Stop the World I want to get off.

 

With all that is going on in the world the state of my mental health has been suffering. The constant bombardment of articles about Covid and how we are all going to die if we don't do this or that is relentless as it is futile.

I saw my GP who offered medication, counselling and the obligatory "only you can change your thought process". All of which I have done before with minimal success. I know what to do, I know all about different techniques, they just don't seem to resonate with me.

If I could stop the world I would get off for a while but I can't so I didn't, well not literally. 

I did do it in my head and took time to think about why I get so worked up over things I have no control over.

I am old school and the old school doesn't fit in well with today's society.

I was taught how to think not what to think I value honesty and integrity and my word is my bond. I have the skill of using common sense which appears to have been lost over the years. My expectations/standards in regards to everyday life are high and I have always been accountable for my actions and hence my conflict. I am trying to fit into a world that has become foreign to me and I fear I will lose myself.

So in my mind, I stop the world and get off, remind myself of all the good traits I have (that are tried and tested) realise that just because I live in a forever changing world I don't have to conform nor change I merely have to go along for the ride on this ship of fools.

Author

Steve Boddey

I can't wear a mask.

When Covid first came along I thought the NZ Government did a good job initially however somewhere along the line the wheels fell off and the Government fell into the land of Nod.

I can't wear a mask for medical reasons and those reasons are between my GP and me. I should not have to explain or justify it to anyone else but alas I cannot go anywhere without the stigma of ridicule and finger-pointing. So I stay home and become frustrated and irritated with life and the world we live in.

Not anymore! 

The Ministry of Health website Mask Exemption information is a complete joke. It has/had a PDF to download (an A4 size)  I am exempt from wearing a face-covering that anyone can print out. A more professional thing to do was/is to have your GP authorise the Ministry of  Health to supply a Mask Exemption Card with your name on it. All you need then is some ID if asked.

The one place I didn't expect to be harassed about not wearing a mask, is the hospital and by harassed I mean constantly being told by the charge nurse they had no knowledge of any Mask Exemption Card even when I produce it. I had left my GPs exemption letter at home and ended up catching a cab home to get it all while my wife was on a heart monitor.

We had come to the hospital via ambulance (whose staff had no problem with me not wearing a mask).

I made a complaint and although apologetic they claim to be following the procedure/policies of the Health Board who had no knowledge of Mask Exemption.

I find that very hard to believe as my GP  had given me a mask exemption letter, my local butcher was aware of the mask exemption card and I didn't have to cancel my optometrist appointment as they too were aware of mask exemptions.

This experience has triggered my memories of bullying in the workplace which resulted in my inability to work. So now I relive those times over and over and yes I am seeking help but due to lock-down that is a few weeks away.

I have a Mask Exemption card and my GPs letter of exemption which I now carry in my wallet and if I want to go somewhere I call ahead and ask if it is ok to come.

I shouldn't have to go through this and I  dread to go think how many other people have similar experiences.

Author

Steve Boddey

Fuck being offended.

 

When people are offended they want someone to come in and say “Stop That”

There are some people I might wish to offend.

So the idea you have to be protected from uncomfortable emotion is one I absolutely do not subscribe to.

If people can’t control their own emotions, they have started trying to control other people’s behaviour.

When you are around super sensitive people (snowflakes) you cannot relax or be spontaneous because you have no idea what will upset them next.

Political correctness has gone from being a good idea to the point where any form of criticism of any individual or group can be labelled cruel.

If you start saying “Oh we mustn’t offend them!” then as far as I am concerned you’re living in (George Orwell’s) 1984.

Trump vs Anti-Trump

This sums up a conversation with anyone that hates or disagrees with POTUS. One can never have a sensible, honest nor responsible discussion without being called out for all those big words they come up with. 

 Literally every conversation I've had with a Trump hater about the upcoming election:

Hater:

I can't wait to get Donald Trump out of office.

Me:

Why?

Hater:

Why?!?! Don't tell me you don't think he colluded with Russia!

Me:

According to Robert Mueller's exhaustive, multi-million-dollar investigation, there was no evidence of that. But there was evidence that the Obama administration spied on him and his campaign using the FBI and falsely creating the hoax.

Hater:

Well, he said he'd repeal and replace Obamacare. What happened to that?

Me:

Well, he removed the tax penalty which removes the mandate. Congress now just has to move with its replacement. He can't do it by Executive Order. You do know Obama had very little to do with the writing of the ACA, right? Not to mention that Trump signed 4 executive orders to cut insulin and prescription drug prices significantly.

Hater:

Well, he said he'd build a wall and Mexico was gonna pay for it. Haha. What happened to that?

Me:

They've built over 260 miles of a new wall so far and he's renegotiated NAFTA costing Mexico billions of dollars that were given to them by Bill Clinton through the returning of jobs in America.

Hater:

Well, that's not them paying for it!

Me:

BILLIONS. Did you think he literally meant Mexico was gonna write a check with "Wall" in the memo?

Hater:

Well, he's buddy-buddy with Putin and Kim Jung Un.

Me:

Getting along with your adversaries is not a bad thing. Or would you prefer he antagonize them? BTW, when was the last "test missile" North Korea sent Japan's way?

Hater:

Well, he doesn't like the military! He called the dead soldiers "losers!"

Me:

You're referring to a report made from "anonymous sources" when over nine people who were with the President that has gone on record saying that it wasn't true? That doesn't send up any red flags for you? He's brought our Vets home and taken great strides and put a lot of money into fixing the VA, ask any veteran you know. Funny way to treat people you think are "losers," don't you think?

Hater:

Well, he got impeached for God's sake!

Me:

Yes, impeached by a partisan House and subsequently acquitted as there was no evidence that the President did anything wrong (no quid pro quo) in his communication with the President of Ukraine. BTW, you know Joe Biden actually admitted on national television to do that exact thing while he was in office as VP though, right?

Hater:

Well, he handled COVID horribly!

Me:

What would've you done differently?

Hater:

He didn't close the borders in time!

Me:

He announced travel restrictions on 1/31 and was called xenophobic for doing so, all the while Nancy Pelosi and Bill Deblasio were walking in Chinatown telling everyone to come on down, the water is fine.

Hater:

Well, he refused to wear a mask.

Me:

Here's a picture of him wearing a mask.

Hater:

Well, that was too far after!

Me:

After what? He had two of his experts on national TV every day giving updates and telling everyone to wear a mask?

Hater:

Well, he said everything will be fine and this will end!

Me:

Did you want him to run around screaming that the sky was falling?

Hater:

Well, listen to the way he talks! He's nasty! He's not how I want my President to sound.

Me:

Ahhh. NOW we're getting somewhere. You don't like his personality. And everything you've mentioned up until now is because you don't like his personality.

So for you, it seems personal and not about the job he's done.

So listen, if you want a President who will tell you whatever you want to hear, flip-flopping on every issue, not getting anything done his entire time while in office, but who sounds like a nice guy (even though he seems seriously impaired), then Joe Biden is definitely your man.

The census for sheep here in New Zealand also includes the 2 legged versions.

So many are so naive when it comes to our PM being so patronising and condescending they will believe whatever she says without question.

New Zealand is a nation of sheep, blindly following whatever the NZ media or government spins.

Dear Michael

 

I am writing this as a way of expressing how I felt and looked at my life whilst you were growing up and not being part of your earlier years. 

When one watches those programs about lost family or friends etc you often hear that saying "Not a day goes by when I don't think of them" how I wish it were true for me but no not every day but quite a few. 

You were, however, always in the back of my mind especially at family time, birthdays, Christmas and Easter. 

The five months I was with your mother two things I do not regret, having you and the life's lessons I learnt from the time I spent with her. I was a lost soul, continually searching for I have no idea what. I did try to keep in touch but that became difficult as I was told you were moving around a lot.

When you were about 6/7 years old child support suggested I should have shared custody. It was around this time I had a work injury and was in a battle with Workcover regarding the said injury. I was seeing a psychologist at the time and I mentioned the child support situation. Our thinking at the time was simply if I were to come into your life at that time the effect on you would not be the ideal one, hence I stayed in the background.

As you turned 14/15 that is the time I started thinking about you more and more. 

In January, your birthday and Australia Day (family time) February there is Valentine's day (does my boy have a girlfriend?) Along comes March to September (Footy season) and in a few of those months was your stepsisters birthday, Easter and several other family events. October there is Halloween, November is Guy Fawkes, and December another stepsisters birthday, Christmas and of course New Year's Eve and so we begin again. 

I always wondered if you were happy.

I guess I actually did think of you quite often now that I have written it down. There are many other things I want to say but cannot find the words, maybe leave it for another time.

Love Dad

It is NOT about George Floyd, it never was.

The murder of a black American man by those supposed to serve and protect is indeed tragic and I do not in any way condone it.

HOWEVER 

I don’t care what the colour of your skin is or your religion, your perceived oppression, your ethnicity, whether you are a minority, brown-skinned, the white majority or trailer trash NOTHING gives you the right to riot, loot, steal, rob, bash, destroy property, beat women, rape, stab, carry firearms knives and machetes, deal drugs, shoot people, threaten harm, drive at reckless speed through suburban streets, spend your money on your next high instead of feeding your child, shoplift, trash houses, dump rubbish, abuse pets, carjack, assault first responders, disobey laws and authorities and generally terrorise the neighbourhood. 

It is not OK! 

You ARE the problem! 

You are nothing more than lowlife scum! 

Don’t think that I am just talking about what’s happening in America, this is happening in my hood, my street, my neighbourhood and it will be coming soon to yours. 

Please don’t tell me they are “oppressed minorities” as our neighbourhood is also full of peaceful, decent law-abiding minorities.  

In fact, there are many amazing and loving “minorities” within my own family. 

Don’t tell me I’m being “difficult” and lecture me on injustices especially after we have had yet another sleep disrupted night because of drugged-out or drunken arseholes fighting in the street. 

Don’t try to inform me how many indigenous are in custody. I have lost count of how many times I have seen some arrested, trust me, they are not innocent. 

Do not mention “white privilege” to me. I grew up in Elizabeth, South Australia a migrant town where families came from war-torn countries on the other side of the world with only a few possessions. There “privilege” was having a loving descent father who bought his whole paycheck home instead of pissing it all away at the pub.   

This is not about BLACK versus WHITE it’s about GOOD versus EVIL. 

RIGHT from WRONG. 

It’s about DECENCY and RESPECT. 

(If you want to bring about change, be respectful. Teach your children respect. Show respect for property, authority, the environment and your country) 

Author a friend.

It should be noted that the previous weekend in Chicago ten black people were murdered by other black people.
Why was there no outrage?

Lock Down Week 1

It has now been a week since the lockdown of New Zealand and so far we have hardly changed the way we go about our daily lives.

No takeaway shops are open so I make my own. There are no retail shops to buy things like clothes, electrical goods or entertainment stuff.  There are some online shopping places however they are only to purchase essential items.

Karen and I have always kept to ourselves so we have been training for this very situation since 2009. It isn't that we are not sociable, we are it is just that so many people out there are inconsiderate, selfish fucking idiots. Panic buying at this time is the perfect example.

One of the downsides to lockdown is the constant bombardment and repetitive information from the so-called media, who take great delight in telling us that we are going to die. They are creating a pandemic of anxiety and fear within communities with the way the sensationalize every detail of this pandemic.

Why I need to know how many people in Italy or elsewhere either have CV19 or have died is beyond me. There is nothing I can do about it, I live in New Zealand, and all I want/need to know is what I can do to keep me my family safe, which would be to use the one thing lacking in today's world that is commonsense.

We have stopped listening/watching news items that mention what is going on, rather we visit the government website and listen to the Prime Ministers' daily briefing to get updates but turn it off once those idiots they call reporters to ask imbecilic questions.

We did join a few social media sites within our community to keep up to date but once more the ignorance, stupidity and the sheer lack of basic intelligence as well as abusive comments made sure we now stay away from them as well.

So week one is done and I am standing in line at Countdown supermarket. They will be shut on Good Friday I wonder if there will be panic buying on Thursday.

Of course, there will. SIGH!

Author
Steve Boddey

I made it to Sixty

I was born 24^th November 1959 and I will be 60 years old tomorrow.

I don’t feel old and I am told I do not look 60 but I digress, I was born in Leeds UK and my parents departed the home country and arrived in Melbourne Australia on the 23^rd of May 1965 which just happened to be my only sisters birthday.

I have outlived my Mum. Dad, Jesus, Princess Diana, Jimi Hendrix and many more celebs.

The only things I remember about the UK were living in a horseshoe housing estate and me shoveling snow from the neighbor’s pathways. I recall being at my Grandmas place in a kind of yellow safari suit and being in awe of the many rooms.

The sad part was leaving behind my favorite toy, a garage kind of building where cars would come and go, I remember being very upset.

The plane ride as I recall was a visit to the pilot cockpit and then my next memory is waking up in the Pennington Hostel a place where all immigrates ended up before being deployed to different parts of the country. We ended up in Elizabeth Field a suburb of Elizabeth a new City 40 km from Adelaide. There were many different immigrants who all got along very well unlike the immigrants of today. We all adapted into the Australian way of life; just going about our daily lives and as they say, living the dream.

My childhood is full of birthday parties where my mum made fairy cakes and our neighbor kids would come around and enjoy cordial and games of pass the parcel. Having six siblings meant a lot of birthday parties and although we were not well off, we were happy.

My mother was adorable and I have yet to find anyone who knew her have a bad word to say. Most people loved her Yorkshire puddings with gravy and her stews, which were always very tasty. As for my father; he was a different story. Raised in a convent due to WW2 he was a devoutly religious man who was totally consumed with the Catholic Church and its teachings which he enforced upon the family.

I embraced it for a while even becoming an altar boy, however, I started to question things and I was abruptly put in my place. So I joined the navy to get away from life in the Boddey household. In the navy at the age of 15 and a half, I found the real world and started to free thinking. I started to explore things that were different and out of step with my upbringing. For a short time I felt free and alive, alas it was short-lived.

I was medically discharged and sent back home where I struggled to fit in, at school nor at home life. I did put on a brave face and did the best I could. I worked at General Motor Holden thanks to a brother of mine and did very well until I decided to defect to the Nissan Motor Company in Victoria where I excelled.

I was married to my first wife at the time. She was a woman who gave us 2 beautiful children and who endured being left to looking after two kids while I was in Japan training to be a master supervisor. Unfortunately upon my return from Japan Nissan closed its Australian side and we returned home to South Australia. It went downhill from there. The reasons do not matter, other than to say they could have been handled better.

My second wife taught me a lot about sorting things out; however, my past and the things that had happened made things difficult. Unfortunately, I suffered a workplace injury that placed a strain on our relationship which eventually led to our parting of ways. Yes, there are differing viewpoints on the whys, the where for’s, etc of all my relationships but ultimately the truth lays with me and them.

So now I am sixty and have been married to my third wife for six years.

It hasn’t been the easiest of times as I had been bullied in 3 workplaces and have since been unable to work but we have worked together, shared our anxiety, panic attacks and depression experiences together growing as human beings and realising that there are a lot of fucked-up people in the world,

I digress, I am sixty and I am being told it is too salty, too sweet, too fatty, etc by doctors who are now concerned about my health. I am now, as my years of living are minimising being asked to stop enjoying life and become a health nut who is a fucking miserable because the bacon sandwich no longer is an acceptable sandwich.

I am sixty and if I am lucky I may have 20, 30 maybe 40 years left. For fucksake let me go out enjoying myself,

Author

Steve Boddey

This is ME

Shortly I will be reaching a milestone in my life which sadly few have or will achieve. I don’t feel old yet the world we live in today tells a different story.

In today’s world, there is nobody more self-righteous or judgment that the generation we have at this time. Respect no longer holds any meaning, no one wants to take responsibility for their actions and always the blame is laid at something or someone else’s feet.

A society with all of this bullshit political correctness; want us to be incumbent on our history, judging the past by today's standards. You can't judge the history of empires by the political correct influences of the present.

We are expected to conform to whatever is the flavor of the day, forgetting that conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth. If one has a differing viewpoint same, guilt, grievance and in some cases, violence is used to enhance arguments.

The generation of today doesn't have any vestige of what was good or bad unless of course, it suits them. They believe everything they are fed without questioning, without challenging a different scenario.

One should never believe something because you want to believe it!

I am not complicit in what has gone before. I was not there; I live in the here and now. I will listen when you have something to say civilly and when you can respect a perspective that conflicts with your thoughts or beliefs without disrespecting mine.

When abuse, misinformation, shouting, ranting, raving, the use of violence and intimidation are your weapons of choice you then have no credence and no valid argument. Yet this is what the world is experiencing right here right now. We are encouraging a victimhood mentality using the young to enhance an agenda that is unhealthy and dangerous.

We have stifled free-thinking to the point that people are afraid to express themselves for fear of being ridiculed, harassed or threatened.

Sad really.

Author Steve Boddey.

Victim or Perp NZ is too PC

As a security guard at a mall here in NZ, I was assaulted by a guy high on "P" I suffered a nearly fractured skull. 

The guy was caught and bailed I attended court as a witness for the police. he never turned up for any of the court's appearances however when he was picked up he was driving a stolen car high on "P", without a license and intoxicated. 

The judge gave him anger management duty which he never took up. In the end, the justice system decided that it was a lost cause and dropped the matter. 

I still suffer trauma from the incident and it is a contributing factor to why I can no longer work. As a victim of crime here in NZ, I was offered FUCK ALL! 

The system sucks.

Unfortunately here in NZ, the perp is treated as the victim and the victim as the person in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Author
Steve Boddey