Something small, but significant

Wow, an historic first!

I'm watching Jeopardy and this is the first time ever that old Alex has a full female panel, all 3 contestants!

I'm pleased.

I've been watching casually for years. My grandparents got me hooked:)

Hostelling, Oh Joy OR: The Lessons You'll Learn

So, I did get to backpack during my trip. I use the verb "get" because I wanted to, initially, mainly because it had been such a time since last I had. But dear god, was I shocked/disappointed/straight grossed out.

The hostel was awful. My sheets, in the all-female dorm I asked for, were filthy, I wore socks. Until I started to boil.

I got locked out of my dorm a few times, and were it not for a kindly, and awake at like 3 in the morning, French guy , who was there with his friend, I would've stayed locked out, at least for a lot longer than without his help.

The guy and his friend were sitting outside my room on a bench, and when I got back to my door,( I had gone to the loo) the stupid garbage I had put between it to keep it open, (cuz the key was shit,) had moved, and the door was locked and I was keyless!

Can you imagine returning to your room, at 3 in the morning to find the door locked?

When I noticed, I panicked and cussed, audibly, enough so that the same guys turned to ask what was wrong. I explained, and in unison they responded to my dilemma with, "Oh shit!"
My sentiments exactly.

So, the French guy said casually to me, "Just knock." He continued, " Knock loud." He could see that clearly I felt nervous about doing this. So he offered, "Do you want me to do it for you?"
I was grateful for the help. I didn't feel like making any enemies at such an hour,
and I guess, more than that, I felt meek, as most women tend toward feeling/acting/behaving due to our idiotic social conditioning to always be "sweet", etc.

But then this random French man reminded me of something important; this is why I love travelling, the things you learn from the oddest people, in the weirdest of ways. He said, as he began to knock and knock and knock, on my behalf, " You have to knock hard. People are lazy and don't want to get up. Keep knocking. Who cares if you wake them up. You will never have to live with these people again." And with that little gem, one of the girls who I had befriended came to finally open the door.
I thanked him, and slipped inside.

That moment reminded me to take my place more fully. It's odd the things that can remind us of things; teach us certain helpful lessons. But it did. It reminded me to not be meek, quiet and demure. But, instead to knock loudly, rudely, aggressively, assertively, and most of all, persistently. This isn't just about a locked door at a hostel, but for all things in life. Though the metaphor of a locked door seemed perfectly apt.

It was supposed to be a "hippy" hostel, but all that really translated into was filthy, edgy, and none too friendly, save for the odd kindly stranger, like the French guy.
Everyone was too "busy" to notice things like the fauna and flora and the sky.
All they wanted to do was call their damn boyfriends, or pretend that they were hard-core travellers cuz they were in Australia, whoot! But none could identify even one bird song, let alone the birds themselves.

I could though, identify the songs and the birds. And though I had such a dismal time at my hostel, I enjoyed the beauty of the land, it's differentness, it's newness for me.

And the help of that French stranger and another French woman in my dorm, who kindly put her phone alarm on for me cuz my phone was about to die, made me feel connected, and less alone.


Sulphur Crested Cockatoos in flight

a beach at Byron Bay

A question

I'm looking for a free, (at this stage anyway) website provider that creates professional quality websites for photographers.

If anyone knows of any, I'd love to know.

Thanks...


Guess where this is ?



Mom and baby, hanging out in The Grampians, pretty beautuful huh.

And just briefly, I was having a quick look for photographers here on beloved blogger and not one was female. Sadly, this is not surprising, but it's getting pretty pathetic. Hiding behind the old outworn rhetoric of this being a man's world, still, come on put some shoes on and join the fight!

All about bi

"The term bisexual emerged in the 19th century, but people have always been attracted to both genders. In many cultures, bisexuality was seen as a natural expression of sexuality. Ancient Greece is often cited as an example of a culture that accepted and expected bisexuality.

Though bisexuality is often assumed to be a "stage" or a stepping stone on the way to being gay or lesbian, it is a sexual orientation in its own right." ( from About.com)

Being bi can be very lonely. I think, as with anything, being bi is or can be a continuum.

I have to say here, that I have never really liked the word "bisexual", to me it sounds like a disease. I used to use queer, but then found myself spending ages having to not only explain that but also the meaning of bi.

So, for now I've settled with the truncated form of just bi. It suits, for the time being, unless anybody has a better word?

At different times in my life, say, I have identified more with being het and at others, lesbian, and at other times still with being queer, and groping around unsure in the dark to get my bearings on whatever being bi means to me.

I have met hardly anyone who identifies as bi, so it feels even more isolating at times.

Some days I feel more lesbian and feel more attracted to women, and other times I see a hot man, and realize I can be me, lesbian and straight, all together as confusing as it can be at times.

Being bi isn't all that defines me, it's a part of who I am. And to that end, it annoys me so bloody much whenever I do a search here on blogger for issues and interests pertaining to being bi. All that comes up on peoples' profiles are topics about sex, and that's it. People can be so damn linear, one sided.

Meh, I'm bisexual, but I'm also a traveller, a writer, artist, cat adorer, you get the point, I hope.

Here's a wee list of some famous bi people:

1. Marlene Dietrich
2. Frida Kahlo
3. Drew Barrymore
4. Nelly Furtado( I know?)
5. Margaret Chow
   
6. D.H Lawrence( but who cares, I couldn't find many men)

Things to Ponder

Think about this...It was only 40 years ago, here in Canada that being lesbian, gay and I'm not sure what else would have been allowed under that banner, was decriminalized!!!

Yes, it was a crime, and in many countries still is, punishable by death.
I can't conceive of that, of being deemed a criminal for not being a hetero.
So, I guess I would've been jailed because I'm bi.



And only now is the province of Quebec beginning to throw off their catholic shackles and finally fucking consider queer folks as folks and create an anti-homophobia plan. Wow.

It was also 40 years ago that the Stonewall riots happened in NY, which started the queer movement as we know it today in the States and here at home.

We, who live in these vaguely forward thinking nations are lucky.

Here's a cool little article about the forward thinking Scandinavians
http://stason.org/TULARC/travel/nordic-scandinavia/2-7-2-Domestic-partnership-Same-sex-marriages.html

Versus the ass-backward hard-core misogynist extremist muslims.

I've added this link to both highlight the hate, as well as a victory in India!

http://www.mizozo.com/world/07/2009/02/india-decriminalizes-gay-sex.html

Apparently, Holland was the first country in the modern era that decriminalized homo acts in 1811.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_LGBT_history


So, here's to progress, and having the power to speak up and out!

Mos Def

"Mr. Nigga"
by Mos Def w. The Abstract Poetic, aka: Q-Tip

I add this here as reflective lesson in racism.

Check it out and listen

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Mr_Nigga_feat_Q_Tip_/21450015

"Say ho, everybody say ho
By the way yo
I said shake your soul like way back in the day-yo
By the way yo, everybody say ho
Everybody say hooooo- hooo
Everybody say ho

And check it out now
Who is the cat eatin out on the town
And make the whole dining room turn they head round
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Who be ridin up in the highrise elevator
Other tenants who be prayin they ain't the new neighbor
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
They try to play him like a chump cause he got what they want

He under thirty years old but already he's a pro
Designer trousers slung low cause his pockets stay swoll'
Could afford to get up and be anywhere he go
V.I.P. at the club, backstage at the show
(Yes y'all) the best crib, the best clothes
Hottest whips on the road neck and wrists on froze (say word)
Checks with O's o-o-o-o-ohs
Straight all across the globe watch got three time-zones
Keep the digital phone up to his dome
Two assistants, two bank accounts, two homes
One problem; even with the O's on his check
The po-po stop him and show no respect
"Is there a problem officer?" Damn straight, it's called race
That motivate the jake (woo-woo) to give chase
Say they want you successful, but that ain't the case
You livin large, your skin is dark they flash a light in your face

Now, who is cat dining out on the town
Maitre'd wanna take a whole year to sit him down
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Now, who is the cat at Armani buyin wears
With the tourists who be askin him, do you work here?
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
Nigga Nigga

Yo, the Abstract with the Mighty Mos Def
White folks got it muffled across beneath they breathe
"I didn't say it.."
But they'll say it out loud again
When they get with they close associates and friends
You know, sneak it in with they friends at the job
Happy hour at the bar while this song is in they car
And even if they've never said it, lips stay sealed
They actions reveal how their hearts really feel
Like, late night I'm on a first class flight
The only brother in sight the flight attendent catch fright
I sit down in my seat, 2C
She approach officially talkin about, "Excuse me"
Her lips curl up into a tight space
Cause she don't believe that I'm in the right place
Showed her my boarding pass, and then she sort of gasped
All embarrassed put an extra lime on my water glass
An hour later here she comes by walkin past
"I hate to be a pest but my son would love your autograph"
(Wowwww.. Mr. Nigga I love you, I have all your albums!..)
They stay on nigga patrol on american roads
And when you travel abroad they got world nigga law
Some folks get on a plane go as they please
But I go over seas and I get over-SEIZED
London Heathrow, me and my people
They think that illegal's a synonym for negro
Far away places, customs agents flagrant
They think the dark face is smuggle weight in they cases
Bags inspected, now we arrested
Attention directed to contents of our intestines
Urinalyis followed by X-rays
Interrogated and detained til damn near the next day
No evidence, no appology and no regard
Even for the big american rap star
For us especially, us most especially
A Mr Nigga VIP jail cell just for me
"If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake
Just got some shoe-polish, painted my face"
They say they want you successful, but then they make it stressful
You start keepin pace, they start changin up the tempo

Now, who is cat riding out on the town
State trooper wanna stop him in his ride, pat him down
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
He got the speakers in the trunk with the bass on crunk
Now, who is the cat with the hundred dollar bill
They gotta send it to the back to make sure the shit is real
Mr Nigga, Nigga Nigga
Nigga Nigga.. Nigga

You can laugh and criticize Michael Jackson if you wanna
Woody Allen, molested and married his step-daughter
Same press kickin dirt on Michael's name
Show Woody and Soon-Yi at the playoff game, holdin hands
Sit back and just bug, think about that
Would he get that type of dap if his name was Woody Black?
O.J. found innocent by a jury of his peers
And they been fuckin with that nigga for last five years
Is it fair, is it equal, is it just, is it right?
Do you do the same shit when the defendent face is white?
If white boys doin it, well, it's success
When I start doin, well, it's suspect
Don't hate me, my folks is poor, I just got money
America's five centuries deep in cotton money
You see a lot of brothers caked up, yo straight up
It's new, y'all livin off of slave traders paper
But I'm a live though, yo I'm a live though
I'm puttin up the big swing for my kids yo
Got my mom the fat water-front crib yo
I'm a get her them pretty bay windows
I'm a cop a nice home to provide in
A safe environment for seeds to reside in
A fresh whip for my whole family to ride in
And if I'm still Mr Nigga, I won't find it suprisin"

An Amazing Victory!

Watch this video, it's pretty amazing stuff!

Kimberly-Clark has finally listened to the 5 years of protesting and will not log old growth forests anymore!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvkCs_Tgns