The Native Iowan

I am sitting in an O’Briens Glass workshop. Located in a big industrial zone north of Brisbane. I’ve brought the Holden Astra in to get new glass for Elora.

MissE arrives here early Monday morning to start her career as a University student. I’ve prepared the hot little 1.8LTurbo for her.

I enjoy being involved with young folks as they grow and gain their wings. MissE is 18, an international kinda gal with her father, my brother, being a Yank, her mother is Austrian, and she grew up in Germany.

Now she’s moving to the Land of Aus.

Go team go…

I’ll aim to help her gain her feet here. Noting that one English speaking country is not the same as another. It’s a weird thing but borders n time zones = a new land, a strange land.

I think of simple things, like coffee… when I went on my first big international trip, age 23, I had never considered that coffee could be so confusing, so challenging… I grew up with standard “black n hot”. I don’t think I saw anyone put milk in their coffee, in Iowa. So when I was asked if I wanted my coffee “white” or “white n one”, I simply did not know what to say.

But I was a simpleton Iowa boy. I know MissE is much smarter.

Still about coffee… in Iowa I never saw, used or knew about “instant” coffee. I learned quickly that a hot cup filled with dark, aromatic fluid, made from coffee-crystals is not coffee. It’s still a decent drink. I’ve learned to enjoy it. But do not confuse that hot drink with coffee.

So, here I sit. I grabbed a MacDonald’s flat white on my way here.

Here in Aus it is not technically MacDonalds… it’s “Maccas”. Here words get chopped n changed. Slang is a cultural tradition in this land. And the only country on the globe where MacDonalds isn’t MacDonalds…

Macca’s” is a nickname for Mcdonald’s. If you used the term Macca’s in the U.S. or Canada, you’d get some funny looks. But the term is very common in Australia. In fact, McDonald’s changed its name to Macca’s at stores across the country for Australia Day in 2013 – and still refers to itself as Macca’s today.

The office area where I sit is comfortable. It’s a busy place. I count 5 guys working, have seen 3 cars arrive, it’s 820am.

So I sit and watch the world n write n read…

One topic I have been working on is the fact that females in our modern world don’t need men. Females can live, work, propagate, raise a family without men. It’s been going on for quite some time. I’ve watched as legal systems changed to accept and cater to this female revolution.

I very much get it. I sat years back, with my Lesbian friend Debbie, talking it all through. She and I like women for the same reasons. She and Diane have been together for decades. They have kids grandkids. They didn’t need a Man… They never did.

I do though think children need a Father.

I think of MissE and her terrific Dad.

No doubt, Moms are important too, I claim I learned most of what I know in life from my Mom… here’s one tale about my Mom… https://nativeiowan.com/2009/04/11/and-mother-farted/

But it was my Dad that gave me an example of what a Man was. Showed me both right n wrongs ways.

I believe children need a Father.

I believe much of our confused, rage filled, angst burdened, modern day youth could have benefited by having a Father.

The TV is on here, a morning news program is on. They are talking about a “singles tax”… new to me…

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), a one-person household can spend $2,835 per month on living costs which is 27% more than couples who spend a combined $4,118 per month, or $2,059 per person – a $776 difference.

Hmmm, a new concept I’ll have to look into.

About done here…

More later