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A little trouble shooting

January 15, 2013 //
4

mouse fixing

I asked all the Dedes individually what they thought of Foreign Correspondent’s performance and whether we should go ahead with his proposal. Most of them couldn’t care less as long as it didn’t increase their workload. The one who really had to think hard about it was Mouse, as she does all the work around here. When she realised there was something going on, she watched Foreign Correspondent closely, but couldn’t fault him. He is a professional. Over the weekend he translated all the background information and recreated the blog in German, so he could start as soon as the Dede Committee gave him the green light.

Foreign Correspondent had also been watching Mouse and last night he approached her. “Do you think we could fix the problem with the images?” he asked “I don’t want to start posting when this problem isn’t solved.”

Mouse was taken aback at first. She felt he was making demands, despite him being the newbie. In her opinion newbies have to keep their mouth’s shut, just watch and slip into place once they had observed enough and found their own little niche. They are not supposed to make suggestions, not on the first day at least… Unfortunately, Mouse herself knew something wasn’t working correctly, but she pretended she didn’t know. “What’s wrong?” she asked with a surprised tone in her voice and a tad defensive.

“When I first look at a new post, the pics are crunched up in tiny little boxes” Foreign Correspondent described the problem. “I have to double click first to see them in full size and they don’t show up in the Reader either.”

Mouse admitted that she has had the same problem, but initially thought it was just a little glitch with her computer. She thought she had fixed it when she double clicked on it and the visitors wouldn’t have a problem. Indeed, she had asked some people and they were totally unaware of the problem she was talking about, while others said they had also experienced it.

“It all worked a breeze before, until the WordPress people made changes to the library module” Mouse explained. “I don’t know what I can do about it. I’ve tried virtually everything!”

“I’ve noticed” Foreign Correspondent answered. “Now I can’t even double click anymore.”

“I am at the end of my tether. I even sent a support question to WordPress, but have had no response yet. It might have something to do with the template I am using, maybe I have to change this.”

Foreign Correspondent suggested I should give him a lift to my office, while Mouse stayed at home and made changes. Then he could use the computer at work to check whether it worked or not.

When I went to bed last night, Mouse and Foreign Correspondent were busy skyping and changing things, but without the usual screaming and cursing. I don’t know if they have fixed the problem or not.

We will see when this post goes up.

It would be great if readers who have had this problem could let Mouse and Foreign Correspondent know if it has been fixed. Or if not, does anybody have an idea what’s going on? Your help is very much appreciated!

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Hello neighbours

January 12, 2013 //
6

the neigbours

The weather here is just fantastic at the moment. During the day it is hot, but still bearable, and when night falls, it becomes balmy. This is the time when it is lovely to sit outside for a little, before the mosquitoes start their battle for dominance  outdoors. Last night a few of us where sitting on the deck, having a quiet wind-down from a busy week, when Nosy Neighbour and his wife Two-faced walked by. They only got married last year and we don’t see much of them. We see him more than her, though. We really only know her as a shadow behind the curtain in their living room. He, on the other hand, is out and about. He does some gardening or fetches the newspaper and I even think he does the shopping for the two of them. He particularly likes to be out after the Dedes have had a loud party. Sometimes I suspect he is only hanging around in the open in order to catch me and have a good old rant about my lot.

“Hello neighbours,” I called out when I saw them passing “Want to join us?”

They looked at each other and Two-faced shook her head. “Would love to catch up” Nosy Neighbour replied, “but we have to keep going. We have to do something about the kilos we gained over Christmas.” Nevertheless, he approached the deck a little, but Two-faced was anchored firmly to the footpath and didn’t move an inch.

“Lovely evening for it” Devil said to keep the small-talk going.

“I’ve just started to read your blog” Nosy Neighbour told us, when he finally stopped a few paces from where we were sitting.

“What do you think?” Mouse wanted to know of course.

“Interesting read” he said and looked at me. “I don’t even know why you bother. They are such a nuisance.” He pointed with his head towards my little friends, and continued talking as if they weren’t there. “Why don’t you kick them all out and that is it. No more problems! Myself? I wouldn’t put up with their crap!”

All the Dedes that were with me started laughing. They thought it was a big big joke. Only I knew he was serious. I had too many similar conversations with him before.

“They are not that bad” I appeased him. He rolled his eyes, turned around and mumbled: “You really have to mow your lawn too” while he walked back to his wife, who was still waiting on the foot path. She waived at us with a smile, before they walked on.

“He has such dead pan humour, I just love it!” Devil said.

“We should invite them to our next barbeque,” Mouse added. “It’s a pity we know so little about them, they are Dedes just like us, aren’t they?”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

But what about us monkeys?

January 11, 2013 //
2

monkey lamp

Yes, I was happy with Philosopher’s statement about what the Dede’s mission is. They are celebrating diversity! I was really happy for a day, until Monkey showed up.

Monkey swung through the curtains to the floor lamp and stopped a safe distance from me. I observed him closely. He is a bit stand-offish and usually only comes to see me in a group with others. Even today he looked as if he had to muster all his bravery. He sat there and casually scratched some flees out of his fur. Finally he addressed me: “Diversity you said… ”

“Yes”, I answered proudly “That’s what the Dedes are about”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You could also say ‘Live and let live!’ Embracing all the differences” I said.

“Funny you should say that” said Monkey, still sitting at a safe distance.  “So what about the monkeys then?”

“What about them?” I asked as I had no clue what he was on about.

“Aren’t you writing a book!” Monkey said.

“No, not at the moment, though I have written plenty of books in the past. Now I am too busy with the Dedes”

“So it’s not true that you have a nearly completed book in the drawer… The others told me so.”

And then all of a sudden it occurred to me,  yes, right. Last summer before the Dedes burst onto the scene I was indeed working on a book that contained all my wisdom of over sixteen years of teaching digital imaging. I had made good progress until the rain set in and the Dedes pushed into my life.

“Ah, you mean ‘Let’s kill that monkey‘?” I blurted out. Oops, only now I noticed what an unfortunate title it had.

Monkey jumped a bit further away from me and said: “Yes that one”.

I laughed out loud. “No worries… I don’t really kill monkeys. Did you really think I would?”

He wanted to know why I gave my book such a mean title. It is a clear call to violence after all. I explained it was frustration talking. I had the strong feeling some of my students didn’t really want to be bothered with understanding the programs, but chose just to fluff around and see what comes out. I wouldn’t call my student monkeys, no way, but any work created without intention I call ‘monkey work’.

“This doesn’t sound like celebrating differences. In fact it is very derogatory. You have to come up with a different term!” said Monkey while swinging away.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Philosopher’s thought

January 10, 2013 //
10

philosopher walk

On Wednesday mornings Philosopher comes round and picks me up for a walk. I treasure this hour with him. There is no need to talk, if there is nothing to talk about. Sometimes silence in company can feel awkward, you certainly know that feeling, but with Philosopher quietness feels comforting. He has a very good head on his shoulders. And if you talk, you can be sure he would never pooh pooh any ideas – even if they are miles off the beaten track – nor would he speak badly about anyone.

So we walked in silence for a while and then I had to ask him: “So, Philosopher, what do you think about Witch’s comment on the blog yesterday?”

“Sorry, I don’t read your blog,” he answered honestly. “What happened?”

“You don’t read my blog?” I asked in disbelief.

“A lot of your friends don’t. Everybody knows you will tell them what’s happening anyway next time you see them.”

“Do they really?”  I tried to remember the barbeques I had been to lately and started to wonder if everybody is getting sick of me. Am I  quietly turning into a bore? I have to admit, Philosopher is right, the Dedes are my favourite subject.

“Oh, yes,” Philosopher smiled benevolently. “But don’t worry, they all like your passion – and not just that, they love us Dedes.” Before I could think more about my real friends, Philosopher got me back on my original train of thought: “So what did Witch say?”

I told him that Witch was taken aback by my remark the Dedes are for fun. It was just an aside and I wished Witch wouldn’t read my blog and wouldn’t pick up on little throw-away phrases like that.

“Do you think we are for fun?” Philosopher inquired.

“Not always… but what do you think, Philosopher, what is the agenda of the Dedes? Help me out here, please.” I know for a fact Witch would love to have more space on the blog to promote a frugal and healthy lifestyle. Cash Cow might support her, but it would displease most of the other Dedes, as this is really just Witch’s hobby-horse.

Philosopher didn’t think long: “In my opinion, the Dedes are celebrating diversity and they are having fun while doing it. This, my valued friend, is a good enough reason for their existence!”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

The big screening

January 7, 2013 //
6

screening

Mouse and Devil had asked me to set up the laptop on the living room floor last night so that all the Dedes could see what Miss Viwi had written about them in ||:::VEGGIETORIA:::||. There is certainly more space in the living room than on the kitchen table, never mind that I wanted to watch a film on TV…

It was just like a premiere for a big screen film, bar the red carpet. They all gathered around the laptop and Mouse had brought up the Word Press Reader so they wouldn’t miss when Miss Viwi published her post. Then it appeared – just as promised – at 8pm our time: The first thing they saw was a picture of Devil in the hammock. The Dedes burst out laughing and Devil was quite embarrassed to be shown in this laid back position. He immediately said it sends the wrong signal. He is not usually that idle.

“There is no pleasing some” Witch said “At least there is a picture of you, so be happy for a change.” Secretly, I was quite grateful for this remark.

“So what does the post say?” Socialite called out, the poor thing was standing in the fourth row and couldn’t see a thing. “Read it out to us Mouse!”

Mouse started to read it out, but in German. “Hang on,” Foxy Lady said “I’ll read it out and translate it as I go for our English spreaking friends. Mouse, would you be so kind and take notes?”

And so Foxy Lady started again:

{dedepuppets | first Act}

A rainy day in December + a pile of old newspapers + a childhood memory = an art project (with heaps of art terms)

Today |:::  VEGGIETORIA:::| welcomes venerable guests from New Zealand. Miss Viwi is conducting an interview with the artist Dietlind Wagner and a second artist who is one of her works. One artist is prerequisite for the other artist’s work – ??? → In several acts I will entice you away into the world of Dede puppets.

[The idea]

It was Christmas 2011 and on a rainy day the artist wanted to tidy up her studio when she came across a pile of old newspapers. “All of a sudden this idea of hand puppets sprung back to mind” tells Dietlind Wagner about an idea planted by her mother in childhood. “Mum spoke often and lovingly about a devil hand puppet she had created once. So  the idea of giving hand puppets a go was with me pretty much all my life.”

[The first puppet – Devil]

dietlind: „Of course the first one had to be a devil. He turned out beautifully, despite I had  hardly any experience with the medium. And as it didn’t stop raining, I just continued.”

miss viwi: In the meantime there are 40 puppets, do you have a favourite?

dietlind: „I can’t tell, but Devil being the first puppet, will always have a special place.“

[technique/material]

40 characters have been created to date. These are real hand puppets made from papier mache and the heads are between twelve and eighteen centimetres high, with a weight of around 30 grams, but they are extremely strong and won’t break. Special features are build around a cardboard skeleton.  The faces are collages from magazines.

[The tonuge-in-cheek before and after picture]

The artist photographed the first puppets to send an image to the newspaper they were made of. Transformation is a very interesting aspect of the work. Made from newspapers which convey news and stories, emerge new characters which tell their own stories. Stories the artist writes. “You know how it goes: even great stories become old news as one makes new friends with new stories and new insights.” (From the preface of the Dede puppet book ‘Hermit’s Web’).

Originally the plan was to sell the puppets in a local art shop, but when the artist’s friends said how much they liked them, and Dietlind discovered how photogenic they are, she started to write a story, a story in which the Dede puppets are the protagonists…

—– The visit to ||:::VEGGIETORIA:::|| and the interview were a talking point in the Dede World today.
The interview will continue next Sunday in ||:::VEGGIETORIA:::|| at 8 am Central European Time.

“I am very happy” Devil said, visibly chuffed about being mentioned.

“There is nothing new in this interview” Smuggy said, disappointed. “You can read all this on the blog here as well.”

“Shut up you silly thing!” Mouse said. “Miss Viwi has done wonderful job and I am certainly looking forward to next week.” All the other Dedes clapped and cheered.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

No… he won’t tell!

January 5, 2013 //
2

hermits web.indd

Since Professor  revealed one of Pig’s secrets yesterday, I thought I’d grab my chance and dig out this old photo I found in the shed and ask him about it too. I had already published this photo  in ‘Hermit’s Web’, but still don’t know what the story behind it is. It is such a mystery to me, as Witch and Pig barely talk to each other.  Looking at the photo they must have been good friends at one stage. Neither Pig nor Witch will tell me what happened and it irks me tremendously that I don’t know what the story is.

It wasn’t one of my better ideas. Professor looked at me as if he wanted to kill me and said: “Please!…” and left me standing there. Devil who was with us at the time shook his head and said: “You really have a way of putting your foot in it, don’t you!” and wandered off as well.

It seems everybody knows but me. Don’t tell me you all know as well! Do you have any ideas? Please, please tell me!

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Pig’s secret

January 4, 2013 //
4

prof helping pig-2

Okay, the Dedes have decided their New Year’s resolutions will be published on the 31st of January, because everybody will have forgotten by then and it will be a good reminder. We can see who lasted and who didn’t.

Personally, I put my bet on Pig giving up first. It wouldn’t really count, as he was forced to sign the resolution by Witch. It is not really his own wish to stop drinking. To our big surprise, he hasn’t touched a drop since New Year’s Eve, mainly because the slept most of the time, but it also might have something to do with a comment Smuggy (as Smug Little Devil is now called for short) dropped in passing. He remarked he’d heard beer fed pork was especially tasty.  Professor got really angry and told Smuggy to piss off. Harsh words, we usually don’t hear them from the old fellow.

When Smuggy finally went, Professor told us that it is not entirely Pig’s fault he is drinking so much. The farmer who raised his mother believed in giving his sows beer in time of farrowing. It is supposed to help reduce aggression and aid the sow to accept her off-springs. It didn’t do much good in Pig‘s case. The old sow still didn’t care about her piglets, but at least she wasn’t aggressive towards them. She was just out of it.

We didn’t know what to say, and felt terribly embarrassed about making fun in the past.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Star signs

January 3, 2013 //
4

philosopher hugs capricorn

On Wednesday mornings Philosopher and I go for a walk. We have done this since we first met. Philosopher lives in a derelict boat at the bottom of my garden and like clockwork he comes up to the house on Wednesdays and picks me up for a stroll around the sports ground. We usually discuss what has happened during the last week. But of course yesterday there wasn’t much to talk about, as all the Dedes have been pretty much together 24/7 since I came back from my Christmas holidays a week ago.

He was at the brunch the day before and I know he would make the New Year’s resolutions public, as he thinks publicizing them would put more pressure on the Dedes to deliver. But in the meantime, I have spoken to some of the other Dedes who were asleep that day and they aren’t too keen to have their intentions made public. Basically, they don’t want to lose face if they can’t stick to it.

So I had to find another subject to talk about and I mentioned to Philosopher that Jürgen and Buchalov commented in their birthday wishes that the Dedes would be Capricorn as their birthday is on the 30th of December. “Hmm”, Philosopher said, “that is quite interesting.”

“Why?” I wanted to know, I am not very familiar with astrology.

He explained to me that in German the star sign of Capricorn is an ibex, a mountain goat. But the constellation of the stars in the sky is a combination of a mountain goat and a fish. That means a Capricorn wants to climb to the highest heights but at the same time wants to explore the deepest depths. Their mottoes are ‘good things take time’ and ‘success is to 10 percent talent and 90% hard work’. They are not particularly creative and have the tendency to be dogmatic. But they certainly want to be successful and noticed.

In my inner eye I compared the Dedes that were born in December with what I’ve heard. Philosopher, yes, he certainly explores the depth of things. We all know Mouse is a hard worker but not creative, and Devil is certainly dogmatic.

The more Philosopher told me about the star sign, the more I started to believe that there is something in it.

In the end he asked me: “So what’s your star sign then?”

“Libra” I said. Philosopher stopped in his tracks and said: “Now that is a match made in heaven. Opposites attract, don’t they?”

“So what’s Libra like then?” I was really curious now.

He told me they are supposed to be very creative and open-minded with a very strong sense of fairness. Libras avoid taking sides – to the point that they annoy everybody with their ambivalence –  and aim to be well balanced.

And then he went on that in a partnership between Libra and Capricorn there is a lot of tension, but it can be very successful if they work out their differences.

I liked what I heard and thought I really have to read up more on this.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Resolutions! What else?

January 1, 2013 //
2

prof and pig drunk

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you are in better shape than Professor and Pig today :). These two guys didn’t even make it to the count down at midnight. They were out of it well before then and slept right through all the hoohaa of welcoming in the New Year. Okay, it is not too difficult to miss the arrival of the New Year in New Zealand. It is not like in the colder parts of the world, with big fireworks everywhere. We have fireworks at Guy Fawkes, but now it is summer and the high season for bush fires, so open fires would be a real hazard. We also live in a very quiet neighbourhood, which is even quieter now as all the neighbours are on their big vacation at the moment.

So what else can you do, but drink?

I left shortly after midnight to skype to the other side of the world. I think it is funny to talk from the future. After all, we were already in 2013, while in Germany they still had to see out stuffy old 2012. When I came back Professor and Pig hadn’t moved an inch. They were still lying in the same position on the sofa, Pig hugging a last bottle of beer. Some of the other Dedes were discussing a silly note  to write and photograph together with the pair, but they couldn’t come up with anything. Two days of partying certainly had taken it’s toll on everybody. The wit had gone, off on holiday with the neighbour’s kids.

Witch, a teetotaler and a health freak, had the idea to write down a New Year’s resolution of ‘Drink less’, then she went up to Professor and nudged him until he groaned: “Hey Professor, are you okay with this resolution? ‘Drink less’.”

“Certainly” he mumbled.

“Then sign!” She pressed a pen into his hand and held the paper under the tip. Professor managed to scribble a P. She then went on to wake up Pig who dutifully placed his X next to Professor’s signature.

Someone suggested we all come up with New Year’s resolutions and thought I should judge whether they manage to keep to their resolutions or not. I was surprised how many thought it was a good idea. Not all of of them agreed of course, but most of them wrote down what they wanted to do for this year and gave me their folded up pieces of paper to keep safe.

I will remind them in due time!

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Devils at loggerheads

December 31, 2012 //
4

devils at loggerheads

The birthday was supposed to be a lovely day. Mouse had baked a cake, put a candle on it and invited everybody to have a piece. Now Mouse isn’t a big eater and the cake was very little. I would call it a muffin, more so than a cake, but for her it was a big thing.

So they all sat down and everybody commented nicely on the big effort Mouse had gone to, to make it yet another wonderful day, when Smug Little Devil arrived. He always seems to be the last one on the scene.

He took one look at the cake and said: “I thought we were having a Black Forest Gateau! What is that shrivelly little thing?” Mouse fought back her tears, but Devil, her old mate, came to her rescue: “What is it with you? Can’t you say something nice for a change?”

“Why?” Smug Little Devil replied “Am I not right? It is supposed to be a birthday cake. Does this look like a birthday cake to you?”

“It’s a cake, birthday or not” Devil replied.

“And I am a devil! I say what I want. Like it or not!” Smug Little Devil didn’t back down.

“But I am THE Devil!”

“No, you are a wuss! You should be called Wuss”

Devil jumped towards Smug Little Devil horns down and really angry. He was ready to fight.

“Whoo hoo!” Witch butted in and commanded: “you both sit down now!” Strangely enough, they listened to her and sat down meekly at opposite ends of the table. “What is it with you two? Tell me! It’s not really about the cake, is it?”

Smug Little Devil immediately started telling  everybody that he thinks Devil is not a genuine devil, he is far too soft. While he was saying his piece we could see steam coming out of Devil’s ears. He didn’t seem too mellow right now. When it was his turn he told us that it pissed him off that Smug Little Devil had such a similar name. People might think they were one and the same, but no, they are only very veeery distant cousins. Smug Little Devil is still such a novice. He doesn’t know the ‘Code of Devils’ at all… really he is a disgrace to all devils as he uses his destructive remarks willy-nilly. He doesn’t achieve anything, but gets up peoples noses. In the  ‘Code of Devils’, first page, first paragraph, it clearly states to use unsettling remarks carefully for the greatest effect, basically when nobody expects it. Then people have to think about what was said. During Devil’s speech Smug Little Devil had his usual smirk on his face. It was so obvious he didn’t take any of Devil’s words in.

“So what can we do about it?” Witch asked. “Rename him” Smug Little Devil answered immediately and pointed at Devil “He is not worth the name!”

“I am Devil, I was the first one. I know the ‘Code of Devils’! No, you have to be renamed!” All the other Dedes cheered. “Yes, we love our Devil, he is the one!”

Philosopher said: “There’s no need to rename anyone. The horns of the little one will grow with his wisdom. Just give him a nickname for now, how about calling him Smutan from now on… short for ‘Smug Satan’… Anybody for cake?” and he leaned forward to take a piece of the plate.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network
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