Why do I do all of this stuff?

Sometimes  

 I get asked, or have to try and explain, mainly in workshops and educational settings, why it is I choose to write and perform. There is a few different answers I often give, most of them are in the list below, but I think this is the first time I've ever sat down and tried to list them all togethor. I felt a bit wary doing this as there is a part of me that thinks it's a bit wanky and insincere, and I'm almost pretty sure if I did this next week, some of the answers would be different. Alas. here it is, hopefully my asnwers in future will be a little consisent.

 Why?

:    I enjoy the craft of creating something.

:    I think a lot, probably too much. Writing helps me organise my thoughts.

:    It helps me figure out my relationship with the environment around me

:    I can express my thoughts and feelings in a creative and constructive way.

:    If I'm writing something, I can take my time, cross out lines, change words and eventually work out what I want to say and how I want to say it. (I rarely ever won arguments whilst growing up, I still don't, it's much better for me this way.)

:    I enjoy the life-cycle of developing a piece of work, writing, editing, learning it, then practising it, practising some more, extra practising, then finally performing (with some last minute frantic practising). All of that, gives me a sense of achievement and a feeling of self-worth.

:    Performing allows me to connect with other people, which helps me further in understanding my relationship with the world around me and where I fit in. I've met some great people this way.

:    Sometimes, I get to perform in places I would probably never have gone to and meet new people I probably never would have met.

:    Though I'm often very nervous before I perform, I enjoy the crazy mixture of feelings I get from going on, being on and coming off stage.

:    I enjoy the camaraderie with other writers and performers, especially at festivals, they're always a good laugh.

:    Water, beer, juice and fizzy drinks all seem to taste nicer after a gig.

:    Everytime I come off stage, not knowing what the outcome would be when I stepped on the stage, and having done everything that my nerves, fears, worries, self-doubt and paranoia are telling me not to do, I feel like I've achieved something. It's these little victories which make me want to     overcome more of life's hurdles.

Football is absurd

Weekend before last, I was at the launch night for issue number 3 of a new (ish) magazine called The Alarmist which is co-edited by fellow poet, Leeds fan and all round top bloke Gary From Leeds. The magazine is a quality publication which features short stories and poems with some pretty slick design. Anyway, much to my ignorance, I'd not really been aware of these goings on until I happened to be speaking to Gary via text, and he told me about the event which took place at The Social, just behind Oxford Street, Richard Purnell was hosting, and he's a top bloke as well (and forms a double act with Gary), so off I went.

As part of the door tax, which was £6 I believe, I got a copy of the latest issue thrown in which was a touch. Gary had told me there was a story about Millwall in there, called Millwall Territory by a writer called Nial Foley, so naturally I went straight to it. Without delving too much into the story itself, which I really enjoyed (which talked about the gentrification of Bermondsey, amongst other things, which I'm sure at some point I'll mention) I saw this quote, which really struck a chord with me, talking about being a football fan:

"Are you kidding? Being a football fan is being a muppet. Football is absurd and irrational, and if wasn't, there wouldn't be a game. You don't have to look too closely to see it is exploitative irrational tribal nonsense. It is what makes it great."

I thought he hit the nail on the head with that!

Check out The Alarmist online at http://www.alarmistmagazine.co.uk/ and check Facebook for future events