Despite taking longer to reach Waddy than anticipated – phone charging, bill paying, food buying – I got the rest of the Harry Gallagher Echoes of a Small Pit Village printed, folded, stapled and trimmed ready for collection by mid-afternoon. I’ve eaten cakes, chocolate bars and biscuits. Soup at teatime. Poetry Jam was ace. We had to get more chairs out. And that’s after a few people sent apologies. Great to see Amy Craggs from Beamish Hall in with a friend. Massive thanks to Tom Kelly for persevering with public transport to get in to see Penny and do his headline set. Young Thom Robson was surreal and serious. Loved his ‘Sleepover in the Pub’ and ‘poetry is like snot’, and Penny Blackburn’s pylons and mythical monologues. Tom did poems from Spelk, Purple Patch and his forthcoming collection. Jenni did Zombie Steve and Lewis Brown’s ‘on hold’ poem was mint. 11.32pm.
Friday 2nd February 2024
Slept straight through and woke up early. Got morning pages done then had a bacon sandwich. Then photocopying for Bullion Hall workshop. I read more of Tony Williams’ novel Nutcase on the bus to Chester-le-Street. Fast-paced, near the knuckle, drug addled, abusive, murderous, and highly engaging. A young man gets into trouble everywhere he goes and ends up being hated by everyone. 250 pages long. Only about 70 pages to go. I bought a full English breakfast sandwich at Tesco from the reduced-price shelf. Then looked at work boots in a factory shop. Then paperbacks in The Works. Chester-le-Street branch is much better than Newcastle. Canny Bullion Hall session – character sketches and assembling a dismantled poem. I read more of the novel on the bus to Jen’s. We had massive chips and curry sauce for tea. Multiple episodes of T.O.T.P and Gogglebox. Hot chocolate and luxury ginger biscuits. 11.20pm.
Saturday 3rd February 2024
Me and Jenni watched the final episodes of Wednesday then went out to town. I found a canny black jacket for £7.50 in a charity shop. Had salad boxes for tea then watched gameshows. And lots of Top of the Pops – one-hit wonders amongst others. Hot chocolate. Lemon cake. Warm room. 10.17pm.
Sunday 4th February 2024
Went into town this afternoon when Jenni went to band practice. No BMX bikes in START cycles. And the mountain bikes are greatly reduced in price. Some have a couple of grand knocked off. I checked out a load of novels, music biographies, and cycling books in Waterstones. I bought eight cans of the Fanta that Jenni likes on the way back. We ate pizza and chips. Watched Breeders. 11.50 pm.
Monday 5th February 2024
Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to just jack everything in and become a total recluse. But I’m sure I’d get sick after a while. Read up on some cross-genre novel writing today, wrote a few letters, caught up on journal gaps. Listened to some old goth stuff on YouTube. I think the microwave oven is just about knackered now. Probably dangerous to keep using it with bare metal showing through enamel and the digital timer going haywire. Watched a Cathi Unsworth interview for Season of the Witch. Tried to set up an external DVD player for the computer but can’t get it to work. 11.17pm.
Tuesday 6th February 2024
Wrote four vignettes in the Waddy session this afternoon. A character sketch and two journal pieces. Answering questions is a good way to journal rather than just stating what I did today. Think I might do a book of entries with graphics but it won’t be for a while. The 4.10pm Durham to Consett bus didn’t turn up again, second week in a row. I haven’t been on Twitter for weeks. I’m trying not to concern myself too much with what the government is up to. Hopefully, a big change coming soon. Early night. Aim to be out all day tomorrow. 10.21 pm.
Wednesday 7th February 2024
The new location of the Morpeth Poetry Library took some finding but was worth it. Great to get my hands on early Geoff Hattersley pamphlets and see the ‘poetry is ash from a life burning well’ quote on the wall from Leonard Cohen. Saw a copy of my book Tightrope Walker on the shelf. Checked out some Linda France poems, Cohen and Billy Childish; first editions of Brian Patten books, and issues of The North and Pennine Platform magazines. I was there for about three hours. Will visit again when time allows. I went to a cracking Born Lippy event tonight. All the guests were ace. Comedian Ken Masters, poet Mwelwa Chilekwa, Teesside performer Julie Easley, and headliner Matt Panesh. Good little slam. Tight raps and hosting from Donald Jenkins. Now on the 47 bus to Consett. Sleep soon. 11.10 pm.
Thursday 8th February 2024
Went out to measure fence posts and buy food supplies. Reformatted and printed out some Washington Writers poems and prose and pulled a workshop together. Chuffed to edit five of my poems today. Hope I can find some magazines to send stuff to. I’m chuffed with the way my stuff is coming together. 11.09pm.
Friday 9th February 2024
8.55am bus to Chester-le-Street didn’t turn up again. That’s three Fridays in a row. Did some readthroughs of the Washington Writers poems. Session at the arts centre went well. Seven people in. We did daisychains, hero poems, journal prompts, then spent the second hour on the anthology. Long way to go. Watched some Gavin Baddely interviews. Katie Kookaburra and Ali Clarkson bike vids. House is freezing.11.25pm.
Saturday 10th January 2024
Supposedly six degrees but feels colder. Struggled to work. RSI in my right wrist so I couldn’t type very well. Way behind. Watched The Eurythmics songbook gig featuring Dave Stewart and his band. Listened to Venom and chatted online with Jenni. 10.52pm.
Sunday 11th February 2024
Four sessions prepped for the next couple of weeks. Read two-thirds of Penny Blackburn’s Gaps Made of Static collection. Listened to Toyah Willcox. Haven’t been over the doorstep since Friday. 10.29pm.
Monday 12th February 2024
Unusual to have a Monday off. Took advantage of the dry weather and got out on the Rockhopper for my first ride in three months. Didn’t want to get sweated up with a backpack on so I just did lengths of the estate for an hour. Admin and Depeche Mode videos tonight.11.30pm
Tuesday 13th February 2024
Less than a minute after crossing the road in Durham opposite the student accommodation building this morning, a car crashed into the lamppost right where I had just been standing. Luckily no-one was hurt but the front of the car was smashed. I talked to a couple of the lads a little while later. The steering wheel had locked and they couldn’t swerve. Recap session at Waddington Street Centre this afternoon. I slept on the bus home. Invoiced a couple of places for services rendered. Then formatted a pamphlet. 10.02pm.
Wednesday 14th February 2024
Read a self-help book on the bus to Hexham. Until someone said I think we are on fire. Smoke bellowing out the back of the bus at Slaley Hall. 45-min delay while waiting for a replacement which turned out to be a mechanic to fix the bus. Got up to Hexham Abbey by twelve. Set up and session went well. Jenni did Mediterranean veg pizza and chips for tea with beans and loveheart croquets. We watched Corrie and Inspector Lynley. 47-bus home. 10.38pm.
Thursday 15th February 2024
Bullion Hall writing sessions are coming to an end due to lack of funding. I haven’t been on Twitter for two months. Nice of Nicky Hall to get in touch this evening asking how I’m doing. Haven’t seen her for about five years. I have no public engagements for a week now. 11.55pm.
Friday 16th February 2024
Made a new morning pages book. Did a lot of typing for the blog. Talked to Sonia next door about the broken fence. Listened to a lot of Nadine Shah. Looking forward to seeing her play an instore at Reflex Records next week. Went to Consett and got the big curry dinner for me and Jenni. Bus was late. Cruel bastards put a learner driver on a residential route with lots of parked cars in the dark. Got to Bensham about ten past eight. Watched Coronation Street and The Last Leg. 11.14pm.
Saturday 17th February 2024
Read all of Lem Sissay’s new book of morning poems at Gateshead Library. Then picked up Heady Daze the second volume of memoir from Wayne Hussey of The Mission. Me and Jenni ate curry, watched gameshows and footage of songs from films. 11.09pm.
Sunday 18th February 2024
Lazy day at Jen’s watching Lily Savage, Dancing on Ice and the Chase. Got the 10.20pm bus to Consett. Shat in the woods. Home about quarter to midnight. 11.57pm.
Monday 19th February 2024
Morning pages. Email checks. Funding sources for next year. Bank transactions. Reading. Research. Journal. OK. 11.11pm.
THANKS to Dave Joyce for the chat on the way to Consett. Sonia for car ride back. Enjoyed my little bike ride and reading session of kids’ stories, Alan Rickman Diaries and Free Your Mind. 11.13pm.
Tuesday 20th February 2024
Lethargic and a bit low. Think I’m just a bit burnt out and anxious when not focused on work. Rare to take a full week off in February. I’ve been on the couch most of the day re-reading January morning pages. Thought it would only take a short while but don’t seem to have achieved much else except read Geoff Hattersley’s 2012 Outside the Blue Hebium pamphlet. I wish someone would publish more of his stuff as this is the most recent thing he's put out. Funny, grim, and quintessentially Yorkshire. I’m done for today. 11.46pm.
Wednesday 21st February 2024
Lethargic. Stress and anxiety. Not done much but it’s a week off. Listened to Nadine Shah live from Brighton and in conversation with journalist Caitlin Moran. I got a list of dates for my next workshops at Arts Centre Washington. Looking forward to lighter nights so I can bike myself fit again. 10.14pm.
Thursday 22nd February 2024
Much better day. Poetry Jam admin and publicity done. My Nadine Shah CD and launch event wristband arrived today. I’ll listen to the album all day tomorrow. I’ve had a bit of a sketchy week but am chuffed that both batches of material sent out recently from self-published work were well received. I’ve pulled a file of poems together for use in future submissions. 11.39pm.
Saturday 3rd February 2024
Me and Jenni watched the final episodes of Wednesday then went out to town. I found a canny black jacket for £7.50 in a charity shop. Had salad boxes for tea then watched gameshows. And lots of Top of the Pops – one-hit wonders amongst others. Hot chocolate. Lemon cake. Warm room. 10.17pm.
Sunday 4th February 2024
Went into town this afternoon when Jenni went to band practice. No BMX bikes in START cycles. And the mountain bikes are greatly reduced in price. Some have a couple of grand knocked off. I checked out a load of novels, music biographies, and cycling books in Waterstones. I bought eight cans of the Fanta that Jenni likes on the way back. We ate pizza and chips. Watched Breeders. 11.50 pm.
Monday 5th February 2024
Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to just jack everything in and become a total recluse. But I’m sure I’d get sick after a while. Read up on some cross-genre novel writing today, wrote a few letters, caught up on journal gaps. Listened to some old goth stuff on YouTube. I think the microwave oven is just about knackered now. Probably dangerous to keep using it with bare metal showing through enamel and the digital timer going haywire. Watched a Cathi Unsworth interview for Season of the Witch. Tried to set up an external DVD player for the computer but can’t get it to work. 11.17pm.
Tuesday 6th February 2024
Wrote four vignettes in the Waddy session this afternoon. A character sketch and two journal pieces. Answering questions is a good way to journal rather than just stating what I did today. Think I might do a book of entries with graphics but it won’t be for a while. The 4.10pm Durham to Consett bus didn’t turn up again, second week in a row. I haven’t been on Twitter for weeks. I’m trying not to concern myself too much with what the government is up to. Hopefully, a big change coming soon. Early night. Aim to be out all day tomorrow. 10.21 pm.
Wednesday 7th February 2024
The new location of the Morpeth Poetry Library took some finding but was worth it. Great to get my hands on early Geoff Hattersley pamphlets and see the ‘poetry is ash from a life burning well’ quote on the wall from Leonard Cohen. Saw a copy of my book Tightrope Walker on the shelf. Checked out some Linda France poems, Cohen and Billy Childish; first editions of Brian Patten books, and issues of The North and Pennine Platform magazines. I was there for about three hours. Will visit again when time allows. I went to a cracking Born Lippy event tonight. All the guests were ace. Comedian Ken Masters, poet Mwelwa Chilekwa, Teesside performer Julie Easley, and headliner Matt Panesh. Good little slam. Tight raps and hosting from Donald Jenkins. Now on the 47 bus to Consett. Sleep soon. 11.10 pm.
Thursday 8th February 2024
Went out to measure fence posts and buy food supplies. Reformatted and printed out some Washington Writers poems and prose and pulled a workshop together. Chuffed to edit five of my poems today. Hope I can find some magazines to send stuff to. I’m chuffed with the way my stuff is coming together. 11.09pm.
Friday 9th February 2024
8.55am bus to Chester-le-Street didn’t turn up again. That’s three Fridays in a row. Did some readthroughs of the Washington Writers poems. Session at the arts centre went well. Seven people in. We did daisychains, hero poems, journal prompts, then spent the second hour on the anthology. Long way to go. Watched some Gavin Baddely interviews. Katie Kookaburra and Ali Clarkson bike vids. House is freezing.11.25pm.
Saturday 10th January 2024
Supposedly six degrees but feels colder. Struggled to work. RSI in my right wrist so I couldn’t type very well. Way behind. Watched The Eurythmics songbook gig featuring Dave Stewart and his band. Listened to Venom and chatted online with Jenni. 10.52pm.
Sunday 11th February 2024
Four sessions prepped for the next couple of weeks. Read two-thirds of Penny Blackburn’s Gaps Made of Static collection. Listened to Toyah Willcox. Haven’t been over the doorstep since Friday. 10.29pm.
Monday 12th February 2024
Unusual to have a Monday off. Took advantage of the dry weather and got out on the Rockhopper for my first ride in three months. Didn’t want to get sweated up with a backpack on so I just did lengths of the estate for an hour. Admin and Depeche Mode videos tonight.11.30pm
Tuesday 13th February 2024
Less than a minute after crossing the road in Durham opposite the student accommodation building this morning, a car crashed into the lamppost right where I had just been standing. Luckily no-one was hurt but the front of the car was smashed. I talked to a couple of the lads a little while later. The steering wheel had locked and they couldn’t swerve. Recap session at Waddington Street Centre this afternoon. I slept on the bus home. Invoiced a couple of places for services rendered. Then formatted a pamphlet. 10.02pm.
Wednesday 14th February 2024
Read a self-help book on the bus to Hexham. Until someone said I think we are on fire. Smoke bellowing out the back of the bus at Slaley Hall. 45-min delay while waiting for a replacement which turned out to be a mechanic to fix the bus. Got up to Hexham Abbey by twelve. Set up and session went well. Jenni did Mediterranean veg pizza and chips for tea with beans and loveheart croquets. We watched Corrie and Inspector Lynley. 47-bus home. 10.38pm.
Thursday 15th February 2024
Bullion Hall writing sessions are coming to an end due to lack of funding. I haven’t been on Twitter for two months. Nice of Nicky Hall to get in touch this evening asking how I’m doing. Haven’t seen her for about five years. I have no public engagements for a week now. 11.55pm.
Friday 16th February 2024
Made a new morning pages book. Did a lot of typing for the blog. Talked to Sonia next door about the broken fence. Listened to a lot of Nadine Shah. Looking forward to seeing her play an instore at Reflex Records next week. Went to Consett and got the big curry dinner for me and Jenni. Bus was late. Cruel bastards put a learner driver on a residential route with lots of parked cars in the dark. Got to Bensham about ten past eight. Watched Coronation Street and The Last Leg. 11.14pm.
Saturday 17th February 2024
Read all of Lem Sissay’s new book of morning poems at Gateshead Library. Then picked up Heady Daze the second volume of memoir from Wayne Hussey of The Mission. Me and Jenni ate curry, watched gameshows and footage of songs from films. 11.09pm.
Sunday 18th February 2024
Lazy day at Jen’s watching Lily Savage, Dancing on Ice and the Chase. Got the 10.20pm bus to Consett. Shat in the woods. Home about quarter to midnight. 11.57pm.
Monday 19th February 2024
Morning pages. Email checks. Funding sources for next year. Bank transactions. Reading. Research. Journal. OK. 11.11pm.
THANKS to Dave Joyce for the chat on the way to Consett. Sonia for car ride back. Enjoyed my little bike ride and reading session of kids’ stories, Alan Rickman Diaries and Free Your Mind. 11.13pm.
Tuesday 20th February 2024
Lethargic and a bit low. Think I’m just a bit burnt out and anxious when not focused on work. Rare to take a full week off in February. I’ve been on the couch most of the day re-reading January morning pages. Thought it would only take a short while but don’t seem to have achieved much else except read Geoff Hattersley’s 2012 Outside the Blue Hebium pamphlet. I wish someone would publish more of his stuff as this is the most recent thing he's put out. Funny, grim, and quintessentially Yorkshire. I’m done for today. 11.46pm.
Wednesday 21st February 2024
Lethargic. Stress and anxiety. Not done much but it’s a week off. Listened to Nadine Shah live from Brighton and in conversation with journalist Caitlin Moran. I got a list of dates for my next workshops at Arts Centre Washington. Looking forward to lighter nights so I can bike myself fit again. 10.14pm.
Thursday 22nd February 2024
Much better day. Poetry Jam admin and publicity done. My Nadine Shah CD and launch event wristband arrived today. I’ll listen to the album all day tomorrow. I’ve had a bit of a sketchy week but am chuffed that both batches of material sent out recently from self-published work were well received. I’ve pulled a file of poems together for use in future submissions. 11.39pm.
Friday 23rd February 2024
Spent over twenty quid on food. This afternoon I worked briefly on a pamphlet but told the author it would need to be re-submitted with new formatting. Then Slam Fresh was in touch with an offer for me to print a pamphlet next month. I stood waiting nearly an hour for a bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni watched Not Going Out – Lee Mack trapped in a coffin. Not his usual comedy but still funny. 10.31pm.
Saturday 24th February 2024
Met Nadine Shah at her instore at Reflex Records this evening. Had a pic taken. Me holding her new album FILTHY UNDERNEATH and she holding a copy of my book HYPOMANIAC. Show was a six-song set and the place was tiny. I was two feet away from her mic stand. Then I went to Trillians Rock Bar and saw original Venom drummer Anthony Bray do a Venom set with his new band. Cracking night. 11.00pm.
Sunday 25th February 2024
Me and Jenni went to Gateshead Aldi for supplies. Thrifty isn’t always nifty. My curry was lousy. I should have bought a better one. Watched some eighties music vids and The Last Leg. Staying over again tonight. 10.20pm.
Monday 26th February 2024
Spent ages on lesson plan type-ups this afternoon. I bought a Nadine Shah ticket for her gig in April at Boiler Shop. I was approached to do a workshop for Wallsend Writers, also in April. I’d like to take time out with lyric sheets and just listen to each Nadine Shah album on repeat for a week. Back to Waddy tomorrow. 11.00pm.
Tuesday 27th February 2024
Microsoft locked me out of my profile today and I don’t know how to fix it. Jenni tried giving instructions over the mobile, but nothing worked. I fear it’s all gone. Other people have had to rebuild from scratch. All the book files, although saved to sticks, will need margins resetting if I need to start again. What a bastard. Jenni said she’d come over tomorrow after work, but I think she underestimates the hassle of getting from her job to Moorside. Well pissed off tonight. Always something. 11.40pm.
Wednesday 28th February 2024
Jenni kindly came over and fixed the computer. It took about two and a half hours. All my files are there. I’m pleased to have a computer wizard girlfriend. I hope she is okay for work tomorrow. I’m pleased I only have one workshop this week. I’m taking part in the sponsored indoor 24-hour bike ride at Waddy tomorrow. 10.36pm.
Thursday 29th February 2024
Slept okay and was up by half nine. Pages done. Had a chat with Brian from Bullion Hall on the future of writing workshops there. But it doesn’t look good. Got Poetry Jam pix up and done by half-five. Then I came down to Waddy for the bike thing. Six or seven people here when I arrived watching road cycling on YouTube. Peeps doing half-hour stints on the exercise bike. Someone suggested watching some offroad biking so I suggested the UCI World Trials Championships from last August in Glasgow. It was great to see jaws hit the floor in response to the extreme riding. It’s almost midnight and I’m going to get my head down till four then I’ll do my next half-hour ride. I’m gonna grab a biscuit and a big drink. 11.40pm.
Spent over twenty quid on food. This afternoon I worked briefly on a pamphlet but told the author it would need to be re-submitted with new formatting. Then Slam Fresh was in touch with an offer for me to print a pamphlet next month. I stood waiting nearly an hour for a bus to Gateshead. Me and Jenni watched Not Going Out – Lee Mack trapped in a coffin. Not his usual comedy but still funny. 10.31pm.
Saturday 24th February 2024
Met Nadine Shah at her instore at Reflex Records this evening. Had a pic taken. Me holding her new album FILTHY UNDERNEATH and she holding a copy of my book HYPOMANIAC. Show was a six-song set and the place was tiny. I was two feet away from her mic stand. Then I went to Trillians Rock Bar and saw original Venom drummer Anthony Bray do a Venom set with his new band. Cracking night. 11.00pm.
Sunday 25th February 2024
Me and Jenni went to Gateshead Aldi for supplies. Thrifty isn’t always nifty. My curry was lousy. I should have bought a better one. Watched some eighties music vids and The Last Leg. Staying over again tonight. 10.20pm.
Monday 26th February 2024
Spent ages on lesson plan type-ups this afternoon. I bought a Nadine Shah ticket for her gig in April at Boiler Shop. I was approached to do a workshop for Wallsend Writers, also in April. I’d like to take time out with lyric sheets and just listen to each Nadine Shah album on repeat for a week. Back to Waddy tomorrow. 11.00pm.
Tuesday 27th February 2024
Microsoft locked me out of my profile today and I don’t know how to fix it. Jenni tried giving instructions over the mobile, but nothing worked. I fear it’s all gone. Other people have had to rebuild from scratch. All the book files, although saved to sticks, will need margins resetting if I need to start again. What a bastard. Jenni said she’d come over tomorrow after work, but I think she underestimates the hassle of getting from her job to Moorside. Well pissed off tonight. Always something. 11.40pm.
Wednesday 28th February 2024
Jenni kindly came over and fixed the computer. It took about two and a half hours. All my files are there. I’m pleased to have a computer wizard girlfriend. I hope she is okay for work tomorrow. I’m pleased I only have one workshop this week. I’m taking part in the sponsored indoor 24-hour bike ride at Waddy tomorrow. 10.36pm.
Thursday 29th February 2024
Slept okay and was up by half nine. Pages done. Had a chat with Brian from Bullion Hall on the future of writing workshops there. But it doesn’t look good. Got Poetry Jam pix up and done by half-five. Then I came down to Waddy for the bike thing. Six or seven people here when I arrived watching road cycling on YouTube. Peeps doing half-hour stints on the exercise bike. Someone suggested watching some offroad biking so I suggested the UCI World Trials Championships from last August in Glasgow. It was great to see jaws hit the floor in response to the extreme riding. It’s almost midnight and I’m going to get my head down till four then I’ll do my next half-hour ride. I’m gonna grab a biscuit and a big drink. 11.40pm.
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