Credo

I thought it may be handy for future reference to put all my beliefs in one place.

The wealthy and corporations should pay more tax. Healthcare should be free or affordable. It is better that a few people rort the system than many go homeless or hungry. Taxation is civilisation.

Homeopathy is a scam. Alternate medicine, crystals and magnetic bracelets are bullshit.

Climate change is real, and anthropogenic.

I believe in equality, anti racism, anti violence, gun control, reason, science, morals, ethics and Watties tomato sauce.

Also Trump is a dickhead and a disaster.

Brexit is a stupid idea.

Genocide is bad.

People should be kind to each other.

Extremists and terrorists, of Muslim or Christian or any affiliation are evil.

Evangelism, paedophilia, racism and sexism are reprehensible.

The mushroom pies at the Tin Can Bay bakery are really good.

Also, for the record, god does not exist but if faith gives you comfort, great. Just don’t proselytise.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Furthermore, the earth is an oblate spheroid, chemtrails are just water vapour, vaccination and fluoridation are beneficial.

The United States is becoming little better than a failed African state, monarchy is wrong, dictatorship is wrong, democracy is the best option but capitalism is failing.

A Caesar salad must have anchovies, runny egg, croutons, bacon, shaved Parmesan, cos lettuce and the right dressing.

Pineapple does not belong on pizza unless you like pineapple on pizza.

The dangly bit of the toilet roll is ok either way.

If you are not sure about what I believe, just ask.

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Synchronicity

Quantum indeterminacy is often understood as information (or lack of it) whose existence we infer, occurring in individual quantum systems, prior to measurement. Quantum randomness is the statistical manifestation of that indeterminacy, witnessable in results of experiments repeated many times. However, the relationship between quantum indeterminacy and randomness is subtle and can be considered differently.

Thus the tossing of a coin is deterministic, in the sense that, perfect knowledge of the initial conditions would render outcomes perfectly predictable. The ‘randomness’ stems from ignorance of physical information in the initial toss or throw.

Synchronicity is a concept, first introduced by analytical psychologist Carl Jung, which holds that events are “meaningful coincidences” if they occur with no causal relationship yet seem to be meaningfully related.

So with all that, one just has to wonder at the situation in which one becomes retired, homeless and at a loss in the same month that circumstances contrive to make available an affordable caravan that will allow me to continue my wandering ways.

Using Integrated information theory we are able to deduce that SHIT HAPPENS. But sometimes it is good shit.

Brief Update

Such a lot has happened. A brief summary, to be expanded later:

The trip across Oz with Dave was interrupted by news that one of my old Mentors, Mary Stewart had died in New Zealand. She was 91. I had been planning to fly over to visit her from Queensland, but now we had to hasten the journey in order to get to Brisbane in time to attend the funeral. We got to Brisbane just in time to get tickets on China Airline to fly out on the Friday in time for the funeral the next day.

In that time I came to the sudden conclusion that I wanted to pursue my earlier dream of being a grey nomad around Australia. I had considered doing the same in NZ but in the end I decided to return to Oz where my car was still waiting, buy a caravan and stay here a while longer. But this time as a free man (ie. unencumbered by employment).

I found a caravan I could afford and had its solar powered lighting upgraded to accommodate my CPAP machine, and the car rigged to connect to it for power and brakes. I set up at Kate’s place, the Parrots Hilton, for my shakedown cruise. Here I sorted once more through my stuff and either packed it into the caravan, or once more gave it away. Kate is looking after some of my art and artefacts.

Meantime I have sorted out the paperwork for my pension, and for collecting my Super. Just waiting for the money to appear in my bank account.

That’s the story so far.

Island Girl

 

With a wave of her hand and her sparkling eye
My island girl bid me good-bye
For another dream in another time
For another life under another sky
But don’t just cut off your heart, keep it open and sure
Keep it free from hurt and keep an open door
And let the spirit of love that united our soul
Be a gentle dove and guide you to your goal
And I’ll go to that stream and I’ll sing my own prayer
That my island girl shall be safe everywhere
Sing away while you can and before very long
The coming tide brings the chosen one
And there is a hope and there is a peace
In that ancient land where my angel sleeps
And when your river runs high, let it flow, let it flow
It’s your time with life to let your garden grow
And when your burden gets rough, let it go, let it go
Let your strength return on every breeze that blows
Through that ancient land, through eternity
Oh my island girl, remember me
For your life has its course and you never can say
Who you’ll meet and marry along your way
But be sure from the start that the cities behind
Love the land’s living heart and breath eternal time
And when your river runs dry and your halo is torn
Drink the living stream in the calm of the dawn
And may you travel in peace and may your children be blessed
And your mind released and your soul caressed
In that faraway land where my spirit flies
To my island girl under those ancient skies
And with a wave of her hand and her sparkling eye
My island girl bid me good-bye
For another dream in another time
For another life under another sky

 
Island Girl lyrics © O/B/O Apra Amcos

On My Way

The road trip has begun. We have left HC. Dave is flying in a helicopter over the bungle bungles and I have been talking to motorcyclists. The car is heavily laden with the detritus of my life. She is carrying her burden bravely. Tyre pressures @ 40 & 42. Onward Japanese Juggernaut!

Tomorrow I finally get to see lake Argyle by boat and on Thursday the long drive begins with no firm itinerary.

Adjusting

Technically I am on annual leave until 8 May, my final day of employment at the Shire of Halls Creek. But I have already handed in my credit card and completed my last return. I have performed my last duties. I will not be returning to work. In real terms I am a retired person. When I awake in the mornings my only obligations are to matters I have decided to attend to. I am still adjusting to this concept. The freedom of being on holiday always had a time limit until now. A future that depends entirely on what I choose to do is difficult to contemplate. It also has some uncertainties. Where will I live? How will I manage my health and mobility issues? What unexpected snags and costs might affect my plans, when I get around to making them?

So far I have mapped out my next steps in the most general terms; take a week or two to show Dave around my part of the Kimberley, triage my stuff and pack what I can take with me, and head for Kate’s place in Queensland. From there the plans are still flexible. But they include visiting 91 year old Mary in NZ as soon as possible, shipping my car and contents over, finding a place to live. I may be returning to Oz to do that after a quick visit home, in which case a Queensland vacation may be in order.

I must sort out my future medical and medication needs.

I also have to access my superannuation and get myself onto the old age pension, or whatever pc term is used to describe it these days.

And I must keep my fingers crossed that I will not need another job in order to eke out a living. The things I want to get on with do not involve paid employment.

Exit.

I just completed my exit interview form. The penultimate question asked why I resigned and whether there was anything the Shire could have done to prevent my leaving.

My reply was:

I am old father William
And it has been said
If I continue to work
They should examine my head.

– with no apology to Lewis Carroll.

 

There are some wonderful sights here.  One appreciates them a little more once one knows one is leaving them behind.

The sky over Red Hills, Halls Creek, by Patrick Karena.

China Wall, Halls Creek.