Just Do More, Richards

It's been a busy couple of weeks; some lovely gigs with the band - with FH we've been back at the arts centres, playing to seated, respectful audiences with great sound. Also played a guest house with Claudia the other night which was quirky and great fun.  Most of my time has been either spent teaching, or writing the new house exclusive show, which is about the many cars I've had over the years and my lack of understanding with them. They say write about what you know, yeah? I like the idea of a house exclusive show, because it gets me out of the routine of Leicester (Feb, new show), Brighton (May, show should be tighter by then), Edinburgh (August, it's a proper show by then) and the 60-minute restriction. I can do what I like, I don't have to hire venues and I get to meet lots of lovely people. I said I'd do the show anywhere. And then an old friend in Australia booked me... Just as I was looking at flights, I had to pop out to see my mate Josie for a catch-...

It's a problem I've always had: not being able to say no. But...maybe, just maybe, I say yes to all these things because I actually enjoy it? Either way, joined a new band on Friday without really realising how much I've committed to. I turned up for a rehearsal ahead of Saturday's gig, which I was down to step in for as a one-off, but it went so well that by the end of our little jam I was being booked up for studio recordings, more gigs, Zoom interviews with radio stations in the US. But, you know, I'm a drummer, and if people say nice things to me, I get talked into this stuff. The gig yesterday with them, a lively Americana act, was rowdy but fun. Today I'm back with FH, tomorrow night I'm gigging with the blues band. On Thursday I had my first session with our wedding franchise band, which I'm running with Vicky H, and that's coming together well. I like drums.  In the meantime I'm back teaching full time, 11 hours a day, and everyone seems ...

I guess the reason why I keep doing the Edinburgh Fringe every year is that it's a reminder that it's one of the hardest things you can do - not just the shows/flyering/networking, but also just the sheer amount of walking. And then the rest of my year seems rather easy... I'm back in my schools next week, and the private lessons start properly then, too (although they kinda started, albeit slowly, a day after I got back from the fringe). I'm aware that from next week onwards things will get really bonkers again (not fringe bonkers, though, must remember that) with no time to breathe, so I've been trying to use this last, calmer, week, productively.  We had a read-through of the radio sitcom I wrote on my cruise, with Alan H, Kate, Alex, Nicole, Cara and Alan M all very kindly lending their talents. We made the mistake of picking the loudest pub by the station so we had struggles hearing each other at points, and I made the mistake of not ending it on episode three ...