ABUC #3

This past weekend, Michael and I both participated in the Australian Beach Ultimate Championships. This time, other than playing on different teams, it was a lot like the previous two years we have gone. It's kind of nice to now have some tournaments we return to each year - familiar surroundings, accomodation, and faces.

All Good Streaks Must End

Our trivia team had about a month where we won something every week, and that streak ended last night. I occasionally mention our trivia exploits, but I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned the fact that my current trivia team is almost entirely composed of Aussie men that are over 50, some over 60.  I actually found out recently that one of them is the boss of someone we know, which I find amusing. Mike and I had a previous team with friends closer to our age, but lately I can only get a friend to come out every few weeks, in addition to Mike, if he's not working late. The older guys invited me to play with them one night after my friends all fell through, Mike was late, and I held my own and got a higher score than their team by myself. It turns out we are good match, combining different subjects of expertise. The age difference makes for some interested differences in how we try to figure answers out, and our memories span different decades.

They're quite a friendly bunch and really welcomed me with opened arms. They still go sailing together sometimes, and we find random things to talk about - usually current events, historical events, their kids, or travel. They can be snarky with the host, or get ornery amongst themselves occasionally, but that's kind of half the fun. I don't think about it much anymore, since I've teamed up with them for over a year now, but we must look like a funny team. I assume people think I'm the daughter of one of them. 

Mike has asked if I want to search for more people closer to our age for trivia again. I said, not particularly. They guys show up more consistently than anyone our age, and they're different than all our other friends here because they're so old school. I love our frisbee friends, but it is nice to have this completely different group to hangout with once a week. I'm not opposed to other young people who want to join us, but sometimes a good thing finds you my happenstance. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Oldies, but Goodies and International Competition

We recently re-watched So I Married an Axe Murderer and Gremlins, and I found both still very enjoyable, despite being so dated. Michael has decided to rename Evie, Gizmo, which may or may not stick. I reminded him her name is already on migration and vet paperwork, so it may not go over too well. 

Last night, despite the rain, we went to go see a test match between the Australian and Japanese mixed ultimate teams. It was actually in a real stadium and we were surrounded by lots of people we didn't know (not just the usual frisbee people), so maybe the sport really is growing here. The Aussies beat the Japanese pretty easily, so it was kind of disappointing. My group of friends starting cheering for the Japanese, just in the hopes that it would become a closer and longer game. It was a fun little taste of what watching the worlds beach tournament will be like. It's interesting how different countries' teams develop distinct strategies. For example, a lot of Asian countries' teams will tend to play with quick, short cuts and throws, as opposed to the long throws and high jumps of the Australian and American teams. It partly has to do with their average height matched against the average height of their opponents, and how they can use what advantages they might have. 

I was a little disappointed that the Japanese team brought gifts to the Australian team, but the Australian team was empty-handed in return. I feel like that was an oversight; usually if you are interacting with Japanese culture, you know about how gift giving is pretty important. I hope they did some nice welcoming stuff for the team behind the scenes.

Anyway, it's an on-and-off rainy weekend here - the perfect one for watching the new season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Even if it probably won't surpass the excellence of the first season, it still has the best theme song of the last several years....

This just in

Every time I check the news headlines these from the states days, I half expect them to say something about the president getting impeached, or some equally big deal. That's not a good thing and it's not normal. 

When I was little, I attended the White House Easter Egg Roll once. I came away with some painted wooden egg with the signature of George H. W.  Bush on it. When I was a kid, I knew who the president was (first Reagan, then Bush), but I couldn't tell you much about what they had done or what their platforms were on anything, because I was a kid. I knew the phrase, "Read my lips, no new taxes", but didn't know what it really meant, and that was about it.  The president was a very important person in my eyes - even the most important person in the world. I did't know about anything he did other than meet and take pictures with other world leaders, make some vague decisions I never heard about or felt the repercussions of, and sometimes there were wars in far away countries and he sent American soldiers away. The president had a family, a pet, and they had a mostly private life at the White House, other than when the family hosted public events. The president didn't publicly whine about anything either.

How times have changed. Everything we hear about the president, good and bad (mostly bad) is overkill at this point. It was the longest campaign that would never end, now it's the longest first four months of a presidency ever. It's partly my fault for checking the news a lot, but I want to know what is happening in my hometown. I want to affirm that nothing crazy has happened in the last several hours that will affect my family and friends, or my plans to visit or return home. I don't blame the media for this overkill, at least not entirely. I blame the fact that they have a 24 hour news cycle to fill, so many stations fill it with 23 hours of crap and one hour of news. I prefer print or radio news sources or their online versions, just because they have slightly less of the filler stuff, and sometimes more substance. It also helps to watch satirical comedy news shows - at least we can still laugh about the mess we're in.

I do not know what will happen with the current administration. I do know that I keep hearing politicians say we need to do such and such thing or else people will lose faith in the democratic system and American institutions. Too late. 

I am not a particularly cynical person, but I do expect things to still get worse before they get better. There is a lot of damage that can't be undone easily or quickly. Hard work could fix some of it, maybe most of it, but it's a long road ahead.

To end on a positive note, though...

You say "potato", I say, "Give me all the food right now."

I've noticed that some other couples do this thing where they don't eat dinner until 9 or 10PM. What?! Unless there is some unusual occasion where you have something immediately after work, why wouldn't you then go eat dinner. And, why aren't you starving by 6, much less 9?! I'm so confused by this, and cannot relate at all. Priorities, people...

Eurovision 2017

...Not as good as last year. There were a handful of acts I enjoyed, but, eh...

Things Are Heating Up

The political news coming out of the US has been an absurd embarrassment lately, even more than it has been in the previous few months. Hopefully there are enough sensible people in positions of power that the appropriate democratic processes will occur and the democracy will remain mostly in tact. To some people that might sound like an exaggeration, but I don't believe it is with the current climate. 

It has been a pretty regular work week, here on the flip side. We have a full weekend of frisbee and socializing, and then we'll do it all over again. The days are sunny but short.

I recently purchased us a heated blanket and it is my new favorite thing. I turn it on maybe 15 minutes before getting in bed, so when I get in, the bed is already warm. It's pretty great to get a into an already-warm bed. Like, one of the best things ever. Michael acts all princess-and-the-pea about it and says it's uncomfortable, but then he secretly drifts over to my side sometimes. 

Coming Soon... Europe 2017!

We are starting to get excited about our big, three week Euro trip in June, since I have been making most of the reservations. We will be going to The Netherlands, Ireland, and France for some ultimate frisbee and fun with friends. In The Netherlands, we will both be playing at a fun tournament called Windmill Windup in Amsterdam. In France, Michael will be representing on the Australian team at WCBU, which we like to think is kind of a big deal. The tournament is in Royan, and we will have one day in Bordeaux, and just an evening in Paris before we fly out. In between the tournaments, we will be getting up to some Dublin shenanigans. Between Sydney and Europe, we will be stopping in one of the best airports in the world: Singapore. 

We were last in Europe in 2012. I have been to all the countries where we will be going, over a decade ago, but we will be checking out new places in all of them. Mike has been to France, but never Ireland or The Netherlands. It will also be nice to know some Dubliners this time around, so we will have the inside scoop on where the locals hangout. Last time I was by myself and didn't know anybody.

I'm looking forward to all the fine baked goods and chocolate we're going to eat, and all the local beer and wine we are going to taste.

Congress, go sit in a corner and think about what you've done.

Like many Americans, I have been thinking all week about the abomination of a healthcare bill that passed without being thoroughly scrutinized. Also like many Americans, I have been watching The Handmaid's Tale and thinking, sadly, we are only a few steps away from that world. And then, when the "leader" of the US met with the leader of Australia, he noted that Australia has a better healthcare system - a single-payer system where everyone gets free healthcare, affordable prescriptions, and there is no pre-existing condition nonsense. All of this is so absurd to me, I literally can't make sense of it.

This, and then there is all this silly commotion about a comedian making a lewd joke about the president, and now he's being investigated by the FCC. When a comedian can't make a joke about someone in power, whether you agree if the joke is funny or not, there is something wrong. 

The US is no longer a democracy, it is an oligarchy. 

While I am unhappy with the recent changes Australia has made to its immigration process, perhaps needing to stay here longer to attain citizenship isn't the worst problem to have. 

Colossal

We saw Colossal this weekend at Govinda's, and I enjoyed it. It had a unique premise, it was funny, and took an unexpected turn or two. I went to see it not having seen the trailer, while Michael had seen it, and I think that made it slightly more enjoyable for me when there were some surprises. 

I have a friend that said she wanted to see it at first, but then heard it was "domestic violence-y", so she changed her mind. While there is an issue that the protagonist deals with having to do with a male being violent with her, the violence and the violent character aren't shown in a glorifying light. I won't give anything away, but the female protagonist does find a way to deal with that character. So, I disagree with my friend's reasoning. 

Having worked at a video store, I have seen some of the strangest movies out there. It makes me happy, in a time where movie studios just keep literally trying to remake old hits, when I see something fresh and different.

Government 101

"A government ought to contain in itself every power requisite to the full accomplishment of the objects committed to its care, and to the complete execution of the trusts for which it is responsible, free from every other control but a regard to the public good and to the sense of the people."

Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 31, January 1, 1788

"If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify."

Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 33, January 3, 1788

Sand Control to Major Ron

Michael and I went up to the Terrigal/Wamberal area this past weekend with a group of friends to play in a fun beach/hat frisbee tournament. We rented the same big house with a hot tub we rented last year and had a good time. Michael's team won the gold again, and he earned a towel with David Bowie's face on it. It was fun to be back in the game, even though my team came in third.