Gettin Better

There's a track by The Neptunes called 'Gettin' Better' that's on my little iPod shuffle. Those of you that have one will know that it's not all that random, some songs you never hear, some you hear every bloody time you switch it on. Anyway, this tune is stuck in my current "random" loop and its incredibly appropriate right now.

I have to say that my 'period of recovery' is actually more active than my normal weeks! My little outing with Jason on Wednesday was followed by a trip to the movies on Thursday to see Dreamgirls. Even I am too young to have seen the original stage version, but the standout track "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Leaving" sung by Jennifer Holliday has been one of my favourite songs for years. If you've seen the gorgeous and wonderful Julia Morris gigging recently you'll know the song I mean.

The reviews for the movie weren't great, but I went along just to see that song performed. If you don't know the story basically its a cleaned up version of The Supremes' story, with Beyonce as the Diana Ross character and Jamie Foxx as Berry Gordy. Playing Cindy Birdsong's part of the orignal lead singer, was a woman called Jennifer Hudson. She was a runner up in American Idol, I'm guessing she didn't win cos she wasn't skinny and white. It can't have been her singing ability that's for sure!

From the minute she opens her mouth to sing you are set alight! She's the closest thing to Aretha Franklin I've ever heard. I knew the song was coming and when it did, boy! I had shivers all over my body, not just up and down my spine. The tears spilled down my cheeks, and I was mesmerised by her performance. Goddam this girl can sing!

On the whole, the movie has a dated feel, not in a good way, Eddie Murphy is pretty good, Beyonce is bland, Jamie Foxx is hateful, but Jennifer Hudson makes the whole thing worthwhile. Go and see it just for her performance.

Yesterday saw me indulging in a pleasure I've not enjoyed for many years, Saturday afternoon trolling down the Portobello Road. Since I've been doing comedy I've maybe be able to do this about 4 times, cos I'm usually out of town at the weekends. I'd forgotten how packed it gets! Still I had a wonderful time, even tho the place is becoming more and more homogenised. The Westbourne Grove end with its designer boutiques held a little more interest for me now that I can see the possibility of actually fitting into some of the clothes in the near future. I got a gorgeous Diptique candle from their little shop and drooled over the Mulberry handbags, then it was onto the market itself.

There's still one or two practical shops, I got my 5 lighters for a quid and some cheap tupperware, some fruit and veg, and even got chatted up by an old rastaman! This is what we want on a Saturday afternoon! There was a stall selling reproductions of Banksy's works and I treated myself to one of those...maybe one day I'll own the real thing.

The weight loss is nothing short of phenomenal. I've lost a stone in less than two weeks!!!! How amazing is that????? I get to move up to pureed foods this week, so have spent the weekend concocting various soup and stew recipies to see me through the next stage of my recovery.

My dad asked me if I'd missed gigging the last two weekends, and the answer is yes, kinda. I haven't missed the travelling at all, its been great having this time to just potter and do stuff, but yeah I've missed the guys I work with, I've missed that buzz of being onstage, and I've definitely missed hearing people laugh at the rubbish I talk. I'm at Oxford Jongleurs next weekend, and yeah, I cannot wait!