Another run of failing to update this blog. It has been a busy week. It's not been busy in the way that last week was - a run of 4 distant gigs could drive you mad. Maybe I'm now too mad to notice, or maybe I'm now immune to the rigours of gigging. Sadly, I'm not immune to the cold-like virus I appear to have contracted. I feel somewhat run-down. This is perfectly in sync with increased responsibilities at work and the backlog of household tasks I've failed to perform recently.

A quick retrospective on the week:

Tuesday
Rehearsal night. Er... that's about it. I also started reading a book I'd bought on Monday (or maybe I started it on Monday, but got into it on Tuesday). It's not desperately important. I like to read and I seldom make time for it. The fact that I lay in bed with a book is a good thing and I'm pleased to announce it. The book was, in fact, Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz.

Wednesday
I had a rather odd-feeling gig in Sunderland. I am told that I have shown a marked improvement since I last gigged there. Either that, or people remembered me as being poorer than I really was. Either way, I did okay on the stage. One of the songs I did died somewhat, but such is life. I got something out of the crowd.

I met a fellow Newcastle-based comedian whom I gave a lift home to and we discussed the subject of practising kissing on Oranges, which is an amusing (though I suppose handy) tip from Just 17 magazine - this was a suitable sequel to the hilarity I'd had reading Bliss over the weekend. Bizarrely, it also transpired during the conversation that this performer had been in a show I saw at the Edinburgh festival 2 years ago - thankfully, I'd actually liked it - it might have been embarrassing had it transpired that my online review was scathing.

At home I read into the small hours. More reading... I'm becoming a worm!

Thursday
I think it's fair to say that the cold managed to take a stronger grip on me. I considered calling in sick. That book wasn't going to read itself and sleep felt like a good move. Having said that, I have responsibilities now and I felt the need to live up to them. So, I had a relatively stressful and busy day. By home time I really didn't feel like I wanted to do the gig. Still, I went home, stuffed my belly full of food and headed out to the gig.

At first it didn't look like we'd get an audience and I was almost relieved at the prospect of the gig being cancelled and the early night which that might create. However, people came. Not too many, but not too few. It was a tough room to play, but it slowly built up into a good mood. By my turn to go on, the room was in a good mood. I swallowed down some phlegm and bounded onto the stage...

...and had a complete stormer. They laughed at pretty much everything and anything I said/sang. I was immediately in a totally cheery mood. I was making them laugh with my mood as much as my material. I was getting giggly myself. I've no idea how that happened. It was great fun. For the duration of my time on stage I didn't feel remotely ill (though my voice wasn't quite at full strength).

Immediately afterwards I felt quite ill again, but give me a spotlight, microphone and guitar, and I have a temporary cure.

I went home and read late into the night and finished the book. It was a simultaneously surprising and predictable ending. I'd guessed it, but then been diverted from believing it. That's the joy of reading.

Today (so far)
Yeah... er... work. Feeling headachey and croaking. Lots of meetings with one participant on the telephone, so lots of for the benefit of those unable to see what's going on in the room commentary. I wonder whether my "hilarious" descriptions of people's attire (falsified) will fade in their popularity as we go along.

Tonight I'm off to a rehearsal for South Pacific. I'm still unsure whether I can juggle two shows. Let's see.