When my boys were teens I was on the road doing stand-up comedy with Pauly Shore and company and realized I had finally made it to the point where this could be not just my Canadian persona but my American career. The other comics and I hung out around the pool, went touristing and basically fooled around all day. Then we worked (which is also like fooling around) for a few hours and went out to celebrate.

It should have been awesome, but it wasn’t.

Because … I knew my kids were waiting at home not having the same degree of success and freedom. That was the day I decided to quit performing and become the teacher. I committed to four years without a stage. I took my kids out of school and taught; talking, reading, math, social skills, eye contact etc. Two years later we worked on job skills.

By the four year mark I could return to the stage. The kids had changed that much.

The problem was I had changed that much too. 

I now had new gifts to share. So, I began teaching and healing brains.

When I moved to California I put the two me’s together and became a therapist/performer who speaks, jokes, and sings about the brain. I love it.

But I still miss pure stand-up. Being a stand-up comedian is freer than being a super interesting teacher. When you are a stand-up in a bar or at a club there are no boundaries. Sometimes I wish for that again.

Last night I got it, I did stand-up.
OMG THAT WAS FUN!