Confessions #2

Here are the confessions collected from yesterday! Today, the box will be in the Andrew Buchan during the afternoon, then I will take it to the Gate for the evening. Again, the mind boggles... Who ARE you crazy diamonds? Your secrets offer glimpses into the tender, troubled heart of Roath... As well as its timidity (NO confession is "too offensive"!) and toddler-like yukness ("I eat my own snot" - bleurgh!!!). Who the hell... Another thing I have noticed is that the confessions that come in when I take the box to literary events are longer, fuller and more, yes, 'literary'. Little paragraphs instead of single lines. As one might expect, really... Some poems were offered up, too, I will be collating these in a separate blog post. I am thinking of asking artists to draw their confessions, perhaps...! Anyway, here are the ones collected (get in touch via this blog, Facebook, or Twitter if you have one to share, too!) > > >

I am inept at technology.

I eat my snot.

My grandmother still believes I'm a Christian.

I used to suck c**k for a living.

I don't like poetry.

Nothing to confess here. - Carl Jung

All the confessions I can think of are offensive.

I'm not as smart as I think I am, which is a pity because I pigeon-holed myself the 'smart one' as a kid in lieu of any other stand-out qualities. To be blunt: I need to feel special and I'm not. What makes things worse is that's an incredibly 'un-special' problem.

I confess I believe Miley Cyrus truly is a feminist who only strips off to empower our daughters' and show her vulnerability. I'm feeling pretty vulnerable right now and may well strip off. - anon

1. I once stole hydrochloric acid from my school.

2. I shat in a urinal whilst drunk.

3. I broke a trampoline in Tenerife when I was six.

4. My mum's a lesbian.

5. I once smoked tea.

6. I am a closet anarchist.

7. I broke my banjo string (stringy bit behind the helmet).

Guiltblog

I am learning... That, despite a desire to be In All Places at Once, to See and Hear Everything at Made in Roath, and to Mention All People on the blog, this may be - Impossible. Because there are SO many things, and SO many people, and already I am having to choose between things because I cannot be in Two Places at Once...

Ah me!! Disappointment and guilt are combining within me at this point!! This has been increased, too, by some of my interactions with people taking part in MiR. So! > > >

In the spirit of nepotism, please make sure to go and see NEPOTISM, featuring work by Richard Huw Morgan, as I do feel a bit guilt-balls for saying I would go to the private view today but instead being rained on so much I could only make my own gig at Octopoet... Richard is a very charming man, an extremely talented artist, appears to have great taste in shirts, and so on. Please pop along! 

This charming chap has work on display.His name is Wing Tang, and he was very nice to me yesterday. And, displayed a bit of concern about people going to see his humble works... Please, can some of you make sure to go along! Bring a smile to this chap's face. He's on Arran Street. I will feel guilty if you don't go, and you (hopefully) will feel guilty by making me feel this way. Ha!!! :-p

Rachel Helena-Walsh posed for this photo, which I took yesterday while v v v tipsy. I now feel Johnny' Depp's eyes seering guilt into my soul... And not in a sexy way. Therefore, I feel obliged to mention that she is doing a heck of a lot of theatre things at MiR this year. Take a look at her profile on National Theatre Wales Community HERE! 

Christina Thatcher is a lovely lady and an excellent poet, and she has coordinated all the spoken word-y/live literature-type events for MiR this year. I feel - sigh! - guitypoos *again* because I will be performing at Spirituality in Art tomorrow from 8pm, instead of attending her popular Roath Writers event in The Pot, Crwys Road. Through a small error-y thang (the event I'm performing at was not included as 'spoken word', as it is mostly art with a poetic element added later), these are at the same time. I will endeavour to rush and make both... But, it may not be possible. Especially given my huge level of unfitness...! I - recommend both events! Oh dear...

Anyway, I guess it is the way and nature and tendency of these things for there to be clashes. And, dashes (from one event to another). And, pashes! Passions, I mean. I wanted another word to rhyme, see... All one can really do is just attend as many things as one can. SO many amazing things to see/hear! I will do what I'm able. You do the same. No more guiltblogs from me! Maybe some gossip, though, and definitely more confessions...! Until tomorrow, friends!

Confessions #1

Last night I took the confession box to the Made in Roath opening at the Gate. Here's what you good people put in there so far!!!

I had to wipe my bum with my socks in Soho.

I stole from a charity shop - shameful - but I took back a bag of clothes as I felt so guilty. Not as if I couldn't afford it. I am quite rich. I don't know why I did it.

I have a ten foot penis.

The freedom is truth...

Worms twisting turning in your head...

Borrowing through your sense of self

Speak the truth out loud to help

Confess... Confess... Confess...

I once ate SEVEN cakes in one evening on holiday.

I confess... that I was aware I was leading her along.

I like feeling loved.

I cheated in my swimming exam. I can't swim. But I have the certificate.

I think I'm better than most people.

I watch lesbian porn and I'm very straight. Embarrassed is not enough...

I have twice taken an overdose - and am obviously still here.

My toenails are coming off after the half marathon!

I once stole the flag from RAC HQ.

I am a virgin and I absolutely hate it!

I am a secret concrete poet.

So... It's pretty much a mix of tragedy, comedy, and the surreal so far. But, my brain begs - WHO has toenails that are twitching off? WHO thinks they are better than MOI?? And, WHO can't really swim??? As tempted as I am to start pushing people in Roath Park lake (it might provide some fleshy material for the Genetic Moo project currently taking place...??!), it seems that these will all have to remain a mystery, as none of you so far have included your names on the pieces of paper provided with the box...

All apart from one chap, who I will be including on a blog post later today. And which will include some snaps (Mab-style) from the opening, too.... By the way, yhe confession box will be with me at the Richard Huw Morgan's NEPOTISM private view on Arran Street from 6pm today, then at Coffi House on Wellfield Road from 7.30pm. The event at that time is OCTOPOET - 8 poets for the price of none! See you there, folks!!

Opening

A quick update just to let you know that I will be bringing the confession box to the grand opening of Made in Roath 2013 this evening. That's at 6pm, in the Gate. My own creative work has already found influence through the festival. You can read a poem I wrote while half-asleep this morning, and thinking aobut the forthcoming festive delights, here. Is anyone else out there responding to the festival in their personal work? A diary, a journal, a blog? Poetry, painting, papier mache? Come along at 6pm and chat to me if so, it'd be amazing to get your work included here :-)

And So It Begins!

The annual Made in Roath Festival is, finally, about to start...! In just a short while, we will be into the first day of the week-short (sigh!) event, which actually kicks off (sets off? Dances? Starjumps?? Maybe, all of these....!) at 6pm in The Gate, with poet Peter Finch, performer Rebecca Croxford, music, merrymaking, and people from all over Roath and (gasp) - beyond! ;-)

Please remember that I will be out and about, in a roving reporter-style way, to capture snippets and stories from people taking part, willing to share, wanting to confess, eager to opine/give an opinion, or anything at all really... My brief is less than brief - I have been  given artistic license, creative freedom, literary leeway, as it were! My aim: to collate people's stories, histories, tragedies, and triumphs, in my own poetic, intrepid way. As part of this, I will be wandering about, meandering merrily,  and chatting to/engaging with people I meet, making notes (olde stylee) as I go... These will then be recorded for posterity on this fine blog :-)

There will also be a couple of workshops facilitated by yours truly over the weekend. They are:

SATURDAY 19th OCT 4-6pm
MILGI
POETREE DROP-IN
Come write a poem and hang it from Milgi's cherry tree! All ages welcome,

SUNDAY 20th OCT 2-4pm
ANDREW BUCHAN
CONFSSIONS!
Share a secret or story never told... A pint of real ale might help? Adults only ;-)

All of these poems and stories will be recorded (with your kind permission) in this blog.

And, of course, as part of this the CONFESSION BOX will be in the Andrew Buchan all week. This is what it looks like (Imadeitmyself):

Simply take a piece of paper and a pencil and write down your secret... Pop it in the box, with or without your name, and see it on this blog by the next day! Feel free to make your confession as long or as short as you like... I will be compiling the most interesting of these and using them to bounce off a poem or two of my own (see www.mabjones.blogspot.com for these).

Anyway, I am v v v excited about tomorrow! Amazeballs, if not astoundballs! Make sure to follow the Made in Roath hashtag on Twitter by the way (#MiRblog). We are at @madeinroath2013 and @mabjones, as well as on Facebook and, of course, here and on the main website: www.madeinroath.com. Anyway, tra until tomorrow! Speak/write/starjump soon! Mab x

(((((p.s. do get in touch if you'd like to add something directly to the blog, of course!)))))

First Blog Post!

Hello! My name is Mab Jones, and I will be your blog-host for the Made in Roath Festival this year!

Having grown considerably in size and scope since its inception in 2009, MiR this time has some very exciting new additions to its beautifully buoyant and perfectly-poised 2013 programme. One of these will be my good (and sometimes not-so-good) self, in my capacity as journalist, facilitator, blogger and social media manager (or, 'busybody', as it is sometimes also known...!)

So, a bit about me, I guess... Well, currently, I am Poet in Residence at the National Botanic Garden of Wales (where I get to be all Wordsworth-like, wandering about and writing stuff), and I've been published previously by Parthian Books, in anthologies 10 of the Best and Nu2; but, mostly, I am a performance poet of the comic kind. This summer, I supported television's Phill Jupitus at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in his guise as Porky the Poet, and I have actually performed over 600 times in the past 6 years... I also do some journo work (inc. writing a monthly column about literary events for Buzz Magazine), facilitate creative writing workshops, and organise events through my enterprise Jam Bones.

It's as a poet and writer (and busybody! I reeeeally am) that I will be collecting stories and poems from the good people of Roath to feed into this blog, and to inspire creative response/reaction in my own (www.mabjones.blogspot.com). You can contribute to this in various ways: firstly, by hanging a poem of your own from the POETREE. This will be an actual tree in the garden of Milgi on City Road which, for the duration of the festival, will be hung with verse penned by any person who wishes to write and share something.

Never written before, or seeking some creative inspiration? Then come along to the POETREE DROP-IN in Milgi's yurt from 4-6pm on Saturday 19th October!

I will also be facilitating a CONFESSION BOX which will be situated in the Andrew Buchan pub on Albany Road for the week. Share a story never told, tell an untold tale, confess a secret either as yourself or (safer!) anonymously... And, again, if you need a little creative cwtch, a sip of something perhaps (?), or a little assistance in summing up what you want to share, there will be a CONFESSIONS DROP-IN at the Buchan from 2-4pm on Sunday 20th October.

All poems and confessions will be shared on this blog (unless you specify otherwise!). Some may also feed into another exciting new aspect of this year's MiR Festival, RADIO ROATH (details on that TBA shortly!).

I will also be Tweeting, from my own account, and that of Made in Roath, you can follow by searching for the hashtag #MiRblog.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and looking forward to blogging and tweeting and jogging about and meeting many of you, too.

Until soon -

Mab x

Made in Roath

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