Another sketch of Oswald Road. This time the main focus of the room is the David Shrigley print which has probably been placed being the bed to stop the negativity of the work imposing itself on the occupants of the bed on waking each morning!

So I’ve gone and done it. I’ve quite my job, spent the summer travelling around various festivals and generally hitting life to the max. It’s been absolutely amazing. The highlight has to be Shambala and also the three weeks I spent up in Scotland.

Shambala was just the perfect festival in so many ways. A fantastic group of friends, perfect weather, incredible atmosphere and enough crazy things to keep your mind occupied for a lifetime never mind a bank holiday weekend. There was a roller disco, medieval village, a forest wilderness with a huge disco ball and sound installations, fantastic beer/cider and of course fancy dress. I’m sure everyone has seen the Lollypop lady photos by now then take a look. It was reet good.

Scotland was also amazing but for other reasons. The remoteness of Eigg, the beautiful West Highland Railway from Glasgow to Mallaig, the loneliness of cycling 40 miles in the Galloway Forest Park and only seeing about 6 people in as many hours. I’ve been guilty of travelling thousands of miles to places like Thailand without ever appreciating what is actually close to home. That is all going to change!

As soon as you are out of the system it feels extremely easy to look back and question why you were doing it in the first place. Life infront of a computer is the norm for millions of people (ok I’m doing it now but I mean paid work) but ultimately I was wasting my days working and looking out of the window at freedom. Some may say what I’m writing is far to idealistic and utopian. But you have to start a journey with a single step. I am not saying that I’m never going to work again – that would be foolish – I am saying that I can reduce my interactivity with the capitalist/consumerist system to the level where it works for me and for those I interact with. Life at the moment is about good food/drink/friends and fun. And long may it continue!

If you are around the Manchester area this weekend come and see us running a coconut shy. At this point I have no idea what we are doing or how you are supposed to run one but it should be fun!

Finally I am scared! My course starts again in just about 5 weeks and I need to get studying. But this late great summer weather and generally laziness (idleness?) has meant that I’ve found a million and ten things to do before actually studying. This reminds me of “wasted” days playing Super Mario Kart and Sensible Soccer at University when we all should have been in the library. Now the kids have facebook so expect lots of degrees to be failed!

This was drawn on the sofa looking towards the windows. I am struggling with perspective!

My first attempt at sketching in my new sketch book. If I don’t draw one a day I will be attacked by some weird creature apparently.