The Plebiscite

Politics (or maybe politicians?) really get my goat.

I'm am so angry today about the Australian Plebiscite on same sex marriage I could scream.

Seriously people, what century are we in? It will happen - even if by some crazy fluke it doesn't happen this time around, or even in my lifetime - it will happen.

64% of all Australian support marriage equality. And yet the government sees fit to spend well in excess of $150 million on a compulsory vote - the answer to which we should already know. In addition, they've tossed each side $7.5 million to get their side of the argument out to the public.

How can we be so wasteful when we have people sleeping on our streets, unpaid family carers at the end of their tether and begging for respite, when we have a child protection system collapsing under the weight of cases and a deficit that's tracking at $15.5 billion and rising??

Am I alone?

This makes no sense to me at all.

Yes, I know how it happened (don't get me started...) and I know it may not get through the Senate - but even that is making me mad. It's a decoy and keeping the politicians (and the public) from discussing issues that need discussion - and it's not marriage equality - surely that's a given. Let's talk about the appalling conditions we've subjected those poor refugees in detention to and more importantly, what we're going to do to fix it. Let's talk about climate change, tax reform, reconciliation, the reef, education.... so many options.

Okay - rant over and out!

Naughty Parents!

Sass had a choral performance at the Melbourne Town Hall last term. I don't mind a choir so thought it might be quite good.

Geoff caught the train to drop Sass off at the earlier time and I drove straight from work to meet him. There were literally hundreds of people standing around in the cold, we were hungry, could murder a drink and enthusiasm was waning. We hatched a plan.

Once permitted to enter, we positioned ourselves at the end of the row (although a lady with a baby asked us to move in a seat and we obliged - but told her we may have to leave...)

Geoff checked the program - Sass's performance was number 9 of 15. Another parent had checked what time it finished and we saw the first performance to confirm that;
a/ Non-auditioned primary school choirs don't resemble what you might hear at Notre Dame and
b/ It took 7 minutes including getting one group off stage and the next on.

Let's go....

Five minutes later we were seated at a table for two in the romantically lit Bistrot d'Orsay, instructing the white-coated waiter we absolutely, positively had to be out in less than 45 minutes.

A bowl of melt-in-mouth gnocchi with blue cheese, hazelnuts and rocket plus two glasses of very nice sparkling wine and I was in a much better frame of mind!

Back we dashed to see Sass and her group lining up for their turn to go on stage. Geoff's timing had been spot on.

On arrival, parents had been directed to sit upstairs - but now everyone was in and the ushers less attentive, we ducked in downstairs behind the waiting choirs. It was a much better view and Sass and her choir, I must say, were very good!

As they finished and came off stage, filing back to their place, Geoff called out to her and she popped over. We're doing the grab and go, he said. And we left.

I emailed her teacher to let her know we had Sass and were heading home.

Oh we felt so smug and clever and naughty - we had a lovely trip home.... until Sass remembered there was an all school finale she was meant to have sung in...whoops. Naughty parents!!!

The Perfect Job

I was at the physio this week (dodgy knee...) when the lady at the desk remarked that it was lucky she worked there given she has two kids who seem to need a lot of treatment. The implication of course is that she gets it free or at mates' rates.

It got me thinking about the perfect job.

Assuming you can still tap into all the staff discounts and benefits by working in an organisation for just one day a week, I was thinking the perfect line up  could look like this:

Monday, grocery chain. I'm not fussed - Coles, Woolies, heck - I even love Aldi! I have no idea what the discounts are, but over a year it'd have to be significant.

Tuesday, department store. Preferably one that has the brands of clothes I like, but I'd be prepared to compromise! David Jones or Myer would be ideal. Can you imagine a decent discount on clothes for all the family, kitchen stuff, manchester, presents, sunglasses, handbags, cosmetics - pretty much everything!

Wednesday, medical clinic. I need to find one that has everything - GP, physio, optical - all rolled into one. Ideally it'd also have a few 'cosmetic' services too if you catch my drift... that'd save me a bomb.

Thursday, auto services. My car has cost me as small fortune of late with various things wrong with it. I need to work a day at some car centre that will provide a discount on services, repairs, tyres, diesel and detailing - oh and an Uber-like driver service for when I'm not driving. That ought to cover it!!

Friday. Hmmm. I'm a little torn. My head says I should choose a bank/financial institution to get an excellent deal on debt and lower fees on super - but my heart is screaming champagne!! After all, it's Friday.... but if I save enough on everything else, perhaps I can afford my own champers?? I'll go the finance - I think my level of debt warrants it!!

So, what role will I be fulfilling at all these organisations that makes me so valuable they're happy to afford me these perks? I have no idea - but it'd be certainly worth investigating!!