A new approach

1. We strike while the lipgloss is hot and I have my photo taken first thing. We decided yesterday that - at our age - you have to get a picture within the hour of make up going on. After that, there's no point, it's as if it was never applied. So, come 11am I have a set of very lovely headshots courtesy of Dallis Murray to add to my biog for the seminar I am giving in a while. I love them.

2. Work-wise the Edinburgh Festival starts on Friday afternoon. Play-wise I booked a few shows for next Sunday. I feel organised, sorted and genuinely excited: Grid Iron and DPJ? C'mon, it's everything I could ask for.

3. I had a clear diary today at work, a day at my desk which gave Spotify and I a chance to make up properly. I use ATYN playlists as a starting point and surf a playlist that ranges from Tom Waits cover of Somewhere, Mogwai, The Sundays, Chopin and on and on. Last week my mum told me about her favourite Paul Simon song; Darling Lorraine. I'd never heard it before. It's beautiful.

4. A cloud has lifted, just a little. Something has changed.

5. And so to All the Young Nudes. I can't draw and I certainly can't draw the human body, but still I keep trying. I am like a dopey magpie (by that I mean thief) I saw this stripped back pen and ink style over the shoulder of someone else and loved it. I wish it was my original style. It isn't. I've stolen it (insert well known phrase or saying re imitation/ flattery here).