One fewer car

Do you know the difference in meaning between ‘less’ and ‘fewer’? ‘Less’ refers to something that can’t be counted, e.g. flour, love, blue. And ‘fewer’ refers to something that can, e.g. people, plates, cars. Lots of bikes bear ‘One less car’ stickers. But I’ve never seen a ‘One fewer car’ sticker. Anyway why should a sloganeer respect correct English usage? All of this notwithstanding, last Sunday the number of cars in a certain Daylesford carport reduced by one – from one to none. Darling Meg, PJ and Zephyr (pictured) have chosen to become a carless household. And last Sunday it happened. They’re the only carless household I know of. Carlessness brings advantages (e.g. environmental, health, financial). And some disadvantages (e.g. time, convenience, comfort). I assume that currently for Meg and PJ the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Or at least they aim to determine if this is so; or not. I understand their decision. Good luck to them for trying. Tomorrow they’re each picking up a cargo bike – called a Kona Ute [1]. Meg tells me hers is green and PJ’s is brown; and both bikes have brown panniers, front (dog) baskets, and super bright front and back lights for country riding. Oh what fun. I look forward to seeing the Kona Utes, and how it all works out. I’ll keep you posted.

Artist as Family. Yeeeeha!

An ethical and decent life. Though I aspire to one, mostly I fall short. Pity. But I do my best, even if my final decisions aren’t always the ones I should make. If Sweetheart Vivienne and I had one child, it wouldn’t be a problem. But we have four. Should we treat them equally? Or as individuals? I don’t know. However my guiding rule’s that there’s no guiding rule. Circumstances rule, OK. As to today’s post, the foregoing’s irrelevant. Yesterday I wrote of darling Kate and Brendon. Today I write of darling Meg and PJ. Not due to any concept of equal space, time or love. But because I’m so chuffed about Meg and PJ’s evolving Artist as Family project. They, and Zephyr, are travelling a path my description can’t do justice to. I see it as combining art and family with environmentalism, community, anthropology and social responsibility. Happily, their wonderful blog [1] explains AaF better than I ever could. AaF’s current project is creating a public Food Forest in suburban Sydney [2], as part of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s forthcoming show: ‘In the balance: art for a changing world’ [3]. AaF’s creating the Food Forest right now, as their blog documents so beautifully. Speaking of beauty, the Forest already looks to be a work of art. And it’ll only get better. And yummier. Good luck for the Plant-in Day this Saturday, AaF. You inspire me. And doubtless you’ll inspire countless others in coming months and years. Yeeeeha!