The sun has come out for a visit, I think it is a good time to take Mr Woof out for a stroll around the neighbourhood.
this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2024
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struggling with water colour books, I suppose using books meant for pencils just doesn't work π€
special water colour practice book has been ordered
Okay:
- Washed
- Chicken sandwich obtained
- Vanilla flan smashed
- Stupidly priced cookies for later
Now just waiting for the rain to pass to see whether I want to be out and about on two wheels. Perfect weather for the one the runs insanely hot. It would be nice to not to straddle 105Β°.
Even though I should be sorting this crapshow I have created. I just have such an aversion to it, that it is pretty much reflective of my state of mind⦠Yep, hot mess.
But also so tempting to just lay in bed. This is when I love the rain.
Edit: I have dangerously climbed back into bed. π₯±
Overall Australia lacks culture and meaning, and has unfortunately become a mere economic zone. Probably why in part so many people are depressed and anxious.
Australia is brimming with culture and meaning. It doesn't have to be exotic or ancient to be 'culture'.
I think we do have our own culture otherwise we would still be a clone of Britain. We used to be but because of migration we are drifting further away from that which is a beautiful thing.
I think we still have an awful lot of Britishness in our institutions and so on. And probably a lot of globalist corporate and consumer culture now as well - hence the emptiness.
I am constantly aware that I work in a bubble of very smart, talented and fairly-paid people. That the people I work with aren't a slice of "average" Australia. But within that bubble of IT workers, we absolutely have that global cultural influence CEO was speaking about.
Then there's the kids. They go to school in a mix of kids from all over. Its a great equaliser. They don't know where their mates 'are from', almost everyone was born here. I get it from their names.
It's easy to look at the news and think our influences are all US/UK. But I think as each generation goes by, they'll be less central to what makes an Australian.
What emerges from that mix? I'm keen to see it. What we already have is clearly recognised by the British themselves as something distinctly separate from their culture.
I mean this in the most nicest way possible. Just because you feel emptiness it doesn't mean everybody else does. I'm an optimist and I'm gonna find the good in as much as I can.
To clarify, I wasn't suggesting everyone does feel this way.
However it must be said that my view on Australian life is hardly an outlier. Official statistics on mental health are alarming and rising, and these are official numbers, to say nothing of all the people that aren't being accounted for.
To put it succinctly:
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. - Jiddu Krishnamurti"
You need to find your Ikigai (life purpose).
Colonial Australia does lack a meaning and culture, because they genocided, murdered, raped, and stole First Nations people, refused a Treaty with FN, and they barely have a presence in Parliament (by design). Settler Colonialism is inherently meaningless and cultureless for it's victims and those who vehemently disagree.
Similar things happened in Mexico but they still have a distinct culture. It's not quite the same I guess because the Mexicans recognise the Aztecs weren't the nicest people either so I guess it's more complicated.
But I think the fact that we were but a mere settler colony has a lot to do with it. Even then, the previous Christian traditions, whether you subscribe to them or not are also evaporating.
you know, defeating the Aztecs was the right thing, just like defeating the Nazis was the right thing
this Christian tradition is not the main defining tradition we have
we have a culture of trust, we trust that deals we make with other people will be upheld
we have a culture of enlightenment tolerance, we don't kill people for living or believing differently
we agree that customs and laws should protect the weak
For myself I am trying to be more forgiving and compassionate. Really looking at my own flaws and mistakes and then within that framework, keep that in mind when someone else is not being particularly nice. I like to imagine people as babies and ask myself, what happened to you in life for you to turn out this way?
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
It has always been an economic zone, that's what being a colony is.
If we want meaning and culture we have to create our own.
I think one of the greatest myths we are told in modern societies is that you have to do it all on your own and you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.
The truth is life can be terrible. No man is an island and humanity needs each other. I think the lack of care leads to an awful lot of problems and it starts in childhood.
yes, humankind is naturally caring and co-operative
one of the aspects that differentiates our society from others is we have safety nets for those who don't have familial or social connections
( safety nets that have been eroded )
Yes I was going to say the safety net is basically non existent these days. If you don't have friends or family unless you can get out of hot water relatively quickly you are in real trouble.
So many car shows on at the moment. We went to one in Whittlesea on Friday and there's one on at MacLeod right now
What type?
Minipeelers wanted to go to the farmers market today and I am just too tired and unmotivated to spend the $$. So I'm not very popular atm π. This one's a good one, only on once a month so I feel quite guilty but also weather is windy AF.
I feel surprisingly good today. At times there's a bit of post birthday blues, but apparently not this year!
Also I forgot I had a car so when I open the kitchen blinds, I was like "oh yeah! FUCK YES!"
Ended up having a really good music sesh as well before I went to bed which felt awesome!
Thanks again for all the birthday wishes, and support over the past year β€οΈ
Edit: Fluffy and I are going to laze around today I think. No responsibility, no thinking, just rest and recreation :)
You deserve all this and more. π
That's incredibly kind of you β€οΈ
Here's to a brighter year for us all!
My attempt at macro phone photography, featuring my dad's attempt at a pizza oven from many years ago, made from a bathtub he found in hard rubbish. 
Bathtub pizza oven! Now that is not something I've seen before.
Are those hakea nuts? Awesome picture. π
Possibly, according to Google Lens!
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