Monday 21 November 2016

News I Will Never Forget








Every now and again I emerge blinking and bewildered from my bubble. The little cocoon of obliviousness I have concocted in order to mosey along in this mad, mad world. 

Mostly (I'm ashamed to admit), I don't watch the news. It's a self-preservation thing. You see, I'm a bit wobbly. Beneath my placid exterior, lurks my familiar nemesis. That evil bitch known as anxiety. 

Unlike the skinny bitch inside me screaming to get out, whom I usually shut up with chocolate (BOOM, TISH), Anxiety Bitch is bit harder to tame. She screams. She lashes out. Pokes, prods and makes her evil presence known. I hate her. I'm still learning to let her rage on and not pay as much attention. It's working. Sorta, kinda.

Anyway, my point is, the news isn't my thing. For some reason it's all bad. Go figure. 

But there are certain things over the last 20 years or so that have busted into my bubble.

I do remember hearing about these things...

The Port Arthur Massacre

This was made even more horrific by the fact that Mickey Blue Eyes and I had been there just months prior while on our honeymoon. It could very easily have been us. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, you can read about it here. We visited again five years ago with the boys. It was already an eerie place, given it's history. Now it's unspeakably sad and sinister.  

The death of Princess Diana 

I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar... 

No wait. That's an 80's song. Things get confusing when you're in and out of a bubble.

I was working in call centre for NRMA at the time. I was taking a call from a customer. Because that's what you do in that job, oddly enough. Which explains why I don't do it anymore. But I digress...

The woman on the phone was very distraught and informed me that the news of Princess Diana's death had just been reported on the news. Pretty soon everyone was talking about in it the office.  The mood was sombre. 

9/11

I was in 'Mother Of A Newborn Zombie Land' when this happened. I'd crashed early and managed to get some precious sleep. Mickey Blue Eyes came into the bedroom and woke me up beside himself. He said something about planes crashing into the World Trade Centre. I was just SO PISSED that he woke me. I failed to grasp the enormity of what was happening in my sleep deprived daze. Eventually I stumbled out to the living room. I watched the images on the screen in horror. 

The thought that echoed through my mind: What kind of a crazy arsed, fucked up world have I brought my beautiful, innocent baby into? 

Those were the things that pierced through my bubble. 

And of course recently there was the whole US election thing. I've never paid much attention in previous years, but it was kind of hard to miss it this time around. But I'm not saying another word about that. Nope. No way.

With the way 2016 has gone it won't be long until the next bit of batshit crazy news. There's still another week of November and the whole of December to get through... GULP.

If anyone needs me I'll be in my bubble. 


Linking up for Life This Week and Open Slather.


What news will you never forget? 

17 comments:

  1. Now I have that song in my head- actually, it was already there because it was playing in the duty free store at Queenstown airport just before I read your post. Go figure. Followed by Wham's 'I'm Your Man...' They like their 80s pop...

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  2. You write so well. Very entertaining. I could never visit Port Arthur at all. That time was HORRIFIC and I read all the stories from it and was so sad. That it could happen. I had just become a Grandma too so was in a bubble of love. Tough times you recalled. Thanks for delving in, though and linking up. Denyse. #lifethisweek

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    1. It truly is an eerie place. So many tough times. Thanks for the kind words xo

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  3. Can I join you in your bubble? It seems so safe and warm there...

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    1. Why yes, of course! Would you like cake and tea?

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  4. We were about to board the Spirit of Tasmania in Melbourne when we heard about 9/11 and very glad we were about to set off for the back end of the world (sorry Tassie!). I saw the news about Princess Diana as I sat on the couch feeding Miss 20.

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    1. Tasmania does seem like a safe, old-fashioned place. That's why you'd never think such a horrific massacre would take place there! Wow, nearly 20 years ago. Time flies!

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  5. A lot to be said for the bubble!! My news is often distorted cos I get it off my phone. Remember the focus on Bunnings sausage drone guy? Nuff said!

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  6. I am loving your new look blog!
    There should be a channel dedicated to only good news! Too much bad news, I think the media feed off it.
    Maybe we should put them in a bubble :)

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    1. Thanks Alicia!

      Yes! Slap the media in a bubble. They do go overboard with certain things these days.

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  7. I'm the same! I can't watch it. I don't have any diagnosed anxiety but news such a those things you've mentioned sure do affect me deeply. News of child abuse gets to me more so than anything else. I just can't. It makes me want to vomit. I really wish the media would share the many good things happening throughout the world. The media has a lot to answer for in regard to the rise in mental illness I reckon. Bugger off doomsdayers!

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    1. There probably are good news stories out there but they're not emphasized as much. I think we're over saturated with it because of social media, that's for sure.

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  8. Nope. I must have missed that. Sounds interesting...

    Sorry about the comment going missing. I've noticed that it happens every now and again on blogger blogs (not just mine), so I'll often copy and paste just in case.

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  9. Is it bad that I'm a former journo who carefully picks and chooses which stories she'll click on? Some days you just can't handle it. I remember all of those things happening though. It's sad that those are the things that stick in our minds.

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  10. I so vividly remember learning about Kennedy's assassination. And, the Challenger explosion, which I found out about from a customer who called my office and told us.

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