Month: September 2018

“Today I married my best friend!” Oh, I see how that might happen – you Continue reading “More thoughts on marriage”

Bought some decaf coffee pods a few weeks ago, for those rare Continue reading “Aaaarrrgh”

I read somewhere that women are supposed to put on bras by leaning Continue reading “Boob 2”

I’ve had a frozen right shoulder for a couple of years now, which is Continue reading “Pain”

This is so the picture I should have used when checking whether my photos were coming out sideways or not. Dammit.

Was hoping to post my best received work email of all time, which was actually one written by my daughter Samantha in her last year at school: “Sam’s Agony Aunt or whatever replies”, September 2015.  I got so many emails and comments from colleagues “she’s so clever/witty/funny/charming/talented” – far more than I ever got for my own work – that it soon became clear that writing ability, like male pattern baldness, is something that skips generations. It was a faux advice column that she wrote for her school magazine, unfortunately never published by them. The most bizarre part of the whole episode was that someone in our department wrote a list of agony aunt type questions regarding life in the department, that they wanted Samantha to answer (eg. my tech keeps giving me cheek, and won’t stop even after I’ve sprayed him with a syringe of propofol. What should I do?). The unsigned note was left on my desk in our office. I’m guessing that person thought that the whole thing was an elaborate hoax on my part. I never found out who it was, and unfortunately I didn’t keep the letter. Even worse, now I can’t find Samantha’s original article – wiped somehow by google docs. I must somehow persuade her to keep writing.

The dog found something unidentifiable on our beach walk this evening. It was all gone by the time we got home. I have no idea what it was, any ideas? Ten to one, though, if it was something stinky and horrid she will have rolled on it before picking it up. Must embrace the full sensual pleasure of rotting smelly things, mustn’t we, doggo?

Looking much more majestic earlier in the week, channeling Churchill with this dog chew. Now, if I could only teach her to do a “V for victory” sign with her paw then I could send a photo to WeRateDogs and make millions.

Is Trump a dick, or what? Apparently the death toll from last years Hurricanes Maria and Irma that devastated Puerto Rico was not actually in the thousands – that was just a number made up by the Democrats to make him look bad. Huh? Come on, Donald – you were there! You were the one throwing paper towels, remember? Come on, put the phone down – you’re just embarrassing yourself. Can anyone remember how his team actually confiscated his phone for a couple of weeks before the election in 2016, because of his out of control tweeting addiction? I’m not sure how anyone can be surprised at anything that’s happened since then. (Not true actually – I myself am in an almost constant state of fascinated dismay). I watched an excellent movie the other night, very thought provoking, about the Cold War. In the end, the American President, played by Henry Fonda, saves us all from World War Three with decisive, intelligent and timely action. Heaven help us.

There are a number of serious storms around the globe at the moment. Hurricane Florence is heading towards the American Eastern Seaboard, and the Philippines is bracing itself for Super Typhoon Mangkhut. Lucky climate change isn’t actually a thing or otherwise we’d really be in trouble!

So, a nine year old Australian girl is being pilloried for her peaceful protest in not standing up for the national anthem. She sounded quite sensible in her newspaper interview – concerned about the government’s treatment of Australia’s indigenous people, as demonstrated in their anthem “Advance Australia Fair” ie may the white people prosper, and also references to it being a young country when actually people had lived there for many thousands of years before the Johnny come latelies and convicts of the last few centuries. Is peaceful protest not a civilized behavior, and a right, in a democratic country? Apparently not, according to a number of politicians who are happy to be quoted as being horrified and wishing they could kick her in the backside. “It’s disrespectful to our soldiers!” Oh! I didn’t realize that’s what they were fighting for.  “Don’t worry about what those Nazis are up to, boys – let’s make sure our grandkids are forced to stand for the anthem!” Is that what democracy is about? I like Australia, it’s a nice place to visit (apart from the heat and the flies), and some of my best friends are Australian (not really), but you have to agree, it’s a hotbed of sexism, racism, and nationalism. The former two were clearly on display this week in the cartoon published twice in an Australian newspaper (once inside, and then again, after the international uproar, defiantly on the cover) of the tennis champion Serena Williams. OK, she was having a bit of a temper tantrum, but I well remember the days of John MacEnroe (“You cannot be serious!”), and in the words of the immortal Tana Umaga “It’s not tiddlywinks mate!”. OK, not an entirely relevant quote but i like it and it does show that when it comes to top sporting events, the players blood is up and they’re really feeling it.

The most famous peaceful protester around the world at the moment is of course Colin Kaepernick (sorry, Ghandi, but you haven’t been signed with any internationally recognizable sports team in even longer than two years – I’d hate to think what any sponsorship deal you managed to pull might look like). I’ve been wearing my Nikes proudly all week. Not that I think the company has developed any sort of super ethical corporate awareness all of a sudden (I’m sure sweatshops are still a thing), but hopefully they can see which way the wind’s blowing. Colin is a hero for today, and heroes sell shoes.

Is Citrix a load of crap, or is it just me? It used to take me a couple of goes to log on from outside the hospital, but with this new workspace upgrade, I can hardly ever get on. Is it a CCDHB conspiracy with concern for our mental wellbeing in mind, trying to make sure we don’t contaminate our precious down time with work stuff? Ha ha as if…