Mister Brisbane: Not as we know it
Welcome to the new year, just like the old year. But different
I don’t know about you, but* I think there is reason for optimism in 2022.
Of course, it would be easy for me to rant about the things that have been wrong with the world for the past two years. But I’m not going to do that, because you know them all already.
Best to think that, despite those things holding us back right now, there are things to do with our lives. Plans to make. Dreams to live.
One thing the pandemic has done is remind me that time is running out, and as soon as the brakes are off, I should be prepared to grab every opportunity that comes my way.
*Yes, I do realise that, apart from “it’s official”, “I don’t know about you, but ...” is the laziest intro known to journalism.
EASY COME, EASY GO
Shortages and supply-chain issues aside, there are more products on supermarket shelves these days than ever before — including products none of us had even heard of five years ago. Like Kombucha, whatever that is.
But it seems to me that some old favourites are disappearing, as if every new thing has to displace an old thing.
Is it only where I shop or is cordial — especially low-cal, low-carb cordial — on the endangered list?
My supermarket of choice doesn’t sell it and neither does the place I go to buy the things I can’t buy at the first place.
Any other examples of former staples that now seem to be extinct?
BAGGED AND BELTED
I got my car serviced and it was going beautifully. But after I stopped off to buy some groceries, I was getting a distracting alarm and a flashing light on the dash. The problem? It thought my groceries, which I’d put in the passenger seat, was a person, so I had to do the right thing and belt up.
FEEDBACK
In response to my recent column about housing at the Brisbane Olympics Village, Evan notes: “The Birmingham Commonwealth Games Athletes Village was scrapped. They are now mostly staying in existing university accommodation (Games are on during Uni Summer break).” He adds that there’s “still no announcement on where the next Comm Games will be (or if it will be held at all)”.
Are both the Commonwealth and the Games relics of the past?
I also asked for suggestions on ways to improve Brisbane for its citizens in the lead-up to the Olympics. Glenn suggests: “Bring back trams.”