lunchtime review

A little squabble before breakfast this morning , with D. Why is he hacking back the bougainvillaea so ferociously? I want to know. Because it needs doing, he says. 

etc.

Now he’s gone off to the tip with a trailer load of old palm fronds and assorted prunings that I should be grateful to him for removing. I hope The Tip has it’s usual therapeutic effect, and he forgives me for my ingratitude.

Why do men always seem to want to prune things?  For the same reason that women are keener on nurturing and preserving, I suppose.  And because  both aspects are necessary in the garden, as in life. But I fear I’m wading into dangerous gender-stereotyping waters here.

It’s been a busy morning. Funny how I often think I’ve done nothing much, and then when I actually review what I’ve done, it’s a lot. Albeit ( and worryingly), mostly involving staring at this screen.

An hour on the phone to my financial advisor, looking at graphs, and discussing superannuation and the ethical credentials of various companies. I learn that Lend Lease build 5-star-rated green buildings and are highly committed to good environmental and social practice. 

I hear about  the Barefoot Power Company, who are taking affordable, portable solar power to the world’s poorest people, mainly in Africa. Replacing kerosine ( bad health- and environment -wise as well as expensive) with low cost clean technology. 

Next, some emails back and forth to an organisation in Victoria who liase with an Aboriginal Womens Landcare Group who are running a project to gather and preserve traditional knowledge. I’m keen to support them,  because it gets a tick in  three of my favourite areas - environment/wilderness, indigenous, and women. More good people, doing good things - a nice change from the daily media. But a lot of information to digest.

Then several lots of emails to organise details of the various groups I run or am part of - the new Writers’ Group I’m starting up, the Gestalt therapists supervision group meeting next week. 

It seems to be one of my roles in life - one of those un-named jobs we all have that are part of our personality. Mine is to organise comings-together of people in various configurations, socially or around music/writing/therapy etc. D thinks this compulsion to connect people up is because I don’t have much in the way of extended real family.

( What is your un-named job?)

Still barely a dint in the interminable To Do list... Lunchtime.