P.S. Think about it

Australia is a beautiful country, filled with many beautiful people descended from cultures all over the world. We've got unique and magnificent wildlife, we have an amazing array of wilderness - from beaches, deserts to tropical forests. And most importantly, Australia is home to the oldest living civilisation in the world , with continuous roots dating back tens of thousands of years.  So why is "Australia day" so limited in what it celebrates? The problem with Australia Day’s date, I think, does not get to the core of the issue because whilst the date itself makes the discrimination shockingly obvious, there is a problem in Australia of  ONGOING under-aknowledgement  of aboriginal culture  as a core and central part of our rich history. In a standard ‘Australia day’ celebration for example -  where  are the original peoples of this land?? Is there a welcome to country? Is there acknowledgement of ANYTHING about our First Nation ...

Do you reckon you would’ve? One of my idols is a historical figure - Benjamin Lay. He was a vegan back IN THE 1700s!!!! And he was fiercely against slavery, he spoke out against it loudly and forcefully. But I believe one of the reasons he was able to do this was because he was incredibly unique from day one - he was a strange looking fellow with dwarfism and never had any hope of fitting in to ‘normal’ society anyway - without the bounds of belonging he was able to find true morality and speak up for what was right. I hope we don’t have to be dwarfs to speak out against widespread cruelty and immorality in this day and age. Change is scary, most people don't fight the primal instinct to belong. Especially when it is convenient, easy, and beneficial to go along with the majority. It is the uncomfortable and unfortunate truth that MOST people go along with deep ingrained systemic injustice because they've been taught to ignore it, expect it, or simply because it is too dam...

I am continually astonished by the way I see people treat others, particularly those in service-type roles. Bus drivers, mail deliverers, kiosk workers, retail attendees, janitors, airline flight attendants and supermarket check out assistants are among the biggest targets for rude behaviour and this has to change. I used to commute to work by taking a train and then taking a bus service; It is a very popular bus (I worked at a university) and there were always lines of people standing - bored, untalking, unmoving, at the train station bus stop waiting for the bus to the university and, of course, there were always lines of people at the university waiting for the bus going back to the train. Day after day I commuted with dozens of passengers and day after day I watched most of them get on the bus without making eye contact or acknowledging the driver, and at the end of the trip they got off silently, as if the bus was merely an inconvenience, an obstacle in their schedule an...

Honestly, of all the light hearted Australian films made in the early 2000's about everyday Aussies Danny Deckchair has got to be my absolute favourite. Even though the team decided to cast a welsh actor instead of an Australian as Danny, the down-to-earth Aussie lead, the movie comes together marvellously.  **If you're thinking of going on a trip like Danny, I highly recommend you take a conventional method like an aeroplane, not a bunch of helium balloons! You can book your flights through BudgetAir ; and while you're there make sure you grab some travel insurance too** In no small way, the speech Danny makes for 'Big Jim' to encourage the town to vote for him in the upcoming election strikes a cord with me. [1] Danny epitomises an attitude I hold dear to my heart, an attitude that no matter what - all humans are worthwhile. You don't have to have a highly regarded career to be important. I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase ...