Alex On Life and Everything

13th Painting

2008-07-17T08:29:00.002+10:00

You might notice I've skipped number 12. I didn't like the end result which was kind of a reflection of my connection with the painting through it's progress. It's all a learning process though so it's all good. I'm finding myself getting addicted to painting, I think this one is my best so far....and I've been commissioned to do paintings for someone for real money....woohoo!, not that I'm charging much but it's still nice. Cheers, Alex.

My 11th Painting

2008-07-11T02:31:00.003+10:00

Still in my 'learning to paint phase' I'm starting to feel the urge to spread my wings and try something of my own...maybe soon.

My 10th Painting

2008-07-11T02:29:00.002+10:00

As always, please comment.

Sick of Bland Media News???

2008-06-30T18:47:00.003+10:00

Are you sick of bland media news?

It's been said that every morning Rupert Murdoch sends an email distributed to each of his News Corp media outlets telling them what news to cover and from what angle so basically you only get to see what Rupert wants you to see and only from his point of view. Logically you could assume that all media industries work the same.

So I decided that I'd start my own news blog. I figured that if we can't really on the validity of a news story then I might as well put a humourous spin on it.

So check out News Free News where I re-write current news stories with a satirical point of view.

Check out Blogatiser.com

2008-06-19T17:14:00.000+10:00

Blogatiser.com is a revenue sharing content management website where you can submit your articles for other members to vote on. There are heaps of categories and it gets your blog seen. Before I was prepared to write about the site I registered and submitted a story from my blog and it was really easy. I’m really looking forward to see how other members vote on my story. So be sure to check out Blogatiser.com

Is Homework Too Much

2008-06-18T22:41:00.003+10:00

This is an arguement that crops up from time to time. Is homework detrimental to our kids or a value to their education?
I've always thought that for the teenage years that homework should be set because it's important for them to develop research skills and be able to work towards a deadline etc.
For younger kids I've always though some homework is OK in moderation but at times the schools seem to go a bit far for younger kids.
Take this as an example.
My 10 year old son currently has a homework assignment to do on top of his usual daily homework of maths and english. He was given two weeks to do the assignment and it is now due this Friday. The assignment is on the First Fleet and Australia's First Settlement: here are the 4 parts to the assignment:
1. Predict the cost os feeding the convicts on the voyage of the first fleet.
2. Draw an outline of Port Jackson and highlight the important features for the settlers.
3. Construct a model of the First Settlement.
4. Describe what the landscape would have been like for the first settlers.

Now Q4 is just some creative writing and Q2 is just a map, now worries. But the other 2 questions, considering NO supportive information has been provided by the teacher, are just too much. After some hours of searching I managed to find a sketch of the First Settlement and from that I have made a model - a challenge for me let alone a 10 year old, but Q1 has been rediculous. We've managed to find a list of the provisions taken with the first fleet but do you think I can find any information on the net stating the cost of food in the late 1700's or the amount of food given to each convict...ridiculous, and I've been spending hours and hours looking, how is a 10 year old expected to do this?

Have you signed on to PayPerPost

2008-06-18T22:38:00.000+10:00

What an awesome concept, you enjoy blogging (and if you’re like me blogging has become somewhat addictive),every day you check the traffic to your blog and add another post or to, so why not get paid for doing what you love, why not sign onto payperpost
I first found out about payperpost by reading a post just like this on someone else’s blog, they claimed to have made $75 for just 5 posts so I checked it out. Once I saw that it was all legitimate I jumped on board immediately. Even though there are bloggers who have earned in excess of twenty thousand dollars through payperpost I’ll be happy if I can just cover the cost of my internet access. Being Australia it’s not cheap and I’m paying eighty dollars a month for 25Gb. So how easy is it really, well from what I can see it’s really easy. On the payperpost site they’ve got a fairly extensive list of offers with ranging payment amounts, you find one you like, write about it, and the money goes to your account, I can’t wait to get stuck into getting paid to do what I would be doing anyway, so be sure to check it out at payperpost

My 9th Painting

2008-06-18T17:13:00.001+10:00

Here's number 9, once again feel free to comment.

My 8th Painting

2008-06-15T19:53:00.003+10:00

The photo of this isn't the best. Once again please comment. Cheers, Alex.

My 7th Painting

2008-06-14T11:55:00.002+10:00

I've decided that, considering the purpose of this blog is for me to invite comments from viewers on my painting and my progress as a painter that I will refrain from making any further comments about my own work from now on.
That said, here is my latest painting, please feel free to comment.
Cheers,
Alex

My 6th Painting

2008-06-10T14:51:00.002+10:00

Not sure how I feel about this one. My inspiration felt somewhat deflated and by the end I was glad it was finished.

I made a few errors along the way as well and I think it shows in the finish painting.

Anyways, I guess it's all part of the learning process.

Alex's Art List

2008-06-10T12:09:00.002+10:00

Do you have an art related blog?
Are you a painter, drawer, sculptor, tattooist or play-do fiscianado?
Well you might like to have a link to your blog added to http://http://alexsartlist.blogspot.com
It's free, no obligation, all you have to do is 2 things:

1st: place a comment on http://http://alexsartlist.blogspot.com requesting that you be added including you URL

2nd: Place a link on your blog back to http://http://alexsartlist.blogspot.com

That's it.
Cheers
Alex

5th Painting finished

2008-06-10T12:06:00.002+10:00

Thankyou to all those who commented on my painting. The generanl concensus seemed to be to leave it so I pretty much did except for the addition of a stick coming out of the water in the bottom left.
Everyones imput was much appreciated....now I can move on to the next on.
Cheers.

Concepts for a Better Tomorrow

2008-06-09T21:02:00.005+10:00

Everyone MUST check this site out!!!!
If you have any interest in Virtual Volunteering, Building Robots or Electronics Projects........If your interested in getting together with like minded people to utilise the technology of today to make the world a better place for our kids then you need to check this sight out. Click on the links below:

linux consulting

robot kits

pic programming

virtual volunteer

My 5th Painting in Progress

2008-06-08T23:07:00.004+10:00

Here's the current painting I'm doing...kind of a continuation from the last. Though whilst the last one was following a tutorial this one is straight from my head.
Anyways, I'm not sure if I can call it done or if it needs a bit more. I'm thinking of adding some trees or something either side of the water fall and maybe some more rocks.
I also thought of a fallen log half in the water but I'm sure I heard somewhere that people don't like dead things in their paintings (or is that just animals), tell me what you think it needs (or doesn't need).

MS Paint Magic - I love this stuff!

2008-06-08T20:11:00.002+10:00

Drawing Day 08 drawing

2008-06-07T12:23:00.002+10:00

Well here's my contribution to Drawing Day 08, a really quick scetch I know but still within the boundaries of the concept.

It's an image I've had floating around in my head for last couple of days that I want to paint, so expect to see a painting that's something like this in the next week or so.

Cheers.

Drawing Day 08

2008-06-07T10:31:00.003+10:00

I just came across this while surfing other's blogs, Drwaing Day 08, today 7th June 2008.
What a cool concept, the idea is for people all over the world to all draw on one day and then share their drawings online.
Coincidentally I had planned on doing a drawing today for the first time in years to prep for a painting I've got planned so I'll bit starting that in a minute.
Be sure to check out Drawing Day 08 here and be sure to get involved.
Cheers

My Fourth Painting

2008-06-07T10:10:00.004+10:00

OK so I took the plunge and converted to oil paints. I had been somewhat reluctant until now because the first time I tried oils about 20 years ago I could understand why the paint hadn't dried after three days.

Of course now I know it takes up to 2 weeks to dry.

Anyways, here's my fourth painting, or the next in my "learn to paint" series. I'm quite pleased with the results and I think it's definitely the best I've done so far. I would even go so far as to say I would be willing to accept an offer for this one should anyone want to buy it.

I chose this painting to do because it only uses three colours (white, brown and blue) so I figured it would keep my expenditure down.

I was happy enough with the result that I started another one the next day in the same style but this time painting an image from my head rather than following a tutorial. I've almost finished it and will have a pic posted in the next day or two.

Once again feel free to comment on my painting...cheers.

My Third Painting

2008-05-26T20:07:00.000+10:00

So I'm on my quest to become what I would consider a good painter. I don't know that I know what makes a good painter but at the moment I'm thinking for me to consider myself a good painter I would firstly need to produce paintings that I think are as good as any that a professional painter would produce and secondly, my paintings would need to be at a level that people would be prepared to pay for.

Not to give the impression that I'm doing this for money, far from it. I'm doing this because art and being artistic is something that I've been drawn to all my life but never really explored in any depth and also because as a part of some self development I decided that I needed a regular creative outlet.....and above all I enjoy it.

That said, if the day did come where people did want to buy my paintings I'd love to do that to, financial stability is not something my family and I have or have ever had in our lives.

Anyways, after starting a third painting and having it end up in the bin I decided that if I'm to be successful at this I'm going to need to learn how to paint and not just rely on raw talent and practice.

This painting therefore will be the first in what we'll call the "learning to paint" series, that is, I followed a tutorial I downloaded off the net.

Of course it's nowhere near as good as the one in the tutorial though the tutorial guy had more brushes, more colours, was using oils not acrylics and of course that's his thing so I shouldn't be too disappointed. I did learn some things, which is good, and I'm not entirely unhappy with the result, I give it 6/10. Let me know what you think.

My Take on Swearing and Vocabulary

2008-05-23T09:38:00.000+10:00

It's often said that those who use profanity are simply displaying their lack of intelligence and poor vocabulary.
Well to them I say "fuck you!".
Swear words are just that, words. I think they certainly have their place in society today and whilst I do believe there are perhaps circumstances where swearing isn't appropriate, such as talking to you grandmother or addressing the Queen I think that if the word fits then use it.

I'd challenge anyone to convey the passion of a statement like "FUCK YOU CUNT!" or "I'M FUCKING PISSED OFF" without swearing, it's just not possible.

And as for those arrogant twats who insist on using ridiculously large and obscure words in a conversation as a means to display higher intelligence and superiority...get a fucking life. The whole purpose of conversation is to convey a message and if you are selectively choosing to utilise words that you think are not likely to be understood by the the recipient of your conversation then it shows that the only message you are trying to convey is your self inflated egotistical superiority over the other and not the actual contents of the message...FUCK OFF!

I would much rather someone use swearing as a means to emphasise the passion they might have for a particular topic then try to use a more selective vocabulary and risk missing the point or understating their true feelings.

The Meaning of Life

2008-05-22T17:19:00.000+10:00

What is the meaning of life?
Here's my theory......the meaning of life is to learn stuff!
See, in the beginning, before there was an physical universe, there was a race of beings that had no physical presence at all, they were simply consciousnesses. Perhaps they had evolved from a previously imploded universe. Having no physical environment there was only so much they could do and learn and so each being then created their own universe....enter the big bang and parallel universes.
Once our universe began to take shape the formation of living organisms is simply a natural one.
The non-physical being then divided itself up to inhabit each and every living being from single celled organisms to plants, animals and us. This is what people refer to as a soul...I don't like this term simply because of the religious connotations but it's serves the purpose.
Now...because the whole point of the exercise was to learn, the "soul" then learns and absorbs experiences from it's time in that living organism. Once the organism dies the "soul" then collates and remembers that information, considers if there are more lessons to be learned and if so moves onto another life. After each lifetime the "soul" remembers all that has been learned in all previous lifetimes, hence the phrase " an old soul".
"Souls" also stay together in "Soul" families so the soul of your brother might be your father in the next life or perhaps a best friend, hence the term "soul mates".
Now, because the purpose of the "soul" is to learn it preordains to a certain extent the events that will hapen in that person's life. So for example, if that "soul's" purpose is to experince emense joy then that person would have a very happy life, where as if that "soul's" purpose is to experience extreme poverty then that is the life it will choose.
To take that a step further, if that "soul's" purpose is to experience immense pain then perhaps it will choose a life where it looses a child in traggic circumstance or that "soul's" purpose my be to experience killing someone or to be killed etc.
This explains why you often see families that always seem to be struck with the most traggic of circumstances...perhaps one person dies young of cancer, another might die in a car accident etc etc and yet you find others where no-one in the family every experiences any major illnesses and everyone just lives on to an old age.
Evenually the "soul" comes to a point where it has learnt all it feels it needs to and it is at that point the it "ascends" to remain in a non-physical form.
And so, although this explanation is brief and generalised it's the one that seems to make most sense to me after years of reading and querying and deep thought on the subject.
Whilst I don't conform to any religion I don't doubt that some of this might relate to some religions, I know I have discussed this with a couple of Muslim friends who have said there is some similarity.
Anyways...feel free to comment.

Power your car on water

2008-05-20T22:04:00.001+10:00

Converting water to hydrogen and oxygen (or HHO gas) is another current interest of mine. Admittedly my drive to get this project completed is not as strong as I might like so it's been dragging on a bit.
General consensus says that it take more energy to produce hydrogen than it you get from the hydrogen itself so it's a fruitless exercise.
Whilst I'm no scientist this kind of sounds like crap to me. Another myth generated by petroleum companies.
What I do know is that when I installed my first HHO producing cell in my car I notice an increase in power and a slight decrease in fuel consumption.
I'm now into building my fourth HHO cell after some trial and error which should produce about 1.5 to 2 litres of gas pr minute at about 30 amps.
I'm hoping this will translate to about a 20-30% reduction in fuel consumption in my car which is a Toyota Corolla 1.6 litre twin cam.
Time will tell.
I can't take any of the credit for the idea though, people have been doing this for a long time, with some claiming to run their cars completely on hydrogen alone.
Much of my design is taken from a guy I've been following on Youtube.
here's the link if you're interested(he's very thorough in his research and testing)
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=johnaarons
I haven't touched it for a few weeks but once it's complete I'll post some results.

My 2nd Painting

2008-05-18T13:44:00.000+10:00

This is my second painting, again acrylic on canvas measuring 100cm x 75cm.

I can't say that I like it as much as the first painting. I like how the sky turned out but I rushed the water a bit.

Also, I think because I painted this from a photo I found of one of the local beaches I can't help but compare it to the photo and pick the differences.

Once again feel free to comment.

My First Painting

2008-05-18T13:32:00.000+10:00

A couple of weeks ago I decided that I needed a creative outlet. So I thought I 'd have a go at painting. Anyways, here's my first attempt. It's acrylic on canvas and measures 96cm x 42cm.

Feel free to comment. It took a couple of days to grow on me but I kind of like it.

As I've never had any lessons or guidance on how to paint I think it's OK. This was completely imaginary scene.

The First Post

2008-05-18T07:15:00.001+10:00

Welcome to "Alex On Life And Everything".

If I were to ask myself why I am starting this blog reasons would include because the concept of blogging intrigues me, it's something that I haven't done before. Also, I have a lot of opinions on everything, from trivial through to extreme and perhaps they're wasted if I keep them to myself. Also, I am open to others opinions and along the way someone may offer an alternate view to my own that I might not have considered.

My intention is to post what ever is on my mind that day or at the time and see where it goes. So you're likely to see posts ranging from a display of my latest painting or if I had a good day fishing through to world politics, global warming, religion and conspiracies.

That said, at no time would I ever intend to offend anyone, so if you are offended by any content then I would suggest either accept that I am not trying to offend you or change your way of thinking, or simply don't return to this blog. I make no apologies for the way I think.