Reading

Created
Wed, 06/02/2019 - 19:08
I feel like my political and cultural inclinations are slowly but determinedly turning into proto-retirement hobbies. And I can’t even imagine that I’ll ever have enough money to retire! It’s another one of those Pak Protector transformations, where our versions of what it is to be older are a mixture of strange new instincts, and […]
Created
Fri, 01/02/2019 - 21:15
  March 2019: 01 Mar Nannup Festival, Nannup, WA 02 Mar Nannup Festival, Nannup, WA 03 Mar Nannup Festival, Nannup, WA 14 Mar Mojo's Bar, Fremantle, WA 8pm 15 Mar Four5Nine, Perth, WA 8pm 16 Mar Nukara Festival, Geraldton, WA 30 Mar Cubadupa Festival, Wellington, NZ 31 Mar Cubadupa Festival, Wellington, NZ April 2019: 13 [...]
Created
Sun, 06/01/2019 - 03:07
Kabul? Singapore? I can't remember.
Where in the world am I?

Our flight from London has been a bit special. We flew north over Copenhagen. The sun dropped low and the clouds cleared revealing the Baltic islands rimmed in golden sunlight.

On we flew over the snow covered fields of Estonia and night fell. I …

Created
Fri, 04/01/2019 - 08:00

We have less than 20 hours left before boarding our plane back to Australia. I am full of the usual salamagundy mix of emotions. Let’s not trawl through that though. The past couple of weeks have been intense. Seeing friends and family like this always ends up feeling like …

Created
Sat, 15/12/2018 - 17:24

I woke up early this morning, and those of you live above 45° parallel north or so are used to the “I'm wide awake but it's still dark as night” feeling in the winter. I usually don't turn on the lights, wander into my office, and just bring my computer out of hibernate; that takes a bit as my 100% Free-Software-only computer is old and slow, so I usually go to make coffee while that happens.

As I came back in my office this morning I was a bit struck by both displays with the huge Debian screen lock image, and it got me thinking of how Debian has been my companion for so many years. I spoke about this at DebConf 15 a bit, and wrote about a similar concept years before. I realize that it's been almost nine years that I've been thinking rather deeply about my personal relationship with Debian and why it matters.

Created
Fri, 14/12/2018 - 02:58
Fitzy and Cara are thrilled to announce the imminent release of their much-anticipated 5th studio album ‘Hand It Over’, featuring lead track ‘Hold On’, and they’re headed out on an extensive Australian tour this Summer to get everyone’s blood flowing. January 2019: 26 Jan Rye Australia Day, Rye, Victoria 6pm (Free) 31 Jan Heritage Hotel, [...]
Created
Mon, 03/12/2018 - 21:41

Bombay (as the locals I have met insist on calling it) keeps reminding me of my time in Alexandria in the early 90s. I walked a lot and obsessed over the bicycle culture back then too.

A slum laundry?
behind the hotels I found where they wash the sheets and towels
Mumbai Housing
Mumbai Housing …
Created
Sun, 25/11/2018 - 06:37

Our first trip to Japan. After driving up the coast and waiting at the airport, the nine hour flight was not so bad. We spent two hours figuring out and getting the trains to our airbnb. We dumped our bags after 20 odd hours travelling and found a bar which …

Created
Thu, 22/11/2018 - 19:09

I have until now avoided making a public statement about my views on the various interrelated issues regarding the GNU Kind Communication Guidelines that came up over the last month. However, given increasing interest in our community on these issues, and the repeated inquiries that I received privately from major contributors in our community, I now must state my views publicly. I don't have much desire to debate these topics in public, nor do I think such is particularly useful, but I've been asked frequently about these GNU policy statements.

Created
Thu, 15/11/2018 - 08:46
The much-anticipated Inland Sea of Sound festival is back bigger than ever with Bathurst’s iconic Wahluu-Mount Panorama set to play host to the two-day music and arts festival from 30th November – 1st December 2018. Hat Fitz and Cara will be playing on 1st December. Grab your tickets here. Now in its eighth year, Inland [...]
Created
Wed, 14/11/2018 - 04:53
Bruce Chatwin in India
Bruce Chatwin in India

As a nineteen year old, Bruce Chatwin introduced me to the latin phrase, solvitur ambulando (The Songlines). Translated as ‘it is solved by walking’ I liked the phrase immediately. It has become a talisman to be kept in my thoughts. I have not only sought solutions …

Created
Mon, 29/10/2018 - 16:15

I recently bought some TaoTronics noise cancelling headphones. I thought they’d make the long-haul flight home to the UK less painful.

As an itirant miserable bastard I have found they also work to make long-haul life less painful. Sometimes I just want to switch the world off and step …

Created
Fri, 19/10/2018 - 12:19

At times I have a plan. I have been known to make a five year plan and more or less stick to it. More happenstance, less plan to be honest. I had planned to quit my previous relationship and go live in the Falklands or the Australian outback. My kids …