Category: culture
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You Don’t Have To Fit Into Society’s One-Size-Fits-All Box
As, once again, we compile the memories of twenty-five years together into boxes ahead of our next move, it seems appropriate to have a discussion about them. Boxes. Because I’ve noticed how good society is at putting people into them, as NC reminded me the other day when we were discussing the assumptions people make…
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Next Year, I Will Choose Another Date To Celebrate Australia Day
Something didn’t feel quite right when I woke up on the morning of “Australia Day” this year. You know me, any excuse for a piss-up and I’m there with bells on, but this year felt different. Sure, we had only organized a small gathering of friends at a local pub, followed by a nice lunch…
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How Do You Defrost A Turkey Quickly? Asking For A Friend
The red cabbage is out of the oven to the somewhat predictable retching noises from NC – proof that she is a rubbish vegetarian. The presents are wrapped and under the tree – apart from mine, which I have no doubt will be remembered sometime between the closing credits of Elf and bedtime. And the…
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Can I Suggest Eating Mindfully This Christmas Rather Than Dieting?
Let’s make a pact and enforce a community embargo against dieting this Christmas. I won’t be dieting. In fact, I will be eating all of the pigs-in-blanket, swigging the whole jug of brandy custard, and scoffing every one of the purple Quality Street! In Joanna Nell’s book, The Single Ladies Of Jacaranda Village, her doctor…
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When You Travel Back To The Motherland And Feel Like A Tourist
Anybody who has migrated to another country will understand the conundrum of whether “home” will always be the place in which you were born or your adopted country. At this stage of life – the old AF period just prior to death – the question can become all the more poignant with our tendency to…
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Sometimes, A Good Chinwag With People That Really Know You Is All The Therapy You Need
Bonding with someone is ” Like sharing an invisible stream of consciousness with each other.” Those are the powerful words of Zat Rana in his piece The Subtle Art Of Connecting With Anyone on “Medium.” My connection to others has always provided me with the best therapy. I’m needy emotionally. I might even go as far…
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Is This Year’s “Bachelor” Helping Us Think Beyond The Stereotypes?
I’ve been sucked into The Bachelor again. No excuse really, other than it’s the perfect wind-down tv that gives me an added connection to NC and something to comment about on Twitter. While this season has some disconcerting constancies about it – that include Osher’s perfect hair, the gaudiness of the mansion and it’s general…
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What Are We Teaching Our Children?
Change scares people, and none more so than older people. I can personally vouch for the fact that many of us seek comfort in our dotage. Comfortable sofas, with just the right amount of back support; comfort food; comfortable clothing, and comfortable, flat shoes. We like what we know and we know what we like…
LOUISA SIMMONDS 