Now, what is it that makes me feel at home in Melbourne? Well, the climate is similar, but faster and a bit colder, than the Sydney suburb where i grew up, and I do like suburbs, and I love the smell of the rain...the cold greenness in it, and the ozone of the storms. We didn't move here just for the Scallop Pies on the Great Ocean Road, but that would have been a good enough reason. In these 4 months we haven't actually gone out much at all as the main thing has been to...first...collapse big time from the journey...then to find enough work, and not to spend money, and then to keep warm...and so we don't really know much about Melbourne at all...we have been to no shows or exhibitions, although we did go to the Australian Open Tennis for a half a day...and witnessed some lunatic killing people by driving a stolen Holden into them in Bourke Street because he had a tiff with his girlfriend...but that has been about it. The Melbourne City Library is a nice place, for sure. Well worth it. We will be spending 3 or 4 days not working or worrying about working over Easter and see the penguins, and acquire the Scallop pies and see some arriving Van Gogh exhibition...and I recall from 1970 that the Melbourne Art gallery had this wonderful sculpture of 'bird in flight' and I'd love to see that true, real art again. I guess our next days off from various worries will be a trip to Ireland or China for 2 weeks next year. Funny how generations are different. When I was growing up, in the family, we never ever went 'on holidays' anywhere, locally, nationally, or internationally...and interestingly, we had a great time every time.

Satisfaction. I just posted my troublesome Casio G Shock watch back to the President of the Casio Group in Yagashina? Japan saying...look, I don't want any recompense for this poor product, I just wish you to make better products, like you used to do. A polite letter. I have always liked Casio gear...good quality, long lasting, affordable. Hardly anyone ever sends real 'letters' any more and it is a bit of a shame. An email means nothing. Same with an email to the government etc about anything good or bad. An email is easily dispensed with... and, at best, it represents one person. Too easy to do or to ignore. But if you go to the trouble of crafting a letter, especially with something like a watch in a proper protective package, and posting it, someone at the other end has to pick it up, open it, read it, and then wonder what to do with it...with both the watch and the letter...and ask around...because both watch and letter are tangible items. The marketing algorithm for posted complaint letters is basically 1 letter=1000 votes/customers, and politicians usually never want to receive letters - too spooky. As noted, I don't want anything from the Casio company, I am just happier that I no longer have that watch...and that it has gone back to where it belongs, and I have registered my calm dissatisfaction. Being a quirky person, I do find satisfaction in this. Meanwhile, I expect the arrival of a Citizen Pro Master Dive watch in the mail today...a bit more expensive, for sure, but I expect much higher quality...and it has a 'winder' for changing the time rather than a 60 page book and 30 useless videos.

Noting the News...that the US is sending its massive death-star navy towards North Korea as a 'show of strength'. Unfortunately, by spending so many trillions of dollars in being seen as the world's policeman for many decades, America didn't invest anything in looking after its own people, thus, these shows are pretty much a show of weakness, and social/governance incompetence, as is their military intelligence.

I think an important thing about beginning to understand New China is that it has problems of such a massive scale that we can't even conceptualise this. It has successes on such a massive scale that we cannot even conceptualise this. It remains the only reason there is far less poverty and misery on Earth than there has ever been. For all the flaws we note every day, this remarkable and ongoing, empowered human process of alleviation of poverty and human misery, IS the work of the Communist Party of China, and of the people of China, and especially in terms of National Unity and Family, is the work of the women of China.

The prospect of not working tonight has brought with it a desire to clean up my writer's room/creative hub/multi-function polis/office/music studio/ fun parlour/bar/retreat/ashram/meditation cove/art space/church/synagogue/mosque/Dreamtime/Dance Club/smoking parlour/bird sanctuary/ eagle's nest/ wizard's coven/ and used clothing jumble sale store.As usual, my staff and the acolytes have abandoned me.

Casio

Mr President
The Casio Watch Company
5400-1 Higashine-ko, Higashine-city, Yamagata 999-3701 Japan

Dear Mr President

It is with sad reluctance that I forward to you, in this package, the Casio G-Shock GA-100 watch I have owned for about one year. I bought it at Brisbane Airport in Australia. I recall the price was about $AU130.00.

I have had a good personal ‘affinity’ with Casio products over the years as they are well made, accurate, and affordable.

My first 'Nurses Watch' was a simple analogue quartz Casio and was engraved with my name by my parents when I graduated in the 1980s. It was light, sturdy and very useful for many years. I have liked Casio ever since.
I am returning the GA-100 G Shock watch to you simply because I have spent, in general total, more than ten hours trying to change the analogue hands on it to match the digital clock on the dial, due to Daylight Savings Time changes here in Melbourne, Australia. 

I have studied the book that came with the watch, I have read and analysed the available information on-line and have watched a number of YouTube videos regarding how to adjust this watch. 

Apart from my own time spent in this pursuit, I have driven to two watch repair shops locally and the watch repairers, not un-talented people at all, have been unable to adjust the analogue hands to the correct time, each taking about 30 minutes in their attempts. They couldn't change the hands at all but I did pay them a small amount for their efforts although this was not asked for.

I like the sturdiness of the G Shock watch indeed, although it has occasioned a crack in the glass as well, although I cannot recall ever bumping it against anything. The crack does not seem to affect the waterproofness of the watch at all...and is in a perfect straight line across the face without any sign of an impact, even on close and magnified study.

I have attached the photographs also of the GA-100 with a ‘fake’ U-Boat watch I bought in Thailand 7 years ago for the equivalent of about $AU40...and do note that the ‘fake’ watch has been quite brilliant in its time keeping and sturdiness, and waterproofness, and, over 7 years has not occasioned any damage to its glass at all.

I have also attached a photograph of my Grandfather's Westclox pocket watch, made in Canada in about 1930, and I do note that this wind-up watch does keep extremely good time and is very easy to adjust.
I am not seeking a refund regarding the GA-100 nor any other recompense, but I wish you to know that I am not happy with this product and so I simply and sadly return it to you for your company's study and reflection.

I have always liked watches. I will always have a warm place in my heart for the Casio nurses watch and I thank you for that excellent time keeping and for that fond memory.

Yours sincerely

John Fitzpatrick
MASA.

Serious John: I do think, on the whole, that the job of Good Mothering is more difficult and time consuming than the job of Good Fathering...but this doesn't mean that Good Fathers are somehow low life cunts in the world.