Posts by Isabel Hitchings

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  • Random Play: Welcome to this world,

    In an average year I probably see, at the movies, about 3 kids and 3 grown ups movies. Before kids it was usually one or two a week (but sometimes the same one multiple times).

    We say Avatar 3D last night - it was stunningly gorgeous and very real feeling. The first half where we were learning the Na've culture was definitely more enjoyable than the battly bits later on though I am a hippy and not mad on action films in general. I would have liked there to have been a more subtle solution to dealing with the evil colonists than out and out warfare or at least an acknowledgment of what choosing to fight would have cost the Na've but if your hero is a military man you've gotta expect he's going to go for the military option.

    My mild astigmatism was fine - it was a little fuzzy at the edges but suspect that was mostly due to being seated to the far left of the screen. I went to an 8.45pm screening on a day when I'd been up since 5am which I'm sure contributed to how utterly wrung out I was by the end.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Stories: Love,

    Simon Aww so sweet and yet so dodgy -thanks for putting a smile on my face.

    Emma I remember him being mightily impressed when he discovered I knew all the words.

    At 7.00 this morning I put the two little people I love best in all the world on a train, accompanied by their grandmother, to spend two nights in Nelson before we join them for the family Christmas. First time the little one's been away overnight but I'm sure he'll be fine. Seeing the love between my parents and my children brings me immense joy.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Stories: Love,

    Bowie's first two albums (confusingly both self-titled) have rather grown on me in recent years - I think there's something about that cocky yet awkward boy-man that makes me come over all motherly.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Stories: Love,

    It was called Ragazzo Solo / Ragazza Sola. Probably the worst song ever recorded.

    (Really, what was with rockstars in those days thinking they could sing in other languages?)

    I think that's Space Oddity not Life on Mars and I'd imagine it was the record company's idea - I believe standard practice was to hand over a phonetic transcript and not tell the artist if it was an actual translation of their own words or not.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Stories: Love,

    The only album that I ever lost in a break-up was a cassette copy of Never Let Me Down, Bowie's least special album apart from, maybe Tonight which was held onto by a guy who made a habit of hitting on women who were on the rebound and getting dumped when they felt better enough to see him for the tosser he was.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Stories: Love,

    Mike Garson's piano on Bowie's Aladdin Sane. I was given a compilation CD (__Chameleon__) with it on for my fourteeth birthday and, the moment I heard those first, off kilter notes, it was like something changed in my brain and i was never going to think about sound in quite the asme way again

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Southerly: Dr Lockwood Smith: End of…,

    Please tell me your radio thing will be available on the interwebs - 10.45 Friday is smack bang in the Playcentre end-of-year picnic.

    Also:

    And ladies, need I say more than décolletage?

    made me not just LOL but also snort unbecomingly.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Are Wonderful,…,

    What is the collective noun for this community?

    I always say PASer which is pronounced like Pasteur without the 't'

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Are Wonderful,…,

    And now, I'm off to scrub my brain.

    Plentiful booze should help with that.

    I am feeling completely scattered about Christmas - I think I've actually gotten a fair bit done but in such a haphazard way that I really don't know for sure.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Hard News: It is your right and duty to vote,

    My feelings about standardised testing were brought home to me by two pieces of assessment my kid brought home from school last week.

    One was a "report" from his teacher which listed his reading age and maths level without commentary. As far as I can make out, he's well above age level but by less than before. I can't tell if the numbers convey a worrying lack of progress or not.

    The other was a page of narrative from the resource person who has been working with him on writing (something he's a bit reluctant at). Without a single grade or comparison to norms or other kids I can see exactly what he's done, what strategies have helped him and what some logical "next steps" would be.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

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