27 November 2011
26 November 2011
Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2011
I'm going to participate in this beautiful expression of creativity and reflection. I enjoyed reading and seeing all the contributions last year and I'm so excited to join in this year. You should too!
PS: the blog button wasn't working on my post, so I've just used an old fashioned link instead.
25 November 2011
Election 2011 Rant
Comparitavely I'm not a big politics person. I don't usually take a lot of notice of politics, I have opinions, but not strong ones that I feel the need to discuss or vehemently defend should someone start up a political conversation. But come election time, I get rather interested. I almost typed 'I get right in to it', but again, comparitvely not really.
Anyway, my point is that I have been interested in the politics that go along side the election. I always vote and make a point of understanding who is running and making an informed decision. I figure if you don't vote then you can't complain. Not that I wish to complain, but I want to be able to should I feel the need too. And we all know I love a good complaining session from time to time.
I always say two things about winning my vote:
1. Show me your policies.
2. Don't piss me off with bad sportsmanship.
This year has been much like the others. Lots of billboards and advertising EVERYWHERE you go.
In my electorate the fight is on between the longstanding United Future candidate (as in 27 yrs!) and the new Labour whipisnapper. I've always voted for the incumbent, mainly becuase I remember him coming along to all the school fairs, shows, town parades etc. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and to be honest hasn't done anything I strongly disagree with. Meanwhile, the Labour candidate has been a pain in the backside. The nail in his coffin was a letter sent to every voter this week. He proceeded to bad mouth the incumbenent for a full page! Such bad sportsmansip and nearing on bulling behaviour. I was pretty disgusted and John will tell you there was swear words and threats of "I'm going to write to those pricks", because right there he lost my vote. Not that I was giving it to him anyway, but had I been, it was lost with that letter - refer to rule number 2!
Meanwhile, I'm also sick and tired of a new strategy being employed by National and Labour this year. They send a group of volunteers out to the intersections and busy roads to wave placards and shout out ridiculous things. They move around from intersection, to roads, to roundabouts depending on rush hour traffic and busy parts of town. Not only do they look completely ridiculous, but they are actually dangerous. They stand on the roundabouts blocking your view of the otherside, they wave cards that distract you from the road. I'm surprised no one's had an accident yet. They would have a lot to answer for. Again, I'm also annoyed enough to complain formally to the parties, or the council perhaps?!
I hate the "Don't vote for that party because they blah, blah, blah" strategies. You didn't make me want to vote for you, you just annoyed me about your party! Grr, so annoying and juvenile. And bad sportsmanship! There's rule number 2 raring it's ugly head again.
I'm not a debate watcher, I haven't got the patience. I really just want to hear the policies and make an informed decision based solely on those. Last weekend the Dominion Post published a full page of the top 8 parties policies in the 6 (or so) major categories - Education, Law & Order, Welfare, Health, Economic etc. Over the afternoon and several beers John read through each of the policies and kept a tally of which of us would vote for which party purely on the policies of that group. It lead to some very interesting discussions and debates, as well as some ranting (possibly from me about the Mana party). But the best thing for me was I actually completely changed my mind about which party to vote on. I couldn't argue with it, it was pure rule number 1 - I saw the policies and that's all I want to vote based on. I really should write to the Dominion Post and thank them for their publication, it really did help me decide who to vote for.
So tomorrow when I vote I have a clear understanding of who my electorate vote is going to and who my party vote is going to. My party vote is not who I originally planned on voting for, but I feel very comfortable with my choice and feel it's the best vote for my voice.
I'm putting money on John Key being back as PM, I think he has the popularity to go another term. But, to be honest I'm not overly concerned. I mainly want the billboards down, those bloomin volunteers off the intersections, and life to return to normal.
Bring on Christmas I say!
Anyway, my point is that I have been interested in the politics that go along side the election. I always vote and make a point of understanding who is running and making an informed decision. I figure if you don't vote then you can't complain. Not that I wish to complain, but I want to be able to should I feel the need too. And we all know I love a good complaining session from time to time.
I always say two things about winning my vote:
1. Show me your policies.
2. Don't piss me off with bad sportsmanship.
This year has been much like the others. Lots of billboards and advertising EVERYWHERE you go.
In my electorate the fight is on between the longstanding United Future candidate (as in 27 yrs!) and the new Labour whipisnapper. I've always voted for the incumbent, mainly becuase I remember him coming along to all the school fairs, shows, town parades etc. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and to be honest hasn't done anything I strongly disagree with. Meanwhile, the Labour candidate has been a pain in the backside. The nail in his coffin was a letter sent to every voter this week. He proceeded to bad mouth the incumbenent for a full page! Such bad sportsmansip and nearing on bulling behaviour. I was pretty disgusted and John will tell you there was swear words and threats of "I'm going to write to those pricks", because right there he lost my vote. Not that I was giving it to him anyway, but had I been, it was lost with that letter - refer to rule number 2!
Meanwhile, I'm also sick and tired of a new strategy being employed by National and Labour this year. They send a group of volunteers out to the intersections and busy roads to wave placards and shout out ridiculous things. They move around from intersection, to roads, to roundabouts depending on rush hour traffic and busy parts of town. Not only do they look completely ridiculous, but they are actually dangerous. They stand on the roundabouts blocking your view of the otherside, they wave cards that distract you from the road. I'm surprised no one's had an accident yet. They would have a lot to answer for. Again, I'm also annoyed enough to complain formally to the parties, or the council perhaps?!
I hate the "Don't vote for that party because they blah, blah, blah" strategies. You didn't make me want to vote for you, you just annoyed me about your party! Grr, so annoying and juvenile. And bad sportsmanship! There's rule number 2 raring it's ugly head again.
I'm not a debate watcher, I haven't got the patience. I really just want to hear the policies and make an informed decision based solely on those. Last weekend the Dominion Post published a full page of the top 8 parties policies in the 6 (or so) major categories - Education, Law & Order, Welfare, Health, Economic etc. Over the afternoon and several beers John read through each of the policies and kept a tally of which of us would vote for which party purely on the policies of that group. It lead to some very interesting discussions and debates, as well as some ranting (possibly from me about the Mana party). But the best thing for me was I actually completely changed my mind about which party to vote on. I couldn't argue with it, it was pure rule number 1 - I saw the policies and that's all I want to vote based on. I really should write to the Dominion Post and thank them for their publication, it really did help me decide who to vote for.
So tomorrow when I vote I have a clear understanding of who my electorate vote is going to and who my party vote is going to. My party vote is not who I originally planned on voting for, but I feel very comfortable with my choice and feel it's the best vote for my voice.
I'm putting money on John Key being back as PM, I think he has the popularity to go another term. But, to be honest I'm not overly concerned. I mainly want the billboards down, those bloomin volunteers off the intersections, and life to return to normal.
Bring on Christmas I say!
18 November 2011
Thank You
Thank you to all of those dear friends and family that blogged, emailed, texted, FBed me with all your love and offers of hugs (which I plan on collecting by the way). My post below was written while intoxicated. Therefore my inhibitions were lowered and I typed things I wouldn't normally type. But I don't regret it, it is what it is.
I want to assure you all that really I'm fine, honestly. It's a bit of a difficult time when it comes to anniversarys involving Camille, but they are only for a few minutes (and apparently for a few extra minutes when alchamahole is involved).
I want to assure you all that really I'm fine, honestly. It's a bit of a difficult time when it comes to anniversarys involving Camille, but they are only for a few minutes (and apparently for a few extra minutes when alchamahole is involved).
If anything, writing a 'Drunk Honesty' blog has lead to a confirmation of the wonderful people that I have in my life already. Perhaps I should do 'Drunk Honesty' blogs more often?!
Anyway, Thank You, you're all fantastic.
16 November 2011
What should have been and What to do next
Today is supposed to be my friends 30th birthday. I say 'supposed to be' because it's not. It's not.
She died 13 years ago, just one month shy of her 17th birthday. Had she survived, she'd be 30. Today.
I miss her. I am angry at her. I don't know what life would be like with her, had she lived. She didn't. I didn't get to toast her for her 30th birthday today. She left and left me behind.
I don't think about her a lot. I mostly remember her with love. I often think of her with sadness. As the years go on I find myself thinking less and less as the individual days go on. But as we get to this month, the month between 16 October when she died and 16 November, her birthday, I think about her a lot. And more often than not lately I get pissed off.
A part of me died with her that day. There's nothing I can do about it now.
This morning I had a moment. A moment where overwhelming anger and sadness engulfed me. It was just a moment, perhaps two, where I missed the very being of her and the life that she embodied, and then I kept going. Because that's what I do, can do.
I barely mention her these days. After 13 years you'd think you'd have moved on and for the most part I have. But when I realise that I should be sitting in a restrauant toasting or partying at her celebration and not standing in my kitchen quietly mentioning that it should've been her 30th and then proceeding to drink way more than I should on a Wednesday night.
Like I say, waves. They get fewer and far between.
Then I started thinking about life. About my life. About love, love lost and the future. And then I started thinking about boys, one boy in particular if I'm being completely honest. (Which I am because I'm a little tipsy. And I have to get up in 7 hours and go to work. Eah.) A boy that I should have given a chance, but I didn't because I thought I couldn't. Turns out I should have, and want to, but may be too late.
Now what? How do I move forward? How do I get everything I want? How do I let myself be happy or try and be happy? How?
She died 13 years ago, just one month shy of her 17th birthday. Had she survived, she'd be 30. Today.
I miss her. I am angry at her. I don't know what life would be like with her, had she lived. She didn't. I didn't get to toast her for her 30th birthday today. She left and left me behind.
I don't think about her a lot. I mostly remember her with love. I often think of her with sadness. As the years go on I find myself thinking less and less as the individual days go on. But as we get to this month, the month between 16 October when she died and 16 November, her birthday, I think about her a lot. And more often than not lately I get pissed off.
A part of me died with her that day. There's nothing I can do about it now.
This morning I had a moment. A moment where overwhelming anger and sadness engulfed me. It was just a moment, perhaps two, where I missed the very being of her and the life that she embodied, and then I kept going. Because that's what I do, can do.
I barely mention her these days. After 13 years you'd think you'd have moved on and for the most part I have. But when I realise that I should be sitting in a restrauant toasting or partying at her celebration and not standing in my kitchen quietly mentioning that it should've been her 30th and then proceeding to drink way more than I should on a Wednesday night.
Like I say, waves. They get fewer and far between.
Then I started thinking about life. About my life. About love, love lost and the future. And then I started thinking about boys, one boy in particular if I'm being completely honest. (Which I am because I'm a little tipsy. And I have to get up in 7 hours and go to work. Eah.) A boy that I should have given a chance, but I didn't because I thought I couldn't. Turns out I should have, and want to, but may be too late.
Now what? How do I move forward? How do I get everything I want? How do I let myself be happy or try and be happy? How?
13 November 2011
I feel like I turned a corner this weekend, for several reasons. Now, where do I begin . . .
The weekend marked the end of a two year run as the distance CSA for the Upper Hutt team (of course I'm talking about work here). The last few months with the UH team have been rather 'trying' to put it polietly. I spent the writing notes on every. single. family. file. I boxed up hundreds of files and office info to be shipped off to UH and Auckland where the new suckers, oops, I mean lucky new CSA's are based. I spent hours making sure that every single possible UH task was complete so that at precisly 5pm on Friday I got giggle like a mad man because I was free of the beast. And when 5pm rolled around, I did indead giggle.
Friday also marked the day my favourite bra snapped. All you blokes may wanna skip down to the next paragraph at this point. So yeah, wire broke. Bloody annoying. My workmate Anna had to assist with some surgery to make a whole in the side to get the damn wire out. I swear it was stabbing me to death, slowly, but surely. I had to go bra shopping yesterday, and contary to popular male believe, I, like lots of woman, do not enjoy bra shopping. After a good 20 minutes of umming and ahhing (and sending John off to look at books so he didn't have to look like a scared deer caught in the headlights that is the bra section of Farmers), I managed to find the exact same favourite bra. So, I bought it in black, white and purple. I had too, it was fate.
John and I ran lots of errands and all of them went according to plan, or even better. The guy at Repco not only sold me a windscreen wiper for less than $5, he fitted it for me too. Wicked. I bought mesh for my strawberry plants (which FYI have big fruit that is already ripening).
I even bought a new christmas tree. I had gone in thinking I'd get a black tree, and walked out with a white one. John had been threatening to paint a black tree green, but somehow we managed to compromise on a white one. I like it better and the icing on the cake? John wished we got a black one when Rachel suggested a black one was very 'goth-like' and he could have hung skulls on it. Of course how could I buy a christmas tree and now set it up straight away. Anna and Taylor popped around for a few cold beverages and helped me to set it up. Of course, all from the comfort of the armchairs while I did all the hard work.
Lu and Rach came over to make and deocrate a Gingerbread house while John cooked a delicious roast duck. Honestly, it was devine! Yum Yum. And after dinner of course gingerbread was on the menu for pudding. We all had some, which is why when we had breakfast and talked about what we dreamt about, it was super spooky that three out of the four of us had had really crazy dreams about really crazy houses. Very weird.
Today we went mini golfing and it was so sunny that I actually got a little pink. It must really be summer. I was doing fairly well until my golf ball had a mini tantrum and wouldn't get in the hole no matter how many times I smacked it. But he redeamed himself when he got a hole in one, of course it wasn't enough to save me from second place. John pipped me at the post with his consistent putting to take first place.
This afternoon John and I spent more time in the sun when we moved all the dead and rotting branches of the oak tree off the lawn and around to the garden cemetry. Hopefully now the lawnmowing man will come back and mow the lawns like we pay him to do. With the lawn cleared off and the sun shining, it did make us think it's BBQ weather. Cue BBQ party next weekend! - TBC depending on the weather this week, but that's the plan at the moment.
I did a lot and got a lot done this weekend, but I also made two choices. One to move on, one to move forward. Not going to say much more about them right now. Yep, you got a long story about bra shopping, but nothing about two big-ish revelations. That's just how it is. Shit just got real! (Funnier if you were around here this weekend, but even so. . .)
Have a great week folks. Fingers crossed it's a beautiful day on Saturday and we can have the first BBQ of the summer.
The weekend marked the end of a two year run as the distance CSA for the Upper Hutt team (of course I'm talking about work here). The last few months with the UH team have been rather 'trying' to put it polietly. I spent the writing notes on every. single. family. file. I boxed up hundreds of files and office info to be shipped off to UH and Auckland where the new suckers, oops, I mean lucky new CSA's are based. I spent hours making sure that every single possible UH task was complete so that at precisly 5pm on Friday I got giggle like a mad man because I was free of the beast. And when 5pm rolled around, I did indead giggle.
Friday also marked the day my favourite bra snapped. All you blokes may wanna skip down to the next paragraph at this point. So yeah, wire broke. Bloody annoying. My workmate Anna had to assist with some surgery to make a whole in the side to get the damn wire out. I swear it was stabbing me to death, slowly, but surely. I had to go bra shopping yesterday, and contary to popular male believe, I, like lots of woman, do not enjoy bra shopping. After a good 20 minutes of umming and ahhing (and sending John off to look at books so he didn't have to look like a scared deer caught in the headlights that is the bra section of Farmers), I managed to find the exact same favourite bra. So, I bought it in black, white and purple. I had too, it was fate.
John and I ran lots of errands and all of them went according to plan, or even better. The guy at Repco not only sold me a windscreen wiper for less than $5, he fitted it for me too. Wicked. I bought mesh for my strawberry plants (which FYI have big fruit that is already ripening).
I even bought a new christmas tree. I had gone in thinking I'd get a black tree, and walked out with a white one. John had been threatening to paint a black tree green, but somehow we managed to compromise on a white one. I like it better and the icing on the cake? John wished we got a black one when Rachel suggested a black one was very 'goth-like' and he could have hung skulls on it. Of course how could I buy a christmas tree and now set it up straight away. Anna and Taylor popped around for a few cold beverages and helped me to set it up. Of course, all from the comfort of the armchairs while I did all the hard work.
Lu and Rach came over to make and deocrate a Gingerbread house while John cooked a delicious roast duck. Honestly, it was devine! Yum Yum. And after dinner of course gingerbread was on the menu for pudding. We all had some, which is why when we had breakfast and talked about what we dreamt about, it was super spooky that three out of the four of us had had really crazy dreams about really crazy houses. Very weird.
Today we went mini golfing and it was so sunny that I actually got a little pink. It must really be summer. I was doing fairly well until my golf ball had a mini tantrum and wouldn't get in the hole no matter how many times I smacked it. But he redeamed himself when he got a hole in one, of course it wasn't enough to save me from second place. John pipped me at the post with his consistent putting to take first place.
This afternoon John and I spent more time in the sun when we moved all the dead and rotting branches of the oak tree off the lawn and around to the garden cemetry. Hopefully now the lawnmowing man will come back and mow the lawns like we pay him to do. With the lawn cleared off and the sun shining, it did make us think it's BBQ weather. Cue BBQ party next weekend! - TBC depending on the weather this week, but that's the plan at the moment.
I did a lot and got a lot done this weekend, but I also made two choices. One to move on, one to move forward. Not going to say much more about them right now. Yep, you got a long story about bra shopping, but nothing about two big-ish revelations. That's just how it is. Shit just got real! (Funnier if you were around here this weekend, but even so. . .)
Have a great week folks. Fingers crossed it's a beautiful day on Saturday and we can have the first BBQ of the summer.
08 November 2011
A Dollar
I really like the song "I Need A Dollar" by Aloe Blacc. Check out the youtube clip
http://youtu.be/iR6oYX1D-0w
http://youtu.be/iR6oYX1D-0w
Apart from it being a catchy song, it reminds me of this clip from "The Little Rascals" http://youtu.be/pRMbdU0u0PQ
I NEED A DOLLAR - WE GOTTA A DOLLAR!
06 November 2011
Scavenger Hunt Sunday
Another week of great prompts for Scavenger Hunt Sunday.
While taking photos of half eaten fruit my gorgeous but sometimes limelight-hogging cat plopped himself down right in the middle of the shot. But for all his faults, he's just so darned cute and he really did make the shot better.
1. Food
I couldn't help but add what I thought I could hear the strawberry saying. . . "BITE ME!"
2. Purple
Purple is my favourie colour. I own so many purple clothes, jewellary, and 'things', that it made deciding what to photograph really difficult. I narrowed it down to a necklace I never wear and a hat I adore. The necklace won (but the hat makes an appearance below), purely because it was a better photo.
3. In Disguise
I've ventured in to self potraits. Very causiously as I'm not confident at all at taking my own picture. 'In Disguise' provided a good opportunity to practice. I used party hats and animal hats and funky glasses and silly faces. But this simple, out-of-focus shot gives me the best disguise of all.
4. Shapes
Three champagne flutes create some interesting shapes, both clustered together and in their shadows.
5. Photographers choice
While taking photos of half eaten fruit my gorgeous but sometimes limelight-hogging cat plopped himself down right in the middle of the shot. But for all his faults, he's just so darned cute and he really did make the shot better.
05 November 2011
Sixteen vs Strawberry
This afternoon I was photographing strawberries on a sheet of white card on my bedroom floor (because that's where the best light was).
Sixteen wandered in and plonked himself down on the paper - probably his defiant way of saying "I think you should stop doing that and play with me instead."
Now, I wasn't totally loving the shots of the strawberries on their own, so I let him stay. He lay quietly for a few minutes before stretching out and frightening himself by touching the strawberrry.
Now the strawberry was done for. There was no way that Sixteen was sharing his new found sunspot with a half eaten piece of fruit. He quickly showed that strawberry where he could go.
And once that strawberry was of the card and he had the spot to himself, he let me take photos of him just to prove that he really was more fun to play with.
Sixteen wandered in and plonked himself down on the paper - probably his defiant way of saying "I think you should stop doing that and play with me instead."
Now, I wasn't totally loving the shots of the strawberries on their own, so I let him stay. He lay quietly for a few minutes before stretching out and frightening himself by touching the strawberrry.
Now the strawberry was done for. There was no way that Sixteen was sharing his new found sunspot with a half eaten piece of fruit. He quickly showed that strawberry where he could go.
And once that strawberry was of the card and he had the spot to himself, he let me take photos of him just to prove that he really was more fun to play with.
02 November 2011
Self Potraits
A post on the Mortal Muses website about movement being blurred, moved camera, moved object, bokeh etc had me thinking about new and artistic photos. Movement allows the non-perfect photo to be 'perfect' in it's own way.
Then there's Self Potraits. I've never liked taking my own photo. How do you take yor own photo? It seems to plain and boring to just sit in front of the camera and take a picture. Also, I'll be honest, I'm not at all confident about how I look on camera. My brother was blessed with the photogenic gene in our family, not me. Mortal Muses did another post on getting started with Self Potraits. Among the tips were things like, take pictures where not all your body is in the shot or use props to play a character or use movement to capture a photo.
I want to be able to take good Self Potraits, so it starts with practice right?! I set up my camera to take 3 shot after 10 seconds. Sixteen wanted in on the action, so I went with it. I love these shots that I got for two reasons. One, they are Self Portaits - as in, I did it! Two, they aren't perfect, they aren't focused and they aren't planned and that made it so much easier and much more fun to do.
What shall my next Self Potrait session be?!
Then there's Self Potraits. I've never liked taking my own photo. How do you take yor own photo? It seems to plain and boring to just sit in front of the camera and take a picture. Also, I'll be honest, I'm not at all confident about how I look on camera. My brother was blessed with the photogenic gene in our family, not me. Mortal Muses did another post on getting started with Self Potraits. Among the tips were things like, take pictures where not all your body is in the shot or use props to play a character or use movement to capture a photo.
I want to be able to take good Self Potraits, so it starts with practice right?! I set up my camera to take 3 shot after 10 seconds. Sixteen wanted in on the action, so I went with it. I love these shots that I got for two reasons. One, they are Self Portaits - as in, I did it! Two, they aren't perfect, they aren't focused and they aren't planned and that made it so much easier and much more fun to do.
What shall my next Self Potrait session be?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)