It's time. You knew it was coming and finally the moment has arrived. It's new year and time to undertake some of those resolutions. So...
I've started a blog.
Why?
I'm not entirely sure.
Perhaps I feel with a sense of unjustified egotism that I am the sort of person who should write a blog. I've come across several that are marvellous and inspiring and others that are ... well by those standards everyone should be writing one. Including my dog.
Who is very clever by the way and probably will feature somewhat.
So, what exactly will it be about?
I don't know.
I certainly have things to write about. I'm an actor and writer and neither of those are boring professional choices. I have spent 12 of the last 18 months living essentially in a van taking various theatrical productions to audiences in a variety of countries. I will most likely relate a little about what it's like spending more waking hours together than any married couple with a group of people in a Mercedes Sprinter and how heightened and unreal that reality is. What the topics of conversation are when there are still 400km to go before the set needs to be unloaded in the snow in a town there's no Wikipedia entry for in preparation for an 8.30AM show. (Yes, AM).
Topics such as Breaking Bad versus Game of Thrones; musicals vs straight theatre; ducks vs humans.
No contest on two out of the previous three by the way.
I will also relay the story of how we lost Garry Jenkins and my subsequent equal elation and fury at his reappearance.
Another joy to behold recently was touring A Christmas Carol around Germany and looking on in amazement at the delight on the face of our New Yorker actress, Laurie, as she browsed in new-found delight each identical German Christmas Market.
Is there gluhwein?
Is there bratwurst?
If the answer to both of those is yes, then you're at a German Christmas market. No deviation, no variation. Yet her eyes would shine with wonder each and every time she caught her first glimpse of the temporary wooden huts selling candles, leather bound books and Christmas decorations made in Eastern Europe.
It was also rather fun today taking a phone call from a long term tour manager asking, 'Pete, you remember when it was dark and the van was accidentally backed into a lamppost at 4mph causing the back window to explode? What town was that?'
The answer was Hannover.
I'm also getting married this year and this will probably be an appropriate outlet to let off steam about that life-changing given circumstance, this definitely won't get me in trouble so long as everyone remains anonymous. Including Helen.
In glorious addition I am becoming a step-father to two beautiful children, their teachings of me will probably inform elements of this.
My dog is a tri-colour Border Collie called Alba. She is in equal measure super-intelligent and completely bonkers.
She loves dancing. She gets that from her mother.
I just accidentally called her a good boy. She looked at me weird.
For now, read, enjoy, comment if you have the time and inclination.
And have a Happy New Year.