This will hurt me...

You can't beat leather for wear...

Sandstone bricks. St George's Terrace, Battery Point. October 2012. It's Henry's birthday party today (although his birthday isn't actually until Tuesday), but Sylvia Plath insisted that I pass one this poem... A Birthday Present , Sylvia Plath What is this, behind this veil, is it ugly, is it beautiful? It is shimmering, has it breasts, has it edges? I am sure it is unique, I am sure it is what I want. When I am quiet at my cooking I feel it looking, I feel it thinking 'Is this the one I am too appear for, Is this the elect one, the one with black eye-pits and a scar? Measuring the flour, cutting off the surplus, Adhering to rules, to rules, to rules. Is this the one for the annunciation? My god, what a laugh!' But it shimmers, it does not stop, and I think it wants me. I would not mind if it were bones, or a pearl button. I do not want much of a present, anyway, this year. After all I am alive only by accident. I would have killed m

Ja Welt, gibt es einen Weihnachtsmann!

Wind on the water. Sullivans Cove, Hobart. July 2012. High Rise by J.G. Ballard: a dystopian vision of modern life (written in the 1970s), featuring a stark urban landscape and exploring the ways in which technology can warp the human psyche in all sorts of perverted and nasty ways. Think Hobbes' State of Nature in an apartment block. Ho hum. C- . The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells: a dystopian vision of modern life (written in the 1890s). The tale of a shipwrecked fellow 'rescued' by a pair of exiled scientists endeavouring to create sentient beings from animals. Really though, the book is about God, pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity and the consequences of human interference with nature. Terrifying stuff! A- . Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie: convoluted little mystery. The setup? Wealthy eccentric invites four sleuths and four (suspected) to a dinner party and game of bridge. To no-one's surprise the eccentric dandy cops a kn

Henry leads the way!

Theme Thursday . Okay. 'ello SUNSHINE. ‘Owya goin’? Been busy? Yeah? Awright. Doin’ well? Doin’ well meself me old mukka. Doin’ well. Doin’ well. Doin’ well. Yep, doin’ well. Can’t complain can’t complain. Hip given me grief mind you. Shockin’ headache. Work given’ me trouble. Can’t complain though, can’t complain. Strugglin’ with me back still. Missus given’ me hell. Strugglin’ with the bills. Bills bills bills. Always bills. Can’t complain though, can’t complain. You? Yeah yeah. Yeah. Musn’t grumple.

Pssst. You. Yeah, You . Wanna buy a bridge?

Self portrait. Ross Patent Slipyard site, Napoleon Street, Battery Point. September 2012. Wordless Wednesday.

They're still learning the fine art of climbing on wet rocks...

Is it art? Mayfair Plaza car park, Sandy Bay. September 2012. Here is a crop of ten questions for today's Q and A chosen from a neat little randomiser that I designed myself... Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? At this point, I’m settling. That said, I generally believe in the things that I have to do on a day-to-day basis. I have no problem speaking my mind if work is not being done properly or I find it ethically or intellectually improper. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? My gut answer is to blame everyone else (i.e. “because everyone else is wrong!”). I don’t know, probably an inversion of this question might be easier to answer. A lot of people seem to enjoy things that don’t give me much pleasure (i.e. “dining out” or the never-ending parade of new “gizmos and gadgets”). I don’t know. I just like a nice beach, a bit of peace and quiet and something interesting to read. How old would you

Ezra does his best impression of a fennec fox. Now with added BONUS Henry impression of a fennec fox!

There are some very cruel people out there... Fairlight, Sydney. September 2012. 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... Gender equality is stymied by the persistent myth of merit. I have to say that I am bemused by the notion that the world ever rewarded merit? I've seen scant little evidence thus far... Clarke and Doyle explain how the financial system works (or not)... 15 Scathing Early Reviews of Classic Novels. I heartily endorse the slap give to The Catcher in the Rye ...

They can be quite pleasant when they are sitting still and quiet.

A pair of artists all right... The Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, Sydney. September 2012. Five MORE Words That We Need To Start Using In English! Boketto ( Japanese ) Do you ever find yourself gazing vacantly into the distance? The Japanese have a word for that. Glas wen ( Welsh ) Trust the Welsh to think of a succinct name for an insincere or mocking smile. Literally, it translates to "blue smile". Pana Po’o ( Hawaiian ) When you've lost something, and you're looking hard, do you find yourself scratching your head? If you do, then you've just pana po’o 'd! Kaelling ( Danish ) We all know this one. You know, that woman who publicly berates her children? A kaelling . Mamihlapinatapai ( Yaghan , Tierra del Fuego) You know that special look that is shared between two people when you are both wanting the other person to do something that you both want, but neither of you want to be the one to do it? That's mamihlapinatapai .