Since I work in the field, I'm occasionally asked for advice about from people dealing with someone in their lives who is or might be suicidal.
If such is the case, and you're in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), I encourage you to conact the Distress Line (780-482-HELP (4357)). The Support Network (780-482-0198) also offers programs for people who are dealing with losing someone to suicide or dealing with someone who is frequently suicidal. You can also find a page with some facts and myths around suicide here.
That said, there are a few general points that come up often so I'm going to address them here. This isn't meant to be advice for your situation, and it isn't gospel. It's also not intended to be a complete exploration of the topic. Again, for more detailed information or help with your SPECIFIC situation, contact the Distress Line (780-482-4357).
Recognize Your Limits . It's a sad fact that if someone really really wants to die, sooner or later they'll find a way to do it. When someone we care about commits suicide, people often blame themselves or wonder what they could do differently. Or when dealing with someone who is frequently suicidal, some think if they hit on just the right strategy or say the exact right thing, that person will change their mind.
It's not the case. Ultimately, it's up to the suicidal person to choose life.
If you want to help them find those reasons to choose life, to provide support, or to offer help, good on you. If you're going to make that choice though, it's important to...
Recognize and Set Your Boundaries. What are you willing to do? What are you ABLE to do? Your answers might be different depending on your role or your relationship with the person at risk, and that's fine. They may also change based on your own family, financial, health or any other situation. But it's important to take those things into account. For example, if you have family or job responsibilities and the person you're dealing with is chronically suicidal, it will probably not work to take on the role of being that person's SOLE source of support.
which reminds me...
Get Others Involved. You can't and shouldn't be expected to do it alone.
If Someone You Know Drops Hints About Being Suicidal, You CAN ask them about it. It might feel awkward, but sometimes being able to talk about it helps. You are NOT going to 'put the idea in their head.' Trust me,if they're really in dire straits, it's probably already crossed their mind.
If you ask them and they say 'no,' then you've done your job. If you're not sure they're telling the truth, you can give them the distress line number (780-482-4357)if they'd rather talk to someone else or--if it's within your limits--let them know you are willing to talk about it. Nevertheless, if you get a 'no', whether or not you believe them, that's their prerogative and I believe it's important to respect that. You can't MAKE someone get help (except for the imminent danger).
If they say yes...well, that's a little bit beyond the scope of this post.The Distress Line will have more information for you. Be grateful that they trust you enough to let you know this. A lot of times just knowing someone is there to care or listen goes a long way.
If you've talked to the person and you're unsure where they are at, one helpful thing to do is to contract them to call the Distress Line if they get to the point where they are thinking of acting on any suicidal thoughts. The reason we use the Distress Line is because it's a 24 hour line. There is always someone there and available to talk, which won't always be the case for you (cell phones die, you need sleep, to go to work, etc.)
Sometimes you aren't in a position to ask the question. If that's the case...
If You Suspect The Person Is An Imminent Danger to Themselves or Others, call 911 or Emergency Services. If someone tells you they've already started their attempt for example--taking pills, already on the bridge. Another case would be if there are others who may be in danger (ie you've heard threats
or implied threats against bosses/family members). Trust your instincts. It's better to call and be wrong.
If you DO call and Emergency Services does intervene, it sometimes happens that the person who threatened suicide is...less than grateful. It's a normal reaction. There's a stigma around suicide and mental health issues, and a lot of people would be embarassed having the police/medical crews show up at their door. That doesn't mean you did anything wrong by calling them. If they're angry with you, well...in order to be angry they have to be alive and them being alive is a good thing.
Hopefully this post will give you a working understanding of where to start when supporting someone who might be suicidal. I encourage you to visit the links in the second paragraph of the page for more info.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Takes Me Back To My Bar Days...
Only not exactly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzJC9OCT0ss
Funny stuff.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzJC9OCT0ss
Funny stuff.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
World of Silver
I woke at 3am a couple nights ago to find the world had gone silver.
My room was silver. My blankets were silver. Even my skin had taken on an otherworldly glow.
I turned my neck and looked out the window.
The source of the glow was there. A full moon framed in a clear black sky.
It was a pretty amazing sight.
One of the benefits of slowing down is I'm better able to notice and appreciate these things. The contrast of a black crow winging across a blue sky. The mournful sound of a train. Visiting the St. Albert library, a building I practically grew up in, and breathing in the faint but unmistakeable scent of books.
When I was dating Bastet, I remember how she used to get down on her hands and knees in the grass and peer at bugs. I remember finding this behaviour both bemusing and charming.
Now I can't imagine living life any other way.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
My room was silver. My blankets were silver. Even my skin had taken on an otherworldly glow.
I turned my neck and looked out the window.
The source of the glow was there. A full moon framed in a clear black sky.
It was a pretty amazing sight.
One of the benefits of slowing down is I'm better able to notice and appreciate these things. The contrast of a black crow winging across a blue sky. The mournful sound of a train. Visiting the St. Albert library, a building I practically grew up in, and breathing in the faint but unmistakeable scent of books.
When I was dating Bastet, I remember how she used to get down on her hands and knees in the grass and peer at bugs. I remember finding this behaviour both bemusing and charming.
Now I can't imagine living life any other way.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Guns N Brodribbs and Aging Comedian Angst: Welcome to the Jungle
I hosted the Comic Strip's Hit or Miss night last night and I'm beginning to show my comedy age.
First there was the comic who refused to follow one of ANDREW IWANYK's impromptu performance pieces (in this case, with his co-conspirators JORDAN CHYSOWSKI and MATT ALEDDINE, the artist formerly known as Powermann), instead insisting he went on first.
I didn't mind accomodating his request, but I was genuinely surprised to hear him make it. When I started in stand-up, it was a privilege being invited to be a part of Iwanyk's debacles. And being the guy trusted to clean-up the devastation left in Andrew's wake...that was a badge of honor. Had I been in this comic's place, it never would have occurred to me to turn down the challenge.
Times change, I guess.
The second event was introducing in a new comic to the stage. After saying his name, I looked towards the stage entrance.
No comic.
I've had this happen before. New comics sometimes aren't ready for their cue and take their sweet time getting to the stage, leaving me standing there like a doofus.
Fucking amateurs, I thought.
Actually, what I thought was fucking amat--
Because before I could complete the eur in amateur, the Comic in Question leaped out of the crowd and onto the stage behind me like Diamond Dallas Page coming after NWO era Randy Savage.
Swerve.
The sound tech said I looked more pissed off than he had ever seen me walking off stage.
And he was right.
I would like to say that I was mad because the comic was unprofessional. The truth is, I was mad at myself.
I've watched professional wrestling for twenty-three years. Almost two thirds of my life, and longer than every romantic relationship I've ever had combined.
And if there's one thing I should know from all that time, if you call a guy's name and his music plays, and he DOESN'T show up...you better turn around because nine times out of ten it's because the motherfucker's coming at you from behind out of the crowd. Possibly with a chair.
If I don't pick it up, I could finish my next set laid out on the stage with NWO spray-painted on my back.
In other news, I had a dream last night.
Not a Martin Luther King type dream of little black boys and little black girs and little white boys and little white girls.
My dream was about Guns N Roses getting back together.
The only problem was Axl refused to sing 'You Could Be Mine'
Calling on my negotiation skills, I offered to sing instead, provided the name of the band was changed to Guns N Brodribbs.
Axl laughed and agreed to sing. Catastrophe averted.
The only part left was to teach Edmonton comic--NATHA SEMENYNA--who was singing back-up vocals how to sing 'with your bitch slap rappin' and your cocaine tongue'
You're welcome GnFnR fans.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
First there was the comic who refused to follow one of ANDREW IWANYK's impromptu performance pieces (in this case, with his co-conspirators JORDAN CHYSOWSKI and MATT ALEDDINE, the artist formerly known as Powermann), instead insisting he went on first.
I didn't mind accomodating his request, but I was genuinely surprised to hear him make it. When I started in stand-up, it was a privilege being invited to be a part of Iwanyk's debacles. And being the guy trusted to clean-up the devastation left in Andrew's wake...that was a badge of honor. Had I been in this comic's place, it never would have occurred to me to turn down the challenge.
Times change, I guess.
The second event was introducing in a new comic to the stage. After saying his name, I looked towards the stage entrance.
No comic.
I've had this happen before. New comics sometimes aren't ready for their cue and take their sweet time getting to the stage, leaving me standing there like a doofus.
Fucking amateurs, I thought.
Actually, what I thought was fucking amat--
Because before I could complete the eur in amateur, the Comic in Question leaped out of the crowd and onto the stage behind me like Diamond Dallas Page coming after NWO era Randy Savage.
Swerve.
The sound tech said I looked more pissed off than he had ever seen me walking off stage.
And he was right.
I would like to say that I was mad because the comic was unprofessional. The truth is, I was mad at myself.
I've watched professional wrestling for twenty-three years. Almost two thirds of my life, and longer than every romantic relationship I've ever had combined.
And if there's one thing I should know from all that time, if you call a guy's name and his music plays, and he DOESN'T show up...you better turn around because nine times out of ten it's because the motherfucker's coming at you from behind out of the crowd. Possibly with a chair.
If I don't pick it up, I could finish my next set laid out on the stage with NWO spray-painted on my back.
In other news, I had a dream last night.
Not a Martin Luther King type dream of little black boys and little black girs and little white boys and little white girls.
My dream was about Guns N Roses getting back together.
The only problem was Axl refused to sing 'You Could Be Mine'
Calling on my negotiation skills, I offered to sing instead, provided the name of the band was changed to Guns N Brodribbs.
Axl laughed and agreed to sing. Catastrophe averted.
The only part left was to teach Edmonton comic--NATHA SEMENYNA--who was singing back-up vocals how to sing 'with your bitch slap rappin' and your cocaine tongue'
You're welcome GnFnR fans.
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Friday, January 20, 2012
Our Futures Together
Our homework, should we choose to accept it, was to watch television.
I like this kind of work.
The class was a negotiation class. Our instructions were to watch a televsion program with some interpersonal conflict and identify the issues.
I chose a married couple who travel through time and space accompanying the title character in Dr. Who.
I want to be a couples counsellor for time travellers. Their problems are a lot more interesting for me as a counsellor.
ME: "Let's see Mr. and Mrs. Pond. We've talked for a while and together you've agreed that the four most pressing issues for you to address are: 'Information sharing,' 'Travel,' 'Timing of Rescues,' and...ummm...'Marital Obligations and Romantic Boundary-Setting vis a vis Future Versions of Spouses from Alternate Realities'"
So where would you like to start?"
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
COMEDY
Monday, January 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
I like this kind of work.
The class was a negotiation class. Our instructions were to watch a televsion program with some interpersonal conflict and identify the issues.
I chose a married couple who travel through time and space accompanying the title character in Dr. Who.
I want to be a couples counsellor for time travellers. Their problems are a lot more interesting for me as a counsellor.
ME: "Let's see Mr. and Mrs. Pond. We've talked for a while and together you've agreed that the four most pressing issues for you to address are: 'Information sharing,' 'Travel,' 'Timing of Rescues,' and...ummm...'Marital Obligations and Romantic Boundary-Setting vis a vis Future Versions of Spouses from Alternate Realities'"
So where would you like to start?"
WRESTLING
Saturday, February 25 - RCW Explosion, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
COMEDY
Monday, January 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Eat Play Love...and Vacuum
If I were to write a best-selling memoir about my nephew's first five months on the planet, it would be called EAT PLAY LOVE. Although I'd probably have to work something in there about sleeping and pooping too.
I haven't written much lately. This blog was to chronicle my adventures. I'm still having adventures these days, but most of them are of a different type ...learning how to be a grown-up.
And who wants to read about that?
It's been an interesting journey. I've climbed mountains. I've jumped out of airplanes. I've entertained large and sometimes hostile crowds.
None of those things have been as scary or as difficult as learning how to be a Good Uncle and Family Member, Adult Member of Society and all-around Responsible Human Being.
Today's adventure was learning how to clean the filter on my vacuum cleaner, an epic rollercoaster tale that ended with my kitchen counter, my floor, and my entire body from head to foot coated in a fine, grey, dust. Hazy clouds of it floated through the air and settled on the plants, the table, and the refrigerator. My kitchen has become an archaelogical site, the aftermath of the eruption of a lint volcano.
Looks like I won't be wearing these pants to the show tonight after all.
It was kind of fun.
But I haven't completely become Dan Brodribb, Good Citizen. There's wrestling tonight. There's comedy later in the month. There's the inconsistently-updated-but still-brilliant Gateway Boyfriend blog.
Check those things out. I hope to see you there.
Just as soon as I change my pants.
WRESTLING
Saturday, January 14 - RCW New Year's Retribution, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
COMEDY
Monday, January 3o - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
I haven't written much lately. This blog was to chronicle my adventures. I'm still having adventures these days, but most of them are of a different type ...learning how to be a grown-up.
And who wants to read about that?
It's been an interesting journey. I've climbed mountains. I've jumped out of airplanes. I've entertained large and sometimes hostile crowds.
None of those things have been as scary or as difficult as learning how to be a Good Uncle and Family Member, Adult Member of Society and all-around Responsible Human Being.
Today's adventure was learning how to clean the filter on my vacuum cleaner, an epic rollercoaster tale that ended with my kitchen counter, my floor, and my entire body from head to foot coated in a fine, grey, dust. Hazy clouds of it floated through the air and settled on the plants, the table, and the refrigerator. My kitchen has become an archaelogical site, the aftermath of the eruption of a lint volcano.
Looks like I won't be wearing these pants to the show tonight after all.
It was kind of fun.
But I haven't completely become Dan Brodribb, Good Citizen. There's wrestling tonight. There's comedy later in the month. There's the inconsistently-updated-but still-brilliant Gateway Boyfriend blog.
Check those things out. I hope to see you there.
Just as soon as I change my pants.
WRESTLING
Saturday, January 14 - RCW New Year's Retribution, Glengarry Community Hall - Edmonton
COMEDY
Monday, January 3o - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Jiu Jitsu Is A Lot Like Comedy
Tuesday I was flat on my back, flailing like a landed fish as I tried to draw breath with a two hundred and fifteen pound man sitting on my chest and thinking: Wow. This is just like comedy.
More precisely, learning jiu jitsu is a lot like learning comedy. In both cases, you suck at first, you keep sucking for a lot longer than you think you should, and when the unexpected happens in the middle of performing, you feel completely clueless as to what to do about it. The irony of comedy and jiu jitsu is you end up in the worst positions when you're new, which means your worst situations happen at the time when you have the least skill and experience to deal with them (*). You leave the venue depressed and frustrated with yourself, having been confronted in no uncertain terms with the fact that you really don't know what you're doing.
And yet you can't wait to go back for more.
Just another reason I'm grateful for my comedy experience. It's taught me persistence. It's forced me to learn how to deal with my own emotions and negative thoughts.
Most of all, it's taught me that not everything worthwhile comes easily and that even on nights when you feel like you're never going to get it, you're still learning things and making progress, whether it feels like it or not.
Comedy is like jiu jitsu. Sometimes you're the guy kicking ass and sometimes you're the guy gasping for air with the two-hundred pound monster on your chest--and you never know which is going to happen from show to show.
Which is it going to be?
Well, as it happens, I'm at The Comic Strip next week from September 28 to October 2.
Come down and find out.
(*) I'm thinking of YOU, Thirsty Turtle Pub back in the fall of '05. That wasn't so much like having a two-hundred pound man sitting on you. It was more like having a two-hundred pound man sit on you, hit you with a pipe, have his friends kick you in the nether regions and then a witch doctor coming by and sucking out your soul through your nostrils.
COMEDY
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
RCW Rise of the Legends tour featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition
Friday, October 14 - Rimbey Community Centre, Rimbey
Saturday, October 15 - Glengarry Community Hall, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
More precisely, learning jiu jitsu is a lot like learning comedy. In both cases, you suck at first, you keep sucking for a lot longer than you think you should, and when the unexpected happens in the middle of performing, you feel completely clueless as to what to do about it. The irony of comedy and jiu jitsu is you end up in the worst positions when you're new, which means your worst situations happen at the time when you have the least skill and experience to deal with them (*). You leave the venue depressed and frustrated with yourself, having been confronted in no uncertain terms with the fact that you really don't know what you're doing.
And yet you can't wait to go back for more.
Just another reason I'm grateful for my comedy experience. It's taught me persistence. It's forced me to learn how to deal with my own emotions and negative thoughts.
Most of all, it's taught me that not everything worthwhile comes easily and that even on nights when you feel like you're never going to get it, you're still learning things and making progress, whether it feels like it or not.
Comedy is like jiu jitsu. Sometimes you're the guy kicking ass and sometimes you're the guy gasping for air with the two-hundred pound monster on your chest--and you never know which is going to happen from show to show.
Which is it going to be?
Well, as it happens, I'm at The Comic Strip next week from September 28 to October 2.
Come down and find out.
(*) I'm thinking of YOU, Thirsty Turtle Pub back in the fall of '05. That wasn't so much like having a two-hundred pound man sitting on you. It was more like having a two-hundred pound man sit on you, hit you with a pipe, have his friends kick you in the nether regions and then a witch doctor coming by and sucking out your soul through your nostrils.
COMEDY
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
RCW Rise of the Legends tour featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition
Friday, October 14 - Rimbey Community Centre, Rimbey
Saturday, October 15 - Glengarry Community Hall, Edmonton
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Monday, September 12, 2011
Kidney Stones, Babies & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Busy Busy Busy.
Application for Grad School continues. A lot more hoops to jump through than I expected.
Also there have been some new distractions:
Distraction One: A brief hospital visit for some extreme pain in my back which turned out to be a kidney stone. Oddly enough, as soon as I found out it was kidney stone, the pain bothered me a lot less. By normal pain standards what I was experiencing was excruciating, but I've had kidney stones before and by kidney stone standards...I'll take the pain I was feeling with a smile because it could have been a lot worse.
Distraction Two: I have a nephew now. He is adorable, and having him in my life has made me do a lot of reprioritizing.
Distraction Three: I have started training in Jiu Jitsu. There is a tournament in a couple weeks and I'm considering entering.
Why not? I've been training for a whole month.
And of course I have my years of pro wrestling watching to fall back on which has given me a significant advantage even when my training partners are clearly wrestling wrong what with them grabbing the wrong arm and refusing to slow down and work the crowd and forgetting to call the next spot.
Still, I plan to sneak into the tournament grounds and slide a folding steel chair under the mats. You never know when you might need a little insurance.
On the other hand, there is this....
I've been choked out by a six week old infant. That is not what we would consider a good start. In fairness, as anyone anyone who has tried to get past his legs to change his diaper will attest, he's got a heck of a guard.
COMEDY
Wednesday, September 14 - Goodfellow's Pub, Edmonton
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
Saturday, September 17 - RCW Collision Course
Saturday, October 15 - RCW Rise of Legends (Featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition)
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Application for Grad School continues. A lot more hoops to jump through than I expected.
Also there have been some new distractions:
Distraction One: A brief hospital visit for some extreme pain in my back which turned out to be a kidney stone. Oddly enough, as soon as I found out it was kidney stone, the pain bothered me a lot less. By normal pain standards what I was experiencing was excruciating, but I've had kidney stones before and by kidney stone standards...I'll take the pain I was feeling with a smile because it could have been a lot worse.
Distraction Two: I have a nephew now. He is adorable, and having him in my life has made me do a lot of reprioritizing.
Distraction Three: I have started training in Jiu Jitsu. There is a tournament in a couple weeks and I'm considering entering.
Why not? I've been training for a whole month.
And of course I have my years of pro wrestling watching to fall back on which has given me a significant advantage even when my training partners are clearly wrestling wrong what with them grabbing the wrong arm and refusing to slow down and work the crowd and forgetting to call the next spot.
Still, I plan to sneak into the tournament grounds and slide a folding steel chair under the mats. You never know when you might need a little insurance.
On the other hand, there is this....
I've been choked out by a six week old infant. That is not what we would consider a good start. In fairness, as anyone anyone who has tried to get past his legs to change his diaper will attest, he's got a heck of a guard.
COMEDY
Wednesday, September 14 - Goodfellow's Pub, Edmonton
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
Saturday, September 17 - RCW Collision Course
Saturday, October 15 - RCW Rise of Legends (Featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition)
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Upcoming Stuff - Comedy & Wrestling
COMEDY
Wednesday, September 14 - Goodfellow's Pub, Edmonton
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
Saturday, September 17 - RCW Collision Course
Saturday, October 15 - RCW Rise of Legends (Featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition)
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Wednesday, September 14 - Goodfellow's Pub, Edmonton
Wednesday, September 28 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Thursday, September 29 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, September 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 1 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Sunday, October 2 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, October 8 - Private Function, Edmonton
WRESTLING
Saturday, September 17 - RCW Collision Course
Saturday, October 15 - RCW Rise of Legends (Featuring former WWE tag champions Demolition)
WRITING
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Friday, August 12, 2011
On Falling & Flying
Sheesh. Was going to take on the subject of the late Jani Lane in my next Metal & Dust entry, but Chuck Klosterman beat me to it.
Speaking of links, this one is also hilarious. John Stamos, you are my new hero, despite your uncanny resemblance to the lead singer of DeSousa Drive.
It's been a heck of a 24 hours: great yoga, magical night of salsa, good comedy set, a potluck to say goodbye to a co-worker...
and there's more to come this weekend.
I feel as energized as I've ever been. The Attitude has been helping a lot. I'm energized these days, more than I have been in awhile.
But I'm also--at least at this moment--very tired.
That's the eternal dilemma. I get so much out of bringing energy, trying to bring happiness and a good attitude to things. The results are great.
But there are also times I just want to crash, to let myself go, and just let myself be supported for awhile.
I hate the thought of being a drain on anyone. I know I'm not, I know there are plenty of people who are happy to be there for me, that WANT to be able to be there for me.
All I have to do is ask. All I have to do is let myself go.
But sometimes I can't ask.
This post turned out different than I expected when I started writing it. Fatigue dampens my mood, it seems.
No problem, I'll face my fatigue the way I'm willing to face the other things in my life. I'll acknowledge it, embrace it, and make it a part of me.
Two hours until jiu-jitsu. Then Codependents Anonymous meeting and a Boy's Night Out. And the rest of the weekend promises even more possibilities.
Falling can wait. I've got flying to do.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, August 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Speaking of links, this one is also hilarious. John Stamos, you are my new hero, despite your uncanny resemblance to the lead singer of DeSousa Drive.
It's been a heck of a 24 hours: great yoga, magical night of salsa, good comedy set, a potluck to say goodbye to a co-worker...
and there's more to come this weekend.
I feel as energized as I've ever been. The Attitude has been helping a lot. I'm energized these days, more than I have been in awhile.
But I'm also--at least at this moment--very tired.
That's the eternal dilemma. I get so much out of bringing energy, trying to bring happiness and a good attitude to things. The results are great.
But there are also times I just want to crash, to let myself go, and just let myself be supported for awhile.
I hate the thought of being a drain on anyone. I know I'm not, I know there are plenty of people who are happy to be there for me, that WANT to be able to be there for me.
All I have to do is ask. All I have to do is let myself go.
But sometimes I can't ask.
This post turned out different than I expected when I started writing it. Fatigue dampens my mood, it seems.
No problem, I'll face my fatigue the way I'm willing to face the other things in my life. I'll acknowledge it, embrace it, and make it a part of me.
Two hours until jiu-jitsu. Then Codependents Anonymous meeting and a Boy's Night Out. And the rest of the weekend promises even more possibilities.
Falling can wait. I've got flying to do.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, August 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
A Quick Qomedy...er, Comedy...Update
I'll be hosting the Hit or Miss Night at the Comic Strip in West Edmonton Mall on August 22.
See you there!!
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, August 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
See you there!!
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, August 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
In Which Dan Nearly--But Not Quite--Has Two Large Women Getting Into A Physcial Altercation Over Him
I don't remember whose idea it was to return to the Thompson Inn.
Maybe it was no one's idea. Maybe it was just something that germinated in our collective unconscious, a subliminal compulsion that slowly blossomed into the front of our minds.
Or maybe it was mine and Heavy Metal's idea. Who can remember such things?
For those of you who need a refresher, The Thompson Inn is where the wrestlers stayed on the 2010 tour. It is a hive of scum and villainy--blood on the walls, broken locks, broken beds...drunks and addicts stumbling up and down the hallways.
It's also where I learned the Howson Partying Secret to maintain a spotless reputation on the road: 1) Party in OTHER people's rooms 2) Show up on time the next day.
It seems to have worked so far.
Did I mention we nearly got thrown out of the place last year? What do you have to do to be thrown out of the Thompson Inn? Only professional wrestlers know for sure.
In 2011 we stayed in a different place, the LAKEVIEW INN & SUITES, which I am writing in capital letters as a plug for them since without their generosity and help being Trapped in Thompson would have been a lot more unpleasant.
It's also a really nice place. Very homey and great staff.
The bar in the Thompson Inn...not so much.
No description can do justice to this bar. Picture the worst bar you've ever seen in your life. Now imagine that bar being sacked by Vikings and repainted with several chipped and peeling coats of Despair. Now add in a zombie apocalypse. Then take away all of the zombies except for a handful...the ones too slow to get any brains.
That's the bar in the Thompson Inn.
How could you NOT go back?
Past the drunks clustered outside. Through the door and into the establishment proper--a stage and dance floor on one side of the room, the bar on the other, clusters of line-faced drunks dotting the the area like the raisins in a slice of raisin bread.
And that's when I became the belle of the ball.
I was approached by at least three older, drunker, native women, three times my size.
Did I say approach? These were more like assaults. No flirting. No back and forth. Just a storming of the sexual ramparts, grabbing at me and incoherent mumbling.
Maybe the zombie analogy is more appropriate than I first thought.
But do you know what?
I had a great time.
One of them pulled me onto the dance floor. The dancing was fun; the conversation and inappropriate groping of my parts, less so. And yes, I played up my horrified discomfort, mostly to amuse the watching wrestlers.
But secretly--in those moments when I wasn't fending off her advances or looking over at my friends to see if they were taking any pictures--I enjoyed dancing with her.
Yes, she was drunk. No, she wasn't particularly attractive or likeable.
But I have a theory that all women are sexy. You just need to look for it.
And you could find it in this woman too. Just a spark, when we were dancing of the person maybe she used to be or could have been or maybe could be again. I looked in her eyes and saw past the alcohol and the years and the disappointments. I saw past my own prejudices, preconceptions, and judgements and recognized...well, a person, just like anybody else, someone who wants to be happy.
In that moment of human connection, dancing with her became fun. I stopped worrying about what my friends thought. I stopped caring about how I looked.
I enjoyed the dance.
This might be a cute story if it ended there, but it didn't.
After the dance, she continued to pursue me. Telling her I had to go didn't work, peeling her hand of my wrist didn't work.
I ended up weaving through the group of wrestlers like a basketball player coming off of a screen, finally buying myself a few seconds by ducking behind the six foot eight ZACK MERCURY (*)
I managed to find a seat. She managed to find me.
I was at a loss. I had tried everything. Assertiveness. Physical disengagement. Zack Effin' Mercury. What was left for poor Dan Brodribb?
The answer was about to arrive, and arrive it did like thunder.
It came in the form of yet ANOTHER overweight Native American woman.
It came--although I didn't learn her name until later--in the form of Muriel.
She powered between me and my assailant like a bulldozer, clamped her arm around me like a vice, turned to the other woman and said in the clipped First Nations accent:
"Hey. You messin' wit' my boyfriend?"
For a second they started at each other. I had a moment of giddiness--oh my god, they're going to fight over me.
This could be AWESOME.
Two gigantic Native American women throwing down amidst a group of wrestlers over the affections of the ring announcer...that is a visual on Big-Jess-Getting-Shot-With-Fireworks levels of unforgettable.
Alas, it was not to be. After a few moments of intent staring, the first woman slunk off like a jackal abandoning a zebra carcass.
I was relieved, then realized Muriel's arm was still around me.
Oh shit.
Had I gone from frying pan to fire?
Muriel drew closer, looked up at me...and winked.
"You look liked you needed some help," she whispered in my ear.
Oh, I did, Muriel. I did. And I'm not too proud to accept yours. Thank you from the bottom of my ring announcing, Buddhist, stand-up comic, relationship blogging heart.
Some may call the Thompson Inn hell, but for tonight, I had found my angel.
(*) My first Zack Mercury Experience was sitting next to him in the passenger seat of a rental truck, careening down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere while he simultaneously drove, texted, set up his ipod and mixed himself a protein shake without once looking at the road. He's a fun-loving, laid-back guy, which is why it came as such as surprise to me when he once told me something so on-point about my personal sense of self that I lie awake at night staring at the ceiling thinking about it to this day.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, August 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook
Sunday, July 24, 2011
In Which Dan Writes A Hung Over Blog Post In Sentence Fragments
Went to the bar last night for the first time in quite a while.
Well, unless you count Friday.
And every night on the Manitoba trip.
Never mind.
Best received line I used last night: "You`re really weird." Most confusing line used on me: "You look like an intellectual."
I don`t even know what that means.
The world has come a long way since "what`s your sign?"
Also, Captain Hammer climbed onto the roof of a building. Not a slow climb either. He scrambled up there like a spider monkey. It was damn impressive.
I was about to follow him up when the police car appeared beside me.
Probably for the best. I am not nearly as agile as the Captain.
The female cop taking Hammer`s information after he came down didn`t seem to know whether to ticket him or ask him out. She took his phone number in any case. I imagine it could go either way.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Well, unless you count Friday.
And every night on the Manitoba trip.
Never mind.
Best received line I used last night: "You`re really weird." Most confusing line used on me: "You look like an intellectual."
I don`t even know what that means.
The world has come a long way since "what`s your sign?"
Also, Captain Hammer climbed onto the roof of a building. Not a slow climb either. He scrambled up there like a spider monkey. It was damn impressive.
I was about to follow him up when the police car appeared beside me.
Probably for the best. I am not nearly as agile as the Captain.
The female cop taking Hammer`s information after he came down didn`t seem to know whether to ticket him or ask him out. She took his phone number in any case. I imagine it could go either way.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Dan Says The Sweetest Things (Part 2)
Keep in mind this happened at my 20 year high school reunion talking to a woman I hadn't seen in decades.
WOMAN: (in the midst of an impassioned debate about relationships): So let me ask you this, just for a guy's perspective. How do you get and keep a guy's attention. Like what does a guy think, when he comes home, he's watching TV and the woman comes out dressed in sexy lingerie.
ME: Depends if he's F***d her already or not.
After writing this down, I'm not sure if I should be plugging my dating advice blog, but for the record, the other guys at the table agreed with me. Well, the single ones did.
The ones seated beside their wives were oddly silent.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
WOMAN: (in the midst of an impassioned debate about relationships): So let me ask you this, just for a guy's perspective. How do you get and keep a guy's attention. Like what does a guy think, when he comes home, he's watching TV and the woman comes out dressed in sexy lingerie.
ME: Depends if he's F***d her already or not.
After writing this down, I'm not sure if I should be plugging my dating advice blog, but for the record, the other guys at the table agreed with me. Well, the single ones did.
The ones seated beside their wives were oddly silent.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
The Attitude
Now this is more like it.
I’ve been spending the past couple weeks grappling with the post-tour malaise I talked about here. The tour really brought into focus how empty of motivation my life has been lately. There isn’t as much going on as I’m used to and the stuff I am doing…I like it, but I just hadn’t been feeling the same passion. I’ve been lethargic, listless, and uninspired.
No longer.
Why? Because I remembered something I had forgotten.
The passion doesn’t come when the right thing comes along. The right things come along when you’re passionate.
Stressful as I find them, transitions are a natural part of life, especially for someone like me who loves the climb, but never wants to spend too much time on the same mountaintop. But to go from mountain to mountain also means passing through the valleys. It means taking the time to wait and see which height calls to me next.
But you can bring passion to the valleys too.
The secret isn’t to find something that motivates you. The secret is to have the motivation first and bring that to the things you do, even the little things.
This has been a good week so far. I’ve accomplished more in the last couple days than in the last few weeks combined. Some of them are big things: Finished three or four Gateway Boyfriend articles. Charged ahead on my application for grad school. Put in a volunteer application. Took a leap forward on some projects at my day job. Read all nine hundred and fifty-some pages of George RR Martin’s new novel in the bookstore. (Okay, that one might have taken more than a couple days. But I finished it less than a week after it came out. Anyway, you have your accomplishments and I have mine).
Others are small things: Bought groceries and dropped off a food bank donation. Cleaned. Rehearsed comedy. Promoted the Gateway Boyfriend. Made myself pancakes.
But it doesn’t matter if they’re big or small. What matters is that I brought the passion to them that I’ve been letting slide.
The motivation’s back, baby. I’m fired up.
Instead of looking outside myself for something to bring me joy, I’ve just looked inside myself and found it there all along.
I’d like to take credit for this transformation, but the truth was, I had a lot of help
- A discussion with my father about the Attitude (you’ll have to ask him about it).
- Conversations with the Edmonton Buddhist Meditation group.
-Some back hallway advice from Dino, the manager of The Comic Strip.
- Phone calls with friends--Dawn Dumont, Captain Hammer, the Slayer, and the drummer from my own band.
- A conversation with Vasalissa on Monday. We were talking about a completely unrelated subject, but something she said--not an easy thing to say, either--was what it took for all the pieces fall into place.
- Being at my 20 year high school reunion, which happened this weekend. Seeing all these faces again and hearing the stories and seeing the way so many of them are living their lives helped too. We’ve gone in many different directions (or perhaps not--80% of us became teachers, it seems) and it’s hard not to be optimistic when you see how people have evolved, yet still remained true to themselves. As my old social studies teacher wisely remarked, “You move and change within your core, but your core remains the same.” There were a few teachers there. One was the woman who taught me English every year but one from grade six until graduation. She was the one who helped nurture my writing--so if there are any spelling or grammar errors in this post…well, it’s her fault now, isn’t it?
Maybe it’s coincidence, but already things seem to be looking up. Comedy is picking up for September and October. Dawn and I are going to see Wicked on Thursday.
In celebration, I’ve decided to mark down the Dating for Shy Guys book by 40%. The sale isn’t going to stay very long--my avaricious nature won’t allow it--but if you’re thinking of picking the ebook up for yourself or someone you know, now’s the time to do it. The link is here.
In the meantime, I’m excited to see how things play out. There are thing not yet begun. There are things not yet finished. I don’t know what‘s going to happen next.
But I know, whatever it is, I’m ready to do it.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
I’ve been spending the past couple weeks grappling with the post-tour malaise I talked about here. The tour really brought into focus how empty of motivation my life has been lately. There isn’t as much going on as I’m used to and the stuff I am doing…I like it, but I just hadn’t been feeling the same passion. I’ve been lethargic, listless, and uninspired.
No longer.
Why? Because I remembered something I had forgotten.
The passion doesn’t come when the right thing comes along. The right things come along when you’re passionate.
Stressful as I find them, transitions are a natural part of life, especially for someone like me who loves the climb, but never wants to spend too much time on the same mountaintop. But to go from mountain to mountain also means passing through the valleys. It means taking the time to wait and see which height calls to me next.
But you can bring passion to the valleys too.
The secret isn’t to find something that motivates you. The secret is to have the motivation first and bring that to the things you do, even the little things.
This has been a good week so far. I’ve accomplished more in the last couple days than in the last few weeks combined. Some of them are big things: Finished three or four Gateway Boyfriend articles. Charged ahead on my application for grad school. Put in a volunteer application. Took a leap forward on some projects at my day job. Read all nine hundred and fifty-some pages of George RR Martin’s new novel in the bookstore. (Okay, that one might have taken more than a couple days. But I finished it less than a week after it came out. Anyway, you have your accomplishments and I have mine).
Others are small things: Bought groceries and dropped off a food bank donation. Cleaned. Rehearsed comedy. Promoted the Gateway Boyfriend. Made myself pancakes.
But it doesn’t matter if they’re big or small. What matters is that I brought the passion to them that I’ve been letting slide.
The motivation’s back, baby. I’m fired up.
Instead of looking outside myself for something to bring me joy, I’ve just looked inside myself and found it there all along.
I’d like to take credit for this transformation, but the truth was, I had a lot of help
- A discussion with my father about the Attitude (you’ll have to ask him about it).
- Conversations with the Edmonton Buddhist Meditation group.
-Some back hallway advice from Dino, the manager of The Comic Strip.
- Phone calls with friends--Dawn Dumont, Captain Hammer, the Slayer, and the drummer from my own band.
- A conversation with Vasalissa on Monday. We were talking about a completely unrelated subject, but something she said--not an easy thing to say, either--was what it took for all the pieces fall into place.
- Being at my 20 year high school reunion, which happened this weekend. Seeing all these faces again and hearing the stories and seeing the way so many of them are living their lives helped too. We’ve gone in many different directions (or perhaps not--80% of us became teachers, it seems) and it’s hard not to be optimistic when you see how people have evolved, yet still remained true to themselves. As my old social studies teacher wisely remarked, “You move and change within your core, but your core remains the same.” There were a few teachers there. One was the woman who taught me English every year but one from grade six until graduation. She was the one who helped nurture my writing--so if there are any spelling or grammar errors in this post…well, it’s her fault now, isn’t it?
Maybe it’s coincidence, but already things seem to be looking up. Comedy is picking up for September and October. Dawn and I are going to see Wicked on Thursday.
In celebration, I’ve decided to mark down the Dating for Shy Guys book by 40%. The sale isn’t going to stay very long--my avaricious nature won’t allow it--but if you’re thinking of picking the ebook up for yourself or someone you know, now’s the time to do it. The link is here.
In the meantime, I’m excited to see how things play out. There are thing not yet begun. There are things not yet finished. I don’t know what‘s going to happen next.
But I know, whatever it is, I’m ready to do it.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Waiting
“The high-wire is life: All the rest is waiting.”
-Karl Wallenda
Being back from the tour has been an adjustment.
When you're on tour, something new and interesting is happening every moment. There's a new town to visit, a new crisis to be averted, new people to meet and new parties to attend.
And of course there are the shows.
Performing for a live audience is its own high. It's also like being part of a secret society in that only the people who know what it's like know what it's like. Each moment in front of a crowd is amazing because there is only that moment and then it is gone. You can REPEAT a joke, but you can never tell it twice because each time is unique. Every second on stage or in the ring is JUST that second. Once it's experienced--whether you're a performer or part of the crowd--you can never get it back.
It's a lot like sex in that respect.
It's also a lot like sex in that it is awesome.
It also means now that the tour is over, it's been an adjustment period going back to my regular rhythm. The pace feels so much slower. The level of intensity and focus required feels so much less. The parties are nice but they aren't...well, they aren't wrestling level parties.
I've had these sorts of 'show-biz hangovers' before. When you have a great show or a great tour, it's hard to go back to buying groceries, paying rent, and doing taxes. Last night you were a star, and today you have the same problems as anybody else.
I can see why show-biz types go crazy. Once you get a taste, it's hard to stop.
This week I'm working overnights. For the last couple nights I've been staying up later to acclimatize myself. It's strange being awake when the rest of the world is asleep. You're alone. Nothing to do, but go for walks, pace the apartment, and read, watch TV, or play videogames.
But always that restless feeling, like you're waiting for the rest of the world to wake up.
Maybe some of you know what I'm talking about.
Because that to me is what life offstage feels like most of the time. As rewarding as it is or as fun as it is or as happy you are or how much you love the people you are with, it always feels like life's color and volume is turned down just a couple notches. It feels like all the things you do--working, sleeping, eating, socializing--could really be summed up in one word.
Waiting.
Waiting for colour and sound to come back.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
-Karl Wallenda
Being back from the tour has been an adjustment.
When you're on tour, something new and interesting is happening every moment. There's a new town to visit, a new crisis to be averted, new people to meet and new parties to attend.
And of course there are the shows.
Performing for a live audience is its own high. It's also like being part of a secret society in that only the people who know what it's like know what it's like. Each moment in front of a crowd is amazing because there is only that moment and then it is gone. You can REPEAT a joke, but you can never tell it twice because each time is unique. Every second on stage or in the ring is JUST that second. Once it's experienced--whether you're a performer or part of the crowd--you can never get it back.
It's a lot like sex in that respect.
It's also a lot like sex in that it is awesome.
It also means now that the tour is over, it's been an adjustment period going back to my regular rhythm. The pace feels so much slower. The level of intensity and focus required feels so much less. The parties are nice but they aren't...well, they aren't wrestling level parties.
I've had these sorts of 'show-biz hangovers' before. When you have a great show or a great tour, it's hard to go back to buying groceries, paying rent, and doing taxes. Last night you were a star, and today you have the same problems as anybody else.
I can see why show-biz types go crazy. Once you get a taste, it's hard to stop.
This week I'm working overnights. For the last couple nights I've been staying up later to acclimatize myself. It's strange being awake when the rest of the world is asleep. You're alone. Nothing to do, but go for walks, pace the apartment, and read, watch TV, or play videogames.
But always that restless feeling, like you're waiting for the rest of the world to wake up.
Maybe some of you know what I'm talking about.
Because that to me is what life offstage feels like most of the time. As rewarding as it is or as fun as it is or as happy you are or how much you love the people you are with, it always feels like life's color and volume is turned down just a couple notches. It feels like all the things you do--working, sleeping, eating, socializing--could really be summed up in one word.
Waiting.
Waiting for colour and sound to come back.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wishing Manitoba The Best In It's Future Endeavours
Continued from Part 1
I am safely home. The tow truck arrived at nine o'clock, we had the tire changed by nine fifteen, and were on the road at nine twenty.
We Cyndi Laupered it through Manitoba. We dealt with one rainstorm and ran out of gas twice. Since gas stations in this part of Manitoba all close at night, we had some problems. Once we were saved by a couple Good Samaritans (I'm not sure what Good Samaritans were doing in The Pas at three in the morning, but I'm glad they were there) and the second time we were close enough to town and it was close enough to the gas station's opening that we only lost a few minutes.
The citizens of Manitoba are good people, even if the province itself seems to hate us. Or maybe it loves us so much that it wanted us to stay...wanted us to stay, well this clip says it all.
Once we were out of Manitoba it was smooth sailing. The only hard part was staying awake.
The drive took us twenty-one hours.
All in all, I had a great time. There are always lots of adventures to be had on tour, and even though the best of them I cannot tell another living soul who wasn't there, it will be nice to take those memories out of the Vault of Secrets I Keep and look at them once in a while before quietly putting back with a smile (although some of the photos may have made in onto Facebook, if you know where to look).
The people were also great. Whether it was people I've known for years and considered friends like BIG JESS and HEAVY METAL, people I've met but don't always get to spend a lot of time with such as AJ SANCHEZ, TOMMY LEE CURTIS and MENTALLO, people I've never met before like ZACK MERCURY and RTD, being on tour together always brings out something in people you haven't seen before, so you always go out feeling a little more connected to people than when you went in. And of course there are the people we meet along the way: fans, the strangers who helped us out, the staff of the Lakeview Inn in Thompson who were fantastic during our times of trouble, and so many more. You don't know someone (or even what they're 'ca-caple of') until you've been on the road together.
Thank you to all of you. You are all Tough Guys in my book. I will see you next time, but for now, I am happy to be home and am relieved to be able to finally wish Manitoba all the best in its future endeavours.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
I am safely home. The tow truck arrived at nine o'clock, we had the tire changed by nine fifteen, and were on the road at nine twenty.
We Cyndi Laupered it through Manitoba. We dealt with one rainstorm and ran out of gas twice. Since gas stations in this part of Manitoba all close at night, we had some problems. Once we were saved by a couple Good Samaritans (I'm not sure what Good Samaritans were doing in The Pas at three in the morning, but I'm glad they were there) and the second time we were close enough to town and it was close enough to the gas station's opening that we only lost a few minutes.
The citizens of Manitoba are good people, even if the province itself seems to hate us. Or maybe it loves us so much that it wanted us to stay...wanted us to stay, well this clip says it all.
Once we were out of Manitoba it was smooth sailing. The only hard part was staying awake.
The drive took us twenty-one hours.
All in all, I had a great time. There are always lots of adventures to be had on tour, and even though the best of them I cannot tell another living soul who wasn't there, it will be nice to take those memories out of the Vault of Secrets I Keep and look at them once in a while before quietly putting back with a smile (although some of the photos may have made in onto Facebook, if you know where to look).
The people were also great. Whether it was people I've known for years and considered friends like BIG JESS and HEAVY METAL, people I've met but don't always get to spend a lot of time with such as AJ SANCHEZ, TOMMY LEE CURTIS and MENTALLO, people I've never met before like ZACK MERCURY and RTD, being on tour together always brings out something in people you haven't seen before, so you always go out feeling a little more connected to people than when you went in. And of course there are the people we meet along the way: fans, the strangers who helped us out, the staff of the Lakeview Inn in Thompson who were fantastic during our times of trouble, and so many more. You don't know someone (or even what they're 'ca-caple of') until you've been on the road together.
Thank you to all of you. You are all Tough Guys in my book. I will see you next time, but for now, I am happy to be home and am relieved to be able to finally wish Manitoba all the best in its future endeavours.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Dan Says The Sweetest Things
Hanging out in a nightclub parking lot with wrestlers and hot girls.
DANNY DUGGAN: Is anybody cold?
DAN BRODRIBB: I am.
HOT GIRL: Not me.
DAN BRODRIBB: Great. Then you can loan me your jacket.
HOT GIRL: Wow, you're a real gentleman. What do you want next, my soul?
DAN BRODRIBB: Young lady, I've been talking to you for nearly an hour and I have yet to see any compelling evidence that you have a soul.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
DANNY DUGGAN: Is anybody cold?
DAN BRODRIBB: I am.
HOT GIRL: Not me.
DAN BRODRIBB: Great. Then you can loan me your jacket.
HOT GIRL: Wow, you're a real gentleman. What do you want next, my soul?
DAN BRODRIBB: Young lady, I've been talking to you for nearly an hour and I have yet to see any compelling evidence that you have a soul.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Trapped in Thompson
This time when I woke up this morning, I knew exactly where I was.
On a mattress on a garage floor in Gillam, Manitoba.
This wasn't part of the plan.
Nor was it the update I planned to write. The story I wanted to tell was either the great Gillam Wrestling Basketball Invitational, the Dauphin Pants-Off Dance-Off or the Triumphant Return to the Thompson Inn in which Dan got to watch two intoxicated and rather weathered-looking older women nearly get into a fight over him.
Those stories may come later.
But for now, I am trapped in Thompson, which in the scheme of things is an upgrade from being marooned in Gillam, but still not ideal, given the circumstances.
Both are wonderful towns with wonderful people and great places to put on shows.
Still, Thompson is a town with zombies. At least that's what we joke about when we see the way some of its population shuffles around the town, seemingly oblivious to other people, cars, or street signals.
Gillam, on the other hand, is kind of like the moon, if there was a Legion hall there--isolated and desolate, a town that is barely a town at all and exists only by the grace of Manitoba Hydro.
The tour was going smoothly until the trip to Gillam on the last day, when the wheels came off--literally. One of the cars--the one that was to take us back home--blew a tire on the gravel road to Gillam. Unfortunately, the boys didn't realize the tire had blown until a hundred and fifty kilometers later. The rim was torn to pieces.
The car made it to the show on the donut. The show itself was fantastic, capped by the Supreme-Adonnas riding to the ring on tricycles they found backstage.
It was only after the show that things got a little sticky when it occurred to us we were about to attempt to drive back to Thompson in a vehicle with only three good tires.
On a narrow gravel road, mainly populated by speeding trucks. Over two hundred and fifty gas-station free miles north of the next town.
Did I mention none of our cell phones had service that far north?
They didn't.
Did I mention the forest fire warning?
Well, there was.
We ended up spending the night in Gillam and headed out early the next morning, hoping the car would make it.
It didn't.
We were less than twenty kilometeres out of town when the tire blew.
The back-up plan was to ride in the back of the ring truck with all the equipment. IT was not a plan I liked, since dust had proven its ability to get into the truck, and I wasn't keen on being thrown around in the back of a trailer filled with steel supports breathing in dust and forest fire smoke.
Still, I was making myself a little nest in one corner of luggage, entrance cloth and ring padding when the bus arrived.
The Greyhound from Gillam to Thompson right on schedule.
All of us except for two guys jumped into the bus and we rode back to Thompson in style. And from the way the bus bounced over the roads, I'm very glad we didn't go through with Operation: Ring Truck. Meanwhile, The Supreme-Adonnas drove the ring truck back to Thompson.
We owe that bus driver big as well as the staff of Lakeview Inn and Suites who let us stay past check-out time and were patient with our endless phone calls and questions as we tried to solve our dilemma and let our loved ones know what was going on.
Which brings us to where I am right now: writing this entry on a hotel computer while I wait for the tow truck to bring the car back to us. We've already picked up a tire and rim from Canadian Tire and are going to make the change ourselves if the dealership is closed by the time it gets here.
I am optimistic.
But the Sports Entertainment Gods are fickle.
If you don't hear from me in a few days, you might want to take a trip up to Thompson, Manitoba.
Could be you'll find a few new zombies shuffling around.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
On a mattress on a garage floor in Gillam, Manitoba.
This wasn't part of the plan.
Nor was it the update I planned to write. The story I wanted to tell was either the great Gillam Wrestling Basketball Invitational, the Dauphin Pants-Off Dance-Off or the Triumphant Return to the Thompson Inn in which Dan got to watch two intoxicated and rather weathered-looking older women nearly get into a fight over him.
Those stories may come later.
But for now, I am trapped in Thompson, which in the scheme of things is an upgrade from being marooned in Gillam, but still not ideal, given the circumstances.
Both are wonderful towns with wonderful people and great places to put on shows.
Still, Thompson is a town with zombies. At least that's what we joke about when we see the way some of its population shuffles around the town, seemingly oblivious to other people, cars, or street signals.
Gillam, on the other hand, is kind of like the moon, if there was a Legion hall there--isolated and desolate, a town that is barely a town at all and exists only by the grace of Manitoba Hydro.
The tour was going smoothly until the trip to Gillam on the last day, when the wheels came off--literally. One of the cars--the one that was to take us back home--blew a tire on the gravel road to Gillam. Unfortunately, the boys didn't realize the tire had blown until a hundred and fifty kilometers later. The rim was torn to pieces.
The car made it to the show on the donut. The show itself was fantastic, capped by the Supreme-Adonnas riding to the ring on tricycles they found backstage.
It was only after the show that things got a little sticky when it occurred to us we were about to attempt to drive back to Thompson in a vehicle with only three good tires.
On a narrow gravel road, mainly populated by speeding trucks. Over two hundred and fifty gas-station free miles north of the next town.
Did I mention none of our cell phones had service that far north?
They didn't.
Did I mention the forest fire warning?
Well, there was.
We ended up spending the night in Gillam and headed out early the next morning, hoping the car would make it.
It didn't.
We were less than twenty kilometeres out of town when the tire blew.
The back-up plan was to ride in the back of the ring truck with all the equipment. IT was not a plan I liked, since dust had proven its ability to get into the truck, and I wasn't keen on being thrown around in the back of a trailer filled with steel supports breathing in dust and forest fire smoke.
Still, I was making myself a little nest in one corner of luggage, entrance cloth and ring padding when the bus arrived.
The Greyhound from Gillam to Thompson right on schedule.
All of us except for two guys jumped into the bus and we rode back to Thompson in style. And from the way the bus bounced over the roads, I'm very glad we didn't go through with Operation: Ring Truck. Meanwhile, The Supreme-Adonnas drove the ring truck back to Thompson.
We owe that bus driver big as well as the staff of Lakeview Inn and Suites who let us stay past check-out time and were patient with our endless phone calls and questions as we tried to solve our dilemma and let our loved ones know what was going on.
Which brings us to where I am right now: writing this entry on a hotel computer while I wait for the tow truck to bring the car back to us. We've already picked up a tire and rim from Canadian Tire and are going to make the change ourselves if the dealership is closed by the time it gets here.
I am optimistic.
But the Sports Entertainment Gods are fickle.
If you don't hear from me in a few days, you might want to take a trip up to Thompson, Manitoba.
Could be you'll find a few new zombies shuffling around.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
What Do We Call This?
Man, I thought as I opened my eyes this morning. That was one refreshing sleep.
I wonder where I am.
Yesterday had been a heck of a day.
There was the ten hour overnight car ride that turned into thirteen, singing songs to keep ourselves awake. By the time we got to the show, I had been awake for nearly thirty-one hours.
There was the first shows of the trip on a carnival midway in the Winnipeg heat, where I got to referee HEAVY METAL vs. DANNY DUGGAN and picked up some refereeing tips from the Honky Tonk Man and others.
Then it was time to pick KEVY CHEVY up, who had somehow managed to find himself standing alone in a field on the side of the highway.
Things get a little blurry after that.
I remember firecrackers going off, as the wrestlers attempted to demolish a model boat KEVY CHEVY had bought. Colored lights and sparks blasted past cars and into the sides of buildings and at least four hit BIG JESS who ended up on the ground. As Heavy Metal said the next day as we were all piecing the fragments of the previous evening togehter like particularly inept CSI Unit technicians, "You really can't explain in words how funny it to watch a grown man hit with roman candles until you see it yourself."
I remember AJ Sanchez and another wrestler offering to take us to a place where we could get a shower, and being the only one who accepted the offer, showering in a darkened building.
I remember riding to the club and HEAVY METAL jumping out of the car at red lights and giving posters advertising the show to other cars.
I remember going to a club and Kevy attempting a karate kick that ended up at shin level and trying to tear off his shirt with less than picture-perfect success.
I remember being so exhausted I just wanted to go to bed. I was ready to sleep in the car, but I couldn't find anybody but referee IAN SMALLS. I looked around the club for what felt like hours, finally said, 'screw it, I'm sleeping in the car' and went out to find everybody else already in the parking lot waiting for me.
Everyone piled into Big Jess' car except me, who jumped in with AJ. I figured since AJ was the person who knew where he was going, I was sticking with him.
Big Jess was supposed to follow us, but at some point we lost them, possibly because we made some stops along the way that may or may not have been completely necessary.
I felt bad for the Boys, but was congratulating on my cleverness. I, at least, would make it to the place we were staying--wrestler Bobby Jay's house.
When we arrived it was dark. I staggered down the stairs and crashed on the bed, noting in the back of my mind that the layout of the basement was different from what I remembered.
Bobby Jay must have done some renovations, I thought vaguely as I lost consciousness. But at least I ended up in the right place. I felt bad for everyone else, but what could I do? Hopefully they found somewhere to spend the night.
It was only the next morning that I discovered I was the one at the wrong place. Instead of being at Bobby Jay's house, I was at AJ's. To add insult to injury, AJ dropped me off at Bobby Jay's house the next morning where I discovered everyone else already there.
Guess they found the place after all--except for Ian, who ended up sleeping in the car.
A night this legendary deserves a name, and for those of us on the tour, it already has one.
We call it 'Day One.'
God help us all.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
UPCOMING WRESTLING
WITH CWE WRESTLING
Sunday, June 19 - Winnipeg Manitoba
Monday, June 20 - Dauphin, Manitoba
Tuesday, June 21 - Swan River, Manitoba
Wednesday, June 22 - Flin Fon, Manitoba
Thursday, June 23 - Thompson, Manitoba
Friday, June 24 - Gillam, Manitoba
Information on tickets and showtimes, as well as other details on CWE can be found here.
I wonder where I am.
Yesterday had been a heck of a day.
There was the ten hour overnight car ride that turned into thirteen, singing songs to keep ourselves awake. By the time we got to the show, I had been awake for nearly thirty-one hours.
There was the first shows of the trip on a carnival midway in the Winnipeg heat, where I got to referee HEAVY METAL vs. DANNY DUGGAN and picked up some refereeing tips from the Honky Tonk Man and others.
Then it was time to pick KEVY CHEVY up, who had somehow managed to find himself standing alone in a field on the side of the highway.
Things get a little blurry after that.
I remember firecrackers going off, as the wrestlers attempted to demolish a model boat KEVY CHEVY had bought. Colored lights and sparks blasted past cars and into the sides of buildings and at least four hit BIG JESS who ended up on the ground. As Heavy Metal said the next day as we were all piecing the fragments of the previous evening togehter like particularly inept CSI Unit technicians, "You really can't explain in words how funny it to watch a grown man hit with roman candles until you see it yourself."
I remember AJ Sanchez and another wrestler offering to take us to a place where we could get a shower, and being the only one who accepted the offer, showering in a darkened building.
I remember riding to the club and HEAVY METAL jumping out of the car at red lights and giving posters advertising the show to other cars.
I remember going to a club and Kevy attempting a karate kick that ended up at shin level and trying to tear off his shirt with less than picture-perfect success.
I remember being so exhausted I just wanted to go to bed. I was ready to sleep in the car, but I couldn't find anybody but referee IAN SMALLS. I looked around the club for what felt like hours, finally said, 'screw it, I'm sleeping in the car' and went out to find everybody else already in the parking lot waiting for me.
Everyone piled into Big Jess' car except me, who jumped in with AJ. I figured since AJ was the person who knew where he was going, I was sticking with him.
Big Jess was supposed to follow us, but at some point we lost them, possibly because we made some stops along the way that may or may not have been completely necessary.
I felt bad for the Boys, but was congratulating on my cleverness. I, at least, would make it to the place we were staying--wrestler Bobby Jay's house.
When we arrived it was dark. I staggered down the stairs and crashed on the bed, noting in the back of my mind that the layout of the basement was different from what I remembered.
Bobby Jay must have done some renovations, I thought vaguely as I lost consciousness. But at least I ended up in the right place. I felt bad for everyone else, but what could I do? Hopefully they found somewhere to spend the night.
It was only the next morning that I discovered I was the one at the wrong place. Instead of being at Bobby Jay's house, I was at AJ's. To add insult to injury, AJ dropped me off at Bobby Jay's house the next morning where I discovered everyone else already there.
Guess they found the place after all--except for Ian, who ended up sleeping in the car.
A night this legendary deserves a name, and for those of us on the tour, it already has one.
We call it 'Day One.'
God help us all.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
UPCOMING WRESTLING
WITH CWE WRESTLING
Sunday, June 19 - Winnipeg Manitoba
Monday, June 20 - Dauphin, Manitoba
Tuesday, June 21 - Swan River, Manitoba
Wednesday, June 22 - Flin Fon, Manitoba
Thursday, June 23 - Thompson, Manitoba
Friday, June 24 - Gillam, Manitoba
Information on tickets and showtimes, as well as other details on CWE can be found here.
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