This will hurt me...

Ultimately, he is a happy little boy. A very demanding, volatile and assertive little boy, but a happy one nonetheless!

A little something in another something. Quayle Street, Sandy Bay. January 2012. I had the privilege of taking the full group of kids out for their warm up jog at Auskick training yesterday afternoon/ evening. I consider my rigorous training methods a success, given that I had a good fifteen or so 5 and 6 year old kids reduced to wheezing lumps prostrate on the turf afterwards! Henry, of course, was spritely and smiling, having had the good fortune to have undergone a brutal, systematic, Soviet-style training regime since he was six weeks old. If only he could kick... Sad Steps , Philip Larkin Groping back to bed after a piss I part thick curtains, and am startled by The rapid clouds, the moon's cleanliness. Four o'clock: wedge-shadowed gardens lie Under a cavernous, a wind-picked sky. There's something laughable about this, The way the moon dashes through clouds that blow Loosely as cannon-smoke to stand apart (Stone-coloured light sharpening the roofs ...

Play it cool Hank. Play it cool.

Yum! Mayfair Plaza Car Park, Sandy Bay. December 2011. Three books this week, all quite good. First up is the brand new one from Toni Morrison, Home . Set in the 1950s, Home follows the return of a black Korean War veteran who has recently left the newly desegregated army. The country he returns to is no Leave It To Beaver idyll though, it’s one inhabited by damaged people, racial tension and power imbalances (inequities of race, gender and class). At 81, I suspect that Morrison’s best days (skill-wise) are behind her. This reads like a – admittedly quite good – imitation of her best novels. It compresses many recurrent themes of memory, love and loss, uprooting and homecoming. The text flows in jazzy rhythms, but the narrative moves a little too quickly to my mind. This is not a bad read by any stretch, but I have to admit that is not one of her stronger works. If you’re looking for something quick that will give you a taste of her work, this is not a bad starting point. I’...

What's going on here?

I don't ever wanna feel like I did that day. Take me to the place I love, take me all the way. Under the [Tasman] Bridge, Hobart. February 2012. Theme Thursday ? ICE CREAM? I scream? You scream? We all scream? For... ICE CREAM? Why? Me, I'm more of a sorbet man myself.

Robot? You're a robot? An incredibly handsome robot!

The end of the race. Victoria Esplanade, Bellerive. February 2012. Wordless Wednesday.

So not only has Henry found a kangaroo, Exra has FOUR of them! [Note the joey in the pouch on the left.]

Patterns. Little Howrah Beach. February 2012. This week, another stolen Q and A from Sunday Stealing, The Get Out of Jail Free Meme, Part One ! As ever, the invite to contribute questions for me to answer remains open to all! 1. When you're home alone, do you still close the door when you use the restroom? ‘Restroom’? That’s even worse that ‘bathroom’! No, I don’t close the door when I am home alone and use the toilet. 2. If you have to go grocery shopping, would you rather go alone or with someone? I prefer to do it online these days! If forced, I’d rather go alone. 3. It's your best friend’s birthday, would you buy them a gift even though they didn't buy you one for yours Probably not. I wouldn’t expect it in the first place though. 4. You win the lottery. Lump sum or small payments over a period of time? Why? How small are these payments? Is there a significant tax loss if I go lump sum? I’ll need more detail before I can decide on this one, althoug...

Henry has only gone and found himself a kangaroo!

A fence near a bridge. The Intercity Cycleway, near Tasman Bridge. January 2012. The Internet is a wonderful place filled with the rich and varied treasures of the world holds (as well as some dodgy politics.) The following are some things that I've had a look at in the last week. I call this: a Compendium of Click-throughs for Monday Morning.. A wonderful collection of London’s top brutalist buildings … A discussion of one of the World’s most respected (but oft preposterous) awards, the Nobel Peace Prize … How might one go about raising a baby using science ? Personally, I think that it is more of an art form… I love an eviscerating art review . Even better, it’s about one of my pet loathes: the odious Damien Hirst! The answer to the question that we all have been asking: How the Chicken Conquered the World! On matters most fowl… Portraits of chickens dressed like Napoleon, Einstein and other historical figures… On the importance of questions… Given their sign...

Word is that a fox has been sighted in the Geilston Bay/ Lindisfarne area. Somebody call the task force !

Evil magpie. Our front yard. East Derwent Highway, Geilston Bay. December 2011. Sunday Top Five again and today I venture somewhat into a self help territory: The Top Five Things That My Life Is Far Too Short For Me To Tolerate! People who bring me down . There are an awful lot of people in the world, so I don’t really understand people who waste their time with poisonous people. Relationships should be enjoyable, not painful. Find people who you get on with, who entertain you, not drag you down. A career that I hate . There are limits to this, as you have to keep paying the bills. Nevertheless, if the opportunity arises, I don’t see the point on settling on a job I’m not keen on. Keep looking, that’s what I’m doing! Unnecessary miscommunication . I can’t apologise for this one. I say what I mean and mean what you say. If we’re conversing, please speak clearly and frankly. Ask questions. Clarify things until you understand them. Life is too short for games. Unhealthy habits...