Rob Hayler

Hey Jon!

Various yellows and greys from my walk home today:

Hey, now that sounds like a concept worth exploring!

Self-PPEortrait

Spotted in a nearby charity shop today. This tragic pile had the top shelf of a display unit to itself. I wonder what the final straw was that led to the donation? Or why they were being hoarded in the first place?

Selva Almada - Not a River. Short (2hrs or so as an audiobook), vertical slice of life in rural Argentina told with compelling precision and poetic clarity. I loved this and found myself mentally turning it over more thoroughly than many books 10x the length.

Heavily armoured Ork warlord in mech suit with grot throwing squigs into a squig cannon. Stood on skull strewn base. For Warhammer 40k.

Rear view of same figure showing power cable from backpack to cannon and shoulder-mounted banner.

Nowadays, deep in middle age, I find myself assembling and painting Warhammer stuff for my son. Mainly Orks. It's pleasantly ego-dissolving. Here's a warlord guy I finished a few minutes ago (yes, the red is meant to be patchy as the rig is supposed to look worn/battle damaged).

black paper cut of a shark above a cloud on a grey card background.

50 years of jaws. i’ve always been on the sharks side…

YouTube video by Oddities&Rarities Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet - "What's He Building In There?" LIVE 2003

youtu.be/_V1nU-TifmM?...

Yeah, can't fault Powerage - it's perfect - but I keep reaching for 'Flick of the Switch' at the moment. The looser sound just fucking slaps.

National do a bit of that but our local is very much about knocking heads together, negotiating and coach trips to Whitby. Can even use the word 'comrade' without getting side-eye. Subs are a bargain, I reckon.

Very kind, hope all is swell with Clan Gloss.❤️

Yeah, last email I got advertising his warez was only a couple of months ago. He dupes back catalogue to order too, I think, so nowt is ever really 'out of print'.

Too kind! Yeah, I like this one a lot. Presumably still available from Lee 'Culver' Stokoe's dauntless Matching Head label.

I could save myself the hassle of accumulation and just write lists/create spreadsheets but the hassle is so much fun.

Heh, heh. I've always collected things, as a hobby/compulsion, but, ironically perhaps, don't harbour any nostalgia for physical objects. Mainly amused to see stuff from when I was Thomas's age (12, 41yrs ago) curated into a vitrine. Time flies, eh?

I am so old that my childhood is now behind glass in a museum.

Cheers RM, hope all is groovy with you!

Laser sharp insights on key issues of the day - current favourite AC/DC album, the painting of Thomas's Warhammer figures and best horror audiobooks to listen to whilst aimlessly wandering the neighbourhood etc. - will follow!

OK, in brief: burn-out in lockdown led to me taking a 'break' which has lasted 5 years. I've cried wolf about being 'back' several times before so crossing fingers. Been occupied mainly with family and nursing physical and mental health. Managing though, and house remains full of love.

Hey Seth! Love to the family.

Cheers J, yeah no'bad. Hope all well with you. Just sticking my toe in right now as I've cried wolf a few times about being 'back' since burn out during covid. We'll see about this blue-sky lark, eh?

Hello