Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.

  • bull⚡@aussie.zoneEnglish
    20·
    1 year ago

    Holy hell, check this joint out. Just shout out if you want less US travel stuff in this Melbourne forum.

    Bryce Canyon, Utah

  • danwritesbooks@aussie.zone
    15·
    1 year ago

    Last week was book week and I was invited to do some writing/book talks at three primary schools nearby and it went so awesomely well. I was nervous - as always, and really wasn’t in the mood for it - but the kids were so engaging and fun to talk too. They asked a lot of questions and really just made the whole thing worthwhile. I tried getting them involved by asking them questions about writing and they showed me some stories they were working on too.

    I donated my books to their school library and apparently they’re all keen to borrow them. I also had the books sell out at the local store nearest them and I restocked them and it’s almost sold out again. It’s only 6 or 7 copies but it’s taken months to even sell that many at times so it was really cool and a surprise.

    • landsharkkidd@aussie.zoneEnglish
      5·
      1 year ago

      Whoa that’s bloody awesome dude!

      Makes me want to get my butt into gear and finish mine (though it’s very much not child appropriate).

      • danwritesbooks@aussie.zone
        5·
        1 year ago

        When I have days where I question myself or my writing, I think of how engaged the kids were and it really motivates me to keep going. Even if your book isn’t kid appropriate, finishing it is an achievement in itself and one step to being a published author. You got this.

  • Bottom_racer@aussie.zone
    13·
    1 year ago

    I honestly believe we’re heading into the next ‘millenium drought’.

    I fondly remember showering with a bucket to keep shit in the garden alive when we were stage 4.

    • jaybb3rw0cky@aussie.zone
      9·
      1 year ago

      There are still people in my neighbourhood who have the “grey water in use” signs for their garden. But I don’t know if it’ll get that bad - we have the desalination plant now… just means things will likely more expensive (watch Bunnings run a cartel on buckets now hahah)

        • Taleya@aussie.zone
          5·
          1 year ago

          I already use zero mains so can’t wait to explain at great depth the ridiculous rainwater capture and greywater filtering system I built…

          • jaybb3rw0cky@aussie.zone
            7·
            1 year ago

            God, that was a time wasn’t it - the constant articles about whether it was “Australian to dob a neighbour in”, the side-long glances people would get for clearly using rainwater while everyone else was taking 2-minute showers. Updates on how low the reserves are. Geez… I do not miss that.

            • just_kitten@aussie.zone
              3·
              1 year ago

              I only arrived in Australia at the tail end of the millennium drought, would you say the communal behaviour was similar to Covid?

              • jaybb3rw0cky@aussie.zone
                4·
                1 year ago

                This is a great question! I reckon a little? But I would put it down to a couple of things - one is that I feel Covid’s sudden onset and danger was far better received from a “people need to sort their shit out” perspective. But also I feel like socially-speaking people are more altruistic compared with back then.

                • just_kitten@aussie.zone
                  3·
                  1 year ago

                  That’s interesting you said that last line, given how many lament that society is even more prone to groupthink and less charitable compared to even 2 decades ago. It’ll be interesting to see how society reacts over the next few summers

    • bananafungus@aussie.zone
      3·
      1 year ago

      I have not so fond memories of sharing bath water with 6 cousins when I’d stay at my Aunts house, or my Nan giving us kids a bar of soap and sending us down to the creek that flowed through the farm because the farm was on tank water and it was only used for cooking, cleaning (not five million grandkids), and drinking.

  • Dalek Thal@aussie.zone
    11·
    1 year ago

    It’s been a month since my boss put me under “observation” to determine whether I’d get the (from $30 to $33 an hour) raise I requested. They tried to claim they don’t take inflation into account, and dismissed every piece of evidence, making claims that because a coworker of mine uses their phone on the job I might be, and that’s reason why I shouldn’t get a raise.

    Also, they claimed that they should be lowering my pay.

    How on Earth do I handle this? I’m a Uni student and don’t have time to go on a job search, not to mention for equivalent pay. I just want to be able to earn enough to pay rent and food comfortably, not struggle every damn week to make ends meet

    • Pilk@aussie.zone
      10·
      1 year ago

      You are getting played. Best way to get a raise is to make a move sideways to another employer.

      • Dalek Thal@aussie.zone
        7·
        1 year ago

        I agree, but I can’t afford to until I graduate (still a few months out). When that happens though, I will be reporting my current for sham contracting (which has fucked me over so fucking badly)

        • just_kitten@aussie.zone
          3·
          1 year ago

          How many months? Is it something you can tough out until you’re able to tell them to f off? I also have a feeling your only way out of this is to leave for better pay, very hard to convince employers until they feel directly threatened

          • Dalek Thal@aussie.zone
            6·
            1 year ago

            Graduating at the end of November, Gods willing. I really, really hope my budget lasts that long, but I’m penny pinching in a big way and have been a while now (income is only about $800 a fortnight, post rent I’m left with less than half of that).

            You and the other commenters are probably right honestly, it’s shitful as I love the job itself, but deeply hate my boss. I honestly cannot wait until I can just get the hell out of here, although it’s going to get ugly before it gets better (I’m a tutor and a lot of my income comes from VCE students, most of whom have their last class towards the end of October)

            • just_kitten@aussie.zone
              3·
              1 year ago

              Any chance of getting some private clients in or apply to maybe another tutoring centre just for a bit of extra cash for a couple extra months?

              • Dalek Thal@aussie.zone
                2·
                1 year ago

                I’ve been debating that myself tbh. As things stand I keep worrying taking on a student for such a brief time wouldn’t be ethical, given the ongoing nature of both academic improvement and the subject

    • SituationCake@aussie.zone
      7·
      1 year ago

      They are trying to avoid the pay rise. Your options are to stay for the time being and try to budget, or bite the bullet and look elsewhere for better pay. It’s a shit choice when you don’t have the time and energy to go job hunting but realistically it seems unlikely your employer will meet your pay request. (Good luck anyway though, hopefully am wrong)

      • Dalek Thal@aussie.zone
        4·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, you’re almost certainly right. In any case, given graduation is just a few months out, I can’t decide whether to hunt for something in my degree area. Problem I face is prospective employers will be able to tell I’m graduating soon, and I’m rather afraid they’d pass me over in favour of a cheaper and longer-lasting international student.

    • Gibsonisafluffybutt@aussie.zone
      2·
      1 year ago

      I’m sorry to say it, but you need to find a new job. They are doing everything they can do avoid paying you, what amounts to very little to them.

  • jaybb3rw0cky@aussie.zone
    11·
    1 year ago

    My psychologist is cutting her hours down dramatically as she’s moving more into a teaching space. She said she’s keeping only a handful of clients on board and hoped I would be one of those clients.

    And here’s me all like… yay?

    • just_kitten@aussie.zone
      6·
      1 year ago

      That’s definitely a nice feeling! Often feels hard to get feedback from psychologists on whether we are a good fit for them and it’s nice to get that occasionally.

      • jaybb3rw0cky@aussie.zone
        3·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, I’ve had four psychologists in the last seven years, and she’s the one I’ve been with the longest. So it was nice to get some validation in a sense that the work we’re doing has been positive. I just found it funny (as she did in saying it) that she’s like “I want to keep you on” given her profession haha.

  • SituationCake@aussie.zone
    11·
    1 year ago

    Passed a mini-truck with advertising boards on it today. Had an image of a line graph going upwards with big title saying something like ‘why are there excess deaths’ and a big QR code. No identifying info on who the advertiser is. Was driving so couldn’t take a photo. Is this still anti-vaxer propaganda or something else?

  • SpinMeAround@aussie.zone
    11·
    1 year ago

    I am VERY CRANKY at work this morning. Rough night sleep, lots of weird dreams, and just pushing myself a little hard for a few days. I need chocolate, a hug and to be left the fuck alone.

  • Bacon@aussie.zone
    11·
    1 year ago

    I’m just going to leave a barrel of ivermectin and some needles here. Help yourself.

    🛢️💉💉💉💉💉💉💉💉💉

    • Hongohones@aussie.zone
      41·
      1 year ago

      the best cure for boring training shit is colloidal silver and a tin foil hat placed on your smart meter.

  • Taleya@aussie.zone
    10·
    1 year ago

    fattening up the ginger beastie and got recommended Farmers Market alongside his usual renal. Our local IGA sells, so nabbed some and it definitely passes muster but oh my god. Punkin is now the bougiest motherfucker south of richmond. Chicken pieces in a reduced fish broth. Chicken mousse with shredded tuna centre, pumpkin and broccoli. Tuna (or chicken) loaf with quail egg, carrot and peas (and I’ve never seen a cat eat an egg before yesterday but fuck me he enjoyed it). Gets a spoonful every so often doled out through the day and his eyes literally light up when the tin comes out. Bougie, bougie motherfucker.

    • just_kitten@aussie.zone
      2·
      1 year ago

      Well well well another premium cat food I feel compelled to spoil the cat with. I will have a look… (the one I’m looking after now used to be a vacuum cleaner and ate the same thing day in day out - but has over the last half a year, significantly lost interest in a consistent food routine and sometimes only responds if there’s a treat or topper added. She’s got a clean bill of health from the vet recently who reckons it’s old age)

      Does Punkin not mind when the scoop comes directly from the fridge or does he like it warmed up a bit?

      Bought some MF expensive fancy meat only air dried toppers a while ago as a treat for the 3 cats I’ve looked after in sequence - Ziwi Peak Hauraki Plains ($18 for 130g) and Providore ($19 for 185g) - 2 cats loved it, 3rd one is ambivalent

      • melbaboutown@aussie.zone
        3·
        1 year ago

        Melbcat is getting fussy like that too. She’s almost 16.

        I’ve found I can’t feed her the Vetalogica Riverland kibble straight up as the lentils upset her, but three of those dropped onto her wet meal like croutons often encourage her to eat. It’s probably the stinky meats in it like kangaroo and goat. (I got some cheap samples from the website)

        • Taleya@aussie.zone
          3·
          1 year ago

          Oh he’s not fussy, it’s just between the move and other things he’s lost a bit of weight that we’re having issues putting back on since he’s on a very low protein diet. Vet’s okayed up to 1/4 normal food to help him beef back up while we revisit his thyroid med dosage, so bougie treats it is!

      • Taleya@aussie.zone
        3·
        1 year ago

        Best thing is it’s not too exxy - prices out the same as your standard 75g can. Punkin’s fine with from the fridge, but he’s had time to acclimate since we give him several small meals throughout the day. We had no success with Ziwi, none of ours like it. Not even the food hoover. Little bastards.

        • just_kitten@aussie.zone
          2·
          1 year ago

          Bastards indeed. Just got home to feed the feline - she’s left her morning food completely untouched but had now done yet again an absolutely stellar job of licking up every last morsel of gravy from the (crappy) wet food (left by the owner. I swear she’s almost dehydrated it. I shall have a look for this other food at the shops tomorrow - that’s great that it’s not crazily priced like ziwi wet or Trilogy at $4 a can or whatever.

  • Llabyrinthine@aussie.zone
    10·
    1 year ago

    I am slightly confused. Semi-empty tram. Pplz choosing to not only to stand right next to me, but I don’t think I’ve ever been more surprised to have someone facing me. Like in my personal space, facing me…

    What strange hell is this?