This will hurt me...

Arguments. Always arguments.

Guerilla knitting, turn that shit up. King Street, Sandy Bay. September 2011. The murkey world of yarn-inspired terrorism is troubling to me. Like a lot of forms of 'new terror', it's the incoherent political message and ideological goal that worries me. With no rational purpose, how might we ever conclude peaceful terms with these brigands? The Lamentations Of An Icarus , Charles Baudelaire The lovers of prostitutes are Happy, cheerful, well-fed; As for me, my arms are broken Through having hugged the clouds. It is thanks to the incomparable stars, Blazing in the depths of the sky, That my devoured eyes see only The memories of suns. In vain I wished to find The centre and the end of space; I know not under what fiery eye I feel my wings breaking; And burnt up by love of beauty, I shall not have the splendid honour Of giving my name to the abyss Which will serve as my grave.

Next stop? Everest!

Isn't it ironic, don't you think? My desk at home, Geilston Bay. August 2011. Another day, another substantive draft review disappeared into the ether. Consider this the truncated version... Graham Greene’s Our Man In Havana might be a touch more satirical than his more literary offerings (he considered this one an ‘entertainment’), but that doesn’t stop it being a rather dark send up of intelligence services, written at the height of the Cold War. The plot revolves around a vacuum cleaner salesman recruited into the British Secret Service, increasingly out of his depth who eventually finds himself in a hole. His solution? Keep digging! It’s a great read that manages to touch on his regular themes (Catholicism, ‘duty’, love and death) while remaining light enough to provide a few laugh-out-loud moments. Highly recommended. Hans Keilson’s Comedy in a Minor Key was actually written in 1947, but didn’t receive an English translation until much later. This short novel centres on ...

Is that Roger Ramjet is a Myra Hindley wig?

Someone has rushed this. Geilston Bay, August 2011. Now time for part II of yesterday's stolen questions : 20) Have you ever flown a kite? Of course! 21) Do you wish on your fallen lashes? Not that I am aware of. Am I supposed to? 22) Do you consider yourself successful? It depends on one’s measure. Some days I think that I am. 23) When was the last time that you made an obscene phone call? I never have. 24) Have you ever asked for a pony? No. They make me sneeze (no good if I was on the run from the draft board. 25) Plans for tomorrow? Work. 26) Can you juggle? Very badly. 27) Missing someone now? Always. 28) When was the last time you told someone "I love you"? This very morning. 29) And truly meant it? I have never once said it and not meant it. 30) How often do you drink alcohol? Once in a blue moon. 31) How are you feeling today? Spritely. 32) Have you ever tried to write a meme? Who hasn’t? 33) Have you ever been fired from a job? Never. Can you believe it? 34) What...

We spend a lot of time around boats, for people who don't own a boat.

One way, or another... The junction of Princes and King Street, Sandy Bay, September 2011. Another stolen set of questions ! 1) Who is the last person you high-fived? Henry. 2) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive. I would, as long as I didn’t sneeze. It is a dangerous business hiding under beds! 3) Do you sleep with the TV on? No. We rarely have the TV on after 7 pm these days. 4) Have you ever drunk milk straight out of the carton? Many years ago I did. 5) Have you ever won a spelling bee? Not to my knowledge. 6) Have you ever been stung by a bee? I stood on a bee once. Does that count? 7) How fast can you type? Reasonably fast. With speed comes errors though… 8) Are you afraid of the dark? It depends where I am. Generally I am not. 9) Eye colour? Brown. A beautiful brown like that found on Jersey cows. 10) Have you ever made out at a drive-in? No. In my defence, the last time I was six (Rocky III). 11) When was the last time you chose a bath over a shower? When the chil...

He's had a snip since this snap, but it grows so quickly he already needs another snip!

When flowers cry. Princes Street, Sandy Bay. September 2011. Some days are better than others.

Ez does a half decent Morrissey in front of Mount Wellington.

A touch of blue. Gregory Street, Sandy Bay. September 2011. "Chiggety check yourself befo' yo' wreck yo'self"? What's that mean, exactly?

Jam + scones = sticky crumbs!

A splash of colour. Little Howrah Beach, Howrah. September 2011. Five things: Apples Crabapples Pineapples Apple pies Geeveston Fannies It's alive! Little Howrah Beach, Howrah. September 2011.