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Saturday, July 23, 2011
Presented without comment...
but with uncontrollable laughter.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Busy. I've been busy.
I have been busy. Did I mention that?
A few weeks ago I got word that I would be doing higher duties for 3 months. This is something that I've been wanting for some time. Basically, I want to "try out" the position before I possibly apply for it as a permanent role. There is no doubt I have the skills needed, but it's more about whether I like doing the role full-time, or prefer to just be a back-up for when others are unavailable.
And if I can deal with the stress.
I've been doing the role for a little over a week now and I'm very happy that my stress level has not moved. Given that it is the first of a few ridiculously busy months, this is a very good omen.
I made the conscious decision to stop drinking anything with caffeine in it. Basically, Coke. It stemmed from a few bad weeks I had recently, and I figured that while it doesn't stop me from falling asleep, it affects my quality of sleep and as such I'm tired all the time for no apparent reason.
Well, this has worked splendidly. I've not slept this well in a very long time. As an added bonus, it means that I've been getting up earlier and as such have been getting more done during the day. Not that I like getting up early, but during the work week it makes things so much easier.
As a result of getting up at stupid hours in the morning, I am going to bed much earlier. I'm finding I can barely keep my eyes open after about 9pm, but that's fine.
So I think that is one of the reasons my body is responding well to the increase in responsibility and work.
I'm also studying for something at work. I do my exam in 9 days, so there's that as well. I'm really looking forward to that being finished - I want to have my time back.
I've not been on the computer as much either. I've been doing a lot of online reading, but mostly via my iPhone (and subsequently spamming my Twitter feed with links a bit). I love my iPhone almost as much as I love my calculator. It is an unnatural love, but we're all allowed a few over our lives.
So, while not much has been happening, everything feels like it has been happening. I'm very very please with myself. :-)
Monday, June 20, 2011
Depression, concern trolls, and silencing
Frequently on the internet, people mouth off about stuff without giving it much thought. Normally I can ignore it despite my initial reactions. But when it comes to things that are close to my heart, things that affect me personally, I become, well, pissed off.
Pretty much anyone who knows me online or in person knows that I have Bipolar 2. It’s not a secret. That particular diagnosis came in 2009 (at the age of 33), but I had suffered with severe clinical depression on and off since my teens (and had been treated since my early 20s). I’ve written quite a lot about it here, so feel free to go through the archives if you wish.
During all this I think it’s fair to say that I’ve experienced both the good and bad of other people when they know that you have some kind of mental illness.
The bad:
The good:
I love the idea of people with mental illnesses opening up about their experiences. I encourage anyone who feels that they are able to to do so. Other people’s stories have helped me immensely.
But there are many people who can’t, don’t or won’t talk about their experiences. Whether it be because they are embarrassed or ashamed, or concerned about the impact it could have on their professional and personal lives. Or because they are very private people.
But that’s OK. Not everyone who has a mental illness, or has experienced bouts of depression has to talk about it. To demand that they do is the behaviour of someone not understanding the privilege they have in being able to be open about it.
If someone doesn’t discuss it, it doesn’t mean they’re not getting help or that they’re not talking to someone, it means they’re not talking to you. As is their right. Because it isn’t any of your damn business.
You can offer support, sure. But then you let it lie. You do not keep haranguing them, or trying to get them to talk to you. You let it go. If they want your help, and they feel they can ask for it, they will.
If they get angry at you, do not assume that it is because of their illness. Yes, depression can manifest itself as anger, but that doesn’t mean that all their anger is the result of depression. Anger can be anger at you being unable or unwilling to understand their needs.
If you ignore or write off those of us who are upset, angered, or even disappointed in the method/s of “support” and "concern" that people offer, particularly online, you are silencing us. You are silencing our experiences.
Pretty much anyone who knows me online or in person knows that I have Bipolar 2. It’s not a secret. That particular diagnosis came in 2009 (at the age of 33), but I had suffered with severe clinical depression on and off since my teens (and had been treated since my early 20s). I’ve written quite a lot about it here, so feel free to go through the archives if you wish.
During all this I think it’s fair to say that I’ve experienced both the good and bad of other people when they know that you have some kind of mental illness.
The bad:
- Being discriminated against.
- Being treated like an idiot.
- Being spoken down to.
- People have avoided me.
- It has been assumed that I am incapable of any kind of thought or behaviour independent of my illness.
The good:
- The amazing understanding of so many people.
- If they ask, being able tell of my experience to others.
- Finding out that it is more common than I thought.
- Discovering how much unconditional love I have in my life from friends and family, no matter how difficult my behaviour has become.
I love the idea of people with mental illnesses opening up about their experiences. I encourage anyone who feels that they are able to to do so. Other people’s stories have helped me immensely.
But there are many people who can’t, don’t or won’t talk about their experiences. Whether it be because they are embarrassed or ashamed, or concerned about the impact it could have on their professional and personal lives. Or because they are very private people.
But that’s OK. Not everyone who has a mental illness, or has experienced bouts of depression has to talk about it. To demand that they do is the behaviour of someone not understanding the privilege they have in being able to be open about it.
If someone doesn’t discuss it, it doesn’t mean they’re not getting help or that they’re not talking to someone, it means they’re not talking to you. As is their right. Because it isn’t any of your damn business.
You can offer support, sure. But then you let it lie. You do not keep haranguing them, or trying to get them to talk to you. You let it go. If they want your help, and they feel they can ask for it, they will.
If they get angry at you, do not assume that it is because of their illness. Yes, depression can manifest itself as anger, but that doesn’t mean that all their anger is the result of depression. Anger can be anger at you being unable or unwilling to understand their needs.
If you ignore or write off those of us who are upset, angered, or even disappointed in the method/s of “support” and "concern" that people offer, particularly online, you are silencing us. You are silencing our experiences.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Hail!
I was home sick today (no worries, back at work tomorrow - it's just my asthma being a bitch. Also, first sick day in over 6 months! WOO!!) and we got hit with a small hail storm.
The hail was about the size of a large ball-bearing, and was pretty awesome. It lasted about 10 minutes.
Front yard during the storm:
Then after:
Back yard:
The hail was about the size of a large ball-bearing, and was pretty awesome. It lasted about 10 minutes.
Front yard during the storm:
Then after:
Back yard:
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Brisbane Slutwalk
Yesterday I attended the Brisbane Slutwalk.
It didn't receive as much publicity in the lead up to it as Melbourne Slutwalk, but we still had a crowd of a few hundred turn up.
I've got a piece that I wrote about the Slutwalk last week, now up at The King's Tribune, expanding on the points I made in the mini rant from the other week.
I've been reading lots of pieces about the walks and when I get the chance I'm going to compile a number of them here. Some I don't agree with, some I do, some I just think are so out of the park I don't understand why people actually bothered to write anything, but the ones that I find interesting (for whatever reason) I'll throw up here. I think it's important to see all points of view on this, even if I don't agree with some of them.
Anyway, back to yesterday's walk.
What I found heartening from the people who were there yesterday was the variety. There were even a few dogs out in solidarity. :-)
First, a snippet from the opening speech by the woman who was introducing the speakers. I didn't catch her name so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it. In this clip, she's addressing the use of the term "Slut".
Next was The Porn Report co-author, Professor Alan McKee:
Then, the most touching and amazing speech was from Tiara. She opened by telling of her own sexual assault at the hands of another woman. I didn't capture her entire speech (which was fantastic), but she really summed up the reasons and anger behind the Slutwalks.
Finally, Fiona Patten from The Australian Sex Party spoke. I didn't get any footage, but grabbed photo:
My friend Kathleen with her own personal message:
Finally, a couple of signs and some of the walkers:
EDIT:
Tiara's full speech is now up on YouTube:
It didn't receive as much publicity in the lead up to it as Melbourne Slutwalk, but we still had a crowd of a few hundred turn up.
I've got a piece that I wrote about the Slutwalk last week, now up at The King's Tribune, expanding on the points I made in the mini rant from the other week.
I've been reading lots of pieces about the walks and when I get the chance I'm going to compile a number of them here. Some I don't agree with, some I do, some I just think are so out of the park I don't understand why people actually bothered to write anything, but the ones that I find interesting (for whatever reason) I'll throw up here. I think it's important to see all points of view on this, even if I don't agree with some of them.
Anyway, back to yesterday's walk.
What I found heartening from the people who were there yesterday was the variety. There were even a few dogs out in solidarity. :-)
First, a snippet from the opening speech by the woman who was introducing the speakers. I didn't catch her name so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it. In this clip, she's addressing the use of the term "Slut".
Next was The Porn Report co-author, Professor Alan McKee:
Then, the most touching and amazing speech was from Tiara. She opened by telling of her own sexual assault at the hands of another woman. I didn't capture her entire speech (which was fantastic), but she really summed up the reasons and anger behind the Slutwalks.
Finally, Fiona Patten from The Australian Sex Party spoke. I didn't get any footage, but grabbed photo:
My friend Kathleen with her own personal message:
Finally, a couple of signs and some of the walkers:
EDIT:
Tiara's full speech is now up on YouTube:
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Slutwalk: a rant
(I'll probably write a better post over the weekend addressing some of the criticism I've seen of the Slutwalk, in the meantime, I present this.)
A 15 year old girl is sitting in class. The guy sitting next to her is being annoying and she's trying to ignore him.
He grabs at her breasts.
She turns around and punches him hard in the arm. She looks up at the teacher, who is looking back at her, laughing. He doesn't tell the boy he's done something inappropriate.
Later, this same boy sits next to her in another class. He grabs at her breasts again, once more she punches him. This time the boy says to the teacher, "Miss, she punched me." The teacher replies that he deserved it. But nothing further is said or done.
Nineteen years later this same girl, now a woman, is standing waiting to be served at a favourite cafe near her work. A man comes and stands behind her and "casually" rests his hand on her arse.
Shocked at the blatant behaviour, she is unable to move. Finally she pulls away, glaring up at him. He is not looking at her, and his face reveals nothing.
Months later she realises she's not been back there for lunch since that incident.
*
You've probably seen all the commentary in the media over the past few weeks about the Slutwalk movement gaining traction in Australia.
The moment I first heard about the movement, I knew I wanted to be a part of it should we ever have one in Brisbane. On Saturday 28 May, I will be walking with a few hundred other women (and men) from King George Square to Fortitude Valley.
Slutwalk began in Toronto in reaction to a police officer's comment that women shouldn't dress inappropriately if they wanted to avoid the likelihood of being assaulted*.
It's classic victim-blaming.
I, for one, am fucking over it.
But what is really, really pissing me off are comments in which people agree that blaming the victim for their assault is wrong, but by the way, they believe in personal responsibility when it comes to safety.
Thanks.
You have just proved our point.
By telling women - people - that they need to take personal responsibility for their safety, you are still telling them that they are the ones responsible for what has happened.
You are giving old rhetoric a fresh coat of paint but neglecting to clean the mould off before doing so. It's the same old shit, just a little more shiny.
Are you telling the person who is doing the assaulting that they need to STOP ASSAULTING people? No. Once more you are making the victim the guilty party.
We are marching because despite people making the right noises, the message isn't getting through.
It may also come as a surprise to some of you, but these marches aren't full of women dressed in revealing clothing. Sure, some will do that and I say go for it; but it's not a prerequisite.
Nor is the march about defining women by their sexuality. We don't need to do that, society has been doing that for a long time and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Slutwalk is different to the Take Back The Night movement. TBTN is about all violence against women - not just sexual violence; while Slutwalk is focused on one aspect of that violence - slut-shaming. Despite all the right words being said, women are still blamed for "putting themselves" in the position to be assaulted.
That is why we march.
*
When I was 15, I wasn't asking to have my boobs groped; last year I wasn't putting my arse out there to be grabbed by some random dude when I was trying to work out what salad I felt like.
I wasn't dressed like a "slut".
I was in a "safe" place.
* assault is not confined to rape, please remember that.
A 15 year old girl is sitting in class. The guy sitting next to her is being annoying and she's trying to ignore him.
He grabs at her breasts.
She turns around and punches him hard in the arm. She looks up at the teacher, who is looking back at her, laughing. He doesn't tell the boy he's done something inappropriate.
Later, this same boy sits next to her in another class. He grabs at her breasts again, once more she punches him. This time the boy says to the teacher, "Miss, she punched me." The teacher replies that he deserved it. But nothing further is said or done.
Nineteen years later this same girl, now a woman, is standing waiting to be served at a favourite cafe near her work. A man comes and stands behind her and "casually" rests his hand on her arse.
Shocked at the blatant behaviour, she is unable to move. Finally she pulls away, glaring up at him. He is not looking at her, and his face reveals nothing.
Months later she realises she's not been back there for lunch since that incident.
*
You've probably seen all the commentary in the media over the past few weeks about the Slutwalk movement gaining traction in Australia.
The moment I first heard about the movement, I knew I wanted to be a part of it should we ever have one in Brisbane. On Saturday 28 May, I will be walking with a few hundred other women (and men) from King George Square to Fortitude Valley.
Slutwalk began in Toronto in reaction to a police officer's comment that women shouldn't dress inappropriately if they wanted to avoid the likelihood of being assaulted*.
It's classic victim-blaming.
I, for one, am fucking over it.
But what is really, really pissing me off are comments in which people agree that blaming the victim for their assault is wrong, but by the way, they believe in personal responsibility when it comes to safety.
Thanks.
You have just proved our point.
By telling women - people - that they need to take personal responsibility for their safety, you are still telling them that they are the ones responsible for what has happened.
You are giving old rhetoric a fresh coat of paint but neglecting to clean the mould off before doing so. It's the same old shit, just a little more shiny.
Are you telling the person who is doing the assaulting that they need to STOP ASSAULTING people? No. Once more you are making the victim the guilty party.
We are marching because despite people making the right noises, the message isn't getting through.
It may also come as a surprise to some of you, but these marches aren't full of women dressed in revealing clothing. Sure, some will do that and I say go for it; but it's not a prerequisite.
Nor is the march about defining women by their sexuality. We don't need to do that, society has been doing that for a long time and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Slutwalk is different to the Take Back The Night movement. TBTN is about all violence against women - not just sexual violence; while Slutwalk is focused on one aspect of that violence - slut-shaming. Despite all the right words being said, women are still blamed for "putting themselves" in the position to be assaulted.
That is why we march.
*
When I was 15, I wasn't asking to have my boobs groped; last year I wasn't putting my arse out there to be grabbed by some random dude when I was trying to work out what salad I felt like.
I wasn't dressed like a "slut".
I was in a "safe" place.
* assault is not confined to rape, please remember that.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Rape porn as "male erotica"
I don't normally mind Psychology Today. I admit I just pop in every now and then, but when I read a piece on how feminism kills boners, I got a bit irate.
It wasn't the topic itself, god knows, look anywhere on the internet and you're going to read stuff like that so that is easy to ignore. No, it was this (my italics):
These include some of the most inventive and varied genres of male erotica, such as hypnotism porn (where Svengalis hypnotize woman into having sex), drunk porn (where men trick inebriated women into having sex), sleep porn (where men take advantage of sleeping women), and a wide diversity of exploitation porn (where women exchange sexual favors for school books, a ride, or a rent-free apartment).
Rape is erotic, apparently.
I get that men and women have rape fantasies. I don't understand the attraction, but I know that people have them and if these are acted out in a mutually consenting sexual relationship between adults, then that is fine.
But framing rape porn as erotica is just infuriating.
To make matters worse, when a reader points out that the examples used are examples of rape porn, it is denied:
We did not point to porn that depicts rape, we pointed to porn that depicts dominance.
Bullshit.
The examples given are showing men initiating sex in a manner that suggests that the women have not consented to the act. THAT IS RAPE. "Trick", "hypnotise", "take advantage of" - these are all words and phrases that demonstrate lack of consent. I repeat, THAT IS RAPE.
I don't care about the typical crap in the piece about feminism; feminism is not dominance, it is about equality; there is a significant difference. Although, Ogas does claim that "gender equality inhibits arousal" and that "the majority of women have submission fantasies". Cue eyeroll. That, I suggest, has more to do with society's ongoing issues surrounding equality and gender roles than it does with neuroscience.
What is disturbing is the apparent inability to distinguish genuine consensual dominant acts from acts of rape. Yes, rape is a form of dominance, but to frame it in a way that suggests it is consensual is problematic at best, dangerous at worst.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Baby did a bad, bad thing
Tonight NerdBoy and I are heading off to see Chris Isaak.
The show is at the Riverstage and the weather is lovely for it (thank goodness). I've been wanting to see him live for ages and the last couple of times he has been in Brisbane I've not been able to see him.
Until tonight!
Did you know he's actually 50? I swear I keep thinking he's still in his 30s.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
International Women's Day
Today marks the centenary of International Women’s Day. It is a day born of the European labour movement and in the 70s it developed into its current incarnation of celebrating women’s achievement.
However, IWD not only celebrates achievements, it also serves to highlight the continuing gender inequality in society, placing particular emphasis on that which impacts women.
Despite what some media commentators would like us to believe, we don’t live in a “post-feminist” world; women are still underpaid and undervalued. Australia has women in significant positions of power, however this is not indicative of an equal society – women in this country are still earning 84 cents on the dollar when compared to men; less if they are in part time work.
The theme for this year’s IWD is equal access to education and equality in the workplace. There was a discussion on QandA last night regarding the composition of corporate boards and whether there should be quotas for the number of women filing the positions. Personally, I believe this would be a step in the wrong direction.
Yes, the gender ratio on boards is disheartening, but we need to look at why there are so few women in these positions.
Quotas will do nothing but entrench resentment in those who are genuinely more qualified than those who take the positions to fill a percentage. Quotas don’t address the underlying issue of why women are not members of boards – it’s less about qualification and more about institutionalised inequality.
Women spend less time in the workplace then men. Why? Because society expects them to take extensive time off to look after children. Men are not encouraged to take extended parental leave when a child is born. In fact, the Liberal Party’s proposed parental leave scheme reinforces income disparity: regardless of who takes the leave, the amount that will be paid is based on the woman’s salary. Given that many women earn less than their partners, the scheme would actually be exploiting inequality.
Legislation specifying the number of women on corporate boards will not change wage gaps; it will not make it more socially acceptable for men to take parental leave of more than a few weeks.
It won’t make childcare easier to access; rape culture to disappear; ensure non-cis people aren’t discriminated against or victimised; prevent child exploitation; stop the trafficking of women and children; legalise marriage for all; prevent burqa bans; cease the advertising of unattainable beauty standards; ensure PWD are treated equally.
It doesn’t address the fact that women still don’t have full reproductive rights or are victims of passive and agressive sexual violence. That in our fight to bring assailants to justice, we may be further victimised or even slut-shamed.
These things (and more) impact more Western women on a daily basis than the gender distribution on corporate boards.
IWD reminds us of the great achivements in women’s rights; but it also serves to underscore how much progress is yet to come.
I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from Emma Goldman:
The history of progress is written in the blood of men and women who have dared to espouse an unpopular cause, as, for instance, the black man's right to his body, or woman's right to her soul.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Lazy Sunday
Last Monday I got an email from Miss-a-ree asking if I wanted to join her for the Chicks-In-Pink/International Women's Day Fun Run/Walk. I agreed, despite having to get out of bed at 5 a.m. on Sunday (yesterday). It was only 5km, half that of the MS walk we did a few years ago, so I figured why not? I wouldn't be running it (unlike my sister) and I could always spend the afternoon recovering (sleeping) from the horrors of such an early start.
See, this is where I seem to go wrong. Making assumptions about how my weekend is going to go. Thankfully I arranged to have today off, knowing that I'd be a little bit sore. What I wasn't expecting was to be sunburnt.
Oh, it wasn't from the walk. See, we were prepared for that with hats and sunscreen. It was the rest of our day that ensured we'd remember it for a little while longer.
When we got back to the car after the walk and were about to head off for breakfast, Miss-a-ree received a text from a very hungover friend saying she wasn't going to be able to go to the Friends of Folk Festival later that day. I volunteered to take her ticket.
It was great. I saw some fantastic new bands, got some wonderful music, met some of Miss-a-ree's oldest friends ... and was the recipient of some fabulous sunburn.
We didn't think to take our hats and sunscreen to the festival. Because it was an all-weather gig and so it was assumed that the entire festival was held indoors. And most of it was - except for the main stage. Where we were at midday.
Yes, yes, I know. Two very pale girls in the sun in the middle of the day in QLD. You can see how it went.
But, whatever. The day was wonderful. We got there late because we had to pick up my ticket (as well as have breakfast and change from the walk) so we missed one of the bands Miss-a-ree wanted to see: The Flumes. They're actually old friends of hers and it was disappointing to not see them play. They did catch up with her later (and I got to talking with their drummer DJ who it turns out is very familiar with one of NerdBoy's bands so we were gushing over them) so all was not lost.
But, on the recommendation of a friend, we did sit and watch Spacifix. They were awesome. Their energy was huge, and the music - a mix of reggae, funk and soul - had me up and buying my first CD of the day. I took a small amount of footage, but it really doesn't do them justice:
Next was The Good Ship. We only caught the end of their last song, but again found ourselves at the merchandise desk. I'm hoping to see them again in May.
As much as I loved those two bands, and Rachael Brady who we saw just before we left, the highlight for me was Emma Dean.
I cannot stress enough that should you have the opportunity to see her live that you do it. She performed songs from her Dr Dream and the Imaginary Pop Cabaret album.
She has three 'imaginary friends' on stage with her. They interact with the audience at the beginning of the show, then move onstage to perform with Emma and around her. A clip:
It really doesn't demonstrate the absolute magnificence of the performance. Yes, I am gushing. Check out some of the clips on her YouTube channel to get a better idea. She is, however, one of those performers who must be seen live to be fully appreciated.
After Emma Dean, we went and saw Rachael Brady. She happened to be playing as the same time as Don Walker, so her audience wasn't as large as I expect she would normally attract. (And yes, it was painful missing out on Waker, but he wouldn't have missed us.) Rachael apologised for being ill, but there was no need. Her voice is so strong her cold didn't seem to impact one bit.
At the end of her show she spoke about how while she grew up in Brisbane she now lives in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. She talked of how she performed at a Brisbane flood benefit gig in Leura and that she was overwhelmed by their generosity - they raised $15,000. Having been to Leura myself recently (one day I'll tell you all about it!) I am amazed that such a small town, village really, could raise such an amount. Hearing that really topped off a fantastic day.
Seeing great music with an even better friend - can't get much better than that!
One thing Rachael and Nigel played at the gig was a cover of Edith Piaf's La Vie en Rose (one of my favourite songs) I'll leave you with a clip I found on YouTube:
See, this is where I seem to go wrong. Making assumptions about how my weekend is going to go. Thankfully I arranged to have today off, knowing that I'd be a little bit sore. What I wasn't expecting was to be sunburnt.
Oh, it wasn't from the walk. See, we were prepared for that with hats and sunscreen. It was the rest of our day that ensured we'd remember it for a little while longer.
When we got back to the car after the walk and were about to head off for breakfast, Miss-a-ree received a text from a very hungover friend saying she wasn't going to be able to go to the Friends of Folk Festival later that day. I volunteered to take her ticket.
It was great. I saw some fantastic new bands, got some wonderful music, met some of Miss-a-ree's oldest friends ... and was the recipient of some fabulous sunburn.
We didn't think to take our hats and sunscreen to the festival. Because it was an all-weather gig and so it was assumed that the entire festival was held indoors. And most of it was - except for the main stage. Where we were at midday.
Yes, yes, I know. Two very pale girls in the sun in the middle of the day in QLD. You can see how it went.
But, whatever. The day was wonderful. We got there late because we had to pick up my ticket (as well as have breakfast and change from the walk) so we missed one of the bands Miss-a-ree wanted to see: The Flumes. They're actually old friends of hers and it was disappointing to not see them play. They did catch up with her later (and I got to talking with their drummer DJ who it turns out is very familiar with one of NerdBoy's bands so we were gushing over them) so all was not lost.
But, on the recommendation of a friend, we did sit and watch Spacifix. They were awesome. Their energy was huge, and the music - a mix of reggae, funk and soul - had me up and buying my first CD of the day. I took a small amount of footage, but it really doesn't do them justice:
Next was The Good Ship. We only caught the end of their last song, but again found ourselves at the merchandise desk. I'm hoping to see them again in May.
As much as I loved those two bands, and Rachael Brady who we saw just before we left, the highlight for me was Emma Dean.
I cannot stress enough that should you have the opportunity to see her live that you do it. She performed songs from her Dr Dream and the Imaginary Pop Cabaret album.
She has three 'imaginary friends' on stage with her. They interact with the audience at the beginning of the show, then move onstage to perform with Emma and around her. A clip:
It really doesn't demonstrate the absolute magnificence of the performance. Yes, I am gushing. Check out some of the clips on her YouTube channel to get a better idea. She is, however, one of those performers who must be seen live to be fully appreciated.
After Emma Dean, we went and saw Rachael Brady. She happened to be playing as the same time as Don Walker, so her audience wasn't as large as I expect she would normally attract. (And yes, it was painful missing out on Waker, but he wouldn't have missed us.) Rachael apologised for being ill, but there was no need. Her voice is so strong her cold didn't seem to impact one bit.
At the end of her show she spoke about how while she grew up in Brisbane she now lives in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. She talked of how she performed at a Brisbane flood benefit gig in Leura and that she was overwhelmed by their generosity - they raised $15,000. Having been to Leura myself recently (one day I'll tell you all about it!) I am amazed that such a small town, village really, could raise such an amount. Hearing that really topped off a fantastic day.
Seeing great music with an even better friend - can't get much better than that!
One thing Rachael and Nigel played at the gig was a cover of Edith Piaf's La Vie en Rose (one of my favourite songs) I'll leave you with a clip I found on YouTube:
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Underrated trash tv
I'm a fan of trashy television. I do, of course, have what could would laughingly be call standards*.
Most reality shows I will not watch. I get sucked into Master Chef and So You Think You Can Dance on a pretty regular basis, but I generally avoid all the rest. That's not to say that I don't watch them. I'll watch a season (or half of one) here and there of new shows but don't end up making them part of a must watch list.
There are some shows I think are underrated. Yes, they might still be trashy, but they meet my requirements - believeable acting and tolerable storylines. It shouldn't be difficult.
I used to watch Relic Hunter regularly when it was on free-to-air many years ago. It was incredibly cheesy; a blatant rip off of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider - and I loved it. My dad even likes it, and he is usually disdainful of bad television shows.
Three seasons were made and up until recently only the first two were available on DVD. A few weeks ago She-ra and I stumbled across season 3. I saw it first and she was devastated as it was the only copy. I win at JB Hi-Fi. *evil laugh*
So now I'm spending a few weekends rewatching episodes of the show.
Tia Carrere plays Sydney Fox - a professor of Ancient Studies, part-time relic hunter and full-time Mary Sue. She is assisted by Nigel Bailey (Christian Anholt**) who is uptight, British and somewhat enamoured of his boss. Claudia (Lindy Booth) is Sydney's secretary - supposedly a stereotypical dumb blonde, she comes through for Sydney and Nigel more than once.
I'm halfway through season 2 at the moment. I'm surprised by the number of episodes that I don't remember seeing on television. It's been a few years since I watched the DVDs, but despite my previous viewings I can still pick the ones that I didn't see back in the day.
Claudia is replaced in season 3 - I think I only saw one or two episodes of that season, so it's going to be like watching a new series.
Of course, after watching all of these, I'll have a desire to re-watch Tomb Raider, the Indiana Jones films (excluding the travesty that was Crystal Skull) and the Young Indiana Jones series.
Oh, and the Librarian films.
* I still feel superior to She-ra, who loves the Kardashians and never met a Footballer's Wives episode she didn't enjoy.
** The first time I ever saw Preaching to the Perverted, I was highly amused by his leading role. I will never be able to watch him as Nigel again without picturing the pony scene from the film.
Most reality shows I will not watch. I get sucked into Master Chef and So You Think You Can Dance on a pretty regular basis, but I generally avoid all the rest. That's not to say that I don't watch them. I'll watch a season (or half of one) here and there of new shows but don't end up making them part of a must watch list.
There are some shows I think are underrated. Yes, they might still be trashy, but they meet my requirements - believeable acting and tolerable storylines. It shouldn't be difficult.
I used to watch Relic Hunter regularly when it was on free-to-air many years ago. It was incredibly cheesy; a blatant rip off of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider - and I loved it. My dad even likes it, and he is usually disdainful of bad television shows.
Three seasons were made and up until recently only the first two were available on DVD. A few weeks ago She-ra and I stumbled across season 3. I saw it first and she was devastated as it was the only copy. I win at JB Hi-Fi. *evil laugh*
So now I'm spending a few weekends rewatching episodes of the show.
Tia Carrere plays Sydney Fox - a professor of Ancient Studies, part-time relic hunter and full-time Mary Sue. She is assisted by Nigel Bailey (Christian Anholt**) who is uptight, British and somewhat enamoured of his boss. Claudia (Lindy Booth) is Sydney's secretary - supposedly a stereotypical dumb blonde, she comes through for Sydney and Nigel more than once.
I'm halfway through season 2 at the moment. I'm surprised by the number of episodes that I don't remember seeing on television. It's been a few years since I watched the DVDs, but despite my previous viewings I can still pick the ones that I didn't see back in the day.
Claudia is replaced in season 3 - I think I only saw one or two episodes of that season, so it's going to be like watching a new series.
Of course, after watching all of these, I'll have a desire to re-watch Tomb Raider, the Indiana Jones films (excluding the travesty that was Crystal Skull) and the Young Indiana Jones series.
Oh, and the Librarian films.
* I still feel superior to She-ra, who loves the Kardashians and never met a Footballer's Wives episode she didn't enjoy.
** The first time I ever saw Preaching to the Perverted, I was highly amused by his leading role. I will never be able to watch him as Nigel again without picturing the pony scene from the film.
Still alive
Hi, how are you? Me? I'm fine for the most part.
Yes, I have writer's block. Sort of. I know what I want to write, I start writing but just can't finish. I have half a dozen partially written posts sitting in draft form but just can't push them over the line to complete them.
It's horribly frustrating.
My time for writing is becoming more limited as well. A while back I instituted a "no computer after 8:30 pm on a school night" rule so that I wouldn't spend half the night on the computer and thus take forever to get to sleep when I finally dragged myself to bed.
Last week I also started an experiment. No television Monday to Thursday. At all. Instead, I've been using the extra time to read, yet another thing that the internet has been slowly stealing from me over the past few years. I'm not sure how long this will last, but it seems to be going well so far.
I've no intention of stopping the blog though. I just need to find the motivation to finish things; the time to do so. I suspect blogging will become just a weekend / day off / holiday thing from now on. I'm OK with that, I think. The mood may take me during the week and I'll run with it if that is the case, I'm not going to stop myself from writing if the brain gears up.
It's frustrating wanting to write, having the desire to do so, starting a task but not finishing. I love writing, I don't care if that many people read what I write, I just like the process.
But I am annoyed with my inability to do this at the moment.
I know everyone goes through it, but that doesn't make it as easy to tolerate. Not when on some level you know you need to write in order to be yourself. You know those phases where you just don't read anything, or complete anything that you begin to read? That's what this reminds me of. You just go with the flow and know that one day you'll get your mojo back.
Until then, it's bloody frustrating.
So I've not voluntarily left my peeps, it's just that my brain has temporarily left me. Hopefully for not too much longer.
Any suggestions you might have to help me along in this time if first world need would be greatly appreciated!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Generation Y: Gender Traitors!
Every few years an article or two appears in the paper griping about how the young 'uns today don't know how to do the most basic of tasks.
Enter the women of Generation Y. In 2011, women under the age of 30 are no longer capable of "basic 'female' skills".
What makes a skill a 'female' skill? Does it wear pink and simper at the sight of a lumberjack?
BASIC "female" skills are becoming endangered with fewer young women able to iron a shirt, cook a roast chicken or hem a skirt.
Just as more modern men are unable to complete traditional male tasks, new research shows Generation Y women can't do the chores their mothers and grandmothers did daily, reported The Courier-Mail.
Only 51 per cent of women aged under 30 can cook a roast compared with 82 per cent of baby boomers.
Baking lamingtons is a dying art with 20 per cent of Gen Y capable of whipping up the Aussie classic, down from 45 per cent for previous generations.
Let's set aside the blatant gender stereotypes and look at the examples provided.
Hemming a skirt. Roasting a chicken. Ironing a shirt. Making lamingtons. None of these are everyday tasks in the 21st century, yet apparently our mothers and grandmothers did these every day. That's news to me and I expect it would be surprising to my mother and my grandmothers.
Why these particular skills? Why not vacuuming? Is it because we want to give the impression that young women are forgoing what are seen as the nurturing and caring aspects of what it "means to be a woman"?
Let's take a look at those stats. Why is it that 18 percent of baby boomers are unable to cook a roast? They should be ashamed of themselves. Not to mention the 35% who can't make lamingtons. What. Is. This. World. Coming. To?
Social researcher Mark McCrindle said: "Women of today tend to be busier, juggling more roles, and are quite prepared to compromise a bit of the homemade just to save some time.Yes, women are busier today. Many work full time then arrive home to put in several more hours around the house. If that means sacrificing a living up to the expectations of others in favour of time relaxation time, then I'd say it's worth it.
"They also have a lot more disposable income compared with their mums and their grandmothers so buying a cake mix or lamingtons ready-made is not a big deal."
Traditional skills outside the kitchen are falling by the wayside with Gen Y women woefully behind their older counterparts, the study by McCrindle Research found. Only 23 per cent can grow a plant from a cutting when 78 per cent of older women say this is a breeze.
How many people under the age of 30 have even attempted to grow a plant from a cutting?
"We live in a throw-away culture where, rather than repair something, we will buy a new one, even if it is just a matter of darning holes or sewing on buttons," Mr McCrindle said.
"As such, many women have lost these skills. If we do want something repaired, women today are more likely to take it to their local drycleaner because they are busy and can afford it."
If we live in a throw-away culture and would rather bin clothes instead of mending them ... why would people take them to a drycleaner?
Driving manual cars is also on the decline with just 40 per cent of women under 30 possessing this skill compared to 71 per cent of older women.
I'm not familiar with new cars, but I'm going to take a guess and assume that many of them are automatics rather than manual.
Frankly, I'm confused about why this is even an issue. Isn't driving a manual car a "male skill"?
The results tally with a recent survey, which found that Australian men from Gen Y were more comfortable changing a nappy than changing a tyre.
Oh shit. The feminists are turning men into eunuchs.
But Gen Y women are taking on other skills.
As well as working full or part-time, they are doing tasks previously done by men.
More than 70 per cent of women under 30 say they often take out the bins, 77 per cent mow the lawn and 70 per cent claim they wash the car.
Women are ignoring their nurturing imperative to become more like men. Or, at least, so they claim.
*
Here's the thing - more people in their 20s are living with their parents because the cost of living is so high. Rent and electricity do not come cheap, and if you want to be able to save anything you need to reduce these two expenditures.
Given that more adults are finding themselves in this situation, it comes as no surprise that they are less inclined to cook, or perform simple tasks like hemming skirts or ironing shirts. Or washing.
If they are living away from their parents they are likely to be working full-time, in a two or more income household, and are thus less likely (or inclined) to do what seems like more work during their own time.
Like it or not, gender roles are also breaking down (albeit at a snail's pace). More men are willing to forgo working outside the home if their partner wants to remain in the workforce. Having said that, many couples need two incomes if they want to purchase a house, or even save for a holiday. This doesn't allow much time for making lamingtons.
Finally, people need to have the interest in doing all those things. If you aren't interested in gardening then you're unlikely to even attempt to grow something from an already established plant, let alone a cutting.
So once more we have to listen to a few days about how people are too reliant on modern day conveniences, and if we're really unlucky Miranda Devine will write a column blaming feminism. All so that baby boomers can run around with a feeling of superiority.
Friday, January 28, 2011
(Relatively) calm in the face of a storm
The first one I heard about was her Sunrise interview. Predictably, a phone poll was done and unsurprisingly 93% of callers were against the levy. As one of the guys at work said to me when we were muttering over this, "If phone polls were accurate, that's how we'd vote!" Media phone (and website) polls prove nothing other than people who are outraged are the ones most likely to participate, resulting in fodder for journalists.
What astounds me is David Koch demanding a guarantee from the Prime Minister that the levy will be reimbursed should the rebuild be less than estimated. This is after questioning the wisdom in not reducing the amount of foreign aid and referring to the contingency money as a "slush fund". Way to editorialise there, David.
But it's about what I'd expect from that particular outlet.
Later, she was interviewed by Neil Mitchell on 3AW. I don't listen to the radio much anymore, but will if I've been told that I need to listen to a particularly interesting segment. As such, I don't listen to Neil Mitchell (the man who made Tony Abbott sign the infamous WorkChoices pledge) and after today's performance I don't think I'll ever tune in for the hell of it.
Mitchell was being patronising and Gillard called him on it. He started with (17:55 in):
I would just say if there is one rort, if there is one travel junket, if there is one wasted dollar in the next couple of years, there's gonna be hell to pay because the people won't cop it.Then when Gillard was trying to talk to him he spoke over the top of her, chastising like she is a child:
And to manage the money properly! Please!Gillard told him to stop being patronising (rightly so), and while trying to speak to him said she understands the need for people to see where the money is going and for it to be managed well. That's when he started yelling over her:
Oh Prime Minister you didn't when you were running the building education system!Then:
You say I'm patronising you, well I am not! You ran the Building Education Revolution, and it was an absolute disaster, so don't tell me that!It wasn't a disaster. If you took the time to study the report (PDF) that came out, you would know that less than 3% of projects attracted complaints. Which Gillard pointed out to Mitchell.
She then goes on to state that she has deferred some infrastructure spending to allow for the flood spending, but that it was a difficult decision to make. His response?
Don't patronise me, Prime Minister, of course it's not an easy decision.Gillard kept her cool. Mitchell was the one behaving like a brat. But what is the headline news.com.au runs with?
Of course the media tells people what they want them to hear. How many would seek out the actual interview and judge it for themselves? Certainly not those who already dislike the idea of the levy, or who even have issue with the Gillard government as a whole.
While her performance wasn't perfect (how can it be in the face of such an attack), she certainly held her own and didn't lose her temper. She got a bit snippy perhaps, but considering what she was dealing with it was understandable. I'm waiting for someone to use the term "shrill" in describing her side of the interview, even though she is clearly not the one who can be characterised as such.
With Abbott playing politics with the flood virtually from day one, Gillard was never going to be able to convince taxpayers that spending money is a good thing. If the levy (and spending cuts) weren't introduced, there would have been wailing about the deficit, but now that a levy has been announced there is bitterness about having to pay "out of our pockets" - even when that is precisely where all government money is sourced.
Any Labor government in this country is going to be scrutinised carefully, even unfairly so, when it comes to economic management. The Howard government was an expert at building fear in Australians, and the two major achievements they have in this area are the increase in xenophobia and the distrust of Labor's pecuniary credentials.
Mitchell was out of line. Despite his personal feelings about Gillard, the government and the levy, he should have at least affected respect. What may be acceptable from the Opposition on the floor of parliament, is not justifiable in an interview.
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