My Review of 'Ghost Writer'

The film ends with a key moment of revelation that involves a boolean search on Google.

Enter potential baddie's name + CIA and see what comes up.

I think if a world conspiracy could be solved by a computer literate ten year old, you wouldn't need to make a thriller about it.

Polanski seemed to just give up on subtlety more and more as the film went on. I won't even mention the final scene.

And just because you can cast Kim Cattrall in a serious role, doesn't mean you should.

On the plus side, it was nice aesthetically and Ewan McGregor was ok, as was the wife.

* * *

And I saw The Room again. It wasn't as funny this time, but I did enjoy being able to join in on all the interactive bits. I threw a lot of spoons and yelled, 'But he's your best friend!' and 'Oh, hi Denny!' a few times. And we still don't know why they were all in tuxedoes, or what happened to Peter.

It is still wondrous how Tommy threw the whole movie together in quite the way that he did. I think most of the audience might have been film students - the movie is a wonderful teaching tool on how not to write a narrative and dialogue.

My dad got tickets to the Leonard Cohen concert on a whim. He asked me if I wanted to go. I said 'no thanks' just because I felt like saying no. I would not be so easily placated after his stand-ups of late. I'm on a family-strike. And I don't like Leonard Cohen $120 worth (and my dad should know that).

Then my brother rang me to ask what the plans were, and he sounded pretty good. And I haven't seen my brother in ages. I didn't realise he was going.

And then I heard it was a great concert.

And maybe I should've said yes.

Dad took me and my brother to Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan and Elton John concerts. It's his 'thing'. Maybe that was him trying to say 'sorry - I should do more stuff with my own kids, as well as my step-family'.

Maybe he was disappointed when I didn't go. Maybe we're even now and I got a bit of bad karma by missing a good concert because of my sulking.

Or maybe it had nothing to do with me and it was just a concert and it was just some tickets. It's hard to know sometimes. I doubt my dad over-thinks things like that, anyhow. He's a guy.

My new sneakers are still awesome. By the way. I didn't want to buy 'netball' shoes on principle (I ain't no netballer) but it may have been a good recommendation by the pushy shop lady. My team-mate even commented on how bouncy they looked. (At first I thought she was only pointing out how new and white they looked, which was a fair comment - they glow like Michael Jackson's socks!)

I like my team this season - I'm mainly playing high post so I've become a jump-shooter again. In this grade they don't really defend high post too closely so I get heaps of open shots. One time I even shot a turn-around shot in rhythm (though that was in the low post.... but came from my increased shooting zen). Haven't done that in ages! The grade we were in last season was way too good - I was pressured and double-teamed pretty much every time I got the ball and hardly shot at all.

Now I'm a lazy-ass elbow-shootin' high-post again. The way I like it. I'm really quite a terrible low-post player.

We played a Chinese team tonight that had three ex-students of mine in it. I coached two of them in the Senior-B when they were at school. In the end we beat them pretty soundly with only six players..... That could partly be a sign of how rubbish my coaching was :)

* * *

I was all set to finish marking the drafts my students emailed me after school, and then go watch X-Factor....

.... when the last one I read through was full of stuff I suspected was plagarism. Grrr. Takes ages to try and prove plagarism if it's even reasonably clever. There goes my TV watching time.

DAMN YOU, GOOGLE! ONE DAY YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND, THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE MY ENEMY.

* * *

My cooking experiment has continued.

I made a chicken pilaf thingie with cranberries and pine nuts and white wine.

The first attempt tasted fine, but the rice was a gluggy mess (apparently not quite the texture I should've aimed for - it had perplexed me when the recipe said to 'fluff it up' and mine was a gluey hunk ..... and the chicken was bleeding a bit when I first cut into it.....). It passed for a bad risotto better than it passed for a pilaf.

The next attempt, however, was pretty awesome. I forgot to take a photo though, so you'll have to take my word for it. Good texture in the rice, I added the cranberries sooner so they plumped up better and the chicken was cooked just right.

See, my strategy is to buy enough for the whole recipe but only cook a half-dose each time. Gives me a chance to improve. Does mean I have to eat the same thing three or four nights in a row.....

BUT TAKE THAT, PILAF! You are now in my repertoire.

I got a 'Best of 85' mix CD from The Warehouse. It's full of classic syth-rock angst. It's got A-ha and Billy Idol.

Then in the middle of all that it's got 'I'm Walkin' on Sunshine'. I thought that was a bit of a weird and lame addition to my grunty car CD.

But.... to my surprise.... I am LOVING that song! It's the absolute best morning song. I love going to work after listening to it! The intro rocks.

I have it on repeat.

And don't it feel good!

* * *

I haven't come across anyone in my circles that isn't happy with Wellington's new mayor.

* * *

My new sneakers haven't given me blisters.

And I sneak around in them.

* * *

I made zucchini fritters from my recipe book. It's my new signature dish.

Paul Henry Rant - Victory for the People

I'm feeling quite chuffed that Paul Henry resigned.

In my mind he was fired (it makes me happier - I picture him being pushed down the plank to the sharks in the press gallery).

I think that it's unacceptable to make such public and blatantly racist remarks in any profession. I wouldn't even let school kids get away with making those comments without a wee lecture. A grown man has no excuse left. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's arrogance rather than a lack of self-control or a naive kind of ignorance that is the issue.

It boils down to some sort of public bullying. I think people who defend him with lines like 'he's only saying what most people think' forget that even if lots of people think those kinds of things they would express them in a more private context. A public forum (not to mention one governed by Standards and a Charter) is a situation that demands more discretion. It speaks for more than one person's opinion.

And what a public broadcaster deems as acceptable banter for its light-hearted morning shows is an indicator of what's acceptable banter for NZ society. It's not some extremest niche channel and it's not an adult-only time-slot. There is no warning saying 'content may offend some viewers'. There are gonna be kids watching.

And he's not a fictional character set up as a foil for a moral protagonist - he's a real person who writes his own scripts (or at least the ad lib bits, which is where he gets in trouble).

A few people I know (on Facebook mainly) have defended him - saying it's freedom of speech. I think freedom of speech is fine - but it has to exist on some kind of continuum with censorship. We do live in a world that tries to be civilised. Human nature is such that to be civilised we do need some rules and standards. People are flawed and lack self control and empathy.

Censorship steps in where people's emotional safety is threatened and freedom of speech comes into conflict with rights protected in the Bill of Rights. I might not have that exactly right, but it's essentially what makes us different from America (they have nothing that is higher than their freedom of speech - we do). In the case of TV it's the Broadcasting Standards Authority that steps in if something is not 'decent' or is 'offensive'. In reality, it is a body that doesn't have much teeth. It can make you publicly apologise.

A much more powerful tool in the age of capitalism is consumer demand. I think anti-Paul-Henry-ites were smart enough to see that the real way to TVNZ's heart was complaining to advertisers and threatening to boycott the other TV1 shows. While a lot of the people who were offended by Henry probably didn't even watch Breakfast, they make up a bigger percentage of the One News audience.

I think it's a sad thing that you have to go for the ratings-jugular in order to get a real reaction. It would be kinda nice if a bunch of people saying 'Oi - this guy is a racist jerk, take him off the air!' was enough but moral righteousness is very muffled in a consumer driven economy until it turns into some kind of dollar force. TVNZ does have a commercial impetus that is increasingly over-riding its cultural one.

It'll be interesting to discuss with my classes tomorrow, see what 'the youth' thinks.

Essentially he's the kinda guy that would've pissed me off at high school. In my experience, most of those guys have matured since then. Maybe not all. Arrogant git.

I wonder if Fox News is looking to hire...

Fixed a fuse all on my own.

And waterproofed some shoes (all these years I've never done it - I feel like a savage).

* * *

Yesterday my hands were really blue. I thought maybe it was my bad circulation. Thought maybe another fainting spell was coming on.

Was mildly concerned. Kept rubbing my hands together to warm them up and get circulation back.

Then I cooked dinner and they seemed to come right.

Then they turned blue again. Just as I was pointing out my blue hands to my flatmate I realised I had them palm down on my jeans. My new jeans.

New dark blue jeans = smurf hands. Apparently.

I cooked. Proper food. Using a recipe.

Kumara mash, sage and garlic pork steak, green apple and red onion salsa.

That's quite an effort for me!

* * *

It's fun seeing all the different types of dogs along Petone's foreshore. Today there was an Alsatian and a doberman and lots of others. Cassie's dogs are the bravest and busiest.

* * *

I think deers are the new owls of the fashion world.

* * *

I haven't quite convinced my head I have to go back to work on Monday. I still feel like it's holidays. I like being a lady of leisure. I stay up late, get up late, coffee a lot, read things. It's all very unstressful.

* * *

I like this time of year. I love my jandals. 7pm doesn't seem so late anymore.

* * *

I am not well informed enough to care who won the election. I like that John Banks lost.

* * *

Me and Michelle wanna do run-around stuff in the weekend. Like tennis. Or even Frisbee. It's kinda nice enough weather now. Might organise a Saturday avo tennis outing some time. I'm feeling suitably unfit, following my winter hibernation period.

* * *

If you see Cassie, she will preach to you about the fries at the Empire. Belgian fries, they're called, with mozzarella and gravy (a whole pool of it at the bottom of the bowl).

* * *

I have finally taken my camera in to get fixed (yes - that's why there have not been oodles of facebook photo tags of you and me in the last few months). I will hopefully be back and snapping away soon.
* * *
I always feel guilty going into shops and trying stuff on, but then not buying anything.

Hence, I must always buy something! Every shop I go into!

Something like that.

Today I bought heaps. It was my holiday blow-out.

• summer work shoes (my other slip-ons are actually starting to disintegrate from so much wear)
• sneakers (my other ones have so little grip that my feet totally slipped from under me at netball, like a cartoon character, I assed over)
• salon shampoo

Thus ends the list of things I actually needed to buy for practical reasons.
The shoes were $20 off because I have giant feet (apparently they discount size 11s so they can get rid of them since not many people have sasquach feet). And they threw in a pair of free ortho sandals (which are ugly as sin and I will never wear them - anyone need/want them?).

• a red sweater (I love red tops - they go awesome with jeans)
• a black dress (Ashley Fogel - down from $320 to $130 - my favourite purchase of the day - love the sale rack at Miss Wong and the fact that only trendy, skinny people shop there so big sizes often get left over)
• jeans (down from $175 to $70 - bargain - the shop lady said, 'We get these in for ladies with wider hips' - go Sable and Minx! - another score at Miss Wong)
• two necklaces (Goodness has super expensive clothes, but reasonable jewelry - a tip for keen shoppers - one has a picture of a deer on it, the other has a bow)

Thus ends the list of things I didn't 'need'. But, so be fair, all the clothes were on sale racks.

Though jeans are never a bad purchase. These ones are exactly like some other generously-hipped ones I have from the same brand, but a darker denim (and evidently pocket-less).


* * *

I am now hanging out for a reasonable time to buy my take-aways. Japanese night!

Japanese is practically not take-aways because it is so wholesome.

That's what I tell myself.

Basketball coaches from high-school should not be allowed to drag up unflattering teenage photos and put them on Facebook. It should be illegal.

You think you've buried those photos, then things like this happen (on top of your dad dragging them out at your 30th).

* * *

It's a tricky thing when a cafe expands. Parade has moved across the road, to the old tug-boat. It's lost its claustrophobic feel and you no longer have to queue out the door.

But for some reason today there were only middle-aged rich women doing luncheons and couples in matching Country Road outfits there. Maybe not quite the hip demographic I'm used to?

You can't lose with an ocean view though.

* * *

Cassie treated me to a double-birthday beauty afternoon. We got eyebrow shapes and tints, eyelash tints, a full body massage and mani and pedicures. I feel pretty now! Oh, so pretty.

That's my first full body massage. I was trying to not picture what she could see when she was doing the upper-thigh thing (that involved much jiggling). Definitely my least favourite body part. Felt much better when she unclasps my bra and moved onto the back.

Then I got Barbie-coral-pink nails (I'd asked for something subtle...) but I'm embracing them. I'm doing a whole pastel-look for the week. It's funny how our body can sense even microscopic changes. It felt really weird typing when I had just got home with my new nail polish on. Now the end bits are starting to chip away, so it feels normal again.

Then there's the comedic duck-walk you have to do when the toenail polish is drying, with the folded up paper towel between your toes.

Totally indulgent and a scrummy present. Thanks, Cass! It's good to be a girl. I've never liked my toenails more.

* * *

I'm into Series 3 of Mad Men - rocketing through! That Don Draper is a card.

It's really well made. I'd say I like it more than The Wire, which is smart but kinda bracing to watch at times. This show has the comedy as well as the darker bits. But it does the dark so well. While a lot of American shows are about building up chemistry between characters until they hook up, this one is more about the disintegration of relationships. Much more interesting to watch!

It has little cut-away scenes with no dialogue that are just meant to build up characters. Most shows wouldn't bother doing that. And the climaxes can just be little glances, rather than tad-dah moments. Betty Draper is interesting. On one level she's totally unlikeable - a horrible mother (sends the kids to watch TV most of the time) but kinda brave in her own way.

She's just found out Don's big secret (which has been building since series 1), so I must get back to watching!

* * *

I wonder how many other people have a PIN number on their ATM card that has a link to their teenage self. Mine's definitely teen-me. And that's all I'm saying, so nobody can rob me.

* * *

It's a sad, sad day when the Glee cast beat a Beatles record on the charts. Teenagers are morons these days. IT'S ALL AUTO-TUNED! ALL OF IT! AND THE ORIGNALS ARE WAY, WAY BETTER! It makes me angry.

Also Chris Carter makes me angry for saying his travel expenses were only focussed on 'cause he's gay. I think (from what I saw at the time) anyone who spent exhobitant amounts on their spouse travelleing was publicly called out for it.

That only person who ever seems to make an issue out of him being gay is himself. He's grasping at straws, or the media is purposely pushing that line of his into the headlines (which I guess would be the most homophobic thing happening).

* * *
And here are the only clues Cassie's giving me about my 'birthday surprise' tomorrow:
You will need to bring jandals

Have something to eat beforehand but not too much as you may feel ill later.

Shaving your legs and armpits could be an adavantage to make you more comfortable but if you run out of time...no real biggy

No makeup

Bring yourself and be excited...its going to be fun :)
Hmmmm. I think I'm going to be a model for a body-painter? That would be the weirdest present ever.

I love google-doctoring. I diagnosed someone at work with 'house-wive's knee' and figured out what kind of eczma I have on my hand and a cyst I had.

My latest google-doctoring has diagnosed me with Vasovagal Syncope. It's a fancy way of saying 'fainting'. I fainted for the first time ever on Friday. Having researched it (initially thinking it could have been a seizure, since I was shaking for 30 or so seconds) I realise I've almost fainted lots of times. Same signals.

This time I just ignored them for too long. It was an 'awkward' circumstance in which to faint.

Kinda funny though. Way more interesting than just fainting at the sight of blood (which doesn't bother me too much).

But thoroughly inappropriate to mention in a public forum.

It's a bit stink though - I liked being able to say I'd never fainted. Sounds way tougher.

* * *

Getting into BBQ season. Awesome! Cider time.

* * *

I have some buzz-bars in the freezer. Haven't had a frozer buzz-bar in ages. They're awesome.

* * *

I'm liking advertising at the moment. Watched this great multi-part doco from BBC on the history of PR and advertising (starting with Freud, moving into cigarette advertising and ending with recent election campaigns). Watch the Gruen Transfer most weeks. And have watched the first two seasons of Med Men.

Advertising is evil (which I realised as a Marketing major at uni) but fascinating.

Strike Rules

With reports due this morning, today is the perfect day to have off! I got to sleep in and finish off the final touches (tallying all the days absent) from the comfort of remote-connection.

* * *

Rugby World Cup. Bleh.

* * *

Getting my hair cut today - going to try to not have a repeat of last time (which I have been in trauma about for five months, having been determined to get it 'longish' before going under the chop again). Trying a place I got a cheap voucher for on a 1-day sale site.

* * *

At work me and one other have started what will hopefully be a trend. We each bought a 10-coffee card from a one-day sale site (I got 10 coffees for $10 from Estadia). We used them to shout people in our department mass coffees. I randomly bought back 6 coffees on Monday (they even let me get soy at no extra cost!). And 10 of us went out for lunch at Babylon yesterday, with free coffee for everyone.

I'm not even a huge coffee fan - but I like things that are practically free!

Craft afternoon was fun. I didn't craft anything. I ate some nice snacks though. And drank some nice wine. And had a lively debate about the difference between pink and red.

I took Charlotte (almost-2) to the supermarket to get extra supplies. On the way I splashed her when I jumped in a puddle. Then I let her carry the basket in the shop (she dragged it behind her and took up half an aisle somehow). And got lollies. LOLLIES!

Shopping as it ought to be.

* * *

Sam's birthday dinner was grand. He knows lots of good people (and Jon). I'm not sure why, but dropping icecream in Jon's wine and smashing up model-planes were important activities at the time.

Me, Michelle and Jon went to Molly's. They had a guy playing the piano and singing upstairs. We sang along with him, very loudly. I think we were his favourites. He told us to come back next week. (It was either our singing or the $20 tip Jon gave him.... I'm opting for our awesome back-up vocals.)

Sing us a song, you're the piano-man, sing us a song tonight

* * *

I'm a bit of a shopping-snob. I haven't been to Glassons in a long time. Holy cow, it's cheap! Maybe I should open up my mind a little.

Stink buzz.

I hate it when people get told off in front of you. I hate it when those people are colleagues and they are being told off like they're little kids.

I witnessed this today - a first year teacher being told off by his TIC. I felt horrible for him. My HOD would never in a million years have talked to any of her department like that.

This person was someone I already didn't have a lot of time for. Though she's a great teacher, she has a few things to learn about sensitivity. And she has a piercing voice.

* * *

The first of my good friends from school has turned 30. June 25th. She's a captain in the army, almost a major. To be honest I haven't seen her for .... years. Maybe seven years or so. But she's one of those people you can just pick up with like nothing's happened. She's been busy serving and Timor and whatnot. It's understandable. They made her a cake in the army caf....though she didn't order them to do it. She didn't order the Code Red either [her joke, not mine].

Her dad was in the SAS.

* * *

I am tired now. I might go to bed. Early! Man, winter sucks.

* * *

This is the first year I've had a car during the winter time. I have noticed three things

1. The windows fog up lots. Vision can be impaired.

2. One morning there was ice on the window and I had to get warm water to get it off.

3. The heater takes a little while to kick in - usually not until I'm in the middle of the tunnel. By the time I get to my destination I don't want to get out of the car again. Too cold!

* * *

The beanie has come out. That means it's really really winter.

* * *

We have used the heater heaps. Power bill will be astronomical.

Sex and the City.

Every girl must have her crew of friends who remind her of the group in 'Sex and the City'. Those shots in the opening section, with the four of them walking along the street in their 'going out' clothes reminded me of my long-gone 20s. Back then we used to go out at least once a weekend, spend an hour (at least) getting ready, have a few pre-drinks at home....

Ahh, the memories!

I went to the film with Cass and Ange (my girl crew) and a lot of it rang true. So we don't wear couture and our city is Wellington, not New York, but there were all kinds of things that we would nudge each other about in recognition.

In a perfect touch, Ange bought us each a designer cupcake from some store in the Old Bank Arcade - each of which came in a little box with a ribbon on it (and was apparently chosen to reflect our personality in some way). They were gorgeous and totally something Carrie and the crew would love.

A couple of characters went through breakup trauma, which we've all had, one had an incident that I could liken to Cassie's food poisoning and they were all just looking for the same kinda thing we'd all like.

Anyhow.... I quite liked the experience. Probably wouldn't have liked it as much without my friends there though. I think at the bit where Charlotte gives Mr Big the evils and says 'Leave her alone!' and where she's planned what she'll say next time she sees him, we all thought that's what we'd do for each other. There were moments where that girl-loyalty was epitomised. It's nice how your friends rally for you in a crisis!

And of course, you have to cast yourself in each role. For us, Cassie was the obvious Samantha (though she'll dispute that). Ange has a bit of the Miranda spirit in her, but mostly suits the role because of the red-head thing (she was inspired by a lot of the clothes and colours Miranda got away with). That left me to be Charlotte - the dark haired, idealistic (slightly prudish) one. I like that! I think all three of us have a bit of the Carrie spirit in us. Ange has the flair for drama, I have the same laptop-hovering tendencies and Cassie is the hub.

I quite liked some of the things Big did for Carrie - though I'm still an Aidan fan at heart.

Certainly one to see with your girl friends - or wait til it comes out on DVD if you are a boy with too much shame to be seen out with the women :)

Prunes are awesome. I discovered snack-sized packs of prunes.

* * *

School's out for Winter

Yay. I have been holding out for today for nine weeks (approximately).

I have sore lungs. When I breathe they hurt. It's not asthma. I think it's something to do with all the pollutants in the tunnel. I noticed it last night at basketball, and it's gotten worse this afternoon. So I need a couple of weeks of not having to walk through there. Should cure me. Hopefully.

I am tired.

I can't write big sentences.

Only little ones.

Like this.

Bye.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?

The rotting fish has been removed from the front doorstep. Not by the person who left it there for a week, mind you. The stench remains, despite much disinfectant and washing powder being applied.

One of the other flatmates also relented and bought a light bulb for the toilet.

All is good. For now. My missing brown towel even mysteriously reappeared in the bathroom, soaking wet. I nabbed it and will never let it out of my sight again.

Random Question of the Day:
#823 Blondes, brunettes or redheads?

My answer:
Brunettes all the way! Dark hair = manlier. Blonde hair = pretty boy in a boy band. Redhead = Ange's brothers (both of them!).

By jingoes, it's a watermelon!

This week was fairly untraumatic (partly due to me putting off reports until next week).

Monday - holiday (sleep in, do school work in bed)

Tuesday - so long ago I forget what happened, but there was no DWTS (I substituted with House and Boston Legal, though I got so annoyed with the unsettling camera-work of the latter that I ditched it and watched some Gilmore Girls instead)

Wednesday - sports exchange in the sunny Horowhenua (get to wear sneakers to work that day and be smug and city-like to all the local hicks)

Thursday - netball tournament at school where I got to go see all my little ones play in their chosen team uniform (pjamas - one girl even wore a dressing gown and played centre in it - that's the most proud of been of my form-class all year)

Friday - had a guest speaker in from the OFLC (love guest speakers - they give out free pens and I don't have to do anything all lesson) and reffed a basketball game that made me glad to be teaching where I am (there's something offputting about girls who are up by 30 points and still make faces at me and yell out when they think I've missed a foul call but you have to feel sorry for them because their school could only afford to build half a basketball court and put a hoop at either end and could only put numbers on the back of the players' shirts so I had to keep tapping girls on the shoulder and asking them to turn around when I called them for fouls)

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER

Oh yeah, and here's the social event of the week - dinner out with the old posse. Cassie and Ed joined forces to organise a bunch of us out to dinner at Eastern Sunrise. The food was your average Asian fare but when you put anything on a lazy Susan it's F-U-N. I got some Givertz (gonna spell that phonetically) wine. It worked well. I think Ryan was filling up my glass every time I looked away - either that or three glasses of wine is all I need to get a little loud and tipsy these days.

Ryan, bless his little heart, sat there and chatted away merrily whilst eating his protein bar (and nothing else) and sipping on his one Diet Coke. That's the spirit! He's bulking up and trimming down for a body-building comp in late September. Mark your calenders, folks! We had a lengthy discussion about fruitcake.

Ed was there with his special ladyfriend. It's worrying that she seems nice and normal - not at all his type! Anthony managed to hold the floor with a banking conversation that lasted far longer than is right for a Friday night. Ken's hair just keeps getting longer and longer. Holly mistook him for a piece of 60s memorabilia when we popped into The Cavern Club. We popped out quickly enough after finding it far too crowded for our liking - and noticing all the old men leering.

It's one of those signs-you're-getting-older when all you want to find on a Friday night is a nice quiet bar where you can go and actually hear each other talk.... and you have to settle for Expressaholic because actually a nice piece of cake sounds much better than another drink..... Though, I do remember drinking my Mocha-Latte and preaching about it to anyone that would listen. It's the only place I've ever found that does a Mocha-Latte.

Am having a very relaxing Saturday morning, having only risen from bed to put some washing on and change to the next DVD in my Gilmore Girls series. I can hear the buzzer and whistles coming from the netball courts. Not a bad day to be outside doing sporty stuff, if that's what your'e into..... Me, I'm a sloth. I might creep downstairs and make some Vogels cereal with greek yoghurt. Mmmm.

* * *

Richard watches a lot of news shows. No wonder he's so gosh-darned smart about the world.

FELLOW STALKERS!

There have, this summer, been a rash of celebrity spottings in Wellington. It may be that I just run with a very hip crowd who happen to be in the know and funky and bound to be found where the action is...... or it could be fortunate coincidence.

Either way - here are my sightings.

I have seen Brett McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame at indoor netball twice now. Sam saw him too. His concurrence verified my suspician of celebrity in our midst. While we weren't playing against him, we seem to have a habit of coming on just after he plays. Last week he must've known some people in the opposition, so he stayed and watched our game. Brett has LOOKED AT MEEEEE! As I have told many people, this happens to be the game where one minute prior to having to take the court, I heard a rrrrrrrip in my pants. And I had torn a big hole in the seat of my shorts. I played on. Brett may have glimpsed my undergarments!

Many other people have had similar, less risque, encounters with Brett. Sam from work touched his arm when greeting him at the Southern Cross. Julie from work saw him (and, quite incidentally Sigourney Weaver) at Nikau Cafe one weekend.

Two sightings have been reported of Giovanni Ribissi in town. Both report a 'jaunty' walk that he seems to have as his signature.

So..... Any more reports of celebrities in our midst? Do comment.