ianbee: this is instead of getting a dog

Australia, a progressive nation

Quick! I need flip-flops urgently!

But how do I know what size I need?

Brilliant.

Australia!

I'm going to Australia for a month, I leave for Sydney next week. I'm so excited!

Flashmob accapella engagement

The choir I used to belong to in Sydney, Australia, were recently asked to provide a surprise musical back-drop for a marriage proposal.

 

I think she said yes. Is that him putting a ring on her finger? Or did she say "pull this"? It's not entirely clear, although she does run away at the end. Which could be good or bad.

 

New phone, old camera

I have an iPhone now. I still have my iPod Touch, although i'm feeling a little unfaithful. The iPhone is a refurbished model, refurbished by me and my Dad. I inherited it from Australia and once we had opened it up and sucked most of Bondi beach out of it, it worked fine. The screen is a bit damaged and the dock-connector is dodgy, yet I put up with these faults to the chagrin of the Touch who looks on muttering "Hey, I'm 16GB. He's only 8GB. My battery last for days, his lasts for 15 minutes. Where did I go wrong?"

You went wrong, my old friend, because you don't have a camera.

As you may have noticed from previous posts, I have become addicted to a little iPhone app that covers up the failings of a tiny 3megapix camera using clever filters and tweaks. The result looks like you found the photo in a jumble sale stuffed into the lining of an old jacket, or being used as a bookmark in an old encyclopedia.

I have been trying to work out why I currently prefer the simplicity of this novelty toy to my Ricoh, with all its fancy complexity. I think it is because the randomness of photography has returned and with it some of the chance and mystery that was lost once I started using a digital camera. When using film I didn't know whether I had taken a good photo until it was developed. Now, in a similar way, I press the shutter button and wait for a surprise. I have to find a scene that will cope with distortion and won't be cropped, and that means a stronger focus on the subject and composition and less on the fiddly camera settings.



Predictably, one disadvantage is that everything looks old. And fuzzy. Despite this, and maybe it's just a phase, but I'm having fun. Even though my iPod Touch and my Ricoh aren't happy.

Queensland floods

Those of us in Europe may not have seen as much of the Queensland floods on the news as those in Australia. It's a horrible situation. There are some spectacular and disturbing photos on the ABC news website. Here is part one and here is part two. Check out the shelter-seeking cows.

 

I live by a stream. Having seen this video I am never parking out the front again.

There's nothing like an Australian advert

This ad came on in the cinema the other day. We cried with laughter. I could write so much ... but you'd be better off watching the layers of cliche piled on top of stereotype for yourself. Enjoy.

It's not really like that in reality, I mean, that would be a very busy week. However they do mange to communicate the fact that Australia is amazing at dawn and dusk, and every hour in between is best spent indoors.

Australian Culture

I have to post this before you all tell me about it in a deafening flood of dog-related trivia. There was a music concert for dogs at the Sydney Opera House yesterday. As I lay dozing in bed this morning listening to the item on the news, the reporter did nothing to dissuade me from believing that the concert was actually in the main opera house auditorium. Do the dogs get a seat? I wondered. Did they put plastic sheeting on the floor? Was there a bit of turf by the loos? It turns out they held the gig outside, very disappointing.

Speaking of dogs, i have been reminded that the "down under" dog banner needs updating. The original banner was modified by a friend as a going away present, and he has offered to celebrate my return by designing a Yorkshire version. But if he is reading this and feels super-busy and doesn't think he'll get round to it, I understand. (Although I am wondering if I left my ice-axe in your cupboard?)

When I arrived in Bangladesh, my friends couldn't meet me at the airport as they were occupied by a prior funk engagement. The driver they sent to pick me up was clutching this distinctive banner ...

Aerial Photo 13

Normal blog service should really have been restored by now. Unless that volcano is still erupting, in which case I am sure i would have told you!

Aerial Photo 11

Aerial Photo 10

The entrance to Lake Macquarie. This was published in a magazine. Did I ever tell you that?