So i am not the only Sperling whose life should be made into a comic strip

The Greenbelt Chase - M106 Radio

So my sister Tracey, is friends with a radio show host in Boise, Idaho. On Sunday afternoon, the two of them decided to go for a bike ride along the 'Greenbelt" in Boise. The Greenbelt is a really neat path that goes around the entire city. You can get anywhere, in Boise, on a bike, in like ten minutes.

The above link, proves that i am not the only Sperling that attracts complete disasters into her life.

I feel so much better.

My stomach is now sore, from laughing, after hearing this story. The thought of my sister on her ten speed, towing my nephew along in a cart, with skateboarders - one in a bikini - chasing her and screaming "I'm going to kill your kid biarrrtccchhhh!" at the top of their lungs, has amused me immensely this morning.

The radio host friend talked about this episode on the radio the other day, and apparently half of Boise witnessed it.

Who would have imagined, that someone i am related to could attract this kind of drama? Who would have imagined my sister, giving scary people the finger and calling them idiots? I am sure that i would have been so much more restrained than that.

I am reminded right now, of 'Aiden the shithead" from VTNZ in East Tamaki.

Ha. Crack. Up!

Do You Want to Be Healed?

'Jesus said..."Pick up your mat and walk."' John 5:8 NIV

Jon Walker writes, 'Long ago...I was diagnosed with clinical depression and began the hard work of deep, lasting, in-Jesus recovery. One day Jesus asked me, "Do you want to be healed?" ...It seemed like such a ridiculous question...but I knew what He meant. Was I willing to do the hard work of facing painful situations, uncovering bitterness, and admitting to deep, resentful anger; was I willing to give up stubborn excuses that allowed me to stay the same...seeing my sickness as more secure than my health? Was I willing to...let God be God, and admit that I can't, but He can; or would I insist on...holding myself in a cycle of helplessness and hopelessness?

When Jesus asked an invalid of 38 years, "Do you want to be healed?" the question swept...through 2000 years, and into the shadows of my soul... the Great Healer holding out help, acutely aware that we can't, but God can, knowing this to be true because He was walking towards the only way to re-create us whole and healthy...the road to Calvary.

Like our own steps of faith, the first step was surely the hardest... this man had 38 years of experience telling him his legs wouldn't support him...and no experience trusting Jesus. It took courage, energy and pain to take the first step. Jesus didn't enslave the man; He liberated him, empowering him with choice, and independence from his fears. Paralysed in confusion and fear, the question remains: Do you want to be healed? Will you do what God says? Will you pick up your mat and make godly choices? Will you step into faith and away from fear?'

Love it.

What i am not loving right now, is that it is so cold this morning, that my fingers are stiff and i am struggling to type.

I have just now decided that winter is the worst season to be single. A warm bod to snuggle up to right now, instead of a laptop and a hot water bottle that is either so hot that it burns me - or is luke warm and rapidly turning cold, are just not working out for me. so much. Right. Now.

Back later - when my fingers have thawed.

Former Olympian arrested in Queenstown

High-profile sports identity arrested for assaulting woman

Police have arrested a high-profile sporting personality after he allegedly punched a woman in the face at a Queenstown nightclub last night.

The man was charged with one count of assault and was due to appear in Alexandra District Court this afternoon, Queenstown police Sergeant Brian Cameron told NZPA.

The incident happened after a celebrity party for the Queenstown Winter Festival at Ballarat Trading Company.

Mr Cameron said police were still speaking to the victim and witnesses.

Ballarat Trading Company operations manager Brad Bell confirmed there was an incident but said he did not know who had been charged.

"As far as I am aware the police have someone in custody...they're still investigating the matter," Mr Bell told NZPA.

He said the restaurant was going through video footage to establish exactly what happened.

Hmmmm - if history is anything to go by - no one is going to need three guesses to work out who this is.

Really.

Huh?

The Banker, The Escorts, and the $18 Million

I am so, so, so tired tonight. I just want to go to sleep, but i can't because i am dying to see this week's Inside New Zealand documentary - The Banker, The Escorts, and the $18 Million.

I took a huge interest in this story, back when he was originally arrested, and the whole scandal broke. Part of the reason i was so interested in the story was because i have always been pretty sure that i know who the middle aged prostitute, with the husband, and teenage daughter from Karaka is. I watched this story, for some detail that might be disclosed, to confirm my suspicions. That detail never came, but i am still sure that i know who she is.

The other reason i followed this story, was because i just could not fathom what grounds The ASB Bank had for suing her.

It had been established that she did not blackmail him, therefore any money that she had received from him would have been given to her, by Stephen Versalko, in exchange for her services. That is entirely legal.  Being a self employed sex worker means that she was able to set whatever rate she wanted to charge for her services. I didn't at the time, and still don't, see where The ASB, or anyone else has the right to say that she did not earn that money. There is no schedule of fees anywhere in the Prostitution Reform Act. A prostitute has the right to charge whatever she thinks she is worth, and if there are men, like Stephen Versalko out there, that are willing to pay it, and she provides the services that he is paying her for - then where are the legal grounds to sue her?

I know part of The ASB's argument, and a lot of people are of the opinion that the money that he paid her was obtained illegally, therefore was not his, in the first place to pay her. How was she to know that? If every hooker out there that has earned money, and been paid that money by a dodgy client who obtained the money illegally was able to be sued to pay it back, our courts would be clogged for the next hundred years.

The ASB were very selective regarding going after this woman. I don't think i read anywhere, that they intended to sue the Vineyards where he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on expensive wines, the lawyers that he spent $600 thousand on, or the airlines that he used to fly around the world on either  - despite them also being paid with money that was obtained illegally. Why not?

The ASB sued this woman because they thought she was an easy target, and because she had been smart with the money. I notice they only went after one of the two prostitutes that Versalko had paid a large sum to. The second one was probably not quite as clever, and had wasted it on drugs - like most hookers do - so the ASB didn't bother with her.

This is a really interesting story, on so many different levels. It is a shame that the result of the lawsuit has been suppressed. I would love to know how it was settled.

Now i am just waiting for ACC to have issues with prostitutes claiming 80% of their incomes when they have an "accident" and can no longer work. It had been my plan at one stage, to pay taxes on my rather large income for a couple of years - then have an accident that would mean i could no longer have sex - just to see how ACC handled that. I really am surprised that some prostitute out there has not been smart enough to try that on yet. The possibilities are endless re how prostitutes could use the Reform Act, and paying tax, to their benefit.

Back to waiting for my exciting hour in front of the TV!

Related -

ASB suing Versalko's $2.4 million prostitute

And the Versalko saga continues

Ian Wishart - Marketing Murder

Boycotting Kahui twins book misguided

"If I believed Macsyna was responsible it would be in the book. The book contains the name of the person Macsyna believes killed the twins. I put to her another couple of options in the questions. "There are options, but let's just say people will see what the options are when the book is released."

It offered "very important" new information, which he would not reveal ahead of publication.

He said that during the court case and current coroner's inquest, police and defence lawyers followed a certain line and there were some people who were scared to talk because they might incriminate themselves.

Wishart said he asked Ms King questions on issues that might not have seemed relevant to the police and lawyers.

He would not reveal the questions or her answers but said Ms King told him she had never been asked those questions before.

That is all this is about. Ian Wishart is using the media to market the murder of two little babies. I am now left wondering if there is anything that Ian Wishart won't do for money?

I have an idea for Ian.

Instead of trying to line his pockets with money from the hideous abuse, and deaths of two innocent lives- how about he take the 'new information' that he is saying he has (yet refuses to reveal, in the hope that people might be sick enough to buy his book) to the police, where it belongs?

Maybe this new information that he has obtained from Macsyna King, who regardless of whether or not she metted out any of the violence that her children suffered from, is just as responsible because she was too busy smoking crack, and rooting to protect them, might really do a favour for our society, and finally enable justice to be done for Chris and Cru Kahui.

THAT is what our society needs. We do NOT need to hear a "Once were warriors" sob story full of Macsyna King's excuses.

Every business that stocks this book should be boycotted. That is the last comment that i am going to make regarding this. Even talking about this, is free advertising for Ian Wishart, Macsyna King, and their sick book.

My blog won't be used for that, and to repeat a comment that someone made on my Facebook page yesterday - "I wouldn't wipe my ass with this book."

If Macsyna King cared at all, about the lives of her children, or justice being done, the police would already have all the information that she was / is able to give.

The End.

How to Have a Personal Revival - 2

'...Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.' Psalm 80:18 NKJV     

AW Tozer gives us four more steps to personal revival that we must take:

(1) Bring your life into accord with such Scriptures as are designed to instruct us in the way of righteousness. An honest man with an open Bible, a pad and a pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly. I recommend that self-examination be made on your knees, rising to obey God's commandments as they are revealed to us.

(2) Be serious-minded. You can well afford to see fewer shows on TV. Unless you can break away... every spiritual impression will continue to be lost to your heart. The...world used to go to the movies to escape serious thinking about God. You would not join them there, but you now enjoy spiritual communion with them in your own home. The devil's ideals, moral standards and mental attitudes are being accepted by you without your knowledge.

(3) Deliberately narrow your interests. Too many projects use up time and energy without bringing us nearer to God.

(4) Have faith in God. Begin to expect. Look up toward the throne where your Advocate sits at the right hand of God. All of Heaven is on your side. God will not disappoint you.

The Psalmist writes, 'Restore us...and we shall be saved' (Psalm 80:19 NKJV)! You say, 'Saved from what?' From ourselves! Saved from the influences that pull us away from God and towards this world. Saved to fulfil the purposes for which we have been redeemed and called into His Kingdom. If you desire it, you can have a personal revival.

5 - Always get 8 hours of sleep every night,

I can't function properly without 8 hours of sleep every night, these days. God only knows what the appeal of P was, when all it did was make me stay awake. I can't imagine anything worse, than taking something that would disrupt the love affair that i have with sleeping, these days.

I'm not at the top of my game today, after having to drive into town at 3am. In fact, i slept in until my phone rang and woke me up. Luckily, the person who was ringing me, is someone that i will never be too tired to talk to.

Right - i am hours late starting my day. I have some major catching up to do, and Jorgia and I are going op shopping after school. My girls are totally digging op shops at the moment.  Initially they mocked the idea of even setting foot in one. Now they can't get enough. Not only can i afford to buy them things from op shops - i could wander around them all day, looking for bargains. There are lots of rich people out there, that throw out some amazing stuff.

I love it.

Back later.

Let it flow | Tears

Tears are as natural to us as breathing and there is beauty

in allowing yourself to be open to the pain of tears.

How wonderful it feels to give in and let tears flow when we are overwhelmed with emotions, whether we are happy or sad. Tears come from the soul, from our well of feelings rising from deep down. When we give in to the prickling behind our eyes and the lump in our throat to let teardrops fall from our eyes, we allow our feelings to surface so they can be set free.

Proud parents shed tears of pride in a child’s accomplishments, a baby’s first step, birthdays, and graduations. Long lost friends fall into each other’s arms, tears rolling down their cheeks when they reunite after years of separation. Tears may flow from us when we are witness to a commitment being made at a wedding or even while we are watching a love story. Tears of relief may spring forth from our eyes when we hear that a loved one has survived an ordeal, and tears may fall when we bow our head in sorrow over a loss or death. Tears born from heartache can flow like they’ll never cease, whether our tears are for a love that is over, a friendship lost, or an opportunity missed. We shed tears because of disappointment in ourselves, tragedy in the world, pain, and illness. Tears of anger can burn with emotion as they fall down our faces. Tears offer us a physical release of our feelings.

Shedding tears can sometimes make us feel better, although it can feel like the tears will never end once the floodgates are open. There is no shame in letting tears flow freely and frequently. Tears are as natural to us as is breathing. There is beauty in allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to shed tears. Open up, release your tears, and let your feelings flow. ~ The Daily OM

I have no problem whatsoever in the area of crying, or tears. I cry at every bloody thing. It is beyond ridiculous.

It is 4am and i am wide awake. It's been awhile since i was wide awake at 4am.

Billy had a party to go to, in town tonight. I drove him, and his friend into the city early in the evening. I dropped them off at an apartment building, that just happened to be down a road that has bad memories for me. It was really hard, watching my son and his friend get out of my car, and wander off with their boxes of beer, knowing what kind of people are lurking around that area.

I had promised Billy that i would not lecture him about keeping himself safe in town, and how much i worry, in front of his friend. So i just had to shut my gob for once, and watch them wander off, while i sat in my car, thinking how the last time i was sitting in a car on that particular little back street off Symonds Street - i was purchasing drugs.

It's funny how little things can be such huge reminders. I had told Billy that if he needed picking up at any time tonight, to just ring me. So at 3am, i was up and out the door, to go collect him, and his friend. Just driving at that time of night, brought back lots of bad memories. It was worth it though. The boys are back, safe and sound.

I say the "boys"...they are 20. Anyone would think they were 12 - the way i worry. I was laughing with some friends tonight, about what we were doing when we were Billy's age. Heck, i was already his mother, by the time i was his age. My mother had absolutely no idea where i even lived, and i spent every night out with the friends that i was laughing with tonight - drinking - every chance we got.

I am glad that my kids are not like i was, and that i am not like my mum was.

Right - back to sleep for me - hopefully.

Lactating woman arrested for spraying officer

Lactating woman arrested after spraying officers

For once - words failed me, so i just have to steal a quote off a very witty friend of mine.

It could have been an accident though, you know. When those puppies get full, they have a mind of their own.

Right - Words. Fail. Me.

I am glad that Alasdair Thompson is keeping his job

Alasdair Thompson keeps his job

So what he said was a little bit silly, and not worded very well - but it is true. Women do take time off to have babies. Women do take on average 24 % more sick leave than men.

I am all for equal rights. Equal pay for equal productivity, regardless of gender, or anything else. If you have taken 5 years off to raise babies, then you are not going to have been as productive to any employer, as someone who has not. That has nothing to do with gender - it has to do with choosing to take time off.

Women and men are different. This is a fact of life. Why women want to be exactly like men is just beyond me. Enjoy our differences, and be grateful that we can do some things that no man can do - like give birth.

The weirdest thing about this whole saga, was the reaction from tampon throwing feminists, and the dishonest, and unbalanced reporting that it received from some of the media.





...a bit of humour for all the tampon throwers out there.

One Nixon - Free to an even average home

Seriously. I turn my back for 5 minutes and his paws have covered my white duvet, and my white couches in muddy paw prints.

HE KNOWS BETTER.

I wonder if Danny would mind if i un-stole him right. About. Now.

I could do a really nice 'Sorry for stealing YOUR dog' note, and drop Nixon at his Dad's place. I wonder how well that would go down?

Nixon - Purebred Cocker Spaniel - current cost -  about 12k, and counting. Value - hmmmm.

OK so maybe we don't agree on everything...

Mr Twin has never heard of Matchbox 20...OR...Rob Thomas, and doesn't really seem all that interested in them / him either.

It would appear that we have different taste in music.

How could this be???

Ian Wishart and Macsyna King - One book that i won't be reading

'Most hated mother' to release tell all book

I cannot believe this. I don't know about any of you, but if i had suspicion surrounding me, regarding the deaths of my children, Ian Wishart is the LAST person that i would go to in order to convince people that i was innocent, or to gain any form of understanding or sympathy from the public.

None of us will ever know for sure who killed the Kahui twins. One thing is for certain though, no one who came into contact with them during their short lives deserved to have been blessed with them. Not their P using mother who did not have any of her other children in her care. Not their immature father who was only just out of his teens when they were born. Certainly not any of the extended family who did absolutely nothing to protect little Chris and Cru Kahui while they were alive, but then went to great lengths to protect the person or people who caused their deaths.

I don't want to read one word that  Macsyna King has to say, and i will be damned if one cent of my money will ever go towards anyone making money off the murder of those babies.

I struggle to understand why anyone would actually purchase this book. I hope Ian Wishart has spent a lot of money publishing it - for it to just sit on the shelves at The Warehouse collecting dust and destined to eventually end up in the big 3 for $18 dollar bargain bins that i have to manoeuvre my trolley around whenever i have a pathetic enough reason to visit that place.

Ian Wishart - you are an even bigger weirdo and lower than i had previously considered you to be. Before you write a book it pays to make sure that there is someone out there that doesn't mind their money going to someone who is doing nothing more than trying to make a profit off of the murder of two little babies.

Macsyna King couldn't garner sympathy from me if she got Mother Teresa to write her story.

A tell-all book by the mother of the Kahui twins is set to be released as the coroner's inquest into the babies' deaths enters its final phase.

Chris and Cru Kahui died of traumatic head injuries in 2006. Their father Chris Kahui was acquitted of their murders.

Today, the long running coroner's inquest into their deaths resumed for the third time, as the twins' mother Macsyna King prepares to release a new book penned by journalist Ian Wishart.

The story of the woman dubbed the country's 'most hated mother' is set to hit shelves when the inquest into her babies deaths is done.

Few details of the story will be revealed before the book is published but an excerpt reveals her anger at the person she blamed for the death of the boys.

"Back in the critical care unit was the target of her fury. 'I wanted to do to him what he did to our babies'" it says.

The book's description claims by the end of reading it "you'll be able to judge for yourself who killed the Kahui twins".

Several attacks

Baby brothers Chris and Cru Kahui may have been the subject of several episodes of violence that led to their deaths, the inquest heard today.

An international panel of four medical experts has been giving its findings into the death of the twins.

Dr Patrick Kelly said the twins probably had their heads slammed into a surface deliberately as the force involved in the injuries was well outside the range of any normal handling of a child of that age.

He also said the twins could have been the subject of a number of attacks.

"It's possible they could have experienced more than one episode," he said.

"I don't think we can conclude that what we saw was one incident. It's clear the signs of head injury that were detected at Starship absolutely indicated very severe head injury, but did it all occur at the same time?"

Kelly said the multiple rib fractures sustained by the twins also indicated that they had been squeezed.

The panel of medical experts from New Zealand, Australia and the United States is trying to establish a timeline of events to try and determine who is to blame for the death of the twin boys.

Dr Carole Jenny, a professor of paediatrics from the US, told the inquest the boys' injuries were likely to have been sustained after 2pm the day before they were taken to hospital.

She said they would not have fed normally if their injuries were sustained before then.

"The infant that was noted to have a normal feeding at two in the afternoon would not have experienced the degree of seriousness of head injury that he showed when entering the hospital the next day before that feeding," she said.

"After a head injury or even after any form of brain damage, particularly in new-borns and very young children, feeding is a critical first loss, and often that's how we realise the baby is brain damaged."

The Court also heard the babies were only being fed once every six hours, were dehydrated, and may have been in a coma before being taken to hospital.

Jenny said their fate was sealed because no one sought help immediately.

The inquest heard the night before they were taken to hospital, one of the twins stopped breathing but was revived and no further help was sought.

Their father was found not guilty of their murders in 2008 after a lengthy trial.

The inquest, at Auckland District Court, is being carried out by coroner Garry Evans.

The previous leg of the inquest saw Kahui speak about the death of his sons for the first time in public.

He told the inquest then that he blames the twins' mother for causing their injuries.

The hearing is expected to last all week.

How to Have a Personal Revival - 1

'...Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.' Psalm 80:18 NKJV

The Psalmist prayed, 'Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.'

Almost a century ago, AW Tozer laid out the steps that lead to personal revival. Some of the language may be outdated, but the principles still work today.

First, get thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself. Complacency is the enemy of spiritual progress. A complacent soul is a stagnant soul. Secondly, set your face like a flint towards a sweeping transformation of your life. Timid experimenters are tagged for failure before they start. We must throw our whole soul into our desire for God. Thirdly, put yourself in the way of blessing. It's a mistake to expect God's help to come as a windfall apart from conditions known and met. There are plainly marked paths which lead straight to the green pastures; let us walk in them. To desire revival, for instance, and at the same time neglect prayer and devotions, is to wish one way and walk another. Fourthly, do a thorough job of repenting. Do not hurry to get it over with. Hasty repentance means shallow spiritual experience and lack of certainty in the whole life. Let godly sorrow do her healing work. Until we allow the consciousness of sin to wound us, we will never develop a fear of evil. Finally, make restitution wherever possible. If you owe a debt, pay it, or at least have a frank understanding with your creditor about your intention to pay, so your honesty will be above question. If you have quarrelled with anyone, go as far as you can in an effort to achieve reconciliation.

I tried to house hunt yesterday. I really did. I have finally decided that i need to get my unmotivated butt moving, and get us out of this unhealthy home / situation that we are living in. I was reminded fairly quickly though, of why i dread even looking. There is nothing in the Howick area, that is any better than where we currently are, for under $500 bucks a week. Since i don't see the point in moving, unless it is to somewhere better than where we currently are - i found nothing to look at.

How are single people supposed to afford 25 k a year in rent, on their own? How can landlords justify charging such high rents for absolute dumps? It is not like Howick is even all that great of a place to live. In all honesty - i can't stand Howick. It is miles away from everything, and anything. It takes half an hour just to get on the bloody motorway, from Howick.

I don't like Howick, or how expensive it is to live here.

I am wondering how the girls would handle it, if i told them i was considering moving further away from their friends and school. Nicole would have an absolute fit, i think. Not that it should matter to her, because it is not like she walks anywhere anyway.

Ugh - house hunting depresses me - almost as much as living in this moldy dump does.

Greed is gross, and ugly. Landlords charging $500 a week for standard 3 bedroom boxes is greedy.

Anyway - back to it today. Something good will come our way.

Someone remembered how much i love Rob Thomas

...and sent me this today.

Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVE this.



I used to say that Rob Thomas was the only person in the world that i would ever give up my single status for.

Now, i will just say that he is the only person in the world that i would ever consider marriage again for.

All day breakfast should be illegal

Either that, or skinny jeans should come with a built in release button.

God Will Surprise You

'See, I am doing a new thing...' Isaiah 43:19 NIV
     

Can you imagine Moses' surprise when God talks to him from a burning bush? As doors shut without explanation, Paul is surprised by a man from Macedonia calling to him in a vision: '...come over here and help us' (Acts 16:9 TLB).

Well, He's still the God of surprises who says, 'See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?' Ah, there's the challenge - our perception. We fail to recognise God at work! Maybe you're saying, 'I've prayed, claimed God's promises, done all I know to do, yet nothing seems to be working for me.' Then try this promise: 'Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you...' (Isaiah 30:18 KJV).

Notice the word 'wait'. God has a plan and a timetable. 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails' (Proverbs 19:21 NIV). Even when your plans flounder, if your heart's right God will still make things turn out for your good and His glory.

When it comes to God's guidance, here are some things you need to know. First, ideas go away, but His direction stays. There's persistence in His leading; that's why time is on your side. Secondly, His direction is impossible to follow without His help. He plans it that way. '...without Me you can do nothing' (John 15:5 NKJV). Thirdly, His direction usually begins with discomfort. Like 'an eagle that stirs up its nest... The Lord...led him...' (Deuteronomy 32:11-12 NIV). A baby eagle is shocked when its mother forces it out of the nest. But that's when it 'finds its wings'. Think about it!

I love it. More than a couple of times, over the past couple of weeks, i have sat here wondering to myself why it is that things still seem hard, even though i have tried so hard to change myself, be a good person, and always do the right thing. I guess this is God answering that question for me.

It is too cold to type. I have been lying in bed awake for ages, too cold to move. The feeling of being freezing woke me up, and i have been lying in bed, still tired, but unable to move or go back to sleep because i am too flipping cold.

There is something wrong in this world, when a person wakes up in the morning and can see their own breath, as they breathe from what should be the comfort of their bed!

I have managed to fill my hot water bottle, and am going back to sleep.

Dishonest journalism from Campbell Live

and why Alasdair Thompson should refer it to the BSA

Here’s a little quiz: Who said this?

“I believe that in life most women are more productive totally than most men. I absolutely believe that. When you take into account the things that women do in their lives compared to most men. They often do all the arranging of the finances for the whole family, they run the household, they care for the children, they do all manner of things and they go to work. Their total productivity in life, in my opinion, is higher than most men.”

The answer? Alasdair Thompson. Where? In an interview with Mihingarangi Forbes for Campbell Live.

How come you didn’t know that? Because that part of the interview wasn’t shown on the programme. In fact only 4’18” of this 27 minute interview was shown.

Watch the entire Campbell Live interview with Alasdair Thompson.

Watch the broadcast edit that Campbell Live actually showed on TV.

...and make up your own mind regarding how honest, or ethical John Campbell is.

Samson and Delilah

'...Samson went down...' Judges 14:1 NKJV
     

Samson lost everything for several reasons.

First, wrong relationships. When God says 'no' to a relationship He's not being punitive, He's being protective. 'But I feel so good when I'm with them,' you say. God sees where the road leads, you don't! It's better to want what you don't have than end up with what you can't handle.

Secondly, wilful disobedience. Three times we read, 'Samson went down.' And each time he got more entangled with Delilah ! So, is this relationship taking you up or down? The poet wrote, 'My old companions fare you well; I will not go with you to hell.' The Bible says that 'Samson went down' to Timnath and married a Philistine girl, breaking God's law. And even though she betrayed him '...the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men...' (Judges 14:19 NKJV). Perhaps Samson thought God would excuse him because he was 'special'. No, 'He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed...' (Proverbs 29:1 NKJV). Repent, before you run out of time!

Thirdly, misplaced confidence. '[Delilah] said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke...and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down...' (Judges 16:20-21 NKJV).

Speaking of destructive and wrong relationships

Ew, is all i have to say about that article, really. How is that even remotely newsworthy? Does anyone actually care about one thing that was said in that article?

Oh well - at least i am not referred to as "Former P addict and prostitute..." This is the second time i have gotten a mention in the Herald, without that description. Thank you Bevan.

Maybe, i am finally losing that tag.

One of these days, i might be in the news, for something that i am actually proud of.

Unfortunately, today is not that day.

Dear Slutwalk Protester

You probably are not going to have to worry about getting it.

Hundreds of Kiwis protest in slutwalk

What the hell IS that?

I have written about what i think of this slutwalk protest previously, so i won't spend much time on it now.

I think instead, i will go for a wander around the streets of Otara with a bunch of hundred dollar notes hanging off me, and then take no responsibility for not keeping myself safe, if i get robbed.

Yep - that seems completely rational.

Back later to let you know how i got on. If i get robbed, i might organise a DumbAssWalk ...or Some. Thing.

At least one other blogger agrees with me

About as honest and ethical as John Campbell

Roarprawn - We owe Alasdair Thompson an apology and so does New Zealand

Go to that link to see just how bias, and dishonest John Campbell and The Campbell Live journalists are.

I long ago, stopped believing a thing that i hear or see on Campbell Live - and this is just one example of why.

Alasdair Thompson's comments were a bit silly, and not very well thought out, but the reaction to them has been crazy, disgusting, over the top, and sillier than anything that he said.

What a waste - tampons are expensive!

Tampon-throwing protest over Alasdair Thompson

Have you checked out the price of those things lately? They are like 6 bucks for a box of 12!

Honestly - i am embarrassed to be female right now. Because yeah...behaving like a cross between a pms-ing 12 year old, and a menopausal freak is really getting your point across.

How absolutely, flipping stupid.

Protesters hurled tampons at the Employers and Manufacturers' Association headquarters in Auckland today in a passionate march against its boss.

Its Northern chief executive Alasdair Thompson is under fire for saying earlier this week that women are less productive because of their periods.

Unite Union spokesman Joe Caralan said earlier that about 40 people were planned to march from Galbraiths pub at the top of Symonds Street to the EMA offices in Khyber Pass Road.

"It's going to be a loud and noisy picket and after all the speeches we're going to pelt the building with 200 tampons," says Mr Caralan.

He says unless the EMA sacks Alasdair Thompson, this will now turn into a monthly problem for the organisation.

I'm bored

...and when i get bored i start admitting all sorts of embarrassing stuff; like the fact that i am a Bruce Springsteen fan.

I LOVE this song.



The fact that i can find a video, that has a man playing an accordion in it - sexy - is disturbing.

Hurry up summer. I need you.

Warning Signs | Paying Attention to Red Flags

Red flags often come in the form of feelings urging us to pause for a moment,

listen to our intuition, and reconsider.

Just as the universe wants to provide for our needs, it also seeks to protect us from dangerous situations, destructive relationships, and even minor inconveniences. Frequently in our lives, perhaps everyday, we encounter psychic red flags warning us of potential problems or accidents. We may not always recognize the signs. However, more often than not, we may choose to ignore our intuition when it tells us that “something just isn’t right.”

Red flags often come in the form of feelings urging us to pause for a moment, listen to our intuition, and reconsider. We may even experience a “bad” feeling in our bellies. This is a red flag letting us know that there may be a problem. We may not even know what the red flag is about. All we know is that the universe is trying to wave us in a different direction. We just have to pay attention and go another way. We may even wonder whether we are paranoid or imagining things. However, when we look back at a situation or relationship where there were red flags, it becomes easy to understand exactly what those warning signs meant. More often than not, a red flag is not a false warning. Rather, it is the universe’s way of informing us, through our own innate guidance system, that our path best lies elsewhere.

We may try to ignore the red flags waving our way, dismissing our unease as illogical. Yet it is always in our best interest to pay attention to them. For example, we may meet someone who outwardly seems perfect. They are intelligent, attractive, and charming. Yet, for some reason, being around them makes us feel uneasy. Any interactions we have with them are awkward and leave us feeling like there is something “off” about the situation. This is not necessarily a bad person. But, for some reason, the universe is directing us away from them. Red flags are intended with our best interests at heart. No harm can ever come from stopping long enough to heed a red flag. Pay attention to any red flags that pop up. The universe is always looking out for you. ~ The Daily OM

If there was one thing, that i learned from my experiences in 2010, it was to never ignore those red flags - ever again. I had red flags waving at me, lights and bells flashing and dinging, and barrier arms going up and down, trying to prevent me from getting hit by a bloody freight train, from the moment i met someone - and completely ignored them.

Our intuition is our inner protective mechanism that never lies to us. I have been taught that, the hard way - well and truly.

While i am very grateful for, and love how good my red flag / train wreck barrier works these days; i am also adoring the fact that i can't see any, and that there doesn't seem to be any level crossings anywhere in my vicinity, at the moment.

In fact - very much, the opposite.

The difference of sick leave rates in men and women

Little sick day difference - PSA

I wonder why this article did not use a percentage? Probably because if they had, they would have had to state that women take an average of 24% percent more sick leave than men.

That just goes to show how everything can be twisted to suit the writer's agenda, i guess.

The only part of that article that is really worth reading are the comments from Deborah Bush.

Deborah Bush, who is a member of the Pelvic Pain Steering Committee Australia, said while she agreed Mr Thompson's comments were discriminatory, he had a point.

He had unwittingly highlighted the fact that millions of women around the world suffer from debilitating pelvic conditions such as endometriosis, which can force them to take time off work.

"If we addressed this as a highly prevalent health issue requiring major attention, instead of scooting around the periphery of what was being said, we would be able to come out and see he has a point," Ms Bush told AAP.

"There is a real problem with these conditions affecting women and girls.

"We can all get on a kneejerk reaction and slam dunk Alasdair Thompson, who has unfortunately articulated in a poor way.

"He has struck a nerve. But the problem is a huge burden on women, families and society and sadly goes under the radar.''

I don't understand why everyone is finding the mention of this health issue so offensive. Billy and i were sitting here laughing last night, while watching that ridiculous Campbell Live segment. None of the guests could even say the word 'PERIOD'.

AND, I am still waiting for every man to start screaming about Alasdair Thompson's comment regarding men being more likely to become criminals due to their testosterone levels. Surely that is sexist too!?!

Is there a better way?

'I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus'. Philippians 3:14 NKJV

We must never stop asking, 'Is there a better way?' You can't pray for progress and fight change.

In 1829, Martin Van Buren, Governor of New York, wrote to President Andrew Jackson cautioning him about the future: 'President Jackson, the canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of railroads. We must preserve the canals for the following reasons: (1) If canal boats are supplanted by railroads, serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without jobs, not to mention farmers now employed in growing hay for horses. (2) Boat builders would suffer, and whip and harness makers would be left destitute. (3) Canal boats are absolutely essential to the defence of the United States. In the event of the expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war. As you may well know, Mr. President, railroad carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 mph (24 km/hr) by engines, which, in addition to endangering life and limb, snort their way through the countryside belching out smoke, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. Surely the Almighty never intended people should travel at such breakneck speed.'

Poor Martin - what would he think if he knew we were flying 10,000 metres up in the air at 800 km/hr sipping coffee and typing on a laptop?
God is the author of all true progress, so we must never stop asking, 'Is there a better way?'

That is funny. I am not sure that i agree with all change being good. I kind of miss the days when we had to actually pick up a phone, or knock on a friend's door, to talk to them or see them. In saying that though, i wouldn't be without my new Skype toy. It has been amazing these past few weeks to be able to just push a button on my laptop and actually see my sister, and my little nephew. He actually smiles, gets all excited, and claps when he sees me pop up on their screen now. It's amazing. Although, it does make me want to just pack up and move home, more than ever. I love that little boy so much.

Anyway - i have had a pretty fantastic week. I had the help of a pretty awesome friend,  to sort out my car issues, and now that is all sorted. I wouldn't have even had a way to go and look at cars, without his help, and him loaning me a car until i found one. I have great friends. I am blessed.

Mr Twin, cared enough about me / us to pick up the phone, ring me, and tell me everything that has been going on with him, which has caused my cold heart to melt that little bit more. Everything made so much sense to me, and the confusion was gone, after 20 minutes on the phone with him. He is amazing, and i can't quite believe just how alike we are. We spent yesterday afternoon, drinking coffee, and laughing. I could listen to that man talk, forever. I hope he realises that he doesn't need to keep his worries, and his problems to himself anymore. He can tell me anything, and it won't change how i feel about him.

Hmmmm ok well maybe not ANYTHING - i might do a runner if he told me he was a serial killer, or something; but you get the idea.

Right - on that note, i have some SERIOUS house hunting to do. I have been feeling a bit better the last couple of days, but our whole house has been sick all week, and i have even noticed that Nixon's hair is falling out. His butt has gone bald! We need to get out of this unhealthy home, asap. I don't like bald dog butts. They are not pretty.

I love Bob - I don't think i have it in me to yell these days though

Become a better listener

'...Be quick to listen, slow to speak...' James 1:19 NLT

Want to become a good leader? Become a good listener! Here are two stories of what happens when we don't take time to listen.

The first is from a young woman hurt by a manager who constantly cut her off: 'We expected he would wait and give us answers to serious questions about our work. Many times he walked off when we were in mid-sentence, having heard nothing.' The next is from a church youth director who was fired: 'After serving the Lord there for two years, I was called into an elders' meeting. They took out a list of all the things I'd done wrong in the past two years. Most of what they said was true, for I was brand new in this work. Then they called for my resignation. What did I learn? (a) not once did anyone care enough to coach or shepherd me; (b) I'd no idea or warning that I was doing anything wrong; (c) the church leaders never built a relationship with their staff.'

Why is it so hard for some leaders to listen? Because leaders love to talk, and as they gain more authority there is the danger to think they have less reason to listen. Leaders by their very nature tend to be removed from the frontlines of battle. To win, they must constantly listen to those who are in the trenches and rely on that information to make wise decisions. Before Ezekiel was qualified to prophesy or lead God's people, he wrote: '...I sat among them for seven days - overwhelmed. At the end of seven days the Word of the Lord came to me' (Ezekiel 3:15-16 NIV).

I don't have anything to babble on about this morning.

I have house hunting to do. I have a lawn that is so long and wet, that my girlie, battery powered lawn mower will probably just die when it goes near it, to mow. I have a house to clean, so that the kids can destroy it over the weekend.

Oh - and i am still laughing at the media beat up over Alasdair Thompson's comments. I notice that the TV media, at least, are leaving out all the reasons that Alasdair stated that men can be less productive. Funny that. Why is no one screaming about him saying that testosterone levels turn men into criminals?

Crack up.

I shall return later, to do my babbling.

Alasdair Thompson and the "Monthly sick problems"

CRACK. UP.

MPs reject employers' chief's 'sexist' comment

"Let me get down to tin tacks. The fact is women have babies. They take time out of their careers.

"Looks at who takes the most sick leave. Women do, in general, why? Because once a month they have sick problems. Not all women, but some do they have children they have to take time off to go home and take leave"

Now every hairy, bra less feminist, and the men with no balls that pander to them, in this country are screaming for poor Alasdair's resignation.

Why? What he said is true. How can anyone deny that? How is that sexist?

Ok, so he worded it like a cross between a snickering adolescent boy, and an 80 year old man who has lived with the same woman for 60 years - and been sick to death of her for 59 of those years - but that doesn't change the fact that women do take more time off work, and some of that time would be thanks to our "Monthly sick problems"...so what??? He was just stating facts.

Why are people so offended and upset by this? What is so offensive about equal pay for equal productivity - regardless of gender?

Listen to the comments here...

Ugh - i can't stand feminists like that Helen Kelly. Apparently, speaking the truth is sexist, according to Helen.

Now that i have been reminded that the Helen Kellys of this world exist - i might have to change my stance on how successful 'Pammy's' would have been.

The reaction to this has been even more hilarious than the actual comments. The way that he worded that has more to do with his age, and the generation that he grew up in, than it has to do with being sexist.

Aren't there bigger problems going on for us to worry about? Leave the poor guy alone.

I think i was born two decades late. I would have loved to have lived in an era when women could just be women, and didn't feel the need to compete with, or be like men.

Sometimes things are not as they seem...

Everyone is fighting their own battles...huh? I have had the hugest reminder of that this morning. I feel very grateful, and blessed for that reminder.

I have a lot of faith in the person that gave me that reminder.

Apparently i do not have ownership rights to battles, and struggles. Funny that.

Faithless Fear

He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and told him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are dying?" - Mark 4:38

These words imply that the disciples thought Jesus did not care about them in their danger - that He was neglecting them by sleeping while they might die. This was not true at all! They were never safer than they were that moment, in the middle of the storm. The boat the Lord traveled on could not sink . Faith should have trusted despite the darkness.

Yet don't we also, at least in our hearts, say the same thing to our Lord? When we are in a difficult time and He does not come to save us; when we seem about to be crushed by the waves of adversity, and no relief comes down from Him. Do we never say, “Jesus does not care that I'm dying” ? When we pray hard for the removal of pain or the lightening of a burden and no answer comes, does the thought arise in our minds that Jesus does not hear us?

Such a complaint is never just. Sometimes he may not seem to care. The disciples had some lessons to learn. One was how helpless they were in the face of a dangerous world. Another was that Christ alone could deliver them. They could not learn these lessons save in the storm with the Master asleep. Like the disciples we have lessons we cannot learn until Christ withholds his help for awhile. Sometimes He hides Himself for a season just to teach us faith, but He is never indifferent to us. He never neglects or forgets us. He always pays attention and at the right moment He comes to help us. We should learn to trust our Lord so strongly that any time we are scared we can have peace from our worry knowing that He will take care of us. After all, no matter what happens in this life we are assured of salvation and eternal peace and joy in the next!

I needed this one this morning. Well, i sort of needed it. I had already had a pretty awesome sleep, and have woken up feeling much better than when i went to sleep last night.

I was feeling upset, sad, and hurt regarding the whole Mr Twin saga last night. Yesterday morning, he emailed me, and expressed concern that he had not heard from me, and that he hoped to hear from me / talk to me. It was nice to hear from him, and know that he was thinking of me - until it got to be about 10 hours later, and he had completely ignored my response to him.

I. DON'T. GET. THAT.

One minute it was "fate" and he can't wait to see me again. The next minute i am "the right woman at the wrong time"and he is cancelling plans with me. One minute i am amazing and he doesn't want to push me away - the next minute, i don't hear from him for three days. One minute i have a "beautiful mind" and he is telling me how excited he is about us - the next i am left wondering if this man ever actually plans on seeing me again, in person.

I can't handle roller coasters. I don't do games.

Last night, i just finished whatever it was that we had going on. I told him that if he ever wants to tell me what is really going on with his life, and in his mind, then i will be all ears, but that i am a good person that deserves to have good in my life. I deserve to have someone in my life that will treat me, how i treat others. I deserve someone who thinks they are pretty lucky to have me, and whose actions towards me reflect that. I deserve to have someone who only wants to be the cause of happiness in my life, because that is all i want to be for someone else.

I then expressed frustration regarding the fact that i only seem to attract the opposite of what i have just described, into my life, and that obviously i have more changing to do, or there is something that God wants me to learn from all of this, that has not quite, yet sunk in.

I was sad last night, that i had reached this point with Mr Twin. I had REALLY, REALLY liked him. In fact, i still do REALLY, REALLY like him. He is the first guy actually, that i have REALLY liked, and am not glad to see the back of. I had a good cry over it last night, and have woken up feeling much better - and lighter - over the whole situation.

Had he felt about me, the way he said he did, things would not have gone the way they did, and it would not have been making me unhappy.

I just want something normal, and happy, and healthy. That was none of those things.

At least though, now i know, that i still have it in me - to get excited about someone else, and really like them. I was beginning to wonder there for awhile, after finding it so easy to walk away from everyone that i have met in the past few years.

I didn't enjoy having to walk away from Mr Twin, or find it easy. In fact, it was really difficult. I feel better this morning, for doing it, though.

Maybe he will decide to be honest with me, and tell me what is going on in his life, and with him, that makes him so undecided, and hot and cold. Maybe he won't. I hope he does, but either way - i am going to be a happy person.

"Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

I have been at a loss lately, regarding my documentary viewing pleasure. In other words, i had watched all of the hundreds of documentaries that i already have, about a hundred times, and could not think of any more that i wanted to see.

THEN tonight, by accident i came across a list of the top 20 documentaries of 2010.

This cheered me up immensely. I needed cheering up tonight. I had contemplated going for a long drive, and listening to some loud music in my new wheels, but then i remembered that petrol is like $2.20 a litre.

Bugger that.

I then rang a friend, to see if he wanted to go out for a bite to eat and maybe a glass of wine, but he was busy chauffeuring Hone Harawira around town, from debate to debate.

Bugger that even more!

Documentary time it is...and tonight's one is JUICY!



O.M.G it is flipping cold tonight!

BE the change

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don’t. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it.

Life's storms

Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. - Matthew 8:24

It wasn't the disciples idea to put their boat out to sea. If they had done this without Jesus asking them to they would not have the same reason to expect protection and rescue. The lesson we learn here is this -- that storms may arise even when we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing as Christians. We shouldn't be discouraged by the difficulties or troubles that come, and conclude that somehow we stepped out of His will.

We see that Christ's presence with his disciples did not keep the storms away. There are no promises in the Bible that Christians won't encounter trials. Religion builds no high walls around us to break the force of the winds. Troubles come to the Christian just as surely as to the non-believer. There are the storms of temptation which sweep down with sudden and terrific power from the cold mountains of this world. Then there are the storms of sickness, disappointment, adversity, and sorrow whose waves seem to overwhelm us.

On the Sea or Galilee a boat could at one moment be gliding smoothly over a glassy-smooth surface, unbroken by a ripple, when all of a sudden and without warning a storm will sweep down. In an instant the boat will be tossed in the angry waves. This is exactly how many of life's storms arrive. Temptations come when we are not looking for them. So disasters come. One moment we're sitting peace in our living-room when the phone rings with the news that a close loved-one has just died. The friend you trusted and thought would never let you down, betrays you. The hopes cherished for years wither in our hands like flowers when the frost comes. The storms of life are nearly always sudden surprises. They don't hang out warning signs days before to warn us. The only way to be ready for them is to be always ready.

Huh. O well - better late than never. I needed this one last week, around the time that i was crying, and asking myself why it is, that no matter how much i try to do the right thing by everyone, and everything these days, bad crap still seems to happen to me. Crap that makes me wonder if it is all even worth it.

I am over that feeling now though - kind of. Actually, maybe i did still need to read this one, so that i am more prepared next time something bad happens. And on that note, i should probably put in to perspective what i should consider really bad.

I had been feeling a bit down all day, one day last week, because someone had cancelled dinner plans on me, at the last minute - and what i perceived as his rejection. I was feeling lonely, and doing the whole crocodile tears onto my keyboard, while i wondered if i will be single forever thing...and then all of a sudden i had my car drama. The thought of having no car, upset me enough to completely forget about Mr Twin cancelling on me, or any amount of loneliness that i might have been feeling at that point in time, and i went back to having my single status rate a big fat zero on my care factor scale. I had to laugh with him about that, and how he was not nearly as important to me as my car.

Then i woke up the next morning, and was reading the news. I read about the young man who had been killed - buried alive - in that landslide down in the Bay of Plenty. He was 17 years old, and about to become a father. He was younger than Billy, and was there one minute, and gone the next.  Suddenly, my car no longer mattered all that much either.

I guess it is all about perspective. What IS a really bad thing? I don't think it is either of the things that happened in my life last week, that i thought had made it such a hard week. Although, in saying that, they were not much fun either, and they say these things come in threes....hmmmm - great.

It is 6am and i am wide awake. I have no idea why, but i am not liking it much. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight last night. I am tired. Although, on second thought, i was able to get up and make myself a coffee before i had the pleasure of hearing teenage girls arguing. Peace and quiet, and the birds singing is much nicer for waking up, and making coffee than the whiny sound of "Muuuuuuum Nicole broke this....Muuuuuuuummmmm Jorgia lost that."

Maybe i need to set an alarm and wake up before they get started - every morning.

I am going to create some happy excitement in my life. I need summer back - winter is getting me down already. I love my life, but it has been a bit dull lately. I need to do something about that - starting today.

I am getting off my butt, and getting us out of this damp home too, BEFORE the bathroom floor completely caves in, and change is forced on us.

Amy Winehouse returns

Fresh out of a stint in rehab - this was her 'Comeback' performance last week, in Belgrade, Serbia. Apparently, she has now cancelled planned concerts in Instanbul, and Athens.

Holy heck - if this is her AFTER rehab, i would have hated to have seen her BEFORE it!




I have never been a fan of Amy's. She is a one hit wonder that just refuses to go away. Her boob job looks good though, so i guess that is some conso. lation.

Ladyhawke given a taxpayer funded boost

Taxpayer money promotes Ladyhawke

So Ladyhawke aka Pip Brown was given $59,000 tax payer dollars to help boost her overseas career. So what?

At least she has talent, which is more than i can say for JGeek and the Geeks, which are a product of the Mikahaka Foundation which received over $300,000 dollars last year alone through a dozen or so tax payer funded schemes. One grant alone was for $98,000 from the Ministry of Social Development.

I wonder why The Herald, has made such a big deal of the little bit of help that Ladyhawke has received, yet has completely ignored the very obvious abuse, and draining of the system that is going on over at The Mikahaka Foundation?

Perhaps Ladyhawke, and Annabel Fay need to change their names to something a bit more Maori sounding.

Just a thought...

Oh no - i was going to vote for Liz Shaw

But then i saw this...

She is on NZDating!!! Why does that not surprise me!?!?

NZDating - DO. NOT. Go. There.

NOW who am i going to vote for? Decisions. Decisions.

Staying Afloat amidst the Spin | Taking Things Personally

Try not to take everything personally,

things that people say and do don’t always have anything to do with you.

Every time you interact with others, you have the choice to listen to, acknowledge, and let go of their words, or you can take what they are saying personally. Taking things personally is often the result of perceiving a person’s actions or words as an affront or slight. In order to take something personally, you must read negative intent in an individual’s words or actions. But what people do and say has no bearing upon you and is usually based on their own experiences, emotions, and perceptions. If you attempt to take what they do or say personally, you may end up feeling hurt without reason.

If you are tempted to take a comment or action personally, creating some distance between yourself and the other person can help you. Try to determine what is at the root of your feelings. Ask yourself if the other person’s words or actions are just reinforcing some insecurity within you or if you can really be sure that an offense was intended. You may even want to ask them what they meant. Finally, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Instead of taking their words as the truth, or as a personal affront, remember that whatever was said or done is based on their opinion and is more reflective of what is going on inside of them, rather than having anything to do with you. You may have been an easy target for someone having a bad day, and their comments may have been offered with no ill intentions.

When you recognize that what anyone says or does doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with you, you will no longer feel hurt or attacked. While it’s easy to take things personally, you should never let anyone’s perceptions or actions affect how you see yourself or your worth. Your life is personal to you, and it is up to you to influence your own value and sense of well-being.

Oh. My. Gosh. I. Love. This.

This sooooooo applies to something that is going on in my life right now, that i haven't really known how to write about - so i haven't. I haven't really needed to read this one today, because i guess i already knew this. I had not been taking anything that has been going on with someone that i recently met, personally. I didn't know why, i have not taken it personally. In the past, i know i would have. After reading this, i guess it all makes sense.

You see, i met this amazing man, a few weeks ago. He is awesome. Well, i think he is anyway. Just how alike we are, is kinda freaky. It is like we were twins in a past life or something, equally ridiculous. He has been through a lot of what i have been through - even the media attention regarding his mistakes. He lost everything because of his terrible choices.

He is now better, and getting his life back on track. He exercises more than i do - mind you, it IS winter - i will get back to ten k a day as soon as spring pokes it's head up. The thought of the beach and bikinis is always a motivating factor for me.

Just about everything that i have been through - he has also been through, and come out the other side a better person. We just hit it off, i guess...and the chemistry between us is something that i have not experienced in years, and really had wondered if i was even capable of feeling it again. Like i said previously - he is the first person that i have met, that i have not felt the need to look for bad in him. There is not one thing about him, that gives me any kind of warning signs, that he is not a good person.

BUTTTTT....and there is always a buttttttt - isn't there? Despite the fact that he tells me that he feels the same way about me - for some odd reason, he has cancelled plans that we had made together. One minute "It is fate" and he is telling me how amazing i am. The next minute i am "the right woman...at the wrong time" and i am cancelled on. THEN i am back to being amazing, and he "doesn't want to push me away" ...That is kind of where things are at the moment, but he has given me no indication that he plans on seeing me again anytime soon - despite the fact that he says he REALLY likes me.

I don't know what to think . There was a time when this kind of thing would have hurt, upset, and offended me. I would have taken it personally, and i would have tried to control the situation. The fact that at one time, i would have taken this situation personally, would have been offended, and tried to control it, is kind of funny to me, now. That really does show just how much i have changed in these past few years.

As things stand right now - i am just left wondering what is going on in his life, and inside him, that is causing him to behave this way.

I don't mind though. I said i would be his friend no matter what, and i will be. I feel so blessed to have someone to talk to, who understands some of what i have gone through, but that i don't personally associate with that life.

He is an amazing man, and i feel blessed to know him. He is pretty cute too - not that THAT really matters - but he is. I have faith in him, that whatever is going on with him, he is doing the right thing, and putting his and his childrens' health and happiness first, just like i do.

Anyway - i am amidst the spin, and doing more than staying afloat - i am doing the mofoing breast stroke all over the place...

And...it could always be worse - i could be the wrong woman, at the right time! ha!

Be led by God, not others - 2

'...led by the Spirit of God...' Romans 8:14 NKJV
     

God will help you to be all you can be, but He will never help you to be somebody else. When you try to be somebody else, you lose yourself in the process. God wants us to fit into His plan, not yield to pressure and try to fit into someone else's.

It's all right to be different; different is OK! Find out what you're good at, throw yourself into it wholeheartedly and you'll start to experience true joy. Besides, when you try to do what somebody else is good at, you generally fail, right? That's because God hasn't assigned you to do what they are doing, or at least not in the way they're doing it. But that doesn't mean you're not good at anything. Here's an important key: focus on your potential, not your limitations. We all have limitations and we must accept them. That's not a bad thing, it's just a fact of life. Actually, it's wonderful to be different without feeling like there's something wrong with you. Spiritually mature people know that God loves them as they are and has a purpose for their life, so they're not threatened by the abilities and accomplishments of others. They enjoy what other people do, because they enjoy what they themselves do.

Paul writes, 'Let us not become...competitive...envying and...jealous of one another' (Galatians 5:26 AMP). In the end, what matters most is being able to say as Jesus said, 'I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do' (John 17:4 NIV). Any time you can say that, you did it right!

I car shopped yesterday, and i found one. It is a neat little 4 door Honda Civic hatchback. It is a manual - i can't stand automatics. It is newer than my Subaru was. It is absolutely mint condition, and has all the receipts and service history back to when it was 'born' and has been owned by a lady who must be in her 60s, at least, so i doubt she was too hard on it.

The girls and i went and looked at it last night. It is like brand new. Even the engine did not have any dirt on it!

Nicole got out of it, after we had taken it for a drive and said "Now you are going to look like a mum driving this, instead of a crackho..."

I have no idea where my daughter got her sense of humour from. Absolutely. No. Idea.

I am just glad that the lady's son who was trying to sell it to me, and was rather spunky - did not hear her!

Anyway...i get to pick it up tomorrow at 3pm. I am rather excited.

I am very fortunate to have had the help from a friend over the last few days that i have had. I wouldn't have even been able to take the girls to and from school, without that help.  I feel very blessed to have found an even better car, to replace my Subaru.

I had been thinking about getting rid of the Subaru for ages. It had bad memories of my old life attached to it. It was bought with money that i wished i had never 'earned.' It had a dent on the driver's side back door, that i had caused on the afternoon that i nearly jumped off that bridge. So i was always reminded of that day, every time i looked at that dent. It had a broken driver's door lock from crackheads trying to steal it off me. And it was PINK. Only a crackhead would buy a PINK car.

Sometimes change is forced on us, and we don't realise why, until after everything has all worked out for the best.  I am glad that the last reminder of my old life is gone.

Now, maybe a weekend roadtrip to visit my old mates in Wanganui will be in order! You know - just so that i can get sick of driving it within the first week of owning it!

Lisa Lewis has some competition

This has made me laugh this morning.

It reminds me of when Lisa Lewis was running for the Mayoralty of Hamilton, and turned up to a debate wearing a plastic garbage bag, a pair of clear hooker heals, and carrying a bottle of tequila.

Build a Bridge

Remember Liz Shaw? She is a fame-seeker who has auditioned for NZ Idol, was dumped as an extra on Shortland Street for leaking plot details, and posed for photos with Steve Crow and was interviewed about it on 20/20. Now she's running as an independent for the Auckland Central seat and appears to be taking the suggestion that a bridge be built between Australia and New Zealand er, seriously.

 If you are looking for a bit of amusement this afternoon, you could always venture over to Liz Shaw's "Candidate" page on Facebook.

On that page, you will learn two very important things about Liz Shaw.

1. She is a BIG fan of Winston Churchill.
2. She REALLY wants to help homeless people.

Be led by God, not others - 1

'...led by the Spirit of God...' Romans 8:14 NKJV
     

Life is like a maze; it's easy to get lost. Pressure comes at us from every direction to keep others happy. We study the important people in our lives, trying to decide what they want from us and how to give it to them, and in the process we lose ourselves.

You need to stop and ask, 'Who am I living for? Why am I doing the things I do?' Paul writes, 'Having gifts...that differ...let us use them' (Romans 12:6 AMP). What has God called and equipped you to do? Those who succeed at being themselves don't allow others to control them because they're led by God. 'As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.' Don't be upset because people place demands on you. It's your life, take charge of it! The pressures you feel right now may not be coming from others at all; they may be coming from your own people-pleasing instincts!

Yes, there are times when we all do things we'd rather not do. We do them because we love others, and in so doing we show '...the fruit of the Spirit...' (Galatians 5:22). But that's different from being controlled by your own insecurities or the endless demands of others. When you try to become everything to everybody, you get lost in the process. Plus, when you live for people's approval, you risk forfeiting God's.

It's time you started praying, '...Lord, what do You want me to do...' (Acts 9:6 NKJV)? Once He reveals it to you, commit yourself to it fully, regardless of who does or doesn't agree.

This one can get filed under - 'When struggling with the word NO - PLEASE READ.'

My day has started out very bad - very very VERY bad. I woke to the sound of two teenage girls arguing over a broken hair straightener.

Holy heck it is the end of the world in my house. Nicole borrowed Jorgia's hair straightener - which is the only hair straightener in the whole wide world that works on Jorgia's hair - and returned it...broken. We have two more hair straighteners in this house, but neither will do, this morning. It is hair straightening Armageddon in my home.

There was no such thing as hair straighteners when i was their age. I survived.

Now no one knows where their uniforms are. That is probably because i folded them, and put them away in the closet that looks like an atomic bomb has exploded inside it.

I need to teach my girls how to make my coffee for me, so that i don't have to face the world until after i have injected myself with my caffeine fix.

It must be time to drop these monsters off at school so that i can have some peace.

Car shopping for me today - after i wake up.

Surprise, surprise - Pammy's is put on 'hold'

I hate to say i told you so...but i told you so! I wrote about the millions of reasons why this would never be successful, last year.

I think at the time, i gave it 3 months before it flopped - turns out i over estimated the whole concept!


Pammy's brothel for women bid put on hold

Pam Corkery's bid to open the world's first brothel for women has failed.

The flame-haired former MP announced plans for Pammy's - a "6-star boutique haven" for discerning women - amid a blaze of publicity last year.

But Corkery and business partner Rebekah Hay have backed out of plans to set up shop in the Masonic Temple in Eden Terrace in inner-city Auckland.

They were also refused about $100,000 from New Zealand On Air to make a documentary about the training of their male sex workers.

At the time of the launch, Corkery claimed that hundreds of men had applied to be $240-an-hour gigolos and satisfy the demands of Kiwi women wanting sex.

Papers filed with the Auckland Council said the brothel would have a 24-hour bar, VIP lounge and "holistic centre" with day spa.

"Women will go to Pammy's to get a pedicure, a meal, a drink, and if they so choose sex with one of the male sex workers," it said.

Council spokeswoman Lisah Henry confirmed the resource consent application was withdrawn in April.

"It went on hold in September last year when Auckland City Council requested further information."

The council said Corkery had not applied to set up a brothel at any other locations.

When contacted this week, Corkery at first said she was happy to discuss developments.

But she later refused to say why the project wasn't going ahead, claiming "commercial sensitivities".

She said there would be a major announcement within days.

Hay also refused to comment.

The proposed site of the brothel was a few doors down from St Benedict's Church. A church spokeswoman said they had not been consulted.

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