THE
OPEN PLC BOOKSTORE A Z
RUMBLE
Editor’s note
Hi lovely PLC girls! While we’ve had a slow start with the Rumble this year, we’re happy to announce that we’ve finally recruited our two new junior editors - Maithri and Jennifer! We’re so excited to have them on board and create some new issues for you all this year. We hope you enjoy our first 2024 issue of the Rumble :) And remember, if you weren’t featured this time, don’t worry! We’ll still try to be using all of your beautiful submissions for the coming issues.
Thank you again for all your support!
- Marina, Amy, Maithri & Jennifer ☆
bing chilling bingsu + drinks
��Doncaster, Clayton, CBD
photos by Julia Luk & Nethini Weerasena
MyLady
Raysoflightfromthesallowmoonpeekthroughthegapsofthetatteredcurtains. Myhandextendsandtugsonthehandle,pushingitopenandexposingme.From theheightofmywindow,Ibravedthedarkeningshadows.Icanhearthewind's sneakyrustling,theowls'dulcetaltoharmonies,andtheflickeringofthetinted streetlights.Myearsaresuddenlyassaultedbythesounds,piercing-like.It's overwhelming.I'mpowerlesstocope.Anunusualfeelingcomestome.Myhand restsonmychest.Lub-dub,lub-dub,lub-dub—aconstantbeat.Mymindsteadily resetsasIpayattentiontomyheartbeat.Theworldbecomessilent.Meandthe beatareallthereis.Myhandliftsoff,butIcontinuetohearit.Thesoft,steady rhythmofaheartThroughitall,Icanhearherheartbeat.
Myladysleepsonripplesofwaterthattenderlycaressherflawlessskin.Thelast settlingtwitchesstopasthenight'sgentle,darkcoverdescendsuponher.Inthe deadofnightsilence,audiblewhispersofstarsethereallydanceaballet.Theywaltz tothesoftrustlingofthetreeslyingbetweenherfingertips.Hersharpshoulders loomovermountainsthattowerabovetheheavens.Herriversoftearstrickledown andsnakeinbetween,withsoftercurrentsandfrequentsighsthatdon’tdisturb her.Thearteriesthatdriveherenergiesnowrestinthesilentroadsandlaneways oflabyrinthsoncebustling.Itappearsasthoughtheheavenshavefallen,asthe lightsthatflickerinsideeachbuildingmimicthewhisperingstarsinthesky.
TheprofoundFedSquareearringsthatmyLadyinsertsintoherearlobecreatethe illusionofacrystalchandelierhangingthere,castingadiamond-shinymoonlight overallthatliesbelow.ShereststhependantofherFlowerClockonKing'sDomain withherelegantlefthand.Herrightarmisengulfedwithrowsofbraceletsfrom Chinatown.Alongherneckandpointedcollarbone,alengthynecklacebearingthe ShrineofRemembranceflows.Buildingswrappedinglassswirltowardsthesky, towardsmyLady'seyes.
Afterdark,myLady’svoicemakesthebrooksinthehillsmurmur,becomingtiny riversthathavenosenseofsize.Theleavestransformintoboats,andthesound theymakeontherockssingsconfidentlyandsteadily,providingpercussionforthe birdchorus.Thewombats,dingoes,koalas,emus,andkangaroosemergefrom hiding.TheycanalsohearmyLady'sheartbeat.Theoceanbringsaflashofblue intotheamberlight,revealingitswaterydepthsandbeauty.Itbreathestoo,rising andfallingwithrhythmicease,justlikemyLady.
MyLadyretainsmemoriesofheryouthdespitethetreasuresshenowpossesses.A childabusedbydroughts,floods,anddisease.Theyarenowareinhidingandare lostinhereverlastingbeat,fadingoutuntilthereisnomore.Isshedreamingof thisasnightsnuffsoutthelightsofthecity?Myladystirs,undauntedbythe muffledsoundofalate-nighttrainthatslithersthrough.Inthemorning,shewill discardthemistycoversandliveagaintothemusicofbirdsong,andthecitywill hearthebeatingheartofanewday.
~OneliGunasena
Caitlyn Cheng
TheLittleThings!
Enjoythelittlethings.We’veallheardthatphrase,toomanytimes,somemaysay.Enjoythelittlethings.What doesthatevenmean?Tosomepeople,thelittlethingsdisappearaltogether,toominusculetobeofany“joy”. Today,ourlivesoftenendupsuffocatingtheverynotionof‘living’,whatitmeanstobealiveandwhatwelivefor, inotherwords;whatmatters.
Thisisn’ttosaythatthe‘BigThings’don’tmatter.Worldnews,nuclearthreatsandworldhungerarecertainlyof hugeimportanceinoursociety.Infact,evenoutsideofworldnews,weareconstantlyfacedwithotherproblems tosolve.Ultimatelyourfuturesarewrittenthroughchoiceswemakeeveryday.Addamixtureofinterpersonal dilemmastotheheapandyougetmylife.
Notjustmylife,butthelifeofanaveragethirteen-year-oldtoday.Theaveragethirteen-year-oldtodaylivesina worlddedicatedtosuckingthemarrowoutoflife,dedicatedtoinstillingexcellenceandbeingthemost professionalversionsofourselvesthatwecanbe.
Mostofusbegintoseelifeasonebigproblem,onewhichwemakeourlife’smissiontosolve.Sohowdowesolve thisproblem?Howdowesolvelife?Somemaythinkwesolvelifebyachievingacademicvalidation,maybeeven professionalsuccessinfuturecareers.Careerssuchaslaw,medicine,engineeringandbusinessaretheretohelp humanitysustainlife.Butwhatisitthatwe’resustaininglifefor?Toseeourchildren’sgenerationgrow?To ensurefuturegenerationshavebetterlivesthanours?Allofthesearehuge,greatbigmotives,butinmy humblebelief,wesustainourlivelihoodssoastosomedayenjoyourlives,tomakesenseoftheproblemsoflife.
Everypersononthisglobewantstomakesenseoftheirlives,whetherwecanactuallyderivefulfilmentfrom thingsthatsustainourlives,Iwon’tpretendtoknow.WhatIdoknowisthat,sofar,fromtakingpleasureinthe littlethingsthatIbelievewesustainourlivesfor,Ihavefoundasenseofbelonging,andcontentment.I’vefound somethingtolookforwardtowhenitrains,thesoftpitter-patteringoftheraindropsdancingonmyroof.I’ve foundthrillintheroarofthunderstormsandlightning.Thesoundofcarsinthecity,andbustlinghumanlife providesmewithasensethatIbelongtoaworldinfinitelylargerthanmyself.
Theseexperiencesarewhatmakeourlivesauthentic,whatmakesourlivesworthliving.Wefindourselves exaggeratingandoftenfabricatingtheartoflife,theveryartandpoetrythatiscreatedbythelittlethingswe experience,thecorememoriesthatmakeuswhoweare.In“Sapiens;ABriefHistoryofMankind”YuvalHarari explainsthatwebecamehumanswhenwewereabletoimagine,toseethingsthatweren’treal,toromanticizethe littlethings.
Thelittlethingsalsomotivateme.Iwishtoexperiencethesecorememoriesagainandagain,inbettersituations, withotherpeople,inmorewealth.Iwantthefuturetoexperiencethis,inbetterhealth,inrespect,withafull stomachandinsafety.SoIwilldomybesttohelpsustainthisworld,thishumanlife,sothat thosewhocomeafterme,canexperiencethebeautyofthelifethatIandthosebefore mefellawe-struckwitnessto.Enjoythebeautyandartoflife,thelittlethingsthat mattersomuch.
~AvinMira
