I've been reading The Proving Ground by G. Bruce Knecht. It's about the tragic 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht races--where mother nature proved to be quite the foe.
The other day I sat in our old breastfeeding rocking chair (which we never really used for breastfeeding, btw). I read the book while Jack played Sims 2 at the computer desk.
I got to a part in the book about Wilsons Promontory. I think the author was talking about weather forecasts being done there. Less than five minutes later, I took a look at the Sim that Jack was creating. Guess what the name was.....
Wilson.
I swear I did not mention any of the book out loud to Jack (or myself for that matter)--nor was he close enough to read the book.
It was a bit eerie.
Here's something cool, though. I looked up Wilson Promontory on Wikipedia. At the bottom of the page, they have a link to Matthew Flinder's writing from Project Gutenberg. That might be interesting to read.
Matthew Flinders is the guy who wanted Australia to be named Australia. He promoted the name, but was pretty much ignored by Banks the rich Botanist and others. Flinders died thinking they were all going to keep calling the southern piece of land, Terra Australis.
I don't know why, but that story makes me so sad. Maybe I can relate to having ideas and no one taking them seriously. Woe is me. And woe for Flinders. I will read your book, Matthew. And I will listen to you. Okay? Well, as soon as we get a little less obsessed with playing The Sims 2.
Anyway.......
Back to Wilson and his Promontory. Every time, I see that place on the Australia map, I think of that Shakespearean song from the musical Hair.
Heehee That's an awesome song, Dina! I hadn't heard it before though I've read the Shakespeare. It's pretty good on the page, of course but still, I think I like it much better off the page!
ReplyDeleteThere's a cool lighthouse at Wilson's Promontory, if you ever go there. Worth the hike to get to. I love lighthouses though, grew up down the road from one so I admit a slight bias there ;)
Still, it's an old lighthouse by Aussie standards so it's cute and I think you can even stay in one of the surrounding old cottages if you wanted.
Catatonic Kid:
ReplyDeleteI used to love that song back when I was in college (Uni).
I'm not sure if I knew it was from Hamlet back then. I guess eventually I figured it out......
I would love to go to Wilson's Promontory someday. Lighthouses always remind me of Pete's Dragon : )
Well it's no Age of Aquarius (Aussie link: go visit Nimbin... you'll get what I mean as soon as you arrive).
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, your son has telepathic abilities. Spooky.
There's a ghost or 2 said to haunt the shoreline and scrub down there but it's a very gorgeous place to visit ;)
ReplyDeleteThe Incognitrix: Nimbin sounds VERY interesting ; )
ReplyDeleteJack has done one or two telepathic things before. He doesn't do anything fancy though--like see dead people.
Jayne: Maybe I'll go visit the ghosts someday.
It's a funny thing about "Australia"; the main island is variously called "The Mainland", "The North Island" (by Tasmanians), but it doesn't have a name of its own. I call it "Ulimaroa" in my writings because it's a name I found on an old map. It may be a name Maori or Pacific Islanders used for the place. I've often thought that proposing a competition to decide on a name would be a good exercise for a government in a tight corner and looking for a distraction. (Actually, I think "Van Diemen's Land" was a much sexier name for Tasmania.)
ReplyDeleteRetaruius: The United States doesn't really have a name for it's mainland. We just call it the "Continental United States." This is the 48 states and excludes Hawaii and Alaska.
ReplyDeleteI love the name Australia for the country. I think it's one of the most beautiful names in the world.
I kind of think "mainland" works fine when Tasmanians refer to it.
Although...name contests are always fun ; )
I agree about Van Diemen's Land. Has a sexy ring to it. Kind of reminds me of a vampire.