Final day of those guys putting windows in the house, this was the week in which I really could have done with some sleep ahead of the tour but alas, yet another early start. Bastards.
Still, managed to spend a bit more time putting my tour schedule together; travel plans and accommodation now sorted up till the Edinburgh date. I'll have plenty of time (many hours) on public transport to sort the rest out during the run.
Then over to Mum's to take her shopping for the final time in 2 weeks, she's very lonely and I always feel incredibly guilty about being away but she has at least got enough shopping done to last her this time. She doesn't even know how far away I'm going, she'd only worry if I told her.
Then picked up Izzy and over to deepest Suffolk for my final preview, with Izzy (who is about to go travelling for a month) opening the show tonight. Horrible gig; the locals just didn't understand the concept of basic manners...just sat at the back, talking amongst themselves. Wasn't the right venue for it, was a complete struggle throughout. Izzy kindly noted that a year ago I couldn't have kept going like this, on stage, with such a rude and difficult audience (including lots of restless children...who brings young children to a show like this?! It's bad parenting), so that's a small victory at least. Rubbish night, though.
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Thursday 16th February 2017
Really getting my head around this tour planning thing; I mean - I've left it really, really late as I wasn't sure about funding but now I'm fairly confident it's all happening I spent a bit of time booking train tickets, getting bargain B+B's and generally getting excited about it all. I'll be doing a LOT of walking over the next few weeks, that is for sure. And I'll be getting lost A LOT, and probably getting back ache from carrying a heavy box around with me. Oh yeah, and I'm also doing a bunch of shows, too. It's going to be awesome.
Popped into the freelance office to show my face, did 3 hours there, and then over to afternoon FH rehearsal. Sounding awesome, the new stuff is great.
Dashed from that to Ely station, made it with 4 minutes to spare, and then over to London to perform at Andy's brilliant night. Train got delayed and I eventually got to the venue 15 minutes before I was due on stage. 10 minute set, circuit stuff, had a great gig - lovely audience, I was loud and shouty, didn't try out as much new stuff (bookended the set with new songs - 'What Could Possibly Go Wrong', and 'Different Stages') both of which went down well. Beer with Matt afterwards, always great to catch up, and then legged it to my train...made it with 2 minutes to spare. Fun night.
Popped into the freelance office to show my face, did 3 hours there, and then over to afternoon FH rehearsal. Sounding awesome, the new stuff is great.
Dashed from that to Ely station, made it with 4 minutes to spare, and then over to London to perform at Andy's brilliant night. Train got delayed and I eventually got to the venue 15 minutes before I was due on stage. 10 minute set, circuit stuff, had a great gig - lovely audience, I was loud and shouty, didn't try out as much new stuff (bookended the set with new songs - 'What Could Possibly Go Wrong', and 'Different Stages') both of which went down well. Beer with Matt afterwards, always great to catch up, and then legged it to my train...made it with 2 minutes to spare. Fun night.
Friday, 17 February 2017
Wednesday 15th February 2017
Drove the new car to the office, but nobody was in. Did 5 hours freelancing anyway. Still don't know what I'm supposed to be doing there so just made some work for myself.
Got home, rewrote the current show, it's feeling like a proper show now. More tour dates coming in, lots more press coverage coming in, I'm feeling the buzz again now.
Got home, rewrote the current show, it's feeling like a proper show now. More tour dates coming in, lots more press coverage coming in, I'm feeling the buzz again now.
Tuesday 14th February 2017
People are totally amazing, aren't they?
Bizarre day, I have to be up early every day this week because we're getting new windows fitted and builders like to start at 8am, and I don't know what day they're doing my room/bathroom and it could potentially get awkward, so I just have to be up.
Woke up to see my crowdfunding page for the tour has shot up, considerably, to the extent that the tour can happen...and really happen, in fact, it can afford to make a bit of a loss and I personally won't be out of pocket from it. 2 friends in particular, who wish to remain anonymous, have given so much money (direct to my bank, so the site doesn't take a cut), it's flattering. People just want me to succeed, I owe it to them now to make this happen.
Garage people came out to look at the Fiesta and confirmed it is indeed totally dead...a hole in both the engine and exhaust, caused by rust. They said if I was that emotionally attached to it they could fix it (with a new engine) but we're looking at thousands here. In the end they offered me £100 scrap for it, I accepted, tear in my eye. Such a decent car...no Ford Fiesta should be able to do 195,000 miles, particularly with just one service in nine years.
As they took my car away, I asked if they had any automatics for sale - they did, they had one, so I went and had a look at it, test drove it and bought it pretty much on the spot. It's 19 years old, but it's a Volvo, and they last forever, right? And it's only done 90,000 miles, and recently serviced with a long MOT. £450, wasn't gonna argue with that, got home, sorted insurance, tax and stuff, went back and it was mine within two hours.
Feels weirdly exciting to be driving again...I mean, I was technically without a car for less than 2 days but I went mad. Now I've got a car again...it's an ugly beast and I can't park the bloody thing as it's three times the size of my last motor, but it feels nice to have my freedom back. Promptly took Mum shopping, she's very proud.
Bizarre day, I have to be up early every day this week because we're getting new windows fitted and builders like to start at 8am, and I don't know what day they're doing my room/bathroom and it could potentially get awkward, so I just have to be up.
Woke up to see my crowdfunding page for the tour has shot up, considerably, to the extent that the tour can happen...and really happen, in fact, it can afford to make a bit of a loss and I personally won't be out of pocket from it. 2 friends in particular, who wish to remain anonymous, have given so much money (direct to my bank, so the site doesn't take a cut), it's flattering. People just want me to succeed, I owe it to them now to make this happen.
Garage people came out to look at the Fiesta and confirmed it is indeed totally dead...a hole in both the engine and exhaust, caused by rust. They said if I was that emotionally attached to it they could fix it (with a new engine) but we're looking at thousands here. In the end they offered me £100 scrap for it, I accepted, tear in my eye. Such a decent car...no Ford Fiesta should be able to do 195,000 miles, particularly with just one service in nine years.
As they took my car away, I asked if they had any automatics for sale - they did, they had one, so I went and had a look at it, test drove it and bought it pretty much on the spot. It's 19 years old, but it's a Volvo, and they last forever, right? And it's only done 90,000 miles, and recently serviced with a long MOT. £450, wasn't gonna argue with that, got home, sorted insurance, tax and stuff, went back and it was mine within two hours.
Feels weirdly exciting to be driving again...I mean, I was technically without a car for less than 2 days but I went mad. Now I've got a car again...it's an ugly beast and I can't park the bloody thing as it's three times the size of my last motor, but it feels nice to have my freedom back. Promptly took Mum shopping, she's very proud.
Monday 13th February 2017
I'm gonna miss that little car, I've had so many adventures in it - 9 years, so many tours, 8 Edinburgh Fringes, 3 different girlfriends, 2 funerals, countless gigs, 2 sitcoms, 1 film, quite a few speeding tickets.
Today I spent all day waiting for the garage to turn up to take it away, whilst generally getting quite flustered about...everything. How am I going to fund both a new car, and a tour? Everything is falling apart, completely, totally. Mostly because I live in the middle of nowhere, with one bus every 3 days or something.
Mechanics turned up, didn't have the right tow bar to take it away, will come back tomorrow.
I sat, drank beer, and worked on a script before going to bed, really fucking grumpy.
Today I spent all day waiting for the garage to turn up to take it away, whilst generally getting quite flustered about...everything. How am I going to fund both a new car, and a tour? Everything is falling apart, completely, totally. Mostly because I live in the middle of nowhere, with one bus every 3 days or something.
Mechanics turned up, didn't have the right tow bar to take it away, will come back tomorrow.
I sat, drank beer, and worked on a script before going to bed, really fucking grumpy.
Monday, 13 February 2017
Sunday 12th February 2017
Started off as a normal Sunday; bit of a sleep, waking up with a fit of ideas which are hastily jotted down into my little notepad for another day...I still need to get the current show perfect first.
Off to Ely station for the evening's stand-up gig, but as I started my engine on the driveway the car pretty much blew up...loud bang, smoke everywhere, amazed it didn't shatter the windscreen. Waited a bit for the AA man to turn up, he couldn't diagnose the problem as such but was quick to tell me that it's not road worthy and probably destined for the scrapheap.
I'm very sad about this...I mean, it was pushing 200,000 miles on the clock, it served me well professionally (made a sitcom in it, it's got me to six Edinburgh fringes, hundreds of gigs) and personally (it got dad safely to every chemo session, and then eventually got us safely to his funeral and me taking mum shopping every week has been good for both of us in a strange sort of way), but it's barely had a service and has served me remarkably well.
I'm lucky, of course I am - only two nights ago I was driving back, overtaking a lorry when a snow storm kicked in out of nowhere...if the car had decided to blown then, well, I probably wouldn't be writing this blog now.
But it has thrown me completely: the money I'd put aside for the tour (not much), will not have to be spent on a new car. So what happens to the tour now? Which is next week? Have decided to push the crowdfunding (www.gofundme.com/ONEMANANDABOX) a bit and see what happens. I shouldn't have let myself get in this situation in the first place. Bad planning, Richards.
Off to Ely station for the evening's stand-up gig, but as I started my engine on the driveway the car pretty much blew up...loud bang, smoke everywhere, amazed it didn't shatter the windscreen. Waited a bit for the AA man to turn up, he couldn't diagnose the problem as such but was quick to tell me that it's not road worthy and probably destined for the scrapheap.
I'm very sad about this...I mean, it was pushing 200,000 miles on the clock, it served me well professionally (made a sitcom in it, it's got me to six Edinburgh fringes, hundreds of gigs) and personally (it got dad safely to every chemo session, and then eventually got us safely to his funeral and me taking mum shopping every week has been good for both of us in a strange sort of way), but it's barely had a service and has served me remarkably well.
I'm lucky, of course I am - only two nights ago I was driving back, overtaking a lorry when a snow storm kicked in out of nowhere...if the car had decided to blown then, well, I probably wouldn't be writing this blog now.
But it has thrown me completely: the money I'd put aside for the tour (not much), will not have to be spent on a new car. So what happens to the tour now? Which is next week? Have decided to push the crowdfunding (www.gofundme.com/ONEMANANDABOX) a bit and see what happens. I shouldn't have let myself get in this situation in the first place. Bad planning, Richards.
Sunday, 12 February 2017
Saturday 11th February 2017
After the excessive few days of seemingly non-stop driving (including getting caught in a snow storm last night), I treated myself to a bit of sleep before spending last night's door earnings on my weekly food shop. All glamour, isn't it?
Caught up on emails, tried in vein to fill in gaps in tour schedule, and then over to my mate Tim's house where put his little gadget into my engine and kindly diagnosed why that warning light has been on since April last year. It's an 02 sensor or something, I'm no mechanic but it probably means it's not the end of the car, just yet, which is a relief.
Evening gig with Claudia and band was nice, if rusty. We played well, I thought and the room was totally packed.
Caught up on emails, tried in vein to fill in gaps in tour schedule, and then over to my mate Tim's house where put his little gadget into my engine and kindly diagnosed why that warning light has been on since April last year. It's an 02 sensor or something, I'm no mechanic but it probably means it's not the end of the car, just yet, which is a relief.
Evening gig with Claudia and band was nice, if rusty. We played well, I thought and the room was totally packed.
Saturday, 11 February 2017
Friday 10th February 2017
Certain little things are making me anxious at the moment; the lack of fringe venue confirmation (even though several comedy chums have now had their slots offered), the crying noise my car seems to be making, the sheer lack of communication with the freelance place...I assume I still do stuff for them, I mean, I'm doing it, but it's all a bit suspiciously quiet. I'm also just getting annoyed that nobody replies to anything at all on email, Facebook etc...but that's more of an ongoing aggravation. Also, FH seem quietly content being a band without me being around, and the choir replaced me remarkably quickly when I couldn't make the latest show. There's a possibility here that my profile, as a drummer, isn't quite as strong as it used to be.
And that's fine, because I've been quite open about the fact that I'm pushing the comedy a bit more at the moment - I just have more control over it. Apart from the lack of fringe venue and a certain Cambridge promoter refusing to confirm dates for shows I'm doing for them even though they offered them to me last week. But last night was sooo good, it was basically validation for my career choices. All 51 minutes of it, every joke landed, all the new stuff worked, there was loads of press who told me afterwards how much they enjoyed all of it...glory for Richards.
Tonight, after spending a bit of a day freelancing in the hope the company still exists, I was back in Leicester for night 2. Even though last night was a stormer, I still felt there was some bits that needed reworking, so spent a couple hours looking at that in the afternoon. On paper this one is a brilliant show, but it wasn't as good as last night. Half-full venue, which is cool (17 people in), front row loved it - crying with laughter, and the 'big' moments in the show got the laughs where they're supposed to be, but there were also moments where it felt a bit flat. Also, I just got the sense that as a room it took about 20 minutes for the show to settle, by the end they were onside but if it takes a third of the duration (I got it up to 60 minutes tonight) for the audience to feel comfortable with me, it's just a sign that I need to start in a less...sluggish manner. If that was an Edinburgh performance I'd be quite happy with it, but my expectations of Leicester are suddenly a bit higher.
The soundguy said to me afterwards the performance was brilliant but the audience were drowsy and there was nothing I could have done about that. That's very kind, but I still know deep down there's much that can be improved with this. Which is cool, because I'm stuck with this show for well over a year.
Full credit and respect to Fiona, who is not only incredibly good company on car trips (and in general) but for also listening to me whine all the way home about the bits that just didn't work in the show which she'd just seen and quite enjoyed.
And that's fine, because I've been quite open about the fact that I'm pushing the comedy a bit more at the moment - I just have more control over it. Apart from the lack of fringe venue and a certain Cambridge promoter refusing to confirm dates for shows I'm doing for them even though they offered them to me last week. But last night was sooo good, it was basically validation for my career choices. All 51 minutes of it, every joke landed, all the new stuff worked, there was loads of press who told me afterwards how much they enjoyed all of it...glory for Richards.
Tonight, after spending a bit of a day freelancing in the hope the company still exists, I was back in Leicester for night 2. Even though last night was a stormer, I still felt there was some bits that needed reworking, so spent a couple hours looking at that in the afternoon. On paper this one is a brilliant show, but it wasn't as good as last night. Half-full venue, which is cool (17 people in), front row loved it - crying with laughter, and the 'big' moments in the show got the laughs where they're supposed to be, but there were also moments where it felt a bit flat. Also, I just got the sense that as a room it took about 20 minutes for the show to settle, by the end they were onside but if it takes a third of the duration (I got it up to 60 minutes tonight) for the audience to feel comfortable with me, it's just a sign that I need to start in a less...sluggish manner. If that was an Edinburgh performance I'd be quite happy with it, but my expectations of Leicester are suddenly a bit higher.
The soundguy said to me afterwards the performance was brilliant but the audience were drowsy and there was nothing I could have done about that. That's very kind, but I still know deep down there's much that can be improved with this. Which is cool, because I'm stuck with this show for well over a year.
Full credit and respect to Fiona, who is not only incredibly good company on car trips (and in general) but for also listening to me whine all the way home about the bits that just didn't work in the show which she'd just seen and quite enjoyed.
Friday, 10 February 2017
Thursday 9th February 2017
Long day. Such a long day. Up early, drove to Leicester, got lost in Leicester, got flustered in Leicester, found radio station with 10 minutes to spare - at one point I was running an hour early.
I was a special guest on the station for an hour, promoting my show in the city that evening. Went well, they were fantastic hosts and made things very easy for me.
Had loads of time to kill, so did a little shopping and explored Leicester; the town centre is surprisingly nice.
Drove over to Peterborough (about an hour away) to have dinner with Emma, on route I noticed one of my headlights go so Googled the nearest garage and got it fixed within minutes - those guys were great, if I was a local I'd use them all the time.
After dinner drove back to Leicester, found my venue, met my promoter and her team, and then did a cracking gig in front of a happy and busy crowd. Best I've been on stage for a long time. Extremely brilliant way to launch the show properly; the whole set-up of the venue was perfect, allowing me to focus purely on doing the show. Really, really happy with that. The press seemed to enjoy it, too.
And then long drive home...well done, car.
I was a special guest on the station for an hour, promoting my show in the city that evening. Went well, they were fantastic hosts and made things very easy for me.
Had loads of time to kill, so did a little shopping and explored Leicester; the town centre is surprisingly nice.
Drove over to Peterborough (about an hour away) to have dinner with Emma, on route I noticed one of my headlights go so Googled the nearest garage and got it fixed within minutes - those guys were great, if I was a local I'd use them all the time.
After dinner drove back to Leicester, found my venue, met my promoter and her team, and then did a cracking gig in front of a happy and busy crowd. Best I've been on stage for a long time. Extremely brilliant way to launch the show properly; the whole set-up of the venue was perfect, allowing me to focus purely on doing the show. Really, really happy with that. The press seemed to enjoy it, too.
And then long drive home...well done, car.
Wednesday 8th February 2017
Up nice and early to work on a freelance presentation, panicked when I realised I don't know half as much about the subject as I thought I did, and then over to Cherry Hinton for the presentation itself. Turns out they didn't really need one, they just wanted me to show them what the system looks like, which I did, and then they accepted a free trial. That was a lot easier than it should have been.
Over to Mum's for tea, and then over to St Ives for a preview. It was at my mate's pub, which has recently closed down but she opened for me for one night so I could run my show and she could get bar sales.
My friends are lovely and made for a nice audience, but my restructuring of the show, as an experiment, often lead to a loss of momentum and it just felt a bit flat in places. All of the pieces work, individually, but the links between them is just clumsy. I'll play it safe tomorrow night.
Over to Mum's for tea, and then over to St Ives for a preview. It was at my mate's pub, which has recently closed down but she opened for me for one night so I could run my show and she could get bar sales.
My friends are lovely and made for a nice audience, but my restructuring of the show, as an experiment, often lead to a loss of momentum and it just felt a bit flat in places. All of the pieces work, individually, but the links between them is just clumsy. I'll play it safe tomorrow night.
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Tuesday 7th February 2017
Why does nobody ever reply to anything at all these days? I've sent so many emails over the last week or so, trying to fill in any annoying tour gaps in the schedule for the year, and also trying to book up some band shows but nobody gets back to me. It's all quite frustrating, even a rejection would be nice sometimes, just basic manners to reply, isn't it?
Anyway, my new favourite thing to do is structure novel ideas, chapter by chapter, in a notepad. It really gets the creative brain cells going, and at some point I can write it all up, fill in the blanks and eventually release them...it's a good way of getting down ideas quickly at least before I forget without committing too much time to them. As I sat in Waitrose car park today (Mum's shopping day) for a good period of time I started working on a second book. which I'm quite excited about. I'll be releasing a lot of stuff this year, I think.
In the evening I did a quick 5 minute spot (well, ended up being nearly 7 because I got carried away) at Josh's lovely show in Cambridge. All new stuff tonight, as usual the bits with drums work, the bits where I'm not drumming (the new story about the kitten, for example) felt horribly exposed. Still, enough there to make a 3 minute trailer for the show. Got back and watched my set, having filmed it, and it was a lot better than I thought, which is always a bonus.
Anyway, my new favourite thing to do is structure novel ideas, chapter by chapter, in a notepad. It really gets the creative brain cells going, and at some point I can write it all up, fill in the blanks and eventually release them...it's a good way of getting down ideas quickly at least before I forget without committing too much time to them. As I sat in Waitrose car park today (Mum's shopping day) for a good period of time I started working on a second book. which I'm quite excited about. I'll be releasing a lot of stuff this year, I think.
In the evening I did a quick 5 minute spot (well, ended up being nearly 7 because I got carried away) at Josh's lovely show in Cambridge. All new stuff tonight, as usual the bits with drums work, the bits where I'm not drumming (the new story about the kitten, for example) felt horribly exposed. Still, enough there to make a 3 minute trailer for the show. Got back and watched my set, having filmed it, and it was a lot better than I thought, which is always a bonus.
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Monday 6th February 2017
Popped in to the office for 5 hours to do a spot of freelancing; nobody spoke as usual and I'm just itching to chat...you know, I'm quite excited by stuff at the moment, the tour and all that.
With my spangly new website looking lovely, I sent out another batch of emails for the murder mystery show, the solo show etc, it's all busy at the moment but from June onwards there are too many gaps.
Evening headlined the comedy night at a local university. They billed me quite extensively, there was a bit of hype to the extent I was a little embarrassed. It was fine, really - students are tricky audience members, they're the quietest and don't see the problem in playing with their phones throughout the whole show...I was watching the audience during the other acts and I couldn't believe just how unsociable this crowd was. I woke them up a bit, but there was a live and very loud band playing upstairs so it was a bit of a battle. Resorted back to older material when I felt like it was drifting a bit and got laughs in all the right places even if that was far from smooth.
With my spangly new website looking lovely, I sent out another batch of emails for the murder mystery show, the solo show etc, it's all busy at the moment but from June onwards there are too many gaps.
Evening headlined the comedy night at a local university. They billed me quite extensively, there was a bit of hype to the extent I was a little embarrassed. It was fine, really - students are tricky audience members, they're the quietest and don't see the problem in playing with their phones throughout the whole show...I was watching the audience during the other acts and I couldn't believe just how unsociable this crowd was. I woke them up a bit, but there was a live and very loud band playing upstairs so it was a bit of a battle. Resorted back to older material when I felt like it was drifting a bit and got laughs in all the right places even if that was far from smooth.
Monday, 6 February 2017
Sunday 5th February 2017
That was a long day. Off to London to enter a competition...I don't normally like competitions, I don't normally do them - as a musician or as a comedian, as I don't see any value to come from this apart from the promoter packing venues out and selling the odd false dream. But I was advised to enter this one by a few comedy chums, and given the track record of who has won it previously it was worth a shot.
The whole thing just felt like being back at school, the admin of the (2 and a half hour) event lasted nearly an hour, and then 60 comedians got 90 seconds each. I was act number 42. By the time I went on to do my bit I was tired and didn't really care anymore...my 90 seconds was fine, but can you really impress a panel of judges in that time? I didn't fluff my words, I did everything I had planned, but it was maybe lacking in a bit of a spark.
Have no idea if I've got through - 17 out of the 60 will be in the next round and we find out later in the month. Not entirely sure if I want to anyway, the whole thing feels a bit of a drag.
Really nice to catch up with Matt and Sally afterwards, and then fell asleep on the train on the way home - luckily waking up in Ely, my intended destination.
The whole thing just felt like being back at school, the admin of the (2 and a half hour) event lasted nearly an hour, and then 60 comedians got 90 seconds each. I was act number 42. By the time I went on to do my bit I was tired and didn't really care anymore...my 90 seconds was fine, but can you really impress a panel of judges in that time? I didn't fluff my words, I did everything I had planned, but it was maybe lacking in a bit of a spark.
Have no idea if I've got through - 17 out of the 60 will be in the next round and we find out later in the month. Not entirely sure if I want to anyway, the whole thing feels a bit of a drag.
Really nice to catch up with Matt and Sally afterwards, and then fell asleep on the train on the way home - luckily waking up in Ely, my intended destination.
Saturday, 4 February 2017
Saturday 4th January 2017
My schedule for the next month or so is basically all comedy; I'm quite happy about this - I mean, my new material is starting to really excite me (my 'What could possibly go wrong?' song worked a treat last night) but you know, I'm a drummer - I keep looking at my beautiful Tama kit and I know I should be playing it more.
Spent a bit of the day looking at my May/June tour dates and then emailed all of the venues I'm doing as part of it to confirm. I then redesigned the tour poster, again, and sent it over to them.
Venue confirmed for Wednesday for the live DVD filming of the new show. No pressure then.
Set up the crowdfunding page for the tour, will launch that tomorrow.
Evening plans to have dinner with Chris and Rohan postponed as Chris had to look after his ill kid, so met up with Rob for a pint and a rant.
Spent a bit of the day looking at my May/June tour dates and then emailed all of the venues I'm doing as part of it to confirm. I then redesigned the tour poster, again, and sent it over to them.
Venue confirmed for Wednesday for the live DVD filming of the new show. No pressure then.
Set up the crowdfunding page for the tour, will launch that tomorrow.
Evening plans to have dinner with Chris and Rohan postponed as Chris had to look after his ill kid, so met up with Rob for a pint and a rant.
Friday 3rd January 2017
Yesterday was totally exhausting, today I treated myself to a little rest before replying to a load of emails about shows.
Really proud of my new website, took me bloody ages to put together and is quite expensive but it's a good market place for what I do. For the first time since I quit my day job, I finally feel like a professional. Now I just need a few more bookings, as a comedian, as a drummer, just a bit more stuff.
Finishing that site took over quite a lot of my day but I still had a bit of time to work on a sitcom script. That's the project I shouldn't really be writing right now.
Marcel really is a genius; the stuff he's writing for the murder mystery show is so, so good. All of it.
3 hour round trip to Leighton Buzzard for 10 minute stand-up gig. Turned up to see they'd pretty much sold double the amount of tickets and the place was just heaving - people were even having to watch from the stairs. I opened the show and had a great set, the new stuff is really, really starting to gel now.
Driving back, feeling really happy, something happened on the journey (humorous, not negative) that'll go straight into the show for next week. It's all good.
Really proud of my new website, took me bloody ages to put together and is quite expensive but it's a good market place for what I do. For the first time since I quit my day job, I finally feel like a professional. Now I just need a few more bookings, as a comedian, as a drummer, just a bit more stuff.
Finishing that site took over quite a lot of my day but I still had a bit of time to work on a sitcom script. That's the project I shouldn't really be writing right now.
Marcel really is a genius; the stuff he's writing for the murder mystery show is so, so good. All of it.
3 hour round trip to Leighton Buzzard for 10 minute stand-up gig. Turned up to see they'd pretty much sold double the amount of tickets and the place was just heaving - people were even having to watch from the stairs. I opened the show and had a great set, the new stuff is really, really starting to gel now.
Driving back, feeling really happy, something happened on the journey (humorous, not negative) that'll go straight into the show for next week. It's all good.
Friday, 3 February 2017
Thursday 2nd February 2017
Up at 5.30am. Ouch! Long drive to Dorking, which meant going around London during rush hour, I didn't enjoy that.
Did a 2 hour presentation for the freelance company which was okay - mostly video based in the end, the company I was doing it to were nice enough. Look, it could have been a lost worse, I realise that. But 2 of them did fall asleep.
Got back by 4pm, did a bit of work on my music/comedy website and then out to FH rehearsals. New stuff sounding good.
Home, to finally relax, and then had a random late night phone chat with V to discuss everything, mostly my plans to potentially move on from FH at some point this year as I'm pushing the comedy more and my schedule is approaching breaking point. We'll see, hope it doesn't come to that but something has to give. Either way, she's an awesome friend.
Wednesday 1st February 2017
Popped out to buy sausages (I just love sausages at the moment) and then did a little freelance job thing - phone training for a really confused client. Can't say it went particularly well, but didn't go badly, either - we just got through it.
Then did a little work on the presentation for tomorrow, got worried about, and then went back and did a little rewriting of my script.
I then spent 7 hours building a snazzy new website. It's not finished yet but it's getting there. Very slowly, but it's getting there.
Then did a little work on the presentation for tomorrow, got worried about, and then went back and did a little rewriting of my script.
I then spent 7 hours building a snazzy new website. It's not finished yet but it's getting there. Very slowly, but it's getting there.
Tuesday 31st January 2017
Spent the morning working on my presentation for Thursday, then as always for a Tuesday I took Mum shopping and spent quite a long time sat in Waitrose car park making notes for another new novel that I haven't really got time to write at the moment.
Elisabeth has kindly sorted me some voluntary work for my new 'team building with drums' business, which makes me look like a nice guy whilst simultaneously having a free rehearsal.
Need to build a new website, need to build my brand and do this all properly.
Evening was the final of 5 house gigs, this time around Izzy's place. The show feels like a show now, I was a little tired in places but it works, I'm feeling quite comfortable with the new stuff now.
Elisabeth has kindly sorted me some voluntary work for my new 'team building with drums' business, which makes me look like a nice guy whilst simultaneously having a free rehearsal.
Need to build a new website, need to build my brand and do this all properly.
Evening was the final of 5 house gigs, this time around Izzy's place. The show feels like a show now, I was a little tired in places but it works, I'm feeling quite comfortable with the new stuff now.
Monday 30th January 2017
Up early (for me, for normal people 6.45 is probably the regular time?!) for a lovely meeting with Elisabeth about my talents as a comedian and drummer and how what I do can be of use to her. Was a great meeting; I came out of it feeling very positive about being self-employed.
Then off to the regular freelance place for a few hours, mostly preparing my presentation for Thursday which could go either way.
Evening was the latest house show - this time around Lee and Kim's house and it was just utterly wonderful. Lovely people, half of which knew my stuff, half of which didn't, all of which seemed up for it. Show was more than fine - the second half was almost slick at times, the first half was hit and miss but had enough charm.
Happy Paul.
Then off to the regular freelance place for a few hours, mostly preparing my presentation for Thursday which could go either way.
Evening was the latest house show - this time around Lee and Kim's house and it was just utterly wonderful. Lovely people, half of which knew my stuff, half of which didn't, all of which seemed up for it. Show was more than fine - the second half was almost slick at times, the first half was hit and miss but had enough charm.
Happy Paul.
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