Nothing to be proud of
Tomorrow is Invasion Day.
In August 1770, Captain James Cook discovered Australia and claimed in 'No Mans Land,' dispite the existence of the indiginous people, the Aboriginals.
On the 26th of January 1788, Governor Arthur Philip arrived leading the First Fleet and 'settled' Australia.
Now, at this stage, the white settlers would have you believe that they just arrived and set up and we became an amazing country, just like that.
In actual fact, the 26th of January was the start of hundreds of years of oppression, mis treatment, murder, stolen babies, stolen land and more. Hence the title 'Invasion Day' and not 'Australia Day'.
In Australia, at any given time, you will see cars driving around sporting an Australian flag, or the Southern Cross somewhere on it... Either in the form of flags, or a sticker. Guys walk around topless with their Southern Cross tattoo's on their torsos or arms or where ever.
The level of patriotism in this country is super high, in fact as high as I have ever seen. I haven't seen people do this in other countries (apart from the states.) What on earth do we have to be proud of? I see nothing at all. We live on stolen ground with a tainted history. We do nothing special as a country. Ever.
As a side note, if I was not born in this country but were now living here, I would be offended by the flags on all the cars and feel as though this country could never be shared with people not born here. It sends a very strong 'this is MY country' message that cannot be ignored.
Why do people feel so strongly about the country they live in? Its a block of land in the middle of the ocean. You're not saying 'Yay Australia,' you're saying 'Yay our oppressive and overly aggressive governments.'
I love my rugby team. The Wallabys are just my team, I read about them in the off-season and I dont miss a game in the on-season. Its the only aspect of 'Australia' that I like, as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I am talking of Australian representatives, idols that demand respect. Not individuals, businesses, etc.
I am semi ranting again in this post. I am just cranky at people feeling proud of this country and what it has 'achieved.' Also, I used the Aboriginal flag in this post as I refuse to use the Australian flag. Ever.
Weekly Tweets
- Seriously awesome tech wiki for developers. Using it atm to learn Ruby. http://bit.ly/6JkP9M #
- Anesi picked at fullback for Tahs trial http://bit.ly/62AFvS I love that they say "Former All Black" he played once 5 years ago in a B team. #
- Victorian roadtoll at 17 already... So awful. #
- WSJ Photographers Document Chaos in Haiti: January 20, 2010 - Photo Journal - WSJ http://bit.ly/6A3B2b #
- UPDATE: Is Wyclef Jean's Charity the Best One to Help Haiti? - Wyclef Jean - Gawker http://bit.ly/7zFtQi [Not new, but worth knowing] #
- Drunk driver crashes outside crash victim's funeral - ABC News http://bit.ly/5fog7I [I love the last sentence. Stupid Media] #
- Authors receive stamp honours | So happy Tim Winton is in this list http://bit.ly/6Fva6e #
- Making sure you only have one instance of a script running | Fliquid Studios http://bit.ly/4vPvFq #
- While Haiti is a tragedy of unthinkable magnitude. I think the avoidable deaths in Haiti since then (health & security) is just so awful. #
- I am getting so excited about the start of the Super 14 season! #rugby #super14 #
- WSJ Photographers Document Chaos in Haiti: January 18, 2010 - Photo Journal - WSJ http://bit.ly/85vVJf #
- WSJ Photographers Document Chaos in Haiti: January 17, 2010 - Photo Journal - WSJ http://bit.ly/7vgOTc #
- Solid-Color Backgrounds Cause 30-Second Login Delay in Windows 7 - Lifehacker http://bit.ly/6IiFsA #
- U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Codes - ABC News http://bit.ly/5MPh9u #
- The ickiness of a media managed miracle baby rescue – Crikey http://bit.ly/8nfssT [This makes me sick. I hate the media!] #
- @TheNDM Meh, you could always just have Hot Cross Foun'n'Twenties.
in reply to TheNDM # - @TheNDM Oh I see! Sunday made us have Hot Cross Buns for lunch. in reply to TheNDM #
- I still have no idea what service is auto DM'ing my followers. I have revoked almost all my connections but I fear it is not in there. #
- @TheNDM What the crap is wrong with home brand party pies? I'd live on those sucka's if my wife would let me. in reply to TheNDM #
- @stinginthetail Ah yes, but they're not Australian, so we shouldn't care as much. Yaaaaaay media!!! in reply to stinginthetail #
Weekly Tweets
- World News Australia - Web users turn to Twitter for Haiti news http://bit.ly/6AQV4c #
- RT @4zzznews: Australian Medical Association’s misleading spin on homebirth deaths exposed by @hoydenabouttown blog http://bit.ly/4QlfBj #
- @kissability Don't you mean Ailartsua is so backwards? in reply to kissability #
- @zlot No 'results' as yet, still early days. SO rewarding. Helped a young lebanese bloke set up a motorbike mechanical repair biz. in reply to zlot #
- I have started using twitters web interface again instead of Tweetdeck because I dont have the spare memory for it anymore.
# - @zlot I am into Kiva, and yep, I have lent about $150 now I think. in reply to zlot #
- @zlot Its a lot more than just an aggregator, its a filter, a collector, a parser. You name it. in reply to zlot #
- The family was informed there wasn't enough space in the morgue and that they would be transporting the deceased http://bit.ly/5x7SaF #
- Was asked today what the name of the glaciers in NZ are named. I replied 'Julio' (or, for okka aussies "hooley-o"). Say it aloud. #
- I really love Yahoo Pipes, but I cant dedicate the time to it that it deserves. #
- Westerners get such a sculpted image of the middle east. Its not actually all desert and camels and dudes with guns. #
- I *love* that my google ads in gmail are advertising cannabis seeds from holland. Thanks google! #
- Whats a good sport for people with zero fitness and no free time? #
- Why I'd rather be punched in the testicles than call customer service - The Oatmeal http://bit.ly/7VM6CL #
- Video of my 2 year old daughter reading the latest @amnestyOz magazine http://vimeo.com/8728572 #
- Will Aussies pay for Murdoch’s news? – Crikey http://bit.ly/7evIwl #
- I dont care how important the email is, if its addressed to 'Cassi' I am going to delete it, unread. Hrmph. #
- Rod Macqueen and Damian Hill to coach Melbourne Rebels http://bit.ly/933jNL - I can't wait to see them play, what an awesome coach! #
- Dang. I want to turn off my auto DM to new followers, but I cant remember where I set it up and its not in my Twitter Connections settings.. #
- I love this site - Aussies Living Simply http://bit.ly/6TGseK #
- Terri Psiakis on breastfeeding in public http://bit.ly/5I5d6K #
- Tony Abbott - the worlds most spineless polititian - on whaling.. http://bit.ly/6zD4dF #
Weekly Tweets
- Japan criticises NZ over collision http://bit.ly/8VPPZz [Great video that shows the Japanese ship turn towards the Ady Gil] #
- Home grown hysteria - Best article I have read in a long time. http://bit.ly/5I5d6K #
- Everytime I see a lady show some leg I sing to myself ZZTops "Shes got legs". Unfortunately during summer in Sydney this is 400 times a day #
- More Methane Discovered Bubbling From Arctic Sea Floor - 1000 Times Background Levels in Places : TreeHugger http://bit.ly/76VyHy #
- Just saw the video of the Ady Gil incident and am disappointed to see that it was in fact moving forward.. http://bit.ly/4xpoRP #
- RIP Ady Gil - Whalers sink Sea Shepherd boat - http://bit.ly/7RfiNm #
- @BrentDPayne Gah! What do I need to do? I even *have* hair! in reply to BrentDPayne #
- PR guru 'paid for whalers' spy flights' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) http://bit.ly/61tWYE #
- You're from Austria? G'day mate! #
- Seriously beautiful site. I could play with it for hours. http://www.thebioagency.com/#/home #
- Check out Act Now - Change the Future | Greenpeace International at http://bit.ly/6yZHVe #
- Sea Shepherd Reveal Secret Third Ship, The Icebreaker BOB BARKER! http://bt.io/CWMj (via @backtype) #
- Remember what the Web was like in 2004? Thanks for changing that, Firefox! http://bit.ly/Fx5yr2 #Firefox5 #
Thirty.
About three weeks ago, I turned 30. It was a hard milestone for me, I had hoped to achieve more in my life than I have.
It arrived quickly, suspiciously quickly. I wasn't entirely convinced that 3 decades had indeed passed since I was born... But alas, it was correct and I enjoyed a few beers and some bloody red meat with friends and family at my house. The way everybody should see in 30.
I am my own biggest critic. I give myself a hard time for everything, I seriously cannot be happy with myself, so when I realised that I had made a lot of plans that I had wanted to have done by this age and that none of them had been accomplished, I got really down on myself. I wont go into what they are, mainly because they'll seem silly and people will say "but what about all these other things you've done .... " and its not for other people to comment on.
A few other things struck me when I turned 30...
- Its been 11 1/2 years since I have seen my mum. She passed in 1998 after battling cancer for 12 years.
- Its been 12 years since I had the accident. I lost three fingers on my right hand and spent a lot of time in hospital having a lot of different procedures that still make me feel like a scar-covered freak.
- Its been 13 years since I met my beautiful wife and the backbone of my life. Yes, I was 17, we were only together 8 months before my accident and 13 months before my mum died. She is my everything (well, her and Abbey.)
- Its been 19 years since my parents split. This is a big one, I couldn't believe it had been that long.
While I may occasionally be guilty of wallowing in my own misfortune while having a glass of wine and listening to nostalgia provoking music, I am not one to want or tolerate peoples pity of me. Others in the world are more deserving of that and I don't write posts like this in an attempt to go 'fishing' for comments. I write them because I feel better when I put my feelings into words.
I dont feel thirty. I sometimes hear my voice and think I sound like a 13 year old. I don't feel like I should be old enough for a mortgage, children, married life.... Its a hard feeling to describe. I'm not saying 30 is old, I'm saying I don't feel 30... Or old... whatever.
I'm a seriously lucky guy, I have a beautiful healthy family, I live in a great city within an even greater country. I am the ultimate optimist, I hate negativity, the glass is *always* half full and I sometimes fear I haven't entirely grasped the situation when I am positively moving forward while others seem to be going mad in their stress.
I created an email address for Abbey the other day so I can email her my thoughts and feelings (yes, I know she is 2) and I will hand over the login details for her when she is 16. I tried to keep a book for her, but I never had it on me when I had something to add into it. I also started a new site just for her... AbbeySays.com - somewhere for me to log her amazing adventure through speech.
Buenos Noches friends, I hope you'll be here when I post about my 40th.
Weekly Tweets
- Its amazing how many 'unsubscribe' links are broken or the page is not functional in some way. How convenient. #
- Thats It! I've had it! Unsubscribing from all mailing lists, deleting and filtering all my emails... Will achieve inbox Zero by 31/01/10. #
- I think I am going to start smoking again. Or pretending too. They get so many breaks during the day! #
- CRIME: Murder In Miniature {@time article from 1994) http://bit.ly/5WXcVD #
- Spent so much time with my little girl over the break. Was so nice, but hard to be away from her today. Barely spent anytime on the laptop. #
- @tekchic Ok, it didn't take much, but you've twisted my arm. in reply to tekchic #
- One of my resolutions is to learn Ruby. But now I am thinking it should be Python. Is it too late to change my resolution? Maybe both? #
- Now that I am 30, I am convinced I will never captain the Wallabies. It's heart breaking. #
- Bought iconoclasm for my iPhone. But looks like it won't let me place icons anywhere. $3 wasted. #
- @zlot I'm a big Civ fan, played them all. in reply to zlot #
- I am stunned that people still try to get drugs into Bali - you'd have to be mentally challenged. http://bit.ly/5ACJmE #