16. 16th January 2025 - a bit of a fib if we're being honest

 It's Friday now. Not Thursday. So this is me writing about yesterday. Which started with waking up at 3. Think it was cat related. Sure it was cat related. Whatever it was, it left me awake. Which meant that when I went back to bed I slept late. Which meant there was no run because there was no time. There was breakfast, then there was making lunch and heading out. 

After some MIH rewrites.

The afternoon was the Creative Writing class at Spider, then a 4.30 Anfield Wrap, a bit of tea (Philharmonic pub, fish and chips, a long way from impressive.) and a judging spell at 'What Happens Next' festival. 

Said to J around 11am, "I'm not in the mood for the day.

The day was wondrous. Joyous. All the good things. 

The writing prompts for Spider were excellent, just worked. Two five minute quick burst on 'It's Going To Be Great' and the creation of an acrostic. I'd intended cut ups for the second half, brought in 12 copies of Metro with me for that purpose. Didn't go for it. One of the class said she'd enjoyed the exercise where we had to insert a specific word in the piece. "Give me a word then" 

Cattywampus. Means askew, placed diagonally. That was the word. And it was suggested during the reading of the first set of 5 minuters, so the future was bleeding into the past, life was becoming meta. Which always appeals. Two more words appeared from the ether: 'Brouhaha' and 'gazump'. 

The second half became fifteen minutes of putting global socio economics to right and then I threw out a title: 'They're Making A Film Of My Life'. Excellent results ensued. Very happy with my own contribution, 3 pages of the best stuff I've written in the class in ages. There's nothing quite like hearing people laugh as you read out. It's warm. 

Just a great way to spend two hours every Thursday afternoon, in a place that does excellent work. 

Speaking of excellent work - Tip Tray's 'What Happens Next?'

The third year that I've acted as a judge and I love it. Maisy and Evan who ruin the company are doing great work, giving new writers a chance to have work appear on stage. That first step is massive, you have no idea where it'll take you. 

Four 20 minute previews - a family drama, two hander about the end of the world, a one woman show that bent time in a story of rape, sexual assault and murder. Puzzling then compelling, the fourth another one woman show about surviving cancer but told in a manner reminiscent of stand up comedy, taking the power away from the word with humour and self effacement, energetic and loved by the audience. 

Just a fine fine day with good people doing good stuff.