Seven Days

Monday 9th March 2015

On this day, twenty-three years ago, I travelled up to Scotland for my first Henry Rollins spoken word show. Posted a picture of the ticket on Facebook today. Did lesson plan logs. Research reading. Worked on the Newton Aycliffe anthology this evening. Thanks to Yvonne Young and Donna-Lisa Healy for mint pix from Saturday’s Writers’ Café gig. 11.30 pm.

Tuesday 10th March 2015

Lots of prep to make up for yesterday. Session winged this afternoon and totally better for it. In a warm-up I wrote about picking bits of dead skin off my feet. This evening was a picture marathon. Wrote some new stuff but nothing to show in public. Home at ten. Good to spend time with Jen. Must get a good sleep tonight. Got some medical students sitting in on session tomorrow morning. 11.07 pm.

Wednesday 11th March 2015

Memoir session at Waddy this morning. New character sketch collaboration with Appletree Writers this afternoon. Unsuccessful attempt to purchase Mothers Day present in Durham then back to Waddy to set up for evening. Great workshop – A2Z narratives, flash fiction, spiky dialogue. Jenni was smoking on the doorstep as I walked down the street to my place this evening. The tv news is all about a motor show presenter who might lose his job. Excuse me, but why is this the main story? Usually when something so bland is broadcast it means something sinister is being kept out of the spotlight for political reasons. Keep the mushrooms in the dark and feed them bullshit and they’ll grow into nice subordinate little slaves – whoops! Wrote a piece about primary school this morning. And one about cleaning dog shit out of my shoe treads this evening. Beans and hotdogs on toast for supper followed by a lemon bakewell tart. Laughs aplenty on the couch with Jenni. 

11.21 pm.

Thursday 12th March 2015

Woke up snotty faced at six. Woke Jen up at half past for an early leave to Gateshead. Took little to prep for today really. Workshop in Consett went well, although we overran by a few minutes. Less than half an hour later I was back home with four bags of shopping. Big news of my day isn’t Jeremy Clarkson and the BBC. No, it’s Hank Rollins playing the Tyne Theatre next January. Me and Jenni are going. Went into town this afternoon to get tickets from the box office. Then we had a look round for Mothers Day presents. Got a good card and some films. Took an age to get them wrapped up at WHSmith’s post office. Baked potatoes at Eat4Less then bus to Sunderland via Washington for King Ink at Pop Recs Ltd. Great night. New young voices, a Kerouac tribute poem on a scroll; great sets from Patrick Shannon who was launching his collection COLOURS IV and Tom Kelly who did music-related poems incorporating lines from 50s/60s hits. A rare treat. Good to see Jane and Sheila. Sold six of my books to Barrie West and bought Patrick’s book plus a Toyah 7inch IEYA picture disc. Now on the bus back to Consett. 13 minutes into an eighty minute journey. Then taxi or walk home. 10.23 pm.

Friday 13th March 2015

“Today happened but we weren’t part of it.” – Jenni Pascoe.

Have felt somewhat under the weather. Snow and bastard head cold. Had to lie down for a couple of hours this afternoon. Been looking forward to Friday to work on my own stuff and just too hammered to do anything. Watched some music documentaries: one about extreme metal and a more interesting one about Irish rock. I’m still snotting on and totally sick of it. Third cold in as many months. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to work on something. Fuck winter. 11.23 pm.

Saturday 14th March 2015

Better day. Cold on the wane. Haven’t done much. Got some notes keyed in, worked on a poem. Had a curry with Jenni. Read some political articles, listened to Nine Inch Nails and Adam Ant. Thanks to PA Morbid for the invitation to appear in a DARK MATTER double header pamphlet from Black Light Engine Room. Still out of my usual work routine but chipping away. Ok. 11.35 pm.

Sunday 15th March 2015

Worked on a new poem today. Quite pleased with it and will probably open mic it fairly soon. I write first drafts of verse and flash all the time but most of my headspace is admin and workshop prep so it was nice to be completing my own thing for a change. Enjoyed a nice Sunday dinner with Jenni. Read some Geoff Hattersley poems and keyed in a lesson plan. Good to hear the new Marilyn Manson album and check out rare books online. 11.07 pm.