https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074B1LJLS
In many ways while this was also the “Rebirth of the
Skywalker Saga” it was also the actual birth of “Toxic Fandom” culture.
While in 1999 the internet was much more “dial up” than accessible at 5G’s the
fact remains that chat rooms, message boards and early blog sites / webpages
quickly became filled with hot takes, vitriol and fan fictions from those of a
certain age who declared loudly “This isn’t my Star Wars, George screwed us
all!”
Now while I’ve never been fully on board with that mindset
there were obviously periods over the past 22 years where I’ve had some similar
thoughts, criticisms and issues with the Prequels in general. Plus certain
parts in specific.
Thankfully as I’ve advanced into the early Qui-Gon phase of my
enlightenment I have a much more patient and nuanced opinion of the things I
had taken issue with and am very comfortable in saying that “I love Star Wars:
All of It.”
But let’s not stray too far off topic.
I remember waiting breathlessly for the Phantom Menace
trailer to load over my buddy’s dial-up internet service provider back in 1999.
There were a few of us early 20s fellas and one girlfriend crowding around that
big tube monitor begging the QuickTime player to
finish buffering so we could scan every second of that super high res / ergo
incredibly tiny version of the trailer.
And it was glorious.
When they announced the on sale date for tickets plans were
made to camp out in advance, not wanting to miss the opportunity to see Episode
1 as early as possible to avoid spoilers. Clearly I was not alone in this idea.
While I am a die hard Star Wars fan I will never be quite so hard-core as the fella
known only by the moniker of “Rogue Leader” who set up his tent, portable TV
and cooler (with the permission of the theatre) a full 5 DAYS before the
tickets were set to go on sale.
Regardless, there I was the night before with about 60
people deep in the lineup (which we all christened “Mos Shanty”) along with my
Boba Fett obsessed buddy Dallas and a few others who popped in and out over the
night to deliver pizza, drop off money for their tickets (we were allowed a
maximum of 10 tickets per person after all, had to get that in advance to
reserve their spot) and generally have what I’ve always presumed was a super
toned down version of what a music festival would be like. People had their VHS’
out on portable TV’s watching their favourite Star Wars moments. Several others
had their Star Wars Trivial Pursuit games going. More than a few were having
mock lightsaber battles.
It’s funny, I remember being about 4 years into my pro
wrestling life at this time and definitely NOT telling any of those guys about
the plan to camp out and wait. I was already having a difficult time adjusting
to that crew of dudes, which was as much on me and my residual high school
nerdy traumas as it was on some of those guys being complete asshats. I also
remember being a combination of excited and frankly kind of embarrassed when I
showed up to stake our claim in line for those tickets.
An important lesson was learned that night that I hope never
leaves me.
Its okay to love the
things that you love, and you’re not alone in loving those things.
Obviously this applies to almost everything.
The morning when tickets went on sale naturally turned into
a shit show. At least a few hundred Johnny Come Latelies showed up about an
hour before the doors open and tried their best to jam up the entranceway thus
circumventing the orderly if erratic line that was queued almost all the way
around the shopping mall where the theatre was located. After a bit of
legitimate pushing and shoving cooler heads ultimately prevailed. Also the Cinema
Manager came out with a bullhorn, alerting everyone that he’d called the police
and that they were going to be serving people in the order that they actually
arrived.
Huzzah.
I think all told I had been at the theatre waiting
approximately 20 hours. It was well over 24 by the time I’d secured the
precious paper slips for the 11:45PM showing at Silver City St Vital in
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I still have those stubs somewhere in my office. If I find
them I’ll update this and post them.
But this was still like 6 weeks out from opening day. I now
had the hopes and dreams of 10 friends / coworkers / an ex-girlfriend and the
girl I was crushing on in an envelope in my bedroom. I’m sure I checked to make
sure I had that list of names and those tickets at least once a day until the
day in question.
On opening day one of my best friends (and the guy who
convinced me to give pro wrestling a try) Chad and I had an early morning
audition at the De Capo Studios in downtown Winnipeg. Both of us were
underemployed wannabe actors / wrestlers and thought we had nothing to lose
going in and reading for an animated project that was taking advantage of
Canadian Tax incentives by offloading some of the voice talent to unknown
Canucks who couldn’t even get their ACTRA Cards (FWIW – we didn’t get the parts
and 20 years, several short films and at least a dozen extra gigs and still no
ACTRA Card …. Sighs).
I remember hopping into the Blue Whale (Chad’s dilapidated,
sky blue 1970s station wagon) and the two of us chattering like idiots the
whole way into the audition, the whole time we were waiting and immediately
once again after it was over.
All the way back to the car we couldn’t stop recklessly
speculating about what was going to happen. And then mid sentence I realized
something.
The (now repurposed) classic theatre known as “The Garrick
Cinema” had its main doors open.
It was 10am.
Curious we walked in.
There were 3 people on duty. The manager, a concessions
clerk and the usher.
“Yes, we’re open. First showing of The Phantom Menace is at
10:30.”
Astonished at our impossible good fortune we immediately did
2 things.
I immediately purchased 2 tickets.
And then we sprinted back to the Blue Whale and put enough
change into the metre to make damned sure we wouldn’t get towed.
The Garrick was a special cinema in the old style, complete
with a balcony. Which of course we took advantage of, sitting in the absolute
centre seats with our soda, popcorn and complete disbelief at what was about to
happen.
10:30am on the dot the lights dimmed and we received a
private screening of the Phantom Menace on opening day.
And we loved it.
The rest of our day was a constant discussion over things we
had issues with, story ideas we’d gotten wrong and more. But there was no
question that we loved it.
And of course as we met up with the rest of the crew at 11PM
leading into the midnight showing that of course I’d been so precious about, we
had to repeat the story of our good fortune endlessly to anyone who would
listen.
Don’t worry. No spoilers.
Of the 2 opening day showings I saw I can’t really determine
which one I enjoyed more. While the private one at the Garrick was special,
most of the experience washed over me. Taking me back to being 7 years old and
wanting to hide from Darth Vader beneath my father’s winter coat.
The late showing was special for the sheer presence of all
those excited people, crammed into the Silver City Cinema shoulder to shoulder.
Some in cosplay and more than a few early branded lightsabres were up in the
air. However the rush of excitement and the wall of sound from the collected
throats of everyone cheering as the “Lucasfilm” logo hit the screen and
sustained all the way into the opening crawl is something I will take with me
forever.
In the weeks that followed of course the discourse began.
Most of which I won’t repeat here because why retread old ground? But you know
the stuff I mean in regards to casting choices, dialogue, midichlorians and our
favourite Bombad general.
It was during this time that I should’ve learned the second
lesson, one that didn’t actually sink until 2015 after I had the pleasure of
seeing Episode 7.
Not everyone is going
to love what you love in the same way that you do, and that’s okay too.
All told, I saw The Phantom Menace at least 5 times in the
theatres and have both my pan-n-scan VHS copy as well as the DVD, though if I’m
being honest I watch it more often with my daughter now on Disney+.
And yes, she loves Jar Jar.
Of course, so do I.
Thanks to everyone who’s popped by Reading & Wrestling
over the past few months while I had nothing new to say. I’ve been working
pretty hard on finishing my first “Overdrive” short story and hope to have it
edited and properly shaped for public consumption by the end of next week. Once
done I plan to release it on this site for free for all to read. So, “you’re
welcome” if you’re one of my regular readers and “I’m sorry” if you’re only
here for my upcoming Indy Wrestling posts and adventures.
Speaking of that, I’ve accepted my first pro wrestling booking in one calendar year. November 19th in I will being working for legendary promoter Tony Condello at X-Cues’ Dining and Billiards here in Winnipeg. I’m told it will be an action packed card with 5 matches. Everyone one the crew and in the crowd must show proof of vaccination to attend. Please contact Mr Condello for ticket information at the phone number on the poster.
AK
Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes
through in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers. Available
in eBook, Paperback and Hardcover.
AMAZON KOBO B&N SMASHWORDS SCRIBD APPLE
Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler
today by visiting Pro
Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there,
consider looking at my site first willya?
So now that we sit here in Mid August of 2021 I am (for the first time in a year and a half) beginning to examine the potential for wrestling shows once again. Actual ones in front of real live people. While travel in Canada is a bit less difficult now than it was before and our vaccination numbers are rising every day I am personally feeling much more comfortable about heading out into the world without as much fear of bringing the virus back to my loved ones.
As such, the question must be asked: at my age and level of
wear and tear, how much tread is left on these old tires? Can my body handle
the rigors of in ring activity? Will the travel (should I choose to make trips
of course) be manageable on my joints?
We all have a “Bump Card” and I’ve tried to be more
selective in the last few years of my run about where I spend those precious
impacts. Because while I could easily modify my in ring approach to be a bit
less physical, rely more on posturing and promos and request a smaller opponent
base to work with and likely extend my in ring career for a number of years…
that just wouldn’t feel honest to me. I’ve never wanted to be one of “Those Lazy
Old Fucks” who just coasts on tricks and gimmicks to get by. If I truly can’t
deliver a match up to a level that I’m happy with, then I refuse to subject my
efforts to a paying audience. They deserve the best for their dollar.
So with that said, this got me thinking about whom I WOULD
like to face if I had my druthers. As such I’ve put together a little list. Not
a fantasy booking kinda list, just a realistic compilation of fellas whom I
believe I have a realistic chance to step into a ring with were things to line
up.
These gents are in no particular order:
I lied about no particular order as I’ve certainly saved
these athletes for last.
Please follow the links I’ve provided to check out the work
and merchandise pages for all of the gentlemen I’ve mentioned above. While
there are of course many other wrestlers I’d be honoured to face these are the
ones front of mind for me today. If you’ve got anyone you’d like to see me
face, feel free to tag em on Twitter, hit up your favourite indy promotions and
put a bug in their ears, or just RT and SHARE The heck outta this post.
Thanks for Reading. I’m looking forward to getting back to
more Wrestling soon.
AK
Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes through
in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers. Available in
eBook, Paperback and Hardcover.
AMAZON KOBO B&N SMASHWORDS SCRIBD APPLE
Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler
today by visiting Pro
Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there,
consider looking at my site first willya?
There’s a reason why “Music Composers” is a category that get thoroughly study-session by those who compete in the Movie Trivia Schmoedown. Primarily because in any visual medium no matter how good your storytelling is everything just clicks when the right music is played in the proper manner to elicit a greater response from the viewing public.
Often times this can be accused of being a crutch or a manipulation
in order to bolster a tale that isn’t quite connecting. And to that I say “So
fucking what?” If the goal at the end of any project is to make an emotional connection
between your story and your audience you would be an idiot to not collaborate
with as many other artists as possible in order to best achieve the desired
result.
In fact the biggest challenge I have as a novelist is trying
to find the right mood to better enhance the scene I am creating with my
characters. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to underlay a
soundtrack on all my eBooks or have a note in all the margins suggesting the
songs I had on in the background while I crafted this chapter.
One of the most creative releases I have outside of writing
and wrestling is video editing, and cutting images to music is one of the most
enjoyable practices I engage in and certainly the one I would love to spend
more of my time doing. Maybe that’ll be my Xmas present to myself, an updated
desktop solely for videos. Hmmm…
Regardless; this topics comes to mind for two recent
reasons.
The first came as a question from one of the wrestlers who
for some Godforsaken reason has chosen me to mentor him. Among one of the many
questions I get fielded on a semi-regular basis came the all important “What do
you think of such and such song for my walk out music?” And boy, after 25 years
of independent wrestling and seeing all kinds of bonkers trends, musical tastes
and more I have witnessed some disastrous examples of dumb-fuckery for those making
a key first impression upon their audience.
The first thing to remember in this case, is that the music
should reflect not only who you are trying to portray, but who you actually
ARE. I mean, I really like listening to the Beastie Boys, but under no circumstances
should I have ever walked out to “No
Sleep til Brooklyn.” And yet, that mistake I did make. Several times.
Nothing turns an audience off more than someone whose walk
out music just doesn’t fit what they end up seeing. Perception truly is
everything. So no matter how deeply you might like the hardest of hardcore
death metal, if you walk through that curtain and don’t look like a bad ass
shit-kicking machine the climb to having your audience respect the match you’re
going to provide for them just got a lot steeper.
This isn’t to say “Pick something generic or bland.” Just
pick something that suits you. Something that genuinely works with your
presentation and mood. Being a “Try Hard” is fine, but people see right through
that shit. So don’t get discouraged, play around with a few things until the
right one sticks. You’ll know it when it happens.
The second reason I wanted to talk about this came as I was watching
Episode 15 of “The Bad
Batch” on the Disney-Plus. This
might be slightly spoilery but by this point you’re either in on the show or
you’re judging me for watching a Star Wars cartoon on a Friday night. Either
way, too bad.
In the penultimate episode of this season we have the pseudo
reunion of the team with their estranged member Crosshair who has been
ostensibly hunting them down since the pilot episode. After having the kind of
dialogue and emotional discussion not normally found in most “cartoons for kids”
we find the main characters suddenly surrounded by battle droids, espounding
upon the original reason for which the Clones were all created. As the fight
begins and things look lost we are treated to not only Crosshair joining in the
fight and once again making the Bad Batch whole, we have the swelling of the
shows main theme. But this time, composer Kevin Kiner changes the tone
perfectly, making it less of an action march and into something triumphant and
exultant. An audible cue that finally the team is back together and that all is
as it should be. Even if only for a moment.
That moment brought literal chills to me. True story, I ain’t
afraid of my emotions. That was a powerful moment in the show and the music helped
the audience understand that it was important for us too.
Storytelling is rarely ever one thing. And while some people
get bogged down in plot and minutae, I think it’s important to remember the
things that make us feel. And so long as you’re feeling things, the story is
working.
AK
Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes
through in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers.
Availble in eBook, Paperback and Harcover.
AMAZON KOBO B&N SMASHWORDS SCRIBD APPLE
Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler today by visiting Pro Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there, consider looking at my site first willya?
I would like to preface this whole discussion with an honest admission: It’s entirely possible that I have zero idea what I am talking about, and that the things that I am about to elucidate on only relate to ME and MY personal preferences in the art of storytelling.
To me storytelling refers to all forms of media. Public Speaking.
Books. TV. Film. Music. Political discourse. Theatre and of course, Pro
Wrestling. Any time you are presenting an idea or a premise to an audience of
any size you engaging in the art of story telling.
The trap I’ve often fallen into with my stories (more
specifically early on, thankfully less so now) came from misunderstanding the
difference between Plot and Story.
If you watch a lot of movies and start getting into the weeds
of how they’re created or learn a little bit about the behind the scenes nature
of editing and the like, it’s usually easy to find areas where the action doesn’t
line up. Or the characters are disjointed, some things that get set up are
disregarded or a scene comes along the way just takes you out of what you’re
watching. Inevitably the person in this position considers these moments as
being “Plot holes”.
Now, sometimes they are indeed just that. A hole in the plot
that defies the premise of what you’re engaging with. If you’re someone who’s
not only a consumer of media but someone who wishes to create their own, it is
perfectly natural to focus on your plot obsessively. Leaning into a paralysis
by analysis whereby you become fixated upon the minutae of your story. Who does
what and when? Where is the MacGuffin set up? How does that twist? Does the action
beat work in a way that doesn’t break the laws of physics? We’ve started a timer, we’d better make
sure that the action on screen lines up with the countdown, right?
All of these are good things to be worried about and I’m not
trying to dismiss them. However when you focus on these types of details too
much what you’re missing out on is often the reason why most people consume
entertainment in the first place.
They want to be told a Story about people they can relate
to.
If you’ve done your job properly and created characters in
situations that your audience can picture themselves in where there is
conflict, drama and believable emotion this easily glosses over most technical
issues or “plot holes” for the audience. Because they want that hook, that
emotion, that grit.
It shouldn’t matter if you’re having a financial dispute
over the price of coaxium hyperfuel that you can only mine in the bowels of the
Kessel Spice Mines. If you get there with characters you believe in and enjoy
then you should be happily along for the ride.
Obviously, it’s also easy to fall into the trap in the other direction too. If
you focus too much on the story of the characters without taking into
consideration their world around them it’s easy to come up with a hodge-podge
of disconnected ideas that ultimately leave people feeling unsatisfied.
In the end storytelling comes down to having a clear vision
of what you’re trying to say in any given moment. And more importantly it means
being able to adjust and be flexible when along the as you’re developing /
breaking your story down you stumble across new elements or ideas that could
enhance the tale you’re trying to tell. Sometimes this happens organically. In
the world of pro
wrestling or weekly syndicated TV you can often gauge the audience’s
reaction to what is happening. If you’re perceptive and willing to roll with
their wave of enthusiasm you can find a way to enrich their viewing experience
by leaning into characters or scenarios they’re reacting to. Not all at once of
course, don’t let your audience tell your story for you. But don’t ignore them
either. If people are sitting on their hands and not caring that tells you everything
you need to know and you need to re-evaluate if you’re actually creating a
story for them or for you.
Now, as a caveat I would like to digress into the world of
prose and long form novel writing. While obviously every author in the world
would love to have the success of a JK Rowling, Stephen King, Lee Child and
many others it is important to realize one thing (from my perspective.) In no
other form of media is it more apparent when an author is pandering to an
audience and being inauthentic than it is within a novel.
With Film / TV / Live events a bit of pandering is perfectly
fine. You’re looking for that immediate engagement and wanting that response.
And you need it in order to keep the people coming back on a regular basis.
That form of entertainment is very much in the “Churn and Burn” vein.
With a novel it has to come from somewhere else with a bit
more soul. This doesn’t mean that everything has to be drab, dreary or even
deep. But it should at least be evolved in some way where you can bite into
your characters and their world and feel
it. In no other medium does your story exist more fully than within your
audiences’ own imagination and all you have for them are the words on the page for
them to experience. So if you’re not giving those words your best effort it’ll
come across flat to your readers. Sure, it doesn’t mean you can’t write on a
deadline, and no dear readers this isn’t me making an excuse for why I take so
long between novels to get a finished product together. But in more visual
mediums you can fake it a bit with the writing, make the words super economical
and then relying on the other artists you’re working with to help tell your
story. In fact, that’s the only way movies / TV / Theatre succeed. In a group
setting.
So with that out of the way I think the most important idea
I can impart to any other storytellers is to make sure no matter what kind of
tale you care to tell, make absolutely certain that the characters all face Consequences
for their Actions.
Good, bad, apocalyptic or whatever. Everything they do must
come with a cost. If you’re telling a fantasy tale where wizards can conjure up
anything out of thin air with no seeming effort you’re shorting the audiences’
ability to connect to that wizard. If you’re bad ass action heroine is able to
ninja kick her way through a plethora of fools without breaking a sweat or even
getting out of breath, you are robbing the audience the opportunity to feel her
pain or stress in that moment of triumph.
Consequences are the key to any good story. For your
protagonists, antagonists, bit players, coffee shop attendants… whatever. The
more you add consequences to your characters the more it helps to ground
whatever is going on to your audience in a way that they can understand.
Because we live in the real world, and nothing is easy when you get right down
to it.
With consequences your characters echo with your audience
and they engage with your story.
And that’s the whole idea, right?
AK
Check out the consequences my main character Joe goes
through in my Urban Fantasy OVERDRIVE Series at the following retailers.
Availble in eBook, Paperback and Harcover.
AMAZON KOBO B&N SMASHWORDS SCRIBD APPLE
Also, please consider supporting your favourite Wrestler
today by visiting Pro
Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there,
consider looking at my site first willya?
Much like the previous post, props to Ed, Ron and Producer Bill for putting the bee in my bonnet to want to talk about this concept a bit. If you’re not already listening to “The Greatest Pod” for free wherever you get your podcasts you’re missing out on some fun, nerdy and insightful conversations.
So going, back – on their last Patreon Exclusive podcast the
boys went on for a while talking about the challenges they’ve faced trying to
break it into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Specifically as
comedians, writers and TV producers. Not just the obstacles put in front of
them by other people and by the natural gatekeepery way the industry works, but
by their own personal attitudes and approaches and perceptions.
So setting the Wayback Machine all the
way to Sept 1995 for a minute I remember the first time I set foot in a
professional wrestling ring. I’ve spoken about that “first day” and the process
of training before so I won’t rehash it here – that’s not what the topic at
hand is. However I do want to take a
bit to reflect on how I was treated and more importantly the way I treated
myself at that time (and in many ways still to this day.)
In Sept of 1995 I was 330lbs and hadn’t been doing anything
seriously athletic in ... well ... ever. I dropped out of Gym in Grade 11 as soon
as that was an option for me. I was on the school curling team – because, Canada – and that
was about it. At that time I was barely surviving in First Year University and going
through a lot of the disillusionment that many kids that age experience once
they are removed from the safety net of public education and thrown headfirst
into the Post Secondary Education for Profit world where nobody gives a good
God Damn about you so long as you get your tuition payments in on time and make
sure to buy the professors textbook only available in the University Bookstore
for the low-low price of Go Fuck Yourself.
So when friends of mine heard about the local group of Indy
Wrestlers were open to bringing new people in my attitude towards the whole
thing was a resounding “Yeah, sure I’ll check it out.”
Yes, huge wrestling fan as a kid. My dad slung beers in the Winnipeg
Arena back when the late Nick
Bockwinkle was the greatest wrestler alive. I watched all the WrestleMania’s,
got caught up on the NWA whenever it came on the free cable tryouts. I turned
my GI Joes and Star Wars figures into wrestlers and booked events in the tiny
hand made ring Dad made for us out of wood and twine. I booked angles and shows
in my bedroom, complete with entrance music and me doing the Play by Play and
ring announcing while putting poor toys through their paces. I had a poster of The Rockers in my
bedroom (much to my mother’s concern) and was able to converse with the more
hard nosed and sporty dudes in school about who the best wrestlers were even
though we had nothing else in common.
All this to say, I loved wrestling. But never in a million
years did I think that this was something I could do.
To say I was a soft boy would be accurate. While I didn’t
get beat up a lot, I certainly got beat up enough. My feelings were on my
sleeve, I was openly nerdy, always speaking up in class and got good grades. I
might as well have had a sign on my back during the 80s that read “Easy Target.”
So the very concept of a dude like me getting into a world
filled with grown men who came from questionable backgrounds, making questionable
life choices, who enjoyed hard drinking, gruff actions in a carnival lifestyle …
well, it didn’t seem like a fit.
Plus, the wrestling practices were brutal. In 1995 the motto
was still “nobody gets in who can’t take the abuse.” And I took a lot of it.
Looking back I wonder if it was as bad as I remember and frankly it’s so long
ago now it’s difficult to be sure.
But I remember how I felt.
Worthless.
Like I couldn’t do it.
In fairness at the time I felt like I couldn’t do anything.
I was months away from being kicked out of University. The girl I was crushing
on was about to break my heart and I felt horribly guilty every time I went home
to my parents, knowing how hard they’d worked to put money away for my
education that I was blowing.
Everyone told me that I was making a mess of my life.
Friends told me not to waste my time with wrestling. My dad shook his head in
disgust when he discovered what I’d been up to that I kept coming home limping
or with new welts and bruises. One of the guys I was training with even told me
candidly “You don’t think we’re really gonna be successful at this, do you?”
And truthfully I didn’t.
For many years I would show up at local events, wade through
dumb little ego fights and petty politics for the chance to lace up my used
combat boots, throw on my cobbled together gear for the chance to take a
beating for the dozens in attendance in the hopes of taking away enough money
to grab a snack and bus fare home.
So why did I keep this up?
Well, wrestling may not have been my first love. But it was
the first thing I felt that loved me back.
Okay, it was a tough love. And a tad abusive at times.
Then I started noticing things.
People in attendance started responding not only to my
matches but to me.
While not an Adonis I was certainly becoming fitter with
every week of action. As such, my confidence began to grow.
With said confidence, the slings and arrows of the more
caustic and arrogant class of wrestler stopped hurting as much. My emotional
callous had grown to the point where I could take more things on the chin and
keep going without chewing my own liver about it.
I started making contacts with other wrestlers outside of
Winnipeg. This was still the late 90s so let’s not
get crazy here, but the realization that I was beginning to build a reputation
was interesting and rewarding.
Plus I got better at talking to ladies. So… You know.
Of my initial class of wrestlers I am the only one still
active. And I have been for 25 years. By most people’s accounting my career would
be called a complete waste of time if they only looked as deeply as my bank
account – which no, you can’t do that. Don’t ask.
However there’s more to a person’s life and career than that.
Especially in professional wrestling.
There are the moments that resonate in your soul that will
live with you forever.
-
The Selkirk Winter Carnival in 1997, tagging in
the Main Event in front of 500 screaming kids and their families against a
couple of real bruising fellows. And knowing with absolute certainty that for
the first time in my life I was not only having a good match, I was having a great match that the crowd was 100%
invested in
-
Being an extra for the WWE for the final sold
out live events to take place at the legendary Winnipeg Arena months before it
was torn down
-
Wrestling on traditional PPV for a (failed)
start up company
-
Multiple trips to Japan
-
Matches with legends of the sport
-
Having friends and (yes I’ll say it) fans all
over the world who have seen my stuff or interacted with me online
-
Being a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club and
being recognized by the Legends who paved the way when I am able to go to the
conventions.
Every time I get asked to wrestle is in and of itself a
success.
And I’m not done yet.
AK
Support your favourite Wrestler today by visiting Pro Wrestling Tees and
browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there, consider looking at my
site first willya? I mean, emotional success is fulfilling but a few sheckles
here and there help keep the roof over my kids’ head. J
First, a shout out to my boys Ed, Ron
and Producer Bill for the inspiration to do this post / essay / rambling string
of words. On their latest Patreon
Only Podcast episode of “The Greatest
Pod” (subscribe fools, support good people!) they took some time to express
not only their frustrations with succeeding in the entertainment industry, but
the pitfalls, challenges, own goals and more that they’ve experienced along the
way.
And it got me thinking (a dangerous pastime I know)
about my life experiences. How I’ve personally moved the goal posts on how I’ve
defined success or failure in my own life and career. What I want out of life
going forward. And most importantly, what I want to be spending my time and
energy on now that I’m officially into my dreaded “middle age.”
In my office at home there is a file folder tucked away. In
this folder are the block letter scribblings of a 20 year old me, frantically
jotted down while he was supposed to be working on his actual job trying to
convince people to switch long distance providers in a too bright cubicle farm.
These scribblings laid out a plan for 9 fantasy novels (3 sets of trilogies!)
that I firmly believed would change my life and make my dreams come true. I
believed this because I had accomplished a monumental feat, completing an
actual manuscript. Yes, my skinny fat and hyper nerdy ass had written almost
150K words and put them in some semblance of order. Initially this had been
inspired by a wicked DnD
Campaign (though in truth it was an unrequited love letter to a young lady
who would ultimately break my heart – twice) and I was firm in my belief that
any road to success in my future was going to be paved by my imagination and
willingness to put words to word processor.
Then came trying to submit it to Publishers. And let me tell
you, if you think that this is difficult in 2021 when there are agents and
editors on Twitter ASKING you to pitch to them you have ZERO idea what it was
like back in 1996. When Windows
95 was only a thing you had if you had money and email was in its very
infancy.
Plus. I live in Winnipeg. Publishing houses here are awesome
but by their very nature incredibly small presses.
Regardless, I went to the library. Took out a book on “submitting
your manuscript” and put together 5 packages for major publishers. Because, I
didn’t want to limit myself to only 1 offer naturally.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what happened next.
No, I don’t have any of my rejections letters. Because the 2
I received back came easily 6 months later and the others never bothered to respond.
Frankly I don’t blame them. My manuscript was bloated, huge
and pretty much a vanity project. The kind where I tried to write the wrongs (perceived
or validated) in my life. Where I wanted to live out a fantasy that made up for
the struggles that I was certain only
I was dealing with. Financially, personally and otherwise.
Failure
is a tough pill to swallow. Especially when you believed in your heart that you
are destined for greater things.
There are still 2 computer paper printed copies of that
original manuscript in existence. One of them sits in the drawer with that “9
Book Outline” I mentioned earlier. The other is on the bookshelf of the heart
breaking girl in question (yes, we got over each other and remain dear friends
to this day.)
That original manuscript sat in desk drawers or in storage totes
and on an ancient floppy disk drive until 2012.
That was the year I learned about modern self publishing.
Unlike
the method peddled prior to the advent of eBooks where the upfront cost was
prohibitive and every aspect of the financing, marketing and distribution of
your words rested solely upon the writer – eBook self publishing was much
easier on the pocketbook. As such, the competition in the field is disgusting,
and like most aspects of the internet is overfilled with hacks, smut and
hastily thrown together schlock disguised as “art.”
With that said there is also great work out there. Very personal and well written
work that clearly means a lot to the artist. The kind of work that would be
terrifying to commit to writing and infinitely scarier to put out into the
world for scrutiny and derision.
It completely removed the gatekeepers of the publishing
world. It made it possible for a guy like me to live his dream.
The first thing I ever published was a gothic Vampire novella I wrote
initially as a character examination from my brief foray into LARPing. It’s rough but
dark and available to this day if anyone is interested. And while it scared me
to put it into the universe it inspired me to do more.
Which was when I did the scariest thing I’ve ever done
creatively. I opened that drawer in my office. Dusted off the frayed binder
holding my precious manuscript together and found a computer that would still
read the disk drives from the late 90s so I wouldn’t have to rewrite it all
from scratch.
Regardless, that “failed” piece of art I created in my youth
has now been downloaded well over 1,000 times by readers. Lots of freebies and
giveaways for sure, but it’s probably bought me lunch a few times over the
years. However none of that shit matters because the success comes in the
doing.
Do the Work. Because that’s the only thing you can control.
When you do the work to the best of your abilities you will
know it. The accomplishment of the work is its own reward. It is its own
success.
That feeling is what sustains me and what drives me when I
want to give it all up. Stop building spec scripts, stop going to the gym and
working out for wrestling or building new layouts for future books / stories /
projects.
Because while my work isn’t making me rich enough to pay my
mortgage, it makes me rich enough to feel great when I see smiles on people’s
faces when they take a chance on my words.
And frankly, that’s really the only reason to do anything.
(However, scoring a contract with DelRey Publishing complete
with TV / Film options would be outstanding. So if you’re looking for things to
option from independent authors please hit up the DMs willya?)
AK
Download your copy of “The Book of Korum” at the following
retailers for only $0.99!
AMAZON KOBO B&N SMASHWORDS APPLE SCRIBD
Completely unsolicited yesterday I received the best possible review for my book I could ever have gotten from my writing professor back in college.
The fact that he not only took the time to seek out the book, read all 100K-ish words of it and email me directly means so very much and moved me in a way that I am rarely moved.
I hope that your week turns out to be as rewarding as mine has already started out to be.
AK
When you’ve got nothing of importance to say sometimes you just put up a quick list of thoughts and happenings.
1- * Thank you to everyone who checked out last weeks blog, it’s been the most well read one so far. So to all 47 of you, gracias
* Putting my Overdrive short story on hold for
this week to polish the pitch for the TV Spec Script / concept I’m working on
with some local producers (hopefully). While nothing in life is guaranteed,
getting into TV show-running has always been a
pie in the sky goal of mine and I’d love to have this one come to
fruition in any sense of the word. So, this’ll get worked on for Friday
3- * In hopes that the gyms will be reopening soon I
expect to be doing my best to get back into the kinda shape that fulfills the “wrestling”
portion of this blog’s title. However I promise not to bore anyone here with workout
updates, progress pics or anything like that. Instead I’ll be starting a second
blog/youtube gimmick specifically for that. Just because that’s what people do
in 2021, right? Vainly mark down their progress and plans?
4- * Now that we’re officially into summer and the
province is allowing I do plan to enjoy a lot more time outdoors walking the
dogs, taking kids to the park and more of the important stuff that fills the
soul with joy .
And that’s about all for now. Hope everyone is staying safe.
Again, if you’re thinking about getting vaccinated and are uncertain, please
speak to your doctors and hopefully they will alleviate your concerns.
AK
My light at the end of this 18 month tunnel has arrived.
On June 15th, 2020 I was fortunate enough to be
able to receive my 2nd COVID19 vaccination. The people at the LeilaSuperCentre in Winnipeg were proficient, as expedient as possible and very
professional. Despite the heat of the day the lines outside moved at a good
pace and there were enough people around offering assistance to the elderly or
infirm to make everyone feel comfortable with the arrangement, such as it is.
Before anyone asks, yes – I did have an almost 2 hour wait. And
yes, it was a bit aggravating.
But clearly this is why it is so important for everyone to
book an appointment as soon as possible. This allows the system to plan for
numbers of patients and have enough staff on hand to be able to assist the
queues of people and keep everyone moving. Also, we’re still under gathering concerns.
And having so many people (even while masked and socially distanced) under one
roof can be problematic if someone is infectious and doesn’t know it.
I was thankful to have the time yesterday to wait in queue
and get my shot over and done with. This immediately allowed me to cancel my
online appointment for the 29th and have it be opened for someone
else who CAN’T take the time to wait for a walk up appointment.
Was this as convenient as when I got my first dose of the
Astra Zeneca at my local pharmacy? No, of course not. But if the supply isn’t
coming in as readily, I can understand the province’s need to have things
managed more stringently at these pop up / super site locations.
Nothing is perfect. No system ever is. I respect the
frustrations of others, especially after the year that every one in the world
has gone through. I know full well that my inconveniences and frustrations have
been comparatively minor in the grand scheme of things. Not everyone was
fortunate enough to keep working this whole time, and for that I am grateful
and humbled when I see the struggles of those around me that I cannot help.
Which is why it was so important for me to get my
vaccination over with. It is a way for all of us who CAN help TO help.
Variants of the virus are out there. Mutating away in other
countries at an alarming rate as they struggle to get vaccinations going. At
present time our immunization is able to hold those at bay in North America.
And as more people get immunized there are fewer places for the virus to catch
a hold of, mutate and spread.
The COVID Vaccinations work. Please consider getting one so
we can all get back into the world, rebuild our lives, our businesses and our
communities. Please call today or visit the website to book your appointment so we can all get on with our lives.
That is all for now. I’ve got some fictional writing to
work on.
Be safe.
(Steps off Soapbox.)
AK
Another year, another exit for my Winnipeg Jets from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And sure like many of us, I’m disappointed to see them swept in four games by the Montreal Canadiens after vanquishing the dreaded Oilers in Round One. However just making it out of the first round is an accomplishment in any year, never mind one involving bubbles, endless testing and isolation and competing in front of no fans.
So I choose hope for the future. In both the NHL and in the
world at large. People here in Manitoba are rushing to get themselves fully
vaccinated and I look forward to a day in the not too distant future where I
can re-lace my leather wrestling boots, stride out a curtain before dozens of
people and smash a fool right in the face. Or ply my written wares in front of
potential readers at bookstores / libraries to hopefully sign some covers, shake
some hands and generally interact with the world at large.
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Props to Joseph, Ken and the rest of the team over at the
ForceCenter Podcast for taking time out of their weekly show to discuss my “essay
/ blog post” Thoughts About the Dark Side and to give this page a shout out.
Greatly appreciated, as was the discussion that followed. Please check them out
at the links provided for all of your #StarWars news, views and celebrations.
Worked on the first of the “Queen’s Guard” tales again
today. And while it’s not ready for public view just yet I am planning to post
it here on this blog once it’s completed. So stay tuned. Or tell your friends.
Or don’t, I’m not the boss of you.
Thanks to everyone who checks out this site on any level. It’s
greatly appreciated.
AK
Proper update on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the slideshow :)
AK
I never fell out of love with the sport of course. But like many of us, trying to stay engaged in the action and the athleticism has been difficult since March of 2020. This is not a condemnation on any particular office, brand or performer. It's just tough to get excited for empty arena or limited crowd events. And yes, the irony of a career Indy Geek who's performed for more empty seats than full ones is not lost on me, thank you very much.
So it has been a breath of freshly vaccinated air to be privileged enough to witness the return of crowds to wrestling events in parts of the United States. It gives me hope that we here in Canada will be able to do the same safely and around the world in the not too distant future.
The world of difference it makes to the performers (never mind the viewing experience) simply cannot be denied.
Others have and will break down the entire event in greater detail than I intend to. That's not the purpose of this blog, I wouldn't want to step on Bryan Alvarez's gigantic toes after all. However there are a few things that really stuck out to me that I'd like to mention.
The number of clean, decisive victories up and down the card is always so refreshing to see. Sure AEW is guilty of run ins and shenanigans as much as any pro wrestling card. But the amount of times where it affects the outcome is refreshingly rare, so that when Omega decides to lay out the ref in the World Title Match it means something to the crowd, and they react accordingly.
Hikaru Shida and Britt Baker also had an excellent outing, completing the ascension of the Good Doctor to Women's World Champion while still honouring the incredible year that Shida had as champion. Very well done.
Sting is still the man. That's all.
Finally, the main event "Stadium Stampede" was fun. While at first I was a bit put off starting the match pre recorded when they finally pulled the curtain back a la the original "Boiler Room Brawl" and the action spilled back into the packed crowd at Daily's Place the reaction from the people was pretty much exactly what everyone wanted. And they got to send everyone home happy.
An excellent show. Makes me want to dust off my boots and find a ring and a crowd right now. If you haven't seen it yet find it now on your favourite PPV provider, streaming service or download the FITE App and order it today.
***
Still laying groundwork on Joe's first adventure with the Queen's Guard. I think I might have something to share on here for that sooner than later. In fact I'm considering making this site the home for the ongoing Overdrive Adventures, at least the ones outside of the novels. Stay tuned.
AK
No for real, this is something I used to do all the time back when MySpace was the hot new-ness on the internet in like... 2005? Something l...
