I'm doing my Grand High Executioner bit, and making my little list. There are things on my mind today, along with the usual plethora of crap that goes hand-in-paw with being a parent who has a book to launch soon (must compile the official guest list tonight). Anyway, three things are at the foremost of my mind at the moment. They are duly set out hereunder:
1. Creepiest Thing I've Seen In Ages: saw it on breakfast television this morning, and it was an article on what's known as the Purity Ball. It's something in the US, and young (13 or so) girls take part in it, pledging to their fathers they will remain pure until such time as the ring's on the finger and the wedding cake has been sliced. It looked a little like a deb ball, which is something I'm not a huge fan of in principle, although if someone wants to make her deb, then that's her choice. I've really only been to one deb ball in my life. I didn't make my debut when I was of appropriate age because (1) I had my HSC to concentrate on; (2) the other debs were this skank-fest from Year 11; (3) I was too shy to ask a boy to partner me, and most importantly; (4) the idea just shat me to tears. The one deb ball I attended was when I was 18, and I was a guest of my cousin who made her debut. She and I are quite close, and I wanted to give her support. I did have fun, and do recall the after party with other young adults, sitting in a room swilling Dr Jurd's Jungle Juice, and being told I have hair like Boy George. This was not flattering. I hated Boy George, and still do. But getting back to this hideous concept of the Purity Ball. I know the principle that if the girl wants to partake, then it is her choice, should apply as it does with the Deb Ball. But I cannot help but think the poor girl has been controlled by a manipulative, hypocritical fuck-up of a father who has this creepy Madonna/Whore complex. First kiss on your wedding day and until this valid marriage you are considered married to the Lord? Pfffffft! If any of you young lasses happen to be reading this, take it from Auntie Bingells: you shouldn't buy the first pair of shoes you try on. And you dads, this daughter you have created is another person in her own right, not some pristine objet d'art to be kept in the display cabinet. Protect her as a father would, but don't 'reverse pimp' her, either. Truly, I was fighting nausea when I watched that article. I was shuddering, and could not think of anything more truly ickifying, except maybe discovering a pair of bats having sex in your hair.
2. What's Seriously Pissing Me Off: The Abbott government. Oh, this is a given, I know. I'm always pissed off at this government, and it's only the level of piss-off that changes. And Immigration Minister Scott Morrison in particular is just grinding my gears. Denying asylum seekers legal representation? WTF, man? Likening it to 'removing the sugar bowl from the table'? Yes, I don't give my children dessert every night, either. But hey, the right to legal counsel is not a treat or luxury, it is an inalienable human right!!! According to the UN, children should not be kept in detention for longer than is absolutely necessary (such as health checks being conducted), and yet we have children stuck in there, being given medication to assist them to sleep. Wrong, wrong, wrong, and shame on all of you.
3. What's Saddened Me A Bit Today: I often listen to music, and today I played 'No Matter What' by Badfinger. I love this song, with it's poignant and wistful lyrics and delivery. The guys performing were very talented musicians, and I love the harmonies in this song. You will note I used the word 'were'. This is past tense. Yeah, they were dragged over the coals, totally innocent of any wrongdoing, owing to an accounting error regarding sales. Their assets were frozen. They were bankrupted. The singer, Pete Ham, took his own life and in a sick coincidence paid his own membership to the notorious Club 27 that many rock singers have joined. A few years later, fellow band member Tom Evans also hanged himself. I doubted the record company big-wigs really gave a rat's ring, and it's heartbreaking to see talented and sensitive men chewed up and spat out by an industry that gives not one iota of crap. It's a bad cliché.
Oh well, things to do, so ciao for now.
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