I've spent the last few weeks in a funk of emotions. There are several clouds of issues going on in my head and I've been trying to separate them into spheres or boxes or ... something. This morning I woke up with: "okay Sarah, there is this and then this and then there is this."
It was like my brain finally cleared. People say that when the amygdala is stimulated the frontal cortex goes offline and I've probably experienced this before but not totally cogged it. This time around it was like 'fuck, what is going on?'
Anyway, a few weeks after the nation voted against a voice to parliament, I gradually unscrambled. Someone asked me to sign a petition against inner city social housing because ... I dunno, nimbyism? No, I wrote back. Not gonna sign that one. An institution asked me to maintain my contract on a chapter about colonial experiences. No, I wrote back. I'll return that advance payment. (Damn, damn my conscience!)
I began writing this post back in October when I voted Yes to an Indigenous voice to parliament, so it's been sitting here for a while. But I'm still playing in my same brain sandpit, flicking up sand into the circle of eyes. I'm not willing to play this game anymore. I voted yes and now I'm saying no. I'm entering the Crone Zone with a kind of delicious fury. Care to join?
Nope.
ReplyDeleteYou lost me somewhere there Sarah but if Tom says nope nope it is.
ReplyDeleteSeems it's a local issue, so some context is probably required. But basically, I've stopped saying yes to people who want me to put my name to things I'm cringey about. So yes, Nope.
ReplyDeleteMy seventy year old, somewhat pickled brain may have missed a vital clue in your post but my two bob's worth is say yes to positivity and no to stupidity and one would not go wrong, in theory. I am positive we should have all voted yes because there would have been no losers. A certain demographic would have gotten a psychological lift and everyone else would have lost nothing. Perhaps even gained some unexpected self respect.
ReplyDeleteMy astute partner has just pointed out that it very OK to be pissed off about what has gone wrong and react accordingly, comrade.
DeleteIt is!
DeleteSo Rick ... I agree with your partner! That's why I',m saying No now, in response to requests.
ReplyDelete