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LOGAN LIFE UPDATE!!! 🌻  [June, 2023]

(Day 1 Guayaquil)

Hello! Hola! Its been a while, huh?? It’s me- Logan- writing to you from Samborondón in the beautiful country of Ecuador! 🇪🇨 

First things first… I’ve tried to journal (I’ve really tried) and I can never seem to hold myself accountable to write about my own life- so I am going to use the internet to trick myself! Is it personal reflection?? OR content creation?? AHA. Who’s to say?? I already really enjoy sharing my little adventures and silly videos with the world- so why not share even more?

Right. Life update. After touring the US/Canada as a puppeteer for 8 months I have finally settled back home in Nova Scotia!! 🇨🇦 

Specifically- with the help of some amazing friends- I moved out of storage and into an apartment in Downtown Dartmouth! THATS RIGHT. According to the recent Globe & Mail article making the rounds- I am now based out of one of “Canada’s coolest neighbourhoods”??? When I first moved to NS in 2014 I remember being terrified to cross the bridge because it was such a big scary world outside of the Halifax peninsula- but OH BOY- I really love it over there now! The biggest downside is that I’m away too close to @twoifbyseacafe and have poor self control when it comes to croissants…

I had an incredible and restorative rollercoaster of a few weeks back home in NS in June and I can’t express enough how much I’ve missed all the people there while I was away on tour!! The power of seeing a familiar face has never hit me harder. I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of ‘home’ lately… 

[“OH NO is this the opening line of an excruciatingly earnest one person play with no intermission?? TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COOL ANIMALS YOU SAW TODAY LOGAN”]

Okay okay… I’ll circle back to ‘home’… TODAY I saw so many amazing animals. I was in my element. I was thriving. I am closer than I’ve ever been to the native range of capybaras, an animal who has become near and dear to my heart, and while there are not any Capys in this part of Ecuador… I did see their little cousin the agouti!! They were too small and fast to get a good photo- but they are very very adorable. That’s “agutí” en español.

I am attempting a sort of ‘stream of consciousness’ writing style. Is it engaging? Is it as scattered as all of the info is in my head? Is this a glimpse into the mind of the REAL™ Logan? Who’s to say. Anywho- life on the road was tough. I think if there was one thing that being on tour from October-June taught me is that home perhaps isn’t what I always imagined it to be… If home is where the heart is- where the hell does your heart go when you’re living out of a suitcase during the depths of the winter in Manitoba, Minnesota and Iowa? I guess if Tony Bennet could leave his heart in San Francisco then I must’ve left mine in Nova Scotia. I think that home is where the community is? That’s what occurred to me upon returning. It was really nice to be back and I found lots of misplaced parts of myself strewn around the harbour.

[“Wait. Slow down. Logan… IF it was so nice to be back… Why did you immediately up and leave again?”]

AH. Good question voice inside my head. 

Reason #1: I found some good deals on flights/have always dreamed of visiting Ecuador.

Reason #2: HAVE YOU SEEN THE AMOUNT OF LIZARDS THEY HAVE HERE?

Reason #3: Ok ok I will go into more details here and stop being so S I L L Y. I decided that after such a long tour I could use a break. The problem is- I have a really hard time giving myself a break. My mind is constantly churning up ideas and plans and I am excellent at keeping myself fully booked. The concept here was- if I physically remove myself (all the way to South America) then I won’t have a choice but to have fun and relax gosh darn it!!
I am so so excited about all of the creative projects I have coming up and can’t wait to share more about them with the world! BUT. Until July 27th. I am on vacation. Maybe it’s the kind of vacation where I snorkel in the morning and answer a few emails in the evening. HEY. That’s not a crime. 

I won’t lie. After being on the road all year- it was hard for me to leave again after only having been back for a few weeks! I had unintentionally allowed myself just enough time to move, unpack, and settle into my apartment enough to taste the familiar flavours of normalcy and community before dashing off. The way I have been thinking about it is… I am now so lucky to not only be on the adventure of a lifetime- but I am genuinely going to be excited to come home after. That’s a win/win, right??

So… There’s an update! I doubt I will usually write this much… That’s if I even keep up writing! I really want to. Every piece of journaling/blogging from my past that I stumble upon makes me so happy to catch a glimpse back in time and I want to leave more breadcrumbs for future Lo to enjoy!

On June 27th I flew from Toronto through Atalanta and Fort Lauderdale all the way to Guayaquil, Ecuador! It was about 24 hours of travelling and I was very sleepy. There hasn’t been a huge time change so my body is mostly just adjusting to the heat and wonkiness of sleep deprivation (which I think I single-handedly cured today with an empanada). I caught an Uber from the airport and crashed hard at an air bnb in Samborondon.

Today, June 28th, I slept in and it was glorious. 

I endeavoured out to a pharmacy for insect repellent and water. The latter of which I was in dire need of because OH BOY is it ever hot here. The bug spray though? Has only been precautionary so far… I fully expected the mosquitos here to be really bad what with the water, humidity, and temperature- but after spending the afternoon outside I don’t think I got one bite (knock on wood)!

I also found a huge (air conditioned) mall! HALLELUJAH. It had a great grocery store and I grabbed an empanada, some local cheeses, and fruit for a picnic style breakfast/lunch/dinner (my brain still doesn’t know what meal it is after the transit day) at Parque Histórico Guayaquil! 

First impressions? ECUADOR IS BEAUTIFUL. This park had a really lovely mix of historic buildings, cultural interpretation centres, and a natural boardwalk zoo where I got to see SO many of my favourite South American animals! Also… you have read this far… do you want a secret? My Spanish is not very good- so I practiced today by talking to all of my animal friends! It was a cycle of me turning a corner, seeing a new exciting animal, and going “OHHHHH! Hola *reads sign* guacamayo – eres hermoso!!” I am not sure how useful knowing how to say ‘biodiversity’ or ‘mangrove’ or ‘macaw’ in Spanish will be for conversations- but HEY- I know what I know. I also saw a man make kissing sounds and a huge crocodile came over to him? Do crocodiles have an equivalent to the pspsps we use for cats? IF so… I think I heard it today!

After visiting the animals I sat by the water and ate some food looking out at the river! There were gardens with bananas and cocoa plants! There were some beautiful old buildings you could go in to learn more- many of which were torn down in Guayaquil and moved over to this park where they were reassembled! 

It was a very very good first day of a month long trip.

I am so tired but so content.

Feeling very grateful for the privilege to travel the world and for all the love in my life!

Spending the evening relaxing and apparently writing a short novel- if you read this far… I hope you enjoyed it!!

I’ll write again soon!

Love, Lo

Location: Wilmington, DE

Date: October 20th, 2022

Hello Delaware! A state I had never been to until now!

Today we had the chance to settle into our new temporary home and load our show into the theatre ahead of our performances.

Suddenly being in a new city/state can sometimes feel like cultural whiplash and going from the small town of Potsdam to the surprising large metro of Wilmington was a bit of a shock. The best way I have found to deal with this shifting awareness is to immerse yourself into the place headfirst!

We explored the bustling main street, walked down by the river, and found a delightful Mexican restaurant- Del Pez. The food was good and I even indulged in a tasty beverage. While I don’t drink much- the desire in me to try new things while travelling apparently extends to alcohol too!

Now to perform tomorrow and see as much of the city as we can!

P.S. The next couple dozen blog posts may be a bit short and sweet because whoops I am writing them more than a month after the fact and today is November 27th… Hi from the future! The winning lotto numbers are: 4 12 23 29 45 47

Location: Potsdam, NY > Syracuse, NY > Wilmington, DE (663km)

Date: October 19th, 2022

After saying goodbye to our very first tour stop in Potsdam (and our cozy Hampton Inn) we hit the road en route to stop #2- Wilmington, Delaware!

The day was a bit chilly and rainy but the travelling was easy enough! We had a brief stop in Syracuse for lunch at a very tasty vegan spot called “Strong Hearts” and strolled around the city. All of this of course after circling the downtown core for quite a while searching for parking.

One of the challenges I have come to discover with driving our van (who has been lovingly named ‘Maude’) is that she’s a bit too big to park in most average spaces. We still love her anyways.

Speaking of ‘fitting in’- I think all three of us are really starting to get into the groove of tour life and the reality of the situation is slowly sinking in!

Next stop- Wilmington and the Playhouse on Rodney Square (quite a well-to-do theatre for a humble little show like ours)!

Location: Potsdam & Colton, NY 

Date: October 18th, 2022

After a busy week of travelling and performance it was time for a day off!

In typical Logan-fashion this means finding something to DO!

I will be the first to admit that relaxing hardly comes naturally to me. Was I born an overachiever? Why do I so desperately crave movement and exploration when my body clearly doesn’t 1/2 of the time?

For this reason I have tried to maintain some semblance of exercise… I have never been one in the past to use a hotel gym and it appears most people aren’t one either. I have yet to run into a living soul in a hotel gym on this tour (dead either- though I have come close myself on the treadmill).

I have a complicated relationship with my body and exercise but am getting better at trying to listen to it and provide what it needs (both exercise and rest). This puppet show I am part of is no joke physically and I am grateful every day that my body allows me to do this. Thanks body. You do a lot and don’t get enough credit.

-Typed by the fingers and thought of by the brain.

After some tread-milling and watching a documentary about the Thai cave rescue of that soccer team in 2018 (suddenly cardio doesn’t seem so bad compared to being stuck in a cave for weeks) Ivy and I went on our first official adventure! A fall colours hike through the beautiful Stone Valley Trail in Colton, NY.

It felt great to move at a leisurely pace and also to get outdoors after a week in a van/theatre. While NY state doesn’t look so different than NS it is still always a thrill for me to explore new forests.

I often find myself describing being outdoors and connected to nature as an almost ‘religious’ experience. When I follow the urge to gently pat a patch of moss or breathe in the scent of decaying leaves I feel like a part of something way bigger than myself and I sort of suspect that’s what religion is, right? I am not quite praying to a tree messiah (Treesus?) but I suspect the more often I can descend into nature the better for my mental and physical health!

Overall the tour is off to a wonderful start and I am very excited to head off to Wilmington, Delaware, tomorrow (a city and state where I have never been)! Also we went for Italian food tonight and I had a tasty eggplant parmesean!

Anyways… Why am I writing so much? I am only on October 18th in the backlog and today is the 30th… Only 12 days to go? Stay tuned- if you think things are going too well to be true… You’re right!

Go smell some leaves and thank your body if you’re up to it!

Lo

Location: Potsdam, NY 

Date: October 17th, 2022

It was another beautiful day in Upstate New York and time for our first Two Show Day (affectionately referred to as a Two Dow Shay in the theatre community to reflect the general sense of discombobulation).

Both shows went quite well and no curtains fell down (which may or may not have happened yesterday)…

One of the silver linings of performing a show in nearly pitch black is that as long as puppets are where they need to be- performing in different theatres really isn’t too difficult! I am still getting used to the full black ensemble and pulling my ninja hood down…

We got a chance to explore more of the campus after we loaded out to grab some food. I was struck by how much this university looked like what i always imagined US schools to look like from movies and TV. It is beautiful. Red bricks, ivy covered walls, super trendy buildings and a library that doesn’t look like a maximum security prison for super villains (sorry not sorry Dalhousie).

I am still trying to fill in a backlog of blog posts and I don’t really remember much else from this day… I probably swam in the hotel pool again? I think I bought some snacks at Walgreens? Maybe had some Italian food?

Tomorrow is a day off (hallelujah) and I can’t wait to spend some time outdoors and get some fresh air!

Lo

Location: Potsdam, NY 

Date: October 16th, 2022

Dear Diary. A confession. I am terrible at committing to writing. Every day I think… Just write something. Two sentences. Something to reflect your genuine living memory of the day. Something to convey the honest feelings of the moment in which you are living.

…

Anyways. I am writing this poolside in Miami, Florida, on October 30th because I am a naughty blog keeper. Here comes a backlog of half remembered stories- buckle up.

October 16th… It’s Showtime! Our first performance of the tour was nigh and anticipation and nerves were high! After a soothing swim at the Hampton Inn pool my muscles were as prepared as they could be for what was to come.

After a few unintentional laps around the SUNY campus we found the loading doors, unloaded all 120 puppets, set them up, and loaded up on green room snacks (they truly spoiled us at this theatre and set an unrealistically high bar- thanks Potsdam)!

To rehearse a show like this for as long as we did and to travel as far as we had- it was easy to forget that there are thousands and thousands of young people across North America waiting for us. The energy of the audience is electric and unlike anything I have ever experienced. Now a treatise on the difference between adult and child audiences:

1. Adults come to the theatre with baggage.
   • They have to find parking.
   • They have to be responsible for not losing the tickets.
   • They have to pay for those tickets.
   • They have to organize transportation.
   • They have to stay awake through the show after being worn down by the minutiae of life in a capitalistic hellscape where their very being as individuals seems to work against the systems in which they are cogs.
   • They could be watching Netflix in their underwear.
   • They are constantly shying away from joy.
     
2. Children come to the theatre mostly unencumbered.
   • They’ve got nowhere else to be (and if they do, it is school, and they are happily on a field trip).
   • They have yet to become jaded art critics. If Paw Patrol is the crème de la crème, then an hour of non stop live glow in the dark puppets with an upbeat soundtrack is Citizen Kane.
   • They can fall asleep if they want and nobody will judge them
   • They can laugh, and cry, and scream, and shout and nobody will judge them.
   • They feel little to no shame for the act of unbridled enjoyment and connection with others.
   • They are constantly seeking joy.

I am not suggesting that all adults have lost these senses of openness to experience- but maybe, if we left just a little bit of the adult shit at the door, we could live in the moment that theatre offers us. A series of beautiful and fleeting moments that I will cherish as long as I live.

After our show we met Todd Parr’s sister who was absolutely wonderful and were treated to a delicious vegan meal served right in our green room.

Then it was back to the hotel to rest up and prepare for another show and loading out tomorrow!

Find some joy. It is out there in abundance!

XOXO

Lo

Location: Saint-Hélène -de-Bagot, QC > Trout River, QC > Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC > Cornwall, ON > Potsdam, NY (170km + 40km + 64km + 54km)

Date: October 15th, 2022

Today was the big day. Time to truly kickstart our adventure by venturing into a strange new land called the United States of America. At least that was the idea…

The drive from Saint-Hélène-de-Bagot to the border in Trout River was delightful. The fall foliage was stunning, the roads smooth, and the rural farmland a delight. We arrived to the smallest and most quaint border crossing we had ever set our sights on and were quickly processed. Passports stamped. Fingerprints taken. The glow of New York shining on the horizon. Alas- that would have been too easy.

They didn’t quite have the stamp they needed to approve our cargo full of puppets- so unfortunately we had to backtrack back into Canada all the way to Ontario to another border crossing and back into the USA.

After some more rigamarole and back and forth we were finally able to cross into the Empire State! Needless to say I have never been to the States so many times in a day. Throughout the entire experience I was very grateful for the kindness and patience of border patrol (on both sides). It was a humbling experience grappling for a day with the relentless bureaucracy that so many have to deal with for much longer stretches when crossing borders.

Then it was time to get as much rest as we could… Tomorrow is our first load in and performance at the Sarah M. Snell Theatre at SUNY Potsdam!!

Is the formatting of this post weird? I honestly don’t have the energy to make it look nicer. It’s mostly a time capsule for me anyway, right?

Apologies if you’re actually reading. It’s for you too- promise!

xoxo

Lo

Location: Edmunston, NB > Saint-Hélène -de-Bagot, QC (467km)

Date: October 14th, 2022

It’s me again! Only a couple of days behind in posting. Whoops!

Today we drove from NB to QC and oh boy- did it ever rain the entire drive. Like pouring. Wind howling. There is nothing quite like learning how to drive a van and two days later hitting the highway in a downpour! I found myself throughout this wet drive thinking: surely there are no strange road signs in Quebec to sum up this unrelenting fury from above wrought by an unforgiving and grotesque sky deity.. But oh… There is (see below).

Upon arriving at our hotel just outside of Montreal (depending on how you define ‘just’) Ivy and I settled down by watching a rom-com (the newly released Rosaline) on Netflix. I would provide a review but I feel asleep for most of it. Ivy loved it though!

After getting some rest we met up with my sister Tali and her partner Ellie for dinner at a very tasty place in Saint Hyacinthe called “Piazetta”. Not only was it some solid pizza and bruschetta but they also had vegan “fauxmage” which tickled the my punny bone (is it a bilingual pun)??? We later gathered at the hotel for some planning on our trip to NYC in January and I officially have tickets to see Beetlejuice the Musical!

That’s all I will write for now! Tomorrow is the big cross the border day! What could go wrong? I am writing this in the future- so already know- but no spoilers here!

Next stop- Potsdam! (?)

Location: Halifax, NS > Edmunston, NB (700km)

Date: October 13th, 2022

The dew point is 9 degrees.

HELLO VACUOUS INTERNET VOID. It’s me- Logan. The Logan you know and love. Or don’t know and love. Or know and despise. Yes- that Logan. Sometimes things change. For better or for worse in equal measure change can feel scary regardless of the outcome. At least I think it does… When I read back old blog posts I often begrudgingly wrote to keep record of my life- I am often surprised by the ease of my voice. Was I actually more relaxed as a 18 year old? Was life actually simpler? Or was I just writing most of the posts at midnight in the middle of a field surrounded by camel shit trying to get to the point while sharing some semblance of charm? Am I still funny? These are the questions I ponder. Also what the hell is a dew point?

This blog will likely continue to be a mishmash of personal life, travelling adventures, and bad puns with 80% less wildlife and 100% more puppets.

I am going back on tour! A very different tour to the one I embarked on in 2015! I am performing in the world premiere of Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia‘s production of “It’s Okay to be Different”!

I am thrilled and terrified and trying my best to blog honestly. I feel like over the years I have struggled with finding authentic thoughts and expressions. Even as I write this the dark foggy voice in my mind suggests “being open about your fear of lack of authenticity doesn’t make you authentic”.

Anyways- I am in New Brunswick! At a Days Inn which costs more than nearly every other place we are staying on this leg of the tour. I wish I had more time to stick around and see some actual excitement in Edmunston rather than highway and trees- but alas- it is a stopping place. The drive today was long (and I am still getting used to maneuvering our large van) but it was overall a lovely day to pass non descript fall foliage for hours on end. I feel so fortunate to be on this adventure with my best friend Ivy. She is a non relenting ball of sunshine who is currently sitting in the hotel room with me trying to adjust to not flipping pages on her new ‘kindle’. I have changed a lot over the years and having friends who follow along with me with kindness are worth their weight in gold.

How is this blog reading? Too much personal gunk weighing it down? What is the tone? Am I flitting too freely from revelations and gratitude to travel deets? Should I start talking about moose now? Do I sound more jaded than I used to? I thought inhibition fades with age?

Did you know they have very recently updated the Moose warning signs in Canada? I have attached a photo below comparing the two. I enjoy this for a number of reasons:

1. This was considered important enough that it actually got done. These new signs are in circulation. Somebody approved this and made it happen.
2. These are two indistinguishable creatures. If you showed somebody in New Guinea these two signs they would most certainly tell you they are not the same animal. This is artistic interpretation in signage at a level hitherto unseen.
3. I identify with this moose. The transformation can be seen many ways, I think. Sure- the new moose is more dapper and anatomically correct. I think it looks more like how a moose ‘should’. It conforms excellently to societal expectations and stands proudly doing so. But where is the deformed squidward/peanut nose? Where are the disproportionate front legs? The venus fly traps antlers? This new moose might be a more functioning member of society now but have they lost what made them special? Worth acknowledging?
   
   I like to believe that the old moose is still in there somewhere. Deep down beneath this svelt new form and contoured edges. I mean… I am writing a metaphor about a silhouette of a moose. That is some pretty droopy-nosed behaviour is you ask me and that is fine by me.

On to Montreal tomorrow to spend another night on our way to NY (and to see Tali, my sister who knows me best from my misformed moose days).

Don’t be afraid to change shape. Just remember the forms through which you have travelled to get there.

XOXO

I will spend the next month figuring out what this blog is.

Lo

July 31st, 2016
Hello everyone, remember me?  I’m back for another crazy summer adventure, as I leave Thursday to travel across Ontario with a whole new squad of animals.  

For the next three days I am commiting
to updating this blog with the following:

1. A conclusion of last summers travels (with never before seen photos and stories).
2. An update on my past year at school in Halifax.
3. An update on what the heck I spent the first three months of my summer doing!

There should hopefully be many more hilarious insights into life living with numerous wild animals, and this time around: I’m in charge (yikes).  
Stay tuned for a WILD amount of blogging fun,
Logan