Before I launch into a way too ‘heart on sleeve’ post I want you to do something for me. I want you to clear 20 minutes and 20 seconds of your life and fill it by watching this talk about vulnerability by Brene Brown.
Because you’ll understand this post a whole lot more once you do.
Tomorrow, the 1st of February, I am taking the Feb Fast challenge. I pledge not to drink any alcohol for 28 consecutive days. And this fills me with apprehension.
Before tonight, I assumed this was for all the usual reasons, fun, socialising, the central role of alcohol, feeling like I’m missing out, failing, and all of that. But then, after a prompt from Lisa Demspter, I watched Brown’s talk and realised all of that is just a cover for what I’m really afraid of.
Being vulnerable.
I know that’s true because I’ve almost deleted this post a handful of times, and writing this makes the insides of my stomach go funny.
So rather than just taking a month off the bottle, I’m also going to try and pay attention to my vulnerability. I know it’s a quality I admire in other people, like Lisa, and almost every blog post by Penelope Trunk, Rachel Hills in this post, and Casey McCarthy, but it’s not something I have been keen to explore myself. I mean, the shame of being a notorious “oversharer” - No Thank You.
But sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith. Maybe this can be the beginning of mine.
Too time poor to read blog posts as they happen? You’re in luck! I’ve compiled my top 10 blog posts of September in one tidy little post.
Without further ado, here’s what you liked reading most this month:
1. Banning the burqa - the debate I don’t want to debate was by far my most popular post. Which makes me happy, as I’d rank it as my most important post in the past 30 days too.
2. The new CARE Australia video was also a hit - it’s all slick n stuff. You should watch it.
3. I always suspected there were more poetry fans out there than people admit, which explains why my live-tweeting post from the Overload Poetry Festival was popular.
4. And people wanted to know why the kids are all right too.
5. My Africa is not a country series is generally popular, find out why by checking out Burkina Faso
6. Or better still, check out Burundi (which was less popular but arguably more important, so I’m bending the rules)
7. Did you see this? No, me either is worth the attention. Really.
8. People also wanted to watch Sheryl Wu Dunn’s TED talk on women and poverty, which makes me smile.
9. And apparently people are wondering what to get my for my 30th at the end of the year
10. Finally, the popularity of this post tells me my wonderful readers are probably the type who think books are an essential item and should be GST free.
Did you like something that didn’t make the list? Tell me, I’d love to know what tickled you.
[image: out in America]
“Poverty” is a powerful word that brings with it collective sighs from the overwhelmed who are poised to lob the poverty ball into that ever-widening too hard basket.
While there are plenty of people telling us we can end extreme poverty in our lifetime, there are just as many who say we’re not helping. That those of us in the developed world need to back off, move out, step away, or otherwise change the way we do things regarding poverty.
Not so fast, says Esther Duflo, Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics. There are things we know, like:
* Malaria: Give out bed nets for free. More people will use them, people will get used to using them and buy another one when they need to. Malaria infection rates plummet in a community. Win.
* Immunization: Combine child immunizations with incentives like 1kg of lentils. Immunization is the cheapest way to save a child’s life. Mum will be more encouraged to disrupt her busy routine to attend an immunization camp if it makes something else easier too, like dinner that night.
* Education: Worm kids at school, and their parents will send them. This works better than providing free uniforms or school dinners or other popular ideas. Every extra year of education a child is like poverty-alleviation gold.
Let’s look at what we’re doing to alleviate poverty, analyse the results, and do more of what works. Makes sense to me, Esther.
Watch Esther Duflo’s TED presentation to find out more.
