Corinne Maier’s manifesto

No. 1
You are a modern day slave. There is no scope for personal fulfilment. You work for your pay-check at the end of the month, full stop.

No. 2
It’s pointless to try to change the system. Opposing it simply makes it stronger.

No. 3
What you do is pointless. You can be replaced from one day to the next by any cretin sitting next to you. So work as little as possible and spend time (not too much, if you can help it) cultivating your personal network so that you’re untouchable when the next restructuring comes around.

No. 4
You’re not judged on merit, but on whether you look and sound the part. Speak lots of leaden jargon: people will suspect you have an inside track

No. 5
Never accept a position of responsibility for any reason. You’ll only have to work harder for what amounts to peanuts.

No. 6
Make a beeline for the most useless positions, (research, strategy and business development), where it is impossible to assess your ‘contribution to the wealth of the firm’. Avoid ‘on the ground’ operational roles like the plague.

No. 7
Once you’ve found one of these plum jobs, never move. It is only the most exposed who get fired.

No. 8
Learn to identify kindred spirits who, like you, believe the system is absurd through discreet signs (quirks in clothing, peculiar jokes, warm smiles).

No. 9
Be nice to people on short-term contracts. They are the only people who do any real work.

No. 10
Tell yourself that the absurd ideology underpinning this corporate bullshit cannot last for ever. It will go the same way as the dialectical materialism of the communist system. The problem is knowing when …

The shearer

Traditional Aussie song
DSC03331 – shearer
Originally uploaded by RaeA.

Traditional Aussie song

Click Go The Shears

Out on the board
The old shearer stands,
Grasping his shears
In his thin bony hands;
Fixed is his gaze on
A bare-bellied yoe,
Glory if he gets her,
Won’t he make the ringer go.

Chorus:
Click go the shears boys,
Click, click click,
Wide is his blow
And his hands move quick,
The ringer looks around
And is beaten by a blow,
And curses the old snagger
With the bare-bellied yoe.
Chorus:

In the middle of the floor
In his cane bottomed chair
Sits the boss of the board
With his eyes everywhere,
Notes well each fleece as
It comes to the screen,
Paying strict attention
That it’s taken off clean.

Chorus:

The colonial experience man,
He is there of course,
With his shiny leggin’s on.,
Just got off his horse,
Gazes all around him like
A real connoisseur,
Scented soap and brilliantine
And smelling like a whore,

Chorus:

Savoury muffins

These muffins are great for breakfast or a light dinner. The kids can also take them for lunch. You don’t need all the ingredients and can change the mix using things like sweet corn, sun-dried tomates, bacon etc.

You need:

  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 or 4 cherry tomatoes
  • fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, chives)
  • ham

Method:

  1. Mix flour, cheese, eggs, milk, herbs, ham and salt and pepper together in large bowl.
  2. Slice the cherry tomatoes and fold into the mixture
  3. Place large spoonfuls into greased muffin tins.
  4. Bake 210 C for 10 mins.
  5. Remove from oven an allow to stand

Makes 12 medium muffins
Serve with sour cream for best effect.

Tunnel of Love

Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that i chooseSing about the sixblade sing about the switchback and a torture tattooAnd I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slamAnd I don't know where I'll be tonight but I'd always tell you where I amIn a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the lightshe had a ticket for the races just like me she was a victim of the nighti put a hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it rolli had the one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my          soul     and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above     and i'm just high on the world     come on and take a low ride with me girl     on the tunnel of loveit's just the danger when you're riding at your own riskshe said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let's keep it like thisit's just a cake walk twisting baby step right up and sayhey mister give me two give me two cos any two can play     and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above     and i'm just high on the world     come on and take a low ride with me girl     on the tunnel of lovewell it's been money for muscle another whirligigmoney for muscle and another girl i diganother hustle just to make it bigand rockaway rockawayand girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always didlike the spanish city to me when we were kidsoh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always didlike the spanish city to me when we were kidsshe took off a silver locket she said remember me by thisshe put her hand in my pocket i got a keepsake and a kissand in the roar of the dust and diesel i stood and watched her walk awayi could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me          stay     and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above     and i'm just high on the world     come on and take a low ride with me girl     on the tunnel of loveand now i'm searching through these carousels and the carnival arcadessearching everywhere from steeplechase to palisadesin any shooting gallery where promises are madeto rockaway rockaway from cullercoats and whitley bay out to rockawayand girl it looks so pretty to me like it always didlike the spanish city to me when we were kidsgirl it looks so pretty to me like it always didlike the spanish city to me when we were kids- Dire Straits
DSC03180 – tunnel
Originally uploaded by RaeA.

Getting crazy on the waltzers but it’s the life that i choose
Sing about the sixblade sing about the switchback and a torture tattoo
And I been riding on a ghost train where the cars they scream and slam
And I don’t know where I’ll be tonight but I’d always tell you where I am

In a screaming ring of faces I seen her standing in the light
she had a ticket for the races just like me she was a victim of the night
i put a hand upon the lever said let it rock and let it roll
i had the one arm bandit fever there was an arrow through my heart and my
soul

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and i’m just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

it’s just the danger when you’re riding at your own risk
she said you are the perfect stranger she said baby let’s keep it like this
it’s just a cake walk twisting baby step right up and say
hey mister give me two give me two cos any two can play

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and i’m just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

well it’s been money for muscle another whirligig
money for muscle and another girl i dig
another hustle just to make it big
and rockaway rockaway

and girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids
oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids

she took off a silver locket she said remember me by this
she put her hand in my pocket i got a keepsake and a kiss
and in the roar of the dust and diesel i stood and watched her walk away
i could have caught up with her easy enough but something must have made me
stay

and the big wheel keep on turning neon burning up above
and i’m just high on the world
come on and take a low ride with me girl
on the tunnel of love

and now i’m searching through these carousels and the carnival arcades
searching everywhere from steeplechase to palisades
in any shooting gallery where promises are made
to rockaway rockaway from cullercoats and whitley bay out to rockaway

and girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids
girl it looks so pretty to me like it always did
like the spanish city to me when we were kids

- Dire Straits

Cherry Bomb

Well I lived on the outskirts of town
In an eight room farmhouse, baby
When my brothers and friends were around
There was always somethin´ doin´
had me a couple of real nice girlfriends
Stopped by to see me every once in a while
When I think back about those days
All I can do is sit and smile

Chorus:
That´s when sport was a sport
And groovin´ was groovin´
and dancin´ meant everything
We were young and we were improvin´
laughtin´ laughtin´ with our friends
Holding hands meant somethin´ baby
Outside the club cherry bomb
Where our hearts were really thumpin´
say yeah yeah yeah
Say yeah yeah yeah

The winter days they last forever
And the weekends went by so quick
We ridin´ around this little country town
We were goin´ nuts, girl, out in the stick
One night me with my big mouth
A couple guys had to put me in my place
When I see those guys these days
We just laugh and say
Remember when

Chorus:
That´s when sport was a sport
And groovin´ was groovin´
and dancin´ meant everything
We were young and we were improvin´
laughtin´ laughtin´ with our friends
Holding hands meant somethin´ baby
Outside the club cherry bomb
Where our hearts were really thumpin´
say yeah yeah yeah
Say yeah yeah yeah

Seventeen has turned thirty-five
I´m surprised that we´re still livin´
if we´ve done any wrong
I hope that we´re forgiven
Got a few kids on my own
And some days I still don´t know
What to do
I hope that they´re not laughtin´ too
Loud, when they hear me talkin´ like this to you

Chorus:
That´s when sport was a sport
And groovin´ was groovin´
and dancin´ meant everything
We were young and we were improvin´
laughtin´ laughtin´ with our friends
Holding hands meant so much baby
Outside the club cherry bomb
Where our hearts were really thumpin´
say yeah yeah yeah
Say yeah yeah yeah

- John Mellencamp

Blue Skies


Whirlygig
Originally uploaded by RaeA.

I was blue, just as blue as I could be
Ev’ry day was a cloudy day for me
Then good luck came a-knocking at my door
Skies were gray but they’re not gray anymore

Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you’re in love, my how they fly

Blue days
All of them gone
Nothing but blue skies
From now on

I should care if the wind blows east or west
I should fret if the worst looks like the best
I should mind if they say it can’t be true
I should smile, that’s exactly what I do