Chewing the Fat of 2007

The relative success of 2007 for me is essentially just another demonstration of the supremely comfortable white middle-class existence that envelops me. I’m not complaining mind – there’s many who would aim to have lives as fat with crackling as mine. Not that I eat much pork. But the analogy stands.

I abhor making New Year’s resolutions, as I’m guaranteed to break them before the last spark of a Catherine Wheel has accidentally set fire to a dry patch of grass at Southbank. So instead I present a list of 2007 “achievements”, and a second list of 2008 “goals”. I use the “bunny ears” on purpose, as of course these lists are entirely subjective. It's also completely self-indulgent. Feel free to add your own thoughts.

2007

*I successfully moved into and fitted out my awesome flat of sexiness (the 1920s Parisian bordello theme works a treat). The Wah and I have now lived there for almost one year without beating the shit out of each other. On the down side, we always seem to run out of bloody groceries.

*I have indulged in our materialistic modern-day culture, purchasing a sweet plasma TV and a fabulous laptop. The consequence of such spending – combined with bills and fairly heavy body corporate fees - was credit card debt, and 2007 has put my money management skills to the test. I’m pleased to report though that I remain solvent, and capable of paying my mortgage. Huzzah!

*Another consequence of constant bill-paying was the desire to earn more money, sparking my foray (finally!) into freelance writing. I’m very grateful to the good people of YHA Backpackers’ Essentials and Brisbane Affair for publishing me in 2007. Backpackers’ Essentials even sent me to Adelaide I hope to continue working with them in the New Year, as well as expanding into other publications.

*My full-time job at the big BC progresses well. I remain a shift-worker, which was particularly tough mid-year when we had two staff leave. However, with the addition of two new journos, I was been gifted more “normal” shifts at year’s end. I remain confident of a good year in 2008. The big achievement at the station for me came just a few weeks ago, when I was finally able to co-host a weekend afternoon shift. I did a second slot just before Christmas, and hopefully will be able to do a few more before the football kicks off again in March. Fingers crossed. I adore the presenting side of things, and want to get as much experience as I can, and improve as much as possible.

*On other creative matters, my involvement in impro kicked up a notch – doing the media for the inaugural Briz Improv Festival (a success!), and becoming a committee member of Impro Mafia. I even went to Melbourne in late October to take part in Impro Melbourne’s Halloween festival, which was much fun.

*I dealt with the onward march of time by attending my 10 year high school reunion – without major incident or embarrassment. The wide-eyed amazement of seeing old “friends” on Facebook was replaced a mediocre “meh” by year’s end, as the social-networking site became as unremarkable as email.

*After coming down with bugs galore during our five months overseas in 2006 – I remained astonishingly illness-free in 2007. Even that super-flu that hit Brisbane in July/August failed to knock me over. The dodgy knee remains, but still, score.

*I continue to have rocking friends and family. My Mum suffered a minor health scare, but is all good in the hood, and I’d be lost without her advice on home management. My brother continues to beef up to Schwarzenegger proportions, and my Dad remains passionate about “spending the inheritance” on overseas trips and electronic gadgets. The Wah’s parents are always good company, and the Wah himself needs no words. He hates blogging anyway. ;)

2008

*I want to write more, in different styles and publications. I also want to find out a way of getting good ideas, and being able to develop them – fiction AND non-fiction.

*I want to do more broadcasting, and as always improve my journalistic skills.

*I want to travel more. The wheels are already turning on that one…

*I want to be healthier. Eat better, exercise more.

*I want to learn more about computers, the internet, blogging, site meters, search engines – that sort of thing.

*I want to do a play again and get better at impro.

*I want the next seasons of Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who to be as awesome as previous years.

Best wishes for the New Year to everyone - let me know your thoughts on 2007 and hopes for 2008!

My goodness...

... Two-time Pakistani Prime Minister Benezir Bhutto has been assassinated.

What a terrible, terrible thing. Bhutto had her flaws, for sure, but certainly didn't deserve to be shot in the head by a suicide bomber who then blew himself up, killing at least 15 others.

It's such a powerful word, assassination. It's murder, cold-blooded and calculated. But the "political celebrity" of the victim (for want of a better phrase) lends it extra-strong texture, as you spit the "s" sounds out of your mouth.

The thought of murder brings fear, but the thought of assassination brings something else. Perhaps a different kind of fear, the fear of those people who would think it an achievement, even an honour, to take out political leaders. The fear of political uncertainty that could follow.

I'm not sure what it is. But it's more complex that just the basic fearful response to your plain, run-of-the-mill, garden variety murder. It's not just "I don't want this to happen to me"; it's "I don't want this to happen in my country, to my leaders - no matter how much I hate and despise them".

I fear for Pakistan - a country that is vital in the fight against extremist Islam. My great-aunt Monnie has lived and worked in Pakistan for over four decades, since marrying my late uncle Taj. She's done so much work with the Girl Guides movement - I hate to think of those girls now, perhaps terrified that an intelligent, forceful female leader could be gunned down like a dog. Those girls need to be strong now, if they're to continuing playing a role in creating a truly egalitarian Pakistan - which is something I know my Aunt Monnie has been working towards.

Vale, Benezir Bhutto. She joins the ranks of JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King Jr, Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Yitsak Rabin and all the other leaders who've died simply because someone hated them enough to think murder was worth it.

Oops

Just when you thought Britney Spears and family couldn't get any crazier:

Jamie-Lynn Spears, 16, is up the duff.

Now, Irony #1 is the fact that Britney and Jamie-Lynn's mother - Lynne Spears - has now delayed publication of her parenting guide. Which is just plain disappointing, as I wanted to purchase it for my mother as a Christmas gift, so she could see where she went wrong with me. Particularly when you consider Irony #2 - which came through on AAP wires this morning:

US researchers say teenagers who have formal sex education are far more likely to put off having sex.

They've found teenage boys who had sex education in school were 71 per cent less likely to have intercourse before they turn 15, and girls were 59 per cent less likely to have sex before that age.

When it came to black teenage girls though, 91 per cent were less likely to have sex before they're 15.

The study also found boys who had sex education were nearly three times more likely to use contraceptives for their first time, but it didn't make a difference for girls using birth control.

The study was conducted by researchers at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and will be published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

I'm just saying, I can't wait to see what Lynne Spears' parenting "memoir" has to say about sex.

Meanwhile, things aren't looking any calmer for Britney herself. That crazy, impulsive gal!

The thing is, I still really like Britney in spite of (and probably because of) her foibles, and Jamie-Lynn seems like she's got her head on relatively straight, even if she's yet to master Condoms 101. It's all too easy to slag them off as white trash, even if it's somewhat justifiable. It's something of a shock and a shame to see the paths they've taken.

And no, I'm not trying to say pregnancy and childbirth at a young age ruins your life, and you'll never do anything again. I'm just worried these girls - and others less famous - have a screwed-up view of sex and motherhood, which could potentially damage them AND their children.

As my parents will attest as they refuse my latest request for cash - children are for life, not just for Christmas.

Is anybody else amused...

...by the fact that Premier Anna Bligh has named Mike Kaiser as her new Chief of Staff?

Not because of the whole "vote-rorting scandal" that forced Kaiser to resign from Queensland parliament in 2001...

... but because the state now has a Kaiser Chief!

Well, it tickles my funnybone anyway.

What's in a Name?

If there’s one issue I’m prone to get a bit militant about, it’s the issue of women changing their names after marriage. To me, it is an outdated and unnecessary custom, that requires significant sacrifice on the part of the woman, but is never a choice faced by men. Worse still, the fact that it is often expected, if not demanded by men points to an insidious form of sexism still present in the modern day. Just letting you know my position, straight up.

Someone who doesn’t agree with me is Rita Panahi, who’s written a charming piece on the issue for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, which has been rejigged for news.com.au. Ms Panahi is described as a “social commentator”, and has an issue with our new First Lady Therese Rein, along with other wives of new Labor ministers, not taking their husband’s surname. According to Rita, they’re going against a welcome new trend of brides embracing their husband’s surname, and are therefore rather silly.

Now pieces like this can get me fairly worked up, and have me describing someone like Ms Panahi as less of a “social commentator” and more of a “barmy right-wing old biddy”. But it’s just these kind of comments that get people offside. The Wah has told me I must avoid militancy in my argument, lest I upset or alienate readers, thus losing any chance I may have of convincing them.

There's never been an argument for name-changing that I haven’t managed to shoot down. But to avoid boring you all (at least for the moment), I will present a very simple case for why this practice is sexist and unfair.

Many women say it is their choice to change their name, as a sign of love for their husband, and with the purpose of creating a family unit.

I only ask this: What does a man do OF EQUAL VALUE for the woman?

Whether or not to change a name is an issue that overwhelmingly – I would say greater than 99% - confronts only women. Mr John Smith is Mr John Smith for life. He never even has to contend with Miss, Ms or Mrs, least of all having to decide whether to make the leap to John Jones when he marries Jane Jones.

It’s EXPECTED that women change their names. But there’s no equivalent expectation of men. Think about it. Working – both partners decide. Spending habits – both decide, or keep separate accounts. Having children – both decide. Staying at home with children – both decide, and perhaps both take turns. Retirement plans - both decide.

If anyone can tell me of a decision upon or during marriage, a declaration signifying eternal undying love and devotion that is exclusively the man’s - then I will buy you a Coke.

Thinking? Let me give you some space....

....

....

Nothing?

That's because there just isn’t one. A tradition that requires such an expensive and complicated sacrifice on the part of only one gender is a sexist tradition. And no amount of shrugging and saying "but it's just nice" is going to change that.

At the end of the day, if I’m marrying you, I’m committing to you. I know it’s a shock, but women are smart enough to remember who their husband is without recourse to checking drivers’ licences. And just because a woman may have a different surname to her children, doesn’t make her any less their mother (and after all, it's easier for a woman to pass off another man's child as her partner's than it is for a man to do the same thing: as many as one in ten Australian children have the wrong father's surname anyway!). The more children grow up with different surnames in the house, the more tolerant and progressive they will be regarding name changes as adults.

Many people say it's their choice to change their name, and they're right, it is. But is it really a choice when you're doing it simply because "it's the done thing" or "it's easier"? My aim is to encourage deeper consideration of this issue, taking into account the centuries' worth of social constructs at play here.