Spin. On Repeat.

What do Horses, Not Your Kind of People, The Minutes, Smother and The Album have in common? They're all amazing records that have kept me inspired all year long. On repeat were Patti Smith's debut and it hasn't lost any shine. Garbage's latest rewards with repeat listens while Alison Moyet's dabble into electronica showcases her voice superbly. Wild Beasts Smother is nothing short of stunning and Abba's expansive The Album highlights their enduring talent as music makers. Also on high repeat were ...Like Clockwork, a welcome return from Queens of the Stone Age and Charmer from Aimee Mann.

Roaming. Abstraction.

Shootin' Gallery: Nabiac. Walls.

First 13. Bin With A View.

Shootin' Gallery: Newcastle. Thirteen. Wheelie Bins.

Roaming. Blue View.

Shootin' Gallery: Newcastle.

Roaming. Social Intercourse.

Shootin' Gallery: Newcastle. Televisions.

Popcorn. Inside Llewyn Davis.

Based roughly on the life of American folk singer Dave van Ronk, Inside Llewyn Davis is the latest film from the Coen Brothers. It's a tenderly told story peppered with loss and futility, stellar performances from all involved with some characters straight out of a Woody Allen film. It's a visual treat, simple yet complex and it's left me pondering life. Flog the dead horse, or move on?

Roaming. Obscured Path.

Shootin' Gallery: Newcastle. Paths.

Roaming. Hound Sound.

Shootin' Gallery: Dogs. Newcastle. Red.

Glossy. Cool Cats.

Family Circle once gave good face with this example coming from 1978. You'd be hard pressed to find a masthead so low on a cover today, but here it works. With Christmas almost over, the 'hundreds of exciting Christmas ideas' will have to wait until next year. Nice to see adorable kittens in place of dull people.

Roaming. Green View.

Shootin' Gallery: Green. Newcastle. Windows.

Glossy. Nelson Mandela.

Magazines across the globe sent to print their covers featuring Nelson Mandela last week. With so many to choose from it was difficult to select just one for here, but something about Vrij Nederland's captured, at least for me, the spirit of the man.

Roaming. Mini Tree.

Shootin' Gallery: Christmas. Haarlem. Kerstboom. Netherlands.

Roaming. Crafty Christmas.

Shootin' Gallery: Haarlem. Netherlands. Window Shopping.

Roaming. Christmas Time.

Shootin' Gallery: Haarlem. Heads. Jesus. Netherlands. Window Shopping.

Pinboard. Textures Of Place.

The Textures of Place: Laws, Geographies, Poetics symposium takes place in Sydney at UTS on December 16. This fascinating program coordinated by Dr Olivia Barr is sure to be an informative and enlightening discussion. I'm chuffed that my image Depending on the Day was used, with its direct reference to Chippendale's changing face. The drawing was created while on residency in 2009 at Queen Street Studios and traced my every step in the Chippendale boundary area.

Glossy. Epicurean 44.

Another intriguing cover from Epicurean. It really was adventurous, and just a little kooky. Now there's a combination that can never go wrong.