under another sun

Not much work to be done, and what there was, slightly directionless. However it became clear that I would at least work until Thursday, (i.e. my four day week). Have the sense that things may be drawing to a close as the agency's workflow is a bit slow. Concentrating on having nice walks at lunchtime, going further along the canal than before. I was rewarded by finding a stretch garden bordered by  wall covered in tiles and what seemed to be historical inscriptions. An older man, who had been tending the trimmed trees, made his way back into one of the houses, and I think it must be one of those ongoing slightly obsessive art projects. The evening good fun. Off to the Marquis, in Bloomsbury where I met some old agency muckers for a few drinks. Great to catch up with gossip in general, and with these folks in particular. Keith back working where he and I did a stint this time last year. Pat in town on various bits of business, Noyala now MD of the agency in Tavistock Square, an...

Final day at last. Sat in the car at Preston Park for a a few seconds with Lorraine to savour the moment before climbing out to the station. A slightly-built policeman marching through the train looking at the passengers, no gun but he had a taser. The country is on maximum alert, just as long as the terrorists aren't too burly we'll be okay. I don't think you can worry too much about this stuff on an individual level, though when things get a bit bomby I find I'm less included to hang about inside St Pancras Station. All our colleagues today worn out with working very late, due to client induced panic. Keith and I were gathered up just as we were about to leave for lunch to present to the regular issue dull but entitled US pharma drone over then phone. Heartily glad this is not a regular feature of my life any more. I felt for the others in the room. Then Keith and I went to the Marquis Cornwallis for a cold beer in the early afternoon, where we met some guys from ...

Listening to Knausgaard, which certainly passes the time. Really enjoying the truthfulness in his writing. It is one of those times when you read something at the right moment for you. I obviously couldn't do any or my work as my MacBook Air is upside down at home drying out, its fate in the balance like the hanged man in the Tarot pack. Clearly I am over-attached to that laptop, but its potential demise simply makes everything difficult. As the fates would have it Keith had been given one at work the previous day, so he had his own and the work one which he doesn't like. I was able to use the work one. We spent the day doing uninspiring things like seeking images on Getty. Lunchtime we went to The Marquis Cornwallis  where we bumped into Slug, and Karam and a couple of others creative chums. Had a single pint with them, then back to the office to brief an illustrator this afternoon. After work, having left Keith to brief the illustrator again, I went back to the same p...

A delicious lightness and sense of freedom this morning on the way to work. Reading Violence by the   philosopher Slavoj Žižek which is quite entertaining. A warm day, and cheerfully anticipating being released back into the wild. Bumped into Slug on the way to work and we arranged to meet up at lunchtime in the Marquis Cornwallis pub near both the agencies. So having sent out a call to the universe for a bit of cash, instead of being let go, Keith and I were offered two months more work. Then we heard the stuff we'd been working on this week had gone down brilliantly with the client, and our stock is high. Keith and I went to discuss our options in the pub and decided to go for it, as this will soothe the Kenny coffer concerns in one hit and Keith felt he couldn't turn it down either. Both of us a bit rueful though as other projects will have to go on hold, such as finishing my blinking book which is so close. Having communicated this to the agency, I went back to the pub...

Final push up to London for the week. Feeling very tired. However an easier day working with Keith, and a Danish woman called Marie, on a new brief. Marie disturbed by our process, a mixture of spleen and wildly hilarious flights of fancy. Heard the work we'd been doing till last night had gone down well with the client, and had rescued the agency from a tricky position. So Keith and I in favour for now. Also contacted by another agency about an interesting writing job in the pipeline. Went to The Marquis Cornwallis for a fish finger sandwich lunch, with a beer. Really enjoyed working with Keith again, although both of us felt ill this week. I don't laugh with anyone as much as I do with him at work. Laughing at lunch, over our fish finger sandwiches. Then afternoon passed slowly, fiddling with a few ideas. Trains delayed again, just missed one at St Pancras, and the next one delayed, and then further delayed due to trespassers on the track somewhere. At some point a person...