Monday morning musing from an (apparent?) hippy

I can just tell that any efforts I make to organize this week are doomed to ... re-organization*, by forces beyond my control.

Already (and it is only 11am on Monday morning!) I have spent far longer than I intended in traffic, had my schedule re-arranged through appointment cancellations and rescheduling, and - amusingly - been "bullied and harrassed" for over an hour by one of my students, who has formed a fixed idea that I am a hippy.

This last amused me very much. This student's medical condition makes speech difficult; it is quite funny, being teased mercilessly while you are attempting to translate the sounds into words ... which denigrate you!

Perhaps the funniest thing about this interaction was that any objections I offered were firmly refuted. It made me wonder: am I a hippy?

How does one define "hippiness"? For this student, the fact that I love trees, was writing with a green pen, have one fingernail painted (green), was carrying a patchwork handbag and "wearing wool" (it was actually wool blend, but never mind) were all evidence enough. Further close questioning on his part uncovered my vegetarianism, the colour of my car (green) and the fact that I like cooking - all damning confirmations  in his eyes.

I suspect most of us in Gen X would have a different definition of what a hippy is.

And really, do I care? Why does the thought of being labelled a hippy cause me to wince? Those qualities I associate with hippiness - care for the earth, pacifism, open-mindedness, compassion - are all qualities I aspire to, in various ways.

Anyway, as my unpredictable week unfolds, including day surgery "sometime" on Wednesday and its associated concerns, I hope I can carry my open-mindedness and compassion along with me ... even if this does mean adopting, albeit partially, the mantle of "hippy".



* I won't say "failure"

Finding Beauty in Melbourne

It's been 19 weeks and 2 days since I moved to Melbourne, and while I still miss Adelaide very much, I continue to focus on finding beauty and good things in my new home.

Here are my Top Four Joyful Discoveries of the last few weeks:

4. Wilson Botanic Gardens
OK, I know I've mentioned this beautiful open space numerous times in previous postings, but these gardens really are worth a trip out to Berwick. Some of the trees are a little confused at present with the apparent change of season - who isn't? - but the variety of plantings, walks and sculptures make this a "must see" in the south eastern suburbs. Enjoy a cup of tea down Berwick's main street afterwards, with its convenient centre parking - a space always seems to open up, just when you need one!

3. South Melbourne Markets
Wow! Great food, yummy cakes, and the shop where I found the purple dress I've been sporting with joy the last couple of weeks. Might almost qualify as "a smaller version of Adelaide Central Markets". (Almost.)

2. Driving East along the Monash at Sunset
My husband and I did this on Saturday afternoon. I was driving and first noted the quality of the light reflected off the bridges, sound barriers and roadside vegetation; then Peter looked back and saw the stratified sunset behind us. I think the urban planners did a great job planting along the Monash, and seeing the various gardens bathed in rose-gold light was a real treat.

1. The Beach at Beaumaris
Admittedly, I saw this during lunchtime last Friday when the sun was shining strong and the temperature was warm - so I've probably seen it in its best possible light, for this time of year. However, new to this city as I am, I never realized there were beaches like this within Melbourne. I'd been to South Melbourne and St Kilda, where footpaths are separated from sand by cement pathways, but here there are strips of trees ... and sandstone cliffs to the south! I went home in rapture.

This picture is looking south; I only had the camera on my mobile phone with me, which was unable to do justice to the cliffs from afar.

Being in a new city isn't just about making new friends, it's about finding or creating a sense of 'home' in the midst of a new geography. For me, finding places or things I can connect with emotionally is a big part of this process. The search continues!

Writer's Group

Today, my four-weeks-and-first day in Melbourne, I tried something new: I attended a writer’s group.

This was definitely outside my comfort zone!

For the last six years, I’ve only written academic pieces and speeches – and one piece of fiction, a “thank you” story for a special person left behind in Adelaide; so you could say I was sorely underprepared to attend a writer’s group. But I’ve been feeling somewhat socially isolated since arriving over here, and know I need to put myself out there – so along I went. (Previous readers: yes, I’ve been lacking a sense of “relatedness” lately! One of my Big Four.)

I felt some trepidation: would they be poncy word-snobs? Would there be bitchiness and backstabbing? Would they be open and welcoming, or closed to outsiders?

I chose the group I attended after looking at a website of Victorian writers groups; on the basis of a few words on a screen, I made a fairly arbitrary selection ... and trusted my intuition.

I chose well. Three men, seven women, age-skewed to the mature; some published, some not, with works from children’s picture books to novel chapters presented. I decided I would “put myself out there” and read the first two scenes of the piece I’d taken along. The feedback was both kind, constructive and particular – “you had a split infinitive on page two” – just what I’d hoped for, but was almost too nervous to anticipate. I wouldn’t say they were blown away by what I’d written – I’d say they’re not great science fiction fans, for starters! – but it was gratifying to hear that  it was well written.

It was a really great example of positive community: purposeful, supportive, truthful (within the bounds of compassion) ... I was really impressed, and grateful, and am looking forward to next month.