under another sun

Working on the train going up to London, luckily managing to dodge the heavy rain showers. Once at work I found myself a victim of my own speed and creative alacrity today, having finished the work I was hired to do early, I was released back into the wild till mid next week. Went out for a pint at lunchtime with Karam and Slug and an art director who is about to migrate to the Philippines. Also managed to send off the text for the This pamphlet/card/wee book/ will fall in love with you. In the evening availed myself of one or two free drinks in the office. Have enjoyed the last couple of weeks in Tavistock Square, and meeting and working with Fernanda - a genuinely creative art director. Spoke to Bob about Saturday, when Bob, Carl and I are having a long overdue reunion in London. Train ride enlivened by sitting near a young woman ferociously solving a rubric's cube, with her mobile phone as a stopwatch next to her. She was timing herself and regularly solved it in under 20 ...

This concert will fall in love with you I wrote a strange pamphlet during a full moon a year and a half ago, called This book will fall in love with you . I sent this along with some other poems to Matthew Pollard (a good friend of Lorraine's) who is a composer and conductor. Turns out he wants to set some of this to music, and give it a few performance in the Brighton Fringe Festival next spring. We met in The Basketmakers this evening to discuss the project, and after an hour or so were joined by Lorraine. I'm very excited by the prospect of performing again, and this time with wonderful new music. These conversations conducted amid Halloween revelries. This being Brighton, at least a third of the people you saw wandering about on the street or in the pub were dressed as ashen faced zombies, mummies, or had weapons protruding from skulls, or there were those who were just liberally splashed with fake blood. Only one person really caught my attention, before it was dark even. ...

Waiting for that Friday feeling Slightly fraught today and not feeling very Fridayish, lining up meetings for next week, and struggling with my Skelly story. Also recieved a rejection for my pamphlet project, although an extremly kind and nice one. Spoke to Mum too, who I will stay with next week before she goes to hospital. Also saw Anton briefly, as he dropped a book about norse mythology round (as I have been thinking lately about Yggdrasil ) just as I was leaving the house. We walked into town, chatting and I went off for a pleasant swim. We'll catch up properly tomorrow. In the evening, I walked up to see Lorraine who cooked a healthy supper. Drank beer, which - though bad when it comes to belt tightening - was big and clever and finally made me feel like Friday had arrived. Ended the evening losing badly at Uno with Lorraine, Beth and Mark.

Flying Started monday morning with a laugh, as I got some hilarious feedback from Joan on The Pamphlet, who felt like she had been held hostage by it, and not in a good way. People's feedback has been incredibly useful and diverse - but never neutral which I guess is a good sign. Otherwise a quiet day, full of satisfying work, followed by a bracing seaside walk. Talked a lot on the phone today, including to my old schoolfriend Shaila. She sent me some stories her son had written at school. The boy clearly has the makings of a really good writer. Below had a chat with Sophie today, and sent her some photos I took of Christof and Electra. Painting out the wires was fun.

Full of moon Awake early in Strand on the Green with my brain a hive of ideas. Dressed, I decided to make an early break back to the seagulls. Coat on, I discovered that I had lost my phone. Galling visions of waiting around for the restaurant to open... Pacing about listening to Matt conducing lengthy ablutions then I popped out to First Matie's place and, mercifully she had it. Then a lift from Matty to Turnham Green, then home against the tide of commuters, bumping into Reuben at Victoria. Home and to work. Saw Lorraine briefly in the afternoon, as she is on half term. Otherwise I worked like a madman possessed today till 10:30pm with a new and easily executed idea (codename: The Pamphlet) which is either certifiable or utterly brilliant. Not decided yet. Was half hoping to see the eclipse of the full moon, but after a week or so of crystal clear nights there was an annoying blanket of cloud cover. I expect astronomers up and down the country were grinding their teeth, and stamp...