Someone found my website searching Liz Argall a funny thing. A funny thing is the name of a song I performed once or twice in the folk scene back in Australia. It was perky and poignant, the chorus was twee and yet I liked it; so I always had to get over a sense of awkwardness when performing (and it was no Telephone Song or Snowing Time). It was also the name of an angry poem I performed a few times (even today I have earned more cashes as a poet than a SF writer, though that is about to end).

It feels like such a crazy blast from the past to see “a funny thing” next to my name. Thankyou whoever you were. The poem, written at age 19 seems to be lost to the sands of time. The song, written at the grand old age of 20, had lyrics that included:

Isn’t life a funny thing
Wounds your heart then lets you sing
A thousand songs, oh yeah
Isn’t life a funny thing
Breaks you out then breaks you in
Around and around

And it’s funny how
the sweetest songs come from
Those who say they cannot sing
And do they know the sacred stories hid inside them
Waiting to be revealed?

… man I miss my guitar.<- not lyrics, post lyrics reflection.

Ciao Lovelies.

L

The votes are still being counted, but political map has changed in Shoalhaven, as the local newspaper attests, and hopefully will change more. The future is tricky, but the future is open. Best wishes to all the councillors and new mayor, may they have open ears, honest dealings and good governance. Best wishes to the citizens of Shoalhaven in creating communities and cultures of change.

It was wonderful to chat to a woman at the polling booth who said that after hearing my father’s words she cast off her apathy (which feels like a survival skin sometimes) and decided that her voice and her vote are important. She felt that yes she could have the energy, the power, to pay attention and care. I hope she and many others hold onto that, she’s important, people are important, their voices are important.

Here’s to communities and cultures of empowerment and change.