MY Comic Life – Why a Comic’s Life is Never Dull

Since my last MY Comic Life, I’ve turned 38 yet again. (For those of you unaware of this phenomenon, it turns out I’ve been 38 for most of this century). My very Scottish father treated both me and my brother to a birthday meal while pointing out “that it’s a good thing you only have […]

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The 10 Tell-Tale Signs You Are Middle-Aged

Obviously you could just look in a mirror. However, I am one of those few women who actually think they look younger and thinner than they are. When I see myself in photos or videos, I just assume there must be something wrong with the camera. (This is despite the fact that common sense dictates […]

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The 10 Tell-Tale Signs You Are British

Now that Brexit is upon us, perhaps it’s time to check how British you really are. Alternatively, if you’re an EU national, here’s a chance to see how well you’ve integrated into the British way of thinking. The 10 Tell-Tale Signs You Are British Whenever you enter a hotel room for the first time, you […]

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10 Things Not to Say to a Stand Up Comedian

This list is not exhaustive by any means but here are some common topics to avoid when talking to a stand up comedian. On no account tell us a joke. It’s bound to be one that’s been doing the rounds for years; we – along with everyone else – will have heard it before; it’s […]

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The Good Soldier Schwejk – Jaroslav Hašek

Think of a cross between Dad’s Army and Father Ted and just as funny, this unfinished satirical novel by Jaroslav Hašek is the most translated novel in Czech literature. A trenchant anti-war novel, The Good Soldier Schwejk, like many a fine satire, still hasn’t lost its bite despite the passage of time. Thus the novel […]

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MY Comic Life – Comedy Festivals, Prague, Luxembourg & Being Ripped Off

Comedy Festivals – with the notable exception of Edinburgh – can be fun, particularly when you’re there for a couple of days. Normally when you gig abroad, you fly in (as I’m not a morning person that usually means an early afternoon flight); on arrival you get picked up, taken to a hotel with just […]

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How to survive Droughtlander – Learn Gaelic!

A language that makes even learning Russian seem easy, it’s a great way to concentrate your mind and gives you yet another excuse (if one is needed) to watch Outlander again! I’m a linguist. I enjoy learning languages. One of my favourite past times as a schoolchild was to spend my evenings learning German grammar. […]

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MY Comic Life – Outlanderish Sex, Pastries, Instagram, Queen Mum & Scotland

Stand up comedy can lead you into weird situations. Most recently, one of the weirdest has to be watching an explicit sex scene in Outlander with Jen Brister in the latter’s kitchen in preparation for our Droughtlander podcast. (We were reviewing the episode OK).  To be fair, as I’ve watched that episode 30-40 times already […]

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How to survive Droughtlander – Outlander vs Dragonfly in Amber

If you’re an Outlander geek like me (and chances are if you’re reading this you are) you can have hours of fun clocking up the differences between the novel and the TV series, trying to figure out why they did what they did and what the hell you think about it. As a rule, screen […]

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MY Comic Life – In the West End with The Naked Magicians

As a rule, stand up isn’t as glamourous as some of Joe Public out there would believe. For starters, stand up involves a lot of travelling, and there is nothing particularly glamorous about being at a service station in the early hours of the morning hoping to goodness you’re not too late to grab the […]

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