Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Creative Accounting

Shelagh Delaney = Joe Orton + John Osborne



proto-Joe

John Osborne's Look Back in Anger 1956
Shelagh Delaney's A Taste of Honey 1958
 Joe Orton's Loot 1966


Starspot #446

Clare Short - politician
Trafalgar Studios

Monday, September 09, 2019

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Coincidence

13/8/19 Donegal

I am sitting at The Rusty Mackerel pub in Teelin, Donegal. The woman beside me (a fellow painter on my course in Glencolmcille) is from Ballymena. I mention the recent indiscretion by Ballymena's finest son. She knows I am talking about Liam Neeson. She gives her view on his bizarre comments about taking revenge on a black man when promoting his last film. I tell her about when I met him in Kilburn.

I am sitting on Teelin pier an hour later. I open my new copy of Brian Friel's Translations bought the other day in Donegal Town. At the front is the cast list of the original 1980 production in Guildhall, Derry (where I was married). Doalty was played by a young Liam Neeson, early in his career.

Glencolmcille 8/19

10/8/19 Sat
Golders Green-Stanstead-Derry Loganair jet
(day of Apprentices March)
Derry - Donegal Town bus
Donegal Town to Glencolmcille little bus
Mairin Kelly
Irish College Oideas Gael

11 Sun
Glencolmcille tra
Teac The folk park
Initial painting class Colm Mcintyre
Recce Malin Beg
small harbour
first watercolour

12 Mon
roof watercolor
lunch Micki folk teahouse
outdoor painting Port in rain
Killybegs fish & chips
Carrick pub

13 Tues
@

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Re: Cornwall - summer 2019

Thurs 1 Aug St Agnes
swim w N
beach St Agnes
drink with Alli
starry night chat with N

Fri 2 St Agnes - Truro - Falmouth
boat down Rivers Truro & Fal
Falmouth
evening swim St Agnes

Sat 3 St Agnes to St Ives
sea kayaking St Agnes
train from Truro to St Ives
wander around St Ives
tapas & beer at Tate beach
reading & sax at harbour view
dinner at Porthminster beach

Sun 4 St Ives
Richard Burton museum
Tate St Ives
Barbara Hepworth house w N
Portminster beach

Mon 5 St Ives to London
Portminster beach 

END




On 1 Aug 2019, at 12:02, Adam Gee <adam@arkangel.co.uk> wrote:

Mon 29 Jul
🚌 to Newquay
Fistral beach
Seaspray
to St Agnes

Tue 30 Jul
working on IOC looking out to sea & storm
cliff-top walk E
Finisterre HQ
walk towards cliff W - beautiful sunset, beautiful woman w short hair

Wed 31 Jul
walk St Agnes to Porthtowan along cliffs
via Wheal Coates tin mine
🚌 to Truro 
2nd hand bookshop Just Books
Truro Cathedral
Victoria Gardens
collect Noah
sunset beach Trevaunance Cove

Thurs 1 Aug
swim w N
beach St Agnes




On 29 Jul 2019, at 13:54, Adam Gee <adam@arkangel.co.uk> wrote:

Sat 27 Jul

🚂 Paddington to Truro train
🚌 Truro to St Agnes bus
Driftwood Spars BnB
Swim Trevaunance Cove 🌊
Mussels
Night beach

Sun 28 Jul

St Agnes
Smoked haddock, poached egg
Cliff-top walk - mine chimneys
Swim 🌊
Cerviche
St Agnes village - St Agnes museum
Swim 🌊
Lucy & Joya
Whitebait
Poldark in bed

Mon 29 Jul
🚌 to Newquay
Fistral beach
Seaspray
...


Thursday, August 01, 2019

Re: Cornwall - summer 2019

Mon 29 Jul
🚌 to Newquay
Fistral beach
Seaspray
to St Agnes

Tue 30 Jul
working on IOC looking out to sea & storm
cliff-top walk E
Finisterre HQ
walk towards cliff W - beautiful sunset, beautiful woman w short hair

Wed 31 Jul
walk St Agnes to Porthtowan along cliffs
via Wheal Coates tin mine
🚌 to Truro 
2nd hand bookshop Just Books
Truro Cathedral
Victoria Gardens
collect Noah
sunset beach Trevaunance Cove

Thurs 1 Aug
swim w N
beach St Agnes




On 29 Jul 2019, at 13:54, Adam Gee <adam@arkangel.co.uk> wrote:

Sat 27 Jul

🚂 Paddington to Truro train
🚌 Truro to St Agnes bus
Driftwood Spars BnB
Swim Trevaunance Cove 🌊
Mussels
Night beach

Sun 28 Jul

St Agnes
Smoked haddock, poached egg
Cliff-top walk - mine chimneys
Swim 🌊
Cerviche
St Agnes village - St Agnes museum
Swim 🌊
Lucy & Joya
Whitebait
Poldark in bed

Mon 29 Jul
🚌 to Newquay
Fistral beach
Seaspray
...


Monday, July 29, 2019

Cornwall - summer 2019

Sat 27 Aug

🚂 Paddington to Truro train
🚌 Truro to St Agnes bus
Driftwood Spars BnB
Swim Trevaunance Cove 🌊
Mussels
Night beach

Sun 28 Aug

St Agnes
Smoked haddock, poached egg
Cliff-top walk - mine chimneys
Swim 🌊
Cerviche
St Agnes village - St Agnes museum
Swim 🌊
Lucy & Joya
Whitebait
Poldark in bed

Mon 29 Aug
🚌 to Newquay
Fistral beach
Seaspray

Friday, June 21, 2019

Star Spots - May/June 2019

11/6 Chris Evans - Endell St

16/6 Sandi Toksvig - Cafe Rouge, Highgate

18/6 Festival Hall
Alex Jennings
David Dimbleby
Paul Gambaccini
Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Israel 5

Wed 5th June

Ashkelon
- sea swim
to Tel Aviv - Kfra Saba
- Dalit & 2 daughters
to Petach Tiqva
- Ronen
to Hod Hasharon
- Jaffa & family

Thurs 6th - Dora Gee's birthday

Petach Tiqva - Ronen
Tel Aviv port - breakfast
Tel Aviv beach - walk R & N

to Ben Gurion
to Luton

Tuesday, June 04, 2019

Israel 4

4/6/19
Ashkelon
- sea swim
Sderot
- meeting Ricardo
Sderot to Beersheva
- train museum
- old town
- Lola's
Ashkelon

Israel 3

Mon 2/6/19

Ashkelon to Sderot
- meeting with Sapir
Sderot to Jerusalem (solo drive with music)
- route 1 into Jerusalem (remains of armoured vehicles)
Jerusalem, near Old City
West Bank
St Saba monastery with Adam Z & N at sundown
edge of Judean desert
dinner at old Railway Station
Jerusalem to Ashkelon night drive

Monday, June 03, 2019

Israel 2

Sun 2/6/19

Ashkelon
Yad Mordechai kibbutz
- cemetery & closed museum
Sderot
- cinematek
- Cinema South Film Festival
- screening students' films
- hummous/falafel restaurant
- opening film premiere Mosad

Mon 3/6

Ashkelon
- swim

Sunday, June 02, 2019

Ashkelon trip 1

Fri 31/5/19

Luton to Tel Aviv
(Deneese pearlmn michael c)
Evening drive to Caesaria - C's
(Cecelia, Shea) N reunion

Sat 1/6
Caesaria
Reading in garden, early morning (Biggie)
Caesaria aqueduct to port walk - C & N
Caesaria to Ashkelon
Regina Goren
Archie's dinner
Scubar - Champions League final Spurs v Liverpool

Sunday, April 07, 2019

Story Snippet

I find myself sitting next to Sissel on the six-hour train journey from Trondheim to Oslo. She is an elegant elderly lady with a wicked laugh. She is a native of Trondheim who used to be the projectionist at the Cinemateket where I delivered my lecture on Thursday. She is on her way to Oslo airport to head for Berlin, her first visit there since 1977. The last time she went she tried to call David Bowie and Iggy Pop. She found the phone number of their flat under James Osterberg in the phone book. She rang but a woman answered and said they were out.

Friday, April 05, 2019

Norway - April 2019

Wednesday 3rd April 

  • Abram Games blue plaque unveiling, The Vale, London NW11
  • LHR-Oslo-Trondheim

Thursday 4th April

  • TRONDHEIM
  • Dromedar cafe
  • Delivered lecture at Cinemateket
  • Workshop at Isak cultural centre
  • Walk with Line - cathedral, Bakklandet (old working class quarter)
  • Cinemateket - Brief Encounter
  • Svartlamoen with Line - hippy area & great bar (Lars & Kay & Kristin)

Friday 5th April

  • TRONDHEIM
  • Breakfast at Scandia hotel
  • Walk through Bakklandet & back lanes
  • Workshop at Isak cultural centre
  • Podcast recording with Audun
  • Walk to shore of Trondheim Fjord
  • Walk back to Bakklandet for dinner (Folk & Fe)
  • Sunset by river app. cathedral

Friday, February 15, 2019

Star Spots No.s 667 & 668

Matt Smith - Waldorf Hotel, The Strand

Jennifer Saunders - Noel Coward Theatre

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Star Spot No. 766

Jeremy Irons & Sinead Cusack 30/1/19 Barbican after party

Trevor McDonald, Charlie Brooker
6/2/19 Broadcast awards, Grosvenor Ho.

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Story snippet

Brian works in our excellent local second-hand bookshop. I was in there the other day and bought a slim volume about the 60s by Jenny Diski. This prompted me to ask Brian where he was in the 60s. He told me that for one year he was in Vietnam. He had been conscripted from his home in Texas and found himself in the mobile air corps, buzzing around in helicopters. When I asked him whether he'd found himself in the front line he explained that while serving on the choppers, he jumped off one day as they were landing and his glasses fell off, got lost. At this point they moved him to an admin job because unusually he could type. It took them a long time to replace the glasses, they had to fly them in from Japan.

When Brian got back from Vietnam after the standard year (half a year for officers) there was a GI Bill which enabled him to go to university in Texas, in Austin, where he studied history. It also enabled him to come to London in 1972 to do his Masters, at LSE I think. He's been here ever since.

He also told me that he recently got his UK citizenship at a ceremony in Islington town Hall. He was impressed by the lady Mayor who helped make a real event out of it.

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Tuesday, January 08, 2019

Mouse moment

I am sitting on a bench outside Kenwood house, slightly set back from the sandy path. An Irish woman appears beside the man and woman sitting just forward and left of me. She is exclaiming about a mouse she has just seen, along the benches to the left which are out of my sightlines. She hates mice, she tells the couple on the bench (I don't think she knows them). Then her husband appears at her side. He looks like a cartoon mouse. Big front teeth. Long nose. Thin face. A cap right out of the Aristocats. The man of thr bench couple surmises that it was perhaps her bright red shoes which attracted the mouse. She said she had seen a rat at her feet at the nearby cafe once. "Perhaps it's a baby rat" she muses. "No, it's a mouse" says the mouse husband.

Tuesday, January 01, 2019

2019

First music of the year 🎶 U2 - New Year's Day

First food of the year 🍉 raspberry

First viewing of the year 🎥 scenes from Bohemian Rhapsody

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Dream fragment

Last night I dreamt...

I am performing a TS Eliot play but we have not rehearsed and I have no way of knowing which lines are mine. I notice at one point from a pencil note in my old Faber edition (with a faded blue paper cover) that I read this play in 2015 (it had the exact date but I forget).

It's a stressful experience and I am happy to wake.

Friday, November 30, 2018

Exeter

29+30/11/18 1st ever trip

The Phoenix cinema/arts complex - pitching session

Exeter Cathedral - choral evensong

Moroccan dinner - incl. rose tea & chicken/apricot tagine

Northernhay Park - war memorial

Princesshay - mediaeval ruins

Cathedral quarter

River Exe & quays

Friday, November 23, 2018

Star Spots No.s 223, 224, 225 & 226

7/11/18 Kevin Whately - May Fair Hotel

6/11/18 Alistair Campbell - Somerset House

9/18 David Morrissey

9/18 Ed Milliband - Vue cinema, L Sq

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Creative Accounting No. 155

The Small Faces - Lazy Sunday Afternoon = proto-Punk + English Music Hall

cf Kinks, Ian Dury

Monday, October 22, 2018

Re: Rome - MIA

19/10/18
Palazzo Barberini
Talk at Cinema Quattro Fontane
Cocktails at British Embassy in Villa Wolkonsky
Night walk home with Ali

20/10/18
Walk around Caesar's Forum and Colosseum and Palantine Hill
Lunch with Lesley on Via Veneto
Villa Borghese gardens - met the tattooed Aussies
Michael Apted talk
Indoor Market & drinks with Shane & Lesley (in trendy area just above Forum)

21/10/18
Walk to Vatican area - classic car rally
Vatican
Church service near Vatican - Church of Holy Spirit of sonething
Lunch al fresco
Gardens of Castel di Sant'Angelo
Night visit to Trevi Fountain

22/10/18
Via Veneto to Villa Borghese gardens


> On 19 Oct 2018, at 10:35, Adam Gee <adam@arkangel.co.uk> wrote:
>
> 18/10/18
> LHR T5 - Rome FCO - Roma Termini
> Hotel Anglo-Americano - Barberini
> Palazzo Barberini
> Sistine chapel show
> Tiber
> Aperol Dinner al fresco with Canadians
> Night walk home via Trevi Fountain
>
> 19/10/18
> Via Veneto
> Villa Borghese gardens
>
>

Friday, October 19, 2018

Rome - MIA

18/10/18
LHR T5 - Rome FCO - Roma Termini
Hotel Anglo-Americano - Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Sistine chapel show
Tiber
Aperol Dinner al fresco with Canadians
Night walk home via Trevi Fountain

19/10/18
Via Veneto
Villa Borghese gardens

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Re: Paris - Sept 18

Thurs 13th contd

Icônes exhibition - New Wave photos, Marais

Ile St Louis - reading by river

Monument to Deportees

Past bouquinistes to Shakespeare & Co. - bought Paris Echo

St Germain for dinner
Fish soup

Celine's - Celine & Una

Fri 14th

breakfast Cafe Dome, Villiers

Rue Mallet-Stevens
16e

lunch Rotunda
cod in mushroom sauce, frites

Musee Marmottan Monet
Collections Privees*

walk through 16e to Seine at Tour d'Eiffel

read by river, late afternoon

dinner Oberkampf Le Tagine

back to Celines - movie

Sat 15th

17e wandered around the quarter all day
Batignolles
lunch opp 17e Marie

Gare du Nord - St Pancras



Wed 12 Sept
>
> Eurostar to Gard du Nord - met tax inspectors on their way to Florence
>
> to Celine's - Blvd des Batignolles 17e
> Local lunch - pizza napoletana
>
> circle round the neighbourhood - beer outside Cafe L'Endroit
> Chausson aux pommes
>
> Walk to Sacre Coeur & Butte de Montmartre at sundown
> Sacre Coeur - lit candle
> Dinner at Cafe Bruant
>
> Soupe a l'oignon
> Moules creme frites *
> Crepe suzette *
>
> Thurs 13th
>
> Cafe Monceau - bread, jam, coffee
> Metro Villiers to Arts & Metiers
>
> Walk to Musee Picasso
>
> Lunch cafe des musees
> Potato veloute
> Lamb & creamed pots
> Chocolat mi-cuit & pineapple
>
>
>

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Paris - Sept 18

Wed 12 Sept

Eurostar to Gard du Nord - met tax inspectors on their way to Florence

to Celine's - Blvd des Batignolles 17e
Local lunch - pizza napoletana

circle round the neighbourhood - beer outside Cafe L'Endroit
Chausson aux pommes

Walk to Sacre Coeur & Butte de Montmartre at sundown
Sacre Coeur - lit candle
Dinner at Cafe Bruant

Soupe a l'oignon
Moules creme frites *
Crepe suzette *

Thurs 13th

Cafe Monceau - bread, jam, coffee
Metro Villiers to Arts & Metiers

Walk to Musee Picasso

Lunch cafe des musees
Potato veloute
Lamb & creamed pots
Chocolat mi-cuit & pineapple

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Creative Accounting #442

The Equalizer = The Accountant + Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie)

The Equalizer 2 = The Accountant + Taken

Star Spot

John Simms at Elvis 68 Comeback at Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley
16/8/18

Tuesday, August 07, 2018

David Byrne - American Utopia Tour

Setlist at Hammersmith Odeon (aka Apollo), London 
with Stu

Lazy

I Zimbra
(Talking Heads song)

Slippery People
(Talking Heads song)

I Should Watch TV
(David Byrne & St. Vincent cover)

Dog's Mind

Everybody's Coming to My House

This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
(Talking Heads song)

Once in a Lifetime
(Talking Heads song)

Doing the Right Thing

Toe Jam
(Brighton Port Authority cover)

Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)
(Talking Heads song)

I Dance Like This

Bullet

Every Day Is a Miracle

Like Humans Do

Blind
(Talking Heads song)

Burning Down the House
(Talking Heads song)


Encore:

Dancing Together

The Great Curve
(Talking Heads song)


Encore 2:
Hell You Talmbout
(Janelle Monáe cover)

Sunday, August 05, 2018

Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul

27/7/18 Stu
Empire, Shepherds Bush

Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul Setlist
at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Soulfire Tour 2018

SETLIST 

Sweet Soul Music
(Arthur Conley cover)

Soulfire
(The Breakers cover)

Lyin' in a Bed of Fire

Inside of Me

The Blues Is My Business *
(Etta James cover)

Love on the Wrong Side of Town
(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Until the Good Is Gone

Angel Eyes

Under the Gun

Some Things Just Don't Change
(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Saint Valentine's Day
(Cocktail Slippers cover)

Standing in the Line of Fire
(Gary “U.S.” Bonds cover)

I Saw the Light
(Little Steven cover)

Salvation
(Little Steven cover)

The City Weeps Tonight
(Little Steven cover)

Down and Out in New York City **
(James Brown cover)

Princess of Little Italy

Ride the Night Away
(Jimmy Barnes cover)

Bitter Fruit
(Little Steven cover)

Forever

Encore:

Say Those Magic Words
(The Birds cover) (with Ali McKenzie)

Got to Get You Into My Life
(The Beatles cover)

I Don't Want to Go Home
(Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes cover)

Out of Control
(U2 cover)

Out of the Darkness
(Little Steven cover)

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Brighton (July 2018) 2

Mon 9th
Alfriston - Clergy House, river walk
Upper Dicker river walk

Tues 10th
Talk at Portslade school
Hove

Wed 11th
Rottingdean - ploughman's lunch
Ovingdean

Thurs 12th
Brighton - lunch with Colin; Quadrophenia on beach

Fri 13th
Brighton with N - Quadrophenia alley; Terre a Terre

Sat 14th
Ovingdean - swim at high tide
Rottingdean - ploughman's lunch with N; swim at low tide

Sun 15th
to Dieppe


>
> Thurs 5th
> Elizabeth & Des, Una
> Walk around Marina breakwater
>
> Fri 6th
> Seven Sisters walk - Crowlink - Birling Gap - East Dean
> Picnic East Dean green
> Saltdean swim
>
> Sat 7th
> Annie C
> Walk Woodingdean
> Swim Rottingdean
> Eng beat Sweden
>
> Sun 8th
> Nymans
> Swim Black Rock
> Dinner Brighton sea front
> Walk Brighton-Marina
>
>

Sunday, July 08, 2018

Brighton (July 2018)

Thurs 5th
Elizabeth & Des, Una
Walk around Marina breakwater

Fri 6th
Seven Sisters walk - Crowlink - Birling Gap - East Dean
Picnic East Dean green
Saltdean swim

Sat 7th
Annie C
Walk Woodingdean
Swim Rottingdean
Eng beat Sweden

Sun 8th
Nymans
Swim Black Rock
Dinner Brighton sea front
Walk Brighton-Marina

Saturday, June 09, 2018

Yesterday's happiness experiment entry

Angelique Kidjo playing Remain in the Light at Festival Hall with N - a fella with learning disabilities in a red African shirt whose head was exploding with joy

A good creative mentoring session with SW - various clear impacts

Healthy Sushi feast with N

Tuesday, June 05, 2018

Yesterday's happiness experiment - Finland

Evening walk around the coast from the harbour past islands to the cafe where N & I sat one bright midnight

Delivering the first session for Short & Sweet C including hearing the projects for the first time

Salmon soup at the glass cafe by the wheel

Monday, June 04, 2018

Yesterday's happiness experiment entry

Watching 13 Reasons Why on the plane to Helsinki

Talking to Ma about Andrew Lloyd Webber

Listening to Desert Island Discs in taxi to Gran Marina

Sunday, June 03, 2018

Recent Happiness Experiment entries

Sat 2/6/18

Starting a new hardback novel: How to get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia

Being asked for fatherly advice by D & Luca

A twilight drink of Spiced Rum & Ginger Ale (my new drink of choice) with U on Pond Square, Highgate

Fri 1/6/18

Good feedback from a Short Form Video course at Channel 4

Lunch with Roger G in Notting Hill - hatching book plan

Last Ulysses seminar of the academic year at Senate House

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Recent Happenings Experiment entries

23/5/18 Wed

Contemplating Gaudi's beautiful La Pedrera during my morning flanage

Morning coffee on a leafy sidestreet reading Sick Puppy

Sight of the Scandinavian palette above Copenhagen

24/5/18 Thurs

Energetic Digital Mindset workshop at YLE

Sitting in the dappled shade of a tree after work at Pasila

Watching Netflix downloads on the plane - The Crown

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment

Vichy Catalan in a cafe in a Barcelona Square (reading Sick Puppy)

Midnight wander in Gothic Quarter

Dinner with Arnau and various docheads

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Happiness experiment entries

Yesterday

Sailing the Eastern Baltic in front of Helsinki with Vali, Miko & Ritva (eating white fish & mussels) at sundown

Delivering a Crossplatform session at YLE

Remembering the grey MTB my dad used to sail on Whitestone Pond for me

Sunday

Eating liver at the Gran Marina, Helsinki

Reading Sick Puppy across the bed

Arriving in Helsinki again - a place I'm really getting to know

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Finland

population 5.5M
75% covered by trees
188,000 lakes
5.2% speak Swedish
7% of land agricultural
1917 became independent
1995 joined EU
200 MPs

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Watching the royal wedding of Harry & Meghan with U

Meditating in the bower path in lower St Pancras & Islington cemetery

Reading about Preraphaelites in garden with D & U - summer sunshine Saturday afternoon

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

The Waterboys - Watford Coliseum

30/4/18
Out of All This Blue

Medicine Bowl
1 All She Is **
2 A Girl Like Johnny *
3 Nashville Tennessee

4 Man What a Woman
5 Bang the Drum ** Scott & Wyckham
6 Long Strange Golden Road - Kerouac On The Road recording intro
~~~
Encore:
1
END

Santa Fe
If The Answer is Yeah
Morning Came too soon

Nearest thing to Hip

1 Mike Scott
2 Steve Wyckham
3 Brother Paul* - organ
4 Professor Rob - drums
5. Aengus from Dublin - bass
6 Dublin backing singer f
7 Nigerian/German ditto

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Creative Accounting

Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faun - X = theme to Lawrence of Arabia

Phil Lynott - X = Bob Geldof

Friday, March 30, 2018

Star Spots

Mackenzie Crook
28.3.18 East Finchley Station

Mako Vunipola
24.3.18 London Olympic Stadium

Bill Oddie
17.3.18 South End Green cafe

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Saturday, January 06, 2018

Creative Accounting - Stuck

Revolutionary Road (1961) + 1 = Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) + 1 = The Graduate (1963)

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Recent Happiness Experiment

Thurs 23

Watching the clouds blow over against an azure sky (in back garden)

Writing up Cycle of Life proposal - thought up on walk down to bus stop

Deep talk with D

Fri 24

Driving through London at night listening to Any Questions

Lunch with N at Amici including chat with Maurizio

Finishing Reaction Time proposal to round off a productive work week

Friday, November 10, 2017

Happiness Experiment - York

Wed 8

Choral Evensong at York Minster - intercessionary (?) prayers for cathedral visitors

The driving enthusiasm of the Hyde Family Jam busking near The Shambles

Acquiring Osbourne's The Entertainer hardback at Minster Gate second-hand bookshop

Thurs 9

Watching docs at closed Yorkshire Museum at night at Aesthetica Short Film Festival

Evensong at York Minster from the wooden seats by the bossman

Reading in the late afternoon sun outside the Minster - Paper Towns

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Belfast

WED 27th SEPT BELFAST

Porsche Boxter ride into the city

Early morning working in quiet as sun rose

Meeting with Richard Williams in cafe - long time connection with NIS

TUES 26TH

Docklands LR to City Airport in sunshine with glimpses of water

Showing Emma-R Proxy fine cut at her & Jonathan's place

Mentoring sesh with Roger at Carluccios St P

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Helsinki - Happiness Experiment

Sun 24/9/17 Helsinki - by the sea

Reading Paper Towns by the sparking sea

Working outside at a cafe by the sea with Ritva

Walking back to the hotel through the autumnal city listening to Van's Healing Game on my red ipod

Sat 23/9 Helsinki - on an island

Working in a room in the barracks building on the fortress island, working through from first principles

Walking round the island in the sunshine

Walking through the evening city guided by Ritva to the fine restaurant - cauliflower soup, pepper steak, berry granita

Fri 22/9 Helsinki - YLE

Watching A Date for Mad Mary on my hotel bed

Working on a big whiteboard at YLE working out strategy

Evening walk through docks to beach, listening to Brilliant Trees on way back

Thurs 21/9 - RCA

Spacious hotel room in Albertskatu overlooking the Alexander theatre

Teaching digital creativity at RCA Garden House

Lunch outdoors with Neville B

Friday, September 01, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Vienna

30/8/17

ORF
Terra Mater

Watching The Ivory Game at Terra Mater's villa

Dinner in gast garten with Doc Campus folk

Walk up from Hietzing to ORF in morning sun

31/8/17
ORF
The Third Man - Burg Kino
Prater

Watching The Third Man for first time in years in cinema in situ - followed directly by view of the Riesenrad

Walk in hot morning sunshine to Schiele's studio and death place down Hietzinger Hauptstrasse (then up to ORF)

Talking to Jon on the birth of his son from Viennese bus

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Vienna

28/8/17

Vienna - Ferris Wheel, Prater; Walking tour of Jewish Vienna 1st

Doing Harry Lime on Wiener Riesenrad - EFA approved

Walking tour of Jewish Vienna culminating in Rachel Whiteread's bunker-library memorial

Evening drink in beer garden with Tom from ORF

29/8/17

Neulengbach

Finding and having exclusive time in Schiele's cell - contrast to 1984 - window glimpse

Visiting Schiele & Wally's neighbourhood outside of town in summer afternoon sun

Taking pride in the Kindertransport memorial in Westbahnhof thanking the British

Monday, August 28, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Vienna

27/8/17

Schiele pilgrimage to Tulln - with triple coincidence - see SP4

Dinner with Daniel Karslake in Hietzing (where Schiele's studio was)

Reading Barbara Trapido Hornplayer with feet dangling in Danube under a lowering sky at 34 degrees (following snooze on a park bench listening to river sounds)

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Vienna

26/8/17

LHR to Vienna
Half-circuit boat tour Danube/Danube Canal
Banks to Donaukanal


  • seeing The third Man ferris wheel whilst walking across town
  • boat ride along the Danube and round the Canal, with a posse of Rhinemaidens on a hen-do
  • sundown by the banks of the Donaukanal, reading Atomic Blonde and drinking spritzer & coffee

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Ireland

6/8/17
Carlingford
Carlingford via Ballymascanlon to Rush

Water colour painting of Carlingford from far pier

Rainy walk with kids to far pier via Murphy's railway cottage (about to be changed)

Walk along base of Slieve Foy with U via Abbey

7/8/17
Rush
Dublin (Mairin & Joe's)

Finding fossil for Des on Walk around Rush shore from harbour to our beach without path with Enfants Terribles

Rush pub with N to watch Gaelic match over coffee & red lemonade

Dinner near Joyce's house in N Dublin with Joe, Mairin & girls

8/8/17
Rush
Dublin
Holyhead
Chester
home

Listening to S Town en famille

Getting Fish Fight job outside Italian in Chester

Entering home to see Ziggy

Sunday, August 06, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Ireland

5/8/17

Rostrevor
Carlingford
Newry

Painting Carlingford Lough from Rostrevor

The lanes and cottages around the Rostrevor Inn eg Water Street

Going to the cinema in Newry with D & N - Baby Driver

Saturday, August 05, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Ireland

4/8/17

Church Hill
Gartan - Glebe House
Kilmacrennan
Rostrevor

Dinner with Seth & Deirdre in the Rostrevor Inn including live music from Dermot McQuaid who played May You Never & Whiskey in the Jar for me

The John Craxton in Derek Hill's house

Doing a watercolour of the view from The Rappa

Thursday, August 03, 2017

Happiness experiment entry - Donegal

3/8/17

Church Hill
Narin - beach
Glenties - Paul Moore
Ardara - Tony Gallagher

Drawing seascape on Narin beach

Having tour of Paul Moore's empty Connie building in Glenties main street

Chatting with Tony Gallagher in Nancy's, Ardara

Happiness Experiment entry - Donegal

Tues 1st August

Church Hill
Ards Forest Park - Meabh, Des & Elizabeth
Glen - Glen Restaurant/pub

Chatting deep with the kids on the beach - D, N, Meabh
The wild flowers along the beach path - Ards Forest Park
The steak at the Glen - best in years (from Limmerick)

Wed 2nd

Church Hill
Ramelton - Roy Greenslade
Kilmacrenan - Coffee Time
Letterkenny - Speer's
Rathmullan beach

Sneaky peak into Roy Greenslade's 18C home & library
Buying a soft cotton granddad shirt at Speer's old clothes shop
Walking & writing on the beach at Rathmullan

Monday, July 31, 2017

Happiness Experiment - Donegal

Sun 30 July

Glenveagh - head of the glen down to the lake
Letterkenny
Ramelton

The double bass player playing at the Bridge Bar, Ramelton after dinner & drinks with Anita & Don

The wonderful walk down from the head of the glen to Glenveagh House

Driving home in the rain from Ramelton listening to Serial

Mon 31st July

Falcarragh - Dee & Seamus
Dunfanaghy
Killahoey beach
Wild Atlantic Way
Horn Head

Watching the Enfants Terribles swimming at Killahoey while reading my book

The liquid amber birch in Seamus' garden

Looking down over the beach and coast towards Bunbeg - over wild fuchsias

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - Ireland, Donegal

Sat 29 Aug - Church Hill, Donegal

Church Hill
Glebe Gallery
Glenveagh

Playing table tennis with D

A Camden Town Auerbach in the Space exhibition at Glebe Gallery in the middle of Donegal

Watching The Verdict en famille from The Rappa's film collection

Friday, July 28, 2017

Ireland Summer 2017: Recent Happiness Experiment entries

Thurs 28 July

Playing chess with D in new space in National Gallery of Ireland

Hanging with Meabh, D & N in the Photography Gallery, Temple Bar

Watching Young Offenders with the De Burcas - Sean, Meabh & Orla

Rush
Dublin - National Gallery, Trinity, Hapenny Bridge, Temple Bar

Fri 29 July

Being welcomed to The Rappa, Church Hill, Donegal

Meditating on the beach at Rush during my run

Dinner conversation en famille at Larkins, Newmills

Rush
Castleblayney
Letterkenny
Church Hill, Donegal

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Ireland Summer 2017 - Yesterday's Happiness Experiment

Wed 26/8/17 Chester to Dublin/Rush

Long walk along Rush beach at sunset with Des, Dylan, Noah - very low tide, Lambay Island looking magnificent

Lunch outdoors on deck at Dylan's overlooking Menai Straits - at Menai Bridge

Listening to Serial in the car en famille as we drove across North Wales to Anglesey

Chester to Menai Bridge (via Colwyn Bay)
to Holyhead
to Dublin Port
to Rush (Elizabeth & Des)

Sunday, July 09, 2017

U2 Joshua Tree 30th anniversary tour (Twickenham)


(Whole of the Moon)

Sunday Bloody Sunday*
New Years Day
Bad (with "Heroes" and "Where Are We Now?" snippet)
Pride

Joshua Tree LP
With or Without You**

The Joshua Tree

Where the Streets Have No Name (with "All You Need Is Love" snippet)

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

With or Without You**

Bullet the Blue Sky

Running to Stand Still

Red Hill Mining Town

In God's Country

Trip Through Your Wires (with "Love Me Do" snippet)

One Tree Hill

Exit

Mothers of the Disappeared

Miss Sarajevo (Passengers cover)

Beautiful Day (with "Starman" snippet)
Elevation
Vertigo (with "Do You Remember Rock'n'Roll Radio?" and "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)" snippet) (Uno Dos Tres)

(Love works in) Mysterious Ways (with "Miss You" snippet) (women icons song)

Ultraviolet (Light My Way) (Syria song)

One

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/u2/2017/twickenham-stadium-twickenham-england-4be407ea.html

Brian Eno
Vanessa Redgrave
Stella McCartney

My U2:

  • Live Aid (1985)
  • Twickenham (Vertigo?)
  • This


"Fans attending The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 night two in Twickenham enjoyed a slightly different set from last night. There were more than 10 different songs snippets featuring band favorites David Bowie, the Beatles, the Ramones, and the Rolling Stones.  Both Stella and Mary McCartney were given shoutouts from Bono, which explains why there were so many Beatles snippets.
"Mysterious Ways" made its European leg tour debut as another female fan was brought onstage during the song.  
During "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," Bono praised Alice Wroe for the HERStory project. Ahead of "One Tree Hill," Bono remembered both Greg Carroll and actress Natasha Richardson, acknowledging that her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, was in the audience. Bono also thanked "on behalf of the entire nation" Brian Eno: "Let me say this off script: There wouldn't be side 2, and there wouldn't be a side 1 if it weren't for Brian Eno, who's here tonight.

Bono dedicated the show to the people of London and to the heroes of the London Fire Brigade. He also thanked his cousin, AJ Rankin, for being one of his heroes as he "always has my back.


The next show is in Berlin on Wednesday."


Sat 8th: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/concerts/u2-joshua-tree-tour-2017-twickenham-stadium-review/

Saturday, July 01, 2017

Star Spots No. 221

29/6/17

Michael Grade - outside House of Lords

Robert Winston - Embankment tube platform

Monday, June 12, 2017

Happiness Experiment entries - Sheffield

12/6/17 Mon

Reading 'After the Fall' on the train in 1st class

Helping interactive documentary makers at MeetMarket Sheffield DocFest

Watching one of the few good VR/360 programmes I have seen - about Rode, a Melbourne street artist

11/6/17 Sun

Discussion about You have no idea how much I love you with Amir Bar-Lev & Molly after the screening

Planning a doc with Yony L

Dinner at Piccolino with Andy, Alex, Alison & Charlotte plus encounter with Bill

10/6/17 Sat

Met Walter Murch

Annual dinner with Ritva at Piccolino

Breakfast with Daniel & DocCampus folk

Saturday, June 03, 2017

Helsinki - Happiness Experiment

2/6/17 Fri

Coast walk from Ritva's market building to main port market building in Friday evening sun ☀️ with N

Happiness & appreciation at end of Short & Sweet Programme 1 at YLE

Seeing classic American cars cruising near the port in the evening sun of 2nd day of Finnish summer

1/6/17
Dinner at the Green Vault in Kallio including lamb tartar

Wandering around Kallio in evening sun with N

Cafe chat with N outside Kallio cafe/hairdresser watching the world 🌎 go by

31/7/17
Trip out to Lonna island 🌴 in evening sun with N

Exquisite meal both outside & in including white fish

Watching participants near finished films including Long Live the Porn King and What is the essence of stand-up? (with my guard scene)

30/5/17
Walking through Helsinki with N round lake in evening

Reading Before the Fall on a plane ✈️

Sharing my hotel room with N

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Star Spot No. 287

Charles Dance - Renoir Cinema, Brunswick Square (now Curzon Bloomsbury) 3/5/17 at launch of Sheffield DocFest with Daisy Asquith & Alex H


Monday, April 24, 2017

Happiness Experiment Entries - Finland

23/4/17

Reading 'My Promised Land'

A late afternoon walk through Helsinki in the cool Spring sunshine to meet Noora - the ship building, the post office, the station, all under an azure sky

Bumping into Andrew Missingham by chance at the airport, coming off the same plane - small world

24/4/17

Teaching (short form video at YLE)

Reading in the park above the port after work

Getting my old dual-time watch fixed at Stockmann




Monday, April 17, 2017

Temps Perdu

Loppylugs record shop, Edgware

mentioned in passing on Radio London this morning

Friday, April 14, 2017

David Hockney - Tate Britain 17/3/17

Artist Surrounded by Artistic Devices 65
republish on SP4

Rubber ring floating in a swimming pool 71
figurative abstract
cf O'Keeffe

my bro is only 17 1962
cf Boty - cut swear word
cf Basquiat
phrases recur in 
3rd love painting 60

we 2 boys together clinging 61
quite chaste

the most beautiful boy in the world 61
bacon influence flesh

1st Marriage 62
use of bare canvas

chair theme
pool theme

boxes like Bacon

Letraset

Sunbather 64
X water 'devices'

Medical bldg 66
cf Riley
figurative abstract 

cf O'Keeffe - flat on abstract figurative bldg scenes

X water devices
cf OKeeffe palette
X grass (plant?) devices 
just missed absence of people
the core work

EPICS 

American Collectors 68
paired portraits 90 degrees connections or not btwn couples

por of an artist (pool w 2 figs) 72
another pair
a diff 90 degrees
weird mirror reflection 

geldzahler & chris scott 69
90 degrees
X glass devices
 SP4 on devices

isherwood & bachardy 68
90 degrees with head

mr & mrs clark * 70/1
 find cane steel chair loft
X carpet devices
2 45s to make 90
regency roots gainsborough

my parents 77 *
flower pot theme
mirror avatar child between them
Tate has all the great ones
cf his shoes in My Mother Bolton Abbey

cubist photography (composite polaroid)

gregory swimming la 31/3 82
those werent water devices - painted on pool

like a compilation of old london exhibs

Nichols Canyon 80
great palette - original

going up garrowby hill 2000
variable pov with distortion
mapness

the 4 seasons, wolfgaye woods 
summer
cubist
extension of polaroids

ipad drawings - process captured
ipad to paint - digital to concrete

(from EN)

Wednesday, April 05, 2017