Porlocked Woke up at 3:00am to the sound of a small tractor. Downstairs I found a leaves had choked the pump and filter system of my aquarium, having taken the filter apart and repaired matters I found myself staring bleakly at the ceiling for a couple of hours. A dusting of snow on the rooftops first thing, and then it snowed off and on all day without settling, unlike most of the country. The jetstream running west to east over the Atlantic has kinked northwards, and so is dragging Arctic air down to temperate climes bringing the earliest snow I can remember. I got down to reworking the Doppelganger libretto building on what I'd started after conversations with Matt, which took most of the day. We're trying out the idea of adding more voices into it. Porlocked twice by two sales people from a mobile phone company. The first time having torn myself away from my desk I found they had walked off, the second time one said once I'd opened my door. "Are you okay?" whi...
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Brighton Bradbury Lorraine and I both hard at work this morning. Me in the closing stages of the Doppelganger piece, and Lorraine preparing for her interview which is 9:00am tomorrow. Also discovered another surviving neon and saved this. The neon massacre took four souls. Of the two survivors one looks as if it might pop its flippers at any moment. Off to the Shakespeare's Head for a quick bite of lunch and a chat with Matt and John. Prompted by Lorraine, Matt and I may do more of This concert will fall in love with you around Valentines Day. I have a feeling next year is going to be rather busy. After Lorraine left for home clutching surviving neons and to do more prep for tomorrow, I was left feeling rather antsy. Walked down to the sea and a stroll on the pier. Chilly and it being a Sunday night the funfair was closed. Dark with a full moon above and I enjoyed ghosting about by the ranks of parked dodgems, the closed Haunted House, rollercoaster and so on. I saw a figure with ...
Nice as pie Feeling happy again. Rather worn out, but definitely happy. And yippee! Suddenly the end is in sight for the first draft of the Doppelganger piece. Obviously Matt's not seen it yet, but I am quite pleased with myself. Now seeking a killer title for it. Did some French work in the afternoon, writing copy about Christmas holidays in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Have nicely been promised a bottle of Blanquette de Limoux by Alex for putting her in touch with Betsy. Evening at Lorraine's house where I was fed an extraordinarily good fisherman's pie. The fisherman clearly not happy about this. Lorraine and I slouched happily on the sofa to watch a DVD of Julie and Julia, which to my surprise I heartily disliked. One of those movies where the fate of every character is a matter of supreme indifference. The evening enlivened by Mark having been offered a job at Riddle and Finns fish restaurant, and both were fed with oysters and nice boozes as a consequence, arrivi...
Come the glorious day Checking my bank account this morning to find tax rebate had appeared. I blessed my accountant Seana's little tigerprinted socks. The French however, have only managed to pay a third of what they owe me, the rest will come 'later this week'. I have sent about 20 emails about this already, had various conversations etc. Their lateness is due to inefficiency, not malevolence however. Hamstering at the gym earlier than usual today, listening to Stalin ate my homework . Louisa, one of the Twittenites , shaking her head from inside a taxi as I crept home, saying I looked exhausted. Home to work on the doppelganger piece: and was rewarded with a major breakthrough, and a fresh direction now seems achievable. In my interview for Guernsey's Island Ink I said something about turning up at your desk regularly and inspiration will come. I felt vindicated. On that note I heard back from the editor Gabi, who was delighted with my piece. In the evening off to...
Leafless A bit of a struggle on all fronts today. Writing like pulling hens teeth, and putting me in mind of John Keats: That if Poetry comes not as naturally as the leaves to a tree it had better not come at all. I am questioning the whole business of the Doppelganger. It is not enough to set up a situation dramatically where a Doppelganger exists and the whole dilemma is about whether the protagonist is having a breakdown or not. This is the territory of Dostoevsky. Conrad in The Secret Sharer (Toby made me read it) is more deftly handled but still ultimately you are left with the same question. My Doppelganger poem published in Iron magazine years ago Someone-else's patch was more about the overlapping claims on territory. This gave it a slightly different edge. But I think Matt and I need a fresh take. Went to the gym where the psychological and overall fitness benefit outweighs the knee gyp. Home to send wrangling emails to hasten a long overdue payment from the French. I a...