2015, sorted
Dec. 31st, 2015 10:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blamebramptonNormally, at year's end, I have a lot to say on politics. This year, there is absolutely nothing I can say aside from HOW HAVE WE ALL FOUND OURSELVES SURROUNDED BY SUCH AN ENORMOUS PACK OF TITS?? Honourable exemption for Canada who cleverly voted for someone who is not only a major hottie, but who explained the dominance of women in the cabinet with 'Because it's 2015.' Well played, Canadians.
Moving on. The best things of 2015: Marriage equality in Ireland (well done, chaps! Fingers crossed Australia FINALLY follows you next year, this is getting ridiculous) and the US Supreme Court decision on the same issue. For anyone who doesn't see why it's such an issue, as the daughter of a lesbian I can tell you in great detail of the problems families have when they are not recognised by the state. These laws protect children as well as provide basic fairness for adults.
The Paris Agreement. Years later than it should have been and at the end of yet another year of weather records toppling, but a giant step forwards from the 'it's someone else's problem' that major governments have been trotting out for years. It's a problem for all of us. And if you know a rampant ideologue who insists the science still isn't settled or goes on about a fictitious "pause", then remind them that tens of thousands of people die annually of the pollutants spewed out by coal and oil, so the economic case for renewables is inarguable. Ask Shanghai, Milano and Delhi what price breathable air.
Unity in the face of stupidity. From the strength of Paris in the face of repeated attacks, to the generosity of so many nations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas in welcoming refugees (fail for Australia again), to most Australians managing to get their heads around the link between misogyny and violence against women thanks to the sterling work of Rosie Batty and hundreds of women and men who work in the sector (and yet, Tony Abbott. Sigh.).
I built a garden. It's still a work in progress, but I have pomegranates ripening, ridiculous amounts of tomatoes, fiendish amounts of acanthus, a lemon myrtle that's reaching for the top of the deck roof, bamboo that's gone above it and enough mulberries to make me and a three year old very purple. I'd missed having this much sun, and have been enjoying shading it out with trees and giant grasses in enormous pots. Have yet another magnolia that I am going to put into the small back garden bed (SO MUCH PAVING) once I've dug up the remaining third of the archaelogical mess in there (everything from Edwardian tiles to building rubble found in the first two thirds).
Worst things were mostly death and illness. Far too much of both. I am not a fan. Biology is crap. Too many friends, then thoroughly decent famous people like Sir Terry Pratchett and Malcolm Fraser, and yet Dick Cheney is fine. If you needed any reason to see why people are atheists, you need look no further.
Work was poo. I clearly need to find new work.
I finished writing zero novels. I did finish one fanfic. Probably would have been a better idea to have done the reverse, but what the hell. Currently posting fest so there'll be a link later.
Read many books. I had forgotten how much I enjoy just sitting down and having a read. Watched two films at the cinema. The Martian was the better of them. Walked along the river a lot. Did not threaten Johnny Depp's dogs. Sorry, politics again. That's most of it, really. Cats good, Mr B brill, friends lovely. Front garden soil rock hard.
Here's to a glorious 2016 for everyone. May those who had a good year this year have a better one next, and may those who had a bloody awful one spend all of the next twelve months exclaiming, 'Oh, this is SO much better!'
Moving on. The best things of 2015: Marriage equality in Ireland (well done, chaps! Fingers crossed Australia FINALLY follows you next year, this is getting ridiculous) and the US Supreme Court decision on the same issue. For anyone who doesn't see why it's such an issue, as the daughter of a lesbian I can tell you in great detail of the problems families have when they are not recognised by the state. These laws protect children as well as provide basic fairness for adults.
The Paris Agreement. Years later than it should have been and at the end of yet another year of weather records toppling, but a giant step forwards from the 'it's someone else's problem' that major governments have been trotting out for years. It's a problem for all of us. And if you know a rampant ideologue who insists the science still isn't settled or goes on about a fictitious "pause", then remind them that tens of thousands of people die annually of the pollutants spewed out by coal and oil, so the economic case for renewables is inarguable. Ask Shanghai, Milano and Delhi what price breathable air.
Unity in the face of stupidity. From the strength of Paris in the face of repeated attacks, to the generosity of so many nations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas in welcoming refugees (fail for Australia again), to most Australians managing to get their heads around the link between misogyny and violence against women thanks to the sterling work of Rosie Batty and hundreds of women and men who work in the sector (and yet, Tony Abbott. Sigh.).
I built a garden. It's still a work in progress, but I have pomegranates ripening, ridiculous amounts of tomatoes, fiendish amounts of acanthus, a lemon myrtle that's reaching for the top of the deck roof, bamboo that's gone above it and enough mulberries to make me and a three year old very purple. I'd missed having this much sun, and have been enjoying shading it out with trees and giant grasses in enormous pots. Have yet another magnolia that I am going to put into the small back garden bed (SO MUCH PAVING) once I've dug up the remaining third of the archaelogical mess in there (everything from Edwardian tiles to building rubble found in the first two thirds).
Worst things were mostly death and illness. Far too much of both. I am not a fan. Biology is crap. Too many friends, then thoroughly decent famous people like Sir Terry Pratchett and Malcolm Fraser, and yet Dick Cheney is fine. If you needed any reason to see why people are atheists, you need look no further.
Work was poo. I clearly need to find new work.
I finished writing zero novels. I did finish one fanfic. Probably would have been a better idea to have done the reverse, but what the hell. Currently posting fest so there'll be a link later.
Read many books. I had forgotten how much I enjoy just sitting down and having a read. Watched two films at the cinema. The Martian was the better of them. Walked along the river a lot. Did not threaten Johnny Depp's dogs. Sorry, politics again. That's most of it, really. Cats good, Mr B brill, friends lovely. Front garden soil rock hard.
Here's to a glorious 2016 for everyone. May those who had a good year this year have a better one next, and may those who had a bloody awful one spend all of the next twelve months exclaiming, 'Oh, this is SO much better!'
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Date: 2016-01-08 11:45 am (UTC)And on behalf of your kids, I'd like for the children of homosexual parents to have Family Security, to know that, no matter who wins government, their parents' relationship has the same protections under law as heterosexual parents' relationships.
And I'd just really like a country where, if the powers that be don't give you the same rights, you don't have to pay as much tax. Sorry, I meant, we're all equal. But I'd totally take the other.