4935 - This is the new sheet

Where's Storm Jorge? I thought it would pour down
I think it did last night, but today it's
Been cold and sunny, suitable for goin'
Out for a walk, no rain, not even spits
Popped to the shops, got new holiday bits
And bobs as Prague draws near, some underwear
I needed that - and some good new t-shirts
Also new bedsheets, though those are for here!
Might throw the old one out, the wear and tear
Has made it feel bobbly, can't move around
My feet and legs without slight discomforts
It needs to be super-smooth lying there
Rolling around, enough to bring on spurts
Here come the clouds, darkness sudden, profound

4934 - Intense suspense

I've had another intense day but it's
Friday and I did what was needed as
The weekend loomed, so I can now relax
And am doing so after a few beers
Second night of drinking as I type this
Tomorrow I'll try to resist doing
It a third night, that would be an addict's
Weakness, and I'm rehabilitating
In time for my trip to Prague that's looming
All good, except for coronavirus
Threatening a time that's good for us
Helen's had a blow, one that needs curing
I hope we can grab fun in both our mitts
And our trip provides us with memories

4933 - It's grim up South Korea

Poor Helen's having a hard time, I know
What that's like, but at least at work some things
Are working out, evil is being seen through
And my manager is great, supporting
Me, appreciative of my hard striving
To get things done with no help, that is new
And nice. After work, went to a screening
Of Parasite, the Oscar-winning view
Of class difference in Korea, who knew?
My mind wandered as I watched, but the show
Was worth seeing, and quite entertaining
In the end. Not sure had Helen gone too
If she'd have liked it, but she didn't go
It's ticked off now, and I'm late night drinking!

4932 - Rock n Real

A pleasing day, work went OK, and then
Exercised for the second night running
Press-ups done up from seventy to an
Almost respectable eighty-five. In
No time I'll hit the hundred mark. Playing
The uke soon after, maintained my standards
Rocked some instrumentals and Led Zeppelin
My uke's become a hammer of the gods
Then enjoyed mint-flavoured lamb steaks, no spuds
Sadly, but some spaghetti put in pan
With peas - forgot quinoa - brought to boiling
Point, plus mushrooms. Listening to Real Madrid's
Home tie against Man City. Once again
Will City fail in Champions League winning?

4931 - Groovy gravy

First exercise session on the mat for
Almost a month, it feels like, and it showed
Only managed seventy press-ups - poor
Compared to my usual score - one hundred
Or more. One hundred and ten, my record
But now I'm back in the groove, I'll improve
By later this week, I'm sure I'll have scored
Closer to that level. Experience proves
That practice makes perfect. Like my uke groove
To Marvin Gaye, among others, I soar
With the high notes and swoop to bass notes loud
And low and rhythmic, a sound that I love
Maybe I should play instrumentals, for
Why sing if that just drags down the standard?

4930 - Hideaway

Trying to meet Helen's like pulling teeth
But then it's always been that way, just got
To accept it. It could be worse, at least
I know her and have had some good times, not
Very frequent, though at times it's been hot
Not long now til we go to Prague, but she
Is not responding tonight, trying to set
Up a meeting, seems so long now that we
Last met, exciting, but frustratingly
Rare, but over time there's been some relief
Especially these last few months, but she ought
Not to hide away quite this much from me
Is she afraid, was it imaginary
The things she did and said, what's it about?

4929 - Phone zone

Today just carried on where yesterday
Left off. Of course it always does, but I
Mean adding to my playlist constantly
Even through lunch I didn't stop while my
Soup was cooked and eaten. And by and by
I added more. I'm hungry now because
I carried on so long, that is no lie
Also chatted to Harry. The lodger's
Been helpful with new phone-buying advice
Intended to upgrade my phone today
But he's suggested instead I should buy
One outright, recommending some Chinese
Makes. I think I should wait until payday
But then I'll do it. May not be an I

4928 - The music of the beers

Didn't go out except to Sainsbury's
(Twice), but the main thing I did this evening
Listened to my People playlist, with booze
Then in the early hours I kept adding
More songs as I kept thinking and thinking
Of good songs to add, bed at 3:30
AM, the booze all gone, rehydrating
Adding tunes manically, obsessively
Watched The Man in the Iron Mask, lucky
To catch that by chance on TV, and use
It to learn the story of swashbuckling
In the era of the fourteenth Louis
This weekend I've done just as I was pleased
No pressure, just pleasure, a great feeling

Sat 22 February

4927 - Lisbon Day 4

Another good night's rest in the hotel
Woke Jo withj music once again - The Ruts
Then searched Spotify for new tunes as well
Compiling a new playlist - Hate Their Guts! -
I've actually called it People, adding cuts
About what little shits people can be
They try to use us like we are puppets
An unreasonable thing to you and me
The rest of the day has been a journey
From Anjos to the airport, arrived well
On time, and while waiting, ate late breakfast
Flew to Munich, stuck in the airport three
And a half hours, so I'm drinking dunkel
Beer, might be merry by time of the flights!

Fri 21 February

4926 - Lisbon Day 3

Cloudy at first, then the sunshine shone through
After confusion 'bout departure point
Caught the Yellow Boat with its friendly crew
Got off on the far bank - our appoint-
ment with the Christ statue was imminent
We took a tuk-tuk to Rio's twin bro'
Built in '59, the same monument
As the one in Brazil - no need to go
There now!) Only had half an hour or so
Then took the tuk-tuk back. Quick meal. Yellow
Boat just about to leave. Jo feeling faint
Headed back to the hotel so that Jo
Could have a lie down. There might be time to
Have an evening meal. Last night in this joint

Thur 20 February

4925 - Lisbon Day 2

Very late leaving our hotel room - she rises
So late it was 12 noon before we went
Caught Yellow Bus open top tour, which is
Also a ticket for a boat tour - can't
Wait for tomorrow! The bus drove inland
I thought it was the Modern Lisbon tour
But it was Lisbon and Belem. Unplanned
But brilliant. Saw Belem, but also saw
The Golden Gate style bridge just above our
Heads. So sunny. Next, we sat with slushies
And waffles at a pavement table. Planned
To see the castle. Just too late, the door
Was closing, but saw the cathedral. It's
Great in Barrio Alto. A day well spent!

Wed 19 February

4924 - Lisbon Day 1

No sleep at all. Watched Gone Girl on sofa
Then tried to sleep there, fully-clothed, waiting
For the taxi to the airport. Here's there
Early, I thought, at five to four, hearing
His email in my inbox. Josephine
Was ready when we called at 4:30
And got the plane after some breakfast in
Balzar Café, Manc Airport's top café
Changed at Munich, and left it dangerously
Late boarding our Lisbon plane, catching a
TRAIN to Gate K - that was rather shocking!
Found hotel, Turim Luxe, eventually
Then caught metro to seafront. The cold air
Was hard to bear, so hotel - we're coming!

Tue 18 Feb

4923 - Relax, don't do it...

So tired, not enough sleep, but sanity
Prevailed, Helen cancelled, so the whole day
In the office, not film-watching, drunkly
Getting all excited the Helen way
Dashing back home, then to Piccadilly
And the late night airport train, then to sit
In that noisy chaos, exhaustedly
Unable to relax, feeling like shit....
No, it was not to be - grateful for it!
Finished more work, though not done completely
Saw sense, better to go home anyway
Order a taxi for middle of night
Or rather, 4:15, and til then, be
Comfy on my sofa, dozing, TV...

4922 - Smoking by the pool

How strange! The weather forecast yesterday
Showed heavy rain all day, with Storm Dennis
The culprit. And yet it's quite a nice day!
Hopefully the devastation promised
In West Yorkshire once again will be missed
The sandbags in place give reassurance
In Australia of course it's even worse
The vital forests were burning for months
Melbourne, world list-topper for residence
Now shrouded in choking smoke. Stay away!
Summers by the pool, barbecues and beers
No longer safe. Make sure someone fastens
Windows and doors. Golden days of sports play
Gone forever, green now brown, ash for grass

4921 - Expecting to fly

Storm Dennis hits, though real rain's tomorrow
As half-term holiday week gets going
And family holiday flights cannot go
Ahead, ruining their hopes and plans, costing
An arm and a leg if organising
Replacement flights to their destinations
If not, all wasted time, disappointing
The kids and parents. Me and Jo's Lisbon
Trip's two days after the storm disruption
That was a close one. Even if we flew
Through the storm, at first, returning
To the start in peril of destruction
Would be a possibility, and so
Fingers crossed we'll get cool calm journeying

4920 - Untrue lies

Friday, rarely has it been so welcome!
I enjoy meeting my work challenges
I've done really well in this last hard month
Exemplary behaviour, I've no fears
That I can be criticised by my peers
With first-hand knowledge of failures by me
So it comes down to lies spread by others
In the end, truth will out and I'll be free
Meanwhile, the Lisbon trip imminently
With Jo, that'll be a welcome change from
Hard work handicapped by others' failures
And lack of fun for an eternity
Apart from the odd night out with Helen
Or music, films, podcasts and other biz

4919 - Germ warfare

Coronavirus is spreading, it seems
I wonder if a pandemic is on
Can't recall in my lifetime such a scene
Though mumps, measles and chickenpox when young
Were rife, I caught them. Inoculation
Against German measles and polio
Were administered at school or within
The local clinic. Not so long ago
Before that, they were also on the go
TB and rickets were nightmarish dreams
Of the recent past, and when I was born
The thalydomide scandal brought ruin to
My peers born at that time. New unseen germs
Still without antidote float on, airborne

4918 - Well again

Knee nearly better, but I still thought best
Not to do exercises today when
I got home. Instead, passed one more uke test
Playing to Sparks, Bowie, so well again
I play the uke better now than most men
Moving from bass line to lead effortless
Then cooked while listening to Derby defend
Against Bristol City with no success
At least in the first half, so the wireless
Came on, hearing some new tracks, put on list
Of 2020 fave songs. I'll listen
To the list as it grows over the next
Few months. Now watching a film of the blessed
Saint Sir Thomas More this winter season

4917 - Known pleasures

Just played the best music of my whole life
On ukulele, two and a half hours
Firstly, Inflammable Material, Stiff
Little Fingers, and other punk, my powers
Increasing as I played. Unknown Pleasures
Was next, though not all of it. Then up popped
Hatful of Hollow by The Smiths, eighties
Classic, with guitar genius, and I topped
All previous plays of those tracks. Finally stopped
Buzzing, my brain felt so hyper-active
My long-held goal reached - for so many years
Hating practice, performance level dropped
But now regular playing has revived
My skills. I play 'live,' don't need to 'rehearse'

4916 - Marcellout

My left leg bone hurts just below the knee
No idea why, didn't bang it at all
When I walk it's OK, but when in the
Office it seemed to get far more painful
Disappointment after work. Missed Marcel
Proust-inspired 'La Captive' film and a talk
Beforehand. Didn't expect it to sell
Out! So, despite my bad knee, had to walk
Home, but it's cold out, that's almost a shock
These days. Winter's now almost already
Over, so I'm not complaining. Snowfall
Would have been nice to walk through, but no luck
Just relaxing now in Salford City
In my flat, in the warm, sore knee and all...

4915 - Rust sometimes sleeps

Storm Ciara battered us starting last night
At midday it was so dark, quite scary
Went for a walk when it then seemed more bright
Needed to go and find somewhere to be
Salford Quays is often the choice for me
Shops, the theatre, the Ship Canal, even
Studios of ITV and BBC
I bought a new duvet set, it's heaven
A rust colour, can't wait to lie within
And a new breadknife bought as the storm hit
The mall roof hard. The shops closed then, lucky
Me for not getting wet. Walked home again
Made my bed. The new colour's a delight!
Now, shall I write? Have I the energy?

4914 - Mince spies

Enjoyable Saturday, some trouble
With Bluetooth in the morning, got it fixed
While in town, speaker and headphones now cool
Working again. McDonalds, no milkshakes!
What's that about, St Anne's Square branch? Then next
Met Josie in Piccadilly Gardens
Spent birthday voucher in Pizza Express
The usual crap lasagne frustrations
So unfilling, the meat is a thin mince
Went to the cinema, tummy rumble
Both of us ate popcorn there, just minutes
After that so-called restaurant and its cons
Watched Birds of Prey, fun feminist fable
DC characters, Kill Bill style, it kicks!

Sat 8 February

4913 - Who cares, not me...

An amazing day at work, got so much
Done, I can hardly believe it myself
Lots still to do, but I'm keeping in touch
With it all, learning day by day by stealth
No-one can stop me progressing, no help
From most, as usual, but I'll get there soon
Since I got home, though tired, my mental health
Is pretty good, and listened to great tunes
From Beefheart live, Correct Use Magazine
And even Primal Scream. Just want to clutch
The bedclothes over me, enjoy a wealth
Of dreams, no cares, not surrounded by loons
Sanity in my cocoon makes me rich
When this film's done I'm done, ready to melt

4912 - Trauma transformer

Today was pretty good, quite a few laughs
Lots of work done, and mental health talks which
Were interesting and moving. Down dark paths
Worse than mine, a relief knowing I'm such
A relatively calm person, though much
Of my life's marked by a series of fails
More than many of these sufferers, can't match
Their pain, it's internal. My anguish pales
Beside their trauma and what it entails
If I can avoid all those psychopaths
Whether individual or group, I stitch
The wounds quickly and find peace soon prevails
And cheerfulness resumes, so I give thanks
I'm lucky after all, though life's a bitch

4911 - He's got control

A much better day, went in with a plan
Of what I'd do, and managed almost all
Of it, and more besides, and also Sian
Twice came over, first with good news. She'd called
Operational Excellence, and they will
Be helping me with process maps of my
Many regimes the rest of this year. Brill!
The second time she checked I was okay
In fact we had fun, chatting, joking, play
Time breaking out, stress turning into fun
What a weight off my mind, boost to my cool
Things feel back to where they should be - wa-hey!
There may be awkward times to come, but on
The whole, I feel that I'm back in control

4910 - My continuing struggle

Although I felt better last evening
Today at work, perhaps through tiredness
After a broken night's sleep following
Sunday comedy, Monday's early rise
A day's hard work, and then that sleeplessness
I had minimal energy today
But some were nice to me, some do seem nice
As though they know what I've gone through. Do they?
And do they know that some want it that way?
Today it all felt a bit depressing
As work piles up, squeezing me like a vice
Most colleagues are also struggling to stay
On top of their workloads, but not suffering
From feeling like others couldn't care less

4909 - Bell-end destruction time

Whew, what a day, potential disaster
Awaited in the office, but unlike
When I was young, I now feel far stronger
And more confident to cope with the spike
In unpleasantness that's been dished out by psychs
I've got support from my manager and
I feel she believes me, and that she likes
Me, and I stood up to those wimps who stand
At crunch time behind the shits who command
Their subservient minds. No-one's my master
I'm strong and self-reliant, and I'll psych
Them all out with my decades of well-trained
Opposition to cunts. Normally don't care
But this is my job, so watch out - I kick!

4908 - Awkward instance

Exhausted but no sleep during the day
Went to bed late and no lie-in was had
Main thing I achieved was practice all day
A new song only written today - mad!
Performed it at Worst Night, went not too bad
But not as funny as I'd hoped, sadly
Must look at the video that Anna made
It's not long at least, it was under three
Minutes. Washed the yellow out my hair. We
Now prepare for a new work week, hey hey
After Friday's poor night out with the lads
And lasses was terminated by me
Early, what if anything will they say?
Here's hoping that it won't be too awkward

4907 - 1917 Revisited

Well, the syrup's all finished, I'm feeling
Clearer-headed already, de-toxing
And feeling like it's time to start working
And being positive again, moving
Forwards. I need to get some help for things
Like making more videos and soon as poss
Keep the momentum, keep people viewing
If people turn against me, it's their loss
I'll stay productive and active, because
That way I'll be confident and showing
That I'm unaffected by silly things
And silly people fighting for some cause
One day after her birthday, Josephine
And I met up, watched 1917...