Spent a couple of hours prepping my Arts Centre Washington workshop. I only used about a third of it. Big news today of course is that the bus strike is over. Travel is free next week. I’ll be back at Waddington Street Centre to make up for sessions missed if they’ll let me. After work I started browsing for Christmas presents. Watched telly with Jenni tonight. She ate veggie fish and chips. I had lentil and bacon soup and a strawberry trifle. The last leg is on. Bed soon. 10.42pm.
Saturday 2nd December 2023
Intended to go home but stayed at Jen’s. We went to a little craft fair at Luber Fiend in Newcastle. Checked out the venue for Wednesday’s writing workshop. Four free bus rides. The Voice and Strictly. Cheese and tomato pasta. Sauage rolls. Andy Summers guitar documentary. 10.31pm.
Intended to go home but stayed at Jen’s. We went to a little craft fair at Luber Fiend in Newcastle. Checked out the venue for Wednesday’s writing workshop. Four free bus rides. The Voice and Strictly. Cheese and tomato pasta. Sauage rolls. Andy Summers guitar documentary. 10.31pm.
Sunday 3rd December 2023
After the lovely warmth at Jen’s place for a few days, it’s back to the brutal cold of my unheated, stone floored house in Moorside. I tidied up a bit of the kitchen, had a chicken dinner, paid my TV licence fee then ordered some Christmas presents online. I was going to do some typing but just watched bike and comedy clips then printed out some book pages. Bed asap. 10.02pm.
After the lovely warmth at Jen’s place for a few days, it’s back to the brutal cold of my unheated, stone floored house in Moorside. I tidied up a bit of the kitchen, had a chicken dinner, paid my TV licence fee then ordered some Christmas presents online. I was going to do some typing but just watched bike and comedy clips then printed out some book pages. Bed asap. 10.02pm.
Monday 4th December 2023
“I’ll just pop out to Consett on the free bus to post some books. I’ll be back home on the next one in an hour.” Oh no you won’t, Stevie. Five to two, I left the house. Ten to bastard five when I got back. The two o’clock bus came at half past. And I needed to go to the bank then missed the ten past three bus back coz the queue in the post office took ages. Twenty minutes to get served. And the 20 to 4 bus wasn't due till four o’clock, so I thought I’d go in the library. Picked up a young adult novel. Went back out for the four o’clock. It came at 25 past. By the time I’d reached Moorside and walked back to the house, it was ten to five. Uploaded Poetry Jam pix and an event stub tonight. I’m back at Waddy tomorrow for my first workshop there since 24th October. Six weeks ago. Oh well, soon be Christmas. 10.15pm.
Tuesday 5th December 2023
Canny day at Waddy. Got there at ten. Prepped my session for today and sorted out papers for tomorrow. First part this afternoon was catch up and some warm-ups that I’ll use in Newcastle. Finish the sentence. Absurd words. 26 characters in a jar. Hero poem. I Am poem. Managed to cram all that into 45 minutes. Then did some Tricubes, discussed doing a full writing marathon next week. Made some business cards. The bus home was less than sweet. Some bloke on the phone to someone complaining about having to go to Durham and the shop being shut when he got there. Curry, rice, naan for tea. Watched some bike clips. Did an email to college and finances for Nov-Mid December. I’m freezing and hope I sleep okay. Should’ve been in bed a bit sooner, but should be okay in the morning. 10.17pm.
Canny day at Waddy. Got there at ten. Prepped my session for today and sorted out papers for tomorrow. First part this afternoon was catch up and some warm-ups that I’ll use in Newcastle. Finish the sentence. Absurd words. 26 characters in a jar. Hero poem. I Am poem. Managed to cram all that into 45 minutes. Then did some Tricubes, discussed doing a full writing marathon next week. Made some business cards. The bus home was less than sweet. Some bloke on the phone to someone complaining about having to go to Durham and the shop being shut when he got there. Curry, rice, naan for tea. Watched some bike clips. Did an email to college and finances for Nov-Mid December. I’m freezing and hope I sleep okay. Should’ve been in bed a bit sooner, but should be okay in the morning. 10.17pm.
Wednesday 6th December 2023
Good session at the Cheryl Trust Centre this afternoon. I got to the venue at midday. Took me about half an hour to lay the table. It looked pretty good. 12 people came. Some very enthusiastic people. Good to know that I can still engage the younger set. I did about fifty minutes. The organisers were chuffed. After the session I dropped off all my stuff at Jen’s then went back into Newcastle to buy some Xmas presents. I got a wearable for Jenni, and book for Mam. Alwyn Bathan has made some ace Poetry Jam bunting with cloth letters and gold plating. I was totally blown away by it. A lot of handmade loveliness went into it. I’m going to put it up at Waddy tomorrow night. 10.13pm.
Good session at the Cheryl Trust Centre this afternoon. I got to the venue at midday. Took me about half an hour to lay the table. It looked pretty good. 12 people came. Some very enthusiastic people. Good to know that I can still engage the younger set. I did about fifty minutes. The organisers were chuffed. After the session I dropped off all my stuff at Jen’s then went back into Newcastle to buy some Xmas presents. I got a wearable for Jenni, and book for Mam. Alwyn Bathan has made some ace Poetry Jam bunting with cloth letters and gold plating. I was totally blown away by it. A lot of handmade loveliness went into it. I’m going to put it up at Waddy tomorrow night. 10.13pm.
Thursday 7th December 2023
Today was quite stressful. I kept interrupting my marathon writing prep with online admin. By half two I was done and ready to leave for Durham. Dave and Helen gave me a hand at Waddy with the banner that Alwyn Bathan made for us. Unfortunately, she couldn’t attend tonight. We had a fantastic turnout. Wall to wall. Annie Moir stood in for Bridget Gallagher. Get well soon. Jeff Price did a great set about aging and father-son relationships. Jane Burn was on top form and sold a clutch of books. She gifted some mint handmade dolls to me and Jenni. Unfortunately, Jenni didn’t finish work until late so was unable to attend. Open floor was ace. Aaron, Harry, Steve and Pauline May, some new people Rach and partner, Mike Treasure... The bus back was great. Despite the atrocious flooding near Lanchester. Home by eleven. 11.55pm.
Friday 8th December 2023
Today was quite stressful. I kept interrupting my marathon writing prep with online admin. By half two I was done and ready to leave for Durham. Dave and Helen gave me a hand at Waddy with the banner that Alwyn Bathan made for us. Unfortunately, she couldn’t attend tonight. We had a fantastic turnout. Wall to wall. Annie Moir stood in for Bridget Gallagher. Get well soon. Jeff Price did a great set about aging and father-son relationships. Jane Burn was on top form and sold a clutch of books. She gifted some mint handmade dolls to me and Jenni. Unfortunately, Jenni didn’t finish work until late so was unable to attend. Open floor was ace. Aaron, Harry, Steve and Pauline May, some new people Rach and partner, Mike Treasure... The bus back was great. Despite the atrocious flooding near Lanchester. Home by eleven. 11.55pm.
Friday 8th December 2023
Got through eight rounds of writing and reading at the Bullion Hall half marathon and everyone produced some good stuff. I left some sweets and biscuits and cards for the office, then went to Heron foods, bought a box of chicken drumsticks, and ate the lot in the time it took to walk down to the bus stand. The journey to Gateshead was okay but noisy. Went to Tesco with Jenni. Need a big sleep before braving Newcastle shops over the weekend. 11.01pm.
Saturday 9th December 2023
Think I’ve got most of what I need but don’t know how I’m going to get it all home tomorrow. Me and Jenni ate curry tonight, watched Strictly and The Voice. Haven’t read or typed anything today. Device off now. Watching another Corrie then off to bed. Big week ahead for me. 10.58pm.
Sunday 10th December 2023
Went to Gateshead for gift tags and blackcurrant squash while Jenni was at band practice. I pulled out most of this year’s pamphlets but didn’t read much. Hope I don’t repeat myself in the final one of the year. Watched back-to-back episodes of Classic Corrie then an audience with Kylie. Got the X45 bus back to Consett. Walked with four bags of shopping to Moorside. 11.45pm.
Monday 11th December 2023
Got a long-sleeved thermal top in Barry’s Bargain Superstore for three quid. I got twenty-six writing prompts together for tomorrow’s writing marathon. Cut pages to size for Hometown Slog. It’s minus one now, according to online weather site. Should’ve been in bed an hour ago. 10.55pm
Tuesday 12th December 2023
Sunday 10th December 2023
Went to Gateshead for gift tags and blackcurrant squash while Jenni was at band practice. I pulled out most of this year’s pamphlets but didn’t read much. Hope I don’t repeat myself in the final one of the year. Watched back-to-back episodes of Classic Corrie then an audience with Kylie. Got the X45 bus back to Consett. Walked with four bags of shopping to Moorside. 11.45pm.
Monday 11th December 2023
Got a long-sleeved thermal top in Barry’s Bargain Superstore for three quid. I got twenty-six writing prompts together for tomorrow’s writing marathon. Cut pages to size for Hometown Slog. It’s minus one now, according to online weather site. Should’ve been in bed an hour ago. 10.55pm
Tuesday 12th December 2023
In Waddy by half nine. Marathon set up. Then half an hour to myself. The session went well. Four hours of writing and readbacks. Got through 18 of the 26 prompts. I did two pieces for a couple of them so came up with 20. Got home about half five. Read a Julia Eff interview. Wrote a letter to Tony Gadd. Watched a Creeper interview. 10.10pm.
Wednesday 13th December 2023
Up at quarter to six to do morning pages. Then out to Consett to attempt a Hometown Slog – 100 pages of A5 freewriting before allowing yourself to return home. I did it but don’t have much I can use. So the final book of the year will have to be collected fragments similar to September Scrapbook. It might be typeset. It might be handwritten. I spent a bit of time in Consett bus station, then three hours in the library, then eight hours in the Company Row (Wetherspoons). Got home at ten. Right hand aching. 11.20pm.
Thursday 14th December 2023
Read the first fifty pages of Hometown Slog. Pleasantly surprised to find a fair number of passages quite salvageable. Basically, morning pages on steroids. Got the rest of the shopping this afternoon bar one or two items. Chatted to nephew Kyle for a while and gleaned a few last-minute gift ideas. Intended to read second half of slog tonight but fell asleep. Bacon sandwich. 9.10pm.
Wednesday 13th December 2023
Up at quarter to six to do morning pages. Then out to Consett to attempt a Hometown Slog – 100 pages of A5 freewriting before allowing yourself to return home. I did it but don’t have much I can use. So the final book of the year will have to be collected fragments similar to September Scrapbook. It might be typeset. It might be handwritten. I spent a bit of time in Consett bus station, then three hours in the library, then eight hours in the Company Row (Wetherspoons). Got home at ten. Right hand aching. 11.20pm.
Thursday 14th December 2023
Read the first fifty pages of Hometown Slog. Pleasantly surprised to find a fair number of passages quite salvageable. Basically, morning pages on steroids. Got the rest of the shopping this afternoon bar one or two items. Chatted to nephew Kyle for a while and gleaned a few last-minute gift ideas. Intended to read second half of slog tonight but fell asleep. Bacon sandwich. 9.10pm.
Friday 15th December 2023
Out at half eight for a two-hour-plus journey to Washington for the final writing half marathon of 2023. It went well. Seven people joined me. The table was full. Three people stayed back past usual finishing time to complete all the prompts. Then, after goodbyes, I tidied up and went to Durham. Browsed in Waterstones for a while then went to the library. I got a book of inappropriate stories for young people from the teenage section. It reminded me of stuff I wrote this afternoon. Then I went to the Indian restaurant and met Waddy staff. Had a huge chicken jalfrezi with rice, naan and chips. Took ages to get through it all. Then a quick drink in a nearby pub. X15 bus home by eleven. I have so much work to get through in just over a fortnight. Hope I can pull a pamphlet together. 11.41pm.
Saturday 16th December 2023
Made up a new blank notebook for morning pages then switched to wrapping Christmas presents for most of the day. Out this evening for final items. Got a lift back off a neighbour. Spent more than intended this year. In need of a big lie in tomorrow. Must do some booklet work. 11.52pm.
Sunday 17th December 2023
Read through everything from this month and decided the final pamphlet should just be made from the writing half/marathons. I’ve typed up one and a half notebooks. Eaten sausage rolls and cheese and onion toasties. 11.44pm.
Monday 18th December 2023
Got all the activities sorted for the next two Waddy workshops. Keyed in most of the pieces from recent half/marathons and will complete a first draft of the pamphlet by tomorrow evening. It’s basically a companion to September Scrapbook and will be about 32 pages, maybe 28… Good Spotify playlist of Classic Rock this evening. Cleaned the bathroom sink and windowsill. 10.55pm.
Tuesday 19th December 2023
Bag pack, presents sorted, then out on the ten o’clock bus to Waddington Street Centre. Photocopied all my stuff and did the session. We had a visitor so I rehashed some previous exercises before going into ‘The Big Why’ and ‘I Shall Paint My Nails Red’. I got home just after five. Had a chicken dinner then keyed in the rest of the marathon pieces. I’ve made a 32-page printout. It needs some heavy edits. But it should be okay by the end of the month. 11.55pm.
Wednesday 20th December 2023
Bed by two this morning. Up around seven. More work on the new pamphlet but very tired. Bought some long johns this afternoon. Hope medium fit okay. Nephew Kyle says his XXL split after one wear. Slept on the bus to Newcastle. Got a sandwich then spent an hour in HMV. Hellraiser (2022) is only £4.99 on DVD. I met Jenni at The Bridge for excellent Silly Billies comedy show. Great stuff from Zoe. I got roped into chasing the headliner around the room as if trying to swat a fly then thrashed her onstage with a cardboard tube. Hot chocolate before bed. 11.22pm.
Thursday 21st December 2023
Got into a bit of a panic about the final pamphlet. Forty pieces is too much. I did a word count and it’s over twice the length of ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ and almost the same length as ‘So Much for the Sunshine’ from over a decade ago. I’ve turned some of the prose vignettes into poems but ditched a lot that won’t work as verse. I’ve tried to stick to the chronological order of original compositions but needed to move a few pieces to accommodate poems requiring double-page spreads. Still need a cover design. Won’t be printed till next week. I need an early night coz it was half five when I got up this morning. I need to be up early tomorrow for family Christmas stuff. Hope to get proofreading sorted as soon as possible. OK. 10.36pm.
Out at half eight for a two-hour-plus journey to Washington for the final writing half marathon of 2023. It went well. Seven people joined me. The table was full. Three people stayed back past usual finishing time to complete all the prompts. Then, after goodbyes, I tidied up and went to Durham. Browsed in Waterstones for a while then went to the library. I got a book of inappropriate stories for young people from the teenage section. It reminded me of stuff I wrote this afternoon. Then I went to the Indian restaurant and met Waddy staff. Had a huge chicken jalfrezi with rice, naan and chips. Took ages to get through it all. Then a quick drink in a nearby pub. X15 bus home by eleven. I have so much work to get through in just over a fortnight. Hope I can pull a pamphlet together. 11.41pm.
Saturday 16th December 2023
Made up a new blank notebook for morning pages then switched to wrapping Christmas presents for most of the day. Out this evening for final items. Got a lift back off a neighbour. Spent more than intended this year. In need of a big lie in tomorrow. Must do some booklet work. 11.52pm.
Sunday 17th December 2023
Read through everything from this month and decided the final pamphlet should just be made from the writing half/marathons. I’ve typed up one and a half notebooks. Eaten sausage rolls and cheese and onion toasties. 11.44pm.
Monday 18th December 2023
Got all the activities sorted for the next two Waddy workshops. Keyed in most of the pieces from recent half/marathons and will complete a first draft of the pamphlet by tomorrow evening. It’s basically a companion to September Scrapbook and will be about 32 pages, maybe 28… Good Spotify playlist of Classic Rock this evening. Cleaned the bathroom sink and windowsill. 10.55pm.
Tuesday 19th December 2023
Bag pack, presents sorted, then out on the ten o’clock bus to Waddington Street Centre. Photocopied all my stuff and did the session. We had a visitor so I rehashed some previous exercises before going into ‘The Big Why’ and ‘I Shall Paint My Nails Red’. I got home just after five. Had a chicken dinner then keyed in the rest of the marathon pieces. I’ve made a 32-page printout. It needs some heavy edits. But it should be okay by the end of the month. 11.55pm.
Wednesday 20th December 2023
Bed by two this morning. Up around seven. More work on the new pamphlet but very tired. Bought some long johns this afternoon. Hope medium fit okay. Nephew Kyle says his XXL split after one wear. Slept on the bus to Newcastle. Got a sandwich then spent an hour in HMV. Hellraiser (2022) is only £4.99 on DVD. I met Jenni at The Bridge for excellent Silly Billies comedy show. Great stuff from Zoe. I got roped into chasing the headliner around the room as if trying to swat a fly then thrashed her onstage with a cardboard tube. Hot chocolate before bed. 11.22pm.
Thursday 21st December 2023
Got into a bit of a panic about the final pamphlet. Forty pieces is too much. I did a word count and it’s over twice the length of ‘Queasy, Uneasy’ and almost the same length as ‘So Much for the Sunshine’ from over a decade ago. I’ve turned some of the prose vignettes into poems but ditched a lot that won’t work as verse. I’ve tried to stick to the chronological order of original compositions but needed to move a few pieces to accommodate poems requiring double-page spreads. Still need a cover design. Won’t be printed till next week. I need an early night coz it was half five when I got up this morning. I need to be up early tomorrow for family Christmas stuff. Hope to get proofreading sorted as soon as possible. OK. 10.36pm.
Friday 22nd December 2023
Put tags on gifts and got a lift off Ernie to my sister’s house. Haven’t seen her for over three years. Mam was there. We talked about aging, health, and craft work. This afternoon I tweaked a bit more of the pamphlet. This evening, I tried to come up with a title but the only thing that seems to work is the literal ‘Final’ so that’s what it is. And it now has a very colourful cover. I’ve gone over the contents a few times. Just margins to sort. I’ll take it easy over the weekend. I had a big chicken dinner tonight. 11.55pm.
Saturday 23rd December 2023
Up quite early, wrapped a few more things for Jenni and did tags then switched to the FINAL booklet. Tweaked the cover, made up a proof copy with reset margins. Then had another big chicken dinner. Delivered some cards then went for the bus. Three hours later, and much frustration, I arrived in Bensham. Pizza and chips for supper and The Voice on TV. Quite sleepy but still up after eleven. 11.17pm.
Put tags on gifts and got a lift off Ernie to my sister’s house. Haven’t seen her for over three years. Mam was there. We talked about aging, health, and craft work. This afternoon I tweaked a bit more of the pamphlet. This evening, I tried to come up with a title but the only thing that seems to work is the literal ‘Final’ so that’s what it is. And it now has a very colourful cover. I’ve gone over the contents a few times. Just margins to sort. I’ll take it easy over the weekend. I had a big chicken dinner tonight. 11.55pm.
Saturday 23rd December 2023
Up quite early, wrapped a few more things for Jenni and did tags then switched to the FINAL booklet. Tweaked the cover, made up a proof copy with reset margins. Then had another big chicken dinner. Delivered some cards then went for the bus. Three hours later, and much frustration, I arrived in Bensham. Pizza and chips for supper and The Voice on TV. Quite sleepy but still up after eleven. 11.17pm.
Sunday 24th December 2023
Up quite early. Me and Jenni went into Gateshead for final bits and pieces. We had festive bakes and hot chocolates in Greggs then back to the attic to tidy up for the big day. Visited Jen’s mam and John – listened to Alice Cooper and Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Lots of sweets and little drinks. Knackered. 9.37pm.
Monday 25th December 2023
Up quite early. Me and Jenni went into Gateshead for final bits and pieces. We had festive bakes and hot chocolates in Greggs then back to the attic to tidy up for the big day. Visited Jen’s mam and John – listened to Alice Cooper and Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Lots of sweets and little drinks. Knackered. 9.37pm.
Monday 25th December 2023
Bit of a lie in. Waited an hour before opening presents. Got lots of lovely things. Chuffed with the notebooks. And goth stuff, including a Wednesday Addams zip-up hoodie. Free Your Mind hardback. Jenni got a big Tiger hoodie and some snuggles. She liked her books. We listened to BBC Radio 2 shows. One played Nellie the Elephant. Jenni played The Toy Dolls version, so we ended up listening to about ten more of their songs. We had a huge dinner and watched Corrie, Pottery Throwdown and The Piano at Christmas. Spoke to Mam and Ernie on the phone. Enjoyed all my food. Got lots of hot chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter stuff. It’s been a canny day. 10.13pm.
Tuesday 26th December 2023
Was tempted by 160gsm coloured stock in Rymans this afternoon for the FINAL endpapers. Bought Hellraiser (2022) in HMV. Tempted by Candyman remake but will wait awhile. Waterstones was busy. I read a couple of Richard Brautigan short stories but didn’t make a purchase. Proofed my pamphlet again at a table by the window. I checked out music biographies and horror books. Tempted by Robert Aickman stories but have enough to read. Bought apple and blackcurrant squash at Tesco then back to the attic for hot chicken and apple sauce sandwiches. Read some FREE YOUR MIND. Jenni is at work. 10.40pm.
Wednesday 27th December 2023
Today has been shit. Due to smoke coming from the engine through the back seats of the bus at Rowlands Gill, it was taken out of service so people were sat freezing for an hour waiting for a replacement that didn’t arrive. Then the one that did come was super slow all the way to Consett due to picking up all the people waiting for the previous two. I really needed the toilet and had to alight a stop early to avoid wetting myself. I had to use a bus shelter then walk through a gale in the rain to find that Boyes has sold out of the photographic card I used for pamphlet covers and nowhere else in Consett has any. I spent the evening editing brand names out of poems, so I don’t get sued. I have more proofreading to do but covers can be printed tomorrow coz Boyes in Chester-le-Street has the required card. Wish it would stop fucking raining. 11.45pm.
Thursday 28th December 2023
Overwork and under sleep. Still tinkering with text at half twelve and up to do morning pages at half five. Then an in-bed proofread. Another printout. Then a bus-ride proofread. Pamphlet cover printed this morning at Waddy. Looks pretty good. Tweaked pages again this evening. Wrote a letter to a Bullion Hall writer and printed out what I hope is the final proof. My printer isn’t great at present – dodgy toner cartridge or just cold weather? I’ve got a grinding headache due to lack of sleep. Off to bed soon. I watched Alan Moore perform his Old Gangsters Never Die poem from his BBC Maestro course. I will have a few days of rest soon. I hope to be done after tomorrow until Wednesday. Going to get a bite to eat then get my head down. 10.44pm.
Friday 29th December 2023
That’s a big weight off. I’m so chuffed to pull my FINAL pamphlet together and get copies out the door this afternoon. I think the cover, despite being just words on a coloured background, looks ace. Some of the contents wouldn’t look out of place in Laughter to Split Glass. I had hassles with the laser printer mucking up, but it started to behave itself once warmed up. I had a big chicken curry with rice and naan for tea. I did some online publicity for FINAL and am pleased with the initial response. I reckon I’ll do about fifty copies of this pamphlet and push it at gigs. But I’m going to take a big break for a few days now. Then all the loose ends. Invoices to chase up. Self-assessment tax return. More lesson plans. Lots of research reading. Then pulling stuff together for the next ‘proper’ book which will involve placing poems with some reputable magazines. OK. 10.58pm.
Saturday 30th December 2023
Did morning pages very slowly coz my wrist was aching. Got a bacon sandwich then started making a few more pamphlets for despatch. This month has been a big ask. Bus to Gateshead delayed due to rain leakage in driver’s cab. Had a nice time at Jen’s. We watched The Voice then Queen and Adam Lambert. 11.27pm.
Sunday 31st December 2023
Me and Jenni got all the bargains. Rum flavoured mince pies 50p a box. Nine quid stollen reduced to 90p. Christmas puddings for 20p – still fine till 2025. We watched a tiger documentary and the latest Corrie. We had curry with rice, naan and chips. And lots of laughs. Very sleepy. 10.06pm.
Tuesday 26th December 2023
Was tempted by 160gsm coloured stock in Rymans this afternoon for the FINAL endpapers. Bought Hellraiser (2022) in HMV. Tempted by Candyman remake but will wait awhile. Waterstones was busy. I read a couple of Richard Brautigan short stories but didn’t make a purchase. Proofed my pamphlet again at a table by the window. I checked out music biographies and horror books. Tempted by Robert Aickman stories but have enough to read. Bought apple and blackcurrant squash at Tesco then back to the attic for hot chicken and apple sauce sandwiches. Read some FREE YOUR MIND. Jenni is at work. 10.40pm.
Wednesday 27th December 2023
Today has been shit. Due to smoke coming from the engine through the back seats of the bus at Rowlands Gill, it was taken out of service so people were sat freezing for an hour waiting for a replacement that didn’t arrive. Then the one that did come was super slow all the way to Consett due to picking up all the people waiting for the previous two. I really needed the toilet and had to alight a stop early to avoid wetting myself. I had to use a bus shelter then walk through a gale in the rain to find that Boyes has sold out of the photographic card I used for pamphlet covers and nowhere else in Consett has any. I spent the evening editing brand names out of poems, so I don’t get sued. I have more proofreading to do but covers can be printed tomorrow coz Boyes in Chester-le-Street has the required card. Wish it would stop fucking raining. 11.45pm.
Thursday 28th December 2023
Overwork and under sleep. Still tinkering with text at half twelve and up to do morning pages at half five. Then an in-bed proofread. Another printout. Then a bus-ride proofread. Pamphlet cover printed this morning at Waddy. Looks pretty good. Tweaked pages again this evening. Wrote a letter to a Bullion Hall writer and printed out what I hope is the final proof. My printer isn’t great at present – dodgy toner cartridge or just cold weather? I’ve got a grinding headache due to lack of sleep. Off to bed soon. I watched Alan Moore perform his Old Gangsters Never Die poem from his BBC Maestro course. I will have a few days of rest soon. I hope to be done after tomorrow until Wednesday. Going to get a bite to eat then get my head down. 10.44pm.
Friday 29th December 2023
That’s a big weight off. I’m so chuffed to pull my FINAL pamphlet together and get copies out the door this afternoon. I think the cover, despite being just words on a coloured background, looks ace. Some of the contents wouldn’t look out of place in Laughter to Split Glass. I had hassles with the laser printer mucking up, but it started to behave itself once warmed up. I had a big chicken curry with rice and naan for tea. I did some online publicity for FINAL and am pleased with the initial response. I reckon I’ll do about fifty copies of this pamphlet and push it at gigs. But I’m going to take a big break for a few days now. Then all the loose ends. Invoices to chase up. Self-assessment tax return. More lesson plans. Lots of research reading. Then pulling stuff together for the next ‘proper’ book which will involve placing poems with some reputable magazines. OK. 10.58pm.
Saturday 30th December 2023
Did morning pages very slowly coz my wrist was aching. Got a bacon sandwich then started making a few more pamphlets for despatch. This month has been a big ask. Bus to Gateshead delayed due to rain leakage in driver’s cab. Had a nice time at Jen’s. We watched The Voice then Queen and Adam Lambert. 11.27pm.
Sunday 31st December 2023
Me and Jenni got all the bargains. Rum flavoured mince pies 50p a box. Nine quid stollen reduced to 90p. Christmas puddings for 20p – still fine till 2025. We watched a tiger documentary and the latest Corrie. We had curry with rice, naan and chips. And lots of laughs. Very sleepy. 10.06pm.
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