Hello good morning and happy friday!
It’s time for another installment of:
I have been thinking a lot about Muzzy, the BBC language learning cartoon that premiered in the 80s. Most importantly I have been thinking about the character design, which is iconic. Here is Muzzy, a large extraterrestrial with greenish-blue fur, who eats clocks:
And the glorious Princess Sylvia:
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Princess Sylvia reminds me of Jeanette from the Chipmunks who had a heavy influence on my childhood identity.
Fred Wolf was involved in animating Alvin and the Chipmunks:
and he ALSO animated:
The Point by Harry Nilsson, which is giving Muzzy energy IMHO.
John Lennon - In His Own Write
The Beatles were huge fans of Harry Nilsson and I recently bought John Lennon’s books of writing and poetry “In his Own Write”
When I was a very little I would contact John Lennon via ouija board and ask him which boys at school had a crush on me. He was a very thoughtful correspondent.
Blur - Good Song
John’s dog poem and subsequent dog drawing reminded me of David Shrigley- specifically this music video he did for Blur in collaboration with Shynola:
Some of us have been threatening our friend Colby by David Barthelme
I was introduced to this short story by Daniel’s Lavery’s substack The Chatner and it has quickly become one of my favourite pieces of writing.
I read Daniel’s substack religiously, and share it with my friends more than anything else on the internet. Waking up Times in Order is a good place to start.
Or of course Problems I Sometimes Have That A Gorilla Who Lives At The Zoo Might Also Have
Letters, Sounds and Words - A phonic dictionary by Linda Hayward
I am over the moon to have discovered this book. I love it so much, I bought a second copy so I could frame some of the pages. Mainly - this one.
It looks like there are ongoing conversations about the teaching of phonics in schools. If it means you can say ‘I’m glad i’m a glump’ i’m all for it.
As we began on a green creature teaching language, it seems only right to end on a green creature teaching language.
Have a wonderful weekend, think about your troubles, I’m glad I’m a glump.
Muzzy was huge for me and my sister in our childhood but I’ve never met anyone else who knew it - even at the time! We still chant “emmène-le” on the regular!
My partner and I named our cat “muzzy” after this iconic king