Me to X: "I think that I deserve extra time because it has taken me so long to work out what it's all about."
X - (who is about half my age): "That doesn't augur well for my lifespan then, does it?"
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Being Equal
I don't quite know what people mean when they say that women and men are equal. It seems to imply that they are the same. 2=2. When they then proceed to talk about a female perspective, though, it suggests a difference, at odds with the word "equal".
Perhaps they mean that they are of equal value, or have equal rights.
I am unsure about the concept of human rights - these seem more to be gifts that people in a particular society give to each other, rather than an innate consequence of being human. But, if humans do have rights, a fundamental one in my value system is the right of women to raise their own children.
Of course, this right is rapidly disappearing in our society. Young women don't have a right to work: generally,they have an obligation to work.
I can see that I am not of equal value compared to, say, Marie Curie. Hillary Clinton yes, Marie Curie, no.
Perhaps they mean that they are of equal value, or have equal rights.
I am unsure about the concept of human rights - these seem more to be gifts that people in a particular society give to each other, rather than an innate consequence of being human. But, if humans do have rights, a fundamental one in my value system is the right of women to raise their own children.
Of course, this right is rapidly disappearing in our society. Young women don't have a right to work: generally,they have an obligation to work.
I can see that I am not of equal value compared to, say, Marie Curie. Hillary Clinton yes, Marie Curie, no.
Restaurant Tofu
is how the restaurant critic Matthew Evans describes himself: absorbing all the tastes, smells, flavours and ambience of restaurants.
He explains how, although he may particularly dislike a certain food or dish, he has to be able to know what it should taste like, and discern the quality of the ingredients, flavours, cooking, and as, DG said, whether the chef has added something special to it or not. And then praise it or not, accordingly.
This seems to me to be analogous to what a literary critic or lecturer has to do.
Fortunately, I am not in those positions, so I can romp around among what gives me pleasure.
He explains how, although he may particularly dislike a certain food or dish, he has to be able to know what it should taste like, and discern the quality of the ingredients, flavours, cooking, and as, DG said, whether the chef has added something special to it or not. And then praise it or not, accordingly.
This seems to me to be analogous to what a literary critic or lecturer has to do.
Fortunately, I am not in those positions, so I can romp around among what gives me pleasure.
Alan Bradley
quotes Seneca.
"Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms. You'll be able to use them better when you are older."
"Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms. You'll be able to use them better when you are older."
Blog Block
Evidently January has been the month for this for many bloggers.
I have wallowed in reading. In the last two weeks I read:
As many Agatha Raisin or Hamish Mcbeth as I could get my hands on...short, light, amusing detective stories...(why are these called "mysteries"?)
Two by Ann Granger - but I won't be looking for more.
At Some Disputed Barricade - Anne Perry. Excellent.
Never Order Chicken on a Monday - Matthew Evans. Light and enjoyable
All Our Worldly Good - Irene Nemirovsky...will definitely read more.
Women of the Beat Generation - bits of, satisfies curiosity; fills in blanks from the autobio of Caralyn Cassady
Winter Close - Hugh Mackay. Engaging, with interesting insights.
Tuvalu - Andrew O'Connor
Smoke in the Room - Emily Maguire
These two, being about young people and contemporary young culture had limited interest for me.
I began "Deaf Sentence" byDavid Lodge. Excellent writing, but the story seemed to suggest that the protagonist was innocently being drawn into a disastrous situation, so I declined to read further. I will look for others by him.
I have wallowed in reading. In the last two weeks I read:
As many Agatha Raisin or Hamish Mcbeth as I could get my hands on...short, light, amusing detective stories...(why are these called "mysteries"?)
Two by Ann Granger - but I won't be looking for more.
At Some Disputed Barricade - Anne Perry. Excellent.
Never Order Chicken on a Monday - Matthew Evans. Light and enjoyable
All Our Worldly Good - Irene Nemirovsky...will definitely read more.
Women of the Beat Generation - bits of, satisfies curiosity; fills in blanks from the autobio of Caralyn Cassady
Winter Close - Hugh Mackay. Engaging, with interesting insights.
Tuvalu - Andrew O'Connor
Smoke in the Room - Emily Maguire
These two, being about young people and contemporary young culture had limited interest for me.
I began "Deaf Sentence" byDavid Lodge. Excellent writing, but the story seemed to suggest that the protagonist was innocently being drawn into a disastrous situation, so I declined to read further. I will look for others by him.
Papaver
Oriental, opium, Iceland, Californian ....vivid, glowing, gay*. I don't wish to be a poppy chopper, but my post on "The Slap"suggests such. I blame it on the over the top back-cover hype: one can only react, "Well, it's not that good."
Poppies are not perennials in much of Australia.
*I am campaigning to reclaim this joyous word.
Poppies are not perennials in much of Australia.
*I am campaigning to reclaim this joyous word.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Shopping 2
A week ago, I sought some pool supershock at the variety store -(take your pick of two) - only to see empty, yawning shelves. I asked at the enquiry desk. She pressed keys on a blackberry, and announced that they had none.
"We'll be getting more in," she said.
"You know that that's no use to me," I said.
"In 6 - 8 weeks, " she said.
WHAT? Do they have to walk to the factory to get it?
"This is a terrible shop," I said bitterly.
"Yes, it is, isn't it," she said.
On Friday, just 5 days later, being in the same shop, I checked the shelves out again.
Yup. There it was.
"We'll be getting more in," she said.
"You know that that's no use to me," I said.
"In 6 - 8 weeks, " she said.
WHAT? Do they have to walk to the factory to get it?
"This is a terrible shop," I said bitterly.
"Yes, it is, isn't it," she said.
On Friday, just 5 days later, being in the same shop, I checked the shelves out again.
Yup. There it was.
Shopping
Yesterday the granny behind me in the checkout queue pressed some bank notes into the hand of her (about) 10 year old grandson.
"Do you want to pay?" she asked. "Do you want to be the man and pay?"
Living in the past? Or brainwashing to shape the future?
"Do you want to pay?" she asked. "Do you want to be the man and pay?"
Living in the past? Or brainwashing to shape the future?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The Slap
On page 11 she gives Hector his shopping list: 25 gm green cardamon seeds, 4 eggplants....
On page 24 Hector sees, in his garden "..the late season eggplants, full and black, hanging precariously ..."
Just carelessness, I expect.
An engaging, irritating book.
'An anthropological insight into modern Australian life," said one commentator on the ABC's bookshow.
Which was an interesting comment in itself: she saw the fiction as fact.
The characters were not like anyone I've ever come across...but they were similar to the scandalous mores that the newspapers trumpet.
"None of the characters are particularly likeable, but they're mostly uncomfortably recognisable," writes Leigh Sales. To my mind that's because they are largely stereotypes.
Another commentator on the ABC said that it is a soap opera. I'm inclined to agree.
It's an engaging, easy read. But not something I would urge someone else to read.
Interesting to talk about, though. The issue - someone slapping a friend's child - of more interest than the book, unfortunately.
.
On page 24 Hector sees, in his garden "..the late season eggplants, full and black, hanging precariously ..."
Just carelessness, I expect.
An engaging, irritating book.
'An anthropological insight into modern Australian life," said one commentator on the ABC's bookshow.
Which was an interesting comment in itself: she saw the fiction as fact.
The characters were not like anyone I've ever come across...but they were similar to the scandalous mores that the newspapers trumpet.
"None of the characters are particularly likeable, but they're mostly uncomfortably recognisable," writes Leigh Sales. To my mind that's because they are largely stereotypes.
Another commentator on the ABC said that it is a soap opera. I'm inclined to agree.
It's an engaging, easy read. But not something I would urge someone else to read.
Interesting to talk about, though. The issue - someone slapping a friend's child - of more interest than the book, unfortunately.
.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Porn
Cindy Gallop, on a Ted talk, says that because of parental/school/society reticence, most children now learn about how to engage in sexual practices from hard core porn sites.
She has learned this from personal experience, because as an older woman, she chooses lovers in their twenties.
Because, as she says, these sites are owned by, run by, controlled by men, girls can find themselves obliged to cooperate in ways that they might otherwise not choose.
She has learned this from personal experience, because as an older woman, she chooses lovers in their twenties.
Because, as she says, these sites are owned by, run by, controlled by men, girls can find themselves obliged to cooperate in ways that they might otherwise not choose.
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