Summer–How I loath thee

I try to keep this site a positive place. I like to focus on strength for the times that are hard and hope for a better tomorrow. I like to post about what I am discovering is good in the world. This is not one of those posts. This is a sad post. This post is about Summer.

While I’m sure you’re all happy about the warm days we’ve been receiving, I am worried. Very worried. I don’t like Summer, in case you were still wondering, for with it come a stream of impossible situations that cannot be borne by common man. Or at least it makes me reasonably upset, and that’s why I’ve gone to the effort of creating the following TOP THREE THINGS I HATE ABOUT SUMMER.
Thing 3! My Wardrobe
Many of you probably notice that when summer comes around, you’re left with fewer clothes to wear. For some however, you have an entirely new look dedicated to summer, or maybe you were wearing those clothes all winter round, under your jacket. For me, this is the opposite.
Instead of having fewer clothes, my decidedly European stylings require that I can wear none of my clothes in the summer, unless I become immune to heatstroke. Vanity has often led me to try variations on my clothes, maintaining something of my image without overheating:

This has not been successful. Here’s a pro-tip for you: vest on bare skin is weird for everyone.
Thing 2! Sweat
Closely linked to my clothing problem is the fact that when the sun comes out, all the moisture in my body is drawn to it. They’re like little sun-worshipers, who get all anxious when they hear their god is coming round. I am not pleased. I am not a believer in this faith of damp smells.
I think my confidence must also be linked to my moisture, as it seems to evaporate just in the way my pooling perspirant doesn’t at these times. Leaving me a wilting mess, my garments drenched and my friends absent. This is not my idea of a fun day.




Thing 1! The Car
The absolute worst thing I hate about Summer is getting in the car.

I can’t express in words what it’s like, getting in a sweltering heat-box, desperately trying to turn on the air-con, holding my breath so the air doesn’t burn my lungs. Then the air comes on, but it takes ages to cool down, and it’s just blowing super heated air around in my face, and my hands get burnt on the wheel. That’s why I drew a picture. Enough said.
I hope you didn’t mind my whinging too much, it’s good to get it out. I’ll resume hopeful broadcasting soon. Until then please let me know what you hate/love about the summer in the comment section.

Cars Go Fast

Life isn’t fast all the time, that’s just perception. Maybe we should relax a bit and try lose momentum. I think it’s in times like that that we’re best able to see where the car is going, who we’re going with, and what we have to do to get there; if we want to truly get ‘there’ at all. Funny that the thing that slows us down can be going too fast. This was fun to draw.

Hungry People

Right now I’m pretty hungry. But I guess that’s not really anything compared with the way millions of people living in poverty feel. People in my city, people in the world. Right now there’s serious famine starving Africa in a destructive way.

 

It’s difficult to imagine what we could do to change that, but the truth is we can. People have already jumped onboard to make a difference to the needy. These great and inspiring people work for organisations that see and (try to) fill the needs of the world. No one joins an NGO or not-for-profit for their own gains, these people are paying a great cost so others may live/eat/marry/grow. Spare a thought and a prayer for those people. Maybe you’re one of them, maybe you could be.

So what do we lack? Well that’s where everyone comes in: people are acting to help those in trouble, but their financial resources are not up to the task. You could change the world for real people, make a difference in the lives of our human brothers and sisters. You could be a hero, and all you have to do is click your mouse a few times. Or you could think about how your lifestyle affects those on the other side of the world, think about how you could live your life to give others a better chance. You could be one of those people, living a call to help others.

Change is possible, but it always costs us. Then again, not changing costs us to. You don’t have to take a vow of poverty, but you can think before you buy “Do I need this? Or could I be a hero instead?”

If you want to make a difference right now, do it! I recommend TEAR Australia as a personal favourite. But there’s obviously World Vision, UNICEF and Oxfam and countless others. I thought I’d do a little for sharing what I thought with you, may be you can share it with others. The world is full of problems that you have the ability to solve, be empowered!

Apparate

Verb -

1. (neologism) To appear (magically)

Hazel has developed the ability to make items appear out of thin air. Yesterday she apparated a plastic jug of water, which she promptly flung to the floor. While this super-skill is exciting, it is a little alarming as she tends to apparate potentially dangerous items (Knives, scissors, shavers, etc.).

I know you’re thinking ‘Well you shouldn’t leave stuff lying around’ but seriously, we don’t even know where the jug came from, or how it got within arm reach of Hazel. So far a very wet floor is the only consequence of this skill. Though she did apparate Jess’ lost watch two days ago (it’s been missing for months!), that was pretty good.

Hazel continues to grow, develop and grow, remaining the tallest baby in her acquaintance. She is also beginning to explore the world as thoroughly as possible.

Creativity!

God is creative. Right at the beginning of the Bible, before they describe God as 'good' or 'powerful' or 'loving' or anything they say “God Created”. And what amazing stuff he created! Suns, plants, gravity, electrons, values, experience, consciousness, everything! He loved it so much he did it non-stop for a week. Then he got all excited and got Man to be involved in the creative process.
I reckon we're just like that, creating and building relationships with each other. Some of us create solid things like cars and sandwiches, some of us create abstract things like art or romance. Some of us create solutions to problems and build better futures.
I think that we get starved when we’re deprived of the opportunity to create, just as we’re starved when we’re deprived of relationship. Creating gives us expression and allows us to communicate who we are. Go and create something, you’ll thank me if you do! Comment what you created, that’d be awesome!

In the Shade

We’re told so often to shine and grow and lead and be the best.

Recently I’ve been very pleased to let go a bit. Not try to run all the activities and groups I’m involved with. I think I’ve always desired to be the leader of the group, and that’s a stressful position to constantly take. I’m getting the message that it’s healthy to let others do the work, let others take charge and make the hard calls, the decisions and mistakes. I hope it’ll be good to live in the shade, under the tremendous effort and inspiration of my peers and leaders. When I feel healthy, maybe I’ll come into the sun again.

Animal Magnetism - Strengths based failure…

This week I was thinking about the direction of my career and thinking about my strengths. Jess, my wife, was helping me and writing down the list. Some of my strengths, animal magnetism for example, made the list easily. As I recalled them, however, Jess suggested that a few of my strengths were not actually very helpful to my career. Like always being right. I’m very good at that; people think I’m right all the time even when I’m not. And even when people think I’m wrong, I’m usually sure I’m right. Being defensive was another, it’s like an art form for me, which helps in the ‘always being right’ department.

So then I thought not all of my talents are good ones. I don’t really want my greatest skills to be the ones that tare down my relationships. I could be the all powerful defence man! but I’m sure I’d be a super villain if I was. And I have plenty of strengths that could contribute to society, using my power for good instead of evil. I guess I just have to put as much energy into them as I do into being hard to live with and contributing to myself. Peace to all of you!

Thoughts on Valentines Day

Sometimes it’s just nice to be affirmed and appreciated.

Sometimes our expectations of relationships are very different.

I love you, Jess.

Positive Affirmation

I once had a friend comment on why they always complimented people. They said something like “its such an easy thing to do that cost absolutely nothing, why wouldn’t I just make people feel great?”

I think that’s an amazing piece of insight, especially when there’s so much negativity in our culture, not only in media images which feed our insecurity, but from our friends and family as well. I tend to compete and put people down without even thinking about it, I’m getting better at seeing the truly best in people.

You look great by the way.

Underutilised Hero

I’ve never really liked Super Heroes, which people tell me is pretty weird. I think the deal is that they inspire and impress people, but my natural reaction is “So what if you saved the world, you can leap a building in a single bound!” Anyone can save the world if they have superpowers, I’m more impressed when someone average saves the world, or sacrifices their dream for the sake of raising their kids, or gives blood, or donates to charity. The fact that someone as average as me, maybe even more so, could make a difference is what inspires and impresses me.

I'm pretty sure we’ve all got super powers of some sort. Probably not flying or mind-reading, but everyday superpowers like being a really good listener, or being able to make your brother feel good by letting him beat you at scrabble. And because we can’t fly or read minds we think we can’t change the world, that’s why superheroes let us down. One really good listener could change the world. One loving brother could heal a broken heart.

What’s your superpower?

More prickles than a desert cactus.

This is guest comic by the space princess who appeared in the first post. She was all ‘You should do another story, with a cowboy who walks into town and says ‘blablabla’ and then in the end something funny happens.” So I told her, ‘You draw it.’ And she did.

Cool Shirt

I love a cool shirt.

My favourite is one with all these useless superpowers on it. The list includes ‘Become a laptop forever’, ‘Communicate with fruit’ and ‘Summon a lamp, once’.