Seven Days

Monday 22nd April 2019

Only six hours sleep. Got some writing exercises listed just after breakfast. Got Jenni up for half seven. Made her a cooked breakfast then we walked into town for her bus. I walked back to continue workshop prep. Got first lesson plan copied up and second in the folder to deliver tomorrow. Also first draft of Waddy Works 2019 booklet set up. Listen to Tori Amos this afternoon. Dictated three GloPoWriMo poems to android tablet. Knocked off in time to see Sara Pascoe stand-up show. Fell asleep briefly. Snooker on now but I'll have to be off to bed after cheese on toast. 11:29 pm.

Tuesday 23rd April 2019

We had new people join us in the workshop and the material was a bit too advanced for the situation, I think. I read poorly - tripping over words from a Matthew Sweeney essay on suitable subject matter. But second half was great. Hand inked over the purple lettering on Poetry Jam flyers. Read lots of NAKED by Kevin Brooks on the bus. Also read Into the Valley by Colin Will at home. Had chicken jalfrezi and rice; glanced at Kafka; then watched Montage of Heck Kurt Cobain DVD again which is good but I still fell asleep. Didn't see snooker or Newsnight. 11:05 pm.

Wednesday 24th April 2019

Got through quite a bit of admin this morning in bed before breakfast. Then had a wobble, thinking I fucked up the year Poetry Jam started because I couldn't find a flyer from 2009. Luckily the work log from that time set me right, and eventually the flyer surfaced anyway. Got out in the garden and mowed front and back grass in under an hour. Even plucked the awkward bits around the edges. Ate a sausage and veg dinner. Had a run through my gig set for tonight. Read more of NAKED by Kevin Brooks on the bus. A great story about a punk band told from a female perspective. I sat in Eldon Square reading and eating my peanut butter sandwiches then an orange. The Newcastle Literary Salon’s ‘Identity 2’ event was great. I was up first and full throttle through my set. Aidan Clarke was up next and off book. Reuben Blue was good as well. Some great open mic from Pauline and Steve May. Also Ken Creen plus others unfamiliar. Janet Philo closed the night with a poetry set accompanied by her husband on guitar. Thanks to audience and hosts Ben McCloud and Juli Watson. Thanks to Bar Loco. Thanks to John Turner for buying my book. Top night. 10:37 pm.

Thursday 25th April 2019

Didn't get out of bed till eleven after admin then had breakfast and edited some GloPoWriMo poems. Listened to the new Amanda Palmer album but it didn't thrill me. Only ‘Machete’ comes anywhere close to the strength of Dresden Dolls. I gave it a second listen later in the day which softened my opinion slightly but still not really winning me over, which is a big shame because I do like AP and was considering going to see her in Newcastle, but now probably won't. The knock on effect of staying up till half two this morning is I've been slow on workshop prep. Took me till ten this evening to finalise my stuff for tomorrow. Was great to hear the Henry and Heidi podcast about the recently passed record store owner Skip Groff who was hugely instrumental in kick-starting Ian Mackaye’s Discord House record label. Watched Question Time. Haven’t been following latest politics but apparently Tory and Labour still in deadlock. Fucking shambles 11.50 pm.

Friday 26th April 2019

Tesco still haven't got any of their retractable gel pens so I had to buy the fast emptying ones – just a bit of morning pages and the black ink column drops about a centimetre. Workshop was good. Two Trees GloPoWriMo warm-up became a bit of an epic, then character sketch and ‘resistentialism’ exercise. Had a blackcurrant and soda in Wetherspoons then got groceries. Caught in April showers but thanks to Claire Stokoe who happened to be driving by I got a lift half of the way home. Messed about on Facebook for awhile. Tonight I just stayed on the couch with the Kevin Brooks novel. I tried to finish it by midnight but didn't quite get there. Good to be immersed in the world of fictional band Naked playing gigs alongside the Pistols, Buzzcocks, Clash, etc. Well plotted. Before bed I will know how it all ends. 11.53 pm.

Saturday 29th April 2019

Haven't been outside today. Struggled with the Shakespeare inspired sonnet for GloPoWriMo. Read some short fiction and a load of interviews and reviews of Kevin Brooks books. Had a cheeseburger and later a big sausage and veg dinner. Watch Bowling for Columbine. Read some Colin Will stories. Did lesson plan for Tuesday afternoon. Easy night. 10:20 pm.

Sunday 28th April 2019

Woke around seven. Did a GloPoWriMo metapoem similar to one of mine published by Ink, Sweat and Tears about seven years ago. Got my bags packed for the stay at Jen's. Walked into Consett. Nephew Kyle came by on his bike and walked up the hill with me, chatting about recent rides. Got the 45 bus and read the first few chapters of Helen Steadman’s historical ‘Sunwise’ novel based around Newcastle witch trials. Great characterisation. Enjoying it. Me and Jenni went out for supplies then watched snooker for a while. Had cheese baguettes for tea. Watched Diagnosis Murder and TV drama called I Know My First Name is Steven about a seven-year-old abducted in America. Pretty disturbing. 10.47 pm.