some tough cookies to crack...

we didn't inherit the land from our parents....we are simply borrowing it from our children...
-Amish Saying



this was a two metre slab of what I could guess at being tar or solidified oil from a mass burn off on the beach, it took and hour to excavate and then the process went to a wee bit of demolition by wooden spike..






this springy rubber thing snaked under and above the ground for about 30 feet, was a right bitch, but was not defeated, it did not belong there, so I was determined...







and of course...the "bio-degradable" plastic bag..the only thing that will break down is my mind...its not going anywhere, just into a million little pieces to sit there for eternity....what a waste of resources to develop and to create a society so dependant on - plastic








your ego desires to be heard...
your self waits to be discovered.

one by one
day by day

Steady perseverence alone will tame the mind.

This mission on the coasts of scotland has attracted a large amount of attention, yet the expected results have not seemed to eventuate.....yet.

Unless you are willing to take the risk, to have a go, to fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen.

In the past weeks, I have felt drained and detached from the possibility of achieving this goal in the fundraiser. This has been due to the unexpected poitical and bureaucratical mess and the medias distraction from what is important and latching onto this story as a damn "peoples' tabloit scoop", and the never ending "flotsum and jetsum" that continually washes ashore.

But, In light of this, I will not give up. In fact I am more determined to push the fundraiser now than ever. It is a worthy cause. And it is possible, even inevetable if I care enough about the result.

"Nothing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig"
- Epictetus

hello all,

this is just a quikie to say that my latest beach completion - The Gauldrons at Machrihanish #6..is complete. the beach is sparkling, the waves are definately crashing in and on this last day I sat in Scotlands sunshine on this dramatic coastline reading some 'Zen Words', 'Compelling Reason' and 'The Truth'

from here...there may be a slight break in communication as I will now be employed for a couple of weeks farming on the green pastures among the mighty power of the cattle (unbeknowenst to them)and the lack of individuality of the sheep (beknowenst to them). From there I shall head down to Eng-Land to reinlist myself on the grid by aquiring a piece of identification I have not had for many months and then I shall be in introspect among strangers at another meditation retreat. So, the beaches are put on hold as I take care of some admin and some time to centre myself after some manic months.

after 84 out of 103 (ish)nights in my tent, the last four with the inability to lie on my back, stomach and side - a inebriated slip into a semi large crevass amongst rocks took care of that - the next ..... some will be in the comforts of matress, maybe. I do like my little tent.

So unless I get shat on by a cow, charged by a sheep who has a moment of inspiration and revolution, fall of a roof (or another cliff), stuck in the mud, or any other mishap to chuckle about, I shall speak to you all later..

take care

tim in (for now)

8 tonnes off Altandhu

and of the rubbish transfer from beach to roadside which has been picked up by council...

the nights are getting colder...

and if you're stuck, or if you choose to stick yourself, in a town 8 miles from your tent as midnight passes by...a good place to lay your head is in the cab of an abandoned truck out the back of some random garage. You can't stretch out your legs, but your limbs wont be stiff due to the freeze, only due to the cramps...

my last few weeks have been excellent!!! after a successful clean up and pick up by the council, not without a bit of resistence, at Altandhu (see piccie below or above?? thanks to Juliet) I tested fate and sold all my camera gear, not for financial gain - just a little experiment, recieved support from Gordon at JIG, edinburgh - glasgow - back to edinburgh and then out to my new beach at Machrihanish, on the Mull of Kintyre, and now I am spending the morning with a bit of admin to do in Campbeltown - location of my cab bed.

Spent the weekend with a semi local surfer who loaned me a board and I tested myself in the swell of scotland. Aussie first time surfing in Scotland - I know - weird...we walked out over the rocks to take the leap into the surf. Not only have I never been on a surf board before, but I am entering the rough seas by jumping off a four foot (doesn't sound like much, but hey..)rock judging the leap with the rolling waves. We had sat and watched the tides and picked the perfect moment for the push of high tide, but as it turns out it wasn't the perfect moment to learn how to surf. I thrusted my arms through the water trying to catch up (with my lower regions starting to ache due to the cold and lack of wetsuit) and pass the breakers to sit and contemplate how easily I would stand on my first attempt. But...I didn't take into account the sneak set that came through. It was only three waves. But it was my last three for the day. The first looked like a tsunami from water level (turns out it was only about 6 foot) but it broke right on my face and threw me through the wightwash like a ragdoll. I recovered in a daze only to look up at the next raging down on me. I didn't bother reaching for the board and just went underneath and felt the pull as the leg rope kept the board from crashing into the rocks. This time I went for the board, got on top and went to go over the third sneaker. Higher and higher it tooke me and as I reached the summit it broke and sent me flying vertically backwards and once again struggled to find up amongst the white.

This was the end of my first day as I held my head in self pity.

The next I knew what I was getting myself into and got through the breakers successfully, to catch the only wave of the day. No standing for I felt "first wave, get a feel, kneel and next go for the feet". But the next never came.

Even though the first day I got slammed and the second flopped..I will take up the offer of a loan board while I am here and go in everyday. What a way to connect to the beach. My office, playground, bedroom and kitchen!! love it!!




piccies are of semi local Jamie and our fire - beachside - and of my camp overlooking my beach..once again with the little auto digi snappy shootie thingy from canon..hmmm, digital seems to be the way, never thought those words would come out of my mouth...












will be talking soon of new inspiration for the fundraiser -

till next time

tim out.

boredom brings loneliness...but solitude brings strength

intermission before beach no. 6

Glasgow on a bright Monday morning in Summer with the clouds in the stratosphere in a glorious sight....and aside from the streams of cars drowning out the sounds of a waking city, the place is quite attractive.

Just spent a few days in edinburgh at the beginning of the fringe festival. got a ride down with a prawn lorry and arrived in the ol' town at about 2am. with pack on back I wondered - where to go, what to do?? so i figured the best option was to find myself a nice sheltered, comgfy hovel and get some rest. so, in complete contrast to that I found myself and open plan home and laid out my bed on some, well....mud is the best word. then I proceeded to lay and stare at the dark (yes!! scotland is getting dark now) star littereed sky (inconveniently blocked out by the lights of a pumping miniopolis) and spent the next 4 hours waiting for the rain to fall. which it didn't!! so my next day I wandered the streets to meet up with some dear friends in a state of dillusion.

then the festival kicked off!! luckily for a poor sod like me, I knew a few p[eople working for the ticketing/flyering of the stanbd ups. so free tickets were on the cards! above is a piccie from my new little auto digi shootie thingy from canon, kindly donated for documentary purposes, but you have to have a little fun with it dont you? this is the festival fever - remember, the cameras are always watching. not a bad result technically with only exp. compensation, backlit flash and a touch of mid exposure tilt...

picture this - a one man, one hour re-enactment of the Star Wars Trilogy. This guy was amazing! he did every voice, every sound effect, every damn language and ended up running around the stage in circles as he recreated each scene! what a crazy show, funny as .... . the next show was a kiwis indepth exploration of the geek in fashion. this was fairly amateurish, which made it even funnier. Edinburgh definately comes alive with th4e streets bursting at the seams with people, but it took me after a couple of days, and my arrival in glasgow was met with frustraion, impatience and severe case of anxst. So, the moment I get out of here the better. But my time here will be spent in communication with my new sponsors discussing ways in which we can formalise and professionalise my approach to the media and the polictical angle I am so damn terrible at. No one seems to listen when you simply chuck a hissy fit kicking and screaming with no real basis, dont know why?

anyhoo, be well everyone..and question everything, because its all crap and we've got it all wrong, not that I know what is right...


tim out