Remember back in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was announced? When the Australian government locked its citizens out of the country and locked us up in hotels if we did manage to get home? And remember when they charged us $3,000 for quarantine – a public health measure – that
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It’s spring in Adelaide, and a gorgeous time of year. Blossoms everywhere. There’s still a chill in the air, but the days teeter on warm, and we know winter is almost behind us. My chickens are fat and fluffy and laying again. My garden has a new lease on life,
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Right at the beginning of one of my most favourite movies ever — The Curious Case of Benjamin Button — there is an anecdote about a clock made by Mr Gateau, a clockmaker who was blind from birth and lost his only son in World War I. He had been
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This post is not legal advice — I’m writing this as someone who has done a semester of Family Law as part of my law degree, and as an alienated grandparent who has gone through this process(ish). This essay is for informational purposes only and discusses my personal circumstances (and
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When I tell people that my daughter hasn’t spoken to me since a few weeks after her wedding in March 2021, they invariably ask: What did you do? Invariably, my response is: Why does it have to be something I’ve done? I’m sick of the What Did You Do question
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I wrote this essay a couple of years ago, not knowing when or where I would publish it. It’s original title was The Pattern Solves the Puzzle. I thought I might submit it to a literary journal, but none seemed right. The one that did seem right said it was
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I have been thinking a lot about apologies lately. Particularly how powerful they are to aid healing and restore relationships, and how an apology that is half-baked or underdone or passive-agressive is worse than no apology. I mean, an apology that doesn’t include the words “I’m so sorry for [insert
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I came across this essay in my reading last week and liked the form and wanted to try it. Coincidentally, I ran into an old spark a week or so ago and wanted write about that encounter. This essay kills two birds with one stone. *** As it happened, I
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In 2011, I wrote a post that put forward a number of things that I knew for sure. These were observations and experiences over almost 50 years. I read through that post recently (I’m updating my blog, in case you’re wondering) and thought it was due for an update. Actually,
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UPDATE: Submissions have now been published. Here’s mine – #659. Everything is there, except they have redacted the phrase where I said I had (undiagnosed) PTSD. I guess they are only publishing verifiable information. On 21 September, 2023 (my 60th birthday) Prime Minister Albanese announced that there would be an
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Betrayal is a profound and often devastating experience that can leave a lasting legacy on your heart, mind and sprit. In the tapestry of life, betrayal often emerges as a recurring theme that challenges us to navigate the complex work of trust and forgiveness, control and chaos. Irrespective of whether
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Mandatory hotel quarantine was introduced by the Australian government in March 2020 as a public health measure in response to COVID-19. It was free for everyone returning from overseas or interstate until July 2020, at which time the government began charging $3000 per person. Listen to my podcast if you’d
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