Aug 24, 2011

These sleepless nights


I didn't quite end up finishing the NaBloPoMo August challenge did I? This time it wasn't laziness though.

I haven't been sleeping well for a few weeks now and I think a lot of it has to do with me not unwinding enough before bed. I am physically exhausted from the lack of sleep so you'd think I would crash as soon as my head hit the pillow but nope, doesn't happen. My mind…has a mind of its own. Haha really it does! I cannot stop thinking, stressing, planning, analysing - just not giving my mind a break!

This is why I'm trying to disconnect, unwind and do other things when I get home. I try to spend as little time in front of the computer. Of course it doesn't always happen. But I'm hoping it will work and I won't wake up feeling so tired every day!

Aug 8, 2011

Mundane inanities

Today was my first day back at the gym after many months and I'm so happy I'm finally back :)

It was a struggle for sure but I'm happy I got there and am finally healthy enough to be gymming again. Exercise keeps me sane and so I was obviously going a little crazy not being able to exercise.  I am disappointed with my fitness (naturally) and I know it will take me a while to build it back up again but I'm grateful to be back and at it again. Yay me.

In other news, today I found out they are re-releasing one of my most favourite movies of all time - The Lion King in 3D - for 2 weeks in September.


Besides being one of the best Disney movies (in my opinion) - the movie brings back a lot of wonderful memories. It was 1994 and I was loving my 9 year old life. My parents took my sister, my cousins and me to watch the movie - which was sold out so we had to sit way up in front (in the fifth row) to watch the movie. It didn't matter that our eyes hurt - we loved the movie and we all cried when Mufasa died.

I think 3D still has some way to go before they add a wow factor to regular movies but animated movies in 3D are amazing. So yes, I cannot wait for Lion King in 3D....so excited!

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.

Aug 7, 2011

John Lennon says...



I have a coffee table book called 'Imagine' with quotes from John Lennon.


Aug 6, 2011

Homesickness

These random pangs of homesickness
Unwelcome
Unasked for
Unexplained.
Triggered by a song, a sight or even a smell.
A longing for a home that is no longer home
But
Will always be home.

The people. The people...
The familiarity.
The memories
...A life long gone.

Can you be homesick for a person
A person long lost...
Another version of you in another life, another universe?

I  never was very good at hide and seek.

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.

Aug 5, 2011

Currently reading...


Going back in time and re-reading the whole series :) 

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.

Aug 4, 2011

Of course this post is about Harry Potter

It's over *cry*

Yes ok, it's been over for a long time but you know, it's finally O-V-E-R. Nothing to look forward to anymore :(




The movie was absolutely brilliant. Admittedly the first few Harry Potter movies weren't very good (I still watch them though) but they definitely picked up their game and the last two movies have been amazing. I'm so glad this last one didn't disappoint. Such an amazing way to end it all.


Of course I got emotional during Snape's memories of Lily. Of course I was holding my breath for a few scenes (Molly ending Bellatrix, in particular). And *of course* I wished certain bits from the book hadn't been left out.

I loved the movie and I wish I could say it better instead of just gushing like a little child but I'm not feeling very writer-y today. I *will* write a Harry Potter post though. Soon.

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.

Aug 3, 2011

Harry Potter at last!


Going to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 tonight. Finally.

I'm too excited to write a proper blog post. Maybe tomorrow, I will write about it and my grief that it's over.




This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.

Aug 2, 2011

Ethics vs Religion vs Politics

I went to an Irish Catholic school for 13 years and yes surreptitious religious indoctrination was definitely part of my daily school life ;-) However, as part of the school curriculum, Christian students had to go to Catechism classes once a week while the rest of us attended 'Moral Science' classes. These classes started from Year 1 and attending one or the other was compulsory right up to Year 12.

Being of non-Christian faith, of course I went to the moral science classes where, for a change we weren't just being talked at, being lectured, being forced to strive towards academic excellence that some of us clearly had no drive for… In these classes, we talked about almost anything of any relevance, including current affairs, world issues, human rights, books, religion, politics and much more. Even with the limited worldview that childhood brings, we debated and discussed issues with our classmates. The teachers didn't preach - they encouraged us to think, respect someone else's opinion and most importantly, have an opinion of our own.

The reason I bring this up is because last week I heard about Fred Nile and his Christian Democratic Party pushing for NSW public schools to do away with the recently introduced Ethics classes which are an alternative to scripture classes for non-religious students. Nile believes these ethics classes are "in competition with scripture".

This made me angry and while I was busy trying to frame my thoughts in a coherent way, 11-year old Charlie Fine came along and said it better :  

"By all means, Mr Nile, you go out and be as Christian as you want; I respect that entirely. But that does not give you and your supporters the right to attempt to shape a future generation of adults in your mould – that is a religious conservative."

Go Charlie!

One of the first things I noticed when I moved here was how little Australians cared about religion and I liked that. However, of late religion seems to have become such a big part of Australian politics.  Politics is dirty and when religion comes into play, the waters get even murkier.

During the last election campaigns, the Liberals constantly harped on Gillard's atheism. Suddenly Australians were going on about "Oh she doesn't believe in God…" even though it probably would have made no difference to them had Tony Abbott not used it as his catchphrase. Would Julia Gillard's capabilities as a Prime Minister have improved if she were Christian? And would God help Tony Abbott "Stop the Boats!" had he become Prime Minister?

And now Nile and his CDP are promising to "torpedo" the NSW state government and its legislations unless their religious demands are met. Nile doesn't surprise me but it is disgusting that the NSW Premier is considering a "deal" with a man who is unashamedly homophobic and believes pornography is equivalent to eternal damnation.

A progressive society is made up of free thinking people with a variety of opinions and beliefs. Governments don't need to play nanny to what morals or beliefs children are being taught at school - I think that is a parent's decision. Encouraging children to think critically to grow into free-thinking adults is a tough ask and if these ethics classes are aiming at that, I am all for it. I am not saying ban scripture - but I believe religious study should be an option for children and their parents, not something that is forced on them.

I'd just like to say to Mr. Nile that  being religious does not automatically create a better breed of Australians or a better society. I'm sure you will find that sometimes religious fanaticism makes a country regress. So just let people be Mr. Nile…I assure you we are capable of making our own decisions, without any help from you. And if that decision involves us not believing in God…oh well, shit happens.

As even an 11 year old will tell you, "I think it is possible to be non-religious and a good person."

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.


Aug 1, 2011

NaBloPoMo - Take 2

I'm hitting up NaBloPoMo again this month. I was very enthusiastic about it last month but not having a computer and a buggy Blogger app made things annoyingly difficult.

So armed with a new computer, I'm here to kick things off again.

NaBloPoMo Take 2.

Action

This post is part of the NaBloPoMo August challenge.