If You've Ever Fancied Working in A Printshop...

Saturday 23rd May 2015

Had to endure turgid song after turgid song on television, but it’s okay – fortified myself in the opening minutes by reading a John Lydon interview on Jenni’s laptop. Picking at my feet in the bathroom infinitely more pleasurable than Eurovision. Thank fuck for BBQ Pringles and carrot cake. The votes are coming in. Who will win? Who cares, it’s dreadful! Jenni thinks it’s funny. It’s like watching the budget speech when you’re seven and wanting kids tv. Just awful. Anyway it’ll soon be suppertime. 

10.30 pm.

Sunday 24th May 2015

Much needed lazy day at Jen’s. Watched a load of Tales From The Darkside. Mostly quite enjoyable. Then Columbo. Then Frost. We had pizza, pasties, scones, shortbread and yoghurts. Tonight I read bits of Julia Eff on the bus. Pleasant walk back to Moorside. Checked the emails. Big edit jobs on various publications this week. Could do with not going outside for a while. 11.24 pm.

Monday 25th May 2015

Okay, so Bank Holiday and the start of half-term week. So that means more work, not less. Tweaking text, proofing three booklets this week. I checked my records: intended to have my own retrospective volume available by end of February but that will have to go to the back of the queue. And my duplex laser printer is starting to act up – streaks, scuffs, fade out across the bottom of a landscape double page – bastard! Still, it’s good enough for preliminary copies. Was hoping to be printing final runs at Waddington Street Centre this week, but I’m hitting glitches here and there. Still waiting on logos and acknowledgements. Moan, fucking moan… Hopefully the graft will get me where I need to be. Anyway, it’s getting late – food required and more liquid. Then off to bed. 11.29 pm.

Tuesday 26th May 2015

Well, just when I thought today couldn’t get any fucking shitter. Just been to Griffin Print and told I’ll struggle to get a 60-page booklet stapled. Especially if it’s heavier than 80gsm paper. My shitty duplex laser printer is scuffing up of the reverse sides of booklet samples and apparently, Griff tells me, this is quite the norm. Heavier paper stock and a different ‘setting’ – if the machine has that function? My new machine doesn’t even have a secure feed tray to keep paper stock straight. So how the fuck I’m supposed to get accurate margins is beyond me. Add to this the paper for an important job didn’t  arrive till 1.00pm. And I’m still waiting for feedback on two other publications. It’s a bit of a fucking joke this half-term blitz of the workload. I am out this evening and again tomorrow afternoon at least, then again Thursday morning. So much for catching up. Oh, and to cap it all, I’ve left my fucking tablet plugged in to charge; I wanted it for the journey to Sunderland. Bus is an oven. But hey, I’m alive, I’ll get sorted in due course. 5.32 pm.

Wednesday 27th May 2015

Great time at JibbaJabba II - Return to Sunderland! last night. Well done Katie Yossarian stepping in to do a comedy music set at last minute. Always enjoy seeing Alistair Robinson onstage - thanks for The Bodgers. Strong set from Matthew Macdonald, who came all the way from Edinburgh. And a mint showcase of tough and edgy new writing from headliner Jessica Johnson. A canny crowd and some great open mic. Thanks to Jenni and Kirsten for making it happen. Loving the Jibba Jabba. Keep it going!

Still proofreading first thing this morning. Well, a few minutes after midnight anyway. Late to bed so somewhat knackered when I got up. Paper stock arrived and I managed to get my stuff together for the workshop despite having about twenty other things on my mind. Got book samples printed for Jane and Newton Aycliffe anthology. Feel like I’m getting somewhere. Took them to Griffin Print to be trimmed. Shop shut so I wrapped them in copier paper on the doorstep, wrote a note and posted them. Griff Elliott picked package up just before I left, said I should have them by lunchtime. Pissing rain. Lots of buses diverted as Leadgate bridge is closed for demolition. Walked to Consett, no sign of buses. Got soaked. Did some email stuff at home and made up half-marathon books for Mind session. Watched a John Lydon interview and am now watching a PiL at Glastonbury vid on YouTube. Too tired to do any editing this evening. Will be in bed quite early, I think. But first, a salmon and cucumber sandwich. 10.07 pm.

Thursday 29th May 2015

Today has been another mixed bag. A good workshop. Some more book hassles at the print shop. Embossed paper doesn’t like laser printing, despite claims made on the packaging. I think it will be okay though. Looked at PiL albums in HMV. Enjoyed being in town, despite the fucking cold. Big coat and a Panini to warm me through. JibbaJabba’s fifth birthday was pretty bloody good tonight. Great to see Tom Hollingworth onstage again. His guitar playing is incredible. Toby Thompson got a good response from the audience. John Scott was funny, enjoyed him. Good to see a mini-set by Ian McGregor Hart. I’ve seen Joelle Taylor before at Bang Said the Gun in London but she was bloody amazing tonight. I bought her book. I ate some cake and had lollypops. Ok, Jenni is going to party. I’m going to her place. I’m going to bed. 11.20 pm.

Friday 29th May 2015

Gig finished late, so I stayed at Jen’s place. We chatted late, and again this morning.  I did some pamphlet proofreading on the bus home. Lots of admin this afternoon. Listened to Public Image Limited and started on Home Town Slog type-ups. Too tired to typeset, edit or proofread this evening. Printed out poems for possible inclusion in my next Red Squirrel Press collection instead. There are at least twenty big hitters and another ten that I really think should be in the book and a lot of little poems of about 12 -15 lines to insert where there are blank spaces. Just laying them on the bed has taken a weight off. I can see how the book will have a similar tone to Hypomaniac and Tightrope Walker. No idea on the final selection or running order. But the ball is rolling. Pleased about that. Excellent. Ok. 11.33 pm.

Saturday 30th May 2015

Long lie in this morning reading snippets of Sex Pistols The Inside Story which I won in a 10RED poetry night raffle in Edinburgh a couple of years ago. Good to hear Henry and Heidi podcasts. Been mainly typesetting my own stuff today. Me and Jenni watched Spiderman this evening. Haven’t seen Denis Leary onscreen for years. Good evening of relaxation. 

11.14 pm.

Sunday 31st May 2015

The lunchtime event that Jenni wanted to go to was cancelled so we stayed in to watch three episodes of Breaking Bad on DVD. Had our salmon and baked potato mixed peppers meal and then out to Alphabetti Theatre for five short plays. Some great pieces. Lots to ponder. Thanks to all involved. Chatted to Sky and James afterwards. Proofed the last couple of pages of Jane’s pamphlet again on the bus home then watched Live at the Apollo. Nice one. 11.27 pm.