Checking One's Privilege

I'm checking my privilege. I do this periodically so I can remember where my viewpoints have formed. 

I was born in 1968, just before Czechoslovakia fell to the Russians and Ringo quit The Beatles for the first time. Bobby Kennedy has been buried two months before. Martin Luther King, two months before that. The Vietnam War was still happening. Australia had conscription. The average Australian house price in 1968 was $18,000. The Flower Children and the Hippies were beginning to bud. John Gorton was Prime Minister. They were still hoping Harold Holt was in a Chinese submarine. 

I was born to parents who were both war babies. Both hold the scars and quirks of having parents born pre-World War One. One of my grandfathers enlisted in 1918, willing to do his bit for King and Country. They didn't take him. Too skinny. And the war was nearly over. And his mother had already lost one son. My grandfather's brother was a decorated war hero. One of the most decorated non-combatants in WWI. Look him up. Eric Roy Jarvis. He's my Mum's uncle. 

I come from a family of Methodists. On one side, they are Methodist clergy. I went to Sunday School until I was about 16, when at that time, as it made no sense to me, and I had to drive myself, I gave it up, handing in my Christian ticket a few years later when I worked out what spirituality worked better for me. I think the only thing Sunday School gave me was the ability to argue about religion and a love of ritual. 

Are you following?

I can be classed as:

• CIS gendered
• Heterosexual
• Spiritual but not religious
• Generation X
• 6th Generation White Australian of English (Cornish), Welsh and Scottish heritage. 
• I am a feminist
• I like to think that I am kind
• I'm reasonably well read
• I love pop culture
• And I'm an armchair political commentator

 I am educated. My first degree was mostly paid for by the Australian Federal Government thanks to Gough Whitlam and the fact that Tertiary Education was basically free until 1988. My Master's degree I paid for myself, but as it directly related to my field of work was able to claim it as a tax deduction. 

Being basically healthy, I've not had to over-utilise Medicare, the Australian health service. I am eternally grateful that, as I'm grateful that I live in a country with Government-sponsored socialised medicine, where if you have a heart attack, you're not sent bankrupt. I don't mind that a couple of thousand dollars of my taxes goes to Medicare. If I don't use it, somebody else will. It's there in case I need it. It's a bit like the theory of donating blood, which is not paid for here in Australia. If I donate blood, other people use it. If, by some misfortune, I need blood, hopefully somebody will have donated some enabling the saving of my life. You give. You get. What you put in, you get back. As above, so below. 

Australia is also a country which has decent workforce laws, provides people, mostly, with a living wage. A waitress doesn't need to hustle for tips. People don't need to work three jobs to keep a roof over their heads or food in their bellies. (Though with the housing crisis, we shudder a bit)

I am secure in my reproductive rights. My body. My choice. Being one of the one in three women who have had an abortion in their lifetime, I know that this was one of the best decisions I have made. I have always had access to contraception, with no qualms from any medical practitioner. I know that if anybody in Australia presents with and ectopic pregnancy or other life threatening pregnancy complication, they will be treated with compassion and speed to have the situation rectified. Abortion is healthcare and is treated as such in Australia. There are limitations and guard rails around late term abortions, but these laws are enacted by medical practitioners. This makes sense to me. No conservative, pale, stale male dictates what I can and can't do with my reproductive organs. (We won't go into John Howard, Tony Abbott, Brian Harridine and the abortion pill debacle of the early 2000s.)

I live in a country with strict gun control legislation. I grew up around guns. There are reasons people need guns. But there is a difference between carting around a handgun, or owning semi-automatic weapons and having a single action shot gun, which was used for putting down ailing livestock and shooting cans off of fence posts. 

Australia is a secular country with the right to religious freedom entrenched in our constitution. I love that I get to celebrate not only Christian festivals, but Diwali, Eid, Hanukah and various Asian New Year festivities. When being sworn in as a politician, you can choose to affirm your allegiances. No Bible, Koran, Talmud, Baghavad Gita, Egyptian Book of the Dead required. It's your choice. 

I do not live in Utopia. There is plenty wrong about Australia. There's a hell of a lot that is not good at all. Dreadful politicians from across the board. Inaction over climate change. The cost of living. Aged care. Violence against women, Conservative politicians and their dog whistling.... the list can go on. 

But for all that is not great about, I still find myself checking my privilege and give thanks for all that I have. For the freedoms our laws provide.

And that I empathise with those who don't have what has been bestowed on me, whether by luck, hard work, generational fortitude or sheer chance. 

It's this empathy, the ability to feel for what others are going through, that makes me most grateful, and hopeful. 

Because, in the words of the philosopher Hannah Arendt, "The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism."

I wish America would check their privilege and start to empathise with many of their own citizens. Have a look at see that there are other ways of doing things. You don't have to go all kumbaya to do this. As Harper Lee's Atticus Finch once said, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

I've tried to get into the skin of a Trump-voting American. 

I don't understand. I don't get it. I don't like it. 

But it's not my country, not my government, not my president, and I can't do anything about it, but hope that some empathy, and foresight, and common sense starts to prevail. 

And I'll continue to count my blessings. 

Today's song: 

A Successful Day Off

Today's trip away from home saw me go out to Flemington, home of the big horse race I was doing my best to ignore. It also stopped me for keeping my eye on the American elections, which the world is watching with bated breath. 

Instead of cow-towing to the masses who said I should be paying attention to a horse race, I went to a friend's place where there was a meet up of the wonderful women I went to France with last year. 

It was a marvelous afternoon, filled with a lot of laughs and hugs and deep conversations and dancing and great food. In other words, it was everything a catch up with this wonderful group of women should be an more. Very soul restoring. It does much more than a silly horse race. 

And there was this amazing playlist on in the background. Bangers all around. This too made me happy, but the music is always excellent at this friend's place. The only bad thing was it was a Spotify playlist. I must be one of the few people in the world without a Spotify account (I use Apple Music).

I was also given some cards. Some writing cards. Some cards which provide writing prompts from my friend Catherine Deveny. They're awesome. But I will write about them more soon. 

After having my soul restored with the girls, it was round to Blarney and Barney's for the tail end of a barbeque. I sat down and was told I had to eat. Which I did. Just a bit to placate Blarney and her need to feed people.

Then it was home for the Masonic Book Group Meeting, which was a very productive 90 minutes. The book we discussed (well, the first four chapters, anyway) was Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. A stimulating discussion was had, with people across the country, and indeed, the world. 

In all, I don't think you get much better than this. 

I'll talk about the cards in another post. They warrant a post of their own. 

In the meantime, I'm sending thoughts and prayers to my American friends. I'm trying to stay away from the internet. I find it all concerning and I don't need the anxiety hits at the moment. 

Today's song: 

Movie Review: Here

 Movie Number 35 of 2024

The Movie: Here

The Cinema: The Sun Cinema, Yarraville

Stars: 3.5

This film had piqued my interest because of what it was doing with AI, more than for the actors or the storyline. In the end I enjoyed it, even if it is a flawed. 

If you read reviews, you'll see that most agree - what director Robert Zemekis has done a good job of this film, especially around the AI features, but the plot and characters are all rather schmatlzy. 

As an AI sceptic, I loved the premise in the movie. One view from a glimpse of Prehistoric America, to the first nations people, to when the settlers came.

Most of the action takes place when the house is built in the early 1900s. We see different people living in the house from the time they bought it, until the time they sold it on. A good percentage of the film is spent on Al (Paul Bettany) and Rose (Kelly Reilly), and their son Richard (Tom Hanks) and his wife Rose (Robin Wright). The CGI is used to age all of the characters both forward and backwards and to great effect. 

What is not so great is the storyline and character development - of which there is little. I was more interested in where the story would take us. Scene changes always happened after some rectangular boxes appeared on the screen.

Technically, this is a great movie. Conceptually, it's sound. But that's about it. 

There is enough going on to keep the synapses working, but high art this is not. 

Today's song: 

In Da Vinci Mode

 The Exhibition: Leonardo Da Vinci: 500 Years of Genius

Where: The Lume, South Wharf, Melbourne

Until 8 December

A change of plans left me at loose end last night, and on a whim, I took myself off to see the Da Vinci exhibition at The Lume, wanting to get to this before it left Melbourne. I've been doing a lot of that lately. 

It was a change of plans I enjoyed a lot. 

The Lume is something best enjoyed out of season. What I mean by that is it is at its best when the auditorium is emptier, and you don't have to wade through the crowds. There will always be little kids running around doing cartwheels, but you don't notice them as much when there's a lot of room to move. 

I'd lucked out on a number of levels. Entering the DFO car park I saw the extortionate prices and took note that I needed to be back and out of the centre in two hours. There was no way I was going to pay $54 for three hours parking. 

Thankfully, Lume ticket holders are entitled to $12 all-day parking, with a special parking ticket you get at the door. Win number one.

Big win number two. The place was nearly empty. 

The Lume is at its best when it's quiet. The Da Vinci exhibition has been playing for a few months now, and 6.30 on a Saturday night is not prime viewing time. 

Regardless, I loved every second of this exhibition. 

For anybody who hasn't been to a Lume exhibition, the well-known paintings are projected onto the walls of the auditorium, normally with some context and a soundtrack of instrumental and classical music to set it off. If you're lucky, you can find one of the lie down bean backs to rest back on while watching the show in front of you. It's fantastic. 

So far, I've seen Lume productions that look at the works of Van Gogh, Alphonse Mucha (In Paris) and a very good Aboriginal art display. 

This exhibit was as good as the others, although it could probably be called Da Vinci and Friends, especially as the last 15 minutes displayed paintings by Da Vinci's contemporaries, including Caravaggio, Bellini, Raphael, Michelangelo and Botticelli. 

The other wonderful thing about this exhibit is that it looks at his inventions, such as the helicopter, the parachute and the bicycle, among others. It's fascinating to see and learn more about this incredible person. 

There is also a while room dedicated to the Mona Lisa, probably his most famous painting. Fun fact. Did you realise that the Mona Lisa has no eyelashes nor eyebrows. It's also unfinished in a number of ways. It was fascinating. 

For me, this was a great way to spend two hours contemplating this incredible man. To be able to sit back in this cool, quiet space and have my senses massaged by the light was well needed. 

Ans sure, this is art for the masses, but as we live the other side of the world to Europe, we Australians have to take our culture where we can get it. I love that by illuminating the works, you get to see every crack, crevise and line. It's marvelous. 

This is definitely worth a look. 

This series ends on December 8.

Today's song: 

Sunday Stealing:

 It's November. How did that happen? 

I'm making the most of some free time in Melbourne. There are good thing about not being the other side of the country for the weekend - like movie theatres, and exhibitions, and weather where it's not hot and humid. I'm loving it. November is a good month. It's not yet high summer, but you can start leaving your jacket at home. 

Anyway, here's this week's questions, supplied, as always, by Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

Local events, parades or festivals – either in your hometown or state

Melbourne has some great festivals. Every March-April is the International Comedy Festival, which runs over a month and is excellent. Acts come from all over the world. 

In March there's also something called Moomba, which I believe is a children's festival, with a parade and side show attractions, a Birdman Rally and waterskiing in the Yarra River, which doesn't really appeal as the Yarra never looks that sanitary. 

We also get a public holiday for a football game and a horse race. The Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday - I'm going to a barbeque that day. Should be fun. It might be an Australian thing, having a public holiday for sporting events. It doesn't make sense to me. 

Life update – what’s happened recently, moving house, family wedding, vacation, new pet, visited with a friend, and so on.

Nothing much has happened. I'm going back to Darwin next weekend for a week. Does that count? 

Do you have any family traditions this month?

As I'm in Australia, with the exception of the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November, there is nothing much that happens in November. My family don't celebrate anything in November - a couple of my cousins have birthdays. That's about it. 

The holidays are about two months away, Do you begin shopping or creating now or wait until December?

Christmas is not a big thing for me either. I'll start getting things ready for the trek interstate about a week before Christmas. 

What is your favorite November memory?

I can't think of anything really. I know I use to like November when I was living in England because ti was getting colder. I like cold weather. 

Now that the weather is getting cooler do you prefer? Staying indoors or going outdoors? What do you do?

Ah, I'm in Australia - we're going into Summer. It's getting warmer. I'm looking forward to being able to go for longer walks after work because it's daylight savings and not being cold. November is rather nice in Melbourne. 

Describe your favorite local restaurant.

There are so many restaurants near where I live, but I keep going back to this place down Victoria Street called Vinh Ky. It's a Vietnamese/Chinese place and it does this one dish, Crispy Beef in Spicy Sauce which is just incredible. I take a lot of friends there, and they keep going back. It's cheap and cheerful and very tasty. 

The pub around the corner does great meals, and there are many cafes which do great breakfasts. We're really spoiled for choice around here. 

Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving?

As an Australian, Thanksgiving isn't a thing. I've been to a couple of Thanksgiving dinners at an American friend's place. I like the concept - but it's not a thing in Australia. The Black Friday sales are about as much as we get of Thanksgiving over here. 

If you could take any class, what would you select?

I would love to get fluent in French, so I could see myself going back to regular French conversations classes. 

There's also a part of me that would still love to learn to play the piano. 

To celebrate November would you rather enjoy pumpkin pie or sweet potato?

Okay, this is another Australian thing - but both pumpkin and sweet potato are traditionally savoury foods. I've had both pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes with marshmallow - but I wouldn't write home about them. I reckon, if you're not brought up with these things they don't have any nostalgic value. 

I like my pumpkin and sweet potato roasted and in salads. 

How do you handle setbacks and failures?

Normally, after a short period of mourning, I pick myself up, dust myself off and get on with things. 

If everything in your house had to be one color, which color would you choose?

Oh, this is a hard question. 

Part of me says go with black, but that has its problems. It can be overwhelming. 

But navy blue - that might work. It's still dark, but it's in some ways classier. 

Who or what would you haunt if you were a ghost?

I don't like the idea of haunting anybody - it feels a bit vindictive. But I could live somewhere cool. Like the seal house at the zoo. I reckon watching the seals for eternity would be great. 

Have you ever worn clothing with the labels still attached?

Do you mean the labels, or the price tags. Most of my clothes have the labels still on them. How do you know which way they go on without the tag? I'm normally pretty good about taking off price tags. 

What's something weird that you recommend everyone try at least once?

Here are some things people should try that might be deemed a little strange: 

• Pickled herring (Source them from Ikea - the ones in mustard sauce are great)
• Horseradish sandwiches
• Vegemite on buttered toast, if you are not Australian
• Learning a language for no reason
• Reading crappy romance novels
• Sniffing dog and cat paws (they smell good)
• Going to a Silent Book Group meeting - I go to one when I'm in Darwin - it's awesome. 

Today's song: 

Movie Review: Saturday Night

 Movie Number 34 of 2024

The Movie: Saturday Night

The Cinema: Village Cinemas, Rivoli, Gold Class

Stars: 4.5

Saturday Night Live is not as big a thing in Australia than it is in America, however, now, with the internet, we're seeing a lot more of the show's revolutionary skits and entertainment. 

This movie gives an insight into the shown inception. According to IMDB.com "At 11:30pm on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live."

What comes of this film is a look at the absolute chaos that was the first show of Saturday Night Live. We meet Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) the producer who's trying to keep his merry band in order while keeping the executives placated. There's John Belushi (Matt Wood) who hasn't signed his contract is being a petulant arsehole. Of course, there's Chevy Chase (Corey Michael Smith) charming everybody and everything in sight. Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott) is trying to keep her marriage to Lorne a secret. Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt) is trying to keep Belushi in his place. And Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris) and Dan Ackroyd (Dylan O'Brien) just want to get on with the job as Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) complains about his airtime being cut. 

The stage is not built, the script is not ready and the executives, headed by Dave Tebut (Willem Defoe) are ready to pull the plug on the whole thing and put on an episode of Johnny Carson. 

Saturday Night captures perfectly that time when things were on the precipice of change. A time where things were television was run by aging white guys. The show was about to sweep the floor with all of that. Even the censor, Joan Carbunkle (Catherine Curtin) has a hard time working out what's going on - and she provides some of the best laughs. 

This film only looks at this bonkers hour and a half, and it is brilliant in what it does. Jason Reitman's direction keeps every moving at breakneck speed. The use of a handheld camera to give a shaky feel to the whole experience brings more urgency to the film. 

Another great thing about this film is some of the cameos, which have you scratching your head and gasping at the brilliance of the casting. Nicholas Braun, best known as Cousin Greg in Succession, is wonderful as both Andy Kaufman and The Muppets Jim Henson. JK Simmons is a creepy as all hell as Milton Berle. And an unrecognisable Matthew Rhys embodies George Carlin. 

The costumes and sets are on point for 1995. For the nearly two hours of the film, you are in 1975, that hard smoking, polyester lined era where OHS was an afterthought.

For lovers of television, history and a good chuckle, this comes highly recommended. They've done an excellent job of this one. 

Today's song: 

Two months in

 I started the Regime two months ago.

The Regime?

Yes, the naturopath sponsored diet regime where I cut the following things entirely:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Processed sugar
• Alcohol
• Caffeine.

Some have referred to this as the 'Fun Free' eating plan. Others see it completely unacceptable, particularly around the caffeine and alcohol-free existence. "I can't survive without my morning coffee!" they wail. "How do go out to dinner and not have a wine?"

The answer. Easily. 

Others have questioned why I'm gluten free if I'm not coeliac. Gluten, like dairy, and sugar and alcohol and caffeine can cause inflammation in your body. Eliminating it starts the healing process and rids your body of toxins. You feel lighter. 

Anyway, two months in on this plan:

• I've lost six kilos. 
• My head is clear
• I've got a ton of energy
• My body no longer aches
• Recovery from exercise is a lot quicker
• My clothes feel looser
• I can't remember the last time I took an antacid before bed
• I'm reading food labels carefully
• And this way of eating is not an imposition. At all.
• My cheekbones are showing again

I gave up caffeine eight years ago - one of the best things I've ever done. As I love the taste of coffee, the whole ritual of having coffee with people, almond decaf lattes (or a Melbourne Wanker) as it's known in Darwin, is my staple. Decaf, like gluten free bread, has got a lot better over the years. 

Bread is no longer a staple, but a treat. A sometimes food. 

Subway gluten free wraps with chicken strip, no cheese, and lots of salad are my takeaway staple. 

I've made this work. 

Two months on, I'm not craving sugar. While buying a coffee at the work coffee shop I was told of the evil lemon curd donuts on sale. Nope, all good. In the test labs in Darwin, where there are piles of lollies around - I'm not interested. (but a small packet of salt and vinegar chips - I'll take them). 

I'm reading the labels. If a food is showing a warning that it may contain gluten or dairy, I'll take it. May contain means there might be a trace. I'm fine with that. It's a bit like being in a restaurant and asking for gluten free bread. When the servers ask if I'm a coeliac, I just say no - I'm intolerant. (Or a wanker - that normally gets a smile). 

That I feel so good is amazing. At training last night, Chuck made comment that my muscles are starting to show. While doing tricep dips, he made comment that my guns were starting to come out. Maybe he was being nice, but he's not the type, preferring to torture me instead. 

I've got the energy to do more. It's great. 

So, what now?

Well, chatting to my naturopath over email, I'm committing to another month of this. I'm liking how I feel. The only element I'm bringing back is alcohol. I drink so little, it's okay. The rest of it, I'll keep them out of daily life. 

And yes, it's a bit boring, as I sit here with a cup of blueberries and a spoonful of coconut yogurt. And sure, when you go out, the menu is reduced - but steak is gluten free. As are rice paper rolls. And fresh fruit. And protein.

Also, I like that my body is feeling much freer - moving more easily. And the bundles of energy. 

Why would I want to go back to where I was?

Today's song: