The birthmonth has began! And it’s not the best time, but at the same time, maybe having a rest from essays will do me good. I’m having nightmares that my essay grades are so bad they don’t let me complete the course ever, and when I got my placement report, I had a completely irrational panic that it was a message about me doing something majorly wrong! The report was glowing, thank you very much brain.
My gran recommended the exhibition ‘The Time is Always Now’ at the National Portrait Gallery, and took a train all the way from Hastings to see me and the exhibition , give me a gift, and treated me to tapas! The next day I went to The Avocado Show with my mum and saw ‘For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy’. It was absolutely incredible, a must-see, blending humour with serious topics, great music and beautiful song and dance. A choreopoem, it was inspired by “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf” by Ntozake Shange. I had missed the boat previously, and my mum had introduced me to the Shange text, so it was meaningful to go together.
I spent a solid two days feeling like I was treading water as I tackled my essays over Sunday and Monday. That feels like an age away now after uni and placement days, plus last night’s She Grrrowls. Although the audience was strangely small, and there was some stress beforehand, I thoroughly enjoyed the night. I was quite affronted by people posting online to sell on tickets and pulling out of attending in favour of doing an open mic. Very bad form, to be honest. The people who did attend were an incredible audience and gave the features the love and enthusiasm they deserve. Eleanor May Blackburn’s ‘Does my Fanny Look Big in This?’ was incredibly relatable in so many ways, and was so well told, again dealing with some serious subjects, surrounded by a lot of humour. Phoebe Wagner then showcased her film ‘(Pub)lic House’, which was so interesting and important and can be watched for free by all online!
Today after a full work day, I then celebrated my mum’s birthday with a meal. Tomorrow I celebrate my own with friends after Race for Life in the morning! You can donate here.
Watching: One Day, The Simpsons
Reading: Introduction to Object Relations by Lavinia Gomez
Podcasts: The Process Podcast by Tyrone Lewis
Music: Pinhanı
Again, if you’re able to share or donate to my crowdfund as I train to become an Art Psychotherapist, or buy some books, please do!
Poet on page and stage. Creator of She Grrrowls. Facilitator. Writer. 