The Final Retreat
For years, I had what was known in our home as Mentor Mondays. This was due to so many texts, emails, and phone calls from executives, hopeful speakers, and struggling entertainers to “pick my brain” over lunch. Eventually my brain had been picked, pecked, and prodded over enough soggy salads at lunches around Utah that […]
Bond, James Bond
Can you imagine meeting THE James Bond as a 7 year old, and him bringing you into his world of espionage, not just meeting him once as a youth, but again as an adult? Roger Moore delights fan Mark Haynes with this story of how, as the author puts it, “I was working with James […]
The Honor System
Just before my 2 week run of sold-out shows began at the Hale Centre Theatre I realized I didn’t have the personnel lined up to man our table and sell my book, “The Promise To The One”. My kids were all traveling, we wanted my wife to just attend and enjoy the shows, those on […]
The Difference a Shirt Makes
For Fathers Day this year my wife bought me a new shirt. I insisted that I didn’t need a new shirt, and wore my old shirt. Tami said, “Honey, you’ve worked very hard for the last year to lose weight, and it’s time for a new shirt to fit your body properly.” I said, “Ok, […]
The Band Promise
This week I will finally take the stage and perform a show we have worked for over a year to create. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, we have added a few more shows to the run and there are some available finally! Get yours HERE. Excited isn’t a strong enough word for […]
Losing The Karaoke Contest
In all of my years as a performer, and being lauded as a good one, I have never won a talent contest. This past week, on an Alaskan cruise with my family, siblings and their children, I lost a karaoke contest in front of all of them. My Dad, who provided this amazing trip, is […]
You Never Know
Years ago, this very weekend, I was performing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at a party high above the harbor in a setting that is reserved for the rich and famous. The pink hue of stage lighting blinded me from knowing who was watching, as party goers walked by and didn’t seem to be […]
The Audience Hates Me
Here I am. Performing my guts out. Doing all I can to get a laugh, spark an emotion, beg a reaction. Nothin’. The audience hates me. I can tell. You know when you’ve got ’em. And wow, how you know when you don’t! These people hate me. But I’m going to keep giving, trying, […]
Birthday Tomorrow
I turn 46 tomorrow. To some that is young, to others that is old. By definition, this is midlife. If I look at where I am too critically I could be quite devastated at what I set out to accomplish early in life that has yet to be attained – The elusive things, like […]
The Best Fathers Day Presents
Christmas Day was nearly 6 months ago (this next week), and it has been that long since I have enjoyed the gifts that keep on giving in our home. That cold wintry morning, as presents were strewn about the house, wrapping paper piled high, the kids were thrilled with what we had given them, […]