Broken Chair

Monday 28th August 2017

Bank holiday – can’t get anything done requiring office hours interaction. You can only stare at your own manuscript for so long before you start changing things that don’t need to be changed, whilst remaining completely oblivious to things that require attention. Jenni picked at some punctuation for me. Took about two hours to insert changes into an instructional corrections list. Still one poem to fix and I’m not 100% sure about some bits of punctuation even now. We watched a programme called IN SOLITARY on C5: a challenge to forego human interaction for five days – no social media, family, friends, radio, tv, etc. But art materials, paper, pens were allowed. Fuck’s sake! People pay good money for that sort of retreat. 11.40 pm.

Tuesday 29th August 2017

More focus on ‘Laughter To Split Glass’. Jenni proofread the book. It’s nearly there. Very sleepy this evening. Looked at Emilie Autumn’s ‘The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls’ book. I got a first edition in 2009. Deluxe A4 hardback, full colour glossy pages with graphics, photographs, typewriter font and handwritten text. Still haven’t read it. Coming to the end of my summer break and it’s been anything but - lots of hard work. I’m facing some sort of awful conventional job if things don’t pick up soon. 11.45 pm.

Wednesday 30th August 2017

Pretty stressful day. Jenni has been listening to my woes and offering advice. Over to Appletree in Meadowfield for one-hour workshop this afternoon. A2Z warm-ups and group character sketch. Then Durham library to check messages and copy up notes. Chicken and mushroom pie with lush chips for tea. Over to Pop Recs Ltd in Sunderland for punk lecture. Totally different crowd in tonight. Dr Naomi Griffin (bassist for Durham based group, Martha) talked technology, social media and DIY ethics. Then a bit of a group composition led by Jennie Brewis on an iPad: drums, guitar, bass and found sounds. Think I fell asleep on the bus home. It’s a hellishly long journey. Jenni waiting up for me then went to bed. I checked messages. Feel a bit deflated. Bummer. 11.30 pm.

Thursday 31st August 2017

Think the book is finally done. But I’ve said that before. Jenni went home first thing this morning to get sorted for her Lindisfarne Festival weekend. I sat at the computer on my broken chair and worked out an itinerary for my library visits. You can send someone a PDF and say please print this out and stick it on your wall, but I think there’s a chance it might get overlooked. I’m going for more direct action. I’m breezing round County Durham tomorrow, armed with posters and flyers. Need to be up and out the house before eight o’clock. Pretty much done here. Will be in bed soon. 10.10 pm.

Friday 1st September 2017

Thought the whistle-stop tour would make a talking point and it did – on Facebook and in libraries. Ten branches. Took ages to do the first three – South Moor, Newton Hall and Langley Park – but then had a good run of Willington, Crook, Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor, Clayport and Chester le Street. Stalled for half an hour before the final drop in Stanley. Glutton for punishment, I then took the bumpy No 6 double decker to Newcastle which really did, like Mam says, go round by Dipton – and Burnopfield and Sunniside and Wickham. And no WiFi. Eldon Square pit stop for status update then minibus – with no other passengers – to the Centre of Britain poetry slam at Featherstone Village Hall. Great night. Songs from Sam Millington, then five minute warm-up sets from four slammers – me, David Roe, Tony Gadd and Aidan Clarke. After the break a cracking feature set from Scott Tyrrell, then head to head slam. Congratulations to Aidan who took the title with David as runner up. Free taxi back to Newcastle in time for last bus to Consett. 11.23 pm.

Saturday 2nd September 2017

Bank transactions, food supplies and new chair for computer desk. The old one gave up after twenty-six years of service. Listened to Motorhead’s covers of Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and The Stones’ ‘Sympathy for the Devil’. Bit of sleep then Attila the Stockbroker mini documentary and Adrian Mitchell clips. Booked train tickets online for upcoming York gig. 11.14 pm.

Sunday 3rd September 2017

Downing Beechams honey and lemon to stop the lurgy, but it’s got me. Hopefully only for a day or two. Put out a shout for a set of private workshops at Waddington Street this autumn. Sorted guest/s for October Poetry Jam and watched two great music documentaries: Classic Albums – Queen A Night at the Opera; and ‘Lemmy’ downstairs on DVD. Sick of being in front of the computer. Done for today. Or maybe just done for. 11.33 pm.