Dr Tom Payne's Blog – April 2010 Archive (26)

Day 62 - The Standing Man - Cnwch Coch

After an evening of editing (2 minutes) and discussing with Sam, we have decided upon a new project. The Standing Man. I can't explain what it is right now, but it links into my research work with NTW. I need to arrange to go back to the old library in Swansea in order to create the first part of the project. A creative response to the place. Down in the stack. I will get in touch with Paul to see if we can do our interview as well. Just need to figure out how to get down there.

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 30, 2010 at 12:00 — No Comments

Day 60 - The BBC - Aberystwyth

These first two months have been phenomenal. Coming to terms with PhD research has been a struggle at times. Teaching in an FE college in Mid-Wales was pretty straight forward, and unlike this research project, teaching, by and large, gets done simply through it's doing. There have been times in these first two months where I have felt lost without the structure that teaching provides and at other times an incredible sense of freedom.


I've been to Blackwood, Krakow,…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 28, 2010 at 11:00 — No Comments

Day 59 - Dr. Watson and the Lost Day - Aberystwyth

Occasionally a day gets lost, not always through carelessness, but on this occasion I think I might have less it slip by carelessly.


Reading that doesn't go anywhere and writing that might be better never read. A late afternoon trip to the doctor in which he betrayed more than a minor intolerance to emergency appointments that turn out not to be emergencies. I am reminded of the time that I went to casualty with a head ache. The doctor in question used to be my next…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 27, 2010 at 12:00 — No Comments

Day 58 - Lone Twin - Aberystwyth Arts Centre

I spoke to Gary today, over lunch, his lunch not mine. I didn't eat. I just watched as he attempted to work his way through through a salad while talking about his work with Lone Twin.


We were speaking in the break between the 1st and 2nd Lone Twin Theatre Performances of the day. Alice Bell and Daniel hit by a Train. The third part of the trilogy, Festival, took us late into the evening and discussions were resumed over and Indian in the…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 26, 2010 at 12:30 — No Comments

Day 57 - Tea and stuff - Around my Kitchen Table Aberystwyth

Tea made from....


Valerian root,
Cardamon Pods
Cloves
Green tea, loose from a packet
Other green tea from Thai Land, shaped like a wheel
Fennel Seed
Raspberry Leaf
Liquorice Root


A pretty mellow blend... Possibly too mellow. It's Lone Twin at the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth tomorrow.


Other than that, a pretty uneventful…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 25, 2010 at 11:31 — 2 Comments

Day 56 - Hiding Behind a Bookcase - A Hotel Room in Swansea

I spent the first part of the day shopping in Swansea. Burning up the battery on my video camera and feeling really bad about putting a book case against the hotel room door last night. I managed to work myself up into a state when I got in from the pub. I was convinced that someone was going to knock the door through and murder me. A little extreme I know. But then my experience when checking into the hotel had made me feel a little awkward. I don't know if you have seen Wolf… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 24, 2010 at 11:30 — No Comments

Day 55 - Theatre and Politics, Politics and Theatre - The Old Library in Swansea

Today was most remarkable because not only was it day 55 but the code to the security lock on the front door of the hotel was 55 55. A coincidence? I'm not so sure. I haven't given anything away by telling you this because, as the landlord informed me, the code changes everyday to one more simple than the day before. So if you were to figure out which hotel it was, by now the code would be different. Though there must come a point in about 5 days where the code becomes 00 00 and beyond… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 23, 2010 at 12:30 — 2 Comments

DaY 54 - Thoughts of Being Elsewhere - Aberystwyth

Ok, it is quickly becoming clear that Aberystwyth is the last place that I should be and yet I am finding it hard to be elsewhere. This wouldn't be a problem except that there are a number of things happening in Swansea tonight and tomorrow and indeed on Saturdsay that I should go and take part in. The Assembly Project is tonight in Monkey, tomorrow is a Politics and Theatre conference and then on Saturday the Forest Fringe. This is on tomorrow as well. I have decided to get the bus at… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 22, 2010 at 10:00 — No Comments

Day 53 - Eddie Ladd Interview - Trace, Cardiff

I met with Eddie Ladd today, before being picked up by my house mate and driven back to Aberystwyth. We sat and drank coffee in the office above the gallery come performance space that she shares with her partner, the performance artist Andre Stitt. What does a National Theatre of Wales, dealing almost exclusively in the English language, mean to an artist whose work is rooted deeply in the Welsh language? This is not simply about translation it seems. Not simply a case of converting… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 21, 2010 at 6:00 — No Comments

Day 52.1 - NTW Head Office - Cardiff

I am at the hot desk in the NTW offices in Cardiff. The hot desk has an Apple Mac with Harmon Kardon speakers. The Jelly fish ones. Like a set that I used to own that broke. It's incredibly bright in here. This is an open plan office with a number of Desks. A kitchen and a meeting room. There is also an area in which people can sit, downstairs by the entrance. It has the feel of an exclusive apartment. White walls and bare wooden floor boards. The neon sign sits above the stationary… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 20, 2010 at 2:05 — No Comments

Day 52 - My Birthday - My Brother's House

It's my birthday and I am in Cardiff. I am sat next to my two year old nephew who is watching .... (pause while I look up to fugure it out) JOHNNY TEST!!! I think. He has a zebra dummy and very curly brown hair. It's still sunny. Which is great. Spring masquerading as summer. I'm not looking forward to the day that it gives up and starts raining again. The country is still grounded. I wonder what the impact of the drop in air traffic emissions will be?

I have…

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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 19, 2010 at 21:03 — No Comments

Day 51 - Order Generic Nutridrine. Online Buying Nutridrine - Roath Cardiff

Brilliant, I am heading to NTW offices in Cardiff tomorrow afternoon to chat to some people about the work that they do. I am also meeting with Eddie Ladd on Wednesday morning. I'm not going to buy any Nutridrine online, but I am really glad that I now know where to buy it because I am sure that one day I will need it. I have also made some last minute alterations to my monitoring document. It read like a description of what I had done, am doing and am going to do. I…

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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 19, 2010 at 11:30 — 1 Comment

Day 50 - The other way around the park - A garden centre Cardiff

I ran the other way around the park this morning. There were less people and the morning air was fresh and crisp and cool. Later I swam with my brother, niece and nephew at the David Lloyd club and after that we went to a garden centre to look at the fish. My brother loaded plants for planting and I occupied the children. We stopped for cake and then went home. Where I slept. I have been waking at about 5am every morning because of the sun and combined with all the exercise it has been… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 18, 2010 at 11:00 — No Comments

Day 49 - 4 miles around the park - Roath Cardiff

I ran 4 miles with my eldest brother today. He lives in Cardiff by Roath Park. It was gloriously sunny and hundreds of people were taking advantage of the brilliant weather. Smoke rising from the middle of small groups of sun bathers. We ran around the outside of the park, looping twice around the same section and ending up by a red post box. My brother observed that I am pro-nating... at-least I think that is what he said. It means my right knee is collapsing inwards every time I put my… Continue

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 17, 2010 at 11:00 — No Comments

Day 48 - On the Road - Aber to Cardiff

The monitoring document is complete. I am really glad that I wrote it. It helps to have sat down and written about what I have been doing and what I intend to do. Back in control of the project. My house mate gave me a lift down to Cardiff in the afternoon. I am going to spend the weekend with family and then hopefully on Monday I will be able to visit and interview some people at the National Theatre.


It occurred to me that a trip to London to visit the National…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 15, 2010 at 22:30 — No Comments

Day 47 - Monitoring 2nd Draft - The National Library

I returned to the document that I had set up the day before. And stared blankly into the sections. Hmmmm... what do you say you are doing when you are not yet sure what you are doing. I suppose the expectations can't be that high of this as I am only 6 weeks into the project. Only enough time to have started thinking really.


There are four sections to the document


A cover page


An explanation of where I am at…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 15, 2010 at 10:30 — No Comments

Day 46 - Monitoring 1st draft - Online Aberystwyth

I set my 1st draft up on Google Docs. There are three sections. The first is an outline of the project to date, the second contains a draft structure and the third part is a rough timetable for the completion of the project. I was also able to construct a number of different research questions. I need to hand it in on Friday if I am to head off to cardiff in the evening. That means completing the work tomorrow and then tweaking on Friday.

Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 14, 2010 at 10:15 — No Comments

Day 45 - Spinning - Aberystwyth

Spinning. Walking. Lots of sunshine. More Running. Spinning. No labels on the wine in co-op. Forgot my wallet. Spinning. More spinning. New plan of action tomorrow. And first draft of monitoring document.



Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 13, 2010 at 10:00 — No Comments

Day 44 - All around and up and down - Aberystwyth

I went running three times today. Progressively shorter distances each time. I also did more thinking. I decided to return to John's article, Rapid Response to find some answers to yesterdays questions. The last time I read it the first show hadn't happened. Neither had the assembly project. It was interesting to reflect upon the aims with reference to the work so far.


I have pulled out a number of quotes that seemed relevant. In what way I'm not yet sure. But…
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Added by Dr Tom Payne on April 12, 2010 at 10:22 — No Comments

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