Melon’s Newsletter #8 – December 2022

How do you do sir/mam {name}!

I hope you are havin a good time out there; it might be cold or it might be hot, but I know wherever you are it must be very cool :^}

I’m sitting on the trusty yellow bean bag, its maybe 20 years old? Its seen a lot of butts! Butts in good times, butts in bad times; the last few years have not been very good for anyone; I hope you made the best of it! Even if you didn’t, tomorrow is just a few hours away and I know you’ll make it!

← This dog is shouting encouraging and supportive things at you!!

I was sitting in Gatwick Airport this time last year, writing my years review; I’d missed the flight, but I was on track to get a new one! 2020 was all plastic stars; 2021 was all about trying to make my own stars; 2022 - I looked at the sky this week and it was full of stars in messy order!

How was your year? I hope some of you will write and let me know! This year I built a lot and for the first time the world started to notice a little; thats a great feeling; although its hard work and isolating. I hope its worthwhile; good things are rarely easy!

Listen to the universe, it wants to make things better; you just need to tell it how; every moment till your last :}

Melon's 2022 Year Review

  • January #1 - TextureTown launches! - A new site archiving cool texture images
  • January #2 - MK revamp - star goo wall is introduced!
  • February - Ozwomp’s Voyage for iOS is released - my first app!
  • March #1 - Film 4659 Worlds of the Web is published.
  • March #2 - Received my first visual arts funding ever :O
  • April #1 - I got covid, and totally customised my bag with cool patches!
  • April #2 - Melonking mentioned on Polygon!
  • April #3 - New Laptop - Replaced all my clunky old tech!
  • May #1 - Got a silly old webcam and made this video
  • May #2 - Film Ozwomp in the Gif Gallery is published.
  • June #1 - Thoughts Blog is added to Melonking!
  • June #2 - “What is the Web Revival” guide is published and gets shared on hacker news!
  • June #3 - I gave my first public talk at a conference on the web revival!
  • July #1 - The MelonLand Wiki is launched to accompany the forum!
  • July #2 - My work shows in a physical art exhibition for the first time!
  • July #3 - My first Zine is on sale at the Glasgow Zine Fair
  • August #2 - My professional site Loom.Cafe launches
  • September - I don't remember this month! I think I burnt out :S
  • October - Finally got my own place to stay even if its short term! Left my former studio space.
  • 🔔 November #1 - New E-Mail page for gathering my obscure clippings!
  • 🔔 November #2 - Launched the Surf Club Webring and the new MelonLand homepage!
  • 🔔 December - MAJOR MK overhaul - almost every page revamped and sparkled up!

I’d like to take a moment to remember Judith Durham, lead singer of The Seekers; she passed away this year and that makes me sad :^(

My song for you is Sharkey's Day by Laurie Anderson - it is your day too, so what are you gonna do about it!?!? Also click the moooon for a really beautiful musical clip (If I was a carpenter and you were a lady, would you marry me anyway?)

I don’t wanna leave you, but our time has come to an end! I’m gonna close with the final line from philosopher Bertrand Russell's last article: “There is an artist imprisoned in each one of us. Let him loose to spread joy everywhere.”

This is Melon, and you’ve been experiencing the year 2022 with me; tune in next month and we will tackle 2023 together :^]

Happy Christmas to you and all those you love, you’re good pal, Melon!

InFo

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