I Guess We All Have Issues

So acclaimed NZ children's book author, Margaret Mahy, was recently convicted of drunk driving. I agree that being around all those kids, all the time, would drive me to drink too.

What makes it better is that she's 66 years old. Whoah, granny got a drink and she probably wasn't even that great of a driver to begin with.

Here's the article for all the details.

Green Thumb? Part 2

I didn't post any pics of the Pohutukawa planting before the internet at work went down. So here they are.



Haha, they are in the plastic bag. The growing directions said to keep them in there to maintain a damp soil. I thought I took another one of the tray with soil in it, but I guess I didn't. Oh well, It's not really that much to see right now. Hopefully it will be soon!

WOO HOO!!!!

Green Thumb?

I have just received packs of Cabbage Tree, Manuka Tree, and Pohutukawa Tree seeds from New Zealand.

We'll see if I have what it takes to grow a little bit of New Zealand here in the heart of America.

I'll try to keep everyone up-to-date on my progress, but first the directions for the Manuka and Cabbage trees say to soak the seeds over night. This puzzles me but I'll go ahead and trust the labels.

Here's my soaking cups up at the office.


Very exciting, I know.

A Little Gem From Down Under

Ok, it's not deep, but boy is it fun. I'm sure some of my old NZ friends would agree. Just sit back and let your booty shake.



All I can say is that I wish I had a light-up stripper pole. I'm jealous Kylie, jealous.

Cancer Reading for July 20th

"One dream at a time, small hopes compounding to become great expectations, that's the energy for you to put out today if you really want to manifest your dreams. All consuming fantasies have their place, but building possible dreams now can make the impossible happen sooner than later."

Amen!

It's Not All My Fault

So I was trying to figure out a way to post only the song but I had to settle for this weirdly homemade video. What's important is the song anyway.

I love Alanis Morissette and I listen to her quite a bit. For some reason I had never heard this song until this past week. Quite appropriate. I think we often go to extremes in our dealings with people and either take complete fault or none at all, when really we fall somewhere in the middle.

So for that, It's not all me. It's not all my fault. I may remind you but I won't take it all.



Also, She's having an online concert on July 24th at 1pm CST here.

Below are the lyrics to "Not All Me" so you can follow along with crazy Alanis's voice.

I wear their face on top of my face
I am the perfect target screen for your blindly fueled rage

I bear the brunt of your long-buried pain
I don't mind helping you out but I want you to remember my name

It's not all me
It's not all my fault
I may remind you
But I won't take it all on

past-riddled riddled rage I see the buttons I engage
with my dignity in place I'm all too happy to assuage

It's not all me
It's not all my fault
I may remind you
But I won't take it all on

Lest I find my voice find the strength to stand up to you
Lest I state my limit and take on only what is mine to

We are a team I'm here to help mend and re-seam
All I trigger unknowingly a job I hold in high esteem

It's not all me
It's not all my fault
I may remind you
But I won't take it all on
I'll take only some of it

No Wonder

I just realized that last week was the Riddu Riddu Festival in Norway. Which means that it has officially been a year since I have been up in the air on my tissu. Wow, no wonder I've been sad lately.

Trouble In Fair Christchurch

I read this article on Christchurch's The Press Website. Oh the things you have to deal with when you're a prostitute.


Prison sentence for setting up prostitute for robbery
By DEAN CALCOTT - The Press | Tuesday, 15 July 2008

Two men who set up a prostitute for a robbery were caught after she realised her supposed client was in on the crime, a court had been told.

Ali Ahmadi, 24, a refugee from Afghanistan, and Mustafa Hussaini, 19, an immigrant from Iran, who were both found guilty of aggravated robbery, were each jailed for 4½ years by Christchurch District Court Judge Phil Moran.

The judge said the victim was a prostitute working on her own account. Ahmadi had engaged her services, taking alcohol to her premises and leaving some downstairs after taking some upstairs to her room.

After talking to the woman he went back down to get the rest of the alcohol.

Meanwhile, he unlocked the door to let in Hussaini.

While Ahmadi was upstairs having sex with the prostitute, Hussaini burst in with a pistol, held it to her head and demanded money and her car.

The victim, terrified after being threatened with being shot, talked him out of tying her up, then showed where her car was parked and handed over the $120 Ahmadi had paid.

To make things look "kosher", Hussaini also took Ahmadi's wallet, the judge said.

But the woman realised something was amiss and accused Ahmadi of being in on the robbery.

The judge said the jury rightly found both men guilty, and he regarded both as equally to blame.

There was a degree of planning, the victim was a vulnerable woman on her own and the offending had a significant impact on her.

Little could be said in mitigation, apart from that her car was recovered, the judge said. Appearing for Ahmadi, David Ruth said the firearm was a starting pistol.

The case was similar to a dairy robbery because it was of an owner-operated business.

Ahmadi had already been in custody a year, Ruth said.

Appearing for Hussaini, Allister Davis said Hussaini maintained his innocence, and he was assessed at a low risk of reoffending.

Evermore

So I'm very excited that itunes just added the rest of the discography of Evermore. I loved them while I was New Zealand and had no way of buying their new cd.

"The Lights Surrounding You" was one of my most favorite songs.

Enjoy!

Is America Elvis or is Elvis America?

When it comes to being American not many things rank up there with Apple Pie, Fourth of July, and Baseball, but this past weekend I went to a preliminary competition to decide this year's best Elvis impersonator. It made me realize that Elvis, the man, as well as the legend are all very American. Weird I know but this whole thought came rushing into my head when there was one contestant that hailed from across the pond in Wales, United Kingdom.

I think it would be fair to say that this gentleman was by far the worst contestant in the bunch. Couldn't get the accent and even when choosing his outfits, he just missed the mark. For instance, for his first performance he dressed as Elvis from what I'm guessing is a lesser known one of western films. Ok, when you think of Elvis do you think of bright red slacks and and white western shirt with red shoulders? Yeah neither do I.

This whole bizarre experience made me think that maybe Elvis is so American that maybe other places just do not quite understand it.

Before I get too carried away, I think it has to be said that I am not by any stretch of the imagination an Elvis fan. I think his story and his drama are fascinating but I could not name a single movie he starred in nor could I sing more than the chorus to any of his songs. However, I do know the lip snarl, the shaking hips, the bouffant hair, he liked to eat fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and the quotes "Thank you. Thank you very much" and "Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left the building."

Also, one of my most favorite memories is walking down the Las Vegas Strip on New Year's and passing by the Bellagio Fountains and having them start dancing to "Viva Las Vegas" and hear the hoards of party revelers roar with excitement for a song that helped immortalize the city as well as the singer.



When these are the foremost indicators in your mind about a person, I think it is fair to say that their icon status is more than legendary. It's cosmic.

So it is just fine to let people across the world have their stab at impersonating him, but you should all be warned that unless you have some deep connection to the crazy intense patriotism of the U.S., you two will probably not get your Elvis impersonation quite right. After all, what's more American than swirling your leather clad hips from a poor upbringing in Tupelo, MS to a mansion called Graceland and commander of the title, The King of Rock n' Roll?

Which brings me to another question. What is it in that Mississippi water to produce the likes of both Elvis and Oprah?