What a whirlwind week leading up to Halloween!! I woke up in NYC and went to bed at home in BC. I saw costumes on people young and old in NYC and heard fireworks popping from the airport all the way to Surrey on my way home.
I flew a redeye into JFK landing 7:30am Monday. It was a beautiful warm sunshiny day. I switched the voice on my GPS to Nate Bargatze (dry funny generally cleaner comic) while waiting for my rental car.
Nate & The Misfits were the soundtrack to Brooklyn for breakfast sandwiches and then across the Manhattan Bridge through the Holland Tunnel and down the maze of highways to Freehold, New Jersey.
I was too early to check into my hotel, so I drove to Asbury Park (a scenic NJ beach town with a legendary music scene). It was a warm quiet day at the beach. Not too many people. I took a little video of all the murals / nods to punk rock legends from the Ramones to the Bouncing Souls. Watch it on TikTok. (opens in a new tab) I worked on my editing skills once back to my hotel. It was a rad first day.
Tuesday I had my first presentations which were both also very rad. Both Manalapan and Colts Neck High schools have booked me numerous times. The staff welcome me in with open arms and the students are always super attentive and respectful. I went into both schools anticipating similar vibes. Once again, I left with expectations not just met but exceeded.
Rather than go back to my hotel and order food and do nothing, I took a little drive to New Brunswick (New Jersey not Canada) to pick up dinner. A super cool bustling little college city, I hit a vegan restaurant called Veganized. Highly recommend for any plant-based folks reading this.
Wednesday morning I spoke in both Freehold high schools. I started at Freehold High School (where Bruce Springsteen went to school). I had been here before and remembered having a tougher audience. I was prepared for anything and pleasantly surprised to have the best audience on this trip. I think everyone in the theatre came to chat after the talk. Super stoked!
I was tipped off that Bruce Springsteen's childhood home was 5mins from the school so I made a little detour on my way to Freehold Township High School. If you haven't already noticed my idea of tourism is rock n roll & food. It was a cool little visit. See the post from Bruce's childhood home on Instagram. (opens in a new tab)
Freehold Township High School kept the homerun streak going with another amazing audience. I hung around the school for at least an hour afterwards chatting with students and answering questions. These convos are one of my fav things about speaking and they happened at each school Tuesday and Wednesday which were senior / 12th grade graduating classes. Four for four!!
I had a bit of a drive to a new hotel and made a stop in Somerville, NJ at Surf, Turf & Earth for more amazing food. Somerville was another really cool town. Tons of history. Beautiful architecture. Very much old meets new. The surrounding neighborhoods were decked out for Halloween. Positive vibes all around.
Thursday I had a double header at Hillsborough High School to close out the tour. My first time there, Craig the counselor, saw me last year at Manalapan and decided to bring me to his new school to speak. Much appreciated. My audiences at Hillsborough were both sophomore / 10th grade and I had more time than usual to speak. Both audiences received extended cut versions of my story that were followed by lengthy Q&A periods. Both audiences ruled and I drove out of NJ stoked.
There is a magic feeling leaving a school after connecting with students and staff and knowing that I have just made a positive difference in people's lives. Doing it so far from home is also special. It also makes me think of the strained relationship between Canada and the US right now and how stupid it is. Both countries have been friends and allies for many years. So many of us appreciate sharing a border and coming together on both sides of it. I met nothing but lovely people young and old whether they be working in the airport, rental car center, restaurant, hotel, school, and everywhere in between.
The world is a lot different than what you see on TV or on social media on a mobile phone screen. Sure there are positive representations on both. But these days it seems algorithms are more intent with airing the bad stuff.
One question I was asked on this trip from a student that sticks out as I close this blog was "what are three things you could never live without?"
I answered
1) punk rock (but moreover music in general) 2) Family & Friends (my support network) 3) my wheelchair which got some laughs... 3A) Traveling New Places & Meeting New People
That last one is something that I have been rewarded the opportunity to do so much being a public speaker.
Sure I show up and people see and hear me speak. I have a mission to deliver a message that touches everyone in attendance in some significant and positive way, but in turn I have also met many people and heard touching stories where I have left a conversation feeling inspired.
On this trip alone I met and had lovely conversations with people from Singapore, Georgia, Bangladesh, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, England, many different United States and with my old Canadian buddy, Steven Fairweather - the bass player for punk legends GOB (opens in a new tab).
I could have never foresaw (probably because I started off SO NERVOUS to be onstage) that I would meet so many amazing people who would touch my life in such a profound and lasting way. I love meeting new people no matter where they are from or where we happen to meet. I'd rather chat face to face than over a screen anytime!
Thank You New Jersey for an incredible tour start to finish. Much love and see you next October!!
Lastly, much love to NYC where I spent the last 48 hours of my trip. I posted up in the Lower East Side and saw old friends and met MANY new ones. Imagine strangers from all different backgrounds, ethnicities and countries coming together sharing laughs and stories and bonding together. That is still a thing in this world. And that is the world I want to live in and the way I intend to keep using my voice and energy.
Thanks for reading!
Next stop Florida!
Kevin.