Five-hundred Word Challenge 27: On Mondays and Being Busy

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

So I was going to make this post about how Mondays were invented by some evil alien lizard race from some living planet in order to enslave the human race to do their evil bidding without us knowing but I realised I had no idea on how to make it interesting or stupid enough to be worth reading so I decided to stop.

The other thing is that made it difficult for me is that I don’t hate Mondays.
Nor do I dislike Mondays.

I think they major problem with Mondays that people have is that they crave the weekend too much.

Sure, the weekend is a great time if you don’t work them but they are only days, just like Monday.

Monday being the traditional beginning of the work week makes it seem as though the weekend is a massive distance away, but usually it, like other working days, goes by quite quickly.

I like Mondays as they represent a beginning and an end at the same time and also due to them being a day of the week I get to live.

I don’t think that it makes too much of a difference when a work week begins and ends.

There probably is some sort of importance behind how the traditional work week is designed and why it is favoured over, say, ending a work week on a Wednesday and starting it on a Saturday, but I don’t know what it would be.

There’s a lot that can be done during any day of the week if one tries to make the most of their time but I think this is overlooked, which is why a weekend can become quite busier than expected.

With that being said, people need time to rest as well.

I’ve read that my generation is trying to keep as busy as possible and it is making us depressed but we don’t mind too much.

I do like to keep busy and do a lot of things but I recognise that I need a break every now and then lest I burn out if I don’t take one and push on all the time.

If it is true that my generation wants to be as busy as possible, doing as much as we can, despite our mental health, then it’s quite worrying.

I don’t quite understand that kind of behaviour.

I think it might stem from some sort of fear of not achieving anything by certain ages, or fear of living an unfulfilled life.

Personally, I find that I can get a lot more done with the occasional break than going at full speed all the time.

If you don’t take time to recharge, you run the risk of continually going with little to no energy.

The body needs to recharge every now and then, as well as the brain.

It can be hard to rest and stop if there is an inherent fear, but it’s much harder to keep pushing all the time.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 10:12:04
Significantly faster than the last one.

Despite my lack of dislike or hate for Monday, I don’t think it’s a good reason to have trouble writing a stupid story about it.

I wrote this yesterday but I (repeatedly) forgot to upload it.
Seems to be some sort of side-effect of experiencing Monday.

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Terminator: Genisys Review

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

It was much better than the third one.
I haven’t seen the fourth but I’m feeling certain that Genisys was better than that one as well.

The action scenes were decent enough.

The plot was okay but did become cheesy at points.
However, it felt a bit more intelligent than a lot of action films that are out currently.

At times the film felt a bit slow.
This probably has to do with the running time.
I do feel as though some parts might have benefited from being shorter.

The acting wasn’t as good as it could have been but it was passable.

It’s hard to say whether I’d recommend seeing it or not.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about it.
I did enjoy it, despite finding some moments dull or off.
When the film was good, it was really good, but the moments that were bad stuck out for me.

With that being said, I do think it is a step in the right direction for the franchise.

I think that, if you are going to see Genisys, then don’t pay attention to how harshly some critics seem to be judging it.

Go in without expectations or nostalgia.

It certainly was better than this review.

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A Single Flower on an Autumn Day

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

This is my entry for The Daily Post‘s weekly photo challenge this week.
For this week, the theme is “Symbol“.

This is also my one-hundredth post under the photography category.

Woo.

This is a picture I took on the same day as “Rock” and “Web“.

Ewe and I were near Warhoonga Station when I saw this flower.
It was the only one growing on the hedge.

Personally, I think that this flower can be viewed as a symbol for being strong and standing tall, even when alone.
I also think it can be viewed as a symbol of defiance, beauty and hope.

This is only what I think though as it may represent different things to others.

I like how symbols can be open to interpretation.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

IMG_4700

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Flower

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Here is a photo I took in 2011.
I was heading out somewhere (I can’t remember where) when I saw the opportunity to get this shot.

Flowers are nice.
They can smell nice.
The can look nice.

What I like about this photo is how the light draws the focus of the photo to the flower as it stands strong.

I don’t know what the name of this flower is, so if anyone is able to tell me, I’d appreciate it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

003 (shirt)

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 26: Redundancy

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Heading up to Katoomba was cancelled due to the weather.
It’s not the most annoying thing to happen in the world.
I wouldn’t have been able to get a good shot of Mount Solitary.
Ewe and I would have been working on a garden whilst we were there but we wouldn’t have been able to had we gone this weekend.
Apparently when it rains in Katoomba, it’s bad.

On the plus side, I get to spend the weekend cleaning.
There’s a valuer coming out on Monday. I’d prefer the place looking tidy.

About two months ago it was announced at work that our client was going to be taking the work internally.
This means that unless the company I work for is able to obtain a new client, they are most likely closing the office later this year (assuming the transition with the current client goes smoothly).
This also means that, as I’ve been with the company for a little over seven years and have accumulated some leave, I should be getting a decent payout if the office does indeed close.

I’m very excited about this as it means I’ll be free of debt and I’ll be able to switch to studying full-time.

I’m not fussed about not having much money as I’m not overly concerned about money in the first place.

I’ve decided to apply to work for the client.
The only reason is to do with money.

I still intend to study full-time but there’s no way to start that until next year anyway.

The salary I’d get working directly for the client is much better than what I earn now.
By the time I would have to start full-time study I would have earned more than what my redundancy would provide so I’d be going into studying with a bit of extra cash and I’d also be free of debt.

As said, I’m not fussed about not having much money but I do recognise the need for having something saved for emergencies.

Working for the client directly will allow me to have enough so I won’t have to worry about money for a while.

Obviously this is assuming I get accepted.

I think it’s funny as to how what I wanted to do changed.

When it was announced that the client was going to take everything internal, I was so happy and excited I went out clubbing that night and got drunk and danced for the first time in a very long time.

I began to plan a driving trip around Australia I would undertake once I was made redundant as driving around Australia is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.

As the weeks have passed I’ve begun to have second thoughts and realised that whilst I’d be fine if redundancy came up, I’d be taking better care of myself if I transferred over.

Sometimes some things you want to do are better left being postponed if it means you’ll be better off.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 16:23:79
Getting slower.
Oh well. I’m not feeling fussed right now.

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Patterns on the Wall

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Here is a picture I took in April.

I was heading home from work when I noticed the shadows of some trees being cast onto a wall by a lamp post.

I liked their vague and mysterious appearance and how they felt like trying to remember a dream, so I took photos.
Only one of them turned out okay but I’m happy with that.

I think shadows are interesting in how easy it is to take a part of them and make them almost completely unrecognisable to the object they represent.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

IMG_4021

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 25: Silly Story

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

Whilst I was at work today I had possibly one of the silliest ideas I’ve ever had for a story.

It started by me asking for someone to give me a lift home tomorrow.

There are two people and the ride horses to rob a bank.
This would be set in modern times and would be full of intrigue, mystery, drama, camaraderie and thriller aspects.

There would only be two people and they’d ride into the bank, even if that meant they would have to burst through a wall or even from inside the bank vault.

Although, if it did start with them in the bank vault it would be hard to explain how they got in there with horses in the first place.

Maybe they teleported.

Now, with that being said, the reason as to why they would be robbing the bank is to prevent a threat that will to destroy the fabric of reality.

I don’t know why. It just would happen to be the case.

The person I was discussing this with felt it sounded a bit like transformers.

There would be no transformers seen, but maybe there would be a giant magical cat of some type.

The reason as to why robbing a bank on horseback would work is that, possibly, this threat can only be stopped by its lust for money and that for some reason it likes equestrian activities.

It makes very little sense and it sounds incredibly stupid, but sometimes your mind wanders at work.

So from there, once the two unlikely heroes have burst out of the vault (that’s what I’m going to go with), they would get all the cash and take it to where they need to which would have a chase scene where somehow the two manage to get away from the cops in an action-filled chase scene that is equal parts ridiculous and amazing.

Then they’d drop off the money as to where they need to and reality would come out okay.

Or would it?

Somehow the deal wouldn’t go through and reality would start breaking apart which would lead the two heroes to face off against what they’d need to and somehow save the day.

Afterwards, reality would ensue and despite the fact that they’ve saved the day, they would be arrested and sent to gaol as crime doesn’t pay.

Of course, the true heroes of the story would be the horses and they’d then burst through the walls of the gaol and rescue the two “heroes”.

Then they’d ride off into the sunset or the sunrise.
Maybe there would be neither and they ride off into the rain as that is more emotional and dramatic and also possibly more realistic than riding off into the sunset or sunrise.

People always ride off into the sunset or sunrise. It’s cool but sometimes it feels a bit forced.
At least if they ride off into the rain right at the end, then it’s slightly more interesting.

Only slightly.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 10:47:29
Still over ten minutes but at least it is under eleven.
I still think it is an improvement.
I also think it is a strong indicator that I need more sleep.

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Twilight

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

About two weeks ago I received a lift home from work.
As I came closer to my place, I could see a strong glow coming from where the sun was setting.

When I arrived home I got changed and ran back out with my camera to Rozelle Bay to take pictures of the sunset.

The sun was gone by the time I reached a point where I felt I could get a good shot. However, twilight had kicked in and the fading light in combination with the clouds looked amazing to me.

Some of the clouds looked almost like they were a landscape you could walk on.

Here are the best shots I took.

My favourite one is the last one as it has a cinematic feel to it.
The building almost seems to be towering over everything around it, asserting itself as a powerful structure.
As the silhouette of the building is captured far more than the detail, it becomes more ambiguous.
That, combined with the shifting light in the sky allows it to stand out more.

There doesn’t seem to be much happening in the photo, but there is a lot that can be said about it.

As a side note, I’m not sure if the building in the shot is a factory or a building with two tall structures in front of it (I tried to see if it had a name and saw an aerial shot that wasn’t the best).

Anyway, the last photo is also is my sixteenth entry into Leanne Cole‘s “Monochrome Madness“.

I hope you enjoy.

IMG_4806 IMG_4811 IMG_4816 IMG_4818 IMG_4826 IMG_4829

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 24: Coffee Story

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

I was getting a coffee the other day.
It was a large latte as I felt like having one.
I love coffee.

Anyway, it was a good coffee, but there was one small problem.

It was ALIVE!

I started drinking it when I heard some angry sounding gurgling coming from my cup.
I took the lid off and saw that it was bubbling.

I drank some more because I don’t know.
Then it bubbled more intensely.

I didn’t know what to think of this, so I carefully placed the cup down so it didn’t explode in my face as I thought that was going to be the most likely outcome for what was happening.

A few seconds after placing it down and the coffee took off at a really fast speed.

I didn’t know what was going on, but not wanting to lose my coffee, I decided to chase it and hopefully apprehend it before I lost the ability to finish drinking it forever.

It moved so fast that it became airborne and subsequently hit a wall.
It slid down pathetically and came to the ground with a soft thud and remained unmoving.

I approached it carefully and picked it up. It remained still in my hand.

I went to drink the remained and then it took off out of my hand. It landed on the ground and kept on moving.

I chased it around the office, trying to keep up with it but the coffee was far too nimble for me to get it easily.

It weaved through cubicles with great ease and was almost taunting me as I clumsily grabbed at it whilst crashing into chairs and walls.

Eventually it reached a hall.
I sprinted towards it.
It seemed a bit slower.
I gained considerable distance.
I dived.
I felt my fingers gingerly brush the coffee.

It then took off again and made straight for the elevator.

It closed the doors before I was able to get in so I ran to the fire escape and ran down the stairs as quickly as I could.

After getting out of the fire escape I ran to the ground foyer as quickly as I possibly could.
The coffee wasn’t there.
It had already left the building.

I ran out to the road and spotted it immediately.

It saw me from a distance and began to move.

I ran as fast as I could to try and catch it.

It seemed tired but kept on moving as quickly as it could.
Luckily it wasn’t fast enough.

I chased it all the way to a park when it suddenly stopped.
It seemed to be too tired to continue.
I got to it and saw that it was done.

I picked it up with both hands and went to finish it off.

It launched right out of my hands into the trees.

I cursed my luck. Never had a coffee escaped me before.
I know that one day I would see it again.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 10:16:77
A slight bit slower than last night but I’m still happy with the time.
It seems to indicate that I’m getting faster.
Not sure if I’m becoming a better writer, but that can come at a later stage.

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Five-hundred Word Challenge 23: It’s cold

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Stupidity Hole

It’s cold today.
Really cold.

I’m somewhat glad that my office has air conditioning.
It’s useful as a temporary reprieve but I don’t like how it gets your body used to a temperature that is only going to be temporary.

Maybe I should invest in a heater.
I don’t know.

Currently I’m torn between going up the road to get dinner and staying at home to cook instead.

I’m feeling too lazy to cook, but at the same time too lazy to go up the road in the cold to get food.
It would probably be warmer to stay at home and cook something easy, but at the same time it requires cooking when I could go up the road and get a filthy burger.
That involves being cold for fifteen minutes or more though.
Also, the burgers aren’t that filthy.
Somewhat disappointing but it’s certainly not the worst thing that could possibly happen in the world.

Despite it being winter, I’m surprised as to how cold it is in Sydney currently.

Some people talked about how we had a hot Summer this year, but I’m not sure if it was any worse than the past few years.
It seemed pretty average to me.
This winter has seemingly been colder than usual though.

I don’t think I’ve been so unwilling to get out from under the blankets in a long time.
However, it might just be my mind telling me that it is colder than usual and perhaps it might actually just be average.

Maybe it’s a drier cold than usual.

Oh well.

At the end of the day, it’s just cold weather that we have to bear.

It’s not as cold as it is in Canberra or in Katoomba.

Speaking of which, I’ll be in Katoomba on Saturday morning, getting up at five A.M. so I can take pictures of Mount Solitary during sunrise.
I’ll then be taking pictures at midday and sunset as I want to capture it at different points throughout the day.

When Ewe and I were in Katoomba in February I took a few photos of Mount Solitary.
However, the photos had dust throughout them as there was a lot of dust in the sensor.
This frustrated me as I felt the photos were some of the best I had taken so far.

I decided to try and capture Mount Solitary at different times of day once the sensor was dust free and whilst it has taken a few months, I’m finally going to be doing this.

I’m not looking forward to the early wake due to how cold and dark it will be, but I do believe that it is very much worth the effort.

Hopefully the photos turn out well.

The early walk will be nice as well. I’ll be able to see parts of Katoomba and Leura before it begins waking up in full.

I just now have to make sure I’m prepared to experience this.

I think it will be good.

The time it took to write five-hundred words: 9:58:63
Just under ten minutes.
I’m quite happy with this, but I think I can go faster still.
I think I’m going to wrap myself in blankets as whilst it’s cold, it’s an easily solvable issue.
At least in the short-term.

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