These Are a Few of my Favourite Things...

I haven't posted in a while. I'm sort of procrastinating. What better way to burn some minutes then talk about some of the things I'm really into right now...


1. Songs: 'Question' - Ladi6, 'Right as Rain' - Adele, 'Dstryr and Dstryr' - Lostprophets, 'On to the Next One' - Jay Z, 'Nothing on You' - B.O.B ft. Bruno Mars 
2. Colours: Purple and grey (especially together), neutrals (really light pinks and golds)
3. Clothes: Leggings and anything with zips (tops, dresses, etc.)
4. Makeup: au natural - either really natural browns and golds or nothing at all! Although for lips I'm liking a sheer red/plum colour (just got a new Benefit Silky Finish lippy in Fruit Cocktail... yummy sheer sparkly plum).
5. TV Shows: Stargate Universe, Doctor Who (absolutely loving Matt Smith), Most Haunted (just for fun), Private Practice (wasn't much of a Grey's Anatomy fan, but caught myself becoming involved in the spin off...), Brothers and Sisters (also just fell into this one, but I like it)
6. Books: Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation by Urvashi Vaid (it is for my research thesis, but I am really enjoying it. So eye opening. Good read too not like complicated academic mush)
7. Tweeting: its just so damn addictive. Follow me!
8. Food: Pea and Ham soup. Actually addicted. It is so, so, so, so good.
9. Drink: It was Lipton Iced Green Tea for a while, but now I'm back to blue Powerade. It looks so unnatural it must be good for you right?


Nine is a good number to stop. I'm running out of things I'm loving. Plus the rugby is on.
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dailybooth.com

Recently I joined dailybooth.com. It's basically a site where you take a photo of yourself doing whatever you happened to be doing at that particular time (or what you staged yourself doing) and just like twitter, people you follow/follow you and pretty much anyone around the world can comment or post a picture back. It's actually quite a strange experience. I don't know exactly why I joined up. I have 2 followers, one of them is me. To be honest I don't know how I ended up following myself, but my follower count is so pathetic I'd better leave it. It's quite fun to post pictures of yourself and have little snippets of conversation with people half a world away. I mostly post pictures of my make-up looks (although I am quite proud of myself for posting pictures where I am not wearing any make-up which, as those who know me can tell you, is pretty rare). I find these new social-networking sites so intriguing which I guess is one of the reasons I join them (that, and some strange narcissistic need I am fulfilling). It really is a breakdown in boundaries. Social, territorial, you name it... it's broken. On these sites, especially photo sharing ones, there are no territorial constraints, cultural and language barriers don't seem to be an issue. Some people really put their lives out there for everyone to see. I doubt 20 years ago people were sharing their deepest thoughts freely with anyone who cared to see. I think it's pretty wicked that people can connect and converse and be uninhibited by race, nationality, time, language, social class etc. It really is becoming an open world.

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Another Death at Yet Another Funeral?

This confuses the hell out of me.

Death at a Funeral (2007) was an absolutely brilliant British film by director Frank Oz. The story was fantastic. The characters impeccable. The comedic timing bang on. So why on earth do the American's have to remake it? I've never been much of a fan of typical 'American' humour. But there are a few American films that I have enjoyed and some British films I have not enjoyed so I am not totally biased. But Death at a Funeral was such a British film. The script was British. The setting was British. The characters were inescapably British. It worked because it was British. From what I've read of the 2010 American remake I'm sure it will make a complete mockery of the whole thing. Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence? Really? They can be hilarious in their respective comedic fields, but this story doesn't lend itself to their slap stick style. If you've seen the 2007 version you know none of the characters were outwardly funny. The script wasn't necessarily 'comedic', rather the comedy was hidden in the events and circumstances surrounding this family.

I think this remake will be a cheap version of the original. The subtlety and comedic artistry of the first movie will be replaced by mediocrity and cheesy lines in the second.       

If you like smart comedy watch the original.

If you want a crappy American flick... it's out later this year.

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More food for thought...

I was watching Nigella Feasts the other day (I love her!) and she said something that really made me nod my head along... since when did food become classified as 'good' or 'bad'? It's all food. Yes, some foods have bigger fat and sugar content... but if you eat lots of any food you will put on weight. Sometimes you just need some chocolate to keep you sane. Why should you feel bad about it? That's where eating disorders start. Why is it that disorders like bulimia and anorexia are only found in modern 'Westernised' civilisations? Look at how food it advertised and talked about. It's like candy is a walking time bomb or bread is poison. Yet in cultures that are not considered westernised there have been no (to my knowledge/research) recorded cases of eating disorders. Food is fuel. Nourishment. Enjoyment. Families and communities revolve around growing, harvesting and eating. I think we need to chill out on the food talk. We need to slow food down. It needs to be enjoyed, savoured and shared. FOOD IS NOT YOUR ENEMY!



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I don't want to grow up.

I've spent the past week listening to stories from my parents about people they work with or associate with and all I was thinking was aren't adults supposed to have glimpsed some wisdom or understanding, not act in ways reminiscent of their high school years? Stories about petty workmates who do everything to make themselves seem all important and better than anyone and everyone... everything other than actually doing their job. And then their are those workers who employ their own caste system! In NZ... are you kidding me? The people who are 'better' because they have a higher perceived status than others so are allowed to make their lives hell! I can't really go into detail as I don't want to name these people or put my parents into awkward situations... but it really disgusted me. Especially the caste system person. The absolute racism and hate he directed toward one of my dad's good friends who happened to be Māori and a groundsman was staggering. Why are janitors, groundsmen and custodians labelled as stupid, lower class and unintelligent? Some of the ones I have met (and I have also worked as a janitor) have been the wisest and most caring people. So they may not have a university degree. Some of the stupidest people I have met have a PhD. Qualifications may show people you are smart in a particular area but they do not make you more intelligent, wiser or have more common sense than anyone else.

The more I open my eyes to the world, the more I am disillusioned with people's narrow mindedness and hate. But it does make my resolution to treat all people with love and respect all the more important. I MUST COUNTERACT THE NEGATIVITY!

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The Laramie Project

The Laramie Project is a play by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project. It was written in reaction to the 1988 murder of 21-year old student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. He was brutally beaten and left to die alone in a field, simply because he was gay. The play looks at the aftermath of the murder on Matthew's friends and family and the rest of the town. Absolutely stunning, harrowing and thought provoking. You need to see it, read it or watch it (a film was made 2002).

In my 7th form year (2005), my drama class performed the Laramie Project. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I learnt a lot from the play. Introspectively it made me think of prejudices and the absolute hate that some people harbor. And not only individuals, but whole communities. Communities who hide behind religion in the sexual orientation debate. That really baffles me. I was brought up Catholic. For a short while I was involved in Evangelical Christian community. But not once did I ever think that those who were gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender were evil, possessed or diseased human beings. I only use that terminology as a lot of the talk surrounding these issues were discussed in terms of evil spirits or mental illness (so was depression which is another, yet just as ridiculous, story). I guess I just don't understand the religious movements that attempt to convert the whole world, that is their mission. Any means necessary. If they don't, it makes them unworthy. Yet the Catholic values I learnt growing up, and keep with me now even though I am no longer a practicing Catholic, were of acceptance, love, peace. It scares me how you can twist messages of humanity, forgiveness and love into discrimination, hate and condemnation. Matthew Shepard was my age. A student. A friend. A son. He was killed because of one characteristic he had that someone didn't agree with. I can't bring myself to believe that an all powerful and ever-loving God would condone violent actions (both words and behaviour) and look graciously on those who hate and hurt people with such a vengeance.

There needs to be a lot more love and peace. A LOT more.

Be happy that you have found God, spirituality and understand your place in the universe.

Let others find their place in peace.

The Matthew Shepard Foundation

http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer

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Starbollocks Coffee...

Oh Starbucks, you make me laugh. Not that you make me happy (your 'coffee' is crap), rather laugh in a cynical disapproving way. I just read a tweet that is making the rounds at the moment about World Aids Day. Obviously a very important topic which I am extremely glad is a well supported and acknowledged issue. (RED) is a well known campaign with many endorsements from celebrities like Bono (U2) to clothing companies like Converse and (this is where the laughing comes in) Starbucks. Starbucks' A Gift of Hope project will donate money when you buy their coffee. Their "Love Project" is a beautiful and ornate campaign with white peace cranes, wishing for love and hope this Christmas for those in Africa with HIV Aids. I only laugh at the irony of this. Yes, support the Aids cause. Definitely. But Starbucks, what about the hundreds of thousands of people in third world countries you have displaced from their homes and livelihoods? Did you forget about them? You know, the families who had been self-sufficient with their land and crops, supporting many generations. The whole communities you forced into bankruptcy and poverty, eventually taking their land and monocropping it. The families who were forced into slums, the children who you forced onto the street just so you could cheaply grow and crop your coffee beans. Remember those guys? The ones you and the IFC's suckered into getting a loan from you (as you increased the prices and tariffs on essential items) but then made repayments so high they lost everything. The same people you occasionally let harvest the crop for money and VERY generously paid them about 3 cents for every bag of beans they harvested.

They don't deserve a mention at Christmas? They don't deserve a prayer, wish or good will thought during the holiday season?

So when you buy your grande soy mocha latte and smile as you support the fight against aids, perhaps you should also spare a thought for the people you are condemning to poverty.

I know I'm thinking about them.

Why not lend your support to corporations that actually help.

Greenpeace, Red Cross, Oxfam.

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