Ask Steph

Yes - World Environment Day is a thing. And it's happening today. Started by the UN, and hosted by a different country each year, this years hosts Angola, turn the spotlight onto poaching of endangered species : good on them !  You can read all about it here on The Global Citizen :  https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/most-poached-animals-world-environment-day/ If you're after a more specific bit of info about WED ( that's World Environment Day, not the day of the week ;) ) then go to : www.wed2016.com ( although be warned the website is a hit of jumble of TMI , and bad content management - but it is rich with suggestions on practical ways you can help today and all other days of the year)  And last but not least - the project closest to my heart : Breaking the Brand - saving Rhinos by tackling the demand for horns in Vietnam -  are still running their Pozible campaign to raise cash to pay the photographers for some new ad images. The campaign r...

Much news and info has been floating around about Rhinos lately, and anyone who has access to even a gossip news site is aware that the last 5 years have quickly decimated the wild Rhino population. If you want more detail , and all the facts and statistics you can read all about it at Breaking the Brand , where they have clearly laid out the problem , and their ingenious solution  . If you're like most people, it's pretty boring reading. That does not mean it's not important though. So for those who want the highlights , and what you can do about it , here are the big takeaway facts . FACT - Rhinos will be extinct in our lifetime  --> unless we act now. FACT -  Current conservation thinking is not working. --> we need a different angle FACT -  The current demand is driven from a growing wealthy middle class in Viet Nam. Yes - read that again. It's got nothing to do with Chinese Medicine. Here's how you can help  Step 1  Download and ...

So many stories start with those words.  Funny stories , sad stories , tragedies ... it's hard not to add on your own leanings as you hear or read them. So much is going around about  Oscar Pistorius at the moment, opinions, strong feelings, some fanaticism on both sides of the fence. I'm not going to go through what I think, I do believe there is far too much pre-judging going on at the moment, but I will share with you something that happened to me about 4 days go, and let you draw your own conclusions. I woke up around 5:30 am , unable to sleep, it was a hot muggy night and morning ( Melbourne has been averaging the high 30's for the last week , with unbearable humidity ) . I was feeling down , as my mother's visit was coming to an end , and all of this added up to me being unable to sleep very well. It was pitch dark in our room, the blinds are flipping brilliant at blocking out almost every smidgen of ambient and street light . I got up quietly , so a...

It's a one of those rare warm days in Melbourne. Fantabulous weather for a spot of gardening - say what old chum? So - I have discovered the joys of weed-eaters. ( weed-whackers if you're American, and whirly something or other  if you're Australian) We have bought a petrol one, 2 reasons mainly , firstly the battery ones are just to piddly to handle the vicious grass we have round the side of our rental house. Durban Blue has nothing on this stuff, I'm wishing for some pansy ass African veld-grass right about now actually. And secondly because we are responsible for clearing away the weeds when construction begins on our house. Seriously. It's another one of those strange, strange things about being in Australia. Just before the building company takes possession ( as it were) of your stukkie grond . You are responsible to clear away any tall grass and weeds.

Happy new year , for anyone on my side of the date line of course ...... And for everyone else still celebrating - have a good one. And be safe . Don't drink and drive  and all that other public safety announcement stuff. Drinking excessively is a problem - Violent people get more violent. And then there are those lovely mild-mannered sweet-hearts who turn into Mr Hyde at the whiff of a vodka tonic. Not that I'm innocent of course - I have been known to partake of the fermented by-product from grapes , as well as some potato juice on occasion. And I was the quintessential student in my day - roaring it up on drinking nights , held in check only by my very short pockets, rather than any attempt to remain responsible. But I'll not bore you to death with my strong opinions on that matter - at least not today anyway. The reason I mention it is because Melbourne Metlink provided free public transport to all and sundry last night from 6pm onwards , all night long. And I c...

One exam down - only 23 left to go to complete my new degree. Sounds really daunting. But I am not really thinking of that ... All I can think about right now is how much I wish I was at home. In Africa.  I have made another memory, without my old friends  and family around. Another milestone. And it's occurred to me at some point today , that this is only the beginning. The start of all those new memories and milestones that they will not be a part of . The paths that were together , and then were running in parallel for a while , are now , ever so slightly starting to go off at different angles. It's christmas next - which is all good an well for people like me that aren't christian , but , even so - I was raised christian-ish . And even after I chose differently in terms of believing or not - I have always spent christmas day with my family. It's rather handy being able to take a public holiday that means nothing to you in terms of religion...