Five-Hundred Word Challenge 288: Another Attempt to be Under Five Minutes

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

So tonight I’m attempting to write five-hundred words under five minutes once more, but I’m not entirely sure as to why I am attempting to do such a thing.

Perhaps it is because I want t0 see if I can write as fast as possible, which to be fair, is not something I think that I’ll ever be able to achieve.

I think back to a time when I was working in St. Leonards.

Back then, in the final months a bunch of us would do writing challenges where we’d have a bit of text that would appear on screen and we’d have to write it as fast as possible.

Once you finished writing whatever text it was that you had to write, you’d see your accuracy, time and writing speed.

Whilst you could do this on your own, most of us would go together to see as to who would be the best.

Usually I was the fastest, but I had an advantage in that I was doing a lot more writing than the others that I was working with, therefore putting me in a position where I was able to excel over everyone else.

Such was the way of things back then, when I was working in a different office to the one that I now work within.

It was a time where things were winding down and none of us really cared.

I think I miss that competing with those people in particular.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I would talk to some of them now, but I most certainly would go against them again.

It was a time when my writing was really beginning to take off (I think) and a time when I went overseas and came back.

Soon I will be overseas once more, as that is where I want to be at the moment.

It’s not for a few months at the least, but it will once more happen.

Well, not I am writing as fast as I can and I am thinking about writing in the past.

Perhaps my desire to write as fast as possible right now is born from those “races”.

There’s a good chance that this is coming from that.

Possibly.

I don’t know.

I’m willing to say that it is indeed the case, but I really don’t know.

I don’t know as to why I am trying to do this as fast as I can.

Maybe I just want to see if I can indeed write five-hundred words in under five minutes.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

I just need to make sure that I can actually write something interesting.

Whilst being able to write really fast is something that I imagine is interesting, it needs to be tempered with writing something worth reading.

I can only imagine that some people find the things that I write interesting.

I also need to remember that I started these to help improve my ability to write spontaneously.

Well, here goes.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:36:39

Too much pausing.

Also not the first time that I’ve used that ending.

Eh.

Written at home.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Archibald Fountain

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

I’ve taken a few shots of this fountain but I haven’t been happy with the result.

Whilst helping a friend with some photos a few weekends ago I took this shot.

I think that the stillness of the water caused by the long exposure works really well in this photo.

I also think that all the colours work well with each other and that you get a somewhat-decent idea of the form and size of the fountain.

I hope you enjoy.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five-Hundred Word Challenge 287: Being Boring.

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

There is drilling once more. I am here, wanting to begin the writing of a review so I don’t have to worry about having it on my list of things to review.

I also need to begin typing up an interview, but that is something that will have to, for the time being, wait.

There are people here of which familiarity is something that I associate with them, yet now they are gone and with them the familiarity that they had, although the memory remains.

The memory remains.

I think doing philosophy is getting to me. Either that or I’m struggling to find something new.

Either that or I’m just thinking that I’m playing around with words, although I’m not really playing around with words.

Either that or there’s something else. Pretty sure there’s something else.

Maybe I’m just doing word exercises.

That’s always a possibility that can be explored to some extent.

What if the word exercises are playing around with me?

What if I’m not actually sure as to what is guiding my hands and I am merely being played by some entity greater than what I could ever conceive?

What if the possibilities are endless?

What if there are no possibilities?

Why am I going down this train of thought once more?

It’s been a long, yet enjoyable day so far.

Right now I am sitting here, typing whilst expressing banality of life and I’m feeling pretty alright with that.

Sometimes it’s okay to be boring and no try to reach for the most fantastic of elements that you think you can come up with.

There really is nothing wrong with that at all.

It’s probably a good thing that I’m being boring right now because I don’t think that I can stretch myself further without a little bit of rest.

Still, there are things that I need to write and there are things that I need to read and there are albums that I need to hear.

There are also days that need to be lived and there are regions of nature that I need to explore.

there is a whole world out there not waiting for anyone, so it is I that must approach and experience it and not the other way around.

I would love to be near the ocean in a field, somewhere in the Royal National Park and feel my hair being blown into my face which would subsequently lead to my getting annoyed to some extent.

I still would enjoy the feeling though, because a feeling nice it is, to an extent.

I want to be in the ocean, but for now it is time to be boring. That is significantly more important.

Sometimes you need to know when to take it easy. Few people can work themselves continuously.

Sometimes you also need to know when to go on some sort of crazy adventure and really experience the unexpected.

Perhaps the unexpected actually needs to experience you instead of you, it.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 07:53:28

What a day to relax.

Written at UNSW.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five-Hundred Word Challenge 286: Nonsense

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

A string of letters constructed in a sequence to inform those that visit them of the ways of something that has not yet been decided.

The moon ate the sun and danced the night away whilst the carpet struck the cat wearing the hat but not the vest.

there were rocks. Rocks were many and there were rocks to see and watch and play and steal our hearts whilst we toiled on the fields of the eternal horizon rising the night light.

There were times when the plants ate the rocks. There was consumption and very much of it at times of duress reaching levels known only as coincidentally incredible.

All the evidence was incidental and they could never frame the famous burglar of the sign above the grocery store.

When the sign was there, everyone knew where they were going.

Once the sign was gone, no one knew anymore. No one went in and business became hard to maintain.

People began to starve to death for it was the only grocery in the vicinity. The sign was never returned.

It eventually had to be replaced.

It was times of incredible duress that were found in the annals of history.

there were other times that were witnessed but never written down, such as when the whales began to migrate into space to get away from those that would hunt them down for their numbers were scarce and they needed to multiply once more in order to preserve their species in order to ensure that the ecosystem remained as safe and solid as it possibly could.

Sometimes when things leave and go into space it can be hard to work out what is going on.

In the case of the whales, everyone knew. People tried to stop them, but it was a fruitless endeavour, for whales are whimsical, yet serious and focused creatures and no one can tell them what to do once they decide to do something.

Even if it would mean that the world gets thrown into turmoil once more, which is what happened.

People started freaking out and battling each other.
there were riots.

People were in the streets rioting harder than anyone thought that anyone could.

It was a trying, sad time.

However, there were those that were informed and decided not to do anything other than wait out this travesty because you can’t argue with whales and you can’t do much about people who will refuse to listen to reason.

Eventually the whales came back, but nothing was the same anymore.

there had been too much that had happened and people had ;learned far too much about how far they were willing to let go of their inhibitions.

The whales were, for the most part, fine.

Well, once they were back in the ocean they were fine.

There were some problems with aiming and a bit of trial and error was the result.

Still, they made it back, they were fine and life continued toward tomorrow.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 06:26:49

Whilst the aim is always to be as quick as possible, I was actively trying to get under five minutes with this one.

Not too happy with the result, but I think that it works to some extent.

Written at UNSW.

Posted in Fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Old Wharf Once More

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

Whilst at Balls Head I went back to the old wharf as I like how it looks.

I think that I managed to get a few good photos of its “Structure“, angles and geometry.

There’s something about seeing this on an overcast day that seems to have enhanced the photo, I think.

Maybe it’s because it makes the background seem a bit more flat, allowing for more attention to be directed at the wharf. Possibly.

This is my submission into The Daily Post‘s photo challenge for this week.

I hope you enjoy.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Small Plant

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

Here’s a small plant that I saw when I was at Balls Head recently.

I think that I did a decent job of capturing the detail of the plant.

I like that this is the only plant of its kind in the shot. I’m not sure if that means that it’s an invasive species or not, but I think it helps it stand out in the photo.

This is my submission for Leanne Cole‘s Monochrome Madness this week.

I strongly recommend checking out Monochrome Madness and, if you partake in photography or have an interest in taking it up, then I also recommend submitting something. It’s a small,yet strong community-driven event that I honestly believe is worth the time.

I hope you enjoy.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Flowers on the Branches

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

Whilst in the area that I was when I was looking at Brisbane C.B.D. I had a bit of a wander and took some more photos.

Here’s one of those photos.

I decided to play around with the processing on this one, not aiming for anything necessarily resembling how this scene appeared.

I think that there’s a bit too much detail, but I do like the contrast between light as well as the flowers adding a bit of colour.

I hope you enjoy.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five-Hundred Word Challenge 285: Sunlight is out Today

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

Sunlight.

Sunlight is out today. The weather is not too cold, but not too warm.

Despite predictions, it does look like it is going to be a warm day.

Perhaps not in the shade. Perhaps in the shade it will be cold in order to battle against the heat of t he sun.

It looks down upon us as though we are a small object. Perhaps to the sun we are.

Perhaps to the sun, most things are quite small and insignificant.

Perhaps the sun thinks everything is small and insignificant.

Perhaps I’m trying to anthropomorphise the sun in some way whilst at the same time trying to deny the fact that I am trying to anthropomorphise the sun.

Perhaps there are large gaps in how long this has taken to write and I am just trying to race against the clock at this point.

Perhaps the sun is a body in space that we just so happen to be near by which therefore allows us to have life on this planet.

Well, life as we know it to exist.

There is a day outside. It looks like it is a nice day. I am inside in an office.

I am next to someone who I would consider to be a friend. They are working. They look bored at the moment. They are probably just reading. I do not know their motivations, for they are quiet.

Perhaps they are just waiting at this present time. Waiting for a change in circumstance that will allow them to continue on with what it is that they are currently doing.

Perhaps I am also waiting for the same. If I am, will I know when it occurs?

Will I know when I occur?

People are walking around. There is noise. It is the sound of people talking to people on the phones. It forms some sort of background drone with no obvious note.

It is a collage of voice in a wave of vagueness.

I am sitting here. It is here that I currently sit. It is this space that my body currently inhibits.

My friend takes a sip from his bottle. I do not.

I continue to sit and write. I am trying to find the words to make some sense of the current situation, yet they are elusive to me for I should not be looking for the words and instead I should be using them, even if they are not known to me, for they will eventually reveal themselves if I continue to persist with my current trajectory.

The ceiling is as smooth as it is not smooth.

There is an odour and I cannot put my finger on where it is coming from.

There seems to be something that is leaking.

Perhaps there is a gas leak. I do not know. I am not sure.

I do know that right now this is the space that I inhabit and I am waiting for my lunch to reach an end.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 07:11:32

I guess this is interesting.

At one point I less of an idea than usual about what was being written.

Fun times.

I think that maybe this is a little too serious and dramatic.

Oh well.

Written at work.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five-Hundred Word Challenge 284: Presentations

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

Presentations are the pits.

I do not enjoy giving them and sometimes I wish that they were not something that was ever invented.

I bet that the person who invented presentations is laughing all the way to the soul bank right now.

They are evil and evil.

They are also heartless and evil.

THOSE CRAFTY SWINDLERS!

Today I had to give a presentation and it needed a lot more work.

It did not help that I did most of the work on it last night, but sometimes these things happen.

There was a little more work on it this morning.

Two things did not help with said presentation: not enough sleep and coffee.

When I decided to go to sleep last night my mind would not stop racing and exploring thoughts. They were intense, abstract and weird.

It took a long time before my mind calmed down and I was allowed to get a little rest.

Of course I woke up really early and therefore was left feeling rather tired. Still feel tired as of this writing.

I got a coffee and then the panic began to try and creep its way into my heart.

Thankfully I’m good ant speaking.

Well, sometimes I am good at speaking.

Usually if I wing it I’m pretty good as somehow I end up sounding a lot more confident when I ramble than when I’m reading something akin to a script.

With this presentation I went in and did a partial improvisation of what I had to say. It certainly helped me calm down a little bit than had I just read off a script.

I’m pretty sure that I went over the allotted time but I had a lot of information to cram into what time I had, so I’m not too fussed.

The question bit was much easier because I was able to run with my thoughts. Suddenly I was less rigid because I was able to ramble on almost freely.

Almost.

Unfortunately I was not able to answer the questions however I wanted as they were constrained by the information that I was working from, but I was able to answer quite freely within that information.

Therefore rambling was almost out of control as I waffled on to answer some question with more information than required.

Well, it was actually two questions and a lot of me going on and on in some attempt to try and answer the questions.

I think I did a good job in answering, but only because I was more relaxed.

It was not a great presentation. I’d give it a six out of ten. Maybe.

Well, on the plus side it is over and I don’t have to worry about presenting for a few more weeks.

In the interim I must resolve to remain as brilliant and awesome as I possibly can whilst I try and find a happy medium between wearing pants and being some sort of naturally brilliant, hard working super groovy genius.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 07:20:33

And now my armpits can stop sweating profusely.

If only they would.

Written at UNSW.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tower Behind Bricks

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Stupidity Hole

I had a really good vantage point when I took this photo.

I like that the photo feels a bit flat.

I do think that there is depth to the photo and you can see that some structures are farther away than others, but angle-wise I think that this is a fairly flat, straightforward shot.

I like how the buildings are clustered around the Centrepoint Tower and kind of look like they’ve been put in front of the sky.

I also like simple and complex they appear.

I think that in a way this photo feels quiet and muted.

I had a bit of fun when it came to processing this photo.
I decided to play around a bit before doing something a bit more realistic and whilst the results are a little dark, I still think they do a good job of showing this part of Sydney C.B.D.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Posted in Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment