Tag: weeksend

Top of Mind: Tissues and lozenges – I lost the body of this week to a hefty virus.

Listening:  LBC, interminably. 

Reading:  Still wrapped in Catch 22, via a meandering detour that included Clause 4. Yup, I read all of Blair’s autobio. Not that much the wiser, but the big print and familiarity of events made it a good mid-fever read…

Planning:  A belated Christmas shop, or I will be leaving many people scowling…

Writing:  Last night I made my first front for Apocalypse World to support the second session of our game. It’s fiddly but did spark some ideas.

And you?

Top of Mind: A week training in SE Asia. Starting to get familiar with Singapore but Kuala Lumpur was a new destination. I preferred its ramshackle energy to its stuffier relation. Saw plenty of old friends, made some new and ate plenty. What’s not to like?

Listening: I’ve been checking out Darkstar and Plan B, who on their latest releases each take edgy urban music and develop it in interesting ways: the former taking dubstep towards the xx or postal service, the latter taking notes from grime but merging that with soulful grooves.

Reading: There are no more unlikely bedfellows than Tony Blair and John Zerzan, and yet their books sit just next to my pillow. But right now? Catch 22 all the way.

Planning: A trip to Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and a walking day out tomorrow with Tom Stafford.

Writing: The Crawford post has become a series, and they’re nearly done.

And you?

Top of Mind: Participating in a workshop that combined voice dialogue with Jungian/Campbellian archetypes on Saturday. It was an interesting process and I’m trying to figure out how important it is whether the archetypes are real or simply an arbitrary way to carve consciousness. And then trying to figure out what I mean by real here, anyway. Then I go for a nice, long walk. 

Listening: Sounds of Rum are ringing in my ears, stumbled across them at the Hootenanny yesterday. Kate Tempest is awesome, her a capella almost started a revolution right there in the room.

Reading: Graham Walmsley’s the Watchers in the Skies, a Lovecraftian horror scenario which I played in a playtest version and still get goosebumps from.

Planning: Trying to fit in meeting some good friends before Christmas, and also what to throw into our next session of Apocalypse World.

Writing: Thanks to Zerzan I’m fooling around with a piece about time. Also some funding applications for our Time Bank.

And you?

Top of Mind: Started a game of Apocalypse World yesterday. Set in an unnamed midlands town, it’s a particularly british post-apocalypse. No motorbikes and crazy truckers so far; gang lieutenants do their business from pedal bikes and kids party in warehouses to salvaged drum and bass tapes.

Listening: A mangled version of Have You Met Miss Jones, over an over, as I press on with learning piano jazz chordage.

Reading: Just finished The Road. Very powerful, I wish I’d had a chance to read the whole thing in one sitting as the last 100 pages was sliced into 4 or 5 sittings. It builds a mood beautifully.

Planning: Some trips next month

Writing: a test article for a role I’m applying for.

And you?

Top of Mind: This weekend: just amazing. Torrents of improv, mask-making and play, punctuated by a series of teapot, pasta and curry breaks. Amazing people, great experiences, and cozy sleepovers to boot. 

Listening: I still have Jonah Matranga cooing/yelling/beseeching/simply being in my ears from his show on Wednesday.

Reading: I borrowed half an accent handbook. Currently working on ‘Southie’, ie South Boston. Pahk the cah in the yahd.

Planning: Making calls to squirrel out some more funding for our Time Bank, and attending a Time Bank event in Lambeth – nef will be there, along with Nat Wei and others

Writing: Some text for a friends website.

And you?

Top of Mind: That Tuesday is not the end of any week I know, but I have an excuse! Two, actually, Indiecon and Impro Jam. Both really great, and both chances to catch up with great people. I even managed to squeeze in an hour walking in the New Forest.

Listening: Green Lights by Aloe Blac. Terrific old school soul track.

Reading: Sociocracy by John Buck and Sharon Villines. Apparently the core writings on sociocracy that precede this book are dry and inaccessible; so far I’m seeing some residue on the pages. Pressing on as I think there may be something to be had here.

Planning: Mask workshop this weekend, so we’ll  be graced with some European practitioners to show around and feed. 

Writing: I punched up my cv this week.

And you?

Top of Mind: Another Street Training session, training the police from around the estate. And last night, our mini impro show planted at a great party (bands, collaborative painting, a capella rap), with lots of audience interaction.

Listening: A nice set from Daniel Burne at that same gig.

Reading: Between books just now.

Planning: Next weekend: whether to go to Indiecon. Or to Impro Jam. Or neither. Or…both.

Writing: Finished the fwd submissions. Check out Steve’s too.

And you?

Top of Mind: Glad to have fulfilled my sitting practice this week: half an hour every morning. 

Listening: Terence Blanchard’s Voices

Reading: Enjoyed Agatha Christie’s The Mystery at Styles. A country house, a highly mannered Belgian, unreliable narrators, the works. The Narrative Escape by Tom Stafford – an essay on stories, psychology and morality – you can see I was duty-bound to read it! Provocative and neat.

Planning: follow-up Street Training contributions, some shows next week (I know, I know, it’s improv. But still).

Writing: theFWD contributions.

And you?

Top of Mind: A fun audition for a Chicago long-form course. Today, a lovely day out walking to the Horniman Museum, checking out African ritual, children’s storytelling, and getting my hands on some cool masks and puppets.

Listening: The Bad Plus, soon in the UK for a series of jazz festival shows

Reading: Just finished Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction by Colin Ward, on the heels of Eaarth by Bill McKibben. Both excellent.

Planning: A trip to Bristol for the Old Vic Improv festival.

Writing: Some pieces for leashless’ The Future We Deserve.

Because comments are now enabled, I can also ask: And you?