Winter Sponsorships & Commentary

This is now week two into a planned few months I have called ‘Not Drinking on a School Night (but Sunday doesn’t count)’ or ‘Winter’ for short because I lack an ability to create marketable names when plagiarism is so much easier. I have a few sponsors, but could always do with a few more. Your contributions wouldn’t be going to charity though, they would be entirely to a Friday night rollout. I’m more than happy to provide an audited ledger but I’m not sure what you would be looking for - I’m spending it all on alcohol and maybe BBQ wings and I’m open about that. Full and complete transparency where 100% of your contributions go directly towards that objective (take that, Red Cross).

Ostensibly this is a nod to good health and is what I televised it as, however the real motivation is slightly different. Friday afternoon work conversation revolves around discussion about plans for the night, and because we live in a pretty fucked up culture (be honest, we are just the worst), it mostly involves alcohol. However, when someone told me they were going out for a few quiet drinks I just couldn’t relate anymore – I had done that each night for the past forever. I just couldn’t draw any excitement or to say it in another way, the weekend was becoming just another few days of obligation.

No, Jason. This is

who you are.

INTERLUDE: It should be noted that I have no idea what personalities the people at work have, I’ve artificially created different personalities for each of them and even given them all back stories. This is probably why most work conversations irritate me – they are all acting out of character and talking about wives or husbands that in my version they don’t even have. So rather than becoming annoyed when Jason from accounts denies his sexual preference, I have taken to inventing conversations in my head and we all coexist peacefully because they play their parts perfectly. In future when I discuss a conversation at work, it may have happened or it may be something that only took place in my head. That line is blurring now, but is something I will worry about at a later point.

So this whole ‘Winter’ is my attempt to reclaim the joy of the weekend and the joy of picking up a freshly pulled beer and finding that “Aaagh, God, fuck yeh, that is good” moment. This has been a week of sobriety and towards tonight there is already a mounting sense of excitement. It appears that ‘Winter’ may prove to be as successful as it will be lucrative (Especially if Kickstarter accepts my proposal).

PERSONAL COMMENTARY

I don’t normally watch sports, however I was sitting there watching the soccer last night. In the main I was just keeping away from a domestic dispute going on with the wife and the girl over a missing dancing shoe that was needed for a dancing thing that was happening the next morning. There was no way I was going near them until they had settled down, firstly because anything to do with her dancing causes me pain and secondly, I know better than to poke the bear. In any case I was watching the game and they had a moment of silence for the Manchester attack. The Australian team bowed their heads and the Saudi Arabian team did not, instead just kept their normal game preparation. I noted it, but didn’t think more of it. My story above of the family unrest becomes relevant now (I forgive you for thinking I was waffling). It is important that I thought more of smouldering wife-rage than a soccer team not responding a custom of an entirely different culture to their own.

Remember what? Mum's

birthday? Tell me!

However, I should have known better. On the way to work the event was mentioned on the radio and then someone mentioned it at work. I understand that the terrorist attacks are pretty fucked up. Really fucked up. People are looking for something to cling to, to make sense of something you really can’t make sense of. But there is no easy answer to this so we turn to anger and anger needs an outlet. The Saudi team, rightly or wrongly, just gave an outlet to that uncertainty and anger. Unlike me, the Media has no hesitation in poking the bear and there are people out there who are always ready to turn to anger because they are racist, bigoted, howler monkeys. Then average Joe & Jill will fall into line as well because with the media manipulation and the need to vent, it is a sad logical path given the circumstances. The news outlets are demanding we find a scapegoat but burning a witch at the stake only fuels the media need for sensationalization.

This is a pot on the boil. And not boiling with something delicious either. Maybe fish heads. And urine.

I don’t know how to fix it, I wouldn’t even know where to start, what I do know is that around 6pm tonight I’m going to have a beer and wings then raise my glass to the Australian team, the Saudi team and to every fucking person in the world who has ever felt helpless and uncertain.

It can’t hurt.

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