Why does society deem it necessary to find someone to blame for every event that transpires?
This week 2 DJ's have suffered a severe backlash after contacting the hospital in which Kate Middleton was admitted in an attempt to make a prank call, after the nurse who took the phone call took her own life.
It begs the question, do the DJ's deserve such blame and hatred labelled upon them?
In my opinion NO!
Yes I am Australian the same nationality as the DJ's, yes I love a good joke as much as the next person and I am in no way suggesting that it is not a tragedy that a young woman took her own life, I am merely suggesting that I don't believe it is appropriate to place the blame for such an event on anyone. If we were to place blame, why are only the DJ's under the spotlight for their actions?
Take the hospital for example. They deal with the Royal family for gods-sake, surely they should have some sort of administration set up in place, a media rep or something to monitor such phone calls, to stop the pranksters getting through. Surely they should perhaps better train their staff to not give out confidential information about patients over the telephone, no matter if the patient is a member of the royal family or not! Why is the hospital not facing the hate campaigns?
Also, the radio station. Why are we not hating them, did these 2 radio presenters come up with this idea and pull it off on their own? NO! It was a team effort! So perhaps the radio station should take one for the team here and take some of the heat off these two DJ's for a second.
Bottom line. The blame game needs to stop!
We have no idea the circumstances surrounding the life of this nurse.
Was this really what made her take her own life?
Perhaps, but we don't know for certain.
Yes, its a tragedy and my thoughts go out to all of her friends and family, a young life taken far too soon, but lets stop the blame game before we loose a couple of other young lives in the same manner.
Blaming people & organisations will not bring this woman back! It will not help her family, it will not help her friends.
Blame is not constructive!
Lay off the DJ's!
Wednesday 12 December 2012
Saturday 8 December 2012
Please! Let's not bash the Royal Baby before it is even born!
It's official!
A Royal Baby is on the way!
Congratulations to William and Kate on becoming parents-to-be!
In what is such a happy time for any couple, I find it quite astonishing that there have been so many negative articles and comments on social media in regards to this very exciting announcement. Why must there be a negative in every situation?
Most of the negativity seems to surround the fact that Kate has been hospitalized due to suffering from HG (Hyperemesis Gravadium) which I can tell you from first hand experience really is the most unpleasant and debilitating condition to suffer from during pregnancy, & Kate you have my full sympathy.
On my own personal Facebook, some of my friends have made comments such as "swallow a tablespoon of concrete and harden up", "typical princess", "suck it up like the rest of us", I am honestly disgusted!
Firstly, do you really think that the general public is going to be privy to every detail of Kate's pregnancy! Are we all suddenly medical experts and doctors because we have given birth to a kid or two ourselves? Come on people, give the poor girl a break!
I guarantee however that those people who have produced status update after status update slagging the royal baby news, if anyone started airing their views on the way these people lived their lives, told them that they should just "suck it up" whenever they had an issue that effected them in some way, they would scream bloody murder!
Is it really that hard to be excited for others on their good news? Or are we so wrapped up in ourselves that we cannot possibly be happy for anyone outside our own little bubble?
There are no need for put-downs, there is no need for negativity, a Royal Baby is on the way and unless Australia becomes a republic anytime soon this child of William and Kate's will one day sit on the throne and be the figurehead of this country.
So let's not continue to bash the poor child or its mother before it's even born!
A Royal Baby is on the way!
Congratulations to William and Kate on becoming parents-to-be!
In what is such a happy time for any couple, I find it quite astonishing that there have been so many negative articles and comments on social media in regards to this very exciting announcement. Why must there be a negative in every situation?
Most of the negativity seems to surround the fact that Kate has been hospitalized due to suffering from HG (Hyperemesis Gravadium) which I can tell you from first hand experience really is the most unpleasant and debilitating condition to suffer from during pregnancy, & Kate you have my full sympathy.
On my own personal Facebook, some of my friends have made comments such as "swallow a tablespoon of concrete and harden up", "typical princess", "suck it up like the rest of us", I am honestly disgusted!
Firstly, do you really think that the general public is going to be privy to every detail of Kate's pregnancy! Are we all suddenly medical experts and doctors because we have given birth to a kid or two ourselves? Come on people, give the poor girl a break!
I guarantee however that those people who have produced status update after status update slagging the royal baby news, if anyone started airing their views on the way these people lived their lives, told them that they should just "suck it up" whenever they had an issue that effected them in some way, they would scream bloody murder!
Is it really that hard to be excited for others on their good news? Or are we so wrapped up in ourselves that we cannot possibly be happy for anyone outside our own little bubble?
There are no need for put-downs, there is no need for negativity, a Royal Baby is on the way and unless Australia becomes a republic anytime soon this child of William and Kate's will one day sit on the throne and be the figurehead of this country.
So let's not continue to bash the poor child or its mother before it's even born!
It's the most wonderful time of the year!..... but not for some :-(
Christmas is one of those times of the year that you either love or hate.
For me personally I LOVE CHRISTMAS!
I really enjoy the whole month of December.
I love fighting for a park at the shopping centre, the crazy long checkout lines, the lights, the tinsel, the gifts, the food, the smiles on my children faces, the parties, did I already mention the food? I had always thought the "Christmas haters" were just crazy people. How could one not love this time of year?
But then once I took my selfish hat off for a second I realized that it was I who was in fact the crazy person!
Recently it dawned on me that everyone is not as lucky in life as I am.
There are people who have no home, no food, no clothing, the basics that most of us take for granted. It was after reading an article in a local newspaper regarding a homeless couple who were about to have their first child that reality set in for me. How could Christmas be "a wonderful time of the year" for this couple, when everyday life for them was sleeping in their car not knowing where their next meal or next dollar was coming from. Not being able to bring their newborn home from the hospital like most couples do, but facing the prospect of bringing home their baby to a car. What horrifies me the most about this situation is that this couple are not alone in this situation, there are many others living in the same circumstance.
After putting some more thought into this I also realized that some of these "Christmas haters" whilst they may not be homeless or struggling financially in life, they may be struggling in other ways. Christmas generally for a lot of people is a time where families come together. But what about those people who have lost family members? Or those who have no family or friends? Maybe they hate Christmas because it reminds them of what they have lost. Maybe they feel or are facing the holiday season alone.
So this Christmas I ask everyone who reads this to perhaps take a minute to remove your Christmas loving hat and think about those less fortunate than yourself for a moment. Maybe it is time to stop hating the haters, and start helping. Place a gift under your local Kmart wishing tree, make a donation to the Salvation Army, LifeLine, The Red Cross in your local area, donate a few hours of your time to help out, drop in and say hello and have a coffee with some of your elderly neighbours, help someone out that you know is doing it tough. The list of things to brighten up the lives of others is truly endless and if we all just gave a little the end results can be huge.
For me personally I LOVE CHRISTMAS!
I really enjoy the whole month of December.
I love fighting for a park at the shopping centre, the crazy long checkout lines, the lights, the tinsel, the gifts, the food, the smiles on my children faces, the parties, did I already mention the food? I had always thought the "Christmas haters" were just crazy people. How could one not love this time of year?
But then once I took my selfish hat off for a second I realized that it was I who was in fact the crazy person!
Recently it dawned on me that everyone is not as lucky in life as I am.
There are people who have no home, no food, no clothing, the basics that most of us take for granted. It was after reading an article in a local newspaper regarding a homeless couple who were about to have their first child that reality set in for me. How could Christmas be "a wonderful time of the year" for this couple, when everyday life for them was sleeping in their car not knowing where their next meal or next dollar was coming from. Not being able to bring their newborn home from the hospital like most couples do, but facing the prospect of bringing home their baby to a car. What horrifies me the most about this situation is that this couple are not alone in this situation, there are many others living in the same circumstance.
After putting some more thought into this I also realized that some of these "Christmas haters" whilst they may not be homeless or struggling financially in life, they may be struggling in other ways. Christmas generally for a lot of people is a time where families come together. But what about those people who have lost family members? Or those who have no family or friends? Maybe they hate Christmas because it reminds them of what they have lost. Maybe they feel or are facing the holiday season alone.
So this Christmas I ask everyone who reads this to perhaps take a minute to remove your Christmas loving hat and think about those less fortunate than yourself for a moment. Maybe it is time to stop hating the haters, and start helping. Place a gift under your local Kmart wishing tree, make a donation to the Salvation Army, LifeLine, The Red Cross in your local area, donate a few hours of your time to help out, drop in and say hello and have a coffee with some of your elderly neighbours, help someone out that you know is doing it tough. The list of things to brighten up the lives of others is truly endless and if we all just gave a little the end results can be huge.
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Mummy Vision Reinvented! Love, Loss & Life in the Country!
So after what can only be described as ...........
Well it's been a long time between drinks it would seem!
But Mummy Vision is back!
Back for good!
Back with a new vision!
Back with new motivation!
& it all starts right here right now!
So get on board this train!
A lot has happened in my life over the past few months, some good things, some not so good things, but that's all part of the journey, right?
In summary, the best thing to happen to our family is that we moved to the country!!!!
Living the dream people! Living the dream!
The Wimmera region in Victoria is now home for our family and so far we are loving the change of lifestyle. It's quiet, the townspeople are friendly, the school is fantastic and best of all everyone of the 6 members of this family (7 if you include the cat) are happy!! Life is great!
And whilst life in the country has been just the ticket to our happiness, our move coincided with a not so pleasant event of us experiencing our eleventh miscarriage.
Now obviously this is something I have experienced before, however the fact that it is number 11 doesn't make it hurt any less. It's heartbreaking, it's tough and there have been days that I have wanted more than anything to just stay in my nice cozy bed and not get out and face the day. But with four other children, that is something that is not possible. I mean, who is going to make breakfast, let's be honest!
So I get up, I do what I am supposed to do as a mother but inside it really hurts.
In the past, I have lost friends because of my miscarriages, people in my experience either seem to think that it's nothing, no big deal, what's the drama? etc or they suddenly become aliens incapable of having a normal conversation with you as they simply don't know what to say. Dealing with either of these things can be frustrating to the point where you want to beat people about the head, but let's be honest that is never going to solve the problem.
What would solve the problem is if people showed a little respect!
So why am I sharing this info?
I am sharing this so that people who read this that have a wife, a sister, a mother or friend or family member who are going through or who have experienced this are aware, that it doesn't help to be a stranger! It doesn't help you show no respect! So be respectful, show some love and be supportive! Miscarriage is something that you never get over, it never leaves you, it stays a part of you for life, but it is possible to come out the other side of the experience and have a positive attitude on life and to be happy!
I honestly believe that I am a stronger person because of what I have been through on my journey to create my family. I have learnt so much about myself and how strong I am as a person. Hell, after this I can really do anything & I truly believe that! Sometimes all you have to do to be happy is think outside the box a little and be willing to let happiness find you.
Moving right a-long!
So, my new vision for Mummy Vision is to get back to the basics of what being a mum with an opinion is about and that of course is discussing the issues that face us daily and debating them in a healthy manner. I think we as individuals can learn a lot not only from the experiences of others but from the opinions and views of others.
So, stay tuned for the "issue of the day" coming to you daily on both the blog and the Mummy Vision Facebook page!!!
Have your say! Get your opinion off your chest and maybe learn something by reading the views of others!!!
Enjoy life Mummy Vision followers as it is the most precious gift we are ever given!
Well it's been a long time between drinks it would seem!
But Mummy Vision is back!
Back for good!
Back with a new vision!
Back with new motivation!
& it all starts right here right now!
So get on board this train!
A lot has happened in my life over the past few months, some good things, some not so good things, but that's all part of the journey, right?
In summary, the best thing to happen to our family is that we moved to the country!!!!
Living the dream people! Living the dream!
The Wimmera region in Victoria is now home for our family and so far we are loving the change of lifestyle. It's quiet, the townspeople are friendly, the school is fantastic and best of all everyone of the 6 members of this family (7 if you include the cat) are happy!! Life is great!
And whilst life in the country has been just the ticket to our happiness, our move coincided with a not so pleasant event of us experiencing our eleventh miscarriage.
Now obviously this is something I have experienced before, however the fact that it is number 11 doesn't make it hurt any less. It's heartbreaking, it's tough and there have been days that I have wanted more than anything to just stay in my nice cozy bed and not get out and face the day. But with four other children, that is something that is not possible. I mean, who is going to make breakfast, let's be honest!
So I get up, I do what I am supposed to do as a mother but inside it really hurts.
In the past, I have lost friends because of my miscarriages, people in my experience either seem to think that it's nothing, no big deal, what's the drama? etc or they suddenly become aliens incapable of having a normal conversation with you as they simply don't know what to say. Dealing with either of these things can be frustrating to the point where you want to beat people about the head, but let's be honest that is never going to solve the problem.
What would solve the problem is if people showed a little respect!
So why am I sharing this info?
I am sharing this so that people who read this that have a wife, a sister, a mother or friend or family member who are going through or who have experienced this are aware, that it doesn't help to be a stranger! It doesn't help you show no respect! So be respectful, show some love and be supportive! Miscarriage is something that you never get over, it never leaves you, it stays a part of you for life, but it is possible to come out the other side of the experience and have a positive attitude on life and to be happy!
I honestly believe that I am a stronger person because of what I have been through on my journey to create my family. I have learnt so much about myself and how strong I am as a person. Hell, after this I can really do anything & I truly believe that! Sometimes all you have to do to be happy is think outside the box a little and be willing to let happiness find you.
Moving right a-long!
So, my new vision for Mummy Vision is to get back to the basics of what being a mum with an opinion is about and that of course is discussing the issues that face us daily and debating them in a healthy manner. I think we as individuals can learn a lot not only from the experiences of others but from the opinions and views of others.
So, stay tuned for the "issue of the day" coming to you daily on both the blog and the Mummy Vision Facebook page!!!
Have your say! Get your opinion off your chest and maybe learn something by reading the views of others!!!
Enjoy life Mummy Vision followers as it is the most precious gift we are ever given!
Monday 25 June 2012
Mondays!
As a mum of four it is inevitable that there will be one day of the week that is just crazy busy! For me it;s Mondays! So I thought I would share with you a blow by blow account of a typical Monday in my house!
5:00am - Rise & Shine!!! Have coffee with husband and pack his lunch!
5:15am - Shower.
5:25am - Husband leaves & I make school lunch for my daughter, kinder lunch and snack for my other daughter, 2 snack boxes of food for the day for my other daughter and son to snack on during the day as I find it saves me time through out the day.
5:40am - Dishes & start the daily loads of washing.
6:00am - Breakfast for me in peace!
6:30am - My son normally wakes up and I dress him and give him his breakfast.
6:45am - My other children wake up and have breakfast.
7:00am - First load of washing goes into the dryer.
7:30am - The girls get dressed
7:45am - Hair! This is a challenge depending on moods of the girls at the time!
8:00am - Pack school/kinder bags, sign notes, sign reader folder etc
8:10am - Shoes, beanies, jackets.
8:15am - We set off on the 2 and a bit walk to Kinder
8:30am - Kinder drop off
8:45am - School drop off
9:00am - Quick play in the park on the way home for my daughter and son.
9:45am - Arrive home, hang washing on line/dryer, get food out for dinner.
10:00am - Start the daily baking. Put the baby down for a nap. Set my daughter up with some craft or she helps to cook.
10:50am - Madly clean the kitchen
11:15am -Leave the house for Kindy-Gym.
11:30am - 12:30pm - Kindy-Gym for my youngest two which they love!
1:15pm - Kinder pick up
1:30pm - Lunch
1:45pm - Vacc, mop, general tidy of the house. Check emails.
2:15pm - Prepare dinner.
3:15pm - Leave the house for school pick up
3:30pm - School pick-up
3:45pm - Arrive home and have afternoon tea
4:15pm - Leave house for Basketball
4:30pm - 5:30pm - Basketball
5:45pm - Arrive home from Basketball, organize dinner. Husband has arrived home :-)
6:00pm - Dinner.
6:30pm - Baths
6:45pm - Bed for baby, stories and readers for the girls.
7:15pm - Kids sleeping! YAY!
7:20pm - Clean up after dinner. Dishes, clean out school bags etc.
7:45pm - Husband leaves for indoor cricket & I set myself up for some serious clothes folding in front of the TV.
9:00pm - Shower
9:15pm - Organize clothes for tomorrow (husband arrives home)
9:30pm - Emails & Uni, I do all my reading and note taking at night!
12:00am - Bed time! & get up and start again tomorrow!!!!
I have to say as busy as I am with 4 kids and a Law degree I wouldn't change a thing! There is never a dull moment that's for sure and I certainly think that being a mum is the best job in the world!!!
5:00am - Rise & Shine!!! Have coffee with husband and pack his lunch!
5:15am - Shower.
5:25am - Husband leaves & I make school lunch for my daughter, kinder lunch and snack for my other daughter, 2 snack boxes of food for the day for my other daughter and son to snack on during the day as I find it saves me time through out the day.
5:40am - Dishes & start the daily loads of washing.
6:00am - Breakfast for me in peace!
6:30am - My son normally wakes up and I dress him and give him his breakfast.
6:45am - My other children wake up and have breakfast.
7:00am - First load of washing goes into the dryer.
7:30am - The girls get dressed
7:45am - Hair! This is a challenge depending on moods of the girls at the time!
8:00am - Pack school/kinder bags, sign notes, sign reader folder etc
8:10am - Shoes, beanies, jackets.
8:15am - We set off on the 2 and a bit walk to Kinder
8:30am - Kinder drop off
8:45am - School drop off
9:00am - Quick play in the park on the way home for my daughter and son.
9:45am - Arrive home, hang washing on line/dryer, get food out for dinner.
10:00am - Start the daily baking. Put the baby down for a nap. Set my daughter up with some craft or she helps to cook.
10:50am - Madly clean the kitchen
11:15am -Leave the house for Kindy-Gym.
11:30am - 12:30pm - Kindy-Gym for my youngest two which they love!
1:15pm - Kinder pick up
1:30pm - Lunch
1:45pm - Vacc, mop, general tidy of the house. Check emails.
2:15pm - Prepare dinner.
3:15pm - Leave the house for school pick up
3:30pm - School pick-up
3:45pm - Arrive home and have afternoon tea
4:15pm - Leave house for Basketball
4:30pm - 5:30pm - Basketball
5:45pm - Arrive home from Basketball, organize dinner. Husband has arrived home :-)
6:00pm - Dinner.
6:30pm - Baths
6:45pm - Bed for baby, stories and readers for the girls.
7:15pm - Kids sleeping! YAY!
7:20pm - Clean up after dinner. Dishes, clean out school bags etc.
7:45pm - Husband leaves for indoor cricket & I set myself up for some serious clothes folding in front of the TV.
9:00pm - Shower
9:15pm - Organize clothes for tomorrow (husband arrives home)
9:30pm - Emails & Uni, I do all my reading and note taking at night!
12:00am - Bed time! & get up and start again tomorrow!!!!
I have to say as busy as I am with 4 kids and a Law degree I wouldn't change a thing! There is never a dull moment that's for sure and I certainly think that being a mum is the best job in the world!!!
Sunday 24 June 2012
Are we too litigous?
Tonight I have been sitting here madly typing out my Torts notes for the week while my munchkins are tucked up in bed in an effort to not get behind in the first week back of the semester when one of the discussion questions for this week really grabbed my attention.
Do you think that people are becoming too litigous?
Well um duh! Of course we are! Australia is not considered the second most litigous country in the world for nothing! Every five minutes some random is suing someone over what seems like nothing. The very second we get hurt or are injured WHAM! Who can we sue?
I think the focal point of the question should be WHY????? How did we get this way.
Well we do have this ridiculous obsession with America and doing all things "American!" but personally I think its because we are a welfare dependent society. We are breeding generation after generation of money-suckers who suck every dollar of government coffers yet still want more.
Australia - the land of the free................ I think not!
More like the land of the dole bludger!!!!
Do you think that people are becoming too litigous?
Well um duh! Of course we are! Australia is not considered the second most litigous country in the world for nothing! Every five minutes some random is suing someone over what seems like nothing. The very second we get hurt or are injured WHAM! Who can we sue?
I think the focal point of the question should be WHY????? How did we get this way.
Well we do have this ridiculous obsession with America and doing all things "American!" but personally I think its because we are a welfare dependent society. We are breeding generation after generation of money-suckers who suck every dollar of government coffers yet still want more.
Australia - the land of the free................ I think not!
More like the land of the dole bludger!!!!
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Hey! Hey! Hey! Long time between drinks people!
So,
it's been a few weeks since my last post. Super busy with exams etc BUT good news being that I passed my classes and got that one step closer to that coveted piece of paper. Not long to go now! & wow what a lot happens in the world over the space of a few weeks. The world it seems has launched an attack on Chrissie Swan's parenting skills and after a fourth inquest its now officially on record that "the dingo took the baby". A massive contrast from Chrissie to Azaria Chaimberlain BUT as a mum and to a lesser extent a law student, some fairly major developments. It is honestly beyond me how we as a society can be so critical of individuals who we don't know, and situations in which we don't know all the facts and circumstances. What ever happened to "judge not lest ye be judged"? Now I am not a religious person at all but apparently the greater population of Australia...... no, actually make that the World seems to hold the belief that they have some divine right to judge all! Perhaps we all need to take a good hard look in the mirror.
it's been a few weeks since my last post. Super busy with exams etc BUT good news being that I passed my classes and got that one step closer to that coveted piece of paper. Not long to go now! & wow what a lot happens in the world over the space of a few weeks. The world it seems has launched an attack on Chrissie Swan's parenting skills and after a fourth inquest its now officially on record that "the dingo took the baby". A massive contrast from Chrissie to Azaria Chaimberlain BUT as a mum and to a lesser extent a law student, some fairly major developments. It is honestly beyond me how we as a society can be so critical of individuals who we don't know, and situations in which we don't know all the facts and circumstances. What ever happened to "judge not lest ye be judged"? Now I am not a religious person at all but apparently the greater population of Australia...... no, actually make that the World seems to hold the belief that they have some divine right to judge all! Perhaps we all need to take a good hard look in the mirror.
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Sewing... the ultimate relaxant!
With exams starting next week and most of the past few weeks spent writing final assignments for a couple of classes, I am enjoying relaxing for a few hours each night after dinner to take my mind away from the books. Normally I would just watch some T.V, but maybe its just me but there does not seem to be anything very interesting on at the moment................................ besides Packed to the Rafters!!!! So I have been getting back into sewing.
I run my own little hair bow business (Sunny Beez Bowtique) so I sew regularly, but for the first time in my life I have decided to attempt a quilt. Totally loving it so far, and it has been a great relaxant from the stresses and dramas of being a law student & mum!
Hope anyone who is actually reading this is having a great week so far! & If you have a blog and would like to share a link. Mummy Vision has a FB page where you can share a link to your page! I will be sure to have a read as I love all things in the blog-world!!!
Peace Out!!!
I run my own little hair bow business (Sunny Beez Bowtique) so I sew regularly, but for the first time in my life I have decided to attempt a quilt. Totally loving it so far, and it has been a great relaxant from the stresses and dramas of being a law student & mum!
Hope anyone who is actually reading this is having a great week so far! & If you have a blog and would like to share a link. Mummy Vision has a FB page where you can share a link to your page! I will be sure to have a read as I love all things in the blog-world!!!
Peace Out!!!
Friday 18 May 2012
Entitlement & the Modern Day Law Student
I am sure most of us have read with a sense of disgust this week about former Geelong Grammar student, Rose Ashton-Weir who is suing the school for failing to gain entry to her first preference, being to study Law at the University of Sydney.
For those not in the know the LLB at The University of Sydney is one of the most prestigious law programs in the country, and entry to this degree would be the ultimate honor after a final high school year filled with hard work. It is hard work that gets you a place in any law degree not money.
When I read this story for the first time two days ago and first I was really angry. How dare this young girl claim to be entitled to a place. How dare she not take responsibility for failing to reach her goal and how dare she simply pass the blame onto someone else and not look for an alternate pathway to achieving her dream! I simply fail to understand how an 18 year old could feel entitled to a place simply because she went to one of the better high schools in the country.
I will use myself as an example.
I certainly did not attend an exclusive school. I grew up in a small town to working class parents. I attended a catholic school as opposed to a state school because my father worked 14 hours a day, everyday and my mother worked at night so that my brother and I could have every opportunity to do whatever we wanted with our lives.
I have always wanted to study law! Ask anyone I went to school with, it was all I have ever wanted to do. Yet I didn't get the marks to get into law at the completion of high school. Was that my schools fault? No, of course not! My school nurtured me like every single other student enrolled there to reach our full potential. I worked hard in year 12 but obviously not hard enough. But there are many ways to skin a cat.
I moved on, yet I never lost sight of my dream. I enrolled in an Accounting degree for 18 months but hated it and I met my husband during that time and began working full time. He was an apprentice and we struggled for money but we got through it and he is now a carpenter which was his dream. After having 3 children I decided I wanted to pursue my dream of studying law. I enrolled in a Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies degree at Southern Cross University and was told by a course advisor that should I work hard enough and obtain a Distinction average I could be considered for a course change over to the LLB. Well I am very proud to say I made it. Southern Cross gave me a chance, a way in to my dream and I grabbed it with both hands and I have not look back. I may not be a University of Sydney law student but I am very proud to be a Southern Cross student and I don't believe that I will be any less of a lawyer because I hate not attended a prestigious law school. In my mind any University in the country is prestigious and any person who completes a degree in anything is special. It's a major achievement and I would have been proud to be a law student at any school in the country.
I am not going to lie, law school has not been easy. I now have 4 children and I am at the point of the degree where I can see the end. I have got there through hard work and because I have never lost sight of my dream. Even if I never practice law I hope my children have learned the lesson that through hard work you can do anything and that there is always another way to achieve your dream.
Rose Ashton-Weir I do feel some sympathy for. What is she ever going to achieve in her life if this is how she handles a disappointing situation. Life is full of disappointments but its how you deal with them that determine whether or not as a person you are going to succeed in life.
Her parents should be ashamed for assisting her in this quest. They have clearly brought her up to believe that things get handed to you on a plate and if you throw your money around and attend a prestigious school is gives you some sort of divine right to be entitled to things as opposed to earning them.
Her school attendance was poor, she was regularly absent, she only attended a term and a bit before moving to another school, she had glandular fever and she was internally suspended by the school on more than one occasion...... I fail to see how she is entitled to anything. She should really count herself lucky that she is attending university at all after all that.
All in all, this girl is on a fast track to nowhere. To everyone from law students to members of the public she has become a joke. and that really is sad and I honestly believe if her dream really was to be a law student she would have had enough sense to take a good hard look at herself and re-assess. She could have taken another path yet chose the easy way out pushing the blame of her failings onto someone else.
To everyone reading this, please tell your children they can be whoever and whatever they want to be. We are so lucky to live in a country where there are endless possibilities, where we have access to some of the best educational facilities in the world. Please tell them that it doesn't matter if you come from money or the working class they can do anything! All it takes is hard work!!!
Follow your dreams people and don't let people like Rose Ashton-Weir put a dark cloud over the fairness of education in our country.
For those not in the know the LLB at The University of Sydney is one of the most prestigious law programs in the country, and entry to this degree would be the ultimate honor after a final high school year filled with hard work. It is hard work that gets you a place in any law degree not money.
When I read this story for the first time two days ago and first I was really angry. How dare this young girl claim to be entitled to a place. How dare she not take responsibility for failing to reach her goal and how dare she simply pass the blame onto someone else and not look for an alternate pathway to achieving her dream! I simply fail to understand how an 18 year old could feel entitled to a place simply because she went to one of the better high schools in the country.
I will use myself as an example.
I certainly did not attend an exclusive school. I grew up in a small town to working class parents. I attended a catholic school as opposed to a state school because my father worked 14 hours a day, everyday and my mother worked at night so that my brother and I could have every opportunity to do whatever we wanted with our lives.
I have always wanted to study law! Ask anyone I went to school with, it was all I have ever wanted to do. Yet I didn't get the marks to get into law at the completion of high school. Was that my schools fault? No, of course not! My school nurtured me like every single other student enrolled there to reach our full potential. I worked hard in year 12 but obviously not hard enough. But there are many ways to skin a cat.
I moved on, yet I never lost sight of my dream. I enrolled in an Accounting degree for 18 months but hated it and I met my husband during that time and began working full time. He was an apprentice and we struggled for money but we got through it and he is now a carpenter which was his dream. After having 3 children I decided I wanted to pursue my dream of studying law. I enrolled in a Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies degree at Southern Cross University and was told by a course advisor that should I work hard enough and obtain a Distinction average I could be considered for a course change over to the LLB. Well I am very proud to say I made it. Southern Cross gave me a chance, a way in to my dream and I grabbed it with both hands and I have not look back. I may not be a University of Sydney law student but I am very proud to be a Southern Cross student and I don't believe that I will be any less of a lawyer because I hate not attended a prestigious law school. In my mind any University in the country is prestigious and any person who completes a degree in anything is special. It's a major achievement and I would have been proud to be a law student at any school in the country.
I am not going to lie, law school has not been easy. I now have 4 children and I am at the point of the degree where I can see the end. I have got there through hard work and because I have never lost sight of my dream. Even if I never practice law I hope my children have learned the lesson that through hard work you can do anything and that there is always another way to achieve your dream.
Rose Ashton-Weir I do feel some sympathy for. What is she ever going to achieve in her life if this is how she handles a disappointing situation. Life is full of disappointments but its how you deal with them that determine whether or not as a person you are going to succeed in life.
Her parents should be ashamed for assisting her in this quest. They have clearly brought her up to believe that things get handed to you on a plate and if you throw your money around and attend a prestigious school is gives you some sort of divine right to be entitled to things as opposed to earning them.
Her school attendance was poor, she was regularly absent, she only attended a term and a bit before moving to another school, she had glandular fever and she was internally suspended by the school on more than one occasion...... I fail to see how she is entitled to anything. She should really count herself lucky that she is attending university at all after all that.
All in all, this girl is on a fast track to nowhere. To everyone from law students to members of the public she has become a joke. and that really is sad and I honestly believe if her dream really was to be a law student she would have had enough sense to take a good hard look at herself and re-assess. She could have taken another path yet chose the easy way out pushing the blame of her failings onto someone else.
To everyone reading this, please tell your children they can be whoever and whatever they want to be. We are so lucky to live in a country where there are endless possibilities, where we have access to some of the best educational facilities in the world. Please tell them that it doesn't matter if you come from money or the working class they can do anything! All it takes is hard work!!!
Follow your dreams people and don't let people like Rose Ashton-Weir put a dark cloud over the fairness of education in our country.
Sunday 13 May 2012
Wake up Australia..... NZ citizens are tax payers too!!!
Firstly,
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!
So on this special day where we celebrate all mums, I thought it would be a perfect time to discuss the circumstances of a dear friend of mine, who is a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.
As a mother she made the decision with her partner to move to this country a few years ago to have a new life, filled with greater opportunities for her whole family. Being NZ citizens they are allowed to come to Australia and live and work here for as long as they like, however they are not entitles to receive a lot of benefits that the rest of us (including myself) take for granted.
Currently she is facing the situation where she would like to return to school and study Nursing at University and 2 of her children are also reaching that time in their lives where they are getting towards the later years of high school and thinking about their future, which also includes tertiary study. Yet whilst the rest of us who have just been lucky enough to have been born here are entitled to government funded support such as HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET-HELP, where lets face it we got to school do our degrees and pay for them later, they cannot access such schemes without jumping through ridiculous hoops.
Now, don't get me wrong, I completely understand that we can't just open up the system so its at a point where NZ folk just jump on a plane (with or without a few sheep) enroll in University or TAFE, receive a degree funded fully by the Aussie tax payer and then bugger off back home, but when people genuinely want to make a commitment to this country, when they genuine, do we really need to make it so hard?
For my friend, financially its impossible to move back to NZ for 6 months, uproot her children from school, close down her partners business and just leave for a while. Surely the system should allow her and everyone else wanting to live here forever the courtesy of at least applying for citizenship or residency whilst living in this country. They pay tax like the rest of us... so why the problem??? Why do we need the drama??
A current Affair on Channel 9, aired a story a few weeks ago about mail order brides. Aussie men who were on their third or fourth marriage to predominantly Asian women. These women marry, stay in the marriage for as long as legally required and then wallah!! citizenship!! What a farce!!
Perhaps my friend would be better off splitting with her partner each of them marrying an Aussie for five minutes, just so they can be given a fair go!
Wake up Australia!!!
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!
So on this special day where we celebrate all mums, I thought it would be a perfect time to discuss the circumstances of a dear friend of mine, who is a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.
As a mother she made the decision with her partner to move to this country a few years ago to have a new life, filled with greater opportunities for her whole family. Being NZ citizens they are allowed to come to Australia and live and work here for as long as they like, however they are not entitles to receive a lot of benefits that the rest of us (including myself) take for granted.
Currently she is facing the situation where she would like to return to school and study Nursing at University and 2 of her children are also reaching that time in their lives where they are getting towards the later years of high school and thinking about their future, which also includes tertiary study. Yet whilst the rest of us who have just been lucky enough to have been born here are entitled to government funded support such as HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP and VET-HELP, where lets face it we got to school do our degrees and pay for them later, they cannot access such schemes without jumping through ridiculous hoops.
Now, don't get me wrong, I completely understand that we can't just open up the system so its at a point where NZ folk just jump on a plane (with or without a few sheep) enroll in University or TAFE, receive a degree funded fully by the Aussie tax payer and then bugger off back home, but when people genuinely want to make a commitment to this country, when they genuine, do we really need to make it so hard?
For my friend, financially its impossible to move back to NZ for 6 months, uproot her children from school, close down her partners business and just leave for a while. Surely the system should allow her and everyone else wanting to live here forever the courtesy of at least applying for citizenship or residency whilst living in this country. They pay tax like the rest of us... so why the problem??? Why do we need the drama??
A current Affair on Channel 9, aired a story a few weeks ago about mail order brides. Aussie men who were on their third or fourth marriage to predominantly Asian women. These women marry, stay in the marriage for as long as legally required and then wallah!! citizenship!! What a farce!!
Perhaps my friend would be better off splitting with her partner each of them marrying an Aussie for five minutes, just so they can be given a fair go!
Wake up Australia!!!
Tuesday 8 May 2012
The split!
In case you missed it, Grant Hackett and wife Candice Alley have split. The swimmer famous for his olympic gold medals in the 1500m is also rapidly becoming just as famous for is alcohol consumption and wild behavior that appears to go hand in hand with it.
No I am not one to take sides at all as the general public never have the real truth about what goes on behind closed doors, but if I was Grant Hackett I would be pissed off at Alley too.
She "let" him by a $380,000 Ferarri on his retirement......... um what? She "let" him! Wow how generous of her to let him spend HIS hard earned dollars on a car that he had always wanted.
Clearly she has no idea of what being a professional swimmer involves! If I had busted my arse for my entire life, earned a substantial amount of money, enough to retire etc, my husband would not be telling me what I can and can't do. How does it really effect her anyway?
Yes, I understand that he got rid of it because Alley became pregnant with twins, and clearly babies cant travel in Ferarri's, but if he can afford a multi-million dollar penthouse and a Ferarri he can just buy her a pretty SUV and the matter should be closed! Everyone wins!
But NO! not this celebrity couple!
Everything's a drama!
They sell the pregnancy announcement, the baby pictures, stories about their relationship and then ask for "privacy" during this difficult time in their lives!
ummm like hell we are going to give you guys privacy. You have both relished the attention for years and what now the fairytale has come unstuck you want the media to take a hike..... seriously!!!
These two need to spend some cash on purchasing a brain!
& Channel 9, this clown is going to be on your commentary team at the London Olympics later in the year. London Town + Aussie Expat Booze Fest + Grant Hackett = The next Dancing With The Stars contestant. Seriously, save time, drama and money and just dump him into the next series of the Celebrity Apprentice!
No I am not one to take sides at all as the general public never have the real truth about what goes on behind closed doors, but if I was Grant Hackett I would be pissed off at Alley too.
She "let" him by a $380,000 Ferarri on his retirement......... um what? She "let" him! Wow how generous of her to let him spend HIS hard earned dollars on a car that he had always wanted.
Clearly she has no idea of what being a professional swimmer involves! If I had busted my arse for my entire life, earned a substantial amount of money, enough to retire etc, my husband would not be telling me what I can and can't do. How does it really effect her anyway?
Yes, I understand that he got rid of it because Alley became pregnant with twins, and clearly babies cant travel in Ferarri's, but if he can afford a multi-million dollar penthouse and a Ferarri he can just buy her a pretty SUV and the matter should be closed! Everyone wins!
But NO! not this celebrity couple!
Everything's a drama!
They sell the pregnancy announcement, the baby pictures, stories about their relationship and then ask for "privacy" during this difficult time in their lives!
ummm like hell we are going to give you guys privacy. You have both relished the attention for years and what now the fairytale has come unstuck you want the media to take a hike..... seriously!!!
These two need to spend some cash on purchasing a brain!
& Channel 9, this clown is going to be on your commentary team at the London Olympics later in the year. London Town + Aussie Expat Booze Fest + Grant Hackett = The next Dancing With The Stars contestant. Seriously, save time, drama and money and just dump him into the next series of the Celebrity Apprentice!
Friday 4 May 2012
The world of whinge!
I am 110% sure that I whinge just as much as the next person, however is it just me or does it seem like everyone in the world had something to whinge about?
In fact with this post I suppose I am also in a sense having a whinge about people whinging!!!
Agghhhh!!!
See we cant help it!
Lets all do the world a favour..............................
Think before you whinge!!!!!
In fact with this post I suppose I am also in a sense having a whinge about people whinging!!!
Agghhhh!!!
See we cant help it!
Lets all do the world a favour..............................
Think before you whinge!!!!!
Thursday 3 May 2012
All kids need a pet right?
My husband and I have spent what feels like an eternity deciding on what sort of pet to get our children. He is of the impression that all kids "need" a pet, and whilst I agree with him, I really thought in our case it would be more appropriate to wait until our children were a little bit older. Our oldest is 6 and our youngest is 14 months so I really thought maybe another 12 months would have been better timing.
BUT!
He came home from work a few weeks ago with the name of a man who owned a farm and had some kitten for sale. I was still against this, but I was fighting a losing battle so we took the drive about an hour from where we live in order to pick out a kitten.
When we arrived our girls instantly fell in love with ALL OF THEM! How were they going to chose one? We need not have worried as this cute little all grey little fur ball jumped straight into my Daughter Blaize's lap and he was THE ONE!
These past few weeks have seen me eat my words completely! My 2 older girls have been pretty much looking after "Sooty" on their own. We do its little tray every day but everything else they seem to love doing, to the point where they fight over who's turn it is to feed it.
I hope the novelty never wears off, but it is amazing to see how much love and excitement one tiny little cat can bring to the lives of 4 children. In my opinion all kids certainly need a pet of some sort!
BUT!
He came home from work a few weeks ago with the name of a man who owned a farm and had some kitten for sale. I was still against this, but I was fighting a losing battle so we took the drive about an hour from where we live in order to pick out a kitten.
When we arrived our girls instantly fell in love with ALL OF THEM! How were they going to chose one? We need not have worried as this cute little all grey little fur ball jumped straight into my Daughter Blaize's lap and he was THE ONE!
These past few weeks have seen me eat my words completely! My 2 older girls have been pretty much looking after "Sooty" on their own. We do its little tray every day but everything else they seem to love doing, to the point where they fight over who's turn it is to feed it.
I hope the novelty never wears off, but it is amazing to see how much love and excitement one tiny little cat can bring to the lives of 4 children. In my opinion all kids certainly need a pet of some sort!
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Disappointed..... Jessica Simpson does not give birth to Elephant.
Finally! Jessica Simpson is no longer pregnant!
Maxwell Drew Johnson has arrived weighing 9lb 13oz. A beautiful baby girl... not an elephant as previously predicted.
I am slightly disappointed as an elephant would have made such a great story. Even better than the latest story of the Octomum filing for bankruptcy! I wonder which will make front page news!!!
BOTH!
As we, the public, otherwise known as sheep, just can't get enough of this stuff!!!
Maxwell Drew Johnson has arrived weighing 9lb 13oz. A beautiful baby girl... not an elephant as previously predicted.
I am slightly disappointed as an elephant would have made such a great story. Even better than the latest story of the Octomum filing for bankruptcy! I wonder which will make front page news!!!
BOTH!
As we, the public, otherwise known as sheep, just can't get enough of this stuff!!!
Tuesday 1 May 2012
World Asthma Day 2012
Today (May 1st) is World Asthma Day and this years theme is "You can control your Asthma". Whilst I don't suffer from this condition myself, it is a condition that I have been surrounded by my whole life, as my father suffers from Asthma. In his case the condition is chronic and he has lived with this condition for his entire 54 years.
However I am very proud to say it has never stopped him doing anything in life and he is a true example of the fact that "you can control your Asthma"!
When I was 12 we took a trip around Australia and we climbed Ayres Rock together. It was a challenge for him but we did it. We also walked the entire way around the base, on the same day! He has also always played sports, gone deep sea diving, he enjoys fishing and gets up at the crack of dawn every morning to spend an hour walking. Asthma is merely an after thought in his every day life.
There have been a few times in my life when he has been hospitalized with a serious attack, but those times are becoming few and far between and to be honest I can't even remember a time in the past ten years where that has happened.
My dad is certainly proof that controlling your Asthma can have an extremely positive effect on your life!
However I am very proud to say it has never stopped him doing anything in life and he is a true example of the fact that "you can control your Asthma"!
When I was 12 we took a trip around Australia and we climbed Ayres Rock together. It was a challenge for him but we did it. We also walked the entire way around the base, on the same day! He has also always played sports, gone deep sea diving, he enjoys fishing and gets up at the crack of dawn every morning to spend an hour walking. Asthma is merely an after thought in his every day life.
There have been a few times in my life when he has been hospitalized with a serious attack, but those times are becoming few and far between and to be honest I can't even remember a time in the past ten years where that has happened.
My dad is certainly proof that controlling your Asthma can have an extremely positive effect on your life!
Monday 30 April 2012
Jessica Simpson...... is that baby here yet?
Jessica Simpson must be giving birth to an elephant!
After what seems like an eternity, she still has not popped out her baby which is reportedly a little girl to be named Maxwell. As much as the media and everyone else is the world is having a little fun at her expense with these stories I will actually admit to having just a tiny bit of sympathy for her.
When I was pregnant with my first child, Miss C who us now aged 6 I felt like I was never going to give birth. My pregnancy was 41 weeks and 3 days. 10 days overdue, and those last 10 days its safe to say I was going crazy thinking that my baby was never going to make an appearance!
So this experience led me to believe that estimated due dates were invented by a MAN!
Hang in there Jess! It has to come out eventually!
After what seems like an eternity, she still has not popped out her baby which is reportedly a little girl to be named Maxwell. As much as the media and everyone else is the world is having a little fun at her expense with these stories I will actually admit to having just a tiny bit of sympathy for her.
When I was pregnant with my first child, Miss C who us now aged 6 I felt like I was never going to give birth. My pregnancy was 41 weeks and 3 days. 10 days overdue, and those last 10 days its safe to say I was going crazy thinking that my baby was never going to make an appearance!
So this experience led me to believe that estimated due dates were invented by a MAN!
Hang in there Jess! It has to come out eventually!
Sunday 29 April 2012
The life of a REAL footy WAG!
I am proud to say at 28 years of age I am a footy WAG! My husband at 32 years of age still manages to run around every Saturday in a Division 1 Western Region team in Melbourne. He is one of the lucky ones who has never had a serious injury.
When I first started dating him, he was one of the young kids in his team and now he is one of the "senior" players, not that the word "senior" is used in our home very frequently :-)
I love going to the footy each week, but I am disappointed that none of the major television networks have brought out a "day in the life" sort of style program that highlights the life of a real footy WAG! So I thought I would give you all the inside scoop!
The first rule that is pivotal to maintaining your marriage with a footballer and your membership in the WAG club, is that you MUST be aware of the fact that footy is not just a Saturday arvo thing. Its a DAILY thing! There is the training, the icing, the physio, the chiro, the osteo, the diet, the team meetings, the warm ups and the warm downs and that's all before we even make it to game day.
Saturday (game day) in my house usually starts at 7am. With 4 kids if I don't pack lunch I end up in debt to the club by the end of the day, so copious amounts of food supplies are essential. Then there is packing the car, dressing everyone, toilet stops and making sure we stay out of the star footballers way for a few hours.
Once we are at the ground I am on my own. There is strapping to be done, Powerade to consume, team meetings to be attended.
By the end of the day I am normally covered in mud, food or anything else you care to imagine from running around after my children all day. How much footy do I watch.............ZERO! Yet part of being a good footy WAG is to always complement the footballer after the game. So I make sure on the way home I use the 3 seconds of the game I did manage to watch to come up with some positive comment on how amazing a game my star footballer played.
I then get home, and the process starts again.
So don't be fooled girls, being a footy WAG is not as glamorous as you see on the red carpet at the Brownlow. Unless your Megan Gale you certainly done wear a pants suit and jacket to the footy. There are no designer gowns and champagne anywhere in sight. Hell I am lucky to guzzle down a hot can of coke on a Saturday!
BUT, would I change any of this............. NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
As much as being a footy WAG has its downfalls, the friends we have made as a family from years of being associated with football make everything so much better. As a footy WAG you are never alone, you make friends for life and I wouldn't change that for the world!
When I first started dating him, he was one of the young kids in his team and now he is one of the "senior" players, not that the word "senior" is used in our home very frequently :-)
I love going to the footy each week, but I am disappointed that none of the major television networks have brought out a "day in the life" sort of style program that highlights the life of a real footy WAG! So I thought I would give you all the inside scoop!
The first rule that is pivotal to maintaining your marriage with a footballer and your membership in the WAG club, is that you MUST be aware of the fact that footy is not just a Saturday arvo thing. Its a DAILY thing! There is the training, the icing, the physio, the chiro, the osteo, the diet, the team meetings, the warm ups and the warm downs and that's all before we even make it to game day.
Saturday (game day) in my house usually starts at 7am. With 4 kids if I don't pack lunch I end up in debt to the club by the end of the day, so copious amounts of food supplies are essential. Then there is packing the car, dressing everyone, toilet stops and making sure we stay out of the star footballers way for a few hours.
Once we are at the ground I am on my own. There is strapping to be done, Powerade to consume, team meetings to be attended.
By the end of the day I am normally covered in mud, food or anything else you care to imagine from running around after my children all day. How much footy do I watch.............ZERO! Yet part of being a good footy WAG is to always complement the footballer after the game. So I make sure on the way home I use the 3 seconds of the game I did manage to watch to come up with some positive comment on how amazing a game my star footballer played.
I then get home, and the process starts again.
So don't be fooled girls, being a footy WAG is not as glamorous as you see on the red carpet at the Brownlow. Unless your Megan Gale you certainly done wear a pants suit and jacket to the footy. There are no designer gowns and champagne anywhere in sight. Hell I am lucky to guzzle down a hot can of coke on a Saturday!
BUT, would I change any of this............. NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
As much as being a footy WAG has its downfalls, the friends we have made as a family from years of being associated with football make everything so much better. As a footy WAG you are never alone, you make friends for life and I wouldn't change that for the world!
Saturday 28 April 2012
Choppers Last Stand
Mark Brandon Read also known has Chopper once predicted that he would die young, and at 58 it looks like that grim prediction may come true shortly as he has been diagnosed with liver Cancer, with Dr's suggesting he may have as little as a few weeks left to live.
Now I know a lot of people would be sitting back thinking, about bloody time! How is he not dead already? The bloke is said to have killed up to 19 people, he attempted to kidnap a County Court Judge, he had a fellow inmate chop his ears off to prove a point and he spent only 13 months of his life on the "outside" between the ages of 20 and 38. So what! The bloke is a madman! What makes Chopper so special?
But Chopper Read is in my mind a very special man.
Several newspapers have referred to Choppers life as a "waste". With headlines such as "Mark Chopper Read has regretted a wasted life!". But has it all really been such a waste? I don't believe it has.
Now I am not for one minute condoning any of the criminal behaviors of Chopper. We all know the things he did were wrong and he knows it too, however this man has given society through his autobiographical crime novels an invaluable insight in to the life of a career criminal.
I have read every single one of his books, and as a law student I can say that Chopper has taught me things that the Bachelor of Laws degree could never teach. Reading his novels has given me a new perspective, a deeper understanding of what a "crime" even is. We are taught that a crime is a breach of the law and we must remedy such a breach. Yet Chopper teaches that a crime is not black and white. It has many colours, many sides to a story and many reasons why it occurred. If every inmate wrote a novel of their life experiences, I think it's safe to say, society and our views would be very different to what they are currently. We would have an understanding of where we went wrong.
So to Chopper, I say thank you! Mate your life is NOT and has NOT been a waste at all!
Now I know a lot of people would be sitting back thinking, about bloody time! How is he not dead already? The bloke is said to have killed up to 19 people, he attempted to kidnap a County Court Judge, he had a fellow inmate chop his ears off to prove a point and he spent only 13 months of his life on the "outside" between the ages of 20 and 38. So what! The bloke is a madman! What makes Chopper so special?
But Chopper Read is in my mind a very special man.
Several newspapers have referred to Choppers life as a "waste". With headlines such as "Mark Chopper Read has regretted a wasted life!". But has it all really been such a waste? I don't believe it has.
Now I am not for one minute condoning any of the criminal behaviors of Chopper. We all know the things he did were wrong and he knows it too, however this man has given society through his autobiographical crime novels an invaluable insight in to the life of a career criminal.
I have read every single one of his books, and as a law student I can say that Chopper has taught me things that the Bachelor of Laws degree could never teach. Reading his novels has given me a new perspective, a deeper understanding of what a "crime" even is. We are taught that a crime is a breach of the law and we must remedy such a breach. Yet Chopper teaches that a crime is not black and white. It has many colours, many sides to a story and many reasons why it occurred. If every inmate wrote a novel of their life experiences, I think it's safe to say, society and our views would be very different to what they are currently. We would have an understanding of where we went wrong.
So to Chopper, I say thank you! Mate your life is NOT and has NOT been a waste at all!
Friday 27 April 2012
The baby shoe experiment!
My beautiful (yes I am biased) 14 month old little boy has just started walking. Even though he is my 4th child, so I have been there and done all of this before, it is still an amazing experience watching someone talking their first steps. For my little guy it has been a slow process. A few weeks ago he took "a" step. A day or two later he took a "few" steps, and just in the past 24 hours he has seemed to find his balance and he is now cruising up and down our hallway, clapping his hands and thinking that he is rather clever for having mastered this art.
So this morning I decided I would put his gorgeous new little runners on and see how he liked walking with shoes. This was what can only be described as an EPIC FAILURE! It was honestly like watching a cat with sticky tape attached to its paws! He sat shaking his legs as if he had dipped them in honey or water or some other foreign substance, attempted to chew them off by placing them in his mouth, and when all that failed he decided a tantrum would be the best way to get out of them. He was right!
I guess I still have my sock wearing little baby for a little bit longer.
So this morning I decided I would put his gorgeous new little runners on and see how he liked walking with shoes. This was what can only be described as an EPIC FAILURE! It was honestly like watching a cat with sticky tape attached to its paws! He sat shaking his legs as if he had dipped them in honey or water or some other foreign substance, attempted to chew them off by placing them in his mouth, and when all that failed he decided a tantrum would be the best way to get out of them. He was right!
I guess I still have my sock wearing little baby for a little bit longer.
The never ending saga of the Octomum!
We have all heard of Nadya Suleman, the Angelina Jolie
look-a-like made famous by having 8 children in a single birth in 2009. Octuplets!
Wow! What a story! However since then we have seen story after story, interview
after interview and the main topic of discussion is always her parenting ability,
or more accurately her lack of parenting ability and also quite frequently stories
grace the cover of our magazines and newspapers regarding the squalid living
conditions of her home. Personally I fail to see how this is newsworthy. She is
a single parent with 14 children and refuses the help of others. What exactly
did we all expect?
I have 4 children all aged 6 and under. I had my first three
children (my 3 beautiful girls) all in less than 3 years, and let me tell you,
life is not always a walk in the park, I simply can not comprehend how one
person could possibly chose to undergo
IVF with the view of raising 14 children ALONE! Talk about attention seeking! However
I would not at any point EVER say that it could not be done.
In order to raise 14
children on your own you would have to be a VERY special person in my opinion.
A person who doesn’t even know what the word selfish means, and someone who puts
their children at all times above themselves. I know quite a few single parents
myself and they are the most amazing people I have met and I admire them
greatly. The thing I admire most is their strength. They are fighters, they
work their arses off (& I am not just talking about paid work here either)
and some of the people I know personally I have no doubt could raise 14 kids on
their own but I don’t believe they would chose to do so using a medical
procedure. If only Nadya Suleman could spend a day or two with them I am sure
they could have some sort of positive effect.
I know I certainly never had any visions of this woman
succeeding in successfully raising 14 children on her own. The reality of this
particular situation is that it was always going to be impossible for her!
People have tried to help which in my opinion is very generous. It truly amazes
me how willing society is to help out people who have no interest in helping
themselves. Everyone from Dr Phil to her
own stylist has had a crack, but bottom line the woman seems to think she knows
everything about everything! & I guess in a way she does. She know all that
there is to know about turning the lives of 14 children into a complete train
wreck.
As much as this woman is clearly an idiot, are we, society
partly to blame for this. Let’s be honest here we all get a kick out of reading
her falling flat on her face and doing an absolutely pathetic job of raising
her children. We buy the newspapers, we read the stories. I guess you could
even say we played a part in the existence of the Octuplets in the first place.
We all love reading dramatic, alarming, shocking stories, we all secretly want
to be rich and famous. Bottom line Nadya Suleman wanted to be famous and we
have ensured that she has got what she wanted. We all need to do these poor
kids a favour. We must stop indulging Nadia’s poor decisions, we are the only
hope these kids have got and we need to make this woman accountable! What kind
of mother says things like "Obviously, I love them - but I absolutely
wish I had not had them." We must stop the Octomum train before its too
late.
Thursday 26 April 2012
Guilty? or Not Guilty? ..... does it really matter?
In February this year the Court of Criminal Appeal granted Gordon Wood his freedom.
Gordon Wood for those who have been neglected to read a newspaper or watch a television for the past few years, is the man who was found guilty and subsequently spent 3 years behind bars for allegedly murdering his 24 year old girlfriend Caroline Byrne, by throwing her of The Gap in Watson's Bay in June 1995.
So is he guilty or not guilty? He has been released so surely he must not be guilty, right?
Wrong!
The reality of this case that can only be described as an utter "mess" is that we will never know the truth. We are never going to know if he is guilty or not guilty. The only person who could now tell the truth is the victim and if she were still alive today this would not be on the table for discussion. So who has the justice system let down here? Have they let Caroline Byrne's family and friends down by letting a murder walk free? or, have they let Gordon Wood down, by sending him to jail for 3 years for something he didn't do? We will never know. But one thing is for certain and that is that the justice system has let down society as a whole due to the outcome in this case. How can we trust the system to get it right, when the system allows such a mess to conspire?
It is probably relevant to mention why the Court of Criminal Appeal was forced to make such a decision. An expert witness that gave evidence at Wood's original trial was found not to be such an "expert" after all. How does an expert witness, used by the prosecution to provide his "expert" opinion on the probability of an event turn out to not be an expert? Well it turns out that "self taught experts" do not exactly fit into the category that the justice system in the country requires. WHAT A SHAM! I am a mother and well it safe to say nobody taught me how to do that, so apparently as I am self taught and all, I am no expert on matters of a mothering nature! So wrong! So, so wrong!
But it is what it is.
Wood is now free, double jeopardy will ensure that he is never tried again for this crime and he is now being paid ridiculous sums for television interviews and I am sure a book deal is soon to follow as he needs something to go into battle with Byrne's father Tony's book The Killing of Caroline Byrne: A Journey of Justice, and we, the Australian public are left confused and in a state of distrust with our legal system. So how do we fix it? The answer is, we probably can't.
As I have said in a previous post, the reason I continue to study law is so that I can make a difference, and maybe if every lawyer out there and every member of the judiciary had the same view we could change the legal system so that things like this are never allowed to happen. This case has highlighted the need for a better system. It needs to be clearer, it needs to be more immediate and it needs to be improved dramatically. Relevance id such a pivotal aspect of evidence, yet the concept of relevance seems to play no such part in the procedural aspect of our legal system. Its not relevant guys, so lets fix it!
My heart goes out to Caroline Byrne's family and friends however it also goes out to Gordon Wood which some people may find controversial. The Byrne's will never get their daughter back and that is obviously a tragedy, and Gordon Wood will live forever with society either judging him as guilty or not guilty. Yet he has not had a fair trial which is a right every citizen in this country should be given. In this case, whether he is guilty or not guilty our legal system has ensured that it no longer matters!
Gordon Wood for those who have been neglected to read a newspaper or watch a television for the past few years, is the man who was found guilty and subsequently spent 3 years behind bars for allegedly murdering his 24 year old girlfriend Caroline Byrne, by throwing her of The Gap in Watson's Bay in June 1995.
So is he guilty or not guilty? He has been released so surely he must not be guilty, right?
Wrong!
The reality of this case that can only be described as an utter "mess" is that we will never know the truth. We are never going to know if he is guilty or not guilty. The only person who could now tell the truth is the victim and if she were still alive today this would not be on the table for discussion. So who has the justice system let down here? Have they let Caroline Byrne's family and friends down by letting a murder walk free? or, have they let Gordon Wood down, by sending him to jail for 3 years for something he didn't do? We will never know. But one thing is for certain and that is that the justice system has let down society as a whole due to the outcome in this case. How can we trust the system to get it right, when the system allows such a mess to conspire?
It is probably relevant to mention why the Court of Criminal Appeal was forced to make such a decision. An expert witness that gave evidence at Wood's original trial was found not to be such an "expert" after all. How does an expert witness, used by the prosecution to provide his "expert" opinion on the probability of an event turn out to not be an expert? Well it turns out that "self taught experts" do not exactly fit into the category that the justice system in the country requires. WHAT A SHAM! I am a mother and well it safe to say nobody taught me how to do that, so apparently as I am self taught and all, I am no expert on matters of a mothering nature! So wrong! So, so wrong!
But it is what it is.
Wood is now free, double jeopardy will ensure that he is never tried again for this crime and he is now being paid ridiculous sums for television interviews and I am sure a book deal is soon to follow as he needs something to go into battle with Byrne's father Tony's book The Killing of Caroline Byrne: A Journey of Justice, and we, the Australian public are left confused and in a state of distrust with our legal system. So how do we fix it? The answer is, we probably can't.
As I have said in a previous post, the reason I continue to study law is so that I can make a difference, and maybe if every lawyer out there and every member of the judiciary had the same view we could change the legal system so that things like this are never allowed to happen. This case has highlighted the need for a better system. It needs to be clearer, it needs to be more immediate and it needs to be improved dramatically. Relevance id such a pivotal aspect of evidence, yet the concept of relevance seems to play no such part in the procedural aspect of our legal system. Its not relevant guys, so lets fix it!
My heart goes out to Caroline Byrne's family and friends however it also goes out to Gordon Wood which some people may find controversial. The Byrne's will never get their daughter back and that is obviously a tragedy, and Gordon Wood will live forever with society either judging him as guilty or not guilty. Yet he has not had a fair trial which is a right every citizen in this country should be given. In this case, whether he is guilty or not guilty our legal system has ensured that it no longer matters!
Me! Me! Me!
Welcome to Mummy Vision!
To be perfectly honest I am not entirely sure why I have decided to start a blog. I like to read, I like to write, I love my family and I have an opinion as my husband tells me (frequently) on everything!
I am certainly not anything special, I am just your average mum. I walk my 6 year old to school everyday, I attempt to stay on top of the housework, try and establish some sort of system of order in my home. I am up until the wee hours most nights with toilet trips for my 3 year old, my 4 year old often sleeps in our bed as she is scared of monsters and my baby, well he is teething, so need I say more? And after all that when I get a few spare minutes I try and cram in a little bit of study.
Education to me is important, however I am what the legal profession call an "accidental law student". Sure I have always wanted to be a lawyer, barrister, solicitor etc but I think in the beginning it was more because I thought Reece Witherspoon in Legally Blonde was just AWESOME (shoes, just think of the shoes), & I will admit to being a dedicated fan to the television series Ally McBeal (oh what I would give to work in a legal office with a bar underneath).... how a person could be so wrong about the ins and outs of a profession is simply beyond me, however this is clearly a prime example of how television misleads us ALL THE TIME!!! But I have now learned a lot of important things from my degree and I do one day hope to establish a career of some kind, not with the aim so much of making some serious coin ($$$$) but with the aim of assisting people less fortunate them myself.
The most important thing I have learned during my years at law school is that having an opinion is a really powerful thing. To be opinionated is even better (as long as you are respectful). Opinions contrary to popular belief do not hurt anyone. They don't make the world stop, they are what makes the world keep spinning. So this blog is me sharing my opinions on everything. Read if you dare! I make no apologies to those I offend by simply thinking outside the box at times & please feel free to share your thoughts.
To be perfectly honest I am not entirely sure why I have decided to start a blog. I like to read, I like to write, I love my family and I have an opinion as my husband tells me (frequently) on everything!
I am certainly not anything special, I am just your average mum. I walk my 6 year old to school everyday, I attempt to stay on top of the housework, try and establish some sort of system of order in my home. I am up until the wee hours most nights with toilet trips for my 3 year old, my 4 year old often sleeps in our bed as she is scared of monsters and my baby, well he is teething, so need I say more? And after all that when I get a few spare minutes I try and cram in a little bit of study.
Education to me is important, however I am what the legal profession call an "accidental law student". Sure I have always wanted to be a lawyer, barrister, solicitor etc but I think in the beginning it was more because I thought Reece Witherspoon in Legally Blonde was just AWESOME (shoes, just think of the shoes), & I will admit to being a dedicated fan to the television series Ally McBeal (oh what I would give to work in a legal office with a bar underneath).... how a person could be so wrong about the ins and outs of a profession is simply beyond me, however this is clearly a prime example of how television misleads us ALL THE TIME!!! But I have now learned a lot of important things from my degree and I do one day hope to establish a career of some kind, not with the aim so much of making some serious coin ($$$$) but with the aim of assisting people less fortunate them myself.
The most important thing I have learned during my years at law school is that having an opinion is a really powerful thing. To be opinionated is even better (as long as you are respectful). Opinions contrary to popular belief do not hurt anyone. They don't make the world stop, they are what makes the world keep spinning. So this blog is me sharing my opinions on everything. Read if you dare! I make no apologies to those I offend by simply thinking outside the box at times & please feel free to share your thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)