4179 - Phoenix in the snow

Tram to Oldham Central, on Union Street
Right outside Phoenix House, DWP
Building where the well-being meeters meet
At least they do today. First thing I see
Is they're mostly women, who're more comfy
With pink and fluffy feelings stuff, they say
And it looks like it's true, apart from me
And maybe three other men. Crazy day
For weather, up in the hills, where snow lay
And more fell as the day went on, not sleet
But snow. Later, back in the big city
It looked like boring rain was all that they
Had to look at or walk through with wet feet
Tomorrow, Euston Tower is where I'll be

4178 - What is funny?

A fun day, probably a bit pissed from last
Night. After work, went home and wrote some jokes
For tonight's comedy, which was a blast
Familiar faces and some new ones, stoked
The flames of wrongness, humour up in smoke
OJ is a character, sure enough
Best to accept him as a natural fluke
An oddity, a psyche in the buff
Unaware of his status, thinks we love
Him, and if we're tolerant, do our best
To accept him, like any other folk
But we're unable, we just have to laugh
At him because he's crazy. But his thirst
For attention means why not? What a bloke!

4177 - Rain Rain Went Away

A wet beginning, then the rain eased off
The weather forecast said it would dry out
So with a full bag, with comedy stuff
In it, and Carla's belongings, I thought
It would be safe umbrellaless to strut
My stuff down to the office, in my black
And white comedy shirt, and I was right
I didn't get to wet, slightly wet socks
But they dried out once after a while at work
Some hours later, in pleasant weather, half
An hour's walk to the bus station, ticket
To Leeds, met Carla there, taxi that rocked
Up to LS6 Bar, a meal, then laugh
Creation upstairs, went OK, she thought!

4176 - Man Flu in Manchester

A successful trip out with Josephine
Despite still having my cold, a bit low
On energy, but was overheating
By the time I got on the train, was so
Packed, for some reason. We headed into
Manchester, she got Tania's birthday prez -
Half a month late!! - but didn't manage to
Find her own present, and yet her birthday's
This Wednesday. Lunch in Cote Brasserie - there's
A place I recommend for fine eating
At a great price. Planning for tomorrow
Now, comedy night in Leeds, hope to cause
A meet-up with Carla, who knows the scene
Got to check bus times and then let her know...

4175 - This nose is on fire

Today I've a terrible streaming nose
Strange how this usually first stage is second
This time round, after a sore chest. The flows
Of mucus continue without relent
Like lava from a fierce erupting mount
I'm trying to replace the fluid loss
Of various drinks I've drunk a great amount
Like tonight, after a film, McDonald's
Milkshake (banana). But I feel I must
Have still more in a moment, heaven knows
And then I'll settle down, tuck in beyond
The reach of cold, underneath the blankets
I know I'll need my hanky, don't suppose
My nose will stop the flow - it's not yet spent...

4174 - The Bogeyman Cometh

Well enough to go in to work today
After just two days off, the second one
Maybe I could have gone in, but well hey
I could have made myself ill once again
Recovery time must be allowed for men
You know what man flu's like, it's terrible
My chest feels OK now, just cold symptoms
Like runny nose remain, my hanky's full
No, that was just a silly rhyme, a fool's
Attempt at humour, or to cause dismay
Really, I've just used my sleeve... Fooled again!
I've done no such thing. I'm just full of bull
(More like full of snot.) That's not nice, Tony
Even if you feel like the bogeyman...

4173 - The Vinyl Countdown

My second day off sick, but much better
Didn't need the heat on during the day
I read Byron, watched Kyle, played uke later
But I forgot my diary yesterday
So I'm writing this tomorrow, you'd say
In a way, sort of - you know what I mean
It's no longer Thursday, it's now Friday
And back to work tomorrow I have been
If tomorrow's today, staying on this theme
Back to yesterday now, can't remember
Much now. Added more tracks to Spotify
Watched most of Question Time, the usual scene
Brexit, the NHS. Shame about the
Fall of Mark Smith, whose vinyl I once played

Thur 25 Jan