FIRE! FIRE ! FIRE!

Camp fire, no less. And I don't mean fire of a homosexual or effeminate bent.

We're camping in Bright. God's own country.

We came over Dargo on Thursday afternoon, having left the van at Harrietville after our Labour Day long weekend getwaway. There was some amount of misunderstanding with the caravan park management, such that Leanne and Brian, having left home at some undeniably ungodly hour to arrive after a 7 hour drive in the decidedly godly Bright around lunchtime - to find our camp sites geographically and botanically dissimilar from those we'd booked.

After much consternation and telecommunicating to and fro, we decided to camp instead on Dad's front lawn at Harrientville, whilst negotiating further with the caravan park. Convient for us, as that's exactly where our van was.

We had a delightful time in Harrietville from Thursday until Tuesday, including a "big roast", with lamb, beef and numerous vegtables cooked for many hours in two camp ovens.

One slight problem though, in the last minute calling back and forth re the misplaced camp sites - we forgot to pack any clothes for Connick. Whoops.

On Easter Saturday we did the Bright market, and whilst in town filled a bag with clothes for Connick at the Op Shop for $5. Jesamine and Bronte bought matching Billbabong tops, and hardly took them off thereafter. I bought myself 5 books at the Op Shop - I won't list them here, because you'll find a new link added to my blog for:

"My Bookshelf"

That's right, I'm in anal retentive heaven! I've commenced the arduous yet pointless task of logging all of my books into an online database.

I also wandered down to the Little Bookshop in Bright, and bought another 3 books - also on the database of course.

The next day (Sunday by my reckoning) I went to the Harrietville Bush Market (remember, we're still staying in Harrietville at this stage - please try to keep up with the riveting narrative). What do you suppose I bought? More books. Another five in fact. Are they also on the database? You bet!!!

Whilst at Bright, we also started watching Underbelly on DVD - the TV series based on the Melbourne underworld killings. It's very well written, produce and acted (with the exception of Martin Sacks who is nohing short of appalling).

On Tuesday we moved to Bright (though, of course, you already knew that) and set ourselves up on some very nice powered sites. We struck an agreement with management to use unpowered sites and extend our stay a little longer (we were only booked to Thursday).

I've still been progressing with my R2D2 model. He's got arms now - and quite detailed arms at that, with stabilisers, struts etc:
























I finished reading Atlas Shrugged - by Ayn Rand

The Review

I enjoyed the book - though felt somewhat bludgeoned from time to time by the incessant preaching about the virtues of greed. Plot-wise it was quite well crafted, though not entirely unpredictable. My biggest criticism would probably be with the dialogue - the heroes all use the same phrases and talk far too much. Also, as a book attempting to present a cohesive and intellectual argument, the opposition is too poorly presented - more propaganda than rational analysis.

It's a book that makes you think, and I'm pretty sure that to many people, that's what distinguishes art from entertainment.

I don't care much for those who discount the book because they discount the message. If it made you think enough to discount the message, then surely it's been of some value.

I also read Musicophilia, by Oliver Sacks. I bought this book for Danny for Christmas, and subesequently Suzy bought me a copy for Valentine's day. This is a very interesting book, comprising numerous medical case studies on the positive and negative impacts of various neurological illnesses and disorders on the ability of patients to perform, compose and enjoy music. For example, the books opens with the story of a man with no musical background who becomes obsessed with playing piano after being struck by lightening. There's also a man with severe amnesia, and a memory measured in seconds, who can still play complex pieces on piano, though with no memory of having ever seen or heard the music.

I'm also still reading the erotic fiction of the mysterious H.M. Brown (it's not particularly long, but I'm still taking it one chapter at a time).

What about fishing? Glad you asked. I took Connick out a couple of days ago - Rod Man and Net Boy striking fear into the hearts of trout up and down the Oven's River. We hooked four, lost two, and released the other two.

I went again yesterday, and hooked 13, lost 3, released 9 and kept one. At least the one I kept was a decent size - better than last time.

I started modelling Connick in Blender the other night. Firstly I drew some reference lines on his face with black whiteboard marker, then got Lee to take front and profile shots. I've pretty much finished now with my mesh topology, and need to start sculpting it it to look more like his head:




Anyway, the Scotts left for home today (Saturday), and we'll head off tomorrow. Hopfully the arsonists have taken some Easter leave and left our house alone.

Oh! I nearly forgot. On Thursday I went to the Bright Library and bought some more books, and later that day went back to the Op Shop and bought even more books. All on the database of course.