​And that’s the end of another run of standup comedy shows in Europe. Final tally:
42 days
39 shows
20 cities
12 countries
20,047 miles (32263 km)
As I head back to the U.S. for some gigs, and put a bow on this latest 6-week foray, I’m reminded that I used to say “well, back to reality.” But that doesn’t apply anymore. I suppose, by default, this is my reality … for now. I think I’m ok with that. I have longed for roots for a while but where to plant, where to plant? Maybe my roots is searching for roots?
Until then, seeing new places, smiling faces and loving your occupation to the point of exhaustion will have to do.
From 10-minute guest spots to 1 hour 20 minute headline runs that felt like we could’ve gone another hour, thank you to all of these venues, bookers or producers who allowed me the space to sweat and giggle:
Lyon: Le Complexe café-théâtre
Berlin: Daniel Gutierrez, Cosmic Comedy Berlin, Go West Comedy, East-West Comedy,
Vilnius: Moonshine Comedy
Riga: Joshua Perkins
Rotterdam: Christos Sougk, Comedy Club Haug
Barcelona: The Comedy Clubhouse
Utrecht: Rachel Morton-Young
Amsterdam: Kendra Borgen
Maastricht: Fedor Ikelaar
Kaiserslautern (and military shows): Erin Crouch
Luxembourg: Carlitos Comedy Club
Krakow: Kraków Standup Comedy
Paris: La Pomme d'Eve, Coucou Comedy, LAUGH ETC, French Fried Comedy, Mic in Progress, Sarah Donnelly, Don't Tell Comedy
Athens: Athens English Comedy Club
Vaduz: Kreativ Akademie
Salzburg: #NarrenCastl
Brussels: Side Splitters Comedy Brussels, Countdown Comedy Club
Ghent: Amai Comedy Club
If you’re a touring comedian in the EU or someone from the States eyeballing this growing market, try any of the above (and others but the list was getting long). They’re putting on a wide variety of shows so if you’re curious, don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions.
“Aren’t you worried about the competition?”
No, I’m more worried about making people laugh and helping deliver diverse voices.
The more the merrier!
I would love to shout out every comedian who opened for me, showcased with me or allowed me to guest on their show.
You all fill my soul, inspire me, confuse me sometimes and, ultimately, help us all achieve the goal of getting that almighty chuckle from the audience. I saw some great ones! Got to work with some of the best! And I saw a lot of new potential! Keep doing what you’re doing!! (But PLEASE stop using the phrase “I need to work on my crowd work.”)
To every audience member: Thank you. Thanks to the repeat fans (I’m looking at you Riga, Vilnius and Luxembourg!), the new fans (hopefully…?) and everyone else who thought “let’s reserve a seat and see what this American has to say.” Thank you for showing up and doing your part in this energy exchange.
Continuous thank you hugs and positive thoughts to the friends and friends of friends, old and new. The closest of you, the really close of the close and the chatty acquaintances. I’ve envisioned moving to Europe for quite some time and I thought I had zeroed in on a location, but I get more confused every visit as I have close friends in so many places now. I am blessed. Laughs, tears, gossip, hugs, support, stories, offers, drinks, dinners, drives, hangs, the ups, the downs, you all are my home on the road.
If there’s anywhere new to try, tell me (I see you Thailand, Cambodia and South Africa!)
If any newer comedians ever want to reach out, DM me and I’m happy to offer advice or tell the truth. If I can help your process, I’m there for it.
Any comedians thinking about doing Europe, let me know and I’ll give you the skinny, the contacts and the motivation.
You don’t have to do it like I did…but you should do it!
Til next time…

The DEFINITIVE tour video of Paris for all of my American friends. Vous êtes les bienvenus!

You read that right: "American Tourish."
Since I travel soooo much, I thought I'd give an unfiltered, true-to-my-knowledge American version of the various sites in the various cities I go to. Skip all of the other videos on the web telling you where to go and what to do. THESE will be the primers you NEED!
​
(*Also, I'm a comedian. So remember that before you watch this video and think "Is this guy joking?")

Ever wonder what the difference is between Disneyland Paris and Disneyland California? I went so you don't have to. Unless you want to. But you really don't have to....

​Thank you for your birthday wishes via text, social media and (gasp!) phone calls from those I know well, those I barely know, those that I should know better and those I’ve never met. That kind of positive spread should be the point of mass communication. Well done on taking the steps towards making the world a better place.

I spent my birthday in a most appropriate way if you know me at all: Flying cross-country and heading to a film shoot while writing some new standup comedy material and it dawned on me:
I set out to pursue this life I’m living at the age of 11 when I said “I want to be in entertainment.” And here I am 15 years later (Shut up, it’s my post, I can put whatever number I want!) still living that dream.
Granted, I’m not on the 5th season of an Emmy-nominated series, performing Hamlet on Broadway or in a sequel to an Oscar-nominated Indiana Jones spin-off trilogy. I’m not in the midst of my 4th Netflix special or selling out Red Rocks, picking an outfit for my Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, accepting another invite to host the Golden Globes or bothered by too many phone calls for gigs willing to overpay me.
But you know what? That’s completely fine. Those are the misses but I have plenty - plenty! - of blessings and successes.
I’ve made numerous unique stories over the years, surrounded myself by people who care and support me more than I ever realized, do work that I genuinely love, am well on my way to visiting every country in the world and revisiting some favorites and generally living on my own terms laughing a lot, still learning and having so much appreciation more often than not.
This past year has been a true roller-coaster, the highest of highs creatively, artistically, internationally and emotionally and the lowest of lows facing multiple losses, heartbreak, hardship and uphill climbs.
But I’m still here. Smiling, Grinding. Hustling. Laughing. Making others laugh. Sharing hugs. And focused on being grounded, positive and unabashedly me.

As the years keep adding up (or counting down, depends on if you’re half-full or half-empty) the synapses keep firing and the life experiences grow. As I do every year, and in a nod to Baz Luhrman’s awesome song, here’s some more bon mots (That’s a French word. I’m moving to Europe. Did I mention that? Then keep in touch) for you to nibble on and hopefully they add to your life experience:

- Travel. And if you do, at least learn the nice phrases “hello,” “please” and “thank you.” Practice them everyday in English as well.
- Dance. Like everyone’s watching. And you don’t give a damn.
- Watch more “Ted Lasso” and less “Dahmer.”
- People aren’t solely defined by their politics. Don’t define yourself solely on your politics.
- Not preparing enough is preparing to fail.
- You may think your life isn’t as good as the ones you see on the internet but the truth is, those lives aren’t as good as they appear.
- You’re doing fine. With respect to those that believe in reincarnation, this is the first time any of us have done this “life” thing. There’s no manual, no right or wrong (for the most part), no real guide. Just do your best.
- Texts are fine but conversations are better.
- You might be wrong. And it’s ok to admit it. And fix it.
- Look up.
- You don’t need to be on a constant search for “the one.” Love yourself first because that’s the only person that you’re guaranteed to wake up with every day of your life.
- Smile randomly.
- If you don’t like it, change the channel.
- If you’re not happy, shake things up.
- If you ever find love, support, care, friendship or common ground, don’t take it for granted and hold onto it as best you can. It’s all too rare to find and easy to lose.
- Ignore assholes. Don’t try to fix them. You won’t.
- Don't be an asshole.
- Farts are funny. Stop denying it.
- Truth does set you free.
- Finally: “Don’t cry. Just giggle and laugh. You should always laugh.” (The last words my Mom ever said to me and the best advice I could ever give)

On a personal note and in reference to the opening: Mental stability and happiness has been hard to come by this year for many of us (myself included). A lot has to do with outside factors. Let’s be honest: It’s been a rough few years sometimes made rougher by bad decisions. Some of it has to do with DNA and clinical depression and anxiety. The highs save you but the lows are brutal and last too long and are debilitating. I was lucky enough to do a play this year that addressed that and one of my favorite quotes from it is: “Things get better. They might not always get brilliant, but they do get better.” It’s true. You are fine. Or you will get better. It might take some work, help and support, so do the work. And when in doubt, reach out.
You’d be surprised at how many people out there care about you, will step up for you and want to see you smile. Be open to it and you can make the most of your time on this spinning globe because, chances are, we only have one go at this thing. Enjoy it.
(And if you’re ever down, and have read this far, never hesitate to reach out to me if everything else fails. I’m not licensed in anything else except having been through the wringer and back again many, many times)

Thank you for the birthday love. I send it back ten-fold. Onward to the next adventure...

​See? Social media can be good! Thank you all so much for the kind birthday wishes and blessings and virtual verbal hugs over the past few weeks.

Frankly, I’m astounded that someone could post anything on social media and have 100% out-pouring of positivity, love, encouragement and funny emojis.

I figured, with the way things seem to be going, that at least 67% of all comments would be some variation of “go eff yourself,” “do your research” or “but what about everybody else who doesn’t have a birthday today?”

The above paragraph isn’t meant to be cynical, it’s just expressing a point: When given a choice, gosh it feels so much better to be nice. I’ve never batted 1.000 but I’m working on it.

At the risk of comments being ass-y again, I’m going to do my annual birthday post of “Things Learned.” I’ve done it every year since I was 21 (I’m 25 now) and it’s just my way of sharing some things I’ve learned, lessons I’ve gleaned, ideas I’ve had or really what I think are good suggestions to make your life better (because I know you all so well). This is the kind of stuff that happens to you when you get older: Introspection.

To wit:

• Try a new haircut. Those mistakes don’t last but you never know what you might discover.
• Get your passport. Travel. Safely, but with an open mind.
• If you don’t like a particular website, stay off that website. If you don’t like a particular TV show, don’t watch that show. If you don’t like a particular person, don’t talk to that person.
• Binge “Harry Mack Omegle Bars” on YouTube. Trust me.
• You don’t know everything you think you know.
• Everybody’s biased. Don’t act shocked.
• Read more books and less social media feeds.
• Share your dessert.
• Taste your food before you put table salt or pepper on it. Give the chef the benefit of the doubt.
• When you feel the urge to watch the news, re-watch “Ted Lasso” instead.
• Change your oil every 5000 miles (-ish), not 3000. I know people who still go by the 3000 mile rule. That’s out-dated.
• Buy vintage or second-hand. The clothes are cooler, it’s sustainable and you’ll appear more interesting (it’s up to you to back that up)
• Help each other out. I don’t know how, but you do.
• I swear we’re more alike than different.
• Hard work pays off every time.
• Being offended, ashamed or guilty is something you manifest. Don’t put that on someone else doing it to you.
• If someone needs help from being verbally or physically assaulted, please put down the phone and help. Their well-being is far more important than your YouTube views.
• Use your turn signal. (I think I post this one every year. It’s not making much of a difference but I will not rest until you all give a crap about letting everyone else on the road know if you’re turning or changing lanes. The previous sentence comes from someone who is slowly morphing into an old man on a front porch).
• Cancel culture isn’t as powerful as you think it is. You can say anything you want as long as it’s funny, salient, satirical, well-stated and/or backed up. If you don’t like consequences for what you say, don’t say it.
• Also, don’t say most of what you want to. That moment that you feel the need to speak up will pass.
• All moments will pass.
• There are always new moments mere seconds after the last ones.
• Make the good moments last. Move quickly past the bad ones.
• Don’t waste your moments. You don’t have that many of them.
• Support your friend’s art.
• Book me for whatever you got. I promise it’ll pay off. And I won’t be around forever.

The last point was brought to you by shameless selfish social media promo. It was either that or a nudie and, frankly, my lighting is terrible where I am….

I’m writing this in a cafe in the Montmarte section of Paris. The weather’s cloudy, I don’t really like this city (not sorry), my coffee’s cold and the server’s rude… and I love every bit of right now. That’s called “experiencing life.” Do that, not the other thing you were thinking about doing today.

On a personal and heavy note: I have now lost 2 parents to depression. That’s brutal. And both of them had plenty more life to live, plenty of folks that loved and supported them, and gave up way too soon. I’m not saying this looking for condolences - that’s all been said and appreciated. I’m saying this to let you know that it’s very easy to wind up like them and not realize what it does to those around you. It’s also quite do-able to be the opposite. Sometimes it’s just a choice, sometimes it involves a bit of work, sometimes it involves asking for help when it’s absolutely uncomfortable doing so and sometimes it takes something a little more medically professional. Whatever the case, if mental health has you down, be open about it with those you trust because, despite what you might think, people can be very nice.
Life is short and the world’s small.
Don’t waste time wasting away in your own mind.

And honestly: Thank you for the birthday love. Meant more to me this year than any other.

I’ll go back to posting insipid jokes and self-promotion now.

Thank you for coming to my JOELTalk.

Talking With: Joel Bryant of “Empty America”
by BEA JONES

​Interview with actor-comedian Joel Bryant, who set out on a solo road trip across America during COVID and captured a desolate pictorial landscape.

"Empty America": a documentary film by Joel BryantThis edition of Talking With focuses on actor-comedian Joel Bryant, after unveiling his new documentary film “Empty America,” capturing a desolate look at the country.


When the pandemic shutdown took away his livelihood as a comic and actor, Joel packed his car and hit the highway with his trusted iPhone in tow. He snapped hundreds of photos and shot hours of video during the nomadic-style trip that spanned 8600 miles over three weeks from mid-March to early April, 2020. He traveled coast-to-coast stopping in 17 major cities with iconic locations, including Times Square, Bourbon Street, Venice Beach, Pike Place, Mall of America, Fisherman’s Wharf, Boston Common, DC’s National Mall and the Stockyards of Texas.


An amateur photographer, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired 134 of his photographs as part of the permanent COVID-19 Digital Photography Collection.


With the free release of the photos and documentary, Joel hopes to encourage people to donate to the many COVID relief charities.


To learn more, we are Talking With Joel Bryant about “Empty America.”

Santa Monica Pier, California

What inspired you to set out on this journey to photograph America during the pandemic shutdown?


JOEL BRYANT: As a freelance performer in live events who was also housed gig-to-gig, when the shutdown occurred, I was jobless and homeless with 2 days. And nothing on the calendar for the foreseeable future. I love a good road trip so I thought I'd just drive Los Angeles to New York and back. I had the time and nowhere to be. As I started to map out my route, I realized I'd be going through Las Vegas, Santa Fe, maybe see a friend in Savannah. I was thinking about this while killing an afternoon in Santa Monica. I realized how empty this city was and I'd seen videos of Las Vegas shutdown so the plan started from there: Drive LA to NY but hit usually-busy sites around America on the way to capture what the US looks like when it's totally closed.


Did you have an initial plan to create the documentary film “Empty America”?


JB: I had absolutely no plan when I started out. I had an idea of a southern route but made up most of the journey as I went, depending on where I could go, what was efficient, if I had a place to stay - which started to be in my car and cheap roadside motels. I decided on certain cities as I went. I decided to film it for posterity thinking it could be an interesting piece. It's only when I plugged all my footage into iMovie that I realized I had enough for a full-length documentary. But it all started from the one question: "I wonder what America looks like when it shuts down?" The rest just happened.


How did you determine which cities to visit?


JB: I thought about what might be interesting to see how they looked if they were totally empty. Truth is, I didn't know what I'd find or even if everything was as empty as I captured. When you think about cities that may be eerie to see empty, some were no-brainers: Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York. I did LA just because that's where my stuff was in storage. Las Vegas and Santa Fe is where I had family. I chose Savannah and Nashville because I had friends there I hadn't seen in a while. As I drove it just manifested depending on where I was headed next in my loop. I also knew I was on a bit of a time schedule because I didn't know if borders would be shut down and how long this shutdown would last, so I had to rule out cities like Austin, Miami and Kansas City.

Times Square, New York

Did you have it all planned out before you left? Things like your gas and meal budget, lodging arrangements, etc.


JB: I had nothing planned out! For the record, that's not suggested. It was an idea I had one afternoon and set out the next day to start it. I'm a road-tripped by nature, so I wasn't worried about how to live on the road for 3 weeks. But I truly just made all of it up as I went. I let the story unfold itself. Luckily, prices for things like gas, food and lodging are really cheap during a pandemic. My only rule was I had to eat locally to support any local vendors that might still be doing some sort of curbside service, so I avoided fast food places and chain stores.


Was there a moment when you thought: what am I doing?


JB: Most of it, to be honest. Even in the film I start off bouncy and light-hearted in LA like: "This is going to be a fun piece." By the time I hit the northern route I was exhausted and affected by what I'd seen. I'd say when I did DC, Philadelphia and New York in one day, that was when I really started to teeter on regret. But I had already come that far. I started to sleep less, be paranoid about law enforcement stopping me and being nervous that this was all pointless because I didn't think I'd make it all the way back to San Francisco for the full loop.

Fisherman's Wharf, California

Your favorite moment from the trip?


JB: The thing that kept me going and gave me hope was the random bits of optimism I encountered on the road. This was a moment when we thought the pandemic would last 3 maybe 4 weeks, so there was hope. I met a restauranteur in Fort Worth - socially distanced, of course - who told me how 5-star restaurants were selling out then referring their customers to smaller locally owned businesses and how he hoped selling his raw items would bond families over dinnertime as they all could cook together. Every time I saw a sign in a window that expressed hope, it always gave me a smile. Truth is, most of the trip became eerie and sad, I wouldn't call those "favorite" moments but definitely glad I captured them, so those little bits of storefront optimism on signs gave me a little juice.


What did you personally learn from this journey?


JB: I've always carried Buddhist philosophy close to my chest and this just enhanced that. Mostly the idea that tomorrow is not guaranteed and all you have is this moment. I'm happy I did this the way I did it, spur of the moment because I was curious, but on a larger scale and looking back, that lesson definitely rings true: We had no idea what we were in for so there's no reason to live in the future when you have the now to make the most of.



Nashville, Tennessee



You aren’t a professional photographer, but your photos are now part of the Smithsonian – what’s that feel like?


JB: I'm still trying to wrap my head around it! It was certainly nothing I'd aimed for or dreamt of. Especially because this was just a curiosity project done on a whim and shot on an iPhone. I'm not a pro photographer by any means, but to be in the Smithsonian archives with such legends is humbling to say the least. The Smithsonian accumulated 600 photographs from various photographers capturing the pandemic at that time and of the 600, 134 of them were mine. To me, that's insane and frankly I'm not sure what to think about it! The best I can say is that I'm proud because I perform mostly in live events which are fleeting moments which exist in a moment in time. To have your photos archived is about as good of a legacy as you can leave behind when all is said and done.


Any plans to get back out there on the road again or what’s next for you?


JB: Oh, I'm always looking for the next road trip.... I still bounced around the rest of the year, helping with family stuff, seeing people in Europe, renting a cabin in Colorado for a few months. As long as you can live safely, you can still live the way you want to live. I did finally end up getting a small place in Palm Springs to plan out the next phase of my life and let this pandemic ease towards re-opening. Then when that happens? Well, we'll just have to see what's next....



New Orleans, LouisianaLastly, what do you hope audiences will take away from “Empty America”?


JB: I only had 2 goals when I finally put it all together and put it out free on YouTube: Firstly, I thought it was an interesting time capsule that happened to capture a unique moment in history. This was when all of the US was on the same page, pre-BLM protests, pre-election, pre- the rest of 2020. It was a time when most of America was on the same page which, sadly, we rarely are anymore. So, I want people to watch it just as a reminder that we call can be united and to hopefully do what's necessary to avoid the eeriness I captured on film when the next global catastrophe hits. However, more importantly to me, I posted it for free and at the end I have links to 5 COVID relief charities so ideally, if you're moved enough when you watch the film, and you're able to, you can help out those less fortunate and we can all work together to pull each other up out of this and on to a brighter future. We've been through so much negativity, hopefully by showing that then offering a glimmer of hope, we can get back on a path towards positivity.


Those 5 charities are LiveEventsCoalition.org, ActorsFund.org, FoundationForContemporaryArts.org, OpportunityFund.org and JamesBeard.org.


Or just donate to one of your choice, help out a neighbor or support small local business. If you do that after watching my piece, my goal is met.




Watch “Empty America” for FREE at: JoelBryant.net or on YouTube


And, check out the COVID-19 Digital Photography Collection

When coronavirus made it's way through America last year and became an official "pandemic" causing a full, nation-wide shutdown, I was left out in the cold. I was rehearsing a play, then traveling to do another, then some corporate gigs and standup dates throughout the summer. As well, I was living on the road, gig-to-gig. My gigs were my housing. Covid swept in and emptied my calendar, took away my housing and left me reeling. 
But it didn't kill my creativity, curiosity and wanderlust. I wondered what America looked like shut down. Since I was forced into my car, I set out to document it. In 3 weeks I drove to 17 major cities (and a bunch of small ones) and logged 8600 miles and tons of footage. The still photos have already officially been installed into the Smithsonian archives as a time stamp of a unique, unprecedented happening. The filmed footage, along with some of those photographs, I've turned into the documentary "Empty America." 
I didn't do this to exploit what ended up being a tragic year for the US. Instead, I'm posting it as a reminder, as a time capsule, and hopefully as a call-to-arms to help out Covid relief charities. As such, I've posted it free on YouTube with the websites for said charities listed in the credits.
I hope you find it interesting at the very least. At the very most, I hope it helps all of us help each other out and finally get back to whatever "normal" may be now.

Thanks for watching and sharing.

​

This "Thank you for the Birthday Wishes" and "Birthday Thoughts" post is way late. Like really late. Weeks. But in 2020, what is time anymore, really?

Or maybe it just took me a while to formulate it. There has been other important stuff going on (did you know I learned how to sew and am teaching myself French? See? Important stuff!).

However, I've decided to send it up to social media today because it seems like a really, really slow news day so certainly you have plenty of time to read it. It's long...

First and foremost, thank you to every single one of you that wished me "Happy Birthday" whether via social media post, text, phone call, email or in person. That's always nice to hear. We could definitely do with getting rid of Facebook, but then every year the birthday reminder function kind of justifies the other 364 days of anger, negativity and hatred.

For the uninitiated: Every year on my Birthday I rattle off some "life lessons" that I've reflected on and attempted to instill in my life due my my years and years and years and years of experience on this earth. They're fun to post, represent some kind of positive aspect of life and were inspired by Baz Luhrman's fantastic "Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen)."

This year may be different though. Many times in the past I've advocated traveling more, hugging loved ones harder and seeing as much live music as you can. I still pat myself on the back for good advice like that in the past but if I posted that now I'm afraid I'd start a political debate and be requested to "cite my sources." 

So this one may be a bit more blustery. Less confined. Perhaps longer. Frankly, I'm just avoiding turning on the TV...

<Pours a sliver of whiskey into his coffee> Here goes:

- Travel more. OK, I lied. I will advocate this. Yes, it's scary and difficult and dang near impossible to do freely, but dammit if it doesn't open your perspective, you mind, your heart and your eyes. It really is the best thing to do outside of 12 years of solid schooling.

- Know this: Any media (ANY) is there to make money. That's how they stay afloat. If they don't have audience and eyeballs, they no longer exist. Keep this in mind when consuming, recommending or passing on any media. OK, I'm talking about news. Look, there are legitimate unbiased news journalists out there working on TV, in print and at your local bar, but even they have to maintain viewership to maintain relevance. We're in the age of  the "news celebrity." We choose who we want to watch and they get rewarded with eyeballs and ad dollars. They have to make you want to watch so they will cater to their audience and to their emotions.
Way back when, Walter Kronkite was the most trusted man in media. Well, he didn't have a hell of a lot of competition. There were 3 channels and you either watched the "news" or probably some spaghetti Western or game show on the other 2 channels. His job was news.
Then 24-hour news happened and there was a scramble for viewers. Then the internet happened and there was a scramble by print media to get online views. Then social media happened and there was a scramble by bloggers, websites and "influencers" to get likes and views.
It all adds up to money.
And that money comes from views. 
And we view this stuff because it makes us feel something (either hate watching or cohabitating in an echo chamber).
Nobody's watching, reacting to and sharing moderate news. It's the train wrecks and OMG's that get the mentions. And the cash.
I'm sure everybody knows this... Just keep it in mind and treat it as such.

- I think this one is an epilogue to the above: We all just want to feel. Especially this year. It's human nature. In years past, we could go to a movie or hang out with friends or seek community for those good vibes to escape the bad ones. This year, we can't do that. It's unfortunate because this year we've all become a bit shell-shocked and numb. We want to feel more than ever. 
In relation to the above, no one's really broadcasting the good vibes news of the day, so we don't get our dose of that. 
But we still want to "feel" so we glom onto any "feelings" we can get. Anger, sadness and fear are next in line and those are so easy to broadcast and default to; and we're doing it in droves.
So I guess the advice here: Seek out the positive, the heart-warming, the funny, the insipid, the bland. Anything but anger, sadness and fear (trust me, they'll always be there)

- OK, now we're really on a piggy-backing roll.... Let's relax on worrying about what the "deep state" is doing or how shadow forces are controlling our every move or trying to figure out what the endgame is of people far more powerful, rich and connected than you or I. Trust me, you'll never figure it out and you'll never break it. They're far too powerful, rich and connected. I wish we could, but they're experience in masking far outweighs our amateur online gumshoeing. And here's the honest truth: It doesn't affect your life. It won't change how you hang out with your family, drink a hot cup of tea or swim a few laps in your pool. It really just has no affect on your day-to-day life. And trying to figure it out only leads to fear, frustration and melancholy. Live your life, not theirs.

- Dance. (That's always an easy one to put on here)

- Through my years I'm proud to have gathered a solid group of friends from very random facets of life, all differing in many ways - gender, religion, sexuality, politics, social issues, height, weight, star signs. I'm humbled by it and they all fascinate me in one way or another every day and challenge me about who I am because that's who they are.
No one is one single "thing." Your gay friend is not just a gay friend, they're more than that. You're libertarian friend is not just libertarian, they're more than that. Your tall friend is really tall, but also more than that. (Ideally they'd be helpful too since they can reach the high shelves). We all are.
(Caveat: UNLESS someone identifies themselves so singularly as one thing [OK, I'm mostly thinking politics here...]. If they do, then they ask to be judged as that one thing and that's their prerogative and their hill to live and die on.)
It's my experience that the majority of people are asking to be judged as a whole and not on one specific thing. You cannot easily identify anyone - outside of what they choose to wear sometimes, but even that could be a shot in the dark. That's what's fun about being human with feelings and free will and different upbringings. (as opposed to, say, koala bears who we can say are super cute but also can be vicious. And that's ALL koala bears).

OK. This is about politics, mostly (what can I say, it's Nov. 3). I have friends squarely on both sides of the aisle who are not ashamed to say who they support. Some are more ardent than others. However, that's not all they are. Yes, there are some that have become ONLY about that, in which case I find them boring and one-sided. But the vast majority of people are layered and, if you connect with any of that, you can still be friends who can have interesting conversations and intense debates and agree to disagree. If they're your friends, you should be able to. If you find them wrong on something, you should be able to say something and have an educated discourse. Some people are more passionate about things that you aren't, in which case, we should all be better about when and where we choose our battles and if it's even worth it. Yes, friends can also be frustrating and irritating and you can cut them in and out of your life. If we were simple beings we wouldn't have done things like invented airplanes and had and followed dreams and thought fruit on pizza was a good idea and loved and hurt. It's your call who you want to engage with, be around and entrust. Choose wisely. If you choose wrong, adjust.

- Since it's Nov. 3 - vote. I never say who I'm voting for because I still believe that's a private act. DM or PM me if you wanna chat about it or if it really interests you. If you know me well enough, then you've already read this far and probably know how my ballot will roll out. But you'd also probably be surprised....

- Last one which piggybacks on top of all of my other AMAZING insight from above: Be who you are, believe what you want to believe, experience your life experience but, if you do anything or choose any path or make any choices in life, just don't be an asshole.
Really, that's it: Don't be an asshole.
I'm keen to let everything else slide if you're nice and kind, maintain empathy and are accepting. If you're an asshole, then you're doing life wrong and you need to re-evaluate the miracle of you being here, the relationships you maintain and why you're wrong. (Trust me, I've been an asshole before and learned from it. And am still learning. It's hard sometimes to be right all the freakin' time! Nobody ever is)

You can 100% be you and follow your path.
Racism, sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance and ignorance are inalienable wrongs and I'll stand by that (you should too...geez!)

But whatever you do:

Don't be an asshole.

During the month of May, to counteract the negativity of a global pandemic and the constant ensuing coverage, I decided to make a video a day to spread some positivity and smiles. Below are those videos (also found at YouTube.com/JoelBryantVideos).

i made them in May 2020, but truthfully they’re good year-round. The gift that’ll keep on giving....

Here are a bunch of other pix I took while traveling the US over the past 3 weeks.
For the full story, read the blog entries below (hit previous at the bottom of the page)
Chronologically it goes LA - > SanFran, but you could also read it backwards.