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This week’s three behind-the-scenes entries — one from this week, one from 2022 and one from 2006, all contain the word ‘gift’. It was pretty much the structuring feature of this week’s, so I did a search for the word in other journal entries. The second contains passionate thoughts on a couple of novels (and writing style) plus teaching; the third discusses in depth the writing of the poem “What Blue Is” as well as wandering into the kind of territory that led me to this week’s Friday post.
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Grab a coffee, a herbal tea, or a proper British cuppa, and have a nose!
Thursday 19th Sept
Context: Officially, I was made redundant from Goldsmiths at the end of July. It was long past time that I went in to clear out my office. The ‘stitch fairy’ is an aspect of the app “750 words” that allows you to skip a day (it stitches your streak) so long as you write a double-sized entry the next day. So this is 1500 words. All the names mentioned are current and former members of the Goldsmiths English Department; professors Frank and Lucia were both, like me, ousted in the senior staff clearout.