My City's Centenary: Celebrating Canberra's 100 Years

Hello people of the Internet! 
If you live anywhere other than my home town, I very much doubt you'll be aware that Canberra is turning 100 today. 
And props to you if you know where Canberra even is - that's a big achievement in itself. 
Yesterday I read a poem that a women wrote that told us everything she liked about Canberra - I tend to disagree. 
Don't get me wrong, I love this city so much - BUUUTTTTT, there are some things that I don't love - like, I mean, I really can't stand. 
So here's my poem in things that I 'love' about Canberra. 

Canberra: A Poem. 

I love Canberra.
I love how it's sweltering in Summer, and freezing cold in Winter.
I love how despite it's sweltering heat, we have no beach. 
I love how despite our freezing Winters, we get no snow.
I love the Canberra roads. 
I love the bumps and humps of the out of sight back roads. 
I love the Canberra drivers. Those selfish bastards that hog the road, with fists of anger and loathing. 
I love the Canberra people.
I love the Canberra Bogans, in their flannel shirts holding their goon bags. 
I love the Canberra Hipsters, in their flannel shirts holding their goon bags. 
I love Canberra's night-life.
I love the groping hands in Meche, and the perving eyes in Moose. 
I love the bands no one has ever heard of with their mediocre success. 
I love Canberra's reputation. 
I love how no one likes Canberra because they think we're boring. 
I love how no one visits because all the politicians are here.
I love how we get blamed for all of Australia's problems because we are her Capital. 
I love Canberra. 

*Just in case you didn't get the subtext - like is a euphemism. 

Is It Getting Hot in Here?

 For those living in the great southern land that is Australia, you will be more than aware that Summer is right around the corner (5 days in fact). 
Living in Canberra, I found (here at least) Summer has come up out of the blue - or maybe, out of the clouds; so all of a sudden I find myself not totally prepared for the Summer weather ahead. 
Knowing Australia - it's going to be a hot one. 
And knowing me - I'm going to hate every second of it. 


It's hard to think it's been Spring for almost three months now. It sure doesn't feel like it. People in Canberra would know, Spring was a funny one this year. At first, we had a bout of Spring early in the season. Warm, warm weather; a great change for the miserable and (thankfully) rainy Winter. 
Then it got cold again. Very cold. People who'd packed away their jackets, jeans, gloves and beanies fished them back out of their closets. But not for long. 
All of a sudden, it was starting to look like Spring again. Shirts and skirts, hats and shorts came out in abundance; perfect when Floriade was on. We shone (literally) for tourists who travelled here, and put the spark back into the locals. 
Have you guessed it yet? Yep, then it got dark again. It started to rain...

I'd just like to say, as an Aussie, who has been living in drought for most of her life (I think anyway) rain - no matter what season - is greatly welcome. We never get enough rain around here, and when we do it's usually too heavy and the ground is too dry to absorb the water. So I was a very happy duck, to see it raining for a lot of our Winter. 

Where was I? Oh yes, Winter seemed to be back - and in the middle of October. Basically, as soon as we got some warm weather, Winter came back with a vengeance. 
So to my surprise, when I looked at the weather bureau I was stunned to see 32 degrees on today's forecast (Celsius, not Fahrenheit to my overseas readers). I was even more stunned to realise Summer is only 5 days away. Holy moly, we've only just received a good batch of Spring. 

To my last point in my intro. Now, I know some of you would be thinking that Summer is the best season. Who couldn't love Summer? Sun, surf, sand, hot bodies walking around, ice-cream, swimming, BBQ's, tennis, cricket, picnics...the list goes on.
Well for one - I don't live near a beach; so that gets rid of surf and sand. I also don't have a pool; get rid of swimming. 
Hot bods walking around - true; but it means I need to shed clothing myself, and even though I'm not repulsive, I am filled with insecurities beyond anything. 
BBQ's = mossies. Need I say more?
I will raise my glass to the return of tennis and cricket though. Been watching Australia Vs South Africa - good to have those sports back on tellie. 

And so in a quick conclusion - what have we learnt? Summer in Australia is hot. Daydreamer is also not ready for the hotness ahead. If you are overseas and getting ready for the Winter season; raise a hot chocolate for me - Winter I will miss you. Bring out the sunscreen everybody. 

Oh, and I do love ice-cream. Yum. 

I Don't Know Whether the Weather Will be Any Good Today

Sorry to anyone reading this because it's going to be a completely narcissistic post. But seeing as all my other ones are too, then it doesn't really matter.

Now this post goes out to the residents of Canberra, A.C.T.

As a female I find it hard enough to come up with something different to wear everyday. Working out whether the jeans can survive one more day, or if they've had thier time and need to be washed. Looking at shirts, seeing if they match the rest of the outfit. 
For some; picking the everyday clothing is easy (whatever's on the floor/closet) for others (like me) it can be a struggle. 

And this is without the weather. 
Of course the mention of weather complicates things.
The weather issue can be dealt with in two ways:

1: Picked perfect outfit only to find out it's not weather appropriate.
This is the worst of the two. You've spent all that time nit-picking your outfit until you've got it right- down to the shoes; only to find out it's going to be to cold/hot for what you've picked.
Solution= Must start over.

2: Find out weather before hand and pick according to forcast.
Now this is the better option. For one can simply find out the weather (as the title suggests) and pick an outfit accordingly.

Of course this only works if you DONT live in Canberra.

Yesterday's forcast was cloudy, 19 degrees, with winds.

So I dressed accordingly- skirt (with stockings) and a longsleeve turtleneck (red if anyone's wondering).
Alas, the weather decided to warm up, it went over 19 degrees AND to top it off there were no winds and the sun decided to come out.
As one could imagine, it got pretty hot in that outfit, pretty quick.

So when today's forcast was 20 and showers I stupidly thought "yeah it'll warm up."
But of course this is Canberra; so in my short sleeve jumper-like-zip up- thingy I almost froze to death; what I wouldn't have done for some sleeves!
And of course it decided to rain - all day - and be very windy.

I guess I can't be suprised. Growing up in Canberra meant days of unpredictable weather, all year round, but now I'm not constrained to a school uniform and I have to pick something different everyday, I find this Canberra weather very frustrating.

The Real Rules of NRL

Watching the Canberra Raiders Vs the Brisbane Broncos on television as I type; I can't help but notice the obvious bias and blatant favouritism towards the home team.

With a massive fan base, playing at home in front of a massive crowd; the Broncos have the advantage.
But not because of these things:

Refs not daring to give a penalty to the Raiders, crowd roaring in anger as a Raider even touches the ball

                                                                               ***
During the middle of that sentence a Raiders player was put on report- for nothing! A "swinging arm" is the charge, in which he didn't even touch the opposing player (in fact he hit his own player- but that's beside the point) so what's with the penalty?

This is one of many penalties the Raiders have been given, while the Broncos haven't recieved a single penalty- not because they haven't done anything wrong or illegal. But because of the NRL's "favouritism" rules.

This is where clubs with the most money, crowd pull etc get the penalties, the television viewing and the points for the ladder.

Now I must confess I am a fan of the Canberra Raiders. But my rant is not without truth nor has it been stretched out.

Look at the commentators for a second; now last time I checked a commentators job was to run through the events of the game. not boast about how good their team is playing and how crap the other team is going.
Shame on you tonights Suncorp commentators- next time actually run through the game- and don't talk crap.

Alas, with a 24 to 6 to the Broncos with only 20m to go- I don't see the Raiders taking this game out.

But any NRL fans out there know this- It's not a credit to the Broncos skills, nor was it because of the Raiders "mistakes" - The Broncos are playing at Suncorp. And if you were a ref, would you have the courage to stand up to the hundreds of Bogan's screaming in the crowd?