Fucking hell. Auden and a quality actor = probably the most memorable scene from all 90s British film.
Category: Dudeicatious
Damn.
Named by her tamer to be, The Alchemist.
Plan is basic. Strip back to bare essentials, add fresh tyre and tubes, regrease everything and paint it something delightful like this…
Sexy as balls colour. Dayummm
Rear wheel internals before
After, pre-grease clearly.
Sadly, wheels are very fucking rusty. May just smash a bunch of matte black on them.
Frame as of today. Keen to paint tomorrow with luck, which I need right now, as it’s meant to be ready in a couple days.
Well, 2010 just got fucking owned
Ticked off everything I wanted to achieve, feels fantastic.
Got over to Melbourne to see my awesome friends CZEPTA and The Alchemist, was truly inspiring peering into their lives, and quite amazing how utterly different they are to my own. I feel so structured and boring after witnessing them, makes my life and job seem very staid. Here’s some of their latest work, CZEPTA first.
Now Alchemist, only new one he has available at the moment, but has recently take it up full-time in preparation for Summer
Really stoked on CZEPTA’s stuff, especially after he showed me the process. Just hour after hour of work involved. Sensationaly talent involved. Personally am excited about The Alchemist’s work and new prints, will be my uniform for the Summer.
Thanks.
PB
I’ve devoted my life to producing my own work and forcing myself to be unaware of others. Seeing this, from another human being, makes me so disappointed. We’re capable of such greatness, yet send ourselves to the bottom of the ocean with our defeatist attitudes. I understand what the author of it is saying; I don’t agree, simply put.
“There’s nothing of any importance in life -except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. Whatever ese you are, will come from that. It’s the only measure of human value.”
God-damn it, why do I have to fight to explain this?
Without doubt, the most important piece of literature to ever enter my life, from a completely “selfish” standpoint.
It tells the story of a young idealistic Architect, named Howard Roark, and his struggles against a world that hates the man who loves what he does, and who makes no apologies for his utterly one-track mind. He loves building, he loves people who understand why he does so, and he loves mankind and their ability to create. The Architecture aspect is irrelevant- Roark could be an accountant and the basic premise remains, being that of never bowing to external pressures regarding the things you love, assuming you’re even aware of the pressure. Howard Roark never is.
Written by the infamous Ayn Rand, this book uncovered a part of my brain that I know will cause me to be successful, driven and likely espoused by a great number of people. Roark represents, what I consider to be, the perfect man. Totally unachievable (not according to Rand however) to be as he is totally, but I certainly have taken facets of him upon myself. Hard work- insanely long hours to get the job done, because there isn’t anywhere you’d rather be, the thrill of producing a finished product that you have created by defeating a problem that most would ignore. High standards of who’s company you keep- Roark eschews the concept of whoring himself about, instead choosing to avoid men and women alike who are not of pure character. Making the choice to either ignore others completely, or deal only with those who understand. Every day we’re surrounded by false personalities, people driven to be loved by the nameless, faceless populace. Decisions made based on what society thinks. Who the fuck cares? Why must you care? Why must you even be aware of it? The work has to be done in the best way possible, letting generations-old, erroneous concepts influence and warp it into an impure product is the greatest failing. It must stand up by itself, free from the perception of people. It’s so obvious, and so brilliant.
A major part of this book which also appealed, or perhaps made sense to me, was the idea of being held down by the things you love. Roark’s eventual love-interest, Dominique Francon propounds on this, a woman stronger of mind than most would consider possible, who has coasted through life considering mankind with utter disgust.
She is discussing a beautiful Roman/Grecian bust she happened upon. She knew it to be utterly, unimaginably striking. She made a point of purchasing it at great cost from the gallery. She took it to her home. She looked upon it.
She flung it down her stairs, watching it shatter, never to be seen by any man, or more importantly, herself, ever again.
“It is the things we love which enslave us.”
She knew it to be true that being aware of it’s existence, such a beautiful existence, was a form of control on her.
I wish to be as Rand describes Roark. Unaware of other people, treating those who deserve it with a slight dose of contemptuous derision. Producing work that is infallible, that works in every aspect, from the most minor detail, to be complete product standing complete.
I have sadly made the mistake of recommending this book to those who didn’t have a chance of grasping it. I have often thought that one must already have the seed of individualism planted in them to be able to understand Roark and Francon. For those who travel with the breeze of popular culture, this book will be as the daily news- a fleeting source of enlightenment, a flickering flame which soon disappears into a puff of smoke in the night air, to be forgotten and never considered as it should be. If you understand anything of this, I urge you to devour this book, as many times as you can. You will certainly emerge a person with a different, or confirmed outlook.
I could easily write several pages on this book. It means a great deal to me. I owe it a great deal, and will owe it more yet when I am wealthy and successful- and happy. I’ll leave with some quotes from the book which popped out to me when reading. Enjoy
“If you want my advice, Peter, you’ve made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don’t you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?”- Roark
“Do you mean to tell me that you’re thinking seriously of building that way, when and if you are an architect?”
“Yes.”
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
- Discussion between Roark and his Tutor at his school of Architecture upon being expelled
“I don’t make comparisons. I never think of myself in relation to anyone else. I just refuse to measure myself as part of anything. I’m an utter egotist” – Roark
Just moved house and am living what I have been aiming for since 2007. Away from home, fully qualified, working full-time in a sweet job with cool people, making good money. Life is really fucking good. I just need to organise things a little more so I can get some “creative” stuff under-way and I’ll be set.
Bike is now operative, going for maiden coffee voyage tomorrow morning to the nearby cafes. Need to sort out who’s making the good stuff that can sate my some-say-insatiable appetite for caffeine. Have enlisted a good friend to jump on the cruiser, so will be pretty low key.
Anyhow, my good friend “The Alchemist” has started getting rather serious with his work. As such, he has moved media to wood, though will likely remain with clothing also. His website is being worked on, and there are murmurings of collaboration works..
He has a personal gallery on display this coming October in Melbourne, which I will be attending. Hopefully I can cover it here, his work excites me, and I’m happy to be able to show people it. he has promised me tidbits this weekend, though I’m aware this may not pan out due to the Tasman-related divide
Will try post some cool pics up tomorrow.
New pedals and cable showed up. Pedals don’t fit cranks and cable is like 3457924992346908 feet long. Will send pedals back and have just cleaned and painted existing ones. They screwed up the order anyway and sent me silver, not black. So sweet, good excuse!
Was a choice day in The Waikato
In cool news, am starting the lookout for a daily driver, something cheapish that isn’t rough. My Mazda 626 wagon drives well, and I’d keep it if it weren’t so rough in ze body. Such is life. As I’m only spending a third of my car money on an actual car, I’ll be shouting myself some cool shit, so will post it up. Ciao for now!
P.S. Will be getting an update from The Alchemist this week I hope. new shit a comin!
Ghetto bitch rides again…..
Almost!
Spent the weekend slowly working away on her. Stripped as far as I could with basic tools (everything bar crank and chain removed). Cleaned the hell out of it, water-blasted and de-greased it, then re-greased wheel bearings and head-set. Flicked tyres, wheels, tubes on. Decided to keep bars bare metal, will just keep greased, or may clearcoat it. Got some sweet new pedals and brakes a comin from torpedo7, so once they’re on and I sort out a small issue with the head-set, it’ll be done, essentially.
Looks so damn cool. Cannot wait to get some lazy Saturday winter morning cruises for coffee underway. Got my cruiser, so can likely get at least one other into it.
Cool decal shots, Vive Italia!
