tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306801802024-03-13T17:58:41.994+13:00mighty acornsa great little idea is just as good as a great big one...susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-17735712138372895352023-09-11T15:26:00.005+12:002023-09-12T13:32:20.793+12:00What the heck is TNBC???<p>I am currently at the half way mark of treatment having been diagnosed with<a href="https://www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/breast-cancer/types-of-breast-cancer/hormone-receptor-status" target="_blank"> TNBC</a> at the end of March. It's a relatively rare form of breast cancer, which weirdly mainly affects young women of Maori or Asian descent, with just 300 odd cases diagnosed each year in NZ. </p><p>I had what I thought was a pulled muscle from over zealous gardening, and had gone to the doctor with a couple of other minor niggles relating to women of a certain age ;) when she mentioned I was due for a mammogram so should add that to my wellness to do list.</p><div dir="auto">It was a massive shock to discover the pulled muscle was in fact a tumor...not least because I found out my role at work was being disestablished as part of a restructure the same week...and in the same few days my dog was diagnosed with heart failure, and I was booked to have a basal cell carcinoma removed following a brush with melanoma a few years back. It was quite a week!</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Thanks to having medical insurance I was able to see a surgeon within 48 hours of diagnosis and had a lumpectomy just 3 days after that. What was originally thought to be a garden variety tumour turned out to be triple negative so I then moved to chemo. My mind and body were in shock for sure, and it has been a very hard road with me getting every side effect possible and a secondary infection that landed me in hospital early on.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I'm now 11 rounds of chemo in with 5 to go and the 15 radiotherapy sessions still ahead. I won't lie, it's been a freaking arduous journey and still feels like I have a mountain to climb ahead of me. Upon diagnosis, my life literally ground to a halt overnight, as I withdrew from all the things I loved doing to focus on treatment and recovery (and minimise my risk of other infections, including Covid). </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I've had amazing support from my friends ( code named The Boob Tribe) as well as my family and incredible resilience shown by my kids. For them, this has become normal life as we know it. Right from the start I took the approach that I would follow the advice of the experts, and not do too much research - and I'm glad for that. Whilst some days this crazy life still feels like it belongs to someone else (I'm reminded it doesn't, when I catch sight of my hairless head in the mirror), this has given me a measure of control that getting stuck into reading every book and attending every support group meeting might not have done. I literally start each day with 'what can I achieve today', and in fact at times, 'achieve in the next hour, or the next ten minutes'. </div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">There's been a lot of hard times. I have struggled with the toll this has taken on my appearance and stamina. The damage to my 'offal' has been awful....suffice to say few parts of the inner workings are operating as they should be. I've gained a lot of weight thanks to treatment, but don't have the energy to increase exercise. I'm bald, covered in a rash, and have a constantly dripping nose (currently blood noses, good times). Right now, the fatigue, coupled with insomnia (both side effects of the chemo drugs, and the drugs I have to take for the side effects of the chemo) are particularly bad. I feel seasick most of the time, and everything tastes weird. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Some people in my life have disappeared...it's a tricky thing, to be confronted by a seriously ill person. I hope they'll be back one day, but if not, I understand. Others whom I barely knew have become close friends and confidants albeit at a distance as I find myself really unenthusiastic about having visitors or socialising. I am a pretty positive person but this has seriously challenged that mindset. Some days are good...especially the ones when I am on steroids, and others are just feckin' awful. I find myself becoming more reclusive....I'm sick of my own story, sick of the 'head on the side, how ARE you' comments, sick of the surprised 'oh you're STILL doing that' remarks from people I haven't seen in a while. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I've had to stop doing a lot of the things I love ...volunteering, dancing, numerous cafe visits!...whilst neutrapenic, but there is light, I hope, at the end of the tunnel. I have a long road of recovery ahead but firmly believe that mental resilience and ability to "let it be" has helped enormously. And then there will be bursts of lightness...a walk with a friend in the sun (ooops not meant to be in the sun when you're having chemo), a quick trip to the shops, a visit from someone I've not seen in a while. A day on the couch with Netflix might be not so fun any more, but the ability to use that as a reason to employ a cleaner kind of is....</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I started a new role with the same organisation in the middle of all it all, very glad to have been successful in quite a competitive recruitment process and with an incredibly accommodating people leader who has been happy for me to work from home,,and take recovery time as I need to. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mindset really is everything. I look forward to the day this will be a distant memory. Fingers crossed. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-65994857072875223412023-04-27T13:59:00.000+12:002023-04-27T13:59:28.470+12:00TRON - the Rail Opportunity Network<p><span style="font-family: arial;">For posterity, I'm making some notes about how it all began, and attached the original submission I made to last years Select Committee hearing. More can be found at www.makingrailwork.com and on Facebook (search Making Rail Work)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL28--D0A5ZQO19Cx-yFXzWA9MfEKofSMCwIqr7P6ZxIXUUij0belfKSVnPc_d2D6TpK0PT8Qbo1VwWUk7zlLgcOfa8mfwcTKPXzXrq4pn1cnLzpcDFEtkxpq-tBR0NTK5SI9gmAGk1CXCVz-Rn_ZW3gNJRa2394B9d2SkXep1SSwPVwSHiM/s1920/YLESLFFFBFYUMA3WQMNETT6FHU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL28--D0A5ZQO19Cx-yFXzWA9MfEKofSMCwIqr7P6ZxIXUUij0belfKSVnPc_d2D6TpK0PT8Qbo1VwWUk7zlLgcOfa8mfwcTKPXzXrq4pn1cnLzpcDFEtkxpq-tBR0NTK5SI9gmAGk1CXCVz-Rn_ZW3gNJRa2394B9d2SkXep1SSwPVwSHiM/s320/YLESLFFFBFYUMA3WQMNETT6FHU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;">1.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> <i><b>
</b></i></span><i style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;"><b>The start of the dream 2013 – 2016</b></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sitting in traffic in June 2013 on the Southern Motorway,
trying to get to Queens St in peak traffic. ‘’This is a nightmare’’, I say to
my co-passenger. ‘’If only there was a
train!’’. We discuss the pros and cons,
remembering when back in the late ‘90s there had been a train from Frankton to
(we think) the Strand, that for some reason had been cancelled. Facebook is the place to be, so as we sit in
gridlock, I create a Facebook group, imaginatively called ‘We want a commuter
train between Hamilton and Auckland’.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">I invite all my friends to ‘like’ the page and start
engaging with various other groups such as the Campaign for Better
Transport. I attend Regional Council
meetings, contribute to council plans by way of submission, and occasionally
ring talkback radio.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Three years go by, and I am in a queue at the Pumpkin
Festival at the Hamilton Gardens. Then
Labour MP and spokesperson for public transport, Sue Maroney is ahead of
me. We get chatting, as you do, and
discover this common interest. From there,
we agree to meet, and following a couple more meetings decide to see if we can
form a more formal group to get some solid research and higher profile. Fortunately, the Railway Union and the
University of Waikato agree with us, and we get funding to complete a
feasibility study. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">With the numbers in hand, we are finally ready to go
public. It’s great timing, with an
election looming and a mayor who at that time was not at all keen on public
transport. We need a better name and
‘The Rail Opportunity Network’ – or TRON for short, is born, and officially
launched at a public meeting held at the Frankton Junction Hotel in April
2016. Attended by politicians,
lobbyists, the press, and plenty of others interested in supporting rail
between Hamilton and Auckland, we are now really on our way.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;">2.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> <b><i>
</i></b></span><!--[endif]--><b><i>2016 – 2020: Te Huia Train</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">With the announcement by then Transport Minister Phil
Twyford that there will be a significant commitment and investment in rail,
TRON is able to make great inroads.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The
steering group dissolves as most people become busy with other projects, but I
(Susan) keep it going, using social media and regular spots on radio (and a
couple on TV) to keep our story alive. Further feasibility studies are
commissioned, there’s more public consultation, and media interest remains
strong. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Following further commitment
from the Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton City Council, and the Waikato
District Council, there is finally a real proposition ahead, and in due course
the rolling stock is bought and sent to the Wellington depot for refurbishment.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">TRON continues to make it clear that we see the line between
Hamilton and Auckland as just the beginning of a wider commitment to rail. We change our focus from being just about a
commuter option to really telling a story of connecting people and places, not
only on this line, but across the golden triangle. One thing at a time though, and despite some
delays, the train is ready to be launched, and is given the name <i>Te Huia</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The train leaves the new station near ‘Te Awa the Base’ with
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and others on board. We are on the 6 o’clock news, and there is
much excitement about what the future of rail might look like. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">The future is looking bright – and then Covid strikes. The timing could not have been worse, with
the train having to be effectively mothballed.
The press has a field-day, with naysayers citing the costs of the train
as a waste of taxpayer money. No one
considers that it’s not just rail, but we become a visible punching bag for
government spending.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is made worse by issues with the tracks, causing delays
and cancellations. TRON is still
advocating for rail as an alternative to cars, and as the conversations around
global warming become louder, and the cost of petrol spirals out of control, we
see even more possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;">3.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;">
</span><b style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;"><i>2021 – back on track</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">I receive a phone call from someone in Tauranga who has
heard about TRON’s work and is looking at developing a proposal for a ‘golden
triangle’ train service. It’s great
timing, and a group gathers via Zoom to discuss how we could build on the work
already undertaken by TRON to grow the vision and bring more people ‘on the
journey’ with us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We have big goals and are fortunate to be a team of diverse
people with passion for public transport and a wide range of skills. More research is needed, we have a goal to
get in front of as many politicians as possible, and we need to keep media
interest high. I’m keen to be involved
– the TRON project is now mainly just me and a large-ish social media
following, supported by one or two people in the media who are supporting our
work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We need a new name though – TRON is not right any more, and
one of the group comes up with the brilliant ‘Making Rail Work’. Further funding was secured via Trust Waikato
and Bay Trust, and we were able to set to work on a significant project that
culminated in a Select Committee hearing, with all parties and other key
stakeholders in attendance, and a record number of submission. The issue of
rail was still well and truly alive and had resonated with an enormous number
of New Zealanders.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: arial;">4.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><i>2022
– Connecting Communities – public submission and Select Committee hearing</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Right from the start of this project in 2013, I
have wanted to see people travel by train, explore local culture, and engage
with local people. To see connection, responsible and safe commutes for
workers, students, and tourists, and find ways to revitalise small towns along
the train route.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Having spent my time with TRON focussed mainly on
community engagement, I elected to look at this as part of our submission to
the government. Some of the committee
asked hard questions, but we were prepared and ready, with facts to back up our
claims. We also acknowledged that there are groups largely invisible in
the conversation about passenger rail, including the small towns along the rail
lines where public transport is almost non-existent, Gen X, Y, and Z population
who is motivated to use sustainable, climate-responsive, and accessible public
transport, and iwi, whose very land and people are directly affected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 11.75pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Connecting people is at the heart of our purpose
and is the very essence of community rail. With a network that is at the same
time national and local, rail can have a wider social impact. We identify the
need to look beyond the people and groups who have traditionally been involved
with the railways and be open to everyone; involving a wider mix of people it
can play a valuable role in building and supporting integrated communities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Creating submissions and watching the live submissions on
the Select Committee hearings were exciting.
Making Rail Work was determined to be well prepared (we were!), and well
received by the committee (we absolutely were).
We were fortunate to get time to speak individually, and I was thrilled
to be able to outline the background to MRW, and where we saw the potential for
rail to positively impact isolated communities along the proposed rail
corridor, as well as tell the story as the importance of rail for the economy
and wellbeing of ‘the golden triangle’<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of the committee asked hard questions, but we were
prepared and ready, with facts to back up our claims. We also acknowledged that that there are
groups largely invisible in the conversation about passenger rail, including
the small towns along the rail lines where public transport is almost
non-existent, the gen X, Y and Z population who is motivated to use
sustainable, climate-responsive, and accessible public transport, and iwi,
whose very land and people are directly affected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">We want to encourage individuals, communities, voluntary
organisations and businesses to take responsibility for the issues that matter
to them and their communities. The voice of community is a crucial part of this
success, enabled by drawing on local insight to understand and function as an
advocate for local people’s views and needs and inform decisions about services
and infrastructure to improve local transport provision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/92630903/missing-link-on-passenger-rail-service-wades-in-with-strategic-plan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/397378/waikato-wide-train-service-campaigners-new-dream-after-hamilton-auckland-rail-route</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115263837/what-happens-in-auckland-will-impact-hamilton-commuter-rail-service</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week my daughter started work on Te Huia - the perfect ending to this project for me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">NB I wrote a 3000 word contribution to the next stage of planning for MRW but as it is unlikely to be included I am not attaching this here. I do hope though that one day my kids will read this, and realise what a big project it was. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-84720257793654168292022-02-15T12:35:00.001+13:002022-02-15T12:35:10.968+13:00I want the truth (how I came to handle the truth) Pt 2<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">Following on from the post yesterday, which was shared on social media, I was asked if I could provide further background and pointers on how people can support those down the rabbit hole, and hopefully encourage them back out.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;">This is my response:</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #050505; font-size: 15px;">T</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">he change for me came through personal life experiences. As I started traveling and thus my world view grew, as I raised kids, as I saw shitty stuff happening in the world and could no longer justify it with blind faith, I became more open to other views (or at least, became more open about my inner views...).</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">I now find any dogmatic view very uncomfortable. In terms of pointers, I think those responses like 'that's interesting, I'll consider it' and so forth, give people with strong views a sense of validation, but you are also keeping boundaries around what you will and won't' take on. Moving from a strong view comes with grief as another poster mentioned. In the case of deconversion from Christianity, (there's more on this elsewhere on my blog - search 'Christianity') I have heard this described as more painful than a divorce (from people who went through both). Understanding that a belief system, be it a religion, a mindset, or subscribing to a particular conspiracy theory comes with its own culture, language, and community will help. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">The person who is embedded in these things is being challenged on every level and that is scary. If it's faith-based, then showing science won't make a difference - it's more likely to push the person further towards their belief, regardless of it's through fear or actual believing. As in any cult-like behaviour (and yes I am aware that there is a very wide spectrum, I'm just generalising for simplicity), a gentle, prolonged, and non-judgemental approach is the only way to move people from one belief to another. And they need to have a personal interest or impact to want change, such as (in the case of Covid say) getting sick and experiencing 'the other side'. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">Hope this helps. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;">Further reading:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;">https://www.rnz.co.nz/summer-2020/unprecedented/we-were-there/when-a-relative-falls-down-a-rabbit-hole/</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;">https://ericgeiger.com/2021/05/how-do-i-pull-my-friend-out-of-the-rabbit-hole-of-conspiracies/</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial;">http://voicesofdeconversion.com/</span></span></p>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-81094337419537583792022-02-14T15:34:00.003+13:002022-02-15T12:35:46.880+13:00I want the truth! (You can't handle the truth)<p> Many years ago...more than 35...I was deeply involved in an evangelical church. I desperately wanted to be part of the community. I wanted to feel what I saw other people feeling on Sunday mornings. I wanted to be a living example of the things that were being preached.</p><p>This church, like many others, taught that there was a special prayer to be said, that would ensure entrance to heaven on death. It required, essentially a kind of personal sovereignty (is that expression sounding familiar!?!) that led to sacrifice and quite possibly persecution for holding on to certain beliefs. We were beseeched to <i>go tell it on the mountain </i>and <i>pray without ceasing. </i> It was particularly important to ensure everyone we knew - especially family - heard this message, and had the opportunity to accept it for themselves (there's that personal sovereignty thing again). After all, if they didn't, they would be in eternal torment and it would be MY FAULT if I hadn't told them <i>the Truth. </i> We were reminded that we were a minority, but that this was normal...most people wouldn't listen, and part of being the bearer of this news would include feeling separate, perhaps even mocked or ridiculed. In fact, that was probably part of the deal. But continue we must, led by faith (because well, you know, faith). </p><p>I didn't even really know if I believed all I heard - there were certain things that I secretly didn't agree with - but boy oh boy, I was not going to take the risk. And so, at the peak of my quest for devoutness, I was telling ...preaching....to everyone I could. I was petrified of eternal damnation for my family, but also smug in the knowledge that at least I was right, and would be saved from doom.</p><p>There were things I didn't understand, but I turned to the voice of others with more charisma and those with <i>spiritual knowledge. </i>I closed my friend circle, choosing only to socialize with people of similar mindset (it was safer that way anyway, lest I be tainted by another view). I immersed myself in Christian literature, studiously avoiding anything that might challenge what I was hearing and reading. The fact that the majority of what I read didn't stand up to scientific scrutiny, and was not accepted by the general population was irrelevant. I had answers for those people anyway...because... faith. </p><p>There was a bit of a problem as time went by. I discovered that there was an outside chance that whilst what I was following was A truth, it might not be THE truth. There were just as many fallible people within the group as outside - charlatans and liars, the gullible and lonely, and many many genuinely kind people who truly believed what we were being taught.</p><p>What I'm seeing now, as the pandemic continues to rage, is a similar thing in the right-wing /anti-vax/pro-Freedom movements. By and large, these are good people - they are standing up for what they believe in. They are desperate to ensure that their message gets to as many as possible. They are looking for leaders, and signs and wonders, to support their beliefs. For some, the lure of being a martyr for the cause is attractive. Social media has given many a platform that my teen days of street preaching could only have dreamt of. </p><p>I see so many parallels. It's given me a fresh insight and deeper sympathy for those who have ended up down the current rabbit holes that are overflowing with conspiracy theories and self-righteous anger. </p><p>Noone wants to be told they're wrong. No one really wants to admit they might have got it wrong. And generally no one wants to be told that the truth they have believed in for a very long time, might not be so true after all. </p><p>One can only hope that for many, there will be, if not a revelation, a slow awakening. There can be many truths. Choose yours wisely. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="369" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5j2F4VcBmeo" width="444" youtube-src-id="5j2F4VcBmeo"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-91884532090223660232022-02-14T14:50:00.002+13:002022-02-14T14:50:17.208+13:00The Annual Family Poem 2021<p><br /></p><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">This sure has been a heck of a year!<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">How can Christmas already be here!<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Even so it's probably time</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVzP9ijNV6Xlev4FinF-aM9F3l0o6zqCSvWl4GPzwjbkLnx23BqAFDjyGamw7MQwAJroWl1AV8OzM6Pb5c4vL9Y7pqytJlrehPDCY8eTNsKLAig6xiIgAqMXPWHuzT4HxkZlHa26Ccv1hJHoCFrDidyq989MJxnz3I-4a9dRYQ3-ocDZ8bwTk=s2265" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="1506" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVzP9ijNV6Xlev4FinF-aM9F3l0o6zqCSvWl4GPzwjbkLnx23BqAFDjyGamw7MQwAJroWl1AV8OzM6Pb5c4vL9Y7pqytJlrehPDCY8eTNsKLAig6xiIgAqMXPWHuzT4HxkZlHa26Ccv1hJHoCFrDidyq989MJxnz3I-4a9dRYQ3-ocDZ8bwTk=w183-h275" width="183" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><h4>(Traditionally I'd be making this rhyme)</h4></span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Read on for the highlights of our family's year<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Omitting the Covid's, and my fast greying hair<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Dancing got squeezed into weeks with no lockdowns<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">- including my sister's wedding</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"> (Hurrah! A magical day)</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Did a trip on the first Te Huia train - lobbied 8 years, shed a few tears<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Even got a few days away, in Wellington (one of my favourite towns)<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Never so much time spent on Zoom and the phone!</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Susan changed jobs to an English Language school -<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">a change from the orchestra which is pretty cool<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Couldn't quite give up music though - wrote another children's show<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Had to do it 'online' though - musicians a yes, but the audience no!</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Reinstatement of The Village Messenger - so happy to start it up again<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">I do so love the power of my pen<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Son Joseph won the year 11 Hospitality award, even cooks dinner for me<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">- if he's bored (hurrah for Hello Fresh!)</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Time for change for Niamh too - moving out of home and a new career doing<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Making cocktails and pouring pints for Good George Brewing<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">At home learning and working most enjoyed by the pets (woof woof!),<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">and we loved no early morning alarm going off</span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Dancing Script; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtJJ5zoUfHSliU2obVVWQB7mWgwedj7nGKcG5jDeCoAq1ycfOGBRFMv6yXE4QSySJER8hchASIkUPQy3ri8DAj9yiRdSbb34NOahZwcOHYH7xsR2rKao-FojezG_zYjqzAPNMVvZ9LioIZ6HA1vPckXgRxbq2SymIBGsYvUAdcRShpVsD5e6k=w138-h184" width="138" /></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Susan joined Waikato Refugee Forum as Advisor to the Board<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">- a privilege to work with such extraordinary people<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Please stay safe this summer - mask at the ready!<br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Our summer will be spent at the beach and Lake Taupo (just for me!)</span></span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Dancing Script;">Even if you're just passing through, do drop in and visit for coffee...or cake<br /></span></span></h4><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Dancing Script; font-size: large;">Merry Christmas from us! Enjoy your break!</span></h2><p></p>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-23487544466123166952020-12-23T18:30:00.002+13:002020-12-23T18:30:26.034+13:00The annual family poem 2020 - Fairytale of Pirongia<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Cavolini; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">FAIRYTALE OF PIRONGIA<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Cavolini; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">The Annual Trodden Christmas
Poem 2020<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">It
was Lockdown Eve, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Down
the Five Stags<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">A
young man said to me, won't see <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/another"><span style="color: #222222;">another</span></a>
one<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">And
then he played a song<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">‘You
Can’t Touch This’ I think<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">I
turned my hands away, And put them in the sink<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Got
on the bike again, Didn’t care about the rain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">I've
got a feeling We needed to get out the house<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">So
<a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/happy"><span style="color: #222222;">happy</span></a>
Christmas, I’m glad we made it<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">I
can see a <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/better"><span style="color: #222222;">better</span></a> time, When all our <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/dreams"><span style="color: #222222;">dreams</span></a>
come true<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
had masks in the parks, We had queues up wazoos<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">But
the time went quite quickly with 1 pm news<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">When
we first locked the doors at the end of the spring<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
conquered the Covid and handwash was king<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
got fat!, We got thinner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
had salad for dinner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">When
the lockdown was over, We didn’t want more<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">I
went back to dancing, But Joseph quit Fencing<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Niamh
learned how to barber, And we shopped through the night<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">The
orchestras kept going and They played their hearts out well<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">And
the <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/bells"><span style="color: #222222;">bells</span></a> were <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/ringing"><span style="color: #222222;">ringing</span></a>
out For <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/Christmas"><span style="color: #222222;">Christmas</span></a> day<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">I’m
the mum! He’s the kid! She’s the one chucking junk<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Cleaning
cupboards and drawers like tomorrow won’t come<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">You
cook and I’ll clean, What? The dryer’s on again?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Then
<a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/Christmas"><span style="color: #222222;">Christmas</span></a> came fast The year’s done at last<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">The
orchestras kept going and They played their hearts out well<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">And
the <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/bells"><span style="color: #222222;">bells</span></a> were <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/ringing"><span style="color: #222222;">ringing</span></a>
out For <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/Christmas"><span style="color: #222222;">Christmas</span></a> day<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">The
year was tough for us, Well it was for all of us<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
kept our dreams alive, In hope of better times<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We
made a list of things, That turned out in the end<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">We’ll
put it on the fridge, And be glad for them<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">The
orchestras kept going and They played their hearts out well<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">And
the <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/bells"><span style="color: #222222;">bells</span></a> were <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/ringing"><span style="color: #222222;">ringing</span></a>
out For <a href="https://www.definitions.net/definition/Christmas"><span style="color: #222222;">Christmas</span></a> day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9FzsWSuLrg" target="_blank">Listen to the soundtrack so you can sing along:)</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cavolini;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-76752029597241425362020-11-18T16:52:00.001+13:002020-11-18T16:52:32.586+13:00Could be me<p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #050505;">T</span><span style="color: #351c75;">oday I was teased for the very last time</span></span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #351c75;">And I ran from the room to write down this rhyme</span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="6kutv-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6kutv-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="6kutv-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">To capture the hurt and to capture the shame</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">That I felt when I heard the crowd call out my name</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="48fsg-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="51u62-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="51u62-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="51u62-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">You’re so noisy they said, you talk far too much</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">You mean well, we know, but it’s always a rush</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="4u9ik-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="3b8e8-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3b8e8-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3b8e8-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">You’re hard on the ears, and perhaps we could mention</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">How it seems that so often you don’t pay attention</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3hh5e-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="2j17g-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2j17g-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2j17g-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Your voice is too loud and your hair is too wild</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="438ce-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="438ce-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="438ce-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Apparently, both since you’ve been a young child</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="438ce-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="438ce-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="438ce-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="du529-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="du529-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="du529-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">You know that we love you but honestly mate</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Could you tone it right back - and try not to be late!</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="aob7i-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="2jaga-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2jaga-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="2jaga-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">And as for the drama that dogs you each day</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="627qf-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="627qf-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="627qf-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Perhaps it’s your own that gets in the way</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="627qf-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="627qf-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="627qf-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="1ntjq-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1ntjq-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="1ntjq-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">It’s a maelstrom that enters the room don’t you know</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">And we feel like you have to be star of the show</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="47l7e-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="89khd-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="89khd-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="89khd-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Well…the thing that hurts most is that all of it’s true</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">I know I’m ‘too much’ - for me - not just you!</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="9cbcc-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="1d9hg-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1d9hg-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="1d9hg-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">Perhaps I’ll be quiet, say ‘I’m fine thanks, and you?’</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">When asked how I am at the next public do</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="e4shk-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="3g6sf-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3g6sf-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="3g6sf-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">I’ll sit in the middle, and tie my hair back</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="586i7-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="586i7-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="586i7-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">So I do not offend, but blend into the pack</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="586i7-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="586i7-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="586i7-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="7n89i-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7n89i-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="7n89i-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">I don’t need reminding, I know how I am</span></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0" style="position: relative; text-align: center;"><span data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;">And ‘good-natured teasing’ won’t help with this jam</span></span></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8erng" data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="8g4j5-0-0"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-62263244560177979682020-02-07T11:50:00.000+13:002020-02-07T11:50:20.138+13:00it's just a matter of faithOctober 2014<br />
<br />
Last weekend I found myself in the most unlikely of places - invited to the house of a friend, I expected to be '' meeting new people'', but in fact discovered that of the 8 families there, I knew 6 of them, and all bar two of the adults sat somewhere on the ''faith scale'' - a pastor at one end, and...well...probably me at the other.<br />
<br />
Conversation with two (whom it turned out I have known since teenage youth group years) turned, as one might expect to things spiritual. Was I going to church and if so where? No? Oh, why not? I found myself frustratingly clumsy in response - mumbling about being ''churched out'' and ''taking a break from formality'' - and feeling more than a little deceitful with it. Because although both of those things are true, the story is rather more convoluted than that. Like many things - the complicated questions can have simple answers and the simple questions often have (very!) complicated answers!<br />
<br />
February 2020<br />
<br />
Part of the annual spring clean (which I tend to do over the summer break) includes a tidy up of social media, emails and so forth. My blog has sat largely untouched for a long time, for a bunch of reasons, including that I write a lot for a living and so don't really indulge in it for pleasure much these days. So today, as I was scrolling through the half-finished posts, deciding what could stay and what could go, this one caught my eye, still in draft form from 2014.<br />
<br />
Since I wrote the lines above a lot has happened in my life and world view of things spiritual. I've been grappling with whether I even need to be writing it down for posterity, but it's interesting to look back on these things...so here it is.<br />
<br />
Not long after writing those words, I found myself back at church. It was an 'of course I'll go with you' kind of thing rather than a conscious effort on my behalf, coupled with a vague idea that if I could get my kids interested again it might be a good way to get them into the youth group. The problem was, I'd sit in church feeling grumpy and resentful that I was there, being all judgy about the people in the room (and wondering how many were there with the same motivations as me) and really not communicating at all with the God I was supposedly there to meet with, and in whom I wasn't sure I believed in the first place.<br />
<br />
I came to the conclusion I was better to stay away - echoes of the 'better to be cold or hot than lukewarm' bible verse in my head. Time went on. I reached the conclusion that God wasn't overly concerned about my lack of Sunday commitment. More time passed...I accepted that the beseeching I had done of God in the previous year or so had had absolutely no effect at all - either I wasn't asking with a pure heart, or he didn't care or maybe didn't exist...<br />
<br />
And now, in 2020? I want to believe there is a God because I don't really want to have to accept that the world is just some kind of cosmic accident (and ergo, so am I). But do I believe that God is interested in me? That I can have some kind of personal relationship? That my eternal life is dependent on this Judeo-Christian belief I have had around me my whole life? Nope, and I don't know if I ever did.<br />
<br />
What I do know is that I have a responsibility to do my best by the world - which means to walk lightly on the earth, be kind and generous with others, respect myself, all those things that make us good humans. Does God fit in there somewhere? Possibly, but not in the way I thought and not in the form I've always reverted to imagining. <br />
<br />
It seems to me that the Christian version of God is one of many. A truth perhaps, but not THE truth. It's just a way of us mere humans making sense of the world. Just as every Muslim or Buddhist or Taoist does. When I do the <a href="https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/quizzes/beliefomatic.aspx" target="_blank">Beliefnet quiz</a> I almost always get 'Sikh' as my most closely aligned religion - seems strange until you read what the framework is.<br />
<br />
The thing I just can't get my head around is the New Age type stuff. It seems it is a never-ending, self-perpetuated cycle of self-improvement that has little to do with others - that is definitely not the religion for me.<br />
<br />
I r<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a_b_8855220" target="_blank">ead somewhere recently</a> that to be spiritual is just to have an awareness that life is bigger than we are. You don't have to say you're a spiritual person (ick), or 'act' like one. That the rest doesn't really matter. I think I like that.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-83138053862225027042019-12-24T23:11:00.003+13:002019-12-24T23:11:36.845+13:00The Annual Family Poem - 2019<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: ABeeZee; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Christmas 2019 – </span></span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: ABeeZee; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">the Annual Trodden Poem</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the First Day of Christmas, my
good life gave to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned a Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Second Day of Christmas my
good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Third Day of Christmas, my
good life gave to me <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Three
sold-out shows, two gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned a Bachelor’s degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Fourth Day of Christmas my
good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, Three sold-out shows</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Fifth Day of Christmas, my
good life gave to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, Three sold-out shows, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"> Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelors Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my
good life gave to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Six
dancing classes, Five pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, Three sold-out shows, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Seventh Day of Christmas,
my good life gave to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven
days of driving, Six dancing classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>three sold-out shows,
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Two gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Eighth Day of Christmas my
good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Eight
awesome staff, Seven days of driving, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Six
dancing classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, Three sold-out shows</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span><span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Ninth Day of Christmas my
good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nine
driving lessons, Eight awesome staff, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven
days of driving, Six dancing classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Three
sold-out shows, Two gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Tenth Day of Christmas my
good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ten
grand of new boobs, Nine driving lessons, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Eight
awesome staff, Seven days of driving, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Six
dancing classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Three
sold-out shows, Two gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Eleventh Day of Christmas,
my good life gave to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Eleven
massive concerts, Ten grand of new boobs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nine
driving lessons, Eight awesome staff, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven
days of driving, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Six dancing
classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper, Three sold-out shows, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"> Two
gorgeous children and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;">On the Twelfth Day of Christmas
my good life gave to me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Twelve
awesome ladies, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Eleven
massive concerts, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ten grand of new boobs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nine
driving lessons, Eight awesome staff, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven
days of driving,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six dancing classes, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Five
pets at home, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Four
quotes in the paper</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Three
sold-out shows, Two gorgeous children and</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A proudly earned Bachelor’s Degree</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "DIN Alternate"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8S2jNvI7acMrKmfjY4Xeih2j6E53rKq4lrlig0JMOA1RQnYGVzB6c5SjlprQgHJZb6ylty0s2FQmACUsQa0brpi6l9abLVjn-ik-QHGEIWafbpxWh9w7IMqqFL54qWklmxl1Q/s1600/frankton+station.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8S2jNvI7acMrKmfjY4Xeih2j6E53rKq4lrlig0JMOA1RQnYGVzB6c5SjlprQgHJZb6ylty0s2FQmACUsQa0brpi6l9abLVjn-ik-QHGEIWafbpxWh9w7IMqqFL54qWklmxl1Q/s200/frankton+station.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5RAmtML3FUlKaH043eY_-z1ewxVZcRjjv1J5YSAN-6R9ZiFL0Wx5-ya2MzmNpWpNtjX94oMFTfoyYpU0-rUxiuU_y_h40sf-qIQEnDuDrwK24y9dOWoJFlY5nljdKFhbuptvyA/s1600/Rob+in+da+Hood+facebook+event+cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5RAmtML3FUlKaH043eY_-z1ewxVZcRjjv1J5YSAN-6R9ZiFL0Wx5-ya2MzmNpWpNtjX94oMFTfoyYpU0-rUxiuU_y_h40sf-qIQEnDuDrwK24y9dOWoJFlY5nljdKFhbuptvyA/s200/Rob+in+da+Hood+facebook+event+cover.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnHFiTGJuW9Qi5TpSpgEme65-LzO6wvYcsGgXt5DCRaUJ615UTqD2utFS3et2k111yNuLe7_j7CxEVJlD7CurVSvNKDcweHiFohxk6bEAhqclw5kVEIifKphgcHkzaKYMS4E8uA/s1600/degree.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnHFiTGJuW9Qi5TpSpgEme65-LzO6wvYcsGgXt5DCRaUJ615UTqD2utFS3et2k111yNuLe7_j7CxEVJlD7CurVSvNKDcweHiFohxk6bEAhqclw5kVEIifKphgcHkzaKYMS4E8uA/s400/degree.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-44842018157784692932018-02-19T11:26:00.000+13:002018-02-19T11:26:10.556+13:00manpower mandate motivation<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As is oft the case I have a theory. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the past 15 or 20 years I have met with literally dozens of people who have great business ideas, and very often those ideas are born from a passion for a hobby or interest that they want to monetise.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whilst there are many good reasons to grow a hobby into a more sustainable income I've also seen the same pitfalls present themselves over and over again, and this is almost always due to a lack of understanding about purpose.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before anyone starts a business I recommend that they really come to grips with the 'why' - because that matters even more than the 'what'. Why do you want to be self employed? Why do you want to sell this particular product or service? Why do you think there is room for this in the marketplace?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The answers are likely to be...because I love this thing...because I'm good at this thing...because I want the freedom of working for myself, and it won't feel like a job... Because I feel like I've got something great to offer. All of which are GREAT reasons to add to the PLUS side of the list. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the for-purpose world (used be called charities, non-profits or community organisations) those values exist too, but the primary goal is to engage people, develop a community, create passion and purpose for the outcome - and whilst having enough money is important (non profit doesn't mean for-loss!) the driver is not income generation. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so, for people starting a business from a hobby, there is an immediate confusion for their customers. This is particularly apparent in the arts and sports worlds. Where large groups of people come together to enjoy something (a play, an orchestra, a fitness class) they will generally be happy to pay a fee. They'll probably be happy to help set up, pack down, do the dishes, and all the other things that go with running a club. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No organisation survives without ongoing, enthusiastic and high quality manpower. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But when those same customers realise that the people running the organisation are doing it as a business, their enthusiasm for 'helping out' will quickly wane. The business owner might initially be viewed as wearing a technicolour dream coat that every one wants to touch - and the more charismatic you are as a business owner, the more attractive your service, the more likely this is. Eventually though, the hardworking 'volunteers' that your business (and it is your business) requires will move on to other things. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They may have the usual volunteer fatigue that goes with the for-purpose sector, or they may simply need to rationalise their time, but the most common reasons for this are firstly that they don't feel valued (because they're doing everything for free - and that includes your perceived generosity in offering 'free' classes, 'free' food and so forth), and secondly that they see the head of the business profiting from their hard work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jTpWN-5v_Q9UBVfAkVm7-4bN8X45_rbOA1tjuhbPj4cZaMDO2RmC08aIxu17f9c2flji58KWCt_pPoNkPBXYIRBxig327k_JcxIGzWo46JcCQe8KwCFp5oRMIDfIWEstyED97w/s1600/joseph-dreamcoat-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="613" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jTpWN-5v_Q9UBVfAkVm7-4bN8X45_rbOA1tjuhbPj4cZaMDO2RmC08aIxu17f9c2flji58KWCt_pPoNkPBXYIRBxig327k_JcxIGzWo46JcCQe8KwCFp5oRMIDfIWEstyED97w/s320/joseph-dreamcoat-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People will only want to touch the coat so many times<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what is the solution? The first is, as mentioned earlier, to understand your motivation, and to show integrity in this decision. If you're setting up your business to monetise a hobby, do the numbers. Can you actually make this work by paying people fairly? Can you cover all your costs from your income, even in the early days? Are you really a business, or is it a hobby? What are others doing?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ask the big question - what is the mandate? - it a true purpose that could engage and motivate a community and is thus really a social enterprise (think of Eat My Lunch, Agoge and others). If it is, do the research, and then set the organisation up that way - be honest with your 'customers'. Invest in getting the structure right and the marketing, the business plan and the success will follow.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The main different between the two options is motivation. For purpose literally does exist for the purpose, for profit to make money. Both can exist beside each other as long as there is clear boundaries, strong structure and true understanding from all the stakeholders including the users of your service. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But whatever you do, don't think that you can go on forever, relying on the goodwill of others to give you an income. There's already more than enough for purpose organisations out there doing that, who will value their workers as true volunteers.</span></div>
susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-36507721067237276442017-02-07T15:51:00.000+13:002017-02-07T15:54:24.727+13:00A song and dance about nothing<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love a party. I mean I REALLY love a party. Lots of food and drinks, people spilling out everywhere, music belting out in the background. And I'm very happy for anyone else to have a party. Usually. Mostly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But over the past couple of years I have become less and less tolerant of parties. In fact it's not even the parties. It's the music - or even more precisely, the pounding bass that comes from speakers at such parties. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And, unfortunately for me, there are two places near my house that LOVE their bass. The worse bit for me is the lack of control - I'm in my own house, minding my own business, and I have to put up with the walls vibrating and that horrible 'boom boom boom' that hits you in the solar plexus but doesn't really make sense without the tune, that is conveniently muffled by my locked doors and windows.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hate that I am feeling pushed out of my own home. I hate that I have no choice about when that noise begins and ends, and worse, that whether it is once a year or once a week, it is relentless.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Besides, working in the events industry, it staggers me that such noise is even allowed, when I consider the hoops that my own organisation has to jump through to stage an event. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm told that I'm the only person that cares. In fact in what is not my finest hour, I lost the plot completely last night (picture this: me in my nightie, standing at the front door screaming and swearing at the 'perp' who came down at 11 pm in response to my (very polite I thought) Facebook post requesting the music get turned down and ...mostly... spoke in a measured voice and told me I needed to 'calm down and relax more'. Yep that was really going to work). Maybe I am the ONLY person in a kilometre radius who actually does care. But you know what, that does not make my response any less valid. And something tells me I'm not (oh..it might be the people that tell me they aren't happy either.. but have either given up or are too scared to say anything).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTgFpJtGHSUfXDWWUY-PsZ5rh6_bsDVF-QQkCerE5FSKvbk7xRBeG_zBjQO0gl-B6isvXz0KZViiETkV8LuHK-SKbv_h2BZbGFl1Dq118FBuyAifSargW6DFePJagAzUaRDTCqQ/s1600/ears.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTgFpJtGHSUfXDWWUY-PsZ5rh6_bsDVF-QQkCerE5FSKvbk7xRBeG_zBjQO0gl-B6isvXz0KZViiETkV8LuHK-SKbv_h2BZbGFl1Dq118FBuyAifSargW6DFePJagAzUaRDTCqQ/s320/ears.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is a song and dance about nothing? Do I need to be more tolerant once a week, once a month, once a year? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Maybe I do, but that fact that I am now considering leaving the home I love because I have absolutely had enough of the neighbourhood, makes me sad beyond measure. And that is nothing to sing and dance about. </div>
susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-62205376969829110232016-06-21T14:34:00.001+12:002016-06-21T14:34:20.097+12:00A letter to my future great grandchild<h1>
<a href="http://www.momentumwaikato.nz/about-vital-signs/" target="_blank">Waikato Vital Signs Community Engagement.</a><o:p></o:p></h1>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We invite you to
imagine a child born in 2076 - perhaps your great-great-grandchild, perhaps a
descendant of someone close to you – but probably a child you will never meet. </span></span><br />
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If you were to write a letter to this child about your hopes and dreams for
your community - what would you tell them?</span></span><br /><br /><!--[endif]--><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dear great grandchild,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I hope as you are reading this, you are sitting somewhere on the banks of the Waikato River, coffee (or what ever you young ones drink these days!) in hand, and enjoying the amazing view - and the fantastic cityscape, before you. The river has always been considered the jewel in the crown of Hamilton City and I hope that the generations who have come after me have continued to care for it, and see it for it's beauty as well as the intrinsic importance of the very thing that resulted in Hamilton being created in the first place. I hope the city still showcases this, and that theres a vibrant cultural life on it's banks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Hamilton Gardens, already world famous now, are no doubt another icon in the city, loved by all and the centre of community for many.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As the world gets smaller and smaller due to the digital age we live in already, I imagine that the need to get into the outdoors is greater - and I'd like to think, more desirable than ever. I'm guessing you are probably doing work that hasn't even been invented yet, but that is more to do with computers than people, and for that, if no other reason, I am sure that wide open spaces are in hot demand!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I don't think for a minute though, that in the next 50 year there will be a demise in the social aspect of life - in fact my guess is that it will be more important than ever, for the same reasons as fresh air and exercise will be. I hope that the people you share your life with are as committed to the well being of each other, and of wider society, as those that share mine. Our family - founders in Hamilton a hundred years and more ago, has a long and rich history of giving back to the community - I wonder now which part of this will be your calling? The disadvantaged? The arts? Sport? (that's an unlikely one given your family heritage but who knows!). Always remember that just a little time given can make a difference to a lot of people.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The world as I know it now has not changed so much I think - perhaps there is more automation...self driving cars, computers and machines performing tasks currently done by people, the faster/stronger/better/bigger way of doing things is certainly part of our culture now. But people need people regardless - there will always be room for human contact, helping each other, engaging in debate, enjoying music and culture, getting outside and appreciating nature - and I hope that in the future, just as now, these things will always be important to us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hamilton will be a multicultural (and I hope welcoming and tolerant) community in 50 years time. I wonder what your heritage will be by then? Will you be bi-lingual? Well travelled? In 60 years you will be an adult and likely have children of your own. What will your dreams and hopes be for them for 2116?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-60819505023470042742016-04-10T22:36:00.003+12:002016-04-11T08:39:57.427+12:00CELF - Capstone Project: The first 100 days of leadership<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="367px" src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=A9FE575819C945BB&resid=A9FE575819C945BB%21334&authkey=AF2X94_yWW963lQ&em=2&wdAr=1.7777777777777777" width="610px">This is an embedded <a target='_blank' href='http://office.com'>Microsoft Office</a> presentation, powered by <a target='_blank' href='http://office.com/webapps'>Office Online</a>.</iframe></div>
susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-36997642542432274742016-03-25T00:03:00.001+13:002016-03-25T00:03:10.085+13:00Indifference, apathy and a healthy dose of so-whats<div style="text-align: justify;">
So the New Zealand flag will stay as it is. I'm sorry to hear that - there was something rather nice about the idea of being part of history in the making (or the changing, as it may have been). I voted for change - but not because I wanted to see a different flag, or preferred one over the other.</div>
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Anzac Day is barely a holiday any more. And yet the media tells us 'more and more' people are turning up to Dawn Services to honour the fallen soldiers.</div>
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And now there's a big debacle about shopping on Good Friday. Should shops be open - we're not a Christian country any more after all....etc etc</div>
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Well actually, its been quite some time since my last confession, but here's my take:</div>
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The flag. I voted for change because...well actually because I don't really care about the other one. I really don't. This stuff about 'we fought under that flag' - I don't get that. The freedom of NZ was not dependent on the picture on the flag. The flag symbolised NZ, true, but so does a silver fern, a kiwi, an All Black. I don't care. I just don't care. I wasn't one of those Kiwi travellers who stitched a flag on their backpack. I wore a silver fern for a while, a kiwi t-shirt from time to time, but the flag? Yeah nah.</div>
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Anzac Day...kind of the same. Call me a cynic but I'd say there's a power of a lot of people who go to a Dawn Service because its an interesting thing to do, not because its a good thing to remember the soldiers who died fighting for NZ. Or to remember those military who are still serving NZ. Its entertainment. A bit like, I'd dare to suggest, singing Christmas carols is for others. ANZAC day a day off - yes I'm all for that because I don't think it's necessary for the shops to be open every day of the year. But because it's ANZAC day? Nah, it's just another day to me.</div>
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And Easter. Ah Easter. Memories of Easter camp, special services at church, less so eggs and hot cross buns for me. But most people - probably 90% - don't even see this as the context for Easter. Should it be a public holiday? Refer previous comment about ANZAC. But to honour the ''true meaning' of Easter - I don't care. I don't need a particular day to think about the Easter story. And I have a major discomfort that those same 90% who would most likely call the Easter story irrelevant at best, and a mad fairytale at worse, are still more than happy to take the stat day income and leave entitlements. But actually I don't care.</div>
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The things that I am passionate about are not flags, holidays, religious observance, ritual. </div>
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More is the pity that the energy that went into the flag debate - that of the close on 2 million people who voted - could not be put to better use. What a different country we might live in then. And issues like the pattern on a flag, the importance of a day in the year, whether the shops are open - those issues would not matter any more anyway.</div>
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-10414378182362950122016-02-01T21:55:00.000+13:002016-02-04T23:02:28.620+13:00Advice for my 13 year old daughter (that I wish I'd got myself....)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow, my 13 year old daughter starts college. It hardly seems possible that she about to go to high school - and I suspect I am more anxious about it than her! She's been at a small country school for the first 8 years of her education, and we've experienced all the highs and lows that go with the big fish little pond/undiagnosed learning issues/little town clique life that we live.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there it is, and over the summer holidays, as I've watched her shoot up taller than me, with better skin and hair that I ever had, let alone as a teenager, I've been thinking about what I want her to know as she starts this 'next stage' in her life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My days of high school weren't exactly fun. I was a total nerd who struggled to make friends and as I was in the 'little bit fat and got red hair' category, never really felt like I belonged nor was accepted. I was smart enough, as it turns out, but never realised this at school despite being in a high stream and doing weird subjects like art history and music. I left school at 16, and to this day regret that I never graduated, and that I can't even really look back on those 4 or so years of high school with rose coloured glasses. For all that though, I have turned out OK, made some lifelong friends, and can pick out a few high lights (and laugh at a few cringe worthy moments - skirt around my waist when I tripped on the steps comes to mind, as does the day I nearly knocked myself out on a lamp post because I was so busy looking to make sure the class bully wasn't too near me...).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I digress. Here's my letter to the little princess, now not so little, and the things that I wish I'd known when I started high school:</span></div>
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<i>It's tough being a teenager sometimes eh! And, it can be scary doing new stuff, and its a lot of change for you - here's some stuff to help guide you through it all...</i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Be a friend and be friendly - but remember that not everyone will want to be friendly back, nor be your friend, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Try everything - music, sport, clubs and groups - and remember that you won't like all or them, nor be good at everything AND IT DOESN'T MATTER </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Work hard - focus in class, do your homework - and remember that even though you might not be excellent at everything there'll be some things that you will shine at, and through that you'll find your way through school - AND IT DOES MATTER </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Think about your choices - people, classes, how you spend your class time and your free time - and remember that there will always be things (and people!) that can distract you, that can be unhealthy,and some that are just plain dumb or bad for you. Choose wisely because IT DOES MATTER </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Be kind to your mother! (and your father...)and all the other grownups in your life, who it will feel like are are constantly on your case, or annoying you, or asking too many questions, or all of those things at once. Lots and lots of people care about you and they are NOT trying to make your life miserable! But they want the very best for you and are interested in your life. Sometimes they will be your taxi driver, funder, counsellor or escape hatch. Answer their questions, smile even when you don't want to, (change your dress if you are asked too by your mother!) and treasure them because just like you, THEY MATTER</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Remember this - you are a kind, interesting, talented and thoughtful girl. You have amazing potential and the chance to shine. Grab that opportunity with both hands! </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Love you!!!</b></span></div>
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-10518690982556710622015-12-20T23:38:00.000+13:002015-12-20T23:39:52.812+13:00Tis the Season to be Jolly - The Annual Christmas Poem - 2015<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Tis the Season to be Jolly</i></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y5IuwWk_rJIGlKs39yMjo0ij-RzErYS5bk1i1e9PWJiS0Ej_DEowa0jFrfPFAub0XFRdVVy0Uy-SCSlmHnGLENMPMxnsSjAcgaJDGdEYzRJBeSEph5B8TefGBgdWrbwNqJgYhQ/s1600/IMG_4479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y5IuwWk_rJIGlKs39yMjo0ij-RzErYS5bk1i1e9PWJiS0Ej_DEowa0jFrfPFAub0XFRdVVy0Uy-SCSlmHnGLENMPMxnsSjAcgaJDGdEYzRJBeSEph5B8TefGBgdWrbwNqJgYhQ/s200/IMG_4479.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I like to think I'm organised, by shopping through the year</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Snaffling up the bargains and squirrelling here and there</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Which means of course come Advent, when all the rest are fraught</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I'm the one who's oh so smug, my presents all but bought</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But therein lies a problem - my recalls just not great</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And so the Christmas present stash got rather over weight</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>(And to add insult to injury the challenge that I had</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>was triple gifts for Mum in there, and not a thing for Dad)</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fsf20BDws_N7IiLhLi-y6L9RWqCNEVKLTsOSfARjZococBY_Y0XRCKC0bU3igtNrEJdIivZ4BVNSIk6jAc3GLNRHyqi_vy2VWPHeE1SypN8ZjXRUNcHm_yxCHVGONLVJ4ALQMg/s1600/IMG_5833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fsf20BDws_N7IiLhLi-y6L9RWqCNEVKLTsOSfARjZococBY_Y0XRCKC0bU3igtNrEJdIivZ4BVNSIk6jAc3GLNRHyqi_vy2VWPHeE1SypN8ZjXRUNcHm_yxCHVGONLVJ4ALQMg/s200/IMG_5833.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I also found a gift or two I'd bought as 'special things'</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>A ball gown for Niamh's formal dance, a pair of Angel Wings,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>A pile of books, a stash of pens, a clutch of fake tattoos</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The list went on, the pile it grew, but nothing I could choose</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So fatefully, so fatefully, I headed for the city</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>A list this time clutched in my hand, (and budget mores the pity)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>At last! At last, the work was done, the gifts all fit to wrap</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>All that was left was cards to write (and perhaps a Nana nap)</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri2h_CMY8IzakJHXIOUT-mxkuReVT_Lvwt2tIdMynLvIr-i465XhyphenhyphenH3lDh3739ITKDa1uaUhANoeGJLXZ_exS724nScdJr9VY3jQN0s-gTYD67iFIT1kGgDM_s61NzIQ4ELqUuQ/s1600/IMG_4637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiri2h_CMY8IzakJHXIOUT-mxkuReVT_Lvwt2tIdMynLvIr-i465XhyphenhyphenH3lDh3739ITKDa1uaUhANoeGJLXZ_exS724nScdJr9VY3jQN0s-gTYD67iFIT1kGgDM_s61NzIQ4ELqUuQ/s200/IMG_4637.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The tree is trimmed, the lights are hung, and ornaments abound</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I've filled the fridge, and pantry, and had some friends around</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I draw the line at Christmas tunes - that is a step too far,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>but do concede if by some chance I hear them in the car</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScqez4at6HPIfD0dIfNmObD-0GJ4gERhZZarDGa1jHPDlgrbGzFZlW3paFytTMPCb-xexpAL4GPrgGkZZpZK8zYLixCoGU6TlDlbHrWwKy-ETmLp5o_Odp3sy6QU1fzSyXP_Xvg/s1600/IMG_4834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScqez4at6HPIfD0dIfNmObD-0GJ4gERhZZarDGa1jHPDlgrbGzFZlW3paFytTMPCb-xexpAL4GPrgGkZZpZK8zYLixCoGU6TlDlbHrWwKy-ETmLp5o_Odp3sy6QU1fzSyXP_Xvg/s200/IMG_4834.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I've even soaked the Christmas mince, it's languishing in brandy</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>My Masterchefs will make the tarts (they really are quite handy)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We've wrapped the gifts and trimmed the tree, made visits far and wide</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I swear we couldn't be more festive even if we tried</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Just Christmas Day itself and midnight mass still yet to do, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>It is the season to be jolly, and for a time I'll be </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>but Boxing Day can't come to soon - so I can pack up that darn tree. </i></span></div>
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-74213067771442369132015-12-14T13:58:00.002+13:002015-12-14T14:07:33.164+13:00The Power of Words<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was recently asked to create an exhibition for the Te Awamutu Museum. This is my essay, which will be displayed in the cabinet with my chosen items.</div>
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THE POWER OF WORDS</div>
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As a young girl I dreamt of being a journalist - I wanted to write for a newspaper, or be a reporter for a radio station (the idea of TV was rather beyond my comprehension). Or maybe work in a library - that was appealing too. How else could I feed my insatiable appetite for words, and for reading, as well as prove the critics wrong!? (who said I talked too much and my written word just wasn't very good). I had my first article published in the NZ Women's Weekly when I was just 7 years old - and so began a lifelong love of words. </div>
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I was one of those kids who read cereal boxes. Who when going to the feed store for chicken meal, would read the ingredients on the drum. Who had a radio going all the time (and who still holds the secret shame of listening to talk back and National Radio). Who probably would have had a blog, had blogs even existed in 1973! But who didn't do well at school, hated exams, and was petrified of sharing anything remotely personal anyway. (It also didn't help that I was left handed, and so anything I wrote smudged the minute the ink hit the page.)</div>
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Words - words were everywhere. My house had books of all kinds, an unlimited supply of paper and pens, and even a typewriter that was mine to use whenever I wanted to. I grew up in a house of conversationalists too - and it came as a great surprise to me to discover that most people DIDN'T discuss the state of the nation, women's lib, or the merits of the current Prime Minister over dinner, like we were wont to do! </div>
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At 14 I was told by my teacher that I wasn't very good at writing essays. At 16 I discovered that working in a library didn't mean I'd get to read books all day, and that I'd have to go to University to learn how to be a proper librarian. And at 18 I was told I wasn't 'tough' enough to be a journalist. So that was that. </div>
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So, I became a banker (as you do) and satisfied the itch by writing the occasional article for a community newspaper, and some strongly worded letters to the Editor of the Waikato Times. At 20, I went overseas, and as email hadn't yet been invented, wrote long detailed letters home every week for four years - suitably censored for parents and grandparents eyes, but also full of long lyrical descriptions of the places I went, the people I met, and the food I ate. Phone calls were horribly expensive, so words were chosen carefully for those too (although they did include an engagement announcement, excited plans for return trips home, and the odd request for money...)</div>
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Time went on and I turned to technical writing - it was part of my job to write manuals, and training workshops. Hardly the stuff of a great writer, but again, it satisfied the need for words. The Internet came, and my typing became word docs, and eventually blogs, video logs, and web content. Letter writing almost out the window, but not the dream of being a journalist - it lingered and still does. I write two blogs which have had more than 50,000 people read them. </div>
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I established a local paper in Pirongia seven years ago - it's small and published only a few times a year, but it's mine and I'm proud of it. This summer, it's twelve pages long, and my editorial is written about a former Te Awamutu resident for whom I had great admiration.</div>
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Words can be cruel and like many I've been on the end of a few of those. But they can also be powerful - written or spoken, it is possible to change peoples life - indeed the course of history - with them. </div>
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Whether it's a conversation 'over the tea cups', the power of a strongly worded letter, a history changing submission to Government (as is the work of the Chamber of Commerce), a courageous conversation over the phone, or an attention grabbing headline that makes you sit up and think - or better, get up and act - the power of words is formidable.<br />
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-14770546558289709842015-12-08T17:42:00.001+13:002015-12-08T21:44:31.856+13:00Pollyanna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I mentioned to a friend last week that I was feeling a whole lot let PollyAnna'ish that I usually am - she responded: 'you're allowed to you know'. Yikes - am I!?!?! </div>
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Never given myself actual permission for that before!</div>
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There are days and there are days - and then there are weeks, months even, when you (erh-herm I mean ME when I say that obviously) that are so nutty that one (you, me, I) is not about putting ones head up for air but possibly just hoping that a few globs of oxygen are going to make it down as far as said head is buried.</div>
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That's how the past couple of months have been for me anyway - and it's probably my own fault. An inability to say NO when asked to do stuff, a tendency to operate by way of short bursts of productivity interspersed with long periods of pfaffing (a phrase stolen from someone else but SO good!), and a general sense that THE YEAR IS RUNNING OUT AND THERE'S STILL SO MUCH TO DO (what's with that anyway? - It's not like the world is gonna end on December24...) - these things are have resulted in me having massive to do lists, running from one place to the next, day in day out, cramming as much into my weekends as possible, going to bed too late, eating a lot of wraps and salad (not all bad but kinda sick of quick food), and imbibing fairly impressive quantities of coffee. </div>
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I'm not really complaining as such - it's mostly all stuff I do want to do, including getting ready for a new job, finishing some overdue renovations on my house, starting some new projects at the office, the usual family and friend things - and doing kid stuff around my work schedule, but there's the odd day when I come up the drive after a 12 or 14 hour day and think - STOP THE WORLD I WANT TO GET OFF!!!!</div>
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The bummer is of course, that most of us, me included, don't get the privilege of opting out. Pesky stakeholders like my Bank, my family, my community, my employers, put pay to that. I am torn between admiring those that say 'and for that reason I'm out' and actually pack up and go, and thinking that they are copping out of being a grown up. </div>
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Its the plague of the white middle class woman (and man) of a certain age - have a full and busy life, get a bit bored, get a LOT bored, try some new stuff, still feel bored, and decide that the only solutions is a 180 of life as we know it. (yeah OK so I am a bit jealous of people who have the nerve to do that even if they don't have the means or the sense not to....). </div>
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Its end of year - everyone is busy and stretched right? My life is not non stop excitement - and I kind of miss the 'damn it let's do it' lifestyle I have experienced in the past - but it's still pretty full on. Good stuff - people stuff. Good for the soul if only I let it be stuff. And no, quitting is not an option. And the stress bunny that sits just inside my ribcage is just going to have to sit tight for a couple more weeks. </div>
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In the meantime, I'm keeping <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6A2F5ky9SELU0Zfd05YMEpyNUk/view" target="_blank">this list handy</a> - just in case I have the time and inclination to act on it's advice....(thanks eponis.tumblr.com, I might even take a selfie)</div>
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-34855055792328598612015-10-08T00:54:00.000+13:002015-10-08T00:54:51.571+13:00Once in a blue moon<div style="text-align: justify;">
Apparently a blue moon happened on the 31 July. </div>
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And if the conspiracy theorists are to be believed, 2015, and in particular the August - October period of this year, are going to be...shall we say...tumultuous...for the world.</div>
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Well I'm no conspirator, I don't really hold much stock in astrology, and on the Pollyanna scale I usually rate as a 10.5 but when I look at the last 6 weeks, all I've got is WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K!!?? Momma told me there'd be days like these but seriously.....</div>
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It all began at the start of September, when I glibly remarked to several people that I had the most boring life ever. Nothing dramatic ever happened you see, at least in a negative way - my life was an oasis of calm where the most drama one might see would be the cat bringing a bird into the lounge for a morning snack...or someone might steal my parking space...or the supermarket would be out of my favourite brand of coffee.</div>
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But oh, oh dear, perhaps I tempted fate in making such a proclamation, because literally since that day, the longest list of crazy, random, unrelated, unexplainable and RELENTLESS dramas have taken over life.</div>
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Where to begin - could it be the three separate times my car was off the road for days at a time, for different things, including a car crash that wasn't my fault? Could it be the trip to the after hours Doctor for a seemingly simple sore throat that resulted in diagnosis of two unrelated and completely random illnesses in my children (and a different one again for me)? Could it be that in the space of 90 minutes IN ONE DAY the car broke down (first time), I ran over, and killed, a neighbours cat, and my grandmother died? Or the day I heard that a man I had been very attached to when I was much much younger, had died unexpectedly at 48. The day both my fridge and my washing machine broke down. Or a few days later when a tap broke and I lost an entire tank of hot water before I was able to get it fixed. The news that there is major repair work required on my house, that is in part due to crappy workmanship, in part to an incorrect council sign off, and in part to faulty product, which is going to cost me in the tens of thousands to repair? The weird movement of random things around my property that no one seems to know about? The friend caught up in domestic violence. The work issues. Oh the work issues. The financial worries that I thought were over are back, they are ba-ack. The other car accident I had in a borrowed car that defied gravity and left me shaken but not stirred. My long wakeful nights worrying about a list of people I have no right to worry about. </div>
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Oh I could go on, that is but a taster of it all. Yes WTAF.....but if you don't laugh you cry, so laugh I will - even though much of it is somewhat hysterical....</div>
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But for all those awful crazy things, to hear that the mother of my sons friend was killed at work, put it right into perspective. For me, it's a bad run. For that family it is an absolute tragedy. Perception might be reality and my list is long and arduous, but in comparison I have nothing to complain about. My rubbish is a long list of just that - rubbish. It's just a coincidence that it's all happened at once, right?</div>
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I heard an expression in a TV show tonight, that I think comes from AA - </div>
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The premise is that the road downward is essentially a 'choice' just in the way that the road upward, or back, is too. But hang on a cotton pickin minute, I didn't choose any of those things up there - they just happened. Random stupid happened. And all I have done, in the end, is let life come and me (somehow it seems safer that way). Maybe when some things happen it is as a result of digging - sure isn't that what i wrote about in my previous post, but sometimes, crap stuff just happens to good people - and it all comes along at once. </div>
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So these things happen once in a Blue moon. Crazy season. Whatever it is, I'll take it. As long as it's over soon please.<br />
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-91078980536552062472015-10-06T17:23:00.000+13:002015-10-06T17:23:41.130+13:00Why I'm now longer living in the Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's become the phenomenon of our time I reckon - to live for the moment, squeeze the living daylights out of every second, and be forever moving forward.</div>
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I'd always been a bit envious of people who do this - mainly because my inherent worryworting behaviour is not helpful when it comes to stewing about the past, nor stressing about the future. And I think there's probably some truth in the cliches that tell us about history and mystery.</div>
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I'm all for experiencing life fully - sometimes it's beyond bliss to be captured by a single moment and to want to stay with it and enjoy it (or not). </div>
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The electronics that hang about me are constant distractions from the now, that's for sure. And it's extremely easy for what was to be a quick five minutes looking something up on the interwebs, to turn into an hour or so of mindless surfing. After all - to live in the now is the perfect foil to boredom and a (dammit let's do it), need for excitement, </div>
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But frankly, I think this whole idea to Carpe the fuck out of that Diem has gotten a bit out of control. As humans, we are the sum of our experiences, and so not only is it impossible to leave the past in the past, I reckon it's probably not that healthy. Those memories and experiences shape who we are, every day. Every damn day. And the only way to learn is to actually acknowledge that stuff we thought we had so carefully packed up (baggage? hello...I have SO much of that stuff!), or accidentally on purpose 'forgotten' about.</div>
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I also believe that careful planning - the weighing of pros and cons, the understanding and commitment to consequence, are also key parts of life. And the thing with that, is that living in the now is way too close to avoiding outcomes. What should be a considered, (current trending term alert), mindful way of living, can so easily become a 'damn the crows' type attitude toward what 'might' happen (could happen/should happen). </div>
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And I spend all that time teaching my kids to think about their actions, make plans for their future, remember that what they do now will affect their lives FOREVER and then they hear the 'now' message. There's nuance, of course there is, but show me a 12 or 18 or 28 or 48 even, year old cortex that really truly gets that. </div>
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The now is delicious. The now is about living in the moment, reminding oneself that at any moment we could be dead. And that's true - sure didn't one of my friends go off to work last Saturday and never come home. </div>
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But does living in the now mean we should not respect our past, or our future, nor acknowledge all that has happened that has made us who we are? I think not. Bury them as deep as they need to go, but memories are there forever, and mine have made me the person I am today. It's a long arduous journey to move through them - or at least make them portable enough to move with me (and that's kind of the point), but my fear is that to proclaim and model to live 'in the moment' will not respect those formative experiences, nor allow me space to plan my future. </div>
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For me, the now is the sum of its parts. The good the bad and the ugly, all of which need acknowledgement and respect. Does that mean 'hanging on' to the past and fearing for the future? Not at all - but it does mean being mindful of life in all tenses, respecting that everything I did, and do, has a consequence that will reach far far beyond the here and now. </div>
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-51088239711605909322015-09-15T23:06:00.001+12:002015-09-15T23:06:04.172+12:00A life well livedYesterday I attended the funeral of a lady who has been part of my life since I was nine years old. She ended up being there 'by default' I guess, being the mother of my Dads 'new wife' (now married a happy 38 years).<br />
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As children, my brother and I would always go and visit her (and her husband) when we stayed with our Dad and stepmother, and visits often centred around a shared meal, and watching sport on TV. I couldn't stand the sport, but it was on in the background, and I was happy enough with a book, or doing one of the puzzles that were always on standby for us. She took great interest in what I did, and as I grew into adulthood and later had my own children, both 'grandies' have been integral in our visits to that part of the world, <br />
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As stories were related at the funeral it became even more apparent that she was a much loved member of her community, with many friends and extended family coming to pay tribute. In an especially moving tribute, my sister spoke of the dedicated Nana, ever listening and sharing advice and thoughts. My daughter shared the memories of her visits and the special activities always part of those visits.<br />
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The story of her life was a relatively simple one - small, some might say - in that life revolved around family, the house, and church. Some travel in early years, owning businesses that put her and GrandieT in the heart of their communities, but no grand gestures or 'huge legacies' that needed highlighting at the service.<br />
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And therein was the true value of this lady. . She was whip smart, dedicated to staying up to date with current affairs (and loved to talk about them), She simply did life, cared for the people that crossed her path, and made a difference to those closest to her.<br />
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Great stories, fond memories, strong connections. At the end of it all surely is what all of us aspire to have. It was a life well lived.<br />
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-5643076594683673552015-08-18T18:04:00.002+12:002015-09-02T15:42:07.646+12:00Life love and leadership - lessons in balance and priority<br />
I have recently embarked on a twelve month course of study at Waikato Management School, and am incredibly lucky to have been offered a scholarship for the whole programme. Following an inspiring introduction evening two weeks ago, I am now in the middle of the first four day 'residential', joining with 19 other leaders evenly split between the 'for profit' and 'for purpose' worlds.<br />
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I had some expectation that there would be lots of talk about leadership styles, group dynamics and practical ways to make me a better leader. The first exercise (undertaken a couple of months ago) included a LOT of self evaluation, and a 360 feedback which, although largely positive, had delivered back some (in my view) scorching criticism of my style (read: personality) and I am still smarting from it. Demanding, impatient, unable to share, over burdened, untrustworthy, single minded and ambitious? Moi??? (ok so no one actually said that verbatim, but as my own worst critic, that's what I interpreted...) - and in fact there was even a session today on not being hard on oneself (point noted)<br />
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Anyhoo, the last two days have been delivered by an amazing man, <a href="http://www.leadershiplab.co.nz/who-we-are/dr-peter-cammock/" target="_blank">Dr Peter Cammock</a> who has somewhat rocked my world about what being a good leader is actually about. In fact, there's been almost no discussion about leading OTHERS at all, and the first two days have had a strong focus on the inner self, leading oneself, and concepts like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)" target="_blank">Flow</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_psychology" target="_blank">positive psychology</a>, and understanding the real impact and implications of pessimism and optimism in relation to the question <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_psychology#Changes_in_happiness_levels" target="_blank">'are you happy'</a>. There was lots of talk about work life balance, and where the overlaps are, should be, and shouldn't be. We've even done a fair bit of work on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness" target="_blank">mindfulness</a> and practised meditation.<br />
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I've been madly scribbling down notes, but also spending a lot of time just listening and letting the information wash (deluge!) over me, and as well as being valuable time out from normal life, I've also had to address a few things that have been niggling me, in relation to my work life. All good stuff!<br />
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I've worked out what motivates me (I love to connect people, and I like to be feeling like I'm making a difference), I have identified people who I admire and who have influenced me and why (a raft, but the common threads are their ability to inspire, and also at a personal level those who have given me freedom to be myself, without judging, and those who exude positivity).<br />
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I've been particularly struck by the concept of <a href="https://valuevolution.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/hedonic-adaptation-how-to-keep-happiness-from-fading/" target="_blank">hedonic adaptation</a> - the idea that even when amazing things happen, eventually we return to the same levels of happiness that were there before the amazing thing - essentially that the highs and lows of life even out over the big picture, but also that this can be the curse of the easily bored - the high of the new can only make one happy for a certain length of time if one is not happy in the first place (current research suggests it can last up to about a year). A good lesson if I'm thinking about getting bored in a job, or any other pursuit for that matter.<br />
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But what has really resonated with me is the idea of life 'opening up' when we are on the right path. All those things like mindfulness, and positive psychology and so on, really are about being settled in myself as a person, knowing who I am and what I want, before I can even consider anything else - essentially being my own leader before I lead anyone else. I love the idea of a calling, finding a purpose, understanding my place in the world (also all part of to days discussion), and I was really intrigued by the idea that if we don't follow the path that is destined for us (the modern, business friendly term is emergence apparently) that this can explain why so often we never quite feel 'on track', or worse, life seems to be constantly trying to make things difficult for us. There was discussion about whether every had a calling, and if so, do the distractions and obstructions mean we are not listening to that calling, or simply are not yet aware of it (which makes sense in view of when things just don't seem to be going well day in day out, but also goes some way to explaining those times when life is sweet. Although one wonders - when it goes from great to bad, is that because we got off course (either deliberately or not), or is it simply 'bad luck'? A post for another time perhaps.<br />
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All in all, I'm really enjoying the brain gym, the opportunity to meet new yet like minded people, and the pure pleasure of discussion, learning and questioning. Its hard but its fun.<br />
And finally, my favourite quote of the time so far , which is related to working on my strengths to make then stronger for 80% of the time, and not trying to over focus on, or eliminate my weaknesses (cos that's impossible):<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;">You'll never be great by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;"> being barely adequate at what </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;">you're currently c</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;">rap at. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;">CELF leadership presenter Dr Peter Cammock.</span><br />
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-27929299525534760482015-08-11T16:57:00.000+12:002015-08-11T17:00:11.919+12:00A series of unfortunate events (where every cloud has a silver lining)The day did not start well. Or rather, the night before had not ended well, with one child vomiting, three basket loads of washing exploding on the couch, and the results of two kids <a href="http://tidyingup.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'marikon'</a>ing their bedrooms still sitting in the office.<br />
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But I digress. 8.30 am and, first unfortunate event, said child still sick in bed. My diary full for the day, all meetings, all out of the office, cheekily coupled with some report writing and at least a dozen emails that had somehow gone from 'not important not urgent' to 'beyond important and ridiculously urgent' in the space of a weekend.<br />
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The morning sped by as I answered emails and checked on sick child every twenty minutes, snuck in a couple (more) loads of washing, ran the dishwasher and conducted phone calls via the ear piece that cunningly disguised the noises that said I was working from home. (first silver lining, the work from home-ability of my job)<br />
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Midday. 1 pm. Something had to give. Woke sick child (SC)and coaxed her into the car. What to do first? Perhaps some drop offs - that might work because then SC could wait in the car whilst I double parked it. Result! And now the supermarket. Out of cat food (last nights other unfortunate event...) She decides to come in with me.<br />
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The car had been a bit...shall we say...sluggish on the way to town. Made a mental note that it was 6 weeks overdue for a service and this was important to ensure it stayed within warranty.<br />
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Quick trip round the supermarket and back to the car. Second unfortunate event - the key is stuck in the ignition! Did I have a flat battery? (Quite possible as there is no warning beeper on the lights, as I have discovered to my peril on at least 5 other occasions including the unfortunate incident that involved a Waiheke ferry and Auckland5 oclock traffic but I digress). No, battery is fine. I ring the local Chery dealer - explain where I am and what's going on. They've never heard of such a thing, and more, they are no longer the Chery dealer - its an outfit in Hamilton. But, because I am a good customer they'll send someone out for a quick look. <br />
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Second silver lining - a lovely man turns up within 5 minutes, at no cost to me, to look at my car.<br />
Unfortunately he can't fix it so I ring the new dealer in Hamilton. Fabulously nice service from a young man on the phone, until he clarifies the make and model of the car and tells me, actually no, they aren't the dealers of these at all.<br />
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I ring the national office, and eventually, through a series of more fortunate events end up talking to a guy on his mobile who just happens to be in the next office to the National Service Manager (both unfortunate and silvery as I learn that yes, my car is still under warranty, but no, there is no local dealer and the car will have to be towed to Taupo for fixing - at their cost...unfortunate silver?). <br />
IN the middle of this a friend walks past the car, and offers to take SC home with her (silver!)<br />
The guy on the phone gives me a number to call, and within 20 minutes - long enough for me to shoot up the road for a flat white in a takeaway cup - the local Roadside Assist man turns up, who (silver!) knows me and is based in a workshop just around the corner.<br />
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He hot wires the car (that's better than silver isn't it...) and we get to the workshop, even though i miss the entrance twice and have to drive right round Te Awamutu with google maps incorrectly directing me.<br />
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Don't worry he says, just tell me who to call at Chery head office and I'll sort it for you. (silver!)<br />
I trot off, happily laden down with groceries, briefcase, laptop, kids car seat, and all the other flotsam i had retrieved from the car which appears to be headed for Taupo. Oops I'm wearing high heeled boots (unfortunate). There's a sunny seat I can rest on (silver). But I'm in Te Awamutu, and it's a long walk home (unfortunate).<br />
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My dinosaur kindly offers me his other car to use (platinum, it's a Porsche) but remembers it is currently in getting work done on it at a workshop 15 km away and not warranted. Could this day get any worse!!!!<br />
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A quick call to an obliging mechanic, and another to someone I remembered will be driving by my house from Te Awamutu to get home very soon, and I'm sorted.<br />
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Arrive to a ready 944, two kids fed and ready for pickup, and a helpfully quick dinner ready for throwing in the pan.<br />
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Yes a series of most unfortunate events, but also a LOT of silver linings, and I am, again, bowled over by the kindness of strangers.<br />
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And the best news. The marvelous AA/mechanic, has managed to not only fix the car, saving it a trip to Taupo, but he's put a beeper on my lights. Gold.<br />
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<br />susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-34802957318321383032015-06-23T11:11:00.001+12:002015-06-23T11:11:45.174+12:00Why your husband needs to have a midlife crisis (Guest blog)<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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A midlife crisis is a great thing and it’s about time we
celebrated it!</div>
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For too long the midlife
crisis has been confined to cliche reasons for 50 year old guys having an
affair with a 24 year old, buying a sports car, or deserting a relationship
with no hint or warning. Sure, these
symptoms can have something to do with it, but maybe if we celebrated the
crisis a bit earlier on, it might not result in destructive behaviour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Look around at our planet and you’ll see that life is about
growth, adaptation, nourishing the new, transitioning, and celebrating the things
that have thrived through the seasons and turmoil. There’s simply nothing that doesn’t change. Sadly, so many people get to their 40s and 50s and
inadvertently put growth on hold. Sure,
we all understand the pressures and commitments of mortgages, kids, jobs and visiting
Aunt Daisy on Sunday afternoon when you could actually be snoozing on the
couch. But we are designed to grow, to learn new things, to develop, to push
ourselves, to adapt, to live with a sense of purpose and ultimately help make
this World a better place?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting we quit our job, smoke weed
and live off the local food bank either.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>But here’s the thing: A midlife crisis creeps up and
confronts us when we suppress the natural stimulus within to keep growing and
continue the journey towards being the person we really want to be.</i> </div>
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<a href="http://site.midlifegps.net/midlife-crisis-test">Take the test</a> to see
if you’re in a midlife crisis. </div>
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Of course, there’s times in life where we’re not
afforded the luxury to just stop, focus on the big picture and contemplate
World Peace, but if we put on hold who we really are for too long in the name
of sacrifice and compromise we start to live a lie. We are not being true to our own self. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We suppress who we really are and pretend to be someone
we’re not. Added to this, is the
underlying and subconscious pressure from our nearest and dearest to keep the
good times for them rolling. Of course
they’re actually enjoying life – they love the stability, fun times with
friends, growing older and simply being ‘normal’ like everyone else. How indulgent for us to contemplate destroying
their happy bliss and start to think about who we’d really like to become? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Herein lies the seeds of confusion and the tension between
the two worlds fighting to ensnare us into their gravitational pull. But what if ‘normal’ isn’t who we are? What if we’re suppressing who we are for the
sake of our family and our own fears around growth and change? What if it’s too scary to do what we really
want? What if we actually don’t believe
in ourselves or our ability to take a risk?
What if there are dreams and desires deep down that are unfulfilled and
we see no way of ever achieving those? </div>
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Let the frustration and discontentment begin! </div>
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Added to this our 40s and 50s are a time when a number of
truths confront us:</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span>Time is running out – if I don’t pluck up the
courage, face the fear and chart a course to become the person I’m meant to be
soon, I’ll never do it. Endless time is
no longer available. But I’m paralysed
by fear, and too many other things haven’t worked. I’m trapped.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span>The goal posts are moving – our dreams and
desires of our 20s and 30s don’t have the same pulling power as before. Our desires change. Being a slave to a job we don’t enjoy for the
sake of providing and buying the nice house isn’t exciting anymore …. I want to
have purpose in what I’m doing. I don’t
want to spend the rest of my life unfulfilled.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Unfulfilled dreams - we didn’t become CEO of
that Global corporation. Far from it,
we’re stuck in middle management fighting insecure and political managers
dealing with their own issues. My
Husband or Wife has disappointed me – they don’t meet my needs and haven’t
grown into the person I dreamt of them becoming. Life is hard, we’ve had some unfortunate
situations and life just seems like a dark tunnel with no light at the end.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s the thing – it’s not all about the rash big decision
to solve the issues …. ditch the Husband or Wife, buy the Porsche, buy more
shoes, have an affair, become a hippy or bury yourself in more work to get rid
of the feelings inside. Quite the opposite in fact.
Firstly it’s about understanding what’s going on so you can start a
journey. Then, look at the many options
you’ve got and understand deep down inside who you really are, your values, and
what type of life, roles and responsibilities are aligned with who you are and make
a plan. What do you need to do to transition
out of and away from and what do you need to move towards? Who do you really want to be in five years’
time is the question, not what do you want to have?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://site.midlifegps.net/videos1">Click here</a>
if you’d like some proven coaching techniques to help understand how to get
more alignment in your life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You’ve all heard about the Chinese characters that make up
the word ‘crisis’ – danger and opportunity.
I think this definition is so apt for those of us in our 40s and
50s. A midlife crisis is actually life nudging you to
re-evaluate, take stock and ask yourself who you’d really like to become. What needs to change? Is fear holding me back? Have I been able to discuss this with my spouse
or partner, and how can our lives together be much more enriched by making a
slow transition? (Rather than letting the pressure build up inside and then a
rash decision that could cost you your marriage, finances, job and happy future
together).</div>
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Okay, so it’s not always as easy as that, but there’s a fight
taking place inside you or your partner’s head and heart. This crisis is actually life pulling you forward. It’s an opportunity to step up and be the
person the World is waiting for you to become.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For <a href="http://site.midlifegps.net/videos1">help on transitioning</a><span style="color: #1f3864; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 128;"> </span>to the
next phase, or if you want to take our <a href="http://site.midlifegps.net/midlife-crisis-test">free midlife crisis test</a><u><span style="color: #1f3864; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 128;"> </span></u> (<a href="http://site.midlifegps.net/midlife-crisis-test">http://site.midlifegps.net/midlife-crisis-test</a>)
simply click on these links or visit us at <u><span style="color: #1f3864; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 128;">midlifegps.net.</span></u><span style="color: #1f3864; mso-themecolor: accent5; mso-themeshade: 128;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30680180.post-52108831253798423072015-06-22T16:31:00.000+12:002015-06-22T16:32:56.953+12:00Members, affiliates and their guests welcome<div style="text-align: justify;">
That's the sign that greeted me at the last 'Club' I visited. The incessant radio advertisements had told me the same. </div>
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So off I went, same day of the week as usual, same group of friends - to have a bit of a dance and enjoy same bowl of chips and ungainly handle of beer - at the same club (for maybe the 100th time).</div>
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Welcome? I think not. It turns out that my membership card had expired. It was issued by a different club (that would be an affiliate). I didn't know this - and clearly the super duper highly technical computer system that has registered me countless times before didn't care. There was much sighing and sucking of teeth by the lady behind the bullet proof glass with the slide across speakery thing (seems that clubs full of old people are very dodgy places these days). </div>
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It wasn't possible to let me in you see, because they couldn't confirm I was a member of anywhere. No, an expired card wasn't good enough. No, I couldn't just renew my old membership for that place on the day, there was a process to follow. No, I couldn't go in and find a friend to sign me it (the electric doors stayed firmly shut and the security guard ensured I didn't get too close - heaven forbid I might make a run for it!) No, I couldn't wait inside in the warm whilst they checked things out - for that would mean letting me past guard, cats bum lipped receptionist AND the auto door. Well yes, she could, she supposed, ring my own club and confirm I was a member. </div>
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Much ado followed - it would seem that my own club do not follow quite the same strict rules, and, good grief, did not have someone manning the phone at 9 pm on a Friday night to ensure that crazy rebels like me didn't sneak through without a card. It took three phone calls, and an ever increasing tightening of those lips before finally, thankfully, someone answered the darn phone at the other place. Only they couldn't really help, because you see there was some problem with their card system, so sorry it wasn't possible to tell if my membership was current or not.</div>
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In frustration, I went outside, banged on the glass window (much to the consternation of the octogenarians sitting beside it) and gestured to my Friends to come and sign me in. And lo, I was in. So quick, so painless in the end. Although cats bum lips did remind me that it was VITAL that I had the membership issue sorted out so that such instances didn't happen again, and REALLY what kind of place were they running out in the sticks and HONESTLY you'd think it wouldn't be that hard.</div>
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She was absolutely right. It really shouldn't be that hard. It's no wonder that service clubs have a dwindling membership if it's that difficult to get in the door. I understand that there are certain rules and standards that go with membership organisations. But seriously - the kind of people who frequent these places - or who might, if only they didn't have to overcome a cold war to do so - are hardly going to be causing mayhem.</div>
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Sure, give members 'special privileges' like cheap drinks, or meat raffles, or their own special beer glass. But if you want normal, sober, people like me to come and spend money at your club, if a warm welcome is out of the question, at least make it easy for me to get in the door.</div>
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susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04240548697797268944noreply@blogger.com0