Over several years of regular participation at OLO, I've noticed that lots of people seem far more stressed out about various issues than I am. I have strong opinions about some topics, but I'm rarely bothered personally by stuff that people who disagree post here, even when it's egregiously personal or offensive. I have quite a thick skin.

Because I live in the bush, I undoubtedly spend more time online than I would if I lived in a city, or even a large town. We have a small business that by its nature keeps us acquainted with local events and pretty well the entire gamut of human transitions, foibles and tragedies as they occur in our community. I know everybody from the local MPs, Mayor and councillors to the cops, teachers, farmers, firies, and to the the kids, elderly, disabled and mentally ill in our community. Not to mention the dogs and horses.

Between the local papers, the Weekend Australian, the Internet, TV and radio, I think I'm reasonably conversant with most of the salient issues that confront us all, notwithstanding my relative isolation.

However, even in my fortunate situation, I need to 'chill out' regularly and create personal space in which to relax, reflect and recharge. By luck and design I am able to do so quite often. My usual means of doing so is to go fishing. Fortunately, I live in a particularly nice part of Australia where the opportunities to do so abound.

I'm interested to know - what do others do to 'chill out'?

[TBC]

[cont]

On Saturday I drove about 25km to a 'secret' fishing hole on a beautiful creek. I threw a line in, baited with a yabby from my dam, and settled back in the shade of the casuarinas with a cold beer and the Weekend Oz. The weather was hot, but there was a brisk breeze whistling through the trees as the thunderstorms began to build in the west. I had my bird and butterfly bibles with me, and my binoculars - and of course I was rewarded by the company of some gorgeous little creatures, a couple of whom I hadn't seen before. I didn't see a person all afternoon.

Unusually, I was distracted from these pleasures and the more dubious joys of the Murdoch press by a fish improbably worrying my line. It was mid-afternoon, which is the time of day when fish are least likely to bite. My partner says that I'm a good Buddhist fisherman, because I rarely actually kill anything.

Anyway, contrary to her assessment, I had sacrificed a couple of yabbies to this fish before I finally hooked him. He was a gorgeous eel-tailed catfish of about 60cm, looking as prehistorically ugly as any fish can. They are actually very good eating, but because I'd caught him in a westward-flowing inland stream I had to put him back. Great fun anyway.

During the course of this epic man vs beast encounter, a small storm had developed and blown through, bypassing where I was. However, over the next hour or so the clouds to the west started to mass very darkly, and the thunder began to rumble around the mountains on either side of the valley. Prudently, I decided that we were in for a rip-snorter, so I pulled my line in, packed my gear and hightailed it out of there.

The storm followed me home and hit just after I'd got inside. As I thought, it was a beauty that continued for an hour or so - much snap, crackle and pop and about 30mm of much needed rain. It literally chilled us out beautifully.

OLO is my means of chilling out!

Ah yes, to just sit down at the ‘puter and read CJ Morgan’s posts. Endlessly relaxing and entertaining!

Boy, I was in a complete frazzle over the weekend while OLO was offline. Pfff, I was like a drug addict unable to get his fix!

I was just soooo pleased to see OLO spring back into life this morning....complete with a new thread by my favourite poster!

Pure bliss!! ( :>)

All sorts of things can work for me but the most accessable in my normal week is tinkering in the shed. I've got a smallish lathe with a milling attachment and there can be something remarkably satisfying about transforming a block of metal into a more complex shape.

R0bert

Great description, CJ.

Man vs fish.

Two mighty forces competing for physical supremacy, the contest enhanced by the inherent clash of intellects.

Never understood it.

Never will.

Ah but Pericles, it's not the catching of the fish, it's where you go to catch them. A "keeper" is a bonus.

I get the impression that you rarely leave urban environs, no? Each to his own, I guess - but what do you do to 'chill out'?

Crikey CJ, sometimes I think that you and I are very mcuh alike. It is quite spooky really! ( :>o

Yesterday I caught the ferry to Magnetic I and then the bus across the island. I hiked through the national park an found lovely secluded spot in the shade on a big granite rock under an old gnarly hoop pine.

Watched an osprey come and go from its nest on top of an enormous boulder on a headland and a sea eagle cruise back and forth. Admired a group of young bikini-clad women on the beach (:>)> (that second > is my tongue!).

Then I went for a brisk barefoot run along the rough track back through the national park, back on the bus and the ferry. The day changed from beautiful and sunny to grey and dank as a thunderstorm developed above.

Then it was a barefoot run up Castle Hill in the rain and home to do some gardening in that wonderful light that you get at sunset on a stormy day.

That was a pretty nice way to chill-out on a Sunday!

Fishing for food is ok but how is it fun to fish for fun? Sadistic is it not? Poor fish. I may start a save a fish from violent men ribbon day.

I work online so I come here to chill out lol. Have to get back to work though, time always does creep up fast.

Very true, CJ.

>>I get the impression that you rarely leave urban environs, no<<

Yup, give me the vibrancy of a big city any day of the week. A day away from the sheer energy of the big smoke is strictly for holidays.

But you can keep the "countryside". A holiday (in Australia) invariably means somewhere near the sea.

And by near, I mean within three minutes walk.

Of course, a holiday outside Australia means more cities - Paris, Rome, London. Athens, Berlin...

>>Each to his own, I guess<<

You've got that right.

I come here to chill CJ may at times look uncool but I operate that way in every thing.
Fishing, love it, but can not bring myself to pick up the rod, yet.
My best mate was my fishing mate, and cousin ,lost him a while ago but we got fish.
Not the same but if you truly love fishing before you die, fish Airforce beach Evans head, and all the ones north to Balinna.
sorry the missus, you have lost me, no way I can wear that fishing is cruel stuff.
Till I die I will fight people like you, we lost jumps racing, horses will be shot because of it.
Radicals are not going to stop fishing without a fight.
Love animals all of them, my two dogs run madly around my legs as I turn this off, they know we are going to walk around my yard, chilling out.

Belly I suspect that TheMissus had her tongue in her cheek as she posted that. A friendly dig at CJ for disagreements elsewhere.

Off topic here but it's something I pondered raising on the Animal Suffering thread (which looks a lot like one of Boazy's mossy bash threads). I won't comment further here.

R0bert

We've got mini goat stud. Love just hanging out with the babies and not so babies. Nothing more relaxing than one crawling up on your lap and going to sleep.

I love music, but I really don't spend as much time as I want listening to it.

I have a blog. I enjoy that.

I make and edit videos for a couple of YouTube channels.

I'm a staff writer for a video game website, and I enjoy some hobby writing of my own.

I have a large group of online friends that frequent an Australian writer's blog/s and we usually hang out on Twitter shooting the breeze or argui....discussing ALL SORTS of things from things like we argue about here to everyone's blogs to topic of the day. Great bunch.

I'm rural, so the net is a lifeline to other's brains.

*I had sacrificed a couple of yabbies to this fish before I finally hooked him.*

So there we have it. CJ chills out by torturing little yabbies!
Perhaps he is trying to get even :)

I spend a good part of the day outdoors in nature, with animals
and plants, both domesticated and wild. Life is about balance,
so for me OLO is very much about chilling out and relaxing.

Other then that I fool around with sounds on a Korg Oasys or
create some new device in the workshop. The satisfaction of
having an idea and taking it through creation and functioning,
is far more rewarding then golf, tennis or fishing.

Dear CJ,

How do I chill out?

It depends on the season...

Summers by the sea,
The sun warming my body,
The rich, green grass
feeling cool beneath my feet,
Sand between my toes,
Wind-blown hair,
Magnificent sunsets,
Early morning walks...

Winters on the ski-slopes,
A cup of hot chocolate,
Fire-light and guitar music...

And, when the world crowds in
and makes my life seem small -
I go for a run in a nearby park.
This I find relaxing at any time,
during any season ...

And then of-course there's OLO -
and all of my favourite posters ... :-)

Ease up on the urban environs, CJ. Some of us grew up in country towns and have access to granny's farm but there there are few facilities to pursue our careers there. Weekends include many engagements (scouts etc) so opportunities to really get away are few.

To answer the question: Pottering in the increasingly well upholstered shed. The more modern stereo is upstairs, but what I regard as the best, including the vinyl, the appropriate electronics, the exponential horns and the old comfy chair is out the back, with a wheezy aircon, about ten household devices needing repair and about twice that number of superannuated lab instruments. I can smoke here too, but do so less these days.

Rusty.

Thanks for the interesting responses, folks.

For those who responded in the spirit of the OP, thanks for sharing. When the weather's good, I tend to go for outdoor pursuits like fishing. Otherwise, the shed, computer, music and reading etc can all do the job. Actually, I'm in the process of having a new shed built...

For those who just wanted to have a snark, I hope it helped you 'chill out' a bit :)

What do I do to chill out?

Cycle

Well CJ, I'd have to be one of your biggest fans here on OLO, but you do lose me when you wax lyrical as you often do on the joys of hooking and reeling in some poor hapless fish. :)

<< The weather was hot, but there was a brisk breeze whistling through the trees as the thunderstorms began to build in the west. I had my bird and butterfly bibles with me, and my binoculars - and of course I was rewarded by the company of some gorgeous little creatures, a couple of whom I hadn't seen before. I didn't see a person all afternoon. >>

This I can relate to. Enjoying nature's best in relaxed and uninterrupted solitude. One of life's real pleasures, I agree.

I can't for the life of me though understand how someone so at one with nature could mar such serenity with an ugly hook and another creature's pain.

Now I know this will be water off a duck's back to you. As you've said, you do have 'quite a thick skin'. :)

Belly though, now there's a different kettle of fish altogether. He just can't handle it at all when I start defending the rights of fish. Watch this post send him right off. :)

'Chilling out' for me is walking my dog, reading in bed, chatting with friends over a coffee or wine, pottering round the house and listening to Radio National, watching a good movie or documentary, relaxing on the deck with hubby and our magnificent bushland view and of course, like many others here, catching up on OLO. :)

Bronwyn, you practically stole the post I was going to do!
I live in a rural area, so also enjoy walking my dogs, reading , music, wineries (wine!) and going to see movies.

I was born and raised in a city though, so I also love to spend weekends with my family in the city, and hit the shops, restaurants and outdoor movie theatres there too.

I also really enjoy OLO, and spent ages trying to work out why I couldn't get onto the website over the weekend! I thought maybe I had written such a terrible post that I had been thrown off without notice!

Cheers, Suzi.

Bronwyn, hand me the bait please, no do not hurt it, I need it alive.
Young mullet, want it to have kick in it as I put it on the hook.
Now its in the water.
Great if I get lucky it will look natural, a big Jew will cut it in half as it does every day.
But my hook will be in its mouth.
Hope it is a good one, they taste great and I like the jewel, the hard bone like thing they have in the head, looks good on a fisher mans hat.
Ah relaxed now ready for a day at work.
Want fish for tea Brony? if you are good I will let you cook it.

“I come here to chill CJ”

Hahahahaha. Yes, our old Ceej often needs a good chilling, being a rather hot-headed sort of fella n all!

“CJ may at times look uncool”

Er, neeeeever!

Sorry Belly, I know I’m completely perverting the meaning of your words. Just couldn’t resist (:>)

Ah yes, OLO is indeed an excellent way to chill out!!

“CJ, I'd have to be one of your biggest fans here on OLO”

Oh Bronny, how COULD you?? ?? ?? ?? ( :> O

CJ is just sooooo enoooormously different to you in the way the he responds to people that he disagrees with. It boggles my mind as to how you, with a respectable style of debating, could for one moment warm to the likes of Mr Morgan!

Now, I don’t go fishing or hunting. But I do go botanical collecting (which is another excellent way of chilling out). This often means taking whole plants, in the name of science, if they are small herbaceous things.

So I wonder, would you think as poorly of me as you do of a fisherman (oow, I mean; fisherperson or fisher!)?? Or do plants somehow not count, given that they are inanimate organisms?

suzeonline

<< Bronwyn, you practically stole the post I was going to do! I live in a rural area, so also enjoy walking my dogs, reading , music, wineries (wine!) and going to see movies. >>

Yes, we are indeed kindred souls I can see. :)

<< I was born and raised in a city though, so I also love to spend weekends with my family in the city, and hit the shops, restaurants and outdoor movie theatres there too. >>

I was born and raised on a farm, but enjoyed city life enormously when I lived in Melbourne in my early twenties. I actually feel very blessed now in that I've found the perfect place to combine what I think is the best of both worlds.

Yes, Forest, I know you'll be shaking your head in exasperation if you've just read this. :)

Belly

LOL :) A very funny post. But unfortunately, dear Belly, also indicative of a cold heart and a closed mind. Still, I won't hold that against you completely. I know your heart's in the right place on most issues, even though you do enjoy sinking hooks into fish, not to mention your nasty boot into my esteemed Greens. :)

Ludwig

<< CJ is just sooooo enoooormously different to you in the way the he responds to people that he disagrees with. It boggles my mind as to how you, with a respectable style of debating, could for one moment warm to the likes of Mr Morgan! >>

Well, nice to know I'm respectable. :) Yes, I've seen CJ giving you a hard time and I think he's crossed the line occasionally, but don't we all at times in one way or another. I don't know the full history of the spat between you and him, though I do find it entertaining, but from what I've observed CJ's targets are usually well deserved. I hasten to add that I don't necessarily believe that in your case. :)

Part of the reason I'm a 'fan' is that CJ's thinking mirrors my own on practically every issue. There are so many threads where I don't need to post because he's already expressed my opinion for me.

Now, if you could just develop a heart towards asylum seekers, you'd probably be up there on that same pedestal. :)

<< Now, I don’t go fishing or hunting. But I do go botanical collecting (which is another excellent way of chilling out). This often means taking whole plants, in the name of science, if they are small herbaceous things. So I wonder, would you think as poorly of me as you do of a fisherman (oow, I mean; fisherperson or fisher!)?? Or do plants somehow not count, given that they are inanimate organisms?>>

I don't know, Ludwig, though I have wondered about it at times. I'm not sure if I should extend my sympathy to plants. I might be in danger of sympathy burnout. :) Do you cut them or stick pins into them? Do you drown them in chemical solution or just let them wither and die? The more I think about it the worse it sounds, but no you can relax, it's not nearly as high up on the cruelty barometer as fishing. :)

About my fondness for fishing - I appreciate that it's not everybody's cup of tea and necessarily involves what may be seen as cruelty - but it's my karma and I'm prepared to risk coming back as a yabby (or worse)! I do breed my own yabbies and I'm a member of a club that restocks our waterways with native fish, and I only ever keep one or two fish to eat.

There's also something kind of primally satisfying about catching, killing and preparing food from the wild.

Anyway, to each his or her own, as I said.

You ought to see the nasty things I do to feral rodents with gas pellets, poisons and traps :0 However, I don't do that for relaxation.

CJ, "There's also something kind of primally satisfying about catching, killing and preparing food from the wild."

You have been day dreaming about Sarah Palin again?

So you might harvest venison if you had the chance? Hold the sage and parsley sauce for the catfish and whip out the wild mushrooms, pine nuts and red wine for the tenderloin instead?

I blame Antiseptic for this re-engineering of CJ's image and for the new shed CJ is building in his head.

How sweet. Typical snark from Cornflower. So much unrequited angst.

Does s/he ever chill out?

“…this re-engineering of CJ's image…”

Yes Cornflower, CJ is behaving in a very strange manner on this thread. He’s almost behaving like a normal human being!! I hope it is a permanent change.

We’ll see if a leopard can change its spots!

.
.

Oh uh. Seems like the spots are firmly entrenched!!

Nice idea CJ. Fishing is not a problem for me as long as it is for food and not sport. With the way we are going many baby boomers may have to fish for their food. :)

When I am not working I do a lot in the garden and am in the midst of creating an urban food gardem in the backyard. Although my neighbours may start to notice a few rambling pumpkins and rockmelons rambling down our steep-ish front yard.

I grow most things from seed and collect seed where I can. Generally I grow heirloom varities but not opposed to the odd hybrid now and then.

Other than that I spend time with family, two cats and a reading group - an excuse to catch up with friends. Lately I have been thinking about getting back to doing some more painting. I love fossicking around local food and produce markets, old towns, old buildings, independent bookshops and non-yuppie art galleries.

I am also trying to write a book so spend some time on the computer cursing at the fact that what I have in my head is not coming out as I want on the page. My own worst critic. It is a challenge. I am not sure why I thought I could write a book - it is hard - to the point that I admire anyone who manages to get a book finished let alone published.

Well only rednecks go out and kill for thrill.

I am very pro environment but not a greenie. I do feel the human is part and parcel of the natural environment so needs to be allowed to claim space and hunting rights...for food. Not fun, for food, for work, for survival.

Killing can be necessary but it should never be fun. I have killed some cane toad when I had a feral moment after my dogs got foaming mouth after biting them. To see my dogs suffer due to vermin makes my blood boil. I do have brief murderous moments of running around the backyard with the dettol spray but then it is not fun. In fact it is cruel. So normally do the freeze kill. So am no angel, far from it but I can't see how killing can ever be fun, chilling out? Does not make sense.

Go away Ludwig. The adults are trying to chill out :)

Thanks for that lovely response, pelican. I can identify with just about all your pastimes and interests, except for the cats - I'm a dog person... and I have an ongoing war with feral cats, who occasionally want to eat my ducks and chooks, not to mention the native birds that I encourage.

Now that I think of it, occasionally we're visited by the odd pelican, to whom I don't begrudge a yabby or 10. That's life. We only have a small house dam that has become a nice little ecosystem since we put it in about 10 years ago.

As I said, to each their own. My fishing is probably cruel, but no crueller than what these creatures do to each in nature. C'est la vie.

Awww CJ, sometimes I think you are just a big kind-hearted cuddly bear underneath that prickly exterior!!
----
That all sounds very nice Pelican, ‘cept perhaps for the two cats! (:>)

I wish all the best with your book.

BTW, thanks for your kind words on the ‘3000 1500 1500’ thread:
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=3253#77176
----
“I am very pro environment but not a greenie”

Hmmm. So, TheMissus what do you consider a greenie to be then, if not pro environment?

CJ

To be serious for a moment, would you ever consider starting a Men's Shed in your area? A place for you to apply your knowledge and skills and chill out at the same time? Get the locals involved, it will keep them all young and vital.

http://www.mensheds.com.au/

Fishing - circle hooks make catch and release sport without damage to the fish. More harm to the fish's dignity than anything else. Maybe you already use them.

http://www.gamakatsu.com.au/products/circlehooks.html

Feral cats, foxes, rabbits - use my mother's (and my grandmother's and great grandmother's) recipe, a .410 shotgun or a .22LR. But do get a licence first. Conservation hunting is much more humane and selective than poisons (although poisons are still needed unfortunately). We have Bush Stone-Curlews close to us that have not raised chicks in the last several years through cats and dogs. We are seeing the permanent loss of a beautiful bird whose plaintive cry, once heard, is never forgotten.

http://www.fnpw.com.au/OurProjects/Plants_Wildlife/Bush_Stone-Curlew.htm

Cornflower - this thread's about chilling out, not social work. Just about every bloke I know in my community has at least one shed anyway. You're not very familiar with small rural communities, are you?

While what you suggest would likely be useful for those in provincial cities or metropolitan suburbs who need such artificial companionship, I don't think they're needed where I live. Hell, here they can join the SES, the town or rural firies, the railway preservation mob, the fishing club, the RSL or golf clubs etc etc. They all struggle for membership.

Thanks for the somewhat redundant tip about 'circle hooks', but that's pretty well the design I use anyway - except on lures, which aren't usually swallowed. I can't remember the last fish I killed that I didn't eat.

I'm not sure that sure that shooting vermin is any kinder than the methods I use, and it's so much of a hassle to have a gun these days that I really couldn't be bothered. Keeping feral animals down is to me an onerous chore by whatever means, in any case. Sometimes I think it would nice to pot a bunny for the table, but as I said it's really too complicated these days.

Incidentally, I'm sometimes the happy recipient of venison from mates who shoot the feral deer that are common in my area. Roo too, but shooting's not my thing these days.

I certainly wouldn't do it to chill out. How do you like to chill out?

CJ

Heh, heh, I have been taking you for someone who lives on an acre or few on the fringes of a struggle town like Ipswich and I don't think I'm very wrong. That you misconstrued the intent of two cows engaged in 'lesbian humping' as you saw it (another thread) proved that. A farmer straightened you out.

All country towns differ and in some the inhabitants grow as mean as the curs they let wander the streets. Dubbo has grown to be like that. However as they say, you can take the boy out of Ipswich but you can't take the Ipswich out of the boy and that applies to a few other burgs as well.

Personally, I reckon there is no better way to find happiness than to be of service to your fellow man, but perhaps that knowledge will continue to elude you.

How do I 'chill out'? Well I'm not so hip that I need to chill out, but I do find great enjoyment and relaxation on the board of a historical cottage and meeting the constant stream of visitors. Then there is music and art, although since the better digital cameras and the growth of the Wisteria that blocks some of the natural southern light to my special room, photography is taking over from the acrylics.

Apart from that I rather enjoy the people at the clay pigeon club - there would be few people around who are as generous and convivial as one meets there.

However this thread was aimed at image-making for CJ and to cater for your fondness for talking about yourself, wasn't it? Hence the length and needless detail of the introduction and your lack of response to the interests of others. -Sort of like your lack of motivation to respond to the needs of your local community, huh?

What a miserable old sourpuss you are, Cornflower. All you want to do is pick a stoush, it seems. Silly me for trying to have a civil conversation with you.

Go away - some of us are trying to chill out here.

BTW, I don't live anywhere near Ipswich, fortunately for me. I also do lots of voluntary stuff in my community, but I have much better things to do with my time than pander to the few losers here who beat their wives.

Do try and cheer up, old thing.

Ludwig - sounds familiar... I seem to be hearing that a bit lately :)

“I'm not sure if I should extend my sympathy to plants. I might be in danger of sympathy burnout”

Er yeayus Bronwyn, with all that huge amount of sympathy going towards a few onshore asylum seekers and none left for refugees that we help via our offshore programs or international aid efforts, I can see that you wouldn’t have any left for mere plants! (:>)

“Do you cut them or stick pins into them?

I cut most of my specimens. They are mostly twigs from shrubs or trees, thus doing the plant no real harm. But for herby things, grasses, sedges, etc, I take whole plants.

“Do you drown them in chemical solution or just let them wither and die?”

I just let them wither and die….while flattened within a press kit! Gee I really am a monster when I think about all the thousands of little plants that I’ve murdered over the years ( :>(

Hwaww, getting out there in the wilds and doing that sort of basic botanical specimen and data collection has been a great way to chill out….even if it is stinkin hot in the tropical summer wet season. But alas, I might have to give it all up! I don’t know if I could live with myself if I kept doing it!!

Dear Pelly,

Your writing a book has aroused my curiousity...
Is it too personal, or can you tell us a bit
more about it?

I've almost finished a collection of short
stories myself, that's why I'm curious about
yours.

As a child I loved to listen to stories. Storytelling,
reading, and writing, have been part of my life for
as long as I can remember. My love of literature
determined the path of my undergraduate studies, and
in my choice of librarianship as a career, which I've
practiced in Sydney, Los Angeles, and Melbourne.
I've been working on my book for a few years now.

Anyway, if you don't want to share, I'll understand.

Wargaming is currently my favourite chill-out activity. Geeks, toy soldiers, strategy and beer: a winning combination.

I'm easing myself back into muay thai. I had a year off and gained weight, so I'm enjoying an easier training schedule than when I was fighting. I hope for at least one more bout before I'm 40, but time (and motivation) will tell.

And, of course, the internet! My life would be poorer without The Onion, Crikey, and Arts & Letters Daily.

Thanks for your kind words CJ. The cats are a sticking point for many I know. They are both too old to be of any danger to wildlife and are very much home bodies. Both cats were RSPCA rescues and at the time cats were the obvious choice for us as we were often not at home and dogs had become a bit of a problem in our neighbourhood. The oldest cat has always been a bit skittish as she started life as a kitten in a drain and was rescued during a downpour, but we fear never quite got over her traumatic start to life.

Both cats act a bit like dogs, they follow us around the garden and even start to follow us down the street when we go for a walk, but eventually give up and go home only to greet us at the driveway when we return.

If we are outside the cats have to be with us and often just sit near where I am weeding or planting as though 'on guard'. It is rather odd but they are very much part of the family.

Foxy
Well done on the short stories. I have written some and even sent some off over the years to short story competitions. You should have a go at entering some of them. I only ever had one published in a university paper many years ago.

My story is fiction within a national security background but no more than that I will say just yet. I will send you a free copy if it ever makes it to the printers? :)

CJ
I love ducks and wish we had your space for a flock. (Can you have a flock of ducks? I know geese are a gaggle) :).

Hi pelican - ducks are indeed amusing and cool. We currently have three: Dick the Drake, and his consorts Blanche (a white duck) and Lame Duck, who broke her leg while she was a duckling. They have an enviable life mooching around the garden, eating grass, grubs and windfall fruit, or swimming in our dam. Their future is brighter than most ducks, since my partner is a vegetarian who would never countenance any of them ending up in the pot. Currently, Lame Duck is sitting on half a dozen eggs, so hopefully we'll have more in a month or so.

According to WikiAnswers, there are several collective nouns for duck:

<< brace of ducks (brace applies to birds, in general)

flock of ducks (flock applies to birds on the ground, in general)

flight of ducks (flight applies to birds in the air, in general)

badelynge or badling of ducks (applies to ducks on the ground)

paddling of ducks (applies to ducks in the water)

raft of ducks (applies to ducks in the water)

team of ducks (applies to ducks in the water)

flush of ducks >>

Ours can't fly, so they're either a paddling when they're on the dam, or a badling when they're roaming around. "Badling" seems to fit, since they often misbehave when it's time to come in for the night.

Have a great day :)

Well pluck a duck!!

Now I know why CJ is such an old goose!

More duck tails…er…tales….

A piddling of ducks (ducks in a sewage pond)

A dinner of ducks (ducks in the cooking pot)

A daggle of ducks (as per a gaggle of geese. A mob of silly looking daggy ducks mooching around CJ’s dam!)

A dribble of ducks (ducks that have consumed some of CJ’s gas pellets, are dribbling profusely and about to keel over dead!)

A ceej of ducks (rebellious ducks that have decided that they’ve had enough of the silly old human leaving gas pellets and poison lying around and are going to mount a siege and take over the dam and environs, followed by the property, the country and then world domination!!)

And yet more ducktails……

A twaddle of ducks (ducks that waddle around in a T formation!! …. or …..ducks that twaddle while waddling?....or maybe ….. ducks that twaddle instead of waddling!?......or ….I’ve got it…….daggy-arsed gas-pellet-eating world-domination-delusionary ducks that have learnt how to twaddle and become deluded from listening to that silly old human!!)

Alright, that's enough chilling out for me!

Dear Pelly,

Thanks for responding so quickly.

I'd love to read your book one day.
And, I'll send you mine in exchange.
I have had several of my stories published,
both in the US, and in the "Best Short Story"
collections.

Talking about ducks. I had a pet duck as a child -
called Matilda. She lived quite happily among
the chooks that dad raised on our property.
I'll never forget one Christmas lunch - when mum
brought out this huge platter of duck to the table,
and I couldn't see Matilda anywhere. Tears and
screams followed until dad led me outside to show
me that Matilda was safe and sound and very much
alive.

Still, I've never been able to eat duck meat since.

But, back to the subject of "chilling out," ...
Tuesday evening, my husband surprised me with
tickets to the opera, "Aida," as an early Christmas
present. It was at the Arts Centre here in Melbourne,
and it was the new production by Graeme Murphy.
The performance lasted approximately three hours.
(Agony for my husband, but heaven for me).
It was absolutely spectacular - however Jennifer Wilson
who played the title role of Aida, was miscast.
She had a strong voice, but unfortunately
she did not have the required stage presence.
(she was short and dumpy - with no neck - and the
costumes did nothing for her supposed stature as an
Ethiopian princess). Whereas, Milijana Nikolic - who
played the Phaoroah's daughter was simply stunning.
It was hard to believe that the hero preferred Aida to
the Phaoroah's daughter.

Anyway, I love the theatre - and it was quite a treat,
to be able to experience something that I hadn't
seen before. Aida, for many people, stands as an
example of "grand opera," and after seeing it, I can
now understand why. Breathtaking!

Hey CJ, where (the bloody hell) aaaare you?

I’ve been hangin out all day for you to come back and say: ‘get help Ludwig!’

Quack quack, waddle waddle.

Ludwig, "A ceej of ducks (rebellious ducks that have decided that they’ve had enough of the silly old human leaving gas pellets and poison lying around and are going to mount a siege and take over the dam ..."

It is really not that funny that a fellow with a grass patch like a housing block to an acre or two and no apparent recognised training or certification as a pest exterminator is fooling around with something as lethal as gas rodent fumigants.

Just look up the Material Safety Safety sheets for Phostoxin - which I assume he has possibly got his hands on - or similar products, it is deadly.

With much less toxic alternatives like Racumin paste baits one can only wonder why anyone who is not a professional licensed operator would have lethal gas pellets in his possession.

I hope and pray that most of what CJ says, like not taking fish from West flowing streams (giggle) is the self-serving, image-making BS I think it is. because mucking around with serious poisons when he could just clean up around his place (the food supply and refuge for his rats) or buy safer baits from the supermarket is the act of a dangerous fool.

Hi Ludwig - been away overnight. Very creative stuff, quite droll :)

Cornflower - go away, you waspish old sourpuss.

CJ

<< Cornflower - go away, you waspish old sourpuss. >>

Now, CJ, you know I'm in your corner, but I must admit I was a bit surprised too to read about the nasty things you 'do to feral rodents with gas pellets, poisons and traps'.

Your halo slipped another tiny notch, but I let it pass. Defending fish was probably enough for one thread, I decided. I know you've got a thick skin, but I didn't want to risk being responsible for having you chilling out permanently with your fishing rod. :)

A 'waspish old sourpuss' of course has no such qualms. Whether it will elicit a response is obviously doubtful, but I for one would be interested in seeing one.

Hi Bronwyn - where I live we have a bit of a rabbit plague at the moment. A couple of years back we ripped all the existing warrens on our place, which kept them down until recently, when they established a new warren. Over the last few weeks we co-ordinated our efforts with neighbouring landholders to fumigate all the warrens in our vicinity, as an alternative strategy to ripping, which simply disburses the little buggers to the next property.

The gas pellets are available over the counter at the co-op, and are quite safe for humans if handled correctly. It's not a nice thing to do, but if you've ever seen a rabbit plague you'd realise what damage they can do, and at any rate we're required by law to control vermin. I don't think that gassing rabbits is any crueller than poisoning (which also risks killing other animals) or shooting, and it seems to be quite an effective way of destroying an entire warren of rabbits in one go.

With rats and mice we're stuck with poisons and traps, which are literally a necessary evil when controlling them around the house and sheds. I love living in the country, but there's no getting away from the fact that the bush is often a cruel place. Animals certainly aren't very nice to each other in the wild, and controlling vermin is part and parcel of living in the country.

Anyway, as I said, it's certainly not something I do to 'chill out', although I do have friends who like nothing better than going out and shooting feral rabbits, foxes, pigs, donkeys, goats, deer, dogs, cats etc as their weekend diversion. These animals don't belong in our environment and only exist in the wild by poaching the habitat of native critters.

P.S. for the benefit of the harpy troll who will undoubtedly pounce, I'm quite aware that rabbits are lagomorphs rather than rodents - but who's heard of lagomorphs? I think of them as big rats anyway.

Thanks CJ.

I can see you're between a rock and a hard place when it comes to controlling vermin.

Growing up in arid wheatbelt country, yes, I'm very familiar with both rabbit and mouse plagues. We only ever resorted to killing them though when numbers got out of hand, which happened occasionally more than regularly. I don't know much about gassing, but we always used traps in preference to baiting. I know they're just as cruel, but they're less likely to impact on the environment and on other animals.

Yes, I realise there are no easy answers when it comes to controlling pests. I'm pleased to know though you don't really have the gung-ho attitude implied by your comment that I ought to see the 'nasty things' you do to feral rodents. I'll straighten up the halo again. :)

My son works in this area in the DPI and has had to acquire a gun licence as a result. So as you can imagine I'm mentally grappling with these issues fairly regularly. As the main person to encourage him in studying environmental science in the first place and as a mother who made sure his early play didn't include guns, I now have to accept that he shoots as part of his job description.

Dear CJ,

A friend emailed me this joke that I thought
you may enjoy seeing as it's to do with fishing
(sort of):

A young Aussie lad moved to London and went to
Harrods looking for a job.
The manager asked, "Do you have any sales experience?"
The young man answered, "Yeah, I was a salesman back in
Dubbo."

The manager liked the Aussie so he gave him the job.

His first day was challenging and busy, but he got
through it.
After the store was locked up, the manager came down
and asked, "OK, so how many sales did you make today?"
The Aussie said, "One!"

The manager groaned and continued, "Just one?"
"Our sales people average 20 to 30 sales a day."
"How much was the sale for?"
"One hundred and twenty four thousand, two hundred
and thirty seven pounds and 64 pence." replied the Aussie.

The manager choked and exclaimed, "One hundred and
twenty four thousand, two hundred and thirty seven pounds
and sixty four pence! What the hell did you sell him?"

"Well, first I sold him a small fish hook, then a
medium fish hook, and then I sold him a new fishing rod."
"Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he
said the coast, so I told him he would need a boat,
so we went down to the boat department and I sold him
that twin-engine Power Cat."

"Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would
pull it so I took him down to car sales and I sold him
the 4x4."

The manager, incredulous said, "You mean to tell me
a guy came in here to buy a fish hook and you sold
him a boat and a 4x4?"

"No, no, no... he came in here to buy a box of tampons
for his lady friend and I said..."
"Well, since your week-end's buggered, you might as well
go fishing!"

Foxy
I can see I am preaching to the converted. Writing can be a challenging but worthwhile exercise and worth the hair pulling. :)

“Cornflower - go away, you waspish old sourpuss”

Oooooooo, thatththththththth deththththththththththththththththpicable!

Now listen, Sylvester - you just stay away from my ducks and chooks! Not to mention the 'tweetybirds' :)

The name’th Daffy D Duck, Ethquire.

Don’t you worry, Thith little black duck ithn't going anywhere near your mad twaddling deluthththtional duckthth and your crazthy headlethth chookthth!

CJ, the keyboard farmer, has had to construct an elaborate story about neighbours and rabbits (with thanks to Google).

CJ, -".. where I live we have a bit of a rabbit plague at the moment. A couple of years back we ripped all the existing warrens on our place, blah, blah, Over the last few weeks we co-ordinated our efforts with neighbouring landholders to fumigate all the warrens in our vicinity, as an alternative strategy to ripping, which simply disburses the little buggers to the next property."

No, as any State DPI would tell you, coordinated ripping is by far the cheapest, most effective method available. Not all warrens have to be found either for it to have the desired effect on the rabbit population. Use other methods esp baiting and trapping for mop-up. Problem with gas is that all warren entries must be found and treated.

Anyhow, wrong time of the year for gas fumigation.

CJ, "gas pellets are available over the counter at the co-op, and are quite safe for humans if handled correctly"

Safe for trained operators provided they adhere to all safety directions. Check the accidents world wide where untrained 'experts' have used the poison. In Britain recently a farmer was fined heavily for causing serious permanent harm to three workers who collapsed shortly after working in his barn.

CJ, "I don't think that gassing rabbits is any crueller than .....shooting, and it seems to be quite an effective way of destroying an entire warren of rabbits in one go."

The DPI says ripping for large rabbit numbers. Gas is less effective. DPI notes humane concerns with the use of gas. Of all methods shooting would have to be the only humane method by a long shot (pardon the pun).

CJ, "With rats and mice we're stuck with poisons and traps"

But CJ uses poison gas and that is what this is all about.

It's been a really nice chilling out experience reading this thread.

I'd read someone's post and think, "Oh gee I used to do that; haven't for years... maybe should try that again..." and so on.

When traveling out bush with my previous job I used to pull over and stretch out on my swag beside the vehicle to enjoy the warm air; astonishing stars then close my eyes and just listen to the night sounds. Now that I'm back in town it might look a bit odd to be stretched out on the footpath on the way home from work....

Scrabble, reading and Utube online. Ebay binge addict - I'll spend days avidly following something and then all of a sudden I'm over the whole thing for another 6 months or so. Am pottering through a dissertation in my spare time but also write short stories. The classics seem increasingly tedious in comparison to post modernist lit though I often re-read Charles Lamb and Shakespeare has had some revisiting both in reading and theatre. I can spend hours with my gem collection. I also paint and sketch: watercolour; pen and ink. Art gallery browsing: preferably alone when I am able to take all the time I want.

Movie addict and collector. I think it's the input from growing children that makes music tastes wide ranging - bagpipes; marching music; rock; some metal; pop; some opera and classics but I am too unsophisticated to develop very refined tastes. There are so many things I like about this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

Can't pin down taste in movies either but enjoy action movies - Bruce Willis and all that. Not keen on musicals except for Calamity Jane.

Rowing and swimming. The sound and scent of the ocean is a favourite holiday treat, though I live in the mountains.

Just watching family pets playing is pleasurable. I recommend that you get a couple of Jackies or a fox terrier. They're brilliant and the end for the rodent is fast.

I've been searching for years for a copy of this movie (Noel Coward):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZCmoAEragg

Little dedication for Cornflower:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn0riyNCHKk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOjmPJxAuXA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJChh7ghGnE

Pynchme showing her origins and knee deep in muck as usual no doubt.

Good to know that your bum is big enough to shelter the white whale, the whole quivering 100+ kgs of him.

Look out for CJ's shock and awe gas attack. Hold on, given his close proximity to your rear maybe he is the one who should worry.

A match made in heaven, go for it you two!

Oh dear CF - no sense of humour?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glzkWmJgCgY&feature=related

No pithy response?

I was hoping for a reply in kind, sort of like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pivuom_rfqY

Nevermind, here's something special for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqEUfsyJF68

CJ has gone ominously quiet.

Say, you haven't got him pynched (sic) so tight between your over-generous cheeks that he can't breathe have you?

While trawling youtube for vids and doing your BPD thing you really need to occasionally roll over onto one cheek and let CJ take a breath of air.

Maybe if CJ had a long enough snorkel?

Great post, Pynchme - and very appropriate vids too.

My sister breeds Jack Russells, but I don't think they'd last too long around here given their fondness for chasing snakes. She's lost one already this summer to a redbelly black, and in this town alone I know of a Kelpie and a Staffy that have met untimely ends from encounters with the brown snakes that are common here. I have a Golden Retriever who sensibly leaves the reptiles and ducks alone, and doesn't mind chasing rabbits - but she doesn't know what do with them when she catches up with them.

I see that Cornflower's given up the pretence of being anything other than a miserable old troll. Seven of her last ten posts have been dedicated to trying to provoke me. She must have a rich life, full of love, light and happiness.

Following Pynchme's lead, here's some vids that seem appropriate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEr5tavTTUg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGYEDzOVsxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM9x7IHMOk4&feature=fvw

Enjoy!

CJ! Is that really you peeping around Pynch's thunderous thighs? Why you sly old faker, you could breathe after all and of all places for Pynch to have a YouTube link! A marriage made in heaven and you two can share the same reference suite.

You have been avoiding the subject, but take care with those poison gas chill pills.

Best you pop back behind Pynch now dear.

Even trolls need a lil bit of this eh?

For you Cornyflower and for CJ too ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

*hugs*

pynch

Cornflower I don't agree that the thread was about image for CJ. The things CJ has related match my recollections of things he has shared before of special times in his life.

One of the great things about OLO is that often most can put aside difference on other topics and enjoy a quiet moment talking about some stuff that might be important to us in other ways. I don't think that using this thread to attack CJ or Pynchme does you credit and it is messing in what could otherwise have been a fun thread.

I don't much like insults for the sake of insults and the picture you have tried to paint of CJ and Pynchme can be little else. I think better of you than that.

R0bert

Thanks R0bert - you're quite right, I'd intended this thread as one of those irregular and slightly friviolous discussions where people can relax a bit and find some common ground. Unfortunately there's always one or two who take such opportunities to try and catch up on old scores - maybe that's their way of 'chilling out', who knows?

Because of the time of year I have to work today, but depending on the weather, once I'm done I'll probably slip up to our town dam later on with my togs, a 6-pack and maybe my fishing rod. Looks like it's going to be hot...

What's on for you today? Time-out in the shed, or something further afield?

CJ a visit to see my parents - which is somewhat overdue :(

Some quality time working in my partners garden yesterday and helping a child through the first steps of riding without training wheels seems to have been the major "heat" outs for the weekend. Both very satisfying but overly hot at this time of year.

R0bert

G'day R0bert; CJ and CF;

I have to take some responsibility too though for stirring a bit; I was just funnin' and I expected to get a bit back as I said.

The hugs bit was fair dinkum though. Lovely isn't it.

The thread has been really a very nice opportunity to get to know others a little and to reveal a little of myself too. Ty CJ.

Loved your Utubes too btw:

"F-off communism! We don't need your oppressive government telling us what to do - THAT's what religion's for."

HAR har! Great line :)

The hugs vid brought streaming tears to my eyes. Beautiful!

'F-off communism! We don't need your oppressive government telling us what to do - THAT's what religion's for.'

That was hilarious...for about two seconds...til I realised how true it is!! Huwaaaaaaw ( :>|

Ludwig - thanks for saying what you thought of the free hugs vids. They get to me like that too.

Did you notice the name of the fella that started it is Juan Mann (I think I got the spelling right). That would sound like, "One man" wouldn't it? (any linguists here to verify?)

I wonder if the name is fair dink. If so that's an amazing coincidence; his personal campaign impacted on about 10,000 and now at 57 million.

I couldn't help laughing at CJ's commie-religious clip even though I'm Christian myself - let's say Christianity is a broad school; I recognize exactly what the clip says. It's actually a clever clip on multiple levels, like - the logic. What government would decide to infiltrate via 'making' people into homosexuals. It's just too funny.

Cya later :)

This has been a most interesting thread. Nice one CJ.

Lots of goodwill has been expressed here.

The long-time good relationship between you and I, which then became very badly fractured, has been mended here, or at least from my perspective it has. I’ll certainly be striving to keep it that way.

Cheers

Aah, I joined this one quite late.

I'm a little bit hyperactive, I think, so 'chilling out' for me usually means getting active. I get miserable and grumpy if I don't get a chance to run, ride or swim each day. Living in Townsville, I am blessed with a large network of bike paths and bike lanes on the roads; there are also a lot of offroad trails within a short ride of my house. I love a good spin on my road bike or my mountain bike, and that is my #1 chillout option.

Unfortunately, the flipside of the Townsville blessing is the weather. Riding during the day in summer is madness, and sometimes impossible. Living on the fringe of town, my neighbourhood floods quite regularly, or at least becomes impossible for cyclists to ride safely. That's when I get the most antsy.

A couple of years back, I was also an avid skydiver. Weekends on the dropzone were little pockets of relaxation in an otherwise busy life. The skydiving world is one of necessary relaxing and waiting. At a smaller dropzone, a whole weekend may be given over to four or five jumps. Many skydivers tend to become a bit philosophical, solving the world's problems while they wait for the next load. For some reason, that sort of inactivity is fine by me. And anyway - I could always go for a run or a swim when I get home. Sadly, those days are over, or at least on hold, due to the depressing state of my gear. A slightly holy (and not in the religious sense) parachute, an out-of-date activation device and a few other dramas have grounded me for some time . . .

Good evening Otokonoko. So you are a fellow Townsvillite and cyclist.

Yes cycling is a good way to chill out....and er to heat up at the same time in this tropical weather!

Thanks again people. As Ludwig says, there's been alot of positive input in this discussion, which has certainly 'chilled out' some online interactions that had got a bit heated.

Speaking of heat, I lived in Townsville for many years, and there's no way you'd find me riding a bicycle there in summer - let alone running up Castle Hill at any time of the year! Mind you, it's pretty bloody hot again where I live in the far south of Qld - 36C forecast for today, didn't get below 21C last night.

I have to go to Brisbane tomorrow for my youngest's graduation do from primary school, and I'm not looking forward to it. In fact, I think Brisbane in summer is worse than Tombstone... er Townsville - at least you generally get a sea breeze in the northern capital.

Ludwig

<< The long-time good relationship between you (CJ) and I, which then became very badly fractured, has been mended here, or at least from my perspective it has. I’ll certainly be striving to keep it that way. >>

Very decent of you, Ludwig.

Don't be too polite though. I'll lose a top little source of entertainment. :)

<< I'll lose a top little source of entertainment. >>

Hahaha. Yair me too!! (:>/

I might have to go get into Twitter or Facebook to get m’ jollies!!

I really don't mind the weather up this end of the state. At least there's some excitement about it. Of course, when the roads are cut for so long that all you can get is long life milk (if you're lucky), it starts to get a bit depressing. But the anticipation of summer, that feeling that it's going to bucket down any second now, and the sound of big fat raindrops on the old metal roof always seem to make up for it. And even at this time of year, a ride along the river late at night brings with it a nice, refreshing breeze. And, only a couple of months ago, a nice mist hanging over the shallows by the Bowen Road bridge. It's an alright kind of place if you ask me.

A couple of years ago, I did some skydiving out at Toogoolawah, west of Brisbane. Well, west of the Sunshine Coast, really. Now that's hot. The road was practically liquid - I think there are still some traces of it stuck to my car - and the flies were unbearable. Give me Townsville summer over that any day!

Yes Otokonoko, the roads were cut last wet season for quite a while, to the point that the supermarket shelves were bare. But I don’t mind that, occasionally.

I’m not in favour of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to flood-proof the Bruce Highway. I think that there are much better things to spend that sort of money on – health, education, national parks and conservation, etc.

<< Give me Townsville summer over that any day. >>

All-considered, the summer isn’t too bad, once you get used to the humidity…..or if you are a woose that just hangs out in air-conditioned comfort!

Love the wet season thunderstorms. Love going running in the rain!

My great fear is a big cyclone. We saw Cyclone Larry flatten Innisfail three years ago. Just imagine if something like that hit Townsville or Cairns. Add a storm surge to it and large areas of both cities would go under...especially Cairns. It would be own version of New Orleans!

Now THAT would put a stopper on population growth!