The Oak Bay Beach Hotel opened March 30, 1928. It burned to the ground shortly thereafter and was then rebuilt and reopened in 1930, smack dab in the middle of a world wide depression brought on by the infamous stock market crash of 1929. To say the Oak Bay Beach Hotel had a rough couple of years, is to craft an epic understatement. But survive it did, and It is where my story telling will begin.
Mark Twain was a great observational humourist, known to celebrate Silliness in his writing and in his life. I’m no Mark Twain but I have always celebrated Silliness in my life. When I was young I thought it was just part of being young, helped in that narrow interpretation by may English parents and the regular admonition …
“Don’t be silly Tony”
Much is being made of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, most of it self indulgent, chest thumping, congratulatory puffery. But where did it all go so wrong? The United States I mean. And make no mistake, it has gone wrong.
So when I say none of us know anything at 22, I’m wrong. Neil Young did. Nailed it. But for me some fifty-four years later I’m left to visit Reflection. Why was I so hell bent on getting there. Wherever there was?! So focused on the journey I took no time to reflect upon each moment of it.
It has been hard to live to the age of 76 and still be naive. It is much easier to be angry and cynical and quick to judgement. That noise is overwhelming and someday’s leaves me bleak and in despair.
So here’s my fathers’s day message. Back off on Dad Jokes. No, don’t just back off. Embrace Dad Jokes.
I’m afraid for the calendar.
Its days are numbered.
But that’s not the case for Dad Jokes. They are here to stay.
I have to go now. My wife is calling me upstairs.
I don’t trust stairs.
They’re always up to something.
Happy Father’s Day.
That aside, it is what the seventies, if you’re lucky enough to get here, are for. It’s a gift. Prep Time before Go Time!
Yeah, you can see I have some work to do yet but, I have time.
All my life I have had a very crisp, clear answer when I was asked what I did.
“I’m a lawyer. A criminal defence lawyer.”
“I’m a broadcaster, a radio morning show co-host.”
Even in self deprecating moments, I was crisp and clear.
“I’m a blustering blowhard.”
Writing for profit is a fool’s game. I don’t, I write for myself. Some of my writing is profound, some is important, but most of it is neither of those two things. I am at my best as an observational humourist, filtering the mundane through the ‘amusing’ lens and writing.
David Sedaris is a great American observational humourist and he has unknowingly guided me as I spelunked my way through many a dark, confusing writing tunnel. He taught me to stop worrying about inspiration. He says that human beings are very funny, hilarious at times. The knack he says is to get better at seeing it. He is right, if I have grown as a writer it is because I am better now at ‘seeing’ us as we are, simple and complex, shallow and profound, tragic and hilarious. We are endlessly fascinating, a never ending source of writing inspiration.
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