The nerd was out in the dark last night. I finally got around to borrowing the telescope from the Wellington Astronomical Society this week, and took it for a test run on the deck last night.
It is a 6′ Newtonian, which will something to the occasional person in the audience.
I found Saturn and was so pleased when it worked. The image was there, small admittedly but palnet and the rings visible-brill. It was not a great night fro the stars as too many clouds, but success all te same. So more nerdy nigths in the pipeline.
Rugby from the sidelines
Today were at Ian Galloway Park for day one of Joe’s rugby season proper. He met his new team. Wests Under 11 “Red” team.
http://www.wests-junior-rugby.org.nz/_home/wests-junior-rugby-home.htm
The coach loooked the team over to decide positions. Joe was prop. He did well few good tackles, took the ball on a couple of times and tried to look the part in those mauls. Scrummaging was on though no push at this level. Lack of fitness told for Joe, and was of fthe action near the end and not getting the tackles in. something to work on.
The oppo was well organised having mostly played before and together. One lad really took the eye. He was a back who could run fast, was a well balanced runner with swerve, side step and eye for a gap at the age of 10. One of those who we will see again?
He reminded me of me!
Rugby from the Grandstands
A trip with older rugby mad son to the Cake Tin to see a top of the table class;Hurricanes v Crusaders, first v second. The place was officailly full though there were some empty seats. Presumably some pass holders can afford to shell out lots of dollars and not turn up to the games or be bothered to pass on their ticket for a game.
Despite the numbers still a low key atmosphere. Is it something to do with the stadium shape and size?
A good game in the first half, competitive, running rugby, fast stuff. The Crusaders always had the edge. Second half lesser quality and “Canes” looked ineffective until near the end. Crusaders just too good. Dan Carter very much in control though did make some uncharacteristic simple errors. Rico Gear looked pulsating with ball in hand and ever dangerous. McCaw cheated as well as usual.
Joseph thought hhe game was not too good becuase the Hurricanes lost! A typical kid -unable to appreciate the finer points?
One Season in One Day
Cricket round up
The season is over. It all ended yesterday with a “phut” rather than a roar. The game was cancelled, no surprise given the constant rain this week, with chill and wind to add to the mix.
The end was a team and parents meet up for lunch where the erstwhile coach ws presented with a signed mini bat-cool.
Joe’s figures for the numerate out there:
Played Overs Runs Extras Total Wickets Average Economy
12 22.5 101 26 127 4 31.8 5.5
Played Balls Faced Runs Out Average Runs/100 Balls High score
12 1 37 26 8 3.3 1 9.0 6
Not the best, but not the worst. he is keen to improve his skills with indoor wintr cricket. we will see.
A Paint Job?
Playing Around just like MM
Basin Reserve
Yesterday afternoon Joe and I went for a flying visit to the cricket. This was after he has hit a mesmerising 6 runs in his under 10s game and bowled a tidy 2 overs of left arm spin. The boy deserved his crunchy and his trip out.
If only the West Indies could play as well as the Onslow Shastris. We were a bit late to see the dolly catch dropped at mid off which should have accounted for Fleming, but instead watched him and Fulton hit the bowling around with ease. Penetrating bowling it was not.
I enjoyed the viewing, and Joe got the autograph of Jimmy Franklin-who000?
International Arts Festival- Episode Five
So the final outing of the luvvies of Khandallah.
Saturday night out to the Opera House to see “DJ Spooky” perform.
He is a mixer, multimedia artist.
The show was “Rebirth of a Nation”, his working of a 1913 film “Birth of a Nation”, a KKK propaganda film, with music mixing overlay. Sounded interesting so we went along with the other Wellingtonian hip dudes.
It was different, with flim playing on 2-3 screens with his added effects and titles and written commentary, with him standing of stage mixing the music. I was a bit diappointed because the use of the film was not different enough. Music was fine but not overwhelming to me, though the better half was on the the wavelength more.
Anyway, not something I have done before so worth the effort to see something new. A better review form my accomplice, so theoverallscore for the fesival is
3/5
Happy Cultural Times
International Arts Festival- Episode Four
Last night the opera buffs were out. It was time for a Wagnerian experience with Parsifal. We booked this without knowing anything about the particular piece, as we are not in the knowledge on all things opera.
Anyway, the bottom line is the wheels came of the bus.
It was an early start, 5pm as it is a long peice and due for finish about 10pm, a worry in itself.
it was not a good venue, as the orchestra partially blocked our view, not too pleasing for $110 tickets, and by no means the most expensive. The production seemed uninspired in terms of garb with an incongrous mix of modern and traditional. The music was skillfully played and in parts grabbed the attention but singing in German does not do it for us. It came over as song that would be better spoken. With this level of frustration it not surprisingly felt too long!
Anyway the plebs left before the beginning of the third act.
To cap it all the review in the Dominion Post today raved about it. So we really did not get it. I have my suspicions the positive review was partly bigging up NZ as all singers were Kiwis and it was “important’ for wellington to put on such a production.
Learning points for future; do research before buying tickets and next opera to be seen will be mainstream. But then we are all really Italiophiles anyway aren’t we?
And a final note. When we got home I enjoyed the Bulldogs beating the West Tigers very much more. Rugby League for the ignorant.