Boat people ...where have they all gone?

Views in Verse - on life's little mysteries.

Tony Abbott isn't saying much about how he has managed to turn back the boats and his Minister tells us mid week that we "won't be hearing any more". But yet I must say that I love a good mystery.






What is Tony's secret that he had to first totally offend Indonesia's first family to kick off his strategy? Was it his ex army general moving around the offloading ports with perhaps para-military tactics in the turning tide of persuasion?

Is it maybe the old boats we were buying from the peasants of these ports ...bit of a long shot one. Or indeed maybe the newly commissioned ones he is buying; which are launched at approaching boat people from naval ships much like a 'torpedo being fired'? Perhaps they are hitting their marks???

Or did Tony realize that the biggest issue that led to our glut of arrivals under Julia was indeed that the smugglers were clever enough to give part of their takings to the capricious onshore Indonesian officials? Perhaps Tony (noted counter puncher that he is) has flung some well earned taxpayer dollars at these same ham-fisted trolls.

But whatever be  the strategy that has really quashed the arrivals ...we are never to know or so it seems. And that always intrigues me. Because ...as I said ...I love a good mystery.




The Passing  of Ol' Salt

It was a very long night
at the Drunken Prawn
After the best catch
for many-a-year
They arrived late at the dock that day
to find what only 'fisho's' fear...

Red eyes were agog
in amazement...
to see the olde girl slipping from view
Ol' Salt was 'past her use by date'
But their only real 'earner' too

In the 'fisho's' eyes
She was the 'pride-o-the fleet'
since before my Pop was alive;
the barnacles all got up
and danced that day...
the day that Ol' Salt died"

Oh the barnacles all got up
and danced that day...
the day that Ol' Salt died
And the song they sang
to a cloudless sky could be
Heard for many a mile:

"Ol' Salt she's done her bit...
the catch is in plain sight"
"There's nothing like
some mighty hard work
for building an appetite"
"Heave her to the left"
heave her to the right...."
"We'll bring her back
Full of fish today
so we all eat well tonite!"

It was said:
"She served seven sad masters
...a nastier bunch couldn't be!"
The lads had not a good word
for any-o-them
Except for their skipper - McGee

The barnacles were singing
'Captain's Call'
McGee sang it loud every day
But whatever could inspire
Mere crustaceans
to so warble away?

As she tossed and rolled
The crew were shocked
For what they couldn't ignore
was the barnacle choir
in a fevered pitch
singing Skip's own song once more!

When that was done
They paled as one
with something horrid forming
For the captain it seemed
was last thing seen, below, drunk...
and snoring...?

They found no sign of the Captain that day
They all left that same Fall
But not before each of them telling
different stories one and all
And me...
I stood on the dockside too
But I was way too young to recall

And so
the legend lives on
In story and song
Of whatever happened that day
Was it the whiskey talking,
a crew in mourning...
Or seagulls attempting Bizet?



Sent from my iPad - Grahame J Flynn

Views in verse on teamwork

Why do we try so hard to succeed on our own?


'Oft-seen faces'

Sitting on this craggy ridge...

Gazing at my fallen bridge...

The weather's hit me hard this year...

Not sure where to go from here?

Take this rambling road, our sole traverse

Has a mind of its own and a devils curse

Some days I have what it takes I'm sure

but others...

Well ...I'm not so sure

When it's not the floods

it's the constant sun

40 plus brings you right undone

Just reaching the cattle's often tough

Priming them ...I can't do well enough

Can I take this another year?

What will the banker say I fear?

These are times that stop you dead

And cop-outs nag 

So deep in your head:

Is there a fortune to be had?

Would my life be rich and glad...?

In shiny cars in far off places?

Save this farm and these 'oft-seen faces'?

(but you know...)

Surrender is for mugs & fools...

What use downing trusted tools

Where barriers may block our way

Belief arrives with the coming day

And although life can torment you

these 'oft-seen faces' see you through

They will always sustain you

The ones you love will see you through

Grahame J Flynn - Sent from my iPhone

New Year's Resolution 3 - seek out the best in every day

Views in Verse - on recharging the batteries.  

It is too easy 'day on day' to see the same things, do the same things, ...and as a result to come home overwhelmed by mediocrity! 

Too often also our search for fulfilment in life can be unintentionally bound by four walls. When in fact our sensory perceptions can be released simply by opening the door and walking outside!

Serendipity

Since going my own way
(I do ok)
but I can at times relapse
Today the crossword I do each morn'
Was the trigger to such a collapse

The early clues began this slide:
'regret,  loss and  ...falling'
No matter
what I did from there
The trend just kept on forming

Words  like 'rejection' and 'scorn'
Provide for further fuel
While...
'promise, growth and ...hope'
Point towards renewal

Progressively though
my eye was drawn
To the 'mystery word of the day'...
An eleven letter teaser...
That steered my thoughts away

After much 'to-ing and fro-ing'
Addressing thoughts absurd
It seemed without question at all
'Serendipity'
was surely that word

I note that this is a term
related to 'sudden joy'
A state of mind
to be sure
not felt since I was a boy

It struck quite a chord
I must admit
In looking beyond the 'mundane'
to truly envisage a richer life
built on a 'serendipitous' plane

The sound of children playing
A reassuring vibe
Suddenly reminding you...
 "yes I am alive!!!"
Life is jellybean colours
Fireworks in the sky
A silvery beam is shining
Out of a wondering eye

They say ...we set our goals
far short of what we presume
Instead if we were to
'shoot for the stars'
We might just
'hit the moon'

Forwarded from my Iphone - Grahame J Flynn

new year's resolution 2 - help to create greater awareness of impacts caused by casual drug use - a coming tsunami

Views in Verse - on addressing priorities


A 2013 report by the Australian Drug & Research Center has again highlighted the growing shift into all areas of society of casual drug use; or as the media likes to call them 'recreational drugs', both very forgiving terms I suggest.

But to downplay this problem is like comparing a breaking wave with a coming tsunami given the information now publicly available beyond this source on the subject. The United Nations in 2012 nominated Australia as the greatest users of recreational drugs in the world!

I have personally seen the sad effects of this in recent years as I have observed several friends become demonized and a few destroyed by these drugs (eg: ecstasy/cocaine). Whilst I still see a few stumbling along in the class often referred to as 'functioning addicts'. This obtuse category suggesting that they are somehow under control on a daily basis. Surely 'dysfunctional' would better apply.

I have also seen and many times discussed with my now grown sons the extent of casual drug use both in a social sense and secondarily in relation to work-life. Their perspectives in particular made me much more aware of how much the real situation has changed in Sydney in the past decade.

Casual drug use has now permeated all areas of society and is freely available on demand. A new equally warm term of 'designer drugs' has been applied to perhaps the most dangerous grouping of all. The Tsunami is just beyond view.

Much of this knowledge has made me acutely aware that this is not only a social crisis. That indeed many casual weekend users may in fact not be fully functional in the workplace until perhaps Wednesday in any given working week. The ramifications of this for workplace productivity (Australia's most challenging frontier) are thereby profound!

The Australian Drug Foundation purports alcohol use to be 85% of the problem and in its many programs is claiming huge success in changing user patterns according to their 2013 online annual report. My view here is that they are not recognizing a far greater problem building in the background with the more refined and dangerous drugs of choice. Treating serious drug use as an 20/80 item cannot be tolerated from an organisation charged with addressing such matters.

Notwithstanding my greatest fear here is that if we continue to downplay the severity of the situation, much as we did with alcohol for so long, in 'softly softly' ways as suggested above, then the consequences may be dire. I say this as reaching out to hardened users of social drugs will in most cases be - 'too late'. The time to create greater awareness and action plans is now. Either that or we will be seen to be 'fostering' an acceptance of this destructive culture and the resulting adoption into mainstream as 'normal'.

We in Australia must first publicly recognize the severity of the problem. The media has a key role to play here. Perhaps the media only find it about as palatable to discuss as they have the subject of mental health in the past. Sydney Uni Paper - http://bit.ly/1a1XMmx   



Subjugation


Draw me in
familiar sin
Take me to the gate
Fold me in hungering
My ways
my days my fate

Don't look down
Or move about
The purchase is so thin
Our time is lent
My lot's near spent
To the edge
I go again

Send me down now
Laughing loud
My pain, my truth
My glee
Ready to go
The clouds are low
My weight
is strangely free

The steps are there
Advice... 'take care'
Ignore another warning
The fog is thick
I go to it
Leave me now
...I'm falling

Learn from me
Transcend me
My story's there to tell
But ...let me be
to find the key
to end
this journey well

Forwarded from my I-pad Grahame J Flynn

New year's resolution ...'get a grip' on weight control

Views in Verse - on 'stickability'












The recurring theme in weight loss is the 'one off' project to lose so many kilo by a certain date. While this has certain appeal in immediate benefit it does not constitute a real solution to weight control nor does the occasional shot at gym membership work without a strong mindset to succeed long term. 

The easiest, most cost effective and 'stickiest' solution is to build exercise into the standard routines of your day (or week). These can relate to your work related activities or indeed can be family based. Even buying an item of equipment for home makes sense for some other than simply signing up for the 'qwik-fix' gym based solution.  

Buying the right book on how to stretch and exercise each day would make more sense really for most people. Knowledge acquisition is essential to interpreting how your body responds to exercise (and diet) and why! 

For example too many people in their older years continue to train with random cardio and strength machine activities when 'flexibility' would really be a far better option toward improved balance. See www.technogym.com for further information. There is a heap of info online really (google+ )



Morning in the City


I caste a lazy eye as the the bus 
nears 'The Bridge'
the sun shines bright off Middle Head
The Opera House smiles
as she peeps o'er the brow
I'd be pained to use my vehicle instead
I come in early 
for my 'walk across town'
the ideal start to the working day
An easy pace 
...no need to race
from The Quay toward Castlereagh

First through narrow lanes
of convict stone
I make my way toward the heart
Pitt St will take me
most the way to Sydney South
a light hill right from the start
Martin Place is stirring;
the 'promotional' zone...
early workers busy on a display
In an hour there'll be shouts
from painted roustabouts
as commuters go on along their merry way

A few blocks up 
the retail centre
trucks descend on the mall
Restocking shops
for the day that's ahead
a greengrocer fills his stall
It's a steady rise toward
the top end of town
An eclectic mix there you'll find
Best brands galore
In specialist stores
past the Hilton where taxis entwine

Crossing Bathurst
at the top you find
the Gateway to 'new' Chinatown
Once was confined
to old Dixon St
now thriving some eight blocks around
A little further now
towards the railway arches
I routinely make my way down
Once you cross under
Surry Hills beckons
with the aroma of fresh coffee ground

The sidewalks are narrow
where the locals gather
and await barista service with style
Just beyond them
men walk streets
clutching at loose bedding piles
But it's the 'metro' zone now
the place to be seen
I chance to wonder what I'm doing here
But I shot in the key
Enter ...just me
Ready to work ...no fear




From my I-pad - Grahame J Flynn