Dan Hare Author/Speaker/Entertainer

January 2012

2012-02-01T23:27:00.000-08:00

Well it's my first Blog of 2012 and the year has started well. After a fantastic New Year's Eve with the March Hare Band at Mavericks in Cloverdale, we were happy to perform at the River Rock Casino Resort on Jan 6-7. Our friend Rick is the GM there and it's always nice to see him and all the staff, friends and fans at the River Rock.

On Sunday, Jan 8, we had the pleasure of celebrating and performing at Coby's Dad's 65th birthday with about 100 family and friends in attendance. Happy Birthday Richard! What a popular guy.

We did another Elvis show in January at the River Rock Theatre with our good friend Wally Tiemer as Elvis Gold. This is a shot of him sitting in for a few tunes at Lulu's.

On January 21st, one of the fighters from our gym, Dragon's Den Martial Arts/ Ocean City Boxing, took part in the boxing tournament at the Cascades Casino in Langley. Kylec Taylor did an exceptional job and won a title for our club.

The March Hare Band did some very fun events in January including the Northwest Showmen's League party at the Tulalip Casino in Washington State, The Continental Cup of Curling at the Langley Events Centre, and the Retro Party at Mount Washington Ski Resort.

I am playing lots of great gigs, promoting my book, writing and recording songs, and doing martial arts training several days per week. I have recently been studying Doce Pares Eskrima with my friend and instructor Shane Redmond that I'm really enjoying. Also I am recording some projects through Dawn Haze Music, including my friend Sly the Groove Singa, as well as giving some lessons in guitar and voice to those who ask.

Life is good!

December 2011

2012-01-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that another year has come to an end. It's always a time to reflect and look at where I've been, where I'm at and where I'm going. I am blessed in so many ways with family, friends, work, health, and opportunity. It was a very difficult year losing friend and bandmate Kimberly Baskerville in August, but 2011 ended well and I'm looking forward to a prosperous 2012.

December was a good month but the highlight was the birth of my grandson Rocco on December 21st. My daughter Ashley was healthy and everything went very well as he made his entrance into the world. It's a real celebration. This is my Mum Joan with Ash and baby right after he was born.

I performed for lots of Corporate Christmas events with the March Hare Band in the month of December and they were all lots of fun. Check the pictures. Christmas is always the best time of year for the band, and the next best is the fun Summer season with all the festivals and outdoor events.

I also performed once again for the Christmas party at the Women's Correctional Institution, something I have done for over ten years. It's always nice to give back and do some events like that every year, and the crowd is very appreciative.

On December 13th I performed by myself at Maverick's acoustic night to a fun and enthusiastic Tim Horton's Christmas Party crowd. It was a very good time.

On Dec 21st I performed at the Backstage Lounge on Granville Island with my friend Sylvia as part of Three Chord Renaissance. She performed a selection of her original tunes. After Christmas I had the opportunity to record and play one at my studio as part of Dawn Haze Music.

New Year's Eve was tons of fun at Maverick's Tap House. It was completely sold out and everyone had a great time. We took lots of pictures and had a blast with all the friends and fans that came.

Our beautiful purebread boxer Zoe got through a tough time over the Summer with complications from spaying and food allergies, and she turned one year old on Christmas day. Then she was humiliated by being forced to wear a sock monkey and pose for a picture. But she's a happy, healthy, fun loving, goof ball so she's ok with it....

Thanks for checking my blog and all the best in 2012. Onward and upward........

November 2011

2011-12-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone and thanks for checking my November Blog. It was a busy and productive month as I accomplished a great deal and got some projects back on track, I learned how to use photoshop and adjust my pictures so I can update and manage my photos and websites. It was a challenge and I have a long way to go, but I love learning so it's all good. I also learned how to use my web editor and was able to undate and refurbish my Dawn Haze Music website. I offer information about band shows, acoustic shows, writing and recording, consulting and teaching and original music. I will be doing more recording at home now both on my own projects as well as other selected artists.

I did quite a few shows in November with the March Hare Band including some private events, corporate functions, and a club date. At the end of November we flew up to Williams Lake to perform at a gala fundraiser that was a very good time. On the way up we flew in a small plane where we could see the cockpit and pilots as we were flying. Very cool experience.

I had the pleasure of doing a speaking engagement at the Worthington in Abbotsford sharing the stories about researching and writing my book to an attentive and enthusiastic audience. I have lots to share and always enjoy the experience.

I continue to train in Martial Arts at Dragn's Den in White Rock several days per week and am instructing quite a bit as well as I work toward my 2nd degree Black Belt. I have also been training in Doce Pares Eskrima stick fighting under my friend Shane and am enjoying it very much. It's challenging and I have lots to learn, but I love to learn new things so it's invigorating.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a boxing match in Langley to see some hard fought battles. One of our guys, Gurp, was fighting and did his best but came up short. Back to the gym.....

Thanks for checking my blog. It's been two years I have been doing these now and is a good way to journal what I'm up to. The Christmas season is here and there's lots going on so I'm happy to be busy and productive. All the best in December and I'll post my next blog Jan 1st.

October 2011

2011-10-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

October was a good month of mostly music related stuff. Rebuilding the March Hare Band has been a challenge but it's working out very well with Coby Palidwar. On October 1st we did a fundraiser for the Eagle Ridge Hospital and once again had the opportunity to work with local news man Steve Darling. It was a very fun event that raised almost $100,000.00 for some medical equipment. We were honored to be part of this event.

March Hare did shows at the Red Robinson Theatre in the Boulevard Casino, as well as the Lion's Den Show Lounge. There were also some shows at Maverick's Tap House, a 50th birthday party and two Halloween events.

I also had the opportunity to do another acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley which I always enjoy. It's always a fun time and the staff and patrons are friendly and appreciative.

I have been doing a series of guitar lessons and uploaded the second one in the series to my youtube account danhareguitar. I will be doing the next one in November.

As I look ahead into November I will be getting back on track with my projects after the loss of friend, band mate and business partner Kimberly Baskerville. I will be recording and completing some songs, redoing the websites that Kim always looked after (Dan Hare and Dawn Haze Music), and learning how to use photoshop so I can work on my own photos. It's a challenge but I'm up for it.

Life is an adventure so onward and upward.

September 2011

2011-09-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Well September was a good month of rebuilding after a very difficult Summer and the loss of friend and band mate Kimberly Baskerville. The March Hare Band is very happy to welcome Coby Palidwar as a friend and band mate. She is an exceptional talent and we are thrilled to have her on board. The first shows she did with the band were Lulu's at the River Rock Casino Resort and an outdoor event at Hastings Park Raceway. Hastings is always a fun gig, especially on a nice day, and it's always good to see our friend Don Adams who has been a great friend to our band for many years.

We were pleased to participate in an event for the Portland Housing Society (PHS) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their dental clinic on the Downtown East Side. They do a great work and we are always happy to support their events. Thanks to Shawna for hooking us up and of course Kailin who not only ran things extremely well but dressed up as a tube of toothpaste to promote dental health. :-) What a sport!

September was busy for me as I also did a memorial service at the Langley Senior's Centre on September 17 for a friend of mine whose Dad was taken in a car accident. And I did the acoustic night at Maverick's Tap House and Grill on Tuesday the 22nd. It was originally booked for me and Kim but I did it by myself in her memory. It was a good time with the friends that came down.

I once again had the opportunity to perform my acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley on Sept 8, and the band had a very fun time performing an 80s show in the Summit Theatre there on Sept 24.

I finally got around to posting my first guitar lesson video on YouTube to try and pass on some of my experience playing guitar. It's nice to share and I hope it helps some people.

The future looks bright so it's onward and upward. Thanks for checking my blog.

August 2011

2011-09-02T02:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Well this turned out to be a very difficult Summer for me with the loss of my good friend and business associate Kimberly Baskerville who died tragically on August 11. Kim and I had been working together for many years. She was a masterful performer and integral part of the March Hare Band, so it was a great loss on both a personal and business level.

On August 2nd, Kim and I performed an acoustic show at Maverick's Taphouse in Surrey. I didn't know it at the time but it was to be our last acoustic show. Then on August 6th we performed at Peachfest in Penticton which was Kim's final performance ever. She will be greatly missed.

Kim's final performance, Peachfest in Penticton

There was a memorial for Kim on August 20th at Trinity Catholic Church in Nanaimo, then another at my home church, Brookswood Baptist Church in Langley on Aug 21st. Both were attended by hundreds of friends, fans, and people who knew and loved her. There is an online guestbook for Kim's memory at http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/can-vancouver/guestbook.aspx?n=kimberly-baskerville&pid=153166022
Feel free to have a look at the entries and/or sign it in her memory.

Given what happened on August 11, the rest of the events in August were with a heavy heart.

On August 18th I did a speaking engagement with my book for a volunteer appreciation lunch at the 411 Seniors complex in Vancouver. It was a very fun time. Many thanks to Cory Murnane for inviting me and treating me so well.

Later that day Andy and I did a music in the park event at Douglas Community Centre in Vancouver. It was a very nice day and all the people really enjoyed the music. Thanks to Cindy Williams for having us.

The month finished with band dates doing Elvis shows at the PNE with our good friend Wally Tiemer as Elvis Gold, a date at the Grand Villa Casino, and a wedding for the daughter of a friend.

September looks to be better as we rebuild the band and hope for brighter days ahead.

Rest in Peace Kimmy

All the best...

July 2011

2011-08-01T01:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking my blog for July 2011. The month started out great by having the opportunity to celebrate this wonderful country we call Canada with our friends at the City of Delta. It was an honour to once again be able to celebrate with Mayor Jackson, Councilor Anne Peterson and all the fantastic people who came out to celebrate. Kim was once again invited to sing O Canada and Mayor Jackson helped out by singing harmony. It was a great day!

March Hare was once again the house band at Merritt Mountain Music Festival. It was an honour to be there and have a chance to see lots of friends and fans as well as perform with many aspiring artists. My son Dorian performed there as well with his aptly named band Mad Hatter.

Mad Hatter: Dorian, Dave, Jermaine

After a few days holiday at Banbury, near Penticton, with by brother and family, the band headed up the Salmon Arm to perform at the Sturgis North Festival. I had lots of friends involved in the show so was very happy to be there with March Hare.

As a long time BC resident I am embarrassed to say I have never been up the Squamish Chief. So my wife and I decided to take our new puppy "Zoe" up there. It was a long trek but well worth it with a sense of accomplishment and a spectacular view. This country is breathtakingly beautiful.

The March Hare Band was once again asked to perform at the Boulevard 500 Car Show at the Boulevard Casino. It was another spectacular event and I was very happy to be there. Gene Simmons was there with the cast of Family Jewels so we performed a couple Kiss tunes for him and his family. They really enjoyed it and complimented the band when I was getting my picture taken with them. We also got another opportunity to work with fantastic DJ and MC, Alibaba. Overall it was a great day!

I had the opportunity to once again perform my acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley. It's always a nice atmosphere there and I am always happy to be asked to perform there.

Well July is done so it's on to a very busy August. I have some speaking engagements this month as well as many and various music events. Check back for all the details at the end of the month. And feel free to email with any comments or questions. danhare@danhare.com

June 2011

2011-07-01T01:49:00.000-07:00

Well there goes June 2011. It was a very busy and productive month for me as I look forward to a very busy Summer. On June 4th I had the pleasure to once again perform at the Summerland Action Festival, a slo-pitch tournament with over 70 teams. It's always a very good time with very friendly people. And the band got to have a nice dinner with our friend Doug and his family. Check the pics on the March Hare site.

On June 8th I was asked to speak at the Residences at Belvedere to help celebrate the era of people I had interviewed for my book. They were a wonderfully receptive audience and I was very honored to be there.

June 9th, also my wife's birthday, I was very honored to once again be asked to be a judge for Langley's Senior Idol held in the theatre of the Cascades Casino. It is a very fun time with lots of laughs. And the grand prize is $1000.00 so the finalists were all very good. My fellow judges were to my right master vocal instructor and entertainer Althea Di Gregario, Agent/Musician and long time friend Gordy Van Ieperen, along with professional entertainers Colleen Durden and Gail Hawksworth.

On June 17-18 I performed with the March Hare Band at the Lion's Den at the Boulevard Casino, and then on Sunday June 19th (Father's Day and my son Dorian's birthday) March Hare performed at Hastings Park.

Don Adams of DonPaul Entertainment and Hastings Park General Manager Raj Mutti

On June 16 I was once again asked to perform my acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley.

Glacier Lounge in the Cascades Casino

March Hare was honored to be asked to do an interactive Disco show for a Tim Horton's Road Rally. It was an awesome event and the people from Tim Hortons were first class in every respect. The MC and motivational speaker, Retro Bill, was a complete hoot. Excellent!

March Hare with Retro Bill at the Massey Theatre

March Hare had a great time with PMAC at the Whistler Convention Centre.

We got a new puppy in June. She's a 6 month old pure bred boxer and her name is Zoe. This is her during the Vancouver hockey riots showing her "cowbelly." Riot? What riot?

ZOE

I'm still recording the new March Hare album and have several other projects in the works, writing, speaking performing.

Thanks again for checking my blog. July will be very exciting so check back for the update. I hope you all have a great Summer! Life is good.

May 2011

2011-06-03T02:23:00.000-07:00

Is it me or is time going very fast now? I feel like I'm racing through a time tunnel. It's June 3rd and I'm just getting to my May blog. Well it was a busy month of recording, performing, writing, and looking forward to a very busy Summer, starting with a very busy June.

On May 7th I had the honor of doing a large event at the River Rock Casino Resort for the Rotary International Group. It was a first class event with top notch people. What a pleasure. Many thanks to Penny and all the wonderful people who were part of the event.

On May 19th I once again had the opportunity to perform my acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley. It's always a fun time there and the staff and crowd are second to none.

The Cloverdale Rodeo is a tradition where I live and it's always an honor to be part of it. The band performed two shows there on Saturday May 21. I got to see lots of friends and fellow entertainers including Doug and the Slugs, Blue Scarlett Band, Appaloosa, Snake Oil, and Emily Taylor Adams (below). It was a very fun time. After performing on Saturday I got to go on Sunday and just be a tourist.

Before we performed with the band at the Cloverdale Rodeo I was very honoured to be asked to be a judge for the B.C. Junior Talent Search. There were some terrific singers and it was a very fun time. I got to be on a panel with my buddies (see below) Me, Byron James (JR FM, etc.), Jim Black, Steve Danielsen, and Tom Zillich of the Now Newspaper.

Continuing with my Martial Arts training, I'm very proud of two guys from our gym, (Dragon's Den Elite MMA) Josh and Eli who had a great showing winning Silver and Gold at the Can Am Tournament on May 29th.

Well May was a great month but now it's onward to a very busy June with lots going on. I'm doing a speaking engagement to promote my book, judging senior idol, and doing lots of shows with the band and my acoustic.

April 2011

2011-05-02T02:21:00.000-07:00

Well there goes April, 2011 and time for my monthly blog update. I hope you're all doing well.

It was a fun and diverse month for me that started with an Elvis Show with our good friend and superb performer Wally "Elvis Gold" Tiemer. The venue was a sold out Lynn Valley Legion where Jamie and the gang there treated us first class all the way.

On April 5th Kim and I did another acoustic Tuesday night at Maverick's in Cloverdale. They are always lots of fun and we really enjoy our time at Maverick's. Many thanks to all the friends and fans who came down to say hi and hear some music, and of course thanks always to Troy, Dave and Don.

On April 6th I took my last class at Douglas College in the Music Business. I have been in the biz for many years but I always love to learn new things so it was interesting to have the opportunity to listen to Graham Way over 12 weeks talking about all aspects of the music biz. Many thanks to Graham. Feel free to check his blog which serves as a tremendous (and free) music biz resource. And if you know anyone who needs more information about the music biz, direct them to Graham's website as he will be offering another Douglas College class in the near future.

On April 9th I travelled with the March Hare Band to the Hyatt in Calgary to once again perform for the Oilmen's. This was their 61st and was a blast. Many thanks to Klaas and all the first class people involved in the event. More pictures at this link.

Me with Klaas Craats

On April 15th we were honored to be part of the General Paint 100th anniversary. It was truly a memorable event and I learned a great deal about this fantastic company. They have been a staple in Vancouver for 100 years, have never had a strike, and have many long term employees. What a place. I'm a General Paint fan after having done this event. And we got to work with our friend Global TV weather man Wayne Cox.

March 2011

2011-04-04T00:36:00.000-07:00

Well March was a super busy month for me with lots of exciting stuff going on. It began on March 1st with an acoustic gig with me and Kim at Mavericks Tap House in Cloverdale. It's a fantastic atmosphere set by Don, Dave and Troy, and it's always fun performing for our friends and fans. Then on March 10th I once again performed my acoustic show at the Cascades Casino in Langley. That's always a fun time and I really enjoy the opportunity to perform songs by my favourite acoustic artists. The new March Hare CD is coming along well as we want to have it done by the end of June. And we're recording some acoustic tunes as well. It's great having a home studio.

I continue to work out frequently at my home gym Dragon's Den in South Surrey. In February I was fortunate enough to attend a Martial Arts seminar at Richmond Martial Arts with world famous MMA fighter (now retired) Bas Rutten that was an awesome experience. His appearance made the newspaper and I was in the shot. Plus a professional photographer took pictures throughout the day and I share some here.

I did pretty well in the stand up stuff with partner and Olympic wrestler Greg Edgelow, then he schooled me on the ground as he twisted me into a human pretzel (note the look on my face).

I love to learn and always want to feel like I'm moving forward in life so I am constantly reading, watching documentaries, seeking wisdom from those in the know, and attending classes of all kinds. Along with my ongoing martial arts training I have been taking a course in the business of music for the past twelve weeks at Douglas College. On March 4th an 5th I was fortunate enough to attend an apologetics seminar with some very impressive speakers. Among the speakers were Dr. Craig Hazen, Dr. John Mark Reynolds, Dr. Paul Chamberlain, Greg Koukl and Steve Tsai. It was a fantastic experience and I learned a great deal.

I make a full time living as a musician/entertainer and March was another busy month for The March Hare Band. On March 5th we did a fundraiser for Holly Elementary School that was a huge success. Then we did a very successful weekend at Mavericks. On March 19th we did a fundraiser at Jubilee Hall in Abbotsford that was really fun and we did a show at the Grand Villa Casino March 25-26. We were able to present a very special picture to friend and fan Sharon, and my friend Corey Phillips (guitar player extraordinaire from the band Dance Mob) came down to say hi. You can see more pictures at this link.

On March 24th I (along with the band) was happy to be part of the Twestival fundraiser that raised money for Canuck Place in Abottsford. It was a tremendous success that was very well attended. Teri, Kristi, and a whole team of dedicated people made this event happen. Check more pictures at this link.

At the end of the month, my wife Lynette and I took a five day trip to Las Vegas that was a very nice time. We saw Beatles Cirque De Soleil, did some shopping, checked out all the big hotels (including Paris and the Eifel Tower where the panoramic picture was taken), had some nice dinners and walked lots. We also got to see my friends Steven and Cassandra's Superstars of Magic Show on the strip that was fantastic, and we also did a tour of the Hoover Dam that was super cool.

Well thanks for checking my blog and I hope all is well. Thanks for all the emails and kind words. On into April!

February 2011

2011-03-01T01:53:00.000-08:00

Wow is time flying or what? I can't believe it's March already. February was a very full and fun month. Kimberly Baskerville and I did an acoustic show at Maverick's Tap House on Feb 1st. It's run by some friends of ours (Don, Norma, Dave, etc.) and is a great place with great food and atmosphere.

On Feb 4-5 I had another great time performing with the March Hare Band at the Lion's Den in the Boulevard Casino.

On Saturday Feb 5, I celebrated good friend Mike William's 60th birthday. He has been a Chiropractor for many years and was involved in the music business with me during the 1980s. He has been a good friend and supporter for many years and has been a very positive influence in my life. Happy Birthday Mike!

On Feb 7 I went down to Joe Fortes in Vancouver to celebrate his 50th birthday with my good friend Wally Tiemer (Elvis Gold). I have done many shows with Wally over the years and have a tremendous love and respect for him as an entertainer and a person. We will be performing with Wally again in April and will be back at the PNE with him in August.

On Feb 17 I was delighted to once again return to the Cascades Casino in Langley to do my acoustic show. It's so nice to sit and play awesome tunes by James Taylor, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, and more. I will be there once a month for the foreseeable future. Many thanks to all the family and friends that came out to say hi and hear some tunes.

On February 18 I was thrilled to be able to attend the Seeing Red fights at the Boulevard Casino. Shawn Pallan from my home gym The Dragon's Den Elite MMA was on the card and won his fight. He did an excellent job and we were all very proud of him.

Moses * Dan * Shawn

On Feb 24 March Hare performed for the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board Medallion Awards. It was a very fun event and we were happy to be part of it. We saw lots of friends there including the Love family of Love Realty (Derek, Carsten and Gary), and Val and Richard from West Coast Realty as well as many others like Joe Traversa, and too many more to mention. See more pictures at this link.

Derek, Carsten, Dan, Gary

Edna, Dan, Val, Richard

The MC for the event was none other than the lovely Dawn Chubai from Breakfast Television on City TV. We have worked with her before and she is a pleasure to work with. She also plugged my book on Breakfast TV which I appreciated very much.

On Saturday Feb 26 I had the rare opportunity to attend a seminar and train with world famous MMA legend Bas Rutten at Richmond Martial Arts. It was a fantastic experience as he was funny, engaging, and very informative. I learned lots from him and enjoyed the experience very much.

Me and Bas Rutten

Johnny Ahmed

Olympic Wrestler Greg Edgelow

Bas Demonstrates "The Neck Crank"

Well February was a busy but good month. I have lots of projects on the go and will be busy singing, performing, speaking and studying in the coming weeks and months. Check back again.

January 2011

2011-02-03T01:59:00.000-08:00

Wow what a fantastic and busy start to 2011. New Year's Eve at Maverick's Tap House was a very fun time with family and friends followed by an open house on New Year's Day.

On January 7-8 March Hare went to Merritt to perform for our good friend Melva at the Desert Inn. On Saturday January 7th I had the pleasure of doing an in store appearance with Jennifer at Country Bug Books. It was a fun afternoon visiting with Jen and talking to customers.

On January 9th I was very pleased to be the guest of honor at my Black Belt Certificate presentation. It was a nice dinner celebration and felt awesome to be awarded with this rank. It was almost five years of very hard but rewarding effort to be awarded last June. This was the formal part. Many thanks to Steve and Michelyne (owners of the Dragon's Den) as well as Terry, Josh, JJ, Sean, Josh, and too many more to mention.

Along with the band shows I did several acoustic shows as well. I performed at Mavericks with band mate Kimberly Baskerville, then I did a show at the Cascades Casino in Langley where I am featured once a month. Then I did a show at Mavericks with my son Dorian. My friend Lori Jordan came down and sang some songs, and Brent Lee was there one of the nights as well.

Kim and the gang

My son Dorian

My beautiful daughter Ashley

Brent Lee

Lori Jordan

The March Hare Band was once again featured at the River Rock Casino and good friend and General Manager Rick Duff and his wife Sue came down with a group to enjoy the show. He also brought his friend Richard Brodeur who is still a hero in this town for the 1982 Canucks run to the cup.

Rick Duff

"King" Richard Brodeur

Onward and upward into 2011. Lots of good stuff happening in February. Life is good.

December 2010

2011-01-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Well December is always a busy month and was once again the best month of the year for the March Hare Band. On December 2-3 we had the privilege of flying to Medicine Hat to perform for the Canada Cup of Curling. In the past we have performed for the Ford Men's and Women's World Curling Championships (In Edmonton and Vernon) as well as several other events. This was every bit as much fun and we were very happy to be part of it.

December is the month for corporate Christmas parties and this year we celebrated Christmas with some of our favourite corporate clients like McCarthy-Teterault, Re/Max, Coldwell Banker, Honda, ATS Electrolube, Familiy Insurance, and more. The view downtown at the Convention Centre is spectacular this time of year.

I have been doing more Acoustic shows over the past months and was happy to once again be featured at the Cascades in Langley. Lots of friends and family came down to say hi and hear some James Taylor, Jim Croce and Gordon Lightfoot.

On December 13th I had the honour of once again performing for a Christmas party at the Women's Institution. I have performed at various correctional institutions for the past 15 years and always make it an important part of my Christmas. I am always blessed personally with family Christmas events as well, and this year was no exception.

On December 30th Lynette and I had the pleasure of dining with our friend Rick Duff (GM of the River Rock Casino Resort), his wife Sue, and some other friends, at Tramonto's Restaurant. What an awesome time and awesome food. Then we went to a private suite and watched Foreigner play all their hits. It was a good time with good people and Foreigner rocked the house.

I had the chance to see Rachael Chatoor and some friends of mine performing at Lulu's in the River Rock. Mick Dalla Vee was on bass, Shawn Soucy on drums, and Russ Marsland on guitar. It was nice to be in the audience for a change and see my friends do the work ;-). And they were great!

The year ended with a fantastic gig at Maverick's Tap House and Grill with tons of friends and fans. Many thanks to Don Taylor and all the crew at Mavericks. We'll be there many more times in the future.

Happy New Year and all the best in 2011!

November 2010

2010-12-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Thanks for checking my blog. Well November was a relatively calm month for me as I look toward the very busy Christmas season. November began with an Elvis show with our good friend Wally Teimer as Elvis Gold. It's always fun doing shows with Wally.

Then we did a band photo shoot where I also got a few book pictures at The Image of You studios with the incomparable Suzanne Paxton.

We did a very fun event with the band at the Chateau Whistler for BMO and had the chance to watch and meet Colin Mochrie. He was both funny and nice, a great combination.

On the academic front I was fortunate enough to attend a seminar given by well known author and scholar, and Bishop of Durham, N.T. Wright. It was an interesting discussion amongst scholars, although somewhat thick and dry at times as such events tend to be. But it was informative and I was happy to be there.

I also did an acoustic gig downtown at the Elephant Walk which was lots of fun. Oh and I had two crowns done so got to spend some time in the dentist's chair. But I have the best dentist, Janice Page and her awesome crew at Prism Dental Centre. Smile!

Lots going on in December and for Christmas 2010.

October 2010

2010-11-02T01:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Thanks for checking my blog. October was a VERY busy month with lots of things going on. March Hare did lots of gigs including a private birthday party, several corporate dates, several club dates, the River Rock Casino, and two Halloween shows in Kamloops and Vernon. Plus we did a photo shoot that turned out very well. Check the band web page for latest band info March Hare. And there's always new info on the Dan Hare site and the Dawn Haze Music site.

On Oct 6th I did a seminar on wellness and aging at the Arbutus Club. It was a very nice time and I had a good time speaking with seniors who were very interested in what I learned about the topic through my research and writing. Thanks to my friend and GM Brent Elkington.

Lately I have been doing some acoustic shows as people really like the James Taylor, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and John Denver stuff. On Oct 21st I had a nice time at the Cascades Casino in Langley. Lots of friends came down to say hi and enjoy the music.

On October 22 I had the opportunity to do a seminar on Brazilian Ju Jitsu with Don Whitefield and my friend Kevin Doerksen. It was a great experience and I learned lots. Check out Personal Best Martial Arts in Port Coquitlam and West Coast Ju Jitsu. And of course I still train several days a week at my home gym Dragons Den Martial Arts in South Surrey.

On Oct 23rd I attended a seminar with Tom Jackson as he worked with the Jordan Doell Band. I have seen him before and he is excellent at helping bands be their best.

Me with Tom Jackson

Tom works with the Jordan Doell Band

Family friend Reynold Sokolik passed away of cancer at the age of 47 and I was honored to be able to comfort the family and facilitate the memorial at Valley View in Surrey.

Reynold's Sister Tammy

R.I.P. Reynold

On Oct 26 I had the chance to perform 40 minutes of original music with my friends in Blue Voodoo at Jazzy Jones in Langley for their Singer Songwriter Showcase. The turn out was modest and there was a Canucks game on at the same time, but it was nice to hear the Blue Voodoo music and have the opportunity to perform some of my own tunes.

My friend and Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar dressed as Ricky Bobby at the Mash Bash Halloween event at the Kamloops Conference Centre on Oct 29th. It was great to see Pete and Lianne again, and the event was a huge success!

September 2010

2010-10-01T02:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone....

Thanks for checking my Blog post for September 2010. It was both fun and busy. I was finally able to obtain the video from my TV appearance on P3 discussing various aspects of my book. It was a great opportunity to share some of the things I discovered in more than two years of interviewing people.
Check the video on You Tube

The month of September kicked off with two very exciting nights performing with my good friend Wally Tiemer as Elvis Gold. He put on a fantastic show with a full 11 piece band, and I was very happy to be part of it. Various sizes of the band from the 4 piece all the way up will be doing more shows with Wally in the future.

On September 25th The March Hare Band went to perform a show at the Capital Sound Stage in Merritt, part of Iron Mountain Music. During the day I was able to connect with Jennifer at Country Bug Books and speak about my book. There was an event going on in town, hence the 50s costume, and it was a nice chance to share some of my experiences. Jennifer has my book available in her store.

On Sept 4th the band was asked to perform at the Abbottsford Long and McQuade music store which is always an honour for a musician. We were happy to be there and see all our friends including district manager Steve Davis and family. More pictures on our band website.

Then on Sept 8 we did a very fun outdoor event at the Arbutus Club in Vancouver. Our good friend and magician extraordinaire Rick Mearns wowed the crowd and made everyone laugh. see more at Vancouver Magic

It was very nice to be asked to perform for the BC Derby at Hastings Park. Since it rained outside, Kim and I did an acoustic show at the entrance. It's always a fun time at Hastings and we have been there many times. Thanks go to GM Raj, and of course Don Adams.

It was a big thrill for me to be asked to perform for the Society of BC Notaries in Whistler. I have three friends who serve on their Board of Directors so it was a very fun and friendly time. And it was nice to see MLA Dave Hayer. We had a nice talk about the similar last name and their various origins. It was also nice to visit with BC Attorney General Mike DeJong. Many thanks to Wayne Braid, Rebecca, Akash, Mike K., and of course my friend Tammy. They did a nice write up on the band in their booklet.

August 2010

2010-09-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Thanks for checking my blog. As I said in my previous posting, I will be updating monthly from now on so I can keep better track of what's going on.

August was a fun and exciting month for me that had two milestones. On August 14th I turned fifty. I have a tradition that I do every decade that I started when I turned twenty. I assess where I have been, where I'm at and where I'm going. It's a great way to assess my life, set goals, and move forward. My forties were very good to me. Just some of the highlights include, I completed my philosophy degree in 2004, wrote my book which was published in 2009, did a black belt in MMA, did several CD projects including Running in a Dream, Wonderland and my acoustic CD. I performed countless shows and made a very good living playing music. So at fifty, life is good. In fact, I have never felt better in my life than I do now. Thanks to all the family and friends who shared the special day with me. I felt very special. My daughter Ashley made me cry in front of everyone, but that's ok. I am a very fortunate and thankful person.

My son Dorian

My daughter Ashley

My Mum Joan

Singing songs around the Campfire

Lynette

The next milestone is that on August 30th my wife and I had our 30th anniversary. We were very young when we got married so we both grew inside our marriage. We have worked hard to build a life together and it has worked out very well. We have a mutual love and respect that has kept us together through the ups and downs of marriage, and we are very compatible with each other. So much love goes to my wife Lynette and our life together.

August 30, 1980

In the past ten years, both our kids (Ashley and Dorian) became adults and are 26 and 23. Ashley completed her degree and got married in 2008. She is now a registered Family Justice Counsellor with the Ministry of the Attorney General. She is a fantastic person and I am super proud of her. Dorian is most of the way through a degree in criminology and is actively working in that field as well as performing music both by himself and with the band. I'm a very proud dad.

On August 2nd the March Hare Band performed at Hastings Park for the BC Cup race day. It's the third year in a row we have done that event and it was very fun, as usual. Steven Seagal even made a special appearance.

The band did lots of shows in August including some Elvis shows with our good friend Wally Tiemer as Elvis Gold, some private events and some corporate events. At the end of August we went to Jasper for another fantastic time with the Alberta Oilmens, then drove home and did a very fun show at the West Van Yacht Club.

We even did a 50s theme party that was lots of fun. See more pictures at this March Hare Band photos link.

The 1950s

I have done a few acoustic gigs lately singing some of my favourite songs from James Taylor, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens, and of course my own acoustic music. On August 23, I had the pleasure of singing for a great group at the Arbutus Club. It was a Summer theme, relaxed and fun. Many thanks to Brent and Shelley for inviting me to come and sing.

On August 14th Josh Wright from our Martial Arts Club The Dragons Den fought and won in a Muay Thai match in Vancouver. I was proud to be there and have the opportunity to take pictures and film the event.

Josh and Steve

At the end of the month, Lynette and I had a nice time in Washington State at Tulalip, La Connor and a Seattle Mariners game. Then on Sunday we saw a Jerry Lee and Elvis show featuring Lance Lapinsky and Justin Chandor, two entertainers we have worked with many times before.

Well August was a great month. Now September begins with lots of shows booked. I have some book signings and public speaking events coming up. As part of my goals I will begin my next book this month on the topic of looking at ourselves, and the band will be working hard to produce new March Hare tunes toward the release of a new album. Lots of great stuff is coming up!!!

July 2010

2010-08-05T02:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Well July was an exciting month with lots of stuff going on!

Canada Day was lots of fun as the March Hare Band was featured at the City of Delta Canada Day celebration. The crowd was very nice as were the Mayor Lois Jackson, city councillor Anne Peterson, and MP Sukh Dhaliwal.

Sukh Dahliwal, Anne Peterson, Lois Jackson, and Dan

Big family crowd was great!

Recently I have had the opportunity to do some acoustic shows. The band is my top priority and pays the bills, but I do enjoy singing stuff like James Taylor, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, along with songs from my new acoustic CD. In early July I was featured in Agassiz as part of the Music in the Park Summer series. It was a fun time with a very friendly crowd. They enjoyed the show and bought some books and CDs. Many thanks to the fine people in Agassiz.

Music in the Park, Agassiz

March Hare was once again featured at the Boulevard 500 Car Show and Shine at the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam. It was tons of fun with lots of fantastic Bikes and Cars, and lots of people. We saw Hulk Hogan who was the celebrity guest. We also got to hang with local radio personality Bro Jake.

Bro Jake and Dan

Lady and gentleman luck?

Nice Car

Lynette and I had the opportunity to have a nice holiday in Banbury, near Penticton. It was hot and fun and the tubing was tons of fun.

Sitting by the Campfire

Skaha Lake

Bits and Bites:

Me with local sports radio personality "Bob "The Moj" Marjanovich.

This is my friend Jack. He is a very interesting guy and used to be Buffalo Bill Cody in Fairs and Exhibitions.

Hulk Hogan showed up at the Boulevard 500

In July I was pleased to offer my talents to do a fund raiser for Horse Rescue at Beez Barn in Aldergrove.

Me with organizer Mary Anne Message

Beez Country Barn, Aldergrove

A couple more pictures from the Can Ams Martial Arts Tournament.

Josh and me

Josh and Coach JJ

I did a fun and relaxed gig with my friend Sly and was an honorary "Rogue Messenger" for a day.

That's it for now... always lots going on. I have a big birthday coming up in August and will post some pictures. Then in September I have a bunch of projects and plans including working on the next March Hare Band CD, starting my next book and getting my video stuff going. Life is an adventure! :-)

May / June 2010

2010-08-05T01:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking my blog and I hope you're all doing well. It's been a couple months since my last post and there's been so much going on that I won't leave it that long ever again. I think I will start posting every month!

At the end of May I was once again asked to be a judge at Senior Idol at the Renaissance in Langley. I have done it several times before and was happy that Nicole asked me to do it again. It's always a fun experience! Shaw TV came down to do a story as well. It was nice to be asked to be interviewed for that.

Nicole and Dan

The Judges Lori, Greg, Nicole, Dan

Melanie Pineda from SHAW TV

Excellent Contestant Ron Irving

In May we got to see our friends from NEC in Bellevue, Washington. It was a very fun show and it's always nice to see them.

The one and only Frank Viola, Dan and Mike

On May 29th I was happy to attend the Can Ams as part of our Martial Arts Club, The Dragon's Den in South Surrey. Several of our members participated, Josh, Kyle, Sao, Eli, and Craig with Eli and Craig winning their bouts and Josh taking top honours.

Winner Josh Wright

In early June I was featured on the P3 Show on Joy TV. It was good to be on Randall's show and share some insights from my research and experience. The video of the segment will be available soon and I will post it for those who missed it.

Extended family member Pat Williams died last December (right before Christmas) of heart failure at age 57. The family was in shock and took some time to come to terms with it. I was honored to perform the memorial service at the time and was further honored when the family asked me to look after the interment. It was a sombre but uplifting ceremony as we laid Pat's remains to rest at Valley view in Surrey. R.I.P. Pat.

Quinn, Bobbi, Tony, Nadia

On June 19th Dawn Haze Music put on another Music Business Seminar. It's always a pleasure to share our insights to help others do better. It's a privilege to make a living making music and our goal is to help others who want to do the same. We also had a guest speaker, friend and agent Gordy Van Ieperen from Noteable entertainment, come and share some valuable insights. Check the website for more info on Dawn Haze Music.

On June 20th we had lots of fun performing at Hastings Park playing for the BC Lions first game at Empire Field. It was a great day and we got to hang out with some of the BC Lion's Cheerleaders.

Take Care and all the best. Dan....

2010 in Full Swing

2010-05-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Thanks for checking my Blog. All is is good for me and lots has been happening in the past couple months, as usual.

In April I had the opportunity to speak at the Probus Club in Tsawwassen and share some of the insights and experiences I had while researching and writing my book. They were a very gracious and appreciative audience and I enjoyed my time there very much.

Here's what they said on their website:

Recap of our April 21st meeting
Dan Hare, author, band leader, and entertaining speaker spoke to us about his
book and how he gathered information to write it. After interviewing some 300
retirees Dan came up with some very useful insights, some of which are outlined
below:
-a lot of older people had a profound understanding of life
and it should be passed on
-work is a very big part of life
-the biggest regret was not getting enough education.

-he often saw the younger person emerge from the older
interviewee
-having a positive outlook emerged as a key ingredient for
success.
-one regret was not pursuing the job the person wanted to
do
-people didn’t have a life plan
-not pursuing the arts more was another regret
-whether you’re 10 or 80 , you’re trying to do your best
-having a good childhood was paramount.
Everyone enjoyed Dan’s talk very much.

I have more speaking engagements planned and will be doing another seminar on Wellness and Aging at the Arbutus Cl ub on June 9th.

I recently had the opportunity to reconnect with friend and television host Doug Kooy. I was a frequent guest commentator on his show ONLINE for several years and had wondered what he has been up to since the show ended. He has been very active broadcasting online and creating shows. He travelled to Israel and made a fantastic and revealing documentary entitled The Original Promise that will change the way you see Israel"

Doug also has a website under development entitled sowhatdoyouthink.com that allows many people to have their say about a range of topics. Doug has always been committed to allowing people to express their views in a respectful and interactive way. That was the format of his talk show that I was proud to be part of, so this idea is a natural extension of the way he is. Check it out and see what you think.

My Martial Arts training at the Dragon's Den / Ocean City Boxing and Muay Thai continues to go well and keep me in shape. Along with the extensive training I have received from Stephen Lapre, I'm also very thankful to my friend and boxing coach JJ Borden. His skill and expertise are an inspiration to everyone.

The March Hare Band was invited to perform at the Vancouver Marathon. It was a different but fun experience as we played music as an inspiration for the runners as they ran by. There were over 14,000 people in the marathon so it was fun to be part of such a positive event and have a chance to give the runners a boost as they reached the later stages of a full marathon. Congratulations go to all the runners.

The March Hare Band continues to do well and perform at Casinos, Festivals and Corporate events. Dawn Haze Music is also producing new music for several artists. The studio is working well and we're looking for those magical tunes. There is a new March Hare CD in the works and March Hare's music (as well as Dan's acoustic music) is now being played on an online radio station WMN FM that features West Coast Music.

The segments I taped for the TV show P3 will be available in June sometime and I will post the link here.

Thanks for your interest and feel free to email me at danhare@danhare.com or check any of the websites for more info.

Take care

Up to Date March 2010

2010-03-18T00:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Thanks for checking out my blog. It's been a couple months since my last blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. On the contrary. There's always lots going on in my life.

In my last blog I neglected to mention that family friend Pat Williams passed away in late December. I was honored to be of some comfort to the immediate family and facilitate the memorial service at Valley Funeral Home in Surrey. There were well over two hundred people there to pay their respects to Pat's memory and his family. Pat was a wild and crazy guy and will be missed by his family and friends.

In January my book Regrets They've Had a Few was featured in the American Library Association Mid Winter Catalogue. This event features selected books and presents them to Librarians so I was very happy to have my book included.

I also very much appreciate the mention about my book and related activities in the SFU Alumni Journal.
"Take Their Advice Dan Hare (BA’91) chronicles interviews from more than 300 seniors for Regrets, They’ve Had A Few: Practical Wisdom from the Aged. He includes practical insights, plus a number of top-10 lists: regrets, reasons for happine ss, and secrets to a happy marriage. Hare also performs with dance band March Ha re. www.danhare.com"

I really enjoyed my time at SFU having spent more than six years of my life going there, and I loved the learning environment studying English, History, Philosophy, Political Science and much more. I'm a very proud SFU Alum, and it's a place that will always hold a special place in my heart.

On March 15th I facilitated a workshop on "Wellness and Aging" organized by Amica and presented at the West Van Senior's Activity Centre. I was very pleased that it was so well attended and well received because I always appreciate the opportunity to share insights with others. Having studied for many years then researched and written a book, it always brings meaning to my life to be able to share what I have discovered. Many thanks to all the wonderful people who attended. And thanks also to Laura and Suzanne from Amica at West Vancouver for asking me to present and treating me so well.

A few years ago I was a guest commentator on two different TV shows and have made many TV appearances over the years both as a commentator and entertainer. Recently I taped a segment for the JOY TV show P3 that will be aired some time in June. It was a very engaging discussion with host Randall Mark. I'll post the video when it airs. I will also be posting some of my previous TV appearances to a youtube channel, coming soon.

Well the Olympics has come and gone and it was an exciting time for many people. I was able to get up to Whistler one day as I had a gig doing acoustic ambiance for a corporate event. It was nice to get the parking and travel passes to make the trip then walk around Whistler in all the excitement. Then I performed with the March Hare band twice at the River Rock during the Olympics and also had the opportunity to perform on the O Zone stage in Richmond. It was fun to be a small part of such a big event.

At various times in my life I have studied Martial Arts and after more than four years of very hard work and continuous effort at the Dragon's Den in South Surrey, I was proud to be awarded a Black Belt in Mixed Martial Arts. It has been a goal of mine for many years and was undoubtedly one of my most difficult and rewarding experiences. Years of hard work was capped off by an extensive examination process and over one hour of fight simulation. Although gruelling and difficult at times, great reward comes from a great effort, so I appreciate the opportunity I have had to train. I am most thankful to Master Instructor Stephen Lapre and all the gang at Ocean City Boxing and Muay Thai.

2010 is here!!

2010-01-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone.... Thanks for stopping by

2010 came in with a bang as the New Year's Eve event at the River Rock was fantastic. The band had tons of fun with the crowd and my wife and daughter, Lynette and Ashley, were able to come (see pictures). The band also stayed for another two days for the weekend. Many thanks to our friend Rick Duff (General Manager of the RiverRock Casino Resort), and all the friends and fans who came down to say hi and enjoy the show. We will return there Feb 14th and 28th during the Olympics.

Another bonus on New Year's Eve was when our good friend and Elvis tribute artist extraordinaire Wally Tiemer as Elvis Gold came down and performed some tunes with us. The crowd loved it! Over the years we have done countless shows with Wally, including the Penticton Elvis Festival, the Story of Elvis, many corporate and theatre shows, and the biggest ever was the 50th anniversary show of Elvis at the PNE put on by Red Robinson, Bruce Allen, and others. The crowd was unbelievable, it was a fantastic show and Wally was exceptional. Cheers to Wally!

As for band stuff we had a good time at Mt. Washington Ski Resort on Jan 16th. Robb and the catering staff at Mt. Washington are second to none and always put on a great event. We hope to be up there again next year. We also got to see our good friend and light tech Brent "Brain" Mueller. More band news is that recording starts next week for the new March Hare CD. And work continues on Dorian's CD as well.

On Jan 5 I was very happy to go to Langley Lodge to perform songs and share some life experiences with the people who live there. They were very warm and friendly and I really enjoyed my time there. And of course my friend Lillian was there and really appreciated having me there.

On Jan 12 I did two speaking engagements to share some of the experiences about researching and writing my book. The people at Amica West Van were very receptive and really enjoyed what I had to say. Many of them could relate to what I said as they had similar experiences to those shared in the book.

Later that day I spoke to the Lion's Club of South Vancouver, an engagement arranged by my friend Marco Radunz. They were very receptive and I appreciated the dinner they graciously provided. The Lion's do much valuable work in the community and are committed to having a positive social value. Their Christmas Tree sales program raises much of the money they use to fund their events throughout the year.

My wife Lynette and I recently had the opportunity to take a trip to Waikiki in Hawaii. I haven't taken many holidays in my life and my wife and I haven't had a substantial holiday together (without kids and family) since our honeymoon almost 30 years ago, so it was nice to get away for a week. We did all the standard tourist stuff on Oahu and saw some really cool sites like Diamond Head, Bonzai Pipeline, Dole plant, Pearl Harbour, Hanauma Bay, and tons more.

The view of Honolulu from Diamond Head Dan and Lynette at the Dole Plant..

All the best in 2010 and stay tuned for more news on what's happening....

Farewell to 2009 Welcome 2010

2009-12-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

Wow it's the end of the year already and 2010 is just about upon us! I remember all the hype leading up to the millennium, the Y2K scare and all the doomsday prophecies. What seemed so intense at the time is a distant memory and a decade behind us. The world has changed in some ways with tighter security and heightened awareness of the new dangers we all face in an increasingly volatile world. But in many respects things remain the same with people going about their daily lives. Life seems like an irresolvable conundrum for many people.

2009 was a great year for me. I released m y book after over five years from conception to completion. Now I am able to do speaking engagements and share the experiences with others in a way that will hopefully improve lives and make a difference in the world. That's really what I wanted to do, get wisdom from those who are advanced in years and pass it on to those who are younger. It's a simple idea that has brought tremendous reward and I hope that when I'm laid to rest I will be content that I was able to make a positive difference in this world while I was here. I was also able to get my Dan Hare website up and operational (with much help from Kimberly Baskerville) and am now able to offer seminars and private sessions on helping people better understand and navigate the world. I did one seminar earlier this year which was well received and am planning some in 2010. And I am constantly conversing with people by email, phone and in person helping them address the difficulties of life.

I was also able to finish and release my acoustic CD this past August. I picked ten of the best songs that I have written in my adult life and put them on a CD for my friends and fans. I am very grateful for all the positive feedback I have received as my music has provided another way for me to try to make a positive difference in the world. I am thankful for the opportunity and hope that it touches some people in a positive way.

In the past few months I have been able to be part of many fundraisers and charity events. I have also provided entertainment at several Federal Institutions over the past fifteen years and was once again able to have a wonderful Christmas time at FVI, the women's institution in Abbottsford, right before Christmas. Many thanks to the people of M2W2, and especially to the inmates who were so friendly and appreciative. I wish all of them the very best in the future. I also had the opportunity to speak to my friend's grade six class about "Pay it Forward." It was a fantastic opportunity to speak to the up coming generation about what matters most in life and how we build meaning into our lives by what we give rather than what we get.

I have several speaking engagements arranged for the first few months of the year starting with two in January. One is for a care home and the other is for the Lion's Club. I always look forward to the opportunity to speak about researching and writing my book because it was a life changing experience for me and is full of so many meaningful insights.

As I look forward to 2010 it is with some excitement. The March Hare Band is doing well and we'll be bringing in the New Year at the River Rock Casino Resort. Another interesting note is that my son Dorian is an entertainer and some times model, so his image is featured on the River Rock website and on their promotional flyers -- He's the one wearing the red shirt.

I recently found out that a friend of mine (who was a booking agent for many years) is now in her 80s and living at Langley Lodge. I will be going there to sing for her and her friends on January 5th. It will be nice to bring some smiles to those who are there and to give back to Lillian who was and is a fantastic person. She aways treated everyone with respect and consideration, and we all thought the world of her.

The Olympics will be upon us sooner than we think and I will be busy with the band throughout that time. As 2010 progresses I will also be busy working on several other projects. After more than four years of intense training at the prestigous Dragon's Den martial arts school I will be testing for a black belt at the end of January. The March Hare song Beautiful Hero from the Wonderland CD is the featured song in the Dragon's Den promotional video. Recording will begin in January for a new March Hare CD. I will also be working on my next book as I continue to promote my current book. The new book is based on my seminars and will be ready for publication some time in 2011.

Take care and thanks for reading my blog... Feel free to make a comment or email.

Dan

November Fun and Fundraisers

2009-11-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

November always seems to be the month for fundraisers, the early spread of the Christmas spirit, and this year is no exception. The March Hare Band was once again asked to be part of the Professional Firefighters Burn Fund Fundraiser at Joe Fortes. Check the pictures. It was a very successful event hosted by our buddies from City TV, Dawn Chubai and Riaz Meghji, the hosts of Breakfast Television. Then the band was asked to be part of the Little Hugs Big Hearts fundraiser at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond. Richmond Notary Akash Sablok put on another very successful event to raise money for Canuck Place, and everyone had a fantastic time. And hey, our buddies from City TV were the hosts again. Check the pictures! I was also very happy to see my good friend Tammy Morin, also a Richmond Notary. It was a fantastic night for a worthy cause.

My book, Regrets, They've Had a Few, was featured on City TV Monday morning, Nov 23, and my website danhare.com was advertised as well. Many thanks to Dawn (see her website), Riaz, and the whole City TV crew.

Last Thursday I was once again happy to be part of the M2W2 Christmas party at Pacific Institution. Every year for the past many years I always perform music at one or more federal institution to help make the holiday season better for those who are incarcerated. It's a very uplifing experience for everyone and the people are always very appreciative of my music. I look forward to performing at another institution on December 14th. M2W2 has also purchased many copies of my book and given them to people so they might share in the insights I gathered.

I have booked a number of speaking engagements in the New Year to share my book and writing experience. It's always nice to have the opportunity to share some of the wisdom I have gathered and I appreciate the many requests I've had.

December is coming up soon and the very busy Christmas season, speaking, shows, family, open house, etc.

Plans and Happenings...

2009-11-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone

Well the busy and fun times continue....

I recently had the honour of meeting with well known speaker and accomplished author and businessman Peter Legge. He was a gracious host and we had a very pleasant discussion. I give him my respect and gratitude. Along with being a very busy public speaker and author, he also runs the very successful company Canada Wide Media. I left him a copy of my book and new CD, and he was kind enough to sign a copy of his book "The Runway of Life."

I'm currently in the process of booking more speaking events for next year on various topics relating to my book, Regrets, They've Had a Few. It's an honour to have the opportunity to share what I have learned from my research, experience and education, and I'm thrilled to be the keynote speaker at various events.

Every year I do some volunteer work to help others, especially around Christmas time. For more than fifteen years I have performed at one or more federal institutions to bring music and kind words to those incarcerated. It's especially difficult for them around Christmas which is a time when they really need to know that someone cares. So on Novemeber 19th and again on Dec 14th I'll be performing and speaking at two different institutions.

The March Hare Band was very happy to once again be part of the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund fundraiser at Joe Fortes Restaurant in downtown Vancouver. There were many familiar faces and the usual goings on like oyster shucking, DJ, 50/50 draw, door prizes, silent auction, live auction, and of course us, The March Hare Band, to bring the music and fun. Check the PICTURES we took from the event.

Next week we have the honour of being the feature entertainment at the Little Hugs Big Hearts fundraiser for Canuck Place, at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond. It was a fantastic event last year and certainly will be again this year.

Life is Busy but Good...

2009-11-02T01:27:00.000-08:00

Well the world of cyberspace certainly requires lots of patience. In this day and age we have to be learning all the time just to try to keep up with the advancements. No wonder people feel overwhelmed at times, or most of the time. But those technological advances allow us the opportunity to communicate like never before in history. I've seen pictures of family and friends on Facebook that I would never have seen. I can know what my friends are doing in a way that I never could before. So advancement is good even though it requires a great deal of time and energy from us.

I find that time is in short supply with all the things that have to be done. And we have to remember to live as well. I have been out of touch with people at times and am sometimes short with others when I have pressing issues to deal with. So I'm going to try to be more paced in that way I do things. That means I'll be persistent without being frantic, I'll take the time to relate to others without seeming like I have something else I need to do.

Last weekend March Hare performed in Kamloops and I had the opportunity to see one of my very best friends that I've know since we were 10 years old, Rob. We had a nice dinner and visit to catch up on old times. It was great to see him and made me think of others I have not seen or spoken to in some time.

I had the opportunity a few months back to visit my friend Alex's mom Vi in the hospital. I took her a book and had a nice visit. In September I did a memorial service for my friend Larry's mom Doreen "Dean." It was sad because she is gone but happy because she lived and we celebrated her life. I was honored to be there to officiate. This weekend the band is performing at the Boulevard Casino and I'll see some friends there.

I'm working on some songs in the studio, learning how to edit video, reading several books, doing domestic stuff, doing accounting for the business, cleaning my office and studio, and preparing for a class I teach on Tuesdays....Plus I have my MMA classes Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. I wish there were 28 hours in each day. Or I wish I could go without sleep. That would give me an extra 8 hours every day. I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of that.... :-)

My Martial Arts school is Dragon's Den in White Rock with Master Instructor Stephen Lapres. They used our song "Beautiful Hero" in the promo video on the front page.

I finished my new Acoustic CD in August and it's available at our public events or online at Dawn Haze Music. My good friend and awesome Harp player Mike Will of Will Media is featured on Blues Harp in the song "Just Can't Win," so I really appreciate him lending his talent to an old friend.

Now we can BLOG...

2009-10-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

I have signed up with blogspot so I can interact better and keep everyone informed in real time. Although many of the emails I receive are private (and need to stay that way) it is nice to have a public forum as well where I can post information and recieve feedback. To email me privately click here

Thanks to Rachael Chatoor for the help.

The past month I have done a few speaking engagements for my book and shared some of the wisdom I gathered in the process of researching and writing. If you haven't had a chance to read my book yet, I encourage you to do so. It's loaded with interesting stuff and well worth the investment. It took me over two years to do all the interviews and I want to share some of the wisdom I gathered. I developed a great love for the older generation and learned lots from them. So it was truly a fantastic experience. Check out some pictures and info on my News Page My book was featured at the AARP convention in Las Vegas as part of a promotion for Trafford Publishing. TheDelta Optimist also did a newspaper article for my appearance in Tswwassen. Many thanks to Ruth at Albany Bo oks for making my book available.

Oct 22 I did a fundraiser for Young Life Canada which was tons of fun. They are doing a fantastic work with teenagers so I was very happy to lend my support. I sang some songs and did some comedy bits with the people there. I also talked about my book and new acoustic CD and was able to give a portion of the proceeds for CD and book sales to help the cause.

The March Hare Band remains very busy with lots of stuff going on leading up to Christmas. We'll be in Kamloops this weekend for a big Halloween event.

Feel free to comment or email any questions or comments.... to Dan Hare