Nothing that you can make that can’t be made … Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time … It’s easy … All you need is love (The Beatles).

8.30 am. A little inbox pruning, tutorial and class notification, and social media account admin before beginning the final lap of the conspectus preparation. (This must be off to the publisher by the close of tomorrow’s business). 9.30 am. Down to it!:

On the margins of my focal activity, thoughts began to converge around the idea of a new art history module in the field of religion, art, and visual culture. This would be an immediate and natural pedological outworking of my work on the proposed book. But would there be a sufficient take up by the students to make the effort worthwhile? Some Miles Davis to keep the air electric: Guinevere (1970) and Circle in the Round (1967). As part of my parental responsibilities, I seek to open the ears of my children to these wonders. I wrote to my elder son:

MD’s Circle in the Round (1967). This is in effect the conclusion of the second quintet and the bridge to In a Silent Way, two years later. Its the first time MD includes an electric instrument (the guitar) in performance. If you wanted to know why Tony Williams was one of the best ever drummers, you only need to listen to this track. MD’s chime playing is a revelation too. At 26 minutes long, this is a remarkable arc of compositional time for the period, one which anticipates the long stretches on ‘Bitches’ Brew’.

Davis was great, in part because he was open to influence. His genius was nurtured on the creativity of others. Being original and influenced are not mutually exclusive.

1.40 pm. Onward — filling-in gaps, sharpening expressions, clarifying intent, and pressing the argument. Like completing a jigsaw, progress in writing speeds up as you reach the end of the puzzle. 3.30 pm. A tea-tonic and cheese-cheering treat!:

I scoured the text in order to discern what themes and approaches were either missing or misplaced. I’m eager to get back to ‘Image and Inscription’. Presently, and of necessity, I’ve had to live with an imbalance in my activities.

6.15 pm. Practise session 1. 7.20 pm. Further revisions:

There comes a point when one is not so much improving as reinventing what was written. That is the point at which the composition should be concluded, and the finer points of editing and proof reading attended to.