Thursday 23 June 2011

Self-Portrait 23


When one approaches a self-portrait what does one expect?

For me, the surface is the starting place, the interior where I end up – the longer this goes on the deeper I’m falling.

Luckily this month’s Bitsnbobs excursion into the murky swamps of my soul are just that – this month’s – after that the
barricades of façade will be rebuilt.

Cool, Word just gave me a cedilla on façade – without asking.

So, at risk of exposing myself even more, it’s high time we addressed my elbow.

It’s really hard to see your own elbow isn’t it?

Yeah, sure you can bend your arm and poke it at the mirror – something I am doing rightughn now.

But that’s not how people walking behind you see it; in the summertime, when you are wearing short sleeves, swinging your arms slowly, on an escalator or stairs where the height difference is a significant factor.

Like this our elbows become the independent and unseen testimony of our decay.

I like Elephants, I like them a lot – a friend has just sent me an unsolicited book about one in particular and the species regularly makes my list of top three animals.

But elephant skin only looks good on an elephant.

Incidentally, I once got elephant spit on MY skin, and I have to say I was honoured.

How often in a lifetime does someone from the London suburbs get to be dribbled on by an elephant?
Once - is the answer to this particular question (shortly after i took this photo).

But here’s another – and this is where the Bitsnbobs June Self-Portrait series becomes truly interactive.

List your three favourite animals in order of preference and leave them in the comments; or send them in an email if you are shy.

Mine are – Cat, Whale, Elephant.

Ok, ok – I know the whale is a mammal not an animal but you get the idea.

5 comments:

DaveESLetc said...

Hmm...

I love animals. I'm a vegetarian, etc. But I'm not really an "animal person" in the sense of having spent a lot of time with them.

So based on my limited experience, here are my top three:

1) whale shark
2) swallow-tailed kite
3) nautilus

PS - All three of yours are mammals.
PPS - (And, therefore, animals.)

popps said...

Hi Dave!

I'm always happy, but also surprised when you drop in.
And thanks for setting me right on the mammal/animal confusion i was having there - duh!

i will of course have to look up nautilus as i have no idea;

Now there is a second part to this game - you need two descriptive adjectives for each of the three animmamals.

DaveESLetc said...

I always enjoy my visits to your blog. I really appreciate (and admire) the pure creativity.

And here are adjectives that undoubtedly say more about me than the animals they purport to describe.

1) whale shark - serene, gentle
2) swallow-tailed kite - acrobatic, cyclical
3) nautilus - otherworldly, hidden

popps said...

Well it does that Dave!
But i wont reveal everything tonight because i am still hoping to get at least one more to analyse.
Back soon.
And thanks for the support.

Anne Hodgson said...

1. tapirs http://annehodgson.de/2008/11/02/life-is-a-zoo/
2. otters
3. cows (those in Switzerland with the bushy ears)