Australia Day

Australia Day, the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the official national day of Australia, is commemorated on the 26 January, a public holiday, with mixed feelings - both sad and joyous.

Many Indigenous Australians, the traditional land owners, refer to Australia Day as “Invasion Day”, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologising on behalf of the Australian people to all indigenous Australians, particularly the stolen generation on February 13, 2008 for past injustices. (Kevin Rudd's apology transcript)

Moving on from there, Australia Day is a day when its twenty one million occupants, whether home grown or not, can celebrate all that is great in this country, namely family; forever mindful that it is also a time to reflect on what we can do to make things better for others and this great land of ours Down Under.

Beyond that, Australia Day is a time to remember past generations who paved the way to make this country what it is today for our sake and future generations, and, those who fought and died to keep our country safe; not forgetting the brave men and women who are currently serving overseas in the war against terrorism and in peace keeping operations.

To the Australian of the Year 2010, Professor Patrick McGorry, Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health (OYH) and Director of headspace, Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation, who has spent much of his career advocating for youth mental health reform, congratulations and well done.

What are your thoughts on Australia Day? If not from Australia, do you have something similar?

Yours Truly,
A Proud Australian

To be continued...

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Retirement

As I look down the barrel of retirement two patients have come to mind, oddly enough. One was an slightly anxious lady, a touch over sixty of Caucasian persuasion, whose husband had recently retired. Remarkably her sense of humour was still intact despite the pain.

The story goes that after a few short months her husband had managed to drive her up the wall, and, to give her self space and to avoid defending a murder charge came out of retirement; only to end up with chest pain after a long day at work.

The next patient was a spritely eighty year old male of Indian ethnicity, a doctor as a matter of fact who hadn’t taken a sick day in his life. His other claim to fame was that he was still working and lecturing long after his counterparts had retired.

He was fit as a Malley bull, well almost, when he fronted up in the emergency department with a minor complaint.

Have you planned your retirement yet – both financial and lifestyle?

So, where am I heading with this? Well, I’m trying to work out when I should retire and at this stage I have two plans:

1. One will encompass taking early retirement in another two years when I’m fifty-five, and then to carry on with nursing on a casual basis, working two days a week while receiving a work related pension.

2. To continue to work for another twelve years and then retire at the age of sixty-five.

(a) How does this sound to you?  (b) Which one would you go for?

Note: Age pension age in Australia: From 1 July 2017, the qualifying age for Age Pension will increase from 65 to 65.5 years. The qualifying age for Age Pension will then rise by 6 months every 2 years, reaching 67 by 1 July 2023.

Heaven knows what the retirement age will be in the year 2525 but I don’t have to worry about that, do I?

Yes, I am aware that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, with my favourite saying, “shit happens” always in the back of my mind ready to jump out whenever the occasion arises that warrants such a crass term.

Now, it would be interesting to also hear from those that have:

1. Taken early retirement.
2. Retired at 65 or thereabouts.
3. Are still working after retirement age.
4. Thought about retiring.
5. Never thought about retiring.

In your experience what have been the good points and the bad points of your life choice?

The formula for a comfortable retirement – I can’t work it out either.

zprop = R repl (1 – ((1+i real )) -p )/i real / [(((1+i rel to pay )) w - 1)/i rel to pay + R repl(1 – ((1+i real )) -p )/i real ] (Ret-03)

The formula for a long life is clean living and a whole lot of help from above!

To be continued...

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Haiti S.O.S.

On the 12 January 2010 Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince and its outlying suburbs were devastated by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, Haiti’s most severe earthquake in over 200 years.

Prior to this date I had no idea of what went on in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, nor did I know where it was; so this post is just as much for me as it is for you with the emphasis on helping the people of Haiti.

A special thanks goes to Blogcatalog’s “Bloggers Unite for Haiti” for prompting me to get this one out.

If the estimates are correct, the projected 200,000 deaths will rank this tragedy as one of the world’s deadliest earthquakes ever, leaving 250,000 plus injured and anywhere from 300,000 to 1,000,000 residents homeless.

Haiti with a population of almost 10 million is the third largest country in the Caribbean behind Cuba with the majority of Haitians working in the agricultural sector. The principal energy source being wood, deforestation is of major concern with erosion and landslides destroying the economy and its people.

The average income ranges from $90-$300 per year with the resulting poverty forcing at least 225,000 children in Haiti's cities into slavery. Another alarming fact is that ninety percent of Haiti’s children suffer from waterborne diseases and intestinal parasites.

Now, with a third of Haiti's population affected and needing aid as a result of this earthquake, countries and individuals around the world are rallying to help Haiti and this is where you can help by donating money via the numerous aid organizations out there.

Please follow the image and text links to read more about the Haiti Earthquake disaster and to donate money that is so desperately needed.

1. Australian Red Cross 2. Unicef Australia 3. World Vision Australia
4. Oxfam Australia 5. Save the Children Australia 6. Compassion Australia
7. Care Australia 8. The White House 9. Google Crisis Response

To be continued...

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How green is your garden?

Well, what a time it has been! With a family scattered all over Australia we finally managed to see our youngest son, “the third favourite child” as he puts it, during the Christmas period. Living in the outskirts of Perth, Western Australia, some 2050 miles away from our Sydney home, we stayed at his place and enjoyed every minute.

Sharing a home with friends, he has made his mark on this side of our great country as he did when living in the top end of Australia, both personally and work wise; and aren’t we proud of him.

Known among his friends as Doctor Phil, a loyal and trustworthy mate, and among his nephews and nieces as The Bear or Big Chris, he will always be remembered for his jocularity, tenacious spirit and never ending love for fun and family.

He has been to more places than you can poke a stick at. One famous trip to Bangkok’s Safari World had him making more friends with the local talent as you can see in this picture. Check out his mates, will you?

The rest of our tribe, who are up in Townsville, Queensland, some 1044 miles away, are doing well with our first grandchild teething after only 3 months.

Back at home renovations have started thank heavens. Gone are the days of holes in doors and punctured gyprock as a result of brotherly love and so to the carpets in half the house; a result of running the bath far too long!

For those in this neck of the woods, you may just want to check out and take advantage of the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts 4 year interest free “Green Loan” of up to $10,000 to make your home environmentally friendly and to help tackle climate change, as no doubt we will.

How green is our garden? Our family is doing just fine thank you with a wedding just around the corner…how’s yours?

To be continued…

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Fallen Angel

Torn from love you stand upon a precipice contemplating death
Not your first time here, what stopped you way back then?
Fast talking, a liking for someone other than your true love?
You returned to battle tall dark shadows that plagued you all your life

Atop dizzy heights with eyes partly shielded you look below
Intoxicated, medicated, drenched in summers unforgiving heat and haze
Slowly giving way to thoughts of eternal peace that beckon from below
Yet, you hesitate again, not sure if this is the answer to your nightmares?

A thousand eyes peering from everywhere fearing that you’ll take flight
Like a lover’s chant of “He loves me, he loves me not.”
“Will she or won’t she”, come from unheard cries
One leg over, one leg planted, two and fro, the abysses awaits you

Seated opposite you now, talking softly, ever so guarded and duty board
An impenetrable wall between the two failing to hide the tears
Déjà Vu casts its shadow over you as careful words work you out
Passing pleasantries and hydrating fluid to keep you there

Negotiations at an end you decide it’s time to go, no fanfare here
Now hanging on by a thread you prepare for journeys end
The call is given; an outreached hand waits for yours
You shield your eyes for one last time and let go

Fallen angel left broken hearted by a lover’s change of heart
Falling on your sword is not the answer
But no one understands what torments you so
As you begin to fall the outreached hand takes a hold
You’re safe, hopefully not just for now

* * *
Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2010

To be continued

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