Writing about write-off days – 25/02/16

19:05

Thought I might as well write a blog post as to not write this day off as something totally unproductive [insert joke about the double meaning of ‘write’ I just stumbled across there]. I guess the day was pretty much over at 9:20am, when I got two tickets for me and my dad to see Bruce Springsteen in just over three months. That’s not even that much time to wait. When you get your Glastonbury tickets eight months ahead of the festival, you have to build up a certain level of pre-gig patience, but this is TOO soon. And WAY too exciting.

I love Bruce Springsteen so much, I had actually convinced myself I’d already seen him. I think it was Adolf Hitler who once said “the bigger the lie you tell to people, the more likely they are to believe it” – and that’s true in this case, but with me telling myself lies. Sorry to bring Hitler into it, I could have explained that some other way without bringing Hitler into it.

Anyway yes, I’ve watched so many YouTube live videos of Bruce, and heard so many stories of just how good he was live, that I was all like: “I loved when he came on with Paul McCartney in Hyde Park, it was a moment where you just HAD to be there, that beat ALL other momen… oh wait. I didn’t even go to that, my dad did, and he told me about it. So, yeah I guess I wasn’t there. It’s okay though. One day soon.”

And: “What about his legendary Cleveland, Ohio show, 1978, HEY – what a year to be alive and a Bruce Springsteen fan, right?… oh wait. I wasn’t around in 1978, and by not being around in 1978 I guess that pretty much excludes me from being a Bruce Springsteen fan in 1978. Ah yes, that’s right. I guess I wasn’t there. I just read about that on Twitter.”

But hey, whatever, let’s leave the past in the past and focus on the 3 June! It’s happening everyone! I’m going to be in Coventry – a working man’s city – with my dad, the biggest Springsteen fan known to man, drinking Bud.

Anyway, that was today’s big news. This week has been the first of the last two or three years (maybe) where I haven’t had anything to do in the evenings (no rehearsals/classes/rehearsals/rehearsals/general things to do). It’s been so blissful. Even more blissful is the fact that the office refurbishment took slightly longer than planned, so I’ve been working from home for the past two days and have had the opposite of a ‘burnout’ week. From a self-confessed proper burnout, it’s felt alien and confusing at the best of times, but having time to do things like read a book and watch Eastenders is pure bliss. I might try to do nothing more, but then I guess by trying to do nothing, you’re doing something. (Can you tell I’ve barely seen anyone in the past two days? No, those weren’t pocket calls. Yes, I did call you 10 times today.)

On that note, however, this week is an anomaly: I have SO many exciting things lined up (including Bruce Springsteen, of course, which is enough to be excited about alone) especially regarding my writing – and PLAYWRITING – and the next few months are going to be about getting my head down with that. As much as I’ve just preached the power of doing nothing, it’s equally as fun to be doing loads of things all the time – things that you genuinely really love. But yes, I’ve been going to a weekly playwriting course in Cambridge (which finishes in two weeks) with a group of other lovely young playwrights and it’s helping me with my writing so much. It’s just cool to chat with other #yung #teenz who are gonna be the next Becketts or Shakespeares or whatever – they’re smart cookies and are all writing all this GREAT stuff. And the pub next door is cheap! So that’s good.

Anyway, I have to go. I’m going to watch 45 Years with my mother at a local arts cinema I’ve known of for the past 10 or so years but have never actually been to. I don’t think she’s had any tea so remind me to bring some Doritos before I leave.

Speak soon,

T.A.L x