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| They did it! |
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Down to the line
Last Saturday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard sat in the MCG watching the 2010 AFL Grand Final begin to vaguely mirror her recent political nightmare.
I was watching the game, too, from the comfort of home, sitting nervously on my hands and watching Collingwood and St Kilda fight a football war. By the time the fourth quarter was on the clock St Kilda had the upper hand and led for the first time in the game. Saying that I was watching nervously is an understatement. Try querulous, tense, wired, worried...almost hysterical. Anyway, moving on from those bad memories... (GO PIES)
It turns out that it is. Since the 2010 Grand Final WAS a draw.
But why did the PM bother to specifically mention something that hasn't happened since 1977?
Well, because the recent federal election was a draw of sorts as well. The morning after the vote count it was still "to close to call". Our first hung parliament since 1940.
It didn't stop there, though, and after two weeks of 'horse trading' with the Independents, Julia managed to come up with enough seats to form a government. Labor had 76 seats to the Coalition's 74. I say it was a draw, since neither of the major parties won. (One headline declared the 2010 Federal Election as 'The Night No-one Won'.)
When it was finally announced on September 7 that Labor had government, there were no fireworks or speeches aired on live TV. The results were 17 days late.
I don't know what it's going to be like today, watching the Grand Final Mark II. The premiership cup will be there, and maybe even 100,000 supporters (again). But the Grand Final was played last week. The results are just going to be 7 days late.
At least we know that there won't be another draw since the AFL has kindly changed the rules.
Who would have known that the Liberal party would gain back so much ground? Who knew that the Saints would shut down the Pies' stellar defence and kick some goals?
2010 has been a tough year on big results so far.
I'm going to take a leaf out of the PM's book and predict a draw for the Melbourne Cup. And a hung parliament after the Victorian State elections (I know, I know. That's about as likely as a drawn Grand Final.)
Go the Pies!!!
If you want to read this again because for some strange reason you don't believe me, click on these links:
Julia Gillard Foreshadows Grand Final Draw
Polling Centre
Federal Election 2010 Results
I was watching the game, too, from the comfort of home, sitting nervously on my hands and watching Collingwood and St Kilda fight a football war. By the time the fourth quarter was on the clock St Kilda had the upper hand and led for the first time in the game. Saying that I was watching nervously is an understatement. Try querulous, tense, wired, worried...almost hysterical. Anyway, moving on from those bad memories... (GO PIES)
 |
| No way. This could not happen. |
Let's rewind to sometime before the game, when the PM is giving a prophetic speech at a pre-game function.
I quote:
“Please, please, we cannot have a draw. A week without a premiership football team - I'm not sure our nation's strong enough to take it.”
It turns out that it is. Since the 2010 Grand Final WAS a draw.
But why did the PM bother to specifically mention something that hasn't happened since 1977?
Well, because the recent federal election was a draw of sorts as well. The morning after the vote count it was still "to close to call". Our first hung parliament since 1940.
 |
| The journey to the draw. |
When it was finally announced on September 7 that Labor had government, there were no fireworks or speeches aired on live TV. The results were 17 days late.
I don't know what it's going to be like today, watching the Grand Final Mark II. The premiership cup will be there, and maybe even 100,000 supporters (again). But the Grand Final was played last week. The results are just going to be 7 days late.
At least we know that there won't be another draw since the AFL has kindly changed the rules.
Who would have known that the Liberal party would gain back so much ground? Who knew that the Saints would shut down the Pies' stellar defence and kick some goals?
2010 has been a tough year on big results so far.
I'm going to take a leaf out of the PM's book and predict a draw for the Melbourne Cup. And a hung parliament after the Victorian State elections (I know, I know. That's about as likely as a drawn Grand Final.)
Go the Pies!!!
 |
| Black and white. |
Julia Gillard Foreshadows Grand Final Draw
Polling Centre
Federal Election 2010 Results
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Blackberry winter
September equals
warm days, cold nights, Jonathan's birthday, blueberries, Grand Final fever, rain showers, blossoms, last holidays before Christmas, wattle, chai tea AND ice cream (happy medium), boot sales, Father's Day, new leaves on the trees...and September blues, which in my case means a lull in the mode of frantic assignment writing I've been trapped in.
Last uni assignment was handed in on Friday, and now I'm a free woman! (for two weeks)
So, I'm finally writing my first blog post. (I can't say it's my first EVER, since I already wrote a 'tester'. It was promptly deleted as the only thing I write was 'testing' about 100 times.)
It's finally spring, so I googled 'spring synonyms' just because I love words. Among other boring terms, blackberry winter stood out. Apparently, if you're in Tennessee, you know it's blackberry winter when there is a cold snap just as the weather is warming up. I'd say that's now, since this morning I was wearing a t-shirt, and now I'm wearing two hoodies, ugg boots, and jeans + leggings. I'm not in Tennessee, but why not make blackberry winters universal?
(The only slight problem is that blackberries come out in a totally different season over this side of the globe.)
On Sunday, I wheedled Dad to walk me down to the Gully down the road. It's really only a puny scrap of land wedged in between someone's property, and the dirt road, but deep down by the dry creek bed (it slopes down quite a bit) it's dark, secluded and beautiful. On one side of the creek stands a pine 'forest', and the other is full of slender young gum trees - quite a contrast.
I don't go there much, but the Gully will always be a part of my literary treasury. It's the setting for a short story I wrote to enter into the Alan Marshall Short Story competition. Maybe I'll put it up on my new blog someday...
The sky is periwinkle blue today. There are no clouds trapping any warm sun rays so the air is crispy cold. The only blackberries in this blackberry winter are the frozen ones we have in our mixed berry box in the freezer.
warm days, cold nights, Jonathan's birthday, blueberries, Grand Final fever, rain showers, blossoms, last holidays before Christmas, wattle, chai tea AND ice cream (happy medium), boot sales, Father's Day, new leaves on the trees...and September blues, which in my case means a lull in the mode of frantic assignment writing I've been trapped in.
Last uni assignment was handed in on Friday, and now I'm a free woman! (for two weeks)
So, I'm finally writing my first blog post. (I can't say it's my first EVER, since I already wrote a 'tester'. It was promptly deleted as the only thing I write was 'testing' about 100 times.)
It's finally spring, so I googled 'spring synonyms' just because I love words. Among other boring terms, blackberry winter stood out. Apparently, if you're in Tennessee, you know it's blackberry winter when there is a cold snap just as the weather is warming up. I'd say that's now, since this morning I was wearing a t-shirt, and now I'm wearing two hoodies, ugg boots, and jeans + leggings. I'm not in Tennessee, but why not make blackberry winters universal?
(The only slight problem is that blackberries come out in a totally different season over this side of the globe.)
On Sunday, I wheedled Dad to walk me down to the Gully down the road. It's really only a puny scrap of land wedged in between someone's property, and the dirt road, but deep down by the dry creek bed (it slopes down quite a bit) it's dark, secluded and beautiful. On one side of the creek stands a pine 'forest', and the other is full of slender young gum trees - quite a contrast.
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| Who owns this gorgeous piece of land? |
Once upon a time we picked wild blackberries by the recycled-plastic-Chinese-container-full, every February. Now, the blackberries have completely disappeared...sprayed?
Spring has left the creek bed full of vibrant green grass, brown puddles, and an old car.
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| A piece of junk can look so beautiful when nature has grown over it. |
The sky is periwinkle blue today. There are no clouds trapping any warm sun rays so the air is crispy cold. The only blackberries in this blackberry winter are the frozen ones we have in our mixed berry box in the freezer.
 |
| Weeds can be pretty... |
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