3275 - From Thailand to Spain via Croatia

Nice day at work, just three of us were in
And at lunchtime I met Pearl for a meal
We went to Thaikhun, two courses, filling
And tasty, catching up with news of Pearl
She's off to Croatia soon, me as well
But I'll be there about two weeks later
We're both visiting Split, it looks a real
Nice place. This evening at home, played guitar
I'm starting to play it now like a star
Although of course it's harder when playing
Live, trying to sing at the same time, tell
Me about it. Watching Barcelona
Play Roma on Spanish television
The commentary's so quick, can't catch their spiel

3261 - Days of wine and PIN numbers

So tired today, didn't stay up THAT late
But woke up 7:15, that's early
For me. At my office desk, felt eyes start
To close, rescued by speaking to Julie
She said she'd bring some chocolate wine for me
Tomorrow, that's something that will be new
I mentioned the chocolate beer casually
And she said 'I'll bring chocolate wine for you!'
I said, 'Just for me, or for the whole crew?'
Angela said maybe on her palate
She might place a few drops quite gingerly
Meanwhile helped Javier deal with phone folk who
Were asking tricky questions all about
His debit card - needs new PIN number, see?

3248 - Monkey puzzle

More energy today, that has been nice
A reasonably good appraisal meet
By recent standards, time will tell if tides
Have turned and unfairness is in retreat
I hope so, it would solve a lot of shit
I try my best and that's always been good
But some people, pen-pushers and fuckwits
Only see things in black and white, they could
Not see the wood for the trees, eyes of mud
Up to their necks in politics, office
Shenanigans, dishonest. Let them beat
Themselves up stabbing backs with smiling words
I'll always listen to my own advice
It's the best there is for myself to heed

3247 - Tired but not fired

Bit tired today, think it's cos was awake
A lot in the night. Not many people
In this week, Andy the boss has bad back
And Helen's son bashed his head and is ill
While Julie was off today, Emma still
Came in even though she had a sore head
What a heroine! Angela meanwhile
Was in, but far-off, quite isolated
And Caroline was in, Steve too. To bed
Quite early tonight, for my own lil sake
Tomorrow's meeting is my appraisal
The first quarterly one, showing the lead
In how I'll be marked this year. Will they take
The piss again? They have done, as a rule

3241 - Worry flurry

Now for today, what happened, not a lot
Back at work after one day off, and now
I'm feeling tired. I know that I should put
An advert up for the room, start to show
It off to potential renters, allow
Me to improve my lifestyle, get money
Although I admit I'm worried somehow
Who will it be, will we get on, will he
Or she be clean, well-behaved, trustworthy
However, I think probably I will not
Do that tonight. Energy-wise, I'm low
Might play guitar, Chevalier and Rossi
And then Serge G are next up, they are hot
Stuff to play along to (tu sais) you know

3228 - Souper trouper

What a long day, woke just after seven
Dozed for a bit, rose seven twenty five
Well, lying in bed is close to heaven
And I drifted, listening to Beeb Five Live
Got to the office at eight twenty five
It seems like yesterday, technically, it is
Worked hard as usual, annual report jive
Queries and such, the usual thankless biz
Some laughs with Emma, who is quite a wheeze
And quite a sneeze with her hay fever. Then
Walked to the station, met Jo, caught train to arrive
In Manchester, to Vee and Pearl's flat, these
Last moments with Pearl, meal at half seven
Tampopo, Laksa soup, Walked miles. Survived.

Fri 19 June

3226 - Saving it

A nine hour day at work today, by God
Consequently, I'm not too energised
Glad I did the painting last night when could
Though started late, the sun was out, I rised
To the task, stepped up to the plate, surmised
It would be lighter than tomorrow (now)
And that was right, today's dull cloudy skies
Have produced lots of rain during work hours
But I kept dry inside as drank the flowers
The heaven-sent liquid manna, like blood
Into a vampire's throat, fangs sank in thighs
I'm sort of up to date, I'll rest my bod
Saving money, relaxing, it feels wise

3214 - Have a break, have a chit-chat

A nice sunny summer evening. Trouble is
I'm finding it hard to resist the lure
Of a relaxing drink and smoke, though this
Is what I did last night, had so much brew
While out and then back at home, had to pour
The last half-bottle away down the sink
Just had to go to bed at last, before
There wasn't time to sleep before getting
Up for work. At work, not that many in
Our team were there, but good old Emma was
And so we had a good chat, good jaw-jaw
Some fun and some quite serious discussion
It's reassured me that sometimes at least
Some people aren't so bad as others are

3200 - People come and go

Late night sonnet writing ain't so easy
Especially if you're a little worse for
Wear, as is obvious to people free
Of prior association before
They know me or you and so then therefore
They judge but unfairly, knowing nothing
I had to do stuff at work that was poor
No back-up, from absent managers, things
Were sorted. After that, Tracey's leaving
Do and plenty of drink was drunk, you see
Now I'm back home, and things don't seem so sore
Indeed, I'm celebrating, enjoying
Just being here, safe and sound, and simply
Seeing it through, relaxing like of yore

Fri 22 May


       

3193 - The gallant South

I'm gonna make this quick, I'm a day late
With this sonnet, I forgot to do it
Yesterday, what with work and getting straight
After my travels. So, remember it
I was told at work once again I'm shit
But I have potential. Come on, are you
Any better than me, no, so please quit
Feeding me this bullshit. Realised my true
Home might be London, that's the place where you
Are seen and recognised, and that's where fate
May await me, plus I love that great zit
On the face of the British landscape, grew
To unimaginable proportions, great
Place of destiny, maybe there I'll flit...

Fri 15 May

3176 - Bohemian Crapsody part two

The final night in England for a while
Was The Worst Comedy Night in Salford
Dave Turquoise, the MC, his usual style
Me, I didn't have time to learn my words
But did 'Shake, Rattle and Ebola' hard
And relentless, followed by ,Bohemian
Crapsody', appropriate since I'm headed
Tomorrow to Bohemia - Prague's the one
Town you've all heard of there, I'll be ensconced
There tomorrow night, pints upon pints piled
Or maybe not, we'll see. Put to the sword
Will be work for almost two weeks, that's fun
In itself, Hope my suitcase's viable
Last time it almost fell apart at airport!

Tue 28 April

3163 - Strange days and nights

Too tired to think of anything at all
I thought maybe I'd even need some sleep
On the sofa at tea-time or I'd fail
To get through the evening, but no, I'm deep
Into it now, hanging by fingertips
Til a reasonable bedtime. The reason?
Went to bed at three a.m. after quips
At the King's Arms and Salford Arms again
That's bad enough when work follows the dawn
But I woke at six thirty! Nerves prevailed
Perhaps, worried that I might oversleep
And be real late for work, reputation
Suffering accordingly because of ale
And late night banter with comic people

3161 - Kitchen sink drama

A quiet day after yesterday's extreme
No big occasions, no enormous crowd
A few of us at work, a pared-down team
The rest still on their Easter leave, no doubt
Felt a bit jaded, felt a bit washed-out
Anyway, now I feel like relaxing
I've recycled bottles and cans, that's good
Of me, and also cleaned the kitchen sink
I didn't realise that its colouring
Had turned a kind of brown stain over time
Having read an article all about
Germs in the kitchen, stung me to bleaching
Instead of just wiping it. Now it's clean
And shiny silver! The flat's looking proud!

3156 - No beer today

A fast-paced day at work sorting out files
A fast-paced evening at home doing lots
I'm almost ready for my tea, but smiles
All round as I get ready for the pots
And pans - well, just pans really, got no pots
As such, I keep it simple, my kitchen
Is small, like my cooking skills. Got the hots
For fish fingers, baby - that's haute cuisine
By my standards, so soon I'll pop 'em in
The hunger's growing, starting to beguile
My thought process, despite those three biscuits
I scoffed at work, they're wearing off. Still thin
Though, sort of, and should stay that way since I'll
Be keeping off the beer til travelling starts

3119 - Okey jokey

It's already late, cos stayed late at work
To apply for a different job, actually
May not get it of course, but didn't shirk
The tough application process, easy
It's not, filling the forms in desperately
As the deadline looms, trying hard to think
Of good things you've done at work recently
As opposed to the cock-ups and such things
Tomorrow's comedy night, Might not sing
This time, haven't rehearsed a song. A joke
Or two could be extracted probably
From my big book of slightly amusing
One-liners. There's so many I could take!
I'll decide tomorrow, really quickly!

3113 - Charge of the Light Blue Brigade

Louis arrived as I played my guitar
A few minutes later we watched City
Play Barcelona, but a goal too far
For the Light Blues, lost 2-1, too tricky
To turn around this time. Recovery
By me, enough to go to work and not
Have a second day off. I got to see
Hazel's birthday gifts given, and I thought
About that vacancy, might have a shot
At it, if manager agrees. No star
Work record lately, no support, last three
Years, struggling to attract bosses that don't
Know me personally, go by what are
Biased accounts and perceptions of me

3081 - Derby-erby-erby

I feel quite pumped up, work busy today
Just drinking coffee, guess I'll eat later
Might watch the FA Cup, but first I'll play
Guitar, then I'll tune in to Manchester
United v Cambridge (no-hopers!)
No contest, the Reds will win easily
In which case I'll switch and watch Big Brother
Later on still, sitcom, 'Catastrophe'
Looks worth a try, hope it will prove funny
Meanwhile, tomorrow, that is the big day
When me and Louis drive to Derby for
An FA Cup match (Rams / Chesterfield). We
Will drive there, like the old days. The UK
Was criss-crossed going to games.

3077 - All that jazzy jersey

Today was Louis' birthday, but first I
Went into work, though it was very thin
Only four of us there. Hairdressers by
Shudehill at lunchtime. Daily Star reading
Matter - oh dear. Very pleased with token
From workmates for forty quid, T K Maxx
At which I bought two shirts and cardigan
Some nice new clothes to look good to the max
No time to rehearse comedy. Did ex-
ercises, then before long had to fly
Down town, ate at Vee's flat, had fried chicken
Then went and saw a film of man with sticks
Learning to be a great jazz drummer. Fly
Hands! It was 'Whiplash'... Cornerhouse closing...

Mon 19 January

3073 - Sausage meet

Now for today, now what's happened today?
So busy at work, unexpectedly
My soup delayed til three, work, I obey
Lovely lentil and bacon flavour - the
Epitome of taste-bud sorcery
Not that long afterwards, consolation
Time to leave the office, a time for me
To head for more taste-bud titillation
And yet I've not yet stuffed sausages in
Mind you, I've got no sausages. They're way
Up there in my mind today, a story
Was told at work about them. They're poison
If uncooked but they were scoffed by some guy
In Manchester. Is he dead? Well, maybe!

3069 - Work or fun?

I meant to write some stuff today but I
Did not wake til ten, that is no excuse
I know, still had all day to eat the pie
Of authorship, but kind of got the blues
And decided, as usual, to amuse
Myself rather than work, am I a weird
Person, or is that natural, refuse
To work when relaxation is offered
I think it is the common way, no sword
Or even pen grasped, no need to apply
Oneself, but some do, and these cunts abuse
The rest of us, but let them, it's absurd
To want what they want, when we love the sky
For its free emptiness. We win, they lose