This will hurt me...

People heading home. Collins Street as seen from Campbell Street, Hobart. September 2010. In a rush so here's 20 questions! Were you born early, late or right on time? You would have to ask my mother about that. Chicken pox? Twice! Aged five and again aged 14. Good times… Allergic to bees? No. I have been stung and while it hurt, it went away reasonable quickly. How about strawberries? No. I can eat ‘em all day. Hereditary illness? Not yet, although there are a few predispositions there. Have you ever been in a car accident? Nothing important. We went through a fence once. That was funny. How much do you smoke? Smoking is for losers. How much do you drink? The odd cider now and then. Is your cholesterol normal? Who knows?!? One hopes… Have you ever run a marathon? Christ no. No good for the knees. And feet. And legs. And back. And heart. How many x-ray's have you had (not including dentist)? A few. Couldn’t tell you. Do you watch what you eat? I try and practice balance, but I ...

Empty rubbish bins waiting to be taken in along the East Derwent Highway in Geilston Bay. April, 2010. For some people, putting the bins out and bringing them back in constitutes the sum total of their exertions for the day. That thought depresses me. Yesterday was something of a victory though, I only had to righten three bins on the trip from the bus stop to home. That pleasure should depress me. Do you righten other people's bins when you walk up the footpath? If not, why not?

I found myself stuck on a traffic island, drivers to the left of me, cyclists to the right, when all of a sudden a bus comes hurtling straight at me and all I had to protect myself was this flimsy sign! Today's instalment of Saturday Festival of *someone else's* Poetry features an oldie, but a goodie. Love and Hate , by Ogden Nash Love is a word That is constantly heard Hate is a word that is not Love, I am told Is more precious than gold Love, I have heard Is hot But hate is the verb That to me is superb And love, just a drug On the mart For any kiddie from school Can love like a fool But hating, my boy Is an art

While journeying through the magnificent north west coast of Tasmania (the greatest coast in the known universe), we happened upon one of the world's great rail journeys: the Orient Express Don River Railway ! As you can see, Ezra spent a portion of his trip working on his dimples.

It's Monday, and I have taken the day off. That can only mean one thing: the Messiah is coming! I even have a sign on top of a van to prove it. That said, not even the Messiah can prevent the tardy motorist getting a parking ticket down here in Salamanca. Word on the street has it that Joseph and Mary's donkey - Nigel, I do believe was his name - was ticketed as they browsed through the ridiculous tat innovative arts and craft that you can find in the tourist district .

Three buildings in a line, all showcasing the progression of office buildings across the past 150 years. This was taken on the corner of Davey and Macquarie. How about a Sunday Top Five? My Top Five Teams In The Australian Football League! 1: Essendon . The Bombers remain my team. A return to the finals was a welcome relief from a few barren years. 2: Geelong . I did enjoy their win yesterday. The Cats go about it the right way. 3: Richmond . Maybe it's pity, but I still have a soft spot for the Tigers. That said, they used to be my default soft spot team, but their sustained mediocrity ineptitude - coming up to thirty years now - has whittled away what little respect pity I have for them. 4: ... 5: [ahem] To be honest, I pretty much dislike the rest. I'm drawing a blank for any teams that I might have a positive inclination towards. The best I can give you is a list of those I don't actively dislike ; step forward Melbourne , Fremantle , Adelaide and (depending on my m...

Mount Wellington as seen from Salamanca Place in the early afternoon. A clichéd shot, I know, but I see it most days of the week a few times, so you'll have to forgive me for taking the odd photograph. I have a confession to make: I am struggling. As this blog nears 1,500 posts, I find myself crunched by professional and personal demands. Alas, it seems that my creative output is drying up like a goldfish that has found itself outside of its bowl. I can [just about] maintain the photos, but am struggling with the text at the moment. It's not simply a matter of time - although I'll be honest and say that the constraints are real - but a complex mix of a dearth of energy , inspiration and opportunity . For that, I can only apologise, and offer my sincere hope that normal service will return as the weather brightens.

One of my very few shots that contain people (not spawned by me). Here we are on a chilly winter's afternoon waiting at the lights on Davey Street. Hats are indeed in order, and even dear little Ampelmännchen is starting to feel the chill! Alas, winter is departing! This morning, I awaited the bus amid glorious spring sunshine . Sure, there was snow on the mountain and it was four degrees when I arrived in town, but blue sky and a heartening sun can do a lot to cheer a man up.

You may have noticed that - children of mine aside - I rarely post photographs with people in them. I'm very shy about photographing the mug punters in the street, onlyI don't know why. So here you go, a standard street side view of Hobartians going about their business! I'd like to know what you think is going on here? A complex heroin importation scheme? An insurance scam? Ribald commentary on Beyonce's [ahem] ass ets? Footy tipping gamesmanship? Old school chums? Musings on the whereabouts of Haold Holt? C'mon people! Give a brother a hand...

Looking out. Lookunout. Lukunout. Lukunoot. Look a nut! Look an out! Luke an owl. Look leek soup. Loop-de-loop. The loop. The hoop. Circle. Perfect circle. Acquaintances and friends. They don't come in conveniant sizes. Round. Roundabout. Roustabout. How about you? How about me? You and me? about me? Nothing doing. Nothing? Not a stitch. He's a god now. He's dead now. And now. And now. The moment. BECOME. BEING. BECOMING. GONE. Opportunity. Window. Windowless mirror. Image. Image is everything. Anything goes. Going. Going. Gone. Forever. Permanence. Forever. Never. Ever. Together. Two of us. Going. Nowhere. On our own. Own. Possession. Loss. Empty. MT. MG. Racing green. Leaf. Idea. Idea leaf. Imperative. Mission. Plan. Master. Slave. Morality. Ammorality. Herd. Sheep. Flock. Frock. Jesus. Christ. Right. Wrong. Write on. Write off. Right off the planet. Right now. Right then. How about you? You? You? You and me? NEVER! Together. Pieces. Puzzle. Quandry. Quantity. Quality. Qu...

Someone has made a run for it at the traffic lights at the corner of Davey and Murray, but it appears that they didn't make it. I once saw a fellow walk straight into heavy traffic here one morning - we're talking the busiest and most dangerous it gets here in Hobart - and somehow miraculously avoid being squashed. He did fit the profile of someone with comorbid mental health/alcohol and other drug affected (and believe me, I've had far more experience with that crowd that I'd care to relive), which would explain his not following my advice against wading into heavy traffic (and evading my grasp of his shoulder). Which reminds me, I am often given pause for thought on why the socially isolated and [ostensibly] mentally unbalanced , are drawn to me when it comes to public transport. Now, you know the ones that I’m talking about, the flotsam and jetsam of our society. The people that ride the buses for somebody to talk to and because they have little else to do. Those ind...