It’s been awhile since we had a virtual coffee date together. Over 3 months, in fact!
Hope you’re all well especially now as life is returning back to ‘normality’ around the Globe.
Got my coffee, so grab a brew and let’s have a catch-up!
In truth, I’ve not been too great of late. It’s a combination of many things, mostly just how busy life has become recently. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, however sometimes I’m well aware I spread myself to thinly which causes stressful situations.
I could beat myself up about it, in fact I already have to a point. I could quit but that’s not an option. So I decided I must try to manage my time a bit better which isn’t easy when there’s the School Holidays on here in the U.K.
University wise, an admin error meant I was well over studying which I could do had I not returned to comedy and started a business. So I’m in talks now to try to get that sorted out which means it’ll take a touch longer to get my Masters but it’s ok. There’s nothing wrong with waiting another year or two and I must keep telling myself that.
Comedy wise, it’s been crazy since May! I’m trying not to take too much on as pre-pandemic sometimes I had 3-4 gigs a week which is fine on paper but when you’re driving a total of 5 hours for probably a total of 20 minutes on stage, it’s not that glamorous at all. I’m really pleased with the two venues I run nights at. And I deem it a success that I’ve booked up every date til Christmas with quality new and not so new acts on the Circuit.
This Tuesday, I’ll be performing for Tom Douglas at his night in Sheffield here:
Consulting/Learning wise, I’m still in the process of getting the first course finalised and ready to go so hoping that we’ll have a fully deliverable programme in the very near future.
Of course with it being the Summer Holidays, I’m absolutely shattered. We aren’t going anywhere this year as it’s not worth the risk or extra costs involved due to COVID19. But little man and I are having some lovely days out and just enjoying being at home not having to do school runs and lazing in pyjamas if the mood takes us. But? I’m really tired. Was chatting to a friend the other day and I realised I’d not read a book since 2018 other than any reading for university. I’ve tried, but I fall asleep after a few lines. This is extremely out of character as I am an avid bookworm and it’s actually quite upsetting because I genuinely feel like I don’t have the time to just sit and read.
I’m not sure if it’s just a case of poor time management, or getting older and losing the ability to concentrate, but it’s frustrating. I’m finding driving longer distances really take it out of me too and that makes me sad. It’s becoming more frequent that I feel ‘mortal’ now and with that comes such a sense of despair.
I still have hopes, dreams, goals, objectives. I’m not ready to die just yet.
So, I’m hoping I can find the motivation to carry on and maybe get a good night’s sleep.
Good to be back with you all after an extended break from Blogging.
Thought I’d fill you all in with what’s been going on.
So, at the end of May I joined two comedians down in Brighton for the Fringe Festival where I performed as part of a triple-bill over 3 nights.
Unfortunately, I had to bail the last show because of personal matters at home however the first 2 shows were really fun and I’m glad I did it.
It was never an intention to ever do a festival however after well over a year of no gigging, I needed to see if I was going to quit comedy or continue and being back on stage behind the mic made me realise just how much I love it and that I had missed it.
I had a week out as it was a school holiday when I returned home to rest and sort myself out and then I had so much uni work to do as well so I’ve not actually had much of a chance to really talk about the experience, now it seems so long ago it’s almost pointless talking about, you know?
So moving on from that and heavily into June, I’m now running a regular night every other Thursday after a success trial night Thursday just gone. Here’s the poster for it:
Thank you for joining me this morning over our beverages of choice!
Nice to sit down and have a catch-up with you all. How are you doing? Tell me below
I want you to remember something important; there is always a solution to any problem no matter how big or bad it is. It may not be instant, it may take effort, yet a solution is and always will be there.
You can drown out that noise and find peace once a solution is found. This gives you that chance to rediscover YOU because you are important.
Lord, wouldn’t it be great to have that as a constant counsel and support?
Many people have asked me how I got through the time I was a crime victim, and I will tell them I got through it by applying certain principles I’ve learnt.
Sadly, we usually have to go through adversities to garner the wisdom to survive. Which is really how I personally got into teaching and comedy. Both give the recipient so much while making me feel rewarded when I’ve helped them.
It’s a great feeling to make someone smile.
And next weekend I’m hoping to do more than make someone smile as I return to stand-up at Brighton Fringe.
Another mad busy week here at CS HQ with a to-do list as long as your arm, feeling slightly overwhelmed most days to straight out frazzled!
So since we last got together, in case you missed the last post, I’m going to be performing on a Triple-Bill at the Brighton Fringe Festival! So I’ve been working on a set that I’m now refining for stage.
It’s been well over a year due to COVID restrictions that I’ve performed live and yes I’m extremely nervous. However, I’m very much looking forward to this experience and a little anxiety is a good motivator sometimes.
I’m back at Uni too, so my head is buried in reading and assignments for the next 2 years.
I also launched the Podcast finally! You can listen here: Intro Episode
While this is going on, I’m still working on Online Learning HQ and it’s impending launch.
Join me for a Virtual Coffee Date on Sunday morning where I’ll go into more detail about this.
Prioritising is hard when there’s so much to say and do, isn’t it?
In the sprawling metropolis that is Brighton, three women will defy the odds, and doctors’ orders, to finally meet for the first time in real life.
They will share epic tales of sibling rivalry, near death and the theft of diesel.
Find out if they saved the world, themselves or just one slice of pizza for the next day.
It’s funny, that’s all you need to know.
Lucy Orchard is Welsh, but we still love her. A notorious female truck driver, Lucy still travels the country delivering goods and punchlines.She will regale you with stories from the open road and she’ll even let you into a few secrets.
“Hysterical tales of her glamorous award-winning day job” – G&B Comedy
Women in Live Music Truck Driver of the Year: 2019
Lu Williams the Londoner in the North. Of Italian descent, with a family that won’t stop growing and more comeback fights than Tyson Fury, this woman is a warrior. A proud Gen X-er, she now observes life with hilarious ‘Middle Rage’ treatment.
“Likeable, came far in a few gigs” – Dave Twentyman
Lizzy Lenco isn’t right in the head and she has the MRI to prove it. Play ‘near death bingo’ with a woman who really has made hell wait for her.
“I can’t believe I laughed about Typhoid” Bloke in Northampton
Shows at the Caxton Arms Brighton
Sat May 29 @ 9:15pm
Sun May 30 @ 5:30pm
Mon May 31 @ 8pm
About the Acts:
Lizzy parked her car upside down on the A34 and went for an amazing two-week spa holiday at Southampton General Trauma Centre. Due to 12 fractures, 53 stitches and multiple other injuries she was one of the ‘shielded’ during lockdown. Her act pays tribute to the emergency services that saved her life, considers the toxic element of social media and finds humour in the darkest of places.
Lucy is a Welsh comedian and notorious female truck driver, she still travels the country but instead of delivering goods, she now delivers punchlines. She graduated the renowned Amused Moose comedy course, under the tutelage of King of Comedy Markus Birdman and has studied further with the hardest working man in comedy, Scott Bennett, Lucy has performed live throughout the South West, but you are most likely to catch her regularly on her self-produced online shows, ‘The Lucy Show’ and ‘The Kitchen Sink.’ Lockdown has not slowed Lucy’s commitment to practicing her craft, by any means necessary. She has become a regular host at the New Act New Material night at ‘The Drop Comedy Club’ South Bend, Indiana and through web broadcasting has made the whole world her stage.
Lu from a failed suicide attempt, believes she’d been given a second chance so she decided to pursue the lifelong dream of stand-up. Tackling the obstacles of age, society’s beauty standards, stage fright and terrible IBS while juggling Higher Education and Parenting, she began her comedy hustle in Rhyl and has since covered most of the North West of England and North Wales drifting from venue to venue and racking up Fixed Penalty Notices along the way.
Beyond The CS HQ 