I don’t think it’s just me, but hasn’t this been a strange (frickin’) summer so far, kids?
Maybe it is just me… between the unbelievably cold weather (wtf?) and the never-ending garbage/city strike here in Toronto (my son’s camp was cancelled!!! No mommy-time for you, Martha!). Add to that the crazy celebrity die-off (seriously, Walter, but you are the last allowed to go until September!) But the general feeling of the whole thing; people seem off. Perhaps I’m hyper aware of everything – this is the first summer without my mother – first of everything this year is going to be difficult/weird. We’ve also had major disruptions starting with the dog being spayed (NOT a happy time in the O’Neill homestead, just so you know!), followed by the almost immediate appearance of a crew of men who have been tearing apart and subsequently rebuilding (at crippling expense) all of our bathrooms…
But there’s a feeling of “meh” in the air. Instead of the feverish patio jumping/concert going/water park fun I normally associate with these months, I’m getting a sense of eye-rolling “poor us”-ness. And it’s contagious. It’s trickled down to me – and I’m seriously a summer keener of massive proportions, but I’m finding it hard even crack open and try all the different barbeque sauces I bought last winter in Florida in anticipation of these months (and they are all delicious-sounding, believe you me!)
(*Aside – apologies for the plethora of brackets in today’s column – can’t explain it – just feeling struck by parenthesis-itis tm!) (And exclamation-pointy tm!)
On top of that, for me, it’s been an exasperatingly slow time for the ol’ comedy (‘cause it inevitably comes back to that, non?). Traditionally, this is a slow time for everyone in comedy. I tend not to book into too many shows, expecting to be busy with the concerts/patios/barbeques etc – but I’m usually writing like a madwoman… maybe it’s the self-inflicted lull that inspires me, I dunno – but not only have I only performed twice in the past 3 weeks, but I’ve written virtually nothing! Not panicking, yet – but come on! Where’s my mojo? (Ha! Like I actually HAVE mojo – whatever that means out of the 80’s context…) – but you know what I mean.
Even this column – a once a week thing, and I’m struggling for content. I went to the JFL Homegrown show tonight in Toronto, and seriously considered doing a “review” for today’s blog – but got there and was overcome with “naw”. (In fact the show was terrific, all of the comics did an outstanding job, though the winner was Mark Little, runner-up Graham Chittenden – both worthy and hilarious). I did get to finally meet Nancy Beaven, who was lovely and got to mingle with a lot of people I admire – which just made me all the more frustrated at how much better I need to get.
God, nothing’s going to make me happy this summer is it? Don’t let me down, August, that’s all I’ve got to say!
P.S. I did see “Harry Potter and the Blah, Blah, Blah” today – and aside from Harry’s post-pubescent attractiveness (creepy? Sorry…) – Winston’s review was pretty much dead on.