Day 2: My most embarrasing moment

hmmmm, my most embarrasing moment. You know I don't think I ever really get so embarassed about something that I hold on to it and continue to be embarrased by it. Don't get my wrong I definetly have embarrassing moments (like the time I heard my workmate Linda answer the phone, then I answered the next call saying I was Linda. I would have rolled with it, but the caller knew Linda so I had to explain I wasn't actually her after all). But, I don't have many moments that I look back on an still feel embarrased about, mostly I look back and laugh.

Picking an embarrasing moment to share came down to two moments. The first one I'm going to tell you about and the second was what prompted the creation of my own hangover rule - "If you don't remember it happening, it didn't happen."

So here's my most embarrasing moment story:

It was 1997 (I think) during the school holidays. I had my sister Lee (only 11 years old) with me as I went into the city with my friends. We were going to the movies, but stopped off to get some McDonalds for lunch first. We went over to sit in Civic Square to eat. It must have been raining or cold because we sat in the entranceway to the town hall. I hadn't told anyone but for weeks I had been suffering from some major migraines, dizzy spells and vomiting.

While eating lunch I started to get very dizzy, but tried to shake it off. Unfortunetly I couldn't shake off the vomitting that followed. I still vividly remember standing on the steps and vomitting over and over again. Ele was holding my hair back while everyone else had fled the area. Lee was screaming and crying from worry while the others tried to work out what to do. I can see the faces of passerbys that were watching too. (Why did no one come over and see if we needed help?!)

Lee, Tracy and whoever else was there went to police station that is around the corner from Civic Square. Ele stayed with me while I continued to vomit everywhere. I'm not sure how long it took, but next thing I remember is sitting on the ground with my head in my hands and the police officer crouched in front of me asking me if I had been drinking. He questioned all my friends what I'd had to drink. I was so dizzy I couldn't speak, but I remember everyone insisting I hadn't been drinking anything at all (and I hadn't!)

Mr Policeman stands me up with the help of my friends and they walk me back to the police station. I remember walking along with Tracy holding me up on one side and the police officer on the other. When we got to the police station Dad was there. I'm not sure if they gave me water, made Dad sign anything or what the story was, but I do remember getting in to Dad's car, saying to him that he got there very fast and he replied saying "When the police ring and say they are bringing your 16 year old daughter in, you get there fast."

I remember being sooooo embarrased at the time. Embarrased that I was so sick I threw up in public, that I couldn't talk to the police officer I was so sick, that he thought I was drunk, that strangers were staring and assuming I was just another drunk teenager and that I was carried to a police station. These days I'm not so embarrased by it because if it was not for this incident I may not have sought medical treatment for what I now know is a major allergy to cocoa and oranges. After this incident I completely cut them out of my diet and haven't had a major episode since that fateful afternoon.

Granted I've had a few more moments that I still feel embarrased about, but this is by far the most publicly and spectacularly embarrasing moment of my life.

Day 1: 10 things you never knew about me

Coming up with 10 things YOU never knew about ME is a lot harder that it sounds. Firstly, I'm not entirely sure who's reading this, so for those that don't know me at all, it's fairly easy. Meanwhile, those that have known me forever (Hi Mum) it's a little trickier.

I'm also not very good and staying quiet, so if I have an opinion about something, I'll share it. I don't keep much to myself at all. I've done my best to come up with things that I think NO ONE knows about me, so I'll be interested to see how many of you actually do! Here we go:

10 Things you never knew about me:

1. I'm a Royalist - I love all the wedding hoopla at the moment, I love the history of the monachary. I visited Buckingham Palace and Sandringham Castle when I was in England. I love it all.

2. I'd like to be on stage, in a play or musical, but I'm too nervous to audition.

3. No matter how many times I try it, I just don't like corn.

4. When I was a teenager I coloured my hair blonde. It lasted about a week before I went back to brunette.

5. I applied to the student exchange programme. I wanted to go to the States, but didn't get past the first round of testing/interviews. I can't remember why I didn't get through.

6. I taught myself to touch type by typing out my favourite book.

7. It really annoys me that you simply can not buy mint icecream without chocolate chips.

8. I had to bribe an official to be allowed across the UAE/Oman boarder.

9. I'm terrible at looking after plants.

10. Dishwashing liquid makes my arms itch, but I'd still rather wash than dry.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

I loved the prompts this week and next weeks looking good too. Enjoy!

1. Time

Important childhood moments are marked with beautiful charms on my charm bracelet. It's such a wonderful representation of my life over time.

2. Poem

I got this random can of coffee from the local Asian Supermarket. The poem on the front reads

"I'll love you dear, I'll love you till China and Africa meet

And the river jumps over the mountain

And the salmon sings in the street.

I'll love you till the ocean is folded and hung up to dry

And the seven stars go up squawking

Like geese about in the sky."

3. Outside

4. Zoom! or From the Car

You can spot these pelicans from the car and you only need to zoom in on them to capture a fantastic photo of them sitting up there.

5. Isolation

For some reason I love to photograph this earing, but I don't like to wear it. Go figure.

30 Day Challenge

I've been looking for something to really encourage me to get back in to blogging. I really enjoy it when I do it, but I find I often just don't make time for sitting down and doing it. It's probably laziness and tiredness more than anything else, what can I say. So, I decided to make my own 30 day challenge. I've come up with 30 prompts and will respond to one each day for the next 30 days.

To help me along on my journey please feel free to leave comments - it really is very reassuring and motivating to know that you're out there actually reading this thing!

Without further adu, here are the prompts:

1. 10 things you never knew about me 

2. My most embarrasing moment

3. The place I want to travel to

4. My faveourite author

5. Inspiration

6. Websites I regularly visit

7. I wish. . .

8. A letter

9. Peace

10. Something I'd change

11. Childhood

12. Pet peeves

13. Love

14. My hidden talent 

15. My oldest friend

16. My faveourite music

17. Jealousy

18. A photo 

19. Family

20. Food

21. My biggest fear

22. 10 reasons why you wish you were me

23. My faveourite place

24. A joke

25. Hate

26. If I won a million dollars . . .

27. My biggest regret

28. My favourite TV show

29. Something random

30. 2011 is. . .

South East Asian Night Market

Tonight John, Rachel, Lu and I rugged up nice and warm and ventured out in to the rain to attend the South East Asian Night Market in the city. It was held along the waterfront and in one of the large sheds on the waterfront. It started at 4pm and was going in to the night.

I had heard about it briefly during the week, but it was John who found out about it and encouraged us all to go. Apparently it's been held every year for the last three years.

In the large shed was a sound stage, some local restrauants with stalls, asian emabassy stalls and a really interesting artist display of paper constructed fruit. For a donation you could fold your own fruit too. It was very detailed and very impressive.

As is fast becoming a tradition in my little psuedo-family, we bought a selection of various odd treats. Sweet, savoury or liquid. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's new and we can sample it. Some of tonights samplings included lychee tea in a can, cracker nuts, kasava pudding, and vietnamese beer.

Outside it was much more crowded around the many food stalls. There was the usual countries you'd expect to see at an asian market - Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia. And then there were several others, that was really cool to see; Laos, Borneo, Phillipines. We stopped and had a look at all the various offerings, and sampled a few treats along the way too. The Vietnamese meat kebabs were a hit with Lu, the Laos wontons were a hit with John, Rachel found a vegeterian curry from Thailand and I tried a pork bun and a noodle stirfry from the Phillipines.

Having this market at night really added something special to the event. These things are normally during the day, but this one stood out just by starting at 4pm instead of ending at 4pm. I was also able to photograph a few of the happenings along the way.

It was only after taking this photo that I realise the person that got in the way (front right) is Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown. She was beautifully dressed and had her 'Mayor' pin on. She was alone, walking through the crowd, taking photos with her iphone. I liked that. That she wasn't followed by her entourage, or the media, but just getting involved in the city's event. Very cool.

While we enjoyed our dinner goodies we sat in Frank Kitts park to watch the performers and then it was time to head home to try out our other delicious goodies and to get out of the cold!

The Wizard of Oz

Last night Rachel and I attended the Gala opening of "The Wizard of Oz" at Porirua Little Theatre. It had been such a long time since I had been to the theatre, which seems so strange considering how much time I spent there as a teenager.

As a past president Dad is always invited to the gala opening of each new show. He'd always take one of us kiddies along with him, but now that he's in Auckland he passes the invitation along to me.

The gala was the same as normal - all the oldies and all those people I've known for so long, just a bit older. Wine, cheese and crackers on offer, so you couldn't really go wrong.

The show itself was great. It was the classic musical, and it was done fairly like the movie. As in what you know and love about the movie was in the show. There is nothing worse than when a director tries to revolutionalise a classic and fails miserably, but this wasn't like that at all.

Dorothy, scarecrow, tinman and lion were all fantastic and the supporting cast did a great job too. The set design was fantastic - one of the best I've ever seen PLT do. It was just stunning. The publicity poster above is a bit of an indication of how amazing it was. Even the programmes were very professional looking.

But, hands down, the best part was Toto. He was a real dog. He acted, he behaved perfectly and he even looked like the real toto from the movie. He was fabulous and I couldn't stop watching him the entire time. He barked once and he scratched once, but he always followed his cues and acted his part. Just perfect and totally worth going to see just to see him.

Catch Up

Goodness, it really has been an awfully long time since I did any blogging. I didn't realise how much until I saw the date! So, what's happened since my last blog I hear you asking, here's a quick run down:

1. I've turned 30! It's not nearly as scary as I had thought when I was 12. To be honest, it feels the same as 29, so I'm not worried at all. No midlife crisis here! I had a wonderful Sunday with breakie with John & Rachel, then lunch with friends and dinner with family. It was so nice to spend such good time with everyone. Not only did I feel very loved and cherished, I was very very full.

2. John & Rachel organised a totally awesome 'Heathers Amazing Race' to celebrate my birthday. It was so much fun! I'm waiting for all the participants to email me all their photos so I can collate them together for it's own special blog.

3. Work is manic for me at the moment - WINZ changes, new enrolment forms, report reductions to do and basic 'interesting' office dynamics to contend with. Nothing I'm not used too, and it does make for a non-boring day.

4. Mum is moving! This week I've been over to pick stuff up and take home with me. Yesterday I go all of her pantry stuff which led to John, Rachel & I cleaning out our own pantry in order to make way for all the new things. Today Lee & Morgan are taking away her furniture. And on Wednesday morning Wayne & Mum get on a plane and fly back to Aus.

5. Mum & Wayne announced their engagement. Wasn't too much of a shock considering Wayne talked to me about in Australia and Mum & I had been talking about what kind of wedding they will have. But nice to have it made official.

6. I booked flights to go to Australia for a week at Queens Birthday. Cheap flights were hard to pass up and I figure that in the middle of winter I'll be wanting a break. And I wanna go before my nephew arrives!

7. Sixteen and Bunker are still here, but seem to be declining week by week. :( But, they are still here, so lots of cuddles are being had.

8. Stupid day light savings. I hate that it gets dark at 6pm. Hate it.

8 things in 3 weeks. I'm sure theres more, but that does seem like an awful lot! I'll blog more appropriately soon, but for now I must dash. More moving of things around this house to do. . . .