Pass Through Once

“I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”

William Penn

Happy Xmas

 

40 degrees in Perth. Snowing in Tasmania. That is Xmas day in Australia today.

Xmas Eve Work

That was me all day, trying to pull everything together today so I don't have to work next week when the rest of the company enjoys the company shut down. And don't some of them complain bitterly about having to take a break.

I had to work flatout all day, head down bum up to get through everything. It certainly didn't help when many things got change, deciaison were made when I had completed a task to do it diferently. The was a constant tusstle between HR and the execs in the way they want stuff calculated and presented, no doubt it had something to do with presenting the bottom line in the most favourable way.

Anyway, we got it done.

All the time while this was going on we were supposed to be driving to my sister's place in the country for dinner, which I was looking forward to less and less as the day went on. 

I called my sister at 4pm to have her tell me it was lunch Boxing Day which I almost cheered about.

5.30pm. I finished, after which I lay on the lounge room floor wearing my heated eye mask.

Two Days Before Xmas

HR smiling for their Xmas photo, of course Fat Tony isn't in the shot. Little Buddy died at his desk and the HR creatures didn't notice for three days

OMG! It is arse up and face down to get everything finished by the time the holidays are upon us.

What is it, two days to go.

It is so amazing to see that HR can actually pull their fingers out of their you know whats and get shit done when it benefits them. 

Those girls will be exhausted as they are actually doing some fucking work for a change.

I'm still trying to get over the fact that the way Boris dealt with the bitch pack while I was away was to give into them completely.

You know, we're the unlucky sods that do their firgures for them.

Clearly, when these whiny cows have come to Boris while I was away and her response has been, How deep can I lick it for you?

Where I respond with, pull up your knickers you filthy minger we're doing it my way.

I can tell, having received a couple of emails of demand from The Pony tail, clearly this slapper hasn't been kept in check while I was away.

Oh, it's going to take me years to undo all this again.

It may even be too far gone now?

Grrrr!

Six Years Later

And, fuck me, it is just about to clock over to 6 years after the pandemic. We're still feeling the inflationary effects of all the money the conservative govt pumped into the economy at the time  to prop it up - of course, any govt in power at the time would have done the same thing, but here it happened to be the conservative govt (who wrecked the economy) - but we have got over everything else.

Oh, all those angry, selfish people who almost lost their minds because the government told them what to do to stay safe when so many of them clearly had no idea. Personally, I think we should have just let them get sick and die, you know it is almost natural selection. Those who don't want to take the advice of experts could be left to their own devices, if that is what they choose.

All those morons who railed against the lock down because? Well, I'm not really sure why? Were they too stupid, or too poor, or too wilful, or too selfish, or too pathetic, I haven idea. So many of them, RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! IM GOING TO LOSE MY SHIT OVER THIS! Remember them?

DICTATOR DAN!

Yeah, mate, he probably saved your fucken life so shut up.

I personally loved it. It was just me and Sam and the crazies, those social challenged who had no idea what a lock down was, nor any idea where all the people had gone. They were just out, living big, no obscured by the usual maddening crowds, they gave me no end of amusement with their well-how-about-this attitude.

Anyway, 6 years later, and we made it through. How about that?

The Rain

It rained all day, making leaving the house not something to be contemplated, not really.

It was like the world was crying, possible at all the lies conservatives are telling.

The rain fell and fell and continued to fall.

Early evening, when the rain finally stopped, we took the dogs for a walk, meeting all out neighbours taking their dogs for a walk.

And, you know, it is kind of nice going out after the rain.

Lazy Kind of Day

We spend the day lazing at home eating pizza slices and throwing the ball to the dog.

I bought a whole bunch of gay movies. I especially like the Argentinian director Marco Berger.

Sam slept on the couch for an inordinate amount of the day.

It was a lazy kind of day. The hot temperatures of the last few days had abated and it is then kind of soothing to have the cool after really hot days. I think it makes everything calm again and restful.

Conservatives Politicians Really Are the Worst

The Opposition leader

Here is a list of what the Albanese Government has done to fight antisemitism.

Appointed a special envoy to combat antisemitism.

Establish antisemitism taskforce Avalite established to investigate antisemitic threats and attacks.

Banned nazi salutes and symbols

Introduce legislation to criminalise hate speech.

Gave 32 million dollars to synagogues to boost security

Upgraded holocaust education facilities nation wide

Improved information sharing between state and federal police to prevent antisemitic attacks.

It is indisputable that the Albanese government has done more than any other Australian government in history to combat antisemitism.

So, again, conservative Australian politicians (practising trump style politics) are making claims that are not backed up by the facts.

It is rather shameful that Sussan Lay used the tragedy to try and bolster her failing leadership. We all know she won't last as Liberal leader too far into next year.

It is also shameful that Andrew Hastie used it to attempt to push his anti-immigration, religious right ambitions

It is shameful that Josh Frydenberg chose this moment to use the situation to attempt to re-start his failed political career.

 

 

Nyr.

I drove over to the pet shop to get Milo cat food and the gold fish fish food. Milo is so funny, he sits on his food table and gets outraged eyes if his food bowl isn’t full and we don’t notice straight away. You can see him gazing down at the dogs and thinking, Oh yes, always fed, always pampered, if I could kill you, you two would already be dead.

I haven’t driven my car since October and I fully expected nothing to happen when I hit the start button, but she started up first push. You Trouper, I thought. So, getting Milo’s food went from potential problem to a breeze in seconds.

Good job, I thought, as we have to go to my sister’s for Xmas and now that won’t be a problem either.

Charlie's Graduation

I'm going to Charlie's graduation. I didn't even go to my own graduation, just too boring. Oh well, I'm going to support Sam, well, both.

We go early afternoon. Sam and I get a bit dressed up, boots and shirts. We get to Marvel Stadium and it is clearly full of people. 

We see Charlie in his graduation outfit, he looks adorable.

The show went for two hours. Charlie sat with the other graduating students, of course. The two honorary recipients up first went on a bit. Nyr? It was their day too. We see Charlie go up and get his degree. We are all encouraged to stay in our seats to the end to give even the last person the same exciting vibe the first student go, so we stay in our seats until the end

Charlie looked genuine pleased afterwards when I congratulated him, which is good for him as he's a boy who doesn't usually give too much away.

We take photos of Charlie with his friends. Sam sends them to his sister. I asked if Charlie's friends know he has two dads? Sam gave me a look and then laughed.

We head home in the brilliant sunshine and a glorious day. The stadium was packed out. It was pandemonium on the trams stop afterwards, but the guy patrolling said, 

"If you want to cheat the system, go back out onto the footpath and walk to the other end of the stop." 

He was right, everyone else were being Lemmings, we got straight on the tram when it came and got seats.

Self Evaluation

I got, what they called, a gentle reminder, to complete my self evaluation.

Oh, groan.

More HR bullshit given to us to justify HR's jobs.

But then, self evaluation, I thought to myself. Hm?

Sure, why not.

I wrote that I was great at everything I did. I gave myself a glowing review. It took me all of 5 minutes to complete. 

Well, they did say to self evaluate?

I know, that payrises and promotions are finalised long before any of this job-justifying-HR-bullshit is even completed by the working minions. 

I would even guess that these things are only ever read by your manager, and even then maybe not, I'm pretty sure no one else reads them. 

So, you know, who cares.

 

Here's a composition I did at art school. 

Looking out at fog over sea from land.

 

Avocado attempting suicide by cling wrap

Well, it made me laugh

Sore Eyes

I've got sore eyes today. It's really annoying to have sore eyes. I don't feel like writing anything with sore eyes.

I've been to two optometrist and an eye specialist and they say there is nothing wrong with my eyes.

Fuck the eye professionals. Um? Er? What am I saying? Fuck them for not fininding something wrong? No, I'm not saying that. Ha ha. It's good there is nothing wrong, but frustrating at the same time when my eyes are still sore.

I'm now going to put on my heated eye mask and contemplate life.

Hot Friday

It was hot, summer is here. I took the dogs walking early, before it got hot.

I walked into town to pay my rego, it's a club permit so I have to pay it in person. It was due on Monday, but I am going to have a lot to do Monday, newly back at work and the Xmas wind down approaching like a steam train. (I'm not really sure why I used that analogy?)

It was hot walking into town.

There were lots of people, as you might have expected. (cost of living crisis, any one?)

When I got to VicRoads I said I wanted to renew my rego and the fat boy on the front desk gave me a ticket and I sat down and waited.

Eventually, my ticket was called up, but when the guy on the desk saw it was a club permit renewal he sent me back to the fat boy on the front desk to get a club renewal ticket. I went back to the guy afterwards, but he said he couldn't do club permit renewals so I had to sit and wait all over again. Grrrr!

Sam asked me to get him a game at JBHiFi with gift cards. Sam buys gift cards when they are on sale for 10%, usually, but sometimes 20% off, so then he gets his purchases 10% cheaper, even 20% cheaper. He is organised like that.

A handsome JBHiFi boy served me, he didn't know how to process gift cards though.

I was looking for the Rolling Stones reissue of their Black & Blue album, but Bourke Street didn't have it.

Then I walked to Melbourne Central JBHiFi and looked for the Rolling Stones CD there, but they didn't have it.

So, it really is just an online purchase, which is weird for a band like the Rolling Stones, but that is what they said it was right from the beginning, so there you go. The problem is my online order from the release date of 14/11/2025 still hasn't arrived. Grrr. They sent me an email at some point claiming stock shortages, so...

I bought mango iced tea and drank that as I walked home. It was nice once I got to the park and all that grass. I dictated some more of the short story I have been writing, Sticky Buns, into my phone as I walked home.

It is still hot. Otto has his head rested on my foot as I write this.

Thursday Off After Returning to The Salt Mines

First day off after returning to work.

I did absolutely nothing, except doing lotto and hoping.

I collect Gordon Parks, mid 20th Century American photographic images. Americans should still be hanging their heads in shame for the segregation that existed in the 40s & 50s and earlier. It is kind of unforgivable.

We ate Char Kway Teow for lunch

I collected Martin Parr, late 20th Century Irish photographic images. Happiness and humour radiates in his photos.

We took the dogs for a walk in the sunshine.

We got food delivered. Pad Thai and mango drinks for each of us.

Bullshit Training

I am cleaning out my 700 emails, I see I have to do the Workplace Behaviour Training, in fact, apparently, I am way over due. Oh. Gotta do it, can't have those insurance premiums going up.

It is bullshit. Like everything else coming out of HR, it is bullshit. They should be called BS, not HR.

So, I put the video on run, on mute. Hopefully it will stop when the questions need to be answered.

I don't engage in any of the dubious behaviour. I, hopefully, don't have any contact with any of my colleagues, working from home.

Chuckle, there was that time when I was young and stupid and I got really pissed at a work function and I touched young Errol up. He was pissed too, nyr, he didn't seem to mind. But, that was the only time, I swear.

I caught the video 1.5 minutes before the end and hit complete, and I was recorded as having done the training. Lovely.

The PonyTail

Oh groan. What is the first thing I see when I sign intros morning? A missive from The Ponytail in HR.

It has come to my attention, blah, blah, blah, blah…

Oh, ah! If there is a problem, just refer the people involved to the people who can fix it, and stop making a huge drama out of nothing. 

Justifying my job. Justifying my job. Justifying my job.

I wrote four shorts stories, and rewrote just as many while I was on holidays, how gorgeous that was. How lovely, and real.

Oh, perhaps I could resign and get a job as a barman to earn pocket money and I could return to the story writing world permanently? Perhaps.

But, you know, who's going to employe an old barman? It was different when I was a barman in my uni days. It was exciting. Max and I were your gorgeous barmen types who the chicks used to hit on. 

"We come in here because you two are so good looking," they used to say. [even if I say that myself now] 

Pity the ladies didn't know that Max and I were too busy hitting on each other. We never really did get down to screwing each other, we were too, oh, I don't know what you'd call it? Too young and naive.

It is such a nicer world, home writing stories, than the concocted drama that is the fuel for HR to run on.

Ah, Ponytail, how I have not missed you, not for a millisecond. What was I expecting? Nothing, I wasn't expecting anything, but on the second day, first thing. Big exhale.

On Holidays?

I'm sitting at my work desk. I have deleted 500 emails, still a few hundred to go. Grunt. I have nothing else to say. 

Our team Xmas party is on today, I had the good sense to say no to that weeks ago.

Kill Me Now

Sunday, before I go back to work tomorrow. Grrr! I don't want to talk about it. Boo Hoo. I can't believe this day is already here. What happened? Eight weeks went so fast. I don't want to go to work tomorrow, well, switch on my work laptop. No, I don't. I don't want to do that. I'd throw a tantrum if I thought it would help.

Stayed Inside all Day

It has rained all day, we've stayed inside. You know, I don't hate it, staying on the couch all day. I'm good at it, you know. I'm good on the couch. There is apart of me that hopes it keeps raining, then we have no excuses not to go any where. 😀

We got food delivered by Hungry Panda. Poor bastards having to ride through the rain so we could eat. 

Not much ease to say. Not much ease to say? Oh baby, there is a lot of ease, don't you worry about that. Not much else to say, is what I was tryin' to say.

Collecting Images

I like collecting late 20 century photography. I like urban life images. Slices of life, that's what I like. Urban realisim. I like sexy images. People. People in day to day life. I like cars from all time periods. I like nudes. Nudes are good. I like images showing how the world was once. I sat on my arse and did that all day. Nan Goldin. Mark Morrisroe. Kenneth Probst. Tyler Udall, he's 21 Century. I'm not going to use them for anything, I'm just keeping them for my own enjoyment. So, that's what I did all day. A good Friday.

Funny Old World

Standing up on my tall ladder, at the top of my tall brick wall cutting my back yard off from the rest of the world, literally with my head above the parapet, I could see over into all my neighbour's gardens and I thought that is a visual metaphor for life itself, all compartmentalised just like that.

(It also crossed my mind about seeing Tommy next door in his kitchen in his undies getting ready for the day, if I was completely honest. Ha ha, I wasn't anywhere near his kitchen window, but I did see him out in the street in a pair of brown work shorts)

Life is weird, it suddenly struck me. You have all these mini lives within your entire life, each different from the rest, each with different people, and different friends. It’s weird that it isn’t one complete narrative, because it’s not. Yeah, sure, you are the constant element, and there are probably, one, or two friends who are on the entire journey with you, but everything else changes. The people you spend one chapter with, are off somewhere else in your next chapter, then the same happens again with the chapter after that. And again, and again. It’s just weird, is how I feel about it. It's not at all like what I thought it would be, not that I had any thoughts about it before it happened, well, you don't, do you? But, in retrospect...

The sun shone, and I stood up there gazing over the world, it's a funny old life, I thought. I don't think I have any more of a clue than I ever had. Aren't we supposed to gain some kind of wisdom as we get older? Nah. I think on my death bed, my thoughts will be, well, that's that done.

34 degrees today. I can't help but wonder if there is an arsonist somewhere getting his matches and lube ready?

I took the dogs for a walk early, of course, before it got too hot. Otto is kind of sulking as they had their flea juice squirted on the backs of their necks in the last day. They don't get it often and Otto just hates it. So, we set off and not only was Otto trying to wipe himself on everything he could rub up against, Brun would hardly walk at all. 

Things weren't looking good.

We got to the other side of the next road, where I stopped and checked Brun's paws. The front ones were fine, but I found he had one of those champagne cages over his back paw. Champagne cage removed, Brun was back to his normal walking self, and Otto pulled his act together and decided to walk too. Good boys.

It was, actually, nice walking after that, with the cool morning with the promise of heat to come. I kind of like that weather.

This afternoon, I was going to go out and chop up all my pruning from yesterday, but maybe I'll do that tomorrow.

Gorgeous Wednesday

Oh, I don't know what to do today? I piss around on my computer until I can't stand myself any longer lying on the couch. You know, sometimes… you just... can't go on doing nothing. 😀

It is a gorgeous day outside.

Late morning, I head out into the garden to do some pruning.

I'm even sweating it is so lovely and warm.

I listen to a bit of Pete Murray, you know, give him a go.

A bit of a breeze blows. The sky is blue.

All my neighbours stopped by for a chat.

I get the ladder out and one stage I'm right at the top and I'm not comfortable with heights, and I think, you are a long way up, and I'm not concerned, and I wondered if I am over my problem with heights, but I didn't really look down, so I don't know.

I get the job done. Good on me. Pat on the back.

 

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose

Monday, Gym Day, Dog Walking Day

Monday. Next Monday I’m back at work. That’s a disappointing thought. I don’t want to go back to work, I want to resign and write instead. I wish I was brave enough. What am I going to think at the end of my life? I wish I had?

I wrote more of an old short story. The Black Car. It’s not finished yet, but I have an idea of the next part of it. That’s why I like writing in a blog format, I can go and rewrite them whenever I like. And I don't have to put myself out there with publishers only to get rejected. But mostly the first reason

I’m in the gym midday. Where did this morning go? I suddenly look up and it is 11:45 am. I reckon the feels like time was 9:45 am. What the fuck?

I hurry and get ready and head to the gym.

I see Jackson Wagg across the street he seems to be having some painting done.

I'm at the gym before midday.

I'm listening to Haddaway.

There was a very butch buzz-cut blond guy here already doing cable pull down exercises, he was worth looking at. I could hear him grunting from the exercise bike. Ha ha, I couldn't really, but I felt like I could just by looking at him.

There is a guy in glasses and chinos and a t-shirt, which is really unusual, I think. Guys usually take the gym gear fairly seriously. He leaves pretty soon after I arrive, so I am wondering if he was exercising at all.

Suddenly, there’s some old Blond Queen in micro shorts who is giving it show girl. I'm not sure where he came from.

Some chick with a serious look on her face turns up, she gets out steps and starts doing step up exercises. She is completely focused. She'd be wild to interrupt.

A guy with wild hair and a bright orange headband and a singlet and shorts that are kind of hanging off him turns up, he goes and does cable pull downs also.

I can't listen to Haddaway any longer, too old school disco.

I’m now listening to the Teskey Brothers 

I keep peddling the exercise bike for all I’m worth, hoping my 30 minutes on the bike will be over quickly.

Some big chick in black comes and uses the exercise bike next to me, she has rolls, and giant shorts. I’ve never heard the exercise squeak so much.

The old blond queen leaves.

A big strapping preppy dark-blonde guy wearing shorts and T-shirt turns up, he’s a good look. He reminds me of Alex, my first schoolboy boyfriend. Ah Alex, that boy loved it, but I guess that is just 18 year old guys in general. I can't help but sneak looks at this guy. I hope he doesn't notice. I don't want to be known as the weird guy.

I leave the big chick behind and head into the gym. Just the tall handsome preppy guy, the wild haired guy with the big orange headband and the serious chick in black stepping like she is OCD counting. Oh and some blonde chick, where the hell did she come from? Am I going blind? I didn't see her come in.

Cable pulldown. Seems like everyone is doing cable pull downs today.

Lat Pulldown. It's nice to sit down. 

Chest Press, I’m machine jumping.

Inclined chest press with dumbbells. I lie back and lift the weights above me.

The two girls give me side eye at the same time, it is unnerving.

Leg press. I’m careful with this one,  as I suspect it might be hurting my back.

Kettle lunge walk. I step into it and do it seriously. I’ve been slacking on this one lately. Oh, it's kind of awkward.

High planking, I love this one as it is always the last exercise in my routine.

An hour later, I leave the gym.

I’m meet Jackson Wagg, he’s supervising the completion of the painting of his shops. He's grown a 1970's porn star moustache, I find it hard to look at him. We have a chat about gyms and pools and exercise. He says he goes swimming every day.

I meet the Sam at the front gate. He’s heading off to do online purchase returns and then go to the supermarket and get lunch.

I have a shower.

We ate chicken and salad for lunch. Tomato, olives, cucumber, carrot, feta cheese, lettuce, dressing, of course.

I watch some American news YouTube.

I start getting ready to take the bulldogs for a walk.

I take the Bulldogs for a walk. Sam says I should wait for the sun to come out, but the day is getting on and if I am going to take them for a walk, I need to go now. I don’t want to wait any longer. Let’s hope it isn’t famous last words.

Of course, neither of the bulldogs will leave the front gate, initially. “Come on.” Fresh out of snapping, they aren’t with me yet, I feel.

“Hello.” They look at me and start walking.

We meet my gay next door neighbour and his dogs, and Jackson Wagg in our street as we walk towards Gertrude Street. Jackson says, “Here’s trouble.”

My gay neighbour's female dog prostrates herself on the ground in front of the bulldogs, as she always does. I nearly say, like father like daughter, but I really don’t know him that well, and instead I say, they all know each other, clearly.

Clearly, he says.

It is clear in Gertrude Street for the main part. No rain yet, I think. There is a woman with a huge German Sheperd walking up ahead. We seem to be catching them, I’m wondering if I am going to risk walking past them. They take a side street and disappear.

A cute boy in black shorts approaches us at Napier Street. Those flimsy shorts, normally in charcoal grey, or black, that all the boys are wearing now a days look good on them.

A woolly-haired, geriatric dog barks at us just as we approach Young Street. Otto decides to take a shit right there and then, and the old dog barks even more. Sorry, sorry, I think. I hope the demented old dog’s owner doesn’t think I did it on purpose. Although the reason for that would be, I think?

A few drops of rain fall in Gertrude Street as we approach Brunswick Street.

We turn into Brunswick Street.

I’m listening to Boz Scaggs, the blues.

Not far down Brunswick Street, it rains for a moment. We’re outside Vinnies. We stand under the veranda and wonder if this is where we’ll be waiting, for how long? But no, it stops almost as quickly as it started, and we get walking again.

It rains again as we get to Greeves Street. Short and sharp, but there are verandas there, so whatever, we head under cover.

We turn into Johnston Street in the very light spitty rain. We cross back over at Napier Street, against the lights, jay-walking style, in a rare clear moment on Johnston Street. Was there a rainbow? I remember a rainbow.

We turn into Smith Street in the rain and walk the rest of the way undercover.

The sun comes out in Smith Street.

Brun resists walking all the way down Smith Street pretty much, I have to keep encouraging him, so to speak. No, I wouldn't exactly say I was inking on his lead. 

At the Bonds shop where Brun always lies down, he lies down. An old guy stands in the doorway to the Bonds shop and tuts tuts and says repeatedly, “Poor Thing. Poor Thing,” as continually I get Brun back up on his paws. Bulldogs are stubborn, though, so he keeps lying down.

Why don't you fuck off forms on my lips, I can almost hear the sounds leaving my lips, but I tell myself just to say nothing, and I don't.

Then we’re home.

Mark calls, it looks like he is going to need more heart surgery. So yay to that!