Leader's Weekend Dispatch 1

Dispatch from the car: we are heading north from Perth after first stopping off at a petrol station just outside Dundeee for batteries for Bryony's iPod stereo and some Jelly Babies, (essentials of life, y'know) where we encountered a bus of rioting kids. We then stopped at All Saints Glencarre to retrieve the fabled Brechin Cross, where we met Max of the world famous Dog Blog (TM), a rather enthusiastic chap who smelled of (and according to his Human had recently been experiencing the joys of) stagnant water, so enthusiastic, in fact, that he scratched me as he greeted me. Are nearing Pitlochry and will update later, probably from the pub.

Security Blanket

So I was in Waterstones the other day, and I started reading the first book of The Complete Peanuts Collection, and one of the first things that struck me is how much Charles Schulz's drawing style changed and developed from the first strips in 1950 'til he settled on the recognisable style six or seven years later. The early strips lack the facial and bodily detail that later defined Schulz's work. Another thing that I noticed, something which amused me no end, is seeing Linus as a toddler. Although he is a toddler, the foundations of later character development is there, with several philisophical inclinations in amongst all the thoughts and feelings. It wouldn't be for almost another twenty years that there would be another Van Pelt, in the shape of Rerun Van Pelt, Lucy and Linus' youngest brother. It's fun to see that even in the early days, that Schroeder and Charlie had to ward off Lucy's amorous advances. Schroeder is, as ever, married to his music and Devoted to Beethoven.

It's begginning to look like this is going to be a topical blog. More tomorrow.

Teh Manga, lulz!!

Another of my speeches copied and pasted from a forum.

Eidderf: See that's how anime started, someone drew a little goku and everyone else created variations and then it became style of drawing for people who can't draw.

Me: Not entirely, but something along those lines. At college we had folk from both Dundee and Abertay Unis who came in to talk to us about their respective animation courses, and both said the same thing about manga; "If you aren't from Japan or China, and you didn't grow up in that sort of culture, don't put manga in your portfolio" They have a point. Too many kids are adopting Manga as their art style, and their actual, often undiscovered, art style is sacrificed as a result. You don't see hordes of folk drawing like Matt Groening or Charles Schulz after reading their comics or watching their TV shows?

Love with a U in the middle

Copied and pasted from a post I made on a forum:

"Love is weird guys. Or should I say, a lack of it. I haven't been in a relationship for over a year, and I think I'm ready for another one. I really hope I'm better at a relationship this time than last time, because last time the relationship broke down coz we just stopped talking. I don't think I was ready for one, plus we started going out just days after we met. Now I'm ready and I like a girl, and I'm almost certain she likes me (though I shall undertake further research to confirm this), plus I promise I'll keep talking to her! Fingers crossed guys, here I go!"

I'll restart blogging tomorrow, I've been lazy and not been doing it.