Searching for Sugar Man

The reviews for this movie have been great and my brother had personally recommended it and repeatedly asked if I had seen it. Earlier today I saw it was on in the Lighthouse's ten seat boutique theatre and about to start, so I decided to call in on the way to the supermarket. Wow! What an amazing movie. An incredible story about a humble, talented man and his absolutely brilliant music. I don't know how much longer this movie will be in theatres, but if you miss it then make sure you see it on dvd. Can't wait for my just ordered Rodriguez cd, Cold Fact, to arrive.

Sounds of Summer

I heard the first cicada this morning. They haven't been a big feature of summer here in Petone for the last two years, not like the cacophony that marked some summers in the bush before the move. I googled the New Zealand cicada and it lead me to Te Ara Encyclopedia - an online kiwi resource. This morning's cicada probably spent three to four years underground before emerging last night and shedding his skin. I say 'his' because apparently it's the males who do all the chirping. This morning was his big chance to impress the ladies and enjoy the sunshine on this glorious Petone morning.

According to Te Ara: 

Predators and other threats include wasps, beetles, fungal parasites, birds and spiders. 

If it was Wikipaedia I could amend the entry to include domestic felines. I heard the first cicada this morning because it was chirping bravely between Millie's jaws after she shot like a rocket into the agapanthus to retrieve it.

The mighty hunter is now reclining on the deck, her work complete but ever vigilant for the next breech of the border.

Chorus Collection

Another in my occassional series of chorus cabinets. This one is at the entrance to Belmont Domain.

I still don't know whether these delightful works of art are just a Hutt phenomenon or enjoyed throughout the Wellington region or even beyond.  

Psychology

Yesterday and today have been set aside as post-Christmas house cleaning days. It's taking two full days because I am improving my efficiency by applying psychological principles to the task. More precisely, I am using sports psychology. Back in the olden days the good athletes trained hard, competed and won. The modern athlete is a much more complex beast. It's not about being able to win, it's about thinking you are able to win. Apparently, one must repeatedly play the event in one's head, imagining the winning sequence of actions over and over until the actual performance is a foregone conclusion. Golfers see the winning putt, swimmers image the perfect dive and so on. That's how the All Blacks got the World Rugby Cup. They won it once, then thought about winning it again over and over for twenty-five years and voila!

That's why, to the casual observer, it might have appeared that yesterday I was lolling about in my dressing gown and playing computer games.

Level 125 - a happy by-product of efficient housework. 

What I was actually doing was lolling about in my dressing gown, playing computer games and mentally cleaning each room in my house to a very high standard, not once but over and over. According to the psychologists I will absolutely fly through the actual process today. Isn't science wonderful?

Lotto and the Glitter Cannon

I was chatting a while back to a friend, saying how stressful it would be to have to go on Winning Wheel to get a prize. I wondered if it was possible to send in a proxy because as much as I would love the money, I could never do the television appearance to get it. She was amazed anyone wouldn't want to do it, but kindly offered to step in for me for a small fifty percent cut of the takings. My fears have definitely been vindicated after this week's wheel - it's not just scary, its downright dangerous.

Apparently the woman is OK, though I'm not sure the presenter was sure of that while she bravely asserted all was well. The upshot is we are now all losers - the Lotto Commission have stated that no longer will glitter cannons be used in future celebrations. The old adage- it's only fun until someone loses an eye - comes to mind. Which also brings to mind the best Christmas themed movie ever. 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Briscoes - Apology Withdrawn

On July the first, I posted this apology to Briscoes after sourcing a reasonably priced, stainless steel electric kettle. The apology is officially withdrawn. Your prices, Briscoes, are reasonable because your products are crap. A week ago the kettle started making little electric 'fizzy' sounds when switched on. Yesterday it stopped making these noises and also stopped heating the water. To its credit, it did keep illuminating its little 'yes, I'm on the job' light. Six months isn't a long life for an appliance. So now I have a nice new electric kettle.

Rather stylish new electric kettle.

And no, I didn't go back to Briscoes to buy the new one or to claim my rights because I don't have any proof of purchase. I never keep receipts because my experience is that not keeping them is far less annoying further down the track than the alternative. The alternative is knowing the receipt is somewhere, tearing every drawer and cupboard apart and not finding it.

It's definitely here somewhere. 

Patience

Today I posted a Christmas parcel. I've been intending to get it in the post for weeks now and was aware I was leaving my run late. When I arrived at the Post Shop the queue was long and moving very slowly. Given the events of the last week such inconveniences have been placed firmly back into the proper perspective within the great scheme of life. Fussing about waiting ten minutes seems hardly anything to fuss about at all. As I waited patiently, the chap in front hopped from foot to foot, peered ahead with irritation and sighed big sighs. Although he doesn't know me, I know him and I smiled to myself. He's the manager of a local supermarket.

Our eyes met, and it just came out. "It's the mail equivalent of your express checkout." I can't help but feel I got caught up in some retail form of divine retribution, and it was well worth it!

Two Movies

Last Sunday ...

... and this afternoon. Both are excellent, don't miss either.

I love movies, as long as they are in a movie theatre. By theatre, I mean one of the five cinemas at The Lighthouse, Petone. And preferably with a glass of wine. I pay an extraordinarily high monthly bill to TelstraClear for my television 'movie' package. This includes at least five movie channels, but I never watch a single movie. I pay the money because one can only access The Living Channel and a few others by subscribing to a package of some sort. I don't watch dvds. I don't know why, but I can't get into movies at home - they ought to be an experience, and at home they are not.

When I was a child there were lots of rites of passage along the journey of childhood. They were anticipated and enjoyed all the more for the anticipation. In my family, these included a bike (secondhand) at nine, a watch at ten. The first trip to the 'pictures' to see your first 'film' was also one of these. You had to be old and responsible enough to sit through the experience without causing a disruption to others. (I note that such niceties and manners are no longer a parental expectation in today's movie theatres, as the 'I'm special, there's no-one else quite like me, centre of the universe' children tear up and down the aisles.)

Anyway, my first trip to was to see Danny Kaye in Hans Christian Andersen. It started off an appreciation for movie-going as an outing with a special sense of purpose and occasion. You just can't get that in your own living room.

December

It's official - the first day of summer and Christmas frenzy may now begin. Last night I attended a very pleasant seasonally themed event. It was the opening of the Cystic Fibrosis Christmas Tree Festival. It's on for a week at the Michael Fowler Centre. By voting for your favourite tree and making a small donation you can help this worthy cause and get into the spirit of the season. There are lots of trees to view - well worth a visit.

The Christmas card tree got my vote, but it wasn't an easy choice.

The opening of the festival featured entertainment by the Bach Choir, accompanied an ensemble from the symphony orchestra. They sang all the great old-fashioned 'proper' Christmas carols - not a mention of a jolly fat man and his reindeer. It was just lovely!

On the way home we made a quick trip to visit Gandalf. He makes an impressive sight. I never saw any of the 'rings' movies and probably won't see the Hobbit ones, but I like the fun and atmosphere they bring to our cool little capital.