Business As Usual

Monday 18th August 2014

Been home most of the day. Jenni’s presents all sorted, wrapped up this evening. Have been catching up with typesetting, posting pix from Jibba Jabba @ the Fringe and checking out some Porky the Poet aka Phill Jupitus stuff online. Listened to the new Sinead O’Connor album and Disintegration by The Cure. Good to see Kirsten Luckins’ slam clip onto BBC website. Talked to Jen on the phone tonight. Meeting up tomorrow for her birthday. She has a comedy gig at the Dog and Parrott in the evening. I have been eating crisps and other junk today. Haven’t exercised since my visits to Edinburgh. Need to get back to regular routine asap.

11.21 pm.

Tuesday 19th August 2014

Wheezing a little bit last night. This morning I pulled out the bed, moved all the writing files, all the old music mags, business documents from underneath, cleaned the skirting boards, hovered thoroughly, stripped the bed and put on a brand new duvet cover. Hopefully tonight will be hassle-free sleep. Weather is shit again. No good for longboarding. No time for it really. Got all my documents to new employer. Need to give thought to Waddy course content. I put some writing guides in my bag but haven’t looked at them. Full belly of food at The Goose tonight. Comedy gig was cancelled so me and Jen went to The Centurian for Simma’s open mic music night. Lots of Oasis, some Beatles, Tracy Chapman, Lindisfarne, Ash, blues – allsorts covered by a bunch of talented blokes. No female musicians though. Amanda, Leon and Stef out tonight. Police on Redheugh Bridge. Seems there’s always someone who thinks life isn’t worth living. 11.26 pm.

Wednesday 20th August 2014

And about time too. Great to watch two new programmes about 20th century poetry: Pound, Elliot, Graves, Smith, Auden, Larkin, Hughes, Betjeman, Ginsberg, McGough, Heany, etc. Need to soak myself in poetry again. Uploaded my Jibba set to YouTube. Thought if I post this it will stop me relying on ancient pieces so much in future performances. Must go to bed early this evening as I have a ten o’clock workshop tomorrow with Consett Writers. If the weather holds out I’m going longboarding tomorrow evening. Think I’ll read in bed for a while. But first another mug of hot lemon.

10.19 pm.

Thursday 21st August 2014

Excellent session at Mind. Writers got two gig sets sequenced for next Thursday’s mental health awareness day at Stanley Civic Hall. Good to get out on the longboard this afternoon. People are always positive. Gave a kid a go and he loved it. This evening I spent ages looking for a notebook with lists of old poems I wanted to use for a retrospective hardback. Had very enjoyable two hours sifting through old small press publications. Haven’t been at the computer for a few hours. Haven’t eaten much today. Not hungry. No public appointments till next Thursday. Hopefully get some work done. 11.40 pm.

Friday 22nd August 2014

Lots of backlash online after LA Weekly column of one Mister Henry Rollins about suicide. I still think he’s a powerful catalyst for positive action but not everyone has his gung-ho attitude to endurance. Whether his comments are damaging to his own future remains to be seen. Was good to find more poems for my retro book. Have over a hundred published but uncollected poems from which to assemble another volume. Haven’t been outside. Was going to cut grass but rain started. Listening to The Cure and trying to fend off a cold. Think it’s time for another cheese sandwich. Hope I can keep the weight off this autumn. 10.40 pm.

Saturday 23rd August 2014

Wanted to get grass cut but rain stopped play. Spent most of the time selecting, editing, scanning poems and prose. Been listening to lots of Lou Reed this evening. Not eating as much as usual. Busy week ahead. Hope I’m okay. 10.59 pm.

Sunday 24th August 2014

Old Hank apologized for his LA Weekly column yesterday. Mixed opinions on that still coming in. I’ve spent most of today scanning more pages and listing all the possible material for next book project. Still a few more things to get into the computer then the selection sequencing can begin. Lou Reed on Spotify all day. Wish I’d seen him play. 11.20 pm.