I live in rural NSW. I am happy here in rural NSW. I am out of the rat race, but close enough to make flying trips to the Big Smoke and catch a bit of thee-ay-ter with friends and family. If you weren't aware, I am something of a Culture Vulture, and do like live plays. So for the time being, it is in rural NSW I will stay. I have never toyed with the idea of living in Victoria. I have made brief visits to Victoria, but only Melbourne to appear on Channel 9 quiz shows. I had a terrific weekend with friends a few years ago. I like Melbourne. Maybe I could live in Victoria, or so I once thought.
But I'm having a serious rethink on that one. I cannot vouch for the veracity of what I heard today, but if this is correct, I am extremely glad I do not live in Victoria at the moment, although I mustn't get complacent because NSW just might follow suit. What I heard is the Victorian government do not want pre-schoolers reading traditional fairy stories or buying gender specific toys for kids to play with. To the Victorian State Parliament: are you all smoking crack? Look, I am aware of the Cinderella Syndrome which ostensibly causes women to believe they need a man to look after them, and things will be fine. The notion the hero and heroine are handsome and beautiful gets up my nose, too (what's 'beautiful', anyway? There are tribes in the Amazon that thinking sticking a plate in your lip so it sticks out like Mick Jagger's after an attack by a swarm of bees is attractive). Do these stories place a danger of instilling a sense of entitlement in boys, and a sense of needing to be rescued in girls? Here's an idea, and it's a little left of centre, and you might need to void your bladder before reading what I am about to type, but: JUST TELL KIDS THESE STORIES DON'T REFLECT REAL LIFE! I know, it's a difficult concept to grasp, but surely the word 'fairy' is kind of a giveaway to the fact these are STORIES. They're NOT REAL. Take some time to absorb that. Take all the time you need.
Truth be told, I think we should target the more modern offerings of pop culture that give a misplaced sense of false security. I'm thinking television shows like 'Everybody Loves Raymond', 'King of Queens', and 'Home Improvement'. They perpetuate the fallacy that a man needs to be an overweight, lazy, moronic, sexist slob in order to score an attractive, intelligent, hot wife. You see what I'm getting at? The Doug character from 'King of Queens' is lard- and dumb-ass, but have a look at his wife! Holy Moly! The Tim character from 'Home Improvement' is a rather stupid (oh, hell, VERY stupid) schlub but his wife is a MENSA candidate compared to him. Don't get me started on the toss-bag from 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. This is a show I cannot watch without losing it owing to the whiny, lying, passive-aggressive wet sock of a titular character, but again he has a wife who is reasonably nice looking and intelligent. Each and every one of these guys is punching well and truly above their weight - we are talking flyweight taking on heavyweight here - but we are to believe they are capable of captivating and sustaining relationships with these comparative butterflies.
Anyway, got a kitchen to tidy, so I must away. I am not rostered to work tomorrow, so hopefully will get through that damnable manuscript of mine. I've almost finished the fourth reading, and have found ONE mistake. Just one. That is good. It might be ready to go to print soon.
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