New blog

I've moved to a new site.
Here is the link

Damned Blogger and virus

I haven't been able to update this blog for far too long due to a virus that blocks google analytics so I can't sign in to write. Work has been too busy for me to write ordinairly so I am going to move to wordpress.

On top of the world

For some reason I was inanely happy yesterday and this morning too.
The rehearsal was perfect, box office was busy and of course I managed to get tickets for the family.
The fact that wages had been sorted too was a major boost considering that I have a week off coming up.
The prospect of not eating steam for evening meal is very appealing.
A new pipe, a copy of 'The Chap' and a bottle of Gin await!

Who'd be an actor?

Well, yesterdays rehearsals were a farce. For some strange reason they took place at 3 in the afternoon instead of 7pm. This meant that we were without 4 key actors.
I'm glad we've got the rotten rehearsal out of the way. There's always a crap one before the show opens.
This week there is one 'normal' rehearsal left before the tech, and 2 dress rehearsals.

Today I spent some time counselling folks, I enjoyed it despite the fact that all the text books say that these are 'impossible' cases.

A weekend

Some weekends just feel like any other. The time goes by quickly and before you know it you back to selling your time for money.
This weekend was good however, my mum was 69 and Patrick baked an unusual looking cake. We went for a jolly nice meal and returned playing darts (which as is customary) my wife won.
Swine! She can hit doubles, I can get the big scores but always seem to miss the doubles!
It was Patrick's introduction to horror movies too. "Army of Darkness" the least scary film of the Evil Dead trilogy but my favourite. Bruce Campbell is a legend because of this movie.
One bottle of 'Famous Grouse' down and we watched 'The Happening'. I've heard awful things about this film before hand, I quite liked it however, I can see that the casting was strange to say the least but it was quite a disturbing film in parts.
Sunday is proving to be a day of apathy. Rehearsal in an hour, no doubt Doctor Stage will do his magic and I'll be feeling alive again soon.

The colour of mustard

A strange day yesterday. I met a most delightful bunch of hardend criminals who made me laugh like a drain!
I also was coughing up brightly coloured lumps which in the spring sunlight looked almost charming.
This morning I met with one of my four managers (ahh the NHS) and told her my angst. I felt all the better for it too. If it makes any difference at all then 'We'll see'.
Today, my primary goal is to create some 'Miskatonic Asylum' letter heads for the play. Poor Mr Churnside has so many lines to remember that I feel it is better he reads them from some psychiatric notes. This is not cheating, it is method acting!

Disapointing monsters

My continual campaign to waste tax-payers money hit it's nadir this week. I decided a particularly useless waste of time and money this week would be to read some HP Lovecraft books.
I used to read them when I was 18 or so.
I used to find them boring and monotonous then, but felt compelled to read all his works.
So, 20 years later I decided to re-read them. To see if my literary appreciation has developed over the decades.
I now find only some of them utterly tedious. I did particularly enjoy 'The Thing on the doorstep' and I enjoyed parts of 'Dagon', right up until the monster makes an appearance. Monsters are just not scary. They don't work on Doctor Who and they don't work in films. With Lovecraft, one plods through pages of description that really are somewhat pretentious and surprise its a monster at the end.
Honestly..
Rehearsal last night was interesting...Turkle was once again under the influence, singing on stage at one point!

Fill in the blanks.

I am still not entirely sure what has actually happened over the past few days. I know it involved loud music and a bottle of whiskey.

Stuff and Money

I watched George Carlin yesterday on youtube doing his routine about 'stuff'. Very apt observation as per usual from the comic.
I am skint. My wages swallowed almost entirely due to a tax error which I won't get back for 3 more weeks.
Petrol is ridiculously expensive and I resent having to pay to go to a job where they don't know what to do with me nor do they even pay me correctly. I'm so sick of the NHS.
I am fed up to the back teeth of health. Why can't I get paid to do something creative instead?
Still, my addiction to stuff means that I must keep working. The stuff I want presently include a heart rate monitor, some protein shake stuff, new darts and board also some clothes.
I can live without all of it of course. I just feel worn out with my awful employers.

Lazy Sunday

Haven't done a great deal at all today. Rehearsals went very well, almost all attended and we got through acts 1 and 2. The posh prompter made me laugh, she wouldn't say "f..f...fuck 'em all". hahaha!
The play is full of strong language, surely one cannot afford to be prudish in theatre?

Earworms

Funny how certain songs get stuck in my head. They are invariably obscure such as 'Meet James Esnor' or 'The Complete Banker'. I think that ear-worms are a benevolent form of OCD. I've developed a tendency to exercise whilst listening to folk music. I used to enjoy training to Henry Rollins, but I feel he is a bit too shouty for me right now.

Act 1 was rather too slow I'm afraid last night. We spent 2 hours on the first act alone. Of course, some of this was due to the fact that the cast have to be able to move tables/chairs quietly and into the correct positions. Nothing that cannot be overcome.
Tomorrow rehearsals are earlier than usual, I just hope that Jonathan remembers as he is clueless when it comes to time keeping.

A change in the old routine

I've decided that my diary will continue but I think I will work on post titles as the date is automatically included anyway.
Rehearsal tonight, very excited about this. I think the fact that the set is built really gives the rehearsal another dimension. I am curious to think about how the performance will look to 260 paying guests.
I'm off to see the quack later today too. Hopefully we can sort this throat/voice problem out once and for all.
I applied for a job yesterday, a job that does not exist as of yet. It wasn't some sort of existential alternate reality type of thing. No, that job went last week. Instead this is a job in sexual health, which includes mental health. Fingers crossed on that one. CV and covering letter sent off to the manager of the service so as I so often say 'We shall see".

10th March

I do not know what on Earth has happened to my last few entries. This silly Blogger is driving me crazy.
Well, the week thus far has been very up and down.
Firstly the down parts as I always like to finish on a positive!
The beginning of the week was 'mandatory training' for two whole days. The chairs were excruciatingly uncomfortable and the subjects so utterly banal. My voice disappeared again too! Doctors for me on Friday.
However, the most important thing of course is the play. The set is coming along nicely and rehearsals were really rather good. No drunkards and almost everyone seems to be turning up!! It infuriates me that people do not regularly turn up. Come on this is drama!!!
I decided to phone work and tell them I wont be in. I need to rest my voice and frankly I don't do a great deal anyway. I've applied for a post outside of the NHS which may just save my mental health. It's less money but I don't care. Less management appeals more.

Saturday 5th March

I went to the gym today, did the workout as px. This means that I was almost unable to remove my t-shirt. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. It had better be.
Voice has almost returned and it's just my sinuses that are giving me 'jip' at the moment.
Highlights of the day included 'From Paris with Love' and I completed Half-Life 2 on the x-box.
Theatre beckons tomorrow so I am very excited about having the stage once more.

Friday 4th March

A poor day as my throat was again rotten and I had a 'Night nurse' hangover. I'm miserable when I'm poorly. I phoned Colin to say I wouldn't be attending rehearsal, he sounded grateful that at least I'd phoned him. As the day wore on I started to feel a little brighter and was able to neck a few whiskeys and had a cigar. Duh...
As I regularly tell Ang, I get on my own tits.

3rd March 2011

I'm furious with this Blogger service. I haven't been able to post for a good while and its all thanks to their technology.
Ok..I'll try to think of what has gone on.

Friday the 25th was at rehearsal. Colin told the chap who plays the night watchman to either stop drinking or leave the company. It remains to be seen. The man keeps coming to theatre pissed up. Not clever really.

I had a night out with the Homeless team on Saturday the 26th of Feb. It was only the second time in 15 yrs I've ventured into Wigan. It helps being older as nobody wants to either fight you, sell you drugs or drag you into some trendy bar.
I was very hung over as I think I drank far too much, I'm not a huge fan of drinks such as 'triple vodka and red-bull' or 'sambuca slammers'. I even had a 'pink woo woo' at some stage.

Yesterday..I was off work thanks to having a lot of annual leave to take. As always, the employer didn't pay me correctly and I ended up paying 9K in tax.
I am left with less than half of what I ought to earn. Great. Always the way when you are on leave. Yesterday I started the 'body by design' workouts. It's similar to body for life. ie 6 meals a day. Sigh..somehow it never works out like that does it?
Coupled with this, yesterday I was covered in sewage. Literally.
The drains blocked at the side of the house. I attempted to sort it armed with a mop. Never again. Some fuckwit up the street has been putting baby wipes down their toilet. This results in my drains becoming blocked.
I am tempted to leaflet the street and warn against such dumbass behaviour.

Monday 22nd Feb

Not the greatest day today, nothing terrible of course, just an overly dull day.
I'm a persona non gratis at the moment. Between roles, not jobs.
Still employed by the trust that sacked me and then reinstated me in 2010. Just not in a position to do a great deal.
Frustrating...
I'm glad of rehersals, at least it's fun. Saying that it was act 2 yet again, so I spent a great deal of the evening with the company of Danny Wallace.

Sunday 20th

A drink free Saturday meant that Sunday was a day of opportunities. At least in theory of course, the reality was I was still half dead. I woke up much later than normal (11 I think) and only the prospect of watching such twats as Louise Redknapp and Tim Lovejoy made me amble out of bed. I went to the gym, gave it hell for leather on the cross trainer whilst listening to folk music. Such an ironic juxtaposition. I've downloaded 'Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds' for my next work out.
Sunday afternoon heralded a trip out for tea. Dear christ what an awful experience that was. "The Talbot" in Atherton is perhaps the worst place to eat in my neighbourhood. Even Patrick thought it was a waste of money.
If a 9 year old can appropriately judge the merits of a restaurant then there is something clearly askew.
After escaping with our bowels intact, Angela and I had a few games of darts. Darts is hard work in our house, as there is lots of stuff just to the left of where we throw from. That is my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Darts is bloody hard work. I love it, but my word I'm terrible at it.
Act 2 rehersal was boring. I'm hardly in act two so I took down a copy of 'Yes Man' and sat reading that for the most part.
Joy of Joy, Act 2 again Monday night.

Saturday 19th Feb

Hung over. Oh my last night was an evening of drunken behaviour that could have made Bacchus think twice.
Up bright and early however but I feel as though I am an empty shell, a non person.
I'm off to the gym and hopefully this will make me feel alive. That and of course the prospect of luxuriating in a spa.
I ended up posting gloomy things on facebook last night/this morning. I realised this and deleted them before anybody saw them. I might have got away with it...

Friday,Feb 18th

An early start to the day with an 8:30 meeting on the cards. I'm not sure just how productive these things are. Let's face it, who isn't resentful about having to go to a meeting at any time of day never mind one at that awful bloody time.
I spent the day in the office, reading and typing, typing and reading.
Rehersal has been postponed until Sunday so an evening at home is what awaits. Last night I watched the darts. I love darts. I don't understand why they are all so portly though. Adrian Lewis looks like meatloaf from Fight Club and Phil 'the power' Taylor shouldn't really have those tattoo's on his arm. I can't abide tattoo's to be honest. Fine if you are Vin Diesel but otherwise they look like some mad man has gone at you with a biro.

Thursday 17th February

What an interesting day. I spent time today with some refugee and asylum seekers. Contrary to the tabloids these are actually rather nice people. I've met Iranian people, West African and East African people. I was able to speak French which was bizarre as at times I felt I was speaking in tongues.
I came away feeling that actually, most people are okay. I'm sure this feeling will not last and I'm not sure I want it to.
Back in the gym today too which is always good.
Most exciting news however was the fact that Angela has booked us a holiday!!! Alcudia here we come. I can't wait till July now.

Feb 16th

Hmm. This entry is a day late. Hardly a great start but I didn't have access to a computer yesterday. Quite an interesting day it was too. I visited Wigan park with a small group of young homeless people admiring the burgeoning spring weather.
The afternoon was a moribund affair with an NHS meeting. Dear god. Let's just breeze over that.
Rehearsal in the evening. One flew over the cuckoo's nest if you please. I'm playing Dr Spivey.
The rehearsal is quite a fun thing to be involved in, lots of laughs and some genuinely interesting people. Thing is, not everyone turns up. Which is very frustrating. I'd be hitting the roof if I was directing. I'm not so I will leave it with him.

February 15th 2011

First entry into my diary.
For some reason I once more feel the need to keep a diary. I almost typed dairy there, and I have no need to milk cows or make butter.
I've wrote a blog in the past but to be honest it ended up being a caricature of me. Still I deleted it, perhaps foolishly as I think the real reason for writing a diary is simply to keep a record of whatever things I get up to in my life. It's something to look back on and see where I was, to reflect on and to hopefully create some kind of legacy.
I don't think my life is particularly exciting or anything, but I think it's good character building stuff at the end of the day.
At this stage in my life I am a mental health nurse. A part-time actor. A father and husband. My wife, Angela is a wonderful lady with whom I have been with for 16 years. She has a job in keeping me sane and the money is lousy.
My son is 9 and I wont really go into much more detail than that, this being the internet and all that entails.
Today I woke feeling just as tired as when I went to bed. A hearty breakfast of 'Monkey wheels' and a slice of toast enabled me to attend such exciting events as 'Health assessments for looked after children' and 'Basic life support'. These were typical NHS training events, were all the nurses looked as though they had been deflated partially. I was due to undertake some IT training but the chap running the course couldn't be arsed, so I went to meet friends for dinner. The thing is, I had arranged to meet them at 5:30pm and I got to the pub at 4:30pm. I sat in the car looking like a stalker. Well maybe that is a bit strong, but I was wearing a wax jacket and frankly they can't help but make you look a little disturbed. So, I sat in my old car, listening to 'Talk Shite' radio and reading 'Yes Man' by Danny Walllace.
I'm enjoying reading this book, it reminds of Dice Man a little, and of course at some stage in my life I wanted to roll the dice and see what happened. But I'm over that now.
Dinner consisted of a large fish, some squashed and somewhat greasy chips with a sea of mushy peas. All for the princely sum of 10.95
My guests this evening consisted of Ros and Kieran who have both retired and Nikki who is still working as a nurse.
The evening was pleasant enough but I wanted to go home. I've not seen my family this week as I'm in rehearsals for 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest'. This means that for 4 nights a week I'm at the theatre and 3 nights I would rather go to the gym.
I've put weight on too. That's not good. I'm so knackered all the bloody time.