Day off
Luckily Emily deputised yesterday when – as her blog revealed – I was called away on emergency rocking-the-baby duty. You’ll be glad to hear that I successfully saw Watson Junior off to sleep with an impressively sustained rhythmic performance. We then went to see the minimalist ‘anti-comic’ Edward Aczel, who was very funny. Then tonight we saw almost his exact opposite, Tim Vine, who was also great. If you are in Edinburgh, I heartily recommend both these shows.
We went on a day trip today to St Andrews: it’s been my day off from performing. As is the way with day trips, it was just as tiring and full of stress as doing a show, but at least in a different setting. The break from doing a show is nonetheless – from my point of view – enormously welcome. I’ve been enjoying it, but I’d just got to the stage where you find yourself thinking ‘oh dear, why the hell am I doing this?’. This happens during every Edinburgh and can be triggered by any or all of a number of factors: fatigue, a show that doesn’t go as well as the others, a slightly smaller audience, seeing someone better than you, or just the constant sense of futility that haunts your waking days (these factors vary from person to person). I should imagine by tomorrow I’ll be sharp and ‘up for it’ once more. And for the first time this Edinburgh, I’ve granted myself a massive TWO days off.
Oh, one more bit of Kit news – today he had his first bit of sweet potato. He absolutely hated it.
I’m going to bed early. That’s what a day off means to me these days: not ‘going large’, but ‘going a bit less in general’. I can’t say I’m particularly sorry about this transition. Sleeping is bloody amazing. I don’t know why someone didn’t tell me before.
Posted by Steph on August 17, 2010
He disliked sweet potato? Good man…
Posted by Helen on August 17, 2010
Hello
I pre-ordered your book and finished it within a week, which for me, is a new personal best of book reading speeds. I must admit I’m not even a big fan of book reading, but I honestly thought ‘Eleven’ was fantastic. I promise I’m not just saying that – I thought it was so clever, and I really believed in the characters and the story in general was truly sublime. Brilliant. Oh, and I’m sure you’ve forgotten by now as it was many a blog ago but I must say thanks for saying you liked my pine cone comment about james corden/centre parcs on the very late review – I felt quite chuffed. Anyway, Good Luck with your shows and everything and I haven’t commented much lately but have still been reading and enjoying.
Posted by Kathryn on August 17, 2010
Sleep cannot be praised highly enough. I haven’t had any since 6:30am yesterday, several hundred miles away. This is all EasyJet’s fault. It’s a long story.
Posted by Lydia on August 17, 2010
I just caught up on the week that I missed. It’s all been pretty dramatic. I’m glad that Kit is feeling better now and that the show is going well.
I love Tim Vine. He made a very unfortunate week in which I ended up at Butlins a lot better.
Sleep is awesome. I hope you get a lot of it.
Posted by Natalya on August 17, 2010
Sleep is one of the most amazing things in the world, as is sweet potato. Mind you, I don’t think I liked it when I was younger either (sweet potato, not sleep, i’ve always loved sleep).
Posted by Rachael on August 17, 2010
Sweet potatoe is easily the best of all the vegetables. Sorry didn’t tell you about how amazing sleeping is, I assumed everyone knew!
Posted by Anji on August 17, 2010
I was, for a moment, worried for sweet potatoes and their feelings. I love sweet potato, and feel Kit should try again! It’s good for him after all. But in fairness that never worked with me and peas or mushrooms. So what ever works for you guys!
I too am glad you have had a day off. Always important but always go much faster than normal days, which I’ll never understand!
Lots of clean sheets for blog readers, mine will be tonight – and often I try and sneak a nap in if I can and get the cleaness just for me! Thank goodness for getting older and understanding how wonderful sleep is! The more of it the better!
Posted by Max on August 17, 2010
I absolutely HATED sweet potato until I was 23 or so.
Now I love it and use it to replace potato in everything, mashed, baked or fried.
Give him some time.
Posted by Aislinn on August 17, 2010
For some reason, when I first read the last bit of this blog, I didn’t notice the full stop at the very end and thought you had ended your blog rather carelessly with just a word and no final punction
A bit like that. Which I liked.
Then I looked again.
I bloody love sweet potato.
Posted by SamJJ on August 17, 2010
I bought a sweet potato yesterday for baby George to try, wonder if he will find it as unpleasant as Kit? So far cucumber seems to be his favourite but think it just feels nice on sore gums.
We saw some friends at the weekend and we were all talking about comedy and (unprompted by me) they said the best comedian they’d seen in ages was you! Cue lots of gushing by me and enthusing about your blog!
I got the tickets for your Brighton gig. I am very excited! Hope to get some where’s Watson points too.
Posted by EmT on August 17, 2010
I am with Kit on this one. So wise at such a young age.
Posted by Misha on August 17, 2010
Sleep is wonderful. I can’t speak for sweet potatos. Also (tweet related) that’s a brummie accent not a generic west midlands one. I’m from the west midlands and (i’d like to think) fairly well spoken. I digressl it’s gone 3.
Posted by Catherine on August 17, 2010
I can’t decide which I like better – sleep or chocolate. Sometimes I do both.
I love sweet potatoes. They might grow on him. Plus they are good for you.
Clean sheet night at my house, too.
Sleep well, Watsons and all other Watsonians.
Posted by Alex on August 17, 2010
I’m glad you’re going to be sharp and up for it tomorrow (later on today…) because tomorrow (later on today…) I’m coming! Hurrah!
Also, I have decided that Kit is mental. Sweet potato is AMAZING.
My friend just took me to see Dylan Moran as a late birthday present. I’ve had a bit too much to drink. You may be able to tell.
Posted by Laura-B on August 16, 2010
I agree with Kit. Sweet potato is wrong. If it’s sweet, then it should be a pudding.
That’s all I have to say.
Posted by Beth on August 16, 2010
When I was younger I hated sleep, it wasn’t until recently that I realised just how good it it, glad you too have realised it and are taking a well deserved day off!
(This blog has also reminded me just how disgusting sweet potato is…)
Night x
Posted by Carl on August 16, 2010
Night night! x
Posted by Laurs on August 16, 2010
Glad to hear that you’re factoring in a day or two off, it’s a start…
Enjoy the much deserved sleep, sleeping is wonderful. I’ve been wondering for the last three hours whether it’s too early to go to bed (I’m on holiday from work, feel as though I have to take advantage of the no early starts) but am going to succumb now. To make it better, there are clean sheets on the bed. I’m not sure there is anything nicer than getting into a bed with clean sheets.
I’m rambling now, apologies. x
Posted by Rachel/Pandora on August 16, 2010
I’m glad you decided that sleep is bloody amazing after I made it to a marathon show. Convenient.
I’m also glad you’ve got more time off this year. You definitely deserve it. x
Posted by Megan on August 16, 2010
Oh, god, sleep. I love it so much. But I think I was born olde, so I’ve valued more than anything for quite a while now. (I am going home to nap before going out for my weekly card game later.)
A million years ago, I did a slightly stressful day trip to St. Andrew’s. We got stuck in Leuchars in the pissing rain waiting for an invisible bus. Still glad I went, though.