I'm running two classes in October. One is an advanced writing class for stand up comedy- that begins Monday October 11TH at the Comedy Factory on Gateway BLVD. The classes are 5 Mondays beginning at 7 PM running to 9:30. They're 225.00 We'll be taking students from this class to do their sets in front of an audience while the class is running as well as Grad night for the class Grad night for this class will be Tuesday November 9th .
You need: A tape recorder/ Note book/ Pen/ if you have it- a video Camera.
These classes are designed to capture your voice. We're going to explore writing styles that allow us to be effective comics where ever we are. We'll target your strengths as well as specific markets we'd like to be successful in and develop that material. We'll also tackle confidence, risk, outline and the ability to create on your feet. CLASS SIZE-8. Register date by September 15th. Send Cheque or money order to 6012-134 Ave Edmonton. T5A-OL5 Any questions E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net
(We except 16 and 17 year olds for this class)
The other class is for continuing Education. This is an "Introduction" to comedy. In this class we look at five principles of Stand up: Inner Critic/ Theme/ Inner Child/ Intuition/ Letting go. The classes are at Amiskwaciy Campus at the City Center Air Port. It begins Tuesday October 19th and runs to November 16th. The Grad night for this class is November 17th at the Laugh Shop in Sherwood Park. Each student will create a 4 minute set and share in in front of a live audience. Class size is 12 for cost and to register call 780-428-1111
(We also except under age students for this class but they aren't able to perform in this club under age)

Please remember I perform stand up nationally as well as Key note. If you're interested in booking me for a corporate event for Stand up or a Key note on the "Power of Humor" E mail thepath@telusplanet.net

It's wet out. I can hear Geese honking over heard that means the rain soon will be snow. I don't hate this. It's not the end of Summer it's the beginning of the Tour. I'm in the clubs and one nighters more in the cold whether. You think November I think Humbolt.
Any who. I've been playing with the Man Tracker premise. It's such crap. A guy on a horse chasing gorbees from Sarnia. I was thinking "Celebrity Man Tracker" I want to see Jann Arden huffing through the bush being chased by numb nuts on a horse." I don't know but damn would that be funny. Miss Juno screaming at the top of her lungs at Mr Dress up "GET UP!!! GET UP!!!"
I picked Jann Arden because my wife face booked her and Jann never returned the poke. So I put Arden in the middle of my joke. See how that works Jann? You ignore my wife you end up in a punch line. That's the way it works.
Remember that song "Rainy day Mondays always get me down?" I was thinking- day seventeen of the 40 day flood. Rainy day Mondays? It's been raining for almost three weeks and you pull that song out of your ass? You say you're a Carpenter! Well maybe put down the guitar grab a hammer and hit a nail cause none of us can SWIM!!!!
Yah! That's what I'm thinking about on this Rainy Day.
BOOK ME FOR A CORPORATE!!! thepath@telusplanet.net

The Grad night for my next students is Thursday. It's this thursday August 12th at The Comedy Factory. The show begins at 8. I hope you can make it! They're an excellent group. If any of you are reading this and I mean students from this group of "The Advanced Writing Class" Be proud. You all showed up and did the work. It was awesome to work with you. I hope you enjoyed the class as much as I did.
I hope you keep following your giggle and use your laugh as the vehicle for the emotions you choose in your premise!
Right now I'm really stoked about the TV show "Man Tracker." The emotion behind it is "Anger." I'm pissed! Man Tracker shows up on a horse with another local man tracker to chase two Soft Ware Engineers from Brampton. One of the hunted always has a medical condition- broken ankle, hernia, collapsed lung. Well Todd is sucking on an asthma pump five miles away Man Tracker is staring at the Horse's ears. MAN TRACKER: "They're over there by the Coolie past that bog on the other side of that cliff. Lets take the logging road!"
Also who you're cheering for in the show says alot about your demographic. If you're pulling for the geeks you're from Toronto -Man Tracker Calgary- the horse? Calgary the mountains-you get the pattern.
You notice the prey never know how to use a compass or a map? What about a GPS? If you're being chased by the Calvary at least use Radio Shack.
I just can't get past the fact he's on a freakin horse! a horse! How about a Donkey! with bells! That would be fair and hilarious! What about an Ostrich! They have them in that gum commercial! why not in the Borial forrest chasing a guy with asthma! And why is it any time there's a missing person we never see Man Tracker on the case? Alright Man Tracker lets start with Amelia Earheart-GO!
I'll keep hunting the chunk. I'll post them as I get them cause that's what we do.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

BOOK ME FOR YOUR NEXT OFFICE PARTY OR EVENT CALL ME: 780-297-3057

I just spent twenty hours in a car. I and Craig Shurburn were in Tobin Lake Saskatchewan. Damn that's a long drive. We got lost spent an hour on a dirt road trying to find the "ShoreBird Inn." We get there and there's eight people.
I wonder where the Universe is in these moments you know-the laws of purpose and attraction "GOD!"
Where's God before during and after we spend twenty hours driving for cash to pay the rent.
The answer is "In Me."
When I talk about God I'm talking about God in the way you perceive it. I perceive God as action.
I can bitch complain doubt throw tantrums and find every reason and excuse to point fingers why I'm not where I'm supposed to be. It's all me.
I love inspiration but it's over rated. For the results we want in life we need to make it happen. I know what I put into something is what I'll get back. When I'm tired after a twenty hour commute and use tiered as an excuse to be stuck no one cares I'm the only one who's impacted.
I have an amzing wife to hold- material to write, a screen play to finish, a class to work on .
The other day I was at Capital Ex and bought five bags of Tom Thumb Dough Nuts. Five! Why? Yah I'm a glutton for those little carb-bituates. I thought about it. I love the doughnuts because they remind me of my endless Summer as a kid. One of those doughnuts puts me back in July of my Pre teens. It's not the Sugar it's the memory. One of them trans- ports me to an endless memory.
I'm built that way. Everything has some emotional attachment: Writing, rehearsing, learning a new skill everything has some giant emotion anchored to it preventing me from taking action or just partial result.
It's bullshit! I am my worst enemy when it comes to dreams and purpose. 'JUST DO IT. I've earned the right to share this. Just create just take action and allow the results anyway. Don't wait to be inspired. Look at something you've wanted to achieve- cannon ball into it. When you come up for air and your habits tell you to quit- dog paddle and keep freakin paddling to the far shore! We all need to get rid of the excuses and baggage of excuses. We're on borrowed time and besides when we do cross over let our emotion be bottomless gratitude.
Be weightless now and take action. All the reasons we have to not take action should not be what defines us.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

The class begins in one week. We're going to hit the joke books running. What we'll be doing is starting from the beginning from our opening joke. This is class one. Imagine yourself walking up to the stage. You've just been introduced. Your foot hits the stage the audience is applauding you grab the mike and?
This is where we begin building from this moment.
We begin de-constructing our comedy right here at the opening joke. There's a lot happening at our first joke 1) first contact with the audience. 2) Setting our theme. 3) The first brick to building our set.
4) Establishing energy. 5) Emotional value.
We begin our class at our first joke because our first joke captures the audience and establishes our set. When do we share our first joke? While the audience is still applauding? Do we wait for abject silence? trust our gut? We'll answer all these questions day one. But even before that we'll look at the minutia the deepest levels of mechanics of our first joke. Why does it work? What premise to use and the emotion.
Get ready buckle up it's going to be a lot of work and a lot of fun!
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm putting up an advanced Stand Up Comedy Class. The Class begins Monday July 12th and runs for 5 Mondays. What this class has different then other classes is writing.
We're running the class from 7 to 9:30 at "The Comedy Factory" on Gate Way Blvd so you're in a club working on your club set for five weeks! What the class does for its eight students is target your theme your pattern the stuff that's in you. There's some basic things we all share like:being vulnerable, honest sharing our story taking a risk but there's more! way more!
The more we're talking about is the polished material that gets a club's an agent a talent scout's- attention. That's what this class will build on. This class gets you under the lights on stage CERTAIN!
You're certain about your opening joke, where you're going, destination closer-everything!
This class delivers a 360 of the best of who you are.
If you're interested we have three spots left E MAIL me thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm not sure what happened. Some where in my life as a child I became stuck. I was told I wasn't very much or hit but something traumatic happened.As a result each and every act of growth in my life has been an extreme effort. I've toured across Canada and the States in England. I've written and put up three plays I've written a Novel have a Mortgage and an amazing wife but still feel my life is being directed by a scared child.
I guess the reason for this is I'm always putting myself way over my head. When I first started stand up I panicked when I was told I had to have FIVE minutes. Then as an opener I had to have FIFTEEN then HALF AN HOUR then AN HOUR!!! Each step of the way I chose panic. I guess that was my nature. I say was- because I've chosen to wake up and be conscious. I've realized that there are skills and habits I have to attain to achieve purpose and the short of it is: "No matter what! take action instead of doing nothing."
It's better to make a mess then to talk my walk and not walk it.
I have a writing exercise where I put an idea in a circle and look at the premise from several different view points. I also do this now with manuscripts, new technology, tagging jokes rehearsing every action I'm about to take. When I choose to look at results from a different view my action plan has enthusiasm a sense of discovery.
Don't let your habits keep you stuck. Don't be afraid of change or results. Allow yourself the opportunity to make mistakes. One foot in front of the other keep moving keep to your plan and outline until you're where you want to be.
What I'm saying is rediscover that person that's deep inside of you that's unconsciously deciding all of your results. Are you where you want to be? Are you fulfilled? happy? are you waist deep in purpose? If not take a long look at what version of you is running your life and replace it with the real you! Replace that scared child you were with that fearless you that's not afraid to take action even if you make a mess.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

We're having a fund raiser at Metro Campus on 8205-90 Ave. in the main Cafeteria on Tuesday June 1st. The entertainment will be the Grad Class from the last Metro Comedy class. We raised almost a thousand Dollars the last class and a near full crate of food.
We have six new comedians making a difference with their Humor. Their sets range from the movie Avatar to being in the Russian Army to convincing the MOB you'll be safe in New-York to coming from Saskatchewan to having people PEE on your window to the advantage of being First Nations.
Come down and have some fun. These students have worked through five classes and their first performance. What I love most is they're having the courage to really share their story! That's where the connection with our humor energy and the audience is- "HONESTY."
I drive a 93 olds 88. It's got almost 400.000 K on it. My car is like a dying patient. One at a time the functions in my car are shutting down like organs: cruise control, AC, breaks and now my signal lights. Up to a month ago I could operate the signal lights manually. Now there's nothing. I have no turn signals but I'm learning to adapt. I race up to a car that's turning where I want to turn and I turn ON THEIR SIGNAL. There's a freedom for not having to physically have to grab the signal arm. Yah I miss the "clicking" sound but I'm learning to live with that. It's not all Roses. Last Thursday I was at a light about to turn left when a cop car pulled behind me. I now had to drive straight with the fed behind me. I told myself I would make a U-Turn when the fed went away. THAT TOOK 38 KILOMETERS I MADE THE U TURN IN NISKU. Someone suggested I get the signal lights fixed. I'm busy! I have Nibs to buy movies to rent nibs to buy and new comedians to watch!!!
See you Tuesday night!!!

I want to thank everyone who came out to see me at the "Sherwood Park Laugh Shop" Saturday night. I had an amazing time. I felt the energy from the audience it was amazing. The audience was proof that what you give is what you get back. I felt nothing but love and creative encouragement.
This is true of our humor. Our humor is energy. I've always been stuck in sharing material new material. It's as if the new material is right there but the fear and habit of being stuck in the old material keeps me stuck in twenty year old jokes- but last night I had a break through.
I felt the energy of all the material I ever wanted to share. The energy was something I could actually feel it pulled me. It's not that I was oblivious to the audience it was as if they were watching a five year old in a sand box play with his toys.
Revel in your creations. Share them like no one can see. Sing like no one can hear. Let go the critic in you and outside you. Life is for bliss. Leave the dark clouds behind you. They're a lie. The only truth is purpose through joy. Take action on your dreams. Show the rest of us the way- you're the light.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm headlining the Sherwood Park Laugh Shop from May 13 to May 15. Come on out and really get to know my special brand of dumb. For tickets call: 780-417-9777. I'm really looking forward to ripping it up come join me for a night of "Oh My God Is That Funny! anyway lets bring up Paul Sveen." Hope to see you there!
What are your dreams? your goals? the ideas that shine in you like treasure? How close is the dream? Is it right there just outside your fingertips? Is the goal right there every-time you close your eyes and go to sleep? When will we take action? " When the kids are on their own, when I get some more schooling, practice, become sober, get more confidence." When?
When will we take action what has to happen for us to take the first step then the next and the next. It's so odd when we go on vacation we hop in our car and drive for hours or fly half way around the World until we get there. When it comes to our dreams we'll take the first one or two steps and then just suddenly stop. We'll never do that with our impulse habits!
We want a Burger and fries damn Hell or high water we're getting burgers and fries! Our favorite TV show? where's the pop corn cause the next hour I'm locked on the big screen. Why won't we program our habits to do the same thing with our dreams?
Some where in us we don't think we deserve it. Yah it's going to be hard work, sacrifice, personal change and sweat and effort but one foot after the other and we prove to ourself it can be done.
It can be done. Others are doing it but no one can dream your dream like you! What if James Cameron never took action on any of his ideas? Spielberg? Hanks? Streep? us?
We only have so many heart beats use some of yours to show us dreams can be reached. Why not us? when? NOW! Why? because we're worth it so are those that need us to prove dreams can be reached.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net
Remember-call 780-417-9777 for tickets to the Sherwood Park Laugh Shop-May 13-15! I'll also be headlining the Calgary Laugh Shop May 27 to May 29

I think the best way to write a good set is to care about the premise. It's like eating. Yah we'll play with a plate of egg noodles but cover them in mushrooms and meat sauce or what ever floats your boat and "BAM" we're stuffing the noodles down our cake hole like we're trying to win a bet.
The same is true about material. "What do you like?" I've been tagging a chunk connected to Karaoke.
I have this idea about using the news ticker scrolling at the bottom of CNN to practice Karaoke. I think that's an interesting premise. I really like it like a plate of steaming hot Egg noodles covered in meat sauce and mushrooms. So how do I go from liking an idea to working it into a set I can share on stage in front of eleven people?
I looked at the material I had that was related to the news premise and decided to lead into the " News Ticker" with that heat. I like the idea that small town Alberta has a "News Hour." Really? Is there enough going on in Red Deer and the Tri city area that they can fill a freakin HOUR! No way. Not when they're opening with the weather. You notice how they always open the news with that over the top music! It's supposed to sound like type writers and the boston Philharmonic. And it's never just the news. It's BREAKING NEWS THIS JUST IN A STORY WE'RE FOLLOWING. And they open with " Breaking news A powerful 30 kilometer wind has invaded our area. Off camera a producer is already doing that motion with his fingers to STRETCH! REALLY? That's you're lead story? You think some hick is watching that thinking: "OH BOY! I'd hate to be the news that has to follow that!"
Then they break into the local news. "And now the news. This just in Castration Days has been renamed Castration week! We go to our man in the street Brock Roderick. Brock? "Yes Rock. Castration days has been renamed Castration week. Back to you."
As they switch back to the news desk you see the reporter in the street put a gun in his mouth. Not only do they not have enough crap to fill an hour they have the nads to have a news ticker scrolling at the bottom of the screen. Remember when the only time we saw words at the bottom of the TV set was when there was impending eminent danger? You'd be asleep on the couch you wake up you see the last few letters scroll across the bottom of the screen: UN FOR YOUR LIFE!
I'm using the ticker to practice karaoke. This is where I am. I'm going to work on this part of the chunk and end on the wrapper Shaggy and I move into the rest of the material I already have!
I'm working the chunk have it on tape in my stand up note pad and will keep rehearsing it until the chunk becomes habit until when the lights hit my face and the mike is right there and I don't bail on the chunk and move into the set I'm comfortable with. Because when someone asks you the direction to
Carnegie hall you say: "Practice Practice Practice."
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Well it's here again! We're at another full spring comedy class at Metro. This class is a little different then the others. This class has more information I've ever had for an introduction class. More about this in a bit. The second is this class will be filmed in a documentary on Shaw Cable.
They're doing a documentary on a past student and some of the students in this class. This is the third documentary the class has done. The first was on the life network the second was CTV and now we're on Shaw.
This brings me to the new info. The first is "What do you really feel about the material and the second is the energy you're sending out in the material. This makes a huge difference. What we send out is what we get back. It's true about our material and how we feel. I know this is true because the class has attracted another documentary.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

The Metro Comedy Class on April 27th is a go. There's at least eight students and this class will be featured on Alberta Prime Time on Shaw. I'm still deciding where I'm going to have the comedy Grad Night but that will be taken care of shortly.
I've been asked to do a day retreat in Calgary on May 7th to share the 5 principles of Humor. I also have a company interested in bringing me into Missisauga in June. If you're interested in a re energizing humor work shop to re fill the sails of your team E mail me at thepath@telusplanet.net
I was thinking of the day I began Stand up Comedy. I had this thought that years in the future I would figure out this creative combination lock and uncover the secrets of Humor. Well Bob Dylan said it the best when he said: " creativity is always in a state of becoming."
If I could tell myself One Thing all these years later that I've learned before I went on stage the first time it would be:
" Be awake in the energy you're in this moment. Your energy is what you feel. What we feel is what we think. What we think becomes our actions and results."
If our energy is insecurity, blame, doubt or regret then we will attract this and the fear based energy will be our actions and our results.
TRY THIS. Pick a positive energy: vulnerability, creation, kindness, empathy, gratitude. Pick one and repeat the word over and over. Allow the positive energy to fill your being allow the positive word to be what you send out and attract. Allow it to be your habits action and results.
This will change your life. Choose a goal and allow the positive word to influence the business of purpose.
E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net
Tell me how you're doing.

I try walk what I talk. Everything I share with a class I build on each and every day. There isn't a class a show an audience I haven't learnt something from. I still journal every day I still make a plan and follow through and still tag material every day.
What I just realized is when we keep asking a little more of ourself sometimes the growth rings are just small enough we might not notice.
This is my eleventh year of sobriety. I thought about this. When I began drinking the song that was stuck in my head was " Hooked on a Felling." by Thunder-Mug. Twenty five years later when I first became sober the song I remember first was "Mirror" by The Indigo Girls. These were the two book end songs of my lost years. When I began to drink I was fifteen. I was fifteen emotionally for all those years. The fog I was in kept me unaware that I was an emotionally stunted man and reacted like a juvenile to everything. I threw tantrums was selfish blamed pointed fingers in every direction as my pity party got smaller and smaller.
I realize now I've learned and grown more in the eleven years I've been sober then I did as a perpetual lost boy. I know now that anyone I meet any where I travel any moments I'm blessed with are lessons that I can learn from.
Let me tell you the greatest lesson I've learned in my life so far is " FEEL BEFORE I SPEAK."
When I make sure my feelings the energy I'm about to share are positive. Then the words and thoughts I'm about to share are positive also. I've spent many years lost in the think habits of blame. I've been bitching and condemning doubting and regretting most of my life.
I am a spiritual being having a human experience and when I meet you I choose to listen. I'm your student. I choose to be awake in bliss and all the energies connected to bliss: abundance, kindness, friendship, empathy, empowerment and action.
I believe we're beings of energy. If you doubt this- be really angry for a week-tell me how that works out for you. We're antennas. Each of us is a Radio station. So I ask myself: " What are the songs I'm sharing with the new day?" What we send out is what we attract. Feel before you speak make sure your energy is positive authentic vulnerable and what you attract will be amazing.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

There was a great comedian that passed away last Sunday. His name was Eric Tunney. I remember seeing him at the Point Yuk Yuks in 1986. The club was half empty the crowd was disinterested and I was that know it all new comic in the back that was going to change the World.
Eric walked on stage. He was wearing Khaki pants black dress shoes and a light blue dress shirt. I know this because over the years I've replayed his set over and over in my head a hundred times. In the moment I didn't think he was very good. He was just talking just sharing these obscure moments of his day his week his life. There was no sense of desperation in his voice. He was doing exactly what he wanted. He seemed oblivious to anything except the moment he was in- and the craft of Stand up comedy.
Years later after I came off stage mad at myself because I didn't do a new chunk or forgot a premise or any number of a dozen reasons to beat myself up I would think of the set- that night- Eric Tunney- the man that did what ever he wanted. Then he was on TV. I saw him on Comics, Comedy Now, Just For Laughs- and he was amazing every time. He was a master story teller. A Stand Up that took moments of his life and found the humor where you least expected.

"Hitler sure put the Kibosh on that mustache didn't he ?" "I saw Idi Gourmet the singer. She was wearing a Kimono. I just couldn't help thinking what kind of physical Hell was going on under that fabric."

Eric took his own life on Sunday. If I could I would have told him how much his craft and his way of sharing comedy had affected me. I would have loved to sit down with a cup of coffee and listen to him share his slant on Stand Up. He was a master comedian. I've been told he was an amazing friend and person.
I will always carry Eric Tunney's memory with me. If you know someone who's feeling alone or maybe even if it's you- tell someone. You're not alone and you have no idea the impact you've made on countless people who were blessed enough to meet you.

E mail Paul Sveen thepath@telusplanet.net

I started doing stand up here more then two decades ago. Here I am still. When I first hoped in my car and drove down the Trans Canada I was a scared opener that was just a ride for the Headliner. I'm still driving the same high way still driving the closing act but now that guy is me. I'm not sure what my point is. I guess that I'm sober and getting a little more honest each and every shoe. That's where I'm trying to get- where I'm stepping outside my material and I'm naked in the truth about the train wreck that is my life.
I did the show last night in a club called the "Whiskey A Go Go." The owners plan? lets see, get liquor license "Check." Alright- we're done. Let's open this beeautch and try some Coma-Dee!
I have to say though, the club was run well. It was packed there was about a hundred and fifty people. And this is what I did: I opened with some of the material about being raised by an alcoholic, marriage material, Canada, pets, dumb things guys do, camping and aliens. Then I closed on sex, singing at the local pub dancing and more marriage stuff.
This is what I wished I would have done: Spending six hours in a car to get there. More random car stories from my life: abandoning cars on the highway, a car dying right at a hitch hiker, stealing my dad's car and totaling it, my pet cemetery in my back yard, my childhood-how spinning on the Ferris wheel was my window to pharmaceuticals -Halloween begging for more candy door to door and other random train wreck stuff.
I'm about to hop in my car and drive to another town I've been to a thousand times- Regina. Well hack paul has been there. On stage tonight I hope it's the first time I've ever been there.

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

When I was a kid I used to pee the bed. What am I saying I Peed the bed last week. Any way when I was a kid I'd wake up in my soaked long Johns put them on a Bicycle tire and spin it until they were dry. I thought it was normal. I can't imagine what I smelt like but it happened.
All of us have those moments in our head. Moments we want to stay in our head. We might make up a more palatable version or re write it all together. After a while we do that to all our stories, Pretty soon we can't remember what our truth is. What ever the real story is it's funnier then the stuff our fear conjures up.
Don't get me wrong. I love to write Comedy. I perform Stand Up I've created specifically for a corporate event- Law Firms, Construction Companies, Banks but I still like to write about ideas that tweak my interest.
Like: Why is our Local News an Hour? Do we really have enough new information to fill a freakin hour?
When the news opens with the Whether you know it's all down hill from there. When the news opens with " Cloudy ten percent chance of rain." what are you thinking? How the Hell are they going to follow that? How!!! fifty nine minutes later you're going to hear a heart wrenching story about an 89 year old gal Unice that's had a Library Book for 73 years! And then the Anchor says something like " I bet that's going to be quite a late fee. I'm surprised the Library Police haven't found her." Don't you just want to reach into the TV and pull the guy out and scream " TAKE A RISK SAY SOMETHING FUNNY!!! Unice you've had the book for seven decades BURN it! By you calling us and us having to close an hour of news about a 73 year old copy of Personal Hygiene on the farm links us for eternity at Rock Bottom in Loser Vill and it's freakin ratings week! " I think that's why they hide information about the Kennedy Assassination and big Foot because after you hear something like Crop Circles and aliens- a guy who's painted his garage door to look like a meadow just doesn't have the same impact as Time Travel.
Any Way follow your giggle. E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

What came first? The joke or the story? ( I know! STORY! You didn't have a Cave man Sage standing around a fire a gazillion years ago working the room " So how many Neanderthals does it take to build a fire? Three hundred-one to catch on fire the other 299 to squat and slap the ground until Gronk is dead" I got a Melanie of them! Did you hear about the Neanderthal who invented and lost the first sausage? Yah the missing link lost the missing link! OHHHHHHH! Is it hot in here or is that me evolving!!! OHHHHHHHH! Is it better to take a personal story: lets say about camping or to write material and then add that to the story? Let me make it clearer. Lets say we have a whole bunch of idea fragments about camping- buying a tent, canadian tire, getting lost in the forest, never having enough food, taking a dump in the forest and then a real story from your life about camping.
I went fishing once for four days. Me and six other guys flew in on a Float Plane and the guy that was supposed to buy the food -didn't! Him and his wife broke up the week he was supposed to get the food we all chipped in a hundred bucks for. He brought a bag of home made pepperoni two bags of chips and a bottle of Catsup. We ate the fish we caught for four days!
What if I added the fragment ideas to my real life fishing story! I recommend you get your comedy note book and write a premise title on the top and middle of three or four pages. So you have on top one page
"RELATIONSHIPS" and in the middle of that page " CHILDHOOD" The next page on top you have " PETS"
in the middle of the next page " ROAD STORIES" or what ever you want to write about.
As you're working on an idea - keep filling in premise fragments, ideas and real stories in each bracket.
After a while you start to fill in each bracket and you end up with a more developed layered chunk.
Take a personal story that floats your boat creatively- put it in the circle and work it! Keep adding the tags and add them to your chunk! If you do this to each premise in each bracket- soon you'll have an amazing set filled with real stories from your DNA and tagged with great jokes!
Try it and E mail me tell me how you did.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Are you ever so tired you can't get off the couch? I'm there right now. It's so easy to just lie here and breath in and breath out. I could do this forever but won't actually can't. I have a few goals as you do and these goals depend on our actions.
A few things have happened this week that ask me to work a little harder. One- my book the Angel's Claw is being looked at by a screen writer in LA. It's a writer a friend of a friend but through coincidence the book is moving forward. I know there's going t be another re write but I'm ready.
I'm doing corporate comedy dates and some road work but I'm getting up early to write 'One Thing" my comedy how to manual. This book will be student stories from over the years as well as advice from comics I've been given over the years as well as the stuff I've learnt over the years.
Last but not least. When my Father passed away a few years ago he left several accordions in the house. I tried to donate them but there were no takers. I got a hold of a family friend and we're selling the accordions privately and we're raising two thousand dollars. That money is going to be set up as a bursary in my Dad's name. I feel really good about this. It's the right thing to do.
That's what life is about- doing the right thing. We know what that is in the moment and it's usually the action that's going to make a difference.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I am truly humbled by all of the students on the Metro Food Bank Comedy night at Vimy Campus on Thursday March the Fourth. All of you were amazing. We raised almost Six hundred dollars and a hundred pounds of food. I know the comedy night for our family and friends and metro staff at the campus was different then the Comedy Club experience. The comedy club is a little less scary because the audience is in the dark, the lights are in our eyes and you're in shock!
The campus is more academic more clinical. There all of you were, in the overly lit room sixty people staring at you and all of you- cocked locked and ready to rock. All of you were prepared and vulnerable.
I'm proud of all of you. This was an introduction to comedy but more important it was also an introduction to you!
All of you learnt a little more about yourself because of what we went through together. We learnt to to be humble, to move into our fear instead of away. We learnt our humor is in our secrets and life is better together as a team as class mates then alone.
Thank all of you again. You have my E mail you know my web site- stay in touch and stay awake in your amazing gifts of courage and humor- the World needs all of you now-more then ever.
Paul.
PS
I'm putting some of the night up on LIVE SHOWS on my web site this weekend.

HEY CLASS FOUR OF THE LAUGH SHOP- YOUR HOME WORK IS IN CLASS INFO! Alright everyone first off "I've been on the road since the comedy grad night at The Laugh Shop! I'm sorry I couldn't put this up earlier! I'm really proud of all of you. I wish we could have gone out as a class and had a coffee together. Lets to that after the fund raiser! From my heart to yours- all of you are amazing- each and every one of you is awesome! Well done!"
OK the Food bank fundraiser is Thursday March 4 at Metro Vimy Campus in the main cafeteria 8205-90 AVE the phone number is 780-428-111 from 7:30 to 9 BE THERE FOR 7 PM.
Everyone please bring a food bank donation if you can. I'll be there at 6:30 The parking lot is off North side of the campus I think from 83 Street.
E mail me if you need anything thepath@telusplanet.net

It's the day after opening up for Andre Phillip Gagne in the Winspear. I just went over my set in my head. First what happened second what I learnt.
The Winspear was packed I was in my green room in the bowls of the building taking pictures of the piano when a voice over the speaker says "five minutes." I get up open the door and the stage manager was just about to knock on it. We walk to the stage and he says " have fun."
No intro, no who am I no what should we say about you just get out there and do twenty five.
I do that. I opened with how my last names sounds like a guy puling out a sword, then "if you want to know where I live -at night find the hellicopter-I'm the house RIGHT underneath it. I did the chunck about blessing people when they sneeze and I COUGH to do the joke but before I go into it a Woman in the audience "BLESSES ME!" It was awesome!
I do the rest of the set I walk off and André's tour manager says great job I give him my card and walk towards the exit. I had to be up early for a long drive the next day. I'm walking out of the building and this guy shouts " hey can I talk to you?"
I stop the guy walks over it's Andre Philip Gagne. He said some real nice things we talked a bit and I get a picture with him and I'm leaving when he says " We'll be working together again."
That would be nice. I think Cranbrook hates me as much as I hate it.
The point? What I learned was 1) Tell your story your real story about the secret you. 2) Know the point of the story and make sure that message is made in the closer. 3) Make sure there's punch lines all through the story. 4) Make sure the emotion of the chunk is shared through the story.
This is all I know. Keep being yourself. Keep working on your set and sharing YOU and the Emotion of the set and that the PUNCH-LINES and MINOR POINTS leading to THE MAJOR POINT IN THE CLOSER.
Keep doing this and never quit and good things lead to better things.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

First off boys- your grad night at "The Laugh Shop" is March 10. You all have 10 guest passes just make sure you call 780-476-1010 with your guest list before March 9 so the staff can configure staff!
Alright. 1) Class one we set up the parameters of the class ( journal, walks rehearsing at least three times a week, recording your set listening and tagging it. Q n A The circle and being specific )
The second class we talked about our opening joke and energy- fear versus certainty) Now we're working on our closing joke. You guys have to put in the time. I love all of you and not in a normal way but you have to put in the hours. Remember the average person uses less then 20% of their ability to get their results. If that's the average person where does that put the average comic? " Lets see- get up at one smoke a bowl, eat a box of Fruit Loops play station bla bla bla.
All of you have to put in forty fifty plus percent to be noticed in the middle of twenty open mikers on a Tuesday night at Rodney's Chuckle hut BEFORE THE SHOW DURING AND AFTER.
What are out strengths and Weaknesses? List them in your note pad.
Weaknesses: Procrastination, can't finish what I start, get frustrated, do everything the last moment by the seat of my pants, talk it don't walk it, beat myself up, don't know where to start.
Strengths: Love stand up. I have great memories of making people laugh, In my heart I know I can be really good, I have some great ideas, my friends think I'm great.
There is a Santa an Easter bunny, Tooth Ferry there is no Comedy Troll. ( add joke here) You guys have to show up and your results will only come from your strengths!
I have weaknesses. They're all based in fear: doubt regret blame inaction procrastination overwhelmed but none of these blips line up with my goal " To be my best."
My strength I choose to Walk my Talk.
Here's the outline to your set. 1) State your theme. "Hello I'm paul and I was raised by drinkers." My emotion is feeling powerless. That's in all my jokes."
2) First joke " Growing up you know your parents were drinkers because your allowance was the empties.
You have to set down your theme then lay down the ground work the stair case to your DESTINATION- your closing chunk.
All of you know your theme and emotion " I had my heart broken I'm WOUNDED I want a girl friend for free. " My buddies left me behind ALONE in HELL ." I need to be where the audience's ignorance about me is" My parent's never wanted me.
Look at your favorite joke right now EG " They set a buffet up for me. This has to begin from the first night in the park- The officer has to give you something the first night so it's a running theme building to the Buffet Train and is grounded in ALONE and THEIR PLAN. Remember all the stereotypes about reading the park sign? SAY IT. It's where the audience is! 1) STATE YOUR SITUATION! 2) Then begin with the park sign stereo type then waking up with them speaking in their native language and the other officer interpreting in broken english " He wants to know if you want some cake?" Now you're thinking "Dessert is not a deterrent "Cake the first night? What do I get when I come back tomorrow? PIE? Keep to the story but make the jokes specific about ALONE AND THEIR IMAGE! " My GrandFather was here in WW and CAKE was not on the menu. Maybe you know him Saul Greenberg? ring a bell? Keep tagging and writing the jokes are there with your story! "My cell mate is trying to hide something in his - what is that Heroin? No my (!)
All of you look at your theme- and emotion and narrow down your search to that. Q AND A from this stay specific stay in the emotional value!
HOME WORK: 10 CLOSING JOKES LISTED FROM ONE TO TEN.

check out my blog on BLOGSPOT "Gigglemedicine" Question: " Do our strengths trump our weaknesses? or do our weaknesses trump our strengths?" I'm sitting here thinking about this I want to know which shows up more- our strengths or weaknesses. I know this all depends on our habits our habits are our results!
It's se easy for me to be inspired here on the couch but I'm different when I get up o stage. When I do an hour show I'm trying to give the audience all I can sometimes the material shows up but where am I?
Do you know what I mean? 1) we have a plan 2) We're ready to unleash it on an audience 3) The lights go up and habit rains over us.
I can sit here in this blog and understand what it is that I'm trying to say: " I'm not holding back I'm doing exactly what I want to do and am going to launch this SOB out the park!" Then I grab the mike and business kicks in " I need to create opportunity from this opportunity be professional and deliver the show decorum dictates."
Where does our inspiration go? Is there a balance between the edge and results? I say yes. I'm big on action. The results we want can happen as long as we're aware of our plan. We have to have a plan! Look at your set out and create a list of material you will share NO MATTER WHAT! This our bottom line. Tape your set and listen to it. Look for the material you said you were going to share. If you don't- THE NEXT TIME YOU GET ON STAGE TELL THE AUDIENCE WHY YOU DIDN'T SHARE IT THE LAST TIME YOUR REASONS THEN SHARE THE CHUNK!.
Before you do a set you need to rehearse your new material several times before you get on stage because the NEW material has to be habit before your fear will allow you to share it.
INSPIRATION PLUS REHEARSING PLUS ACTION EQUALS RESULTS.
Make a plan an outline for your set- create a bottom line the material you'll share- when you rehearse your set be aware of your fear and how you feel- when you share the set- tell the audience why you bailed on a chunk or why you didn't do it the last time. If we get into the HABIT of targeting our BIG MATERIAL and HONESTY we'll develop the habits you're looking for.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

First off I've just been booked to open for Andre Philip Gane at the Jube on February 23rd. I've opened for Humperdink there and the Jazz guy Cris Jade. Two thousand people that aren't there to see me but me building a set that's going to "Rock their World!" Like this opportunity our material in this class will attract opportunity. We have to work at it and choose to 1) Have a plan 2) know our core thought 3) make sure it lines up with our emotion.

"Remember to have your core thought line up with your goal."
" The work you do off the stage will be your results o the stage."

"I was watching a show on Plane Crashes. It's not one event that causes a crash it's a series of mistakes that causes catastrophic failure. I was thinking that sounds a lot like my life."
Were putting our premise 'my life's a plane crash" with what I asked you to write under your premise. Then we're going to identify the different points. Points? Where are you on the circle? insert the rest!
Here's some style mechanics: all the examples are related to my theme.
Sarcasm: ( Over the top exaggeration)- " I'm a plane crash but not a big one. I'm a single seater but I've been crashing that seat every day for forty years."
Bait and Switch: (Take them one direction then go another.)- " If I was a terrorist you know what Jet I would fly into a building? Dale Haarawchuck."
Simile:( making a comparison using the word LIKE) " Being a Plane wreck is like being Brian Adams' face. Every where you look- "craters!"

You can also use a celebrity in your set, a relative "give them a voice" So lets look at your home work.
1) say your theme. 2) all four minutes are related to your theme- get their attention with your opening joke. Take them to your best joke. Stay in your emotion the entire time! Consider the audience when you're writing your material! This way we keep it tuned to our theme and emotion! ( What if you were in the audience? what would you want to hear?)
Stay in your emotion and them Q and A your story until your happy with it.
We're not trying to be Budu Boom Budu Bing! were staying in our emotion and them and keep writing keep tagging your jokes with in your story!
E MAIL ME thepath@ telusplanet.net

Alright boys! We have Chris, Sam and Graham in the Laugh Shop Comedy Class. The first class was a chance to get to 1) know each other 2) Set a goal 3) Discover a place to begin and know what we wanted from the class! We talked about the speaking some of us had done before the class and the habits it took to create those results. This class will take a different set of habits to create the results for our new goals. I asked each one of you to achieve a new set of tasks each day. There's three of them you know what they are. Have fun with them. Have fun with everything in the class.!

1) We talked about how many punch lines we needed every minute. 2) We discussed what our emotion was and looking at the themes. 3) We were then going to Q and A our story and apply the theme we discovered to our opening jokes!
This is what we need for the next class: Q and A twenty jokes from our premise in the circle. REMEMBER: when we introduce another person to our set GIVE THEM THEIR OWN VOICE. Take your favorite joke and "tag" Q and A five more. Next week have your favorite Ten jokes for class. ALSO- The two minute story you shared about yourself in class - I want you to take your favorite ten jokes and insert them through the story. Start with your second favorite joke and take us to your favorite to close the story. Please have this finished by Saturday and rehearsed and polished for monday. We're not going to achieve our results if we try and cram at the last minute. Set a time line for yourself : Look at the ten stories Wednesday- find pattern. Q and A my twenty jokes- Tag the extra five on Thursday- make sure my theme is in there.- Go over story and favorite jokes Friday and Saturday- Tape story with the ten new jokes in it Sunday- listen to it on my Tape recorder Sunday and Monday. Come to class prepared. Sweet.
This class is cultivating the habits to be the best stand up we can be. We're moving into the energies and emotions that drive us and applying them to our set.
( I have a new DVD. If any of you want to purchase it E mail me and I'll bring one to class. Also if you're company needs a comic or speaker- we'll talk. If you want you can bring some friends to my shows this week as I'm headlining the laugh shop Thurs to Sunday.
Any questions E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

First I'm on Blog'spot. Just google Blog'sspot and when you get there check out gigglemedicine. I have a different slant on things on gigglemedicine so check it out please.
Alright- the next Laugh Shop begins this February 1ST. If you want to take your game to another level and don't mind putting in the work- this class is for you. If you're interested E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net. There's a few things happening at the Laugh Shop that this class will make a difference! The Laugh Shop is sponsoring a comedy contest and this class will make all the difference.
I keep talking about how much work the class is but the Laugh Shop Class is first and foremost FUN. We had a ton of laughs in the last class. It's awesome to watch a new comedian work on a premise with the other comedians in the group and then get up on stage and tear the room apart!
What the Laugh Shop Class gives you is: Ten stage spots in class and at least three open mikes in front of an audience including Grad Night.
If you want to learn the business and craft of Stand up- this class is for you. If you want mike time and to work in front of live audiences this is the class. E mail me at thepath@telusplanet.net and lets take the first step to your stand up.

Well I'm not sure if you're aware of it because I wasn't but apparently The Laugh Shop is fallen under hard times. In any business the bottom line is the bottom line. I have no pay roll to meet but I do have a mortgage a wife a dog a cat and a "substantial Snickers addiction!"
I've seen clubs come and go across the country : The comedy Cave in Surrey, Jester's in Calgary,the Comedy Island in Winnipeg The Resort in Toronto and on and on. The thing is- they've come and gone and the comedy scene is still here. We're still here.
I'm not saying the Laugh Shop is gone- far from it. The club is not going any where. It's just going through some growing pains. The class is still on for February 1st. To register E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net
This is my third decade in stand up. I've spent a lot of that time frozen in fear and habit. I've been thawing to just "Letting go" and being me. I have a bottom line and that's always been to be the best I can in the moment. I'm still going to deliver that. I'm developing a Key note to my book "One Thing."
I believe if you want to make your dreams you first have to make a difference.
There was a time not long ago I would have had a melt down to this latest blip of the laugh shop. I don't know how many club owners and agents I've been with over the years. They've come and gone. While they were here they called the shots. Advice I have for you is " Be the Captain of your ship. Have you as the most important element in the talent/agent relationship. They'll come and go. You won't.
Any way- in my core I'm all about action and gratitude. I thank all the club owners and agents over the years. With out them I wouldn't have anything to bitch about.
We're in a business of highs and lows, gains and set backs. If I've learned anything over the years I've learned this: "Keep working on the positives keep being true to yourself and keep being grateful and I'm all two of them.
E AMIL ME thepath@teluslanet.net

I have another continuing education comedy class coming up January 26th. It's full and that's awsome.
I'm working on some new hand outs on writing and up graded info to support the current hand outs. It's one thing though to have the hand out but it's another to understand energy.
The comedy class is about learning and growing but the energy we choose to launch from is where we're going to: learn from, meet the audience and retain material. Who we are off the stage is who we are on it.
We can't hide stress, fear, apathy or any other negative stuff. We can pretend but the more we suppress that energy the more we attract it. So it's really important to stay centered and balanced in happiness. Where ever the places in your life you're stuck in fear stress negativity- explore it and release it. How?
Look at your habits, your patterns is there a theme there? I know we're most effective when we're being ourself. You can't pretend YOU. and you don't have to.
There's a ton of stuff to cover but when we begin from with balance in happiness we attract more of it and it's better to be real and be part of the laughter then just a shadow.
E MAIL ME thepath@teluslanet.net

Hey everyone I'm on Blog's Spot. I have another blog with a ton of other stuff on the site. This blog is well being and creative artistic solutions to the every day muck we find ourselves in. My Blog's spot is going to be different. I'm going to keep it to one idea and explore it with as much "What Would Sveen Do" as I can.
I love this blog. I put on my sage's hat and try have that observer that out of body advice in this blog. I love talking about the issue associated to stand up and the industry and will keep on keeping on,
I've got more video to put up book up dates writing mechanic's stuff. The other blog is another point on the circle. Check it out. My blog is called gigglemedicine. I've posted a few-tell me what you think. I really appreciate it.
My Merto class is full and up for January 26. I hope to run the Laugh Shop Class. They're two separate classes. They're both fun but the Laugh Shop class is more results work related. Well I'm off to the gym. I'm working on some new material and I love to explore it when I'm doing the Be-tan Death march on the tread mill.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Isn't it ironic when we look up in the night sky how small that can make us feel? We look up past the moon to the stars up and out into the Universe in awe and inside of us there's a universe even bigger.
I keep saying all of us have a moment that's determined our path in life. Weather we were told something, something happened to us, we saw something, didn't get what we wanted- that moment either propelled us to higher heights or pulled us under the waves. It's not what happened to us it's what we do with what happens to us!
You are bigger then the biggest Sea, greater then the highest Mountain, more vast then furthest regions of the Universe. Do you want proof? Try this experiment.
1) For one day this week listen to everything your critic says ( with in reason) If your critic tells you to shove a cake in someone's face- please don't. Just be aware of your critic and do what it asks- beat yourself up,don't leave the house, lie in the mess, skip coffee with a friend.
2) Another day- do everything your bliss asks- listen to the senior at the bus stop, get that book, sing at an open stage, get a recipe and create!
Our critic demands we be small that we stare up at wonder and instead of being inspired we attack.
Our bliss asks us to join the dance. Our happiness is the paint brush and our actions are the canvas. Dance sing- take the risk!
I ask you to try the Critic/ bliss experiment then please E mail me. I'll post the results on my blog. I'll do the same. I'd rather be waiting in line at your Book signing then be the guy telling you not to start the Novel.

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm doing a fund raiser for the "Youth Emergency Shelter" On Sunday February the "7TH" at the Laugh Shop on Whyte ave 780 476-1010. I'll be headlining the entire first week of February so come down I'll put you on my guest list! The Seventh is the fund raiser so we appreciate your ticket purchase because that money is helping Y.E.S . E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net or call the club for tickets for the Sunday Fund raiser for the youth emergency shelter!
I've made some resolutions for the new year and one of them was to make a difference. I' m in a business where the sky is always falling. It's my choice how I react to that. It's like being happy-happiness isn't a destination it's a choice. It makes me happy to be able to help the Shelter. I'm sure we can all relate to the shelter because being a teen ager isn't easy. I'm still 17 and I can tell you adults are exhausting!
My material is about dysfunction. I grew up in the house that drama built I took that flame and ran with it. My life has been one fire after another and I oblivious to it. This is my tenth year of sobriety and it's taken ten years of sobriety to realize how lost I was.
I was watching an episode of Doctor drew on Much Music. What ever someone's addiction is it's connected to their child hood and the lack of structure. Lack of structure is my childhood. My parents did the best they could I see that now. For years I blamed them for everything because I was a victim. I wasn't a victim I was a kid to bruised to realize I was the captain of my ship.I could flounder and be that victim or raise my sails to the Sea of my life and journey into purpose. It took me forty years to move out of the harbor even then I dragged my anchor right up to last Wednesday.
I ask the question: Is failing the same as not succeeding? No! Failing is being too hard on yourself and choosing to be the victim. Not succeeding is trying and learning from that experience. What I know from all my years on this amazing rock is what ever you're doing in this moment ask yourself " What one thing can you do now here in this moment that you can take action on that will have the greatest impact towards results!
How sad the people that live in that gray area of never experiencing victory or feeling defeat. Take a risk take an action that you feel in your heart and keep taking action with greatest impact until you get your results. Even though you can't see it the bridge it is there!
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Two things first 1) I'm headlining the Laugh Shop the first week in February. If you want to go E mail me and I 'll put you on my guest list. 2) If you need a Key note speaker or corporate comedian E mail me. I also appreciate Becky and Cameron in Calgary for E mailing me. Thank you so much I love to hear what everyone's doing.
Ever notice the top news stories every year are always negative? It's not just the top news stories of the year it's all news all the time always seems bad. Bad news travels faster then good news that's why "if it bleeds it leads."
There's an entertainment story I heard " Did you know Fred the comedian? The guy who was on the Tonight Show won an Oscar sold three Screen plays and just bought an Island? Yah! Well he did a show last night and bombed!"
Bad news about people is what we're conditioned to hear and the same bad news about us is where we are. Most of us allow our habits to be our results and our habits usually come from our bruise. When I say bruise I mean past hurts! Think of an apple. imagine a circle the size of a dime. The rest of the apple is great but the bruise is where we choose to allow our habits to come from. That's why most of us only use twenty percent of our ability. We're allowing the small is us to determine the big.
Know this " You don't need to have a lot but what you do have have a lot of it!"
What this means is your good the stuff fin you that you know can make a difference the stuff that create results your enthusiasm your dreams your laugh allow that to be where your results come from not your bruise.
Your purpose your dreams your life is your apple. Take a bite. Show us the way.

E MAIL ME thepath@teluysplanet.net

Do you know what the formula for insanity is? " To keep doing the same thing and expecting another result." So I don't know who reads my blog because at the end of the blog I ask who's ever reading it to E mail me. I've had 7 people E mail me last month. I guess the point is I'm committed. ( Yah I see the joke )
My question is: What are we doing in our life that's a habit and we're still hoping for another result?
I know when I get in my car I turn into an asshole. I can't stop myself. The other day I gave the finger to a senior. I get stressed and then I attract more stress. Nothing will change if I don't.
I made a goal for the new year. I chose to shift from negative habits to positive. I think this one thing will have the greatest affect in my life. If I can be asleep in negative habits and think my results will change which is insane- what will happen if I choose to be awake in one thing that I think is positive?
TRY THIS: think of a goal for the new year. Now think of your best attribute what ever you really feel that is. Every time you think of your goal forget about the negative feel your one big attribute and keep doing that. Soon you'll take action and achieve your goal. Try it!
The alternative is our negative habits and THAT'S INSANE.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

What ever you're doing right now, can you see your self doing it? Can you see your self reading this blog?Can you observe your self in your car? about to get on stage? having a coffee? If you can observe yourself "you can change your life!"
When we procrastinate, begin something then stop or not even begin something it's because a moment is keeping us stuck. A lot of times we forget the moment but the moment doesn't forget us. We forget the moment but the event is attached to an emotion and the emotion becomes our habit. Because the habit is based in fear and pain our results are more fear pain and stuck!
I know this because I share only what I've lived! fear and habit are the two things I've been fighting and hunting my entire life. The challenge with fear is: fear attracts and demands more of its self! The event we've forgotten demands that we defend it and when necessary attack those that poke at our bruise or stuck moment. This is important because when we decide to write, rehearse, take a class, grow creatively, take a risk our STUCK and our HABITS demand we be afraid. All of a sudden the moment ignites our habits and fears and our project is about to go through the same things that every other project has.
"We keep doing the same things so we keep getting the same results"
We begin something we're stoked but the highs are too high and the lows are too low. When we choose to just observe the moment and just allow it be theres no drama, no fear, no stuck!
We don't need to be stuck. If you're afraid to begin that project or take a trip or class or what ever it may be- right now feel yourself doing it. Feel all the emotions you would normally feel. Now see yourself doing it and then being the observer while you're doing it. When we see our self we detach from the stuck and the emotion from the past and simply are.
Our results deserve to be what they are. We can re write, never audition, never take action because fear and emotion equals habits and results.
When we simply observe see our selves taking action while we're taking action- we finish!
Try your next project- everytime you're stuck observe your self then keep working at what you're work`ijng at. Be the observer every time you're stuck and tell me what you think. I know you're fear somewhere in you is trying to figure this out or saying it can't be this easy- try it! Fear is the past- happiness is neither the past or future- HAPPINESS IS NOW!
This moment when detached from the strings of the past and emotion: blame regret and doubt and is allowed to just be- then action becomes effortless and natural.
The next time you're stuck- observe yourself and not choose to defend or attack through habit and fear and just observe- and your results will be beyond anything you could have imagined.
REMEMBER I SHARE KEY NOTES AND CORPORATE COMEDY.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

If you dropped a plate of spaghetti on the kitchen floor would you leave it there for a minute? maybe, an hour ? maybe! the rest of our life?
For many of us we have moments like the dropped spaghetti and instead of going back and cleaning it up we allow the moment to fester. Why? Why do we let the moments of our life control what we do ten twenty thirty years in the future. I have. we all have.
I've found the best comedians are the ones that have the answers to the big questions of life. Comedian Bill Hicks did that. " Pro Life Pro choice? You know what! You're not a human being until your name is in my phone book." I don't have a girl friend. It's going to take one special girl or a whole bunch of average ones."
Yah- I know these jokes seem to tap dance around some big ideas but they do answer how he feels. It's amazing how simply humor can look at our stuck moments and release them. We don't have to pretend the stuck spaghetti moments are there in our past. I know it hurts to look at some of them but with your laugh and your giggle as your wing men- you can go into any dark alley from your past and not only face the reasons why your stuck- you can replace them with the fuel to take action and move into your perfect life.
"Even though Solomon made a book of proverbs
a book of proverbs did not make Solomon."

You have the right to live your dreams and purpose. You are as gifted as Solomon the difference is you're a genius at the things that make you laugh. Our laughter is the compass for our life and if it isn't we're going in the wrong direction.
I ask you to go back and look at a spaghetti moment in your life. Go back and face a moment where you're stuck. Know that you're not alone. You have your wing men. In fact you have an army- laughter, giggle, chuckle, smile, grin, bliss. . .
Look at a moment- ask yourself why it hurts. Ask why you've not moved past the moment. Ask as many questions as you can and then answer the questions. If you want- ask the questions while you're on a walk. They seem to be easier to ask when we're out and about. Answer the questions from any where except fear stress blame regret or doubt. If you can answer the questions from one of your wing men!
Keep asking the questions and answering them. They're going to get easier and easier. and soon you're going to get answers that make you laugh! Ask questions about that questions and allow the answers. This process will give you Ah Ha moments epiphanies and will help you get un stuck. You'll find that the reason we're not acting on a goal is because of a moment we forgot long ago.
When you do this process- fight past the need to beat the process up fight with your wing men to un stuck yourself so you can act on your dreams and goals. And when you do act on your purpose and get the degree or build the dream house or write the movie- go out and celebrate- may have Italian.
I SHARE KEY NOTES AND CORPORATE COMEDY- E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Why do we do the things we do? money? love? attention? appreciation? Why do we attract things we don't want- debt, traffic jams, arguments fear and push away what we do want? love career and results? Why? We're not listening to our bliss.
Ever notice the expression " There's two kinds of people" It's usually two. There's two kinds of people. Those that work for money those that get money for their work. Those you want to be around those you don't. On and on it goes. Well there's six billion kinds of people that's how many of us there are. Each one of us different each one of us on our own journey each one of different but all of us in some ways. . . the same.
All of us want to feel we matter we have value and are worthy of love. We cry smile laugh have regrets and doubts and we die. So the question I pose now: " Why the hell aren't we living our dreams and purpose and dancing every damn day like no one can see us and singing like no one can hear?
The answer is we've spent too much of our lives relying on approval! We've wished for the approval of our parents teachers friends lovers and careers. Always searching always going in the wrong direction.
All the answers in are in us! They're in our intuition our love our laugh.
Remember how amazing our teachers were? They had the answers. And we listened. Ever bump into a past teacher? They're as desperate as we are to win the lottery. Ever hear the expression " Every time a senior dies a library burns down? Yah - each book on how to watch a game show or wish things were the way they used to be or no one will listen to me or why do I have so many regrets and so much to bitch about why didn't I take more risks and follow my dreams.If you want one of those books most seniors have a billion of them. We don't have to borrow though. Our library is stocked to the rafters with that crap thank you very much!
What I know now but I wish I knew then! When I was Five I wish I could have talked to some homeless people. I was told that the rich and successful were the ones to listen to. Ever meet a millionaire? They have an energy that somethings missing. They have so much but what they really want they cant seem to get so they settled for more. No a homeless person at five would have told me: "Don't just stay in school drink it in inhale it. Embrace the friends and teachers you meet because soon they'll be gone and be awake in their gifts even if they can't see them. Sometimes when we see in others what they can't they begin to see it to . Allow your laugh to show you the way. Be happy because that way you'll really find what you want in your life. Don't be afraid because fear attracts more fear. Be kind because it's the right thing to do. Listen because it's the right thing to do and most of all LOVE and GIVE. Make a difference and when you are scared or someone hurts you- FEEL IT FEEL IT then let it go. If you forget your fears they grow like dark holes that you can never fill up no matter how much you drink, get high, or eat.
I never learnt any of that in school. Our lives are short. Take the time to ask yourself what your perfect life is. Then go inside of yourself and find the moments that are stopping it and RELEASE THEM. Let them go so you can go and be the difference you want to see in the world. Please go now show us how it's done so we to can believe that we are worthy and have value also- today- show the rest of us the way.

E MAIL ME I PERFORM KEY NOTES AND COMEDY thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm sorry I've been all over Western Canada performing as well as teaching and writing and I AM EXHAUSTED. Any way- I'm back and I'm in my blog and I thank you for reading it.
I'm not complaining when I say Im exhausted because I know you are too. All of us are always tired I know that. Being tired isn't an excuse being tired is a fact! All of us are tired. We're too tired to get off the couch too tired to connect with our significant other too tired to act on a hunch to take a night class to see a live performance to tired to do anything. I know this because I'm always freakin " too tired."
There's no point here no life lesson no comparing our being tired to someone who's actually sick but taking action anyway. No! I'm not going there because I know what emotional and physical tired feels like. You ever been so tired you put bread in the toaster then took two fresh pieces and ate them? Ever been so tired you lost your car in the mall parking lot! How about so tired you're standing in a Wallmart line up and you pres a couple of buttons on the command start- you've unlocked your car and started it and you don't care. Ever put butter milk on Corn Flakes? Walk in the wrong appartment? get off the elevator on the wrong floor? Drive into a red light becasue you thought it was green? Yah! not good- we're too damned tired!
I just spent fourteen hours in a car. I drove seven hours straight, took a shower, did an hour and a half show, got back in my car and drove for another seven hours- the last two through a blizzard.
After I do something like that I literally have car lag for three days. I have this overwhelming feeling of emptiness. I have these cob webs in my head I can't seem to shake but here's the kicker-"I observe myself being exhausted lying on the couch and then shift from the guy on the couch to the observer- I then observe myself working out or going to a dinner and movie with my wife or writing or working on a class and then I'm doing it!"
Right now observe yourself imagine or visualize yourself reading this blog. You're in front of your PC or lap top and now you're watching yourself at the lap top. That's the observer. That's you projecting yourself outside yourself. How's this useful?
Remember when you were ten? You never thought about time you were ten! You're life was a head of you and all was infinite. If it was forty below didn't matter, we were outside in the snow on our endless adventure. Then you hit twenty, thirty, forty. All of a sudden we realize our life is finite. At ten we were on solid ground. At thirty we realized that ground was the sand on top the hour glass and the damnedest thing just happened- a swirling hole just appeared between my feet and I can see a freakin glass bottom!
We have a gazillion reasons to be tired but we can be tired when we're dead. So do this!
Get a three by three particle board and a box of magazines and cut out all the images of things you would have in your perfect life! Cut out the Porsche, the mansion, the book signing the premiere of the movie you wrote, the lake lot, the airplane , the people things places that would be your perfect life and paste them to your image board and then put it somewhere you always "OBSERVE IT"
When we continually observe our perfect life we soon begin to live it!
I know we're always exhausted- but transport yourself from the couch to the observer and see yourself volunteering anyway, listening anyway, writing anyway, choosing not to be up set anyway being the difference anyway.
Take the step be the observer of your perfect life- do it- the bridge will appear- trust it. Or we can be exhausted lie on the couch not take any steps- and let that last bridge appear- the one we have no choice but to cross- you know the bridge I'm talking abut! the bridge of unfinished lives the bridge of unfinished vision boards.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I'm sitting in my hotel room another show looming in three hours. I don't know why I chose the word "looming!" I put as much as I can into each show, get ready, prepare , write re write then let go to the powers that be.
What are the the powers? lousy micro-phone, a loud table or person, empty room and then maybe it's me. The other day I spent eight hours in a car and had an hour before the show . That show was all me. Dang I was tired.
Now it's a day later and here I am with the free "Wi Fi". I just spent a couple of hours in the gym had a great lunch ( I had dinner with comedian Taz) and now I'm up dating my blog.
I have to stop here and go a little deeper. Thank you for reading my blog. I try to share how I feel in the every day challenges of trying to be my personal best no matter where I am. Also- I've done some soul searching because of coincidence.
I was in Saskatoon last week and in a Value Village where I bought the collective thoughts of Oprah in a book. I thought there would be some nuggets I could appreciate. I bought the book for five dollars and went on my way. I'm flipping through the book and land on page 93 "Purpose."
This was a story about a women that was stuck her entire life and had suddenly made the connection between- "the emotions of her past and why she was where she was now!"
The best way to describe me is the boy afraid to jump from the rock into the lake! I've started and stopped projects gained and lost weight have been jealous and blamed and have regrets and doubts. All of this is because of emotions I've been stuck in because of my past.
The funny things about memories and emotions is sometimes you forget. It's as if there's a dark cloud hovering over me but I don't know what it is. In the chapter on purpose the women who was stuck on past emotions called them her " flinch" moments. She meant the memories that made her flinch when she rediscovered them. I've remembered some moments when I was a kid I was sacred and those moments have kept me stuck. Well I felt them really felt them and let them go. I feel a little lighter. I am that boy on the rock and for the first time I've really jumped! My arms are in the air my legs are all wonky and I'm about to splash in the lake of my endless Summer.
Look for your flinch moments and let them go - and I'll see you in the lake!
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet/net

I'm sitting here again trying to put together another show case for Montreal. I think this is my Seventh. I've been to Montreal three times. I've performed during Just for Laughs but not on a Gala ( the TV spot you see on CBC and the comedy network)
I want to tell you why I haven't been selected before. It's me. My entire life I've shouted to anyone who'll listen how bad my childhood was. That's an excuse I've used. Like anyone else my childhood wasn't perfect. But still all these years later I'm stuck. I don't choose to be stuck but when I get to the place in life where I can move forward " adult Paul wants to but the boy I was is frozen, too afraid to jump into the Lake and for the life of me I don't know why.
All's I know is when I do these show cases I'm desperate and screaming for approval. I've just realized something. There's a lesson here I've been to lost to see. I'm connected to this boy. I've always been. I've moved forward but the boy hasn't because the child inside of me was told something and is frozen in those words still. I as the man I am bend on a single knee and look into the eyes of the boy I was.
" It's alright. I know you're hurt and I know you feel broken but know this, you're not alone. Words hurt the meaner the words the more they stick but you've been stuck too long. It doesn't matter what others think only what you feel and you've felt like you've been thrown away for too long.You are not nothing. You do matter. You are something and now the man you are all these years later- understands. The words that burrowed into you all that time ago were not from a bad place- just fear. I love you and release you.I know I'll hear you from time to time, the laughter you should have shared and the excitement and wonder that should have been go- simply be a boy -good bye."
I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience. My spirit is rising. I sense it. This process for me has been one continuous baby step. We all have purpose. We can't fully achieve this unless we're detached from our past so we can move freely in the now. I can tell you from my heart in the now in this sacred moment- I feel a little lighter with the sounds of the boy I was- moving into the light and the man that I am- moving further into the light- as well.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

The challenge we have in our life is to stay on track in purpose. It's difficult because we're getting hammered with bad news on TV on the Radio in the news paper. Everything is fear and ego based and keeps shaking us from abundance and miracles. Our real goals and purpose are higher in our creative joy and spirit. Our task then is to find ways to remain awake in our giggle our sand box and keep trucking in our purpose plans of this moment this hour this day this thing we call- "our life!"
When I prepare for a show I ask myself " What's the set I would love to hear the next day on my I Pod?"
The material I want to hear are the chunks that lift me higher and higher. The set I'm proud of. The jokes that took effort to create and reveal something about us! It's the set that makes me giggle with excitement. It's so easy to get stuck in the habit of the same jokes and pretty soon just ship the set in like I'm on auto pilot. ( I don't know why everyone is coming down so hard on the two pilots that over shot Minnesota because they were asleep) How many comics are on auto pilot and sleep through an hour and a half on stage?) If we're talking Honesty here! I' slept through part of the eighties all of the nineties two marriages and season one through eight of Doctor Phil!
The point I'm so eloquently trying to make is " Why not make out life an I pod moment?" I mean be excited each and every day because you're wide awake in your journey your plan your purpose! This is how! ( Get a whole bunch of old magazines and a two foot square piece of card board- Just cut it out from an old box. Now filter through the magazines and look at images that connect with your spirit! See the house you want? cut it out! See an image of an author at a book signing? cut it out! See a photo of a movie you would love to write! Cut it out. Cut out images of people laughing, people getting the degree you'd like to have, people wearing clothes you'd like to wear. Take all the images of YOUR PERFECT LIFE AND PASTE THEM TO THE CARD BOARD.When it's full you the Vision board of your future. Leave the Vision board some where you'll see it a lot. Make one for your car. Make a small vision cut out for your purse or wallet. Keep filling your mind and thoughts with the visions of your perfect life and soon the images that are on the board will be fulfilled in your life!
We're beings of energy. Keep your thoughts and feelings positive and big and like an antenna you'll attract all you feel and imagine- to your life. Before you know it your vision board will manifest itself through your creative excitement your joy and giggle your gratitude and actions.
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

I've always known "I am on the stage what I am off it." When Im chomping at the bit to try new material on a road trip and the exact same set slips out of my mouth- it's because I've hard wired my brain in habit and rehearsals to keep doing the same set!
There's a thing I like to call my "I pod set" That's the set that I want to hear, the set I wish I could do the material the set in my voice the material I'm proud of the set that makes me feel a thousand feet off the ground. I tape all my sets and I hear moments of new material me being me around a chunk but not an entire set.
I'm a comedian that feels a debt to my audience. I feel as if I owe it to them to be the very best I can each and every night. But I want more. I want to be honest. I want to be my creative giggle. I can achieve both by letting go of this old habit of fear.
I learnt stand up in some of the toughest rooms in Canada. The mentality of those rooms was to run for your life on stage and throw jokes at the audience like meat at a junk yard dog. As a result I've built this wall around me as if the material protects me from the audience.
I'm close to a personal break through. I'm right there where I can talk about a single idea and connect with an audience. It's the door I've been looking for well my entire life. " Connecting with an audience being myself in stream of consciousness each chunk an island I hop to visit then off to the next premise- stand up comedy- without borders.
What I am off the stage is who I am on it. What I know now in this present moment is all's I have to be now is honest. Everything I've ever dreamed off is right on the other side of that.

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

If you're like me, you get up get at the day! I slam a cup or two of Coffee, eat something and I'm on the road. I teach stand up, research it, share Key notes on humor, work the clubs corporate one nighters. I love stand up but it's how I pay my bills. I feel like I'm at War every day. I fight to be a better comedian, a better teacher, a better writer. I realized " When do I fight for a better me?"
Like you I struggle to pay bills. It's one after another. As soon as I get my head above water I get hit with another wave. It's exhausting. Days turn to weeks weeks to months years decades. The bags under my eyes are get bigger as the weight of each day gets heavier. I walk out the door and swing my sword at the new day challenges- fighting for a better life for me and Noreeen- is this who I am?
The day will come when this life as I know it will end.I'll have worked my way to the end of this journey.
I'll look back and wonder in all the work where was I? Where was Paul Sveen in the moments of my life? We look back and see ourselves tired always tired. We spent our lives working. When did we really live and what does really living mean?
It's the Season to be thankful. Somewhere I read that we are what we're thankful for.
I'm thankful that I'm able to pay my bills but work is not who I am. I look back on the past months and years and try find a pattern. Between my war against the wolves at the door I found this:
I find peace in not fighting. I find a calm in letting go and letting people events and outcomes be what they are. I find more of who I truly am in letting the moments of my life be what they are- from traffic jams to walking on stage to learning- all my moments are what they're supposed to be. I realized I was protecting something in me a wall a bruise-ego. I've been fighting to protect pride, respect, desperation and want! These things are not who I am.
I'm the man that chooses to listen not talk. I'm the man that chooses to stop rationing love like it's finite. I am what I give.
There's this ego in me that counts moments of blame doubt and regret like it's a ledger. That's a lie. I choose this time of the year to be thankful to recommit myself to abundance to laugh and create.
To truly live is to have no regrets. I choose to stop fighting the wolves at the door to stop getting lost in fear. There are miracles in our life. We can't see them when we're bitching. I see them now that I've put down my sword. The world outside may not have changed but the one inside me has.
These moments are our life- not someday not if not when- but now- and now I choose to be grateful.
I thank you for reading this. What ever's at your door let it be. Stuff will always be there. What's more important is we be here in this moment. This moment is our life and like thanks giving before you know it. . . it's over.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I have jokes in my head I've let peculate for years. I'll think about them throw out a piece of the joke but like a pitcher with a soar arm the joke never seems to make the rotation. I heard the other day that Dinosaurs are related to chickens! Makes sense. I've had KFC that seemed millions of years old. That weak joke is bubbling in my head. I don't know why. Maybe the jokes are staying in my head with the version of me that wrote them! In the old days if a chunk popped in my head it was in the set that night. That's how I wrote. There was no pen no paper just "lets see if this works!"
Now I sit down with an idea I put the premise in the middle of a circle and I attack the idea from a bunch of different points. Right now Im working on chunks about relationships. "Me and the spouse went to see Time Travelers Wife. She asked me if I had a time machine would I have liked to meet her earlier then I did. Yah babe! When? she asked-25? Earlier. I said. 20? She asked again. Keep going I responded.18? She shouted. Little more I said, come on you can do this I know that when I'm having a conversation with my wife - what I say back has to relate to the conversation. Women seem to like that. It makes them feel like you're listening and they seem to like that too.
She came home all emotional saying her job was stressful and she just wanted to hide! I said " What would you rather ride! an Ostrich or a Donkey? I say Donkey because if you fall off a jack ass it won't peck your eyes out like an Ostrich. You can't trust them and their shenanigans.
She had this look on her face like she was interested or maybe it hate. I kept plowing into the premise like a train. "I'll go you one further. If you had screaming hot Ostrich wings how many do you think you could have? I say ONE! An Ostrich wing is like a freakin side of beef with a claw. Yep! one 's the limit. She started crying. Tears of joy I thought. Hey a new closing chunk!
That Ostrich wing chunk is fifteen years old. Maybe it's been kicking around in my head until I found a place to use it. There's a reason we have these idea fragments in our head.I think they're waiting for the best version of us to evolve so we can hit them out of the park!
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

It's weird to think about where I am and where I began. Imagine if you could go back as the person you are now to that kid you used to be lets say the day you began school in grade one. What would you say to yourself if you had only one moment? "Study! know that you have a gift! have fun! don't do drugs!
What if you could go back to any moment in your life! What moment would you select? I know the moment. I was in grade seven and I wasn't getting the new math in Mr Part's math class so I gave up.
I remember thinking I can't get this and I'll never get it so I quit. In a few weeks I would be asked to leave the class I ended up in an easier class "Shop."
After that- giving up was easy. I quit on music class. I quit on school. I quit on myself. In that moment in math if I could sit next to that kid and say: " Hey, when you work a little harder then you are right now you'll grow a little. You'll find that you can do almost anything just ask a little more of yourself."
That's the thing. No one really asks very much of us. Someone might ask us to move, to forgive, to love, to make a difference, to laugh, to listen. None of this is difficult to share.
We make too much of a fuss about growing. Change is the best thing that can happen . When we change when we grow when we walk into our unknown we realize we want more. If I can learn this new math what else can I do! If I could just go back to that moment but We can.
See yourself looking back on your life. You're a s senior you've had a long life. Today you back in time to NOW, THIS MOMENT. What would you tell yourself now in this second so that you live this moment this day this life as if you had a second chance?

E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

I was thinking about some of my best movie moments ever. I have a lot of them because I'm a movie guy. The first movie I really remember was " Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" with Betty Davis. I was twelve and that black and white oldie scared the Hell out of me. Betty Davis was an axe murderer and well any way- I slept the night in the porch under the shoes.
Another moment was a foreign Italian Movie "The Teacher." It was about a teacher who lost his seven year old son to a car accident. The teacher ends up having a huge depression and wants to end his life. All of a sudden a new boy comes to class and the boy ends up being Jesus and he takes the teacher to Heaven to be with his son. I saw that one when I was thirteen.
The first real horror was "Jaws" My brother left the theatre when the shark jumped on the boat and ate that guy. I was twenty. The next big moment was Aliens. I loved Aliens. It was dark. It was scary. When that little Alien jumped out of that guys stomach!!!
After that, the movies that hammered me were: Terms of endearment, Close Encounters, Indiana Jones, Terminator one and two. All of the Pink Panthers, All Montey Pythons- except " Jabber Walkie" I hated Dune and Eraser Head ( David Lynch) Loved Forrest Gump and Side ways. I loved " Sixth Sense" Hated everything else M Night did.
I'm a movie guy. And great movie takes me from the story of my life and takes me to the story of its life. It's all about story! The last great movie that did that was "UP."
What do you think?
E mail me thepath@ telusplanet.net

Hey everyone I'm going to keep the instructions to my live show at the beginning of my blog for a while. To see my key notes and live shows: "When you hit my site CLICK on PAUL LIVE. When it opens SCROLL HALF WAY DOWN TO LIVE SHOWS-CLICK. This will open you have several options- All the shows are listed you just click on the one you want to see. I'm always updating my shows- so if you would -keep clicking and E mail me - tell me what you think.
I've been on the road a lot this Summer. I was in Winnipeg, Montreal, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and all points in between. Now it's corporate season and I'm sharing more and more key notes. I truly am blessed. I've often wondered where I would be after twenty years of comedy. What I hoped I wouldn't be was a chain smoking drinker alone in a Motel with no home. I'm not that because I fought for a better.
I'm married to an amazing woman "Noreen" We pay a mortgage on a home with a tree house. I don't drink or smoke, I don't let small stuff bother me and I work on the things that grow from my heart.
I know that in comedy it's all about the audience. My energy is full and real from my giggle to the audience. I know that I can let go of fear and take action anyway. I can be prepared for a show and then let the show be what it is. I know that I can be myself and being myself is my goal.
It's taken twenty plus years to share this. Now in this moment it doesn't seem so big but it is! It's big because I had to live it to be it and that's what this blog is about-LIVING.
I don't need to be high or drunk or self centered or afraid. I can be me and honestly- that's still a work in progress.
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

I'm off to Calgary to share a Key Note on "Humor In the Work Place." It's going to be a lot of fun the work place is a gym. This is an environment where I have spent some time. I'm sharing the key note to about a hundred people. This is a chance for them to decompress and laugh for an hour.
The Key Note will be broken into Five segments: Inner Critic, Who Are We, Child inside, intuition and purpose. All of the segments are from honesty empowerment and laughter. Before I share the comedy I have to take them back to tragedy- my first ten years on this planet. I'm sharing this because the first ten years dictated how I lived the rest of my life until I was aware of the impact my childhood had on me.
This day is all about laughter and empowerment and a real message " What We Give Is What We Get Back." I'll also be sharing the one thing we can do in each segment to really have an impact on our result.
In Inner Critic it's " Take Action." In Who Are We" It's don't be afraid to make a mess.
It's taken a life time for me to be here in this moment. I'm letting go and letting this moment be just what it is A Gift. I hope to pass that onto the group to.
Check me out on You Tube.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

What if we imagined the best we could be in any situation? goals, career, relationships life? I'm writing this because I tape all my comedy shows on Video then watch it. I rehearse before the show on the way to the show then tape the set and watch and learn. The problem is I'm always coming from the same perspective! - me! I'm rehearsing me taping and me trying to be better.
If I want to grow I have to be aware of how much I want to grow. The best set of my life? I need to envision that set, feel it breath in the changes then fight for it.
I need to become the change I want to be. Who is that entertainer I'll be five years from now? Polished, slick material, solid theme related material? I can choose to wait five years to become that person or I can work to be that person now. I choose to be my best now not five years from now. I can achieve that now by choosing to allow that now. I can live in the best of me - in career, relationships, love, friendships and learning. I can do this by seeing the results and asking myself what would the paul right now have to be to achieve this goal outside my ability! See it, work for it be it.

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I was working at the Laugh Shop in Calgary last week. I drove from Edmonton to Lethbridge then to Calgary and back to Edmonton with JP Fornier. If you're counting that's 13 hours in the same car with the encyclopedia of underground Korean French and Chekioslavakian movies!
We started talking about inglorious Basterds and I came up with an idea to sell some T Shirts. I get Darrel Sittler's rookie card I paint that Nazi mustache on and I change Darrel's name to Adolph! Yah! Now on his card he's Adolph Sittler- maybe slip in Reich Wing! Then on his stats GOALS: "to annihilate the human race and veggies for everyone."
Well JP starts snorting and you know me I have to follow the giggle so I say Darrel gets a call from his publicist and it might go something like this:
Publicist "Hey Darrel you sitting down?"
Darrel " Yah what's up?"
Publicist "There's some Goomba selling T shirts of you out West."
Darrel " How many he sell?"
Publicist " Twenty seven thousand."
Darrel " What the FFFFFF
Publicist " Yah well here's the thing on the shirt you're name is Adolph."
Darrel "Adolph Sittler? What the FFFFFFF!"
Publicist " Yah! it gets worse."
Darrel " What? the FFFF!"
Publicist " The Hockey Hall Of fame want's to kick you out."
Darrel " What the FFFFFFFF."
Publicist " Something about you killing fifty million people and being the Anti Christ!"
Darrel. " What the FFFFFFFF!"
Publicist "We're going to get this Sveen."
Darrel " Yah, lets get him. Where is he?"
Publicist " I got him on GPS he's in Red Deer, no Fairview, no Millet, no Regina no Lethbridge.
That's right any place there's a chance to write a joke I'll be there. Any place I have the chance to be Atilla the Pun I'll be there. and any time I have the chance to bust Darrel Sittler's nads to stop JP Fornier to stop talking about a black in white French movie from 1910 with Austrian sub titles sorry Sittler- I have to be there!

E MAIL ME thepath@ telusplanet.net

If you've taken my class you know the story of my first time on stage. I had the worst bomb in the history of bombing. I won't re live the shenanigan but I'll give you the high lights. Open mike I froze forgot who I was where I was ran off the stage missed the steps fell on a table of drinks and was humiliated ran out the exit to the biggest laugh of my life!
What I've realized is that moment has been resonating my entire comedy career. Every time I walked on stage a bit of that guy imploding in front of the mike was with me in this moment. I've allowed a version of me from the past to dictate my results twenty five years in the future.
It's hard to look at that moment to feel it. I was humiliated and broken. I remember lying on my bed for three days, I got hammered eventually got back on stage and forgot about it. But "IT" never forgot about me. I buried more things: a marriage, jobs, another relationship, missed opportunities, jealousy, anger fear and more heart break. And that was the eighties!
It's why dogs bury stuff in the back yard. Fido's doing with bones what we're doing with the pains of our life. What I know is my results have been slow and methodical not because I'm a Capricorn because I'm allowing yesterday to be my tomorrow and that ends today!
Look at a goal you want to achieve. Lets say it's to pay off your house. That guy who fell off the stage couldn't build a five minute set let alone a home. So why would I let him tell me how to become debt free?
I don't know how to pay off a home but I do know that when I take action and not afraid to make a mess I get results way better then when I let some " sha klok" version of who I was twenty five years ago tell me what to do now!
How do you pay off a home? Play the Lottery! create more wealth, work harder, turn a hobby into income, read a book on how to do it, cut back create a budget so I can double the payments? on and on and on!
All these ideas work as long as I work to make them happen. Action plus not being afraid to make a mess plus results equal growth " A+AM+R= :)" Life's to short to be small. Look at what you really want ask what version of you is keeping you from that!
Some where in a single moment we decided the pain of a moment would decide our purpose. I ask you go back to that moment- confront that version of you take responsibility and tell them to - "fuck off! I have a purpose and dreams and I choose action over stuck!" Go make a mess. If you put the ingredients of a cake together and it looks like a human head- so what! It still tastes like a freakin cake! Let your mess be your finger print that you were here! The old version of you doesn't want any one to know we were ever here. Take action allow the results. That's better then what your Sha Klok version was doing- NOTHING.
E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

When I look at my stand up- there's a lot more tragedy then comedy. It's not a "Sad club" it's not an "Angry Club." They're comedy clubs and it's our job to stand up and deliver. Comedy is a business and -"The more fun we're having the more successful - " we'll be."
Ask yourself where you're humor is coming from? A lot of us were the comic relief in a dysfunctional home and parlayed that into a career. Where though- is your comedy really coming from? a single moment of fear? a cry out for help? anger? What I'm asking is burrow to the core of your humor.
This is important discovering the reason is where we launch! When we discover we became funny because we wanted the attention, or to block out negativity we then release the craving the vacuum. When we discover we really want to be funny because funny blocked out the crying - then we "flip" and replace the core, the never ending pit of sorrow-that can never be filled with applause, achievement or ladders to climb-- with the infinite power of happiness! ( Do this and you'll shave ten years of banging your head agaisnt a wall- off your creative career or go by the seat of your pants and find out for yourself.)
Do you see what I'm laying down? Discover the real reason we choose to by funny and shift and release and really replace negative with positive and you my friend are a success magnet.
Most comics are lonely solitary figures doomed to a life of fear and scarcity repelling most opportunities because at their core their humor is coming from an emptiness.
We don't need laughter to know our life is short and really special. We only need discover at our core we're not a bottomless pit of neediness but a pulsating explosion of infinite possibility and purpose.
The reason this discovery matters is: "When your foot touches the stage and you're consumed with creative bewilderment -you've shifted from a bottomless hole to a summit above the clouds- you're sharing your humor from abundance not fear- you my friend will be on fire and everything you've ever wanted is waiting- at your feet."

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

What's your comedy plan? where do you want to be in Six months? Funnier? Toronto? LA, writing, acting? Here's a couple of things to consider. When it comes to stand up we need to stand out! We have to create a buzz. We can achieve this by " amplifying our story"
Our life has to be the source of our humor. Our life is how we should market ourself because our life our story is how we're going to stand out in stand up!
Where do we start? 1) Ask yourself: what one word describes your life? your story! For me that one word is train wreck. I'm back on track but I still have corners where like here we go again. I love "train wreck" It's honest. If you've taken my class you know the benefits of being honest to an audience. Train wreck is a gold mine because everyone can relate. We've all had moments days months where we 've felt we were off the tracks.
Second: What's one word you think others may describe you with? Be honest. Notice right away we get a little nervous? We begin to hear words like " loser,air head,dreamer, has been, never was, un- talented un- organized? Be honest. The way others honestly feel about us is power! It's like free marketing. Lets say our second word is ( I came up with boring first. I'm a lot of things one of them is not boring- average, un- remarkable, lost) maybe! boring? don't think so. I ended up with "unstable"
Now we have "train wreck and unstable" When I say unstable- I mean-well unstable.
Be honest with your words and your material. Who doesn't like a train wreck! We watch them from afar! and unstable- that sounds like every one I know!
In comedy writing we do the Q and A. What happens when I Q and A train wreck and un- stable?
JOKE 1 "I don't think my dad liked me. One day when I was Twenty Seven he shouted " Look he's walking!" # 2 Our photo albums were TV from the future. We'd flip through them really fast. It looked like an episode of intervention."
#3 Do you remember the old days when To Catch A predator was called The Friendly Giant!"
#4 As a kid what the Hell was the message of The friendly Giant? Don't be afraid of giant men who hang out with chickens and Giraffes and lives in a Castle? So I guess this guy with the candy and van isn't so bad!" #5 People say time machines don't exist- smoke pot. One second you're fifteen smoking a joint. The next moment you're forty one working the drive through at Burger Land going -" what the ffffffff?" These are all jokes from train wreck and Un -stable. ( It took fifteen minutes)
There is no normal- share your life and be honest. When you amplify your life you'll find your stage legs a lot faster then if you do what everyone else is. Let go and let your story you'll stand out in stand up!
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

When I get up on stage I have an idea what I want to share with an audience but in reality I never really know! This is why I've only won a couple of show cases I'm never really sure of what I want to do. " Well do what the show case judge wants." What's that? Just like everyone else they come to a show- case a little tired, they've seen everything they know the skinny on the comics as well as an idea of what they want."
You factor in the audience the more they love you the better the effect on the judge but in the moment in the energy of the room my habits and the way my brain is hard wired you have a: "I don't know what's going to happen."
This is the reason for this blog. I've chosen to allow the fears of my childhood to decide the results of Paul the adult. My life is being directed by a terrified five year old boy decades in my past! There is no blame on this realization!
I came into this World an open vessel filled with innocence and wonder filled with bewilderment promise and purpose-all was possible! I was born into a small farm house a father who hated where he was, a mother who felt alone and overwhelmed. Another baby was on the way that made five and in six months dad mom and five kids crammed into a car drove the twelve hour drive to Edmonton so dad could support us as a musician. We lived from scarcity and fear day to day month to month. Eventually my habits and results were all based in fear.
"Move on Paul! Grow up! All that stuff happened a long time ago move on!" I am.
I've hard wired my brain all these years with the fears doubt and blame from the boy I was and I've spent my life forgetting trying to medicate and doing what ever I could to run away. Instead of running I've remained stuck. This is why I've got the results I do. They're coming from the habits of a terrified boy and I've been unaware of it because habits become our results and my results have always been the same. It's like living next to a waterfall. No matter how amazing it is after a while you stop seeing it. The same as love-when you meet someone fall in love- it doesn't take long before the honey moon is over. With over fifty percent of marriages ending and the other fifty percent holding on- this tells me a lot of us are living a life that is being directed by decades old habits directed by a terrified child. It's why as adults we still throw tantrums pout sulk and retreat in destructive habits like binge eating addictions and empty relationships.
That's me. Well that was me. I've chosen to shift. I am not the fears and habits of that boy. I am not the fears past on from terrified adults. I am not the results of a scared child. We are beings of incredible possibilities and purpose. As a boy I learnt to be afraid. I learnt retribution and how to stay frozen in fear and anger. It never once occurred to me that fear and anger was exactly what I was attracting.
"Believe it live it and you are given it." I'm choosing to be awake in abundance gratitude miracles and purpose. I choose to make a shift from being asleep in decades old habits directed by a terrified boy. I now in this moment choose to be awake in purpose-to create from complete joy.
It's taken my entire life to understand why I've only used twenty percent of my ability. That twenty percent was the terrified boy I used to be. I no longer choose to be afraid to make a mess.
Please if you read this- be aware of your inner child- nurture them tell them they're capable of everything walk! not talk your purpose! Take a risk and follow a dream.
When we stop being terrified to make a mess and take action on our dreams anyway- we then in that moment- choose to stop making a mess of our life!
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I've done a pair of shows at the Laugh Shop ( 103 St. 82 Ave. second floor above the star bucks) The pair of shows were fun. The audience is close, it's a good sound system and the lighting is good. I like the close contact to the audience- I've had this feeling of being able to do what ever I want. I've been video taping all me sets since Rumor's in Winnipeg. What I noticed in the new Laugh Shop is I can relax a little more between the chunks. I can ramble between the material. What I'm saying is I can be me up there.
I tweaked my knee when I was in Montreal running stairs. I feel like my knee is locked and has been for the last week! I golfed Joey's tourney in Parrot Island in Montreal- maybe I shouldn't have.
I joined a gym in the old forum for the week and they were closed on the weekend! So I ran the stair well of the sixteen story condo we we're staying- so I do ten of them on the second one I felt the pop but did eight more to make sure I had polio!
Well off to work- if you can hope to see you at the Laugh Shop- above the Star bucks! I already like it more then Londonderry, West Edmonton, the one on 102 Ave. and 96t and the Point! Now that I think about it- I've been like a mangy Coyote- following the Rubin Wagon rain from one camp fire to another!
E MAIL ME- thepath@telusplanet.net

When I write a joke a lot of times it's because I stumble on it! I mean I'll have a joke in my set and think: " Hey, there could be a better joke there.( could be?) Here's an example. I do a set of jokes about " men being animals and women being animal trainers. Out of this premise I found " That drunk girl on the dance floor is the same as the gazelle with a limp in the wild."
The Gazelle with a limp paints a good picture and the clearer the picture the better the response from the audience. What I like to do is put the premise in the middle of a circle and look at it from a bunch of different views. I thought maybe the women who's tipsy was actually turning the table on the guy- maybe she was using herself as bait and now the hunter becomes the hunted!
I think every guy can relate to that! You're in a bar you make a connection with someone they take you to their table and there's five women there- her friends. Just then the waitress walks over asks if anyone wants a drink? All six girls look at him- He digs into his pocket and spend the last of the change he found in the couch on his new six best friends. Now the table turns, as a guy you can taste it- "the set up" and the table of women begin to ask the hard questions- " If the girl you're with says " I'm going to the washroom I'll be right back and you stay? you're an IDIOT" . The moment she leaves- the questions get harder- are you here a lot? YES! Do you ride the bus? YES Do you live with your mother? YES! " Yes Yes Yes!!! alright you got me you got me! Cut your losses and have fun! I mean if you're Man Candy you have nothing to worry about! just BLA BLA BLA your way out of it! Most men aren't man candy- they're boys pretending to be men who's main food group is candy.
By the way-the whole buying women drinks only works with drinks. You can't be at a Movie and spot a little plus sized girl leaning on the counter you think " I'm so in!" you tell the kid that's serving you: " I want to buy her candy" The kid walks over, tells her, she looks at you- you give her that two finger eye move, you know where you point at your eyes then hers. She gets the number six- extra large pop corn, tub of diet coke large twizzlers and a case of junior caramels. It costs you thirty bucks- that's still twenty less then a hooker! You walk with her to the line up- find out the movies called "The War Within Ballinda" It kicks in his gag reflex but the pay offs going to be worth it- and there- at the front of the line are her five friends "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
E MAIL ME- thepath@telusplanet.net

I just spent a week in Montreal working the comedy nest! I had a great time. The audiences were awesome so was Silver- the owner. She's real approachable, just a down to earth person you can have a heart to heart with and I appreciate that.
What I learnt: write and rehears everyday and I mean tag your best chunks. I learnt to talk more to the audience I mean share material that includes the audience. Just to back track- when I say " TAG" I mean to create more material from your best material.
I taped all my sets and watched them and worked on new material from the material. It's a great thing to watch your set you ca learn so much from seeing yourself and flying across the country and doing well in a premier comedy club gives me a little more confidence.
I always wanted to Headline Rumor's in Winnipeg and The Nest in Montreal and now I have. What I have next is to create a set that can fill a theatre. I need to get to work on that. That opportunity may or may not be spoken word associated to the books I'm writing but- I will work on the set to fill those seats.
Paul.
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

Here I am in the condo again in Montreal Noreen and I walked down St Catherine's to the Eaton's center because the Nernanator wanted some Muffins. We walked the ten blocks and I'm telling you it's freakin sweltering here. Montreal is a nice place to live if you're a Cigar! It's a humidor here.
So we walk to Eaton's and hit the food court. I'm serious when I say it's the biggest food court I've ever seen. It's so big that you can't see the names of the kiosks on the opposite side of the court! She got her muffins I get Edo and we walk back to the condo.
I took a little nap because of the walk and I had another two hour work out at the gym earlier. I think I'm one of the few people that doesn't smoke here. It's unbelievable. You can only smoke outside and the amount you hate cigarette smoke is in direct proportion to how much smoke they blow in your face! I saw a guy jogging on the spot all of a sudden three then five then twenty smokers surrounded him. He disappears in the smoke then crawls out five minutes later gaunt and pale. Everyone smokes! I think they walk into house fires to feel what it's like to smoke on the inside " let the smoke rain on you it's like the old days.
You'd think this would be a muggers paradise! They could run up to the smoker and steal his wallet then run away! If the smoker moves any faster then a shuffle his heart explodes like a dwarf star! Then again the mugger should probably give the wallet back take the smokes! they're worth more then wallet.
Plus the tap water! It tastes like iodine. I don't know how I know that but I do. You can't tell me they're filtering everything out! That's all I need is estrogen and ecstasy in my blood stream considering my G spot is in my lower colon- (sing to ebony and ivory) "estrogen and ecstasy together they make me all woman-ie I want to go and tweak my nipples in the street" estrogen ecstasy and Colon? that's the Montreal Tap Water tri- fector!
What I do know is every night the comics here are really good so I have to be bring it! So I'm off to rehearse and get ready. Talk to you soon!!
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

I wonder what that is in me? I have this "thing" this need to always push the envelope to see what I can get away with and to see what's just outside my reach! This doesn't work well with a business plan! especially when the plan is- show business.
I guess my plan was to get asked back to the Nest. You know, so I can fly myself out here again and hope to break even. I'm not being sarcastic I'm saying that while I'm here I'm a better comic then if I was back out west. And that's the thing, all of us are that way. All of us are fighting for us and our families trying to pay the rent the bills the groceries.
I some-times wonder what it would be like to win the lottery! Here I am in a career I love and the best I can hope for is to make it through another year. If I won the lottery I'd get lazy and pasty and lose the fight because that's what I'm doing now- fighting! I'm fighting for the best in me. I'm fighting for better material better chunks. I fight.
Right now that fight is to remain Paul as long as I can on stage before the "whore " shows up. I'm talking about the ass clown version of me the comedy joke boy that version of me that needs to be on auto pilot.
The best version of me is outside my set outside the permitter out there in the dark nether regions of my routine. That guy is showing up more and more. I'm not sure where I'm going if only for a moment and I wish I could have been that version from day one! Not knowing what you're doing is better then doing the same thing over and over until you want to shove a gun in your mouth. You ever notice when someone does put a gun in there mouth they make sure the barrel is past their teeth? Yah "I want to kill myself but I don't want to mess with the dental work. I hate my life but these veneer's cost a bundle!"
I'm fighting for certainty! I will be certain each moment I'm on stage- conviction! What I'm certain about right now is this moment! I love the idea of tagging my experiences here in Montreal, the smokers, people talking on the street, the old Montreal forum. There's a definite subtle desperation here. It's palatable. Everyone want's to be famous to be discovered.
I just want to be me and I don't know why it's taking so long and why it's so fucking hard but- the search continues.
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

I'm here in the Condo down town Montreal. We have are conditioning, three fans a kitchen nice bed room a flat screen and I'm a block away from the Comedy Nest. I and Noreen are about to walk to 'Old Montreal" It's about a two hour walk but we need the exercise. I think there's a gym along Saint Catherine's so I'll hit that a couple of times before we leave on Tuesday.
I was in West Montreal last night at a club called " Bourbon's" It's like the old Fargo's on Whyte. What I did was watch two hours of comedy before I got up and I was relaxed and just myself when I got up on stage and had a good time.
I've tagged some stories from my life all of them connected to "Dysfunctionl" and I'm inserting them into the set. So my set is growing from my life. I feel it and care about it and it's got the energy that connects to the audience or at least those that can realte to the tragedy in comedy.
I had breakfast with Joey E we talked about his Golf tourney which is monday. He said there's a ten thousand dollar prize for the hole in one. As he told me the exact moment I dropped the pepper shaker through the hole in the middle of the table. Coincidence? Well it's taken twenty years of coincidence to get me here to this moment- so hole in one here I come!
Well I and Nern are off for the walk to Old Montreal. It won't be long before I'm back in Edmonton so I choose to be in this moment awake in all I've been given.
E MAIL ME thepath@telsuplanet.net

It's the week after the festival and I'm headlining the Comedy Nest in Montreal! I feel like I've missed something- like getting to the party at four AM everyone's gone except that one guy who's passed out in front of the CD player. I'm here with Noreen- we got in at Ten- we ordered a pizza that was supposed to be here in forty minutes or it was free. It took Fifty- so we got Zaw for nothing.
Thanks comedy Gods! That's the best you can do? He never got the festival again so lets throw a large bacon fete down his cake hole! That should shut him up for another year until he doesn't get the festival again.
It's my fault! I mean the whole festival thing. I think it stems from the first audition I did when I was eleven. It was for the National touring young people's group " Up Up With People!" They sang up beat songs about Canada and nationalism kind of like Hitler youth. I was number seventeen not Paul- but the number- and I had to sing this song that Up Up With People was playing on TV. Every time it came on TV I would lose it scream and tell everyone to shut up. My sisters would yell "DAD!!!" He would stomp into the room and lose it and my brother would be standing behind him coaxing Dad on" Come on dad slap him!"
I would block it all out watch the commercial, whispering to myself trying to self choreograph every move: " clap clap kick- jump spin and hands on hips and sing-"Up Up with People if more people were good people there would be happy people every where" and some other bullshit I forget- my dad mom brother and sisters howling in laughter!
Any way they ask for number seventeen and I walk into the gym. There's three judges sitting behind a table and one says "GO!"
Bang! I begin the cool moves and nail them I open my eleven year old mouth and puberty hit my larynex that freakin exact moment. I make a screeching yodeling sound for about a tenth of a second and the judge shouts " ENOUGH." That was it-the begining and end of my child entertaining years-all in a single moment.
I went back to class being the lost kid in the back. I was lost at home in class everywhere except creating. All's I knew was- I loved to laugh and write.
I also know the the best I can create is from my bewilderment from the kid I never had the chance to be. I think that kid is the Universe! That kid in all of us-unlimited possibilities and joy just waiting to create. I feel like I'm almost there- you know where I just let go and be in the moment- no habit no auto pilot no same old same old. Because there are no judges in Heaven oh wait I'm Catholic- shit!!!!
E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

I remember the day I quit my job and became a comedian. I'd worked for the water department for ten years. That's a story with in this story. Growing up dad called me names like " Moron, idiot, ditch digger." He always said all's I'd be was a ditch digger. So there I was up to my ass in mud in a ditch I was digging and it hit me - Hey!!!! I'm a freakin ditch digger!"
He wasn't physic he was a drinker! I've often wondered where I'd be if he called me a genius! or that son of mine is a God Damned time traveler! No- I got ditch digger and ended up digging ditches. I wanted to prove him wrong.
So I quit my job had zero marketable skills barely had my High school I got over the ditch digger tag but was stuck on idiot and moron. I had no plan.
I sat in my basement suite and wondered where jokes came from. I was staring at a blank piece of paper of all the places jokes came from I knew one place they didn't was- me! I was raised in absolute drama. Happiness came to our house to die!
So I'm a comedian I'm not funny don't know what to do or where to go and a funny thing happened. The city disconnected my power, then my cable was off then heat and then I decided to drop the moron tag and get to work! I wasn't going to dig ditches. I was going to mine myself.
I went to open mikes and bombed then opened up for comics making no money but I watched and learnt and I kept getting a little better. I slowly began to discover who I was. I wasn't a ditch digger. I wasn't a moron and I'm not an idiot!
To tell you the truth "idiot" doesn't bother me as much as the other two- ditch digger and moron.
I've grown to embrace idiot. Idiot to me is someone who's as happy as a pig in shit and that sounds curiously compelling. Who wouldn't like that? "Where's Craig? He's in the back in the shit crater."
Well- here I am- I've headlined both coasts I'm off to Headline the Nest in Montreal I'm an award winning play write have a half dozen national TV appearances have a mortgage I'm sober ten years and married to an amazing woman who's teaching me to really love. Why? Because I decided to re invent me! I decided to discover who I really was and what I was capable of. So please remember: you're not junk. Words hurt but the exact opposite of a hurtful word is what you are! The more I live from abundance the more I'm blessed.
My dad passed away two years ago. He died of cancer but he also had dementia. One of our last conversations I told him I was Hitler. He said " You're Hitler?" Damn we laughed!
I believe he tried his best and I'm not enabling I'm just forgiving and moving from blame to living.
What I'm saying is go out live your life -live beyond the words you were told go out and make a mess so what walk your walk don't talk it live it! That's why we're here to live. Explorers use boats! The best way to explore and discover who you are is to use kindness and gratitude. Be nice to yourself! Count your blessiungs- Use those two- and you'll conquer all words and all worlds!
E MAIL ME . . .thepath@telsuplanet.net

I'm not sure you've heard but "The Laugh Shop" has changed locations from Londonderry Mall to Whyte Avenue. I'll be headlining it's first week from August 4th to August 8th. I'm looking forward to it although I'm going to miss the north side club. I had a lot of memories there! Here are a few of them!
1) Opening week when I brought a kid who just turned eighteen on stage gave him a triple shot of Jack and he puked. It was as if he coughed up a yak! I did the next ten minutes with a bouncer sucking up the mess with a shop vack!
2)Opening week doing shows in that freakin metal shed next to the club. It was Fall and it was cold. We were doing a fund raiser for Cancer! Sean Lacomber called it "Tumor Humor"
3) Jorden Chisowski-if I have his name right- one of the funniest guys to come out of the Laugh Shop Comedy Class. " If I was in prison I would get my Grand Mother to nit my clothes. I mean if I'm in here lets do this!"
4) Watching Kerry Unger! Man he's got some great chunks and he's so relaxed!
5)All the Laughing For Cancers! Andrew Grose is a pro!
6) All the photo shoots Billy Cowan did at the club!
7) Spencer! God he's funny! He should have his own Sit Com!
8) All the Howie Miller ball bustin impressions he did of me.
9)The green room! Sitting in there one day Mike Cliff walked off the stage early and Matt Murry the MC was in the green room having a burger with a buddy all of a sudden he sees Mike Cliff sitting in the corner. The look on Matt's face!
10) We had a foot ball game in the lobby! Me Kerry Unger Cody the manager against Paul Hog Spencer and Lockland Patterson. We used a water bottle as a foot ball and we kicked their ass! I kerry and the codynator!
I'll miss the club! but it's off to bigger and better things.
Paully.

In the last Month I've worked Rumor's Winnipeg The Laugh Shop in Edmonton and now the Comedy Nest in Montreal! I'm not blowing any horns here! I failed to mention between those dates I headlined the Beer Tent at the Red Deer exposition! or aptly named " CARNIE HALL!"
I've learnt a few things this past week- the biggest -allow my humanity! my truth! letting go. I guess it's all those things. What I'm trying to say is " I'm on stage in a beer tent and I feel like I'm throwing meat at a ravenous bunch of dogs so my switch kicks in- comedy boy- cycle through the set and give them the junk- budu boom budu bing!
In that moment it's really hard to un-do all the habit and fear to grow but I'm right there! I'm right at the point where I feel my humanity! my truth! Instead of the hack I choose truth honesty the stories I'm certain about the stuff in my DNA.
The stories of my life are not always happy happy joy joy and yah people come to a comedy club to get away from the drama but that's all I know! I mean the ego part of me! My soul sees the dance!
What I know is stealing my dad's car wrapping it around a poll and parking it back in the garage! Fighting him in the hallway as my mom beat me with a broom! Falling off the back of a van at forty miles an hour on gravel wearing jean shorts! throwing a bag of pot in the back of my garbage filled car getting pulled over by a cop and watching from the side walk as the officer filled three garbage bags trying to find the dope! My buddy sitting beside me said " He dude! the cop is cleaning your freaking car man!!!!"
I have been desperate my entire life! Desperate for my dad's approval desperate for cash for friendship desperate for a book deal show cases for everything! I'm tired of it and am ready for the other side of desperate " letting go!"
I am. I am me I am alive and I'm aware that my life is NOT determined by weather the phone rings or not. We all have lessons in life. My lesson has been to stop fighting my lesson. I've spent way too much time trying to jump into the sky! Well the last time I tried I noticed I had wings! We all do!
I can't do everything but I can do one thing really good- "be Paul." Look out Nest- here I come.
E MAIL ME- TELL ME HOW YOU'RE DOING- thepath@telusplanet.net

I was telling a story recently. I was fourteen had skipped a day at high school when I got home me and my dad got into a fist fight-mom was trying to hit him with a broom but she was belting me. When I was telling the story it never occurred to me the story wasn't normal.
This episode was normal to me in the house that drama built.
That fourteen year old boy went on to years of drinking not feeling trying to forget and never remembering. Now after a decade of sobriety I'm just now beginning to discover who I am and the love I'm capable of sharing,
I discovered my go to move has been anger! Anger in traffic. Anger in the moment. Anger at the past and it never ends because anger attracts more anger. But through my sobriety some clarity hit me just like the broom so many years ago!
Anger is fear. I'm afraid! I'm afraid to let go and be the kid I never had the chance to be. I'm afraid to take bigger risks because I still hear that inner voice telling me "I'm nothing and never will be." It's not anger it's fear and fear is erased by just being me and doing what ever my purpose is!
I mean being human! It's human to make mistakes, to cry, to lose everything to start again, to be afraid of death as much as going back to school or facing Wednesday or letting someone love you.
I choose to be human no matter what tomorrow brings. Whether I cry get sick don't get the deal or have to say I'm really freakin sorry- I choose to do that which allows me to feel the most and that which is most honest .
I was stuck in that hall way for a lot of years. Being hit by the broom afraid to understand my fears.
I know I'm going to make a mess some times but I'm going to take action any way. Walking your walk not just talking- making a mess is a heck of a lot better then the mess we make if we don't choose to be honest and take action on our dreams.
Be human and feel really feel. Yes you're going to push some opportunities and some people away. But the stuff you attract is purpose! and the people you attract have been with you for. . . eternity.
Paully.

I wrote an article about Michael Jackson a blog I had no business writing. Who am I to write about his life? I've never walked in his shoes. I can't imagine what it was like to be raised by his dad let alone being raised in my freakin house!
My name is Paul but my dad called me "IDIOT." That was my official name idiot. We would run out of milk for supper my dad would yell " send the idiot to the store" My brother and sisters would look at me I'd get up throw on my coat and run half way to the store before I realized I had no money. I was ten!
It's strange how I was called idiot and I did everything in my power to live up to the name! "I would skip school, do acid, steal from Wool-co, smoke pot, stole my dad's car totaled it then parked it back in the garage like he might not notice, fight and get the Hell beat out of me, played in horrible garage bands like Herman Shmitszoid and his Trucking Zombies, quit jobs, go on probation.
One day my mom found a dime bag of pot in my room. It just occurred to me now ( What the hell was she doing in my room any way?) Well she finds the dime bag "Ten Dollars worth." and she buries it in the back yard! I come home my pot is gone and she won' t tell me what she did with it.
Six months later I'm jamming with the Trucking Zombies we stop for a smoke break I look into the shoulder high weeds in the back yard and yell " holy shit pot plants!"
Being an idiot has it's privileges.
I wish my dad would have called me genius! "Send the genius to the store!" I'd strap on my jet pack because I built one in the garage and fly over to the gas station and open up my time machine port hole climb in and come back with a light Saber.
I say that because if I was a genius I'd use smart for evil.
Any way! I have a whole bunch of clips up on you tube- and a few I put up on Live shows on my Web Site. Click on live shows scroll half way down and click on live shows on the blue bar!!! I also finished a Screen play this week and shipped it off to a producer.
Not bad for an idiot.

E mail me tell me how you're doing thepath@telsuplanet.net

I was listening to K 97 this morning they were playing " Im dead I'm Dead you know it." to the tune "I'm Bad!" Really funny. I think it's funny because it's a little shocking! Now that he's crossed over you think Michael's got his hands on Casper the friendly Ghost yet?
And lets be honest. He's Michael! He can never be "mike." Because Mike's never wear one white glove moon walk or live in Never Land. He was the first Jackson to go. I always thought Tito would only because he looked like he hated dancing more then the rest of the back up brothers.
MJ is gone and a little like Elvis. They had stuff in common. Never Land, Grace Land, both died of heart attacks both had twins Elvis had a brother- MJ's was Diana Ross.
I know I'm reaching. Actually I was never a big Jackson fan not even when he was playing with Van Halen.
There was something going on with that guy. All the surgeries to change his face. He wasn't happy on the inside and all his money couldn't change that. What am I saying! He was a half a billion in debt! Un happy broke trying to be a white. Now he knows what its like being Wesley Snipes.
He's gone but then so is everyone else who died and what made him so special? he was a genius?
Geniuses find a cure for a disease, space travel solve World hunger. What did Michael really do besides scare Mcaully Cullkin out of Puberty? Yah he's a lot more famous then me but I have none law suites
don't need an anestiesieoligist to take a nap and if my dad was Joe Jackson he would be in the coffin right now not me!

I've put some clips up on You Tube Check them out!

E mail me thepath@telsuplanet.net

I put a couple of clips on You Tube from my Rumors sets in Winnipeg. I've set up a profile on You Tube so if you want to see a couple of my new chunks tell me what you think.
The screen play " Meadowlarks" is in the last stages so I'll ship that off and have it to the producer next week- fingers crossed. By the way it's taking everything in the arsenal not to write "I" There's way too much of that in my life "I I I I"
I really know only a few things after all these years and here it is:
1) Take action! What ever you want in your life do it! Take the steps even if you make a mess get it done.
2) This is a hard one " Forgive." Holding a grudge is too heavy.
3)Be grateful for what you have. This will keep you in the moment. If you're not in the moment you're watching your life from the past or waiting for the future. They're both the sidelines and life is too short to be on the bench .
3) Diamonds are expensive because some nut bar said there was less of them so they're worth more. It's a lie. Scarcity is a lie more is better! more hugs more laughing more believing in yourself more spirit.
4) The last three things add up to miracles. This is where we forget to re remember. Miracles are not like diamonds they don't happen once every millennium. We're in one constant miracle and if you can't see that make a shift from I to them. Give and you will receive.
That's all I know.
E mail me thepath@telsuplanet.net

It's July 3rd I'm a little late but it's the intention! Happy Canada day. My dad came here from Surnidal Norway in 1951 and when I say here I mean Estivan Saskatchewan. How's that for Hell! Going from the fiords and Mountains of Norway to the flat freakin cold of the bleak desolate plains of Saskatchewan!
My dad passed away December 7/2007. I thank him for deciding to move here. He could have decided to move to Africa or Haiti or war torn Berlin to play accordian for the losers. But my dad moved to Estivan for ten years had us them loaded up the 63 Monarch and skidaddled to the Chuck.
As long as I've been here it's been a great creative city. Outsiders call it " the Chuck Deadmonton, and Plan C, Hell and what ever. A City is not it's weather or location or how close it is to the equator. A city is it's people and Edmonton is full of great people. My dad was one of them.
I do wish I knew then what I kind of know now! I wish I could have seen my dad's courage. I wish I could have listened to his dreams and stories and wish I wasn't so much of a spoiled brat.
Yah we had Klondike Days, Pop Corn Play House, the Cracker Cats and Bobby Curtollla. So what if Danny Heatley Comrie and Pronger and the rest of those over paid hacks don't want to be here. You're here and that's good enough for me.
The problem is we see with impulse not from Heart!
If I would have been awake I would have found that my dad used to strap an accordian on his back and peddle a bike through the mountains find the British Troops hiding way up in the back woods and play tunes for them. My dad had tons of stories but I was to busy feeling sorry for myself to busy asleep in myself.
So I challenge you. Be awake in the city. See the seniors kissing, the birds the trees the wild flowers and the River Valley. Edmonton is smack in the Heart of Canada.
Like us we don't see our Heart or think about it but it drives us. Edmonton is that Heart.
Happy Canada day Edmonton! Just knowing we could give the rest of the Country a stroke in any given moment lets me sleep at night.
E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

Have you read the paper lately? It's all bad news and it's on the radio TV and the conversation around the water cooler. It seems we're all being pulled into this collective fear. This could be the worst of times or the best of times!
Have you ever heard: " you can tell a lot about yourself not when you're down but how far you bounce back up when you hit bottom."
What ever our goals and dreams we achieve them by staying awake in our positive energy. Diets don't work because it's not what you're eating it's what's eating you! The same way we can choose to look better and feel better by not eating to our emotions but choosing to eat to look good and feel good. Food is purpose not always pleasure.
The same is true about our energy. How we choose to react and feel is the fuel we're putting towards our goals and life. Don't be lulled asleep by the sky is falling. Be kind to yourself and others. Find a way to do an act of kindness each day and stay awake in the giving.
All of us are waiting for a miracle. What we forget is our life is one continuous miracle what we're sending out is what we're getting back.
Keep believing in you! Keep following your laugh and keep feeding yourself with abundance forgiveness gratitude and hold on buckle up because your attitude determines your altitude.
The sky isn't falling. We're rising up to meet it!
E mail me tell me how you're doing. thepath@telsuplanet.net

Well I'm down to my last pair of shows. I've done ten and I have two more to go and here's what I've learnt in the last two weeks. 1) Don't swear I don't need to cuss if I do it means I don't believe in the material so that's a big one. 2) Story! It's not all about chunx one joke after another it's about creating a story that keeps upping the ante for the audience.) Be certain. I need to really believe in the material so I look at my set and I add me to the material.
I've video taped all my shows and went over them every day. I've come out of this a better comic and will apply it all to the Nest in Montreal.
I choose to take the moments of my life and add them to my set and polish them. This is where I'm going and where I'm being pulled. It's a major shift but it's where my energy is.
E mail me if you have a chance. the path@telusplanet.net

I remember an essay course I took. They said every Essay should have an outline one like " this is where I am this is where I was and this is how I got there or tell them what you're going to tell them then tell them then tell them what you told them."
I say this because I'm trying to build a set where I'm building a story for an hour. You know I begin on my child hood and end there but the whole while I'm upping the ante on the story tightening the noose so to speak.
I've been tagging my material here and adding me to the chunx you know the real stories of my life the train wreck. I'm taping all my sets and going over them before the next show. I'm excited it's like I'm walking through a new door.
When I began comedy all those years ago I wondered where I would end up. I just didn't want to be the road hack drunk chain smoking loner doing the D circuit. I'm sober I'm on the A- circuit in a condo building a set I know all of me is in!
I can't do everything and I know that I've burnt bridges in my life because I was zoned in on the craft of hack. But now I see that all those years of tagging jokes and caring enough to tape and go over my set has brought me to this moment.
I'm walking through this door. I'm going to work harder then I ever have and I'll go exactly where my sand box takes me.
E mail me tell me what you're doing thepath@telusplanet.net

Have you seen that movie? "Pleasentville." It's with Tobey Maguire you know where everything is black and white until they begin to feel! Then the movie has color. Well Pleasentville is Winnipeg! It's 1978 here. The North side is 2001 a gang oddesy! but the rest of the place is 1978.
I'm doing 14 shows in ten days I'm really making a shift in my set. I'm polishing my material and Im making some stunning revelations. Why hasn't anyone told me I have no seguays? I jump from one idea to the next and quite frankly I'm tired of it.
I've been tagging my set all week ( taking material and working it for new material) I just tagged my childhood. " I wish I knew then what I know now! When I was eleven and my dad was spanking me with a belt I wish I could have said -" Hey!!! one day you're going to be old in a wheel chair and I'm going to be your primary care giver so if you hit me one more time- when you're old I'm going to dress you up like a chick and leave you in a park."
That's everyone's fear! to be old in a goverment run senior's lodge being molested by a three hundred pound sling blade.
Write what you know! I know dysfunction and how that breeds its own brand of normal. I'm writing an hour set about "My Normal." What I know, you know my classics: Christmas in Hell, acid trips, shity jobs, nightmere relationships, my inner critic, School, desperation and then I'm getting into when I was "two."
All of us are supposed to be doing what we do. Stay awake in your energy all the positive stuff and let go all the negative. Stay where you feel welcome. I know it's hard. Someone or something always wants to shit in our corn flakes. Don't get sucked in. Shift! and stay awake in the best of you- "Your story." and remember. Our life is an Ocean and we're the ship. We can steer where ever we want. Let your bliss be your rudder!
E mail me if you get a chance tell me what you're doing. thepath@telsuplanet.net

I'm already on my second week in Winnipeg. What I've re remembered is to keep working on my strengths keep being where I'm welcome and I mean in my creative life and personal life. Be where you're ten feet tall so share the material that you've lived the stuff you've earned the right to share!
I like the water off the Duck's back analogy. We need to have thick skins to be in comedy- and our day jobs and relation-ships and to deal with our past as well as our fears.
Isn't that crap? Why do we need to be so thick? so tuff? because life is so political and there's so much negative around every corner.
I choose not to have thick skin. I choose to be awake in everything no matter if it's good or bad because some day when I'm sitting in a wheel chair forgotten in some hallway drooling on my socks I'm going to wish I had a second chance to give it a go!
I choose to be where my spark is! In that material that energy. I know every day can't be Friday so screw it! I'm going to do my best anyway. It gets tiring to bitch and complain and be a stick in the freakin mud all the time.
Here's some of the material that I'll be kicking at in week two: Wearing the same clothes as the guy in the casket, Wishing I knew then that I know now- so when I was eleven and my dad was whacking me with a belt I could remind him when he's old and I'm his care giver I'm going to dress him up like a girl and leave him in the park! Nature chooses cute over ugly! My mind is a temple my body it's kingdom fat is my enemy that makes my ass the rebel out post and it must be crushed- (Cue Hitler Rant) Also the stories of my life- being raised by a drinker, soul mates and all the stuff I've earned the right to share.
After all these years I've learned that our life is a sand box stay there. Build your life from absolute creative bliss and don't get sucked out of your sand. Stay there. A lot of us forget the highest peak we'll ever be on is the top end of a teeter totter. That's the view I'm at right now and never leaving. So ask yourself : Would you rather take advice from the person you were on the monkey bars or that version drooling on their socks? Your sand box is waiting kids.
E mail me tell me how you're doing thepath@telusplanet.net

I and Noreen saw " UP" last night in the peg. It's a Disney/Pixar co production and it's a great feel good movie. If you need a boost check it out!
There are no coincidences! We tried to rent " Gran Torino" yesterday but none of the three copies we tried would play in my mac! We tried a couple of other movies at the video store they all worked but not the Clint Flick so we saw UP!
You know how sometimes we feel like we're up against a wall and have no place to go? Isn't that when we pray in our own way? I beg! I beg. I grovel to the Universe! " Come on powers that be get me the book deal or the spot on the festival or the winning lottery ticket."
I've come to realize we are given everything we pray for it's just that we're not aware of what we really want and are really asking for. Everything we ask for is directed from our ego and fears from which we normally pray from and is drawn to who we really are "infinite eternal energy!
I only need look at the patterns of my life the same lesson I've been un able to see or learn over and over. When I look back on my life I see the pattern ( I've been afraid to take action on the purpose of my joy." My purpose has been to create! write and share the bliss of the Universe."
You may think you don't know what I'm trying to say but you really do because we're in this together all of us! " STOP BEING AFRAID TO MAKE A MESS AND TAKE ACTION ON YOUR DREAMS!"
I see I've misunderstood miracles. There is no plural for miracle! Why? because all of this is one single continuous miracle " our struggle our lessons our growth our victories our defeats all of it one amazing miracle. If you don't believe that ask some one who just passed away if they could live one more day would they? and what would they do?
We have the chance to do that for them. Live that day today in this one continuous miracle we call our life and get out there and make a freakin mess! That mess is you letting go and letting every molecule in the Universe work through you as you get up on an open stage and share your song for the first time!
Today- let go and let you the real you and you know who that is!

Hey everyone I'm at the condo in Winnipeg I've already done seven shows I've taped them all on my video player and I'm tearing the shows apart. You slowly get locked on your set when you do an hour every night for fourteen shows. You get pretty sharp!
Noreen's here so sh'es going to tape some of the shows and we're going to burn some DVD'S when we get back!
This is an awsome opportunity to really sharpen the saw. I've tagged a whole bunch of material and will have a pretty slick set when I get back.
I missed my class comedy night last Wednesday but I heard they all did well. "good on ya kids!!!"
I've got another student when I get back "troy" and he's going to be a good one.
I'm also on the home strech on my screen play that I and my first Nations buddy Danny are pitching to CTV. He's got an in and I've got the words. So keep fingers crossed.
E mail me and tell me how you are.
Paully.

I'm headlining Rumors in Winnipeg again. When I began comedy Rumors was my destination. Now I'm back and after that I'm off to Head line The comedy nest in Montreal. I've made a shift in my life. I know that I owe a responsibility to the audience but I recently felt that I could better achieve that by being honest letting them in even more to who I am - and this thing I call -my life!
The last Time I was in Winnipeg I asked Noreen to marry me as the plane left the runway. Now I and Noreen are coming back to Winnipeg as a married couple. We want to spend our honey moon driving route 66 from Phoenix to Venice beach California BUT Winnipeg is our first destination as a married couple.
What Im saying is Im walking my path in life. I'm no longer running. I'm relaxed and full of possibilities. I've let go what I thought I was so desperate to have and allowing life to be what it is. I 'm in this moment this word this breath this gift and blessing I call my life and I understand that what I want I must give because to give is to be given.
I'll do some up dates from Rumors. E mail me and tell me how you're doing.
Paul.

Have you heard of "Moe Norman?" He was a golfer back in the day who had some personal quirks.
I'm not sure if he was ever officially diagnosed but he might have had attention deficit or was a savant but in the sixties he was on the pro golf tour because he could win tournaments. He was simply an amazing golfer for many reasons. He ignored the slurs of being handicapped from the gallery and other golfers and just kept dancing to the tune of his own drum.
The thing about Moe Norman is that he listened to his own advice and refused to change his swing. During this period the golf swing was called the "Classic Swing." It was all arms almost no weight shift head down as if you were holding a bat.
Moe Norman swung at the ball with his lower trunk- his hips and legs- he used his arms to carve the swing- to fade or draw the ball. Today this is called "natural golf. What that means is to swing the way you feel most comfortable- to use your specific body type and swing for maximum benefit.
I've paraphrased the Moe Norman story but filtered it though the last thirty years of my comedy. The point I'm so desperately trying to make is " Let Go!" Allow your natural way in everything you do. Allow your art your love your friendship your song to be what you are- one hundred percent unhindered you!
Your happiness is your swing! Take a whack at today in the way only you can- show us how it's done- in the way only you can and you can achieve in only the way you can because- You're natural.
E mail paul thepath@telsuplanet.net

I'm just about finished this draft of "One Thing!" My book on harnessing the power of humor. Thank you powers that be for giving me the courage to take action on this project.
I've got to put "One thing aside for a bit. I've been asked to re work one of my manuscripts "Meadowlarks." It's a story about a girl her connection to a single moment and spirit Warriors. This project is a screen play and need to be finished by the end of June.
Yesterday I was talking to my nephew about another story I had written " Belongings." It's about an old man that travels the World with a brief case filled with watches bracelets and rings from the victims of a death camp - and he returns them to the relatives of the victims. I did a reading of "Belongings." With the play write Marty Chan. As I talked about it I began to cry.
These stories are in me and I'm now writing them- letting them out and they will be what they're supposed to be. The words choose themselves and direct me. I've got five novels to write. All these stories are carried through my intuition and purpose. I've just recently learnt to let go and allow them. I'm grateful for this blessing.
There's an amazing feeling in letting go! our purpose in this life is no about us controlling our destiny but in us not being stuck in fear and letting go and letting the powers that be work through us leading us to miracle after miracle.

See yourself right now rising out of your chair. You're floating up up higher and higher until your right next to the ceiling. Visualize yourself doing what you do. See yourself without thinking or felling- just be aware. Be the observer.
Now- see a goal you've always wanted. Feel the way you've felt when you started and stopped. Feel the way you feel when you've talked yourself out of the goal or allowed the words of someone in the past or present to talk you out of it. See your habits and patterns witness how what you've always done and the results you've always come to expect. Witness them without judging or condemning.
Lets take a shift! Visualize the goal with your best possible results! Imagine you've achieved your dream and the results are beyond any you could have imagined in your wildest dreams.
What are you doing now to stay stuck what are you feeling and thinking to allow that?
Without thinking or feeling- imagine the way you've went about your goals and see your best results- what did you do differently? Was it your energy? Was it because you allowed yourself to finish? Rise up and be the observer of your life while your living it while you're taking action.
Choose not to be asleep in fear- float above what you've always done and take action without fear without thinking - just let go let yourself be aware from a higher place where your loftier results are.
We're not trying to change the World- just the spot we're standing in.
E mail me at thepath@telsuplanet.net

The new Metro class is up this Monday. I've come to a new place in this class I mean from inside myself. I've managed to make the connection between thinking emotions and awareness. As I write I realize even a few weeks ago this statement would mean little to me. Now it's an "Aha!" moment.
I've had many of them over the years. " We need to love ourself so others can love us." Have the courage to live the life you dream. Be the change you want to see in the World."
But- being aware has changed the way I think and feel. I've taken years of habits and results and taken them out. Now I choose to just be- in the moment and aware of the moment- without the emotions the fears and habits I've unconsciously recycled.
Have you ever heard " feel the fear and do it anyway?"
What fear? Where is this fear coming from? Why do we give fear power? Fear is like saying Edmonton is Canada because fear has so much space so many sub categories- doubt, regret, blame, anger, revenge, jealousy!
And in the end fear has no power. We're the source of fear. We're the reason why we're not living our dreams. So I challenge you- see your goal rise above your reasons and simply take action- without fear without habit- just be the action.
Your dreams are big. They have a right to be and you're the only person in the history of histories that can accomplish them. Let all reasons not to take action and just be the action- like a forest or Ocean or Mountain that are unaware of their greatness and just are. Breathe in your dream and and be it.
You are capable of everything it's just taken a single moment from our past a single word to keep us stuck. This was fear past on to us to create more fear.
Let go rise up- above doubt blame and regret and live your dream. It's effortless because it just is.
Paul.

Right now as you read this- can you see yourself? Now think of a goal. Imagine a purpose or dream you've been wondering about for a long time. Maybe you've tried to take action on this goal but found it to difficult so you quit.
Now imagine yourself achieving that same goal. You're writing that book taking that class on that vacation. See yourself floating above yourself EXACTLY where you want to be and EXACTLY what you want to be doing!
When we RISE above ourselves and see ourselves- detached from our goals and dreams we detach ourselves from our emotions associated with our goals. We're all affected by fear and our fears are usually associated with a single event or moment that keeps looking for more proof to stay stuck.
Rise up! Float above your fears and endless reasons to remain frozen. We can achieve anything by floating above our fears. Listen to your intuition your instincts be aware of your possibilities and detach from your fears and you begin to see yourself achieving what you've always dreamed and hoped.
Try it today- see yourself taking action until you do- and before you know it- your dreams are your reality.
Paul.

I was talking to a friend in Calgary " Dean Kanji" He 's an engineer in Toronto who used to be a touring comedian. He was telling me that he read a blog of mine a year ago.I was talking about the moments of our life in " Brick by Brick" I was saying the moments of our life are the foundation of our life. We can choose to be negative and be stuck- and take a brick from our foundation or we can add bricks that add to our life- being positive taking action and following our bliss!
I also have to add where I'm coming from. When I was nine I remember standing in the kitchen it was Christmas and my dad was humiliating me. He had this way of making fun of me in front of everyone and I would freeze. He was drunk and I was absolutely destroyed. This was the one session I really remember- being told I was nothing and never would be. There were many others but I buried them in me.
When I turned sixteen I began to drink and get high and spent the next thirty years trying not to feel I was nothing doing exactly what my dad said I would be. I've spent that last ten years remembering and moving into these memories. My entire life I was either A child unable to move or a juvenile unable to feel.
My dad did the best he could but my entire life I've had a voice in me that whispered I had value I was here for a reason and the more I gave the more I would be given. No matter how drunk I was I heard this voice- call it intuition spirit or my soul- but that whisper has nudged me into sobriety helped me believe in myself and brought me to Noreen.
I've chosen to forgive and am grateful for my dad-I'm also grateful for my intuition. We all have it- let go of your moments- you are not your pain- those moments are a lie. I've chosen not to be the fears of my Father. I am the actions of my highest thoughts and my highest thoughts are- "What can I do today from my heart that will have the biggest impact on those around me.
My sobriety has helped me get off my soap box of poor me and exchange it for a second chance. I might not get a second chance to make a first impression but I got a second chance to make a life of absolute abundance- brick by brick.

The other night I had a dream that I met myself twenty years in the future. I was standing in front of everything I ever wanted, rows and rows of guy stuff. I asked if we won the lottery. The guy I was in the future said " No I was a wall Mart greater."
Have you ever thought about seeing yourself in the future? What about on the past? I
I remember when I first began writing comedy. I stumbled from one idea to another all from the seat of my pants. Now all these years later I stumble from one idea to another but with vision.
After all these years I can look back and see the growth spurts, how to tag jokes how to hunt material how to take material from my life and build off of it.
Now I think about the awareness of the moment. Don't think it don't feel it- sit and be aware of your material. Let go of all doubt all habit and fear and just allow the big picture.
Try it. If you're trying to write something lets say "PETS." Don't think it don't feel it-go beyond and allow your intuition- allow your awareness. See your material from the periphery from outside the usual results. Be aware of the premise PETS! What are you aware of ?
Don't get me wrong- use your habits your feelings and think the premise- but go one further and be aware- you begin to see material and ideas that are REALLY FUNNY because they're really big! And they're from another place in you they have more depth and reach past the habits of your audience to their awareness.

Weather you're into Easter or not there's a lot we can learn from the idea. All of us can RISE above our fears. Fear SUCKS. Fear is the reason we decide to assume the rolls of our life. Fear is the reason we decide to play the small games and assume the different identities that we assume in all the little moments we get sucked into!
You know what I mean? We're one way with a friend another way at work and yet another way with a stranger. These are all the results of FEAR. All our habits are based in fear and these habits become the MAZE and LABYRINTH that becomes our life. We end up playing the same rolls and games over and over and then one day- our life is over and we wonder what happened.
Please take another perspective. Let go now in EASTER and choose to be nice to yourself and be awake in the fear that's controlled our life making us oblivious to it.
Rise up in your bliss and laughter and giggle. Let your life be your sand box take action on your dreams and purpose. Believe your worth!
It's time we stopped allowing the small moments of fear to keep us stuck in our prison of blame doubt and regret! Rise up to who you really are! an incredible being of possibilities and bliss- believe it- bliss is more real the staying STUCK! in fear.
Smile today. smiling is the baby step to miracles.

Hey everyone- Steeps is slowly slipping into oblivion. I thought it might be the place to try new comedy but it's not. The TEA DRINKERS are there to drink tea not to listen to cutting edge comedy from cutting edge new comedians. So please don't go there on Tuesdays- We're way to busy to share our comedy to a wall of tea drinkers- god bless them!
I'm up at The Laugh Shop for the Hub Cap Comedy festival in St Jhons. I'm the only guy from Alberta trying to get to Newfoundland to get work!
E mail me tell me what you're doing. thepath@telusplanet.net

Everyone who's ever taken one of my classes or been to one of my key notes- knows I talk about "The Twenty Eighty formula." This is where the average person uses twenty percent of their ability to get eighty percent of their results."
This is all about habits. Habits are results. Our challenge is to be awake to be conscious of what we're feeling and make sure it lines up with our bliss and purpose!
This shift isn't easy. It takes awareness tenacity and passion. But there is another way!
What ever your results are now ask yourself an EXTRA FIVE PERCENT! Who ever you are what ever you want- that extra five percent- that area just outside our finger tips- the extra sit ups, saving an extra ten dollars, taking the night class- where ever you are- your results your purpose is in your extra effort your five percent.
If you- can somehow- choose- to be alive- in your five- you will be a beacon of hope. Your five is the path in the dark and you're the torch. You show us that it can be done. We don't have to change the World or be frozen in fear and stuck. Your five, the spaces out side our reach-is simply a baby step into a miracle.
Look at your bliss. Ask yourself what your extra Five percent is- and be that until that- is who you are before you know it- you'll be living the life you've dreamed of. Nothing worth having is easy but no one said living our dream wasn't going to be work. But isn't it amazing we can achieve one hundred percent the life we've always dreamed of. . .just by reaching for an extra. . .five.

I don't know much. What I do know I know a lot. I know I love to laugh and also love to pay my mortgage!
There's a happy medium between creativity and business. This is where I hunt material- a chunk that makes me light up and think " Well that's interesting! and also " This is going to rip it in the Boyle Legion!"
Alright- this is where I start- IDEA! Something that pangs my comedy pallet! Got it. "I want to build a Man Fort in the tree in my back yard!"
How do I feel about this? How the Hell do I feel? What guy wouldn't want a Man fort in the beck freakin yard! This is how I feel-"A fort snug in the middle of a giant pear tree- it holds four has comfortable throw pillows-coffee table a TV and mini fridge and a screen window to stare at my neighbors between commercials cause my man fort has cable bitch!
Alright this is how I feel! So now I'm looking for the jokes. This is what I do!
First- I ask myself some questions about the Man Fort What would I call it? I just asked Noreen what she would call the man fort! "WRONG!" Everything about the man fort is about me-a man and a man that didn't have a freakin fort when he was ten because my dad would have used it as a wine cellar.
No- Man Fort is HONOR. I don't care how much you suck as a guy, you walk into a full room you're the freakin man with the Man Fort.
Still looking for the joke. QUESTIONS "What's the difference between a tree house and a Man Fort? I own the tree the fort is in Timmy!"
I'm looking forward to calling the Wife from the man fort: "Hey babe can you bring me and my buddies some more snacks? And remember the knock!"
That's part of the man Fort code. You have to have a secret Knock. " You either know the secret man fort knock or keep it secret you got knocked. . . Forget it."
Hey- that's the first joke. I'm starting work on the man fort in May. That's where me and nern are going to camp that's where I'm going to write and that's where I'm going to spend an entire week-end watching band of Brothers in between more pop and snacks and me sending the bucket down to the wife.
I can see the book title " Summer in The Man Fort."
Then again, I can see me on an episode of Top Cops. The Wife has nailed shut the hatch, the neighbors are ignoring my screams, my face pressed up against the screen window. I yell at the officer- "I ate to many snacks I've fallen and I can't get down."
The jokes will come as soon as I get into into "NERMANA-The man fort- second tree on the left straight on until tomorrow. E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

If you're reading this you need to know I'm never on a Soap box! There's no issue that I choose to ram down any one's throat. It's not me. There is no BUT here. What I want to share today is the electrical process that is THOUGHT!
Our brain is basically a radio. We send and receive signals from our brain like an antenna! That place just outside of our understanding "THE MIND" is the CRCT-the place that asks us to make course corrections like a governing body. ( I wish I had the talent to make this seem more like a joke!)
Any way- our thoughts become our habits. This means that in our brain our habits become the roads and alleys that we travel to make decisions. It doesn't take long before these roads are the same destinations we take over and over with out thought always getting the same results over and over. Pretty soon our emotions get involved- we feel uneasy when we leave one of the roads of habit "CHANGE!" soon enough we cave in out of the diet out of a new better us out of a personal course correction because we're afraid to leave our map.
We need to take charge and choose to see ourselves from a different perspective. We need to be the change we want to see in the World. We need to be what we ask of others.
No matter how old we are or how stuck we are on our inner state- we can decide to SHIFT!!! Choose abundance over drama. The habits we have should spread compassion empathy and miracles not take! For the most part out habits are based in fear. What we do each day is usually unconscious habit. We keep driving on the same road ways we ARE GOING TO KEEP GOING TO THE SAME PLACES GETTING THE SAME RESULTS!
Start today by seeing your possibilities in a different way. If you have the impulse to doubt or blame regret or criticize condemn or complain- SHIFT. Build a new off ramp that leads to a new scenic drive! Allow gratitude, abundance forgiveness and miracles. Allow healing, choose compassion creativity bewilderment and bliss. I know it's not easy to SAiL in a different direction, especially since a lot of us have been rudderless on the sea of of fear. . .try-let go- feel the impulse of negativity? - breathe in understanding, put yourself in their shoes, see the challenge from a sand box, forgive that person that frosts your flakes-let go- allow new infinite possibilities and soon enough the roads we've been stuck on. . . changes into run ways- asking us to take flight.
Besides- that's where we belong! up in the clouds creating and healing not stuck in the endless traffic of fear.
E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Alright we've all heard about the comedian that made fun of Canada! These are some of the things he said on the Fox Show: " Isn't Canada where you go if you don't want to fight? Can anyone tell me why we don't invade them?"
I'm working with a student on-line and we're doing some exercises on tagging. This is where you take a joke and use it as a template for more jokes. I thought this Fox story would be a great hunting ground and example for tagging. So here we go. This is the original joke I came up with:

1) Don't confuse Alberta with the rest of Canada. We're Red Necks, there's four million of us and we're hung over. You guys wana go in January- we like our chances.
I try and write from honesty and truth. The truth is I was angry the day this guy made his comments- we lost four more soldiers. Here are the tags from the original joke.

2) You know what, let them invade. Then the morons can bail us out too!
3) Remember Nam? Well a lot of those guys are here now- bitch!
4) They invade watch an afternoon of Canadian TV, Air Farce Mr Dress up Canadian Idol-it's just a matter of time before they kill themselves.

I try and find the " Hidden" meaning in the premise. I guess what I'm saying is that Canada is one giant dysfunctional family " We're addicted to drama" an invasion would be an intervention as a nation we would keep relapsing until they went back to Fargo.

E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Thank you for reading my blog! Ever own a truck? You notice the moment you get one people from your past call up and ask if you can move them. " Hi, you might not remember me I sat behind you in grade eight- Word on the street you bought a truck well I was wondering". . . .
The point is we're always moving even when we think we're not. We're never stuck. If you say you're stuck " in a rut, a funk, feel down, lost- you know- being human" If you say you're stuck you're really saying you're lost in the negative consciousness of here- "EARTH".
It's easy to be angry, anxious,sad, afraid, uncertain and all the sub categories of negative. The answer is to take a baby step anything that's positive. "Smile, open a door, laugh, re remember something that makes you feel good, bliss, joy, abundance, gratitude" What are you grateful for?
It works just like being stuck works. The thing is we don't have to do everything just something- be nice, listen, doodle, go for a walk, call up a friend, pet a kitty, watch a cloud- do something that nudges you towards possibility.
"Inch by inch life's a cinch. Yard by yard life is hard. We don't need to do everything. Baby steps. And we say baby steps not because they're small but because they're taken by a being that is unaware of fear. We learnt fear from the adults in our life and spend the rest of our life trying to undo it.
What we give is what we are given. Fear takes always puts us down always asks more of our life and purpose. Joy gives! As it gives- it works through us to those among us that need lifting up the most- and then repays us by giving us abundance, purpose, miracles, bliss, kindness, destiny-
Let go today and let your smile-then take a creative risk from your heart. This action is the gateway to
fulfillment and a purpose driven life- honest.
Paul.

I'm not sure who reads this. If you do read my blog I would love an E mail to see how you feel about the blog or things in your life. The title " Stay stuck or Fly means being positive or negative. They have different results- one we're instantly aware of and the other puts us deeper asleep.
The thousands of negative events and moments in our life keep us tethered to the moment the event happened. Every time we're shouted at talked down to treated like we're nothing- the moment is another chain and anchor that keep us fixed to the event. Sure the moment and day passes to weeks and years but part of us - is still there - stuck.
On the other hand- when we feel happiness empowered, we're proud of ourself because we finished or made a difference somewhere to someone- that joy- asks our wings to grow just a little more.
Can you see what's happening! All the anchors and chains that we've flung into the ground of negativity of past events are preventing us from taking flight- no matter how happy we are how blessed we become how much joy we have - our toes rarely leave the ground because we're fastened with hundreds upon hundreds of chains from moments we choose to re live pack and carry around like a testament to pain and sorrow-WHY?
Why do we choose to being stuck over flight? Because it's easier to be chained then change. The constant energy of our inner critic " you can't do it. you'll never finish, they don't like you, you had you're chance" is easier to take then-" See!!! I told you, boy did you fail, wow-you're smaller then you thought!"
Ever watch a hockey game on TV? it's easy to complain because you're not at ice level. The higher up we are the more we can see- the same is true from wings. When we take a risk, or forgive, or choose to be nice, or make a difference- we rip an anchor out , then another and another- soon abundance and miracles rain on you- and the view changes- above the chain of drama and doubt, above the bleak landscape of blame and regret are the clouds of you! the being you really are- limitless shinning in purpose.
Be nice to yourself- take a risk- a small one- open a door for a stranger, write, sing, dance-even in that one act- you can feel a chain break and your wings stretch just a little more- We are spiritual beings having a human experience and this life is re remembering that- so when we do cross over- we already feel at home- anchors away!

Alright I'm going to say it " Fear is poison." Fear infects us as much as arsenic or a snake bite. Fear imbeds itself in us demands we keep doing the same things the same way so in the end not only is fear poison fear then also becomes PRISON.
We get up stumble to the bath room, stumble back to the bed room pick the same kind of clothes we wore yesterday shove empty calories down our cake hole then drive to our destination the same way we always have.
Our lives are not a test run. "THIS IS IT!" life is a privilege being on stage is a privilege the people in our life are a privilege the fact that you can read this and I can write this is a privilege. TRY THIS!
Set your clock a half hour early and watch a tree. The tree just is- it allows the birds and air and rain and the new day. The tree doesn't fight the day. It's energy vibrates this moment!"
We can learn from this. We need to let go and allow the best of us-our want to create.
When you get up on stage to share your humor remember it's a privilege. Be prepared. Look at your set And tag it-see your material from a second chance from the perspective of energy! Every thing we share and say and do has an energy signature- feel your material- ask yourself what affect it's having on your audience- because once you learn to let go and let your creativity and energy together- you are there.
This is your life. This is your life from the best of you. any questions? E Mail me thepath@telusplanet.net


REMEMBER- STEEPS TOMORROW AND I ALSO COACH ONE ON ONE.

Did you get the title? it's from the four Horsemen of the apocalypse, but I said. . .yah you get it. "WE'RE RUNNING STEEPS TEA HOUSE EVERY TUESDAY AND WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT PEOPLE!.
Any who- there were four students in the Metro class and they did their grad last night at the Laugh Shop. I want to thank all their family and friends for supporting them. My class is from the heart and so was your support. Thank you.
"COREY WINNYK" First I have to say- Corey began the first class by telling us he'd gone through some considerable head trauma and was taking the class so he could use his humor to help others in the same position. He was a hoot to have in the class and put in a lot of effort to be there. He has exactly what it takes to be a good comedian- HEART! It was an honor to have him in the class. Corey- stay in one idea and develop it. We want to hear more about your cats: " Bunny , tiger, Amber, lilly, tammy lee, bear, fumpper and don't get me started on all your cousins: Jeff, Uncle Bill, Linda Bell, Carry, Tony. . .
"ANNA FAULDS" You are a testament to courage. Your calm certain voice carried through your material like a sword. Weather you were walking in front of the class or Steeps Tea house or last night at The Laugh Shop- you never stopped- and kept allowing more and more of you into your set. I've told everyone- "It's about our words- not ego- the real us will eventually show up. We have a lot to learn from you Anna- not the least-passion. Thank you for being in the class- remember "your creative gold is in your sand box- write from there and - write write write.
"BRENT CONSTANTINE" Is there anyone more talented then this guy? I say Jesus- maybe. Brent, your commitment to the class and to your fellow students was UNWAVERING. You are King Arthur! - just the sword you pulled from the rock was a pencil and the pencil is a freakin source of genius comedy. You have it all Brent, heart, faith, kindness and fun-who the Hell has more fun then Brent? I say Jesus-maybe.
Brent DO NOT CHANGE-EVER- Follow you bliss- stay there- you my friend will accomplish any thing you want!!!
"AMY SHOSTAK" Amy, Amy Amy!!!! You are brimming with joy. You smiled through every class and open mike and assignment. You're energy is infectious- your actions are exactly what I'm trying to teach. "Let go, allow your joy, be yourself let others like you." That's the first thing anyone feels when they meet you. "I like her." And your actions are all from the heart as is your creativity-YOUR HUMOR.
We need more Amy's- people that live through their smile that share their bottomless well of talent in the smallest moments like-"That's my Grand Paw!" I'm not sure if anyone noticed- but there was a moment last night where Amy stepped outside her set to connect to Gido! It was a single moment- that takes most comics ten years to figure out- Amy dishes them out like Pez. Keep on keeping on Shostak- like Brent and Anna and Corey- You're holding the torch- the rest of us are trying our damnedest to keep up!!!!
*********************************************HEY EVERYONE!!!!!****************************************
I also teach one on one- This opportunity is best to prepare you for show cases, to raise your creativity to the next level and to shave five years off your comedy journey. I also take my seminars to "Humor in the Work Place"- also- I'm looking to fill another advanced class at the Laugh Shop- so 780-476-1010- get on board and lets get at the NEW YOU. E MAIL ME thepath@telusplanet.net

Have you heard that before: " Tag and Bag em!" in every Cher movie? Well I'm saying you need to Tag your chunk- take the best joke you have and up the anti! Take your chunk and look at the emotion behind it and develop it. Because if we don't keep asking more from the best of us which is our best material then you should bag and tag some of your set and bring in some new fresh artillery!
Lets walk through this together and keeping in mind " Emotion and how you really feel." There's a lot more we can do to amplify our material but my students have paid to much for that info so lets just do a little over view!

Losing weight! This is the premise. Here's the chunk we'll tag! Ever see those commercials " Lose five pounds for free? Well I've gained forty- I could use a little help with that bill!"
How do I feel about this? I feel like these people are praying off the masses, I think they're vipers. So I need to reflect that in the TAG! and I mean "taking the original joke and making it better."
I like to gather info-We're eating to fill a hole in us-here's the tag I instantly thought of. " If I had a time machine I'd go back to the seventies and bake my Uncle some cakes he's the reason I'm inhaling doughnuts today." A little dark but it's a tag. I know I've told you your material should be empowering but write out all tags so you can get a look and feel for them!
I love the idea of weight- it's a flaw in our thinking. It shouldn't matter how much we weigh! and its called "Over sized or full figured!" And you have to remember " you don't want audience members to feel uncomfortable!"
Any way- what about the opposite? "They're trying to ban "That Heroin" look in run way models. Not the rest of us- apparently we're too ugly for an intervention."
Any way- I'll write out twenty or so tags and keep tagging the best of that bunch, This works!!!!
If anyone wants a ONE on One writing workshop or the principles of advanced stand up- E mail me
thepath@telsuplanet.net

Hey kids- we have a pair of new pro comics among us. Graham Ellis and Jason Cooper. We were at "The Vault." Night Club in Rimbey Alberta. If there's any place better for trial under fire I would like to know where it is.
Let me set the stage. I had a deep tissue message on Thursday and apparently when you have this procedure the message releases toxins from your muscles and this what happened t me so I end up with freakin flue like symptoms , you know, waves of nausea , and I'm having cold flashes- so we get to The Vault, it's three quarters full- and Graham gets up there and " WORKS THE ROOM!" He's talking to the audience mixes up his set and leaves them loud and proud!
He brings up Jason and He has a great set. He's having fun, and doing the material that has him being himself. He talked about home, being from out east and then brought me up!
I was the red neck Messiah! I did almost an hour, we hung out with the crowd after and passed out some cards.
They were quiet on the way home- reflecting I guess on what just happened. It's not as if we just stormed a beach- but some warriors were born Saturday night at The Vault.
Well done boyz. Sharpen your saws and work on your work. We have more shoes to do and you guys have to get ready to win some show cases and get on the big screen. But for now- give yourself a pat o the back for a gig well done!

If you know someone who needs a comic - E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

Alright Humor warriors and you know who you are- The Laugh Class "TLC" Is starting up right where it left off- at the edge of risk and at the precipice of hard work and passion!!!
I really want this class to run so if you 1) Want to WORK HARD!!! 2) Ask all of your gifts 3) Take full responsibility for your efforts and most important want to have a lot of fun- this class is for you.
I promise you'll build the set you've always known you're capable of! I promise that you'll get tons of stage time at The Laugh Shop and Steeps!!!!
You know it and I know it- we have to work harder and smarter then everyone else- to go the extra mile to be successful.
You also know we have to be kind to ourselves, to give back to ourselves as we ask more of us!
If you're looking for that push, that leap into the best of you- SIGN UP TOMORROW!!!! 780-476-1010
You are going to be worked. You are going to be expected to be prepared and you are going to set goals and achieve them.
I am excited about the future of us! you know that steeps was just the beginning. We can be story tellers. We can be Honest and we can make a difference in our lives and the lives of others with our Humor.
This Tuesday we set some goals, we re- dedicate ourselves to our craft and choose to ask more of ourselves through our bliss, through the business of Comedy and through our vision and energy.
If you're ready to step up and deliver the best of you- I'll see you Tuesday- 7:PM- in front of the stage.
Paul.

"This guy is lame!"
Steeps Tea house was packed Tuesday night- I was sharing a new tag to an old chunk I've been doing forever- I was talking about the way Men Dance- and from the sitting bar a guy said " This guy is lame."
I appreciate his remarks I know what direction to go the next time we do an open mike at Steeps. I was warming the room up for the past and present students. As the MC I had some good laughs and a lot to build off. When I do my corporate Shows I perform with the mind set to create more work from that work. I'll use steeps as an opportunity to Story tell. I've come to the realization that " I assume one hundred percent responsibility for my results no matter what!"
Steeps tea house is a room full of young sober tea drinkers. It's a great place to reinvent one's self. As a corporate entertainer I could be on my couch or watching a movie but I chose to ask more of me.
" This guy is lame" is a sign post. I know it's only one voice but I see it as an opportunity to "Let Go" to story tell to tear another layer off myself and grow a little more. I do assume one hundred percent responsibility no matter the results.
I'm proud of all of you, James Barb, Graham, Leeam, Rose, Ryan Gord, Arllie Lawrence- I don't have the set list in front of me but I think that was it. If I missed someone please forgive me.
Thank you Amy for showing up.
This open mike is about HEART and Spirit. I'll learn from it and grow from it.
All of you were great- Barb you ripped the place a part. I don't think I've heard such an amazing set for a while! Ryan you keep getting better. Graham you're on to something. Rose it's AWSOME to see you smile while you're sharing your heat. Arllie-you have such a big personality your material reveals how deep you are so does your calm voice. Lawrence you're funny and your material has so much depth, from your culture to your personal life- James - you have come so far- you're slick and professional ready for TV and Leeam for the first time on stage-you looked like you belong!
THE LAUGH SHOP has their open mike tonight and Graham and Leeam are up - maybe Marla- who was at Steeps last night but chose to sit back and kick it. Marla is really funny- she's a deep pool of water everything she says has such amazing certainty! I hope we get to hear her comedy more- she's great.
All of you remember-for the next Steeps open mike- STORY TELL- STAY IN THE SAME MOMENT FOR FIVE MINUTES- this is an amazing opportunity- lets all stay awake in our Hearts and Spirit and makes this the most coveted open mike in the city- even though it's not OPEN-It's only for the best!

Just back from a couple of nights in the SASK! First "LEEAM" if you read this blog E mail please- we have a venue change for our last class on Tuesday " STEEPS TEA HOUSE!" E mail me.
Any who- I tape all my sets and listen to them as I ask you my students to do. What I'm finding is a subtle underlying clutter if you will in my set. It's real slight but it's as if I'm not letting go- you " Just being me."
I've always said that being yourself is the best of who we are. It's also good to think of what you could have done if you think of your set as if it's already been done before you do it! Do you know what I mean?
Always see your set as if you have a second chance. There's this fear we all have even seasoned comics- it's that we don't really know what we're doing. I find that when we look from the day after and ask ourself what we would have done differently- this is the point- "You can do this before you do your work " Visualize your set- rehearse that and then do that!"
E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

I don't go to church I'm not sure what happens after we die but I do know what I know. You know the phrase " I have to see it to believe it." Well I know Karma. I've seen the energy that we attract and the stuff we give out. I think were beings of energy and I mean like a receiver. We give out negative and we get back negative- This is where it gets tricky. "WE HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS.
We've all had negative things happen to us, we hate it in the minute then slowly forget it but IT DOESN'T FORGET US. All the negative stuff that we haven't dealt with in our life is the stuff that we're still attracting. "WE HAVE TO BE AWAKE TO WHAT WE'RE FEELING."
It's not just enough to pretend we're happy I mean that good but we deserve bliss. We don't need to walk through life pretending until something good happens- we have to become put joy.
Life can be recess! We don't need to grow old just grow up. This was a phrase from a book I read.
I'm not sure if you journal. If you took my class there's a good chance you did but it's hard to stay alive in our journal once we've closed the book and now are out in the moments of our life. This is where a phrase comes in handy.
First- ask yourself what you really want to do with your life, where do you want to end up?
Lets say it's "To make a difference."
Second- pick a phrase that lines up with your destination "Be the change you want to see."
Just think about it. You can pic a phrase for your comedy or your relationships or your day! Just pick one and stay in it. Make it a BIG one- a phrase that attracts abundance and miracles- cause that's who we are and stay in your phrase- that way- you'll wake yourself from the un conscious negative and wake to who you really are- the bliss that you are.

E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net

I just came back from "Steeps" Teas house. In case you're wondering-it's at 11116-82ave. The phone number is 780-988-8105. The first open mike is February 24th- be there for eight o:clock to get good seats. I'll be there at Seven ish.
This is a different open mike from any you've been to. Here's what I see: " A warm inviting venue where you get to be who you really are, a creative experience that allows us to share the set we know we're capable of. I see this as an open mike where we have the chance to feel the energy behind our stand up- not just the words- to be conscious in our creative bliss."
I'm excited. I'm going to search my creative data banks to compile all the material, chunks and bits of comedy I've been scratching on paper my entire life. The set I've always wanted to cultivate and share and now - have the venue!
"Greatness is determined by how much it takes to discourage someone."
I think steeps open mike is a long time coming. I've always worked around booze. I'm not saying booze is wrong but booze doesn't always bring the best in creative encouragment in people, at least when you're first starting out. That's why Steeps is important. I don't think some burly guy is suddenly going to scream " This isn't Red Rose!" Throw over his table and rush the stage! I want you to know how it feels to be in a welcoming warm room that lets you be clean and empowering and just yourself. This is what I envision this open mike to be.
Hope to see you there- just the best of you- leave your creative fears at the door.
E mail me? thepath@telsuplanet.net

Remember- I teach comedy but I also perform it. If you need an MC or a Comic that can taylor the show to the audience? I'm the guy. I also bring my seminars to your company and do Key Note Speaking "How To use your humor to achieve your purpose."

Our day is a mirror. What we get back from the day is us! To make it simpler- Our day gives US back to US!!!!!!- everyday! The Metro class I'm teaching now ( We just started the first class) was told about what we give and get back- If you've taken my class you know about "It's not the message it's the messenger." What I'm saying is it's our energy that makes us successful and our energy is our emotions!
You need to be the same person off the stage as you are on the stage and just like I ask a class to share their moments- but of all the moments we've lived- why is it we remember the ones we do?
It's as if our memories are the ambassadors of our life- about where we are. If you want to go sky diving but are terrified of heights- the ambassadors of any height experience are negative- every time you think of heights- something is stopping you- explore that-look at it because that energy slowly becomes who we are. First we're afraid of heights then taking risks then opening our heart to love. It's the exact same with comedy. Our energy is our ambassador. If you're afraid- so is your audience and the next time you get up at an open mike- anyone who saw you the last time you we're afraid- will immediately remember you and your fear and your humor the real person you are is lost!
Be aware of your emotions- fear, and all the underline words with fear- doubt, blame,regret because all the sub categories keep us stuck in the big one- fear!
Choose your ambassador emotion to be BLISS-Bliss has sub categories like- laughter-happiness-joy-send all that stuff out- I wonder what Tomorrow will give back!
If you want-do a random act of kindness-open a door, forgive someone, volunteer-when we give we get back. What we give is what get back- so share your flaws, your mistakes- let the audience know there's other's out there just like them- the bigger the secret we share the more the audience thinks "I feel that way to?" and the biggest secret? all of us have value all of us have purpose and if you want to find your genius-it's in your mistakes in your flaws-that's where we really are-in the places we're trying to keep secret.
E mail me- thepath@telusplanet.net
Remember-my new open mike STEEPS TEA HOUSE-on Whyte ave. Open to anyone who has taken one of my classes- begins-Tuesday Feb 24- 8:30. Clean comedy with heart.

I've got a dozen different things running through my head . I've got to finish the book I'm writing- get it published ( It's happening mid February) I've got to return some E mails, work on my set go to the gym paint a wall- on and on and on!
When I take a deep breath feel this moment- feel my heart- I remember it's not me it's purpose working through me that's paramount. I hope you're with me! When I say paramount I mean the same as standing in a sand box making sure I'm building the correct wet sand space ship to take me to an alternate Universe!
These different tasks buzz around my head like fruit flies. Me working at them is the same as swatting. They never go away! New ideas pop into my head like larvae! There's a play, another way to write a book I have to read something- a movie I have to drop everything because a friend says "It's a must see."
All of these moments are secondary to what's in my heart. What's in me is art!
My art is energy. The energy of connecting to an audience to a page to Noreen to this moment. Art!
I understand the business I'm in I understand the bottom line. But I refuse to be dragged out of the purpose of my HART. I'm here to co. create with the energy outside of me- God. There I said it. And God is energy.
I've made a quantum discovery! Everything we do is a current of energy. Our life is filled with streams and rivers and cricks of energy. " STOP FIGHTING YOUR CURRENTS!"
I've let go of trying to direct the current. I'm letting my book be what it's supposed to be. That's how I chanced upon "Steeps Tea House." This is going to be an amazing experience. I feel the energy behind it. We can make this grow from a small crick to a river. I've chosen to not take the negative energy from past experiences and let this opportunity run Crystal.
We're all energy. Let your art come from the best of you from the deep pool that you are. Stop directing it. Wade into your creativity and let it carry you. And Don't give me the crap that you don't know what I'm talking about. Let go. Let the nay sayers be small. Want to be a giant? Let go- let your purpose take you where you're supposed to go.
I know this is a different way of looking at us but trying to throw your art at random projects is like trying to damn a river. Eventually weather we like it or not- like a River-art reclaims what it rightfully owns. When we let go and work within our currents- we carve out what our purpose has come here to share- a life of giving of you showing others what's possible-give your hand to the day and help others stop being afraid of the deep end of their life!
The Laugh Shop class is a go-tap into your crick! 780-476-1010. Enjoy the swim!

Hey kids- I finally have that venue I've been talking about. It's STEEPS TEA HOUSE" the address is 11116-82 ave. The first open mike is the last tuesday -February 24th. Robin is the woman that runs the Tea House and it's all a go. The show begins at 8:30 this is the thing:
There is no need to be desperate like we can be at an open mike. This stage is about YOU BEING YOU! This is a stage where we do the set we've always dreamed we could do. I want you to be the person you are around the kitchen table, in the car in the shower or when you're talking to yourself in your house coat. This stage is about letting go and letting you- COMEDY FROM YOUR HEART.
There is no swearing, no blue no racist no small material. So if you want Five to seven in front of a great room with no pressure to work on that set you've always wanted to share- E mail me
thepath@telusplanet.net
It's time we had a place where we can work on our work. This it!

ALSO- The Laugh Shop Class is still filling up- it begins January 20th- you in? register - call 780-476-1010 and lets do this.
Paul.

Well- first- Merry Christmas and have an amazing new year!!!! second- We've had so much feed back from the first "Laugh Shop" comedy class- that we've put up a date for the next one-TUESDAY-JANUARY 20TH- FOR FIVE TUESDAYS!
If you saw the class grad night you had to be pulling for the students- they rocked! When was the last time you saw first time comics get applause breaks? It was all them.
This class is different then any other class I've given. It's taken twenty plus years to dig for the Laugh Class outline. Every word, principle, exersice, the homework and tasks- ask the student to be a little bigger, to take a risk, to remember that it's not all about us- there's a relationship with an audience to consider.
If you're in- E mail ryan@thelaughshop.ca or call 780-476-1010 and give them your info.
This class will change the way you see humor and also change the way you see yourself. There's so many reasons to stay stuck and listen to your inner critic and the critics around you. Take the chance- let go and let the power of your humor.
Paul.

You know that fire you try light but it just won't catch? All of us can be that fire. There's so many reasons to be on auto pilot, so many reasons to be stuck and so many reasons to be cold. It takes one match to light a fire weather it's the first match or the last. The point is that in the end it just takes one.
We don't need to beat out heads against the wall every day. Just ask yourself "what's your best quality?" What about you is your best asset that takes you a step closer to your goal to your purpose? Is it your tenacity? your laugh? your creativity? What is your best asset- that's your single match that turns your life into heat- into a bon fire.
Every team has one player that makes the most difference. Every movie has one actor that makes the film. And we have that one special gift in us that will make the most difference in our life.
Your gift is your "match" is energy. We spend way to much time stuck. We're stuck in the negative moments of our past, in our habits and in our fear. Your gift is positive energy that you need to listen to and ride like a wave. Let go all the reasons to be stuck and to not take a risk. Allow and listen to that one source of energy- it's leading you, asking you to follow to your purpose.
If you drop your shoulders and let go the weight of the World and feel your purpose- that match is the difference between cold and heat !
List all your strengths, as you jot them down- feel the energy in you. Choose the one strength which feels
unstoppable-like it's a river. I challenge you to employ that strength towards a goal for one month- immerse yourself in the strength-It's one thing to have a match- imagine what you can do if you're the fire :)

The Laugh Shop Comedy class was awesome There was a collection of first time comics and a few who'd been up before. They we're all solid. All of them went up and did it. They had purpose direction and we're grounded in who they are.
I think The laugh Class takes a couple of years off the comedy process. First off it takes out the fear. Too many of us have gone up terrified and never really dealt with it. We just keep transferring our fear to the next phase of our comedy and the next never really being aware of how stuck we are.
Thank you class. I thank you for all your hard work. I want you to know that what you work at in comedy is what will work for you. You can't just show up and throw up. Comedy is hard work you have to work harder then you think you're capable of.
Keep asking the best of you and keep giving- volunteer, open a door for someone, make a difference- and the way you treat yourself and those around you is that same way you'll connect to an audience. So stop making everything about you- and create with your audience in mind- from your heart.
Here's some of the class comments.

"I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BUT I CAN ROUNDLY SAY I LEARNT A LOT ABOUT ATTITUDE AND WRITING. GREAT CLASS!"

"PAUL TURNED MY FEARS INTO CHALLENGES THAT I CONQUERED. HIS WAY OF APPRECIATING OUR LIVES HELPED ME BELIEVE IN ME. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE LAUGH SHOP CLASS.

"THANK YOU THIS CLASS IS ABOUT JOY. WHAT I LEARNT IS BIG.I BELIEVE THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO COME!"

"PAUL'S CLASS TEACHES MORE THEN YOU EXPECT. I LOVED TAKING THE TRAINING! I FEEL HE'S ONE OF THE BEST COMEDIANS"

"PAUL IS AN AWSOME INSTRUCTOR. HE HELPED ME OVERCOME MY FEARS. HIGHLY RECOMMEND PAUL'S CLASS- IT COVERS ALL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

I don't know what God is. I'm not sure if it's the Universe or our heart or the words you read in your sacred text. I don't know. What I do know is when we take action on what inspires us, when we let go the weight of the World and take action on our dreams and goals SOMETHING INFINITE HELPS US!
Hell is being stuck and not taking action. Hell is us not BELIEVING IN US! Heaven is moving forward anyway. The best of who we are isn't knowing exactly what we want or knowing exactly where we're supposed to go- heaven is taking any step away from Hell- from the place where we're stuck.
Your goals and dreams are the fruit on the tree of your life. The higher we grab the bigger the goal. We don't have to get a ladder and grab the biggest apple just reach from your toes and grab something.

"Inch by inch life's a sinch. Yard by yard life is hard."

We don't have to beat our heads against the wall to achieve our dreams. Just do something. Start with writing a poem, then a short story then write a play- then the book. They're called baby steps not because they're small but because they're born from absolute resolve and bliss. Ever see a baby stumble towards a cookie? Does anything else shout resolve and bliss?
If you're taking my class or have taken one of my classes- don't quit! Do the work. You know our humor isn't about us. It's about our audience and the best of who we are. So today- rehearse, write, tape it and tag it and be nice, listen, open a door for someone, volunteer- choose not to be afraid or angry- be the change you want to see. These things are where out humor comes from. They're not work- they're our heart, the Universe or what ever you call God.
Now take the stick out of your ass, take a creative risk and stumble towards the cookie and know you are loved.

Is there anything harder then to be Human? How hard does a monkey have to struggle to throw shit? You think a Leopard's in intensive clinical therapy because it hates spots? What about a Wolf having flash backs because it saw the pack maul something?
It's tiring being stuck to the events of our past. We all have them- "the moments!"Oh the moments- flunking grade three, having to stand in the corner, a break up, a failed business, a word,a look a stay in the hospital- losing something- someone.
All these moments are rubber bands that keep stretching tighter as we move away from them, at least the moments we're aware of. It's the seconds, the events, the subtle moments that our conscious mind has forgotten but our subconscious hasn't. These are the puppet masters of our life- why we don't like the color green, Fords or nasal hair.
"So what!" you say. So I have this clutter in my head. I don't care. Well - most of us- weather we admit it or not are being directed by a single moment that happened ten, twenty thirty years ago- and that "FLASH" is not who we are. ( We're the best of this moment.)
You know the charities that call up and ask for donations? clothes, house hold stuff, you know. We put the boxes and bags on the front step-they come and take the stuff and you feel lighter?
Well- once in a while- close your eyes and re remember your moments- even the ones that are difficult.
When you've felt them- release them ask yourself why you can't then release them again.
I know sometimes it's hard, they surface bump into us, make us feel but it's better to let them bubble up so we can see them and feel them- instead of the moments pulling their strings and making us binge drink and eat, feel inferior and stuck- saying the wrong thing.
Your next cup of coffee- get a couple of meta physical boxes and get rid of some of your life's junk! Do this when you're walking, sleeping working out- do it enough- who knows- maybe eventually you'll kill the puppet.
Paul.

Well class- Jason and Jordan were up at The laugh shop on Wednesday. They both stood out from the rest of the comics in their own way, and they were pegged in between some veteran comics.
Jordan did his new material about the homeless- he referenced a stripper poll, I told him about the comedy law- if you intro anything into your set like a poll, or a song, or a pet- you have to go all the way and SHOW US. It's like when you see a gun on the table in a movie- if you introduce it- you have to use it.
Jason really connected to the audience- he had some new material also-it had depth- just like Jordan's.
This is what happens when we answer the questions of the audience. You both did well- we need to tape all our sets and listen to them, we need to ask ourselves the questions that pop up when we hear our set and then answer them. The jokes keep getting stronger and stronger.
I'm going to speak a little about what to wear and attitude. but that's for Monday. I'm proud of you guys.
Paul.

I'm not sure if you caught it, My class comedy short by Graham Neil on CTV . It was on the end of the news on Tuesday night. They filmed in class and at the Laugh Shop. All of this happened while Noreen's Brother was in the Hospital. I mention this because as I was thinking about Nelson ( Noreen's Brother) I was also thinking about her and her mom and dad and my class.
The entire event , the documentary and the hospital was juggled by that gray area that place just outside of us that asks us to be better- they call it rising to the occasion. I don't believe this
Nelson was alone in the Hospital. My class also needed me or at least- I want to give them all I can all the time. Everything turned out well. Nelson is out of the Hospital- he had a heart attack. The class stepped up and knocked one out of the park and now I have a short film going up on my web site to show prospective students about my classes.
Thank you Graham Neil for doing the documentary. Thank you, all my students for stepping up and for Ann Marie for visiting Nelson and JoeAnn for also caring. Thank you Ryan and Chrysi from the Laugh Shop for the Comedy night and also for my present class at the Laugh Shop.
I am blessed. I'm clear enough to listen to my heart. It's lead me to Noreen, to keep me working as hard as I have been, to teaching and to my book "One Thing." ( The five principles of my class.)
I've been blessed. I feel like I am right where I'm supposed to be. It's only for this moment - the next moment asks me to work harder.

"Any time two people meet, there's six people there. Who they each think they are. Who they each think the other person is- and who they really are."
Have a good one.
Paul:)

This blog is written for you- you- the person who's reading this -the one that feels alone and is note sure where to go and what to do. These words are for you.
I know you. I might have never met you but I know you. Your terrified and stuck you feel rudderless - without direction- like a ship stranded in a sea- only the sea is your life. I know you because your me your me and your the person sitting across from you on the bus, your the taxi driver- your everyone.
You have to believe me when I say "YOU'RE NOT ALONE- YOU'RE CARRYING ALL OF US."
What you do shows us the way- and all you have to do is listen. Please listen to the voice in you. Not the screamer- we all have the screamer in us- the manic shouter that tells us that were nothing and never will be anything. Please don't listen to that- because that is a lie.
You are amazing, you're a ripple , a pebble tossed in the Ocean of humanity and your ripple shows us what to do.
You know how hard you are on yourself. You know all your faults, all of us go over our scars over and over again. We see our faults in others, in the past, in our future. Where they aren't- is now.
This moment is our chance. Let go and listen to it.
There's a place in all of us- it's a moment- and that moment is directing us, giving us our habits and our results. Most of us have forgotten our moment-we're to busy asleep beating ourself up- and that's happening because of our moment.
If you don't know what I'm taking about- when I was four or five-my farther went to work and my mother was busy watching my brother and sisters and I was alone. I must have looked around and instantly free fell into terror. I was alone- cast away in my four year old reasoning- and I fell on the ground and wailed- alone- abandoned. Of course I wasn't but my innocence screamed I was.
That scared little boy in that moment has directed my life- a single moment- everything I've done was done from the perspective of that moment, my habits and results my entire life were directed from that moment.
One day ten years ago I was walking outside in a cold October night and I thought about my life and the habits I lived by. I started so many projects and quit. I was doing this in my career, in relationships in everything I did. I wondered why- why was I so afraid to take risks to just try to believe that I had value enough to succeed. I traced all my projects back to the beginning back to the reason why I started them- and I arrived at my moment- the scared child to terrified to move, to take action because he was alone.
We're not. We're not alone and we're not supposed to be afraid because we're not. I'm not that boy anymore. In the center of me is a child though. He's also four but he shines and has a perpetual smile and he whispers to me from his sand box -" Let go paul- just start- I'll do the rest."
Where are your habits coming from? replace the "I can't. it can't be done" with the incredible person that you are- a child filled with promise and purpose. Your habits are your results- and your results are nudging the child in the rest of us- " Come on it's alright- you don't have to cry anymore- you're the light that shows us the way."

Hello everyone- "The Laugh Shop " Comedy class is up and running. The first class the ground work of the class is based on our habits. Our results are out habits so change your habits. . . I'm running the advanced class which is SOLD OUT and before I go any further- I am honored by the support of the local comedy community,thank you.
Tomorrow at the Laugh Shop CTV is filming a documentary on the class I'm teaching right now. Thank you Graham Neil. I told Sean Lacomber my class is being filmed and he said " great- a four part mini series WHY!"
I was at a table of comedians when he said it- they all laughed pretty hard. I set Sean up and he hits them out of the park. But I'll tell you why. I share this class because nothing else asks more of me. Building these classes and seeing the results from you my students asks all of me.
It's hard to share that with most people. It sounds cheesy. Why? because we ask for more that's why.
Tomorrow if you want- be at the club at seven I'll put you on my guest list and you can be part of the CTV documentary be there at sveen- I mean seven.
Paul

Right to the point- I have my new class beginning this Monday at the Laugh Shop. It's going to be amazing. I've come to the point of teaching where the class can reach a little deeper- ask a little more, believe that they are capable of their reach.
My class I'm teaching now- Metro Continuing Education is having it's last class on Tuesday at the Laugh Shop and their comedy night the next day "Wednesday- the 29th.
I've put a lot of work into these classes- the hand outs, the message, up dating everything about the class- and myself.
The Metro class is going to be part of a CTV documentary being filmed by Graham Neil. They filmed in class and will do a follow up Class comedy night. It should air newt week.
The point of all of this is " All of us are capable of anything-just never quit on yourself, keep fighting for your dreams- yes we all have excuses and reasons to give up, yes our habits our results- but when we make our life just as much as those around us as we do make it our life about ourselves- we wake up to who we really are-God's actions.
Hold a door for some one today, listen, be just a little bit better then yesterday- and today-get some where quiet and listen to the voice whispering in you-" take another step-don't quit-show us the way."
Have an amazing day.
Paul

I have a confession to make. I've never really ever-done my best. I know this is true I know this because I've searched the habits of my life. Everything I've done is from a shadow of who I really am.
My habits are to be afraid. Yes I like to put myself in places where I'm over my head but fear put me there and fear is usually what I share when I'm there. I discovered this because I'm putting myself in places where I need all of me-not just the usual twenty or thirty percent. I know I can be more, do more I just have to let go of the man I thought I was and be the man I know I can be.
I didn't just stumble onto this theory- I've always known I could achieve more. I've just re remembered while I was building my new class. This class is about changing our habits and asking more of who we are. This class is about 1) Targeting a goal.)2 Knowing the best possible results. 3) Changing who we are and becoming who we need to be to achieve the results- and never quitting- taking the first step, then the next, learning to walk then run then fly!
What I realized was- I've lived my life hiding behind the fortress of habits that have built my life. I've lived in a brick castle of blame , regrets and doubt. I've always been the victim, always had a reason to bitch and complain.
But I am not who I think I am, none of us are. All of us are more. Before I could walk or talk I was full of promise- anything was possible I was an empty vessel waiting to sail. I choose to be that person again. I choose not to be stuck and to blame- to find ways not to be small.
I choose to take that first baby step again, this time believing anything is possible as long as I never quit. I'll take the first step, then the next- I'll learn to walk then to run then to fly. I choose to live in the places beyond what I believed possible. I also choose to abandon the habits I used to have- rebuild me with better habits that always ask more of me- my best.
I'll learn to walk again. I'll learn to talk again- everything I choose to share now will come from abundance and passion- from excitement.
All of us are amazing and it begins from not making life about us. I'm tired of feeling sorry for myself. I'm also tired of making everything about me. We become who we're supposed to be by giving by helping others. We achieve when we stop climbing our mountain and descend into the darkness with others- helping them achieve- when we do- we see the light when they do- we don't have to climb a mountain when we choose to be one.
PS
If any one knows an upholsterer I need one.

I'm running an open mike comedy jam at "The Laugh Shop" Tuesdays. I wanted to call them "Tuesday's with Moron" you know-like a pun on Tuesday's with Morry- you know- the book?
Any who-These tuesdays are based on the best we have to offer. I didn't want comics to just show up and waste everyone's time. I would hope they're not chasing the audience- that they have a theme- their set has purpose, it reveals something about who they are and the audience.
This is asking a lot from a cross section of society ( comedians) who love to bitch. " Sveen wants what ? what the hell is going on here, well if he thinks I'm going to change my set". . . I'm not asking anything from anyone- just that we have some fun and maybe take a risk and grow a little.
I ask the comics just give their best to the audience- what does that mean? an organized set, with direction, maybe a call back or two- some insight into humanity would be nice- no filth- no swearing-and maybe they can smile and laugh as much as their audience.
I've made contact with The Alberta Film association- I'm setting up contacts with them so they'll come and see the comics- they need writers and talent ! I'm also doing the same with a couple of other agencies in the city. I'm fighting for the comics- all's I want back- is your best to.
Paully.

First off the top I'm booking TUESDAY'S again- not Wednesdays- I begin with the Open mikers next Tuesday OCT 7th! and I need six comics that want mike time - so E mail me if you need mike time and you're on the same page " you're going to do a set that's professional and organized."

Hey class!!!! click live shows when you see your name click on it and listen to your set. I have most of you up right now- Some of you didn't record but we'll get you- even if it's not yours- listen- how can we learn from the set?

CLASS TWO HOME WORK:
First - KEEP IT SWEET! When you write something make sure that its not offensive and that 1) It makes you giggle 2) Your audience gets to really know you in the material. If you're asking what this means-just do the work any way until you do "HAVE FUN PLEASE!"

Lets remember the home work for next Monday " Take the FIRST sentence from your short story- and write (TAG) ten new ways of sharing it. When you do your monologue at the Laugh Shop- we want your first joke to grab the audience- here's some exercises: I would like you to choose the THREE best new jokes from your ten- and use them with the ORIGINAL sentence in class next Monday :)

" Has anyone here ever been picked last for a sports team?" ( We all put our hands up! remember?) This is a great way to begin a set - ask a question OR make the statement that pokes empathy! We can all relate to the pain:(

Alright - think outside the premise- picked last for a team? what about if we picked- ourself last?

1) I'm so bad at sports I'm not allowed in a sports bar! ( Sarcasm) This is easy to write- I'm just over exaggerating. How can you use sarcasm in a joke! Remember " A joke is the truth revealed through subtlety and deception. We're telling our truth just not directly!" When it comes to sports I SUCK.

2)"You know where the worst place to be picked last? a family reunion- and your parents are picking the teams!" This would be mirroring- putting two ideas against each other- juxt-positioning.

What are all the ideas around sports? do the work-brain storm- but stay in the premise of being picked last. While I wrote the last sentence I thought of MURDER BALL! What if you were picked last for murder ball? 3) "Ever notice when your picked last for murder ball you're the first one to take it in the face?"
Did you notice I used the words LAST and FIRST in the same joke? Mirroring!

Again- brain storm- all words- " Golf, Hockey, Running, Team,Coach, bench, Gretsky What sport would wayne play where he would be picked last? Synchronized swimming! 4) "Why am I being picked last? Somenkoe can't even swim?" Yah I know I spelt their names wrong-bite me : Do you see what we're doing? We're talking about ourself but we can bring other ideas into it- even a super star like Wayne.
5) I asked the coach why he always picked me last- Dad said, son- because you're horrible!" This makes reference to a previous joke (#2) So it's called a CALL BACK!"
Class I know the morning pages are hard- try them anyway. I know to get away and walk a few times each week is hard- try it any way-please. Please E mail me when you've logged on to the blog if you can.
Lets take a joke apart and play with it. How can you play with this joke:? " HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NEW WAYNE GRTETSKY WALL PAPER? IT'S A MILLION BUCKS A SHEET LOOKS GREAT ON THE WALL BUT IT WON'T GO IN THE CORNERS! Have some fun with the joke- E mail me some of your jokes- heres what I did- " Have you noticed everything Wayne touches turns to gold? must suck being his brother- every thing he touches just turns to silver." He's called the great one because of hockey- when it comes to wood working- he's only" The slightly above average one." Do you see what we're doing? taking the original concept " I'm horrible in sports" and taking TAGS- of that- and making it our own.
E mail me if you have any questions-







Any way- here's some ideas- have fun. I'll have the audio up tomorrow.

Alright- this is the deal " World Land" I'll be running the open mikes at the Laugh Shop starting OCTOBER the Eighth! It's a Wednesday- in fact - every wednesday- I'll be booking the Headliner and the seven to nine or so Open mikers.
This is the plan - You show up with your A game- yah new material, yah out there chunks if you want- but your best. I'm going to try and solicit interest into the open mikes so that you get something out of it- casting agents- fringe managers looking for talented people, see and view magazine for writers- get a decent camera and put some of it up on YOU TUBE.
Do you see what I'm getting at? I would like you to treat your talent like the gift that it is so that it can be noticed and developed by industry-
If you think this is a bad idea and that open mikes are for throwing away time I understand. You do what you do and we'll do what we do. This is business- the business of developing you- and the the club and its audience.
I'm all about creative risk- us taking a chance to be better- that's what I'm trying to build. If you want in- E mail me at--- thepath@telusplanet.net If you have goals- are targeting material or a festival- this open mike is for you. If you're showing up to throw up- well - maybe it's not.
I'm all about fun, ball busting and working harder then I did yesterday- give me an e mail if this appeals to you in any way- I have a wednesday spot with your sweat and hard work- all over it.
Pauly.

Well hello everyone out there in World Land- You know what? I don't know why I call you " World Land" I think it's because one day I was in a rental with Kevin McGrath- we we're having a a conversation- he was making some great points, I had nothing- so I pulled " World Land " out of my keester! it was like having back up I guess- if that makes- any sense.
Back to reality. I love making people laugh- but when you're making others laugh- make sure they're taking your message somewhere. When I say message I mean the " mission statement" behind your comedy. If you don't know what that means- Look back at your life- what is your pattern? For me it's DUMB! This is really important- I know about dumb- it's where my vulnerability is- when I share my secrets- the audience feels more connected to me and me to them.
Find your mission statement and run with it. My new comedy class is right now as we speak working on their mission statement- find that you find your funny. Because "Funny" is not outside of us- it's in us- not money- fame- fortune- no- funny and people and empowerment is always first- that's actually first- my dumb - a close first- b.
I guess if I made my mission statement- Humor being having a human experience- but that's my class and that's another blog
Sveenie.

Hello everyone it's me Paul Sveen- my last name sounds like I'm pulling a sword out of that sword carrying thing sheath? Any way lovely Holly form the "Laugh Shop " has asked me to organize the Tuesday open mikes. I'll be getting the head liners and the eight to ten open mikers.
I've also been told that if you're an open miker and are trying to stretch your time- I can arrange that also.
To me this is an opportunity to be more creative- more empowering to work on our habits and strengths. This is a chance to set some goals and take the first steps at these open mikes. If you want to be a part of this- E mail me- tell me what you're goals are where you're going and what you're trying to do creatively - I'm your biggest fan and will do all I can to help you.
Paul.

Hello everyone out there in World land. Thank you for reading my blog and if you are- can you E mail me and tell me what you think?
Well my classes are coming up-the metro class begins next Monday, the Edmonton laugh shop class begins on October 27th. Call 780-476-1010 and get yourself registered.
I've been working on several projects all at the same time but they're all related- the metro class- the Laugh Shop class and a Key note for the national teachers association.
These projects are helping me finish my book " One Thing" As I was doing some research for the Key note- a quote hit me: " Let go let your passion- find yourself in the answers of your life instead of being lost in the questions"
We keep saying " baby steps" It's true- inch by inch life's a cinch yard by yard life is hard" Be nice to yourself, don't take yourself to seriously and money is NOT the most important thing in our lives- our joy is.
Pauly.

I'm entering this blog Sunday night, after an all night drive and a day spent working on my Comedy classes. I'm tired but I'm trying to maintain this blog- you know keep contact with you and let you know what's going on with my shows- life and the classes.
Number one- I have a teacher's convention coming up at the end of the month. I know I'm doing an hour plus key note plus two half hour comedy classes to three hundred teachers. I'm excited but it's going to be a lot of work.
" OUR GOOD HABITS ARE THE SEEDS OF OUR LIFE THEY HELP US GROW.-OUR BAD HABITS AND EXCUSES ARE THE FERTILIZER."
I've got some corporate coming up and I'm rehearsing for them. I'm also preparing for "The Laugh Shop Comedy class" I've built some new hand outs for the continuing education class which stands at seven- so that's a go. The laugh shop class has five- that's great for a class that's not running for a couple of months.( oct 27th to oct 24th)
I'm tired from driving all night. I did the K devision RCMP ball of Wood Buffalo. Coming home in the dark I was watching my DVD player- a movie called BEER FEST. Pretty funny but as I was watching it I ran over something- I think a porky pine "YIKES!!!!"
I was supposed to golf today but instead I watched my JETS win the opener against the fish, sent two comedy principles to the printer and watched the third movie of Blade. " Love the sound track!"
Any who- E mail me= thepath@telusplanet.net if you have any questions, if you saw me at a show and want to book me or have any questions about a class or anything else.
Talk to you soon.
Paul.

I know most of us know the twenty eighty theorem- where the average person uses twenty percent of their ability to get things done. This percentage pops up all over the place: in an office of a hundred people- twenty are doing most of the work. The other eighty are stuck.
If you're a comedian- look at your material, or career, it's never aligned with the idea you have in your head or with the person you are and the material you're using. They're two different things. We're always way better before we get up on stage then when we're on-or when we get off. The best of most comedians is left in the rental on the way to the gig!
That's because our twenty can talk it- but our eighty won't walk it !!! To change this all we have to do is
"TAKE ACTION!" That's right- take action- and don't get all scattered - do one thing not try and do everything- do the one thing that will give you the most results for the action.
Allow your twenty to come from the best of you and keep building. You will get results I guarantee it. I know that we're in a age of instant results- going through a Tim Horton's line up, you get your coffee and doughnut right away- instant results!! - not the same purpose.
Our purpose is just a little different. Purpose doesn't have the same results as a drive through, if it did- I'd ask for a double double and a new set.
Purpose isn't immediate the results are so big we can't always see them. They say one alcoholic affects a hundred people, when that person becomes sober they affect a thousand. Purpose gives more then it takes. We're waiting for the results we just can't see them because they're touching others first.
Think of an action you want a result- write the result on a card- underneath it write the one action of the many that will bring you too that result- then each day- instead of staying stuck- take that action- and take it each day- even though our bad habits are screaming and kicking.
We won't always see the results but they see us and they're moving to us at the speed of action.
To register for the advanced Laugh Shop Comedy Class phone 780-476-1010

I had this question the other day " Is it better to be the person we are off the stage or the person we are on the stage?" I'm not sure how you answered but I say the one that is most awake!
Do you know what I mean? All of us that have done comedy know what it's like to be asleep on stage for part of our set or most of it. We also know what it's like to sleep walk through an entire day in our habits!
Who ever you are when you're aware in this moment is the person you should be. I mean totally aware of how you're feeling now, how the past is making you feel and how your future depends on both.
It's time we keep our goals and purpose aligned with everything positive! Be awake in your joy, do what makes you laugh, allow your bliss and keep asking more of your happiness.
When you do this the "nay sayers in your life will not only be talking about you behind you they'll be talking about you in front of you. That's alright. Allow your bliss- when you do you nether defend or attack. Allow your laughter- start chasing it now- the negatives around your life will eventually go away and you'll be left with only the positive.
What we send out is what we get back- let go and let your joy determine where you're going.
In my advanced comedy class we explore the relationship between audience and you! Our audience took the time to get a baby sitter hit an ATM get some tickets and a few beers and then found a place to sit in the club to listen to your set. Don't you think they deserve the best from us?

I'm doing one on one comedy coaching. We'll target all your creative goals and turn them to purpose and reality. I'm building some more advanced classes. If you're in- E mail me. If you need a comic or MC - E mail me. thepath@telsuplanet.net

First my friend Kerry and his wife Nickie are moving to korea to teach English and I'm poopy pants about it. I'll miss kerry and the band we were becoming " The Ner'e do Wells" but they're off on another adventure and that's what life is about. I'm still poopy pants but I'm getting married to Nernie- building a man fort in the pear tree- in my back yard, I'm having a case of lobster flown in from Halifax so there's adventure right here in my back yard as well. Have fun in Korea kids, stay away from the DMZ and if your camping over there makes sure your tent doesn't have "MASH" written on it.

Speaking of adventure!!! The new "Laugh Shop" Comedy class I'm teaching is up. The dates are Monday
October the 27th until Monday November the 24th. It's five Mondays from Seven until Nine. There's going to be guest writers, speakers, club owners, and much more.
The class is designed to amplify "Your Best" The five classes will build off each other in a way that will get you excited about your humor and your possibilities. It's a work shop that will first change the way we feel about our humor, our career, our goals , who we are and what we're capable of.
The class is all about fun, laughter and abundance- but it's also abut results. The goals that come out of this class are all about action- humor in motion- destination!!!
I'm really excited about this class. We're in a club the entire five weeks. We're on the stage. Everyone gets two four minute sets-of a new you.
It's 189.00 to enroll plus GST. There's only 12 spots, so please don't wait. This class will fill up.
Anyone who has taken a class of mine knows how much I put into them. I hope you decide to hop on board because we're setting sail for that person inside of us who's just outside our reach.
Oh by the way- every week, the class picks two people to do an open mike. While you're in the class- you get your club tickets- for free and graduation night when we fill the club until it's bursting at the seams and your friends and family meet the new you- is November 26th.
We pull anchor on October the 27th- you in for some adventure?

Hello all my friends out there in World land :) I had a great question from one of my friends and former student "Lawrence." He asked: " Hey paul, this new comedy class "The Laugh Shop" is offering in October, will it be something I could take? I ask the question because I'm already working a little as a comic.
The answer is YES! This class I'm offering is designed for comics who want to sharpen their saw and ask more of themselves and their goals and those- that want to really challenge their talent and who they are!
This class is going to be work. If you're afraid of it, don't take it. Each week you'll be asked to grow a little bit. I've designed this class as follows: 1) Target 2) Re focus 3) create goals 4) Change the way we create. 5) Taking action.
I know the business of stand-up and the business of teaching it. I've been doing both for twenty years. I've learnt as much by taking action as I have from my guest speakers and students. I've learnt from club owners and international Comedians. There's a lot of stuff that's gone in one ear and out the other. The stuff I've remembered is information on how to succeed be inspired and be my best.
We've all seen or read " The Secret" Well the secret isn't a secret. It's hard work but work that fuels our joy. The happier you are the more successful you are and the more fulfilled you feel, the more you achieve the more you attract others that help and empower you..
There are hundreds of versions of us- "We are the choices we make" This class is looking into our future and choosing the best version of us- reaching for that version now. Too often our habits leave us stuck- keep us pointed in the wrong direction in the wrong place at the wrong time so it's time to change that- take this class and you will- be a better writer/ comedian, feel more focused, attract the goals you want, feel like you're on your path and much more.

" When we laugh we're on our path. When we're afraid-here we'll stay."
If you have questions E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net
And hey, everybody out there. . . obey your joy! :)

Hello everyone out there in World Land!!! Good news. I've been asked to share another Comedy Class, this one will be at the laugh Shop (780-476-1212) ask for Ryan.
We'll begin this class in October and it will be five Tuesdays in a row. The class I'm giving for Metro ( 780 428 -1111) begins in September. That's five Mondays.
The Metro Class is for those that are just getting their feet wet. It's a huge learning curve and a ton of fun. ( Let go and watch yourself grow. Be afraid and here we'll stay) It's all about big.
The Laugh Shop class is for those that want more writing work, homework, stage time, exploring the mechanics of stand up- focusing the energy of their laughter to a target and destination.
This is my nineteenth year teaching stand up- and I'm really excited about this year. I know that we can take baby steps but this year I'm asking all the students to trust their inner genius and take a massive quantum leap and believe they can reach their horizon.
We don't have to be any one but ourself and anywhere but now. E mail me thepath@telusplant.net and let"s get started on your genius.
And hey listen up everyone out there. . .obey your joy.

Well I have some new clips up on my site- my shaw set and the CBC Winnipeg set. Check them out if you want. I'm also up on " calgarysongwriter.com" Go to resources and scroll down to my seminars if you have the chance. I'm sharing one on one seminars with musicians and speakers on how to cultivate their humor. I also bring the five principles of humor to schools, corporations and groups.
It's the most empowering gift we have-our humor- and if you really want to take a quantum leap in your career or life- obey your joy. Again if you're interested e mail me at ---- thepath@telusplanet.net
I was thinking that we are only as good as our worst habit- mine is procrastination, putting things off. I took a class years ago on public speaking, their message was "The average person never uses their ability to get things done!" Well thats me.
I work hard, rehearse, sharpen my saw. don't smoke, drink am always trying to be a better version of me but I still feel like every day I'm leaving way to much left to do. I can't do everything but I can do something- and that something I can do is finish one project at a time. My challenge is my projects are novels and better material- projects that ask all of me and that can be exhausting, especially when you're writing ten hours days. But- there's only so many heart beats- so I'll put my nose to the grind stone and have "One Thing" finished this fall and have the book up on my site.
Well, have a great night and drop me a line if you have a chance.
And hey everybody out there. . .Obey your joy.

Hello everybody out there in "World Land!" It's paully, I'm back from working at the Calgary Laugh Shop for three great nights. I was there with Trent and Andrew- it was awsome.
I've always seen the clubs differently then Corporate shows. I find I can explore a little more on the club stage.- which I then take to my corporate events. The new chunks I worked this week were: If Christopher Walkin was my Doctor, I don't care what he said to me- I would want to hear it again, " Hey, I'm sorry, but you have a tiny human head, about this big- ( Fingers almost together) growing un-dead behind your left shoulder blade. I think it might be a sibling or something" Then I say " Say it again- infact , here's a roll of twenties, keep it coming" You my freakish friend have a tiny un dead. . .
I love "out there." I've been working on why cute fuzzy animals never go extinct, and I and noreen having a fight about Wonder Women. She says Wonder women is the best super hero because she has the invisible airplane" I said Super man doesn't need one cause he can FREAKIN FLY!!!" and there's more-just not on the blog.
I golfed with Sean Lacomber today- He's hillarious. He called up Noreen on my cell and pretended he was his British Mother " Hello Noreen, do you want to go to Curves? We can work out- I can almost to the full splits, but I need a block between my girth" all in a high pitched British squeal. Thank you for reading me- I'm on face book and will have video up on the sight this week as well as new clips on my web site. Thank you all once again.
I have a new class about to begin in September- or do the class one on one. E mail me thepath@telusplanet.net.
and remember- obey your Joy.
Paully

Hello everyone out there in "World Land!" It's Sveenie here. I know that some of you are actually reading my Blog because you tell me you are when I see you in the clubs or walking down the street. Ok-one person has- "Stevie!" from Duffield or something. But if you are reading my Blogs- E mail me at thepath@telusplanet.net and tell me what's on your mind
I'm off to Calgary to perform at the "Laugh Shop" and I'm excited. I've been listening to my set and tagging it. If you ever want to build off your material- think of a chunk you like and look at at from different points on the circle- for instance - " I went to the store to buy some milk and bread. I'm walking to my car-there's a guy holding a sign that says " The World ends next week" so I say " Hey, my milk expires at the end of the month. What does 7-11 know that you don't"
There's tons of tags that can really get you excited about writing. I was thinking about Jack Nickolson and heath Ledger doing the same character "The Joker" Well , Jack was an ass clown compared to Heath, and the point is, maybe if Jack dies- we'll also care about him again. I don't mean to be mean but Heath was amazing in ' The Dark Night." and that last good thing Jack did was " As good as it Gets" All's I hear him saying now is " Here's Johnny" In "The Shinning" He was referring to Johnny Carson- who's dead, and so is everyone on the Tonight show. The last guy alive is Ed Mcman and he's homeless walking around grunting " YES, YOU ARE CORRECT SIR YES!"
Tyler Hawking won the home grown in Montreal- good for you TYE I and Noreen love you- and we're cheering for you- be the guy in the Green Room and you are money.
Take care all- E mail me and heads up that I have another class beginning in September.
See you.
Sveenie.

Hello world land, it's paully I'm coming to you from a beautiful Sunday afternoon deep in the bowls of my cool basement.
I just finished headlining the Edmonton Laugh Shop. It was awsome. I felt really loose and have since I headlined Rumors in Winnipeg. Man nothing will sharpen your saw like performing fourteen shows in Ten days. It was an amazing opportunity. I've been recording all my sets and will have a new CD soon and a DVD. I'm setting up a weekend to headline The Comedy Nest in Montreal and will meet with the new producers of the festival.
When I was in Winnipeg, the owner of Rumors " Ross" said that he would rather have a great joke then a hundred thousand dollars. You have to have a million already to say something like that but- I stumbled onto a couple of new premisses that are killing and they make me feel so blessed that I get to still perform for a living.
The point of this is- "Keep following your joy even if you're terrified- the pay off is there, no matter how dark it seems- never quit on yourself and your dream- you were supposed to chase it before you could walk.
Paully.

Hello blogonites out there in World Land. I'm between Headlining Rumors in Winnipeg and the Laugh Shop on Edmonton. I'm at the Edmonton Club this week from Thursday to Saturday, then the week after in Calgary. I have a couple of Golf tournies in August- then it's corporate Season.
I want to thank everyone for reading my blog, I've had E mails from Winnipeg , very nice, I appreciate them. I've been working the day job and rehearsing at night, keeping the saw sharp. What I know is this:
1) Let go, don't hold back in what you create. 2) Laugh and be awake in the joy of your creation. 3) Love the audience in your art, let them know you in your creativity. 4) Leave nothing give all you have all the time.5) When you choose to be vulnerable the audience connects to you and in turn gets to know themselves.
I'm blessed. I have an amazing life. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with Noreen. I've taken a lot of the stick out of my ass so I'm not so up tight, and I'm waking to my laugh and the joy around me. There is no secret to the Universe- only a quote " What you send out is what comes back- period.
If you can make my shows this week- E mail me- I'll get you tickets. If not- E mail me anyway- tell me what you're doing.
Paul

"I'm back!!!" Winnipeg was great. I love the club "Rumor's" and really like Ross and the staff, Tyler, Ray, Dylan and Josh and Michel- they were all really nice.
Winnipeg is a different city. They support their art like no other place I've ever been-well, Seattle comes to mind and Halifax- but Winnipeg is way up there.
I wrote some interesting chunks in the peg- I'm working on them to put them in my set and the Peg gave me the opportunity to do that- fourteen shows in ten days- sweet.
I leant a lot from Rumors and I'm applying it straight to my classes, but that my friends is another blog.
I and nernie gained a ton while we were there. The food is amazing. We were invited to a restaurant on Osborne called "Fude" We had wild mushrooms and rice over Halibut and Roasted bison over field berries
with a side of roasted spuds and walleye chowder- damn!!!
I did a radio show called "The nIght Hawk!" he wanted to talk jokes but I belted out fifteen minutes of how humor empowers and heals. From the heart baby always from the heart.
I'm back home and I'm sharpening the saw. I've got a new second wind and am now getting booked into the Nest in Montreal so the new festival cats can get a look at Pauly. Wish me luck as I wish the same for you.
Talk to you soon E mail me if you want thepath@telusplanet.net

Hello everyone and any one that is reading this. God bless you if it's you. First " Happy Canada Day" and second- what ever you're doing in your life- let go the results and just finish. Finish your degree, your sorry, finish your weight loss your weight gain- your trip to Europe. Finish your book your song your career change- what ever you do- just finish.
This is the goal in life to be a finisher. Just let go and allow you. Put yourself in places where you're over your head- when others talk- listen and when you're in a room- be in the damn room- be present and know that where ever you're stuck, you're not- that wall is here to ask us how bad we want what's on the other side- so open that door and finish.
Paul

Hello everyone out in "World Land" I'm off to Toon town and Rrgina this week end then right after that, I'm in Winnipeg for ten days then Calhary. I'm blessed. Of course others might see it as a bad thing- but I'm going to come out of this with a pretty good CD.
I guess I'm looking at the positive- I read that what ever we want in life we have to take action. The walls that keep us stuck don't actually keep us stuck- they ask us-" how bad do you want what's on the other side?"
For me the walls are some book projects a speaking tour and being awake in happiness. That's a real challenge because in my natural state I have a stick up my tukas. I will change that- I choose to be better and I will take action- action is the lesson of our lives.
Paul

I was just listening to " Faithfully" by Journey. You know the song- " Highway lights, to the big time, the wheels go round and round in my mind"
Any way, for me, when I hear that song, it wakes me, pulls me out of any thought I have or no matter how tired I am- I'm a little more alive when I hear that song.
We all have that. It doesn't even have to be a song, a park, a memory, a book- but something that shakes us awake- and I was wondering- is there more examples of this in our life that we can tap into?
What's the trigger in our humor that wakes us? What do we do that shakes us awake in our humor?
For me it's staying in an idea- how long can I make something funny and also, how many different ways can I come at an idea?
"Faithfully" is just a song and "The road less traveled is just a poem and "Forest Gump" just a movie. The person that wrote them didn't feel that- they were awake in their treasure , their creative core.
Where is yours and will you please shared it with us today- we need it.
Paul

Hey everyone in World land. I hope all is well, that you're committed to your life's purpose and you're not stuck in your same old habits. When we are stuck our habits bad habits become circles. We keep making the same decisions over and over , going over the same old ground, till one day we found the we wish you were here- to nudge us out of our habits.
The circles we make when we decide to make a difference are not the same as the ones we make when we're stuck. The good circles are ripples that emanate from our heart outwards. The bad habit circles are like Hansel and gretal wandering over the same steps over and over.
This week I challenge to to think of a bad habit that is based in fear- eating bad food, not working out, not reading, listening not waiting to talk, not calling up that friend to say sorry, not working on a project- and replace one with a habit that GIVES-helping a senior, writing that poem, volunteering- quit smoking and E mail me, tell me how it felt, what you did and where you hope to go with the new habit and what habit you replaced it with- and I'll post it on the blog.
Chin up, make a difference and stay awake in your heart.
Paul

Hey kids how's everything going? If you check out my live shows, click on the "Smoking pic" I have to reduce it's size but it's a picture a local cartoonist " Chris Lebranz" whipped up. I'm still working on my book and I have corporate shows coming up so I'm busy.
I'm trying to lean into my purpose. I mean I'm trying to stay awake in the hard work and get things done. It's not easy but it's my life. I see bad habits as us rationing our purpose. Doubt and fear dole off our dreams like bits of bread- we ration our purpose in memories and hopes and what could have beens- we follow the trail to our old age and then one day wonder what could have been.
Fight for your purpose- let go of the outcome and just allow your joy to take you- create through abundance.
Fight the good fight.

The comedy night at the " Laugh Shop" was amazing. Some of the students went over the four minutes and did ten but that's understandable. They were in their moment. I was proud of all of you- each one. You never gave up on the class principles and stuck it out. So I ask that you take the class with you where ever you go. In your Heart I ask for empathy and gratitude for all situations you find yourself in- the ones that ask you top grow- for they point us to our purpose. Thank you class- you taught me- so much- and I take that with me. The class comedy night is on LIVE SHOWS. Just click on it and listen. It's the entire night in one taping.

I write a blog for Andrew Grose and last week a went a little long. Basically I was that scene where Forest Gump keeps running after he scores the touch down and runs out of the stadium. That was me last week in the blog.
It's odd but I didn't know it while I was writing it. Have you done that? over stayed your welcome in a conversation, or letter or maybe a career or relationship? I think we all have. The ship is sinking and we're paying the band to keep playing as we're watching the others dive into the life boats.
I've felt that way about comedy sometimes. I'm driving through a blizzard, I have another five hours to go and I thinking "What am I doing?" But I love it. I love the creative aspect of what I do, the developing material out of my life. I love the performance and the building. I mean the everyday working on the things that will allow me to get better. This keeps me going. When I get up on stage and a new chunk is polished, when I feel myself growing even if it's a little.
It's almost as if I'm being lead, as if there's an invisible hand that's prodding me to move forward, take another risk, try a little harder, sharpen my saw a little more. I hope to be this way right to my last breath.
I have fears- creative fears- projects and dead lines that come and go and then circle behind me and bite me on the ass. I will finish them- I will keeping fighting to be better- and I will keep asking more of myself so that when I'm in the position to listen to someone- I have the grace to shut the hell up keep my mind locked on what they're saying and listen.
Paul

Well the festival is over, I'm packing and now it's an all day travel day back home.
It's odd. All the planning and rehearsing and then the night comes, I do the show and now it's over. It feels kind of like that satellite that does a fly by of a planet. It spends three years traveling through space, it gets to the planet takes a picture and then BOOM it's gone. This is how this festival felt. All the work and now I'm going home. But if you read this, this is what I learnt from Winnipeg.
1) No matter what, do a set that really makes you laugh. It will really connect with an audience because you're having fun, they're having fun.
2) Be nice. It's so easy to get stressed and bent out of shape- STOP IT. Have fun be nice.
3) Get out of the freakin hotel and see the city you're in and also shmooze. See other comics and meet some industry people.
4) Make sure you don't make it all about you. GIVE- See other people's points of view, listen and open the odd door.
5)And above all - have fun, and do the show that you know you're capable of. Be the person you are in the car, not the sheklock we all are when we have our head up our ass.
This is what I know - what you give is what you get- so give everything you can be in this moment, not the last one or the one where you beat yourself up or... well you know what I'm talking about- let go and let your best.
Paul

We all know what that feels like, to be afraid. Most of us have been just that our entire lives. Remember your first day of School? Sure there are exceptions but sooner then later- fear comes a knocking for a number of different reasons- rent, love, career, age, health and the list go's on and on.
The point I'm making is- "WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE SCARED SO LISTEN TO YOU HEART AND DO IT ANYWAYS!"
Easy for me to say. I've started and finished six books, several inventions, jobs and on and on. But I know that in me is a way to finish, I just have to choose to do just that. There's this notion that we are exactly where we're supposed to be- all the time. I don't know about that. I used to go to some pretty skanky parties that made my skin crawl and something in me told me to leave- and I did. I think we've all experience some variation of that.
I talk about listening to your Heart. Have an open heart when people are talking to you. What I mean is let go of all judgement and all that negative crap and just let go of defending or attacking and just simply listen to them. You'll find a number of things happen. First of all- the weight of fear- drops from your person- all that habit crap of the way we normally respond. When you have an open heart- you begin to sync up your spirit with your actions. This is huge because when you factor in the laws of attraction- you begin to attract BIG! You begin to attract- miracles.
in the end- fear has it's place. Fear is like an earth quake. We stay afraid long enough until we suddenly take action- like all that pent up pressure in a quake.
I once heard this quote. " I've always been scared. That's why I was able to achieve so much. When I was scared knew I was way over my head- right where I was supposed to be. When I was bored I put myself back into scared because that's where our purpose is."
If you're scared- you're right where you're supposed to be. Just don't forget to climb. If you don't you're stuck. And if you feel a rumble , that's just another quake- cause quakes are you taking action- and your quakes are your purpose- they made the mountains you're supposed to climb. Yes it's going to be hard but life is supposed to be. Nothing easy is worth having. And when you keep putting yourself on another bigger mountain- when you look back your life will have one Hell of a view.

Does everyone know about the Twenty Eighty formula? Well what it is- we get eighty percent of our results from twenty percent of our efforts. What that also means is where the Hell is the other eighty percent going? And how do we access that? I think I might have stumbled on to an answer.
Picture an ice berg. Twenty percent of the berg is above water, the other eighty percent below. That eighty percent is the stuff no one sees. It's like the eighty percent that is directing us. That eighty percent we're not using is our ( fears, our past, our habits, the things said to us that we've forgotten but the words still resonate in us, our regrets , doubts and blame.) All these things direct us, make the choices for us and it's our twenty percent being directed by our eighty.)
What people see of us who we are, our words our actions are being directed by what they don't see- our eighty percent the part of the ice berg that's below the water line.
If you want to change your life choose to change where the eighty percent is coming from. Choose to allow your eighty percent to be ( abundance, gratitude,forgiveness, empathy, servitude, kindness and creative co-creation through your intuition.)
To allow this to happen- be the active observer. What I mean is to see yourself in all the possible choices you could have made and choose the one where you make the biggest difference. It's time that we become the change we want to see in the world.
Our habits become our results and our results become our life. Allow your twenty to be nudged by an eighty that is filled with miracles.
Remember we are directed by what's inside of us. Allow your habits and your results to be filled with abundance. Do this one thing- change your eighty- the part know one sees- the part below the water line so that all we do doesn't become the Titanic- change what's below the water line allow it to be infinite joy allow it- be the change you want to see in the World and you will be King - of your World.
If you read this blog please E mail thepath@telusplanet.net and tell me what you think.
Thank you.

I did a show for Chad ,Christal and Tony and the gang at Lilly Lake Resort. There was about two hundred of them crammed into a room that looked like it was right out of the Shinning. Awsome bunch of people! After the show a fellow told me that he thought the show was great but that I had started a little slow. First- thank's for the gala report- second- well check this out.
Right before the show - the manager of the shinning walked over and said: "Listen the speakers to the building are conneceted to the other event right beside this one. Everything these motor cycle types can hear my other group can hear. If I hear anything nasty I'm shutting down the show!"
Yah! all through my show she kept poppin in watching me from the back of the room and when she did I would break into a fiscal report of River Side's year. After a while they caught on as a group and it turned into a real special night.
All shows are special. A Corporate is like a child only Riverside is like the kid with a gift. Thank you Chad!
The other night I was up in Fox creek and right off the top I'm being heckled by the missing link from Valley View. You know who you are. He's the kind of guy you can't take to karaoke because he's illiterate. He's squinting trying to read the promptor " Thars a laddy thayt's sar shies being a star why to Haven." Hey! if your kid swears and you wash their mouth out with soup! maybe Karaoke isin't for you- and maybe you shouldn't heckle the comedian who loves what he does loved the audience and they seem to really like me! It's me and the room against that moron that was mollested by his Uncle.
That's comedy! Like Forest Gump said: " Life is like a box of Chocolates you never know what you're going to get." Which is different then Life in prison- then you know exactly what you're going to get- fisted. Speaking of Prison- I'm doing a show in Brooks alberta. . .

Wheather we're two hundred pounds overweight or ten it's a painful issue. We can hide the ten not the two hundred then again it's hard to be annonymous if you weigh lets say five hundred.
There's a group called "over eaters annonymous" Their problem is their sponsors are other large or previously large people. Their real sponsor should be someone who's starving.

Large person "Yah Matoomboe I'm on my third pizza I can't stop!"
Matoomboe " I can see my sister's pancreas."
Large person " OK I'm going to cry myself to sleep."
Here's an idea. If you're five hundred pounds and you're about to tie into twenty hamburgers why not have one! The other nineteen burgers you didn't have -write a cheque for that ammount and send it to Matoomboe so he doesn't eat his hand.
" You shouldn't make fun of large people."
Hey! Comedy tragedy, have you seen the image? the crying laughing faces? Comedy is pain. I'm angry at Kathleen Turner. She was hot in Romancing The Stone.Now she's four hundred pounds and that's painful. If you're hot you owe it to humanity to stay hot. The rest of us who are ugly and fat-the double whammy can lose the weight but I can't shake ugly." She can lose the weight and be a source of hope. Kath think "Beacon not Bacon."
I come from a large family. I've seen realtives eat directly from the freezer. I have aunts who beed their hair then look like Boe Oil Derrik. Yah I said it. Why? becauase derrik and dessert are kitty corner on the same page.
It just triggers my angst when someone says they lost two hundred pounds and everyone claps. Alright Good for them but you lost weight not found a cure for Cancer. I'm glad they feel better but great! It's like someone who come's out of a coma. Two weeks later the press is gone and that person's on the end of the couch hypnotized by Frank Cannon re-runs.
Three out of every five people in Canada are overweight. In the States it's Eight out of two. Obama is trying to lobby minorities so he can become President. Not everyone is hispanic but apparently all of us are fat. Why doesn't someone organize us? If the evangelicals can get numbnuts into the White House. . ."TWICE!" then an organized large elective can put Super sized in the oval office FOREVER!
There's a show called " Biggest Loser." It's where large people try lose weight to win a half a million. Alright first off, is this the only name we can come up with? "Biggest Loser?" Why not go all the way call it "The third ass club? or Last slob standing? or why not Lunch special Olympics?"
My point is if you can lose weight chasing half a mill then what about this. Eat to be healthy eat to feel better so you can think clearer. It's hard to make rational decisions with forty Tim Bits coarsing through your gunt. The money you save binging-give it to a homeless person, adopt a starving child, give it to the food bank- it's win win. We look the way we feel.Imagine how we'd feel if we we're making a difference. If we weren't making every freakin moment about US! Now if I wanted to be President that's the group I'd want to tap.

Hello friends! Next Monday the halifax comedy festival will be sharing part of my performance on " Sneak Peeks" next monday January the 14th. Check it out if you can.
The festival taught me a lot. It taught me that I'm a cave man, that's when I'm funniest when I drag my comedy into a cave an slap it around. Im gronk.

I'm Paul Sveen. I'm a comedian that's my career it's what I do and I love it. I'm sure I'm like a lot of other people I have doubts and regrets but I strive to be proactive and dig myself out of what ever I've put myself into.
We all have fears and fears can either be what pushes us forward or keeps us stuck. I know I have regrets. We all do but because of the way my brain works I might visit my regrets more then the average masochist. Songs, top forty songs are the spears that pull me back to places in my life. They're like mini time machines. I hear " Brandy You're a fine girl!" By the first Edition and I'm twelve again, hiding under a tree watching the neighbor adults get hammered. Little did I know that I would use their partying as a template for the next twenty years.
My life so far has been an abandoned land scape filled with land mines only I can see them they're not only above ground they're kind of floating giving me the heads up but I still choose to walk on them.
Songs from my past remind me of this. I hear a song I hear the blast of the explosion connected to the song. A lot of what I'm saying is associate with my fears and better yet-my ego. Ego is the wind beneath our fears. There are no regrets in miracles or random acts of kindness there are none also in our ego.
What I'm saying is regrets are like staying behind with a fallen buddy. Eventually we realize that no one's coming for you. You've chosen to stay stuck where you are and life moves on. Songs take me back to some of those times when I could have made better decisions but didn't or maybe learnt from them and didn't.
This is where " what would sveen do?" comes into play. I am the dude from the big Lebowski I admit it. I'm an airhead sometimes a lot of times and I operate from the seat of my pants but I'm always coming from my heart and spirit and I always have the best intentions like the dude.
Like the time I was driving home at three in the morning and this guy was standing in the middle of a deserted highway waving his hands in the air. I was in my 93 Olds 88 town car. I had converted the inside of the car into a home entertainment system. It was Christmas December 21 so I was watching Shindler's list and almost plowed into the guy as I swerved around him and kept driving.
Then I remembered " I'm Sveen in what would Sveen do?" So I... the rest is for another day.

" That's the last time he hurts me !" She said as she walked out into the dark cold. The last time! Life is a series of last times.The last time we cry as a child, the last time we crawl, the last time in a high chair. The last time running in reccess, the last time in the halls of school. The last time in a friend ship in the arms of a lover, in a marriage, the last time falling, the last time feeling grass in your bare feet, the last time seeing the sky, feeling snow. The last time surrounded by your family, the last time in the shell of this body. The last time rising to heaven. The last time in the arms of God. The last time God said " Welcome home little one." and the last time God said " You are always home, and yes! go back but this time. . .laugh, allow mistakes, let go be vulnerable and love, love, not like the last time."
Written by Paul Sveen.

Hello people in blog land. I've been working on some projects and I'm back.I know that we should " I should" be getting better every day. I know that the things we do in our lives are not always easy in seeing our growth.
Take relation-ships. I have these tiny break throughs where I get noreen. You know when I let her in. Take for instance my Winnipeg and Just for Laughs show case. She says I should just do the sruff from my life. I said I have. And this is where the break through is. She said " No the stuff about her IN my life. So I'm going to do the stuff about her. I hope it works the stuff about me hasn't been.
Sveen.

We just finished the latest clas on November the 13/07 at " The Comedy Store." in Londonderry Mall.
Twelve out of the fifteen that registerd did the comedy night. You were all amazing. From the first to the last, all of you took risks and shared who you really are. It was an honor to be a part of the class.
Each class asks me to be better amd I pass what I learnt from this class ontp the next one in January. What you, this class taught me was to reach you, tap you the person that you are in that place where the light bulb go's off. I'll simplfy the mechanics of comedy writing for the next class but that does not mean that it still won't be coming from my heart. I need all of you in this class to know that I was honored to be your teacher and that you made me a better instructor and a better person.

For anyone that wants to pursue comedy or try it again curt@edmontonyuks.com
e mail him and get yourself on the stage.
Thank you again. I have a book about the how too of Comedy. It's the stories and the principles of twenty years of comedy and sixteen years of teaching. A copy will be ready in Febuary.