Happy Australia Day
It's Australia's equivalent of the 4th of July with a tinge of Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks for living in the "Lucky Country". I am happy to be an Australian and thankful for what it has to offer. Here's what I'm thankful for:
Of course I can't help but make a list of things that I'm not so crazy about.
1. It's a nice place for a family- with a large, expanding middle-class.
2. Good schools
3. National healthcare
4. Mild weather
5. Suffered the least in the GFC of any country in the world (so far)
6. Good public infrastructure - museums, libraries and transport
Of course I can't help but make a list of things that I'm not so crazy about.
1. The country is soaked in booze - especially on a day like this.
2. Superficial materialism - big screen tellies and italian tile floors for everyone!
3. A certain prejudging of foreigners - if you behave in a certain way or have a certain alternative belief, it is inevitably due to your foreignness.
4. A lack of neighborliness. Maybe this is a global thing, but neighborhoods seem to have dried up here. Everyone lives completely inside their house.
9 Comments
campionidelmondo3. A certain prejudging of foreigners - if you behave in a certain way or have a certain alternative belief, it is inevitably due to your foreignness.
Wow, I didn't know the aboriginies were so prejudice. I guess you can't blame 'em after England pretty much took their home land from them and turned it into a giant prison camp.
Happy Australia Day!
SarzyI think all four of those things in the "not crazy about" category are pretty universal, to a certain extent. And I'd probably disagree that wanting a nice TV would be superficial materialism -- I think most of us spend more time in front of the TV than we'd care to admit, so getting a good one would actually enrich your life a little bit (unlike Italian tile floors or granite countertops or whatever is trendy).
spoco2We're glad to have you Dag
)
And I agree with you on all points really, and we've been guilty of not being as outwardly neighbourly as we could be in the past as well, and do long for block parties and the like.
And the thing of people living in almost squalor and yet having a 50inch TV makes me sad indeed. (And no, not because I don't have one that large
therealblankmanAustralia, Australia, Australia, Australia. We love you. Amen.
deathcowbig screen TVs rock!!!! I want the biggest damn one I can afford
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
I would like a big screen TV if it didn't come with TV.
TVs are great but TV sucks.
>> ^deathcow:
big screen TVs rock!!!! I want the biggest damn one I can afford
deathcowI hear where you are coming from, but not all TV sucks. I rather like things in my line of interest, especially in luscious 1080 HD..... there is a dearth of physics, astronomy, car rebuilding, killer concerts and movies.
And yes tons, tons of pure crap.
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)
It's too hard weeding the crap out. I would fall into a pit of MTV's The Real World Marathon and be unable to escape.
The Internet is safer, I watch what I find or what is recommended to me- not pumped to me by the Network.
rougyI, for one, am impressed and grateful that the dregs of Victorian society could somehow slay the deadly koala and usurp the mighty kangaroo long enough to stay drunk and procreate all at the same time!
New Mexico needs more Aussies!
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