It’s early Thursday morning and I’m completely devoid of ideas for today’s post so going with the ubiquitous ‘taking stock’ post again, although pretending it’s THAT time of the month…. when I share all sorts of random facts jostling for space in my busy little brain.
Over-analysing: the notion of free speech. Don’t get me wrong… I’m all for free speech. But the current political debate here in Australia (particularly around same-sex marriage) is fraught with emotion. It’s a no-brainer for me. I’m certainly voting yes and surprised it’s something we still debate. And I like to think in years to come future generations will shake their heads in disbelief that it wasn’t something that was a given (like Indigenous Australians and women getting to vote, for example).
Despite saying I don’t want to shove my beliefs down your throat… here’s my fave slogan thingy. Source: Pinterest but there are gazillions of these images so not sure of original source!
However, I’ve been pondering our proclivity to claim our rightness and others’ wrongness. Naturally I do believe I’m on the right side of this debate ( 😉 ) but I have a colleague I know will be voting ‘no’ and he’s just as certain he’s in the right. Indeed, as the pro-marriage equality supporters get more vocal, so does he. And there’s part of my brain that wonders about our right to tell others what they should believe in… rather than hope that they’re swayed by the way it plays out… (that laws change and people realise heterosexual marriage is not denigrated in any way / the world doesn’t suddenly become sexually corrupted) for example.
And yes, I know this argument doesn’t work for white supremacy and so forth, but still, having a smart and sane person I like on the opposite side of the debate – though it doesn’t convince me I’m wrong – has me pondering their right to be wrong. If that makes sense.
Eating: a lot of brownies. I’ve been doing some taste-testing of gluten-free packet mixes (for scientific purposes only of course) and – wait for it – am almost sick of them…
Listening: to the solo efforts of the boys from One Direction. I know that’s embarrassing to admit but I’m surprisingly taken by some of their releases, like Strip That Down, Back to You and Slow Hands.
Wondering: if it’s weird that my two favourite pictures of me from the last couple of years BOTH involve me clutching a vanilla diet coke bottle in my hand. Coincidence? Perhaps not.
Planning: on doing some re-potting. I mentioned a while ago on social media that some of my indoor plants – which have surprisingly survived a year or three in my company – need re-potting. It’s taken me a while to psych myself up to do something about it but I’m almost there.
Plus a neighbour gave me some mother-in-law’s tongue (above) which is much bigger than I expected so I need to work out how to re-pot it / them. (Which is timely as two of my (inherited) balcony plants are deadish and could do with some sort of ceremonial closure and reincarnation. 🙂
Anything interesting happening in your world? Anything else you’d like to know? Or any advice on the plant re-potting?
The Lovin’ Life team includes:
September 14, 2017
You’re making me feel guilty for not repotting my plants. I have some plants that are completely pot bound with the pots bulging but repotting them always seem to remain at the bottom of my to do list.
Ingrid
http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au
September 14, 2017
All of my potplants are in the ugly pots they came in, inside nicer pots. Some should be planted directly into the nicer pots but I’ve never got around to it, and some have outgrown their temporary casings and need a bigger pot but the idea of having to do that – lugging the pots outside etc… feels a little overwhelming. Plus whenever I buy new pots I underestimate how big I need them to be.
However, I have two pots on my balcony I inherited from the previous owner. They’re mismatched and ceramic and I’m not a fan. Plus they’re dead, so I’m figuring my new mother-in-law’s tongue would be perfect out there. In new pots. I think they’re pretty hardy!
September 14, 2017
I’m a little over the same sex marriage debate as for some they just can’t accept that everyone has their own opinion. On the pot plant front I have a red thumb not green so I’ve gone fake lol. In other news we are off to Spain in two weeks!
September 14, 2017
Yes, Spain sounds lovely. I’m very envious. I used to kill all of my plants too but now seem to be doing worse with my outdoor (verandah) plants than the 6-7 I have inside. They get water whenever my water bottle has dregs left over, whereas I don’t go out on the verandah for weeks on end! :-/
September 14, 2017
That was my fb profile pic until a few days ago (changed to the F1 for the weekend). Clever Denyse Whelan showed me how to change my Insta handle to Lydia Votes YES. I don’t believe I have the right to vote on whether my peers are equal to me, however, as forced to, I will. I have some friends so upset by what is being said, I’ve had to spend time trying to show them that there is a lot of support and most people don’t believe the rubbish. I was in a near by suburb and a street has deocrated their door and mailboxs with rainbow flags. A lot of businesses are shouting proudly. And as Father Rod said ‘None of us are free until all of us are free’ (you know what I mean).
Big change on the hair colour. Both look great! Red next?
September 14, 2017
I guess I struggle whether or not to get into the debate with people who strongly disagree. I tend not to… just say that I don’t agree, I’m voting yes and try to end the conversation there. But then I wonder if it’s a cop-out and it IS part of my role / duty to put forth my argument. I think it depends a little on the time and place. And person. The work colleague I mention is religious so I think he’d be better hearing from someone who knows the bible and can reflect on its passages and their meanings and relevance for today etc…
September 14, 2017
I’m with you re the free speech thing. I’m voting yes, & like you, am surprised we’re having this discussion in this day and age. I am, however, sick of being told what I should be thinking – I’m perfectly capable of doing that myself. I’m also with you in what I’m calling the New Directioners releases. We do a really funky little routine at belly dancing to Strip That Down.
September 14, 2017
It’s weird re One Direction isn’t it, that their songs seem pretty sexy and sophisticated and I don’t recall them having that sound as a band. Perhaps it was part of the teen-girls allure thing at the time?!
September 14, 2017
My plant knoweldge goes as far as “most are green”… I won a book a year ago on how to easily start a garden and I’m still too intimidated to read it! I reckon you like the two photos because you’ve got a caffeine buzz spark in your face haha.
September 14, 2017
That’s probably it…. sparkly caffeinated crazy eyes and smug look on my face!
September 14, 2017
Do you know that I have never even drunk Vanilla Diet Coke in my life … and you can’t go wrong with Mother-in-Law’s Tongue – such a hardy plant – easy to care for. Just whack in a pot with some potting mix and she’ll be right! #TeamLovinLife
September 14, 2017
When my neighbour offered me the MIL tongue I assumed it was going to be smaller bits but these are really long and curly. They’re not buried particularly deep in the pot he gave me I’d say they knew I was going to replant them) so I’ll need to work out how many to put in each new pot etc… I’m used to them being shorter and fatter!
September 14, 2017
Your equal rights analogy about how they’re not like pie is spot on. Great way to get the concept of equality across.
SSG xxx
September 14, 2017
It’s a favourite of mine and particularly pertinent to the guy I work with who believes that allowing same sex couples to marry is taking something away from the sanctity of marriage. (Such as it is.)
September 14, 2017
I do not have the energy to even argue with anyone about this voting thing. The damned government should have shown some backbone and done this themselves. It is ludicrous that even the voting may make no difference either. I love your fave photos! It’s funny, as I am only a straight Coke drinker (I have 200 ml cans in the fridge because that is my limit to any soft drink anyway) and have never really understood the Vanilla Coke (or sugar free/diet free because they taste crap to me) but recently I went past a Coke vending machine and found myself looking in to see if there was any of your VC…and there was!! Next week’s prompt for LTW is …drum roll: Taking Stock. There you go, two link ups with one post!! D xx
September 14, 2017
I did see that next week’s theme was Taking Stock Denyse and that’s probably what gave me the inspiration. I’d started writing something else for today but just wasn’t feeling it.
September 19, 2017
Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek 36/52. Next week’s prompt: Beach or Bush. PS I asked my 93 yo Dad what he was voting and he started on a convoluted tale about postal voting for the recent NSW council elections so I mentioned, no it’s about the SSM thing..,and he brought up church and religion (he is not a regular churchgoer at all) and I let the convo slide.
September 19, 2017
My (rather religious) mum’s supportive of same sex marriage, which is great but I caught up with some other relatives recently and my aunt was very anti. I decided against having the debate as I doubt I’d change her mind and it didn’t feel worth it. I did tell her I disagreed with her though….
September 14, 2017
If I lived near you, I’d help. I’ve revived and repotted plants without fear 🙂 The MIL tongue plant is hardy so you’ll be alright. If you’re concerned about the plant height, just give them some support, either you put a few in the same pot, or get a narrower pot, or some support sticks and tie the plants gently to the stick. In other news, I’m enjoying Toronto International Film Festival and the last bit of our summer!
September 14, 2017
Yes, I’m going to go pot-hunting tomorrow Natalie. The sorts of pots I can find will help me decide if they’re all going into one pot or separate pots. I don’t know how they multiply – in width, with more growing out of the bottom or what?!
September 14, 2017
I’m SOOOO over the same sex marriage debate. I’m SOOOO over it being all over my FB feed (wrote about that on Monday!) I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and to genuine and considerate conversation but shoving your opinion in someone else’s face and trying to bludgeon or ridicule them into agreeing with you is just SOOO wrong. I’ve done my vote and I stand by what I believe and I’ll be glad when it’s all over. Then they’ll start on daylight saving again in WA – they will NOT leave it alone and I’m SOOOO over that too! Glad I got all that off my chest – and I enjoyed the rest of your post too btw x
September 14, 2017
I worry a bit that the debate peaked early and will drag on as well Leanne. It’s scary to think there’s more than another month to go. I guess it’s like elections and (as you said) daylight saving. We have that one here in Qld as well.
September 14, 2017
I’m really over the raging about same sex marriage – nobody should be allowed to pressure anybody else. It’s different if somebody asks for discussion (as in my blog post from a couple of weeks ago) but even then why have people turned so violent and rude. Surely you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?!! LOL. Oh and you look much better as a blonde but maybe I’m biased being blonde myself 😉
September 14, 2017
It’s a bit like the breast check / heart debate that I saw on the weekend. Initially those messages went around asking people to put a heart on their timeline in honour of Connie Johnson’s passing. But then people put messages up saying “Actually, getting your breast checked would be a better idea.”
But then I noticed people got antsy and defensive about doing one or the other or both and someone’s timeline I saw got quite heated as they took offence at others assuming they were ONLY putting the heart up and not doing other stuff. I was like…. WTAF?
September 14, 2017
I have always liked One Direction, not that I have shouted it out to the world. Slow hands is such a catchy song, it’s grown on me. I also feel like a brownie 🙂
September 15, 2017
I’m surprised at the sexiness of Slow Hands I must confess. Though I guess the guys are all in their 20s now and am sure I read one has a child….
September 14, 2017
So much going on, and here I am laughing at the cokes in your photos!! It is quite telling!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
September 15, 2017
It’s very telling Jodie and – interestingly – both photos were taken very early in the morning. The latest (the blonde one) was before going whale watching at about 6.30am!
September 15, 2017
Thankfully the decision about about same sex marriage was made in nz a few years ago now. At the time, the debate was very heated & often turned nasty. Now that the dust has settled, many who were strongly apposed changed their minds, once that realized that it was not going to impact them at all. I’ve never had much luck with house plants in the past, but am keen to try again with something very hardy.
September 17, 2017
I know, you’d think the naysayers (re marriage equality) would have learned from other countries that it’s not going to destroy our morality, livelihood or security in anyway….
September 18, 2017
I’ve missed seeing you around the blogosphere. Where have you been? Or is it me?
September 18, 2017
No, it’s me Deb. I cut back on my blogging for a while and just stuck to book reviews. And I closed comments on them as I wasn’t getting around to read as many other blogs (so didn’t want people to feel they had to come and read mine and leave a comment etc…) I’m really only blogging (non-bookish stuff) once a week. I’ve got some other changes coming up though, so need to do some planning!
September 18, 2017
I love that pie quote too. It’s perfect.
As for One Direction: I wanted so badly to not like Harry’s single “Sign of the Times” but I LOVE IT. It is actually one of my favourite songs. Damn him!
#teamlovinlife
September 18, 2017
I know… I read / heard something somewhere about how ‘managed’ their solo careers are in terms of the quality of their releases and timing etc…
September 18, 2017
Re: the same sex marriage plebiscite (biggest waste of money in my opinion), I voted YES, but I too am rather sick of being told how to vote. Australia is a democracy, so each of us can decide which way we want to vote for ourselves. I’m a bit of a One Direction fan too – must be a hangover from when my daughter was a big fan 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
September 18, 2017
I refused to listen to their stuff (mostly) when they were 1D but somehow their solo stuff is getting stuck in my head. I guess their target audiences are getting older as well!
Am looking forward to getting my plebiscite paperwork, filling it in and sending it off.
September 18, 2017
Haha, love that pie meme and your vanilla diet coke photos. You’re looking great!
September 19, 2017
I’ve seen the pie quote with rainbow colours used for this campaign now which is great.