"Gaaarnn, shoo, beat it ..."

Taking not the slightest notice it began to feed on some grass.

"Gaaarnn, get ..."

It sidestepped, backed off, took a final beady look and went for its life down the street, clucking excitedly, wings flapping.

But what's a chook doing in the street anyway, other than the unlikely event it had escaped from Colonel Sanders' establishment or someone's backyard.

It seems more and more families in Orange are keeping chooks as pets. They have the added advantage of cutting down grocery bills by producing their own home-grown, cage-free eggs. The chooks are also doing a good environmental job by feeding on food waste that otherwise would have ended up in the bin.

Chook lovers will tell you they make top pets - they're friendly, sociable, enjoy a good cuddle and will respond with lots of affection. Keeping them is relaxing, fun and surprisingly entertaining.

That aside, egg producers say grain costs have doubled because of the drought and egg prices need to rise for them to make ends meet. Coles and Aldi are paying egg producers more, and Woolworths is talking to suppliers. So you can expect supermarket prices to go up soon.

Producing your own is an eggcellent idea and you'll be getting fresh backyard eggs that have more flavour than those in the supermarkets. Orange City Council lets you keep 15 chooks, provided they're housed in clean and healthy conditions and don't annoy neighbours. Roosters aren't welcome.

So the old days of chooks in the backyard are returning and it's a positive move ... as long as they keep 'em there.

The University of Sydney is running full-page ads in a metropolitan newspaper saying "we're unlearning workplaces to shatter the glass ceiling."

"Unlearning" is an idea that's been around since the 15th century, but because the university has adopted it as something modern we should extend the notion and encourage everyone to forget what they've always done and then do something new and innovative.

For example, all those annoying Orange drivers who still refuse to signal leaving roundabouts - forcing other drivers to guess where they're going - could unlearn this arrogant habit and do something beneficial by clicking the left blinker.

The same applies to the Brown's cows' pedestrian crossing in Anson Street now that it's busier with Christmas shoppers. That would be an excellent exercise in getting rid of an awful old idea and coming up with something new.

So, unlearning has its benefits.

The politically correct are now meddling in the annual institution of the office Christmas party, warning revellers they could land themselves in trouble and suggesting employers appoint "designated sober staff" to keep an eye on workmates.

Solicitors say workers can sue colleagues for posting party antics on Facebook or Twitter without their knowledge.

They also want mobile phones banned.

There's dozens of Christmas parties being held in Orange, but next morning there's always that nagging little worry - just what did I say to the boss?