“F**k.”
That is often my first word of each day. The insomnia makes nights so difficult, but first thing in the morning can run it close, depending on how bad the night has been. I’m lucky I’m too disciplined to just stay in and attempt a lie-in. That’s partly down to me long having held the opinion that sleeping too much is just a waste of a day.
But this morning’s eff word was down to the fact this is a busy week of gigs. Trying to hit my target of shows for this month, I’ve been very proactive in hunting spots down and I’m back out tonight. The journey to Camden by bus though, while long, will give me time to unwind with a book, there and back, something I enjoy about gigs. On Thursday night, hopefully after my first haircut in nearly 100 days, I’m in Tulse Hill at what is a very good night, while on Sunday I’m back in Croydon, a journey that I again have come to enjoy as I have a bus that takes me door to door to that gig and gives me long enough on the bus to run through my set twice in my head and also read something like 50-75 pages of whatever book I’ll be on by Sunday. I should add that Sunday night’s Croydon show was surprisingly enjoyable. That particular night has improved considerably, and I felt better for being out that night. The eyes, after a weekend in which I watched ELEVEN episodes of Yellowstone (it really picks up from S2) got a nice break from the screen too. I’m normally very good managing screentime and it’s rare these days I get into a TV show in the way I used to 20 years ago, but it can still happen from time to time.
The slog of non-London gigs doesn’t begin until early February and then when I do drop that first f-bomb of the day, it will be in upper casing.
THE café was ridiculously busy yesterday afternoon and me and my stuff were crammed onto a tiny table. Someone had brought a dog in. While this is a common sight in the back-up café, it’s unusual in SW8. The late owner’s successor is a dog fan and that rule, along with the uniform over the years, has been relaxed, but for me it’s the kind of hygiene fail that would’ve got a mention on my old Daniel Ruiz Tizon is Available radio show that went out on Monday nights.
Today’s plan is to work some more on the edit for this week’s new When Shorts Were Short episode. You can find the latest episode here, if historical football is your thing. I interviewed the MP Chris Evans on his biography on the life and career of the complex Don Revie https://bit.ly/3UasF8f
After a lunchtime rain, hopefully before the wind and the rain arrives, I’m also going to see how far I can get in terms of learning a new minute of material. This is the hardest part of stand-up for me. The writing comes easy. The performing isn’t daunting. But learning lines, bloody hell, I find it hard. I don’t know how realistic it is that I can pull this off by Thursday especially when I’m chasing my tail so hard each day.
Find my gig list here danielruiztizon.com/gigs
I hope your tail chasing is less severe and that you have yourself a good day.
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