tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10235900162840580712024-03-12T21:07:28.796-07:00RuminationsA space for us to ponder our WorldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-44277911484196012222014-07-16T01:54:00.001-07:002014-07-16T01:54:32.569-07:00A response to '6 things a man will literally never get' by Mena Coticelli<p dir="ltr"><br>
I recently came across this *ahem* well written article on Thought Catalog (do not ask me why I still look at that site, there is no rational answer, I know it’s full of rubbish). I read it for a chuckle, but then became quite upset about not what the article says about men, but what it says about women. So, I am choosing to make a response to these 6 items, but firstly you should read the original article <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/mena-coticelli/2014/04/6-things-men-will-literally-never-get/">here</a><br>
 </p>
<p dir="ltr">1)      Drinks at the club</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ms Coticelli shares her experience that men who buy her drinks at a bar expect her to return their generosity with going home with them, presumably for sex. She claims that men “go into shock mode and throw a temper tantrum when I go back to MY room with MY friends [emphasis hers]”. If this indeed has happened to her, then this is concerning. Of course men should not presume that buying a woman a drink gives him access to her vagina.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">On the flip side, Ms Coticelli’s attitude of “I just saved 15 percent or more by being a girl” is pretty offensive. If you have experience that men throw “tantrums” when they buy you a drink and then don’t sleep with them, DON’T ACCEPT THEIR OFFER OF A DRINK. She portrays women as all scheming and eager to drain guys of their money. I would rather pay for my own, or buy rounds. Not that hard really.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">2)      When we say we need space</p>
<p dir="ltr">In this point, the author states that when women say they want space, they really want a guy to stalk them and spend money on expensive dinners.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This second point can be construed as either a) in direct contrast to her first point (except the women being hungry for money), or b) tied up in Ms Coticelli’s irrational fear of learning how to communicate properly (see point 5).</p>
<p dir="ltr">So she tells men in her first point that they shouldn’t get a shock when women don’t want to go home with them after buying them a drink, but then she tells men that “space” means “try harder to make us feel wanted”. I know I’m over thinking this (see below) but doesn’t this almost sound like 'No means Yes'? Men will LITERALLY never get you Ms Coticelli because the majority of men are logical beings, unlike you. I ask for space when I need it, thank you very much.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">3)      We don’t over-think</p>
<p dir="ltr">In this point, Ms Coticelli insinuates that all women “analyse” and “remember everything you’ve ever said”, and claims women who don’t do this are pretending to be cool.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Look, maybe I just date a different calibre of men to this author, but I’ve never had an issue with men believing I “over-think” things. Many men I’ve dated analyse things more than me, but this is neither here nor there. Her point seems like a very teen age statement, and not reflective at all about what men don’t understand about women.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">4)      We already know the truth</p>
<p dir="ltr">The author complains that men don’t tell the truth, or rather, tell only partial truths, which cause women to lose trust in them and consider them a “lying sociopath”. Look, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the telling the truth part, but I’m sorry, how is this something that men will literally never get? Women lie just as much as men, and many men I know have been at the receiving end of such treatment. But this is small fry; I don’t really care if Ms Coticelli thinks all men are lying sociopaths because they withhold part of the truth from her. The next point she makes is really what gets my blood boiling...</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">5)      When we say we’re fine, we’re NOT</p>
<p dir="ltr">The author writes “This stereotype of a woman saying she’s fine when she’s not should basically be a law at this point. It is tried and true and happens all the time, and yet men STILL DONT GET IT ... when we say we’re fine but you know we’re not, keep asking. Not once or twice, not even asking seven or eight times will get us to crack. I’m talking like 20 to 25 times over a span of a two to four hour period. [emphasis hers]” </p>
<p dir="ltr">So, essentially, the author is blaming all men for her (and other women’s) inability to properly communicate their feelings. Again, I hope not many men read her article, because she is again telling men that women send out mixed signals, “so if they say they don’t want something, they probably do” and this leads to many difficulties in other more sensitive areas such as negotiating consent in sexual relationships (if you want to know more about what I mean when I say negotiating consent, read <a href="http://www.theconsensualproject.com/blog/negotiations-great-sexpectations">Nina Funnell</a>  she’s amazing, and [brag!] I have had the opportunity of meeting her a few times.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anyway, back to my fist-shake at the irritating Ms Coticelli. Why does she think that it is acceptable for a woman to say she’s fine when she’s not, and expect a man to keep asking if she’s ok “And don’t just say “You okay?” “You okay?” “What’s wrong?” “You okay?” No. Say “baby I know something is really bothering you right now. I love you and I will never judge you for your feelings. Please tell me...”. I will assume for the sake of argument that Ms Coticelli does this to her boyfriend/ significant other/ sexual partner whatever you wish to call it. I’m sorry, but I actually think it’s quite disrespectful to tell your partner you’re ok when you’re not. Why is it not ok for a man to lie to a woman (see point 4), but it’s perfectly acceptable for a woman to not only lie about how they are feeling, but expect men to continuously follow up with them until the woman feels appropriately emotionally elevated enough to tell him she’s pissed off? The writer of this article is full of contradictions, and it really is perpetuating bad (and mostly false) stereotypes of women, that we Feminists have been trying so hard to break down in the last few decades.</p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">6)      Fantasies</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ok, this one is just bizarre. Ms Coticelli explains in her final point that all women (supposedly) have romantic fantasies and want a “prince charming”. She lists a series of movies that men should know about and aspire to. Let’s check them out:</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Vow: Haven’t seen it, but according to Wikipedia, the female protagonist is in a horrific car accident. Yeah, I dream about getting mauled in a car crash every day. I don’t even know what happens that is romantic; I was so supremely bored by the Wikipedia description that I couldn’t read until the end....</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Notebook: She gets Dementia, forgets her family, then she dies. Romantic.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Titanic: She cheats on her Husband, her love interest dies.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Great Gatsby: She cheats on her Husband with a guy who stalks her, her love interest dies. Perhaps if she'd bothered to read the book she would understand The Great Gatsby is a scathing social commentary, not a romance... </p>
<p dir="ltr">Magic Mike: Ok, I haven’t seen this one either, but, going from the theme developing above, I’m betting “Mike” either has a massive accident, or dies.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So the moral of the story is, men, please don’t listen to this garbage Ms Coticelli has written. She paints an awful, manipulative, bimbo stereotype of women that is not true (at least for the majority of us). So the thing <i>I will lit</i><i>erally never get </i>is you, Mena Coticelli!</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-6986998345305785562014-04-07T02:25:00.000-07:002014-04-07T02:25:14.508-07:00Three reasons to avoid getting depression<br />
<br />
In case you didin't know (though I can't imagine you don't- I harp on about it so much) I have depression. Despite the very obvious reason that wanting desperately to end you own life is probably one of the most awful emotional experiences you can have, here are three lighthearted reasons you should consider before choosing whether becoming depressed is worth it.<br />
<br />
1) you have to fight your stupid mouth every day.<br />
Since I handle medication like a boss, I dont seem to experience most of the advertised side effects of antidepressents. Depending on the specific drug, some of the potential side effects include dizziness, blurred vision, constipation, urine retention, higher cholestrol, and other super happy fun things. But one thing every anti depressent I've tried (and I've been on a fair few) is DRY MOUTH. Oh my lord, it's disgusting. Imagine the worst hangover you've ever had, where you have woken up with a crusty mouth that tastes like someone has been maturing nappy flavoured cheese in it. I wake up to that Every. Single. Morning. My mouth is so dry in the morning, it literally hurts. A tight hurt, like how sunburn feels. So if you enjoy having good breath, or are partial to morning sex that includes kissing, try your best not to have to take anti depressents.<br />
<br />
2) you spend a frustrating amount of time waiting.<br />
If you choose to travel to depression land, make sure you take a good book with you. You'll be waiting endlessly. First, at the doctors office to get a referral to a good psychiatrist (and remember that referral only lasts 12 months, you'll be back there in a year), then waiting in the psychiatrist waiting room (where you inevitably play "guess the disorder" in your head about other people who are waiting), then the waiting every time you need a script refilled at your chemist. Seriously, I see my chemist so often, I see her more than she sees her best friend, and im sure I'll get an invite to her upcoming wedding. Having to explain how I know the bride will be fun "oh, how do I know Janine? She thought I was illegally writing my own scripts because I spend more money on drugs than Paris Hilton does on spray tans, but then she realised I'm just screwed up in the head."<br />
<br />
3) you hate your friends and family (sometimes).<br />
Now, I can't be certain this is an issue to do with my depression, or just a personality flaw, but I have a hard time when people change plans on me at the last minute. When it takes two days to psych yourself up to go to some event or hang out somewhere and then the plans change, it can send me into a tailspin and I end up cursing everyone and everything. Stick to the plan, people! That way I can go through endless scenarios in my head, get my hopes up about the event, have them suitably dashed, and end up hating you for that instead! Gee, it's fun to have depression. I highly recommend it to everyone :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-47301414903731649802014-01-18T18:17:00.000-08:002014-01-18T18:17:04.733-08:00One sentence life lessons from literature<br />
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a book nerd, so when I come across random posts like this <a href="http://bookriot.com/2013/12/27/30-one-sentence-lessons-literature/" target="_blank">http://bookriot.com/2013/12/27/30-one-sentence-lessons-literature/</a> I immediately want to contribute with some of my own.<br />
<br />
The Book Riot lesson that most got me chuckling was<br />
<br />
"<strong>20. <em>Tess of the D’Urbervilles</em> by Thomas Hardy: </strong>Just when you thought that life couldn’t get any more unfair, you read Tess and lost any last shred of hope."<br />
<br />
Anyone who's read Tess knows that life just really kicks her in the nuts. Repeatedly. Just because she wants to be an honest person. It's an amazing novel.<br />
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Dracula is another of my favourite novels; Book Riot life lesson from Dracula is "<strong></strong>If you have a choice between Count Dracula’s castle and the Holiday Inn, stay at the Holiday Inn." I actually think I can do better, the life lesson I can take away is - "Men, do not leave your lady folk sleeping alone while you go out and hunt vampires- they will be preyed upon". <br />
<br />
Anyway, I got caught up in this game from that point, and here's a few more of my own life lessons from literature whittled down to a sentence.<br />
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Captain Corelli's Mandolin by <span class="st"> Louis de Bernières: Dudes, learn an instrument, chicks dig musicians.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">Charlotte's Web by EB White: Don't make friends with animals that only have a one year life span; you'll get hurt.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">Maya by Jostein Gaarder: Learning a secret language in order to cheat at cards is easier than it seems.</span><br />
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<span class="st">Children of Men, Oryx and Crake, and other dystopian/end of humanity novels</span>: Keep plenty of canned food in your pantry- when the world's population dives into anarchy, chances are someone will come searching through your house, and thank you for these stores.<br />
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East of Eden by John Steinbeck: DON'T name your children after biblical figures with tragic stories, it's a self fulfilling prophecy, really.<br />
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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: DO name your children after Atticus Finch; they will grow up to be the noblest, most ethical person ever!<br />
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I could go on and on, but I won't. Happy reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-61725095481836640572013-10-06T23:35:00.000-07:002013-10-06T23:36:03.303-07:00Magic movie moments<br />
Hi boys and girls! Thought I'd do a little post to share with you my favourite movie scenes of all time. When I began considering this post, I had wanted to do a '5 movies that changed my life' to tie in with my <a href="http://missyjkym.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/five-books-that-changed-my-life.html" target="_blank">5 books that changed my life</a> post a few months back. Weirdly, when I began thinking about it, the impact movies have had on my life is minuscule compared to books. I guess I'm just a massive nerd. So instead, in no particular order, here are 5 movie scenes that have left an indelible impression on me...<br />
<br />
The scene where ....<br />
<br />
<b>Romeo meets Juliet in Baz Lurhmann's 1996 production</b><br />
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Can you believe this was 1996?!?!? God we've all grown up a lot since then... I know I know it's cheesy cheesy crap! Hey, at least I didn't choose <i>that</i> kiss in the rain from The Notebook!<br />
<br />
It's strange how much I dislike Bazza's more recent stuff, because the second scene I'm picking is also from that famed director.<br />
<br />
The scene where ....<br />
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<b>The dad starts clapping in Strictly Ballroom</b><br />
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<br />
Oh. My. God. GOOSEBUMPS EVERY FUCKING TIME!!!!<br />
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HINT: If you've not seen this movie before, DO NOT watch this little clip. This film must be seen in it's entirity, on the largest screen you can find, for maximum impact. Poor Paul Mecurio, he was so so handsome, now he's reduced to making ads for margerine for an income.<br />
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The scene where ....<br />
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<b>Mufasa dies in The Lion King</b><br />
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2:20 onwards in particular. I don't care if it's a cartoon. It's one of the best movies ever made. Anyone who doesn't cry when they see this is a heartless monster!<br />
<br />
The scene where ....<br />
<br />
<b>Salvatore (Toto) watches Alfredo's film at the end of Cinema Paradiso</b><br />
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Again, without watching the entire film, this final scene would have no meaning. Not only is it one of the best movies of all time, it has the most gut wrenching scores of all time. God bless the Italians - no one does emotion like them! (Full disclosure- while compiling this post, I watched this clip three times in a row - it's just so beautiful!)<br />
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The scene where ....<br />
<br />
<b>Bubba dies in Forrest Gump</b><br />
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<br />
<br />
Oh, it was SOOO tough to choose this one - there were two scenes from this movie that give me goosebumps - this one and the one at the end where he's speaking to Jenny's grave. So what if it's mainstream, it's a damn good movie!<br />
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So there it is, my list of 5 top movie scenes that have pierced my weary, cynical soul. Feel free to comment! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-70204094900836641452013-09-22T04:11:00.001-07:002013-10-07T15:40:23.048-07:00'Old School' words with friends!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was having (an admittedly drunken) discussion with a friend the other night, about vernacular trends, along the lines of “why don’t people say ‘festy’ anymore?” ... “I’m going to bring back the word ‘Chat’!”. So I thought I’d compile a little dictionary of words that have fallen out of use from my vocab, a sociological fossil bank if you will. Oh the hubris of thinking that I’m the first person to have done this (a subsequent Google search would inform me!) But, I’ll stick to my word, and give you a list of 90’s and 00’s slang words that I miss dearly:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Homeboy: Sometimes shortened to ‘Homie’. A gang member or, more loosely, a friend, who has your back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Chat or chattie: for something to be chat, it has to be ‘stupid’, but specifically things that a 12 to 14 year old would think are stupid. Perfect example “I have to hang out with the parentals this weekend; it’s so chat”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Headbanger: someone who enjoys banging their head to heavy metal music. Actually, I’m not totally sure whether this term has fallen out of use; perhaps its just that I never speak to people who have much interest in metal...</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Derro: Ok, I’m sure bogans from Cronulla still use this term, but its been a while since I heard it. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be short for something (delinquent, perhaps?), but basically it means a waste of space human, usually jobless, unintelligent etc etc. Think of Billy Madison before he went back to school.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Feral Bush Pig: No explanation needed. I AM bringing this back, so keep your ears out.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then, there’s every single term that was used in the classic (yes, whether you like it or not, it IS a classic!) Clueless. I could write a whole article about this, but, luckily, someone already has! (see <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/19/clueless-glossary-buggin-cake-boy-more-90-s-slang-from-the-film.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">End of transmission. Feel free to add your own to the list!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-30553115558382972202013-07-14T01:39:00.000-07:002013-07-14T01:39:13.731-07:00I heart Pixar<br />
<span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><b>Yeah, sorry boys and girls, this isn't even a full post, just a re-posting of something that I found that is <i>AWESOME</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: #3d85c6;"><b>Enjoy!</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mashable.com/2013/07/12/the-pixar-theory/" target="_blank">http://mashable.com/2013/07/12/the-pixar-theory</a><br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-9317069683081395092013-03-09T17:36:00.000-08:002013-03-09T17:37:48.902-08:00I Listen to bands that don't even exist yet... *<br />
I know this is the cry of the Wanker, but it's true: I LIKED IT BEFORE IT WAS COOL!<br />
<br />
Here are two things that have been popping up more and more often, things that I was into BEFORE they became a fad...<br />
<br />
1) Owls:<br />
<br />
Owls are cool. I began my love affair with owl objects about three or four years ago when I received two gifts in one week (must have been either Birthday or Xmas, no one loves me enough to give me gifts for no reason... *tear*) that had owls on them. I was suprised to hear one of those gift bearers say "It just reminded me of you, you're a bit owl-y" but from that day on, I have kept an eye out for cool owl paraphenalia, whether it be tshirts, earrings, well, that's about it so far. Except for the cross dressing owl garden gnome thing my mother gave me for Xmas 2012. It's sparkly and his name is Bernice. Anyway... the point of this rant is, lately, I've seen owl related shit EVERYWHERE! And it annoys me to know other people are butting in on my thing! So back off everyone, and if I see anyone wearing an owl tshirt, I <i>will</i> tear it off you!<br />
<br />
2) Onesies:<br />
<br />
The article in the Sunday Telegraph today was the last straw.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/insider/the-onesie-crime-or-cool/story-e6frewt9-1226593882281" target="_blank">http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/insider/the-onesie-crime-or-cool/story-e6frewt9-1226593882281</a><br />
<br />
It claims that onesies were the most popular item on the Xmas 2012 wish list for Poms. This is just not fair! I bought my first onesie back in 2010, and made an addition to my collection in 2012. That's right. I have two one piece pyjamas. And they ARE pyjamas. I don't wear them out of the house (well, I did once wear them into a car to drive a boyfriend to work, but did not get out of the car the entire time. I did put the fox ear hood on to get a chuckle out of some cops that were looking a bit dreary. That's right, did I mention one of my onesies is a fox suit? Again, purchased before animal suits were the rage... can you believe people wear that shit to music festivals? They're really rather warm, I couldn't wear one if it was above 18C.... Rant within a rant over)<br />
<br />
Anyway, the article upset me for two primary reasons: firstly, they say you can't get a dude with a onesie. I have proved this WRONG- every guy (platonic or romantic) who's seen my onesies have thought they are the coolest, cutest things ever! One guy that I was seeing for a while "baggsed" my onesie and insisted that he be able to wear it whenever he stayed the night. It is possible he wanted to wear it just so he didn't have to see me wearing it, but compared to my other ratty pyjamas I don't reckon it's too bad...<br />
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Secondly, the article is pretty much an advertisement for one particular online onesie store, Pretty Little Thing, which is a shit name for a store, I was a bit hesitant typing it in, convinced I was going to be directed to some paedo-porno site. Anyway, their onesies are not nearly as well made as <a href="http://onepiece.com/" target="_blank">onepiece.com </a>onesies (or Jumpsuits, as the site now calls them) Sure, Onepiece has lost some cred since it's done a few Featured lines with wankers like the Dudesons and One Direction, but they're still the greatest! BUT only the greatest because I have one, and have had one since BEFORE THEY WERE COOL!<br />
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---END TRANSMISSION---<br />
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* The title of this post is an homage to the Threadless (<a href="http://www.threadless.com/" target="_blank">http://www.threadless.com/</a> ) tshirt "I listen to bands that don't even exist yet". Basically it's a caption to make fun of idiots who only like obscure bands that no one has ever heard of, purely to try prove that they are more into the music scene. This is explained perfectly in the blog Stuff White People Like: <a href="http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/30/40-indie-music/" target="_blank">http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/30/40-indie-music/</a> <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-68531696385713056382013-01-02T00:04:00.000-08:002013-01-02T00:04:54.357-08:00THE RAGE!<br />
<br />
This will not be a particularly articulate post- my feelibgs around this issue are too tied up with my emotions to be able to produce an article with any semblance of objectivity.<br />
<br />
My rage stems from a recent press conference held by the current Australian Families Minister, Jenny Macklin. The herald article can be found here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/i-could-live-on-newstart-macklin-20130101-2c485.html" target="_blank">http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/i-could-live-on-newstart-macklin-20130101-2c485.html</a><br />
<br />
Now, I want to say straight up that I don't blame her as an individual for stating that she could live on it; of course she has to say that. I am just so sick and tired of Aussie politicians being so out of touch with the broader society and the daily struggles we go through. <br />
<br />
My Newstart Allowance from Centrelink, plus my Rent Assistance payment, comes to about $520 per fortnight (roughly $37 per day). I want to point out that with my health care card, I also get concessions on medications, and cheaper train tickets, which is seldom explained to people not acquainted with the system. Nevertheless, you do skip meals on occasion because you need to save money for your mum's Birthday pressie or to buy a new bra because your others all look like some wash rag that's been around since the 1870's. The dismally low payment also leads quickly to social isolation, as you skip social events that you cannot possibly afford. But almost daily I thank my lucky stars that I'm SINGLE; that I don't have a child to support on this hideous excuse for Welfare; and that I live near public transport and don't have to run a car. Anyone who has to do this on Newstart is, to put it mildly, completely screwed.<br />
<br />
What makes me want to cry (and scream, and throw molotov cocktails at politicians' houses) is the fact that, whenever MPs speak about Welfare, Centrelink issues, "getting parents back into the workforce" etc etc, has it never occurred to them that people on Welfare MIGHT ALREADY BE TRYING TO FIND WORK? Not every Australian is a "Dole Bludger" (what a hateful concept); most, I repeat MOST people want to be meaningfully employed. <br />
<br />
I hear the Minister for Employment Participation (What a Fucking title!), Good Old Kate Ellis in my ear piping up that you need to be willing to accept any employment, broaden your search and you'll find it. Well, the next Minister that pipes up about how low the unemployment rate is; or how possible it is to live on Newstart; or how we need to be tougher on dole bludgers, is going to get a long letter from me COMPLETE with my spreadsheet detailing the 57 jobs I've applied for in the last 6 months, varying from Government positions to Admin to Customer Service to Retail to Volunteer positions. And an offer to swap places; as I could obviously do their job better than them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-69216361134050698502012-12-04T21:44:00.001-08:002012-12-04T22:06:23.475-08:00Musings on Music<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Prologue </div>
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Hmm after typing that title I am wondering if the word “music” was
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The Exercise</div>
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<span style="color: cyan;"><br /></span>
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<![endif]--><span style="color: cyan;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: cyan;">1. Pick an album that you used to listen to a lot a long time ago (say
5-10 years ago), but haven’t really listened to any time lately. </span></div>
<span style="color: cyan;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: cyan;">2. Listen to it.</span></div>
<span style="color: cyan;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: cyan;">3. Be amazed at what emotions, thoughts, memories are brought about by
listening to it.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
To put the proposed exercise in context, I recently received an awesome present of an
E-Reader, that ALSO PLAYS MUSIC! Oh yes, very excited I was. So I was going through
my mum and dad’s computer to find some music to load onto said e-reader when I
came across Howie Day’s Stop All The World now. Now I was borderline obsessed
with this album in around 2007 (I tend to get obsessive and listen to one album
or artist over and over for about 6 months then never again), and so naturally
I thought why not slap it on and take a trip down memory lane!?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Discussion</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, without baring the secrets in the depths of my soul, the period I
was listening to this I was pretty messed up, and did a lot of things that I’m
not proud of; I found it interesting to be able to listen to the album and
remember those times, but have some distance to reflect. How big and all-consuming
those issues were at the time! How far I have travelled that those issues are
so rarely thought of today! Perhaps, just perhaps, the issues that I feel are
never ending and so distressing today will, in time, be observed with the same retrospective
safety. This thought gave me a little smile at a period in my life when there
is not much to smile about.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Big tangent</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As well as just being a good pop/rock album, Howie Day’s Stop All The
World now is a perfect demonstration of the Wolfenblergh Principle. Wolfenblergh
is an entirely fictional person who, through rigorous analysis, has unearthed
the veracity that the vast majority of music albums place their best songs as
track 3 and/or 7. Think about it- yeah, that’s right- your favourite album?
Chances are your favourite track is 3, no? And this is not a recent phenomenon,
but has roots back to Chet Baker and Elvis Presley.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here’s a list of albums (in no way exhaustive) that prove
Wolfenblergh’s Principle:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Daft Punk – Homework</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Architecture In Helsinki – Fingers Crossed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, I have heard people dismissing the Wolfenblergh Principle by
saying that their favourite track of most CDs is track 1. Track one doesn’t
count, as of course it has to be the strongest piece- if you put a shit song as
number one, no one is going to persist through the rest of the album, no?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Oh, also, a special mention needs to be given to Track 13. While it
holds no significance in recorded studio albums (hey, lets face it, most albums
released these days don’t go for 13 tracks) but is crucial when discussing mix
tapes/CDs/Playlists/however the cool kids share music these days. Track 13
should always be the an incredibly awesome song, so when you’re out somewhere
with the recipient and you hear the track you can shout loudly “OMG TRACK 13!”
If you hear Track 13 and you’re not in the company of the person who made you
the mix tape, it is obligatory that you text them “ OMG TRACK 13!”. If in doubt
what particular song to use as YOUR Track 13 next time you are composing a mix
tape, the default is <i>If I Ever Feel Better </i>by Phoenix. This is the original and
the greatest Track 13.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
More discussion
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After having fun reliving my uni years by listening to old Howie, here’s
a list of other albums I plan to dig up, brush off and give an ear to:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The mix tape my friend Liz made for me in 1998, my first year of high
school. This has such classics as the Austin Power’s opening theme song and
<i>Callypso</i> by Spiderbait. I’m certain there us old school No Doubt on there as
well. The issue is finding the tape, and then a cassette player to listen to it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Naughty By Nature’s Nineteen Naughty Nine- another album I listened to
500 times in 6 months and then never again. Borrowed from and never returned to
one of the coolest guys in my year (won’t use names, but you know who you are-
you once got a phone call in class and told the teacher “sorry, it’s my
psychiatrist I have to take this”. classic.). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Nelly’s Country Grammar- Remember Nelly, guys? EVERYONE had this in
their car when people were first getting their licences. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Well, here endeth the lesson. Please comment on what albums bring up
memories for you; what albums prove (or disprove) the power of Wolfenblergh’s
principle, or anything really- PLEASE COMMENT!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here is a link to a YouTube Playlist I made up of songs referenced in
this blog article. Happy Listening!</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVHPSB9cz7Hc4A4T9SLBXz10-eNmICI-L&hl=en_US" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
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*Epilogue</div>
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According to Wikipedia the word music “...is ultimately derived from <i>mousa</i>,
the Greek word for muse...” So there you go.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-20062241577875553192012-10-22T00:41:00.000-07:002012-10-22T00:42:26.676-07:00Three things that all men do!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b>A little light-hearted post to get all the ladies giggling
(and nodding their heads furiously!) Here are three things that ALL MEN DO
(except for my father, but he’s Swiss, so he’s less man and more efficiency
loving, money stingy half man half punctuality-cyborg)....</b></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Leaving coins EVERYWHERE! I don’t know why, but
men have an insatiable urge to litter their entire house with small bundles of
coins from their pockets. Every time they venture out of the house, they return
with a new pool of shiny metal that must- must dear God!- be placed in a
different location to all the other little stacks of silver that lie around the
house. To get a jar; a plate; a shoe, and place all their coins in there; a convenient
central location where they can then select coins from for that time when they
need $3.00 for a coffee and don’t want to break a note- somehow this concept is
incapable of being comprehended by the modern man...</b></div>
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<b>On the
other hand, maybe this isn’t an affliction of all men... Just men until they
have school age children who start to steal their piles of coins from around
the house to buy zooper doopers and ovaltinees and all that other garbage from
school canteens. I bet dads become much more coin savvy very quickly!</b></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Have a collection of empty deodorant bottles.
Men, for some reason kept secret from women, must collect deodorant bottles and
store them away for some forthcoming apocalypse. Empty ones; not ones that are
actually of any use. But within this behaviour there are subtle differences
among men... these differences, I am sure, point to some crucial hierarchy come
Judgement Day, a hierarchy I am yet to figure out (but will). The hierarchy goes:</b></div>
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<b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Men who keep their roll on deo in the bathroom
collect LESS empties (usually only one or two)</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Men who keep their roll on in their bedroom
collect slightly more (three to four)</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Men who use spray deodorant keep the most
empties – I once counted five empties and two half used at a shag’s house. Men
who use spray deodorant NEVER keep it in the bathroom, for reasons yet to be
determined. I’m convinced manufacturing of bombs out of the empty cans has
something to do with it.....</b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I forgot the third thing I was going to say.
Please leave a comment and remind/inspire me. Women everywhere, let’s keep this
list growing of weird and wacky things that ALL MEN DO!</b></div>
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<b>(Coming soon- guest post by a mate concerning three things
that ALL WOMEN do; just to be even :-)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>)</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-67323670043214133182012-09-25T01:11:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:47:14.728-07:00What makes me me?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">So, a couple of weeks ago a friend, YK, sent out an email stating that she had a Uni project and needed 20 people to tell her in about 100 words"What makes you who you are." (She didn't stipulate for what particular course it was, which I only just realised now- hmmm, I would like to know)</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Although I do love to lend a hand to people whenever I can, I did the exercise more for myself, to see what I would come up with. The following is what makes Miss Miss :)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">My sense of humour. My kindness and thoughtfulness. My urge to do good
in the world. My indifference to money and the useless crap money can
buy. My family. My friends. My bad habits of overeating and hair twirling.
My mental illness. My happy childhood. My not so happy teenage-hood. My
self doubt. My passion for social justice. My bad fingernails. My guilt
for things done and things left undone. My love of animals. My body.</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-74128704591547359422012-08-31T00:33:00.001-07:002012-12-04T22:06:28.831-08:00JONI MITCHEL!A quick post because I am really my Mother's daughter and I love Joni....<br />
<br />
I rediscovered this song today, haven't listened to it in years....<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20width=%22420%22%20height=%22315%22%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/embed/bbJo-dsFGfI%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E" target="_blank"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bbJo-dsFGfI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></a><br />
<br />
My favourite line?<br />
"When I thought life had some meaning ... Then I thought I had some choice<br />
And I made some value judgements ... In a self-important voice"<br />
<br />
This song is amazing and beautiful and (to me, at least) reminds us that, as we become older and change our views and opinions, the only reason is that we wish to be accepted, and to "Come in from the Cold"<br />
<br />
I love you Joni Mitchel xoxoxo Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-50216015389594645252012-07-10T03:39:00.000-07:002012-07-10T06:18:05.189-07:00Five Books That Changed My Life...<br />
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Flicking through the Sun Herald over the weekend (something I don’t
often bother to do), I came across a little segment I’ve seen in various forms
over the years “5 Books That Changed My Life”. Basically they invite someone
famous to write a little bio about 5 books that have inspired them. My train of
thought went like so:</div>
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“Ohhh I wish someone would ask me to do an article about my favourite books.
I love books!”</div>
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“You’ll never get the opportunity, stupid-head. They only get well
known people to do that shit.”</div>
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“If only I had a blog where I could post it to the World without
newspaper editors’ involvement...”</div>
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“See that’s why you’re a stupid-head: you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">already have</i> a Blog!”</div>
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So without further ado; here is a list of 5 Books That Changed Missy’s
Life (in no particular order...)</div>
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<b>Captain Correlli’s Mandolin- Louis de Bernières</b></div>
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I recall reading this in my last year of Highschool with horror- horror
because this book taught me more about WWII than four years of Modern History.
The Australian History Curriculum really does suck ass. This is, hands down,
one of the best written novels I’ve ever read (and I’ve read a lot!).
Descriptive without being wanky; informative without being dull; romantic
without being sickly. Anyone who hasn’t seriously considered moving to
Cephallonia after reading this novel is an absolute heartless beast. Needless
to say, I’ve not read any of De Bernières other work (No, not even Red Dog...
Call me Un-Australian), for the fear of ruining my Godlike appreciation for his
incredible skill in writing CCM.</div>
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This is how obsessed I am with this book- I own three copies (different
editions); and have read it 6 times...</div>
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<b>The Unbearable Lightness of Being- Milan Kundera</b></div>
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Ok, So the actual contents of the novel perhaps didn’t change my life;
it was simply the catalyst to me seeking out more European Existentialist
Literature, for which I have a great admiration for (think Cocteau’s Les
Enfants Terribles and Camus’ The Outsider, etc). I feel a great affiliation
with Existentialism, and not the watered-down pussy “Life is what you choose to
make it” Existentialism of 80’s Philosophers, but the Romantic, Fatalistic, there-is-absolutely-no-meaning-to-life-and-it-only-causes-pain,
ohso French Existentialism. Don’t ask me why. Probably because I’m a truer
Atheist than Dawkins...</div>
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<b>Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe- Edward Albee</b><br />
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Ok, so the next two aren’t “Books” as in true novels, but plays, but I’ve
read them several times in printed form as well as seen them performed- AND ITS
MY BLOG DAMMIT ILL CHOOSE WHAT CONSTITUTES A BOOK!</div>
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Much like Unbearable Lightness; Who’s Afraid was not only important in
itself (allowed me to peer into my future!), but it also opened my eyes to Theatre
of the Absurd, which, you could argue, is the light hearted, performance cousin
of Existentialism. My favourite Absurdist Theatre piece would probably be
Waiting For Godot, but this was discovered a year after Who’s Afraid. For some
reason (feel free to psycho-analyse me), I feel a great deal of comfort in
works that view the World through a Framework of non-meaning.</div>
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Who’s Afraid will always stand in my heart as the start of a lifelong journey
of enjoying non-narrative, non-sensical performance art.</div>
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<b>Macbeth- William Shakespeare</b></div>
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I wish I could say I fell in love with Shakespeare the moment I began
to study him. I remember feeling so grown up when, in year 7, we commenced
studying ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. I had heard so much about how wonderful
Shakespeare was, but had never been exposed to his work. Now I was at BIG
SCHOOL and doing BIG THINGS like ALGEBRA and Shekey!!! I was bitterly disappointed.
Bitterly. Disappointed. Why do they teach his comedies in High School? They’re
outdated and a terrible introduction into his great mind (a great introduction
into his opium riddled mind, however).</div>
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Anyway, so I hated Shakespeare at first. THEN came Macbeth, in year 8.
So this is what everyone was talking about, huh? The awesome greed for power;
the soliloquys while dying; the suicide! So intriguing! Back then I was still
seriously considering a life on the stage (as seriously as a 13 year old girl
can consider anything) and I decided it was my dream to play Lady Macbeth. I’d
still jump at the opportunity!</div>
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Now I’m an old hand at Shakespeare lovin’, but still only really
connect with his tragedies. The End.</div>
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<b>We Need to Talk about Kevin- Lionel Shriver</b></div>
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I found this book impossible to put down, and all the while reading it,
I was thinking to myself “I never knew I believed in Nature over Nurture, but
this kid was borrn evviiilll!”. I just assumed other readers empathised with
Eva, the mother of the high school student who commits a school massacre.</div>
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When I began reading reviews and critiques of the novel, and then of
the film based on the novel, it was clear that the majority of the readership
believed that Kevin’s actions were a result of neglectful/emotionally abusive
parenting. I get that the novel is intentionally written to raise these
questions, I was just surprised that I was in the minority of being “Team Eva”.
Is it because I see myself in her? A woman, perfectly happy with her husband,
forced by him and societal norms, to introduce a child into the World. I sure would
be fucking resentful! This will be me one day, should I cave in to pressure and
give up my long standing view that I would not be a good mother and do not want
children. You’ve been warned...</div>
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That’s it, I’m getting a Tshirt printed “Team Eva 4 Life!”. Lit nerds
will get it!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-29277870342371432272012-06-25T21:55:00.000-07:002012-06-25T21:55:27.709-07:00I'm still here, darlings<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hellooo Possums!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ok, so I’m no Dame Edna, but I just wanted to write a little
blog post to tell you all that I haven’t forgotten about you, it’s just been
crazy with this redundancy (that takes effect in three and a smidge working
days! Yikes!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really am glad this journey is coming to an end. I plan to
go away for a few days somewhere (anywhere, doesn’t matter where) to collect my
thoughts and be me once this is all over. When I’m away I’m sure I’ll come up
with lots of new ruminations for no one to read!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-51581964085114577362012-05-23T19:35:00.001-07:002012-06-26T15:27:41.032-07:00HUZZAH! IVE REACHED 1000 VIEWS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWqoNXGO0zAdk-7516OzS7WhlKlcaYZYnNDrEtrreJCnVv07ZmtcaG7rTNhzE-5Klm0iW17otklBag-LVYthaT5MMTFIfYwDlpVbVJWXZvfOfKSTpAu7w7I0FJptmYnO6HolAd7MzkKKj/s1600/fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWqoNXGO0zAdk-7516OzS7WhlKlcaYZYnNDrEtrreJCnVv07ZmtcaG7rTNhzE-5Klm0iW17otklBag-LVYthaT5MMTFIfYwDlpVbVJWXZvfOfKSTpAu7w7I0FJptmYnO6HolAd7MzkKKj/s320/fireworks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">I logged on to my blog at lunch and, whaddya know, my blog has now been viewed 1027 times!</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">So I just wanted to say a quick thank you to the friends who read my blog, the friends who comment (which is none of you :( why are you all so scared to leave a comment) and also a huge thank you to the people I DON'T know who have read my blog- people from Japan, Belgium, and even Russia according to the stats.</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Thanks again, and I promise I'll keep putting up pointless Ruminations to bore you :)</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">xoxo Miss.</span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-40197036493945146022012-05-21T18:08:00.000-07:002012-05-21T18:08:04.487-07:00How is it possible I haven't blogged about Euthenasia yet?Ah, Euthenasia (not Youth-In-Asia as I thought the term was when I was 12)... The pinnacle of freedom. For others the slipperiest of slopes. For some the impossible to conceive. How have I not written about this topic yet, when it is one of my all time favourite thiings to ruminate on?<br />
<br />
An article on Jezabel reminded me of this topic, it can be viewed here: <a href="http://jezebel.com/5912031/our-obsession-with-longevity-is-making-our-lives-miserable">http://jezebel.com/5912031/our-obsession-with-longevity-is-making-our-lives-miserable</a><br />
<br />
In a nutshell, the article talks about how the "miracles" of modern medicine are keeping people alive for longer, but often with devastating economic, and of course emotional, consequences. What Mother wants her adult children to see her wither away into a demented state, a state where she oftyen doesn't recognise them, wanders off and causes panic for them, even in some cases assaults them? Or, the alternative, where the mind remains sprightly but the body fails, kept alive on machines and personal carers while you suffer the indignity of not being able to control your bowel movements.<br />
<br />
I have always been a passionate advocate for Euthenasia, to the point where I considered contacting Exit Australia and smuggling back Nembutal from Mexico to donate to their cause (Nembutal is the clinical name given to the drug veterinarians use to euthanise animals- it is rigourously controlled here but freely available from pet stores in Central/ South America. It is the drug that Exit Australia condone using for end of life as it is relatively painless and very effective). But Legalising Euthenasia is not a popular song to sing in my particular field. Why you ask? I'll try and explain why...<br />
<br />
Firstly, we have to define what we mean by Euthenasia. Sounds simple? Not really, but I'll give it a shot, in classic Missy confusion:<br />
<br />
- <em>Voluntary</em> Euthenasia is when a person who is terminally ill/ has a disability or condition that will ultimately lead to death, performs an act (injecting a substance into themselves, swallowing a pill etc) that will kill them. The key is it is an action that the person takes <em>themselves</em>.<br />
<br />
- Assisted Suicide is when a person has a terminal illness and has someone assist them with ending their life (most often has a doctor prescribe and administer the substance that will kill them). This is very controversial, there is a common argument that the more people that are legally allowed to be involved, the more likelyhood of coersion. It is also controversial as there are businesses set up who profit from assisted suicidde (The Dignitas facility in Switzeland, for example. Nicnamed the "Death Hotel", it has been condemned for making money out of providing a space and means for people to end their life). <br />
<br />
Note that both Euthenasia and Assisted Suicide are illegal in Australia. What is legal in Australia is Advance Medical Directives, which is basically a legal document that states that, once you get to a certain point, you don't want any medical intervention that will prolong your life. This makes me uneasy because even if you're not actively prolonging life, by not having the medical treatment and allowing whatever illness to overcome you, you are likely to be in a great amount of pain. <br />
<br />
Anyway, back to why people working in the disability sector don't tend to agree with the legalisation of Euthenasia. Most of the arguments used for Euthenasia centre around what I desribed above- not having the ability to attend to ones own toileting needs. Many people with significant physical and/or intellectual disability need personal care to help them with their toileting needs... Why does society think we are not of value if we cannot perform these tasks on our own? A lot of the arguments used for the legalisation of Euthenasia have a very narrow view of what a person should be able to do, and if they can't, then why not dispose of them because they OBVIOUSLY have no quality of life!?!<br />
<br />
In addition to this, is of course what is colloquially known as the "slippery slope" argument. Disability advocates have argued that voluntary euthenasia will lead to pressure on people to assist in the killing of people with disability, as they are such a drain on both economic and emotional resources. Much like the legality of aborting foetuses that have a very slim chance of living outside the womb has led to the legalisation of aborting foetuses who have Downs Syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities, but would live for many years if born. <br />
<br />
Adding to this already potent mix of arguments is the grim knowledge that Hitler and the Nazi Party used the term Euthenasia to justify killing people with disability that were "plaguing" Germany at the time.<br />
<br />
So as you can see, I'm just rambling non sensically here, I have no argument, no point. I guess writing about these things just helps me to get it straighter in my head. I acknowledge the challenges and the concerns about legal Euthenasia, however I still whole heartedly agree with it. Because, at the end of the day, when you ask yourself "Do I want to be able to decide when to leave my family and let myself rest?" The answer, invariably, is YES.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For more information on Exit Australia, visit their website: <a href="http://www.exitinternational.net/page/Home">http://www.exitinternational.net/page/Home</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-7124443003504499332012-05-07T21:53:00.000-07:002012-05-06T22:05:48.434-07:00Loneliness is a four letter word<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Maybe it’s because I’ve been pretty lax on my medication
lately, or maybe it’s because I’ve been listening to far too much Angus and
Julia Stone, but this weekend just gone was by far the loneliest for a long
time. I literally did not say a word yesterday, saw exactly one person when I
looked out onto the street from my balcony. I found out on the Friday that I am
going to be made redundant at the end of June (38 days and counting!), and
since then there has been this mounting restlessness. When you have a shock or
a big event, you want a partner, someone who will sit there and talk about it
in endless circles, until you figure it out. I know I have friends who would
say that they are there for me, but it’s not the same thing talking to a friend
as talking to a lover. So I wrote a poem, as a way to express the vacancy in my
heart, and take my mind off the fact that I will be unemployed very soon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Loneliness is a Four Letter Word<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hot shoe shuffle under the sheets</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Turn your head so the tears don’t pool</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I wish I wish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Someone was here to swim through the pain<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Stone cold crawl out to the couch<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Turn your mind so the emptiness fades<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I want I want <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Someone to scrub out the silence and fawn<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Loneliness is a four letter word<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Turning against your precarious soul<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It morphs it morphs<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Into hatred of the self<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-10431677664193556362012-04-18T17:44:00.001-07:002012-04-18T17:47:09.547-07:00It begs the question...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">So, lately I have found myself having this conversation with
a number of people, and hearing different opinions on the topic. The topic is
street beggars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">When I visited some family friends in Vancouver a few years
back, the woman told me “never give money to beggars here, half of them aren’t
even homeless. Some of them even own shoes but take them off and hide them
while they’re begging to get more sympathy…” Bleeding Heart Social Worker Miss
had to bite her tongue very hard to not come back with some hilarious quip such
as “Now, is that manipulative, or good business sense? Wait there’s no
difference between the two in the Business World, why should there be here?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">And that is basically the crux of my argument. If people
choose to have it their job to sit out on the street and beg, then that’s their
job, just like you go to work everyday, they go to their street corner with
their mangled “Going through court, need money for legal costs” or “need place
to sleep, not drugs” signage that sits behind their squashed hat to catch 5c
pieces. Why should we judge this? An answer to this Q that deserves some
consideration is “because they are duping/defrauding people to feel sympathy
for them”. But I’ve thought this over, and I still believe that this is ok. Whether
or not it’s an act/performance, people choose to freely give them money. And
the givers feel a sense of righteousness because they have spared money on a
poor person. So if you think about it like that, people who beg on the street
are doing society a favour, they are providing the public a service by which
they can feel smug at their deed of altruism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">What do you guys think?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-49785297093617748862012-04-09T16:46:00.000-07:002012-05-20T18:45:28.175-07:00Just another fist shake at abstinence, really<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span style="background-color: black;">YES! Just the engaging topic for a Monday morning… What was
that, it’s Tuesday? Oh, well, can I still write about it? I’m at work? and
should be doing the job I’m paid to do? Oh fine, I’ll be quick…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Calibri;">This article that popped up on Huff Post made me want to
bang my head into a brick wall: </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/08/tennessee-sex-education-b_n_1411100.html?utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Brief&utm_campaign=daily_brief"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/08/tennessee-sex-education-b_n_1411100.html?utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%20Brief&utm_campaign=daily_brief</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">To summarise, Tennessee in the US has an “abstinence only”
law for it’s sex education curriculum. In itself this is nothing but shameful.
Sex is a primal urge and teaching kids to say “no” to it isn’t going to take
that urge away!!! But, what’s even madder is that they’ve amended the law to
state that schools should also teach kids to say no to “gateway sexual activity”.
Now the article points out that no one has been specific as to what constitutes
“gateway” sexual activity, but could be interpreted by individual schools to
mean kissing, hugging, even just holding hands, which if you can recall your
early teens, was the most innocent but most thrilling sensation ever!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">These poor gateways. Pot is a gateway drug, toy guns are
gateway weapons, holding hands is gateway sex… next cheese will be gateway fast
food, and be banned.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The sex education in Australia is poor enough, but the sex
education in the US sounds insanely pathetic! Haven’t these conservative
parents/schools/law makers heard that ignorance is NOT bliss? Education, in all
facets of life, is so important, don’t they want their children to make
informed choices, rather than struggle against perfectly natural hormones, fail,
and end up putting their health at risk? GRRRRR I wish I had the answers; I
wish I could make people see abstinence is not the answer! The end of the
article states “<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">a 2010 study
published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found
that abstinence education can delay sex among teens”, but what it doesn’t state
is that, once these teens do start having sex, even if it’s “delayed”, they may
not be having safe sex; fully understand how to negotiate consent around
different sexual acts, or be too afraid to speak to people if they are having
issues related to sexual activity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">You’ve reached
the end of another pointless rumination. Leave a comment to show that you care!</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-51793911609601407232012-03-29T14:49:00.000-07:002012-03-29T15:52:35.590-07:00It's "No Shit Sherlock" Day!<br />
Or, "Rant About Advertising- Part 2"<br />
<br />
When I read the title for this article on The Conversation - 'Why schools and corporate brands shouldn't mix', my immediate reaction was, that's right, "no shit Sherlock".<br />
<br />
The article, which can be viewed here: <a href="http://theconversation.edu.au/why-schools-and-corporate-brands-shouldnt-mix-6087">http://theconversation.edu.au/why-schools-and-corporate-brands-shouldnt-mix-6087</a> states that<br />
<br />
"Over the past two decades, fast food companies, financial institutions, supermarkets and other businesses have found increasingly innovative ways to build brand awareness among not only teachers, but also a captive and impressionable audience of school children."<br />
<br />
I recall when I was in primary school Coles had a promo where you brought in dockets and your school would be rewarded with X amount of computers for every bajillion docket (yes, back then they were dockets, now for some reason every one calls them receipts. What's with that?) Maybe my super awesome brain is immune to brainwashing, but I don't have over positive associations with Coles lingering from those times. Probably because they supplied Apple Computers, which were shit back then (and still are). Also what happened to the "Machintosh" that used to follow the "Apple"?<br />
<br />
The point is, I usually go to the supermarket that is nearest to me, not the one that gives prizes to schools. And certainly not ones that hurt Australian Farmers bty slashing the price of milk just to keep a strong hold on their oligopaly.<br />
<br />
The last paragraph of this article is a classic too: "Of course children should be exposed to the outside world, and the corporate world forms part of this exposure. But marketing is all about trust and the promise of a better life." Marketing is about trust!?!?! Oh, shit, I've been completely wrong, here I was thinking it was all about selling a product!?!? Silly Miss!<br />
<br />
That's all for now- Happy Friday!<br />
<br />
<br />
*** UPDATE ***<br />
<br />
Another one for the "No shit Sherlock" file: <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/29/study-911-dispatchers-experience-ptsd-symptoms-too/?iid=hl-main-lede">http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/29/study-911-dispatchers-experience-ptsd-symptoms-too/?iid=hl-main-lede</a><br />
<br />
xoxoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-68829737925139224512012-03-27T18:17:00.002-07:002012-03-27T20:39:21.318-07:00A Mid Week Smorgasboard of Mini Rants!<br />
A couple of news items have held my attention over the past week or so, but as I am currently quite unwell, I don't have the stamina to write a whole blog about each. So here's a collection of whats grinding my gears at the moment:<br />
<br />
1) US in talks with Australia over station on Cocos Islands<br />
<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/us-military-eyes-cocos-islands-as-a-future-indian-ocean-spy-base-20120327-1vwo0.html">http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/us-military-eyes-cocos-islands-as-a-future-indian-ocean-spy-base-20120327-1vwo0.html</a><br />
I'm sorry, but haven't Australians been very vocal to their politicians that we wish to decoup,le ourselves from America's Warmongering ways after the multibillion dollar disasters that were Afghanistan and Iraq? Perhaps, just perhaps, we should have learnt our lesson even earlier than that and realised from the Vietnam War that no good comes from chasing invisible enemies...<br />
<br />
2) The Trayvon Martin Case<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/trayvon-martin">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/trayvon-martin</a><br />
The incident itself is intense. The reaction from communities throughout America have been intense. The several different accounts that George Zimmerman has told the Police are intense. I am on the verge of being obssessed with this case. I am hopeful, but not optimistic, that this Zimmerman will be convicted of manslaughter. Amid all the different accounts of what happened (and I'm not going to insist this Zimmerman guy is a racist from the little I've read about the case- we just don't know what motivated him) no one is really speaking about what all other countries thing is the crux of the issue: WHY ARE PEOPLE ALLOWED TO JUST CARRY AROUND FIREARMS? UGH America's Laws, in particular laws relating to guns, just make me want to vomit! So many deaths could be prevented if stupid yanks amended their stupid gun laws!!!<br />
<br />
3) There was something else, but I've forgotten... Oh well, two mini rants to a non existant audience is good enough...<br />
<br />
** UPDATE** Just remembered number 3...<br />
<br />
3) Legalising sex workers for PWD...<br />
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-27/call-to-legalise-sex-workers-for-people-with-disability/3915538">http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-27/call-to-legalise-sex-workers-for-people-with-disability/3915538</a><br />
EVERYONE who even vaguely knows me knows that I'm a huge advocate for equal rights, for everyone, but in particular for people with disability. But reading this article irritated me to no end- why only legalise prostitutes for pwd? It just seems so pointless to me. NSW has shown that legalising prostitution has generous benefits for the community, for example more education and therefore less spread of STIs. Why is SA choosing to focus on only sex workers who provide services to PWD? I.Just.Dont.Get.It!!!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
Feel free to share the news items that have made you angry recently :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-83070259590822427132012-03-19T16:35:00.000-07:002012-03-19T16:53:11.789-07:00If you want it then you better put a ring on it!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s a little story to warm the heart: Boy meets girl; boy
takes girl out on several dates; boy has awesome make out session with girl;
girl tells him in the midst of said session that she is a virgin and doesn’t believe
in sex before marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">True story. Happened to a friend of a friend of mine. Now
while I don’t know the girl, I’m just going to assume for the sake of this
article that she has chosen to be celibate before marriage because of her
religion. Before you roll your eyes and think “Here goes Miss on another
anti-religion rant” we should examine the facts. And we should examine them in
my favourite way- through dot points!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact 1: Marriage is not originally a religious
institution. By this I mean that anthropologists have teased out that
historically, in the societies where monogamy exists (most societies, and I
will concentrate on these for the purpose of this article) people were not
encouraged to marry because of religious convictions but to secure land and
resources, and to subjugate women (okay, the last on I just added, but makes
sense, no?) People who did not own resources did not tend to marry, as there
was no point, until the rise of Chrisitanity, when marriage and religion were
interlinked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact 2: Of course, linked to the above is the
fact that no sex is a great contraceptive! It doesn’t do to pop out mouths to
feed when you haven’t secured yourself a way to ensure they will be able to be
provided for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fact 3: From male’s point of view, marriage is
the best way to ensure that the child you are helping to raise is indeed your
genetic material, and you’re not just helping a free loader!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But these facts make no difference, in the end. These days
marriage is perceived as a religious institution, and as a human rights
advocate, I believe in freedom of religious expression. I’m not going to go up
to this woman and say to her “You’re an idiot, you have to have sex before
marriage”. What I’m concerned about is whether the act of holding off telling
someone she was dating was moral or not. I’m going to argue that it’s not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allowing someone to begin to form an emotional and sexual
attachment before informing them that you will not have sex with them until
marriage is not fair on the other party. In my head I came up with a neat
little analogy. Say you’re a strict vegan. And the thought of having any animal
products in your house is morally reprehensible. If you’re advertising for a
new flat mate, you would clearly state on the advertisement “people with a
strong commitment to vegan lifestyle only” or something to that effect. You
wouldn’t just let anyone in, then inform them once they’ve moved all their junk
in “oh by the way, don’t you dare cook meat/eggs/cheese/fish in this household”.
You can’t expect someone to conform to your views after they’ve entered into
the contact unknowingly. If veganism is that important to you, you would be
upfront about it- sure you may have to wait a little longer to get the room
filled, and you might not get along with the person so well, but they have the
same values as you. If you’re celibate, same goes- you may have to wait a
little longer to find someone who’s willing to not have sex before marriage,
and you’re certainly narrowing your choices so might not click with them as
well personality wise, but you share the same values. You can’t expect someone
who doesn’t hold those values to conform to them, no matter how much they “like”
you. People were born to eat meat!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As for the guy in our story? He has decided to keep seeing
her, because she’s “cute”. Call me pessimistic, but this is pretty much code
for “until I get a better offer”. The end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-47269167832331918402012-03-04T19:27:00.000-08:002012-03-04T19:41:22.891-08:00A weekend of Activism<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Dear Diary, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The past weekend has been one full of activism, feminism,
and GLITTER! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">First- Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2012 was a blast!
The organisation I work for, PWD (People With Disability Incorporated) teamed
up with the CP Alliance, Intellectual Disability Rights Council, and Touching
Base, and submitted a joint entry themed “Sexuality and sex/gender diversity do
not end with disability”. People with disability have historically been viewed
as asexual, a very discriminating misconception, and one that these
organisations, particularly Touching Base, is aiming to dispel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">It was raining on and off during the time we were waiting in
the marshalling area, luckily Daphnee, our Superhero Communications Manager,
had bought extra ponchos that she provided us. Not only do they keep you dry,
but warm, as those cheap things are like wrapping yourself in gladwrap! My
friend, AW, was attacked by a glitter fairy, and as my other friend, KR said
“That shit is like herpes, once it’s with you, it stays for life”. I think I
still have some in my hairline…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">During the actual march, from Hyde Park to Moore Park, it
stopped raining. We got heaps of cheers from the crowd and all grew hoarse from
cheering and blowing whistles ourselves! It was an amazing experience, although
the cardboard signs that we had painted were totally trashed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">From a wet, windy wonderful night, to a fine, laissez-faire,
feminist afternoon. My friend AW and I attended ‘The F-Word: an Afternoon of
Feminist Debate’ at The Sydney Opera House. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">In particular, I wanted to write a summary of Naomi Wolf’s
lecture. Wolf, in trying to answer the question of why Feminism is seen as
irrelevant by significant proportion of today’s youth, and what are the next
steps for Feminism, explored the antecedents to previous Feminist movements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Firstly, the Victorian Movement, which paints women as
fragile victims of their culture, does not entice young people today, as its’
framework does not make room for our current lives, where women are active in
the workforce, and more control over their reproductive health. It also does
not paint women as having enough agency- we can change within<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the culture but do not have enough status to
change THE culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Secondly, the Marxist Movement, is more helpful in terms of
providing a framework for working women, but is not able to sit with Western
advanced capitalist consumption. Young women of today want a Movement where
they don’t have to forsake consumer goods that make their life easier
(*dripping sarcasm* I desperately need that IPhone App that tells me when I get
my period!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Lastly, the Existentialist Movement, particularly post War
French Existentialism of Simone DeBouvoir. Wolf hypothesises that young people
today do not connect with the ardent Individualism that Existentialism
espouses. Women of today dismiss this theoretical framework because it focusses
too much on the self, and does not encapsulate our whole being as daughters,
friends, mothers, aunts. This aggressively Individualistic approach is probably
what gave birth to the negative stereotypes the media holds today about
feminists: Man Hating, Hairy Armpitted crusaders that yell at a man if he
offers up his bus seat to her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: Calibri;">Wolf’s conclusion was that, in order for the Feminist
Movement to move forward and out of the stagnant water of which it has been
sitting for the past 30 or so years, we need to find another framework. Wolf
advocates that the Enlightenment Framework, founded primarily by Mary
Wollstonecraft </span></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">(see here for more info on Ms Wollstonecraft!</span> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_wollstonecraft">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_wollstonecraft</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">The Enlightenment framework can be useful, as it is based
around human rights, and so can be transferrable across cultures, religions,
and political and economic systems. It is about equality of the sexes (remember
equality does not equal ‘sameness’- it’s still polite for a man to hold open a
heavy door for a woman!). Using a human rights lens, women in Western Countries
that feel they’ve achieved “equality” can look to other places in the World and
realise there is still work to do. Wolf explained that this will take the now plateaued
‘Western Feminism’ and turn it into a ‘Global Feminist Movement’! Huzzah!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">I really enjoyed Wolf’s pieces as she put into words what I’ve
always felt but haven’t examined enough to break down and analyse. For those of
you who know me, you know I’ve always said I am a Human Rights Advocate in everyday
life, and I try and educate my peers about human rights abuses whenever I hear
about them. (Ooh, I just had a wonderful thought- I’m going to do some reading and
write about Feminism and normalisation theory. Stay tuned people)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">Anyway, the point is, it’s been a fantastic weekend. Now if
you’ll excuse me, I have to go cough up some glitter I still have in my lungs!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0Sydney NSW, Australia-33.873651 151.2068896-33.8868345 151.1871486 -33.860467500000006 151.22663060000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-44480499431241272042012-02-27T15:15:00.000-08:002012-02-27T15:15:20.135-08:00Compulsory Immunisation- where are we now?An article in the Huffington Post today reminded me of one of my looong standing interests- immunisation and whether it shoudl be mandatory. Oh, I've had many a discussion with many a person on this issue, and I find it really hard to be at peace with my own opinion on this issue.<br />
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So, for those who don't know the score, it goes a little something like this: Back in the good old days we kept the poor, the young and the black man down by awful deadly viruses such as small pox, ruebella and polio. Then scientists discovered that these dreadful diseases could be prevented by one or a series of injections (don't ask me how immunisations actually work, I'm no scientician). Everyone was happy, and the prevalence of these diseases decreased dramatically (at least in the Western World- if you want to help immunise those in developing countries, you can, and should, donate here: <a href="http://www.oxfam.org.au/donate">http://www.oxfam.org.au/donate</a>)<br />
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This is, until the 1990's, when the horror of those diseases and the pain, disability and death they cause were a distant memory for most people. Along came Dr Andrew Wakefield, who published a medical article stating that he had found a link between the common MMR (measles, mumps, ruebella) vaccine and autism in children. As the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders had exploded in the past decade, it is completely understandable why parents jumped on this bandwagon. It's so much easier to blame a third party than to accept that there was nothing that could be done for your child to be "normal".<br />
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Even though the research provided by Dr Wakefield has since been discredited, and allegations of conflict of interest have been somewhat proven, the link between MMR and autism, and immunisation and abnormal child development in general, has stuck. Now parents don't tend to attribute they refusal to have their child vaccinated to Dr Wakefield's research specifically, but often cite "religious reasons" for not vaccinating their child.<br />
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Which brings me to the Huff Post article. According to this paper, many State laws in the US are making it incresingly easier for parents to refuse to vaccinate their children on this ground. At what point do we say "you don't have the right to bodily integrity, one of our most basic human rights, because you may endanger other people"? Apparently, many US States have changed their answer to this question, and are adjusting their laws accordingly.<br />
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One question that I'm always left asking is "do the parents of the child realise the impact of their non comforming is probably not going to impact on them, but someone else who did not have the choice, such as someone elderly who's vaccine has worn off and is weak, or a child who is not old enough to have been immunised"? <br />
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At the end of the day, I do side with "herd immunity", but I'm not completely comfortable about it. Also, we must ask ourselves if the governement can ovverride the rights of the child for the good of society, can we override the rights of the adult? Does society have the right to make it compulsory for adults who have not been immunised to do so?<br />
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What do other people think? Individual freedom, or rights of the collective?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023590016284058071.post-81685101965015082632012-02-23T18:18:00.001-08:002012-02-23T18:23:10.836-08:00Happiness? More like Schmappiness!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">Beautiful, if not completely pointless and vapid opinion
piece by Ross Gittins (call me old school but when did an economist become an
expert on heppiness/ meaning of life?). The article is worth reading for the
opening paragraph alone:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">“FED up with all the wrangling and
speculation over who should be leading the Labor Party? Want something more
substantial? How about the meaning of life?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/happiness-surely-thats-not-all-there-is-to-the-meaning-of-life-20120221-1tlms.html"><span style="color: cyan;">http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/happiness-surely-thats-not-all-there-is-to-the-meaning-of-life-20120221-1tlms.html</span></a></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">The article goes on to go nowhere in
particular, stating the meaning of life is to have “wellbeing”. And here I
thought the meaning of life was 42 (or 7, if you ask my good friend AW!).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">Perhaps we should stop asking what the
meaning of our own life is, and start asking how we can act to give meaning to
other people’s lives? Be a little more giving and a little less egocentric? *shock horror* we might find that doing things for other people gives our own life meaning! Something economists, I'm sure, would find very foreign indeed! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: cyan;">All’s I know about life is you can’t take
money with you to the next one, so I’m hitting up the pub this afternoon!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">What
gives your life meaning?</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06484932664353548135noreply@blogger.com0