Still here

OMG my blog is still here. Anyone there?

Does anyone actually read my blog? If you do then please post a comment saying yes. There is no issue, I am just interested to see what the figures are.

Cheers

Don

At this time of year, every year, I am reminded of why so many Australians use an accountant or tax agent when completed their annual tax return.Simple really. It's because Australian Tax returns are so bloody confusing, incredibly overly detailed, with so many if's and but's, that it's enough to drive a non details big picture thinker like myself not only to drink but to total alcoholism!

Yes dear reader, and by now you've probably worked out that I have just completed my annual tax return for another year (pass the vodka, make that a triple) and am right now feeling ever so slightly stressed.

It's not that I mind having to pay my fair share of tax, if only the government of the day (any day for that matter) wouldn't waste it on unnecessary things and would fund health, education etc. better, but I digress.

Many of you would know that I am an expat Australian, happily living the good life here in hot and humid Hong Kong. As such, and as an employee here, I am also required to pay  tax on my Hong Kong income, which I also don't mind, if but for the same reasons as mentioned above. However, and this is the really good part, unlike Australian tax returns, Hong Kong tax returns are just so easy to fill in.Thus making them the polar opposites to Australia's. Now don't get me wrong, I am and always will be a proud Australian, even though I also love my second home of Hong Kong very much. I just wish we had politicians in Australia who had the balls to take on this issue and really, and I mean really, make changes and reforms to our tax system that would make my life at this time of year, every year, a whole lot easier!

Any yes, I know some of you will now be thinking why don't I use a tax agent or accountant to complete my tax return each year and thus not put my self through this distress. Another simple answer, sheer stubbornness. Which means, like many things in my life, I only have myself to blame!! LOL.






My rant and rave for today has now come to an end. Peace and Love people and may the occupy protests here in Hong Kong continue and remain peaceful. That is all!

Well, at the risk of sounding like the wonderful Miranda Hart, hello to you dear reader. It's been a very long time but here I am again. I think the last post from me was about the gardening I had done while living at my friend's house in Australia. A lot has changed since then. In case you don't know, I recently moved back to Hong Kong to take up a new job. After being back in Australia for three years, with only six months of full time work, it became apparent to me that it was in my best interests to return HK. So here I am with a new job, living in a new suburb (and loving that) and catching up with lots of friends. Thanks to the wonderful skype, I've also been able to stay in touch with friends at home and all over the world. My dad, at 84 next week, is about to become a new user of skype; but I digress.

The new job has very much been so far so good. Something I am very grateful for. I now feel I will be in HK until I retire. May that be sooner rather than later!!!  LOL. As I write, Hong Kong is experiencing huge protests in favor of full democracy. I'm even wearing one of their yellow ribbons to show my support for their actions. My sincere hope is that it will remain peaceful and that the goals of the protesters will be met, but up against Beijing, who knows how this thing will end. May it be peaceful and not in vain.

So here I am, settling in, applying for credit cards, re-adjusting to the hot humid weather, but at the same time being somewhere that is so totally familiar to me. After all, I did live here for eight years in the past. Not much has changed, public transport is still fantastic in this city. Food is still fantastic in this city, and I know I will put on weight over the next twelve months as a result. A new phone and Kindle are on the agenda, as is a trip home at Christmas time which is costing me an arm and a leg and another arm, but hey, it's only money and you only live once.

And another thing. Friends on facebook will have noticed a post from me recently about the death of Australia Network; something many expats took full advantage of. Well, thank goodness for our ABC, which has stepped in with a new service. Australia Plus began broadcasting when Australia Network ceased last Sunday night. But the really great thing is, if no one had told me, I would have thought no change had been made at all. The all new Australia Plus is broadcasting all  the great content that Australia Network used to.

So, there is is. Thank you for reading my ranting and raving! Hopefully I will be back to updating this blog on a regular basis again.

Something to feel good about

For only the second time in my life, I went to the football last Saturday night. It was the Melbourne Essendon game. My much loved sister in law is an Essendon supporter, but I’ll forgive her for that! I have been, for all of my life, a Melbourne supporter, even though I’ve now only been to two games in my forty four years on this planet. The game was neck and neck throughout the four quarters, proving to be an exciting spectacle to behold. Given Melbourne’s recent efforts, I was convinced that we would lose but that it would be a fun night out anyway. Not sure what the other forty-seven thousand people who were also there thought, but that’s how I felt.

Well, surprise surprise, we did win, not by much, only six points in the end. It was with gusto that I belted out the club song along with all the other Melbourne supporters, feeling very excited and happy that finally we had had a win; the first for the season I might add.

Feeling very happy we began to leave the ground when a strange thought entered my head. And a very happy and feeling of luck kind of thought it was too. I realised that I had been sitting watching the game surrounded by supporters of both teams, not just one team, and there was no trouble, no fighting or cross words, just everyone all together enjoying the game regardless of which team they were barracking for.

In many parts of the world today, the supporters of the opposing teams would be separated by police and high fences, such is the need given the violence that has broken out and continues to break out when these groups of supporters mix. No such requirement was needed last Saturday night at the MCG. People were there to enjoy themselves, regardless of which of the two teams would ultimately triumph!

And I just thought that was something we could be proud of and feel good about. Well, that’s my rant and rave for this time.

Thank you, plus garden update

Thanks everyone for the support given to my blog over the last few months. I didn’t really know what I was doing when I started. All I wanted was a catalyst to get me writing. I know I still have a long way to go. What really excites me, however, is the fact the people I don’t know, in places I’ve never been to, are actually reading the blog and leaving comments. I find this very exciting and encouraging.

And now for something completely different! Another little project I’ve been working on recently, apart from this blog, is getting my little garden started at the house where I am now living. After spending nearly two hours digging stones out of the dirt that the previous people had buried them under, I’ve now completed stage one. Please see the photo below. As you can see, like this blog, I still have a long way to go.  But it’s better to actually try and do something instead of just sitting around talking about it. Hopefully in the future, among other rant and rave postings, I can post more pictures to update you of the progress being made.

As always, please feel free to disagree with me, or agree if you like, by leaving a comment.