This will hurt me...

Cold seagull. Constitution Dock, Hobart waterfront. July 2013. Sunday Top Five Dear oh dear. Bugger me.

Early morning. Murray Street, Hobart. July 2013. I have set myself the task of writing five new poems in the next five days. If I'm impressed enough with my output, I might just publish them online. However, I am always on the lookout for themes and subjects. Keep an eye out for me please. Cruelly,Love , ee cummings cruelly,love walk the autumn long; the last flower in whose hair, they lips are cold with songs for which is first to wither,to pass? shallowness of sunlight falls,and cruelly, across the grass Comes the moon love,walk the autumn love,for the last flower in the hair withers; thy hair is acold with dreams, love thou art frail —walk the longness of autumn smile dustily to the people, for winter who crookedly care.

I don't walk this way any more. The corner of Davey and Murray Streets, Hobart. July 2013. We're off chasing Great White Sharks today. Fingers crossed that we all make it back in one piece! I, Too , Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed-- I, too, am America.

Pull yer socks up!

Heading to work #1. East Derwent Highway, Geilston Bay. July 2013. Theme Thursday ? INVENTIONS? I wish that someone never INVENTed zombies. Heading to work #2. East Derwent Highway, Geilston Bay. July 2013.

Hobart in the Winter. 10 Murray as seen from the Waterfront. August 2013. Theme Thursday ? CHILLS? A hyperborean hope? Getting a gelid groove? It's Hobart in Winter. What do you think?

Mount Wellington, as seen from Geilston Bay High School. July 2013. A relaxing Q and A today, the Sunday Brunch Meme . 1} Which do you prefer in the am: Coffee or tea? Coffee. In the event of a terribly sore throat and onset of the flu, I'll take a lemon and ginger tea please. 2} Work has been cancelled on the spur of the moment: Clean house and do errands, or just fun things? If the house needs cleaning, I shall do that first. Duty calls! 3} Middle of the hot summer, vacation at: Mountains or Beach? Beach, beach and even more beach! 4} You have to travel at a leisure speed: Train, plane or car? Train. I love the train. 5} To relax: A movie or a book? A book. I've not patience for a movie. 6} What kind of pets? Dog, cat, bird or fish. From the list, a fish. Preferably a large, man eating fish. 7} Dream home: Hardwood floors or carpeting? I like to look of hardwood floors, but carpet is better for living in. 8} a fun activity: cards, bingo or b...

Morning in Hobart. Sullivans Cove, Hobart Waterfront. July 2013. As you know, the Internet is a wonderful place filled with the rich and varied treasures of the world holds (and RSS feeds.) 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... Winners: National Geographic Traveler 2013 Photo Contest Awkward Years Project Archaeology: The milk revolution Archbishop Tutu 'would not worship a homophobic God' How Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy Learned To Grow Up And Start Firing His Friends Monsters, Marvels, and the Birth of Science When Liberian Child Soldiers Grow Up The decline of privacy in open-plan offices Fallen Idols: Sometimes your favorite authors are not nice people

Winter in Hobart. Mount Wellington, as seen from Davey Street, Hobart. July 2013. Baby, it's COLD outside! The Chimney Sweeper: A little black thing among the snow , William Blake A little black thing among the snow, Crying "weep! 'weep!" in notes of woe! "Where are thy father and mother? say?" "They are both gone up to the church to pray. Because I was happy upon the heath, And smil'd among the winter's snow, They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe. And because I am happy and dance and sing, They think they have done me no injury, And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King, Who make up a heaven of our misery."

Hobart in the Winter. Geilston Bay. July 2013. Sunday Top Five ? TODAY'S Sunday Top Five? How about The Five Things I've Heard About All This Week ? Minecraft. Zombies. Minecraft. Moshi Monsters. Minecraft.

You're so vane. Corner of Brisbane and Elizabeth Street, North Hobart. July 2013. Q and A time and today I am Thinking about ... Feeling: Relaxed. Reading: After The Wall by Jana Hensel. Listening to: A history of the Vikings. Wondering: About how those Viking coped in the cold. Looking forward to: A few days of peace and quiet. Missing: Oddly enough, the early morning walks! Watching: Jen, Henry and Ezra become absorbed into the weird world of Minecraft . Why do they feel the need to bash those sheep to death with a mallet? Eating: Lots of soup. Making me happy: Doing my own thing!

It's always easy heading into work in Winter. East Derwent Highway, Geilston Bay. July 2013. No work for the next two weeks! HOORAH! Let's celebrate with a Q and A. The Wish List Meme, part two 26.) If you had to order from a kid's menu, what would you get? Do they have squid and chips? 27.) Do you speak any other languages? ? Nein. 28.) Do you use Twitter? Sparingly. You can find me here . 29.) Do you go onto YouTube? On occasions. Click here . 30.) Do you play Angry Birds? I've played a few rounds. Ezra, in particular, loves it. 31.) Do you like theme parties? I hate them. 32.) Do you like current cartoons? Some of them are okay. I quite like SpongeBob , Chowder and Super Hero Squad . 33.) Have you ever cried because you were so happy? I'm not sure. It doesn't sound like me. 34.) Who would you like to see in concert? Franz Liszt. 35.) Can you swim well? I can swim reasonably well. I wouldn't win many r...

Two icons: 10 Murray and Mount Wellington, as seen from the waterfront. June 2013. Wordless Wednesday.

Quite right Ezra. Quite right.

10,000 tastebuds? Can you count them all?

It's as cold as a loveless marriage out there!

Alien landing? Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart waterfront. June 2013. Sunday Stealing: The "What's Your Story" Meme 1. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten in public? Probably a witchetty grub . 2. If you had to go on an adventure, with elves, dwarves, or hobbits, who would you take and why? A rogue band of brigand trolls. 3. You are at a rural retreat lodge somewhere deep in Wisconsin or Canada. You are approached by a taxidermist who hands you a stuffed badger and asks you to put it in your lap. What do you do next? Say, "Yeah, cheers for that." 4. If you were given biscotti, would you prefer it with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Awkwardly apologise for not eating it because of an allergy to almonds. 5. In your opinion, who is the funniest man or woman alive today At the moment? I like Louis C.K. and Stewart Lee. 6. If you were given thirty seconds on television to say something, what would it be? "Stop wasti...

Mount Wellington in Winter. As seen from Battery Point. June 2013. Can you guess today's Sunday Top Five ? Phaseolus vulgaris. Cicer arietinum Pisum sativum. Lens culinaris. Pisum sativum.

The usual suspects. BONUS PIC! Here comes the hot-steppers!

Ramus. St David's Park, Hobart. July 2012. A belated Q and A, again stolen from Sunday Stealing: The 88 Meme: The Last Part ! 69. Song you're thinking of right now? Even the Bad Times Are Good by The Tremeloes. 70. Want someone back in your life? Not particularly… 71. Will tomorrow be better than today? It is extremely unlikely. 72. What's the colour of the underwear you are wearing? Black, with a white waistband. 73. Who was the first best friend that you ever had? I’ve never really been a ‘best friend’ type of fellow. If I am honest, it would probably be my wife. 74. How do you react when someone disappoints you? Usually with disappointment. There’s a resignation to the fact that people generally let you down. 75. Is there anyone who understands your sexuality? I’m not even certain that I understand it! 76. Are you a naturally happy person? Or is your happiness forced? I don’t ‘force’ those moments that I am happy (or appear to be), but I woul...