%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
getting to the age where I can blame eccentricity or senility for anything that offends... |
|
** 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. |
| Today there were warnings for drug users that the heroin out on the street is a deadly mix and a couple of people have died from using it. Duh! So! Sorry, but I have neither sympathy nor compassion for those who use recreational drugs. Choices people, it's about choices. Okay peer pressure sucks and an innocent kid is sucked in, but with all the information, publicity and advertising about the dangers of drugs, those same kids have the choice to get out of what they're in. Enough people have gotten back on the rails and moved away from the drug scene and temptation to prove that it is possible to turn your life around - not easy, but certainly achievable. Why are we 'warning' them about a 'bad batch'? Is it a warning for users to buy only from a reliable source or to check the quality before using? Not likely, as the need is obviously greater than interests in survival, otherwise they wouldn't still be using. Is it to re-enforce that drugs can kill in an attempt to scare the user off drugs? Possibly, but that message has been out there a long time and it hasn't stopped them from starting to use so being cynical I doubt it will stop them. Also being the cold-hearted bitch that I am, I really don't give a fig for the 'kind, polite and understanding' hand that is reaching out to these people. Choices aren't always simple, clear or easy, but with the information out there and the number of drug related overdoses and deaths, I naively believe that the choice is not a difficult one to make. Those that use recreational drugs as an act of rebellion, escape or crutch have made a bad choice. Once they make that decision, all other thought processes are compromised by the effect of the drug, but even if there are few lucid moments of reality for them to reassess and make a decision and choose to get help and get their life back, there are agencies and volunteers to help. Addicts say they have no life, merely an existence. Anyone who is sad, unfulfilled or feels unloved has the opportunity and mental awareness to find ways to make their lives better. Addicts only have need and cravings to keep pain, horrible visions and self torment at bay. Surely by recognizing why they are driven to continue to self destruct I should be more understanding and feel sorry for them? Okay, maybe I pity them but other than that, I wipe my wrinkly, aged hands of them. If the current stuff on the streets kills more than previously, at best it is a kindness by alleviating the ongoing suffering, at worse it is a consequence of poor decision making. Now I know many readers will find my comments to be generalized, ignorant and lacking in humanity, but don't bother to tell me I'm wrong or that karma will get me. The life I have led and the road I am traveling, has given me many moments when some time-out would have been welcome, but like many others I chose, not only to survive, but to be accountable for every decision I made and responsible for the affect of that decision on my family, friends and community. I'm not a martyr, nor am I wealthy, healthy or one hundred percent happy. There are millions in the world like myself who make many wrong decisions but learn from them. We learn from the poor decisions of those around us and choose not to use drugs to control us. Initially we are not intellectually superior or better people than those who then choose to use drugs. We have our own insecurities, pain, anger, hate and many unemployed have not resorted to drugs to escape financial pressures or a depressing lifestyle. So why do some people succumb and not others? I've read many articles by those who have either studied the matter or those who speak from their own experiences and the bottom line is, the reasons are as unique and individual as the users themselves. So why am I so lacking in compassion towards these 'lost' souls? Because it's about choices and we all reap what we sow. Whether it is as a teen under peer pressure, stresses of family or work life or just for a 'high' the choice to use drugs is a decision that can be re considered and changed. I guess in my own way I am sympathetic to those who make the wrong decision, but when they continue on that chosen path regardless of the pain and suffering to them, their family and friends; when they choose to play Russian Roulette with their lives because nobody supposedly cares or understands, I accept their decision, because I don't want to understand and there are others who are battling the worst life can throw at them without the crutch of illicit drugs and it is those I choose to care about. |
| We all make mistakes and Lord knows I'm at the wrong end of perfect, but mistakes are something we have a lifetime to learn from. Not just our our own experiences, but those of our family, friends and people in general. In this day and age I find it totally incomprehensible that girls under twenty, can be single mothers of more than one child. The world is brought into our homes through multimedia and yes promiscuity is rife in much of what is viewed, but so are the lessons of others from which we can all learn. I don't judge the school girl mother of one as being promiscuous, but I do wonder when the excuse is their naivety or ignorance. However without knowing a particular young lady's story I can only pray they will have the love and support to raise a child in a loving, stable environment. I do judge, and unkindly, those teenagers who have two or more children from different fathers/mothers. The first may have been a mistake in choice of partner, lust of the moment or birth control failing etc. However, there are lessons to be learned from this 'mistake'. Nine months of gestation,mothers health, baby's health, the birth process, the increased cost of living, the time demands, the lack of social life; these are just some of the harsh realities. To then clutch at the straw of another relationship and not take the appropriate precautions is beyond my aged comprehension. Last night this subject came up on a television debate and the reasons young girls are in this predicament varied. One wanted to have a child to love and to love her because she felt unloved. Many said they were in a loving relationship but the guy bailed at news of the pregnancy, but most admitted they thought about sex not pregnancy. This morning the words I remember hearing the most last night were...I didn't think...about saying no, about precautions, about the possibility of getting pregnant...I didn't think. Well I think. I think that this is so sad for all the children - the babes, the mothers and in most cases the fathers. I feel for the parents/grandparents who take on the added responsibility of a young mother and child and for the male teenager who wants to do his duty and accepts fatherhood. More importantly I worry about the future of these children having children. Even with the most loving of partners in a reasonably financially secure environment, the responsibility of parenting takes its toll. To those young men and women who fail to learn from their mistakes I foresee very few being successful as adults or parents and that is terribly sad and I want to shake them and ask, " What the hell were you thinking?", but I'm not sure I have the tolerance or patience anymore to accept the answer, "I didn't think." Condoms are so readily available, the education system even introduces the reality of unsafe sex, the promotion of "no means no", the information about Aids...they are there to prompt sexual partners to think about consequences. But the problem is,many young people see sex as a measure of how much a person loves them. The young people of today are much smarter and more adept in so many ways than any other generation and yet the modern lifestyle with all its high tech advances, social networking and ability to bring the world to our door has failed them, because it takes away the personal touch of parents, family and friends. It is human nature to seek touch as an affirmation of the presence of someone who cares about us. Without that touch given freely and lovingly in a family or community environment it is not surprising that our young are left to misinterpret feelings and actions. Adults can no longer comfort their own child because the action may be interpreted as that of a sexual nature. As adults we have become victims of an obsessively judgmental society and so deny ourselves and our children the pleasure of a hug, a kiss or a simple touch. As children we learnt that there are many different types of touch with each gesture sending a message of love or care. A hug could be of love, encouragement or sympathy and through our experience of touch we learnt the difference. Without those lessons today's children rely on the touch of others, usually peers. Is it any wonder they accept that being wanted through desire and lust is a form of caring and sexual touching is a show of loving. So I concede that being old fashioned, I am disappointed and saddened that no matter how many material things children have, it has cost them their childhood, their innocence and the ability to recognize love in all it's forms. They have everything but it is nothing with out love and self respect. They want the immediacy of being treated as adults before experiencing the lessons of being a loved and protected child. The above is part of something much bigger. The erosion of parent's rights to physically love their children, to set boundaries on acceptable behaviour and to establish consequences for poor decision making. Parents are more and more being made to feel like they are only temporary caretakers with all the costs and few rights. This in turn leaves children feeling insecure as the empowerment of 'freedom' is continually shattered by the demands of peer pressure and the maelstrom of a contradictory society. |
| Last week I had two melanoma's removed from my face. As I have spent most of the last 25 years indoors or doing everything I can to protect my skin I was surprised at how marked hands and face have become. As the years have passed I have put the increase in skin imperfections down to aging. The one on my lip was small but in the end, my saviour. The dry patch of skin always made for poor lipstick take in that area and lip liners baulked completely at giving a smooth line over the top of this 'spot'. When it first bled it was as if the rough skin had peeled off. Then it would heal. It took four of these occasions over a 2 year period for me to realise that the bleeding, though minimal, was not a result of anything physical and that in between these events, the area would change in texture. My lip is still swollen and the dissoluble stitches on the underside of my lip, have me eating on the other side of my mouth. The other melanoma was between my mouth and my eye. Both on the right side of my face giving me an 'interesting' look. However I am no longer talking like Sylvester Stallone or looking like Rocky Balboa after a fight. The discoloration and swelling under my eye has now stopped making my eye water uncontrollably and I can read without being distracted by the 'bump' at the bottom of my eye. The stitch work is excellent, I am healing well and the practical side of me appreciates that the scars will fade considerably. Not being a beautiful woman (or ugly), vanity however has me checking the mirror daily to reassure myself that my features are not unduly marred. I can only continue to take the preventative measures I already practice but the lesson, while too late for me, is to the youth of my family and friends. My skin was damaged in the first 15 years of my life when I was sunburnt every season, with excessive skin peeling away to the tender new layer beneath which was immediately placed under the burning rays of the wind and sun without protection. The seasons of my childhood were spent mostly outdoors and hats were a burden and protective creams would have been considered 'yukky'. Now in later life I am literally wearing the effects of those years of ignorance. Life has changed and skin cancer is something the majority of parents are aware of which ensures children are more protected against the weather. However for many people the damage is done. Whether you can see spots, blotches, discoloration or not, it is important that we are all aware that any skin damage may still surface at a later time. Take precautions but more importantly, be aware of any changes to your skin and don't leave it until it scares you. My surgeon has told me I will be back in the future because the signs are there. We have all seen faces that have what we think of as a weathered look., a face with signs of very active or harsh outdoor life, but mine is not one of those faces. It is pale with one small blotch easily covered by makeup. The number of dry or textured areas which aren't obvious, number six and the surgeon has alerted me to the fact that at the chances are at least three of those could require removal. So I am weathering the storm so to speak by being proactive in trying to lessen the odds. To all those who read this I ask that you give serious consideration to how you have weathered life and be on continual alert for signs of change in your skin, because they are not always about age, but about life experiences that we can no longer change. |
| My boyfriend (who is 65 God Bless his boyish heart) and I have been spending time with his 93 year old mother. She still drives and is a good driver, has an exceptional memory and is a lovely person. However 12 months ago she had a fall and while nothing was broken it set her back a bit. Sadly, it made her aware of her weaknesses. Until then I am sure she didn't think she had any. A month ago the last of her siblings passed away at 95 and this too has pushed the realization that being considered 'old' or 'aged' is something she can no longer deny. Doris never thought she was old because she judged her age on her abilities and 12 months ago she was as supple and agile as a healthy seventy year old, her garden was her exercise yard and there was nothing she couldn't do. Now she spends most of her days saying she just wants to be back to how she was before the fall. Unfortunately, she never will be and she is finding it very hard to accept. She is living in her own home and has just conceded that perhaps it would be better if her 60 year old single daughter came to live with her. I must admit this is a huge relief for her family as they respect her need for independence but they need peace of mind as well. I watch her sitting and doing crosswords, crocheting, knitting and occasionally watching television and participate in political, religious and social discussions. Her mind is truly a wonder and her memory puts my own to shame. It is that wondrous mind however that reminds her of what she was capable of then and what she can't do now. Accepting that she must concede some of the independence, limit her activities and be content with what each day brings is very difficult and in the past two months she has become resentful of her inabilities. Many will think she should be grateful for the healthy long life she has had and indeed she is. There in lies her problem. Life has been so good that she doesn't want it to be any less than what it was. She is an exceptional person whose body is unable to keep up with her mind and spirit. Her doctor says it a natural aging process, she thinks that comment is over used. "It was a fall and a bit of a bruise. I was alright until then. It could have happened to anyone. Age has nothing to do with it." My heart goes out to her and I understand her fears. The fall didn't break any bones, but it severely damaged her confidence and left cracks in her independence that has allowed doubts and insecurity to seep in. With the loss of the last of her siblings and having none of her lifelong friends left, she is the sole survivor of the generational group with whom she shared her life. I see a brave but lonely soul who is tired but fighting with every breath she takes, a battle she cannot win against the ravages of time. |
| Today I heard the song 'Because you loved me' sung by Celine Dion and it triggered memories of someone I loved. At the time when that song was popular, it seemed to express everything I was feeling for him. Sadly at the age of 50, he died as a result of a heart attack. He was a healthy, active, strong and physically fit but all that was not enough. The words reminded me of how, much this wonderful man taught me about me. He showed me that regardless of what my former husband had told me over the years, I was not ugly, stupid or lacking in sexuality. With the song drifting around me, I remembered it was he who gave me my first orgasm and it was he who loved my laughter and earthy sense of humour. Seven years younger than me, he really did bring out the best in me and I believed him when he told me that I was the best thing to ever come into his life. There have been several songs that can pinpoint an event or person in my life. Perhaps that's why, as we get older, we prefer to listen to the 'old' songs; the songs of our past. Through those songs we remember things that time and life as pushed to the back recesses of our minds. Today those memories were aired , and thanks to that song I was again reminded of how blessed I was at that time and I thank God for sending me such a wonderful and very sexy teacher. Thanks to him and the love and patience he showed, I am a far better person. This morning I was bemoaning my uneventful life. As I write this with those strong memories of lust, love and friendship I know otherwise. My life has not been uneventful, this week may be, but not my life. Tomorrow there will be another song that will trigger bitter sweet memories of who I was or a time along the path of life I have traveled and I will be reassured that I have touched the lives of others and made a difference to them and myself. May you too hear the songs of your past to help you appreciate the journey you have traveled and those who traveled with you. |
| Months ago I decided to make a stand and not shop at Coles or Woolworths. I use the smaller supermarkets for grocery items, a greengrocer for fruit and veg and a butcher shop for all my meat and chicken. Am I missing something? Surely to buy imported products is supporting other countries, not Australia. Don't buy Australian and the number of Australian manufacturers and producers decreases and that would mean loss of jobs and less jobs available. Increased unemployed means increasing number of low income families. Low income families in turn buy most of the generic brand products sold by the major Supermarkets. Most generic brands are imported goods. So with the number of low income families growing, so is the export market which is killing the Australian market. This leads to more unemployment and more low income families and the cycle continues to spiral out of control. Right now I would seriously consider a tyrant or dictator as a leader of this country if they were to make a commitment towards making Australia self sufficient. With so much of our farming land now belonging to international companies who are using the land to grow crops for their own countries, I envisage the day when Australians will be relying on substandard imported food. This is a catastrophe and each successive government is too blame. No matter what country you live in, the government of the day should be committed to putting it's peoples needs first and planning long term. Support your local producer and manufacturer. State governments should only tender within the state to keep the jobs 'home'. Federal governments should put a moratorium on land being sold to international buyers. Export should only be allowed on products that have excess to the 100% needed by Australians. Imports MUST meet ALL of the Australian standards and only be acceptable where there is an insufficient supply for Australia's needs. Yes this is naive thinking, but somewhere between my naivety and the governments 'It's about the party, not the people' attitude, is an answer. |
| In a recent review someone quite rightly questioned the subject of my comparing the scoring within the game with writing. They felt that writing is for the love of it and about the muse (whom most of us are familiar with). I gave her comments some thought, but at the end of the day stick with the validity of the poems premise. When I write poetry I find it easy to use the 'easy' rhyme, just as in Scrabble there are the easy words. Every word is broken down into syllables to make the rhythm fit just as in Scrabble parts of words are important in filling gaps - making letters fit. For me winning in Scrabble is secondary to finding the ultimate word with the tiles that I have. It is about learning and remembering words others use in the game or in books I read. It is about challenging your self to improve and then to win, because winning in this instance, is a reward for effort and also a way for others to measure your improvement. In all writing the draft copy is to me like seeing the Scrabble board with words laid out, each word an achievement, but not necessarily the best you can do. Then there are tiles before you, possible new words or completion of others. The selected tiles in front of you allow you to see the potential new word that singularly can give a sense of satisfaction or the basis on which to build another word around it, just as any written word placed within a poem or prose. To score is a combination of building on the existing words, adding or amending, planning for possibilities for the next 'turn' or 'line'. In Scrabble the tiles are allocated points, but your score is not just about adding up those numbers. Like poetry and prose it is about the combination and choice of words that make the score better. Better than other times you played or wrote, better than others have played or written. To assume writing on WDC is not competitive is to deny why ratings and gps are an integral part of the site. WDC ratings are a reward for effort, allowing us to see those pieces that were measured as being better than others. Writing competitions are certainly about comparisons of word use and placement and to rate within the top three in any of these is a wonderful feeling of achievement and badges and gps are recognition of that achievement. So aiming for a high score in Scrabble is, I believe, a justified comparison with the desire to score recognition through ratings or competitions. |
| Bloody Climate Change and Carbon Tax. All Australians to pay a carbon tax so the government can reduce carbon emissions and stop Australia being flooded by rising sea levels and increased flooding. Global warming two years ago, climate change now because it's cooling....duh! Right. Money will fix everything - including the weather. Gillard thinks she's God. I have no problem in accepting that the climate is changing. I also accept that humans have contributed to that change. Further I concede that volcano's have far more impact in a week that Australia does in four years...so. We all should do our bit, yep. But only Australians have to pay as well. WTF. If people from other countries are reading this could they please email me about what their country is doing or not doing regarding carbon emissions. I'm not going to get into a political debate with you, because I know it is government driven, however I would like a better picture of what the rest of the world is doing and how many nations are going to be charging their tax payers as well as fining business's to stop the sea rising.....a bit flippant I know but I'm so damned angry. Sorry this isn't a well written piece. |
| I'm assuming I'm not the only one for whom the characters I write about in stories/novels become like family. My friends shake their heads when they see me crying or hear me laughing as I write. "Why," they ask, "do you write it if it's going to make you cry?" "I don't." I reply with a sob and then a hefty use of tissues for eyes and nose. "They write themselves." Perhaps it's ego, but one of the ways I 'judge' (for want of a better word) my own work, is by the degree of involvement the characters give me. If they make me happy, sad, angry or frustrated (situation or sexually) or evoke any emotion from me, then I know that they will do the same with a few other people as well. There are rewards for writing, and being a popular author may be the icing on the cake, but the everyday rewards give impetus to continue. Perhaps readers can tell me of how writing helps them through life, because my sure does. It's a way to record incidents, feelings, concerns and imagination. It allows us to share our happiness and our pain. It provides us with perspective. Writing can be reality or escapism and my characters provide satisfy both those facets. While writing the lyrics of my last song, I cried. Fifteen minutes later four year old Alysha, a character in a novel I am writing, had me chuckling. In writing one chapter I can experience a whole gamut of emotions thanks to the characters. On my hectic days, they call me to visit and with them I find a degree of calm. On those mundane days they lift me out of my rut and onto a road to one with unseen horizons, new adventures and lots of love. Being published would be great, but having the opportunity to write is awesome. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Glasses, paper and a cup of brew while poetic thoughts I accrue. Never needing motivation, always surrounded by inspiration. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Mothers Day is this Sunday and today I am going to visit my Mum and stay a couple of days. My mother is a rough diamond but one with a heart of gold. She was widowed at 34 and left with 11 children to raise on her own and did a fantastic job. None of her children are angels but we all love her deeply. In fact our love for Mum is probably the one thing that we all have in common. I have started writing a static item about my special Mum so won't continue here. I know that people say everyday should be Mother's Day but I think for those of us who love our Mum's it is. Every phone call, sms, card, visit etc., are special to our Mum's. Having a significant date to celebrate Mothers is important, because it is an International recognition of the contribution Mothers make, not only to families, but to society and in some cases, to a nation. A big hug from me to all your Mothers. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
Mia