A Little more Friendly

Discussing space travel recently, ooo rockets, and its adverse effects on the realm of space, we covered some wide ground, ironically. How wonderful the technology may appear. Stephen Hawking saying, yet again, we need to be able to repopulate another planet pretty soon. (I disagree with Mr. Hawking, I think we need to look after this one but he has some good points www.infowars.com/hawking ). Litter and junk up there anyway we also discussed, my friend Jamie and I. Then, I griped on about the matter of our using precious and damaging resources to get to far far far places, merely to ask questions mostly re only what-if scenarios, or to get a wow-we're-amazing feeling, (arguably), considered too. Well, yes so my friend and I then got onto Panspermia. A new word, I was delighted to see it.

I'd said we could be more organic about repopulating outer space, less machinery-minded and less 'must-be-live-people who go there'. Why not just send some sparks of life off into space?

My friend, Jamie said there was already a theory re that idea. 

How exciting, I had to think. 

So, yes, meteors, comets, asteroids and so on may have bits of bacteria and minerals etc., in their make-up. They plough through space randomly populating where possible. These heavenly zoomers land here and there. If the situation's suitable, life begins to occur. That's the basic theory. (For the religious amongst us, this may be how God works too, no reason to think we know how God works precisely, is there)?

We are, it is believed by many, evidence of a process called evolution, started when a massive comet hit Earth. This was when the planet was newly formed AND just-happened-to-be-ready-for-life. The whole ooze and seethe began. Miraculous, randomness, even without deities or whatever mystery you'd like to add, surely.

BUT how do we reproduce the factors that made THIS planet hospitable to us, somewhere else?  Evolution is complex, random, mysterious and not even believed in by everyone.

We need to care for this planet instead, far simpler, less expensive, fun and immediately rewarding because the exercise is good for us. We can start today, changing a little towards that end. Any small action is good. If any one person changes for the better they may have a fine effect on others. Tree planting to absorb carbon, to make the planet healthier, a world-wide trend, could become a huge turnaround in mere years, for climate change. 

Trees also provide shade, fruit, flowers, leaves, bark, sap....

Okay so make a leap now, please, we're going to the present day. (I love how we may do that without any machinery, make lateral leaps).

Trees and human beings are reliant on each other for survival, to an extent. Trees take many forms, however and could remain when we have long gone. If we plant more trees now, with care we shall help ensure our survival. Life for us is not ooze and seethe these days, (unless we need a hospital). People, we can play a part in our own destiny and change things on our own human level, a personal choice, so the air's cleaner, the view's better and the planet less burdened with carbon.

Tree planting provides work, food and helps economies too.

I keep saying I have free kowhai and totara seedlings, and almost no one takes me up on it. Four have gone, but I have LOTS of them. Am I really that scary? Ask me, I'm happy to give them to you. It helps me to stay well and in good spirits, to give to others.  And believe me, you want me that way. *laughs* Or I'd gladly take money for them if you wish. Contact me in Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa NZ email raewynalexander at hotmail dot com, (yes raewynalexander is all one word in my email). No scammers jammers or slammers need apply.

+ + +

May Hem and Nut Case - from my IGIJDK Exhibition

* Panspermia (Greek: πανσπερμία from πᾶς/πᾶν (pas/pan) "all" and σπέρμα (sperma) "seed") is the hypothesis that life exists throughout the Universe, distributed by meteoroids, asteroids and planetoids.^[1]
Panspermia proposes that life forms that can survive the effects of space, such as extremophiles, become trapped in debris that is ejected into space after collisions between planets that harbor life and Small Solar System Bodies (SSSB). Bacteria may travel dormant for an extended amount of time before colliding randomly with other planets or intermingling with protoplanetary disks. If met with ideal conditions on a new planet's surfaces, the bacteria become active and the process of evolution begins. Panspermia is not meant to address how life began, just the method that may cause its sustenance.^{[2][citation needed]}
The related but distinct idea of 'exogenesis' (Greek: ἔξω (exo, "outside") and γένεσις (genesis, "origin")) is a more limited hypothesis that proposes life on Earth was transferred from elsewhere in the Universe but makes no prediction about how widespread it is.

                                                                                                                 - from Wikipedia

                                                                                             http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia

I am also involved with this project 100 Days - http://100daysproject.co.nz/project/2013/101

possibly a pic of the first telegraph/telephone pole in the countryside North Island NZ somewhere c.1940/50

Between the Flags

No, you can't, her husband, Bill had bellowed.

But she'd flung the open can, pink petroleum fanned over his car, the path and front porch. Lit the firework. Mt. Egmont. Her favourite. Tossed it. Phosphorescent hiss flared up into sheets of flame.

Metre-high seedlings already packed in her boot and back seat. Their trees'd get planted elsewhere now.

Wheel turn, another kilometre forward, a woman floating on adrenaline and furious flashbacks. Grey-blue road like water streaming by. Carylyn's four-wheel drive swam along.

What did her father often say? Had a snarl temper, but such silvery talk, New life springs from ashes.

Every fourth or sixth year, Australian bush accidentally alight had raged around their creaky house. He'd cleared a wide firebreak beforehand even if it was against the rules. Always pushing... the law, her mother's patience, wild schemes to capture tourist dollars, Carylyn's arm up behind her back. It still ached where he'd broken it, twice.

Fresh leaves soon spiked from grey ground.

Ran away to New Zealand's wet, isolated islands; married. Carylyn and Bill bickered through digging, planting trees; both early properties sold for fine prices. Then she'd caught Bill whispering fondly on the phone, O darling, just wait til this farm sells. I'm leaving, I am....

Fierce red sunset now in the rear-vision mirror, coastland glowed with it too around her SUV. Fire followed like a clingy sibling, and Carylyn's rage felt like acid, inside.

The road her asphalt river. She gripped the wheel and ranged the landscape. When did recall ashes fall, so her new green could appear?

At the roadside, broad-shouldered, all in blue with his thumb out.

Carylyn stopped. The stranger got into her car. 'Hi. Thanks f'the lift. What're all these uh, trees for?'

'Guess.' She smiled.

'Hot.' He grinned back. 'Need a hand?'

-------

This is an entry in a flash fiction short-short story competition. Details here -

http://flashmob2013.wordpress.com/the-contest-rules/ 

here art grows on trees

Simryn Gill | Malaysia b.1959 | Forking tongues 1992 | Assorted cutlery with dried chillies | 600cm (installed, diam., approx.) | Purchased 2001. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation 

http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/collection/contemporary_asian_art/simryn_gill

Takes hours to fly over to there from here, Australia is a long way from New Zealand. Across the Tasman Sea, there's a huge continent sometimes called The Big Island. We are a series of islands, they are a vast continent. We're temperate in NZ, they range from temperate to tropical. Their indigenous people were and are rather different to ours. Indigenous Australians are, I believe, divided into four main mobs, whereas Maori people have many iwi or tribes and were settled, agricultural when they first set eyes on Caucasians. The inhabitants of The Big Island over the way were hunters and gatherers, extremely different to the settled British culture.

It's confusing living here in some ways and I'm probably not helping by calling a continent an island, am I? But that's what life's like here. Odd.

Australia is next to New Zealand and we sometimes joke that we walk over there when the tide is out. Overseas friends may get us muddled up, our Pakeha or Westernised accents seem alike, but theirs is more drawn out and ours softer. Aussies say feeesh and cheeeps, we say fush and chups, (for fish and chips). The 'white' people did come from England initially around the same time to Oz and NZ, when Caucasians first settled in this part of the world, however Australian British migrants were mainly urban, whereas NZ's British migrants were mostly rural. This immediately gave us both a different sound and attitude, generally, (and naturally too we are all individuals).

The recent effects of climate change, (a man-made global event we are all affected by, which we can stop or slow down by reducing the production of gases like carbon and methane, and by planting more trees), has turned parts of Australia into arid wastelands. The middle of the place is already a desert but that kind of desolate landscape is increasing there. Farms have been abandoned in despair, over the ditch. It's suggested we could have lots of Australians move here soon, to escape the effects of climate change.

In NZ however we just experienced a severe drought last summer. Now we're having floods and storms. 

While there is more water in the atmosphere than ever before, temperatures are also higher. There has never been so much carbon in the air while human beings have existed. This is a whole new scenario.

No one can predict what the future holds, except that we need to be more creative to survive it. People will have to think quick on their feet and go with whatever occurs, or fight fast against some things with rapid plans. We are faced with more chaos than usual.

It could be argued that the austerity measures imposed on so many countries is a clumsy way of trying to reduce emissions. If people have hardly any money and no work, they they cannot consume much or travel far. Meanwhile the elite travel when and where they please, money still being the way many of them get what they want, without question. 

Imagine if you saw the plants, animals and people dying, at the same time as you tripped across the world this year on holiday. Would that encourage you to also pay for the trees to soak up the carbon you produced? It was only $200- NZ extra to cover the carbon-cost for my trip across the ocean, and across the U S A last year. I used mainly boat and train to get there, (lower carbon) and a return flight. This paltry sum was to have trees planted, so I could rest assured I'd not helped to make the wider world a hostile place that will kill future generations, just so I could have some fun.

I also went vegetarian for the same reason. In some cases, not eating meat means we save more carbon than by giving up our car. I no longer eat meat most of the time, so I can still drive my car. If I could afford one, I'd have some kind of alternative-fueled model. Why don't we have solar cars and electric cars, everywhere?

So, yes, we need to be more creative. 


Art and music and films and dance and so on all may inspire us.  


Artists of all kinds are indispensable in any society.


At the Venice Biennale this year an Australian artist, Simryn Gill, a resident there, (rather than a citizen), brings that perspective to her work. She exhibited about nature and man-made items co-existing, overlapping, interacting. Gill's show is made of everyday objects and she transformed the Australian pavillion. This artist opened part of the roof to the elements, changed the walls and floor, then added her collections of objects. I include a video of the exhibit, here art grows on trees on this blog at the end.

Again, as I often do, I asked myself - When many of us finally see ourselves as natural, will most of us at last care properly for where we live?

Recently, this man quoted below, Leon Weiseltier said artists are indispensable. We certainly are and it felt grand to read someone explain why so eloquently. Now more than ever, explore your creative side, befriend artists, writers, musicians, dancers and others. Let us together also replant this planet, reduce our waste and emissions, rejoice as we change the world for the better, from this moment on.

" ...offer some resistance to the twin imperialisms of 

science and technology, and to recover the old 

distinction — once bitterly contested, then generally 

accepted, now almost completely forgotten – 

 between the study of nature and the study of man. As 

Bernard Williams once remarked, “’humanity’ is a name 

not merely for a species but also for a quality." You 

who have elected to devote yourselves to the study of 

literature and languages and art and music and 

philosophy and religion and history — you are the 

stewards of that quality. You are the resistance....

Use the new technologies for the old purposes."

 
 http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113299/leon-wieseltier-commencement-speech-brandeis-university-2013#



My exhibition - Struck - at Cosset Paper Gallery 

1087 New North Road 

Mt Albert 

please go along Tues - Sat.,  and see it.  

http://www.cosset.co.nz/




Here is also the Symrin Gill video - here art grows on trees -

http://www.abc.net.au/arts/stories/s3770944.htm

http://www.allartnews.com/simryn-gill-gathering-opens-at-gallery-of-modern-art-in-brisbane/

Lost Girls, Lost Trees and Lost in Thought

Lost Girls is a stunning, shocking and excellently produced play. It was written by Patrick Graham and has been produced elsewhere too. This latest startling performance, in Auckland, NZ at 21 Mercury was by Theatrewhack. I write more about it further along in this blog.

Lost Trees, in this blog title refers to the hundreds and maybe thousands of trees being slaughtered where I live, Auckland New Zealand. Developers are allowed now to cut down any trees they like without any permission, they are doing so in appalling acts of eco-vandalism.

And I'm Lost in Thought in the hope this action could assist me with a review for the play and solutions to the tree wreckage. We shall be planting some trees, guerilla-style, in parks, on verges and in natural reserves but if you also do this, make sure you research the best place to plant them and how to do this. A tree must be well-planted and where no one will chop it down easily, or where it could die or get tangled in underground pipes and cables.

Followers of this blog know I plant trees to cover the carbon cost of long distance travel, and I promote this vital activity to others. Tree planting and other gardening can assist to slow, or halt the extreme climate change we're experiencing now on planet Earth. No other planet available, we do need to look after this one.

I'm therefore, again promoting this cause, trees for travel and also, gardening or planting wherever possible. The review of the play, Lost Girls follows this short message, because planting and maintaining trees matters most, to me.

Trees absorb carbon. Some say they farm us and have done so too well, making us produce all this carbon for them to breathe. Trees beguile us with their beauty, and bounty. Truly, there is no poem lovelier than a tree, as Kilmer wrote.  http://pinterest.com/stellathediver/lovelier-than-a-poem/  We gather fruits, nuts, leaves, roots and bark to eat and make medicines or cosmetics, and other products. A tree provides shade and shelter from wind effects. Trees are lovely, they last for hundreds of years some of them, and the oldest things alive today on earth are trees.

One of The World's Ten Oldest Trees

www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/the-worlds-10-oldest-living-trees/taking-the-long-view

If fruit trees are planted on the sunny side of a house, they provide shade in summer, then in winter when they lose their leaves, they let the sun shine in. In many cases, the front of the house faces the sunny side, so fruit trees out the front make it easier to share produce with your neighbours, too. Sharing what we have creates stronger more connected, and happier communities.

A lack of fences along the front of our properties also encourages cars to drive more safely, they're more likely to see people live there and anyone could walk out onto the road at any time. The evidence of human beings living nearby encourages others, usually to behave with more thought and care. In New Zealand, people seem to love high fences, a terrible pity. An opportunity to create safer communities is lost. A high fence may make your house a target for burglary, because once inside the property it is easy to hide and break in. The fence provides cover. For a little privacy and to create something of a barrier, consider fruit trees along the front of your place, or a low hedge instead of a fence.

----

The other night I went to see the play, Lost Girls. It was held in what is called a 'found space', being the shop frontage of a double storey building in the central city. People live upstairs and I believe the downstairs area was used as a film production company HQ, at some stage, here in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, NZ. 

There are stairs at the front, and an open area beyond, past a low landing. The staging area was somewhat visible from the recessed area off the street, where we waited and chatted til the door opened. Clearly a busy set, strewn artfully from the window with toys such as Lego and curious little rubber and plastic figures, 80's makeup, LP records, (like the Velvet Underground record featuring Andy Warhol's banana on the cover), portable record players, soft toys, glitzy wigs, feather boas...I could list for line after line. The souvenirs of a kitsch hound, you could say, but also evoking the past with some diverse imagery, accessible and fascinating.

In the slightly-worn space, circled with serviceable black chairs, bright set items created a sense of memory-stream or junk shop absorption. O all the many stories we could invent or recall, while searching through them. A table and chairs also featured mid-set with a toaster, other kitchen effects and a couple of chairs besides. A corner shelf was back in a recess halfway along, and a rack of clothes were down the far end.

Three young women sat on a comfy retro sofa at the back of the room, with a bright collage of magazine pictures above them, on the worn white wall. Some words were cut out too and hinted at violence or drama. In front of the young women a table piled with fashion magazines, beside them a long-playing record player, and a more modern stereo somewhat camouflaged by a retro-apron covered in teapots. The girls chatted and cut things out or sulked over a magazine, like people waiting for something to happen.

The girls were plainly performers but also, intriguing and realistic. It was a little like eavesdropping on them in a waiting room, like we were all in the same boat.

I enjoyed having so much to look at, to consider and get involved with before the play truly started. The lights were low, so it felt like I was entitled to peer at the set and the women. even if they were having a private conversation and not particularly 'acting'. So many cues are offered in fine theatre for people watching to understand what is expected of us, as an audience, this was no exception.

The usherette who showed me in, appeared rather like a stern librarian. The effect of that was to set a tone of officialdom or 'behave yourself' as well. Gradually, I also gathered what each character on the sofa was like, and some audience members could've believed they were people about to watch the play, like we all were, at first.

This play is about women or girls who were murdered and are now in a state of limbo, until they face their fate and understand they need to move on to whatever happens next. I'm not going to explain the stories. Part of the magnetic quality of this play is how those tales build. I must say, Lost Girls is though a wake-up call for everyone, in that we do need to care for each other and when something goes wrong, face up to the police with our evidence.

A well-paced play, the mood develops and alters with skill with a definite crisis, and many emotive scenes, ranging from subtle to way over the top. Extraordinary demands were made on these young actors, all of whom play various roles, some being another gender. or far younger or older. The actors perform well and in some cases with frightening or deeply touching results, a few times I was truly absorbed as if they were people I knew.

It worked well, the characters changing but being the same four performers, this also gave a true sense of Lost Girls being about memory and 'another realm', whatever that may mean. It could be simply that Lost Girls is however, prosaically stories the survivors pieced together from evidence and imagination, (which it is in some manner), or it could be an attempt to present the after-life, or it may be that these actors take us to places we now need never go, where their lives are at stake and the risks they took created mayhem and misery. There may be many interpretations of the play, that's one of it's great strengths.

A tangible sense of the backgrounds of the characters, various stories they followed, what everyday life was like for each, how they approached relationships, danger, their fate and also, how they felt, thought and reacted, emerges in satisfying ways. The programme carries a warning about the end, and I was horrified, crying at one point. The play may have triggers for some people, but Lost Girls expertly shows what has happened to far too many people, particularly young women in vulnerable states, and the bewildering effects of neglect, abuse, isolation and the horror that drawing a veneer of faux-decency over crime produces, inevitably.

Every actor produces characters who tell the story well. Katherine Hair, Natalie Hugill , Julia Hyde and Catherine McHattie were also well cast, using the stage well and for the most part showing well developed characterisations. The use of quick on-stage costume changes and some idiosyncratic wigs, along with spectacles or other accessories, the actors physically altering their stance and voice too, amply changes their presentation, so the audience stays focused. Clever staging with music-box sound machinery directed audience gaze to various places, where necessary. These rinky-dink sounds also added to the carnivale, sinister, strange and yet playful and at times, amusing aspects of the play.

I would think that a longer season would assist some of the characters to become more fully developed. The drunken mother, for instance, could've had her flamboyance and slurring subside occasionally, so when she did let fly those melodramatic moments were all the more startling. Also, the very young girl could've been perhaps less loud or enthusiastic on occasion, for the same reason. Then the sister who was pixting, those actions needed to be more believable. The various male characters being so well played by a woman was a stroke of brilliance, and could've stopped some audience members from jumping up to 'save' the others, but again, playing a man in many demanding roles can benefit from a longer run, to gain more expertise with the subtleties of such a part. The male characters were all performed without exception excellently on the whole so far, despite my having made those small criticisms, as are the other roles, but I believe a three day showing was not long enough.

Really, what I'm angling for here is more. Lost Girls needs much more time on a stage and more people to see it. Lost Girls is a fine play and deserves your attention. I have heard it may pop up again somewhere soon, do keep an eye out for it. You will be engrossed, perplexed and horrified, you could also find this play life-changing. Kudos to all involved. Four stars out of five and highly recommended.

https://www.facebook.com/Theatrewhack



--------

Lost in Thought - yes, well it's where I like to wander most. I suppose I shall stay here, so much to think about lately. I'm writing a play of my own for instance, and soon the term starts again for my lectures about writing. Plus, two of my poetry collections have gone to publishers this last while. I hope to find some success there.

Starting from 27 May 2013, Cosset, Paper Gallery in Mt. Albert, Auckland NZ - 1087 New North Road - shall be exhibiting my recent work. Ripped with Love could be the title, I haven't quite decided. What do you think of the title?

http://auckland.concreteplayground.co.nz/restaurants/58710/cosset.htm


Please do come along and see it. We shall have an opening event with poetry and BYO wine, on the Monday. Let me know if you want an invite or just turn up after 5.30pm. Thanks.

Detail of one collage with poetry - Raewyn Alexander 2013


All comments welcome, thanks so much for reading my blog.

Friends - Sing-along Now

In this brave new electro-wonderland-zing-bling-and-screens-with-everything world of ours, friends matter more than ever. 

Chalking, Grey Lynn Footpath 2007

Nothing beats the close contact of attractive people who understand us and know what we're like, then love us anyway.

We can make more contact with more people than ever before nowadays. Arguably, we may gain more interest in our projects over a far wider territory too.  A global culture. So cosmopolitan, we live in more than one or two countries, some of us, (albeit only virtually in many cases) and share a range of cultures. 

Everyone sensible seeks common ground in any situation, that's so aims and goals are realised properly and more likely to succeed. It's true, when we stand together somewhere understood as shared, with values or interests we all recognise as worthwhile, then it's easier to communicate and aim for the same things, as a group.

My fine, fascinating, talented friends in America who I visited last year, and love so much, we're attracted to writing, literary fanatics and writing wonderchildren. Soaked up so much literature between us it could furnish a fair-sized library. That's if we could somehow transfer the material recalled in mind to paper and cardboard and ink, I hope no one ever wrings my mind out however I like this swim I'm in. 

From the Pacific Islands to Hawai'i by ship, then San Francisco, to Seattle, then Iowa, Chicago and New York, mainly by train I told my own travel story on this blog. An enchanted tale, my charmed life we could say, except I have various conditions which make living difficult, and still have to also earn a living, exercise, take care of bills and interact with a bewildering variety of people some of whom actively or ignorantly work against me, so life's not perfect.

Friendship is however close to perfection. We choose these magnetic people we're aligned with and we each share so much together. They choose us. A contract as casual as we wish, but friendship can appear stronger and more resilient than imagined when tested, or even if simply permitted to blossom, to grow. We share joy, tears, laughter, imagined futures, furious arguments, plans, we grow closer. It's a basic, common equation but the sum of this closeness is always far greater than its parts. Many factors are also included which we cannot recall always, or do not necessarily mention every day. 

I love them all, my friends here and overseas. They've made my life what it is now to an enormous extent. Some offer advice, many support me, a few tell me off and others remind me of my duty or talent, then they may gather and celebrate here and there success with their whole heart, for which I am always more grateful than I can ever say. I love to celebrate their triumphs too.  This blog today, I'm writing to promote the work and projects of some of my friends, globally. They all deserve attention, I only wish I could write about everyone.

A friend in London, England, Steve Moran who edits this collection of stories and runs a fine short story competition every year, invites you to the launch of this year's edition of the Willesden Herald: New Short Stories. Many of the Willesden Herald Competition prize-winners over the last seven years have gone on to ever greater literary achievements. The seventh edition, this book also has a fund-raising website. You receive either a mug or a book for your kind donation. The money will go towards producing the book, this year. 
I love the way a community of literary buffs has grown to create an event like this, globally. The book is published in The States, edited in the UK, covers are designed in Europe. People from all over the globe send in entries each year. The internet made this possible.

https://www.facebook.com/events/325412030914569/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stephenmoran/willesden-herald-new-short-stories-7


In America, in the Big Apple NYC another writer friend along with a few others runs a new venture - Underground Books. If you click 'like' on their facebook you'll receive a variety of poems and arty links, along with surprising original posts each day, in your news feed. 
In future, this publishing house will produce various books and events.
Their irreverence, wild taste and sheer verve excites me.

https://www.facebook.com/undergroundboo?fref=ts


Then with a hiss, a roar and the unmistakable sound of wit crackling like fire, there's pretendGeniuspress, who publish excellent books. This has been going on for years, some volumes could be classics now. 
The latest is Thus Virginia Passes, a challenging, exciting and highly original poetry collection by James Browning Kepple.

http://stores.pretendgenius.com/Detail.bok?no=39

pretendGeniuspress have also published other engaging, startling literature and I recommend you investigate further. I hope and pray that Amy Tucker's book of stories will be published one day. This story is one of the best I have ever read.
 http://denversyntax.com/issue4/issue4/fiction/muldoon/ghost.html

A Victorian-inspired Gazebo by Honeyweather and Speight, Melbourne

 The enchanting James Cattell in Melbourne I've known since art school days. (We both opted out and took the chance to travel overseas). He's witty and fearless, kind and entertaining, there's a book that could be written about the range of art he creates. I hope it happens one day, these images need preserving and promotion, widely.  
Dorelle Davidson and James work through Honeyweather and Speight, prepare to enter another world.

http://www.honeyweatherandspeight.com.au/ 

For many years I enjoyed invitations to read my poetry in Australia and twice managed to make the trip. There are some exciting poets all over that land, Wednesday Kennedy I met at the last Overload Poetry Festival. Wow, what a show. Most of all however I'd like to mention Steve Smart and Elizabeth Lish Skec, dear to my heart and wonderful performers of their fine writing.
 Overload Poetry Festival did not happen last year but it is going ahead this year, 2013 I gather.

http://www.stevesmartpoetry.com/

https://twitter.com/LishieFishhttps://twitter.com/LishieFish

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Overload-Poetry-Festival/370639411306

Miles McKane in France, another ex-pat I knew in Elam days, often turns up with yet another story about his wonderful events. I love the eco-art emphasis of some pieces and the wit involved in everything he does.
It was really a privilege to have him be my curatorial advisor for my exhibition at Satellite Gallery last year, I Guess I Just Don't Know. Miles has a real insight into so much of importance.

 http://snipurl.com/26n16qn

Here in New Zealand and soon to be featured overseas possibly in Australia and Edinburgh, the indefatigable, engaging Yvette Parsons soon stars in a longer season of Dolly Mixture, with two other equally talented actors. 
Not for the faint-hearted, I screamed my head off at the end when I saw the play for The Fringe this year in Auckland. This play is nevertheless refreshing and sometimes hilarious. 
 Dolly Mixture addresses many issues around families and relationships, while it's also a surreal romp through the most peculiar scenarios, and what a stage set. 
Yvette Parsons was nominated for Best Actress last year, well-deserved.  More here -  
http://www.aucklandactors.co.nz/actors/yvette-parsons/view-details.html
Book now, it will probably sell-out and is only on for a week.


 http://www.basementtheatre.co.nz/whats-on/dolly-mixture/

More info., about the play here -
http://www.aucklandnz.com/events/listing/2013/dolly-mixture/auckland
 
Now I'm writing about friends at home I could be in trouble. So many talented people live and create here, but my fingers are starting to hurt. Let's just say if you make friends with me on facebook then search some of my friends' names, you'll find plenty to entertain, amaze and delight.

Doris de Pont runs the NZ Fashion Museum who provide excellent events and publications, throughout the year and the country. Home Sewn was one of those.

http://www.fashionmuseum.org.nz/

That's me, not Doris - loved this show.

I'd also like to promote the work of Judy Darragh, fine artist. I've known Judy for decades now, and admired her adaptability, originality and sense of wonder. The most ordinary things become magical when she's done with them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zM5Yc8pAFs 

Then there's the Youth Theatre in Whangarei run by Peter Larsen. He performed with the troupe I directed, Poetry Brats many moons ago. Their fabulous Odyssey was such a hit lately.

http://www.nyt.org.nz/

The extraordinary Genevieve McClean deserves a mention too, her writing and performances are simply stellar. If you ever get the chance to see her work, or read it, I urge you to get along there.

 http://snipurl.com/26n0zje 

Sandra Bell I've admired for years too, her singing and guitar with that Dunedin depth and grind. Powertool Records release her CDs and sometimes she plays gigs around New Zealand. For years, Sandra was performing and living in Germany and recently, read poetry in NYC as part of the Phantom Poster performances there. 

http://www.myspace.com/sandrabellnz 

Gus Simonovic has read poetry and performed world-wide for some time, he also directs Printable Reality in Aotearoa, New Zealand. A project to mentor young poets and improve their writing along with performance lately, is called Page 2 Stage. Do support the events around this excellent programme. Shows will be held at The Pumphouse, Takapuna and other exciting venues, there may be open mic events associated with those. 
To my surprise and delight, I'm a Page 2 Stage mentor. We were chosen from many applicants, by a panel of international judges.

https://www.facebook.com/Page2Stage2013

Linda Niccol, now a talented writer and film-maker, I recall from back in the day. Like everyone young, we owned Auckland. Punk and New Wave matched our sass and fury. Dreams meant more to us than almost anything else. 
Some lucky enough to get close to realising those visions, or we're already living in that hard work bliss. This requires assistance at times. Please support her film, (with its international prize-winning script) if you can -  https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/824

Now, also, far be it from me to pretend I'm not the most determined stage-mother in existence, so saving the best for last, my daughter sings like an angel in two bands. Both groups vastly entertaining, each in different ways.  

This group plays rock and roll music, do shoop da wah diddy, fun-times and rockin' rhymes. In huge demand at weddings, parties, RSA Saturday nights, boat clubs, Beach Hop and so on - 

The Rocking Roller-coasters.

Here they are at Beach Hop March 2011 Whangamata, (they've just performed at this year's Beach Hop too).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewGbAZdHd_0

The other's a punk-dance music band, a hybrid mania glam-warp. Two stylish members play computers, accompanying a handsome male and gorgeous female singer, while Moppy's VJ creates mind-boggling stage effects. 

Moppy, see them live as soon as possible, they could be on tour overseas any time.

http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/artists/A/1303/N/Moppy.utr

Please, if you have something arty I'd love which you'd like me to put on this blog, (read world-wide by hundreds of people every month), let me know. It's free, if I love the work I'll mention it.
There's a great walloping pile of things I do already but lovely to promote friends' worthwhile activities. 
If your gorgeous play, film, acting, music, poetry, art, clowning, mime, (eeep), model-making, dance or performance are absent from this blog now, it was only due to my avoiding the onset of OOS, (Occupational Over-use Syndrome).  Love you, love your work, mwah mwah, *hugs*.

All comments most welcome and thanks for reading.