2.55 pm Drive to Orthopedic Surgeon's Clinic
3.10 pm Meet with Dr Simon McMahon
3.15 pm Leave with instructions to test knee more
3.30 pm Go shopping for groceries
5.30 pm Cook chilli con carne with real chillis I bought to see how hot I can go
6.30 pm Scumptious meal
8.00 pm Leave for indoor soccer
8.45 pm Rung back, stop, turn, pain, pain
8.46 pm Pain
8.50 pm Ice leading to numb
Now Surgery Pending

Ahhh.
Good end to an average week. Finally completed my nemesis assignment. enjoyed chem club. biking home after a few beers a whole new experience. 2 warm spots on the way home. black russian and cigar so good. feeling like next week shall be the week of much progress.

Sticks and Stones by who else but the Divine Comedy

You and I go together,
Like the molar and the drill,
Flesh is weak but darling we know,
That the ego's weaker still,
I've been hung, drawn and quartered,
Slowly slaughtered like a goat,
By the tongue of a woman,
Who just couldn't let it go.

Sticks and Stones may break my body,
But words can tear me apart,
So be careful what you tell me,
Spare a thought for my heart,
For my heart.

Broken bones fuse together,
Bruises never last for long,
But once they're said, words stay spoken,
Hearts stay broken, from that moment on.

Sticks and Stones may break my body,
But words can tear me all apart,
So be careful what you tell me,
Spare a thought for my heart,
Spare a thought for my heart.

Mail can make or break a day. It can be the difference between a drag of day and a most beautiful day. I recommend writing letters to friends and family to spread the the excitement and dazzle of receiving a piece of mail in the box.

Highlights

of my holiday
1. Alwin's farewell shindig
2. Cooking tea for Jason, Roberta, and Allyah
3. CD run in Wellington
4. Drinks and chatter at Matt's, Aaron's and Tim's Flat
5. Frolicking at the Barn Dance
6. Isabella Georgia Gowan's arrival
7. Drinks celebrating Isabella Georgia Gowans arrival
8. Managing to cram all Jason and Roberta's belongings into available transport

Nana

You know you have been blessed with an amazing Nana when you say goodbye with a hug and she then and there begins to pray for you.

The credits roll and the lights slowly brighten the scene. What had he seen? Was this a work of fiction or just a retelling of his past? All that had flashed passed his eyes seemed so familiar, as if were his own memories being played before him. The tales of hope and disappointment, joy and despair, mirror all that he could remember. He looks around the theater, it was empty. Had he been the only patron of this screening? It appeared so. The lonely walk down the stairs, gave him time to reflect. If this was his past, it shall not be his future anymore; if this was fiction, he resolves not to follow this poor soul's life. He steps out to the street. It is dark, it is cold but before him stands a trail of light. He does not know where it will lead but it could only be better than where he had been. Off into the night he disappeared, for richer or poorer for sickness or health who can tell.

Fun in the Sun

I recommend productive work in the sun, especially manly labouring.
I do not recommend falling off and onto step ladders with discman and secateurs in one's pockets.

Charmed Life by The Divine Comedy (Absent Friends)

When I hold you in my arms,
And look back on my charmed life,
My charmed life,

I hope,
I hope if nothing more,
That one day you'll call your life,
A charmed life,

Well, I never really worried that much about,
Making lots of money and such,
And I always seem to land upon my feet,

And though there have been some difficult times,
The good times were never far behind,
I've snatched all of my victories,
From the jaws of defeat,

When I hold you in my arms,
And look back on my charmed life,
My charmed life,

I hope,
Baby, I hope if nothing more,
That one day you'll call your life,
A charmed life,

Well, the course of true love never ran smooth,
They broke my heart and I broke their's too,
And breaking up is so very hard to do,

But I knew I'd find the one,
And sure enough, she came along,
And not long after that, along came you,

Well, sometimes this life is like being afloat,
On a raging sea in a little row boat,
Just trying not to be washed overboard,

But if you take your chances and you ride you luck,
And you never, never, never, never, never give up,
All those waves will see you safely to a friendly shore,

When, I hold you in my arms,
I know that this is a charmed life,
A charmed life.

Shine Sun

The sun shone and I was happy. The warm rays beaming down upon me as I sit frontwards of the house. Wet hair drying, cool body warming. Cricket in the backyard, bat in hand and ball on bat. It is good. Knee semi-detached, bowling action altered. Hmm, oh come summer come. The clouds are coming over, the darkness smothering all hope for more days happily playing in the sun.

A Hop and Skip

The night just last I was privilege to partake in the Masterton Reformed Church Youth Group Barn Dance (hereafter MRCYGBD). I have been to a number of such like events of my short lifetime. At the first barn dance I was young enough to be excited at the prospect of finally getting to dance with girls. It lived up to all expectations and I had a ball. By the second and third times this novelty had worn off and I was at the stage of being too cool for such simple fun, preferring to sit on the sideline to mock the precedings and those involved. Years have past since these times and I have either matured or realised that these moments are too precious to squander being cool. So before I departed for this event I had already a tick in the attitude column. I had even dressed up, comprising of trench coat and my lastest proud possession, a $2 childrens foamy cowboy hat. My age was immediately obvious to me as I was surrounded and swarmed with the masses of children still in the stage where these events are fun. However, that wasn’t going to stop me from having fun. We were pretty much straight into the dancing after the typical late arrival of the Bairds. We began with a 'simple' square dance to warm up. Unfortunately you had more chance lip reading than listening to the leader of activities. I decided that I would just have to follow those around me and learn fast. The first hard choice was who to pick as my first dance partner. I chose the easy option and opted for the closest member of the female sex, so that I may have a chance before some other eligible dancer could scope her up or before she could run from sheer terror. Thankfully I was not rejected and we soon found a group with whom to form a square. Within minutes we had some semblances of what we were suppose to do; who we were to bow at, swing and frolic around with. Just as soon as I thought I had the hang of it the straw was pulled from under me and we were onto the next dance. After a short, illy comprehended demonstration I was off roaming for my next victim. Again no rejection. This was the hoarders dance, where you precede to progressive build up your harem by swooning follow squarer's ladies with promises of love and fortune, taking them back to your lair. As a reflection on reality, they soon realise who you really are and run off back to where they were abstracted, leaving you back at square one with one. Good fun, for as long as it lasted. I had it special, as after you have filled your quota of ladies you are meant to all hold hands and dance around but in all the confusion of my last ladies hurried arrival I was left stranded in the middle, being danced around by four fine ladies. Again, good while it lasted. I was then time for a break of the square and into the classics. Of course the birdie dance was there. Jason managed to sneak from his guitar post to join in on the action. This was no ordinary birdie dance it was the hardcore version. As most know there is the part in the song where you proceed to swing and swing you partner around. As in old times Jason was my partner and we proceeded to swing each other around as fast as we could. We hit terminal velocity within seconds and our holds began to break up. However, I managed to remain sure-footed as I sent Jason down to the floor. The sweet taste of victory was mine. Next was the line up facing partner, meet greet and swing them before forming the arch for the rest to swarm under. In past days I had carried this out with Jason. One Family camp evening we sent each other reeling into the seating after putting too much energy into our swing. This time I was more civilised having undertaken this dance with Esther. This was followed by the traditional line dance. I have never been a great fan of the line dance but as Jason was free again, it was time for goofing. Rather than strictly follow Jerome's excellent leadership, we took a more interpretive approach adding other movements including punching, charging and general hand-to-hand combat to the routine. I thought it added something that was previously missing. Break time finally arrived. The children quickly raided the available supplies of lollie cake and lollipops except for the couple I managed to smuggle into my pockets. We were given a short talk about the work that Heidi is about to do in Tibet, as this evening was in support of her. After the short breather we were right back into it. Another square dance was on the cards and I decided my mum needed to get into the swing of things. This was followed by the final and most difficult square dance of the evening. It required coordination seldom seen in me. But after a couple demonstration runs I thought I had it down pat. Unfortunately the whole team wasn’t so sure about who was doing what were and we often ended in a disorganised shambles. But we got there in the end and the routine ran smoother than it has ever run before. And so ended the square part of the evening. Requests came flooding in for one more birdie dance and the crowd had their way. One last time to jump around and fall over all the crammed masses. I did not let this opportunity go to waste and expended much energy before collapsing on the ever-increasing heap of bodies scattered over the dance floor. On that note the evening came to a close, except for us poor youth responsible for the clean up. This job was made much more difficult when Jason decided to tango with his straw man, leaving this poor man entrails wherever they trod. Reinforcements of the machinery were required to clean up such a mess. The Kirby was called in for the heavy duty decontamination. Two hay bales and 1 hour latter the church was back to near its original state of being. Due to the lack of front row pew sitters being present, an estimate of how the front is arranged was made from the vague recesses of our collective memory. No complaints received so it can’t have been too bad. Battered and bruised we all made our way home for some well deserved rest. Hurrah for the MRCYGBD.

12 Steps Closer

Yesterday I probably had my most successful CD raid ever. I caught the train into welly at 10.30 am on Friday morning. I had previously planned on catching the 7 am train but decided 6 hours pounding the streets would be to much for this poor body to take....and I got to sleep in. I managed to read another couple chapters in my book about the great and grave generals of old and some of the decisive battles they fought. very interesting, so much so that I may even finish the book. shortly after docking at the station, I had hit my first stop, the CD Store. I dont often bother with these stores because they usually charge full price for the CDs I want for cheap. But I had heard of and experienced the goodness of $10 sales at the CD Store chains that they have been running for awhile now, trying to sell off all the CDs they could never sell at full price. It just so happens some CDs on my wanted list fits in this category. At first I was worried that the sale had ended, as I could not see the bins of jumbled cheap CDs. But alas my search was not in vain, as right towards the back of the store I found them decked in all their glory and splendor. I was in their like a fox, sifting through the CDs, hoping that the ones I wanted, or shall I say needed, will be caught in the sieve of my mind. it wasnt looking promising. one table scoured with no result. I was half way through the other table when suddenly my brain recollected a CD and I fingered my way back a couple to find self-titled Cousteau album that I had enjoyed just weeks earlier. I snatched it before anyone else saw it and thought that they would like their hands to be upon it. This extreme care did not prove necessary as two stores latter I found 2 more copies of the same album for $10 as well. that was all I found in that store, slim pickings but better than naught. then I hit THE store for CDs. the one and only $25 single CD store. every town should have one of these. I seized the day and searched for all the single CDs that I wanted from every band I could think off. Thankfully the Elliot Smith 'Figure 8' CD that I had foolishly left sitting there but 6 months ago was still waiting for me to take him home. But again, that was it. I moved but 20 m before hitting another store and made my way through their boxes of cheap CDs. Again I came away with a gem, Swing Out Sister 'Somewhere Deep in the Night'. Was all going well, 3 stores, 3 CDs and a big smile. now I hit cuba st. I searched another CD Store store but came away empty handed. I still had hope, for Slow Boat records and Real Groovy were just in sight. I reached Slow Boat first and again began hunting. all searches ended up fruitless, until peering at the New Arrival Section I caught the corner of my eye, "The Divine....". Upon closer look my greatest hopes were fulfilled, I had found a Divine Comedy CD which I dont own. it was bought that instant and snuck straight into me disc man. now I had reached the climax of my mission. before me was the one and only Real Groovy crammed with hundreds upon thousands CDs to look through. I headed straight for the Alternative section, home to the likes of Elliot Smith, Belle and Sebastian and The Divine Comedy. Unfortunately I found no good cheap CDs in this section. I had to move on. It was time to search every bin of the sale CDs. my usual technique is to begin with the $12 cd section and make my way downwards in money pulling put and clasping tightly to all those I could buy. it is important to not only look at the $10-12 CD section, but also the cheaper ones, as the CD you found in these higher end bins might by found in cheaper bin. I have personally experienced this before, and therefore leave no bin unscanned. by the end of the session, my eyes and brain were fried. they had looked through thousands of CDs and managed to note about 15 possible purchases. my best bin was the $6. boy was it good to me. in one small row I found 'Regeneration' by the Divine Comedy. My heart was racing at this stage as this was an unexpected find. I picked out two other CDs in all the excitement, Steely Dan 'Greatest Hits' and 'Try Whistling This' by Neil Finn the 2 CD version. I was on a roll and picked out a couple other potentials including 'Reveal' by REM and 'Comfort in Sound' by Feeder. Finally after about 1.5 hours I had finished scouting the CD bins and had to decided which CDs to sign up to join my collection. Of the 15 in the pile, I chose 9, making a final total of 12 CDs added in one day. not a bad effort.