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Why we need to stop being so judgemental – and the 4 steps to do it

<p>As a society, we've become increasingly judgmental. We tend to judge not only others but ourselves as well. From a person's physical appearance to their actions, we criticise and judge everything. Everyone is too fat, too thin, too old, or too young, creating an environment where nothing seems to be good enough. This constant pattern of judgment is now harming our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.</p> <p>When we judge, we compare ourselves to others, leaving us emotionally vulnerable. Through this judgement, we seek to establish a sense of security and control over our lives and surroundings, often without even realising it. However, by increasing our emotional resilience and sense of control, we become consciously aware of this behaviour and can take steps to change it. So, is it possible to become less judgemental? </p> <p>As an educator and researcher, I developed an Emotional Resilience language (ER). It introduces simple changes that can reduce judgment, foster empathy, compassion, and personal responsibility, and bolster emotional intelligence and resilience when integrated into everyday life. Using a driving metaphor, ER simplifies the intricate world of emotions, providing an innovative way to integrate emotional vocabulary into daily life. It enhances understanding and establishes new neural pathways and healthier thought patterns.</p> <p>The following outlines the initial steps of ER, which can effectively manage judgement towards yourself and others. Though the changes may appear simplistic, they are instrumental in establishing lasting transformation.</p> <p><strong>1. Removing judgement towards how you or others may feel:</strong> Instead of labelling emotions as good or bad, view them as rough or smooth emotional roads. Just as roads serve different purposes, so do emotions. Rough emotions build resilience, while smooth emotions promote well-being, removing the need to lift everyone off a rough road. This makes it easier to recognise and accept emotions without feeling like a failure when things aren't going smoothly. You don’t know why someone is on a rough road, so resist the temptation to judge them.</p> <p><strong>2: The metaphorical steering wheel</strong> in ER represents emotional control and the power of choice in navigating life's challenges. As in a car, you should be the only one controlling your emotional steering wheel. Rather than judging yourself and others, this logical approach empowers you to regain control over your focus, emotions, and destination. Just because someone else is on a rough road doesn’t mean you must join them, fostering resilience and responsibility. </p> <p><strong>3. Shifting judgement and blame to responsibility</strong> involves removing phrases such as "You are making me angry, " which inadvertently hands your emotional steering wheel to others. Replace it with, "I am choosing to feel angry in response to this situation." This subtle alteration, substituting "making" with "choosing," helps reclaim ownership of your steering wheel rather than relinquishing control to external factors. Assigning blame—"It's your fault, it's the government's fault, it's my partner’s fault"— leaves you feeling like a victim, and you then resort to judgement and retaliation to regain control. </p> <p><strong>4. The importance of taking control:</strong> Understanding that judgement cannot be contained nor emotional resilience built when you are out of control on either road is crucial. Out-of-control scenarios activate the amygdala, the brain's fight, flight or freeze mode, disabling the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for thinking and creativity. It is only possible to discuss a situation once the involved parties have regained control and can access the thinking part of their brain. Therefore, regaining control is essential for reducing judgement, as then you can have productive discussions that help maintain emotional well-being. This includes your conversations with yourself, which can often be the harshest!</p> <p>ER helps reduce judgement by developing your emotional resilience. Awareness of the emotional state of yourself and others fosters emotional intelligence, while learning to regain control builds resilience. Recognising that navigating rough emotions is crucial for growth alleviates the pressure from always needing to be on a smooth road and judging yourself and others if they aren’t. It shifts focus from dwelling on challenges and comparing yourself to others to being able to understand and manage your responses. Incorporating language changes into daily life builds new neural pathways, creating new thought patterns that reduce judgment and blame. </p> <p>By avoiding the tendency to judge yourself or others, you take back control of your reactions to people and circumstances. This leads to better mental and emotional well-being and fosters positive relationships with yourself and others. Does this mean you will never judge again? Of course not. You’re human. It’s what you do with the judgment that can make all the difference. </p> <p><strong>Dr Jane Foster is a leading educator, researcher, presenter and author of <em>It’s In Your Hands; Your Steering Wheel, Your Choice</em>. Combining her educational skills with neuroscience and positive psychology, Jane equips people with strategies to help build emotional resilience and manage their daily stresses, successfully changing perspective and creating new neural pathways. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.emotionalresiliencetraining.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.emotionalresiliencetraining.com.au</a></strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Mind

"I just don't like old skin": Jane Fonda's bizarre confession

<p>Jane Fonda has made an unusual confession about her dating life, explaining why she would only date people of a certain age. </p> <p>The Hollywood legend, 85, has been married three times throughout her life: first to director Roger Vadim from 1965 to 1973, then to activist Tom Hayden from 1973 to 1990, and finally to CNN founder Ted Turner from 1991 to 2001.</p> <p>Fonda is currently single, but doesn't plan on staying that way. </p> <p>Despite being open to finding love, the actress has a very specific criteria for potential suitors to meet before agreeing to a date. </p> <p>On the <em>Absolutely Not</em> podcast, the Oscar winner initially suggested she was done with men for good, saying, “I’m done, I’m over, I’m [almost] 86 years old, even in the dark I wouldn’t want to be naked in front of anybody.” </p> <p>But she then went on to confess that there’s still a chance she could fall for a man, but they would just have to be substantially younger. </p> <p>“And here’s another thing, I’m ashamed to say this, if I were to take a lover, he’d have to be 20. Because I don’t like old skin,” said Fonda.</p> <p>She continued, “And consequently, I don’t want to foist that on anybody else. I assume other people are like me, I just don’t like old skin.”</p> <p>“I disapprove of 86-year-old men with 20-year-old women, so I’m not going to repeat it. I can ogle them, and I can’t pretend that I don’t get turned on if I see a certain kind of a person, but no, no, no, I don’t want to force that on anybody.”</p> <p>Her confession has been criticised on social media, with some suggesting the star would be “cancelled” if it was a man that had said the same about young women. </p> <p>“This is seriously weird,” tweeted one fan, while another said: “But an 85 year old man wanting to date a 20 year old woman is disgusting? Am I right?”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Relationships

Love conquers critics as Vikki Campion hits back at "unkind" comments on wedding to Barnaby Joyce

<p>Love triumphed over adversity last weekend as Vikki Campion, former staffer and <em>Saturday Telegraph</em> columnist, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/barnaby-joyce-and-vikki-campion-tie-the-knot-in-bush-bash-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">celebrated her wedding</a> to high-profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce at his family's property in Woolbrook, NSW. Despite the picturesque setting and the couple's genuine joy, the event faced criticism and name-calling, prompting Campion to address the detractors in a powerful statement.</p> <p>In her <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/vikki-campion-my-perfect-wedding-and-the-barnaby-joyce-that-i-know-and-love/news-story/5ed16bef0795a10e2e0859cc161f5cbf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Saturday Telegraph</em></a> column entitled "My perfect wedding and the Barnaby Joyce that I know and love"<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">, Campion dismissed the negative comments, saying, "</span>In the country, they say one man’s trash is another’s treasure. Well, I found mine ... <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Call it trash all you like. It will always be perfect to us." </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">She remained resilient in the face of harsh judgments, emphasising that the unkind remarks had no impact on her or her husband. Instead, she focused on the love they shared, the friends who supported them, and the unique lifestyle they embraced.</span></p> <p>Campion took the opportunity to highlight the real treasure of the event: the local community. In her exclusive op-ed, she expressed gratitude for the diverse group of people who came together to make the celebration unforgettable. The wedding, she explained, brought together individuals from different backgrounds and walks of life, transcending cultural, political and socioeconomic boundaries.</p> <p>The imagery of the event painted a vivid picture of a true "bush bash," complete with Akubras, ciggies, beer and rum. The celebration, described as a return to "country style," featured over 80 guests who arrived in 4WDs, reflecting the down-to-earth atmosphere that defined the day.</p> <p>The pink and ivory-themed wedding showcased Campion in a strapless cream tulle dress with a long train, complemented by gold earrings and heeled black cowboy boots. Despite the criticism, pictures captured the couple's genuine happiness as they mingled with guests, five years after their relationship first became public.</p> <p>The wedding also marked a reunion with Joyce's young sons, Thomas and Sebastian, aged four and five, while his four adult daughters were notably absent. The absence of Joyce's adult daughters <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/i-ve-moved-on-barnaby-joyce-s-former-wife-speaks-out-after-media-circus-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stirred earlier controversies</a>, adding another layer to the media scrutiny surrounding the event.</p> <p>Despite the tumultuous journey that led to this moment – Joyce's resignation as deputy prime minister and Nationals leader following the exposure of their relationship – the couple's commitment to each other remained unshaken. The ceremony took place at a location with special meaning to Joyce, creating a touching and sentimental atmosphere.</p> <p>The wedding's inclusive nature, with guests from various backgrounds and perspectives, symbolised the couple's ability to transcend the public scrutiny that had surrounded them. Campion's response to critics showcased her resilience and determination to focus on the positives, celebrating the love that brought them together.</p> <p>As Vikki Campion and Barnaby Joyce embark on this new chapter of their lives, they do so with the unwavering belief that their wedding, labelled "trash" by some, will forever be perfect in their hearts. Love prevailed over judgment, and the couple's ability to rise above the criticism serves as a testament to the strength of their bond.</p> <p><em>Images: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister / Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

"I've moved on": Barnaby Joyce's former wife speaks out after "media circus" wedding

<p>Barnaby Joyce's <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/barnaby-joyce-and-vikki-campion-tie-the-knot-in-bush-bash-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"bush-bash" wedding</a> to Vikki Campion has stirred up a whirlwind of emotions and media attention, prompting Natalie Abberfield, his first wife, to finally break her silence.</p> <p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/barnaby-joyces-first-wife-breaks-silence-on-his-bush-bash-wedding-to-vikki-campion/news-story/e4527b65acee73ac552246771e4d018e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, Abberfield revealed that she has successfully moved on from the heartbreak of her 24-year marriage to the former Deputy Prime Minister coming to an end.</p> <p>Abberfield acknowledged that life has taken a positive turn for her and her family since the divorce, and that she is focused on herself and the well-being of her loved ones.</p> <p>“All I want to say is, I would just like to wish the happy couple all the best,’’ she told news.com.au. “I am just looking after me and no one else I suppose. That’s probably it. Yeah. I’ve got a really good group of friends. My family is great. The girls are great. Yeah. I’ve moved on now. Totally moved on.</p> <p>“I suppose that was one chapter of my book and now I am in a few new chapters of my book.”</p> <p>The absence of an invitation to the wedding for Natalie's daughter, Odette, added a layer of complexity to the family dynamics. Odette, a 20-year-old aspiring individual, criticised the media circus surrounding the event as "tacky". Despite the strained relationship, Natalie remains close to her adult daughters, who chose not to attend their father's wedding.</p> <p>Post-divorce, Natalie has found solace and empowerment in bodybuilding, a passion she adopted as a means to "escape" the chaos that followed the end of her marriage. Contrary to media speculations, she clarified that bodybuilding was not about achieving a "revenge body" but rather a journey towards rediscovering her identity beyond the roles of wife and mother.</p> <p>The Joyce family saga has not escaped the public eye, drawing comments from then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who described Joyce's behaviour as a "shocking error of judgment". The fallout from the affair has left Natalie and her daughters grappling with hurt and humiliation.</p> <p>Joyce's youngest daughter, Odette, confirmed that none of his four daughters attended the wedding, underlining the fractured relationships within the family. Odette's criticism extended to her father's decision to involve the media in the ceremony, deeming it both "tacky" and in "poor taste".</p> <p>Prior to the recent nuptials, in a surprising yet light-hearted twist, Barnaby's daughter Julia posted an Instagram video wearing a bridal dress while Natalie appeared to wear a veil. The caption, "Getting ready to crash my dad’s wedding I didn’t get invited to, in my mum’s wedding dress," hinted at a coping mechanism for the family, with Natalie explaining that it was all "for a laugh".</p> <p>Ultimately, in the face of public scrutiny and strained family relationships, <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Natalie Abberfield appears to have </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">chosen a path of strength, focusing on her well-being, her passions and the positive aspects of her life. </span></p> <p><em>Images: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister / Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion tie the knot in "bush bash" wedding

<p>Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and his partner, ex-staffer Vikki Campion, celebrated their union in an intimate "bush bash" wedding at Joyce's family estate in Woolbrook, near Walcha in northeast NSW.</p> <p>The event, described affectionately by a guest as a "bachelor and spinster ball", marked a significant moment in the couple's journey, which had faced public scrutiny in the past.</p> <p>The much-anticipated celebration, held five years after the revelation of their relationship, saw the couple donning Akubra hats, embracing the rustic charm of their country-style wedding. The ceremony, which prompted Joyce's resignation as deputy prime minister and Nationals leader, was a private affair, with the guest list exceeding 80 attendees.</p> <p>The pink and ivory-themed wedding unfolded with Campion radiantly adorned in a strapless cream tulle dress, featuring a long train. She paired the elegant ensemble with gold earrings and heeled black cowboy boots, epitomising the unique blend of sophistication and rural charm.</p> <p>The couple's two sons, Sebastian (5) and Thomas (4), played the role of page boys in matching chinos and navy waistcoats, adding a family touch to the heartwarming ceremony. The event took place at a location on Joyce's family property that held special significance for the couple, adding a personal touch to the nuptials.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CziVHv_S2_z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CziVHv_S2_z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Daily Telegraph Sydney (@dailytelegraph)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Following the ceremony, guests gathered at Woolbrook hall for a country-style feast and drinks, reminiscent of a traditional bachelor and spinster ball. The event embraced a return to "country style", with guests arriving in 4x4s and a relaxed dress code featuring flat shoes and broad-brimmed hats.</p> <p>Notable attendees included Nationals MP George Christensen, adding a touch of political prominence to the celebration. The festivities also featured high-profile guests, contributing to the event's unique blend of country charm and political influence.</p> <p>However, the guest list raised questions about the attendance of Joyce's four daughters from his previous marriage to Natalie Abberfield – Julia, Caroline, Odette and Bridgette. Julia Joyce had previously taken to Instagram, expressing her humorous intent to "crash" her father's wedding in her mother's vintage wedding dress.</p> <p>The involvement of Campion's father, Peter, in giving her away added a traditional touch to the ceremony, reinforcing the significance of family in the couple's journey.</p> <p>Joyce's proposal to Campion last year, following his separation from his wife of over 25 years, marked a turning point in their relationship. The bush bash wedding served as a symbolic celebration of their love, surrounded by the rustic beauty of the Woolbrook estate. As the newlyweds embark on this new chapter, their bush bash wedding will undoubtedly be remembered as a unique blend of country charm and personal significance.</p> <p><em>Images: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister / Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Wedding bells for Barnaby Joyce

<p>In a whirlwind of controversy and headlines, the love story between former Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his political advisor Vikki Campion is about to take centre stage in the tranquil backdrop of rural Walcha.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/barnabys-bush-bash-wedding-byo-ute-and-swag/news-story/3ab2a5c1ff4deb18efec6fbf8a94dcba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>, the couple, whose relationship sparked a political firestorm, is all set to tie the knot in a "bush bash" themed wedding on November 12, right in the heart of New England's countryside.</p> <p>With a select group of friends and loyal National Party supporters on the guest list, the nuptials are scheduled to kick off at 11am, at a location that is being kept tightly under wraps but is rumoured to be one of the Joyce family properties at nearby Woolbrook.</p> <p>The couple has left no stone unturned in embracing the rustic charm of the Australian bush, and their guests have been given a taste of what's in store. Attendees are encouraged to arrive in their trusty utes or robust 4WD vehicles, roll out their swags, and get ready to party until the stars light up the outback sky.</p> <p>A guest who is eagerly anticipating what has been dubbed the "political wedding of the year" described the event as reminiscent of a B&S (bachelor and spinster) ball, saying, "It's very much Barnaby getting back to his country roots...we can't wait. The naysayers said they wouldn't get to this point, but this is two people in love, and we can't wait to celebrate."</p> <p>Further details about the exact wedding location will be shared with guests closer to the date, but they have been assured of an abundance of refreshments and entertainment well into the night.</p> <p>Many of the attendees are expected to embrace the full country experience, spending the night in their swags under the vast, starlit sky or in the back of their trusty utes. For those who prefer a more comfortable resting place, a bus will be on hand to shuttle them back to the nearby town, where they can find lodgings at the local country hotel.</p> <p>Adding to the sentimental charm of this country wedding are Joyce and Campion's two sons, Sebastian and Tom, who are expected to play a special role in the ceremony. The fact that the ceremony and reception are at the same location underscores the couple's desire to keep the event intimate and close-knit.</p> <p>It is understood that one of Barnaby Joyce's four daughters from his previous marriage to Natalie will also be in attendance, marking a significant step toward mending relationships that have been strained since the affair came to light.</p> <p>Barnaby Joyce's proposal to Vikki Campion over dinner in Coffs Harbour in January 2022 marked the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship, nearly four years after their affair was thrust into the public eye.</p> <p>The journey to this wedding day was not without its challenges. At the height of the affair's revelation, the then Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, criticised Joyce for a "shocking error of judgment" due to the affair and the pain it caused the women in his life. Consequently, Joyce stepped down from his role as Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader in the face of mounting pressure to resign.</p> <p>Natalie Joyce, Barnaby's former wife, was thrust into the spotlight when she claimed she had no knowledge of her husband's infidelity. Today, Barnaby Joyce serves as the Member for New England and holds the position of Shadow Minister for Veteran Affairs, representing the same region where his love story with Vikki Campion is set to culminate in a unique and charming "bush bash" wedding.</p> <p>As the couple exchanges their vows and dances under the stars of rural Australia, they bid farewell to the past, embracing a brighter and more united future, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the New England countryside.</p> <p><em>Image: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister</em></p>

Relationships

Jimmy Barnes' wife targeted by pickpockets

<p>While Jimmy Barnes and his wife Jane travel around Europe enjoying summer on the other side of the world, they have encountered an all too common travel blunder. </p> <p>Jimmy took to Instagram while the pair were in Greece to share that his wife had been targeted by pickpockets. </p> <p>The 67-year-old rockstar shared that Jane had been robbed while on their holiday, losing her phone and money to audacious thieves.</p> <p>Jimmy shared a photo of Jane showing off her replacement phone, sharing what had transpired on their trip. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuUMhmAhA0L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CuUMhmAhA0L/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jimmy Barnes (@jimmybarnesofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“A bit of a travel update... [Jane's] phone and some euros got pinched out of her bag," he wrote</p> <p>“The good news... it’s all insured."</p> <p>“While she lost all her photos, her favourites are posted on socials."</p> <p>“She’s back in action with new phone and an eSIM, thanks to our high tech family and help back home."</p> <p>“All’s well that ends well,” he concluded his post. </p> <p>Fans flocked to the comment section to share that they were sorry to hear about the incident. </p> <p>“Glad to hear all is ok and Jane up and running with new phone,” one fan wrote.</p> <p>“Not a nice experience, but good family there to help and support. Enjoy the rest of your holiday!”</p> <p>Barnes’ previous post announced that they had arrived in Greece and had enjoyed a stunning night view of the Acropolis.</p> <p>Ironically, there were many comments on the post warning the couple about professional pickpockets operating in Greece. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

"A true legend": Jane Fonda pegs award at director's head

<p>Film icon Jane Fonda is known to entertain the masses, and her cheeky antics at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival saw her do just that.</p> <p>While hosting Palme d’Or Awards on May 27, Fonda, 85, called up director Justine Triet who had won the award for <em>Anatomy of the Fall</em>, but it was Fonda’s deliverance of said award that had viewers in stitches.</p> <p>The 85-year-old tried to get Triet's attention, but after multiple attempts of calling out to her, Fonda decided to throw the scroll at the director’s back.</p> <p>When the scroll hit Triet on the back of the head and fell to the floor, she didn’t appear to notice.</p> <p><em>The Book Club</em> star’s unconventional passing of the award sent Twitter users into a frenzy, with many praising her, calling her a “queen” with an “excellent shot.”</p> <p>"A true legend." one person wrote.</p> <p>"This just made my day! 😂😂😂" another said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">favorite cannes moment is officially jane fonda throwing the palme d'or certificate at justine triet because she forgot to take it <a href="https://t.co/6tv8TEj8zw">pic.twitter.com/6tv8TEj8zw</a></p> <p>— flo ¨̮ (@astralbarnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/astralbarnes/status/1662568221931601920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Fonda hit the red carpet dazzled in black sequins. Her black gown was faired with a chain necklace and matching earrings.</p> <p>The beloved actress has been documenting her Cannes weekend via Instagram, sharing photos of herself with Hollywood greats Eva Longoria and Kate Winslet, as well as a snippet of her accommodation.</p> <p>Fonda’s attendance comes five months into her remission after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jane-fonda-reassures-fans-after-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing her non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis</a> in September 2022.</p> <p>She revealed the happy news on her Instagram, titling it "BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!!"</p> <p>”Last week I was told by my oncologist that my cancer is in remission and I can discontinue chemo," she wrote. "I am feeling so blessed, so fortunate."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

"Who picks a fight with a rock star?" Jimmy Barnes confronts on-road "bully"

<p>Jimmy Barnes' wife Jane has ripped into a truck driver who "bullied" the couple on the road, with the driver attempting to "fight Jimmy on the roadside". </p> <p>Jane Barnes said the incident occurred on Wednesday night in the south Sydney suburb of Botany Bay, when the couple had been driving home from a charity event.</p> <p>In a furious thread on Twitter, Jane detailed the terrifying incident which resulted in the police being called.</p> <p>Jane wrote, "(He) cut us off across our lane and swiped our mirror, wanted to fight Jimmy on the roadside."</p> <p>"Trucks are like weapons, bullies behind the wheel a danger to us all," she wrote, alongside the hashtags #TOLL and #NOtobullies. </p> <p>Jane then shared a photo of the truck drivers' side profile as he almost came to blows with the rockstar, as well as photos of the truck's license plate and the Barnes' car which shows the drivers' side wing mirror bent out of place. </p> <p>Jane went on to say the truckie had shared his details with the couple and that NSW Police had been called over the altercation. </p> <p>However, she said, officers "couldn't do much" if there were no injuries or damages.</p> <p>Jane's post drew in a wave of attention, with one fan asking, "Who picks a fight with a rock star?"</p> <p>Ms Barnes replied, "Shouldn't matter who it is. This guy was just a pig. Swearing, smug, ignorant, misogynist bully."</p> <p>The musician continued her rant on Instagram, writing, "When you drive a truck you're in charge of a weapon. A bully at the wheel can kill people."</p> <p>Many sent their sympathies to the couple, with some saying the tweet was "poignant" given the increase in accidents on Aussie roads. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

The Block couple hit back at claims they are living in a caravan

<p dir="ltr"><em>The Block</em> couple Tom and Sarah-Jane have hit back at claims that they are living in a caravan after a shock loss on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple reportedly had to move their family into a caravan after earning just $20,000 in profit over their property’s reserve on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the series ended, the couple kept their fans updated on their lives on social media before something caught their eagle eyes.</p> <p dir="ltr">During a tour of their holiday home in Lake Eildon, north of Melbourne fans pointed out that during the Channel Nine show, the house was described as their holiday “weekender”.</p> <p dir="ltr">This then led to the Daily Mail to run an article claiming the couple were “living out of a CARAVAN” after their massive loss.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The pair were forced to sell their Ford Ute to make ends meet after walking away with just $20,000 at auction day and are now staying at a Victorian caravan park,” the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11502619/The-Blocks-Tom-Sa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> read.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anyone who has been following the couple are well aware of their struggles, but the pair put an end to the rumour that they are doing it tough.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/block-hero-2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">“This time 6 years ago we bought our home! Gee time has flown. Also lets take a moment for a Tom with hair & a moustache,” the couple wrote on Instagram along withe a photo of them in front of their new house.</p> <p dir="ltr">They also had a screenshot of the Daily Mail article with the caption: “Just letting you all know we are not living in a caravan. Though if we were retired we totally would! Also how’s that dig at the Kmart furniture.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Real Estate

Jane Fonda's "realistic" views on her own mortality

<p>Jane Fonda has revealed why she feels "ready" to die, just months after her cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>The 84-year-old actress said that people her age need to be “realistic” about their mortality, and should “be aware of the amount of time that is behind you as opposed to in front you”.</p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}">She told <a tabindex="0" href="https://www.etonline.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-t="{"n":"destination","t":13,"b":1,"c.t":7}">Entertainment Tonight </a>that she’s “aware” she is “not going to be around for much longer”, adding that she is “ready” as she has “had a great life”.</p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}">“Not that I want to go, but I’m aware that it’s going to be sooner rather than later,” she added, stating, “That’s just realistic.”</p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}">In September, Fonda revealed she had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which <span style="caret-color: #2b2b2b; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Roboto, Arial, Sans-sarif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;">is a type of </span>cancer<span style="caret-color: #2b2b2b; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: Roboto, Arial, Sans-sarif; font-size: 17px; background-color: #ffffff;"> that begins in the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system dedicated to fighting germs.</span></p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}">She wrote on Instagram, “This is a very treatable cancer. Eighty per cent of people survive, so I feel very lucky. I’m also lucky because I have health insurance and access to the best doctors and treatments. I realise, and it’s painful, that I am privileged in this.”</p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}">Fonda said that she would undergo six months of chemotherapy and that, so far, she has been “handling the treatments quite well”.</p> <p data-t="{"n":"blueLinks"}"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

Jane Fonda reassures fans after cancer diagnosis

<p dir="ltr">Beloved actress Jane Fonda has announced via instagram that she has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 84-year-old is set to undergo chemotherapy, and <a href="https://www.janefonda.com/2022/09/cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shares regular health updates on her blog</a> while also extending her “heart-felt” thanks to those who have sent well wishes.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Since last week, so many people have written to me or posted that they have had this type of cancer and have been cancer-free for many decades," she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Well, I’ll soon be 85 so I won’t have to worry about 'many decades.' One will do just fine."</p> <p dir="ltr">Jane has reminded fans she has "a very treatable cancer" and that she has successfully battled breast cancer in the past "and I will do so again".</p> <p dir="ltr">"Many have asked how I am feeling. Well today, about three weeks from my first chemo session, I must tell you that I feel stronger than I have in years. The doctor told me the best antidote to the tiredness that chemotherapy can cause is to move. Walk. And I have been walking. Very early before the record heat kicks in. Also working out." </p> <p dir="ltr">Fonda also wrote that she has been "deeply moved and uplifted" by the messages she has received and concluded her post by thanking her fans "from the bottom of my heart".</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"> </p>

Caring

Jane Fonda reveals which surgery she’s “not proud of”

<p dir="ltr">Jane Fonda has opened up about her beauty procedures, admitting there is one she “is not proud” to have done.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 84-year-old’s latest interview with <em><a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/jane-fonda-hm-workout-wear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a></em> saw her get candid about going under the knife, including her regrets about getting a facelift.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had a facelift and I stopped because I don’t want to look distorted. I’m not proud of the fact that I had [one],” Fonda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now, I don’t know if I had it to do over if I would do it. But I did it. I admit it, and then I just say, OK, you can get addicted. Don’t keep doing it. A lot of women, I don’t know, they’re addicted to it,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for her skincare routine, Fonda revealed that face creams weren’t a big part at all.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t do a lot of facials,” she explained. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t spend a lot of money on face creams or anything like that, but I stay moisturised, I sleep, I move, I stay out of the sun, and I have good friends who make me laugh. Laughter is a good thing too.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When asked about her H&M Move campaign, which is focused on “getting the whole world moving”, she told the publication she still felt youthful in her 80s and hoped to help others abate their fears about getting older.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m almost 85, but I don’t seem that old,” Fonda said. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a1c7b210-7fff-3b2d-9fa2-36a0c465c8e4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“So getting young people to stop being afraid of being old, helping people realise that just because you’re a certain age doesn’t mean you have to give up on life, give up on having fun … or whatever you want to do.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgzSQ8ZLh06/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgzSQ8ZLh06/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jane Fonda (@janefonda)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She added that ageing doesn’t have to be intimidating, and she wants more people to know that it can be positive and healthy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know better than I did even when I was younger that no matter how old you are or who you are or where you are, keeping moving in a way that’s appropriate for your age is absolutely critical to your healthy lifespan.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4022a4ca-7fff-6803-fc21-54b618c2cdf9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: H&M</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Kath & Kim to return for 20th anniversary reboot

<p dir="ltr">It’s time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks because the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are back!</p> <p dir="ltr">The cast of Aussie TV show <em>Kath & Kim</em> have once again joined forces to record a special project for the show’s 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn arrived at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne for filming. </p> <p dir="ltr">The special one-off is expected to see the famous characters of Kath Day-Knight (Turner), her daughter Kimberly Day Craig (Riley), Kath’s butcher husband Kel (Robbins) and Kim’s husband Brett (Rowsthorn), and second-best friend Sharon Strzelecki (Szubanski) return. </p> <p dir="ltr">And of course, Kath & Kim’s Brighton alter egos, Prue and Trude will make an appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot is expected to air later in the year with ABC, Seven and Netflix strong contenders for the broadcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath & Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were recently in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/how-can-they-do-this-iconic-house-of-kath-and-kim-demolished" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uproar after the home</a> used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Dangerous attractions and revolutionary sympathies: 5 Jane Austen facts revealed by music

<h2>1. Jane Austen played and sang</h2> <p>Jane Austen played the piano from the age of about ten. Her family inherited some of her <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/janeaustensmusic/austen-family-music-books">books of sheet music</a>, including hundreds of manuscripts in her hand as well as printed music.</p> <p>Along with piano music, there are many songs in the collection, and judging by the music we have, she seems to have been a soprano. She could accompany herself, improvising the piano part if necessary.</p> <p>Most of what we know directly about <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/janeaustensmusic/home">Austen’s musicianship</a> relies on the memories of her niece Caroline, who was only 12 when Austen died. Uniquely among her younger relatives, it seems, Caroline actively shared both Austen’s literary and musical interests. Caroline remembers some of the songs Austen sang for her in her last years, and in January 1817, six months before her death, Austen wrote to Caroline, "The Piano Forte often talks of you; – in various keys, tunes & expressions I allow – but be it Lesson or Country dance, Sonata or Waltz, You are really its’ constant theme."</p> <h2>2. Musical women featured in 5 of Austen’s 6 novels</h2> <p>Catherine Morland in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50398.Northanger_Abbey">Northanger Abbey</a> happily abandoned her music lessons at an early age, but there are <a href="https://dspace.flinders.edu.au/xmlui/handle/2328/8256">female musical characters</a> in the other five of Austen’s six completed novels.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14935.Sense_and_Sensibility">Sense and Sensibility</a> Marianne Dashwood is the musical one, while her sister Elinor was “neither musical, nor affecting to be so”. Marianne’s music becomes a “nourishment of grief” for her when she is abandoned by Willoughby.</p> <p>Another pair of sisters, Elizabeth and Mary Bennet in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1885.Pride_and_Prejudice">Pride and Prejudice</a>, are both musicians. In their case, the contrast is between their attitudes to their music-making: Mary insists on playing a “long concerto” at an evening party, while Elizabeth “easy and unaffected, had been listened to with much more pleasure, though not playing half so well”.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45032.Mansfield_Park">Mansfield Park</a>, Fanny Price is not musical. Fanny has been brought to Mansfield Park as a young child to be brought up with her rich cousins, Maria and Julia, who are slightly older. Even at the age of ten, she can see that competing with her cousins for accomplishments will be futile, and she refuses to have lessons.</p> <p>Emma Woodhouse doesn’t exactly compete with Jane Fairfax in the music stakes in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6969.Emma">Emma</a>. Emma knows perfectly well that Jane is much the better musician, and coming to admit that to herself and others is one stage in her faltering journey to maturity.</p> <p>And in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2156.Persuasion">Persuasion</a>, Anne Elliot is a consummate musician but does not envy the more showy accomplishments of the Musgrove sisters who play the harp, while she is still on the old-fashioned pianoforte.</p> <h2>3. Austen’s musical men are deceitful</h2> <p>All sorts of women can be musical – or not – in Austen’s novels. It tells us something about each of them, but there’s nothing that the musical women have in common – they can be heroines, anti-heroines, dependant orphans, or spoilt rich young women. With the men, things are a bit different.</p> <p>Who are the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0013838X.2017.1322386">musical men</a> – not just the ones who enjoy music, but those who have some musical skill? There are not many.</p> <p>Willoughby, in Sense and Sensibility, sings duets with Marianne and copies out sheet music for her. In Emma, Frank Churchill sings duets with Emma and with Jane Fairfax at the Coles’ dinner party. What do these two gents have in common, apart from being musicians? They are unreliable and deceitful.</p> <h2>4. Austen heroes fall in love listening to musical women</h2> <p>In Georgian times, the main role of the true gentleman, as far as musicianship is concerned, was to be an appreciative listener. One mark of an Austen hero is listening with enjoyment and attention to the woman who has attracted his interest. More than once, this is the shortest route to falling in love.</p> <p>Colonel Brandon, unlike the rest of the company, pays Marianne “only the compliment of attention” when she is playing the piano in Sense and Sensibility. Mr Darcy’s “dangerous” attraction to Elizabeth is enhanced by music, which gives him an occasion to observe “the fair performer’s countenance”. In Mansfield Park, poor Edmund Bertram is “a good deal in love” after listening to Mary Crawford playing the harp.</p> <h2>5. Austen’s music collection reveals sympathies with Revolutionary France</h2> <p>Although <a href="https://essaysinfrenchliteratureandculture.com/gillian-dooley-jane-austen-and-the-music-of-the-french-revolution-essays-in-french-literature-and-culture-57-2020/">French music</a> is not mentioned in the novels, Austen had several French songs in her collection, some of them overtly political.</p> <p>The husband of Jane’s cousin Eliza was executed by the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-the-long-standing-mistrust-between-the-french-people-and-the-elites-165569">Revolutionary</a> government in 1794, so one might expect royalist sympathies. However, the music in her collection provides an interesting new angle.</p> <p>Within a few pages of one of the manuscript books, we find not only a Royalist ballad, and a song lamenting the suffering of Queen <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-i-could-go-anywhere-marie-antoinettes-private-boudoir-and-mechanical-mirror-room-at-versailles-160599">Marie Antoinette</a> as she awaits her fate, but also the music and five verses of words of the Marseillaise, the revolutionary anthem.</p> <p>She chose not to write about it in her novels, but Austen knew very well what was going on over the channel – as her music shows.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/dangerous-attractions-and-revolutionary-sympathies-5-jane-austen-facts-revealed-by-music-185427" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Music

Jimmy Barnes’ devastating loss

<p dir="ltr">Jimmy Barnes has announced that his wife’s mother Kusumphorn Visuthipol has passed away over the weekend. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Aussie singer shared the devastating news on Twitter just days after saying his shows would be cancelled due to "a very grave illness" and that “family really must come first”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our families' lives were all made richer because of this beautiful woman. @jane13barnes’ mum Kusumphorn lived an incredible life and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. You will be missed every single day. Rest In Peace Yai,” Barnes wrote on Twitter along with a photo of his mother-in-law.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our families lives were all made richer because of this beautiful woman. <a href="https://twitter.com/jane13barnes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jane13barnes</a>’ mum Kusumphorn lived an incredible life and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. You will be missed every single day. Rest In Peace Yai. <a href="https://t.co/qKLZizRGnI">pic.twitter.com/qKLZizRGnI</a></p> <p>— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyBarnes/status/1530398669731598337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">His wife Jane also shared a video of the family beside her mother's bed as they said their goodbyes and sang softly. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our Maman passed away peacefully & I am thankful that we were able to gather together to say our goodbyes. Our family are grateful to the wonderful carers & nurses who helped us through the hardest of times. You left in autumn, your favorite time of year. Rest now my LOVE 🙏🏻💖🤗 <a href="https://t.co/iTqSbyEcYf">pic.twitter.com/iTqSbyEcYf</a></p> <p>— 💧Jane Barnes (@jane13barnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/jane13barnes/status/1530499746976395264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Our Maman passed away peacefully & I am thankful that we were able to gather together to say our goodbyes,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our family are grateful to the wonderful carers & nurses who helped us through the hardest of times. You left in autumn, your favorite time of year. Rest now my LOVE.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kusumphorn’s cause of death has still not been revealed as the family deals with the heartbreaking news. </p> <p dir="ltr">On May 24, Barnes announced that he was cancelling his next two shows to “say an unexpected goodbye to someone we love”. </p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that the decision was not taken lightly and that “family really must come first”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty/Twitter</em></p>

News

“He’s not a cowboy, he’s an actor”: Jane Campion hits back at Sam Elliott

<p dir="ltr">Director Jane Campion has <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/jane-campion-hits-back-at-actor-sam-elliotts-sexist-criticism-of-power-of-the-dog/EUZNS3TH6OIMEAAM4TL3HZJXLI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called out</a> actor Sam Elliott after he criticised her film <em>The Power of the Dog</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Campion called Elliott “a little bit sexist” and a “b****” a week after he slammed her film for being filmed in New Zealand and its theme of repressed homosexuality, claiming she didn’t know anything about the American West.</p> <p dir="ltr">The New Zealand director responded to Elliott’s criticism over the weekend while speaking at the Directors Guild of America awards in Los Angeles.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-058a9625-7fff-38f0-dcd6-2a2ebc2dab96"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. I’m sorry to say it but he’s not a cowboy, he’s an actor. The West is a mythic space and there’s a lot of room on the range. I think it’s a little bit sexist,” she said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jane Campion responds to Sam Elliott's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThePowerOfTheDog?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThePowerOfTheDog</a> comments: "I'm sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. He's not a cowboy; he's an actor. The West is a mythic space and there's a lot of room on the range. I think it's a little bit sexist." <a href="https://t.co/I32wQ8lCiF">https://t.co/I32wQ8lCiF</a> <a href="https://t.co/Tftq4AoXCy">pic.twitter.com/Tftq4AoXCy</a></p> <p>— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1502839949212545028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I consider myself a creator. I think he thinks of me as a woman or something lesser first.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Elliott initially shared his views during an interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast several weeks ago, when asked what he thought about the movie.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They made it look like those dancers, those guys in New York who wear bow ties and not much else,” he said.<br />“That’s what all these f***ing cowboys in the movie look like. They’re all running around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the movie.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When Maron responded with, “I think that’s what the movie’s about”, referencing how it’s heavily implied Benedict Cumberbatch’s character is a repressed gay man, Elliott claimed Campion was out of her depth making a Western.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She’s a brilliant director, by the way, I love her … previous work - but what the f*** does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American West?” Elliott said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And why in the f*** does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, ‘This is the way it was’. That f***ing rubbed me the wrong way pal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The myth is that they were these macho men out there with the cattle. I just come from f***ing Texas where I was hanging out with families, not men, families, big, long, extended, multiple-generation families.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Power of the Dog</em>, a Western psychological drama, has been nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, which has made Campion the first woman to be nominated for best director twice.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-62722e99-7fff-5a45-15ba-2fc46d8d2851"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Movies

Jane Seymour's new film shines a light on dementia

<p>She’s played everything from a Bond girl to Dr Quinn and now two-time Golden Globe Award winner, Jane Seymour, stars in an Australian film which deals with dementia and the trauma this deadly illness causes - called <em>Ruby’s Choice</em>.</p> <p>The new film was shot in Sydney and regional NSW during COVID last year and despite all the hold ups and restrictions, it was released to cinemas in Australia last week with Seymour herself, the director Michael Budd, and many of the cast and crew at the premiere.</p> <p>Seymour, who’s 71 years of age, plays the grandmother called Ruby, who’s trying to cope with her dementia. Her family help her along the way and as they do, they find they want her in their lives but they want to be sure she’s living her life on her own terms.</p> <p>Dementia Foundation for Spark of Life – is the official charity partner for the film and representatives from the foundation worked closely with the film makers to ensure the story was true-to-life.</p> <p>Their work rings true and the film hits the right spot, highlighting the pain and distress any family goes through when one of them has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p><strong>Seymour drew on her own family experience for the role</strong></p> <p>Seymour is a global ambassador for Dementia Foundation for Spark of Life and she says she drew on her own family’s experiences to play the role. When talking with Channel 7 she said, “I have a lot of family members who’ve had dementia and Alzheimer’s, so I’ve been around that world. When you play someone who has it, and you realise the fear they have when they don’t know what’s happening or what’s going on, it’s terrifying."</p> <p>“But at the same time, in Ruby’s case, she mends the hearts of everyone in her family,” she adds. “It’s a very sad and scary place to put yourself … to go there. She loses her ability to know where the bathroom is – that is a really big one. She gets lost,” says Seymour.</p> <p>After accidentally burning down her house, Ruby is forced to move in with her daughter Sharon (played by Jacqueline McKenzie) and the young family has to adapt to Ruby living with them. Ruby finds an ally in their daughter, Tash, played by Coco Jack Gillies as a teenager and by Nicole Pastor as an adult.</p> <p>Somehow, the whole experience ends up bringing the family together and in the end they all make the decision it’s ‘Ruby’s Choice’ when it comes to how Ruby will live out her later years. </p> <p><strong>A film like this can start new conversations about dementia</strong></p> <p><em>Ruby’s Choice</em> was made with the intention of giving its audiences a new way of looking at dementia and hopefully, starting new conversations about this topic. As the director, Michael Budd, has said, “Film is a fundamental way of reaching the community to start such a conversation about an issue of exceptional importance.”</p> <p>“Dementia is a really tricky topic to discuss in film,” he added. “As the director of <em>Ruby’s Choice</em>, I drew on my personal experiences interacting with people with dementia, including my grandmother. My aim was to carefully portray dementia in a highly accurate and respectful way."</p> <p>“We worked incredibly hard to pull Ruby’s Choice together throughout the pandemic because it is a story so close to our hearts and an important one to get out into the public arena.”</p> <p><strong>Research shows dementia is the leading cause of death for women</strong></p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a>‘s 2019 Deaths in Australia report, dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) causes 12% of deaths and this makes it the leading cause of death for women. </p> <p>For men in Australia, dementia is the second major cause of death with heart disease still the major cause of death among men. </p> <p>In recent years, dementia has been a hot topic in film. Only last year, Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor at the Oscars for his role in <em>The Father</em> and Julianne Moore won Best Actress for her lead part in 2014 film, <em>Still Alice </em>(SBS on Demand).</p> <p>Both films highlighted the issue of dementia. bringing this topic into much sharper focus. Now we have the Australian film, <em>Ruby’s Choice</em>, to add to the list of recent films dealing with this important topic.</p> <p>You can check out the trailer below. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xtfLWUMAzKA" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: Pamela Connellan</em></p>

Movies

Barnaby Joyce's fiancée shares the story of their scandalous relationship

<p>Barnaby Joyce's fiancée has shared the tumultuous story of the pair's relationship, which hit turbulent times after their affair was make public. </p> <p>Vikki Campion, who is 18 years younger than the National's leader, feared she would have to give birth alone and "walk away" from judgemental friends when she was secretly pregnant to the now Deputy Prime Minister.</p> <p>In 2018, Vikki gave birth to their son Sebastian and their second son Thomas a year later. </p> <p>The very public affair between the MP and his staffer forced Barnaby to step down from his role in politics, only to be reinstated years later. </p> <p>Despite the couple's relationship beginning with a rocky start, the pair got engaged in Coffs Harbour last week, with Vikki comparing their relationship to a "great love throughout history".</p> <p>Vikki admitted that the early days of their relationship "wasn't perfect", but also insists that she doesn't regret the drama surrounding their infidelity. </p> <p>In a column for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/vikki-campion-on-bended-knees-barnaby-asked-me-i-melted/news-story/10307fbe332d4a99bf9c3103ecfa763a" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a>, Vikki said, "<span>Even until the day he said in Parliament that I was his partner, I didn’t believe it to be accurate. He said he would be there in the labour ward and I didn’t believe that either."</span></p> <p><span>The mother-of-two went on to explain that during a whirlwind of "twisted mistakes" and "</span>humiliation", she was forced to "walk away" from her friends before they got the chance to "exile" her. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"You swap your job for harsh stares, paparazzi and paranoia, schoolyard rumours cooking up in Ultimo newsrooms, many without a yolk of truth and you stop answering the door," she said.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"He has asked me a thousand times: 'Would you go through it all again?' And my answer has always been yes."</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">In December 2017, Barnaby Joyce used the distraction fo the parliamentary debate on same sex marriage to confirm he was no longer with Natalie, his ex-wife of 24 years and mother to his four daughters. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">After photos emerged of a heavily pregnant Vikki, his then staff member, the pair were forced to confirm their relationship, sending Barnaby's political career into disarray. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">After spending several years forced to the backbench of Parliament, Barnaby was reinstated as the leader of the Nationals party in June 2021. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Relationships

“Who are the Dees?”: Author’s controversial AFL tweet divides social media

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian author Jane Caro has divided Twitter for her take on sport’s place in Australian culture.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Melbourne Demons broke a 57-year bout of premiership losses after winning against the Western Bulldogs over the weekend, and fans and players were overjoyed with the long-awaited win.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caro wasn’t watching the game and shared her divisive views on Twitter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Dear most Aussies, who are the Dees? What is the thing you all care so much about? Actually, no, please (PLEASE) don’t explain. This tweet is just for all those kids like I once was who could not give a toss & felt weird & had to pretend. It’s OK. One day you can just ignore it,” Caro wrote.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Dear most Aussies, who are the Dees? What is the thing you all care so much about? Actually, no, please (PLEASE) don’t explain. This tweet is just for all those kids like I once was who could not give a toss & felt weird & had to pretend. It’s ok. One day you can just ignore it.</p> — Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneCaro/status/1441707021846265862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The author and journalist continued to share her thoughts in response to comments agreeing and disagreeing with her.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After one person wrote, “you do not know what you’re missing,” she replied: “No. Lovely way to live, frankly. Have you read all of Dickens and Austen and Gaskell? If not, you don’t either. Such is life.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another reply, Caro shared: “I don’t like any sport. I don’t even watch the Olympics. I make no judgement as to which is good or bad. All equally incomprehensible to me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She went on to say “it can make you feel isolated when you don’t feel what everyone else feels” and that “it’s an interesting ride being an Aussie who does not like sport. I feel your pain”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her tweet received a large response from many with their own shared experiences, along with a significant number who opposed her views.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some argued her attitude was condescending to Australian sports fans, with sports journalist Matt Gottlieb describing her take as the “most sneeringly snobbish thing I’ve seen on social media for a while”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m gonna turn up to the opera and loudly tell everyone that I don’t care about the opera because it’s important that the people who like opera know that I don’t care about opera,” he tweeted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other journalists described Caro as a “wet blanket” and called her out for yucking “someone else’s yum”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In total, more than 1500 people “liked” Caro’s initial tweet.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Jane Caro, Getty Images</span></em></p>

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