it was twenty years ago today

Not this picture. This was about a week ago. Ferdinand and Perry. 

I don't know why but I was moved for a second to examine my blog from twenty years ago, in the year I began it. I was writing a lot in that first year and I was really convinced I was very interesting and leading a fascinating life (so in that regard not much has changed). I was also writing a lot like everything I was into or had just read/watched/listened to was completely coherently obvious and natural, in a way that at the time probably made sense to me but now when I look at it, not remembering the ins and outs of various stupid films I borrowed from Video Ezy or whatever, or tv shows (I seemed to watch massive amounts of tv back then), I can't make head or tail of what I was talking about. Isn't that mad!

So I guess when I started my blog I had just turned 40, and all was possibility in a manner of speaking. I was surprised to see that we went to the Royal Show in 2005 only because I am pretty sure that I have been to the Show every year since I started going as an adult, which would mean I've been at least twenty times in twenty years (actually not, now I think of it, because firstly pandemic lockdown, also there was at least one time relatively recently when I was overseas and couldn't go). You have already seen the nice pictures of my visit to the Show yesterday morning. 

Also I note Donald Horne has now been dead for twenty years, a little more than. I still see that as a bit of a shame, but I don't suppose he'd be having much fun if he was alive.* Also that twenty years ago we saw Electrelane live, though I was a bit down on them for some reason, but I bet they were actually great. I would like to get (I suppose I mean, re-get) some of their records.* I wonder what happened to that band.*** 

* He'd be 104 

* Wow I just saw the prices on discogs and no, I wouldn't. 

* They went on hiatus a couple of years after they played in Australia - around 2007 - then threatened to return in the early 2020s then didn't. 

the show yesterday - ii

 

Maker's Pavilion. Or maybe just 'Makers', I don't know. Or Makers', look I really don't know.

at the show yesterday - i

Papillons

Lowchens

Papillons

So as mentioned I went to the Show yesterday with my mother - she was primarily interested in the papillons and we saw all the papillons in competition, going through their paces. They did well. 

Below = not papillons.

a house i really liked the look of in richmond last week

 ...mainly because like what's with that upstairs window? But also just generally it's cool. I might steal it.

 As Perry gets older and more comfortable in his/any environment, and as Nancy continues to be Nancy, the two of them are finding it much easier to coexist. Here they are on my bed yesterday (please excuse my clean washing). They don't seek each other out necessarily but they are not at all bothered by each other's presence. 

Yesterday Perry gave Nancy a big lick right down her face, which she also took in her stride, with a bit more 'chill' than I think I would have if I was her. LOL

bricolage

To a certain extent I'm only blogging about it to lock myself in to continued dedication but I have done around 15-20 (certainly no more than 20) pages of my second graphic novel, Bricolage. I am finding it a lot harder to work on than Persiflage notwithstanding I have written (and rewritten and rewritten) the entire script many times over. I am still not completely good with the very end - the denouement - but I figure after many, many evenings poring over the execution of the 180 or so pages leading up to that point, I will probably be in a position to hit the right note. 

It's almost certain that Persiflage was easier because it was my lockdown project, or at least most of it was, mostly. I more or less made Persiflage up as I went along, whereas Bricolage is, as I just said, written to within an inch of its life. The only thing that's stopping me continuing to rewrite it comprehensively is that I've numbered the 'script' up to this point and so it would be a big hassle to reorder it or add more bits although this might actually ultimately mean that I kind of explode at some point and do a real reworking. The more I draw the better then because I'm finding the drawing much more difficult than I did for Persiflage and so I'm unlikely to be inspired to redo it (though, well, I have redrawn quite a bit up to this point and also, I have redrawn some panels as per the above). (In that case, I had to redraw because I foolishly used a US car as a model so the drivers seat was on the wrong side). As you can see I am using rigid panel sizes as created for me by a computer, so I can easily strip in new panels if I make a mistake or change my mind about something. 

I don't hate what I've done so far, so that's good. There are a lot of bits of the story I'm looking forward to committing to the page. But I am also coming up to a really long party scene, which will take a lot of thinking, and thinking is hard. Butbut once I've completed that I think I will really be fully committed. 

 

200 years of railways

From Theodor Herzl, Old New Land (Altneuland) 1902, trans. Lotta Levensohn 1960, Markus Wehner/Herzl Press 1960 (1987 edition). Herzl was dead by 1904, only two years after he published this utopia which provided a blueprint, of sorts, for 20th century Israel. My real point, if I have one, is nothing about Herzl or Altneuland but about the fact that today marks 200 years of railway services. In fact what it appears happened was they picked a nicer time of year (the account below is from page 11 of the 4 July 1925 issue of the San Bernadino County Sun) and did a facile re-enactment using the actual engine.

Here's another news item from the 12 July 1925 edition of the Kansas City Star with a picture. 

There was also a celebration on the 27th but according to the Guardian 28 September 1925 p. 11 most of the festivities took place in Manchester because that was where Stephenson et al really made their mark and it was more important. There was also a big exhibition in London. 

I'm writing this in 2020 so I have no idea how the bicentenary of railways will be commemorated, for all I know by World-President-for-Life Trump declaring all railways be concreted for highways and aeroplane runways. 

 

things at that geelong vintage market you know the one, yesterday

 

In case you didn't know, Saxil Tuxen (part of 'Tuxen and Miller') was a significant part of my PhD thesis and is a subject of future work, too. I was not aware of this estate which presumably dates from 1935 which was the centenary of the establishment of Melbourne, and certainly that's the first mention of it I can find in the newspapers. Anyway this is overpriced for something both ugly and water damaged. 

The next two things are revolting but I really think I have to toughen up because there are bad times ahead, badder than current times. 

hanging rock

On Saturday Laura and I went to Hanging Rock and spent some time. There's many things about HR I really like but I am so intrigued by these little horns on some of the protuberances. Also, great view. 

Still not 100% sure what these creatures were on the racecourse. But assume kangaroos.