30 Days-Gay Straight

On Thursday night, there was the program called 30 Days on. 30 Days was created by the same guy who created/filmed Supersize Me. I haven’t seen Supersize Me, but I have heard some pretty good stuff about the show. I had heard previously about 30 days and when I saw what the topic was, I thought I’d tune into the show. For those who don’t know what the show is about, the narrator picks a certain topic that may cause awareness and question..he then gets someone to kind of do a “case study” for 30 days, and the show is like a live diary of the person’s 30 days.

Thursday’s episode was a guy from Michigan named Ryan. He got his degree in business, grew up on a farm, and was in the military for a period of time. He was back at home, and had his own beliefs about homosexuality. Coming from a pretty religious background, he knew all of the references the bible gave about homosexuality being a sin. So he was to go to San Francisco, to the Castro District (gay capital of SF) and to be roommates with a gay guy. The gay guy was named Ed. Both guys had their own reservations about having the other person be there, but they were both interested in finding out about the other person.

The beginning of the episode, I was a bit hesitant because Ryan was pretty full on about his religious beliefs. But I respected the fact that he had his own opinions, but yet was trying this “experiment” to maybe change his views. If not change the views, but give more insight to what the gay life was really like. Ryan talked about gays getting married (didn’t agree with it) gays in the military (didn’t really agree with it) and even went to a gay church and had quite a few conversations with the reverend. They went to a gay club, and the first night, Ryan was pretty standoffish and even got into a confrontation with a guy there. He ended up leaving the bar. Later on in the show, Ryan’s friend from back in Michigan, came to visit. During his stay, they went to the same bar, and ended up taking their shirts off and making themselves look like idiots.

By the end of the episode Ryan had changed some of his views about homosexuality, and realized that gay people were just like straight people. I’m not quite sure if his opinions changed in terms of his religious beliefs, but he seemed to have made an effort. When he went back home to talk about his experience with his family, he seemed much more receptive to talk about what had happened. Ryan even said that he’d go back. At the end, for Ed, he said that he’d made a good friend in Ryan, and I think that was great. I think Ed’s experience, and with him helping Ryan out, helped Ryan overcome his views of stereotypes and came to a “sense” that gay people are just as deserving of rights and obligations as straight people.

It was a good episode, and am looking forward to next week’s episode. It’s about a man who lives with a Muslim family for 30 days I think. I know the topic is Muslims, and based on the preview, it looks like there is going to be some confrontation and uncomfortablility on many parts. I recommend others to watch this show, it really opens your eyes to something you may not have seen or thought of before.

-current mood-RELAXED

Asylum seekers freed after 4 years

In yesterday’s newspaper, there was an article that stated that 25 men, from various countries were flown to Melbourne, and freed from the Nauru detention center. There were concerns of these mens’ mental health status’ so the DIMIA decided to set them free. The Nauru center was set up in 2001, to process illegal boat arrivals. It doesn’t say how all of these men were sent to the detention center, but my guess is that they tried to smuggle their way into the country by boat and were caught.

In one aspect, I couldn’t imagine myself being able to survive in a detention center for that long. But in retrospect, this situation (among others) makes me wonder why the government kept them in there for as long as they did. Out of the 25 people, 13 have been given refugee status, and 12 were given other forms of humanitarian protection. Now that they have been released, they will be staying in a hotel, at the public’s expense until they are able to be resettled somewhere. The article also stated that immigration detention state director declined to apologize to the group for their 4 years in detention. Umm, why should immigration be apologizing? They are not the ones who tried to come to Australia illegally.

I don’t know what the background is of these individuals, but it angers me and annoys me, that people who come on boats and “seek asylum” are able to stay in the country. Sure, they have a long road ahead of them, and end up staying in detention centers, but they have this idea that if they are able to get into the country illegally, they’ll be able to stay. But then you see someone like ME, who did everything by the book, and just happened to be illegal without knowing, and now I may end up not being able to stay. It seems like if you do everything by the book, the government is going to make you work harder, than if you just seek refugee status. Just how many of these people are legitimiate? Some people say that they can’t go back to their homeland because their country is constantly at war. Their government has been overthrown. Some people go as far to say they’re from a different country, just so they can get refugee status. I know that I come from a very powerful nation, but why should someone else get presidence over my case, just because their country is at odds with other people? These people were living in their country, they were surviving…so why does it take, coming over on a boat illegally, to get them to stay?

I know every situation is different, but it just angers me that people do things illegally, and they’re still able to stay. Even though these gentlemen were at a detention center for 4 years, that is the chance they had to have taken when they decided to try and come to Australia illegally. They KNOWINGLY came to Australia, with intentions of staying illegally. So 4 years later the government decides “yeh, okay?” Plus these people, just how fluent in English are they? Do they have what it takes to be able to survive here in Australia? I overstayed my visa by 67 days, and it wasn’t because I wanted to stay illegally. If I had known that I was illegal earlier, I would have hired an immigration lawyer or something to try and work things out. But I “assumed” I was legal based on what was told by me by DIMIA officials. I know I can’t go back and change my unlawful status, but I just hope that the government has a little heart and realizes all of this. They are lenient more toward people who seek refugee status, than someone who has credentials and speaks fluent English. What hurts the most, is the fact that I thought I was doing everything the right way. I thought I was doing everything legally, and now I may get punished. But then you have people who, from the get go, do everything illegally, and they eventually get to stay.

I have mixed feelings about detention centers. You hear news stories about people who try to commit suicide while in the detention centers. I don’t know what the conditions are, but I could imagine it’d be just like in prison. But it shouldn’t be a luxury should it? These people who are in detention centers broke the law, they knowingly tried to get into the country illegally. Why should they be given the “okay” when there are hundreds of people who migrate to Australia the LEGAL way? Sure it takes money, but everyone should have to do it the right way. I think if people try to do the right way, and end up stuffing up (like myself) they should get some leniency. But if they knowingly try to smuggle themselves into the country, they should be forcibly removed from the country. They need to find a way to get to Australia legally, just like all the other people. There is a way, but doing it illegally isn’t going to get you anywhere. Well, after 4 years, I guess it did for those 25 people.

-current mood-PEEVED off

"You have the wrong number"

Lately, probably within the last few months, my partner and I have gotten a lot of calls for other people. Before, we would get the occassional wrong number. Usually it was a call for the Holden mechanics. I think we’re one digit off from their number, and people have rang up thinking we’re a Holdon mechanic. But other than that, we rarely have gotten wrong number calls.

But the phone call we got yesterday, kind of spooked me out. At 5:15 yesterday morning, someone rang. I picked up the phone after a few rings, but the answer machine got it. No one of course left a message. Around 5:30, the phone rang again. I answered it, and after saying “hello” a few times, someone finally said “is Kelly there?” The voice was very quiet, male, and very “stalker” like. He talked so softly that I kept saying “what” to him. My partner woke up, took the phone from me and started asking him what he wanted. She said that he had said he wanted a 9749 number. My partner said that that wasn’t our digits, and the guy ended up hanging up.

This phone call totally creeped me out. Why would someone be ringing at 5:15 in the morning? And the guy was talking all soft and mysterious, I didn’t like the vibe he gave me. But we’ve been getting a lot of wrong numbers of late. I find it strange that we have a lot of wrong numbers. Our number is now private, so why would we be getting so many calls? They’ve all been for various people, never the same person. I’ve even gotten quite a few wrong numbers on my mobile phone. I haven’t had one recently, but there was a span of two weeks where I think I had three.

Part of me wonders if it’s immigration checking up on us, trying to find out whether we’re living together. Anyone can say that they live at an address, but to see if the two people actually live together, wouldn’t go past me if immigration was doing this. I’m the one who usually answers the phone, because the phone is on my side of the bed. Immigration doesn’t want to make it out that they’re “checking up” on us, so they pretend to be asking for someone else. I know I could be totally off base here, and it could just be that we’ve had a lot of wrong numbers. But immigration is a government agency, and they’ve been known to ring up at odd hours, and stop by for an impromptu visit. I sort of wish that someone would come stop by for an interview. They’d be able to see that our house is OUR house, with all of our pictures and everything. I just find it interesting that these clumps of wrong numbers seemed to have surfaced since we’ve lodged our application. Could be just coincidence of course.

The phone calls early in the morning are getting to be really annoying though. My partner works shift work, so she’s not home till 2:30am, sometimes later. So we sometimes don’t get to bed till 4:00am. And then to have someone ring at 5am or 8am, it gets on both of our nerves. Lucky for me, I am not working right now, and so I can just go back to sleep. But my partner hasn’t been feeling well lately and hasn’t been sleeping very well. So if she gets woken up, that’s it, she can’t go back to sleep.

-current mood-MOPEY

Muggy weather

I grew up in Oregon. In Oregon, there were not many days that were muggy. It rained a lot in Oregon, and yes, during the summers we’d get the occassional hotspell. I can remember summers where I’d lay outside baking in the hot sun, and I wouldn’t be able to last more than 15-20 minutes because it was too muggy for my liking. I remember I was always wiping my face with a towel because the sweat would just drip down my face. Not a very nice mental picture huh, but it was just so uncomfortable. I like it when it’s in the mid 70’s, and there is a slight breeze. But when it’s 80+ but no breeze, that’s when I begin to feel yucky.

Well, that’s sort of how I feel right now. It’s really muggy outside, I’m currently wearing shorts and a tank top. But the shorts are sticking to my skin, and I just feeling gross. Melbourne is so warm during the summers. A lot warmer than my body is used to. Aside from the hot scoarching sun, the humidity is always high. There is like absolutely NO breeze outside. I thought “aww great, 32 (C) today, I’ll get outside and enjoy the sunshine and work on my tan.” Nope, too muggy and yucky outside. Tomorrow is supposed to be 27 (C) tomorrow, maybe I’ll try to see if I can withstand the heat tomorrow.

-current mood-FEELING GROSS, because my skin is sweaty.

Melbourne Cup Day

Today, was Melbourne Cup Day. For those who are not familiar with this special day, it’s the most known horse race of Australia. Everyone who lives within 88 kms of the CBD of Melbourne gets the day off. Isn’t it kind of strange to think that a horse race can cause a public holiday? They do say that it’s the race that stops a nation. So many people come to this race, and it’s pretty hyped up. I remember last year, it was miserable as, in terms of weather. It was raining, windy and all the nice ladies who wore their nice hats, shouldn’t have bothered. They only got thrown in the wind. But today was absolutely beautiful. It was in the 80’s I reckon, and we had a bbq at my mum in law’s partner’s place. I can only imagine how much money they made on all the cold beverages they had at Flemington Race course. I heard that over 100,000 people were expected to show up. And when they showed the audience on camera, there were SOOO many people.

But Makaby Diva, the favorite to win this race, made Melbourne Cup history by winning its 3rd consecutive Melbourne Cup. It had won the previous two years, and was very heavily favorited to win today. It’s a very short race, like 3 minutes 20 seconds..and it goes by that quickly. But it was a pretty amazing race. I didn’t quite agree with the trainer, saying that if the ground wasn’t a certain “wetness” then they were going to pull out of the race. That comment seemed like the trainer was saying if it wasn’t fit for what HE wanted, so that his horse could have the best advantage, then they wouldn’t have raced. But people had said that regardless of the conditions of the race track, that it wouldn’t have made a difference. The horse and the jockey retired after this race. I believe the horse had racked in 14.2 million dollars in prize money. The horse was a beautiful horse, and won by an amazing amount. But it’ll be good for next year, because another horse will get the chance to win.

-current mood-YUCKY because it's muggy outside.

Happy Halloween

Today is Halloween, and this day brings back so many memories for me. Growing up, I HATED Halloween with a passion. I hated it, because every year, I knew I’d be scared. When I was little, a lot of things scared me. I can remember, from kindergarden to probably 3rd grade, at our elementary school, we’d have a Halloween parade. Teachers and each classroom would go parading around in their Halloween costumes. This one teacher, Mrs. Price, would always dress up as a witch. She had a mask and scared me every single year. I don’t think there was a year that didn’t go by that I didn’t cry when I saw her. But by the 4th grade, I was over the fear. But I think I’ve always been somewhat more scared than others about stuff like that.

I can remember looking at past Halloween pictures, and I was always either really happy in the picture, or miserable. Without fail, I would be one or the other. But now, I don’t dress up anymore or anything like that. It’s kind of hard to do here in Australia now. But it is hard to get into the spirit of things, when it’s really warm outside. I’m so used to freezing my bones off when I’d go trick or treating. But Halloween this year is going to be a quiet one. Hopefully we don’t get any trick or treaters, because we don’t have anything to give.

-current mood-HUNGRY for dinner.

"You break it, you pay for it"

Yesterday my partner and I went to Highpoint shopping center. We had a bunch of little things to buy, and going to Highpoint, we’d be able to find everything hopefully. At Highpoint, there is our favorite shop there, called Dusk. Dusk has all the nice candles and everything you need to make nice candle arrangements. There is a lot of glass stuff and other stuff that is pretty delicate. The place is always busy, so it’s not a place to go if you have kids or a lot of big bags.

So we go into the store, have a bit of a browse and there is this one display that has a lot of small glass containers that have mosaics, that you put votive candles in. There was a little girl, probably 4 years old, maybe younger. She was goofing off, pretending to drink out of the cups and was moving around and dancing. Knowing my luck, I got stuck in the moment with her. All of a sudden, before I could say anything, the little girl danced just a little too close to some votive candle holders and ended up knocking 3 of them to the ground. Two of them were fine, but one of them ended up breaking it. You know how things happen in slow motion in the movies, or on tv, that is how it was then. I told the little girl to be careful, but it was too late. There was a crash, and that’s when my partner said “you break it, you pay for it.” That’s usually the policy in a store like the one we were in.

I picked up the pieces, and took it to the mother of the little girl. Meanwhile, while I was doing all of this, the grandmother was looking around at everyone, making sure that no one was paying attention. The mother started yelling at the daughter to “come here” and to “get in” the pram. The little girl started crying, and the mother said “you are in so much trouble.” When I gave the broken votive candle holder to the woman, she asked if her daughter had broken it. I said yes, and gave her the pieces. The mother was mortified. She was angry and started telling the daughter she was in so much trouble. The girl kept on crying.

The next thing I know, is the woman, the daughter and the grandmother have quickly left the store. I felt bad because they didn’t own up to breaking the item. I didn’t know if it was my duty to report that something had been broken, even though I hadn’t done it. I don’t know how much the votive candle holder would have cost, I don’t think more than 5.00. But the woman and her grandmother shot out of the store quicker than quick. I’m surprised no one came over to see what all the commotion was. But I felt bad, and I asked my partner if I was supposed to report it. She told me that it wasn’t my responsibility to. But I still felt bad. I was afraid that I was going to get caught out, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong. But I didn’t think it was right for the woman to have left when she did. She made a big enough scene, someone should have came to see what was going on. But the store was pretty busy. Oh well, I guess because it wasn’t my fault, I wasn’t the one who should have reported it. But I did think it was pretty rude that the woman just left. I think she should have had a closer eye on her daughther, and/or shouldn’t have been in the store. If she’s going to go into a store like Dusk, she should be willing to pay for the consequences if anything was to break. I don’t have kids, so maybe I think differently. But it’s not like it would have cost this woman a fortune to pay for what HER daughter did.

-current mood-TIRED, had a long day.