Minority world girl

I have been joking to myself that I have modified #buynothingnewmonth to #buynothingnewexceptmagazinesandshoesmonth (the shoes are gorgeous, and today's pair were bought from a garage sale so technically #notnew) but even in thinking this I realise what a minority world statement it is. I am seldom aware of my own privilege and find it easy to discard the intent of buy nothing new month and instead just make a list of stuff to buy come November (like that gorgeous handbag in Kings Cross ...). Affluenza is alive and well within me and it comes so naturally to see something gorgeous and add it to my collection of things. Even when I know I will have to move them back across the Tasman in a few weeks.

On my way home from the market this morning I stopped for a man on the street who was asking for change. I was on my way to Woolworths and so asked if I could get anything for him. He asked for a loaf of white bread and a few slices of 'Devon'. I had no idea what 'Devon' is. I had to ask him, and he said it was a kind of meat. I went to the Deli and looked at all the sliced meat (did he mean roast beef, or salami; ham or silverside) and then had to ask if they had 'Devon'. Living in the 'Parisian end' of Potts Point the Woolworths employee referred to it as 'Day Vonn' and got some from 'out the back'. To be fair to myself if the man on the street had spoken "Kiwi' and asked for luncheon sausage I would have known what he meant. But it is a long time since I've bought anything like this. In fact I have been known to frequent the local 'Artisan Butcher' where I buy organic lamb, or duck terrine.  I initially asked for five slices - this would have cost $1.20 - so I upped the order to 10 slices. And felt overcome with privilege as I reflected on having no idea what the staple protein for so many Australians actually is. My milk and fruit together with his bread and Devon (which will probably provide him with more than one meal) came to under $20. I can easily spend this on incidentals that nourish no one and contribute to global inequity.

Then my friend Sally posted this list of "most middle class things that ever happened" on Facebook. It is certainly lol stuff, but with a certain poignancy at how trivial or ridiculous some of these concerns are. Easy to laugh, but I wonder what an observer would find in my lifestyle to add to the page. 

So what can I do in the face of personal unearned privilege. Better to start with what I am doing. The wonderful Wellbeing Game is finishing soon and has provided an opportunity to be just a bit more mindful about my daily activities. Relishing relationships means that, even as an introvert, I introduce myself to people on the footpath asking for change and seek in some small way to actually 'meet' the other. I truly am trying to #buynothingnew in October and it certainly helps to reflect on what is needful and how resources can be shared rather than individually owned. For some time I have tried, and will continue to try, to make my consuming contribute positively so buying from the artist or producer, looking for great gifts like those in the Everything in Common catalogue, eating good fresh food and avoiding processed and heavily packaged alternatives, walking or using public transport as much as possible etc etc. I take pictures of my food and post them on Instagram to help Oz Harvest provide meals for those who need them in my community.

Advent Conspiracy invites me to worship fully, spend less, give more and love all in this season approaching the celebration of Christmas. It's not about spending nothing and giving everything. But every dollar diverted from meaningless consumption can and does make a difference. Looking forward to being part of a more sustainable and fair society. One step at a time.

Sunday afternoon

Some glimpses of goodness as I set about my afternoon activities are enough to nudge me back to the blogosphere. Three long years away (I didn't realise it had been quite that long) and many thoughts of returning but never being able to compose an appropriate 'coming back' post. Yet a simple account of everyday events is perhaps the most fitting way to re-enter this practice. So here are the glimpses:

• Walking up to the train station I was just behind a boy and his dad. I don't think the dad realised, but the boy was carefully watching his dad's strides and keeping in step with him. Then I heard the dad say "I like being with you xxx You' really are a good boy" Such affection in the brief moment that the dad's arm went around the shoulders of his young son and they continued up the road.
• Getting off the train I saw an older man (much older than me - this was a very mature gentleman) with his arm gently around his wife's waist guiding her to the escalator. Halfway up the escalator there was an affectionate kiss between them. Oldies in love. It's us before we know it.
• Walking to the shops I saw a young woman still wearing the gear in which she competed in today's marathon holding hands with her partner as they waited for a bus together.  Partner did not look like a runner (just my perception - not wearing running gear - kind of slouchy) and clearly there supporting his partner. 

All these glimpses reminded me of my first encounter with Ian McEwan when I read 'Enduring Love'. That novel made such an impression that I've read several of his others since, but not had the same sense of completeness. When I reread the novel I realised there were more vignettes within this complex tale than I had imagined. But even those that did stick with me demonstrated such a range within that relationship we name as love: the partner who so easily considers the circumstantial evidence points to infidelity of her deceased partner; the futile persistence of a would be rescuer for an unknown child in danger; hitch-hikers who flee from a scene (I can't remember why) leaving said circumstantial evidence that confuses the grief of a wife bereft; the complex relationships between parents and children.

There's no great bringing together of these narratives tonight. More a quiet contentment thinking back over the day that has gone. Filled just for a moment at the wonder of human relationships. Giving thanks.

Work Space

A very timely Friday Five from revkjarla at RevGalBlogPals who asks about the tschotske (momentos, weird things, etc.) in our workplaces.  Timely because I have spent this Saturday morning creating a home workplace in the bedroom of a child departed to university. And yet it is still Friday in some places! I love these dice that revkjarla has in her space: with GOD on every side.

But for my five things:

1. Here at home I am in someone else's space and surrounded by shoes, boots, very interesting books that are not my own, paints and odd earrings.
2. It is also the temporary home of my yarn/knitting wool stash. Both inspirational and comforting.
3. I look out the door to a large print of a mandolin-playing angel (brought back from Rome many many moons ago)
4. At work I have a shelf with a small statue of Notre Dame (bought at Oxfam one Christmas), a season tree (removable/ replaceable leaves), a taonga from Aotearoa and other sentimental tschotske
5. I seem to be a paper magnet and as a 'piler not a filer' this tends to overwhelm.  I am beginning to get the hang of using my new and wonderful Kindle to reduce this aspect of my workspace.

Seasonal meme

Another great meme from kathryn who writes:

The Season You're In - Friday Five

Headquarters for me is the northeast of the United States. Here school is getting back in session, the tease of autumn is in the air (or the hope for the tease of autumn is in the air) and church life is gearing up to full throttle.

One thing I've learned with blogging and social media is that the where I live is not necessarily where you live. And so I want to know what September means to you, in your place of the world and time in your life.

This week's Friday Five is:

What are 5 things that the beginning of September mean to you?

1. Spring!  It's in the air with a definite warming of the temperatures and also evident in the garden where lawn-mowing is once again a weekly task and the green waste bin is full to overflowing.

2. Father's Day.  First Sunday in September.  A bit strange this year with no father or father-in-law, no children at home, and the one-I-love away for a week. Good opportunity to indulge in some memories though.

3. Exams.  It's coming to the end of the school year and time to finalise the assessment stations and examination papers (see below)

4. Selection. Also time to select the students for the 2012 intake in January. A challenging task with 2065 applicants for 112 places - most of those applicants would probably make good doctors but we have to identify a subgroup who will thrive in our programme.

5. Parcel. 19 years ago a beautiful, wise, thoughtful, friendly September-birthday person became part of our family. Now is the time to send off her birthday parcel.

Bonus: What's one thing you could do without? Writing those exam questions.

"Busman's holiday'

It must be a month since the last post as Kathrynzj is again posting the Friday Five.  And such a delight to see it up before I head home on this balmy springlike winter day in Sydney (26 degrees C).

Kathrynzj writes:
I'm wrapping up a two week vacation that has taken me from beach to basement.

WHAT?

It's true, I took a week off of work to clean out the basement. Sadly, to look at a before/after photo would not make it look like my time had been used wisely. Just about everything is still down there, it's just in a different pile. BUT... our church rummage sale this year is going to be very, very blessed.

I'm wondering if anyone else out there takes a week off of work to do a different kind of work:

1) Have you ever 'staycationed' in order to work on a project? If no, would you?

YES. Many years ago returned early to work on a thesis.  It was worthwhile and productive. Attempts at garage tidying have been less effective!I grew up with the term 'busman's holiday' (we weren't gender neutral back then let alone affirmative) to describe taking time off regular work to do other work. Have accompanied the one I love doing relief holiday ministry in a seaside parish one summer. Here.     It was idyllic.

2) What project did you or would you tackle first?

We have a stash of unsorted items taking up the space where a car should reside. 

3) Any other projects?

It also feels like time to be getting organised for Christmas gifts and cards. So I'd maybe get out the sewing machine and get crafty with a vacation at home. 

4) What are the pitfalls of a staycation for you?

Not actually getting that sense of re-creation necessary to step back into the regular work role.

5) Never mind this staying at home business, where do you want to go and what do you want to do there?

The RevGal cruise looks so brilliant and 'one day' I hope that I might join it. There's not really room for my whole list of 'wannabethere' places but to start:

• Prague - supposedly the most romantic city on the planet
• Tonga - where beloved family member will be spending the next year
• Aotearoa - to feel my feet fit back into the land in which I learnt to stand and where our other beloved family members are studying
• Gallipoli - to pay respects
• Tasmania, Uluru, Broome, the Kimberleys - to have a broader view and understanding of this great island continent. Before we leave I would love to be able to take the Ghan and Indian Pacific trips ...

The meme to entice me back

In the introduction to this week's Friday Five I learn I am not alone in having declining participation the blogosphere.  kathrynzj writes:
A friend and I were lamenting recently about the good ol' days of blogging and memes. Certainly there are still some very active blogs around our web ring, but the days of the Friday Five getting 50-70+ responses are in the past. We lamented that the Friday Five is the equivalent of the women's guild of RevGalBlogPals.

I am one of those who went from blogging just about daily to periodically at best. Unfortunately, the number I routinely read has gone down as well. What about you?

1) Have your blogging (writing/reading) habits shifted since the days of yore?

Absolutely. It would be generous to describe my blogging as 'periodically at best'. I have always read more than I write, even more so now. 

2) Do you have some favorites that you miss?

Each time I open my dashboard I see the notifications from bloggers that I signed up to follow, and enjoy reading their posts. Some of my favourites are on Facebook, so I get to see their posts through a different window.  I do miss participating in the monthly poetry party at Abbey of the Arts and in fact was reflecting the other day that my creative output has decreased markedly over the past couple of years. Just as well I'm relaxing at the movies tonight. 

3) Are there some blogs you still put in the 'must read' category?

Joan Elizabeth is a 'must see' and each tab has it's own unique character Eternal Echoes and Life, Laughter, Liturgy always inspire, Pete and Ruth regularly share their creations. Jan is moving against the trend and is almost up to 2000 posts! Despite the long absence, the ritual of checking out each Friday Five comment also leads to serendipitous interchanges.

4) If we gathered at your knee, what would you tell us about those early days of blogging?

The perfect occupation for an unemployed introvert. After putting a tentative foot in the water I found this an excellent medium to help clarify thoughts and express creative impulses. The RevGals web ring provided encouragement and synergy. Those early days were an important component of the process of adjusting to life in a new country and context.  

5) Do you have a clip or a remembrance of a previous post of yours or someone else's that you remember, you know an oldie but goodie?

The post that lured me into blogging was Sally's wonderful reflection on the woman of Samaria. And I loved Jan's long ago clothesline avatar - all those clean clothes blowing in the wind

Person-focussed bureacracy

A great announcement from the Australian Government regarding a new approach to data collection about homelessness in "Australia Fair".  The paradigm shift is from a focus on service providers to a focus on people’s experiences of homelessness.

The press release includes the following: ‘Previously, homelessness was measured by the number of services provided to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness,’ said Mr Geoff Neideck of the AIHW’s Housing and Homelessness Group.
‘This new data collection will provide better information about people who are homeless, the pathways people take in and out of homelessness and the kinds of work homelessness agencies do.’
...
For the first time, children will be counted as individual clients and family information will be more accurate.

It is also encouraging to read details of the Government's homelessness strategy, which seems to recognise the choice of 'rough sleeping' as well as the need to address 'involuntary' homelessness.  The goal is to decrease the rate of homelessness by 2020 and to "provide supported accommodation to all rough sleepers who seek it."

A great step forward in data collection to support healthy public policy. And a welcome recognition of the rights of children to be counted, considered, provided for and protected.