Wet And Forget

 Here's a little film I really love, originally made for Door Number 5 of Gemma Brockis' now absent Oddvent Calendar. Like all contributions to the calendar, Shamira's behindery is a study and pause – breath-restoring, rather than breath-taking. It features the voice of our friend Tom Lyall, and just enough special effects to help one lose one's footing in reality. I've put it up because the film I put off putting up on Friday was its opposite: bloated and failing and disengaging. I'll probably put that up next, because it's still of interest; but I wanted to present something I liked first. 

 By the way, my youtube algorithms uncouthly autofollow Reindeer Lichen with this; I wonder where yours will take you. It's still winter in the corner of some gardens. Apologies again for the delay in posting. I have been meeting for walks this week, and it's possible I am exhausted. 

 

Free Access to Saturnalia and Birdsong

 "Today, in London, your gift begins at 8.04 and ends at 15.53" says door 21 of Gemma Brockis' Oddvent Calendar, the shortest day of the year. This being the peak of Saturnalia, rules are for fools, and so today the door is free to all. Through it you'll find a radio helmed by Oddvent's staunchest contributors, who are taking requests. 

 It's just through here. Click on "IT IS OPEN".

 The calendar's other doors (including mine) are still available here of course.

 And tangentially you can watch me play Saturn really horribly here.

Door Number 3. (This is going to be a drum.)

 A nice plug in the Guardian yesterday for Gemma Brockis' Oddvent calendar, and thanks to Gemma for allowing me to grant all of you ole unattendees Very Important Person access, as we say in the threshold business, through today's door. Click here to open it and witness my contribution – possibly inspired by the Cosmic Shambles' many show-and-tells – there's more information about the calendar here, and if you need one the password for today is "help". (My first idea was to giftwrap an egg, but I'm not doing that now, so giftwrapping an egg is still going.) Enjoy! 

 

 UPDATE: Now the Calendar has vanished, my contribution's up on youtube.

I Want To Be In That Number...

 

 News: Gemma Brockis has made another website! The tiny moments of contemplation afforded by the December tradition of looking for a door, wondering what might be behind it, then opening and finding out, have inspired her to curate her own advent calendar, and I've signed up to be one of the doors. The brief she sent out says "this is not for children. Though I imagine there might be some things they enjoy. That's not to say it's marketed as an ADULT ADVENT CALENDAR but it's particularly for people living alone. So. Hopefully not children." Gemma explains more here.