A HEAVY WEEK

Sunday 2nd March 2014

Slow day. Took ages to get copy-ups done. Checked out some Tony Connor poetry and made a repro out of print pamphlet. Ate lots of food and watched a bit of Lydia Lunch reading from Paradoxia. Chatted online to Jenni, marathon confirmation from Mel. 11.17 pm.

Monday 3rd March 2014

Went to an Overcoming Mental Illness Stigma workshop today, but was just too exhausted to participate so I came home early feeling like a bit of a weak fake. I’m not really an ambassador for anything but my own thought processes, shit at writing to order. Five of my own sessions to plan and I go sit in on someone else’s. Had to take the afternoon off to get some rest. Watched The Machinist starring Christian Bale. Very dark and powerful. Enjoyed it. I’m not sweetness and light with the pen. Don’t know why I sometimes try to be. Catharsis, that’s the game for me. I admire the versatility of fellow writers. I’m a one-trick pony with a one-track mind. Pleased to be home. Gonna go to bed real soon before the next onslaught ensues. Fuck it. Whinge! 10.12 pm.

Tuesday 4th March 2014

Much better day. Bag packed ninety minutes before I was due to leave. Afternoon at Waddy quite relaxed. Half-marathon set up in seminar room for tomorrow morning. Had an hour reading fiction from Writers Forum in Clayport Library. Session tonight went well. Packed a lot into two hours: Recap of Why Write? Then “This is Just to Say”, Angels and Demons followed by a round of Definitions. Home by eleven. Pie and beans. 11.28 pm.

Wednesday 5th March 2014

Morning pages were preliminary notes for April speech. Then mini marathon at Waddy. Flash research at home. Cut and paste Chris Hill’s booklet. Tried to work tonight but just haven’t got the energy. Broke my no Amazon purchases rule to order a flash fiction book. 10.47 pm.

Thursday 6th March 2014

Postponed my performance workshop till next week and did a mini-marathon instead. I’ve written three versions of the same poem in three different venues over the last fortnight. Hoping to edit them all into one and do it tonight. Poetry Jam will be good, but I am so wrecked, just need a break. Looking forward to the weekend. 

2.25 pm.

Facebook status update: ABSOLUTE BELTER of a night at Poetry Jam in Waddington Street Centre. Superb sets from Mary Barr, Vinny McHugh and Kirsten Luckins plus the usual high calibre open floor sessions - thanks to all the jammers. Thanks as ever to Fergus for working the cafe and bringing me home afterwards. And for the great feedback already coming in. Pix will be up in due course. We'll be back on 3rd April with another mega line up. Cheers! 11.45 pm.

Friday 7th March 2014

The intro to The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction is worth the cover price alone, charting the history of the ‘short short’ way, way back beyond Poe and Baudelaire. Life doesn’t follow a plot so why should fiction? – something I’ve wrestled with for years. The book is a total breath of fresh air to me and I’m looking forward to checking out more essays. Didn’t get much done today due to online wrangle that required immediate attention. I’m in no position to call anyone self-centred, but some really do beggar belief. Thanks to poetry friends on Facebook for support. Uploaded vids tonight and Poetry Jam pix. 10.42 pm.

Saturday 8th March 2014

Replied to a few more letters after the hassle of yesterday. Good to get the opening notes rewritten for April speech. Thanks to Jenni for accompanying me to The Goose. Great Writers Café event at Bar Loco. Thanks to Marie for putting it on, thanks to everyone involved. Too tired to ‘perform’, so I read Jumping Jack, By the Balls, Why Not Be a Writer? and Thank-You Kindly Mr Patten. Thanks to Rowan McCabe for feedback. Chuffed to have time out of the house today. 11.05 pm.

Sunday 9th March 2014

Somehow managed to stay in bed till quarter to two this afternoon. Think I needed the sleep though. It’s been a heavy week. So warm out whilst shopping. Me and Jenni watched four episodes of Black Books this evening. Dylan Moran is hilarious. Gonna have eggy waffles and work for a while. 10.41 pm.