I would really like to go mudlarking. I daydream about this possibility. Wait, hold up – such a funny word daydreaming. As opposed to night dreaming. I don’t think I have ever dreamt about mudlarking at night. At least I have never woken up thinking that I almost took hold of a miniscule and wafer thin rose farthing only to watch it gently slip out of my grasp by the force of a passing wave as a seagull squawked overhead. (Pan camera angle to grey sky.)

Yes, Nicola White’s mudlarking YouTube videos entrance me. Occasionally she finds spectacular things like a whole Roman pot in an estuary, but most of the time the finds are odds and ends. But still items that  can tell a story and take us back to a far time ago. And that’s exciting no matter what.

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Here in Amsterdam I tend to look at the freebee book boxes. I found a Delta Gallery circa 1982 exhibition pamphlet for Basquiat. That was a surprise.  I also found a 1963 proof copy of Ian Fleming’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Unfortunately on that one only half of the back cover is attached.  But still. Little treasures that I enjoy.  And I had to add that I enjoy my finds more than a pipe pulled out of the Thames mud, not that I would say no, but my particular joy in life is Rectangular Things. 

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Knowing that I have a Cineville pass (also a rectangular thing) and regularly go out to see films, a colleague suggested that I go see the Nosferatu movie. I watched the trailer. It’s the noise. Soundtracks drive me crazy and, you guessed it, I am always wearing ear plugs. I don’t think I could manage Nosferatu. The modern one. I’ve seen clips of the original countless times.  It’s silent and pretty goofy looking. 

For utter relaxation I like to watch Japanese vlogs.  The kinds of vlogs about making tea and cleaning on a Saturday and arranging items in little shelves and baskets. I really mean absolutely nothing crosses my mind when I’m watching these videos.  Sometimes I think I might like to make a vlog channel like this. Silent, with text across the screen for commentary. But my small apartment is packed full of Rectangular Things and I don’t really think that anyone is going to find me continually trying to create some order very relaxing. Instead I have created a board on Pinterest: Rectangular Things, the Autistic Take.