Monthly Archives: October 2014

Some overheard and misheard snatches of cafe conversation…

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s adjectives are: bumptious, meagre, fiducial, cervine, tonant, and shifty. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘The three shadows of hell.’ ‘Free sonics?…’ ‘What I say is right!…’ ‘The Pope – he made it!’ ‘Once a month, twice…’ ‘This meal beforehand…’ … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, conversation, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., humour, information, mind, observations, poetry, religion, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged arts, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, poetry, religion, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

“Nostrils barely show…”

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s very funny joke is the one about the Secretary of State’s arse – Oh, how we quickly ducked down behind the filing cabinets and sniggered into our cupped hands… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Perhaps it is time to … Continue reading →

Posted in art, books, brain, existentialism, history, humour, information, learning, observations, people, reading, serendipity, smiling, surrealism | Tagged art, discovery, facial recognition, filing cabinets, funny joke, history, Jacques Penry, joke, madness, noses, observations, Photofit, photography, Secretary of State, serendipity, style, surrealism, words, writing | 2 Comments

How about a career in pretentious blandness?…

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s expletive is ‘By nails and blood!’ – English, 13th century. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes.. Was it Friday night?… No, but what’s happened to pop music?… I mean… It used to be that old people would hear the … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, cool, existentialism, expletives, fashion, Grumpiness, guitars, history, humour, information, irony, music, observations, style, sweating, TV | Tagged art, arts, blandness, expletives, fashion, history, Interpol, Jimi Hendrix, Jools Holland, later live, lost, music, observations, pop, rock, sex, style, TV, Velvet Undrerground, words, young people's music | 2 Comments

Trafalgar Square – man with bird…

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s colours are: grape green, grape red, grape green, grape red, avocado, and lightning-strike yellow. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here’s another photograph from my days of old-style film and darkroom photography. This one is probably from the late 1980s … Continue reading →

Posted in art, colours, existentialism, Film, history, humour, information, observations, photography, seeing, serendipity, surrealism | Tagged 1980s, 1990s, art, arts, colour, discovery, film, history, London, observations, old black and white photos, photography, serendipity, style, surrealism, Trafalgar Square, Trafalgar Square London, words | Leave a comment

Some smallish items…

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s honoured guests are the Brad Pitt lookalike triplets, Ted, Lance, and Bertie. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 227. I’m sorry I’m late, but I had to clean my tape heads and pinch wheel. A … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, conversation, cool, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, fashion, Film, Hull.UK., humour, information, observations, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, Uncategorized | Tagged art, arts, Brad Pitt, Brad Pitt lookalike, celebrities, conversation, discovery, fashion, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

I wouldn’t have gone anyway…

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s random dictionary words are: gurrah, gurl, gurnard, gurry, gunter, and montem. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. He may turn … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, cool, existentialism, food, humour, information, sex, surrealism, words | Tagged art, arts, dictionary word, dictionary words, Doom, drawing, food, gurry, Hull Surrealist League, madness, montem, painting, poetry, Professor Mouldie, sex, Simon Doom, slug trails, style, surrealism, Tony Mayonnaise, words | Leave a comment

How to do searchlights, oh, and Art Deco…

Posted on October 25, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s jellyfish is the one on the rostrum at the party conference. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Artists are supposed to have ‘sketch books’. At school the art teacher used to say, ‘…and I want to see your sketch books … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, brain, colours, design, drawing, information, learning, magic, observations, seeing, serendipity, style | Tagged architecture, art, art deco, art techniques, arts, colour, discovery, drawing, fashion, fluorescent colour, instruction, observations, psychology of perception, serendipity, sketch book, sketch books, straight edge, style, surrealism | Leave a comment

A few observations on British and American English…

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s financial forecast is for apples to be rosy, meat to be juicy, dice to be tumbling, and for big cars to smell nice, and be really comfy… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Warning: This blog contains strong, but interesting, … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, conversation, cool, expletives, fashion, Grumpiness, humour, information, observations, style, surrealism, TV, words | Tagged "arse", "bugger off!", "fuck off", American TV shows, expletives, fashion, financial forecast, Hey-up!, Now then!, observations, serendipity, style, surrealism, swearing, TV, words | 6 Comments

A few overheard and misheard snatches of cafe conversation…

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s heraldic term is ‘counterpotent’ – one of the heraldic furs – a bit like ‘potent’, but with the shapes rearranged. (Heraldic furs) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Don’t have a problem with 9.30…’ ‘Evil talking…’ ‘The old days of … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, conversation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, heraldry, history, humour, information, observations, people, poetry, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged arts, conversation, counterpotent, dictionary word, discovery, heraldic furs, heraldry, history, misheard, observations, overheard, poetry, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

Mail art postcard No. 4462…

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s existential angst is centred around the word ‘undergarments’. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This morning dear reader, I thought that we might have a quick look at another of my recently made ‘mail art’ collage postcards. (Mail Art) As … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, design, dreaming, existentialism, humour, information, mind, observations, photography, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, sweating, words | Tagged advertising, art, arts, celebrities, colour, existential angst, madness, Mail Art, Nigel Farage, observations, photography, serendipity, style, surrealism, TV, UKIP, undergarments, United Kingdom Independence Party, words | 2 Comments

Showerings of sparks and jagged jets…

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s existential angst is centred around the sound of the word ‘Molybdenum’. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here we are! Another 1960s British pulp science fiction novel, a ‘Badger book’ from my dusty bookshelf – ‘Hyper Space’ – ‘The discovery … Continue reading →

Posted in art, colours, cool, design, existentialism, fashion, history, humour, information, painting, physics, reading, sex, style, surrealism, words, writing | Tagged 4th dimension, art, arts, Badger, Badger Books, british interplanetary society, colour, Doom, fashion, history, hyper space, madness, Max Dane, observations, painting, photography, pulp science fiction novel, R L Fanthorpe MBIF, R. L. Fanthorpe, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words, writing | Leave a comment

Oh, those artist’s statements…

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s giraffe is the one trying to get onto the bus wearing a backpack and carrying two large suitcases. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I thought that today we would once more visit the heady world of the ‘artist’s statement’. … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, brain, existentialism, Grumpiness, humour, information, observations, painting, seeing, surrealism, words | Tagged advertising, art, artist's statement, arts, book art, fashion, giraffe on the bus, key tool, madness, observations, painting, sculpture, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

Some titchy, but pithy items…

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s old snapshot is the one of me arm-in-arm with Marilyn Monroe sitting on the bonnet of a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud in 1959. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 226. I’m sorry I’m late, but … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, brain, conversation, cool, Dulltown, existentialism, Grumpiness, guitars, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, observations, serendipity, style, surrealism, thinking | Tagged advertising, art, arts, celebrities, conversation, discovery, fashion, history, late, madness, Marilyn Monroe, misheard, observations, overheard, Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

What the hell’s this?…

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s featured letter of the alphabet is the capital ‘E’. The lower case ‘e’ is like a cute grinning child’s toy, whereas the grown up version is stern, and rigid, and can used as a handy … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, brain, colours, green, humour, information, mind, observations, photography, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Tagged advertising, art, arts, colour, discovery, Leeds Kirkgate Market, letter of the alphabet, madness, observations, photography, serendipity, style, surrealism, words, Yorkshire UK | Leave a comment

A little red car…

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s expletive, ‘God’s legs!’, was apparently a favourite oath of Richard Coeur de Lion (King of England 1189-1199). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Mummy…’ ‘Yes dear?’ ‘Sports cars…’ ‘Yes?’ ‘Little low cars, that go fast…’ ‘Yes dear…’ ‘They’re often red … Continue reading →

Posted in colours, conversation, cool, expletives, history, humour, information, learning, observations, style | Tagged children, conversation, Doom, expletives, fashion, history, King of England, madness, observations, red sports car, Richard Coeur de Lion, sex, style, toys, transportation, words | Leave a comment

The lino printing press revisited…

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather will be moody, indecisive, smug, and petulant, and will be accompanied by clouds slashed with an unpleasant livid stripe… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘So, Dave… how are you getting on with your new homemade lino printing press … Continue reading →

Posted in art, conversation, cool, design, existentialism, humour, information, lino cut printing, photography, style, surrealism | Tagged art, arts, conversation, dazzle camouflage, discovery, Edward Wadsworth, history, lin printing press, lino cut printing, lino printing press, observations, photography, stripes, style, surrealism, weather, words | 2 Comments

Some snatches of overheard and misheard cafe conversation…

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s architectural term is ‘transenna’ – an openwork screen or lattice, usually of marble, in an Early Christian church. I had a nice transenna, but I had it taken out – it needed far too much … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, brain, conversation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, observations, poetry, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged architectural term, architecture, arts, Chuck Barmby, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, history, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, poetry, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

Another old junk shop book…

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s local village name that might sound like an insult is Meaux. (I don’t know how it is pronounced, but not having done any French at school, I’d say meooks.) (Meaux) ‘So, Janet, that’s your new … Continue reading →

Posted in books, brain, Dulltown, existentialism, history, humour, information, learning, observations, people, seeing, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged art, arts, charity shop, charity shops, discovery, face book, history, Jacques Penry, junk shops, Looking at Faces and Remembering Them, madness, Meaux, Meaux East Yorkshire, observations, photography, serendipity, style, surrealism, unusual books, words | 4 Comments

Messing with letters… Mumbilical?…

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s baboon is the one heading a noisy business meeting at a table in the art gallery cafe. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A simple, but annoying puzzle involving the letter ‘M’. Yes, it does look like a poem doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, existentialism, humour, information, mind, puzzle, reading, serendipity, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged art gallery cafe, arts, baboon, blocksmith puzzle, business meeting, dictionary word, madness, poetry, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

A few titchy items…

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s expletive, from the days of ancient Rome, and was apparently used regularly by the writers Martialis and Catullus, is ‘cunnus!…’ (Sorry folks, but it had to be said…) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 225. … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, conversation, cool, design, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, fashion, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, music, observations, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Tagged ancient Rome, arts, conversation, cunnus, dictionary word, discovery, expletives, fashion, history, late, madness, misheard, music, observations, overheard, serendipity, sex, slavering, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment