Anachronisms

I"ve just stopped reading a book called The Outer Banks House because of the persistent anachronistic language. I can think of any examples to give you, but would racism have been a common term in 1865? Would people have been seen as bad for being racist or good? Would someone have been referred to as a benevolent nature goddess, in the sense of being a greenie? I don't know, but I just think it jars. It's as if Elizabeth Bennett were to say "Whatever" or Darcy talk about her "awesome" eyes.
I've got a pile of books, and go through them reading the first couple of chapters. If I don't get involved in the writing by then, I ditch the book, putting it on the "return unread" pile to go back to the library. Not just bad writing but gloomy subjects or utter silliness end up on the rejects pile. So many books, so little time and this is my way of dealing with them.

Holidays

Just been away from work on a holiday. It's been very relaxing, I didn't go away, but stayed around town and did some things I haven't done for a long time. Walked along part of the Crater Rim track, it was very hot and I got very tired. Had a swim at Corsair Bay on Show weekend Saturday, it was very hot and the water was not really as cold as I thought. I love watching people at beaches. Have you ever noticed that adults coming out of the water always towel their faces dry first before any other part of the body? People of Polynesian descent often rush headlong into the water, and get in straight away. People of European, especially English descent, get in slowly and gradually, making lots of moans and groans as they do so. Polynesian people expect that the water will be warm; European people expect that the water will be cold.
Guy Fawkes is long over but there's still daft morts letting off fireworks at night. Don't know why it should annoy me so much but it does.
Some of the earthquake damaged buildings around the city are being demolished. It's sad to see some of them go; others, you think "Well, it should have gone years ago". Hopefully something creative will replace the buildings, not just more car-parks, but I reckon cars will infiltrate silently and stealthily.

Post-Labour day blues

Well, as I said, Labour Day did prove to be physically draining. I did a little concreting job that I've been "getting round to" for eight years, ever since I moved in to my house. Boy, concrete is hard, heavy stuff, especially when wet. So now I've gone and torn something inside, my stomach aches and I feel totally knackered. Something in my pelvic floor has gone blah. I love that phrase "pelvic floor". It conjures up visions of heart kauri planking, or rimu tongue-in- groove, but my pelvic floor seems to be made of rotting particle board. Wish I was home in bed, snoozing, snoozing.

Labour Weekend

New Zealand celebrates Labour Weekend this Monday. The day marks the introduction of the 40-hour working week, which was agitated for by a man named Samuel Parnell. For gardeners, its major importance is that Labour Weekend is the time to get your tomato plants in the garden, plus whatever other warm-climate plants you have, peppers, eggplants, lettuce. Its a big gardening and do-it-yourself weekend, with good deals at the hardware outlets and D.I.Y stuff, so by the time we get back to work on Tuesday, the workers of NZ are totally stuffed (as we say in the quaint vernacular). We'll have sprained backs, blistered hands and chronic hay-fever from the compost bin moulds we've breathed in. We take our leisure seriously here, and the day that Mr Parnell wanted to have for us to rest and relax is anything but.
I have heard a rumour that some people stay in bed and read all day, but I couldn't possibly comment on this.

IMG_2750

IMG_2750
Originally uploaded by amy a-broad

It was a full moon yesterday, so here's Noel in his guise as "de Moon". Not sure why he's squashed, though.

Magnolia liliflora Susan

Magnolia liliflora Susan
Originally uploaded by Lynners59

This is from my garden, quite nice,eh?

Big concert

We're having a big concert today in the Park, just over from where I work. Its a free concert for the people of Christchurch, to cheer us up after the 'quake. Mostly rock, roots, hip-hop and rap, not really my kind of music, but quite a few "old" performers too, whom I remember from my non-misspent youth.
One of my regrets is that I was a model teenager/young adult and didn't cause any trouble (although my mother would probably dispute this). Teenagers today have so much more money - they can buy large amounts of booze, drugs and fast cars. When I was young we only had beer and motorbikes, none of this new-fangled crystal meth and top-shelf spirits. We did have sex though, but it was heavily laced with guilt from schools and parents, so it wasn't really much fun at all. Now the youngsters go to it like rabbits, with as much emotional affect as one puts into having a bowel motion. (Mind you, I have had some emotionally involving bowel motions) (OMG, too much information) (Whatever)
But then on second thoughts, maybe the guilt made it more fun because it was wickeder. The sweetness of a quick warm fumble in the sanddunes, fully clothed, because Someone Might Come Along, although this could be taken too far... a male of my intimate acquaintance became addicted to outdoor sex and couldn't perform well in a private setting.
I hope you've all enjoyed this post, I've covered a lot really. The concert hasn't started yet, but we expect a crash and a bang any time now. Apparently its being streamed world-wide, so if you want to see the cream of NZ music, tune in somewhere.