Mixed Bag

Monday 9th October 2017

Paperwork used to fill me with dread every Monday. Not too bad now as I’m doing less for college this autumn. But still find formal lesson plans aggravating. Got feedback and notes typed up for Waddy. Read the remainder of Charles Bukowski’s ‘Factotum’: one lousy job after another; one drunken situation to the next. Chronological episodes but zero plot. Whole sections could be omitted and it wouldn’t disrupt the remaining flow. A paragraph for a chapter in some places. Ends with a pretty random scene. Engaging prose, canny dialogue; simple, direct, often funny. But not really a novel…Read and watched stuff on universal credit. Sounds a fucking nightmare. 11.05 pm.

Tuesday 10th October 2017

Tired. Headache. People left Waddy early to avoid school kids on the bus. Was tempted to cut the grass back home but didn’t want to be riving on with a clapped out hover mower when people are returning from day jobs. Don’t like doing it at weekends either. Tempted to go longboarding, but a nagging fear that I may knack myself before the gig tomorrow kept me safely indoors with a big steamed veg and pie dinner then a bit of the Richie Allen Show on YouTube, followed by some typing and an article of good and bad about Bukowski. Read some bit and pieces by a guy called James Altucher and listened to the fantastic Alison Moyet. Looking forward to her gig. 10.20 pm.

Wednesday 11th October 2017

Writing session at Appletree in Meadowfield went well. Bus back into Durham pretty swift. Talked to Nicky at Waddy about gigs and tinnitus. Quick rehearsal before chicken rendang for tea then a walk to the station and lots of scribble whilst travelling backwards on the train. Ten minutes before York the sky turned black. But thankfully not much rain. I’m about an hour early. Could do with a little nap. Gig venue is small so won’t need a mic. 6.47 pm

Thursday 12th October 2017

Highly enjoyable intimate gig at The Speakers' Corner, York in the Golden Ball last night. A bit like performing in someone’s living room in front of the fireplace. Great mix of poetry, prose and song from talented open floor. Lush set of linked poems by Catherine Crocker from her collection ‘Breathing Under Water'. The format of five min open floor slots in the first section, followed by two guest slots in middle section (with time in the next break to sell books) followed by a final round of open floor (one piece per person) including a final poem from each feature guest worked really well. Great to perform alongside some very talented writers. Many thanks to Andy Humphrey for booking me to do a set. And people who bought/swapped books and pamphlets. Great night. If you can get there next month go and see the brilliant Kirsten Apples Luckins. Cheers!

Stayed at Jen’s. Chatted early this morning while she got ready for work. Then I went back to sleep for a couple of hours. Stayed at her place copying notes into my blue transit book. Flicking through I found a short untitled piece from earlier in the year that grabbed me. Typed it into Facebook at lunchtime. Great response so far. More work after soup then back to Consett. Bank transactions and cut price cakey supplies from Barry’s Bargain Superstore. Watched biketrial videos this evening, cursed at the ten o’clock news and posted a paragraph about last night’s gig. House is really cold. Won’t be long till winter: hats, gloves, slanket. Fuck it. Bedtime. 11.26 pm.

Friday 13th October 2017

Best intentions shot to shit. Little done save witnessing a rather messy episode on social media. Tired, worn out, cursing coz somehow I’ve let a whole day slide – whereas Jenni seems to be having a good time at work. I listened to the Cruxshadows and watched an Emma Thompson interview about Harvey Weinstein. Also checked out some lush monographs and pamphlets from X-Ray Press. Too fatigued to key in blog post. No further forward with Anomalies. Went to the shop and was surprised by the amount of people milling about. Shop assistant says to some kids: ‘If you’ve got no money get out.’ Been eating all the bad things: crisps, cake, chocolate, jam tarts, fizzy pop… 10.33 pm.

Saturday 14th October 2017

Goth Weekend at Live Theatre was brilliant. From the opening moments with Jess Johnson belting out Spellbound to the final touching goodbye I loved every minute. Hilarious and poignant. A story about identity, family, lost loves and strange new relationships. Great musical references. The Cure, The Mission, The Cramps, Bauhaus, The Damned, Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy… ‘This was written for you!’ Jenni laughed, at the cheeky mention of Toyah Willcox. Ali Taylor really did his homework. The whole cast was great. Jess came to talk to us just minutes after the play finished and was chuffed we liked it and thought it faithful to Goth culture. Steve Dayton from BBC Radio did an alternative eighties DJ set afterwards. Danced like an idiot. Thanks to Jenni for this wonderful treat. 10.49 pm.

Sunday 15th October 2016

In bed till after eleven. Morning pages by twenty to twelve. Sat on the futon watching crime dramas with Jenni. Good to see another excellent episode of Cracker. Multi-millionaire asking for investment on Dragons’ Den; what’s that all about? Just retire and live off your savings, you fool. Read Reckless Chants #24 by Jessie Lynn McMains on the bus home. 11.24 pm.