Modest turnout for Poetry Jam. But enjoyable. All the guests were great. Charlie Care gave us some northeast mythological material. Pip McDonald was Spider Girl, all over the place, with props including a high-end bin bag and a pee funnel. Steve Lancaster did his bestiary of northeast creatures; I’d enjoyed the werewolf one before, but the rat was fantastic. James Oates read a new poem and gave me a lift home. Great open floor: Lian Maltas, Sharon Milley, Karima Lynn, Chris Short, Chris Hodgson and Owen Brechan, amongst others. Off to bed early so I can be up for Washington workshop. OK. 10.52pm.
Friday 2nd May 2025
I worked hard pulling together a big workshop. Only three of our regulars could make it. And the newcomers didn't show. I waited and didn't start till 20 past twelve. I got a lift to Gateshead, thanks to Alwyn, then a bus to Consett. Jenni informed me that Reform UK have taken over Durham County Council. I forgot to vote yesterday. But it wouldn't make a difference. Consett north and south are under Liberal Democrats. But the majority of County Durham is Reform. I read some more flash fiction tonight. 10.46pm.
Saturday 3rd May 2025
At home this weekend. I read two novellas-in-flash today. Meg Pokrass and Chris Bower, both enjoyable. Then out on the old Rockhopper. Found some ace little bits of single track on either side of the Derwent Walk. Ended up down on the low road near Hamsterley, got a puncture at Ebchester but fixed and home by twenty to six. Listened to a Meg Pokrass interview this evening and had a chicken sandwich, then sleep. 11:05pm.
Sunday 4th May 2025
Good to get the kitchen tidied and hoovered. Gunk all gone from under the George Foreman grill. I weigh12 stone 8Ib today, down from 13 stone 3Ib last month. When I was biketrialling in my thirties, I was about ten and a half to eleven stone. I've read some Richard Brautigan short stories and planned some activities for a workshop. Enjoyed watching Chris Akrigg interviewed by Martyn Ashton about ‘Hard Enduro’ bike video. Tired now. 11:20pm.
Monday 5th May 2025
I bought a hair dryer in Argos to defrost my freezer. The cashier didn’t think it strange at all. I bought fruit and veg in Tesco, then hauled my bags back to Moorside. The freezer took two hours to defrost. Ice was growing out the door; it was an hour before I could remove the inner plastic doors. Great to get huge chunks of ice to drop from the shelf bars. The fridge needed a clean out: three unfinished jars of the same strawberry jam hidden behind detritus. I did vocal notebook entries tonight and shaved. I wanted to read new flash fiction, but too tired. Social media is all Reform UK rubbish at present. 10.04pm.
Tuesday 6th May 2025
Prepped three workshops super quickly this morning: letters, journaling, and characterization. Then delivered one completely different from the above. The Waddy writers did some great stuff. I wrote a few things I really liked. This afternoon, I read some journaling and healthcare-for-writers articles from Writing Magazine on the bus home. Tuna salad for tea, then out on the big Sonder Frontier bike. Got up some of my favourite little climbs in harder gears than last year. Two stream crossings and a back wheel hop down from a low ledge. Need to get stronger to hop off bigger platforms. Read some flash fiction before supper. 10.46pm.
Wednesday 7th May 2025
People who make malicious pop-ups and hack websites should be fucking disposed of asap. Sad bastards with nothing better to do than cause chaos. Luckily, I seem to have stopped dodgy updates coming through mobile notifications. Initially, a slow day, just looking for poems for a gig set and trawling through back issues of nineties poetry magazines, then out in the garden cutting grass. Set my left wrist off in an uproar. Seems to have calmed down a bit now. I'm hoping to have a more productive day tomorrow. A lot of the time, I just don't want to interact with people much at all. I hope to get some serious reading time in the next few months. Anyway, enough gripes now. Hope for better things tomorrow 10:41pm.
Thursday 8th May 2025
Good to get my set sorted for Poetical Outlaws. I had to cut the ‘Letting The Minimalism Slip’ central piece because it was nearly five minutes long, but I included two pieces from Anomalies and some Hypomaniac stuff. It runs to about 17 minutes. I printed 20 copies of Elaine's mini pamphlet, submitted poems to Morecambe Poetry Festival Anthology, then got the bus to Sunderland for King Ink. I didn't get to do the four poems I'd planned. I just read The Hill. Hell Poet did a mint one about recent gender definition ruling that pulled no punches on JK Rowling. Hell Poet is on the bill with me and Aaron Wright at Poetical Outlaws next week. Loads of great people read tonight. At least four I'd never seen before. I don't remember names and poems because I didn't take notes but great stuff about relationships. VE Day from Chris Hodgson. I had to go out during the experimental guitar stuff due to tinnitus. Mel Chilekwa read poems about employment inequality and racism, then Thom did one about Hadrian's Wall. Scotters did a mint one about apathy of pub absentees. Tolu red a short poem about Sky Hawkins, then asked me to review his new book. I give him a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip in return. Rue Collinge’s set focused on her health condition and love of stories. It was a great night. Helen Wilko walked me to the closest Metro station, which turned out to be one I’ve used before. Good to chat with Christine Fowler on the way back to Newcastle. I bought a pepperoni pizza slab from Greggs opposite the bus stand. Just finished it as the 47-bus pulled in. It will be half-midnight when I get home. 11.42pm.
Friday 9th May 2025
Tried to write some stuff for the North East History Week, but it just came out as music nostalgia. Made up Elaine's second batch of ‘Don’t Hassle Me…’ pamphlet. DETAILS ran out of A4 Canson paper and burgundy card, so I had to cut down from A1 sheets instead. The booklets came out good again. I will ink up the covers later. I went to Tesco and bought about 20 quid’s worth of fruit, veg and tuna. I got the bus back because the bags were quite heavy 10.28pm.
Saturday 10th May 2025
Out at the quarry near Parkhead Station today. I rode up with a tailwind and got there in under an hour. It was good to check out potential lines and rock clusters, but I'll need more upper body strength if I'm to ride the trail bike there. Back home I cleaned the unused bath and did some vocal entries. This evening at Jen’s watching game shows and Inside Number Nine. 11.12pm.
Sunday 11th May 2025
Morning pages, email checks, lesson plans for Tuesday and Friday. Thanks to Jenni for big health chat and TV screenings. OK. 10.19pm.
Monday 12th May 2025
Sorted my finances. Fixed three punctures in one bicycle inner tube. Inked up Elaine Cusack’s pamphlets. Rode 26.5 miles on the Rockhopper down to Blaydon Rugby Club and back. I'd still be out now, pushing the bike back from Rowland’s Gill if not for kind cyclist, Mark Gibson, who lent me his air pump at the roadside. I've bought cheap air pumps twice and they both knacked up in about a year. I'll get a new one and don't care about the cost. I just want something that puts a decent amount of air in the tubes and doesn't fucking break after a couple of seasons. I think I've eaten less than 2,000 calories today. Fingers crossed I'm lighter than 12 stone 7lb tomorrow. OK. 10.54pm.
Tuesday 13th May 2025
Felt really good this morning. Up and out by ten. Sent off Elaine's pamphlets from Durham. Set up for my fiction workshop at Waddy: A to Z story, speculate on strangers, create opposing characters, dilemmas and conflicts, dialogue, beginning-middle-end, flash fiction. Went really well. I slept on the bus back to Consett. Bought a new bike pump, collected my new glasses from Eyecare, then borrowed five library heritage booklets about Consett. Pictures of the steelworks reminded me of red dust and bedridden asthmatic childhood. The best thing I read was about Tommy Thompson who slept in a coffin. Jenni says I should write about him for my history set at Station East on 26th May. Needed some time out due to a headache and fatigue. OK. 10.40pm.
Wednesday 14th May 2025
Everything seemed to take ages today. I didn't sleep well. Lay awake two hours going over shit from childhood so I needed to stay in bed a lot longer than I wanted to, so I got the rest of my sleep. I fixed a couple of punctures, sorted the new bike pump for the old Rockhopper, then I made more copies of Letting the Minimalism Slip. I booked a place on a journaling workshop for Saturday, then sorted PDFs for some Hypomaniac reprints. I had a good ride on the Sonder Frontier bike down by the river, but pushing hard gears made my right knee creak. I think most of the cartilage is gone. Has been bad since my thirties. Got home at half nine. Washed, had a fruit and veg supper, then sorted paperwork for Washington workshop. 11.05pm.
Thursday 15th May 2025
Awake at half five. Working by about seven. More rehearsals, then bag pack. The start of my Poetical Outlaws set at Diego’s Joint was a little weak – I was tired – but Aaron and Hell Poet were ace. Plenty good open mic as well. I thought about changing my set but just kept with it. Thanks to Aaron for the ride from Sunderland to Newcastle. I've cracked the tooth. 11.45pm.
Friday 16th May 2025
Five people and four non-shows at Arts Centre Washington. A repeat of Tuesday's Waddy session worked brilliantly. A boisterous loudmouth hassled people on the bus back to Gateshead and really upset the driver. She ended up screaming GET OFF THE BUS! after the bloke threatened someone. I bought supplies, had an hour with Jenni, then out to Mark Iverson’s ‘stars of horror movies’ book event in Station East. I didn't buy any. Back to Jen’s for Coronation Street and Bombay potato and spinach pasty with vindaloo beans. Then Kate Bush at the BBC. Ace visuals, but all mimed. Off to bed soon. 11.00pm.
Saturday 17th May 2025
Up early to get ready for Dilston Physic Garden workshop. The venue was pretty amazing, and I knew I'd enjoy the day after being on site for just five minutes. The exercises were pretty easy. The facilitator Laura Napran was engaging, the participants enthusiastic. Six hours in the countryside. I had a great time. Eurovision is on TV tonight. 10.57pm.
Sunday 18th May 2025
Chatted with Jen about life and music and listened to Radio 2 till mid-afternoon. Bus back to Consett. Bought salad supplies in Tesco then walked to Moorside. This evening was mainly spent going over notes from yesterday's workshop and making vocal entries on my mobile device. 11.02 pm.
Monday 19th May 2025
I got more notes down for the North East History Week. I have a new poem about a character from the 1800s who lived in Consett. I've structured a set, but I think it's going to be longer than ten minutes. I will get in touch with Tom Robson and hope that's okay. I sent a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip to my old friend Stephen J Clark, then returned an unread book to the library. I rode the old Rockhopper bike for about two and a half hours. Walked to Consett and bused to Newcastle. Now in an attic with the Bensham Tiger. OK. 10.22pm.
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Up around half seven. Did morning pages. Banana on toast for breakfast. Showered and into shirt and tie, ready for lift to Morpeth with Jenni, Matt, Kirsten and Bob for Sky’s woodland burial. Colourful turnout. Readings from her son Ben, ex-husband Ben, brother Julian, and close friend Laura. The sky was blue, the sun was hot, planes took off every 10 minutes or so in the adjacent airfield. The service lasted about 45 minutes. People stayed back in the sunshine, wrote notes on scrolls of paper and placed them in the grave. Mine said: Bye-bye, sweet Sky. If owt happens let us know, you fucking radge packet xxx. Jenni said hers was pretty unflowered as well. We opted for a lift back with Matt Miller, but he ended up staying to help Amina Evans whose car wouldn’t start. Jenni needed to be back to meet her mam, so a woman I don't know brought us back to Bensham for the wake at Café Under the Spire. I ate too much pizza and curry. Standing in the sun too long burned my bald head, so I had to retire to the attic. 8:20pm.
Wednesday 21st May 2025
I didn't do much today. After a really late night, Jen wanted to stay in bed, so I nipped into town for some supplies. We had Moroccan vegetable pasties with chilli beans for dinner, then I fell asleep for a while. I left Jen's place around half three, read an article about sonnets on the bus to Consett, then bought a couple of new notebooks and some chicken. I got more salad veg at Tesco, then walked home. I read a bit of Bukowski, then rehearsed some of my set for Monday's history gig. I’m pleased with how the material is expanding: 15 minutes now. I've had a canny day. 11.18pm.
Thursday 22nd May 2025
Computer super slow and hassle over college paperwork. Reworked notes for next Monday’s gig at Station East. I've done a Poetry Jam poster and sent a long reply to a letter from my good friend Stephen J Clark. Ate a chicken sandwich and lots of fruit. I'm tired, the tinnitus is raging, and I've got more work to do in the morning. 11.04pm.
Friday 23rd May 2025
Five people and four non-shows at Arts Centre Washington. A repeat of Tuesday's Waddy session worked brilliantly. A boisterous loudmouth hassled people on the bus back to Gateshead and really upset the driver. She ended up screaming GET OFF THE BUS! after the bloke threatened someone. I bought supplies, had an hour with Jenni, then out to Mark Iverson’s ‘stars of horror movies’ book event in Station East. I didn't buy any. Back to Jen’s for Coronation Street and Bombay potato and spinach pasty with vindaloo beans. Then Kate Bush at the BBC. Ace visuals, but all mimed. Off to bed soon. 11.00pm.
Saturday 17th May 2025
Up early to get ready for Dilston Physic Garden workshop. The venue was pretty amazing, and I knew I'd enjoy the day after being on site for just five minutes. The exercises were pretty easy. The facilitator Laura Napran was engaging, the participants enthusiastic. Six hours in the countryside. I had a great time. Eurovision is on TV tonight. 10.57pm.
Sunday 18th May 2025
Chatted with Jen about life and music and listened to Radio 2 till mid-afternoon. Bus back to Consett. Bought salad supplies in Tesco then walked to Moorside. This evening was mainly spent going over notes from yesterday's workshop and making vocal entries on my mobile device. 11.02 pm.
Monday 19th May 2025
I got more notes down for the North East History Week. I have a new poem about a character from the 1800s who lived in Consett. I've structured a set, but I think it's going to be longer than ten minutes. I will get in touch with Tom Robson and hope that's okay. I sent a copy of Letting the Minimalism Slip to my old friend Stephen J Clark, then returned an unread book to the library. I rode the old Rockhopper bike for about two and a half hours. Walked to Consett and bused to Newcastle. Now in an attic with the Bensham Tiger. OK. 10.22pm.
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Up around half seven. Did morning pages. Banana on toast for breakfast. Showered and into shirt and tie, ready for lift to Morpeth with Jenni, Matt, Kirsten and Bob for Sky’s woodland burial. Colourful turnout. Readings from her son Ben, ex-husband Ben, brother Julian, and close friend Laura. The sky was blue, the sun was hot, planes took off every 10 minutes or so in the adjacent airfield. The service lasted about 45 minutes. People stayed back in the sunshine, wrote notes on scrolls of paper and placed them in the grave. Mine said: Bye-bye, sweet Sky. If owt happens let us know, you fucking radge packet xxx. Jenni said hers was pretty unflowered as well. We opted for a lift back with Matt Miller, but he ended up staying to help Amina Evans whose car wouldn’t start. Jenni needed to be back to meet her mam, so a woman I don't know brought us back to Bensham for the wake at Café Under the Spire. I ate too much pizza and curry. Standing in the sun too long burned my bald head, so I had to retire to the attic. 8:20pm.
Wednesday 21st May 2025
I didn't do much today. After a really late night, Jen wanted to stay in bed, so I nipped into town for some supplies. We had Moroccan vegetable pasties with chilli beans for dinner, then I fell asleep for a while. I left Jen's place around half three, read an article about sonnets on the bus to Consett, then bought a couple of new notebooks and some chicken. I got more salad veg at Tesco, then walked home. I read a bit of Bukowski, then rehearsed some of my set for Monday's history gig. I’m pleased with how the material is expanding: 15 minutes now. I've had a canny day. 11.18pm.
Thursday 22nd May 2025
Computer super slow and hassle over college paperwork. Reworked notes for next Monday’s gig at Station East. I've done a Poetry Jam poster and sent a long reply to a letter from my good friend Stephen J Clark. Ate a chicken sandwich and lots of fruit. I'm tired, the tinnitus is raging, and I've got more work to do in the morning. 11.04pm.
Friday 23rd May 2025
I took the Sonder Frontier to Bits 4 Bikes this morning. Fixed while I waited. Just needed the locking nut on the cassette tightening – stopped all the rattling and creaking. I somehow sent myself over the bars on the ride home. A woman said I rode into the kerb, but those big three-inch wide tires should just bounce up. With a small shopping bag in my left hand, I think I somehow pulled the front brake by accident. I got some typing and voice entries done today. And a couple of lesson plans. Watched a few music history clips from Jeff Dunn of Venom. I lifted some light free weights as well. But feel a bit under the weather. 10.40pm.
Saturday 24th May 2025
Turns out the bike isn't fixed even though I haven't used any of the four largest sprockets that came loose on the cassette since it was tightened up. They have come loose again after just 45 minutes on the bike. I went to Waddy to run off a few copies of Milking a Joe Brainard Riff for Monday's gig then met up with Jenni at Station East for The Smoke Room. Great unplugged music gig hosted by Jonjo and featuring sets by Dog Years, Bugman, Sandy Wells Lee, and the awesome My Cold Poison, then bus home 10.10pm.
Saturday 24th May 2025
Turns out the bike isn't fixed even though I haven't used any of the four largest sprockets that came loose on the cassette since it was tightened up. They have come loose again after just 45 minutes on the bike. I went to Waddy to run off a few copies of Milking a Joe Brainard Riff for Monday's gig then met up with Jenni at Station East for The Smoke Room. Great unplugged music gig hosted by Jonjo and featuring sets by Dog Years, Bugman, Sandy Wells Lee, and the awesome My Cold Poison, then bus home 10.10pm.
Sunday 25th May 2025
Morning pages, email checks, made up three copies of Milking A Joe Brainard Riff, typed lesson plans. Prepped for Tuesday and tomorrow's gig. Read lots of journaling essays and prompts. OK. 10.28pm.
Monday 26th May 2025
Today felt like a lazy Sunday. We scrolled social media and watched repeats of Heartbeat, Emmerdale and Corrie. Another canny crowd in the back room of Station East, but lots of distracting noise from the bar. I struggled to hear bits and pieces from the back, but luckily, I was asked to read in the second half and upped the volume a bit: no microphone, just push the lungs and larynx a bit harder, it's only 15 minutes. I thoroughly enjoyed performing at Northern History Week tonight. Some big cheers. Jenni says people came in from the bar to watch me. My material was more personal history, save the music aspect and the poem about a local eccentric, which went down well. Tom Robson was a great host, and it's always good to see Tom Kelly. There were great sets including A.J. McKenna, Helen Wilko, James Whitman, Tilly Aistrop and Papi Jeovani. OK. 11.02pm.
Morning pages, email checks, made up three copies of Milking A Joe Brainard Riff, typed lesson plans. Prepped for Tuesday and tomorrow's gig. Read lots of journaling essays and prompts. OK. 10.28pm.
Monday 26th May 2025
Today felt like a lazy Sunday. We scrolled social media and watched repeats of Heartbeat, Emmerdale and Corrie. Another canny crowd in the back room of Station East, but lots of distracting noise from the bar. I struggled to hear bits and pieces from the back, but luckily, I was asked to read in the second half and upped the volume a bit: no microphone, just push the lungs and larynx a bit harder, it's only 15 minutes. I thoroughly enjoyed performing at Northern History Week tonight. Some big cheers. Jenni says people came in from the bar to watch me. My material was more personal history, save the music aspect and the poem about a local eccentric, which went down well. Tom Robson was a great host, and it's always good to see Tom Kelly. There were great sets including A.J. McKenna, Helen Wilko, James Whitman, Tilly Aistrop and Papi Jeovani. OK. 11.02pm.
Tuesday 27th May 2025
Today at Waddy was fairly straightforward. I used exercises that I was shown at Dilston and a couple of prompts from a new journaling book. I spent over £90.00 to acquire them, so why not? The session went well, but our writers didn't like two of the poetry templates. I'm still going to try them at Washington on Friday. I'm still annoyed that my Sonder cassette worked loose again, and in the process may have damaged the aluminium freehub body of my Hope Pro5 hub. I can buy a replacement steel freehub body – but it's configured for strength, not engagement, and will reduce the ratchet points from 108 to 54. One of the books, RIFT by Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan, was missing from my Amazon order tonight, but the KM Elkes collection is good. I’ll read more of the stories in bed. OK. 9.49pm.
Wednesday 28th May 2025
Morning pages, email checks, responded to workshop enquiries, and recorded some prose poem snippets after dark for the Homelessness anthology promo video. 11.47pm.
Thursday 29th May 2025
Haven’t crossed the doorstep today. The morning was spent reading flash fiction by KM Elkes and voice entry of over a week of notes. Then I prepped for the next two workshops. I watched some ‘How To’ bike videos on getting up big rocks. I wish I had the Sonder bike back. I don’t want to spend a fortune to keep riding it, but the hub and sprocket is going to be about two hundred quid… Toyah Willcox is touring her songs and stories show in small theatres next year. If it’s acoustic like a decade ago, I’ll be going to at least one date. I’m considering pro earplugs to get back to rock gigs. 10.20pm.
Friday 30th May 2025
Up at half six, checking out Toyah dates and have decided to buy tickets for Alnwick (April) and Blyth (June) next year. Today’s workshop went well. Although most agreed the template poems weren’t great. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. I forgot to pay an electricity bill, so I had to go back home to get it. Enjoyed reading Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan on the bus back to Jen’s. we watched a Eurythmics BBC special. The attic is warm, and I’ve got toothache again. OK. 11.29pm.
Saturday 31st May 2025
Did a bit of review work, then got ready for a meet-up with my friend Stephen J Clark. We discussed ailments over sandwiches in a café then looked round a couple of record shops. I bought a hardback copy of Storm Damage by Brian Patten for £3.50 in Amnesty Bookshop. Me and Jenni watched Britain's Got Talent. 10.40pm.
Today at Waddy was fairly straightforward. I used exercises that I was shown at Dilston and a couple of prompts from a new journaling book. I spent over £90.00 to acquire them, so why not? The session went well, but our writers didn't like two of the poetry templates. I'm still going to try them at Washington on Friday. I'm still annoyed that my Sonder cassette worked loose again, and in the process may have damaged the aluminium freehub body of my Hope Pro5 hub. I can buy a replacement steel freehub body – but it's configured for strength, not engagement, and will reduce the ratchet points from 108 to 54. One of the books, RIFT by Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan, was missing from my Amazon order tonight, but the KM Elkes collection is good. I’ll read more of the stories in bed. OK. 9.49pm.
Wednesday 28th May 2025
Morning pages, email checks, responded to workshop enquiries, and recorded some prose poem snippets after dark for the Homelessness anthology promo video. 11.47pm.
Thursday 29th May 2025
Haven’t crossed the doorstep today. The morning was spent reading flash fiction by KM Elkes and voice entry of over a week of notes. Then I prepped for the next two workshops. I watched some ‘How To’ bike videos on getting up big rocks. I wish I had the Sonder bike back. I don’t want to spend a fortune to keep riding it, but the hub and sprocket is going to be about two hundred quid… Toyah Willcox is touring her songs and stories show in small theatres next year. If it’s acoustic like a decade ago, I’ll be going to at least one date. I’m considering pro earplugs to get back to rock gigs. 10.20pm.
Friday 30th May 2025
Up at half six, checking out Toyah dates and have decided to buy tickets for Alnwick (April) and Blyth (June) next year. Today’s workshop went well. Although most agreed the template poems weren’t great. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. I forgot to pay an electricity bill, so I had to go back home to get it. Enjoyed reading Kathy Fish and Robert Vaughan on the bus back to Jen’s. we watched a Eurythmics BBC special. The attic is warm, and I’ve got toothache again. OK. 11.29pm.
Saturday 31st May 2025
Did a bit of review work, then got ready for a meet-up with my friend Stephen J Clark. We discussed ailments over sandwiches in a café then looked round a couple of record shops. I bought a hardback copy of Storm Damage by Brian Patten for £3.50 in Amnesty Bookshop. Me and Jenni watched Britain's Got Talent. 10.40pm.
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