Earth shadow

Taken as we were leaving Tokyo. Either Mum or Sandy leant over the next passenger to snap this pic for me. I didn’t realise what it was at the time, all I knew was that it was pretty, and a bit unusual. Ive known about halos for a while, but i recently got a bit more interested in atmospheric optics after spotting this on the way back from Western Australia:

Glory

Since then I have discovered a group on Flickr, and a very beautiful, detailed and interesting page, all on atmospheric optics.

But I’m supposed to be studying. Actually, right now, I’m supposed to be working on an A1-sized poster promoting a piece of heritage. I have chosen to present a piece of artwork, a mural on the wall of the boardroom at work. The building previously belonged to a metalwork trade union group, and in the late 80’s they commissioned a piece to represent them. It is quite beautiful, and the artistic and political context of it is interesting. It was commissioned as part of the art and working life movement, through which the unions sought to encourage art - whether that be through craftsmanship, introducing people to new art forms, the production of art focused on workers’ lives, or simply enough time off for workers to pursue it as a producer or consumer - and investment in art, by Government and industry, via unions. The literature is heavily influenced by socialism, and the unions seem to spend quite a bit of time justifying their existence, but the stories/histories are very interesting.

I need to do a bit more reading, but much of the rest of the work this arvo will be in photoshop and powerpoint. Im supposed to submit it today. I have tried to get in contact with the artist to ask him a few questions about it and I’m hoping he will get back to me via Facebook at some stage today. If I dont hear from him until later, I will ask him my questions anyway. I’m planning to give the finished poster to my workplace, and the info I get from him can be added even after I have handed it up for marking.

I hope to get it done by 5pm, cos Sean is stranded up in Woomera at the moment and there is the possibility of going for a drive tonight to pick him up. A friend of his has offered to go up there with a trailer and tow him back - but I don’t know if I want to tag along for a 10hr return trip. I kinda do and I kinda don’t - 10hrs on the road ..... still thinking about that one. Well, better get on with it!

Hooping in Hibiya Park during the trip back for Ash and Tracey’s wedding in May.

Feedback is always a good thing. I’ve been told I’m too cryptic, and I know I’m too sporadic, and generally I would like things to be different around here, content-wise in particular. And additionally, I would like to be writing again, practicing writing regularly; why not here?

There are, of course, Reasons why I haven’t been around much. Study is one of them, but not a good one. Working on this will only improve my writing skills and my marks. Sean is another, and I’m gonna have to do a bit of work on the balance there. One reason you didn’t really know about was the fact that when I started working after finishing Uni last time around, I told my bosses about this site and that became hugely inhibiting. I actually stopped wanting to write, and it didn’t quite feel safe in here anymore. But that feeling has passed, and I am no longer subject to one of those bosses, nor writing about things that will concern the other boss, and neither had the time to read it in any case.

As for being cryptic, well, I stopped keeping a diary once I got this blog, so the tradition of writing for the audience of one continued. I kinda ventured out into writing for an audience now and then, but as I was (and am still) rather self-conscious about the fact that the audience exists, I didn’t really try very hard to connect. I wanted to maintain the old style. And now, I feel like I want to try something new.

So, enough for today. I don’t think I’m going to be here everyday, and I certainly dont want this to be an extension of a facebook page, I’m going to think a bit more about how this will work.