The Sweetest Victory

Noticing his Kangaroo cap, I said, "Hello Ken, I didn't know you were a North Melbourne man."

"Yes I am, but I’m Noel." I’d mistaken him for another of similar age and appearance. I'd been nodding to both these men for some time thinking they were one and the same.

I said he must be pulling his hair out at yet another narrow loss. North had gone down to Gold Coast after jumping them early and leading by five goals at quarter time. Noel agreed it was demoralizing, a mystery to him.

I asked how long he'd been a North supporter and he said he joined North in 1958 when he was about 16 years old. North made a public statement that if they won the premiership that year they'd buy all their members a box of chocolates. That won Noel's support. They didn’t win a flag till 1975.

I sympathized with him for the season's disappointments explaining that I was a Melbourne Demons supporter, say no more, but I had a soft spot for North since the 1970's when Ron Barassi signed to coach, and because recent 200 gamer Michael Firrito is from Gembrook, and our dog 'Snow' came from the Firrito's around when Michael was drafted.

Next day a young boy was bouncing a footy on his way to school. He said his team was the 'Hawks'. Footy crosses barriers of, class, religion, race and gender. Some women I know are fanatical.

I see the local braves training on miserable, cold, dark evenings, working to improve their fitness, skills and teamwork. All credit to them. Every week one team wins and the other loses. It is uplifting and humbling. Lessons and good habits can be carried into broader society.

I don't believe winning is everything. I'd rather be a loser who gave his all than an ungracious winner who had all the luck or advantage. But to win against the odds, when the chips are down, that’s the sweetest victory.      

  

The Automobile Age

Amazing as it seems my lifespan has seen more than half the 110 or so years that we have been driving around in motor vehicles. This has dominated the economies of  'the west' and probably still is the dominant factor in the much talked about global economy.

This thinking came to me during an email exchange during the week with son Rob who lives in Melbourne sharing a flat with a friend. I intend to elaborate more of my thoughts in a future post but for now I copy the exchange here, hoping Rob won't mind me putting his correspondence into the public forum.

ROB

Hello

Just been the usual - yeah I got Mum's email but forgot about replying -  nothing to report here really so that's why you haven't heard from me.

Hope everything went well at Lakes, did you all end up going together on the weekend? New deck? The football is beyond complete rubbish.  I was watching it on the iPad Foxtel (thanks to your account details), but stopped mid way through to watch the Da Vinci Code, which is saying something.

Took Hao's Barina to get 120,000km service today ($700) and was also quoted $900 for replacement of a water pump for the timing compartment thing that is drip-leaking coolant. Think the mechanic profession is the way to go for $130 an hour don't you!

Have been thinking about adopting a kitten what do you think? Don't know if it'd destroy carpet and things. But it would be cool.

good night

CAREY

A few months before I parted with my Suzuki I left it at Clapperton’s for a routine service at 180,000km and when I picked it up they said they put a new water pump in cause it was leaking, and without asking me (they couldn’t) they changed the timing belt at the same time which was due at 200,000 as it needs doing every 100,000 and the major component in changing the timing belt is labour taking off water pump to get in there. Whole job cost me about $600. Good I thought for a water pump timing belt in effect a major service. Clappo charges $77 per hour inc GST. Car maintenance is a financial minefield, and we are at the mercy of the economy, how it works, and the integrity of human beings, which is hard to assess before the event. It’s hard to be sure what they actually did for Hao’s $700 service. The whole car industry is set up for profiteering from start to finish including salesmen, finance, tyres, crash repairs/insurance, fuel, road maintenance and safety and regulation enforcement. It is a major factor in capitalism and frankly it is the basis on which economies and the world runs and if I could, I would not own a car and if I was GOD I’d ban them.

 

See how you wound me up. As for football, I have no interest nor comment. Only that if I could be GOD I’d trash the AFL.

 

Dad

ROB

For the Barina they say the timing belt change is 60,000km or 4 years. It was changed in 2010 so has at least a year to go... But I might suggest that he get the whole thing done in one go, the he can forget about timing belts for 4 years. And shop around at different mechanic places.

I was getting wound up about it too, as you say society necessitates that we rip each other off in order to survive. I'm particularly bitter being fresh out of the "degree factory." This video is worth thinking about when you have the time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpDUeHjTtQ&feature=youtu.be&t=17s