Intense Individual Party #6

Martin Luther King weekend - Jan. 16, 2010 II Had A Dream. Get Ready!

Animals As Props and Outer Wear

there's more where this picture came from.

There is something about people who wear shirts with Tigers.


And wolf t-shirts.

My Little Brother Brian: An Amazing Guy

June 28, 1982 - August 24, 2009


This is the saddest blog I have ever had to write. My brother Brian Gordon Comrie passed away on August 24th. Brian was a big part of Intense Individuals and I felt I needed to post my eulogy I read at his funeral yesterday. While I am so incredibly heartbroken I know he will live inside of me forever and will inspire me to keep writing.

To honor Brian you may make a donation to the either two of the following charities in his name if you'd like.

1) 826National
A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students, aged 6-18, with expository and creative writing.
Brian was writing and creating since he was a young kid. We know he would love to be able to help children express their creativity.

2) The ASPCA
An organization that fights animal cruelty and a rescue center for abandoned or injured animals.
Brian loved animals.

On behalf of my family, thank you for your love and support.

My Eulogy To My Wonderful Little Brother:

As I look out here today and see all of your faces…family and friends of Brian’s from all parts of his life I cannot begin to describe the love my family and I feel. If we feel this much love Brian is feeling it even ten times more. Thank you so much for being here and celebrating a truly extraordinary man who lived 27 beautiful years and touched so many lives.

Brian loved people. And boy, did he love to make people laugh. As siblings Rick, Dan, Matt, Jill and I looked up to him in so many ways. I know I am the oldest, but I still looked up to him. From 1994, the year he says, “started it all” he had a video camera in his hand and was always getting us together to create the most ridiculous videos. That was the year You Know It Productions was created. At the end of every video we would pick someone to look right into the camera and say “You Know It.” That was his slogan in life. You Know It.

Brian was so quick witted and had such a dry sense of humor, finding something funny in the most random things. He entertained a lot of people with those videos we made growing up and continued to entertain people with the videos he made later on in his life. When I was in college I received a package in the mail from my siblings that said Happy Halloween. Inside was a VHS tape with the title “The Ball” on it. The video was of unbelievable. While it was just Brian, Rick, Dan, Jill and Matt throwing a ball around to each other the way they edited it and the music they picked was absolutely priceless. I watched it over and over as I sat on my dorm room floor laughing with tears running down my cheeks. My friends would always ask to watch The Ball video so when the art of DVD burning came around I asked Brian to compile all the You Know It Production videos for me so my friends at school could watch them. That DVD was worn out by the time I left college. Everyone was always asking to watch it. I remember sitting on the couch in my apartment watching all my friends cracking up at all the videos. Those videos had Brian’s humor all over them. He just knew how to make people laugh.

I learned a lot about humor from my little brother. I loved driving in the car with him and seeing something very subtly funny out the window. Without saying anything we would look at each other and bust up laughing. We just got the same humor. One summer back in 2002, we found out our gym had a swing dancing workout class. We decided to go check it out…but first we needed an outfit. We couldn’t just go to a swing dancing class at 24 Hour Fitness in regular gym clothes. So we headed down to the thrift store and pulled together two swing-dancing outfits. We drove over to the gym that evening decked out to the nines. I will never forget the look on the face of the woman behind the counter. Ummmm, hello? We just gave her our membership cards and with a straight face like only Brian could do he said “we are here for the 6pm Swing Dancing Class.” Arm and arm we strolled through the gym that day, him in a suit and a hat me in a green flowing dress getting reactions from all the people on the equipment. We had the time of our life that day at that class. It was an hour long dance with him I will never forget.

As a person, Brian was the most generous guy in the world. He never forgot a birthday and would always order way in advance the most perfect gift he found on eBay. Like the t-shirt he bought me for my birthday with the acronym I.I.W.I.I.

It is what it is. Another one of his favorite sayings.

Brian was a lover of all animals. Especially kittens. I swear of all the cats we had, they always seemed to go to Brian first. I would try and get one to sit on my lap but they’d immediately jump off and hop on Brian’s lap and start purring. He always gave the cats the funniest names. There was Uncle Rico, Lafanda, Preens and Ninez … Oh the list goes on and on. I swear our neighbors must of thought we were so weird when we would yell for Uncle Rico outside every night. Like who is this Uncle of theirs that they can never find.

Another animal that Brian was a huge fan of was Meerkats. You may know what a Meerkat is because of their recent fame on television but Brian liked Meerkats way before they were popular. He called them nervous animals because they walked around with their paws up all the time. He even coined a verb, Meerkating. When someone was nervous he’d say they were meerkating. He always came up with quirky new words that would catch on. Just the other day I was with Stephanie and one of her friends who didn’t even know Brian said, “Oh I was totally meerkating last night.”

Brian was so intelligent, sensitive, and had a heart of gold. He was also an incredibly talented athlete. From Soccer to Baseball to Tennis to Ping Pong (it was really hard to beat him in Ping Pong), and especially his hockey he loved a competition. He met so many wonderful life long friends through these sports. Friends that meant the world to him. He loved playing roller hockey in the backyard with his friends and our brothers. It was one of my favorite things to watch. Sometimes Jill and I would even play but they’d usually suite us up in goalie gear…but it sure was fun! When our cousins from Canada would come to visit there was always a big roller hockey game between the American Comries and the Canadian Comries that we called The Comrie Cup.

As a kid Brian was just always up to something. Every year brought a new adventure. One year he invented TUPA, T-U-P-A ...The Unknown Pointing Arrow. Like I said he loved acronyms. TUPA was a secret place in the canyon behind our house where he would take my siblings and his friends out to just talk, explore nature and have lunch.

My brother was an incredible brother but he was also just an unbelievable son. The relationship he had with my mom and dad was beyond words. They were so close. Mom and Dad I admire you so much for the strength you provided him throughout his life. Your warmth, your hugs, your support and love were immeasurable. He loved you guys so much and always had such a fun time with you. So much laughter!! God, he just spoke the world of you both.

Brian was a confidant, a best friend to me, someone who I could trust with anything and there is a big loss in my heart and the hearts of many. Over the past couple days many people have written us, called us, and stopped by to tell us what Brian meant to them. All we keep hearing is “oh that smile! He had the best smile....He made me laugh so much ....he was so sweet.” The other night my mom walked outside to our porch and saw a candle burning that said forever Brian on it. It did not say who it was from or anything. Whoever did that, thank you…you are an angel.

In the program we listed the things Brian loved. He loved so many things that we could have filled many pages but we listed some of the top ones. I would like to read them out loud for you.

Brian loved:

Comedies, Comedians, and laughing hysterically.

He loved Chile Peppers bean burritos and 1.99s.

He loved cats and kittens.

He loved Ace Ventura and could quote that movie line by line.

He loved The Intense Individual Parties. He even won first place last year as Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump never broke character all night.

He loved thrift shops. Jill was telling us the other day that when he went to visit her in Arizona last year the first thing he asked was where the thrift shops were. He loved to go to thrift shops in the cities he would visit.

He loved awkward moments.

He loved writing, creating, and making films and shorts. He was such a genius. So talented.

He loved fresh berries…especially raspberries from Grandma’s garden. Grandpa he enjoyed our vacations up to Edmonton each summer out to see you so much. I know he is with Grandma now.

He loved the year 1994. To explain that would take too long but we can talk about it later!

He loved hockey and the number 19.

He loved Ali G.

He loved the letter K. He would end sentences with k all the time because it made us laugh.

He loved lemonade. This probably started when we were younger when we had lemonade stands every weekend outside our house. My mom would make the lemonade and then she’d end up buying all of it anyway. We made five bucks.

He loved the Canadian Flag and Canada in general. He loved Canada so much that when he was sixteen he developed a Canadian accent. He had moved from Canada when he was 2 ½ but suddenly he talked like a Canadian. He decorated his room with maple leafs, the Canadian flag hung above his bed, hockey pictures everywhere…it was what he called the GWN. Great White North. I am sure every hockey friend out there right now remembers the Air Canada baggage tape he used to tape his hockey socks and his hockey stick with.

He loved giving people nicknames. It was a connection he made with people.

But most importantly…above all he loved his friends and his family. They meant the world to him.

Brian will be so terribly missed. But I know he will live within all of us forever. And I know for sure that anytime I hear laughter I know he will be right there.

I love you, Beast.

Some pics:
Intense Individual Party #3:


Not in costume! All six of us.


Dressed as a ghostbuster for Greg's "G Themed Birthday Party"


The Family


Intense Individual Party #4
Brian as George Washington and me as Betsy Ross "sew Intense together!"


Doing the 405 dance move:


Intense Individual Party #5 as Lieutenant Dan. He won - stayed in character all night.

Greg was Forrest Gump. They were awesome!

From ii v extra

He loved to make movies!


Meerkating with Ron Riddle (a random story I will write sometime.)

He loved Meerkats!


At Thanksgiving in July. Yes he is the one with the head dress. Such a character.


With Grandma and Grandpa.


Preens the cat on his head.


One of my favorite memories with Brian...The Girl You Know It's True Spoof.
Girl...You Know It's True


Rest In Peace My Dear Brother.

xoxo,
Lisa

Nov 7th The Intense Individual Party #6

We are holding The Intense Individual Party #6 on November 7th at Brick By Brick...an INCREDIBLE venue in San Diego! Mark your calendars!!

Yes that is a guy playing Bernie from Weekend At Bernies. Yes, he stayed like at all night and people had to carry him around with the and prop him up at the bar.

Donating Blood!!

Is it wrong that I secretly like to give blood because they offer you donuts and make you feel like “you have to eat them” to bring your blood sugar up? I mean, you could opt for the Fig Newton bar and apple juice that is on the table next to the donuts but it’s not what they really recommend, right? As you meander to the waiting room with your blue bandage around your arm, the sweet old lady who volunteers Monday through Thursday from 2:30 to 5:30 smiles at you ever so sweetly behind the counter and says, “Here honey, have a donut.” How can you say no!?! She smiles a grin full of dentures as she watches you take that glazed donut dripping with melted sugar out the box and a glass of cold milk to wash it down. The proud look on her face says "it’s ok that you are about to go stuff your face with grease and sugar because you may have just saved a life!"

When you give blood you also give calories right? Like once that needle is pricked into your vein all the calories consumed for the day ARE GONE so you have to replenish your body with fried dough! Oh, another thing is that the blood bank people are really serious about you not working out the day you give blood so the guilt of not going to the gym that day also cancels out!

I LOVE SAVING LIVES!

Rubber Duck Saves A Woman's Life

This is an amazing story! Shirley Madsen, a 90 year-old woman was stuck inside her bathtub for three days. The only thing that saved her was a rubber duck that she drank water out of. READ THIS STORY


This past weekend was Anne and Tom's wedding in Milwaukee. What a fantastic wedding and wonderful couple. Here they are with Ardy (the rubber duck who has not saved any lives yet but would sure love to).


Milwaukee is a very interesting city...especially the airport. Greg and I saw two things at the airport that were extremely confusing.

1) The "Recombobulation Area." You know...the area where you put your coins back in your wallet, your belts back on, stuff that plastic bag of 3oz cosmetics back in your bag, and put your shoes back on your now filthy feet.


2) "The Casual Traveler" sign. Have you ever seen the "Traveler" signs at airport security? The "Professional Traveler" signs have an image on them of a guy in a suit and tie with a briefcase....because only people who wear a suit and carry a briefcase know how to travel. The other sign is that of the "Casual Traveler" which is usually an image of a guy wearing a baseball hat. Because guys who wear baseball hats don't know how to travel. But in Milwaukee the "Casual Traveler" is riding a motorcycle!!!!! I guess by "Casual" they mean stupid. Stupid "Casual Traveler" who thinks they will get through security on their motorcycle. "I swear, Sir, it will fit in the overhead compartment!"

I can just hear the Airport Security now as the CT cruises up to security on his sweet ride..."OMG...look at that Casual Traveler riding up in the motorcycle. He is so Casual."

Side Note: people need to stop letting dogs sit on their laps when they are driving so that the dog can poke his head out the window. It is completely ridiculous and dangerous. If you think you are giving the dog a chance to feel what it is like drive the roads....you are sadly mistaken. They don't give a damn other than getting some fresh air. Another option...roll your passenger window down, plop them down on the seat, and let them pretend they are driving in the UK. I may have to make a Citizen's Arrest if you don't stop doing this.

Sorry We Missed You

As I pulled up to my house tonight I noticed there was a little orange piece of paper in between my screen on my door. From afar it looked like a UPS slip. For the 30 seconds between the time I parked, got out of the car, and walked up to my door I thought I had a parcel waiting for me at the North Park Postal Office. But no. It wasn't a parcel. It was a fruit basket. A note that said "SORRY WE MISSED YOU!" Please call Mon-Sat before 8pm to schedule another delivery. Well, I felt like some fruit so I called right then.


This was my conversation.

Fruit Basket Guy (FBG): Hello thank you calling. (BROAD)
Me: Hi, I got a notice that I have a fruit basket.
FBG: Oh yes. What is your delivery number?
Me: 4537. B52.
FBG: Ok. Well, you are lucky because you have been chosen to receive a free fruit basket to say thanks for being part of the neighborhood.
Me: What?
FBG: We are offering it right now as a special offer.
Me: And it's free?
FGB: We will also throw in a free carpet cleaning service, you pick the room in your house and it's on us.
Me: What does this have to do with fruit?
FBG: Any room you want, we will clean it.
Me: I don't want my carpet cleaned I want the fruit.
FBG: Well, we use a 100% Chem-dry formula that will dry in 40 minutes or less.
Me: Ok what is this fruit or carpets?
FBG: We do both.
Me: Well I only want the fruit, ok?
FBG: OK. We will send you the fruit. All you need to do is watch a commercial on our carpet cleaning service and sign up for a free trial and we will bring you your basket for free.
Me: YOU ARE RIDICULOUS.

I hung up.

When I was a kid we used to get Harry and David every month. Harry and David, over-priced delectable fruit in a perfectly packaged box that was delivered via stork every month. No my parents did not supply this grandiose monthly treat to us...the person behind this was none other than Mr. SJ. I am using his initials to protect his identity even though I barley know the guy. Mr. SJ was a guy my dad worked with back in the 80s. In 1986 he bought us a year supply of Harry and David fruit for Christmas.
Here are Harry and David (Rosenberg)


When the year ran up, I think Mr. SJ just renewed it because he'd feel guilty if he didn't. We were members of the "Fruit-of-the-Month Club" for the next eight years, even after he stopped working with my dad! Every month..even in July...the box would arrive with the note attached, "Merry Christmas from Mr. SJ!" It was incredible. It was the best fruit imagineable. Sometimes I would close my eyes as I bit into the mango that I had just unwrapped from the green packaging and pretend I was in Mexico.
Harry and David were even more popular to us Comrie kids than the Schwan ice cream man who'd randomly appear with free samples once a year. (Looking back on that Schwan's was Sketchy with a capital S). They had damn good ice cream sandwiches though.

Anyway, when Mr. SJ cut off the subscription that we had now become very accustomed to my siblings and I were kind of pissed. I mean we felt sort of betrayed. What did we do to to deserve to be shunned by the guy we had met only once in our life? Did we mean nothing to him anymore?

Probably.