A little bit of luck...to be born female, for a start...

Personally, in the gender debate, or what is left of it, I feel that these days it is luckier to be born female. Women have as many if not more opportunities than men in this day and age, can have the joy of childbearing/birth/raising firsthand, can still work, study, and play. Yes, we can have it all. Also there is the fun of wearing the more colourful and daring fashions, a myriad arrange of cosmetics (not my scene though), and quite often, I believe, a far more artistic and emotional kind of mind/thinking. Not that men don't raise children of course or for that matter don't wear make-up, lovely clothes, but these things is and will always be, more a womans'' domain. Being female does not tie one to the kitchen sink, though if we didn't cook and clean (whatever our gender) we would live in squalor and starve)...sometimes it is necessary and even of course, enjoyable...

It's a good era to be a woman, as the female leaders of our time have proven. Ciest La Vie! I would love to see NZ have another highly versatile, deep thinking, with a genuine smile, female PM!

Travelling South...

Golden Rule Number One when travelling South, Auckland to Rotorua, - always check that there is no special event on (stock car racing,in this case), so that you don't arrive in the evening to find every room in the place completely booked out! I never normally book Rotorua because of the myriad choice of motels/hotels/bed and breakfasts'etc, and at Christmas time, it is normally fairly quiet Not this time, worst luck! Arrived in the pouring rain, in the evening, tired and hungry, to find the annoying No Vacancy sign flashing at every single inn. Fun indeed, not! Was almost going to go on to Taupo out of desperation, but as Taupo was not my intention, I decided there just had to bee a room left. After much door-knocking and enquiring, around nine o''clock at night I managed to grab the very last room available at the Heritage Hotel (paid more than I would have liked, but it was that or the car.). So, there is a lesson learned. Book ahead, always! Always, always,always. Never, ever assume! Anyway, it's a lovely hotel, with great amenities and a scrumptious, cooked breakfast was thrown in. Very nice of them. I will be forever grateful, not only for the breakfast, but for the last room, I''m sure, in the entire town!

Rotorua is a magical place. Spiritual, cultural, fun and with the most unique, gorgoeus scenery. Also, I enjoy its touristy hullabaloo. I enjoy Hamilton too, but more for the shops and hte city hub feel. Soaking in the bubbles in the hotel spa was wonderful, and well worth the drive through blinding rain, which came out of nowhere.

Happy New Year, holiday joy., The beach is out for me at this time of year, just cannot stand the chaotic queues of traffic. Free flow all the way down South, wonderbar.

Kia Ora....and cheers. Rotorua absolutely rocks, with a unique sparkle and zest all of its own.. Champion. Rain or shine, it's lovely to be here!

Merry Christmas, One and All

I love this time of year, and what it is meant to stand for. Merry Christmas to the few who follow this page and the many who do not. Oh well! So nice to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and what he stood/stands for. Wonderful to come to the end of the year and to have the time, hopefully, to reflect upon the past twelve months. For myself it has been a rather turbulent but also an enriching time. My design course has now been completed and I can move on from there. Good, but a sigh of relief, too. It was a slog at the end, I have to say.

More importantly though, it has been a good, fulfulling year with my family and friends, my two lovely boys, but very sad re the Miners and the Christchurch earthquake. Makes one take stock and reflect upon the smallness of our seemingly large problems, and the fact of how every day, how lucky and blessed we are, just to live in this lovely land. Blessings, New Zealand, and best wishes for 2011. Merry Christmas. God Bless. Family time is the best.

De-Facebooked, forever.

Having deactivated my Facebook acconnt awhile aback now, (not for the first time, though, I'm sorry to say), I am this time around not missing it at all.  Tired of all the inane commenting, by both myself and others, for me, it became a dangerous drug. This sounds over-dramatic, but I was a Facebook freak for far too long.. I have finally realised what a huge time-zapper it can be, and just how empty it is, although sometimes it had its uses. Celebrity pages are the most interesting, but can be static, and often a one-way event. I just don't see the point in having loads of 'friends' who I've never even met, and I'd rather meet the ones I do have face to face over coffee, etc. Does the technical world have to take away everything that was face to face, for real, and in the moment? Nope. Far nicer to see people in the flesh, to see their facial expressions, to have a laugh with them, to enjoy their actual company. I have avowed not to return to the drug of Facebook, and its one New Year's resolution I intend to keep. Also gives me more time for reading books, writing letters, doing art, hanging out with the family, watching movies, cooking, etc, etc, etc. Social networking. I'm over it!

Working Mum versus Stay At Home Mum, guilt still rules

Having tried it both ways when my kids were really small, staying at home full time, against working four full days a week, it's really hard to be guilt free either way. With working, you feel like you're leaving the raising of your littlie's to others, missing out on magic moments, on quantity rather than just quality time, whereas staying at home is far more relaxing I found, lovely having all that time on your hands with your babes, but the guilt remains; no longer are you earning money so you have no right to the usual little treats, no one thanks you for what you do (not that they often did in the workplace either, and there is less of a feel-good, achieiving, I-can-do-this job, and love it, factor. But at the end of hte day, I think there can be a balance; work part time, work from home, work when the kids are in school. Overall, staying at home with the kids was the best choice, and I would hate to get back onto the working full time and mothering treadmill, now. Their smiling faces have been worth it, and the time just goes so fast.....teenagers soon....a whole new ballgame....or not! Support groups like Mainly Music, coffee mornings etc, was really great, the mums very relaxed and friendly, when I was staying at home. I am happy not to return to the corporate world, they don't and will never ever understand the plight of the working Mum!

European Masters Exhibition at Te Papa Museum, Wellywood. Awesome and awesomer!

A favourite...Mothehood...or Ín the hammock''

Really enjoyed the European Masters Exhibition currently showing at Te Papa. There are a wide range of paintings on display, including some Monets, Degas and a Picasso or two, plus of course, a whole range of others. The variety on show is really interesting, and its amazing to see the works in real life. The show is well curated, and the information available about each painting and painter is in-depth and varied. It's a show that needs a good couple of hours to take in, or a return visit or two. The entry fee was $18.00 for a student, $28.00 unsubsidised, not bad at all. I have been having a rest from painting of late, have been feeling all painted out, but seeing this exhibition has gotten me all fired up again. Wellington is these days a very cool place; arty, cultural, character-filled, pretty.  Glad I drove from Auckland rather than flew, travelling via Whanganui and New Plymouth, talk about grand scenery; summer lights on the greens of the rolling hills; just beautiful and crying out to be rendered on canvas! Sometimes there is nothing quite like the freedom of the open road, with time and space and the beauty of choices, on one's hands. The only snag was, as Auckland drew closer I became melancholy and sad...why are the end of holidays so depressing?.Back to reality can be the absolute pits! But oh, what fun was had, loved it, every moment...highly recommend the outer Northern suburbs of Wellington as well. what happening place...variety galore.

Parliament, live...!

Watching Question Time live is far more fun than watching it broadcasted. To be there in person, to see the debate as it happens, the voices loud and clear, the fun, the camardarie, the jeckling, heckling, interjections, to see our representatives face to face. And completely free, except for my time. Really impressed with how well National handle the questions posed to them. Talk about live theatre. Lovely surroundings, love the history involved. Great fun, and definately not a waste of time.

Now for the museum...Wellington is indeed the best little capital around. Having not being down here for eight years or so, it's refreshing to visit again. So much on offer, yet tranquil and quaint. Love it, including the surrounding hills and suburbs, and such a contrast to glittering, sprawling, sometimes chaotic, Auckland. Supercity? Sometimes. It  often depends on the suburb, the beach, the day, the event, the mood, etc.