Tag: Melbourne

March Equinox


I think today’s the March Equinox. If that is correct, the days get shorter from today. Soon we’d have the dreaded dark-at-five pm days. I have always said to Tress and Kiddo that I didn’t mind the cold in winter. What I dislike are the short days. I think they contribute to depression for many.

I also remember 21 March for a different reason – it was the day I started work since we moved to Melbourne about 6 ½ years ago. It was also a Monday and I went in to the office of Sharrock Pitman Legal in Glen Waverley. We were living in Mount Waverley then and Kiddo was attending Mount Waverley North Primary. Tress had also started work in Myer on Lonsdale Street in the city.

We were finding our feet in Melbourne. We started to go to the International Christian Community church (ICC) in Glen Waverley. Pastor Chek Chia was there then. Other than a new life in a new city with a new job and so many other things which were new for us, we also had a very new theology to contend with in the approaches of that church towards prayer, guidance and instructions.

In some ways, the shorter days ahead reflect how I feel now. Some things appear bleak. I wish things could be different and we could unwind the clock and set things right from those early days. I know however that God is sovereign and He is also good. God’s wonderful creation included not just the March Equinox but also the September one. We’d have to live through the coming “6 months”, work on things, keep our eyes on God and look forward to the September Equinox when days will become brighter and longer again.

The creation of our God is wonderful. The cycles of astronomy and seasons are part of His beautiful creation. The ever changing weathers, life experiences, joy and pain, hope and despair and indeed even life and death – have all been “signed off” by our sovereign Lord and as the wise proverb says, we need to trust God, acknowledge Him in all things, and He will set our paths straight.

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Ides of March


The Ides of March was a few days ago I think. But I wake up today feeling perhaps today is closer to that traditionally ominous day. Maybe it is the UN led attack on Libya – the French warplanes have bombed Libyan air defence sites overnight – but despite a beautiful sunny morning here in Melbourne and a 1-0 win by Manchester United over Bolton and Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against West Brom, it feels sombre this morning.

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Malaysia Loses – More Brain Drain


Last Saturday we had dinner in Alex and Li Har’s home with a family who arrived as migrants just a week earlier. This family represents a classic case of brain drain that has been plaguing Malaysia. The man is a neurologist and his wife is a dental surgeon.

The wife was offered a job back in April, with the RoyalDentalHospital in Melbourne. She had to ask for a later start as they weren’t ready to leave Malaysia in April. The man was also offered a job with the Footscray Health Group. He is contemplating holding out for a role closer to home – they live in the eastern suburbs and in any event Footscray isn’t exactly the sort of suburb you’d want to work odd hours, which will be required of this highly talented doctor.

Also at the dinner was a family with a child suffering from a very rare condition called Alagilles syndrome. While the neurologist did not seem familiar with this condition (it is very rare) he could intimately describe all the attendant symptoms and alternative but consequential treatments in the most coherent and intelligible manner. I can easily picture a patient being totally at ease with a doctor who obviously knows what he is talking about and can easily engage queries without pretending to know everything.

The couple was very engaging but was at the same time, very unassuming and humble. We enjoyed their company and we believe this family (they have 2 bright and very well behaved children) is an indictment on the racist and bigoted government who stupidly, is too happy to see the backs of such people simply because they aren’t Malays. He is only 41 years of age – at the height of a very bright career. Assuming his wife is a touch younger than him, she too has so many years of fantastic service left to offer. Malaysia loses, again, and it doesn’t seem to care.

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The Worst Ever (Black Saturday bushfires)


Victoria is in shock, I think. From the Premier John Brumby to my colleague across my desk, no one could believe what happened. The bushfires which raged through last Saturday would etch an indelible mark on those of us who lived through the day in this State.

We all waited in trepidation for last Saturday. The forecast had said the maximum temperature would be 44 deg. The actual maximum was 46.4 deg. It was also going to be very dry and windy.

A few of us visited a friend in Kew on Friday night and didn’t get back till late. At home, I couldn’t sleep straight away so I stayed up, had a few drinks and watched tele. 

As a result, I was up late – just after 7.30 – on Sat. Tress and I went to our usual coffee place, in the Chase. Just before 10 we got home and Tress and Kiddo both went to church for some practice and other meetings. I stayed at home and tried to do some work. By about 12 it had got up to about 40 deg so I gave up.

I also decided against attending the church Board meeting which was going ahead that afternoon. I thought if I did I would simply struggle through the 2-3 hour session and neither make any meaningful contribution nor feel any wiser or better for it. It would in fact, send me down a very bad path.

Tress and Kiddo came back just after noon and we decided to hide out in the Chase. They waited in the car and the moment I opened the house door to join them, I felt the heat hit me like the breath of a might dragon. The heat was intense and I never felt anything like it. It must have been at least 45 deg then.

We got to the Chase and I took the opportunity to look for a new pair of runners. My old ones are overdue for replacements. I used to change one every year (at the most).

Admittedly I run less these days but one reason for this has been my runners have been causing me problems. My right sole has been hurting and by all accounts, the shoe is the main culprit. So away with the old and in with the new. Problem was –they didn’t have my size. I use the New Balance 766, meaning it was a 2006 version of the 76x series. The New Balance 769 is the current one but they didn’t have a size 4E, which I need.

So the “shopping” activities went on. Only, we weren’t really shopping – more a case of just whiling away the time to hide from the oppressive heat. We took in some sushi and ice cream.

After about a couple of hours we thought conditions may have improved. We went home, were confronted with the continuing heat and went back to the Chase after less than 20 minutes!

This time, we just sat at the food court. Sharon our neighbour walked past and much to my shame I had to look at her a couple of times before being sure it was her. I think many modern neighbours don’t interact very much and sometimes we aren’t even sure what they look like! Anyway, I was sure it was her so I called out to her and we chatted for a bit.

It was soon just after 6pm and I stepped out of the Chase a bit to check out the conditions. It was cool again…

We went straight home, opened up the doors and windows, turned out the cooler and waited in anticipation for the house to cool down, quickly. I hit the showers and felt, just before 7pm that my weekend had only just started. Little did I know that for many, the nightmare of this enormous disaster has already begun.

 

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