TARATS Entries 13 & 14

The newest entries in TARATS are from Australia! I was pleased to have an entry from the Purple Traveller in the UK last year (I'm hoping he'll be back), and now this! Awesome. Thing is, it is Springtime in Australia because, well, Australia is located in the Southern hemisphere. If an Aussie wants to enter my contest with Spring trees because that's what they have when I'm flogging my contest, I'm gonna let 'em. If you don't like it, you can just Go Stuff Yourself (see sidebar for helpful advert).

Be sure to check out the slide show on the entrants page to see the two entries described in this email:

Here are two. The purple Jacaranda is in Brisbane, I photographed it on my way home from Canada near the end of September. It is an iconic sign of spring in the sub-tropics here, Brisbane has many fine examples. The red is the Poinciana I photographed on my way out to the dam yesterday in Townsville. There are better examples, but this one is part of my routine so I appreciate it more. I hope people don’t mind that you allow ‘non-standard’ entries, but I thought this was too fun to miss. You have some stunning entries this year.

Does anybody else find the place name "Townsville" kind of funny, in a "Cityburgh" kind of way?

Anyway, this year's smackdown has contestants that are helping me redefine the rules, that's for sure! Multiple entries? Why not? Spring trees from Australia? You bet!

The way I see it though, this is a stupid contest with stupid prizes and flexible (stupid) rules. Am I wrong? No, I'm not, because it is my contest! If you think I'm wrong, well, uh uh, YOU'RE wrong, stupid! Go run your own stupid contest!

This post has proven to be a great deal of fun to write, way more fun than I expected when I started. I have discovered that writing the word "stupid" a lot is super satisfying, almost as much as using the word "mutant". It's the little things, y'know?

Yer Stupid Mutant Pal,

R A N T W I C K

I'm Being a Scofflaw for Halloween.

Sad but true.

 

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

I Hate the Internet

Well, what on earth could I write about today other than the mighty Sandy? In the past I would watch the news of events like this and feel sorry for the people I saw in an arm's-length, rather cold kind of way. I hate the Internet because thanks to it and this blog and other people's blogs, now I feel like I "know" people in some of the worst hit areas and I worry about them. I watch for posts or tweets telling me they're OK despite the fact that if they have their heads screwed on straight they won't be bothering with those things right now but rather be helping their families and neighbours get through it all alright.

 

I know I shouldn't worry. I'm sure my Internet acquaintances are all quite resourceful and intelligent and will be just fine. I can't help worrying anyway though, especially about the New York City dwellers, some of whom were likely a little complacent after Irene didn't do too much harm (at least in NYC) last year. The big city is a tough place to go into survival mode, I bet.

 

All I can do, I guess, is send out my best hopes and prayers for everyone who was in the path of this storm. Be safe and stay well, everyone.

 

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

PS - On a slightly lighter note:



Thanks to cyclelicious for that one. I love the Internet.