Sunday 29 September 2013

death of the comics

I am one of those people that still likes to hold the newspaper and read it every morning.  While I get updates of news from the digital media I somehow like holding that paper and enjoying that coffee in the morning as part of a ritual that makes things good in my life.

Over the last few weeks however, a change has occurred that has left a bad taste in my mouth. The comics disappeared.  From 8 or more strips in the daily paper and  a two page spread in the Sunday papers it is now reduced to 2 in the daily and a quarter section in the Sunday papers.
Of course I wrote in to the papers to find out why!!

Seems I was not the only one asking this question as the paper put out an article about the loss of the comics, (Read it here) citing more content on the arts scene as the main culprit that the comics were sacrificed.  So I patiently read the papers looking for the content that replaced my comics and indeed yes there was more of the arts being mentioned in the section....However, there were also alot more advertisements.

So being the humble citizen that I am I wrote again to the papers asking them if content could be better managed with less advertisements and perhaps coming up with another supplement to move some content like boring parenting and kids stuff (we already have supplements on Wednesday to Friday on IT and digital things, health and fashion) and still have the comics...... lets see what they reply after they have had a laugh at my email....

Wednesday 25 September 2013

getting my ass in gear

I havent been writing much.  I havent been doing much of anything lately.

I was supposed to get my ass in gear and do the bathroom tiles but I have a very good excuse for not doing so.  My dads brother and his wife were down for a visit from India (Dads 2nd brother was born here but he had to go back to India to look after the family farm.  He was supposed to sort out his papers and come back here to live in 1966/67 but well life happened)
Anyway
frm left.  nephew, big sis, uncle, niece, mum, aunt, aunt.  back row- me, sis in law, bro, cousin

















Dads sister also came for a visit from Perth so it was like a mini reunion of sorts.  So I have been escorting the oldies around town on their shopping trips etc.  loads of fun but it also made me realise that Mum is slowing down considerably.  (picture is at her 76th birthday party) her knees are giving way(arthritis, the doc says) and she seems to get confused easily.  but thats a whole new post on ageing (if I get my ass in gear)

While it was fun being the oldies escort, I realised I was hiding from my own life.  So much easier to organise other peoples itinerary and lives.  I am bored to tears of staying home and playing house.  but I havent got the motivation to go out and do things.  Like taking pictures and going to the museum or even going out for a movie.  Its getting quite dire.  I dont want to end up a cranky old lady who is the resident hermit in the neighbourhood.  I have to get out of the house each day and do something productive and if on days when I stay home I need to be equally occupied.  Will that happen?   Hmmmm..........

Saturday 14 September 2013

DIY

DIY - Do it yourself.....many connotations especially in my single existence....
However this time DIY is all about re grouting my bathroom tiles.

I had grand visions of me being able to re grout both bathrooms and then proudly displaying it to all that "I did this".
Well as they say....the best laid plans......
I consulted my favourite medium....google and youtube....and it came up with plenty of videos on how to do it yourself.
Seems I have to dig out the old grout before I put in the new one!!  Who knew!
And it seems I have to buy this mechanical degrouting thingy as well as a a host of other tools.....
so before I start I have to go get these tools (not the mechanical one though)   A simple idea has now bitten me (once again) in the ass.

Monday 9 September 2013

how to break a bad habit

I seem to find myself involved with the same type of men over and over again.
I need to break the pattern, as frankly,  my poor little heart cant take the heartbreak that comes with it anymore.  I seem to find the men that arent interested in a relationship and love is never a part of what they offer.  Well dammit I am fed up of that and I need to break that bad habit. This song reminds me of all the men and all the mistakes I have made.(heres the link in case you cant see the video on the blog)


Thursday 5 September 2013

what else I saw in New Zealand

Standing at Cape Reinga,  it was like the end of the world up there. Miles of seemingly uninhabited coastline with crystal clear waters.  paradise!


What we also did that day was drive along the 90 mile beach.  It was a pretty cloudy day but sometimes the sun would come out of hiding and we would get blue skies and blue oceans
WL and me

where the spirits head home

As someone who doesnt believe in religion and all the pomp and ceremony that goes with it, I tend to sway towards old beliefs and customs.  To me they make more sense.
They believe in nature and the Gods are in the form of the earth, the sea and the sky.
In New Zealand I loved to listen to the folklore of the Maori and the places we went to gave me a better understanding of all the stories.

Up at Cape Reinga (Read here about the Cape) there were two such legends that made alot of sense to me.  Up here, at the northern tip of New Zealand two seas meet.  Its where the Pacific meets the Tasman sea and its the Meeting point.  A meeting of the Male and the Female.



Its is also where the spirits head home.  Where our spirits after we die, travel and launch themselves off the cliff and go home.
For someone like me who has lost faith in religion and mankind this place had a calming and deeply comforting aura about it.  It made me believe that perhaps I too would one day find my way home.

Tuesday 3 September 2013

small town girl at heart

We spent one night in Auckland, at Base, the backpackers hostel in the middle of Queen Street, yes another hostel........so fun... sharing toilet and bathrooms, no seriously it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be.  Now if only the hostel would use some WD40 on the creaky bathroom door then all would be good.

coast of Paihia
These hostels are pretty good, basic, but decent enough to just have a place to sleep (i still wont do a shared dorm type room) and shower.  we also left our big luggage here as we were headed to the Bay of Islands for a couple of days.  Early morning again we were off, walking down Queen Street to the bus pick up point.  Naked Bus, as the company implies, its a budget coach service but its a decent cheap service.  So in New Zealand take the Naked bus and look for specials as their deals are worth it!.

Waitangi grounds
Paihia - We arrived in the afternoon, at another Base backpackers and as they didnt have the room we booked, we got a larger dorm room with a promise that no one would share with us.  We also got a free dinner and 2 glasses of wine thrown in at the bar at the hostel.  It was a rugby final that night and the bar was showing it so the plans all fell neatly into place... sweet!
Waitangi grounds

Church in Paihia
I dont know about you but small towns like Paihia appeal to me.  I think its got something to do with the fact that I grew up in a small enclave of Singapore where shopkeepers, neighbours, everyone knew each other.  Its probably old age creeping up on me, where I hanker after the days gone by!  Anyway

Pahia  is an amazing little town, one street, one jetty, one long coastal
Sunset at Paihia
road to the Waitangi Treaty grounds (for a bit of history and you can walk it too as WL and I did).  I am sure in the summer months its buzzing with lots of people all over the place enjoying the fresh breeze, the laid back atmosphere and the lack of a Starbucks and MacDonalds.  Although WL did grumble about that.......
Maybe I should buy a business here......................