The Curate's Egg

Lately life has been a lot like the Curate's Egg. For anyone who doesn't know, a curate's egg is something that is both good and bad. The phrase was first used in a Punch cartoon (1895) depicting "a meek curate who, given a stale egg at the bishop's table, assures his host that ‘parts of it are excellent.’" I think of it as something you might say if you didn't want to sound like a total whinger and were trying to find something positive in amongst all the bad shit. It strikes me that since COVID came on the scene - life is a lot like the Curate's Egg.

Something good: the WA government agreed to stop logging native forests in our state. This is a milestone and a huge victory for environmental activists who have been fighting hard for decades - chaining themselves to bulldozers, protesting, engaging politicians. These people deserve our gratitude. They have done a truly wonderful thing. 

Something bad: there's always the fine print. Logging doesn't cease until 2024, so I guess a lot more damage can be done by then. But that's not the worst part. Exemptions for mining will remain in place. The cynic in me knows that the decision to end logging was a sensible economic one that just happened to win the government some Brownie points. The industry has been propped up with tax payers money for decades so it's basically unviable. What really worries me is that there are already approvals for mining exploration and several are ongoing.

This bloody country only ever makes money from ripping up the earth and selling off raw materials. So the fight isn't over. Not by a long shot - especially when you look at how they are burning the crap out of the bush. The paranoid part of my brain thinks the burning is the precursor to the mining. If they wreck the environment so it looks bad, nobody will care about a few big holes.

Something good: my boss has allowed me to make up the 3 days I missed when I had to stay home with a cold. I'm a casual so if I don't work, I don't get paid. Missing 3 days is a big hit to my small income so it is very kind of him. I'm not blowing my own trumpet but I think he also wants to keep me. Not a week goes by that I don't think of leaving and I think he knows. Like all the education staff I do a bloody good job in very difficult circumstances.

Something bad: I will be working 3 days a week for 3 weeks. I'm already knackered and I have 2 more weeks of that regime to get through. The sinus issue that forced me take the time off is hanging around and I still get terrible headaches.

I'll finish off with something good. No bad.

Images: 

1. Author. New FaBWA header

2. 'Captain Scratchy' on Instagram (screen shot)