Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat

 As much as I wish it were otherwise, I have always been a social media addict. When I say addict, I can put it down if I'm totally absorbed in something else but the minute my brain is free to wander, I default to facebook or instagram.
Right now, I barely get absorbed in anything else, I am so horrified and fascinated with what is happening in the US, particularly Minnesota.

I want to know what ICE is doing. I want to read intelligent commentary. I want to see all the clever and courageous acts of resistance. I want to know how much longer the chief narcissist can live, I want to know what will happen in a power vacuum.

After seeing huge numbers turn out in sub-freezing conditions to protest, I went to bed on Saturday night hopeful that the regime would soon collapse under the weight of all that opposition.

On Sunday I woke to the news of Alex Pretti's execution and realised I had been a fool. When abusers start to lose control, that's when they get even more violent and reactionary. The more resistance there is, the more sloppy and callous they become.

Every time I hear the words "federal agents" I rail against it. ICE agents are not federal agents, they are gun happy, insecure, entitled four year old incels in big, powerful bodies. And of course they are federal agents working for the regime of an insecure, entitled four year old incel.

Stand strong, Minnesota. Fortune favours the brave.

My AI self

 

Well this was an odd moment. Work was updating photos on our marketing materials and as there was no previous photo of me, my boss used a photo from the Christmas party and then used AI to modify it to look professional.

In contrast, the one I uploaded for the HR system 7 years ago was this one:

Admittedly it is old and not exactly professional.

I feel like my new photo is what they wish I was, my hair has been tamed, my teeth are whiter and I'm wearing a jacket rather than the uniform polo shirt we are required to wear.

If they were going to make an improved version, they could have reduced the double chin!

Sunday Selections

 

I've never been a participant in the Sunday Selections meme so I have gate crashed the club on the basis that I thought it sounded better than " random assortment of bad photos."

Back in November a friend asked if I would like to go and see Fisherman's Friends in concert. The plan was to go to the Springwood Arts Centre (my Liam happens to live in Springwood with his wife and son) but the concert was sold out. Expecting my friend to say no, I asked if she would like to attend the concert in Canberra. She said yes, so I had a couple of nights in Canberra this week. I didn't take any serious photos at all on this trip but I took a few quick snaps:

I took this one so I could look up what the flags represented. I haven't looked them up yet but I have a photo for when the mood takes me.

A very ill advised purchase from a road side fruit stall. Not because there was anything wrong with the fruit but because it really suffered in a hot car for the following 2 hours. My air conditioning needs a re-gas and the car gets a wee bit like an oven.

I put htis pic in the family group chat and said only a Jurd would think it a good idea to buy a whole box of fruit on a solo road trip. My sister said Dad would be proud.

I had a lazy morning to kill in Canberra and I have never been to the national Arboretum. It's obviously a very popular spot to have coffee. The view was fabulous and the gift shop was full of glorious trinkets. The actual plants were looking a bit rough after the extreme heat wave only a few days earlier.

During that very same heat wave, I went and spent an evening by the river. It was a lot cooler in the sea breeze. Rudolph was staying with me while his family holidayed and he had a grand old time trying to chase sea gulls and barking at other dogs. He's a lovely little dog, and I enjoyed having him here.