terrorist

All Things Current and the Shit Time of Year

So, you may have noticed I don’t comment often on current news stories or politics on this forum. I generally ignore the news and media on weekends and so good to let the dust settle on horrific stories that are commented on around the world. I don’t appreciate the unnecessary commentary that feeds hate or any one person’s political agenda. It is to say the horrible shooting that marred Sydney’s Bondi Beach over a week ago was the worst terrorist event in Australia ever ending not only fifteen people’s lives but injuring many others. It was perpetrated by two individuals that subscribe to a version of their beliefs not shared by all that hold the same faith. The victims were being Jewish and the two perpetrators being of the Muslim faith that had been radicalized.

I have known and befriended people of both faiths in my time on this earth and while my beliefs are not the same as theirs, I just wish we could all put our differences aside and learn to get along without the need for bloodshed. There is never a need.

I can count one less than one hand how many times there has been a mass shooting in my lifetime. We don’t have gun violence in this country. We are not prepared for it to happen ever again.

Why can’t people agree to disagree and learn to get along? Don’t answer that. I know it’s a simplistic view on it, but it’s not rocket science.

It’s generally a shit time of year in my home as I don’t love Christmas. People often forget it’s not a super fun and exciting time for everybody. This year I’m preferring to spend the day home alone rather than take up the one offer I have received that was to join some friends who were participating in a gathering at their church. To which I answered, “You will do fucking anything to get me to your church!” Thankfully, she laughed as much as I appreciated the offer. I’m planning to go solo at home with the fur-kids. Make turkey or ham sandwiches and roast a few things in my oven. There will definitely be a special version of French toast for breakfast and a weird creation of trifle using no homemade ingredients and it will be shared to whoever is here to partake until all portions are gone. I even bought myself a bottle of Bailey’s even if I need to put a note in my diary once a month to have a nip to remind myself, I’d got to be had. I didn’t say I never drink I always say I barely drink. That’s what that looks like.

While most have holidays, catch up with family and friends and generally take it easy I will have a staycation at home and attempt to do things I never get to. I will finally sort my oven tray cupboard and get the last few off my bench. I don’t know when I last had a holiday. So, just remember this time of year is not as much fun for everybody as you might imagine or hope yours will be?

It’s also with great sadness I must report the recent passing of another friend who I’d known since primary school. She had a rare condition called F.O.P. Which does not stand for Fairly Odd Parents as your first google search might yield? But here’s one I’ve prepared for you earlier.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibrodysplasia_ossificans_progressiva

Try saying that five times fast. Try just saying it once. So, it is with great sadness we will no longer see Lyn Smiths brightly dyed hair in my media feed or her posts about her beloved cat her snuggly sleeping companion, but her regular visits to hospitals she reminded us she was still here. Still doing her best but here. Now, I have to start 2026 with a funeral. Thought she would outlive us all.

Just remember, I often write the right thing at the wrong time or the wrong thing at the right time.

Everybody, enjoy the holiday season, just as long as you eat lots drink liberally, and try to do a little less damage to those who don’t deserve it.

And to finish on a lighter note.

With the passing of the great cartoonist Leunig late last year, I’ve been asking what calendar would grace my bathroom door considering a Hot firemen calendar so I could tease my carers each month. You are aware I’ve met a few firemen needing to evacuate the apartment complex I’ve lived in in recent years and having been through the MFB training centre when I was still working and none of them looked like the men in the calendar. False advertising much.

Just learnt there is a Leunig calendar for 2026. It’s sold out, Hot firemen then? Pity the zoo sent me a calendar.

Stay safe!

breaking-news-1

Breaking News

We interrupt the normal flow of my writing and posts to give you this breaking news……that means I’m tapping on my iPad, paper and pen put aside for speedy delivery.
If you are up to date on my blog and current affairs in Melbourne, Australia being my beloved home.
Last Friday, the 20th of January 2017 saw an incident Melbourne is not known for having. I’m going to use some generalised terms however bear with me. A young man in a Holden Commodore performed burn-outs and donuts in the main intersection of Flinders Street and Swanson Walk in front of Flinders Street Station. He was apparently screaming out obscenities while hanging out the window of his car. While he used terms like ‘Reign down terror!’ His actions were not perceived to be terrorist relayed. The driver was persuaded down Swanson Walk and the Bourke Street Mall. Both precincts known for being busy pedestrian traffic areas.
For those unaware, Melbourne has had the popular Australian Open Tennis, which is huge with tourists and Melbourne in general. We Melbournians love our coffee and our culture. We are happy and friendly people, so what happened next was (for lack of words,) just awful. The driver just drove into and over people. The youngest victim was a 3-month-old baby who was in a pusher(pram) and two people in their 30’s were killed also. Many others were injured, later reports indicated injuries to limbs and some brain injuries. The latest report is that five people were killed including the baby.
Passers-by pulled together to help the injured people until medical assistance could attend.
The driver was eventually stopped by police who shot him in his car, then dragged him from his car that still sported part of the pusher from earlier.
Now, I premise by saying this is likely not normal anywhere and most definitely not Melbourne.
I generally go to the city once a week. And was only made aware this was happening when out getting groceries and ran into an old carer who mentioned her son was in the city and she was concerned about him.
I don’t spend much time on social media, however I checked in on Saturday night. Lots of posts about sending people back where they came from when they cause such incidents and posts about acts of terror.
Clearly very glad I had not been anywhere near the city on Friday however with all the love and respect and support in the world to those who died, suffered injury or emotional trauma for witnessing such atrocities, I’m a little surprised my own family and friends have neglected to reach out and just ‘check‘ I wasn’t anywhere near the city……
And my point is that the silence is deafening and telling, isn’t it?

It’s now late Sunday night. Ok, it’s early Monday morning and I’ve avoided social media today. Sometimes, I like to let the dust settle on these events and rather than get caught up in the early assumptions I like to get the real facts….. There is no point getting caught up in the drama until the media gets all the information and updates correct.
So far, the reports I seem to have seen somewhere indicated he had mental health issues and not a terrorist related event.
Many posts I did see early Sunday morning, indicated the driver had slipped through the cracks in the legal system and had he been remanded for a prior infringement, he may not have been on the streets to cause such chaos. I prefer to imagine the mental health system failed him and everyone else affected on Friday.

Meanwhile, in a suburb in the North I had a conversation with my mum on the phone about the status of the lovely NDIS. In 2016, I was given the funding that is supposed to be the silver bullet to fix all problems and level the playing fields. My funding was rushed through giving me the lowest level of assistance. The first plan is supposedly designed this way…. So I’m not saying I’m the only one to get screwed. Just stating facts.
Last year Stupidlink (sorry, my favourite term for the government agency that handles pensions, etc) did to review my DSP (Disability Support pension) because apparently, I might be job ready?
So, the NDIS has also triggered an overhaul and review of my mum’s carer allowance although it’s not at all what they told us it’s what they were intending.
Now, I have had great carers who cared from the second they walked through the door and I can tell you I think they love me like family not just because they get paid to care and while I’m transitioning to new carers I’m micromanaging and already can tell I would have the same level of stress free care any time soon.
My NDIS funding needs an appeal/review and my mum, my only family member to actively help me has stated she is not going to assist with any paperwork unless she is paid to do so.
It’s the loneliest moment to feel the government is working to isolate me from the only family assistance I receive because, do they think they have my best (can’t think of appropriate word here) in mind. Because everything else points to the government wanting to institutionalize me and take away all my rights and independence.

I don’t mean to minimalist the events of Friday in the city because in that situation people died. I’m not planning to reach for the razors (my home has no razors) or the pills and let’s hope it continues that way…….
Now, please do not adjust your dials while normal transmissions resume.
Peace Out!