Hey diddle diddle

It's from Cyanide and Happiness and it is funny.
message ends.

With a melon?

My new assistant has been doing a fair few of the storytime sessions recently. She's a natural at it, full of confidence and playful with the kids although, not having any of her own, she tends to think they are fragile and easily scared. So she tends to edit the stories to make them a bit more innocent and fluffy. I however tend to enjoy the bits that make the parents squirm a bit and am happy to think that there'll be a bit of explaining to do on the way home.
However, I haven't had to read this book yet.

ADHD reprints - pt6

This was a comment on Tom Goodfellow's blog which was long enough that I shouldn't have wasted it in a comments box. So it is the latest in my reprint series. As for the year seven story,
well I haven't yet found the correct box but perhaps in time I will.


As an expat Pom, I have to say that I am appalled by the way people keep on banging on about the old country. Now this isn't just Poms, it's Kiwis who won't shut up about the all blacks, or Greeks who cheer Greece over Australia in the round ball game.
When my family stepped onto the runway at Kingsford Smith, we decided Australia was home now and there was to be no more barracking for the old country.

That said, I add my hopes for an English victory in the cricket. Not that I am supporting England (you understand) but rather I can't stand the Aussie cricketers. they are a bunch of poor sports on and off the field. They sledge even when they are winning. They treat other countries (and their people) like dirt. And to top it off they insist that Warnie should be playing, despite the obvious facts that he is a drug cheat and in the pocket of Indian bookies. If he was playing for any other nation, Australians would be up in arms because we're always the first to scream cheat when anyone else give a positive test.

The trouble is growing, in that of late I've been finding that I feel the same way about the Leaguies (come on New Zealand) and I would probably feel the same way about international rules if it wasn't for the fact that that is a joke game, so I don't care about AFL players acting like dickheads (they all are anyway).

All in all it is getting hard to support Australians in any sport and still keep your sense of fair play and decency.

Still, at least the union boys are learning to be gracefully losers. I just hope they can start winning a few and still keep the good manners.

ADHD reprints - pt5

This time, in the reprint series, I've taken two posts I put up on signposts in 2005. I've combined them into one and removed names. The first (italicised) part is some of a quote I was writing in response to. Again, it might show a change in my writing but it also makes this blog a bit more of a comprehensive look at my writing.
Next in the series?
Perhaps the novella the I co wrote with Conway Chung during year seven (which I think I still have in a box of stuff and I will then need to transcribe as there is no way you could OCR our year seven cursive script).


“...I’m so used to acting another role in order to fit in as the ‘heterosexual’ at church and the Christian ministry where I worked, and before that, in my family... I’ve found I have absolutely no idea how to act as myself.
Has anyone any ideas on how to revert from playing the role that others expect of you, to being yourself? And particularly making that work within a church setting, ...”

I’ll just say for the moment that some of the specific scenarios going through my head of being authentic in church makes the whole concept just laughable.
e.g. You’re at a wedding and you’re thinking the bridal party look just like nondescript clones wearing WAY too much make-up and the groomsmen look really cute, and one of them’s a real spunk.

I don’t see the problem with this scenario. You think the bride is a meringue and the bridesmaids look like someone ate a florist’s stock then threw up on a frock?
Hell I think that too and I quite like women. Honesty isn’t the same as blurting out everything you think (I tend too be a blurter and I don’t recommend it). So it comes back to what is ‘authentic’. Let me continue your analogy.
You’re sitting in a wedding thinking to yourself that the best man (a rugged librarian) has buns of steel and a face that’d make a Greek God weep. Your mate Barry turns to you and says “phwarrr, that bridesmaid looks a right proper root rat, wouldn’t you love to do her”

• If you reply, I bet she’s into photography nudge nudge, know what I mean. Turn to page 32.
• If you say, she doesn’t do anything for me. Turn to page 16
  
• Or if you respond, I’m a homosexual and if you don’t accept this fact here and now then I’m being persecuted. Turn to page 96
  

OK, it's not a choose your own adventure post, but I’d say option one isn’t being true to yourself, option three would probably cause some sort of a scene and spoil the wedding for the meringue.
Option two however allows you to talk further to Barry after a few pints at the reception or to simply leave it be if you couldn’t be bothered to talk to Barry because if you ask me he sounds like a bit of a dickhead.
I think Christianity and conformity are different animals. I’m also a bit of a lefty (but not a drinker of Chardonnay) I’ve voted democrat and green, I’ve had arguments with people about my refusal to condemn abortion or nude beaches or ...
You get the drift, I have no problem with a Christian being a homosexual, nor with a homosexual being a Christian. I see the hypocrisy when the church can change its stance on so many issues which were once “man the barricades, we’re here to the death!” issues. Divorce and remarriage is one example where I’ve seen the change (and I didn’t grow up in the church).
The whole question boils down to what is the essence of Christianity, and I say it is between God and me. I wouldn’t get an abortion (as a man I couldn’t but you know what I mean) yet I won't condemn someone who did. I wouldn’t have sex with a man, but I think that has more to do with what I find attractive in people than it does with my faith. If someone else thinks that a bit of bloke on bloke action feels good for them, well it’s up to them to work out how God feels about it. If someone with a club foot feels like becoming ordained as a minister, I’m not about to complain about that either (although I could quote scripture at them and stand on my moral high ground as someone who God loves more as is evidenced by my lack of club feet – but somehow I don’t think that’d feel right).
I know the frustration of engaging with people whose views are already fixed and immovable, yet in a debate where the prevailing ethic is a Christian one it would be a poor debate if the conservative views weren’t raised.
That the Christian Church has moved on and accepted change does not automatically mean that we model our Christianity on what is culturally appropriate. Sometimes we need to be inappropriate (salty if you will) to demonstrate what makes us different from everyone else. If the only argument we have against that, is that we don’t accept it or that we’ve moved on from there then I don’t think we’re being true to our shared belief.
I personally hate the writings of Paul (much to the dismay of many at the Bible study I facilitate) I find him a misogynist, think that when he writes he is oversimplifying and I worry that what we are getting is his personal opinion. That said, it is the Bible folks and as Christians that alone carries some weight.
We can argue that we imperfect people place more emphasis on homosexuality than on other things but if we are watering down our beliefs in some areas that doesn’t mean that watering them down in all areas is better. Some people believe they are correct in labeling homosexuality a sin, therefore what they says on the subject is consistent with their beliefs. What if they are correct, should they shut up just to be socially acceptable? Does the fact that our society has changed override scripture? It depends on where you stand on the authority of scripture and the literal interpretation of the Bible and while I don’t subscribe to those views I see that they have a firm base from which to argue, as opposed to someone who calls themselves Christian without reconciling their personal beliefs with the core beliefs of their faith. If I stand up and say that homosexuality is not a sin, I need to either accept that scripture is not literal or not unerring otherwise, calling myself Christian seems to fly counter to the definition most people would use.
I know it is broadening the debate but I have problems when someone like Spong or Thiering stands up and states that they are a Christian who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus. It would seem to me that to deny divinity is to refute Christianity and I don’t know why someone who doesn’t believe Christ was God would want to be called Christian. Yet I can also see how someone more conservative than myself could see my beliefs as counter to the basic tenants of the faith and wonder why I wanted to attach the tag Christian to my beliefs when I don’t accept some of the Church’s teachings and have questioned or will question most of the others.
If liberal Christians can’t cope with the arguments of conservative Christians it is probably because rather than draw our liberal theology from Jesus we have drawn it from western society. Society's influence on us is unquestionable, yet I stand firm in saying I am left wing because of the example of Christ. Despite being protestant I draw a lot from the liberation theology of South American Catholicism. Jesus came to set captives free, give sight to the blind, reduce poverty, combat oppression (even that of the Church). I believe it is this spirit of Christ which should influence me as a Christian rather than a literal interpretation of a Greek text translated into my tongue via Latin which covers issues I don’t experience from a time and a people whose context I can’t comprehend. But the fact that our permissive society would side more with me than with the conservatives, does not in any way indicate that I am right nor does the fact that I hope they are wrong make it so.

By the year 2023 everything I have ever watched on TV will be on You Tube

Some time ago (in this post) I mentioned a Not the Nine O'Clock News sketch which rewrote the apostle's creed. Well, I found it on you tube, so here it is. But, it is better than that, it also has "Where was God when I cut my finger" (which I mentioned here).

Songs of Praise

I know I was doing the reprint thing to get out of having to do any work on the blog while I work on other projects. But this was so good I just had to share it.

ADHD reprints - pt4

football, meat pies...

Don’t Read aloud?
No bedtime stories?
Just not you?

Don’t fret, if you’re a dad who doesn’t want to curl up with a good novel there is still something you can do.

There seems to have been a good deal published recently on the impact of male role models on reading habits. The basic gist of much of the research seems to be that men don’t read, or at least their children don’t think they do. As such they feel that reading isn’t very important. We here at your library know that men do read, we know this because we see them coming into our library. The basic stereotype of the male reader is that he reads the paper and he reads for his hobbies. So we are looking at fishing, hunting and driving the four-wheel drive over deer, umm perhaps not? So what does the male role model do? He reads after the kids are in bed, he reads annual reports, form guides, policy documents from work. In today’s society there are very few people who don’t need to read as part of their job. Kids may not get this concept because their way of thinking is basically “If I don’t see it, it isn’t real” so no matter how often good old dad tells them how important reading is, they only know how often they see him with his nose in the written word.

So how do you convince a 10 year old or a 14 year old that dad reads? There are easy ways, take him to the football with you and buy him a programme, spend some time looking at who is who on the field, bring a pen to write out the game stats. Who scored, how many tries, goals, chukkas, ends etc. Write in the changes to the starting line up and keep referring to the book to see who is who on the field. Your library will have a good number of biographies of famous footballers, plus a lot of rule books and training guides for all the codes.

Football not your thing? Then perhaps try doing your budget or tax forms while he is doing his homework. Do you need some extra paperwork from the tax man? Let the kids see you download it from the net, guide them through what you are doing.

You can use the same techniques for repairing the car, go to a library and look at the manual. Photocopy the pages you need and talk the kids through the steps involved. Show them how the text and the pictures work together to explain what needs to be done and be willing to take a little longer each step of the way for all the questions.

Whatever your hobby, or their sport; from bushwalking to folding paper planes, you can find a book or two in your local library that will tie into the theme.

Remember Boys don’t have many male role models for literacy. The majority of adults involved in reading are women, librarians, English teacher etc. As such boys don’t see reading as a man’s activity. So, don’t get too fussed with ‘good books’. For example, if you want your son to read, don’t start leaving Moby Dick or Wuthering Heights laying around the house. He Won’t Be Fooled! Be seen reading anything, and be seen enjoying it. Most of the books that boys get given at school will be books they’d much rather not read. I don’t want to badmouth Shakespeare but to enjoy his works you already need to enjoy reading. Non-fiction reading is still reading; magazines, newspapers, websites, biographies, science books, comic books, graphic novels are all reading material.

All this reading you’re going to be doing isn’t just going to affect boys, it will do great things for girls too. Girls will realise that their enjoyment of reading doesn’t preclude them from a career as an engineer. Just because they enjoyed Henry IV (part one) doesn’t mean they have to be English teachers (or librarians).

Don’t disregard one other important ‘side effect’. You may even discover that all this reading malarky has its up side and you could find yourself enjoying it.

ADHD reprints - pt3

How to tell tall stories!

Reading a book to kids is a simple task and very rewarding. Yet I’m going to presume to tell you how to do it. But first a qualifier, there is no wrong way to read books to kids -any reading is better than none.

Here are my top five things to consider when you’re reading to kids.

● Emotion

Don’t leave out emotion when you’re telling stories. Sob, cry, sing, dance - convey to the kids the reality of the story you are telling. This allows them to see the reality that is reflected in the story. If you don’t get the kids to make this connection between text and emotion, then reading for them can become mundane.

● Expression and Excitement

Read with expression. Vary your reading pace to match the words. Use different voices and facial expressions. Encourage your child to read along with you by completing sentences and turning the pages.

● Enjoy Yourself

Pick books that you know your child will like. Also think about what you like, if you get bored your child will notice. If your child is old enough, let them help pick out the books. Read in a comfortable place, perhaps where you can snuggle up. It doesn’t always have to be a bedtime story, for some kids this works, but don’t be trapped by the time, do it when your child will be ready to listen. Only read while you have your child's attention - once their attention is at an end it doesn’t help to continue. You can always come back to the last page tomorrow.

● Humour

My personal favourite! I don’t think you can tell a story without it (but that’s just me). Humour compliments many stories and can be used as a tool for reviving flagging attention.

Me “See the cow? The cow goes quack”
Child “NOOO Cows go moo”
Me “oh! Cows go baa?”
Child “no they don’t they go moo”
These sort of interactions can do wonders for a story telling but you (I) must resist the temptation to turn this into a distraction by extending it too much.

● Interaction

Answer questions your child has about the book. Ask "What do you think will happen next?" and "What noise does a dog make?" Point out notable things in the illustrations as they can help develop the story and also explain concepts to the child. Let them make observations. Stopping frequently may be frustrating at times, but it helps them form a mental picture in their mind of the story being read. This in turn is a big part of the skill needed for learning to read on their own.
Telling a story from your own life is a great way to get kids interested in a range of things. It gives them the idea that stories can contain truth and also that things from the past have relevance to them. Doing this as a purely oral story is fine, but perhaps you could create a story book of this as you go? This is something that my own Grandmother did. As small children, we listened patiently to the tales of Benny The Little Caravan and his adventures, taking my Grandparents around Australia. Now those hand drawn books are favourites of my own children. You could create a family treasure of your own by doing this with your children, grandchildren or great grandchildren.

And what are the benefits of all this? Here are a few to start with. When you read to your children you can:
● Answer your children's questions about a whole raft of things. Where does Santa live? Where do baby’s come from? Why do I have curly hair? Why are boys so smelly?
● Build their language skills, give them a whole raft of new long and exciting words that they can use out of context and in strange ways while they explore language.
● Develop their reading skills through exposure to the ‘tools’ of reading and through an increase of enthusiasm.
● Give them a longer attention span, practice makes perfect. If your little ‘imp’ gets to practice sitting still by listening patiently to something that holds their interest, it can be good practice for waiting patiently at other times (well it’s got to be worth a try).
● And perhaps best of all, you can strengthen your relationship with them through having a time you can spend together doing something that you both enjoy.

ADHD reprints - pt2

Where the Wild Things Were.

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there were fairy stories designed to tell a moral ‘truth’. Perhaps this style of moralising in children’s stories has gone out of style. Roald Dahl changed people’s perceptions of the fairy tale moral with his Revolting Rhymes. Also the perennial villain of the fairy story, the stepmother has become much more common and much less the villain. Fairy tales and folk stories have always changed, there is no right or wrong version so if you want to change them to your own ends, there is no author to tell you that you can’t.

But if the frightening message is taken out of the fairy tale, where has the moral of the story gone? Well the modern equivalent is the educational story. These stories tend to bring modern social issues into play, Bob Graham’s father figures have ponytails and earrings. Other authors talk about divorce or death in ways that make them great for children who are experiencing these turmoils in their lives. Familiar characters take on new roles Bernstain Bears and the Bully to take one example. These true to life books are designed to children through the stages of psychological growth. By reading about these characters and their bravery in the face of adversity, children gain strategies for dealing with anger, separation from their parents and so on. The similarity between these tales and fairy tales is that the kids don’t always realise that there is a message for them in the story which can allow you to ease them into an issue rather than confront them head on.

It seems that at the moment there is a trend towards this level of reality in children’s fiction but at the same time there is a trend to ‘soften’ traditional fairy stories. Fairy stories and folk tales have as many different versions as there are tellers of stories. So whether Chicken Licken gets eaten is entirely up to you. The same is true of the three little pigs, Goldilocks and so on. One modern rewriting involves stepmothers, once upon a time one could discuss the sins committed by parents by having step parents commit these crimes. Now however stepparents are common enough to make this a problem. After all we don’t want kids to believe that their new stepmother is going to abandon them in the woods. Oh and a big hi to my own stepmother if she’s reading this.

Are fairy tales then, being replaced with a politically correct collection of stories in which kids have two dads or where daycare is the accepted norm? Well yes, but don’t let that put you off the traditional tales. The fantastic thing about Red Riding Hood and her kin is that there is no author around to claim you are changing their work. You can tell red riding hood anyway you want.

Grandma gets eaten

Grandma gets stuffed in the cupboard

Red Riding Hood gets eaten

Red Riding Hood is rescued by a woodcutter

Red Riding Hood is rescued by her father

The woodcutter cuts grandma out of the wolf (and she’s OK)

The wolf escapes (but is never heard of again)

You get the idea, there is no right nor wrong way of telling the story. So why are there so many different ways? Just like our modern tales there is a lesson to be learned. For Red Riding Hood it is don’t talk to strangers. Some people however want to give different morals so the text is changed. Should the wolf/stranger be killed? Where do you stand on capital punishment? These folk tales can prepare children for the things they might face just as more modern stories do.

So once you decide what stories you want to read to the kids, all you have to do is decide how you are going to read them.
For those of you who attend storytime either here or elsewhere you will by now have noticed that there are many vastly different styles of storytelling. If the staff we have here at the Library can present so many different styles of story, think about the vastly different styles parents may have. The great thing about reading for children is that there is no such thing as the wrong style. A quiet reader forces the children to draw closer and listen carefully, a slow reader gives the children a chance to think about each point and perhaps to appreciate the fantastic illustrations that so many children’s books have. Louder (stop looking at me like that) or faster paced storytellers may build excitement and enthusiasm in their audience and so on. And whatever you want to read, traditional, modern, moralizing or just beautiful and full of fairies, the staff at your local public library are more than willing to help you in your search for the perfect kids book for your kids.

ADHD reprints - pt1

I've been looking at some stuff I wrote about five or six years ago and I've decided to put it up here on my blog (with some very minor editing) because although I don't know how much it may be of interest to all my readers, I thought it might showcase a change in my writing style. I'm starting with some stuff I did for a library newsletter back when I was a lowly library assistant.

Boys, Books and Your Library.

The comparatively poor literacy levels among boys is the fashionable issue in education at this moment. Your public library is a very good source of information for parents, but perhaps more importantly, once you have the information we are also your number one source of things for boys to read. So what will get boys away from the playstation and into reading? How about a magazine or an Internet site full of tips, tricks and cheats for that playstation? After all, reading about something you understand and enjoy is always easier. For this reason it is a beneficial idea to work with a theme. A big fan of the new Spiderman movie may like a novelisation of the movie, or perhaps the graphic novel. So what is a graphic novel? It is what we in the library call a comic book. Well, not quite but it is something along those lines, lots of graphics to build the storyline.
When looking at things like graphic novels, be aware that many people grade literacy on a scale. This goes from comics at the bottom of the scale through Harry Potter at midpoint and up to Charles Dickens or some other ‘dead white male’ as the top of the scale. Don’t lead boys into this trap, not everyone is going to read Dickens, encourage boys to read what they want to read and make sure that there is lots of that type of book available for them. Reading comics is reading, regardless of what you might prefer.
Literacy comes in a range of formats and if you can theme it then you are onto a good thing. Tie in books exist for TV shows, video games and movies. Don’t be a literacy snob, grab these resources and use them, sure you’re making the wiggles rich but you are utilising the appropriate tools. Popular culture is a great motivator for boys and in so many cases it is motivation rather than ability that is the main problem. For example, while boys often fall behind in written literacy they perform well in spoken literacy, so get them the motivation and their ability will be given a chance. Sport is a great thing for your child to be involved in, be it little athletics (796.43) or rugby. Whatever sport your son plays, try finding books on the sport. A boy who is enjoying rugby may like some basic playing tips from a famous player (796.3332) or if you think they’re up to it, try a biography of a favourite sporting hero.
Another key in getting boys to read is the involvement of fathers and other male role models. A boy is more likely to come into the library to research a hobby if it isn’t seen as a ‘girly’ thing to do. Look for the range of non-fiction that they already favour, collecting pokemon cards, and football stickers from the Sunday Papers. For boys who are into non-fiction the Dorling Graded Readers are a great starting point. These image rich non-fiction books are a springboard into selected subjects and the number of images means that weak or strong readers are equally interested. Boys who see parents involved in aspects of literacy are more likely going to get involved. This doesn’t mean forcing dad to read War and Peace, it means letting him see you doing things with a purpose. This could be doing the business accounts, preparing the rego papers for the car or doing work reports. The key is that it should have a clear purpose, this then illustrates real benefits of literacy rather than pie in the sky school stuff. Mothers are more likely to be supporting school based literacy programs such as homework but fathers tend to come into their own with computers and the Internet. Don’t wait until it is a last minute urgent school assignment to get online. Try to get in early and give the boy a chance to play and do it himself, let him fly off on hyperlink tangents and enjoy the experience (and don’t mention literacy).
Changing boys’ attitude means knowing what your own attitudes are. So if you haven’t been in a library recently stroll in and be surprised by the noise, the chip machines and the wall to wall technology. Primary schools have few male teachers, many libraries suffer a similar lack of male librarians so like it or not whatever male role models a boy already has will colour his perceptions of reading. Try and work out where these role models are, sporting coaches, uncles or older brothers and don’t be afraid to approach them and ask about their reading. Perhaps some role models may not seem like readers at first glance. Finding out more about people, may give you a chance to enlist some help. For those of you who aren’t on the slippery slope of adolescence, try to get your son involved early. Storytime at the library involves videos, crafts, puppets and the occasional book just to get them interested. By introducing them to the library early they have a much better chance of associating the library (and books) with fun, rather than with homework and algebraic long division.
Of course there is an unexpected bonus that occurs when working to increase literacy levels for boys. It would seem that all of the techniques being touted by educational professionals to improve the literacy of boys, will also improve the literacy level of girls (perhaps to an even greater degree).

It's the new racism

I've been popping in and out of the library 2.0 pages of ning over the last few weeks or so and have discovered a very disconcerting fact about myself. Yes, it is true, I hate Grey people.
I refuse to go to their pages, I refuse to read their posts, I refuse to accept that they are my equal in any way at all.


I mean, what the hell is wrong with these people? I know that this is a group for librarians and we are not considered the most socially outgoing group in the world, but come on people, make some effort. Put up a picture of your cat, it might make me think less of you but it's better than being a grey person.

Who am I

I know you've seen them, proudly displayed on people's blogs. Pictures of the celebrities that they look like. Well, I was tempted and decided to have a look see. Firstly it gave me Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) I could live with that, plus Hugo Weaving - well call me Agent Elrond and Dustin Hoffman. Well I'd like to think that I was more Benjamin Braddock than Raymond Babbitt, but I know some people (my wife) would argue.
All in all though my Ego was pleased, so I don't know what possessed me to test the system further.
But I did. I loaded up a different picture and decided to see how the system went for continuity. Whoops.
this time it decided I was a bit more elfin than Elrond so I ended up not only with Orlando Bloom, but also the ethereal features of Liliana Dominguez and Kate Bosworth. What gives? It's a good thing that I am comfortable with my masculinity because this sort of thing could come as a shock to some people.
So to save my masculinity I uploaded a picture of me from the mustachioed days of November.
Well, to say i got a more masculine spread this time could well be the understatement of this or any other blog this year. You see I went from Lois Lane to Michael Moore. Does this mean that Michael Moore is just Kate Bosworth with a fake beard? Has anyone ever seen them photographed together?
I also managed to get Hugo back although at this point I remembered that he was also Mitzi Del Bra so I'm not sure if this is the improvement I had hoped for. Still, I also scored Billy Bob Thornton and I don't recall ever seeing him frock up.
Well, now it was time for take four, what could happen this time?
Carl Lewis? Umm are you sure magical computer, because I don't see it I mean, skin pigment aside I don't see a shared bone structure or anything.
Still, at least I'm getting away from fat hairy conspiracy nuts whilst at the same time still being masculine. I mean you can't get more masculine than Demi Moore right? I mean, we're talking Lt. Jordan O'Neil. Plus as an added bonus I get Elrond again, so I'm starting to see some sort of pattern.

So, in conclusion this is a fun internet toy which has just made me paranoid about the facial recognition software that is being employed in airports and the like. I'm planning some overseas travel soon and I'm concerned that computers might think I'm a tall black man or perhaps I'm a fat bearded leftie.
But on the fun scale, if you give it a go and you like the first list it gives you, well just leave well enough alone and don't try again it'll just make you sad. Conversely if your first run tells you you look like a cats anus, well it might be worth trying with a different photo because your second attempt might boost the ego back to it's pre damaged levels.

An edit, added for those of you who want to give it a try. My Heritage Face Recognition should let you have at it.
I should have linked it in the first place.

This One Goes to the Doubters

Yep,
I haven't placed any match reports for the Rugby Grand Final. Which has lead to some of you making a guess and offering me condolences. So, before this becomes a trend, let me say that we were triumphant running away with the game 16 to 36 (I think) in a fantastic display of wet weather rugby. The wet weather was a bit unexpected in this part of the world, but then the river has flowed four times already this year. So after a season of playing Rugby in the high 30s (Celsius) we finished off in the rain, although the temp was probably still 30c.
I didn't manage to do anything superhuman or of particular note, but I played good solid defensive rugby especially around the breakdowns and did some good backup running in attack, which is all that is expected of a second rower.
And I'm the one with the small child sitting on his lap.

Unattended children in the library

Incite had a bit of a go at addressing unattended children in libraries in the most recent issue. I read it with interest, but unfortunately found little that I could relate to the library here. Our unattended children policy (as I've probably mentioned on the blog before) states that no one under five can come in by themselves.
Odd?
Well, you see these aren't kids being dropped off in the library as a form of daycare. These are kids coming into the library under their own steam. And we have had unattended kids (still in nappies) wander in off the street or wander in under the care and guardianship of their six year old older sister.
"tis damn hard to turn those kids away because the government departments who are supposed to be dealing with things like this are way too under funded to worry about kids who are safe in the library. They're off looking after the kids who need a feed immediately or need to be detached from a dog right now.
Oh, and the image here is stolen from The Onion.