Mikeatmainbeach

                             I know this photo is only made up but how many wish it were real 😏 All the suffering. The many millions of people that have been displaced throughout Europe. The many, many thousands of innocent people that have been needlessly killed. Their homes and lives disrupted forever!                                After two months of fighting there seems no end to this nightmare...                                                                 #We Stand With Ukraine                                                                  ******************* (This photo was sent to me. I understand it was originally on Twitter. I have no idea who compiled it and will gladly acknowledge the owner or remove it if required to do so.) Instagram:     mike_at_mainbeach

I had to go to the transport department for my driving license renewal yesterday. I don't know what it is but not the most comfortable feeling for some reason. Maybe it's people paying fines or they are there for driving infringements but also maybe it's just me. Most likely it's just me... I don't think I would like to work there. The people there do a good job of course it's not that... I guess dealing with some customers it can be stressful. Going in...there are around thirty people sitting there waiting all facing the door so as soon as anyone walks in everyone looks up at them blankly. Of course I had no idea what to do on entry and looked furtively around the room for a ticket person, or something, feeling all eyes on me😨  The security guy seated by the door looked up from checking his 'phone, noticed my confusion, and called..."Just select and press!" as he pointed to a machine with a number of divisions highlighted. I selected the appropri

Is anyone as shocked as I am that Mr. Musk will pay $44 billion for Twitter to open up the digital soap box, the digital speakers corner, for anyone to say anything? An opportunity for real free speech without constraints. $44,000.000.000 Billion. All those zero's...wow! Mind boggling isn't it! I just think what good that large amount of money would do in the world. Could do FOR all the world. Good luck to him for having plenty of money, it's not that what concerns me, it's just that if Twitter becomes a free for all where anyone can say anything, attack anyone, have no moderation at all surely it could lead to even more violence in the world.  We all know why a certain U.S. President was banned from Twitter. It was said because of the false information he and his followers were spreading and stirring up trouble. Just imagine if it were free reign and anything went. There has to be some kind of a check surely. What if people were able to whip up race riots and gang trou

We live in a Google or Siri world for sure where a virtual assistant, on instant command, will turn lights on and off, beckoned music appears from hidden speakers around the house and jokes are relayed by a distant metallic voice. It's great when it all works but the setting up can be a worry sometimes... We were at a friends place the other morning and he asked to switch the TV on...when the lights came on instead...great fun!  "Classical music please?"....and the TV comes on again after being switched off previously😖 "Lights?". Maybe...but not all...just some come on...and the TV switches on again ! It's great when it all works it's just the setting up part that takes the time 😏 I often wonder what our grandparents would say of such things where we don't even have to get out of our chair now to actually do anything. Not even a remote control for the TV it can also now be voice activated. Weather, instant news, cooking recipes, set the timer, any

I'm no great political knowledge and I don't pretend to be but the general consensus within Australia and by following social media and different TV taking heads we do seem to have "dropped the ball", as it were, with the Solomon Islands. Even though some of those around me disagree 😏 Recently, within the last few days actually, the government of the Solomon Islands has signed a deal that has  "shocked the world" as stated by one newspaper here over a China-Solomon's security pact. The deal could allow Beijing to send military and police personnel to it's new ally and possibly base naval vessels within Solomon Island waters. The region has become a strategic tug of war between Australia, New Zealand, The United States and China for a few years now and this new pact could allow China to establish a military base less than 2,000km from the east coast of Australia. It could be very concerning for Australia as when this was signed it rightly surprised p

Maybe not the best thing to say to someone that's isn't feeling the best and propped up in bed..."You look just like your mother before she died"! 😄😄  A friend of ours took a photo on her 'phone and sent to her husband interstate while in bed not feeling too well and that was the result. They have a holiday apartment above us here in the building and the lady was here on her own for a couple of weeks organising new furniture and expecting to have a wonderful holiday, catching up with friends and coffee's out and lunches, while husband remained interstate with business and family. Then suddenly the after effects of a recent illness kicked in, that she thought was now behind her, and she felt very poorly indeed.  Maybe it was the flight..or maybe just the stress of  travel who knows. Sometimes it's possible to catch "things" on a flight...even with a mask on! Felt unwell for a couple of days.. I have been 'phoning/texting every day checking i

All this money spent on private citizens going to space? I really don't understand it. I suppose if you have billions it's not that much to fork out around half million dollars or so for the experience but I think I would rather do more here on Earth either for myself or help others than fly to space. I guess it's a case of "been there done that" they can say to their envious friends but really it leaves me rather cold. I'm pretty sure I heard  just recently the three private cititizen's that are now orbiting Earth on the international space station paid 75 million dollars each for the privilege. Can that be correct? They will conduct experiments while there but even for a billionaire that's still a lot, a huge amount of money, to spend for the experience. Imagine what you could do with that much money? Imagine. The mind truly boggles...your own  private island if you wish with connecting flights by private helicopter or people to care for your every w

Just a follow on to a page I wrote on March 21...Just have a read of that first maybe... when an older friend we knew died. It's really quite sad as yesterday I went to his apartment to see if there was anything I wanted...I should say I was asked by a close friend of theirs and neighbour to look to see. It sounds terrible to say, just to see if there was anything I wanted, I know. I have enough of my own... Anyway it just seemed sad...it was full of carefully looked after furniture. The lovely leather lounge settings with glass side tables and matching lamps. Glass coffee table and the bedroom furniture still there as well as a stack of at least six leather bound photo albums of his and his partners life together and their life long travels. They travelled extensively. Remaining family overseas and interstate have now sold the apartment. It sold in under two weeks for a price that seemed low. I suppose they just wanted to sell...whatever. The furniture carefully looked after will

Why do we buy so much bottled drinking water in Australia? I have no idea but supermarkets are full to overflowing...and it sells in huge quantities! We have the best water here straight from the tap. I have no idea why we feel the need to buy it. If you want it cold just pop it in the 'fridge. There's so much plastic, more than enough, we don't need more plastic bottles in the world especially here in Oz. I can understand where the supply is a bit sus and, of course, in less developed countries but not here...not here. Do we really need water that's millions of years old filtered through geological strata...yes that's what one bottled water provider states. Maybe it's better, I'm not saying it's not, but to me waters water and I'm not really sure our body can tell the difference. We have water from Italy, Fiji, France, Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Alkaline water, Poland Spring water, Voss in a beautiful glass bottle from Norway, Perrier Carbonat

Went to have a blood test this morning.😷..you know the usual check up...been there ...done that...and do you ever wonder what to say? I know I do..always trying to think of something different, maybe than what every other person says..but end up most likely saying what everyone else says anyway? Take a number and wait...look at the floor... shuffle and my turn already! "Is it busy today?" I ask as I enter the room. "About average", the young lady replied. We chat how busy it is out and the up coming long weekend. She has four days off. "Wonderful", I reply.. "And you...anything special this weekend," she asks as I sit down while the paperwork is completed. "Me...no..nothing special".  A pregnant pause fills the room...silence... "Right or left arm" she asks approaching with the needle poised in mid air😐 "Either," I reply.  "Right handed?".  "Yes right handed", I confirm...."I'll do it i

Just goes to show how times, and indeed thoughts, have changed over the years since the 1970's regarding the care and supervision of children and the treatment of women in the media. A great deal came to light with the #Me Too Movement. Some famous names have since been prosecuted. The name Jimmy Saville would mean nothing to anyone outside of the U.K. I only know the name because that's where I grew up before moving with my family to Christchurch, New Zealand and then to Queensland here in Australia in the 1970's. Jimmy Saville was a man different to the usual mould of  U.K. personalities at the time. He was "out there" before it was usual to be out there. Outrageously dressed, long bright blond hair, lots of gold jewellery, always smoking a large cigar and driving flashy expensive cars. Popular with children of all ages. He was a pop DJ on shows on TV and radio. Everyone knew Jimmy and he was always just "one of the lads" despite the look, just richer

 Well it's another great Queensland day! Just for a change I thought I would say something, show something,  about where I live on the Gold Coast, Australia for anyone who may be reading this overseas and is interested... The City of Gold Coast is Australia's sixth largest city with a population heading for 750,000 approximately and rapidly growing.   There is always so much happening here with theme parks the biggest selection in the southern hemisphere and shopping centres are many. So much going on with luxurious high rise apartments being built and they are mostly sold before they are even completed or even at the planning stage. Many are cash buyers from southern states and people returning to Australia from overseas after the Covid lock downs. Freedom...YEAH !! I live between the beach and the river. Not a good combination some would say in these days of climate change but far enough away from the beach and high enough not to worry about the river. 😀 Local shops within w

 Hello 👋, When I first started writing these...or putting my thoughts down over a year ago now I never imagined so many people around the world would see them.   Amazing! Mind blowing! Just wanted to say a big Hi to everyone. I just say what's on my mind and often never knowing what I will write when I sit here. A big blank some would say...my mind that is.😄..but there's always so many things happening. Good and Bad...Miraculous and Sad.  If only the news was all good and everyone all "got along" wouldn't it be amazing...amazing! No wars no indiscriminate fighting for the sake of power and ego. No fighting over different choices of religion and most of all colour. What's skin colour when we're all made the same anyway. Function exactly the same. It's all crazy isn't it! After all we're just this blue spinning dot in the darkness of space. One and the same...one and the same. We speak different languages but we are all basically the same, have

A Generous Bequest.. My original intention was to write on bequests. Money left to reputable charities after we have left this mortal coil...as the saying goes. The reason was recently a very large donation of $45 million that was left to La Trobe University here in Australia as beneficiary for it's internationally recognised, life changing, research into autism. It will continue giving in perpetuity; the interest alone surely enough to finance many different strains of research. The significant donation was made by Olga Tennison a compassionate Brisbane born philanthropist with a life long interest in autism, sparked by a family connection. The connection with La Trobe University spans more than a decade and in 2008 was responsible for the establishment of Australia's first research centre dedicated to autism- The Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre. Mrs.Tennison died in January 2021, at the age of 92 and had a passion for building a better world. A truly wonderful, truly com

I watched another Netflix, as I tend to do, and this time it was on Andy Warhol. A six part series. Andy Warhol dead at 58 far too young. A very complicated, clever, artist and designer he liked to surrounded himself with beautiful people.  One young man was just doing deliveries to the studio and Warhol said he is far too good looking to be doing that, later to become his protege and companion. He was interesting and I felt sad in equal parts watching the Netflix series "The Andy Warhol Diaries". Never happy with his appearance and his skin texture he was well known for wearing a white hairpiece because of his thinning hair. It was certainly a one of a kind in appearance as he famously appeared in all his photos including for the cover of The Diary. Famous for his Campbells Soup pictures...he later said that was the most well known and best thing he ever did. In 1962 when the canvases of Campbells Soup were first displayed they were placed together on shelves, like products

Well as the terribly sad situation in Ukraine becomes no clearer and is still muddled in negotiations the screws will be made even tighter against Russia after the latest alleged atrocities and Russia faces global outrage. As we are all aware by now as Russia troops pulled out of the town of Bucha, outside of Ukraine mass graves were found. It seems many have been tied and shot at close range. This woman's husband was taken away and shot. Some bodies have been boobytrapped to kill Ukrainian soldiers. This will now galvanise all countries, except the usual couple of course, and will hopefully place even more of a restrictions on sales of oil and gas from Russia. Still Russia has failed to take any major city in the heart of the country after around six weeks...much to their surprise I'm sure. Peace talks will now be even more difficult and of course the latest news and photographic evidence has been labelled "fake new" by Russia. So far over 420 bodies, all civilians.

                                                                  ******   Barnes  ****** Anyone that hasn't a pet of some kind sharing their lives will have no clue what I'm taking about, and there's nothing wrong with that of course, but pets mean so much to so many of us...whether it's a cat, dog, bird, even fish anything that lives and is a part of our lives...shares in our world and we share in theirs. I have a bird, a parrot, a galah named Merle. I have spoken of her before in earlier posts. Too many times I guess...She is now 33 years old.   I seem to have been saying 32 for so long now it has to be 33. I have really lost count! From the time I saw her on the shoulder of the lady in the pet shop I knew she would be in my life no matter what the cost.. and so be it she was. We, I, talk to our pets and they do understand I know they do. They know certain words and become used to our routines. I know I creep around in the morning trying to be as quiet as I can so th

 Is anyone watching the brand new series on Netflix with Tyler Henry? I find it fascinating ..even more so this series than the last as this time he is meeting, "ordinary", average everyday people and not just famous celebrities. This time as well as readings from an ever growing list of people, there are many thousands, according to the series 300,000 that have applied to be read, there is a mystery concerning his mother and her mother and father which is intriguing for all concerned. Tyler's mother always thought the family she grew up with were her real parents but it wasn't until she was older that she found out that was no longer the case. Her biological mother gave her away to a lady she thought could give her a better life but that turned out to be far, far, from the case. It was a cruel and sad upbringing as we are led to believe throughout the series interspersed with Tyler's readings.  While watching Tyler a young man of twenty six and how, at times, how