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So today was the day of my final Metro column. Slightly sad to see it go, but I think it’s for the best. And now I will no longer get to the end of week seized with dread about the fact that I have nothing to write about. Weirdly even more time consuming was the 70 word extra bit. I would sometimes sit for hours searching for something to write about. 70 words is perversely much harder to write than 600.
I was whelmed with supportive comments (there were neither more than I expected or less, but an amount that I was able to comfortably cope with physically and psychologically). I knew there were people out there who would be upset to see it go. I have enjoyed getting your tweets and emails over the years. But it’s done and it’s probably a weight off my shoulders.
And yes, the revelation that we’re finally leaving London behind is now out of the bag. All being well we should move out into the countryside in January. This is in no way the real reason for the column ending by the way. I am sure that there will be as much to write about, if not more, as a result of the move. But with all the additional hassle of all that that involves it’s probably good that I no longer have to sit staring at a blank screen for hours as I try to come up with a topical joke for tomorrow’s fish and chip wrappings (as if anyone ever eats fish and chips out of a newspaper now - it’s hard to believe they ever did - shit this would have made an excellent column).
I am looking forward to going. The idea of having a bit of a garden is very appealing to me right now, though I might feel differently when I have to mow the lawn and do the weeding and the place that we have found is very peaceful (cut to us turning up and finding out we are living next to a gang of Hell’s Angels - still more peaceful than Shepherd’s Bush though).
I hope we like it there. This could potentially be the last time I ever move (though almost certainly my wife has got to see through me soon, so maybe there will be more). As I am faced with the huge pile of papers to sign, stuff to work out and the prospect of packing up everything I have accrued in the last 13 years (and the small amount of stuff I had before then) I am hoping it will be the last time I move. Exciting times though. And as I wrote about before particularly huge repercussions for my daughter in terms of who her friends are and in which direction her life goes.
Today though, still exhausted and feeling a bit grumpy for no good reason, I realised that I wasn’t going to get the work I needed to do and although I didn’t go back to sleep I spent a lot of time in the bath playing Addams Family Pinball (and as usual wondering what the 1990s Richard Herring would make of that sentence). My brain was on strike and I can’t really blame it. But it’s just forcing itself to work even harder later down the line.
Oh and as I write, my computer to do list has just sent me a reminder - Metro column. Not any more Momento. Not any more.
The fabulous RHLSTP with Sir Tony Robinson is now up in all the usual places.
Happy Now? is now available to buy both on DVD and as a download. You can also buy the programme too and the profits from that will go to SCOPE. If you order before midnight at the end of the 17th November you will be entered into a draw to win the “Grand Children Spoilt Here" door mat that I used in the show. There’s loads of extras on the DVD including two of the short films that I appeared in last year.
Do check out all the other Go Faster products while you’re there. They are doing amazing work in bringing out unprofitable DVDS for some of the UK’s best underground comedians.
There’s a great sale on. If you haven’t bought Fist of Fun yet then do it soon as rights revert back to the BBC soon and we’ll no longer be able to sell the DVDs.
Read about this and more (and get those podcast links) in my latest newsletter
