HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Friday 1st January 2016

Here we go, Muthafucker! – Dee Snider (Twisted Sister)

Me and Jenni had a lovely Balti and rice for lunch followed by a huge chunk of apple and cinnamon sponge with custard. Then Mr Idiot decided to try going for a bike ride round the housing estate immediately after the meal and consequently felt like passing out after two laps. I’ll try again tomorrow, a few hours after a light breakfast. Was nice to read some messages and Facebook updates. Started reading the Dee Snider memoir that Jenni bought for me two Christmases ago. I have no idea what lies in store this year but hopefully lots more books will be read, I’ll get some things published, get out on my bike/s and lose the spare tyre from around my waist. Anyway, slow start to 2016 for me. Adele is on tv now. She’s pretty awesome. 11.47 pm.

Saturday 2nd January 2016

Better result on the bike. Six laps on the estate – half an hour. Back aches a bit from abs-exercise and left knee not enjoying the cold weather. Spoke to Mam and Ernie on the phone. Jenni chatted to them more than I did. Got a replacement for someone who dropped out of next weekend’s Writing Marathon and sent a group message to participants, keyed in a load of morning pages. Me and Jenni made each other variations on the corned beef rissole. She says mine was more like a cake. Happy times! 

11.14 pm.

Sunday 3rd January 2016

Last day before I start back on my standard work routine. Watched a bit of Columbo. Rode the bike again. Left knee creaking a bit afterwards, but okay. Sausage and roast vegetables for lunch. Keyed in some notes and handmade a copy of my 1992 book “There Are Easier Ways of Living than Bleeding to Death” for Simon Green of Consett Writers. Jenni has been trying to fix poor BBC tv reception and is disgruntled by the lack of variety on the Royal Variety Performance. OK. 10.51 pm.

Monday 4th January 2016

Got the writing marathon prompts sorted for next weekend and cheque in the post for room hire. Been out a couple of times to shop and Post Office. Checked out work by zine writer Jeff Miller and short stories of Alice Munro. Watched ‘Soaked in Bleach’ the Kurt Cobain documentary – paints a less than rosy picture of his widow. Much of the info is already in the public domain via the book ‘Love and Death’ by Max Wallace and Ian Halperin; and the private investigator Tom Grant’s www.cobaincase.com website… 11.17 pm.

Tuesday 5th January 2016

Fucking rain getting on my nerves first thing. Lots of localised flooding – Shotley Bridge, Leadgate and Lanchester. Didn’t get out on the bike. Read more Dee Snider. Did a poster for a writing course. Have read some Raymond Carver and checked out songs by a guy called Tobias Jesso Jnr. Jenni was playing his debut album Goon on her laptop… Starting to get ideas and exercises pulled together for upcoming Ways With Words courses. Did some manuscript binding this afternoon as well. Typing. 11.10 pm.

Wednesday 6th January 2016

Haven’t been out since Sunday. Sick of staring at computer screens. In particular screens with gridded paperwork on them. Lesson plans and schemes of learning a shock to the system. Jenni has been sleeping today and I’ve been pretty wrecked. Still did a lot of work. Good to read more Dee Snider. I read best in bed. Once I’m up there’s too many distractions. Feel a bit sick, bit like migraine. Everything seems too fucking bright. Sick of staring at computer screens. Listened to Club Daze era Twisted Sister. They play their 40th anniversary (and final) tour this year. Just one UK appearance and it’s a weekend festival with only 4-day tickets available. If there’d been a one-day ticket option I might have considered going to Bloodstock in August. Right now all I really want is to go to bed. 10.10 pm.

Thursday 7th January 2016

Annoying to find myself awake at three this morning. Work stuff going round my head until half-six so stayed in bed till half-ten. Meant to be out early to get stuff sorted but college requested amendments to yesterday’s paperwork. Took me two trips into town to for all the marathon food. Still got booklets to make up, but the big case is packed. Bought a copy of Kerrang! magazine for the first time in over a decade. Four pages on Lemmy and a double spread on Rollins for his upcoming ‘Charmingly Obstinate’ spoken word tour. Uploaded Poetry Jam pix from December to Facebook. Seems like normal service will resume next week. Jenni is doing admin for JibbaJabba’s SLAMalgamate, taking place on 28th January. But we’re doing a Burns supper before that. 11.07 pm.

Friday 8th January 2016

45 to Newcastle. It’s been a couple of weeks since I last heard: ‘the next stop is…’ – now I’ll be plagued with it for the next hour. Took me a while to get all the stuff together for the journey. I have a large suitcase, a shoulder bag and a Tesco carrier bag. Most of my luggage is food. The only thing that I forgot to bring was my android tablet. No worries. It’ll do me good to be offline for the next few days. Me and Jenni have a load of sandwiches to make up then I reckon it’s an early night so that we’re up fresh for the writing marathon. It’s been a while since I’ve been shunted about on a bus whilst trying to control the pen. The driver must have had a bad day. “Why man, can you not pull into there,” he chunters as the brakes lurch us again. “Are you not pisswise?” he adds. I’d never have the patience to drive a motor vehicle. I’m bad enough on a mountain bike. Spoke to Ernie about half an hour ago. He liked my ‘Dear Zoo Pitbull’ poem from the Wishing Tree Writers anthology I put in his card. I thought his birthday was today, not yesterday. Never mind. He says the B&Q voucher will come in handy. Jenni is already in town. Was unusual to be on my own after her laughing and giggling and being a cheeky rampageous little tiger for the last fortnight. Think it’s going to take me a few trips to get used to big bus journeys again. 

7.40 pm.

Saturday 9th January 2016

Woke really early. Pleased the weather wasn’t too bad. Me and Jenni got to Broadacre House early and were done with the writing marathon set-up by half ten. Ace to see the look on some faces when writers entered the room. Everyone wrote some good stuff. Went for a drink with James Oates afterwards. Two hours later me and Jenni tucked up in bed watching Ninja Warriors and The Hunger Games, stuffing our faces. A good day. 9.28 pm.

Sunday 10th January 2016

Freezing cold so stayed under blankets much of the day. Jen spent three or four hours fixing her laptop. I watched Columbo, Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple. Had a lovely Chicken Balti and lots of snacks. Breaking Bad but disc won’t play. Watched Dragon’s Den and Deutschland 83. 10.19 pm.

Monday 11th January 2016

Got off the bus in Newcastle, short of cash. Went to the bank then gravitated to HMV. David Bowie’s voice filled the lower floor. A track from his Blackstar album. I listened for a while, studied the cd cover, then went upstairs. Another song of his from an early period. Two staff mouthing the lyrics, tapping out beats. I looked at the racks, saw a live DVD, Reality Tour 2004, took it to the counter and paid for it. I don’t own much of Bowie’s music and wouldn’t know many album tracks but felt compelled to buy something today. Something to see as well as hear. I’m going to see Henry Rollins tonight. I know he’s a Bowie fan, also a Lemmy fan. And with the passing of Rollins Band Mk II’s drummer a week ago, that’s three in a row for Hank – all from cancer. The Stars Look Very Different Today. RIP: Lemmy, Jason Mackenroth, David Bowie. 4.07 pm.

Tuesday 12th January 2016

Session at Waddington Street Centre was okay. Now back home in Consett. The heating hasn’t been on since Friday. Until I fucking thaw out I won’t be up to much. Bowie documentaries and checking FB notifications. Watching Hank pay tribute to Bowie and Lemmy last night was fantastic – a great end to a sad day. Going to sleep in my clothes tonight. This year might be a lot tougher than I thought. “We can be heroes, just for one day.” 10.22 pm.