The Wheel is Turning and You Can't Slow Down

Collage of Sophie

(by Sophie, Feb 2009. Before this blog was born)


I am leading a titillating life.
I am watching the Big Dipper ladle his milky goodness into the hole in the ozone.
I had a perky little toy cat once, Jumpy Haddock. He retreated to my top shelf to gather dust when I was about seven.
I had a certain interest for cookie dough ice cream, but that faded when I was introduced to Saucy As.
I thought that material things could quench my soul's thirst.
And now at 11 years, 11 months ...

I have seen many a rainbow pass without a pot of gold,
I have heard the cicada's incessant aria rendering me sleepless,
I have smelt the excuses for dinner burnt to a crisp in the oven that was turned to grill by accident.

I know that the wheel is the most useful invention yet.
I know that things pass and die, but I don't think anything ever really ceases to exist.

I don't know why the Earth is round, although it is what we have been told since we arrived in it.
I despise people that need scientific proof for something to be tangible.
I hate how there is only one answer to each maths question, and how flowers lose their beauty with every silken petal that droops.
I love the fresh, sweet vibes of musical creativity.

I used to love flying in aeroplanes, but have grown to detest the turbulence and the foul smells of the processed foods.
I've lost my room under cluttered mounds of obliterated, discarded items.

I'm looking for this year to be one of undying prosperity and harmony.
And my heart is wandering, stumbling, relentlessly searching for the last safe place.

(published with permission, more or less ...)




For Sophie, in response
(by Sophie's Mum, Dec 2009)


My heart wanders, too, and is glad of your company. There is no place without challenge.
But the safe place is inside of me, and I carry it with me everywhere.
I'm looking forward to next year, to more complexity, learning, experiencing and unjumbling.

I've lost my innocence under tangles of living and learning. It was a starting point, fragile and temporary.
I still love flying on aeroplanes, getting off and being in some other, more vulnerable place.

I love the scent of hearts, minds and souls on fire, burning for the sake of the new.
And, too, the completion of real life puzzles, chaos settling into painful, mathematical beauty.
Loss is gain. Boundaries inspire creativity. Hurt forces direction.
And the earth is any shape at all - it depends on the viewing-point.

From where, to where, why, and for whom?
The world is charged, God's grandeur flames out, flashes of brilliance, full of danger and exhilaration.

Sustenance, carefree moments,
Happy disturbed sleep,
Treasure made valuable by its rarity.

And now, at 47 years, 3 months
I know that all souls and bodies thirst
Turning and turning and turning and comforted and comforting.

(with love )

Sinead as a Starter

CD: Gospel Oak (an EP).
Song: This is to Mother You.
One of the most beautiful and comforting pop songs ever.
One of my counsellors lent me this at a very difficult time in my life.
Playing it reminds me both of the crisis and of the comfort to be gained from songs, from God, and indeed from Sinead.
She is a thoughtful, deep, emotional and centred person.
I love both her "out there" rampages and her quiet, reflective soothings.
Her latest offering, "Theology" is well worth a listen.
Today has been a lovely warm day with a house full of young people - 14 yr old boys and 12 yr old girls.
Amazing how much time can be spent in and around a swimming pool!
G'night!

Butter Chicken Night

It has been our habit for a long time now to eat butter chicken "of a weekend".
Lois and I usually eat it on a Saturday - the children eat earlier, something different.
We usually have a martini around 7pm - with Bombay Sapphire gin or vodka.
We then sit down to watch a dvd, with martini and little snacks.
Our current "staple" is "Ally McBeale" - an earlier version of "Boston Legal".
Towards the end of the episode I take up the phone and ring Santoor Restaurant.
Usually either Suresh Nama or his wife Githa answers.
By now they know me well enough to ask how I'm doing, and they know exactly what I will order.
Butter Chicken, medium hot, with a garlic naan - pick up in 10 - 15 minutes.
When I get back, Lois has the broccoli cooked just right, and away we go!

Siesta Time

Summer is definitely upon us.
It is early afternoon, and the heat is baking.
The animals inside and out are quiet and still...ennervated.
Yesterday L and I walked at this time - today we will wait.
My day's routine is ahaking down to this...
Morning = "work", i.e. gardening, cleaning, logistics, errands.
Afternoon = Creation and recreation (many small and big dreams at work here).
Evening = socialising.
I am definitely enjoying the lack of external pressures that the Holidays bring.
The birds, blackbirds and mynahs at present, have begun a recital.

A Night On the Town

Tonight Lois and I went out to Tabou, a "bar and bistro" in Kingsland.
We celebrated the fact that I'm still here!
Earlier today Lois had a towbar fitted...to her car, of course.
A bit later than that Sophie spoke on behalf of the graduating Year 8s at her school - she likened the years of Intermediate School to being "a pit stop in the speedway of life" and took valedictory speeches to a whole new level (I thought, and of course I'm not biased!).
I had my first splash in the swimming pool today - the weather was sunny and warm and Lois had taken me for walkies just prior to that.
I guess one thing I will miss in these long holidays is the contact with the staff, especially my close colleagues Kerry and Theo.
Kerry is still in Ak, so we will get together, though he is on a Fellowship Year next year - an exciting year for him, but I will miss him at school...
And Theo is heading to Europe in a few days with Els - so I won't see him for about 6 weeks.
Another colleague of mine, Eileen, is flying to the UK to teach indefinitely.
And I'm still here and apart from feeling/being a little too flabby, feel pretty darn good!

Assembly Fatigue

I copied this title from Sophie's blog - it sums both of us up!
My assemblies - does church count as an assembly? - have involved a singing assembly yesterday, 2 year assemblies (an hour each) today, a singing assembly, a pantomime assembly, and tomorrow...carol service, junior prizegiving, staff farewells, drinks by the school pool, drinks at the Cock and Bull (I will of course be moderate if not abstemious regarding my intake)...
And Thursday I get to see Sophie's graduation assembly!
Highlights for me since last blog have included...
Psalms Concert on Sunday (great having a smaller crew - piano viola, and 3 vocals including Jo McG and Patricia M, plus guest group The Dreamers)...
Pantomime today for Years 9 and 10 (amazing how many teachers managed to find their own wigs!!)...
Sketch in church on Sun (Fawlty Towers characters preparing a table for The Lord).
Alexander getting 2nd in Science.
Sophie getting Proxime Accessit ("runner up" to Dux) at her school, and excellence award for her class.
Lois's exam results (more details later).
Etc, etc.
Samson did his bit, or tried to - he brought a live mouse into the house (I didn't realise that they actually do squeak like a plastic toy).
These are indeed busy times for YT, and mostly fun, but I need my rest!
Goodnight, dear readers!
Gerald.

Holidays? Really?

I like being busy in the sense of having projects to look forward to.
I don't like that manic sense of events running me.
The busy end-of-termoil is well upon us.
If I am reporting "fit for work" then some things are expected of me.
And some things are things I have chosen.
I WAS going to itemise these things, but decided not to.
Let's just say it's a busy time.
Many things to look forward to.
I am looking forward to the Psalms concert.
I have invited 2 vocalists to join in - Jo and Patricia.
Both have lovely voices, in quite different ways, so it will be nice to listen to them.
We are doing Psalm 38 as a Blues.
Psalm 39 is extremely intense - it will be a challenge.
And the day after this we go into the Panto season at school!

Starting point "Peter Grimes"

Back from walk around the block.
Peter Grimes, by Benjamin Britten, on stereo.
Samson the cat miaows up at me - his voice is high-pitched and plaintive.
A hot humid day today.
Not ideal weather for teaching 9J in the afternoon.
Trying to guide them in notating pitch.
Difficult when most have no exercise books, and none have manuscript paper (both items are on the stationery list).
Still, a sense of achievement from identifying accurately a sequence of 2 pitches - A and G.
It is possible for kids, even "slow" ones, to notate music and therefore turn out compositions.
I remember some Professional Development I attended recently, where someone outlined some teaching strategies, and thinking, "Where is the MAGIC in that lesson?"
No magic, no memorable lesson.

Today's Blessings part 1

Permission to attend Alexander's prizegiving.
A free lift to and from work, with good company.
The news confirmed that Lee is staying.
Roping in 1 or 2 guest vocalists for Sunday evening (Psalms).
Lee and Kirsty agreeing to cover my classes this Fri.
Sione doing good prep for his Uni audition tomorrow.
Hooking up a meeting to talk with and about a colleague's retirement.
Listening to Springsteen's "Thunder Road" at home, cranked up.
News that we are going to Whitianga as a family before Xmas.
Learning the moves to "Jai Ho" for the staff pantomime.

And more besides...

G.

Advent Begins...

Our church is a little bit unique.
Possibly one of only a few Baptist churches who are starting to observe bits of the church calendar.
Are we becoming Anglicans?....or Catholics???...
As you know I don't put myself into a particular denomination...I just happen to be at this church at this time...
But it is fun to follow the Calendar.
So today we learnt about waiting expectantly.
And I did the first bit of drama in church I've done for a while.
Enjoyed it immensely.
I had 2 partners-in-crime - Michael B, and Sophie.
Sophie was waiting to join Silver Ferns, Mike was waiting for global warming to hit Ak because it's a bit cold, and I was waiting for Labtest Blood Results...
Adventures in Advent continues next Sunday (Psalms Concert in evening at 7pm).
G.

Trip to Pakiri

Today I went to Pakiri beach with my sister Plonie.
The weather was overcast to begin with.
We left Birkenhead at 8.30
Met Carla and Paul in Wellsford for a coffee.
Puhoi traffic tunnels very disappointing.
At Pakiri we walked to the rocks at the southern end, then back again.
Water too cold for a swim.
The ocean, the constant noise of the waves breaking, the fresh, briny smell, the seabirds hanging motionless above the waves, then plummeting suddenly to feast upon fresh fish.
This is the beach where, following my body's cremation, I wish my ashes to be scattered (in the Ocean, that is, not the sand).
Wine with Hofmanns, then home for butter chicken.

More Passionate Thoughts...

One life only.
Every day could be the last!
Any day can be the first!
What would you do in your last hour?
Or if you had 25 hours in a day?
Did you waste yourself in any particular day today?
Did you energise others?
How did you make a difference?
What MUST you do before you leave us?
How has your life been a blessing to others today, so far, since you were born?
What do you really mean?

Visit Sophie's blog - she has written 2 amazing sonnets!

Life Goes On...

Funny how things seem to be normalising pretty much in my life at the moment.
I didn't even have to lie down when I got back from school today!
Things seem to be much more manageable.
Yes, there is still a little niggling sense of "How long?"
But I am being very active at present.
Watched a movie about Beethoven yesterday afternoon - Immortal Beloved.
Don't know if I could genuinely say it's a great film.
I guess our received view of Beethoven is that he was a very passionate man.
How passionate can one person be?
I guess if one was passionate ALL THE TIME one would become exhausted very quickly...
G.

"Where Have You Been, My Blue-eyed Son?"

One of my favourite Dylan songs ("Hard Rain's Gonna Fall") - also a fitting title for one whose absence from the blogsite has been noted.

So, Thursday night was a trip to the movies - 2012 (to be reviewed at some future opportune moment).

Friday - Planning meeting for Otahuhu Community event, following Paid Union Meeting, following Teacher Only Day, in the evening a family trip to Bosco Verde, with yours truly feeling sick as a parrot - a bad cough, snuffles, a headache and a hot feverish sensation in my head.

Saturday - Worship Team meeting from 9.30am to 3pm, a long walk, leaf-blowing, evening watching "Kavanagh, Q.C." (according to the cover this features Ewan McGregor, but I can't spot him!)

Still feeling sick.

Sunday - play bass at church (good sermon from Fred about personal spiritual discipline - also a slot in which Fred began to bake a cake with a bunch of children - great stuff!).

Sunday family do (Baxters), still feeling sick and a bit tired...

Then Kavanagh at night again, then starting the pantomime for school.

Monday up and down Rangitoto with 73-75 year 10s (GREAT weather, and a wonderful feeling for YT to be able to undertake such physically demanding activity).

BBQ! With Andrew helping out as YT needed a bit of confidence (the last time I used this BBQ was just before the discovery of my cancer, so there's a bit of Significance around it - it was my birthday present last year)...

Home group, where we continued with our plans to take over the world (with Faith, Hope and Love).

Then Back to the Blog.

Please pray for Holly's sister, Fiona, who is in chemo for her ovarian cancer (in Queensland) and is only 45 years old...she has 2 children, one who is about 20 and one who is about 15 (I think).

So...see you again tomorrow, okay (finished the Panto script this arvo, so now all set to do reports!)?

Gerald.

Today's News

This time of year at school is quite weird.
Seniors gone, the main contact we have is with Years 9 and 10.
I met 2 new classes today - 9J and Theo's Yr 10 Practical group.
Only 4 students from 9J - their class had gone to Waiwera Hot Pools.
I met the Yr 10 group with my balance of formality and humour - establishing one's preferred routines at this time of year is an interesting challenge!
I took part in an interview about the PPTA Branch and Branch Chair - it's all confidential of course, so that's all I'll say.
It made me realise however that I've been in the Union (and involved) for 26 years.
Time for another chocolate cake then?
Home for a snooze then on to the concert.
Bach solo violin music followed by Moana and the Tribe's "Whaa" ("Four") in the car.
G'night!

PJ Pati - a Musical Feast

This evening I attended PJ's end of course recital.
PJ has been our recording technician at OC for a number of years now - he was a secondary student at Aorere College and still sings in Terence Maskell's acclaimed Graduate Choir.
Tonight's recital was something special indeed.
PJ performed "Sound an Alarm" from Judas Maccabeus by Handel,
3 different settings of Shakespeare's "Sigh No More, Ladies" (Fisher, Keel and Bush),
3 songs by Faure (A Day's Poems),
Ah, la Paterno Mano, from Macbeth, by Verdi,
4 songs by Richard Strauss,
and Lensky's Aria from Eugene Onegin, by Tchaikovsky (this last was the aria with which PJ won the National Aria Competition in Rotorua about a week ago).

Right from the start this young man had his audience captivated - by means of power, beauty, expression, clarity and presence.

As might be predicted (especially with a student final recital), PJ covered a wide variety of genres, moods and style periods.

The heroic Handel, romantic British geezers, fluffy, wispy French sentiments, tragic and gut-wrenching Verdi, varied and high-powered Strauss and achingly, beautifully tragic Tchaikovsky...

PJ's versatility and communication skillsreached a climax as he moved from the sensitively hilarious reading of Strauss's "Ach weh mir, unglueckhaftem Mann" to the hopeless farewell uttered by Lensky to his beloved Olga as he prepares to die in a duel.

From the high to the low, PJ moved with conviction, and took us all along for the ride.

Every nuance of every word and phrase was captured by his voice (count 'em, FIVE different languages), and he knows how to "let it rip" when he wants to as well (the sheer strength of his voice was at times physically as well as emotionally overwhelming).

Afterwards I went up to say farewell.

I couldn't think of enough right words, so I (and he) settled for a hug instead - one of those big, powerful ones.

And then he thanked me for coming, and I thanked him for his concert.

This bloke will go as far as his dreams take him, and I'm sure the journey will be mutually enjoyable for both the performer and audience!

Fa'afetai Lava, PJ!

G.

"Awesome" ad Nawseome

A gripe.
The more you repeat a word, the less it means.
The word "awesome" is such a word.
Awesome originally meant something/someone inspiring awe (= fear/terror/spell-bindedness).
Now we use it very casually, to mean "good", "nice", "cool".
Sometimes teachers or other encouragement professionals use it to push their charges just a little bit further in their endeavours.
For me, a sad thing is that it gets (ab)used in Church these days.
Far too often!
So we end up singing (brainlessly?),
"He's so awesome,
He's so awesome,
He's so awesome in this place".
Firstly, if He is "so awesome", aren't we doing Him a disrespect by repeating this mawkish lyric to the point of mindlessness?
Secondly, "so awesome"...
I mean, words fail me!
By the way, this is the song that also features the line "I've found where I belong I'm a living stone" - Dr Livingstone, I presume??
Why not "rolling stone"?
By the way, I think I once had David Tua in my English class in O.C. back in 1990..."O for Awesome" (he's a great guy, though, and gave me an awesome blue mohawk about 3 years ago!).
Enuff!
With apologies to the songwriter who wrote the above lyrics (we are all only human after all),
Gerald.

Super 12 Hello Goodbye

An event that I started last year.
An opportunity to greet new members and farewell old ones.
Tonight was "a bit" rough - seniors on exam leave.
Some beautiful performances.
Tevita's piece "Tears From the Sky".
Bridgit's poi.
Toni's uke solo.
Kakala and Esoto rapping and beatboxing.
The Dreamers!
Suli and Terina's duo - Ave Maria.
Starzya's a cappella "To Sir With Love".
The band "mix-up".
Sa'o's song.
Moira's performance.
Christine and Terina's originals.
A great, spirited, messy and fun evening!
Thanks, everybody!

G.

A Fun Weekend

Began Thursday evening with the Year 13 Graduation (apart from a road rage incident on the way home).
Continued with receiving the first Special Cake from Heather, celebrating 25 years of continuous service (minus six weeks after bowel op) (by the way, had a delicious carrot cake baked by L that afternoon)...

Fri am morning tea with Eileen and the Tech Crew and various "hangers-on" (Maria, Theo, Rosemary), at which the teaching cake was cut...

Fri pm senior prizegiving - once again the Head Boy is a bloke with a high Music profile (who this year has produced some excellent rap pieces), James Tomasi.

Fri ppm "meeting" with Lee at Burger King, where we made our plans for taking over the world (or at least developing music at OC).

Fri pppm party with GOOD FRIENDS who have known me long and supported us especially well over the last 8 months (including a reprise of the blonde wig and heels costume to the music of Hot Chocolate - you had to be there...) PLUS another gorgeous cake from Heather (photo appears on this site), this time for the 3 events (cancer battle, teaching and marriage).

Saturday - anniversary meal, cooked by Andrew, ably assisted by Sophie (who of course went all the way to look the part and set the scene and complete the dream) and Alexander ("they can't eat all that"..."McDonald's would be cheaper")...thanks, guys!
And NZ thru to the World Cup Finals of REAL Football...

Also visit from Carla and Paul, bearing gifts - Bill Bailey's "Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra", including "Cockney influences on Classical Music", tributes to Chris de Burgh, Bryan Adams, Prog Rock, and a "Belgian Jazz" lol version of the Dr Who theme (Docteur Qui)...you HAVE to see this!

Sunday - church (viola time), recital by Steven (his final - lovely Debussy and Rachmaninov in particular), worship leaders' meeting (we NEED sound tecchies!) and viewing "Brothers and Sisters" (tv drama with Mary Tyler Moore) and "The Staircase" (a rivetting doco about a death - was it a murder or an accident???).

Which brings us back to you and me here on the blogsite.

Time for a sleep soon!

Catch you later (tomorrow?),

Gerald.

More Good News!

At Green Lane hospital we waited next to a lady who described to 2 other ladies how her varicose vein had a way for popping up extra hard when she crossed her legs and then she could play with it.
Then a large man and his small son came and sat where they had sat, with him instructing his son not to tell anyone (the seats were reserved for oncology and haematology patients).
"What's Oncology?" asked the lad.
"Dunno" came the erudite reply.
Eventually we saw the doctor - not Dr Thompson, but a registrar type lady (still not sure what these different types do).
The scan shows that the tumour marker (the main liver tumour) has reduced further, from 19mm last scan to 14mm, which is half the size from what it was in about April...
The other tumours all appear to be stable at this stage.
So I only need to go back to a hospital for a checkup etc. in 3 months' time.
Here comes Summer!
Of course, if symptoms raise their heads it will be an earlier return.
Lois baked me a carrot cake.
And just before blogtime, Heather (Lois's sister) brought my 25th teaching anniversary cake over.
It's gorgeous!
Music icing round the outside, a healthy dollop of chocolate butter icing covering the rectangle, and key teaching words decorating the top ("sir, "passion", "paperwork", etc.)
It is the most thoughtful cake I have ever contemplated eating!
Thank you, Heather (and Lois for the yummy carrot cake too)!
So, in a nutshell, cancer not obliterated yet, but cowering in a corner for now, and I'll take that while I can.
Tearful farewells with our Year 13s today, and an amazing rap performance from the boy who at Yr 13 Graduation becaming Head Boy for 2010.
Aah. Music Teaching - a box of tissues should be standard issue (also an amazing performance from Barbara M, who sang a spinechilling song by Pink called "Dear Mr President" - a heartbreaking indictment of GW Bush.
From blogtime to bedtime, to dream of more assemblies, music and cake.

G.

Good News and Better News

Good news: I rang the hospital today.
They had received my blood test results from Labtests!
(Answered prayer number 1).

Better news: my cancer marker count is down to a staggering 54.
(Remember it was 4000 at start of Chemo...)
What percentage is that, you maths experts??
(Answered prayer no.2)

I mean, we call it "answered prayer" so often when it's something WE want.
If the 2 above events hadn't occurred, would my prayers still have been answered?

The next significant event is the consultation with the oncologist tomorrow at 3.30pm.

We will discuss the results of the CT scan.

So, to all those praying on my behalf, THANK YOU and DON'T STOP!!

I want to kick the little b....s well into touch (is that the right way round?) and be able to testify to the fact!

Today when I heard the good news I shared it with as many interested colleagues as I could find.
(It feels good to run down a school corridor even when you're a "senior" member of staff!!)

And now I share it with "the world".

Please, please, please also pray for:

Kath in Oz.
Bobby and Noel's sister, Sharmila in Hyderabad.
Sally's husband.
Carol-Ann's friend.
Barry.
JohnO.
Simon.
Margaret's daughter.
Colin.

...and anybody else who is battling with cancer, and their families.

A bit of a list, and you can probably add your own friends/contacts to it.

Pray for strength, hope, and light.

And I will give you further news, either "good" or "bad", tomorrow.

Love,

Gerald.

Here's Hoping

So I went into the local Labtests testing "office" at 7am.
And approached them sotto voce.
Telling them my last blood test had disappeared.
Please would they do their best not to lose this one?
They responded with appropriate mortification.
And gave me 2 phone numbers to ring tomorrow.
Then it was off to Ak Hospital to have my portacath flushed.
I got another phone number to call tomorrow morning - I should have enough numbers now!
Tomorrow Alexander and Lois have the day off - lucky so-and-sos.
Sophie and I meanwhile struggle on gamely, trying to make sense of this game we call education.
And on Friday I celebrate the following milestones:
27 years' marriage.
25 years at the "chalkface".
8 months battling cancer.
Bring on the chocolate mud cake!

Son's Day

Fred shared the story of his calling to our chuch today.
Moving and challenging.
Lois and I did some interview prep for tomorrow.
Exciting and a little scary.
I began rehearsing specifically for the Psalms Concert today.
Interesting, wide.
I wrote my first mini-analysis of a Bowie song (on this blog).
Satisfying, fascinating (for me!).
Came across more people with cancer today (more and more practically every day).
Endless, urgent.

Love,

G.

Blogpsalm 2

Burn my impurities away, Lord.
Burn all that is ugly, dark and dishonest.
Burn away my selfishness,
Burn and blaze against the Fear.

Let Your light blaze in me,
Shine and never dim,
Send the shadows far from me,
And I too will shine in darkness.

In You I have nothing to fear.
Not Death, not Sickness, not Hatred.
Leave me here to blaze a little longer,
Or take me to shine eternally.

Light,
Warmth,
The Fire of Love,
All are Yours!

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust - chapter 1 (Five Years)

The album was released in 1972, at the height of "glam rock".
Produced by Bowie, "his" guitarist Mick Ronson, and the then-ubiquitous Ken Scott.
Full name "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars", Bowie's first cohesive concept album - theme = superstardom in a dystopian society with only 5 years to go until the final meltdown.

Five Years majestically sets the tone of the concept, and the album.
The stripped-down rhythmic motif on bass drum, snare and closed hi-hat continues throughout the entirety of the song, with very few fills and little extravagance or indeed variation - on the video for this, the drummer, when filmed, appears to be almost comatose, and little wonder...

The song establishes Bowie as a masterful story-teller, in the vein of 60s Dylan.
He begins by telling us about a news report in which the reporter lets the world know that the Earth is really dying.

After this bad news, Bowie shares with us the visual and aural catalogue of events he sees and hears as he, presumably, walks down the street.

The song builds musically and lyrically, after a reflective pause at the end of the first verse ("I never thought I'd need so many people"...)
Strings enter, first subdued and sustained, but on later verses building through volume, pitch and rhythmic activity.
The chord progression (I, vi, II and IV) continues throughout (an example of Bowie being ahead of his time in terms of musical composition within the pop genre, unless you count the last part of the Beatles' She's So Heavy or Hey Jude), providing a similar unity to the drumkit pattern.

The chorus comes as the climax to the song, first sung, then shouted, as Bowie gets more and more involved in his apocalyptic message - electronic gurglings (once again, a reference to She's So Heavy) are layered on, and once the shouting stops all instruments fade out, save for the sparse drumkit, serving as a kind of heartbeat for the narrator (i.e. Bowie).

Significant features then are the use of rhythmic ostinato, the buildup throughout the song and the way in which the music underscores the lyrics.

Bowie often plays down his musical contributions to his own songs, but don't be fooled - this is Bowie at the top of his "game" and very much in control of his material.

Coming soon on "Bowie Reviewed" - "Soul Love".

G.

The Other Side of the Sky (Book Review)

...by Arthur C. Clarke (what does the "C." stand for?)

A collection of short sci-fi stories by "the great master", etc. etc.
Features The Nine Billion Names of God, and The Star, amongst many others.
Clarke is dead now.
He was one of the early generation of sci-fi writers (NOT quite as early as H.G. Wells or Rice Burroughs, but the same post-war gen. of Asimov, Heinlein, etc.).
His stories are more about the development of technology, encounters with aliens, concepts of space/time travel than they are about character development.
You won't find the inner psychological angst eloquently portrayed as in Ballard.
You won't find fantastic landscapes with panoramic and brutal vistas, as in Frank Herbert.
And you won't find the humour of Heinlein (though there is a mildly dark humour running through most of these stories).

So, why read this book?

Read the book and be amazed by Clarke's prescience - his stories are of the type that you finish reading and think "hmm, a lot of this has actually come to pass".

Amazing prescience.

Seminal.

G.

Sitterdag.

Another beautiful day.
Very tempting to take these for granted, but recent weather has taught us otherwise.
Lovely to be able to spend all morning in the garden!
One thing I do with my teaching is play little games with spellings etc. on the whiteboard.
Yesterday, being Friday, was Jukebox Friday.
This is where the students and I play 2 or 3 songs/pieces and write about them.
Yesterday with my beloved Year 12s we listened to, amongst other things, Tchaikovsky (Symphony no. 6, 2nd movement, which has a 5/4 time signature).
So, as they gave their answers/comments I changed the spelling of their names (they get points for contributing positively, and lose points for "negative" contributions, e.g. talking while the music is on), where possible, so Toni became Tchoni, Kitea became Kitchea and Junior became Tchunior...get the picture???
Of course, sometimes the spelling thing becomes a little "unstuck" - I have had sessions with Year 9s calling out raucously as I deliberately misspell things like Hamony, Melodeye, Rithhim, etc. in order to get their points!
And on Friday I managed to spell INFLUENCE as INFLENCEU....uh, unintentionally.
This was in my Year 13 class, they teased me about it, so I had no choice but to retaliate and take out the RED (punishing) boardmarker and make an example of Issac and Herpert....
The teacher must ALWAYS remain in controll...lolll.....
G.

Terseday

An interesting day.
Yesterday Lee was out, Kirsty was in (sick).
Today Lee was in, Kirsty out.
Theo and I providing a bit of continuity...
Meeting of new and old Super 12s at lunch.
Thinking "a new journey is about to begin"...
Going to a new parents' dinner at St Cuths.
Partly thinking "wow, great opportunities for Soph here".
Partly thinking "if only our school could have the same vibe of expectations/striving for excellence"...
It's not about the money.
It's not about the resources as such...
It's about developing kids' potential, teachers' potential (not hamstringing us with, at least, dull administrivia and, at worst, toxic compliance dogma) and building a learning community.
To paraphrase a popular saying, "school isn't the building, it's the people".
The moment you move your school into a situation where people are not valued is the moment when the descending spiral begins.
Please remember that, Mr Key, Mrs Tolley and various principals (not ours) and executive officers who don't get out of your offices......
Yours (hopefully) provocatively,
Gerald.

Woundsday

Just playing again.
Not actually feeling too wounded - actually not at all.
Best bit of the day was receiving very positive feedback on the Showcase (last night).
The Showcase was great fun.
I enjoyed watching the range of performers and performances.
Year 9s to Year 13s.
Kids starting off with hopes and expectations.
Kids finishing secondary and moving on to tertiary - the next phase!
Kids grown up coming back to check on the old school and see what's changed (nothing, really, if you don't look tooo hard...)
Enjoyed performing Eagles songs, and seeing the stunned/surprised look on peoples' faces when they received an award!
Thanks to all who contributed!
G.

Cancer! I Hate You! (poem...ish - not for the squeamish!)

You invaded my body!
You worked your way in from the inside!
And not just me, but also some of my friends and family - you never stop!
And you get your kicks by first of all causing fear....
(When will you visit us??)
Then pain...
(What was that agonising kick in the stomach?)
And you keep on growing greedily...one person not enough, one organ insufficient for your appetite.
And when you finally reveal yourself and are named you scare us shitless (in some cases literally)!

But I have news for you, my unwanted visitor (always the last to leave)!

You ain't gettin' all of me!

Your days of laughter, mocking and apparent victory are numbered!

While I/we (your numberless other victims) have life, breath, hope, faith, we will fight against you!

You may wreck a tea party or two with your foul manners, dark shadow and rude conversation...

You may crumble our bodies into dust as you cannabilise our cells and chew on our tissue and flesh and bones...

But you will not get all of us!

You may delude our mind, and invite sister Morphine into your hallucinogenic kabbal...

But you're really pathetic.

Because our bodies and minds are not the limit of our beings.

Try as hard as you want, make us writhe, twist, squirm, dance with Death...

But even after you have crucified us with your nails of pain
And buried us in your tomb of silence
We Will Rise!

Our Souls will not be crushed,
And our spirits will rise,
Will return Home (or perhaps come Home for the first time )
And the Door will be shut against you,
And the Rejoicing will be great.
We will be snatched from your jaws,
Either in this life or after it.
And our hope is in God,
And you have no power over God.
Any way you look at it,
You lose!

Moondag

Just something I enjoy doing...
Playing around with names.
The situation at school is its usual frantic self.
Rehearsals, personal crises, impossible deadlines...
Getting things finalised for the Ultimate Showcase.
I have now got my new Super Twelve ready for 2010.
Many possibilities, many challenges...
Lois has a job interview coming up next Monday, for a job she would really like to get.
Meanwhile I have been practising Eagles and Green Day songs for tomorrow.
The school band will do Take it Easy and Hotel California.
The staff band will do "Wake Me Up When September Ends"...
From 70s country rock to 00s punk - it all happens at O.C.!

What's the Haps?

A beautiful day.
Out in the garden - plenty of work to do!
Fixed the vacuum cleaner!
Me - fix something technical??
I told you miracles can happen.
Lois recuperating from law exam no.1 and prepping for no.2 (Alexander with his maths also).
Sophie - dressmart today (savemart yesterday to get pirate outfit - Lois's caption is right!).
To see the a cappella group from O.C. known as The Dreamers, either follow Andrew's instructions in the post Just Like Job, or go to google and search for Otahuhu College The Dreamers.
Worth watching - tho this is only about half of what they presented.
I have been booked in to do another Psalms Concert at 7pm on Sunday 6th December - remember, you heard (read) it here first!

Gerald.

Psunday Psalm

The sun shines,
Shines forever,
Warmth, light, power...
Colour!
Green, green and brown and shade and flowers...
Black, brown and ultramarine birds
Swimming through the air,
Singing, chuckling, celebrating -
A raucous, arcane and virile music...
Symphony of birds!
The earth, the sky, the sun, my heart,
Full of the Glory of God.

Note From A Big Country (book review)

Yet another Bill Bryson book.
Far from ho-hum, though.
This one is a series of short articles originally written for the British Mail on Sunday's Night and Day magazine.
Bryson returned to the U.S.A. with his British family in the late 90s, and the articles are 90% comparative studies of life in the U.S.A. and the U.K.
They are, of course, largely hilarious observations, in the quizzical style we have come to know and love.

Which makes his article, "On Losing a Son" especially poignant - it begins by describing an idyllic twilight ball game with his young son, then takes us to the time where the Bryson family farewell the older son as he begins life at university.
Bryson writes:
"For the past week I have found myself spending a lot of time wandering aimlessly through the house looking at the oddest things - a basketball, his running trophies, an old holiday snapshot - and thinking about all the carelessly discarded yesterdays they represent. The hard and unexpected part is the realisation not just that my son is not here, but that the boy he was is gone for ever."

You needn't worry...the humour quickly bounces back.
I particularly enjoyed the article about getting a haircut...
As usual, immaculately written and packing a punch on every page.
Each article is only 4 or 5 pages maximum, so you can easily pick up and put down this book (a great bedtime read)...except that once you've picked it up, you won't want to put it down!
You have been warned (now bring on the Thunderbolt Kid)!

Jubilation (concert review)

Malcolm McA told us there was going to be an a cappella gospel choir performing.
Jubilation is its name, and it is currently touring the North Island.
On Friday they performed at Mangere East Metro Theatre at 8pm.
Unfortunately, very few Polynesians in the audience, which was pretty full.
Unfortunate because this is exactly the kind of thing most South Aucklanders would lap up!
So, marketing/publicity/etc. need to be addressed, because it seems such a waste!

Still, for those of us who were there, a terrific night was had.
The concert began and ended (sort of) with solos from Rick Bryant, a seasoned veteran of the Ak music scene (remember the Jive Bombers??No?? Where WERE you in '82??).
One of the very pleasant surprises for me was the wide variety of stuff that constitutes an a cappella gospel repertoire.
As well as the more trad numbers (including a raucous and dynamic rendering of "Samson and Delilah") we were treated to no less than 2 originals from the choir - "Learn to Forgive" by Rick Bryant and "First to Come Home" by Jean McAllister (Malcolm's sister).
Learn to Forgive is a deep, moving and true song - the kind Van Morrison would love to get his hands on (maybe the choir could send him a copy of their cd?).
"First to Come Home" is a rare thing - harmonically sophisticated and spiritually spot-on...sung and led by Jean...this is a song which grows on you as you repeat your listenings, so get the CD and explore it fully!
And...Tom Waits! "Come on Up to the House" (solo by Jackie Clarke, who is apparently quite well-known - a hugely spirited performer).

To sum it all up, this was more than a concert...seeing the way the group moved physically with their performance was refreshing - like the late, great Uncle Bob (Marley), they appear casual but are musically very tight beneath that appearance.
The moves flowed naturally from their singing, unlike the stilted mannerisms one sometimes finds with barbershop groups.
This made the separation between audience and performers (they were on a stage) frustrating...you wanted to get involved beyond mere foot stomping and hand clapping.

If you have not yet experienced Jubilation, get along to their next gig (I wanted to go again on Saturday night, but was prevented by personal concerns)...
At least get hold of the CD (go to jubilation.co.nz).
And if you attend a church with a bit of money (Destiny, maybe??)...you could get them in to lead a service!

Love,

G.

12 Angry Men

This isn't really a review, so I've not headed it as such.
Lois and I have watched this movie last night and tonight.
It's fascinating, in that it shows us the interactions of a jury attempting to deliberate on a charge of murder.
At the start they are 11 for guilty and 1 for not guilty.
As the play progresses, the bloke who was at first for "not guilty" (played with consummate skill by Jack Lemmon) manages to swing the jury round from "guilty".
Just before the end there is a dramatic/tense moment from George C. Scott, who holds the balance in his hands.
A dramatic movie, probably a play in a previous incarnation.
A fascinating study of character types and influence.
No women in the jury!
After this we watched the penultimate episode of "Gormsby" the 2nd series - very LOL stuff (but take of your PC-tinted lenses before you watch!).

Just Like Job

In case you hadn't noticed, I am feeling a bit Job-like at the moment.
We have had quite a bit of teaching and preaching about this guy lately.
For those of you who aren't "in the know", a brief explanation.
Job is a guy in the bible who is extremely wealthy, successful, famous, healthy, happy, righteous, etc.
In one or two fell swoops, the Devil, given a "free reign" by God, wipes out virtually all of these happiness ingredients in Job's life, except for his wife (and as a recent preacher pointed out, anyone who has a wife who comes out with the line "curse God and die" has cause to wonder about "matrimonial bliss"!!).
Job has 3 friends who arrive on the scene, and spend a week on their knees in silence, praying.
It is only when they open their mouths with "helpful advice" that the stress begins.
A 40-chapter discussion takes place, finishing with God speaking to Job, and pointing out that God's ways are not our ways and that "it ain't why, it just is" (a quote from Van Morrison)....

I have many good friends who have been holding and hugging me over the last week or so, without the "good advice" - thank you.
I am also conscious of those who feel helpless to help or support and wish that there was even just one thing they could do for me.
Only pray.
And hug.
Love.
When I am gone, you will remember these hugs and this love probably more than anything else.
And I want you to remember my love more than anything else.

On which note, apologies to anyone out there in blogland who may feel I have been less than loving with you! (...just because Labtests have treated me shoddily doesn't mean I have to hate the people!)
There is a brilliant song out there on You Tube by Jubilation Choir, written by Rick Bryant, called "Learn to Forgive" (I think), and Sophie and I are going to ee them this Fri.
Malcolm McA, teacher from school, has a sister who sings the solo in this song...it is beautiful!
The concert is at 8pm at Mangere East Metro Theatre (Massey Rd?) - $25 adults, $15 students, $5 groups 10 or more.
And don't forget The Ultimate Showcase and Music Awards at my school next Tuesday at 7pm!!
If you are in Auckland that night, and free, come along and enjoy some superb and passionate music making.

Which brings me to tonight's concert - the A Cappella Finals at O.C.
Hillary Samuela came 3rd - she is in my tutor group - the rest of her group didn't turn up, which was disappointing, but she sang so well by herself, I was so proud of her!
Next up were "Blessed", a trio of Year 10 girls, 2 from my Music class and one from Kirsty's - a lot of potential and already starting to gain substantial confidence as performers (2nd place).
Last were The Dreamers - a trio of girls I have already raved about on these pages (see my report on the Last Chemo) - Christine Fetuiai, Sulieti Finau and Losa Iakopo.
What harmonies, warmth, "tightness", confidence and expression.
These girls make me so proud! And happy and moved and hopeful and strong.
You will eventually find a clip of their performances on You Tube I think - Andy will let me know
when the clip is up.
I also want to thank Theo, Barry and Malcolm for having the guts to get up and sing "Working on the Railroad" with me as light relief!

Christine Fe's uncle passed away this morning.
And that takes me back to the start of this blog - this young woman has lost so many family recently, and this uncle took a special interest in her musical gifts.
What could I say to her?
Hugs, hugs, hugs - let the sorrow out.
Please pray for her.
......and I told her to come into school tomorrow.
Heartless?
Not in my experience - she will gain strength from following the routines, and she will have the support of friends and family at school.

Till tomorrow (hopefully the blogsite will load a bit faster!!).

Love,

G.

Tethered, and yet Untethered

Tethered, and yet untethered.
Free, and yet bound.
Courageous, but fearful.
Alive whilst dying...
Strong and yet so weak.
Hopeful, but losing hope.
Successful, yet failing.
Walking and stumbling.
Flying and falling.
Lost and found.....

Healing, part II

A funny game, this healing thing.
Pray for healing - it may or may not happen.
If it happens, give thanks and praise...
If not, well, God has bigger plans.
The thorn in the side - it's up to God - He can take it away, or leave it in us.
Does God like to hear the cries of pain and anguish and suffering that come from His injured, bruised, damaged and dying children?
Does He expect us to understand, and accept our pain stoically?
Are we expected to be big and grown up about "all this"?
We all go through pain, we all die - it's not fair, just, balanced or rational...
And we are designed also not to give up, take it lying down, and cease our struggles.
The cycle continues - Hope, Pain, Suffering, Prayer, Death, Faith...
And somewhere in a mysterious and huge cloud, lie the answers to the questions...

Things Heat Up Again

As you can tell, I haven't been able to report the last couple of evenings.
On Thursday night I attended the Service Awards at school.
The guest speaker was Clint Samesia who, strangely enough, I had met when he was a student and I an English teacher back in Term 1 1990.
He said he remembered my eyes!
He spoke very well about service - turning up on time, listening and the Samoan concept of "Tautua" (similar to Maori "Tautoko"?) - supporting those who are your representatives.
It was a lovely evening - I thoroughly relished giving certificates to "my kids" - those who have committed themselves to Music groups through the years.

And last night was also very special.
Maria D., a colleague at school, invited me to her place for a Music Evening.
She and her husband are Iranian, and they had invited 2 friends, Hamid and Elizabeth (sp?), who play santoor (a hammered dulcimer, not unlike a zither or cimbalom) and hand drums respectively.
I played some viola, then we had 2 songs from Hamid, Elizabeth and Maria, who sings with a rich, strong voice, then I played and sang some rock'n'roll.
The food was EXCELLENT also, and my colleague Rosemary T and her husband Richard were also there.
Great company!
Persian rugs everywhere (Maria and family/friends are Persian as opposed to Arabic) - gorgeous!

The week ahead is also looking busy - if anyone is free on Wed, we are having our a cappella finals at school starting at 7pm - should be a special, fun (and short) time!
Meanwhile trying to adjust to the hernia and not hold my bitterness about Labtests and NZQA too tightly...
Such a beautiful day today (3 - 4 hours in the garden)!
Relishing this fantastic Youssou N'Dour album, "Nothing is in Vain"...brimming with energy, beauty and good things.

Love,

Gerald.

"The Tent" (book review)

By Margaret Atwood.
This is a collection of "short stories" (more like prose pieces, though sometimes like poems), some previously published, some new to our eyes!
Like the Bill Bryson book I am concurrently reading, the snippets are quite short indeed, usually no more than 3 or 4 (small) pages each.
The titles are spicy and enticing...
"Our Cat Enters Heaven", "Salome Was a Dancer", "Three Novels I Won't Write Soon", to name but 3...
and those are just the titles!
This is the first time I've read a book by Margaret Atwood.
It certainly won't be the last!
How can I describe her writing?
Clear, sharp, incisive, humorous, scary, and original!
I kept telling Sophie she had to read this, but I have to admit some of the writings are a bit...adult?...
In some ways like Bryson, but definitely more poetic and concentrated (and darker...)
I strongly recommend this book to anyone wanting to take a risk or two in their reading (let alone writing).
Bring on "The Year of the Flood"!

G.

"Designed To Die"?

Did that grab your attention?

The title comes from a conversation I had with my "Cancer Counsellor" yesterday.
Her name is Rebecca L, and she works at the Cancer Society.
I get free counselling here - brilliant.
I was sharing with her, amongst other things, my dread of pain if and when I get to the last stages of my life - I have witnessed, at first hand, what appeared to be uncomfortable, painful deaths, and also talked to a man whose wife's cancer had spread into her brain and left her unable to control her thoughts, etc.

Rebecca first talked about the individual's power to control the pain relief in the final stages.
Then about the body's ability to close itself down/"die" without too much discomfort/pain.
She observed that with most deaths it is those who are left behind who experience the grief - usually the dying person is not too stressed about it.
Then she said "we are designed to die".
This was not said in a callous way at all - in fact, I found it immensely comforting.
I mean, think about it - Death and Taxes - we will all go thru these 2 traumas in our own way and time.
Afterwards, though, I remembered that, yes, the body is designed to die, BUT we, as spiritual beings also, are designed to live forever!
Let there be no doubt about this also (just had that "Death is not the End" song playing again).
Thanks, Rebecca!

2 bum notes from the hospital...

1. Labtests failed to do my cancer marker test and get it to the hospital - what on earth is going to happen about this crisis in blood testing in Auckland? Whoever it was on the ADHB who decided to trash Diagnostic Med Lab and go for cheap, inexperienced labour has a LOT to answer for - it's on a par with NCEA...but more potentially fatal and distressing in the short term.

2. I have developed an incisional hernia, i.e. a hernia (rupture) caused by the surgery. Because these things are very tricky and complex to operate on, Dr Thompson was quite emphatic that I needn't have surgery unless and until it becomes more of a problem - watch this space (and not my tummy).

Upsides from yesterday included Christine Fa'amausili joining the Blog Crew - welcome, Christine! - and a lovely dinner visit from "old Uni friend" (AND co-lodger from London days), Read Gainsford.

Read is performing a concert on Fri eve at the Raye Freedman Centre (Epsom Girls' Grammar) - a wonderful selection of piano pieces including Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor and Shostakovich's Dolly Pieces (?).

And so passes the first Post-Chemo blog (assuming the last cycle ended yesterday) - needless to say, I am trying not to over-react to every little twinge of pain that comes my way.

If I come across as a little paranoid, well, it's all their fault...

Love,

G.

A Supernatural Experience

Here's something I don't share very often, but I thought the time is nigh to share it here and now.
I became a Christian in 1982, after searching for God since about 1972 (various religions, philosophies, beliefs, churches, etc.).
I committed my life to following Christ after a pastor at Valley Rd Church talked about the need to weigh up the cost before committing to following Christ.
I weighed up the cost, decided, and became a Christian.

Either that night or perhaps the night after, as I lay in my bed, I smelt a strong, overwhelming and luscious fragrance in the room...
No rational explanation for it at all, and I take that memory of that fragrance with me as some kind of proof of the presence of God with me...
As the man healed by Jesus said, when questioned by the Jewish priests, "All I know is that I was blind, but now I see!"
All I know is that that fragrance was there...and the next morning it faded away.
No one else could smell it.

And I didn't keep flowers, and I had not spent the night with Lois (and anyway that was not her perfume).

A bit of a touchstone for my faith, I think...a memory that will never die.

Sunny/Windy/Wet/Dry

Make up your mind, elements!
A "full church" day today, with both Sophie and me playing in the worship team.
We had about 10 musicians up there on stage today - 4 in the wind section.
There was one song where Graeme ceased on keyboard and the wind and I kept going, providing a more than adequate harmonic cushion for the congregation - good fun!
Andrew's friends from Hawkes Bay - Peggy, Harry and Johannes - came for lunch.
Harry particularly keen on early synthesiser music and, like me, keen on PG-era Genesis.
At last I had an excuse for playing Messiaen to a total stranger (the ondes- martenot in the Turangalila Symphony)!
Have been listening a lot to my recent purchases - PG - "Blue Ball", Youssou N'Dour "Nothing is in Vain", Nick Cave "Murder Ballads" and Billy Joel "Piano Man" (the studio album, NOT the compilation).
The Nick Cave album is astounding (though his version of Stagger Lee is an absolute foulmouthed rant, and best not played to children, aunties or nuns)...
Virtually all the songs are Cave originals, done in styles that evoke the earlier genres of murder ballads (e.g. Johnny Cash, Loovin Brothers, Irish folk songs, Appalachian Mountain songs)...
I shied away from getting this record for many years, thinking it would be just a tad TOO dark and depressing - I should have remembered just how great Cave and his band, The Bad Seeds, are at arranging their music - the album is dark, but SUBLIMELY so.
And then, to cap it all off, Cave launches into a version of Bob Dylan's "Death is Not the End" (originally from Dylan's allegedly "abysmal" 25th studio album from 1988, "Down in the Groove").
After all the darkness, a little ray of golden sunshine lights our way.
Well, this post started as a journal entry and ended as a semi-review of Nick Cave...more profiles spring to mind, but if you'd rather not read profiles of my favourite music, let me know!
I once had a dream of doing a very in-depth analysis of early Bowie albums as a PhD (amongst other possible PhD projects), but needless to say those sort of plans are on hold at the moment...let's see what eventuates.
Profiles could be a sort of consolation prize (and certainly more accessible than an academic squeeze on Ziggy/Aladdin/Diamond Dog).
Till tomorrow (this PG album has, amongst others, my beloved Sinead O'C and also Tim Finn).

Big Busy Day

6am up with the larks (or tuis).
7.10am take Sophie to school (after late night at worship group practice).
7.45am Theo and Kerry pick me up for school.
8.35am start of school.
Teach, teach, teach....
10.50am my favourite favourite time with freshly made milky coffee, home baking and chat!
1.30pm memorial service for tsunami victims.
3.11pm home again, home again.
5.20pm Leslie and Beckie Callaghan bring dinner - total (and pleasant) surprise!
5.50pm into town with Sophie.
Borders, Real Groovy and Haydn's Creation at the Town Hall (to be reviewed later).
Back home to blog, bed and Bill Bryson.
Nighty night!

Here Comes the Knife...(profile of Genesis)

The Knife...the last song on Genesis's first "proper" album, Trespass.
If you visit YouTube you will find a lot of clips of early Genesis.
When both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins had hair!
My earliest memories of Genesis were my sister Joke talking about them with her friend, Anne Reid.
They were very theatrical, with Peter Gabriel prancing around wearing make-up and masks and gowns, and singing songs of mystical physical transformations and apocalypse and horrid deaths - everything to appeal to a 14 year old boy!
I remember I needed to spend some nights over at our neighbours' around this time (I think we had Marjan's family visiting from London).
Their adult son had a big stereo, with great headphones, and an LP of Genesis's "Nursery Cryme" - amongst other things this had some great narratives, including Harold the Barrel, featuring PG in absolute theatrical form, voicing all the characters in the sad tale of Harold.
Genesis were, obviously to me, an early influence on our very own Split Enz - progressive song structures, keyboard-dominated, "epic" songs, bizarre theatrics and eerie humour.
After purchasing a copy of Nursery Cryme, I won a copy of "Trick of the Tail" in a radio competition.
This was the first post-PG album, and, weirdly and almost inexplicably, it was at THIS time that the band began a rather quick progress towards megastardom!
PG went on to do "Solsbury Hill" and found Real World records and discover many wonderful musicians in all corners of the globe - and never look back.

Retro Sounds

I am thinning down our CD collection, which tends to wax and wane.
I am finding myself drawn to the sounds of the 70s, definitely MY formative musical years.
As I blog, I am listening to Jethro Tull's "Passion Play" from around 1972.
This followed "Thick As a Brick" and is similarly a throughcomposed magnum opus in proggy/folky style.
I was first turned on to Tull by my sister Plonie, who had a copy of TAaB.
She also had a stereo with huge speakers with blue padding on the box. Impressive!
(In her collection she had Paul Simon, S and G, Leonard Cohen, Art Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, The Beatles...MANY things that became MINE in terms of taste).
I used to love going for a sleepover at her flat/house and trawling through her LPs (in fact I did this with all my sisters - Carla had loads of S and G, Marjan had loads of Wagner and Verdi, Joke had loads of classical stuff, and one of her Hamilton friends had Bowie's Ziggy Stardust - once I heard "5 Years" I was away!)...
My "eternal" faves, which I have no intention of thinning down, are Van Morrison, Bob Marley, Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, Paul Simon, Sinead O'Connor, but I also have some very "well represented" artists there...hmm...I sense a series of profiles about to appear (will I lose my "audience"/"readership" though?).
Aaah, well, time to help the Hare find his spectacles!

Get it?

Love,

G.

Daily Priorities

With a terminal illness, daily priorities change (doh!).
Paperwork takes a huge back seat and in the front seat come face to face interactions.
Moaning about one's lot is replaced by finding the joy of a situation.
Issues which seemed important to hold on to can be let go.
NCEA becomes...well, always has been....well, I'll say no more.
The quality (and quantity!) of toilet paper "is not strained"...
A student's "achievement"/"success" becomes less important than their growth as a human being.
You relinquish control of the health you thought you had.
God becomes even bigger and more mysterious.
Eternal life is THE thing and life on earth becomes, by comparison, very small and short.
Yet NOT insignificant.
The kindness of a student sharing her home-baked afghans takes on huge meaning.
And the cat spontaneously jumping up on your lap, curling up, purring away and giving you "that look" of contentment, trust, acceptance - the little things become big, and the big things become little...

The Hug

Today was a very emotional day for me at church.

First of all, Fred invited me to share with the church as to where things are at for me....
I told them I was off chemo and have entered a phase of waiting, watching, hoping and praying.
Maria L came up and prayed for Samoa etc. - tears.
Then Dianne B. opened "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"...more tears.
Then guest speaker Meredith spoke about "Grief"...more tears.
Andrew was with me...he gave me a reassuring pat on the back...
Then Fred announced for people going through Grief to come up the front for prayer...

I asked Andrew to grab me a coffee, as I might be gone "for some time" and made my way up the front...
An elder (sort of "old person" within the church with proven spiritual maturity), Brian A., came and sat down next to me and simply hugged me for a long, long time.
...As I sat and cried and wept and wept...for myself, for my family, for the loss of ...life?....stuff???...sunny days?...

I have just realised now that that hug from Brian was an "echo" of a hug my Dad gave me when we went over to Kawau Island and I got seasick and there was nothing Dad could do about it except comfort me with his physical, big, warm, reassuring presence - his arm around me.

As you know, I am an emotional guy...that's both a strength and a weakness, I s'pose, but it is the way I am...I don't bottle stuff up successfully and my face is pretty easy to read...

Brian, thank you for your presence, your prayers, but most of all your Hug.

I will never forget it!

By the way, if anyone else out there would like a hug, I still have planty to share!

Just ask!

Love,

Gerald.

Super Twelve and Beyond

Today was a big day for the Super Twelve.
At 1.30pm we set up at Dingwalls special school in Papatoetoe.
We treated the boys who are resident there to a short concert of our items for the Golf gig.
Then set up at the Grange golf club in Papatoetoe (round the corner).
4pm back home to "crash".
8.15pm back at The Grange.
Pasifika bracket, sausage rolls, then back up for Beatles, Bob (Marley), Benny and Bjorn (ABBA).
The crowd of 180 celebratory golfers loved us and gave us extra cash for a couple more songs!
The group enjoyed themselves.
We still need to work on the turning up on time, though!

Blog 200 - Chemo 12.

I am still here!
Disconnected for the last time today (for a while at least, I hope).
Feeling elated, wanting to run around the domain, but actually felt a bit tired.
Practice with Super Twelve (not many there - different story for later).
A wet day - kids at Rainbow's End with Andrew.
Nurses sad to say goodbye - felt likewise, but actually pleased to be free from chemo for a while.
How to monitor health now - especially thinking about return of the cancer...

in this world you will have sorrows, but take heart, Jesus has overcome the "world"/death/finity.

after Hozzy down to Real Groovy - Big Day Out tickets and trade-ins...purchased 2 Sparks albums, including Kimono My House (surreal, quirky and highly imaginative), a live Jan Garbarek and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's last recordings (produced by Rick Rubin, of Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond rehabilitation fame).

If you have not ever heard Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's singing, I thoroughly recommend you listen to at least one song - intense, ecstatic and virtuoso.

G.

"UP (3D)" (movie review)

Pixar movies appear to be virtually instant classics.
In the first 10 minutes you knew this one was going to be no exception.
A beautiful, colourful, hilarious, deep, uplifting (ugh!) and moving movie.
A great show for the whole family - adults would not be embarrassed to venture forth alone together into the cinema for this film.
It has a French quality to it, which is something very rare in a Disney movie.
The Frenchness of understatement - letting the visuals, music, expressions and silences do the talking.
Good guy widower Carl voiced by Ed Asner (grumpy old codger from Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant TV series).
Fallen hero turned bad guy voiced by Christopher Plummer.
And many other wonderful characters, who I will not reveal!
3D understated and very effective.
I urge you to see it before it leaves the big screen - and if you need to borrow a child to see it with, borrow me (or mine)!

A sunny day almost

Sleep in till 8am.
Pump still connected!
Alexander and friend Hamish playing war games peacefully...
2 coffees and a scrumptious piece of carrot cake at Ironique, shared with Geoff Wood, a lovely man who runs a music/educational supplie business.
The best carrot cake in the Village, if not the city...
French Bread! Tomatoes!
Star Trek Enterprise - the crew were attacked by a mysterious web-like creature - communication a problem (sounds like the internet?).
Sausages! Chips! Salad (including Tomatoes!).
Off to Anne of Green Gables, directed by my neighbour Jan Saussey, and with a score by an ex-student of mine, Andrew Naea (who did, as I thought he would, a terrific job!).
Home again, greeted by hungry Samson threatening to tear down the temple...

The times, they are a-changing (again)

Enz of an era.

Stepping off the known road, again. No more chemo for now.
Wishes, prayers, possibilities, darkest fears and deeply held, faintest hopes coalesce.

Good things - low-grade reaction to chemo along with strong anti-cancer effect - can easily be ignored and set aside as just not good enough.
Uncertainty prevails, no medics can predict - slow, fast, or jagged regrowth?

It's never going to be good enough, leaving the party early. Nor should it be.
The days are like gemstones - the forgettable ones highlighting the marvellous times by their contrast.
Even the forgettable ones, and particularly the terrible ones, can be learning, yearning times.
Pain is a normal part of life. I won't let a piece of it stop me from ... striving, laughing, experiencing, sharing ... living.

A very wise person talked to me about giving this situation and experience the time and space it needs.
In space, no one can hear you scream ... just kidding, folks. Really.


L

7th October

Don't know why I'm calling this 7th October.
Because it is?
Some things just are.
The first course of chemo is over.
If a "miracle" happens, it will be the last time I submit myself to cytotoxic chemicals in a collective effort to battle cancer!
If no miracle, I get to dress up again when the time is right...
In "Aida" (Verdi's version, not the Tim Rice and Elton John cartoon), the star couple burst into the most beautiful duet as the tomb is being sealed (they get buried alive).
"O Terra Addio" (goodbye, world).
What a way to go!
I will probably be posting a bit more regularly in the future (did you notice I scaled it down for a while??), sometimes with a random miscellany of thoughts and feelings such as this evening, and sometimes with a little more focus.
Today my "girls", The Dreamers, an a cappella vocal trio from my Year 12 class at school, came and serenaded the patients and staff at the oncology ward - they were a huge hit!
Christine Fetuiai, Sulieti Finau and Losa Iakopo...
2 of these girls having lost swathes of family in the Samoan Tsunami...
We went to UP in 3D afterwards...rest assured, I will review this in detail, giving it the blogspace it deserves...suffice to say it is a beautiful film!
Andrew Clasby has been a wonderful chemo buddy for the last 5 months.
Words are not nearly enough to express my thanks to this caring person - humour, care, support...presence...
Thanks, Andrew!
Maria Carbines - the packages delivered without fail from Chemo 2 - thank you for your thoughtfulness and energy!
Last but not least, my family...Sophie, Alexander and Lois, who have kept me "anchored"/"earthed"/ "grounded" (never thought I would see it as a blessing/privilege to be taken for granted/wrestled with/mocked by the younger generation/sat on a sofa eating butter chicken)...
And to those who have sent kind thoughts, love, money(!!), and prayers/spiritual energy...
Thank you!

Arohanui,

Gerald.

ps Samson came, jumped up, nestled and is purring away since I began this blog.

And that's why cats are!

The Last Battle...

So this week is Chemo no.12.
The last battle between Folfiri and the tumours...for the time being.
As discussed previously, my hopes are that this will be all I need.
Sometimes I feel I am spookily close to that goal.
A man called Meredith came and preached at our church today.
He has suffered chronic and terrible spinal and leg pain for 22 years.
He referred a lot to 2 Corinthians 12, which is the passage about the thorn in Paul's side.
One of the things Meredith said was that God gives us one day at a time.
We have a choice to live it in Hurt or in Hope.
Sometimes it doesn't feel like we CAN choose Hurt or Hope.
But when it does seem we can, Hope is definitely the way that is lit up.

G.

"Teacher Man" (book review)

...by Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis.

McCourt recounts his years as a teacher in NYC secondary schools, mostly "vocational high schools" (technical/trades based) but finishing with Stuyvesant High, an upmarket secondary for students destined for Harvard, Yale, MIT, etc. (that's MIT in the USA, NOT Manukau, Junior!)...
Having come from the pages of a densely written and very grim sci-fi novel by Ballard (see review of "The Drought"), I was struck by the total contrast of tone, style and message found in Teacher Man.
The book is a memoir - a string of (in places hugely) entertaining episodes from the classrooms of New York.

I have a literary colleague at O.C. (yes, Junior, that's Otahuhu College, not Orange County) who hated this book - in further discussion it appeared that perhaps one of the reasons could be too close an identification with McCourt's adventures...
For me, the identification was similarly close - but I loved it for that!
Particularly the struggle, in the early years of his vocation, to make sense of the whole thing and feel in any way purposeful.
Also the incidents/conversations recounted, often with a wistful, gentle and humorous touch.
The lesson on recipes that becomes a performing arts extravaganza!
The sandwich dropped on the floor in conflict which the teacher picks up and...eats!
The collective animal which is a class full of 35 adolescents!
Picking on a "smart guy" student only to find later that he is ion the midst of unbelievable personal turmoil.
And the ONE student who suddenly, unexpectedly makes one's travails worthwhile!

If you're a teacher out there, read this book - you may be inspired, and at least vindicated.

Highly recommended.

G.

If you aren't a teacher, read this book - it won't make you want to change your profession, but it will give you an entertaining and enjoyable read at the expense of McCourt's experiences.

"G.I. Joe - Rise of Cobra" (movie review)

I went to this movie with Alexander. His choice!
The movie is based on action-toy characters - a bit like Transformers.
Americans...they can make a movie out of anything!
The movie was action-packed, fx-packed, explosion-packed...
There were some quieter moments - maybe a few more than Terminator Salvation.
Overall, though, we moved from spectacle to spectacle...
secret hideaways under the pyramids, the Arctic Ice Cap...and the Eiffel Tower crumbling before our very eyes!
Some nifty martial arts scenes and some good ol' tough-boy humour.
A cross between Terminator and Fantastic 4?
Definitely one for "the boys".
And probably of "a certain age" as well.
A bit mindless, but enjoyable-ish.

Tsunami

7, 4 and 3 years old...
Swept away.
The mother unconscious cannot mourn...
Only father and grandfather.

Where is God?
Where was He?
Was He watching?
Oh, yes...
A God of Love....
Well, how does this work out now?
In ways too unfathomable for me to understand.

My footsteps on the sand of these islands washed away...
Salt tears...a wave of salt tears...
Too unfathomable for me.....
I can understand, a bit, some of the pain.
I can understand pain.

These smiling faces will smile again.
But not now, not yet.
White Sunday coming soon...
But many will be dressed in black.

Buses!

Today I re-entered the balmy world that is the Auckland Public transport system...
Sophie and I travelled by bus to Epsom - about 20 minutes.
From there we walked up King George Avenue ("That's where mum and I lived when we were first married", pointing to no. 40 King George Ave).
Thru the "apron" section of Cornwall Park, bordered by Campbell Crescent (lovely Victorian/Edwardian fountain in this bit), and on up to St Cuthbert's College.
Sophie is doing a 3 day IT intro course (the girls are all required to have and use Apple Macs) and I left her at reception, making my solitary way back to the bus stop, at no.60 King George Ave.
I got to the stop around 9am, thinking I would have to wait about quarter of an hour...
I had no reading book and no Sudoku puzzle, so had to content myself with thoughts about nature, rain, God, life, death, etc.
I began to enjoy the blessed state of internal peace and harmony that is reached when one "focusses down"...
Finally looked at my watch...
9.20am.
Still no bus.
Hmm...
9.30 rolled by...slowly...with no sign of the 298 bus.
By 10am 2 297 buses had been stopped by me, both drivers assuring me that this was the correct stop and the bus would be along eventually.....
By 10.10am still no 298 so I decided, very self-justifiably, that the time had come to walk home, and when I got home, boy were Metrolink, Maxx, Rodney Hide and any advocates for the "Super City" gonna get it....
Reached home at 11.30am.
Rang the bus timetable place to verify how many buses I SHOULD have seen between 9 and 10am (after all, as the Klingons in Star Trek say, "Revenge is a dish best served cold" - I should get my facts right).
The answer from the guy at the other end of the phone was "none".
"None?? Really??"
"Yep - the last bus past there is at 8.45 and then there's nothing till 10.15am".
The wind out of my vengeful sails.
Just as well I checked before writing the slew of letters I had planned to write...
Still, my appetite for MORE public transport faded somewhat today.
Let's have more motorways!!! Tomorrow!!
Good luck, Sophie! (She made it back home on the bus by herself, so did better than me in that enterprise!)
All else today was something of an anti-climax - thank goodness.
A trip out to buy some odd clothes (wait till next chemophoto), a spot of gardening (rush out when it stops raining), watching the Indian movie Dor (beautiful soundtrack music, qawwali style), heading out to Uni to see a debate about Guantanamo inmates (Lois even managed to find a legit carpark close by before the debate started!)...
Then back home to wind up with an episode of ... Boston Legal (series 5, episode 4).
A pervading sense of running out of time...
Well, we all are...I guess it's just brought home to me a bit more...wanting to write write write and perform perform perform and listen and draw and eat and read and make love and see firends and family and walk and sleep and laugh and see my children grow and wait for buses (not!) and how much time do I/we have ?????
Nobody knows.
It's bedtime now, though...
Love,
G.

I'm a Lumberjack and I'm Okay

...sleep all night and I work all day!
Try to, anyway...
Yes - a day for judiciously pruning overgrown pieces of vegetation.
Very satisfying work, when one can see the vistas that open up.
We had a heap of rain in Auckland this morning, tho...
I took Alexander to Starship today.
His left wrist has healed fully.
His right elbow is looking good too and the "metal ware" will be coming out before the end of the year - I did mention we didn't want it interfering with his exams!
At Home Group we talked about how the sins/errors/mistakes of one person can affect a whole community - biblical reference Achan's deception at Jericho, contextual references all too many to mention!
"Forgiveness is gold" - Eric Bibb (and it's true - I promise!!!).

"Moon" (movie review)

By David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones.
And that's the last reference to the elder statesman of British pop/rock.
The movie is low key and low budget.
It lasts 90 minutes and takes place entirely on the moon about 50 years from now.
Astronaut Sam Bell (lunar miner) sits alone in his moonbase waiting for his solitary 3 year contract to end and to be reunited with his wife...
Then something happens which turns his world/moon/life upside down.
Influences: 2001, Solaris, Silent Running, Castaway, A.I., Wallace and Gromit...
It is a tense, psychological drama featuring a virtuoso performance from Sam Rockwell as Sam.
Not for those wanting to see heaps of action/aliens/romance...
Kevin Spacey makes an "appearance" as Gerty the computer/robot.
Understated, intelligent story telling.

Special Days

Yesterday a mad manic finish to the term.
Dawn Chorus "Just My Imagination" - 9 staff singers - filmed!
Set up in the Hall.
Year 9 achievement assembly (3 items).
Practise for Year 10 and end-of-term assembly.
Year 10 assembly (2 items).
Lunch!
End-of-term assembly (Dancing Queen as finale - gorgeous!).
Pump off at hospital.
Back to Cock and Bull Ellerslie for term wrap-up drinks.
Home.
Out to Molten with Lois for her 47th birthday.

Sleep-in.

Out shopping for Sophie's special plan (birthday meal for Lois - surprise).
After lunch crash out again.
4pm off to Cornwall Park for a walk, followed by a coffee at Fraser's (my mision to keep L out of the house while Sophie and Grandma prepare the meal.
6.30pm dinner, with exquisite menus prepared by Soph, and backing music mixed by Alexander.

A lovely evening!

The kids did us proud - we all had such a lovely time and it was a genuine surprise for Lois.

Now a little light viewing of Mr Gormsby, clocks forward and lights out!

That pre-nauseous feeling - I hope it will go soon (it usually does).

Gerald.

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

Well, perhaps not quite wasted...
A very sleepless one last night, as the Chemo Day sleeps have become.
Almost a pure inability to sleep - not anxious thoughts in particular, simply a wide-awakeness.
Last night I read, solved Sudoku problems, snacked on toast with jam, and eventually found the land-of-no-dreams at 2.30am...
Yes, I have been through "the valley..." as per Psalm 23.
It won't be the first or the last time on my particular journey - I know that.
There is One who travels with me, and indeed only One who can hold me close in the "watches of the night".

I see a lot of what I do in my days could almost be categorised under "Distraction Therapy"...
The meals I eat, the music I listen to, the events/outings/interactions...
Life could be one long distraction...postponing, hiding, ignoring the inevitable...Death.
Part of the Magic/Miracle/Secret is finding the joy/meaning/power of the present moment.
I guess this was brought home earlier this week when we discovered that for any travel I may plan to do from now on, I will not be able to organise travel insurance for myself.
This makes any long-term plans for travel much riskier, as of course no one knows if or when my cancer will creep back...

It has just gone 4am on Friday morning, 25th September.

I have deliberately risen early to write the satirical song for the end of school term known as the Dawn Chorus...After this blog I will finish my school magazine reports...Then maybe back to bed?

Or a breakfast of tea, toast and cherry jam...mmmmm....

Happy Birthday, Lois!

Hopefully off to Molten (lovely restaurant in Mt Eden) tonight...booked for 7pm.

May each day have meaning, joy and peace for all of us...

Thanks to all who are journeying with me in prayer and love and hope and faith.

Love,

Gerald.

chemo no. 11 tomorrow!

I feel like an old hand now.
I feel tired.
I feel nervous about life after chemo.
Funny how we can get used to the strangest things!
Cancer markers down to 150.
Come on, you little b.....s, get lost, eh?
School has been good - some lovely times with students and staff (and a particularly hairy incident yesterday!).
The tree is doing well - it has plenty of character - looking quite shaggy at present.
Went to The Pohutukawa Tree tonight with my friend and colleague, Kerry.
A terrific experience - a pity theatre is so expensive to go to - I get such a lot out of it.
Review follows soon...
Tomorrow Sophie's speech competition - go, girl!
G.

Reflection number....180?

The blog is an interesting phenomenon.
Here I am sharing my inner thoughts, views and reflections with...whoever!
So to some extent I have an audience, and to some extent, because the blog has "followers", I know who those followers are.
But mostly it's whistling in the dark.
I am trying to "harmonise" my doings, sayings, musings.
I am trying to BE more peaceful than I have been, whilst recognising that these changes occur incrementally, by and large.
When I "go" I would love the experience to be a peaceful, harmonious and loving one for all concerned.
Does that sound a little "Eastern" or "Zen"?
Shalom (peace in its fullness) is a Hebrew term don't forget.
I love the passage in one of the gospels where, after the crucifixion/resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples and literally breathes Peace into them.

G.

"ABBACADABRA" (an account)

We began with Arrival, played by the recently formed string group (2 violas playong the theme - yeah!).
We continued with Fernando, from the woodwind group (with guest violas - those violas were all over the show, man!)
We had 2 duets from Mina and Tui - Chiquitita and I Know Him So Well (the latter not strictly ABBA, but clearly Andersson/Ulvaeus).
An energetic, fun romp from Mrs Hope and Ms Walker on "Honey, Honey" (which clearly had an impact on our year 9 students, who are working on a version with congas).
Mrs Styra brought the house down with her version of "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)", with a member of the audience getting up and boogying up towards her towards the end (wonder who...)
Jazz Band chirped through "The Winner Takes it All".
Super Twelve added class with "I Have a Dream " and "Lay All Your Love on Me".
SMT - I Do I Do etc. ....all FIVE smt! Great!
Staff choir, knowing me, knowing you (with kazoos).
Finale - Thank You For the Music (YT with wig and kimono), followed by Dancing Queen (everyone up and dancing).
The evening was great fun - if you weren't there, you missed a GOOD ONE!!

"The Drought" (book review)

This is early JG Ballard, from the same era as The Drowned World and The Terminal Beach.
True to style, we are presented with a dystopian vision of the future (in fact, a huge drought is happening in North Eastern Africa at present - Ballard's nightmare scenarios are all too real).
Arthur Ransom leaves the town of Hamilton for the beach, spends 10 years surviving on painstakingly trapped and filtered sea water and returns to the town when he comes across wild lions (must be water somewhere).
The strength of this writing is its density of prose - even the chapter titles have a poetic tinge to them - if your eyes should skip one word, you're lost...this book is not to be read with half a brain (hence, not a good experience for chemo day!).
Ballard is a dispassionate writer, in the sense that you get a detailed account of the characters' actions, and where they are, but you need to join the dots, and even add in your own dots, to get an idea of their feelings.
As such, the book is diametrically opposed in style to the one I am currently reading (Teacher Man by Frank McCourt).
It's not a style I would spend my whole life reading, but it is an essential one to experience and admire.
I finished the book without having experienced any great sympathy for the central characters (they didn't ask or demand my sympathy), but I did have an uneasy, scared feeling in my guts which, having today heard the stunning news about the African drought (humans competing with elephants for scant food and water supplies), SHOULD be there.
Want an easy read?
Stay away!

"Coco Avant Chanel" (movie review)

At last! A chickflick, I hear you sigh in amazement...
But is it a chick flick or a chic flic?
Either way, the movie is a subtle, sensitive study of Coco Chanel's early years and relationships.
It's yer typical, er, French film...understated, cool, visually delightful, tinged with wistfulness...
Audrey Tatou is the young Coco...wonderful simply to look at, let alone to appreciate as an actress.
The movie begins with Coco's orphanage years, continues through her dance hall entertainer/seamstress years, her rural accoutrement years (how's that for French, eh?) and up to her fashion godess emergence.
There are scenes showing her cutting up clothes and creating daring new pieces influenced by her surroundings.
The primary theme appears to be a study of how women were treated and how Coco rebelled against the rampant or even subtle misogyny of the time.
A bit like La Vie En Rose in feel, though less bleak.
Some lovely supporting performances.
Great costumes!

G.

So Much Things To Say...

Apologies for not blogging yesterday - main reasons are busyness and needing beauty sleep!
Wednesday was ABBACADABRA - our ABBA celebration.
It was great fun, and a varied programme, and a slick one (relatively speaking).
I will possibly give an account of the evening in more detail later.

Last night I wended my way west to catch my great-niece, Esther, as one of the lead roles in her school show - The Mikado (she was Nanky-Poo - she's at a catholic girls' school - it's complicated!).
Of course she did well!
And so did the rest of the cast - everyone had a great time!

Today was the tree-planting ceremony at my school.
William, Head of Maori, gave me his korowai (ceremonial cloak, usually woven with many feathers) to wear - in fact, there were quite a few sections in Maori, which was great (as you may know, Maori is actually, officially, my first teaching subject! - it's...complicated!).

Set list for the songs that were presented were:
Rimu Rimu, a beautiful, short waiata tangi (song of lament) that I came across when I was studying Maori music - this was sung by all of us, tho mainly by William and me.
"On Eagles' Wings" - a "church song", sung by The Dreamers (Chris, Losa and Sulieti) with their typical flair, precision and expression...
"Here Comes the Sun" (Beatles - George Harrison specifically) sung by the Super Twelve, with congas and guitar accompaniment.
"Ehara i te mea", a very well known Maori song (very Euro tune), started by the PPTA field officers).
"Bathe in the River" sung by my ex-student Sa'o, who sang it with the A.P.O. earlier this year, but this time had yours truly on guitar backing her up (forgot some chords)...
"Honore. Korooria" (Honour and Glory - a church song), sung by Starzya, after a very moving speech.
"In My Life" - Beatles - Theo and me on guitars and YT on vox (Theo played the harpsichord solo on guitar - amazing!) (this is the song that accompanies the end credits of the last episode of series 4 of Boston Legal).
"Ua Fa'afetai" (a Samoan song of thanksgiving), sung by the students and YT as YT shovelled soil into the hole round the tree...
I think that was it!
Thanks to ALL the people who were there, and particularly to Jonathan J, who dreamed the dream first.
The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the birds were singing...what a wonderful gift of a day!

G.

Hanging in there

Some disturbing and distressing thoughts last night.
Also some pain and discomfort which is something I had B.C. (before cancer), but seems to have sprung back with a vengeance.
Not a happy bunny tonight!
Looking forward to tomorrow.
Tired and wanting to sleep.
Some fun rehearsals, and some disappointing behaviour/attitude from students I expected better from.
One has to keep going.
One cannot crumble, or even grumble...
Small acts of compassion take on new significance.
Arthur Farr has done a lovely version of Fernando for woodwind group.

Goodnight!

ABBA is coming...

Not the billion dollar reunion deal which they turned down...
Not Mama Mia the stage show...
Not Mark Valliant playing their hits on the pipe organ at the Hollywood Cinema.
But something altogether rarer and stranger than the above events.
Otahuhu College presenting a celebration of the group and their songs.
All their hits set to be represented in some way.
I won't give away too many details.
If you'd like to come, it's at Otahuhu College at 7pm on Wednesday evening.
Doors open at 6.30pm.
Adults $5, students $2, families $10.

Time for a beauty sleep!

G.

The Weekend Begins...

A sleepless night.
Make my solitary way to school.
Carrot cake delivered to Eileen in Tech for later consumption with morning coffee.
Catch up with Lee about the classes I missed.
Feeling low and tired - need that coffee.
Assess Year 10 performances - some lovely performances, and some bizarre moments.
Non-contact period 2 - write cello part for Dancing Queen,photocopy songs and deliver.
Morning coffee -old student breezes in,I catch a Year 9 in Theo's music class playing the Fijian national anthem and talk to a lady who wants to hire the Super Twelve in October.
Year 12s, year 13s,...then over and out, tocatch a movie at the Lido with Lois - "Coco Avant Chanel" - to be reviewed later.
Butter Chicken, Boston Legal, old Star Trek, martini, Leo nard Cohen, Blog, Cat cuddles, bed...
a few more hours' sleep tonight?
A lie in tomorrow??

"Inglourious Basterds" (movie review).

The spelling "mistakes" in the title are Tarantino's, not mine.
This was the first Quentin Tarantino movie I have seen, so apologies if I restate things that are obvious to people familiar with his style.
Once again, this is not "chickflick" stuff, so for a romantic movie experience, choose something different.

So, what kind of movie is it???
Well, it's basically a movie which deconstructs the Second World War, in particular the Nazi occupation of France, "mashes up" all appropriate genres with gleeful but knowing abandon (if that isn't a contradiction in terms!) and has you on the edge of your seat for its entire duration.
Amongst the mashup lie the eviscerated remains of war movie, propaganda, Paris-cine, comedy, western (soundtrack by Ennio Morricone!), gangster (there's even a section which bears an initial resemblance to a scene from Public Enemies, reviewed earlier), Monty Python (all we needed was Graham Chapman in his military uniform), Indiana Jones, Jean de Florette.....

Highlights?
Brad Pitt as an inglourious basterd...
The lead women...
Adolf Hitler's fate...
The soundtrack (there's even a substantial sequence underscored by David Bowie's "Putting Out the Fire (with gasoline)", which, whilst referring in style to Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge, seemed uncannily appropriate...)
The pace!
Not all breakneck action - plenty of time spent on drawing characters, then sudden (and often violently surprising or surprisingly violent) action - gratuitous? Subject for debate.
The humour - in spite of the historically terrible contexts, everyone involved seems to be relishing their roles.
The Italian accent scene....

...But where was Mike Myers?...

G.

A Day Off!

Thanks to my bosses!

Because I had 2 appointments in at Ak hospital, I thought it probably best to take the whole day away today.
So after my cancer counselling session I drove over to St Heliers and met Lois (she is on study break), and we walked to and from Mission Bay.
The weather was FANTASTIC.
Lois suggested using this day in lieu of any crappy ones that might occur later in Summer...a good idea.
Then back to hozzy for prolonged tests (not by much - they are experimenting on me to see if a particular enzyme contained in anti-malaria pills affects the liver in cancer patients - it's complicated).

Thanks to Lee!

My sidekick at school, who kindly offered to take Super Twelve today.
So I have well and truly had the day off, and another one to follow tomorrow, if you can call a chemo infusion a day off!
A day in the sun?

Back to school Thu, then leave early (bedankt, Theo, Kirsty and Lee!) and a day off on Friday.

More gorgeous weather?

Thank you, God!


p.s. received written CT report today.

report notes "significant reduction" of tumours from last CT (June) - from 27mm to 19mm in liver.

Cancer markers down to 203 as of last Tuesday.

Decrease continues, albeit at a slightly slower rate.

Still no major side effects.

Thank You, God...

Golden Weather

The first of...
Beautiful Winter/Spring day.
Didn't actually spend much time outside.
Developing my swimming pool cleaning apprentice.
Tomorrow father's day.
Some nice chats with both kids today.
My friend, Richard S, popped in on the way home from Eugene Onegin opera rehearsal.
L and I went out walking tonight - crisp, clear sky with full moon and stars.
A lovely meal with salmon and mash, followed by gorgeous carrot cake.
A peaceful day.

G.

A poem by Mikhail Lermontov...

A lonely white sail flutters
In the pale blue mist of the sea...
What seeks he in that faraway land?

Beneath him run currents clearer than turquoise
Above him flow golden rays of sun
But he, ever rebellious, seeks a storm
As if in storms there is peace.

Where Does it All Go?

Time.
Elusive, controlling, both intangible and all too finite...
It is now Thursday.
Apologies for not writing sooner - I have been a bit busy, AND my computer has been playing up (maybe an over-reaction to all those Boston Legal episodes!).
Lorna is still in Hospital, and seems to be recovering okay.
Lois has had a stinking cold, and is recovering.
Alexander has had mock maths exams, and is recovering.
Sophie will be doing both Trash2Fashion rehearsal AND performance at Mangere Baptist on Sunday, and will hopefully recover...
I recorded viola parts for my recordings of Psalms 11 - 20 yesterday, and rehearsed with Super Twelve (Lay All Your Love On Me), and School Band (Waterloo, Take A Chance on Me, Thank You For the Music and Dancing Queen) for the ABBA celebration!
I am still recovering!
The show is on Wednesday September 16th, at 7pm in the School Hall.
Tickets are $2 students, $5 adults and $10 family, no matter what size!
Same old prices (well, we are in a recession)!
We have 20 items, with some...er..."interesting" versions, both funny and inspired, but I won't give too much away.
I hope you can all make it! (Those of you who love ABBA, anyway).
There will be a prize for the best dressed Dancing Queen as well!
Don't feel that you need to book, though that is always helpful for us when planning seating.
There will be string groups, woodwind groups, choirs, bands, jazz, funk, rock, calypso...and room on the dance floor....
Also a MIRROR BALL!!!!
Yeah!
As I write I am listening to a CD of Russian bell music...very similar to Gamelan, actually!
Love,
G.