Workshops, Gigs, Launches, etc

Sunday 11th January 2015

Slept in till about quarter past ten then scribbled morning pages. Spent the day catching up on notebooks, listening to Toyah and Rollins as I worked. Got round to typesetting some of my writing marathon pieces from yesterday. Some of them are okay. I’ll leave them a while before I decide. Get some distance. 11.26 pm.

Monday 12th January 2015

Day before first workshop of the year at Waddington Street Centre and I’m keying in work from Saturday’s marathon. Usually I’m double-checking everything to get me going into the working week. But I have plenty stuff. Was good to get out to Newcastle for the Red Squirrel Press launch of ‘Sampo: Heading Further North’ by Andy Willoughby and Bob Beagrie plus ‘Gorged on Light’ by P.A. Morbid. The books look good, the readings were engaging. Lit and Phil a superb building. Home by quarter to eleven. Tinnitus pretty bad tonight. At least the hurricane has gone away. Hope to get a decent night’s sleep. Chuffed to be feeling somewhat relaxed. 11.22 pm.

Tuesday 13th January 2015

Got so carried away with my ‘ANOMALIES: 1989-2014’ book project that I almost forgot to mark time today. Waddy workshop went well. Some good ideas shared for future session content. Snow started on way home from Consett this afternoon; I’d stopped off in town for bank transactions and food. Worked up new session possibilities for other places. Packed my case for tomorrow’s workshops and, as already stated, spent the rest of the evening on my book. This one a private made to order hardback – totally hand assembled, no two books will have exactly the same content. Mine will probably exceed three hundred pages but I’ll rein it in and be a bit more selective for anyone who wants to buy one. Probably two versions: 240 pages and 140 pages. Two prices, two binding methods. Pretty excited about it. Hope to have mine ready by the end of February. 11.10 pm.

Wednesday 14th January 2015

Seventeen years to the day since I was sectioned under the mental heath act and diagnosed with bi-polar mood disorder. In recent years I’ve been told I don’t actually have the condition and have never taken medication since. Today I ran a workshop at Cambian Appletree, a hospital in Meadowfield, County Durham – as well as a new term first session at Waddy this morning. Both had enthusiastic participants. I am very fortunate to be in a position to offer my skills and creative support in these environments. I don’t consider myself an expert by any stretch; there are far more talented people out there working full-time conventional day-jobs who can write me under the table any day of the week. Again, I am very fortunate. Seventeen years ago I was sectioned after trying to give a poetry reading on an early morning X70 bus. Now I’m employed to read and encourage others to write, make books. Funny old game, life. 10.21 pm.

Thursday 15th January 2015

Great night at The Stanza. Upstairs at the Chillingham in Heaton absolutely packed with people. Quality sets from David O’Hanlan, Elaine Cusack and headliner Catherine Ayres. Good stuff in the open mic. A real buzz. Well hosted by Mandy Maxwell and Harry Gallagher. Pleased it went so well for them. Was good to hang about and chat to people afterwards. Me and Chris Harland had a bit of a laugh doing a grumpy old men routine that we might do at Jibba Jabba sometime. Weather has been total shit. Again. Gonna have to double bag the pamphlets for tomorrow’s launch. I’m on the 45, two slices of pizza in my belly. Had a lush steak with curly fries today, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Caramel custard doughnut in Eldon bus station. Looking forward to being in the house. Tonight was a great night. 11.31 pm.

Friday 16th January 2015

Hard to stay motivated today. Was late to bed this morning after nocturnal admin for Poetry Jam. House really freezing. Took ages to warm up. Boxed up Chris Harland pamphlets for this evening’s launch. Got major stabbing pain in the chest, but it went away. Spent ages keying in notes, still very lethargic. Rehearsed my set for this evening then bus into town. Quilliam Brothers tea house was great – lovely little downstairs cinema room. We had about 25 people in and shifted almost as many pamphlets. Great sets from Rowan McCabe and Alix Alixandra. Chris was a great host for us, hope I did okay introducing him. He did a mint seven poem set. Lots of people commenting on the quality of the publication. Well chuffed about that. We didn’t leave the venue until almost eleven. Pleased my bag is much lighter. 11.35 pm.