JUNE

Sunday 1st June 2025

Jenni and I saw The Salt Path, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, based on the memoir by Raynor Winn. I often think becoming destitute could so easily happen to anyone, in this case due to a dodgy business deal. The cinematography on the landscape sequences was superb. Tonight, a man at Newcastle Central Station asked if I was the writing workshop guy. Turns out he attended one of my evening courses about ten years ago. He remembered my Hometown Slog exercise and I remembered he was a teacher. 10.43pm.

Monday 2nd June 2025

Waddington Street Centre lesson plan wasn't hard to prep because I used material from the one-day journaling workshop I attended last month. I've got my Durham Careers Association workshop sorted as well. Poetry Jam pics from last month are up on Facebook. They were a pain to edit because the big computer is running slow. Too aggravated to get the Rockhopper bike out tonight (while the Sonder is being repaired) and risk an accident riding tired. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. 10.51pm.

 

Tuesday 3rd June 2025

I let the Waddy writing group have half an hour for the final exercise and they loved it. The work was strong. I showed some to staff. I got a load of food on the way home and had a big chicken salad for tea, then packed for tomorrow's session. It's at Middlestone Moor in Spennymoor, so I need to leave early for the bus. I rode the old Rockhopper on riverside trails tonight. Not great. After using a super-quick-engaging rear hub on the Sonder Frontier, going back to a slow standard Shimano makes technical trail riding a nightmare. I need the extra control and stability the Hope Pro 5 gives me. Should have the better bike back soon. I watched several clips of the Michael Monroe band playing classic Hanoi Rocks songs. 10.52pm.

 

Wednesday 4th June 2025

Eleven people joined me for today’s workshop at Middlestone Moor. We got through seven exercises with quite a few readbacks: absurd words warm up, adjective-noun-verb sentence stems, things that make you smile, speculate on a person, character opposites, 10 images from the last 24 hours, and Dear Zoo Pitbull. I got lots of good feedback, plus questions about bookmaking. Too tired for much tonight, so I just re-watched the Hellraiser 2022 film, but prefer the original. 10:45pm.

Thursday 5th June 2025

Good night at Poetry Jam marred for me by logistical issues beyond my control. Rach Lydon’s performance was ace, reminded me The Moth spoken word; Gaeran Southern was very entertaining; and brilliant to have a set from the fantastic Julie Egdell after a long absence from the scene. Big thanks to all of them and the open floor readers. We had The Failing Writers in recording their podcast, and the place was packed. Listen here: https://podfollow.com/the-failing-writers-podcast/view Thanks to James Oates for the lift home. 11.56 pm.

 

Friday 6th June 2025

Good to be done for the day and just watching cheesy heavy metal videos. Venom was the first band I went to see in concert. Today I ordered one of their t-shirts from Amazon. I'll probably wear it on the bike when I make my next trail trundler videos. I'm way behind on work but chuffed with feedback from recent poetry gigs and workshops. I did a bit more with the free weights tonight, mainly just to keep the limbs moving so any sporadic jolts on the bike trails don't come as a shock. This morning, I weighed 11 stone 12 pounds. I want to lose another six pounds this month if possible. 11.17pm.

Saturday 7th June 2025

Thought it would be a good idea to get some miles in my legs by riding to Bishop Auckland and back, but maybe not. I did 48 miles – and it rained for half of them. My clothes were caked in gritty grime. I got back at 4:40pm then spent about two hours getting cleaned up and ready to go to Jen’s. I told her 9:00 p.m. Now it's going to be half nine. And I've spent money on food that needs to go in the fridge ASAP. An annoying family is likely to get on the X45 bus – which is later than I want to depart. I am a fucking radge packet. I want the world to run my way, but that’s selfish, I know. The bus station is filling up and I’m seething. 8.22pm.

Sunday 8th June 2025

Today has been a big lazy one. I've allowed myself some calorific indulgences, including a sausage roll and two Eccles cakes. Jenni put on a mint film called Funny Cow, starring Maxine Peake, about a comedian's harsh beginnings and success on the circuit. Then we watched Bake Off and Cracked Actor. 10.38pm.

Monday 9th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, preliminary plans for tomorrow at Waddy, Keyed in lesson plans. prepped content more fully. Thanks to Jenni for updates, thanks to charity shops for clothes and footwear. Thanks to Tolu A Akinyemi for positive response to my notes on his book. OK. 11.23pm.

 

Tuesday 10th June 2025

Two hours of photocopying and sorting papers before the Waddy session. We were in the computer suite keying in texts for a wall display. I wasn't sure the writers would be keen to do an edit session, so I planned two other options that will now be used later. I got out on the Sonder bike tonight down by the Derwent. Trails still great, despite recent rain. I managed to get across another stream without dabbing. Exited the Shotley Bridge in fifth gear. Chuffed with my ride. I've been having an online chat with brother Mark about the Hope Pro 5 hub. I think it's okay now. I'm trying not to use the big four sprockets unless absolutely necessary. Been listening to Jeff Mantas Dunn online; I love his Venom recollections. 11.07pm.

 

Wednesday 11th June 2025

SIMON LOVES SUMMER

 
The sun is splitting the trees
So some inconsiderate sod is out
Blasting stupid inane dance music
Sounding like a Neanderthal bashing their head
Against a ten-gallon drum of dog shit
Oh, listen to me! - acknowledge
The sort of rubbish that floats my boat!
NO, FUCK OFF! I'm in my own house
Minding my own fucking business
And don't need to know that you exist
So go stick your sunny exuberance
And let others enjoy a peaceful evening
You totally ignorant sack of cack

 

Thursday 12th June 2025

Up around eight, had porridge, did the workshop prep, then cleaned and re-lubed my Rockhopper bike. It took about an hour. Then half an hour to make a bandana to protect my neck from the sun. I rode over the moors to Rookhope. Which was a bastard because the single track is little wider than a tyre in places but deep set, so you can’t turn the cranks without twatting the pedals off the grassy sides. I didn't remember it being so bad. But I rode it and out along to Stanhope. I cleaned Crawleyside Bank without getting out of breath. Had a full-on headwind back to Moorside. Got in at half four. Quick turnaround. Chicken breast and curried beans then out to the Brendan Cleary and Friends gig at Newcastle Lit and Phil. He was on form. Kathleen Kenny, Ally May, Ellen Pheathean, Joan Johnston and Bob Cooper read as well. 11.55pm.

Friday 13th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, workshop setup at Arts Centre Washington. Good turnout including a newcomer. A repeat of a previous journaling workshop. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Gateshead. To Jenni for cuddles. Sonder for the bike. OK. 11.11pm.

 

Saturday 14th June 2025

Kept waking up after tiny dreams like haiku poems. Situations grotesque and situations mundane. I made up a new morning pages notebook and did a swift free-weights session. There was a good turnout for the Sky Hawkins tribute gig at the Cafe Under the Spire – lots of lovely people doing poems about or enjoyed by The Word Bird. 10.06pm.

Sunday 15th June 2025

Lazy day. Me and Jen were out briefly for supplies but mainly just listened to the radio: Angela Griffin sitting in for Michael Ball, then Paddy McGuiness, followed by Elaine Page, then Sounds of the 70s with Bob Harris. Jenni had a veg pizza, I had half a chicken. We watched Soccer Aid then Jen helped me sort logistics for a possible gig in Shipley. Bus home. 11.45pm.

Monday 16th June 2025

Checked in with Mam and Ernie on the phone about health and happiness – and making wills and funeral plans. I prepped a writing half-marathon this afternoon: made books and selected prompts. Did a couple of lesson plans. Vocal entries. More lightweight training whilst listening to a Satyricon setlist. And the new Behemoth album is great. 11.55pm.

Tuesday 17th June 2025

Got to Waddy about ten to twelve this morning. Writing half-marathon only took about 10 minutes to set up. Four people joined me and got through about ten rounds of writing. Some of the really short ones were the best: three to five minutes. People did great. I got a few flash vignettes and bits of free verse. I had an enjoyable session on the Sonder bike this evening, including scooping up onto a riverside ledge and navigating a mud bath, no feet down. Ate a cheese and tomato sandwich and watched a Behemoth documentary. OK. 11.43pm.

Wednesday 18th June 2025

Read some of The Book of Alchemy (Suleika Jaouad) this morning and a couple of flash fictions by KM Elkes, then voice entered notes. This afternoon I mowed grass again. Tonight I got the Poetry Jam event page sorted then watched a Nergal (from Behemoth) interview. The four lead songs from their new album all have great videos. If my tinnitus wasn't a barrier, I'd have been to Brixton a couple of months ago to see them and Satyricon. OK. 10.58pm.

 

Thursday 19th June 2025

Time required to carry out simple tasks seems to expand in direct proportion to how much time you can’t afford to waste – like fixing a rim tape on a bicycle wheel when you thought you only needed to replace an innertube. Or having to double back because you missed a C2C sign near Washington. Or the two hours since getting home. I've had a box of chicken pieces (only 100 calories or so), a cheese sandwich and some pineapple. I got a good wash to get the skank off me. I pulled two thorns out of my left shin. I messaged Jenni; she needs the weekend to herself, so I'm going to go out tomorrow afternoon to do 50 miles if I can. Then I'll need to do about 30 miles on Saturday to match the mileage of the C2C. I hope I can do it. Then I just need to get the bike checked and three more days of good weather, the sooner I do it the better. 10.19pm.

Friday 20th June 2025

Another big day in the saddle. I stayed quite local but put the miles in riding to Swallwell and back, then up to Parkhead station and back, plus a few runs back and forth along the local cycle path. My main gripe is a sore backside and a numb right hand. I didn't go out till ten past two and didn't get home till about half nine. My legs are okay but I'm well tired. I need to do 28 miles tomorrow to match C2C mileage. Of course, it will be vastly different on the actual route. And I hope I can still climb out of Garrigill. I'm tired now and will soon be asleep. 11.30pm.

Saturday 21st June 2025

Woke up with a dull pain still in my right palm. Took Ibuprofen and put a folded sock in my glove to do another 29 miles on local cycle paths. Spoke to Steve Wood and Melanie Bowman in Consett. I wanted to go back out tonight to do more miles, but I've cleared 140 in three days. I'm concerned about the C2C route and the roadworthiness of the Rockhopper bike. It's a hot night 10.05pm.

Sunday 22nd June 2025

Right hand okay. Left hand now sore. Spent a few hours watching C2C route videos. I aim to get back to the training after a week or so. Hard to be motivated today. I'm going to Jen’s after the Waddy workshop on Tuesday. I've been watching Nine Inch Nails live from Dublin. Great production. Deep cuts well performed. I ate beef steak and tuna today. 11.20pm.

Monday 23rd June 2025

Carpal tunnel hassle in the left wrist this evening. I've tried ibuprofen and some physio exercises, but it's not great. Could be weeks or months. Hopefully not. I want to ride my Sonder bike but can't until my wrist sorts itself out. I prepped a session for Washington, copied up stray work log notes, and listened to Venom. I did some abdominal exercises. I don't really have much more than that. Been listening to a Venom box set from 2005. The first band I got a ticket to see in Newcastle 40 years ago. They’ve never played Newcastle since. Hardly anywhere else in the UK since. I have one more Waddy session this term, then I'm done till September. I have three at Washington. I’ve chosen poems to read at Shipley on Wednesday. I'm pissed off about my wrist. 11.06pm.

 

Tuesday 24th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, bag pack, readthroughs on the bus, photocopies of student work, two-hour session at Waddy went okay. Three hours to get home due to road closure. Thanks to Ali Lee for offering me six summer workshops. OK. 11.38pm.

Wednesday 25th June 2025

I've thoroughly enjoyed checking out poetry in West Yorkshire. I arrived at Shipley around two this afternoon under a grey sky, but was soon glad I brought my new black cap. It was baking hot by about three o'clock, by which time I'd found The Triangle venue on Bradford Road. I had to go back to the train station to use the facilities to cool down. Later, I sat in The Pride of Shipley pub and wrote a few things, read a bit of the C2C guidebook. My left wrist hasn't been so bad today Hopefully, only a few more days. I toyed with the idea of a Subway meal deal but thought all that bread, fizzy pop and big cookie for £3.99 would chuck my new diet regime right out of the window, so I got chicken drumsticks and a punnet of strawberries from Iceland instead. Shipley, like Consett and Sunderland, shuts around five. I sat in a park and tweaked my notes for my open mic mini set, then hit the venue. The open mic was quite varied. Poetry about Boyes department store, nature poems of a high calibre, some brave mental health verse from a first timer... I did five poems in four minutes and really enjoyed my time in front of the crowd. Michael Farron runs a tight ship: all done in the first bit after 50 minutes. A quick break, then Vicky Gatehouse read poems about lab technicians, pornography for pandas, how holly trees survive in summer, and the importance of saying NO to wind turbines near peat bogs. I got a book signed, thanked people, and was back at Shipley train station early enough to get the quarter to ten train, instead of quarter past, back to Leeds. I’m now on the 10.45pm to Newcastle. Hardly anyone on board. We haven't hit York yet. I’m meeting Jenni in Newcastle in about two hours. 11.00pm.

Thursday 26th June 2025

Went into town this afternoon to buy a twenty-quid pair of gloves for the bike ride. Much better gel padding than the decrepit ones I've relied on for the last 14 years. I also got a pair of charity shop trousers for three quid. Me and Jenni went to see Come From Away at The Little Theatre in Gateshead tonight. I've seen a televised production of this musical about plane passengers and the Newfoundlanders who looked after them when flights were grounded on 9/11. Seeing it on stage was ace. Jenni says it was as good as the touring production she saw at the Theatre Royal last year. 11.00pm.

 

Friday 27th June 2025

Didn't get to Washington till 20 past 11 this morning, but still plenty time to set up the fiction workshop for the writing group. I repeated 10 images from 24 hours. We played beginning-middle-end, and various starts to a story. It all went down really well. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for chats about theatre and dangerous pursuits on ride to Metro Centre. I found a copy of the Lou Reed Ultimate Music Guide in WHSmith, then temporarily got lost on the way back to the bus station… Me and Jenni watched two episodes of ‘Transaction’ written by and starring Jordan Gray, then I caught a bus to Hexham for Quillseekers poetry and spoken word at the Forum Cinema. Jasmine Jade gave two thought-provoking readings about identity and cultural alienation. Host Caitlin Kendall gave generous open floor slots to all who wanted one. Thanks to David Rutherford for the swift lift home. OK. 11.23pm.

 

Saturday 28th June 2025

I didn't get out to Consett for supplies till midday.  Saw some mountain bike gel gloves for half the price I paid on Thursday. I spent twenty-seven quid on chicken, tuna, fruit and veg. Back home, I watched a ninety-minute Henry Rollins interview from earlier this year. I had a salad then edited video stills for the Poetry Jam photo album and listened to the podcast made about it by The Failing Writers who gave a pretty in-depth analysis of our event. I also listened to ‘Growing Up in Public’ and ‘New Sensations’ albums by Lou Reed. 11.30pm.

Sunday 29th June 2025

Most of today spent listening to Lou Reed, reading about Lou Reed, and checking out solutions to hand pain caused by prolonged cycling, including ergonomic grips, short stems, riser bars, Cherry Active juice and physiotherapy – very time-consuming. I've been out on the Rockhopper for 90 minutes. It was okay. I'm hoping to get it set up for touring in the next week or so. Thanks to all the Facebook friends for well wishes ref Jenni and me and our fifteenth anniversary. 11.03pm.

 

Monday 30th June 2025

I took a risk and went down the woods by the Derwent on the Sonder Frontier bike this morning. I wore gel gloves and a wrist splint. I did a personal-best hill climb, cleaned a long technical section of woodland trail, and scooped up two rock /boulder lines by the riverside. I stayed out for about two and a half hours. I took breaks for hand stretching exercises every fifteen to twenty minutes. Back home, I found I’d lost as much weight in two and a half hours on the Sonder as I did after 140 miles over three days on the Rockhopper. This afternoon, I read a great article on The Velvet Underground in The Lou Reed Ultimate Music Guide. I made a new morning pages notebook, then looked at handlebar and stem combos for the Rockhopper to match the more upright riding position of the Sonder Frontier. It’s been a hot day. 10.49pm.

 

 

MAY 2025

Thursday 1st May 2025

Modest turnout for Poetry Jam. But enjoyable. All the guests were great. Charlie Care gave us some northeast mythological material. Pip McDonald was Spider Girl, all over the place, with props including a high-end bin bag and a pee funnel. Steve Lancaster did his bestiary of northeast creatures; I’d enjoyed the werewolf one before, but the rat was fantastic. James Oates read a new poem and gave me a lift home. Great open floor: Lian Maltas, Sharon Milley, Karima Lynn, Chris Short, Chris Hodgson and Owen Brechan, amongst others. Off to bed early so I can be up for Washington workshop. OK. 10.52pm.


Friday 2nd May 2025

I worked hard pulling together a big workshop. Only three of our regulars could make it. And the newcomers didn't show. I waited and didn't start till 20 past twelve. I got a lift to Gateshead, thanks to Alwyn, then a bus to Consett. Jenni informed me that Reform UK have taken over Durham County Council. I forgot to vote yesterday. But it wouldn't make a difference. Consett north and south are under Liberal Democrats. But the majority of County Durham is Reform. I read some more flash fiction tonight. 10.46pm.


Saturday 3rd May 2025

At home this weekend. I read two novellas-in-flash today. Meg Pokrass and Chris Bower, both enjoyable. Then out on the old Rockhopper. Found some ace little bits of single track on either side of the Derwent Walk. Ended up down on the low road near Hamsterley, got a puncture at Ebchester but fixed and home by twenty to six. Listened to a Meg Pokrass interview this evening and had a chicken sandwich, then sleep. 11:05pm.


Sunday 4th May 2025

Good to get the kitchen tidied and hoovered. Gunk all gone from under the George Foreman grill. I weigh12 stone 8Ib today, down from 13 stone 3Ib last month. When I was biketrialling in my thirties, I was about ten and a half to eleven stone. I've read some Richard Brautigan short stories and planned some activities for a workshop. Enjoyed watching Chris Akrigg interviewed by Martyn Ashton about ‘Hard Enduro’ bike video. Tired now. 11:20pm.


Monday 5th May 2025

I bought a hair dryer in Argos to defrost my freezer. The cashier didn’t think it strange at all. I bought fruit and veg in Tesco, then hauled my bags back to Moorside. The freezer took two hours to defrost. Ice was growing out the door; it was an hour before I could remove the inner plastic doors. Great to get huge chunks of ice to drop from the shelf bars. The fridge needed a clean out: three unfinished jars of the same strawberry jam hidden behind detritus. I did vocal notebook entries tonight and shaved. I wanted to read new flash fiction, but too tired. Social media is all Reform UK rubbish at present. 10.04pm.


Tuesday 6th May 2025

Prepped three workshops super quickly this morning: letters, journaling, and characterization. Then delivered one completely different from the above. The Waddy writers did some great stuff. I wrote a few things I really liked. This afternoon, I read some journaling and healthcare-for-writers articles from Writing Magazine on the bus home. Tuna salad for tea, then out on the big Sonder Frontier bike. Got up some of my favourite little climbs in harder gears than last year. Two stream crossings and a back wheel hop down from a low ledge. Need to get stronger to hop off bigger platforms. Read some flash fiction before supper. 10.46pm.


Wednesday 7th May 2025

People who make malicious pop-ups and hack websites should be fucking disposed of asap. Sad bastards with nothing better to do than cause chaos. Luckily, I seem to have stopped dodgy updates coming through mobile notifications. Initially, a slow day, just looking for poems for a gig set and trawling through back issues of nineties poetry magazines, then out in the garden cutting grass. Set my left wrist off in an uproar. Seems to have calmed down a bit now. I'm hoping to have a more productive day tomorrow. A lot of the time, I just don't want to interact with people much at all. I hope to get some serious reading time in the next few months. Anyway, enough gripes now. Hope for better things tomorrow 10:41pm.


Thursday 8th May 2025

Good to get my set sorted for Poetical Outlaws. I had to cut the ‘Letting The Minimalism Slip’ central piece because it was nearly five minutes long, but I included two pieces from Anomalies and some Hypomaniac stuff. It runs to about 17 minutes. I printed 20 copies of Elaine's mini pamphlet, submitted poems to Morecambe Poetry Festival Anthology, then got the bus to Sunderland for King Ink. I didn't get to do the four poems I'd planned. I just read The Hill. Hell Poet did a mint one about recent gender definition ruling that pulled no punches on JK Rowling. Hell Poet is on the bill with me and Aaron Wright at Poetical Outlaws next week. Loads of great people read tonight. At least four I'd never seen before. I don't remember names and poems because I didn't take notes but great stuff about relationships. VE Day from Chris Hodgson. I had to go out during the experimental guitar stuff due to tinnitus. Mel Chilekwa read poems about employment inequality and racism, then Thom did one about Hadrian's Wall. Scotters did a mint one about apathy of pub absentees. Tolu red a short poem about Sky Hawkins, then asked me to review his new book. I give him a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip in return. Rue Collinge’s set focused on her health condition and love of stories. It was a great night. Helen Wilko walked me to the closest Metro station, which turned out to be one I’ve used before. Good to chat with Christine Fowler on the way back to Newcastle. I bought a pepperoni pizza slab from Greggs opposite the bus stand. Just finished it as the 47-bus pulled in. It will be half-midnight when I get home. 11.42pm.


Friday 9th May 2025

Tried to write some stuff for the North East History Week, but it just came out as music nostalgia. Made up Elaine's second batch of ‘Don’t Hassle Me…’ pamphlet. DETAILS ran out of A4 Canson paper and burgundy card, so I had to cut down from A1 sheets instead. The booklets came out good again. I will ink up the covers later. I went to Tesco and bought about 20 quid’s worth of fruit, veg and tuna. I got the bus back because the bags were quite heavy 10.28pm.


Saturday 10th May 2025

Out at the quarry near Parkhead Station today. I rode up with a tailwind and got there in under an hour. It was good to check out potential lines and rock clusters, but I'll need more upper body strength if I'm to ride the trail bike there. Back home I cleaned the unused bath and did some vocal entries. This evening at Jen’s watching game shows and Inside Number Nine. 11.12pm.


Sunday 11th May 2025

Morning pages, email checks, lesson plans for Tuesday and Friday. Thanks to Jenni for big health chat and TV screenings. OK. 10.19pm.


Monday 12th May 2025

Sorted my finances. Fixed three punctures in one bicycle inner tube. Inked up Elaine Cusack’s pamphlets. Rode 26.5 miles on the Rockhopper down to Blaydon Rugby Club and back. I'd still be out now, pushing the bike back from Rowland’s Gill if not for kind cyclist, Mark Gibson, who lent me his air pump at the roadside. I've bought cheap air pumps twice and they both knacked up in about a year. I'll get a new one and don't care about the cost. I just want something that puts a decent amount of air in the tubes and doesn't fucking break after a couple of seasons. I think I've eaten less than 2,000 calories today. Fingers crossed I'm lighter than 12 stone 7lb tomorrow. OK. 10.54pm.


Tuesday 13th May 2025

Felt really good this morning. Up and out by ten. Sent off Elaine's pamphlets from Durham. Set up for my fiction workshop at Waddy: A to Z story, speculate on strangers, create opposing characters, dilemmas and conflicts, dialogue, beginning-middle-end, flash fiction. Went really well. I slept on the bus back to Consett. Bought a new bike pump, collected my new glasses from Eyecare, then borrowed five library heritage booklets about Consett. Pictures of the steelworks reminded me of red dust and bedridden asthmatic childhood. The best thing I read was about Tommy Thompson who slept in a coffin. Jenni says I should write about him for my history set at Station East on 26th May. Needed some time out due to a headache and fatigue. OK. 10.40pm.


Wednesday 14th May 2025

Everything seemed to take ages today. I didn't sleep well. Lay awake two hours going over shit from childhood so I needed to stay in bed a lot longer than I wanted to, so I got the rest of my sleep. I fixed a couple of punctures, sorted the new bike pump for the old Rockhopper, then I made more copies of Letting the Minimalism Slip. I booked a place on a journaling workshop for Saturday, then sorted PDFs for some Hypomaniac reprints. I had a good ride on the Sonder Frontier bike down by the river, but pushing hard gears made my right knee creak. I think most of the cartilage is gone. Has been bad since my thirties. Got home at half nine. Washed, had a fruit and veg supper, then sorted paperwork for Washington workshop. 11.05pm.


Thursday 15th May 2025

Awake at half five. Working by about seven. More rehearsals, then bag pack. The start of my Poetical Outlaws set at Diego’s Joint was a little weak – I was tired – but Aaron and Hell Poet were ace. Plenty good open mic as well. I thought about changing my set but just kept with it. Thanks to Aaron for the ride from Sunderland to Newcastle. I've cracked the tooth. 11.45pm.

Friday 16th May 2025

Five people and four non-shows at Arts Centre Washington. A repeat of Tuesday's Waddy session worked brilliantly. A boisterous loudmouth hassled people on the bus back to Gateshead and really upset the driver. She ended up screaming GET OFF THE BUS! after the bloke threatened someone. I bought supplies, had an hour with Jenni, then out to Mark Iverson’s ‘stars of horror movies’ book event in Station East. I didn't buy any. Back to Jen’s for Coronation Street and Bombay potato and spinach pasty with vindaloo beans. Then Kate Bush at the BBC. Ace visuals, but all mimed. Off to bed soon. 11.00pm.


Saturday 17th May 2025

Up early to get ready for Dilston Physic Garden workshop. The venue was pretty amazing, and I knew I'd enjoy the day after being on site for just five minutes. The exercises were pretty easy. The facilitator Laura Napran was engaging, the participants enthusiastic. Six hours in the countryside. I had a great time. Eurovision is on TV tonight. 10.57pm.


Sunday 18th May 2025

Chatted with Jen about life and music and listened to Radio 2 till mid-afternoon. Bus back to Consett. Bought salad supplies in Tesco then walked to Moorside. This evening was mainly spent going over notes from yesterday's workshop and making vocal entries on my mobile device. 11.02 pm.


Monday 19th May 2025

I got more notes down for the North East History Week. I have a new poem about a character from the 1800s who lived in Consett. I've structured a set, but I think it's going to be longer than ten minutes. I will get in touch with Tom Robson and hope that's okay. I sent a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip to my old friend Stephen J Clark, then returned an unread book to the library. I rode the old Rockhopper bike for about two and a half hours. Walked to Consett and bused to Newcastle. Now in an attic with the Bensham Tiger. OK. 10.22pm.


Tuesday 20th May 2025

Up around half seven. Did morning pages. Banana on toast for breakfast. Showered and into shirt and tie, ready for lift to Morpeth with Jenni, Matt, Kirsten and Bob for Sky’s woodland burial. Colourful turnout. Readings from her son Ben, ex-husband Ben, brother Julian, and close friend Laura. The sky was blue, the sun was hot, planes took off every 10 minutes or so in the adjacent airfield. The service lasted about 45 minutes. People stayed back in the sunshine, wrote notes on scrolls of paper and placed them in the grave. Mine said: Bye-bye, sweet Sky. If owt happens let us know, you fucking radge packet xxx. Jenni said hers was pretty unflowered as well. We opted for a lift back with Matt Miller, but he ended up staying to help Amina Evans whose car wouldn’t start. Jenni needed to be back to meet her mam, so a woman I don't know brought us back to Bensham for the wake at Café Under the Spire. I ate too much pizza and curry. Standing in the sun too long burned my bald head, so I had to retire to the attic. 8:20pm.


Wednesday 21st May 2025

I didn't do much today. After a really late night, Jen wanted to stay in bed, so I nipped into town for some supplies. We had Moroccan vegetable pasties with chilli beans for dinner, then I fell asleep for a while. I left Jen's place around half three, read an article about sonnets on the bus to Consett, then bought a couple of new notebooks and some chicken. I got more salad veg at Tesco, then walked home. I read a bit of Bukowski, then rehearsed some of my set for Monday's history gig. I’m pleased with how the material is expanding: 15 minutes now. I've had a canny day. 11.18pm.


Thursday 22nd May 2025

Computer super slow and hassle over college paperwork. Reworked notes for next Monday’s gig at Station East. I've done a Poetry Jam poster and sent a long reply to a letter from my good friend Stephen J Clark. Ate a chicken sandwich and lots of fruit. I'm tired, the tinnitus is raging, and I've got more work to do in the morning. 11.04pm.


Friday 23rd May 2025

I took the Sonder Frontier to Bits 4 Bikes this morning. Fixed while I waited. Just needed the locking nut on the cassette tightening – stopped all the rattling and creaking. I somehow sent myself over the bars on the ride home. A woman said I rode into the kerb, but those big three-inch wide tires should just bounce up. With a small shopping bag in my left hand, I think I somehow pulled the front brake by accident. I got some typing and voice entries done today. And a couple of lesson plans. Watched a few music history clips from Jeff Dunn of Venom. I lifted some light free weights as well. But feel a bit under the weather. 10.40pm.


Saturday 24th May 2025

Turns out the bike isn't fixed even though I haven't used any of the four largest sprockets that came loose on the cassette since it was tightened up. They have come loose again after just 45 minutes on the bike. I went to Waddy to run off a few copies of Milking a Joe Brainard Riff for Monday's gig then met up with Jenni at Station East for The Smoke Room. Great unplugged music gig hosted by Jonjo and featuring sets by Dog Years, Bugman, Sandy Wells Lee, and the awesome My Cold Poison, then bus home 10.10pm.

Sunday 25th May 2025

Morning pages, email checks, made up three copies of Milking A Joe Brainard Riff, typed lesson plans. Prepped for Tuesday and tomorrow's gig. Read lots of journaling essays and prompts. OK. 10.28pm.


Monday 26th May 2025

Today felt like a lazy Sunday. We scrolled social media and watched repeats of Heartbeat, Emmerdale and Corrie. Another canny crowd in the back room of Station East, but lots of distracting noise from the bar. I struggled to hear bits and pieces from the back, but luckily, I was asked to read in the second half and upped the volume a bit: no microphone, just push the lungs and larynx a bit harder, it's only 15 minutes. I thoroughly enjoyed performing at Northern History Week tonight. Some big cheers. Jenni says people came in from the bar to watch me. My material was more personal history, save the music aspect and the poem about a local eccentric, which went down well. Tom Robson was a great host, and it's always good to see Tom Kelly. There were great sets including A.J. McKenna, Helen Wilko, James Whitman, Tilly Aistrop and Papi Jeovani. OK. 11.02pm.

Tuesday 27th May 2025

Today at Waddy was fairly straightforward. I used exercises that I was shown at Dilston and a couple of prompts from a new journaling book. I spent over £90.00 to acquire them, so why not? The session went well, but our writers didn't like two of the poetry templates. I'm still going to try them at Washington on Friday. I'm still annoyed that my Sonder cassette worked loose again, and in the process may have damaged the aluminium freehub body of my Hope Pro5 hub. I can buy a replacement steel freehub body – but it's configured for strength, not engagement, and will reduce the ratchet points from 108 to 54. One of the books, RIFT by Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan, was missing from my Amazon order tonight, but the KM Elkes collection is good. I’ll read more of the stories in bed. OK. 9.49pm.


Wednesday 28th May 2025

Morning pages, email checks, responded to workshop enquiries, and recorded some prose poem snippets after dark for the Homelessness anthology promo video. 11.47pm.


Thursday 29th May 2025

Haven’t crossed the doorstep today. The morning was spent reading flash fiction by KM Elkes and voice entry of over a week of notes. Then I prepped for the next two workshops. I watched some ‘How To’ bike videos on getting up big rocks. I wish I had the Sonder bike back. I don’t want to spend a fortune to keep riding it, but the hub and sprocket is going to be about two hundred quid… Toyah Willcox is touring her songs and stories show in small theatres next year. If it’s acoustic like a decade ago, I’ll be going to at least one date. I’m considering pro earplugs to get back to rock gigs. 10.20pm.


Friday 30th May 2025

Up at half six, checking out Toyah dates and have decided to buy tickets for Alnwick (April) and Blyth (June) next year. Today’s workshop went well. Although most agreed the template poems weren’t great. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. I forgot to pay an electricity bill, so I had to go back home to get it. Enjoyed reading Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan on the bus back to Jen’s. we watched a Eurythmics BBC special. The attic is warm, and I’ve got toothache again. OK. 11.29pm.


Saturday 31st May 2025

Did a bit of review work, then got ready for a meet-up with my friend Stephen J Clark. We discussed ailments over sandwiches in a café then looked round a couple of record shops. I bought a hardback copy of Storm Damage by Brian Patten for £3.50 in Amnesty Bookshop. Me and Jenni watched Britain's Got Talent. 10.40pm.

APRIL

Tuesday 1st April 2025

Good to get books boxed up and posted to Elaine Cusack for the weekend. Nice of Tony Gadd to order a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip. Lloyds Bank seemed genuinely pleased that I mentioned the weekend underpayment by cash machine. I went out on the Sonder bike tonight. Did a hill climb that wiped me out for the rest of the ride. Need to start using free weights. Had a big corned-beef rissole for tea at half eight. I won't need any supper. I'll be working all of tomorrow, I think. OK. 10.17 p.m.


Wednesday 2nd April 2025

Aggravated before breakfast, but now I seem to be on top of the work for the week. Even mowed the grass. I've read a bit more of You Get So Alone At Times by Bukowski. I’d like it more if the pieces were written as prose vignettes instead of masquerading as poetry. 200 pages in, scores of pieces, but only four or five that I'd call poetry. I've prepped prompts for Friday’s surprise writing half-marathon. Hope it goes well. OK. 9.58pm.


Thursday 3rd April 2025

Pleased to find some of the only coloured cardstock that will go through my home laser printer to do the covers for tomorrow's half-marathon. I got next Saturday's full marathon covers printed at Waddington Street Centre this afternoon. I've ordered another Samsung Xpress M2070W laser printer from Ryman's. They last about five years. My second one is about done and was discontinued before I bought it. The only one they still have left has been in storage for years at their Scarborough shop. We had 36 people in the lounge at Waddington Street Centre for Poetry Jam tonight. The guests – Mayira T and Gill and Mark Connors – were great. Lots of people came just to listen. I read ‘Caution’ from Letting the Minimalism Slip and ‘Live for the Word’ from Hypomaniac. Chuffed to get a signed copy of ‘The Where We Were’, Mark and Gill’s travel poetry book. Had to race around after the gig to get tidied up and out for the bus. OK 11.52pm.


Friday 4th April 2025

So I find myself staying in a hotel in Whitley Bay tonight. Jenni had some free points and decided to use them up. We’re within spitting distance of the sea, have a big space, and Friday night TV. The writing half-marathon went well this afternoon. Loads of good pieces from the group. We did nine prompts. And I enjoyed all the rounds. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift back to Tyneside. I intended to drop my bags off a Jen’s and go for a wander around Newcastle. But then I got the invited to stay on the coast. Tomorrow we are going up to Blyth for Elaine Cusack's pamphlet launch. I'm now watching Gogglebox after a Pot Noodle and a bag of salted peanuts. OK.10.39pm.


Saturday 5th April 2025

Me and Jen had an awesome cereal, fruit and full English breakfast this morning then walked from Whitley Bay to Blyth for Elaine Cusack’s gig. She sold a fair number of her new pamphlet ‘Don’t Hassle Me with Your Sighs, Blyth’. We got the bus back to Newcastle. I bought a big pork pie. Jenni went back out for War of the Worlds. I've just been watching original artists perform songs made famous by others. OK 10.55 pm.


Sunday 6th April 2025

Another good day off. Me and Jen went to a craft and food market at Saltwell Park with Hillary and John this morning. Then had the guided tour of Bensham. Into town for supplies then watched Britain's Got Talent, a couple of game shows and Grace. Bus back to Consett. Walked to Moorside. Home at a quarter to twelve. OK. 1152 pm.


Monday 7th April 2025

In town this morning. Borrowed three library books again that I had out last year: Alan Rickman Diaries; Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert; and the C2C bike ride handbook. In addition to these, I got a weight training book to hopefully get me started for bike season. I bought paper stock and bathroom scales – then had a small, cooked breakfast in Wetherspoons. I am 13 stone 3 lb – which is about a stone too much to be trying to lift myself on a bike over obstacles. I went out for a couple of hours this afternoon, loving the dry trails, but I'm so unfit I was falling over trying to ride over stuff I did well last year. I doubt I’m capable of anything I did on video last autumn. I read some Big Magic tonight. Haven’t used the desktop computer since Thursday. Will have to work hard tomorrow to get through everything. 10.50pm.


Tuesday 8th April 2025

At home all day. Wanted to ride the bike tonight but the work kept me at the computer longer than expected. I've got the writing marathon booklets folded. I've done some copy-ups and emailed people but I've not yet selected the 26 prompts required for Saturday. And I haven't done any college paperwork either. I've read a bit of You Get So Alone by Bukowski and am coming to the end of it. I've ordered his Screams from the Balcony - Letters 1960-1970. At some point, I'll order Living on Luck and Reach For The Sun. His letters are probably better than the later poems. I'd also like to read more Kevin Brooks. I knocked off around eight this evening. Had a headache since then. Should have been in bed about an hour ago 10.47pm.


Wednesday 9th April 2025

Still no indoor exercise. Unless you count wandering into rooms and out again, climbing the stairs, forgetting why and having to go back down to remember. I crossed the doorstep to get four rashers of smoked bacon costing £1.29 at Nisa which I paid for as follows: £1 coin, two ten pence pieces and nine pennies. I saved two rashers for tomorrow. I still have a few mushrooms. I've started to get headaches again. Maybe it's time to visit the optician. Maybe I'm just dehydrated. Social media is in an uproar because Farage was in County Durham yesterday. Try paying for the birth of your next kid or your mother's hip replacement on his watch and tell us you don't regret voting for Reform UK. What the fuck. It's bedtime. 11.04pm.


Thursday10th April 2025

Awake around three or four and didn't sleep well afterwards, so consequently not feeling great this morning. I had a bacon sandwich, then packed up for Gateshead. In Consett I was tempted by a full English breakfast but resisted. got to Jen’s around ten past one. Quick pitstop then over to Details for more cardstock and endpapers for more copies of Elaine's pamphlets. Then a big start on the writing marathon buffet food. Two trips to Tesco. I've decided not to make sandwiches this time; I'm just going to buy some instead. Me and Jenni went to the Lit and Phil for Ellen Pheathean’s and Kathleen Kenny's writing group’s reading. I particularly liked the guy who read about being a Belle and Sebastian fan. And falling off his bike. Went to Tesco again for supper stuff. Then sent a message to the marathon writers. I’ve got big aches and pains in my feet and right leg. Bed soon. 11.03pm.


Friday 11th April 2025

Not a lot to add to the marathon stuff. I got sandwiches for people rather than making them. The big case is full of stuff and the fridge is full of stuff. I need to watch my calories but after the marathon there's going to be a lot of food to get rid of. I'm possibly not going to break even on the cost of this one. But we have a canny little group. Big Brother is on the telly. I've not seen it for decades. It's no different from how it was in the noughties. I'm just amazed that Mickey Rourke is in there. And Daley Thompson. OK. 10.03pm.


Saturday 12th April 2025

Awake at six for morning pages. Bags packed for writing marathon. Buses fine. All set up by half ten with big help from Jenni. Six people booked and all made it. No glitches. We did fifteen rounds of writing today. I wote a few pieces that I really liked. Jenni was on form. Afidi was amazing. People didn’t eat much. I had quite a lot this evening. OK. 9.57pm.


Sunday 13th April 2025

Me, Jenni and a few others had a guided walk around Sunderland city centre this afternoon with keen music historian Ian Mole. We heard about places where the Stones, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Faces, The Clash, The Adverts and loads of others played. It was good. Back in Bensham, we ate vindaloo beans and sausage rolls. Home by nine o'clock. OK.10.26pm.


Monday 14th April 2025

Went to Durham to pick up the new laser printer. The box was damaged so Ryman’s gave me 10% discount, so it only cost me £89.99. I've seen the same discontinued model online for close to £200. This afternoon I tweaked a poster for the Waddington Street Centre writing sessions but didn't like it, so I did another one tonight. I prepped for the new session. I got all my vocal entries onto the mobile device. 10.47 pm.


Tuesday 15th April 2025

Workshop at Waddy went well. Only one absentee. We looked at sonnets and wrote about influences. I'll start on specific poets soon, and close reading, and I want to do some more on flash fiction. I got a lot of college paperwork photocopied this afternoon. I slept on the Arriva bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni watched a bit of ‘Phantom of the Opera - Live at the Royal Albert Hall’ on Sky Arts. The buses back to Consett were fine. No more official engagements until next Tuesday. Catch-up time from tomorrow. OK. 11.45pm.


Wednesday 16th April 2025

More copies of Laughter to Split Glass ordered. And some flash fiction titles. Bit more college paperwork done, but still a long way to go. I've been trying to read but my head drops to the page, my eyes close, and I'm away. It's cold again. My feet are numb. I'm back to my winter gear, physically and mentally. I need to get the college stuff sorted. I'm sick of looking at it. I read more Bukowski letters tonight. 10.42pm.


Thursday 17th April 2025

Long day. Headache. Think it's time I got to the optician. I made the Poetry Jam event page yesterday, but little else. I bought supplies in Consett. My head is splitting. I want at least ten hours sleep. 11.21pm.


Friday 18th April 2025

Another day indoors. I need to get out on the bike again soon. Almost completed college paperwork this evening. I read Going Short by Nancy Stohlman. I particularly liked the bits about sequencing a collection of flash fiction pieces. Similar to how I structure my pamphlets, books and gig sets. I'm going to Bristol for the flash fiction festival in July. I hope I can write something there. I am tired. I need new glasses. 10.54 pm.


Saturday 19th April 2025

Got the Unlocking Novella-in-Flash book from Michael Loveday. Went out on the bike for an hour and over to Bridgehill to reminisce. Bought an Easter egg in town for Jenni. We listened to lots of songs this evening. Brandi Carlisle and Elton John. OK. 11.08pm.


Sunday 20th April 2025

Nice lazy Sunday. Big chat about creativity and plans for future. Morning pages about my way forward. Big dinner delivery with so much meat I had enough for teatime sandwiches. Big walk around Gateshead. And a visit to see John and Hillary tonight. Grace on TV. But I missed the end. 11.16pm.


Monday 21st April 2025

Big chat about work and literature. Parsnip and carrot soup for dinner. Then over to Newcastle for a little look in HMV. Loads and loads of music and books I'd like to check out, but will never have time to read. Metallica tracks were playing on the sound system. I looked at Lou Reed stuff. Behemoth, The Cure, The Cult… Later, in Waterstones, I looked at a huge Roger McGough Collected Poems hardback. Back at Jen’s, we had hot cross buns, watched Coronation Street, then a really disturbing episode of Black Mirror about brain implants and dodgy things people do to pay for healthcare. 11.56pm.


Tuesday 22nd April 2025

I wrote a load of notes on the bus, prompted by a ‘What If?’ when someone paid for a ticket then threw it in the bin. I did more stepping stones and small stones, and we looked at Taxing Rain by Penelope Shuttle. We chatted about the creative process. After the session, I wrote notes for the next one. Then did more photocopying for the college. I ate a bacon and chicken pasta on the bus to Consett then bought supplies for the week. OK. 9.26pm.


Wednesday 23rd April 2025

Read reviews of Vanessa Gebbie books on Amazon. Then I did some assisted abdominal exercises with the roll bar. After mowing the grass this afternoon, I had to go to bed for a couple of hours coz the headache was too bad. Chris Powell from Weardale Word Fest has invited me to run a workshop and host an open mic. I'm off to bed soon and hope to read a few more of Charles Bukowski's letters. 10.08pm.


Thursday 24th April 2025

Good little ride to Ebchester and back on the old Rockhopper bike. Spent what seemed like ages booking National Express coach tickets online with the Divine comedy song in my head the whole time. I finally got writing marathon pictures up on Facebook. I got a collection of flash fiction from Michael Loveday through the post today. I'm unable to read much tonight because of a recurring headache. Three times this week. A visit to the optician is long overdue. 920pm.


Friday 25th April 2025

Jenni and I went to see Nev Clay and the singer from Fables at Alphabetti Theatre. They both played really well. Amplified acoustic, but nothing excessive. It was good to see Steve May at this gig. 11.O6 pm.


Saturday 26th April 2025

Hot cross bun with banana for breakfast. Read a bunch of flash fictions. Went into town this afternoon for food. Lots of reductions on chicken. Watched a frame of snooker. Recorded vocal entries, watched Britain's Got Talent and Top of the Pops. OK. 11.01 pm.


Sunday 27th April 2025

I read more flash fiction and info on Bukowski’s ‘Hot Water Music’ story collection. Watched snooker. Trump and Murphy again. 100th century this season for Trump. Salads and scotch eggs. Jenni is amused by Camberwick Green. OK. 10.20pm.


Monday 28th April 2025

Went to see Kay Wilson talk about her novel The Stand Up Mam at The Word in South Shields this afternoon. Trawled charity shops then got fish/pea fritter and chips from Colemans. Jenni got the devastating news via phone that poet Sky Hawkins has died. An announcement was made on social media later this evening. At present we are at a loss for words. 11.20pm.


Tuesday 29th April 2025

Morning pages, email checks, backpack, setup at Waddy. session was mainly poetry, including pieces from last week plus similes, extended metaphors, national poetry competition-winning entry. Poems for a homelessness anthology. Flood piece by Lydia Davis, then line break exercises. 9.27pm.


Wednesday 30th April 2025

Eye-test this morning was an hour-long appointment. I spent £230 and should have two new pairs of glasses in less than a fortnight. This afternoon, I uploaded Poetry Jam pictures. Haven’t managed much else. I had a big chicken salad for tea. I want a week away from responsibilities. I'm tired and feeling run down this evening. What the fuck. Hopefully a bit better soon 9.35pm.

PAMPHLETS, ETC

 Saturday 1st March 2025

In the dream there are two issues of a glossy magazine. Both of them have multi-page features on goth rock singer, poet, novelist Rosie Garland. She is visiting a drop-in centre down the street. But by the time I get there from the newsagent’s she's gone.

Here we are in the third month already. I slept through the night without having to get up to go to the toilet. And that's with the temperature at zero before turning out the light. Every day, I go into my grotty little kitchen and see my lovely Sonder Frontier bike patiently waiting to be ridden down trails, through streams, over rocks, in between trees, up sketchy woodland climbs. I haven't been on the bike since November when we had a couple of decent days before things got really chilly. I wanted to be out on my old bike by now, in preparation for the new season, but I've been too busy…

Up early for morning pages. No typing. I had another medical assessment this morning. An hour on the phone. I recorded it on my pocket camcorder so I can retain what I said. I got side-tracked and was too late for paper-stock hunting in town. I met Jenni at 7pm for Cooper Robson's book launch. A bird shat on my shoulder on the way home. I was once told it's good luck. OK. 11.50pm.

 

Sunday 2nd March 2025

Cooper Robson's book launch gig last night at The Cumberland was a sellout. About seventy people in attendance.

Amy Langdown warmed the room with a poem about the north east then introduced Rowan McCabe, the door to door poet, who did a short support set.

Rowan's poem about snails was ace. As was the commissioned poem for baby Gloria"s christening - and the one he made up from a list of suggestions some precocious primary school pupils gave him to work with would satisfy even the most discerning lyrically inclined youngster. Memory issues prevent recall of specific details, but in the moment it came across as one of his most relaxed and entertaining performances.

Cooper Robson, however, was pretty full on. A lot of the poems are loud, in your face, built on robust rhymes aimed at political and social opponents. His stuff might be too crude for BBC upload, save perhaps Tyne and Tyne Again, but the gathering upstairs in the Mecca of north east spoken word was onside. I haven't heard such a roar of applause for a solo spoken word show in a long time. Tories are horrible. The royal anus isn't serviced by upper class specialists. Posh pretend-poverty-stricken university students are a pain. And who could argue with his views on the destruction of Gaza. I know, he says, let's cheer ourselves up and dig a big hole on Longsands Beach for a birthday treat.

He's got filthy jokes and the stage presence of a loveable lumberjack/grizzly bear - big beard, wild hair, big heart. The only young poet, after sixty minutes onstage, to get an encore.

Cooper's book is called Robson and Marras. It's a skinny, glossy version of a fanzine with all his cleverly crafted verses of vitriolic resistance crammed in amongst the colourful graphics.

Cooper Robson calls himself a gobshite from Heaton. Stand-up/performance poetry may never be the same again.

Good day. Really chuffed with the little review for Cooper and Rowan this morning. And to get the cover design in the bag for my forthcoming pamphlet, which shouldn't be too much of a problem to assemble. I was tempted to buy Revenge of the Lawn by Richard Brautigan today and You Get So Alone At Times That It Just Makes Sense by Charles Bukowski.

THANKS: Cooper, Rowan and Amy for feedback on the review of their gig. Thanks to Waterstones for all the graphic design inspiration and to Jenni for feedback on the cover design of Letting the Minimalism slip. OK. 11.55pm.

 

Monday 3rd March 2025

I got two workshops prepped by half four then switched to desktop PC to get some work off an audio file from Weardale Wordfest last year. Keyed in a new piece and did my journal voice-input. Got all the Poetry Jam pix uploaded to Facebook and archived the videos. Great to see and hear Catherine Ayre’s backstreet aggro poem again. Enjoyed revisiting Rachel Dunlop's workshop. Had a huge corned-beef-and-potato rissole for tea. Only been out to get chocolate. I won't be back at the PC till Wednesday. For invoices. And edits on the poetry pamphlet – I only really have a week to proof it. Need to be printing a week on Friday. Hope it all goes well. Still tech phobic. OK. 11.25pm.

 

Tuesday 4th March 2025

Got through all the material that I planned for Waddington Street Centre workshop. Ten Nouns. What Matters? Writing to Feel. Emotional honesty. Various forms of flash fiction. Person Trajectory. Hope to repeat it all on Friday at Washington. Tonight, I just needed time off. And yet I still managed to do some correspondence for booklets. Me and Elaine seem to be on the same page with colour combinations for pamphlets. Tonight, I stayed mostly downstairs and about quarter to ten just wanted to hear a bit of music. I put on The Damned – Don't You Wish That We Were Dead documentary DVD and really enjoyed it. I can only name about four or five of their songs even though I've played several of their albums loads of times. Oh well, tomorrow is a big proofreading day for me. OK. 11:45pm.

 

Wednesday 5th March 2025

Went through first proof copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip and took my time reading the pieces, noted required changes of punctuation, jotted down intros to say when I read some of the pieces at Gateshead. The computer is causing concern. It doesn't switch off easily. I need a new external hard drive just to be on the safe side. I printed out a copy of the re-edited little booklet and made a copy up with the silver ink on blue cover from yesterday. The words read well. I'm really chuffed with it. I'm sure there'll be a few more glitches but I think I'm nearly there with it. 11.50pm.

 

Thursday 6th March 2025

Up till two this morning tweaking the poems and rereading. I tried to have a lie in but was awake at seven. I've got lots more to do on my booklet. I got sample inks onto black card for Elaine’s pamphlet this afternoon. It took me about 45 minutes to set up the room at Waddy for Poetry Jam. All the guests – Kevin Robson, Helen Alexandra and Aaron Wright – did good sets. They were all at the recent writing marathons. We had over 25 people in the room tonight but a few left at half time. Brian James of The Damned and Lords of the New Church died today. He was a great guitar player. RIP. 11.46pm.

 

Friday 7th March 2025

The buses were on time. The community room was ok. Cracking session at Washington Arts Centre. The writers responded well to the tasks and most participants read at least one piece back. We did emotional honesty on the page. Then angels and devils – the Tomaz Solomon poetry exercise. Some quite startling pieces read out from it. I finished the session with Charlatan from Laughter to Split Glass. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for a lift to the Metro Centre bus station and for positive feedback. I bought A1 sheets of Fabriano for endpaper from DETAILS today for my new pamphlet. I'm still tweaking and agonizing over the inclusion/removal of expletives. Fingers crossed it'll be okay at Gateshead library on Monday 17th March. OK. 10.45pm.

 

Saturday 8th March 2025

Early morning pages. Then a load of copy ups. I've printed a preview pamphlet which looks very impressive. Jen says £7.50 a copy. I think that’s a lot. But we will see. I vowed never to charge more than a fiver. But never say never. Anyway, great Paul Riley show at Dance City this evening. He did about 75 minutes. Mainly talking about Still Game but a bit about Motorhead as well. OK. 11.17pm.

 

Sunday 9th March 2025

Me and Jenni went to Quayside Market then the Baltic. The photography exhibition was great. Good textiles, knotting and graphics too. Can’t remember any names. Watched Dancing on Ice and Britain's Got Talent. 10.10pm bus to Consett. Only just made it home to the toilet. Big week of work ahead. OK. 11.47pm.

 

Monday 10th March 2025

Been focusing on the pamphlet for much of the day. I've pushed through another proofread and still found a few more things – an apostrophe here and an acknowledgement or omission there. And I might budge the poems in a few millimetres where possible till the side margins match the top. I might have to manually type page numbers rather than use automatic inserts. I'm probably overthinking it, but I'd like it as good as possible. I still need to write a few more intros and links for next week's gig at Gateshead Library. I didn't start workshop prep till about seven this evening. Fish (ex-Marillion) bowed out with a final gig in Glasgow tonight. If not for the tinnitus, I could have been tempted. Happy retirement, Derek. 11.45pm.

 

Tuesday 11th March 2025

Today's session at Waddy went well. Still focusing on fiction. We did some transposing self to third person then two little character sketches from the big A2Z poem. Then we looked at emotionally charged days of the week. And chose one to write about. Then we did pairs of ‘I Am’ pieces giving voices to characters. I think I might do this session at Arts Centre Washington a week on Friday. But if time allows will do prose monologues as well as the poems. I just read a long thread about a Fish (ex-Marillion) fan feeling let down coz the big man didn't allow a post-show selfie last night. The whole fame and identity thing was brought sharply into focus. Fish is no more; Mr Derek Dick is now a crofter relocating to the Outer Hebrides. 11.00pm.

 

Wednesday 12th March 2025

I was tired starting off but made three colour combos for Elaine Cusack's mini pamphlet. The 120gsm white paper seems to have worked okay. Maybe we can use that through my home printer. Or we could try to manually align sheets front and back on the big office laser printer at Waddington Street Centre and go for 150gsm cartridge paper pages. This afternoon I had a care plan meeting with a mental health nurse. Then I got the margins and page numbers sorted for my new pamphlet. I made another printout then did self-employment finances for the month. I've keyed in notes and listened to bits of Fish online. Please this morning's flurry of snow came to nothing. I hope to be back on the books again tomorrow. 11.38pm.

 

Thursday 13th March 2025

Really knackered this evening and still finding fault with my pamphlet so can’t start the print run yet. Fingers crossed I'll be good to go in the morning. I don't know how anyone can proofread a novel. Just a little selection of poetry can soon start to get very wearing. Three more proof copies today. I will try to get a good read through in the morning. Then I need to go into town for a while. I reckon I might have to stay home this weekend to get the pamphlet done. I did a poster but might change the wording and do a little blurb instead of physical description. I had to knock off about 8 o'clock because my head was stotting. All I've done since sleep this evening is read some Fish comments and voice-enter some notes. I want to be in bed by 11 o'clock. OK. 10.45pm.

 

Friday 14th March 2025

With help from Jenni on a few phrases, the pamphlet is good to go: I've printed 20 copies for the launch and will assemble tomorrow. I aim to get out to more libraries and spoken word gigs. I aim to get more journals and poems prepared for publication. And I'd really like to publish a definitive version of Anomalies 1989-2014 as a paperback on Lulu. OK. 11.54pm.

 

Saturday 15th March 2025

Weird pain in right thumb. Thought it might have hindered book production. But I've done OK. I made 20 copies of the new pamphlet. Will trim them tomorrow. I'm tired. I did more vocal entries. I can hardly stay awake. Still have the writing half marathon stuff to sort out for Tuesday. Off to bed soon. 11.49pm.

 

Sunday 16th March 2025

Awoke around six and did some final tweaks on a page of the pamphlet and inserted a fresh verso. It's taken me a long time to proof to a good standard. I think it's all as I want it to be now. I got the bus to Jen’s this evening and went over my links and intros for tomorrow's Gateshead Central Library event. OK. 10.37pm.

 

Monday 17th March 2025

Good little launch at Gateshead Library this afternoon. I did about 45 minutes with the readings then a Q&A. I was chuffed to read a piece from Shades of Grey in response to a question about my writing approach. I think the new material works well as a set and I'll be keen to do it again elsewhere. Thanks to all who bought copies of my books. And thanks to Mark Speeding for a free first edition David Almond book. Sleepless Nights was his first ever collection of short stories, published by Iron Press in 1985. I was still at school then. The book is in mint condition. This evening me and Jen watched Corrie. I've been asleep a fair bit as well. Jenni is playing piano music by Michael Nyman. Relaxing, dreamy. I will be in bed soon because I have a workshop at Waddington Street Centre tomorrow. OK. 10.18pm.

 

Tuesday 18th March 2025

I got to Waddington Street about half eleven and prepped a half marathon in an hour. Five people got through nine prompts. I wrote mostly in rhyme. Everyone did mint stuff and it gave me the opportunity to road test prompts for next week in Sunderland. I knocked up a couple more booklet samples for Elaine Cusack. I did loads of vocal entries on the mobile from my journals and I'm chuffed to have kept on top of things for nearly three months. I want to edit bits for a journal book and want to get some poems out to magazines. OK. 11.08pm.

 

Wednesday 19th March 2025

Me and Jenni walked to Team Valley Retail Park. I only needed an external hard drive for the computer. Jenni got a couple of jackets in a second-hand shop. In Halfords I felt a big stabbing pain in my chest. Jenni and the shop assistant were a bit more concerned than me. But it went away after about quarter of an hour. I bought a new bike helmet. This evening Jenni made a delicious vegetable curry. We watched Coronation Street. I left around 9:00 but forgot the mid evening buses from Askew Road only go as far as Blackhall mill. So I had to go to the Metro Centre and hang around till 10 o'clock for an X45. I slept most of the journey back to Consett. Arriving just in time to get the last bus to Moorside. Home by eleven. OK. 11.52pm.

 

Thursday 20th March 2025

I left my morning pages at Jen’s place last night and have been a total stress head all day. I posted samples to Elaine. Then bought black 340gsm card, a pack of USB sticks, and food. Home by three. I shaved then did publicity for Poetry Jam and printed out eighteen different resources for tomorrow's workshop. If we get through six or seven of them, I'll be pleased. I am keen to get out on a bike. 11.43pm.

 

Friday 21st March 2025

Pitstop at Tesco this morning to retrieve the bank card I left in a self-service machine. Lucky to get it back. Only five takers for Washington writing session. Big poetry focus. I went to Jen's for an hour this afternoon. Got morning pages book then back to Blackhill. I lost my woolly hat and had to buy another. Then I went to Blackhill club. For Better Or Verse had a great turnout. Over 30 in the room. David Rutherford and Aaron Wright were both mint. As were the open floor poets. I read Sound System and Thrill Time. Shifted two pamphlets. Went to Tesco for supplies and caught the last bus home. Bed soon. 11.50pm.

 

Saturday 22nd March 2025

Today was a hassle. The buses were unreliable. Got to Jen’s with just a few minutes to drop my bags off before Queen at the Planetarium show at Centre for Life. Good surround screen graphics and decent sound level for the big hits. I copied up and keyed in some notes but not much else. OK. 11.00pm.

 

Sunday 23rd March 2025

Went to an indoor second-hand market at Lubber Fiend music venue. I bought a pakamac for two quid. Jenni got a load of good zines plus Batman and Joker comic books very cheap. She helped me to get me find Mother's Day presents in Newcastle. Cherry pie with custard then musicals. OK. 10.59pm.

 

Monday 24th March 2025

Me and Jenni got some bargains from Consett charity shops and tried out little treats from the big Lidl bakery. Jenni very kindly came to my place and sorted the disc drive and external hard drive for the desk top computer. Couldn't really focus well on the work tonight, but think I have enough options for the final Waddy session tomorrow. I've eaten junk all day but need to ditch those calories for the next few months. Need good sleep and exercise. Durham County Council took £300 from my bank today. Extremely tired. 10.32pm.

 

Tuesday 25th March 2025

I made up marathon books and sorted prompts for tomorrow’s Sunderland session. Put up Poetry Jam posters around Waddington Street Centre. I’m falling behind on my journal key-ins. I need to be away to Sunderland by about one o'clock. I am pretty knackered at present and hope things go well this week. 10.22pm.

 

Wednesday 26th March 2025

Eighteen people came to the Holmeside Writers half marathon at Ship Isis in Sunderland this evening. With several small round/rectangular tables instead of a single large one, and several people seated way off at opposite sides of the room, it was quite a challenge to keep the focus; I had to split participants into two groups taking turns on alternating rounds for readbacks. It was good of James Whitman to book me, and some good material was produced, but the set-up jarred and blocked energy. I came away deeply disappointed. I have a stotting headache and need to get to bed. 11.35pm.

 

Thursday 27th March 2025

Thanks to Helen Alexandra for unexpected positive feedback on last night's writing half marathon at The Ship Isis. I've been feeling a bit out of sorts and today has been a bit of a struggle. Not fit for much. I hoped to get on the bike this afternoon but didn't feel up to being outside. I tried to watch a film called ‘When She Was Out’ this evening but the DVD kept slipping so I switched to ‘A Night to Remember’ concert video by Seal. I fell asleep and missed the middle of it. Achieved little save a few vocal entries on the mobile. I hope to sleep better tonight and get out for an hour in the morning before I start work. It's getting late. 11.35pm.

 

Friday 28th March 2025

Pleasantly surprised to find riverside trails firm and dry this afternoon. Only a couple of muddy bits further into the woodland. Had I known it was going to be so good I'd have ridden the Sonder Frontier bike instead of the old Specialized Rockhopper. I did a couple of hours, including some on-foot rock rambling. I found a few lines I want to try when I'm a bit fitter. I'm aiming for better calorific intake than mere comfort food from now on. It took three hours from my place to Jen’s tonight because I forgot that some of the bus services go wrong around eight o’clock. I’m not eating any more until tomorrow. 11:26 p.m.

 

Saturday 29th March 2025

Out early to Newcastle for card, paper stock, a silver ink pen, and a copy of You Get So Alone At Times That It Just Makes Sense by Charles Bukowski then over to the post office on Jackson Street in Gateshead to post out a copy of my pamphlet Letting the Minimalism Slip before a long walk to the Central Library for an excellent One Dollar Zombies gig. Back home, the Bukowski was disappointing. 10.46pm.

 

Sunday 30th March 2025

Chatted briefly on the phone with Mam and Ernie then got some journal stuff transferred to word. got Poetry Jam pictures uploaded to Facebook watch the mint Frippcox cover of Kashmir on YouTube and listened to great One Dollar Zombies album The Secret of Serendipity. OK.11.43pm.

 

Monday 31st March 2025

Loads of hassle trying to get paid. Had to ditch run of pages coz toner wouldn’t fix to 120gsm paper. Managed to get a short run of pamphlets made and inked up for Elaine Cusack in time for her 40th Anniversary gig in Blyth on Saturday 5th April. My desktop computer is making a dodgy whirring noise. Just as well everything is saved to external hard drive. Pleased to see the back of this month. OK. 10.04pm.

GRITBOX

Saturday 1st February 2025

I remember sitting on the pavement with Shaun and Andrew next to the yellow gritbox where Alston Terrace meets Backstone Road on a sunny afternoon. Somehow the conversation turned to diary keeping. I remember saying I would need a big book for a diary to put down all the things that I think in a day.

And about five years later, I was a diarist. Thank you, Henry Rollins and Charles Bukowski.

I was awake till half two this morning after working late. But still back up by nine.

Today I will mostly be very tired. Trying to write on little sleep isn't great. But yesterday was good. I felt like a writer. I liked being able to sit at the screen without having to refer to notes on paper, having to look left to read my scrawl. I think daily typing into the phone works well. I don't care how meta or messy I get in notebooks. You can't edit a blank page.

Two hours a day now will be devoted to 'content' creation. I edit out some of the more candid passages. And keep some of the really good stuff to work up as proper flash vignettes. But I like the idea of just putting stuff out there. I like being a diarist. I like not having to keep getting stuff officially published all the time to feel legitimate. Sure, it's good to get validation - and I will be seeking more of it – but I like just freewriting and sharing as I see fit.

I am easily sidetracked. It's why I limit myself to just a few core activities and sod everything else. Otherwise, I'd never finish anything.

Yesterday, I read the opening story from The Hotel by Daisy Johnson. I'd never heard of her. But she popped up in a feed with a link to an interview. I ordered her novel Sisters from the library. As if I don't have too much to read already. OK. 9.45am.

LATER: Read some of Vanessa Gebbie's 51 AND A HALF on the bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni watched Women in Rock: Patti Smith, Tina Weymouth, Joni Mitchell, Deborah Harry, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, Joan Jett. Even Kira Roessler from Black Flag. Good stuff. OK. 11.28pm.


Sunday 2nd February 2025

Morning Pages. I kept Jenni awake with my snoring, so she went back to bed, and I did some typing. This afternoon we went into town for supplies. Jenni made a magnificent veggie curry and later we watched Reece Shearsmith's Jekyll and Hyde. Then Ian Rankin exploring origins of the same story. OK. 11.05pm.


Monday 3rd February 2025

Thanks to Alan from Consett Writers (from MIND and ten years at the library) for chat and for buying Octopus and Final today, two of my pamphlets from 2023.

Back home I keyed in notes and did some admin online for Wednesday's Durham Carers Writing Session. Tonight, I uploaded December’s Poetry Jam pix. And typed up two retrospective lesson plans.

Listened to Levitate by Toyah. Wish I could see her play live again. But doubt I'll get to any gigs unless an audiologist can halt the worsening tinnitus.

Chuffed to get my work done. I've got four days of public engagements this week. OK 11.55pm.


Tuesday 4th February 2025

Morning Pages, email checks, more photocopying at Waddy. Fiction read-throughs for session on bus to Durham. Warm-up prompts, titles for stories, location piece. Read Amanda Quinn's 'In Too Deep' and David Almond's circus story. Trimmed marathon promo cards. Printed flyer for Local Author tour. Lots of bag prep tonight for Belmont. Then type-ups. Journal. OK.10.30pm.


Wednesday 5th February 2025

The number 2O bus to Sunderland stops on Eden Terrace just next to the park in Belmont. The community centre is visible from the road.

But before that, a skatepark bowl. Use at your own risk, the sign says. There's a bit of gooey water in the bottom. The coping seems beyond vert. I stood on the edge with my workshop box in my arms. Thirty years ago, I might have considered it.

I headed off to get signed in. The writing session went well. I read Dark House, My Box, Piece of String and Goose Carvery. We did Absurd Words, Hero poems, 26 characters. Consequences, I remember. Gaffney/bed fictions. Triolet. Kennings.

The room was well warm. Short sleeves for me. We did over two hours. I did some work-related correspondence tonight and type-ups.

The first Poetry Jam of the year takes place at Waddington Street Centre tomorrow. Looking forward to it. 11.25pm.


Thursday 6th February 2025

It’s minus one and the frost is quite thick out there. An exposed elbow is sore in sixty seconds. My nose is blocked with hard snot and a hot drink is necessary to make the morning start possible. I want to select a couple of poems for the jam, recheck my session notes for tomorrow’s Washington workshop, and buy something nice for tea.

Last night I read ‘How to Enjoy Poetry’ by Frank Skinner – yes, that FS off the telly.

The book is an essay about Pad, a short poem by Stevie Smith. Frank is quite perceptive and reads a lot into the piece. Surely, more than the author put into it, I reckon. You find that quite a lot in poetry appreciators who aren’t poetry creators. Poems to me are flukes. They come when they want, behave how they want. Too much tampering by the author and they lose their spark, I feel. So just be grateful the lines come, tidy them up a bit before official publication, and on to the next. No-one has a year to agonize over a sestina. Not if they know what’s good for them…

WORK LOG: Morning Pages, email checks. Type-ups and copy-ups. Booked four Poetry Jam guests and sorted stuff for tomorrow's workshop. Set up Poetry Jam, hosted and manned the cafe. Locked up. Journal. OK. 11.36pm.

Friday 7th February 2025

Last night it was 22 degrees in Waddy for Poetry Jam. We had 27 chairs. By half seven we needed another six. Lots of people wanted to read. Lots of people probably didn't get a chance. We had quite a few new people in the room. The range of work quite vast. I don't remember specifics too well.

Ivy Hudson read some football stuff, some Christian stuff, some bits from books about her granddaughters. Another Christian poem then a jaw dropping piece inspired by The Joy of Sex. Well, I never, Ivy! An extra big round of applause for that one.

We had political poems. Steve Wood did some scathing stuff about Trump. Aaron Wright did Trumplestiltskin. He is great at satire. Ross Punton introduced an AI poem as a serious piece, but it was actually quite hilarious. We had a Garland Cinquain from Sharon Milley. A one of the newcomers read about her family and Turkish heritage. She got a huge positive response.

Ivy and Steve each read a poem from the recent writing marathons. Very good of them to mention the workshops. Unfortunately, due to short term memory issues I don’t remember stuff in great detail. But I’ve recorded quite a lot on camcorder for future playback.

Catherine Ayres was our headliner, reading from her new collection Janus. Her delivery was superb. The lovely way she engaged with the room, the fearless use of profanity alongside brilliantly constructed lines of poetry. The highlight for me was her verbatim found/gifted poem from a neighbour's rant about kids throwing stones. She read the first half in polite RP as an intro so people got a sense of what was being said. Then did the whole thing in broad Alnwick accent with the expletives, dramatic pauses, aggression, and humour. It was effing magnificent. She assured us it was word for word what the bloke said. I was so chuffed Catherine was able to make it all the way from Alnwick during term time. She sold a fair few books but refused to take any money from me. Very generous of her to gift me a copy.

GRATITUDE: Thanks Catherine, Steve, Ivy, all the open floor readers, all the helpers, and all at Waddington Street Centre last night. Thanks to all at Arts Centre Washington for writing session this afternoon. Alwyn for lift to Gateshead. And all at Blackhill this evening for a great For Better Or Verse'. OK. 11.59pm.


Saturday 8th February 2025

Better night's sleep. But still up early so I could go to Gateshead for The Smoke Room session. It was great to be at a little music gig without amplification. I saw Your Casket or Mine, St James Infirmary, Mooshi, Young Property Developers and Bedside Manor. Excellent acoustic music, each playing two sets except Casket. Me and Jenni watched Greatest Guitar Riffs documentaries. Great stuff. 10.50pm.

Sunday 9th February 2025

Stayed in bed till almost midday just keying in pages from Friday and Saturday. Me and Jenni went out for a walk up by Shipley Art Gallery and got supplies at Heron Foods. Had vindaloo beans and hotdogs, watched telly. Think I slept a lot if the evening. 10.52pm.


Monday 10th February 2025

Cold, cold and more fucking cold. Endurance waning. I've been in bed most of the evening typing up notes. I have a workshop pretty much good to go for tomorrow. The only one this week. Which is just as well coz I'm pretty peopled out really. There are three spoken word events across the region. I could probably do open mic at all of them, but I need to think about getting the next pamphlet together. Cold, cold and more fucking cold. Four layers of fleece and thermal up top, two pairs of joggers and a hot water bottle, thick slipper socks. I got the official confirmation for my hosting of a writing half marathon in Sunderland. I like half marathons, less to prepare. No buying of food. And I'll be a bit more relaxed. I need an early night. It was one o’clock this morning when I turned in at Jen's. OK. 10.51pm.


Tuesday 11th February 2025

Today will be a long one if I go to Tick Talk, the new spoken word night in Whitley Bay. I might take some poems. I might read ones from the Anomalies book. I am still tired after last night's typing session. I don't really want to type everything – but I've said I will, so I'll keep going. Today I need to look at some publishing guidelines and short stories. We'll use little pictures and text prompts and try different starts to stories again.

I need to check my book stock for Durham County Libraries Local Author Festival. The title for my gig is Coming Back to This – so I can sell copies of Hypomaniac and Prohibition, both containing the title poem. I need to check my pamphlets and make up any I'm missing. If I go to Jen's on Friday, I'll be home on Sunday. I'll do a full rehearsal that day, then another on Wednesday 19th February.

I'd still like to have a new pamphlet sorted for Meet the Author at Gateshead Library on Monday 17th March. It might just be a gig-set done as a limited edition. All previously uncollected. And it should be as long as Prohibition. Title page, verso, contents list, blank, dedication, blank, then poems running from page 7 to page 28, then two blanks, then bio and acknowledgements on one page, and list of previous titles on back page. So about 22 pages of poetry. Some of the pieces will be double spreads. I reckon I’ll need about sixteen to eighteen poems. I'll aim for twenty initially from the archive. I reckon a few days of selecting and sequencing would do it.

It's kind of scary trying to fill a gig set with unpublished material. I'll look at last May's Gateshead set and see if anything there is uncollected. Piece of String? But I've already been using that for a decade. It'll go in my next official collection though. But I'm getting ahead of myself again. I hope the buses are good today… 8,02am.

GRATITUDE: Thanks to all at Waddy for the workshop. Jenni for laughs and cuddles. Steve Lancaster for opportunity to read at Tick Talk and to everyone who took part. Cracking night. OK. 11.25pm.


Wednesday 12th February 2025

I did a couple of poems to close out Steve Lancaster's new night Tick Talk which takes place at the ticket office pub on the platform of Whitley Bay metro station. It's a mix of pure spoken word featuring writers and artists speakers about things they are passionate about. Me and Jenni went along just to support the night.

It was absolutely rammed. Steve Lancaster spoke about the versatility of the wooden clothes peg. James Tucker talked about beekeeping. Christine Fowler read a brilliant essay on cursive writing. We got a father and daughter story from Martin Manasse about singing. And the wonders of the poached egg from Jeff Price. Joan Hewitt read a couple of poems, one about nasty former colleagues ending with the C word. Aiden Clarke did three ten-line poems from his phone.

I'm pleased poems were allowed coz Steve asked me to close the night with something that would leave us on a high. I couldn’t talk off the cuff and stick to a four-minute time limit, so I just said I'm known as a bit of a miserable bastard, but I do like a couple of things. One of them is skateboarding. I then read Skateboard from Final 2023 which ends on the line, ‘Now I just trail trundle on a rigid mountain bike’. And then I said: BUT before the mountain bike there was a little seatless trials bike. This was inspired by Dear Chai Latte by Katie Metcalfe, and it's called Dear Zoo Pitbull. I then did the poem about my beloved competition trials bike. I needed Jen's phone torch to see my page, but it worked; I came in at three minutes 45/50 seconds and I got a canny response.

I'm pleased we went, and I'm really pleased to be asked to get up. If I do it again though, I want to just talk. I might have a couple of short topics on a list, but no script as such.

Elaine Cusack asked if I could make her a pamphlet for a couple of gigs she's got lined up. Initially, I was wary of saying yes, coz we don't have the resources at Waddy that we had when we did ‘Loose Threads and Sacred Spaces’ a couple of years ago. But when I reread her request last night, I saw that she wants something like a 'gig set' booklet similar to my Stanza booklet from 2017. Jenni had a copy of very same on her bookshelf. It's only about sixteen pages with a thin cover. I reckon I could knock out twenty copies in time for her first gig… 6.10am.

LATER: I wrote to Elaine Cusack about the pamphlet she has proposed for April. I'm making a new one of my own stuff, hopefully for Mid-March. Sequencing is a bastard. So many ways to configure and reconfigure. Beginning, middle, end – with links, thread line, contrasts. It's a tough one. I need to hit more open mic nights. I should submit to magazines as well. The house is very cold. A message on the answer machine from GP reception says they have 'information' for me. Sounds ominous. OK. 11.25pm.


Thursday 13th February 2025

I only need to make about half a dozen pamphlets to have at least two copies of the full twelve titles for next Thursday's gig in Lanchester. Only change to the set list from last year is the inclusion of Being Visible from the Washington Writers anthology. If it isn’t broken don't fix it.

I have started pulling good poems together for my next pamphlet that I aim to launch at Gateshead next month. I think 28-32 pages should do it. 9.08am.

LATER: I got all the booklet pages printed for next week. Just need to get them made up tomorrow or Sunday.

I left my place at twenty past four this afternoon and didn't reach Sunderland Pop Recs Ltd till 7.00pm. The place was rammed. All the open mic spots taken but Helen Wilko kindly fitted me in for after the break. So much talent on display and I didn't take notes. Lots of newcomers. Some political poems, some love poems, some cheeky poems.

Aaron did The Day after Valentine's Day and a list poem about masturbation. Scotters did one called Water Boredom - renaming local rivers. Charlie did a lovely poem from memory. Chris Hodgson did a moving piece set to music about his daughter's final resting place. Helen Rogers read one about her dog. Gaeran Southern sang about poisoning pigeons in the park. Helen did her poem about Pritt sticks and school budgets from memory. I did three poems including Tuppenny Chin Wag. Rosemary Sladden did one about sirens. There was a piece about a Disgraced abusive ex-celebrity and Emily Kitching said good riddance to an abusive partner. Hester Dowling tried to steal a painting from the National Portrait Gallery, The hell poet wore someone else's skin and said no thanks to the monarchy. Headliner Lisette Auton performed a piece which mentioned being on the top deck of a bus. She did a fantastic poem about chips – made me very hungry – and after about twenty minutes of top stuff, a short love poem to finish. It was a great night.

Big thanks to Aaron Wright for the lift to Newcastle. I'm now on the X45 to Consett. I’ll get back quicker than the 78 bus I missed in Sunderland. OK. 10.58pm.


Friday 14th February 2025 

Morning Pages, email checks, book make ups. And stock for books. Lots of key-ins. OK. Journal. 11.13pm.

GRATITUDE: to Jenni for the lovely card and comedy gig ticket. Enjoyed doughnuts. OK. 11.16pm.

Saturday 15th February 2025

I have one more workshop before next Thursday's Lanchester gig. I will try to get all my stuff done at home tomorrow and Monday. I have no idea what the turn out will be like on Thursday afternoon. I wanted to check out some of the other gigs at the Local Author Festival but don't think I'll have time. I'll see how far on I get tomorrow. I've not yet done a run through of my set yet. I reckon I can do that tomorrow evening. But I need to make good use of natural daylight tomorrow to trim pamphlets.

I haven't read much recently. I got no further with the Sister/s novel by Daisy Johnson. It'll probably just start again from scratch. I haven't read Janus by Catherine Ayres yet. I want to reread Martin Hayes MACHINE POEMS. And, at some point, Paul Auster. I still harbour ambitions of cobbling together some long form prose work from existing fragments. I'd like to read Don Bajema's BOY IN THE AIR stories again and some Lydia Davis vignettes. And I'd like to put together a little selection of favourite flash fictions by other authors. I'd like to include My Father Howled in his Sleep by Don Bajema. And something short by David Almond. Maybe BRICK by Henry Rollins. Possibly a very brief Charles Bukowski story. Maybe some of my writing participants' vignettes… 8.23am.

WORK LOG: Morning Pages, email checks, type-ups and prep for Words on the Wall. I read ‘List of Lists’, ‘Little Miss Sleepyhead’ and ‘Hey, Retractable Gel Pen’. OK. Journal. 11.30pm.

GRATITUDE: Thanks to Jenni for the bigly quiche and the nice day out. Thanks to all at Words on the Wall in Hexham: Emma Purshouse, Steve Pottinger, host Joe Williams, and all who took part in the event. 11.30pm.


Sunday 16th February 2025

Canny lie in. Then a chat with Jenni before heading back to Consett. I bought supplies then walked to Moorside. Took a while to re acclimatize to the stone cold of cellar twelve. I've made copies of my gig sets for Lanchester and had a run through. Switched a couple around in the second half. Keyed notes in from yesterday. It's zero degrees and it's late. I'm only just finishing for the day. Big week ahead. 11.12pm.

Monday 17th February 2025

Bookmaking took ages coz my hands just wouldn't warm up. Several cups of hot chocolate and blackcurrant squash. And refills of hot water bottle. Pages felt icy. But I got there eventually. Pamphlet replenishments done for Thursday's gig at Lanchester library. I rang them and was told thirteen people are interested. I'll do another little shout out for it tomorrow. This evening, I sat at the desktop PC and typed up lesson plans. Salmon paste and red pepper sandwich for supper, I reckon. 10.32pm.

Tuesday 18th February 2025

Waddy session went well this afternoon. Mainly reading published stories from a magazine and poems from a website. Along with submission guidelines. Good discussion about content, structure, description, plot, lack of, calibre, audience and publisher expectations. We only did one writing exercise, but I've prompted people to submit material for our next little in-house anthology. After the session, I trimmed a batch of writing marathon promo cards then caught a bus home. Very tired this evening. In bed for most of it. Tried to read a bit of One Chord Wonders – History of Punk book but kept nodding off. Reposted info about Lanchester gig. I'm okay but feel a bit hammered. A good long sleep should sort me out OK. 11.04pm.


Wednesday 19th February 2025

Fifteen-and-a-half-hour day. I made up a few more copies of Tiny Tales and rehearsed intros for a couple of poems. I sorted Poetry Jam publicity online and printed extra handouts Friday. My Washington sessions there have been extended to July, which is reassuring. This year seems to be going quite well. Today has been very cold. Especially at the desktop computer. I only really want to use it for page making these days. I can do social media on a mobile. 11.12pm.


Thursday 20th February 2025

I laid out all the book stock for Lanchester then did a pack up. I left early after dinner coz the buses are unreliable. Today, however, they were ace, so I got to the library quite early. There were some community groups in for activities, so I didn't start setting up till four o'clock. The venue was nice. The space was just right, about twenty people in total. I overran by a few minutes in the first half coz I adlibbed some intros. Chuffed to sell some books. Chuffed to get through the sets with no glitches. Peeps seemed to enjoy it. I chatted to quite a few people and got good feedback. And later at home I photocopied a few things for Washington. OK. 10.52pm.

GRATITUDE: Massive thanks to all at Lanchester library for a great gig tonight. Thanks to Joy Peart for buying four books. And to others for purchases. Thanks to Julie Slater, Suzanne Green and local staff for support. Good times. OK. 10.57pm.


Friday 21st February 2025

Morning Pages, email checks, bag pack. Set up at the Arts Centre. Was told four places have sold for April writing marathon. In session we did a seven-minute warm-up from prompts. Then titles for stories. Then a cafe picture prompt freewrite. Then we did a readaround of the story the picture originally accompanied in a magazine. Then another story. Then magazine guidelines for stories and poems, then I read my Why Not Be A Writer? Type-ups at home. Journal. OK. 10.24pm.

GRATITUDE: Thanks to all at Washington for the writing workshop. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for a lift to Metro Centre bus station. Enjoyed my beef rissole w/cheese back home. And hot chocolate. OK. 10.25pm.


Saturday 22nd February 2025

Did a write-up of yesterday's session for morning pages at about five o'clock this morning. Took a good few hours to edit and format on the mobile device. I’ll publish it elsewhere later. Bought a lots of edibles for a Sunday feast at Jen's place. We laughed out loud this evening at a load of negative hotel reviews online for one of the cheapest (£94 a night) in London. OK. 10.55pm.


Sunday 23rd February 2025

Big curry for dinner. Watched Renfield film with Jenni. Very ridiculous, but enjoyable. Cherry pie and custard for tea. Checked out reviews for a bunch of books I've already read, including Damage by Josephine Hart and The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks. Watched Robson Green Weekend Getaways tonight. OK. 10.28pm.


Monday 24th February 2025

WORK LOG: Morning Pages, Email checks. Sent out some booklets. Accepted proposal for 52 workshops, pending successful funding bid. Type-ups. Selected more poems for the next booklet. Journal. OK. 11.40pm.

GRATITUDE: Thanks to Lesley Ann Doogan for interest in my writing. To Jenni for laughs and support ref work situation. Thanks to Durham library for feedback on my Coming Back to This gig. OK. 11.51pm.


Tuesday 25th February 2025

WORK LOG: Morning pages, email checks, invoices, replies to library. Pay log for college, two hours on Elaine's pamphlet, an evening selecting more poems for mine, an hour designing a poster. Then vocal text input. Journal. OK. 11.41pm.

GRATITUDE: Thanks to college for new passwords. Thanks to people from Lanchester for feedback. Thanks to Elaine for a quick response regarding her new pamphlet layout. Jenni for updates and feedback. I'm really chuffed to get more poems selected for my pamphlet. OK. 11.43pm.


Wednesday 26th February 2025

Another long but productive day. It took me about 10 hours to pull 23 poems together in sequence for my gig at Gateshead Library next month. I have about 19 days to tweak bits and pieces, come up with a cover design, and assemble a run of pamphlets for the event. Jenni said she liked my Caution poem as an opener. I've included several big hitter poems but might have to prune content back a bit. The readthrough tonight took about 40 minutes. I have an hour, but we'll need a bit for Q&A and time for people to buy books. I hope I can tweak the poems by this time next week. I'll try to get a good cover design so I can do a promo card and bill the Gateshead event as a launch. I'm quite chuffed. But still got lots to do. OK. 11.39pm.


Thursday 27th February 2025

Didn't get started till ten this morning but still going at 15 minutes to midnight. More crossed wires and bad communication today. Eventually got my pay log sorted but no guarantee that it will be in time for this weekend. I posted a couple of booklet samples to Elaine. I've got a mock-up of mine done as well, which is provisionally titled Letting the Minimalism Slip. I like it and I like the layout. I will have to write a lot more good stuff now to have enough to use for a full collection. But hey I'm sure it'll be okay. I had another big corned-beef-and-potato rissole for tea. And watched a bit of Ali Clarkson doing bike trial. I haven't been out on a bike for nearly two months. It's quite cold again. I hope I'm okay this weekend. I still have a lot to get through. 11.50pm.


Friday 28th February 2025

I have a health call from the hospital today, but I don't know what time that's going to be. I was just told basically sometime this morning. So I don't want to get engrossed in computer work upstairs or I might miss the call. I've been behind on copy-ups and that's because I couldn't stop myself from completing the first draft of the pamphlet last night. I might hate it if I look at it this morning, but last night I thought it was ace. I loved the typeface. But if I'm not printing at home, I need to ensure the Waddington Street Centre computer has that typeface on it. The pamphlet looks old school. I might still change a poem or two. I don't want to go ultra-modern with the design. I'd much rather it had a very minimalist graphic if possible. A bit like A Warm Space and Soon will Come Thunder. I'd like to be able to hand ink it but still want it to look totally mint. Hand inking allows the use of very heavy card stock. I'd really like to use Canson endpapers. I'd like a very rich colour cover with silver ink. Or light card with a small full colour graphic or typography. Today, though, I will focus on my health meeting and more typing... 7.02am.