Something that continually irks me about Australian culture is the way in which we approach success and people who step out of their designated mold. It’s OK to ‘have a go’ or to enable a ‘fair go’ but beware, put in too much effort and it won’t take too long for people to let you […]
What other people think of me is none of my damn business Read More
As envelopes of time pass we somehow compact groups of moments into what are often referred to as experiences. The pity about remembering life as a set of whole experiences is that the outcomes are often known and the memories are filed away as good, bad or indifferent void of those delicious little moments that
The Human Condition: Moments Read More
My darling middle child has always had a way with words. She’s almost 16 now. She’s worldly, she’s seen ‘stuff’ (so she tells me), she has a boyfriend (with whom time is carefully rationed during the mother’s watch) and she’s pretty sure she knows how most things work (except the washing machine which she has
Raising teen: still waving not quite drowning Read More
Another work trip. Another hotel. I’d been doing this for a long, long time and sitting within four walls en route to somewhere should have been a very ordinary occurrence. This time it was not. On this evening the walls became a prison, a prison which was bereft of the oxygen I needed so desperately
The Human Condition: Anxiety Read More
She pulled her tiny human closer, her strong arms encompassing the small torso, so close she could feel her babe’s breath moving slowly in and out of her little body. Asleep at last. In that moment she noticed her strong arms. She noticed the almost magical ability her arms possessed to hold her little one
The Human Condition: Strong Arms Read More
My children and I have had many conversations about the differences between bogans and rednecks. Bogans, we agree are the harmless variety. Albeit a bit rough around the edges, bogans can be pretty damn entertaining. I have time for bogans. Rednecks, on the other hand are a different breed entirely. Rednecks hate everything that’s ‘different’
The Human Condition: Rednecks Read More
(language alert) “Fuck I hate it when you say something and the person at the other end thinks that’s what you mean” said an uncomplicated friend. I instantly agreed with the paradoxical statement. Of course language, our words hold power. However, the power of the word is often overshadowed by two things — intention and
The Human Condition: Intention and perception Read More
Do you remember the last time you missed someone? Not just a fleeting memory but a strong yearning, so strong it’s palpable. Maybe it’s a loved one now passed, an old flame, a faraway friend, kids who have left home or even a wise mentor who influenced change in your life. The people who have
The Human Condition: Footsteps Read More
The time was right to reassess my social media world. It’s not like I didn’t anticipate that at some stage my ‘role’ and my opinions and connections would somehow collide. Nevertheless, the feeling of being ‘noticed’, ‘found out’ for my left-leaning views (despite some confusing and unnoticed sharing of the right at times) was a
Meet My Friends: Behind the Scenes Read More
I wasn’t sure I would know Julie Congdon when we arranged to meet in the January summer holidays of 2019 however when I saw Julie and her family standing at my front door tears rolled. In this moment I realised that this woman was still my primary school bestie, Julie Brown. Julie, her husband Scott
Meet My Friends: Julie Congdon Read More