Poor Pastor Kenny. I really do enjoy drawing cartoons. Honest.

However, over the last few months, the collective spare time of the family has been absorbed by this year’s Nativity Experience at Glad Tidings Church in Moncton. My wife Rhonda wrote the play in 2010 and now we are less than a week away from seeing in performed on stage. It’s an exciting prospect to see a church building transformed for this size of a production.

The main character in the play is Simeon, whom the Bible describes as “…just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.” All we really know about him comes from the account of Mary and Joseph arriving at the temple in Luke 2:25-39. The play is an attempt to provide a fictionalized backstory for Simeon and his waiting alongside Mary and Joseph’s extrodinary circumstances and wondering if anyone will believe them.

Coro Brio is back along with several amazing soloists and actors. This production also includes original music composed by Tania Roberts. If you’re even a little bit curious, you need to come and see this show. You won`t regret it.

Performance times are:

Friday, December 9 @ 7:00 PM
Saturday, December 10 @ 7:00 PM
Sunday, December 11 @ 7:00 PM

(Doors open at 6:15 PM)

You can purchase your tickets at http://www.TheNativityExperience.com/ or at the door.

Here’s a sneak peek:

I recently overheard a conversation at Body Mechanics Department of Mobility. It went something like this:

Left Leg: I’ve filed a grievance with the union.

Management: A grievance? Over what?

Left Leg: Right leg isn’t carrying his weight anymore. I’m under increased workplace stress.

Management: He was injured on the job. He’s got a doctor’s note and I’m only allowed to use him for half-shifts.

Left Leg: Well, I’m not picking up his slack.

Management: Right leg is only going to need a few weeks to get better. You’ve been on half-shifts for 13 years! Can’t you just help out a little more in the interim?

Left Leg: …

Management: OW! Stop it! Is that necessary?

Left Leg: What about left hand? He’s been carrying that cane around. Can’t he take some weight?

Management: He has been taking weight. And he’s not supposed to. He’s just there for balance…

Left Leg: Balance. C’mon. He could take more weight.

Management: …AND he was stabbed with a steak knife a couple days ago!

Left Leg: Oh please. It’s a little flesh wound. You didn’t even take him to the hospital. What about right hand? Has he been stabbed too?

Management: You want right hand to do your job?

Left Leg: You baby him. He just follows you around and does whatever you tell him to do.

Management: Unlike some employees.

Left Leg: I do plenty of work. For the last five years I’ve carried management to work and back. Every day! That’s an hour’s walk just for commuting! Don’t you have a car?

Management: Right. And while right leg is off, you won’t have to do that anymore. So you should be able to pick up the slack in other areas.

Left Leg: Oh, I see. HE gets injured and you miraculously lighten the workload. But no one cares about my injuries. By all rights, I shouldn’t even be here!

Management: Everyone cares about your injury. We lightened the load of the operation a lot for you just to keep you on.

Left Leg: I knew it. You all think I’m dead weight – dragging down the operation’s bottom line. It’s all about the bottom line with you guys, isn’t it?

Management: OK! This is crazy! We can’t bicker at each other. We have a job to do and we have to work together. I’m just asking for a little help for the next few weeks. It’s not easy keeping this operation going every day.

Left Leg: …

Management: AARRGH! OW! OK! OK! Butt has been working double shifts lately, but I’ll see if he’s willing to work more overtime.

Left Leg: That’s all I ask.

My wife Rhonda spent the last few years writing a book called Rachel’s Manifesto. It’s a book for young adult girls about value. The main character goes through a metamorphosis by evaluating her worth without a reference to how others view her, most specifically, her boyfriend who would like to have sex with her.

My wife wrote a book about sex.

Apparently, this came as a bit of a shock to her as we were sitting in the food court planning out some of the finer details of the book launch. She said: “I can’t believe I wrote a book about sex. What if people read it?” She’s the funny one in our relationship.

Writing is a tough process, speaking purely from an observer’s viewpoint. Agonizing over structure, plot, character development and editorial reviews can take a bit of a toll on a writer. But last spring, it was ready. So we spent the summer getting the book printed and creating a companion journal that helps young girls (or boys for that matter) discover who they are.

She’s my favourite author. And probably the most attractive writer in the history of the world, so I put aside my own projects (Pastor Kenny) in order to help get hers up and running.

You’re all invited to the book launch on October 8th, 2011 at Cover to Cover Books at 630 Pinewood Road in Riverview, NB to get a signed copy from the author. I’m also willing to draw Pastor Kenny in any books that are purchased. The value is sure to go through the roof with that addition.

Thank you all for your patience over the summer. I’ll get back to my regular comic schedule of “whenever I feel like it” really soon.