big boys toys

All these sf movies that like the idea of big mechanical walking machines, from Star Wars, District 9, The Wrong Trousers, Avatar, and many many more, it must be fun stomping around alien landscapes with big metal legs. Obviously a case of toys for big boys. But once alien lands are conquered, and you've finished stomping on the Rebel alliance, there are still chores to be done... So stop playing, and Do Some Work! Ok?

IF - Toy

a few years ago I worked at a signage company that had a lot of very cool computerised machinery that could do wondrous things. Unfortunately I couldn't do wondrous things with them very often, there was more mundane work to do. And Laser engravers and huge 3d NC routing machines apparently aren't toys... Frustrating! However, occasionally I was able to do something.

Fish on a Stick is the result of one of those times. his head is airbrushed styrofoam, scales are felt and his internal structure is laser cut acrylic. His whole body was fully articulated and he could move his tail with a flick of the wrist.

His jaw was held shut with a mouse trap spring, and opened by pulling on a piece of (ironically) fishing line which was fed down the blue handle, which Fish sat on like a rod topper.

He was a lot of fun, to play with, too, a nice, almost magical puppet. But the real toy was my laser engraver. I wish I still had access to one...

IF - Warning

This is a piece that really speaks to me. Notice the artist's use of bold colours and composition; the way that the raw meaning of the words is subsumed in the context of the dichotomy of the post-modern other as he tries to catch the zeitgeist of mundane everyday reality yet inject some whimsical, phantasy to instill in us a sense of urgency, even, impending doom. Yes, this artist has something very profound that he is trying to communicate with us, and I think has succeeded admirably.

Illustration Friday is a weekly challenge where readers are asked to come up with an illustration inspired by the word of the week. Last week's word was warning. note, I said LAST week's word... yup, I'm a few days late to post this. This week's word is stir. I might have something here in three weeks for that! Or maybe not.

Alternative idea was also a sign -

CAUTION

This Sign has SHARP EDGES!

(Also, the Bridge is out...)

Bert Spanish Rap 16

boy meets girl, a film for Michael and Vicki

Leah's World Tour

This is just to let you know that my friend Leah Robinson is touring around the world, looking at the Salvation Army's work in the field of justice where-ever she goes. And she's blogging about it!
Well, after a very good start, she's dropped off the intensity a bit... Not that I can be the first to throw stones on that score!
Anyway, check it out, leave a comment to encourage her, it is a big thing that she does, and it will help her in her quest to make Central Queensland a more just place.
leah's blog

1. Berlin, Germany


2. Dresden, Germany


3. Chengdu, China


4. Melbourne, Australia


5. Poatina, Australia


6. Adelaide, Australia


7. Hamburg, Germany


8. Launceston, Australia


9. Ostrava, Czech Republic


10. Port Antonio, Jamaica


11. Johnstown, PA, USA


12. Rockhampton, Australia


13. Prague, Czech Republic

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Travel time again

Wow. This time next week I'll be in New Delhi! I'm sure I'll have much to blog about there. But look at this photo. It's the readers picture in this week's Australian WarCry, I took it of the Great Wall of China in August 2008. I also saw Beijing and spent time in Wuhan, Cheng Du and Deyang. I also visited villages that were destroyed by the May 2008 Earthquake. Amazing stories. And yet this is the first time I've blogged on China...

Hopefully I won't be so remiss when it comes to India. That should be a memorable time, and I'm sure the extremes of the poverty there will impact on me.

In the meantime, gaze at this Wonder of the World (albeit one that cost many hundreds of lives in its construction...) and pray for our team in South Asia (as well as our Chinese Friends) as you do.

just another Sunday

Pilgrim Feet

Someone once said something along the lines of 'a tourist is one who passes through a land taking pictures, but a pilgrim is one who lets the land pass through them' I did a bit of a google for the exact quote, but cannot find it anywhere.

Anyway, the feet of a pilgrim are an important thing, it is by his feet that a pilgrim stands and walks on the land. And wherever your feet are, there you are also... (barring altercations with crocodiles and other unforseen events)

And so, here are the photos of the feet of around 60 people as we travelled from Brisbane to Uluru and back.

Fortunately we went by bus, rather than walking the whole distance, or we'd still be on the way!

'Life is a journey, long is the road...' 'It's a long way to travel alone...' 'the long and winding road, that leads to your door...' 'and I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more...' So many songs that involve the image of pilgrimage. All I know is that the Uluru Pilgrimage was a significant time for many young people, but life itself is a pilgrimage, and we are all on that journey. The sad thing is so many people go through lives as tourists, and many of them have no idea of their final destination.

As we all travel along, we need to help those we meet on the way, help them find their direction, because we're all in this together. So lets get on our feet and walk a life worthy of our calling.

Uluru 09

yes, it is time for another update to this rather infrequent blog...

Just this morning I arrived back in Brisbane after around 7800km in a bus with 60 or so young people and their leaders for an 8 day pilgrimage to Uluru.

On the way we stopped in Peterborough Sth Australia for lunch. I used to live in Peterborough when I was in grade 4, in fact, here is a photo of my old house. That was my bedroom window on the left. There used to be an almond tree outside that window, and a water tank, whose bottom rusted out just after we arrived and we couldn't have fresh rain water to drink. We had to drink town water which needed to be filtered and boiled before it was consumable as we waited for the rain to fall...

At Peterborough we had a locust plague and I remember the air thick with them, us kids spending school lunch times seeing how many we could catch in our lunch boxes. It was where I had my first crush - Jacquie Adams - prettiest girl in class, and it's where Allan walked into a Stobie pole and still carries a scar.

It's also where, in the little Salvation Army Hall next door where I as an 8 year old gave my heart to the Lord. It's where I became a junior Soldier in the Salvation Army.

Ah, memories... but an hour or so in Peterborough wasn't the only thing that happened in the last week or two but that can wait for another blog.

Perhaps...

Long time, no see...

Well, I'm back in Melbourne for a few weeks before heading down to Tassie (again) and then back to Brisbane early on in February. On the way down here, I spent a day in Sydney taking lots of photos of the sights and sites of a photegenic city. And it was a warm sunny day - I have the sunburnt nose to prove it!

Anyway I met a few friends today who I hadn't seen for awhile, and they asked when was I going to update my blog? When indeed? Well, I didn't know people were still reading it!

If occasionally, if you think I've been a bit slack and you want an update, just leave a comment in the comment box. It doesn't take long, and its just the spur that I need.

Meanwhile, look at my little digital collagey thing and tell me which photo was NOT taken last Tuesday!