Nick Offerman never would be caught up a creek without a paddle. He has made several of his own.
"When you make something that has a very active function like a canoe or even a canoe paddle and you get to put it to use, it's incredibly gratifying," he said. "Paddling one's own canoe down a river with a paddle that one has carved feels like a superpower."
The "Parks and Recreation" star undoubtedly loves the great outdoors and his Offerman Woodshop in East Los Angeles. Both are evident inspirations for his new book, "Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living," which he'll be discussing Sunday at Up Comedy Club, in Oldtown, on his "Full Bush" comedy tour.
For the past five years, the government-hating, meat loving Ron Swanson-Offerman's "Parks and Recreation" character-has become somewhat of a hero to those who respect facial hair and bacon. But as the seventh and final season begins, Offerman is hoping he'll have more time to channel his creative energy into one of his favorite hobbies-namely woodworking.
"The thing that I pine for is time in my woodshop. That's been suffering, and I'm matriculating towards building my first acoustic guitars," Offerman said. "I've built my first ukulele this summer and I have all the wood ready to build 15 or 16 more of them. Once I've mastered that tiny, stringed instrument, then I'll feel more confident in moving up to a more adult-sized guitar."
His book is full of laugh-out-loud moments: a list of the rebellious legal and illegal drugs, like whiskey, weed and laughing gas, that are perfect partners in revelry; the story about how he wooed his wife Megan Mullally, best known as Karen from "Will & Grace;" and illustrations of the animals you should actually be eating-all red meat, of course.
But more than anything, the book treats readers to a look beyond the character of Ron Swanson. Instead of bacon and burgers, Offerman offers lessons about proper manners and treating others respectfully. It's his fool-proof recipe for leading a happier life.
"It's sad to me that it should be exceptional to anybody that one would use good manners around a film or TV set," Offerman said. "But whenever it is remarked upon, I say one of two things, either, 'We're all in this together,' or 'Us dipshits gotta stick together.'"
Long before his days on the "Parks and Recreation" set, Offerman built industry cred by constructing sets and spending time behind the camera, so he knows to give credit where credit is due.
"I'm just as grateful to the excellent woman who hands me my watch and my wedding ring and my phone every time I come to work," Offerman said, "as I am to the writer who wrote the dialogue."
"Canoe" is full of Offerman's candid commentary on the entertainment industry. We can only hope to see it again in the pages of his next book, which he currently is writing. But for now, readers will have to savor the stories, illustrations and clever meat-related poetry we've been given in "Canoe."
"Well, there may be more meat-related poetry," Offerman said. "I might stay in the arena of the haiku, or I might venture into the sonnet. We'll see what happens."
Even though "Parks and Recreation" is coming to an end and "Canoe" is out the door, Offerman isn't planning on settling down anytime soon. Negotiations are wrapping up on a Netflix comedy special "American Ham," currently slated for December. (Offerman prefers to call it a "humorist" special. Ever modest, he said he doesn't think he's as funny as other comedians.). In 2015, he and his wife will be touring in a joint comedy show entitled "Summer of 69"-no apostrophe intended.
For now, Offerman just wants a little more time in his beloved shop and maybe a nap. OK, definitely a nap. He said he's eagerly looking forward to "exhausting all the nap avenues" and obviously keeping his wondrous facial hair sleek and tidy-for snack purposes.
"I guess I'm just very blessed," Offerman said. "I do run a comb through it, usually in the middle of the afternoon when I start to feel a little peckish and want a snack. I can usually glean a few ounces of bacon or fried potato bits out of my mustache."