339 - 30.9.2026: Michaelmas

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I didn't blog yesterday. I ran, swam, stretched. Today I'm doing gardening. For a couple of hourse in lieu of exercise.

I went to Woodleigh Mall with Ma and then we came back and I went for lunch with Oisin. I came back, went for my swim and then did Duolingo when I got back. 

But today I will start with my ambition to do a bit of the Human Rights thing everyday.

The UNDHR is so uncontroversial that I cannot understand why anyone would be up in arms about it. There are only two areas which the Singaporean government bumps up against. Freedom of expression - and a very specific one - and the courts of law. It is actually really stupid for people to not allow these things. Not being able to speak truth to power is one of the fail safes which we have built into society. That you cannot listen to what someone else is saying even if it benefits everyone is really stupid.

That you would choose to only listen to yourself and those who say the things that you want to hear. What do you get then? You get what the USA. And the mess it is in, is not entirely of Trump's doing, although he is now the most crass manifestation of it. 

So, today - I am going to do the admin after gardening, and then I'm going to write to Starhub and tell them to catch themselves on. They are idiots. Then we are going to go to Sheng Siong after lunch - around 1 pm. That would be good, yeah.

I finally woke up at 5 am and got myself out here.

Just wanted to say something about Michaelmas. Yesterday was Michaelmas and I have always loved the festival. It is the first festival of the year and I have read much about Michael and his relationship to our age. Michael symbolises universal solidarity - what used to be called brotherhood. That we are all individuals but we all owe a debt to each other and the places we live in and rely on. That it is a difficult time we are born in and that we must have courage in our hearts. In these times of insanity when people would rob reason from our souls, we invoke the spirit of Michael more than ever. Be courageous. Stand in your power. Stand with those who are being bullied, murdered, silenced - stand in solidarity. It is only when we are together that we defeat those who know no bounds. The battle is ceaseless against those who do not seem to understand contentment nor have the capacity to love.
 

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