'Tis the season

Today the builder came to do a wee job and told us we needed to empty everything out of our bedroom and the children's bedroom, so we started dealing with that, but then a delivery truck arrived with an enormous, gorgeous outdoor table which was a Christmas surprise for me, so we started dealing with that, but then we realised that our backyard was full of bees.

After a day of moving everything out of the two messiest rooms in our house I got pizza for dinner, but to keep with the theme of chaos they gave me the wrong pizzas.

Now, we have gone back and collected the right pizzas and eaten, H & K's room is back together enough for them to sleep in, our room is still empty and covered in dust, the table is on the deck, the bees are hanging out in swarm like a giant strawberry in the neighbours' tree and I've mislaid my glasses.

Fa la la la la la la la la

Special theory of evolution

A small figure in a nightie just appeared at the living room door and said pathetically:

"H doesn't believe that a long time ago people looked like gorillas and lived in cages."

Now it's time for a change

The problem with democracy is that people who don't agree with me get to vote. I hope three years of a National/ACT government will show them the error of their ways.

10 good things about the election

1. I live in a democracy where I have the right to vote, I can vote without intimidation, voting is easy, accessible and popular*, and I am confident that all votes are fairly counted.
   
2. Winston Peters is finally out of parliament \o/
   
3. I voted in H & K's classroom surrounded by their, and their classmates, art.
   
4. There'll be at least two more Green MPs in parliament.
   
5. A fairy queen and a fairy princess came with me to vote.
6. I am now represented by an openly gay MP.
   
7. The way the National party got in was by backing most changes Labour have introduced.
   
8. I'm told there is a better quality of political comedy under right wing governments.
   
9. MMP continues to encourage diversity in parliment. For the first time there will be a Sikh MP.
   
10. I got to use a big fat orange pen.

* 78% turnout of registered voters.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear

Last night we huddled around a laptop and watched Obama make political history in America and then went outside and let of fireworks to mark political history in England. It's not that it is so much a small world as that we are at one end of the binoculars and the USA and UK are at the other.

Treating tricks

A couple of updates:

I have been to the neurological ophthalmologist (because I couldn't get an appointment with a neurologist [backstory here then here]) and he says that my jerky eye tracking is "asymptomatic" and I should only worry if it starts to cause me problems, e.g. nausea. Given that my concern is that it is a symptom of something else this is only partly reassuring. I am trying hard to be reassured as there is no advantage in worrying. He is also going to chat to a neurologist about it and let me know what they say.

---

My plan for world domination is progressing, this year we lured 99 trick or treaters to our door. Last year we had 70. I think next year I should cater for 130.

Sometimes about penguins

I thought it was about time to post something about penguins. I tried looking for a weird penguin fact but the ones I found weren't nearly weird enough. This, however, is:

From here.

Capitalism at play

H waiting for her first visit from the tooth fairy:


Yesterday she lost her second baby tooth. I'm pleased to report this time she just left a flower for the tooth fairy.

Democracy in technicolour

In a couple of weeks there will be an election. I wrote this three years ago during the build up to the last election and I still haven't changed my mind.

The more I think about it the more I am unable to consider voting anything but Green.

I think they were unbelievably stupid creating contraversy around the Meningococcal B vaccination campaign.

But consider global warming.

Seriously.

I mean just for starters think about the Wahine Storm hitting Wellington every year. What about the effects of the sea level rising on the CBD? What about a changing climate on our agriculturally based economy?

Even social welfare spending is a trivial issue by comparison with global warming.

Now you can argue that global warming is a far bigger issue than the NZ government can sort out and that you should use your vote on something more personal. The problem with this is that global warming will get personal. If you believe it is worth voting at all - that your one vote might make a difference, then it is worth believing that your one country might make a difference too.

So - how do the parties stack up? Well, Forest & Bird did a nice summarised evaluation of the parties policies on this and other environmental issues and I'm afraid I don't have it in front of me and I can't remember it all but what I do remember is that the Greens were the only party with two ticks for global warming, Labour got one and National got none.

I am struck at this point by a profusion of silly slogans - Vote for the weather. Vote for the future. Vote for the continuation of the species.

Posted here 30 August 2005.

My favourite thing about New Zealand elections is that you vote with a fat orange felt pen, a clear sign of a serious democracy at work.

The next blank page

My referral was faxed through again. Outpatients booking at the hospital sent it to Neurology. Today I found out Neurology assessed it and cancelled it due to "insufficient information". In September. Today my GP found out when I rang and told her. I asked my GP to refer me privately. She is having trouble finding a private neurologist who is available.

There are many things I love about the New Zealand health system. The fact I, or any other New Zealand resident, should be able to see a Neurologist if their GP thinks it is appropriate without paying a cent is one of them. The underfunded administration is not one.

Testing

I've just set it up so I can post from txt. Neat huh?

Edited to add: it would be neat if it didn't have my phone number as the Title...