Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in East, North East, West, Central London & Surrey (The NEXT Chapter).

Week 244 Saturday 16^th until Friday 22^nd February 2019.

Happy 5th Bday to Jbomb this week.

I’m not the most sociable person, I don’t like crowds and if really honest not a big fan of actually going out. Don’t get me wrong, when I am somewhere I enjoy it. But throughout the event or evening there is an internal monologue, a countdown of how long until I can go home, get in to bed, watch or listen to something and have a snack. Generally, when I am out I feel as out of place as a goldfish in a recycled paper bag.

 “Jbomb, wasn’t very impressed with the Bday radishes”.

I am very used to travelling home after work on the tube at 7pm. Last weekend I travelled in the opposite direction at 7pm, not something I do often. Most people seemed to be in groups dressed up for a wild night in one of the most exciting cites in the world (Not a description I use. When I look around apart from more shops going out of business, an increased number of people sleeping rough and overflowing the bins on the streets, it’s an ok city!). I sat on my own watching my tablet, trying to blend in and not be noticed. Its occasions like this that I put on my cloak of invisibility (It cost me a fortune and took hours to find inside what appeared to be an empty box).

 “Wrapped up on the way home after being in town”.

London was full of what appeared to be beautiful people (it probably took them hours to look that good) drinking, smoking and throwing up. Everyone seemed to be having fun (even the pavement pizza makers) in their own way. Rushing through the crowds I wished I had the power to part them so that I could pass straight through, instead of constantly dodge others standing chatting or walking in a random direction shouting to a friend behind. Resulting in continually stepping into the road trying not to be clipped by annoying pedicab, buses or black cabs.

 “I always enjoy seeing the river Thames”.

The reason I was on my tod in the capital was to see Rosie Jones doing stand-up at the Soho Theatre. This was my second solo visit to the venue, the last time I arrived far too early and stood in a corner of the bar awkwardly hoping that no one would notice a hot and flushed trans women feeling very out of place and wanting to go home. I didn’t, Angelos and Barry were excellent. This time I left later risking train problems and even more people on the streets coming at me from every direction. Once I collected my ticket the awkward wait in the corner of the bar (again) was for a much shorter time, but I still felt very self-conscious and shy. It’s at this point i want to mention that while travelling on the tube i panicked and ate half a huge bag of Doritos. This was because I worried that theatre security would search my bag and not allow my after-show treat into the room that the show took place. Typical, there was no bag search.

 “Recording The Aggy Fox and Dana Podcast”.

Part of my fear is a result of being transgendered. In the late 80s early 90s there were many incidents, several still haunt me today. Luckily in these more enlightened times it’s rare for something nasty to happen. When it does it’s usually someone staring or deliberately misgendering me, but otherwise life is ok (even as a child I usually felt out of place and awkward). There is a part of me that wanted to be a social butterfly like the party people a couple of minutes from the theatre in Old Compton Street, but my wings were clipped a long time ago. My awkwardness pushed me into having a go at being a supporting artist and trying stand-up a couple of years ago. Both I would like to do again, because I can pretend to be someone else.

 “Enjoyable evening watching Rosie Jones, be very funny”.

Rosie Jones was very funny, a great show. What made the evening special is that she greeted each and every audience member personally with a hug, a laugh and the offer of a humbug from a bowl. Sitting in the dark laughing helped me relax because I can’t be seen. But of course, all eyes were on Rosie as she told funny and downright filthy stories. Don’t worry I will venture outside again soon. If you do see me, please ignore me so I can pretend my expensive invisibility cloak is working.

 “Lots of people having fun here”.

And Finally……

 “Oops, someone caught on CCTV in a fast food establishment”.

On way back from Ariel yoga, i unclasped the uncomfortable sports bra on the train. The puppies were off the lead! in public. Ok, maybe they look more like a couple of malnourished dwarf Hamsters, but I could breathe! There was something naughty about doing this while in public.

 “My view looking up, while laying in the Ariel Yoga sling”.

And

 “A nice room to hang around in”.

Heard women with blue hair say to a friend, I’m really a red head you know! I love redheads, I am many things and colour blind is not one of them. She was definitely blue on top! Unless, of course she wasn’t talking about hair on her head!!!

 “Writing this shiz speeding through Croydon”.

My Mid Life Crisis Conts……

This week I saw live:

“Rosie Jones: Fifteen Minutes”, (Soho Theatre, 16/02/19).

This week I have mainly been watching:  

“Click”, (TX: 16/02/19).  “Garth Merenghi’s Darkplace”, (S1, ep 2).  “Only Fools And Horses”, (S3, ep 4 to ep 8)(S4, ep 1 to 7).  “Our World: In The Shadow Of Chernobyl (BBC News)”, (TX: 16/02/19).  “Star Trek: Discovery”, (S2, ep 6).  “The Big Bang Theory”, (S7, ep 2 to ep 24)(S8, ep 1 to ep 6).  “The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway”, (S3, ep 1, TX: 13/02/19).  “The Graham Norton Show”, (S24, ep 18, TX: 15/02/19).  “The Last Leg”, (S16, ep 4, TX: 15/02/19).  “The Masked Singer”, (S1, ep 1 & ep 2).  “The Orville”, (S2, ep 8).  “The Walking Dead”, (S6, ep 1 to ep 16).  “The Walking Dead: Robot Chicken Special”, (US TX: 08/10/17).  “The Umbrella Academy ”, (S1, ep 1 & ep 2).  “Top Gear”, (S26, ep 1, TX: 17/02/19).                      

This week I have mainly been listening to:  

“Best Bad Movie Ever”, (30/01/18, 06/03/18).  “Bex & Guest (inc Davien Dent)(Flex FM 101.4)”, (19/02/19).  “David Tennant Does A Podcast”, (S1, ep 4, 19/02/19).  “Iain Lee (Bonus)”, (15/02/19 x 2).  “Iain Lee (Highlights)”, (15/02, 18/02, 19/02, 20/02. 21/02/19).  “LBC Podcast: Nick Abbot (Whole Show)”, (16/02, 22/02/19).  “NASA: Houston We Have A Podcast”, (ep 80, 22/02/19).  “Rule Of Three”, (17/05/18).  “Soundtracking With Edith Bowman”, (ep 129, 18/02/19)(ep 130, 22/02/19).  “Strange Times”, (ep 290 & ep 291, 19/02/19).  “The Aggy Fox And Dana Podcast”, (ep 6, 21/02/19).  “The Nick Abbot Habit”, (22/02/19).  “Morrissey”,  “Def Leppard”,   “Starship”, “Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds”, “Ash”,  “Massive Attack”,  “Sleeper”.