I want to write something good on Sunday or Monday
Something that nobody else would write.
It’s been building up, swirling round in my head all Thursday afternoon and evening. I seem to be going very fast this week, so fast I can’t write anything. Life’s been more varied, more eventful, more colourful than usual – but I’ve lost my habits, like writing ANR pieces, going to the gym.
What I have in mind can wait. Nobody else will write it first, that’s why I’m not in a hurry. It can’t be now because I need to chill out, to slow down, so I’m off to do some stretches, some cycling, some time on the stepper, some swimming, and 20 minutes in the steam room.
Occasionally, we talk about Arsenal in the steam room. Any gym in north London will have members and trainers who are Arsenal fans, that’s inevitable. I won’t be writing tonight because my neice is coming to dinner and we’re really looking forward to that. She’s 22 and is now working in London and we haven’t seen her since she went travelling in Argentina.
I’ve finished my jury service, disbanded our team of 12 lovely Londoners after a unanimous Not Guilty. Today isn’t a football day, it’s a Citizen-Myles-does-what-he-wants-to-do-day. Saturday could be one of those as well.
My more illuminating pieces come when I’m thoughtful, not when I’m speedy. When I’m going too fast I just write angry stuff and reflex stuff.
Writing a big picture Arsenal piece will be easy. It will only take an hour. If I know exactly what I want to say, the style takes care of itself. But I need to find the right mood.