How many more?

Women killed in domestic violent situations

I cried last night watching the news, name after name, story after story of women dying at the hands of partners, ex partners…..The Women’s Agenda published this article and I agree with their description of this being a horror show. So many lives are being snuffed out, by perpetrators who feel they can use violence to gain an end.

We as a society must act, and stop this. Discuss with your loved ones, friends, work colleagues…we all must act together to stop the rot.

 

Advertisements

Teaching Australia: why Naplan doesn’t fix our problems

I came across a powerful and moving Memoir from GJ Stroud on the Griffith Review website. Teaching Australia describes first hand, when we allow the Testing system drive the education of our children.

For a long time I’ve wondered what benefit it is to have my child, have a teacher, teach specifically for the Naplan test. When education becomes a commodity, that is producing worker bees who will pass the Naplan, then I know the system is broken.

But what can we do?

Crow Country by Kate Constable

Beginning and ending, always the same, always now. The game, the story, the riddle, hiding and seeking. Crow comes from this place; this place comes from Crow. And Crow has work for you.

Sadie isn’t thrilled when her mother drags her from the city to live in the country town of Boort. But soon she starts making connections—with the country, with the past, with two boys, Lachie and Walter, and, most surprisingly, with the ever-present crows.

When Sadie is tumbled back in time to view a terrible crime, she is pulled into a strange mystery. Can Sadie, Walter, and Lachie figure out a way to right old wrongs, or will they be condemned to repeat them?

A fantasy grounded in mythology, this novel has the backing of a full consultative process on the use of indigenous lore.

Read it because:

You’re after an engaging and easy story for your class to read. I loved this book, it was a great well told tale. My favourite quote from it is:

“The Dreaming is always; forever… it’s always happening, and us mob, we’re part of it, all the time, everywhere, and every-when too.”

‘Keep calm & slap a bitch’: The actual line a Sydney pub used in an ad

When I came across this article by Georgina Dent on Women’s Agenda, I was frankly stunned then outraged. Violence against women is not a joke, it’s a crime. When will we get the social change we need to out this sort of behaviour as offensive….

The saga of myLump

So having spent a good portion of this week, being poked, prodded, ultra sounded and mammogrammed, and then waiting….and waiting…my results have finally arrived.

I took my partner, who volunteered because I’m a mess when getting results. (Too busy crying to pay attention.) I was so sick in my stomach, and so worried, that by the time we got into see the GP, I had worked myself up into worse case possible scenario.

But listening to the results – which basically said the lump was not presenting as breast cancer.  I could have a biopsy ( not right now I need to think about this), that I would definitely need to keep an eye on it, and be ultra sounded all over again in 3 months.

It’s a result, one that was a lot better than what I was thinking about when I should have been sleeping for the last week. The shadow of cancer hangs over all my siblings, and I have dodged the bullet. But as my rational and logical partner said – at least I’ve got some solid baselines, that the GP can monitor my changes from….because I go in for tests on a regular basis for all the other cancers I have a hereditary tendency for.

On top of this yesterday was my Mum’s birthday, and grief over the loss of her certainly played a large part in my worry over what would happen to my child if I was to die. I spoke to my sister in law about taking on our child should the worst happen to us both…. she was so supportive…and kind….

But for now, I just get to play the waiting game, while my body decides what to do about this lump of mine. Not sure what else I can write at the moment, the news is still so fresh and I need time to digest it.

Thank you for the kind words and support.

 

Sexual Harassment in the Children’s Book Industry

An incredibly powerful article by Anne Ursu, that details the harassment workers in the Children’s Book industry experience. A reminder that we have a long way to go…..

Harry Potter and the Battle For Gun Control

Emily Asher-Perrin writes a thought provoking article on the relationship between Harry Potter and Gun Control. For someone who lives outside of the crazy mess that is the United States of America, it’s an interesting take – and I so hope that those who are actively campaigning for Gun Control win – as Harry and the Order did.