Love letters for trees
On the Pulse was elated to find a way the Concerned Inverell Ratepayers Association might turn the whole argument about the Town Centre Renewal Plan entirely on its head.
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Start a love affair with our Plane trees.
The Atlantic Monthly online magazine published the twist to Melbourne’s attempt to get residents to dob in annoying tree issues.
Particular trees of note were given ID numbers, but rather than complaints, the city got love letters and considered notes to the trees.
The Atlantic began their article with a truly impassioned note to a Green Elm near St Mary’s College.
“My dearest Ulmus, as I was leaving St. Mary’s College today I was struck, not by a branch, but by your radiant beauty. You must get these messages all the time. You’re such an attractive tree,” the resident wrote.
Another sweet missive was sent to an Algerian Oak.
“I don't know where I'd be without you to extract my carbon dioxide. (I would probably be in heaven) Stay strong, stand tall amongst the crowd.
“You are the gift that keeps on giving.”
On the Pulse teeters on the fence about this issue, but there is one very lovely tree not far from our window that has captured our heart. “As you sway, your green leaves tousled, trunk standing so firmly, our heart melts just a little,” we might write.
Holding attention
On the Pulse received some very interesting facts from a publishing house trying to promote a book this week. Apparently it’s a ‘hot Australian release’.
Then came the regretful thought that On the Pulse had once been one of those. Luckily, bitterness and disillusionment remain strangers, however, criticism citing a short attention span has filtered through, and On the Pulse has no idea why.
Where were we? Oh yes. This book was about why anxiety levels are climbing, distractions growing and attention being stolen. It provides some pretty good figures about why life itself is getting us down.
For example: did you know that the average person picks up their mobile phone to check it every four minutes, whether it makes a sound or not?
That’s better treatment than a baby gets, but On the Pulse thinks that four minutes may be far too generous.
Do you realise the amount of information we are exposed to in any given day could fill 174 newspapers? We have up to 70,000 thoughts each day, 70 per cent of those are likely to be negative and 90 per cent will be the same thoughts as yesterday.
Interesting too was apparently during the last five years, attention spans have dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds. It has been reported that the attention span of children in the US has dropped to as little as two seconds.
Now, that just explained so very much to On the Pulse. But the fantastic thing was all this is could be blamed on life itself, and not on On the Pulse.
Bringing it home
On the Pulse has been watching The Voice again (yes, we like reality shows), (incidentally, we watch The Bachelor, too), anyhow, and it brings to mind our two hometown girls, Megan Longhurst and Mel Dyer who will take the Inverell Town Hall stage tonight in what will doubtless be an unforgettable evening of talent. Both these vocalists took The Voice stage and our nation’s attention. A little bird told us that there are tickets available, but our man Peter Caddey at Inverell Tourism cautioned the seats are limited. It will be a once-in a-a lifetime chance to see these two blossoming starlets, along with some of the cream we still have right here in town. So tonight, 7.30pm Otho Street, be there!
