Of late, I've been watching the occasional episode of The Bill.
And it's been good.
We used to watch it religiously when I was little and throughout my teenage years, until it went all soap opera-y and lost the focus on crimes/solving thereof and those years were spent piffling on about the rather sensationalised private lives of detectives (particularly the blonde lady with personal issues).
Now it would seem it's back to looking at the crimes, solving them and that sort of thing. Also, there's the rather cute guy who plays Smithy. I'm easily pleased. And obviously it's still far too hot, seeing how my brain has ceased normal function and is marvelling at The Bill being somewhat more "normal."
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Friday, January 04, 2008
This holiday can be summed up in one word.
Books.
Lots and lots of books. Finally bought myself a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo and it was devoured in a couple days with not sleeping enough because the Count was keeping me up late at night. Should I be ashamed of not having read it before..? (Yes, seen the movies/series, but you know how different they usually are from the book.) Who knows. Takes time to get through everything...
But it was far more fascinating than I thought it would be, as well as somewhat more depressing. It doesn’t seem like Edmond Dantes is made a better person for hunting revenge, but less sympathetic to others, perhaps. A little harder. A lot angrier. But then you look at what he went through and can perhaps understand how part of his humanity would be stripped away, and how you’d have to abandon sentiment to be able to really make a serious quest for revenge.
But then if Dumas had set his character to forgive and forget, there would be no novel and that would be the end of it. So the bitterness is excused. To be honest, if I was imprisoned and then had the escape and opportunity with wealth presented by the Spada’s hidden box of riches, I think I’d be fairly keen to work on exacting some sort of revenge, too.
Although revenge isn't a good thing - in the end, it proved to be somewhat depressing. All the death and loss and rather saddening punishment of others, rather than the people who caused the arrest and imprisonment of Dantes just made the revenge less delicious. Plus the character of Valentine was so enormously BORING and such a simpering "Oh whatever shall I do!" little twit that I found it hard to be sympathetic to her at all and skipped over chapters with her in it.
*yawn*
But other than that, Dumas wrote it incredibly well - it just elicits so many mental images that at times you lose your breath with how caught up you are in the story and its vision.
Some photos from a couple of cemeteries in Townsville. We didn't find any relatives in the first we visited, but then discovered the grave sites of a number in the more modern cemetery.
The more modern cemetery had some of the most insane tombstones there in the new section. I won't put up any photos of them, because they're so unusual that they'd be easily identifiable and that might be insulting to the families of the dead.
But for goodness's sake! These things were like some sort of enormous block, covered with tiles, enough decorations to make you worry that the lid would cave in on the dearly departed, along with some statues of Jesus and Mary. Too much money and too little sense perhaps..? The heat and humidity got to them? Who knows.
I much prefer the older style of tombstones and grave markers, like those in the photos. Yes, I guess some of them can be a bit oversized or imposing, but at least they aren't tacky. There's a bit of romance and skill to them, which is why I like them so much. In some ways, it's sad to see tombs untended and overgrown, with broken stones and cracked grave tops.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
I can explain!
Where have I been? Can I explain my absence? Yes! I went to Townsville for Christmas (as well as what would have been the 100th birthday of my paternal grandmother) and it was hot. And humid. And without any photo opportunities of the green tree snake that was apparently lurking around my Uncle's place - he regaled us with tales of how it was trying to eat a green treefrog the day before we arrived. But I saw neither scale nor fang of it! Was hoping for a few pix of it, provided I didn't become paralysed with fright over it all.
Here's a few photos from the holiday anyway:
^ View from The Strand.
^ St James cathedral, where we went for the Christmas service.
^ Salt flats on the way to Townsville from Giru.
^ Aww, purdee!
^ A green ant. They are EVIL!
^ A squished cane toad. Heh!
^ Bald Rock, in a national park thing near the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences. The whole thing of being near AIMS reminded me that I wanted to do marine biology once upon a time.
^ Just a leaf or two.
^ Durians! They have them in the shops up there. Odd.
^ The Saint.
Whew, what a visual overdose!
And there's more to come, because we went cemetery exploring, which allowed me to take ridiculous numbers of photos of tombs and statues and so on. I love cemeterys, although I have a vague fear of death, and they always provide excellent photographic opportunities. Ohh, I'll have to post some pix of the simply ENORMOUS graves in one of the Townsville cemeteries. Craziness!
We also caught up with relatives up there and had Christmas dinner with an Uncle, an Aunt and a cousin, plus his lovely partner (both of whom had senses of humour kinda like mine, so lots of laughs - hurrah!). In some ways, I was wondering what the relatives would be like, as I hadn't seen them since I was about two years old.
But 'twas fun.
Here's a few photos from the holiday anyway:
^ View from The Strand.
^ St James cathedral, where we went for the Christmas service.
^ Salt flats on the way to Townsville from Giru.
^ Aww, purdee!
^ A green ant. They are EVIL!
^ A squished cane toad. Heh!
^ Bald Rock, in a national park thing near the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences. The whole thing of being near AIMS reminded me that I wanted to do marine biology once upon a time.
^ Just a leaf or two.
^ Durians! They have them in the shops up there. Odd.
^ The Saint.
Whew, what a visual overdose!
And there's more to come, because we went cemetery exploring, which allowed me to take ridiculous numbers of photos of tombs and statues and so on. I love cemeterys, although I have a vague fear of death, and they always provide excellent photographic opportunities. Ohh, I'll have to post some pix of the simply ENORMOUS graves in one of the Townsville cemeteries. Craziness!
We also caught up with relatives up there and had Christmas dinner with an Uncle, an Aunt and a cousin, plus his lovely partner (both of whom had senses of humour kinda like mine, so lots of laughs - hurrah!). In some ways, I was wondering what the relatives would be like, as I hadn't seen them since I was about two years old.
But 'twas fun.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Photos from last night at the Christmas thing.
For the first time in three years, the view was actually clear, as opposed to us being closed in by smoke from bushfires or fog, as we were in the previous years. Although I guess that forced us to admire the Christmas decorations (which are beautiful). Later in the evening, a thunderstorm was happening in the distance over the city and it was all rather gorgeous.
Plus the evening itself was hilarious (particularly with my officemate and his girlfriend) (oh, and then with the plunger thing - got a vid of that somewhere!).
Thank God for the end of the year.
And thank God for no work for a few weeks at least. Even though it pays the bills and keeps me out of mischief, sometimes you do sort of think to yourself, "Gosh, I think I need a holiday or I'm going to scream. Loudly."
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I'll drown my beliefs
To have you be in peace
I'll dress like your niece
To wash your swollen feet
Just don't leave
Don't leave
I'm not living
I'm just killing time
Your tiny hands
Your crazy kitten smile
Just don't leave
Don't leave
And true love waits
In haunted attics
And true love lives
On lollipops and crisps
Just don't leave
Don't leave
Just don't leave
Don't leave
- True Love Waits by Radiohead.
To have you be in peace
I'll dress like your niece
To wash your swollen feet
Just don't leave
Don't leave
I'm not living
I'm just killing time
Your tiny hands
Your crazy kitten smile
Just don't leave
Don't leave
And true love waits
In haunted attics
And true love lives
On lollipops and crisps
Just don't leave
Don't leave
Just don't leave
Don't leave
- True Love Waits by Radiohead.
Just because it's been stuck in my head this evening.
Per aspera ad astra
I bought the Oct/Nov/Dec issue of cream the other day because of the "This Era Vulgaris" article. Although I could have just read it online, but there's something about having a physical copy of the magazine in your hands that's more satisfying than words on a screen.
Anyhoodle. I was standing in the newsagent flicking through the issue and stumbled across the article and am standing there reading it thinking, "Yes, yes, yes. I must buy this. Damn this vulgar era." Not that every era isn't vulgar in some way or another - there's something to be despised in every decade/century/millenium really - but I thought the article summed up so well the way in which our culture so happily feasts on the rotting carcass of trash.
Particularly interesting was the statement by the writer of the featurette, Thereyns Koo: "No longer does the mainstream aspire to dressing up, reading challenging books or listening to clever music, but instead are determined to dumb down the world around them even more, to avoid challenge or change." Amen hallelujah. It pretty much sums up the instant gratification culture and the way in which people are more than happy for "information" to be disseminated through less-than-reputable sources ("I read it on Wikipedia!" "A seven-year-old could have written that!!"), using it as some excuse to avoid having to engage in too much further thought or in-depth analysis...
Instead of being inspired to greatness, we're told to keep it dumb. Particularly if we're female, in which case we should be both dumb and slutty (and yet somehow chaste, because although guys demand you put out, they apparently don't like it if you do), as well as subservient to the whims of men, air-brushed and lifeless. And if not, we must be fat, hairy, man-hatin' feminists. Having an opinion about the things that matter in life is something that seems to be frightening for people, whether you're male or female. However, what you *really* need to have an opinion on is whatever Famous or NW or whatever is peddling about celebrity x this week. As if it matters.
Koo also notes the way in which literature isn't immune from vulgarity at the moment and it's something I strongly agree with. Earlier in the year, my friend Kim and I were lamenting the death of the more interesting variety of book at the hands of such things as chick-lit and other mental midgetry while we were in a bookshop in the CBD. I find it enormously hard to care about chick-lit as it all runs on the same basic theme of 30-ish female faces challenges and singleness, other challenges, nice man, more challenges about as mentally taxing as choosing shoes in the morning, happily paired off with nice man at end of novel. Ooh, innovative. Challenging.
Bad fashion, bad books, bad music, bad art, constantly reveling in things that we really could care less about. Not that the occasional bit of trashy goodness should be avoided at all costs, but why not make the intellectual version of junkfood just a small part of our viewing/reading/consuming "diet"?
Instead of aspiring for better things on an intellectual and personal level, we're encouraged to aspire for the latest plasma-screen tv or a holiday to Bali or some other superficial way in which to "reward yourself" that only depletes your bank balance as you attempt to keep up with the Joneses.
It's all frustrating. Why should we celebrate mediocrity when excellence can be aspired to?
Anyhoodle. I was standing in the newsagent flicking through the issue and stumbled across the article and am standing there reading it thinking, "Yes, yes, yes. I must buy this. Damn this vulgar era." Not that every era isn't vulgar in some way or another - there's something to be despised in every decade/century/millenium really - but I thought the article summed up so well the way in which our culture so happily feasts on the rotting carcass of trash.
Particularly interesting was the statement by the writer of the featurette, Thereyns Koo: "No longer does the mainstream aspire to dressing up, reading challenging books or listening to clever music, but instead are determined to dumb down the world around them even more, to avoid challenge or change." Amen hallelujah. It pretty much sums up the instant gratification culture and the way in which people are more than happy for "information" to be disseminated through less-than-reputable sources ("I read it on Wikipedia!" "A seven-year-old could have written that!!"), using it as some excuse to avoid having to engage in too much further thought or in-depth analysis...
Instead of being inspired to greatness, we're told to keep it dumb. Particularly if we're female, in which case we should be both dumb and slutty (and yet somehow chaste, because although guys demand you put out, they apparently don't like it if you do), as well as subservient to the whims of men, air-brushed and lifeless. And if not, we must be fat, hairy, man-hatin' feminists. Having an opinion about the things that matter in life is something that seems to be frightening for people, whether you're male or female. However, what you *really* need to have an opinion on is whatever Famous or NW or whatever is peddling about celebrity x this week. As if it matters.
Koo also notes the way in which literature isn't immune from vulgarity at the moment and it's something I strongly agree with. Earlier in the year, my friend Kim and I were lamenting the death of the more interesting variety of book at the hands of such things as chick-lit and other mental midgetry while we were in a bookshop in the CBD. I find it enormously hard to care about chick-lit as it all runs on the same basic theme of 30-ish female faces challenges and singleness, other challenges, nice man, more challenges about as mentally taxing as choosing shoes in the morning, happily paired off with nice man at end of novel. Ooh, innovative. Challenging.
Bad fashion, bad books, bad music, bad art, constantly reveling in things that we really could care less about. Not that the occasional bit of trashy goodness should be avoided at all costs, but why not make the intellectual version of junkfood just a small part of our viewing/reading/consuming "diet"?
Instead of aspiring for better things on an intellectual and personal level, we're encouraged to aspire for the latest plasma-screen tv or a holiday to Bali or some other superficial way in which to "reward yourself" that only depletes your bank balance as you attempt to keep up with the Joneses.
It's all frustrating. Why should we celebrate mediocrity when excellence can be aspired to?
Sunday, December 16, 2007
This afternoon, the Pirates of the Carribean-style production of Pirates of Penzance was on ABC when I got home (admittedly, only the last half hour of it or so). When it was finished, I dug out my Pirates of Penzance CDs and cleaned the house while singing along. And probably annoying the hell out of my neighbours. And not being able to reach the high notes Mabel does. But that's something I'd not want to do, for fear of breaking glass.
Anyway.
The whole thing made me feel rather nostalgic. When I was growing up back in the glorious state of South Australia, my parents and I would regularly attend the Gilbert and Sullivan performances put on by the Scott Theatre group. That was from a very young age for me (and I was terrified of The Sorcerer when I was about five - the production featured a character appearing in massive explosion and puff of green smoke). And it wasn't just G&S. It was going to all sorts of concerts and theatre productions and art exhibitions and so on.
When we moved to New South (Cultural Drought) Wales, it kinda stopped. And I've done a bit of it since moving to Victoria, which is far better than NSW. But I miss all of the concerts and productions and everything so much.
That's just my little whinge, I guess.
And it's something I have to work on - finding more interesting things to go to, exploring alternative cultural stuff, just getting back in touch with the things I enjoy instead of life being all about work. Which is not really all that exciting.
Anyway.
The whole thing made me feel rather nostalgic. When I was growing up back in the glorious state of South Australia, my parents and I would regularly attend the Gilbert and Sullivan performances put on by the Scott Theatre group. That was from a very young age for me (and I was terrified of The Sorcerer when I was about five - the production featured a character appearing in massive explosion and puff of green smoke). And it wasn't just G&S. It was going to all sorts of concerts and theatre productions and art exhibitions and so on.
When we moved to New South (Cultural Drought) Wales, it kinda stopped. And I've done a bit of it since moving to Victoria, which is far better than NSW. But I miss all of the concerts and productions and everything so much.
That's just my little whinge, I guess.
And it's something I have to work on - finding more interesting things to go to, exploring alternative cultural stuff, just getting back in touch with the things I enjoy instead of life being all about work. Which is not really all that exciting.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Painting evolution
After seven hours, the painting is done. Hurrah! It's a present for my parents for Christmas - just something simple. Although with the amount of time it took, I guess it's not that "simple." But still, at least it's done (aside from a couple bits to add some more paint to and the frame to work on).
Friday, December 14, 2007
New Shoes
Two pairs of shoes bought today while shopping for final Christmas stuff. I needed new black ones for work, but these are perhaps a little too high and squeezey to be a sensible option. As for the gold ones... They had to come home with me, you see.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
The weekend so far...
^ Christmas decorations, which look like they were designed by some Scandinavian IKEA person called Sven. Although they were in a cheapie shop...
^ Finished making truffles for the work people Christmassy thing. I never want to make truffles again. Well, other than the dark chocolate ones with glace ginger centres, coated in another layer of dark chocolate. So, so good.
^ Raspberries. Organic. $4.50. So luscious!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
I found this today while flicking through a notebook, and seeing as I can't be bothered coming up with anything to post, here it is:
Country. Public. Transport. A combination of words to fill you with horror.
The quiet 7.30 run with loud Vega FM. The abundance of teens who live there and tote around Supre bags, which are not really a replacement handbag in any sense. Combine that with trackpants and my overwhelming desire to scream. Especially when they involve horrible flourescent colours.
Trackies, Supre bags, some weird variety of country-meets-Frankston wear. Emo/punk-wannabe guys who look like they think life is all pain in between hittin' on chicks and working at the local supermarket to earn some money for hairdye.
And there's so much greyness. Cardigans, shirts, camel-toe trackies... All in varying shades of blandness.
A lone kangaroo in a sun-filled patch between trees in a scrap of bushland looks up as the bus rushes past. The sun's further up in the sky, glinting in the corner of my eye. On top of that, we're inflicted with U2.
A bee fuzzes along at the window as we pull up at traffic lights, disappears as we drive off. The bus pulls up a few metres ahead to let some elderly people and guys with bad hair onto the bus. One smells like cigarette smoke and the attempt to cover it up...
I guess you could say it's a love/hate relationship with public transport. Melbourne trains are fascinating, though - never fail to have freaks on there, such as the guy who spent 15 minutes or more telling a friend and I about the evils of plastic shopping bags, which according to him, make houses burn down. Not that they're bad for the environment. No. THEY. BURN. DOWN. HOUSES.
Country. Public. Transport. A combination of words to fill you with horror.
The quiet 7.30 run with loud Vega FM. The abundance of teens who live there and tote around Supre bags, which are not really a replacement handbag in any sense. Combine that with trackpants and my overwhelming desire to scream. Especially when they involve horrible flourescent colours.
Trackies, Supre bags, some weird variety of country-meets-Frankston wear. Emo/punk-wannabe guys who look like they think life is all pain in between hittin' on chicks and working at the local supermarket to earn some money for hairdye.
And there's so much greyness. Cardigans, shirts, camel-toe trackies... All in varying shades of blandness.
A lone kangaroo in a sun-filled patch between trees in a scrap of bushland looks up as the bus rushes past. The sun's further up in the sky, glinting in the corner of my eye. On top of that, we're inflicted with U2.
A bee fuzzes along at the window as we pull up at traffic lights, disappears as we drive off. The bus pulls up a few metres ahead to let some elderly people and guys with bad hair onto the bus. One smells like cigarette smoke and the attempt to cover it up...
I guess you could say it's a love/hate relationship with public transport. Melbourne trains are fascinating, though - never fail to have freaks on there, such as the guy who spent 15 minutes or more telling a friend and I about the evils of plastic shopping bags, which according to him, make houses burn down. Not that they're bad for the environment. No. THEY. BURN. DOWN. HOUSES.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The winner of the Turner Prize has been announced. First, I should say I think the Turner Prize is great and I like the idea of it. And some of the art of it. But then at the same time, so much of it is a load of bollocks. I mean, Mark Wallinger's work was described thus: "In this meditative yet disquieting work, notions of national memory and allegory converge to continue Wallinger's examination of the themes of identity and representation."
As you do when you dress as a bear and wander around a gallery.
I wish I was British. Then I'd definitely be trying to enter with whatever randomness I could come up with. For example, this film from last night with the rain...
...which I think can safely be interpreted as our need to allow ourselves to occasional regress to our childhood states of enjoyment and pleasure in simplicity. I shall call it "Regression Verse 5." The shortness of the film is indicative of the shortness of our lives, and thus the need to make sure we are able to find enjoyment in every possible moment.
My other idea is a single solitary stick in a huge room with a tv with blaring static only at one end, which will represent the alienation and disquietening aloneness of the clinical, technological, meaningless 21st century.
And if the judges don't like it, I can simply smack them with the stick. In an art fashion.
For those interested, there is also the Turnip Prize.
As you do when you dress as a bear and wander around a gallery.
I wish I was British. Then I'd definitely be trying to enter with whatever randomness I could come up with. For example, this film from last night with the rain...
...which I think can safely be interpreted as our need to allow ourselves to occasional regress to our childhood states of enjoyment and pleasure in simplicity. I shall call it "Regression Verse 5." The shortness of the film is indicative of the shortness of our lives, and thus the need to make sure we are able to find enjoyment in every possible moment.
My other idea is a single solitary stick in a huge room with a tv with blaring static only at one end, which will represent the alienation and disquietening aloneness of the clinical, technological, meaningless 21st century.
And if the judges don't like it, I can simply smack them with the stick. In an art fashion.
For those interested, there is also the Turnip Prize.
Last night's rain
And this was actually after it had stopped raining - water was cascading down the steps like some kind of unwanted water feature when we had the serious downpour.
Monday, December 03, 2007
The Demon Dentist of Fleet Street
ARGH!
I had to go to the dentist today. And, in the words of Bollo, "I got a bad feeling about this" as soon as I saw the dentist. You know how you just have one of those gut instinct moments that says, "RUN! NOW!" but I was in uber-heels and really needed something done about my tooth.
Instead of fixing the area of concern, the dentist drilled and filled (unnecessarily) the other side of the tooth, completely nowhere (in tooth terms) near the actual problem. When you're unable to feel what's going on courtesy of the anesthetic, that's not really a good thing.
So now I have to go back on Wednesday to get the tooth fixed. Properly. Although now I've got an unhappily flattened "filled" opposite side of my tooth. And I'm so cross.
I miss my normal tooth :(
I had to go to the dentist today. And, in the words of Bollo, "I got a bad feeling about this" as soon as I saw the dentist. You know how you just have one of those gut instinct moments that says, "RUN! NOW!" but I was in uber-heels and really needed something done about my tooth.
Instead of fixing the area of concern, the dentist drilled and filled (unnecessarily) the other side of the tooth, completely nowhere (in tooth terms) near the actual problem. When you're unable to feel what's going on courtesy of the anesthetic, that's not really a good thing.
So now I have to go back on Wednesday to get the tooth fixed. Properly. Although now I've got an unhappily flattened "filled" opposite side of my tooth. And I'm so cross.
I miss my normal tooth :(
Saturday, December 01, 2007
For the first time ever, I made focaccia.
Mmmm!
It worked out so well! Topped with kalamata olives, thinly sliced marinated artichoke and caramelised onion. Of course, it was about 3000 degrees in the kitchen while doing the cooking.
Really should avoid doing any baking during the Summer, for fear of melting the oven...
Oh, and surely I'm not the only one to be kind of disappointed about The Side Show getting cancelled? Yes, I am? Oh... But it was good! And Paul McDermott - so gorgeous! *sigh* Ah well.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
^ Photos from a couple of churches in Lübeck.
When we were in Germany, I took a fancy to lighting candles in the churches and saying a prayer after doing so - never done anything like that before with churches or prayers and it had a nice ceremonial, reflective, serious sort of feel to it. Sometimes the candles cost a couple euros, sometimes they were free (usually depending on whether the church had a lot of tourists through or not).
I loved the art in the churches (the most peculiar things often tucked away here and there - one church in Lübeck had a plaque with delicate skeletons on it), the serene atmosphere they all had, the way your eye is drawn upward with the arches and vaulted ceilings, the combination of opulence and simplicity...
But then, I do rather like old churches.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Was thinking about the post-election post I made and how it sounded like I don't mind the Liberals. But the fact is, I do. And somehow I'm not surprised they've all got the knives out for J-Ho for not retiring soon enough or whatever else. And saying Work Choices should be dumped - why not a hint of that just a wee bit earlier?
Part of me would love to see Tony Abbott as the new leader of the Libs, simply because it'd be like an extra gift that just keeps on giving to the Labor party - perhaps even somehow Lathamesque.
I'm glad to see the Liberals out of power. As with every political party, there was the good. But there was also the bad. And I think there was a lot of the bad displayed in the final years. The arrogance, the dog whistling and wedge politics, treatment of refugees and the vulnerable in our society, etc. Enough people had gotten fed up with this all, and although the economy is strong enough, perhaps people are moving back thinking governments need to involve ethics somewhere. Or something like that. Or even just to have a "fresh" government. Or perhaps it's just because enough "battlers" were impacted by Work Choices and not enough by all the pork being thrown around.
Although there are still a lot of Howard Huggers out there (as demonstrated by some of the letters to editors in newspapers around the country that tell us we know not what we have wrought, followed, presumably, by "I'm going to my room!" and a full hour's worth of sulking).
But contrary to the warnings of what would happen if we voted Labor, the world hasn't ended, interest rates haven't suddenly shot up to 30%, we've not all been packed off to the gulags or anything like that. No-one would be silly enough to suggest the election of Rudd signifies some variety of glorious new dawn for Australia, really - it's politics and they're all politicians in the end. But hopefully it'll help to restore some of the balance that has been lacking in Australian politics.
I guess in some respects, I don't see myself as being committed to voting for any particular party for life or something (that said, I love my Greens). But I'll vote for whichever one will hopefully be doing the right thing for the country in terms of policies and practice, as idealistic and naive as that sounds. Governments need to change on a fairly regular basis because of the whole power corrupting thing. Change is needed for balance, and in some ways, is kind of part of the flow of things.
Part of me would love to see Tony Abbott as the new leader of the Libs, simply because it'd be like an extra gift that just keeps on giving to the Labor party - perhaps even somehow Lathamesque.
I'm glad to see the Liberals out of power. As with every political party, there was the good. But there was also the bad. And I think there was a lot of the bad displayed in the final years. The arrogance, the dog whistling and wedge politics, treatment of refugees and the vulnerable in our society, etc. Enough people had gotten fed up with this all, and although the economy is strong enough, perhaps people are moving back thinking governments need to involve ethics somewhere. Or something like that. Or even just to have a "fresh" government. Or perhaps it's just because enough "battlers" were impacted by Work Choices and not enough by all the pork being thrown around.
Although there are still a lot of Howard Huggers out there (as demonstrated by some of the letters to editors in newspapers around the country that tell us we know not what we have wrought, followed, presumably, by "I'm going to my room!" and a full hour's worth of sulking).
But contrary to the warnings of what would happen if we voted Labor, the world hasn't ended, interest rates haven't suddenly shot up to 30%, we've not all been packed off to the gulags or anything like that. No-one would be silly enough to suggest the election of Rudd signifies some variety of glorious new dawn for Australia, really - it's politics and they're all politicians in the end. But hopefully it'll help to restore some of the balance that has been lacking in Australian politics.
I guess in some respects, I don't see myself as being committed to voting for any particular party for life or something (that said, I love my Greens). But I'll vote for whichever one will hopefully be doing the right thing for the country in terms of policies and practice, as idealistic and naive as that sounds. Governments need to change on a fairly regular basis because of the whole power corrupting thing. Change is needed for balance, and in some ways, is kind of part of the flow of things.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Christmas Cometh
The Christmas tree (which was purchased for $20 - $20 worth of defective dementedness) has been beaten into submission with a hammer and then decorated. Inspiration was found yesterday. Although really it was procrastination, because dealing with the trimmer line for the mower was bending my brain. And the cat that randomly comes over to my house had fun batting at the lower-hanging baubles, so amusing distractions can't be too bad a thing.
Really not ready for Christmas at all. This year I've set myself the challenge of making some Christmas presents for the people at work.* It's going to be something like truffles, provided they work out. To force myself to do it, I've bought a whole lot of cooking chocolate and other ingredients to make said truffles. Besides, the recipe makes it look easy.
Chocolate, things, more chocolate, flavouring, attempt not to burn down kitchen, roll chocolatey things into balls, dip in cocoa or other chocolatey thing, put in fridge, everyone's happy. And if not, then they can throw the truffles at people wandering past their offices or something like that.
*People tend to give out Christmas presents here. Which can be kind of awkward if you haven't gotten them something. "Err, here, have this post-it note. Merry Christmas!"
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Election '07
It's interesting watching John Howard declare his innings closed.
And it's been interesting watching the election night coverage, which I really didn't think would be that interesting, but somehow it is. I thought the best thing would be the ads Channel 7 had been running about their coverage. But Channel 9's coverage was surprisingly fascinating.
Plus it's free of moustaches... (I know, it's Movember) (okay, the moustache actually makes Geoff Kennet look very dapper.)
I was glad to see Malcolm Turnbull keep his seat. He's someone I'd much rather see as leader of the Liberal party than Peter Costello, and I think he is someone who could be a genuinely good influence on re-creating the party for the future.
Also, in a lot of ways, a Liberal loss might be a good thing for the State Liberal parties. I think it was Barnaby Joyce who was saying Mal Brough would be a good leader for the Libs in Queensland. You never know - could be the case. The Libs in the States have been rather crummy in the past number of years. Just in the case of New South Wales alone, you know people would LOVE to have someone other than Labor to vote for but the other parties just haven't been anywhere on the radar.
With all of that said, though, I'm glad to see the Labor party and Kevin Rudd elected. It was definitely time for a change.
Hopefully Rudd will lead the country well. And perhaps choose better music to come on stage to in future... It'll be interesting to see where things go from here. Guess all we can do is find out! Even if it includes vaguel awkward Bernie Banton/Union mentioning moments. I bet they'll have the people who believed "The Unions Are Comin'!" ads quaking in their boots.
In other thoughts, BenBen and my convo about election coverage is as follows:
Ben says: I was just picturing "and now we cut live to the marginal electorate beyond the black stump ... oh dear, seems our camera crew took down the local power grid... Let's try Black Stump where there's quite a stir - looks like Marjorie has just turned up to cast her vote this evening"
Della says: *lol* "Oh wait, we've just found out Marjorie actually did a postal vote earlier in the week and has come to tell us to turn the damn lights out because she's trying to get some sleep..."
Ben says: "So as soon as George has finished his game of cards and casts his vote that's all 20 people and we can start counting. So Mildred, what do you think the result will be?"
Mildred:"I think it will be an ace of spades"
Della says: "Now, anyone for some left-over pav? I'm not taking this home!"
Ben says: That's gold
Della says: Come result time... "And apparently we have no result, as all of the locals did a donkey vote... Any of that pav left??"
Ben says: I'm just imagining the following year and a chopper is heard on the horizon: "Hey we've got visitors for the pav - I wonder if it's little johnny or Kevin '07?" ...and suddenly the candidates become reality, but not beacuse of their campaigns, but becuase the ladies are beginging to argue who's pav will be preferred (on a 2-pav preferred basis)
*bwahahaha*
And it's been interesting watching the election night coverage, which I really didn't think would be that interesting, but somehow it is. I thought the best thing would be the ads Channel 7 had been running about their coverage. But Channel 9's coverage was surprisingly fascinating.
Plus it's free of moustaches... (I know, it's Movember) (okay, the moustache actually makes Geoff Kennet look very dapper.)
I was glad to see Malcolm Turnbull keep his seat. He's someone I'd much rather see as leader of the Liberal party than Peter Costello, and I think he is someone who could be a genuinely good influence on re-creating the party for the future.
Also, in a lot of ways, a Liberal loss might be a good thing for the State Liberal parties. I think it was Barnaby Joyce who was saying Mal Brough would be a good leader for the Libs in Queensland. You never know - could be the case. The Libs in the States have been rather crummy in the past number of years. Just in the case of New South Wales alone, you know people would LOVE to have someone other than Labor to vote for but the other parties just haven't been anywhere on the radar.
With all of that said, though, I'm glad to see the Labor party and Kevin Rudd elected. It was definitely time for a change.
Hopefully Rudd will lead the country well. And perhaps choose better music to come on stage to in future... It'll be interesting to see where things go from here. Guess all we can do is find out! Even if it includes vaguel awkward Bernie Banton/Union mentioning moments. I bet they'll have the people who believed "The Unions Are Comin'!" ads quaking in their boots.
In other thoughts, BenBen and my convo about election coverage is as follows:
Ben says: I was just picturing "and now we cut live to the marginal electorate beyond the black stump ... oh dear, seems our camera crew took down the local power grid... Let's try Black Stump where there's quite a stir - looks like Marjorie has just turned up to cast her vote this evening"
Della says: *lol* "Oh wait, we've just found out Marjorie actually did a postal vote earlier in the week and has come to tell us to turn the damn lights out because she's trying to get some sleep..."
Ben says: "So as soon as George has finished his game of cards and casts his vote that's all 20 people and we can start counting. So Mildred, what do you think the result will be?"
Mildred:"I think it will be an ace of spades"
Della says: "Now, anyone for some left-over pav? I'm not taking this home!"
Ben says: That's gold
Della says: Come result time... "And apparently we have no result, as all of the locals did a donkey vote... Any of that pav left??"
Ben says: I'm just imagining the following year and a chopper is heard on the horizon: "Hey we've got visitors for the pav - I wonder if it's little johnny or Kevin '07?" ...and suddenly the candidates become reality, but not beacuse of their campaigns, but becuase the ladies are beginging to argue who's pav will be preferred (on a 2-pav preferred basis)
*bwahahaha*
Friday, November 23, 2007
I remembered tonight when I got another random hang-up call that I had meant to phone Telstra about nuisance calls today. Will have to do it tomorrow. Although I'll probably end up forgetting.
Thus, if you're my random hang-y up-y phone stalker person, remind me to call about it. You're starting to annoy me.
Thus, if you're my random hang-y up-y phone stalker person, remind me to call about it. You're starting to annoy me.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
"If you read it, you'd be laughing!"
I didn't watch the news last night - too busy bracing myself for Nigella and her cooking and oh my goodness the chocolate cherry trifle and excuse me while I salivate slightly over said trifle... - but I was up late and caught Lateline.
"Good golly gosh" was only one way in which to describe my thoughts on the first item, which was about how it appears supporters of the Liberal candidate in the Sydney seat of Lindsay, Jackie Kelly, had been distributing pamphlets from a fake Islamic organisation, praising the Labor party for "forgiving" the Bali bombers and how they'll support building more mosques in the area.
Particularly amazing was the way in which Andrew Robb, vocational education minister, went from saying the pamphlets were bad (which they are) to attacking the Labor party for being unhappy about it. It was like he was in a six-foot deep grave, shoveling away while saying, "Yes, it was bad. But you don't see MY point. I'm right and you know it! The Labor party are evil! We've done nothing wrong at all! Bad! And I quite happen to like digging, thank-you VERY much!"
Of course, they ran out of time for what Robb and Penny Wong had been brought on the show to talk about...
Also surprising was the way in which Kelly has "laughed" off the mail campaign "allegedly" involving her husband (and also apparently doesn't know who really was the naughty person/people behind it but they have told her they were chased by Labor people and the Labor people are like totally evil and horrible and included "unionists"! and they followed us, they forced the pamphlets into our innocent hands and made us distribute them, therefore it's not our fault).
Dismissing it as a "prank" (when if the Labor party had done it, they would have been all over them like a rash) also doesn't make much sense to me - I think because it seems just so inherently racist and stoops to such a new political low that in some ways it's almost incomprehensible. I know there are people in Australia who are racist and who don't like people of Islamic faith. But to deliberately be going out to target that dislike for political gain (or any gain) is just something that sickens me. So divisive, so dishonest, such race-baiting rubbish. And it disgusts me to think that it's gotten to a point in Australia where this sort of thing has the potential to work, where people's prejudices are so easily appealed to over sense.
I'm very glad to see John Howard has condemned the letter drop, though. Particularly after listening to Kelly being interviewed on the ABC and going around and around and around saying how she had read the pamphlet and thought it funny, but had actually only read about it in the newspapers this morning, yada yada, blame Teh Unionists. This isn't something that can be dismissed as a joke. It is definitely something that should be condemned, regardless of the parties involved. You can't really do something like this letter-boxing scam and not expect to get caught out with it at some point or another, particularly if you're involved somehow in a political party.
So, just how much has Australia lost its moral compass?
For other people's thoughts on the issue, check out The Age's Your Say bit or on the ABC. Also worth enduring the Kelly drivel is the vid on this story from the Today show for Lauie Oakes's comments at the end (it's around the six-minute mark if you want to get to the point). Right on the money.
"Good golly gosh" was only one way in which to describe my thoughts on the first item, which was about how it appears supporters of the Liberal candidate in the Sydney seat of Lindsay, Jackie Kelly, had been distributing pamphlets from a fake Islamic organisation, praising the Labor party for "forgiving" the Bali bombers and how they'll support building more mosques in the area.
Particularly amazing was the way in which Andrew Robb, vocational education minister, went from saying the pamphlets were bad (which they are) to attacking the Labor party for being unhappy about it. It was like he was in a six-foot deep grave, shoveling away while saying, "Yes, it was bad. But you don't see MY point. I'm right and you know it! The Labor party are evil! We've done nothing wrong at all! Bad! And I quite happen to like digging, thank-you VERY much!"
Of course, they ran out of time for what Robb and Penny Wong had been brought on the show to talk about...
Also surprising was the way in which Kelly has "laughed" off the mail campaign "allegedly" involving her husband (and also apparently doesn't know who really was the naughty person/people behind it but they have told her they were chased by Labor people and the Labor people are like totally evil and horrible and included "unionists"! and they followed us, they forced the pamphlets into our innocent hands and made us distribute them, therefore it's not our fault).
Dismissing it as a "prank" (when if the Labor party had done it, they would have been all over them like a rash) also doesn't make much sense to me - I think because it seems just so inherently racist and stoops to such a new political low that in some ways it's almost incomprehensible. I know there are people in Australia who are racist and who don't like people of Islamic faith. But to deliberately be going out to target that dislike for political gain (or any gain) is just something that sickens me. So divisive, so dishonest, such race-baiting rubbish. And it disgusts me to think that it's gotten to a point in Australia where this sort of thing has the potential to work, where people's prejudices are so easily appealed to over sense.
I'm very glad to see John Howard has condemned the letter drop, though. Particularly after listening to Kelly being interviewed on the ABC and going around and around and around saying how she had read the pamphlet and thought it funny, but had actually only read about it in the newspapers this morning, yada yada, blame Teh Unionists. This isn't something that can be dismissed as a joke. It is definitely something that should be condemned, regardless of the parties involved. You can't really do something like this letter-boxing scam and not expect to get caught out with it at some point or another, particularly if you're involved somehow in a political party.
So, just how much has Australia lost its moral compass?
For other people's thoughts on the issue, check out The Age's Your Say bit or on the ABC. Also worth enduring the Kelly drivel is the vid on this story from the Today show for Lauie Oakes's comments at the end (it's around the six-minute mark if you want to get to the point). Right on the money.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Caution: Christian/political-y kinda rant ahead
The more you hear, read or see about Family First, the more unlikeable they truly seem. And the less credible their claims The Greens are "extreme" become...
Oh, plus the way they go down the "Christian"-nutjob route instead of looking at the ways in which Christians are meant to behave, according to various things in the Bible like "Love thy neighbour as thyself," or "Forgive us our sins as we forgive each other," or "[You should forgive] Not seven times, but, I tell you, 70 times seven," or "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law," or "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone..." or "Judge not lest ye be judged."
I likes me some King James language sometimes...
Anyway, along with "Thou shalt not kill," there perhaps should have been somethin in the Bible about "Thou shalt not be a hypocritical jerk. Remember thou hast all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Just to keep things in a little more perspective (okay, the "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God is in the Bible. But not the first bit with "Thou shalt not...").
And yes, I realise that things like abortion can be a strongly emotional sort of topic and thing to deal with - particularly when it comes to dealing with anything like that on an individual level. I doubt many women who have abortions performed do so with a sense of glee. And yet there are these people out there who seem to enjoy pointing the finger and breaking out some serious judgin'.
Hypocrisy? Everyone does it. I'm pretty sure I do it. It's part of being human. But when we're Christians - or at least claiming that name for ourselves - we should be trying to reflect a Christ-like nature and treat others accordingly. Is that going to happen in this lifetime, realistically? Probably not at all... Nym would tell me to stop being so optimistic about people's behaviour for a start (or something along those lines).
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
- John 8:9-11
Oh, plus the way they go down the "Christian"-nutjob route instead of looking at the ways in which Christians are meant to behave, according to various things in the Bible like "Love thy neighbour as thyself," or "Forgive us our sins as we forgive each other," or "[You should forgive] Not seven times, but, I tell you, 70 times seven," or "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law," or "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone..." or "Judge not lest ye be judged."
I likes me some King James language sometimes...
Anyway, along with "Thou shalt not kill," there perhaps should have been somethin in the Bible about "Thou shalt not be a hypocritical jerk. Remember thou hast all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Just to keep things in a little more perspective (okay, the "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God is in the Bible. But not the first bit with "Thou shalt not...").
And yes, I realise that things like abortion can be a strongly emotional sort of topic and thing to deal with - particularly when it comes to dealing with anything like that on an individual level. I doubt many women who have abortions performed do so with a sense of glee. And yet there are these people out there who seem to enjoy pointing the finger and breaking out some serious judgin'.
Hypocrisy? Everyone does it. I'm pretty sure I do it. It's part of being human. But when we're Christians - or at least claiming that name for ourselves - we should be trying to reflect a Christ-like nature and treat others accordingly. Is that going to happen in this lifetime, realistically? Probably not at all... Nym would tell me to stop being so optimistic about people's behaviour for a start (or something along those lines).
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
- John 8:9-11
Monday, November 19, 2007
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