Submitted by Mo on Tue, 10/04/2012 - 13:00

Today's theme is Waiting. I've spent the majority of my waking life waiting, so this should have been extremely easy.

But I've been painfully distracted by the confusion surrounding a certain beaver that has featured once or twice in this series. Is he dead? Why the mustard shirt? Is there only one beaver?

To be perfectly honest I have no idea what the answers are to those questions. I'm more confused than anyone else. Forty-two? I've simply been trying to take some sensible photos and the little bugger keeps hijacking them.

Short on candidates I walked into town this morning in search of someone or something waiting for someone or something. Or something. Fortunately I spotted a little beaver waiting for a bus.

 

This is an entry for the 'Mega-Extreme' 30 Days of Photographs, hosted by Michael and Ziva. Click on the image to view a larger version. You can view all photos from the series Here.The participants are myself, 00dozo, Bryan, aka Unfinished Person, Cheryl, Elizabeth A., John, a.k.a. nonamedufus, Katherine, Kristen, LaughingMom, Malisa, Mariann, Meleah, Michael, Nicky and Mike, Nora, Pam, Tanya, Ziva.

Comments

Ziva - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 13:12

This photo raises so many questions. Where is he going? What is he going to do when he gets to wherever it is that he's going? Who is he going to do whatever it is he's going to do when he gets to wherever it is he's going to go with? Is he taking bus number forty-two? Are any of the above questions grammatically correct?

Nothing makes sense anymore.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 14:24

You're right, nothing makes any sense whatsoever. Although " Who is he going to do whatever it is he's going to do when he gets to wherever it is he's going to go with?"is possibly the most incredible sentence ever written.

Ziva - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 09:30

Thank you very much. I did okay until about halfway through that sentence, then I made a wrong turn somewhere, but quickly corrected it by making only lefthand turns for the last quarter of the sentence, and by the end I think I was right back on track. I rather like the result.

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 11:52

It is definitely publishable, could even become a bestseller.

nonamedufus - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 13:26

I think he's in a museum. So he must be waiting for Van Gogh. If he's in a bus shelter he's waiting for a Van to go.

nonamedufus - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 13:27

If he's in a bank he's waiting for go dough.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 14:25

nonamedufus you seem to know a lot more about this situation and its possible permutations than I would have originally expected.

nonamedufus - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 00:06

If you're trying to connect the dots maybe he's waiting for go dot.

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 08:04

Are you trying to connect the dots?

meleah rebeccah - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 14:26

Love the beaver at the bus stop!

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 14:51

I hardly think he has the right to be there though.

Unfinishedperson - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 15:10

Without getting into the questions about the beaver (which I admit is difficult), I think the photo itself is very well-done. I like how you can see the faint reflection of the trees on the back of the bus shelter and how they superimpose themselves on the rest of the photo.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 17:06

Trees? I thought that was broccoli imprints after a vegetable fight...Actually thanks, I'm glad that questions aside you like it. I took a lot of "waiting" shots, and some of the bus stop close up shots had too much of me, my camera AND the trees, so I went for this one. 

norablithe@gmail.com - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 15:13

Is he waiting for the bus? Cause a beaver on the bus is weird enough even if he isn't undead.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 17:13

I assume so. Though he could be waiting for Red Fox or something.

Laughingmom - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 16:01

I think he is waiting for a bus to take him far away from the crazy person with the camera that is obviously stalking him.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 17:14

Let me know who that crazy person is and I'll track them down.

00dozo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 21:18

A well composed shot for today's theme I must say. Any comments about the beaver I won't say.

;-)

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 22:08

All day I've been waiting for you to turn up and construct some well-composed comments about the beaver. I'm disappointed and, to be unusually candid, feeling a trifle empty.

00dozo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 04:29

My deepest apologies to you, dear sir. I certainly meant no disrespect. I must admit I am flattered that you would await my comments with such earnest anticipation. Clearly, I was lacking in words not only by omitting an explanation with my submission for today's theme - an omission so rightly pointed out by gentleman dufus - but also in the comment I made here today and for which I can offer only one reason: Like Holmes had his Moriarty, mine has been time. Please know that I am endeavouring to rectify my dilemma with due diligence and hope that it will soon be resolved.

Kindly extend my apology to the beaver, as well.

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 08:06

Ah, so you're a detective...I've lost my magnifying glass, would you be able to help me find it? ;)

00dozo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 12:11

When I find the time.

;-)

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 13:11

I've also lost my deerstalker, when you've found your time and my magnifying glass maybe you could help me find it, I feel naked without it.

MikeWJ - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 22:17

I keep wondering where a 2-inch beaver with no pants keeps a 1-inch bus token, or, alternatively, a 3-inch by 4-inch bus pass. It's not logical.

Mo - Tue, 10/04/2012 - 22:32

I expect he his a miniature Oyster Card, issued specifically to beavers. Or something logical like that.

Nicky - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 01:21

You may have been painfully distracted, but you still managed to take a beautiful shot. What is the building the beaver is facing?

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 08:07

If you mean the crescent it's just a shops (in a fairly old and beautiful crescent). The building to the right is a hotel I think. Harrogate town centre.

Scope - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 01:28

I am very much enjoying this series. Just don't let the beaver start doing your talking for you.

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 08:09

Hello old friend, nice to see you again. Want to go build a dam with me?*wrestle*Sorry buddy, the beaver had got the laptop.

Cheryl - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 04:33

He looks so lonely. If you rescued him you'd have another subject for the last 20 days.

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 08:10

You're right, it is only my extraordinarily good luck that has kept the series going.

brian miller - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 11:55

perhaps the beaver is a figment of your imagination, something that signifies deeper meaning in your life...and hey at least its not penguins...

Mo - Wed, 11/04/2012 - 13:12

Yes, yes, you're onto something there. Or maybe it's simply a software glitch in my camera.

injaynesworld - Thu, 12/04/2012 - 17:58

I love this photo. I think the little beaver is on his way to meet his girlfriend at the movies where he's eagerly anticipating holding her hand and the soda they'll share afterwards.

Mo - Thu, 12/04/2012 - 18:36

Not to mention the popcorn.

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Reading Now

The Scar

The "sequel" to Perdido Street Station, one of my absolute favourites, and I'm enjoying it just as much, if not more so.

The worlds and races Mieville creates are simply superb. If you've not read this series and you like "weird fiction" then please crack on and get reading.

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  • Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/stoneskin/madd0g.org/includes/common.inc:2567) in drupal_send_headers() (line 1207 of /home/stoneskin/madd0g.org/includes/bootstrap.inc).
  • PDOException: SQLSTATE[22001]: String data, right truncated: 1406 Data too long for column 'title' at row 1: INSERT INTO {aggregator_item} (title, link, author, description, guid, timestamp, fid) VALUES (:db_insert_placeholder_0, :db_insert_placeholder_1, :db_insert_placeholder_2, :db_insert_placeholder_3, :db_insert_placeholder_4, :db_insert_placeholder_5, :db_insert_placeholder_6); Array ( [:db_insert_placeholder_0] => In Which, Not Having Posted For A While, Our Hero Grabs Whatever Odd Crap He Can Off Of His Phone And Adds Some Words In The Vague Hope That Something Profound Or At Least Moderately Entertaining Will Emerge, As Will The Inspiration For A Pithy And Succinct Title To Encapsulate it. [:db_insert_placeholder_1] => http://gravelfarm.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-which-not-having-posted-for-while.html [:db_insert_placeholder_2] => [:db_insert_placeholder_3] => <br /><div style="color: black;">My 2 year-old daughter, Bonobo, enjoys colouring in.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Well, I say colouring in, but really it's scrawling random marks across any flat surface with anything that might feasibly make a mark. Crayon, ink, paint, snot, poo, blood, you name it, she seems to be able to incorporate it into her art, and will brook no criticisms,&nbsp;constructive&nbsp;or otherwise, about whether it is "good" or "insightful" or "talented" or "naughty".&nbsp; Just this morning, I found her outside making a delightful print on the patio with the juice from a disgruntled snail.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dkwNRpAx8VI/T_wNLDIiGYI/AAAAAAAABCU/-W1n9rbbJqM/s1600/banksy+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dkwNRpAx8VI/T_wNLDIiGYI/AAAAAAAABCU/-W1n9rbbJqM/s320/banksy+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear Jebus let that be chocolate spread.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">She's like Gilbert &amp; George only, you know, she occasionally does stuff I like.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Obviously, I want to encourage the artistic&nbsp;aspects of her character, but preferably whilst discouraging the&nbsp;accompanying&nbsp;random acts of vandalism to the sofa or fridge door. This involves the purchase of vast reams of paper and imperial gallons of colouring books for her to <s>waste</s>&nbsp;utilise.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">I don't normally bother looking at them, other than giving the occasional finished piece a quick glance, saying "well done Sweetheart, I shall treasure it forever" before placing it carefully out of view in the recycling box, but I did flick through this cheap one she got as a gift in a party bag:</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuI7ztZplfU/T_S59DE1dwI/AAAAAAAABBM/G_xOtKOw458/s1600/cullrin+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuI7ztZplfU/T_S59DE1dwI/AAAAAAAABBM/G_xOtKOw458/s320/cullrin+3.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will end in tears. </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">It's pretty standard fare, really. A selection of motifs and tableaux of no particular ilk or order, ready for children to completely not keep within the lines on. It got me wondering how much thought and endeavour go into the creation of such tomes.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">They're basically doodles, which are then printed out in book form and sold. A starving artist whacks out a toad underneath a toadstool whilst some sort of large insect, possibly of the order Odonata wearing a bowler hat, sits on top trying to remember where it lost it's other pair of legs:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpUH3tXyuPc/T_S75KnQeFI/AAAAAAAABB0/ptHfBJM7_Rk/s1600/cullrin+1a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hpUH3tXyuPc/T_S75KnQeFI/AAAAAAAABB0/ptHfBJM7_Rk/s400/cullrin+1a.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smuggest toad in Amphibiville.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Opposite, a fairy shows an old sock to a deer with oddly long front legs, perhaps hoping the fawn will be able to track the owner, lost in the woods these past forty-eight hours and causing concern as temperatures are dropping, what with the sun playing hide and seek behind the cloud there. </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Sticking with the toadstool theme, the next page had turned the whole concept on it's head by having the toad <i>on top</i> of the fungus, literally as a stool for the toad. Madness. It appears to be being addressed by a bizarre anthropomorphic rodent which sends chills through my spine in a way that Mickey never did:</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvRoUwsKImo/T_S6O67sWOI/AAAAAAAABBU/TCp-728ntG4/s1600/cullrin+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvRoUwsKImo/T_S6O67sWOI/AAAAAAAABBU/TCp-728ntG4/s320/cullrin+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Go on, let me lick you."</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">The chameleon on the opposing page was relatively lifelike, if one discounts the expression on it's face which suggests it has narrowly missed being caught doing something both immoral and illegal. Presumably with it's tongue.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">After expending vast amounts of efforts on the previous mouse, not only giving it a face but a set of clothes as well, the artist then runs out of time and, almost certainly, inclination for the next mouse-based piece. Here, they are sadly two-dimensional and lacking even a rudimentary&nbsp;mandible, sailing forlornly in some sort of leaf-boat 'neath a bright, croissant-lit sky:</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ml9ou9aQTSw/T_S_L5GKeSI/AAAAAAAABCI/tiqdwJygIMk/s1600/cullrin+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ml9ou9aQTSw/T_S_L5GKeSI/AAAAAAAABCI/tiqdwJygIMk/s320/cullrin+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the kingdom of the deaf, the one-eared mice are kings.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">As if realising the obvious lack of talent demonstrated by the boat-mice, the artist ups his or her game and does a reasonable job on the flowers and butterfly opposite.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">On a roll now, the artist illustrates a good facsimile of a gnu, looking as if it is about to charge any child considering colouring it in pink. Other than that, though, things take a downward turn. The artist has now run out of animals to draw, and is reduced to portraying some sort of wallaby/teddy/dog hybrid about to be grabbed by a six-fingered, thumbless hand, presumably for the crime of simply existing.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--kstZBfzVns/T_S6biL8-II/AAAAAAAABBk/7Drr_TXSO4M/s1600/cullrin+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--kstZBfzVns/T_S6biL8-II/AAAAAAAABBk/7Drr_TXSO4M/s320/cullrin+6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What am I? WHAT AM I?"</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Towards the end of the book, impetus seems to be dwindling, and rather than draw another toad or existing creature, the artists wazzes off another example of whatever the hell that thing is, only this time the freak is attempting to hide it's shame behind an oversize flower. Good thing too:</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mTDIO0bnls0/T_wOqDKVzDI/AAAAAAAABCk/cDOHcNs8QbQ/s1600/freek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mTDIO0bnls0/T_wOqDKVzDI/AAAAAAAABCk/cDOHcNs8QbQ/s320/freek.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't look at me, I beg of you. Look at the whale. </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">The finale of the book, which in my opinion you might expect to be one of the better pieces of work to leave the audience with, is of a stunted whale, gaping mouth half full of vomit, spurting juice out of it's head-hole like some sort of cetacean money-shot.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Sadly, I do not foresee see many worthwhile accolades coming to this artist. Tracey Emin could have done it. </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">From today's reading, many lessons emerge. I have learnt that I know two more animals than the artist responsible for this colouring book (camel and dog. I'm not showing off, just saying).</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">I have learnt that&nbsp; it doesn't really matter what you put on a page as long as children get to destroy it in the name of creativity.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Most importantly of all I have learnt that a snail can indeed look disgruntled.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Sometimes, the level of profundity I achieve through writing this blog staggers even me.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Ooh, snail!</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">That's three.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><br /> [:db_insert_placeholder_4] => tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917676458656665193.post-1618795888336161232 [:db_insert_placeholder_5] => 1341921120 [:db_insert_placeholder_6] => 10 ) in aggregator_save_item() (line 150 of /home/stoneskin/madd0g.org/modules/aggregator/aggregator.processor.inc).

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