I am not sure what I am meant to make of 2008. It was simultaneously the best, worst, and most mediocre year of my life ( Read more... )

So, open conflict has broken out in Palestine again, with both Israel and Hamas dramatically raising the stakes in Gaza. I have become sufficiently jaded that I simply see this as another International Relations pissing contest where actual civilians disappear into the smog of mindless political one-upsmanship. It is conflict such as this that ( Read more... )

These last few days have been quite productive photographically. My family honestly finds it almost insane just how many photographs I've taken. These are the kind of people who come from a mentality where taking 24 shots and using a single roll of film in a week is considered taking a lot of photos, let alone 24 in a single day. Meanwhile, if I ( Read more... )

It's not quite the end of the year, but I am not going to have the chance to hear any more new music until i get back to Melbourne, so I might as well write this entry now. I was originally thinking of calling this entry "the best music of 2008", but that would be a terrible misnomer. Often, I discover fantastic albums much later than the year of ( Read more... )

I was sorely tempted to intentionally write an entry today that had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. I considered a rant about the state of Australian long distance rail transport, but I'll save that until I've completed my return journey and have some appropriate photos to illustrate what I wish to say. I was then tempted to complete a ( Read more... )

Last night was indeed eerie. The strangest part is that I didn't talk myself into it. As much as I am not a fan of Albert Camus' book The Stranger, I find a certain connection with Meursault and his detached view of life. I often feel like events are happening externally around me, but since I'd often prefer to internalise them and be moved, ( Read more... )

It has just struck me that on the 65th anniversary of the Tangiwai disaster that killed my great-uncles and that my Grandpa somehow survived, I will be riding a long distance train myself. This time from Sydney to Brisbane rather than Wellington to Auckland. Nonetheless, while I'm not the superstitious type, it does feel a little eerie ( Read more... )

This month is just flying right past me. I refuse to believe that it is actually the 18th already. I suspect a number of my Worst Cards Ever will be late; I've posted about half, but the remainder I haven't even begun. Will try to churn out a bunch tonight/tomorrow ( Read more... )

Yes, I am making another Christmas entry. Firstly, a few people who replied to my last entry didn't actually include their name, so I'd just like to ask them now if they could. I probably won't be addressing cards to LJ usernames, as amusing as that might be. Feel free to post it on yesterday's entry so that it's screened if you don't want that ( Read more... )

Alas, it is the 13th of December. Twelve days until Christmas. This is the day I traditionally put up the Christmas tree and can no longer bitch about how "it's not Christmas yet!" I am the voice of Christmas pessimism ( Read more... )