Ode to the Bin Man 

Each week I plan with precious care

the things I leave outside.

I pack them up and place them there

with love and earnest pride

Each time I work to have them waiting

placed the night before.

I know your path will lead today

your feet will pass my door.

I hardly ever hear you,

but I know that you have been.

You leave a trace that you were here

Though my eyes have never seen.

But on one morn, I was caught out

and found under prepared.

The sound of your approaching

had me flying down the stairs.

Pulling on my trousers

Iʼm racing to the gate.

To catch your eye before you go

before you seal my fate.

Spilling out onto the ground

just like my best laid plans.

My heart gives way as you depart

my shame held in my hand.

Itʼs premature collection.

My bins are overflowed.

And now I'm forced to wait a week,

in fear I watch them grow.

The ever growing mountain

of rubbish in my yard

has now become the round-about

around which I drive my car.

And then the folk in China

Tell us that no more

can they take away our pile of shame.

It seems weʼve lost the war.

Oh Romeo where art thou?

Will I ever hear the sound

of your engine strong, that throbbing song?

Where are you to be found?

Recycling man my hero

what will become of you?

Will council grant you leave to go

and find a path more true?

So for now my plastic bottles

pile right up to the sky.

Buried under cardboard stacks

beneath them I may die.

Bin man Oh sweet bin man

I think of you each night.

I hope that youʼll return to me

and set these wrongs to right.

Waiting ever hopeful

that youʼll return posthaste.

For now my house of trash it grows

swelling my hard waste.

Collection however premature

So sweet has found the end.

Into that hole we tip our souls

Farewell to thee my friend.

© Tim Henshall 2019

For many Aussies, Bali is our go to holiday destination. It's close, its cheap, it's beautiful, it's warm and the people are so friendly. Every where you go in Bali there are dogs. We have a special relationship with our dogs at home, they are family. It's not the same in Bali and most of us probably feel a pang in the heart when witnessing the poorly condition of the majority of them. Fleas, ticks and mange are the standard, but also illnesses such as rabies have a high incidence. So, what can we do?  Personally my go to is my photography. I am trying to raise enough money to allow me to spend a week in Bali creating digital content (photos and videos) for them team at the Bali Street Dog Fund who dedicate their lives to helping these poor K9s. Operating out of the BAWA (Bali Animal Welfare Association) base in Ubud, they go out each day to pick up dogs for vet care and /or educate the local people on the best practice of looking after a dog. Some of these dogs are well loved and fed, but the way of connecting with the dogs is different, they are not so much a part of the family, so often are not in good health. This is where the education comes in. I love to take photos of dogs. Obviously here the focus is on happy healthy animals who get to lived a blessed life. This is more of a hobby than anything else for me because its a luxury to have photographs of your dogs taken and pay for the service. Spending a week with the BSDF crew will not be about taking lovely photos. It is going to be the most difficult and heart breaking photography work I have ever done. However, I feel it is important and one I feel compelled to achieve. The team there needs updated material in order to keep the sponsorship flowing, to keep the awareness high. I am trying to raise enough money to go, for while I am aiming to donate a lot of time to this, I cant afford to do the whole trip off my own back. That is where you come in! By helping me get to Bali you are helping me to create the content for these guys to attract larger sponsorship amounts that they need to continue their work. I have over 500 Facebook friends. If they each donated $5 it would be enough to get me there for a week. $5! The cost of a cup of coffee.

Please consider helping me get to Bali. Just a small donation from any of you will help. 

Thanks. 

Tim  

Copy and paste the link to go to my Go Fund me page. 

https://www.gofundme.com/photography-for-bali-street-dogs&rcid=r01-155087535898-d7b036f16a234444&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w
 

 I have found that if you have a good idea, more often than not people will at least give it consideration.   It's a bit of a scary prospect pitching a creative idea to anyone, to me my art is part of my self expression, as is my music. 

 This makes it very personal.    

A while back I had an idea to take a photo of Dr.Karl Kruszelnicki in the pose of Rodin's famous sculpture, The Thinker.     

For years I have listened to Dr.Karl and read his books, he is my "Science Hero". He is my go to man for all things science based even though my brain hurts on regular occasions listening to the explanations he gives.          

I hoped Karl would be firstly open to the idea, secondly would be able to make room in his schedule to humour me in going ahead with the project, and thirdly, would like the final result! So, I contacted him, and here we are. 

I find Karl to be very gracious and generous with both his time and his knowledge.  As I set up and conducted the shoot, he and his faithful sidekick Isabelle bounced ideas around, organised weekend engagements and fielded telephone calls. Throughout the whole process he managed to keep his mind on the task of  being a model, and in this case it's quite an awkward and uncomfortable pose. Talk about multi tasking!                                                    

The whole time I was with him, his stream of consciousness was on high. What we hear on the radio/podcasts or  see on TV is who he is in person, there is no stopping the information that  continuously pours out on all matter of things. It feels as if he stores so much knowledge inside his head the overflow just has to spill over, but what was interesting and joyous to see is how it's all delivered with such a sense of excitement and passion.                

I think this passion for understanding is a huge part of why this man is so magnetic to so many people. He loves to learn and discover things about everything around us, and is so keen to share it with everyone else. 

That kind passion and excitement is infectious. 

I did not set out to replicate Rodin's famous sculpture, rather I wanted the portrait to refer to it,  as I believe it is an appropriate way to depict Karl in what he represents, at least, to me: a thinker who spends a vast amount of time and energy gathering knowledge, processing it, and passing it on.    

In the end, I am very happy with the final result and am pleased to tell you that Karl likes it too! 

Mission accomplished.