Stand-up comedy is a very personal thing. In terms of the arts, it has to be one of the most difficult things to pull off: first you have to fight your way through all that heckling to actually be accepted as a half-decent comedian, then you have to tough it out amongst the established comedians who need only smile to make the audience howl with laughter. And the consensus is that it’s even harder if you’re a woman. The chances of making it to professional standard and actually getting paid or invited to do a show are few and far between–If you’re established then you can get away with joking about pretty much anything, including having a go at the good old Gastric band and whatever else takes your fancy. If you’re a woman, however, you need something special and it had better be good.

Female comedians have had a pretty hard time of it in the last few years, and it’s easy to see why. In this male-dominated industry we are, for one thing, just not used to seeing females do stand-up. But is there something deeper? Well, that really depends on who you ask. Some say that women just can’t do comedy, while others say that it’s not surprising they often flop. With all that pressure on their shoulders, is it any wonder that so many throw in the towel?

That said, there have been many hit comedians who have done well. Brit Sarah Millican is one good example. The northern lass hadn’t even considered stand-up until she was dumped by her boyfriend. And it was a good thing she found it, apparently, because the public love that girl. She’s now an established act on the circuit, performing gigs across the country to much success.

Robin Ince is one of the best comedians on the circuit and will go down in the annals of comedy as a brilliant man who was criminally underrated. The only explanation I can give for his lack of popularity is the fact is that it he looks a bit weird, is relatively introverted and that the public is fundamentally stupid. A stalwart of the comedy circuit, he has certainly paid his dues and remained in touch with the zeitgeist throughout his career. Often performing cheaper gigs his reams of material remain accessible and affordable to everyone, although admittedly the exceptionally drunk may have trouble understanding his viewpoint.

Composing and delivering jokes as confidently as the big hitters of comedy, he lacks only the self congratulatory flamboyance that characterises the Michael McIntyre’s of this world. His insight is what sets him apart from his peers, observing the fascination and wonder in so much of the world that we all take for granted.

Never afraid to sound nerdy or verbose he is one of the most informative comedians around and with diverse routines, you’re guaranteed to learn something without being patronised, (which presumably accounts for his popularity with younger audiences as well.) His enthusiasm for self improvement is genuinely infectious leading to the increasingly rare sensation of feeling like you’re a better person after seeing him perform. ‘’Improved self worth? Why Mr. Ince, you’re really spoiling us!’’

His brainchild ‘Nine lessons and carols for godless people’ has probably done more good- stimulating inquisitive minds than most charitable acts and has successfully created a communal sense of camaraderie among rational minds in the two short years since its inception. Over the years his book club has inspired countless people and facilitated the rehabilitation of many stagnant minds, not to mention the educating festival patrons of all ages.

Whether or not you ever see him perform, you owe Robin Ince a debt of thanks, because we’ll be feeling the shockwaves from his impact on the cultural landscape for decades to come.

As a complete sidebar I have just applide for a couple of Secondary education job openings. I know it is a little strange but I have to say that I am totally excited about the opportunity!

A sense of humour is a very personal thing. Some of us (particularly the brits) enjoy toilet humour, some prefer satire and some "knock knock" jokes.

A successful comedian will find a genre that appeals to many and either tell jokes or humourous stories, be they made up or anecdotory. Like many other things jokes change with the times, they come in and go out of fashion. Apart from childrens’ jokes that is. I am reminded of when my children were young and returned from school with a new "joke". Invariably they were surprised that I knew the punch line. You see they weren’t new – I had heard and told these jokes forty or so years before. Occasionally there would be a new one but they tend to be related to the time. I recall my son coming home ten or fifteen years ago with "How do you get Picachu on a bus? – You pokeimon."

The material that a comedian uses has to be relevant if he is to be successful and more than that it has to be relevant to a large number of people. The Ricky Gervaises and Bill Baileys of this world write their material around everyday happenings but with an "absurd" slant. the thing is that the audience can associate with both the events and the slant. they understand that this seemingly serious happening or situation could go off onto an absurd tangent. The skill of Gervais, Bailey and their ilk is to see that tangent, expand it and deliver it.

Here lies their next requirement – delivery. We can all remeber jokes, we can all make the mundain absurd but only a very few can stand up in front of an audience and tell those stories, crack those jokes in such a way as to get us, the public, on their side – to laugh with them. Once the "stand ups" can achieve that we will pay for it.

What a great skill to have – making people laugh. Wish I could do it………I’ll have a go:-

"Have you heard the one about…." Well perhaps not.

And another update, I have finally finished the changes for the tattoo removal manchester webpage. I am rather confused how I feel about this one, any criticisms are welcome

A friend of mine got a really clever little gizmo for Christmas. I don’t mean literally, after all, this isn’t a story that is linked to Spielberg’s ‘Gremlins’… It is a printer for mobile phones. The ‘PoGo’, by Polaroid, is only about the same size as a mobile and it is a very sleek looking bit of gadgetry.

But the weird thing about it is that the PoGo does not use any ink! I am not entirely sure how it actually works, but the paper (a special type called, ‘Zink’) must somehow be impregnated with each colour necessary to give you a print. The quality of the pictures as surprisingly good, I expected them to look a bit naff but they are actually very respectable.

Obviously, this device will only work with Zink printing paper and your pictures are only 3” x 2” in size… However, if you want to be able to just print off photographs straight from your mobile phone without all the clatting about of hooking it up to a computer, then this is your baby.

It is all very clever and it should appeal to a large amount of people. Teenagers whose lives revolve around their mobiles will love it and older people will find it a quick and simple way to get their family photographs printed. The PoGo is incredibly easy to use and it is compatible with an enormous amount of different handsets. But, before you rush out to buy one, check that your phone will support it. There is a long list of which mobile phones work with the PoGo on Polaroid’s website.

And just before I go; how does italy ski holidays online contest sound ?? Everybody must enter, I am determined to win this!