Offended

I've just been reading about the offended scientists storming out of the Climate Change Conference because of this balloon dancer. And my reaction was sympathy for the performers, just a fellow-dancer thing. At first I wondered if the offended people had missed out on the Burlesque Revival (there's at least 3 groups in Melbourne that I know of) and whether they knew the difference between burlesque dancing and strippers. But then I tried nailing myself down about the difference and I found I couldn't articulate it accurately either ... beyond, um ... the Burlesque Gals keep more clothes on ... and I think they're going for a saucy performance as opposed to pornographic ... could be more about art than sex ... and something about reclaiming ownership of their bodies and being empowered ... but then if you listen to any stripper talking about her craft, they usually mention the word empowering so now I'm confused. All I ever imagine are the drooling bogans and drunken obnoxious suits in the crowd and I'm not sure they quite get the empowerment thing. Anyway. My littlest boy was doing his own balloon dance this morning and there was nothing offensive in that.

Driving to school this morning. Some poor woman stalls her car in front of us and then in absolute mortification and panic about holding everyone else up, begins starting and stalling her car about 10 times. I think a lot of us have been there. I'm not a road-rager, I'm into treating other drivers like you would like to be treated, so I didn't beep or yell. I waited patiently, feeling sorry for her. Then I hear the Climber from the back seat saying "f***en driver." I had to take a minute to think about the best way to handle that! Decided to explain that she'd had car problems and wasn't doing anything wrong, and then said he wasn't to use that word because it was not a good word for kids, maintaining a calm manner and serious tone. I ended with that parental classic "I don't ever want to hear you use that word again" to which he asked, quite seriously, "Would I have to go to gaol?" No darling, you'll just make me very angry, which would be worse than gaol.

A bit further on, we're listening to Sean Micallef and crew on the radio and they insult my ears with Bryan Adams' Summer of '69. It's immediately switched off with the words "we are not listening to that song". Climber, evidently remembering a previous conversation, asks "Is that The Final Countdown?" which is my all-time-worst-song-ever-made. I know there's about a million lists on the 'net of Worst Ever Songs but I'd love to hear other people's.