Sunday 9th February 2014
Stayed up till half-five this
morning working on the ‘www.about.me/steve.urwin’ web page then slept for five
and a half hours. Didn’t get much of what I’d planned done today but had some
good ideas back and forth on Facebook with Jane and Jaene about Home Town Slog
variations and did a couple of pages of raw work-log in my ‘art’ journal. 11.10
pm.
Monday 10th February 2014
Haven’t really achieved much
except get lesson plans up to date, do preliminary notes for an interview and
skim through lesson plans for next week. People think I do a lot – it’s nothing
compared to a ten-hour shift in a factory then home to a thousand words a
night. Or looking after a family. I am lucky to not do the 9 to five. I am
lucky to not have the government on my back. I am lucky to be paid to be in a
room with budding writers, Tonight I saw Scott Tyrrell launch ‘Grown Up’ at the
Lit and Phil. Brilliant gig. Good to see
Jenni after not hearing from her since Friday. Read some Connie Bensley poems
on the bus home. I’m going to use some in workshops. Poetry/chopped-up prose
debate will ensue, for sure. Got a mint new coat half price tonight. Really
toasty. 11.10 pm.
Tuesday 11th February 2014
Left the house early to print
papers for sessions as my machine is out of ink. Only just replaced the black a
few weeks ago. Can’t have printed five-hundred pages in such a shot time,
surely. Anyway, Waddy session was very informal once we sorted paperwork. Chris
wanted help with the pamphlet making process again; Julie wants help editing
for publication; and it was good for Barbara to see some of her great work that
she’s never looked at for years. Felt like a far more productive session than
just doing yet more exercises and first drafts. I worked on the written answers
for Material interview then went over to Clayport to do the evening session.
Gave them conflict and character sketches. Lots of fun. Surprised to see snow
when the 43 reached Sacriston on the way home. Nipped into Asda to escape the cold
in Stanley.
Chicken mayo sandwich very tasty. Bus home by eleven. Done! 11.07 pm.
Wednesday 12th February 2014
Tough morning. Only three
people in at Waddy session. Probably the weather. So the idea of a recap week
and getting the paperwork up to date went by the wayside. Had a good lunch
break talking about films and music and the peculiar habits of neighbours –
dogs cocking the hind leg in living rooms and noisy bedroom antics, knee-deep
in food wrappers – oh well, I can always edit this out. Spent a few hours
editing my interview answers then headed into Newcastle. Eighty minute journey on the 21,
stood in queue half the length of Clinton Cards at half six, then darted
through the pissing rain to Clayton Street chippy which was full of football
fans, had some chips and gravy then down to the Lit and Phil only to find Ian
MacMillan’s gig has been postponed, Bus to Consett was late and doing its
utmost to break down. Finally got home at nine. Opened up the computer to find
that Jenni has posted a link to my wall: SWANS
play Hoults Yard in Newcastle upon Tyne, May 23rd
2014. Result! Burger then bed. 11.08pm.
Thursday 13th February 2014
Felt really hammered when I
got up this morning. Was an effort to get through the morning pages. Gave
myself a couple of hours to get everything ready. Fitting everything in the bag
was a struggle. Five different sets of course work, a pile of books in hopes
that I might sell a few tonight. Session at MIND was superb. The simple ‘I
love…’ prompt led to a great discussion about forgotten childhood guilty
pleasures – such as scribbling on the rubber sole of a slipper with a biro. We
used the A2Z character poem as a launch then did a simple show don’t tell
exercise which was hilarious. Then Angels and Demons. Was good to have a run
through Charlatan for tonight. The Consett writers are some of the most
enthusiastic people I’ve ever worked with and I always leave Mind buzzing, my
previously fatigue-jaded faith in the power of grassroots writing facilitation
fully restored.
Read all about the south’s
hellish weather on the bus to Durham
and checked out some mental-illness-related book reviews, but I’ve got too much
to read already. At Waddy by one, round up of participants for a catch-up
session. One of them wouldn’t wait till half-one and wanted to go off and drink
his cider. No worries. Enjoyable character sketches for about eighty minutes.
Then out through the most
badly designed bus station I’ve ever been in. (The buses have to reverse out of
the Durham
bays, thus causing a tailback up to the roundabout by the viaduct. The other
night one reversed unexpectedly and nearly wiped me out.) Tesco had no pies so
I took the healthy option of an orange and a banana at the fruit shop.
I’m now on a rather crowded
21 to Newcastle.
The weather has taken a turn for the worst and I’m hoping people still turn out
for the gig in Alnwick at Bailiffgate
Museum. I’m hoping to get
half an hour in Newcastle
to buy another Valentine’s Day present for Jen.
Scott is picking us up at
quarter to six. Hope to rehearse a bit more before then. I’m on last tonight.
Looking forward to an eight poet bill including Jenni, Peter Edge, Degna Stone,
Scott Tyrrell, Sheila Wakefield, Tony Williams and Ann Porro. Should be
awesome!
3.49 pm.
Friday 14th February 2014
Facebook status update: Last night's gig at
Bailiffgate in Alnwick was mint. Great sets by a whole bunch of poets. Thanks
to Ann Porro and Museum staff for inviting us. Best wishes for future nights
there. Keep it going!
More pissing fucking rain.
Was at Rowan McCabe’s workshop this lunchtime. Had a good chat with Asa
afterwards – although I’m not very analytical when it comes to performance –
then a carvery at The Goose. Jenni got me a Swans ticket for Valentine’s Day. Bus
to Moorside didn’t turn up so I went to Tesco and checked out bike and music
mags then bought various meat products, 100gsm paper and sundries. I got home
at ten this evening. Did some admin, had a cheese and onion hot dog toastie.
House is freezing. I’m dog-tired and sick of the fucking persistent rain. I
have most of the payment in for the marathon. Will make up books when the
printer ink arrives. 11.29pm.
Saturday 15th February 2014
Stayed up till half four
finishing a couple of pages of my visual journal. Was back up after five hours
sleep to do catch-up on some pages I missed earlier in the year. Posted some
stuff online and did research for my next pages. Jenni arrived in Moorside
around quarter past seven. Bigly pizza and chips for our tea. Been watching Doc
Marten on telly and Inglourious Basterds is on very soon. If I can stay awake.
House hard to keep warm. 9.58pm.
Sunday 16th February 2014
Six hours sleep again. Made
up a Home Town Slog 100 page hardback for tomorrow. Took a lot longer than I
thought. Me and Jenni had pork steaks and baked potatoes, toms and shrooms
followed by spotted dick and custard. Watched the West of Memphis documentary
about the three guys wrongfully convicted for murder of three kids. Had a shave
and uploaded book pix to Facebook. Not much to say. Early night. 10.42 pm.
Monday 17th February 2014
Up at seven, did morning
pages then go my stuff together for Home Town Slog. This is the new monthly
writing exercise that I’m doing in which I fill a hundred page notebook in a
day. Completed in a much quicker time than last month. Was home in less than
ten hours. I’m hoping to get some decent stuff from these sessions, but know that
today I wasn’t on form. Took a book of published journaling prompts with me and
they were quite toilet. But no matter, all done now. Home to a burger and an
hour in front of the television with Jenni. Sold a copy of Sunshine tonight.
Will post it in the morning. Feel totally wiped out on writing. Pleased I have
a few days off before the writing marathon this weekend. Hoping to have a
little lie in tomorrow. Not leaving for the workshop till quarter past five.
10.15 pm.
Tuesday 18th February 2014
Six-hour round trip to
deliver a two-hour Clayport writing workshop this evening. Thanks to our
comprehensive evening bus service for that one – NOT! Session went okay. It’s
supposed to me my week off but most of today was prep. Lots of critique
write-ups. Jenni is planning her two-week JibbaJabba run for the Edinburgh
Fringe. She’s letting me do a set. I’m pleased to be home with no migraine. Pleased
to have a couple of days before HOT WORDS. Must get my notes done before
midnight or I turn into a pumpkin or a warehouse stocklad. 11.37 pm.
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