Obsolescence Project

Day 347 – When We Were Very Young – A. A. Milne Book

Book When We Were Young

When We Were Very Young – A.A. Milne. Seventh Canadian Edition, 1926. Published by McClelland & Stewart Ltd. Printed in Canada. It is a book of poetry.

Mr. OP took this and a few other “antique” books (surely it’s past vintage at almost 90 years old?) to an antiquarian book store once and was told they were basically worth nothing. It’s a combo of the edition, the lack of dust jacket and possibly the number of books that were printed I’m assuming. It does seem that something that has lasted so long (and in  decent enough condition) with beautiful thick creamy paper should be worth more than a dismissal, particularly as the e-book version is selling for $18.99 US!  But what do I know,  I’m no book dealer.

Book When We Were Young

“There once was a Dormouse who lived in a bed
Of delphiniums (blue) and geraniums (red),
And all the day long he’d a wonderful view
Of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue).

[page 66, The Dormouse and the Doctor]

Book When We Were Young

Status:  Learn how to properly draw mice, by copying the beautiful illos within.

Kill-ratio: 16:2 / 8:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 347 For Remembering What It Was Like to Be Very Small.

Posted on by Deanne in Books

Day 346 – Antique Brass Inkwell

Inkwell

Brass inkwell. Companion to Day 164.
This object, more so than the other, makes me want to become a writer. It’s  fertile.

If you read the ps you’ll see why I have to keep this short, but quick research reveals to me a book I need to put on my to-read list. “The Social History of the Office”. Along with many others suggested by Richard at The Future is Papier Mache.

Inkwell

Status: Find out if book “A Social History of the Office” is available at local library. Looks like fun times.

Kill-ratio:  11:2 / ~6:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 346 For Containing Liquid Ideas

 

 

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p.s. So, with already having missed 4 days due to being away, yesterday I had this freaky thing happen with my vision, which almost prevented a post today. For about 15 minutes, I experienced seeing a flashing, moving geometric  pattern in a crescent shape with different colours. It stayed when my eyes were closed. I went to the doctor today, and he strongly suggested I get it checked out asap. Nothing like overhearing the doctor tell the receptionist  “medical emergency” to get a cyberchondriacs blood pumping I tell you! Off I went to the nearest available optometrist and after many anxiety provoking tests I was deemed clear of retinal detachment. Phew! It was explained as an ocular migraine. I had no headache. I never heard of such a thing before and I hope it never occurs again. Although there was one brief moment while it was happening, I did briefly think, “this is cool”. My vision is still a touch blurry due to some drops they put in, but I had to post – otherwise I would fall further and further behind….:) I told you the tally tyrant within would be difficult to tame.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 345 – Remote Control for Video Camera

Remote Control

Remote Control for the Sony Camcorder from Day 17.    Alas, here it is over 300 days later, and I still haven’t captured those bloody tapes. Sheesh!
I will not beat myself up too much however, as many other items have been dealt with. I will add it to the new LIST of things to do before 2013 closes its doors.

You can tell this puppy is old because of its scale. It only has a few functions — play, rewind, fast forward, and pause are all I believe, yet it takes up a lot of space.

Remote Control

Status: Investigate price of having the video capturing done commercially. Then the whole kit and kaboodle can be ushered into a new dimension.

Kill-ratio: 13:2 / 7:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 345 For Fast Forwarding to An Alternate Reality.

So, in spite of best intentions, I was unable to blog whilst away. That leaves me 4 days out and I was already behind 3 or 4. I have to tame my inner tally tyrant and possibly give into the concept that I may not quite make 365 posts in 365 days. Although – if I include the “OT” posts I might just do it. Stay tuned.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects, Technology

Day 344 – Cow Bell

20130119-173656.jpg

Cow bell. Or old metal bell Of some sort.

It’s a beautiful useless object – by useless I mean archaic. I like the word useless better.

Status: 1 min short looping film of the bell ringing – background urban, not pastoral .

Kill-ratio: 3:1*

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 344 For Use When GPS Fails To Bring The Cows Home

* I am heading out of town for a few days, a very last minute thing – so this was shot with my iPhone at last minute , along with a few other pix. I may or may not get to post the next few days, which is tortuous , but it’s all good.

If I don’t, see you on the flip side.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects

Day 343 – Brass Letter Opener

 

Letter Opener

Brass Letter Opener.
This is the third letter opener to be featured here, and also gets deployed once in a while.
Sadly it never opens personal letters from overseas, just bills that have yet to go electronic and the odd official document.

“This is the night mail crossing the Border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,

Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner, the girl next door.

…….

Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from girl and boy,
Receipted bills and invitations
To inspect new stock or to visit relations,
And applications for situations,
And timid lovers’ declarations,
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
News circumstantial, news financial,
Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled on the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,
Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands
Written on paper of every hue,
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,
The chatty, the catty, the boring, the adoring,
The cold and official and the heart’s outpouring,
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.

”

Excerpts from
Night Mail, W.H. Auden

Letter Opener

Status: Create one minute looping film of letters being sealed and opened.

Kill-ratio: 28:2 / 14:1

Alt-title: Untitled Object No. 343 For Poking Fun At Gossip.

Posted on by Deanne in Objects