It started with a bang, literally.

Well it is the new year, 2026, and it has started  with a bang, literally.  Mine was more of a whimper as I dragged myself out of bed looking for a big cold glass of water.  I don’t know why but I was extremely thirsty.  I guess Negronis have an ingredient that sucks the life force from your body and leaves you drier than a Cable Beach camel.  Once the fluid had been returned, I begun the exacting process of deciding what things in my life had to go and what things were to stay. After deliberating which column to put my wife in, I started on less important things like world peace and if I should give up cake!  

The new years resolutions list was full of great ideas. No alcohol, lasted one day, no spicy food, lasted two days, and also no coffee!!!  Wait what???  And yes, I have not had a coffee since New Years day!  I will pause whilst you put your tongues back in your mouths.  But it is true.  I had to explain to my numerous baristas that their services were no longer needed.   There was weeping all round as they felt I had betrayed them.  To rub salt in the wounds, I would lift a keep cup to my lips and say I am into lemon honey tea now!  I hope this won’t affect sales in the gallery as I know that tea drinkers can’t be trusted.  You might all judge me harshly, I expect some hate mail at least.  All I can do is apologise.  One of my most strident resolutions was to be less awesome but unfortunately I couldn’t even get that to last! 

So what am I going to do this year?  Well I will let you in to a little secret.  I have a new love in my life.  Don’t worry, my wife knows.  She wasn’t supportive at first but she seems to be fine with it now.  My new love is pretty sweet, a little unusual, some might say ugly.  She needs a new set of boots and some tender loving care.  She isn’t cheap to run and does blow a little smoke on occasions but it was love at first sight.  Behold below my lovely FJ Cruiser!

I have realised, as I have aged, that I identify as a bogan.  As much as I try to be a man of sophistication and class, I am really just a car guy who never grew up.  My favourite shop is Repco, my favourite car cleaning brand is Bowdens Own and I got excited to hear someone has made a documentary on the history of car detailing!  I wonder if it is showing on IMAX?  So if you want to know a little about me, I love washing my car.  Does that make me dull, hell yes, but I do take the odd nice photograph.  And speaking of photographs, I am still to point the camera at anything that one could consider to be worthy of our gallery.  That could change in the coming weeks.  Nothing good happens overnight!  You have to ease yourself into the right headspace.  Maybe I need to get out the polish and wax on and wax off !!!  It worked for the Karate Kid, but I guess he wasn’t taking photos,  he was busy beating up car loving bogans!

Make 2026 the year you acknowledge the true you.  Who cares what people think, be authentic.

"Detailing clears the mind and feeds the soul.  It is the path to enlightenment" - Carfucius