Vigilante

24 August 2008: Last week, Christchurch welcomed the 6th most powerful woman in the world of 2004, US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

This week, the Auckland University Students Association is offering a $5000 reward for a citizen's arrest of the 1st most powerful woman in the world of 2004, US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

Feet Drift

Relaxing in Hokitika.

Image from: jackie

Revolution

19 July 2008: Here's the scene from a West Coast birthday bash in a backyard tent:

Country blokes standing in a line, gripping their beer, and looking bored. Across from them, the drunken birthday girl drags defenseless family and friends onto the dance floor for a creative version of the can-can.

In one corner, rests an entire lamb roast and carnage in pieces. In the adjacent corner, the massive lamb oven radiates beside a sizable pool teeming with ice and alcohol.

And then - suddenly - a dancer leaves the dance floor to leap and swing around a tent pole. Inside twirling leg tucked, outside leg straight. A smooth revolution.

The effect was like turning a switch. The country blokes are now gripping their beers, with smiles beaming...

And to my complete amusement, then the entire drunken hoard gave it a go - drunken birthday girl, drunken environmental conservationists, drunken country mothers, and drunken overweight blokes. All trying to grab the main tent pole to swing over a table.

The poor table didn't stand a chance. No one but the trained pole dancer could clear the table, let alone the floor!

She did a encore quadruple swing over the crushed, 3-legged remains. I lost my voice laughing.

Image from: jackie

Supreme

18 August 2008: Today I had a chat with former Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.

Here's a press statement: O'Connor is in Christchurch as an Eric Hotung Fellow after retiring from the Supreme Court in 2005. Hotung donated $HK1 million ($NZ185,000) to Canterbury University in 2005 to bring lawyers of international standing to the city and enhance the profile of the school.

She's been giving a series of law seminars: Rule of law around the world, Reflections from the US Supreme Court, and Guantanamo Bay: Legal black hole?

After today's talk, I introduced myself as a fellow American, shook her hand, and welcomed her to New Zealand. She was pleasantly surprised and asked what everyone else asks me: Why are you here?!

I told her it's the same reason she was brought here: funding.

Image from: the press

Precious

10 July 2008: Krissy (high school classmate and volleyball teammate) has been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

MDS is a primary bone marrow condition, where her bone marrow does not produce normal blood cells. The condition is otherwise known as "preleukemia".

Typically diagnosed in 60+ year old men, Krissy is a vibrant 25 year old woman. Her treatment requires a bone marrow transplant. Complicated still by needing to find a tissue match given her mixed Asian and Caucasian heritage.

Attached, please find her letter to high school classmates and an article in the newspaper. She is calling for people to register with the National Bone Marrow Transplant Registry.

I am going to register, if I can from overseas. Details of the registration, commitment, and donation procedure can be found here.

Much love and good health.

Love,
Jackie

image from: krissy

30

09 July 2008: Happy Birthday Jennifer!

image from: aprille

Well

06 July 2008: World Youth Day rally at Christ the King Parish welcomes the pilgrims from New Caledonia.

Sr. Deborah of the Beatitudes addresses the pilgrims (in French) and - as usual - I cry (in Spanish). The woman truly knows the meaning of beauty and praise.

Other highlights included the New Caledonians joining hands around the New Zealand residents and singing the Our Father.

And after more prayers and songs, we're left to socialize. I break the ice by examining cultural differences. Do the New Caledonians, like the French, utilize a fourth item in rock-paper-scissors, namely, the well?

After a good amount of translation and laughing. I introduce the pilgrims to bear-ninja-cowboy. Priceless.

image from: not much about something

Front

05 July 2008: Happy Birthday Small!

I plowed my 4wd through the snow and up the hills to join in the celebrations. The wind was howling - and so was I - with crippling back pain.

Sadly, I will have to hang up the bicycle this week.

image from: geoftheref

Second

04 July 2008: An invitation for an American/New Zealand crossover celebration at Kolbe House:

Join us at Kolbe House after mass for a lunch party to celebrate the 4th of July (it's an American thing) and also the 5th anniversary of Fr John's ordination (it's a Catholic thing). There will be plenty of hot dogs, apple pie and some beer.

Dr Peter Field (UC History Dept) will give a short talk on John Adams, 2nd president of the United States and hero of the American Revolution. There will also be a presentation in honour of Fr John Adams.

Upon leaving, I ask Ken for a high five goodbye. I lean in. He laughs, puts up his hand and smashes forward - missing my face by a few inches. We try again, this time connecting far from square.

- Never do that with a blind man.
- We'll practice, Ken.

image from: sullivan-county

Welcome

03 July 2008: Happy Birthday baby Oscar!

Congratulations Mama Stephanie and Papa Frank!

image from: Frank