ENTROPY

ENTROPY
noun

1. PHYSICS
a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system.
"the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time"

2.
lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.
"a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme" 

- The Oxford English Dictionary

Let's concern ourself with the second meaning here - 'gradual decline into disorder.'

I've written about entropy in the past

ONE

TWO

THREE

..... but fear that my warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
Oh well, who cares. My ears are becoming deaf too.

Last week I wrote a post about my dining experience at our local club: HERE

Tonight I went to the club again because The Old Girl is in Melbourne and I couldn't be arsed cooking dinner just for me. I arrived at about 7PM, ordered my meal (delicious fish cakes, chips and salad), got myself a glass of chardonnay and settled down at a corner table. This was about the same time that I had arrived last week but tonight the club was quiet and, more importantly the dining area was fairly empty - no noisy kids and neglectful parents.  I settled in and enjoyed my meal. I did notice however that there was a very long table set up, to cater to about 14 or more people. It hadn't yet been used. That was ominous. Sure enough, at the end of my meal the invasion started. At least three families noisily arrived - late 20 or 30 something parents with troops (I use the word selectively) of kids who managed to turn a pristine table into what looked like the aftermath of a chimps tea party in minutes.

I took my plate and utensils to the cleaning are and retired to the drinking area of the lounge.

Now the drinking area of the lounge isn't that far from the dining area so the simian feral energetic children were able to freely distribute themselves over this area and the games area as much as they had already done over the dining area. Oh joy!

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I took my glass of wine and found a seat at one of the high bar tables and was shortly joined by a woman I know from the local tennis club. She was with two companions and we settled in to enjoy our drinks and discuss the fortunes - past, present and likely future - of the club. It turned out that they too were unhappy at the change of demographic and the behaviour (or lack of it) of the new parents of unruly children. I thought of Richard's last post about the lack of respect that children  now show to schoolteachers nowadays and, looking at the drongo parents supposedly in charge of this lot and could definitely see the connection.

These families reminded me of the dysfunctional families portrayed in television dramas like Shameless 

and the 'gypsy' holidaymakers who upset New Zealanders last Christmas.

Believe me, unfortunately this isn't far from the truth. I don't want to be a misery guts but I feel that members who pay annual subscriptions deserve better. Casual visitors should, if anything behave to a higher standard than the regulars.

I know, I know, I'm applying old fashioned standards to modern day situations ........ the stuff of arguments between me and my father back in the 1970s.

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This club is in trouble. The AGM is tomorrow and I will attend. I will voice my opinion but I won't volunteer to stand for office. I understand that there are problems with finding people willing to stand for election and there have been numerous resignations among existing officers. This club then is wide open to the drongos but I know that they won't be able to run it. It will close before Christmas - that's my forecast.

Shameless!