Well, as we approach the last leg of the first quarter of the year 2014 I can safely say that I have stuck to my new year’s resolution of giving up quitting.

The obligatory ‘must lose weight’ resolution isn’t worth the paper its written on, especially as in recent years I’ve added a lot of small print. Beneath the ‘I will lose one stone this year’ is the ‘I will also lose a stone and a half by next Christmas’ commitment. Something I have followed religiously since my late twenties when I switched from feeling invincible to being increasingly visible from longer distances.

It’s strange and surprising how these things catch up with you. In my youth I was able to eat twice my own body weight for breakfast and still look fantastic, capable of running, jumping, tying my own shoelaces. Now, I have to visit zoos accompanied by my girlfriend and a lot of ID to ensure I am not ‘recaptured’ and returned to the spacious confines of the hippo enclosure.

You may think that this is all doom and gloom but you would be very wrong. One distinct advantage to my progressive cuddliness is that I look young for my weight. While time is kind to none of us I have certainly learnt that the best way to eliminate crows feet and frown lines is to regularly indulge yourself, avoiding food and drink with the ‘diet’ prefix or the ‘light’ suffix. This really does work; in fact I was ID’d last week, the first time in years. I found it complimentary as I am in now in my 30s but also a bit odd as I was only purchasing five kg of jelly babies.

Regardless of what your individual resolutions may be, being happy is certainly one we should all share in. I have been particularly happy looking back at last year as many of the acts I promoted and performed with have gone on to do great things, rightly recognised for their rib tickling skills: Tim Renkow broke on to the TV appearing on the BBC’s Fresh From the Fringe, Mark Silcox is now in the Final of The New Act of the Year Competition, also ran by the Beeb, Omar Hamdi was handpicked to support Russell Kane on his UK tour and Chris Norton Walker made a number of TV appearances on Dave, mostly eating sandwiches or looking mischevious.

This year has been no different in that sense, with these rising stars returning accompanied by the next wave of talent from the UK comedy circuit. One thing different this year is our dates. No longer do we run at the end of the month so here’s a few Sundays to keep free in your diary: March 16, April 6 and May 25. Appearing on March 16 we have some bloke called Tim Renkow, the surreal and absurd Javier Costales, Funny Women Finalist Bisha K. Ali, Birmigham’s Best New Act 2013 Russ Mulligan, the musically naughty Phil Alexander and the dark, lurking comedy of Fred Ferenczi. Oh, and the youthfully cuddly Andy Evans.

8pm on March 16. The Art Bar, Cowley Road.
Like us on Facebook, tweet us on Twitter.