“Then lies him down the lubber-fiend/And, stretch’d out all the chimney’s length,/Basks at the fire”

[larryhammer]

A few personal items:

I've long envied my father's bushy eyebrows, even before they grew into impressive grandfatherly decorations. Recently, my own thin ones sprouted a few long strands that, if more follow, will become brows that are at least visible. Welcome, middle age, have a seat -- ah, I see you've already taken one.

What is up with the sudden current fashion in car colors for flat, unsaturated earth tones -- greys, tans, and muddy browns? And it's all the manufacturers, too -- I've even seen a battleship-grey Tesla.

Has anybody seen Spike Milligan's The Great McGonagall (IMDB)? Is it worth tracking down?

---L.

Subject quote from L'Allegro, John Milton.

Comments

[cmcmck]

We've just spent a lot of time repainting this house due to an overdose of battleship grey and blue grey!

I loath it due to my teaching career- UK schools tend to LOVE battleship grey for some reason!

[larryhammer]

The overused color in schools here is called institutional green -- a pale, almost sea(sick) shade. It was in our current house until we held a painting party, before moving in. A couple people really got into making that. Color. Go. Away.

[sovay]

Recently, my own thin ones sprouted a few long strands that, if more follow, will become brows that are at least visible.

Congratulations!

What is up with the sudden current fashion in car colors for flat, unsaturated earth tones -- greys, tans, and muddy browns?

I don't know. It's awful. I think the proliferation of taupe and steel and champagne has been a thing for at least ten years, because it came up around my parents' purchase of their most recent car, but lately it feels like even blues have seeped off the palette. I miss cars colored like something you didn't have to scrape off your shoe.

[larryhammer]

I miss cars colored like something you didn't have to scrape off your shoe.

Pithily put.

[graydon]

The colours are generally still there, but more expensive. For the same reason you get trades vans in plain white, you see less colour because people don't want to spend on it.

[larryhammer]

Ah -- hadn't realized there was a price break gunking up the market. (I've never bought a new car.)

[graydon]

It's the same reason for battleship grey and institutional green; if the USG orders a couple trainloads every year, the price drops. And then it's cheap, and you aren't allowed to spend money to make public spaces nice.

[mrissa]

My dad and his brother Peter dubbed those wild hairs "geezer hairs" and gleefully compare notes when they see each other.

[larryhammer]

That's a good term. Hmmm.

[cmcmck]

I've read Spike's stuff on William T. The one where he meets George Gershwin is hysterical but they are stream of consciousness pieces written during episodes of depression so you have to be a bit forgiving.

I think it's worth it, but that's just me! :o)

[larryhammer]

Worth keeping in mind. Thanks.