The View from Down Here

Over the last few days NSW  politics has had something more of a adjustment. After the Premier quit a week ago, we now have a former garbage man as NSW’s top man.

There’s been hurt egos, spilt blood and no doubt split factions within the ALP in NSW at least as well as over in Western Australia.

Nathan Rees does seem to be saying the right things, acknowledging the “soap opera” as he put it within hours of becoming the leader for example. He is warning tough times, both for the State and for NSW Labor. I guess we’ll see what happens. They are coming from a long way behind. Shifting chairs on the Titanic perhaps? Hope not.

The worst part of all this: a new Minister for Disability to work out and try to bring up to speed. I’m in a different level of government but there is flow on.

PB and I are just back from grabbing a single nightcap after dinner at the pub next door. I would have had another and perhaps even had a nibble to eat. However, as soon as we rolled in they started to shut down.

For the sake of clarity, let me give you a quick run done of the layout of this once inaccessible pub.Two entry points: one now flat with heavy double doors leading to two doors, one to the gaming lounge and the main bar which is also accessible via steps onto the street. The other door leads down a carpeted and tactiled ramp to the bistro and a second bar. from the bistro you can go up two stairs direct to the main bar or outside via stairs only to smoking areas. So, the only accessible seating with the accessible toilet is in the bistro.

So with that background; the closing litany. Kitchen first after a cursory, offer to order now soon after banging of pots and pans as if we weren’t there.  Then the bar essentially as soon as the bargirl (whom we know, of sorts)  have poured our first drink. This  without the obligatory  last drinks call. Then the music went off, the televisions while people were still watching which made the guy watching nervous enough to swallow down the food and leave, looking sheepish. PB sculled the half glass of his first red down and we went to leave. After PB pulled himself up the carpeted ramp I discovered they had locked us in. Not by a sign but by butting the chair against the door. Mr Sad Manager let us out and seemed to want thanking for doing so.

Leaving aside the treatment, the key thing to know with this story is this. We didn’t turn up at 2am on a Tuesday morning in the middle of a sleepy country town. We were in the pub at 8:45 pm on a Sunday night in an supposedly bustling metropolis.

Last night watched Kurt Fernley on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. Kurt is apparently a qualified teacher, a guy a little younger than me who grew up an hour and a half or so from where I did and had three older brothers. He has had two lucky escapes from car-related accidents and eventually wants to teach in the country again.

Oh and he is a Paralympian involved in wheelchair track and road races. Read the rest of this entry »

I have a confession.

Owing to a bad head cold and resulting loss of voice I’ve been house bound for four days. At great disappointment to myself, I haven’t engaged in anything more intellectually stimulating than watching arguably way too many episodes of Sex and the City. Read the rest of this entry »

As of tonight PB has moved in. And far from feeling all gooey as I expected I feel shattered. He is renting his house out at discounted rent to aquaintainces of ours who were stuck. Charity begins at home and all that jazz.

Some may see this as patronizing but it does show me a move evolved disability consciousness. Even if that is only to contemplate such shows as this.

PB’s comment was a simple one “I reckon we’re about 30 years behind them”.

Indeed.

I have a lot to say. Yet for tonight I have neither the energy, nor the words. So I won’t

Yet I did.

Tomorrow I will but try.

It’s late. It was a case of too much coffee for once having the effect on me that everyone complains of. I am as “they” say … wired.

PB and I went down to Melbourne on Wednesday for a little R and R. It was a little surreal for me on a few fronts. Firstly It was the scene of some unfortunate events during a previous relationship. In fact the anticipation of ghosts around every corner was far worse than the actual experience this week on that front. I’ve been there once since that fateful trip (see below), so perhaps that mitigated those poor ghosts some. They were there to be sure but there was a calm forgiveness about them.

The other element of surrealness comes from the fact that PB and I were visiting Melbourne last year attending a set of work meetings together, purely as supposedly dis-interested but friendly colleagues. At that point in time certainly we were both (I’m pretty sure) determined to keep it that way. It concerned us both how we would be percieved regarding our worklives. Credibility and independance and all that sort of thing. In the end I think we did the right thing both in delaying the relationship till I was well established and also “coming out” slowly when it did blossom, only a month or so after the trip last year.

However, I digress.

I remember with trepidation the nervousness that enveloped me when I suggested we could get a single hotel room as long as we made sure there was a fold out bed available as well. I was amazed when he without too much hesitation accepted. Thus we slept for 2 nights and behaved - a nervous little peck on his check with a blush as I left alone for the airport.

It was the trip that saw the origin of the now common routine of him holding on to the side of my chair so that we might roll in unison.

It was different yet similar as his girlfriend this time. This in itself was lovely.Biggest differences? No meetings and going into a menswear shop with him

Like last time: he went bush for a few days. Like last time I came back to Sydney.

Like last time I miss him.

This time though — he might understand why.

I’ve been watching DVDs lately of Sex and the City in preparation for the movie that opens here on the 5th of June. It started out by being a pastime - a thing of lightness and fluff to compensate for a heaviness and intensity that is part of my life at the moment. Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, so I am a bit late commenting on this I know but last weekend the Rudd government hosted the Australia 2020 summit. An exercise in listening to a handpicked collection of 1000 Australians for new ideas or re-hashed old ideas. In the words of Russell Skelton:

For one weekend a national conversation took place about the future of the country without a bunch of once-influential marsupials shouting down discussion of significant policy issues.

Ideas include major “root and branch” reform of the tax system, a republic, a review and reform of the federation as well as a disability Insurance scheme for those who acquire a disability through their life, among others. These are big overhauls and big risks for a government that is just over its 90 days after over 10 years in Opposition.

It was interesting to see who got an invite. that said a lot in itself of where the Government was pinning its hopes.