What a week ...
Since Saturday night Australia has been in an uproar. There has been a mass of people declaring that our country is fucked, that the apocalypse is here ... and people stating plans (in jest) for a mass exodus from the country (Beware USA and UK, you could have many Australian’s on your door steps LOL) If you have Australian’s on your Facebook or follow some on Twitter, Tumblr or any of the other Social Networking sights you may have witnessed the reaction to the recent Federal Election yourself. I admit to being one of these people. If you are reading this and have no idea what I am talking about? Tony Abbot is now the Australian Prime Minister.
Before I go any further, I would just like to state that anything you read here is just my own personal point of view. I hold no grudges against anyone who has a differing point of view, although I might strongly disagree or not at all understand how people can come to some conclusions. It is a free world (at the moment) and everyone is entitled.
Great, now that my disclaimer is out of the way I would just like to say I CANNOT believe how someone like Tony Abbot was voted into power. The only words I can think to explain my feelings on this matter are gutted, ashamed and terrified. Yes, that does sound slightly dramatic considering when you think about it for the most part no politician really all that great. When I think of voting and politicians, one quote always comes to mind from and Australian movie I watched in High School ...
“And I realised I'm lucky because in this country, I can rant and rave and call the Prime Minister a dickhead without the army coming in and shooting me, and stopping you all from listening. And I figured that in this country, we don't vote to keep the best party in - cos there's no such thing - but we vote to keep the worst party out.” Jacob Coote - Looking For Alibrandi (2000)
This quote struck a chord of truth with me from the first time I heard it because sometimes you really dont have much to vote for and makes me so sad and a little angry at what happened on Saturday, September 7th this year.
My Facebook Newsfeed was filled with angry Australians distraught and shell-shocked over the fact that Mr Tony Abbot is now our Prime-Minister. I found online that there was actually a lot of Australians feeling the same way and it got me wondering if what seemed like the whole country was in shock? Then how the HELL did Mr. Abbot win the Election.
I’m not stupid, I know there were obviously quite a few people that did actually vote for Abbot. I will never understand why but it’s their choice. But I do know quite a few people who expressed their shock and dismay and disgust that Abbot won who actually voted for one of the smaller parties instead of voting for one of the main two big heads in the running.
I keep hearing about people bitching and moaning about Abbot being voted in and how the country is now fucked because of it but then in the same breath those people are saying they didn’t vote for either Rudd or Abbot. They voted for one of the smaller parties; or made bogus votes for people not even in the running. I mean I understand it can be hard to vote for either politician when you do not like either of them and do not like their plans for our country. But voting for parties that stand absolutely no chance in winning, doesn’t help you keep out the worst party (whoever you feel that may be)
I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I know everything about both parties. I’m not going to pretend that I am anymore informed than the average Australian. I can only go with what I see and what I feel and I am scared for that this Election result means for the little people, the hard-workers of the country, the families that will have more of a struggle under Abbot’s rein.
I’ll admit that I liked Rudd, I liked that he did things even though it didn’t make him popular with the do-gooders of the world, I liked that he saved us from a recession when so many other countries fell, I liked that he seems to give a shit about people (not just the wealthy) He’s not perfect, he’s a politician. And I am sure people who voted against him have legitimate reasons for not liking him. Fair enough. But I will never and can never understand why anyone would think that Abbot and his out-dated ideas would have anything good to give this country. I don’t understand it and I am deeply crushed. Not because Rudd lost, but because Abbot to me, is the beginning of the end.
But that’s it right? We’re stuck with this misogynistic pig for the next 3 or 4 years (however long the next election will be) I’m not happy about it. In fact it makes me quite angry, but I am coming to terms with it because in the end there is nothing we can do about it right now. We can just pray and hope that any damage he does isn’t drastic.
To add insult to injury, I had to endure an embarrassing display by my football club in the first Elimination Final match against one of my most hated teams.
To give you an idea, I madly support and love an AFL Football team called the Richmond Tigers. I can safely say that since choosing them as my team I have never felt as much elation, pride, and passion and ... absolute devastation as I have with this team. I love them deeply. There is nothing better than going to the MCG and cheering them on to victory. We haven’t had a great run over the last 30 years. In fact it is a common joke that Richmond will finish 9th because we tend to finish 9th of the ladder, just outside of the main 8 who get to play in the finals series.
Richmond are the kind of club that always give you hope. We have a great bunch of promising, skilled players and when they are playing good? They play their bloody hearts out. But they also have a habit of bringing hope to their legions of fans only to dash it away in a display that often leaves us dismayed and ... oh so disappointed. As much as I love them I will admit that I have never known what it is like to go into a game that I feel 100% confident about. I’ve been known to go to games where even in the last quarter of the game and we’re leading by an impressive amount, I still have that little voice in the back of my head that screams that it’s not won yet. It’s a constant struggle.
I went to the Elimination Final yesterday with my friend. It’s the first final Richmond have reached in so long that it was insanity. There were seas of Yellow and Black over the parking lot, down at our Club Grounds and in the stadium for the match. We were loud and in colour and ready to scream and cheer and give our boys the support they deserve.
I was excited. I had never been to a Finals match. The feeling was electric. There was over 90,000 fans at the MCG, the stands a myriad of Navy Blue and Yellow and Black. The Australian National Anthem is played at the start of the match and even though I have been totally pissed off with my country for voting in a man that I despise? I adore my country and am always a proud Australian. I like standing up with the crowd and singing the anthem. What I loved was that in the middle of the Anthem the speakers cut out and it was just the people in the stadium singing the words before they put the speakers on a few moments later. That was pretty cool.
The first half was great. The boys were on fire. They were playing smart and tough and they were trying. The second half however? I’m still shocked at what I saw. And I shouldn’t be. I should be used to them doing this but ... it was a final and it was against Carlton and if ever there was a time to prove themselves, this was it. They failed miserably.
I don’t want to take away from Carlton. Despite the controversy of how they were even playing finals, they were the better team on the day. We seemed to just drop the ball and make stupid mistakes and stop trying as hard and they upped their game and steamrolled home to a win. It was a disgraceful display by us and Carlton won fair and square no matter what people think of their appearance in the finals race. I HATE saying that because I honestly do hate Carlton. I didnt care what happened in the finals I just wanted to win this match ... and my boys couldn’t come through for me or for themselves.
As much as I was disappointed in them, I can’t stop loving them though. Seeing Chris Newman in the rooms after the game looking absolutely crushed and devastated made me want to hug him tight. I don’t know what happens to them out on the field, I wish they wouldn’t seem to flag and stop trying. I’m sure that’s not what they are trying to do but that’s how it appears every time we come out in the last half and get demolished and seem to play a different game. But I’ll be there next year. I’ll be proudly wearing my colours and I’ll be screaming “Go Tigers!” Until my throat hurts because like Jack Riewoldt said when it came time for him to sign his new contract “Yellow and Black is in my blood.”
I’d also like to congratulate Shane Tuck on a fantastic career with Richmond. I’m sad to see him retire but I want to thank him for his time and his effort :) He’ll be missed down at Tigerland.
I have nine days left until I leave for Hawaii. NINE days. I am nervous. I am excited. I am actually really looking forward to getting away more now than I have been. Seven weeks is a long time to be on holiday. But the fact that I am spending those seven weeks with amazing friends who are usually spent time with over a computer screen or the phone? I am happy. People keep telling me I should be doing Vegas or New York. How can I be spending so much time in the states and not seeing those things. I’m going there to see the country, yes, but more importantly I am there to spend quality time with friends that I have known for years.
Nine days .. Yeah, as much as I say I’m excited. I’m still pretty nervous haha
Before I go any further, I would just like to state that anything you read here is just my own personal point of view. I hold no grudges against anyone who has a differing point of view, although I might strongly disagree or not at all understand how people can come to some conclusions. It is a free world (at the moment) and everyone is entitled.
Great, now that my disclaimer is out of the way I would just like to say I CANNOT believe how someone like Tony Abbot was voted into power. The only words I can think to explain my feelings on this matter are gutted, ashamed and terrified. Yes, that does sound slightly dramatic considering when you think about it for the most part no politician really all that great. When I think of voting and politicians, one quote always comes to mind from and Australian movie I watched in High School ...
“And I realised I'm lucky because in this country, I can rant and rave and call the Prime Minister a dickhead without the army coming in and shooting me, and stopping you all from listening. And I figured that in this country, we don't vote to keep the best party in - cos there's no such thing - but we vote to keep the worst party out.” Jacob Coote - Looking For Alibrandi (2000)
This quote struck a chord of truth with me from the first time I heard it because sometimes you really dont have much to vote for and makes me so sad and a little angry at what happened on Saturday, September 7th this year.
My Facebook Newsfeed was filled with angry Australians distraught and shell-shocked over the fact that Mr Tony Abbot is now our Prime-Minister. I found online that there was actually a lot of Australians feeling the same way and it got me wondering if what seemed like the whole country was in shock? Then how the HELL did Mr. Abbot win the Election.
I’m not stupid, I know there were obviously quite a few people that did actually vote for Abbot. I will never understand why but it’s their choice. But I do know quite a few people who expressed their shock and dismay and disgust that Abbot won who actually voted for one of the smaller parties instead of voting for one of the main two big heads in the running.
I keep hearing about people bitching and moaning about Abbot being voted in and how the country is now fucked because of it but then in the same breath those people are saying they didn’t vote for either Rudd or Abbot. They voted for one of the smaller parties; or made bogus votes for people not even in the running. I mean I understand it can be hard to vote for either politician when you do not like either of them and do not like their plans for our country. But voting for parties that stand absolutely no chance in winning, doesn’t help you keep out the worst party (whoever you feel that may be)
I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I know everything about both parties. I’m not going to pretend that I am anymore informed than the average Australian. I can only go with what I see and what I feel and I am scared for that this Election result means for the little people, the hard-workers of the country, the families that will have more of a struggle under Abbot’s rein.
I’ll admit that I liked Rudd, I liked that he did things even though it didn’t make him popular with the do-gooders of the world, I liked that he saved us from a recession when so many other countries fell, I liked that he seems to give a shit about people (not just the wealthy) He’s not perfect, he’s a politician. And I am sure people who voted against him have legitimate reasons for not liking him. Fair enough. But I will never and can never understand why anyone would think that Abbot and his out-dated ideas would have anything good to give this country. I don’t understand it and I am deeply crushed. Not because Rudd lost, but because Abbot to me, is the beginning of the end.
But that’s it right? We’re stuck with this misogynistic pig for the next 3 or 4 years (however long the next election will be) I’m not happy about it. In fact it makes me quite angry, but I am coming to terms with it because in the end there is nothing we can do about it right now. We can just pray and hope that any damage he does isn’t drastic.
To add insult to injury, I had to endure an embarrassing display by my football club in the first Elimination Final match against one of my most hated teams.
To give you an idea, I madly support and love an AFL Football team called the Richmond Tigers. I can safely say that since choosing them as my team I have never felt as much elation, pride, and passion and ... absolute devastation as I have with this team. I love them deeply. There is nothing better than going to the MCG and cheering them on to victory. We haven’t had a great run over the last 30 years. In fact it is a common joke that Richmond will finish 9th because we tend to finish 9th of the ladder, just outside of the main 8 who get to play in the finals series.
Richmond are the kind of club that always give you hope. We have a great bunch of promising, skilled players and when they are playing good? They play their bloody hearts out. But they also have a habit of bringing hope to their legions of fans only to dash it away in a display that often leaves us dismayed and ... oh so disappointed. As much as I love them I will admit that I have never known what it is like to go into a game that I feel 100% confident about. I’ve been known to go to games where even in the last quarter of the game and we’re leading by an impressive amount, I still have that little voice in the back of my head that screams that it’s not won yet. It’s a constant struggle.
I went to the Elimination Final yesterday with my friend. It’s the first final Richmond have reached in so long that it was insanity. There were seas of Yellow and Black over the parking lot, down at our Club Grounds and in the stadium for the match. We were loud and in colour and ready to scream and cheer and give our boys the support they deserve.
I was excited. I had never been to a Finals match. The feeling was electric. There was over 90,000 fans at the MCG, the stands a myriad of Navy Blue and Yellow and Black. The Australian National Anthem is played at the start of the match and even though I have been totally pissed off with my country for voting in a man that I despise? I adore my country and am always a proud Australian. I like standing up with the crowd and singing the anthem. What I loved was that in the middle of the Anthem the speakers cut out and it was just the people in the stadium singing the words before they put the speakers on a few moments later. That was pretty cool.
The first half was great. The boys were on fire. They were playing smart and tough and they were trying. The second half however? I’m still shocked at what I saw. And I shouldn’t be. I should be used to them doing this but ... it was a final and it was against Carlton and if ever there was a time to prove themselves, this was it. They failed miserably.
I don’t want to take away from Carlton. Despite the controversy of how they were even playing finals, they were the better team on the day. We seemed to just drop the ball and make stupid mistakes and stop trying as hard and they upped their game and steamrolled home to a win. It was a disgraceful display by us and Carlton won fair and square no matter what people think of their appearance in the finals race. I HATE saying that because I honestly do hate Carlton. I didnt care what happened in the finals I just wanted to win this match ... and my boys couldn’t come through for me or for themselves.
As much as I was disappointed in them, I can’t stop loving them though. Seeing Chris Newman in the rooms after the game looking absolutely crushed and devastated made me want to hug him tight. I don’t know what happens to them out on the field, I wish they wouldn’t seem to flag and stop trying. I’m sure that’s not what they are trying to do but that’s how it appears every time we come out in the last half and get demolished and seem to play a different game. But I’ll be there next year. I’ll be proudly wearing my colours and I’ll be screaming “Go Tigers!” Until my throat hurts because like Jack Riewoldt said when it came time for him to sign his new contract “Yellow and Black is in my blood.”
I’d also like to congratulate Shane Tuck on a fantastic career with Richmond. I’m sad to see him retire but I want to thank him for his time and his effort :) He’ll be missed down at Tigerland.
I have nine days left until I leave for Hawaii. NINE days. I am nervous. I am excited. I am actually really looking forward to getting away more now than I have been. Seven weeks is a long time to be on holiday. But the fact that I am spending those seven weeks with amazing friends who are usually spent time with over a computer screen or the phone? I am happy. People keep telling me I should be doing Vegas or New York. How can I be spending so much time in the states and not seeing those things. I’m going there to see the country, yes, but more importantly I am there to spend quality time with friends that I have known for years.
Nine days .. Yeah, as much as I say I’m excited. I’m still pretty nervous haha