Boycott

I posted a throwaway comment on a friend's Facebook post last night.
He had added a link to Madonna's new music video.

Personally, I don't see the need for Madonna to continue to exist in modern music. But I know that many long time fans disagree with me. I know people who will continue to buy every known utterance from the woman, even when its nonsense dribble she churns out from that Nursing Home she visited in the "What it Feels Like for a Girl" video.
(That sentence in itself was a bit of nonsense dribble, I better check myself.)

So, fresh from the "lady" cancelling her Australian Tour Leg (one that fans have been waiting 20 years to see), I commented that we (Australians) don't listen to her any more seeing as she cancelled on us again.

In reply, I was told that I should be mature and that it was not the end of the world.

This of course is true. It would not effect me either way, as I had no desire to fork out any cash to see her. Even if a part of me has a curiosity to see if she can actually sing, dance or hobble these days. I am sure her videos show in only the best light.

But this is not the point. It is not the point for several reasons.

Firstly, for the genuine and dedicated fans, it might not be the end of the world as we know it, but it is a truly bitter slap in the face. Australia is not the largest music market in the world. But I am sure the multi million dollars worth of sales that her career has received from Aussie money should warrant some, even miniscule, amount of respect. There are people who have followed her career from the beginning. They have spent thousands of dollars buying her music, dvds, sharing in a part of her life. Yet, she does not feel that the Australian people, fans, contributors to her cause, deserve a chance to see her in "person".
I feel offended by proxy. It doesn't change my life, but it effects my opinion. And my general opinion is, that if someone does not have respect for you, then you don't bother to waste any more time or money benefitting that person.

It is my opinion with "everyday people" and it is my opinion with celebrity. Any celebrity would be nothing, without the plebs that support them to get there.
Except maybe Paris Hilton, she spent her way to where she is and will spend it all up before burning out.

This brings me to my bigger point.
Who is anyone else to tell me that my opinion is "immature" or insignificant? Tell me it is poorly researched if you will, tell me there are flaws in my argument and explain the contrary, but do not dismiss with a single word.

I have had a number of moral based opinions over the years. And many people don't seem to understand where these opinions come from.

In the late 90's, I read an article about a man who was told that his HIV medication could not be refrigerated on an Ansett flight. I have to presume that this medication needed to be kept at a cool temperature and so I have to presume the request was valid. Therefore, I felt it was offensive to dismiss this person's needs and welfare. I decided at that point, that I would not fly with Ansett. Some people asked me why I would be so "ridiculous". This situation did not effect me, so why should I care?

Why should I care about a person's welfare?

I have refused to buy, listen to or dance to Donna Summer music for many years. Which is unfortunate. I think some of her early material was excellent dance and reflected the era perfectly. However, her statements in the early 80's regarding HIV and God's plan to wipe out the Gay Community are shocking to me. Ill informed, homophobic and decidedly Unchristian. Many gay Djs and music lovers seem to have forgotten this, especially now that she is dead. Everything is forgiven once you die. But I prefer to stick to my beliefs. I don't care much for convenience over moral decency. And I don't respond well to the dismissive responses of people who feel that it was just misdirected or badly quoted by others. It was what she believed. And I don't spend money on people who would just as soon wish me dead.

Same as I won't spend any cent on 50 Cent, or the like. Not just because I despise their music. I also despise their attitude.

This all dovetails into another discussion point that I have had numerous times over the years; why gay clubs don't actually play gay artists. News flash just in: The Australia hating Madonna, fag hag Gaga and "Our Kylie", although camp, are actually straight women. Yes that's right. Not drag queens, women.
But that is not what I am carrying on about today.

I am carrying on about my choice, my opinions, and my resulting actions; immature as they may be.

So, Donna Summer, Madonna, 50 Cent, Ansett; none of them are directly affected by my lack of contributions to their cause. (Well perhaps Ansett was.) I don't care about that. What irks me, is that so many people can forgive forgive forgive every little detail about someone, even when they are blatantly spitting in your face (figuratively). And to say, "To hell with it, if you don't want me I won't be around any more" is seen as a ridiculous moral crusade.
Celebrities would actually get the message if people started to morally respond to their behaviour. They don't continue without cash or attention.

The Difference a Day Makes

After two days of Staff Development, which left me feeling fairly low and questioning my future, I woke up with dread this morning. This time with colleagues was hard, but what might be there awaiting my arrival at work today.
Over two weeks, what could go wrong with my students? How was I going to be "greeted"? I honestly felt sick to the stomach.

However, to make the long, long story much shorter, I need not have felt anything like this. In fact, my students today reminded me of why I do what I do.

It's an OLYMPIC term. The Sports Spectacle is about to burn itself into our minds for 16 days, and we are ready. In addition, being an Olympic year, I decided this would be a great opportunity to involve my students with the larger mainstream. I have put into action the School Olympics. The mechanics of this are not worth writing down.

The exciting part is that my students were so excited to compete, to play, to be social with other students. Not particularly in order to win, but to have fun and to play fair. In fact, some of the students were trying to think of ways to make games fairer for the younger students against which they would be competing. It was lovely to see.

In addition, upon taking the "invite" to our Olympics around to the other classes, the teachers seemed excited and glad to let some of their students participate. I am excited. I am hoping it all falls into place like I have it in my head. But either way, Social Skills are go and I feel better about my career!

A Few Observations at work

Today was the first day back at work.
As is the norm of late, we started with a Staff Development day. This is generally a talkfest/ group activity/ feedback series of exercises.
Today was no exception.

But my observations today were not of the subjects covered, their use to my life or teaching or the way co-ordinators look down upon the workers.
No... today I was looking at the shitkickers themselves. I am one of them. And yet, I do not feel as one.

We, as a group, are supposedly a group of caring, compassionate individuals, who are united in the shared ideals of education and of getting the best out of a group of students who may otherwise be left behind or given less opportunity to succeed. I would believe that what we do is noble.

How we respond or behave towards each other, however, leaves me quite unhappy. And I admit straight off that I am highly emotional and easily disheartened.

Today, many of the staff headed straight towards the people with whom they work most closely. This is normal. These are, more often than not, the people with whom we have the most connection. The ones who know us best.
Those who have worked in the same place for longer, potentially, have wider networks with whom to interact.
I have worked in my current job for over 15 years. And I am finding this process more and more difficult.
I am finding now that these groups not only exist, but have become so closed in some cases, that it is impossible to even speak to other people.

In two cases, I have two former teacher aides who I see constantly. One of whom I worked with extensively, in an unfamiliar environment, and grew quite close to. The other whom I worked with for some time, and did significant amounts of shopping for when I visited Mexico some years ago. These two women are now incapable of providing even eye contact with me.

Why is this?

Several years back, some other staff members defriended me on Facebook. This happens. But, we still see each other at staff things and briefly speak. We speak civilly. I am not sure what the defriending was about and it doesn't seem I am hated by these people. But maybe I am.

Why is this?

The problem with these mysteries is that people turn the cold shoulder attitude on. But so often, you never find out why. And that drives me insane.

What I found today though... or what I perceive, is a bunch of absolute bitches who just get through the day, with their closest colleagues; imagining they are the authority and the ultimate in teachers; carrying on and bitching about others and hating what their own lives are becoming.

I stay in this job because I love what I do.
But outside of the people I am working with, and the few that I have worked with, who have given me the chance to really know them; and who realise I am not whatever it is that some people clearly perceive me as; I really don't know what is wrong with the rest. Pack of bitches really need to grow up! You are adults!

The ones that shit me the most though; the ones who are "facebook friends", who ask for Union advice, who say what a great colleague I am, who say how much they would love to work with me... all online. But who can't be bothered to even speak to me in my presence. Why is this industry so fake and so pathetic?

I was genuinely hurt by an incident that happened the weekend past by one of these people. But at least it opened my eyes to the continuing and growing politics of teaching; secondary is bad, primary worse, but special Ed. Good god... talk about social skills deficits!

I'm Very Offensive

I arrived off the Airport train into Central at 10:18. The exact right time to watch the Mountains Line train departing from the station, as commonly happens when I travel.

So, with time to spare and a bit of a hunger forming, I wandered over to Hungry Jacks. Not because it is my preferred eating venue; rather that I am not going to search for something else at that time of night, especially as I am already in the station terminal.

I arrived at the same time as all of the Bulldogs/ Tigers supporters, fresh from Friday Night Football. Fresh is probably not the best adjective here. The food queues were long and the natives were restless. I am not sure that this excuses the young guy abusing the server because she would not sell him a burger for $1. But he felt it was his entitlement and he has "worked at Hungry Jacks so I know how much they really cost".

So, I got my food and headed to the nearest and only available table. There were two chairs at this table, and I chose the one facing the counters and customers. Call me prejudiced if you will, but I really do feel safer when drunken football fanatics are in my line of sight.

A table next to mine soon became available and a group of young people sat down; complete with team flags and the foul language of either youth or lager. Or both. After some minutes a fifth person, a young girl came over to the group; she had gotten the order for the other girl at the table and did not have a seat. She stood for a moment, and Girl 1 (let's just call her FatArse) told her to sit down. Clearly, her visual perception was not all there, or maybe the other girl couldn't see, or didn't choose to sit, in the invisible lounge. Either way, the girl started looking around for an extra seat. She saw the one next to me.

This was not an exciting tale, was it? I had a spare seat. I gave it away. That is besically the gist.
But FatArse, being a lazy, rude and disrespectful type, needed to complete the story. She pointed at the chair next to me, and told her friend to take it. Her friend, possibly raised outside of a barn, replied that she wasn't sure if I was with anybody.
FatArse then turned to look at me and, raising her tone and volume for maximum effect, hollers,
"Oh, Fuck Him!" Her friend, embarassed at the inappropriateness and unnecessary nature of it all, put her head down, took the seat and joined her animal companions.

So there we have it. I know realise that my pure existance is offensive. The act of eating, so necessary and regular, is sign for abuse and disdain to football supporters. And I have less right to do it than other, more deserving patrons. I will, of course, remember this the next time I miss my train home.

The Voice

My issue is not with The Voice. It's a show that is obviously developing great audience figures. I don't think it should take away from artists who work hard at their craft and struggle to make it big. But this is the Reality TV world we live in. People would rather be told what they like than be bothered to search for it.

But my issue is with Channel 9 and their promotion of US Season TWO of The Voice. Channel 9, fresh from the success of their version of the show, seems to advertise the show that is NOW becoming popular in USA.

Channel 9. Get a Life. The next time you are able to produce original programming may be your first. Get real and be honest. This is the show that you plagiarised to get Ratings this year.

I hope that Australians in general were not naive and stupid enough to think USA took this show from Delta Goodrem and Seal.
I am sort of scared though that some Australians are indeed that stupid.

Midnight Shift 7/7/12

The Midnight Shift.
Site of many an evening out in my 20's through to around mid 30's. Fridays. Saturdays. Sometimes more.
A place to dance. A place to hang out with friends.

A place which made me question my own worth in life. A place which made me feel that I was going to, perhaps deservedly, stay alone and without anyone to care about me in later life.
A place that I gave up some years ago. After which I became, comparatively, a hermit.

So, to some people's amusement, I decided that the evening of my 38th birthday, it was a great location to hang.
To see what I was missing out on.

And the short answer is: nothing.

Sat on the back lounges and watched people wander aimlessly passed, some staring, some people just looking beyond for something exciting. I wonder if they found it.

The music was fairly poor. There were a few moments of poppy goodness. Most specifically, the moment of excitement that was Loreen's ESC winning "Euphoria". To which I jumped on the stage and danced with too much hands. This is true Loreen style as I recall. A couple of Romanian dance tunes made me smile. Dj probably didn't know they were Romanian dance tunes. Doesn't matter.
Katy Perry was the artist of choice for the evening. And Cheryl (Cole) who got 2 plays (of the same song) within an hour. Good playing DJ Frankie Shin! (that's a sarcastic congrats for those who can't read it)

Anyhow, we left just after midnight and my curiosity was satisfied. There is nothing in this place that I need to return for. The young guys with their attitude. The mediocre music. The overpriced drinks. It's a life that made me hate myself. It's a life I need never to return to.

But my thanks of course to Ty, Andrew, Mitch, Rhys and Stewart for joining me in my social experiment.
Good times.

PS Yes my back is still sore. I expect I'll be on crutches within a week. Hahahaha.

My First Blog Post

So, today is my 38th birthday. For some reason, I seemed to think that I should mark the occasion by starting a blog.
That and it helps me to vent those issues seeing as the letters that I am "going to write" never seem to materialise. Maybe it will move me a little bit.

So what does turning 38 change?
In short, nothing. Except that my back has decided to let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I am no longer young. I do have to get up and get out (There's a nod to you, Lakshmi), as i have a High Tea organised for lunch.
Once upon a time I would have had a night at clubs lined up with a million semi friends invited. But now its High Tea. I am going to head to the Shift later this evening just for old times sake, but even the people I mentioned it to seem to be unwilling to join me, so those million semi friends have definately disappeared. C'est la Vie.

I have a rant about my train trip home last night to go on about, but i might save that for later, lest it spoils the little sandwiches that I will be eating in some hours.

Til then.
Ta Ta.