Best and Worst of the Week.

By KAHLA PRESTON

It’s Friday, Friday… They say time flies when you’re busy, and I’m willing to testify. These last five days have all but vanished. Gone. If anyone has some spare hours they would be willing to donate to a good cause, I’m in the market. I will pay in cupcakes.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s talk best and worst. I’ll start.

BEST: It seems an obvious choice, but Julia Gillard’s Question Time speech was definitely a highlight this week. I think the greatest outcome of the Prime Minister’s feisty address is how it’s managed to get everyone – and I mean everyone – talking about the issue of sexism. It’s about time, if you ask me. This year has seen some appalling instances of women in the public eye being on the receiving end of sexist comments and name-calling, or simply being talked over; while Gillard has been copping them since she first sat at the Prime Ministerial desk. It’s a problem that needed to be addressed in a big way. I was amazed to see so many of my friends, both male and female, sharing the link on Facebook and expressing their pride in the PM for speaking up. Obviously her words struck a chord with many.

WORST: This week I’ve faced the cruel reality of life without Puberty Blues, and I’m not sure I like it (I know – woe is me). It was the first TV series I have loyally followed in ‘real time’, rather than watching on my laptop, for years. In this era of TV channels filled with various ‘talent’ shows and endless Big Bang Theory reruns (groan), local, well-written productions are a revolution. I was onto PB faster than a surfer on a Chiko roll, and loved every single minute of it: the lingo, the fashion, and all that brown and orange décor.

Yet the saddest thing about last Wednesday’s finale was that it also signalled the end of my household’s weekly Puberty Blues dates. This was an important ritual whereby all housemates would set aside study and work commitments to spend one blissful hour together on the couch, snacking on Redskins (how’s that for authenticity?) – a rare moment given we are a trio of crazily busy people. The show had us reminiscing about our teenage years, gaping in outrage at the various attitudes and behaviours on show, and laughing when we recognised certain 70s homewares from the interiors of our grandparents’ homes. It made Wednesday nights something to look forward to, and now… well, I just feel a bit lost without Debbie and Sue. If any MMers could help me fill the void with TV recommendations, I’d be much obliged.

Over to you!

What’s your best and worst of the week? Here’s what’s been happening in the Mamamia world….