his band's myspace site: Ragni

Clown Rules

2006-08-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

These are from my work with Mump and Smoot and I think apply to all kinds of performance, as to Life.

Up and Out
Get Yourself Off
Care Enough not to Care
Be Honest
Have Fun
More, More, More
Take us into your World and bring us back with a new awareness
make contact
present yourself
ride the wave
physicalize
be zany
listen to us(the audience)
listen to yourself
impulse six
surprise us
surprise yourself
drop the script-you can always go back
know when to leave
keep the audience safe
keep the conversation going
breathe
go for the unknown
play with rhythm
trust
believe
break the rules!

Pudgy Funster

2006-08-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

Second episode aired Stateside last night. Apparently the show was renewed for another season, and Paul is still alive, so here's hopin' I'll be back, and doing more than just hackishly reacting to stuff. This is one of those ones where I'm on screen for about 3 seconds, and in my eyes, unwatchable for 2 of them. I know, I know, I'm bonkers...maybe someday I'll be able to look at myself onscreen without cringing...right now I'm the most svelte I've been in 15 years, yet on TV my head looks like a ripe melon. eep.
In the 'Love me, Daddy' department, I have an audition for Stargate SG-1 tomorrow. Principal role(which means something like over 6 lines but less than 20?) SG's done after this year, so if I got it, my Dad would actually see me on something he watches while it's still around.

I'm a Big Star

2006-08-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

I made my 'Television Debut' last night as my first episode of The 4400 aired on the USA network in the States...and thanks to the magic of the Interweb, I was able to see it. Here are some screen shots where I bust outta jail, and they talk about me as you see my mug on a tiny screen. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go return some empties so I can eat tonight.

Bless you, my Child

2006-08-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend I have temporarily returned to Tony and Tina's to play Father Mark, a drunken Irish priest. Stereotyping, you say? Perhaps...it's a fun role, and saying Mass is kind of a trip, even if it is only a play. Unfortunately we are not at the actual church this weekend, but I do want to do it once from the legitimate pulpit before I bid adios to T+T.

There is no If...

2006-08-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Deb:
glad to have you back

love

me

Remember the first time i told you i love you -
It was raining hard and you never heard -
You sneezed! and i had to say it over
"i said i love you" i said... you didn't say a word
Just held your hands to my shining eyes
And i watched as the rain ran through your fingers
Held your hands to my shining eyes and smiled as you kissed me...

"if you die" you said "so do i" you said...
And it starts the day you make the sign
"tell me i'm forever yours and you're forever mine
Forever mine..."

"if you die" you said "so do i" you said...
And it starts the day you cross that line
"swear i will always be yours and you'll always be mine
You'll ways be mine
Always be mine..."

Remember the last time i told you i love you -
It was warm and safe in our perfect world -
You yawned and i had to say it over
"i said i love you" i said... you didn't say a word
Just held your hands to your shining eyes
And i watched as the tears ran through your fingers
Held your hands to your shining eyes and cried...

"if you die" you said "so do i" you said...
But it ends the day you see how it is
There is no always forever...just this...
Just this...

"if you die" you said "so do i" you said
But it ends the day you understand
There is no if... just and

There is no if... just and

There is no if...

www.thecure.com

welcome good news

2006-08-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have my first feature film audition today with one of Vancouver's top casting directors. It's a one-liner in a film called 'Black Christmas.' I'm reading for a character with 'crazed Manson intense eyes.'

Baby steps...

Before Three

2006-08-13T01:31:00.000-07:00

To Deb

The happiest day I ever knew
In a sea of gold down next to you
So blurred and tired under summer sun
You whispered dreams of a world to come...
We were so in love
In this sea of gold so young and tired
Under summer sun hard by your side
Whispering dreams down next to you...
We were so in love
The happiest day
Yeah the happiest day I knew
But summer sun sea of gold
This perfect day oh so long ago
Whispering dreams so blurred and tired
We have to keep this day alive
Whispered dreams so young and tired
It's hard to hold this day inside
And the happiest night I ever had
Up next to you in silver sand
So scared and high under winter moon
You whispered dreams that would all come true...
We were so in love
Up next to you so fucked and high
Under winter moon it made me cry
Whispering dreams on silver sand...
We were so in love
The happiest night
Yeah the happiest night I had
But winter moon and silver sand
This perfect night in another land
Whispering dreams so scared and high
We have to keep this night alive
Whispered dreams so fucked and high
It's hard to hold this night inside
Yeah and every summer's sun I want again
And every winter's moon I want the same
My happiest day and my happiest night
Always next to you...
And held deep inside...
Keeps me alive

sean

www.thecure.com

it Hurts.

2006-08-10T01:41:00.000-07:00

it Hurts again.
why?
so I'll remember.
every time.
everytime I don't feel like working
everytime I feel like just sleeping
everytime I feel like blowing off a chance
everytime I don't feel like writing
everytime I feel like blowing my money
on drinking
I'll remember This Hurt.
I swear I will
I promise to you I will
but I know that eventually
I won't
and that Hurts even more
I'll get lazy and I'll get stupid
and I'll get complacent and think
that I can get by and no-one will notice
but inside...
I will
I will notice. I will know
and it will Hurt even more

when will the Hurt stop? how hard do I have to work?
how much do I have to write?
how little do I have to sleep to make the Hurt go away???

Natasha's here and we're full of meat

2006-07-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

She's here, she's actually here. wow. asleep right now on my leather couch that smells like sushi. Despite my pad which smells like basement.
Natasha managed to stay up for 21 straight hours: she got up this morning at 4:30 Toronto time and kept at it till just after 11 tonight...we went to Memphis Barbecue for dinner and it kinda put her away...a day snoozing at the beach tomorrow should help in her recovery.
My friend Deb was kind enough to pick her up at the airport while I was at my callback...despite all the hassle, doesn't look like I'll be doing that gig this week...I needed the cash but I think I need 2 days with Natasha more. so there...and speaking of Deb, congrats to her for landing her first (of I'm sure many) commercial gigs...stuff seems like it's happening all around for folks I know, the ones that stay positive, anyway.

me

Done with the 4400...for now?

2006-07-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

Just did my last day on The 4400, their season is over this week, and an interesting aside: the Director, Nick Copus (-shit! In adding this link right now I noticed that he directed the doc about the guy who was trapped under the boulder and cut his own arm off! Damn, I wished I had asked him about that...)...anyway, he's directed several episodes of the show and told me that there's a chance my character could become a recurring one. That'd be sweeeeet.
He was also a really nice guy and we had a conversation about Dr.Who. (He's English. Something about being directed by a Brit that makes you feel totally legit.)
The rest of the cast couldn't have been nicer, as a day player it's not often you get to spend the whole day doing a scene with the series leads.
For some reason the whole day felt kind of bittersweet...I wanted to savour every moment, because as a struggling actor you never know when you're going to get back there again...but now that I'm joining the union at least the opportunity to land more quality gigs like this should present themselves...and I know they will. It's like Don Cherry says about goal-scoring celebrations: be happy, but act like it's no big deal-You've been there before, and you'll be there again.
Exactly.

me

Natasha is coming!

2006-07-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Natasha is coming! Hooray!

Whooooooooo!

2006-07-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Ok...as an explanation for the incoherent title, let me back up:
Today was a flip-flop from bad to good to...well...
I had the day off for a writer's meeting for OCTV that got postponed, so I was cheesed that I was out a day's work. Then I got a last-minute call from my background agent to do some extra work. So the day wasn't a total loss. I hadn't even eaten lunch yet, so got to save on my home food and even come away with some to take home for tomorrow.
But here's where it gets better: I get a call from Natasha, always great to talk to her, especially when on a boring set, and when I'm done with her my REAL agent calls to say that I've been booked for an actual ACTOR role on The 4400 without even having to audition.
Wow.
After more than 10 years of doing crappy commercial auditions,beating my head against countless walls, coming sooo close sooo many times, I land my first union gig without even trying.
Except I have been trying. Damn hard.
Relocating across the continent in search of a dream that seems like it's finally starting to come true. starting. let's not get ahead of ourselves.OCTV seems like it might have some money for season 2, I'm working on a screenplay which I'm actually excited about,and my personal plans for the summer are looking like they're gonna happen, in a large part due to the calls I got today.
But I can't let up my guard.
Not now.
I have a script to write and stuff to do...but tonight, I can celebrate. A shot of Herradura Anejo, perhaps.
I deserve it.

God Save...Me

2006-07-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

I rescued a BBQ someone had put out on the sidewalk for the trash scavengers the other week and finally got around to lugging a tank home this weekend and enjoyed the savoury tastes of grilled steak. Mmmmm. Quality of life in my shack just took a jump upwards. Comparable perhaps to when I pitched the smelly dog-ass carpet.
Good thing, too, cuz it's been 34 degrees here for like a week and the stank would be...well, stanky.
Oh, and Happy Canada Day. Or as old-schoolers know it, 'Dominion Day.'
I had an interesting gig friday for a citizenship ceremony portraying none other than Her Majesty The Queen. Here's a pic.
Ahhh, showbiz.

This Is A Lie

2006-06-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

www.thecure.com

how each of us decides
i've never been sure
the part we play
the way we are
how each of us denies any other way in the world
why each of us must choose
i've never understood
one special friend
one true love
why each of us must lose everyone else in the world

however unsure
however unwise
day after day play out our lives
however confused
pretending to know to the end

but this isn't truth this isn't right
this isn't love this isn't life this isn't real
this is a lie

how each of us believes
i've never really known
in heaven unseen and hell unknown
how each of us dreams to understand anything at all
why each of us decides
i've never been sure
the part we take
the way we are
why each of us denies every other way in the world

however unsure
however unwise
day after day play out our lives
however confused
pretending to know to the end

but this isn't truth this isn't right
this isn't love this isn't life this isn't real
this is a lie
this isn't truth this isn't right
this isn't love this isn't life this isn't real
this is a lie

Tetanus-free since 2005!

2006-06-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

I've gone back to my roots in a manner of speaking, and taken a part-time job as a Window Cleaner for a company that is cool knowing my availibility only the day before and ditching the next day for an audition or gig.
Sweet!
Apparently they were really impressed with my squeegee action, cuz they're offering me more $$ if the next couple of days are as good as the first.

Whaaaaa?!?!?

The guy I work for, who has been doing this for 4 years, is no Squeegee Wizard himself. Frankly, he blows. Totally misses the corners.
Somehow I've become a top-notch window cleaner despite not having done it for going on 2 years now. How'd that happen?
Well, my Uncle Heinz taught me how to clean windows when I was 14, and my cousin Erick took that to a level of impossible quality with his company, teaching me how to produce the cleanest windows in the universe.

It's at times like this I ask...my dear departed Nona...would it have been SO FUCKING HARD to convert to Judaism? Huh? Instead of Boompa turning in his Heeb card, (and you still hid him in the closet! What was THAT???) Couldn't you have signed us all up to be among the Chosen People so that SHOWBIZ could have been the family tradition instead of slinging a Chamois and a Mop?????????

And just to put a cherry on the day, Reaching into the bucket this afternoon, I sliced my fingers on a rusty razorblade....but fear not, I had the thinking to go down to St.Paul's after work and check with their records from last time I was there (viz: Blog Archives-September 2005) and YESSSS! The nasty gash in my forehead i got on my first night doing Tony n' Tina's Wedding was indeed accompanied by a complimentary Tetanus Shot.
Which brings me to an important point.

Kids, Listen up: According to a no lesser authority than AN EMERGENCY ROOM ATTENDANT(who frankly could have been just a crazy guy in a set of stolen scrubs), Tetanus, contrary to public belief, has NOTHING to do with rust: apparently the skinny is it's DIRT that causes tetanus, so unless that rusty nail has a buncha soil on it, chances of getting the big T are minimal.

And THAT'S one to grow on.
Now you know.
And knowing is half the battle!

me

New Shots to the Head

2006-05-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

New Agent, New Photos...it's a time of blowing things up and reinventing them...starting with myself.
Summer's here in Vancouver, my apartment is luverly and coool, which makes up for the daily dogfights that happen over my head.

Payback's a Bitch...

2006-05-18T01:48:00.000-07:00

I bought a bike. Get round town, save money, keep in shape. Vancouver's really bike-friendly, but no way am I wearing a helmet. It may be the law here, but dammit, I'm from free-wheelin' Ontario where anyone over 18 has the right to get their skull bashed in from a collision with a blind Asian driver. Booyah!

I have a new agent. Also new headshots. Not much new income at the moment, though. Wonder if I can pay my rent with those new headshot pics I spent my tax refund on? Arrrggghhhh. Well, glad I enjoyed those days on the beach, I forsee passing mucho tiempo under depressing warehouse lighting starting at 7AM...

me

Cinco de Mayo

2006-05-07T01:46:00.000-07:00

How many people know it's a celebration of victory over French interlopers in the Battle of Puebla? You do now.

It's also the anniversary of when my Aunty Lynn left this planet four years ago. She stops by once in a while...and it's fitting that this year I celebrated it in a style Aunty Lynn herself would have approved...with Beer, Beach,
Babe, and Blunt.
And yes she did check in while I was on the nude
beach...of course she was also topless.

Enjoy these pics of the sun and me and my friend Deb.

Son of a Beach...

2006-05-05T00:34:00.000-07:00

Spent the afternoon with a cool gal pal hangin' out on the beach that is 5 minutes from my place. I foresee much time spent workin on my tan this summer. Yay, Melanoma!
I've also started doing this 'Standardized Patient Testing' for the UBC medical school. Next week I'll play a guy with...you know...like the ads on TV say....Erectile Dysfunction...

No method acting here.

me

Quel Diference!

2006-05-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a neighbour of Randi and Mel's had their house blessed by Leonard 'Eagle Cloud' Howell , and a Medicine Wheel Ceremony. Each person there alternates being a point on the Medicine Wheel, and going through the wheel, asking the Spirits of the Medicine Wheel what Gift they have for them. Those who are the points of the wheel 'channel' the spirits and pass on their divine counsel.

Wow.

Everyone there said I was 'really into it, wow...you were very good...'are you part native?' to which I replied I'm an actor used to tapping into this kind of stuff, but the truth is that all of these people: the accountant, the hygenist, the lawyer; were just as connected to the spirits as I was...OK, maybe not the lawyer.

What a difference from yesterday's phoney-baloney audition...there was such an organic veracity that couldn't be faked as I saw these people respond to words coming from my lips that weren't mine...as I saw these people give me advice about things they couldn't possibly know about.

At the conclusion of the day there was a gift exchange, I was fortunate enough to have my number drawn and select something that Eagle Cloud himself gave, a plain stick that is in actuality far from plain, part of a teepee built by a warrior and used by Eagle Cloud to 'stir the wheel'...he said the stick had a powerful medicine and with it a powerful responsibility, and was for someone who was not afraid of 'stirring up controversy'...I'll use it for as long as it's with me.

me

I Yam what I Yam

2006-04-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

I had an audition today for something called PlayFair, run by these Screaming Queens who tour college campuses talking about the importance of fairness, acceptance and being helpful and non-judgmental. Basically your typical grade 2 morality play, except somehow gayer. It actually went well, but THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I WOULD EVER TAKE THIS JOB, apparent sexuality of the organizers aside.
Why?
Because it would be a complete betrayl of everything I hold dear.
It makes Tony and Tinas seem like a XXX double feature in comparison.
My recent work with Leaky Heaven Circus was all about the grotesqueness in all of us, a a celebration of the bodily sounds, fluids and desires that the effete bourgoise find crude, but this claptrap seemed like a thinly veiled recruitment campaign for the Promise Keepers, a grownups version of Barney, I love you, you love me, let's all eat pablum and give each other shoulder massages.
It made me sick, and all of my fellow auditionees were these motivational-speaker types, some of whom worked as 'personal coaches', it seemed.
Well I've known some personal coaches, and my own personal coach, Jake has more edginess and charisma on his worst day than these schmucks do when competing for a gig.

If I do get a call to schlep for this outfit, think my response will be 'thanks, but no thanks.'
Unless they pay 6 figures.
Every man has his price.
...I figure for that, I could go at least 6 mos. before being discovered as a phony.

me

Squeaking By

2006-04-26T02:04:00.000-07:00

I'm in the 'wack...beautiful day...hockey playoffs on TV...lots of movies to watch...the last thing I feel like doing is writing a movie. But I forced myself to hammer out a scene tonight. If I do it every day, I tells meself, it'll get easier. And better.

Vancouver: Year One

2006-04-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Today marks one year to the day since I arrived in Vancouver. The car that got me here is gone, traded for a violin for Natasha; the distant Aunt I thought would put me up for a bit is gone as well: dead since July--and I never did crash at their house just over the Sumas border. Good thing too, it just wouldn't have worked with the hassle of crossing back and forth into Bush's America. Mom and Dad's friends Randi and Mel were my salvation while got my bearings and have become somewhat of a surrogate family out here. I couldn't have done it without them, and that means I'll be in Chilliwack again next week housesitting big Ben while they're in Edmonton. Taking the weekend off from Tony n Tinas while I try to hammer out a draft of my Screenplay. 6 days in Chilliwack, if I don't get anything concrete done on it it's because I really don't want to.

I'm happy doing Tony n tinas as a way to keep fresh as well as for the social aspect, but I need to use the occasion of my 1-year anniversary here to crank things up a notch. The commercials and theatre gigs are ok, but as always, the danger is there of becoming complacent. I'm in this marathon to win, not to place or show. A springtime free of Leafs and Canucks hockey should help me to focus on keeping things moving career-wise...oh, who am I kidding...I really didn't give a shit about the Canucks. A new agent, landing an equity theatre gig in one of the upcoming general auditions, and continuing to meet new and exciting people are my priorities...while all the while trying to deal with my most challenging task: being a father from 3000 miles away. The time may come when I may have to decide that it simply cannot be done, and I have to look at my options and consider where I'm living...but if I can find a way...and continue to go forward, I trust the day will come when my career and family responsibilities are not on the opposite sides of the continent.

Whining

2006-04-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched the finale of the great Six Feet Under: Season 4, written by Nancy Oliver, and was struck by the truth of the following quote:

"You can do anything, you Lucky Bastard. You're alive! What's a little pain compared to that?"

I'm a clown, dammit.

2006-04-08T02:30:00.000-07:00

At an audition this week the casting director saw forth to impart her opinion that 'a great comic works mostly internally' in expressing her desire for smallness. So yet again the beast that is the camera rears its ugly head. I loooove being so over the top it's, as the Duke said, re-God-Damned-Diculous. Sadly, making a living at doing that, Leaky Heaven aside, seems to be fleeting. And screw those fuckers at Cirque du Soleil, they didn't know the ham-fistedness they passed on a while back.

And if you're reading this, Natasha, yes, Daddy occasionally swears. Doesn't mean you can. sigh.

Why is the key to the Universe balance in all things? Why is it neccessary in my career to discover a balance between my beloved over-the-top antics and the subtle movments required for working on camera? And why am I so resistant to the latter? Fear of success? If I were in Mack Sennett's pictures before these darned talkies came about, I'd already be a star, I tells ya. Me and Rudolph Valentino carousing for dames.

Born too late. That's me.

skype rocks

2006-04-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

so i signed up for this internet long distance thing at www.skype.com and downloaded it and with a 3 dollar microphone and my IPOD headphones talked to Natasha today for 20 minutes and it cost me 50 cents. sweet. since last months cell bill was 186.00, it's an improvement.
I Usually wait till monday to watch The Sopranos, but watched it late tonight. It was awesome.
I finally have cable so have the option to tape things like 24, Family Guy and Smallville instead of downloading them.
Speaking of Smallville, my friend Deb was upgraded to an actor part recently after being booked on a background gig for it...shows that lightning does indeed strike, she got her first union credit out of it. reminds me of a certain Extra who long ago showed up for a day's work on a movie set in Acapulco only to have his world turned upside down...good stuff happens if you keep your head up.

Here's hoping some of that show-bidness karma will soon flow this boy's way.

me

I don't live in Burnaby.

2006-03-30T15:55:00.000-08:00

Last night I played the latest round of 'try out this suck-ass job'...which had me driving around the suburbs of Vancouver in a 30 year-old cube van, painting lines on parking lots. The evening's journeys took me near where I used to live in Burnaby, which, under the flourescent illumination of parking-lot orange, looked even more squalid. (Is that a word? If it isn't, it is now.)
I was getting a bit down until I realized something: I don't live there anymore. I kinda miss the park where I used to run underneath the 200 year old trees, but believe me, that's the only thing worth missing about that place. So I'm thankful.
I'm thankful I don't have filthy roommates with annoying cats.
I'm thankful that I live 4 blocks from the ocean...yes The Ocean...in a place I can pretty much afford. It's not perfect...multiple dogs tap-dancing over my head, it's frickin' freezing, but I'm trying to make what it is better for the relatively little time I spend here.
I'm thankful I have friends like my friend Sharon who's having me babysit her TV, couch,VCR and other stuff.
I'm thankful I haven't been painting parking lots every night for the past 5 years.
I'm thankful I realized that I don't ever want to do it again. And thankful for the tiny financial cushion I have right now that allows me to say 'I'm not going to.'
I'm thankful for Natasha, who in her 12 years is my life's blessing.
And I'm thankful for anyone that reads this. Both of you.

More for you, Cow

2006-03-27T23:38:00.000-08:00

Whoever you are. Although I think I have a pretty good idea. I know I've been offering up some rather deep insights into the human condition lately, but I'm not the frickin' Dalai Lama, ya know, so you'll have to settle for some regular news.
The dank basement apartment I live in just got more habitable because I decided to get rid of the carpet that was here that reeked of dog-ass. Got some free carpet off Craigslist and it makes the place look and smell much better. I'll be even better off when I get some sort of cooking utensils this week so I can actually cook a meal that doesn't have to be microwaved.
My internet connection continues to be wonky. I hadn't realized how much I rely upon the internet as a fact of life. I remember a time without the Internet...but it is indispensable for my work and stuff...I have to stop myself from spending too much time on it, because at the end of the day, the Internet Isn't Real. Think about that.

Landed yet another dinner-theatre gig...seems I've become king of the low-paying Vancouver schmaltzy theatre scene. What did Daffy Duck used to say...'It's a living.'

The sketch comedy show I'm working on, yes, again, Pro Bono, apparently premiered Saturday night on local Vancouver/Washington station KVOS. We even have a website: OCTV.CA

Went dancing, yes, dancing last night at Sanctuary, a local 80's/Goth/Industrial/Alternative night. Completely sober. My legs hurt. So today I decided to blade the Seawall, which will apparently be closing for April. Good to get it in first. Hope to get to Whistler one more time this year, maybe Sunday.

a-blee-a-blee-a-blee-a-blee....th-th-that's all, folks!

me

For Impatient Cow...

2006-03-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

I've been busy. But here's something for you:

wait, it's too nice out. I'm going rollerblading on the seawall.

Ha!

Insight arrived at while running on Beach

2006-03-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

The 'Where' is Here.

The 'When' is Now.

That's it.

ta!

What the F*ck are we doing?

2006-03-10T02:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in life, one wonders...what the F*** are we doing?

just thought I'd put that out there.

me

Life

2006-03-08T00:26:00.000-08:00

Psssttt....

Here's the secret to Life.

ready?

It's the same as writing a good story, or acting: it's about making the Active Choice. By that I mean when faced with the choice between isolation and community, activity and stagnation, moving forward or navel-gazing, doing the active thing. Spending time with others as opposed to sitting in front of the Tube. Going to a class instead of taking a nap. Heading out to a show instead of wanking.
Because active choices lead to opportunity. The other, while tempting, especially when one is tired, broke, or just lazy, leads nowhere.

Where the F*ck is my hat?

2006-03-05T01:31:00.000-08:00

I lost my hat this morning, then I found it again, now I've lost it. What the hell? It's a useful hat. Makes me look like a badass. Frustrating thing is that it is within 10 feet of me RIGHT NOW, but I know not where. Like tossing your carkeys somwhere out of reflex then not being able to find them, asi es the hat.
Wow, I just typed spanish there without realizing it. That's screwed up. Part of my brain still thinks in spanish a lot of the time, because it had to. It makes me sad for some reason.
Fuck.

Sorry, teary moment there without realizing it. Hate that.

still can't find the damn hat. maybe i left it at the theatre, where I'm now playing Tina's X-boyfriend Michael Just. It's a hellavalotta fun.

I found 10 dollars today, right outside the theatre! Proves that keeping your nose to the ground is worthwhile. This brings the total amount of $$ I've literally found on the ground since coming to Vancouver: $25.

Now if only I can find the damn hat....

X-Pectations

2006-02-28T01:07:00.000-08:00

Lately I feel that I've been getting away from a few things that I felt I had discovered:
-Being present. Truly, in each and every moment. Part of being successfuly present in each monent is:
-Having no expectations. Of experiences, of moments, and particularly of others. Cuz it's been my experience that that can only lead to trouble and usually disappointment.
-The only person to really expect to have expectations from(EXPECT to have expectations---is that a contradiction or WHAT---HA!)...is oneself. And even then, not always. because we're human.

BLWECH!

How Beautiful You Are

2006-02-19T02:50:00.000-08:00

to Deb

You want to know why I hate you?
Well I’ll try and explain...
You remember that day in paris
When we wandered through the rain
And promised to each other
That we’d always think the same
And dreamed that dream
To be two souls as one
And stopped just as the sun set
And waited for the night
Outside a glittering building
Of glittering glass and burning light...

And in the road before us
Stood a weary greyish man
Who held a child upon his back
A small boy by the hand
The three of them were dressed in rags
And thinner than the air
And all six eyes stared fixedly on you

The father’s eyes said ’beautiful!
How beautiful you are!’
The boy’s eyes said
’how beautiful!
She shimmers like a star!’
The childs eyes uttered nothing
But a mute and utter joy
And filled my heart with shame for us
At the way we are

I turned to look at you
To read my thoughts upon your face
And gazed so deep into your eyes
So beautiful and strange
Until you spoke
And showed me understanding is a dream
’i hate these people staring
Make them go away from me!’

The fathers eyes said ’beautiful!
How beautiful you are!’
The boys eyes said
’how beautiful! she glitters like a star!’
The child’s eyes uttered joy
And stilled my heart with sadness
For the way we are

And this is why I hate you
And how I understand
That no-one ever knows or loves another

Or loves another

www.thecure.com

Whistlin' on the Top of the World

2006-02-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

I've got a temporary gig as host of the SnowBus, basically taking names and briefly entertaining passengers on the SnowBus express to Whistler (to win a Brisk Iced Tea, spell 'Blackcomb'...'Blackcomb'...oooh, sorry Mr.Wong, there is no 'Q'.)
So today was my first day, and believe it or not, my first trip to the big 'W' since arriving.
W stands for Wow. Snow-capped mountains everywhere. And a better day there does not exist...windy at the peak but otherwise blue skies, no crowds, and a view to eternity. Notice the lack of pics...I didn't want to destroy my camera while tumbling down a glacier. Yes, that's right. A glacier. Not bad for the first time on the slopes this year, eh? Had a chance to taste some fine glacier water while up dere, -tastes a lot like melted snow.

Beautiful Vancouver

2006-02-01T00:34:00.000-08:00

Enjoying my last month in the West End...March 1 will probably be in a room somewhere, anywhere but Burnaby. Please Lord not Burnaby.

Worlds Colliding

2006-01-11T00:24:00.000-08:00

My Leafs were here in Vancouver where they fell to a Canucks team with a hot goaltender and some lucky bounces, 4-3. They played well so I shouldn't face TOO much heat for the loss...at least not as much heat as I faced from my pals for voting for Stephen Harper in an advance poll. OK, a bit shortsighted considering I don't pay taxes and work in the Arts...but I was under the impression he wouldn't be worse than Martin's Liberals, but failed to consider the overwhelmingly Bush-like religious fanaticism Harper is known for. Fuck, so I've been a bit preoccupied lately to consider the social leanings of politicians...if Harper wins, it's NOT MY FAULT, DAMMIT! I'm only one man! I mean, the most important issue I care about lately is if Sirius Canada will carry Howard Stern on their service or bow to CRTC pressure about 'decency'...but who gives a rats ass about that, cuz I download the show every day online!
Maybe this is a sign I should be paying more attention to what really matters in my life, such as finding a place to live.
I'm here in the West End until March 1, when Sharon comes back and my holiday ends....7 weeks to find a decent place on fluctuating income...say tuned...

...and they even Won!

2005-12-26T21:40:00.000-08:00

Boxing Day was Natasha's first Leaf game...one of the many highlights of my Christmas back home. Louie Melle and McDonalds....thank you!
After a shaky start and fluke goal on a tip-in, Belfour stood on his head and held off the Devils for a 2-1 win...nice to see my former favorite Leaf Alexander Mogilny do a coupe of nice moves.
The pictures tell the story well, so I'll close with Natasha's quote: "It was a pretty good game. I liked it."

Note Darcy Tucker fighting: he got booted after that.

Marshmallow World

2005-12-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

Some random thoughts for the holidays:

-In life there is the temptation to say 'I'm fine how I am', but what that really means is that 'I'm ready to pursue my goals', not to be an excuse not to take action.

-Booze is an energy sucker...but it's tasty!

-It's all about balance: the internal with the external, the mental with the physical, the witty with the obscene.

-Dean Martin rules. Nobody plays Casual better.

That's it...Merry Christmas!

Bein' Dr. Funkenmeister.

2005-12-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

For some reason I've been feeling kind of...out of it for the last week or so. I've booked my flight to Toronto for Dec.19 'till Jan.9, but mentally, it feels like I've already checked out and am kind of 'Phoning in' with life until I leave....sooo looking forward to seeing Natasha and the rest of my family and pals that it's tough to concentrate on the moment-to-moment stuff of daily life here.

But why? It's not like things here suck...or are boring. On the contrary, I'm doing this cool clown-type thing and even getting paid for it, Tony and Tina's is sorta alright, I'm living in the cool west-end apartment, I play pickup hockey once a week, I just found a fairly cheap bar closeby to watch the Leafs lose(which seems to be happening on an alarmingly regular basis)... hell, I'm even 'Gettin' some' as the kids say, frequently. So why the doldrums? Dunnno. I turn 3_ in 2 days, maybe that's it.
Probably the best solution to these funky blues is to find an outlet for all the creative junk that's been building up in me these past few months. I've got some stuff inside me that needs to come out, and the buildup is becoming a backup. Time to crap out some comedy, folks.

Grey Cup Pictures

2005-11-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Grey Cup game on Sunday was a blast. Here are some pictures!

I am not a Doctor!

2005-11-19T00:48:00.000-08:00

Reading a book that my friend Sharon has in her apartment that is about the Lazzi: The Comic Routines of the Commedia dell'Arte. Fantastic stuff: So far my favorite absolutely has to be the Lazzi of I am not a Doctor. I kid you not:
"Malizia accuses Pulcinella of not being a Doctor. Pulcinella replies that he is not a Doctor, as if disagreeing with Malizia. This is repeated."

Fantastic, Fantastic stuff. I hope to get up to similar foolishness in the course of a gig I landed with Leaky Heaven Circus, a 4 week workshop/performance type thing in which we will explore commedia, masks and all sorts of physical tomfoolery. I'm drooling with anticipation.

Back in the West End...except I'm not.

2005-11-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

Sad news...my friend Sharon's Dad passed away and she's back in Winnipeg for an undetermined period of time. The silver lining in it is that I'm back in the West End looking after her apartment and her silly cat, Ledger. But for a few days I'm in Chilliwack dogsitting my favorite animal, Ben One-Eye. Chilliwack is paradise when the weather is fine, but dreary when it isn't. Reports call for rain through the weekend. Yecch.

One of my favorite radio shows is going through a drastic change...Loveline, the syndicated call-in show hosted by comic Adam Carolla and Dr.Drew Pinsky, got me through some tough times and taught me some valuable life lessons over the past year after my separation...During my government contract job I spent 6 months locked in the file room with Howard Stern and Loveline on my IPOD, and driving from Toronto to Vancouver in April I would listen to an episode or two each day. Now Carolla is leaving to replace Stern on the West Coast and the show will continue with Dr.Drew and an as yet undetermined cohost, but Adam Carolla combined a 'who gives a shit' sense of humor with a unique human insight. I'll miss him...but I suppose it's time to move on...the show was there for me when I needed it, and man, did I need it...but during the past few months I've rediscovered many of the joys of life, and am spending far less time listening to the radio alone. Which is absolutely fucking fantastic.