Self-portrait, Late 2025

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

This was taken on the drive home from Bathurst. I wanted to get a dramatic, moody photo of myself, and the best one I got was with my phone which I took as reference.

This is the next best one.

This is my submission into Leanne Cole‘s “Monochrome Madness” for this week. The next one is hosted by Dawn of The Day After, and she has chosen the theme of “Circles”.

This challenge is open to all, and I recommend joining in. If want to, check out more information about it here, and include the tag “monochrome-madness” when you share your photo. If you’d prefer not to join in, then at the least check out Leanne’s photography, and what other people submit.

I hope you enjoy.

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Nobuo Uematsu: Prelude to the Void

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

I did this one over one listen, and I think the main reason why is that I’m highly familiar with the song. I think that, having not listened to it in a good while also helped as I wasn’t overthinking. Maybe sleep last night also helped.

Anyway, I was hoping to get a sense of where the song is used across. That didn’t come through anywhere as much as I’d hoped, but I think what I wrote works well enough in getting an idea of the song across.

Nobuo Uematsu’s (植松 伸夫) “Prelude to the Void” (“虚空への前奏曲”) is from Final Fantasy V‘s soundtrack, Final Fantasy V Original Sound Version.

I hope you enjoy.

—

Bass and percussion, and some wind, and another bright bit of percussion, everything forms frame, loops and repeats. Strings come in, tense, pressuring, and so do other sounds. A frame pressing down, pressing in, urging.

When brass enters and builds, the strings follow and underscore, rising and falling in smaller steps. The brass climbs, rises, falls, rises, falls, and the sounds around continue on, keeping frame, keeping space, keeping in step. Continuing on.

The strings change once more, almost play with some sort of sudden chaos, but then let tension coil again before everything cycles.

Once more, everything builds, tension keeps coiling, pressure builds, and the sounds keep on urging. They keep urging and driving forward, and within them, perhaps, is a sense of otherworldliness. Familiarity, but everything is off. Thrown together, permanent and temporary.

And those strings, once more, return to that sudden chaos. A sudden burst, but calm, before coiling once more, and once more cycling back with everything as everything fades away and the song ends.

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Willy Wagtail

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

I’d planned to write today but I didn’t. Instead, here’s a photo of a willy wagtail that is out of focus, but I still like. Not sure why. Think I’ve just not gotten one in flight this clear before.

I hope you enjoy.

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Talk Talk: Time It’s Time

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

One listen.

I planned on doing writing about this song a while ago and ended up putting it to the side. I think my feeling on it was that it was too much of a song or something, as though that’s ever a good reason to not write about music. Essentially it didn’t feel right at the time. I’ve been going through the drafts I need to wrap up before I wrap this blog up and came across the draft I saved so I could start writing about the song. Decided to give it a go.

I don’t think I did the best job I could have. Some of the song’s atmosphere came through, but I feel like I could have said more about the flow and progression.

Talk Talk’s “Time It’s Time” is from The Colour of Spring.

I hope you enjoy.

—

Keys make a gentle statement, and it’s not long before other instruments come in and play gentle, but excited, almost. Seemingly walking out and walking forward, or waking up to something that looks at tomorrow. Vocals drift in soon, rise and fall but remain fairly low. Clear in words, and indistinct at the same time.

The melody shifts to something a bit louder and a bit more tense. A bit more dramatic, raising something, and the vocals rise to suit. Another shift, less “flow” but still flowing. There’s more space as sounds come in and create new frame. Almost staggered, sharp, but still smoothed around. And soon they start clearing, or at least start to spread out and clutter less.

Back to the main pattern, back to calm, back to a more obvious flowing feel, but it doesn’t last long and the sounds return to a greater drama. A more overt drama. And then more space. It is cluttering, but it doesn’t feel cluttering. It feels spaced. It’s cluttered at a distance, at a particular point. And once more things spread out more. It’s as though the additional voices in this section seem to just be moved away in lines, but they remain calm and they gather again before disappearing, and something a little more loosely tight comes in, and harmonica drifts over, relaxed, and it comes to a stop.

The sounds build their drama again, and once more back to the chorus. The cluttering. The gathering. A gathering of choral voices in a chorus, and they seem to shrink before becoming more lively than they were before. And everything keeps moving and voices disappear, and there’s something here that now feels revealing. Energetic, calm, and voices are gone, and this is the climax and plays pretty and beautiful. Big and small, and there’s some words here and there, in the calm, in the quiet, in this joyous moment of the mundane, and it’s fantastic. It’s fantastic and wonderful, and so small and accepting, and walking forward with a smile, and gradually everything fades out and the song ends.

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The Water Comes Down

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

I took this photo toward the end of last year. I was only aiming for a good photo of the shoreline, but the way I took it creates this interesting perspective regarding how the water “sits” against the sand, I think. It does also have a bit to do with the sand and not the angle alone; I think if the sand was more uniform in type, this shot would look quite different.

This is my submission into the three hundred-and-eighty-third Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. The theme for this one is “Looking Back to #174 – Shapes and Designs“.

I’ve been meaning to share this photo for a good few weeks now, and this challenge gives a good opportunity for me to do so. Coincidentally, what I did for the last time this challenge was run also involved water.

The host of the Lens-Artists challenges cycles weekly between the following people:

Tina

Patti

Ann-Christine aka Leya

John Steiner

Sofia Alves

Anne Sandler

Egídio

Ritva

Beth

This one is curated by Tina. The next one is curated by Beth.

I recommend joining the community and participating in the challenges. They’re pretty straightforward, allow room for interpretation, and provide a good way to think about photography in general. If not, however, then at the very least you should check out what others submit to the challenges.

I hope you enjoy.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 1559: Another Environment Rant

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

Here I am, writing away. Writing, weaving, writing words, racing the clock. Racing the timer. Don’t know why I am as I don’t feel like doing so at the present moment, but that is what I am doing and doing what I am doing is what I want to do. Or not. Actually don’t, really.

So sitting, writing, sweating profusely, and this is awful weather. This is undesirable weather, and where I am, it’s not as bad was it is in other locations. This is not something I can do much about, however. I just have to wait it out and hope for the best. I have to hope things cool down, but things won’t cool down. Not yet, anyway. Things are going to get worse and there’s not much of anything I can do about that, other than listen to people keep talking about how this weather is unusual but not out of the ordinary.

But you know, these are low grievances. These are low complaints. These are nothing. There are far worse things out there. Or something. Or so I’m told. I don’t want to go on about it today. I just want to sit here and write my gibberish, and try to enjoy life a bit more. Try to enjoy these last few months of this blog. Wrap it all up, get on with everything, live life and find life lived. And then… yeah. We’ll see what happens from there.

Feel like I’m in boiling water. Feel like I’m screaming at people about how we need to get out, but the others are talking about how the water’s fine and refusing to let me leave. That’s how I feel at the present moment.

This weather makes me want to scream. It makes me want to tear my hair out. We’ve not stopped fucking up the planet. We keep on going. We keep on tearing things up and we keep on pushing on and pushing through, and we don’t relent. Why? Why don’t we just accept for a change that we are causing issues? Why don’t we accept that it  won’t take much work to turn things around, but the longer we delay, the worse things will get? What is wrong with us? Are we that fucking willing to keep our heads in the sand, even as the sand takes on an increasing amount of heat? Are we willing to let ourselves be pained just that much?

Is all of this pain worth what we have in our lives? I don’t think it is. I don’t know who else does. But we need to be willing to make the required changes. Are we willing? Do we dare to reign ourselves in and be less resource hungry? Do we decide to hold back a bit? Just a bit?

It is hot and I’m not doing well in this heat, and I’ve been going on about this stuff for ages. We need to change and we can change. Will we?

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:01:45

I’m feeling this heat and it makes me think of the path we are heading down, and it’s not a good one. All this is concerning, and we aren’t doing enough. Is this writing worth reading? Probably not. I’m still gonna be expressing my anger, however.

Written at home.

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Underworld: Kittens

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

One listen and this one was good for me because I paid a bit more attention to the song than I usually would. I mean, I always do with this series of writings, but here it was quite helpful.

I’m kind of familiar with the song. Heard it used in a video after I acquired the song and album it’s from and wondered what it was, then wondered why the song didn’t sound like it did in the video, or if I’d misheard it or something. It was the same song, but I wasn’t hearing it properly. Tried listening a few times, didn’t hit. Eventually wanted to write about it, got around to doing that today and heard it differently again. Got more from the percussion and what it was doing, and how the elements all fit together and how they worked as a whole. I like the song and I like what I wrote. Not sure if I’ll spin it again for a while, but at the very least I appreciate what it’s doing, because I think what it’s doing is quite interesting.

Underworld’s “Kittens” is from Beaucoup Fish.

I hope you enjoy.

—

A sudden strike and rip, and another strike, and another, and then the beat kicks in properly and it’s intense. It’s pumping, and all there is is just the beat. It has a passion, and perhaps a sense of dance in it. Not rave, mind you, but dancing. Vigorous dancing. Of movement, of motion, and bits and pieces come in here and there and build on this.

That rip appears here and there too, and things keep going and the beat shifts a little. It doesn’t feel more intense or vigorous. And it mostly stops, leaving a pitter patter behind. It moves slightly, and something emerges from it. An electronic bass comes forward, playing simple and effective, and the sounds grow, then all pull away.

The main beat returns, as do the new sounds, and the combination feels sweaty. It feels heavy and sweaty, and festive in a sense. Something new comes forward, thin and unlimited, and it rises and falls, and frays whilst remaining completely solid. Sleek and continuous. Smooth, refined, messy and refined.

The beat drops out and almost feels like it sends waves through the bass, and the bass settles and disappears, and this is now a bright space. Bright, pausing for breath, building anticipation without providing a build. Not an obvious one, anyway. And it continues. This unlimited sound continues and seems to be vibrating rather than fraying. It shakes off images of what it was, and it rises and falls in seemingly rapid movement, though maybe it doesn’t at all. The beat starts returning, and an obvious build is here, but it doesn’t drag out and soon the main beat is back in full, and everything is driven. Everything is pushing onward, and it just feels so much like celebration. Blissful.

Eventually things come to a rest, and after a final percussive strike the song ends.

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Underworld: Most ‘Ospitable

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

One listen, and this felt pretty easy to write. I wasn’t quite in the zone but I was getting there. I was getting close enough. I don’t think what I wrote represented the song well enough, however. It describes it, but what I wrote sort of keeps distance, if that makes sense.

Underworld’s “Most ‘Ospitable” is from the CD single of “Dark & Long”.

I hope you enjoy.

—

Something rises, then something pulses. Sounds trying to find their place, find what is familiar, retake a structured form. Among them something rises. Something grows. Grows louder, grows brighter, and it seems like this hopeful sound. This hopeful, fragile thing and it keeps getting bigger. It keeps growing and it’s providing some structure, and the other sounds are moved further to the side.

Underneath another sound grows. It’s something bassier, and it brings in a bit of peace. A bit of calm. Some sort of sentimentality, and some joy. Joy in innocence, perhaps, but also something that could have an undercurrent of weight. It’s difficult to tell as it could mean a lot of different things.

These two sounds move with each other, and maybe one is following the other. Maybe they take turns in following. Eventually they fade away to give space for a pulse and a continuous voice, or at least something akin to a voice, and it’s steady. Other pulses and sounds come in, finding what they were looking for before, and the bassier sound returns, and there’s a clash, but it also seems harmonious in a way. Seems climactic and, in a sense, final. But it’s not. It’s a stop along the way.

Perhaps conclusive up to that point would be a better way to put it. It speaks of a rest and a future, and maybe this moves all fast and faded, and vague and it continues on. The sound that started off hopeful and fragile returns, and some bits that feel almost percussive are here, but they are dismantled, and the continuous voice, among other sounds, disappeared before, and soon everything fades away and the song ends.

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Underworld: Ancient Phat Farm Coat

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

One listen, and I spent a good deal thinking about  what I was hearing. Had trouble starting as I was getting stuck on the right words to describe the percussion and that was not a good way to be about it. Should’ve just said something and continued, or allowed myself another listen. Once I got underway, things picked up and I feel the writing gets better toward the end.

Underworld’s “Ancient Phat Farm Coat” is from Pizza for Eggs. The release is part of their Riverrun project which, as far as my understanding goes, was an experiment in releasing music in non-traditional ways that ran from 2005 to 2006. “Ancient Phat Farm Coat” was also included in the single release for their song “JAL to Tokyo”.

I hope you enjoy.

—

A steady beat that seems to sway in a breeze. Or just sway. It builds, and the other sounds alongside remain calm and steady. The beat moves, continues on, is anchored. Is muffled, almost. In a dry air, though perhaps not. Could just be a pulse, could be the sound of earth. Could be anything.

Keys come in, calm. They oscillate around a single, invisible point. They continue on, they flow, they move, they rise, continue on, flow, move, lower back down.

Everything moves in a flow and a rhythm, and everything seems to be anchored around one point, moving around it, moving quickly, moving slowly. All held still, moving at different rates, not moving at all, moving constantly. Moving calmly.

The keys diminish and slink more to the side, and something a bit more bright and shimmery comes in, almost harsh. Harsh and slow, elongated, stretching across, stretching its body thin, and continuing to do so after the keys return. And it seems to change around the time the keys rise further than before.

Sounds start peeling away and the keys become more prominent than before. Or rather, the sounds diminish and find themselves in the background, and there’s something in this that could be a sense of joy or familiarity, and maybe some sadness, too. Recognising something that no longer is what it was, or maybe just something that was constantly there, familiar, and recognised only when it no longer is.

And the beat returns in full after something seemingly lurching rises up. Lurching and curving and bending, and everything continues on, maintaining shape, maintaining form, moving forward, and the keys diminish, and the beat grows stronger, more prominent, and all that is left continues on until the song ends.

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Underworld: Brilliant Yes That Would Be

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Stupidity Hole

One listen, though a few restarts due to getting distracted a few times.

I felt a sense of landscape and time of day when writing this, and the song is quite moody. I wondered if I was getting the wrong feeling from it, and perhaps representing the song poorly. Realistically, if the interpretation fits then it fits, and so long as it’s not problematic, then it shouldn’t matter much. Still, I wondered. Still am wondering.

Underworld’s “Brilliant Yes That Would Be” is from Drift. Drift is a series of experimental releases. The first set is comprised of songs and videos Underworld put out between 2018 and 2019. They were also compiled both as a series of EPs and a full release known as Drift Series 1 – Complete. “Brilliant Yes That Would Be” was on the EP EP 1: Dust and also included on the Complete release.

I hope you enjoy.

—

 

Low hums, calm. Long. Something howls, then the hums seem to thicken. The howl again, and softness rises from the hums and fades away. That howl returns, lowers, rises… it seems to flow in some places and snap in others. And whilst it is going, those hums change. They deepen and move into more melody, or seem to be looking to change things.

The sounds are minimal and maximal at the same time, and softness rises and falls, and the space keeps moving. The sounds seem to be looking over an expanse of space, of low land and high points, and all sorts of shapes, and moving across slowly, drifting across, drifting over, looking, finding nothing, and finding everything.

Small statics become the howl, and the sounds thicken where necessary. They thicken, then return to their previous state again, and it all feels cyclic, even as it progresses. The melody furthers; the howl furthers, and everything reaches further into the space travelled. Reaches further, looks further, takes more steps, keeps moving under a bright sky that changes to dark and sees shining among it, before changing to bright once more. And the appearance of the sky changes as everything drifts.

Keys, seemingly warm, pres at precise moments. Calm, cutting into the eternity, and then a few more keys, and things seem lighter. Or maybe they aren’t, but this is at least peaceful, though maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s marvelling at something grandiose; something magnificent, and this moment is full of wonder. Maybe it isn’t; and it’s more a continuing walk across an expanse of space, continuing ever further, looking across a landscape, seemingly unable to return, accepting and continuing on, or relief, or sadness. It could be everything; it could be nothing, and it goes on until everything comes to a stop at the song’s end.

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