Sunburnt Suburbia

Politics of cleavage

Bettina Arndt has written about sexuality over many years, and she has stood out with her perspectives. Bettina Arndt bases her perspectives on evidence that she has gathered. Most recently, many of her ideas have come from analyse of diaries that volunteers have kept.

As part of spreading her ideas she regularly writes in The Age newspaper. Today she wrote well about the politics of cleavage. She argued that a women who dresses in a manner that 'society' would regard as sexy makes a political statement. Dressing sexy doesn't promote Liberal or Labour, it drops into the centre of sexual politics, and the woman is probably doing so subconciously. Like any political statement, it may get a reaction. Bettina argues that the woman shouldn't feign surprise when it happens. 

Based on the biology of sexual behaviour, Bettina appears to argue that statement takes two forms:

1) 'I am available for a relationship with the right person.'

2) 'I unavailable for a relationship, but I want to stir you up.'

In either case, problems occur when the woman receives unwanted attention from wrong men.

The primary criticism of this perspective responds that humans do, and should, exist outside the constraints of their biology. According to the Bettina's critics, women can wear what they like and should not be seen as making a social statement. In parallel with this men should act as spirits, and to do otherwise is subhuman. Almost all critical comments came from this perspective.

As a Christian I believe that we can, and should, act as spirits, but that we also should embrace our bodies, accepting the joy that they can provide. That makes for a complex duality, but that is the example that Jesus set. 

This article pushed me to some self-reflection. I strongly encourage Susan to dress sexily. My motivation rests on the idea of 'erotic undercurrent'. With such an undercurrent running through our days, we experience some fun at several levels. However maybe part of my motivation comes from ego. In encouraging Susan to dress more erotically than 'normal' I am making a statement of social success to other men. I do not agree with social posturing, as Christ taught that all look the same to God. I need to change. 

Hugo

Earlier this evening Susan, Bryony and I watched Hugo, Martin Scorsese's recent film. The movie provided our first experience with 3D cinema. I was impressed. Also Scorsese makes great movies, and he has used the latest movie technology to make a rich, multi-layered movie about a boy and his relationship with an old man, and about the history of movies.

We did enjoy the movie, and recommend it to everyone. Scorsese has told an engaging story, and also shown us indelible, joyous images. 

Beach holiday

Australia Day fell on a Thursday, and Campbell and Melissa invited us to Rye for the holiday. We all took Friday off and made a long weekend.

On the way down we stopped in at the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park. We regularly visit there, as it has constantly changing sculptures and lovely lawns for a picnic. This time we found a large labyrinth. 

On Friday we went to the Sorrento Back Beach, which at low tide has a particularly flat rock plateau inset with small and large rock pools. 

We swum in the large pool, and then someone who liked our colourful bathers offered to take this photo.

Later that day Findley and I started a game of CrossFire, but the siren of the beach called again, so we went to McCrae Beach for the sunset. 

We finished our CrossFire game with the morning sun creating wonderful shadows across the gaming table. The beauty of gaming tables dense with terrain provides one of my main reasons for playing CrossFire. 

By late Saturday morning we had returned to the Sorrento rock pools; this time with the Millers. They showed us the location of a ledge which places you behind a waterfall when a large enough wave washes over the outer rocks. The world teems with such serendipitous delights. With God's love, we can see them all.

By Saturday afternoon, we had exhausted ourselves, so we sat around reading and eating - a great finish. 

Callum moves out

Callum's friends on the Monash Uni Dance Sports committee have been nagging him to come share a house with them. He has hesitated, as he knows that living at home has its comforts. However they found a new townhouse offered at a reasonable rent, and so Callum had no justification by which to reject their overtures. He did some budget calculations and decided to move out. 

Today we hired a trailer and I helped him. We got everything into the trailer, unloaded it at the house, and then went down to Rye to pick up a kitchen table for him. 

Callum now shares a large townhouse with 1 other man and 3 women. They have been friends for some years, and have had several holidays together. That bodes well for them running a successful shared house. 

Once Bryony moves back out, Susan and I will have the family home to ourselves. I look forward to that change in our lives. 

Strolling around St Kilda

With the hot weather Mark and I decided that a stroll around St Kilda would expose us to the sea breeze. We met in the Cleve Gardens and wandered out along the pier. We then returned to buy ice creams, wander through Luna Park, buy a beer on Ackland Street, wander a bit more and then buy a coffee to counter the beer. 

To finish the afternoon we went to watch the kite surfers. The breeze had brought them out in the tens, and they made for a wonderful sight, like big butterflies swarming around the beach. 

New fish and better infrastructure for their environment

Our fish died over the Christmas break, which saddened us all. They had survived in our almost anerobic pond since 2005, and had become part of our 'family' - well as much as fish can. Their death probably resulted from fruit falling into the pond while we were away, and fermenting to cover the pond surface with a scum. This stopped oxygen exchange into the water and also consumed all the oxygen in the pond. 

Without the fish mosquitos quickly populated the pond and started to undermine our comfort. I decided to take action. This time however the fish would enjoy a better living environment. I bought a pump and some fish. 

Callum helped me empty out most of the water, and then we installed the pump and fish. The pond was still too dirty to see the fish, but they will survive. When Susan returns from Germany she can clean the pond out well. 

Susan the German scholar

Earlier tonight I took Susan to the airport. She flew off to Düsseldorf for 3 weeks on a Federal Government scholarship. She will spend 5 mornings each week at a German language school affiliated with the University of Dusseldorf, and each afternoon and each Saturday on a cultural activity organised under the scholarship. 

She won the scholarship when teaching at Old Orchard Primary last year, and became part of a Government initiative to improve the standard of language teachers in Australian schools. Susan will not be on holiday, which is why I decided not to go too. This will be longest time apart since 2007, when Susan went to Europe to pick up the children from their German exchange. 

New Year's Eve in Melbourne

Last night we changed the pattern of our New Year's Eve. Susan and I went into the centre of Melbourne to watch fireworks. The City of Melbourne hosted two firework displays. The first at 9:15pm for families, so we went along, without children, to enjoy it too. 

After the firework display we sat waiting for the crowd to clear. With such a warm night, we were comfortable finishing our picnic in the dim twilight. We were not the only ones waiting for the crowd to clear. Susan noticed a possum come down to feed on the food left about from the families. 

The animal was surprisingly tame, unafraid of Susan and happy to take the dried veges she offered. 

We then wandered through the crowds up to Flinders Street Station. The size and friendliness of the crowds astonished me. We decided to skip the midnight fireworks, but due to complications around the station only managed to get on a train at midnight. We got to see the first few seconds, and then escaped the crowd for a comfortable journey home. 

Christmas at Rye

After our white Christmas of 2010, we return to our traditional Christmas celebrated with close friends the Miller family at their Rye beach house. We arrived at lunch time on Christmas Eve for a relaxed 4 days in which almost all our Christmas rituals unfolded. Repeating the pattern of Holy Days reminds that God has blessed us with another year of life, love and good fortune.

On Christmas Eve Bryony and Abigail made a gingerbread house, one of the first rituals of the season. 

Christmas Day started with the church service, this time to the Anglican church at Sorrento because it's child-friendly. The minister reminded us that we still have the opportunity for more sharing in the Kingdom of God through the thoughtful discipleship of Jesus. After church we return home to open presents, typically with the assistance of a friendly elf. 

The rest of the day passed with our Christmas feast. We had nibbles during present opening, and then the turkey and ham for a late lunch. After a walk on the beach, we finished the day eating our desert. 

Boxing Day brought more relaxation, with some walking of dogs, and a trip up to Arthur's Seat for another walk involving a car swap. We always do a good amount of walking around Christmas. We also demolished the gingerbread house. 

 

Rod reaches 80

Today Susan's father celebrated his 80th birthday, and Susan's family celebrated their Christmas gathering. All his children and grandchildren gathered at the Kingwill residence to help him. Of course we had an excellent meal, and just enjoyed being together for a few hours. 

Callum and Bryony caught up with their Kingwill cousins. They have a good relationship with their cousins, better than I had with mine. Notice the past tense - I have no relationship with my cousins now. 

Callum's girlfriend Olga came along too, as Susan and Callum invited her. I liked having her there, as it represented part of Callum's growing up and another family milestone - the involvement of our children's partners in family events.