Monthly Archives: November 2019

The strange endpapers…

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s quotation is from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1928 novel King, Queen, Knave – which, aha! I have just finished re-reading. As I expected, it ended, as with most Russian novels, with misery and madness. Even so, it … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, art, books, composition, creation, design, history, humour, information, puzzle, reading, story, surrealism, writing | Tagged 1928, 1936, airship, art, arts, Aztec mask, dictionary word, dinosaur, discovery, encyclopedia, endpapers, history, junk shop books, King Queen Knave, mucky green, RMS Queen Mary, serendipity, style, surrealism, vladimir nabokov, words, writing | 1 Comment

‘Dosh’ mum?…

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: today’s carefully selected fish names are: the Coho Salmon, the Green Swordtail, the Gizzard Shad, the Nibble Fish, the Dorab Wolf-herring, and the Arctic Char. If you suddenly had to give a fake name over the … Continue reading →

Posted in celebrities, conversation, drama, finance, information, irony, jobs, learning, money, people, politics, puzzle, thinking, words | Tagged celebrities, conversation, crooks, finance, fish names, history, Mum?..., rich people, the Arctic Char, the Coho Salmon, the Dorab Wolf-herring, the gizzard shad, the green swordtail, the Nibble fish, words | Leave a comment

More cafe lino print design pondering…

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s carefully selected colours are: oak pink, elm blue, redwood brown, larch yellow, sycamore purple, and ash Wednesday. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sorry dear reader, but I’m going back to showing you some more vague ideas for possible future … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, brain, cafe, colours, composition, creation, design, drawing, food, humour, information, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, seeing, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged aesthetic puzzle?, art, arts, Beverley, Beverley East Yorkshire, bite, carefully chosen colours, colour, drawing, green tea, lino cut printing, linocut design, on the bus, panino, photography, serendipity, style, surrealism, trees, words | 2 Comments

The base should be made of polished wood…

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s confused film stars are: Crom Tuise and Waomi Natts. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Me, I love having little jobs to do that involve my getting into my little workshop and faffing around with tools and bits of wood … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, books, brain, celebrities, conversation, creation, drama, history, humour, information, instruction, learning, reading, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged 1954, Albert and Madge, an economical gift, celebrities, christmas tree, conversation, festive season, history, hot metal, instruction, Naomi Watts, practical skills, sharp tools, style, The 1954 Gadgets Annual, Tom Cruise, wire gauze, wood and metal, words, yuletide | Leave a comment

It’s the last of those smudges…

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s unusual pencil sharpener is the one shaped like a jolly fat chap doing the rumba. Now, where do I insert my pencil? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, over the summer months I fell into the habit of producing … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, brain, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, drawing, dreaming, Film, humour, information, music, science, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating | Tagged art, arts, charcoal, conversation, discovery, Doom, down the microscope, drawing, ellipses, existential angst, film, madness, music, on paper, pencil dots. smudges, Sci-Fi, serendipity, series of ten, style, surrealism, the rumba, unusual pencil sharpener | 7 Comments

Some snatches of overheard and misheard cafe conversation…

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s vole is the one trying on some plaid waistcoats in a posh shop on Savile Row. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Did you get stung Joan? Was it bomb cream?’ ‘Put it in a gritty cabinet. Yeah, just do … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, animals, brain, cafe, composition, conversation, cool, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., humour, information, misheard, observations, overheard, poetry, puzzle, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words | Tagged arts, aspect ride, bomb cream, cafe, celebrities, conversation, dictionary word, disgust, fashion, Lapwing, madness, misheard, Misheard Snatches, monger, overheard, plaid waistcoat, poetry, posh shop, Savile Row, serendipity, sex, Siam, style, surrealism, vole in waistcoat, words | Leave a comment

Now listen here, scumbag!…

Posted on November 24, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s quotation is another from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1928 novel King, Queen, Knave, which I am currently re-reading. I’m nearly at the end now; I’m sure, like all good Russian novels, it’s going to end in misery … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, books, brain, cafe, conversation, drama, Dulltown, expletives, Film, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, puzzle, reading, style, swearing, weather, words, writing | Tagged 1928, blackguard, Boris Johnson, celebrities, condom, dictionary word, expletives, film, firearm, history, King Queen Knave, Samuel L Jackson, scumbag, slag, straining liquid, style, sugar refining, threshing, vladimir nabokov, winnowing, words, writing | Leave a comment

Mail Art Postcard. No. 4655…

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: today’s unusual china teapot is the one shaped like the planet Saturn. This teapot is not a very good pourer – those rings are awkward in the hand, and they get in the way at the … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art, brain, composition, cool, creation, dreaming, existentialism, food, humour, information, Mail Art, mind, people, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, TV | Tagged art, arts, blown up big, collage, colour, evolution, eye-catching, eyes, fluorescent card, humour, lips, mail art postcards, mouth, public place, saturn's rings, scary image, serendipity, style, surrealism, tea table, TV, unusual china teapot, What's On TV | 5 Comments

It’s just spuds Dave…

Posted on November 22, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s existential angst is centred around the sound of the word – cloying. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here’s a photograph I took back in August. It’s a pretty simple photo this one, but I do like it. No, no! … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, brain, composition, creation, dreaming, existentialism, food, humour, observations, photography, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, smiling, surrealism, words | Tagged advertising, art, arts, celebrities, cloying, discovery, existential angst, Gene Hackman, Meryl Streep, observations, photography, potatoes, scale, serendipity, spuds?, style, supermarket trolley, surrealism, tiny model, Tokyo skyline, Tom Cruise, trolley - cart, UK-US English, words | 6 Comments

So, what is it that those TV ads are trying to tell us?…

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s octopus is the one working in the coffee house, successfully serving four or more customers simultaneously. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A bed to be proud of – what a day it’s been! – big top shows! – more … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, advertising, brain, cafe, cool, dreaming, existentialism, finance, food, humour, information, instruction, mind, poetry, serendipity, style, surrealism, TV, words | Tagged a blocked nose, advertising, born to be wild, coffee house, existential angst, five-star reviews, instruction, madness, observations, poetry, safe and easy, sensitive bladder, serendipity, sore throat, style, surrealism, today's octopus, top shows, TV, TV ads, words | 3 Comments

A quick rant on journalism…

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s carefully selected colours are: mouse mauve, porcupine pink, giraffe green, ox orange, tiger turquoise, yak yellow, and kangaroo, er… blue. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, what’s up with journalists? I’m talking about not just TV and radio journalists, … Continue reading →

Posted in adjectives, brain, colours, conversation, drama, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, observations, puzzle, surrealism, thinking, TV, writing | Tagged 'dies' has 'died', advertising, breaking news, carefully selected colours, celebrities, colour, conversation, history, journalism, journalists, madness, media people, observations, ranting, tenses, TV, words, writing | 3 Comments

Just a few short, but pithy items…

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: bloody, haptotropic, perradial, suaveolent, Heliconian, and choppy. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 425. I’m sorry I’m late, but I was polishing my Irish backstop. A single overheard remark: ‘But what … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, adjectives, brain, cafe, conversation, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, learning, music, observations, overheard, people, politics, serendipity, smiling, spam, surrealism, swearing, words, writing | Tagged arts, autonomy, blather, celebrities, choppy., conversation, dictionary word, discovery, expletives, haptotropic, Heliconian, history, Irish backstop, late, Les Miserable, madness, music, name change, observations, overheard, perradial, Plasmatics, punctuation, Punk tuition, serendipity, spam, suaveolent, surrealism, words, writing, X-Ray Spex | 6 Comments

Tiny and Jock – kidnapped by bandits!…

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s confused film stars are: Honthony Apkins and Hom Tardy. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sixty-three years is a long time. Actually this book does look as if it’s sixty-three years old – the edges of the thick, almost cardboardy … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, archeology, art, books, colours, composition, conversation, creation, design, drama, drawing, history, humour, information, politics, reading, seeing, serendipity, story, style, sweating | Tagged 1956, art, arts, cardboardy, colour, conversation, dictionary word, drawing, editor, European capitalists, graphic artist, history, horses, illustration, Lion Annual 1956, observations, painting, revolution, spiky fronds, style, The Lion Annual 1956, uncredited, unshaven, words | Leave a comment

Would you like some more spam with that?…

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s dictionary words are: wroath, pastern, byssus, nyctitropism, circumforaneous, and perseity. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. The professor will conduct … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, advertising, brain, composition, creation, existentialism, history, humour, information, instruction, people, poetry, puzzle, reading, serendipity, smiling, spam, style, surrealism, swearing, words, writing | Tagged advertising, arts, byssus, circumforaneous, dictionary word, dictionary words, discovery, Elizabethan era, history, madness, nyctitropism, pastern, perseity, poetry, Professor Mouldie, run amok, serendipity, spam, style, surrealism, words, writing, wroath | 2 Comments

How about some more of those nice Crush names?…

Posted on November 16, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s rather fine expletive from the days of Queen Elizabeth 1 is Blood and Thunder! I think we should make a start on bringing it back into use, don’t you? ‘Blood and thunder! Barista! This cappuccino … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, brain, cafe, celebrities, expletives, Hull.UK., humour, information, puzzle, reading, style, surrealism, swearing, words, writing | Tagged arts, Blood and Thunder!, celebrities, Christmas card, Crush names, expletives, Jake A Rolling, Monty Tick, New York, puzzle, Queen Elizabeth 1, reindeer, style, The Hull Surrealist League, US President, Veronica Crush, words, writing | 2 Comments

The lino printing saga finally concludes…

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s elephant in the room is the one just finishing off three whole boxes of Pringles. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, that lino print has finally been done! If you don’t know what I’m talking about dear reader, let … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, animals, art, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, fine art prints, humour, information, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, seeing, surrealism | Tagged abstract surrealism, anthropomorphism, art, arts, brackets, dark matter, elephant in the room, face, fine art printing, floating in space, hanging drying, Kizuki paper, lino cut printing, madness, Pringles, stars, style, surrealism, three dimensional | 8 Comments

Some song lyrics misheard over the cafe hubbub…

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s quotation is from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1928 novel King, Queen, Knave, which I am currently re-reading, and have nearly finished – I feel it’s not going to end well for Dreyer, Franz, and Martha: At the … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, books, brain, cafe, cool, Film, history, humour, information, misheard, music, poetry, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, Uncategorized, words, writing | Tagged 1928, arts, black heart lips, dictionary word, fishy eyes, Franz, history, King Queen Knave, madness, misheard, misheard song lyrics, monkey-pen, music, noy-noy, poetry, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, town down, vladimir nabokov, words, writing | 4 Comments

It’s either brilliant, or it’s very boring Dave…

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: incorrigible, centesimal, ratiocinative, umquhile*, preterite and gullible. (* Apparently this one is Scottish.) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Do have a look at a picture I took back in July here in Dulltown; it’s not … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, adjectives, advertising, art, brain, colours, composition, conversation, cool, Dulltown, Grumpiness, Hull.UK., humour, information, photography, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Tagged advertising, aesthetics, art, art and bullshit, arts, being negative, bullshit, business, centesimal, colour, composition, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, gullible, incorrigible, minimal, photography, preterite, ratiocinative, selling art, serendipity, umquhile*, words, writing | 3 Comments

Dave, whatever happened to that nice Jacket?…

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But firs5t… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s octopus is the one posting off his application for a part in a production at The Royal Ballet… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Harris Tweed jackets are very classy, they come from the Outer Hebrides you know. Things made … Continue reading →

Posted in cool, design, fashion, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, irony, puzzle, style, TV | Tagged celebrities, celebrity dancing, dancing, expletives, fashion, golf, harris tweed jacket, history, HRH Prince Charles, Outer Hebrides, style, surrealism, The British Royal Family, The Daily Telegraph, The Royal Ballet, today's octopus, TV | 7 Comments

Yet more on that lino print idea…

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK/Europe: Today’s lost plectrum is the one eventually found in a bowl of minestrone soup at the Savoy Hotel on the Strand. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I suppose one might call this part three of what looks like being a … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, brain, composition, creation, design, drawing, guitars, humour, information, instruction, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, linocut tools, prints, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism | Tagged art, arts, carbon paper, cutting lino, drawing, electric iron, ellipses, expletives, instruction, lino cutting tools, linocut design, linoleum, lost plectrum, madness, Max Ernst, saga, style, surrealism, tea and radio, The Savoy Hotel, three-d, writing | 4 Comments