The Moment

"Write from the heart, believe, write with passion, and the reader will connect... if only for a moment" - Dostoyvski

A passionate writer stirs something within the soul.... a true art form.... a work that may awaken your emotions or intellect... something that is worthy of encompassing one's precious time. Even if it stays with you, for only a moment...

"Regardless of desire, life hands you who you are" - Haymes.

This has the same feel as my favourite quote from John Lennon's, Beautiful Boy, - Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." Things happen whether you plan for them or not. You can't buy experience - its priceless!

"I'd rather have a moment of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

- Steel Magnolias

Settling for anything less than wonderful would be to settle for mediocre.

That Which We Call a Rose

The classic rose is my favourite choice of flower. Its simple elegance and enduring symbolism of love and appreciation mean that it is not a surprising choice. The different colours of roses each carry their own special meanings and symbolism.

My first preference is the old english white rose. Traditionally used to symbolise true love this has become the hallmark of the red rose. Meaning different things to different people, white roses can symbolise love, friendship, respect and hope. Underlying these ideas are the principles of innocence and purity.

Dark red roses symbolize beauty. Red roses universally symbolise love, passion and romance.

A symbol for grace and elegance, the pink rose is often used to express admiration.

The warm feelings of the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.

The blazing orange rose is the embodiment of desire and passion. A bouquet of orange roses will send a meaningful message.

One of the rarest and most visually stunning rose colors is lavender. This makes it a popular (and stunning) alternative for romantic or everyday occasions.

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:

There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,

Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight.

William Shakespeare

Can You Guess Where My Accent is From?

Have a bash at this accent game Its fun! My score was 31. It should have been 37 but I wavered and picked the wrong option on two of them.

Fair Play?

The Olympic Games represents some lofty ideals: striving for excellence; unity and peace among nations; a celebration of diversity and fair play to name a few. I am finding it difficult to reconcile the spirit of these Games with the harsh reality of the human rights violations and other atrocities that are occuring on the other side of the sporting arena.

China has occupied the peaceful nation of Tibet since 1969. The occupation is accompanied by many restrictions for the Tibetan people. Government has been overthrown; speaking of the native language is not allowed; and the practise of religious and traditional ceremonies, likewise is outlawed. People have been imprisoned without trial, tortured and even murdered. The Dalai Lama has fled, fearing for his safety and is living in exile in India.

Child labour and abuses including child slavery and sweated labour for children as young as 7 years of age is rampant in China. Regimented training of children of very young ages in competitve sport is prevalent, also. Strict and demanding training schedules and a high degree of pressure to succeed is common place for these children.

Unfair wages for workers in China mean that many are not paid enough to pay their rent and buy food.

The problem of pollution has been well documented. Chinese efforts to clean up has failed and the air remains choked with smog. Beijing is one of the dirtiest cities in the world and it is often two or three times the maximum allowed by the World Health Organisation.

The issue of censorship hasn't gone away either. International media remains under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party. The onset of the Games has meant that tighter controls have been imposed.

Spectacular as the Opening Ceremony may have been, I remain unimpressed, somehow.

GOLD MEDAL 3

NZ has claimed its third gold medal with Tom Ashley's win in the boardsailing event. The win puts NZ at 16th on the medal tally - not bad for little ol' NZ!

Nick Willis achieved a bronze medal in men's 1500 metre final to join the gold medals of track legends Peter Snell and John Walker and Rod Dixon's bronze medal in the same event.

More bronze medal success included Bevan Docherty in the triathlon to follow his silver in the Athen's Olympics and the Men's Team Pursuit Cycling.

Wired For Sound

Researchers from Massey University have found that fitting teachers with microphones enhances learning in the classroom. Results from tests have shown an improvement of up to 60 per cent. Teachers have noticed increased attention, co-operation and understanding of instructions as well as quieter classes and improved behaviour.

Teachers in Asia already employ the use of microphones in classrooms. So......NZ schools bring it on!

Golden Day

Valerie Vili's gold medal in the shot put and Hayden Rouleston with the silver in the individual pursuit cycling event added to the haul of medals in the rowing yesterday to make it a double golden day for New Zealand.

GOLD!

Golden girls Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell have NZ's first gold medal! They beat the German team by a hundreth of a second in a photo finish. This is the twins' second gold in the double skulls after winning in Athens in 2004.

NZ have also won two bronze medals in the rowing today. Mahy Drysdale was the first medal winner in the men's single skulls and Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater also took out bronze.

Talk about Inflation

We may grumble at the cost of petrol, food and other essential items in NZ at the present time but one look at the situation in Zimbabwe quickly puts things into perspective.

The above cheque for one quadrillion, seventy-two trillion, four hundred and eighteen billion and three million dollars was made out to a motor dealer in Zimbabwe on 23rd July 2008. Inflation has spun so madly out of control there that prices double on a daily basis. Teachers recently celebrated a pay increase that gave them 100 billion a week. However, inflation has already eroded any advantage from the increase. The following is an excerpt from a letter sent to someone on my staff:

Bread last week was 5 billion a loaf (when available) so who knows what it will be today. Milk is over 5 billion a litre. An ET into town is now 6 billion. A small packet of imported biscuits was selling for 53 billion, eggs are 3 billion each and wait for it, a chicken yesterday was 173 billion.

A lot of things are now unavailable and imported goods are unaffordable to most.

There seems to be no end to the madness that these people must endure. You have to queue for 3 hours in the bank and are permitted to withdraw up to only 25 billion per day. People who waiting in line, joke that their money is devaluing whilst they are in the queue.

Many people are trying to get out of Zimbabwe and who can blame them?

The Award for the Worst Olympic Outfit is....

Winner!

First Runner-Up

Most Ridiculous Hat.....

What is that??

Impressive for its size

Why?

Worst Hair in the World

Warning: this is not a helmet - this is her actual hair!

Most Harry Potterish

Maxi Pad Commercial

Fast Food Employees

MacDonalds?

Best Looks From Beijing 2008

Winner - Best Dressed 2008

Devonport Village

The beautiful sunshine today drew us into historical maritime village of Devonport for a walk along the waterfront. We were treated to the sight of a yacht race on the water as we walked.

Devonport has many fabulous features including the beach, park, walking paths, naval base and Mt Victoria looming in the background. Devonport is only 10 minutes from Auckland City by ferry.

We enjoyed pizza and lattes at one of the numerous restaurants with tables outside that would allow Casey (my baby doggy) to join us at the table and strolled amongst the speciality shops.

Breast Cancer Drug Denied

The Government has confirmed that it will not fund a 12 month course of Herceptin for women with breast cancer.

This drug has been labelled a "wonder drug" ever since 2005 when the American Society of Clinical Oncology provided evidence that use of Herceptin in early stage breast cancer could halve the recurrence rate.

In NZ arguments have been bandied about on benefits of the one year course over the 9 week course that is currently offered. However, as Dr Pippa MacKay chairperson of the Researched Medicines Industry Association says

"How can the the New Zealand population feel confident that Pharmac have got this, and potentially other decisions, right, while everyone else in the OECD has got it wrong?”

Act MP Heather Roy said today it was all about money.

"How could Labour find $25 million to save endangered snails - which weren't endangered - but can't find $25 million to save endangered women?" she asked.

The National Party has pledged to fund the 12 month course Herceptin if they win the election. Fortunately for the women who are suffering and their families, it looks as if National will win.

Please click on the link below to donate a free mammogram for an underprivileged woman.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Creepy Bride Cake

Hey y'all! Yo' damn right I do!

and...when good weddings turn bad...

Can you imagine having a wedding cake that is a life-size replica of yourself - the ego is staggering!

My favourite new website discovery is Cake Wrecks This page critiques professional cakes in two categories:

Well done but why??

and

Omigod, what is that thing??

Tree vs Wind

This video was shot in Nelson during the storm last week. The police had cordoned off the area but this car went straight through it.....and was lucky to make it out unharmed! The video has been making a big splash on You Tube and was played on all the television news channels.

Responsible Risk

For the last couple of years, teachers have been busy with the implementation of the new curriculum. The new document, as always, looks at the needs of our students in the current climate.

I am sure that the terminology, "Thinking Skills" will bring a collective groan from teachers up and down the country and mutterings of what do they think that we have been doing all this time if not teaching students thinking skills and processes??

As a staff we have spent many an afternoon wearing festivally coloured party or thinking hats....and then, of course, there are the "Habits of Mind". This term the focus is "Responsible Risk". Aside for the fact that I think 'responsible risk' is an oxymoron and I believe that the correct terminology is 'calulated risk', I do appreciate the sentiments behind this concept.

Here are a couple of quotations that speak to this notion:

"Risk, risk anything. Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth."
Katherine Mansfield

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

Anais Nin

"I feel pain for those who never sing but die with music in them."

Unknown