Something Loved: I've just ordered the Halloween candy (as I'm still avoiding the supermarkets) so I hope it gets here on time. My youngest wants me to decorate the house, even if we can't do any of the other stuff. So I will next week. I love that she is making the best of it, and not really complaining about this strange twilight universe we've been living in for the last four months that saw her miss birthday celebrations and two school holidays worth of activities.
Also in the something loved, I finally got back into the city after the 5kms restriction eased. Even in the rain I was filled with joy!
Something Read (or Said): We just read Station Eleven for book club. I can't beleive it was written back in 2014. She nails how the pandemic unfolds - how quickly it spreads and changes life. Down to the panic buying and how we miss the funny little things, like having our last cappuccino. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to watch the series.
Something Treasured: I have missed the city so much. Last night I went with some friends to the Opera Bar. The weather was not on our side but it didn't matter. It was lovely to battle the seagulls and sip our cocktails over dinner as the sun went down. Even the train shennanigans seemed fun (they cancelled our stop literally a minute after the train left the station and half the train had to get out at Redfern to wait for another train). It was an easy and fun night, and so good to catch up in real life.
Something Ahead We've come out of lockdown and I'm thrilled to be booking tickets and even a week away! Musicals, comedy, theatre and bands. Dinner in restaurants. Meeting friends at a bar. My diary is getting busy but it's all still tentative. I'm presuming it's all about to collapse again, but for now I will book and do what I can. I'm happy to mask up, space and sanitise. A small price to pay if I can get out and about!
My big excitement, due to restrictions, I've not seen my daughter for three weeks! She moved out and we are finally having lunch together. I am so very excited about that!
One thing lockdown has done is highlighted detail. Looking intently to spark interest. If the scenery doesn't change, you begin to examine it close up.
Albert Einstein once said "Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better." I don't know if you understand everything better but you do take some moments for introspection.
And nature is everywhere. On the dog walks, on the bike rides and on the urban walks.
I am very keen to get some actual walks in nature soon. Bush walks on scenic routes - bliss!
We are in the throws of Mental Health Month and someone posted these great calendars that might be of use. The website also has ones specifically aimed at young adults, famillies, older Australians and workplaces.
On another blog I read that the topic for 2021 is Mental Health in an Unequal World to highlight the struggle to access mental health services within class, race and disability. WHO has the slogan 'Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality'I will admit this is beyond my capability to write something useful and articulately encompassing the breadth of the issues there, especially in Australia at the moment. I do believe, however, that it's worth remembering if we strip the money out of Medicare on depression & other mental health issues then we can't help the majority of the people until their risk stressors become a full blown problem. It is better to help in preventative measures than come in after it has escalated. We can not afford to price mental health assistance out of the reach of the masses in this country. We have a crisis that needs to be addressed, and COVID issues has exacerbated that.
The lockdown has seen an increase in distress for all ages but also an increase in those seeking help and a decrease in suicide. So hopefully the stigma is being erased and the population is becoming better versed in recognising the signs and being able to provide adequate support. Black Dog has a series of webinars this month on Teen Mental Health, Mental Fitness and Breaking Down Depression. Timetable and Registration here.
October the 11th is International Coming Out Day. I know I've shared on this before but it's worth repeating, if someone has the courage to come out to you, the response should always be acceptance. Deal with your own issues about it privately. Follow the wise words of the magnificent Dolly Parton. Let's do our bit to reduce minority stress on those that are incomprehensibly still vulnerable in the 21st century.
If someone does come out to you, according to an episode of Sex Education I've yet to watch, you don't say 'Congratulations' but my question, is what do you say that is appropriate? A quick google found this article and I think it is a good reminder of what not to say. I'm not 100% sure about the second last point. If someone told me my career choice was going to make life hard for me, I'd react pretty badly so I think it would be fair if this was the same. It seems to be in the same vibe of 'she was asking for it because she was wearing a mini skirt' (or as a judge recently in a ruled in a Sydney assault case, 'her clothes were provoking the attacker' to punch her & another guy in the back of the head. The judge didn't say whether the man attacked from behind also had provocative clothes or if it was the woman's clothes still the cause of the second assault. I digress).
While I don't have the words, here are some celebratory ideas to let the person know you have their back. If a child, you can go out for rainbow cakes and celebration shakes or better yet, make a rainbow cake together, to show the child you love them just as much as before and nothing has changed in your relationship.
If an adult, Mr Consistent has a LBGT label, as part of it's census inclusion campaign & history month. Those that follow my Insta know I'm a huge fan of these mixers, so in my opinion with this you can't go wrong. Can also be used as a mocktail, or so I'm told.
If someone comes out trans or non-binary, then the teen series Pocket Change Collective has a few titles that might be of interest. This series also covers art, poetry, the environment and cooking. Worth checking out.
So even if you don't have the right words, you can still let the person know that you support them.
Lastly, I think this song nails it.
Hope you are having a great week, and if you aren't then let someone know. Everyone else, check in with your friends. It's tough out there.
Further Links:
These came in on an email from the Body Shop. Shout out to them for an excellent email. I don't know anything about these organisastions but at a glace, look good.
The morning daylight saving changed the clocks, we started our walk a little later but fog had enveloped the neighbourhood. It took well over an hour to burn off.
As I walked to meet my friend, I wondered if I'd got the time wrong somehow.
There was an eerie, ghost-like atmosphere that our mundane chatter seemed incongruous with.
“The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on.”
-Carl Sandburg.
Before the end of the walk it did dissipate and we were once again in splendid sunshine.
I'm in a writers group and recently they asked a question about how much planning you do before writing a book - the outline, character profiles etc. It was very interesting to see the answers.
Then I came across this quote by E. L. Doctorow:
“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
I guess it varies book by book and the power of the inspiration. It is rumoured that Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mister Hyde in three days after dreaming it.
For the writers of fiction out there, what do you do?
