Jimzip's blog

Workbook - Story Excerpt

2011-04-29T23:19:00.000+10:00

I've been having rather a whale of a time lately working on a story that I am affectionately (and temporarily) calling "The Vault", and I'm really getting some satisfaction from watching it come to life and guiding it along.

Here's a short excerpt from an early chapter I quite enjoy. The scene sees one of the main characters, Merius, making his way to a rather secluded nighttime gathering. We come in just after he sneaks through a door into a rather perilous locale:

The door was closed as quietly as it had been opened, and Merius at once noted that the wind had picked up, heavy clouds having appeared in greater abundance in the dark sky above. Between them he could see a few stars struggling to twinkle, dull glints flickering for a second before being obscured again as the silver-backed mass drifted across the great dome, lit from behind by a hidden moon.
There was an eerie feel to the night, not helped by the fact that every few moments the fluttering of his cloak and the gusts that were coming from all directions broke the stillness and brief, powerful squalls buffeted the stonework causing the pointed lips of the bulwark to moan and howl.
Between these flurries of wind there was also the quiet, disjointed rhythm of drums echoing out across the land as always, it seemed not to count as noise to Merius however. They were always present, and they seemed not to belong to the other noises around him.
To his left, the bridge that led to the North East tower had been blocked off by a rather hastily built barrier, brickwork signalling that the maintenance - or rebuilding - would most likely not be completed anytime soon. Merius gripped the top of it and took a moment to peer over, noticing that the bridge appeared in fact to have collapsed, the span reaching barely a few paces before plunging from a rough edge to small rooftops far below.
Swinging back to the right, and to his goal, the bridge that spanned the distance between this North tower and the North West tower stretched out into the dark. At least, it had been dark for a moment. Now as Merius watched, it looked as if there were guards up here as well, and they were turning the corner between the two bridges, patrolling the great lofty spans with their lantern in hand. Merius could see lamplight bobbing towards him slowly, a pinpoint spilling orange light out a short distance around the bearers.
Two, he logged unconsciously.
Shrouded in the murk he wouldn’t be seen, especially now that the moon had been obscured by the clouds, but he darted to the low-wall opposite him regardless and ducked down beside it, making his way toward the guards approaching him but staying hidden.
This bridge, like all of them, and like the one he was making his way toward and which he had previously visited with Allion, featured the same little balconies upon which large statues rested on sizeable stone plinths. These, Merius found, provided excellent cover when the guards eventually wandered past. When that happened Merius waited patiently, and soon enough lamplight hit thick stone, and the boy weaved behind the protective sentinels while staying in the shadows, continuing onward once the patrol reached a safe enough distance away.
One by one the faces of old Preservers and Keepers gazed past him and out into Ciltari as he slipped by at their feet, edging along a pathway a hundred feet over rooftops that hid a maze of hallways and chambers below where his fellow Adherents would be fast asleep.
It was half way along the bridge, and coincidentally while he was in a particularly exposed stretch between two statues, when the moon suddenly broke through the clouds and the area was bathed in white light from above.
In a flash, Merius dropped to the ground and froze...

The story is very much told in this style, and in fact one of the things I battled inwardly with for a while was whether or not to give him some kind of companion so that the descriptive parts can be broken up with some dialogue. I decided against this in the end, it was too Disney and I think a challenge is what I need with this project!

In any case, let me know what you think.

Jimzip

Finding Equilibrium: Part Deux

2011-04-03T00:17:00.003+11:00

Today was one of those irksome days when nothing seems to go write- ... er, right.

To make it more fun it began with a hangover. Now, before you go skipping off to tell someone I'm a tempestuous drunk, I must say that I couldn't care less if you do - I have no regrets.

It was a wonderful night in any case, good company, good venue. But I digress, back to today's magical proceedings.

The hangover was immediately apparent from the moment I woke up, at 5am to be exact, bedside lamp still on, iPad in hand. Apparently I had tried reading the DN+ newspaper in a booze-induced moment of coherence (how I thought I'd be able to decipher Swedish I have no idea), but it seems I passed out as soon as I lay down without even having crawled under the covers. Anyway when I woke at 5, two things hit me, one that I was slightly more sober, two, that I really needed to visit the bathroom. That thought was pushed aside momentarily however as I fell asleep again.

I rose properly at 9, bladder comfortably vacant (possibilities here include a sleepwalking-adventure, and/or that peeing in dreams actually works), and got ready to go and tutor a friend of mine. I caught the tram to go see him and upon arriving I found that brekky had been made for me, (amazing by the way, the swedish take on eggs & bacon is truly something to behold!), but because I was so late we discovered that the tute could only go for 15 minutes. Not only that, I also messed it up by not bringing my computer (who knew one needed a computer to teach html?). Suffice to say we got through a messy introduction and I left him rather confused. Not my best moment, I still blame the alcohol.

Heading home, I began to ready myself for World Of Warcraft with my brother in Sydney that afternoon, made sure all the latest updates were installed and that everything was running well. At that point I discovered that for some reason my account needed to be 'merged' with a new account, so I tried to log in. No can do Candice. The login failed and I was locked out, so I called support. The lady there was very nice, reset my password and after waiting thirty minutes I was successfully logged in. I then tried to merge my account. Error. The service is temporarily unavailable.

Aight.

After this, I give my brother a call. We talk it out, try some things, nothing works. I ring back support with the problem, but they closed two minutes early today. Then we discover that even if I manage to merge accounts, I still need to buy the latest release of the game. So I head out, down Glenferrie road to the local Apple store, happy that I'm making progress. Except - they're sold out of the game.

I leave, and go to a smaller computer game store. They have a couple left, I buy one, and head home.

Upon reaching my desk again, I open the plastic bag, remove the game box and am surprised to see that the seal is missing. I open it anyway, my "you're about to get pwned" sensor glowing like the aurora, and enter the code into my account to activate the game. Unsurprisingly, I'm greeted with a message: "The software key you entered is already in use".

I ring back the store, and ask if I can get a replacement game. The guy gives me another code over the phone, and I hang up. Back in my account again, I enter the new code. A red box pops up saying "An error has occurred", and to make things clearer, the explanation: "An error has occurred" accompanies it.

By this point I'm ready to give up and say that Lady Luck is back on her whore-mount and is slinging her bad ju-ju down on my life anew, but I'm a stickler, so I try to find my original installation boxes in the cupboard, figuring if I can enter the codes from the versions I bought eons ago, the problem might be solved. Then the realisation dawns, that all those boxes are in a box, in a storeroom filled with furniture, in an apartment in Canada.

After all this, Alex and I resigned to the fact that World of Warcraft just isn't going to happen today. No Worgen, no Elves, no questing through mist-filled valleys and parched deserts. Instead, I go up to my room, hit up some 50's swing, and start belting out some tunes with somewhat frightening abandon. The house is empty, so the volume was l.o.u.d.

Once I've had a little bash I decide to update the blog (you can see the results in the header!) and things seem like they're finally going the right way now. Not that I should say a word for fear of jinxing it, but I think Lady Luck and I have come to an agreement. She can slap me around for a day, and I can badmouth her on my blog.

In other news - yet related in that it made me laugh like a jackal - I revisited Translation Party again this evening (remember that from aaaaaaall the way back in Sep 2009?), and couldn't help giving it a spin.

The following sentences yielded some amazing results, even moreso because while I was playing around with it, a rather awesome track came on in iTunes. You can download it below, and I highly recommend listening to the little gem while making your own ridiculous Japanese sentences - it's called 'Bongolina' from 'Like_ Bongos' by Bob Rosengarden and Phil Kraus. These guys know how to bongo … anyway here are some sentences I prepared earlier:

Smile with vengeance at the innocent little girl...

Turn Sandy into a fat and naughty toadfish, then let's all rhumba!

And you can right-click to download Bongolina here. Enjoy!

Jimzip

Happy Dance, & Happy Birthday JP

2011-03-01T21:17:00.001+11:00

Well, I am rather excited at the moment, I have to be honest. "Howso?" say ye, "Could it be because another new episode of LOST is to air perchance?", "Has Sega finally announced they're making a good Sonic game whatsay?". Nay, good reader, I'm exhilarated because finally, once again I am employed. (So excited in fact, that I made a new emoticon tonight! Check it out: WOOHOO!)

The company is a super neat design & print studio called 'cassette', and at the moment I'm working as a casual employee, unless of course I'm told otherwise. (And yah, I'm really hoping 'otherwise' means full-time, and not a polite dismissal)!

In the meantime, I'm finding it pretty awesome - and also rather intense, I don't know whether that's because we're moving offices on Saturday, or if it's always like that, but the work is rapid-fire and it comes from all angles. Quite different to freelancing and quite different to what I've experienced before really, but it's jolly good to be busy again! The people there are also pretty rad from what I've seen so far. Remniscent of the folks at invoke, a very friendly, positive and personable crowd, which I think makes all the difference in the workplace. Check out cassette's website here.

Anyway, in other news, it's March 1st again! That means that indeed, it's another birthday for Jimzip Productions. Huzzah!

No fanfare this year, no teaser videos or secret codes however. I'm changing my approach to things. Instead of hyping up what may be to come, I'm not going to say a word, and we'll see what happens. (The fact that many of the things I hype up and work on don't actually appear in public may be a reason for this!)

That's all for now though, I have to hit the sack!

Cheerio,

Jimzip

Frangipani and Sea To Sky

2011-01-10T23:03:00.000+11:00

Every now and then, you're fortuitous enough to catch a photo that continues to blow your mind long after you upload it to your computer and back it up on a hard drive somewhere. I believe I was just so lucky when while hiking a mountain on an island recently (strange but true), I randomly reached out off the edge of the walking track and snapped a shot that bizarrely turned out nothing like I'd expected.

One of the backgrounds up for your downloading pleasure this week is 'Sea To Sky', and there's a fantastic feeling of lofty wonderment in this pic. When I took it, I was fully expecting the sky to be nothing but a sheer white blanket of nothingness, because at the time of the snap I had climbed above cloud-level and all I could see was white above and around the canopy. Upon seeing the photo however, I realised that the clouds had actually parted to reveal the incredible reef about a thousand feet below in a brief (and rather magical) moment. This is going to be a favourite of mine for a while to come. Check out the colour of that water!

The other image is somewhat more modest but is pleasant nonetheless. I think it's very calming actually, and to go with the theme of clouds, 'Frangipani' shows one of the most beautifully scented blooms in the world, saturated by a light mist that had been passing through the forest at the time. These two shots were taken a couple of days apart, and in different places. Neither has been altered save for resizing and the addition of the jimzip.com logo, just so you know. Incredible what nature throws our way!

Click here to find them. Enjoy!

Jimzip

Once More...

2010-12-17T14:00:00.002+11:00

Yes, once more, Jimzip Productions is open for business. Spread the word, if you, a friend or a business associate needs web-design, branding, 3D visualisations or animation or even (gasp!) motion graphics, send 'em this way.

Cheerio!

Jimzip

Temporary Disruption

2010-12-15T13:03:00.001+11:00

It's been a strange few months for me, I'll put it that way. Having returned from Canada, then heading to Europe shortly after, and now back at home, it feels I've completed some strange journey, that credits will start rolling any second. Yet days tick by and I find myself working on a whole heap of projects, keeping busy and getting back into the swing of things.

The social aspect of being home has been wonderful, but I can't help that feel like the attempted hidden (but certainly present) introverted half has gained strength in my absence, kind of like Sauron would, but instead of orcs it uses rainy days, a rather cosy working space and ever-present herbal teas in the kitchen. I suppose that's what happens when you live alone for a few years. It was hard to start being social again, in fact. It sounds odd, but I'm a strange fellow who enjoys a little too much his own company sometimes. I've always thought that will be helpful when the zombie apocalypse comes and I have nothing but a sock and an old fridge magnet to talk to in my mountain shanty, but for now it's a constant battle to put down what I'm working on and actually go out. Sounds rather morose, I guess, but I'm perfectly happy. Just a little concerned about my direction at the moment.

Anyway enough about my trials and tribulations, 'Temporary Disruption' doesn't just apply to my emotional vagaries, no sir! There is other news.

The Adventure Outpost is still in development, I love it like a strange kind of digital child, and am still trying to find ways of launching it and keeping it level - as in, spending the least amount of money I can on it while making it worthwhile for others and of course myself. I think I've figured it out now, and will be working on that come January. But let's just say that it hasn't just been sitting discarded in a corner. It should be lovely when it's finally opened and I am very excited about the possibilities for it.

Also, Jimzip.com will be down today and possibly tomorrow while I change my provider. I don't particularly like godaddy as it's an inconceivable mess, thus I'll be swapping over to the hosting service I use for everything else.

Finally, here's a great little tune from a Norwegian folkmusic trio. I'm not particularly into this kind of stuff usually, but I couldn't resist this album, it's just good ole' fashioned fun. Enjoy!

Download "A Heave & Ho, Just Watch Me Go" 4.4MB

Jimzip

Safari & Desert Grass

2010-11-09T15:56:00.003+11:00

Well, it's that time again!

This week there are two brand new wallpapers for you to decorate your digital desk with, featuring a rather desert-like theme ... in fact the first image, Safari, features some amazingly cool authentic gear used on actual safaris that took place in the late 1800's. The colours and textures of this shot are really cosy with those warm browns. Check out the artistry on the cabinet in the background too, the tiny cowrie shell decorations are just beautiful.

The second is Desert Grass, which I like a lot. Caught in the afternoon sunlight, these blades of wheat-like grass with their pointy kernels seem almost like gold. In the background is rough sandy shrubland stretching for who knows how far....

Click here to find them. Enjoy!

Jimzip

The Magic Islands Revisited - Part 1

2010-11-04T21:39:00.009+11:00

An odd addition to my song downloads I know, but I thought this was too interesting to pass-up.

So, on the sidebar (and to the right of this post) you'll find a link to download a track from Axel Stordahl's: The Magic Islands Revisited (44.8MB) (when they were first visited is still a mystery), but it is neat for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it's over fifteen minutes long. Yes, it's long. Now, mammoth duration doesn't always mean good listening, but this track is justified, and it is basically the length of a record's A Side - in fact that's exactly what it is. Clearly the person who ripped it thought it was worth preserving as a continuous track, and was right to do so in my opinion. The result is six short songs put together in a really neat way, and is a really neat listen ... which leads us to the second thing: this is great exotica.

Stordahl was, firstly, a Norwegian (so I instantly like him!), but secondly and debatably more importantly, he was a fantastic composer. This gathering of tracks is a wonderful interpretation of some of the lesser known (but still very enigmatic) exotica pieces of the day.

Initially and in proper form, we're introduced to some ambient sounds; birds harking in the forest or some similarly mysterious locale. Then the music begins and with typical early 1950's charm, we're treated to a great reimagining of 'Return To Paradise' with the vocals and instrumentals featuring an evident vinyl-tinged brightness, after which 'E Naughty Naughty Mai Nei' provides a somewhat jolting diversion from the next few songs with energetic, punchy vocals (which in my view are fun, but almost too much due to the quality of the recording). 'Paradise' however, is brilliant and possibly my favourite on this album, with smooth, flowing instrumentals moving us into a great version of Jack Owens' 'Hukilau' (at about 09:20). A jazzy version of 'My Tani' follows with some chilled out flute and rhythm sticks, before we finally hit 'Forevermore' adapted but still capturing Milt Raskin's charismatic somberness and mystery.

At some point I will upload the second installment, Side B, it's a little more easy-going and also is more focused on the quieter stuff, with some wonderfully visual instrumentals (if that's possible). For now though, I think this is enough to digest. This is a really great find and I really enjoy listening to it while I'm working. I hope you enjoy too!

Cheers!

Jimzip

Workbook - Snow Hut

2010-09-24T14:48:00.004+10:00

Well, this is exciting! ... at least for me. I had a little thought yesterday, that since I'm working on things I should start posting them up so that people can see what's going on. That way, I know if what I'm working on is doomed before it ever truly sees the light of day or not!

As such, this is the first (and I truly hope not the last) in the 'Workbook' series of posts I hope to start doing. Basically they will be like little progress reports, each time you see the title 'Workbook' you will know it's a WIP, and you may feel free to tear it to shreds with your witty typist's-tongue, or simply sit back and enjoy the ride.

This particular post is on a 3D scene I've been working on of late, titled 'Snow Hut' (for now), because that's what it is. It's a still piece not intended for animation, but who knows, I get bored sometimes and poof! my hard drive gets a little more bogged down.

Enjoy!

A lonely looking hut...

Adding some vegetation.

... some nicer vegetation.

Behind the pretty lighting and surfaces lies the 3D.

Getting better!

Jimzip

Ferns & Small-Break

2010-09-23T22:17:00.004+10:00

A couple of brand-spanking new wallpapers have been added in the Collection section of jimzip.com for yer downloadin' pleasure. Ferns, and Small-Break, both of which I have been using continuously for the past few days on my own desktop. Now for some reason I keep thinking I smell sea-salt ... but that may just be my unwashed wakeboard.

Either way, click the link, scroll down, download, and enjoy!

Jimzip

Take-Back

2010-05-20T11:13:00.003+10:00

Hmm. Well, I hate to do this, but it appears I jumped the gun a little on the project I was supposed to be starting up this week. To be honest, a lot of work still needs to be done before I can launch it and as a result, I'm going to hold off for a while!

I think it's wise to hold off for a while anyway, especially because I'll be going traveling again as of the 3rd of next month and won't have time to work on the project while I'm away.

Anyway that's that news. Apologies for the delay! And fingers crossed that it gets launched one day! It will be great fun once it's set free!

Jimzip

Something Questy This Way Comes ...

2010-05-10T14:12:00.000+10:00

You know how sometimes I put up those annoying little teasers?

Well please don't think I put them up and then just sit there doing nothing for a whole year. Even though some things change, or something else is - er - no longer in production, I'm still busily working away behind the scenes.

Something questy this way comes. I hope you enjoy it.

Jimzip

Sea Rock and Brushes

2010-05-01T13:37:00.000+10:00

Two new wallpapers have just been added to the Collection area of jimzip.com. Sea Rock and Brushes! The colours in Sea Rock blow me away actually, it's some of the most beautiful water I've ever seen and was an amazing experience to capture, I hope it brings a sense of seaside chillaxedness to your desktop.

The other background, Brushes, might bring memories of a calm, warm, afternoon in the sand dunes - or bubblegum-toothpaste. It's really up to you!

Check them out in the jimzip.com Collection here.

Enjoy!

Jimzip

Farewell Scandinavia

2010-04-15T15:31:00.001+10:00

His leather jacket was hanging off one shoulder and sweat pouring down his face as he approached the woman standing expectantly behind the counter.

"I have miss my plane!" He cried out.

The lady, clad in a retro-looking blue flight attendant uniform, appeared a little startled, "Why have you missed your plane?" she asked.

Blank stare.

"What language do you speak?" She tried again, to which he replied "I am from Serbia. But now you must book me new plane!"

"I can't book you a new plane." She answered, "I'm just the information desk." and after making a helpful gesture towards the ticket desks with her hand, he charged off, a handkerchief materialising in his hand to sweep across his forhead as he did so.

Frankfurt International airport was a bustling disaster on a Wednesday evening. If it wasn't a group of Germans yelling over a beer as Manchester United (almost) scored on the tv, it was a woman yelling in some far-flung dialect to one of her children who had wandered two feet away, one of which had somehow become entangled in a jungle of baggage carts, or a crazed Serbian man in a leather jacket who had missed his flight.

I had ended up here as a stopover on my way to Singapore, then finally Melbourne, and was to stay here seven hours before the connecting flight. Not that it mattered too much, I had one of the world's biggest airports to explore, with books from there to Wazoo and German cuisine to ingest. It would be one of the more pleasant stopovers of my life, I hoped.

It was lucky to be there at all to tell the truth. Upon waking up on Wednesday morning, I stood drowsily, wandered to the kitchen for a glass of water, wondered if going to the cafe early to get some work done for a client would be a good idea, but had a long shower instead. I had one last day in Stockholm before my flight home, and I had planned on getting a lot done. I had to cancel my bankcard, do some washing, send some postcards, buy some gifts for the people that had been, well, amazing during my stay. But as chance would have it I decided on a whim to check my flight itinerary, and lo and behold, by plane departed not the next day, but in four hours.

Needless to say, what occurred in the next hour was something the world has never seen before, the most incredible feat of stuffing things into bags and packing up a room ever.

Casualties included my bed, lamp, two scarves, and a Tommy Hilfiger jacket which I bought in Vancouver in 2007, and left in Stockholm in 2008. It lives in Sweden now, and I hope it finds a good home there.

Either way, in a somewhat divine series of events which followed, I managed to get out of the apartment, down to the street, and find a cab to Central Station, and there waiting for me were my two closest Scandi-buddies (a term I hope to coin soon…).

It could have been teary, but it ended up being a somewhat cheery farewell as the doors closed and the platform began to move away from the train carrying them with it.

It's been an interesting and rather intense three months. I arrived in weather that reached the negative twenties and hoped to brave the cold until the sun came about and summer rolled in. I had planned some pretty wild antics to consume my time in the chilly north, but as it turns out, I was soon hit with the realisation that my time living away from home, family and friends was over. It felt almost instinctual, like a little internal alarm clock going off, and I realised one morning with sharp suddenness that to stay and battle homesickness, and to travel and experience all these new things by myself wasn't actually what I wanted to do anymore.

That was a couple of weeks back, and now I'm on the way home again, sitting 31,000 feet in the air, surrounded by 'g'day's and 'crikey's, and and already wondering how I'll do back in Aus. It's been over four years since I've lived in Hollingsworth Ave. Admittedly, and not surprisingly, some friends gave up on me a while back - the facebook messages stopped rolling in about a year ago - I guess they thought I'd forgotten my promise of returning. Of course, I never thought I'd live abroad forever.

In any case, I've had a great time. Being away from home has taught me an awful lot, and living in these places which at first seem so similar to home, but become more and more different to it as time goes by, has been amazing and has opened my mind up to some fantastic things that I won't forget anytime soon.

So for now it's farewell Scandinavia. It's been fun, but I'll be back again!

Jimzip :D

Stop Right There ...

2010-03-27T23:53:00.001+11:00

There was once a group of girls who became somewhat famous. They had big hair, big shoes and big attitude, but those crazy gogo bunnies weren't exactly philosophers.

It should be noted however, that they had moments of brilliance. One in particular was the line: "Hey you, always on the run, gotta slow it down baby gotta have some fun." I think. One reason is because it can be applied to most aspects of life in a poor-excuse for a tie-in, and the other is because - well it's just so darned catchy.

Unfortunately that same line was also said while wearing skin-tight rubber, but that aside, I have indeed found that it's applicable here. See there's one thing I've learnt about this town, it's that you really should stop, and take a look around every twenty steps or so, or you will miss something. (Needing a Human Touch is also up there, but I'm more of a 'pause and sniff the roses' kinda guy.)

I suppose it comes from the city being, y'know almost 800 years old, but the architecture and skyline are really enough to keep you amused all by themselves. I honestly believe you really wouldn't need to pay to go sightseeing here as long as you walked down the right streets.

Of course, I'm a big geek, and would be happy to stand staring at the alignment of grouting if given the time. But I think Stockholm has indeed got something fascinating about it.

Apart from amazing architecture, this city is also a history-buff's dream. There are enough museums to sink a ship, and one museum precisely for a sunken ship, strangely enough.

I imagine that I've only seen half the fun too. See as nice as it is here, it's still winter, and winter means cloudy, slushy, wet-pant-hemmed unpleasantness. Also there's not a green-leaf to be seen, which is kinda blah. The nightlife is still quite good too, but I really am looking forward to seeing the city in it's 'true colours' in a few months.

Anyway, enough gushing, it's update time!

So I officially quit my job about a week ago. I'm working the last few shifts, and then I'm free to roam once more, some cash in the pocket and some kind of moving vehicle ticket in hand. Should be fun times.

The situation with my apartment continues to be a bizarre twist in an otherwise pleasant story. I discovered this morning that my roomies don't bother using the shower curtain when they 'duscha', and unfortunately I discovered it while in my socks. Not a nice way to wake up.

At least my landlord isn't sleeping in the cupboard anymore. Indeed, he seems to have vanished into some nether-realm which I can only assume he gains access to through a gateway behind the refrigerator. It's the only part of the house I dare not venture thanks to a prevalence of foam-based sleeping stuffs strewn behind the sail-boat canvas he uses to block it off.

Good times.

Anyway, I think I'm late for work now, so I'll away. But thank you for reading dear friends, and catch you again soon!

Jimzip :D

Papyrus and Bridge

2010-03-19T02:27:00.004+11:00

Well, it's that time again! This week jimzip.com has some chillaxed-to-the-max wallpapers for your downloading pleasure, both warm and exotic, both with a little tropically-infused mystery thrown in for good measure.

The first is Papyrus, reminding me of a calm, sun-filled, riverside nap. The fronds look great with your files scattered all over them. You could be waiting behind to steal away on a boat down the Nile, hiding from angry town guards as you cling to your stolen bread roll, or simply ... relaxing with a special other. ;)

The second is Bridge, a jungle adventure waiting to happen! Are we about to stumble upon a previously undiscovered village as we step cautiously across, a hidden palace amid the bobbing plants and screeching forest fauna, or are we about to plunge into a thrashing river far below?

I know not! I just provide the setting - you provide the story.

Find them here.

Enjoy!

Jimzip

An Irish Encounter, and Working for Aslan

2010-03-09T10:06:00.002+11:00

'Så, va … vaarr kommer duu ifrån…" was slurred into my ears from a groaning barstool beside me. The man currently occupying it weighed easily in the mid-two-hundreds, and it wasn't just his threadbare sweater that tired of his company. The barman turned away while he shook his head, saying something akin to "...and away we go..." with a roll of his eyes. It didn't take translation to know that this was familiar territory for him.

"Ehh?" the man said, moving closer. His breath smelled somewhat like the arse-end of a brewery, and one eye lolled of its own accord off to the side as he tried to look me straight on.

I sidled away toward the patrons on the other side of me, grinning because the whole thing was somehow ridiculous. "Jag är Australien" … I replied while doing so, to which he then asked which 'part' of Sweden I was from.

Oiveigh.

Escaping with three drinks in hand, I made for the stairs, the gnashing pop-rock from the stereo blotting out the rest of the conversation he was having to the Heiniken tap, which, I think at that point he believed was me. A couple of young Swedes grinned as I walked past, I still haven't learned the Swedish word for 'newbie' but words weren't really necessary at that point.

Back at the table it was laughs, everyone who had bought a round so far had met my friend and it seemed everyone had a different story about him - the worst by far from one of the girls.

So this is where I found myself on a random Sunday evening. Surrounded by a rowdy, lovely bunch of Irish and Aussies at a bar in Gamla Stan. It seems I always fall in with crowds of foreigners. Not that it's a problem, per se, I mean, sure the goal is to try and get some immersion in a non-english speaking country, but so far I can't for the life of me figure out how to meet the locals. Case in point; first week here. I'm at a concert selected on a whim, thinking I can give my beer ticket away in exchange for breaking the ice with some Stockholmians. Alas, the beer ticket I gave away was met with a "Cheers bud!" in a thick Californian accent. Foiled once again…

Of course, the peeps I've met have been great peeps, and of course, I will keep trying, it's probably just one of those 'when you're not looking' things, and then suddenly I'll find myself eating Swedish meatballs over some glög and discussing a maypole or something.

I should also say that meeting people isn't the problem, it's really the 'connecting' part. Perhaps it's the language thing (working on it!), or perhaps it's just that they can instinctively tell that my backpack isn't from Tiger of Sweden … yes that seems probable. Although it could also be a secret handshake I've missed.

All this notwithstanding, I must say that my workplace has in fact been instrumental in helping me with a) the language, b) meeting people, and c) learning how to run a cafe. It's great because you're never doing just one thing, you're serving, then you're making coffee, then you're washing dishes, then making cakes, running food and trying to tell the visiting Russians that no, you don't understand what "Принесите мне кофе мальчик!" means … it's an interesting situation to be sure.

- I work for Aslan, by the way.

He's a nice enough fellow, enthusiastic, happy and not as lion-esque as one might imagine. I think he's from the middle-east somewhere. But the cafes are owned by him and a friend, and it works wonders with the tourists. I say 'cafes' because the one I work at is actually one of a pair. The other half of the business is next door. Chokladkoppen is where I'm at, Kaffekoppen is the other, but both serve the same food.

Chokladkoppen has quite a name for itself too. I didn't know just how so until I was told by my Irish companions last night, but apparently we're in the Lonely Planet guide to Sweden:

"Chokladkoppen - Stortorget. Arguably Stockholm's best loved cafe, hole-in-the-wall Chokladkoppen sits slap bang on the Old Town's enchanting main square. It's a gay-friendly spot, with cute, gym-fit waiters, a look-at-me summer terrace and yummy grub like broccoli and blue-cheese pie and scrumptious cakes."

So … quite. I don't know if I agree with the 'gym-fit' part, but I'll take the compliment. I mean, I cycle once in a while I suppose. Er, thanks Lonely Planet! Here's what it looks like, romantically surrounded by slush on a cloudy day (it's the orange one on the right):

In conclusion and all in all though, it's been an interesting start to my time here. A bit quiet, a little cold, but I am looking forward to some - slightly - warmer weather to start my trekking about.

Initial thoughts: Stockholm in the winter isn't just cold. It's really very, very neat.

Jimzip

Tricky Wiki Wackies

2010-03-04T03:21:00.004+11:00

I don't usually mention the songs that I put in the sidebar, but this one was just too much fun.

It was played to me for the first time just two days after I had arrived in Stockholm. Had I heard it in Hawaii three days earlier it would have been wildly appropriate, while cruising Waikiki or sipping a cocktail at a beachside bar, but in -18 degrees with snow everywhere ... not so much. Nevertheless! It's become something of a recent favourite of mine, and I thought it was worth sharing.

Interestingly, I've never really been much of a Bette fan, but I think sometimes all it takes is something that speaks to you. Also, you have to hand it to her, the range of styles that woman can pull off is mighty impressive.

Keep an ear out for the wonderful baseline, the banjo and of course, the spoons. Then there's that awesome album art. Too great!

Tack to Kobbs for the tipoff here. ;)

Find Ukulele Lady here.

Jimzip

Troubled Waters

2010-02-25T04:46:00.000+11:00

Sometimes it's when you're looking for something completely unrelated that interesting discoveries are made. It happened today when I chanced upon this gem while browsing a website about shipping routes.

It's the actual passenger lists from the original three fleets that delivered convicts to Australia, including the years, names, place of conviction and sentences. It's altogether kinda of fascinating and I thought I'd share it.

1st Fleet
2nd Fleet
3rd Fleet

See a family member listed there? Make sure you comment! ;)

Jimzip

Snow Down Valhalla Way

2010-02-20T04:11:00.000+11:00

Evidently my new home is supposed to be pretty epic, if the name is anything to go by.

I'm not even sure it registered when I first came to look at the apartment - that the name of the street was the same as the fabled hall of heroes … ok I'm lying, I saw it the second I stepped off the subway and I thought it was pretty awesome!

Yep, this time my new home is on 'Valhallavägen' (translated it becomes, literally, 'Valhalla Way'). The building itself is a wonderful old-timer in Karlaplan, a relatively well-to-do part of Stockholm (despite this the room is in fact very cheap, a stroke of pure luck which I'll get to later), and I've wasted no time making it a comfortable little safehaven away from the freezing drifts that have been attacking the city of late. Indeed, as I write this, snowflakes the size of your thumbnail are floating past the window, and we all know what happens in Stockholm when it snows … the same thing that happens in every other city. The snow has to be cleared. Things slow down. I sigh in defeat because the hairstyle I've been working on for the last fifteen minutes now has to be hidden under a beanie. The usual.

Either way, I won't update you on the last couple of weeks in this entry, I'll do that later. This is just a little message from Jim saying 'Hej!' to everyone out there, from here in Karlaplan, Stockholm.

Jimzip

Guest Artist: Waz. Bananas & Starry Palms

2010-02-10T07:24:00.006+11:00

Well, it's about time for a couple of new wallpapers, and I'm excited to announce that this month we have a guest artist adding some awesome new pics to the jimzip.com collection!

'Bananas' and 'Starry Palms', the two new backgrounds, can be found in the Collection area of Jimzip.com, and were taken by guest photographer (and musician) Waz!

Starry Palms is one of my new favourites, it's a beautiful calm pic with a lot of blank space upon which your messy desktop can sit, ;) while Bananas is a fantastic, colourful addition - a bit busier - but more fun also. You can't miss 'em.

If you're an artist and want your artwork added to the collection too, send an message to me here, and we'll get you into the spotlight.

Thanks Waz, and enjoy all!

Jimzip

Got Pixel?

2010-01-31T04:34:00.005+11:00

Ok I lied.

But, this is a tiny entry, simply to let you know that a new feature of jimzip.blogspot.com is now up and running. Yes, the fabled 'live image gallery' is now operational, and you can access it by clicking on the little gem in the sidebar. On your right.

This is a gallery of images uploaded live, that's right, as they happen! Exciting? I say yes! You may say otherwise, but it gives me a great chance to show rather than simply tell all the time. That's always a plus.

Just for those of you that are technically challenged however:

Enjoy!

Jimzip

Linguistically Speaking.

2010-01-29T21:01:00.003+11:00

Well, what an absolute whirlwind of a summer! Not only did I experience four rather body-shockingly distinct time, language, and climate zones, but in recollection it was also one of the most fun summers of my life.

Sometimes it helps to put things in context, so with the help of one of my famous 'bullet-point lists', here's the rundown since mid-november. You can follow along using the handy 'place - place' headers I've included for your convenience. Finally, you'll know it's time to turn the page when you have an apple iPad.

Van - Melb
I got back into Melbourne to surprise my sis at her 21st. It went off without a hitch, and after getting up from the floor it was all hugs and smiles from her.

Melb - Merimbula
Three days later it was off to Merimbula, a coastal town on the VIC/NSW border. I'd been lucky enough to arrive just as some of my best friends were departing on a road-trip, and after unpacking my bags from Vancouver I now packed them up again and we were off. That week flew by in a haze of alcohol-infused-water-sand-cardgame-topfun-jumping-pillow action, and soon it was back to Melbourne again.

Merimbula - Melb
A short (insert adjectives such as 'fun', 'wacky' and 'zany' here) time in the city, catching up with as many people as I could and enjoying Melbournes balmier climes, and then the whole family - cousins included - were all packing our bags once again to head to Hong Kong for Christmas, which was amazing.

Melb - HK
Hong Kong is so incredibly urban, yet industrial, with a healthy dose of overdevelopment thrown in for good measure. The famous 'Star Ferry' which used to take a good ten minutes to cross from Hong Kong to Kowloon Side now takes just five due to all the reclaimed land. I found that rather amusing. On Christmas eve a spectacular lights show is presented from no less than every single building in the city. Lasers fly off into the night sky above, the entire side-face of most of them glow with precise neon-flavoured madness. in short, the entire city becomes a big light show, every thing coordinated to the microsecond to music on the radio. Oh, and this happens every night at eight o'clock too.

HK - China
From HK it was off by bus, ferry and foot into China on a whirlwind tour of an escape our ancestors made from the Japanese during the second world war. What followed was a bizarre and surreal retracing of the journey, hindered at almost all turns by the Chinese government and their officials who accompanied us wherever we went. I suppose this was to make sure we didn't take photos of anything we oughtn't or just to shoot us if we started talking negatively about their government. I couldn't quite tell which, but it's always shades of grey with those wacky cats …

China - HK
And speaking of language barriers, the next leg of the journey had a distinctly interesting flavour. It was in HK for New Year's eve that my bros and I found ourselves in the ex-pat and westerner party central in HK which was a whole bag of fun in itself. Merely to illustrate the scene in your head, Hong Kong on New Year's is a very crazy place. The whole central city is traffic controlled - and I mean pedestrian traffic. To get where you wish to go is to enter a veritable labyrinth of insanely complicated one-way barriers, leading you slowly around in circles until you eventually find a policeman's blind-spot and hop one of them. The place you end up at is Lang Kwai Fok, a street six, maybe seven hundred meters long packed to the rafters with pubs and clubs. Nobody can move an inch due to the sheer quantity of people packed into the place, and drinks are served in plastic cups, so you can wander out of one pub, onto the street, and into another, if you don't mind losing said drink, and getting a limb broken. Good times. Sidenote, people from the Netherlands taste like fruit.

HK - Singapore
We stopped over in Singapore … hey, it counts if carbon was emitted darnit!

Break time, fun game! Can you spot Che Guevera?

Singapore - Maldives
After two flights which gave us time to recover from New Year's, we arrived in the Maldives for a week. I can't tell you that a lot happened there. Really we just relaxed on the beach, snorkeled, and at one point ate something. Pure freakin' bliss I tells ya.
I did have a rather unique experience there though, as I decided to head into the main city for a tour one day. Nobody else was interested, so I went alone, and this proved interesting.
Illustration time! The Republic of Maldives is a country unto itself, lying under India in the middle of the ocean, right smack on the equator. With only half of the over 1,400 islands in use, and a population of around 300,000, it's not exactly a 'starved-for-real estate' zone.
The populance is a wonderful mixture of Sri-Lankans, Maldivians, and Arabs, the country having a huge influence from the East as a result of, well years of being near the east, and I loved it. The city of Malé - the capital - is it's own island a mere 1.7 sq km, and is fantastically colourful, both literally and figuratively. It was there I tried my hand at the local language.
Dhivehi is a nice mixture of local tongue, Sinhalese and Arabic. It's also ancient. Like, over 2,000 years old ancient - which I just love - and much is derived from Sinhalese and sounds very similar sometimes. It also has no vowels, so like Arabic, diacritic marks are used to insert those sounds into words, and like Arabic it's written right-to-left. Trying to learn it is a blast because there's only one English-Dhivehi dictionary about thirty pages long, and it's written in Latin script. So needless to say, I spent most of my sun-drenched days trying to transliterate the latin script into their script. Interestingly it was almost all correct when I had it checked, evidence that some languages actually are spelled as they sound. (Take that, usually [woefully] incapable brain!)
Lastly, as I was also the only English speaking member of our tour group, I had my own personal guide around the city. His name was Ali, and he's a young Maldivian who loves playing DoD, WoW, and probably any other game with a three-initial nickname. A tour of the town by foot, through the markets and streets, then on his scooter around the perimiter and through the streets again, this time with me hanging on for dear bloody life was awesome, and then it was back onto the boat, and back to the resort.

Maldives - Singapore
After a week of sun, it was off to Singapore for a few final days abroad. I won't go into detail, but Singapore is a freakin' rad city. Clean, fashionable and lady-boys are three words I'd use to describe it. Not that the lady-boys were that rad. They were actually mostly creepy.
Anyway clubbing (in the VIP lounge thanks to Warwick making friends with one of the club-owners there) and exploring were enjoyed by all.

Singapore - Melb
Back to Melbourne. The last hurrah before another year abroad. Here I said goodbye to family and friends once again, and set off on the next leg alone.

Melb - Van
Arriving back in Van, it was more whirlwind coffees, dinners and clubbing before cleaning out my room of two years, and once again heading off.

Van - Seattle
This was by bus. Early in the morning. After clubbing until three o'clock. Yay.

Seattle - Reykjavik
Still with me? Yep, off to Iceland on the way to Sverige. Icelandic air, by the by, is fantastic. Should you ever have the chance to fly, do so. Seriously, it was great fun. Lovely staff, fun, relaxed environment, and they are just crazy about their native tongue, they try to teach bits to you at every opportunity.

Reykjavik - Stockholm
Finally, it was another plane to Stockholm, and here I'll remain for a few months yet!
Upon arriving, I met a friend downtown who greeted me cordially, and who I'm currently staying with.
It's also pretty cold here, like -6 each day, and gets down to about -15 at night. But the city is really quite beautiful in the winter, so with my woolies on I've had no trouble exploring so far.

And there, dear readers, you have it! I assume you understand why there's been such a gap between entries now.

More is coming soon … but not too soon. I want to give you all a few days to finish this one. ;)

Peace,

Jimzip

Interested?

2009-12-16T16:02:00.006+11:00

Ok, so I'm taking a brief departure from my usual ramblings to ask a question of you all today. (It'll be both fun and educational, don't worry)!

Not ten days ago, my lovely cousins came to visit. They're great fun, hailing from beach/party/goose-town (i.e Sydney, NSW. I don't know how the goose comes into it) and during the three days they were here we hung out more than we have in a long time.

It was during this stay that I realised how much I didn't know about them. It turns out my cousin and I are remarkably similar, but I never knew it until now. Not to say I'm as intelligent as she is, I don't think that's true - she's really very clever - but in terms of interests we seem to align startlingly.

So! In the spirit of getting to know people better, I want to ask a question, and thou must answer to the best of thine abilities! Simply write the 5 things that interest you strongly, and why. No essay required, just a few words.

To get the ball rolling, here's 5 of mine:

History. I missed it at school as I swapped twice. I've been trying to learn what I missed back then, and have found I really love history. I feel that stories are intrinsically human, we have - and will always have - a strong connection with them, and history is one great big, impossibly complex, rather gruesome but sometimes also very beautiful story which tells us so much about who we are now.

Archaeology. They kinda go hand in hand. ;) But more than an interest in just the impressive, colossal pyramids or ancient cities, I love the small things too, I love the thought of piecing stories together from all types of discoveries, from pottery shards in river beds, to spearheads in the desert. I'm always impressed at how those in the field can read so much from things so small. Be it European, Middle-Eastern, or Meso-American, 90% of the time, it works every time for me.

Languages. This is kind of a common one, but if I could, I'd spend the next twenty years just studying them. Unfortunately I have a rather dissuading problem with retention, but am still fascinated by not just learning the languages themselves, but how they work and their roots. The way they develop is just as interesting to me as how to speak them. Unknown or lesser known languages really attract my attention too, something about the mystery I think.

Writing. Ah, the ever-obvious addition to the list. Of course, writing is up there with the love of entertaining. Favourite genres are probably drama/fantasy, but enough has been said about that by me already!

Music. Another obvious one. I know these are quite broad too, but yes, music is pretty amazing. Not just listening to it, but also the whole psychology aspect. I know that more than once I've fallen prey to the dreaded 'music brain' while writing! Singing also falls under this category - like I said, it's pretty broad! Favourite genres here are exotica, punk-rock, pop-punk/rock/alternate, classical and soundtracks.

There you have it! Your replies can be more specific if you wish, so don't be afraid to tell the world about your secret desire to study Hippopotamus droppings if that's what floats your boat!

In the voice of a slimy English aristocrat: I look forward to discovering more about you...

Jimzip

Outsourced Outsorcery

2009-11-09T17:23:00.017+11:00

Why is it that my blog titles rarely have anything to do with the content, you ask? Cookies, is the answer. Now no more questions.

So! As I recently decided my knowledge of Narnia was scanty at best, I decided to read the whole series again. As such, this blog entry will be written as if by the hand of C.S. Lewis, an homage, if you will:

172. Singing In The Mountain Town

At once James awoke to find dark clouds flickering through the boughs of ancient-looking evergreens standing beside the road. Inside the bus it was silent but for some metallic chattering, but it was easy to imagine the sounds that lay past the windows. The pattering of the rain and the thundering of the swollen river just a stone's throw from the path they drove. It had been raining all day, and as the sun set now James cursed himself silently for not bringing an umbrella.
Soon enough the bus slowed and stopped at a small building, the roof of which was held up by smooth tree-trunks so large one couldn't hope to wrap their arms around and have their fingers touch. The walls were made of large grey stones with the same dark timber filling in the gables, and the rest was painted a cheery green colour. It was beautiful and quirky to look at, and seemed right at home nestled here in the mountains. Looking around, James noticed that in fact all the buildings here had the same look, as if every architect had been given precise instructions as to how their building should appear, and had followed them keenly.
"Ah, Whistler at last." chirped a girl sitting behind James, who until that moment he had not noticed, "I expect we'll need our jackets." she said and stuffed her arms into the sleeves of a thick coat, "it does look a little unpleasant out there."
At that moment, the door of the bus opened and wind howled in at once, coupled with lashing rain.
"Wonderful night to arrive!" huffed the bus driver from the front, and jumped out, vanishing into the darkness immediately to open the trunk and assist with the passengers' luggage and help them inside. Indeed, once inside, the building was more pleasant than one could have guessed, a great roaring fire in a large open hearth sat in the middle of the room, and comfortable looking couches crowded around it.
"Welcome to the Summit Lodge" said a woman's voice suddenly from the bell desk behind him, and James proceeded to check in and find his room. That night he slept soundly as the storm outside finally blew its last gale and melted into a clear morning sky.
The next day was a whirl for the boy, and if I may take the liberty of skipping the morning rituals, we can leap right to the more interesting parts, one being the moment before the contest - which is, of course, why James was in Whistler to begin with.
His warm casual clothing from the night before had now transformed into a beautifully pressed white shirt, a bright, electric-blue tie and black jacket. His shoes shined brightly as if they had never been worn before, and in part this is true, for they had only been taken out of their shoebox for the second time that very morning.
"Five minutes!" came the announcement, and soon James and a group of forty or so others were lead silently down a corridor and finally to a set of risers facing a giant black curtain. Behind the curtain they could hear noises, an audience laughing as a voice told jokes over a microphone.
"And now," the voice started in a different tone, and James' heartbeat began to pound as he stood watching the rest of his chorus get into their final positions, "from Vancouver BC, and hosts of the 2009 District convention, the Greater Vancouver Gentlemen of Fortune!"
James stood still as the curtains slowly opened to reveal hundreds of people sitting partially shrouded in darkness, applauding and whistling as the stage-lights blinded he and his company. Then a different sound, a gentle but high-pitched buzzing - the pitch pipe, giving them the first note. The director stood in front of them all, and raised his hands, sending a final smile perhaps to comfort the nervous in the chorus. James' heart now felt as if it were in his throat, but he hadn't time to think of that because suddenly the director was signalling the start of the performance, and they were off.
As they sang, it felt as if time were on fast-forward. The movements came as they were supposed to, the notes rang out into the hall, and then suddenly it was all over and a small, plump woman was ushering them off the stage behind the once more closed-curtains.
"Come on!" urged a voice behind James, as he bumbled down the stairs that led into a dingy side-corridor. The applause dimmed as the announcer once again took to the microphone, and while he spoke, the chorus was led through the corridor back into the auditorium where they sat to wait for the scores to be given. It appeared that they had done well, but not well enough, the chorus had come a close fourth by a matter of a few points, and it showed on some of their faces.
James made his way to the foyer through a sea of people talking and singing, and after waving to a girl he recognized who was volunteering at the event, he found himself outside, wandering the small rambling streets of the village through the pleasant little buildings again toward the town-square.
The sun was setting and snow-tipped mountains peeked over the rooftops, glowing orange as the light faded. There seemed to be a lot of excited chatter going on around him, and soon he noticed a large group of people were gathering in front of a small balcony, upon which James' director stood. Suddenly a voice behind him shouted "Mary Lou!", then as if on que the whole town erupted in song. It seemed like something from a dream, hundreds of people singing melodies that echoed through the busy streets and caused windows to be thrown open and people to come curiously out of their buildings to see what was happening. These people that came to watch were in costume however, for that night it just happened to be Halloween, and I dare say that you have never seen such costumes. The colours, and shapes and sizes were dizzying.
By the time the singing had finished and people had disappeared to wherever they had come from, it was dark, and James decided to go and see how the girl was getting on back at the convention center.
As he approached her, she let out a sigh, "thank God!" she said, "can we go and do something? Anything? I've been sitting here for hours!" and so they did.
The night began by walking around and talking with the various people in costumes, then they went to a nightclub and danced for what seemed like hours, and presently they were back in the streets as the early morning chill descended, where they spent an hour wandering aimlessly, singing and remniscing. Finally after walking his friend home, James found himself back at his hotel room, drifting to sleep in the rather comfortable bed...

Well, there you have it. I'd like to have done a book-on-tape version for you, but I didn't have the time … it may still come at a later point!

To explain briefly, I sing in a barbershop chorus called the Gentlemen of Fortune, and District is the second 'round' in a contest to select choruses and quartets to compete at international level. Great fun, and a great weekend!

Cheers all,

Jimzip