A public holiday based on beer and barbecue

[blamebrampton]

It's Australia Day today, the 222nd anniversary of the First Fleet arriving in Port Jackson where they dumped a load of convicts and roundly pissed off the locals who had been around for somewhere between 40,000 and 65,000 years by that point.

It's a strange public holiday, because the European attitudes to it fall somewhere between 'Fucking Godzone innit? Pass the beer!' and 'Er, actually, we pretty much failed to live up to international law when we took the country ...'* while the Indigenous attitudes are along the lines of 'Geez, you wouldn't think Reconciliation would be that hard for a country that can take monumental drought in its stride.'

As a result, the day itself sees everything from infltable-thong-swimming records to Invasion Day protests. As a ring-in, I like to do a demi-Australian Day, so I went to the pub, and had some lamb, but drank no beer and had neither lamington nor pavlova. Having said that, I am now craving pavlova ...

raitala  said something quite interesting in December, which is that I seemed far more affectionate towards Australia this year than last. I was surprised, but she was right, and it took the two of us a few minutes to work out why. Of course, it was the bushfires, and the sense of unity and purposefulness they brought out in the nation. Natural disaster is the glue that seals all cracks in Australian society, but many of the cracks still lurk underneath. Most of the time they are small and cosmetic, but a few are a bit structural. Having said that, most are being worked on and at least there is a system that allows, even encourages debate. And when all else fails, the lamingtons are brilliant, even if they turn out to have been originally from New Zealand.

On a totally unrelated and profoundly shallow note, I would wear each and every garment in this Christian Dior collection and am now thoroughly regretting not buying a new dressage hat while in London. Time to pull out the silks and sewing machine ...



* Interestingly, Governor Phillip, who came out with the First Fleet, was actually very good about the rights of the indigenous population, as were a number of his successors. John Macarthur, leading businessman of the colony, on the other hand, was a complete bastard.

Comments

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

I feel quite ambivalent about the holiday, too. It seems a strange thing to commemorate, but on the other hand the actual reason for the choice of day is ignored by almost everyone I know, in favour of beer, and burned sausages, and shouting abuse at the radio as JJJ's Hottest 100 is counted down at one's favourite song failed to make the cut (or came it at #90).

The Christian Dior collection is utterly gorgeous!

Now I want pav, to...

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I considered listening, but as it has been a year of ignoring popular music not by British women, I decided to keep up my abstinence ;-)

I am now thinking I will make my steampunk costume something a bit more equestrian, and flasher and silkier ;-)

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

Equestrian steampunk FTW! I am sticking with my plan for cosplay at Supanova ;)

[adores-draco.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous dresses! :) I might wear some of them if I had the needed looks myself. Unfortuntely I'm not a fourteen year old slimmer than slim beauty... Never was. *is sad* ;))

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Quite a few of them are reasonably forgiving ;-) I would need the midget version: you could get two ballgowns out of one of those skirts for someone my height!

[alex-s9.livejournal.com]

Well, it's John Galliano. I'd wear everything he designed. I still remember his first collection, the one that hooked me on fashion, presented on a railway station platfrom.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

He's ever so good. Though usually I like his stuff in a more abstracted way. This collection has me plotting to find a very rich husband very quickly. Though I am sure that they would not look as good on me as on those very tall very thin models. Since I do not need to look at myself, however, I would not care!

[alex-s9.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was wondering about the current collection, because the models seemed short, kind of Audrey Hepburn-like. But I like the inspiration.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

From my height, everyone looks tall ;-)

[adores-draco.livejournal.com]

I had printed quite a few H/D stories to read when I'm not glued to my laptop. I started reading a really well-written story with a delightful Draco, hilarious female colleague and an oblivious Harry. "He took Malfoy's extended middle finger as a token of farewell." *sniggers* There was also a fascinating "detective story", mobile phone use instructions, mention of Death Eater humour, shoelaces, a child and some fairies, a cubicle and an archbishop, some lovely bantering and a great end. I hadn't printed the writer's name so I have to admit it took me three pages to realize who's fic I was reading. I read your story twice (Some parts about ten times but don't tell anyone. I'm not as stupid as I look - I just liked them.) just to enjoy the vocabulary and the way our boys communicated. "For the Public Good" is excellent work. Clever, funny and witty. I enjoyed it very much. :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Embarrassingly, it took me until the Leo Blair bit to work out what you were talking about. *Is dim.* Thanks, dear! What a lovely thing to say!

[adores-draco.livejournal.com]

Not a very good review if you didn't know what I was talking about... ;)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

More that I have the memory of a vague fish!

[adores-draco.livejournal.com]

Me too... :))

I thought you might appreciate a joke I read somewhere. A hippie is a person who looks like Tarzan, walks like Jane and smells like Cheetah. :D

[ldydark1.livejournal.com]

Happy Australia Day.
You are a diamond the country produced.
I agree with adores draco, I enjoy
your writings very much.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

*Raises virtual lamington to you!*

England does get most of the credit for production, though I have to say that my satire has certainly blossomed in Australia. And thanks! I will try to produce more for you this year!

[clovis-t.livejournal.com]

Why am I not surprised that the leading businessman was a complete bastard...

The whole reconciliation issue has always seemed to me to be a complete mess, and absolutely not helped by some Aboriginals protesting for Australia Day to be called Invasion Day. On a side note, is reconciliation even the right word? It suggests to me that Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals were together in some way, and then split apart, and need bringing back together.

[i-autumnheart.livejournal.com]

I like this jacket from that collection...sadly don't have the arms for it, though. Nor anywhere to wear it to, come to think of it!

[schemingreader.livejournal.com]

I went to look at the Dior collection. I didn't love everything in it (imagining I were slim and rich enough to wear and afford it!) but I did love the red riding outfits and the big ballgowns. The sideways bustles are a little weird, won't they make people look deformed?

I'm also trying to imagine what you're going to make with your sewing machine and how you will look in it, since the two things I know about you from reading your LJ are that you are small and that it's very hot where you are.

Och, but yon maun be terrible for Scots Australians, forbye.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Sae soon next-efter Burns Nicht, and them drinking the mair.

Re: Och, but yon maun be terrible for Scots Australians, forbye.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's not so bad. The pavlova helps to settle any stomach upsets caused by overindulgence in Scotch and haggis. And, with the 26th a public holiday, it means Burns Night can go on into the wee small hours with no worrying about the morning after.

[faynia.livejournal.com]

I love holidays that are all about European invasion on the indigenous populations. Best ones ever.

That link of yours? LEADS TO SOME FAIRLY FABULOUS CLOTHING. Did you know?

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

Happy Australia Day! Have some virtual lamingtons and pavlova!

Wow, the garments are so darn pretty! *steals some and blame it on brammers when no one's looking*

*runs away*

[deensey.livejournal.com]

I like to think of it as beer and bbq day. But i'm an import.

[ms-kilian.livejournal.com]

After kangaroo sausages on the barbie and cheering on Melbourne Victory to a 4-0 defeat over Wellington in the A-League, we rounded out our day by watching the S2 final of The Circuit - a well rounded National Day I feel.

[dragonfly-lily.livejournal.com]

PAVLOVA!

[shu-shu-sleeps.livejournal.com]

Admiring the fabulous lines of a Christian Dior collection is in no way profoundly shallow :) For myself - I HAVE TO HAVE nos 2, 4 & 6 - or I will not survive 2010! Of course, since I cannot afford couture I will just have to remember that I can sew a bit and do it myself :)
Australia Day - I watched Hollowmen, went to a Hottest 100 party and studied Property Law - no beer or BBQs but still seemed a fitting way to spend the day (oh and went the long way home from the party to avoid the Invasion Day march through the centre of Canberra.... yes English common law marched in on the boots of the settlers - not our finest hour.

[emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com]

Oh my, that's a stunning collection of clothes! *pines*

I didn't drink on Beer Day, sadly I had to drive early this morning. I'm still on my provisional license and as such can't drive for 24 hours after I have more than two or so drinks. I was however very traditional and had a bbq/pool party with friends. Far too hot though. I'm quite possibly the worst Australian ever; despite being born and raised in one of the hottest parts of the country I cannot stand the heat.

Australia is glad to have you as an import, by the way. :)