QUESTIONS

What do you think of the idea of the ‘greater good’ principle?

This is much too complicated for me to answer in a short post. I’ve only read a little on this subject. I think that sometimes we have to make some sacrifices for the greater good of the community, the country or society in general. We’ve experienced that this past year and a half since the plague came into our lives. It is for the greater good that we wear masks even though we don’t like them, give up travel plans and get vaccinated. That’s for our own good too of course but just as much for the safety of others.

We have laws and rules about all sorts of things for the common good of society whether it be paying rates and taxes or obeying speed limits.

I wouldn’t go to the extreme of saying that all individual needs should be sacrificed for the common good because I can see how a society like that, run by the wrong people, could be very rigid. I am much too fond of my stuff to want to live in a world where nobody owns anything. However, I do believe that sometimes it’s necessary to give up a little so that society can continue to function. I like the way that the Scandinavians do things. I recently read a very interesting book called “The Nordic Theory of Everything” by Anu Partanen, a Finnish writer. She compares the social systems of the Nordic countries and the USA. I think they have the right idea.

Do you enjoy riding a roller coaster or other amusement park type ride?

Not really. I was always scared to ride on roller coasters, chairlifts, flying foxes and anything that turned you upside down. I would have liked to try some of them (not the upside down ones) but I have always been awkward and afraid of falling or having my glasses fall off. I know I could have taken them off but then I would not be able to see where I was going so what would be the point? I do like Ferris wheels and the larger Observation wheels which usually don’t go that fast and give me the opportunity to take photos of the view. There was one ride at the Adelaide Royal Show that I did like. It was called “The Matterhorn” and was one of these rides where you sit in a small container and ger whirled around like on a carousel but faster, and sometimes backwards. I’ve seen this ride with other names. I think it depends how the operator has decorated it. The Matterhorn had an attractive backdrop of mountains. Did I mention that I love carousels but I can’t get on the horses? I always have to ride in the little car or carriage that they put their for families with small children.

Which musical instrument is the most annoying to you personally?

If you were waiting for me to say bagpipes you will be disappointed. I love them. I don’t think there is an instrument I really dislike hearing. I don’t play an instrument myself. At primary school when they would hand out instruments to the kids the boys always got the drums, the popular kids got the tambourines, the next most popular kids got the chime bars. Then there were things like maracas, wooden blocks you hit together, triangles and little plastic rings with bells on them. That’s usually what I ended up with. I wouldn’t have minded the wood blocks or maracas, you could make a cool sound with those, but not the triangle or jingle bells. Disappointing.

Would you rather have a vivid imagination or a photographic memory if you had to choose just one?

That’s a tough one. I think I would choose the photographic memory. I’d like to remember things exactly as they were.

Gratitude

The last couple of weeks have been quiet ones for me. It’s winter, the days are shorter and I am at home except for Thursdays when I got to Wynyard to volunteer at the visitor centre. We’ve had some rain which I’m happy about because it fills the tanks and some sunny days, good for getting washing dry. So nothing to complain of really.