Puns are one of my favourite things. Every time I see a chip shop called The Codfather or a barbers called Hair to Eternity, it always raises a smile. No matter how naff. It’s a bit of a British tradition I suppose. Not that I’m overly patriotic, but I think my sense of humour is. My diaphragm clearly has a definite sense of self (although my liver is distinctly Russian). I’m not sure what nationality my stomach is. Possibly American Jewish with its Woody Allen-like neuroses, as it certainly knows when I’m feeling anxious. But today the sun is shining and I’m pleased to say my stomach alarm is currently set to snooze. Because the worst of the Fringe chaos is finally over. Don’t get me wrong, there are still two weeks of tight turnarounds and late nights, but the shows now involved are far less personal to me and I finally feel I can take a step back (my feet incidentally are French*).

So what has all this to do with puns? Well my latest project is full of them. A gloriously silly story stuffed with nonsense. I’ve been writing it with a friend on and off for the past couple of years now. Another friend is doing illustrations for it and my brother is doing the coding. Yep coding, that’s right it’s an app, get with the future granddad. It’s a detective story set on a fictional island with an array of strange characters. I’m hoping this will be the year we finally release it. It will likely be a free download. I certainly don’t expect to make money from it. But that’s not the point. It’s been such a nice thing to work on. An escape from some of the more serious stuff, but at the same time kind of makes a satirical point, particularly prevalent within the current climate. It won’t be out in time for the election of course. In fact I fly out to see my brother the day after so I’ll suppose I’ll know just how relevant it will be for the year ahead on my journey over.

*Home to the highest bridge in the world. Can never find shoes that sodding fit.

If political propaganda used more puns I’d probably be more on board. I just can’t seem to trust anything I read at the moment. In the world of fake news you have to check every source an article comes from and it’s quite time-consuming. I try to avoid most of the articles I see on social media, but mainstream media is just as bad. Now I find I have to check who each newspaper is owned by, where news channels get their funding and so on. Ultimately you just have to try and be as objective as possible and listen to what people are actually saying without trying to gloss it with an agenda or edit it to fit a narrative. Mostly I just look at the policies and try and forget the personalities, which with most politicians let’s face it are largely absent anyway.

The other problem with social media is that it looks at what you read and then sends you more of the same stuff. So it’s easy for you to only get one side of the picture and additionally to fool yourself that everyone else is seeing it too and drawing the same conclusions. But just because it can be confusing and a little overwhelming doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. I can understand that some people might not vote out of protest, but I’m not sure what it achieves. Perhaps spoiling your ballot at least sends a message. But it can’t change the system overnight. Then there are others that claim to be not well informed enough to vote. But people are full of opinions they haven’t earned, it’s never stopped them before about far more frivolous subjects. You can be honest and just say you’re not interested, but it strikes me as strange when it could potentially affect so much of if not your future, of the future of others you care about.

I clearly shouldn’t talk about puns; it sets me off on contentious tangents. And I know we’re all sick to death of people lecturing us. I guess I’m just saying that, if you weren’t planning on voting, at least consider it. Blimey, who knew quips were so dangerous? It’s pundemonium out there.