#190 - Sixth Consecutive Months of this Blog

I was startled awake from a pleasant dream by the sound of Robyn laughing at full volume. And my wife is renowned for her far travelling laugh.

She woke before me and was watching a video of something that just got her going. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I guess there are worse ways to wake you up and I should be thankful it was laughing instead of crying.

It was Robyn’s first day at the new job, and we both are working for the same company now. She had her induction video meetings, and I had my meeting with my counterpart and our boss to catch up and set the goals for the week. I worked through lunch because we are heading to Toronto this evening to see David Sedaris, the renowned essayist read some of his work.

I had a one o’clock meeting with all the team and that lasted about an hour. Afterwards I was assigned a background to paint which I was able to complete. I moved on to approving the painters work until about five o’clock when we headed out to catch the Go Train into the city. The show was set to start at seven-thirty at Massey Hall and we got there with enough time to leisurely stroll to the venue.

There was a quick stop a Kenton Ramen, where Robyn got an order. I had eaten some grocery store sushi before leaving and wasn’t very hungry. I didn’t want to sit in a chair for two and a half hours with a full belly either.

After getting a quick Tim Horton’s tea we entered the venue. It was a full house and there was a good energy in the air. We climbed the two or three flights of stairs and headed to the lounge area. I was hoping to get a glass of redwine before the show started, but after seeing the line up and the prices I decided against it.

But we ran into a colleague that had recently retired and had time for a quick chat. In the same lobby I could see David signing books and chatting to people who had lined up for the privilege. The line up to see him was even longer than the booze line.

We said goodnight to our friend and headed to our seats right at the end of the first balcony, stage left, and first row. This meant we had unobstructed views of David facing almost directly to his right. Great seats, and I had no one to my immediate left, which gave me plenty of elbow room.

The only downside to these seats was the lack of room infront. Our knees were touching the balcony wall the whole time, not that it was uncomfortable, but know one was getting by easily. And luckily no one ever tried. Robyn did get up to walk around before the show started to help bring down her blood sugar, and my darling wife returned with a glass of red for me as a treat. Ain’t life a peach sometimes?

As I took my first sip of wine, the lights dimmed and David took to the stage in a blue frock and shoes that a business clone might wear, the fronts bend open and lined with teeth like a ravenous pair of mouths. He complained that his fanged shoes were catching on his business skirt.

Sedaris had everyone right from the beginning. It’s as much of a comedy show as anything else. He read from his new book, some essays that hadn’t been published and a short bit of fiction that had everyone laughing in stitches.

His delivery is perfect and well honed as it always is. I always recommend that people who have never heard of him should listen to a Youtube video where he reads an essay called, “Eight to Ten Black Men,” and is about the different Christmas traditions and beliefs around the world.

You’ll thank me.

He took questions at the end like he usually does and then went back out to the lounge to signing more books and talk to the audience. The line up for that is always really long as well.

Everytime I have attended one of his readings I bring along an unused notepad of the type he carries around with him. They have been hard to get lately, so I imagine handing him it, as he’ll get more use out of it than I will. Then I see the size of the line and abandon all thoughts of this minor gift giving.

I have done the three times so far.

Massey Hall is not the type of place you can exit quickly. It took a while to get down to the floor level and then through the exit doors. Once outside we immediately ran into our friend from work for the second time that night.

What are the chances?

We walked back to the station where Robyn got herself another tea and we waited for the train to arrive. There was clearly a Blue Jays game tonight as well. The concourse was swimming in blue baseball jerseys and bluejay caps. This can often mean the train ride home is a bit rowdy, but it wasn’t as bad as other times we have taken a train home.

I listened to my Sarah j. Maas audiobook while Robyn read her book to pass the time.

A short and uneventful drive from the station and we were back at home and ready for bed. But sleep would have to wait for me as I needed to keep up my blog streak and get some words written.

This is the sixth consecutive month of this blog and the 190^th post. That might not seem like a lot to some people, but to me it is the start of something bigger. I have posted religiously 190 times, never missing a day.

I’m going to take the victory lap on this one.

Because, at the same time I have to restart the reading streak. There was just too much to do today, and I didn’t want to bring a back to the venue. Sad part is I only have a little bit left to read of Mythago Woods to finish it.

The failures and restarts make the successes all the more sweeter.

I sold some of my US stocks today to pay for the extension of my mentorship. I think it will be money well spent as my future as a writer is being catapulted forward with this opportunity. Not only am I learning about the craft, I am learning about myself as a writer.

I have my mentor assignment due this Saturday, and unfortunately, I have an incredibly busy week. Wednesday we are at “The Book of Mormon,” Thursday is Survivor, Pizza, Hot Tub and Saturday I am representing the animation studio at TAAFI during the day.

Not a lot of free time in there to get my writing done!

But that said, it’s late and I am up early again tomorrow.

Night all!