Thursday 22 May 2014

Top 5 Brisbane Lions Moments

What a NIGHT.  Just got back from the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame ceremony, an unbelieveable night where THE greatest players our combined teams have ever seen have been honoured accordingly (Mr. J. Patfull still not believing me when I informed him he was one of them and would one day be honoured himself.  I'd hate to see his tipping every week).

The most amazing part was saved for last when the truest Brisbane Lion of them all, the great Michael Voss was elevated to Legend status.  They called him a "Leader of Men", which in my honest opinion is a gross understatement - Michael Voss was and always will be a Leader of Lions, and even though he said he'd eventually end up at another Club, I honestly believe it will never happen because if it does then it means that the Lions have lost their greatest icon and leader.  If anything, I hope he makes it to the Board.

Anyway, off the back of the amazing high that was the Hall of Fame ceremony, I'm going to come right out and list my Top 5 Favourite Brisbane Lions Moments.

5. Elimination Final vs. Carlton in 2009


The first time the Lions had made finals since '04, and Vossys first year as the Coach.  Just about everyone who was there that night (including myself) will easily list that in their Top 10 moments, it was an amazing effort, especially those last few goals by Daniels Rich and Bradshaw, and the most celebrated behind in Lions history from Travis Johnstone (Yes, I'm leaving that sentence as is, you perverts).

4. Round 21 vs port 2009

Because fuck you port.  Best part was the port supporter in our section.  In the beginning of the game he was up and about swinging his scarf around certain of a win.  After the game he was all arms folded and stony faced.

3. The Miracle On Grass 2013

Oh. My. Fucking. God.  From being 52 points down and my hero kicking the goal that started the landslide, to the last charge that led to Ash McGrath kicking the goal of his career to seal the game, to Joel finding me after the game to give me the signed footy, it was beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined.  Anything's possible after this!

2. Joel's Hard-Running Goal, Round 20 vs. the Dogs 2008

The epitome of why Joel Patfull is my hero and favourite player.  Constant hard work that is nearly never seen by most people.  He deserved this goal, amongst many others.

1. THAT goal in the 2003 Grand Final

If you want a 10-second summary of the 2003 Grand Final, this is it.  Everything going right for the Lions, and everything turning to shit for the wobbles.  Cop that shaw you flog!

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Vaccines don't cause Autism. REALLY?

During my lunch break yesterday, I stumbled across this news link.  Another research done debunking the myth that vaccines cause autism.

So I spoke to my Mumsie yesterday, who got all three of her children immunised.  Apparently I had the same reaction to vaccines as my siblings, which was feeling a bit crook and having a bit of a temperature.  If vaccines really were the cause of my Aspergers, then wouldn't my siblings have also been affected?  As it stands, my two older siblings are much more socially integrated and typical than what I am.  Part of me feels guilty that I haven't been able to be the optimal big sister to them, and I wonder sometimes if that also has had an impact on them.

In fact, in my case, there's definitely a case for Autism and Aspergers being genetic.  I have three siblings - one who has the same parents (non-autistic male), one who shares my mother (non-autistic female) and one who shares my father (autistic female).  It makes me wonder too if my brother could be a carrier for an Autistic gene, and whether that's something he's going to have to think about.

Even if Autism was caused by vaccines, would you really prefer your children dead or seriously ill over Autistic?  There's a lot of support out there for Autistic families, such as:

www.wrongplanet.net
www.autismqld.com.au
www.autismsa.org.au
www.autismspeaks.org

meaning that Autism, while certainly not optimal, doesn't have to be the sentence it once was.  Yes, it might mean you end up with a child whose lifes ambition is to serve on the Brisbane Lions cheersquad and have as many cats as physically possible, it might mean you end up with a child who can't speak but who is obsessed with dinosaurs who eventually becomes a archaeologist, or a child who simply makes it by.  But then again, there are children without personality disorders who go on to do those things too, so in the end does it really make a difference? 

Sunday 18 May 2014

Yesterdays Playlist

After norf got the first goal, I started on a very deep and dark musical spiral.  Seeing as I can never drink alcohol nor have drugs and thus never drink/snort/inject my woes away, I find other ways to get to that stage.

"Piano Man" - Billy Joel


You know it's bad when you start with the epitome of drinking songs.

"Bohemian Raphosdy" - Queen


It was still amusing at this stage.

"We Are The Champions" - Queen


I just let Spotify do it's thing really.  Had to giggle when this came on though.

"Another One Bites The Dust" - Queen


At this point Greeny kicked a goal and I thought we were still in with a chance.  I gave it a rest until the third term when they easily got one back...then it was time for something heavier.

"Gudbye T' Jane" - Slade
It was around this time that I was starting to lose whatever hope I had.

"Cum On Feel The Noize" - Slade
Slade > Quiet Riot

"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" - Slade



See song title.  This song should only ever be used if "Piano Man" has failed.  Which it did.

"Look At Last Nite" - Slade
I was slowly getting Sladed.

"Look Wot You Dun" - Slade

Look what Gastro did. Look what Gastro did, and I don't even have it!

"Darlin Be Home Soon" - Slade

Not sure what the neighbours thought at this stage.


"Look What You've Done" - Bread

I was sad by this stage.


"Comfortably Numb" - Pink Floyd



I just wanted it to be over at this stage.


"Another Brick In The Wall" - Pink Floyd



Another loss in the season.



Hope my misery has entertained you - especially considering how painful Blogger has been today.  Screw you Blogger.

And norf can take their disrespectful banner and shove it.  Not only did they disrespect my team, they disrespected the memory of Tom Hafey - it looked like the message to him had been stuck on as an afterthought. Poor norf, poor.

Saturday 17 May 2014

Fathers and their daughters

I've been on Twitter again today, and I saw this:

 
I gotta admit, even though if you really want to get techinical he's techinically my step-father (technically), my Dad is by far the best Dad in the world.  Yes, he can be an arsehole and his lectures make fremantles game plan look fun, but now I'm grown up and I have to admit, he lectured because he wanted what was best for me.  He wanted me to get good marks in school so I could have a comfortable job, he wanted me to keep my room tidy so when I had a house to take care of I knew how to do it.  Sure, his delivery could have stood some improvement, but the intent was good, so thanks Dad.  You're even cool on occasions when you're not lecturing.  Sometimes.  Maybe.  A little.

One thing I'm grateful to my Dad for is when it came to my relationships, he wasn't one of those helicoptor Dads who chases off every male who comes near.  He's the same with my little sister, and in fact gets along with my future-brother-in-law-to-be. He's always let me make my own decisions, while being there in case I get hurt (although he did tell my ex that I came with a no-return policy.  Thanks Dad). 

I don't understand these fathers who threaten their daughters dating prospects, even when they're younger.  All it's going to do is breed resentment on the part of the daughter, and encourage her to go around behind her fathers back so she can at least experience what love and relationships are all about.  Plus it's just plain sexist in a way - if you're going to kill a guy for touching your daughter, you should at least then be willing to hand over your daughter to the guys parents so they can kill her too for touching their son.  Not to mention it gives your daughter an unhealthy example - she will learn that males be controlling is okay, and that will affect her relationships negatively.

Parents have a responsibility to their children to model behaviour to their partners that they would like to see in their children, and how they would like to see their children treated.  If a child sees a father who is domineering and controlling, sons will become domineering and controlling themselves, and daughters glean that they are to submit, potentially landing them in abusive situations.  It's the same the other way around, if the mother is jealous and controlling, it will flow on to their children. 

We learn a lot about relationships from what is modeled to us, and what I have learnt from my parents isn't all good, but most of it is.  What I've learnt from my father is that being open and honest without controlling is a good way to be, and from my Mum I've learnt that it's okay to walk away if things aren't right.  I might not have always put it into practise, but after my last experience I think I know where I went wrong and what not to do next time.

So to all those Dads out there feel they have to threaten every male who looks at their daughter, relax.  You're going to have to let her go some time, and if you've done the best you can, she's bound to find someone who will treat her like the princess you think she is.  Just remember to be there if she falls, because there's just some things only Daddy can fix.

Friday 16 May 2014

Remember when I wrote about Words?

I remember writing, and I quote:

Think about your words before you use them.  They are your main way of representing yourself, and if you use those words to hate or mislead, don't be surprised when people then turn around and have a negative opinion of you.
I was thinking about that blog when I heard about a young giants player by the name of Toby Greene, who stuffed up by going against team protocols leading to an assault charge and is now looking at appealing his punishment. It made me think of what I believe to be the most common lie told in the world.

"I'm sorry."

Saying you're sorry implies that you feel remorse over your actions and that you are prepared to work towards restoring the damage. By appealing his suspension, it makes whatever apologies Toby has made to his team mates sound very hollow indeed.

One thing that disturbs me though is that Greene will be backed by the AFLPA.  I hate the AFLPA with a passion, because every time the AFLPA gets involved in something it makes players look like even bigger brats than they do currently - not really a hard task mind.  Let's be fair, being paid millions of dollars to chase a piece of dehydrated cow around a paddock seems a bit unfair given those who willingly serve their country are paid considerably less and there are some who have lost their lives in the name of Australia.  I certainly feel pretty bitter towards the players sometimes, especially when I book a seat on a plane only to be forced out into an inferior seat because my team are on the same flight and they take priority over me.  I certainly feel bitter when I go to a Club function and the players, while lovely, don't make any secret of the fact that they're checking their phones and can't wait to get out of there.

Then again, I can't really complain given I give a fair chunk of money to these brats every year.  However, in exchange for me contributing to their rather wieghty pay packets, I do expect for them to behave like civilised human beings and not break any laws or bring their Cllub into disrepute.  Perhaps it's time the fans reminded these punks who foots their bills, and who can easily take that away if we don't like what we see.

Thursday 15 May 2014

End of an Era

I just checked my email after getting home and saw one that gave me a little bit of a shock and made me feel a bit sad.  The publishing site Helium is going down.  I didn't get very far with Helium, although I posted a few articles on there (mainly creative writing).  Probably my best work was The Bridge, which was a bit morbid but I was feeling very morbid when I wrote it one day after taking a stroll over the Storey Bridge in Brisbane.  Another I wrote under the "Suicide and Anxiety" tag in an atempt to try and convey the sense of helplessness that anxiety brings is one I simply call "Abigail". Unfortunately after December this year the site will be taken down - I'll probably give these two a bit more of a polish and post them here (eventually).  Everything else I wrote in an attempt to diversify is pretty much rubbish, and best avoided.

It was my experience with Helium and a book I wrote titled "Chuckles and Giggles" which made me realise I am simply not cut out to be an author, no matter how much I love writing and how much it has been my dream since I was little.  I don't have the patience nor the talent to make a decent go of it, so sadly I've had to put that dream aside forever. Journalism was my next step, but getting into Uni to study would have been expensive, not to mention there are plenty of journalists out there and competition would be stiff.  It's not all sad though, even though I'll never write a well-loved and influential book, I do have this blog which seems to be getting a bit of attention, even though it's mainly a mix up of societial issues, music/book reviews and footy rage.

However, there is one young lady I know who is making a go of it and doing very well.  Morgan Burley is one of my sister Meagans school friends, who is working her way to publishing a book.  It's great to see her taking advantage of social media and working hard to make her dream come true - be sure to check her out, she's even gotten a mention in teen magazine Girlfriend.  Hopefully she keeps going and gets to where she wants to be in the end - don't give up MJ, just keep going and don't let anything stop you!

Speaking of Facebook pages, although a lot of you probably already follow me on Twitter, I've set up a Facebook page in the hope that the kinder Facebook interface will allow discussion to flow from whatever I write, and hopefully find out some of the random people who look in on my blog - give us a like and let's see how we go!

Wednesday 14 May 2014

My Top 5 Favourite Songs of All Time

5. "Runaway" by Linkin Park



This is from my days as a "Everybody Hates Me/No One Understands Me" teenager...although to be fair, no one really DID understand me until I got diagnosed.  The opening is what sucked me in originally, but the chorus is what kept me. Running away seemed like a brilliant idea back when I was a kid, just leaving all of Oakey behind and starting a new life in Brisbane as a Lioness...so good in fact that I finally got around to it at the age of 24.  Good number, 24.  Good number.

4. "Escape from the City" by Ted Poley



I gushed over this song in my "Top 5 Pump Up Songs".  It's SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, it's fast, it's rockin', and it's insanely fun.  My official theme song and definitely one I listen to every day.

3. "Electric Blue" by Icehouse



It is so, SO hard to have a favourite Icehouse/Flowers song - between classics such as "Touch the Fire", "Crazy", "Hey Little Girl", "Icehouse", "Great Southern Land", "Nothing Too Serious"...I digress, Icehouse is one band who I will always stop and sing along to.  "Electric Blue" was my first Icehouse song, and still my favourite.  Any song with a saxophone that passionate in it is a winner in my books. Plus I like electric blue eyes.  What?

2. "Stand" by R.E.M



R.E.M is by far my most favourite band of all time.  Their music is creative and enjoyable, Michael Stipe is a fucking lyrical genius, and STAND! Fun, boppy, has it's own dance and is surprisingly deep.  In fact, I am dancing as I type this because this song is so awesome.  It's even got a light anthemy quality about it - making you want to stand up and be counted.

1. "I Can't Dance" by Genesis



Genesis and Phil Collins were my first ever favourites, the whole "We Can't Dance" album was my crystal meth, along with songs like "Another Day in Paradise", "Easy Lover", "Don't Lose My Number".  This song is by far my most favourite song of all time, and I'll be damned if I can tell you why.  That opening guitar, the beat, the cheesy lyrics, Phil's voice...I don't know.  But every time I hear it I want to start singing and dancing and goofing off, it puts me in a good mood and I wish it was longer!

Monday 12 May 2014

So, let me get this straight...

If you accidently trip someone, it's more serious than deliberately trying to elbow someone in the head.  I'm gobsmacked.

The full AFL MRP report can be found here. What I'm worried about is:
Contact between Essendon’s Paul Chapman and the Brisbane Lions’ Jack Redden from the second quarter of Saturday’s match was assessed. The force used in the contact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence, with a free kick paid at the time for the high contact. No further action was taken.
 So, the MRP was happy to put Viney through the ringer for this:


Where it's plainly obvious that Viney's going for the ball, but is completely OK with this:


Where Chapman is clearly playing the man and not the ball.

I reckon Chapman (who I hate with a passion equal to my loathing of port adelaide) has gotten off purely on the back of the Viney incident (not to mention Redden doesn't play for a Victorian team so he doesn't matter). Personally I reckon both players should have copped at least a week for their efforts.  The only consolation is that Chapman is going a week anyway because of his dog hit on Zorko.  As I said in my earlier blog, these players need to be protected.  They're human beings too remember, not just cattle for us to enjoy getting slaughtered.  How hard is it to bump someone cleanly between their shoulder and their knees?  The MRP and the Tribunal are nothing more than a Court of Public Opinion, hang the rules!

In other news, after a horrible night that I'd rather not talk about, this afternoon I got into the garden to see how my plants are doing.  I won't be getting a bumper crop of snow peas and tomatoes this season, but at least most of my plants have survived and started flowering.  The rookie mistakes I've made include being a little neglectful and overplanting, but I'll know better for next season.




Sunday 11 May 2014

Street Parking

One thing I have achieved in the nearly nine months I have been living in Brisbane (YAY!) is at work I have introduced "No Standing" signs for the street in front of our building. People parking on the side of the that road turned a barely two-lane street into a one-lane street - and if two people parked opposite each other, you were lucky to get anything bigger than a Getz through.  It was a huge safety issue, not to mention cars parked on the side of the road just looks messy.

It's one of the things that pisses me off about my new home in New Farm.  When I lived in beautiful Kangaroo Point, there was always plenty of parking out the back, meaning no one was forced onto the street.  Here, there are two parking spaces and they have been seconded by two of the other tennants, meaning I'm forced out onto the street.  Usually the spot in front of the house is where I park, but sometimes you get some dickheads who park there, making my life difficult.  Plus someone has sideswiped my car, making me even angrier.

I'm sure plenty of people who visit the Coles on Merthyr Road can testify to how hard street-parking makes getting out of the Coles - you can barely see what's coming, especially dangerous if you're turning right.  On the way to work through Newmarket on Enoggera Road people park on the side of the road taking up the whole left lane, meaning people end up having to quickly merge into the right lane so they don't crash.

I think it should be illegal to sell or rent a property without providing off-street parking, and that street-parkng itself should be illegal.  If that means you have four rooms but only two car parks, you're only selling/renting two rooms.  Street-parking is dangerous and looks horrible, and the sooner we can get our cars off the side of the road the better. 

Friday 9 May 2014

"Blue Sky Mine" vs "No Thunder, No Fire, No Rain"

Tim Finns "No Thunder, No Fire, No Rain" is a beautiful melody about a man dying in the Bhopal Chemical Disaster, whereas Midnight Oils "Blue Sky Mine" is more about the long-term effects of mining asbestos on the health of the miners in Wittenoom.






I love both songs, but for completely different reasons.

"No Thunder" is beautiful.  The violins and Tims passionate voice combine to make a strong song about a young man losing his life while at work.  Unfortunately, while being a strong, passionate song to sing along to, it's not really that relatable, and the lack of subtly is somewhat distracting.  It basically comes straight out and says it's a song against the big company with this line:

"Martin was killed in the company name."

I don't know why, but that line lets the song down a bit for me.  So do lines like:

"Martin checks in to chemical plant." and 
"Martin works with strange blue waters."

You can't really forget it's a song about a chemical disaster caused by the neglect of the Union Carbide Corporation (who were charged with homocide over the incident).

Meanwhile Midnight Oil have NEVER been subtle about their rage against the man, so why do I like their lack of subtly over Tim Finns?  What works for Midnight Oil (besides the catchy tune) is the fact that the "Blue Sky Mining Company", even though it's mentioned by name, could really be ANY company.  Asbestos is never mentioned once.  The lyrics come across more as a song about being worked to death - which I think ANYONE can relate to, especially in todays climate.  How many of us can afford to take time off for illness, and how many of us struggle to pay for healthcare ("So I'm caught at the junction still waiting for medicine.")?  How many of us live pay packet to pay packet ("Hope the crumbs in my pocket can keep me for another night.")? How many of us are just easily replaceable pawns for the Big Company ("A life that is led is no more than a token.")?  How many of us are facing mental illness in the face of a society and healthcare system that just doesn't give a shit ("If I yell out at night there's a reply of blue silence.")?

I've been listening to these songs a lot lately, mainly because I feel like my employers are evil and if I'm refered to as a "resource" one more time I'm going to vomit (resources are things like money and food.  I'm a HUMAN BEING thank you!).  They're both songs that depict man vs. the machine, and how the Big Machine will nearly always win.  There's only one line I disagree with in "Blue Sky Mine" - the last one.

"In the end the rain comes down.
In the end the rain comes down.
Washes clean the streets,
Of the Blue Sky Town"

I'm sorry, but nothing will wash away the fact that we're nothing but ants to those with money and power.

Oh? You all thought I'd have an opinion on Malcolm Holmes being turfed as CEO of the Lions?


Wednesday 7 May 2014

Overreaction much?

If you believe social media (hardly a reliable source) or even the regular media (even less reliable) then the bad news is that Aussie Rules is dead as a sport.

Wow.  Really?  A game over 150 years old can be killed because one idiot from the demons gets suspended?

Yeah, no.

For those who are unaware, here is the incident for which Viney was suspended:



I'm flabbergasted with the overreaction to him getting suspended.  Players get suspended for stupid shit like this all the time and the bump has died so many times it might as well be a character from Dragon Ball Z.  Apparently it died last year too, and that didn't get nearly as much of a reaction as this has.

Is it because Melbourne-based Clubs and their supporters are so precious? If a Brisbane Lion, geelong cat, or sydney swan got suspended over a bump like that, the world certainly wouldn't be ending - if anything, they'd probably deserve it if you ask the Melbourne fans!

The fact is, we are only given one brain each (some people don't get any!) and we know so little about it.  What we do know is that damage to the brain can be long-lasting, hard to heal and have devastating effects on the life of the victim and those who care for them.  I fully agree with the AFL doing what they can to protect the interests of the players. Accidents happen in a contact sport, sometimes bad things happen, but if we can minimise that risk to our fellow human beings, then surely it's the right thing to do.

Poor management of satalite Clubs will kill the AFL long before the MRP and the Tribunal will.  Let's try to keep some perspective can we?

Monday 5 May 2014

Words

I don't think humanity will ever find a more effective means of communication than words, either written or spoken.  Sure, there's body language, but that's very imprecise, and there's pointing and grunting, which as most of us figure out by 10am each morning is also largely ineffective at communicating our wants and needs.

Words are probably the only way we can effectively communicate our wants, needs and feelings to the rest of the world.  Coupled with our actions, they are the best way of representing what we are, whether that is kind, deceitful, smart, hateful, whatever. So why do so many people choose to use hateful words?

I can't stand Adam Goodes, mainly because he plays for the swans.  But I can definitely respect what he does with regards to racism.  When you use hateful words, or even words said in a hateful manner, you are effectively firing a hate gun at someone.  No one likes to have hate shot at them.  It hurts.

"Oh but they're just words!" NO THEY AREN'T. They are a representation of what YOU are needing, wanting or feeling, and if you're feeling hateful towards someone, they're fully entitled to not like it.  Especially if they haven't done anything to warrant such hate in the first place.  Being of a certain race, sexual orientation, gender or religion doesn't mean that hate is called for. 

Think about your words before you use them.  They are your main way of representing yourself, and if you use those words to hate or mislead, don't be surprised when people then turn around and have a negative opinion of you.

Thursday 1 May 2014

My Favourite Youtube Channels.

There's nothing like coming home and watching a few videos on Youtube before settling into bed. Here are five of my favourite channels to settle down with after a long days work.

5. PMRants

This guy is HILARIOUS when it comes to tackling whatever subject it is he feels like talking about.  Whether it's responding to idiots in the comments section or talking about bronies, Phil has a dry wit and interesting spin on a lot of different topics.

4. ClementJ642

Ah, the Great Clement.  Dr. Robotnik's number one fan and another Sonic the Hedgehog diehard (only matched by his love of MegaMan).  His Let's Plays with their fun commentary are great for something quick to watch while you're waiting for dinner to finish cooking.  Although it's a little disturbing how his Eggman doll talks to him...

3. SomecallmeJohnny/The Super Gaming Bros.

Both channels are run by the same guy (Johnny) who is probably the best video-game reviewer I've ever watched.  His reviews are fun and interesting, with some interesting story twists thrown in (He's one of the reasons I can't take the Tails Doll creepypasta seriously).  I love the interplay his has with his younger brother Elliot, reminds me a bit of how my sister Meagan and I used to get along before I became uncool.

2. Filmcow

From the rather disturbing "Llamas with Hats" to the mind-boggling "Charlie the Unicorn", Filmcow keeps you guessing until the end.  It's completely whacked out but hilarious and great for those one-liners that you can repeat out of context in any situation.  Raw faces is just gross.

1. The Brisbane Lions

You guys REALLY expected something different?  Long live "Locker Talk"!