Unusual! / Embarrassing!

typed for your pleasure on 11 January 2008, at 1.37 pm

Sdtrk: ‘Judy is a punk’ by the Ramones

A number of months ago while on my daily route to work, I’d noticed a storefront on westbound 12 mile that specialises in gardening, historical landscaping, and the like. They listed in bold lettering on one of their windows what their specialties are, and I’d noticed that one of their services is the design of follies. Now, a folly, if you’re not familiar with it, is a structure that serves no true purpose except for ostentatious decoration. They’re usually either towers or monuments; some can be castles or gardens. Interestingly enough, the Wiki entry lists North Korea’s legendary non-existent building, the Ryugyong Hotel, as a folly, which stands to reason.
Personally, I can’t say I’m very knowledgable about follies, and my architectural/cultural interest in them isn’t as intense as all that 20th century Modern stuff that I love, but follies are kinda ace. The premise is fantastic and idiotic all at the same time. ‘I’m an addle-brained gout-riddled baron with too much money, and I’m going to build a fanciful tower on my estate so that my name lives forever. FOREVER!!’ *flings turkey leg at nearest wolfhound, bursts into long, discomforting laughter* The closest thing we have to that nowadays are mausoleums, and decorative as those can be, their purpose is pretty clear-cut. With a folly, it’s more like, ‘I built it because I could’.

So as I’d said, I pass this place on a regular basis, and one morning recently I’d noticed there was a bloke in a t-shirt at the drafting table, clearly visible from the road, at work on a design. The astonishing thing was this was at a quarter to eight in the morning.
Seven-forty five in the AM, and you’re in there, sketchin’ up follies?? Has there been a sudden upswing in folly demand, the likes of which haven’t been seen since 18th century England, that I somehow managed to miss? I mean, apart from the Millenium Dome, that is?

If you’re becoming more and more rabidly curious about follies, you can check out The Folly Fancier, which is where I first learned of the phenomenon. Ahh, Internet.

Unrelated: To my own shame, I’d like to point out that I’m 35 years old, and I still haven’t heard Kraftwerk’s ‘Autobahn’ in its entirety. Or ‘The Man-machine’. Or ‘Trans-Europe express’, for that matter. In fact, I really haven’t heard most of their backcatalogue, with the exception of Computer world (had it on vinyl), Electric cafe (had it on tape) and Radioactivity (had it on Cd). But not having heard all of ‘Autobahn’? That’s actually something to be ashamed of

Random similar posts, for more timewasting:

Should've done this when I hit twenty-five on November 23rd, 2022

The cueball-sized eyes have it on May 6th, 2011

12 have spoken to “Unusual! / Embarrassing!”

  1. SafeTinspector writes:

    You need to go visit the man and talk about the follies. You really must. And then report back with your findings.

  2. Miss Hyde writes:

    I went to the dome five times. Because i’m spoilt. And its like, an hour down the M3. I miss that dome. Hyde X

  3. SafeTinspector writes:

    Incidentally, my gravatar’s gone missing again.

  4. Euchre writes:

    Wow man… slow news week? 😛

  5. Davecat writes:

    SafeT
    Your Gravatar is apparently a mischievous spaz. Give it a stern talking-to.
    And maybe I will speak to that folly engineer! He might leap at the chance to show off his knowledge!

    Hyde-chan –
    You visited the O2 five times? In a row?
    So what did the dome contain that was so special, anyway?

    Euchre
    Hey! HEY! Not every post can be about Synthetiks, you know! People want to know about follies and my lack of Kraftwerk! I’m covering the stuff CNN is afraid to cover.

  6. PBShelley writes:

    Hello D.C. and the ever-lovely Sidore-chan!

    I actually have the vinyl of bahn-bahn-Autobahn and an earlier two-disk collection of Kraftwerk’s. But… they’re on vinyl. I could make some cassettes if you like, but it won’t be for a little while as several minor calamities have hit… namely the electricity where my stereo plugs into is kaput, to use the Germanic. One-quarter of the house is un-powered as well; I think a rodent must have chewed through the wiring. No overhead lights either 🙁

    So tomorrow I’ll be waiting for the electrician (or somebody like him) LOL

    Ah well, I’m working it out. That, and my desktop died after Christmas and I’m awaiting a new PC which I couldn’t afford, which’ll take another two weeks to arrive. Meanwhile I’m using the old slow-as-hell laptop to access the Interwebs and it truly sucks ass, so I don’t much. Access, that is.

    Regards to all,
    PBS and all the ladies 😀

  7. Miss Hyde writes:

    I was 10, what can i say? I was entertained easy! It had all these things. Like the human body, and the what will you do this year time captuals things. Its hard to explaine! I think i remember some syntheticks, but i have rubbish memory. Hyde X

  8. Davecat writes:

    PBS and ladies and everyone else in the compound –
    Your house has had a fourth of the electricity sucked out of it?? Craps, that is definitely Not Good. At least it’s not the whole house, or like the kitchen or someplace extraordinarily vital… Hopefully by this time it’ll be sussed, and any unwelcome rodent guests will either be shown the door, or presented with the bill. Get Pennie on the case! 🙂

    And your computer has gone tits up? Those two events sound eerily coincidental. You don’t need a big ol’ desktop anyway; just a good laptop and a couple of 160 GB portable hard drives should set you right! That way, you can surf TDF or read CAT TOWN over and over from anyplace, including the bathroom! The world can be your oyster.

    Hope all silicon-based things turn out well for you soon! And all silicone-based things as well, but I’m certain Lily and Eden are helping you get through these trying times. 😉

    Miss Hyde –
    ‘THE O2: YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT’

  9. Miss Hyde writes:

    don’t talk to me about tax! The most recent one is the roundabout project. Making roundabout’s (like in the roads, not the childrens toys) look pretty. 🙁 hyde x

  10. Davecat writes:

    What.
    ‘Making roundabouts look pretty.’ That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. And I just got home from work! 😐

    Boycott the roundabouts! Don’t use them! That’ll stick it to The Man.

  11. Miss Hyde writes:

    I might just do that!

    I mean honistly. “your tax goes to planting flowers on the cosham roundabut, So that they look pretty for our visiting peoples. . . .”

    Or whatever.

    Wait a second. . .

    MY GRAVATARS GONE WALKABOUTS AGAIN!

    🙁

    Hyde

    X

  12. Miss Hyde writes:

    . . . . Its back O.O

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