Ch-Ch-Changes

Sometimes I visit this blog and think 'OMG, it's still here?' I spend more of my time blogging here about my various writing projects then I do on Crazy Thoughts rambling about my life. This has not been deliberate, it's just I initially started blogging as a form of free writing - a way to clear the webs from my thought before I attempted a serious project such as an essay or story.  As a result I started Next Stop: The End (link above) because on writing project lead to another and very soon I no longer engaged in free writing unless I'm stumped (like today).

Crazy Thoughts also became a repository for allergen free recipes, and craft or soap related activities. I still make soap, but infrequently because the stuff last so damn long, though I can give it away quite quickly; I just haven't bought the necessary equipment since I moved, so it's an activity that's on hold till I need to make some more. I did make a yummy banana milo cake a few months ago, a recipe I will share eventually, but its still experimental.  The only project of note was the Handmade Dog Coat that I  shared on my word press blog, and had to intended to share here too. However I've become increasingly busy since I started my Master's degree.

Yes. Master's degree. Totally Crazy. It's not the only change either.  Poor Maxie had to be euthanasied because his cancer was causing him distress.  At least he can finally see Luke again.  Max still looked for him every time he heard a noise downstairs. Because of all the events of this year my aunt now has decided to sell up, and down size.  The house will be on the market and the house de-cluttering shall begin.  This won't be an easy task.  I'm just glad that I've only bought clothes and text books since I moved in!  Getting rid of most of my possessions, furniture and miscellaneous household items was not fun... Or easy because I still had not gain full use/strength of my leg back after the craniotomy and the fatigue meant i'd fall asleep in the middle of doing tasks. It was ridiculous.

Of course it would have been so much easier if the Ex had taken his clutter with him when he bolted in fear of what the tumour meant.  I mean, seriously, don't leave others your crap to deal with; it's not fair.

Molding our Young.

And here it is, my second news article!  I see no reason why it shouldn't be published in some fashion if The advocate can't find room for it in the already full broadsheets.  My writing seems to have focused strictly on the non-fictional at the moment.  While this is a learning experience, I'm missing fiction.  I'm going to make myself do so flash fiction this week, damn it!  The following article is one I submitted last week for possible publication.  I'm currently working on another on behalf of Welcoming Interculteral Neighbours Inc.

Gladstone cultural diversity has seen a steep rise over the past few years, yet we only have one playgroup that reflects the changes within our community. The Multicultural Playgroup, run jointly by Playgroup QLD and WIN Inc., establishes a safe niche for children to learn and play while creating a place of mutual respect, and dignity for family groups. For these families, the playgroup makes a refreshing change from normal as children are encouraged to use both languages in the very same social activities provided by other playgroups. Through exploring the various cultures in a social context these children form an accepting community at an early age – preparing them for a future where communities are certainly going to become far more diverse.

The early years of childhood are important to the development of a child's social awareness of their world. It is during these formative years that children learn how they should cope with others who are 'different' from them. This makes is the best period for forming healthy inter-cultural interactions. As such it would be a mistake to think that the Multicultural Playgroup is purely for those of different ethnic origins. Many Australians could benefit from a deeper understanding of our neighbours, and this playgroup provides a perfect forum. Any and all are welcome to join us. The Multicultural Playgroup is free and runs at the Neighbourhood Center on 105 Toolooa st every Friday from 9:30-11:30.

For more information please visit us at Welcoming intercultural Neighbours at 10 Tank st, Gladstone. We can also be contacted by email at admin@win-australia.org.au or by phone on 0487 422 142.

I feel that this one is an improvement on the last article; flowing more fluently with the structure of a proper news article.  This style is not a bad fit for someone already experienced with the concision of flash fiction.  Hopefully, practice will make perfect and I will be able to get fiction written.  Of course, I've been keeping myself busy with work for both WIN and the RSPCA and prep for my course starting in November.  I like to be busy, clearly.

University in the digital age

I was asked to comment on the video for an E-learning orientation for my Griffith Masters course. I ended having a good giggle because I went to a public primary school in an under-funded socio-economic area in the 90's.

When I started primary school the use of devices for learning was extremely limited. Mobiles had only just come into existence. Touch-screen tablets were a flight of fancy fit only for sci-fi.  As for my primary school's computers? Those were old for the 90's... and use was restricted to early teaching games and touch typing programmed.  The idea of searching 'the web' for information was in its infancy and it was to the school's outdated textbooks children were referred.  In my life I have lived through the advance from Atari to Xbox, wii, and PS4.  I now walk around with a mini-computer 'smart' phone, read e-books off a tablet, and essays that I had to submit in awful handwriting are completely drafted, revised and submitted via Electronics.

The use of electronics as advanced so quickly that younger generation no longer understand how to cope offline.  Social scientist debate as too the nature of this revolution. Is it advancing our intelligence or is it limiting it?  While we know, do we over rely on the knowledge that is readily at hand..  Will future scientist become so adjusted to using software to do their thinking that they no longer understand the knowledge they seek?

My only answer is that the digital age has opened up more doors for education then the world ever did for me, and my pursuit of knowledge will be coupled by a desire for deeper understanding.

Damn, double damn.

Looks I'd I'd better reconsider my plans to move. -_- Yahoo finance has managed to depress me with this article.  I have a social science based degree (Sociology and psychology) so this article is pretty damning.  But the researcher in me is asking 'From what data did they draw this conclusion' and 'How did they come to the conclusion from this data'.  The answers to both questions could be highly damning and invalidate the whole article.  I'd also ask 'What's their bias?'  If it's just shock tactics they might succeed, cause even with my critical thinking there's still a little voice going Oh crap.

My daily dose of Starbucks

Today I am enjoying a Toffee Nut latte.   Mmmm, Starbucks.  Now right here imagine I'm saying that as a Homer Simpson impression.   Like Mmmmm, Donuts.  But now I have a problem.  I can't hide my addiction.  It's right out there in the open.  So here's a list of the reason why I go to starbucks.

It makes a great away-from-home office.  My addiction to Starbucks began when He Who Shall Remain Nameless (Oh I bet you just sniggered at that) got us studying for essays those many months ago when I was still in uni.  Of course, I already frequented Starbucks at that point, just not nearly as often. Utilizing Starbucks as a home office was a turning point.  It just made such a convenient place to study.  You could sit for hours, use the free wi-fi and no one would bother you.  There was even coffee on tap!  I fully admit to writing 60% of my degree in Starbucks.

You can sit in there for hours nursing the same drink.  This is perhaps the best element of the Starbucks visit.  It makes the perfect retreat when you've been caught rain, waiting for a bus, or just hanging out.  I've sat around for a whole day and not once been badgered by staff into buying another drink.  This, of course, may be because I'm such a regular that they know I will come up eventually for seconds.  Or it could also be because generally they don't care provided you don't get cheeky.  In fact, the few times I have actually seen management ask people to leave or buy a drink it invariably involves teenagers who think it's perfectly acceptable to take up seats for hours without anyone purchasing a drink.  Or the homeless...  But they tend to be more forgiving towards them.

Free Wi-fi.  This is pretty much self explanatory.  There are plenty of places with free wi-fi these days but I've always found Starbucks one of the more useful places to stop because you don't need a password or to sign up.  Just connect you device to the Starbucks Openzone signal and hit connect on the Starbucks page that opens up.  Simple.  No hidden costs, no giving away phone numbers or emails.  One simple connect button click and you are one.

Coffee.  Nuff said.  Starbucks coffee isn't the best.  In fact it's so weak I used to order extra shots because the standard number of shots was insufficient.

You can study people.  So this is admittedly a personal hobby of mine.  I often found myself observing people looooong before undertaking a degree in Sociology and Psychology.  If you ever are curious about human behaviour just sit in a crowded place and listen/look at what's going on around you.  This always makes for great material if you regularly create any form of art, whether it's writing or painting or what ever.

And finally - You can even meet people.  Better yet they aren't all weirdos!!  Yep, that's right, have interesting and unusual conversations with complete strangers.  Just beware of the loonies...  I have fled Starbucks to escape people before.

You know you are a student when...

When you can't afford not to be working on one assessment or the other.

When you can't afford to spend anything outside of bills or you might not make it through summer.

When you see more of you computer than you do your partner.

When you panic and seize the nearest piece of paper to jot down an inspiration.

When you begin to write/type in coffee chains, buses, bus stops and even work.

When coffee seems like a cure-all.

When the easiest way to socialise is to convince people they really want to go out drinking.

And finally,

When you realise that most of the people you work with are poorly under-educated about their jobs.