Haiku on 'Hinge' and 'Instant'

Hinge

Verandah board creaked

Fly screen door hinge squealed out loud

His heart skipped a beat

Derelict farmhouse

Unhinged gate, crazy angle

The story of drought

Where to find some peace?

Nightly portrayals of war

Unhinge my poor mind

Instant

Instant camera

Shutter the blink of an eye

Where did we take that?

Instant noodle lunch

Shovelled down with lack of taste

Prefer an apple

Generation Y

Instant gratification

No time for losers

Haiku on 'Fidget' and 'Gesture'

Fidget

At front of the class

To improve concentration

Still fidgety Phil

Assuaging his guilt

He wore a hair shirt by day

Fidgetted in church

Afghanistan front

Patrol on heightened alert

Fidgets with trigger

Gesture

It would be nicer

If 'gesture' was spelt 'jesture'

Then we could all laugh

A polite gesture

Allowed her to enter first

Gallant gentleman

Filling the cauldron

The witch made an odd gesture

An incantation?

The Monday Free Download pdf: Suicidality and Sexual Abuse in Young People

This often cited research paper describes results from a large study of young people. Clearly, sexual abuse is a precursor risk factor for suicidal thinking and behaviour.

Martin, G., Bergen, H., Richardson, A., Allison, S. & Roeger, L., 2004. Sexual Abuse and Suicidality: Gender Differences in a Community Sample of Adolescents. Child Abuse and Neglect, 28:5, 491-503.

http://www.familyconcernpublishing.com.au

Go to Resources. The paper is at Download here: Martin, Bergen – Suicidality by Gender

There are two previous weekly downloads: one on Graffiti and its correlates, and one on Postvention in  a school after a completed suicide.

Haiku on 'Dimension' and 'Edge'

Dimension

There's height, breadth and depth

And time, the fourth dimension

Structure for living

Me in the mirror

Not dimensions I might choose

But then I'm not God

Though love fluctuates

Yet we sense the dimensions

More or less in depth

Edge

He had a slight edge

For the examinations

He had read the book

An edge to your voice

Have I done something wrong, love?

You know what you did...

Edge of sanity

Feeling like I've lost my mind

I saw it somewhere...

Transverse Myelitis: apparently I am NOT alone

I have been attempting to make people aware of my new book. The story of my partial recovery from Transverse Myelitis, a paralysing spinal condition that left me with ongoing loss of sensation and power in both legs, and a range of other frustrating handicaps. ‘Taking Charge’ follows my journey from the first horrifying days in hospital, through a dedicated Spinal Unit, to my return to home, work and life. You can buy it at:

http://familyconcernpublishing.com.au

My hope was always that it would help other people; an intensely personal report of a journey that might make people both laugh and cry.

My thinking was to advertise the book through Twitter and Facebook and all sorts of other places. My thinking must have been a bit closed. Because...
I have had TM now for over 3 years, and had not really reached out for support my self- except of course through my family and friends.
I put 'Transverse Myelitis' into the ?? box on Facebook. TM is rare, affecting perhaps up to 7 per million people pa. So imagine my surprise to find some active, supportive and joyful support groups - who have already helped me to feel welcome, but also not 'strange'

My sincere thanks to 

Transverse Myelitis Awareness

Transverse Myelitis Society

People living with Transverse Myelitis

Apparently I am not as alone as I had thought.... Just love the internet and modern communications....

Haiku on 'Beaten' and 'Crushed'

Beaten

Beaten back by flames

All he could do was to watch

As history burned

He stood in the ring

After ten grueling rounds

Beaten, but not bowed

Beaten as a child

Stealing, in absence of love

Found love, but not wealth

Crushed

One crushed garlic clove

The twilight zone of vampires

I am protected

Dark blue crushed velvet

Swirling across the dance floor

Midnight rendezvous

His spirits were crushed

The minute he saw her face

The answer was 'No'!

Monday Free Download: Paper on Graffiti and young people

This paper on graffiti is one of very few that describes correlates in a group of young people.

Family Concern Publishing

Go to 'Resources'

Martin, G., Richardson, A., Bergen, H., Roeger, L., & Allison, S., 2003. Family and Individual Characteristics of a community sample of adolescents who graffiti. Online Proceedings from the Graffiti and Disorder Conference, Australian Institute of Criminology in conjunction with the Australian Local Government Association. Brisbane, 18-19 August  Accessed 17.10.2012.