Long-running ambition (M-12 weeks)

Growing up, I wasn't much of an athlete.  I wheezed when I ran and came in last every race, which is why my love of running has been such a surprise.  I don't really mind the bad days so much because I'm still getting over the novelty that I run at all.

Of course, there's one obvious challenge with running.  Every year London marathon runners were paraded on Blue Peter.  It felt like taunting to me since I was as likely to run a marathon as I was to climb Everest or whatever other wholesome exploits were celebrated on the show.

But the more I've run the more I've thought: I could do that.  In the Runner's Handbook, Dick Traum is quoted as saying  "Anyone who honestly takes the time to train can finish a marathon.  You don't have to be much of an athlete, just patient and disciplined." The idea seems delightfully unlikely based on the child I was but I've decided to take the plunge.

The Brighton Marathon won't be until 2010 at the earliest so I've signed up for the Blackpool Marathon in April.  I know the area well, it's flat and I have family nearby so it looked like fun.

I'm now 3 weeks into the training program and it's going well so far.  I'm hoping for a time between 255 and 270 minutes and seem to be on track so far.  It's been hard work, but I'm very excited.  I only wish I could go and visit me at 13 to tell him what I'm up to right now.  He'd never believe me.

I’m reading at Wordplay on January 20th

I'm very excited as it was recently confirmed that I'm reading at Wordplay this month.  Wordplay is a regular night of music and poetry run by Rachel Weston taking place at the Sanctuary Cella.

I'll be doing about ten minutes early in the evening.  Rather than doing a single long story I want to read lots of very short stories, ranging from 50 words to 200 words long.  The stories themselves are all written, but framing them within a performance is proving interesting. 

The great thing about Wordplay is the size and variety of the line-up.  Also appearing are the talented and charming Nathan Filer, Sam Chara, and Phillipe Barnes and Tom Phelan.  I hope to see you there!

My favourite films of 2008

I watched a lot of movies in 2008. Most of the mainstream films were disappointing, particularly the superhero ones, all of which ended with two men fighting to settle points of principle.  As Roger Ebert points out, by far the best shot in The Incredible Hulk was a simple ariel shot of Rio; and, while the Dark Knight was fun, I can't see why so many people declare it a classic since it was neither innovative or surprising.

I did see some great films though.  My favourites were:

  1. The Orphanage (now facing an unneccessary Hollywood remake)
  2. Man on Wire
  3. My Winnipeg
  4. Brighton Wok
  5. Cloverfield (I loved the final scene)

I don't think My Winnipeg had the coverage it deserved, with a blink-and-you-miss-it showing at the Duke of Yorks, but it was one of the most creative and exciting films I've seen in years.  Hopefully someone else will be prompted to watch it and tell me what they think.

The turn of the year: 2009

2008 started with me joining Mr. Spratt for a dip in the English Channel. I've been so cold recently that a swim didn't appeal, but I did manage a 13 mile run this morning.  Tough, but a lovely way to see in the new year.

New Years Day 2009 finds me feeling upbeat.  Four months of sabbatical have allowed me to do lots of writing and make a range of positive changes.  Sadly I can't spend my whole life on sabbatical but I'm planning on 2009 being as positive as 2008 while getting much more done.

From Monday I'm going to be wrangling EJB3 for Domus, who have some lovely software for me to play with.  It's going to be good working in Brighton again, particularly being able to walk to work along the seafront.

I'm also looking forward to doing more running this year.  In February I have the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon, although that's been a little eclipsed by my plan for April: entering the Blackpool Marathon.  The first few weeks of training have gone well and I'm very excited.  But that really deserves its own post.

While I did some good writing in 2008 my level of submissions was shameful (particularly when I see Kay Sexton's record).  In 2009 I want to have all my finished work circulating – I was appalled to discover I had 27 finished stories sitting idle on my hard drive.  I'm also working on a new novel which I'm very excited about.

There are lots of other things I plan to do, such as finally read Ulysses, lose a stone, take a foreign holiday and go out a lot more than I did in 2008.  2009 should be a great year.

The turn of the year: 2008

2008 has been a good year. There’s not much to crow about in
terms of public ‘achievements’, but I'm ending the year feeling happy
and relaxed.

I finished at Sigmer in January then took a month off in Blackpool
before starting an EJB contract in Coventry. Living in Coventry was
good: I needed a break from Brighton and, due to the cheaper
property, I lived in a fantastic two bedroom flat for the price of a
studio in Brighton. I didn’t know anyone in the town when I
arrived and kept myself to myself. I watched a metric shitload of
movies, decluttered my life, and got fit.

One attraction of a contract was that I could save up and take a
substantial break at the end of the year. I returned to Brighton at
the start of September and have been on sabbatical since then. Being
able to take so much time off is a luxury I greatly appreciate. I’ve
had the space to work out who I really am and what matters to me.

As far as writing goes, I’ve been working hard without much to
show for it. I've only had one story published this year, despite
having a massive stockpile of finished stories – I've been very slack
in sending work out.  However, I've done some live performances
at Short Fuse, Sparks, Tight Lip and had a story read at Liar's
League. I also finished a draft of the clown novel (which I may revisit in
2009) and have embarked on an exciting long project.

After taking up running at the end of 2007 I've continued through
2008. Checking my running diary I’ve run 392 miles (which doesn’t
actually sound that much). I’ve entered several races: the Breedon
Run in June, the Morecombe Half-Marathon, the Brooks Brighton 10K,
the Santa Dash and the Diseworth Run on Boxing Day. The Diseworth
run was lovely, as I was 30 seconds faster this year and placed 15th.

2008 was a year of lying fallow, which is how I'd planned it. 
I'm feeling healthier and happier than I've ever felt. I’m very
excited about 2009.

Pre-Christmas odds and ends

  • A Christmas movie gift from the awesome Mike Russell.
  • I recently visited the Guerilla Art Market in the Brighton Media Center.  I picked up some zines at the Jaguar Shoes stall, my favourite of which was first waves then cloud by Hannah Waldron.  Simple and lovely.
  • I also recently read Chris Parkinson's pamphlet 'City Boy in Blind Spot Trauma' which has some lovely poems.  (I liked 'A Farewell to Modernism': "I would have measured my life with coffee spoons / But they are all in the sink / With the washing up.")
  • Reimaging from memory: "Something weird happens when we try to recreate cultural artifacts from
    memory: the result has less to do with the artifact, and more to do
    with us.    "
  • A beautiful post from richtextformat.net on the aftermath of the Ice Prince: Brighton Beach wood sculpture.  I wish the wooden tide was an annual event.  It was a strange and beautiful sight, particularly when people were able to respond to it.

Tight Lips

I was very nervous before last night's Tight Lip reading but in the event it went well.  It's far harder to read serious stories than it is to read funny ones.  With a funny story (assuming it is actually funny) you can tell the audience is engaged.  Serious stories can feel like reading into a void.  People I spoke to afterwards seemed enthusiastic and I was glad not to have settled for something jokey.  It's given me the confidence to think about reading more serious pieces in 2009.

I enjoyed Heli Clarke's reading, and had a very interesting discussion with her afterwards about improvisation in reading.  Her approach to reading in public is very different to mine and has given me lots to think about.

It was very exciting to see Lee Rourke.  He read a piece from his book Everyday, The Fat Slubberdegullion (online here), as well as a new piece that is scheduled to be published in Ambit next year.  The Fat Slubberdegullion was a very funny satire on office life, and worked well as a spoken piece.

I had a fantastic night – thanks to Jay and Sam for the invitation to read.  The next Tight Lip is at the Latest Music Bar on January 9th and features a discussion with Nina Antonia, author of a recent Johnny Thunders biography.

Reading at Tight Lip tonight

I've spent most of this week being ill.  I had hoped to finish a new story to read at Tight Lip, 'The Wood and the Trees', about books, playing in forests and moving house.  Sadly, after losing a couple of days, I've put that one aside.  I will return to it, but that might be some time in the future.

Instead of the brand new story I've been finishing another story that I wrote a while ago.  I've not read this one in public before, but the two people I've tested it out on really liked it.  It's a more serious piece than I normally read but I think it will work at Tight Lip.  I'm going work at it some more today, mostly removing words to make it flow better.  Also, at Rosy's suggestion, I've added the word 'rollicking' and corrected my misuse of the word 'less'.

There was a a half page interview in yesterday's Argus with tonight's headliner, Lee Rourke (online here).  I've been reading some of the stories from his book and am looking forward to hearing him read.  It should be a good night.  Entry is £4 on the door, at Brighton's Permanent Gallery, 20 Bedford Place, from 7:45pm.

Odds, ends and a dead santa

  • I loved reading Coding Horror's discussion of Swoopo.  I can't see why the scheme should be made illegal though – it's an ingenious idea. 
  • I visited Jake Spicer's studio yesterday. I saw some fascinating work-in-progress from his project with Megan Cooke, including a piece that did delightful things with perspective.  Jake's studio is in New England House.  I'd not seen inside the building but have long loved the exterior.  I'd love to have a space here, just for the views.

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  • Via extoplasmosis:  photographs of Scott's hut on Antarctica. I researched Scott's mission for my Masters dissertation and was fascinated by Antarctica.  Nothing rots there, and traces of all the missions remain.
  • Walking home at the end of the night.  Lying at the side of the Hove seafront road was a Santa skin.  A passer-by might know of the Santa army's bravery that morning, charging headlong into the wind.  They might only see these remains and think this Santa suffered alone.

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