Here lies the residue of "The Animating Apothecary," a source of obscure ephemera and thought, while nibbling at the crustier extremes of an overbaked society. Instagram? see - https://www.instagram.com/animating_apothecary/ also check out asifa.org and asifa.net - content (c) 2006-2024 Jim Middleton
Beatrice sighed, "Here we are, going around with all this energy, and some days I'm just so tired."
The building was donated to the university on their death and demolished in the 1980s for a stadium parking lot.
In the course of demolition, it was discovered that the walls contained about $150,000 in 1920's-era "horseblanket" $50 bills, which scattered around the site, to the dismay of the university trustees and delight of students attending the event.
Only a small fraction of the money could be recovered by the university.
The latest incarnation of "Blithe Spirit" contains more slapstick than the 1945 Rex Harrison version, and the plot is often driven more by vengeance than avidity; nevertheless, the art deco mansion Joldwynds in Surrey, the white cliffs of Dover (still in Dover), and Judy Dench (what a Dame!) are worth the experience. Ghosts haven't been this hormonal since "High Spirits."
I particularly missed the striking, dramatic entry of the ghostly wives employed in the first film - with the greenish cast given by lighting and make up rather chilling.
I began by drawing a grid in perspective, and after about three attempts, just pulled out the digital camera and took a photo of a 1" x 1" grid already built for another project, and then drew a trio of black holes on it, experimenting with various Photoshop brushes. Then, when attempting to have them merge into one GINORMOUS black hole in Photoshop using the "pinch" distortion tool, I found it less than satisfying. However, the images did offer a potential for some random animation, which still seeks an explanation.
And here we go - the grid - (boring):
Now to create a series of sequential images to show the merger of the three black holes. I think the hand-drawn method may still work best.
While Ted Cruz Cancuns but will not help Texans during this cold snap, the rift in the firmament permitting the entry of one R. Limbaugh provides warmth from the stygian depths for some mortals seeking respite from political boneheads.
Sketches on the subject over the years....
“I dreamt I was nothing,” began Beatrice, without any warning.
“Nothing?” Calamus was accustomed to acknowledge her declarations without a tone of judgement.
“Nothing. Then I heard a ‘pop’, and everything lit up and I was a cold, hot rock.”
“You offer a simultaneous contradiction.”
“That is proof that I am a genius.”
“I see.”
“I was a cold, hot rock, and I flew into a star, and suddenly, all was dark.”
“Another contradiction?”
“I am not finished.”
“You are expecting a lot out of a rock, Beatrice.”
“And then I was a rock - a meteor - and an ocean on earth at the same time. And the meteor - me - hit the earth and I felt the ocean - also me - turn into steam!”
“So,” Calamus attempted to summarize, “you were a solid, liquid, and a gas almost simultaneously.”
“Yes,” Beatrice said. “What does that mean?”
“That depends. What did you have for dinner last night?”
“Mashed potatoes. Instant mashed potatoes.”
“I means you should probably avoid instant mashed potatoes.”
Beatrice appeared annoyed.
