5301 - Sunny day

Sunday it was a sunny day all right 

Went out mid-afternoon did a video 

Short walk away at Salford Lads Club, bright

Sunshine on this last day of winter 🥶- oh

Let it be a warm spring, yes let’s hope so

Back home, watched La Belle et la Bete mostly

Then paused as I cooked, then Pearl rang. We do

This more often now and we did agree

We’ll do it again next week. Talked for three

Whole hours and still I really didn’t feel tired

But had to end it cos I had to go 

And watch The Platform with Helen. But we

Felt weary, it was dull, and she slept tight 

Not answering my messages. What a blow!

5300 - Just what Saturday should be

Lovely sunny day, the threshold of spring 

Well slept and ready, but with no real rush

Message from Helen, bit of text bantering 

Also Pearl and Vee, I was keen to push

My jab appointment news out there as much 

As possible, also Josephine. Time

To walk in the sun, coat off as I touched 

A sweaty overheating 🥵, but that’s fine 

Back home, hungry, ate Holland’s pie, then I’m 

In good shape for guitar 🎸 practice I think 

And I’m right, played great. Movie time, I judge 

I finish High Rise, then a Danish film

Koko-Di Koko-Da, then Viva. Think

Deliberately early 70s touch!

Sat 27 Feb

5299 - Woke at 5

I woke at 5, not the best, but that’s that

Started and finished early and got beer

Enjoyed two hours on the balcony. Hot?

Not exactly, but the sun shone on there

A little. Warsteiner and then Stella

Enough of the cold, went inside to see 

A film or two. First, Capone, but not the

Man in his prime, more his decline. Then we -

Helen and I - watched Miss Violence, a three 

Out of ten. Now I’ve started High Rise, but

I may not have the energy to spare 

To see it all. Never mind. Saturday 

Beckons. May finish it then. Cos it’s not 

A problem. The weekend is finally here!

5298 - Thanks, Madman

Thanks to the madman in the flat below 

Moving things around, making lots of noise 

At bedtime and beyond two hours or so 

I’ve been tired all day, oh yes, heaven knows 

He won’t do it again I don’t suppose

Got through the working day despite tiredness 

Despite the enforced lack of night’s repose

I knew after work I’d be near useless 

But I can always play guitar with this

Fatigue, and I played well, I’ll have you know 

Getting so fast now, matters less when those

Wrong notes are hit, so brief you don’t notice 

But wrong notes are fairly rare as I go

On improving. Watched ‘Greenland’ film to close 

5297 - Overcoming temptation

You know the feeling when as evening draws

On, it’s still midweek but you need a break 

I felt the tempting scratch of Satan’s claws

But thought again and realised my mistake 

And instead of beer, had a waffle cake

Eating eases the feeling easily 

To wanting a rush, it can add the brake 

Ok, so the waffles go down quickly 

But I’ll feel strong tomorrow, need to be

Because work won’t go away and because 

Until Friday there’s no real thirst to slake 

On Friday late afternoon you’ll see me 

Hot footing down to Sainsbury’s for my booze

But as it’s Wednesday, celebration’s fake!

5296 - Tuesday no news day

No real news today, work long and tiring 

Grey gloomy day, most unlike yesterday 

No reason then for a walk. Went shopping 

As I had nothing to eat for my tea

Got smoked mackerel again, healthy, oily 

And a big pie to last two days to come 

Two films, both black and white, oh so many 

Of these arty BFI films are done

That way. Sometimes I do feel frustration 

At watching monochrome but remembering 

Them afterwards, they’ve all stood out from the

Usual popular stuff Netflix have on

Or mainstream TV. Alphaville starting 

And The Cremator was my finishing 

5295 - New week

New week, news weak, coronavirus blah

But I just watched Cannibal Holocaust 

Soon it’ll be bedtime oh yeah oh yeah

Starting to yawn, just yawned, that was the first 

Been pretty energetic, felt a burst 

Of energy after work. Walked outside 

After 5, sun still visible. I passed

Through the busy park, and I was surprised 

It was busier than weekends. It’s been nice

Today, folks are out in numbers. Guitar 

After I got back, I just played the best 

Then I had a pie, the last of my pies

And watched that film, quite graphic, but don’t care

Now I’ve written this. It’s been fun, the most!

5294 - Sunday some day

It was some day too. Late night last night so

Slept till 11:30, yes I did

I was worried because I’ve got to go 

To work tomorrow. Will I be tired

Enough to sleep? I hope so, cos I dread

Not being at full power- so much work to do!

Only two films today. Daisies was great 

A Czech film from’66, so who knew

An Eastern Bloc film from back then got through 

The censors, being so hip and modern? No

Classic film with Helen, but still Freaks made

For a fun watch. Filmed comedy video too

Mid-afternoon. Mochadile joined the show 

Mocking my comments soon as they are said!

5293 - Saturday picture show

Felt good today after a sober night 

Although I ate three Magnums from the fridge 

Was Friday night, I had to compensate 

And buy in snacks for fun and good chewage 

Today around mid-morning wrote a sketch 

Then went for a walk, chatting with Louis

On the phone, despite the precipitage 

My lunchtime film, the first by Wim Wenders

The Goalie’s Anxiety at Penalties 

Well that’s almost the title! Then a treat 

A Sky Arts 2-hour docu discussage 

Of Yes and their early albums. No Yes

Played in my guitar session though. Popped out

For beers.  Sicario, The Lighthouse. Off switch!

Sat 20 Feb

5292 - Rio Fridaynand

No reason for that daft title except 

It’s Friday. Busy day, all not finished 

Lots postponed til Monday, wouldn’t say swept 

Under the carpet, more like I just missed

The time to do it all in, though I wished 

I could have done more. No drinking tonight 

Had a few last night, on my own. Not this

Evening though - Gerard’s return was in sight 

Indeed he returned about 5, a white

And black film had begun, which had great text

8 1/2 by Fellini. A mixed

Watch cos I was tired but it was great

In parts. Then ‘Radio On’ that was the next 

And final film, black and white, though newish

Fri 19 Feb

5291 - More

It’s cold outside as I near the end. It’s 

Fitting because this film’s Antarctica

The Thing, that’s where it’s set, freezing your tits

Off, to be sure. Before that, a

Creepy film set in Sweden, Midsommar

Before that, played guitar, before that I 

Made a comedy video, T Rex, for

My audience, while Gerard’s away, and why

Not, as Barry Norman would say. Must try 

To make the most of his absence and fit

Filming in, not just watch films. It’s been a

Hell of a good day and evening, to try

To do my best and I can say that it’s 

Been productive. Now for the last hurrah 

5290 - A man barely alive

A long hard day, now I’m barely alive 

Like Steve Austin but pre-operation 

I woke early after a seven hour dive

Into nothingness with punctuation 

By silly dreams, thought that I would function 

Just fine, got up, had breakfast, some TV

Then read more Daniel Deronda. Upon

32 pages of progress, gladly 

Saw that it was still only 8:30

Began work optimistic I would have 

A good day without much interruption 

But it was exhausting. No energy

Even to stay awake during films. Wove

In and out of consciousness. Two films done

5289 - More films about buildings and food

Four films tonight, though one was very short 

The first was the original Suspiria

It wasn’t a great story, but was sort

Of surreal, very colourful in a

Particularly red and green colour 

Scheme. Next, A Snake of June, surprisingly 

Black and white ( though bluish), Japanese fare

That theme of repressed sexuality 

Again in Far East cinematography 

The third, Un Chien Andalou, was the short

Film. Absurd in some ways. No dog was there

It kept going backwards in time. Quite funny

And finally, Rome Open City, I’ve brought 

To the screen, ready now to finish there

5288 - Back to ‘normal’

The film trial’s ended so no need to watch 

BFI films if I want something else

La Dolce Vita ain’t one, thought I’d catch 

It, been meaning to. A bored decadent waltz

Well yeah of course it becomes that if all’s 

A search for glamour and for excitement 

Great shots and lighting, extras, animals

Statues flying in the air above pavement 

And flats still being built in a development 

With dusty land around that seems to snatch

The hopes away. But even older walls

And windows, fountain and mansion 

Don’t give comfort as the nights are a bitch

After an hour or two the curtain falls

5287 - Final day of my trial

Yes that’s right - final day of my trial 

My BFI film trial ( I’m not in court!)

I’ve decided to keep it for a while 

Though that wasn’t my original thought 

Cos I’d be sad from now to do without 

These great films I’ve enjoyed watching so much

And there’s no need to binge watch, just try out

One good film each night, so many to watch 

I’ve never heard of, films that never touched

My consciousness. Wasn’t a filmophile

Except some Christmas and Easter break sport

Today, first The Beast, then Belle de Jour - French

Of course, and now The Housemaid keeps that style 

Going  - they’re all of the erotic sort

5286 - Saturday sat all day

Saturday sat all day, films once again 

Packed four in, including a long epic

First off was Breathless. Seen before back in

The day, great scenes of Paris with classic 

Cars and new modern glass and some frantic 

Evasion of police but to no avail 

In the end. Belmondo shot in the back 

Brought down by his girl who told cops the tale

Of where he was. Seven Samurai- well

This was 3 and a half hours but got done 

Just in time to watch with Helen a flick 

White Girl - disappointing cocaine and fail

Tale, I’m afraid. Scanners was the last one 

Didn’t grab me, struggled to stay awake 

Sat 13 Feb

5285 - Friday films

Finished work at 3, listened to music

On the balcony with beers while still light 

So cold, came in at 5 to watch classic 

Films. First was a long one about the fight 

Against mental illness by a young bright 

Mother with 3 kids - A Woman Under

The Influence. Great stuff. A bit more light 

After that - Frances Ha - she’s a dancer

Memory’s a bit hazy, was under

The influence myself. Volver was quick 

To follow, Almodovar with some bite

But still quite comedic. Late now but there

Was still time for one more- a nostalgic 

Full Moon In Paris viewing- a delight 

Fri 12 Feb

5284 - Trial By Film Day 4

Just two films tonight, cos I played guitar 

After finishing work at 4, for two

Hours, then also had to cook chicken for 

My tea. The first film - Paris, Texas. Few

Things of interest, plot-wise, upon my view 

But held attention two and a half hours

Great Wim Wenders landscape shots, red and blue

Atmospheric twilights, and more car tours

Of Wild West locations we’ve seen before 

Or similar at any rate. After

Last night’s Tokyo Story, tonight a ‘new’

Japanese film, Throne of Blood, tour de force

By Kurosawa, certainly no bore

Based on Macbeth, it’ll see my evening through

5283 - Day 3 of Film Trial

Day 3 of 7, my BFI film trial 

4 films, two short, one longer, one normal 

Length. First - The Bicycle Thieves was a wheel 

Good start, the streets of Rome being a real 

Backdrop for the action. The boy was cute 

Son of the man whose bike was some guy’s loot

They chased the man, the dad in sweaty suit

And hat, but sadly, in vain their pursuit 

Second - Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr

I wanted to watch one of his. Half-hour

Only, it was, from 1924

Third one was by some distance the longer

Tokyo Story, by Ozu, ‘52

And last - Fantastic Planet, cartoon view

5282 - Lest I forget

Three more films today, classic films binge watch 

Day 2.  What did I see?  The first film was

Dogtooth, a Greek film, guess it must have shocked 

People when it came out, and once more has

Done incest, like recently watched others

Well, incest or abuse in families 

Seems a staple shocker, or seems like these

Films I’m picking do. Eyes Without A Face

A black and white French classic, that was such

A macabre one, but darkly humorous 

Picnic At Hanging Rock was the last piece

The headliner tonight didn’t do that much

For me, but glad I’ve seen it, set in Oz

5281 - The discreet charm of the free 7 day trial

Going through my list of films, and kind of forced

To subscribe to Amazon’s BFI

Free 7 day trial. From then the cost

Is a fiver a month. That won’t apply 

However, if a week’s gone by and I

Cancel the subscription. Reminder’s on

My wall calendar. Otherwise I’d try

In vain to watch the classics all written 

On my little but growing list. Festen

Was the film that made me do it. I lost

The battle but I’ll win the war. I spy

The next free classic, cued up and waitin’ 

Bunuel’s Discreet Charm of the Bourgeois must

Be viewed next, so for now, I’ll say goodbye 👋 

5280 - Tick tock til TikTok

Been suggested I should go on TikTok

Just when news has warned they could be spying 

As long as they don’t rob me, I can look

On there, get the hang, and then try posting 

I like that it looks easy editing 

That’s a major plus far as I’m concerned 

All there in the app, you can go searching 

For music, effects, old videos. I’ve earned 

A shot, as I’ve a lot of them!  Can send

Them onto other platforms like Facebook 

This week after work I’ll be researching 

Watching what’s on there, what’s the latest trend 

I’ll do my own thing though, not by their book

Good chance for visual humour, daft dancing 😆

5279 - Four film binge

It’s been a four film binge, I’ve been watching 

Like a dog watches as you sit and dine

But first, forty more pages was reading 

Of Daniel D by GE - very fine 

Too, just like Middlemarch, a fave of mine 

Then tried to make two comedy videos 

Both took several takes, running out of time 

Wanted to watch the first film - Ivanhoe’s

A Walter Scott novel I loved. Suppose 

The film was a bit cheesy, comparing 

The two. Next - The Pink Panther.  Clouseau tryin 

To not bump into things, follow the clues 

Then American Graffiti, closing 

With Behind The Candelabra. Can’t whine!

5278 - Parkland

Took Friday off, used my flexi credit 

Nice lie-in, always good managing that 

After breakfast I read some George Eliot

More than 40 pages I read while sat

On the sofa. 2 coffees. Wondered what 

To do before my doctor’s appointment 

So wrote a 6 page comedy skit

It just flowed easy. When you’re fresh you’re meant 

To write, not when tired. Out on the pavement 

A sunny day, walked to the doc’s, then split

For the city centre. Back home, I ate

Then played guitar, messaged Helen, then spent 

The evening watching 2 films, Parkland- it’s 

The title of both, believe it or not

5277 - It’s a sin

Watched It’s A Sin, recommended to me

By Helen, and it took the whole evening 

Five episodes on All4, beers and the

Enjoyment of no work tomorrow bring

A devil may care attitude, seeing 

The clubbing and pubbing of the eighties 

Brought back to life again, and reviving 

The music, the lights and the memories 

The music with its electronic keys

Sadly many men died from HIV

Before they had the drugs there for taking 

It was then a too infamous disease 

Now it’s under control, as soon should be

The pandemic that’s lately rampaging 

5276 - I’ve felt better, but I’ve felt worse

Since speaking to the doctor yesterday 

I felt better seemingly straightaway 

And feeling better continued today 

I even did exercises- wa-hay!

So I feel happy despite a hard day 

Of constant work that flowed, got in the way 

Of the main task I’d hoped to clear away 

Yes, happy, content, maybe even gay

How things have turned bright when they had been grey

So recently. Stress can sometimes display 

Itself in strange symptoms. Could it be they

Rather than something worse? Too soon to say 

To be sure, the doc’s arranged an X-ray 

Of my chest, so let’s hope it goes ok! 

5275 - Slight improvement

I hope today saw a slight improvement 

In how I’ve been feeling these last few days 

Was so concerned that my discouragement 

Led me to ring the doctor, my unease

In the slight discomfort, daily worries 

Mounting as I tried to work. Speaking to

Dean when the clinic rang back. More at ease

After the doctor reassured me. Who

Can dismiss pain in the chest?  Ok, true

It’s not painful really, but my dad lent

No import to his own pain, and he pays

The ultimate price for refusal to

Get a check-up until too late, the gent

Keeling over in the bathroom. Caution pays!

5274 - Cold as ice

It’s as cold as ice. Well maybe not quite 

Because there’s no ice. But there could have been 

But there isn’t, so it isn’t. The sight

Of ice means it’s as cold as ice. If none

It’s not. Oh wait. Ice comes from snow or rain

That freezes over. Just cos there’s no snow 

Doesn’t mean it’s not cold as that. I mean

If you fill a bucket with water, throw

 It’s contents on the cold hard ground, I know 

It may turn to ice. I know it may. Slight

Contradiction there, but I how to none

My logic’s got more slippery than BoJo

Could he stay upright on the icy white?

Excitement grows - where’s my vaccination?