The Google Game

The Google Game: Go to Google and type in quotation marks your name and then "likes to" (eg. "Steve likes to"). Type in the first ten things that come up and repost in your own note. (I learnt so much about myself...)

1. Katherine likes to play with Mommy's make-up.

2. Katherine likes to be up around people's faces so she can give them kisses, and she likes to ride around on shoulders.

3. katherine likes to dance.

4. Katherine likes to piff cigarette butts at people who mispronounce her last name.

5. Katherine likes to fish as much as Jonathan, yet she even enjoys a good softball game.

6. In her spare time, Katherine likes to read, do crafts, walk and snowshoe.

7. Katherine likes to keep my tack clean and spends lots of time with me. (ummmmmmmmmmm!!!!)

8. Katherine likes to fit in a british breakfast before her workout at Bally's.

9. Katherine likes to make sure to keep her friends sober if she can help it

10. Is it me or does it seem like Katherine likes to hold on to her classic pieces instead of constantly going through accessory by accessory

Man these were way too good to just do the first 10!!! And I think the following were better!! lol so............

11. Katherine likes to work with porcelain, a fine white high-firing clay, developed by the Chinese for its beauty and strength.

12. Katherine likes to climb. Katherine thinks you should climb, too. Actually, everyone should climb all the time.

13. katherine likes to channel my thoughts in class !!!!!

14. Katherine likes to shoot

15. Astronaut Katherine likes to keep her space suit temperature at 76° F when she’s doing a space walk. (yeah baby!!)

16. Katherine likes to paint her nails pink…..to hide the mossy green color of her nails. (Eeeeekkkkk!!!)

17. Katherine likes to ride in the front seat!

18. Katherine likes to talk about etiquette, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, as seen here, uniforms, even when it makes her seem weird

19. Katherine (likes to be known as Kat) heads up our Corporate Golf area.

20. Katherine likes to relax with a spot of tennis and is also a qualified personal trainer (i wish!!)

25 Random Things About Me

RULES: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, and/or goals about you.



1) I once spent 2 hours in a Korean jail cell before the police chief was bribed with a bottle of whiskey and he let me out!! I do probably have an outstanding warrent for my arrest there though as I think I was supposed to pay a fine but just left the country instead! Either way I'm not going back to find out!

2) I hate camping but love music festivals – it’s the only time you’ll get me miles away from a shower and sleeping in a tent!!

3) My geography teacher once told me I’m a mind full of useless information and that’s totally true – I remember the most useless but I think very interesting facts about random shite but bugger if I can remember how to do trigonomitry or even how you spell it!!

4) I broke my leg on the luge in Rotorua and sat in hospital all afternoon with my cousin whilst the rest of the family went to a water park cos they thought I was faking it!!

5) I fell off the podium in a nightclub in Oz and spent the night in hospital much to the amusement of the hospital staff – but I managed to score a date with the cute doctor! (actually he was a nurse but doctor sounds better!! Lol)

6) I thought I had malaria when I was in Singapore – but then realised it was just a hangover mixed with a bit of jetlag!

7) I had a motorbike accident in Thailand because I slammed on the front brake and not the foot brake cos I saw a gorgeous bag in a shop window and wanted to buy it!! After all the blood was cleared and the iodine administered – the lady from the shop gave me the bag!

8) I got beaten up by guys from Java when I was in Bali and thought I was going to die or at least end up raped – then I saw red and somehow managed to get myself out of the situation (scaring the shit out of everyone including the girl I was with) but I’m still alive to tell the tale!

9) I wish I was a mermaid!

10) I've been to 34 countries around the world so far (although I think it's more but can't remember them all!!) - I want to go to all the others though too before I die. I am learning how tofly though so hoping this will help in getting me to the rest of the countries one day!!

11) My favourite animals are elephants and whales. I however, hate black and white cats - my cousins had one that was the spawn of satan and it totally put me off them for life!!

12) I used to work at the BBC TV centre and was a runner on the Esther Rantzen show. It was my favourite ever job but I didn’t get paid for it!

13) I had the world’s longest job title: I was the Sales Manager for the Theatrical Division for the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe for 20th Century Fox. I left because I didn’t want to get addicted to cocaine & have to rely on it to get through a day – and I got so bored as meeting famous people really wasn’t that exciting! Although Orlando Bloom is HOT!!!

14) I had an imaginary friend when I was younger – I think she was called Stephanie – however a psychic once told me that she was actually a ghost! I was also told that I was a white witch and a psychic too!! Ummmmm lotto numbers please???

15) I believed I was the lost Princess Anastasia when I was little (and kinda still wished it was true!! Lol) I used to play princess dress up on the orient express with my great grandmother and her jewels and the dining room chairs and she’d tell me stories of Russia and Latvia in the old days and I think I just put 2 and 2 together – or actually she probably let me believe me I was!! Lol

16) I rescued a white Maltese puppy from a nasty old women in Korea and named her Anastasia or Asia for short! I kinda what to name my daughter Anastasia if I ever have one!! Lol

17) I have an addiction to sticking cotton buds in my ear – so much so that I gave myself eczema in my ear! I am now not allowed to stick anything smaller than my elbow in my ear (although I do still put the cotton buds in there a few times a week shhhhhhh – and how the hell am I supposed to put my elbow in my ear anyway??? And yes I have looked like a twat attempting that one!!)

18) I really want to be in a band again and would love to record an album! Anyone a musician or need a singer??

19) I love being blonde but am far from it but am very good at pretending to be blonde if I need to?? “I’m so sorry officer I didn’t realise how fast I was going honestly – which one is the brake again?” lol (however when hungover I am a TOTAL blonde and do the stupidest stuff!!)

20) I’m very artistic and creative at times – but I have to be in the mood to do it – and if I have to do something then I can’t do it for shite no matter how hard I try!

21) Movies and TV programmes frequently make me cry – however if someone is there then I will not shed a single tear!!

22) I am an expert at packing a huge amount of stuff into the car – comes from years of sneaking stuff into the car as a kid when we went on holiday!

23) I love building furniture or decorating stuff but I have to do it when no one else is around or in the middle of the night as I get distracted easily by everything else that is going on!!

24) I love just smiling for the hell of it or at people and seeing how many people I can make smile in return – I especially love doing this at traffic lights or whilst walking down the street!

25) I sing at the top of my lungs and dance all the time in the car – and frequently get caught doing it at traffic lights or by the person driving in front of me in their rear view mirror!

Billy Connolly Live at Westpac Arena Christchurch

Friday night 13 February saw Billy Connolly on stage at Christchurch’s Westpac Arena. I have for a long time now been a huge fan and Billy did not disappoint. The mix of completely un-PC comments, stories from long ago and jokes was perfect and had me laughing so hard that my sides still hurt three days later!!

The show lasted for two and a half hours, which was amazing. God knows how he does it, frequently going off track in the middle of a story but always coming back to what he was originally talking about. The joke about how men hate cuddles had me crying with laughter as well as the reminiscing about his encounter with a midget woman on a bus!

It was definitely not for the faint hearted though – the usual mix of swearing and piss taking would be sure to kill off my grandmother, but damn it was funny and well worth it.

A.R.E.A.9 Festival

I love music festivals. To look at me you wouldn’t think so, the main reason being that I’m not a camping girl – I just don’t do it. The idea of waking up in a tiny tent that has become your own personal oven with the sunrise is not appealing in the slightest. Yet there is something magical and wondrous about being in a field in the middle of nowhere with thousands of others, grooving to the beat, sitting in the sun and generally enjoying the musical splendour of a festival (and it’s even worth suffering the mini oven for too!).

I reminisce frequently about the glory days of Glastonbury festival in the UK, so you can imagine my delight when I discovered A.R.E.A. 9. This three-day event was the closest thing to a Kiwi Glastonbury with a fantastic array of kiwi music to boot. The likes of Kora, Black Seeds, Salmonella Dub and Hollie Smith lined up alongside relatively unknown but equally as good up-and-coming talent like Six60, Soul System, Nitidus and Troika. What better way is there to spend a Waitangi weekend than to celebrate all that is great about the NZ – summer in the sun with some great sounds and great people?

A.R.E.A. 9 (Aotearoa Rock Extreme Adventure 09) is the baby of Rosie Moore and Fiona Page from Mission Controlled Events, who 18 months ago decided to try and get Kora to play a gig for them and their mates. The event grew and grew and the result was an amazing 48 hours of non-stop music with some of New Zealand’s finest bands, free zorbing and motorbike acrobatics display. There was even a pub with its own bar menu on site too!

The event was amazingly well organised. The queue to get into the gate didn’t take long at all – we were there for maybe an hour and a half max – but everyone was already chatting and having a good time so it flew past. There was an alcohol amnesty bin before a car search. Ha ha to those who didn’t pay attention to the amnesty bin and got kicked out for trying to smuggle stuff in!

Each group was given a huge 25 sq m of land to pitch their tents and park their cars (100 sq m for those with six tents or more). Compared to Glastonbury this was luxury – and not a rain cloud in site either. The portaloos were constantly cleaned and emptied and there were even hand washing places so we were almost spoilt in comparison to a lot of other events.

The VIP area was awesome and well worth it. The huge tent provided some shade from the sun whilst still being very close to the stage. The drinks and food were discounted from the outside bar, and there was also a cocktail list to really get in the VIP mood. Each VIP guest also received a goodie box with a free Tshirt (spot the bright orange people in the photos!), energy drink (helped keep us awake for the 48 hours), muesli bar (to stave off starvation), condom (just in case!!) and the VIP tag (to prove to the world – and security – that we belonged there).

I had a fantastic weekend – probably the best since Glastonbury 1997 – and can now be seen dancing and grooving to the sounds of Six60 (who I was pleasantly woken up to at 7.30am on the Saturday morning) and dDub (who played an amazing set on the Friday evening) in the car and am thoroughly enjoying them both. I am waiting with baited breath for A.R.E.A. 11, which has be confirmed to happen in 2011.

Taieri Gorge Railway

For some time now, people have been recommending the Taieri Gorge railway to me, so when I found out I was heading down to Dunedin for the week on business, I decided to go down early and try it out.

We were booked in to depart on Sunday afternoon at 12.30pm. I felt like a little kid in the morning when I woke up as found myself really excited about going on the trip and being on a train again – I never knew I missed all those years living in London and travelling around on the tube and on trains to get to work every day!

We arrived at the station about 20 minutes before departure and were greeted by Murray in the ticket office. He heartily welcomed us, issued our tickets, and wished us a great trip as we headed out onto the platform to find our carriage and seats.

A quick stop on the platform to take a few photos and we hopped aboard carriage S eagerly waiting for the train to leave. At 12.30 on the dot, our train conductor gave us a rundown of the safety procedures and then we were on our way.

It takes approx 4 ½ hours return from the Dunedin Railway Station to Pukerangi. On the journey up, you get an ongoing commentary with really interesting facts and little tit bits of information about the history of the railway. On the way down you have time to enjoy a glass of wine or a coffee from the buffet car, take photos or just watch the scenery go by.

The train winds its way through some spectacular and very beautiful landscapes. There are a few stops on the way up so you can get off and take photos as well as about 20 minutes up at Pukerangi station – the half way point of the trip - to have a look around. You can also go out to the back of the train and stand on the platform at the back to take photos as the scenery rushes by.

The gorge is magnificent, and it’s hard to believe that the railway was built in such a rugged landscape over 100 years ago. If anyone was injured whilst building the gorge it would take days to get them to the nearest doctor in Mosgiel.

The train goes over several viaducts along the way and the Wingatui Viaduct is actually the largest steel structure in the southern hemisphere (the Eiffel Tower being the biggest in the northern hemisphere).

The carriages are warm and comfortable and you are free to get up and go outside to take photos or can simply sit and enjoy the scenery from the window of your seats. The history of the railway is fascinating and so it’s well worth paying attention to the commentary.

The train runs every day (except Christmas day) and will go rain or shine – a rarity this day in age with a lot of other tourist activities. It was a grey and overcast day when we went, but the scenery was still amazing and I got some fantastic photographs all the same. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who has a spare afternoon in Dunedin. For more information go to www.tairei.co.nz

Dear My 16 Year Old Self

Hi you, (well me I suppose)

This is your 28 year old self writing to you!! No it's not a some dodgy rip off of the Time Travellers Wife (Although you should read that book cos it's fricking good - I think it's written soon).

There are so many things I could tell you to avoid or do differently - but I think that you'll become who you are because of all those things so I'll let you figure it out for yourself.

However, I will let you in on a few things:

Yes you will be able to wing it on your GCSE's at school, but no you won't be able to do the same for your college A-Levels - and no E does not stand for English but that is in fact your grade (oh and watch out for the TV cameras as you will appear on college programmes for about the next 6 years of your life looking like a twat, trying to appear to be happy when in fact your world is currently falling apart because you've just discovered your grades were shite!!)

School days really are the best ones of your lfe - I know you haven't got much left of high school but seriously enjoy it while you can!! Oh and that guy you like - he does actually like you too - you'll discover this years later when t's too late if you don't do anything about it now!! lol

Do something about becoming a journalist or war correspondent now - it'll be too late by the time you figure that out that Dad doesn't have a total say in everything you do with your life. Journalism and photography would be an excellent idea - and well worth it!!! Otherwise you'll just end up amusing your friends with blogs instead!! (However, that does mean that you will have to study hard at college to get into the course that you want to do - although watching movies and making radio programmes, and movies for 3 years isn't a bad way to spend your university years!!)

If you don't go to Winchester uni though then make sure you get in touch with the following people: Helen Clayton, Tamara Jenkins, Louise Newman, Natalie Hagen, Florence Reynolds and Sophie Hobson - there are a few others but you'll discover them through this lot!!! (And no Tammy isn't as much as a bitch as she looks when you first meet her and Flo although yes an Essex girl is not a total blonde bimbo!!)

Smoking weed really isn't your thing - you'll never get used to it - you'll always be a lightweight on that score and you may as well save your money and not bother at all!! Other things well - you'll learn that on your own!!

You're knee is kinda buggered but don't use that as an excuse to be lazy - otherwise you'll spend the next decade trying to lose the weight again!! (Failing that Korea does some great diet pills cunningly disguised but I think in fact are just amphetamins!!!)

You'll have the most amazing year of your life when you are 19. Yes you do eventually get the money from buggering your knee (Make sure you hold out for the 5k despite what anyone says as they will give it you) Yes you do blow it all on travelling but it's so totally worth it!!

However that said, don't let Simon Harris convince you it's a good idea to buy gem stones in Agra in India - they are just glass and damn expensive glass at that (300 pounds!!) Becareful of the straight, flat, non-pot holed new road in Thailand - or more like don't slam on the brakes of your motorbike when you see that cute bag in the window - the grazes will hurt for a few weeks.

No you don't have malaria in Singapore - it's just jetlag mixed with a hangover!! (Make sure you drink lots of tonic water or take quinine though as maleria tablets will make you vomit for the first week or 2 in India!!!

Watch out for spilled drinks on podiums in nightclubs in Oz - otherwise you will end up being the laughing stock of the Melbourne hospital when they are strapping up your incredibly swollen and buggered up ankle!!

Watch out on the luge in Rotorua - the fast tracak is dangerous - and you will again end up in hospital with a broken leg and rearranged ankle joint that will give you problems for the next 6 years (and stop you from wearing heels!!)

I know you haven't had many accidents at all up to this point but travelling for a year creates a few opportunities!!! lol

Yes you will hate your parents - and you'll spend the next part of a decade not talking to Mum - but it will work itself out in the end and you'll actually get on really well - you will have to sweep a lot of things under the carpet which will annoy you, and you will have moments along the way when she drives you nuts, but it's all good and that's part of life!! (Oh but stop writing a diary cos she's currently reading it!!).

Yes dad will try and control everything in your life but you can do your own thing and I think the sooner you do the better!! (he spends your tessa on buying a new car anyway so you will have to pay for university regardless of what you do!!) He will always be quite cold and unemotional though - it's just the way he is - but he does care about you in his own way so give him a chance.

Sara will always be your best friend in the world - and yes that Paul guy that she meets in a year or 2 is an arsehole and will be the biggest twat in the world but without him unfortunately you wouldn't now have a cute godson. I suppose look at it as good things come out of nasty situations. Just make sure you are there for her though when she needs you, no questions asked - she's going to need you. And yes you will have to do some strange things on her behalf but that's what friends are for - and you will have fun laughing about it in years to come.

You'll meet some great people along the way though - friends from all over the world and you'll become almost like family at times!!

You'll have issues with guys for most of your life - I think the first question you should implement from this point forward is "Are you married, engaged, with girlfriend or have kids??" If the answer to this is yes - then seriously run the other way - or ask this even before they ask you out!!

Also the cute ones although damn good at the time, will always end up hurting you!! Don't be so damn picky as you'll some great guys slip through the loop otherwise in your search for perfection which to be honest, I don't think exists!!

Although you will have a lot of fun, you won't make guys fall in love with you just because you slept with them!! Try holding out a lot more than you do and then you'll find out a lot quicker if they are genuine or not!! (Oh and you'll lose your virginity in about a year or two's time so don't fret too much - and the first time will be shite - but will be a good story to tell for years to come!! lol)

You now live in NZ - yes I know you swear that you'll never ever go back to living there but you do eventually. You even become a teacher for a few years in Korea!! And you'll even start to want to have kids of your own!!!

Don't bother to ever buy a packet of cigarettes - in fact don't bother smoking at all again!!! You'll spend the next decade smoking and although you'll enjoy it at times you'll wanna give it up and it will be HARD!!! So quit whilst you're ahead and not hooked!! (Although I am currently on day 6 of not smoking so fingers crossed I kick the habbit this time)

Keep up with the french speaking - you'll come to miss it when you're older and want to become better at it again (and even want to live in the south of France). Also try and learn as much Italian off Manny as you can - and try and visit there when you are nearby in the UK as it costs a fortune from NZ!!!

Have singing lessons, learn to play the guitar and the piano - you'll always wish you did otherwise!! Also learn how to latin dance properly - will come in handy in Korea believe me!!

Learn how to scuba dive as early as you can - it's one of the best things you discover and you'll wish you discovered it sooner!! Try and save up for a dry suit though as you're going to go ice diving this September hopefully and I have a feeling that the cold will not be enjoyable!!

Well that's all I can think of to tell you for the time being except:

Have fun, be yourself, laugh lots, cry lots, make as many friends as you can, and just have a bloody good time enjoying your life!!!

Don't stress too much about not having a career as such, or a house (although you might want to invest in one of those when the market is cheap)

Oh and remember Big Wednesday for draw number 129 - wednesday 8th April 2008 - 16, 17, 25, 27, 36, 42 and Tails. Although I may get back to you tomorrow on that one as it's just jackpotted further to include a $500k bach!!!

Take care and just remember to enjoy life and have as much as possible.

Me xx

Chicago Schmago

I went to see the musical Chicago at the theatre royal in Christchurch last night. All I can say is thank god I didn't pay for the ticket!

I would have done a runner at half time had I not been sat in front of my boss and next to the lady that organised it for us all!

I managed to keep myself amused with my colleagues binoculars - yes we were in the gods so you could discover many interesting things through the lens of the binoculars!!

So here are a few binocular observations:

On close inspection Velma was played by a lady who was let's say, not a spring chicken!! Her dancing was stilted - I was unsure whether it was the onset of arthritis or whether she was just a crap dancer!! Said woman also was either wearing dentures or had had her teeth fixed not so long ago!! You could hear the lisp thing when she sang!

Roxy - although a young and fairly good singer/dancer was almost as annoying as Renee Zellweger in the film version. Although she did get better towards the end of the musical. (And didn't look like the pasty white, anorexic box that Renee did in the film!!)

Amos (Roxy's husband) was in fact almost old enough to be her father!! He was an excellent actor though and I think was possibly the best out of all of them - great comedy timing. However I was still a little disturbed about the thought of them being husband and wife!

Billy Flynn (Roxy & Velma's attorney) was way too nicey nice!! He didn't have a hard enough edge to him to be taken seriously. More dapper friendly neighbour next door than dapper hard nosed attorney at law!!

Mary Sunshine was fantastic (the news reporter) - was actually a guy though (this is the point when the binoculars first came out cos I was trying to see if it was a guy or not!!) The operatic singing was good though and his comedy timing was fab!! Most amusing character!!

The guy that played Fred Casely was hot!! He was also a dancer for the rest of the production and was generally looking at him when whatever else was happening was invariably boring me - although the binoculars weren't out in time for the first scene when he got his butt out!! However, in one of the final scenes he did come out in a one piece leotard so he instantly lost his sex appeal - and although in the final scene was in a suit - I couldn't forget the image of the all in one white and red stripped leotard!!

So I don't know the names of the actual actors because I was not about to shell out $20 on a programme to find out!!