From Batman to Gathman

The other day I watched my nephew introducing his son to bodysurfing. 

The way the little fella was clinging to his dad's shoulders as they soared towards the shore whooping and laughing took me back to Kirra last century and my own dad teaching me about the ocean's pulses and rhythms and dangers - the same ocean where land and time and responsibility and mortgage payments and deadlines end, an an endless playground oblivious and disinterested in our macho machinations and digital dreamings. 

Where analogue starts.

Where generations and memories blur.

Where the Stoke is maintained.

Later, while we all talked story, the little fella and his little brother exchanged surf clobber for Action Hero outfits, oblivious to time, the heat and the rest of us smiling on. 

One day you're rocking the Batman mask and before you can say "Holy drop in, Batman" you're rocking the Gath helmet in full water person style and a couple of decades have evaporated.

2014, your pineapple is ready

Peace, love, health and vitality to you all.

PS

I think these fireworks

from last night

look a lot like

a pineapple

and pandanus trees.

Too Old to Rocknroll

More than a thousand suns have grazed my eyes and scorched my skin since my first day at school, a holy picture in my top pocket to protect me and sox that didn't match. I have forsaken the gut blasting pain of pre-rashie-era styrofoam short boards for a plethora of fins, foils and rockers. 

This weekend sees a group of ageing grommets assemble for the annual winter Wrecks and Relics gathering (dare I say "contest"). These are the crew who were there (probably don't remember) when single fins became twin fins and thrusters morphed into longboards more suitable for a gentlemanly (dare I say "middle-aged") approach to sliding the brine.

So if you see a bunch of leathery old buggers down near the Noosa Rivermouth laughing at each other, lugging around old Joe Larkins and Woosley's, know that they have seen it and done it all and that you can still surf after 60!

Tree

Monochrome Monday (filmless Atlas)

 I still use a number of film cameras on occasion - usually when the light is perfect or I need large format in the studio, but for the rest of the time, I heart digital and my darkroom-in-a-box.

Monochrome Monday

"And those who were seen dancing

were thought insane

by those

who could not hear the music" 

Monochrome Monday (vignettes)

Fog, coffee, water, Photoshop, laptop, blog, 52000 views, zero profit, karmic credit, dawn, birdsong, traffic, three day growth, razor blade, exercise, sweat, dreaming of Dad and changing motorbike oil, desire, longing, regret, weetbix, medication, water, meditation, distraction, spring equinox, hash tag, instagram, followers, lurkers, creepers, strangers, inspiration, friends, fabric inlay, guitar nails, coffee, cameras, commuting,