beeker ideas

star struck

I was out on a bookshopping assignment with young Jason (not this Jason - I have another one at my new work) last week, when in Foyles I came face to face with an all time hero of mine.

There in the same aisle, looking less small than I remembered, a bit flustered and very lovely, was Kazuo Ishiguro.  I've seen him before at a talk he gave at a festival, and generally pride myself on not getting star struck about anyone, but.  But.  Nothing prepared me for this. 

So obviously I pretended to ignore him.  And when he'd passed by ran over to Jason (quietly poring over the photography section) and scream-whispered 'Oh my god do you know who Kazuo Ishiguro?  No?!  One of my all time heroes.  I don't usually get star struck at all but I really am.  I don't know what to do!'

'Talk to him?'  Jason carefully suggested.

'Oh god I don't know what to say.  I'll just sound like everyone else.'

But he's right, I thought.  Just tell him how much you love him - no!  Not him...his work.

I strolled back to the music section and started thinking through what to say.  By the time I'd composed something that didn't sound psychotic, or that didn't start with 'You're Kazuo Ishiguro aren't you?' he'd left the building.

And I wish I'd just said how much his writing means to me.  Just that.  I think if I was a writer I'd never get tired of people saying that after all.  Even if they were in some febrile mess.  What stuck in my head was a glimpse of the hunted in his eyes when he recognised my stifled recognition.  I think that I'd probably get tired of.

Anyway, wherever you are Mr Ishiguro, the girl was me, and I wish I'd said something.

discouraging paraphenalia

The beauty of Blue and Joy is that they're not what they seem.  Blue's happy disposition belies his tearful appearance.

And Joy is in fact miserable on the inside, all the more so because everyone presumes he's happy from his smiling exterior.

Which all makes for some very Discouraging Adventures. 

I am pleased as punch with my new gear from Daniele + Fabio.  This bag will make every day a Discouraging Adventure.

And this tee shirt will improve every Monday.

There will be a chance to see and buy Blue and Joy canvases at The Affordable Art Fair this March.  These puppets will be huge.  Believe me.  (And their creators clearly understand the power of the Dark Side.)

natural born losers

It's no secret that I love these boys. And so I was delighted to get this. And just as delighted that I'm allowed to share it with you.

my new hero

Lots of people know about Julia Davis from Nighty Night.  I hadn't seen it.  But judging by the BBC's film about Fanny Cradock, the world's first celebrity chef, she's an effing genius.  I'm terrified of her.  But she's amazing. 

I didn't live through the 60's.  Enough of it's seeped into my consciousness from parents and grandparents though, and from terrifying surviving relics of decor and attitude for me to feel simultaneously nauseous and delighted watching this.  Really incredible.  I know everyone gets nostalgic about the 60's and 70's, but there were some truly scary things about them too.  An incredible watch. 

crushes

         

      

Ok.  I have (a) crush(es).  On 4 female bloggers.  Kathy Sierra, Emily, Helen and Belle. 

It's taken me a while to realise, but it's different to my admiration for other blogs.  I kind of want to be them.  I think they're amazing.  They write brilliantly, inspiringly, prolifically.  I get the impression we'd be friends if we met.

All of which I suddenly saw is scarily like the kind of teenage crushes - that I never really had btw - where you want to be Charlene from Neighbours, for instance.  Actually I did kind of want to be the cool one out of TLC for a while.  But only for her dance moves. 

props to Bloom

So I never knew when your work does well in this job you feel like some strange proud planning mum.  Or something.  Bloom has won a DBA competition with a design that was my first project there back in July.  The brief was to encourage drinks manufacturers to use cans. 

We decided to put milk in a can.  Yum.  As one of ten winners Bloom got a page in Marketing Magazine and an exhibit in the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising.  Well deserved peeps.

'of course we don't flip-flop'

KRS One still takes my breath away.

I am going to make a (weak) point relating hip hop to the rest of the stuff on here soon, promise.  But while I'm at it, one more clip, which proves hip-hop live is a beautiful thing.  Just that hardly anyone does it properly now.

thierry v russell

    V    

Thierry's obviously convinced by Reebok's  I am what I am strategy.  Which seems to be something of a conscious objection to the brand supremacy of the Great Nike over its endorsers.  Or maybe it's something of a money issue.  Either way, I saw one of the latest posters on the tube yesterday (should have snapped it) and it seems Thierry's new Reebok-enabled voice wants to talk about failure.  'I like to win but I'm not afraid of failure', or something.  This makes Thierry a kind of wussy version of Russell (who enjoys an intimate relationship with failure.  And success, of course). 

   

henry james

I call a person rich when he can meet the requirements of his imagination.

HENRY JAMES (Ralph, in Portrait of a Lady)

My favourite book of all time. I decided to have a holiday of re-reading favourites instead of buying the latest Zadie malarkey. And I ended up poring over this again in wonder for the whole week. It's incredible.

The film was a bit rubbish, as I remember but I like the photo. Sort of corresponds with the Isabel in my head.

john northam

Along the ridge we raced together,

slicing through the wind and weather.

What a colt to ride - amazing!

As we started on our run

it was just like suns were blazing.

Eagles, brown-backed every one,

hung in the space between us there

and the way-down watery reaches,

specks of dust upon the air.

Ice-floes grind at every quarter

of the shore-line, but no rumbling;

only wisps of vapour whirled

like they were dancing - sang and swirled,

set the eye and ear a-fumbling.

PEER GYNT, HENRIK IBSEN Translation John Northam, Scandinavian University Press

Quote of the day is for my grandfather, who died two years ago this week. He was an Ibsen scholar celebrated in Norway and beyond for capturing the poetry, humour and wisdom of Ibsen's verse in his translations. A feat he managed I think, by using all these qualities, which he himself had in abundance. I miss him.