The Shingles Chronicles

It's been awhile. I have Shingles. Sentences, like periods of mental health, are short....

Yes - I am a 26 year old man and I have shingles. Shingles, apparently, is a re-occurrence of the Chicken Pox virus. It is triggered by stress and anxiety, two things I have in spades. I've always been a bit of a stress case, but this caught me off-guard and has caused me to slow down and take a deep breath. How is it, at 26, that I am suffering from yet another stress-related malady? It has caused me to re-think many of my habits and purchase many vitamins. The way I'm seeing it now is if I am 26 and stressing out, how will I be when I'm 40, IF I become 40. Shingles are as thought provoking as they are itchy and sore.

I took two weeks off stand-up. I still may do an open mike to jam some ideas, but the illness got very much the best of me and I wish to slow it down. I think different things will help to cure me of this. More plants in the apartment. Goodbye cola, hello juice. Au revoir chips, bonjour yogurt. As I near my rockstar birthday of 27, it looks like my life is headed in oh, such a different direction.

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Flames Play-offs start today. My pre-season pick, if you'll remember, was Calgary vs Montreal. I stand by it more for pride than I do accuracy. If I had a gun to my head, I'd say San Jose vs Buffalo. But, then I'd also say Calgary looks good. Either way, I see it as a fortunate time to have shingles and be somewhat house bound.

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I just got back from Lethbridge. I went the day I was diagnosed with Shingles. I can tell I am aging because I am no longer excited to go to Lethbridge. I cannot pretend that Lethbridge is 'neat' anymore. It is not and I am not pleased to be there. There is something about playing an 'authentic' Irish Pub in Lethbridge, Alberta, that just seems to take all the glory and glamour out of my job as comedian. It is rather humbling to know that perhaps a quarter of the audience is there to play Golden Tee video games and there just happens to be some comedy for them to over-hear. The time in my youth where I viewed this job as a whimsical is now gone. I see it very practically now. You can file Cranbrook in the same file as Lethbridge.

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I need a couch and loveseat. If you have one, please let me know and feel more than free to give it to me. After all, it is better to give than to receive.

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Also feel free to donate your Calgary Flames Playoff tickets to me. I will accept that graciously. Shingles does allow for hockey games.


I'll be back and write more.......