The government settled for $1.3 billion on Monday (16Nov20) over the Robodebt fiasco. How was this scheme allowed to come into being and to run for so long despite the many warnings that it was throwing up incorrect debts on people who could least afford it? The number of suicides directly related to the hounding attitude of the government departments involved became an increasing problem in our community. Why?
Continue reading “A cruelty called Robodebt”
We are all in so much of a hurry to get through this life it seems. And no matter how much we rush and save time we will be no less dead at the end. Saving time seems to be our highest goal but the question must be asked, saving time for what? Time is not something you can bank up and use more of at some point in the future. It is here, now, that’s it and there is no more. Whether you use it wisely and enjoy each fleeting second is up to you. You don’t get to save it up.
Continue reading “Saving time”“Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.”
Shari R. Barr
Do things just happen by accident? The way that I came to read this book made me question that statement. Is there some sort of intentionality behind them? Sometimes. Perhaps. Let me explain the circumstances and see what you think.
Continue reading “Letting go of the person you used to be – a book review”
This is from the time when I was working in the main headquarters signals centre for the RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force) in Wellington in the 1960’s. Kurt Brindley prompted this memory by mentioning reading punched paper tape when he was in the Navy and that was exactly what the main signals centre processed. It received messages punched out on paper tape from each base around the country. Our job was to take the tapes received and send them on to whichever base or external party it was addressed to. You may scoff but it was state of the art for the times and we must have processed literally thousands of these messages every day.
Continue reading “Chads Justice”
The biggest lessons sometimes come from the smallest things. This was the case for me this morning in meditation. It started with a small sandfly of some sort that flew in and landed on the windowsill right beside the Buddha statue I was focussing on in meditation. It landed, wandered around a little, then just stayed in the one place. I shifted my focus to it and watched it waiting for it to move again but it didn’t, it just sat there.
Continue reading “Sandfly life”
I was stuck on a word in a crossword this morning. It was four letters, ended in an O and the clue was patron saint of sailors. I had to admit defeat and look up the answer which to my utter surprise turned out to be “Elmo”. Elmo? Rosie’s friend Elmo of whom I wrote recently (see “Elmo and Rose” ) was the patron saint of sailors? Surely not. Please forgive my ignorance and not being a religious person, I had to consult Dr Google to check this out.
Continue reading “Saint Elmo?”
Miss Daisy was feeling a little poorly last night and still appeared very lethargic this morning. As the little girl has had a heart condition for some time ( see 441 Days ) Molly and I started mentally preparing ourselves for the worst. However I repeated this mantra in my mind all through my meditation session this morning. Later, when it came time for breakfast, our old bouncy Daisy reappeared from her bed as if nothing had happened and tucked into her breakfast with the same enthusiasm as always.
Continue reading “Healing Mantra for Daisy”
The stuffed human-like form covered in a familiar red fabric with the distinctive boggle eyes, yellow nose and a large mouth set in a permanent grin, lies between the meditation cushion and the wuppies bed. Two little hands with only four fingers on each hand. Two little feet with only three toes on each foot. This is Elmo and he came to fame through the tv show Sesame Street. Our version was a grandchild’s toy that somehow got left behind at our place and was adopted by Miss Rosie. Or was it adopted by Miss Rosie first as it was accidentally dropped on the floor and no one wanted to reclaim it and clean it free of Miss Rosie’s influence or as some might say, Miss Rosie’s germs, but that would be unkind. Either way Miss Rosie had adopted Elmo and that is the way it has stayed for years after.
Continue reading “Elmo and Rose”
Willow is looking very festive as befits the season. Read about Willow and her story in my earlier post The Odd Thing About Willow
Weekly episodes on whatever catches my eye but with a keen interest in hearing the story behind blues musicians and craftsmen
Mike Stacey 2016
