Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Three months after

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  • 3410,

    Please reassure the poor chap(?) who thinks I'm clinically depressed and need counselling that I'm not that dire

    Consider me reassured, but I'll just +1 what Bart said:

    Good to hear. But take care of yourself. I recognised the tone of your comments, they were too familiar to me to dismiss.

    All the best.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I don't like the term "Disabled" it seems to suggest total inability and idleness, as in Disabled printer or what have you.

    With respect to words, blind people (for example) know they're blind. It's only the sighted that label blind people as "visually challenged", so they don't feel bad about using the word "blind".

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I'm happy to be called 'visually disabled' - because I always have been.*
    I am much less happy that one of my whanau in his 60s, who uses a walker (hip replacement gone very wrong) isnt reguarded as disabled enough to gain aid for getting round the city (he lives in Avonside drive, avenue end.) Ditto one of my aunties in her 70s- who has difficulty walking more than 500m because of osteoarthritis- has been denied assistance because a)she doesnt normally use a stick, and b) has a car. She cant use the car because it's trapped in the garage. She's normally only walking in her home, or to the nextdoor neighbours' -but the nearest
    supermarket is an insuperable 3 k away.

    * One of the astonishing joys of 2009 was to have a cataract op (paid for by me)
    and discover next morning I could see clearly as soon as I opened my left eye- waua! Had never happened in my life before!

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Islander,

    Yes, and in that case the term is accurate. You're not blind.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to nzlemming,

    Exactly. Tho' prior to the cat.op. - without my lenses in, I could not see my hand at the end of my arm.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    I could not see my hand at the end of my arm

    Almost suited to a political career :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Actually, they are opposites but I get what you mean.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Slings and arrows.... and by opposing etc...

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Slings and arrows

    outrageous

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    We are fortunate
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    Thank goodness my innate senses of orneryness & dignity, and my extremely low tolerance for boredom, saved me from that fate...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Heh!
    (for both parties' repartee-)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    In New Zealand "Outrageous Fortune" was considered "Cutting Edge" TV. I my opinion it was a low budget version of "Coronation Street"
    One of the reasons I left the UK

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Anyway. Back on topic. What happened to Wayne Brown's proposal about taking off brick cladding and concrete tile roofs and replacing with weatherboard and tin roof?. The concept was simple and at the same time brilliant. Low skill level to achieve and resulting in rubble to fill gaping holes.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    A truly dire shortage of any relevantly-skilled people?

    One of my brothers is a builder/building contractor and has difficulty in getting one of his own properties brought up to standard (yellow-stickered.)He cant do it – after the basic ’remove chimneys/tarpaulin bent roof ’bit – because he has many other things going on in his life.

    Several of his contacts are now in Queensland - better pay, less bureaucratic bumf-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Islander,

    @ Islander
    Just popping my head in to see
    if you got the poster proof?
    I look forward to hearing back
    I'm running out of week...

    ;- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Islander,

    A truly dire shortage of any relevantly-skilled people?

    Like he suggested, not much skill needed in terms of knocking off bricks and tiles and fitting weatherboards and corrugated iron roofing is not rocket science.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Will get ont Ian! Also have a message from David blinking it's lights-
    'kin I've tea first (whine?)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Steve - there are not many spare people around who know how to use a hammer, let alone a skill-saw...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    I think you underestimate the average Kiwi, well, I hope you do or we are all fucked.
    I despair of hearing how incapable people are of the most basic tasks of survival.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Steve, I had to show a nice new neighbour today that the reason they couldnt use a posidrive screwdriver was the f**kin screws were square-heads...Kiwi, late 20s.

    Looking at my sibs' kids (and grandkids) there are good practical people around. But this young man...despair.

    (I wont tell you about the young woman in the Okarito camp ground who was trying to light a fire with a match. Driftwood off the beach, nothing dry, no paper, nothing approaching a firelighter - except the match(es.))

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    Wow, plenty of action on this thread while I wasn't looking! If I can just put in my 2c-worth on counselling?

    I think talking about trauma can be good up to a point, and helps some people. But sometimes trips away, distraction and not talking about it can be good, too. Since Feb 22nd I've had troubles in my flat, a relationship break-up, hoped-for work fall through, ongoing health troubles, and then a few weeks ago I put my back out. And to be honest, most of that stuff I've avoided talking about, because if I do it makes me feel miserable and hopeless. And I'd rather not feel miserable and hopeless!

    So by all means send more counsellors, I'm sure they'll be needed. But also entertain and distract us! That's also a public service. :-)

    I'm lucky in that aftershocks mostly don't bother me, or keep me awake. I don't worry that there'll be another big one, as I did after September, because I feel the worst's already happened. I'm done reacting. There might be another big one, but if there is, there's nothing I can do about it.

    I was thinking seriously about moving to another city for a bit, and I think for some people that's a brilliant idea. But for myself I think right now, when I'm feeling vulnerable, isn't a good time to be setting up a new life in a new place. And I feel so many connections here, there are so many good people. For me, for now, I'm staying put. And looking forward to seeing Chch begin to rebuild.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Islander,

    (I wont tell you about the young woman in the Okarito camp ground who was trying to light a fire with a match. Driftwood off the beach, nothing dry, no paper, nothing approaching a firelighter – except the match(es.))

    So. Despair it is then. With Anne Tolley running around saying "We need to test these kids to a standard" is missing the point. The whole feminist thing of all men are paedophiles has driven the majority of those that held the reigns of Kiwi Ingenuity out of our schools. The dumbing down of society has hit rock bottom, we are destined to, once again, be serfs.
    Don't get me wrong on the rights of women here but there was a middle Class push to emasculate men for the benefit of the "professional" classes and this is the result.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Lilith __,

    Tautoko Lilith!
    It isnt everybody's option, choice, or matter within their ability to do- but you stayers & players are highly reguarded-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Lilith __,

    I was thinking seriously about moving to another city for a bit, and I think for some people that’s a brilliant idea. But for myself I think right now, when I’m feeling vulnerable, isn’t a good time to be setting up a new life in a new place.

    If the reason for your vulnerability is your location then a new life would be rather attractive I would have thought. We only live once and the options are manifold.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

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