APRIL

Monday 1st April 2024

Wrote three poem drafts this morning. One unprompted, and two from the official NaPoWriMo prompt. I checked my emails this evening and discovered that TalkTalk has wiped out all my emails older than two weeks – three thousand have been reduced to a couple of hundred. All my business stuff, all my clients. No addresses. I will try to get things sorted out tomorrow. 11.10pm.


Tuesday 2nd April 2024

The NaPoWriMo prompts haven’t been too taxing but I’m expecting something a bit more complex as the week goes on. I’m not typing and posting daily. I’ll be amazed if I go the whole month writing to order. I’m full of busy with workshop prep and other bits of admin. That is, of course, until I run out of steam. Tonight, I uploaded Poetry Jam pix then watched music and comedy reels for an hour. I got new toner cartridges today and a copy of How To Forget Almost Everything, the debut novel by Joshua James Amberson. Still annoyed that my emails have disappeared from the TalkTalk server. Still on Outlook. But I relied on TT backup for years. Oh well… 10.53pm.


Wednesday 3rd April 2024

I’ve probably over-prepped for the Wallsend workshop. Think I’ve pulled enough stuff together for a six-week course. I’ve put about twelve to fifteen hours into it already. And might not get to use it all. But it’s all stuff I can take elsewhere. So I should be able to do my work at Waddington Street Centre a bit easier. My scanner has lost its shortcut settings. I had to locate it the hard way, with Jenni’s online help. I wanted to read some of Joshua James Amberson’s novel but don’t think I’ll last till midnight. 11.23pm.


Thursday 4th April 2024

I have no idea how the Wallsend workshop will go on Monday. It took me two hours just to photocopy all the handouts. I don’t know how much material we will get through. I’ve overdone it, but I want a lot to cherry-pick from. And the group did stipulate that they don’t want to spend time writing and reading back their own work. So it’s going to be more of a lecture and advice session. I came up with a list of ideas in about twenty minutes then spent three days sorting out all the physical material. I was chuffed with the atmosphere at Poetry Jam tonight. The guests Steve Wood, Pauline May and David Roe were ace. Lots of good open floor readings. Big thanks to Fergus and Waddy and all who came. And Steve Wood for the lift home. 10.49pm.


Friday 5th April 2024

Did another anthology session at Washington. Thanks to Alwyn for a lift to Gateshead where I got a bus to Consett. Home for pasta and chips then back out to the poetry night at Blackhill Club. Full set of witty poems from Lorraine Weightman, some great open mic, then a stand-in guest set from Malcolm Barnes coz the headliner’s car broke down. I did Oliver Dearest. It seemed a reasonable choice for a local crowd. Great turnout. 11.15pm.


Saturday 6th April 2024

Wrote a big poem in morning pages and keyed it in before breakfast. Then worked again from ten on the Wallsend stuff. Laid it all out on the living room floor and did a run-through of the activities. By four o’clock I was confident I had enough to satisfy requirements. Got to Jen’s place around nine and watched episodes of Monk. 11.13pm.


Sunday 7th April 2024

Did another poem but not very good. Think I peaked yesterday. Me and Jenni went for supplies. Watched a dodgy episode of The Six Million Dollar Man from the seventies then switched to Tipping Point. We’ve had pizza and chips. Then bangers and mash. Tonight, we watched Horrible Histories – The Movie. Very funny. 9.38pm.


Monday 8th April 2024

Got to Wallsend on time for the library opening. All my stuff was sorted by ten o’clock. There were a dozen people in the group. The session went well. Got through a lot more material than I thought I would. But I ditched some of the poetry templates and tips. Covered nearly all the fiction stuff. Ate twelve mini scotch eggs outside for dinner. A jammy wagon wheel and a banana. Caught the number one bus back to Bensham. Tonight me and Jenni went to see Tom Kelly launch his new book Walking My Streets, a mix of poetry and short stories. Ric Hool read short stories. Andrew Forster read poems. Great night. Won’t get home till midnight. 10.54pm.


Tuesday 9th April 2024

Today I read Joshua James Amberson’s Basic Paper Aeroplane zine issue 14; then Awesome Things by Liz Mason; then Shit’s Fucked, Still by Gina Sarti; We, the Drowned by Jonas Cannon; The Threads by Rachael Lee Carmen; and issue 17 of Behind the Zines. 10.50pm.


Wednesday 10th April 2024

Awake at five. Did morning pages, including lines for a NaPoWriMo poem. By half nine I was scraping mud out of the downpipe drain with my yellow rubber gloves on, freezing. Today I was published online in The Morning Star newspaper. Well chuffed. And I’ve got my setlist sorted for Monday’s ‘Meet the Author’ at Gateshead Library. 11.23pm.


Thursday 11th April 2024

King Ink was rammed tonight. Some faces unfamiliar, most familiar. Ann Porro was ace. She did more new material. I liked Philip Wardle’s ‘Flushed’ poem and Helen Roger’s stuff. But I can’t remember much without referring to notes. Joey Avary was awesome. I read Weird Wisdom. Chuffed to pick up a physical copy of The Morning Star at McColl’s newsagents. I’m on the 78 bus from Sunderland to Consett. If I can reach Tesco before midnight I’m getting a cheap meat pasty. 10.24pm.


Friday 12th April 2024

I’ve got about eighty poems that I like that might be my next collection. But they still need work. I’d like to submit some of them to magazines before making the final selection. I booked a guest for Poetry Jam, listened to Nirvana, and watched Katie Kookaburra ride the Paris Roubaix cobbles on her gravel bike. Martin Atkins is coming over from America in August for a spoken word gig at The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. If he doesn’t add a date closer to home, I’ll be there. I want to go out on the bike tomorrow but the weather is still a bit shit. 10.50pm.


Saturday 13th April 2024

Got my gig set rehearsed again and book stock sorted for Monday. Then I went out on the Rockhopper down by the River Derwent. Lots of the trail clear but some muddy and some flooded. Watched a parachute murder plot documentary and episodes of Corrie at Jen’s place tonight. 10.59pm.


Sunday 14th April 2024

Up at nine. Did a bit of anaphora for NaPoWriMo in morning pages then a big lazy day watching television. Had chicken and apple juice. Watched Bake Off. 10.05pm.


Monday 15th April 2024

Excessive bowel movement. Three visits. Been going through paperwork from last Monday. I was in Gateshead library by half one this afternoon. Really nice little gig. Chuffed to do a new set for the poetry group. Nice to see Jenni and her mam there. And only tripped up on a couple of lines. I was mainly reading but did a couple from memory. I answered some questions. Then the big rain came. Mark Speeding wasn’t there but he kindly left a parcel of books for me. I got packed up, waited until the rain stopped, then walked back to Bensham. Me and Jenni ate Mediterranean veg pasties with beans and chips. Then went out to an ‘anything goes’ open mic/word game/writing workshop hosted by Andi Downs at the Central Bar. We did some little rhymes, some truths and lies. I read Bin Truck. We were given bars of Ritter Sport chocolate. And I had an indoor ride on a longboard. Tesco for supplies. Pot Noodles for supper. 11.11pm.


Tuesday 16th April 2024

I went into Newcastle for some card samples at Details Art Supplies. After dinner, me and Jenni went to see the Amy Winehouse biopic. I thought it was great, but a lot of critics slammed it. I’m not a fan so I know little of her life, to be honest. Jenni thought it was good too. This evening, I went to a wellbeing writing session at THE WORD in South Shields. A couple of the exercises were fun but some were therapy sessions and I didn’t feel like dredging up stuff for the sake of it when not feeling particularly angry. Back at Jen’s place by twenty to nine. I packed up some stuff and got the bus home. In Moorside by eleven. Bit of a headache now. 11.52pm.


Wednesday 17th April 2024

Didn’t sleep long enough but got out on the bike for a little while. Just a plod up to Rowley and along the cycle path to Consett for copier paper and some chicken drumsticks. Back home I did admin and worked on the Washington Anthology. Tonight I prepped a workshop and watched the so-called ‘new’ BBC Kurt Cobain documentary. Just a rehash of old clips really. 10.45pm.


Thursday 18th April 2024

Today has been all sorts of brilliant. Got to Durham for half-eleven. Checked out Belmont Library, then bought a box of chicken and ate two-thirds for dinner at Waddy. Did a load of workshop photocopying, ate the rest of the chicken then back to Belmont for my Meet the Author gig. The space didn’t take long to set up. Most of the audience were senior citizens. I was billed as funny, which concerned me, but they liked me and let me do a 75-minute session, consisting of two readings plus Q&A. I sold some books and was asked about doing a workshop. I was packed by quarter to seven then off to The White Room in Stanley. Nice to see Jaene Fitzgerald and Juan. And Alan who used to host Lamplight open mic. Gary Stewart did a good acoustic support set before joining Ed Blunt as backing for the awesome Annie Dressner. She mostly played the new album ‘I Thought It Would Be Easier’. She signed a CD for me. Gave me three badges. OK. 11.14pm.


Friday 19th April 2024

Somehow managed to function on six hours of sleep and pulled off a pretty good workshop at Arts Centre Washington. We discussed book covers and titles. And did some exercises including one I was introduced to at the therapy writing workshop in South Shields. Thanks to Alwyn for the lift to the Metro Centre. I got the 45 to Consett, bought more chicken and tuna and a few junk foods but I’m trying to eat healthier. I’ve done the Poetry Jam flyer and event page. And discussed a new book with Red Squirrel Press for 2027. This is pretty mint. I must start putting it together and road-test the poems for at least two years. I’m gonna have my last bit of cake and get off to bed. 11.50pm.


Saturday 20th April 2024

Big admin day with soundtracks from Annie Dressner, TV Smith, Dave Ford, Ed Blunt, amongst others. College paperwork is a chore. All from last term. I start a new one on Tuesday. I haven’t been outside. The grass is getting long. I might need to buy a strimmer coz the lawn mower won’t cope. No biking. No physical indoor exercise. Sick of playing catch-up. 11.11pm.


Sunday 21st April 2024

Did my NaPoWriMo on favourite colour in bed. Then finances and some workshop ideas. I got the grass cut front and back and had a chicken dinner. Tonight, I did more college paperwork, then read up on some writing theory for next term. 10.04pm.


Monday 22nd April 2024

Finally got all the paperwork sorted from last term. And samples for Susan’s pamphlet. Keyed in some journal. Did a little zine-style meme about the dodgy microwave oven which got a few laughs. Watched a British Biketrial Championship round from Seymour Arena on YouTube. Then a punk documentary. Super loud tinnitus tonight. 10.47pm.


Tuesday 23rd April 2024

Basic intro session for the first one back at Waddy today. Absurd words, mini-memoir, single sentence poems from A2Z word banks and a closing poem based on our names. Got some photocopying done for the Beamish wellbeing event. Then I bought a new microwave oven. I’m prepped for tomorrow’s Gateshead workshop. 10.14pm.


Wednesday 24th April 2024

By seven this evening I knew the workshop wasn’t going to be as expected. Five people signed up but only Jen’s mam came along. So we got through a lot of exercises. Station East still offered payment but I didn’t take it. Got back to Jen’s around ten o’clock. I wrote a flukey good poem this morning. Hopefully publishable. 11.00pm.


Thursday 25th April 2024

Morning pages were the NaPoWriMo questionnaire. I’m pleased to get all the prompts tried out so far this year. Five more to go. Only posted one online so far. I read some poems from the Northern Gravy website and listened to the new Annie Dressner album ‘I Thought It Would Be Easier’ a couple of times. 11.21pm.


Friday 26th April 2024

I sat with Jenni for an hour this afternoon then went to Tesco for a pasty and apple juice before crossing the Tyne to Boiler Shop for the Nadine Shah gig. Support act Callum Easter uses backing tracks with a live drummer and plays the accordion whilst singing. Sounds rather rockabilly in places, Velvet Underground influenced as well. Nadine was ace. I tried standing near the front, but it sounded much better from about ten rows back. She played most of the Filthy Underneath album and some of the better-known tracks from her back catalogue for almost ninety minutes. Fave tracks were Fast Food, Keeping Score, Greatest Dancer, Fool, Fench Exit and the closer Out the Way. The place was packed. I got her setlist afterwards. Superb gig. 11.37pm.


Saturday 27th April 2024

Keyed in my American Sonnet and posted it online. Me and Jenni watched SHIRES biking video with narration from Rob Warner. I checked out some public speakers online, including Penny Mallory, and got some leads. Watched Taskmaster, Pointless and a cracking episode of Pie in The Sky. 10.17pm.


Sunday 28th April 2024

Me and Jenni listened to Radio Two all day. I was disappointed that Johnnie Walker only played three artists from my impromtu list of over thirty for Sounds of the Seventies. Jenni went out to a show this evening so I came home and decluttered more of my bedroom/office. 10.39pm.


Monday 29th April 2024

Got the Poetry Jam pix up from earlier in the month. Did further corrections on the Washington Anthology and prepped a session for Waddington Street Writers. I didn’t go outside today. Haven’t shaved since Friday. Seem to be spending more time on prep than anything else. I’ve had a couple of requests for bookmaking workshops. I reckon next month is going to be very busy. I have a few pamphlets in the works for organisations and individuals. The house is looking rough again. I wrote a couple of acrostics tonight. Reckon I’ll be road-testing some wellbeing stuff this week. Need some business cards trimming. And some blurbs blown up for the table at Beamish Hall. It’s been cold today. Two pairs of trousers on again. 11.27pm.


Tuesday 30th April 2024

 
Final prompt of NapoWriMo was to write a character of myth or legend in a contemporary setting. I should have written about The Gorgon at the hair salon (good title – keeping it) or Anubis at the supermarket but stayed with my own childhood culture and took David Banner to the dentist. Or was it The Incredible Hulk? Waddy session was a basic ‘make your own writing prompts from poems’ and pool for the group to pick from at random. I read brief passages from Cliff Yates’ book JUMPSTART Poetry in the Secondary School. I particularly enjoyed his interview with Anne and Peter Sansom of The Poetry Business about workshops for kids. I wanted to bike tonight, but instead tidied out a much-neglected corner of the kitchen, and threw away a load of jars, bottles, and pans I’ve never used for years. Early to bed before tomorrow’s big Beamish prep session. 10.38pm.