Contrary As the Bloody Weather!

Monday 30th March 2015

What started off as good intentions seemed shot to shit by seven this evening – but it’s got better. Spent about twenty quid on perzines from the UK and America. But I’m not going to look at anymore for a couple of weeks. Just posted a piece from ‘HOME TOWN SLOG’ on Facebook. I borrowed the format from Jadzia Race’s poem ‘Priorities’. He needs this, he needs that… Pouring rain and high winds, the cruellest month is almost upon us. Forecast snow and floods. Effing marvellous. Got the heating cranked up. Got to curb my spending pretty soon. Never bought so much small press stuff in years. 11.52 pm.

Tuesday 31st March 2015

Got the most absolutely gorgeous perzine from a woman in Illinois today. “Pieces 11 – On Connecting Through Friendships, Letters and Zines” by Nichole Baiel. Every page has some sort of illustration or graphic design to the text layout. Art journal / diary put out as a quarter-size (A6-ish) page chapbook. I got the Slog Volume III keyed in. Not sure I’ll use much. Not doing NaPoWriMo this year. I only get about half a dozen decent pieces out of it each year anyway. I always struggle with writing to order. Loosely interpreted marathon prompts are okay; highly prescriptive instruction manuals on a daily basis I can do without. Too busman’s holiday. I really just want to get some balance to my life. Need a change of activity. House is a tip. Looking forward to biking and longboarding. Listened to the Mission, The Cult and Queen tonight. 11.25 pm.

Wednesday 1st April 2015

Carted a load of paperstock, card and tools to Waddy today. I’m not used to ‘teaching’ bookmaking. We made a paperback each, but only got the signature stitched for a hardback. Covers take a while. Bit ambitious methinks. You really need the whole day and a full set of equipment for everyone. Hammers, magnetic cutting mats, metal rulers and proper Stanley knives… Left forty minutes later than usual. Never mind. Thanks to Chris Blake for the lift home. Pleased to get a lie in tomorrow. 11.05 pm.

Thursday 2nd April 2015

Woke about half four and didn’t get much sleep after that. Up around eight for morning pages. Took ages to do admin and copy-ups. Haven’t touched college work yet. I made up some more mini-zines at Waddy this afternoon. Getting quite swift at it. Poetry Jam was fucking epic tonight. Cracking open floor material, superb sets from Marianne Pownall, Terry Dobson and Catherine Ayres. Good to see everyone getting such a warm reception. We got about thirty quid for the Waddy broken boiler fund. Went for a drink afterwards. Talked to Michael and Rachael and discussed pamphlet with Jane. I really want to get this one done asap. Be good to get it ready for a dummy run by next week. Thought I’d missed the 43 bus to Stanley. But I’m on it now and sweltering. Spring has sprung, apparently. I’ll get a sandwich at Asda then onto the 78A to Consett. I read ‘Voice of Experience’ and ‘Needs’ tonight. Both went down well. Think I’ll do ‘Experience’ at the Great Northern Slam next week, if I can memorize it again. 10.43 pm.

Friday 3rd April 2015

Bank holidays always mess with my natural routine. Have to remember that some places are closed early and buses are Sunday service. Been in town this afternoon for food stuff but ended up mainly buying chocolate for Jenni. Had about an hour afterward to get myself tidied up before leaving for Newcastle. Brought books to read along the way but fell asleep. Got all the Poetry Jam pix up on Facebook. Got an invite from Henry Raby to the Nerd Hut Small Press Expo at Travelling Man in Newcastle next Saturday, eleven till eleven. Definitely going along to that. Ordered two paperback studies of zine culture. Expecting some snail mail on the mat when I get home tomorrow evening. I’m at the Cumberland Arms doing the door for Kevin Gilday’s show ‘The Man Who Loved Beer’. Hopefully a canny turnout . 7.33 pm.

Saturday 4th April 2015

Good show last night. Jenni was happy with the turnout. Nice to meet Kevin and his girlfriend Becky. Didn’t get back to Jen’s till after one this morning. Talking till about quarter to three. Too tired to participate in Chris Harland’s Getting Your Finger Out workshop this afternoon. He had a good turnout and people engaged well with exercises. Me, I’m just burnt out from six workshops a week for the last two and a half months. Was thrilled to find Julia Eff zine chapbooks in Travelling Man this afternoon. Bought “All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues”, but the other two titles available I've already ordered from America. Slept most of the way home. As expected, some more zines on the mat. Just like the old days of small press activity in the nineties. Think I prefer it to the internet. Listening to the Mission as I type this. Must remember to book travel and accommodation for their Blood Brothers show in Manchester next month. Love a little bit of goth nostalgia, me. Think I’ll knock off soon and read in bed. 10.12 pm.

Sunday 5th April 2015

Got a morning pages book stitched up, some admin, emails. Nice bangers and mash dinner then fell asleep. Rice pudding and peach slices this evening, then I wrote a letter to the perzine author who lives in Chicago. Forgot it’s bank holiday tomorrow. No post till Tuesday. I like longhand snail mail letters. Going to do more. Been listening to The Mission. Must try harder at work tomorrow. THANKS: Jenni for messages, Mandy Maxwell for feedback on ‘Needs’. Pioneers Press for posting shots of Julia Eff’s book, P.A. Morbid for DARK MATTER pamphlet launch date. 11.16 pm.