That's how I feel, I'm afraid. Fat.

I am going to lose weight. Honestly I am. It's just easier to say than to do. We had a nice long weekend away just gone, and you can't do that without hanging out in coffee shops, and you can't hang out in coffee shops without muffins and so the calories go in and the weight stays on.

However, that's not the reason I've taken to the keyboard this fine morning. I've got a few words to say on the subject of my two day trip to Brighton this week, not to be confused with the three nights in Brighton next week, which won't involve me spending the day here, and so are totally unrelated.

I set off from home yesterday morning around 6am. A mere 3hrs 20mins later I was in Brighton, having finished a morning call I do for my day job, and I was ready to do a day's work. This is where telecommuting really comes into its own. A friend/ex-colleague provided me with a safe house in which I could do my work, be undisturbed and, more importantly connected to the internet.

There was also the small matter of being given a bed for the night, for which I am and was truly thankful.

Yesterday's early start was really the tip of an iceberg. It was a hell of a day. I headed out at lunchtime to pop in for a chat on local radio. I was on BBC Radio Sussex at 12.40, chatting to Danny Pike, a radio presenter who knows how to present radio. I really enjoyed our chat, and I did a song at the end, which I also enjoyed doing.

I'm reminded of a radio interview at Chris Parr and I did in promotion of The Musical! on BBC Radio Newcastle. On the one hand it should have really given us a boost and a bit of coverage. In fact, I think the DJ thought we were a pair of young upstarts who must be punished. He asked how many shows we were doing in Edinburgh. I think it was something like 25 or 27. He then asked if we'd done that sort of thing before. Of course we hadn't (nor have that many sane people). He then said "that will be very gruelling... very gruelling", like he was expecting us to come home in body bags or something. I think he assumed that we had no idea of how hard it is to put on a Fringe show.

Well, we know now.

In fact, I'd say doing a longer run is, on average, a lot easier than doing a short run.

But this trip in Brighton is about just that. A short run. A brief two dates for The Seven Deadly Sings. Show one, yesterday, had two reviewers in, and no pre-sales. Oh joy.

After my radio interview, I then lugged, and the emphasis here is on the sheer physical exertion of lugging, the equipment from my car to the venue. I stored it all backstage. It's bloody heavy!

Then back to work for the afternoon. Meetings to be had, stuff to type etc etc.

After work, I headed down to the venue aiming to bide my time until it was time for my show to start. I went to watch the show before mine, which was a handy distraction and an enjoyable show.

Then it was show time. I think the stress of having to wire up a piano, three FX pedals, a microphone, a guitar and a bunch of other similar things, actually stops me from worrying too much about the other things like "what are the words again?" and "will there be an audience".

There was a small, perfectly formed, audience who came and laughed in much of the right places. The show romped along and I didn't feel like I was uncomfortable at any point. They groaned at my puns and I didn't really seem to mind. Why not!? It's not like I'm doing any harm to anyone.

I got to the end of the show. It's all a blur, but it's on video. The upshot of it was that I felt like it had worked ok. The spoken material seemed to go better than I thought it would and the musical stuff went ok, but didn't fly as high as it ultimately will.

Then it was the tear down. That's a bugger to do too. Additionally, I was told I had to store my stuff elsewhere in the venue, so I had to drag all the kit down to the basement. That's going to make it a bit annoying when it comes to the set up today, but it can't be helped.

First show was done. It was time for dinner.

Then I performed in the 9pm show. So we watched that, except for the bit when I was on stage, where I watched the audience.

And that was that. A long day with about 75 minutes' performing in it and way too much carrying for my liking. I slept awfully well.