It’s been a while. OK, it’s been a two-month-long while since my last post. I’ve finished the photography course challenges, but none really felt worthy of blog posts. They were still based on techniques so a tad dull. Also, I “cheated” on a couple and used older photos. Still my work, but older stuff, like the Quidditch photos.

It also feels a tad weird not reviewing books. Refreshing, but also weird. I’m also not reading as much as I used to. But it got me thinking that I should post something similar. Something like the What I’ve been reading post from June, but with more things. It may turn into a series, who knows? But I’ll need a better title. As you’ll see, “what I’ve been…” doesn’t always work.

So, what have I been doing?

What I’ve been reading

I’ve been jumping between a few long books (Nudge about behavioural economics and The Magician), but I finished I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzman. It should be on everyone’s must-read list. Monica describes the divisions and othering we live with and sometimes create. We “other” people who aren’t like us or share our values, politically, economically, academically, and even football-y. And with this, we create further divides, increasing the problem. And, Australia, I’m looking at you too. So read this to understand why we need to do something and what we can do, because as Monica will show, there is something we can do.

What I’ve been watching

I had the perfect answer for this last week. Now when I’m writing it’s slipped my mind. Obviously, it was that amazing a show. Or maybe a movie? Oh, it was a movie. Enola Holmes; and I watched it a few weeks ago. It’s Sherlock’s little sister: left behind with their eccentric mother when her brothers grew up, and just as brilliant as Sherlock. There’s nothing in the original books to say she didn’t exist and you could take inferences to say she did. This story is about her taking control when her mother disappears and she stumbles upon a couple of mysteries to solve.

What I’ve been exercising

Yeah, this is the heading that doesn’t work. Fitness challenge, workouts, yeah, I’ll keep playing with ideas. In the meantime, I’m starting a new fitness challenge next week. During October, I’ve committed to running 42km. It’s about double what I’m currently running, and no, it’s not all at once. I’m not that fit, yet. It’s also a fundraiser for Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service. They operate aircraft and a medical service for people living in remote areas of Australia. That’s where you can be, literally hundreds of kilometres (and miles) from a doctor. I was just reading about a woman who went into labour early and was alone and five hours’ drive from the nearest tertiary hospital. Thanks to RFDS, mum and baby are well. If you can support financially or by sharing links, please do. As with all my challenges, the fitness challenge is more important to me, but I’ve started only doing challenges from worthy organisations. The RFDS is VERY worthy.

What I’ve been shooting

Another heading that doesn’t quite work. Shooting with my camera, of course! I recently joined a night photography workshop. These are my favourite photos from the night. It was fun, albeit a tad cold, getting out to a place I wouldn’t feel safe going alone. My other photography is mostly Spring in Melbourne.

I feel I should add what I’m learning but this is getting long. Here’s a link to my Duolingo profile. That’ll do. Until next time.