Category Archives: Gerard Oosterman

Zwarte Piet

30 Friday Nov 2012

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Zwarte Piet

November 27, 2012

Zwarte Piet.

I suppose everybody at some stage in their lives would have experienced a Zwarte Piet. I certainly did. The Zwarte Piet in Holland is what the bogey-man or the Halloween figure is elsewhere. It is a mythical all powerful figure that has an aura of badness as well as some benevolence about ‘it’. I say it, because it has lately been turned in having the possibility of being a female as well. See, how far reaching the female has got? Nothing is now impossible for the fair sex to achieve.

All of those have some kind of pagan history dating back hundreds of years and might even relate to the festivals of the dead or harvests. In earlier times they must have had good parties celebrating the dearly departed as well as having a good harvest. As the pages and centuries marched on relentlessly we must have become a lot more gloomy and pessimistic. There would not be too many celebrating a nice good death by stomping around a bon fire and giving good send-offs. More likely ‘ uncle Harry was a skinflint, good riddance’, as he slowly in his well bolted down casket ( just in case of a bad smell) slides into the warm and welcoming crematorium’s oven.

The idea of the Zwarte Piet in Holland is to make small children behave just a few weeks before the 5th of December when his boss SinterKlaas arrives from Spain on his horse and gallops over rooftops from house to house to drop jute bags of presents down the chimney for those that have passed the test of good behavior. I always passed the test, hence was always supplied with lots of grey hand knitted socks and sometimes a ball that would bounce.

The whole idea of those kind of figures has probably been invented as a pedagogical tool for large families to have some kind of hold over small children. A kind of psychological cane: if you don’t do as you are told, ‘no socks or ball.’

The evenings of the 5th of Dec were for me the most exciting events of my life and not much has exceeded those nail biting evenings ever since. Let me explain!

Zwarte Piet was the helper of Sinterklaas; a bishop from Spain, who, legend has it, would sometimes eat naughty children as well as give presents to good children. Do you get where I am going now? Of course, I wasn’t a fool even though I had some sympathy for those so very hungry, they would eat anything even naughty children! The war was still warm with ruins still smoldering.

Boy, did I do what my mother asked me for. Wash up the spoons while standing on a box, tidy my room and not forget to wipe my bum. The evening of the 5th was most spine tingling. Of course, December is already gloomy and Europe at its darkest. Storms were usually howling and we prayed Sinterklaas would be able to manoevre his horse over windswept rooftops. Soon, the dreaded knock on our door announced Zwarte Piet had arrived. A black gloved hand would slowly appear around the front door. He would bang louder and louder and we kids would hide under mum’s skirt. A somewhat daunting experience, but we were scared witless! Even though my behavior had been faultless the preceding weeks, you just never knew! Would I end up being eaten?

Zwarte Piet would then throw handfuls of ‘pepernoten’ (a kind of hard dog-kibble like clove and cinnamon laced type of biscuits around the room. This was the moment I had been good for all those long weeks. On hand and knees, I crawled, totally possessed, around the room fighting off my competing brothers tooth and nail for the most handfuls.

When all this subsided and we were weary from being good and battled out we would finally take a peek around the door. Lo and behold a large jute type of coal bag with the presents was left behind. Oddly enough, my dad would then suddenly appear. It was a couple of years later when this dream was shattered when told that Zwarte Piet was really my dad.

So it always goes, dreams are beholden by the child till stolen by adults

Cannabis and The Dutch

25 Sunday Nov 2012

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High-potency cannabis reclassified as hard drug

News item | 12-10-2011

The government plans to place cannabis with a THC concentration of 15% or higher on the Opium Act’s Schedule I, making high-potency cannabis a hard drug.

The government made the announcement in its response to a new report on drug classification by the Garretsen Committee. The system of two classification Schedules under the Opium Act (I for hard drugs and II for soft drugs) will remain in place.

The government sees high-potency cannabis as carrying an unacceptably high risk. It is a contributory factor in increasing damage to health, especially when used at a young age. That is why the consumption and production of this type of cannabis needs to be discouraged.

Higher penalties

Coffee shops will soon no longer be allowed to offer cannabis with a THC level above 15%. Higher penalties will be imposed for trafficking, importing and exporting high-potency cannabis.

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The Schoolies ‘Wipe out.’

22 Thursday Nov 2012

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The mystery of Schoolies and the “wipe-out”.

I thought I knew that our liquor selling licensing laws and businesses were seen by many in the world as pretty antiquated. I suppose it might well explain much of why so many young go well over the limit once unshackled from the final years at school and seek to wipe themselves out during the cultural phenomenon known as ‘The Schoolies.’ The ‘Schoolies’ is a three week festival whereby the year twelve students celebrate their final year at school. Perhaps, the prohibition is still lingering on here in Aussi-land and it all breaks loose during Schoolies..

I don’t quite know the origins of it or what the background of this festival is but I don’t think it has anything to do with Brazilian Carnival or running of the Spanish bulls or similar foreign carnivals. I can’t remember ever having experienced those year twelve festivals. I never went through year twelve. Perhaps that explains it.

There are curious contradictions in our alcohol beverage consumption. We are not exactly shy when it comes to getting full or even totally blotto pissed. Ok, it might not be proper here in The Southern Highlands to be seen pickled but even here not too many would point a finger at you if one occasionally did a Bazza McKenzie stained glass picture show in the taxi forgetting to wind down the window. Yet, to actually get the stuff, you have to go to specially licensed outlets.

The most curious outlets are our supermarkets. Things have finally been allowed to sell grog at supermarkets but the actual selling point still needs you to go to a separate outlet. I mean you still can’t buy butter or a long neck at the same time and at the same counter. However, here in Bowral the separation of grog and groceries have taken a small step forward in our Aldi store. You can buy butter and booze at the same counter. Amazing progress! It is ONLY allowed at counter nr 5. You can’t do it at the other counters and there are signs on the trolley (lockable and deposit paying progressive innovation, Euro inspired), warning you, that only at counter 5 you can buy butter, wine,  beer and prawns.

God knows how the Aldi lawyers must have been tortured through dealing with the ‘licensing police or board’. How ‘counter 5’ was given a license must rank as one of the most significant battles won with our licensing laws.  To buy the stuff, one has to still be 18 and only in approved points of sale. Cash register 5 is now a licensed venue for the sale of alcohol. Hoorah!

I remember as if yesterday buying a bottle of sherry for my mum and dad at Christmas time when still in Holland at age 12 or 13. I bought is at the grocery store but could also have bought it at the fruit and veggie shop. Even today, you can buy a Heineken or a latte in the train or at the rail station or at the newsagent.

I can’t imagine what the consequences would be if you could buy a can of beer on a train between Sydney’s Central station and Parramatta. I guess all hell would break loose and you can’t open train windows anymore either. Nor are trains provided with toilets. We must have camel-like bladders.

When I queued at the nr 5 Aldi counter with my peanut-butter and a fine pinot I remarked about the oddness of only being able to buy liquor at counter nr 5. A stern looking lady behind me stated; “that’s because only people above the age of 18 are allowed to serve at this counter.”  Somewhat flummoxed, I looked at all the Aldi staff and remarked that most of them would be over 18 and asked, not unreasonably I thought, what would happen if my grandson of 10 was helping me packing the pinot back into the trolley. I further asked what would happen if wine was also sold at cash register 1,2,3 or even 4? The stern lady rebuked me and said firmly;” well, that’s the law” and shut down the conversation by giving me a long and hard stare. She obviously thought I was a heathen and an alcoholic. I thought that logic wasn’t very forthcoming from her yet and decided to just buy my stuff and shut up, give it some more thought in the privacy of my car.

It is strange though. Binge drinking here, especially amongst teenager is a serious problem and many a future alcoholic must be in the making during those much accepted Schoolies. Yet, the availability of alcohol is so much more restricted.

So, why is it that in countries such as Italy or France where alcohol can be bought by anyone at almost all shops, day and night; yet, binge drinking is far less prominent? Alcohol is often consumed around the dining table with food and conversation. Getting inebriated in countries with unrestricted access is rarer and certainly much more stigmatized than in Australia were selling of alcohol is much more restricted at licensed premises and only to those above the age of 18.

Why is that so?

The Art of returning the Merc (by Jones)

08 Monday Oct 2012

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Alan Jones drives his Mercedes-Benz        Photo:       Alan Jones has been told to return his $250,000 Mercedes-Benz. (ABC TV)

Broadcaster Alan Jones has been asked to return his Mercedes-Benz after the car manufacturer cancelled its sponsorship deal with his radio station 2GB.

Mercedes-Benz says Jones’s suggestion that Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s father died of shame was appalling.

A number of other sponsors have turned their back on the broadcaster’s radio show since the comments came to light.

Mercedes-Benz says the $250,000 car will be repossessed if it is not returned by the end of the month.

Jones had been given the 2012 S-Class Mercedes as a part of his sponsorship deal.

During a press conference last Sunday, Jones stated that both 2GB management and its sponsors were aware of his position on political issues and that he did not expect a falling out.

However, online campaigns emerged early in the week, urging people to boycott businesses that continued to support Jones and his program.

Woolworths, Coles, Dilmah, Freedom Furniture, ING, Bing Lee, and Challenger have all withdrawn advertising from Jones’s program.

Mercedes-Benz is understood to have ditched all commercial deals with 2GB after the incident.

Topics:radio-broadcasting, people, sydney-2000

First posted    Sun Oct 7, 2012 9:31am AEDT

Bali’s Writer and Readers Festival

06 Saturday Oct 2012

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-05/festival-draws-readers-and-writers-to-ubud/4298204

The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival is underway this week in Bali, attracting 140 authors from across the globe to the mountains of the small Indonesian island.

The festival was started nine years ago by the Australian chef and writer Janet de Neefe, who wanted to turn around the devastating impact the Bali bombings had on tourism.

Today, the festival attracts more than 2,000 literature enthusiasts, and has expanded to include programs for children in Bali and across the Indonesian archipelago.

“The festival was born out of the first Bali bombing,” de Neefe said.

“I think at that point that’s when I realised that I could make a difference to the community, I could perhaps help boost the community or do something. It was my time to give back.”

As Bali prepares to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bombings next week more than 140 writers from 30 countries have descended on the picturesque mountain village of Ubud.

The line-up includes figures such as East Timor’s former president Jose Ramos Horta and journalist, author and filmmaker John Pilger.

“Ramos Horta and Pilger will be pretty fantastic,” de Neefe said.

“Nick Cave of course, but also some of the other names, the African women that are coming are so extremely interesting, Lemn Sissay, the poet from the UK… Jeffrey Euginides and of course Anna Funder and all those other wonderful authors and that’s what the festival’s all about.

“It’s about the sort of authors that you’ll never see together in one place.”

De Neefe also hopes the children’s and outreach programs will inspire a new generation of writers across Indonesia.

“Post-festival, we go to six different cities around Indonesia,” she said.

“So we take some of our authors and they engage with these literary communities like in Aceh and Sulawesi and Ambon and Papua and all sorts of places.”

In another classroom, author Marcela Romero has been telling students traditional Mexican stories.

“Storytelling and stories are very good tools for education,” she said.

“But when you go abroad and you actually can have the opportunity to go and see the children, it is amazing how it happens that you can actually help them realise that we are all human beings, we are all people, that we are have dreams and all that.”

Topics:author, books-literature, arts-and-entertainment, bali, indonesia

No Cure No Pay

02 Sunday Sep 2012

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In The Netherlands it is proposed that if a medicine doesn’t produce a noticeable cure, the cost of it is sheeted home to the pharmaceutical company. Not a bad idea seeing so much of medicine is produced with claims of a cure greatly exaggerated. Have a read!

http://www.dutchnews.nl/

Minister opts for ‘no cure no pay’ for some new medicines

Friday 31 August 2012

Health minister Edith Schippers is to introduce the principle of no cure no pay for certain medicines, following advice from the health insurance council CVZ.

‘This is certainly a good idea for new, expensive medicines that have not yet proved their worth,’ Schippers told BNR Radio on Friday. ‘It has little advantage for medicines that have been on the market for a long time in various varieties and where prices are low,’ she said.

The CVZ is recommending an experiment with no cure no pay where the health insurer only pays for the medicine if it has a measurable effect on the patient. If there is no effect, the bill will be sent to the manufacturer.

Asthma

The first medicine being tested under the new regime is Xolair, used in the treatment of severe asthma. According to the CVZ, Xolair has no effect on three out of ten patients. It costs €16,000 per patient per year. For those patients who show no improvement, the cost will be reclaimed from manufacturer Novartis.

The CVZ says it has already made an agreement with patients, lung doctors and Novartis and expects no cure no pay to save between €1m and €2m a year.

‘This is the first time the cost of a medicine depends on the effect of the treatment,’ a CVZ spokesman told BNR Radio. The organisation hopes other medicines will follow.

The move comes after the CVZ advised the minister not to continue payments for serious illnesses such as the rare metabolic diseases Pompe and Fabry, advice which Schippers said she would ignore.

Family Court excludes Children. Where are their voices?

01 Saturday Sep 2012

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Family Court excludes Children. Where are their voices?

Fam Court excludes hearing the Children. Where are their voices?

In Australian Family Court disputes it is often the children that miss out on being heard by a Federal Judge or Magistrate. In most cases, even though the judge or magistrate has the power to hear the children, it is rarely exercised. In many cases it is the Independent Children’s Lawyer who represents the child/children/ (ICL). In Germany and many other countries, the Family Court Judges always hears the child. The argument generally holds that there is now a growing understanding of the importance of listening to the children involved in children’s cases. It is the child, more than anyone else, who will have to live with what the Court decides.

At the moment while Federal Judges and Magistrates can hear the children in Court. A survey has shown most decline the opportunity and rely on the ICL and other ‘experts’ for advice during the procedures. The cases coming before the Family Courts deal with property and access to children. The fact of Court action is generally a sign that the parents haven’t been able to amicably deal with the separation. Access rights to children are often just as heatedly fought over as the division of property.

The Family Court in all cases  decide what is ‘best for the children’; it seems therefore ironic that the children are not given the opportunity to bring their wishes in front of the Court like in many European countries that are signatories to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.(UNCRC)

While it is unsatisfactory to say that children should all have the same rights as autonomous adults, including the rights of freedom of expression and the freedom of association and all other rights that adults own, it is equally unsatisfactory and unjust to say that children have no rights of this kind and that their rights in Court matters are irrelevant to the task of adults determining and deciding what is best. It seems to ignore the claim of children to be treated with respect and dignity instead of, as is often the case in Family Court battles, fought over objects.

http://www.familylawwebguide.com.au/library/spca/docs/Childrens%20participation%20in%20family%20court.pdf

As Australia has been a member of the convention since 1990 it seems  to beg the question why children are not heard in front of a Court and allowed to give their choices of those matters which the Court determines is in “the best interest of the child’. Why should they not be given the right to appear in Court?

Often the reason given is ‘parentification’ of the child.  In parentification the child is choosing one parent over the other as a need to protect the one parent over or against the other. In Family Court cases it is not unusual that one or both parents are deemed to have put the child in this position to try and enhance the prospect of getting more time with the child than the other parent. The child is expected to act as the parent to their own parent and sometimes over other siblings as well. The issue is very complicated because in some cases one of the parents might indeed be totally unsuitable as parent or as the primary caretaker. This is especially when there is violence against the other parent or children alleged, or in the case of drugs and alcohol abuse. However, parentification together with alienation theories about children in relationships remains highly controversial amongst psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, who claim they are often simplistic or erroneous.

http://healthyparent.com/Parentification%20Web%20Preview.pdf

In the Family Courts it is the job of the ICL to sort the wheat from the chaff and investigate to get to the bottom of the issue if ‘parentification’ of the child is occurring. The Court appointed lawyer acting for the child will then call in an ‘expert’ in those matters. Both parents are to meet up with the ‘expert’ who is often a qualified child psychologist or therapist. Anyone who ever had dealings with Courts knows that at every turn huge amounts of money is spent. The ICL with the help of the Expert’s report weigh heavily in the final decision making by the Judge or Magistrate.

The report by the children’s expert is drawn up as a result of a few hours or a day spent by both the parents and the children with the expert. Sometimes first in each other’s company then separately and then the children on their own. After parents as applicant and respondent  have filed into Courts numerous times for ‘mentioning’ and ‘final hearings’ the case is put and then includes the affidavits, responses and reports by all the parties’ lawyers including the ICL and ‘experts’..

But, when all the lengthy proceedings come to an end, there is this glaring omission. The fundamental rights of every person including children to be heard in Court are totally ignored.

The ICL and other child experts cannot help but put in their own submissions and even if based on the best of intentions and the best advice given, it is second hand and not direct. How is it possible that the ‘best interest of the child’ excludes this fundamental right?

One reason given is the perceived intimidation of the Court system with its tradition of the dreaded three knocks on the door and ‘all rise in Court’, the bowing of all and then the entrance of the black gowned judge or magistrate on the raised podium. The procedures are often seen as unfriendly if not silly as well. Surely the system can change when children are involved and become child friendly. I could ask, why not change it even for adults?

We love adhering to convention, but what about the children?

Julian Assange goes on, and on…and on.

24 Friday Aug 2012

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. Swedish Q&A: do Assange’s   claims on extradition stack up?

Crikey’s Cathy Alexander and Mark Klamberg from Stockholm   University write:
EXTRADITION, JULIAN ASSANGE, SWEDEN
There’s   been plenty of commentary in Australia and the UK about the likelihood and   legality of Sweden extraditing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US,   should it secure his extradition from the UK for questioning on s-xual   misconduct allegations. So what do the Swedes say? Crikey puts some questions to Mark Klamberg, doctor in public   international law at Stockholm University …Why   can’t Swedish authorities go to London to question Assange?

Swedish   authorities can ask for legal assistance from the UK, which would mean they   could go to London to ask questions, subject to UK law. However, it is under   the discretion of the prosecutor responsible for the case to determine   whether she should ask for such assistance, or ask for surrender under the   European Arrest Warrant Procedure.

The   Swedish prosecutor is arguing they need to have the interview in Sweden   because they may need to do several interviews and cross-check with the   victims. It is not generally the case that Swedish prosecutors travel to the   preferred place of the suspect, i.e. it is not up to the suspect to dictate   how an investigation should be carried out. Moreover, as indicated above, if   Assange was in the custody of British authorities he could be subject to   coercive measures (under UK law), but that is more difficult/impossible when   he is in the embassy, i.e. the prosecution will not be able to control the   interview to the same extent as they normally do.

Would   it be easier for the US to extradite Assange from Sweden than from the UK?

No, for   several reasons. First, Sweden and the UK both have bilateral extradition   treaties vis-a-vis the US. The UK is able to extradite people to the US under   similar conditions as Sweden, and has done so.

Second,   the UK as well as Sweden are parties to the European Convention of Human   Rights. Following the landmark judgment called Soering from 1989,   both Sweden and UK are prohibited to extradite somebody who can be put on   death row and/or be subjected to torture (which includes inhuman or degrading   treatment or punishment).

Third, the   Swedish extradition agreement with the US (you can read the 1961 agreement in Swedish or English here,   and read the 1984 supplementary convention here) does not   allow extradition when the offence is purely military or if the offence is a   political offence. For example, espionage is a political crime and no   extradition is possible for such charges. Fourth and finally, if Assange were   to be extradited to Sweden and if the US then requested extradition from   Sweden, such a request would have to be approved by Sweden as well as by the   UK. This would require an approval by the Swedish Supreme Court and   government. The government cannot approve extradition if it’s denied by the   Supreme Court.

Pursuant to   the rule of speciality and the regulations concerning a European Arrest   Warrant, the decision to extradite Assange to Sweden for allegations   concerning r-pe and s-xual misconduct is not enough, the UK Home Secretary   has to make a second decision concerning the US charges (for example   espionage), subject to UK law.

As I   understand it, Ecuador has granted Assange political asylum, i.e. Ecuador is   arguing that the US is seeking Assange for a political offence (espionage).   Moreover, they fear that Assange will be subject to the death penalty and/or   torture. As explained above, extradition from Sweden would for several   reasons not be granted in such a case.

It is   theoretically possible that i) the US might charge Assange for an other   (non-political) crime than espionage and that ii) the US would be willing to   issue a guarantee that the death penalty will not be issued. The latter has   happened before — see for example the aftermath of the Soering case. Could Sweden   extradite Assange in such a case? The answer is yes provided that the UK also   approves, but I have great difficulties to see what kind of non-political   crime that would be.

Is   Sweden “US-friendly”, and would it be more likely to do the US’   wishes than the UK?

In the   diplomatic cables made available by WikiLeaks, the US embassy in Stockholm   describes the current Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt as a   “medium size dog with big dog attitude”, meaning someone who thinks   he has more power and influence than he really has. Sweden has good relations   to the US, probably close to or equivalent to US relations to the UK and   Australia. However, Sweden as a country has a history of opposing some of the   US military interventions abroad, for example the Iraq war in 2003 and the   Vietnam war (our prime minister compared the 1972 bombing of Hanoi with the   extermination of Jews at Treblinka, which was probably the low point of Swedish-US   relations).

In the   context of the Assange case, many point to the rendition in 2001 of two   Egyptians from Sweden to Egypt, apparently following a request from the CIA.   The transport was also carried out by the same agency. It is perceived as one   of the largest scandals in modern Swedish history. The UN Committee Against   Torture issued a decision where it established that Sweden as a state had   violated its obligations under the torture convention. The constitution   committee of the parliament (Konstitutionsutskottet) found the government had   violated Swedish law. The Swedish state compensated both of the men with 3   million krona (E350,000) each. At least one of them was granted permanent   residence in Sweden (which he has applied for).

Read   the full story on our website
RELATED LINKSGillard on top in a week of   wide and varied stories  |  Trying to remain civilized   on the Assange allegations  |  Rundle: Assange as Poppins   meets HR Pufnstuff

 

Domestic ‘Stuff.’

13 Monday Aug 2012

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The Stuff of ‘love’.

Wife: “Could you please bring your plate back to the sink’?  Husband: ‘I didn’t know I left the plate on the table’. Wife: ‘You did’. Husband: ‘Ok, next time I am around near the table I will take it to the sink’.

W: ‘Why didn’t you do it when you got up from the table?’ H: ‘I don’t know, I wasn’t thinking of the plate. ’W: You don’t have to ‘think’ of a plate, you just do it automatically.’’ It makes the place look so untidy.’ H: ‘Well, I think the stack with all those Cosmopolitan magazines on the floor look untidy also. ’W: ‘No, it doesn’t, one expects a room to have magazines’.

H: ‘Are we competing between a plate and magazines now?’ W: ‘Surely, you know that a plate with remnants of food is untidy?’H: ‘And, a stack of remnants of magazines is not?’ W: ‘No, it isn’t’. Go, and put the plate in the kitchen, now.’ Sigh! Husband gets up and puts the plate in the kitchen.

10, 30 PM in bed

W: ‘Gee, its cold tonight, is the window open?’ H: I don’t think so, but the bathroom door is open. Do you want me to check?’W: ‘Yes, check it, my feet are cold too’. H: ‘Oh, that’s no good; your feet too take a lot of time to get warmed up.’ ‘Did you wear your slippers?’ W: ‘No, I forgot.’ H: ‘Well, why don’t you put socks on during the night then?’ W: ‘Yes, I will’. H: ‘Where are they?  I’ll get them for you.’ W: They are on the chair, next to the lounge.’ H: Ok, I’ll get them.’ W: Thanks.’

H: No, they are not on the chair. Now my feet are cold as well.’ W: ‘Perhaps you should put on socks as well.’ H:’ you think so, I have never slept with socks, they might make me feel sweaty.’W:’ I don’t know about your sweaty feet, but have you found my socks yet? H: ‘Yes, yes I am coming back to bed; here are your socks’. W:  ‘Oh, not the grey ones, they are polyester, I want the woolen ones.’ H: ‘Do you think we will get this night sorted out?’

W: It depends very much on you finding the right socks for me!’ H: ‘I think it depends on finding your own bloody socks.’ H: Good night! W: Get f**k#d.

The Tumultuous Tribulation of Middle age and Olympics re-visited

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

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Do some of you also get a feeling that everything has been said and done? Perhaps this comes with getting older or being tired.  Still, while observing the young at play, I see the phenomenon of boredom and ennui on them as well.   That of course is really tragic. They are the spiritually dehydrated and they might well spend the rest of their lives not doing a great deal, or perhaps just staring deep into cell phones retrieving missed calls and accessing dated message banks…They seem steeped it what was.  You might see them around the exits of shopping malls, listlessly hanging around and will only give the mobile phone a little rest to re- hydrate with a slurp from the Coke bottle or a suck on their cigarette…Teen-age mums rocking the prams.

For others, it comes with getting old and tired out. A sameness settles in like a heavy horse blanket or cloud of mist. We also get a bit tired and what used to come effortless now takes much more determination and chutzpah. The chutzpah is starting to fade and wane.  For many though, they never seize to grab something, anything, and keep on being enchanted and energized by what they still might discover. They are lucky to have been born with a seemingly unending spirit on rediscovering the wonders of life even if those wonders have been visited at some earlier time or gone a bit stale. How often can you keep getting excited about ‘beef with black bean sauce?’

I have definitely reached middle age. I’ll be generous and include middle age anywhere between fifty and seventy five, with old age perhaps following from there on. Perhaps not even then. I might even get milder, kinder and extend middle age till a very mellow eighty! I am flexible. I get cranky when I hear kids say; oh mum, I am bored. They always say this with the ‘muuummmm’ being drawn out in a kind of winging howl. Clever mums know it is blackmail and will give them a resounding smack. “There, here have a good smack; this will give you something to be bored about.” And now, bugger off. Go to the park and assault somebody.

In my time parental smacking was taught from an early stage and it did no harm. In fact, it is only since its abolishment that many kids have become totally unmanageable except through parents giving in to their demanding whiles. We load them up with games and consoles that connect to a TV. This has the opposite effect and ends up hyping the kids to hysterical levels.  Soon there will be footprints on the ceiling with high pitched screaming renting the air.  Grandmother knew very well that fish –oil was the perfect answer to hyper-active kids. A spoonful of cod-liver oil with a good smack and it was sweet dreams afterwards…

A measure of life’s ennui and the unsettling feeling of having just about done or experienced all is my total lack of interest in the London Olympic Games. Sure, it’s hardly proof of ‘having done everything’ being interested in a rather dull affair but I could not even kick start myself in watching footage of the opening ceremonies, no matter how spectacular or how high the fireworks were supposed to go. I am now much more intrigued in the progress of my daffodils, watching millimeter by millimeters of growth sprouting above ground level. At least there is proof of something positive going on. Mind you, since my basket ball days, playing for Scarborough some 50 years ago, I haven’t been able to get into sport at all. I don’t mind others playing or watching but I belong firmly in the totally indifferent to sport or their persona and make a point of always dramatically chucking out the sport section of any newspaper.

Some years ago, the spectacle of the Sydney Olympics and the games in Greece, I still watched segments especially the openings which were works of high theatrical art. But this time the aura around sport seems to be one of ‘old hat’.  I am not the only one. Many are also yawning when the Olympics are mentioned, seats remain empty and the fervor of the games seems to have lapsed in indifferent stupor with many commentators falling over themselves with negativity.  It seems to have passed its peak, like the mini skirt of years ago.

Has the Olympics had its day and what will it be replaced with?