Windmill

Mr Frederick Charles Ottaway built this windmill around about 1917, at Wainui Beach, on the seaward side of the road and opposite the present Chalet Rendezvous. It was built of timber and flattened kerosene tins and stood for some time before being demolished after the death of the owner. It was used for grinding flour and cutting wood, and appeared on marine charts at the time as a navigational aid. Sails were fitted on to the blades when the machine was in use. Mr Ottoway can be seen at the lower right in the picture. The photo comes from Mrs H. V. Isles, Grey Street. - image and info found at http://photonews.org.nz

I wanted to find a Windmill from around this time period so I can get as close as I can to the type of windmill the animals might have built in animal farm. Also this one is handmade. 

In the end I drew a slightly different style of windmill more for aesthetic effect.

Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love

Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan's Extended Rework Version 2) from metaldance on Vimeo.

Saw this today. Not really my kind of music but I kinda like it, goes well with the video...

'Animal farm' - George Orwell

I read this book having previously read, and not enjoyed, another Orwell book '1984'.

Animal farm is novel exploring the idea of human nature and its similarities to the animal world. I believe the core message of the book is to say, that power can corrupt the most steadfast of man. That while original intentions may be for the best of all, that greed a power can change the way man thinks about himself, those around him, his peers and life in general.

In the book the animals agree on a core of rules that are in the best interest of all the animals on the farm. And how napoleon the leader of animal farm corrupted by greed and power adapted and changes the rules to suit his own needs and purposes. The animals tried so hard to take themselves apart from the humans and the societal mistakes made by their previous masters, humanity. But in the end the animals appointed leaders, the pigs, namely napoleon became just as bad if not worse than the human masters they rebelled against.

The book reminded me a lot of roman politics, which obviously lends itself to the idea of modern day politics. In that the animals were reigned over using lies and fear to govern and control them. I believe Orwell's book is as relevant to modern day society as it ever was and will remain to be relevant.

Animal Farm is set in an unspecified time period and is largely free from historical references that would allow the reader to date the action precisely. It is fair to assume, however, that Orwell means the fable to be contemporaneous with the object of its satire, the Russian Revolution (1917–1945).

Sweden

For New Years I flew to Sweden. As a surprise Christmas present.

I stayed with Claes at his parents house in Vallentuna, a suburb of Stockholm. I didn't have loads of money to spend so options were a little bit limited. Looked around the city and Vallentuna. Overall had a pretty chilled holiday.

It was interesting to be surrounded by Swedish speaking people so much but i managed to get by, my swinglish is getting better.

Brave New World

We had to read 'A Brave New World' -Aldous Huxley, for an illustration project. I thought it was a really good book.

The story is basically about a society in the future. where free will has essentially been taken away. babies are made in factories and everybody belongs to everybody else. - I'm not going to give away the story but its interesting.

I thought the book was an interesting look in to humanity and the way people think and behave, especially the way people can be influenced subconsciously to believe, learn or do all kinds of things.  considering it was written in 1931 I think its messages about society and the way it works, and the hierarchy within society.  

Amsterdam

I went to Amsterdam for a short trip in October. an impromptu visit with Claes for his birthday.

Went to uni in the morning. Bought our tickets in that evening. Got to Harwich port. Had a few hours to kill so we found a pub. Pub had a definite locals vibe was a bit of a dive but not too bad and cheap! Ended up making friends with the locals. They bought us drinks. Went back to the ferry nearly missed it because we'd spent to long in the pub. Were the last people on the ferry. Found our cabin. Dropped our stuff. Straight to the bar on the ferry. Jug of beer. Into the smoking room. Spoke to a few different groups. English. Dutch. American. Continuing to drink jugs of beer. Brought all the groups in the smoking room together. Everyone talking drinking. Whiskey. More Beer. Just us and the American group. More Drinking. Drunk. Cabin. Sleep. Loud alarm going off in the cabin. Wake up. Blurry. Hungover. ALARM. ALARM. ALARM. Up. Shower. Dressed. Hungover. Alarm. Last people of the ferry. Out in the wilds of Holland. The Hook of Holland. Small port town. Cold! Train Station. Claes throws up. I laugh. Buy a drink. Get on the train. Don't really know where we're going. Tired. Hungover. Sleep. Wake up 3 Hours Later. Amsterdam. Busy. Bike everywhere. Thousands of bikes. Nice train station. Surreal. Cold! Coffee shop. Tea. Hangover cured. Lunch. Beers. Walk around the city. Busy. Shops. Trams. Squares. Plazas. Canals. Old buildings. Beautiful Architecture. Beers. Coffee Shop. Play Pool. Back Out. Wander Around. Andy Warhol exhibit? Expensive. No. Coffee Shop. We need somewhere to sleep. Hostelbookers.com. Bus. Slottania. Get room. Drop stuff. Bus. Amsterdam. Coffee Shop. Dinner. Beers. Beers. Beers. Coffee shop. Pool. Bus. Slottania. Vending machine. Sleep. Up. Bus. Amsterdam. "Do you know where to get pancakes? ". "Whats Pancakes"?. "What??" French. "Crepe!"."No". Pancakes. Beer. Coffee shop. Wonder. Tourist stuff. Coffee shop. Lunch. Beers. Long Johns. Wander. Coffee Shop. Beer. Dinner. Beer. Red Light. Beer. Red Light. Coffee Shop. Mystery Kebab. Drunk. Cold. Bus. Slottania. Cat. Vending Machine. Sleep. Halloween. Up. No more rooms at Slottania. Lastminuite.com. Mystery hotel? Cheap. Yes. Booked. Bus. Amsterdam. Coffee Shop. Eat. Beers. Wander. Bar. Coffee shop. Dinner. Beer. Night. Taxi. Mystery Hotel. 4 Star. Swanky. Minibar. Sleep. Up. Late. Train. Amsterdam. Rush. Train. Hook of Holland. Ferry. 5 minutes late. Can't get on. Pay for a cabin for the night ferry. Beers. Ferry sits there for 40 minutes. Search the town. Coffee Shop. Pool. Ferry. Sleep. Alarm. Harwich. Train. Home.

Had a lot of fun in Amsterdam. I would like to have spent more time there. unfortunately I didn't take any pictures..