Marriage is for one man and one woman. It is not for two men or two women, unless one is no longer a man or woman. A woman born a man may marry a man, as long as he remains a man, and she keeps taking her hormones.
The only way gays may marry in Australia is by sex-change, a rather extreme declaration of love, and anything that even "mimics" marriage is likewise banned.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Same politics, different name
There comes a time after each election when you finally accept (after hoping and hoping for months that it really isn't the case) that the party you voted for, which you held up throughout the campaign as some bastion of all that was good in politics, was really just the lesser of two evils, and that effectively all political parties are the same. That moment came for me last week, when, after not one week earlier announcing that for all intents and purposes gay couples would be treated in the same way as heterosexual couples, the Rudd Government refused to allow the ACT to pass its Civil Unions bill as it "mimics marriage". Right. So... you're fine with gay couples having all the entitlements of a married couple... with the exception of a ceremony. This article sums up this ridiculous situation. Here are the first two paragraphs:
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
About time...
Hiya all - sorry once again for the lack of postage lately. I am currently working on two posts full of pictures, and they take time, what with the loading and captioning of pictures and my rather short attention span. But rest assured they will be up soon (I hope - they're driving me insane).
As I mentioned in my last post (a long time ago), I've had a busy few months. After my last post Moo visited me (pictures soon to be posted), and two days after she left I went on a 16 day trip through Thailand and Cambodia (pictures also soon to be posted). After returning to Nihon, I started my new job (same job as last school year, now working in a different area, staying at one school for 7 weeks rather than changing between 4 different schools), this is my third week back. I'm very much enjoying my new school, I work with great teachers, and also have a lot of free time, during which I've been doing a lot of reading (this may be the subject of a future post).
However... all things must come to an end. As much as I love this country (I really really do, it is going to be heartbreaking to leave, I think), I can't stay here forever. I have had an amazing 15 months here so far, and had met some truly wonderful people. However I feel I'm now at the stage where I've done pretty much everything I'd wanted to do here (with the exception of climbing Mt Aso and visiting Sakura-jima - unfortunately I doubt I'll be able to afford another trip to Kyushu), and am at risk of becoming too comfortable here (not a bad thing in itself, but I'm not ready to become too comfortable anywhere yet).
My plan has always been to live and work in the UK, and so that is what I am planning at the moment. Somewhere in these plans further education figures highly as well, ideally in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, but that is still in the early stages of planning.
In the meantime, I thought I'd let you know I've booked my flight home. I leave from Osaka on Wednesday 30th of July, arriving in Brisbane on the morning of Thursday July 31st. So I'll be seeing those of you in Brisbane soon :)
Yes, it's about time I posted something, but the title also refers to something else. The Australian government today announced it will be introducing changes to about 100 laws that discriminate against same-sex couples during the winter session of parliament. While this has stopped short of removing the ban on gay marriage (a ban both the Howard government and the previous Labor opposition supported - and actually, both the current government and opposition still support), I'm enormously happy Australia has finally decided the discrimination of its citizens based on the innate characteristic of sexuality is not okay. This is something that should have occurred a long time ago.
One final thing. In Thailand I bought some glasses (I've needed them for a while - I'm a little short-sighted, a problem I was alerted to in Osaka, when upon borrowing Ayla's glasses at the Björk concert, I was treated to seeing a fully formed Björk jumping across the stage, as opposed to the gold blob I was seeing sans glasses). So now I can see things at a distance - no more missing buses for me! Anyway, you like 'em?
----------------
Now playing: Final Fantasy & Ed Droste - Possibly Maybe
As I mentioned in my last post (a long time ago), I've had a busy few months. After my last post Moo visited me (pictures soon to be posted), and two days after she left I went on a 16 day trip through Thailand and Cambodia (pictures also soon to be posted). After returning to Nihon, I started my new job (same job as last school year, now working in a different area, staying at one school for 7 weeks rather than changing between 4 different schools), this is my third week back. I'm very much enjoying my new school, I work with great teachers, and also have a lot of free time, during which I've been doing a lot of reading (this may be the subject of a future post).
However... all things must come to an end. As much as I love this country (I really really do, it is going to be heartbreaking to leave, I think), I can't stay here forever. I have had an amazing 15 months here so far, and had met some truly wonderful people. However I feel I'm now at the stage where I've done pretty much everything I'd wanted to do here (with the exception of climbing Mt Aso and visiting Sakura-jima - unfortunately I doubt I'll be able to afford another trip to Kyushu), and am at risk of becoming too comfortable here (not a bad thing in itself, but I'm not ready to become too comfortable anywhere yet).
My plan has always been to live and work in the UK, and so that is what I am planning at the moment. Somewhere in these plans further education figures highly as well, ideally in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, but that is still in the early stages of planning.
In the meantime, I thought I'd let you know I've booked my flight home. I leave from Osaka on Wednesday 30th of July, arriving in Brisbane on the morning of Thursday July 31st. So I'll be seeing those of you in Brisbane soon :)
Yes, it's about time I posted something, but the title also refers to something else. The Australian government today announced it will be introducing changes to about 100 laws that discriminate against same-sex couples during the winter session of parliament. While this has stopped short of removing the ban on gay marriage (a ban both the Howard government and the previous Labor opposition supported - and actually, both the current government and opposition still support), I'm enormously happy Australia has finally decided the discrimination of its citizens based on the innate characteristic of sexuality is not okay. This is something that should have occurred a long time ago.
One final thing. In Thailand I bought some glasses (I've needed them for a while - I'm a little short-sighted, a problem I was alerted to in Osaka, when upon borrowing Ayla's glasses at the Björk concert, I was treated to seeing a fully formed Björk jumping across the stage, as opposed to the gold blob I was seeing sans glasses). So now I can see things at a distance - no more missing buses for me! Anyway, you like 'em?
----------------
Now playing: Final Fantasy & Ed Droste - Possibly Maybe
Sunday, 9 March 2008
KK-LaLa visit Japan
Thank you Kiiiiiii for that title. You were there for me when inspiration was nowhere to be found.
Apologies for the lack of posts lately - have had a hectic couple of months in which I had 3 different sets of visitors, saw 3 amazing concerts and travelled halfway across the country.
My last set of visitors were Mum and Ayla (or KK-LaLa, to continue with the Kiiiiiii reference which only Aaron and Ayla will understand). It had been over a year since I'd seen Mum and over 19 months since I'd seen Ayla (she returned to Australia from Singapore 10 days after I flew out for Japan), so I was very much looking forward to seeing them!
Day one - I made the trip out to Narita Airport for the first time since I came to Japan just over one year earlier. Dropped off my friend Simone at Terminal 2 (she'd been in the country for two weeks and was heading to Bangkok) and then met Ayla and Mum at Terminal One,
Hugs on the train home from the airport:
Ayla found a hobby in collecting Super Mario keyrings from the machine at my station. She managed to collect every one of the set except for the Black Bullet - when we returned from our gallavantations (I really like that word) around the country the machine had been replaced! Not a happy Ayla. Here she is about to hit the yellow box - what will come out?! A mushroom? An extra life? A coin?
I tried to take a candid shot but Ayla was too quick... Best random pose EVER.
Shadows at Meiji-jingu.
Lights in Shinjuku.
At the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building we found a photo booth (not difficult).
かわいい、ね？
Terrorising Tokyo.
Day 2: Mickey Rourke - take me to the Disneyland! (Many thanks again to Kiiiiiii)
Mary Poppins was American!! Sacrilege!
Riding the teacups - fun!
Sleepy - I was supposed to be asleep, but instead I just look drunk.
Riding the teacups again (actually, for the third time) - hey look, you can see my tonsils!
Ayla and her pimpmobile.
Mum and Ayla on Minnie Mouse's couch.
Splash Mountain - the wait was totally worth the photo.
Day 3 - trip to Omiya in Saitama to see the world's oldest bonzai.
Dinner - sukiyaki!! Of course nikku nashi for Mum... so not really sukiyaki.. Vegetables and sauce for Mum.
Bag lady on the train.
It didn't take long for Mum to develop the thousand mile (sorry, 1609 km) stare of the seasoned Tokyo subway rider.
Giant Panda - nuff said.
Day 4 - off to Kyoto:
Uh, I think it had just started snowing at this point, and we were trying to catch the snowflakes on our tongues. Yeah, that'll do...
It snowed! Heavily!!
Our first night in Kyoto was occupied by jazz and liquor (thanks Aaron!).
This was the first time Mum saw snow falling - she was very excited! (Ayla, Mum and Aaron).
Day 5 - 2nd day in Kansai. Nara!
Snow at 京都駅
Ayla facing off with a deer in Nara - I think she won.
When I bought some deer food they got a little rambunctious! Despite how this photo looks I escaped with all parts un-butted.
Sam feeding the deer - or is the deer feeding him?
Ayla decided the deer were now for riding. This deer took it pretty well.
The Daibutsu-den at Todaiji - the largest wooden structure in the world. Houses the Daibutso
Daibutsu - the photo doesn't really capture the grandure.
Day 6 - Kyoto. Kinkaku-ji. Still surrounded by a little snow. Every picture a postcard.
Astroboy at Kyoto Station.
One of my favourite places in Japan - a subtemple of Daitoku-ji. This is a photo I took when I was in Kyoto last May.
The path away from the temple last year (in spring).
Last week (in winter).
Monday night - seeing Bjork in Osaka with Aaron. Ayla lent me her scarf to add some colour, so I would fit into a Bjork concert a bit more. Aaron was doing fine on his own with his cowboy boots and NRA belt buckle.
This old lady was totally on her way to the Bjork concert, check out her jacket. (Thank you Ayla or Aaron, whoever provided that joke.)
Day 7 - Hiroshima - the Atom Bomb Dome.
The moat of Hiroshima castle - reflecty.
Hiroshima Castle.
Day 8 - Miyajima.
The Miyajima skyline.
The floating torii of Miyajima.
Some very content deer.
Inappropriate signage. At least they're questioning, not stating it as if it's a fact.
The Atom Bomb Dome at night - my camera made an eerie image even more so.
Day 9 - the 5 hour Shinkansen journey back to Tokyo.
Mt Fuji
----------------
Now playing: Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV (absolutely amazing album)
Apologies for the lack of posts lately - have had a hectic couple of months in which I had 3 different sets of visitors, saw 3 amazing concerts and travelled halfway across the country.
My last set of visitors were Mum and Ayla (or KK-LaLa, to continue with the Kiiiiiii reference which only Aaron and Ayla will understand). It had been over a year since I'd seen Mum and over 19 months since I'd seen Ayla (she returned to Australia from Singapore 10 days after I flew out for Japan), so I was very much looking forward to seeing them!
Day one - I made the trip out to Narita Airport for the first time since I came to Japan just over one year earlier. Dropped off my friend Simone at Terminal 2 (she'd been in the country for two weeks and was heading to Bangkok) and then met Ayla and Mum at Terminal One,
Hugs on the train home from the airport:
Ayla found a hobby in collecting Super Mario keyrings from the machine at my station. She managed to collect every one of the set except for the Black Bullet - when we returned from our gallavantations (I really like that word) around the country the machine had been replaced! Not a happy Ayla. Here she is about to hit the yellow box - what will come out?! A mushroom? An extra life? A coin?
I tried to take a candid shot but Ayla was too quick... Best random pose EVER.
Shadows at Meiji-jingu.
Lights in Shinjuku.
At the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building we found a photo booth (not difficult).
かわいい、ね？
Terrorising Tokyo.
Day 2: Mickey Rourke - take me to the Disneyland! (Many thanks again to Kiiiiiii)Mary Poppins was American!! Sacrilege!
Riding the teacups - fun!
Sleepy - I was supposed to be asleep, but instead I just look drunk.
Riding the teacups again (actually, for the third time) - hey look, you can see my tonsils!
Ayla and her pimpmobile.
Mum and Ayla on Minnie Mouse's couch.
Splash Mountain - the wait was totally worth the photo.
Day 3 - trip to Omiya in Saitama to see the world's oldest bonzai.Dinner - sukiyaki!! Of course nikku nashi for Mum... so not really sukiyaki.. Vegetables and sauce for Mum.
Bag lady on the train.
It didn't take long for Mum to develop the thousand mile (sorry, 1609 km) stare of the seasoned Tokyo subway rider.
Giant Panda - nuff said.
Day 4 - off to Kyoto:
Uh, I think it had just started snowing at this point, and we were trying to catch the snowflakes on our tongues. Yeah, that'll do...
It snowed! Heavily!!
Our first night in Kyoto was occupied by jazz and liquor (thanks Aaron!).
This was the first time Mum saw snow falling - she was very excited! (Ayla, Mum and Aaron).
Day 5 - 2nd day in Kansai. Nara!
Snow at 京都駅
Ayla facing off with a deer in Nara - I think she won.
When I bought some deer food they got a little rambunctious! Despite how this photo looks I escaped with all parts un-butted.
Sam feeding the deer - or is the deer feeding him?
Ayla decided the deer were now for riding. This deer took it pretty well.
The Daibutsu-den at Todaiji - the largest wooden structure in the world. Houses the Daibutso
Daibutsu - the photo doesn't really capture the grandure.
Day 6 - Kyoto. Kinkaku-ji. Still surrounded by a little snow. Every picture a postcard.
Astroboy at Kyoto Station.
One of my favourite places in Japan - a subtemple of Daitoku-ji. This is a photo I took when I was in Kyoto last May.
The path away from the temple last year (in spring).
Last week (in winter).
Monday night - seeing Bjork in Osaka with Aaron. Ayla lent me her scarf to add some colour, so I would fit into a Bjork concert a bit more. Aaron was doing fine on his own with his cowboy boots and NRA belt buckle.
This old lady was totally on her way to the Bjork concert, check out her jacket. (Thank you Ayla or Aaron, whoever provided that joke.)
Day 7 - Hiroshima - the Atom Bomb Dome.
The moat of Hiroshima castle - reflecty.
Hiroshima Castle.
Day 8 - Miyajima.
The Miyajima skyline.
The floating torii of Miyajima.
Some very content deer.
Inappropriate signage. At least they're questioning, not stating it as if it's a fact.
The Atom Bomb Dome at night - my camera made an eerie image even more so.
Day 9 - the 5 hour Shinkansen journey back to Tokyo.
Mt Fuji
----------------
Now playing: Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV (absolutely amazing album)
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