My holiday has comprised thus far of: 8 beers, 7 hours of movies, 6 new CDs, 5 minutes of homework, 4 hours attemping to fix things, 3 hours shopping, 2 trips to Wellington, 1 party and a wissle on a low tree.

(As of 1st of July)

Two nights ago, Mr and Mrs Ulcer decided to set up residence in my lower recesses of my mouth, Mr on the right and Mrs on the left. They found a nice and cosy spot right against my gumline. I think they thought they would go undetected but their cover was blown and it was time for action. Salt water, a cure all, shall remedy this situation. Crisis adverted.

With much regret I have decided to call off the mission to Aussie for Belle and Sebastian. I waited to today because i had my appointment with my specialist regarding my knee just in case surgery would be scheduled that weekend. After making funds available and checking out all the flights, i found that all the close seats at both venues had been taken, only leaving seating for the good of sight. there was going to be trouble with getting the tickets to me as well since there isnt much time until the concert are on. but i must say i am relieved to have finally come to make the decision.

Overseas Expedition

My two reasons
1) To be able to sample, relish and savour the music that i love so much
2) To dig for and find ancient artifacts and treasures, so that i may hold history in my hands

...that's it.

He's back

My computer, Thomas Edison, is finally fully operational after a weekend of following after the lust of its heart, filling its memory with evil content only on causing the death of all that i wished to do. i tried in vain to reform it, to the set it on the straight and narrow. i was almost about to resort to corporal punishment. but over night it thought about what it had done and how it had made me feel, and like the prodigal son, came back to me willing to serve me once again. so for now i shall treat him with the same love and care as i always have, with the periodical virus scan, the occasional defrag and the frequent massaging of his keyboard.

The week that was

...altogether at the right spot. One new complex crystallised, one new ligand synthesised, four new CDs realised, and mother materialised.

They are coming!!!

That's right Belle and Sebastian are coming to Australia, I so feel that I must go. I am currently figuring out cost for flying over to melborne and then sydney for two of the three shows. soul searching required, but oh I must go.

warehouse [wear-how-s] v.
to cycle to all large red department stores (often called ‘The Warehouse”) with reach,so as to scour for not to be missed CDs at bargain prices.

Today I warehoused Dunedin. This was the first time I had attempted such a feat. I have traditionally stuck to a partial-warehouse but today was the full hog. After spending a couple of hours fingering through hundreds of the blighters, I came home empty handed but happy, as I can rest assured no bargains had escaped with out my notice.

Baird Family’s Timaru Special
(Feeds four hungry, travel worn souls)

Ingredients:
Half dozen bananas
Two circular loafs of red onion speciality bread (reduced to clear)
Two varieties of carbonated refreshments
Half dozen slices of plasticised cheese (optional)
Handful of ham shavings (luncheon acceptable if in a tight spot) (optional)

With hands, rip bread into four even pieces. Carve an opening into each piece, fingers work well here. Peel banana and halve. Place one or two half bananas inside the opening of the bread. With a consistent and smooth motion rub bread between hands applying gentle pressure such that the banana can be described as smoshed. Dig in. Rinse well with carbonated refreshments.
For a variation on the theme, the banana could be replaced with ham and ‘cheese’. Smoshing may or may not be required. If one is feeling rather adventurous, the banana, ham, and ‘cheese’ could be eaten contemporaneously, in which case ingredients should be added together so that an even, well mixed filling is found with each mouthful.

Enjoy!

Ash-Vegas

Yesterday I went on a family road trip. Mum has come down for the weekend for my sister Anne-marie's Profession of Faith, so we decided that we would go for a 'little' drive up to Ashburton (fondly known as Ash-Vegas) to visit my Grandad. I hadn’t seen him in over a year, as I did not take part in the annual Baird migration south earlier this year. He had recently been moved to a down stairs room in the rest home in which he lives because he had another fall a couple of months ago. He is quite legendary for his falls. A couple of years ago, when he was living by himself, he fell off a chair and hit his head but decided not to tell anyone until days later because he didn’t want to worry anyone. He doesn’t have much mobility any more and sits in a big armchair with wheels to be driven around with. He looked a little thinner in the face but other than that he looked pretty healthy. It’s always a challenge to figure out what he is saying, with his false teeth rattling and tendency to mumble, rumoured to be even surpassed my own proficiency in mumbling. But as with every visit he gave us a run down of what is happening in the rest home and then what was happening in Ashburton. He liberally praised these two places. It was good to know that his mind is as sharp as ever, even at 93. He really wanted to show us his new room so I was put behind his wheels and followed the directions given to me by my co-driver. Down the hallway we went, “Left? right?”, “Left, no straight ahead”. Once or twice we were caught with on coming traffic and were forced to pull over so that the flow of traffic wasn’t left at a stand still. Wandering down towards Grandad’s room, a course supervisor (nurse) told us that we were on the wrong track and had to turn around and head the other way. Grandad had led us on a scenic drive. After finally arriving at his correct room he told us all about it. He’s pretty happy with his new accommodation it seems. A few minutes later it was time drive him back to the dining room, for tea was on its way. We said our good byes and left him to his sandwiches. I don’t know if this was the last good bye, but at least I have hope to see him again before that is the case.

Proverbs 3

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.

Having decided to start reading through Proverbs again, I have come across many, many amazing true words of wisdom. This small selection, really spoke true to after having experienced exactly what it says. After turning away from and resisting some struggling sin, I experienced the physical healing to my body and refreshment in bones. Amazing.

A Shave too Far



After much deliberating this week, I decided to give others a change of scenery. I took to myself with scissor and blade to produce a new image, not seen before upon the face of this Lynton. Above is a depiction of the resulting state of affairs.

Note: the above skin related features, reminiscent of one Michael Jackson, are but artifacts of cosmetic surgery using such crude implements as Paint Brush. Rest assured that my skin is still o'natural and not in any way plasticised.

Something for the Weekend

After a rather successful week in the lab, and productive week all up, i finished with a exquisite meal at Tulls, the iconic Dunedin restaurant/dessert bar where you are grace with the whaling sounds of Jethro Tull and others from his league as you sup away. this evening was a celebration of the end of the soccer for this semester. after a rather unsuccessful string of games, losing all our games as well as a few players, it was time to sit down and enjoy the fruits of life. of course i turned up first and had the unsettling wait for everyone else to arrive as you stand in the sub-zero temperatures slowly freezing you solid. a few minutes latter someone arrived and we sat down at the designated table. i thought i would be prepared for this meal and knowing that Tull's was BYO, i had purchased a nice cheap bottle of red wine. unfortunately i learnt upon entering the premise that it had given up on the BYO and i was stuck with a bottle and no where to drink it. i placed it under my chair and waited for everyone else to arrive. after a small amount of musical chairs we were finally set for the meal. within a minute the group consensus was to have 3 flutes of Jack on the Green, which translates to be 3 large french sticks filled with lettuce, tomatoe, cucumber, and an assortment of meats. it didnt take long before they were polished off, as the wait till dessert was unbearable. straight away i knew what i MUST have, the chocolate massacre. this is world famous in dunedin as a chocolate lovers greatest challenge. a combination of all the chocolate desserts available, smothered in layers of chocolate sauce was assured to put any brave man into his sick bed. Piffle i thought. "I will be through it in minutes." Soon I was to learn to eat first speak latter. the chocolate moose and sponge cake were delectable. so smooth so creamy so good. however there was one section that was truly a struggle, the mud cake. i have eaten much mud cake in my lifetime but nothing quite like this. it was like spooning through golden syrup diluted with chocolate sauce. i was feeling its effects after only a few mouthfuls. i decided that dividing and conquering was the only way. orange slices with the rind were gladly eaten with the mud cake so as to neutralise its toxic effects. i was running out of fruit, i needed something else. thankfully we spotted the water supply and i was able to lubricate and rinse so that i could complete the race, or should i say slog. slowly but shortly, i was getting closer to the end. the pain of swallowing would be no more. the relief was immense when i looked down to see my plate empty. it was finished. like a sinking ship, the chocolate began to settle to the bottom. this was certainly a once in a lifetime experience.

Had a welcome call from my friend Dan on Sunday. Twas good to catch up. Had a very interesting discussion about life and what we should be doing with it. Should we be doing what we feel we were designed to do, eg be a chemist, travel agent..., or should we forgo that in favour of being what we are needed to be. Interesting thought in the culture where we are told be all including Christians to be who you are or who God has made you.

I have picked up the most time hungry habit these past months. Each night i set up the alarm for 7 am but never really rise until 7.45 am or even 8 am. How could this be, you might ask, it is the work of the dreaded and much loved snooze button. Each morning as i am awoken by my alarm i instinctively roll over reach out and hit the alarm until i exert enough pressure to give me another 9 minutes reprieve from life outside of the warm cocoon that is my bed. no sooner than my head rests back into the well worn groove of my pillow, i am back to the dream world. 9 minutes later this procedure is repeated and so on until finally i realise i must break the cycle otherwise it will be my downfall. by this time i have little time to do more than shower, breakfast, check mail, have a reading before i must be on my way to school. Doomed are the foolish notions of work in the morn.