Wednesday 25 September 2024

Steely Dan gets near to finished off

At christmas 2022 at Christmas I had a couple of Steely Dan albums I hadn't got then that were being issued by the american specialist company Analogue Productions on both record and Super Audio cd (sacd).


I had these two Super Audio cds that originally were issued in 2000 and 2003 part of a series seeing the entire Steely Dan catalogue remastered and issued in audiophile vinyl and Super Audio cd form by Kansas based Analogue Productions.

That was part of a projected ten disc reissue series that way back then I had set up pre-orders for  with a major specialist record and cd store in Wales.

This weekend one of the last three titles has eventually been delivered, November 1980's Gaucho although it had been released in the United States last month as apparently they give two company owned retailers over there a two week window before shipping out to the Rest Of The World - aka us here in Great Britain and Ireland.

It featured Hey Nineteen", reaching # 10 on theU.S. pop chart in early 1981, and "Time Out of Mind" (featuring guitarist Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) was a moderate hit in the spring.

The whole series has been dogged by major delays even on the vinyl side due to pressing plant shortages and with the Super Audio cd, only two plants in the world make them and they're fully committed with other titles to manufacture.



This 1974 album came out around November last year with "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" which reached as high as #4 on the U.S. charts.
 

 Countdown To Ecstasy issued in 1973 home to the singles  "Show Biz Kids" and "My Old School shown in its case came out in June 2023.
 
 
1972's Can't Buy A Thrill that was their first ever album featured the hit Do It Again was issued in January 2023.

 
1977's Aja came out in March of this year although the record version came out much earlier.

That's how it came to be what normally would of been be a single launch of a bunch of titles on one day has been in dribs and drabs in two years so much so I go by my record at the store of what was ordered and what's still in the orders to keep track of it.

And much has happened since then that in many ways I'd lost some of the buzz around these coming out and even doing a full set of entries in them despite their expense so this week we're catching up.

With any luck I'll fire up the player the Saturday before posting and give this a good spin.
 

Wednesday 18 September 2024

The modern sissy 2

We last looked at this topic in August given the distance and for that matter the amount of discourse over the last eighteen years at last we've been going and for that matter the highs and lows emotionally I have felt since I first realized I didn't fit in  and wasn't transexual.

I was something else - Sissy - but every other person had there ideas on what made you it and even a very narrow road map to just coming out and being it because they missed off something essential, your own sense of self.

A good question to sit and ask yourself is just what does that dolly mean to you?

It might just be a character in your childhood imaginary play or perhaps the child-like play you wish to return to where they world won't judge you harshly for being able to play with dollies this time.

On the other hand do you just look at that and say "That's just how I wish to be", that is the you in your minds eye maybe wearing something similar yourself at say a dolly tea party?

If you do then some elements of being a "Little Girl" and the associated appearance really do belong in your life as much as a scaredy-cat afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone may try to kick in.


This is described as a "Sissy Dress" and indeed a dress worn by a sissy could be described as being a "sissy dress" but it has more in common with Little Girl dresses with just a bit of frilly lace rather than the satin petticoat festooned sort.

It's purposely a little short in length as little girl dresses are want to be but you could get a mini slip underneath to keep your pretty panties from showing if needed and have either frilly socks or tights  to it.

The fit ordering from chest size and allowing for the elasticated waist proved to be spot on with enough stretch to take a well stuffed bra if that's you.

I got it from Dee's Boutique and it's simple, unfussy, but effective and a a sensible starting point to little sissy dressing beyond pinafore dresses and school type attire in settings where every one is in you (and others) just being little sissies.

You wouldn't visit a stately home or historic building ordinarily like that but just like sissikins here it's time to just let it out in the right settings.

Why shouldn't I be a dolly too?

Wednesday 11 September 2024

Awaytime memories

 


Well I'm just sat here with an achy back having been on my feet for most of the day and having spent ten hours on the move with the twisted section also quite warm.

Really it should of been corrected by a surgical custom made jacket when I was in my teens but for some reason that never happened and my folks never really pursued that matter which is why most people I know in similar circumstances don't have the same level of discomfort as I do.


I was in Llandudno this weekend where you'll find  the White Rabbit monument in the gardens in Mostyn Street.

It is in the beautiful seaside town of Llandudno that the muse which inspired Lewis Caroll's Alice, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland used to spend the summer.


The Welsh connection to Alice In Wonderland  runs much deeper – all the way back to 1861, when the eight year old Alice Pleasance Liddell (the real 'Alice' in Wonderland) spent the first of many summer holidays in Llandudno. Her holiday home 'Penmorfa', was built on Llandudno's West Shore.

I called into an icecream palace while hiding from flying tree rats with grey and white feathers after having cod and chips at a café in Mostyn Street.

The trip out generally went well with no traffic issues unlike last trip out but while the last time we've been leaving around four pm allowing for just under a two hour journey an initial offer of leaving at half four got extended to 5pm which meant we arrived back at 7 and had to get something to eat when you just feel shattered.

While walking about visiting various shops I stocked up on Coconut Ice and battled with the steep stairs to on set of conveniences, something patrons did notice strangely enough. 

 

On Tuesday September 3rd, we lost Brian Truman, aged 92, who wrote Dangermouse, Count Duckula its spin off series, Jamie and the Magic Torch, Cockleshell Bay plus Chorlton and the Wheelies all of which were amongst our favourite cartoons growing up.

He also presented Children's Hour, Clitheroe Kid, Scene at 6.30, Granada Reports, Brass Tacks and the much missed Screen Test that mixed quizes on current children's films with features on making your own short films.

He will be sadly missed by many of us.

Wednesday 4 September 2024

Crashed out and playful thoughts



Sometimes the unexpected happens.


 After last weeks look into classic cartoons we're away from anything spinning this week although last Friday was rather more like this, crashed out part way talking with your BFF who also did cos we tend to run out of spoons rather quickly.

That said sometimes with the old Windows Laptop that's a bit temperamental having a tendency to switch off suddenly at ten minutes on mains but running fine off batteries until the Battery % amount gets critical  but it does charge the battery up when plugged in to the mains adaptor to 100%.

But when you feel flat there always stuff that really perks you up.


A soft touch dolly in 1970's brownies uniform but don't ask where the knitted hat ended up as I have no idea you can hug and cuddle up to and in the front room there's a more regular 8 inch (20cm) posable dolly on on the shelf looking out.

One LG seems to have a struggle to understand another at their website can indeed live in that mindset, sometimes the odd person has questioned it with me but honestly for some of us it's the most natural thing to the point you're not playing the mind games others around seem to be.

We just don't feel that way.