As 2023 came to a close, I took a bold step with my Facebook account – trimming down my friends list by about 75%. The remaining 25% comprises individuals with whom I feel comfortable being myself, mainly family and long-time friends.

Additionally, I made the decision to step down from my treasurer role with a volunteer group and conveyed this to the committee at our meeting last week. While the group’s activities are well-intentioned, I’ve realised that I’m not really committed to its mission. If I’m dedicating my time in this way, I’d prefer it to be for a cause that truly resonates with me.

After completing my studies last month, I am currently immersed in home life and undertaking some essential decluttering, getting back to the basics as I work out my next steps forward. I’ve also enrolled in a program called Jobs Academy run by Future Women. It begins next month and seems to be for women like me who have had a break in their career and need help getting back into the workforce.

Interestingly, one of my friends on Facebook shared an article from The Guardian about the concept of journaling something nice from our day, rather than just the things we are grateful for. Fiona, who shared this piece, is an entertaining writer and I believe she would excel at this. While I aspire to become a better writer, I am drawn to the idea of chronicling daily events since my memory is not the best. It would be uplifting to look back and be reminded of the experiences and actions that have shaped my journey. It would also help keep me accountable to myself to ensure I have productive days that aren’t spent lounging in front of the television!

I’ll give it a go, and see how long I can keep it up. This list leaves out a lot of the detailed minutiae from daily life but captures the essential parts.

• Read a little from White Teeth, by Zadie Smith. It is interesting but not a gripping read.
• Scrubbed the back stairs. We are having some furniture delivered this week and I wanted to check the state of the stairs more than anything, since we rarely use them.
• Wandered the garden with my watering can, picked and ate some strawberries.
• Cardio exercise for 30 mins with Paul Eugene YouTube video.
• Sorted clothing for donation to op shop.
• Ran errands at the bank, pharmacy and supermarket. Dropped off clothing at the op shop.
• Late lunch and movie on TV, Amelia 2.0, about a woman whose consciousness is transferred to a robot body after she dies from a brain aneurism. Rather a lightweight exploration of the topic.
• Hubby home from work. Chatted, watched TV, had dinner.
• Played game apps on phone. Visited Facebook, messaged a friend. Wrote this blog post.

I was deeply saddened by the recent death of Sinead O’Connor. She is a music artist I had not thought about for a while, but the news of her death led me to rediscover her music and I have been enjoying it once more, with a sad heart from the knowledge that she is gone. Some tributes to Sinead have painted her as a warrior, but I don’t believe that was her aim. She didn’t set out to be a fighter; she just had this raw honesty and saw through the bullshit. Her refusal to conform, her fearless expression of her thoughts – that’s what made her a standout. Her songs, they were like her therapy session, her way of dealing with the pain in the world.

Due to some recent interactions with a younger student at university, I’ve been chatting to ChatGPT about the differences between generations. I once read something interesting – they called Generation X the “angry generation.” I asked ChatGPT why might that be the case?

First off, Generation X had its fair share of challenges. Picture this: they were coming of age in a time of economic turmoil – the oil crisis, recession, and job instability were all part of their landscape. Imagine trying to find your footing in such a shaky economic climate. No wonder there might have been some frustration and resentment bubbling up.

And then there were those cultural shifts. Traditional family structures were evolving, and divorce rates were climbing. It’s like the stable foundations they might have expected were shifting beneath their feet. That kind of uncertainty can definitely breed some discontent.

Now, let’s talk about skepticism. Generation X grew up during a time of political scandals and media cynicism. Trust in institutions and authority was waning, and that sense of skepticism could easily translate into anger or frustration.

Here’s an interesting twist – Generation X often found themselves caught in the middle. You’ve got the larger-than-life Baby Boomers on one side and the flashy Millennials on the other. Generation X? Well, they didn’t always get the spotlight they deserved. Feeling overlooked or neglected could definitely fuel some resentment.

And hey, let’s not forget about media representation. Think about it – when you see yourself portrayed as disaffected and rebellious in the media, it might start to rub off a bit. The stereotype of being the “angry generation” could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But you know what else? Generation X wasn’t just about anger. They had a drive for change, a hunger for shaking things up. They were the ones pushing for environmental awareness, LGBTQ rights, and standing up against globalization. So, that so-called anger might just be passion in disguise.

Here’s the bottom line – every generation has its complexities, its ups, and its downs. Sure, some folks from Generation X might have shown signs of frustration, but it’s not the whole picture. Just like any stereotype, it’s essential to recognize the individual stories that make up the bigger narrative. After all, we’re all just trying to navigate our way through this crazy thing called life.

A news item in my email inbox had me nodding my head today – Novak Djokovic is the GOAT – The Serbian tennis star can lay claim to the title after winning a record 23 grand slam tournaments after taking out the French Open last Sunday. But he shied away from the ‘greatest of all time’ title, saying it would be “disrespectful towards great champions in other eras” (The Saturday Squiz, 17 June 2023). Good on Djokovic for saying that, I’ve always felt the GOAT accolade is arrogant and frankly, ridiculous.

Lately we’ve been feeling the emptiness of a house without a dog in it… and set about changing this on Thursday when we adopted Rosie from the Animal Welfare League. Described on the web site as a German Shepherd, we did a double take when we saw her in real life, she is quite a diminutive version. But very sweet and didn’t seem to object to us. The shelter staff were very pleased for her to be going to a new home, as a ‘golden oldie’ she is typically one of the more difficult pets to rehome. She is a few months away from 10 years of age, but there is plenty of life in her yet. She happily follows us around and explores her surroundings. She seems to be settling in very well and we are pleased to have her with us.

She does look like she has been hit by a shrink-ray but we’ve speculated that she is possibly a GSD x Kelpie.