Beautiful location and inspiration at first workshop

We held our first workshop on Tuesday this week, filled up the Long Gallery at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery with thoughts of diaries, of writing short excerpts and hard work.

It was a relaxed yet enjoyable morning, slightly chilly so we re-fuelled with digestive biscuits and tea that the Museum kindly let us make in their little kitchen. The museum, actually was a great place for the workshop - not too busy on a March Tuesday morning, with plenty of space for tables. It also led to thoughts about Hastings, and about living here really well.

We asked if people minded sharing a couple of pieces of their work on this blog to give others diary inspiration. Chris had asked people to write a diary from Monday, to then re-work it in several different ways - by adding the senses - what we saw, smelt, touched - by adding emotions - and finally cutting it down to 100 words (or less for the competitive editors there).

So here we are...some ideas for your diary entry written by real locals, and not (for once about dogs).

Today I felt like a driver. Gone were the nerves and doubts. The sun was shining as if the world had accepted my new status. It was also blessed by lack of phone noises. Only just over two weeks to go till my test and yes I have to pass to be able to drive about on my own but I am starting to taste the freedom I will be rewarded with alongside my licence. My feet automatically work the gears now. My hands don’t grip the steering wheel in terror anymore. I am more relaxed in the knowledge that I am coming to the end of this learning journey.

So our two-mile evening walk commences! What and who will we see this time? Although I start off feeling cold and wish I was at home in the warm I know there is a purpose to this. For it is exercise and helps regulate my blood sugar and means my diabetes is more manageable. Off we go as always wondering if the man in the mobility scooter will honk at us and bark “Get out the way!” or if we see the man by his window named for obvious reasons “The Naked Man”

And by another writer:

Monday 21 March 2016

Walked the dog. Thought about my mother. Took computer for repair. Interesting transgender woman in a flat scented with incense. Washing on. Re-read Philip Roth’s Plot Against America — shades of Donald Trump. Collapsed. Drank Pernod. Watched programme on Rudyard Kipling.

Thanks so much for sharing these entries with us, we literally can't wait to see what else Hastings has to say...