Zapped

Monday 14th August 2017

Feel more tired today than yesterday. Keyed in changes to a prose book, but not alert enough to proofread. By tomorrow I should be able to go at that again. I’d like to just keep pruning my twenty years of journals into books and doing readings here and there. Read some memoir stuff and watched a lot of Queen footage. Listened to Jazz, The Game, Flash Gordon, Hot Space, The Works and A Kind of Magic as I keyed stuff in. Too tired to concentrate on much tonight. Keen to just knock off and get to bed. It’s raining and summer’s almost over. 10.42 pm.

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Another six and half hour combing over the manuscript to get the mistakes out. Listened to more Queen albums back to back. Tried to do a workshop plan for tomorrow but too tired and distracted. Will do it in the morning. 11.47 pm.

Wednesday 16th August 2017

Better night’s sleep. Seven hours. Prepped my workshop for today which included cutting three poems printed at 78pt Time New Roman into individual words with a Stanley knife for a cut-up exercise. Session went well. Then back into Durham for an hour, resisting the delights of Paperchase before going over to Sunderland for the third social lecture on Punk DIY culture at Pop Recs Ltd. Tonight Pauline Murray talked about forming 'Penetration' and playing gigs with numerous bands, putting County Durham on the punk map. Indy publisher Active Distribution had loads of great books: one called BARRED about people who have the Black Flag logo as a tattoo. Today’s acquisitions included a pamphlet on Punk and Religion in Indonesia by Howard ZinDiq; a reissued text by Crass called You’re Already Dead; and two perzines by Chris Francz. Grand day! 11.30 pm.

Thursday 16th August 2017

Best laid plans shot to shit. Was aiming to be out all day visiting libraries to drop off posters and flyers for the NCD writing course. Woke with a bit of a headache but thought little of it. Breakfast and a bit of computer work soon gave way to a skull-grinder that had me kneeling at the toilet bowl then back to bed till lunchtime. So I didn’t go anywhere. Except the local chippy for small fish and chips when I felt a bit better. A couple of poets got in touch asking if I’d be at The Stanza in North Shields tonight; they both had printed matter for me. I really wanted to go, but behind on work and not feeling up to another night out after a thirteen-hour jaunt yesterday. Lay on the bed and read ‘Queen Unseen’ by the band’s top roadie Peter ‘Ratty’ Hince. Not just a book about the band, but a warts-and-all life on the road memoir – highly amusing. Only twenty pages to go. Should get it finished before lights out. 11.39 pm.

Friday 18th August 2017

Five hours sleep. Up at half-six then morning pages. Computer on printing out notes to take with me. Cleared my bag of all the debris from the last few weeks and packed up stuff for Jenni’s birthday. Did some bank transactions in Consett then bought wrapping paper and a card. Checked out electrical goods at Boyes, but decided to wait until Newcastle to make my purchase. First a trip to Durham to print out a colour card at Waddington Street Centre. Wrapped up some presents there then chatted with some of the members. Had a chicken rendang dinner and sat with staff for half an hour. Got rained on walking to the bus station. Slept on the bus to Newcastle. Saw Ali Lee outside Poundland and chatted a while then bought a toaster for Jenni. Wrapped it up at the Lit & Phil. At her place just after half four. Went to Tesco for food. Jenni told me all the Edinburgh Free Fringe news. She is well liked there and gets to meet lots of performers I’m unfamiliar with. Had some lentil soup and watched TV. Bruce Forsyth died this afternoon so a tribute programme was on at seven for an hour. Jenni is in Gateshead for her birthday tomorrow then back to Edinburgh on Sunday. 9.13 pm.

Saturday 19th August 2017

Up around half-nine. Jen liked her presents. Books, ‘Queen and Adam Lambert’ ticket, diary, metallic marker pens and carrot cake. Chuffed with the toaster. We went to Never Mind the Ramones #4  at Caedmon Hall this afternoon. Mr Speedy was surprised to see us there and I was surprised Jen liked the electronica of Skin Mechanix as well as the folk duo. One Dollar Zombies were great. Good to see Roadhouse Blues again. And Aaron Wright was on top form with four ten minute sets between the music acts… We have been at The Ship in Ouseburn all evening. Numerous people round the outdoor table buying Jenni birthday drinks. Mark Smith, Ian Waugh and friend, Rowan McCabe’s parents, Steff, Leon and his girlfriend, a few others… Saw some dance performances and great fire juggling as well. Chips after midnight then home, I reckon. 11.27 pm.

Sunday 20th August 2017

Jenni was out for train to Edinburgh at quarter past eight. I got home at lunchtime. Had a cheese sandwich and keyed in some notes. Bit knackered so had more sleep. Did some correspondence then watched a Sex Pistols documentary until internet went on the blink. Good to have a little exchange with Kirsten Luckins about poetry books. Must kick in with full-on editing work tomorrow. 10.35 pm.