Sunday 1st October 2023

I emptied all the wastepaper baskets, except for the one in my bedroom. I made a purple morning pages book. I had a big pie and veg dinner. I watched a werewolf film called Ginger Snaps but fell asleep. It’s getting chilly in the house again. I’ve eaten lots of nuts. Read some very short John Mingay poems and Wayne Allen Sallee stuff. 11.36pm.


Monday 2nd October 2023

Made up more copies of September Scrapbook. Posted some out. Uploaded stills from last month’s Poetry Jam clips and did more publicity. I downloaded some Jam files to USB stick for Waddington Street Centre. And started thinking about the next project. I didn’t get to see a horror film tonight. I listened to songs by South of Salem and Bastette. I forgot to wash some shorts. I’m going to have to splash out on some new batteries for the pocket camcorder. OK. 11.13pm.


Tuesday 3rd October 2023

Washed a lot of bike clothes. Hung some out the landing window to dry in the breeze coz I don’t have a washing line. Listened to South of Salem’s album ‘The Sinner Takes it All’ on repeat. I can still only recall a few songs. I tried to find the cycle route from Gateshead to Washington online. I listened to Bastette again today, my favourite female vocalist at present. I am tired. My back still aches. No exercise. But I’ll be out later tomorrow afternoon to get to Jen’s. 11.35pm.


Wednesday 4th October 2023

Walked into Consett. Very quiet. No buses for folk to get about. I bought new rechargeable batteries for the pocket camcorder. And discovered a small deposit from New College Durham in my bank account. Had another payment from Bolden Library so I’ll be able to survive another week. I got a new lesson plan together for Friday. Then rode down the cycle path to Jen’s place. I ate cheese and cucumber sandwiches. A banana and a bakewell tart. We watched Corrie then a Kurt Vonnegut documentary. He seems quite funny but writes about dystopia. I’ve skinned a finger washing socks. My back is a bit better. I am tired and almost ready for bed. 10.57pm


Thursday 5th October 2023

Big frustrations over travel to Waddy. I got stuff copied for tomorrow. I did some prep for the gig. I’ve written a few pages of ‘horror’ stuff for the next little pamphlet. Poetry Jam was ace. All the guests brought A-games. Juli Watson did a great poem about Nick Cave playing in an empty Alexandra Palace during lockdown. Steve Lancaster included some animal poems and one about a gibbet. Tabitha did ace pieces about gentle blokes, online abuse, army doctors in Syria and scientific uncertainty. I performed ‘Joshua’s Poem’ and ‘Chocolate Onion’. Open floor readings included giants and vegans, fallen fruit and growing snow, overcoming demonic possession, family photographs, thoughts of tomorrow and a potted history of Boris Johnson. Lots of good stuff. Thanks to everyone there. Alwyn Bathan kindly gave me a lift to Gateshead. Back in the attic by half ten. Ate custard doughnuts, cheese sandwiches, peanuts and Edinburgh candy rock. Got a bit of a headache. Now sitting up with Jenni watching an episode of Cracker – A Lemming Will Fall. Still a few more things to sort out for the workshop tomorrow. 11.56pm.


Friday 6th October 2023

Only five hours sleep. Restructured a bit of my workshop. It went well. A2Z Chain Stories. He said, she said. Fesshole. Gaffney Sawn Off Tales, 55-fiction, beginning -middle-end. The Washington Writers were on good form as usual. Many thanks to Alwyn for the lift back to Bensham. Me and Jenni had spicy beanburgers, watched painter Bob Ross documentary and vintage Coronation Street. Read a few Roger McGough poems from his latest collection. And a tiny bit of Kurt Vonnegut. 10.20pm.


Saturday 7th October 2023

Went into Newcastle for a few hours. I looked at poetry books in Central Library, checked out zines at Travelling Man and got 4 comics for 2 quid from Forbidden Planet. Back in the attic, me and Jenni watched Strictly Come Dancing and The Wheel and a channel five magazine programme about 1979 – with clips of Sid Vicious, Viz and… Thatcher! It’s getting grim. 10.25pm.


Sunday 8th October 2023

Read some Kurt Vonnegut this morning. I had winter vegetable soup at dinner time. Back in Moorside. I read up on noir fiction, had bacon and mushroom buns and dark chocolate digestives. Slept for a good while this evening. Lots of work to do this week; a lot of clobber to sort out, brought home from Jen’s in the wheelie case. 11.01pm.


Monday 9th October 2023

I wrote a couple of spooky pieces for the next little pamphlet. But it seems a bit pathetic given the state of things going on in the real world at present. Someone is making a shedload of money from all the death and destruction. The backers of war don’t give a shit about civilian casualties. So long as arms consignments are bought and shipped. Psychopaths. The lot of them. Anyway, I got my little session sorted for tomorrow at Waddy and checked out some crime books available at Consett library. I will try to pick up one or two before the weekend. I have been at the computer all day eating too many chocolate biscuits. I will try to get by on a lot less food over the next couple of days. 10.54pm.


Tuesday 10th October 2023

Out early to get sorted for the session at Waddy. Lots of photocopies. I spent a bit of time downstairs in the Centre for the launch of SCHIZOPHONICS - JIGZLE music CD by a couple of the members. Our workshop went well. A repeat of the flash fiction stuff I did with Washington Writers last week. I’ll be doing it again next week in Chester le Street. I got home a bit later than expected coz I spent a fair bit of time after the session getting all my papers in order. I was chuffed to sell a copy of Tiny Tales today. I hope to pull off another little volume before Halloween. An offer of work came in from Helix Arts today. Hopefully I’ll be able to meet the brief. Tonight, I was too tired to do anything. Listened to Bastette briefly. Doom scrolled and that was about it really. Soon off to bed. 10.55pm.


Wednesday 11th October 2023

So the world is turning to shit and I’m trying to keep out of it. I got the grass cut this afternoon and keyed in my little Halloween extracts. Actually, they aren’t Halloween at all – there aren’t any ghosts and ghoulies and spider webs and pumpkins – my stuff is a bit darker. I’m hoping things work out okay for me in the coming days. I tried hand-inking some silver text on black paper but a run of pamphlets like that would take a week or two and wouldn’t be cost effective. I think I’ll get an early night and hope something good happens tomorrow. Anyway, I’ve had enough for today and want to go to bed asap. 10.15pm.


Thursday 12th October 2023

No work done except an invoice and two pieces of short prose in morning pages. My head is splitting. Feels like a migraine coming on. I’m tired, cold and just want to be in bed and hope tomorrow is better. Suppose I should try to get some porridge inside me in the next ten minutes. But if I don’t lie down soon, I’m going to puke. 10.12pm.


Friday 13th October 2023

Awake at four. Far too early. Wrote a canny little bit of dark stuff in morning pages. I had a bacon and mushroom sandwich for breakfast and prepared for the workshop. I got to Consett half an hour early and I stood in the library for a while but didn’t read much. I ate sausage rolls on the bus to Chester le Street. People arrived for the workshop bang on two o’clock. I repeated the session done twice last week. It went well. I got the bus to Gateshead and ate more sausage rolls. Me and Jenni watched a rather lousy Top of the Pops. And the dramatic climax to a long-running Corrie storyline: Stephen, the killer, triple bill. Ate marmalade on toast. Had a lovely time. I’m a bit chilly now. Watching the Graham Norton Show. Jenni is playing a computer game. 11.00pm.


Saturday 14th October 2023

Absolutely freezing in bed last night. But at least the rain has stopped. I sat and chatted to Jenni about work then went into Gateshead for supplies. Ravioli on toast for dinner. Biked home along the Derwent Walk – two hours. Bacon sandwiches for tea. Been online all evening. Watched Ali Clarkson and Jeff Lenosky bike videos. Read stuff about the war. Life is fucked. 11.20pm.


Sunday 15th October 2023

Long day copying and transferring invoices, checking bank statements, making files of promo material, scanning business plans. I’ve been working since nine o’clock this morning. Only finished about quarter to eleven, with about an hour off for reading and doom scrolling. And now I need to knock up a new morning pages book. 11.40pm.


Monday 16th October 2023

Awake at half four, lay awake till seven. Wrote a rather nasty piece in morning pages then had a bacon and mushroom bun for breakfast. I’ve been concerned about my future as a creative writing facilitator, but I think things are going to be okay. I did the Poetry Jam event page this afternoon. Prepped for workshops. Finished at eleven. It’s two degrees now. I have two fleeces on. I hope the weather is okay on tomorrow so I can ride to Jen’s without too much hassle. 11.45pm.


Tuesday 17th October 2023

I made up a few copies of Tiny Takes this morning. They take a long time. Ride to Jen’s this afternoon took a lot longer than it used to. Showered then fell asleep. Then went out for supplies at Tesco. Me and Jenni watched the new Frasier. It’s canny but only Kelsey Grammer from the original series. Nick Lyndhurst plays his pal from Oxford Uni. Watched Coronation Street. Peter has been arrested for Stephen’s murder. Then we watched a couple of episodes of Still Game. 10.50pm.


Wednesday 18th October 2023

Ready to go to Hexham by about quarter past nine. A lot warmer today than yesterday. I had to take my coat off when walking into Newcastle. I reread September Scrapbook on the train. I really like it and think I’ll keep it in print. Enjoyed setting up at Hexham Abbey. Took pix and made a Facebook post. Eight people including me at the workshop: Finish the sentence, I remember, Triolet, 26 characters in a tub then Consequences and Kennings. Took a while to pack up but got half four train back. Lentil and Bacon soup at Jen’s place. Corrie. Then Still Game – library episode, tablets, Fray Bentos pies and depression. Very funny. 10.34pm.


Thursday 19th October 2023

Day off. Listed names of the Edward Hopper paintings for tomorrow’s workshop. Read twenty pages of David Viney’s ‘In Orbit, Back Soon’ poetry collection. Watched war updates on BBC and C4. Should have been doing type-ups but think I’m just doing a handwritten pamphlet for October. We’ll see. I am very sleepy. Made my voice heard on the GoNE Facebook post about the possibility of bus strike continuing into November. Storm Babet is due to hit NE in the next fifteen hours. I hope it isn’t as bad as forecast. 60mph winds expected tomorrow. As well as over 100mm of rain. I’m concerned about my house. Jenni is at Buskers night. I’m going to bed soon. 9.30pm.


Friday 20th October 2023

Only slept about four hours. Got my bag sorted this morning and was out by ten past eleven. Alwyn kindly gave me a lift to the Arts Centre Washington. Edward Hopper paintings were the inspiration and writers did six vignettes each in an hour before readbacks and discussions for fifty minutes. Really quick turnaround: three and a half hours. Probably the shortest time ever to do a workshop. I got back about half two. Tonight, I was very sleepy. Did prep for next session. Jenni says I slept through a lot of TV tonight. Gaza war is on ten o’clock news. More horrendous weather. The storm has been horrendous. Structural damage, flooding, home evacuations in Scotland and Ireland. I’ve had sausage rolls and cheese on toast. Time for bed now. 10.16pm.


Saturday 21st October 2023

Had a great workshop at Newcastle Central Library with Albatross Writers group. Eight people with me. I went back to Jen’s place for an hour then bused to Consett and bought supplies for the coming week. The house is fine. No storm damage. Metal and punk videos tonight. 11.42pm.


Sunday 22nd October 2023

Spent most of the day at the computer. I’m getting close to the end of the contents section for the October pamphlet. Hopefully I’m able to turn it around by this time next week. I checked out Clive Barker books online. I listened to the new Creeper album and South of Salem. I watched some bike footage and Darkness Over Cumbria documentary about the black metal festival. 10.57pm.


Monday 23rd October 2023

Sorted invoices, emails and online publicity for the week. I’ve been paid for services rendered and had some very positive feedback on my stuff. I’ve put a workshop together for tomorrow. I’ve also had a stinker of a headache after a fourteen-hour day. I only went out to get toilet roll and biscuits. Had a bacon sandwich for dinner then chilli and rice for tea. It’s getting really cold in here again. Good chats with Jenni. I have to be off to bed soon coz I need to be up early to get ready for a workshop. No work on the new pamphlet. Fingers crossed I get it done at the weekend. 10.46pm.

Tuesday 24th October 2023

Good little pamphlet workshop at Waddy today. Unfortunately, I can’t make up the missed sessions caused by bus strikes coz members / learners can’t make it into the Centre this Thursday. I got a lot of my new pamphlet ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ sorted tonight. Still have a fair bit to do, but I think it will come good in the next day or two. The pamphlet is 24 pages at present. I think the cover is going to be hand inked. OK. 11.15pm.


Wednesday 25th October 2023

Up early to get ready for business meeting with Donna Liddle Coaching at Consett Innovation Centre. Before the meeting I chatted to staff in Consett Library about workshop possibilities across County Durham. The meeting with Donna was ace. She knew who I was from her time working at Derwentside Mind where I ran writing workshops for three years. We talked for over ninety minutes: content, marketing, finances, personal value. It was refreshing to hear someone from a business background speak so enthusiastically and take seriously what I do. This afternoon I checked out logistics for travel to Durham on Weardale and Arriva buses so I can get to Jen’s on bad weather days. It will take about four hours and cost about eight quid. Still, better than taxi prices by a long way. Watched some Martin Atkins videos, did more edits on ‘Queasy, Uneasy’. 11.30pm.


Thursday 26th October 2023

Morning pages gave me an essay I should have posted online, but I wanted to get on with Queasy, Uneasy. I spent ages proofing it. The Adler typeface doesn’t have an apostrophe, so I had to insert some from Calibri and Bohemian Typewriter. I got the pamphlet made up with a pretty striking hand-inked cover. I will do final edits / page margins tomorrow then begin to make up the paper copies and get some sent out. This evening I uploaded Poetry Jam pix. And thought again about how to improve my situation next year. I have lots to copy up and key-in. I’ve listened to South of Salem again. Looking forward to seeing them play next week. Didn’t need my extra pair of joggers today. Hope I get a good night’s sleep. OK. 11.52pm.


Friday 27th October 2023

I didn’t go to Jen’s today. I’m going on Monday – three- to four-hour trip on Weardale and Arriva buses. Then, hopefully, I’ll be able to just go back and forth on the bike. I edited ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ pamphlet today. I tried to make up copies this evening upstairs in artificial light but to no avail. I’ll do the first batch tomorrow. I went over bus plans again. Moorside to Tow Law, Crook, Durham, Newcastle. It will cost eight quid at least. Two quid per journey. If I need a train for the last leg it will be ten or eleven. I don’t want to wreck myself on the bike, getting soaked in the run up to South of Salem gig and Poetry Jam. ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ is a twenty-minute read aloud. I might get to read some in Heaton on Monday night. Anyway, I’m chuffed to do another booklet. 10 down, two to go. OK. 11.15pm.


Saturday 28th October 2023

Inked up copies of ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ today. They look pretty good. I was in town this afternoon getting supplies. Spent a bit more than usual. Did some admin back home. Watched a bit of Madonna’s Celebration Tour on YouTube. Listened to South of Salem album. Ordered some toner cartridges. They should be here tomorrow. 10.46pm.


Sunday 29th October 2023

Big busy day. Made up new morning pages notebook. Prepped ideas for Washington workshop then printed out more copies of Queasy, Uneasy. Folded, stapled, trimmed and inked up. Did publicity then workshop plans. Got all my handouts printed / copied, sorted out clothes and other items then checked bus times and numbers for the big ride to Gateshead. 10.31pm.


Monday 30th October 2023

Four buses to get to Gateshead. Weardale minibus to Tow Law, then No 1 Arriva to Crook, then X46 to Durham. Had dinner at Waddy then X12 to Gateshead. Got supplies in Tesco. Me and Jenni had spicy beanburgers and doughnuts then went out to Heaton for the Spooky Poems Night. Brilliant guests Kim Deyn and Haley plus top sets from hosts Megan Pattie and Lewis Brown. All the open floor people were ace. Was good to be a part of the night. I am really tired. Chuffed to get about the region on alternative buses. I’m going to get some supper now. It’s late. 11.46pm.


Tuesday 31st October 2023

Big lie in till after ten. This afternoon me and Jenni went down to the post office and checked out the non-GoNE buses. It’s possible to get to Metro Centre every half hour and there’s a bus that goes round the houses to pick up the elderly. We spent some time in a second-hand shop. Jenni bought a load of 7-inch vinyl including Chas and Dave, Gloria Estefan, Damien, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Elaine Page and Barbara Dickson. Tonight, Jenni went to a Halloween quiz at Station East. I went to see South of Salem at Think Tank. Mint gig. They played four new songs, a cover of Rebel Yell, and the rest were from the debut album. I didn’t know anything by the support band She Burns Red. I bought South of Salem’s ‘The Sinner Takes it All’ album. I’m ready for bed now. 11.20pm.



‘Queasy, Uneasy’ is available HERE