Thursday 4 July 2013

Frugal Ways to Do What You Love. Plus Get a Free Virago E-Book!


I'm proud of my OH who has got into a bit of frugal fitness.  Here he can be seen running around in a kit that claims he is part of The Patriots under 16 squad,  though he is in fact a 41 year-old man playing 7 touch rugby (7 in the team - you only get 6 touches) with The Noyz, a team made up of a group of lads from his office.

One of the players commented about the opposition,  "Look at his pink socks! " He was taking the proverbial,  as pink sock lad was actually a lass. Yes,  this game is for all sorts,  young,  past it, and as The Noyz found with the team they were playing,  the current Saints' coaches.  Yep, the Noyz lost, and that was their excuse (one of them). But for just a tenner to join for the season,  they get to keep fit*,  have fun,  and after the final,  they will be able to watch a proper Saints match, as this is an incentive provided by Northampton Saints.  How much would that cost normally?  A lot more than a tenner...
 
*Scale of fitness achieved decreases in relation to number of post-match pints consumed. This week, this didn't happen. Don't think they were in the mood... Good-oh.
 
 
 
 
 For me, this week, doing the thing I loved involved a lot less running about... but did involve a little drinkie.
 
I went to see 2012 Edinburgh Award-nominated, utterly fabulous comedian David Trent perform his new hour long Edinburgh show (bit longer than an hour, as it went) This is All I Have for free last night. Yes, I know him, and his support act, the dour but very funny Jon Williams, but this wasn't a case of me using my - let's face it - pretty shit hot comedy credentials to blag my way into a gig. Which I could, by the way, but no, last night I was just an ordinary Joe, going to a gig, being a 'punter'.
 
July is the month to catch works in progress. They tend to be in smaller venues, perhaps advertised less showily. You're unlikely to catch really big names, like John Bishop, doing whole show previews, as they are more likely to just pop in and try a few minutes at a time as a surprise guest out at the Glee, or wherever... if they do write and/or practise, that is... But your up and coming, actual good comedians - ones who may have done a bit of telly, but are not ubiquitous by a long way - are likely to try out whole shows before audiences for very little money, or  even for free. Keep your nose to the ground: if you see 'Edinburgh Preview' on a poster, take a punt! The comics appreciate the support and the feedback, and you get the kudos of seeing their show first.
 
Anyway... for an Edinburgh Award-nominated comedian, David Trent's actual Edinburgh run this year is already a bargain, as you can see him 2 for £10 at The Pleasance Gardens... but he has nine more previews before then, so you should see if he's coming to a town near you an pop along. What to expect? A noisy, funny, multi-media bag of slightly risqué fun. David Trent's show is clever-clever, and this year, his show raises the bar with things to think a bit more deeply about, from how and what we teach our kids, to the evils of corporate messaging and corporate invasion of privacy.
 
Both he and Jon had great gigs last night, and the audience enjoyed them very much, as did I.
 
Okay... here's something you can have for free right now. Virago writers include bestselling and prize-winning authors such as Sarah Waters, Linda Grant, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Dunant, Maya Angelou and Margaret Atwood, as well as writers of some of the most provocative and original non-fiction being published today, including Lyndall Gordon Kate Figes and Natasha Walter. 
 
Help yourself to an absolutely free collection of fiction from Virago to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

 
Which means that Virago is a whole month older than me. Ha! In your face, Virago. I win!
 
...and thanks for the free book.



 

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