I do all the cooking at my house. All of it. Unless I’m really ill, my wife never goes near the kitchen utensils. Even if it’s a quick snack or a bowl of cereal, that’s my job, not hers. My wife is the better cook, I have to admit, but it’s part of our agreement…
Ah, the open fire, the unsung hero of the perfect Friday evening. There’s something almost magical about sitting outside as the week’s worries drain away faster than wine in a goon bag. It’s the original social network, where stories are shared, and the warmth is not just from the flames but the company. Picture this:…
Australia’s Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, is drafting hate speech laws that will impose criminal penalties for vilification based on a person’s race, sexuality, gender, disability or religion. While I agree broadly that this is needed, there is a massive flaw in the argument that religion should be included with the rest. My position is this: race,…
When Bertie died The angels bowed their golden heads And mighty gums in the forest Dropped their leaves in sorrow When Bertie died The skies rained bitter tears And the magpies in the garden Sang a long and mournful song. But I tell a lie. There are no angels And the mighty gums…
The way I see it, meaning is something that comes from people, it’s not an attribute of the universe, just something we impose on it. I’ve never understood why meaning is quite so important to people but it is. For example, I think it is the basis for all religions and political ideologies. Everything has…
I was thinking, vaguely, of entering my new novel, Metaman, for an Aurealis Award this year and, having forgotten what the procedure is, I did a search. This turned up the Wikipedia page for the award. I was amazed to find my name right there on the first page! It seems I have the dubious…
It’s been driving me crazy. I keep hearing the Thunderbirds theme tune in my head. You may not be old enough to remember it but it’s a really catchy march, written by British composer Barry Gray for the animated TV series of that name. If you don’t know it (or even if you do) have…
As of today, I will be drastically reducing my presence on Facebook. I will use my personal account only for communicating with my immediate family and I’ll keep my author account to make announcements about books I publish. Apart from that, I won’t be posting, reading posts, commenting, or even giving likes. There are two…
And so it begins. Again. Why am I starting a new blog? Ask why the sun shines? Ask why the grass grows? It is simply in my nature. Oh, there are plenty of other reasons – I feel I have things to say, I enjoy the cut and thrust of argument in the comments, I’ve…
