Five-Hundred Word Challenge 450: One Step at a Time

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

It was time.

It was time to walk away and onto something new.

Well, that’s what they thought in their minds.

It could have been time for anything, as far as they were actually concerned.

Instead of going through with what they were about to do, they would have rather just called it quits.

Saying goodbye to people that you know you are going to return to can be a lot harder than it appears, and this person knew that all too well by this stage.

However, they would have rather not returned, for they knew that they would be returning a different person. Still the same as far as outward appearances are concerned, but internally after this journey, not much of who they were at the present time would remain.

Would they be able to fit in after all of what would be ahead of them?

It was hard to tell.

In essence, what they thought was correct in a fashion, but not entirely.

With a tear forming in their eye, they said goodbye to their family, their town and those who had bothered to show up.

They went down one of the many paths that lead away from their small, yet bustling village and followed it onto something new.

It was the farthest from home that they had ever traveled and there were many uncertainties that lay ahead of them.

Indeed, it would be a trying experience for someone as naïve as they were, but it was what it was and sometimes the rudest of awakenings can be the greatest of teachers.

Still, there could have been at least a little more preparation in this instance.
There were people back in their village who certainly had the experience to help with preparations, yet they refused to offer their hand, for supposedly there were lessons that needed to be learned and could not be taught, or at least that is what they would say as an excuse that would make them look far better, rather than the lazy, unhelpful people that they really were.

Of course, if there was success on this journey of a young person, then they could claim that they helped point in the right direction and set the person up to learn the lessons that they would indeed learn.

If there was failure, they could say that their words were not paid attention to and thus the failure lay squarely on the shoulders of the person that was setting out into the supposed wilderness for the first time in their life.

It was a win for those that did not truly help.

Still, to the person setting out it did not matter so much. It was not something that they wanted to think about. They were instead thinking about what would happen after the first day and first night.

They knew not if there truly were dangers to confront ahead.

The only way to find out was with one step at a time.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 09:22:25

Hm.

Not sure about this one.

It has a decent low but it waffles and does not do enough to paint a strong image.

Written in Redfern.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 449: Work Mountain

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

Why is it so cold?

Actually, that does not matter right now. What matters is getting to the top of the mountain of work, which is known as Work Mountain.

It towers above us all, threatening to collapse on all of us who would try to climb it, yet never doing so, for the higher we go and the more we get done, the more massive and taller it grows.

Yet, with that being taken into consideration, it never seems to reach the sky. It always seems to keep us from ever getting there, no matter how much we try to get up there and reach out.

Occasionally some of it will fall and it would seem that, so long as we are able to not get hit by the  debris making its way down, we will be fine and have less to worry about. However, more just will fill in the missing pieces, seemingly coming out of nowhere and then we will have to tackle just as much, if not more.

It is an annoyance and one that we continually have to grapple with if we so decide to try and tackle this mountain of work that seems so malicious in its intent. However, we must also understand that the mountain is neither malicious nor evil. We must also understand that it is neither good nor benevolent. It is what it is and our choice to grapple with such an awesome beast is our choice alone to make.

Along the way to the top you see people cursing their luck and blaming everything that isn’t themselves about this choice. These people fail much more often than one realises. They are too stuck in their way and, despite there being no real success in getting to the top of this mountain, they refuse to accept that in getting on the mountain in the first place, they’ve decided to take a responsibility into their own hands and in that responsibility they must now learn to work with it and continue on instead of blaming all that which is around them.

It is normally these people that get in the way of the attempts to get to the top and it can be very difficult to get around them. It doesn’t matter how powerful your suit is as they obstruct the way. Sometimes they do so in flocks and sometimes it is just with their massive ego that is bursting out of them.

There’s usually a way around and that involves trying to ignore them as much as possible and hoping that you can get away from them really fast. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Part of us knows that we will never reach the top of Work Mountain, but we always seem to ignore this knowing and think that we will reach the top. Maybe that is what keeps us going in attempts to conquer the mighty peak.

It is a lofty dream, and perhaps one that we should discard.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 07:38:14

Well, this was unexpected.
I guess it makes for some interesting imagery, or something.

Written at work.

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Sunrise at the Halo

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

Here’s another shot taken during the strong sunrise I saw last week.

It’s also another shot featuring the Halo.

I think that the strong colour in the sky combined with the shadow do well to make this image more about the texture and the shape than the actual images of the scene.

I think they also do a good job of making the scene a little more relaxing without necessarily making the imagery more low-key.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 448: A Nice Day

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

Today was a good day.

I got up early, but not too early. It was around my usual time.

It did not take long before I was ready and leaving the house to head to Waterfall for the first time in a while.

Once there, I met up with Fe for a day of bushwalking through the bush of the Royal National Park.

We made good time, saw some things.

Uloola Falls was dry which was kind of sad but it did mean that we got to stand where the water usually flowed, which was kind of interesting.

We got some nice, sweeping views and we got to see a large family of cockatoos at one point.

There was a lot of walking.

We did well for time.

We did a lot better for time than the last time I was there, so that’s something I’m pretty chuffed about, if I am to be honest.

There were, of course a lot of photos taken and soon they shall start going through the process of being processed.

Not right now as soon I will be going to sleep as I’m feeling tired.

The air felt clean, the sounds around us were nice and the conversation was enjoyable.

Oh, that’s right; we saw some black cockatoos early on in the walk.

There was plenty of rest stops so I’m kind of surprised as to how well we did for time.

We were out of the Royal National Park still early on in the afternoon.

We came out at Loftus, caught a train back to Waterfall and then drove back to Sydney where we had some burgers at a place that we hadne’t eaten at in a while, and those too were good.

I think I was mostly happy to have been in the Royal National Park once more as the last time I was there was almost a year ago and it most certainly is a place that I like to visit.

Since getting home I’ve listened to lectures and enjoyed the wonderful pains that are being supplied to me courtesy of my right knee.

I think I may have strained it a little, which may have to do with being unfit, or something.

Audley Weir was also nice. Then again, Audley Weir usually is nice so there’s no surprise there.

So anyway, my knee is in pain and I’m sitting here and I was listening to lectures whilst processing photos and now I’m wondering as to what I should do about the pain other than rest, rest and then rest some more.

There’s not many options at this point, so it’s something that I have to wait to pass, which will hopefully be soon.

Oh, the walking paths were also pretty nice. Still defined, still easy, still leading to interesting sights.

The moss, which was not there the last time I did this walk was pretty interesting. It was growing in places I would not expect.

The moss was also nice.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 08:11:21

I thought I’d be able to get more out of this, but I guess that’s what the photos are for.

Written in Redfern.

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Do not go Near the Edge

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

A fairly informed message.

It probably has a lot to do with how close I was to the scene, but I like how much the sign stands out and clashes with the scenery.

I do think that, aside from the ocean there’s a bit of depth in this photo.

There’s not much light and shade tone but I think that plenty of texture can still be discerned.

This is my entry into Leanne Cole‘s Monochrome Madness for this week.
The reason that this one is of a boat is that the theme for this week is “Boats” due to this being the first Thursday of the month, as every first Thursday of the month is a themed M.M.

If you are a photographer, then I recommend checking out Monochrome Madness and consider participating in the event. It’s been going for a few years now and it’s a fun way to be part of a small photography community.

I also recommend that you check out Leanne’s work outside of Monochrome Madness.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

 

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Hot Snakes: Jericho Sirens Review

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

This review is also on Cool Try.
I recommend reading the other stuff that people are putting up there if you read this here.

Anyway, here’s the review.

—–

Hot Snakes are a band that (sans a brief reunion a few years ago) did little for a few years. Now they are active once more and are surfing their way through our lives with Jericho Sirens. As it has been over a decade since their last album, do Hot Snakes still have what it takes to deliver, or do they need to go back into hibernation?

The album does not take long to start; a guitar riff that lasts about five seconds before every other instrument and the vocals enter. Hot Snakes saw no need to spend much (if any) time announcing that they were indeed back. Rather than having a track that could be seen as throwaway, “I Need a Doctor” is as urgent and worthwhile as the rest of the album.

Like “I Need a Doctor”, the rest of Jericho Sirens is full of angular, rhythmic playing. There is a bit of dissonance balancing the harmony throughout and the tempo is usually kept fast. These combine with a dry sound, leading to many of the songs having an abrasive, frantic and (sometimes) aggressive feel.

This is best exemplified in the chaotic “Why Don’t It Sink In” but this is just one example. “Candid Cameras” is intense without going full blast. “Death Doula,” whilst slightly weaker than the rest of the album still hits hard and furiously.

Roughly around the middle Jericho Sirens relaxes a little. The songs slow down slightly and embrace more melody whilst retaining a hard hit. If the album had sped the whole way through, it would have been fatiguing. Thankfully there is enough of an ebb to prevent that when the album picks up again.

Around the middle is where the title track features. Whilst a little more restrained, it is no less expressive and uses swagger and swing to keep its momentum going. The instruments focus on the drive and the melody of the song whilst retaining their impact. “Jericho Sirens” could have been an afterthought. Instead the song sees as much care and consideration regarding how it fits with the others. This helps strengthen the middle section and by extension the flow of the album.

Although not as urgent as “I Need a Doctor”, “Death of a Sportsman” works well as a closer. Slowing down a little and using more melody, it draws in much of the sounds of the previous songs. There is less chaos and intensity but “Death of a Sportsman” is still driven and focused. It ends when it needs to and does not waste a second. There is no big ending to it either; just a few seconds of grooving on a beat which then comes to a sudden stop.

The lyrics seem to mostly express frustration regarding varying issues but they are vague rather than direct and thus may have to do with simpler things. Writing lyrics in a vague manner can be a bad thing due to their ease of expressing pretentious leanings. On Jericho Sirens they work well due to a use of direct language. This leads to a stronger sense of imagery more appropriate for the songs. Another upside is that there is enough room to think about the meaning of the lyrics without them coming off as pretentious. Matched with great vocal conviction and bite, the lyrics have no less impact than the songs they inhabit.

In the time Hot Snakes were away, there was been plenty of time to improve on the blueprints established for this kind of music. Whilst there have been some good albums that shake things up, Jericho Sirens blows many of them out of the water. It is refreshing, believable, effortless and focused. On top of that, Hot Snakes sound much more energised than many younger artists. Jericho Sirens is an album that does much more with less, ensuring that every part counts. The songs are as long as they need to be and flow well. The payoff to all of this an excellent album that consistently delivers the whole way through.

Jericho Sirens is located here.

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Illuminated Opera House

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

On Saturday night I went to Vivid for the first time in four years.
There was sporadic rain until I wrapped up with the people I was with and then it started to rain constantly with gradually increasing intensity.
The experience was still enjoyable.

I have mixed feelings about Vivid.
On one hand, it’s an interesting event full of artistic displays.
On the other, Vivid produces a significant amount of light pollution (among other pollution forms) that few people seem to actually care about.

I like that despite this being a long exposure, the display on the sails looks like something.

I like how lush the colours are and the way that they reflect on the water.

I hope you enjoy.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 447: Claw at the Sky

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

There is a little bit of blue on my shirt and it reaches out to claw at the sky.

If we are all clawing at the sky with it, then we have formed a group of people clawing at the sky due to a bit of blue on a shirt clawing at the sky.

Of course, this is not something that is redolent of anything important, but it is still something that needs to be taken into consideration.

It needs to be taken into consideration as, like something very popular, it spreads like wildfire and may inhibit the ability to do anything that is considered wither useful or a worthwhile pursuit in the exchange of time remaining.

There is no way to explicitly stop such an action other than to not follow the crowd.

However, we all want to follow the crowd and the sky is something that we always reach for but, without assistance, can never touch and despite our comfort of having such an ability to do so, we all know that in reality we want to be able to touch the sky without having the assistance of anything else.

And so, just like the blue on the shirt the sky is what we are clawing at for it is what we want and can never have.

As more people do such an act, more people will join in and more people will stop doing the things that they want to do in their daily living.

One day, perhaps they will all be able to reach for that which they cannot touch, but until then they shall claw and gnash their teeth and howl in anguish, for there is no ability to do so without assistance at the present time and there is no realising as such.

Of course, you don’t want to challenge these people, for over time they shall become rabid and single-minded and so challenging them may lead to unforeseen, violent circumstances.

Best to leave them alone as they descend into their own ignorance and madness, really.

Perhaps all of this will lead to nothing of note and at the end of the day people will go about their daily business after a while. However, it may be a long while before they realise and thus there may be issues.

Traffic could end up being blocked up as more and more people join this fool’s errand and thus there could be unintended hostility which would be faced with harsh, dangerous repercussions before the swelling group goes back to clawing at the sky once more.

Perhaps none of this will happen at all and the moment that someone sees the blue on a shirt reaching out for a sky that it cannot touch, they will avoid it due to how weird and uncomfortable the scene may appear.

There are many possibilities and many conclusions, but the group will likely swell and in its large mass, many arms will uselessly claw at the sky in great desperation.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:33:45

I think I was a little stuck on the beginning idea.

Interesting visual, not a great story.

I tried to turn it into something a little… I don’t know.

Written at work.

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Driving Past the Halo

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

I was walking out of Central Park a few weeks ago when I took this photo.

I was hoping that the car wouldn’t get across (I think) and it did and it lead to this result.

I like how the light lines kind of obscure the photo but leave enough space to show the background.

I also like how it contrasts with the stillness of the buildings and the sculpture.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

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Five-Hundred Word Challenge 446: The Only Way Out is Through

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Stupidity Hole

What am I doing here?

It’s so hot and the only way out is through.

Through to the other side. How did I get myself trapped in a desert of ocean?

A hot ocean of sand that stretches beyond the sea and the stars.

It seems that the  world has indeed become some sort of sand and only sand.

In fact, all that there currently is is sand and not much of anything else.

There must be a way out. There seems to be room to dig despite the immense amount of pressure that is surrounding my being.

I am breathing sand and it is not pretty.

I dig upwards for hours. It seems like the only way to go, as going down will bury myself in more sand and digging sideways may take even longer than required.

After a while I tired so I instead decide to dig sideways. It is not long before I get to the outside.

The wall is vertical for what seems like an infinite stretch, and I can see that the place is illuminated well. there is a massive amount of space, but there is sand on the opposite side, albeit at a far distance.

I get out of the tunnel I’ve dug and stand on the surface. There is something out there that is bright that is illuminating everything, but know not where it is I do, for it is not something that can be seen.

I walk. I walk for a long time and continue on for what feels like an eternity, occasionally drinking sand as I go in order to stay hydrated.

There seems to be no form of a way out and this is something that I may have to accept.

I have walked for a long time and seem many a thing, but all there is sand and there is no way to get out from the sand, but I must continue to look for a way out. I need to find an exit. Perhaps one day there will be a sign of something that will lead me out of this place. The way out is through and as soon as I find that, then the sooner I will be able to continue on my way.

It is hot and this sandy ocean is not relenting in any way. I need to find something that is not sand. There is air and there is space, but there is sand elsewhere.

But there was space, so there must be something that is not sand.

I return to where I dug.

I search around near the hole as the brightness shines on.

A wooden square door is eventually found.

I dig around it and begin to pull on it in some attempt to get out of this place.

After hours, the door budges and opens.

Beyond it is something I have not seen in a while and it is far more magnificent than I thought it would be.

I step through.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:53:12

I like this for the imagery that it conjures.

It has a decent flow, but there are some parts that could have been much better.

Written in Redfern.

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