I've been having a very pleasant evening. I spend time helping students with the school work, but tonight my seventeen-year-old asked me for my assistance. He's written an explanation for a visual arts project, which is musically themed. The genres he has chosen are rock, pop, techno, and stage musicals. I explained why he should use an Oxford comma and why he should ditch the ampersand and write 'and', as well as how a reflexive pronoun should be applied. To bond with my son and talk grammar puts me in a state of blissful halcyon. But what really moved me was reading his explanation as to how the music 'spoke' to him. He wrote from the heart about how each genre affects him differently, and I particularly loved his self-comparison to Apollo, the Greek god of music, when listening techno and its musical idiosyncrasies. I guess what got me is that my son articulated exactly how I feel listening to music.
Speaking of music, today I had cause to view on YouTube a clip of Elton Montello singing Jet Boy, Jet Girl. Note-for-note, it's pretty much Ca Plane Pour Moi. But the lyrics are not a translation of the latter's nonsensical, um, whimsy (some would say 'bullshit', but I'm running with whimsy). I think the best way to experience this song is to look at it for yourselves, but I will forewarn you it is reminiscent of Marcel Marceau wearing a rude shirt and dancing like Peter Garrett on a hotplate, whilst singing disturbing lyrics about a dude who fellated him and who is now apparently into chicks. Also, the narrator of the piece is fifteen. Kind of like what makes A Clockwork Orange disturbing viewing (along with just about every other aspect of the film).
What else is disturbing? Politicians' behaviour, that's what. Oh, I know you're all thinking: 'Big whoop-de-doo, what's your next great proclamation; gravity makes things fall?'; but they have been utter jerks, and it's not just limited to one party.
Usually, the LNP do my head in, and this week was no exception. David Van making growling noises when Senator Lambie was speaking is one example. Don't like Lambie? That's fine; you don't have to. But Van, do you seriously think making animal noises whilst the woman had for the floor was appropriate? Would you like someone doing that to you? Or how's this: would you like someone to treat your daughter that way in the workplace? I didn't think so. Get in the sea, you obnoxious popped boil.
Today, I had cause to be even more appalled. Generally, I don't mind the Greens, but Senator Lidia Thorpe is doing them no favours with her nasty comment to Senator Hollie Hughes in an interjection (I believe today or yesterday), which was words to the effect: 'At least I keep my legs shut!'. Hello? WTAF? In what universe is this deemed prudent senatorial behaviour (although there sure is a lot of rotten carrying on in QT)? The comment has been construed as a dig about Hughes having birthed a kid with autism. I think it sounds like slut-shaming. Seriously, didn't we leave behind this type of offensive, sexist, and pointless snarking around twenty years ago? There is no level or angle of spin that is going to make that comment in any way acceptable or funny. It's not, and furthermore, it is utterly disgraceful. Adam Bandt, are you going to call out or castigate your senator for this objectionable remark? Given the crap to which Thorpe's fellow Green Sarah Hanson-Young was subjected by David Leyonhjelm, I find it bizarre that Thorpe would make such an unconscionable comment. So you keep your legs shut, do you, Lidia? How about you include your MOUTH next time you get the urge to let forth something so pathetically pointless and reminiscent of a coke-fueled 1980s board meeting? This grotesque type of insult has the potential to detract from any decent work you are trying to do, so put brain in gear before putting mouth in action, next time.
There was, however, one thing I did enjoy from Parliament House this week. Of course, it was Anthony Albanese calling Spud-the-Dud Dutton 'Boofhead'. Thank goodness it was in parliament, otherwise Albo might have been on the receiving end of a defamation action! Oh, it made me guffaw, my friends. What's more, I think I might purchase some of the merch celebrating this moment.
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