Hey guys! I’m back!

It has honestly been way too long, and I am so happy to come back and share my thoughts with you on what is going on with the world.

I will admit, COVID was such a dark time, and it has taken a while for not just me, but the world to get back on its feet. One thing I noticed during the pandemic was how much everyone came together; like the petty things we used to worry about didn’t matter anymore. Sadly though, in the aftermath, societal problems have reared their ugly heads again. This time, it’s the gender wars. This is so frustrating for me, because for such a long time, there was a fight for acceptance for homosexuals in the western world. I feel like, although we have come a long way, the fight for the transgender community is still sitting where the gay community was thirty years ago.

One story that I read this week triggered me. A story about a 12-year-old boy in Massachusetts who was sent home from school for five words across his shirt, “There are only two genders”.

This has sparked outrage. Many have defended the boy, claiming he was within his rights to make a statement that is biological fact. One video on Sky News described it as “Biological fact and just political opinion to claim that there are 150 genders…”

There were also words like, “Woke” thrown around in this article and the accompanying video. When buzz words like this get thrown around, it tends to indicate that there is nothing better to say. It’s almost a modern day “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” when people dislike a particular concept. Check out the article below.

I feel like I need to go back to the beginning. There are a lot of different concepts, particularly when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. I feel it necessary to point out that there is a significant difference between sex and gender, just like there is a difference between a transgender person and a drag queen.

Biological fact: there are two sexes: male and female. Every person in the world is born as one or the other. Biologically, a male has a penis, and a female has a vagina. A male inserts his sperm into a female, she falls pregnant, and reproduction occurs.

Gender is very different to sex. While sex is physical, gender is emotional, and fundamental to our identity. A person who identifies as cisgender identifies with the sex they were born as, e.g., a male identifying as a man, a female identifying as a woman. A transgender person on the other hand, identifies as the opposite gender to the sex they were assigned at birth, e.g., a biological male identifying as a woman. A transsexual person is a transgender person who has physically transitioned and made alterations to their body to coincide with their gender. In recent times, many individuals have come out as non-binary, where they do not identify as one gender over the other, and do not emotionally conform to traditional gender roles. Most non-binary individuals’ preferred pronouns are “they”, “their” and “them”.

When it comes to the young boy in Massachusetts who was made to change his shirt, I feel it necessary to point out that it goes much deeper than “Pointing out biological facts”, firstly, because it is not a biological fact. Second, I must wonder just how much the child understood the background of the words on his shirt, and how much he was influenced by his parents, who defended him when they were called in.

This is frighteningly like the derogatory slang thrown at the gay community like, “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!”

The video on Sky News that I watched made me shake my head, as it featured banners like, “Biological Facts Now ‘Political Opinions’”, and “12 Year Old Punished For Stating Facts”. This is generally accompanied by slurs featuring words like “Leftists” and again, “Woke”. It makes me incredibly sad that people’s gender identities are constantly being confused with a side of the political fence.

The next issue I feel is necessary to address is that of tact. Since 2020, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has faced significant backlash after she made a series of Tweets many have deemed transphobic. Rowling explained her stance, indicating that she is not transphobic, but feels under attack because she feels the LGBTQ+ community are trying to remove the concept of sex. The first tweet drew attention to a post by devex.com, who referred to biological females as “People who menstruate”. Rowling goes on to say,

Again, Rowling is attempting to portray sex and gender as one in the same, not two completely different concepts, and believes that her role in the world as a woman is under threat. This is not the case. People like Rowling feel like the gender roles and ideals which have been the norm in our society are now being challenged, when the reality is that the trans community simply wants more inclusion. I see that she is obviously confused and feels threatened by the support behind the trans community. I don’t believe that terms like “Person who menstruates” and “Person who produces sperm” should necessarily replace scientific terms like “Biological male” and “Biological female”. However, I feel that Rowling has upset many of her fans (including actors who worked on the Harry Potter films), through her derogatory remarks and lack of tact in expressing her concerns.

When it comes to the issue of how many genders exist, I feel it necessary to look back at our history. When it comes to sexuality, heterosexuality was the only one accepted, while homosexuality and bisexuality were seen as deviant. It has only been this century that there has been a clear distinction made between a drag queen and a transgender person, and only in the last few years has the term ‘non-binary’ been accepted in the modern vocabulary. The reality is, we are constantly learning new things. We look back at things we believed fifty years ago and think how long we have come since then. In 1973, society would have felt the same about those living in 1923. I find it impossible to believe that we have learnt all there is to know about anything, particularly the human psyche. For all we know, there could be 150 genders. It sounds so far fetched now, but in years to come, it could be conclusively proved or disproved. Who knows?

The sad reality is, we don’t know what goes on in other people’s heads; and many feel they cannot speak out for fear of persecution. The most important thing is to love our fellow humans.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I’m sorry it has been such a long time between posts, but we are in a new post-COVID world now, and there will be many more words from Brett on this, so stay tuned for more updates soon!

Peace out for now,

xoxo Brett

So, it is official. Brett has been 30 for a month. I will be completely honest and say that I was extremely depressed, but after a while I decided to look at it differently.

Let’s be honest: we’re never happy with our age. As children we are desperate to be older: to drive a car, drink, earn our own money, have our independence. When we reach our early twenties, we can’t wait to see the world, buy our own house and get married.
As we get to our thirties, those of us who haven’t already started having their own family often start to hear the biological clock ticking. I suppose as a man, I don’t hear that clock ticking as much as if I was a woman. I’ll be completely honest and say that having children is definitely not on my radar. I feel that unless I hit 35 or 40 and suddenly start hearing that clock ticking, I do not see it happening. But you know what? This is the 21^st century. There was once a time when our sole purpose of living was to grow up, reproduce, and then our job was done. Nowadays, life is so much more complex; there is so much more you can achieve in a lifetime besides having children.

It feels like only yesterday that I was celebrating my 21^st birthday. I look back at photos and wish that I could look like that again. However, in other ways I do not envy that person at all. My 21-year-old self was an insecure, anxious person. In all honesty, I did not love myself and still thought that my high school years were the most significant years of my life. I compromised myself and my own values to keep friends who weren’t really friends. On top of this, I was too anxious to try anything outside my comfort zone and find what I wanted to be in life, let alone be my true self.

Nine years have passed, but in many ways, it feels like no time has passed. It is only when you look back at all the small things that have happened during that time that you realise how far you have come. Since 2012, I have travelled overseas four times. In 2015, I did the scariest thing I have ever done in my life (I still can’t believe I did it) and flew to London on my own to spend six weeks with my sister.

I have found love: In 2014 I found a man who loves me for all my imperfections and craziness. In 2016, we bought our first home together and in 2019, a year after marriage equality was achieved in Australia, we got married. That same year, I saw two of my favourite bands perform live: Aqua at So Pop in Sydney, and the Spice Girls live at Wembley Stadium in London.

Last year, I finished a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism Major) and am now studying English and Writing. Funnily enough, I do not regret anything I have done. Although I feel sad that I am getting older, I am also thankful for the life lessons my experiences have given me. I think the first thing I learnt was: Your school years are not the most significant years of your life. I spent so much of my life worrying about what certain people thought; insignificant, ineffectual people who I did not like and wanted nothing to do with. Yet, I was so worried about what they thought of me. How does that make any sense?!

To this day, I still suffer from anxiety. Sadly, some things do not leave you, no matter how much you try to beat them. This, however, is something I have been actively working on, and I am proud that in my adult life I was able to recognise it and address it.

While I am still mindful of potential ridicule and bullying from others, I feel I have also learnt how to read different people and get on better with them.

The second thing I learnt is interesting, because an interesting cliché I have seen and heard for years is: Be yourself and stay true to yourself. While I agree with this, I learnt to refine it to: Be the best version of yourself. I have always been a big believer in what goes around, comes around. If we choose to be a person that we love, and those around us love, while also staying true to ourselves, it is a win-win. If we are a person that we like, then it stands to reason that we will attract the same kind of people to us. It costs nothing to be kind, but the effect of kindness is priceless.

The third and probably most important thing I have learnt is that life is short. While I don’t feel the desire to spend money frivolously on wild benders and impulse items, I have realised as I have gotten older that opportunities are presented to us all the time, and if we don’t take them, we miss out on life. We miss our own life.

To sum up, turning 30 has been a huge emotional rollercoaster, surprisingly in more good ways than bad. I know that I have so much going for me, and still have a huge amount I want to achieve.

So, what is instore for the next ten years of Brett’s life? I want my stories to fill my pages for the world to see and enjoy. I want to work in the world of English and writing and make a difference in the community. I want to buy a beautiful townhouse with my husband and have a proper old-fashioned library with the cushy red armchairs in the middle of the room. When COVID19 is finally a thing of the past, I want to travel to America, Canada, Africa, Asia and see the rest of the world.

So, that is turning 30 in a nutshell! Growing older should not be a sad experience. It should be an experience where we look at our lives and recognised what we have achieved, what we have learnt, and what we want for our future.

Until next time!

xoxo Brett

Writing is one of the most underappreciated, underestimated professions, right alongside artists and hairdressers. The reality is, writing is everywhere; in the newspaper, in novels, in press releases, in the latest COVID restrictions on the NSW Health site. What we don’t see or recognise is what goes into it behind the scenes.

A press release needs to be informative but selective in its details. An advertisement must appeal to its intended audience to sell their product. A newspaper article must use the inverted pyramid model: the most important information first, the least important last. A university level essay must construct an argument backed up with academic references, written with a clear structure. Meanwhile, a novel must have a clear narrative structure, featuring the beginning, complication, climax, resolution and ending.

There are so many different types of writing, and, especially if you’re being paid for your skills, it needs to be done properly.

There is an entire community of people out there who practice various forms of writing as a hobby. There are people who find it difficult to convey something verbally; so they write it instead. Some like to create an entire world of their own, where their characters have their own challenges to overcome. They fall in love, have fall outs with the people they care about, some people die, and then usually at the end, they live happily ever after.

Writing sounds like an easy feat, but there is so much more to it than meets the eye. I have compiled just a few of the most underestimated challenges a writer endures.

 

“Less is more”, and you never stop hearing it! There is always the desire to explain everything in tremendous detail to your reader. What we don’t realise is how tedious writing is when it’s written for a person with a 0 IQ and no clue of how to put information together.

 

“Keep it simple”. This is like “Less is More”. Basically, there is no need to use fancy words and phrases to try to show the reader how intelligent you are. The real trick is keeping things at a level so that everyone can understand and engage with it. An inexperienced writer is the one who overcomplicates their text to sound smart. An experienced writer knows how to write simply with the most impact.

 

“Show, don’t tell”. This has taken me years to figure out. When I’m introducing a character, it is so easy to delve into their life story, their experiences, strengths and weaknesses. Before you know it, you have given them a ten-page biography and they have not even done anything worth telling yet. The key is to show their life story, strengths and weaknesses through their actions and interactions with others. Then the reader knows the character for themselves.

 

“Know your intended audience”. Know who your prospective readers are going to be. For example, you wouldn’t write a children’s book which features lots of swear words, or a newspaper article that reads more like a short story.

 

“Don’t do it for the money”. You need to be yourself, and not do anything for the money. Finding a publisher who agrees to publish your work is like finding a needle in fifty haystacks, and even self-publishing is requires the author to sell at least 2000 copies of their work before they break even. J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series, which were made into film and merchandise. However, when you look at what she achieved, and her personal life, it was no picnic. It is clear that Harry Potter was the best way for her to escape her reality, as she immersed herself into a world completely of her own.

 

Procrastination is your worst enemy. It is so easy to fall into the trap of procrastinating, especially when it is a project of your own. You have no due date, you have no one checking on your progress, there are no guidelines for the project itself, and you have no one hounding you on your progress.

 

There are so many writers out there. Anyone can be a writer. All you need is a pen and paper. For writers whose work sees publication, and better yet is paid for their work it is a skill which takes years to refine. The cold hard reality is that, like any art form, you can’t release a piece of your work to the world without it being critiqued and judged. People will either love it or hate it. That is why so many writers just write to themselves.

 

As many of you know, I have spent the last two weeks working on my novel: a fantasy which I started back in 2012. It has caused me many sleepless nights over the years, as I have tried to refine my skills as a writer and put that into practice in this piece. When I had it professionally read and edited back in 2016, I was told that it would be suitable for an age bracket of no more than 10, and that my characters needed more depth so that my readers could fall in love with them.

Over the past fortnight, I have had the best time re-writing my characters, writing in new characters and making the necessary edits. Two weeks ago, I made a list of everything I wanted to achieve during the time I had blocked out to get my story back on track. I will be the first to admit that I should have blocked out two months to get everything done! However, I feel like the concept, characters, timeline and storyline have come leaps and bounds from where they were before. So, all in all, I would call this a success!

There is still a long way to go, but I am so excited to finally have the ball rolling. I will be sure to keep you posted on my progress, and hopefully one day soon I will be able to share my finished work with you. 

xoxo

Brett

It’s been such a tough year. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would be living through a worldwide pandemic. 

Something to come to my attention in recent months is the phrase: “Be Kind”. So many people say it, but how many people actually practice what they preach?

I can’t help but think about the scandal surrounding Ellen DeGeneres. The latest season of her hit talk show appeared to be looking down the barrel of being cancelled. One by one, previous employees and acquaintances of hers came forward and told of their negative experiences with the celebrity. Former employees told of being bullied and degraded by Ellen. Members of the media told of having been warned not to talk or even look at her for purposes other than that which has been arranged. Furthermore, audience members of her talk show described a shockingly sterile and unfriendly experience onset, which was in contrast to what they thought they had seen on television. 

As a person who has studied journalism, I know how easy it is to manipulate a story to get people to believe the angle you want them to see. Of course, members of the public could easily come forward to tell of their “experiences” and get their fifteen minutes of fame. There were so many similar allegations against Ellen that at the beginning of the new season of her show, she addressed her audience, apologising for any upset she may have caused. Many saw this as merely a damage control measure, rather than a sincere apology. Check out the clip below!

This article isn’t all about the Ellen DeGeneres scandal. I just wanted to use her as an example of people who don’t practice what they preach. 

The other sort of people who fool themselves into thinking they are “kind” are those on vegetarian or vegan diets. 

Don’t get me wrong. I admire those who stand up for animal rights. However, bullying others into believing what you believe is not the way to go about it. 

The education is out there, but unfortunately it is up to everyone to seek out the information and use it.

This goes the same for religious nuts who feel the need to force the bible down people’s throats. If people want the information, they will seek it out. 

However, you will find that many people like this are not really good people underneath it all, because they’re trying to earn karma points, or trying to earn their ticket into heaven. So, is it really kind if there is an ulterior motive? 

I tend to think not.  

So, what does it mean to be kind? This is so hard to answer, because kindness comes in many forms. The first is giving someone loose change to pay for their bread and milk. The second is not judging a person before getting to know them; understanding that things aren’t always as they seem. The third is choosing how to react when you, say, go to McDonald’s and they mess up your order. You can either be gracious and accept their apologies, or you can be a Karen and belittle the staff for their mistake.

Some people think that for an act to be truly kind, it has to be selfless. But is this even possible? Feeling good about yourself and boosting your own self-esteem as a result, to some, is selfish.

Of course, this takes me back to that episode of Friends when Phoebe tries to show Joey that selfless good deeds do in fact exist. Check out the clip of that episode below!

In this post, I think I have raised more questions than answers. Kindness clearly comes in many forms, but I think sincerity plays a big part in it. As a person who has studied Public Relations, I have seen the lengths individuals and companies will go to in order to better their brand. The difference is an act of kindness which is subsequently plastered on social media for the world to see, compared to an act followed by the words, “You’re welcome”.

So, to sum up this post, it is important to be not just kind, but sincere and humble. A smile costs nothing, yet it is priceless.

It is things like this which will make Christmas all the more special. Thank you for reading, and my happiest wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.

Stay tuned for my next post coming soon!

xoxo Brett

Hey guys!

Not much has changed since the last time we talked. COVID19 is still ruling our lives. As of today, there are 6,703 confirmed cases of COVID19 in Australia, with 81 deaths. This is in stark comparison to other first world countries like the United Kingdom, whose death toll currently stands at 20,319.
However, in recent weeks the activities (or lack thereof), of a prominent and somewhat infamous person have hit the headlines.

Kim Jong-un: leader and ruler of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been missing in action and has not been seen publicly since a party meeting on April 11. Suspicions began to arise when he failed to appear in public for the annual celebration of the birth of his grandfather: Kim Il Sung. These furthered when a South Korean news outlet published a story revealing that the leader was recovering after heart surgery in a villa outside Pyongyang, the nation’s capital. Although the reliability of this report has come under question, the source is said to be from inside North Korea. Experts have also recently expressed concerns about Kim’s weight and the health risks associated with it.
However, with still no news from the hermit kingdom about their brutal dictator, rumours have hit the headlines that Kim Jong Un has died. As recently as today, Kim was conspicuous in his absence to celebrate the anniversary of the Korean People’s Army. Check out a story by Channel 9 below.

You might remember back to April last year, when I posted a review on In Order to Live: Yeonmi Park’s autobiography of her life in North Korea and daring escape when she was just 13 years old. In recent posts on social media, Park has stated that back in 2011 when Kim Jong Il died, the news wasn’t announced until two days later; presumably to get things in year-old has died, unlike his father, there is no successor in line to rule. This fact has also sparked rumours and debate.

North and South Korea have been divided since the end of World War II. At the end of the Korean War in 1953, the demilitarized zone at the border was established, and any prisoners of war could return via the Bridge of No Return. Since then, North Korea has isolated itself from the rest of the world. The Kim family has ruled since 1948. However, very few concrete facts are known about them, thanks to their heavy propaganda and state-controlled media. Sources have revealed in recent years that Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol-ju are said to have three children: a boy, girl and the gender of the third is unknown. They have never been seen in public however one can be certain that none of Kim’s children is old enough to rule the country.

In light of this, rumours about Kim’s sister Kim Yo-jong taking over as ruler have also surfaced. Kim Yo-jong is a North Korean politician and has become the most important figure in the country after her brother.

According to The Guardian, she is now known as the country’s propagandist in-chief, and has also been placed on a blacklist along with other North Korean officials by the US for “severe human rights abuses”. Although very little has been seen of Kim Yo-jong publicly until 2010, she has become known as his confidante, and if ruler, could be as, if not more ruthless than her brother. But would a woman be allowed to rule North Korea?

The next question regarding Kim Jong-un involves COVID19: Is it possible that he has it? The sad fact is, the hermit kingdom has always been so secretive and clouded by propaganda, the only honest reports to come from North Korea have been from defectors like Yeonmi Park. Some believe that given that citizens are not allowed to travel out of the country, the virus couldn’t have come in. However, most if not all of North Korea’s trading comes from China, and with selected government officials freely able to travel between the two countries, it could easily have been introduced.
Another piece of information I have discovered is that over the years it has not been unusual for the leaders to fall off the radar. In 2008, Kim Jong-il disappeared for a few months. It would later emerge that he had suffered a stroke. In 2014, Kim Jong-un also disappeared for months, eventually announcing that he had been unwell.
Kim Jong-un’s father and grandfather died from heart attacks, and it is well-known that the current leader has heart problems.

In her posts, Yeonmi Park has prayed that this might be the beginning of the end of the hideous, cruel dictatorship that has been North Korea for over 50 years. I, however, am slightly more pessimistic. None of us know what will happen, assuming the leader has in fact died. Whether another family member steps in, or there is a complete change in ruling remains to be seen. Sadly, I don’t see a radical change unless something drastic happens, e.g. a war and the border between North and South Korea is opened.

There is a lot to ponder on this topic. Is the leader dead? Will the country be turned upside down? Whatever happens, I’ll keep you posted.

Sending all my readers my love and hopes that COVID19 is all over soon and life can get back to normal again.

Until next time,
xoxo Brett

PS. If you want to check out my review of Yeonmi Park’s book, click on the picture!

We have all heard of natural and man-made disasters throughout history. The bubonic plague, World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, the Chernobyl disaster, 9/11, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2011 Japan tsunami, the list goes on.
But how many of us bogans from our small country towns in the Hunter Valley thought that we would be living through a worldwide pandemic?
Up until the end of last year, my biggest concerns were getting through university, and how I was going to balance going to the gym, going to uni, and going to work all at the same time.

Then, at the very beginning of the year, this thing called coronavirus, or COVID19 started hitting the headlines. Within weeks, it was all anyone could talk about. Soon, the fear and panic were spreading, and the restrictions were arriving on a daily basis.
Now, life is completely different. Turning on the television involves seeing constant live updates from the prime minister and the premier. Scrolling through social media involves being bombarded by photos and videos of people and children at home in isolation. Other posts include videos of people fighting over toilet paper in the supermarket.

Leaving the house is even more depressing. The world is a ghost town, and anyone who is walking around has to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres between themselves and others. A trip to the supermarket now requires walking through red tape and barriers, getting past a security guard, then using hand sanitiser upon entry. People are hostile, and supermarket workers are constantly on edge; frightened of copping verbal abuse.
Even social gatherings are now impossible without the use of virtual software. A trip to the parent’s house has to be accompanied with a “reasonable excuse”.
It almost feels apocalyptic. So many businesses have been forced to close their doors, while nearly every Centrelink branch has had queues halfway down the street.
However, one thing that has stood out for me through all this is the effect of a world with no people around. The water in the Venice canals are now clear. The air in China is the cleanest it has ever been. Thailand has seen monkeys in its streets, while Chile has seen a cougar! Check out the video below.

Just in case you were wondering, this is not a “How You Can Stay Safe From COVID19” post. Lord knows we get enough of that when we turn on the television or look at our phones. What I want to do is provide a little perspective.

As of today, there are over 1.7 million confirmed cases of COVID19 worldwide, 6,289 of those in Australia. The total current number of deaths worldwide sits just under 109,000. I don’t deny that the new measures are necessary to save lives. However, the sad fact remains that this pandemic has brought out the best, and in many cases, the worst in humankind. Who thought that in Australia we would be seeing punch ups in the supermarket over toilet paper and hand sanitiser?
In just about every war book I’ve ever read, even Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where everything about life has become so hard, dark and gloomy, I’ve found myself asking: In this situation, is life that much better than death?
I think the most important thing to remember here is that yes, we are going through a rough time and yes, no one will ever forget 2020 and yes, it will take years for the economy to recover. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

When?

I know about as much as you. The most important thing to do is keep your networks open. Don’t cut yourself off from the world. Keep your loved ones close to you. If this means having drinks over FaceTime on a Saturday night, or getting takeaway and playing board games on Thursday night, so be it.

So, in the spirit of optimism, I would like to wish all my friends out there a safe and happy Easter! Have some Easter eggs, have a picnic in the backyard, and try to enjoy yourself. Stay tuned for my next post coming soon!

All my love,
xoxo Brett

Happy New Year everyone, It’s a new dawn, a new day, and a new decade. However, I can’t say that things have gotten off to the best beginning.
The year is 2020. In the past few years it began to feel like love and acceptance were beginning to become more mainstream, with just one or two exceptions.
However, things took a dark turn when a children’s story time event run by two drag queen performers was stormed last Saturday.
The event endorsed by Rainbow Families Queensland and hosted by drag queens Queeny and Diamond was a storytelling for children at the library in Brisbane CBD.
The protesting group, students of Queensland University and members of the UQ Liberal National Club stormed into the storytelling session chanting, “Drag queens are not for kids”, over and over. 

A video of the protest, featuring the club president Wilson Gavin trying to intimidate one of the drag queens has gone viral on social media; with many Australians expressing their disgust at the protesters. The Liberal National councillor Vicki Howard has in fact posted on Facebook her disappointment at the event, reassuring that the protesting group’s actions were “appalling” and that their actions do not represent the views or values of the LNP.

However, there were those who agreed with the actions of the protesters, many expressing their desire not to expose their children to this kind of sexualisation, while others described drag queens as having a “mental illness”, and “having a political agenda”.
Now, over the past three years I feel like I have frequently been hearing about the LGBTQI community and their “political agenda”. However, I am struggling to see how things like marriage equality and drag queens reading to children could be in any way political. Do Australians think that by teaching today’s children to love others, even if they are homosexual or transgender, that we will turn the entire population gay or transgender?!
Just the thought of this makes me feel as if my brain is disintegrating!
The fact of the matter is that Queeny and Diamond have both held blue cards for over five years (Working with Children’s Check in NSW), and are experienced performers, having not only done shows for adults but also numerous arts and crafts sessions with children. The idea behind the event at the library was to teach children the values of inclusivity and diversity; to love fellow human beings for who they are.

Sadly, events took a shocking turn the following day when the leader of the protest group Wilson Gavin was found dead. Less than 24 hours after the protest, he committed suicide. Now, so many people are asking what happened.
Was he in the closet; in constant fear of being outed? Was the protest in fact his final desperate cry for help? Could anything have been done to stop Gavin’s final actions?
These are all questions we will probably never know the answers to.
Over just one weekend, Australians everywhere have been on an emotional rollercoaster; from anger and frustration, to deep sadness and regret, wishing they had been able to do something to help.

In the aftermath, it has come to light that in the hours following the protest, Gavin who himself was gay but a staunch conservative (who was adamantly opposed to things like same-sex marriage), was bombarded by hateful abuse online. Once again, the issue of cyberbullying comes to the fore. Could the abuse he suffered after the protest have been enough to make him want to end his life?
The saddest thing about life is that things like suicide cannot be undone. No one ever really knows what is going on in another person’s head, let alone what is going through their head in those final moments before they commit to their final act. Suicide is a tragedy, regardless of who, when and where it occurs.
The drag queens involved have even expressed their support to Gavin’s family.

So, I feel it necessary to say that we all need to take something away from this tragedy. I feel the need to reiterate that love and acceptance are the key. We are all human. We are all different, yet we are all the same. It is our differences that make us special, and we should celebrate that, not vilify each other.

I sincerely hope that lessons can be learnt from this event so that it can be avoided in the future.

All my love,
xoxo Brett.

If you need help, please contact Lifeline.

What can I say but: Wow! What an amazing year 2019 has been! One thing is for sure: I’ll be hard pressed to top this year.

The day I will never forget is April 13th: the day I got to marry the love of my life on Australian soil, where it is now officially legal, in front of my closest family and friends. Adventure came soon after as Jay and I embarked on our mini honeymoon at South West Rocks. I had never been there before, and while it was picturesque, I probably wouldn’t hurry back there. I can’t explain it; I just don’t feel like I connected with it. Next time I think we’ll just go to my childhood holiday destination I never get tired of visiting: Scott’s Head.

June 12th saw Jay and I pack our luggage for our real honeymoon. For this I would need a Union Jack costume and big platform shoes as we headed to London to see my favourite band: the Spice Girls live in concert at Wembley Stadium. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed with Jay. This was his first overseas trip, and let’s just say, I threw him in the deep end!

We did the tourist thing in London for a few days before the final show of the SpiceWorld 2019 tour. When Geri, Emma, Mel C and Mel B rose up onto the stage, excitement doesn’t even describe what I felt. Even looking back now, it feels like a dream. I will never get sick of their music, but also, there is something just so refreshing about what they represent. The Spice Girls have always been about empowering oneself and going after what you believe in, but at the same time always having fun and never taking yourself too seriously. This is such a strong and often underrated message. Check out the video of the opening of the show below!

The rest of our trip saw Jay and I explore Scotland and England before doing a Topdeck Tour which took us to France, Switzerland and Italy. Our last port of call was Ireland. I had never been there before, and I think it is my new favourite place (next to London of course). The people are so friendly, and the atmosphere, particularly in the hustle and bustle of Dublin is so chill!
Jay and I arrived home refreshed and feeling a sense of accomplishment; like we had the world at our fingertips.
The end of our trip saw me back at uni for Semester Two, which once again I undertook on a full-time basis, and loved it! I am due to wrap up my Bachelor of Communication degree at the end of next year. But what next?
People want to see me get a job as a journalist. However, I want to undertake another degree in the Creative Industries, majoring in writing and publishing. I feel secure and safe with how I have been handling my studies during this degree, and I don’t see the point in upsetting that apple cart as yet, but you never know what the future will bring!

2019 has not been without its sadness however. Earlier in the year, I lost a friend. It was a long journey for me to accept that the friendship was over, but thankfully I was able to say my last words beforehand. While this really hurt, I did learn some valuable life lessons. It is impossible to help a person who chooses not to help themselves. At some point you need to step back and realise that the person they were when you first met them is not the person they are now, no matter how much you try to change them.
I think from this I have also learnt that self-respect is even more important than being respected by others; because they go hand in hand. I’ve learnt that if a person I think I am close to can’t afford me the same respect that I afford for them, it is in my best interests to step back and tell them,
“You have your own journey to take in life. I love you, but I’m sorry to say I won’t be there for the ride.”

2020 is the beginning of a whole new decade, and with that, we will be celebrating A Word From Brett’s 2nd birthday! Stay tuned for more exciting posts coming soon as I push the boundaries of life!
Enjoy NYE, and remember to stay safe. Until next year’s word, my friends!

xoxo Brett

They burst onto the scene in 2005 with smash hits like ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘Beep’, ‘Buttons’, and ‘When I Grow Up’, becoming one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Of course, I am talking about none other than the Pussycat Dolls!
Their pop style, sassy outfits, sexy and provocative dance routines and strong empowering attitude quickly won the hearts of fans worldwide. At the time, no one realised that the group would go on to sell over 15 million records worldwide in just five years.
However, the group itself was nothing new. In 1995, choreographer Robin Antin created the Pussycat Dolls as a burlesque dance group, which featured no less than fifteen dancers. The group was an instant success, earning themselves a home at the legendary Viper Room in Hollywood; a place which came to be called the Pussycat Dolls Lounge. Soon, the group was also performing in places like Las Vegas, earning their own PCD Casino in Caesar’s Palace.
Eventually, celebrities like Gwen Stefani became familiar with the burlesque group, and they soon caught the eye of Interscope Records, who offered the Pussycat Dolls a recording contract.
Through auditioning, the Pussycat Dolls were weeded down to four backup dancers: Carmit Bachar (who was part of the original Pussycat Dolls), Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts and Jessica Sutta. There were also three main singers: Melody Thornton, Kaya Jones and Nicole Scherzinger, with Scherzinger as the lead singer.
In 2005, the Pussycat Dolls released their first single: ‘Don’t Cha’ featuring Busta Rhymes, which peaked at Number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Shortly after releasing ‘Don’t Cha’ however, Kaya Jones left the group, claiming to be unhappy with the emphasis placed on Nicole Scherzinger compared to the rest of the group. This allowed Carmit Bachar to step into her place as one of the three main vocalists.

Later that year, the Pussycat Dolls released their debut album: PCD. It peaked at Number 5 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold over 99,000 copies in its first week.
The dolls released an array of singles from the album, beginning with ‘Don’t Cha’ (2005), then ‘Stickwitu’ (2005), ‘Beep’ featuring will.i.am (2006), ‘Buttons’ featuring Snoop Dogg (2006), ‘I Don’t Need a Man’ (2006) and ‘Wait a Minute’ featuring Timbaland (2006). The Pussycat Dolls also went on tour in 2006, opening for the Black Eyed Peas.

In 2007, the dolls went on hiatus, and Nicole began focussing on building her solo career. She compiled songs for her first album, including ‘Baby Love’ and ‘Whatever You Like’. However, after releasing these records and achieving little commercial success Nicole decided to focus on the Pussycat Dolls again.
However, during the 2007 hiatus, Carmit was offered work on a television show, and with the uncertain future of the dolls, she jumped ship.

In 2008, the five dolls were back with their new single: ‘When I Grow Up’, which reached the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100. In September, they released their second studio album: Doll Domination, also releasing singles like ‘Whatcha Think About That’ featuring Missy Elliot, ‘Bottle Pop’ and ‘I Hate This Part’. In 2009, the dolls embarked on their Doll Domination tour. With the departure of Carmit, Jessica had the opportunity to sing more leads.
While the tour was a smash, there were issues behind the scenes. Nicole was the lead singer, and the other dolls have expressed how they felt like, “…Nicole was the star, and she wanted to be treated like one.”
The dolls revealed that Nicole even had her own tour bus and dressing room, while the rest of them shared. The difference in pay was also enormous between Nicole and the rest of the dolls.

In 2009, Nicole and the dolls were asked by Jimmy Iovine and Ron Fair to sing a pop version cover of the song ‘Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)’ from the film Slumdog Millionaire.
So, the project was undertaken in the midst of the Doll Domination tour, and the song was released soon after. However, conflict arose within the group when the title of the single was released: A R Rahman & the Pussycat Dolls feat. Nicole Scherzinger. Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) from Slumdog Millionaire.
This conflict became evident during one of their shows in April 2009, when during the dolls introductions Melody said, “Big shoutout to my family. Thank you for supporting me, even if I’m not featured. You know what I’m saying?”
In May, Jessica injured her back during one of their shows in Sydney, forcing her to sit out the rest of the tour.
The remaining four dolls: Nicole, Melody, Ashley and Kimberly went on to finish the tour of South-East Asia without her.

At the end of the tour, rumours of a possible break-up continued to fly, which was quickly confirmed by each of the dolls at different times. During an interview with ABC News, Jessica explained how being away from the dolls made her realise that she wanted to step out and “…not be in Nicole’s shadow anymore”.

So that was that. Each of the dolls found their feet and all achieved reasonable success in different areas. As the years passed, rumours flew about possible PCD reunions, but none came to pass.
That is, until November 27th, when Nicole, Ashley, Kimberly, Jessica and Carmit appeared on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden to announce that the dolls were back together, and embarking on a reunion tour. Check out the video below!

Five of the six dolls are part of the reunion tour, but what about Melody?
In recent interviews, Melody herself has explained that her heart wouldn’t really be in a reunion with the dolls. In the last week, the other dolls have even spoken about Melody and said “…our door is always open to her.”

PCD kicked off their reunion announcement with an exclusive performance on X Factor UK last Saturday. Check out the video below!

 

Tickets are already on sale for the PCD UK tour which will commence in April, 2020. However, that’s not all. PCD are also set to be part of the So Pop noughties line up alongside Jesse McCartney, Sophie Ellis Baxter, Smash Mouth, Steps, Whigfield, Alice DJ, Reel 2 Real and Samantha Mumba.
A Word From Brett will be in attendance at So Pop’s Sydney show on April 25 next year, and I absolutely cannot wait.
However, I have one overriding question: Will all the dolls be allowed to sing?
While the dolls have all grown up and bygones have become bygones, this makes me curious. Don’t get me wrong, I love the dolls and what they stand for: female empowerment, fun and sass. However, I always felt it was unfair that only one out of the six Pussycat Dolls, with the occasional adlib from Melody or Carmit, was really showcased.
I guess only time will tell. But in the meantime, I will sit back and enjoy PCD once more.

Stay tuned for more!
All my love,
xoxo Brett

Australia’s most notorious serial killer is dead.

At 4:07am on Sunday, 27th October 2019, the backpacker killer Ivan Milat breathed his last breath in Long Bay jail hospital.
Milat, convicted in 1996 of killing seven backpackers was moved from solitary confinement in Goulburn jail to Long Bay in May after being diagnosed with oesophagus and stomach cancer.
While the country breathes a sigh of relief that the oxygen he breathed, and treatment he received (at the expense of the tax-payer) can now go to people who deserve it, many of us are still left feeling cheated.
Ivan Milat went to his deathbed denying any responsibility for his crimes. He admitted nothing, and according to officers at the prison, showed no remorse whatsoever. Check out the video from Sky News below!

The story of the backpacker murders is ingrained in the minds of most Australians. In late 1992, the first bodies were found in Belanglo State Forest south of Sydney. Before long, a total of seven bodies were found, and police confirmed that there was a serial killer on the loose. In 1994, Ivan Milat was arrested at his home in Liverpool. In 1996 after an 18 week trial, he was found guilty of all seven murders.
The story should have ended there, but Milat, described by those who knew him as a psychopath and control freak, had other ideas. During his first few years at Maitland jail, he swallowed razor blades and even planned escape attempts. When Maitland jail closed down he was moved to Goulburn’s maximum security prison.
In January 2009, Milat was in the headlines again after he cut off his little finger with a plastic knife. His intention had been to mail it to the high court to force an appeal, but this went nowhere.
Over the years Milat has had numerous supporters who have protested his innocence. At his trial, the evidence against him was overwhelming, so Milat’s defence was that a member of the Milat family had committed the murders, but not Ivan.

The timeline of victims:

• Caroline Clarke (21) and Joanne Walters (22) from the UK met while grape picking here in Australia. They spent some time in Sydney before hitchhiking to Melbourne. They were last seen alive hitching a lift at Casula on the Hume Highway on April 18th, 1992. Their remains were the first to be found on September 19th, 1992 by joggers in Belanglo State Forest. Clarke had been shot ten times in the head, while Walters had been stabbed multiple times.
• Deborah Everist and James Gibson (19) from Melbourne met in Sydney while backpacking. In December 1989 they planned to hitch a ride to a festival 500km south of Sydney and went missing soon after. Their bodies were found in October 1993. Gibson was found in the foetal position with eight stab wounds. Metres away, Everist had been savagely beaten. Her jaw was broken and there was a knife wound to her head.
• Simone Schmidl (21) was a German backpacker who had been to Australia before. She had hitched to Melbourne from Sydney and thought it was safe. She was last seen on January 20th, 1991 leaving Sydney. Her remains were discovered on 1st November 1993. She had suffered multiple stab wounds; her spine had been severed and her heart and lungs had been punctured.
• The last victims to be found on 4th November 1993 were that of Gabor Neugebauer and Anja Habschied. Neugebauer had been shot in the head six times, while Habschied was decapitated. Her head was never found. The two backpackers were last seen on Boxing Day 1991 heading from Kings Cross hostel to Mildura.

The NSW police had now found all victims in Belanglo, but they were still no closer to catching the killer. However, the investigation drew an ace card when a British backpacker came forward and told police he had accepted a lift from a stranger who called himself ‘Bill’ several years earlier.
After a while, the atmosphere in the vehicle changed, and Paul felt uncomfortable. On the Hume Highway, not far from Belanglo, the driver

pulled up and pulled out a gun. According to Onions, he jumped out of the car and ran in zig zags. Two shots were fired before Onions flagged down a passing motorist who picked him up.
From the beginning of the investigation, the Milat family had been one of interest to the police. The parents were Yugoslavian immigrants with ten children; many of whom were well known to police for petty crimes. Several members of the family had even spent time in prison.
The list of suspects began to narrow, and when Onions was shown images of the possible suspects, he picked Milat out immediately.
Upon investigating the movements of Ivan Milat, police found that he was the only member of his family who had no alibi on each occasion the backpackers disappeared.

On 22nd May 1994, Ivan Milat was arrested at his home in Liverpool. Upon investigating his home, a treasure trove of evidence was found, including camping equipment belonging to the backpackers, rope with blood matching that of the backpackers, as well as the gun which had been used to shoot them.
Milat’s trial began in 1996. It lasted 18 weeks, and on one of the last days of the trial, when someone was talking about the gloves used during the murders, Milat cried,
“I never used no…’ and went silent. The trial for all practical purposes was over. On 27th July, he was found guilty of all seven murders, plus the abduction and attempted murder of Paul Onions.
The trial judge however, did remark that it was inevitable that Ivan Milat did not act alone when he committed the murders. This was based on the different methods used to slay the backpackers. Many theories have been put forward over the years, suggesting his accomplice may be a member of his family; particularly his sister with whom he shared a house with and was very close to.
Chillingly, as recently as this year, members of the public have come forward and told of their encounters with Ivan Milat. Two people I know personally have told stories of their own personal encounters with the killer.
Members of the Milat family told of how their mother could not go to her grave without knowing the truth. According to members of the Milat family, the last time she went to see him in prison before she died, she received an admission from Ivan.
But the ultimate question is: Just how many secrets did Ivan Milat take with him to the grave?
According to his brother Boris, the total number is around 29-30.
“Everywhere Ivan has lived, people have disappeared.”

One consolation is knowing that this killer can’t hurt anyone else as he now rots in hell.

Until next time friends,
xoxo Brett