23/11/2012 The Big Essex Vintage WeekenderAfter quite a productive week on the book front (I have added around 4,000 words to The Book of Thoth), I will be turning into a stall holder for the entire weekend as I will be helping my boy on his stall at The Big Essex Vintage Weekender. Music, fashion shows, dancing, pin-up beauty contest (oh, yes!), tea, cakes, classic cars, and a big vintage market! Back to the book on Monday, I have a ballroom scene to write - but not the Jane Austen type...
I have become addicted to my book, Michel Faber's fabulous The Crimson Petal and The White. It is the best book I've read in years - such an incredible, unflinching prose! I really wish I could write like that... 1/11/2012 More Dorset mysteries!Dorset is a county of mystery, or should I say, mysteries! We have discovered wonderful, atmospheric, inspiring places... Here are a few of them (there are so many!). This really is a very small selection and there are many many more fascinating places around the county. It seems that ancient beliefs and superstitions are still alive and well in Dorset. All pictures here are © Carya Gish and © Matt ArtPix. Langdon Hill "was known for having possessed an ancient coven of hereditary witches and it is possible the descendants of this coven are still working here on the hill. [...] Altars have been found in hidden-away locations." Louise Hodgson, Secret Places of West Dorset, Roving Press 2011. Another great atmospheric place is Knowlton church and rings. The Neolithic rings were probably a religious site and you can still see the circular bank and ditches. The church was built in the middle of the rings in order to destroy their religious power at a time when Christianity was asserting its powers over Paganism. It doesn't look like it worked though, as apparently the parishioners were all killed by the plague in 1348. After that, the church fell into disuse, and by 18th century, it was a mere ruin. Ghosts and mystical energies have been associated to the site. When we were there, we stumbled upon the remains of what we think had been a very recent Pagan ceremony. I would love to know more about the various elements in the pictures below. The main circle was made of branches, leaves, stones, twigs, feathers and sticks. There had been a small fire in the centre, and someone had hung some small wicker amulets(? not sure how to describe these) to a big branch. Each time we have been to St Catherine's chapel in Abbotsbury, we have found some messages in the niches, even some small candles. I will wrap up this blog by adding a entirely gratuitous picture of the view from the top of the Golden Cap, looking West. 10/9/2012 Do you slash?It is quite funny how the media always attempt to pigeonhole people and put them into brand new categories with silly names. Usually, those people have been doing their stuff without thinking they were part of a particular group, just following their instinct.
So imagine my hilarity when my partner came back with a copy of the (atrocious) ES Magazine he found on the train and on the cover was the following headline: "Meet Sarah. She's a slashy". Then inside, several pages about some photogenic young people DOING THINGS! Well, yeah, if you're dynamic, creative, passionate, inventive and want a fulfilling life, you, like, do things. (Article HERE) So we've discovered that we are "Slashies" (although we no longer live in London and we are older than those featured in the article, so we probably don't count). You know, we have a job that officially pays, and then we do some other enterprising, creative things on top of that. As if that's new. So, dahling, I'm, like, so chuffed to be part of the new AWESOME slash/slash/slashy trendy category: Meet Miss Gish, editor/writer/translator/publisher/assistant stall holder - my boyfriend suggested adding bird feeder to the list, but I'm not sure that counts! 25/7/2012 Don't mention the "O" wordHow to get around the ridiculous Olympic branding guidelines? Garudio Studiage have found a way! The Peckham-based creative collective is having an installation in the shop window of Tenderproduct in the lovely Cecil Court in Central London. We were wandering around before going to the Ministry gig on Friday, and thought we would have a look at the (closed) shops - we do that often as it's one of our favourite streets in London. We stopped dead in front of the window and laughed a lot! Very, very clever! Garudio Studiage says: "We have all heard about the professional sporting events coming to London this summer. And we have all heard about the athletes, the national pride and the crowds that are expected to arrive in their millions.But the brand guidelines are fierce and the 'get involved' message so very loud and clear! These limitations on the words we are allowed to use, combined with the dread of the transport situation will indeed inspire a sense of competition among us cynical Londoners. Who can push hardest to get on the tube? Who can spend most time waiting for a bus in zone 1? Who will have the longest walk to work? Who can say where they live and what year it is without breaking the law?! Daily miseries that can be called 'alternative games'.
As we are not allowed to use the 'O' word, or mention the city and the year in the same sentence Garudio Studiage have come up with the only sensible option… we proudly present the 'Stratford Sports Day'!" 20/7/2012 ProjectsI have updated my HOME page with a list of projects I'd like to work on in the future.
I am very excited about it, and all I can do is keep my fingers crossed that it all goes to plan and come to fruition - and doesn't get derailed because of lack of funds and the necessity to earn a living... 4/5/2012 Dorset blog 3: Animals!There is a pond just opposite the Lulworth Cove Inn in which there's always a whole bunch of fluffy ducklings - we counted 10 this time. I wonder whether they just plonk them there on purpose! Because of course, they are incredibly popular with the tourists! Then we went to the wonderful haven that is Monkey World. This is not a zoo - I can't stand these - but a sanctuary, and the work they do around the world to save badly treated primates is just staggeringly amazing. Let's remember: we share 95% of our DNA with chimps and 97% with Orang-Utans. I think a visit to Monkey World should be compulsory at primary school, because then kids would be familiar with the theory of evolution and understand a bit more where they come from. And they would think a little bit more about our relationship to the natural world and animals. It would be a start! A visit of the site is exhilarating, touching, poignant, hilarious... 65 acres in total! The hills of Dorset were alive with lambs. I have never seen that many! Maiden Castle was literally covered with them... Did you know they liked racing? Or maybe they were preparing for the Olympics too! And on our way to visit family in North Devon, we stopped off once again at the lovely Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth to say hello to our friends! I have stolen the image above from Christopher Fowler's blog.
The image is by Hilary B Price, and her website is fantastic: http://www.rhymeswithorange.com/ Now that I know it is there, I will be visiting it regularly! 27/3/2012 On Life...I found this porter this morning and I liked it so much that I am reposting it here.
This is what I have been fighting all my life, and so far, I'm winning. Of course, you have to find the best compromise - especially where money is concerned. But if you THINK and are responsible for your own choices (which could be too much effort and look too scary for some), then you're pretty much there. If people didn't feel pressurised into this mould, they would be much happier and satisfied! Life is too short to waste it being an enslaved lobotomised robot fearful of the future! Carpe Diem. This Saturday 24th March, it is the Betty Blue Vintage Handmade and Vintage fair in Leigh-on-Sea. This is an excellent event and this first one of the year promises to be absolutely packed-full of great traders (70 stalls!). I will be taking a break away from my desk and I will be helping Matt ArtPix on his stall. Matt has worked really hard on new designs and will have quite a few new images on display! Matt has also started selling some second hand books related to the Dazzling Decades series (cinema and TV, comics...) and to his always popular Retro Football series! The books have been really popular so far... Very encouraging... The Dazzling Decades series (with the brand new 1920s design!) (we have 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s! on foamboard posters, cards and a few one-off frames!) The new I Love cards! The lovely LOVE series (for the romantics among you!) |
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March 2024
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