Posts by Lilith __
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Hard News: Three months after, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
Ok well just be aware that if you're using alien technology, John Barrowman may burst in at any time to confiscate it. ;-)
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Hard News: Three months after, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
at the beginning of checking batteries, I noticed one was in the wrong way. I have been using it for weeks with no problems
Wow, so it doesn't run on electricity, then! Clearly an alien Device. ;-)
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Hard News: Three months after, in reply to Steve Barnes,
Steve, I'm not looking for advice, I'm saying these are my feelings and choices. And I'm also not saying they're better than anyone else's. Everyone's circumstances and reactions are different, and I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" response. And our reactions are also different at different times. I've had quite a few gloomy pessimistic days since the earthquake, but right now things don't seem so bad.
ETA: and thanks, all you lovely PAS folk, for being there and being supportive and smart and funny. It all helps.
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Wow, plenty of action on this thread while I wasn't looking! If I can just put in my 2c-worth on counselling?
I think talking about trauma can be good up to a point, and helps some people. But sometimes trips away, distraction and not talking about it can be good, too. Since Feb 22nd I've had troubles in my flat, a relationship break-up, hoped-for work fall through, ongoing health troubles, and then a few weeks ago I put my back out. And to be honest, most of that stuff I've avoided talking about, because if I do it makes me feel miserable and hopeless. And I'd rather not feel miserable and hopeless!
So by all means send more counsellors, I'm sure they'll be needed. But also entertain and distract us! That's also a public service. :-)
I'm lucky in that aftershocks mostly don't bother me, or keep me awake. I don't worry that there'll be another big one, as I did after September, because I feel the worst's already happened. I'm done reacting. There might be another big one, but if there is, there's nothing I can do about it.
I was thinking seriously about moving to another city for a bit, and I think for some people that's a brilliant idea. But for myself I think right now, when I'm feeling vulnerable, isn't a good time to be setting up a new life in a new place. And I feel so many connections here, there are so many good people. For me, for now, I'm staying put. And looking forward to seeing Chch begin to rebuild.
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Hard News: Three months after, in reply to Steve Barnes,
It goes to show that there is something to be said about living in a society that gives a damn.
Quite. And the thing about suddenly losing infrastructure is it makes you realise how helpless we are without it. And without our reticulated services, how we can spend so much time attending to life’s basic necessities. Honestly, fetching and carrying water, boiling it if it’s going to be drunk or used in cooking, waiting ages for the stuff to boil even on a reasonably speedy camping stove. Sitting outside in the cold wind burning the very basic meal. Hoping no one comes to visit while you’re squatting over the hole in the backyard. Finding that a car is largely useless without decent roads. Wondering if you’ll find anywhere to buy fresh supplies from.
A glimpse of how much of the world lives; fortunately for us it was temporary.
There are still huge problems to be dealt with, as others have said. And some poor buggers are still without services. But for most of us, everyday living gets more bearable.
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Hard News: Three months after, in reply to Clarke,
3 months later and there seems to be so little happening. My Christchurch family affected by the earthquake say that that there’s just no momentum in the recovery
Depends what you mean by progress. On the day of the earthquake we had a hole the whole width of our road, and deep enough to swallow 3 cars. We had no functioning power, water, phone or sewers. Liquefaction silt was up to 18” deep in the street.
In the first few weeks, the silt was removed, and the hole crudely filled in, then we had raw sewerage flowing out of several sumps in the road, which continued for many weeks; the whole neighbourhood stank.
Now, 3 months on, I can flush my toilet, the sewer line’s been cleared of silt and repaired, and the road’s been re-leveled and resealed. We have power, drinkable reticulated water, and phone services. Bridges that were damaged are now usable. Railway lines have been repaired. The wastewater treatment plant’s been restored to reasonable function. Houses and other buildings have been checked for safety, and barriers erected around those in danger of collapse. Shipping containers have been stacked to protect roads and buildings where there is danger of rockfalls, and controlled blasting has been carried out to remove loose rock.
Yes, there’s still a huge amount of work to be done, particularly in the CBD, but the work done in restoring infrastructure has been massive . A huge bouquet to all those who’ve worked so hard on it. And also to those who’ve meanwhile provided deliveries of water, portaloos, chemical toilets, and waste tanks, and those who’ve cleaned, emptied and maintained them. We’re so grateful.
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Hard News: The Political Lie, in reply to Brent Jackson,
That’s why John Key blithely stated “New Zealand is 100% pure” and looked stupid because of it. He was applying a marketing label, not making a statement of fact.
So he was confirming the brand recognition? Yes, I think you're probably right. And then he couldn't defend the slogan he'd just recited.
Surely he has people to brief him on how to respond to these sort of things.
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Hard News: The Political Lie, in reply to Bart Janssen,
I vote for Lilith
Thank you Bart. ;-)
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Hard News: The Political Lie, in reply to BenWilson,
A place could really only be 100% pure if humans had never been there, and even then, what do we mean by “pure”, exactly?
We mean what Key meant. Nothing.
I think the dignified response would have been, “We NZers are very proud of our natural heritage, like anywhere else we have some issues trying to keep our country clean and unpolluted and protecting our biodiversity, but we’re working hard at it.” And he could have given an example or two of things the govt is doing. And mentioned something incontrovertibly cute or awesome, like kakapo or Mt Cook.
End of problem. NZ looks good, he looks good.
ETA: we could of course still argue about whether the govt is working hard at protecting the environment! But at least we’re back in the realm of facts, and statements that are defensible.
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Hard News: The Political Lie, in reply to Bart Janssen,
Hence it doesn’t bother folks that Key lies about being 100% pure, instead they care that he smiled nicely while being interviewed.
His smile vanished when he realised where the interviewer was going :-)
And of course NZ isn’t 100% pure. Only a very silly person would try to claim that was factually true. A place could really only be 100% pure if humans had never been there, and even then, what do we mean by “pure”, exactly?