Push

Sometimes it's only your mind that holds you back. By imagining things are harder than they actually are, or worrying too much about the consequences of failure, you can easily think yourself out of achieving whatever it is you want.

But if you can control your mind, and force yourself to think of nothing but what needs to be done, and how you're going to do it, then you're already a long way to making it.

And once you've controlled your mind, you'll find you're halfway through the move before you even realise you've started. Which makes it that much easier to see the move through until completion.

And when in doubt, you can always try being more awesome.

Day 56 - Photo 56
Dark Rock

Illumination

Sometimes it's good to look at things in a different light. On a literal level, you often need more light in order to properly navigate your way around the obstacles in your path. However, the same could be said for the metaphorical sense.

When you find that the way ahead isn't very clear, changing your point of view, or raising your vision, can often lead to a much better understanding of the path forward. Approach it from a different angle, try lowering your point of view, or just walk in backwards and hope for the best.

In some cases though, less light is better. You may need to focus on something ahead, and not get distracted by the wonders either side of the path.

Low light also heightens the other senses. Smell, touch, and hearing are all increased (or appear to be) if sight is gone. Don't believe me? Turn all the lights out, close all the curtains, and sit on the toilet with the door closed. Now close your eyes (after reading the next bit anyway). I'll bet you can hear that cricket outside much more clearly. You can probably feel the cold tiles under your feet, and can smell....actually, probably better not to smell. Feel your heartbeat? How about your breathing? That's just the effect of low light.

If something as basic as light can have such a profound effect on our senses, then maybe the world we're experiencing isn't accurate at all? Maybe we should be feeling life, or tasting life, rather than looking at it?

Day 55 - Photo 55
Dapple

Rotationism

Not entirely sure how this rambling thought will go as a philosophy on life in general, but fingers crossed it's at least interesting.

Rotationism is something I'm making up as I go along, but I like to think of life as a wheel. A journey which goes in repetitious phases. When you're at the top of the wheel, everything is going well, and you're generally enjoying yourself. This phases lasts a decent amount of time, before you pick up speed heading towards the darker side of life. You quickly pass through a phase of general averageness, before plateauing at a base level.

From this base level, you begin to lose speed, climbing ever more slowly towards the top of the spin. You'll get closer and closer to the peak of happiness, before starting the downward journey again.

Naturally, you're usually experiencing the effects of several spins at once, all of which are running at a different period. Some cycles, like daily mood changes, happen relatively quickly. Others, like life in general, will happen over a much longer period of time. The cumulative effect of these can result in some super-happy phases, a lot of 'not bad but not good' phases, and the occasional low point.

Of course, you could argue that rotationism implies each of us is simply 'waiting our turn' for the various opportunities and disappointments life gives out. As someone is done with a particular feeling or emotion, it gets passed along for the next person to use. Now there's a thought. Think you're the happiest/saddest/loneliest/prettiest person on earth? Sorry, someone else has been there before, you're just having your turn with that emotion.

Or maybe rotationism means that we collectively need to be in balance, in order for our lives to run true. That the good needs to be balanced by the bad, the happy by the sad, the sane by the mad.

But if we're all striving to achieve the best possible place on the wheel, what about those who get left in the bearings, or are too busy clinging on to the spokes to worry about getting a better position. Or even those who don't want to move from their comfy spot inside the rim, and are happy to go around with the same outlook again and again.

I think rotationism means we're usually flying around too fast to notice the tracks we're leaving, or the ground we're covering. That small rock you just bounced over, there's a whole world of things going on under there, if only there were time to look. And that deep rut you've worn into the path? That's caused massive problems for untold beings. The possum that won't cross the line because of the smell, or the bushwalker who would otherwise have died without your track to follow.

Whatever your view, remember to apply the brakes gently, increase the work rate when needed, and take time out occasionally.

Day 54 - Photo 54
(pre)Rinse

Great minds

If you were to ask someone to describe how a park swing moves, you'd probably expect a fairly basic response. Something like "in a bit of a circle", "it swings back and forth", or possibly "like a pendulum".

Unless, of course, you asked two engineers. Not content with simply waving a hand back and forth and saying "a bit like that", an engineer would set about describing the motion mathematically.

That's not the sad bit though. The sad part is that even if an engineer cannot remember exactly what the formulae should be, they will attempt to work it out from first principles.
And if you've got two of them, each engineer only encourages the other to take it that little bit further.

Until you end up with this.

Day 53 - Photo 53
Sandy Derivatives

Rush job

Leaving things to the last minute is a way of guaranteeing your day will be more exciting. Or in this case, your night.

Day 52 - Photo 52
Sunset mist

Silent knight

You can plan things all you like, but at the end of the day, it's the ability to change those plans based on circumstance and mood that really helps you through life.

Day 51 - Photo 51
Palming off

Hidden subtext

A lot of what we do and say has a second meaning. A message that only a few people will understand, and that fewer will acknowledge.

And so you learn to look for those little hidden meanings. To uncover the secret truth behind the apparent normality.

This is my reality, get your own.

Day 50 - Photo 50
Unrealism

Substitute

Everyone does it. If you don't quite have the right equipment for a job, or don't have a proper grip on reality, you substitute. Something that's almost the same, but not quite. Or that will do the job, even if it means a bit more work.

So when I saw photo's of a climbing buddy scaling some waterfalls in Canada, I instantly started looking for something similar here. Except the frosts are gone now, so no ice climbing. Instead, I'm making do. By pretending I'm really small. And the curtains are really cold.

Day 49 - Photo 49
(Re)Placement

Bushed

Beat, exhausted, tired, fatigued, kaput, wearied, worn out, buggered, knackered, burnt out, drained, drowsy, weary, finished, pooped, sleepy, destroyed.

Day 48 - Photo 48
Sleep now

Downward Spiral

Ever have those days where you think things are going badly, and then it just goes down?

Thankfully, days come to an end, which is a very nice high point to finish on.

Day 47 - Photo 47
Gurgled

The sweetest thing

A bunch of grapes, half eaten. A timely reminder that there are only so many opportunities in life. Only a limited number of chances at happiness. Sometimes you'll reach for that chance, only to find the bitter pip inside that fouls the mood.

Sometimes though, the instance is truly delicious.

Day 46 - Photo 46
In Vino

Pleasantly suprised

How do you know if you'll like something, unless you try it?

Day 45 - Photo 45
Mob Mental

I'll take a large one

If anyone knows of a more convenient way to carry stored energy, could they please let me know? Preferably in a form fit for human consumption. Swallowing these buggers is doing nothing.

Day 44 - Photo 44
Charge

Neeeeeerrrrrddd

The siren has sounded. You have been warned.

I know it's probably a bit of a long stretch, but at 2:30am this is as coherent as my mind gets.

Does anyone remember that bit from Star Wars? Where Luke is flying down the tunnel of the Death Star, ready to shoot his load into its waiting orifice? No?

Well this shot reminds me of that tunnel. Unfortunately it's curtains at the end of this one.

Day 43 - Photo 43
Wamp Rats

Pillow Porn

Honestly, is there anything better than just dozing in bed with a cool breeze blowing through the window?

I'll let you be the judge of that.

Day 42 - Photo 42
Snuggled

The road ahead

The way forward is sometimes a little unclear. It'd be nice to have a path as nicely setout as this one.

Clean and straight, with bright spots along the way.

But then would life be as exciting?

Day 41 - Photo 41
Forge

Proud

Ever wondered why those little bits of rock remain in the middle of the ocean, when those around them have fallen away?

Me neither

Day 40 - Photo 40
Impression

Onionspired

It's a bad pun, but the food itself was lovely.

Day 39 - Photo 39
Dishy

Rushing

You know those days where you seem to spend forever doing things, and then make the mistake of sitting down? And then waking up 4 hours later wondering why it's dark outside?

I used to look on those days as a bit of a waste, because those 4 hours could have been used to do something productive (like come up with a way to prevent the entanglement of washing inside the machine, or possibly deducing the existence of a lower order of consciousness).

Today though, I felt much better after the lie down. So today wasn't a waste at all.

Day 38 - Photo 38
Excite

Or something more.....

Is this all there is? Is there more to it? Is something else about to happen?

Week End

The end of a week is something very special. Don't get me wrong, the week itself is pretty cool. But when you get to the weekend, it's something else.

This shot was taken at the start of my weekend, after a round of golf with my brother. So far, the weekend is pretty tops. With more cool stuff to do for the remaining few days. And then an exciting week ahead.

Day 36 - Photo 36
Up

Get Smart

What is smart? Is smart being able to recite facts and figures off the top of your head? Is smart knowing where to go to find those facts and figures? Is smart knowing what to do with those facts and figures once you've got them? Or is smart being the one who came up with all those facts and figures....

.....you're smart, so you tell me.....

Day 35 - Photo 35
Red

Desire

It's something we all have. Everyoe applies it to something different, but it's there.

Our desires also vary according to our mood and situation. Ask someone who hasn't worked for a while, and they'll say they desire employment. Ask the same person what they desire after 3 years in a job, and the response is usually "a day off".

Tonight, this is my desire. To achieve a heightened state of incoherent thought through the repeated consumption of some strong alcohol.

But desire can also be seen as temptation. Tonight will not be the night I give in to temptation. Tonight I have resisted. Because I also desire a healthy lifestyle.

Day 34 - Photo 34
Below Half Empty

Butterfly effect

Normally people relate this particular theory to the weather, or evolution, or the ambiguity of our souls. Ponder, if you will, the effect the existence of golf balls.

Without golf balls, there wouldn't be golf. You might argue that the same sport could be played with tennis balls, or volleyballs, or even those ridiculous fit-ball things. But without the special design of a golf ball, the courses would be much shorter. If you watch baseball, cricket, hurling, or hockey, you'll know that 100m is the best you can reasonably hope to hit the ball. And that's if you get it perfect.

So Golf now has much shorter holes. Which means the courses are shorter. Which means you need much less property on which to have the courses. If you assume each course loses half its area (not unreasonable when a par 5 is now 250m instead of 490m), then suddenly there's a heck of a lot more real estate out there. Which means denser living overall, less commuting, more productivity, and a generally greener lifestyle.

Come to think of it, what's the carbon footprint of golf? There's all these synthetic balls, grass which has to be mown very regularly, all the clubs, bags, buggies, clubhouses, and marginalisation of women. Which leads to one heck of a footprint, before you consider the international travel a lot of the professional players undertake.

I didn't intend this to be a rant about golf. I actually enjoy playing the sport occasionally. But if the balls disappeared from the face of the planet, and we forgot how to make more, I think it would change a great many things.


Day 33 - Photo 33
Balls

Hit the Lights!

Ever wondered why the power companies tell you to turn your appliances off at the wall when you're not using them? It's about saving power right?

Wrong. When you leave those appliances on at night, and leave the room, their little lights come out to play. They starting careening around the room at breakneck speeds, chasing each other and practising formation streaking.

How do I know all this? I got this photo of them doing it. They, of course, deny ever doing this. But once I showed them the photo, they had to tell me the truth.

What do your appliance lights get up to when you're not looking?

Day 32 - Photo 32
Illicit Illumination