Captain Australia’s Journal, Entry#91

Tomorrow night (Tuesday 3 May @ 8:30pm), I’ll appear on the ABC program “Good Game”, talking about games, online culture, cyber bullying and morality in computer games.  I hope that I say something meaningful – and if not, I hope it’s at least worth a giggle, and attracts some people to come and learn about my Quest.

If you have not visited before, I am Captain Australia, and I believe that society is slowly darkening from the inside out like a rotten piece of fruit.  Superficially, everything might look okay, but you don’t have to poke too hard to find the undercurrent of decay beneath the surface.

I think of this social decline as a kind of cancer, but I think that it’s reversible, if we can turn away from apathy and selfishness and find a cure for this underlying rage, fear and isolation that seems a common symptom among people I meet on the street.

This reversal relies on us to come together, and take personal accountability for making the world a better place.  My own personal method is to:

Do Good Deeds, find people who need my help and be there for them, doing my best to help with problems that they are unable to solve themselves

Fight Evil, although evil wears many masks, I must persevere to find the faces of evil and face them down.  When I see evil, I must intervene and never turn a blind eye.  (Note that evil and crime can be the same thing, but not always)

Inspire Others, which is why I seek exposure to the public, in the hopes that other people will see the sense in what I’m doing and try to improve their own lives and the lives of people around them.  I believe that we all have influence, and the ripple effect of kindness is my greatest single hope for humanity.

I started my Quest about two years ago, and I’ve been able to help a variety of people, some tangibly in direct physical ways, such as preventing assaults or helping with food or recover stolen items – some intangibly, with advice, friendship and a willingness to sit and listen to the homeless, the lost, the spiritually bereft.

I keep a secret identity, which I protect very strictly.  My secret identity life has been taking control just at the moment, causing me to take a leave-of-absence from my dual life as Captain Australia to deal with some major life events, but I hope to get back on the street and resume active patrols sometime in late May.

In the meantime, there has been an explosion of public interest, and it’s come at an awkward time for me.  I’ve had requests to appear on a range of TV programs (see the “A Current Affair” interview below as an example), and I’ve also had people apply to be my sidekick.

A CURRENT AFFAIR STORY

There is one candidate who seems persistent and mostly serious (he is thinking of adopting the persona “The Down Under Boy Wonder”), but for the most part the people interested in pursuing this ‘real life superhero’ path have varying degrees of seriousness, time and resources – which has prompted some of us to think about forming the “Justice League of Australia”, an affiliation of Aussies who adopt a superhero persona and set out to make the world a better place.

In the meantime, I’m focussed on my home life, the only thing I’m giving to Captain Australia right now is about 2 hours of training in the mornings, to get my health and body right for when I get back on the street.

I have a supporter fashioning my new Shield, and another artisan who was going to put together a 2.0 uniform for me (but he’s gone strangely silent just lately, so I’m concerned the project will not go forward).  Also, someone randomly sent my this image which they call “Captain Australia at Work”  worth a giggle I guess.

In any case, if you’ve visited after seeing some of the recent media activity, thank you & welcome, feel free to browse the archives, you might also be interested to look at my story prior to becoming Captain Australia.  It’s a long read, five or six chapters, written up after a number of requests from the public.

Your friend

Captain Australia

Captain Australia’s Journal, Entry#90

I did an in-depth interview with the boys from “Smart Enough to Know Better“.  Click on the link if you’d like to listen: they’re intelligent, literate and funny, worth the visit.

My personal favourite question was:

“What about weapons, do you have an aussie version of the batarang ?”

That’d be called a boomerang, mate.

Captain Australia’s Journal, Entry#89

Still off-duty while I attend to secret identity business (birth of my second son), with an intent to resume active city patrols some time in May.  In the meantime, working with candidate side-kicks and some like-minded colleagues to form

We’ll be putting together a Mission Statement, and attracting a group of founding members including Cipherman, Storm Dragon and potentially some of the sidekick candidates — but I’d like to invite the public to offer up suggestions and comments (and express interest in joining, if applicable).  As we progress, I’ll outline more information about this.

In the meantime, fitness levels have dropped a little over the past couple of months, so as of the last few weeks I’ve been back on a grueling training regime, starting with running at around 5am, followed by resistance training before a healthy breakfast.

I’m hoping to hear back from the young artisan who has offered to help put together my Captain Australia 2.0 uniform, which will be more utility focussed, and include integrated impact & slash resistant body armour.  It will probably take several months to put together, but this young man strikes me as quite a genius (if he gives me permission, I’ll provide some links and pictures of the kind of work he does).

Similarly, I think Cipherman is nearly done with my shield, I look forward to posting some pictures soon !

Captain Australia’s Journal, Entry#88

Averaging about 4 hours sleep a day, the rest of my time is spent juggling obligations under my secret identity, and finding time every day to come online and correspond with people who have questions, comments, requests and challenges.

In the coming month or so, I hope to find more time to redirect to my Quest as Captain Australia, and in the meantime I have Cipherman putting the finishing touches on my shield (I will post pictures once it’s ready), and an un-named artisan outlining schematics for the Captain Australia uniform 2.0, which will have in-built body armour, as well as a head-mounted camera and a bunch of other gadgets and tactical assets.

For now, I focus on keeping my personal life in order, and finding time every day to train.  I’m up every morning at around 5am, and putting in hours doing resistance training, running, dancing and good old fashioned calisthenics.  If you’ve followed my journal, you know that I publicly acknowledge slowly gaining weight since turning 30 (kinda like Elvis), and I’ve been working hard to turn that around, dropping from a woeful 109k about a year ago down to 84 now.  It’s funny how things like that can creep up on you, even if you keep to an active life-style. Still many hours of hard work to go, but getting there.

Below are some examples of exchanges I’ve had recently.  For the moment I’m keeping my mails and conversations with the three candidate sidekicks private, as I don’t want to expose them to any ridicule or public attention until we reach a point where we can cement and formalise the partnership.

Interestingly, there was one regrettable interaction where one young man was harassing another young man, insisting that he was, in fact, Captain Australia.  I was able to mediate and settle the misunderstanding, but I believe it caused some distress, which I am deeply sorry for.

Emerald March 27, 2011 at 4:49 am

Captain Australia March 27, 2011 at 7:06 am

Hello Emerald
I absolutely support people’s right to live a safe and carefree life. Basically, if you aren’t hurting or taking from somebody, you are my mate and I want to help you if you have a problem.
So on the topic of diversity v discrimination, I stand pretty firmly on the side of diversity, and condemn anybody who would reject someone because of an attribute. (What the attribute is, doesnt really matter, it could be sexual preference, appearance, a disability, anything at all).
Frankly, it doesnt matter if you’re chocolate, vanilla or pistachio with a peanut swirl : it takes a whole lot of flavours to make a rich and diverse world. I stand against those who say we are not entitled to choose.
If I can ever help you, please don’t hesitate to make contact.
Your friend
Captain Australia

Sophie March 25, 2011 at 4:02 am

Captain Australia March 25, 2011 at 6:02 am

Sophie, thank you very much for taking the time to share this, I am deeply touched and inspired. Knowing that I can have this constructive influence is a deep responsibility, and I promise to do my best to live up to it.
It sounds like ‘Guy2′ has turned from a darker path and is taking steps toward becoming a fine human being. If my influence played even a small part in making that happen, then everything I’ve done so far is completely worth while.
Thank you again.
Your friend
Captain Australia

Curious Anon March 20, 2011 at 3:44 pm

Captain Australia March 27, 2011 at 7:10 am

Hello Mate
I can’t disclose what I do in my secret identity day job, but you did pretty much answer your own question. I know that to many the Quest of Captain Australia might seem ridiculous, but putting on the mask and uniform is my way of trying to make the world a better place.
Efficiency isn’t necessarily part of the equation, but yes, if my Quest were solely and purely about fighting crime, maybe going to police academy would be the path to follow.
But that isn’t my only goal – and it’s also worth wondering whether, in terms of efficiency, I could do more good as Captain Australia or another constable on the beat.
An open question, I guess.
In any case, if I can ever help you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Your friend
Captain Australia

Captain Australia’s Journal, Entry#87

I’ve pulled “crime fighting” out of the journal notation, not because it isn’t an important part of what I do, but because it’s misleading.  I should probably sign in with “Captain Australia’s Evil Fighting Good Deed Doing Inspire Others Journal” but that’s just too much of a mouthful.

Last night I got out into the Valley, to attend this ‘Appreciation Night’ at the Mana Bar, and patrol around.  Wednesday night, so not much activity, but I’m starting to plug into the community, starting to form some connections that I think will be invaluable in finding people to help, or evil to fight.

I suppose that’s the distinction between crime fighting and fighting evil.  Sometimes criminality is not evil, and sometimes evil is not criminal.  In fact, sometimes the Law of the Land protects and harbors evil people.  (All too often, in fact).

I saw the video of the young kid pushed too far, who retaliated against bullies, and am told that this friday is declared ‘National Anti-Bullying Day‘.  Like most who watched the video, I found it hard not to give a little internal cheer when he body-slammed the other kid into the ground, but I have to caution myself that violence is never an acceptable solution.

I think it was Isaac Asimov who said “violence is the last resort of the incompetent mind”, and I agree with that.  Unfortunately we’re not all dignified and competent and can’t sit down and resolve our differences over a cup of tea.

I’m ready to fight if I have to, especially to protect someone else, but I think the fact that we glorify and obsess over violence is a damning indictment against us personally, and our society in general.

Captain Australia’s Crime Fighting Journal, Entry#86

All this public attention could not have come at a worse time, as right now I am grappling with some profound obligations under my secret identity.  I’m quite staggered by the level of public support, and also by some of the threats and the hate.

Thankfully, my mission is clear and the public attention feeds it – my goal is to show the public that everyday people can take responsibility for the betterment of the world, and in their own way and on their own terms, try to be heroes.

If even one percent of the people that I talk to turned around and did more kindness in their lives, helped a stranger, smiled instead of frowned, then I know that my Mission is worthwhile.

Meantime, so much public attention, and here I am on a leave-of-absence, attending to secret identity business.  As you can see from the left, a business owner in The Valley has even gone so far as to organise a ‘Captain Australia Appreciation Night’.  (I am humbled).

A group of supporters have also rallied together with the goal of helping me create a more ‘respectable’ uniform.  I admit that I’m getting a bit droopy and run-down, but I didn’t think it was all that bad !  In any case, I am deeply indebted for the support.  On the topic of uniform, Cipherman has almost finished work on my Shield !  I’ll update a photograph of it soon, it’s not yet painted, he’s currently working on mounting the light and the camera.

I’ve been looking at candidates for my sidekick, and of the 30 or so seemingly serious contacts that I’ve received, only three of them seem truly genuine.  Of the three, I need to assess who is most aligned with my Quest, and who I can form a deep bond of trust with.

In the coming days, I’ll update you, but the front runners are currently Goanna Girl, the Down Under Boy Wonder, and Vegemite.

I’m going to do my best to make more journal entries from this point forward, although the focus for the next week or two is getting back into physical training in the early mornings.

Your friend

Captain Australia

Captain Australia’s Crime Fighting Journal, Entry#85

Since the explosion of media interest generated by the ‘A Current Affair’ story, I’ve been struggling simply to keep up with the volume of questions from the public.  If I’ve missed you, I sincerely apologise, and mean you no disrespect.

The obligations under my secret identity are similarly quite intensive right now, so the attention could not have come at a worse time, but to quote a famous Australianism, I just have to ‘take a table spoon of concrete and harden the ____ up’.

Interestingly, the media has focussed on my ‘Quest for a Sidekick’, and I’ve received a huge amount of interest (which is why I find myself sitting up at 3:42am in the morning after attending to a bit of secret identity work, reading through the candidates).

So far, amongst all the jokes (some of which are quite funny!), it looks like I have three potentially genuine and potentially serious candidates:

Goanna Girl, a young woman with some martial arts and infiltration techniques

Down Under Boy Wonder, a man in his 20s who has mastered perisai diri silat (an indonesian martial art)

Vegemite, a female in her 30s of indigenous background, with a set of elite level sporting achievements.  (I think she’s chosen this name for her dark skin and ‘everything is better with Vegemite .. I like it)

Given the swell of interest, I’m starting to think that we should park the side-kick idea and form something like the “Justice League of Australia”, teaming up with the common goal of finding good deeds to do and evil to combat.  Personally, I like the idea very much.

But I’ll start by focussing on my closest partner, my sidekick.

If you are interested (seriously) in teaming up and forming an enduring partnership, can I ask that you create a YouTube account, and upload a video explaining your background, goals, motivations and provide a practical demonstration of any fighting or specialist skills you have.  Obscure your identity, and ideally create and wear a concept uniform.  You can post a link to your video in the comments section of this page.

My obligations under my secret identity have pulled me away from my mission for too long, but I’m going to resume regular active patrols soon.  In the meantime, I intend to get back into aggressive training every morning over the next month, and will use this time to meet with and evaluate potential sidekicks.

If you’ve posted a genuine issue somewhere and I’ve failed to respond to you directly, please email me at helpme@captainaustralia.net, I want to help you as best I can, I’m seriously a little overwhelmed by the inundation of messages of support, condemnation and general miscellaneous jokes.

Your friend

Captain Australia

Captain Australia’s Crime Fighting Journal, Entry#84

It’s been a long time since my last journal entry, too long.

If you’ve been following my career as the masked crime-fighter and do-gooder, Captain Australia, you will know that I have a young child due to be born any day now.  I can’t share more detail without risking compromise to my secret identity, but this is the primary reason for not actively patrolling this past month or so.

Also, last week’s floods were devastating to most residents of Brisbane.  I personally was not directly affected, but as with so many people in the city, I gave as much of my time and resources to help people get their belongings to safety and to recover after the event.  (Doing this as an ordinary citizen, not wearing the Captain Australia uniform).

Randomly, I received a call from the team at Weekend Sunrise on thursday afternoon, asking if they could interview me today, and I’ve just finished the interview.  You can watch it below.  I apologise for the poor quality recording, and the baby babble in the back-ground, it’s just recorded on a handi-cam, I will try to organise better quality soon.

I’ve received some abuse after the interview, but also what appear to be a few legitimate requests for help.  If you’ve mailed me, I will come back to you privately in the next day or two and will keep it private until you give me permission to publicly share our discussions.

Until then, if you’re curious to learn more about me, just browse back through the archive of my journal entries, where I share my experiences as a vigilante crime-fighter and general do-gooder.  I hope they move you to try and do good deeds in your own day-to-day life.

Captain Australia’s Crime Fighting Journal, Entry#83

I visited Sydney this week on secret identity business, but on thursday night I was able to hit the streets as the intrepid hero, Captain Australia.

If you have been following my quest, you know that I am on a three part mission:

Do Good Deeds and make the world a better place by working to help others.

Fight Evil by finding and unmasking dark acts of criminality and evil, and doing what I can to fight or prevent them.

Inspire Others by sharing my story and the stories of the people I meet and help, in the hopes that it will inspire others to also take steps to improve the world.

The first part of my Sydney patrol involed a Good Deed.  I met a young man named Eden in Paramatta in Sydney’s western suburbs.  A pleasant and unassuming young man, we had spoken and been in correspondence over the past few weeks, as his bicycle had been stolen by a youth gang and the police were unable to assist.  Having no tangible leads, there was little I could do to investigate the crime, so I chose to erase it, by purchasing a replacement bike using my own funds.  I met Eden in the early evening on Thursday and was able to collect some video, as you can see below.

After helping Eden, I took some food and some rest, resuming my patrol at around 11pm thursday night.  (Unfortunately the young man who helped me film the encounter with Eden was not free so late, so I don’t have more video).

Almost immediately after hitting the streets, I had an interesting encounter with an indigenous homeless man, who hailed me from across the street.  I greeted him and sat to talk with him.  I feel that the homeless are marginalised and ignored, and whether I am wearing the mask or not, I like to take the time to listen to them.  That night their voices were crazy indeed (and in a later encounter, not just crazy ….. creepy).

This young man was smiling and friendly, but clearly as mad as a cut snake.  He spoke to me with a vibrant urgency, saying “be careful with those movies you’re making !  the aliens are beaming the thoughts into your mind !  you’ve really gotta be careful !  that’s how they got Empire in the Sun !”

We spoke for a while, but he wasn’t really able to coherently elaborate on this interesting theory, so I moved on.  I rode the rails through the Greater Sydney area, visiting Redfern, Liverpool, Cabramatta and Paramatta again.  On one of the trains I did meet a small gang of three teenagers, dressed up in hip-hop style street clothes.  They were being loud and violent, and scaring other passengers.

I approached them (them laughing and restless), and we ended up speaking for close to half an hour about what it means to be a man.  They attached a particular importance to being strong, and I think I got through to them when I explained that strength isn’t following a destructive path where your idiot friends gee you up to behave like a hooligan.  Strength is walking your own path, and being a man is walking it with dignity.  You know what ?  I think I might have actually got through to them.  In any case, each of the three shook my hand before they got off the train.  (If you read this, thanks for the talk, fellas).

The patrol was really just a lot of walking, and a few friendly encounters, the only disturbing incident happened in the inner city at around 2:30am.  I was walking around Circular Quay, basically watching out for drunks or homeless who might be victimised late at night.

I met another homeless man, this guy would have been in his mid 40s.  He was morbidly obese, with brown-grey hair and an untidy beard, wearing dirty unkempt clothes.  He looked isolated and angry, so I sat beside him on a plastic crate and said hello.  It was a very disturbing talk, so I’ll outline it here.

Cap:  Hello mate, how are you thismorning ?

Man:  silence

Cap:  Are you hungry, mate ?  Do you need anything ?  Can I buy you a hot drink ?

Man:  No

Cap:  Okay.  Well, I’ll be nearby, let me know if you need my help.

Man:  I know you.

Cap:  Really ?  Sorry – I don’t remember meeting.  (extends hand).   I’m Captain Australia, what was your name again ?

Man:  (doesnt move or accept hand) I’m the devil.

Cap:  (long slow pause) oh… okay

(at this point I walked away, but turned back, curious how deep & dark this man’s craziness went)

Cap:  Mate, why do you think of yourself as the devil ?

Man:  I am the devil.

Cap:  What are you doing in some homeless guy in Sydney at 2 o’clock in the morning ?

Man:  watching you

(honestly, this guy creeped me out more than a little bit)

Cap:  Yeah .. well.  If you want food or coffee, mate – just let me know, I’ll be in the area.  Bye.

Man:  silence

I guess by transcripting the talk (I have a very detailed memory, and have trained my mind to collect the smallest details), I was hoping to share the sense of eerie gravity I had talking to this man.  I’m not a religous or superstitious person, and I am normally quite fearless – but honestly, walking away from this guy .. I felt quite chilled.  And for the remainder of the evening, shadows seemed darker and more ominous than normal to me.

I half wish that I’d taken some video of him (I had the camera hanging from my utility belt), but honestly, I wanted to get away from him as quickly as I could.  The remainder of the patrol was uneventful.  I found a discreet place to change from my uniform, and went back to the hotel where I was staying.

Footnote: next major goals are to get my uniform re-worked (contracting a skilled artist & costume designer based in sydney named Nigel Shaw – I hope it works out), and getting what I think will be an awesome shield from my quartermaster Cipherman.  I think it will be an incredible tactical asset and a real symbol, so I’m looking forward to hitting the streets as Captain Australia 2.0.
Update: although tempted to suit up and hunt down the looters, the past couple of weeks have been focussed around helping friends, families and community members affected by the Queensland floods wherever I possibly can (as a civilian).  I won’t share too much info so that I don’t compromise my secret identity, but my wife is very pregnant, due any day now, and has strictly forbidden the Captain from hitting the streets until after the child is born.  This is the reason for the lack of patrolling recently, although I look forward to resuming active duty as soon as I can.