The proper channels? Trust me- it's worth it

Published in 'Newslink', Headstart ABI Service; March, 2016

IT'S BEEN 10 years coming, but I finally have a job! After last year studying Aged Care, in February I started working with RSL Lifecare over at Hawks Nest. Can’t rest on my laurels, though, as Centrelink requires me to regularly check in on set dates.

To make the most of my pension, Centrelink needs to know the correct information- who my employer was, the number of hours worked and the total amount earned for that two week period. With this information and done via an individual online account, the system can then be updated every fortnight.

To help users out, employment worksheets can be found and downloaded from online at humanservices.gov.au. Having these and payslips close at hand allows you to easily keep track of your working life and quickly refer back to the needed details. When the time comes, then, all that has to be done is to log on to your Centrelink account and report your earnings!

For years it’s been frustrating, as talking to anybody there has typically required either waiting until a summons is issued, sitting for hours on the phone or visiting an office nearby (which isn’t always as easy as you’d think). But now with an online account, hopefully all those measures will be a thing of the past. Let’s just hope I can keep my eye on the ball…

We Are Richer For His Legacy

Published in 'Newslink', Headstart ABI Service; December 2015

ON THE 22^nd of October, several hundred people met at Paddington Uniting Church for the funeral of Sam de Brito. As an author, columnist and amongst many other things supporter of the Disabled Surfers’ Association, he’ll be sorely missed.

Waiting for the ceremony to begin, it was impossible not to overhear snippets of conversation. “He was a rattish rogue,” said one friend; “possibly the most infuriating person I knew,” said another. Sam loved to goad, see, and was not afraid of a good verbal stoush. The minister of the Wayside Chapel recalled how one evening Sam rang saying, “so what’s Luther’s problem?”

In his eulogy, Sam’s brother-in-law spoke of how he was called once just before a news conference. “What’s up, Sammy?” he’d asked. “Nuthin’,” came the reply. “Just called to say I love’ya, mate- you love me too, right?” “Of course I do, Sammy!” “Well, how do I know if you never say so?” “Okay Sammy- I love ya’ too, mate.”

As the ceremony ended, the reverend told us he’d once been dragged along to a game of baseball. “Never understood the thrill of whacking a ball about with just a matchstick,” he said, “but that night a player hit the ball right out of the park and he got a standing ovation.” It was like he had covered all the spectators with glory, he explained, and in the way he had lived with his genuine quest to understand life, Sam did much the same for us.

So that’s exactly what we did on this day. As we all stood there seeing off the hearse on Oxford Street, suddenly clapping, whistles, cheers and even a cry of “yeah, Sammy!” erupted, lingering in the air as the vehicle receded. You may have abruptly left us, Sam- but your memory will not.  

Birthday Thankyous (Blanket and Otherwise)

Posted on Facebook, 4/11/15 (NSW Australian time,that is- don't let the 'official'? date here in Bloggerland fool you...)

Would like to say more and thank y'all individually, but alas! I must sensibly direct my efforts (and about 3pm is my self-imposed deadline for all this sort of thing).

But I do remember the time Patrick Swayze hung around after a premiere to autograph for all the hundreds of adoring fans who had been waiting hours for him to do so, so I figure with some time up my sleeve it's the least I can do. Mind you, I seriously doubt that I will ever come close to a shadow of Mr Swayze's debonair suaveness (and I know I'd look downright awful if I tried to emulate his clever performance in 'To Wong Foo...') but I do appreciate being near to y'all from time to time. And they do say that you’ve really got to give a little if you want some good vibes to be coming back your way, so here goes:

To those on my mother's side: cheers, love y'all a fair bit (and the day you call me anything other than 'Timothy', dear Aunty, will be the day I reach for a thermometer and wonder how you are feeling!) To those on my step-father's side: our familys' have had some ups and downs over the years, but I like the place we at right now. And the practical concern you have for your chickens, oh step-sister, is really something!

To my musical colleagues, thanks also guys! Nice to have some similarly minded chums I know I’ll be able to bounce concepts off from time to time. To my friends and mates: haven’t seen some of you for a while, but the feeling that so many times we just seem to pick up right where we left off always see me smile in a quiet, re-assured happiness.

And if there’s anybody who feels they may have been missed, I have this ‘blanket’ thankyou remaining: I hereby declare anybody who happened to make mention of my birthday on my Facebook page or Otherwise to be automatically eligible for a smile and a genuinely offered conversation. Bear in mind, of course, that you do so at your own risk, and the quality of any jokes offered is typically possibly quite ordinary. But they usually keep me amused, so I end up thinking, “what the hell!” and go ahead anyway.

And that’s all I will say about that.

Sam de Brito: Philosopher and Advocate

I learnt the most awful news on Tuesday:  author and columnist Sam de Brito was found dead on the morning of the 12^th of September! This came a shock, and from what I can gather from the cybersphere, I am not alone in this feeling of sadness.

I first met Sam back in 2009. That was as I was studying for my Diploma in Communications; we met one day at a gathering at Collaroy Beach with the Disabled Surfers’ Assiociation. When he heard that I was looking to do some work experience, he kindly arranged for me to spend a week with the ABC radio station ‘Life Matters’.

To discuss this and my ambitions further we met and had lunch one day near Chinatown. Specifics elude me now, but I do remember an easygoing and genuinely interested chap.

In the years after I frequently read his column, often revisited chapters of his book ‘Building A Better Bloke’ and occasionally wrote to him expressing my thanks for his shrewd observations. I agree: he was a rebel, of sorts, indeed a cheeky “sonofabitch” and definitely the kind of fellow the younger me would have steered clear of. But I liked him, and I know our interactions helped me as I shaped my masculine identity.

Sam, I grieve with your family. You were always decent and treated me as an equal. I will miss the astute way you saw things and your very realistic take on life. Rest in peace, my brother.

Plan B...

Published in 'Newslink', Headstart ABI Service; June 2015

After the closure of the Salvation Army Welfare Centre, I returned to a disability employment provider once more. With both they and Centrelink, I signed an Employment Pathway Plan (EPP) and a Participation Plan. Observations made by others and research led me to seriously consider training to be an Assistant in Nursing (AIN).

Aged Care seemed the most sensible of options, and sussing things out showed a few possibilities. The best one seemed to be the Cert III at Glendale TAFE. This opportunity which showed real promise once the support given to disabled students was explained.

Then the bombshell was dropped: under the Smart + Skilled guidelines, I would remain ineligible for government assistance. Why? Because my previously attained qualification (Diploma vs Cert III) superseded it! In my case, the course would actually cost $6,000…far beyond my means!

So what now? Well, I have another few cards up my sleeve- we are checking those out. Frustrating, yes, and at seeming at times to come at the cost of my independence, but it has not always been that bad. For one thing, having my mother by my side has always helped, as both she and the parties involved have come at the problem from an angle I simply couldn’t consider.

Sometimes the hoops disabled people must jump are likened to being a “minefield”. Let’s be honest, though- there’s no way I could navigate them half as well on my own! Often too, I reflect on what the composer Gustav Mahler is remembered for saying: “my time will come.” What matters most now is that for the first time since school ended, the path seems much clearer: music, writing and employment in aged care. More details will follow, but that will just have to wait…

Donation From the MG Car Club

Published at: www.headstart-abi.com.au, October 2014

ON THE 12^th of September, staff member Andrew and consumer Tim met with the MG Car Club of Newcastle. The occasion was the hand-over of a cheque of $500 raised for Headstart and its services. “They were a very hospitable bunch,” said Andrew.

Back in July, a race was held at Ringwood Park Raymond Terrace. Members of the MG Car Club saw Headstart as being a worthwhile recipient of donations was Headstart. Throughout the day, buckets displaying our logo were touted about and used for this very purpose.  “Initially we thought of this because someone we know is involved with Headstart,” said Peter Robinson, promotion officer for the club.

As well as raising funds for a local charity (“something we do often”, said Peter), the occasion was to test out the changes to the Ringwood Stadium.  Both he and his daughter Liz joined the field of around 70 cars who braved the chilly weather to race up and down the hill.

How did you find the new track, I asked? “Oh, really good,” replied Peter. “Quite tricky with some difficult corners though, and it’s now the kind of track which means that a less powerful car can get a lot closer and be a real challenge.”

Since the Hillclimb in July, the Club has busily continued with its modifications to the track. Over the past 12 months,  members have carried out a working bee at least 2 days a week. Tarring the pits and waiting bays, setting up new buildings- from all reports, the fellows have not been idle!

The MG Car Club always appreciates new members. If this interests you, please visit:
http://www.mgcarclub.com.au/

REVIEW: The Taxpayer’s Waltz

Published at: www.culturehunter.com, October 2014

Who: Myall Coast Entertainers Inc.         

What: A play by Peter Coke- production by arrangement with Hal Leonard Pty Ltd on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd, London

Where: Hawks Nest Community Centre

When: October the 15^th- 18th

Cost: $15

Myall Coast Entertainers delighted audiences with their production of the play ‘The Taxpayer’s Waltz’. It tells the comical story of two sisters who invent a fellow named Guy Thompson to suit their own purposes. One, a writer, is all for it, giving this Mr Thompson multiple wives and children, perpetually putting him “upstairs with a fever” and deviously acting as his “personal secretary”. The other is the (always ignored) voice of reason who reminds her sister of the pitfalls of lies and tax evasion.

Done in three acts, the play took a while to gain momentum. The first act more or less consisted of two people pacing to and fro and dialoguing across the stage- “setting the scene”, as I was later told. The second saw the play come to life as a whole new batch of characters entered, evidently summoned (to the astonishment of the sisters) by this invented bloke himself. In the third act the pair felt that he had become too controlling of their lives and so decided to “kill him off”, discussing and planning how best to do so.

Beyond the central characters who were convincingly carried out, there were others who stood out also. There was the lady in Act Two who played ‘Maureen’. Believing herself to be Mr Thompson’s wife, her portrayal was really brought to life with her wildly colourful attire and spirited Cockney accent. In Act Three we met Ms Timwell, the risqué and cheeky tax collector. With striking legs, bright blonde hair and a lively disposition, she immediately captured the viewer’s attention. And throughout the show the chap in the purple shirt often kept the sisters on edge, always seeming on the cusp of discovering the truth.

There were shortcomings…but then, what home grown theatre production doesn’t have them? The prompt lady down the front was kept busy all night, often slipping in phrases just as the actor began to stumble. And at one point the pair on stage seemed to have forgotten their lines entirely, but they so fluidly maintained their composure that the mishap merely seemed to be part of the script!

It’s always a pleasure to see this group in action. Their hard work and enthusiasm was clearly evident in their delivery, and seeing locals flexing their theatre muscles usually guarantees a great night out with plenty of laughter. So cheers, Myall Coast Entertainers- I look forward to next year’s production!