The Twenty-Firsts

I had to turn up to this one. The one on a Sunday night after a long lunch with colleagues in the afternoon. It would have been easier to stay at home, but this 21st party was a must show. My 'godchildren', Liam and Polly, turn 21 tomorrow. 

I put the 'godchildren' in brackets because I'm not their godparent in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Some 20 years ago I wasn't selected to be a godparent because I'm a heathen. At the time, the Catholic Church frowned upon those of other faiths being made godparents fontside. I remember at the time having my nose a little out of joint for half an hour, then got over it. Bernie has been a part of my life since first-year university. When she and her husband Daz ask for help, I'm there. Over the years, I've been around these kid's lives. They've cat sat for me while I was up in Darwin.  We got to the odd film or play together. Occasionally, I go round for Sunday Roast. They're family. I was at Bernie's 21st some nearly 40 years ago - she might have even been at mine. 

My phone number was put in their first phones as a 'call this when you need an adult who isn't a parent.' Daz approved of this, stating I was a good adult to have in their phone. They were told I can talk my way out of anything - sometimes you need that.

Regardless, I turned up.

It was nice. They seemed genuinely happy to see me. Polly looked gorgeous. Liam is all excited - he starts work tomorrow after a number of years of not being able to find a job. 

Of course, 21st are not what they used to be. Mind you, we Gen X had mostly moved out of home by this age - I'd been out four years by the time I turned 21. And what do you get the yoof of today for a 21st present? You used to get glasses, pewter tankards, all sorts of tatt for the house. Most kids are still living at home now, moving out a pipe dream unless you're having to move interstate for work. 

Being their 'god mum', they both received a card from me with a voucher to be taken to some sort of performance. To be discussed when I'm back in work and uni exams are over. They're both quite arty, Liam is into film, and Polly likes plays. 

There were also many people I hadn't seen for ages. Bernie's sister for one who lives in country South Australia. Juan, the twins actual godfather (being part Spanish, he's a proper Catholic) another. Juan and I normally find ourselves at family parties drinking under the clothesline. Juan's a renown botanical artist. 

"Pand, when is that book coming out?"

Yes, Juan. 

"Lunch soon."

"Yes, Juan."

Daz said the same thing. 

It was a lovely night. Thankfully, the function room was well ventilated and not too noisy. I stayed for a while, for the speeches and cutting of the cakes. They're twins. They get two. As it should be.

On the way out, Polly introduced me to her boyfriend, an earnest yoof, clean cut, well-mannered. They are well suited.

"And this is my godmother, in every way that matters," was how Polly introduced me. 

It takes a village. It's a village of which I'm thrilled to be a part. 

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing Breaks a Promise

 I've been out all day, and it has been wonderful. Meditation, followed by a wonderful tea blending class, then an impromptu dinner with EJ. It's been a lovely day, but it means I'm getting this off late in the day. 

Questions, as always, come from Sunday Stealing. 

1) Describe yourself in three words.

Kind, adventurous, intelligent. (I'm not blasting my own trumpet on the last one - I'm reasonably smart).

2) What's your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant? 

EJ and I went there tonight. I love this mum and dad Vietnamese restaurant near my place. They do this dry shredded beef in spicy sauce. I take everybody there for this dish. It's incredible. The place itself is a real what we call Mum and Dad restaurant, complete with a box of tissues for serviettes, formica tables, and in the early days, the kids, who now wait on the tables, used to be up the back doing their homework. 

3) Did you set goals for 2026? If yes, how are you proceeding toward them?

I'm getting somewhere with them. So far: 

• I've left the country for a few days
• Read at least a book a week
• Seen lots of theatre and films
• Kept fit
• And started the deep clean of the flat. 

All of this is something. 

4) What's something you have learned the hard way?

 The harder the exercise, the more you practice, the better you get at it. The hard work is worth it. 

5) If you could skip one item on today's to-do list, what would it be?

Well, today has 20 minutes left in it the I got much of the to-do list done. As for tomorrow's list, I'm always tempted to skip the gym, but this has to be done. Lots of me doesn't want to go out for lunch with the girls from my last job, but this too has to be done. I have a 21st tomorrow night - I will stick my head in the door for half an hour. 

 Tomorrow, I've just got to get on with it I fear. 

Today's song:

Movie Review: Sense and Sensibility

Movie Number 39 of 2026

The Movie: Sense and Sensibility

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes

Stars: 4

Today's Song: 

Dog Videos

The news came through the other day. He's gone. It wasn't a surprise as we were told he had entered palliative care the week before after many years of illness. He is now at peace; may his name be a blessing. 

I wasn't close to this man. A lovely man, I know his wife better, and for many years a lot of the discussion has been about her husband's health. It had been very difficult for both of them. She's a strong woman, but as they were together for around 40 years, I can only imagine the gut punch this must be. 

We've been in contact, as you do, on Messager. Quick messages of support and encouragement, for what can you say or do when somebody loses their partner of decades but lend your ear. you don't want to be in their face, but you also wish to let them know they're loved and thought of. I always end messages with the words, "You don't need to respond."

She came back to me a few days ago with words of thanks. 

"You don't mind me contacting you?"

We're not close friends, but we have known each other for well over 15 years. 

"Of course not."

"What I might do, if you're agreeable, is maybe send on the odd dog video. A few seconds of raw happiness never goes astray."

"Yes, please do that."

Maybe sending dog and cat videos is my love language. I know when my niece was ill, I'd send on short videos to my sister - they're not disruptive, but there is something wonderful about seeing a muddy Golden Retriever or some other goofball doing something stupid. Dogs bring love and comfort more than anybody else. 

I'm too aware of what it is to be grieving on your own. A quick message with something that may bring a momentary smile is all I can provide. As I said, it's my love language. 

Today's song:

The Miffy Board

Now I've settled into this between jobs state, not that I've cleaned the temple from top to bottom (and got paid for it), it's time to get the Kanban board running once again. 

Kanban board? 

Let's say I've worked on projects for too long. I like a good Kanban board. It's a project management tool that allows you to see what you've done during the day/week/sprint. 

Also, as an ADHD dopamine junkie, nothing feels better than ticking something off a list. 

With a Kanban board, you move your tickets, or in my case, Miffies, from a state of not done, to doing, to done. It helps to give a perspective of what you've achieved for the day. Some Miffies might be daily tasks (like exercise or stretch or take your Metamucil) or weekly tasks (like do the floors) or one-off jobs that really need doing (like doing a proper clean under the couch or spring cleaning the spare room).

And sure, I'm using the Miffy post-its that I bought in Paris at the Dutch chain HEMA for my task cards. I think they bring something to the joys of sprint planning your life. (Dutch friends, I know that you call Miffy by her Dutch name Neintje - but that's all too hard to say.)

And yes, that is a post-it with the word 'believe' written on it. Yes, I am a Ted Lasso fan, but I really do love the principle. I do believe I will find paid employment soon, just as I believe I can finish the first draft of a novel, find a temple cleaner and make my spare room look more like a tidy room and less like a cat's boudoir. 

And yes, there is a flyer for the Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition from 2017 along with the programme of shows at the Pop Up Globe from the same year. Both give me the warm fuzzies. Okay, I love Mapplethorpe's photographs, even if some are somewhat confronting. Shakespeare, in any form makes me happy. (Andybody want to join me for the Bell Shakespeares productions of As You Like It and Measure for Measure?)

Anyway, this is how I keep track of things. 

I will get a job. It's going to be great. I just have to remember to enjoy the downtime. 

Today's song:

Pistachio

Explain this to me. Why has pistachio taken over my life? Pistachio ice cream... pistachio coloured clothing. Love it. it's awesome. 

I'm in break mode, but I've made a promise to myself that I will start writing tomorrow. Today was crochet day - and placing some clothes on Depop. I made my 10,000 steps. 

The day before I had an interview. I haven't heard back from them yet - I'm hopeful, but I will understand if it's not me they want, then that's okay too. Today also had me sending out a few more applications and talking to an agency, keeping things moving. Regardless, with the other job - no news is no news and it's okay. 

But I've been thinking about pistachio stuff. 

And now, it's time to do some mobility exercises, do my affirmations in the light of a green candle (I'm gonna get a job and it's going to be great!) and wonder why the numbers on my blog tracking are going through the roof. Maybe I have a stalker. Maybe I'm being tracked. 

I'm gonna get a job, it's going to be great, and I'll start on the Miffy board tomorrow. (

Today's song:

Movie Review: The Social Reckoning

 Movie Number 38 of 2026

The Movie: The Social Reckoning

The Cinema: Village Cinemas at Crown

Runtime: One hour 52 minutes

Stars: 4

I've loved the work of Aaron Sorkin since The West Wing. Yes, his sensibilities and politics are very similar to my own, but he also gets to tell some important stories. This is another one of those, which he has both written and directed.

We were all around a few years ago when a whistleblower shouted long and hard about the abuses and lack of civil responsibility at Facebook. The Social Reckoning looks at this part of history, to great effect. Sorkin also wrote the screenplay for The Social Network, which looked at the formation and fallout of the formation of Facebook. In both of these films, Mark Zuckerberg doesn't walk away looking like a great human being. 

The Social Reckoning follows Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a young Facebook engineer, who enlisted the help of Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White), a Wall Street Journal reporter, to blow the whistle on the social network's most guarded secrets. We also see what Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) and his team do with him to "make him seem more likeable." If you followed the news at the time, Haugen testified in front of Congress about Facebook's nearly inhuman way of taking profits over people. And Jeff Horwitz received a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting. 

This is a wordy movie - but this is how Aaron Sorkin runs. Thankfully, the lead players put in excellent performances. Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg is particularly effective. (They asked Jesse Eisenberg to come back and play Zuckerberg but he turned the role down, wanting nothing to do with the man himself - and fair enough.) The well-crafted script would have helped these performances - mind you, Jeremy Allen White plaus a great underdog, just as Jeremy Strong is brilliant playing morally bankrupt characters. Mikey Madison, known best for her Oscar winning role in Anora is also great as the conflicted Frances. 

You'll come out of this movie thinking hard about social media and its horrors. The Social Reckoning provides a number of insider perspectives. It's a film that will play well on the streaming services in the near future. 

Today's song: