Friday, September 26, 2008
Gonzo Photojournalism
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
I did the photo shoot for my next batch of articles today, appearing at the Journal offices carrying a hockey stick, a plastic skeleton, and a duffle bag filled with various odds and ends to the amusement of the staff.
I wonder if Hunter S. Thompson had days like that.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Hot Chicks And...Dan?
There's a website called Hot Chicks With Doucebags which is about...actually, now that I think about it, it's pretty self-explanatory.
It's pictures of guys (douchebags) with women (hot chicks)and accompanying text that is mostly tearing down the guy, talking about how hot the woman is, followed by the occasional bellyaching about "how come women like that end up with guys like him?" Sometimes he even fantasizes about riding in and rescuing these innocent women from the clutches of greasy douchebags everywhere.
It's funny stuff, but (deliberately or not) the guy seems to miss a couple points.
Point One - If there is one central tenet I've learned about romantic relationships, it's this: People find each other for a reason.
I'm not sure whether that's uplifting or chilling. But I do believe it's a fact (supplemented by the Dawn Dumont Corrollary: The two most damaged people in the bar will always find one another)
Part two will continue after these announcements from your sponsor...
Upcoming Comedy
Wednesday, September 24 - Cold Lake, Alberta somewhere--it's a last minute thing
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Welcome back.
Point Two - A woman in a picture with a guy is not necessarily WITH that guy in any meaningful sense of the word.
I know this for a fact because there are enough pictures of me with women on my camera and many others to start a 'Hot Chicks with Dan' website (with enough left over for a 'Passable Chicks With Dan' website, followed by a 'Great Personalitied Girls With Dan' website)
Why do these pictures exist? Because I go out dancing to clubs regularly to dance, and invariably women will want pictures of themselves with me.
I tell myself it's because they know I'm a comedy superstar (Cold Lake, tonight--here I come)or my status as Brilliant Writer/Voice of a Generation (and Monster Pro Wrestling, lest we forget).
But I think mostly because there's something fun about getting your picture taken with the eccentric, thirty-something club regular dancing by himself. It's the equivalent of getting your picture taken with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.
But girls aren't F***ING Mickey Mouse.
By interesting contrast, of the women I've ACTUALLY hooked up with in the last two and a half years (more than six...less than ten, depending on your definition of what exactly counts as a "hook-up") I have photographic evidence of exactly TWO of them...one of whom is my rhymes-with-burlfriend (I know, I know. The "G" word to me is like "Lord Voldemort" to the citizens of the Harry Potter-verse. Merely the thought of it fills me with dread)
So in conclusion: Don't Pity the Hot Chicks...they know exactly what they're getting.
Don't Fear the Douchebag...fear leads to hate which leads to the Dark Side.
Do however check out the website. The pictures are pretty funny.
In the absence of a 'Hot Chicks with Comedians(*)' site, it will have to do.
(*) Unless this counts.
Upcoming Comedy
Wednesday, September 24 - Cold Lake, Alberta somewhere--it's a last minute thing
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
It's pictures of guys (douchebags) with women (hot chicks)and accompanying text that is mostly tearing down the guy, talking about how hot the woman is, followed by the occasional bellyaching about "how come women like that end up with guys like him?" Sometimes he even fantasizes about riding in and rescuing these innocent women from the clutches of greasy douchebags everywhere.
It's funny stuff, but (deliberately or not) the guy seems to miss a couple points.
Point One - If there is one central tenet I've learned about romantic relationships, it's this: People find each other for a reason.
I'm not sure whether that's uplifting or chilling. But I do believe it's a fact (supplemented by the Dawn Dumont Corrollary: The two most damaged people in the bar will always find one another)
Part two will continue after these announcements from your sponsor...
Upcoming Comedy
Wednesday, September 24 - Cold Lake, Alberta somewhere--it's a last minute thing
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Welcome back.
Point Two - A woman in a picture with a guy is not necessarily WITH that guy in any meaningful sense of the word.
I know this for a fact because there are enough pictures of me with women on my camera and many others to start a 'Hot Chicks with Dan' website (with enough left over for a 'Passable Chicks With Dan' website, followed by a 'Great Personalitied Girls With Dan' website)
Why do these pictures exist? Because I go out dancing to clubs regularly to dance, and invariably women will want pictures of themselves with me.
I tell myself it's because they know I'm a comedy superstar (Cold Lake, tonight--here I come)or my status as Brilliant Writer/Voice of a Generation (and Monster Pro Wrestling, lest we forget).
But I think mostly because there's something fun about getting your picture taken with the eccentric, thirty-something club regular dancing by himself. It's the equivalent of getting your picture taken with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.
But girls aren't F***ING Mickey Mouse.
By interesting contrast, of the women I've ACTUALLY hooked up with in the last two and a half years (more than six...less than ten, depending on your definition of what exactly counts as a "hook-up") I have photographic evidence of exactly TWO of them...one of whom is my rhymes-with-burlfriend (I know, I know. The "G" word to me is like "Lord Voldemort" to the citizens of the Harry Potter-verse. Merely the thought of it fills me with dread)
So in conclusion: Don't Pity the Hot Chicks...they know exactly what they're getting.
Don't Fear the Douchebag...fear leads to hate which leads to the Dark Side.
Do however check out the website. The pictures are pretty funny.
In the absence of a 'Hot Chicks with Comedians(*)' site, it will have to do.
(*) Unless this counts.
Upcoming Comedy
Wednesday, September 24 - Cold Lake, Alberta somewhere--it's a last minute thing
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Power of Red Bull Compels Me
I am hooked on Red Bull.
It's weird because I'm not into coffee, excessive drinking, drugs, or cigarettes. I don't even like prescription medication and will avoid if at all possible.
But Red Bull is magic.
The first time I tried it, I didn't think much of it. It didn't make me any less tired, but it made it impossible for me to sleep.
That sucked.
Now though, Red Bull has become "Dan-Be-Happy-Juice." It puts me in a better mood.
There's a Buddhist precept about not misusing intoxicants. I've decided to get around it by a rather generous definition of the term "misuse."
I'm a bad Buddhist anyway.
But I'm a pretty good MC. Come to The Comic Strip next Monday and see for yourself.
Also there are a couple new posts up at the hotchicksandstrangers blog on everything from the economics of dating to communication skills and (of course) some sex stuff. Check em out and see what you think.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
It's weird because I'm not into coffee, excessive drinking, drugs, or cigarettes. I don't even like prescription medication and will avoid if at all possible.
But Red Bull is magic.
The first time I tried it, I didn't think much of it. It didn't make me any less tired, but it made it impossible for me to sleep.
That sucked.
Now though, Red Bull has become "Dan-Be-Happy-Juice." It puts me in a better mood.
There's a Buddhist precept about not misusing intoxicants. I've decided to get around it by a rather generous definition of the term "misuse."
I'm a bad Buddhist anyway.
But I'm a pretty good MC. Come to The Comic Strip next Monday and see for yourself.
Also there are a couple new posts up at the hotchicksandstrangers blog on everything from the economics of dating to communication skills and (of course) some sex stuff. Check em out and see what you think.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Friday, September 19, 2008
New Living Article Up
Latest Living article (on my laser eye surgery) is up. You can find it here.
I was also interviewed by the wonderful and talented Misty Harris for an article on humour here.
Finally, I made a last minute appearance on Kamikaze Komedy with Lars and Matt Lisac two nights ago, so those of you with time machines might want to go have a listen.
Slowly but surely, I'm becoming more comfortable with media stuff, but it's an uphill battle.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
I was also interviewed by the wonderful and talented Misty Harris for an article on humour here.
Finally, I made a last minute appearance on Kamikaze Komedy with Lars and Matt Lisac two nights ago, so those of you with time machines might want to go have a listen.
Slowly but surely, I'm becoming more comfortable with media stuff, but it's an uphill battle.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Comedy Thoughts
I read a cool magazine article the other day (it was either Rolling Stone, Psychology Today, or possibly a branch of the GQ/Esquire family)about comedy. One of the comedy writers they interviewed noted that comedy by nature is offensive, but the only people who are offended are people who have been personally affected by the particular issue.
In other words, people weren't offended by stuff that happened to other people. As a hypothetical example, if the guy wrote a sketch about--I don't know, a guy getting hit in a face with a pie--every one in the crowd would laugh but the one guy who saw his mother hit in the face with a pie and it scarred him for life wrote in going "I didn't think that was funny at all."
I think that's true, both in my experience as a comic and a human being. The Palin/Clinton sketch that I found so funny actually offended a surprising amount of people (including several of John McCain's campaign staff, apparently). When someone makes a joke at my expense, I tend not to be bothered unless it's something that hits too close to the bone, in which case I catch myself thinking "That's not funny."
Which is sometimes true, but often not. Sometimes the joke isn't funny. Other times it's hilarious, but I just don't have the perspective to see it at the time.
I find it interesting that the humo(u)r we find offensive says more about us than it does about the comedian.
Speaking of funny, here are my upcoming events including a HILARIOUS comedy show on the 29th.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
In other words, people weren't offended by stuff that happened to other people. As a hypothetical example, if the guy wrote a sketch about--I don't know, a guy getting hit in a face with a pie--every one in the crowd would laugh but the one guy who saw his mother hit in the face with a pie and it scarred him for life wrote in going "I didn't think that was funny at all."
I think that's true, both in my experience as a comic and a human being. The Palin/Clinton sketch that I found so funny actually offended a surprising amount of people (including several of John McCain's campaign staff, apparently). When someone makes a joke at my expense, I tend not to be bothered unless it's something that hits too close to the bone, in which case I catch myself thinking "That's not funny."
Which is sometimes true, but often not. Sometimes the joke isn't funny. Other times it's hilarious, but I just don't have the perspective to see it at the time.
I find it interesting that the humo(u)r we find offensive says more about us than it does about the comedian.
Speaking of funny, here are my upcoming events including a HILARIOUS comedy show on the 29th.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Monday, September 15, 2008
My New Favorite Link
My new favorite link. Hilarious.
What I love about it is that even though it's hilarious, it makes some pretty strong points.
That's what the best comedy should be like. I wish I had written this sketch.
Oh well. Gives me motivation, I guess.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
What I love about it is that even though it's hilarious, it makes some pretty strong points.
That's what the best comedy should be like. I wish I had written this sketch.
Oh well. Gives me motivation, I guess.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Forget Jerks...Chicks Dig Shoes
The Suicide awareness march went well. I was moved by the amount of people and their strength in willing to publicly face down an issue with a lot of stigma attached to it. I was also really inspired by the people at the agency where I work for all the effort and time they put into organizing the march.
Of course, it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't comment on at least one funny thing.
One of the things the agency did was take donations of shoes and then set them out on display as a reminder of the people we've lost through suicide. The shoes were donations not the shoes of actual people who killed themselves (I feel I need to make that clear or the humour might be lost).
As we were setting up the shoes before the event, at least three or four times I heard one of my female co-workers say: "Oooh, these are cute."
Usually followed by, "I wonder what size they are."
I said they should leave their shoes and take the ones they wanted.
For the record, we all left the event wearing the same shoes we started in, but it was a near thing in a couple cases.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Of course, it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't comment on at least one funny thing.
One of the things the agency did was take donations of shoes and then set them out on display as a reminder of the people we've lost through suicide. The shoes were donations not the shoes of actual people who killed themselves (I feel I need to make that clear or the humour might be lost).
As we were setting up the shoes before the event, at least three or four times I heard one of my female co-workers say: "Oooh, these are cute."
Usually followed by, "I wonder what size they are."
I said they should leave their shoes and take the ones they wanted.
For the record, we all left the event wearing the same shoes we started in, but it was a near thing in a couple cases.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lifting the Silence The Seventh Annual Suicide Awareness March
A good cause. I'll be doing the march this year.
From The Support Network website:
Each year, approximately one million people die by suicide around the world. This means nearly one life is lost to suicide every 40 seconds. Suicide is a leading cause of death world-wide.
The Support Network invites you to join us in raising awareness for suicide prevention and in honouring lives lost to suicide.
Event Details:
The Suicide Awareness March begins at The Royal Glenora Club and continues on to the legislative grounds where we will gather at The Eternal Flame for a brief ceremony. We will then return to the Royal Glenora Club for a reception and lunch.
Meeting Place:
The Royal Glenora Club
11160 River Valley Rd - parking is available
Date:
Friday, Septmember 12, 2008
Time:
11:30 am March Commences
12:00 pm Ceremony at The Eternal Flame
12:30 Reception and Lunch at The Royal Glenora Club.
From The Support Network website:
Each year, approximately one million people die by suicide around the world. This means nearly one life is lost to suicide every 40 seconds. Suicide is a leading cause of death world-wide.
The Support Network invites you to join us in raising awareness for suicide prevention and in honouring lives lost to suicide.
Event Details:
The Suicide Awareness March begins at The Royal Glenora Club and continues on to the legislative grounds where we will gather at The Eternal Flame for a brief ceremony. We will then return to the Royal Glenora Club for a reception and lunch.
Meeting Place:
The Royal Glenora Club
11160 River Valley Rd - parking is available
Date:
Friday, Septmember 12, 2008
Time:
11:30 am March Commences
12:00 pm Ceremony at The Eternal Flame
12:30 Reception and Lunch at The Royal Glenora Club.
Friday, September 05, 2008
New Living Article Up
New Living Article is up here
I'm working on adapting my comedy act now that I'm not wearing glasses anymore. Since I have joked about having bad eyesight AND jokes about the surgery, I'm working with the idea of bringing my glasses onstage and using them as a way of transitioning. I have a few different ideas and I'm excited at seeing how it works out because it's something different and new from what I've done before.
In other news, I am trying to write a dating story from a woman's point of view for the 'Dating for Shy Guys' book. Right now I'm stuck...on what to call the woman. Shannon? Monica? Gertrude?
Sheesh. If I'm having this much trouble with the name, I can't wait for actually writing the section of the book.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
I'm working on adapting my comedy act now that I'm not wearing glasses anymore. Since I have joked about having bad eyesight AND jokes about the surgery, I'm working with the idea of bringing my glasses onstage and using them as a way of transitioning. I have a few different ideas and I'm excited at seeing how it works out because it's something different and new from what I've done before.
In other news, I am trying to write a dating story from a woman's point of view for the 'Dating for Shy Guys' book. Right now I'm stuck...on what to call the woman. Shannon? Monica? Gertrude?
Sheesh. If I'm having this much trouble with the name, I can't wait for actually writing the section of the book.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Crowd Pleaser
People do interesting things. I've never been much for big crowds, but sometimes they're interesting to watch--especially when the words "Rider" and "Nation" are involved.
Today I went to the University bookstore before work. It wasn't open, but because it was the start of classes, there were mobs of students outside everyone of the three entrances waiting for the doors to open.
As soon as the doors opened, I couldn't help myself. I adopted my best zombie walk and staggered through the doors groaning: "Braaiins...braiins..."
The clerk that saw me laughed his ass off...well, chuckled anyway.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 5
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Today I went to the University bookstore before work. It wasn't open, but because it was the start of classes, there were mobs of students outside everyone of the three entrances waiting for the doors to open.
As soon as the doors opened, I couldn't help myself. I adopted my best zombie walk and staggered through the doors groaning: "Braaiins...braiins..."
The clerk that saw me laughed his ass off...well, chuckled anyway.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 5
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Honesty? Radical!
I just finished reading a book by Brad Blanton called 'Radical Honesty.' His thesis is you are supposed to tell the truth to everybody all of the time. No hiding anything. No white lies.
I was just wondering how following this would affect my life (not to mention this week's Zombie Project on Right Speech). I was also wondering how this commitment to the unvarnished truth would work in an intimate relationship.
That's when I looked at the 'About The Author' notes at the back.
The author has been married FOUR times.
The puzzle pieces click into place.
Living Article coming out on Friday. Hope people like it.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 5
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
I was just wondering how following this would affect my life (not to mention this week's Zombie Project on Right Speech). I was also wondering how this commitment to the unvarnished truth would work in an intimate relationship.
That's when I looked at the 'About The Author' notes at the back.
The author has been married FOUR times.
The puzzle pieces click into place.
Living Article coming out on Friday. Hope people like it.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Upcoming Living Columns in the Edmonton Journal
Friday, September 5
Friday, September 19
Friday, October 3
Current Living article is up here.
Dan's musings on shyness and relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
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