Wednesday 17 January
Shit! has it been that long since I last signed in to the blog? Anyway here’s a summery of the events of my life and work since the last post. The two weeks before Christmas were a non stop blur of working three jobs. Van driver by day toilet cleaner by evening and parcel thrower by night (stop if you've heard this before). The guys at parcel force were a friendly bunch. I have since had contact with a Zimbabwean called Admore, sound chap.

Went out with Jake and joy on the Friday before Christmas after finishing work. Good night out, I woke to find Nathan and Hung (his new Vietnamese wife) sat downstairs fresh from the airport. She was here to see Nathan’s step dad as he was now not long for this world. Top bloke in his late forties dieing of bowl cancer.

Myself and Nathan had fallen out a number of times over the two things that men fall out over, but each time we forgave and forget. Now we just prod each other with light verbal barbs.

Christmas Eve, went for a drink with the old man, he’s getting old, and 3 pints is now his limit. Christmas day was nice but stressful. So many family members so many problem cases including myself. We all gathered around at my sister’s house. The most normal person in the family. She has a lovely old farm house in a quite part of Cheshire so there is room for everyone to stay out of each others way.

My cousin arrived with her Pakistani husband (who is already married) whom she had left once this year and told us all how terrible he was. Still it was all a vast improvement on the previous year (two houses got torched - long storey) My grandfather continued to tell everyone about all the people who had died before him. He won’t be happy until he’s beaten us all. My grandmother continued to make faces behind his back and no one spoke of my third aunt who will not come up at Christmas due to the argument I have caused. Still, a fun day. I got to speak to Jamie and wish him all the best and that was all that mattered to me.

Mooched, and worked occasionally between Christmas and New Year. Had Jamie for three days up to New Years Eve. We had a great time. Opened Christmas presents spent time playing with my sisters boys went to the cinema had Chinese, watched DVDs and just chilled.

New Year’s eve I returned home at 9.30 got changed and headed to Mark and Tracy’s where everyone was already, mashed. I started to tan the lagers and vodka and Red Bulls. Not a bad night and not to expensive for New Years Eve. The following morning I got up and walked the 6 miles to Marks house to retrieve the car only to return and get a call from Alex asking for a lift back there to retrieve his wallet. My teeth still hurt from all the Red Bull.

I returned to the studio on the 2nd and started to potter. I found it immensely difficult to get back into the flow and in fact it was not until half way through last week that I started to make any impact on my practice.

I managed to get the plaster bullet cut on the wheel that I had constructed in the casting room. I spoke with Mat Ward, the university Chaplin who paid a flying visit and also spoke to David Calder and then Peter Mojsa of the Diocese. I have since sent emails to the development firm who will be making the purchase of St Marks and hopefully will get a response shortly.

Yesterday was the half year review and Emma and Richard seemed very positive especially about the large plaster bullets. Richard had some great ideas and we talked about how the bullets would be situated. Emma also made some positive comments about my practice in context work. I was very pleased by the end of the day. Lots more work to do though.

Work last night and a good chat with the new porter Lawrence. A Zimbabwean starting a Business masters in September. We talked politics and about his experiences in the UK. I think I was the first person in over two weeks of him working in the building to ask where he was from and show an interest. I am sure the other staff just see a black man and then shut off. After all, Africans are Africans, right?