This is it. We’ve reached the end of 2011.
I made a few New Years resolutions last year. I said I would take courses in my field. I said I’d perform more and in better productions than ever before. In the end I took acting classes with Gilles Plouffe and comedy writing with Second City in Chicago. I produced, directed and performed in two Fringe Festival shows (simultaneously) and consider Being Earnest to be the best show I’ve ever worked on. I loved it so much, we brought it to Toronto. I also performed with Three Blind Mice in Luann and participated in not one, but two Flashmobs.
I visited exciting cities like Amsterdam, Brussels and New Orleans. Patrick and I brought our families together for the first time and my online videos reached over 55,000 views (my goal for the year was 20,000).
It was also a very difficult year, and that fact stands out more than the others. It’s still shocking and painful, but I can’t forget losing a very close friend this year. It feels insane even writing that and even harder to believe it happened. There is no moving forward, there’s only bringing the memories forward – and with me – everywhere I go. Forever. And trying to make them bring a smile instead of a tear.
It makes looking forward pretty hard. There’s a lot of potential in the year ahead, but in the back of my mind is the nagging reminder: Don’t take a single second for granted. Enjoy the ride, the memories and the people – not tomorrow, but today. As much as you can. Love what you love and love it as much you can and don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t love it. That applies to anything. Love people. Love things. It doesn’t matter. Just fill your life with love.
Thank you for joining me during the year and I look very forward to making more memories together very soon. In the meantime, I wish you nothing but health & happiness in the year ahead.
Love,
Donald
PS. Here’s a very special video starring all of the people and memories that helped fill 2011 with joy! 
