I do wonder about the intelligence of some people who are out on the campaign trail.
And, no, I’m not talking about the old folk duking it out in USA!
Ah, the fun of elections!
We’re in the middle of the first Council election in several years. This is all due to the dreadful mismanagement, infighting, and overall debacles that led the government of the day to step in and appoint a commissioner to run the show.
Needless to say, this has caused a bit of a rift among the ratepayers. Some thought it a great idea, others not. No one is perfect, but one has to agree that more has been done since the Commissioner ran things than when the council did.
However, things have come to an end, and it’s now time for wannabe councillors to put on their big-people panties and step up to the mark to create an honest and forward-thinking/planning council to run the show. How we’ll go—well, that we’ll find out.
This brings me to the billboards that are currently scattered around every nook and cranny for the driving voters to see. One in particular caught my eye.
Now, I’m not about to get into a discussion about Trump – or how I feel about him. But what does puzzle me is:
1. Is this candidate aligning himself with Trump’s style by using the ‘make ….. great again’ mantra that MAGA is famous for
OR
2. Is this candidate trying to be funny, witty or show some style of sarcasm?
Either way, I think it’s a completely disastrous campaign slogan. If he is aligning himself to MAGA because he believes it’s right, then he’s lost the votes of those who are totally opposed to Trump’s style and certainly don’t want to see their Mayor following in his footsteps.
And if he’s just being funny, then it’s backfired. If people think it’s a joke or sarcasm, they’ll still not vote just in case they’re wrong, and this candidate truly does hold Trump up as a model leader.
I read an article recently by a young person who was of the opinion that people over the age of 70 should re-sit their driver’s license every year. It’s like, what? You have got to be kidding me.
Okay, I do agree that there are some old farts out there that drive at nought miles an hour or nought kilometres, depending on which country you’re from. And yes, they piss me off just as much as they do you. But the majority of older folks drive normally, and they are fine.
Did you know that people between the ages of 15 and 17 are more likely to have an accident than drivers from any other age group, according to statistics? Plus, they are more likely to cause injuries and death, including to themselves. In Aotearoa, N.Z., drivers between 15 and 24 years old are at the highest risk. (Government Stats).
There are more younger people driving erratically, way above the speed limit, and taking stupid risks than older drivers. This made me think I would happily set myself up against any young driver any day of the week, and I bet that I would be as good, if not better, than them as a driver.
So, yes. I was rather astonished when I read that. After all, 70 is not that old.
Ever had a moment when you realised that if life were a bit slower, things would turn out better?
Well, I did not that long ago. An event took place that certainly made me wake up to the fact that I tend to rush through life when I don’t have to.
Let me set the scene.
It was a Wednesday morning. I had been out for my morning walk, clipping along at a decent speed while listening to my favourite podcast. On my return, I ate a decent breakfast, checked my emails, and checked my daily ‘to-do’ list.
Then it was time for my shower. All was going well until I opened the shower door, grabbed my towel, and stepped out onto the mat, where I instantly realised there was a small pool of water beneath it. It was just enough to instigate my foot to skid out from under me, causing me to arse up and come down on my behind in such a manner worthy of any cartoon character’s banana peel skidding fall.
But joking aside, it was serious enough that I sat for a few minutes, making sure nothing was broken. My knee, wrist, and coccyx (tailbone) were the parts that obviously had taken a hammering. I had the foresight to scoot myself over to the cupboard, get the arnica, apply it to these parts, and, once dressed, ice everything as well.
However, what I did do in those moments was to sit in gratitude for the fact that I’m predominantly whole food and definitely vegan. I’m quite sure that if I had a diet of dairy, bones would have broken, and healing would have been weeks.
The wrist healed within 48 hours the coccyx about the same. The knee was a bit longer, but it had been hit the hardest, so it was understandable.
As we journey through life, we meet people who impact our lives. They may stay for five minutes, five years or a lifetime. But while they are within our circle, we learn from them, which is all part of our growth.
Well, that’s the way I see it. Many people have come into my life over the last 70 years. Some stayed only a short moment but left an indelible mark, and each time, be it good or bad, I learned and grew.
But the one who had the most impact was my father (as is often the case). And right up to the day he died, just before his 96th birthday, he was teaching me.
Looking back over the many things he taught me, two stand out.
“Never judge anyone” was probably the main one I grew up with. Everyone is on their own path and has reasons for doing what they do. Sometimes they may not even know the ‘why’, but until you walk in their shoes (which you never can), don’t assume you know and don’t judge their actions or words. There are always two sides to everything (perhaps that was the lawyer in him talking), but he was correct; there is always another side or way of looking at something.
The other advice he would give (often) was to be open to new ideas and constructive criticism and not be frightened or ashamed to change your mind if new evidence shows a better way, a different outcome or a new approach.
A great example of this was in 2007, during the last days of his beautiful life.
He had checked himself into a rest home, and all his grandchildren, most scattered around the world, emailed him constantly. He would receive anywhere from two to six emails daily, and even the office lady would come in on Saturday and Sunday to print them off so dad wouldn’t miss a day.
My daughter, living in the USA, asked me one day what she should write about as she felt she was out of things to put in the emails. I suggested she write about the politics and what was happening in the States (remember Bush and Iraq?). I told her grandpa would be interested to hear her view.
A few days later, I went to visit him. He was waking up, and as he did, he indicated some papers on the bed tray he wanted me to read. Immediately I saw it was from my daughter and began to read.
Now, my father was a supporter of Bush. He believed in the ‘weapons of mass destruction’ and the Iraq invasion.
So, I think you can imagine my surprise when I read that my daughter was arguing for the impeachment of Bush, saying that what he’d done was illegal.
The more I read, the more I wondered about my father’s reaction. I put down the email and looked at him. By now he was sitting up, his eyes were bright, and he had a gentle smile on his face. I will never forget the words he spoke.
“She’s right,” he said. “What Bush did was illegal, and I hadn’t seen it that way.” “Your daughter has convinced me by outlining the facts. She has made a good case.”
He went on to say that he doubted Bush would be impeached, but what a legal battle that would be. But at that moment, I saw a man at the end of his life have the courage to change his mind, and that was an incredibly powerful lesson.
I hope to maintain the morals and attitudes my father taught me. They’ve certainly held me in good stead up to now. Long may his words and actions remain in me.
Finally, international travel has kicked in, and I’m able to leave N.Z. to go and visit my daughter.
The first step was flying from Tauranga to Auckland. Over the past couple of years, I have seen planes flying over my home, and every time it goes through my mind, that’s where I want to be – on that plane, either coming or going.
I have a love of airports. They signify off on another adventure, or yay, I’m coming home. Both are just as important. The adrenaline and the build-up of excitement are half the fun. Then boarding and strapping in and knowing that I’m on my way always gives me a sigh of relief that I made it.
The pre-takeoff this time was more than just getting excited. I also had to be very aware of where I went, of masking up and not going anywhere there were crowds of people I didn’t know. The last thing I wanted to get was the Vid.
My preparations were rewarded. I was clear to travel. The Australian (sorry, I meant to say I was headed to Aussie) DPD (Digital Passenger Declaration) was a lengthy process. Downloading the app was a breeze, but then filling it all in was not the easiest, and I’d hate to think how elderly folk would get on, especially ones who don’t like using their phones.
Asking for specific vaccine dates meant rushing off to my purse and thankfully finding the wee card I’d been given showing the dates I got injected. The International vaccine passport shows only the third one. So that was one heart-stopping moment for me.
Next, scanning my passport – yes, that worked. But then I also had to take a selfie, and quite frankly, that was not easy. You see, I had to remove my glasses which meant I couldn’t read the instructions as I tried to line up my face to the camera. It took more than a few tries, but finally, the green light appeared, and it was done. On reflection, I could have at least combed my hair!!!
Thankfully I’m familiar with the Air N.Z. app, so that side was easy to navigate, and it seemed I was ready to fly.
My three a.m.er friend Kathy (you’ve met her before HERE) picked me up, and we had plenty of time to check me in, get a coffee and chat together before she needed to go.
Checking in at Tauranga, it was a blessing that I was checked all the way through to Sydney. Why? You ask. Because I only had one cabin bag, which could only be up to 7Kg. Of course, my ‘handbag’ was oversized and stuffed full of all the heavy things. Realizing I didn’t have to contend with bag weight in Auckland, as soon as I got to the table and while Kathy got the coffee, I transferred most of that heavy stuff into the cabin bag.
Oh, the things we do!
Then we were off.
Once in Auckland, it was time to head over to the International airport. WOW! Desolate is how I would describe it. There was just no one around.
Checking through security was so much faster than I remember. It took me back to before 9/11 when you just showed your passport and boarding pass and put your bags on a conveyor belt (minus the hoopla of liquids in a plastic bag, laptops visible and coats and hats off).
By now, it was lunchtime, and I was a bit peckish. Nothing was open – I mean, even McD’s was closed – when does that happen? I finally managed to find a muesli bar that was dairy-free in a store that sold magazines, books, soft drinks and lollies. Then, after sitting, eating and looking out at the very few AirN.Z. planes on the tarmac, I headed to the gate.
Oh! So that’s where everyone was! The place was packed. People were reading, on their phones, on computers and doing crosswords. Others were simply sitting in the chairs gazing out the window. Hmmm, so everyone was going to Sydney?
And sure enough, when we boarded the plane, they all were!
It was a smooth flight. Then straight through customs without a fuss and out the doors to my waiting daughter. The hugs were immense, and the tears flowed.
It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally free to go where I want.
Thanks for dropping by, my name is Fee O’Shea. I’m a mother and grandma, an author and an Improver. I’ve got a resource website to help peeps go plant-based, I’ve scribbled six bookscentred around veganism, and have helped others write and publish their own stories. But this blog is for my thoughts, my rants, raves, reviews and things that have grabbed my attention. From politics to social media to beauty, health and the environment. Fee’s Ramblings Over Coffee is written to bring you a smile or get you thinking. Enjoy.
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