Belated Christmas...but here's to 2009!

So...I am finally on "official" holidays! Whoop! I did have four days off over Christmas - just long enough to get out of "work" mode only to go back to work again! But it's not been all bad. The latest I've finished all week is 2.30 and today I got back from lunch at 1.30 and left at 2! So I'm loving it!

Christmas was good - had brunch with Mum & Dad (blueberry pancakes and fresh fruit!) and then bummed around home setting up/playing with presents and such and then drove down to Ohau to meet up with Isaac's family. We arrived just as they were pulling Christmas crackers - awkward!! Lol. Stayed there for a couple of days - just long enough to get a wicked sunburn! All thanks to our 10km bike ride!

Surprisingly I have taken NO photos this time around - I didn't bring my camera and I think I needed a break! But it was very fun, and we had awesome weather on our last day there which was nice - hence the BURN.

By the way...HAPPY NEW YEAR people! We are (shortly!) heading over to the old flat for a bbq of the good old fashioned kind. And then are planning to ring in the new year with a few people and drinks and nibbles over there.

Speaking of bbqs - Isaac got his fancy new hooded barbeque today. It's still in it's box but I'm positive we shall get much use out of it. (Thanks Deloitte tax team!) Since he's been off work he's been very diligently trying to get the house sorted - which is good of him! We've made a number of other significant purchases in the last week including a massive bookcase (which I love) and a chilly bin. (Which I do not love quite as much as the bookcase but is useful nonetheless).

Off to Queenstown on the 2nd - gonna spend a couple days there and then back to Ohau to hang for three or four days. Then it's back home and hopefully the house will FINALLY be completely sorted. Good times :)

Counting down...

To a holiday at least!! Yay for short weeks. Boo for occupations that don't "sleep" so to speak. The newspaper must go on! (Apparently!)

At least I have real time off in the new year. Quite looking forward to it - firstly the getting away and secondly the finally managing to get fully settled into the house. We are slowly but surely getting there!

Anyway, most exciting thing for us recently has been the getting of the official wedding pictures. Some favorites:

Jen's hand is the other hand - I can tell by her engagement ring!

The Jo Po stand back and make sure everything blends...

Veil adjustment outside of the church...

Really cool via the parent's room shot!

Kiss! (Hehe)

Skinner posing for the camera...

Awww....

My favourite wee man :)

Okay...to be honest I have A LOT of favourites! So we shall call this one of two...

Ps...our photographer - Tony Stewart Photoshots (He is AWESOME)

Tired

Hmm...work is not busy but feels busy. What up with that???

We had our team lunch yesterday at Yellow Cross in Sol Square. Food was VERY good. Service was REALLY lacking. Seriously, the girl who was waiting on us had NO CLUE. She dropped some food off our Mediterranean platter and didn't bother to replace it! I would definately go back there...but only if she wasn't serving!

We also exchanged Secret Santa presents which was quite fun. I got a pair of pink baby booties. Haha...and NO, they are NOT for anything in particular. Still, it was funny. But no children, not for like 10 years or so. Hahaha.

So...married life two weeks in. (Well, two weeks and three days...) It's actually really nice. Just the waking up together and all that. Which is not to say that I don't like my own space but it is nice. And it's nice to be able to do nice things for each other - even if it's just packing lunches for work! Or ironing shirts! Or baking. (Mmm...baking!) We're both quite busy people but now it feels like we just have that little bit more time on our hands. It's nice.

I really, really loved our wedding day. It was just so relaxed and laid back. Timing-wise everything worked perfectly. I did have the few moments of "family annoyance" especially when the photographer was being held up! But I moved past that. It was just a really awesome day and a LOT of fun. I guess you don't often get to throw a big party just for yourself! It was really special.

Hopefully will start to sort out the photos this week. Tony has them all ready for us to look at and pick out the ones we want - which is good! I'm really looking forward to seeing them :)

Christmas Countdown

So...seems like it's not all THAT long until Christmas. Just a week and a bit! Argh! And we are only halfway done with the present shopping!

We started present shopping this weekend - but then got distracted and instead bought a tree and decorations! I have gone with a silver/blue/white theme this year. Looks pretty! Have multi-coloured lights though but it adds a little something to the mix.

It's a all a little exciting really! The year has gone by so fast!!!

Soon it will be 2009 and I'll have to start thinking up some New Years Resolutions....

No rest for the weary

Well, that is not ENTIRELY true...

Holiday was awesome! Nice to sleep in and just relax and not worry about having to do anything. Talk about having to change your state of mind! Not used to this relaxing business!

But we had some awesome views:

Lake Henry Conservation Area Te Anau

Only about a million ducks!

Small church for lease in Manapouri - 6 months free lease!

It was very fun. Naturally, the week went WAY too quickly! It seemed like we were heading home a little too soon - with only two days before heading back to work - which has ALSO gone too quickly!

Have spent the past two days unpacking and moving Isaac's stuff in. On top of normal life stuff - like washing and ironing! I think this is the first time I've sat down properly for more than 5 mins all day!!!

And I need to do the ironing now.

But for the moment - my current favorite wedding picture:

Fun times :)

Friday?

It's Friday.

Thinking about tomorrow makes me slightly queasy. But in a good way. It feels like the whole year has been leading up to this and suddenly it's actually HERE. It's a weird feeling!

I think I'd better write down everything that needs done today.

We have a wedding practice tonight. I have a feeling that that will make it seem all the more "real".

Am just trying to remember Amy's advice to relax and enjoy the day. Guess that only applies on the actual day itself huh???

There is something wrong

When one can sleep in - and does. And actually wakes up and discovers that it's only 7.30am. That should be banned!

Things to do today:

- Finish of place name holders
- Boys pick up suits
- Tidy house
- NAP!!!
- Pack for honeymoon???

I'm sure there are things I've forgotten that need doing...

Oh...

- Source car ribbon

I don't know why people do this to themselves! We could have just eloped!!!

Also, a picture to amuse:

My other wedding and "family" photo

The photographer had shaky hands - good thing we didn't pay him quite as much as the other photographer! Lol

Birthday..!

Spent - watching Private Practice & House, picking wedding dress up and getting ring shiny. Lol.

Man, I'm tired!!!

All in all a good day - and am off work now! Whoop!

The rest of this week is going to go SOO quickly!!!

One week!!!

Last week has been a blur. It has gone so quickly it is unbelievable. Stress at work doesn't help though!! And there's plenty of that around. TENSION!!!

Am really looking forward to time off work. Only two days to go!! This weekend is pretty hectic. But I guess we'll get there. All the things yet to be organised keep running through my head. Not much fun. And this is all additional to normal life! Boo-urns.

I don't think I know how to deal with stress anymore. Last week I was in tears at least three out of five days. Or about to be in tears. I need to learn how to cope better. Before I have a nervous breakdown!!!

Oh well, gotta keep on trucking. It's just hard to be motivated. I went for a facial yesterday and almost fell asleep. Am just so tired at the moment!!!

Photo blog: Pic of the day

Sunset - Birdings Flat

And again

Man I need some serenity in my life right now...

Long weekend

And it was spent baking. Or non-baking as the case may be. On the upside ALL the sweet stuff for the afternoon tea is organised and the fudge is done. Whoop. Nice to know that we can feed approx 180 people just like that!

Two weeks to go now and it feels like there's still so much to do. Menu for the reception is yet to be finalised - although that is not because the George people have not been friendly. On the contrary they have been VERY helpful. But it does feel a little like the list is never ending.

Next week is my last full week at work. REALLY wondering where all this time has gone and how is it that I did not organise these things sooner??? Oh well, have to hope that everything will just come together.

Waiting for Isaac to return with new furniture purchases that we picked out last weekend.

If I think about all the things that need to be done too much I have a small panic attack... *sigh*

My little friends

Well, they aren't really MY friends. Mummy duck would just as soon attack me as have me come close! But look at the wee paradise duck babies! They're actually quite big here. There's two in this picture and another one here...


They are a little hard to see...which is why I guess camouflage works!

BUT...want to know something really sad?? When they were really little there used to be NINE of them. Now there are THREE left!!!

Sad huh??? I don't know what happened to the other six. It went from nine, to six, to three. They used to all huddle under mummy duck early (well, walking to work time) in the morning. It was very cute!!

And then one day I caught daddy duck (not pictured and currently MIA) trying to lead the whole family across a VERY busy stretch of road. He got about halfway across - mum and babies were a little smarter - and all the cars came and he freaked out and started running back.

Crazy ducks.

But these three are still around! I hope they make it!!

So..

Just waiting at the moment...for something to happen?? Lol...I have no clue what's happening tonight but I was supposed to be picked up at 6.30 and it's now 6.45....

Hmmm...

ANYWAY...to fill in space I am here. Have been re-reading the Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobel Carmody. I used to LOVE those books when I was a kid. Well, teenager at least! I read all four in high school. (At that stage there were only four) Now I've bought the first three (thanks Borders for your 50% off vouchers!) and she's written the fifth and the sixth book comes out end of this year in the states.

WHOOP.

I still love the books. I was semi-worried that they wouldn't be as good as I remembered - but they are. And it's kinda weird, I mean it's been a good 10 years since I've read them but certain parts of the books I still remember having read once I read them. Nice to know I just needed a little prodding to remember. Can't remember how the story ends though!

Looking forward to reading the fifth book at least, seeing as how it's the one I haven't read before. (And the 6th!) I'm so glad Borders is in town. I'd have had to order them in otherwise - and how expensive that would have been! At least with Borders I can just go in and get them.

Not that I have that much time to read at the moment - well, I did today but only because I was feeling lazy... THREE WEEKS today!

Time flies man...seriously, where has the year gone! The past week(s) have been a mad rush of sorting stuff out and organising to meet with people so that we can finalise things. Of course all these people have mad-long lists that we need to fulfil as well! Add that to the usual end of year rush and you have some serious fun times. Haha.

Short week next week which I'm REALLY looking forward to. We have organised a baking/fudge making day for then. Will be good to get all that sorted. And we are finally looking at final numbers and all that - also fun. I guess you just want people to have fun and have a good time. That and the whole getting married thing. Lol.

As an aside: my ride is still not here - should I worry? Or is this what hen's nights are supposed to be like??? (Or hen's early evenings...???)

But I am looking forward also to finally having a BREAK. Work has been mad. We are officially short-staffed again that that will probably continue into next year. Which is fine. The staff member we had did basically no work anyway...but you know. Makes it hard if you want a holiday. Oh well, the days will go fast at least.

And I am almost 24...which is a scary thought! Feels a little old.

But now I'm just rambling. Huh. If these people don't show up soon I'm going to take my collected newspaper and just go to bed. While the sun still shines. (Doncha love daylight savings???)

Not my wedding...

But still SO gorgeous (I am assuming my wedding will be gorgeous...haha). The weekend was awesome - great night on Saturday. Shattered all the next day though!

The ceremony was great - the groom looked SO nervous when he first got up there. But he loosened up in the end. Hehe.

Check out the stunning bride:

I loved her dress - it just suited her PERFECTLY

The boys practicing before the ceremony

Bridal party - Chris looking REALLY nervous

Vows...

All done!!!!

Mrs Kelly!!!!!

Corey all kilted out!

So that was the ceremony all done and dusted. After that it was basically time to party. And party we did!!! Nothing better to celebrate, right???

Bride & Groom arriving at the reception dinner!

Bridesmaids :)

More photos to come in the next post...I took WAY too many!!!

Going...

To the chapel and we're gonna watch Amy and Chris get married!!!

I may be some time...

Spoilt...

So a parcel showed up for me at work this morning:

(Love hearts are additional)

Occasionally I get stuff sent to work when I've ordered it online - but I was pretty sure I wasn't expecting anything. Especially not something with a big pink bow on it!!!

So I open it up...


Yummy!!! Haven't actually delved into it yet. But it was from the boy! We are one month out but it's also our 2 1/2 year anniversary.

Isn't he sweet????

Love it!!!!

Man...

It feels GOOD not to have work today!!!

Plans so far...clean my extremely messy house, go shoe shopping, coffee with Rob. Oh and Areosmith is playing and the sun is shining! Nice change after the HAIL yesterday. Who loves the unpredictability of Spring!!!

Centennial weekend is over - well, for me anyway. It was a good - but tiring - day yesterday! The church has been going for 100 years now. Crazy! Was really cool to look at all the photos and stuff though :) Memories...

Anyway, had people over last night - Isaac was obviously not as tired as I was! - and none of the dishes have been done. The place is basically a sty - but that's ok...lots of time today.

Also...we are like officially a month out (or something) which is pretty freaky. I mean, I'm looking forward to it. But I hate the attention. And in so many ways I almost feel too young to get married. I think that's a mental age though! Lol...I must still be a kid at heart.

Although, you can't blame me...look at the people I work with:



Retards!!!!

Lol...but we have fun :)

AWOL for awhile

But we finally have internet sorted at the new house!!!

Have I mentioned I hate moving?? I accumulate so much stuff - am WAY to sentimental! - and now I am in the process of clearing it all out or at least packing it away in nice boxes... *sigh* It's a BIG job.

All the furniture and stuff is moved in/sorted. It's just all the little things that need to be done....

Long weekend this weekend though which will help :)

At least I can take time with the clearing. Almost a month out and HEAPS to do....

My list of stuff to do seems to just be getting longer instead of shorter. And it's not like I'm not doing anything either...

Murphy's law???

I almost kinda want the week to be over already!

Heat!

SO hot today. Not such a good day for driving all over town in the car but we did it anyway. Day started pretty lazy with brunch out at J&H's. The good thing about brunching with people who used to own a cafe is that you get a pretty darn good cafe-style brunch! Yummy! French toast, bacon and caramelised banana. You don't get much better than that.

All the food made me want to sleep - but at the moment it's a little like no rest for the wicked. Not that we are wicked. But there's not a lot of rest. We trundled all over town looking at whiteware today. Mainly because moving day is next weekend and we need a fridge and a washing machine. And, as it turns out washing machines are basically ridiculously expensive. And all they do is wash clothes.

Hopefully the new credit card goes through, that way if we buy anything we'll at least earn true rewards points!!!

Egad

Just went for a walk/run that equated to 1.8kms - or so Google says. And if Google sez it must be true!!!!

Thighs killing me - (wo)man was not made for such running!

Am determined to keep fit however, I really need to. Don't wanna be 30 and "big boned"

Tired...

Okay...so, somehow I seem to have been really busy recently.

1. Work...work!!!
2. Packing - moving in two weeks!
3. Church stuff...
4. Wedding stuff!
5. Fighting the b*stards at the bank...!!!!
6. Reading Brisinger - all finished!!!

So tired...

Tomorrow:

1. Jen's Birthday
2. Pre-marital counselling

And all I want to do is sleep.

Sorry, can't form coherent sentances. Must bullet point.

Something that makes me feel better

So...we got an email around work on Thursday telling us that the two sponsored children that work sponsor were $180 in the red which is pretty sad considering that they are sponsored kids and two months behind on payment could basically mean life or death to them.

Normally we do meat raffles for them, but the person who usually organises them left the company like 4 months ago. (We obviously had some money saved up!) Anyway, the most awesome Kylie came up with the idea of a hamper raffle complete with home baking. So, she bought, a couple of us baked (mmm...brownies and mini scones...) and we basically had the worlds MOST AWESOME hamper. It was HUGE.

We had so much interest we had to add another two pages of numbers AND a second prize of a bottle of wine and mini digital photo frame.

We raised $300 for those kids!!! I was so, so stoked about that. Especially since we work in this industry that is all about commercialism and consumerism. It was nice to be able to do something for other people who really needed it.

I will post photos of the most awesome hamper when I get them of my computer at work.

Feel good moment for the week :)

Keep fit

So...I'm like trying this whole keeping fit thing. Mainly because I am really, really, really unfit. Like...really and secondly because the wedding is not actually that far away. I have "fitting into my dress" concerns.

I don't think they are necessary valid concerns. But I don't want to get to the dress fitting and suddenly realise the dress itself has to be taken OUT. Scary thought!

Anyway...keeping fit is not as much fun as I thought it would be. Running is really not my thing. I'd rather go to a class or something and that requires both money and motivation. Both of which I mainly lack after a day at work. Running at least I can pretend to be motivated about - because my level of fitness means that I can do very little of it and feel like I've done a lot.

Not sure if this is the right attitude to have.

Sorry for lack of interesting things to say. There's lots going on...but not worth writing down...Mainly work and wedding prep stuff. NOT that exciting.

Although...moving is in a month - less than a month! A little apprehensive yet excited about the whole thing. Looking forward to my own pad and being able to do my own thing. But I will miss the flatties. Plus it makes the whole getting married thing seem so much more real. Which is stupid, but true!

As long as I may live....

So...Inspire is over. Which is crazy seeing as how we didn't even see it coming. Was so tired this arvo...slept for an hour! And Jem was mowing the lawn and my windows were open and I heard it but it didn't even bother me.

THAT is tired.

But what a fantastic weekend! It was just so...gentle...for lack of a better word! Hard work, but very laid back and relaxed at the same time :)

Yes, I am full of contradictions today. David Lyle Morris came down again, he's such an awesome man! Last time he was here was three years ago. And to be honest I don't remember much of it. But he just has such an awesome spirit. He's so down to earth and enthusiastic about stuff and just so passionate about God and music and serving other people.

He's an incredible man! You can just see God in him, you know. He's so, so...tuned in to what's going on. It's awesome. You can check out some of his songs on the link up there. I love "We Live in the Shelter" - he played it acoustic over the weekend and I just teared up every time! He wrote it after hearing about his wife's cancer scare.

It's also such a reminder of how blessed we are with our team. We really, really are. And that's not to blow our own trumpet. But we have truly inspiring leadership in D&M and we have an awesome leadership team that I'm incredibly privileged to be to be a part of. It's such a "family" - I love the wider team, I love our team. It's awesome. We have incredible musicians, incredibly passionate people who want to improve and play and sing like they mean it. And they bless so many people by their presence.

Awesome :)

Weekend already?

Seriously, where has the week gone???

Friday morning. Had work drinks last night AND choir. Whole weekend taken probably with Inspire and signing of tenancy for the house.

Then it will be Monday.

Not too sure when my life became like this...

lolcatz

more animals

Hectic

Man, this week has been insane. We finally hit friday and it's probably the first night I've had at home with just me. Smid and I ate at home for the first time all week last night.

Isaac and I drove down to Oamaru and back on Weds for his nana's funeral. Rather sad reason for my first trip to the mighty city of Oamaru...but it was a nice (but long) drive. Met a LOT of extended family which was also exhausting!

Good news though, we put in a tenancy application in for the house we saw and really, really loved a couple of weeks ago. The agent rang today and told us that the landlords had approved our application! They even dropped $10 off the rent and we move in on the 18th of October!

Well, I move in.

Crazy!!! We'd only sent off the application this morning as well!

So I'm stoked because I really liked the house. It's quite compact and modern which I really liked. Quite low maintainence. So looking forward to moving in and NOT having to move for another 12 months (if not longer!)

Whoop!

Boo-urns

I totally wrote this awesome blog entry about how Baghdad Baby was awesome - and left it on my computer at work.

So all you fantabulous punters will have to make do with a not-so-awesome entry about how I have the house all to myself for another hour. Because then Jen comes to stay!

The boys are off partying it up in Wellington. So yes. "Allllll by myself!!!" I don't really mind. So far today I have done tae bo and cooked breakfast. Yes, these two things seem at odds with each other. But I remain confident that the amount I consumed is less than what I've burnt.

I'm considering lowering my carb intake. I was slightly concerned last night when I tried my wedding dress on again. I haven't really been watching what I eat because I haven't needed to. But I can't think of anything worse happening than suddenly not being able to fit into this very expensive dress! So yes, watching what I eat! I will stop bringing baked goods into work and instead opt for fruit and vegetables.

YUM.

I don't really mind too much. I think it's more a matter of being careful than being TOO hard core. So yes, diet galore! Only I'm not calling it a diet. I shall think of some other much more exciting name to give it!

Shame I am not muslim. I could be fasting for Ramadan next week. That would probably help! But it is also a fairly shallow reason to turn muslim. And also, not really into the muslim thing so much. So yeah.

We've had sunshine for the past two days - it gives me great hope that Spring is FINALLY on it's way! I'm so sick of rain and snow. Perhaps the ground will finally get a chance to thaw out. Perhaps I will finally get a chance to thaw out! I hate being cold!!

So yes, I find that I have little to do on the internet these days. I start most days with the intent of doing things. Like update the wedding gift register etc. But work has been hidiously busy. Like, I have not known busyness up until now. Oh the stress. I have gone from putting one daily paper out to putting out one daily, two weekly (one with three different editions) and one twice weekly paper out. And of course ALL the deadlines clash for these!

Disfunctional.

Thus work tends to be a madhouse for hours at a time and then I suddenly have nothing to do because it's lunchtime. And then I come back from lunch and it's a madhouse again. FUNNN.

I shall abruptly end here. :)

Koda's House!

So...Jen has been house-sitting the giant malamute again the past week. We went over to play on the weekend :)

Koda looks ferocious...

But he's actually a giant puppy!!!

House-sitter & House-sittee :)

Awww...

Double awww...

Not so awww...

Winding the dog up :)

Koda looks small here but he is not!!

Fun times :)

Mike Guglielmucci

So...people might remember how I blogged about the song Healer when it first came out on the latest Hillsong CD.

Recently it has come to light that Mike Guglielmucci, the composer of the song, a former youth pastor at Planetshakers, has been living a lie for the past two years. He isn't actually dying of cancer - he never even had cancer. It was all an elaborate deception that seemingly fooled his wife and family and friends.

....

My first reaction was shock. I mean, if anyone has watched the Hillsong DVD his "testimony" seems so convincing. He performs on stage with an oxygen tube! He walks around backstage with a walking stick! His strength even causes other members of the church and band to speak about his faith.

For all that to be fake seems incredible.

The really sad thing is that he hasn't just made himself a liar. He has caused other people to become liars as well. People like his father - also a pastor - who has asked people in his church to keep praying for his son. People like Joel Houston who spoke about how Mike's faith and courage had deeply impacted him.

The scope of damage is huge.

People won't believe that this is something that one man has been able to pull off on his own without any help. I mean, he must have had help. Someone must have known. He had doctor's appointments, medical equipment...the works!

And what about the song? How can a song that has such an anointing come out of such decit? Will we ever be able to sing the song again? (Besides the point, I know...)

Here's what I think; firstly, good on him for coming forward. After two years - and, if the news reports are to be believed, he had other "sicknesses" over the years that were faked - of living this lie he came forward of his own free will to confess and tell the truth. He is obviously a very sick man, just not in the way that he portrayed himself to be.

Secondly, there will be hundreds - if not thousands - of people who will be impacted by this. Not just people who knew Mike personally, but also people who were touched by his music and ministry in some way. They will probably be hurt, they will probably be angry - I think that's natural. And I also think it's okay. People need to process stuff like that.

Thirdly, in light of all the media attention surrounding this, I think the best way to counteract the damage is to do what Jesus would have done. Support him, love him, pray for his family. This isn't something that will be fixed in a day, a week, a month. It will probably take years. If the latest news reports are to be believed, Mike has been struggling with addiction since he was 12 years old. That's a long time to feel guilty and alone about something.

I honestly think that the Christ-like thing to do in this situation is to rally around this man and love him. The rest of the world will probably condemn him. And they'll probably think we're crazy. ("We" in the larger church sense of the word.) But they've always thought we were crazy anyway. What's a little more crazy?

Just my thoughts.

Links here

Hmmm...

Hmmm...interesting...

If it does end up being true the question of "How far will China go?" will have to be asked. It does seem as though lying - and not just lying, but tampering with official documents - is not beneath them.

While we're at it why don't we just re-write history?

At least it explains the poorly applied make up...

The American gymnasts were so much better!

Zounds!

I decided that as a fun thing to do I would listen to my iPod with songs in alphabetical order. I started on Monday - and not at the very start of "A" for some reason - today I finally reached the first song of the "B"s.

O_O

And it's like 80-something of 1,800+ songs.

This experiment could take awhile!!!

Going to the theater tomorrow to see Baghdad, Baby! it should be good. I am quite looking forward to it as it will be a nice change from sitting around and doing nothing. Plus, the tickets cost NOTHING as I got them from work.

Working for the media has it's perks sometimes :)

But not when I have to stay at work half an hour late because there are too many things to do...and I have conviniently forgotten that it's Thursday...hmmm....

Oh well, tomorrow is Friday. Yay!

Mental health day

I've needed one for so long!!! Feels good to not have to do ANYTHING.

I've updated my deviantart a fair bit recently. Sometimes I want to throw it all in and do something completely crazy and whacked out with my life. I think my compositions are getting better - which is nice to think about!

I am proud of some of the photos I've taken - of course the scenery helps! But yes, I enjoy it. Sometimes I enjoy it more - a LOT more - than just sitting behind a desk all day.

Perhaps in time I can do that. Seems we're always paying for the later now.

Obligated to speak on The Olympics

Let’s be fair, the 8th day of the 8th month of the year 2008 approaches. Aside from the exciting fact that the date will read 08/08/08 (oh yeah!) and the fact that it will be Friday (even better!) the only other thing this date has to recommend to it is the fact that the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games will be held on this date. If you happen to be in China – if you live somewhere like NZ the Opening Ceremony technically will be being held after midnight – thus making the date 09/08/08 (not as exciting, or auspicious – apparently).

Of course, the Opening Ceremony isn’t really the “opening” ceremony. After all, events have already started. The soccer (or football) competitions kicked off (hah – see what I did there?) on Wednesday.

Obviously soccer is not the sort of game that requires an opening ceremony.

It seems ridiculous to me – they have essentially delayed the Opening Ceremony by two days for the sake of some slightly delusional belief that the number 8 is lucky.

Please…superstitions aside, why would China need luck? They have it all! They’re hosting the games, the pollution is gone (at the risk of their economy) and they have found some mysterious new green water weed. It could be anything from gillyweed to the cure for the world’s fuel crisis. Although if it is gillyweed perhaps they should have left it that for the swimmers to consume?

Add to that the communist government, the terrorist attacks and the “Free Tibet” banner that was unfurled for a whopping 12 minutes…China is on a roll.

The Chinese saw the Olympics as a way of showcasing to the world that they are a developed nation that is on par with any Western democracy in the world. Unfortunately, all they have showcased is their neglect of basic human rights, pollution, suppressed (oppressed?) media and state control.

Well done China!

But hey, thanks to the state of the media in China – your average Chinese citizen will probably deem the Olympics a great success. And let’s face it, for the Chinese it’s all about “face” anyway.

If a fruit is rotting on the inside but the outside still looks shiny and new is it still rotting?

I am alive

Yes, indeedy I am.

Last week was fiendish and I am still recovering.

Basically I am just exhausted, all I want to do is sleep.

I did have a more intelligent post - but my brain has died.

Epic Fail and Batman

I’m sorry but this is absolutely ridiculous. The world is full of stupid people.

Not meaning to be degrading or anything like that, but seriously. I had a go at editorial for publishing it on the front page. I suppose it would be a nice human interest story if the woman wasn’t so stupid.

I mean, yes it is sad that the poor boy can’t go to the Gold Coast – especially since he’s in remission for cancer and everything. But, reading between the lines, his mother had the ability to take the money out of the finance company a week ago and she chose to reinvest it for another 30 days instead.

This amid reports that Hanover was in trouble because they had invested heavily in Five Mile and Dave Henderson and that loan – worth millions of dollars – was defaulted on. But just because and employee of the company told her the money was safe she thought she’d be okay to re-invest.

Plus, it’s not like they’ll never be able to go – Hanover is working on getting the money back to investors. It’s a process, lady. You made a bad financial decision and now it has to work it’s way through. That is life, and yes it sucks but, the way I see it, if you take a risk in investments then you’ve got to be willing to strike out every so often.

And there’s still a chance they’ll get their money back, it all sounds like it could be quite positive. The funds are just frozen to prevent a run on the company and – like I said, the odds are they will recover some of the money.

In other news…the man who went with his friends to recover a stuck vehicle, got stuck himself and then died 2km from his house when he told his friends to go get help. At midnight, in the middle of the storm. Stupidity? That article here.

I have a few things to say: Firstly, it is terrible that a man died. Secondly, it is terrible a man died for so stupid a cause. Thirdly, I cannot believe we ran this on the front page of the newspaper. Fourthly, with friends like the ones he had – who needs enemies?

It is terribly tragic that he leaves five children behind – one who is only 10 months old and will never know her father. But there are a number of factors that contributed to such a tragedy, and to be honest this tragedy could actually have been avoided had a few things happened – namely, that people had utilized common sense and not gone out to rescue and (presumably abandoned) vehicle that was stuck in a riverbed at midnight in the middle of a storm.

But according to his partner he “does this all the time”. Apparently he is some sort of superhero who goes out rescuing stranded cars in the middle of the night all the time. AND he’s an asthmatic.

He is basically more awesome than Batman.

Of course, if he was Batman he probably would still be alive today. Or, at least he’d have a more reliable sidekick – like Robin. Sadly for him he had three incompetent friends. All of whom abandoned him to the wild weather and the cold. When he couldn’t walk. Which is what all good friends should do. That and not call the police as soon as you get home when your friend is missing and risks dying from cold and exposure. Wait a few hours, then call them. Stoopid!!!

Pictures courtesy of www.failblog.org.

Speaking of Batman, we went to see The Dark Knight last night. Man, it was awesome!!! It did make me sad to think that Heath Ledger will never reprise the role of the Joker. I think he might have damn well been the best Joker I have ever seen. I have no idea how they’ll replace him for the third. We came to the conclusion that the only person who could possibly replace him was Johnny Depp.

I think I will have to buy it when it comes out on DVD and I’m not even that great of a Batman fan. I have to say that the last two movies would have to be the best representation of a comic book I have seen in the past few years.

I have no words to describe it. The acting was superb. Christian Bale is awesome as Batman, probably one of the best I’ve seen. (Certainly better than George Clooney!) Heath, I have already spoken about – he was just incredible and it is so, so sad that this role might have been the reason that he was on sleeping pills and resulted in his death. Also, I may have to join some sort of “I love Gary Oldman” fan club. Because I really do love Gary Oldman. He’s just so versatile! (Sirius Black vs. Commissioner Gordan)

Just…wow. If you haven’t seen it yet you probably should!!!

Gastroporn

Peanut butter munchies - stolen from here

Nummy!!!

Glorious weekends

I just don't know where the week's go to. Wasn't it the beginning of July not THAT long ago? And now all of a sudden we are mid (verging on end of) July.

(Please note that when I say "verging on" it is because I work in the newspaper industry and hence am always three days ahead of myself anyway...I think this is why my weeks go so fast...but I have no empirical proof to back this up with...)

It is pouring with rain this morning. Was kinda nice to be able to lie in and know that I didn't need to be anywhere for AGES and listening to the rain on the roof. Cold out of bed but what the hey.

Last night:

Boys playing Cranium. Smid is like the Godfather.

We break the pantry door (no, really) and Smid has to fix it. Jen sprays us. Lol.

Charades...

We are such children sometimes!!! Ah well, at least we amuse ourselves. Retarded though we may be. I shall miss such nights.

I feel like I should have lots to do today, but am completely unmotivated to move from the couch to having a shower. Although I really need to...

Digression: I made an egg and mushroom muffin sandwich for breakfast...very tasty but resulted in egg getting EVERYWHERE. My clothes, my hair...argh!

Hence need for shower. I'm sure everyone wanted - no, NEEDED - to know that. Hah!

Am glad for a work free day. And even better than a work free day is a work free haircut achieving day. I have needed a hair cut for SO long and have been putting it off because of non-money-having-ness. (Hint: If you hyphenate everything it automatically becomes a word - coining and assimilation into the general lexicon be damned!) But the payrise has FINALLY kicked in and I am celebrating. Plus, if I get hairdresser for the wedding out of this I will be stoked.

Double whoop for no work though, everything is getting a little "politic" and catty. Tired of it. Some people just need to get over past issues and let bygones be bygones. Don't ruin what we have!!! Lol.

Right...shower time!

Foodie

Trifle was great success! No pictures as it is all eaten now.

Today I am trying my hand at custard square. Which - as it turns out - is not as easy as it could be without a rolling pin.

It did result in me googling the origins of custard though - which was about 3 pages back on Google, surprisingly enough! Am hoping this will be a success. Although the Sminternet seems to think that custard square cannot be made by normal human beings.

We shall see...

Mmmm....

I have a strange craving for trifle.

This is what comes of watching The Office.

I may make trifle...

Edit: Okay, have bought the necessary ingredients (and then some!) for making trifle. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

I bought the latest Hillsong CD on Friday. Well, actually I bought the CD/DVD special edition.

I wasn't going to...but I felt compelled. Well, I didn't. But I really, really wanted the version of Healer on this CD. Mike Guglielmucci wrote it. For those that don't know, Mike was a youth pastor back in the day. One day he wasn't feeling well and so he went to a doctor to see if they could figure out what was wrong. Turns out he had this wicked aggressive form of blood cancer. They gave him two weeks to live. He went home and wrote this song.

This was back in 2006.

If you watch the video, Mike is up there singing with his oxygen tank next to him. He can barely finish the lines of the songs but he sings them with such conviction that you can't help but be moved. We watched the video this week at a music night and I seriously cried.

It's such a powerful song. It really, really speaks to me. And to be honest it speaks the truth, you know? Nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.

So far liking the album, really love Stronger. Which we've already been doing in church. Nice to hear it how it's meant to be done though! Brooke Fraser makes a few appearances on it. Will do a full review at some other point.

PS: Like the new layout? One of my own. I'm loving it at the moment. Just need to get the boy to fix up the links. Last one was way too dark for my liking after awhile!

Nacho Weekend

There is nothing quite like braving the cold conditions to stand out on a veranda to take photos of the snow as it falls...

I had a WHOLE extra day off work this weekend...it was fantastic. Obviously with so much time on our hands the only sensible thing to do was to brave the 3 and a 1/2 hour drive down to Ohau. We'd been planning this trip for quite some time and had all been looking forward to it. Four of us set out on Thursday night - and completely missed the bad weather. Two of our party set out on Friday night and got caught out by the weather - and had to spend the night in a motel room at Burke's Pass!

Nevertheless those of us who had made it through safely persevered with the cold and bravely went out for a walk once the snow abated...look at the mountains. Awesome, right??

Meloui...not the drink, the couple. Rugged up because obviously it is COLD...felt a little like we were in Canada. Not that ANY of us have ever been to Canada before. But it was so wintery and wonderland-like that you kind of imagined it that way.

Without the bears of course!

Brrr...us facing into the village INSTEAD of out at the scenery. We are the retardation. But hey, the village looks very pretty. So does the lamp post next to us. We will find our way to Narnia next....

Clouds on the way back from our walk...pretty, right? Was very, very awesome!!! I like being out there...so few people and all the home comforts. And it's just so QUIET. Brilliant :)

Boys breaking up icy puddles so they can play with the ice. So amused...lol. Ah nature and it's wonders....

Ice ice baby....

Isaac and his ice shard that he chipped from the road...Ah am so proud of mah boy...lol. These are the achievements in life worth remembering! Hehehe...Not to mention that I later got him in the ear with a snowball. Yes indeedy I am awesome!!!!

Most awesome action shot ever!!! I love my new but not new camera. It takes awesome photos and they are all in many pixels so I can enlarge them :)

I tell you what though, I seriously, seriously needed the time off work. I haven't really had a break since January (when I started) and I'm not likely to have a break till November - when the wedding madness truly begins!

Long trudge back to warmth and hot drinks!