An Escapologist's Diary. Part 2.
A trivial thought occurs. When I leave Glasgow in a few weeks, I will have no keys.
I’ll surrender my house keys to the letting agent and return my drinking club key to the proprietor. All I’ll have left is a pocketful of fluff.
No keys! No security. No commitments. Nothing worth locking up.
Issue 2 reprint and official launch
Issue 2 is selling so well that we had to request a second run from our printers.
Huge thanks to everyone who bought a copy. You’ve secured the making of Issue 3.
The reprint has some tiny differences to the original run: a slightly different cover and a bookish inside title page. These were last-second fixes and will now be present on any future prints. If you have an original version, you’ve got yourself a limited edition and evidence that you supported New Escapologist at the beginning.
In other news, the official launch party will be at the Glasgow CCA on 7th July at 8pm. Come along for a free glass of wine and some jolly banter.
An Escapologist's Diary. Part 1.
After two years of working in an office, I have handed in my notice. There are six more weeks before I actually have to clear my desk but already the sense of pending freedom is exhilarating.
It will be a three-month mini-retirement. I will travel, write and spend a not inconsiderable stretch of time in Montreal with my girlfriend. Together we’ll live the lives of Haruki Murakami characters: luxurious unemployment.
Two years work to earn three months of freedom is still a horrible injustice but I’m confident that this is just the beginning of a much longer escape plan and that eventually I’ll turn that ratio on its head. I’ll report back through these pages.
Colleagues have asked me how I feel. Do I feel anxious? Do I worry that I won’t be able to find another job when I get back?
The answer to both questions is a resounding No. As to how I feel, I feel great. I feel defiant, autonomous and (I’m sorry) slightly smug.
Make seed bombs
I’m excited by the idea of seed bombs.
I first learned about seed bombing at a protest on a local Tesco development site. In that instance, protesters made use of the seeds of unmanageable plants that could cause monkey business for developers. I prefer the idea of sewing wild flower seeds on urban scrub.
Personally, I’ll be using foxglove seeds. Past experience tells me that they are more likely to take to hard urban soil than many other wild flower seeds. Also, bees love foxgloves and my main impetus for this whole thing is a desire to help out urban beekeepers.
Seed bombs are remarkably easy to make. Here’s a video tutorial.
New Escapologist held in British Library
Finally, some recognition from the establishment. New Escapologist is now visible on the British Library catalogue.
Furthermore, it can be consulted at the BL or even shipped out to any other library in the UK via inter-library loan. Cool. New Escapologist is a friend of libraries. Copies of #2 will be freely viewable from selected other libraries in the next year.
Learian Verse
One of the features we have lined up for Issue Two, due for release late next month, is a selection of Edward Lear poetry handpicked by Marco Graziosi.
Marco picked too much for us to include in print so we’ve put The Dong with the Luminous Nose and The Jumblies here at the site.
Buy Issue Two for further verse along with original Lear illustrations, beautiful typography and a short essay by Marco.
