The Evolution of PENGUIN

This is a funny post. Today I turn 76. i can’t believe I have survived this world for so long. What is even funnier is I’m still playing with Penguins.

As some of you know, I began these posts in 2012 on Blogspot when I began collecting old vintage Penguin books published between 1935 and 1970 when the ISBN numbers came into play. I had a library of 3000 books from four continents. I gave talks to senior schools about the history of the books and tead everything I could find about them. I still have several reference books about them published by the Penguin Collector Society. As I got older I had to finally downsized and I sold the library between two book collectors. But I kept the little mascot that travelled with me.

I took him everywhere.

Penguin and I in Cornwall on a road trip with a friend.

At the end of each year I like to look at the coming year and see what changes I’d like to make. I think many of us do that to keep things fresh.

I’m going to bring back the original penguin. For those who followed me from the beginning you know I travelled a lot over the years and I took the Penguin with me in the drink holder section of my backpack. We travelled the world and Penguin was with me on six continents.

The old penguin featured in my blog for a few years. Then as time went on I changed the blog illustration with a different penguin. I took the penguin from Penguin books and changed him and added clothes that matched the theme of the post. I was learning photoshop and had different ideas about him.

The next generation.

Then AI came into photography and once again I changed the illustration of the Penguin.

Yet another transformation

As part of my photography and photoshop training and AI apps available I have decided I’m bringing back the original penguin.

Penguin and I visited Sydney. We love the Opera house.

He has sat on my book shelf for a long time. He has a history. He was with me in South America when I found the first Penguin publishing paperback there in Spanish. He travelled in a backpack in Africa. He had a bath in Singapore. He went to a formal tea ceremony in Japan. Th folks on that tour group took turns posing him in various Japanese settings.

When I went to Sydney to see a friend and she got Covid and I couldn’t see her, we drowned our sadness with a beer.

I have to say I have missed him. I have decided I’m getting him out of retirement and putting him back in the work force. He will continue to reflect the theme of my posts.

I have information that is coming out tomorrow about a Russian Gulag escape story I’m listening to. Old Penguin found a Russian coat and hat for that post. He looks quite the man.

I hope my online friends will be glad to see him again as we read books in 2026, go on photography day trips and just generally muck around in Hobart.

I’m hoping it will continue to increase my photography and editing skills and learn to use different apps to personalise our little guy.

For the days I want to go out and do something and no one is around to go too, the Penguin and I will continue our travels together with what lies ahead. 🌻🌻🌻