Issue# 35.44 April 14–20, 2021 Editor: Mandy Nolan Editorial/gigs: gigs@echo.net.au Copy deadline: 5pm each Friday Advertising: adcopy@echo.net.au P: 02 6684 1777 W: echo.net.au/entertainment
S E V E N ENTERTAINMENT
MANDY NOLAN’S
SOAPBOX www.echo.net.au/soap-box
THE NEW RESILIENCE Resilience is dead. The word has been overused. Some may say the word is no longer resilient. We broke it. It’s unfortunate because it was a really good word. I was really into building it. In fact it’s about the only thing I’ve ever been able to build. Coming from domestic violence, growing up in housing commission with a single mum, I was bloody well breast fed on the stuff. I ate resilience for lunch. Resilience was what we called pass the parcel when we handed around a bunch of newspaper with nothing in the middle. Just disappointment. You didn’t win a prize. No kid growing up in Shittown did. You won the ability to thrive on very little. Like a pot plant in a share house. Resilience has been eroded by our constant need to develop it in ourselves and others. Our call to action in marketing documents where we promise outcomes such as… resilience! Meaning you can cope when things don’t go your way. That you don’t drop to the floor on the supermarket and thrash like a spoilt bastard. A Facebook friend made the comment on one of my posts that there needs to be a new word and I felt a little hurt. Then I realised he wasn’t talking to me, he was just making a comment, and it occurred to me that I probably wasn’t very resilient either. Perhaps I need a new word too. It’s probably the most enduringly handy personal attribute to develop. Better than perfect boobs or a genius IQ. But have we broken resilience? What should we call it? Flexibility? That just doesn’t sound tough enough. It doesn’t have the grunt of resilience. Sounds like someone who can be manipulated into anything. Someone who bends a little too easily. Flexibility is going to be hard to market. It’s already out there, and while we like people who have lots of flex, sometimes they shit us because they’re so bloody flexible they won’t make a decision. They just adapt. Boring. We could have a crack at durability. Although that just means you endure. That you exist in tough circumstances. You want condoms to be durable, not people. Durability can imply that you can weather any shitshow but you won’t do anything about it. I just don’t think durable has the balls, or the labia, of resilience. You could rename resilience vagina. Because vaginas are pretty tough. There’s a great quote attributed to Betty White: ‘Why do people say grow some balls? If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.’ Anyone with a vag will attest that it’s true. I pushed out an 11 pound baby in an hour and a half, and twenty minutes later I was making a cup of tea.
DREAMING BIGGER FOR LISMORE YOUTH Dream Bigger is presenting Lismore Youth Festival in partnership with numerous organisations in Lismore. Dream Bigger connects established artists with potential future artists to make their ideas a reality through engaging workshops and collaboration. The Echo spoke to Mitch King from Dream Bigger. What is your focus for the Youth Festival? Lismore Youth Festival’s focus is to engage young people in community activities again, post COVID lockdown, and provide opportunities to showcase the many talents of our young people. How do you manage to engage the diversity of interest? The events are designed by young people for young people, with many activities providing multiple engagement opportunities. How do you think we could better engage with our young community members? By having young people involved in the conversation, and a providing opportunities for them to be a voice for what they want in our community. Also, by services and community engaging with young people to provide participation and engagement opportunities as a response to young people’s ideas and input. How much of what you do is ‘youth’ led? Anything we have ideas on are provided to our Youth Reference Group for input. They also assist and support in the event planning, including designing flyers and promoting events to family and friends, and delivery of the day’s events. What are some of the highlights? JK-47 is a young Aboriginal artist who is headlining at our event. There will be many young people performing their own music and the festival will be providing activities for young people from 12 April to 16 April in the Lismore and Goonellabah areas. How can people find out more? Check out our Dream Bigger Facebook page, and our Instagram account @dreambiggernr.
I’m making it official: Vagina is the new resilience. And if there’s any place in our country that needs some vagina at the moment it’s Parliament House. All those big sooks feeling sorry for themselves for being called to account. Who’ve got into trouble for taking dirty photos or sexting hookers, or allegedly raping schoolgirls. Who’re sulking about their lost careers. I suggest they all grow a vagina and maybe we might see some empathy AND some decent leadership. Now that’s my kinda resilience. (Scotty, you might need to ask Jen how it’s done.)
STARS
BY LILITH
ARIES: For this week’s grand finale of Aries’ fiery month in the sun your intellectual firepower’s peaking, so what part of your life do you want to reorganise or start over? Pro tip: keep it simple, stick to no more than three key points. Don’t be amazed or fazed at oppositional power plays. You rock! TAURUS: Too much is just enough could be this week’s mantra as sweet Venus enters your sign for her annual homecoming. Venus in Taurus has an appetite for beauty and earthy pleasures, so indulge in some luxury – doesn’t have to be expensive. Pamper yourself and spoil the ones you love. GEMINI: As April showers of inspiration continue to download, especially during weekend Gemini moon, you may as well tell others. Share great ideas around, because you can’t sell a secret, and what have you got to lose? One caution though: don’t impulsively promise something this week you might regret having to deliver.
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Savvy readers will use this energetic Aries week for taking action on what’s important to you before world events intensify again and options narrow…
CANCER: This weekend two action-driven planets, assertive Mars and outspoken Jupiter, in highly emotional zones of your chart could bring something you’ve been keeping inside pouring out. Bearing in mind you may be extra sensitive, avoid putting yourself in aggressive situations and resist the urge to people-please, or pressure to say yes.
LIBRA: Although you Venusians hate confrontation, if you need to discuss the unequal power balance in a partnership, this week could ease the angst of Having The Talk. A face-to-face exchange can clear the air, dissolve misunderstandings and heal hurt feelings, especially executed Libran style: with beautiful food and vino, table flowers, mood lighting…
LEO: Been jettisoning a lot of dead weight in recent weeks? Feeling lighter and brighter? Then don’t stop. Keep up the good work by doubling down while the astral force is still with you – there’ll be plenty of time to kick back when next week Mars settles into power-save mode for a couple of months.
SCORPIO: Ready for an emotional transformation? This weekend’s planetary trine (cooperative alignment) between forthright Mars and Jupiter in the most personal zones of your chart could open up something that’s been nagging at you for some time, and blast through to a breakthrough – perhaps a new opportunity concerning home with someone in your inner circle.
VIRGO: Relationships with people, places and situations could transition swiftly this week. Treat this as something positive happening for you rather than to you, because supportive transits like these often provoke what looks initially like a deal-breaking revelation that, when addressed, can clear the way for even deeper connection.
SAGITTARIUS: If this week brings heated exchanges, practise expanding beyond the current conversation into empathy for everything we’re all dealing with. The good news is that these fiery astrovibes also torch your creativity and the funloving part of your chart – and what gregarious Sagittarian doesn’t love to kick up their heels?
CAPRICORN: Potent dwarf planet Pluto heading into a five month slowdown in your sign initiates a powerful cycle for self-examination and soul growth, because the gifts of retrogrades are a kind of existential recycling. Think words beginning with re: like remind, retrieve, restore, rectify, reassess, rework, revive, and reinvent. AQUARIUS: It might be impossible to keep things bottled up with assertive Mars and outspoken Jupiter aligning in communicative air signs, one of them yours. As Jupiter peels away some outdated personality versions into a newer, truer you – open, genuine, and generous – this week’s about doing the right thing rather than the easy thing. PISCES: Current stellar energy helps you adjust to lifestyle changes and confidently plot your forward course. Take a hard look at something you’ve been ignoring, then step away from timewasting theatrics, histrionics, and melodramas so you can work your personal soothing magic: first on yourself, then for this week’s more flammable citizens.
żſĶō Ǩǫǽ ǩǧǩǨ The Byron Shire Echo 23