Marie Pietersz

Mind your ‘English’ Language – By Marie Pietersz The first of several tutorials where the author will discuss some common mistakes made by writers using English to communicate. The ‘Queen’s English’ (or should it now be the ‘King’s English’), is a term used to describe a form of English traditionally spoken by educated people of high social class. However, in recent years tradition has been pushed aside by a desire for rapid-fire speech that ignores the niceties of so-called proper English. Factors such as advanced communication technology including the internet and sophisticated telecommunication devices, the growth of English as a second language for many people have fostered a desire for instant communication.  This has seen an evolution of a staccato form of English considered adequate for messaging. Abbreviated communication is the ‘name of the game’ for personal and business needs. Accuracy and articulation, as in old-fashioned writing, come in a ...

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Victorian Senior of the Year 2022 (Promotion of Multiculturalism) Award to Marie Pietersz from Camberwell Nominated by: Dilrukshie Perera, President, Australia South Asia Society By Marie Pietersz The Award ceremony was held at Government House on 26 October 2022 and officiated by the Governor, Hon Linda Dessau, AO, and the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Hon Colin Brooks, MP. “Marie volunteers in many sectors of the wider community with her all-round skills as a dance teacher, writer, English tutor and editorial consultant. This amazing lady contributes so many unpaid hours and spreads her volunteering capacity across many community sectors and age groups,” says Dilkie Perera, nominator and President of the Australia South Asia Society. Marie migrated from Sri Lanka in 1972 and was successful in obtaining many significant roles during her State Government career. Coming from a background of limited opportunity, she was grateful and readily accepted the many ...

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New age poetess: Shiroma Perera-Nathan – Story: Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch), Melbourne (Pictures: Shiroma P-N) You could call Shiroma Perera-Nathan a new age poet who doesn’t fit the stereotype mold of a bard. Her twin makeup is typical of her two-dimensional star sign of Gemini; on the one hand a strong businesswoman and on the other, a soft and dreamy storyteller who weaves a magic from word through her profound love of beauty, nature and muse Vivien Leigh. With two books of verse published, she joins the collective of Sri Lankan Australian authors in Victoria, and is already planning her third release. Shiroma gives us a glimpse into her world of poetry inspired by her silver screen idol and growing up in Sri Lanka. Congratulations on the publication of your second book Serenading the Dawn.   ...

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The ‘Prince’ of Cricket – Errol Fernando Story: Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch), Melbourne Photos: Errol Fernando The cricket season is over, a pandemic has set in, the lifting of lockdown restrictions seem so far away, but Errol is nostalgic and hopeful that he will once again be able to walk the crease, wield his bat, bowl his overs, and better his personal best in the summer of 2020. At 69, Errol Fernando is proving that age is just a number, with a record five decades of playing cricket both in Sri Lanka and Australia under his belt. He has played on while some of his peers and contemporaries have thrown in the bat a long time ago.  And he believes there is a lot of runs left in him yet. When it comes to cricket, Errol has to be admired for the formidable stamina and passion he displays when ...

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  INDRA RAJ AND SWISS BAND ‘MOVE IT’ TAKES MELBOURNE BY STORM – Story and pictures by Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch) Former Jetliners lead guitarist, Indra Raj, blazed into Melbourne recently and gave Melbourne’s Sri Lankan dance community a brand of music they appeared to have been secretly craving for; so much so that instead of dancing, these regular dance-goers were glued to the stage watching the professional musicians, totally mesmerised by the music and the quality of the sound of the Shadows instrumentals being belted out. Event organiser Bertie Ekenaike was responsible for bringing Indra Raj and his band, Move It, all the way from Switzerland to Melbourne for this once-off event, and the band’s delivery on the night lived up to local expectations and more. In fact, Bruce Welsh, founder member of the Shadows, once referred to Indra Raj as the Indian Hank Marvin, on his BBC ...

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  SOCIETY WEDDING OF THE YEAR (Story by: Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch, Melbourne) Pictures: courtesy of Savish Corporation) Story by: Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch, Melbourne) Pictures: courtesy of Savish Corporation The fairytale wedding took place recently of Savindhi Perera-Jainudeen and Mudit Jain, bringing two cultures, religions and young individuals with heritages from the island nation of Sri Lanka and the sub-continent of India, on either side of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, together in fluid harmony. A Buddhist ceremony conducted by Ranga Ratnatunga and grand wedding reception held in the heart of Melbourne at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, marked a week-long list of ceremonies and celebrations which included Buddhist and Hindu religious ceremonies, Sangeet and Mendhi ceremonies, Haldi , wedding registration and reception, and Indian Hindu ceremony and celebration. The Sangeet and  Mehendhi ceremonies were held at the Lincoln of ...

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    DAISY – TEN DECADES YOUNG!: Story: Marie Pietersz | Photos: courtesy family Daisy Balfour (nee Sims) celebrated her 100th birthday with an intimate private party organised by her family at Mercy Place Residential Aged Care, Springvale, on the 29th August. It’s not often we get to hear good news stories these days given the fast and furious lifestyle we live in, but not so in the case of Daisy Balfour who lived through two very different centuries – the 20th and 21st – taking them calmly in her stride, and perhaps will have a lesson or two to share with the younger members of her family growing up in the current climate. One of three siblings, Daisy was born in Badulla, in post-colonial British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to parents Charles and Muriel Sims on the 29th of August 1919. Life in Ceylon was very different at the ...

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    Victorian Seniors Week 2019 – just weeks away! – Story by Marie Pietersz Once again, seniors in Victoria are privileged to have a week of the calendar dedicated to celebrating them and their status as seniors. The Victorian Seniors Festival returns this October from 6 to 13 to celebrate more than a million Victorians aged 60+ who make such a valuable contribution to society. So join the celebrations, when there will be more than 2500 free or low-cost events being run across the state from active living and aqua exercise, gym, golf, walking, dancing, galleries and exhibitions, festivals and concerts, seminars and workshops, and much more, all dedicated to seniors. There will also be eight days of free transport for Victorian Seniors Card holders from Sunday 6 to Sunday 13 October and includes all metropolitan and V-Line services to help seniors get across Melbourne and beyond. Passionate about ...

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  Darlings! Tiffany’s was the place to be! – Story: Marie Pietersz (The Write Touch), Melbourne; Photo credits: well wishers And what a glamorous event it was, this Brunch at Tiffany’s mid-year event hosted by the HFC PPA Bamba (Aust) Inc at the Oakleigh Hall on 14 July. The atmosphere was electric and the venue filled to capacity with 170 sophisticated ladies (and some elegant gents, I might add). The ladies were real eye candy, looking stylish in their favourite little black dresses, cigarette pants, pencil skirts, fabulous strings of pearls, updo styles with hair ornaments, and cigarette holders. The entrance to the venue was decorated like a Tiffany store and inside was elaborately bedecked with all the trimmings and touches to represent the theme, with no effort spared, thanks to a very talented committee and helpers. The costumes, make-up and hair did real justice to the beautiful and famous ...

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    Green fingers or global warming? – Story: Marie Pietersz, Melbourne: Photo credits: Dirckze No, you are not seeing things. It is actually a papaw tree laden with fruit, thriving in the Melbourne cold, where normally it would call sunny northern Australia home. Springvale residents Aubrey and Patsy Dirckze are avid gardeners of all things tropical. Reminds them of growing up in Sri Lanka and being able to enjoy some Sri Lankan cuisine in Melbourne, they tell me, smiling. “I always loved gardening, but I didn’t have the right conditions to do so in Sri Lanka, due to full-time work and smaller garden space,” says Aubrey, “but coming to Melbourne I was able to make those dreams come true, with my own home and a nice sized garden.” Aubrey reflects on his papaw tree story: “One day I was eating a ripe papaw I purchased from the Springvale market ...

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