Tag: Bobi

By Bobi

Good morning

Let talk about toilet paper, guys, because we couldn’t possibly be sick of the subject just yet. 

Now I know we’ve all had fun making jokes at the expense of the idiots stockpiling but it is beyond funny now. 

I am told that my locals (of any brand, any description) get a delivery every day and yet, one hour later, all the shelves are empty. 

I am not buying it, my friends and family are not buying it, and if it is being bought by an acquaintance, they are mostly keeping very quiet. So where is it all going? And, good god, why? 

I tried to have this (rational) conversation with someone. She has 42 rolls, she lives by herself, and she is still hunting for more – like it’s a game. You know that conversation where you do the maths? Why does she need more than a years worth? Seriously, I don’t think she had done the calculation. She may have been a little embarrassed but then she doubled down, as many people do when logic gets in the way of “the feels”. 

And just to dwell on that thought for a moment, if no- one I know is hoarding then there must be garages full of the stuff somewhere. Again, maths. 

I think it has reached that tipping point from a mild panic to a genuine sickness. 

Now here’s the problem. Da, Da Daaaah! I am about to run out. So now I care, and now it’s not funny, and now … I will Panic. 

Well, truthfully, become mildly concerned is more the issue. If I am sitting here programming Bonacini’s Italy into my tv before I go out, then the anxiety level must still be relatively low. 

But I may have to consider watching Prepper shows to get hints on breaking into people’s underground sheds. Where else could they be hiding all this stuff? 

By Bobi

Just a quick chat this week because I am still recouping after the school holidays.

I am exhausted. My sweet, sweet darlings are finally back at school after an excruciating, mind-blowing eight weeks. Let me just run that by you again. EIGHT WEEKS everybody. Who dreamed up that torture? And btw, they, too, were bored silly and couldn’t wait to get back to their friends and a solid routine.

So quickly :

It’s raining here. YAY!

Our fire is not quite out yet but as this rain is predicted to continue for another week so, hopefully, any day now. This photo was on Twitter taken by a student flying back in. When I find his name I will post it to give him credit because it’s pretty amazing.

I have very little on my radar, apart from Survivor and DWTS. (Juz’s note: Bobi wrote this before the Oscars. Parasite, Bobi!!!) I will watch the Oscars for the dresses. The movies this year were mostly crap. I reserve the right to retract that statement if Parasite wins Best Picture. Unlikely, but I can dream.

The dogs are happy, drugged and fed and all is right with their world.

And mine, too.

Here’s hoping the weather is being kind to you all.

Over to Bobi, with thanks:

Gidday,

I was going to chat about good Australian movies/TV shows as a balance against all things Geordie Shore but my mind went to those hideous Ned Kelly movies. Why are we obsessed with an uninteresting thief-slash-murder, and who in their right mind thought it was a good idea to cast Mick Jagger in the lead role. Hindsight, I know.

I do remember Priscilla and Bran Nue Dae being fairly wonderful movies but, generally, I have gone blank. I am a fan of Australia (I am sure it was written tongue in cheek) but I am still perplexed as to why it was called Australia. It could have been set anywhere.

Instead, I thought I would move into new territory for a brief and fleeting moment.

Let’s chat about moving the date for Australia Day. Is that a collective sharp intake of breathe I hear? Wait, wait. Hear me out.

I have it on good authority that about 75% of people don’t want the date moved. However, they are becoming increasingly sympathetic to the views of First Nations People, and so I don’t think this topic should create controversy, just general chat-chat.

Truly, I’m not going replay the views of people who were here thousands of years before me and mine. And besides, there are a lot of excellent articles, and interviews, out there doing a much better job than I ever could or should.

I don’t have any skin in this game. My feelings on the actual day are almost non-existent which would explain why I am firmly in the move-the-date camp. Surprise! I bet you did not see that coming.

In the interests of being patronising as hell, here’s some history – which may or may not be absolutely accurate – so that I can develop my argument. Well, not so much develop as plonk on the table in front of you.

Technically, Captain Cook laid claim to the eastern seaboard of Australia in August. The 26th of November was the day he sailed into Sydney Harbour and raised a flag. Very Sydney-centric, don’t you think? Now surely that’s got all of Melbourne on board.

Australia Day was supposed to celebrate emancipated convicts. I think we can all agree that we have moved way beyond that, unless of course you work in a Greek restaurant.

And then Jubilee, Victoria, public holiday, blahdy-blah and then it became complicated.

Right. Now back to me because this is my point of view (just call me Charlotte). The significance of Australia Day to me has always been a day that marks the end of school holidays with a long weekend and a BBQ.

Here’s the controversy (you knew there would be some): I don’t think we should just move Australia Day, I think we should move the entire summer 6 week long school holiday.

Given climate change, don’t you think we should revisit the concept of sending our precious little bundles of joy into the tinder-dry, wilderness during the hottest months of the year? Let’s move it to Easter. There’s a long break there just waiting to be exploited.
And it seems crazy to send everyone outside to light fires for that bbq in the middle of summer and in the blazing midday sun.

A wonderful by-product of moving everything might be that we can recalibrate our view of Australia in a coherent, multicultural and nice way. Wishful thinking, I know.

And momentarily revisiting my low-care factor, there are a bunch of people out there who would really like the day moved … a lot. If they care and I don’t, why not?

I have kept my most convincing point for last. I went to an American school for a while. OMG. Talk about so much brainwashing and indoctrination. I was almost convinced that Americans were the greatest people living in the greatest country in the world. Please, let us not become like them and get hung up on a date.

I knew that one would win you over.

DD thinks that it doesn’t matter whether the day is moved or not because someone will always be unhappy. It’s a bit like, cancelling Mondays will merely transfer the angst to Tuesday.

I, on the other hand, think that where there’s a will, there‘s a way. We Australians are mostly kind, compassionate people. I do think that it’s inevitable that the date will be changed at sometime. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do it without conflict? You know, calmly, respectfully and with consultation?

And kind thoughts to you all on the day but that salad is not going to cut it without the bbq lamb. I am hoping that if I don’t think about it too much then I won’t miss it.

– Bobi

No, no. I jest. It’s just a New Year’s Day Chat.

I contemplated doing a retrospective but it’s been such a crap year for many of us that I thought I would just focus on the day itself.
I have simultaneous and conflicting thoughts about January 1st.

Firstly, I am well aware that it is just a number, an artificial construct, but for some of my friends it is the best excuse for a party that just goes on for hours … with fireworks. Who doesn’t love that, apart from people who have dogs and whose official bedtime is 9.30?

It is a day to put a line in the sand and look forward. I am not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions, and every year I say that this year I am not going to make any, but things can’t improve just on a wing and a prayer. There have to be goals: measurable, quantifiable, specific and achievable. Otherwise everything is the same old, same old.

So.

I’m going to watch less television. No, don’t panic. Don’t. PANIC!

I have the telly on for the dogs, from sun-up until I go to bed, and even then some. And I have been known to mindlessly watch it, just to keep them company you understand. I don’t think I’ll do that anymore. I think it should be an evening activity, once the day is done. Hopefully that will mean I will appreciate and enjoy it more.

And maybe I’ll be a little bit more selective: Cooking shows that actually focus on cooking. I love a good cooking show.

And I’m going to actually cook.
I’m going to plan the menu for the week, write it down, shop once a week … and cook. What’s the point of it all if I don’t take all those lessons and implement something. Maybe I’ll get healthy. Amazing by-product.

And I’m going to write down what I spend all my money on.

No, I’m not going to budget. I’m too old for that s**t but I am going to spend less on the grandchildren. They don’t need it and I waste a lot of money thinking that they do. Maybe I’m trying to buy their affection? Good job, well done. Now move on.

Okay. I suck at New Year’s resolutions.

Happy New Year.

Bobi

Note from Juz: many thanks to Bobi for all her posts in 2019 and thanks, everyone, for hanging around TTV. I hope you are all safe tonight and here’s cheers to 2020.

Over to Bobi, with thanks, for some Christmas Movie Chat:

It’s Christmas movie time. You will need to take notes, make a plan, configure a spreadsheet and start immediately if you want to fit them all before the all important day.

I will try to keep the list short. Insert cackling-laugh track here.

Now that we have that obvious joke out of the way, let’s get on with the list. I have checked it twice. I take this very seriously.

Please note that my definition of a Christmas movie is very loose. It must take place at Christmas and it should be watched at Christmas, repeatedly and often. Sequels are included as a matter of course.

Let’s start with my favourite because, after all, this is all about me. I love Die Hard. I love watching Alan Rickman chew the scenery. I know there is a debate as to whether this really is a Christmas movie. Just quietly, I have been know to join in. Everyone who doesn’t agree with me is wrong. [Juz interjects here: It has Alan Rickman in it which is reason enough to watch.]

Some movies are joyful and I can’t imagine that there could be much disagreement about their inclusion on a list: Elf (who doesn’t love the OTT acting during every second of that movie), The Santa Clause (He kills the previous Santa Claus, guys. Don’t think about it too much.), The Muppet Christmas Carol (just muppets), and A Charlie Brown Christmas (I’m showing my age here. It has just enough sentimentality to keep me both happy and sad).

Out of left field, there are two foreign movies worth watching. The first is Tokyo Godfathers. It’s an anime comedy and a little bit fabulous.

And the second and by far the better of the two, is 8 Women. It’s French. It’s a musical. It’s a mystery. Seriously. Could life get any better? What more could you possibly want?

Speaking of old-age, I also love A Christmas Story. Let me be right up front when I say that this movie is problematic on so many levels but, at the same time, it is charming. He licks a pole. It was funny. Maybe you had to be there. I am not sure that it has stood the test of time and yet, secretly, I watch it in the dark while eating a whole packet of Tim Tams and drinking Green Ginger Wine.

I deliberated at length about including Gremlins in this list. The heroine’s father died in a chimney dressed as Santa Claus and the gremlins die in a movie theatre watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Okay, a lot – animals, aren’t they? – die in this movie, but it does have a Christmas background. I’m sure that makes it okay. Oh, dear. It is regularly played in our house at Christmas and we do enjoy watching it together. Maybe we will shift it off the list and replace it with Frozen.

And to end on a high note, White Christmas. Enough said.

You will, of course, notice the glaring omission – Love Actually – so to distract you (look over here) I will end with this link as a gift from me to you. Enjoy.

YouTube

– Bobi