Days Without Alcohol - 78
I had a really excellent day today. I did my first bit of proper exercise for three weeks, going for a run in the morning before breakfast. I have either been too ill or too busy to continue my fitness regime and it has taken a noticeable toll on my body. I am a bit podgier than I was at the beginning of the month and slightly failing to fit into my 34 inch waist jeans. This at least has led to a new bit in the show where I discuss my futile attempt to pretend that I can fit in the trousers, even if it means my balls are being crushed so badly as a result that they have already turned into coal. It's a very apt Jeremy Clarkson style part of my mid-life crisis. Hopefully if I can get back into my regime the jeans will fit properly again once the tour is over.
Perhaps because of the adrenalin kick from the short 20 minute jog, or maybe just because this little leg of the tour is not as exhausting as the others I managed to get loads done today. I wrote about 12 pages of my script (which is a third of the total length in one day, whilst the rest took me two and a half months). I did a bit in the hotel and then stopped at a Caffe Ritazza along the way to Birmingham to do some more (having driven down Brian Clough Way which made me smile as I remembered that great Derby/Nottingham character, just as it did as I drove down it yesterday - I like the fact that he has a dual carriageway named after him, rather than a street in a town, though my guess is that this road links the two cities where he managed football clubs. Even if I am wrong it seems funny and charming to see his name in this strange location). I was amazed to see that this Caffe Ritazza not only didn't have any pictures of my future wife, but actually used two completely different models in its poster. Perhaps they are branching out and trying to find wives for all their regular customers. Someone else can have these two, they are nothing on my girl.
I got to the Midland Arts Centre very early and worked in the cafe there and then in my dressing room. Even hyperactive children and smiling babies didn't distract me from my work, though I enjoyed listening in to a group of 20 something women who looked like they had just been playing some sport or other discussing their favourite chocolates, cakes and types of cream. One of them was talking about a friend who didn't like the cream chocolates in a tin of Quality Street and how after Christmas each year, her family and that of her friends would swap Quality Street. The girl in the cafe's family didn't like the hard toffees and had those left in their tin, so swapped them for the cream based chocolates of her friend's family. This tiny glimpse into someone else's life seemed very appealing to me, but I was in one of those open, heightened moods when I was noticing everything around me. The women enjoyed some naughty Cadbury Creme Eggs.
I actually thought I might get the whole script finished before the show, but there's still a couple of scenes to do. I might be able to sort them out tomorrow though. It would be terrific if I could.
The days when one achieves something significant as a writer are almost unbeatable and a fun, loose and lively show really helped to fill me with happiness. I really am a stand up comedian now. I drove home feeling awake and very content with my lot, getting home by half past midnight. Even after just two nights away it feels great to be home. And to have done one day of efficient work so far this year! Ha ha ha.
