Archive (Page 4) • More Like a Spoon Than a Fork • Buttondown

The Kalgoorlie report

August 30, 2024

This week I am in Kalgoorlie, in rural Western Australia. I am here because an arts organisation reached out and asked me if I’d be interested in teaching...

Making hay while the sun shines

August 21, 2024

This email is one that could come back to haunt me, because I think I’ve hit a new high for being an independent, self-employed person. This could be a...

The New Zealand report

August 14, 2024

Hello everyone! Last weekend I went to my first book fair since leaving full time work, Photobook New Zealand, and I have to say that overall it was a huge...

The break is over

July 28, 2024

It might seem a bit odd, but for most of July I’ve been on a break. As much as I’ve been writing about plans and how things are going there hasn’t been much...

Small wins and some news!

July 19, 2024

Hello everyone! Today I am feeling happy and excited. Over the last week I’ve had some meaningful small wins along my journey to working for myself full...

Road Report

July 10, 2024

Hello everyone, Last week I shared that I was writing my newsletter while on the road, and promised a quick update about what I was doing and how it was...

6 months: what's the plan?

July 1, 2024

Hello from the road - today I am writing this in Cooma regional library. I’ve driven up from Melbourne via Omeo, Corryong and Adaminby - today was one of the...

Career break (cya job)

June 26, 2024

Hello everyone, There are a bunch of new people who’ve subscribed recently, so there may be a few things I write today that you’ve read before, but it’s...

I don't understand more

June 17, 2024

For a long time I’ve been baffled by the need some people, or some parts of society, have for more. It’s not that I don’t understand if people want different...

Where to next?

June 7, 2024

Hello! So on Monday I lost my job, sort of. My contract at the University of Melbourne ends on June 28th, my boss and I were hoping that the University would...

Elastic memory

May 21, 2024

I was walking around my work the other day when I sort of had one of those moments where I realised ‘wow, it’s been over 15 years since I started uni’. For...

Bunk beds

April 24, 2024

Typically I don’t really respond to poetry - I find it a bit lacklustre and overwrought, often I just prefer something more plot, character or narrative...

Velcro imagination

April 9, 2024

In my last newsletter I shared a bit about my day job and the possibility that it winds up at the end of June. As that deadline draws closer I keep thinking...

Where does the time go

March 27, 2024

It's been hard to find the time to write these this year. Mainly, my day job has been super busy. I'm actively trying to retain my job - it's a bit complex...

The Soft Option

March 2, 2024

When I was in school, every week at assembly our headmaster and deputy headmaster would each give us a little speech. I found these universally boring and...

So what?

February 14, 2024

I can't remember if I shared this story before, but one of the most useful pieces of feedback I ever received came in first year uni where one of my tutors...

You are not a gadget

February 1, 2024

If you've never read Jaron Lanier's book You Are Not a Gadget you really, really should. It is, for me, an incredibly important read and helps separate some...

Getting a yes

January 18, 2024

A big part of the art work I make deals with the reality that nature in Australia is mistreated AND that work becomes harder because a lot of that...

Work the straw

January 3, 2024

The reality of living in Australia - and anywhere that this newsletter is read - is that to some extent challenge and difficulty are options in our lives. We...

Studio Update: December/January (lots lots lots)

December 30, 2023

Some people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder where the winter darkness means they feel a bit more depressed and lethargic. Well, it's summer in...