Running out of steam sure takes it out of you.
Jury service came to an end this week, and it was hard work…It’s not a case I want to discuss now that it’s over, but suffice to say it wasn’t a very pleasant one. I think we, the jury, made the right decision in the end, and my conscience is clear, but even so.
I’m writing this with some sort of jet lag running through my veins. I thought I was ok after yesterday’s Tier 4 announcements, but I can’t have been as I couldn’t sleep last night, so I am somehow functioning (as best as I can) with about 2 hours sleep under my belt.
I am very pleased I am now off work until the new year; I feel like the cumulative effects of the stresses and strains of this tear and then my time in court have utterly wrung me out, and that a long break is what’s needed. The Xmas shopping has been done, 99.9% of it wrapped and ready. Just one thing to arrive and wrap and it’s all done.
Despite me actually getting cards from a couple of people that I never get cards from, I’ve not sent cards this year – perhaps we should have, but it just didn’t seem important.
Charts n grafs ( a nod to Grandaddy)
I’ve seen a few ends of year posts floating about this week, and some debates about the idea of increased submissions, aiming for the magic 100 rejections etc. I think if you want to go down that road that’s fine, but it’s not for me. It was discussed well and far more intelligently on Robin Houghton & Peter Kenny’s podcast, Planet Poetry, and so I’d urge you to listen to that, but then I’d urge you to listen to it anyway. I’ve not played the latest one yet, but that’s tomorrow’s job…
However, I did start doing its last year, so I’m carrying on now. An acceptance last week means I have now equalled my acceptances for 2019, which had been a record year, so I think that counts as a good. I’d like to think in some way this post is also tempting the gods and that the remaining subs (30 poems across 7 locations) will come in with acceptances now just to mess up my charts *Prays*.
What’s interesting (to me) is that it’s the same number of acceptances with a significantly lower number of poems sent out and to fewer places (36 vs 47, uncharted), but the success rate has increased from 9% to 12%…
I’d like to say this has something to do with me boxing clever about my subs and the quality of my poems increasing, and I hope that’s true, but I can’t say that as it’s not for me to say. I think I’ve certainly aimed at some places I didn’t think I’d get in, and on most occasions I was correct, but there were a few where it was a hit and hope and I “connected”. More of that in 2021 please, but I suspect it will only get harder.
THE WEEK IN STATS
39.2k running – I’ve re-adjusted my annual target, so I can’t ease off. 52K more to do between now and the end of the year to hit 1000 miles.
0 day of 2 x 7-minute workouts, but the above means I don’t feel so bad
0 x rejections: All good.
0 x acceptance
0 poems worked on.
0 poems finished:
0 Submissions:
0 Reviews written and submitted. 3 to do though, so must crack on
1 month and 6 days without cigarettes…I think. If we discount last week, and let’s do that
1 more week that I’m not having an affair with Eva Green
TITLE GIVEAWAY
Wrapping Paper
Tinsel Your Soul
READ/SEEN/HEAR/ETC
Read
Nothing…absolutely nothing
Music
Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger: Force Mature
Late Night Final: A Wonderful Hope
Paul McCartney: McCartney I, McCartney II, Memory Almost Full
The Idle Race: The Birthday Party
Laura Veirs: My Echo, Warp & Weft, Carbon Glacier, Year Of Meteors, The Lookout, July Flame
TV/Film
BSG S4 E7-8
Queen’s Gambit E5-7
Battlestar Galactica S4 E6-8
Fear of Walking Dead S5 E1-5
Zooms, etc
The North #64+65 launch
Laura Viers Patreon Gig
Radio/Podcasts
The Archers
Arrived
A record for Flo
My mate Mike’s Xmas Present
Kostya Tsolakis – Ephebos
Ordered
A record for Flo
My mate Mike’s Xmas Present
Wear The Fox Hat 