It’s been a few weeks since my last post as there’s been a couple of big life events lately that have taken center stage. All really good things. Maybe they’ll make their way into my writing and drawing down the track, but for now here’s an assortment of random things from my brain. Hope you enjoy!
One Christmas in my early teens, I asked my parents for the full length album by Chumbawamba. This was back when people bought albums and before you could listen to an album risk free through a streaming platform.
I was a big fan of the the band's hit song Tubthumping, and filled with naive optimism and still in the early days of my musical education, I incorrectly assumed that this would be an effective method for sourcing more hit songs. The theory being that the album would be jam packed with bangers, and my extensive research (I really liked Tubthumping) would form part of a foolproof system that I could carry forward for many years to come.
Unfortunately I was yet to fully grasp the concept of a one hit wonder. Something which very much derailed my album choosing system (I like their one song).
I'm not sure how many listens I gave it but it didn't pan out how I'd hoped.
This is not a knock on Chumbawamba. You could say that their album just wasn't for me, or any of the other bandwagon jumpers. I've since found out that the album didn't actually fare too badly as far as reviews go. The problem is that they were a victim of their own success. People's expectations were sky high. Which is at the heart of the one hit wonder label and when you think about it, how bizarre it is that we make fun of bands for only doing a really hard thing once. Something which a lot of bands can only dream of.
In an interview last year, the lead singer talked about embracing the idea of being a one hit wonder. That the band had decided to lean into it, and it's not surprising really. That a band like Chumbawamba have a positive take on the whole thing. Especially when you consider that they have some pretty strong messaging about getting knocked down, and then what to do after that.
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It’s all really just a matter of framing. For instance I ran a half marathon a few years back, which is framed in the sense that it’s actually only half of a thing. And therefore only half as impressive. The 5k and 10k categories on the other hand are free of judgement and are notably not listed as the one quarter and one eighth marathon.
I am yet to run a full marathon or any more half marathons in the years since, which I guess also puts me in the one hit wonder camp. A label I’m fine with.
Plant posture
It's kind of a shame when plants and trees grow at a crooked angle. They're so desperate for light that they ruin their posture.
Imagine doing that.
Bonus puzzle
If you enjoyed this post, let me know or maybe forward to a friend. If you are from The New York Times and are looking to purchase the rights to Whose Biscuit is That?, I’m very flattered but not interested.
Puzzle answers will be included in the next post.