Sunday 1st February 2026
Strange being in Consett on a Sunday. I pulled together ideas for the next Waddy session, had lentil and bacon soup, then attended Lorraine Weightman's “Good Company” book launch. She introduced herself and the novel very well. The cafe was packed. I read twenty or thirty pages this evening. If the temperature is okay tomorrow I might get out on the bike. 11.42pm.Monday 2nd February 2026
Productive day. Sorted my set lists for the Meet the Author gigs coming up mid-month. I prepped a visual translation exercise for Waddington Street Centre and gathered materials for a visual display of recent writing in Carmen’s and Josie’s “Change the Story” sessions for Wednesday. I've read a little bit more of Lorraine's “Good Company”. I'm a bit tired because I stayed up till one this morning reading “The Glorious Heresies” by Lisa McInerney. This evening the Loop Experience 2 earplugs arrived. Fingers crossed they are good enough to prevent further tinnitus damage at the Suede concert next weekend. I've done physio, had my chicken dinner, and doom scrolled. Maybe I should have called Tuppenny Chinwag DOOM SCROLLER. Anyway, I'm almost done. OK. 10.37pm.
Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Missed my chance on Sunday to get a bike ride. I'm busy pretty much all this week. Really enjoyed the workshop today. Did thumbs down and thumbs up, gratitude lists, love and hate, reshaping free verse, and visual translation of poems from a foreign language. Three people in with me. The bus to Gateshead was too loud. Too snotty. And a bit chilly. I bought some black jeans from a charity shop for a mere 75p. A few white specs on the left leg, which I blotted out with a marker pen, but otherwise okay. Me and Jenni went to see 'Is This Thing On?' at Vue Cinema tonight. It’s a comedy loosely based on the early stand-up journey of John Bishop. Quite good, but I would have preferred less on the relationship and more on the comedy. Steak pie and nuts. Watched Richmond the Goth in IT Crowd. Very warm in the attic. OK. 11.33pm.
Wednesday 4th February 2026
Up quite early. Jenni kindly sorted more updates on my mobile device. I got a £7.50 ticket and two buses to Durham. I replenished handouts and sorted stuff for Carmen’s and Josie’s “Change the Story” workshop. I made a few changes to my poem. But found the art room just too noisy to concentrate in. I’m not very good at working around chatter. I had a tiresome bus journey home. Baked potato with tuna and BBQ beans for tea. And a sweet mince pie. I found more colour images tonight for Friday’s workshop. Then I doom scrolled for a while. I’m concerned about work being carried out on the roof of the adjoining property. I can’t really afford to get a new roof. I wonder how bad mine is. I’ve been here over three decades. I listened to a bit of Jarboe tonight. OK. 10.21pm.
Thursday 5th February 2026
Didn't get much done this morning. Hung around waiting for someone to pick up a consent form for building work taking place next door that might affect my property. I got the 1.15pm bus to Waddy. Rehearsed all the poems for the two Meet the Author gigs I'm doing later this month. I've ditched a couple of pieces that are no longer needed for continuity. I'm adding Abracadabra to set two. I'm chuffed with the way it's going. I need to pull another workshop together for next Tuesday but I'm okay. Great Poetry Jam. Top open floor people and great sets from Ross Punton, Helen Wilko and Andy Willoughby. Andy asked five open floor poets to be backing vocalists on his final poem. Ross is getting more confident. Helen did well to overcome technical issues and read a poem about me. I'm still at Waddy. About to eat a Pot Noodle then run for the last bus. OK. 10.51pm.
Friday 6th February 2026
Hardly any sleep last night. Didn't get to bed till after twelve and woke again by half six. Quick pages then porridge. Out the house by twenty past eight. Roadworks in Stanley knocked me back by about fifteen minutes. So I was late getting to Chester-le-Street. Then I needed the toilet and had to buy something for lunch, so I missed a connection to Washington. The workshop went really well. Nine people in and the translation exercise was a winner. I asked Nicola Spain if she'd like to take the opening guest slot at Poetry Jam next month. I’m delighted she said yes. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. Me and Jenni watched Michael McIntyre show and Inside No 9. Jen made some spice bags for tea/supper. I read some Rachel Hewitt essays online. OK. 10.32pm.
Saturday 7th February 2026
Seventy-minute walk in the pissing rain looking for the Barbican Centre in York. Suede were great. I stood by the back wall for a while then moved forward. Great mix of old and new songs. No ‘Wild Ones’ but they played 'It Starts and Ends with You'. Also excellent 'She Still Leads Me On'. Brett Anderson is really energetic. Great crowd. Back at the train station by eleven. 11.17pm.
Sunday 8th February 2026
Slight increase in buzzing in ears this morning, which should go back to how it was before in due course. Great to see so much footage from last night’s gig on Facebook today. I’ve been back in Moorside since two this afternoon and haven’t felt able to do anything productive. But a very busy week ahead, preparing stock for the library gigs on 16th and 17th. OK. 11.45pm.
Monday 9th February 2026
Started off feeling a bit knackered. Started off not wanting to do anything at all. But it turned out to be a canny productive day. I got some of my 2023 pamphlet stock replenished. I’ve printed out my set lists large for next week. Had enquiries for two workshops. Started Ann Porro’s pamphlet. It currently runs to 36 pages. My computer is being a pain. Outlook out of action and everything super slow with internet running. Spotify started working again tonight so I listened to three Suede albums back to back. I’m finding the tinnitus level has gone up despite no distorted hearing after the gig. If it stays as it is, I won’t be going to any more rock concerts. Computer being a pain, not letting me close pop ups. Hate it. 11.55pm.
Tuesday 10th February 2026
Slept in slightly after a fourteen-and-a-half-hour shift yesterday. Didn’t get to Waddy until midday. Not much to set up. Got some flyers printed but probably won’t use many. I left a copy of Unruly Eyebrow at Waddy for Josie, who does the graphics for Change the Story workshops with Carmen. My workshop went well this afternoon. The group did over forty pieces of writing in total. I managed ten new drafts. Got the X21 to Gateshead. Me and Jenni stayed in tonight. Greatly enjoyed the new McKenzie Crook series Small Prophets. The story is a bit far-fetched – about a guy who grows homunculi in his garden shed so he can ask them what happened to his girlfriend who went missing seven years ago – but the characters are brilliant. Then we watched a couple of episodes of the IT Crowd. I ate chicken sandwiches, pork pies and oranges. OK. 10.52pm.
Wednesday 11th February 2026
Shitty day. Bus didn’t turn up, so I didn’t get back to Consett before midday, which meant I had to reschedule a meeting and stay in Wetherspoons, avoiding the pissing rain till two o’clock. Then the fucking bus app lied. 3.10pm. didn’t materialise. I should have been home from Gateshead by one o’clock. Instead, it was fucking four. But I’ve written it up a lot better in my phone messages to Tony Gadd and Jenni. Tonight I ate BBQ beans, mushrooms, baked potatoes and beef steak. I bought Jenni a load of sweet stuff for Saturday. I listen to The Beautiful Ones compilation album from Suede and a bit of Amelia Coburn. I did some promo work and responded to Ann Porro about her pamphlet, which I’ll be making this year. Then it was The Living Dead by Suede live from York. Superb. 11.50pm.
Thursday 12th February 2026
Trimmed the replenished pamphlet stock. Inked up more Thirteen Days in May, and sewed up So Much for the Sunshine. Did a session plan tonight for next Tuesday. Been asleep for a while as well. Jenni sent an updated version of my Coming Back to This poster, but Facebook wouldn’t let me replace the original on my recent post, so now it just has two dates but no pic showing what they are for. I’ve uploaded the new pic as a separate post. Stupid tech. I’ve had curried butternut squash soup and a good chilli with baked potato. Now I’m going to have my last Thornton’s toffee. I tried to read The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney, but fell asleep. 11.17pm.
Friday 13th February 2026
Another bookmaking day. Got a few covers glued on So Much for the Sunshine and made up some copies of Final. A roofing company rep asked me if I’d like a no obligation quote for a new roof but there’s no way I can afford it. I had a bit of a gristly steak for tea. The bus to Jen’s place was freezing. But I’ve had a canny couple of days. I’m chuffed to do work on the books. I hope to get a decent turnout for the gigs next week. The Last Leg is on. Political. I’m struggling to stay awake. Gonna knock off soon. OK. 10.54pm.
Saturday 14th February 2026
Happy Valentine’s Day. Jenni got me a Gavin and Stacey book. And I got her a box of assorted cakes, chocolates and puddings. Jenni went to see Punk Rock Factory at NX in Newcastle. I went to see Amelia Coburn at the Common Room in the Mining Institute down the road. We enjoyed our gigs and met up afterwards to get supplies at Tesco. OK. 11.17pm.
Sunday 15th February 2026
Big lie in. Morning Pages. Than a lazy day – scrolling social media and watching vintage game shows on television. Jenni made spice bags for tea: coconut rice, chilli pepper, tomatoes, chicken nuggets – very nice. I came home early to rehearse again for tomorrow’s Bowburn gig. If I go off script, the adlibs are a bit long, but I’m sure it will all be okay on the day. 11.08pm.
Monday 16th February 2026
Started off feeling a bit knackered. Started off not wanting to do anything at all. But it turned out to be a canny productive day. I got some of my 2023 pamphlet stock replenished. I’ve printed out my set lists large for next week. Had enquiries for two workshops. Started Ann Porro’s pamphlet. It currently runs to 36 pages. My computer is being a pain. Outlook out of action and everything super slow with internet running. Spotify started working again tonight so I listened to three Suede albums back to back. I’m finding the tinnitus level has gone up despite no distorted hearing after the gig. If it stays as it is, I won’t be going to any more rock concerts. Computer being a pain, not letting me close pop ups. Hate it. 11.55pm.
Tuesday 10th February 2026
Slept in slightly after a fourteen-and-a-half-hour shift yesterday. Didn’t get to Waddy until midday. Not much to set up. Got some flyers printed but probably won’t use many. I left a copy of Unruly Eyebrow at Waddy for Josie, who does the graphics for Change the Story workshops with Carmen. My workshop went well this afternoon. The group did over forty pieces of writing in total. I managed ten new drafts. Got the X21 to Gateshead. Me and Jenni stayed in tonight. Greatly enjoyed the new McKenzie Crook series Small Prophets. The story is a bit far-fetched – about a guy who grows homunculi in his garden shed so he can ask them what happened to his girlfriend who went missing seven years ago – but the characters are brilliant. Then we watched a couple of episodes of the IT Crowd. I ate chicken sandwiches, pork pies and oranges. OK. 10.52pm.
Wednesday 11th February 2026
Shitty day. Bus didn’t turn up, so I didn’t get back to Consett before midday, which meant I had to reschedule a meeting and stay in Wetherspoons, avoiding the pissing rain till two o’clock. Then the fucking bus app lied. 3.10pm. didn’t materialise. I should have been home from Gateshead by one o’clock. Instead, it was fucking four. But I’ve written it up a lot better in my phone messages to Tony Gadd and Jenni. Tonight I ate BBQ beans, mushrooms, baked potatoes and beef steak. I bought Jenni a load of sweet stuff for Saturday. I listen to The Beautiful Ones compilation album from Suede and a bit of Amelia Coburn. I did some promo work and responded to Ann Porro about her pamphlet, which I’ll be making this year. Then it was The Living Dead by Suede live from York. Superb. 11.50pm.
Thursday 12th February 2026
Trimmed the replenished pamphlet stock. Inked up more Thirteen Days in May, and sewed up So Much for the Sunshine. Did a session plan tonight for next Tuesday. Been asleep for a while as well. Jenni sent an updated version of my Coming Back to This poster, but Facebook wouldn’t let me replace the original on my recent post, so now it just has two dates but no pic showing what they are for. I’ve uploaded the new pic as a separate post. Stupid tech. I’ve had curried butternut squash soup and a good chilli with baked potato. Now I’m going to have my last Thornton’s toffee. I tried to read The Glorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney, but fell asleep. 11.17pm.
Friday 13th February 2026
Another bookmaking day. Got a few covers glued on So Much for the Sunshine and made up some copies of Final. A roofing company rep asked me if I’d like a no obligation quote for a new roof but there’s no way I can afford it. I had a bit of a gristly steak for tea. The bus to Jen’s place was freezing. But I’ve had a canny couple of days. I’m chuffed to do work on the books. I hope to get a decent turnout for the gigs next week. The Last Leg is on. Political. I’m struggling to stay awake. Gonna knock off soon. OK. 10.54pm.
Saturday 14th February 2026
Happy Valentine’s Day. Jenni got me a Gavin and Stacey book. And I got her a box of assorted cakes, chocolates and puddings. Jenni went to see Punk Rock Factory at NX in Newcastle. I went to see Amelia Coburn at the Common Room in the Mining Institute down the road. We enjoyed our gigs and met up afterwards to get supplies at Tesco. OK. 11.17pm.
Sunday 15th February 2026
Big lie in. Morning Pages. Than a lazy day – scrolling social media and watching vintage game shows on television. Jenni made spice bags for tea: coconut rice, chilli pepper, tomatoes, chicken nuggets – very nice. I came home early to rehearse again for tomorrow’s Bowburn gig. If I go off script, the adlibs are a bit long, but I’m sure it will all be okay on the day. 11.08pm.
Monday 16th February 2026
Up at half six to get ready for my Local Author Festival gig. I was at Waddy just after eleven. I was back in Durham bus station by one. And in Bowburn library by two. Took less than half an hour to set up. Very low turnout. Four people. Two of them had been on my writing courses over a decade ago. One was published in our 2008 Waddy Writers anthology. And the other attended a Claypath Library course in 2013. It was good to adlib anecdotes between readings and talk at length about bookmaking. OK. 10.40pm.
Tuesday 17th February 2026
Today was great. The buses were on time. I had one of the best turnouts for a Waddy workshop since I left New College Durham. Exercises I made up last week flowed well and people enjoyed them. I dropped my bags off in Consett Library, then went to Barry’s Bargain Superstore for some cheap cakes, butternut squash soup and chilli. I ate a 72p Walls sausage roll with Greggs spicy wedges for tea whilst standing at a pillar in the Derwent Centre near Boyes. Then I set up my gig at the library. The Lego club was just finishing. My name was on flyers on the table. A woman asked if I was the author. I showed her a handmade hardback copy of Anomalies. She bought Laughter to Split Glass. The gig went well. People asked good questions and I sold £65 of stock. Martin Weston kindly gave me a lift home. Today was great. 11.35pm.
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Not a great day. Probably just comedown off last night. I’ve prepped my workshop handouts for Friday and pulled together a Waddy session for next Tuesday. I went out for an hour on the bike this afternoon. I had chilli and rice for tea then did physio. Tonight I read a few pages of the Gavin and Stacy book that Jenni bought me. Told Jenni about last night’s gig. It would be good to do full shows a couple of times every week. I’m cold now. Tired and irritable. I hope things work out OK for me. 11.30pm.
Thursday 19th February 2026
A bloke tried to sell me a new roof today. He stood on the landing and shone his phone light into the attic hatch and said the wooden beams are knackered, and the roofing lining is shot. He stood in the back garden and said the chimney has no mortar keeping it together. The house is over 50 years old. Do I have to pay £8,900 for a new roof? I’m a scribbler, not a bank manager. “Okay”, he said, “How about £7,000 on a spring deal?” If nearly a quarter of the original price can be ditched in two minutes, was it worth the best part of nine grand in the first place? I have rarely earned more than seven grand in a year. I’ve never spent more than eight hundred in one go. I am not commercially viable. Not many writers are. Not one of my best days. OK. 10.55pm.
Friday 20th February 2026
Today was canny. The buses were all on time. The writing session was very well attended. Ten participants, with some of the regulars absent. I repeated Tuesday’s Waddy session. One-minute sentences, poem cut-ups, character sketches, kennings. I ate cold pasta for lunch and a banana. Alwyn Bathan and I exchanged writing gripes on the ride to Gateshead. Later in Consett, I bought fruit, veg and meat. My house was freezing when I got back. I’m still concerned about the roof. I don’t know if I should be. It doesn’t sag. And any leak it had was due to a knackered ridge tile long since repaired. No tiles are missing. Sure, it looks grotty, but so fuck. I wear grotty clothes. My silver Rockhopper bike is 20 years old. Just because the council upgrades others, does it mean I have to? Maybe I should get an opinion from someone with no skin in the game. OK. 11.52pm.
Saturday 21st February 2026
Bit of a lie in this morning, then a porridge breakfast and change into bike clothes for a little ride on the old Rockhopper. Most of the off-road route was okay but some bits were extremely muddy. I rode down the wood to Allensford and along to the pumphouse, uphill to the top of the slag heaps, then across to Knitsley, back over to Rowley, then home. I’ve eaten a lot of reduced-price chicken. Me and Jenni watched Britain’s Got Talent. OK. 11.05pm.
Sunday 22nd February 2026
Big lazy day at Jen’s. We listened to Paddy McGuinness, then the woman sitting in for Elaine Paige. Tonight we watched Year of the Rabbit – which is hilarious – and the snooker final. Now Gogglebox. I’ve eaten too much food this month. Need to get back to the diet. Big work ahead. OK. 10.47pm.
Monday 23rd February 2026
Energy level is low tonight. Didn’t get as much done as I’d have liked. I got the materials ready for tomorrow’s Waddy session. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to sequence a list of activities on paper, but up to two hours to find items and duplicate them for handouts. During the search I often discover other stuff suitable for subsequent sessions. I made myself an ace chicken dinner tonight. First time using leeks. I am still eating sweet mince pies. I’ve put on a few pounds. My left arm is aching again. I fell asleep on the settee. OK. 11.52pm.
Tuesday 24th February 2026
Go North East gave us a decent bus with good seats. Nothing rattled. I sat upstairs reading a journaling handbook from 1990. At lunchtime I sat in the Waddy staff kitchen and listened to some political discussions about grassroots Labour and how the party is difficult to vote for these days. I won’t be voting for them. I’m getting more cynical about it all. Each party just seems to be playing from the same big corporation songbook. My workshop went well this afternoon. I anticipated an early finish, so I came up with a little cut-up exercise to finish off with, using lines we wrote at the start of the session, bringing it all full circle. I got more supplies at Tesco and Barry’s this afternoon. Then home for another big chicken dinner. Had some doorstep confusion from a BT representative. I don’t like change and will stick with TalkTalk. OK. 10.07pm.
Wednesday 25th February 2026
Procrastination. Awful. Little done. Booked a guest for the April edition of Poetry Jam. Was booked to perform at an acoustic music event in May, which I'm looking forward to. Been watching biketrial clips, extreme parkour, and little bits of wellbeing interviews on Facebook reels. I read a bit more of Defying Gravity – Jordan’s Story, ate baked potatoes with mushrooms, curry beans and tuna, drank loads of apple and blackcurrant squash, and have been out in the twelve degrees sunshine on the old Rockhopper bike. But now I feel a bit of a sniffle coming on. The Wi-Fi went a bit dodgy this evening, but it's okay now. Jenni is raving about last night's Peter Capaldi’s music gig at The Cluny. I'm pleased she had a good time. I've got a few bookings. Need to rehearse new material. OK. 10.37pm.
Thursday 26th February 2026
Up quite early. Greatly entertained by connoisseur of the meat takeaway, Kyle Vs Food, on Facebook reels this morning. My pages are brighter than usual. I edited a lot of entries on the mobile and did some work for Washington writers but got a stinking headache towards the end of it. Had a chicken dinner and a long lie down. Then read Defying Gravity for an hour. I've been snacking on nuts and sultanas a lot. I'm behind in my work. But things are getting better with the milder temperatures. Another month and I should be firing on all cylinders. I need to up the protein intake. I need more meat. I wanted to read some of Clive Barker's Books of Blood this winter. I wanted to read lots of books. I should stay off the mobile device. I've just had cheese on toast. 0K. 11.37pm.
Friday 27th February 2026
Ten minutes to do my evening page or the world might end! Well, not really. It's been a busy day. Negotiating house repairs, working on a Waddington Street Writers pamphlet, and making up a preliminary copy of Ann Porro's forthcoming pamphlet. And of course the Green Party won a by-election. And the fascists are seething. Poor little Nazi boys. Fuck off! I'm feeling pretty good. Jenni haggled a good price on a commercial-use license for a typewriter font for me this evening. And Ann is pleased with the pics I sent of her pamphlet. It's early days and there are always teething problems and tech issues, but we’ll get there. I would like to see the Michael Monroe band at Northumbria Uni tomorrow night, but my ears can't really take it. I've not got much else to say. Just chuffed to be feeling good today. 11.53pm.
Saturday 28th February 2026
Tuesday 17th February 2026
Today was great. The buses were on time. I had one of the best turnouts for a Waddy workshop since I left New College Durham. Exercises I made up last week flowed well and people enjoyed them. I dropped my bags off in Consett Library, then went to Barry’s Bargain Superstore for some cheap cakes, butternut squash soup and chilli. I ate a 72p Walls sausage roll with Greggs spicy wedges for tea whilst standing at a pillar in the Derwent Centre near Boyes. Then I set up my gig at the library. The Lego club was just finishing. My name was on flyers on the table. A woman asked if I was the author. I showed her a handmade hardback copy of Anomalies. She bought Laughter to Split Glass. The gig went well. People asked good questions and I sold £65 of stock. Martin Weston kindly gave me a lift home. Today was great. 11.35pm.
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Not a great day. Probably just comedown off last night. I’ve prepped my workshop handouts for Friday and pulled together a Waddy session for next Tuesday. I went out for an hour on the bike this afternoon. I had chilli and rice for tea then did physio. Tonight I read a few pages of the Gavin and Stacy book that Jenni bought me. Told Jenni about last night’s gig. It would be good to do full shows a couple of times every week. I’m cold now. Tired and irritable. I hope things work out OK for me. 11.30pm.
Thursday 19th February 2026
A bloke tried to sell me a new roof today. He stood on the landing and shone his phone light into the attic hatch and said the wooden beams are knackered, and the roofing lining is shot. He stood in the back garden and said the chimney has no mortar keeping it together. The house is over 50 years old. Do I have to pay £8,900 for a new roof? I’m a scribbler, not a bank manager. “Okay”, he said, “How about £7,000 on a spring deal?” If nearly a quarter of the original price can be ditched in two minutes, was it worth the best part of nine grand in the first place? I have rarely earned more than seven grand in a year. I’ve never spent more than eight hundred in one go. I am not commercially viable. Not many writers are. Not one of my best days. OK. 10.55pm.
Friday 20th February 2026
Today was canny. The buses were all on time. The writing session was very well attended. Ten participants, with some of the regulars absent. I repeated Tuesday’s Waddy session. One-minute sentences, poem cut-ups, character sketches, kennings. I ate cold pasta for lunch and a banana. Alwyn Bathan and I exchanged writing gripes on the ride to Gateshead. Later in Consett, I bought fruit, veg and meat. My house was freezing when I got back. I’m still concerned about the roof. I don’t know if I should be. It doesn’t sag. And any leak it had was due to a knackered ridge tile long since repaired. No tiles are missing. Sure, it looks grotty, but so fuck. I wear grotty clothes. My silver Rockhopper bike is 20 years old. Just because the council upgrades others, does it mean I have to? Maybe I should get an opinion from someone with no skin in the game. OK. 11.52pm.
Saturday 21st February 2026
Bit of a lie in this morning, then a porridge breakfast and change into bike clothes for a little ride on the old Rockhopper. Most of the off-road route was okay but some bits were extremely muddy. I rode down the wood to Allensford and along to the pumphouse, uphill to the top of the slag heaps, then across to Knitsley, back over to Rowley, then home. I’ve eaten a lot of reduced-price chicken. Me and Jenni watched Britain’s Got Talent. OK. 11.05pm.
Sunday 22nd February 2026
Big lazy day at Jen’s. We listened to Paddy McGuinness, then the woman sitting in for Elaine Paige. Tonight we watched Year of the Rabbit – which is hilarious – and the snooker final. Now Gogglebox. I’ve eaten too much food this month. Need to get back to the diet. Big work ahead. OK. 10.47pm.
Monday 23rd February 2026
Energy level is low tonight. Didn’t get as much done as I’d have liked. I got the materials ready for tomorrow’s Waddy session. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to sequence a list of activities on paper, but up to two hours to find items and duplicate them for handouts. During the search I often discover other stuff suitable for subsequent sessions. I made myself an ace chicken dinner tonight. First time using leeks. I am still eating sweet mince pies. I’ve put on a few pounds. My left arm is aching again. I fell asleep on the settee. OK. 11.52pm.
Tuesday 24th February 2026
Go North East gave us a decent bus with good seats. Nothing rattled. I sat upstairs reading a journaling handbook from 1990. At lunchtime I sat in the Waddy staff kitchen and listened to some political discussions about grassroots Labour and how the party is difficult to vote for these days. I won’t be voting for them. I’m getting more cynical about it all. Each party just seems to be playing from the same big corporation songbook. My workshop went well this afternoon. I anticipated an early finish, so I came up with a little cut-up exercise to finish off with, using lines we wrote at the start of the session, bringing it all full circle. I got more supplies at Tesco and Barry’s this afternoon. Then home for another big chicken dinner. Had some doorstep confusion from a BT representative. I don’t like change and will stick with TalkTalk. OK. 10.07pm.
Wednesday 25th February 2026
Procrastination. Awful. Little done. Booked a guest for the April edition of Poetry Jam. Was booked to perform at an acoustic music event in May, which I'm looking forward to. Been watching biketrial clips, extreme parkour, and little bits of wellbeing interviews on Facebook reels. I read a bit more of Defying Gravity – Jordan’s Story, ate baked potatoes with mushrooms, curry beans and tuna, drank loads of apple and blackcurrant squash, and have been out in the twelve degrees sunshine on the old Rockhopper bike. But now I feel a bit of a sniffle coming on. The Wi-Fi went a bit dodgy this evening, but it's okay now. Jenni is raving about last night's Peter Capaldi’s music gig at The Cluny. I'm pleased she had a good time. I've got a few bookings. Need to rehearse new material. OK. 10.37pm.
Thursday 26th February 2026
Up quite early. Greatly entertained by connoisseur of the meat takeaway, Kyle Vs Food, on Facebook reels this morning. My pages are brighter than usual. I edited a lot of entries on the mobile and did some work for Washington writers but got a stinking headache towards the end of it. Had a chicken dinner and a long lie down. Then read Defying Gravity for an hour. I've been snacking on nuts and sultanas a lot. I'm behind in my work. But things are getting better with the milder temperatures. Another month and I should be firing on all cylinders. I need to up the protein intake. I need more meat. I wanted to read some of Clive Barker's Books of Blood this winter. I wanted to read lots of books. I should stay off the mobile device. I've just had cheese on toast. 0K. 11.37pm.
Friday 27th February 2026
Ten minutes to do my evening page or the world might end! Well, not really. It's been a busy day. Negotiating house repairs, working on a Waddington Street Writers pamphlet, and making up a preliminary copy of Ann Porro's forthcoming pamphlet. And of course the Green Party won a by-election. And the fascists are seething. Poor little Nazi boys. Fuck off! I'm feeling pretty good. Jenni haggled a good price on a commercial-use license for a typewriter font for me this evening. And Ann is pleased with the pics I sent of her pamphlet. It's early days and there are always teething problems and tech issues, but we’ll get there. I would like to see the Michael Monroe band at Northumbria Uni tomorrow night, but my ears can't really take it. I've not got much else to say. Just chuffed to be feeling good today. 11.53pm.
Saturday 28th February 2026
I cheated today. I've been awake for about three hours. I picked up the mobile device just to check the temperature, but got distracted and decided to go back over the last year of posts on my Facebook feed. Lots of great things I'd forgotten about – gigs, dialogues, poetry happenings, lovely supportive comments from friends... It's good to take time to reflect on the positives, instead of doom scrolling and spewing negatives.
Today is a fair bit cooler than yesterday. Last night I had my sleeves rolled up and was busy with bookmaking activities till about nine o'clock. Then I took a walk up to The Grove convenience store to post a preliminary pamphlet to Ann Porro. £3.60 first class. £2.00 second class.
Old-school hard-copy small press activity in the nineties was slow but affordable. A few pound coins sellotaped into a card wallet for the latest issue of Scratch or Headlock magazine. The internet is good for lots of things, but has made snail mail ridiculously expensive.
I'm cheating today. I'll be posting my blog long before I do an evening page. Last day of the month. The clocks get set forward an hour in March. Hopefully I'll be able to bike more. I wanted to get out today but there isn't time. I'm not going to Jen’s until tomorrow. I need to be home first thing Tuesday to speak to another man about a roof. It seems you don't have to pay through the nose after all.
Some kid is screeching and mithering in the street and it's aggravating the fuck out of me. How women cope I don't know. I just don't have the patience. I have tolerance for very little...
Yesterday I pulled out a dozen workshop notebooks from last year. A dozen. And that wasn't including January and February. I've got 24 morning pages books plus my evening diary, work log, and gratitude journal. I write for too many words that won't make it into print.
I thought about putting together a hard-copy photo album with captions, bits of poetry and some of Jenni’s witticisms. Poems as well.
I looked through the C2C album earlier. I like it. I think I did okay visually documenting the ride. I also read some of my 'Longer Days and Lighter Nights' pieces written during lockdown. The challenge was to go out for a walk about half an hour before dusk each evening, observing and writing about the surroundings, avoiding any first-person pronouns. I did about eighty nights from the day after the clocks went forward an hour to the longest day in June. I took photographs each day and wrote an A7 page of notes. I posted a few online each week. A whole book of it might be too much. But there are some good image captures and turns of phrase that might make it into print at some point.
I need to plan a workshop for Tuesday. Or, I might just repeat something from a couple of years ago. I've had Wednesday to Friday at home but don't seem to have done much. I keep thinking of new things to work on. I wish I'd had the savvy to publish personal annuals from 2000 onwards. I will never get all the work published. The next official poetry collection will be something of a New and Selected, really. 'Laughter to Split Glass' spanned over a decade of creativity.
I don't think I should bother with breakfast today. It's going to be nearly eleven before I'm back in the kitchen. I usually have dinner around half twelve.
I want to read more of Jordan Mooney’s/Cathi Unsworth’s Defying Gravity book. And some Clive Barker. I want to get out on the bike. It was a good move going to Tesco after posting the pamphlet last night. Enough grub to keep me going till Tuesday.
Busy week next week. Need to get something sorted soon for Mother's Day. Need to prepare a new set for King Ink. I'm thinking of taking the one I used at 'For Better or Verse' last autumn as a starting point, and gradually replacing pieces till I get a new flow. I want to include more prose. Well, more prose-ier than some of my poetry, haha!
The sky looks quite heavy this morning. But not cold enough for snow. Oh and I must remember to make up a new morning pages notebook for March. I'll see how loud the empty can rattles next month.
Anyway, this has been a better month than January. And the next one should see me with increased momentum.
Thanks for reading this far. Have a good one. OK. 10.45am.
Today is a fair bit cooler than yesterday. Last night I had my sleeves rolled up and was busy with bookmaking activities till about nine o'clock. Then I took a walk up to The Grove convenience store to post a preliminary pamphlet to Ann Porro. £3.60 first class. £2.00 second class.
Old-school hard-copy small press activity in the nineties was slow but affordable. A few pound coins sellotaped into a card wallet for the latest issue of Scratch or Headlock magazine. The internet is good for lots of things, but has made snail mail ridiculously expensive.
I'm cheating today. I'll be posting my blog long before I do an evening page. Last day of the month. The clocks get set forward an hour in March. Hopefully I'll be able to bike more. I wanted to get out today but there isn't time. I'm not going to Jen’s until tomorrow. I need to be home first thing Tuesday to speak to another man about a roof. It seems you don't have to pay through the nose after all.
Some kid is screeching and mithering in the street and it's aggravating the fuck out of me. How women cope I don't know. I just don't have the patience. I have tolerance for very little...
Yesterday I pulled out a dozen workshop notebooks from last year. A dozen. And that wasn't including January and February. I've got 24 morning pages books plus my evening diary, work log, and gratitude journal. I write for too many words that won't make it into print.
I thought about putting together a hard-copy photo album with captions, bits of poetry and some of Jenni’s witticisms. Poems as well.
I looked through the C2C album earlier. I like it. I think I did okay visually documenting the ride. I also read some of my 'Longer Days and Lighter Nights' pieces written during lockdown. The challenge was to go out for a walk about half an hour before dusk each evening, observing and writing about the surroundings, avoiding any first-person pronouns. I did about eighty nights from the day after the clocks went forward an hour to the longest day in June. I took photographs each day and wrote an A7 page of notes. I posted a few online each week. A whole book of it might be too much. But there are some good image captures and turns of phrase that might make it into print at some point.
I need to plan a workshop for Tuesday. Or, I might just repeat something from a couple of years ago. I've had Wednesday to Friday at home but don't seem to have done much. I keep thinking of new things to work on. I wish I'd had the savvy to publish personal annuals from 2000 onwards. I will never get all the work published. The next official poetry collection will be something of a New and Selected, really. 'Laughter to Split Glass' spanned over a decade of creativity.
I don't think I should bother with breakfast today. It's going to be nearly eleven before I'm back in the kitchen. I usually have dinner around half twelve.
I want to read more of Jordan Mooney’s/Cathi Unsworth’s Defying Gravity book. And some Clive Barker. I want to get out on the bike. It was a good move going to Tesco after posting the pamphlet last night. Enough grub to keep me going till Tuesday.
Busy week next week. Need to get something sorted soon for Mother's Day. Need to prepare a new set for King Ink. I'm thinking of taking the one I used at 'For Better or Verse' last autumn as a starting point, and gradually replacing pieces till I get a new flow. I want to include more prose. Well, more prose-ier than some of my poetry, haha!
The sky looks quite heavy this morning. But not cold enough for snow. Oh and I must remember to make up a new morning pages notebook for March. I'll see how loud the empty can rattles next month.
Anyway, this has been a better month than January. And the next one should see me with increased momentum.
Thanks for reading this far. Have a good one. OK. 10.45am.
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