Months with silence
How can I possibly have spent so long updating the blog to cover about 3 months of stuff that happened, and then, just as I was getting back into the swing of thing, suddenly forget to update it again? How? Well, I've been pretty busy, so maybe that had something to do with it.
I don't know. The effort of blogging is not all that great, but once the habit goes, it can be quite hard to get going again. Over the next few posts, I'll try to mention anything that seems mention-worthy from the point when I paused the blog. I will not be trying to recap the last few months in a big splurge. In fact, a friend has requested that I don't suddenly go mad with essay-sized posts that tell the overblown story of my recent history, as he has to give up huge wads of time to read them. Arguably, he could either not read them, or learn to speed read. According to the boss, you'll read faster with your finger. Especially if you're Mork from Mork and Mindy.
Tone of the blog?
My girlfriend has pointed out that I'm a comedian and yet I manage to make this blog frequently unfunny in its construction. Why am I missing out a golden opportunity to paint comic landscapes in words and enthrall my readers (if there are any left) with my witty approach to life? I don't know. Perhaps a lack of talent on my part? Perhaps my "write it quickly and hit the post button" approach doesn't leave room for jokes. Perhaps my obsession with the minute details for their own sake, rather than for what they contribute to the story has something to do with it.
I will have a go at improving matters. We'll see what happens.
Out with the old and in with the new
I had to say goodbye to a trust friend in the time I wasn't blogging. My trust Volvo is no longer in my care. I had driven it about 95,000 miles since I bought it. Here it is:
In late September I bought a newer car (R registered, so still 8 years old). I have, in the last 6 weeks or so, put some 8,000 miles on it. This is a combination of gigging and having a girlfriend who lives a 660 mile round trip from my home. However, the new car has a lot of toys in it, so it's a nice home-from-home as I scoot up and down the country.
I have a cute Sat-nav, which tells me where to go. I have an MP3 player (which I accidentally filled already) and a neat car stereo (which sounds bloody awful, but that might be the speakers, or the fact that it's a generic make). With all the flashing lights in my car, there's barely time to operate the main controls.
Gigging
I've done my 300th performance as a stand-up comedian. In fact, I've done my 310th as well. October was a busy month and November is actually busier. Somehow, there is still room for a few days at home this week, which is good. On the whole, my 15+ gig months are hard work and I've been known to lose my mind. I'm feeling on top of it at the moment.
Last night, I had one of my best ever heckles (well, audience participations). In my opening song, I hold a note for quite a few seconds. Some wags in audiences sometimes join in with the note. That usually amuses me, but I can usually hold my own when it happens. Sometimes someone will join in a major-third above, which harmonises with what I'm singing and usually amuses me. Last night, I noticed both of those happening, which was nice, but I decided that I could keep my head and not giggle... then someone came in with the 5th. There felt like about 6 voices, in addition to mine, one one or other of the 3 notes that make a major chord. I was very amused. I burst out laughing (partly spontaneous and partly exaggerated for comic effect) and came out with the line "I'm being heckled by a choir!". Great fun. While the audience seemed to be trying to outdo me, or entertain me, I had the chance to throw a wee line at the room to claim the moment back.
The Stand in Edinburgh is a lovely club to play and I had a really nice gig there last night. Tonight I'm going to Glasgow. Then I'm going to head down to Ayr for another gig. Doubling up in a night is something I rarely do outside of London or the Edinburgh Festival. In faireness, I've only ever done it in London once, but it's quite doable. I've definitely done it in Edinburgh. In fact, I've done about 5 on the same day in Edinburgh. Not a surprise. It's the sort of thing I do.
How can I possibly have spent so long updating the blog to cover about 3 months of stuff that happened, and then, just as I was getting back into the swing of thing, suddenly forget to update it again? How? Well, I've been pretty busy, so maybe that had something to do with it.
I don't know. The effort of blogging is not all that great, but once the habit goes, it can be quite hard to get going again. Over the next few posts, I'll try to mention anything that seems mention-worthy from the point when I paused the blog. I will not be trying to recap the last few months in a big splurge. In fact, a friend has requested that I don't suddenly go mad with essay-sized posts that tell the overblown story of my recent history, as he has to give up huge wads of time to read them. Arguably, he could either not read them, or learn to speed read. According to the boss, you'll read faster with your finger. Especially if you're Mork from Mork and Mindy.
Tone of the blog?
My girlfriend has pointed out that I'm a comedian and yet I manage to make this blog frequently unfunny in its construction. Why am I missing out a golden opportunity to paint comic landscapes in words and enthrall my readers (if there are any left) with my witty approach to life? I don't know. Perhaps a lack of talent on my part? Perhaps my "write it quickly and hit the post button" approach doesn't leave room for jokes. Perhaps my obsession with the minute details for their own sake, rather than for what they contribute to the story has something to do with it.
I will have a go at improving matters. We'll see what happens.
Out with the old and in with the new
I had to say goodbye to a trust friend in the time I wasn't blogging. My trust Volvo is no longer in my care. I had driven it about 95,000 miles since I bought it. Here it is:
In late September I bought a newer car (R registered, so still 8 years old). I have, in the last 6 weeks or so, put some 8,000 miles on it. This is a combination of gigging and having a girlfriend who lives a 660 mile round trip from my home. However, the new car has a lot of toys in it, so it's a nice home-from-home as I scoot up and down the country.
I have a cute Sat-nav, which tells me where to go. I have an MP3 player (which I accidentally filled already) and a neat car stereo (which sounds bloody awful, but that might be the speakers, or the fact that it's a generic make). With all the flashing lights in my car, there's barely time to operate the main controls.
Gigging
I've done my 300th performance as a stand-up comedian. In fact, I've done my 310th as well. October was a busy month and November is actually busier. Somehow, there is still room for a few days at home this week, which is good. On the whole, my 15+ gig months are hard work and I've been known to lose my mind. I'm feeling on top of it at the moment.
Last night, I had one of my best ever heckles (well, audience participations). In my opening song, I hold a note for quite a few seconds. Some wags in audiences sometimes join in with the note. That usually amuses me, but I can usually hold my own when it happens. Sometimes someone will join in a major-third above, which harmonises with what I'm singing and usually amuses me. Last night, I noticed both of those happening, which was nice, but I decided that I could keep my head and not giggle... then someone came in with the 5th. There felt like about 6 voices, in addition to mine, one one or other of the 3 notes that make a major chord. I was very amused. I burst out laughing (partly spontaneous and partly exaggerated for comic effect) and came out with the line "I'm being heckled by a choir!". Great fun. While the audience seemed to be trying to outdo me, or entertain me, I had the chance to throw a wee line at the room to claim the moment back.
The Stand in Edinburgh is a lovely club to play and I had a really nice gig there last night. Tonight I'm going to Glasgow. Then I'm going to head down to Ayr for another gig. Doubling up in a night is something I rarely do outside of London or the Edinburgh Festival. In faireness, I've only ever done it in London once, but it's quite doable. I've definitely done it in Edinburgh. In fact, I've done about 5 on the same day in Edinburgh. Not a surprise. It's the sort of thing I do.
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