breakfast and sex

I first came across this when I lived in Redfern in 2001-2002, but it has been the topic of some discussion recently. Some people, a significant number it seems, in Sydney, believe that if you have breakfast with someone, say in a cafe, then you must have had sex with them. Apparently it is not possible to have breakfast without having first had sex. Of course, this leads to all sorts of false and incorrect conclusions as at the end of the day it is a load of shit.

Belly dancers

One of the differences between Melbourne and Sydney people is that people in Sydney will always growl disapproval at belly dancers. We’re better than people who like things like that is what they say.

disliking the Japanese

Sometimes when I say I would like to live in Japan (which I would, at least for a while), I get very strongly negative responses. People here do not like this. They seem to think that it would mean that they have to behave in ways that they do not want to. I think that they are weird. To think that liking a place means you have to behave in a particular way is wrong, and the ways that they imply show an amazingly racist view of modern Japanese culture. 

food

People in Sydney are very selfish when it comes to eating Chinese food.

RSL

RSL clubs as they exist in NSW and QLD seem to show one of the great political divides in Australia. The divide between the north-eastern states (qld/nsw) and the rest. I’ve always found RSL clubs a bit weird. They only exist in their guise as drinking and  gambling dens in these states. I suppose there is a long history here but it just goes to show how societies can implement a strange construct as a matter of some compromise and then self perpetuate that construct. If you question the status quo you are immediately considered disloyal. I always worry about people who claim that discussing or talking about such and issue is disloyal. There is a slippery road in there.

(Note: I’m sure I made comment on this before, maybe on one of the other blogs.) 

not speaking english

More on words. Of course these meaning I give are the ones I normally use.

• When people in Sydney talk of liking London, they are not actually talking about London.
• When people in Sydney talk of liking hot food, they are not talking about the temperature or amount of chili.
• When people in Sydney talk of getting the sack, they are not talking about a work place change.
• When people in Sydney talk of getting shot, they are not talking of thing to do with guns or cameras.
• When people in Sydney talk of being sick, they are not talking about having an illness.
• When people in Sydney talk of picnics, they are not talking about going to a park, putting down a rug and eating food.
• When people in Sydney talk of older sisters, they do not seem to be talking about older siblings.
• When people in Sydney talk of friends, they are not talking about the opposite of enemies.
• When people in Sydney talk of sluts, they are not talking about sexually promiscuous women.
• When people in Sydney talk of snoring, they are not talking about making noises while sleeping.
• When people in Sydney talk of being tired, they are not talking about being exhausted.
• When people in Sydney talk of licking lollipops, the are not talking about licking lollipops.

Sometimes I wonder what language they are speaking. And I wonder what other words are somewhat redefined. Perhaps “And” or “The” have different meanings? Their language is not my language, though they seem not to notice. I speak mostly English, Western Melbourne, with a hard core of English, Singapore, with a bit of English, Upper Murray, Malaysian, Adelaide, Brisbane and Eastern Melbourne thrown in for good luck.

Anyway, all of this causes no end of confusion and many misunderstandings.