Posts by Kimberley Verburg

  • Hard News: Friday Music: Welcome back…,

    I'm reassured to hear that I wasn't the only one hearing Taylor Swift in there, although I couldn't pin down exactly what it was.

    I'm also reassured that, while Lorde has clearly developed musically, she's still keen on teeth.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Access: The Blue Inhaler,

    As kids we used to be fascinated by our classmates' trick of breaking a capsule in an inhaler and taking a puff. I never got one of those but worked my way through a "regular" puffer, diskhaler and turbuhalers.

    All the doctors I've seen outside of NZ always want to hear about NZ's high asthma rates. One specialist I saw in the Netherlands went off into a long spiel about how poor NZ was on preventer use. This was the late 90's. (Also not very reassuring to hear as my Dutch GP had refused me my preventer…)

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Friday Music: News from…,

    Not sure how much rest Lorde is going to be getting between now and June because she still has dates in the US and Europe before she gets to hit the studio. I've got a ticket to her show in Utrecht at the end of May, which doesn't seem to have been cancelled (yet). I'm not sure whether to be happy about that or not!

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Making it up on smacking,

    Is anyone else a bit creeped by Colin Craig claiming to punish his daughter with ""a flick of a finger on the back of a knuckle". Granted, it doesn't sound particularly violent but neither does it sound like a good way to teach a child to behave. More like a good way to teach a child that they're lesser; it's a play for dominance and doesn't sound particularly healthy.

    (Thoughts possibly influenced by the recent finale of Sherlock.)

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Friday Music: The First Time, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Cliff Richard for me too, early 90's and definitely in the Michael Fowler Centre. My aunt was a huge, huge fan and I guess I had a usual kids' attitude to him, though he did put on a good show. Since my aunt died early, I'm glad that I went along with her.

    My first outdoor concert was fairly soon after: Dire Straits in Athletic Park because under 12's got in for free. The kid-friendliness was apparently an attempt to discourage troublesome elements after an AC/DC concert. I mostly remember that it was sunny and loud.

    No idea when I actually paid to go to a concert myself. Feel like a bit of a failed music fan seeing as you all seem to remember!

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: How do you sleep?, in reply to Russell Brown,

    f.lux's settings are only accessible via the taskbar (top right for anyone on a Mac). Very, very easy to miss.

    But now I've got that sorted, looking at my screen is a lot more soothing.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: An Easter whip-round,

    Done.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Friday Music: This stuff works,

    Have just spent so much time trying to get round the "requires Flash to play music in your current browser" objection that I didn't have time to listen to more than Loui the Zu's cracking track. (Stop gap solution: use Safari ) Very keen to hear the rest.

    Also, I'm not feeling it for Rothko. You've been so enthusiastic about that room in the Tate Modern that I thought I'd give it another go, but nothing. The recent Yayoi Kusama exhibition was fantastic though.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Speaker: All aboard: The choice for…, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Except that's not the choice. The reality is you can live your values anywhere. You can contribute to improving Australian or British or French or US society just as easily as you can contribute to NZ society.

    Not quite, but I thank you for the hopeful words as I've just made the choice not to return to ANZ but to go to the Netherlands instead.

    I will contribute to Dutch society but not as easily because I need to find my way first and because my best knowledge and experience is rooted in the English language. It's been preying on my mind a bit. Also, the Netherlands is so much richer that I feel like it doesn't need my contribution as much.

    That said, Islander's post makes me want to cry. I will miss the home that formed me.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: A modest appeal,

    I'm glad you're doing this. To me, it feels less like donating and more like paying for a really good magazine subscription.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

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