A Victorian Hangman Tells His Love

I don't often feel proud to be Australian.  But this week I have had reason to.  

The last time the Australian state sanctioned the killing of one of it's citizens was in 1967*.  Sure our human rights record is pretty atrocious in so many other areas, but at least we have this one sorted.  Not so America, as we have unfortunately witnessed this week.  

Image copied from here.

It feels like "unfortunately" is far too soft and common a word to describe the murder of Troy Davis by the State of Georgia.

As I have been thinking about this issue I remembered this poem by Bruce Dawe.  I remember how it chilled me when I first read it as a naive 16 year old.  And it still chills me now.

A Victorian Hangman Tells His Love**

Dear one, forgive my appearing before you like this,
in a two-piece tracksuit, welder’s goggles
and a green cloth cap like some gross bee – this is the State’s idea…
I would have come
arrayed like a bridegroom for these nuptials
knowing how often you have dreamed about this
moment of consummation in your cell.
If I must bind your arms now to your sides
with a leather strap and ask if you have anything to say
– these too are formalities I would dispense with:
I know your heart is too full at this moment
to say much and that the tranquilliser which I trust
you did not reject out of a stubborn pride
should by this have eased your ache for speech, breath
and the other incidentals which distract us from our end.
Let us now walk a step. This noose
with which we’re wed is something of an heirloom, the last three
members of our holy family were wed with it, the softwood beam
it hangs from like a lover’s tree notched with their weight.
See now I slip it over your neck, the knot
under the left jaw, with a slip ring
to hold the knot in place… There. Perfect.
Allow me to adjust the canvas hood
which will enable you to anticipate the officially prescribed darkness
by some seconds.
The journalists are ready with the flash-bulbs of their eyes
raised to the simple altar, the doctor twitches like a stethoscope
– you have been given a clean bill of health, like any
modern bride.
With this spring of mine
from the trap, hitting the door lever, you will go forth
into a new life which I, alas, am not yet fit to share.
Be assured, you will sink into the generous pool of public feeling
as gently as a leaf – accept your rôle, feel chosen.
You are this evening’s headlines. Come, my love.

The poem is about the hanging of Ronald Ryan.  He was the last victim of capital punishment in Australia.   I have lifted the poem from here .  It is a lecture given by Bruce Dawe.  In discussing his poem he says:

"Manners, conventions, customs are means by which the state seeks, at times, to legitimize the illegitimate."

The lecture was given in  2008 but these words apply perfectly to the State of Georgia.  They have tried to legitimize the illegitimate.  Moral discussions about capital punishment cannot center around issues of innocence and guilt.  If the taking of a life is unlawful for the citizens, how can it not be unlawful for the state?

 *Capital punishment was not abolished in Australia until many years later but no death sentences were carried out after 1967. 

** I have reproduced the poem in a font called "Georgia".

Undermining my Teetotalism

I am not much of a drinker and it is pretty rare for me to have a drink at home.  However, for the last couple of nights I have been kicking back with a relaxing gin and tonic.

I grew up in a tea-totaling church.  This branch of the church (Assemblies of God if you're interested) gradually came to accept a bit of "sensible" imbibing over the years.  And so I got to graduate from Lemon, Lime and Bitters, to occasionally having something a little more potent.

I have spent a lot of my 4th decade unraveling the knots I acquired in this environment but I still have not acquired the knack of drinking very much.

I have found it interesting to observe how others relate to alcohol after deconverting from the same, or similar, religious upbringings.  Some continue to avoid it: "I have lived perfectly well for this long without drinking why start now?"  Others suddenly embrace alcohol, and by embrace I mean at every possibly opportunity as they try to rapidly make up for missing out on teenage hangovers and embarrassing lapses of dignity at parties.

I have tended more towards the conservative side.  Partly because I have a voracious sweet tooth and most alcohol still tastes crappy to me (though I don't leave your bottle of butterscotch schnapps lying around).  But probably it is mostly because I am a control freak and the thought of being drunk is scary.

I watched Paul last night (while nibbling on dips and bread and sipping my G&T) and had a good laugh.  I loved Kristin Wiigs character who undergoes an instantaneous deconversion.  She makes it look so simple.  All you need to do is find an accommodating alien to lay hands on you and impart his knowledge and experiences.

Below is a little promo youtube thingy.  I have included it here because it shows some of her post-deconversion antics.  It is a pretty predictable movie so I don't think it will spoil it too much if you have not already seen it.

I love the character's reaction to her suddenly altered world view and new found freedom.  Pretty different to how I have reacted.   There is a lot for me to think about right there.

Jessi Arrington: Wearing nothing new

Wow.  This is so simple and yet so inspiring.  I love it!

Whether you want to save some pennies, save the environment or are just plain anti-consumerism, this might just be the idea you are looking for.

I have two questions:
1. Can you do this as successfully as Jessi Arrington if your personal style (or lack there of) is a little less flamboyant?  She rocks those outfits! But I just don't have the confidence to pull off gold glittery skirt especially with knee-hi white socks.
2. Doesn't $50 seem a little expensive for a second hand outfit?

Either Thrift shops in the US are way more expensive than here in Australia, or Arrington is shopping at fancier second hand stores than me.  Most items of clothing in the charity "op shops" I like to visit are under $5.

My favorite piece of clothing is from just such a shop.  A Salvation Army store to be precise.  I have worn it and worn it.  Almost every time I wear it someone tells me how much they like it.  To think I almost didn't buy it because it seemed to expensive at $15!

My favorite skirt.

Unfortunately I got the bottom of it caught in the wheel of my chair at work one day and it tore.  I was devastated.  But a very kind friend sewed it for me and did such a wonderful job you cannot even see the repair.  Now I don't wear it to work too often and if I do I am very careful not to roll around on my chair as much!

Perfect for twirling!

When I set myself a similar challenge to "Buy nothing new" in February 2009 it was surprisingly easy to stick to.  In fact, it was so easy that I found it quite challenging to go back to buying clothes after that.

My mum told me about a similar concept: "Buy nothing with a bar code".  It is intimidating to think of how that principle would apply to buying food!  I am certainly not ready for that.  No where near ready for that!

Disclaimer & The Importance of Laughing in Earnest.

I forgot to mention - my daily blog for September will be happening on The Vegan Apprentice.

I have a few posts in mind for this blog this month, but daily?  No, not going to happen.  Not this month anyway.

Although, come to think of it, I could just about do a post a day with patient bloopers collected over my years in general practice.  Lately some of my patients have, inadvertently I am sure, upped the ante in the bloopers stakes.  Hmmm, or maybe its a plot.  Something along the lines of "Try and make Mandy laugh in a patients face".  If that is the case, so far I am winning.  I always manage to keep a straight face.  Well, at least until the consultation is over.  I do have some decorum!

It's probably not a devious plot.


In fact maybe it is a good plot.  One designed to bring me more laughter.  And I do love to laugh.  And then I get to laugh about it again when I come home and tell my husband.


(It's not a plot at all is it?)

Anyway, here is an example from this week:

After examining a reasonably well 9 year old boy:
Me: He has a head cold and does not need any antibiotics.  (This is the abbreviated version).
Mother: Do you have time for one more question?
Me: Sure
Mother: I have been trying to teach him how to breathe. Do you have any tips on teaching children how to breathe?

I would love to hear your bloopers.   Opportunities for laughter should be shared.  

PS. No patients where harmed in the writing of this blog post.  Confidentiality upheld at all times.  :)

Matt Cutts: Try something new for 30 days

Over the last few days I have been umming and ahhing about whether to commit to 30 Day Blog September.   If you don't know what I am referring to then check Good Reason Blog.

There will always be excuses for taking on any challenge in life and I was manufacturing a few for myself.  Then I stumbled across this neat TED talk by Matt Cutts (never heard of him before either?) and realised I had nothing to lose.  Except of course pride if I didn't complete it - but I will complete it!  So win-win!!

Here are some examples he gave of 30 day challenges.

The interesting thing for me is that it was a 30 day challenge that gave me the inspiration to kick off this blog.  It all started with November 2008: Supermarket Free Zone.  Then there was December 2009: Non-fiction read-a-thon.  Followed by January 2009: Regular Exercise and February 2009: Consumer Detox, which I actually carried on past the end of the short month for the next 18 months.

I guess my vegan apprenticeship is a kind of challenge but it is bigger deal than a monthly challenge for me.  Though I think a vegan 30 day challenge would be a pretty cool experiment for those who have never tried it.  Or, for those a little less keen, maybe a "Vegan day once a week for a month", or even a "Vegan dinner one day a week for a month" would be a great challenge to set yourself! 

I really enjoyed setting myself those challenges and the motivation it gave me to do something different.  Unfortunately I did not get around to setting myself any more monthly challenges after those first four months.  So here is just the push I needed to get started again.  Not saying I will set a challenge every month (2012: monthly challenge every month year???) but I am going to do it more regularly than I have for the last couple of years.

Cutts says that when he started setting himself monthly challenges "instead of the months flying by, forgotten, the time was much more memorable."  That sounds good to me!