When I feel bad and a bit low, one pastime and distraction I have to help me out is cycling, the freedom along with my friends and physical exertion just puts me right, and it gets me back on track.
However, it is honesty time, and while I am not a ‘fair weather cyclist,’ I rarely go out when it is raining. I don’t mind getting caught up in the rain when I am out and about. But as there is an element of enjoyment involved, going out when it is tipping down, usually means I would be starting off in a bad mood, so I give it a miss when it’s bad.
I can’t help sharing a picture of my new baby. I am not a knowledgeable cyclist, but even I can feel the difference!
There is another pastime which helps, and may be of some use to other people feeling a bit low, but have you ever sat down specifically to watch comedy? I did the other morning, and while he is not everyone’s cup of tea, it was Ricky Gervais, who I watrched and who we have also been fortunate enough to see live. He is a funny, funny guy and whilst his content can be controversial, he doesn’t shirk away from real life, however you feel about being PC?
When I feel like this, I prefer watching short clips on a specific video channel, I don’t know why, that’s just me! But either way, after watching him for about 20 minutes, I got up to carry on with my day-to-day bits, and I just felt so much better.
Ricky Gervais - a funny, funny man!
Thomas Atilla Lewis at https://www.flickr.com/people/51761894@N00
There are others that work for me too. Kevin Bridges, who we are going to see in December, it’s not the Scottish connection, he is just one funny guy, and the next one that I would love to see live is Ross Noble, as his comedy style is my sense of humour, or what I have seen of him on TV!
But do people with mental health issues do the same thing? Laughing puts a smile on our face, and if you are smiling you are automatically going to feel better. Admittedly, it may not last but it is uplifting for as long as you can make it last!
‘Uplifting’ is a big word where mental health issues are concerned, as we need to try to help ourselves when we are feeling low. I have my cycling and my comedy; some will take their dog for a walk - as we do. Others will read or meet friends, or have a variety of pastimes that help. Gardening, knitting and there many others, it is very much down to the person. I don’t read and often prefer to be on my own, I’m not to keen on gardening, and I have never knitted! We are all different and it is what suits us that matters, and what makes the difference to us as individuals.
So, what else have I done that was uplifting, well unfortunately it is something that does cost a bit more money, and that was to go to the theatre on Wednesday night. We went with friends to the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton to see ‘The Choir of Man.’
Sorry not the best photo, but here is the advertising poster from outside the theatre!
Once again, we have been fortunate in life, and we have travelled to the West End to see a few different big shows. We are fortunate to have direct trains to Birmingham to see others in the second city, and of course, Wolverhampton is just down the road, so we have seen quite a few shows and live concerts.
When friends asked if we wanted to go to see this show, we said yes not knowing what we were letting ourselves for, and we didn’t really research it either, sort of eyes wide open scenario. And I’m sort of glad we did, as this was one of the best, and certainly the most uplifting show I have ever seen, you couldn’t help but come out feeling so much better.
It is an upbeat musical set in a normal British called ‘The Jungle,’ and the set didn’t change for the time the show was on. Researching the show afterwards I found that in 2022 it was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play – and rightly so!
Anyway, in we went and the first thing that was strange was the number of people on the stage, being nosey, we soon found out that there was a working on-stage bar as part of the pub in the show, where cast members pour real pints of beer for audience members before, during the interval and during the show. I must admit at £10 a pint it was a touch more than I usually pay, in fact it was about double, but hey ho!
It was great mixing with the cast and chatting to them, and as the show was about to start, off we went back to our seats, thankfully close to the stage, which came in handy when they handed out a couple of free beers.
The story celebrates everyday life in UK pubs, and the importance of being part of the community, where people meet and be themselves. The stars all have individual talents. There is a piano player, a guitarist, and even a tap dancer, but they all play as well as individual talents they play different community characters, the type of people you and I probably drink beside any, or each time we are in the pub.
There is the Barman who has an amazing voice, as do all the cast. A Handyman, the Pub Bore, and according to research there is a Maestro, a Romantic, a Beast and a Joker.
But it is funny, high energy, well-choreographed entertainment, and I have never felt so uplifted coming away from a live stage show such as this, and that includes the West End. The stacking of the plastic glasses is different and fun, the stacking of the cards and balancing a pint on top is just funny, as it all was!
I appreciate that not everyone has money to spend on show tickets, but it is important to point out events and shows that can help people with mental health issues. Whilst this may be a short injection of fun, I have found that an injection of fun can last a reasonable amount of time.
It is Saturday as I write this and I am in a good place, and I can’t help thinking that started more so on Wednesday night. But my question here is – ‘was it the free pint?’
Speaking to a cast member on stage before the show he asked me where I was sitting, which was 6 rows back at an aisle seat. He simply said something like ‘when I come down make sure you join in enthusiastically,’ or similar.
Even a Beat Box
During the show, show members came off stage and involved maybe 4/5 people from the audience, serenading them, trying to help build a stack of cards, just being part of the audience, and it was good to see. If you do go, all I say is watch out for ‘500 Miles’ originally by the Proclaimers, as this stage show version was absolutely fantastic.
And those audience members were given drinks on stage, the show members threw crisps into the audience, and even made sure those sitting further back got some packets by using a catapult to launch them many rows back from the stage! And sure enough they brought drinks down to the audience. And as requested, as the show member I had been speaking to on stage walked close to me, I showed my enthusiasm for the show and was handed my free pint! I have never seen anything like it and probably never will again – brilliant stuff!
But back to feeling better, it definitely started on Wednesday night, courtesy of this show, we have had a quiet few days mainly due to the weather. Yesterday I went out on my bike about 9.00am, hoping the weather would hold of so I could get a few miles in, but Storm Austen was true to the forecast and appeared on the scene, if a bit earlier than expected, and with the rain starting to fall quite heavily, I returned home with 6 miles on my odometer!
My wife and I went out last night and we had a good night and we have had a quiet, homely day together, which included taking our two dogs for a walk, and all is good, and we know how lucky we are.
Life would be great if my mood stayed like this and how I wish it would, unfortunately I can’t afford to go and see The Choir of Man every week, but how I wish I could!
Thanks for reading
DJ
