Debate

On Wednesday my Year 12 Debating Team have their debate: That Fear Rules Our Lives – we are for the affirmative and definitely have the easier side of the argument. After all it does, doesn’t it? They’re a talented young group. However, the opposition who are also from our school, are also very clever. So, it should be an entertaining afternoon.

One week to go until the holidays. It will be a busy week that will make me appreciate the holidays all that much more when they do arrive.

On Mornings

The trouble with mornings is that they start too early. If mornings didn’t start until the afternoon, I’d like them a good deal better.

The Capital

During the last term school holidays we went to Wellington to visit our friends who have just moved down there. This was my first visit. I liked this vibrant city with its richness of restaurants, theatres, bars and street performers. It has a personable feel that may be due to the large volume of small stores and businesses that are predominantly its make-up.

We stayed with our friends who had a place in Paekakariki right next to the beach. A quaint town with a warm café that served excellent coffee and a random collection of stores that were closed when we arrived but looked liked they would be fun to explore.

I finally got to Te Papa, (the other main purpose of my trip) and I particularly enjoyed the visit to Parliament.

Winter Wonderland!

Today has been a wild, stormy day. We've had torrential downpours, hailstones and strong winds. Winter is a much maligned season. There are however, a lot of positives that come out of Winter and with the start of Spring more than two months away, I have decided to make a list of these things. In no particular order:

• Open fires


• Spectacular storms... thunder, lightning, the whole enchilada!


• Listening to rain on the rooftop whilst lying in bed


• Crisp, sunny mornings and crisp sunny days


• Queenstown covered in snow


• Milford Sound covered in snow


• Snow-capped mountains


• Fluffy slippers - some people may think that this is not a good thing - but they are wrong!


• Hot soup


• A good book


• Deserted beaches


• Puffing clouds of condensation


• Hot chocolate


• Hot toddies


• No grid-lock at Mission Bay


• No queues for ice-cream


• Don't have to worry about sunburn


• Movie marathons


• Better programming on tv


• One hour Mondays of 'Shortland Street'


• Fewer insects


• Pyjama days


• Ski season - not that I ski, however...

Dogfessions

Nana, who??

A quick look in the doorway of the bars around town will tell you that anyone of us who, like a fine bottle of wine, has matured, just do not belong. The noise in there is enough to make you spin on your heel and head back outside into the cold but welcome silence. I am not saying that everyone in there wears gold medallions or has piercings in parts of their anatomy where they simply do not belong…..but, it does explain why some people wear their sunglasses inside.

There are an extraordinary number of clichés in bars these days indicating that they have not changed very much from our day. Aside from the hairy, chain-wearing types, there is the make-up smeared, very intoxicated, past their “use-by date” women hanging around the necks of equally intoxicated mates. The ever optimistic lounge lizard leaning strategically against the fire-place wishing desperately to be noticed – but never willing to go out on a limb and make the first move. Of course there are the blondes and other desirable “chicks” that just sit at tables and flutter their eyelashes at the “cool dudes” until they finally make the move over to their tables and throw them a worn, but obviously winning line, as they claim their conquests and finally there are those that go in groups. This final group are the “losers in love” – undesirable, and sadly, resigned to the fact. They sit around a largish table and drink copious quantities of alcohol growing louder and more objectionable progressively but they remain largely unnoticed by the other groups that are becoming equally s**t-faced.

There was no doubt whatsoever in my mind whom the talented ones in the room were – not a nana in sight!

Grow Your Own

I went to see ‘Grow Your Own’ last night. This is a movie about an allotment in the north of England where locals go to garden and retreat from their otherwise humdrum lives. The little community of the allotment is upset by the arrival of “unwelcome visitors” - migrant refugees. This is a touching story about the threat of diversity and change, and ultimately, human triumph. I would highly recommend it as an uplifting and funny story.

The dominant themes of fear of change ring loud and clear. It is particularly timely as the wash of change creates ripples through the lives of people around me. Major moves upset people on all sorts of levels causing them to question the course of their paths. Is your current gig still relevant and worthy of investing large chunks of your time and energy, or is it time to move on to something that is really deserving of your efforts. What does it really take to make us sit up and question where we are headed??

It doesn’t hurt any to have a yummy dinner and a glass of red wine with a good friend beforehand, either!

Pohutukawas in Summer

Apart from the sea and the sky, Pohutukawas in summer are my favourite part of nature. They are so beautiful in full flower lined up along the beaches in Kohimarama and St Heliers Bay. They are native to New Zealand so they are very expressive in that sense. In winter they look sad and bare, others mighty and strong. It's amazing how "people-like" they can appear.

Our lives are trees.... about growing and branching out....taking on new and different opportunities. I feel like our society has twisted us into thinking the ideal life is one with a steady job and day-in-day-out routine but there is so much more out there....our world is HUGE and infinite with possibilities. It seems most people grow to a certain point, learn just enough to get by, and then remain stagnant for the rest of their lives.

I don't want to be stagnant. I want to grow to be as big as the Pohutukawa. I want my bark to appear beautiful because of all the layers it holds in. I want to be taller than most because of how much I've grown.

Of all the wonders of nature, a tree in summer is perhaps the most remarkable; with the possible exception of a moose singing "Embraceable You" in spats. ~Woody Allen

My LOVE Language

The Five Love Languages

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others. Dr. Chapman's love languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.

My primary love language is probably
Quality Time

with my secondary love language being
Physical Touch

Complete set of results
Quality Time: 9
Physical Touch: 8
Words of Affirmation: 6
Acts of Service: 4
Receiving Gifts: 3

This quiz might help you work out which is your love language!http://www.youthnetsouthampton.org.uk/breakout/lovelanguages.php

Casey

My baby....

Words that speak out loud!

“If you asked me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” – Zola

Many people spend their days doing very little that they really want to do. Work and home, home and work.... too scared to step off the treadmill and do something spectacular. This is possibly my greatest fear. We must be our unique ourselves and live each moment as if it were our last!


“Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love.” - John Milton

I have always found this to be the ideal woman. To move with grace, to always have a positive outlook, and to do all things presented to her with love and dignity. And the amazing thing, as it has always struck me, is that it all revolves around one’s soul. It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you came from, how much you weigh. What matters is how you go about your life.


"Friendship is like a prism through which the many variations of beauty are revealed in our lives." - Anon

I like this beautiful imagery of friendship - so rich in depth and colour.

Popping the Bubble

I'm starting a blog. I write in my journal sometimes, but I don't like the way it goes into a drawer and doesn't get to see the light of day. Plus I've had a lot to say lately...and all my new friends and plenty of old ones are on blogspot...therefore, I'm blogging now. Here goes:

I have now been working at the same place longer than I have ever been in any other place. Which is kind of unbelievable to me...how did I reach this age so fast? Time is a crazy thing. It's the most consistent element in nature, yet it seems like it moves at such an inconsistent rate; sometimes it's the turtle, sometimes it's the rabbit, but regardless, we always wake up older.

I went back to Marcellin College the other week, (my high school), makes my head heavy with memories, good and bad ones. The day when I was there, though, it was less about memories and more about self-realization (which seems to be my life theme for 2008). Man, I've changed. Not only in my appearance, but in my person. I was very closed off in college...closed off to people out of the norm, to possiblities...I lived in a sort of bubble....it was a happy place, but I'm so glad I popped it and stepped out.

I do wish that I could go back to my 20s, knowing what I know now, and re-live those years. I would care less about trying to be cool and just be myself. I would befriend those who are eccentric and artistic, rather than those who are dull cookie cutter images of each other. I would walk around with my arms stretched wide and spin, rather than walk quickly with my head down and my arms crossed.

Of course I can't go back and change that time. So I'll take it for what it was worth. And I will learn from it...learn from the past, girl, don't re-live it!