Monthly Archives: October 2015

Rambling about Leeds UK…

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s architectural term is Beton Brut – ‘concrete in the raw’, that is, concrete left in its natural state when the formwork has been removed. Sometimes special formwork is used to show clearly the timber graining … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, brain, cafe, conversation, design, humour, information, misheard, observations, overheard, serendipity, words | Tagged architecture, art, arts, British Art Show 8, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, expletives, film, fuddy-duddy, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds City Art Gallery, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, Paul Neagu, serendipity, style, Tetley Gallery Leeds, transportation, words | Leave a comment

A few smallish items…

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s unusual pencil sharpener is the one shaped like a cumulonimbus. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 269. I’m sorry I’m late, but I found a George III half-sovereign in a tin of cream of mushroom … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, conversation, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., humour, information, irony, misheard, observations, overheard, serendipity, surrealism | Tagged art, art degree, arts, conversation, cumulonimbus, dictionary word, discovery, excuses for being late, existential angst, Genesis, Jim Nastix, late, Leviticus, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, religion, serendipity, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

Mail Art Postcard No. 4547…

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s random dictionary words are: araba, silladar, lubfish, pantisocracy, vamplate, and oubliette. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. Incidentally the professor … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, brain, colours, design, humour, information, mind, seeing, serendipity, words | Tagged advertising, art, arts, colour, cute dog, dictionary word, discovery, eyes transplanted, madness, mail art cards, mail art postcards, photography, poignancy, Professor Mouldie, serendipity, singlet, style, surrealism, treadmill, TV, words | Leave a comment

Some items from ‘Enquire Within’. (2)…

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s weather will have an active vertical liquid component, with side draughts of trembling leaves, momentary hemispherical pond bubbles, and rat-a-tat tapping on window panes. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shall we today look at another of my tatty old … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, books, brain, history, humour, information, learning, reading, serendipity, style, surrealism | Tagged bran for cleaning, celebrities, chesterfields and settees, chintz, conversation, history, instruction, madness, Most Excellent Majesty, serendipity, split infinitive, stuffed animals, surrealism, The Daily Express Enquire Within, Waltz Cotillion, weather | Leave a comment

Magritte, he was a jolly good chap…

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s existential angst is centred around the idea of English versions of American English muffins. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, I have always liked Rene Magritte’s famous painting from 1928, This is Not a Pipe, (that should really be … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, design, drama, existentialism, food, history, humour, information, learning, serendipity, style, surrealism, TV, Uncategorized, words | Tagged art, arts, English muffins, existential angst, flashing red light, history, madness, photography, rene magritte, sculpture, serendipity, style, surrealism, this is not a drill, This is not a pipe, TV, words | 2 Comments

Brownlow and the Prof. in deep waters…

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s fruit bat is the one who eats only sausages and bacon. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here’s a rehashed piece from my early days of blogging when I was on that odd thing called Myspace: ‘Good morning Brownlow, did … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, conversation, drama, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, surrealism, words | Tagged conversation, discovery, fruit bat, history, madness, Mars Bar, Molescroft, Professor and Brownlow, salvable, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

So, Jesus’s mother…

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s peacock is the drab nunty one. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘So anyway, Mary, in the bible…’ ‘Which one?’ “Which one?’ Are there more than one?’ ‘Yes, at least two.’ ‘Really?’ ‘Oh yes, there’s the Virgin Mary, and there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, brain, conversation, drama, history, humour, information, irony, learning, magic, religion, sex, surrealism, thinking | Tagged Bible, celebrities, children, common sense, conversation, doorstep Chritians, history, Jesus's siblings, logic, madness, religion, surrealism, The Da Vinci Code, Virgin Jesus, Virgin Mary, words | 2 Comments

Hawkins’ massive mandible, and the blemished thing…

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s expletive is Go to Bath! – a rather pissy (and no, I don’t mean prissy) Victorian Southern English euphemism for Go to hell! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Look out – he’s behind you!… No, no, it’s alright, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, art, books, cool, design, drama, expletives, history, humour, information, magic, painting, reading, story, style, surrealism, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged art, arts, Badger Books, colour, conversation, discovery, druds, expletives, fashion, Go to Bath!, history, madness, painting, photography, R. L. Fanthorpe, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words, writing | Leave a comment

Some overheard and misheard snatches of train conversation…

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s mystery sounds are: rustle, rustle, squeak, rustle, thud, rustle, and creak. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘She was stratting from Iceland.’ ‘Too nervous and the last step!’ ‘70% chance of absolute sandwich Brian.’ ‘It was the gibbons that surprised … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, conversation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, humour, information, mind, misheard, observations, overheard, people, poetry, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged art, arts, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, existential angst, madness, misheard, observations, overheard, poetry, serendipity, sounds, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

Local architecture…

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s task is to learn to appreciate line dancing. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hey you!… You architects… Can it be so difficult? Can it be so hard, to make the outsides of your buildings a bit easy on the … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, brain, conversation, design, Dulltown, Hull.UK., humour, information, money, observations, seeing, style, surrealism, theatre, thinking | Tagged architecture, art, arts, cheapness, conversation, design, drama, fashion, fluorescent lights, form follows function, galvanised steel, Hull Truck Theatre, line dancing, madness, observations, photography, style, surrealism | 1 Comment

More spattering…

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s elephant in the room is the one wearing the Rupert Murdoch mask. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, I have been doing some more of that spattering… I started all this malarkey back a month or two ago (Spatter) … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, colours, decalcomania, design, drawing, humour, information, learning, painting, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, TV | Tagged acrylic colour, art, arts, colour, David Vincent, decalcomania, discovery, drawing, film, high velocity spatter, instruction, madness, music, painting, photography, serendipity, spatter, style, surrealism, The Invaders 1966, Tikki Graphic pens, TV | Leave a comment

A few shortish items…

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s random dictionary words are: ignaro, scomfish, infaust, eisel, and varan. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. Extra marks will be … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, conversation, Dulltown, existentialism, Grumpiness, Hull.UK., humour, information, learning, misheard, music, observations, overheard, school, seeing, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged bleeding, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, ept and inept, Eroica symphony, existential angst, getting old, golf, late, ludwig van beethoven, madness, misheard, music, observations, opera, overheard, Professor Mouldie, serendipity, surrealism, teachers, tongue, words | Leave a comment

A length of broomstick and an old book…

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s dried fruit is the dark, brooding, but still surprisingly moist, fig. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It seems a while since we dipped into that well-thumbed old junk shop book, The 1954 Gadgets Annual; the original dust jacket is, … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, books, conversation, design, history, humour, information, money, surrealism, Uncategorized, war | Tagged Albert and Madge, arts, conversation, discovery, drawing, fashion, gadgets magazine, history, madness, novelty, style, surrealism, table lamp, The 1954 Gadgets Annual, W. N. Shaw, words, World War II | Leave a comment

Your wife’s downstairs…

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s existential angst is centred around the idea of spaghetti. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thursday afternoon: So, there I was, sitting upstairs in the nice cafe in the town of Dulltown Minor a few miles north of this fair … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, cafe, conversation, cool, dreaming, existentialism, fashion, humour, information, serendipity, style, surrealism | Tagged age-ist, barista, bariste, baseball boots, blue mirror shades, conversation, dictionary word, existential angst, fashion, getting old, madness, parallel universes, serendipity, spaghetti, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

Mail Art Postcard No. 4561…

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s sound is that of someone eating a noisy apple in a quiet cathedral. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I think that it’s probably time for another of my silly mail art postcards; as usual it is a collage made … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, humour, information, mind, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Tagged advertising, art, arts, collage, colour, dictionary word, juxtaposition, leeches, madness, Mail Art, penguins, photography, serendipity, surrealism, TV, What's On TV, words | Leave a comment

Oh God! Not more problems…

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s unusual pencil sharpener is the one shaped like a flag in a gale. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> When I was at school, many years ago, in science and maths lessons as part of our learning we were asked … Continue reading →

Posted in brain, cafe, design, drama, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, physics, surrealism, theatre, thinking | Tagged capitalism and growth, coefficient of friction, conversation, existential angst, expletives, history, instruction, it's not a problem, madness, maths, obesity, observations, science, shells being fired, solving problems, surrealism | 5 Comments

Some items from ‘Enquire Within’. (1)…

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s instruction is to go into town, find a police officer, tell them a joke, and if they don’t laugh tickle them vigorously in the ribs until they do. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, what do you think of … Continue reading →

Posted in books, brain, design, history, humour, information, learning, reading, serendipity, style, surrealism, words, writing | Tagged 1934, advertising, art, Cicely Kent, Daily Express Enquire Within, dictionary word, dill water, discovery, history, instruction, jalap, laxative, mucilage, nettle stings, serendipity, style, surrealism, words, writing | Leave a comment

Some song lyrics misheard over the cafe hubbub…

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s sound is the thud and echo of the iron-studded dungeon door slamming shut deep in the stinking catacombs under Count Zolklo’s long abandoned castle… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Wish me down, down girl…’ ‘Whoa whoa, whoo whoo, say-e-ay…’ … Continue reading →

Posted in art, brain, cafe, cool, existentialism, humour, information, mind, misheard, music, observations, poetry, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words | Tagged art, arts, catacombs, dictionary word, discovery, dungeon, existential angst, madness, misheard, observations, poetry, pumming, serendipity, sex, slinging logs, song lyrics, style, surrealism, today's sound, words | Leave a comment

Think I’ll call this one ‘Bang!’…

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s random dictionary words are: chasuble, chasmogamy, chawdron, chavender, charpoy, and bodrag. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. The professor will … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, art, Dulltown, Film, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, observations, sculpture, seeing, serendipity, surrealism, words | Tagged art, arts, Build up of pressure, dictionary word, discovery, film, history, King Kong, madness, observations, photography, Professor Mouldie, sculpture, serendipity, Sir Anthony Caro, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

A Short Guide to Great Britain (15)…

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, Europe: Today’s anteater is the one that doesn’t like the taste of ants very much. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I hope, over the weeks, you have enjoyed looking at that little book, discovered in a junk shop, published back in … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, books, history, humour, information, money, reading, serendipity, surrealism, war | Tagged A Short Guide to Great Britain, Adolph and his gang of stiffs, anteaters, discovery, farthings, gold sovereign, guinea coin, history, serendipity, Shillings, sixpence, style, War and Navy Departments, World War II | Leave a comment