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getting to the age where I can blame eccentricity or senility for anything that offends... |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Blog city is a wonderful place with friendly neighbours who accept my idiosyncrasies. Some will shudder at my style of writing as it is without apology, grammatically and politically incorrect.. My thoughts, opinions and bouts of madness are displayed for all to see - warts and all (even pimples and scar tissue for those who look closely). If you are a do-gooder or someone who turns the other cheek, look elsewhere. I’m giving honesty, trust and a piece of my mind. |
| My only child got married in December. Being 40 he had waited for the right lady, and she was certainly worth the wait. The wedding was wonderful and I was so happy that my boy had a caring, loving partner to look after him. In January on my birthday I received best wishes from the recently married couple, but she hadn't signed with her name but made it from 'your daughter -in- law' and that was the best present I could have received. |
| Summer in Australia can be wonderful and we have some beautiful beaches on which to enjoy those warmer days. However, Australia is a country in which tourists should never feel complacent. Floods and Droughts don't always occur during any specific season. The greatest fear of all Australians is bushfire and the country has been decimated by hundreds in the past month. Lightning strikes are responsible for many, but idiots and moronic arsonists seem to get some sick pleasure from purposely lighting up dry grass on road sides or in National Parks which spread through farming and grazing property, natural scrub lands, small country towns and on to suburbia. What is so disillusioning about the current fires are that some have been started by children not yet in their teens but old enough to know right from wrong. Again I lay the blame at the lack of respect for self, others and property. I know of parents who have raised children and now have grandchildren, who are polite, well mannered, kindhearted and respectful of their elders. These parents aren't perfect by try to the best of their ability to set examples and from day one set the tone of invisible but indestructible love based on respect for each other. The children are not precocious or brow beaten into acceptable behaviour. Each child's individuality and endeavors are respected and praised by all members of the family, supposed failures are softened with encouragement and the setting of achievable goals. Sibling rivalry is not encouraged or discouraged - it is monitored so that it doesn't become bullying or one-up-manship. It is about family dynamics as each child develops their individual strengths and weaknesses. So what types of families do young offenders and arsonists come from? Although I could be presumptive, I really don't know. Social workers could list consistent family traits that would make some children more prone to offending/ attention getting / susceptible to peer pressure etc., but I have a suspicion that the lack of respect by parents to authority, government etc would be one of those consistent traits. Parents who do not respect the law or other people usually don't respect property theirs or others including their children's. What hope do their children then have to learn to be respectful? The movies, computer and arcade games have desensitized children into thinking brute force, weapons and/ or betrayal are the norm. Horrific images of mutilated bodies, rewards for killing police or stealing cars, for shooting anyone that gets in front of the gun sights...this has become the expected and the accepted by children for whom this is entertainment, something that gives them pleasure without them having to be accountable. However,eventually entertainment and reality mesh and the child is replaced by an angry, cold teen - male or female- who have respect only for those peers who challenge laws and people without any obvious consequence. So while firefighters wearily continue to defend property, animals and people we support their endeavors as best we can, but how angry they must feel, (as I am sure the Police do), when finding that even when caught red handed, the young perpetrator has little regret and their parents blind support because they refuse to accept their child's culpability and behave disrespectfully by trying to deny justice by finding notoriety in crying foul play in front of the media. Ah! The media. There is another group who lack respect....but that's for another day. To all those who fight fire, in no matter what capacity, you have my heartfelt thanks and I pray that you are rewarded by beating the fire and by justice be given to the perpetrators regardless of age. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** In a boat of self doubt, with a thesaurus as my rudder and words as my life vest, I let my muse control the tiller, while I write what I see on my journey. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| It is that time of year again when even the calmest of people become impatient, frustrated and intolerant. It's the time of year when we are surrounded by sound of carols sung, bells being rung and ceaseless demands on Mum. How ironical that this hectic time is nothing like the time from which it supposedly celebrates. I use the term supposedly because I cynically believe that only a minority of those people who take part in the annual festivities do acknowledge the role Christ played in what is now called Christmas. For some it is one of two times they may actually attend a church service. As one of my friends said. "You have to go to the Midnight Service on Christmas Eve. I know I'm not a church goer, but Christmas is special.' Catholics practice mass so I get the Christ Mass (Though that is pure supposition on my part and Lord knows how I can possibly be credited with any level of intelligence if my past suppositions were considered.) If I stop to check with Google, this piece will never get written, so in ignorance I carry on. As I understand it, Christmas is about celebrating Christ's birth. So Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus spent the night with few animals, a little drummer boy and a couple of guests who popped in with gifts. This has hundreds of thousands of people spending months preparing to be spontaneous with gestures of goodwill, gifts for everyone (and a few spare for any free loaders) and a get together with family and friends (I think that's where the animals are represented}. Time and custom have of course taken liberty with the more serious interpretation of how this particular birthday is acknowledged, celebrated and abused. We generously welcome everyone to share in our feast and frivolities, and magnanimously spread goodwill with presents for greedy, demanding family and every Tom, Dick and Harry who has graced our doorstep in the past twelve months. This then is the event. Love, good will, blessings given, Joy expressed, gifts received - all with the back drop of carols sung by those canny singers who know how financially rewarding a Christmas album can be. If you think there was a tone of cynicism in that last piece, bravo, you are absolutely right. Stores hold parents to ransom with months spent brain washing children into thinking they have the meanest parents who don't understand them because if they did, they would have the latest and greatest.....(fill in the blank space yourself). It seems the only nice parents are those for whom resistance was futile - the ones who gave in months before. Christmas propaganda hits the stores in early October giving us three months preparation for what is basically one day ( the rest and recovery days are not about Christs birth but about unbridled greed and gluttony measured against that of your neighbours.) One day that takes months to prepare for, a lot of credit card to fund and gifts whose value and worth is proportional to our need to impress. If we gave presents to the poor and needy, troops fighting overseas, charities that support the community; contributed to meals for the homeless and the aged, and spent quiet, private time with our children showing them our love, not through gifts, but with time creating wonderful memories, then we would be celebrating Christ's birth in the true spirit. The presents would be fewer but more appreciated, the food would be plainer (and cheaper) but a feast to those who receive it and the time given to remind the family of the love that keeps them together and strong is given freely, thanks to Christ. |
| I am currently visiting one of my sisters. She was very young when I married and left home so we haven't been close. We rarely catch up so this visit is allowing me to get to know who she is when she is at home, and I have found an intriguing woman. She is a very talented artist but paints only when she feels like it. Her business could expand easily, but she only wants to work three days a week so she has time for her children and grandchildren. She believes she isn't smart because she didn't do well at school, but she is happy in her life and would have it no other way. Her philosophy on life is simple, as she said perhaps naive, but it has given me food for thought. Be good! That's it...BE GOOD. Be a good parent and teach your children to be good people. Be good in behaviour and obeying the laws of the State and Country. Be good to you family, friends and neighbours. Be good in your treatment of the earth. Be good in you treatment of animals. Be good in supporting you community and local businesses and of course the list of things we could be good at, with, in, to etc can be as long as YOU can make it. The simplicity of everyone being good as in Be good and set good examples of course made me analyse, quantify and in short, try to remove the simplicity and make it a difficult thing to achieve. Yet it isn't. She believes that if everyone is GOOD to them self and others, then only good will be achieved. The goal she set herself very early on was to be a good mother, and ensure that her children were also good. She succeeded and now has the reward of seeing her children being good parents and her grandchildren learning from the examples set by their parents. This is, she believes, to be the simplest way for humanity to save itself and the world. If every generation fostered the idea of every one being good in what they say or do then eventually it will all be good for everyone. Acknowledging there will always be bad people she pushes those into the smallest of numbers, very definitely a minority. At first this was too simple for me to grasp the concept of, but I am continuing to think on it. I can think of several things that would also need to happen or areas or customs that would inhibit the positive spread of such an ideal. However, I am beginning to see that if I take up the call and be good in deed and thought it will do me no harm, cost me nothing and possibly reward me by having someone else being good to me, and there it is at it's simplest - good attracts good. She sees good in every one and I cannot find it within myself to do that. My philosophy up to now has been treat others as you want to be treated and of course I try to do the best I can, but this does not always equate with being good. While I am being pedantic (trying to justify my not always good behaviour etc) she looks through eyes that see every sunset as being her first, every flower as being the most beautiful and every animal as being the most amazing. Life for her is always a beautiful adventure as everyday is different to the one before and no matter how much you plan there are still many unexpected/ unplanned/ or unthought of incidents which may not affect the outcome, but add to the experience. I am staying with my sister and learning that she really is good person without even trying to BE GOOD. |
| Nothing profound here, just a comment on how sad it is that some people are so enamored of Facebook that they become addicted. Don't talk to family and friends, Facebook it. There are many who use the page almost as a diary, not weekly or daily but moment by moment. Women who share their families behavior, events, trials and tribulations. It maybe cathartic for them, but is it right to embarrass a child or partner by telling friends things that should stay within the confines of the home. Worse, it is not just true friends and family that have access to such disclosures. Many strangers request to be friends and are accepted???? One of my 'real' friends has over two hundred Facebook contacts of whom more than half are strangers with whom she has no contact once they have been accepted. They however get to read her comments. The disgusting comments that are there for the world to see are not isolated incidents. I am still at a lost to understand how one of my nieces, a mother of three lovely little girls can be so vitriolic and vulgar in such a public forum. There is no anonymity, nor is there any way for readers to see behind the words if the vented emotions are reaction or retaliation. Like me they read and, unless they have inside knowledge, wonder, judge or re-actively respond thus adding to the more grist to the mill. I believe Facebook has a role in giving many organizations and institutions an avenue to personalize their image and their role in society. For example pages set up to help wounded soldiers brings the true cost of war to the brave individuals who face the enemy. Facebook allows families of children with illness or disease to have a place to share stories and to gain information and strength from each other. Yes Facebook can be a valid and erstwhile social tool, but it's worthiness is degraded by abuse, bullying and bad taste - all excused under the banner of acceptability called Freedom of speech. |
| I recently read a story on Facebook on one of the sites featuring the US Military. Although an Australian, I support all the allied military especially those currently serving overseas. While I cannot verify that this incident did happen, I think most of you will think about the message or moral that the story gives. In past writings I have strongly rejected the notions of luck or coincidence. A believer in the 'Things happen for a reason' philosophy, this story re--enforces that belief, however I am also aware of how often that particular saying is used with flippant disregard to it's depth of meaning. Here is the story. A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, h e dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her, "Who was that man?" he asked. The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered. "No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life." "Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?" "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman's Name? " The nurse with tears in her eyes answered, "Mr. William Grey........." Coincidence is not an option. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** In a boat of self doubt, with a thesaurus as my rudder and words as my life vest, I let my muse control the tiller, while I write what I see on my journey. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I recently have read a lot of about the growing number of homeless vets. There is a Facebook site "Lets Find 1 Million People Who Really Support Our Severely Injured Veterans" which first got my attention and that led met to another site regarding Military Veterans and so with one thing leading to another, I have read of different ways in which assistance is given to these returned servicemen and woman, injured or not. Fundraising for specific equipment.i.e. Motorized Wheelchairs, Groups who build homes for Vets, the list is amazing and yet there are still so many on the streets. Nationally, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that on any given night more than 100,000 veterans are homeless, with double that number experiencing homelessness in the course of a year. Conservatively, the National Council for Homeless Veterans estimates that one out of three homeless men sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in U.S. cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served the country. About half of homeless veterans served their country during the Vietnam years, and service providers say they are beginning to see disturbing numbers of veterans recently back from Iraq and Afghanistan living in their cars or couch surfing with family, friends or wherever they can crash. One of the most impressive assistance comes in the form of a Stand Down for Veterans. These are held all over America most over 3 days with many being able to sleep in tents where the event is held. Veterans receive benefit information during a Stand Down event. They receive clothing, food, haircuts, health screenings and information about benefits, employment, health care and legal issues from representatives of charitable organizations and county and state agencies at the event. The first Stand Down was organized in 1988 by a group of Vietnam Veterans in San Diego. Since then, Stand Downs have been used as an effective tool in reaching out to homeless Veterans, reaching more than 200,000 Veterans and their family members between 1994-2000. Stand Downs are one part of the U.S. Military Vets Stand Down, Inc. efforts to provide services to homeless veterans. Stand Downs are typically one to three day events providing services to homeless Veterans such as food, shelter, clothing, health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and referrals to a variety of other necessary services, such as housing, employment and substance abuse treatment. Stand Downs are collaborative events, coordinated between local VAs, other government agencies, and community agencies who serve the homeless. If you are already aware of these events I hope you support them in anyway possible, if this is the first you have heard of them, please go to http://usmvsd.org/# to find out why these are so important in the lives of those we once called hero's but now call homeless. |
| I'm still searching for answers re my previous blog and one of the issues I have to deal with is TRUST. No matter how nice, kind and helpful someone is, if they continue to be secretive and lie over things that are unimportant and in matters that don't affect anyone else, what are the chances that the also lie about more important things such as relationships and money etc? |
| I had three emails reminding me to update my blog. How embarrassing was that? As no one else knew, I could keep the it to myself and just write a piece and none would be the wiser but, there is a commitment made when we take on blogging. Blogs allow you to share episodes of your life, opinions or beliefs with others without fear or favour. They allow others an insight into what you want them to think of you. Yes that does sound cynical and I know many will disagree but as I said blogs are about expressing opinions. The reason I haven't added to my blog is that my interaction with WDC has been merely to check in daily and sadly I have contributed nothing for some time. While I have what I believe are reasonable explanations, they are in reality nothing but excuses, valid maybe, but excuses all the same and lack of time is not one of them. WDC is so addictive and I remember the adrenalin rush as I would open the site each morning and my impatience when interrupted while reviewing or writing. Now I have neither the inclination nor the motivation to do more that open the site as part of the routine, WDC, Facebook, Emails, end. Facebook is where I read about my siblings actions but do not comment, emails is where friends and acquaintances share their humour, religious or political outlook with me. Of the guaranteed 50+ I receive daily less that 10 will be forwarded. So my withdrawal is not just from WDC, it is from connecting with others while I work out why I am becoming more introverted and feeling as if there is something important missing from my life. When I have the answer, and I will, I will put it into my blog and share my insight with you all. Until then I will try to write weekly, even it it is just to say I'm still searching for answers. |
| Today we had a Garage Sale to dispose of the smaller items of the Deceased Estate. Although advertised to commence at 8.30 a.m we were not surprised to find people gathering at the entrance gate at 7.00a.m. By 7.45 they were ringing the door bell and showing signs of impatience. Is it only me who finds this behaviour rude? Thirty minutes later, much to our surprise, there were thirty eight people pushing and shoving against the gates. We had placed an advert in the main newspaper and online. The later being free and extremely rewarding. Through this site we received email inquiries during the two days prior to the sale. While these internet inquiries was ostensibly for further details re goods and pricing, each of them wanted access the day before. Having sales on the weekend does disadvantage those who work, but when isn't. The ad stipulated a date and time and we were not going to go against that as it would be unfair to those who turn up on the day. At 8.30 precisely we opened the gates and there was a stampede. People fighting over items or offering to pay more than the marked price to take it from those who had beaten them. It was embarrassing to watch tempers being lost, listen to sarcastic, snide remarks and see real greed. People would grab as much as they could and put aside as if to buy, sort through later, and take only half the items having deprived other genuine buyers. I have worked in the retail industry so am not naive about 'customer behaviour', but I was appalled. Yes, we did want everything to go and everything was incredibly cheap 80% of items being $5 or less, but when you are selling something for $1 that at another sale would have been $10, an offer of 50c is insulting. One woman was confident that her offer of $4 for a brand new, still packaged vacuum cleaner was more than generous as she was doing us a favour by taking it off our hands. When buying retail, customers base the worth of the item on the degree of their need and it's value for money. At a garage sale, an item's worth is based on what someone is prepared to pay. Thankfully the larger, more expensive items sold quickly because they were bargains and the sale was successful. The lower priced items encouraged haggling, and we were happy with the outcome. However, it was the items marked $2 and $1 that people believed they should be get for free. My attitude for items of those values was if you need it, pay the price marked, if you don't need it, why pick it up. Buyers are not 'doing me a favour' by taking items 'of my hands'. They are not doing themselves any favours either, with their rudeness, greed and bully tactics. |
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