Monthly Archives: September 2020

Some misheard snatches of classical singing on the radio…

Posted on September 30, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s financial forecast is for the high number of workers around the world who are inconsiderately dying, to continue to have a serious and inevitable detrimental impact on financial growth. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, instead of sitting in … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, arts, brain, cafe, celebrities, composition, creation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, humour, information, irony, lino cut printing, mind, misheard, money, music, people, poetry, puzzle, radio, serendipity, sex, style, surrealism, words | Tagged angles, art, arts, BBC radio, BBC Radio 3, bobswail, cafe, cigar, classical singing, dictionary word, discovery, eating buns, existential angst, financial forecast, financial growth, grizzoid, inconsiderate, kurlur, lulu-biz, madness, misbling, misheard, moony, music, nard, observations, overheard, poetry, serendipity, sex, style, supping tea, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

But should I go to Uni?…

Posted on September 29, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: tatty, dyspathetic, mazarinade, saxicavous, byssoid, inchoate, and salty. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Mum…’ ‘Yes dear?’ ‘Why do people go to colleges, and universities?’ ‘Colleges and universities are a bit like schools dear, people go … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, adjectives, brain, conversation, cool, drama, humour, information, learning, mind, puzzle, school, thinking, words | Tagged 'Uni', and salty, brain, byssoid, carefully selected adjectives, colleges, conversation, cool, dictionary word, discovery, dyspathetic, fashion, inchoate, learning, mazarinade, Mum?..., observations, phrasal verb, saxicavous, tatty, thinking, to plump for, universities, words | 2 Comments

Lino printing – what a lark it is!…

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s unusually long quotation is from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1933, very witty, but downhill-all-the-way, novel Laughter in the Dark: She, (Margot) consulted the telephone book and rang up unknown individuals, shops, and business firms. She ordered prams … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, art, arts, books, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drawing, dreaming, fine art prints, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, observations, photography, prints, reading, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, writing | Tagged 1933, Albinus, art, arts, black borders, carbon paper, compasses, cutting lino, discovery, drawing, Drawing Book, erasers, history, idea fully-formed, Laughter in the Dark, lino cut printing, malicious delight, Margot on the phone, new job - first day, pencil selection, photography, reversed image, rough sketch, Russian novel, serendipity, style, surrealism, vladimir nabokov, words, writing | 2 Comments

So, what is that Avenger-Trek thing?…

Posted on September 27, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s featured dance is the Bachatango. Come on Stella, let’s bachatango round the house! Hey! Mind you don’t knock my aspidistra off its stand as you sashay past!… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well, it seems that my predilection for … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, archeology, art, arts, brain, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, drama, food, history, humour, information, poetry, puzzle, science, Scotty, seeing, serendipity, smiling, Star Trek, surrealism, TV, words | Tagged 1960s, 1960s Star Trek, 1960s The Avengers, a romantic haze, art, arts, aspidistra, Bachatango, beam down, celebrities, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, Doctor McCoy, existential angst, history, instruction, Jim Kirk, John Steed, misheard, Mrs Peel, observations, poetry, quiet as a mouse, sashay, Scotty, serendipity, simultaneous, Spock, style, sub-space logs, Sulu, surrealism, today's dance, TV, TV channels, Uhura, will you have a drink?, words | 5 Comments

Some local colour…

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown UK: Today’s dictionary words are: abbacy, abature, abattis, aardwolf, abactinal, and triblet. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie’s Zoom session first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. The professor … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, art, arts, brain, colours, composition, cool, creation, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, green, Hull.UK., humour, information, irony, joke, observations, people, photography, politics, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, swearing, words | Tagged aardwolf, abactinal, abattis, abature, abbacy, art, arts, cheerful grins, City Council, colour, compositional dilemma, dictionary word, dictionary words, discovery, Double yellows, expletives, extra marks, Hull street, ne'er-do-well, observations, old mattress, patriotism, photo with meaning, photography, Professor Mouldie, rubbish, serendipity, style, surrealism, triblet, union jack, words, Zoom session | Leave a comment

Mail Art Postcard. No. 4755…

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s rather unexpectedly spelled word is, Coccyx… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hm… another of my mail art postcards, a simple collage on bright card using clippings from that asinine UK TV listings magazine What’s On TV. ‘Keep quiet! Hush!…’ … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, arts, brain, celebrities, colours, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, expletives, Film, humour, information, photography, postcards, puzzle, Royalty, serendipity, style, surrealism, swearing, theatre, TV, words | Tagged a quick pint, actors, advertising, art, arts, beer, bright card, celebrities, collage, colour, conversation, dictionary word, expletives, eyes, fluorescent card, humour, madness, mail art postcards, photographer, photography, pissed off, pub on the corner, RADA, rehearsals, royalty, serendipity, smirking, style, surrealism, TV, TV series, ventriloquism, What's On TV, words | 4 Comments

Dusted with ginger and pepper to keep away the flies…

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s monolith is the Rudston one. (Click here) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And speaking of old things (not as old as the Rudston Monolith though) let’s dive back into the strange world of Britain in 1934. Yes, dear reader, … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, arts, books, brain, drama, existentialism, finance, food, history, humour, information, instruction, irony, learning, money, reading, science, serendipity, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged 1588, 1934, a kind word, a torrent of anger, arts, bailiffs, balls and parties, charades, charcoal, discovery, dusted with ginger, fashion, full dress, history, instruction, madness, plunge a knife, recovering rent, Rudston Monolith, serendipity, style, surrealism, that falls flat, The Daily Express Enquire Within, to keep away the flies, venison, Virginia tobacco, weather, words, writing | 11 Comments

It was almost a complete mesh…

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected adjectives are: queasy, flagitious, symphyseal, wandle, iatric, and woolly. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You may recall dear reader, a couple of days ago I waffled on about trying to draw some stripy things which were, for … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, adjectives, art, arts, brain, composition, creation, design, drawing, fine art prints, food, humour, information, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, seeing, style, thinking, words | Tagged abstarct art, art, arts, black and white, carefully selected adjectives, composition, drawing, flagitious, grid, iatric, Japanese paper, Kizuki 4 Monme, lattice, lino cut printing, lino print, loose ends, queasy, rice cake, Shakespeare, style, substrate, surrealism, symphyseal, too much thinking, wandle, weaving, woolly, words | 8 Comments

Some snatches of overheard and misheard cafe conversation…

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s rather nice word is Despot. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Why not swap it for a pent-up turban?’ ‘Violency Ann?… Violency?…’ ‘She be fine – but she get snapped at…’ ‘Take it on the chin, you’re a fella!’ ‘I … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, arts, brain, cafe, conversation, creation, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, finance, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, joke, misheard, overheard, people, poetry, politics, puzzle, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, words | Tagged a moving identity, an eagle roof, art, arts, baroo, Cafe Conversation, conversation, creamy, dictionary word, discovery, fella, head toy, madness, misheard, Misheard Snatches, mumble, nudging, on the chin, overheard, overheard remarks, pent-up, poetry, power shunt, serendipity, sex, sperience, style, surrealism, timmy-two, turban, violency, words, zither | Leave a comment

Is that for another lino print Dave?…

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s 17th and 18th c. American expletive is Holy fishcats! In the US, for some reason, the word ‘cat’ managed to become a euphemism for ‘God’. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meanwhile, back in the workshop… You might think that … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, art, arts, brain, creation, design, drawing, expletives, fine art prints, food, Grumpiness, humour, information, jobs, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, religion, seeing, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, words | Tagged 17th and 18th c., art, arts, bamboo, British expletive, dictionary word, disc-thing, drawing, drawings, euphemism for God, expletives, grids, history, Holy Fishcats!, interweaving, lino print design, lino printing, mesh, mug of tea, observations, pencil, photography, raffia, religion, rice cakes and butter, serendipity, sodding, style, surrealism, swearing, template, three dimensional, weaving, words | 2 Comments

I think it must have been the orange intense…

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s rather nice fish names are: the Chum Salmon, the Fiersfer, the Driftfish, the Hog Sucker, the Longnose Whiptail Catfish, and the Boxfish. In a posh restaurant which of these would you annoy the waiter by … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, arts, brain, British film, cafe, celebrities, conversation, cool, creation, drama, dreaming, Film, food, humour, observations, people, puzzle, serendipity, style, surrealism, theatre, TV, words | Tagged actors and technicians, aluminium urn, arts, belgian dark chocolate, cappuccino, careful hair, carrot cake, celebrities, conversation, costume, dreaming, interesting fish names, late, Lindt chocolate dream, madness, observations, orange intense, serendipity, slippy juice, spotlight, style, surrealism, the Boxfish, the Chum Salmon, the Driftfish, the Fiersfer, the Hog Sucker, the Longnose Whiptail Catfish, TV, Uncle Monty, using coins, Waldemar, weather, wiry lady, Withnail and I, words | 2 Comments

Just a few short, but pithy items…

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary words are: isochasm, contrayerva, prest, wanderoo, diagometer, and avizandum. Please have these words looked up and placed in suitable sentences ready for Professor Mouldie first thing after breakfast tomorrow morning. Masks, gowns, and open-toed … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, archeology, arts, brain, conversation, cool, creation, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, learning, music, overheard, people, physics, poetry, puzzle, radio, science, serendipity, smiling, spam, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged 1999, art, arts, Australia, avizandum, contrayerva, conversation, diagometer, dictionary word, discovery, excuses for being late, existential angst, expletives, foot hygiene, history, isochasm, late, madness, misheard, music, name change, observations, overheard, overheard remark, poetry, prest, Professor Mouldie, serendipity, short items, silly cow, spam, style, suns don't add up, surrealism, The Avalanches, too wide, wanderoo, words, writing | 1 Comment

I always like to add something cute to the picture…

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s lost plectrum is the one eventually found in Dr Watson’s waistcoat pocket. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Do you like the intriguing title of today’s post, dear reader? As you might have observed, when I embark on a new … Continue reading →

Posted in archeology, art, arts, blues, composition, cool, creation, design, fashion, fine art prints, guitars, history, humour, information, irony, lino printing, music, photography, prints, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, words | Tagged 1890, art, arts, Blues guitar, bottleneck guitar, chrome plastic, close to the frets, decades ago, dictionary word, discovery, drawing, dusty shelf, electric guitar, Fender guitars, history, horrible guitar, humour, jewel encrusted, madness, music, photography, serendipity, slide guitar, Squier emblem, style, surrealism, ugly thing, waffle, Woolworths, words | Leave a comment

It’s just Jeff in the wind…

Posted on September 16, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s quotation is from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1933 novel, Laughter in the Dark: Albinus was left alone. The air was blue and heavy with cigar smoke. Somebody had spilled something on the Turkish table – it was … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, arts, books, brain, celebrities, colours, composition, cool, creation, design, Dulltown, existentialism, Hull.UK., humour, information, observations, photography, puzzle, reading, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, words, writing | Tagged 1933, advertising, Albinus, art, arts, celebrities, cigar smoke, colour, discovery, Disney, flapping in the wind, hoardings, hospital, Jeff Goldblum, Laughter in the Dark, monolith, novel, observations, photography, poster, serendipity, style, surrealism, Turkish table, unsteady footman, vladimir nabokov, waiting for the shot, windy day, windy for June, words, writing | Leave a comment

So, what is it that those TV ads are really saying?…

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s mollusc is the one carrying a copy of this morning’s Daily Telegraph, but unfortunately has left his bifocals in his other suit. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I struggled with limescale – it’s ten times cheaper! – weekend box … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, advertising, arts, brain, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, food, humour, information, instruction, irony, mind, money, poetry, puzzle, serendipity, surrealism, thinking, TV, words | Tagged a blocked nose, advertising, arts, box sets, crispy batter, discovery, do not miss out!, eight-hour relief, existential angst, intense aromas, madness, maintenance-free, misheard, natural cheese, observations, poetry, serendipity, serving suggestion, sex, style, surrealism, TV, TV ads, What's On TV, words, writing | Leave a comment

You want to be a what?…

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s confused film star is Wigourney Seaver. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘I’m thinking about being a poet…’ ‘Oh yes? Do you like poetry?’ ‘Well I don’t really know yet.’ ‘What do you mean, yet?’ ‘Well, I’ve not written any … Continue reading →

Posted in art, arts, brain, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, existentialism, humour, information, instruction, irony, learning, poetry, radio, reading, smiling, style, surrealism, swearing, theatre, thinking, words, writing | Tagged a poetry reading, alcohol, arts, audience, celebrities, choosing the right voice, Confused film stars, conversation, diction, Doom, dreary, drunken poets, existential angst, existentialist angst, gloom, instruction, miserable poets, piss-head, pith, poetry, poetry on the radio, resonant vowels, shakespearean, show business, Sigourney Weaver, style, surrealism, words, writing | 4 Comments

So, is it a bird, or not?…

Posted on September 13, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s word, remembered from chemistry lessons back at school is, plumbum. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Two or three days ago I entitled my post ‘Recycling that bird thing’. I was designing a new lino print and had introduced into … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, art, arts, books, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, fine art prints, history, humour, information, lino cut printing, lino printing, painting, physics, prints, puzzle, reading, religion, science, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, words | Tagged abstract, art, arts, bird-thing, black and white, dictionary word, drawing, edge of your seat, eyes, French curves, halo, history, icons, icons blathered in gold, Japanese paper, Kizuki 4 Monme paper, lino printing, madness, meteor showers, painting, plumbum, Pluto, relief printing, religion, saintly face, science fiction magazines, serendipity, style, surrealism, white cone, words | Leave a comment

Football for Surrealists. No. 8…

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s wrinkled old black and white snapshot is the one of me and President Nixon glaring at each other over a café table in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, in 1970. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, let us again open up … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, art, arts, books, brain, celebrities, colours, composition, design, history, humour, information, irony, observations, photography, puzzle, reading, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism | Tagged 'T'-shaped, 1950s illustration, advertising, art, arts, Bob Ross, celebrities, colour, crystal springs mississippi, discovery, fast film, fluffy background, football, Football Parade 1950, framed on my wall, glaring, graphic artists, high shutter speed, history, Jimmy Dickinson, never-say-die, observations, photography, President Nixon, serendipity, style, surrealism, swastikas, wrinkled black and white snapshot | 2 Comments

Doom from below…

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s carefully selected colours are: Bracknell blue, Garstang green, Bromwich burgundy, Falmouth fawn, Todmorden turquoise, Perth pink, and Maughold mauve. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I’m still a bit in semi-lockdown here in Dulltown, but I did slide into the … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, architecture, arts, brain, colours, composition, cool, creation, drama, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, Hull.UK., humour, information, overheard, poetry, puzzle, Royalty, serendipity, style, surrealism, swearing, words, writing | Tagged art, arts, azabasta, Bracknell blue, Bromwich burgundy, carefully selected colours, colour, dictionary word, Doom, egg hog, existential angst, expletives, Falmouth fawn, Garstang green, Her Majesty, madness, Maughold mauve., munka, Perth pink, poetry, police car, public toilets, queen victoria, saturnine, serendipity, Simon Doom, spoems, stone in shoe, style, surrealism, The Hull Surrealist League, Todmorden turquoise, Victoria Square Hull, words, writing | Leave a comment

Recycling that bird thing…

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Dave Whatt

But first… Dulltown, UK: Today’s made-up is word is Plem – which apart from forming a few technical acronyms, doesn’t seem to exist. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oh, another mug of tea, an orange plastic template of ellipses, a so far untouched lino … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drawing, dreaming, fine art prints, humour, information, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, prints, puzzle, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, thinking, words | Tagged abstract surrealism, art, arts, bird-thing, black and white, boots with toes, burning giraffe, creation, designing, dictionary word, drawing, ellipses, eye, filling the white space, French curves, lino cut print, lino design, made-up word, madness, mug of tea, photography, plem, reversed drawing, screwed perspective, serendipity, style, surrealism, up out of a hole, words | 2 Comments