It has been almost a MONTH since I last put a blog up here and with lockdown, you would think I would have more time but thankfully that has not been the case. I have been busy. I can well imagine you asking doing what? Well, let me tell you.
Obviously I can’t get away to the cruise ships and indeed just this morning another five cruises that I was scheduled to be on have been cancelled so its more home time and continued Lockdown for us all. I like to have some sort of order and routine in my life so what I have been doing is making sure my day is as structured as possible. In the morning I check my Facebook page and reply to any messages that I have received. Then I do the same with Twitter but as I find it a very toxic place I only look at messages that I need to answer. I really try not to read the ‘feed’ as it will always put me in a bad mood. I don’t need that in my life. I will also check Instagram, its nice there!. After breakfast, I will read the paper that I have now delivered to my tablet as going to the shop every day for a paper would not be the thing to do in my opinion. After that I do some exercise, either body combat or resistance training using rubber bands that I ordered via Amazon. In the afternoon I head out for my permitted exercise, either a walk to the beach with Willow (my mini dachshund) who loves to chase her ball or else get my bike out. I’m very tempted to buy an E-bike, if I do, that will be a whole subject on its own for another day. Then I come home and check emails and recently make little notes that are the ideas of sketches for the Our Jimmy characters. At 5pm I watch the briefing from Downing Street quickly turning off before the questions from the media. In my opinion, they are a virus more annoying than Covid 19. After dinner, it is usually Netflix. And repeat.
However, after some pressure was put on me, I agreed to film some sketches for my Facebook page of the Our Jimmy characters during this pandemic that I have entitled ‘Locals in Lockdown.’ I had to shave off my beard and get all the costumes from my storage facility and get creative. Without breaking any Govt guidelines on social distancing etc I managed to film about 12 different sketches in glorious sunshine much to the amusement of the neighbours. Yes, I could see the curtains twitch lol. The planning and very loose writing and filming and editing definitely helped pass some of the time since my last blog.
As well as the filming I have been doing interviews about Comedians in lockdown. As I write this, one has been published in the Belfast Telegraph, another has been recorded over Zoom for an online TV show and another is scheduled for later this week for the radio. As ever always good fun to do.
Another way that has helped me pass some time is doing Facebook Live. I love these. In fact, I have just finished one prior to writing this and had great fun for over half an hour just chatting and reading and replying to the comments as they come in. It’s just like having a load of friends round for a chat. In times like these its a good thing mentally, to connect and basically ‘chew the fat’.
So I am keeping busy without putting myself under pressure. Sometimes friends of mine who are in the entertainment industry feel as if they are expected to keep entertaining even during this crisis. I don’t. If I want to I will, if I don’t feel like it then I most certainly won’t.
Anyway, enough for now, stay safe, stay happy.
