Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Losing the vote

Actually, having it cancelled. Is that a good description? Maybe "from it's mother's womb untimely ripped" is a better phrasing.

To explain, the Region Council of Canterbury (ECan) just got fired so a new bunch of National cronies could be appointed in their place. This process took one day. New elections are going to be who knows when, certainly not this year when the local authority elections are meant to take place. Possibly not ever: the National/Act philosophy seems to be summed up in the phrase: "Keeping Democracy As Far Away From You As Possible."

Yeah, I'm kind of pissed about this.

For your viewing pleasure, some rhetoric from one of the MPs opposed.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Round Trip

Today I had to go to Palmerston North to spend a day talking to some people. Since the office was 50m from the train station, and I refused to drive the work ute offered to me, I took the Overlander train there and back again. Observations: train crew were massively good value,* the food has upgraded to Wishbone meals, and spending an hour waiting for the train at Palmerston North station is very tedious. Had a very productive day, and am now quite thoroughly tired.

G'night.

* I mean, seriously, they weren't just maintaining a cheerful good temper on a 14 1/2 hour round trip that had to stop for an hour part way there because of a serious incident on the line (nothing to do with train or track operation, a people thing) they did it with style, looking out for little old ladies and offering to carry the bags of a mother with a young baby and make calls to check there were rides for people.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Tonight, we shall make Calzone!

From scratch. It was yummy.

There's this thing about me. Baking, I'm fine with, I've been doing it since I was a kid. But anything to do with yeast hits my Advanced Science buttons and I feel like I'm tinkering with a chemistry set wondering when it's going to explode.

No explosions, just tasty tasty goodness.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Amazing Technicolour Dream Bruises. Or Something Like That.


This is the most ghastly looking image. The bruise on my left leg, I think, is from the rail of my bike; the scratches on my right shin are from the pedal.

Also impressive and a bit sorer, this was also from the bike rail (basically got broadsided and got more damage from being tangled in the bike than hitting the ground.)

Least impressive and most sore (although the bruise has developed some since yesterday.) I think this is where I got hit by the van. The sore area is all around the big muscle at the top of my arm (deltoid I think) and has been making raising my arm above a certain point difficult. This has been getting better over the course of the day.

Anyway, if you're going to have a major accident that you lived to talk about, you might as well brag about it, right? Went cycling again today, hopefully will feel less gunshy in a bit. A pox on drivers!

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Dear Diary

Today, I got run over.

Collision on the Hutt Rd heading to Kaiwharawhara with an idiot driver coming out a drive who was checking for cars, but not cyclists who might be nefariously cycling along the cyclelane, minding their own business. Suddenly realising that you're lying on the road with your legs tangled in your bike, with oncoming traffic, bleeding, is Not Fun. (Am basically alright, but feeling sore and sorry for myself, with some exciting looking bruises.)

Fortunately, am now at home, showered, pyjamaed, and eating dinner. Pictures of the glorious technicolour bruises and accompanying grazes to follow when I get them off Repton's phone.