Five-Hundred Word Challenge 500: Something Involving a Glass

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

Man, what a morning that it has been!

Well, something like that.It most certainly has been a morning and there are less than the minutes of sixty before the morning becomes the afternoon.

There has been a lot of work, let me tell you. A lot that has been done. I’ve been working hard on the photos and now I am here, ready to bang out the words.

I had planned on the walking through the bush tomorrow, but it seems that the weather has had other ideas, and thus there will be no walking through the bush. However, there will certainly be other activities, for there is much to do and see and I am merely one person.

Processes need to be followed and more words need to be written. There is much writing that needs to be done before I can truly say that there has been much writing that has been dealt by my hands.

There may be a swimming, there may be a staring. At the moment there is a glass that is in the shape of a cup that is very near me. It rests upon a container. It is clear and the light stains of orange juice can be seen as flecks along its inside. The glass reflects the light well and in its being is a mirror of sorts that merely reflects ideas of what is is reflecting rather than a clear image. In a sense, this is still a true image, but this is not something that I wish to explore on this very day of days.

At the moment what I wish to explore is the lands that are in my surroundings of immediacy. There are words out there that I do not know, and landscapes that I am yet to see. There is a lot out there that is worth the time and effort, and there is a glass near me. It has a handle that is clear, and yet does not allow itself to be easily seen through.

The glass sits there, doing nothing as I continue to churn out the words that I am trying to churn out, or the glass is an inanimate object and in that inanimate state of being, there are many things about it that could be said. For instance, it is a glass that is good at containing liquids at various times. It is a solid structure that is made of an impermeable material; thus it does the job of its designation quite well. If the liquids that it would hold at various times could get through, then its worth as a glass would be called into question and there could be consequences of varying consequence, or something.

Still, it is there and I should take it to the kitchen at some stage of the day. Well, either that, or I could let it sit there and see if anything begins to grow on its surface.

Actually, it’s better to clean it soon.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:18:70

Fantastically banal?

I don’t know.

As always, could be better.

Still, pretty happy with the way it turned out. Still silly enough, I think.

Written in Redfern.

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Above Circular Quay

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

Yesterday I attended Sydney Open 2018, an event that allows you to explore a bunch of buildings in Sydney at your leisure, within a certain time frame.

Here’s a photo of what the title describes.

It’s a fairly nice view, I think.
I think this due to the amount of space in the shot, as well as how everything is framed.

I hope you enjoy.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 499: Keep Ringing

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

It is Monday. It is in the A.M. It is a day of work, but a short one (I hope).
Today will not be a long day, unless it attaches more hours.

The weather does not heave, but it is overcast.

I am starting this in a manner in which I have started many a post, but that is okay as very soon I shall veer hard off the track, such as right now.

Why are the walls hitting the ground? There is a distance that cannot be touched, but soon if they persist there is no doubt in my mind that they shall too tunnel into the earth in order to be unearthed at a later date.

Of  course, if the keys keep ringing out with the screams of joy in the meantime, then there is no telling as to what the course of action will be. So long as I have water by my side, then surely the carpet will stop looking at me in the way that it thinks that the glint of the earth thinks that it should.

Now, seeing as there is a rhythm that is pulsing in and out, throbbing as though it is some sort of organic dance track, I could throw all of this out the window and just assume that what is occurring around me is some sort of natural beast that only wants to go home, but then again, if that is indeed the case, then the phrases that I shall repeatedly use on and off throughout the day hold no quarter, nor any argument in my housing.

Then again, there is no telling as to which way the carousel leads when it is walking toward the winds that blow in the direction of none, but I don’t think that that is something that needs to be pursued, so there are other hands at the bay that need t o be slapped.

What if, in some sort of manner that all that is experienced is merely an unwritten poem, left to be cursed as unwritten for the rest of its days due to the poet at hand not having the words to express the desires that the land continually shouts? What if the land wants to free from the soil and rise up from the cities? What if it, too, wants to reach for the stars and then one day does so?

There is so much to consider, and yet there is a consideration for the considering as it drifts off into a space that cannot be reached, or touched, or something to similar effect?

Then it too shall make sure that on whatever peak resides the idea of the argument, that it shall strike the pose of the drinking of the tea, but the taxes need to be handled with extreme pressure on this particular day, so therefore the words that shall carry from its echoing voice shall too reach the solace that they too so desperately reach for.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 05:42:74

Working on letting it flow.

Not sure what to make of this one.

Written at work

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Cloud Cover on Dawn’s Horizon

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

A photo taken recently, as it were.

With this one, I like that the ocean is both distinct and ambiguous toward the horizon line.

It both blends in and stands out the closer the the horizon it is.

I like that the colours are soft, and I like the thick band of cloud sitting on the horizon.

This is my submission into the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge for this week.

The theme for this week is “Blending In – or Standing Out?”

This challenge is hosted by four people and cycles weekly:

Week 1 – Patti of https://pilotfishblog.com/

Week 2 – Ann-Christine aka Leya of https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/

Week 3 – Amy of https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/

Week 4 – Tina of https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/

This week is hosted by Leya and next week’s will be hosted by Amy.

I suggest following and considering participating, but also seeing how other people have responded to the photo challenge from The Daily Post ending.

Anyway, I hope you  enjoy.

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Doughby Head

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

A photo that was taken when my flight back to Sydney from Melbourne in July had me close to Sydney Airport.

Another image affected by the plane window.

I think there’s a kind of vague feel to this shot.
I’m not sure if that is in the photo, but that’s what I think.

I like the capturing of the landscape before night has dawned upon the land.

I also like the way the ocean and the coastline come together.

I hope you enjoy.

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BestWurst: Live at Moshpit 26.10.2018 Review

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

This Review can also be found on Culture Eater.
Please check out the site and see what other people are contributing.

Anyway, here’s the review

—–

Disclamer: in the interest of journalistic integrity, it is important to mention that I played at this show.

I played at this show.

Now, with that out of the way…

Sonichimæra recently held BestWurst at Moshpit in Erskineville.
Whilst a small venue, a relatively sizeable audience attended BestWurst to see four bands / artists play loudly.

First up was me, playing my greatest hits. The set was aggressive and there was much screaming. Whilst there were a number of mistakes, the present and politely-watching audience seemed to enjoy the set. At one point later in the evening, the singer of the act that followed said to me that I was “fucken’ sick”. Along with others saying that they enjoyed the set, it reinforced the idea that the audience enjoyed what I played.

Following my performance was the significantly better Behind You.
Behind You’s set was quite intense. Strong percussion and guitar effects set an effective foundation for the front-man to rap over.

There was a physicality Behind You’s performance. The front-man used whatever space was available to move around quickly and somewhat-aggressively, which meant getting right into the front of they audience at times. Whilst the front-man was the most overt, each member played with a good deal of energy.

Usta came on soon after and played a blistering set. Each song came quick and hit hard. Whilst bass-heavy, everyone came across clearly as their sounds blended well. The vocals were strong and the percussion was excellent. The guitar and bass drove along smoothly. Each member locked into each other quite well, which came through in how tight they were as well as how well they performed. The audience reacted positively to the set and in turn the further into their set they were, the more apparent it became that Usta were enjoying the set just as much.

Closing the gig was Yes I’m Leaving. They played hard and gave a really good performance. Whilst there was a lot of energy and force in their playing, what they played did not feel like an assault. Whilst there was certainly a form of aggression in their songs, it felt more like it was due to the flow of the songs rather than a forced desire to beat down the audience. Essentially, they had a good balance between each element that made up their songs.

Their vocals ranged from shouting to something between speaking and singing, which matched the songs nicely. Despite a fair bit of noise in their performance, Yes I’m Leaving had a great deal of structural clarity. They made for an enjoyable, appropriate closing act.

Overall, the small event was a good one. It’s hard to know if this is a one-off for Sonichimæra, but hopefully BestWurst isn’t. They did well in band choice as each progressed into the next quite appropriately. Despite some differences in sound, there was a common thread between each band. Everyone played as best as they could and in turn there was high audience satisfaction.

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Dark Night Shine 2018 II

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

This sculpture was created by Takahiro Hirata.

It is my favourite from this year’s Sculpture by the Sea.

In this photo I like how it works with the light around it.
The surfaces are rendered hard but the way the light is cast still gives it a fair bit of depth, I think.

I think that the sculpture benefited from the overcast morning.

I hope you enjoy.

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Sixty Harvests Left: Live at Sounds Unsound

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

This Review can also be found on Culture Eater.
Please check out the site and see what other people are contributing.

Anyway, here’s the review

—–

After performing at The Sounds Unsound, fifty-nine harvests remained. Prior to this, Sixty Harvests Left.

So how do I describe Sixty Harvests Left? They last performed under Fifty-nine Harvests Left. Now they go by Fifty-eight Harvests Left.

…Harvests Left are an improvisational group based around a very specific concept. After each performance, the digit in their name decreases by one. A change best witnessed over multiple performances occurs.

When Fifty-eight Harvests Left still had two more harvests than they currently do, they performed at The Sounds Unsound, hence the release of Live at Sounds Unsound. The title is appropriate, as the performance was one that was live and comprised of sounds. Some of those sounds are ones that some may consider to be un-sounds.

The first thing to say about Live at Sounds Unsound is that it doesn’t sound as though it is a concert performance. Whist a few elements of a live stage setting seeped through, the capture of the performance has a high degree of clarity. There’s low reverb and as such, much of the more subtle elements have good presence and there’s little strain to make things out.

Sounds oscillate in and out of each other as they loop, morph, come in and fade out. Aside from maybe two moments, the sounds flow smoothly and have a natural progression. Much of the sound is calm, but there’s expansion and intensity interwoven throughout the performance.

A strong presence of percussive elements adds a lot of tone and texture through building upon the performance’s structures rather than creating them. A vocal sample turns into a wave of static. What sounds like a xylophone sample builds upon itself and becomes massive in a sense whilst percussion sounds elongate alongside the growing sound. There’s a strong focus on how the sounds come together. The performance is cohesive due to the focus; the recording is chaotic without being messy.

The only real downside is the track sectioning. Whilst best appreciated as a whole, you can focus on each section without having to search through one massive chunk. Having the option to focus on each section is beneficial. However, there is a brief, yet noticeable silence at the end of each track. It is sudden and overt and can pull you out of the performance. Still, it is only a minor downside.

All of this eventually leads into Live at Sounds Unsound‘s last section. It starts soft and delicate. Through sounds that seem intentionally at odds with everything else, a sense of unease rises. Piano slowly comes in as a percussive noise loops and “crackles”. Something akin to white noise remains present in the background, giving a kind of frame to the process. Sounds soften as the piano picks up. Something akin to an elongated vocal line, among other sounds come in, changing the feel of the track, yet still being in harmony with what has come before. Gradually more sounds come in, the noise increases and the track reaches out and expands. Layers upon layers build as the final few minutes grow in their noise and expansiveness. The song becomes wide and cinematic. It invokes imagery in its use of sound and embraces the dramatic without going overboard.

Had the song continued and it probably could have looped neatly into the start of the performance. Instead, the performance comes to an abrupt end. However, This prevents the song from overstaying its welcome. The build into the final climax that begins with the opening notes on the opening section ends up retaining more weight, and the final result is a great performance.

Live at Sounds Unsound is available here.

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A Longer Customer Rant

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

You know, I’m really done with all the crap that we (well, I) have to deal with customers.

Firstly, don’t tell me how to fucking spell basic words. In fact, don’t tell me how to spell something unless I ask. It’s annoying as fuck, especially when you keep getting my name wrong and can’t work it out, even though it’s just about as basic and stupid as your name. I shouldn’t have to repeat myself multiple times just because you don’t understand a basic name, then have you spell me something such as ‘Thomas’, or ‘Amanda’.

Those two names are extreme examples, but it does happen. More often than not, we know how to spell.

Secondly, stop assuming that you’re entitled to the answer that you want. You are entitled to the correct answer. Deal with it. Don’t try to make it my problem if you don’t bother reading things. Don’t get shitty. That’s your problem. You have no one to blame but yourself if you need something before the weekend and put in an order for something that will take more than a week to arrive.

Thirdly, don’t treat customer service reps like they’re beneath you. The world doesn’t revolve around you, you aren’t special and based on your shitty attitude, you’re not better than us. Don’t make our  job any harder than it needs to be. You want us to help? Don’t behave this way.

Fourth: don’t abuse customer service reps. We’re doing our job. You’re not going to get your way by abusing us.

Fifth: Don’t try to use “Well nobody’s perfect” as a defence when you blatantly ignore an option to make your delivery easier, then get shitty at a rep for not being perfect and making a mistake. Drop your smarmy cunt attitude and stop trying to get your way when you fucked up.

Sixth: Don’t talk over us when we’re trying to tell you something. Don’t assume our responses. Let us talk. Your issue could be resolved faster if you shut up and listened instead of acting in a way that implies that you think that you’re so important and right about everything. I don’t care if you’re frustrated. Shut up. Listen. Don’t interrupt. You didn’t know I was still talking? Then clean out your fucking ears.

On that note, don’t get shitty when a rep asks you to stop interrupting, interrupt them and tell them that they’re the ones interrupting. You show a clear disregard for the process of conversation, as well as a clear disrespect for the rep.

Seventh: When we ask for information or ask you to do something, don’t give us a whole story, or avoid giving us the information we’re asking for. Essentially, don’t fight us trying to help. More often than not, we have all the information on the issue up to when you last called. We don’t need a story, we don’t need you continuing to complain about something not working because you didn’t pay attention, or something broke. We need you to let us help you.

Eight: Don’t lie to us, even if you think you’re going to get away with it. It doesn’t help when you say you didn’t know something, then reveal you knew something but got away with it before, then get shitty when you can’t get away with it again. It’s pointless.

I’d probably be less angry this morning, but customers are getting really good at wasting not only our time, but the time of other customers. You chose an option that doesn’t work for you and then you complain that it does not work for you? Your problem.

Customer service reps should be treated better. It’s not the worst job in the world, but that doesn’t mean that we deserve to be talked down to, belittled, have people yell at us for no reason, be treated like idiots and deal with people who have a sense of entitlement that has to have come from some place of imagination.

You know deliveries? Not every courier service offers a specific time frame. Just because some do, does not mean that all do. This does not make service “ordinary”. Do you even know what ordinary means? You who can’t get a basic name correct and then decides to spell basic words?

Yes. I agree that not all customer service representatives are not good at their job, but that doesn’t give you the right to take out your crap on us.

If you’re one of those “valued customers” who thinks that it is okay to behave in any of the above manners, then take your massive sense of entitlement elsewhere. We shouldn’t have to deal with your bullshit.

If you persist, then shut up and let us do our job. We’re trying to assist you. It doesn’t need to be an uphill battle.

End rant

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Jacaranda mimosifolia

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

A beautiful, yet invasive plant species for Australia.

Jacaranda mimosifolia‘s flowers bloom around this time of year, hence my ability to get the photo.

At least, I think that it blooms around this time of year.

Leanne Cole recently has started a new photo challenge.
This week’s challenge is “Flowers“.

I suggest checking out Leanne’s photography, as well as checking out what other people submit into the challenge.

You can find the challenges here.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

 

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