Category Archives: jobs

Well, the odd-looking thing, dominating the photo of the drawing for a new lino print, is called a…

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, hodmandod.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well, with a title like that for today’s post, I think we’d better start off with a look at the photo: So, which shall we talk about first, the drawing, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, art, arts, cool, design, drawing, fine art prints, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, lino printing, linocut tools, photography, physics, prints, puzzle, science, seeing, thinking, words, writing | Tagged a quick photo, art, arts, bench holdfast, Birmingham, clamped down, discovery, drawing and a tool, hodmandod, holdfast, it's called a..., lino print, observations, old label, puzzle, serendipity, sketch, stairs?, style, surrealism, useful tool, WODEN, words | 1 Comment

How an old painting changed my life, well, just a little bit…

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s octopus is the one currently reading about quantum mechanics.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It is (the painting I’m going to mention), and has been for years, in the local Art Gallery. When I was a child, if I was in … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, animals, archeology, art, arts, brain, celebrities, colours, composition, conversation, cool, creation, design, drama, drawing, gods, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, jobs, learning, maths, Maths, observations, painting, photography, physics, puzzle, reading, religion, seeing, serendipity, smiling, style, thinking | Tagged annunciation, apprentices, art gallery cafe, Francisco Maffei, golden sandals, great mistakes, ho ho ho!, lady in blue, large painting, life changing, octopus, oops!, perspective, quantum mechanics, the basket, the chair, Waldemar Januszczak | Leave a comment

What’s that?… Some more TV forensics?…

Posted on May 7, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s Rolls-Royce is the one with a scruffy black and white cat asleep on the bonnet…>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘What are you watching’?‘Oh, just the TV…’‘Yes, but what’?‘Oh, just people killing each other…’‘Killing each other? Do you like that sort … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, animals, brain, composition, conversation, cool, drama, existentialism, history, humour, information, instruction, irony, jobs, learning, maths, Maths, photography, physics, poetry, puzzle, religion, science, serendipity, smiling, story, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, words | Tagged already dead?, art, arts, back and white cat, car bonnet, churchgoers, cold cases, conversation, discovery, guns, in prison, making notes, mathematical, observations, pertpetrator, plaster cast, Rolls-Royce., serendipity, solving the case, style, surrealism, the shoes!, TV Forensics, watching TV, words | Leave a comment

Court cards in trumps are useful only for the tricks they make…

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s augmented chord is the one at the beginning of No Particular Place to Go.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It’s that old fat battered book again!Yes, it is that cheap junk shop book, The Daily Express (a British newspaper) Enquire Within, … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, archeology, arts, books, drama, dreaming, existentialism, finance, food, Grumpiness, guitars, history, humour, information, instruction, irony, jobs, learning, Maths, mind, money, music, observations, physics, poetry, puzzle, reading, science, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, Uncategorized, words, writing | Tagged 1934, 1934 book, 90 years old, ale?, astringent, blue water?, cardoons?, cards, discovery, gargles, mode of play, needs no bush?, observations, serendipity, style, sulphuric acid, surrealism, The Daily Express, The Daily Express Enquire Within, washing blankets, Whist?, words | 3 Comments

Just a few short, but pithy, items…

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, gymnorhinal.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Excuses for being late. No. 527.I’m sorry I’m late, but I started pondering on the idea of global catastrophe, again. A single overheard remark:‘No, Tony, it was only some plankets in the … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, archeology, art, arts, brain, composition, conversation, drama, Dulltown, Grumpiness, guitars, history, Hull.UK., humour, irony, jobs, misheard, music, observations, overheard, people, radio, serendipity, smiling, spam, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, war, weather, words | Tagged 1980s, art, arts, conversation, discovery, gymnorhinal, lucky number, madness, mowing the grass, name change, noisy, Norman D Landings, observations, overheard, party night!, plankets?, popular music, serendipity, Simon and G, style, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

Some people like to buy cars, or a nice new suit, or an expensive frock, but me…

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s architectural term is, Dentils.The knobbly square bits that you find along the top of the entablature, above some nice Ionic or Corinthian pillars. Click.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, another lino print idea!Which has nothing at all to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, adjectives, advertising, archeology, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drama, drawing, finance, fine art prints, Grumpiness, humour, information, jobs, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, observations, people, prints, puzzle, science, seeing, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating, words, writing | Tagged architecture, art, arts, Corinthian, daftness, danger, dentils?, discovery, ends of wires?, entablature?, frock?, from the top, inside the mountain?, Ionic, look at me!, madness, mountain climbing, new car?, observations, pontless, preparitory drawing, serendipity, sparks!, style, suit?, surrealism, tools, words | 4 Comments

Was that an unexplained loud crash?…

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s two unconnected words are: parabola and peneplain.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, but what sort of person wants to be on one of these spook-hunting, paranormal investigator, haunted house expert, TV shows? But if you saw an advert, on, say, … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, advertising, architecture, arts, blues, brain, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, drama, expletives, finance, Grumpiness, guitars, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, magic, misheard, observations, overheard, people, puzzle, religion, science, seeing, serendipity, style, surrealism, swearing, sweating, theatre, thinking, TV, words, writing | Tagged art, arts, conversation, discovery, EMF, hauntings, Hollywood, madness, observations, out of work actors, parabola., paranormal, peneplain, scary, serendipity, spirit box, spirits, style, surrealism, swearing, the basement?, Tinterweb, touching my arm, TV ghost hunters, TV spooks, words | Leave a comment

Opening lines for stories never to be written…

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s unusual china tea pot is the one shaped like Donald Trump’s head. They always sell these in packs of four, as they are so easy to smash, as throwing them across a room seems very popular.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, animals, architecture, art, arts, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, dreaming, humour, information, jobs, joke, money, people, photography, politics, puzzle, reading, religion, Rioting, science, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, war, words, writing | Tagged a good meeting, Aliens, art, arts, conversation, curtain, discovery, elevator, elm tree, Finnish, footsteps, for stories never to be written, gravity, madness, Mith, moon, never to be written, opening lines, owls, pistol, serendipity, stepping down, style, surrealism, words | 2 Comments

Forensic time fillers, with a guitar tuned in open D…

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s satsuma, in the pack from the supermarket, is the one that has a soft flat edge, which goes in and out as you press a finger against it.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was lying in my bed this morning … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, archeology, arts, blues, brain, composition, conversation, drama, food, guitars, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, money, music, observations, physics, puzzle, science, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, TV, words, writing | Tagged Adrian Hill, art, arts, blog today?, bulldog clip, conversation, crime shows, detectives, Devil got my woman, discovery, film clip, open-D tuning, police called, real life crime show, serendipity, Skip James, style, surrealism, words | Leave a comment

Ripping up bad prints is, a very good idea…

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s lost plectrum is the one that was eventually found on the surface of Europa.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, after the rough first print, on copy paper, has been pinned to the studio/workshop wall, with lots of other such first … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, adjectives, art, arts, brain, composition, cool, creation, design, drama, drawing, Grumpiness, humour, information, irony, jobs, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, mind, observations, photography, prints, puzzle, seeing, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking | Tagged a good idea, a new one!, art, arts, black and white, discovery, expensive paper, in the bin!, Japanese paper, madness, mug of tea, new one is better, observations, pens rubbers, rip them up!, scissors!, serendipity, staircase, start again, style, surrealism, surrealism., throw them away!, walk on up!, words | 5 Comments

Hm, some more of those overheard and misheard snatches of café conversation…

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, pygal.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘You saw that. You saw that. You saw that’?‘Na!…’Toosbury’?‘A dollops filter’?‘A cancelled knot…’?‘A nexty drink is for me, is…’‘No, no, John, he was a spanner…’‘So, it was only a diagonal dim, Frank.’‘A … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, adjectives, cafe, composition, conversation, cool, creation, design, drama, dreaming, Dulltown, existentialism, expletives, Grumpiness, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, jobs, mind, misheard, observations, overheard, people, poetry, puzzle, science, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, thinking, words, writing | Tagged art, arts, cafe, Cafe Conversation, conversation, cork spin, dictionary word, did you see?, dollops?, fur baby?, gradient, knots, madness, na!..., nexty?, observations, poppins., pygal?, serendipity, spanner, spool, style, surrealism, words, you saw that! | Leave a comment

Were as putty in the giant’s hands…

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s nice word is, roundel.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Today, I thought that we might dip into that old kids’ book, the Lion Annual from 1956, another of my junk shop, charity shop, books. It is a bit scruffy and battered, … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, art, arts, books, colours, composition, creation, design, drama, drawing, expletives, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, jobs, learning, people, politics, reading, Rioting, seeing, smiling, story, style, sweating, thinking, words, writing | Tagged 1956, art, arts, Baron de Baston, book covers, book pages, Colosso, comic book, drawing, giant's hands, illustration, illustrators, kid's books, panel, putty, serendipity, space, spacemen, style, surrealism, the castle, The Lion Annual 1956, Tony Fairman, up the rope, Village Fair, words | 2 Comments

Rambling on about yesterday afternoon, using a soldering iron, and some religion…

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, interpilaster.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No, you see, dear reader, I have an old junk shop Mona Lisa reproduction hanging on one of my walls. She’s been up there for, oh, at least twenty years, and a … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, advertising, archeology, art, arts, brain, celebrities, conversation, cool, creation, drama, Dulltown, history, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, jobs, learning, observations, people, puzzle, religion, science, serendipity, smiling, surrealism, thinking, war, words | Tagged 2000 religions, a nice couple, art, arts, at the front door, battery, conversation, dictionary word, discovery, doorbell, in suits, interpilaster, LED eyes, Leonardo da Vinci, madness, Mona Lisa, observations, serendipity, soldering, soldering iron, style, surrealism, the bible, two chaps, words | 3 Comments

Oh, it’s that double lino print, I mentioned before…

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown UK: Today’s disappointing Vladimir Nabokov novel is the one called Pnin.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, dear reader, it’s the double lino print that I made reference to in a post a few days ago. Do click here to see the post … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, art, arts, books, celebrities, composition, creation, design, drama, fine art prints, Grumpiness, humour, information, jobs, joke, learning, lino cut printing, lino printing, Maths, observations, prints, puzzle, reading, science, seeing, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, words, writing | Tagged a bang oin the forehead, art, arts, banging nails in, cubes and dots, framed on a wall, generously paid, in space?, lino prints, look at the prints!, observations, odd-job person, Pnin, serendipity, spacing..., style, surrealism, three-d, vladimir nabokov, words | 4 Comments

Adrian – on doing heads…

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown; UK: Today’s financial forecast is, that having a lot of money will be really good, as the end of the world approaches.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, here we go again!We are about three-quarters of our way through our edition, 1979, of … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, art, arts, books, celebrities, composition, cool, creation, design, drawing, history, humour, information, instruction, jobs, learning, money, painting, people, reading, seeing, smiling, style, sweating, thinking, Uncategorized, words, writing | Tagged 1958 book, 1979, Adrain's painting, Adrian Hill, art, artists smock, arts, discovery, first and last, highlights, likenesses, observations, Oil Painting, portraits, quotations, soft pencil, style, The beginners Book of Oil Painting, TV artist, words | 3 Comments

Some more of those overheard, and misheard, snatches of café conversation…

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary words are: hyaline, rummer, sixaine, godroon, zoppo, and ganoid.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ‘Then it slipped, just slipped, through my fingers, see’!‘And then it was at some total level point, Sally.’‘Oh, he was quite a meteor cup outside…’‘Then I … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, academia, arts, brain, cafe, composition, conversation, design, drama, Dulltown, expletives, food, Hull.UK., humour, information, instruction, jobs, joke, misheard, observations, overheard, people, poetry, puzzle, science, serendipity, smiling, style, surrealism, sweating, thinking, words, writing | Tagged art, arts, boo boo boo, conversation, discovery, ganoid, godroon, hyaline, in the cafe, madness, pebble man, press area?, pugs?, rummer, serendipity, sixaine, slipped, snatches, style, surrealism, Tommy, untensils, words, zoppo | Leave a comment

So, do you fancy visiting a spooky haunted house, but on the TV?…

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s moth names are: the Bloxworth Snout, the Brighton Wainscot, the Flame Shoulder, the Common Rustic, the Lead Belle, and the Pebble Hook-tip.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If we are going to a haunted house, or castle, or infirmary, or ancient … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, archeology, brain, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, creation, drama, existentialism, history, humour, information, instruction, irony, jobs, learning, magic, mind, misheard, observations, people, poetry, puzzle, religion, science, seeing, serendipity, story, style, surrealism, swearing, sweating, theatre, thinking, TV, Uncategorized, words, writing | Tagged arghhh!, careful notes, conversation, discovery, ghosts, hauntingsd, madness, moth names, observations, scuff my back!, serendipity, spirits for sure, style, surrealism, swearing?, the Bloxworth Snout, the Brighton Wainscot, the Common Rustic, the Flame Shoulder, the Lead Belle, the pebble hook-tip, TV ghost hunters, words | Leave a comment

Thinking about playing blues guitar…

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s architectural term is, Flushwork.The decorative use of knapped flint in conjunction with dressed stone to form patterns, such as tracery and initials, etc.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Me, I’ve been playing guitars for years now, I mostly play blues guitar. … Continue reading →

Posted in adjectives, archeology, architecture, arts, blues, cool, creation, expletives, Grumpiness, guitars, history, humour, information, instruction, jobs, learning, music, observations, puzzle, science, serendipity, style, swearing, sweating, thinking, words | Tagged Albert Collins, architectural term, art, arts, bending notes, Blues guitar, Blues players, boring blues, Chicago, discovery, Elmore James, factories, farm jobs, floppy hands, flushwork?, Howlin' Wolf, manual tasks, Memphis Minnie, modern blues?, Muddy Waters, observations, Robert Johnson, strong hands!, style, woodwork, work | 4 Comments

Albert, what’s that funny smell?…

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, piepowder.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Everybody likes to have a gadget or two. And also, what a good word gadget is!We’ve all got gadgets now, haven’t we? Very clever ones. Phones with everything in them, including cameras. … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, archeology, books, conversation, cool, creation, design, drama, drawing, Grumpiness, history, humour, information, instruction, jobs, learning, people, phones, photography, physics, reading, science, style, surrealism, thinking, war, words | Tagged 1954, 1954 Gadgets Annual, Albert and Madge, conversation, discovery, electric fire, madness, phone cameras, plastic bending, refractory, silica glass tubes, surrealism, the gadgets annual 1954, the word piepowder, W N Shaw, words | 2 Comments

What about some TV forensics?…

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Dave Whatt

But first…Dulltown, UK: Today’s dictionary word is, indumentum.Oh, the spell-checker didn’t like this one!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Well, it doesn’t seem long ago that I did a watching a ‘TV forensics’ post, but maybe I’m just getting confused with one of my ‘misheard … Continue reading →

Posted in abstract, adjectives, blues, brain, celebrities, composition, conversation, cool, drama, expletives, fashion, food, Grumpiness, guitars, history, humour, information, jobs, mind, music, observations, people, poetry, puzzle, science, serendipity, smiling, story, surrealism, sweating, thinking, TV, words, writing | Tagged art, arts, battered guitar, big hats indoors, conversation, crime solving, detective drama, fat coppers, jotting down, Lightnin' Hopkins, observations, Radiotone guitar, real life, Robert Johnson, serendipity, style, surrealism, TV Forensics, watching TV, wearing hats indoors, words | Leave a comment