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Jun22
Let me tell you a story
by Stinkyposted in Stories
The skies did not shine the way they were meant to today. Usually it would be a sea of blue resembling a field full of bluebells and larkspurs freckled with patches of cloud as soft as the feathers on the back of a songbird. The wind was so cold and gusty that when it blew at you with its ferocity, it felt like a boulder of solid ice was pushing you back. Summer days weren’t meant to be like this, summer days were meant to be… perfect. Stinky walked down the street looking down to the footpath. Most people would do so in the movies he had watched when they were feeling glum. The only thing he couldn’t do was put his hands into the side pockets of his jacket – it’s hard to do so when you didn’t have pockets or a jacket.
The shops were still open but in most of them their patrons had abandoned them today and had most probably found their comfort under a nice warm blanket. But this didn’t deter the shop owners optimism because their neon signs continued to flash and flicker and shine with enthusiasm. One sign read ‘Come in and have a chat’ which stood out from the rest. It looked tired as though it were the boring older brother of all the other vibrant signage. Its corners were covered in spider webs and the only reason why it was flickering was because the light bulb inside needed changing. But Stinky was taught from an early age that different is sometimes good. So he walked up to the door and opened it.
As the door swung open, it hit a bell hanging from the ceiling. It rung and rung like it was meant to, calling to whoever happened to be present that a stranger had opened the door and let themselves in. Out stepped a fragile old lady, her knitted cardigan look almost as old as the lady herself. She wore black pants with slippers and sported spectacles that hung on the tip of her nose. She tilted her head down to get a closer look at Stinky.
‘My oh my young lad. You look like you need to talk. Come on in and let us have a chat’.
Sometimes stories don’t always need to go into too much detail. I bet you were expecting me to then write about the conversation Stinky had with this old lady. Who was she anyway? I guess I will leave it up to you to decide what type of person she was and what her profession is. But I will be telling you about their little conversation albeit paraphrased and butchered into my own words. Stories are usually better retold in your own words otherwise it may seem too much like narration. I will cut out all of the chit chat and go to the crux of her comments. Who would have thought that an old lady would have so much wisdom? You? No way! So here goes.
She told Stinky to picture himself inside a cave. It was pitch black. Imagine standing and not knowing where you were, whether your next step will make you fall into an endless pit or whether your step backwards would make you hit your head on stone. You feel dizzy and your eyes are trying with no avail to adjust to the lack of light. You slide your feet along the ground inch by inch just trying to find something that could possibly guide you to freedom. One step, two steps, three and you finally touch the wall. You feel enjoyment. You feel as though there is a better chance of finding your way out. You hold onto the walls and continue to walk forward. You walk until you get tired and decide to give up but something tells you not to. Going back would only take you back to where you started. You never know because the few steps you take may make all the difference. You eventually see some light but you don’t let go of the wall. You don’t get too excited and run towards it because you may hurt yourself. You continue holding onto the wall until you make it out.
You see, the darkness in this story is life and the wall is hope. It guides you through times of difficulty and lets you know that it is there to help you make it out. Don’t ever trick yourself into thinking that there is no hope. It is there. Reach out and grab it. Hold onto it and let it guide you to overcome whatever it is you face. Take care.
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Jun15
Tell me who you are?
by Stinkyposted in Stories
‘Hang on a sec. So you’re telling me you’re a pig?’
‘Don’t I look like one?’
‘And you’re also telling me you can talk?’
‘Ummm your questions are confusing. Aren’t we talking now?’
They stood there in silence just watching each other. They had just met and this was the first time Stinky had ever received such a reaction. It was a tense moment with eyes looking, staring, analysing. His gaze seemed to leap into the depth of Stinky’s being trying to search for something that would be deemed a logical explanation. He found nothing. The wind was blowing, making noises that would deter many from venturing outside. The skies began to drizzle as though it heard the calling of the wind and came to see what was going on. He opened his mouth and out came the weirdest, out of character response of all.
‘BAHHAHAHAHAHAAHA’
He walked over and slapped Stinky on that back and gave him a big bear hug. Whatever intensity existed mere seconds ago had all but dissipated to be replace with a new found confusion, albeit a happier more relieved one.
‘My name is Joey. Who would of thunk it? A pig that talks! You, my friend, are one of a kind!’
‘Oh my! You scared the living daylights out of me. Please don’t do that again. I wasn’t expecting to bump into anyone. What on earth are you doing here?’ Stinky asked as he wiped the imaginary sweat from his brow.
They stood under a waterfall in the middle of the forest. There was a cave mouth that Stinky would often visit so he could watch the magnificence and beauty of the cascading waters. He had never seen anyone here before.
‘I live here. You could even call me a guardian of sorts. Most people don’t really get the opportunity to see me but you can consider yourself one lucky pig!’
‘Err can you stop calling me that? I’m not different to you. I live, I breathe and I have feelings and emotions and sometimes cry when watching a sad movie. Tell me that’s not normal’
‘If you say so my friend… if you say so’ Joey replied with a smile.
‘So what does a guardian do anyway? Do you just sit in the shadows and scare people like you did to me today? I would have thought a guardian would look like a hero as large as a mountain and as strong as the trees that surround this forest. You just look like an overgrown kid that plays tricks on people whenever you feel bored’
‘That’s where you’re wrong my new friend. My youthful outlook is deceitful and does not reflect my true age. I have been around here much longer than you have. I have seen small shrubs grow into trees that stretch beyond reach and its canopies touch the heavens. I guard the sanctity of nature and dispel those who seek to ruin it’
‘Wow. You are important! In my whole life I never thought I would meet someone as mysterious as you. It almost seems mystical when you stand and talk whilst the waterfall is your backdrop. Am I disturbing your… ummm… guardianship?’
‘Don’t be so formal young friend. You could say that I have many helpers so that makes my job a little easier. I don’t come out often but when I do I just adore meeting pigs… I mean people like you. It’s refreshing to say the least. Speaking of refreshing, I need to make haste and leave you now’
‘But we just met! How will I contact you or see you again? There are so many questions I want to ask you Joey’
‘We’ll meet again. I just hope that when I see you next you still remember me’
And with those last words, Joey turned and run at speed into the waterfall. He seemed to vanish into the mist of the waters. Stinky screamed out to Joey but he did not listen. As Stinky edged toward the curtain of water he did not see any sign of him. At that very moment he heard Joey’s voice.
‘Stinky, my new friend. Don’t you ever change! Always hold onto the pure, kindhearted soul that you possess. Oh and by the way, not everyone called me Joey. Sometimes they call me Mother Nature’
Stinky sat down as his knees were beginning to buckle. What had just happened here he thought to himself? Moments had passed and he stood, keeping balance by holding onto the side of the cave mouth. He made his way out of the forest and it was at that very moment where he realised what had happened. He was just blessed by Mother Nature herself… himself… who knows. He turned and walked and said ‘Wow’ to no one in particular.
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May25
Tasmania
by Stinkyposted in News
I would like to express my sincerest apologies for not posting anything last week. It was my birthday so I decided to take a short break and visit Hobart – The Land that the rest of Australia had forgotten. I was quite excited to visit the place despite all the warnings I received from other people. They warned me that I should be prepared for the worst. And by worst they meant that the place was a sleepy town, a cold town, an extremely boring town. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when the place lived up to its reputation.
My biggest regret was not bringing Stinky along for the ride. It would have been an amazing place to take some memorable photos with him. But sometimes you just have to go and experience things for yourself. Ok so it’s a town that is quiet with not much to do any time of the day. But once you get used to this fact it was quite a lovely place to be. Yes it was cold and yes it did rain but it was like relaxation had come along and had given you a big warm embrace. It was a great place to relax, a place where you can get away with doing absolutely nothing and a place where you could enjoy what Mother Nature was kind enough to offer.
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by Stinkyposted in News
It’s not often that you get to go out and about to explore the wonders of the country you call home. But oft times it is not your inability to go that holds you back; its more your mind telling you that you’re too busy to relax. This is one of life’s conundrums and unfortunately many of us fall into this deep, dark and boring basket. But even in his busiest days, Stinky was able to take some much needed timeout to explore the north coast of New South Wales. You may have heard of the term God’s country used in abundance when people refer to Australia. And as pretentious as it sounds, we know that if this place ever existed, then it must be somewhere in this wonderful country of ours. So let’s not waffle on too much with words and let us show you some of the wonderful places Stinky was able to visit in his recent road trip.
The most memorable thing about the road trip was being able to see the beautiful rolling hills of our northern countryside. The vibrant green grass stretched for as far as the eye could see. But it wasn’t all grass and land. Stinky also ventured out on the open waters too. The lovely people at Nelson Bay Boat Hire were lovely enough to accommodate us and took us out to see dolphins! Little did we know that the dolphins weren’t allowed out to play but nonetheless, the beautiful waving and bobbing motion of the water really makes you forget all the worries of daily life.
Nostalgia almost got the better of Stinky also. There were farms and barns and tractors, much like the ones on the farm he grew up on. I guess the only thing that was missing were his friends and the sweet smell of freshly baked pumpkin pies. Apart from that, the scene was all too familiar with him. So he took a seat and rested beside a pond, he volunteered to work the tractor and even got up close and personal to a kangaroo. He tried to talk to it, but it looked a little rusty so he took a photo with him and left him to himself. Stinky tried his luck to work his way through the Wombat Warren Maze. It was hours and hours of fun but this was mainly because he couldn’t find his way out – it was probably an experience he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
Another big hit (more for me than anyone else) was seeing all the old classic arcade games in a large tin shed. My all-time favourite game growing up was Street Fighter. So you could imagine how my smile stretched for miles and miles when I saw this game there. It was a pleasant walk down memory lane. There were other fun and exciting games there too. We spent a whole afternoon there reliving past in the present.
So we’re all back home now and missing the time away. Trips come and go but memories stick with us forever. And sometimes the memories of being happy are more heartfelt than actually being away. So go out there and create happy memories with the ones you love. Bring the memories back and store them well. Open up and share them with your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren in the future. You never know, a little here and there might make the biggest difference.
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Apr22
Miracles
by Stinkyposted in News
Sometimes miracles just happen. But seldom do we open our eyes to see them. Routine sort of gets in the way and you tend to overlook the simple things that can oft times be inexplicable. So the reason for the late post was because I went to see a little miracle down in Melbourne. What is it you may ask? My nephew and his wife recently gave birth to a little girl. The miracle of creating life is a wondrous thing. But what makes it all the more special is that the little girl is the 1st fourth generation baby in our family. Yes that’s right – my parents child’s child’s child. Tongue twister right? So I’m lucky enough to be a Grand Uncle… or is it a Great Uncle? I could never tell the difference.
On another note, I think Stinky has found it a little cumbersome to fly around the world. So I heard that he recently went on a road trip! That’s right. And what’s more interesting is that he has a bunch of photos being processed to show you a few things he got up to during his short holiday. Once he gets back, I’ll make sure to share some of the interesting stories with you. But until then, stay warm and safe. Winter is coming.
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by Stinkyposted in Stories
If someone had told Stinky that miracles were the creation of little fairies that looked like lady bugs, he would never have doubted them. And even if one hundred million people did not believe complete and utter nonsense, Stinky would be the needle in the haystack that actually would. He would be the one mustard seed amongst millions that fall from the sky to land on the point of a single needle. You needn’t look very far for proof of this because those that were lucky enough to cross paths with him could easily attest that he would probably be the nicest individual they had met in a long while.
Stinky was sitting in the corner of an outback eatery minding his own business. He enjoyed the bush pies made from wild berries and honey. If there were a way to combine the words delicious, scrumptious and heavenly into a single meal, then it would look something like the wild berry pie sitting in front of him. Today of all days saw a rush of people come to grab some grub in the afternoon. The atmosphere was raucous and bustling to say the least. Amongst the crowd were the usual farmers who toiled from the break of dawn until the sun was at its zenith, workers and laborers and a sporadic appearance of men and women in suits.
But something stood out in the crowd like an old shoe matched with a bunch of carnations. A ragged lady was making her way through the mass and each time she approached someone, she walked away with disappointment. The process of her maneuvering her way around the diner went on and on, rejection after rejection. She eventually made her way toward Stinky and asked in the most dignified manner she could muster ‘Please. Would you be able to spare me some loose change?’
Stinky could hear random people in the crowd saying she did not deserve it and that she would just cheat him and spend the money on something unwholesome. But when Stinky looked into her eyes, he could see desperation and a kindness that not many people possess. So when Stinky was pondering whether he should share some of his coin with her, the lady pulled out a torn handkerchief and offered it to him.
‘This was given to me from my mother. Although it may not look like much, it is my family treasure. And from the time my mother left me till now, I have done what I can to keep it in tact. I can give this to you if you can spare me some change. Please’.
At that point Stinky’s knees had turned into jelly. He reached into his coat and gave some money to the lady. It was more of a reflex action than anything else. She said that it may have been too much but Stinky insisted she keep it and use it for whatever emergency she was facing. The lady slowly made her way outside of the diner. People were staring at Stinky as though his magnanimous act was wrong.
Stinky stood up and decided he would follow the lady to see where she was headed and whether the accusations of the general public were true. He kept a good distance so he would not be noticed. For a brief moment in time, he felt like he was a secret agent investigating a major crime. He even went as far as to call himself Pig… Stinky the Pig. As he was lost in his world of make-believe, the lady suddenly stopped at a street corner where a man was huddled up in a dirty blanket. He had a cardboard sign in front of him that read ‘Need money to feed my starving family’. The lady bent over and whispered a few words into the man’s ear, kissed him on the forehead and gave him the money she had in her pocket. He could even hear her telling him to take the money and buy some food for himself and his family. The man sat there in stunned disbelief and wept whilst the lady stood up, smiled and walked away.
Stinky stood there in awe. He felt the wind blow and soon realised that tears were running down his cheek. Imagine that. Everyone in the diner was wrong. He just witnessed the single most kind-hearted act in his entire life.
End.
Footnote:
Sometimes we tend to judge too quickly and care too little. There are people out there that really need our help. But when they ask, we judge them based on stories we have heard from our friends or from a previous experience turned bad. Maybe they really do need the 20 cents that they tried so hard to beg you for. Take some time to understand and care for others – regardless of the situation. You never know how much of an angel you could be to them. Remember that to the world you might only be one person, but to one person you might mean the world to them.
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by Stinkyposted in News
Today marks the 75th birthday for my father. Food and cakes aside, you look at a man that has been through war, famine, struggles and triumphs and think to yourself ‘What have I accomplished in this life? What will be my legacy when I leave?’ For my father it is easy enough to list; for me it seems somewhat harder – could it possibly be because I do not have a family of my own? You hear stories of people doing miraculous and in some cases almost superhuman things to protect and provide for their families. I have even heard of a mother lifting a car off of her crushed child. Whether this is the truth or a fictional tale, it’s there to remind us that family is precious. So take the time to tell your parents that you are sorry when the need arises, and show them that you love them when you can. Most times they will act as though it is nothing, but deep down inside you know it makes them happy.
On another note, Sydney’s weather has been quite unpredictable lately. Could it be because we have been Degenerised? What’s that you ask? Ellen! You know… Ellen Degeneres. Absolutely everyone is on the band wagon. Why not I say! Her contagious smile just makes you want to be happy and dance. Did you know she’s also a vegan? What a great role model.
So as you are all aware, Stinky has travelled to some awesome locations throughout Asia. But there is so much of the world left for Stinky to see. What we want is your help! Tell us on our Facebook page (or in the comments section below), where in the world you think Stinky should visit next. To make your creative minds work a little harder, the person who suggests the most unique and fitting place for Stinky to visit will receive a plush toy! That’s right. We will post a 30cm stinkythepig plush toy to the person who is the most creative. The only catch is that we ask you to take a photo of yourself and Stinky and post it on our wall. It is that simple. So start thinking guys!
We’ll leave it here for now. Check back in a fortnight to find out who we picked as the most creative.
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Feb16
Stinky The Chef
by Stinkyposted in Stories
The room was filled with smells so intoxicating it almost provided some kind of natural high. It wasn’t the bad type either, it was one that penetrated your smell and reached into your stomach, tugged on your taste buds and smothered you in ecstasy. The chopping and flipping and screams of frustration had subsided. The sound of breaking plates and the dropping of oven trays were no longer present. It was replaced with an eager air of anticipation. They all stood and waited for their names to be called.
Stinky looked around the room at all the would-be chefs and smiled. He knew he was faced with some tough competition. But what does it matter when you have really given it your best shot? He remembered the simpler times where the smell of sweet smelling pumpkin pie made him feel warm, cared for and loved. Sometimes Stinky was surprised at all the things he had learnt from such a simple upbringing. Lost in nostalgia, it wasn’t until someone had nudged him that he realised he was being called forth for the ultimate judgement.
‘Chubby! You’re up. Bring your dish to the front’ said the well-dressed chef.
Stinky momentarily looked around. He didn’t see anyone there fitting this description so he was a little perplexed as to why he used such a word. Maybe it meant something different in his language. Stinky stepped forward and brought his simple dish to the table. The judges sat there expressionless. Their gaze was so passionate that he could feel their stare burn holes in his confidence. They placed their knife and fork and tore apart his dish – scrutinising every little aspect from its presentation to its smell.
They finally took a bite and chewed while looking back at Stinky. There was no emotion shown on their faces. They chewed. They looked and chewed some more. The main chef judging placed his fork down and sat there in silence. The few seconds he had to wait for the verdict felt as though time had been thrown out the window. He expected the worse. And it was at that moment where he would almost fall apart, that smiles graced the faces of all three judges.
‘Wow. What a wonderful dish to begin this competition. It was almost perfect in every way. Tell me, what was it you felt played the biggest part in this dish?’ asked the main chef.
‘I grew up on a farm and the one thing I was always taught was that food was meant to be prepared and cooked with love. So I guess that’s the main ingredient’
‘Great! Ok you may step back now’
Stinky grabbed his dish and walked back to his station. As he passed his fellow chefs, they patted him on the shoulder and said well done. So that was how it went down for most of the others in the competition. Some received excellent reactions and others not so great. So after all the dishes were tasted, Stinky was asked to step forward with two others.
‘Stinky, your dish was one that really got our palettes going. It really was amazing. Having said that, it wasn’t the best dish of the day. We want to congratulate you on a job well done’
The winner was most deserving. Stinky wasn’t upset that he had not won. In actual fact, he was over the moon for having received such a wonderful review. There is more to life than always aiming to come first. It’s more about the effort you put in and your intention behind it, rather than being focused on besting everyone else. And to those that tell you that this is the mindset of a loser, just remember that winners and losers are equally loved by their family. This is the way it should be anyway.
Stinky walked out with his head held high. There was nothing that was going to change his above-the-clouds mood. He looked up into the sky and saw a flock of seagulls fly past. As he watched seagull droppings had fallen onto his face. But rather than be angry about it, he was grateful that it didn’t fall into his mouth. If only more people would have this attitude toward life and its mishaps. So… where to next Stinky? Stay tuned.
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by Stinkyposted in News
Before we delve into Stinky’s adventures in Asia thus far, we would like to wish all you fellow Australians a Happy Australia Day. And although we only have one day to celebrate why we live in such a wonderful country, I think most would agree that we are grateful each and every day. Australia is a land of diversity – a land that accepts and embraces each others differences. So we want to say thanks to the land that has provided so much for us and our families. Australia Day wouldn’t be what it is without a day off. It would almost be Unaustralian without one. However you choose to spend your long weekend – we hope you have a great one.
So let’s talk a little about Stinky’s travels so far. First stop was the western world’s gateway to Asia – Singapore. And we call it the gateway to Asia because if there were a book called ‘Asia for dummies’ then Singapore would be the place to visit first. Almost everyone in Singapore speaks English. Ok, I’m lying. They speak Singlish – it is English with a twist. But jokes aside, Singapore is a vibrant metropolis filled with people of all cultural backgrounds, food, shopping, food, shopping, food and more shopping. Wait… did I mention that there’s food?
But if you are looking for a place to unwind, then Singapore wouldn’t be the place for you. It is a small city-state that is densely populated. The hustle and bustle of city life quick engulfs you and you realise that you have to adapt or get trampled. Don’t get me wrong though, Singapore is a fantastic place to visit. Each time Stinky came out to play, everyone stopped and stared and wondered why he had to take so many photos. But they soon got used to him and was intrigued at his cute looks. It is true that wherever Stinky goes, people love him.
Next was Hong Kong and China. I might talk about China first given that I don’t have much to say about it. It was Stinky’s first time to the mainland and for a first experience it was very timid. The place we visited was called Shunde. Shunde is mostly famous for manufacturing whitegoods. So if you just stepped away from your laptop for a moment to look for something to eat inside your fridge, chances are it was made in Shunde. Apart from staying in the all luxurious Sheraton Hotel, there wasn’t much else to see. Stinky tried the locals favourite dessert. It is said that during peak hours, people would line up for ages just to have a bowl of milk pudding. So it was a pudding, made with milk and sugar. It was good, but likely an acquired taste. We look forward to a return trip to China soon though, because for such a vast land, we saw so little of it. Oh, there’s also the rumour that Stinky was born in China too, but who really is to know?
Ok Hong Kong. Hong Kong! Hong… Kong. It is a crazy place to say the least. If you think Singapore is crowded, Hong Kong must be the equivalent of living in a sardine tin. People are EVERYWHERE! Following on from before, if there were a book two for ‘Asia for dummies’ then it would tell you to visit Hong Kong. Almost everyone speaks English given its history with the British. You will see many expats roaming Hong Kong Island compared to Kowloon island. Being a super fast paced place, you need to move fast otherwise you will be on the end of a verbal firing line. Escalators are tuned to move at light speed and travelators help usher people to places with haste. And through it all, you come to realise that it is a system that works.
So why do people come to Hong Kong? Like the rest of Asia, it is a place filled with great food, funky beverages and an unending amount of shops to explore. Here you will notice lines outside the designers brands on Canton Road. We hardly see these lines in Sydney. People in Hong Kong are very fashion forward people who place a strong emphasis on branded goods. Stinky enjoyed being amongst the crowd. And just like in Singapore, people would stop and smile at him. So much love.
So that’s all for now. Next stop Taiwan!
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Jan19
Be Free! Stinky goes to Asia
by Stinkyposted in News
Happy new year to all! We apologise for not wishing you one earlier. We felt that our post from last week was important, so we did not want to cloud it with any other messages. But that deed has been done and now we can focus on the brighter side of things.
We went through some of the photos we had of Stinky in his travels and noticed a lovely picture of Stinky next to a picture of a little girl. But it wasn’t until recently that we noticed that there was text in the picture that read ‘Be Free’. So we thought whether there was any better advice you could give, other than to free yourself? Being free could apply to so many things and it is not until we learn to truly be free, that we are able to find the haven of happiness. So what are we so caught up in that we need to be reminded of something so simple? Financial stress, bad habits that are hard to shake, free from being forced to work, emotions and a world where love no longer rules supreme? I’m sure the list could go on forever.
Having said all this, we think that true freedom is when your heart and mind act as one. So set yourself a goal, to put your hearts wishes into action. Whether it is mustering up the courage to the tell girl of the dreams that you love her, to sponsoring a child – go ahead and do it.
Since we are on the topic of following your heart, Stinky is finally going to Asia. First stop Singapore. It is quite amazing that Stinky has probably travelled to more places than we have! We look forward to sharing more of his adventures in Asia when he returns. But we are more than excited to see what he will get up to. If you live abroad, and would like to help Stinky in his travels, send us an email at info@stinkythepig.com and we can try and organise something.
Until next we meet, it is Bon Voyage for now.
Mar 18, 2015