IN SIGHT OF THE TIDE: No Research Without Action, No Action Without Research (Kurt Lewin)

Left: the Lindisfarne Gospels; Right: St Cuthbert’s Gospel

Sorry about the absence of a post last week – I had other commitments that had to take precedence. And isn’t prioritising part of good time and mental health management?

So, what have I been up to?

Mainly I have been away. Research trips framed by the joy of being a special guest at my old Boys’ Brigade Company Awards Evening and the pain of a dental appointment.

Awards Evening was full of happy catch ups. And I’m hoping the parents of one talented lad will send me the poem he wrote about a Toilet Twinning charity so I can share it with you here.

My first research trip was to the British Library and British Museum. I felt nervous about travelling up to central London. I’m not sure why. The Lovely Mr M reminded me that I was born ad bred in London, that it was my city. But the thing is, the city and I have both changed – a lot – over the years. My city doesn’t exist anymore. And the city’s me doesn’t either.

But there was enough familiarity and novelty to settle my nerves and turn the day into a profitable one.

I fell in love with the British Library. If you’ve never been, do. As you step off the Euston Road, the hedges and fence give an immediate sense of separation and sanctuary away from the noise and pollution. A wide piazza with sculptures, sitting places, and a café feels more Italian than British. The building, Grade 1 listed, square like a pile of enormous shoeboxes of entirely red brick is very plain in comparison to St Pancras next door, quite utilitarian. Inside, however, it’s all white marble and swooping curves, airy and light as the courtyard outside.

African textiles including kangas

As to the manuscripts I went to see, I’ll have to save those treasures for another post. Safe to say, I came out stuffed with ideas and culture, as full as after a big dinner.

On to the British Museum, particularly to look at the Mitsubishi Gallery as I’m using a number of Japanese ideas and crafts in my dissertation. Then more manuscripts, this time Coptic and Ethiopian. I got lost on the way to my final port of call and ended up in the Africa Gallery – but glad I did, especially to see their textiles exhibition with familiar kangas (sort of sarongs) that brought back happy memories of my time in Rwanda many years ago. Eventually I found the temporary exhibition of artist books I was looking for, small in size but great in exquisiteness.

The following day back to London with my younger son to Japan House London, a cultural centre. Much smaller than the previous day’s venues, which my sore feet were very grateful for. Exhibitions of traditional and modern crafts, unfortunately we missed out on Japanese style afternoon tea, but an interesting tea demonstration. Not quite the detail on the philosophy behind it that I’d hoped for but mesmeric to watch.

Sunday was older son’s turn to accompany me, this time to Winchester Cathedral. I’d seen a lot of ancient Bibles in the British Library but I wanted to see one where it actually belonged. The Cathedral’s Kings and Scribes exhibition culminates in the Winchester Bible. It’s kept in very careful conditions to preserve it but the guide told us a volume did go on the altar for the coronation celebrations. I was struck – by the modern art exhibition, the ancient carvings and statues, and the working beauty of altars and candleholders – how naturally faith and art work together.

Antony Gormley statue in the crypt, which was previously filled with concrete to guard against flooding but the water persists.

Less said about my dental treatment the better really – I’m a real wimp when it comes to medical procedures and pain. But now I’m back in the southwest with a full schedule of work to get on with. Look out for news of my first paid writing job and a journal launch that includes one of my pieces!

IN SIGHT OF THE TIDE: A Week in the Life of a Working Writer

The personalised Academic Diary my old work colleagues gave me is filling up this week for all my new To Do Lists. Because, at the advice of one of my tutors, I am now considering myself a fulltime writer.

So far, treating my MA as a job has worked well for me, keeping similar hours and workdays to my other half. The routine has kept me on time for all my submission deadlines with only a little burning of the midnight oil. But now it’s time to build a writing career. And it’s achievable now I have a few tutorials to fit my dissertation around rather than seminars every week. I’m excited to branch out into a range of opportunities.

But what exactly does that mean I’m doing in a working week?

Well, this week, I had my first dissertation tutorial on Wednesday so I needed to prepare for that. I put together a list of poem ideas and initial plans. There are too many so that will need refining. And I’m reviewing my previous prayer journals as a source of material.

I’ve started entering competitions, which can result in publication or a financial prize. Or as I now see it, wages. On Tuesday I researched and started writing a poem about flashbacks using the metaphor of cockroaches. I circulate it to some course mates (we have our own friendly critique group) for comment and later in the week I edit it. Other perspectives and breaks to review my writing are essential for improvements.

Then I put together some notes for an internship application. A group of us are applying for a hospital radio job creating, writing, and presenting a couple of programmes. We’re meeting before our tutorials to put together our proposal, The Poetry Prescription, but we each need to prepare our CVs and answers to what interests us about it, our skills, and how it will help our career prospects.

Next day, I’m back to Plymouth. I’ve decided to work one day a week from university and the train proves a good office too, where I do more prayer journal research and a drawing lesson. The meeting ends with us feeling hopeful about our application such that, if we don’t get the internship, we’ve enjoyed working together so much we’ll plan a podcast instead.

The tutorial goes well too. My tutor is always encouraging but also pushes for excellence, both of which I appreciate. My head feels fuzzy with so much to think about afterwards as I stay in the library to write a blog post that’s due at the weekend. So fuzzy that I forget, until I’ve finished it, that I’d already written and scheduled one. The Lovely Mr M meets me from the station and carries my bag home – such a gentleman, he makes me feel like we’re teenagers again.

On Thursday, as well as more editing and research, I started experiments for a piece I am going to do using kintsugi. I’ve read about it but now I am learning how to do it. It’s going to be a much slower and more absorbing process than I had anticipated.

Friday’s main focus is amalgamating and submitting our joint input into one letter for the radio application. I’ve booked a research appointment at the Japan House, before writing this blog post and doing some financial planning.

Today’s plan is editing and publishing this blog post, more research bookings and kintsugi practice, then working on my new website.

Looks like that diary is filling up.

FILM REVIEW: FUTURE SOLDIER

Ok, I know you’re more used to book reviews and recommendations from me as a writer but bear with me on this. My most recent module in my MA was in script writing so why not follow that up with a film review? And, with full disclosure, why not give you a review of a newly released debut feature film from someone I know and admire?

Future Soldier was written and directed by Ed Kirk, who became part of our extended family thanks to his friendship with our son, Jamie, when they were students at Lincoln University. Following a degree in Film and Television, where he made a short film Hoplite 2000, which is a prequel to this, Ed set up his own production company, Acamas Video.  And whilst working as a videographer, firstly for his alma mater and then Sheffield University, Ed wrote, directed, and produced Future Soldier in his spare time over the last four years.

So, apart from my personal interest in the project, why am I recommending this film to you?

Well, for a start, if you want to see how much can be achieved by an independent film maker with just a £5000 budget, you should check this out. Bearing in mind that it’s a sci fi fantasy (or as Ed describes it ‘a love letter to cyberpunk’), so that budget also covers some pretty nifty special effects, costume, and make up. And you don’t need to take my word for it – it’s been nominated for best costume and effects at the upcoming Midlands Movie Awards. There’s some great make up (special mention for the facial scars of Yasmine Alice’s Xoey Cass) and Ed uses local Midlands locations to skilfully create military battlefields, the deprived undercity, and grand villainous headquarters.

If you like a bit of 80s nostalgia, you should see this film. It oozes 80s sci fi vibes. Think Tron, Bladerunner, Robo Cop.  It’s in the characters, the special effects, the sets, and the score (written by another Lincoln University friend, James McGee).

And if you like a bit of good old-fashioned escapism, underdog against the evil system, along with some great fight choreography, this is a film for you. Or if you want to spot some new young talent in the making – not only Ed himself, but actors Yasmine Alice and Adam Fielding stood out for me.

Is it a perfect film? No. It is a bit rough around the edges and clunky in places. You won’t get glossy Hollywood big budget faultlessness. What you will get with Future Soldier is clear evidence of what can be achieved with just a tiny budget and an enormous amount of talent and determination. I’ve got to wonder what more Ed can do with the right investment.

Future Soldier is available to stream on digital platforms, Amazon Prime, Apple TV,  Microsoft Store, and Google Play, courtesy of Reel2Reel Films.