Gimme Gimme!

Just when I thought all the concerts I wanted to go to were in Wellington - and WAY out of my price range (Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Rock2Wgtn) glorifiedpixels pointed out that Me First and Gimme Gimmes were coming to Auckland! (Well, pointed out is not entirely correct, more - cornered and asked if I'd bought my ticket...) I'm working on it, promise! Just figuring out buses (living in the middle of nowhere - at least, according to the bus company - will be interesting to get home)

Book review!

Erak's ransom (Ranger's Apprentice book 7)
John Flanagan
It was a friend of mine - an adult, and not working/associated with kids or teens in any way - who told me about the Ranger's Apprentice books just after the first one came out.
They are great reads - sometimes a bit too much action, and I find myself skimming through just because I need to know right NOW that all will be ok. The characters are great.
I did enjoy this book, but find it slightly annoying in that it goes back to a period of time BEFORE the last two books...
Books 1 to 4 dealt with Will's time as a Ranger's Apprentice, 5 and 6 Will as a fully-fledged Ranger. And then, book 7, set just before Will graduates from apprentice level.
Apart from that - it's always nice catching up with characters you enjoy visiting.
For more info, check out the two websites - the original, Australian one (which annoyed me with the install/don't install flash message EVERY time I visited a page!) and the international one.

Hwæt!

Traditional Boxing Day movie-going done... we saw Beowulf! Yep, in 3D at Imax... Looking at the people coming out, I might have one of the very few who had ever read the original - and definitely one of the very, very, few who had read it in the original (not that 'reading' is actually the word for it! Slaved over... translated word for word... sweated over...)
Anyhoo - the people were reasonably believable in their CGI way - it was the horses that were most unrealistic, weirdly enough.
Story pretty close to the original. As the writers say, in this interview on youtube, they were telling the story between the lines. How many times did I have to say to my mother afterwards, there was no fooling around with demons in the original... Little thing I picked up... Grendel is described as one of Cain's kin (in the original) and Unferth's slave is named Cain...

If you want to find out a little more, this site has hypertext versions of both the original and a modern translation.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Belatedly! To busy doing Christmas things myself...
Happy First Christmas Isaac (that's him - under the wrapping paper)! Happy First Birthday NateDog! Yay - Kaydin could play with us!
Miss you Hannah & Collette! See you soon! Miss you, Dad.
Love to family & friends...

I'm hopping, I'm hopping, I'm hopping, hopping, hopping

When does liking something spiral into obsession?

I'm a bit concerned about my Charlie & Lola collection. I now have:
I absolutely must do colouring-in now or painting or drawing
But excuse me that is my book
My extremely very important diary 2008
A Charlie & Lola backpack

AND, just bought...
A Charlie & Lola umbrella
AND
I will not ever never eat a tomato - the pop-up edition (in my defence for this one, I really wanted the pop-up editon of We're going on a bear hunt)

Maybe the phrase is 'I absolutely must stop buying Charlie & Lola things now'

No more pencils...

School's out... and to celebrate... a fun wee blast from my favourite Muppets episode...

Ranty McRanty #3

Ooh I thought! A new shop! Specialising in underwear and PJs... heaven! Then I wandered in and soon learned that it was, at the very least, purgatory... All those pretty multi-coloured bras... and NONE in my size... So, to console myself, I wandered off to another store (an old faithful) and discovered that NONE of the bras I liked there were my size either (unless I wanted to spend a LOT more). HELLO manufacturers and designers and retailers... haven't you realised that the average size of people is growing?! A quick, informal, survey (ie in response to my rant in the workroom) revealed that the majority of us were over a C-cup... Depressed now...

It's a marshmallow world...

Inspired by Fi's blogpost I thought of some favourite Christmas memories over the years...
As the youngest of five, my parents had learnt to leave an attractive present at the end of my bed to keep me amused and not walking up the whole house. Most memorable one? A doll whose eyes closed when you laid her down. Unfortunately her eyes and tongue kept falling out of place and Dad would take her away to be fixed... until one day she didn't come back. For years later I would sneak into the pantry and climb the shelves to peer at the top shelf, where she was last sighted... just in case she' materialised.
1978 - a picnic down at the park, playing swingball. The year of my last Santa photo (there to keep our friend's baby company)
1979 - when my mum came home - and my brand new nephew was 11 months old! My sister's and I had skirts of the same style (different colours) made by a friend. I got a very pretty going-out-best dress and a Barbie.
1982 (or 83) - keeping Mum company as she slaved over the sewing machine making dolls and matching clothes for my 2-year-old nieces.
1985 - with sister #3 and her kids at home - and they slept in! So the responsible adults woke them up at 7 because we couldn't wait anymore!
Many, many, many years of starting Christmas Day with breakfast at my sister's (#2) to be around her kids - and now grandkids.
Many, many years of trying to get Dad into the Christmas spirit... putting his presents ON him while he lay in bed... and the promise he'd get up and join us after one more coffee in bed.
The horde at my brother's and we were so loud the youngest niece (just over 1) screamed - and no one heard her, including her mum, whose lap she was on. I only know because I was watching her at the time!
The fun Christmases when we have extra, special, visitors - when we open our doors to whoever needs a family.
Best of all? Every year my family have been together... which is as long as I can remember.
The saddest Christmases? The one's when someone is missing - my Dad is still missing at Christmas, even these 5 years since he died. This will be the second Christmas someone is missing, other than by dying, that is... so...
Christmas love to those not with us in body. Kia kaha Hannah & Collette! I hope you find each other, and a welcome, in London. And to Kaydin, who will be with his dad.

The sun has got his hat on...

I couldn't wait until Christmas and decided to out my Charlie & Lola backback early (if you happened to be wondering what I'd bought at the Smith & Caugheys sale). So while shopping at the Bead Hold I heard a little voice behind me say 'Mummy, that lady has a Charlie & Lola on her back'.

Then, I took a copy of I'm really ever so not well to my friend, who is recovering from a stroke. Yes, it did cheer her up!

See, the right present at the right time to the right person in the right spirit, can do wonders. Something it's really hard to keep in mind while frantically shopping at Christmas. At that's why I've decided to buy my Christmas presents for the great nephews & nieces in the summer sales. Yes, I'll be spectacularly short of cash for a few months - but less stress in December!

In the news today...

And doesn't this story make your heart happy - Nairobi slum dweller graduates from Manchester University, with only two years formal education previously. Wow.

JK Rowling's handwritten book fetches 1.95 million pounds at auction, with all proceeds going to charity.

More Christmas favourites

Anywho, I was stumbling around youtube (again!) and, on the off chance, did a wee search and - lo and behold - a video of my favourite Christmas song... with my favourite performers...

Good reads for 2007

Heading towards the end of the year makes me all nostalgic for the books I've read this year (and horribly aware of what I haven't read, and how pathetically I keep track of what I've read...)

Over the years I've had a love/hate relationship with books about King Arthur - he seemed to pop up everywhere! Especially while I was struggling through Malory, or something even more obscure...

There was the time when, within about a month, Arthur was on Gargoyles AND, bizarrely, Babylon 5 and, yep, I was writing an essay on Malory...

So, this year, there were two teen novels about Arthur and that I actually liked...

Here lies Arthur by Philip Reeve. In which the main character, a slave girl Gwyna, is taken in by Mryddin and transformed into Gwyn. By being close to the action, Gwyna sees the work Mryddin does to create the legend of Arthur - something which is totally removed from the Dark Ages bully-boy he really is.

Song of the sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell. About Elaine of Ascolat - the Lady of Shallott - in free verse and set just before the Battle of Mount Badon.

So, a couple of recommendations for you...

More photos!

More photo fun on facebook.., photos from a Christmas do cruising up past Greenhithe, and a first birthday party - happy birthday NateDog for Christmas Day.

Some days

this song says it all...


No matter how many times I watch and listen, it gets to me.

Kindred spirits...

Many moons ago... at the beginning of our web 2.0 learning journey Fi blogged about typing using typewriters, and I commented on her post... well, today I stumbled across a blog post from Robin McKinley, one of my all time fav authors, all about the 'joys' of modern technology... extract below...

Remember when we used to complain about how unpredictable and unreliable people are? (And possibly hellhounds. And rose-bushes. And . . . ) And machinery was reliable? The car that started first time, every time (and if it didn’t you lifted the lid and reached in and twiddled something and then poured a little wine on the ground and threw some salt over your shoulder and then it started). And manual typewriters. Real first-time-every-time-start machinery, a manual typewriter. Or if one of these solid, and, you know, fondlable, items didn’t work, you could usually figure out why. The engine fell out. Somebody dropped a piano on it. You may have been in a deep manure heap because of what had happened, but at least you knew what it was.

If you're exploring around Robin McKinley, make sure you read Author as Bitch from Hell

It's that time of year...

when things go all crazy... and time runs out and you just wish December was over (well, I do) - or that it would go on forever - and your bank account is even more stretched than usual.
But, on a positive note, you get to read all the new Christmas books out there, and revisit old favourites. (I'm not doing the Christmas songs thing... eek).
Working on a giant advent calendar for work has made me think about what my favourite Christmas stories are. In no particular order, they are:

The nativity illustrated by Julie Vivas - pretty much the King James version of the story with Vivas' fabulous illustrations. Jesus being born is pretty cool - and the angel Gabriel holding him is beautiful.

Ernest and Celestine by Gabrielle Vincent. Christmas shared with love and joy, not money, as Celestine persuades Ernest that they CAN have a Christmas party, even if they have no money.

Harry and the dinosaurs make a Christmas wish by Ian Whybrow & illustrated by Adrian Reynolds. Harry and the dinosaurs - enough said.

The Christmas miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski. The true spirit of Christmas. A embittered widower is paid to carve a nativity scene for a young widow and her son. And, no, it's not a romance novel, but an illustrated story for 8+.

Marta and the manger straw by Virginia Kroll & illustrated by Robyn Belton. Again, real Christmas, this time based upon a Polish tradition. Marta shares her Christmas luck with everyone and, when things go wrong, finds that she receives more love back. Picture book for 5+.

A small miracle by Peter Collington. An elderly woman raises money for food by pawning her piano accordion, but on her way home she is robbed. She finds the robber has ransacked the church and manages to get the charity tin off him, puts the Nativity scene to rights, and heads home - cold and hungry - but collapses on the way. The Nativity characters find her, take her home, and the Wise Men head off into town to sell their presents to redeem her accordian, and buy food; Joseph heads off into the woods to chop firewood; and Mary and Jesus watch over her. A wordless graphic novel.

I will not ever never...

not love Charlie & Lola... Just when I thought it was safe (after playing with Charlie & Lola stuff)... there was a sale today... Merry Christmas to ME! Also bought, but at Jabberwocky, My Extremely Very Important Diary. I'm hoping that, by being so extremely very cute, I might actually USE it and have it with me...

Photo time!

So, my camera lives in my bag (which one of them I have with me) and my USB cable lives plugged in at home... handy. And, as I said earlier, facebook is the way to go for photos. Want to know what those around me have been up to? Visit my latest photo album - it's the Santa Parade. Oh, and my beads are there, too. Must update those soon...
On the work front... there's the Harry Potter stuff; Outreach Therapy Pets visit; random work photos - including the sight of me in pink!

In my family life - there's some random photos taken at random times; my sister's 50th; a niece's birthday & Guy Fawkes; my brother-in-law's 50th; a niece's 21st; up north & dad's grave; girls' week on the Gold Coast; random stuff from around home - including ducklings, my Molly cat and my favourite holiday destination; a great-niece's 4th; a great-nephew's 6th...

More to come I'm sure. I'll just update this post...

It kind of looks like Christmas

Santa Parade time! With photos...

Star gazing

For those of you who had something on & couldn't make the Last Saturday of the Month drinks... nah, nah, nah... those who made it spent a couple of hours celeb watching as they arrived on the red carpet for the TV awards... oh, alright, not too many BIG names but hey! Hilary Barry's dress was divine. The Fair Go crew looked pretty good. And Jeremy Corbett & That Guy managed to change quickly...

Ok - bad photo - but if you look really hard it's the Mascot, from Pulp Sport.

Cuteness!

Just when the last bunch of ducklings have grown up and become groups of marauding youths, we have a brand new clutch... [yes, this might skew the poll results...]

Costume drama

Look what I saw at Smith & Caugheys - costumes from the new movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Pretty, but also terribly cumbersome and hot!

We've got to get to school before the dragons!

I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny...
Thus begins pretty much every Charlie & Lola book by Lauren Child.
I don't want a little sister like Lola - as I am a little sister, I want to be Lola.
So, with gift vouchers for my birthday, I bought But excuse that is my book - all about Lola's visit to the library to get out the bestest book in the world. But someone else has it!
We've done this as a readers theatre for a special storytime - and I demanded to be Lola (just getting into my character, of course).
The next day I got an email from a former workmate who had seen a new Charlie & Lola book online... and now we have it on order - This is actually my party.
Then a friend & I went and played in the toy section of Smith & Caugheys - with the Charlie & Lola toys! Oh the want! Daytime and Nightime Lola... Messenger bag... Umbrella... Giggling Lola and Giggling Charlie. I felt all Lola aged! My friend knows the obsession - she bought me I absolutely must do colouring-in now for my birthday last year.
Thank goodness I don't have a credit card...

New Zealand Children's Books in Print 2007

NEW ZEALAND CHILDREN’S BOOKS IN PRINT 2007 available now.
Keep up-to-date with information about books for children by New Zealand writers and illustrators.
A useful resource for librarians, teachers, authors and illustrators, booksellers, publishers and others interested in children’s books.
Recommended by National Library advisors.
New Zealand Children’s Books in Print is a fully annotated catalogue of children's books currently in print for children from birth to secondary school, plus teacher/parent resource books, by New Zealand authors and illustrators (excluding text books or series readers). It includes fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Titles published both in New Zealand and overseas are included.
Listings include full publication information, a short description and age recommendations. There are five indexes – by author, illustrator, photographer, translator and title.
Order from Silvertone Ltd, PO Box 21 265, Henderson, Auckland 0650
Phone 09 836 1261
Email nzbooks.orcon.net.nz
Send no money, an invoice will be sent with your order $16.00 plus p&p

what did I learn...

What have I learnt from the 23 tasks?

1. That I know more than I thought
2. Conversely, that I have more to learn
3. That I've been using web 2.0 technology without realising it
4. That it's quicker and easier uploading photos to facebook than to flickr or bebo, or even burning to CD
5. That I love google docs - and, if the others come on board, it will make some of my tasks easier
6. That I have to carry on with this blog...
7. That I'm happy using technology that does what I want it to do
8. That I'm not really interesting in exploring things I don't have an obvious use for
9. That I need reasonably instant gratification or I just get frustrated and don't bother continuing with something

It's these last three points that I will take with me into customer interactions (or helping fellow staff). We, as staff, need to sell the usefulness and relevancy of any new thing and it needs to work well and quickly, or it's never going to work for our customers.

Photo from my garden

What's the national anthem of Malawi?

I think I'll change allegiance...
After being so grateful last night that the Silver Ferns weren't chokers like the All Blacks...
If you haven't caught up with the fact, we lost to Australia in the final (at least the Ferns did get into the final...)
The standings at the end of the tournament were:

1. Australia (42 in final)
2. New Zealand (38 in final)
3. Jamaica (53 in play off for 3/4 place)
4. England (52 in 3/4 playoff)
5. Malawi - The Queens (52 in 5/6 play off)
6. South Africa (49 in 5/6 play off)
7. Cook Islands (56 in 7/8 play off)
8. Samoa (55 in 7/8 play off)
9. Fiji (65 in 9/10 play off)
10. Botswana (20 in 9/10 play off)
11. Trinidad & Tobaga (48 in 11/12 play off)
12. Wales (45 in 11/12 play off)
13. Barbados (51 in 13/14 play off)
14. Scotland (45 in 13/14 play off)
15. Singapore (59 in 15/16 play off)
16. Malaysia (44 in 15/16 play off)

Malawi has to the be the most fun team, & contains the favourite player of the tournament. Check out this Herald article.

They have Mary Waya. She's 38 (in a country where the average life expectancy is 40), and mother of 2. She missed the 1999 World Champs because she was pregnant. She's 1.62cm tall, and weights 89kg (that's 5ft 4inches and 14 stone in real measurements - at least, I think it is...). She looks like the Venus of Willendorf... See photos below for comparison...

This shows only one example of her committment - she also had trick and flukey passes all over the place!

There's just something about Mary...
Photos from NZ Herald, Arizona State University, & the World Netball Champs site

Get (Irish) jiggy with it...

Listen to author Kate Thompson play music mentioned in her book The New Policeman. Thanks, once again, to NZBookgirl!

Tattoos!

I know lots of people don't like tattoos, including my Dad. But, if you get the right one and for the right reason...

About 10 years ago I got my first tattoo - here's a bit of it (do you know how hard it is photographing your own ankle?)

It's all in Viking runes (I was studying Norse at the time) and is the names of my four grandparents, my parents and myself (this part is my mother's dad Fred, followed by my dad, Ray). The chains represent the links of family that hold us together, and the background is marble, representing strength and solidity.

As part of her 70th birthday celebrations, my mum got a tattoo representing her family and the generations that have come from her and dad

And, yesterday, I watched my sister get her latest one, of a similar design to Mum's, representing family and all the love and support they offer (yes it's red, but it is brand new!)

Google maps part 2 & Movember

One of my regular readers reports that the google map image of his place is at least 18 months out of date. Better eyes than me!
Thank you Patrick! Sponsor him as part of Movember... hopefully this links directly to his info. Good luck Pat. I'd sponsor you if I had a credit card! PS love the photo!

you tubing - part 1

You Tube!

How could I choose which video! I couldn't choose just one... I will admit most of these I've heard about from friends. But I did have to search for the specific video later...

How about the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performing 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly'. I think I might be a ukulele convert... They're performing at the 08 New Zealand International Arts Festival in Wellington

Then there's performancing poet, Taylor Mali, on 'The Impotence of Proofreading' - be careful who you play this around (and, maybe don't have a mouthful of coffee at the time). This was send to me by a friend. Both of us edit and proofread things, so it seems so very appropriate!

What does this say about me?

I looked through the list of Web 2.0 awards nominees and what does it say about me that the one I focussed on was cocktail builder...
I liked the simplicity of cocktail builder and, in many ways, it's like the recipe finders I've been using for ages. Allyson Gofton's eCook has a recipe finder, which is very helpful when you have strange ingredients you want to figure out, or you know you've seen a recipe for something... and the Taste magazine site has a very similar search, too. Of course, the benefits are - they're both NZ sites!
I've tried Google maps before - unfortunately the satellite doesn't go in close enough so I could see our beautiful new deck, or if the 'new' owners of the old family home have done anything. And it really can't get anywhere near the family bach - search for Whakapirau and you'll see.
I

goggle at google

Google Docs...

Well, how spectacularly easy! I saved some meeting minutes from an organisation I'm involved with, invited collaborators as a test. They all logged in, invited their other gmail selves, made changes... and you can then export anything into word...
I'm a convert! So much easier than emailing documents around! Like a worldwide shared drive, but cheaper and easier.
If only I can convince the rest in the organisation....

Netball!

And the reason I'm on annual leave this week is revealed... so I can watch as much of the Netball World Champs as possible!
So far the best game I've watched has been the Cook Islands versus Singapore yesterday. The Cooks won 45-43, but it was tight. They then went on and beat Fiji today, the upset of the tournament.So far the big four are doing what's expected: New Zealand, Australia, England and Jamaica are all trouncing their minnow opponents.

Photos and jewellery...

Well, after being on leave (unexpectedly) for 2 weeks (as of Tuesday I'll be on planned leave - so 3 weeks in a row!) I was going a bit stir crazy. I decided to photograph ALL the jewellery I've made & kept... so if anyone is interested they're in my facebook photo album.

I've popped in to work today to see Kim's documentary, A great little hobby, showing in the Show Me Shorts Film Festival.

I've also uploaded documents from my work PC to google docs so I can work on them next week from home... will be reporting in shortly. So far, so good! I know, I know, sad... but it's so I can review all those books I've been reading during my time off, without having to remember them, or write notes to type up later.

And, yes, cleared my hold shelf!

Family & fireworks

Guy Fawkes has always been a big thing in my family.

We used to have the whole Guy and bonfire thing - complete with bonfire toffee (and, yes family, I will make some next year! Sorry - but lost the traditional recipe). There are even photos of (a younger version of ) me posing with the Guy. There are photos of numerous family members enjoying (or not) their first Guy Fawkes experiences... from the early 60s onwards.

Remember the time when...

The sky rockets (bye sky rockets - miss you!) came without sticks and Dad used twigs? Not the straightest trajectory ever!

Dad decided to experiment and tied 2 sky rockets together? Lit one, which lit the other one, and they came straight back down

It rained and rained and we made a very pathetic little string of wet refugees hiking back to our cars through the paddock in Moontide Road? (obviously before the house was built)

Phoebe didn't care about fireworks when she was only a few hours old? And now, 12 years on, she doesn't have to sit on my knee anymore... it's now her turn to be the big strong auntie. Happy birthday sweetie!

We all dressed up pretty and had a party. Oh yeah - happy anniversary Beth & Pat! (I remember how hard it was holding 4 year old Phoebe on my lap, while wearing an ankle length dress, heels, while on wet ground...)

For all fire bugs out there - especially my family... some photos from last night. Love you all!

Happy beading!

Another beading class tomorrow... not that I'm addicted or anything.


Nia, the Queen Bead, has just had her first book published... a must for all beading wannabes.
Yes, we even have copies in our collection. Reserve your copy today - then go and buy it (if enough copies are sold - there will be a sequel).
It's so fabulous - I don't have to keep all my class notes!

Some random tech thoughts

How do you remember how you log on! Everytime I go to log on to something I have to sit and try to figure out what email I used and what password. Pain!
I love goodreads because when your friends add a comment, or change their bookshelves, it sends you an email (like bebo), but what makes goodreads different is - when you click on the link you're automatically logged in! Much nicer than the other social networking sites I've been using!

How's your day going?

People often ask you how your day is going... here's some code phrases I find useful...

A Hairy Maclary Day: when things have got a bit on top of you (like meeting Scarface Claw) and you just want to go 'straight back home to bed'

A Lt Worf Day: from the times Worf said 'maybe today is a good day to die' (from a Klingon phrase Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam). When you know it's all going to be full on, like an invasion or an attack - and you just go into the day full steam ahead and take on whatever comes. They usually end up being pretty good days - often, funnily enough, on a Saturday

A Winnie-the-Pooh Day: when you are a Bear of Very Little Brain

An Eeyore Day: All round gloom... best described in this exchange: 'Good morning, Pooh Bear,' said Eeyore gloomily. 'If it is a good morning, which I doubt', said he. 'Why, what's the matter?' 'Nothing, Pooh Bear, nothing. We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it.' 'Can't all what?' said Pooh, rubbing his nose. 'Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush.'

A Christopher Robin Nothing Day: 'How do you do Nothing?' asked Pooh. 'Well, it's when people call out to you as you're going off to do it "What are you going to do, Christopher Robin?" and you say "Oh, nothing" and then you go and do it. It means just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.'

A Bisy Backson Day: This is what happens to Christopher Robin when he has to go to school - he is always busy, and will be back soon. This is also what happens some days when there are meetings all over your calendar

If shopping's a sport...

Then I did really well on Sunday! Off on those Labour Day sales... got a fab long (almost to my ankles) kit jacket orignal price $80 down to $14! The joy! The thrill of success!
On shopping, looking at clothes for various young relatives - did make the news story about the sexualisation of young children more relevant.
It's not just overly sexual clothes for girls, it's also trying to find clothes for boys that don't make them look like try hard gangstas or rockers. Why do boys suddenly have to be dressed in labelled clothing once they turn 5? Why can't they still get around in dinosaurs or trains or trucks? They're only little kids.

The rise of Cyberdyne?

On library 2.0 and web 2.0
On a quick skim of the articles... I think I might be figuring out how to use technolust and technoworship in a conversation - although not indulging in it myself, of course! We Librarians 2.0 don't!
I like the emphasis web 2.0 puts on customers - and making sure we're connecting with them, and doing things for them, instead of pre/post guessing.
I like the possibilities of making our catalogues more user friendly, more amazon-y. Some of the possibilities in the future are intriguing - must keep my cyberdyne fears at bay, though. Read/watched too many things about systems becoming self-aware... WarGames was ahead of its time.
The video is fascinating (even without sound... wee bit of technolust - want working speakers) - but, see, scary 'we're teaching the machines' comments...
But I do like - the web is us. Not sure about rethinking privacy, though.

People I love...

Tomie dePaola!

Hence the possibility of putting myself in to overdraft to score his handmade dove at the Storylines' charity auction!

Anyway - decided to pop in on his site and found... The dePaoloa Code. I'd seen the beginnings of it ages ago, on the DiscoMermaids site. How fun! Any author/illustrator that doesn't take themselves that seriously has got to be fun!

The joys of spring part 2

It's not spring! Predicted low today of 2!!!

But, that said, with daylight savings it means I can look out my bus window and gaze at the beautiful Western Springs... It's my favourite bit of coming to work, and going past it so early in the morning means there's hardly any people around spoiling the view.

I haven't seen the bunny rabbits in months, wonder if they're still around.

You can judge the coldness of the morning by how high the steam is coming off the lake - and today was pretty cold. When the air temperature is THAT much colder than the water, you know it's chilly out!

Things you don't want to find in the morning....

So, I was not entirely happy my mother had booked my day off... but there were other, better, cheaper, ways of getting out of it!

Was getting my clothes ready for the day out, when I realised that the carpet was wet! That could only mean one thing... leaking hot water cylinder. Like I said - not the nicest excuse, although quite original.

Luckily my brother-in-law had the name of a good plumber who was able to come straightaway (sorry guys, he's not taking on any more work!). A couple of hours, a couple of hundred dollars later - all ok!

Just another symptom of previous owners' DIYing!

I now get to sleep with the window open, trying to dry out the carpet in my bedroom. Yes, a bedroom is an odd place for a hot water cylinder... long story... DIY, indeed.

More flickr fun!

Crystal introduced me to the Hockneyizer tool at Bighugelabs. I'd only really looked at the mosaic maker and Warholizer. How cool is this - both with and without frames... my favourite pair of totally impractical and uncomfortable boots (which I gave up)

Then I played with the cube tool... even more fun!

Image that!

Online image generators
What a randomly weird thing - sorta similar to mashups. I was struggling a bit to figure out what to do - not wanting to replicate other (damn you ACL Learning for using the coffee!) - so I came up with making an awareness ribbon for Storylines, my charity of choice, using Imagechef. I didn't like the fact that the font is a default - Storylines has an official font, so it would have been nice to be able to change it.

Then I sort of got carried away and decide to make myself an avatar. The site linked from the Generator Blog was all in Spanish, and even with my friendly Spanish workmate, it didn't let you download - only print... how old fashioned! So I had to go with something less me... from DoppelMe. It was hard finding a site that didn't require you register to get anywhere. I have enough difficulty keeping my real social life going, let alone that of an avatar! So, the more-friendly, less cool avatar of me...

Generator Blog was interesting... didn't really register that all those Name Generators were sort of the same thing. We used to link to a lot of name generators on the teens pages, but some changed, and some led into quite the wrong sort of site!

Well, at least I didn't get a tattoo...

And I get to sleep in on the weekends!

Check out this ODT article about a student with his new tattoo celebrating the All Black's 2007 World Cup win!

Enough said, really...

All I want for Christmas is...

This handmade dove by one of my all-time favourite book people! Available as a lot in Storylines' charity auction.

This fabulous tshirt based on a quote in Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce.

What a weekend!

Off on the Pink Dove Star Walk tonight! I've had to break my long-standing tradition of not wearing pink in order to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I haven't worn pink since being able to choose my own clothes!

Then, even more pinkness! Off to the Bead Hold on Sunday to take part in the Make and Eat afternoon.

Monday... off to celebrate the launch of Dorothy Butler and Lyn Kriegler's new book in the Old New Zealand series - Sea Dog.

I'll be coming back to work for a rest!

Madness hamsters or Mad Hamster?

Anyone heard of the Hamster? Aka Richard Hammond - one of the hosts of Top Gear. Mad, I tell, mad. But then, all the Top Gear guys seem to be...

Last year the Hamster nearly died in a crash

Then he was all better - miraculously - and ran home in the middle of the night during the floods in the UK.

And now, another crash...

Any wonder why I'm addicted to the show?

Photo stolen from the Daily Mail site... it's in in the 2nd article.

School holidays

Something I was listening to the other day made me think of what I remembered from school holidays... what did we do?

So... my most memorable school holidays are (in chronological order) [and, if my memory is wrong - tough! I was only little!]

Kaiwaka! I hadn't even started school at this point, but staying in shearers' quarters in Kaiwaka counts as one of the all time great family holidays! We were all there. The parents, the siblings, the sister's boyfriend, and one set of grandparents. There was fishing - I got to fishing with the big kids for the first time! I caught my first itty bitty fish (and wanted to get out of that boat away from them fast!) There were horses to ride. There were horses to play around - and freak out the family, as one was supposed to be mean (he was lovely, to me at least). And this really cool house on the way with twisted brick columns. The columns stuck in my head for years and it was only as an adult that I found the house again, and learnt it was in Kaiwaka.

Camping with Dad, my sister and brother-in-law, and an (adult) family friend. I remember the setting up of the tent; the blowing down of the tent (in the dark); the moving of the tent site to somewhere with less gravel. I remember the friend having morning sickness. And the highlight? Losing one of my front teeth! The joys of being six!

Going on holiday in Rotorua with Dad and his parents. Staying in a motel for the first time! Going to the motel spa. Seeing my Dad in swim wear (he didn't swim!). Being the only kid spoiled by three adults for a whole week! Years later I found out the holiday was because my grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer and wanted a family holiday to remember. Happily she managed many more, making it through to my first year of uni.

And, the last holiday visiting my mum up north. The best holiday ever! The one when my mum and dad got back together... Mum came home to us the next holidays.

Sorry for the ramble!

Thoughts go out for all those trying to keep their little darlings amused these holidays - in the lovely spring weather - and all of us library staff dealing with the influx!

Ranty McRanty #2

They say Auckland has four seasons in one day - I just experienced at least three in 20 minutes!

10am - beautiful sun through the windows... 10.20 we'd had torrential rain, lightning & thunder and hail!

Welcome to spring, indeed!

Why am I surprised? I always have leave the same time of year and last year I spent it in glorious springtime! And came back to work in winter... same again this year!

Speaking of last year - it's been a year since I've been able to wear heels. Damn that standing up from kneeling down! I spent two weeks after the initial 'injury' (which didn't hurt!) doing things like wheelbarrowing loads and loads of mulch up hill and down dale, walking lots. And what happens? Go back to work - one day in my beloved heels - ONE DAY! - and that's that... no more heels - and ache every single day.

Grieving and bitter over the heels... so yep, big rant today!

More photos...

Yeah, I know... I should be putting them on flickr... but just too much today...

So, this is the side view of the church just up the road from the bach, taken from beside my dad's grave.

And, to the right, the view from my dad's grave - accompanied, at the moment, by the melodious sounds of lambs.

Back at work!

Well, the tech issues at home continue... hence the delay!

In answer to some comments... I forgot the buzzy bees! Utterly hopeless! The significance of the buzzy bees is: my dad worked at the buzzy bee factory in the early 50s during his school holidays.

And - how to get rid of the annoying outlook pop-up, in case you're wondering!
Go to Options - Preferences - Email options - Advanced email options - When new items arrive.

Unfortunately we were trapped up north with only TV2 and TV3 to watch! At least we could watch rugby... but no Prime (Doctor Who! part 2 and everything!) - no Sky... so no Twenty20... and no Tony Veitch doing the sports news....

Back online!

Oh the joys! The last few days have been internetless as our modem didn't like being changed to another computer... hence free dial up for a while. Yeech! In some ways it's slower than the broadband/windows 98 combo we had going there...

But... I can download photos from my camera on the new machine! yippee! So... as promised... photos of my dad's grave, with the rampant violets and pansies (oddly enough, his mum's favourite flowers). With the whole slow dial up thingy, I won't be adding more photos this time! I made a cup of tea while waiting for this one to be uploaded to blogger.

Home again...

The ABs v Scotland match was so boring, I went to sleep... We lost in the cricket - go India!

A busy couple of days up north. I did get out of hammering palings for the new fence, but managed to show my incompetence with such tools when my sister and I had to put the new cross up on Dad's grave. Personally, I blame the very thick matting of violets! There would be a photo, but I'm at home and my very old PC doesn't recognise the driver of my camera... It is so very hard to believe it's been five years since Dad died. I don't know about this whole time makes things easier - I'm finding it a lot harder to get through now!

Lots of weeding and shifting plants around in preparation for the renovations - can't have loved plants right where the footings are going for the extensions! There's an old rose that orginally came from my nana's - was planted at the family home over 15 years ago, and then moved north about 10 years ago. Rhubarb that came up from Auckland...

So a busy and emotional weekend - another reason to be on leave this week!

Sheesh...

So, South Africa crumpled against India... and the Black Caps are through to the semis of the Twenty20 World Cup. Enough with the stress, already!

Techie grumble... the high-tech stuff at work won't let us watch TV3! Bah humbug!

Going on leave... heading up north where there's minimal cell phone coverage... It's a common sight, while we're at the cemetary talking to Dad, to see visitors wandering around near the church hunting the elusive signal. No cell phones - no landline - no internet - no sky. Just two days spent with family working our beejesus off at the bach. At least we won't have to wheelbarrow mulch this year. Just weeding and tidying. But it all hinges on whether the water's working!

technobabble

Once in while I spend time as an AnyQuestions operator - online, real time homework help from real librarians. It uses chat software and - when the planets are aligned correctly and you hold your tongue the right way - you can co-browse. There's a great sense of satisfaction being able to help children & teens from across New Zealand. And there's a great sense of relief that you're on the other end of technology - and they can't hear or see you!

I enjoy it - even with the technical glitches - but, it's not something I need outside that environment. Members of my family have sent requests to 'chat' - but, it's too in your face... one of the first things I learnt to do in Outlook (ten years ago, or so) was turning off the message notification. Trust me, you're in the middle of updating a huge excel spreadsheet - the little box pops up - you click on it to get it out of your way - and you lose what you've just entered in the cell.

I like using technology that lets me 'socialise' in my own way - when I want. I don't want it bombarding me.

I like being able to keep in touch with far-flung friends and family - and seeing their photos online, instead of waiting for months until they come home and have saved up enough money to print their rolls of film!

flickr fun

So this time it's photos and flickr and stuff...

I uploaded photos to flickr and then made a funky little montage of my holiday on the Gold Coast... using BigHUGElabs mosaic maker. It's pretty cool. [well, I thought it was - until there's this huge notice! Bother - will save and sort out from work Friday!] [NB 2: and then I log on this morning - and there's no evil notice saying 'do not link to this page save to your computer instead... odd... so if there's 2 mosaics... you know why!]

I must say, tho' that I prefer scrapbooking with paper and stuff... I can make mosaics there, too...

And I can add things that are important. Like, in this spread about my dad, I've put a piece of schist from his rock pile (he was a stone mason). And it's written in my handwriting, making it more personal.

Love you, Dad, miss you heaps. Seeing you this weekend - hopefully I'll remember the Buzzy Bee pinwheels to put on your grave.

Can you judge a book by its cover?

These are all covers of vampire novels... so what genre are they? adults or teens? Can you tell by the cover?

Ha ha... taken off the answers...