Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Monday 9 September 2013

Body and mind bending

I know I've said it before, I never said I didn't repeat myself. I do. But here I go again...

Isn't the internet amazing!!

I logged onto my blog yesterday and as usual, had a look at my twirling globe to see where my visitors might be coming from...who was I virtually connected to. And someone was visiting from Woking. (Hello, if it's you from Woking reading this post!) It set my mind back to my University days when my circle of friends included a trombone player from Woking.

A thumbnail sketch...many weekends spent drinking, playing music, going out and more drinking often led to this friend sleeping on the sofa, floor or just against the wall of the house we shared then with four others. He was long-haired, bespectacled and bearded at the time and one of the most laconic and taciturn creatures who would suddenly burst into spontaneous and infection laughter. He drove a red 2 CV and we once met him and his girlfriend whilst on holiday in the north of Spain - by complete accident - and when he got out of the car to greet us, it was just as if we'd met in the local supermarket.

One of my overriding memories of him is going to Bognor Regis one summer's day. He and my ex had taken their euphoniums with them...as you do...and the pair of them waded out to sea, with their instruments and proceeded to amuse the promenaders with various renditions.They drew quite a crowd. I remember 'Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside' went down very well, but probably not everyone appreciated 'For those in peril on the sea' quite as much. I laughed until I cried. And am laughing now as I remember.

I didn't find many links when I googled him - as you do - (oh, don't you? I do!) but came across quite a lot of 'Upcott' references... his rather unusual surname. And then I found a photo of an Upcott family - and there was a clean-shaven, smiling friend! And a few of his sons and daughters...two of whom are WORLD CHAMPION ACROBATS!! Not just good acrobats, not just British Champions but both Edward and Alice are or have been World Champions. And both were in the group, Spelbound, that I now know won 'Britain's Got Talent' in 2010. Just take a look at this amazing young man - I can't believe half of what he does is physically possible!





I was able to contact his father and he wrote back very quickly - he has five children and lives just half a dozen miles away from where I used to live. I do vaguely remember that his shoulder used to dislocate very easily - I wonder whether this loose-jointedness in his children comes from him? I have never seen body control like Edward's before though. Do watch and be wowed.

This post is called body and mind bending. Well, I certainly can't and don't body bend very much these days but I've been bending my mind with a new thing I found (guess where...on the internet) called 'Zentangle' which takes doodling to another place entirely. I have always been a doodler and always done quite complicated patterns. But I haven't been doing it properly....not until this week. Now my head is full of wild and wonderful repeating patterns and no piece of paper is safe...in fact, I've even doodled on some nice flat stones I found in one of my collections and I gave Ruy a wonderful temporary doodled tattoo the other day.

So, what does serious doodling look like?

This...




I started top right and there are nine squares, which I completed from right to left, top to bottom and I think my last square, bottom left, is my favourite...

Well, I've finished bottling fruit and making jam. I had to do SOMETHING!!

How do you doodle?


14 comments:

  1. We lived in the Woking area before we moved to Devon, small world. Fascinated by the video, that guy is so good and so bendy just think ofthe hours of training he must do to gain such control, no wonder he was world champ. Loved your doodle, so intricate, I'm guilty of doodling whilst on the phone, but nothing like yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a small and rather strange world, isn't it? I worked in Woking once too - opened up a new bookshop but it was an awful job for an awful man and I left fairly quickly.
      Edward is amazing and so is Alice. I can't imagine what it must be like to have two in one family - and possibly a younger brother also on his way to being just as good!
      Doodling is OK whilst you're doing something else but this doodling means you can't do anything else! I hope the fad passes quickly...
      Axxx

      Delete
  2. Your past life is just so full of surprises. What a fascinating family, and how brilliant to come across them in this way. I love the doodles....I think your next project should be stitching...based on the doodles. I envisage the most stunning stitched tapestry. You can do it ! The temporary tattoo idea may have some miles in it too....bring on the henna. Lots of love Jxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a huge surprise to me as well!
      You may envisage as much as you like - a needle is an anathema to me. Yeurgh - hate the little blighters. If you like, I'll make you a pattern and you may stitch one for yourself...

      Ruy has tattooed himself today - with permanent marker....tonto. At least it's a good attempt!
      Axxx

      Delete
  3. The image of the two euphonium players sticks in my head....I suppose it appeals more than the bendies which, while remarkable, leaves me cold.

    I dare not look at the doodling site....it wuld take me over and I have too much to do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was talking to my sister today and had forgotten, but she was there with me at the time. It's something she won't ever forget either! I wonder who else was on Bognor Regis prom that day?

      If the bendies don't do it for you, don't look - I do worry a bit about their internal organs....

      I have far too much to do to be doodling this way too....I'm hoping it will pass soon. (But this morning saw me looking in the garden for more smooth stones...)

      Axxx

      Delete
  4. I'm desperately trying to think why playing the trombone and driving a 2CV would lead one to create super-humans. There must be a link.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice try, BtoB!! Research project in preparation. I suspect that dodgy shoulder has a lot more to do with it..
      Axxx

      Delete
  5. I love the image of playing brass instruments in the briny!

    I always enjoy watching the artistic gymnastics which feature in the Olympics but this was my first introduction to acrobatic gymnastics. Edward is so strong and controlled and it's amazing to think of his sister being equally gifted.

    As for the Zentangle, all I can say is Wow! That is really beautiful and somehow haunting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's an enduring image and sound, Perpetua!

      Edward is incredible - such control. He's hoping to join the Cirque Soleil - and I think they should grab him!! There's another younger brother and sister possibly also following on too - the eldest (there are five of them!) is not an acrobat and reminds me much more of my friend at the same sort of age.

      I'm totally addicted to Zentangling now and have done several more that I'm rather pleased with. So glad you like it - thank you for your kind words!
      Unfortunately, I can't upload any photos at the moment as everything necessary is on the blink!
      Axxx

      Delete
  6. Ah - the internet can be SUCH fun, can't it? The things you find out about old friends (not to mention one's own ancestors).
    I must admit I've also had a bit of fun imagining just how you discovered that your old friend's shoulder dislocated so easily...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the virtual goldmine as far as I'm concerned, Nilly. My ancestors are a bit thin on the ground but I have several interesting old friends, including this one!

      As for his shoulder....he did used to 'crash out' in awkward places and positions around the house after a heavy night's drinking...I guess if he didn't dislocate some bones during this period, either intentionally or by accident, it would be a miracle.

      Axxx

      Delete
  7. I've looked at Zentangle in the past and thought it looked like fun. As for young Edward ... he is amazing! And his sister is pretty spectacular too ... did you spot this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax70Gmn9Qag

    I would probably have widdled myself laughing when the two Euphoniums played For Those in Peril !

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can imagine you being 'tangler', Annie - and you'd be a jolly good one! It's addictive though but really good to do.
    What an amazing family - I hate to say it but their father never gave me any idea that he'd have such incredibly talented children....

    'For those in peril' was stroke of pure genius!
    Axxx

    ReplyDelete

I welcome your comments - it makes blogging even more fun to know someone is reading!