Sunday to Sunday (Big Week Off)

Sunday 3rd April 2016

Tried to lie in but woke early. Read some of Jeff Miller’s Ghost Pine zine then keyed in some notes. Been working slowly and surfing the net as well. Listened to The Minutmen, Hanoi Rocks and Hole. Finished off Jeff’s zine and keyed in morning pages. Knocked off for tuna and scrambled eggs. Checked out some zine vids and a bit of Sonic Youth. Watched the final episode of Thirteen, bit of Facebook then bed. 11.38 pm.

Monday 4th April 2016

Today I’ve been thinking about risks in writing. How far do you go and what things are way off limits? I often joke with students that I could easily give Catherine Cookson a run for her money, but it’s not my place to air other people’s dirty laundry in public. Even if I am related to them. I went out for a walk down to Allensford whilst mulling this over. I took a look into the A68 entrance of Castleside Quarry on the way. Concrete pipes, big cable reels and tractor tyres for the mototrials guys to ride. A few years ago comedian Ross Noble, who is a fan of the sport, came for a training session while on tour. I used to ride the sections up on top almost every day about a decade ago, maybe a bit longer. When I got home tonight I tweaked the last line of a Facebook post to erase what I carelessly revealed this morning. I prostitute myself emotionally in almost every poem I write, but should let others tell their own stories. 10.56 pm.

Tuesday 5th April 2016

Woke with a throbbing headache and feeling dizzy. Probably coz I dind’t eat enough. I’m no good at diets. Most of today I’ve been working on my ANOMALIES book. I have over three hundred pages of poetry and prose but need to get the balance right. Over half the material spans four fifths of the timescale. I have a load of marathon texts from 2013/14 but would prefer not to edit any additional material for the book. It’s been good to be at home all day. I watched a terrible film called Ghost Writer this evening. Just very dull and tedious. I thought it was supposed to be a thriller, turns out it was a comedy horror – a genre I don’t like very much at all, except for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’m working through my thirty days of writing prompts rather than the NaPoWriMo. But only a couple so far are to my liking. 10.30 pm.

Wednesday 6th April 2016

Queue in the bank was just as long this afternoon as it is on a Thursday morning. I have enough money in the business to last me until about July if I go steady. But there’s a good chance that I might earn quite a bit more before then. There’s also a chance that it might just all go to the wall.

   I got some queries in for paperwork from the college this afternoon. Was going to look at it but thought, No, I’m leaving it till Monday, this is my week.

   On the bus to Newcastle I read two weeks of morning pages from January. I’d forgotten most of it and can definitely use some for a journal book next year. Been methodically keying in the pages daily since New Year with this in mind. Every year I say I’m going to keep on top of the big journal and always get sidetracked. This year will be a transitional year for me and I want to record it.

   I took a look at the music magazines in WHSmith. Neurosis are on the cover of Terrorizer. I was made aware of them through their 2005 collaboration with Jarboe (Ex Swans). She played a gig with them at the Forum in Kentish Town in December that year and they were colossal. Can’t remember if I’ve seen them since… No, just Jarboe.

   Tonight is the 10th Anniversary of Red Squirrel Press with new books from Kathleen Kenny, Joan Johnston and Tom Kelly. I’ll be there in an hour. Jenni mentioned The Goose carvery yesterday, but she’s not too well today.

   The NaPoWriMo prompt today is about food. A lot of the prompts that are coming up this year are on themes I’ve already done: cruel month, family album, food – all these are in ‘Laughter to Split Glass’ from previous NaPoWriMos. I don’t feel the need to repeat this year. I’m going to have a wander along to Paperchase and HMV then hit the Lit and Phil. Ok. 5.46 pm.

Tonight I had an eat4less Cajun chicken and chips with a can of Apple Tango. I really want to get some apple doughnuts from Tesco but that’s a big no-no. If I don’t take it easy my belt buckle is going to blow. I’m concerned about all the pies, the fries and other big calorific intake these days. But in a few weeks I’ll be turning cranks on the big Rockhopper bike. I need to get fit. Not just sit in fast food places scribbling about my expanding waistline. 5.56 pm.

Absolutely splendid Red Squirrel Press evening. Mint entertainment from the three poets Joan, Tom and Kath. And surprise guests Lisa Matthews, Peter Mortimer and Ellen Phethean with special tribute poems for Sheila. Then drinks at The Bridge after much cheese and cake. 45 bus home after many anecdotes. Great night. Great press. Bigly thanks to founder and editor Sheila Wakefield and all the Squirrels. Awesome! 11.29 pm.

Thursday 7th April 2016

Wasn’t out of bed till eleven but awake, writing and reading by eight. Enjoyed new poetry collection The Bed-sharers by Kathleen Kenny. Very engaging poems. Particularly Census 2131 – no-one fills it in, leaving future generations to ponder about lives of their predecessors. On the Bridge – about the deflatable man. And the very necessary I, Plagiarist. Last night’s set from Kathleen didn’t feature any of these but the ones she did read were very funny. It was one of her best readings and it’s a great book. Deserves re-reading – lots! Was out fairly sharp this afternoon in order to get into Durham for five before Waddy staff left. Bus was late due to a diversion following a road accident, but got there eventually. Knocked up another copy of the Colour your Life anthology for Ali Lee and did the events round-up for Poetry Jam. Had my chicken balti and rice for tea. Drank a load of Ribena and rehearsed some poems for the gig. I did Cantankerous April, Love Poem (The Goose), I ran barefoot. Then in the second half Physio, City of Indifference and Jaywalking Zombies. All the guests were good and some cracking open floor poems. NaPoWriMo and marathon writing featured a lot. Got a lift home off Fergus. 11.30 pm.

Friday 8th April 2016

Rather lethargic today. I wrote a longish piece in morning pages for my thirty days prose writing challenge about a book I love – took ages to key in today’s and yesterday’s notes. Been so distracted with political shit and hunger. Haven’t been out to buy proper food yet and I’m not used to the lack of a sugar rush. Eggs, bread, peanuts. Found half a tin of beans in the fridge which sweetened things up. There’s some chocolate, but only Jenni can eat that. I’m trying to cut down on living expenses. House really cold today, so had heating on. There’s always the threat that the boiler might pack in. I’m trying to stay well within budget this year in case of emergencies. Was good to listen to Sleater Kinny and blast from the past Doctor and the Medics. The latter do a cracking version of Dead or Alive’s You Spin Me Round. Finally got the Poetry Jam pix up. Computer really slow tonight. Want to watch a goth documentary before bed. Thought Cameron would be gone by now. 11.43 pm.

Saturday 9th April 2016

Morning pages, read Tom Kelly poems, walked into Consett for food supplies. Back home: keyed in some notes then got the bike sorted for a ride over to Jen’s place. Rain started just before I set off but was determined to press on. Took nearly a hundred minutes to get there coz I’ve not ridden since early January. Had a shower and rest then out to buy pizza and chips. Laughed at BGT and bad mimes from the Boney-M guy on TOTP from 1978. 

11.10 pm.

Sunday 10th April 2016

Up quite early for a Sunday. Wrote a piece about me and Jenni then went to Newcastle. We had an eat4less baguette lunch then mooched around the shops for a while. Saw some new zines in Travelling Man. Checked out the Leonardo da Vinci drawings at the Laing then walked back to Bensham. Jenni made us chilli and chips. Took nearly two hours to bike home. Big soak in the bath, fruit supper then bed. 11.17 pm.