Andrew Losowsky

where I've been hiding

20 December 2005. 1 comment. Inspired by my emergence into the light.

Aaaand we're back. You could say I've been busy, but if you do, I'll reply with a haunting look, a hollow laugh and then mentally add you to my internal list that's scrawled in cerebral red pen and headed, in non-existent block capitals, "WHEN THE REVOLUTION COMES".

The last few weeks have been somewhat manic, so much so that if you'd looked in the Wiktionary under the word 'manic' in that period, you'd have seen a picture of me (one of many reasons they've banned me from making changes, but I digress).

Thankfully, some of the seedlings I've planted in the interim (and then liberally coated with my usual brand of manure) are starting to sprout. So pardon the self-obsession in this post. I've not had time to contemplate any other navels.

One of the things I've been up to is guestediting a couple of issues of the local print magazine InMadrid. January's cover - of which I'm inordinately proud - is something a little different from the norm. A special Prandial preview is here - ssssh, don't tell them. Out January 3rd, for those in a capitally Spanish frame of presence.

Another thing I've been doing is taking a leaf from the festering pile of compost at the base of the tree of British television, and gone in for my own brand of repeats. Yes, Barçabook is, yet again, back.

This time it's printed by Lulu, has a new cover - gloriously drawn by the immensely talented Jossie Malis - and includes, between each chapter ("now with even fewer spelling mistakes!"), short paragraphs on the 'other' Barcelonas. From toilet sets to the racing pigeon Barcelona Rambo II, it's all there, gloriously adding to the story (and not providing any padding whatsoever to compensate for Lulu's larger page size, oh no certainly not). Listen, between you and me, if you already bought the first one, it's hardly an essential purchase. Much of the same, with most of the wrinkles ironed out. If you didn't buy it, hey, it's cheaper, it's better and is now even available in pdf download! Buy three, get three. Can't say fairer than that. Makes a lovely Xmas present for the lady.

All of this flurry of environmentally unfriendly recycling has been done in the name of the Lulu Blooker Prize. I have an snow angel's chance in hell of winning, of course, but at least I've bothered to lie on the ground and flap my arms and legs about like an idiot. After all of the previous effort, both on and offline, it seemed churlish not to. Barring any accidents with unthinking real-world publishers, this'll be the last time of republishing, promise. Which means I probably ought to start writing something else. Bugger.

And there's even more exciting news, so nervetickling that I'm going to create an entirely separate post for it... so quickly, one more thing spotted in the brief seconds where I got chance to sneak a peek at the web over the last few weeks, when no one was looking.

12th December was Black Ink Monday for American cartoonists, when they got together to protest at the LA Times and Baltimore Sun's decision to scrap the post of editorial cartoonist, and instead take syndicated satire from someone else. Result: more than 100 cartoonists drawing their own protests for their newspapers. It's a fascinating look at what happens when you unleash a huge group of illustrators on the same theme, with exactly the same viewpoint. Though by no means all are funny, and some are a little over-dramatic, it's a good gallery to browse through, for no other reason than to take a look at thematically consistent creativity.

And finally... Guest+host=Ghost. Peter Blegvad and Radio Three together again. I quote from the man himself:

"Written and narrated by Peter Blegvad, with readings by Nick Cave, a journey into one man¹s isolation: our narrator is consigned to a flotation tank in an attempt to beat the world record for sensory deprivation. He is visited by doubtful guests of the mind as his desire for solitude collides with his social instincts and thoughts of his lost love, Esperanza.
 
The programme uses Edward Gorey's tale "The Doubtful Guest" and other literary illustrations to explore the ambiguities of disengagement, using musique concrete techniques specially developed by the producers: Felix Carey, Iain Chambers and Philip Tagney."

Suddenly I'm quite looking forward to Xmas in Blighty.