CAR DREAD & 8-BIT DREAMS

ust recently, a heavy cloud has hung over me, the weight of my responsibilities pressing down with a relentless force. As I mentioned before, the looming prospect of a significant car repair bill has felt like a constant threat. Well, this week that anxiety finally materialised.

1908.10 FOOTBALL?

It's no secret that I don't like the so called "beautiful game". I really don't get the appeal... and that's fine.

1703.21 NEW DENNIS - EVOLUTION OF A CARTOON

The second thing I learned to draw when I was a kid was from my favourite comic. From an early age my parents had copies of The Beano delivered to our house for me, later I also got The Dandy as well. The Dandy sadly ceased a number of years ago, The Beano however has managed to reinvent itself and is still going strong albeit as something very different to what used to land on my mat every week.

1608.08 MONKEY MAGIC

Around the meal table at work the other day we were discussing childhood television and our favourite shows off the day. Of course there are quite a few a bit younger than me so their offerings were a bit recent or I'd not heard of them. Then someone (of similar age to me) mentioned "Monkey".

Monkey was a Chinese production which was adapted and translated into English and I think shown on BBC 2 in the afternoon. It followed a Buddhist monk (played by a girl) and the Monkey King as they ventured from China to India assisted by Pigsy and Sandy. I remember the next day at school we'd all want to play at "Monkey", acting out the fight scenes and hoping you didn't have to be Pigsy.  I do recall being very good at the cloud summoning finger blowy thing. 

It was an unlikely hit with kids of my generation giving them larger than life characters, some kung fu and a moral life lesson. What more could you ask for? Oh yes, it had an awesome theme tune too.

1404.11 GOODBYE ADRIAN MOLE MY FRIEND

I was sad to learn of the passing of author Sue Townsend last night. The character she created in Adrian Mole, a working class anti-hero who's life never quite lived up to his expectations resonated with me. The character was a little bit older than me (4 years) but as a teenager I wholly related with the angst and the pains. He was also a child of the times speaking about the Thatcher years. The books dip in and out of his fictional life and I feel I have grown up with this character. The last book in the series, 'The Prostate Years' dealt with a man in his forties who hasn't achieved what he set out to do (that is something I can relate to) and looks at him dealing with serious illness (thankfully something I've not had to deal with yet). 

Sue Townsend's diary style of writing is the reason why I started blogging. There are books of diaries I kept which are long lost, it is something I've done most of my life. 

Thank you Sue, rest in peace... 

... Goodbye Adrian my old friend. 

1208.14 NOT SO DANDY

I just heard that the Dandy, a comic and British institution is in danger since its circulation dropped below 8,000. I grew up with the Dandy and Beano (I even dabbled with the Topper and Whizzer & Chips). I used to enjoy copying the cartoons and learned a lot from the art. I was also entertained, it's something that's lost on today's children.

Back in the 80s I even had a drawing and letter published in the Dandy's letters page (Star letter nonetheless).

I for one will mourn its passing.