I'm doing 24 things
My first set
5 months ago
If you want to see it, it’s up at http://www.jakubkorab.net/2009/06/my-first-stand-up.html
jkorab's Life List
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1. complete 5 items on this list by 2010
1 person -
2. throw a pie in someone's face
30 people -
3. go mountain biking
62 people -
4. get a motor bike licence
11 people -
5. play "while my guitar gently weeps"
1 entry . 2 cheers1 person -
6. learn spanish
1 entry15,497 people -
7. Run with the bulls in Pampalona
1 entry . 1 cheer2 people -
8. learn to play flamenco guitar
1 cheer77 people -
9. do 20 chin ups
1 cheer3 people -
10. luge
2 cheers10 people -
11. swing from a chandelier
1 cheer5 people -
12. present at a conference
1 entry . 1 cheer42 people -
13. go hanggliding
1 cheer108 people -
14. fly to the edge of space
1 entry . 1 cheer2 people -
15. do a roadtrip through central america
2 cheers2 people -
16. learn to fly a plane
1,070 people -
17. visit iceland
784 people -
18. learn to draw
1,983 people -
19. do a personal mba
1 entry1 person -
20. go skinny dipping
3,072 people -
21. look up at the earth
1 entry1 person -
22. kayak through a rainforest
1 person -
23. write a book
1 cheer26,089 people -
24. make someone's life better
1 entry36 people
How I did it
It made me
Extatic! 
How I did it: Took a stand-up course run by an actual comedian, read a whole bunch of books and over a period of 6 weeks wrote a number of 2 minute mini-sets which I put together. Read how I did it…
It made me
Feel great!
How I did it: Grew a 3 day stubble, outlined the tache with my fingers and shaved around. After that it's a matter of trimming and grooming. My mates at work loved it! Read how I did it…
Recent entries
Stand-up tomorrow night
5 months ago
After producing heaps of material over the last couple of months, most of it not funny, I finally have 5 minutes that I’m pretty happy with. Tomorrow night I’m lined up as part of a showcase in a bar in Covent Garden for the guys who were on the comedy course. Looking at a friendly crowd of about 80. I’m practicing the routine all day today. And when I say all day, I actually mean once or twice. I’ll probably end up playing Xbox, and freaking out this evening :)
The laughs are more in the attitude than the content (which is also pretty important) – so a little ad-lib will definitely help. Just have to keep the adrenaline down.
It has been a huge amount of work to get this far, and there’s no getting out of it now. Well, there is, but not without a whole heap of ridicule from my friends and workmates. Nothing helps you reach your goals like peer group pressure.
I have been told that stand-up is typical of a first time experience. It’s over far too quickly, and you’re left wondering what all the fuss was about.
Doing the course
8 months ago
I am currently in week 3 of a 3 month course in London working towards a set in June, and it is absolutely fantastic. If you can find a supportive audience to help you work out the kinks before hitting the clubs, it’s well worth the effort. After just a couple of sessions, the guys around me are coming up with the most awesome material. It’s hard to be objective about your own stuff, but it’s getting some laughs. It’s an absolute buzz, loving every minute of it. It is absolutely the highlight of my week. The trick really is to write mountains of stuff. Some will be interesting thoughts to follow up on, others will be genuinely funny. There’s a long way to go, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and I’m having a great time on the way!
