Catch Up

Monday 15th July 2019

Arm and shoulder okay yesterday but aggravating again today. Waddington Street Centre has a computer for me but too heavy tonight, even in a wheelie case. The workshop went well. Character-based poetry from Furniture Game exercise. I read some more of Airhead by Emily Maitlis on buses today. Big sleep at home. My TV aerial is bust but I can watch DVDs. Tonight I fished out KISS Symphony. I’m not a massive fan of the band, have never owned any of their studio albums, but have been aware of them since I was a little kid. Fun to chill out with some stadium rock. Full symphony orchestra in KISS makeup. I’m now watching Newsnight on iPlayer: Brexit, racism, knife crime… I’m not writing much at present; shoulder and back not great. 

11.24 pm.

Tuesday 16th July 2019

By the time I got to Queens Road Surgery this afternoon my arm irritation had died down, after putting up with it for a fortnight. So I looked like a fucking idiot complaining about it. Soon as I left and started using my bag again the pain returned. Watched a video presentation by psychologist Alison Brabban who helped me twenty years ago. Read a bit of Midnight Meat Train by Clive Barker. Looked at the Arthur Machen book (N) illustrated by Stephen J Clark. Watched a 2019 Marilyn Manson concert. 

Then Newsnight. 11.47 pm.

Wednesday 17th July 2019

Good seven hours sleep then biked over to post depot on Leadgate Industrial Estate (spitting distance from the warehouse I worked in for over a decade) to pick up ten copies of my book Laughter To Split Glass. By the time I got back home my right shoulder was in a bit of an uproar. And I got a bit of negative feedback on my highway code, so I wrote this: To the prick complaining that I'm using too much of the road approaching Moorside whilst signalling to turn right with my arm extended, I say: Fuck You! You want me to stay in pedal clipping proximity to the left kerb just so you can hurtle past and take my arm off in the process? You wouldn't attempt to overtake a car turning likewise, but it's okay to do it to a cyclist. May I remind you that your vehicle has just passed a reduce speed sign, your vehicle has an engine and accelerator; if you can't wait ten seconds for a bike to turn clear, then Fuck You! Put a frozen loaf on my shoulder and read the rest of Midnight Meat Train. Transposed all the additional pieces of writing for Anomalies Deluxe. Decided not to use my Theatre Cap-a-Pie journals. Knocked off about half-eight and watched a KISS documentary. Came downstairs around half-ten for Newsnight but fell asleep. Will try to get as much of my book formatted as possible over the next four days. 11.42 pm.

Thursday 18th July 2019

Wanted to work on the book but weather forecast after today is poor till Sunday so I thought I’d tackle the grass coz it was nearing a foot high in some places. Surprisingly, it was doable without much hassle; less pain than carrying a bag of books yesterday. Wanted to do Poetry Jam flyer and event page but was too tired. Read some exercises for magic realism in the National Association of Writing in Education magazine. Then watched Brexit bullshit on Panorama. It doesn’t matter how plainly stated the reality the Brexiteers will just say stop scaremongering and get on with it. Then look for a scapegoat when it all go tits up. I’ll watch Newsnight in a while but the tablet needs to charge up first. 10.25 pm.

Friday 19th July 2019

Spent all morning on the couch looking at Hypomaniac and Laughter To Split Glass. I don’t often sit and just appreciate what’s been done. The books are all I could hope for. The words were meticulously worked but I still wonder how I achieved them. This evening I stayed on the couch with The Princess of Felling by Elaine Cusack and read it cover to cover. What a fascinating and engrossing book about growing up in a north east town: the author's childhood castle, the streets, the shops, the family, friendships and wider culture that shaped her creative life. I was struck by young Elaine’s passion – the exploration of place, the immersion in music and literature; the smarts and courage to connect with teachers, artists and fellow aficionados along the way. There’s a brilliant section about the poet leaving home, becoming a journalist, then decades later returning to the north east and reconnecting with the muse. The passages about her parents and coping with bereavement are very moving. And I hadn't heard the words ‘Dipdoomagazoo’ and ‘Skinshees’ for donkey's years. Great book. Very uplifting. Loved it. 10.12 pm.

Saturday 20th July 2019

Haven’t been over the doorstep. Read a bit more from Airhead then did a seven-hour edit session on the book without end: Anomalies Deluxe. All the text is selected. I still need some photographs to balance final section but chuffed to get through a hundred pages today. Enjoyed listening to the obnoxious ‘Portrait of an American Family’ by Marilyn Manson; and easy listening music of Sara Bareilles. OK. 11.00 pm.

Sunday 21st July 2019

Didn’t sleep so great. Listened to Andrew Marr politics show whilst copying up notes and shaving. Tweaked the Waddy anthology again this afternoon. Planned two workshops. Looked at My Dark Matter and So Much for the Sunshine with a view to using material for future gigs. Wrote a silly Steve Achieves about playing five Kiss albums back to back. 10.42 pm.