4286 - Sunny delight

Doing it the morning after, now what
Happened yesterday? Let's try to recall
Nice day, good meeting, constructive, and lot
Of good vibes. Good to see Zoe, was full
Of good ideas and comment, Kerry all
Tanned from the North East sun, and Diane too
Then met N for one of those typical
Wacky nights out she finds, young actors who
Were doing some really good things. Her news
Is that she's got a place on their course. Spot
On! She'll get a loan too, repayable
Only if she earns a lot, but her view
Is she won't, she'll travel and teach, then out
Of the blue, choose where to at last settle

4244 - Talking heads

Went home, played uke along to 60s hits
Ate chips and gravy on way to acting
Had fun there tonight, but I will now split
And maybe instead try to find something
More directly useful, on performing
Better in my comedy when onstage
These classes that for months I've been doing
Are about acting for camera, a cage
Of TV screen dimensions, your image
Boxed in, head barely moves, eyes merely slits
But I've discussed with Darren, exciting
Things they do, like one-to-one tutelage
From that there really could be benefits
And there's this course on comedy writing...

4238 - Salford can wait

Spent all day and all evening out about
First seeing Jo at my flat and in town
It don't remind me of a teapot spout
But then if it did, I'd be mad and frown
Met Nancy, argued in Nero but soon
Made up. Dermot came, then we ate at Junk
Nice small meals, tasty, well-presented, down
The hatch went that and a few beers, among
The Vine, then Salford Arms crowds, old then young
Nancy practised her audition from out
Of the well-known film Shirley Valentine
She did well, seemed very far from a punk
It was nearly two when the lights went out
Into rejuvenating slumber thrown

Sat 31 March

4237 - Build 'em high

Feel OK today, got more energy
Might even go acting tonight although
It's Good Friday. Is it allowed? Don't ask me
It's cheap and it's fun, so I think I'll go
They said the venue would be changing to
Great Northern Warehouse, that's just up Deansgate
If they do that soon, that'll help, you know
It's a shorter walk, and that would be great
A nice n' easy kind of Friday night
Still Newton Street for now, centre city
While I'm in Salford, end of the rainbow
New flats everywhere, property is hot
Since I moved here, they've sprung up around me
Since my 2005 video

4229 - I know the drill

Really went for it tonight uke-wise. How
Much further can I improve? Well, still lots
Of room to improve technique, and to grow
In confidence. As for tomorrow, what's
Lined up? Acting class, have to draw out pots
Of money for it, fifty quid's the bill
Still, that's hardly an exorbitant cost
For four weeks of nearly three hours of drill
In how to look like you mean it, look real
Not sure how many more I'll need to go
To though, maybe four more, then I'll be quits
All I want is the basic principle
And I'm almost there, like a milk-filled cow
Ready to be emptied with violent spurts

4216 - Evening rain

This is a day late, cos last night I felt
Too tired to do much, combined with the pain
I sat on the sofa, only impelled
To keep taking the painkillers. Putin
Was on the box, a power-hungry man
They keep featuring on the news each day
The poisoning of an ex-spy by Russians
Still gathering evidence, but that's the way
It looks. Still talking about yesterday
Acting class, no chance. Had to be cancelled
Especially as they forecast evening rain
The class went ahead but I stayed away
Felt terribly cold and tired and unwell
Somehow got to sleep, in bed, warm again

Fri 9 March

4209 - Going for cold

Last night Carla couldn't come - so the wine
Just stood there in the kitchen, left alone
Next weekend instead, that is party time
Tomorrow, meeting N, but tonight, some
Acting, run by Emma all on her own
Some fun exchanges, and a tricky scene
We all had to play, in our own way, none
Doing it quite the same. Lately it's been
Freeeeezing, like Arctic, babe, know what I mean?
Was glad to get home, not as many goin'
Out as normal, well that's what I reckon
To our warm homes at night, rightly fleein'
Got better meds from pharmacy, mornin'
Hopefully, a good night's sleep's still to come...

4202 - Salford Arms

Somehow despite having a cold, feeling
Tired, got through a long day at work, with lots
Of talking, then acting class, that's lasting
From 6:30 to 9:15, then hot-
Footing it in the cold, sure this man's not
Hot, to the Salford Arms, for a few drinks
Met Ken, then Derm turned up, fitted our chat
In between messaging, and yes, methinks
All's not so bad, I'm coping with the things
That life throws up, still growing, and knowing
Much more than ever before. Even got
Total strangers chatting, smiling, laughing
How did this happen? Not understanding
But happy with how things are turning out

4195 - Speed acting

Out after work to acting class, first one
Since December, and it's no longer Chris
Along with Emma, it is now Darren
It began in a fun way with some piss-
Taking, some jokes even, which weren't dismissed
And we all got to know each other quick
Most of 'em are young. They'd been given scripts
To learn the week before, but I was stuck
With having to learn it at Speed Breakneck
Still I did OK and had lots of fun
Was good to see Paige still there, Guppy was
There too, but that was all from last year - took
Me a while though to find this location
Maybe the others will do in due course

4128 - It's all an acting class

At lunchtime at work - Jingle and Mingle
Everyone brings in food. I walked to town
And fetched three curries back in a single
Carrier bag, hoped they wouldn't cool down
On the way back. I had one, others downed
The other two, so it wasn't wasted
I ate so much though, couldn't stick around
After savouries, desserts, felt exhausted
Had to go home and lie down, exhausted
I managed to doze half an hour, recall
My energy levels back to the crown
Needed for acting classes, Princess Street
Last one this term, and all things being equal
I've improved lots, and feel happier within!

4114 - Beerless and Bible Black

As a reward for not buying fags and beer
On the way home from acting, I instead
Have bought a foody treat which is just sheer
Naughty enjoyment. Second time I've fed
Myself on pork scratchings this long weekend
I bought some in Stalybridge, Friday night
In the pub, and tonight, I reoffend
But it's better than smoking. It's a right
Freezing cold evening anyway. I'd quite
Like to stay warm. And Belgium's nearly here
The home of great brewing, and also med-
ieval cloth halls and the like, and the lights
Of Christmas. Hope the Arctic wind will steer
Elsewhere by then, although snow would be good...

4107 - Looking for me

What a day (again)! A long office day
Got in early, and stayed late, ready to
Go to acting class. Work was more like play
At the end, I began drawing a few
Cartoons, which were great, and caught the eyes too
Of workmates working late. They didn't know
I could draw. Pictures for my slide show two
Days away, on pensions, look great, or so
I thought! Admiration in their eyes grows
And then to acting class, while on the way
I bought tea from Tesco. I had a few
Important minutes with Chris, and disclosed
The remoteness of emotion, the way
Forward, and then acted well. Skies are blue!

4100 - Apocal-oops now

Long Monday - work followed by acting class
It's a good day, stuff gets done, then I go
Uptown, to the street that is named Princess
En route buying a meal deal from Tesco
Then upstairs to the class, and try to slow
Things down, not quite the same as in real life
Keeping more still, letting deep feelings show
It's deceptively hard, you have to strive
To feel on the inside, but not to give
Too many gestures, no, act with finesse
Monologue went OK, but oh oh oh
My face, body and eyeline, all are so
Chaotic, like a madman - that's me, yes!
No wonder I fail interviews! Hello!!!!!

Mon 13 Nov

4091 - Sea saw

Saw Jo, which has taken most of the day
No time for interview study, therefore
Although tonight, as on TV, they play
Football highlights, I'll have to learn some more
Of my acting monologue, which I saw
In Scotland - from 'Manchester By The Sea'
This guy recalls, suppressing the horror
When he set fire to his house, fatally
For his kids, though his wife survived, and he
Of course. An internal conflict that may
Be desire to tell the awful story
But the guilt and trauma gets in the way
So this man, Lee, his mind all in uproar
Must relive the scene accurately once more

Sat 4 Nov

4090 - Jest a minute

What a day, worked at home for interview
The Department for Education next
Week, Monday, and did all that I could do
I read all the advice I could collect
Then drafted all four competency sets
Using the active verbs, and expanding
With added details. Previously perplexed
And adrift, ill-prepared for answering
In the correct way, now discovering
The methodology for getting through
Now I've all weekend to rehearse my text
And also my monologue for acting
I even wrote some jokes, hosting on Tue
(Comedy night). Will try them just in jest

Fri 3 Nov

4072 - Technique

Monday's a long day - work and then acting
It's fun, though, acting class, with good people
Joining me to learn the basics and ting
At last we're onto the technique of full
Immersion in performance, so I feel
I'm really talking to that other girl
Or bloke, and that conversation is real
Imagination was the word until
This term, now concentration is what will
Carry me through, live the moment, thinking
And feeling now, not rehashed rehearsal
Work hard, learn lines, be confident, fulfil
Your inner belief in yourself, showing
Off, saying you are really wonderful

4065 - Pension tension

Acting class has just finished once again
Paid fifty quid, but that payment was not
From this month's money. I have still not spent
Anything yet, meaning the trip to Scot-
land, though costly, is OK - I have got
Enough in the bank to pay for it all
And the Belgian flights are already bought
To see December's Christmas market stalls
In the Low Countries. Now to have my fill
Of egg and cress sandwiches, News at Ten
Can't stay up late, I must be hot to trot
Onto the morning train to Liverpool
For what should be a good talk on pensions
That thing that the Government wants to cut

4058 - (I'll Soon Be) In Bruges

A long Monday at work, then acting class
But before going to acting I booked
My flight to and from Belgium, yes, at last
And the good news is that I will be back
The day before the Christmas meal. I bagged
A great deal with Brussels Airlines, early
December. Now I can plan where my tracks
Will show, as I traverse the Low Country
From Belgium to Luxembourg, and maybe
Strasbourg, or somewhere else in northern France
All very exciting, something to look
Forward to in Christmas festivity
Bruges, Ghent and other such towns, lights on glass-
Like canals, medieval fairytale book

4051 - Taking it on the chin

A long day at work followed by acting
Meanwhile my beard and moustache are itchy
But that's a hell of a big job, shaving
All that facial hair off, but soon I'll be
Forced to do it, however painfully
So I can have a haircut and no fuzz
Down below on the chin-chin-chin-cheree
There's no way this can be done without fuss
Discomfort and annoyance, and doubtless
Some tender skin and signs of reddening
Even bleeding's a possibility
Just had time to look at Scotland - I must
Fulfil my ambition, go travelling
In its south-west, see the autumn country

4044 - La La Voom

A day when at last energy levels
Rose to maximum - I felt great all day
And into the evening at acting skills
Class - the result of no drinking, I'd say
And a good night's sleep that took me away
To La La Land for repeated visits
It's always good when for an hour I lay
There trying to open my eyes, like slits
I'm trying to force open wide, but it's
Near impossible, it's far from simples
But when I finally wake up, I may
Feel so refreshed, I could do pirouettes
Of mind and body, performing marvels
Who'd have thought it? Teetotalling's healthy!