Hello!
I recently started doing a stand-up and decided that I wanted the internet to know, as I have no friends. So I started a blog on my experiences, I've done two gigs so far and thought it might be helpful for other beginners to know what to expect or at least know what I went through. Even if your well established, have a look, it's always fun to laugh at others.
http://rwolfenden.wordpress.com/
Richard
Welcome to the site Richard.
I really liked your blog, nice casual style you have there. I hope you can use the Donny Osmond incident in your future stand up. 
Thank you very much! Its always nice to hear praise from other comedians.
I imagine
Ey, that was a good read that. I like the way you describe telling people that you are doing standup, it kinda sounds more like you are 'coming out' than getting into comedy. I can just imagine you backing out from telling anyone and your dad saying "thank God you said you were gay son, for a moment there I thought you were going to say you wanted to do standup"
That was a good,funny read. Best of luck with further gigs!
As someone who is yet to walk (or trip) up those steps to their first gig, I found that a great insight into live comedy for the first time!
Keep up the good work with the blog and all the best for future gigs. 
Best of luck! I'll be posting every couple of weeks or when I've had a gig. To keep you all informed of whats going on.
I'll need to add quotes soon.
Hi,
I normally get bored reading that much in one go but you made it very interesting, of course I read it the wrong way round as blogs are added to, so I read all about your 2nd gig before the first gig.
I've done lots of "Local Pub" gigs, fortunately not against the clock, but I think your missing a trick keeping it from your friends, my best advice would be tell those of your friends who find you funny and bring them along, what I mean is we all have some friends who like hearing our jokes who get your humour straight away, and we all have those who don't always laugh! (I like to think its because they don't get the joke, not because they don't find it funny) the reason I say this is because if no one in the audience has ever heard you before, everyone in the audience is learning your humour at the same time, before laughing. nobody is already up to speed with you, nobody is sitting there thinking "Oh I like this guy his funny" this makes a big difference, and believe me when your starting out to have people who already like your humour in the audience can make a massive difference, especial if your up against the clock as you don't have to win them over, you just need to make them laugh! and if they start laughing right away, you stand a good chance of getting past that first minute or two and getting the majority of the audience on side.
You spoke about the others all doing well, but I'd bet none of them where alone, my guess is most had been on a few times before so most of the audience already knew if they like there act or not. anyway, this is a subject I feel very strongly about but have probably bored your pants of so I'll stop now.
P.S. wish you had posted a copy of your performance so we could have seen it for ourselves.
That was a great read- my heart was pounding as I was reading it!
I had the opportunity to do a gig when I was 18 (many years ago!) after writing a bit for a local comedian, but I bottled it.