Monthly Archives: July 2009

winter turning

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Looks like I have lapsed with my blog… it’s a first! The reasons?

Well I am in a very happy new relationship and I’m involved in more things offline I guess. Also I’m preparing for two different teaching schedules, one online and one face to face. From this week onwards I’m getting back to playing bridge and I’m finally back to yoga too which is awesome.

There’s a lot on my mind about grieving, loving, polyamorous complications, shifting circles of friends and activites and a turning in my professional life, but generally I keep them a bit more private.

So instead of parties and festivals I’m being more reflective and personal.. and just being… just being can be bloody good.

Enjoy the rising Milky Way!

Mexico and drugs

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Mexico and drugs

‘There are two Mexicos.

There is the one reported by the US press, a place where the Mexican president is fighting a valiant war on drugs, aided by the Mexican Army and the Mérida Initiative, the $1.4 billion in aid the United States has committed to the cause. This Mexico has newspapers, courts, laws, and is seen by the United States government as a sister republic.

It does not exist.

There is a second Mexico where the war is for drugs, where the police and the military fight for their share of drug profits, where the press is restrained by the murder of reporters and feasts on a steady diet of bribes, and where the line between the government and the drug world has never existed.

The reporter lives in this second Mexico.’

We live in fear from Mother Jones. Check out the whole Drug Wars issue online if you still can!

I wonder if we’ll ever have drug legalisation that will put an end to all this madness. Are Mexicans paying with their lives for our lack of policy progress?

And now I need to add Penn & Teller’s Bullshit program on the War on drugs!

Sunday Life article!!

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Sunday Life article!!

I did an interview for the new Sunday Life magazine a few months ago and the resulting article was published yesterday! It’s called ‘The New Romantics’. Apart from me 3 other people were interviewed too. My photo and real name are in there, as well as a very short snapshot of my poly life. Two poly friends are also in their with a photo. I guess I’m completely out to the world now! Makes me happy :)

The cover article is on Tilda Swinton who is now the celebrity posterchild for polyamory and I guess it’s a good middlebrow journalistic device to pull in readers through the story of someone famous. Then in the second half there’s a positive, if curt, discussion of how poly plays out in our lives. It seems that a lot of progressive commentary and deeper engagement with poly issues were cut, but what made it into the article is still very good and honest.

There seems to be a modest unstated family orientation and de-emphesising of sex, though it’s not covered up which is good. I guess the selling point to mainstream audiences is that poly can fit in with traditional family structures, it’s not such a radical ideal. Well I agree and disagree with this, but you can’t have it all! This is still one of the first Australian poly articles that went into a high circulation paper, which is an achievement that deserves celebration!

I believe in contributing to the shaping of our own world through systematic everyday small acts and this is one of them for me. What I’d like to achieve is a broader acceptance and knowledge of polyamory as an alternative way of living and loving. I wanted to reach out to people who are living through their monogamous struggle. As I know from experience these can wreak so much havoc in the lives of those who are simply not suited for this kind of arrangement, who want to and can love more than one person at a time. I also wanted to reach out to professionals who are not familiar with poly so that in the future people with multiple partners don’t have to struggle against stigma, misunderstanding, prejudice and ignorance in professional settings: with doctors, lawyers, counselors, accountants, psychiatrists and so on.

If this article achieved a little bit towards these aims than I’m happy. I truly hope that poly got a bit more exposure through this. I don’t have custody of children or a job to lose over this so I was in a good position to come out, be proud and spread progressive ideas. I’ve done it for my friends and lovers too who couldn’t or didn’t want to stand up and be counted.

Thanks goes to my friends and lovers who are so supportive and loving! I love my tribe and I’m proud of you.

I scanned in the article and Craig’s hosting it HERE

Since the article I got so many wonderful reactions and feedback, and just one really negative one… it’s wonderful to have contributed to a wider discussion this way!

And now it’s included in ‘Poly in the media’ too :D
Publicity breakout in Australia!

the week that was…

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the week that was…

Had quite a mixed week full of great programs, lots of grieving and ups and downs, but also the feeling that I’m slowly moving on with my life.

Sat was 4th of July superhero party, to which I drove down from the Blue Mountains. To be honest I’m still not in the mood to party though it’s nice to catch up with people. It was also my brother’s 41st birthday. He’s in prison and I was thinking about him lots.

Sunday was my step-father’s birthday, Monday I caught up with Craig in Bondi and had a look at his new place. Tuesday was bridge night with Guy, Zoe and Patrick, Wed was Rome night and doing housework and Thursday… well I spent Thursday with someone new in my life… which I’m not going to jinx here!! :)

Yesterday caught up with Martin in Randwick and Damon over a David Lynch movie night at Ange and Barret’s. Lynch’s movies are freaky!! There was lots of nice food and drinks though I did manage to fall asleep during a film which is a first for me. Today I dragged my arse to the poly social but didn’t make it to Tanja’s housewarming… didn’t realise I could pack so much into a week without even touching work!!! Hahaha

Blue Mountains weekend

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Blue Mountains weekend

Spent a day up in the Blue Mountains spending time with Andrew’s partner, Kerrie. Our time together was beautifully connected, gentle, relaxing but also emotionally intense. I’ve been wanting to see her for many weeks and was so happy to finally spend some time together. Lots of conversations and hugs and we also went out to hear live music in Katoomba which was great. The cold mountain air was amazing. Time and space gave me the opportunity to think and grow in myself.

On the way down I popped in to see a new friend in the mountains then came home to get ready for a 4th of July party. Today it was my step dad’s birthday and I cooked him dinner and made delicious brownies.

This coming week I have to do some work to tie off my research work at UNSW and start on new projects. Also yoga, bridge, Rome film night and hanging out with friends.