Full on

It's been a fairly full on morning, but rather than go into it I'll just put up a link to Crumb's interpretation of Philip K Dick's freaked out religious experience.

And another

Quote of the day

'The composition is the thing seen by everyone living in the living they are doing, they are the composing of the composition that at the time they are living is the composition of the time in which they are living.'

- Gertrude Stein

Brilliant

Nicked this from Rowe. It is bloody brilliant. It is fun to make a blog on the computer website.

Unbelievable

By rights I probably should be hungover today, but instead I seem to have done something to my throat. There's just one spot that feels as if it's being burnt through by acid. It's not as bad as it was, but it's still bloody sore, not to mention being bloody annoying.

Oh well, at least I've been able to distract myself by checking out a blog on classic NZ music. Bored Games' 'Joe 90' is one of the most brilliant songs ever, and it's been ages since I heard it last. There's a stupidly large number of other doozies there as well.

All hail the PLF

I've managed to recruit a couple of people, so the Pipe Liberation Front is now all of three.

Went to the old monopolistic over-priced scum art supply shop today for some more painting medium, some gouache, a canvas, and some little book things to fill, just cos I got paid today for the first time this year. Then I went and spent far too much on beer so I'm pleasantly pissed but probably poor again.

Finally

Instead of crashing out, which is what I've been doing most afternoons on returning from work cos I'm so wiped out, I've gessoed up a wooden platter thing I found in a secondhand shop yonks ago. Not exactly sure what'll go on it - could quite possibly just be a variant of something else - but I don't care. Just looking forward to breaking the oil paints out again.

Scary

In a fit of madness on this day two years ago I started this blog. That's scary thought number one.

I've just watched the saddo arts programme Frontseat (which always annoys me, but I enjoy being annoyed every now and then - any excuse to rant, rave, shake my fist, and swear a lot after all). They've started a poll to find NZ's greatest painting, which of course is bloody stupid (not to mention being scary thought number two - just look at their list of suggestions). It's like art awards. You're not comparing apples and oranges, more like comparing apples and orangutans. However, I have absolutely no compunction in declaring Piero della Francesca's Baptism the world's greatest painting, and have just voted for Gordon Walters' Te Whiti as NZ's greatest painting.

Quote of the day

'Indeed the very great majority kill themselves long long before their time. Live as children; grow pale as adolescents; show a flash of life in love; die in their twenties and join the poor things that creep angry and restless about the earth.'

- Patrick O'Brian, HMS Surprise

Nice

Time for an amusing aside, a wee break from pictures of skeletons, namely Disjecta Membra, the band my brother Ben played bass in at one time.

And there's still more

Unbelievable

First my pen's nib snapped, then the lid to the ink broke in half, but we got there in the end:

Grim

I'm not having a very good day at all. My head feels like it's been hammered flat.

Don't know who did this (Matt sent me the pic), but it sums it up well (as in fact do these fantastically spooky photos).

Update: Idiot that I am, it'll be Ensor of course.

Lost and now found

The olds brought this brilliant matchbox back from Mexico for me. It disappeared and I thought I'd never see it again, but now it's back:

Oh happy day.

Here we go again

Back to work

Went back to work yesterday. I'm only doing half-days at the moment cos my brain can only handle a few hours' concentration before blowing a fuse.

Dadasoccermania

Real sore today from unaccustomed exercise yesterday. The artist in residence at Enjoy organised a social soccer tournament as part of her project. We lost both games, but were apparently the most fun to watch:



Three of us won prizes: Dan (NB: updated link) for craftiest move (wearing his underpants as shorts - he was taking the photos so there's no pic of him more's the pity), me for best running shout (my sneaky but surprisingly effective tactic of charging opposing players who had the ball with a wild yell and vaguely threatening gestures) and smoking on the pitch, and Stephen for worst injury:

The final was a doozy, with halftime entertainment from the Real Hot Bitches:

A good time was had by all.

Song for the day

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

- Johnny Cash, The Man in Black.

Quote of the day

'The living are just the dead on holiday' - former (and iconic) Dr Who Tom Baker.

Getting there

Went and had a coffee with my boss to discuss going back to work next week. It was really good, and I plan on showing up on Tuesday morning (Monday being Waitangi Day and all). It'll be pretty strange walking in there again after all this time, but it has to be done. I think the trick'll be not working myself into a state by fretting about it beforehand.

Another stinking hot day today, with soundtrack supplied by the cicadas going all out. Time to sit in the shade and enjoy a relaxing, contemplative pipe (on ya Steve) before some drawing exercises: