I can make it to lunch.

Bees get an added buzz in cocaine-fuelled dance.

Sure we’ve done some very weird things in the name of science, but feeding crack to bees really takes the cake on ‘out there’! I’m seeing a line of crack honey next – forget the sugar high, we want to block us some dopamine and serotonin receptors too!

You are the dancing bee, strung out high on esctasy
Dancing bee, slipping crack into honey oh yeah
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that bee, high off his head, better not OD

Clearly I’m cranky. It’s Christmas Eve, I’ve not bought all my presents yet, I’m short on sleep, and I’m at work… and the next door office is blasting Abba. Blasting. Abba. That's a new one, eh?

I can make it to lunch… I can make it to lunch…

A morning.

Walked around Fremantle a bit after dropping Char off at work. I haven't really had much opportunity to shoot anything here since the middle of the year. And as most you you already know, I'm not the earliest of risers!

I like the mornings here in Perth, especially on the weekends - it just feels like a weekend, not just another day. You see people getting breakfast, people cycling, walking the dog... Sure we get all of that in Singapore too, but it's somehow different here. I'm inclined to think it's because people tend to take their time as opposed to the rush and bustle of Singapore life.



One of the signs that summer's upon us. Ice cream in the morning! That looks like a decent dollop of creamy goodness, eh? Makes me nostalgic for the roadside ice cream vendor with that weird multi-coloured blend of ice cream haphazardly piled into a slice of multi-coloured bread.

I have to eat that when I'm in Singapore. Please tell me it's still a dollar!



Sitting at the coffeeshop, watching the world go by. Arguably the province of artists, old people and Frenchmen. I've got this little vision of living in a place like Freo. I'd get up early and walk to the coffeeshop around the corner, grab a cuppa with the morning paper and watch the world go by for a little while, then whipping out my laptop and write a book while sipping coffee and occasionally waving hello to the familiar faces that go by.

Well, someday, eh?

I like the old fellow in this picture - there's something about him that makes me think of Winston Churchill... the squint maybe?



I really like this picture. It's the 'in the moment' capture of her expression and posture that really speak to me.



Took this shot just when I got out of the car. Seriously, you can't argue with that kind of blue in the sky. That's just beautiful. You can just see Freo starting to wake up and the shops just starting to open. There's a serene beauty in that calm solitude before the storm that will descend on Freo in a matter of hours. I rather enjoy it actually.



One of the many little churches in Freo. I really like these older churches with their old brick walls and architecture. They've got a certain character that understatedly screams peace and reverence that you don't get from some of these new glass and steel constructs that they're calling churches nowadays. A certain church in Singapore springs to mind.

Sure bricks and mortar don't make a church, but there's a certain reverence that comes through in many of these old church buildings. Glass, steel and concrete don't quite carry the same vibe of timelessness and dignity that some older churches have.

Even though we shouldn't overemphasise the building, the very nature of the building lends an unspoken affirmation of the building's purpose. Prisons are grey and foreboding, government buildings lend towards stately, museums strive for a certain gracefulness... and churches should ideally create an air of reverence that's inherrent in the building's design.

I for one don't find some of these new modern churches with their fancy office-buidling-like glass and concrete and lecture theatre-like church halls at all condusive to prayer and meditation.

Still no mini-village pics.

I can never get over how beautiful the beaches are here, compared to the yellow-brown water and coarse sand we get back home. I doubt I'll ever head to a Singapore beach under my own volition after seeing these beaches in Australia. This is a beach at Hall's Head, just a couple minutes south from the Mandurah city centre.



Shot this at the miniature village. It looks much like a doorway to some hidden garden, eh? Guess what's behind the door? You guessed it... the 'secret garden'. Seriously, the imagery might be apt, but there's only so many 'secert gardens' behind artfully overgrown wooden doors that my lame-o-meter can take.

Nice door though.



And beyond the door of lame secrecy we find... A random tree with some odd shaped fruit that looks suspiciously like macadamias... with star shaped spikes! Well, at least I think it's a fruit. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, after all I probably am! My intimate knowledge of horticulture begins and ends with what veggies I eat.

Still, it is a marvel of creation. I'm continually amazed at the sheer diversity of life that God has placed upon this earth.




I like little wooden bridges like these. They remind me of the little red wooden bridge over the pond in the quadrangle of my primary school. I spent many recesses catching tadpoles in a little paper cup in that pond. Even contrived to fall into it once.

I've got a huge sentimentality for my childhood - things always seemed much simpler then. You were less jaded, didn't have responsibilities, and everyone was your friend. Things would be simpler if we all just got along hey? Well, we can only imagine.



Note the little eski in Char's hand in the bridge pic? That carried our picnic lunch. Smoked salmon, olives, cheese, smoked oysters and crackers. Might not sound like much, but it gets really filling. Going for a picnic at the beach later today too. Hey, it's summer! Time to hit the beach and soak up the sun!

Note to self: put down camera and start eating when girlfriend gives you the 'feed me' glare!

Later all! I'm off to the beach!

Flower power.

Took some shots when we visted Abingdon Miniature Village down in Mandurah. It's a pretty place, but spoiled slightly by the omnipresent mozzies. Seriously, Pulau Tekong's commando mosquitoes will be given a run for their money here. I kid you not.



Still, it was a pleasant afternoon. The gardens are immaculately maintained and the lush grass practically screams for you to plonk yourself onto mother nature's bosom and soak up the sun. We had ourselves a little picnic, and naturally tried to squeeze in a little photography too!



I know it's a mini village and all, but what really captured me were the many flowers that practically perfumed the place. There's something about the flower that hints at some almost ethereal sexual tension. There's something about those vibrant hues, languidly splayed petals and tantalisingly faint bouquet that almost screams seduction. No wonder flowers are the common symbol of heartfelt love and affection - among other things.



More pictures coming soon!

Listen up, bitch.

You're a selfish, self-absorbed, narcissistic, manipulative bitch and you expect sympathy from me? Seriously, what the hell are you smoking? I've read the post. 'You'll always love me?' Please! You don't deserve love. You deserve far worse than you've been getting.

Let's review the facts:

You took my money whenever you had the chance. When asking didn't work, you pleaded. When that didn't work, you begged and promised. When that didn't work, you stole. I've never brought this up before, but when you take someone's atm card and go on a spending spree without their knowledge, that's called theft. That's not something I'm going to forgive you for. You owe me, and I intend to collect.

You were unfaithful. Sure you say that you haven't slept with anyone, but there has been hints to the contrary - dare we trust you? When the distance became difficult, you went off and dated one of my best friends for a month. I had to wait a year for him to pluck up the courage to tell me and apologise, and I forgave him for having the balls to do that. You never did; I'm not going to forgive you.

And that's not counting the kisses and cuddles. Remember your ex-boss at the restaurant? Or that birthday party I missed when you were reported 'flaunting' that guy to mutual friends? Or all that flirtation with that bouncer fellow? You don't love people; you play them to get what you want, and that's just disgusting.

You neglected me for over half a year. That's right, 'neglected' - and it's your word, not mine. What did you expect after that? That I come back to you after having minimal contact for months? That I'd still care even though you forgot my birthday until a full month after, lied to me about sending gifts, never picked up the phone, and didn't call or write me?

You're a drugged up alcoholic party nut. Maybe you can even drink yourself into thinking that I care. I stopped caring ages ago - right around the time you forgot my birthday, in fact. I even told you that it was over, yet you persisted in thinking that we were an item for months. I'd think that 'we should go our separate ways' and 'I don't have feelings for you any longer' would be clear enough, even if you're on the booze train.

And what do you do to get my attention after being broken up for months? You MSN me and say that you're pregnant! What do you expect from me? That I'd keep my mouth shut and not tell your folks? Or people who can help you? Then you come back and insult me for doing the right thing. Believe me, I wasn't being all nice and chummy during that conversation - I was playing you for information, and you walked right into it.

To top things off, you offer to sleep with me for old times' sake. What the hell? Lets go right ahead and add 'slut' and 'whore' to the list of grievances. That's what you are aren't you? Someone's got to support that lavish lifestyle after all. Sugar daddies want a little sugar of their own, don't they?

Let's get this clear. You wasted two years of my life, my time, my effort and my money. You drained me out emotionally. You played me for a fool, and I admit that I was played - for a while.

I thought I could change you for the better, clearly I was wrong. Let's be clear, I never loved you enough. You were always going to be the rebound that I settled for and was too stupid to get rid off immediately. Trust me, I've learned my lesson.

Today I'm dating a girl who loves me. She's smart, funny, and relates on a level that you could never reach. She's a thousand times more than the person that you are, and I love her very much - millions more times than I cared about you. You don't deserve love. You deserve to be exposed for the cheap shallow fraud you are. The person who is never truly happy because they've got nothing inside to live for - just an empty shell that's terrified of letting others see just how empty she really is. I might pity you, but you're not worth my pity.

So here's to the one year anniversary of one of the best decisions of my life.

Good riddance.

And now the real work begins.

With a sense of unerring inevitability, we can now pause and reflect as America celebrates (or bemoans, if you're racist, stupid or rabidly Republican) the first black man in the White House. Who didn't see this coming? It's history making to the nth degree and the vindication of the Civil Rights movement which spawned such exemplaries as Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr.

But race is not the issue today, even though it is a giant leap for racial equality. Today's issue is the platform upon which Barrack Obama has conducted his entire presidential campaign - the need for change.

Forget novelty, racial bias, the 'cult of personality', inexperience and all the other criticisms tossed Obama's way recently. To my mind, Obama won simply because he recognised something fundamentally wrong with the American nation, and demanded change. He's promised a government that doesn't try to solve every problem - and has acknowledged that they realistically can't solve every problem -but will do its utmost to solve the issues plagueing America and the larger world. Now that's a far more realistic premise than the somewhat vague Republican promise of a 'stronger America' and 'future good times'.

To be sure, Barrack Obama is an icon just by winning the election and he deserves the celebratory fireworks and accolades; but once the red, white and blue streamers settle, the real work begins. The work of rebuilding a country battered by mismanagement. The work of helping stabilise and grow a national and global economy teetering precariously on the edge. The work of creating a better future for tomorrow. Obama's legacy will not be measured by simple election victory, but by tomorrow. The crafting of that legacy starts now.

It's tempting to think that everything's all well and good now that the presidency's won. That's obviously not the case. Obama's not the messiah. Change won't happen overnight. The mistakes of the Bush administration will take a lot more than a simple election to erase. I dare say it might take Obama's entire term.

I don't envy him his job. There's the issue of climate change, the staggering economy, healthcare and education, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the war on terror... I doubt any president anywhere has ever stepped into the Oval Office with that many diverse major issues hanging in the rafters.

Sure Obama's got his shortcomings. He's inexperienced, he's been accused of being passive, he's been accused of playing politics (what a shocker!). He's not the messiah, but right now he's the best man for the job. In a sense, we've all bought into Obama's call for change we can believe in. For better or ill, he carries - directly or indirectly - the hopes and dreams of millions globally.

Change isn't something that just happens. You have to want it, believe in it, and work your damnedest best to get it despite all the rocks that will come your way. Change is supremely hard, but change is precisely what we need.

God be with you in your presidency.

Things that tickled me in the last 15 minutes.

By the way, do the current American elections strike anyone as being almost Star Wars-ish? Seriously, we've got:


1. Archiac irrelevant government



2. Kindly-looking (somewhat dubious?) old fellow



3. Damsels who cause distress



4. Evil flunkies in the wings



5. Inexperienced hope for the future



6. Strangely ambigious outside forces



7. Draws satrical comparisons to Monty Python



Yes, I know I'm a little behind. I only just got introduced to the punditkitchen webbie, okay? (Thanks Ame!)

Thoughts on thinking

The brain is at work 24/7. There's no point where you aren't thinking. Unconscious thought processes are at work even if you don't recognise it. Every action, thought and emotion is regulated by conscious or unconscious thoughts.

Kant famously said 'I think, thus I am'. Existential questions aside, my layman's interpretation of that statement is 'who and what I am is shaped by how and what I think'. I find that I sometimes fall short in my relationships and life endevours precisely because I'm not thinking (or thinking throughly enough). This needs to change.

I've been lazy and relied on my emotional reactions as opposed to my reasoned thoughts. I know I haven't been the best I can be lately, and I've hurt some people because of my failure to think and to get out of my comfort zone. I'm truly sorry that I've hurt you, and I am making a commitment to rectify this problem and hopefully make amends.

My action plan/points to remember for change are as follows

1. Be aware that I am thinking

2. Be aware of what I am thinking, consciously and unconsciously

3. Recognise self-absorbed/self-focused 'tunnel vision' and avoid it

4. Consider things rationally, systematically and realistically

5. Recognise my emotions, but not allow myself to be controlled by them

6. Do not stick with a single way of thinking, but look at the issue from different perspectives

7. Think of how my message will be received by listeners

8. Think quickly, thoroughly and decisively

9. Stop being automatically defensive and argumentative because it stops me from thinking

10. Do not think in extremes or absolutes

Green, green, aquamarine!

Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure this is accurate...

you are mediumauqamarine #66CDAA

Your dominant hues are cyan and green. Although you definately strive to be logical you care about people and know there's a time and place for thinking emotionally. Your head rules most things but your heart rules others, and getting them to meet in the middle takes a lot of your energy some days. Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it. Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Voting for change and other brief political thoughts.

Barrack Obama inspires me. If I were American, I'd vote for him. Nevermind that his policies make sense and that he's argubly the best man for the job. I'd vote for Obama because he's an inspiration, not just because what he says and does are inspirations.

Let's be honest. Politicians rarely inspire. People I know often vote based on self interest and what the politician or political party can do for him or her. Kennedy famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." I believe Obama is almost Kennedy-esque in his inspiring power; a Winston Churchill for our time.

The last time a politican inspired me was when I met the grand old man of Singapore's political opposition, the late Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam along Battery Road, where he was speaking soap-box style about personal freedoms and the state of the Singaporean economy in the 'nanny-state'. Here's a 80-year-old man, so convinced in his message that he's preaching at street corners. This same man took ten minutes of his time to personally speak to me - then a 18-year-old punk - about the state of the nation and how even though he couldn't do much about it, I could.

That's inspiring, same way Obama's inspiring. Here's a black presidential candidate who's talking about making a difference. I'd vote for that.

To those politcally indifferent close-minded friends of mine, please understand that who becomes the next American president will impact your lives and livelihood. As much as you might dislike it, your economy is pegged to the American economy. There is a world outside your oyster shell, please don't be indifferent to it. We live in a democratic nation, it's your consitutional right and your privilege to vote. You don't want to be responsible for ushering in a tragedy of Palin-ian proportions. Don't fuck it up.

(Sorry, couldn't resist the Palin comment :)

Hmmm...

Looked for jobs this morning:

Psych/counselling-related jobs in Perth: 4

Psych/counselling-related jobs in Sydney: 75

Psych/counselling-related jobs in Melbourne: 63

I think I might have to move once I graduate!

Cyber bullying: a reaction

Spent yesterday compiling information on cyber bullying for my work, and I find that a lot of mainstream education and approaches to tackling this issue are off the mark.

First, there's a lack of empirical research. Second, what research we have is largely sketchy and utilises research methodologies which may not work online. Thirdly, interventions for cyber bullying are mostly adapted real-world bullying interventions. Hey boys and girls, net dynamics are not a facsimile of real world interactions, different kettle of fish here!

The sources I've read (mostly federal, state and education-based sites) suggest that the a cyber-bullied young person will (1) appear depressed or have mood swings, (2) cry or have nightmares, (3) have increased antisocial behaviour, and (4) spend a lot of time on the computer. While this may be true, remember that the average teen very often displays some or all of these 'symptoms'. Also note that the only 'symptom' related to the net at all is 'spending a lot of time on the computer'. Common sense dictates that amount of computer usage isn't necessarily related to type of computer usage. Obviously these 'identifying symptoms' need to be better defined.

Suggested intervention strategies to manage cyber bullying include putting the computer in a public area, in-school education and parental monitoring of internet activity.

To be fair, the intervention and identification measures are responsible and make a certain amount of sense. But in my opinion, they are also off the mark. Education and watchfulness do work, but they fail to take into account the insidious nature of cyber bullying and how net dynamics function.

In the real world, bullying often has finite consequences with practical immediate solutions. But the net doesn't work that way. Insults, remarks and comments don't go away, but remain on the net for anyone with a search engine to discover. In the real world a hurtful comment can be forgotten. But on the net, the victim can unfortunately continually re-read the comments or remarks if they choose - or sometimes have it thrown in their faces - thereby continually re-wounding a wounded psyche.

Another issue is that the net has a global scope. An Australian teen can easily encounter scathing remarks made about a 14 year old Brazilian. This scope potentially expands the victim's degree of humiliation. The feeling that "everyone knows" is profoundly hurtful and damaging. Doubly so because on the net, literally everyone can know.

The net's anonymity also undermines trust and can create fear, anxiety and distrust in persons. It is difficult to trust someone when someone you 'trusted' posted your deep dark secrets on the net just to hurt you. I don't think we need to go very far to consider the potential effect cyber bullying has on young persons. Remember this and its fallout?

I would say that cyber bullying has far more severe negative outcomes than 'real world bullying', especially among the young.

Educators and support organisations need to recognise that an internet-based problem needs to have an internet-sensitive solution. You can't fix the problem if you don't completely understand the problem. You can't accurately research the problem if don't take net dynamics into account. Cyber bullying is a problem that doesn't end just because you regulate internet usage, new solutions need to be found and more research needs to be done.

I really want to try and research the role of the net/net usage on psychological health when I do my masters.

Where is the love?

Stories like this make me wonder.

Australian social and mental health services are stretched thin. Too often it seems that there's more problems out there than we can solve, and as the above news article shows, sometimes the way we try to help doesn't really help.

Trying to refer a client to the appropriate mental health or social services can be a bitch. Too many services are taxed to the point where it's very often 'first in, best dressed'. I've been turned away too often when trying to link a client to services he or she needs.

I know a kid who's been homeless for the past two months. He's been moved from shelter to shelter, sometimes three times in a single week. Sure he can be made a 'ward of the state', but that takes time, and time is not something this kid has. He needs a roof over his head now, not after the courts deliberate for a month.

There's a childhood sexual abuse survior who sat on the therapy waiting list for a month because she wasn't 'high priority'. Hello the system? It may have happened four-ish years ago, but how 'high priority' does it have to be before it gets around to her turn? When she slits her wrist?

Don't get me wrong, people in the helping professions do good work. The problem lies in the lack of services, or in the lack of appropriate services. In the short term, we can try to promote existing services within our communities so that people are aware of them. The obvious long term solution is to increase investment to either expand existing services, or to create new services. Too many people in need slip through the cracks.

Short-term goals.

October 2008

1. Start writing again
2. Get gym membership and start exercising seriously
3. Read a good book
4. Spend more time with family
5. Take more photographs
   

November 2008

1. Get accepted into part-time psychology masters
2. Get a new job that pays at least $43k/annum
3. Learn to speak more clearly and accurately
   

December 2008

1. Open a first home buyer savings account and start saving
2. Take a short break in regional WA
3. Lose fat, gain muscle
   
4. Play in MtG pro-tour qualifiers
   

2009

1. Buy a new car
2. Move out if finances permit
3. Take a holiday interstate
   
4. Improve photography skills
5. Finish writing book
6. Maintain weight at 85 kilos by end of year
7. Learn a new skill
   

Education investment.

The former Carpenter government was frequently accused of not investing enough in state education. About three weeks back, the new liberal government started looking at raising teachers' pay. It's a good start, and raising teachers' pay is 'investing in education', but that's insufficient.

Every day I meet kids who don't engage in school. Will a pay rise suddenly create a better crop of teachers? I doubt it. Simple fact: for many kids, school sucks. They don't engage in school because they're not interested in school.

The girlfriend commented yesterday that some kids should be allowed to 'do their own thing' and explore areas that interest them because normal education holds them back. That's a brilliant idea and some schools do that. Problem is, those schools are "alternative education" schools with limited post-school pathways. "Mainstream education" on the other hand doesn't allow much leeway to 'do their own thing'. Sure there's electives and structured workplace learning, but based on the number of disengaged kids I see, that's not enough.

Interest improves engagement, which will improve achievement. Higher achievement will have knock-on effects for discipline, self esteem, and achievement in other subjects. It's pure common sense. I'm not talking about completely revamping the academic programme, I'm saying maybe an hour or two a week.

If the state wants to invest in education, then give schools the money and the leeway to let students 'do their own thing' within that school environment.

Over-considering wastes time.

Its ridiculous how some people are so trapped by the legal and moral rammifications of an action that they let opportunity pass them by. Sure there's a lot of grey areas that require careful negotiation, but most situations don't allow for navel-gazing.

Take today. We're bound by a duty of care to disregard case manager/client privacy if it impacts on a client's safety and well being. My supervisor was so paralysed by the legalities of informing the school about a client that I ended up spending an hour twiddling my thumbs waiting for her to wrestle her way to a satisfactory outcome.

A lot of things could have happened to the client in that hour, but thankfully nothing did. When my supervisor finally got around to telling the school's youth worker, she discovered that the school already knew. How's that for time well spent?

I believe that when faced with a dilemna, you've got to take decisive action and do what's right, even if 'right' is unpopular and difficult. Take today's example. The right thing to do is inform the school, even if it means potentially losing that case manager/client rapport. What's imperative is getting the client the appropriate assistance, even if he hates you afterwards.

Sitting around considering the 'what ifs' doesn't accomplish anything. Char is fond of reminding me of that line in Batman Begins: "what I do defines me". That's exactly right. Sometimes you have to do the right thing in a timely manner and take opportunity as it comes. That's something that I try to cultivate in myself, even if the choices are hard and may hurt people.

Teenage sex.

Call me a hypocrite, but we HAVE to address teenage sex. I counselled a kid yesterday who was freaking out because he might have gotten someone pregnant and contracted an STD - and he's not the only one. One of my clients just had an abortion, and another's going to have an abortion. Then there's the childhood sexual abuse girl who flings herself at any willing penis, and she's just fourteen.

Abortion is not the solution to the problem: this mindset must change. We must teach our teens that abortion isn't 'just another contraceptive' and that sex 'isn't just another thing'. And preaching 'safe sex' doesn't help either.

On one hand, I think contraception is a useful and essential tool. On the other, contraception devalues sex. The illusion of 'no consequences' has turned sex from a sacred loving act into 'just another thing'. Sex is not something to brush aside, it is an integral part of the human experience and needs to be treated with the respect and dignity that it deserves. I really believe that.

Forget preaching abstinence or precautionary measures, lets talk about sexual responsibility. Sure it might be 'responsible' to wear a condom. But is it responsible to even have sex in the first place? And when you have sex, are you treating sex with the respect that it deserves? Are you treating your partner with the dignity that he or she deserves? Are you having sex because it is an expression of your respect and love for that person, or is it purely self gratification?

We need to be sexually responsible adults, and we need to teach that to our teenagers.

EDIT: If you're in WA, the Family Planning WA site is a good source of information and services.

Redneck boy needs smacking

Let's ignore the whole debate about Palin's suitability as McCain's running mate for a minute. Let's even overlook the whole pregnant daughter debacle and the kind of questions its raising in Oz and focus on something else: the daughter's boyfriend.

Sure you might be a teenage 'redneck', but posting this sort of drivel ought to get you shot. What kind of person goes around talking about his life and girl in that fashion? Do you even love this girl? It's people like you who give us blokes a bad name. Man up, you redneck prick! Take some responsibility and do the right thing.

Sure you might have made the post private NOW; but it got out, mate. If I were Sarah Palin, I'd crucify you. Just the perfect thing to kick off the campaign for vice-presidency.

The MySpace page looks nice and clean now. Oh look, Bristol is your life and you even want to meet John McCain! Oh you freshly minted Republican darling, you! If that doesn't reek of spin, I don't know what does. I wonder if you had to be 'persuaded' to toe the line.

EDIT: I have given this post some thought, and it's not fair of me to target an adolescent boy for his mistakes. I was in his shoes once, and I should know better. My apologies if this offended people.

Why don't you give a damn?

I’m working with a kid – let’s call him Rob – who’s slipped through the cracks. The school and teachers have given up on him, and they went so far as to TELL me that they’ve given up. No one even asked to speak to Rob’s mum at the recent parent/teacher meet, and Rob’s failing almost every class!

Take responsibility for your students! I don’t know how many times I’ve heard a teacher say “I’m not getting paid enough to _________” in the last two months. It’s bloody appalling; too many selfish whingers and too little people who act like decent responsible teachers.

Sure teachers are overworked and have crap pay. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care! You think an extra ten grand per annum will make a difference? Forget it! Joe Bloggs will pocket the change, say a nice thank you to the government, and continue whinging about the education system. That’s a load of crap. Teachers ARE the education system. If you want to change something, start with yourself.

Where’s the responsibility? If teachers’ unions can demand extra pay, then we can demand increased responsibility from teachers. You could start with talking to Rob’s mum, or trying to re-engage Rob in school or provide school-based support. Sure you might say “but Chris, isn’t that your job?” Sure it is, but foisting off bad kids onto an external service doesn’t make you responsible.

“One person can make a difference” is not vague rhetorical trite. If everyone came together, we could make a difference. But no, the school just tosses the kid at me. Seriously. I see someone for one hour a week maximum. So how about the other thirty plus hours the kid’s in school each week? Just ignore the problem? What do you think is going to happen to a kid like Rob who’s got zero motivation and low self esteem?

Your responsibility does not end with education. Good grades and angelic behaviour don’t make a better person. If you give up on people like Rob, you’re giving up on the future. Sure it’s easy to care for Suzie-Straight-A, but it’s Rob that needs the damn help and guidance! You need to care about WHO the student can become, not just WHAT he can become.

I’ve spoken to the school, the year co-ordinator and the school chaplain. Rob IS going to get the support he needs, but that’s just a stopgap. For each Rob we help, negligence is going to let another slip through the cracks. Seriously, if you’re planning to give up, don’t even bother teaching.

Sprains and pocket pains.

I just slipped and sprained my back. It hurts to do anything other than sit upright or lie down. Moving quickly with dress socks on laminated wood floors? Big no no.

Looking at Perth-Singapore flights at the moment. They're horribly expensive even with budget airlines ($800-ish return? Ouch!). I can't afford to fly given my current financial situation. I don't plan on coming back this year at all. Mainly because of cost and lost pay, but also because my return ticket is on Qantas and their recent 4 mid-air plane malfuctions worry me.

I miss you guys back home and I'm really sorry that we'll be seeing even less of each other now. Thank God for small blessings like MSN.

I'm looking to move out of home soon. Ideally around March next year when I've got a little more cash and know where I'm going with masters. I've been looking for a small house/flat/room to rent, so any help will be appreciated. If you know a place, or want to share a house/flat circa March 2009, please let me know.

Anyway, the back really hurts, so I'm going to lie down. What a great way to spend a Saturday night, eh?

EDIT:
Given the cost and the fact that I do have to see my grandma in Singapore, best money-wise solution is to fly back to Singapore on my Qantas ticket. Spend a week maximum in Singapore., then get one-way back to Perth ($300-ish on Tiger) and that'll be the end of that. Win-win.

Work related rant

To all those stubborn idiot clients I see (thankfully very few):

The law is the fucking law. The options available to you are the options available. There aren't any fucking more pathways for you to take. Don't expect me to sugar-coat the crap hole that you've dug yourself into. And don't give me stupid reasons and blame the system or your circumstances for the crap you're in either. It's your life, your choices.

The options I've laid out are your ONLY damn options now. If you don't like them, too fucking bad. I'm not going to bend over backwards for you. Take some responsibility for your life. Shit happens. Deal with it. If you don't like it, too damn bad.

I'm here to help you, but only so far. I'm not going to live your life for you.

Stupid teens.

Hard day's night.

I am tired and emotionally drained. Today's "big case" took a lot out of me. People say that working with people's issues is tiring. Yeah it is. Thing is, I don't think people know just how tiring it can be. The combination of work and family problems take a lot out of me. Sometimes I just don't want to deal with things.

I'm not supposed to discuss my clients, so I'll keep this short. Today I spent two hours with a pregnant 14-year-old rape victim who self harms, has no self worth, and has a massive attitude problem. She doesn't need me to help her re-engage in school; she needs a proper nurturing environment and therapy, not weekly one-hour sessions. I've tried referring her to qualified counsellors and engaging her in alternative education, but she refuses.

Work can be tiring and emotionally draining, so I try to maintain a professional emotional distance. It was difficult to do today though; sometimes you can't help feeling for the client. Plus my personal life isn't the best right now. There's a lot of different pressures and expectations to deal with, and sometimes I find it hard to cope. I haven't been able to do some things that I want to do recently, and that drags at me.

Another complete side note: I find that doing 'what's right' is profoundly difficult. Problem being that 'right' can mean different things to different people. I can't please everyone. Some days it feels like I can't please anyone, and falling short negatively affects my sense of self worth a lot more than I let on.

Not very original, but effective!

Slapped this deck together on Tuesday before heading over to Sean's place for "PTQ testing". Not that I'm heading to the qualifiers, mind you! I've got slightly better things to do with my time. Red Demigod decks seem to be all the rage now. I didn't start out trying to build a Demigod deck, but it just ended up that way.

So anyway, my take on what's probably the most aggressive deck in the current format.

22 x Snow-covered Mountain

4 x Demigod of Revenge
4 x Blood Knight
4 x Ashenmoor Gouger
4 x Mogg Fanatic
4 x Magus of the Scroll
3 x Su'Ata Lancer (Going to swop these out for Boggart Ram-Gang)

4 x Incinerate
4 x Flame Javelin
4 x Skred
3 x Brute Force

Surprisingly, I didn't even need or miss Figure of Destiny, which is in every other deck these days. Beat two other Demigod variants and a JusticeToast. Sean's modified Oversouled Oversoul deck gave me massive trouble, but I managed to outrace him. Craig's White/Red Liege deck pounded me into the ground though. The deck's even faster than mine! On a side note, Spitemare is a really cool card. I really want to build a deck around it.

Still waiting for my Eventide boxes to arrive. The wait's killing me!

Blah.

I hate those days where you just have no energy to do things, but there's no chance to sit down and take a breather. Wish I didn't have to go for guitar class later. Just want to sleep.

Kids, trees and seagulls.

That was a tiring day. Had to deal with two kids with ADHD. It was really challenging! Guy one was completely bouncing-off-the-wall out of control. I ended up having to be really patient but firm with him, which worked thankfully. He's got really bad anger management issues too. I thought I was bad, but this guy takes the cake. He talked non-stop about beating up people and getting into fights and yelling at everyone. Heck, he even yelled at me for no good reason other than he 'felt like it'.

Other guy was pretty doped up. It was really hard to talk to him because he was so out of it. Difference is in the medication; one's popping pills and the other isn't. Pretty clear which is which, eh? Makes you wonder whether getting a kid to pop ritalin is really any help at all.

Anyway, more photos!



Random shot of people walking. I love that yellow-gold colour that comes through when it's late afternoon. Absolutely beautiful. Other than that... Yeah I know it's a blah shot. :p Maybe I should have used a warming filter during editing to bring out those shades more. Hmm...



Shot more sunlight through the trees again. I think this really is my signature shot. Notice how many sunlight/trees shots I have... Heck, even the blog banner (right now) is a sunlight/tree shot. I really love this shot though! Especially that lens flare and the building that's framed by the trees. It's so nicely balanced. (Okay, horn tooting time over!)



... and a seagull! I like how the water reflects him so beautifully. I know there's quite a bit of dirt on this picture. It was a muddy puddle after all. What do you think? Should I clean the picture up a little bit? Took quite a few shots to get this right though. Need to work on my closeups more.

Sienning.

Damnit, it's four in the morning and I still can't sleep. I hate days like these. Come to think of it, I hate those Sunday nights when it's hard to completely relax because you've got work the next day. I enjoy the work, but I don't like the fact that I have less time to do random things.

Then again, do I really want to have all that extra free time? Not like I was doing anything important or significant when I had the time.

Since starting the job, I feel like I've spent more time on the phone with Char than I did when I was working part-time. I don't think I've given her any space recently, and I'm kicking myself for that. You could say that I'm still adapting to the job and new time commitments, but that's a poor excuse. I should know better.

I don't like making mistakes, but I seem to make big ones. Worse is that some mistakes can be avoided if I think before I act. I have a bad habit of going with my heart. Thinking can be tiring when you have to analyse and deconstruct a situation, consider past information, plot probable outcomes and impact on persons, be aware of the environment, and come to a decision within a second or two.

But if some people can do it, I don't see why I can't. I'll just have to try harder.

I've given up on trying to sleep tonight; brain doesn't want to rest. It's good to have a good think about the important things in life and where you might be lacking or where you might have gone wrong; but it's stupid to do it at this time of the night. Unfortunately, I can't rest despite my best efforts to just zone out and not think.

On a side note, my computer is mucking up and had some problems restarting earlier. It's barely a month old too. Trust a PC, eh?

Afternoon in the park.

Went to Freo briefly to do a little shooting. Thank god for fine weather! That said, I did get there as the sun was setting, so this batch of shots aren't very well lit. It's a shame because the colours could more vibrant.

Looking at the pictures that I've done recently, I don't think I have improved at all since picking up the camera again. I certainly don't make people sit up and go 'wow'; more like 'oh, that's nice'. Need to work on my angles too. I know some shots would be more dynamic if I shot it lower or higher or at an angle. Need to internalise that.



My grandma used to bring me to the little playground next to our block in Ang Mo Kio when I was four or five. I remember quite clearly one afternoon she picked me up from kindergarten, let me play around the playground for a bit before going home to a lunch of fried egg and rice. It's the little things like that which stick in your head: innocence and idyllic days.

I miss you grandma.



I love how us church boys used to play football every weekend. Sometimes the oldies (meaning our dads) would come in, and we'd have a fathers versus sons game. We always lost; guess experience does count for a lot, eh? Oh, those were the days.



This was one of those completely random pictures that just randomly happen. I pointed my camera in their general direction, and there it was. I like this picture, it gives me a sense of familial security between mother and child. Family is important to me, even though my current one practically drives me up the proverbial wall every other day.

More photos to come soon!

More photos!

As promised, more random photos! I took these around Subiaco after work on Monday. I wish the weather would let up on the weekend so that I can get some nice shots in. All this rain is rather dreary. I want to go do more night shots again, there's something about the night that really captivates me. That and I haven't shot in Fremantle at all. Anyone want to come with me this weekend (if weather permits)?



Random flower close-up near the Subiaco Town Council building. It's really pretty with all the flowers and plants growing around the area. Subiaco really is quite picturesque. It almost doesn't feel like Perth at all.



Shot this from my car while waiting for the lights to change. I'm actually kinda surprised it turned out as well as it did. I really love the colours in this picture. Plus I really like that kind of 'stretching forward' effect that you get with shots like these.



I took this in a carpark, if you can believe it. I pulled my car into the lot, looked right, and there it was. As you can probably see, I do have this thing for lights and shadow. Of everything I shot on Monday, this is my favourite shot. Strangely enough, it's also my first shot. That's life!

First school.

Had my first school visit today. Went to Lynwood Senior High to register some students for the CHILL programme (group sessions; don't ask me, I didn't name it). Must say it's really interesting to actually be 'on the job' as opposed to all the training and induction I've been doing so far.

I've realised how quickly an hour can zip by when you're just trying to build bonds and fish for useful information. I felt like there was barely enough time to start talking, and then time's up. All I really got was a sketchy personal history and the fellow's name. Not too impressive, eh?

One of the kids I talked to comes from a broken home where he got abused frequently, and now he takes his aggression out on everyone around him. Another kid has got a alcohol and marijuana problem (and is disturbingly proud of it), and yet another's been trying to cope with his father's death for the past 3 years. It's sad and difficult. I hope that what little I can do will help them.

On a complete side note, Mingyang is going to go and apply for pilot school just for the hell of it. Dude, I love you like a brother, but you don't have a driving license and you want to fly?! (I admit I cracked up when he told me, and everyone started looking at me funny)

Snapped some pictures on the way home from work yesterday. Will upload when I get around to it.

Another update.

I know I've been MIA for a bit on this blog. Things have been getting busy, so I haven't really had the time to sit down and blog. Haven't taken any nice pictures in a while too. I'm looking to shoot tomorrow if weather permits, so fingers crossed there!

I've started a new job at Jobs West. We're contracted to run Youth Pathways, which is a state programme aimed at helping 'at risk' kids in schools. We aim to either (1) keep the kids in school; (2) assist in transitioning the kids to either apprenticeships, jobs or higher education; (3) deal with kids' social/behavioural and self-esteem problems. Been at it for the past week, and it's been really good.

I'm quite excited about this job, and I think it's fantastic that I'll be applying the practical skills I've learned in Uni. Plus it might just put me in a higher standing when I apply for Masters this year!

Got a new computer. The Mac has finally been put to rest after 4.5 years of faithful service. I'm currently running on a PC (I know! Sacrilege right?). Specs are dualcore 2.1Ghz, 3 GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 256MB graphics card. I'm running on Vista, which is seriously annoying. The computer occasionally restarts itself with no warning after installing updates. Plus there's so much going on in the background that the computer can randomly slow down. Other than that, no complaints though.

Guitar lessons have been going good, I'm slowly getting better (although I still suck monumentally). I've still got serious difficulty in doing any licks or riffs that involve my pinky. I swear there's no strength in that finger. Yet anyway. I'm working on it.

Weight loss hasn't really been happening. I haven't gained anything, but I do feel quite a bit fatter for some weird reason. Admittedly, my exercise has been limited to stretching, weights, and 5BX every morning before I head off to work. I need to control my diet more. Maybe cut down on lunch and try really hard to curb the snacking.

Bought myself a few new clothes for work. I actually have a semi-decent stable of workwear now. Scary eh?

Other than that, nothing really much has happened. Things are generally looking up, although full-time working life needs a little getting used to. There's so many things I want to do, but simply don't have the time for anymore. I am worried about Char because she's going through a rough patch right now, and it's really affecting her. I'll appreciate it if you keep her in your prayers, thanks.

One little whinge before I stop rambling: I can't understand how I'm supposed to do things like go to the bank or to Centrelink when I simply have no time to do said things on weekdays, and they close on weekends! I'd hate to think that I'll have to take half a day off just to sort out my own personal admin.

Eventide Lauch Party

Played at the Eventide Launch Party with Joe today, did okay for myself. Came in 5th, although I know I could have done better, given more time! (I drew my fourth round, although I would have won it if we didn't run out of time). Lost my last game to the fellow who came in first, so I'm not complaining!

Ran a mono-white deck with lots of hybrids, which ironically is the complete colour opposite of my Shadowmoor pre-release deck. Joe calls it a very timid deck. Admittedly, it is quite brainless. Love the little combat tricks I can do with it though!

_______________________________________________

The Deck

White
1 x Last Breath
1 x Kithkin Zealot
1 x Safehold Sentry
1 x Ballnock Trapper
1 x Loyal Gryfalcon
1 x Kithkin Rabble
1 x Recumbent Bliss
1 x Prison Term
1 x Archon of Justice
1 x Ballynock Cohort

Hybrids
1 x Oracle of Nectars
1 x Oversoul of Dusk
1 x Safehold Duo
1 x Kitchen Finks
1 x Barkshell Blessing
1 x Zealous Guardian
1 x Thistledown Duo
2 x Fire at Will
1 x Duergar Assailant
1 x Double Cleave
1 x Voracious Hatchling
1 x Beckon Apparition

18 x Plains
_______________________________________________

My favourite play of the tournament has to be my third round. My opponent played a Doomgape, I went 'oh holy crap!', then I topdecked and cast Recumbent Bliss on his Doomgape. With the massive maw of doom unable to attack or block, it cleared his board over the next couple of turns, leaving me free to attack with my happy weenie army. I didn't even draw or cast my big guns.

Absofuckinglutely good pizza

Found a little Italian cafe place in Subi today that serves the most amazing pizza ever!

Delizioso Café is on the corner of Rokeby and Churchill (diagonally across the street from Jackson's art supplies). It's a small place, and I was really impressed with the customer service. The guy at the counter forgot my coffee, and gave me a free one. Char was ready to pay for it, but the guy said never mind. That's just great service in my book.

The pizza is excellent. Delizioso's won an award for best pizza in the world (2007) with their mushroom trio pizza, and I can taste why! We shared a mushroom trio (wild shrooms, white buttons, ricotta, oregano) and a ham & mushroom. The mushroom trio was simply the best mushroom pizza I have ever had, hands down. The crust is light, slightly chewy and very flavoursome, and the gourmet toppings are top notch.

At $5.30 for a slice (about six inches by four inches), I think it's good value for money. Seriously, if you're in that neck of the woods, you have to give Delizioso Café a shot.

I'll take photos next time I'm there. Food this good must be shared! :p

More night shots.

Took Amelia's advice and took some shots around twilight. Stupid me forgot to bring the tripod though, so this set of images is rather blurry.

She's absolutely right, the colours are just so beautiful at this time of the day. I missed the early part of the sunset, so no glorious pictures of red and purple skies, but this isn't too bad, eh? I must go shoot sunsets proper soon.



I can only really hold the camera still for about a second. Pretty bad, I know. My tactic now is to brace myself a bit, hold half a breath, and take a 3-4 shot continuous burst. Kind of like how we learned to shoot our M-16s in the army. So far it's worked out pretty good. I get one good image out of the burst of three.

On a complete side note, I really should take up Calvin's suggestion of shooting things while our respective other halves go shopping.

Speaking of other halves, I'm slightly jealous of Char's point and shoot because it does a lot of auto correction and colour balancing, so she can grab really gloriously coloured evening shots while I fiddle around with trial and error. Oh well. Cest la vie! (I find I say this a lot. :P)



And this last picture really reminded me of Miami Vice. Palm trees, big moon... all we need are cops with big hair and a moustache!

Around this town

As promised, pictures of people! This pair was so engrossed that they didn't even realise I was there. I feel like a voyeur of sorts. A part of me wonders about the legality of shooting random people without them knowing. I should really look that up. Apparently it's illegal to photograph children!

This was taken randomly while waiting for Adrian to complete his circuit of EB Games. Speaking of games, I'm damn tempted to get a PS3. Need to save money though!



Tried to track these cops, but as you can see, it's a little blur. Should have upped the shutter speed, but it was a spur of the moment track and snap, so I didn't have much time to fiddle.

Idle thought: I wonder if 'must look good in tights and sunglasses' is a job requirement for these fellows!



More people and coffee. Apparently we produce around 6.7 million tonnes of coffee per annum. That's pretty crazy eh? I don't think I can live without coffee. I practically spent half my time in school slacking in a corner with a coffee in hand. There was this guy with a beanie (Kershia knows his name) in Little Walters who would make me a triple shot flat white every morning. He actually would have it ready by the time I rocked up to the little window. How's that for customer service?



And just in case you thought all I did was snap people... More scenery/buildings/random objects!

I like this picture. For me it's really that sort of stretching into infinity coupled with the guy with the backpack who almost looks like he's following the bird. It's a pretty good analogy for my faith.

Problem is that the bird's rather small, and there's all these pretty shops along the way. I've found that I have a bad habit of sometimes losing sight of the bird.



And finally this clocktower. The architecture of the place somehow reminds me of back home, even though I don't think any place in Singapore looks like this! Maybe the fire station behind Funan Centre? What's it called again?

There's this sort of colonial air to buildings like these. It's a nice feeling. Like something familiar. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy for no apparent reason.

G/W Persist deck.

Another random deck I stuck together a few days ago. Did quite well actually. Had one loss to an Oversouled Oversoul deck and Red Deck Wins (But I won the best of three). Had some difficulty beating a blue/black card advantage deck. But then again, if someone manages to draw four Cryptic Commands in the course of a game, you're screwed otherwise eh?

4 x Twilight Shepherd (I never played her, considering taking her out)
4 x Wilt-Leaf Liege
4 x Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
3 x Heartmender
4 x Kitchen Finks
4 x Safehold Elite

4 x Turn to Mist (never cast them, another candidate for exclusion)
4 x Wrath of God
3 x Shield of the Oversoul
4 x Safewright Quest

23 x Plains

What the deck really has is staying power. The persist creatures just keep on coming back, and survive your Wraths (hopefully the other guy's critters don't), and Wilt-Leaf Liege gives all your critters a massive power boost. Plus Shield of the Oversoul, it's just gay.

I'm thinking of maybe swopping out the Shepherds for Gaddock Teeg (have to change my mana base for that though, plus it means I can't Wrath with impunity) and Turn to Mist for Oblivion Ring.

I like this deck.

Ah, smells like teen spirit.

Talk about a bad angle to be in! Haha. Looks like the statue's getting a blow job.

Sorry mate, no weapons of mass destruction there!

Okay! Fine! I know the picture's blurry, but it's still embarassingly funny! :p

Before the rain.

Took this shot just a few minutes before it started pouring on my head. Quite surprised really, because I didn't know what to expect. The photo did turn out quite nicely, didn't it? The river spray along here is pretty fierce too. I so need to come back here when it's bright out to catch that.

I like the colours in the above photograph, although I'm not sure whether it's the result of the impending rain, or just the nearby light polution. Or maybe I've got ranom skill! Haha.

Also, getting rained on? Not fun. It was a good five minute dash back to the car. And predictably, the heavy downpour turned into a light drizzle the minute I got in the car. Cest la vie, eh? :)



I tend to take random shots like this. I guess I've always wanted to try taking the stereotypical cars on a freeway shot. I must say, this has a much steeper learning curve than I imagined.

I'll post more shots soon! I feel like event photography. Anyone know any events happening around town? I've got the urge to shoot people. Maybe I'll walk around town on Saturday.

After dark.

Shot this during the wee hours of Saturday morning, circa 2am.

Bloody dark, bloody cold, and bloody scary. King's Park at night with no one but your camera for company? Not fun. I couldn't bloody see more than five metres in front of my face. I almost jumped a couple of times when people walked by.

Yes, random people walk by at 2am!

I like looking at the Perth city skyline late at night. Something about all the lights makes it so damn pretty. And the clear night skies, that's something you won't get back in Singapore.

That said, I do miss home.

Fish, chips, and giant robots.

Went to Freo with Adrian on Friday for dinner, and ate the ubiquitous fish and chips. Must say, this is the first time I've actually tried to snap food proper (I blame Robin), and it's really rather difficult with low lighting. Oh well.

This was my dinner. Fish and squid. Yes I know my health isn't great, but I didn't eat the batter. Or finish my fries. See? Moderation is good for you!



And this of course, is Adrian's dinner. Approximately twice the size of mine. No wonder he now weighs more than I do. Scary thought, eh?

The seafood chowder they're got isn't too bad, but it's a little salty. And personal opinion, I like the normal fish they use for fish and chips much more than Adrian's snapper. It's less chewy, I guess. And you know what? I think I prefer Kailis to Cicerellos. The fish and chips are less oily and the portions are actually normal human sized.



And on a completely seperate side note, Tengan Toppa Gurren Lagann is the most exaggerated anime I have ever seen. When giant galaxy sized robots start throwing galaxies at each other, the brain simply stops working.

It is good for one hell of a laugh though. Check out the subtitles for all the moves. I kid you not.

Giga Drill Breaker!!!!

Urgh.

Just reading the news.

I am so looking forwards to when Microsoft rules the world, don't you? What will they plan to buy next? eBay?

Plus, even more evidence that Japanese are weird people.

Apparently, I'm an occasional binge drinker!

Asian governments are pushing up the price of petrol! (And all along I thought it was just OPEC)

Rudd says good things about Howard. Oh my!

And studies show that drugs are bad for you! Legal ones this time! Marijuana anyone?

On another note, at the rate that large corporations are starting to buy over every major player out there on the market, it probably won't be long before the net ceases to be 'free'. Very Minority Report-ish, don't you agree? (The world concept, not the pre-cognitive persons)

Okay, I know I'm being contrary and silly.

Kick backs.

For the fourth time this week, I've tried to take a shower before heading out (as is my habit), and someone's either already in the shower, or runs into the shower when I step into my room to get clothes/take a piss. Hence, I've been late for work, or in today's case, losing valuable daylight hours for shooting.

Considering that the plumbing is so shot that whenever someone turns on the hot water elsewhere in the house, you almost immediately get a cold shower, it's a wonder I even bathe as regularly as I do. (Approximately thrice every two days, if anyone's asking)

If this isn't evidence that it is better to live alone, don't know what is.

Toss in the fact that my internet is slow (1200kps is nothing when you have up to four computers running at the same time, and my sister is invariably downloading/streaming). Add in the fact that I can't even get a beer because of health problems. And you'd have a rough idea of how pissed I am right now.

I've just wasted an entire Saturday. Thank you, family.

Birds of a feather.

And I thought segregation was just for us humans!

Seriously, if this picture is not lolcats worthy, I don't know what is!

The World Isn't Fair.

Next week, the first Apple Retail store in Australia opens in Sydney. It's. So. Far. Away.

Meanwhile, Chris is stuck in an Apple-less corner of the world, and has to deal with re-sellers and third-party tech support and repair. Why Steve? Why?! Do you hate me that much?

Autumn/Winter

I love this time of year. It's romantically melancholic.

A walk along the beach.

Just a few pictures I took last Saturday when I went prowling around with my camera. Yeah, I know they need work. I'm rather rusty with all of this. Oh well. Practice makes perfect, eh?

I must say that there's a certain awkwardness I get when I try to take photographs. I guess maybe I'm just self-conscious about it. I mean, there are all these... people around! I do like taking people though! Particularly candid shots of people in action. I'll need to work on my self-consciousness, otherwise I'll never be able to get those shots that I really want.

Pictures below were all taken at Point Walter. I've got a couple more, which I'll upload in a couple of days. In the interim, enjoy!


River side.


Family.


Casual intimacy.