Matthias Plunkett's Dandelife : The story of Matthias Plunkett's life

Rocket Man

Matthias Plunkett — Tue Jan 22 19:49:59 UTC 2008

(Illustration to come)

I've had a funny life so far, not 'funny' in the laughing sense of the word, I mean 'funny' with all its strange peculiarities. I'm writing this Dandelife timeline for my own amusement, for friends and family who decide to be nosey and finally, those anonymous strangers who make up 99.99999999999% of the web browsing world. Anyway, Funny. My first ever memory is as accurate as I can describe here:

I was a baby, lying on my back in my cot during the day time. The cot was reasonably crude and typical of its type for a product of the seventies (Think wooden cage on legs without a roof, and you won't be far off what It was)

I know that my young little eyes drifted around the sparse ineterior of the room I was in and I could see an open sash window with the suggestion of a large tree outside. This detail of my view held the greatest fasination to me.

I remember a sudden flutter of surprise as this view was rapidly punctured by an object that darted through the open window, across the small room and embedded itself in the wall immediately above my cot. The object was a small dart shaped thing, I recall it as a minature rocket.

My sense of alarm only grew as a tiny circular hatch on the rear of the shape pinged open and a little man standing no more than an inch tall emerged muttering and cursing, presumably at his collision with my bedroom wall.

The little figure stood on the projectile protruding from the wall above my head. Still ranting, he turned his gaze and attention towards me. I began to really feel afraid and started to cry. The last thing I remember, was that the little angry man leapt from his rocket onto my cot, my world blurred with tears.

Men in Monitors...dark reflections.

Matthias Plunkett — Tue Jan 22 15:54:26 UTC 2008

2004. This picture was taken in a particularly exciting time in my life (the image gives nothing of my temperament away) I'd been dating Tanya for just over a month and generally spent most days on Cloud 9.

I think it's fair to say that Tanya's arrival in my life brought with it another metaphorical 'turning point'. Many things began to change for the better, I grew increasingly stronger inside. Having spent so many years feeling like a proverbial 'leaf in the wind', I now had the contrasting feeling that I had purpose and direction.

On a vocational level, I was working for the Environment Agency after my good friend 'Joey Enigma' had persuaded them( The EA) and myself (The MP) that we would benefit from each others services. Cue several months of fannying around with computers and doing mild IT duties. It wasn't ideal but the working company was mostly excellent. Here's a brief clip of my daily journey to work...

(How exciting!)

While I'm at it, during that time when Joey was my boss...

I'm happy to say that my old friend was a fine person to work for

and didn't live up to that adage about mixing business with pleasure.

Exit Planet Waitrose

Matthias Plunkett — Tue Jan 22 09:03:02 UTC 2008

It was one of those things, all the ingredients were in the right place:

One Sister, One Brother, One Mother, A local supermarket, 30 seconds of

recording time on the camera's 'Movie' function.

The result ~~Cinematic Magic~~ A load of old tat...sheesh!

Mental Health

Matthias Plunkett — Mon Jan 21 20:18:53 UTC 2008

2003.If it were down to sheer vocational diversity, nobody would ever be able to call my working life 'Dull.'(If only the same could've been said for the content of 99.9% of the work!)
This was a year when I was assigned to work in a couple of mental health departments of the local hospital.
The hospital was an engaging place even though the clerical duties were less than stimulating.
In my personal life, I'd reached a turning point in the way I viewed things, I'd begun to like myself in the way that one can feel mostly comfortable in ones own skin. This had been a long time coming, I'd felt so much turmoil previously. I welcomed the shift; it freed up a playful energy that I'd lost for a long time. Perhaps it may have been helped by seeing people who really had emotional difficulties, It helped form a much needed fresh perspective.

2001: A Face Odyssey

Matthias Plunkett — Sat Jan 19 11:37:14 UTC 2008

Getting Better All The Time

Matthias Plunkett — Sat Jan 19 10:53:26 UTC 2008

2007. The new year starts with Tanya & I celebrating our 3rd anniversaryof being together. We stay in the Swiss Cottage at the Endsleigh estate.Whilst at the cottage, Tanya accepts my marriage proposal.I feel like the happiest man alive.

Devil's Haircut

Matthias Plunkett — Sat Jan 19 10:32:30 UTC 2008

1998.Biting back. I've survived all my ordeals so far, then there was the growing realisation that I'd been the architect of most of them.What is it about the human spirit that we seem to need to suffer in order to grow?

Simple Things

Matthias Plunkett — Sat Jan 19 00:11:13 UTC 2008

1972. I'm virtually 'Box Fresh' I barely have memories, I have no judgements,I am in awe of almost everything, I'm learning sounds...mmmuuummm....

Happy Boy

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 22:15:53 UTC 2008

1974. Note plasters on knees! Main Interests: Lego, Tonka, cars and Helicopters.
Life was vividly colourful.

Teenage Lobotomy

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 21:59:19 UTC 2008

1991 Attending St.Georges art school, suffering a teenage lobotomy and a responsibility bypass.Youth was wasted on the young! Music of the time:Meat Beat Manifesto- Radio Babylon,The Orb- Adventures Beyondthe Ultraworld,The Shamen- En-tact

Getting Dark

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 21:44:37 UTC 2008

1997. In many ways I'd begun to find life disappointing. I'd made mistakes and realized that Ineeded to rectify the bad choices where possible. I resumed my course in audio visual design. It was a bleak period in spite of these efforts. Full of self doubt, working in a call centre during the evenings and studying during the days. Music of the time: D.J Shadow: Dark Days/High Noon, Lost Highway Soundtrack, David Bowie - I'm afraid of Americans, The Herbalizer - Blow your Headphones.

The Flat of Doom

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 21:26:00 UTC 2008

It was 1995,good taste continued to ellude me... trippy posters, faux shamanic iconography, working in the Sandy park chip shop. This was the flat of DOOOOM!

He was a skater boy...

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 16:55:16 UTC 2008

In 1989 I waved goodbye to Goth. I'd been to my first (And only) Reading Festival; there I discovered sample heavy bands such as Jesus Jones and Pop Will Eat Itself. The moans and drones of goth music no longer held my attention or suiting my temperament. I took up skateboarding and failed my English A-level. Yeeeeeah, What a rebel!

It's a MULLET

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 16:40:50 UTC 2008

Attending Eaton City of Norwich school, doing A-levels in Art & English, being clueless,listening to goth bands,wearing a smelly coat, living in a village called'Brooke' , still being a child and not being mature enough to know it.

Accepatble in the 80's

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 16:26:31 UTC 2008

In 1983 I find that I have become so immersed in the world that I am fluent in many of it's customs , however, a large portion of my brain remains occupied by flights of fancy, escapism and imaginings.

My date of birth.

Matthias Plunkett — Fri Jan 18 15:53:01 UTC 2008

A Zen philosipher once said:

"From the bath tub to the bath tub I have uttered stuff and nonsense."

I came into this world in November 1971. I hadn't been consciously planned as such,

so I guess there was a little trepidation about my arrival. I made it my mission to win over

my new found family by being vulnerable and cute.

"Hello World.Love me!"