Don't be a dickhead

Over the last two days, the Rockhampton region has received close to 500mm in rain.  It rained non stop for the last two days.  My backyard looked like a swimming pool. Thankfully my house is built up a little bit or I would have been fighting the water out of my house. Many people in the region were.  The large amount of rain in a short amount of time meant that essential services were lost to some regions. Some areas lost electricity and water.  The the worst happened...the internet died.  If it had happened on the 21st of December I am sure it would have caused a panic of epic proportions.  Instead it just caused boredom and no outlet to voice our frustrations.  Nearly 24 hours without internet = Longest. Day. Ever.
 

There is something about rain, that just brings out the morons.  It's like the rain fertalises the one brain cell they have and they decide they need to be heroes.  Much to the dismay of the Emergency Services.  Every time there is a flood, the Emergency Services need to say over and over again 'If it's flooded, forget it' and still people don't listen.  In the 2011 flood, there were so many rescues that just wasted precious resources that could have been used to help those who were genuinely in trouble. Not the people who decided they were above the law and that the signs were for pansies. 
 

Picture from here

If you can't see the road, chances are that it's too deep to drive over.  Even worse, there might not be a road there to see.  Yesterday a young boy had to be rescued from raging flood waters because him and his friend were playing in the water and he fell in.  Children need to be educated on this! Adults need to make them aware of the dangers, there is so much debris and there is no knowing how fast the current under the water is flowing.  What could look like a calm river on top, could be a fast flowing death trap underneath.  A child, even an adult is not strong enough to fight a river that is a full force. 
 

Please for the sake of your loved ones and the loved ones of the people who risk their lives to save you, just don't risk the flood waters.  It's not the end of the world if you don't reach your destination on time.  It may be a huge inconvience, but it's better than your loved ones receiving the phone call that no one wants to receive. 
 

During this time the Facebook page CQ Flood Updates has been an absolute godsend and a wealth of information in keeping locals and their families up to date on what is happening with the floods. 

Fairy's don't wear shoes

I love getting dressed up in costume. No I'm not talking about the bedroom you dirty minded people! I'm talking the kind that you can wear out in public.  Although some girls get the two mixed up.  In the town that I grew up in, Halloween parties were an excuse for everyone to go all out. It was great fun to see everyone dressed up.
 

When I was 16, I went as a fairy.  The costume involved a blode wig, floaty pjs, a crown, a wand and a piece of tulle that was masquerading as a tutu.  What it didn't involve was shoes, which, later in the night was to become my undoing.
 

 Early in the night there was a pre party, party. Complete with Jelly Shots that the coppers wife had made*. They were potent and soon became the initiation to the party.  My 'terrible' parents would only let me have one.  It seemed that the blonde wig had 'magically' transformed my logs and one of the party guests, a friend of my parents started hitting on me.  Up until the point where his wife politely reminded him that he was married and I was only 16. The poor bastard was flat out standing, let alone being able to see further than 2 foot in front of him.
 

The town party was in the town hall. I don't think you've really 'lived' in a small town until you have attended a disco or event in the town hall. It's usually got polished wood floors, no aircon, and 1000's of windows. At least the ones when I was growing up were. Not so much now.  It also wouldn't be complete without sneaking out the back (they always have a yard out the back) and drinking smuggled alcohol.  Usually Rum, which I think kind of tasted like arse.  You stay out late and feel bad arse cos you were the last to leave.
 

One thing that I had failed to factor into my costume choice was the walk home. My feet are pansies. I can't walk barefoot on anything other than cement or indoors.  They are so fucking sensitive.  This doesn't bode well for the gravel road that I had to take to get home.  I decided that it would be 'safer' to walk in the gutter, it being cement and all. I was wrong. The cement had corroded away and the metal was sticking out. The metal went straight into my pansy feet and ripped it open. There was blood and it hurt like a mofo. I was still half a block from home, so had to walk on my heel and the cut was on the ball of my foot.  It got worse.
 

I managed to limp home. I was crashing around the house looking for tissues and a bandaid or bandage of some description. This woke my mum, who before that was in a drunker stupor.  I was sitting in the bath, trying to work out what the fuck I was going to do with my foot.  Mum came in and had the brain fart idea that it needed to be washed out with dettol, in case it would get infected.  She insisted she would just dab a couple of drops on. Turned out her version of a couple of drops is half the bottle. It stung like a mofo.  Funnily enough it never did get infected.
 

The plus side to all of this was that I got to go to school in thongs for a week as I couldn't possibly fit my bandaged foot into my joggers. Any excuse really.
 

Have you had any costume party mishaps? Are your feet pansies too?

Body Love

If the 'fashion world' is to be believed, plus size starts at size 12-14. I call fucking bullshit! How on earth are we supposed to portray to our children that size isn't everything, when a world that is so dominant to a teenager is telling them that they are 'overweight' at a size 12-14.  There is so much outrage...and yet nothing is done.  

When will it be that a woman is recognised for her brain, her voice, her passion and not the size of her bra, shirt and short short skirt?
 

Loving my body is something that I have always struggled with and continue to struggle with.  It doesn't matter what size I am...I hate it.  I stand in front of the mirror, poking and proding, picking out things that I do not like.  I have always felt a strong disconnection between my body and my mind. My mind is strong, my body is weak. 
 

This isn't about hate though, this is about love.  I don't hate my entire body, I don't know if that is entirely possible. Even at my lowest of lows, when poked and prodded I could eventually come up with something that I liked.  As I have gotten older, I have realised the strenght that my body has. The things that I have put it through and it's come through the other side virtually unscathed.  Every weekend I thank my liver for being a fucking trooper.  That bastard puts up with a bashing!
 

I have lived through OD's that if left untreated could have done severe damage, drank things that were intended for cleaning purposes only and still my body is reasonably ok. I have reflux that hurts like a bitch when I forget my meds but other than that, it's doing ok.  I had someone lace my drink with turps and yet all I felt was a couple of cramps. Like I said my body has copped a hiding.  It still does the stuff I want it to do! It might put up a hell of a protest but we get there in the end.
 

I have cut it, burnt it and scratched at it.  I have tried to destroy my body in any way I could. Still it's here, doing the shit it's supposed to do.  It might not look the way that I want it to look. Does anyones?
 

I birthed a mother fucking baby out of my body.  I felt like a beach ball with legs, and still my body did everything that it needed to do.  It created this little Devil Spawn. It was amazing and scary all at the same time but my body did it.
 

Do you love your body? Has it kept you in awe at the amazing things it can do?
 

Link up for #RCThursdays below.  This is the last one for the year so lets go out with a bang :)

Mouth Sewn Shut

Unless you have been living under a rock then no doubt you would have heard or read about the Charlotte Dawson Saga.

Some people are saying she brought it on herself, that she should have just ignored the trolls.  But should she really have?  

All of the 'bully chats' when I was at school told us to ignore the bully. They just want attention. They just want a reaction from you.  It will be better if you ignore it.  Is it really?  None of my recollection of being taunted from school is that ignoring them is good.  I'm a stewer, I sit on things until I explode.  Clearly ignoring it doesn't work.  

It's really kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.  It all depends on your inner workings.  If you can turn something off and not think about it again, then go with the ignoring option. If not, then do what works for you.

I'm kind of a blow it all out in the open kind of person.  If someone has the 'balls' to say something nasty then I call them on it.  If they act one way in private and completely different way in public, then I call them on it.  I try to stand by the thought of 'If you wouldn't say it to their face then don't say it online.'  If you are so 'proactive' in letting someone know what you think about them, then why the need for secrecy.  

This week my brother was suspended.  One of the reasons given was that he kept having outbursts at other students when the were saying stuff to him on the sly.  So in short, he got suspended for sticking up for himself.  My mum brought this up with the teacher....apparently what he is doing is worse.  So again, in short standing up for yourself against bullies is worse than the bullying itself.  No wonder the rate of teen suicide is so high.

If you or someone you know is being bullied and doesn't know what to do please contact either Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

School Holidays

School Holidays.  Two words that strike fear into parents and shopping centre security guards everywhere. 

Mini Man is only 2 and I hate them already.  There is teenage delinquents everywhere!  Teenagers are the reason I do not go anywhere on a Thursday night.

My patience levels can go from 0 to -10,000 in 30 seconds in a normal shopping situation...add moody teenagers who think their shit doesn't stink and you can halve that time.  

Now don't get me wrong...not all teenagers are put on this earth to annoy me...just the ones that hang out in shopping centres, making nuisances of themselves.  

So keep sane and avoid the shopping centres these school holidays ;)