3182 - No munching in Munchen

I'll write this now, while I'm here just waiting
For Minji Kim to message, so I know
Where to meet, although I have an inkling
She said Odeonsplatz, but that's lacking
In detail. I've just been there - it's quite big
Which cafe are they in? And they're eating
While I'm starving, but maybe I could go
Without food, just drink beer, from stein I'll swig
And if need be, a takeaway to dig
At the hunger if it comes later. So...
Spoke to a nice Romanian nurse sitting
On the train to Munich. Once here, I go
Straight into a 'Third Reich tour' - fun seeing
Inside the Hofbrauhaus. More beer halls now?

Mon 4 May

3130 - One night

That was a fun night out with Helen, yes
But I'm still a single guy, don't think I
Am ready to settle down, not for years
If ever, so I'll continue to try
Ploughing my own furrow and say goodbye
As well as hello, though I still want fun
That's the main thing I want, don't want to cry
Or care too much, as I'm a sucker, one
Who can be led too far down the garden
Path, where thistles lie. Until then I guess
I'd rather run and hide and say I spy
It's all a laugh, not serious, no web spun
Will capture me, and so I must confess
I like the current situation, yes I'm sly

Fri 13 March

3128 - Wrestling with women

I'm tired, even though I slept til near nine
Stayed up quite late, two nights out in a row
And I can't even be bothered to iron
Would rather read more of that book, to go
Closer to the end of the huge thing, know
That I can then take books on the train once
Again, books that don't weigh a ton, don't grow
Too big and heavy, like two wrestlers' sons
Do women wrestle? Yes of course they can
Sit on each other, but I wonder when
They wrestle, do they violently throw
Each other around, is their style like men's?
And women's rugby's a favourite of mine
Think I'd like to watch it. Watch your ears, though!

3106 - Strain in vain

Oh well, it was quite good, but not that good
A few members of the public were there
I did OK, though I think I suffered
From lack of rehearsal time, to be fair
That's cos I was out last night, which impaired
My preparations. Nonetheless I gained
Quite a few laughs, and for that I'm prepared
To thank the audience. My ego in vain
Tries to be modest. Meanwhile think I've strained
Relations with a certain person. Would
It matter one way or the other? Fair
Point, I don't know, probably not, my brain
Is not fully engaged yet, but it could
Be, we will see, that's down to her, yes, her

Tue 17 February

3101 - Motorbike treat

Watching Top of the Pops 1980
The Revillos have been on Motorbike
Beat duty. That reminds me of when me
And a couple of school friends who quite liked
Punky stuff caught the train (no, not the bike)
To Sutton Coldfield from Lichfield in our
School uniforms, must've bunked off, got psyched
Up to meet The Revillos, Fay Fife a
Schoolboy's dream, but not a looker
In my book, sorry! More a fantasy
In those days was Kate Bush - made Dave and Mike
Go ga-ga before Lady G got here
And talking of gal singers, then Debbie
Harry of Blondie, hair messy and spiked

3035 - No trouble

A cold day at home, glad I'm not out there
Got a film to watch, it's about Keith Moon
So might put that on. Is it a drama
Or documentary? Well, I'll find out soon
Could be a lead zeppelin, punctured balloon
Or maybe dramatic, like the man's life
Unlike Moon, I'm well on the bandwagon
I mean I'm off the loopy juice, I'm safe
From drunkenness, even though without wife
Or is that more likely with wife? Don't care
As long as I'm succeeding with this boon
Enjoying this lack of trouble and strife
No cause to blot it out, no, now I stare
At and appreciate it, grin like a loon

2948 - What a performance!

Warm night, just got back from Bridgewater Hall
Where I witnessed a most emotional scene
The Kinshasa Symphony Orchestra, all
There, playing alongside the Halle, been
There many times but I have never seen
Anything quite like that, tears in my eyes
Some beautiful ladies gliding between
The regulars, in African dresses
Being treated to sounds of Sibelius
Berlioz and Beethoven, with them mingled
Their own music, players and choir, all being
Too much to take, knowing the sheer duress
Of living in the Congo, somehow still
Achieving this. Beautiful human beings

2934 - Girls United

Very tired, quite a late night, guitar play
Then a drink, then late night conversation
So instead of rehearsing comedy
I'm staying in. Just as well. My alarm
Is set for 6:30. Must catch the train
From Piccadilly at 8 to Wilmslow
Collecting Josie with her bags, then stayin'
Around the shops and cafes til we go
To London on the midday train. I so
Enjoy exploring the capital. They
(My two daughters) like having good old fun
When they meet all too rarely. I don't know
What we'll do yet, but we will have good days
This week Jo's on the way towards woman

2907 - Brat's the way to do it

(Written next morning) Somewhat disturbed night
In the top bunk, few beers notwithstanding
Noisy bastards, people turning on light
The noise of the fan sounded like wanking
Nice breakfast at the Hostel Blues, chatting
To the friendly staff, suggested a tour
Of Bratislava. Turned out interesting
And made the most out of my short time here
Martina the guide. Two Mexicans were
Very pretty. Lunch with two guys. I tried
The Slovak national dish, and tried drinking
Kofola, a less sweet Coke, which was more
Appealing than beer right then. Saw more sights
On my own, then a quiet night's hostelling

Thur 31 July

2906 - My brilliant Korea

This was written the following morning
Although I could have written it last night
I was real tired at Miklos', waking
It started off cloudy but became bright
And warm. We drove to Budapest to quite
A deserted flea market. I searched for
Some Communist relics and hats, and tried
A few on, but they made me look not more
Good than normal, shall I say? Little tour
Round Kispest, then goodbye with handshaking
Thanks, family! Train at the last minute
To Bratislava in Slovakia
Met Min from Korea on train, eating
With her that evening, then beer, then good night

Wed 30 July

2875 - Nota bene

I've had a cool relaxing day at home
Not spent a penny, ate well, and worked on
My short stories for a while, for a tome
Of child-friendly fun characters all from
The town of Oldcastle-under-Lemon
A fictional town down in Staffordshire
Found a new hardback notebook sitting in
The living-room cupboard, so that is where
I'm transferring (and redrafting) my store
Of funny stories written so far, some
Already read out loud with some aplomb
And received well, specially Chocolatey Claire
She's my fantasy girl, sweet, mixed with rum
And good enough to eat all summer long

2867 - Dyeing to live

A day late - AGAIN!!! - yesterday was cool
Although it was hot. Went out and met Nic
Nice girl, beer, fags, enough to make me drool
She is someone who really makes me tick
We sat outside Dry Bar, Oldham Street chic
Then she bought some hair dye before Glasto
Where she is going to do some kiddie schtick
She's going the day after tomorrow
Then we went to Briton's Protection, so
Much fun, then to Hulme for some more, and you'll
Not be surprised to hear the clock's late tick
By the time I got home. Missed three games though
I saw the late highlights of games. It's full-
On summer now, solstice and the year's peak

About Sat 21 June 

2816 - Call me maybe

I'm tired again, this cold saps energy
Work went well, at home wrote a short story
Played guitar for a bit, then cooked my tea
Nothing special, a normal day, you see
But it's boring to talk just about me
Besides, I got a call from the lovely
N, who suggested going out with me
This evening. I declined but that's only
Because I'm sick and ill like Morrissey
Hopefully we'll be meeting up Sunday
There'll be two Ns, a D, and Dale Lately
But first I've got to write some poetry
I hope by then I can drink copiously
And stay out late. Next day's Bank Holiday!

2803 - These boots...

A lovely day with Josie but my God
She knows how to make me spend money I
Haven't got, from my overdraft, the sod!
She wanted purple Doc Martens, but why
Do they cost a hundred quid? Tried to lie
Said I couldn't afford them, though I can't
So inevitably I had to buy
Them for her, because my love made me haunt
My conscience and sympathy so I won't
Succeed in saying no, although she's got
The hang of wheedling money from men, try
As men might to say no, it's like a hunt
In reverse. They hunt us while we hunt hogs
But there's a happy ending. We're allies

2548 - What a tweet I am!

I got excited momentarily
I thought I had a lot of Twitter fans
After only a few posts, and could see
They were all writers and shit. This is fan-
tastic, I said, but soon my joy was done
I was looking at someone else's site
And their followers, not mine. Doh! How dumb
Thought I'd cracked it after one or two nights
Of tweeting! Earlier, managed to rewrite
And improve a longish poem I'll be
Reading Wednesday at 'Bad Language' so thanks
To that, it should be okay Wednesday night
Hope N goes, it will be real nice to re-
acquaint ourselves as part of nature's plan!

2543 - Kiss kiss

And so, after another pointless day
I got home and did my exercises
I plugged in my brand new DVD play-
er, and played guitar, then football was this -
Man City nil, Barcelona two. Is
It possible City can win? Oh no
Not now! Nicola, stop texting, that Miss
Is distracting me, interrupting flow
But I don't mind, she's such a cutie, oh
I'll finish this, then I'll be on my way
Maybe to Twitter, then I'll have a piss
How come an archbishop looks like as though
He drinks heavily, red-faced, as he says
We must be kinder. Good night, kiss kiss kiss!

2540 - A Hulmerist's breakfast

Carrying on from yesterday's entry
(The one I just wrote!) though my sleep was short
I had a lovely morning with Nicky
(If I can call her that, in rhyming sport)
Tom, Anna and Paul were there, then they walked
Off homewards, leaving just us two to go
For breakfast, also drank coffee and talked
Walked home in the rain, but I just had no
Energy to do my job research, so
Went to Vee's to watch football with Louis
Where we had a good time eating a bought
Curry, which really filled me through and through
A vindaloo, with egg mushroom rice, the
Perfect meal to end a nice day, I thought

2539 - She's not there yet

This is whole a day late in the posting
I'm sorry if you are disappointed
But there's a reason, the reason being
I was out all night, but 'nuff is not said
Don't jump to conclusions. I was in bed
And in a girl's bed, but she wasn't there
Although it was nice when she popped her head
Through the door to wake me a bit later
This followed our act at the theatre
(Only a small one), comedy going
Down well, though people still haven't voted
In competition for us as winners
Nevertheless we were both enjoying
Ourselves, which was great. And so it's all good!

Written about Fri 14th to Sat 15th February

2524 - Write on cue

Hey hey I woke up early, wrote some stuff
Before going to work, it's good doing that
Might do it again when not feeling rough
The brain works fastest then, it's far more smart
Had arranged to go out tonight, but not
Going, it's too cold out for my liking
And Tom's not going either, he has got
Somewhere else to go to, less travelling
For him, it's in Liverpool where he sings
Quite often. Meanwhile, I'm happy enough
A date has been set up after a chat
On Facebook. Not sure when it's happening
But I can't wait for it and that's the truth
I'm tired now so I'll read, then early night...

2454 - Blowing hot and cold

Sorry Henry, the book has taken off
Last night I said it was slow-moving, but
That same evening, I read a fight so tough
And funny at the same time, that was fought
Between men and women, there was a slut
Or two (just trying to rhyme!), and wronged husbands
Who came so close but never quite caught out
Their women in the act. I bought a stand
For my harmonica at lunchtime, and
Might play along to 'Another Side Of...'
Dylan shortly, if I can motivate
Myself, or I might leave it til weekend
Arrives, and chill tonight, reading of love
Eighteenth-century style. 50 Shades, not!