Narrow Escapes and New Opportunities

Monday 10th October 2016

First bike ride back from Gateshead by road today – except for the bits where I had to zip up onto pavements to avoid juggernauts and motor idiots. A lot of cars hardly give elbow room. My legs weren’t really ready for the hill climbs. Took longer than the cycle path but less messy on a rainy day. I’ve keyed in work, produced a new vignette, a lesson plan. Had porridge and promoted an American zinester’s new title "You Better Watch Where You Spit" on World Mental Health Day. I’ve eaten five peaches, read shitloads about the circus that is the US election; and seen some disturbing footage of killer clown altercations on city streets. Good to hear from Jenni this evening. And Gus Gunnion – pity I’m too geriatric to give him mountain bike bunny hop lessons these days. 10.32 pm.

Tuesday 11th October 2016

Around this time twenty years ago I began to de-clutter my home, paint everything white and beige, strip furniture to a minimum. Now I have junk in pretty much every room. Three bikes, two longboards, many coats and shoes, loads of black clothes; paperstock, dirty plates, bottles, empty cartons and allsorts of crap all over the place. And I’m too skint to keep the heating on. Or at least I will be if I don’t watch what I’m doing. Be an existential artist – it’s great! Only joking!

Today has been good. Lots of lunchtime laughs and conversation with the Waddy staff. A small but focused group for the Ways with Words session. Two more people got in touch to reserve places for the Writing Marathon. Been reading Nickel and Dimed – Undercover in Low Wage USA by Barbara Ehrenreich. It’s a bit out of date (2002) but still scary in the way it shows the gulf between the rich and poor. The way workers are treated and the hours they have to put in working multiple jobs to share rooms in motels with strangers and soldier on without healthcare when ill. I’d hate to be struggling there, that’s for sure. 10.31 pm.

Wednesday 12th October 2016

Session at Cambian Appletree went okay. Repeat of the basics from yesterday: Terza Rima, Adj/noun/verb triads, consequences, character sketches. Just an hour. But we started ten minutes late. Was good to chat with Ali, Steve and Sam this lunchtime. Apparently my name was mentioned at a health meeting last Friday regarding workshops in Newton Aycliffe so it appears that they are ON. But I don’t know when. A cyclist was knocked off his bike in Durham today outside County Hall. Think he swerved to miss a car that shouldn’t have pulled out of a junction. He wasn’t hurt, but vey fucking angry with the driver. Went to Gateshead this afternoon to get wheelie cases from Jen’s then over to Alphabetti Theatre to pick up a fee for a gig I did in the summer. Poor Jenni didn’t feel like coming out to Telling Tales this evening. I was, at seven o’clock, in two minds: should I go get ear plugs and get pulverized by Swans or listen to spoken word. I’ve seen Swans eight times. They are no longer the band I travelled across the country to see and I didn’t enjoy their gig at Hoults Yard in 2014. So I went to Telling Tales. Good mix of voices. Rob Walton, Beda Higgins, Sandy Davidson, Olya Bowers, Tony Gadd, Pauline Plummer, amongst others. Caught the 20 past ten back to Consett. No doubt Swans are still droning and pounding away at Northumbria Uni. 10.22 pm.

Thursday 13th October 2016

Been at home all day. tidied the living room and my bedroom/work space a little bit coz all the papers and pop bottles were getting on my nerves. Prepared some business cards and keyed in morning pages. Weather just as shit as it’s been since Monday. My old friend Stephen Clark says Swans were great last night and the performance has reinvigorated his interest in the band. He says the gig was much better than the one in Glasgow in 2010 – which I liked. But I’ve just looked at the setlist online and it’s those epic soundscapes that I find difficult to engaged with. Maybe next time Gira will release an album more to my tastes… House really cold today. I put the heating on before I had a shave, listened to Marilyn Manson. Finished reading the book of Bukowski’s letters today. Now, there’s a difficult man to fathom. Bed soon. 10.38 pm.

Friday 14th October 2016

Up early for a big ride out to Cullercoats for a mental health event at The Crescent Club. Five and a half hours – drama, music and numerous providers from across Tyneside giving presentations. I met an ex-nurse who took an interest in my books and bought Hypomaniac. I was tempted to ask for five minutes onstage but decided to just watch and listen. Went down to the beach for a little while afterwards then tried to stay awake on the Metro incase I missed my stop in Newcastle. Bought a pizza and salad for tea with Jenni. Sat an hour then off to Tesco for supplies. Watched an episode of Taggart. Pie in the Sky on now, Gonna have an apple doughnut. 11.15 pm.

Saturday 15th October 2016

Me and Jenni went out to Gateshead. I’ve recently ditched my chocolate abstinence so bought some Hershey bars to eat on the way to the Baltic. Only two exhibitions – one about playgrounds and one a bunch of woolly figures, ceramic abstracts and small paintings, but neither as good as the gift shop. Lots of funny kids' books and little toys. We coloured in some wallpaper and Jenni saw some good titles for notebooks: 'Daily Disappointments', Things That Annoy Me' and 'Fresh Rants'. Back to Tesco for more food and a search for the bastards of the salad bowl then steak pie and beans, strawberry trifle and fizzy mango pop. Doc Martin and Rebus on TV. 11.49 pm.

Sunday 16th October 2016

In Durham this afternoon to see Attila the Stockbroker at Empty Shop. No songs from him this time, but stories and poems were great. Some very poignant new stuff. Thanks to Club Resistance for putting me on the guest list. Went back to Jen’s, watched telly on my own for three hours, then left at ten for the bus home. 

10.38 pm.