This morning a note was pushed through our letterbox informing us that packages had been delivered to one of our neighbours. I wondered what these might be, something for Emi perhaps? Or one of those impulse buys from the Bangood company in China that I sometimes fall for and later regret?
But, on further investigation, it turned out to be six very large and very heavy boxes containing 288 copies of the 'Auditoria' triple album, sent direct to me from the pressing plant for me to sign and eventually put on sale at the 'Plectronica' event.
I carried them, with a great deal of effort, from our neighbour's house into ours. Approaching these physical tasks as if I were still in my twenties is not a good idea.
Although I try to deny it, here and now, on the cusp of being 70 years old, I'm certainly not up to such things. (The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak', to quote an old saying.)
Anyway, the boxes now occupy a great deal of space in our dining room and await my signature on every one of the 288 copies. It will take me several days to accomplish this mammoth task.
Managed to do some more artwork for the event today. I decorated one of the two ceramic plates I've bought. Looks quite good, I think. Another one to attempt tomorrow. As I've mentioned before, my failing eyesight makes this kind of work more problematic, but, as the old saying goes, struggle against the dying light...Or, 'sod that for a game of tennis' (in blunt Yorkshire parlance. )
Several 'phone calls this morning. Ian Haydock rang and arranged a date for him to come over to our house and bring prints for me to sign for the event. Then Jon Wallinger rang to talk through some of the details to do with the live streaming of 'Plectronica', and the next Bandcamp re-issue of one of my out-of-print albums. Then Mum rang to share her experiences at the hospital today, then Paul Gilby called to discuss details of which videos I've chosen to be projected at the event, and other stuff connected with it, including the live stream.
On top of that, the man who is sorting out our tile problem in the bathroom called to say that he would be coming this afternoon to deal with the grouting of the tiles. So, despite still feeling under the weather with this awful cold, I've had to keep my wits about me and plough on regardless.
So, where are we now? Well, all those albums to sign, obviously. Much more artwork to create, guitars to choose for each number, service and pack for the live set, equipment to disengage from the studio and cart downstairs ready for collection, clothes to choose (all is vanity,) for the performance, more instructions to type up and print out, etc, etc...
Do I make a rod for my own back with these events? Well, it seems so. Do I love or hate doing them? Probably a combination of the two polarities. I fear them, yet also welcome them. It's like opening a guitar case and staring at the instrument and thinking, 'Heck, I don't know whether you're going to be my enemy or my friend today...' It's a completely random experience. Something that happens in the moment.
And, for the moment, that, is where I must leave it.
