So, I've signed up for something that promises to be a huge challenge; I'm in a team for an Adventure Race called the 'Kokoda Challenge'. I've never done anything like this before, in fact, at primary school, I was 'morally' opposed to running the 700m, because it seemed a ridiculously long way. Fair enough, my general fitness has improved remarkably since I made those comments about 18 years ago, but, crikey, it's an intimidating ask;

In other news, Monday is Advance Life Support Day. This differs from the Basic Life support that you learn on the First Aid courses in that it's a bit more hardcore, like putting tubes down tracheas and giving drugs and the like. Pretty exciting stuff, really. Other people who've sample this particular class reckon that you'll be at least 2 years out of Uni before you're running this kind of situation, but hey, it's important stuff to know early. It's so different to history taking and ethics skills and pathology knowledge that you'd want it to be reflex by the time you're in charge, I reckon.

In fact, that's part of the whole learning process; when you're 8, you watch adults driving and think; "No sweat, that looks pretty easy.", that is, you don't know that you don't know. Then at 15, you get behind the wheel and think "I've got no idea about this.", you suddenly know that you don't know. A few months later, with some lessons under the belt you're thinking "... and the clutch goes in, and change gear, release slowly...", and you know that you know how to drive. Finally, after a couple of years on the roads, you're cruising along thinking; "This weekend I'm going to the Coast, and then on Monday I'm at Herston..." and driving couldn't be further from your consciousness, well, you don't know that you know. This isn't to say that you're lazy, it's just that the notion of changing gears and getting the clutch right, well, it's automatic. I think that many things can be like that, like writing a well structured essay, or shooting a basketball...

I guess for me it's going to be walking bloody long distances, in a few short months :)

Finally, the two photos. One is my duck Oz; what a star. Oz is actually a green duck. He likes long swims in the bath and enjoys squeaking when he's squeezed. His yellow brother Frank, died a horrible death when he was decapitated by a dog called Odessa. The names come from this guy. The second photo was taken at about 10pm at Sunshine Beach, with the help of JK, in his post-swim state.

Anyhoo, I've managed to hit the road for a break in the last few days, up to the Sunny Coast and down to Sydney; these two photos pretty well encapsulate the travels.

Firstly, this is taken at Sunshine Beach. The whole experience was a sublime opportunity to relax with good friends. As per usual, a slightly nerdy air was invoked in passages, but hey, it's a vocational course. Best of all were the chances to contemplate +/- fresh air.


Secondly, this is me at Sydney Airport. Today was a whirlwind/lightning tour and a good chance to catch up with family, young and much older. It was quite relieving to see that, by and large, my family is happy, healthy and doin' well! It also gave me a good insight into the notion that 'sushi trains' can actually be quite classy, after previously having this concept obliterated by the good folks in Toowong. The image is more channeling that trance-like state that comes with being 'In Transit', especially when there's more waiting time than flying time.


As you may have guessed by now; I'm not totally au fait with the pictorial self-exposure that goes with most blogs. That's in part due to the desire to keep just a wee bit untraceable, but also because I'm likely, at some point, to make bitchy comments about what people wear. Deal with it. So, I'm slowly getting to my thought of the day, though, and that is; Can one have the skills of wit and charm without simultaneously having equal ability to create cutting, nasty insults in a flash?

Mastocytes are important immune cells. When stimulated by antigen, chemokines or other immunological cells and mediators, they release their own powerful immune complexes, including histamine, prostaglandins and other vasodilators, which signal to other organs, including the brain. The local blood vessels dilate and other cells move into the area. In turn, these cells activate and pump immune signals around the body. Thus, once a mast cell has degranulated, it is active and firing. It's letting the body know what's going on.

Finally, this is a rhyme I put together a while ago;

Matzoh on Lime

[tick tick tick]
Hassidics walkin', in old J-town,
Faces fixed in a whacked out frown.
Don't be down, just turn it round,
Smile at those men like a circus clown! [elephant trumpets]
Between two nations, that don't eat pork,
A thin, fine line, the snipers walk
Just need to talk (though some men balk)
Been twenty plus years since they fought Norfolk.
But U S A is stuck in Iraq,
Local power they seem to lack.
Take the flack, and bring it back,
Look at Judea, about to crack! [whip sound]

Stop! bouncing bombs up on that line,
Between to nations, who ain't sublime.
We will find peace, we just. need. time.

[tick tick tick]
The middle east, ain't goin well,
anger and tension, they always swell.
When Yasser fell, there tolled a bell,
the holy land won't be turnin' to hell!
Before my airbus, I got full fleece.
Guantanmo captives, they refuse to release.
Now if you please, we must decrease
a soldier's power to police the peace!
Taking meetings, up in the air,
With George and Condy, the new odd-pair,
don't despair, the will is there,
Peaceful solutions and diplomatic flair.

Stop! bouncing bombs up on that line,
Between to nations, who ain't sublime.
We will find peace, we just. need. time.
[tick tick tick]

The plan is to diarise my thoughts and some activities from until, say, the end of Uni. That's a pretty big commitment, I appreciate, as I've still got at least 32 months to go. But that's the provisional plan; every week, at least, a new photo and a new thought or idea or comment. What the hey, if you think it's interesting, then you can let me know.

What else? Well, something well written and intelligent would be desirable. Photographs that make you think. And some, well, personal development.

But why Degranulate?

Okay, so first thing's first; This is the kick off....

What do I want out of this?