Seven Daze

Sunday 3rd February 2013

Slow day. Chatted with Jenni. Read a few poetry essays. Checked out some bedroom tax articles on Facebook. Sporadic work on my courses for Waddy; watched QI: interesting concept of building ‘spite houses’ – blocking views, creating eyesores in the neighbourhood. Staying up late to watch Schindler’s List. Doesn’t finish till nearly two in the morning. Grim viewing. 10.07pm.

Monday 4th February 2013

Haven’t been outside today. There’s noisy rubbish on the streets, overturned wheelie bins and splinters of rain like fistfuls of nails against the double glazing. Woozy with the central heating being on constantly and stuffing calories down my gullet like nobody’s business. Marzipan stollen cake, geriatric jellies, cathedral and tomato doorstops, lots of hot Vimto.

Checked out Henry Raby’s poetry page, read some essays. Don’t seem to be achieving much. Tomorrow I’m out from around ten for a writing workshop and another on Wednesday and a gig in Edinburgh with Jenni, James and Sheila for Ten Red.

Looked at the Marvel Chronicles that Jenni got me for Xmas. Some great pix of the Hulk and Spiderman and fantastic Four; Green Goblin and loads of other villains. I want to have a couple of big reading days and more work on my chapbook. Hoping to be back to my usual routine before too long. 8.17pm.

Tuesday 5th February 2013

Slight dusting of snow this morning. Blue bin wheeled out then bag prepped for Waddy. Porridge for breakfast then a bacon and mushroom sandwich an hour and a half later. Read a bit of Metro paper on the 15 to Durham and did some more read-throughs of session ideas. People think I’m exaggerating when I say I can prep all day and not remember off the top of my head the next morning what it is I’m supposed to be teaching. A quick glance and it all comes back. Where would I be without my notebooks. Session went okay. Nice of deputy manager to show concern over stress of late. Back home I made tea for me and Jenni then cracked on with my prep for tomorrow and Edinburgh. I have a few things ready in case I need to do a solo set at the last minute. Pleased to get the final piece of preliminary edits done for ‘Sunshine’. 10.20pm.

Wednesday 6th February 2013

Jenni went home this morning, will hopefully be doing double header set with me this evening. Last time, in London, we were both really nervous; one of the biggest stages I’ve been on. Tonight is a bar room with no microphone.

Session at Waddy went well. We had ten students in. Full house! One of the staff, Gill, got on the bus to Chester le Street, asked about my day. Told her my woe and wonderment. Talked about not driving and the cost of public transport. I’ve been on this bus nearly half an hour, worst yet to come. Stop-start at all the traffic lights in Low Fell.

I’m meeting Sheila and Jenni at the Lit and Phil at three o’clock. Don’t know how long it takes in a car to Edinburgh but Sheila is a nifty driver. Reckon I should rehearse for a while. 1.55pm.

Thursday 7th February 2013

Can’t believe I was onstage in Edinburgh at eleven o’clock last night and back into Waddy less than thirteen hours later. Had a swift journey from Gateshead over to Durham on the Express. Unfortunately the student I was booked to work with had to cancel due to her son’s school closure. Did some online work then had lunch. It was good to work with another student afterwards in an informal poetry surgery. Feeling knackered but have a bunch of poems to jam this evening. It was good to get a couple published on a blog site today. Don’t mind e-zines now – as valid in terms of road-testing material as a small press printed mag appearance. Last night I won some 1992 copies of Hybrid magazine in the Ten Red raffle. Gonna do my work log and chill for half an hour before the beautiful mayhem begins. 5.57pm.

Friday 8th February 2013

Stayed at Jenni’s place after a great Poetry Jam. Good to be of assistance in her school slam this afternoon without any major responsibility. Afterwards we had cheese scones at Jeff Price’s house. Later in the afternoon me and Jenni had a look at magazines in WHSmiths on Northumberland Street then had a carvery meal at the Goose. Jenni then went to the Bodega on Westgate Road, I caught the 45 back to Consett, walked home to Moorside. House absolutely freezing despite heating on for over three hours. I read bits and pieces on Facebook, listened to vintage Adam and the Ants, caught up on work log stuff. Really tired, looking forward to a weekend at home. I love gigging but it will be great to chill out and read, listen to music and prepare for next week. Don’t really have the energy for articulation this evening. 10.29pm.

Saturday 9th February 2013

Troy by Sinead O’Connor. I remember hearing this on cd for the first time back in 1989 – totally blew me away, the emotion and power in that voice, love the strings on it. Had a tear in my eye when I saw her play it a few feet away on an acoustic guitar in the Apollo in Manchester a year later. Saw her twice that weekend, she signed my sleeve. 

Really annoyed with myself for not getting any footage of Sheila at Poetry Jam on Thursday. I had the camera pointed at her for about four minutes but forgot to hit record. Doesn’t feel right uploading stills of others and missing her out. Think we’ll go without pictures this month. House really cold again today.

Jenni arrived about half ten and is in search of food. I have stuffed myself all day and shouldn’t really eat any more. When the clocks go forward next month the mountain bike is coming out and the weight is coming off. Oh yes! 10.36pm.