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New Pix: Newtown

Learning how to watch Cricket:

Ravin, Mr. cannot-X-for-toffees himself gave me, with a great deal of effort, a lesson in how to watch and be entertained by cricket. Once you understand how the game is played it’s really actually moderately entertaining. I do have to say that running back and forth lacks a certain visible achievement like a good run around the bases, but nonetheless it’s fairly exciting.

I have yet to see a player taken out by tagging the wicket though…

Australian versus American body image

Well, dig this, Australians are much better adapted vis-a-vis body image (well, this should not be a surprise given that Americans are the absolute worst). I have noted that girls who are curv-ed and not rail thin are quite pleased to show what they’ve got.

Now hang on, I’m not just saying that some choose to visit the beach sans-top (really, such a non-issue).

I am actually saying something quite different, that were a girl some few body-fat percentage points of XXX-tina Aguilera (who, by the way, can actually sing when she’s not doing that stupid Mariah Carey vocal acrobatics for no real apparent reason: Go Frank Lloyd Wright (i.e. minimalist) Chrissy), she would not sit at home doing Pole-Dance aerobics wishing she could tolerate being seen in a two-piece with her slender best friend - nay she’d just go out and have a good time … and know that she’d fill out the evening gown in a much more classic fashion.

Now, on the flip side, the aforementioned curvy girl is not to be confused with the overweight which, thanks to the American invasion of McDonald’s (Mackers) and Burger King is now helping force a rapid increase in the obesity-related illnesses (can you imagine the stress this is causing on a country that actually assures its citizens health care?). Rather, this is that majority of the population that does not fit into the legendary size 6.

In sum, being comfortable with what you can’t change is good and Australian society seems to embrace this. Being depressed over what you cannot change is futile and you should accept - American society seems to reject this. The whole overriding dictum is that “If it is in your power, you should probably do something to remedy.”

Happiness does not seem to be exclusively reserved for the thin and beautiful here. It’s hard for me to sort out given my years of acculturation to believe the previous statement.

Work

I’ve heard a lot about work over the years but here is the one place that I have ever been where people follow the CitiBank billboard slogan: Work to Live, Don’t Live to Work.