Nostalgia

 I had a terrible restlessness when I was in New Zealand. I had to get out. The world was happening and I was missing it. Of course, predictably, now I am filled with a sweet nostalgic longing for New Zealand. Sun drenched pictures of friends on porches drinking wine and looking happy are appearing on my newsfeed and I'm feeling pangs of homesickness. I am returning in April for my brothers wedding and I'm already dreaming about it at night. It will be so strange to 'holiday' in my home country. 

I really love Derek Henderson's pictures of New Zealand. It captures life beyond the big cities, reminding me of my childhood in small town New Zealand. I saw Derek speak at semi permanent a few years back and had a chance to talk to him at the after party. He is a super nice chilled out guy and also does great shoots for Russh. You can check out his website here.

Prize winner

Taking me back to primary school pet days, a lovely spread in volume 46 of ku:nel magazine

Down by the river

I unearthed some pictures yesterday from way back at the end of summer when we drove out to Kaitoke park, lay on the hot rocks, ate eclairs from the french bakery and splashed around in the ice cold river. Bring back summer!

Outside

Today in my lunch break I made a trip out to the hospital with my best friend to visit our other very best friend who has to spend a wee bit of time there. We took her out in a rickety old wheel chair away from the antisepticy rooms to a sunny little lawn spot the hospital had rather strangely called 'the labryinth'. The ground was completely covered in acorns and it was a little bit cold but sunny. We peeled the acorns, threw them at each other and imprinted our fingernails on the softness beneath the hard shell. I was reminded, totally and completely of slightly cold days spent outside a long time ago when there is nothing much to do and you are just fossicing about exploring things with your friends. I remember acorn piles, snipping strange plants to make even stranger bouquets and the story of my friends grandmother who went senile, ate a lily and died from the poison.

Perve nation

    

I love Robert McGinnis and his pervy, sexy, OTT art work. It's all boobs, bikes, guns and the slightest hint of irony. He illustrated over 1200 paperback novels, mainly trashbaggery novels of foul play, mystery and seduction. His more famous works includes film posters for Breakfast at Tiffany's and Barberella

Fascination

My boyfriends brother Adrian is obssesed with balloons. He will Google them. He will YouTube them. He will talk about them. He will seek to find them in every medium available. One afternoon  we sat watching YouTube balloon videos on the computer. There were endless videos of woman rubbing balloons suggestively, popping them with their heels or squatting over them until they popped. Obviously there is a fascination and it seems to drive some viewers over the edge. Adrian's interest is pure at heart, there is no underlying sexual desire for said balloon. He is, in fact, terrified of them and can't stand being around a real blown up balloon for all consuming fear it will loudly pop and give him a fright. To help him conquer his fear he has a shopping bag filled to the brim with unblown balloons. He touches them, he hands some to me, we examine the colours and marvel in all the different types of balloons. Sometimes I suggest that perhaps I should blow one up but he shakes his head furiously and looks at me with eyes that are deeply worried like I have just offered to set the house on fire.

Adrian has Williams Syndrome and his fascination probably stems from this fact. Upon meeting him he was incredibly friendly, loving and what became evident very quickly was that he has a heart of gold. Now that we know each other a bit better I have learned a little bit about the way his mind works, but so much remains a mystery. I think this will always be the case. The way balloons capitvate Adrian, through both fear and fascination is utterly lost on me. I have almost forgotten what it feels like to get really excited about things and have uninhibited enthusiam. Perhaps I am getting old. All I do know is that I need to get this back.

What fascinates you?

ghost limb

I know I've blogged it before but uuuugh maaan alive I miss my polaroid camera! It's currently, very sadly, not in my possession and it's like suffering ghost limb without her.

bitter sweet nostalgia

As odd as it may be, I don't remember much from my childhood, but there are few things I will never forget!

my late nan's incredibly kitsch souvenir teaspoon collection from all over the world

my moose's blue willow collection, her cornish ware collection I now proudly own

those creepy waif like big eyed children prints I had in my bedroom which terrified me! but now I wish I still had ...

my nan's vintage tea cups, but going against my british roots and being a non-tea drinker, I never got to use

The final year

In late 1969 artistic differences between The Beatles had reached boiling point. George Harrison resented the lack of interest in his songs and John and Paul no longer collaborated on songs.  Tension arose over Yoko's presence in the studio, especially when John encouraged Yoko to give feedback.

In '69 they finished making the initial recordings for the songs that would become the albums Let it Be and Abbey Road.

Ghost world

I love Ghost World, it is such a brilliant movie, based on an even more brilliant comic. Daniel Clowes creates a bizaare and intimate comic world where best friends look on at the world, unable to fathom how idiotic the general public can be. This translates beautifully into a film with Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson. Take note, the outfits are incredible! A classic tale of being a misfit and 'coming of age' (ugh I hate that term) Ghost World is a-mazing.

Clues for happiness