GBA Extra - The Parachute Opened

In this Getting Better Acquainted Extra I follow up last year's Uncertain New Year episode with a round up of how 2014 actually panned out for me, mixed in with some true stories that I told told at Risk!, Spark London and Stand Up Tragedy. It's a bumper sized episode but it's much shorter than the year it sums up. The true stories and reflections cover some dark times both from this year and from my past (content note for anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying, body image) as well as plenty of fun and positive times from both this year and from my past. There's also music, reflection, sex clubs, a cameo from Stewart Lee* and quite a lot of me talking. Next week normal service will resume and GBA will be back yo it's in conversation format. * Stewart Lee does not literally appear in this episode. I plug: This kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1414067749/funding-for-tredegar-band-at-london-pride-2015 LGSM: https://twitter.com/LGSMpride Pride: http://www.pridemovie.co.uk/ Things mentioned: Uncertain New Year: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/uncertain-new-year Stand Up Tragedy: http://www.standuptragedy.co.uk/ GBA Christmas Special 2014: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-190-christmas Stand Up Tragedy Christmas Special: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy/selected-tragedy-vol-5-tragic-christmas Open EP: https://soundcloud.com/the-dave/sets/the-open-ep My Week of Goodbyes: http://davepickeringblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/a-week-of-goodbyes.html Pod Acadamy: http://podacademy.org/ RSA: http://www.thersa.org/ My website: http://www.davepickeringstoryteller.co.uk/ Jo Barrett: http://muteandinvisible.com/ Life in Scents: http://lifeinscents.com/ #GBA2014 Open Episodes: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-open-episodes Personal Season: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-personal-season-2014 Comment is Free: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/01/tough-choice-cut-job-enfield-children-centres-austerity Living Streets: http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/ Geek Showoff - Science Showoff: http://www.scienceshowoff.org/ The Moomin Episodes: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/the-moomins-episode Stand Up Tragedy Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy Tragic Christmas: https://soundcloud.com/standuptragedy/sets/tragic-christmas Arts Emergency: http://www.arts-emergency.org/ @Kit Lovelace: https://twitter.com/kitlovelace Kit Lovelace Episode: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-68-kit-lovelace Free Fringe: http://freefringe.org.uk/ Eddie Peppitone: http://eddiepepitone.com/ Rob Auton: http://www.robauton.co.uk/ GBA Live: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/sets/gba-live-at-edfringe-2014 Sara Pascoe: https://twitter.com/sarapascoe Andy Zaltzman: https://twitter.com/zaltzcricket Bouncy Poppy Songs About Death: http://thereactionaries1.bandcamp.com/album/bouncy-poppy-songs-about-death BPSAD GBA: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-178-bouncy-poppy-songs-about-death Matt Hill: http://rethinkaudio.wordpress.com/ BAFTA Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bafta Storylines: http://www.ampersandmedia.co.uk/current.php Ampersand Media: http://www.ampersandmedia.co.uk/ Focus e15 Mums: http://focuse15.org/ Musa Okwonga: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-148-musa-okwonga Neil Denny: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-175-neil-denny Reni Eddo Lodge: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-182-reni-eddo-lodge Mike Jackson: https://soundcloud.com/gettingbetteracquainted/gba-185-mike-jackson Spark London: http://sparklondon.com/ Mind Haringey: http://www.mindinharingey.org.uk/ Forty Hall: http://www.fortyhallestate.co.uk/whats-on/events/forty_hall_by_candlelight_1 Jen: http://www.jadamthwaite.co.uk/ You can hear Getting Better Acquainted on Stitcher SmartRadio, Stitcher allows you to listen to your favourite shows directly from your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and beyond. On-demand and on the go! Don’t have Stitcher? Download it for free today at www.stitcher.com or in the app stores. Help more people get better acquainted. If you like what you hear why not write an iTunes review? Follow @GBApodcast on Twitter. Like Getting Better Acquainted on facebook. Tell your friends. Spread the word!