Around Adelaide (Street Art)

The National Australia Bank at Morphett Vale is home to this colourful mural. Not sure how many people will be able to continue enjoying the mural though, as recently after I snapped this photograph, construction of a child care centre began on on the block of land next door.

Review: Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford

If you pick up Clementine Ford's Fight Like a Girl (and I hope that you do,) then be prepared for an unflinchingly honest account of what it means to a woman in 21st century Australia. The opening paragraph--describing how the author regarded feminism as an adolescent--had me nodding my head in agreement, as it may as well have been describing my own thoughts about feminism at that age. From there, the subject matter remained consistently relatable, right to the very last page, as the author explains why feminism matters, what this means for us and how each individual can raise their voice. 

As I said in the first paragraph, Fight Like a Girl was consistently relatable, whether the author was talking about the pressure to look a certain way, harassment or violence against women. Some of the scenarios outlined were spookily similar to my own experiences. For example, in a chapter titled When Will You Learn Ford explains the internal struggle faced by women when they are approached by a strange man. On the one hand, we're told to protect ourselves and not talk to strangers, on the other, we're told that some people are just socially awkward and are trying to be friendly and it's wrong to suspect them of anything. 

Ultimately, this is a book that is very accessible, very relevant and should be required reading for high school students.

Highly recommended.

Friday Funnies

Love this Peanuts comic. Snoopy's ability to think laterally always cracks me up. As does the somewhat exasperated expression on Charlie Brown's face.

Peppermint Patty and the Little Red Haired Girl

I've discussed this series of Peanuts comics before, where Peppermint Patty finds herself face to face with the Little Red Haired Girl, and in an unusual twist for the normally confident Peppermint Patty, she finds herself in tears when she sees in the other girl someone and something that she feels that she can never be. Her feelings of helplessness are deepened, of course, by the fact that The Little Red Haired Girl is the unrequited love of Charlie Brown, who Peppermint Patty not-so-secretly fancies.

Anyway, I found the comics re-imagined as a series of gifs and decided to share a shortened version of them here. (I am not the creator, just a fan. You can see the full version here.)  

Around Adelaide (Street Art)

I am uncertain when this picture was taken, or where, though the paving suggests that it might be in or, very close to, Rundle Mall. Obviously, this is a closed and locked roller door to a shopfront.

Friday Funnies

Who could resist ...?

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

It was an usual and amusing concept for a novel. When Ransom Riggs discovered a whole lot of old and unwanted photographs, each one stranger than the next, he shaped them into a young adult novel filled with time loops, children with strange and creepy quirks and one very confused teenage boy who finds himself thrown into the action. And Miss Peregrine, the firm but fair matriarch of the home for peculiar children, which exits in a time loop on a tiny, remote island in the United Kingdom. The only problem with all of this is that it doesn't work. A great concept and characters with huge potential is let down by dull storytelling and a plot that drags.

Not really recommended.

Around Adelaide (Street Art)

This week I am sharing a picture of the memorial at Moseley Square, Glenelg, taken at sunset.

PS If you look closely, you can see a tram on the far left hand side. The old town hall can be seen on the upper, far right corner.

Friday Funnies

Unfair, isn't it? Happy Friday, everyone.

Around Adelaide (Street Art)

Happy Labour Day, RAdelaidians! I'm guessing that a few of you might be down at the Bay today, which is home to many great artworks, including this mural, which is located just near the Glenelg Community Centre ...