Seven Daze

Monday 30th January 2017

Big admin day. Still get in a strop about all the paperwork but I’m done for the time being. Lots of stuff kicking off about Trump. I reckon six months tops and he’ll be out. Good to listen to lots of Queen and Roger Taylor songs today. Heating on for a few hours this morning but I’m trying to get by on less. Lush evening meal – another pork steak dinner. Not going to be in bed before half eleven. Monday’s are a bastard. But I’m chuffed to get poems sent out. Fingers crossed something is accepted. Back to basics this year. Lots of poems in final stages of completion. OK, suppertime. 11.12 pm.

Tuesday 31st January 2017

Workshop at Waddy – more small stones, object studies, analysis of object love poem. Some paperwork then off to New College. Six people in this evening’s session. We did a load more basic exercises – freewriting, verb stems, A2Z stepping stones, objects/lies and Kennings. Quite a lot for a two hour session, plus some analysis of journaling quotes. Read some Catherine Graham poems on the bus. No migraine tonight. Chicken bake and beans. Early to bed. Rargghhh! 10.38 pm.

Wednesday 1st January 2017

Awake at half four this morning and didn’t get much more sleep until the bus to Durham. Tried reading Alice Munro story but couldn’t keep my eyes open. Did some rewrites from the recent workshops. Chatted with Steve and Ali at Waddy about sports injuries and tinnitus. Bit of a slow session at Meadowfield this afternoon. Met up with Jenni in Newcastle at five and had an eat4less. Then a cream cake. Good time at the Lit & Phil fundraiser hosted by Red Squirrel Press. Readings from Penny Minni, Theresa Munoz, Colin Will, Kathleen Kenny, Tim Turnball, Ellen Phethean and Tom Kelly. Enjoyed looking at the library’s poetry books. Bought Colin Will’s new ‘Getting On’ pamphlet of short stories. Big thanks to Sheila for word on my new book. 

11.06 pm.

Thursday 2nd February 2017

Enjoyed reading comments about ‘spoken word’ on Facebook. Had an excellent ‘creating characters’ workshop with the Newton Aycliffe writers this afternoon. Was going to wait until tomorrow to comment on Poetry Jam but what a cracking night that was at Waddington Street Centre. Thanks to everyone who came and filled the cafe lounge to watch us kick start the 2017 run. Loads of cracking open floor. A few newcomers, one - Glen Collier - who'd never read his work at a poetry gig before. And of course our brilliant guests - Catherine Graham, David O'Hanlon and headliner Alix Bromwich-Alexandra who, despite feeling a bit under the weather, treated us to a proper lush twenty-minute set. Thanks again to Fergus for working the cafe and to Glen for the lift home. We've got some brilliant guests lined up already for the first half of the year and will keep adding to the list as we go along. Thanks again. Keep it going! 11.44pm.

Friday 3rd February 2017

Was meant to be doing book stuff today but haven’t been able to focus on it. The three full-on days out till late after a big planning day on Monday just hammered me, so today is a bit of a rest. Saw a writing job I liked the look of and spent a good while doing an application for it this morning. Got the Poetry Jam pix up on Facebook. Tried to read a while but ended up falling asleep. Tonight just typing and listening to golden oldies – Lennon, Ozzy, Depeche Mode, Marilyn Manson. Good to hear from Jenni and some of the poets from last night. 10.11 pm.

Saturday 4th February 2017

Up early and out to Consett. Bank transactions, food stuff from Barry’s Bargain Store, home to order materials for a bookmaking workshop. Accepted an invite to perform and talk about publishing at an event in North Shields in March. Had pork steak dinner. Bus to Newcastle. Read some of John Higgs’ book about Chaos and Magic and the KLF burning a million pounds. Bought greyboard for making hardback books. Talked to Amina Evans in Eldon Square. Then an evening of TV with Jenni. Watched Porridge. 

Ate pizza. 10.30 pm.

Sunday 5th February 2017

Long lie in. Read a bit more of the John Higgs book. Jenni made us chilli with baked potato. Watched American crime comedy The Stand Up Guys starring Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. Jenni bought it for me. Great stuff, really funny. Then watched Trees Lounge, one of Jen’s favourites, which was a bit of a slow burn but worth seeing. Got home tonight around half nine, put my washing on the radiators then read a bit more of the book. 

Got a cold. 11.30 pm.