The 1950s and early 1960s. A time of anxiety, dread, fear and paranoia. Fear of a nuclear war – one that would incinerate most of the worlds population in a matter of minutes. Anxiety that it would happen at any place, and at any time. Dread that it would happen when we were away from home. Paranoia that those with fallout shelters would be overrun by panicked neighbors and relatives. So it was no small wonder that Tranquilizers became huge business. Over-the-counter sleeping aids were flying off drugstore shelves and alcohol was the go-to elixir guaranteed to make the anxiety go away.

 

A family fallout shelter in the 1950s.

 

The Facility, a 12-bedroom apocalypse-ready pied-à-terre described in a 2015 listing (asking price: $17.5 million) as “the only fully renovated hardened and privately owned underground bunker of its kind in the United States today.”

 

“My higher range starts at $8m and those shelters have Jacuzzi tubs, a swimming pool for exercise and are about 40 feet long and 15 feet wide. Did you hear about Kim and Kanye getting one built? Yeah, that’s one of ours. I’m sure Kim’s will have a pool too. But look, my clientele goes up way higher than her.”

 

Bomb Shelter Food Rations

 

Exterior Entrance Group Shelter for Scientists at Lawrencce/Livermore Lab. This was built by a group of scientists 1961-62. Eight families share the shelter. Recently it was used by a 19-year-old college student for a Halloween party.’

 

page from a Fallout Shelter Coloring Book, 1962

 

Backyard Fallout Shelter can be beneficial inspiration for those who seek an image according specific categories.

 

This Is What A Billionaire’s Apocalypse Shelter Looks Like

 

 

For Sale in Fair Oaks, Calif. — $195,000

 

Boy Scouts fallout shelter parade float

 

The country’s first underground school, it is also the largest fallout shelter. It accommodates 540 children through sixth grade, can house 2,160 adults and children for two weeks as an emergency shelter. It’s built to withstand blast and fallout from a 20-megaton bomb.

 

Shipping containers were built to be stacked. They’re called Intermodal Freight Containers because they can be moved on trains, boats, helicopters, whatever. They are meant to be large portable closets. They were not to be buried or cut into, and certainly weren’t designed to be used as underground bunkers. Once you do that, you start changing their effectiveness. They are not built for lateral pressure and not designed for long-term wetness or acidic/caustic soil.

 

Sales of nuclear shelters and radiation-blocking air purifiers have surged in Japan in recent weeks as North Korea has pressed ahead with missile tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

 

This extensive nuclear fallout shelter built from 42 school buses could house 500 people in its tunnels.

 

Mr. and Mrs. John Schreiber and daughter Susan and Sidney Blanchard stand in their new bomb shelter in 1960.

 

A family in their underground lead fallout shelter, equipped with a geiger counter, periscope, air filter, etc., early 1960s.

 

Bomb shelter baby carriage.

 

 

Hubbard said his company is now on track to move more than 1,000 units this year, with some models retailing for as high as US$1.3 million. “A tornado shelter is like a butter knife, a fallout shelter is like a steak knife, and a bomb shelter is like a machete,” Hubbard said.

 

A Swedish doctor has been charged with drugging, raping and kidnapping a woman he allegedly imprisoned for six days in a windowless bomb shelter, Stockholm’s chief prosecutor says.

 

Susanne Kaplan stands in the bomb shelter beneath her Tucson home Friday August 20, 2004.

 

 

Doris and Alan Suter step down into the bomb shelter in the garden of their home at 44 Edgeworth Road, Eltham, London, SE9, sometime between June and August 1940.

 

The “Genesis” series represents the strongest, safest, best designed and built Underground Shelter System in the world.

 

Buy A 1960s Bomb Shelter In Bellflower For $820k

 

The people, the place, the work, the design and the passion!

 

Atlas Survival Shelter CEO Ron Hubbard has every reason to smile at growing sales, citing growth of a staggering 700 percent since Trump’s election in November 2016.

 

This family fallout shelter looks like it couldn’t protect squat. I mean, I’ve seen Lego creations that could probably do better.

 

Family Entering Bomb Shelter, 1939

 

JFK’s secret Florida Bomb Shelter

 

HIDDEN JFK NUCLEAR BOMB SHELTER ON PEANUT ISLAND (EVEN LOCALS DON’T KNOW )

 

 

Spare a thought for the unlucky estate agent charged with finding a buyer for this bizarre atomic bomb-proof bunker in Sweden. Built to withstand a nuclear attack, the bunker for sale in Boden, northern Sweden, was built 100 metres inside a mountain. The bunker also has some pretty unusual rooms inside: “The ground floor is today decorated as a laser game arena where guests play laser games and it is decorated with a space theme,” the listing explains. And the whole facility also has a Star Wars theme.

 

The lack of a corporate safe room is a potential liability. Consider that the capture or murder of a company’s executives would emotionally and financially devastate shareholders, expose insurers to potentially big payouts and leave other businesses in a state of constant worry. Simply said, safe rooms can be one component of your overall executive protection plan.

 

Proposed Underground Bomb Shelter, Los Angeles City Planning Commission, Rendot, 1951.

 

1958, Milwaukee

 

Buckminster Fuller 1940’s with his Bomb shelter

 

These concrete towers were unique AIR RAID SHELTERS of Nazi Germany, built to withstand the destructive power of WWII bombs and heavy artillery. Their cone shape caused bombs to slide down the walls and detonate only at a heavily fortified base. Cheaper to build above ground than to dig bunkers, they were quite effective, as it was possible to cram as many as 500 people inside. Plus the “footprint” of such tower was very small when observed from the air, so it was very hard for the bombers to ensure a direct hit. Hitler was quite impressed by Winkel’s concept and blueprints, and ordered full engineering and production support. They were meant to be shelters for factory workers and railroad personnel, to be placed mostly in heavily industrial areas, such as Giessen.

 

This is how modern bomb shelters look like. Of course, their prices are really high. This one, for example, costs $10 million.

 

Notice this design of shelter has an ‘L’ shaped entrance. Radiation travels in straight lines and cannot turn a corner. But like a lot of American Civil Defense planning it never seems to take into account radioactive fallout dust. I guess they assume that since this shelter is designed to be built inside a basement; the house structure above will act a suitable barrier and filter for the fallout dust.

 

3970 Spencer Street in Las Vegas, Nevada was last purchased in 2014 by a mysterious group called the Society for the Preservation of Near Extinct Species, who paid $1.15 million after the house was foreclosed on (original asking price: $8 million). It includes perhaps the world’s most stylish bomb shelter, which businessman Girard Henderson had constructed in 1978, 26 feet below the ground, with swimming pools, a sauna, a garden, fountains, waterfalls, a mini golf course, and a grill.

 

 

Companies like Rising S Co. in Texas say they have seen an increase in inquiries and sales for bomb shelters and underground bunkers like the one pictured.

 

Not only do mirrors make your home appear larger, they’re great for hiding bomb shelters.

 

“This is a great [way] to conceal your steel bomb shelter door: make it look like a concrete door,” says Neo.

 

In this March 23, 1951 file photo, two styles of bomb shelters are shown for sale at Bomb Shelter Mart in Los Angeles.

 

 

FDR’s Bomb Shelter

 

1950: Diagram of a typical subway bomb shelter proposed for New York City in a 104 Million dollar bomb shelter program outlined by the Board of Transportation.

 

Mary Lou Miner

 

Donald Trump’s secret bomb shelter: Apocalypse bunker on golf course REVEALED

 

Bomb shelter position was indicated by arrows painted on the walls.

 

Todd returns to his old home to see the bomb shelter.

 

During the last couple of years of WW2, our household was equipped (at government expense) with a Morrison (Air Raid) Shelter. This consisted of a 6′ 6” by 4′ steel cage about table height, made up of angle iron legs and a solid steel plate top. Inside was fitted with a bedspring on which you put a standard size mattress. Heavy steel mesh panels (removeable from the inside, covered the sides.

 

Ruth Colhoun and her daughters climbing down the stairs into their new underground atomic bomb shelter.

 

A 72 hour survival test of a typical family in a bomb shelter, circa 1955.

 

 

Bomb shelter in Tel Aviv

 

“The nation’s first fallout shelter to be built into a freeway” (May 15, 1962).

 

1962 Vertical fallout shelter

 

The bomb shelter looks… uh, great, boys! Can you build one in Anoka?

 

The fallout shelter built for the US Congress in the 1950s underneath the Greenbrier Resort.

 

Bomb shelter for children in Sderot, Israel

 

 

Vivos shelters are deep underground, fully self-contained complexes with more amenities that some hotels. We’re not just talking about customised living quarters and flat screen TVs – these are built with swimming pools, wine cellars, pet kennels, hydroponic gardens, gyms and medical facilities.

 

 

*

p.s. Hey. ** Arno, Hi, Arno! My pleasure, happy you were so interested. Rome, very nice, especially when on a writing residency. And especially based on your description of what you’re working on. I hope to read the stories. I used to speak rudimentary Dutch okay, but I’ve basically lost it now. Yeah, ‘Closer’ and ‘Frisk’ were published in Dutch. I don’t think they did all that well, and then the publisher stopped with my books for basically the reason they gave you. Obviously, I’d love my books to be translated there. I lived in Amsterdam for close to three years, wrote ‘Closer’ and started ‘Frisk’ while there, so that would be really meaningful. Thank you a lot for wanting that and for championing my stuff. Great luck with the writing and finding whatever local inspiration you need. Anything more you can say about your writing? I’m very interested. Thanks!! ** Charalampos, Hi. Well, we’re starting to talk about the new film, and that’s exciting. I thought I would learn French just by living here, but, boy, that hasn’t happened. I’m rushing to get to the sound mix studio, but I’ll listen to that track later, thanks. My neighbors think I’m strange too, and I’m not really very strange, at least on the exterior. The new film idea is way too early to talk about, but I will at some point. Uh, I think I remember that cover. Enjoy the Purdy. Rainy here too, high vibes five. ** Zak Ferguson, No, thank you, Zak, for everything you do! xo. ** Misanthrope, Hi, G. I like ‘Mario Party’. I don’t do fighting games. I’m a wandering evader of a player. Keep on keeping on, buddy. ** Dominik, Hi!!! It’s way too early to talk about the new film. It’s still very cloudy even to us. With ‘Room Temperature’, we had an idea about the setting/story first and then built characters to go with it, but with the new one we’re creating characters first and then we’ll decide what the world is that they live in. Ha, I always look at bubble tea and get excited, but when I tried to eat/drink it one time, I thought it was way more trouble than it was worth. So, yes, why? Love making a sound that would work perfectly as the sound of our film’s ghost, G. ** Jack Skelley, Tonight’s the night! Will this be the first time you see it in its totality? Dod you rent a tux? And a limo? And coke and whores? I want to hear. man! Bisous, moi. ** PL, Hi. Yeah, the island part really fucked me up as a kid in the best possible way. ‘Bambi’ was the first movie I ever saw in my life when I was still barely with brain power. I haven’t seen the ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ redo, but what I’ve heard is not very positive. Mm, I’ll have to think about animation recommendations because I’m rushing this morning. I don’t know that area as much as I wish I did. I just kind of dip in and out. There are some great experimental filmmakers who work with animation, but I’m blanking on their names. Mainstream-wise, I really liked Wes Anderson’s ‘Isle of Dogs’. And the first few Laika films. Illustrators … again, let me think about that. Thanks. Please feel free to share any discoveries, about animation and anything else. ** adrian, Hey! Ciao to you too, big time. I remember Concerto being not very big. I don’t remember it so well in general. Maybe there was a kind of open air second level? It sounds like it’s changed a lot, which of course it would. I do remember it was pricey even among all the record stores Amsterdam had back then. I remember the best record store was on Prins Kendrikkade near Centraal Station, but I don’t remember its name. Wait, maybe Boudisc? Sorry your class lagged, but happy to benefit from that. I’m good, working hard and rather endlessly to finish Zac’s and new film and almost nothing else. But I’m fine. And you generally and specifically? ** _Black_Acrylic, Thanks, Ben! ** Bill, Yeah, very sad about Lyn Hejinian. Good, then, break artward not worldwide when spring comes. That’s a plan. I’ll delve into Robert Morgan’s short stuff. I don’t think I know it? Thanks. ** Guy, Aw, you’re too kind. Huh, I don’t remember reading ‘Dreamt Up’ aloud, curious. Sure, you can play it for the class, thank you. Exciting about the class and the students. Weirdly, I feel kind of similarly about the blog and how it makes me explore and research stuff all the time. Your slave sounds pretty ideal. Congrats to you both. Oh, then I want to read your story, great! When do you think it’ll hit the world, do you know? Very cool. I do seem to fit the Capricorn rules and regulations almost to a T. I hope the sword was swinging wildly. ** Steve Erickson, Yeah, Trevor Horn produced the first t.a.t.u. album. Or, if I’m remembering right, he re-produced it and beefed/sparkled it up and stuff. Luck on your back from a fellow back problem dude. I’ll look into dark animation as a post focus and see what I can do. ** Darby 📙💀, That’s a nice emoji couple too. You’re, like, the Cupid of the emoji world. My big hope is that they’ll find the lost original version of ‘120 Days of Sodom’ that Sade wrote and his family famously destroyed but … did they? Didn’t know that about France, but I’m not surprised. They have all kinds of weird laws here. American-style Macaroni and cheese is illegal here of all things. I hope your day lured you rightly. ** Justin, It really is a big long shot re: Cannes, but thank you. That would be insane. No, that translation of Vladimir Sorokin’s ‘Blue Lard’ was not on my radar, but now it is. Did you already get it? I’ll start my hunt. Did you find interest in ‘Blow Up’? ** Uday, Hey. Oh, okay, I know that kind of nothing. I thought you meant, like, lying on your back looking at the sky or ceiling as your mind peacefully drifted to and fro. That’s what’s beyond me. No, I agree about oldies, I do. I guess I just mean I feel less weird not knowing how to flirt at this point in my life. It’s actually pretty relaxing. That wasn’t harsh at all, it was thoughtful. Thoughtfulness is the best drug really. ** Okay, honestly, have you ever seen so many bomb shelters in your entire lives? See you tomorrow.

 

“An excellent book that gradually reveals its purpose. It made me want to read it again, which I was more than happy to do.” Gary Mundy (Ramleh, Kleistwahr)

“An intellectual, street corner treatise on Belfast and surviving its mean streets. Beautifully written, intelligent without losing any of its grit. Highly recommended.” Tony Nesca (author of About A Girl)

“Trainspotting through the lens of Bukowski.” Alexander Kattke (author of On the Compassion of Spiders)

 

 

After the success of his debut collection A Vortex of Securocrats, Belfast based author/poet Christopher Owens will be releasing his debut novella on Friday 24th February via the Brighton based experimental publishing company Sweat Drenched Press.

Entitled “dethrone god”, it is an amusing, poignant and thought-provoking tale where the reader follows the unnamed narrator as he tries to get home from Belfast city centre from a night out. Along the way he annoys horny teenagers, gets a milkshake thrown at him and reminisces about is life. Crucially, he is also hiding a very dark secret.

Will he tell us what it is?

 

Excerpt

That night, there was a reasonably large crowd outside McDonalds, throwing their food at each other with their multi coloured hoods up. Most of them, I guessed from quickly eyeballing them, were between 14-17. The oldest one was probably about 20. Kids with fresh faced stares and hard attitudes, eyeing up passers-by in the hope one will start on them. I remember one guy who, somehow, managed to get dropkicked in this particular spot by some kid. For obvious reasons, it was never openly discussed but you could sense that he had changed. That he had realised that, in the minds of those around him, he was no longer an individual but a perpetual victim. Defined by a freak incident that would haunt him forever and gradually reduce his confidence year by year, until it got to the stage where he would offer a fight to another kid who happened to bear a superficial resemblance.

I didn’t want that to happen to me, so I pressed on past them. Taking a cue from my good friends, I adopted a stern expression, fixed eyesight and a stride that indicated focus and determination. I also figured that the leather jacket would add menace to my frame.

Walking by the collective, I heard the following:

“So all I heard on the phone was ‘you’re gonna get shot in the spine.'”

“Hahaha.”

“So, I just smoked a waterfall and sat in my granny’s shed for four hours like.”
“Hahaha paranoid as fuck were ye? Hahaha.”

“Aye my fuckin head was melted like hahaha.”

“I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for that snub shit happening the 2nd time. I don’t know what it is with these fucking losers trying to be friendly with me long after I moved on. Is it because we see each other so often or because we run with the same crowd like? Who the fuck cares? I’m not playing.”

At this moment, the conversation stopped as I had just exited their line of vision. I knew not to look back at them.

“Fuck’s sake, check out the grease on that cunt’s head.” Immediately, I feel a tingle at the crown and my ears hotting up. I carry on walking.

“I’m talking to you, ya speccy fruit.”

I balled my fists up but shoved them in my pockets.

Next thing, I felt something floppy hit me on the head, followed by laughter. I was still conscious, so it was clearly nothing serious. It was, however, a McChicken sandwich coated in mayonnaise and spit.

“I’M FUCKIN’ TALKIN’ TO YOU.”

The second I turned round to see what was chucked at me, the milkshake carton hit me right in the chest and exploded everywhere, covering half of my face.

Laughter.

I am 13 years old again. I’ve just been egged by teachers and pupils in the school I am leaving because I was overachieving.

{{{A droning, metallic whirl became notable, and the gates began to part. Some other bloke in white overalls was waiting there, with a look that mixed mild annoyance and stoic determination. The two greeted each other and proceeded to unload the van, which was packed with plastic bags containing human corpses. Some had been sliced in order to fit into the bags, but most seemed to be in one piece. Both men would disappear behind the gate and re-emerge empty handed, both looking about as if they were defying someone, anyone to pass judgement on their profession. But there were no passers-by at the time, and I was either not considered worthy enough to be granted the privilege of having a row with two upstanding workers, or I wasn’t in their line of vision.}}}

Fuck it.

The oldest one.

He was keeled over in laughter.

Running towards him, I swung a miserable punch (the first I’d thrown in nearly 25 years) which I can only describe as an attempt at slapping someone with a balled up fist. Although it connected with the side of his face, he continued to laugh, less to do with the punch and seemingly more to do with the fact that he had gotten a reaction out of me.

Second time, I threw a proper punch and make a point of putting some weight behind it as it connected with his nose. I swore I would never do such a thing again. That process of thinking that his nose has almost collapsed as you feel a crunching sensation on your knuckles…

Within milliseconds, blood runs from his nostrils, coating his orange hoodie. He stopped laughing, seemingly a little too startled to react. Those around him, who stayed silent throughout, suddenly gathered themselves and approached their fallen comrade. I decided to leg it in case one of them attempted to take me down.

Gordon from the Four Winds told me that he’d had a knife pulled on him (in broad daylight) near the barbers in Waring Street and I figured that at least one kid in this little fracas was packing. The humiliation would have been unbearable: not only being stabbed outside a McDonald’s but also being killed by some gormless 15year-old who’ll probably film it, send it to all his mates and then wonder how the cops caught him.

Progress, eh?

Zapruder would have wept.

{{{Rusted. Diagonal. Undergrowth sprouting through the back seats. The wheels long gone, and the bonnets treated with moss and excess wood chippings. The lead vehicle even has a Katsura tree growing out of the front end. A thick, bulbous trunk protruding its branches into the thin air while the vehicle sags under the weight of it, the broken lightbulbs seemingly implying capitulation.

Trying to venture your way through the thick foliage that engulfs the ground, you are constantly on edge. Not simply because you are aware that you’re disturbing a spot of beauty that has been reclaimed by nature, but also because forests are a living manifestation of the mermaid’s call. How else do you explain the abandoned cars? The sensation of drooping leaves rubbing against your cheek, while hoping that the next spot you walk on is flat ground, tenses up the muscles and leads to fantasises of owning a machete and swinging it around with reckless abandon. Trying to reassert oneself against the unknown.

Silence, except for the rustling on the ground whenever the feet are moving.}}}

 

Albums I’m currently experiencing

Killing Joke – What’s This For…!
The greatest album of all time. RIP Geordie.

 

Debris Inc – Debris Inc
Dave from Saint Vitus and Ron from Trouble jam and pay homage to their punk roots.

 

bdrmm – I Don’t Know
Indie/shoegaze done correctly.

 

Bush Tetras – They Live in My Head
Great to have them back recording

 

Bourbonese Qualk – Laughing Afternoon
Should have been as big as Cabaret Voltaire.

 

Wanting to document and making the time to do so can be an issue so I was grateful for the first lockdown and the apocalyptic juggernaut that followed as it spurred me on to put together my first collection (thank you to Craig at Close to the Bone) and gave me ideas for future projects like this one which began when I walked home from work during the second lockdown (key worker apparently) and it hit me just how much Belfast has changed in my lifetime thanks to the ever accelerating momentum of globalisation and the supposed “peace process” so I wanted to document this but I needed a character and a reason for him thinking the way he did but local history and a few interesting conversations helped direct me to what is in the book but the title was a holdover from the first lockdown so the use of quotation marks not only removes the earnestness of the sentiment but allows for a detached perspective on a protagonist whom readers will decide on for themselves in many ways the book can be read in tandem with my first collection as an example of the people who live in a heavily censorious society while the collection documents that society but we have to give thanks and credit to Duncan Ross for the artwork as it embodies a stark surrealism that reflects my own writing plus it looks cool on the front cover and last but not least is Zak at SDP for taking a chance on the book and giving me the opportunity to appear alongside the likes of Marcus Meltdown, RG Vasicek, Michael Gerard and Kenji Siratori has made a happy 38 year old so happy he feels 31 again.

 

Q. Why?

A. In this day and age we need to say no to mediocre content and if I can be a part of the pushback then I’m happy.

Q. Do the Troubles influence your writing?

A. Bernard MacLaverty described it as the elephant in the living room so it does in a way but I don’t believe I am defined by it.

Q. What do you look for in a good book?

A. Substance, be it plot dialogue character narration.

Q. Fact or Fiction?

A. I don’t have a preference. Both of them function in their own way and I appreciate what both can bring to the reader whenever done correctly. Of course there are people out there who will only read one or the other citing that they either don’t have time for fiction or find fact based stuff too depressing. Personally I find such attitudes incomprehensible. A book like The Wasp Factory can tell you just as much about a particular mindset as does A Secret History of the IRA. So why deny yourself both?

Q. Why indie?

A. The thought of Picador signing me to a book deal is laughable and it’s easier to express yourself in indie circles as the crowd are ones who have read everything from cut ups to GIF chapbooks.

Q. Your favourite Haim sister?

A. Este.

 

Links to purchase:

USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
NL: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
PL: https://www.amazon.pl/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
SE: https://www.amazon.se/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CVX57CSQ
AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CVX57CSQ

Sweat Drenched Press Website: https://sweatdrenchedpress.webador.co.uk/order-1/dethrone-god

 

 

*

p.s. RIP Lyn Hejinian ** Today the blog adorns its red carpet outfit in order to be consensually trampled on by the newest book from arguably the wildest smaller press out there aka Sweat Drenched aka Christopher Owens’s raucous novel “dethrone god”. Mr. Owens has organised an introductory look-see for his tome, and I encourage you to partake and think seriously about poking the appropriate purchase link. Thanks to Christopher and to SDP honcho Zak Ferguson. ** Bill, Hi, B. Obviously, I would love to see the evolved state of the second half. You need a nudge, clearly, if not a borderline shove, and here’s one. *oof* ** Sypha, I can see ‘Blow Up’ fitting inspiringly into you and yours, yes. ** _Black_Acrylic, Ooh, nice. You’ve always been so stylin’, man. Puts nonconsensual bohemian schlump me to shame. Dude, that’s crazy about Leeds’ wild success spurt. Continuum. Pre-slurp about the new PT entree. Guitar bands seem to be taking care of their own slow demise quite successfully.? ** Dominik, Hi!!! Things with the film and its future look better than they have in ages, so fingers crossed. Uh, my weekend … Nice Zoom with RT’s on-the-ground producer Luka to catch her up. I proposed an idea for Zac’s and my next film that I was excited about to him, and he’s excited about it too, so the ice is broken on our next script, which is exciting. I looked at art in galleries, but nothing very amazing. I’ve heard the second t.A.T.u. album, which I thought was kind of uneven, but not the third one. Hm. Love letting me be good friends with a duck, G. ** Charalampos, Hey. Cool that you’re an Antonioni head. I thought there was some filler on ‘Dangerous’, as compared to their first, but I haven’t listened to it in yonks. I do think Trevor Horn’s production was a pretty key component. Or I did. Love from here and there in the context of here. ** Justin, Hi. I think you’d probably like ‘Blow Up’ at least. Pretty hard not to like that one. You barreling into the new week? ** PL, Hi! There’s not really a ‘late’ here. Blog time is kind of non-linear. Thanks, I do know ‘Perfect Blue’ and ‘Midori’ and really like them, but not ‘The Bloody Lady’ so I’ll hunt that. Yeah, Disney pretty much lost it when Disney himself died. I’m a huge ‘Pinocchio’ fan myself. Thanks! What else is up? ** Steve Erickson, Nope, I thought about watching them, but I haven’t found the suitable hours yet. Well, I just proposed an idea for the new film to Zac on Saturday, and he’s very onboard, so we’re at the basic concept stage with still a bunch to talk about and fill in before I start writing the script. I kind of figured the Veselka doc would be like that, but, of course, I’m going to try to watch it anyway just out of affection for that joint. Scary about the con man. Thank goodness that was nipped. ** seb 🦠, Hey, pal! Otherwise is often the best option. I’m good, just film film film all the time. A bed on stilts. Does it creak when you roll over? I slept on a futon on the floor for years, but I gave in and have the usual box type now. Your old bed was awfully roomy. That’s a real clown car-sounding thing. Eternal godspeed situation, I think, yes, and I’m ushering it your way. ** Misanthrope, I dare say I can imagine that I don’t have the cajones to name myself what you suggest. Did Alex beat you all? And then beat you? ** politekid, Hey. Yeah, I’m gutted by Lyn Hejinian’s death. She’s so great. I hung out with her once, and she was extremely nice as a person too. Cannes is a super big long shot, but our new co-producer has gotten 12 films he produced into Cannes, so he thinks there’s a chance, and I’m trying hard not to think there is, basically. Porridge phase sounds very familiar. I think I’m often there. Even though I’ve never eaten porridge unless, like, oatmeal counts. I don’t know Annie Baker, no. I really hardly ever see theater work. ‘Douglas Coupland-syndrome’, ha ha. Nice. Hm, I guess I’ll try to read that play since I doubt I’ll ever see it, or is it a thing that works on paper, do you think? Dude, longlisted! Awesome! Oh, please, you and your self-deprecation. I don’t believe you’re not a good poet for one second. Prove me wrong. Weekend was okay. I recounted it to, I think, Dominik up above. I guess I would say my favorite Antonionis are ‘Red Desert’ and ‘Blow Up’ maybe. I could do a favorite poetry books post. Huh, that’s actually kind of a nerdy exciting thing to do. I may have to get through the post-production work first, but I will. Nice idea. Thank you. You sound good. If you’re porridge inside it clearly suits you. ** tomk, Hi, tk. Wow, congratulations on the new kiddo! And on being the good kind of wrecked. Great! So sweet! Enjoy whatever living with a tiny new human entails. Love, me. ** Nicholas., Well, howdy! Nice shimmering. I’m good, film work is the only thing up, and the last thing I ate was a not very good set of three falafel balls wrapped in a corn tortilla. What about your mouth -> stomach? LA! Road trip! How far is the drive? I’m gonna get there myself in maybe a month but by jet sadly. Great to see you. ** Guy, Hey, Guy. Extremely tasty is good enough. Tuesday, tomorrow! Hang in there. Wow, you’re teaching great stuff. That sounds like a lot of brain work. Have you taught those areas before and know the drill? Thanks for including my poem thing within that awesome company. And that’s exciting about your collection in progress! Future sight for sore eyes. And your already notorious fiction thing/book. Although I have no German available for it, drat. Deep dish can really murder your digestive system in the most acceptable way. Ecstasy re: my weekend is maybe a bridge too far, as they say, but it had creatively progressive elements, which certainly counts as a goal. Enjoy the sword-y stuff. And everything else, naturally. ** Darby 🧯🤦‍♂️, Ha ha, now that is a emoji pair made in heaven if there ever was one. Is your old room still visually identical to when it wasn’t old? Sorry you’re there, but you’ll see it merely as your kingdom in no time, I bet. You just made me want pocky, but it doesn’t feel so bad since I can buy some after a untaxing, oh, 12 minute walk to the so-called ‘Japanese district’. No, no body donation to a museum or a doll making person when it comes to me. I don’t know what I want to do with it, but I think I’d rather decay in solitude if I have a choice. Would you? Potentially ok week, not bad. Me too. ** Uday, Hi. If you figure out how to do nothing successfully and happily or whatever, let me know how because I can’t do nothing. Even for, like, 30 seconds. Well, depending on how you define nothing, I guess. It’s all nothing in a way, I suppose. Really, about the flirting in my novels? Well, I don’t have them memorised, so maybe, yeah. But I bet the flirting was pretty dorky or unsuccessful if so. Or, yeah, I do it without realising. I’m going to pay attention, although I definitely don’t flirt anymore IRL. I’m, like, old. Monday? How did it go? ** Okay. You folks investigate Christopher Owens’ new book, etc., and I’ll go work on my film, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow.