For reasons I won’t bore you with, I was compelled to take a year-long hiatus from climbing and stand-up comedy. In my case, it was akin to a heroin-user going cold turkey.

Since I identify myself as a climber, comedian and dog-lover in my LinkedIn, Twitter and FB biographies, it hurt big-time to lose two of those three loves. It also did a number on my self-image (hence the relevance of today’s blog).

Happily, that was then and this is now.

In the last month alone, I’ve climbed in New Hampshire and The Gunks (rock-climbing’s answer to Mecca). I also have an especially rugged trip in northern Maine scheduled for next week.

And, much to the chagrin of Greenwich Village Comedy Club patrons, I’ve returned to the stage, and am once again living up to my personal motto of: Expect Less.

I suppose this holds true in most cases, but having temporarily lost two of my passions in life, it is beyond cool to be re-engaging with each. I’m back in the high-life again. And my Donald Trump-like self-image is alive and well.