Bad for Nothing.

Becky surprised me last Thursday with some tickets to see the band 'Yellowcard!' It was brilliant, we took the train to London earlier in the day so we could have a walk around, I met a sole busker playing a Djemebe

oooh your the sweetness

I listened to him play for a while and readied some change for his hat, as I was placing the money I started chatting to him about the drum explaining I had one at home though not as big as his (yes I had djemebe envy) and he asked if I would like to play it, I honestly couldn't even try to turn him down and with the exception of the gig it was the greatest moment of my week. This is why I love the busking community no airs, no graces, just music that you could actually join in with if you wanted. And so it leads me to the gig, or more pointedly one of the supporting acts : 'The Wonder Years' don't get me wrong I have respect for their ability to play instruments and musical talent but, they are Idiots, here's why :

Lead Singer : OK this song is about when the world expects something from you, but you don't have it in you to do it! Lets rock!

Teenage Fan-boys : WOW he knows exactly how we feel!

WHAT? what on earth does that even mean? You can't live up to expectations? Your not good enough to even try? 

Basically the whole message of this song is "I have no ability" thats depressing, and if it truely is the case you only have yourself to blame.

Lazy Bums

If you say 'gullible' slowly, it sounds like 'oranges'...

As a small child I was a rather rambunctious, not a problem child, just full of energy and very active. My brother and I were obsessed with the movie "Home Alone" we would spend hours trying to simulate the 'traps'.

One particular solo attempt was me tying one end of a string of wool to the curtain rail and the other to the bottom of the welsh dresser, standing on a chair armed with a coat hanger I prepared for my descent.
At that minute my uncle walked into the room with a puzzled look "does your Dad let you do that?" He quizzed. "....yes" I hurriedly replied. So he, shrugged and WALKED AWAY! I couldn't belive my luck, fortunately I realised the tautness of the wool wouldn't hold my weight and I abandoned the project.
As pleased as I was at the time I can't help but shake my head in disbelief now when I think back.
So I put the question to you :

What crazy things did you get away with as a kid?

Guest 20th November 2011 - Abstract Structure to Live Art (Deconstruction Festival)

Hi guys Dans Brother in Law Frank Here.

His let me guest as Ive started one of these Flipping Blogs. So far Ive done about 10 days straight of posting daily abstract doodles. Heres my guest version of my doodle blog for the 20th November 2011.

The blogs about everything really although I'm hoping to breach the subject of my degenerative eye condition RP as time goes. In a decade or two it will render me legally blind so it may be a way of dealing, but its not all doom and gloom its an Optimistic blog by nature.

If anyone would like to guest for a post they'd be totally welcomehttp://www.franksdailydoodle.blogspot.com

 

Was really pleased with this Doodle, Its loosely based on a doodle I did stood in a corner at a live gig. 

The gig was in Luton and it was called Deconstruction Festival. Experimental band, after experimental band, with wavs and waves of the Improvised beautiful Noise. So I found a perch on a Armchair and drew the whole 8 hours with breaks of course. My lines where controlled by the flow of the music and this is what I created to the Band 'Coldstream' found here on Myspace 

I think its down to the Aspergers, I go into a state of hyper focus which can go on for hours. Beep and Hiss akimbo the music, music for people who like there music to go out there, way out there.

I enjoyed the whole day immensely, Lost in the Doodle until the early Hours of the Morning with no worries or Cares, I think it was when I truly discovered how Calming the Doodle could be.

Heres some of the doodles so far...

Thanks for Looking, 

Come over and Tell me about what you like to do art to, and what , music makes your creative juices go wild?

- Frank 20-11-11

Share? I have a better idea..

When I was about 16, I had a problem with sharing I tended to 'over-react' when someone asked me to share. One day in the park I had a whole share bag of malteasers to myself and a small boy asked me for one. Instead of just saying  "No" I decided to scream "WELL HAVE THEM ALL THEN" and throw the bag at the poor kids face.

Now I realised that kind of behaviour (I'd do it to everyone) wasn't acceptable and wanted to be able to offer people things but still found it difficult when people said yes. Luckily I found a loophole in the system and I'm going to share it with you now.
I refined my palate to like things that not many people like E.G : Iron Bru, Liqourice and peppermint tea, rainbow drops and liqourice and blackcurrant sweets. Funnily enough now when I offer people these things I don't mind if they say yes..

Daylight Savings Time

Yes, It's that time of year again! As I'm sure most of you know ; here in the UK we change our clocks twice a year, An hour forward in the spring, (Spring forward) and an hour back in the autumn (Fall back). We get reminders and a lot of technology does it automatically (Mobile Phones and Laptops Etc. )
So when the clocks change why oh why do I hear people saying "it's 6 o clock but it's really 5" referring to the previous day. The frequency of this is disturbingly high, people don't seem to be able to let go, like it's to their advantage to remember, when in reality it's just time consuming and trivial.
I'd hate to see these people in another time-zone "OK I'm in china and it's 1am so really its 5pm"

I apologise for the lack of content right now, Been a bit busy with family things. I should have seen it coming seeing how things were seemingly going well for a change, but apparently there is no such thing as common sense and idiocy runs rampart evermore.
This image pretty much sums up my mood right now

Cynicism Recharging 80%
I'll have something funny up in a few days.
Dan

Guest Post by My Wife Rebecca 'In The Mix'

My work is not just work...

in fact its a slice of perfect cake :-)

I have the unequalled privilege of being a 'Play Worker' 

This so called job, as the title denotes simply translates into 40 hour a weeks worth of play...which in turn equals fun...which astonishingly then amounts to work!

One of my fondest most gleeful experiences has been during one of my many cooking activity sessions I frequently run with children. Now the following has happened not once, or twice but on countless occasions...

true story!

Most the children in my care are between the ages of 2 - 8 years. We endeavor to encourage independence in our sessions, and not to take charge of a child's efforts too much and the finished product isn't all that important...its the having fun whilst learning experience that counts. Regardless of age or ability I guarantee the outcome may be the same as follows in many a young kids cooking class...

me:     "right Sam can you read out the ingredients needed to bake carrot muffins?"

Sam:   "yes it says flour...blah blah blah"

me:     "yes check, we have all the needed ingredients. So who would like to crack the eggs?"

Tom:  "me, me, me I've done this like a thousand times with mummy at home...properly"

(bear in mind Tom is 3 and a half years of age)

Then I hesitantly handed Tom the egg watching in anticipation...

then to my surprise Tom lifted the egg and with all the grace of a prima ballerina he very gently tapped the egg against the side of the mixing bowl, he seemed astounded it had not cracked! He gave it another tap, as careful as before and yet again he looked almost disappointed that it had not cracked. Then to my surprise faster then I could say "have another go Tom" he had closed his eyes so tightly shut, he drew in a breath of a deep sea diver and then he instantly crushed the egg in the palm of his hand...and watched with the wildest crazed smile as shell, egg white and yolk proceeded to run very slowly down his arm into his sleeve.

The other children looked in amazement...and with that one look they began to laugh in amazement. To conclude its fair to say there we're lots of eggs cracked in such a way that day, and all the children had done it a thousand times before with their mummies...properly :-)