In The LVN

I had a wee trip home* this weekend. It was nice to catch up with the elders. They have a fire place. In honour of my visit they served pudding**. Lynne put the electric blanket on for me. Libby the dog is looking trim but Phoenix the cat is very very fat.

The reasons I went home were

1. Dad's Birthday

It was my father's birthday. I bought him an MP3 player. He got in the spirit of things and carefully chose all the music he wanted on it - it was a nice wee trip down memory lane for him. He even tried to be hip and put a Violent Femmes number on there. And he played along as I tried to teach him what buttons did what (to be honest it's not the most user-friendly of players, but what can you expect for $50). I had spent a good hour fiddling with it beforehand, figuring out what could go wrong and how to fix it.

We ended up with the following folders of songs

- The Beatles

- Kinks and Stones

- Bob Dylan

- Alanis Morisette

- Dave Brubeck Quartet

- Cat Stevens

- Simon and Garfunkel (and Paul Simon solo hits)

- Singles (a variety of things from The Cranberries to Robert Palmer)

Time will tell if he utilises the technology. The ear-plug thingie kept falling out of his ear and he has big stubby fingers that don't like pressing small buttons. But he sure does like music. And he walks to work most days. Walking and listening to music is good.

Anyhow, Lynne said he set off to work this morning with his walking stick and MP3 player - hip, just like the kids!

2. Cleaning out the Garage

It was ideal weather for this - icy and rainy. My fingers would go numb after ten minutes of sorting through boxes. I would have to go back inside and warm them by the fire. Evidently nobody in the Judge household owns a pair of gloves. Too bad! My little finger was honestly without feeling for a good hour after I quit and went into town to forage for food. I had to keep sucking on it. Must have looked odd. But I was only in Levin.... looking odd is par for the course.

I threw out lots of stuff. Crappy mugs and bowls from my student flatting days and old business studies text books I will never ever have a need for again were the big losers. I kept a bagful of stuff for me, including a toastie-pie maker. I then got to the box with dolls' clothes that my mum and grandma had hand-made..... none of those could go! I gave up at that point and put it off for another day. A small dent was made.

On my visit into town I made the obligatory pilgrimage to the GIANT MARKET GARDENER. He was looking good. I don't know if it's new, or if I'm just unobservant, but they have this lovely kinda Celtic looking swirly iron pattern on the top of the little fence that surrounds him. It's befitting of a giant icon.

* * *

In other news, I have started my arts-and-crafts project for the holidays. I am knitting another scarf. I knitted one before - in my first year of teaching. So that's...... a long time ago. Five years? It was huge. If I had charged $10 per hour for my labour, it would have cost over $300, I calculated. That's an expensive scarf.

I started off knitting very slowly. I am now much faster and more nimble.

This one is going to be shorter and thinner and thus quicker to make. It is blue and cream striped. Kinda the blue of the Finnish flag. A lovely blue. I'd forgotten how nice it is to knit. It's totally mindless (when you're only knitting a scarf with the easiest stitch available, anyhow) and slightly addictive. Much like Solitaire on the computer, but you have something to show for it at the end!

I would take a photo of my progress, but my camera is shite and refuses to co-operate.

* * *

My fish are still alive. The water has not frozen them yet. I have not fed them in days. They are being trained SAS style to survive in any condition. I don't want sissy fish. The motley one seems to be coping best and is fairly lively. The black one is too fat. I will starve him some more.

I think their names are going to be Motley and Penfold.

* * *

*LVN people are slightly mongrel looking. I don't know what it is..... It actually does look like some inbreeding is going on up there. But it's my home, damnit.

* * It was an apricot danish thing with custard. It was good. Lynne didn't eat any because she has a strange stomach disorder at the moment and sweet things make her bloat painfully, along with many non-sweet things. It is sucky beyond description.

WE ARE THE SING STARS!

Cassie had a knack for striking a pose at the right moment (sometimes at the expense of her score). It's amazing how you can actually tell from a still photo what a terrible dancer I am..... It translates into 2-D well.

Last night was SING STAR (TM) night in the Hutt. Yeah, baby! That's my idea of a Friday night of fun (seriously).

We had a wee pot-luck dinner at Cass and Ant's (they are sans mother at the moment, so have the run of the joint and can have candle-lit meals without Joan interrupting and wanting them to do the dishes or pass the salt). Ange brought the nibbles, I almost made a salad (I brought the ingredients and let Ant put them together a la 'Ready Steady Cook') and Ant made a rice risotto.

Very nice!

Then the main attraction began. I got out the Canadian Club and ginger ale and me and Cass limbered up our vocal chords. As the night progressed, any time our voices got a bit croaky we took another swig of the whiskey - that's what the professional rock stars do, I hear.

We are truly stars (no matter what the stupid programme says). It's all attitude - and we have plenty of that. We found our signature song - Shannon Knolls' version of 'It isn't Fair' (that may or may not be the real title of it). It has lovely soft bits, a great story and then really really LOUD bits we can yell out at the top of our lungs. Ideal! We sang that lots of times.

We discovered that rap is bloody hard to do and Dolly Parton's 9-to-5 is also very hard to keep up with. How does she do it?

Today I did some more shopping - had to get a wee present for Kirsten's 30th and my dad's birthday. I finally got my dad a cheap 1gig MP3 player. I will put lots of songs on it for him, because he's not technologically blessed and will probably never get around to doing that for himself. In theory it will be handy because he walks to work most days. In practicality he will probably barely use it - but the thought's there. He can give it back to me and I'll use it myself if he doesn't like it :) It's also got an FM radio and can record voices too. Multi purpose!

My impulse buys included a badge (that perfectly matches the sweater I am wearing in below pictures), a bracelet ($12 bargain) and a pair of stockings with birds on them, further progressing my strange penchant for clothes with birds on them. I could do a whole outfit now (no kidding - stockings, skirt, top, earrings). And an Elliott Smith CD - double CD for $35. I've always liked the kid. Ever since the Good Will Hunting sound-track. And now he's dead.

Notice how the Gollums help emote the song and how very shiny and healthy my newly cut hair is :)

Angela refused to sing and become instead our specialist photographer, including herself artily in some of the shots.

Two Widdle Fishies

The only photo I could muster before running out of batteries. Little motley one loves the camera but black one is a bit shy. The bowl is a tad small.... but the only one I could find. I tried putting the castle toy in that we used to have in the old bowl, and it took up half the bowl... Not good. Must downsize my toys.

Quiz

We can a rather uncreditable fourth place out of ten. Largely due to an abyssmal 2/10 on the geography round and a couple of other 6/10 rounds to boot. Shame shame! Will have to redeem ourselves some other time.

Justin will now be known as 'The Silver Dagger'.

My intuitive knowledge that Sean Connery is in fact married came into play. As did my ever-useful recollection of the TV show 'Hawaii 5-0' and the fact that it is thus called because Hawaii is the fiftieth state. I'm sure I got some other stuff right..... but I can't recall what it was.

Me and Reidun caused a to-do by sending out coffees back. They were only luke-warm. I tried mine first and commented on that.... You know how you wanna be able to savour a coffee, kinda cradle it in your hands for a while and blow on it..... Well, it was already at the temperature where you'd better drink it before it gets cold.... and hurry up about it. And then Reidun said hers was even colder. They gave us dirty looks and then intentionally fell over themselves to ask if the next one was to our liking. But by golly, it was a darned sight better and I hope they learnt their lesson about serving hot drinks more promptly!

And yet again, our team didn't win any of the spot prizes - I swear it's a conspiracy. I even had some of our entries folded, some not folded (I dunno which ones he goes for more often - so hedged my bets) and I scattered them throughout the pile. I am sick of The Locals always bloody winning something..... They must be stopped! They've even got a menu item named after them. It's just favouratism....

Fish

I bought two fish yesterday. Then I got home and realised I can't recall where my old fish tank is..... So they are living in a bucket for now. It's like a big adventure for them! They are getting to know each other in very close quarters. They will either become the best of friends - or start eating each other. I'll take bets either way.

I got a little Black Moor and a motley one (bubbakanooshkin - or something). I was going to get three but the lady in the pet store seemed to think that would be pet abuse, given the sized bowl I wanted to put them in .... and I didn't want to reveal my true self to a stranger, so I vowed to go to a different shop to get the third fish. Then my social experiment can truly get underway! Who will be top of the tank? Who will slowly starve away into oblivian?

Hmm.... It sounds cruel when I put it like that.

Once they are situated in a tank I will post their photos on here and possible name suggestions can be tendered.

Flog

Yesterday I went off the wagon a bit. Hey - I'm only human...... I started with the pistachio gelato, then had a caramel slice for lunch..... and a few wedges at the pub quiz...... Today I'm back with a vengeance! No more crappy food. NO MORE!

I have yet to address any of my other Temple goals. No exercise since Monday. No hobbies. No books read. Goddamn it! My mind is not a temple yet. The rain is not helping either.

My fingers are cold from typing. That's not good. Must stop now.

Yuck.

I just ate my tub of pistachio gelato. It's been sitting there for nearly a week untouched. It had to go eventually....... And I don't do things by halves, so I had the whole tub.

It was good at the time - but now I feel not so good.

Yesterday was another good FLOG day. I did the tactical trick of eating my dinner for lunch, thus allowing myself a very light dinner (half a pineapple that had been sitting in the fridge and threatening to go the same way all my other half pineapples have gone, and rot into oblivian).

I also got new pillows. The top of the range that The Warehouse has to offer. Then I washed all of my linen - sheets, pillowcases and even duvet cover, and took them down to the drycleaners to dry in their industrial dryers.

What I observed while down at the laundromat with the locals is that none of them know how to bloody close a door! I was sitting right by the door and everybody who came in or out left it open.... and there was a jolly cold breeze. Laundromat people are idiots! Anyhow, it cost me $3 to get everything toasty dry and in the meantime I managed to clean out my handbag so it's now super organised with no loose mints or receipts in the bottom of it.

My new pillows were good. I slept well. And my neck did not hurt. My old ones had got so thin that I was having to make a stack of one and a half pillows, which is hard to do.

* * *

Hi Marty!

* * *

Here's a line from the past that Cassie reminded me of the other day - DON'T WORRY, I'LL PUT OUT YOUR INVISIBLE FLAMES!!!! Haha. That still makes me laugh. That'd be another good name for an indoor netball team - 'The Invisible Flames'.

* * *

I am going to buy gold fish today. Well, no necessarily gold fish - just little fish of some description. I might get three. Then you get to witness some interesting interactions. There's usually one big bully fish, one passive fish who gets eaten and never seems to eat anything, and one kinda independant fish who keeps away from the fracas. The latter is usually MY fish.

* * *

Lots of people haven't blogged in ages - and those that have seem to have all blogged about The Transformers movie.

* * *

What's with all the tornadoes???? I was saying to Reidun last night that if my grandma had to die somehow, that being killed by a tornado would be a pretty good way to go (some granny up north had that happen).... I think I sounded kinda callous.... but I meant it in a good way (if that's possible.....).

I just figure there are boring ways to die (in your sleep), embarrassing ways to go (choking on a sandwich

I got me hair cut.

Me hair is much shorter. There was piles of it on the floor once we'd finished. You coulda made a decent sized wig out of it. I think he took a good 3 inches off. I asked for a sweeping fringe (ok - I asked for something I had to ramble on about to try and describe, he finally figured out that's what I meant) and the hairdresser responded kinda unenthusiastically...... So that might be a mistake - but time will tell! For now I have a slightly sticky-uppy bit on the side (which I purposefully cut out of this shot). It gives me character. But I like it.

My hairdresser is a top guy! He's on the Terrace now and it's still only $65 for a cut and straightening - and the guy is meticulous. He straightens tiny little sections at a time. Oh, and you get a free latte and scalp massage with the orgasmatron!

My hair has that too-clean feeling to it now. It has a bit more bounce and shine than usual. I think I'll like it better tomorrow, once I get a bit of natural oils into it and it sits down a bit (hopefully the sticky uppy bit will settle down).

* * *

Went for lunch with Cassie Bo Bassie. We both did well to resist the many scrumptious but gratuitous goodies that Pandoro's had on display. I went with the soup and roll option and she got a bagel. It was the strongest act of will-power I have displayed to resist the very reasonably priced and attractive almond croisants that were sitting on the counter......

* * *

I got me a Jose Gonzeles CD.

* * *

Don't know what to get Dad for his birthday. All I have thus-far is a jar of gourmet blueberry and

My Foot. Again.

This year I have developed somewhat of a penchant for posting photos of my feet. I had the itchy bite photo, and the swollen foot one as well. Now I have the infected toe. It started on Friday, and the red infection has spread. I am watching with morbid fascination. Ange reckons it could be the flesh-eating virus. I think she could be right. I'll buy some Detol tomorrow.

If I squeeze it - it weeps. Too much information?

* * *

Breakfast at Tiffany's was D-lightful. Me and Cass went in with our cups of coffee and there were a few people dressed in theme. Very civilised! It's a quirky little film. Audrey Hepburn can play barre chords too - I was impressed with her little version of Moon River. The man sitting next to me breathed very loud. At one stage I was cringing at the thought that the woman next to him may have been giving him a hand-job in the dark, as he made odd noises. But, come to think of it, she looked more like she'd be his daughter. I think he just had nasal passage issues.

* * *

I hope my infected toe does not impinge on my shopping abilities tomorrow! My boots are made for walking.... down Lambton Quay, and Cuba Mall............... Many shops to peruse.

* * *

I took advantage of my flatmates not being home to practise my geetar playing. I'm all about the singing-along aspect, rather than trying to play all that well. I'm trying to pick which song I'd use to audition for the ukulele band at school.

And I'm practising for the Sing Star challenge this Friday. I shall dominate! You hear that, Cass and Ange - DOM-IN-ATE!

* * *

Here is what I ate today

Breakfast:

1/2 pack of M&Ms (mixed)

Lunch:

Banana

3/4 pack of salsa flavoured rice crackers and feta dip

Dinner:

Apple

Small tub of Salt and Vinegar Pringles

Latte

Supper:

1/2 share of nachos

Mochachino

Good thing my temple programme didn't start today!

I aim to lose 2kgs these holidays. It's ambitious - but I like a challenge! I'm inspired by Fish and Cass's efforts.

* * *

Thirty is such a yucky word. It just is. It wouldn't be so bad turning thirty if the word sounded more pleasant. It just begs to be kinda spat out with disdain.

Much like the word 'atheist'. It sounds negative. I think it was unfair to make it such an awful sounding word. Sounds evil.

My Body is a Temple

Ange has inspired me to start a healthy regime during the holidays. I will say this in a public forum so I have more accountability. This regime starts tomorrow (because I bought some yummy stuff yesterday that I have to consume today).

1. I will not eat crap. This includes lollies, chocolate, chippies, gratuitous bread products, fries.

2. I will drink more water. I aim for eight glasses a day. I may burst.

3. I will exercise four times this week. That will be difficult as I have accidentally ended up playing for neither of my basketball teams. I will find a way though!

4. I will take up a new hobby project. Something crafty. Possibly a knitting task.

5. I will read a book to exercise my mind.

6. I will go to bed by 11pm every night. That will encourage me to get up earlier to read and knit and exercise.

There! I will feel tops by the end of the week. I will give progress reports as to how I'm doing on all those fronts. Feel free to enquire and put me under a little pressure to perform.....

* * *

I did in fact see Trace the Ace yesterday. It was grand! She has this sense of humour where she takes the piss out of herself all the time - kinda takes away from MY role in the conversation (I like to do that!) but I love hanging out with people who have no pretensions. She arrived in a bright gold car. Very bling - like a rap star. She could BE a rap star. If she had rhythm.....

She gave me some inside info on the SAS documentaries. She knows Fish. Cool. Fish the SAS dude was cool. She doesn't know Fish of the Hutt. Different kettle of fish altogether :)

I took her to Maranui. She said it could just be her favourite new cafe - and that it all rested on the peanut butter cookie she was saving for desert. It was good! So it's now her favourite. She was swayed by the primo window seat I nabbed while we were in the queue. After we finished eating we saw the new queue people eying us up, waiting for any signs of upwards movement so they could swoop on us. Vultures! We just started avoiding eye contact and continued hogging the good table, even though we'd consumed all our food and drink. And there was NOTHING they could do about it, buddy!

We then took posed photos on the timer. She likes doing that too! Actually... what girl DOESN'T like doing that???? I've had many a group of friends who have been into trying to take the 'perfect shot' using the timer. Me, Nicky and Rebecca were pioneers back in 2003, then Ange and Cass took over the mantle. Apparently the army chicks up in Palmie North have been doing a similar thing up there all this time. We both liked the second photo better - slightly side on, much more flattering. I will be posting it once she has photo-shopped it so that she doesn't look THIRTY and emails it to me.

She, like everybody else in the wooorld, is engaged. She got engaged in February and is getting married in December. It's the year for it, I say! My friends Clint and Lu are marrying early next year, as is Cassie.

* * *

I'm going to Breakfast at Tiffany's with Cass tonight at the lighthouse. Jolly good fun! I'm going to wear my Audrey Hepburn jacket and drink something classy.

There is also a Singstar night in the planning. Possibly Friday. At either Cass's or Ange's (they have a GIANT SCREEN and HUGE SPEAKERS). There is talk of it being a theme night - dress as someone from an 80s cartoon.

It won't eventuate.... but we liked the idea of coming as Jem and the Holigrams, or the Misfits (our songs are better!). Or the Scoobie Doo gang.

* * *

I just ate half a pack of giant M&Ms. I ate the other half last night. It is my final chocolate binge before the Temple programme starts tomorrow. I still have a gelato binge to do today. Busy times!

It's finally here. Ahhhh.

I have started my holidays the way I mean to finish them - sleeping in luxuriously.

I'm meeting up with Trace the Ace later in the day (my newly 30 friend from the army who I haven't seen in literally years). Should be cool! From the corny sense of humour in her emails she's just the same as ever.

The season of the 30ths seems to be upon me. I have another one next weekend I've been invited to (though I may pass it up in favour of Kirsten's dress-up affair, which to be fair got in first). Then Ed's is coming up at the beginning of August, once he's back from his student-paid European vacation.

Yesterday six staff members left - all of them nice people. Four of them were pretty much the only young males we had on staff. Mass exodus! All for their own reasons, just unfortunate timing. The poor girls have nobody left to have crushes on. Even the dashing English reliever who was here for a term last year and was back for a couple of weeks recenlty, finished up on Friday. That's seven people going. Four of them worthy of having crushes on (one of them a male model).

Ken's going to leave a gaping hole in the culture of the staff. He was the jokester and always got into social activities with gusto and took things with a smile. I told him on his last day we should've finally admitted to the girls that YES, just as you have always believed, we were in fact dating the first three years he was at the school.... Just for fun. Mess with 'em right til the end, I say.

We spent yesterday lunchtime taking on the Year 13s at basketball. Only ended up having four staff, but we kept up with them 4-on-4 full court. Valiant effort! We won by 25-20. Ken managed to fluke another 3-pointer. Not quite as dramatic as the hook-shot of the last game, but we needed it anyhow. Usually when you play with a bunch of randoms it's a bit painful on defence - running around like chickens. But me and Ken and the other two played quite a good intuitive zone, kinda unofficially taking the nearest playing, then switching. We must all have good instincts. GO THE TEACHERS!

* * *

In a geeky trend...... Several English teachers on staff are now proudly wearing 'Stay Gold Pony Boy' badges that we had specially ordered at the Year 10 Market Day. Yeah - we are book geeks. The kid whose idea it was is quite proud to have actually started a fashion trend.

I think it'll catch on all over the country. It'll be the new 'Vote For Pedro' fashion statement.

* * *

I have no great holiday plans in sight. I have to go home and haul as much of my stuff out of my dad's garage as possible before he down-sizes. Not sure what to do with it - but it's my mission, threatened on me every time I've been in the vicinity of home (hence I have not been in that vicinity in months). Who knows, I might find some real treasures.

I suspect spending hours fossicking in the garage is going to be bloody freezinig. Will have to pull out the old winter gloves and thermals. At the very least I expect to find a toasted sandwich maker.

* * *

I learnt how to cook something. Reidun saw me about to just fry up some mushrooms and chuck em on a bit of toast, and she intervened to stop my culinary madness. She added a bunch of other ingredients and made it a masterpiece.

I have repeated her much fancier yummier mushrooms on toast recipe two times since (on my own). I now have a reportoire of one specialty dish. I am quite proud.

Who-oooo-oooo-are-we? Whoo-ooo Whoo-ooo?

Any good ideas for next season's team name? Me, Michelle, Morgan and Jonoball were bandying around a few ideas. Most of them weren't any good. Some of them were unrepeatable. None were better than our present name.

Perhaps we could stay with an A-team theme, or an 80s TV thing...... 'Whatchua Talkin' Bout, Willis?'.......

'Vote for Pedro'.

'Narp.'

'Inconceivable!'

'Sweep The Leg.'

Or switch to something random. Maybe one of Sam's uber-scary-sounding-weapons names could finally have its day in the sun.

I still root for 'Holy Jihad'. But then, I had a fish called 'Sambo'. I lack discretion....... and taste.

* * *

I am in that just-last-another-week phase. I am down to eating too much junk food and wearing the last (hideously ugly nana-style) pairs of underwear in the drawer because I haven't done any washing. Need a hair-cut. Need to return some library books.

I rang a parent tonight and it sounds like her daughter has entangled herself in a web of lies that may just be about to ensnare her. Nothing quite as bad as the girl who told me her mother was dying so I wouldn't take her cell phone........ But some good stuff.

* * *

ER is good. It has hooked me in for several weeks in a row now.

* * *

Our free netball game is on Sunday afternoon - 1.30pm. Invites extended to anyone keen to come along. That includes the regular crew of fillers such as Rich, Kirsten, Damon.... Cassie. Haven't really checked it with many of the team members but it expires this weekend, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Fish, Sam - can you fellas make it? Or is it church time?

Svend - I have always had fun envisioning you netballing. This could be your opportunity.

Righto. Updates.

• Wrote three sets of reports today (one during a test in a computer lab, a few at lunchtime and some after school)


• Need to mark some essays tonight (two sets if I'm ambitious)


• Have been booked in two weeks in advance to play for Michelle's netball team tonight - no excuses!

Am debating what to teach for the upcoming film unit. Might give 'Crash' a go. Haven't taught it before so that means more work for me, but I read somewhere that kids got good marks for it last year so there must be something in there that's good to teach.

I can not eat just a few rice crackers. I have to eat the whole packet. With hummas. I feel slightly ill now.

* * *

Gilmore Girls series 6 is proving problematic. Discs 2-5 don't work in my CD player. They work in the one in the lounge and on my computer..... Odd that. As a result I have had to watch discs 1 and 6 up in my room. So I know how it starts and ends. The middle seems somewhat irrelevant now. Stink!

Imbued.

It's funny how after living in a city for long enough, every little place in town comes to have at least one little memory attached to it. You mighta gone on a date there, or been terribly 'ill' in the bathroom, or run into an old friend.

For example, what memories do YOU have attached to:

1) The crossing by James Smith (that's where Ange broke her elbow)

2) The bathroom upstairs at JJ Murphy's (that's where I was violently ill at Ed's birthday one year)

3) The toilets at Pigeon Park (one of the few times where I have memory loss from drinking! New Years ages ago - I remember running towards them and it then being a few hours later all of a sudden)

4) Manners Mall, just outside the kebab place (where I hugged a hobbit)

5) Floor 2B at the Lombard Parking Building (where I first remember hearing the famous quote from Hamlet as my dad said it to me)

Blegh.

Woke up this morning.....

Not feeling very well. I have a sore throat and runny nose. I'm trying to think who I need to blame for my not being well. Morgan was sick last week. Sarah has had a yucky cold this weekend....... My nephew Finn has been off school for two weeks with a flu. Could be any of you blighters!

Reidun had made leek and potato* soup. That's a good cold-beating-food.

And I have a sore back. I am old and decrepit.

*note - spellcheck just picked up that as a 29 year old English teacher I still don't know how to spell 'potato' (no E, apparently).

* * *

I am going to do some school work. What with being away on sports exchange one day, I will only be in the classroom for three days this week. Bliss!

I even got to sleep in until 11am today before Angela started pestering me with texts wanting to come around for a cup of tea :) That's two hours longer than she usually allows me!

It's mainly because she went out to breakfast without me this morning, and as fate would have it she ran into the two girls we went to school with who are in town (who she had fairly intentionally declined an invitation to go out to lunch with yesterday). And she even had to sit with them, being as the restaurant was busy and they lost their table when they came over to say 'hi'. That's bloody karma. There is no avoiding Levin people. They will find you eventually.

Actually - one of those Levin girls' babies has a cold too. I coulda caught it off her. Bloody everybody is a suspect.

* * *

I will go back to snuffling and coughing my way around the house now.

I Saw Sarah

Fish and Sam and Ange know Sarah. She was a good friend of mine at school and flatted with me in Berhampore for a couple o' years before heading to England and the world beyond.

I have seen her several times this weekend and it's been jolly nice! We had lunch today with three other girls we went to college with (all of whom are blonde - odd that). It's kinda nice that people's core personality traits stay constant.

I have invited her to play netball with us tomorrow but she has a cold, so will play it by ear. That would be a fun reunion game!

* * *

Have bought Series 3 of the Gilmore Girls. It is Rory's last year at high school. Loralei is still bouncing between getting back with Chris and almost hooking up with Luke. Ah, it's like being home again!

* * *

I just ate some raw cereal (sans milk) as a snack. A free sample pouch from the food fair. It was good. Vogel

The Letter K

I have had a busy week. Not sure why - just lots of things to do, places to be. As a result I have been going to bed late and am very tired. I was so sleepy looking when I arrived at a departmental breakfast this morning that someone commented later in the day that she was quite concerned over my lack of colour. I am not a morning person at the best of times. The Beatles song 'I'm soo-ooo0-ooo tired/I haven't slept a wink/I'm sooo-ooooo tired/My mind is on the blink' song comes to mind..... This must be what Angela always feels like.

And here I am blogging at 10.21pm. Me=moron. GO TO BED, ME!

* * *

I had a harrowing experience tonight (slight exaggeration). My basketball club has two teams in the mid-week grade. There is the team I used to play for, and the team I play for now. I get the distinct feeling that the former team has ill-feelings towards my apparent desertion of them.

It was honestly a matter of 'put me in the team that needs players'.... but it's in the higher grade..... I had to return my singlet to them and got a rather frosty greeting, and when I asked if I could maybe wear it for our game (my team didn't have enough singlets for everyone) I got a haughty 'Well - we might need it - we have other people coming.... but if they don't come I'll bring it over' (for the record: they didn't come, it wasn't brought over..... my team had to physically swap singlets when subs went on, which meant a lot of running around in sports bras).

Lots of times over the course of my game I looked over longingly at them - they had no subs, my team had 10 players. I barely broke a sweat - my old team looked exhausted (and very short). I was quite torn. I think they need me more than my new team do - might see if a switch back could be orchestrated (the season is only two games old). It would be fun to play down in C-grade for a season.

* * *

The thought of a game-show based around three contestants vying to win the chance at a much-needed kidney transplant is rather sickening.

* * *

I will do a wrap-up of the Dancing With Stars season later on. It will be one of my weekend tasks. Bring on the weekend!

I made a poster for my classroom. It is from an activity I call 'The Burden of Sensation' we do for The Catcher in the Rye. Basically just observing people and noting what they do that really annoys us, and what they do that restores our faith in humanity. They always come up with some good stuff. One of them said that she loves it when people notice you've forgotten something and make sure you get it.... That happened to me at netball - I left my drink on the counter and some girl called me back after I walked away. Saved me either going thirsty or having to trapse back downstairs to find it. That was nice of her.

I'm gonna laminate it and put it on my wall.

I also covered my roll-book with purty pictures I found on the internet and other stuff to match it. Doing the roll is fun now.

I like arts and crafts.

* * *

Tomorrow is the big finale of Dancing with the Stars. Party at Ange's.

May the best man win (out of Cassie and Richard).

Sunday. My I-don't-have- to-run-day.

Food Festival

Everybody loves free samples. Even if they're on teeny weeny little shreds of bread or pieces of cracker. We love 'em.

The stink things about samples at supermarkets is that they're pushing products and you know the poor old lady with the rice risotto is going to get all excited if you stop to sample her wares.... so you feel bad if all you intend doing is the old grab-and-run sample.

That's the beauty of the food festival. You're in a hoard of samplers. You move in packs and the sales-people don't have time to hone in on you. You can happily move along the row and try six different variations of dips and not get spoken to once, if you keep a low profile. You just happily bounce like a ping-pong ball across the aisles from one stand to the next, picking up tiny cups of wine and sausage-on-a-toothpick.

There are, of course, certain etiquette rules you must abide by. Me and my crew were critical of the people who sampled-and-stayed. When there is a queue behind you, you sample-and-move-on. Get your handful and then return to the centre-aisle. Do not block the flow of the line. We all want our cracker with pesto, buster! Middle-aged ladies are always the prickliest of queue hoppers. Meet them on a dark street and they'd be no competition, but get between them and a piece of free Cadbury chocolate and you have a battle on your hands. There may be handbags and elbows thrown.

I got some stuff.

* * *

Zodiac

Me and Ben went to Zodiac last night. We'd both been looking forward to it, it being the first Fincher film since the disappointing Panic Room (following his gritty and clever Fight Club and Seven films).

I'd say I was disappointed, but not in the worst way. I came out of it more bewildered than critical. It's certainly not a passive film. It starts off almost cheesily, in the innocent era of the 60s and gets slightly darker as it moves on. I liked that Ruffalo kid - he's born to play well-intentioned cops.

I suspect it had kind of an art-house ideal of not wanting to package itself neatly. It reflected the messy world of trying-to-find-the-killer in the middle of hundreds of dead-ends and grey areas. I guess that went against the grain of your usual action movie. Rather than the shoot-out at the end there was an understated scene where the protagonist and killer exchanged eye contact. And then he walked away. How very un-Hollywood. Where were the police and the helicopters and the chase scenes or the confession-which-reveals-the-motives???

I have enough faith in Fincher to suspect I missed some of the subtleties and would appreciate it after a second viewing or reading some background on it. The fact that I didn't like its open-ended bits probably reflects on me as a lazy-viewer (I will take the blame for that and again, hope that Fincher was doing it more purposefully than I appreciated). Man, I sound like a Fincher Disciple. I have blind faith in his decisions. Let me sign up for the cult....

Anyhow, I liked it without wanting to add it to my top ten list of movies. Probably won't go around whole-heartedly recommending it to people - not an easy one to predict

Playing Dress Ups

Last night was the Semi Formal Dance at my school. It has become a tradition for the sixth and seventh formers to have one fancy-dress dance a year. This year it was Movie Characters.

They did it bloody well! I can honestly say there wasn't one student there not in costume. The winners were a very convincing and yellow-painted Marge and Homer Simpson, but there was a great Titanic tribute (two halves of a boat), an Edward Scissorhands (scissors and all), Kath and Kim, Snow White and her seven dwarfs, the dressing-gown guy from Hitch-hiker's Guide (towel and guide as props), Barbarella, spartans, Elvis, Willie Wonkas (about five of them), pirates galore, Austin Powers galore, Darth Vadar.....

What was missing (perhaps more from my generation) were:

- Indiana Joneses

- Revenge of the Nerds

Jolly good fun, anyhow! I wish we'd done stuff like that. Not really any good costume hire places in Levin, so I doubt it'd have been as elaborate.... The Little Theatre only goes so far.

I took on the duel role of photographer (kids love the prospect of being in a photo worthy of my school magazine) and dragon. I snapped two groups of smokers.... not knowing quite what to do once snapping them, I just looked angry and said, 'Now get back inside!' Then I set the deputy principal onto them. She's meaner than me. I was left barring the exit at the end - as they started to congregate (no leaving until 10.30pm). I was barring it all by myself as the mob got bigger and bigger.....

Little did I know, but behind me (outside the door) the principal decided to just let them leave a few minutes early and motioned them out..... They actually stampeded me. I looked up to see dozens of them rushing at me and I was swept out with them. I made a feeble attempt to stop them, then realised they were legitimately free. I know what it's like to be a shop assistant at one of those big sales in America when the shoppers get let loose. It's every man for himself......

Mate.

I kinda hate and love this tshirt all at the same time. Hate people who actually do this (I'm talking to you Angela - Little Miss 'Her boyfriend is the killer') but love all the movie references.

* * *

State of Origin is on tonight. My male flatmates are downstairs, empty wine-bottles surrounding them, enjoying the action on our new Sky TV set-up. They booked the TV days in advance for this one. They are sad that Q'land just scored to take the lead. I am gleeful.

I have now several times had the old 'So who are you a fan of - boring old Sydney or good old Queensland?' conversation today. It is one of those litmus tests to see if someone's a wanker or a good sort. Now, any NSW fans out there may be outraged by that polarisation of things (I would expect this from a NSW fan and it further proves my point).

NSW fans lack imagination and spirit. They sit back and preach in their accountant-like monotones that NSW is simply the better team. Look at the statistics and the record books. Why would you support anyone else? Cold-hard-facts. They sit there in their prissy baby-blue tops and drink their lattes and put mousse in their hair and... stuff.

Whereas a Queensland fan knows that the odds are against them, and maybe overall they've won a lot less.... but they still believe in the team. It's based on nothing by blind-eyed-loyalty. They dredge up those awe-inspiring moments (much like when the mother can lift the car off her dying child) and beat the odds. And they don't give a damn if they look 'cool' doing it. Bring out the ugly!

I like this kind of delusion and inbred-loyalty. I hate rugby league - but if forced to sit in one camp or the other (or be eaten alive by aligators) I'd choose the maroons. Good on 'em.

Anyhow.... it's one of those tests in life that very elegantly and simply shows the differences between people. Much like asking someone if they like crunchy or smooth peanut-butter. You can hear the answer and nod knowingly at them, 'Ooooh, I would've guessed that. You seem like the type' .... even better with the Vegemite Vs Marmite debate.

There's the Betty-or-Veronica question also (though, who would admit to liking Veronica better?) and John or Paul.

But I don't think any are quite as accurate at setting apart the core differences between people than the NSW vs Queensland one. It's the only good thing to ever come out of rugby league.

* * *

They've tried to get the whole North vs South rivarly to come out in NZ in various codes. Doesn't quite work.

I am, by my distant roots, a Southerner. Both sides of my family come from deep within the bowels of the coal-mining settlements in Greymouth and Hokitika. Nothing wrong with that, I say.

And one of my distant fore-bearers was mid-wife to Ned Kelly. Bessie Giles was her name. I love that name. Sounds like a woman of the cowboy-days in the wilderness of Australia.

* * *

I have taken on Ange's belief that you can always find a good park on the street. She figures that somebody has to get the good parks, and it might as well be her....... That positive attitude actually works sometimes. I traditionally take the first park I see, blocks away from where I'm going. But with a bit of that cocky Angela attitude I have nabbed some prime spots of late. Long may my luck continue.

End of the Line.

I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.

Brendon was (rightly) eliminated tonight. We did well - my predictions always had us being a final three competitor, but nothing more. Frankly he didn't have the talent to make it further. Ange was very critical of his top-line and posture tonight (she knows her terminology well - a passionate armchair critic).

Despite the lack of talent on his part, I'm going to blame some kind of conspiracy on us getting eliminated. Perhaps it was that Suzanne and Megan's previous fan-base was built on the kind of gullible morons who actually ring up or text in response to things on TV, be it a massage pillow or pop-idol-band. Brendon had a tougher crowd to please - the sporting fan is not used to having to actually vote for their team to win. We are used to just letting the work show on the dance-floor and having that be the end of it. I notice that there's an inconsistency in my argument there somewhere..... I will work on that. It's late.

There were tears tonight as Suzanne had a wardrobe malfunction - our hearts went out to her. Yet again the judges surprised us with some of their comments. They seem to love the boring dances - the ones with have very little pizazz but are probably very technically competent. We didn't think much of Megan's cha-cha (the one she performed at school today) but she got 10's for it. Go figure.

Hayley has the hell-good abs. Many men will be sorry to see her go.

I will ceremoniously do something with my Brendon mask soon.

* * *

My new tshirt arrived from America. I love internet shopping!

Zebra Crossings.

Ahhh, my broadband is back to full-speed (we musta used it up quick last month). I can watch Youtube again!

* * *

Megan and Jonny are coming to my school tomorrow to dance, dance, dance for us! It's very exciting. They're not my favourite couple, but now I will have seen two of the top three quite by chance...... Only the coveted Suzanne Paul performance to see in person now.........

* * *

Oh no..... No..... NO.... I'm the Rock Et Man.

* * *

Morgan liked the tigers the best. And then the gorillas. He went to the zoo.

* * *

Ange's name is very similar to the word 'angst'. Ever noticed that?

* * *

I got some new jeans ages ago and decided (upon getting them home that day) that I didn't like them. So have never worn them (this was a good month or so ago).

I tried them on this weekend and have redecided that I do like them.

That was less of a waste of money than I thought! They are long and do up without me having to lie on my back so my tummy inverts. Those are my only two pre-requisites in jeans shopping.

Now if only those Diesel shoes would stop cutting off the circulation in my feet, I would be able to say I hadn't bought anything stupid this year.....

* * *

Cassie is home alone for the week.

* * *

I ate vegetables tonight. After I ate some lollies and cheese. But I ate lots of vegetables - courgettes, red onion, capsicum. And red meat. It was healthy!

Yeah..... that was after I had a few handfuls of 'gummy oil' lollies. There was this huge bag for only $2.98. I had absolutely no need for them..... but they were so very very cheap.

Now I feel a little sick.

* * *

I have watched lots of crap on Sky TV. My latest show was My Sweet 16. That show cracks me up. Imagine having to teach them little rich kids...... I think I'd get sick of the show after two episodes - but in small doses it's hilarious. There was a girl dressed up as a princess on a 'unicorn' (horse with a nose-cone) having a special video-invite of her filmed. Great stuff! But the unicorn-horse didn't like the nose-cone, so kinda flicked its head up to get it off, and the cone whacked the girl in the face. Priceless! It 'spoilt' her whole day!

* * *

There's a girl in one of the basketball teams at school who wears a head-scarf. It's obviously for religious reasons (she's Iraqi) as she wears long pants and long sleeves under her basketball uniform as well. Her father has written her a note expressing that he would like her to wear her head-scarf when in mixed company. Fair enough? Apparently not.

Anyhow, she goes to some school on Friday night to play basketball and the ref wouldn't let her on the court with her head-scarf on! How culturally insensitive is that???? It absolutely would not have done anyone else any harm at all. If their finger had caught in it, the actual scarf would just have pulled off. I don't know what his issue was. We've had other girls with head-scarves before and it's never been a big deal.

I was not there, or would have had a word with him. Give some people a whistle and they become a stickler for the rules with nazi-like zeal. It's not even like she's a superstar or anything - we're talking about the team that loses by 40 odd points a week. And there were apparently lots of boys there watching, not to mention the male coach of our team.

Anyhow, I took secret glee at hearing that one of the parents forged her a note from her 'dad' which she showed the ref a quarter or so into the game (not being able to find the actual note itself) and she was then allowed to play.

It may be an 'official' rule - but it's just dumb.

Five Days Til Next Weekend.

Weekends rule.

Clayton is cooking Sunday night shanks for us all. He has been talking about having shank-offs this winter, where we all have a turn at it. Looks like he'll set a high precedence - he started in on his last night, so they'll be absolutely falling off the bone by now. Apparently he's used a Jamie Olliver recipe, but tweaked it up again. From MY recipe book, mind you! He's stolen my resources..... how am I going to win now??? Actually, I stand no hope in hell 0f winning the shank-off given the quality of Reidun and Clayton's cooking. Paul is a dark-horse - he's the artistic type, so he may pull one out of the bag.

* * *

To try to win a long-standing debate, Ben forced me into watching some Buffy on DVD. It is acknowledged that even if I enjoy watching it, I will never admit defeat and say it's 'good' TV.

You hear that, Richard!

* * *

We won a pub quiz last night, fundraising for some netball club. It was a hollow victory though - l0ts of answers bought from one of the hostesses (it's all about your connections). But at the end of the day we got the $100 bar tab. That made for some nice Bailleys to cap off the night. Fishy, Sammy, Richy, Kirsten and others were all in attendance.

* * *

We've now got SKY TV in my flat. I just watched some antiques show for a while. Joy! My guilty pleasure, Paradise City, was on E! but some of Clayton's cool friends came around, so I thought I'd better switch it onto something more sophisticated..... Damn them......

* * *

Brooklyn Bakery = Yummy

Me and Ange had a debriefing lunch there today. I had a chili, lime and chicken filo that was fairly tasty and she had a chicken, cranberry and Camembert stack that is now her second favourite dish there (after the white wine chicken filo). Also, my chocolate cake was moist and delicious. I very rarely get chocolate cake, but I'm glad I did this time.

Squiz.

Richard and Cassie - BRING IT ON!

Brendon Pongia by all accounts deserves to be out of the competition. I was literally in a state of shock when he wasn't named in the bottom two this week. But you know what it is....

You know what it is keeping him in the competition to the top three, despite his limited dance ability? Is it his good looks? NO. Is it his old-lady morning-TV fanbase? NO.

It's the Power of Kate. Kate always wins competitions. She has a zen-like ability to overcome the odds. Cases in point: the jelly-eating competition, the pizza-eating competition, the game of HORSE, the Big Brother Sweeps... and countless others.

Brendon has an almost unfair advantage over Suzanne and Megan.

I pity the fool who tries to take me and Brendon on. We have developed a kind of untouchable arrogance. We are in the zone. Long may it last.

* * *

I am going to go and buy some Grainwaves. I have a hankering for 'em. I will be back in a minute.

Or perhaps I will change my mind by then. Despite having had lots of drinks of milo and water I'm feeling funny-in-the-head. That's my dehydrated feeling.

Hmm. I just guzzled down half my drink-bottle of water. Maybe I was a little thirsty. That may help.

Two Little Blackbirds sitting on a Wall. One named Peter. One named Paul.

* * *

Done. I got Salsa flavoured. Honey Mustard was briefly considered, as was Cheese.

* * *

You know what I miss about Matt.... I used to absent-mindedly wipe my hands on him when I was eating something crumby. You know how you kinda do it subconsciously.... I'd touch his shoulder or something, but just drag my hand along a little so the crumbs would transfer (without even thinking about it). He sometimes complained. He took better care of his clothes than me......

I just thought of that because I had to wipe my hand on my own pants to get the Grainwaves crumbs off.

Funny the things you miss.

* * *
Hazard

There is a nifty new computer-pod at school that has 11 brand-spanking new computers. The kind that have the hard-drive actually built into the screen. They are fancy. To go with the fancy new computers we have fancy new office chairs.

They go fast. I was pushing myself around the pod to talk to various girls... and then I finished and was wheeling my way back to my computer, at the end of the pod....... when I discovered the office-chairs don't handle the turns very well.

I may have given myself an extra big push..... only to collide noisily with the rubbish bin at the end of the room when my chair failed to change directions when I wanted it to.

It muchly amused my students.

Apparently there's a foods teacher at our school who uses a whistle in class. Sweeeeet. I love whistles. They demand respect.

* * *

I have had to wipe my hand on my own pants two more times. Damned crumbs. Oh, and I've wiped it on my shoulder twice too.

* * *

I went to Quiz in Pet-one last night. The only thing I remember getting right all night was 'Eva Longeria'. Gossip magazines do teach you something, kids.

* * *

Lady Madonna has a cool bass-line in it. Bom bom bom bom bom bom bad-a-lum. Bom bom bom bom bom bom bad-a-lum.

* * *

Chippies all gone. Stink.

* * *

Sarah gets back 8.25am Friday.

She is my good-good friend from highschool. She is second-cousins with Ange and used to play netball with Fish and Sam (her and Sam were a great Attacking combo). She falls over a lot when she plays sports, but she's way more better at it than me. We played basketball together at college - we called ourselves The Terminator and The Exterminator (I forget who was which). We flatted together for two years in Berhampore when I was at T-coll and in my first year teaching. She wore pajamas and slippers around the flat most of the time and had copious cups of tea. We created a 'Wall of Mark' with funny posters we made up about our flatmate, Mark. He was magnificent and thought a sexton was the most important thing you would save in a ship-wreck. She used to drive a mini. She was obsessed with Weezer for a while so borrowed my 'smart glasses' on occasion so she could look like the lead singer. She was the one who drank my hot-water-bottle water by mistake when I was reheating it in the kettle.
She has been in Eng-a-land for four years. She is having a visit home for the first time since she left! I will look much older than when she last saw me. And have much longer hair (I was in my short-hair phase when last I saw her).

* * *

Must dash. Couple of hours of marking to do. Then I can relax. No pub quiz in Hataitai tonight.

* * *

There ya go Ange - I blogged! Just for you, my loyal fanbase. Wouldn't want you to be bored at work first thing in the morning.

* * *

The HOD Maths was in the workroom today with me and commented on how envious he is of my typing skills. He said that several times he's turned around to see who was tip-tapping on the keys so fast, and it was always me. I am a speed demon. That's what you get for taking typing up to sixth form, baby. I betcha nobody else at my school ever got top of maths and top of typing in the same year.

* * *

My plant is doing very well considering I've watered it about twice in the last month. It's a hardy wee thing! I might reward it by watering it right now. You gotta make them want the water.

Shock!

Brendon is still in! I had thrown in the towel, but my horse is still in the race. Go you good thing, go! And they did a lovely waltz tonight, so looking good for next week's voting.........

Bye bye to Sam and Greer.

Taking Angela to a Sporting Event

When taking Ange to an event of this nature, you will inevitably have to find ways of entertaining her. She is like a small child and needs to have games invented for her or 'projects' to do so that she does not get bored.

Here are some ideas Ange came up with to pass time at Saints game.


1. Lolly Scramble
On the announcement that Brendon and Hayley were to be doing a dance at the game, Ange was so excited that she grabbed in her bag for her camera-phone so as she could evidence this siting. Of course, the announcer meant they would be dancing later in the evening (this is besides the point). In the process of grabbing her bag in excitement she tipped out half the Skittles she had nestled in an open packet in there. They flew through the air and landed in the hood of the little boy sitting in front of us. I stealthily managed to get one of them back, but there may still be some in there.


Even more embarrassing is that I was demonstrating this event to a fellow DWTS fan at work today, with my phone in my hand.... and when I got to the bit about her diving for her phone my accuracy of imitating went overboard and I accidentally threw my phone up in the air, bobbled it with my hands, had it almost land on the poor lady's head and then dropped it on the ground. Oops. Rather dramatic reconstruction of events!


Related to the Skittles, she insisted on eating the remaining ones (which she had to fossick around in her bag to find) in colour order. She has weird lolly habits.


2. Paparazzi
Another way to amuse yourself is by taking unsuspecting photos of the people next to you on said phone. This is best when they are eating a handful of tomato-sauce slathered chips and are licking their fingers between bites. This is good if they look up at the last second to see a camera in their face and have a bewildered look.


This photograph evidences my look of disdain as I saw the camera in my peripheral while trying to watch the game. As Ange says, she artfully made everyone in the row look like Easter Island statues. Lovely composition......

3. Klutz
Always exciting is the dropping of food. Ange managed to drop a ketchup drenched chip on her leg and have the sauce spread over her entire thigh. Luckily I had a receipt in my bag (no tissues) for her to attempt to wipe it off. This amused her for a few minutes.

* * *

I must've been in a very deep sleep when the earthquake hit at about 1am this morning. I remember waking up and thinking, 'Bugger - I hope it stops. I don't have pjamas on...... ' and then must've gone straight back to sleep. Didn't even remember it til Ange mentioned it in an email. I vaguely recall it being quite a decent jolt.... must've been to momentarily wake me up.

* * *

I've done fairly well to play four games of netball in the last two days. The team I fill in for seems to have cast me at centre for the entire games. This says something about their level of skill.... I get very tired. My teammates from Pity the Fool were coming up to me tonight, a good half hour after that game, and asking if I'd just played. My face stays red for aaaaages! Luckily centre is a position in much demand for the girls on my other team. I was able to hide from the ball down on Attack most of the game.


All four games were losses.... there is a trend there. Though, the first game we only lost by two and we played the entire game with five players. Not a bad effort! My boy-cousin had a shot to tie it up in the dying seconds. He missed.

My Five Questions From Sammy....

1. Buzz O'Bumble or Wally Weta?
Who or who? I think the first guy sounds more familiar, so I'll go with him. I think he's in the dregs of my childhood TV memories, maybe. Somewhere underneath Play School (I liked Barry).

2. What is the most physical danger you have ever been in?
I haven't really been near-death (to my knowledge). One time I was in the car with Sarah, and we were driving on a country road and kinda missed an intersection was coming up and drove right across St Highway 1 without looking, nearly driving into a paddock on the other side. That was hairy. I think we'd been snapping at each other about something and gotten distracted..... That sobered us up a bit. Umm. That'll do. I don't try to court danger on the whole. Oh, and there was the time my family naively ended up standing on the side of the road, late at night, in a ghetto in Chicago. That was a good 'un. We may have been in more potential danger than we realised there too.

3. When was the last time you were naked outdoors?
I honestly couldn't say (I'm doing crap at this!). I have never been skinny-dipping (wasted my youth!!!). I've been partially naked, I guess. There was the up-against-the-neighbour's-wall incident in which I was lacking at least some clothes. Hmmmm. I see a goal to achieve before I turn 29 there.

4. What one thing would you change about your personality?
There's probably more than one thing, if I was trying to 'perfect' myself. One thing.......... Procrastinate less. I create a lot of stress by putting things off and then usually they're not half as bad as I thought they'd be. I could lose my patented 'Avoid, avoid, avoid' life motto.

5.What is the worst thing you have ever eaten?
Nicky's patented Can-of-Tuna-Curry springs to mind. Any dish where you're a student and try to substitute a can of tuna for 'real meat' would make the list. And my brother's rice dish - it had a fine layer of gluggy film and the kinda texture you could mould into abstract statues. And there was an incident at the James Cook Hotel when I was a youngun' where I tried an oyster for one of the first times and was so disgusted I had to spit it back out into a napkin..... My brother remembered that for years whenever arguments came up about my level of decorum. But on the whole I am not a fussy eater. And I'm not an idiot, so I've never eaten anything that's still wriggling or not meant for human consumption.

* * *

Nothing terribly scandalous there! If anyone else wants 5 Tricky Questions, so continue the chain started by Special K and continued on to me through Sammy, let me know.

Odds and Sods

1.

It's becoming winter. There is a sudden change in work at lunch time. Everybody has started bringing toast bread and a can of tuna. It is the lunch of choice.

2.
My students 'regretfully' decided not to enter the 48 Hour Thingie.

3.
It is a long-standing fact that Angela and I are never dating at the same time. It seems that the equilibrium is that at any given time, only one of us is allowed to go on dates or be in a relationship. The universe would be out of kilter if this was not the case.

That has worked out strangley in the last few years, as she has had 'summer flings' and I have had the 'winter relationships'. Not sure who's getting the better deal there. Sure, the winter ones keep you warm - but the summer ones are carefree and you can do out-doorsy things and eat ice-cream.

This week - we BOTH went on dates. If any strange phenomenons happen in the next wee bit (tidal waves, crop circles, wars on terrorism) blame it on that.

Uh oh.

BRENDON IS IN DANGER! LOWEST SCORE OF THE REMAINING DANCERS!

Good riddance to Fishy and Paul.

I hate to admit it, but Megan really was the best celebrity tonight.

Wedding Expo

Below: A pretty posey

I went to the big expo with Cass-zilla yesterday. We were, on the whole, not all that fussed with it. Possibly because a lot of what was on display had already been booked and sorted by them (venue, photographer).

I think they're interesting in that you can fairly much guarantee that any male and female walking around together are engaged. You can use it as an anthropological opportunity and notice that couples are, generally, well matched. They look similar, dress to a similar level of 'coolness'. Almost without exception the couples were very similar looking.

I noticed all of this from my somewhat painful wait outside the entrance. Standing there by yourself you feel somewhat conspicuous and hope nobody will come up and say, 'So when's the big day?' and try and sell you something. People started getting quite put out by me refusing to take their brochures.

Wedding expos really are a playground for girls though. They combine many of our favourite things: pretty dresses, pretty flowers, pretty cakes, pretty stationery and pretty music. It just all happens to be themed.

The highlight for me was finding the BEST FUDGE IN THE WORLD. I wouldn't have shared it if you'd asked! It was my prrrrecious. The gollums cherished each delectable crumb. Mmmmm.

Below: Pretty flowers in pretty teacups * * *

Fishy's birthday afternoon tea was delightful. I chatted more to Cass and Ant and then Ken and Holly. Then I chatted to Morgan and Sam made us look at photo albums. I was in only one photo. There were rats too. I touched one of them. They were less yucky than some rats I've seen.

Morgan said I'd look good in greyscale, due to my ensemble. I think that's a compliment. But it may not be...... You just smile and nod when he says such things.

It's my school-girl pinafore outfit. Jolly fun!


* * *
I was showing some students a clip on a video today and it happened to have my old game-show footage at the beginning of the tape.... and we happened to finish a little early. So I let them watch it as a 'treat'. Of course, at that moment the dean of the year level came in and was a little surprised at my 'lesson'.
Perhaps as a compliment, one of the students flat-out refused to believe the person on screen was me. I swore it was, and that the cameras are most unflattering. One student said I looked 'stubbly' .... though on further explanation I'm fairly sure she meant 'chubby' .... and they started expounding on the theory that the camera adds 20 pounds. They also like me better with my longer hair................. They noticed that I grimace every time the camera is on me. I explained that that was because I was realised just how bloody bad I was going to do and that everybody I'd ever known was going to see this on TV.... plus I didn't know the answer. It was my 'uh-oh' face.
* * *
The handy-man came around to look at the leak in my bedroom roof. I had to strategically hide the iron-mark on the floor with my laptop. The landlord has not seen my iron-mark yet. It is unmistakably an iron-mark. I don't think she'll like it much but it sure is a talking point.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.....

The following sequence is based on real events in a flat in Hataitai. Parental guidance is recommended.

This is a fridge. It is a normal looking fridge.This is Angela. She is going to get some milk for her cereal....But what she sees when she opens the door shocks her!

* * *

I want one for Christmas!

Woo Woo!

Somebody's huge head jumped into our photo at the last second, obscuring Ange......

I tell you whut....

We did ok at quiz tonight. It was just me, Ange and Reidun and we got in the top half of the pack. Sixth out of thirteen. We even got 6 for the sports round. We got at least six for every round after the first two (geography and space stuff). Even a couple of eights!

My most proud answer was to 'What sport has its best players of the latter era with the nicknames Super Mario and The Great One?'

None of us knew what the final communication from the Titanic was. The second to last one was SOS (Save Our Souls) but the last one was CQD. We had all kinds of good ideas.....

And I knew what TV character had the catch-phrase 'Trust me - I know what I'm doing'.

The Gods are Smiling on me.

Tomorrow night's home game at school has been defaulted by the other team. I now don't have to go back to school at 6pm anymore!

Thus I am able to instead fully take part in the inter-departmental indoor bowls competition.

I shall relish the opportunity to relive my glory days of lawn bowling and will try and regain the competitive form that saw me come first overall in the inter-departmental 10 Pin Bowling comp last year.

Team English shall compete valiantly.........

* * *

What were some memorable moments from my day......

1) The bad-asssest kid in my class actually did all her work because I promised that if she did she'd get a tiny little Winnie the Pooh sticker (who knew it was that easy to bribe her???).

2) My favourite dread-locked student (the one who listens to NIN) came in to borrow my keys and get some dictionaries for her class.... The principal had just given a speech on wearing uniform properly and asked us to 'back her up', so I said gleefully, 'Sure you can, but first do up the top button of your shirt properly.'

After several back-and-forths where she said, 'But Miss, don't be silly..... we've got an assessment, so I just need to get them now,' and I said, 'So hurry up and tidy it so you're a good role model for my Year 9s!' ...... she said with a smirk, 'Fine - I'll go get keys off a different teacher,' and exited triumphantly.

She slunk back a few minutes later, doing up her button mumbling in defeat (but with a good-humoured smile), 'Nobody else up here has keys.......' VICTORY TO ME! Her rebellious little stand was ruined. We often have such battles (I used to have an envelope in my drawer which I put confiscated jewelry in and affectionately called 'My Natalie Envelope').

I wasn't kidding.

Masks of our favourite Dancing with the Stars celebrities. Ready for distribution tomorrow at netball. Not laminated. For the record, even a mask of Paul Homles makes me shudder.

* * *

It's another theme dinner at Chez Waipapa. Tonight it's Italian. We were going to have violin cases and people kissing Clayton's ring on the way in the door. But we've downgraded to lasagne, meatballs, canniloni (sp?) and red wine. And candles. We don't do it by halves! By 'we', I mean Reidun.

We are expecting eleven tonight. We have vaguely Italian themed music ready ('we' meaning Reidun again, but I am enthusiastic in support). My guests are Ange and Englishguy1 (who's back in town). Last time it was Sam and Fish.

Should be jolly fun!

* * *

My digital camera is like a fussy bloody cat that will only eat certain cat foods (invariably the expensive ones that come in pouches). It only works with certain batteries. And of course, they are the most expensive ones. The gold ones. It's a snobby camera. I discovered this after investing much money in a 10 pack of similarly expensive silver batteries, only to find my camera wouldn't work at all with them. Grrrrr. Fussy cats and cameras suck.

It used to work with cheaper batteries. It's developing pretentious tastes in its adolescence. Teens are expensive for their owners.....

Basketball and Dungeons

1. The Beginning o' The End

Last night was the first night of basketball games at school. That means that Fridaynight=Basketballnight for the next couple of terms. It's like my weekend doesn't start til 9pm on a Friday, when the last game finishes.

But as much as I dread going BACK to school on a Friday night, it's always fun once I'm there. The kids are all positive and into it.

Game 1 was our Senior B team. I think none of them had ever played a game (beyond a couple of 3rd formers who had played mini-ball). So it was ..... a learning process. I think by the end they looked a little less scared. I wanted to somehow subtly drop in the fact that half the team were 3rd formers and one of them was a partially special-needs student in case the other school got cocky about beating them 7-57.

I was telling the special-needs girl that all she had to do on defence was stick with #6. I was actually reffing at the same time, but when the scoreline's that one-sided I think impartiality matters less. She said to me, 'But I don't want to get that close to her.' There could be defensive problems if she has personal space issues....... Her dad came up and thanked me for letting her join in afterwards. Odd thing was that rather than watching the game, he'd sat there doing something on his laptop the whole time.

The best thing was that one of the girls came up afterwards and said her dad was happy to take over coaching them. It was like christmas! I suddenly saw a light at the end of the tunnel....... perhaps some Friday nights will be for 'socialising' and going to 'work drinks' (strange events I forget about until about September). I remember him yelling out a few things during the game, and he seemed to know what he was talking about. And another partent came up and offered to help out with transport. Parents rule!

Then the Senior A redeemed our pride by romping over the other school's A team. We have one player who's just poetry in motion. She has played NZ rep basketball and soccer for years. I think she got about 10 steals and about 30 points. We had a few new players in the team, and all of them scored a few points and looked fairly chuffed. One of them did a little fist-pumping dance after making two free-throws. She's gonna be a crowd favourite. And one of their dads kept coming down between quarters and giving his daughter advice on being 'tougher'. I love it when dads get inolved in their daugher's sports. It's sweet.

Anyhow, that means Miss J doesn't have to coach! I can now focus on my favourite thing - running the score-bench. Score-bench is FUN! Last night I taught two of the 3rd formers how to do the score-sheet and part of the score-board. I ran the 24-second and game clock.... the two most visible jobs......... the clock went off a few times because I forgot to reset it........... always embarrassing. But one of the girls said, 'Miss, can I do this EVERY week?' So yay! Another job Miss J doesn't have to do.......

2. D 'n' D

I found this shirt. It's wicked with its multi-sided di and whatnot. If I had to buy a present for Richard, Morgue or 'John'* (or anyone else who's a closet Dungeons and Dragons player) I'd be ordering it right now!

Then I read the comments about it. Turns out lots of people bought it thinking it was referring to some rap song, not an exhibition about role playing. Haha! That's a funny thought that they're going around wearing a tshirt they think is totally gangsta, but it's totally white-and-nerdy (according to my man Al).

Here are some of the comments made about it:

We’re Rollin’ They’re Hatin’ is a large-scale contemporary art show that examines the role of Dungeons and Dragons, Escapism and Fantasy in contemporary art and culture. How many people who ordered this are groaning right now?
I thought it was just a weird design with that chamillionair song on it...
* Name changed to protect public image and avoid law suit