Happy Holiday Reading

Well, this is the last post for 2011 as I'll be taking a little break over the holidays before reconvening Nah Seriously in the new year. I must therefore pass on my best wishes for Xmas to you all and also say a big thanks to those who have been followers/readers from the start and those who have come on board more recently.

I hope there's been some form of enjoyment/entertainment in hearing of my exploits and thoughts on a number of topics throughout the year. I've certainly enjoyed 'jotting down some musings' and am glad I've found a bit of a groove since October in trying to be more disciplined and post on a regular basis.

While I am taking a break and you'll be missing my witty and insightful prose, I thought I'd better provide you with some holiday reading from various sources that I like to check out from time to time. Some serious but some a little more lighthearted. So enjoy yourself if and when you're taking a break and see you again in 2012.

EDM.


John Birmingham - Daddy's Rules

Sam de Brito - Free to be human

Jeff Sparrow - Bad year for dictators, grim year for democracy

Possum Comitatus - Australian Exceptionalism

Kathleen Noonan - Enough is enough

Paul Syvret - Royal chirp-up to the colonies

Martin Flanagan - Liam Jurrah

Anonymous - Footy Almanac

Old Dog, New Trick

It is an amazing opportunity before me at the moment. Six months long service leave. Living on the Sunshine Coast. And getting to spend a lot of time with the wife and son as I take care of the little fella in particular on a full-time basis.

Given all that, I thought it would be remiss of me if I didn't seek to accomplish a few things while living this life. Regular writing and posting on this blog is one. But another is surfing. While the daddy day care duties don't allow a hell of a lot of time for getting out and hitting the waves, the opportunity of living up the coast for an extended amount of time really had to be grasped.

So a couple of weeks ago, I undertook my first lesson down on Noosa Main Beach. By all accounts, Noosa Main is a pretty good spot to learn so I headed down there one morning with quite a few butterflies and a yearn to learn. Why so nervous? Well, I think I've been fortunate to almost always pick up new things pretty easily when it comes to athletic/sporting pursuits. In my teenage days anyway. As a result, I don't think I handle being a 'gumby' at something very well and I've been reluctant to try new things as I've gotten older for that reason.

So taking on something completely new at the grand old age of 36 seemed a little strange and I was a bit intimidated seeing I was most definitely going to be a gumby this day. And not helped by an American tourist doing the lesson as well that said to me "You're an Australian and you don't know how to surf?"

Anyway, there was a delay to the lesson starting because a large group hadn't arrived yet so I was standing near the truck and putting on my assigned rashie. Next thing I know a German girl tapped me on the shoulder and handed over $60. Perplexed and not quite thinking straight due to the nerves, it took me a while to realise she thought that I was the surfing instructor and she wanted to pay up.

Having been up the coast for over three months now, I guess I've started to take on the 'coasty' look with longer hair, a tan and a bushy beard. I did quickly explain that I was merely a fellow pupil and not the instructor before she snatched her money back, no doubt wondering "He's an Australian and he doesn't know how to surf?"

We eventually ventured on to the sand with our training boards under our arms and squinting heavily into the sun. The instructor did his intro with his surfing bio (born and breed at Noosa, been surfing for 35 years, etc) and some beach safety tips before we went through the movements on our boards, raising the odd wry smile from the beachgoers around us. I was doing quite well at this and was thinking this surfing gig might just be a breeze before I realised the sand is probably a hundred times more stable than a moving wave out in the ocean.

A couple of run-throughs and we were into the water already practicing pushing up into position as the wave hits. It seemed easy enough and I enjoyed a couple of rides into the shore and thought 'maybe I don't need to stand up. This is pretty fun in itself.' We were back on to the beach a short time later for some more instruction and then it was time to try it all out by ourselves.

I was on the end of the group as we lined up horizontal to the shore with the instructor moving along pushing each person along to help them get some momentum. I reasoned it would take ages before he got to me so I decided I'd try and give it a go myself. A little clumsily I found my 'sweet spot' for my feet and looked back behind me at the incoming wave.

It just seemed natural to begin to paddle with my arms so I moved off and waited for the wave to hit. Still nothing so I looked around again and it was still some way off. All this waiting wasn't good, however, as I was over-analysing and over-thinking what I needed to do next. Then before I know it, the board lifted at the tail (got the lingo down already) and I started to gain some momentum pretty quickly.

I noticed that the nose was dipping though and all of sudden I was face-planting sand and my feet were flying over my head in a complete somersault. I'd nose-dived in spectacular fashion and the leg robe was now pulling strongly on my ankle as the board wanted to give up on me and head back into the shore.

I looked around to see where I was (still Noosa?) and the instructor had a big smile as he swam over. "You were a little too high up on the board. All your weight was too far forward." Right, that makes sense I guess. Better just unpluck my boardies from my arse.

Next time around the instructor stayed with me and was calling out the moves as I should have been doing them. It went a lot better this time and I actually managed to catch the wave but stumbled off like a drunken sailor as soon as I tried to stand. Yep, Gumby Day it was turning out to be. Things did improve though and by the end of the lesson I'd managed to stand up a few times although some might call my definition of 'standing up' a little generous.

I'd booked my second lesson for two days later and of course the two day delayed muscle soreness had kicked in by then. So I turned up again pretty stiff in the upper back and neck and was stretching them out as an English tourist from Manchester struck up a conversation with the question "So you don't surf? I thought all Australians surfed?" FFS, cultural stereotyping has a lot to answer for.

Being an 'experienced' surfer because I've done one lesson, I was allowed to go out by myself while the rest of the group did the lesson one intro and routine. And you know what, I was doing OK right from the get-go and managed to ride a wave all the way into the beach within the first ten minutes. A loud 'yee-hah' passed my lips and I began to realise what all the fascination is about. I've always loved bodysurfing but riding a wave in on a board really does beat it and I was starting to feel hooked.

I soldiered on but was still only standing up one in every five attempts. Some awesome wipeouts did occur but I was always quickly back up and paddling out again to try and get the next one. By the end of the lesson, I'd gotten the ratio down to about one stand up in every three attempts and I walked back up the beach feeling great with the board under my arm. Maybe I didn't even need the third lesson I'd booked for another two days time.

I decided to do the third lesson nonetheless so turned up feeling good and quite confident. Again, I was sent out by myself seeing I was now soooo experienced. The first couple of goes were a struggle though and I kept alternating between nose-diving and not being able to paddle on at all.

I was getting pretty frustrated before the instructor came over and lent me a few tips on wave selection and trying to keep my feet still as I paddle on. Guess I'm so used to moving my legs as I roll my shoulders over from all the swimming I've done. Things did improve as the session went on but I still didn't feel as good as the last lesson and trudged back up the beach feeling a little down about it all. I'd just assumed I would steadily improve with each lesson/session but it actually seemed like I'd gone backwards.

D-Day then arrived a few days later. The day of my first go at going out by myself. A very kind mate had lent me a Mini Mal to start off with so I donned my boardies once again and headed down the beach with the board under my arm with a fair whack of trepidation and fear.

And it turned out with good reason. Once again I felt like I'd gone backwards as I kept slipping off the board and struggled to maintain any sort of 'position' for a proper lift off and stand. I did catch a few waves but they were definitely few and far between. 'Frustration' was therefore the descriptor for my mood and I went to grab some breakfast feeling confused and just a little cranky.

Over a strong flat white, I contacted my surfing oracle (the mate who lent me the board) and sought some advice on what was going wrong. Wax my friend. The Oracle said the wax on the board was probably quite ancient by now after a year or so under his house so I needed to get rid of it and apply some new stuff.

Aha. The Oracle had spoken. So I headed straight for the nearest surf shop and purchased a wax comb and some new wax bars. I then keenly undertook the task of wax off and wax on (reverse Karate Kid) when I got home. As well as finding some time to practice my 'stand up' movements on the bathroom floor after having a shower.

Two days later I ventured out for the second time by myself with the wife and son on the beach watching. The wife understood my frustrations at the time so I think she quietly had her fingers crossed for me as I paddled out to the first wave. And before I knew it, it was upon me and something clicked into action quickly and effectively. Fore all of a sudden I was standing up and riding the wave into the beach. Bingo! Wax off and wax on had worked.

I've since been out another two times since then and everything is starting to click. I'm pretty much up and riding the wave in say seven times out of ten and am now able to turn and walk a little up and down the board. This is at a pretty tame beach like Noosa Main though and there's still some hilarious wipeouts as the various bruises and cuts on my body can attest to. But I feel like I might just get hooked on this surfing thing. Who knows, it might be a lifetime pastime with many years to come. Then again, it could be a poor man's midlife crisis and all be over in a few short months.

No matter what happens, it's been great to overcome the nerves and actually give something new a go. Life would be pretty boring if we just stayed within our comfort zones all the time so I'm certainly glad I 'stretched the envelope' so to speak and have realised the opportunity to learn to surf while living up here on the coast. This old dog has learned a new trick.

EDM.

Head Shaking Material

Apologies folks for missing out on a post earlier in the week. Family commitments got in the way but I'm here again today dispensing some wisdom for you all. You guys might not consider it wisdom I guess, but you're here aren't you so there must be something that is interesting and read-worthy. Isn't there?

Anyway, the topic for today is stuff that makes me shake my head in disagreement, disillusion and sometimes disgust. Not exactly light and witty holiday reading, but hey, that might come next week when I've had a chance to get some of this off my chest.

Firstly, this article tells of how former Prime Minister John Howard helped launch a book yesterday with the purpose of teaching school children to reject the notion of climate change. Howard lent his not inconsiderable weight to the arguments in the book by addressing the launch and telling all that he felt climate change was 'political propaganda' and science in our schools was being hyjacked by the mysterious 'left' (be alert AND alarmed people!).

Now whatever your thoughts on climate change are, surely you are asking the question, isn't this the man that went to the 2007 Federal Election with a policy to introduce an emissions trading scheme to help fight climate change? For instance:

“We have established a committee which recommended the introduction of an ETS. And work is well underway to introduce that by 2011. It will be the most comprehensive ETS anywhere in the world.”

So what has changed for the former PM to so drastically alter his position? Plain old political expediency I would guess now that the Coalition has moved into the climate change denier realm. Or is it just that former Prime Ministers will turn up to the opening of an envelope and have a say to maintain some sort of relevance? Definitely head shaker material for mine.

Next we have yesterday's release of stats showing that mining exploration is booming. Not exactly 'news' I know but take a look at these figures for the September 2011 quarter - Iron ore exploration up 9%, coal exploration up 12% and on-shore petroleum exploration up 33%.

And that's just for the quarter. As Peter Martin reveals, for the year to the September 2011 quarter, coal exploration jumped 167%, iron ore exploration 54% and on-shore petroleum exploration 18%. The ABS stats also show that total capital expenditure by resource companies stands at a record high of $232 billion.

Yep, the resource industry is booming beyond anything else seen before. But isn't this the industry that is meant to be dead in the water now that a carbon price and minerals resource rent tax (MRRT) are to be enacted in the next year or so? Didn't the industry itself through various media campaigns and the Federal Opposition decry both policies as killing the boom 'stone dead' and effectively killing our economy?

Why then, are resource companies investing in exploration and looking for new deposits at record levels if the industry is meant to be dead in just a few short years? Mining companies and billionaire mining executive aren't stupid people, but investing heavily in something that will no longer exist shortly, according to the campaigns and the opposition, would be a pretty stupid idea wouldn't it?

Of course it would. So the reality must be that the industry is going along very nicely thank you with future prospects better than ever before even with the incoming carbon price and MRRT. That means they are not the 'end of the world' at all as the campaigns and associated media reporting have told us. So yep, another bout of head shaking when I think back to the hysteria about both and the faux outrage of the likes of Twiggy Forrest and Tony Abbott.

There's just two recent examples anyway. The world is a madhouse it seems and there's no shortage of causes for disagreement, disillusionment and disgust.

It's a wonder my head stays on its shoulders with all the other reasons for head shaking that pop up on an almost daily basis. I feel like a laughing clown at the show sometimes. That's just a metaphor by the way. Don't be trying to shove a ball down my throat next time you see me.

Speaking of which, stay tuned for another instalment of Nah Seriously in the coming days. A Xmas break beckons but there's still some time for more musings in the days between.

Til then my friends,

EDM.

Ball Park Music

A short post today but meaningful nonetheless because it's a shout-out to a new(ish) Brisbane band called Ball Park Music.

Why am I doing a shoutout for them? Well, I have a personal connection in that Sam, their frontman, was/is the barista at my favourite coffee spot in the Brisbane CBD. I'm obviously up the coast at the moment but my daily small double shot flat white was an absolute must when I was back working and it was Joel, the owner, and Sam that fed my addiction.

And I say 'fed' because it was the kind of service whereby they knew my order by heart and a sly nod and a wink would let me know they were on to it before I'd even got to the front of the queue. So I highly recommend them for anyone searching for a brew on George Street. The Frisky Goat is the name. Shizza, that's two shout-outs now.

Back to BPM. Now I say a 'newish' Brissy band because they are already getting plenty of exposure after winning a Triple J Unearthed spot at the Gold Coast BigDayOut earlier in the year but also took out the Unearthed Artist Of The Year during the recent J Awards and were nominated for Album Of The Year.

So in my best Molly Meldrum voice, 'do yourselves a favour' and check out Ball Park Music's new album, Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs. Knowing some of you as well as I do, I reckon the Cover Art will be a hit at least.

Anyway, below is their current single, All I Want Is You, so happy listening and catch you all soon.

EDM.

I Love Public Holidays

Bring on 2012 and an extra public holiday I say!

I know I'm not working at the moment so advocating for another day off is a little indulgent. But hey, I'm a man of the people and therefore support anything that gives my followers and fans some additional respite and relaxation.

If you haven't heard already, the Queensland Government has announced that from 2012, the Queen's Birthday Public Holiday will be moved from early June to the first Monday in October. But the bonus next year is that we will also get a public holiday in early June for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee as a means of ensuring a smooth transition for events and programs that have already counted on a public holiday then.

This move comes after a discussion paper was released earlier in the year where Queenslanders were asked for their opinions on the number of public holidays they have and when they fall. That consultation overwhelmingly supported spreading public holiday throughout the year. And it's not like the Queen's birthday is in June anyway (21 April for the record). That date is a throw-back to Victorian times so there's definitely an argument that the times-have-a-changed since then.

While I'd much rather prefer to be celebrating Republic Day, the decision to move the Queen's Birthday Public Holiday to October is long awaited for mine as Queenslanders have suffered too long with no public holiday set down for the second half of the year. From early June onwards there's been nothing, which makes for a very long six and a bit months before the Xmas break.

You can certainly see in people come October/November that they are burnt out and in need of a break. Energy levels are sapped, particularly as the temperatures and humidity start to rise, and everyone is just praying for the end of the year to come. Admittedly, Brisbane people have the EKKA Holiday in August, but that's just the capital so there's still a massive part of the State struggling through.

A win-win then surely? But sadly, no. Fore there is always someone having a whinge and in this case it's the various retailers' groups (Australian Retailers Association, National Retailers Association, United Retailers Federation just to name a few). Now, I can definitely see why such organisations exist and applaud retailers getting together to try and raise a voice on issues that concern them (much like a trade union, but for businesses rather than workers).

The thing is though, is that all I hear from them is complaint. If it's not about an extra public holiday next year causing a small increase in staff costs for one day (a day when the public won't be working and most likely will be spending mind you), it's the changing value of the Aussie dollar causing import costs to go up and down.

And if they're not trying to pressure the Reserve Bank to lower interest rates so that people can spend a lot more on things they don't need, it's them complaining about customers moving towards online shopping rather than visiting their stores (maybe some decent customer service instore would help out on that one).

So yes, just once, I'd like to hear a positive thing come from the retailers. Although it would probably take the return of WorkChoices for that.

I sure don't envy individual retailers and their choice as to which representational organsation to join though. And maybe that's the problem. Each organisation is competing with each other to be the 'voice' of retail businesses and is therefore keen to 'cry out' the loudest. The more 'airtime' you get, the more members and all that.

Anyway, I reckon it's time to celebrate the sensible move of spreading our public holidays out from now on and the added bonus of an extra day off next year. I'm so keen on celebrating, in fact, that perhaps we should have another public holiday for that also. EDM Day?

Awesome. I'll start the petition now. Just don't tell the retailers.

$hit-stirring again,

EDM.

Mixed Messages Make My Brain Hurt

"Modern life is rubbish", as the Blur song goes. Not so much rubbish, but bloody complicated if you ask me. And mainly because of all the mixed messages reported in the media these days and the contradictions that exist amongst all the research and studies that get reported.

Not sure what I'm on about? You know, the "eat more fish for the omega-3, but not too much because of the mercury". And "get more sun for the vitamin D, but not too much because of the skin cancer threat".

Or "drink fruit juice for the vitamins and minerals, but not too much because they're full of sugar". And one for a lot of the women I know at the moment, "it's OK to have a little caffeine or alcohol while pregnant" while others say "strictly no caffeine or alcohol". Which one are we to believe?

Yeah, getting by in this mad, crazy world is hard enough as it is without all these mixed messages and contradictions. We're all just trying to do the best thing and live our lives as best we can in our own particular circumstances. But being told to "do this but don't do that", and "have x amount of this but don't have more than x amount of that" just makes your brain hurt. Well, mine anyway.

The worst part is that we're bombarded with these messages on a daily basis through the media and every one of them purports to be based on the best evidence and be the latest advice.

But sometimes they're only being reported in the media because they go against the mainstream and current thinking in that area. So the actual research might be completely faulty and based on illogical persumptions or calculations. But because it's different it gets reported on and once again we're hit with another contradicting message.

As a result of all this, you're constantly confused about which way to go and what you should do. One day you think you're doing something right, but by the next, your scratching your head because 'apparently' that something might be wrong.

Yes, I'm sick to death of all these contradictions and just wish I could turn them off. Unfortunately, the so-called 'information age' means they're everywhere and you just can't escape the latest 'recommendations' and claims. While the info age is a great thing in so many ways, this is not one of them. I just wish there was a spam filter on my life for 'mixed messages reported in the media'.

The best thing to do in response to all the contradictory information out there, by my reckoning anyway, is to live your life in moderation and don't excess on anything (if only I could practice what I preach sometimes). But most of all, and as hard as it may be sometimes, to take the so-called expert's advice with a grain of salt and not let the mixed messages stress you out too much.

Certainly on a personal level, the wife and I have had reason to question some of the experts in our lives of late so believe me when I tell you that they don't always have the answers and most of the time they are merely 'guess-timating' based on their increased experience rather than having a definite and infallible remedy for the problem at hand. Experts, Schemksperts!

Anyway, that's my latest rant from the EDM Files titled "Things that make my brain hurt". So excuse me while I get a glass of red wine for all its antioxidant values but promise I won't have too much because of the alcohol content and the increased risk of cancers.

I'll also make sure I get to bed at a reasonable hour to ensure I get the 'right' amount of sleep for proper brain functioning but of course not too much because I don't want to wake up lethargic and unable to concentrate.

(currently smacking hand into side of head to relieve the brain ache)

Til next time Nahhers,

EDM.