The Taylor's Tale - Thu Jun 4

Excuse the sporadicity of Blog entries (given the rise of Twitter maybe Blog entries should now be called Bleats? Certainly seems apt!) recently. Some of the things in my life at the moment I don’t really think its appropriate to share, other things I am literally not allowed to share, so we’ll just have to make do with surface level chatter for today.

I’ve been learning about calories and how many of them are in the foods I regularly eat, which has been interesting. I mean, it’s not really anything I didn’t know already – chip shop chips Bad, Tesco’s Apple & Grape Snack Packs Good – but it’s interesting knowing the numbers. And I honestly didn't know that the vending machine flapjacks have twice the calories of the chocolate bars! And there’s me scoffing them down regularly thinking “mmm… nuts and oats and fruit – this is by FAR the healthier option than a Lion Bar”. D’oh!

I’ve also been out in the sunshine. Once my manky old sinus cold (I know! WTF, right?) finally subsided I took every excuse I could to get out into the hot rays of Summer. Me and Diane walked round Caldecotte lake to do some pre-ramble scouting; I walked to Stantonbury to swim with Phil; and I walked to Haversham on Sunday afternoon to visit the folks. It’s been brilliant. And this is just the start – Summer Of Love 2009. Finally. “The One”.

And I don’t know if the two things are linked, but with The Sunshine has also returned The Writing. Or maybe it’s not The Sunshine that’s brought it back so much as The Reading. Sick and tired of grumbling about how my love of poetry seems to be dwindling, I’ve gone right back to the start* and am currently very much enjoying a stroll through The Canterbury Tales. Which I am slightly embarrassed to admit I’ve never read before. Though not to come across too literary all of a sudden but I’m finding the Modern English translation (ably conducted by Nevill Coghill) a little jarring at times. Maybe I should give it a go in the original Middle English… (fiddles academically with beard)

I’m also re-reading the brilliantly comprehensive “Lives Of The Poets” by Michael Schmidt, which I’ve not read for a long time, and that’s enthusing me again too. Cos it's a big old history we're a part of, and I find that incredibly inspiring. So I’ve written two poems and a great new Vodka Boy song in the last week. Let’s assume this is not a false dawn, rather the start of a new Golden Age. ;-)

Right – what next? MADCAP AGM again, the finishing touches to “Dracula Vs The Boy Band” (oooh must set up the Facebook Event), Whose Turn Is It Anyway? on Saturday and all the usual. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero. Kiss kiss.

* Yes yes yes, I know – ALMOST the start, and of ENGLISH poetry not World Poetry, but… shut up. Pedant. ;-)