82 Not Out!    13/1/2017 WOW IT’S OVER –I know it is because people are talking very fast again-like business  as usual has returned instead of holiday sunshine,surf and barbecues.

Now once again  you can’t see real faces for devices. Once again every minute  counts. Any leisurely pursuit has been swept away and competitive screen  social media and streaming is on again.

I  know holiday season is over because I’ve already had  what  are termed Courtesy Calls about New Year subscriptions. What a shame the callers talk so fast that  I can’t be courteous in return.
But the BEST GOOD NEWS is that I am still Not Outing thanks to the wonderful professional staff at the North Cairns Community Health Facility. Can’t speak highly enough of the care and assistance given me there in three different departments as a hospital referral. No rushing but consistent advice and support that  works.Two months down the track life is looking good again.

It’s great to have wonderful memorable experiences to share...and I had one of the greatest ever in my life on Christmas Eve. In retrospect I think it was a tiny part of  ‘pay it forward’philosophy or simply  my good fortune being in ‘the right place at the right time.’ when a kindly individual in a Santa hat (maybe representing a charity) beat me at the supermarket checkout to pay for my trolley of ordered cooked chickens, pasta and fresh rolls destined for family Christmas Day dinner. Yes it was gobsmacking unbelievable and I cried right then and there at the kindly action and his seasons wishes.  Of course when you have  raised a large whanau  you do cry at unbelievable gobsmacking experiences from kind strangers.

I thought of it again yesterday when I watched Syrian refugees collecting food to give to homeless Greek families on news  screen. It reminded me also that friend Hemi Baxter (NZ’icon poet humanist) said we only truly give when we give of ourself...so pay it forward  can be a way of life.

The other GOOD NEWS is being back on email again after being blocked on December 12-so YES I did have a peaceful Christmas and New Year thanks to Telstra’s stuffup. Mind you a couple of relatives  slipped off the planet and no news from any dimension reached me,to remove the NOT...before  OUTER pn their in box addresses..

About slipping off theplanet...or rather slipping past the planet.

We humans think we are so so so smart but I read just this morning that Asteroid 2017 AG13 a ten storey tall one slipped past earth ,twice as close as the moon on Jan 9   -AND GET THIS we didn’t see it coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There you go IF  that asteroid can slip past  what  else are we missing?????????????????????? Imagine those working outside the space station  seeing that pass them by!!!!

Anyway back to the fast lipped smart slick executives  dealing with both ever advancing technology and the  dim slow Not Outers of today still content with Windows 7.

Take Telstra...No don’t say No ... simply identify and confirm my recent experience when I visited a Telstra service outlet in a shopping plaza. Thank G. (by whatever name) I was using my new wheelie.\Why?  Well after outlining my problem to the front door person  I was told in curt dismissive tone–“Go sit over there and someone will come to you”

I went over there...was there a seat?  No there were only high white plastic stools-anyNOt Outer or even  Not Yet a Pensioner could have been severely hurt tryng to clamber or  perch on. Disgusting and Health and Safety Australia should be onTelstra’s case about this.

So I duly sat on my wheelie instead and waited ....and waited....and waited watching the growing queue to  one of  the counters..most elderly struggling to stand and sharing glances of discomfort and displeasure. Another curt young woman finally ushered me to a high plastic stool which I refused, to tell me what I  should do about my problems. TELL ME in my face what I should do to fix any Telstra and or NBN stuffups. Unbelievable.!  I eventually submitted a long long complaints file on a Telstra web page which is still yet to be answered. BUT meantime after two full days at the p.c. and as he said ‘a  lot of luck’ a nerd friend unlocked my servers problem caused by Telstra.After 9 years the server didn't recognise me?

I am over Telstra ( and most technology) and am wary of any bright new locked -in plan  offered that I can’t escape from if service  remains at this current low level. Beginning to understand why my 40 dependents use free FB messaging ...unfortunately I can’t carry my large screen p.c. around like they do their smart phones and I am no fan of social media anyway. Some whanau think any comments  Imake at 83 years are a bit too smart!

Well dear readers I have moaned enough for first 2017 blog so won’t enter into the political arena of ministers entitlements (stupid  word -Yes of course it should be work only expenses)

Instead will say how much  satisfaction I’ve had again watching all the seasons of Game of Thrones...Vikings...Black Sails and Outlander.  Now I feel up with the play again for any future season releases.With no  ads!!!! Amazing how much more one can admire the writing, acting and direction on a second viewing. Lets face it  just getting a full handle on the Seven Kingdoms  Game of Thrones characters doesn’t come with one screening...

I think the experience of life itself is similar. Life can be acomplicated scenario –that’s why we need a lot of  incarnations to get it right don’t you think?   No!  OK well I do.

YEAH Ragnor is Wednesday nights agin now!

Oh I forgot the EXTRA good news is that my two Spin into books  published whilst hospitalised have had a wonderful national review and response  from teachers in New Zealand . Yeah I’ll have to get a bit more energy to launch  them here in Queensland...one with Cairns Young Adult Adventurous Writers in North is in the maybe pipeline.

Till then blessings to you all andI promise someshort shorts and new poems will be coming along....