Brief Ponderings

The year is coming to a close, but the busyness is at its peak as the school year races to its conclusion. My thoughts are consumed with end of year records and reporting, and the choreography and costuming of the nativity. In the midst of it all a few thoughts still emerge . . .

I try to avoid sports as much as is possible, but some knowledge of our national teams does filter through. Clearly the suggestion is preposterous that New Zealand cricket players could be involved in match fixing. Match fixing involves changing the reasonable expectation of how a match will unfold. From what I can gather, for New Zealanders to change the expected outcome, they would have to 'fix' the game so New Zealand could win. Where New Zealand cricket has been concerned, for at least the last decade, winning has not been a significant feature. Or has the team been consistently throwing every match for pecuniary advantage, whilst the New Zealand public wring their hands in abject misery?

It was reported here in the Dominion Post last weekend that Petone was the 'fashionable and hip' suburb in Lower Hutt. This would apparently be reflected in the new rating valuations due in the following week. My previous rating valuation was already over-inflated, so I wasn't surprised when the new capital value had remained the same when I received it this week. What I'd love to know is why, on July the first, my land will magically be worth $45,000 more and my house $45,000 less. 

Why are telegraph cucumbers always wrapped in plastic? Why are regular onions unpeeled, but red onions always peeled? And who unpeeled them, and did they wash their hands?

Do I have unexplored powers of prophesy? Lately I get a strong feeling that the number of eftpos transactions in any given second on a day, sometime soon, will be a leading news story. In a month or so I predict the media will report on the high cost of school uniforms. I can see ahead a shimmering February day when the topic of talkback will be the pros and cons of moving the school holidays to coincide with the hottest part of summer. Spooky!

But most important of all - how can anyone not love Christmas? I love the Christmas cards. I love hearing and singing Christmas carols. I love Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. I love being a party to the excitement of children as they enjoy the Christmas season and look forward to Christmas Day. I love the Christmas story. So any Grinches out there - I don't want to know! Don't tell me how much you dislike Christmas, and I'll refrain from telling you how annoying I find you. And in the meantime - here's Bob ...