Noting that 2/3 of the Great Barrier Reef's coral is now 'somewhat dead' it was interesting as always to hear the Tourism spokesman come out and say that 'the scientists are just too emotional...(?)...and that things aren't so bad...and that tourists love to see Stage 2 bleaching because it makes the coral kind of glow...coral is much more visually beautiful when it is dying'.

After leaving Cairns 4 months back and now kind of settled in Melbourne, I am pretty sure we will stay here. I miss the connections with my darling kin Jordan and my colleagues in Cairns, for sure, that's true, and I miss the wondrous curlews, but this seems a better place for us, even in the bad weather. I won't be able to afford to buy a place here as the prices are far too high, but still, we will find some way to stay and be happy anyway here. Work is good and plentiful enough and opportunities for Mrs Fitz and DJWaWa are good here. We will visit some penguins this week and I will say hello to them from the curlews...and then we will go for a drive towards the Great Ocean Road, and buy some fresh Scallop Pies...the best pies in the Universe...and, at $10 a pop, they well should be. A small warm Esky full of scallop pies, wow...now that is a rare treasure.

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.