Wednesday 31 August 2011
My last dream last night (of about 3)
How about this for a dream? We had to put on a Christmas play/pageant in the foyer of a hotel, even though it was the height of summer. So we set about doing this, all bedecked in Christmas gear. I was one of the Santa Clauses. A couple of hobbits were Christmas elves downstairs, sifting through the naughty and nice lists. I went out front and drummed up interest with one of the other guys.However, it was all a front for a meeting of us super-criminals called by The Joker. As children gathered downstairs for the surprising Christmas celebrations, we criminals gathered upstairs of the skyscraper around a table in an executive boardroom (still all in Christmas garb) and waited for The Joker to show up, but in the meantime, several of the others argued and one by one killed each other in violent ways. From about 12 of us, there were now 4. When I nervously rang the Joker, it turned out he was in a cafe across town waiting for us. He'd changed the meeting plans but not told us.I wonder if he knew this would happen, and was whittling us down?
My last dream last night (of about 3)
How about this for a dream? We had to put on a Christmas play/pageant in the foyer of a hotel, even though it was the height of summer. So we set about doing this, all bedecked in Christmas gear. I was one of the Santa Clauses. A couple of hobbits were Christmas elves downstairs, sifting through the naughty and nice lists. I went out front and drummed up interest with one of the other guys.However, it was all a front for a meeting of us super-criminals called by The Joker. As children gathered downstairs for the surprising Christmas celebrations, we criminals gathered upstairs of the skyscraper around a table in an executive boardroom (still all in Christmas garb) and waited for The Joker to show up, but in the meantime, several of the others argued and one by one killed each other in violent ways. From about 12 of us, there were now 4. When I nervously rang the Joker, it turned out he was in a cafe across town waiting for us. He'd changed the meeting plans but not told us.I wonder if he knew this would happen, and was whittling us down?
Tuesday 2 August 2011
The Week
So I handed in all the 11 illustrations to Wiley the other day and they've asked for one extra one.
I got it done quickly and sent it to them and from the email I got back, it sounds like they may want some detail taken out for the authors and designers.
It's actually hard work having to put less detail than usual into my drawings. A real effort to reign it in.
But we'll see when they've had a look at it.
Aside from that, there's another couple of prospective jobs on the horizon and I'm currently cold-emailing as many companies as I think I might get a bit of interest from.
I'm off to Ireland stilt-walking for a week in about an hour! Should be fun!
I got it done quickly and sent it to them and from the email I got back, it sounds like they may want some detail taken out for the authors and designers.
It's actually hard work having to put less detail than usual into my drawings. A real effort to reign it in.
But we'll see when they've had a look at it.
Aside from that, there's another couple of prospective jobs on the horizon and I'm currently cold-emailing as many companies as I think I might get a bit of interest from.
I'm off to Ireland stilt-walking for a week in about an hour! Should be fun!
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Greetings!
Hello all!
This is my first blog post here.
It's been a busy week this week, what with working at the hospital, DJing Vudu and Subside, working the Area 51 Offices and finishing off the mascot for Rebelicious Magazine (http://rebeliciousmagazine.tumblr.com/)!
But she's done and she's here: http://curtisallen.co.uk/rebelicious.html and the client seems most happy with her.
In talks at the moment with a couple of other prospective buyers - one about illustrating a motivational book, the other about illustrating a childrens book of stories so we'll see what comes of them and I'm currently in the middle of doing an email blast to lots of companies, just to let them know little old me is here, ready and willing.
So yeah! Busy week!
Curt
This is my first blog post here.
It's been a busy week this week, what with working at the hospital, DJing Vudu and Subside, working the Area 51 Offices and finishing off the mascot for Rebelicious Magazine (http://rebeliciousmagazine.tumblr.com/)!
But she's done and she's here: http://curtisallen.co.uk/rebelicious.html and the client seems most happy with her.
In talks at the moment with a couple of other prospective buyers - one about illustrating a motivational book, the other about illustrating a childrens book of stories so we'll see what comes of them and I'm currently in the middle of doing an email blast to lots of companies, just to let them know little old me is here, ready and willing.
So yeah! Busy week!
Curt
Wednesday 30 March 2011
Sheenism
I'm trying to figure out what it is about Charlie Sheen's recent behaviour that makes me warm to him instead of denounce him as an utter cock.
I think it largely stems from the fact that he is at the top of his game. His game is comedy acting and love his work or hate it, he was the highest paid working tv actor when this whole furore emerged. The weird quirky outbursts seem to be the domain of washed up has-beens. Sheen's wasn't. He was quantifiably the top of his game. And while this smacks of psychological issue ridden, drug fuelled egomania, Sheen disregards this possibility and announces himself, in current pop-lingo, to be simply having a great time. He is epically winning. He is on a massive salary, massively popular and massively desired and he makes no bones about this and flaunts it. And I think this appeals to us all in a little way. <BR />Hedonism with the consequences, maybe through a fluke of media, and maybe through his own unapologeticness, downplayed. He may have had access to his kids restricted and been in trouble with the law, but by sheer force of arrogance, he denies that he's having a bad time. And the media picks up on those soundbites and he comes off smelling of roses. <BR /><BR />The Hoff was filmed by his daughter paralytically failing to eat a hamburger. Sheen was never filmed in the lows that must surely have occurred. Sheen WAS caught scaring the bejesus out of a porn star he was partying with. But it was porn star he was partying with and this appealed to the wish-fulfilment fantasies of enough media savvy males, including journalists and internet memeists that he was a champion big-hitter not a woman-scarer.
It's the who he was with, and the paradigm shift of being on top not washed up and THEN saying "I'm fucking famous and sucessful. Instead of doing my thing and being shamefaced, I'm going to put it to you that instead of being a fuckup, I'm your wish-fulfilment." And having it stick because he did it now, rather than waiting until he WAS a has been.
I think I simply like the fact that he is unashamedly having a great time. And while that time may be judged by us to be hazardous or unstable, he simply doesn't acknowledge this and leaves us unable to judge, as we have never been as publically successful as he.
I think it largely stems from the fact that he is at the top of his game. His game is comedy acting and love his work or hate it, he was the highest paid working tv actor when this whole furore emerged. The weird quirky outbursts seem to be the domain of washed up has-beens. Sheen's wasn't. He was quantifiably the top of his game. And while this smacks of psychological issue ridden, drug fuelled egomania, Sheen disregards this possibility and announces himself, in current pop-lingo, to be simply having a great time. He is epically winning. He is on a massive salary, massively popular and massively desired and he makes no bones about this and flaunts it. And I think this appeals to us all in a little way. <BR />Hedonism with the consequences, maybe through a fluke of media, and maybe through his own unapologeticness, downplayed. He may have had access to his kids restricted and been in trouble with the law, but by sheer force of arrogance, he denies that he's having a bad time. And the media picks up on those soundbites and he comes off smelling of roses. <BR /><BR />The Hoff was filmed by his daughter paralytically failing to eat a hamburger. Sheen was never filmed in the lows that must surely have occurred. Sheen WAS caught scaring the bejesus out of a porn star he was partying with. But it was porn star he was partying with and this appealed to the wish-fulfilment fantasies of enough media savvy males, including journalists and internet memeists that he was a champion big-hitter not a woman-scarer.
It's the who he was with, and the paradigm shift of being on top not washed up and THEN saying "I'm fucking famous and sucessful. Instead of doing my thing and being shamefaced, I'm going to put it to you that instead of being a fuckup, I'm your wish-fulfilment." And having it stick because he did it now, rather than waiting until he WAS a has been.
I think I simply like the fact that he is unashamedly having a great time. And while that time may be judged by us to be hazardous or unstable, he simply doesn't acknowledge this and leaves us unable to judge, as we have never been as publically successful as he.
Sheenism
I'm trying to figure out what it is about Charlie Sheen's recent behaviour that makes me warm to him instead of denounce him as an utter cock.
I think it largely stems from the fact that he is at the top of his game. His game is comedy acting and love his work or hate it, he was the highest paid working tv actor when this whole furore emerged. The weird quirky outbursts seem to be the domain of washed up has-beens. Sheen's wasn't. He was quantifiably the top of his game. And while this smacks of psychological issue ridden, drug fuelled egomania, Sheen disregards this possibility and announces himself, in current pop-lingo, to be simply having a great time. He is epically winning. He is on a massive salary, massively popular and massively desired and he makes no bones about this and flaunts it. And I think this appeals to us all in a little way.
Hedonism with the consequences, maybe through a fluke of media, and maybe through his own unapologeticness, downplayed. He may have had access to his kids restricted and been in trouble with the law, but by sheer force of arrogance, he denies that he's having a bad time. And the media picks up on those soundbites and he comes off smelling of roses.
The Hoff was filmed by his daughter paralytically failing to eat a hamburger. Sheen was never filmed in the lows that must surely have occurred. Sheen WAS caught scaring the bejesus out of a porn star he was partying with. But it was porn star he was partying with and this appealed to the wish-fulfilment fantasies of enough media savvy males, including journalists and internet memeists that he was a champion big-hitter not a woman-scarer.
It's the who he was with, and the paradigm shift of being on top not washed up and THEN saying "I'm fucking famous and sucessful. Instead of doing my thing and being shamefaced, I'm going to put it to you that instead of being a fuckup, I'm your wish-fulfilment." And having it stick because he did it now, rather than waiting until he WAS a has been.
I think I simply like the fact that he is unashamedly having a great time. And while that time may be judged by us to be hazardous or unstable, he simply doesn't acknowledge this and leaves us unable to judge, as we have never been as publically successful as he.
I think it largely stems from the fact that he is at the top of his game. His game is comedy acting and love his work or hate it, he was the highest paid working tv actor when this whole furore emerged. The weird quirky outbursts seem to be the domain of washed up has-beens. Sheen's wasn't. He was quantifiably the top of his game. And while this smacks of psychological issue ridden, drug fuelled egomania, Sheen disregards this possibility and announces himself, in current pop-lingo, to be simply having a great time. He is epically winning. He is on a massive salary, massively popular and massively desired and he makes no bones about this and flaunts it. And I think this appeals to us all in a little way.
Hedonism with the consequences, maybe through a fluke of media, and maybe through his own unapologeticness, downplayed. He may have had access to his kids restricted and been in trouble with the law, but by sheer force of arrogance, he denies that he's having a bad time. And the media picks up on those soundbites and he comes off smelling of roses.
The Hoff was filmed by his daughter paralytically failing to eat a hamburger. Sheen was never filmed in the lows that must surely have occurred. Sheen WAS caught scaring the bejesus out of a porn star he was partying with. But it was porn star he was partying with and this appealed to the wish-fulfilment fantasies of enough media savvy males, including journalists and internet memeists that he was a champion big-hitter not a woman-scarer.
It's the who he was with, and the paradigm shift of being on top not washed up and THEN saying "I'm fucking famous and sucessful. Instead of doing my thing and being shamefaced, I'm going to put it to you that instead of being a fuckup, I'm your wish-fulfilment." And having it stick because he did it now, rather than waiting until he WAS a has been.
I think I simply like the fact that he is unashamedly having a great time. And while that time may be judged by us to be hazardous or unstable, he simply doesn't acknowledge this and leaves us unable to judge, as we have never been as publically successful as he.
Wednesday 2 March 2011
Arrogance Amongst Sports Fans?
Recently, on Facebook, I have seen a lot of interactions that follow these sorts of lines between a person and their Blues fan mate:
Friend 1: "Congratulations on the Blues win at Wembley"
Friend 2: "Thanks. I think we played a good game and we deserved the win"
As someone who doesn't have any real interest in following team sports, I cannot quite see how fans enter into the intrinsic arrogance of this interaction.
Sure, I know that team sports such as football carry certain promoted ideals of solidarity and unity etc and that fan support means a lot, but surely the language of this interaction carries with it the fan implicitly taking credit for the accomplishment of 11 or so total strangers.
The nearest applicable thing I can think of to relate it to me involves Jackie Chan. Now, pretty much anyone who knows me more than in passing will know that I'm a big Chan fan. Have been for years. Probably always will be. I know more about his past than is probably healthy to know about an utter stranger. I check his website every so often and see what he's been up to and what he's currently doing. I debate his movies and the techniques therein with other ardent fans. I know he's had highs and lows in his career and while he's had some great cinematic moments, he's made some absolute turkeys of films! Particularly recently. And I've been waiting for him to pull something good out of the bag again. Arguably, the metaphor is so far sound.
Now if, just supposing, if he had just made an awesome film that was making big waves in China, taking some awards there, and was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, I would never expect anyone to come up to me and say "Congratulations on the Oscar nomination". It seems preposterous to me. What have I done to be congratulated on? If they did, I wouldn't deign to reply with "Thanks. We put a lot of work into that film and we deserved the nomination".
Why?
Because aside from being a fan the film was created for, I had NOTHING to do with the crafting of that film. Certainly not enough to be congratulated on and to use the language "Thanks" and "we" as if I had personal involvement.
Genuine question: How is it not arrogant and utterly absurd to say "we played well" instead of "they played well"?
Friend 1: "Congratulations on the Blues win at Wembley"
Friend 2: "Thanks. I think we played a good game and we deserved the win"
As someone who doesn't have any real interest in following team sports, I cannot quite see how fans enter into the intrinsic arrogance of this interaction.
Sure, I know that team sports such as football carry certain promoted ideals of solidarity and unity etc and that fan support means a lot, but surely the language of this interaction carries with it the fan implicitly taking credit for the accomplishment of 11 or so total strangers.
The nearest applicable thing I can think of to relate it to me involves Jackie Chan. Now, pretty much anyone who knows me more than in passing will know that I'm a big Chan fan. Have been for years. Probably always will be. I know more about his past than is probably healthy to know about an utter stranger. I check his website every so often and see what he's been up to and what he's currently doing. I debate his movies and the techniques therein with other ardent fans. I know he's had highs and lows in his career and while he's had some great cinematic moments, he's made some absolute turkeys of films! Particularly recently. And I've been waiting for him to pull something good out of the bag again. Arguably, the metaphor is so far sound.
Now if, just supposing, if he had just made an awesome film that was making big waves in China, taking some awards there, and was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, I would never expect anyone to come up to me and say "Congratulations on the Oscar nomination". It seems preposterous to me. What have I done to be congratulated on? If they did, I wouldn't deign to reply with "Thanks. We put a lot of work into that film and we deserved the nomination".
Why?
Because aside from being a fan the film was created for, I had NOTHING to do with the crafting of that film. Certainly not enough to be congratulated on and to use the language "Thanks" and "we" as if I had personal involvement.
Genuine question: How is it not arrogant and utterly absurd to say "we played well" instead of "they played well"?
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