Emma Louise Purdie

An Open Letter to Tom Marland - food for thought and thought for food (Facebook)https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Marland-food-for-thought-and-thought-for-food-388056525306104/?ti=as  In response to his post made about Climate Change and Bushfire. Firstly, I would like to thank Tom for his work. He is a refreshing, real and honest writer of the facts of life on the land in Australia. His witty, intelligent and well thought out writings are an enjoyable read and oft informative. Today's post about Climate and Bushfire was something that I couldn't quite swallow. Plenty of points I agree with readily, and think it's bloody great he has raised it. But, Tom, mate, let's have a chat about some other information - that in today's totally controlled, and intentionally curated media scape you might be missing out on: with your Algorithms spitting stuff at you geared to your activity, engagements, and your dyed in the wool Liberal/National colours. Let's break it down sh...

So, I am a Traffic Management Designer.  I draw plans for roadworks. Yeah. I didn't sit down with road maps as a kid and go "fuck yeah! This is what I wanna be when I grow up!"... But here we are anyway.  I was angry about it all for a long time, though. Had this shitty metric for career success as being University educated, or Trade Qualified and working in a field I loved.  Two things I have learnt about this, that changed my perception: 1) There is nothing quite like over exposure to something to make you eventually tired of it or bored of it, or even hate it; And, 2)Getting University Education is fucking expensive, and I earn more money than many Grads doing what I do.  Nothing against Uni, but the World needs all types, the thinkers and the doers. I just happen to be both.  So I tried for many years to get through Uni. I have a half started Agricultural Science degree, Business, and Psychology as well. This, unfortunately, was all within the time frame of ...

We all have an internal value system.  The thing that makes us, well, us.  The way you live your life, the choices you make, the actions you take, the way you behave and perceive and even eat... all down to this bad boy. Most of the time, we think we are in control of our values. That we have some kind of say in what we feel is important to ourselves, and what is the truest most authentic form of 'I' at our core. And this is true. While life is easy and our problems aren't significant. But what happens when big things happen and we have to adapt or die? Well, your values will change with or without you. And this is where the ride gets bumpy. Mine have changed against my will/conscious decision several times. But the most readily apparent, recent and obvious choice for an example to you, dear reader, is when I had my daughter. You think you are ready for children. You really do. But you aren't. Nobody is. Then the squalling, pink, attention demanding, exhau...