I’m not trying to say that you have to be in love to be happy, because that’s the furthest thing from the truth. You do, however, need to fill your life with love. Life is too short, and the end too depressing to not appreciate the moments of happiness and joy we can share with each other as much as we can, while we can.

Just sayin’!

Even more exciting is the news that my book is part of the brand new Amazon Prime service. Read about it here.

It’s a very unique full-length novel with it’s core focused on an impossible mystery – which results in a very possible, and surprising solution. Mashing together many themes that I enjoy, maintaining a brisk pace, and sending a message of love and hope – “The 13th Post” is my favourite work to date, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

It’s available today – for FREE! – then goes to it’s regular price of 3.99$ tomorrow. Please consider purchasing a copy and don’t forget to let me know what you think!

PS. It appears there was a screw-up somewhere and the version that Amazon has released was an early draft, which carries a few inconsistencies and grammar errors. Take advantage of the sale now, get your copy for free – and when the proper/final version of my manuscript has been uploaded, Amazon will notify you on how you’ll be able to access the update for free.

I’m already wondering what thread that started today will weave through the year and make it unique? Sometimes, we can’t control the tone or success of our years but we can always control our perspective.

I have a few wishes for 2012 (they start with health) and also a few goals to try and accomplish. I’m going to try hard to be as creative as possible and seize every opportunity to move ahead on my path.

I’d like to start it off by sharing an aspect of my creativity you may not yet know about. While you should know I love acting and directing, you might be surprised to know I also love writing (well, you shouldn’t be too surprised…you are, after all, reading my blog right now).

Up until now I’ve kept my writing separate from everything else because I’ve always felt the content of my stories doesn’t match what you see in my performances. Under the name of Jason Summers, I’ve written many plays and manuscripts that show an entirely different side to what I do.

Quite a few of those plays have been performed through Brave New Productions – and two of my early novels are available as ebooks through various online distributors.

Going forward, I’ve decided to drop the pseudonym and celebrate all the aspects of my creativity using my real name.

There! The secret is out. I feel so exposed (okay not really – just trying to make this sound like an epic announcement) but I have to say, I’m looking forward to a brand new year with tons of exciting new projects.

For you, health & happiness – and, of course, lots of DonaldRees.Com

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!

BEST MOVIE: The Muppets
I was so excited for this movie and it didn’t let me down in a single way. It completely renewed my undying love for the Muppets.
RUNNER-UPS: I really enjoyed Bridesmaids (though I found it a bit long) and I thought Scream 4 was pure horror joy for fans of the series (including myself) or horror movie lovers in general.
*Note: You will not find these movies listed on most respectable people’s list of favourite movies – however, they describe me to a tee!

BEST SONG: Trip To Your Heart – Britney Spears
RUNNER-UPS: Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything” is fun in an epic end-of-year way and of course Lady Gaga’s “Edge Of Glory” was a sound I hoped would lend itself to her whole album (which sadly was not the case).

BEST ALBUM: Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor – Caro Emerald
* Technically not released this year, but this was the year I discovered her.
RUNNER-UPS: Robin Thicke’s “Love After War” album is a perfect, relaxing blend of many genres I’m a fan of.

BEST BOOK: The Help
RUNNER-UPS: “The Night Circus” was captivating the whole way through but the ending felt like a bit of a let-down.

BEST PLAY: The Arrangement
RUNNER-UPS: I also really enjoyed “Into The Woods”, particularly the first half.
* Of course, Being Earnest & Here’s To Love! were out of the running because I was in them though I must say Being Earnest will forever hold a place in my heart.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Amsterdam
RUNNER-UPS: Can I say everywhere else? The concierge at Disney’s Polynesian Resort? NEW ORLEANS (I loved it there so much!) Disneyland Paris Resort? I feel so lucky to have had the chance to visit these places!!!

I’ll still be working on creative projects (including videos) but the type and production values will be changing. Expect less improvised home movies, and more well-produced comedy shorts in the new year starring some of Montreal’s top talent.

This time last year I was thrilled to announce that over 15,000 people had watched my videos. To me, that was a staggering number. What’s amazing is that in less than a year that number has over tripled and more than 55,000 people have viewed DonaldRees.com videos – what an amazing success!

And I couldn’t have done it without the help of my amazingly talented friends! Namely: Jennifer Mason, Marc Roth, Orlando Lopez, Tania Vancol, Peggy Tsarouhas, Stephanie McKenna, Dave Reudelhuber, Gerald Doucet and Patrick Sabbag.

01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
11.
12.
13.

These videos will only be available online until February 28th, 2012 so enjoy them while they’re still available

Air. How did I get convinced into doing this? Jumping out of a plane. That’s what insane people do. No, insane people jump out of buildings. I’m much higher. Does that make me more insane than the people who jump out of buildings? Feels like it. Air. That’s where most of my thoughts go and every thought is a synapse fired and that’s a physical thing, right? So my thoughts are a thing. They have weight, they have mass – but they’re invisible and they float through the air. A bit of a random thought, but it’s distracted me from what I’m supposed to do. Will my body to jump out of this plane. They told me before I got on the plane that the only way down was jumping. The pilot isn’t allowed to land with passengers in the cargo pit. I have to jump. But why? Why did I do it? What was I thinking about when I decided this would be a great idea? I can’t remember. Those thoughts aren’t with me anymore. I left them down by the beach at the resort where I signed up for this terrible experience. My thoughts, they’re probably sitting in little chairs on the beach drinking tiny invisible margarita’s – laughing at how they sent me to my impending death. I remember them though. How convincing they were. Face your fears, they told me. What doesn’t kill you is not to be feared. Easy words for synapses to say, but holding on to the cold metal frame of the aircraft cargo door, feeling the blast of wind rushing across my face and staring out at the tiny world below me, I feel my thoughts – the rational ones at least – get blown away by the force of the wind. Of course, the decision isn’t my own. The guy I’m attached to lunges forward and I see the plane disappear from around me. The blast of wind that rushed my face is now a part of me, a part of my movement. I’m one with the wind and the air. For a brief moment, it’s amazing. To be able to fly. The world is rushing towards me and I panic. Why hasn’t Guam or Pepe or whatever my buddy’s name is pulled the cord yet? We’re going to die. We’re most definitely going to die. One of my thoughts, the rational ones, comes whizzing down through the air after me. I remember thinking it on the plane and it’s caught up to me now. Thousands of people sky dive every year and nearly all of them survive. Why am I so worried? Just enjoy the moment. Feel like a bird, a big awkward bird with no feathers wearing a helmet. It’s when I finally realize that I’m not going to die that the moment fills me with a joy and happiness I can’t even begin to describe. That is, until I hear Pepe say “Oh shit.”

Maria: We’re lost.
John: Totally not lost.
Maria: We haven’t seen another person for miles.
John: We’re not lost.
Maria: Or a building or a road.
John: I know where we are.
Maria: Oh yeah, where?
John: The desert.
Maria: What gave it away? The sand? The heat?
John: The sand.
Maria: I was being sarcastic. Obviously. Jesus. Come to Egypt you said. Let’s see the Pyramids you said. Oh, how about a nice evening stroll you said.
John: The scenery is beautiful.
Maria: The sun is up and we’re surrounded by sand dunes. We’re utterly alone.
John: There’s a bird.
Maria: Where? Oh yes. Yes! Thank God. We can’t be far from civilization. I don’t think birds fly around the desert.
John: I think vultures do.
Maria: Fuck you. That is not a vulture.
John: No, I don’t think it is either. And choose your words missy. You don’t talk to me like that.
Maria: I’m sorry. I was just worried that we’re going to die. I misspoke.
John: That’s okay. (Pause). Oh it is a vulture.
Maria: Fuck you. We’re going to die out here.
John: Why don’t we climb to the top of that dune over there?
Maria: Why don’t you climb to the top and I’ll wait here.
John: We do things together sweetheart.
Maria: Like dying in the desert together sweetheart? I could be back at the Hilton with a cold drink in my hand. You know that right?
John: I do know that. I also know that you’re the one who suggested we go off the path.
Maria: The path wasn’t very clear and those statues were beautiful. I got amazing pictures. (Thinks about that.) Fine. We’ll climb to the top together.
John: I love you.
Maria: I love you too, I just better see a Hilton or a McDonald’s from the top.
John: I’m sure we will, sweetheart.

Now, here’s your task. YOU go to google images, type in “Two People” and figure out which picture I drew inspiration from. Shouldn’t be too hard!

What I find fascinating are the amount of performers who plead with you to come see their shows but don’t actually go out to support others. They claim to be busy or doing something, but the truth is most of them are just lazy.

Take a look at the next event invite you get on Facebook and take a look at the replies from those who aren’t attending – you’ll probably find a massive list of pathetic excuses. Whether it’s for a show or a party, people love an audience but not being part of one.

Make a point of attending the next invitation you get. You won’t regret it.

So where was I?

Right, so my friend Jen was passed out in the dryer. By the way, I’ve given up on renaming people since it’s obvious you can all see through my elaborate attempts at name camouflage. Actually, you know what I’m going to do? Use nicknames. These are very special “pet” names only my friends know and you’ll never be able to guess who’s who.

Right, so my friends Miss. Drinks-a-lot was passed out in the dryer inhaling the fumes of fresh linen while I stared bug-eyed at my Facebook account. I’d somehow managed to invite nearly 400 people over to my condo for Halloween. Plus I’d promised an open bar AND a grand prize of a 3D television. All of this, to spite Miss. Drinks-a-lot.

I had no idea what I was going to do but I am anything if not resourceful (or is it I’m nothing if not resourceful) what I’m trying to say is I get shit done. I picked Miss. Drinks-a-lot up, wheel-barrowed her over to the elevator and immediately started getting ready for the party.

First things first. I convinced Captain Clean-Countertops to pick up a shift at work so he’d be out of the house the night of the party. I also stopped by the liquor store and bought some Alcool. For those of you who don’t know what Alcool is, it’s about 98% alcohol. It can burn a hole right through you snuffaluffagus. One bottle of that and a Costco sized portion of Tang and my open-bar  was ready to go. I never said the open-bar would have variety. Just one big punch bowl potent enough to burn your eyeballs clean out their sockets.

The night of the party, things went well enough. I had Flen, I mean Miss Drinks-a-lot serve as the bouncer to my party. She came prepared with a clipboard, headset and stanchions to place in my hallway. Why she owns all those things, I’ll never know (Okay, well the clipboard isn’t that unusual but stanchions?)

I’d placed pumpkins and cobwebs….well, they might have been spiderwebs – what’s a cobweb anyway? Are they a like a cobbler’s web or do they have something to do with corn on the cob? Either way they were real, not store-bought. I very carefully brought up from the basement for authenticity and placed them throughout my condo. Monster Mash was booming from the stereo.

I had my other friend Tacquito man the punchbowl and make sure everyone took a real big sip of “Tang” as they came in.

Clumsy Feet, Pot-O-Gold, Humungo, Man Laugh and even Hook Nose all showed up plus about 200 more (far less than the 400 who RSVP’d but still enough to get the neighbours on my floor and the four floors below to call security – when they showed up I had Tacquito give them a welcome “Tang” and that was the end of that).

For the big prize, I found the drunkest person in the building and gave it to them.

The next morning, my mom called complaining that the there was no 3DTV in the box I’d given her.

“I don’t know, I’m pretty sure there was a 3DTV in there when you left my house. You were pretty drunk, maybe you lost it on the way home.”

“Hmmm.” She said. “Maybe… but I wasn’t that drunk.”

“You rode the Vacuum.”

“I did?”

“Yup. You broke it.”

“Wow. What was in that punch?”

Aside from some minor cosmetic damage to my condo and the guilt of having lied to my mother (not to mention the twelve people that went to the emergency room with alcohol poisoning) the evening was actually a pretty decent success.

The overall point is that you shouldn’t let people play mind games with you and when someone tries to set you up for failure, prove them wrong. No matter the cost, number of police infractions or hospital bills. Always rise to the challenge. Just be creative about it.

Although, now that I think about it I guess I could aways change the names of the parties involved, right? No harm if it’s all anonymous. In that case, I’d like to tell you about the Halloween party I  threw last year.

I should have known it would be a disaster.

You see, it wasn’t my idea. I know better than to host events anymore. Attend them, absolutely (well, maybe) but host them? No sirree.

I blame Jen. Shit. I said I’d change people’s names. I mean… Flen. Right, yes, Flen. Best buddy ever, Flen. We go way back. Met in Kindergarten. So there we were, doing shots of tequila off of each other’s belly buttons, when Jen. Fuck, Flen casually slipped in the suggestion that I should throw a Halloween party. The way she brought it up was extremely sneaky and manipulative. Really, under the radar.

“You should throw a Halloween party.” She said.

I know Flen and her mind games. She’s a criminal paranormal psychologist or something like that and she’s always using tricks like reverse osmosis psychology on me.

Taking a hit of tequila and licking the salt off my wrist, I decided I’d play no part in her cruel and deliberate mind games.

“Yes, Jen I should.” I said to Flen.

“You really should.”

“I will.”

“Great.”

“I’m inviting people right now.” I said, heading over to my laptop and opening up Facebook. I’d show her reverse osmosis psychology.

“Awesome.”

Man, she must have been pissed that I was outwitting her at her own game. Mind tricks my butt! The only reason she’d suggest I throw a party was because she really didn’t want me to throw a party. How dare she imply that I couldn’t throw a Halloween party? I’d show her. Not only would I throw a Halloween party, I’d throw the best Halloween party ever.

As long as I only invited a few people. I live in a small condo and Patrick …uhhh Flatrick…would be very upset if I had too many people over.

See, that was the first mistake I made. Maybe it was the bottle and a half of tequila or the new redesign of Facebook (it’s always changing and I have no idea what I’m doing) but I ended up inviting  friends as well as friends of friends. In all, over four hundred people.

When I woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and Flen passed out in the laundry room, head in the dryer (she says when she’s drunk she loves the smell of fresh linen), I quickly realized my mistake. Unfortunately, it was too late. I checked Facebook and 399 of the 402 people I’d invited had RSVP’d that they were attending. I was shocked. No event gets a response like that. There weren’t even any ‘maybe’s.

Then I checked the party details and gasped. I’d declared that my party would have an open bar and a best costume prize of a 55″ 3D HDTV. I think my eyes might have bulged out of my head. My mom had hit ‘like’ on the part about the open bar and commented “Hell yeah!”.

I was screwed.

“Jen!” I screamed to Flennifer Grason, who awoke with a start in the dryer, hit her head and passed out.

Oh, I don’t know if I should continue. I mean, things went from bad to worse after that and I really don’t want you thinking any less of me. It’s just… no… I can’t possibly write about the dramatic and shocking conclusion to my story. It’s just too outlandish and absolutely true. You can’t make me and I won’t. I refuse.

Check back next week for the dramatic conclusion to “Last Years Party”.

There we’d be, me and my loving daughter Shaneeqwa (she’d be white, but of fierce spirit) all close and happy together as we enter the costumer store. One minute we’re laughing together, talking about boys and drinking Starbucks and the next moment we’re having a very serious conversation about what is and isn’t appropriate for a thirteen year old girl to wear.

“You should go as a witch.” I say, suggesting the long black dress and broomstick.

“What about this?” She replies, pointing to a hooker costume on the wall.

“Hmmm. It’s definitely an option sweetie, for some people. Not you. And besides, hookers are out this year.”

“Oh Daddy,” She laughs. “That’s Ke$ha, not a hooker.”

I stare at the costume. How could I have missed the dirt-smeared face and oily hair.

While there’s not much fabric to the costume the make-up and wig aren’t included and I don’t have that type of money. Shaneeqwa knows that and she backs off her point like the well-raised girl she is.

“How about this one?” I suggest.

“Dad. I’m not going as the Hamburglar.”

“People love the Hamburglar.”

“Not happening. What about this?”

“I don’t know sweetheart. A french maid? What if people confuse you for the help and start getting you to clean their house? You don’t want that. The Hamburglar, that’s a winner.”

Eventually our conversation would deteriorate until we’re both in tears and our relationship completely destroyed to the point that only years of therapy and prescription drugs can repair, but only after many painful, lost and lonely years.

That’s why I don’t have children. Really, it’s the absolute only reason

I’m trying to think about my most memorable Halloween. The trouble is I can’t remember any  Halloween with reliable clarity. Slivers of memory ebb by but being that they’re so fragmented I could hardly declare them as being memorable.

I remember, albeit slightly, doing an organized trick or treating thing at a hockey arena. It was meant to be a safe and organized indoor version of Halloween but from what I can remember, it was more like a long line that moved at an incredibly slow pace and yielded barely any candy.

Much clearer, I remember going to a club a few years ago with some friends. Being in a nightclub on Halloween can be surreal. Britney was blaring over the speakers and  I was dancing next to someone with a sexy mid-section and a Homer Simpson head. I don’t mean it as a metaphor. The guy was wearing a Homer Simpson head.

Halloweens with my family were always quiet affairs. The trouble was, at least in the area I grew up in, that not many houses participated in the festivities so the treats were far and few between. The fact the weather in Montreal is so unreliable (particularly near the end of October) that we were always back in plenty of time to watch some scary movies on TV.

As an adult, I’ve only given out candy once. When I lived in Calgary, Patrick and I set up a pumpkin and bought a whole bunch of candy. Three kids passed by and we were left with Costco-quantities of sweets that resulted in my nearly hitting 200 pounds by the end of that November (well, several things lead to that – but we’re talking Halloween here so let’s stick to the topic people).

Okay, there it is. I guess my most memorable Halloween involved Trick or Treating at Disneyworld. In Florida, Disney goes all out with parades, fireworks, and trick or treating – and the locals really do dress up and participate. It’s pretty special, especially when the headless horseman comes galloping down Main Street holding a pumpkin.

While I have no idea how I’ve ended up singing in front of an audience, it’s an absolute joy to be working with the cast and crew at 3 Blind Mice Productions – and Luann is a very special show that I’ve worked on before (originally presented last May).

Take a look at my original entry on the show.

The show is this Saturday at 10:30AM at the Centaur Lounge. Tickets are only 8$and I expect this will be your last chance to see me performing in 2011 – so don’t miss out!

Three months ago he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that he was unable to overcome. He passed away this morning and since I’ve been thinking about him all day, I wanted to write about him now and remember. I want to share the very special memory of Roberto.

You have never met a more jolly and joyful man. Robert loved life and lobster tails. He lived his life according to love and man, how he loved Goofy.

You don’t end up with a family like Joann and Jennifer without being a special man. For all the love that Roberto brought into the world, and he loved both his wife and daughter as much as any man could, he was very loved as well.  Nobody met Robert without being affected by his genuine enthusiasm for life and his laughter.

Personally, I’ve lost a dear friend, a loving family member – and my biggest fan. Robert always sat front row for every performance I gave and was waiting with eager anticipation for the day when I’d be performing to a bigger audience. I would have loved for him to be around to see that, but I know that he will be with me wherever I go. You can’t forget a man like Robert, and we won’t.

In the end, his passing is shocking, quick and terrible. It’s hard to look at life the same way or even understand how to live again. While he will never stray far from my mind, I know that he wouldn’t want his passing to impede anyone from living their life to it’s fullest.  It’s best to remember Robert as the loving, joyful man he was. Use the sorrow of his passing and remember his love of life as a chance now to appreciate our own moments more fully and deeply going forward.

He was an incredible man and a friend. He is always in my heart.

“Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one’s head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forget life, to be at peace…For love is always with you, and love is stronger than death is.” – Oscar Wilde