hello rover

end

2009-08-23T18:40:00.002+10:00

all things come to an end
new things replace
my sweetest friend

everyone i know
goes away in the end
leaving me here

apologies to trent reznor

horizon's path

2009-08-01T14:20:00.002+10:00

How far the horizon?
How long the path?
Questions of no consequence
Hide being of essence

Time Flies By

2009-07-04T18:43:00.002+10:00

Time and space are not of importance.
Only the accompanying people matter.
After all, life is about things that don't fit in boxes.

2009-06-14T17:21:00.002+10:00

the rover made a beeline to the lake for some fresh air.
thoughts flying through it's little mind.
"why does one feel like running when feelings appear" thought the little rover.
maybe the rover was not processing correctly.
errors in signals perhaps?
the little rover returned to it's warm home for some more company, safe in the knowledge that there was nothing to be found by running out here.

2009-05-13T16:21:00.002+10:00

the little rover wandered up the hill and waited.
and there was the view.
photons recorded and time passed.
the waiting was over and it was time to move on with the group. pleasantries exchanged and feelings stored. "what would happen?", thought the little rover, "if each thought was conveyed completely?". the rover moved on down the track to the next waiting place, wondering what was never spoken.

2009-04-25T12:12:00.002+10:00

things I've seen have been shared
some things I've seen never were

some things shared are never seen
selfishness remains

Quiet

2009-04-05T17:30:00.000+10:00

A quiet afternoon relaxing at home looking down the hall from my room.

Sky

2009-03-14T11:17:00.002+10:00

One day the little rover looked up from it's path and saw the most amazing thing. A great blueness above. Like an insect flying into ones eye, you just can't miss it. The rover thought about the blueness. "I wonder why it's so blue?" "Would the blueness cause the ground to appear a different colour than if the sky were white?" "What is colour anyway?" So many questions the rover had running around it's brain. Of course, the rover had studied all the standard answers to those questions. But that didn't seem to explain satisfactorily how wonderful the world would look when illuminated by a giant big blue sky. The rover refocused on the path ahead and continued across the desert under the great blue dome.

Companions

2009-02-15T12:03:00.002+10:00

The rover ventured away from the safety of the group and up a nearby hill in search of the unknown. The terrain was steep and sharp. Three wallabies were surprised by the rovers presence in their territory as the rover climbed higher. A fear of the unknown perhaps causing a panic to flight. What about the others thought the rover? Would they miss the knowledge of not meeting these strange creatures? Or live happily knowing what they were familiar with? And what if I had missed something thought the rover to itself. Would one know of my absence of knowing?

Words

2009-01-08T20:09:00.001+10:00

It is remarkable what a few words can do.
Just as remarkable is what the spoken word leaves out.

Live

2008-11-30T07:50:00.002+10:00

Some things can only be communicated without words.
Important things.
Others need hours of endless directions.
How do you know which?

Walls

2008-10-21T18:50:00.002+10:00

Sometimes there are walls that you just can't climb. Sometimes you know how to go around instead. Sometimes you know how to edge along to an easier route. But often it seems the brain refuses to recognise the solution. And one can remain frozen unable even to retreat. So stubborn the brain can be.

Stars

2008-09-28T17:57:00.002+10:00

The little rover looked up at the sky. It was so dark. The stars sparkled like crystals. "What an amazing thing", thought the rover, bright speckles spread across the dark. The little rover thought for a minute about the colour of the sky. Previously it was blue and grey now it was black with sparkling spots. The rover stopped again and looked up. "How can the same thing look so different?", thought the rover. The puzzled rover continued on in the dark, aided only by a small headlight.

Knowledge

2008-09-06T10:56:00.002+10:00

One can't begin to comprehend the amount of knowledge in the world that is not recorded.
Beyond the reach of Google, beyond the circle of trust of many. Beyond money, fame and cities where most want to be. Beyond ethereal 3G, but under the same stars, lay many truths, hidden in the minds of those who know. Those who are truly free. Those who are willing to share. True beauty and peace do exist in this world. But it lays hidden in the shadows, for we do not hear it above our own self important din.

Rove On

2008-07-19T21:04:00.003+10:00

A new horizon became visible. The little rover had reached the top of a different crest and could see further than before.
Still, there were higher peaks to be seen in the distance. Places yet to see, new things to learn. The landscape was wide and vast. Bigger than the eye could perceive. Larger and more intricate than the mind could imagine.
"If only there were a map", thought the little rover, surely someone had been here before and marked some significant way points. But then perhaps there would be no exploring or true first hand knowledge, the real learning that is required if one is to understand these things.
The rover continued almost blindly, leaving tracks slowly behind. Toward what the rover did not know, maybe another vantage point, maybe just a little higher.

Travel

2008-06-09T14:36:00.002+10:00

I just saw a tv program on the abc about trekking in the Swiss alps. It was the Haute Route and now I suddenly have an urge to go and do the walk myself. Even though I have no prior cold weather or snow experience, I think it would be awesome. Something different to hot sun and dusty rocks.

My Kingdom for a Ho... er, Pony

2008-05-05T13:42:00.001+10:00

A gate that was in need of a photo.

A view of The Alice

2008-04-11T15:00:00.001+10:00

See a lower quality, higher speed version here on YouTube

Rove Around The Rock

2008-04-11T14:50:00.002+10:00

The rock is so big thought the little rover.
The path was long and winding as the rover made its way around in an anticlockwise fashion.
Each part looks so different from each other part thought the rover, similar but different. All made of one whole, but detailed as if by an artist.
There must be a long way to go to see the whole thing thought the rover, it would take forever to learn about.
The rover continued on its way, around the rugged rock.

Hard Rock

2008-03-29T17:43:00.002+10:00

I went for an offroad trip recently to go fossicking. This is what I found. Staurolite crystals. Sometimes they form in the shape of crosses, these were not the prized crosses that people pay money for. But I reckon they're pretty cool anyway, how often do you find rocks laying on the surface of the ground in neat little crystals?

Telstra Tower

2008-02-21T20:06:00.001+10:00

This is the top of Telstra Hill, my connection to the world outside Mount Isa. Small and simple.

Mesa formation near Winton

2008-01-16T14:50:00.000+10:00

This cluster of mesas can be seen just north of Winton. The video is a bit bumpy, as was the road. Anyone who guesses the name of the two songs on the radio in the background deserves some serious credo.

Frog on a Wollemi

2008-01-11T14:31:00.000+10:00

Something you don't see very often, a frog on a Wollemi Pine.
This is an Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog I think. Unfortunately my camera would not focus on the frog, I had to use spot focus and estimate distance, so it's not in focus.

Glasshouse Mountains View From Ngungun

2008-01-06T18:23:00.000+10:00

A Sailing Adventure

2008-01-03T18:01:00.000+10:00

I was lucky enough to go on a sailing boat before all the wind and rain hit the coast. This is a short video from that trip, you'll have to turn the sound down unless you enjoy endless windnoise.

twas the season

2007-12-24T19:10:00.000+10:00

for being happy
for being generous
i give you this shopping centre to defile shops of their merchandise and exchange pretty plastic rectangles for said goods

Holiday

2007-12-19T17:41:00.000+10:00

they say a change is as good as a holiday
but is a holiday as good as a change?

summer

2007-11-30T18:25:00.000+10:00

haze of summer
memories of free days in the sun
holiday from routine days
always something new

opposites

2007-11-15T19:57:00.000+10:00

when one does not want to be tied down
one feels the comfort of tie-downs
when one desires to be bound
one feels the mooring cast free

rock and a hard place

2007-10-31T19:25:00.000+10:00

up a steep hill the rover travelled. "i wonder where the top is?" said the rover.
'it must be somewhere after the gradient begins to decrease.', came a voice apparently from no where.
"how do you know that?", said the rover to itself.
'how do i know that, and what does it mean?'
the rover's mind ran through a sample of random memories hoping to trigger a clue to this bizarre, yet useful, knowledge.
"perhaps everyone knows that hills are round and flat on top?", thought the rover, as it continued up the rocky slope.

Good Ol Texan Walker Humour

2007-10-05T14:09:00.000+10:00

The First Rover

2007-10-04T09:30:00.000+10:00

50 years ago the first rover Sputnik was launched.

when october begins

2007-09-11T20:26:00.000+10:00

an ode to a greenday song about a black day

four paths intersect in the middle of the night
half a rotation removed from an action movie
concrete and steel go liquid with undue force
lives collapse and ground rises to zero

truth never decided by will nor majority
a naive casualty of human sin

facilitator

2007-09-07T21:29:00.000+10:00

another door opened
a light switched on
a new path enabled
tentative steps taken
then bold strides
a step in the right direction

questions

2007-08-17T21:15:00.000+10:00

the air smelt sweetly of salt and endless oceans
carrying long stories of distant lands
a tropical paradise
why would one travel here thought the rover?
surely there must be something new past the next corner?
how far must i travel to find what i'm looking for?
what am i looking for?
and who am i to look?

A better slideshow

2007-08-04T15:25:00.000+10:00

These pictures are from a place called 'The Monument'. I like this slideshow better in some ways than the slideroll version.

More Transformers

2007-08-02T19:30:00.000+10:00

From the Goo Goo Dolls on the youtube warnerbrosrecords channel

slideshow

2007-07-29T14:12:00.000+10:00

Slideroll Slideshow

A cool slideshow from slideroll.com

opinion

2007-07-28T11:56:00.000+10:00

viewpoints differ
the explained unexplained
the obvious invisible
miss interpretation
mr understood
baby confusion
teenage riot

Transformers - blended in disguise

2007-07-14T10:01:00.000+10:00

Jumbo

2007-07-09T17:12:00.001+10:00

A great angle on a 747. Next time I'm getting even closer and going inside the fence to take a tour through the plane.

Transformers - friends in disguise

2007-07-08T16:55:00.000+10:00

I saw the transformers movie at southbank on my holiday. The best movie I've seen for years.

Built a display garden at Nambour. Best garden there IMBO (in my biased opinion).

Caught up with old friends. Best pizza I've had for years.

And drove a long way in some of the near to best driving conditions in Australia.

All in all, it was the best holiday I've had in years.

update

2007-07-07T21:05:00.000+10:00

i had a holiday.
here is a photo from my trip.

this was at a place in nudgee that cuts stone for all sorts of things, mainly headstones. i looked out the window and saw the car all wrapped up and had to take a photo.

i did lots more stuff too, but will have to fill you in later as i need some sleep after the long drive.

holiday at last

2007-06-24T21:58:00.000+10:00

I finally get a holiday next week. Just spent the entire weekend marking exams, and now one more day of reporting to be done. Then I'm going for a drive. For 4000km or so to the sunshine coast and back again. It sounds ridiculous when I write it down. And then to plan for next semester. I'll get some photos along the way for sure.

A tree

2007-06-23T17:28:00.000+10:00

A tree I helped plant. Hopefully when I'm long gone the tree will still be doing just fine.

Long time no see

2007-06-12T19:47:00.001+10:00

This is another of my favourite views. A wonderful beach in the afternon sun. Ten points to anyone who can name the place this photo was taken.

Bee

2007-06-11T17:33:00.000+10:00

Now you see it.

Now you don't.

Winter

2007-06-03T17:45:00.000+10:00

It's cold muttered the little rover as it passed through early morning shadows from the nearby hills. And suddenly the rover wondered, What is cold anyway? And how do I know what cold feels like? How could I see cold? And what would it look like if I did see it? This puzzled the rover for a minute before it continued on its journey down the road, somehow warming up as it travelled.

world goes on

2007-05-27T13:36:00.000+10:00

people grow older
events pass
landmarks long forgotten
stolen by a generation
for profit sequestration

long time no post

2007-05-19T10:00:00.000+10:00

adventures wide and far
gaze of sky dome blue
dirt red and coarse
life clings on watered soil

Chopper take-off

2007-05-04T17:40:00.000+10:00

There was a mining expo here in town and they had the rescue helicopter land in the main street for a bit of show. It took off again and this is it.

and then there was one

2007-04-27T23:22:00.000+10:00

pictures on the wall
from places far away
beautiful scenery full of colour
bought by customers
to capture a dream
till just one remains
framed by emptiness

back again

2007-04-23T19:51:00.000+10:00

i'm finally back online. it seems like forever when you can't have instant connectivity to your favourite drug. maybe i should start a second life and develop a real addiction.

Favourites

2007-04-13T15:17:00.000+10:00

This is one of my favourite photos from my trip to Camooweal. This old windmill was about 40km out of town here and no longer drives anything. It was simply turning in the wind according to the forces that be, carrying out its designated task.

On another note, I'll be offline for a while as I change ISP. See you back here same bat place, same bat blog, on another day.

Birds to be

2007-04-12T19:13:00.000+10:00

This birds nest was in a tree near the Camooweal lake. While it appears empty now, it is most probably the home of birds yet to be.

Heading to Camooweal caves

2007-04-11T16:42:00.000+10:00

This road is a bit rough in a sedan. Really needs a ute or 4wd with some clearance. There were many 'sump stoppers' as I call them, large rocks hiding in the grass in the middle of the road. Luckily I missed every one of them and got in and out without any dramas.

Driving a car

2007-04-09T15:53:00.000+10:00

Who would have thought that there was so much noise inside a car? If you listen carefully you can hear the radio reception dropping in and out plus a bit of static. I have to get me a pmp for music while driving.

wish list

2007-04-08T17:10:00.000+10:00

one of those, and one of these cool phone thingswith a fon router. when i hear about cool things like fon i feel better about humanity.

one thing about having a full-time job is knowing that i can afford to waste my money on things like this.

Ode to Vincent Lingiari

2007-04-05T19:25:00.000+10:00

today i met the great-great grandson of Vincent Lingiari. it came up quite unexpectedly in a conversation with the person whom i'd met on many occasions previously.

heritage proud and strong
evil clean greed
a stolen education
shame on the wrong faces

hockey

2007-04-01T15:29:00.000+10:00

this weekend i had a go at playing hockey. with a borrowed stick and no knowledge of the rules it was great fun. i made a few tackles and successfully marked my opposite player. i'm rather unfit though. that should change eventually.

cause and effect

2007-03-25T12:44:00.000+10:00

labels of time age us
lives begin and end
numbers add and subtract
lines of smiles
and coordinates of wisdom
for buried treasure

different

2007-03-17T11:41:00.000+10:00

the rover met a new new obstacle on its daily path
here was a small patch of fine sand that looked very inviting to dip one's toes in
a few tentative steps would reveal the true nature of that sand
soft and boggy, a difficult escape
the rover learned a valuable lesson on appearance

one's own faults

2007-03-09T16:25:00.000+10:00

a wise person once said, "a wise person makes allowance for one's own faults"

like the crust on the earth, the faults are a necessary part of the earth's being.
so the faults in a person are a necessary part of the being's being.

to take advantage of one's faults, one must know what they are
the fault halts being a weakness, only to become a strength
the living being changes, as one must to remain alive

humanity

2007-03-02T21:52:00.000+10:00

people are humans
all want respect
someone to care
time for self
to show time
to give time
only humanity is needed

outlook

2007-02-25T21:32:00.000+10:00

from the top of the hill you can see a lot
traffic lights directing pulses of traffic
smoke from smelting
lights from towers, shops, cars and homes
waves superimposed in a medium
images recorded by bits

i've been to town

2007-02-24T14:24:00.000+10:00

now i think i know where i am not :)

and for a panoramic view of the town
you can watch the youtube below

practice range 1

2007-02-17T17:52:00.001+10:00

practice range 1
Originally uploaded by mars73.

the hitting range at the isa golf course
on a warm afternoon
more photos to come when i walk the course
on a cooler day

collection

2007-02-17T14:46:00.001+10:00

collection
Originally uploaded by mars73.

a collection of books on a board
supported by steel
assorted photos
snapshots of time and place
afixed by friction
from magnetic force
a study of maps
social and dynamic
randomly placed unpacking
a nearest neighbour method
connected nostalgia
highland of brave
and sound of cow

people

2007-02-09T15:48:00.000+10:00

people are different
similar, yet not the same
identical, but unique
gravity's bond to each holds strong
a planet of paths
lived and living

panorama

2007-02-07T18:49:00.000+10:00

for a great view of the world, try visiting panoramas.dk
you can view zoomable 360 degree panoramic shots from some spectacular places on earth that one day you may want to visit. it's well worth the wait for download.

door view

2007-02-04T10:52:00.001+10:00

door view
Originally uploaded by mars73.

the view of a sunset from my new front door.
it's a nice quiet street. reminds me of sisley st for those of you who knew that place

my new home

2007-02-04T10:19:00.000+10:00

having finally arrived in mt isa on the 17'th of jan, and after living here for nearly 2 weeks, i can say it is a wonderful place. this time of year is the wet season and there is plenty of green grass and rain about. apparently in about 2 months it will all be dead grass but it is great at the moment.
had a great drive out here, 1830km or there abouts from the coast. was lucky to get past a river that flooded at kynuna after i passed through, and was greeted by tropical monsoon rain and grey skies as i drove into town. seeing the two smelting smoke stacks from the mine towering over the city as i drove in it looked remarkably like mordor in a scene from the lord of the rings.
there is a great lake here, moondarra, that has plenty of fish and water filling it. and driving back from the lake one evening there was a fantastic view of the city, lit up like a christmas tree in the desert. i'll get some photos now that i have my camera back so you can see.
more later.

3 days to go

2007-01-15T06:43:00.000+10:00

in 3 days i should arrive in my new home about 1900 km from here. when i get an internet connection again i'll keep you posted on the trip.

packing

2007-01-10T11:28:00.000+10:00

today my possessions were prepared for packing.
the move to be made tomorrow when they are collected
by removalists and packed into boxes to travel
through time and space as the goods move to another locale.

soon to be followed by myself.

reap what you sow (not, rip what you sew)

2007-01-04T18:34:00.000+10:00

this evening i am the proud parent of 7 bulbs of fresh garlic. the garden has been growing, garlic cloves were put in and full garlic bulbs have come out. i'm impressed as an earlier garlic experiment failed. i think it had something to do with the variety. and there is some ginger still in the oven, growing all noduley and old and hopefully very delicious and prolific.

resolutions

2007-01-02T10:18:00.000+10:00

i made a new year's resolution
i was not going to write any more boring posts
but alas it has suffered dilution
as i write convolutions to publish

happy new year

2006-12-31T18:11:00.000+10:00

happy new year everyone!
in another 6 hours it will be next year.
that's 2007 to be sure.

a great new year for all i say.

repairs needed

2006-12-28T18:03:00.000+10:00

well i've taken the last photo with my new camera for a while. it seems it has broken as it no longer starts up to let you take photos. the strange thing is it would still switch on to talk via usb, just not to take photos. the annoying thing is it happened just before christmas and while everyone is on holidays. so my blog will be sadly missing photos for a while, and i won't get to take any photos during my journey westward either which is disappointing. i should have it back in about 7 weeks. till then, i'll have to make do with other posts.

darting shadow

2006-12-23T14:07:00.001+10:00

darting shadow
Originally uploaded by mars73.

i caught this dark creature crossing the floor in the middle of a moonless night. where it was going no one knows for sure, and what it was thinking is a question that causes epistemological breakdowns.

but seriously this was a really dodgy photo before a bit of pixel tweaking tuned it up. now it's just mildly dodgy.

it's amazing what digital image processing can do.

sculptured wall

2006-12-20T17:31:00.001+10:00

sculptured wall
Originally uploaded by mars73.

if you take a walk around the woolworths building at sunshine plaza you will come across this wonderful artwork. and the saddest thing is almost no one sees it! i first discovered it when i took a path less travelled about 3 years ago and have been waiting to have a camera to share it ever since. it is the best kept secret at the plaza and provides a welcome escape from the crowds. granite boulders, a small estuary and some nice trees complement the wall. it's worth a look next time you happen to be in the area.

platypus

2006-12-17T11:48:00.000+10:00

you can just make out a platypus swimming in the water in this video. will have to get some closer shots when possible so you can see that it is a real platypus.

spaceball

2006-12-16T08:52:00.001+10:00

Imgp0082
Originally uploaded by mars73.

was in the city yesterday and came across these strange looking steel things at the top of the mall.
turns out they are large balls made of stainless and collander like pots.
they make for a spectacular touch and feel public art display. there are several different balls in different sizes scattered around the free space at the bottom of a big new building.
it's nice to have tactile art.
little kids were climbing over them, they seemed a little bit like they could roll away if i had climbed on them, so i resisted.

however, it would make a great photo i'm sure.
maybe another day.

my first video

2006-12-14T06:22:00.000+10:00

a video i took from the beach. i've got to learn how to edit and dub videos properly, and compose something useful in the content.

pisa

2006-12-13T14:41:00.001+10:00

pisa
Originally uploaded by mars73.

a photo from when my brother visited italy. he went to pisa of course, and all i got was this photo. very nice photo though. and classic leaning tower. that's my brother standing on the left of shot. photo was taken by my dad, who was also there (duh!).

icedrink

2006-12-13T14:23:00.001+10:00

icedrink
Originally uploaded by mars73.

refraction in glass, and a nice sarsaparilla root beer too.

fresh morning

2006-12-13T08:53:00.000+10:00

a bright new bloom

quiet evening

2006-12-12T18:03:00.000+10:00

finally i own a digital camera!
this is one of the first photos
a quiet evening looking over the water

(more about my camera later, but so you know
it's a pentax optio s7 with divx recording)

new comic

2006-12-12T07:17:00.000+10:00

some very clever cartoons from xkcd.com

2006-12-11T16:52:00.000+10:00

and then the rover saw something new
a large crater, bigger than ever before
skirting around the edges
cautious not to dive in head long
the rover quietly explored

meningococcal

2006-12-09T08:03:00.000+10:00

one truly does not know when they might die
nor does one know what may lay around the corner in the road,
what may be behind the blue door,
or through the round window.

last day

2006-12-08T18:38:00.000+10:00

has now come and gone
and a new day awaits
tomorrow and the next day
and the day after that
some rest is in order

and the moral

2006-12-03T19:47:00.000+10:00

of the story is...
you'll get it, a very funny segment.

probability returning to normal*

2006-12-03T16:29:00.000+10:00

now that normality is restored
everything seems normal again
time and place is restored
blogging continues as before

*from hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

spot the difference

2006-12-03T14:42:00.000+10:00

5 points to anyone who can spot a difference here
in the blog that is

now it is sunday

2006-12-03T08:27:00.000+10:00

c:\dos
c:\dos\run
run\dos\run

leave a voice message

2006-12-01T21:15:00.000+10:00

leave a voice message at the above link
just testing out a new service

an odeo

2006-12-01T20:03:00.000+10:00

stir it up*

2006-12-01T17:59:00.001+10:00

*apologies to bob marley for the title of this post

one week to go

2006-12-01T15:51:00.000+10:00

only one week till holidays begin
only one week till there are 7 weeks left before i drive 2000km from where i am now to my next home. and then who knows how many weeks i'll be there before moving on again. it's a whole new world.

stuff

2006-11-25T12:00:00.000+10:00

"Start by doing what's necessary,
then what's possible,
and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
- Saint Francis of Assisi

"If you want to build a ship,
don't drum up the men to gather wood,
divide the work and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."
- Antoine De Saint-Exupery

quotiki