A November To Not Remember
Tags: stand-up diaries, The Stand-Up Diaries, trevor deanI am aware it’s past midnight on November 30th, and yes I do have a job to get to in the morning. However, it’s kind of difficult to get to sleep when November 29th for the past two years is a day you’d rather forget.
On November 29th two years ago, I was hours away from my court case, wondering if everything I had would be taken away from me, courtesy of a three year stint in the penitentiary. Then last year, Roger Parent’s memorial service was held.
Let’s face it, no matter how I try to spin it, stability isn’t something I am usually known for. Loyalty and being able to keep my sanity while pushing through struggle is what I’m known for. Stability, though….not so much.
I always had the sense that God spared me the three years in the pen, to make the next three years of my life purposeful. Well, the third year ends on November 30, 2019. So far in the first two years the comedy has become marginally better. My relationship went into the ditch and died there. I did not have a job for the last two Christmas holidays, and I found Faith Alive Family Church.
This year has been interesting in comedy, but shit otherwise. I have not appeared on stage since probably late June or early July. Simply put, it has been several months since I have been back on the comedy stage, as I plan to continue taking the remainder of 2017 off from the stage.
I am writing new material and churning out new ideas lately that get away from my life and more towards my point of view on things. It is still very much a lobbying effort to try to get myself back on The Laugh Shop stage for 2018. Like I said before, it’s a cruel irony. Just when the laugh shop location decided to start promoting their acts heavily on social media, that’s when I fell off the map. I went from being in a regular rotation every several months or so, to waiting much longer to get back on. The last three appearances made have all been guest spots.
With the new job, there is renewed interest and some new interest as well in my comedy. It may give me the motivation I need in 2018 keep moving forward.
Hopefully when future November 29th dates roll around on the calendar, I will be able to get some sleep knowing what lies ahead, instead of looking in the rearview mirror to remember what was.
In my years in comedy, I have never, ever told a single joke with a clear conscience. I have never told a joke being able to be completely relaxed, knowing I had no fears of losing a job or not being able to pay my bills. I have not told a joke or prepared for a show with my life being anything close to stable before. Sure, I am 25k in the fucking hole and I have no idea if I will ever recover from that. But, I have a job with a future beyond three months, with bosses who are supportive, honest and conduct themselves with integrity and class. I will have shit to pay off for a while, but at least I have a job I will not get screwed out of. My back is beyond sore and in need of treatment, but my rent will be paid, I will be able to get groceries and have a little bit left to myself. in other words, things many of you already take for granted.
I have no clue what it would be like to get on stage and be happy, let alone be relaxed or content with any sort of stability in life. Will that translate into an amazing 2018 that sees the quality of my sets skyrocket, or still employ that marginal upward swing?
There is only one way to find out. Sit down, hold tight and get ready for an interesting ride called 2018. It will be coming soon to a comedy stage near you.