So Then, That's It ... For Now!
Today is 1/1/11.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I am old enough to remember that being on a poster back in the 70's and thinking that it was a load of old hippy bollocks. This morning, when I woke up in that very basic room in Leicester a 6.45 (without an alarm!), I really did feel as thought something was different.
I know that, in reality, nothing's changed but the numbers on the calendar or on the clock, but it really does feel as though things have shifted significantly in my life as of today.
For one thing, I'm "retired" or "on a break" or whatever you want to call it, but for the first time in 17 and a half years there's not one marking in my diary that says "gig". I did rather think I might be sad when the end came, but, in the end I wasn't.
This could be down to the fact that my last gig was in a club and a city that has a million and one memories for me - both good and bad - I think that perhaps it was the perfect place to bow out for a while because although I'm always happy to work there and the audiences have never been less than fabulous, it is a place I'm kind of ok with never seeing again.
In my best efforts to be diplomatic, that is no reflection on Leicester, but the hotel is a shithole and just like every other single time I've played there over the years it took several changes of room to find one that was clean and didn't stink of stale piss and had lights that work. Oh I am very demanding when it comes to hotel rooms!
The club too, has seen better days. It looks a bit shabby and neglected (and has done for a good few years now) in spite of the wonderful staff's best efforts. There's some new kind of lighting rig there that had me convinced there'd been a power failure. I did extra time at the top of the show while I waited for them to fix it! Seems to me that - for most performers at least - you need to see some of the audience, and be seen by them! Call me crazy.
Anyway, even with all those things, I had fun onstage, the audience had fun, and I got to say bye to some more of my comedy chums. I was back in the hotel watching Jools' Hootenanny by 11.30 thinking "I could've been there". My good mate Steve had a spare ticket and asked if I'd like to go with him to the recording, sadly I was working.
This morning as I sat on the train that hurtled towards London with an almost unseemly haste, I really felt as though a whole new, positive chapter had begun in my life. I came home to an envelope jammed in my letter box informing me that I was due a fairly nice tax refund and then spent most of the day de-junking and scrubbing my kitchen. Not very glamourous, but incredibly satisfying!
2011 has already been kinder to me than the whole of 2010 put together, and the first day of the rest of my life has been a blast!
Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I am old enough to remember that being on a poster back in the 70's and thinking that it was a load of old hippy bollocks. This morning, when I woke up in that very basic room in Leicester a 6.45 (without an alarm!), I really did feel as thought something was different.
I know that, in reality, nothing's changed but the numbers on the calendar or on the clock, but it really does feel as though things have shifted significantly in my life as of today.
For one thing, I'm "retired" or "on a break" or whatever you want to call it, but for the first time in 17 and a half years there's not one marking in my diary that says "gig". I did rather think I might be sad when the end came, but, in the end I wasn't.
This could be down to the fact that my last gig was in a club and a city that has a million and one memories for me - both good and bad - I think that perhaps it was the perfect place to bow out for a while because although I'm always happy to work there and the audiences have never been less than fabulous, it is a place I'm kind of ok with never seeing again.
In my best efforts to be diplomatic, that is no reflection on Leicester, but the hotel is a shithole and just like every other single time I've played there over the years it took several changes of room to find one that was clean and didn't stink of stale piss and had lights that work. Oh I am very demanding when it comes to hotel rooms!
The club too, has seen better days. It looks a bit shabby and neglected (and has done for a good few years now) in spite of the wonderful staff's best efforts. There's some new kind of lighting rig there that had me convinced there'd been a power failure. I did extra time at the top of the show while I waited for them to fix it! Seems to me that - for most performers at least - you need to see some of the audience, and be seen by them! Call me crazy.
Anyway, even with all those things, I had fun onstage, the audience had fun, and I got to say bye to some more of my comedy chums. I was back in the hotel watching Jools' Hootenanny by 11.30 thinking "I could've been there". My good mate Steve had a spare ticket and asked if I'd like to go with him to the recording, sadly I was working.
This morning as I sat on the train that hurtled towards London with an almost unseemly haste, I really felt as though a whole new, positive chapter had begun in my life. I came home to an envelope jammed in my letter box informing me that I was due a fairly nice tax refund and then spent most of the day de-junking and scrubbing my kitchen. Not very glamourous, but incredibly satisfying!
2011 has already been kinder to me than the whole of 2010 put together, and the first day of the rest of my life has been a blast!
Labels: Gigs
posted by JoJo Smith at Saturday, January 01, 2011
4 Comments:
Nice blog JoJo.
I'm really chuffed that you're heading for pastures new. I hope you find the new start you're looking for.
Keep up the blogging honey, I look forward to reading of your adventures.
Pete x
Thank you Pete. I'll be posting wherever I can, internet connection permitting!
May be a few weeks late....but...*happy New year*, and I am glad it feels so fresh and you feel so optimistic. Good For you! I feel the same about my year....(and though has been a bit of a bish, not SO much of a bish as yet this year)...and may that continue to be our experience of 2011. New things/better things.
Fiona
*new year smooch*
Cheers Fiona. I hope that 2011 is a much better year for all of us! Of course most of that is what we make of it.
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