Photoes from last night

see if you can spot Elvis

Exploding dog

Well had a party in our house last night for Deans 30th, The theme was "The Rat Pack". It all went well, had too much red wine. its a little scary to think that 2 of my friends have turned 30 this year oooo its seems like Im getting old :-( well having a relaxed afternoon tiding up around the place, ready for Top Gear at 7:30, baked beans for tea tonight! might spole my self and have it with toast.
Todays pick is from a web site called Exploding Dog,, the guy that runs the sight draws pictures to peoples posted quotes.

First gig and thired practice

Well our band had its first technical gig last night. It was at our lead guitarist/singers new flat, went pretty good but I was pretty pooped as I DJed after our set, So it was a bit of a marathon, but I was in my little eliminate with all of the music. Going to hopefully have a very productive day catching up on all the things I should of done 3 weeks ago. hope fully without any distractions, mind you I love that distraction ;o)

Many people will walk in
and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave
footprints in your heart.

- Author Unknown -

R2D2

Happy birthday Gorman for yesterday! We had a little dinner party yesterday to celebrate my flatmates 30th, we all chipped in and got him this cool r2d2 toy it runs of voice commands, the beer holder is by far the best fetcher :-)
bizzy day at work and will be today as well, also book my next trip ;o)

Consciously or unconsciously, every one of us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will make, not only our own happiness, but that of the world at large.
-- Gandhi

pics from the south

1 This was a Honda Cub 50 grave yard on the way out of Greaymouth
2 Some were out of authers pass on the way to ChCH
3 Wetroast and Mr Mackie :o)
4 Deirdre got very hot going up authers pass

Back at work today all very bizzy. Probably head of into town for some nibbles soon, Dame! no! that's right tin spergety on toast, I have to save $$$$ :-)

Safe back home

Just a quick note to say I'm back, wish i wasn't though had the best time ever!!! Didnt see much of Christchurch as i had such a special time with a close Friend :-)
the Picture was taken in the Littleton tunnal
more pics up soon, have to go to work!

Greay Oraphis to CCHCHCHCHCH

Well I made it too Christchurch safely no hick ups apart from loseing my left wing mirroer befor i got to the ferry on Friday mornig. greaymouth waas a hoot I stayed n a backpakers Which was the only splash of couler in the whole town. Aurther s pass was spectakuler as well plenty of photoes whick ill post up when i have time, also sorry about the spelling this computer soent spell cheack :-( any way more info to come

Almost time!

Well just 6 hours to got till I catch the boat, I'll have a sleep soon. Almost packed, bit of an art fitting it all on the vespa! I'll Try and post in Greytown if they have any computers??? Night all :o)

We can do not great things - only small things with great love.
-- Mother Theresa

1.5 sleeps to go

Well just getting the last bits done ready for the trip. not much happen today, Had tea at Candida and CJ's then followed that with Jelly tip ice cream mixed with coke at Kiffs. Today's pic was taken on a work trip to Christchurch in 2004 were i spotted some Nice stencilling on the footpath.

The essence of sculpture is for me the perception of space, the continuum of our existence.
Isamu Noguchi

Ok this is the plan!

Friday 21 April 00:00 Hop out of bed and I hop on Deaidre and ride her to the ferry terminal.
01:55 My ferry departs Wellington Hopefully buoyant!
04:55 Arrive in Picton, South Island (marked as a big 1 on the map
06:30 look around Nelson till some greasy breakfast places open
09:30ish Depart Nelson and head for the hills towards Greymouth, stoping in randome places for photos
16:00ish Arive in Greymouth (marked as a big 2 on the map) find more food and a bed and sleep

Saturday 22 April 09:30 Leave Greymouth and go up Arthur's pass with Deaidre and over to Christchurch
14:00 Arrive in Christchurch (3 on the map) and spend a few days with friends.

Tuesday 25 April 12:00 Head up the east cost back to Picton stopping at Kaikoura for some Kai
21:00 Hop on the ferry back to Wellywood
01:15 Should be home by this time to get a few hours sleep before work, 6 hours later.

Click on the map for more detail

Im a winner!

I had a phone call from a gift shop (Natures Discovery) this morning to say that i had won 447 Eggs, I was a little confused at first and then remembered that i bought a nose pencil sharpener for a friend the week before and guessed how many eggs were in the jar! Im getting Deaidre all sparkly for my tour of the south island today. That's it in a nut shell, I'm off to stuff my mouth with eggs

Don't trust anyone over 30 who used to say "Don't trust anyone over 30."
-- Anonymous

more jam surprize

Well iv been a little bizzy over the last day or two, spent the day with kiff and his dad and new mum, we had brunch then looked around Petone then went up to the Carter Observatory to play with laser pens over the city. Later on in the evening I scooted to a friends party which a had a few little surprises then headed home for some sleep. Did a load of washing this morning and some other Sunday chores and that's about it! Having a another jam session with the band later today. That's it in a nut shell.
Today's pisc is a little sketch i did in 99 of a cello player whilst at a concert was a pretty fun place to sketch i took it home and scanned it and played with it in photoshop.

"Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway."
Mother Teresa

JAM

Well our new band "Bystander Affect" had our first jam today, was pretty fun! We got the name Bystander Affect from how people react like sheep in crowds. For example if some one fell, who would make the move to see if that person was OK or Would people wait for some one else to make that move first and then react on that action. our sound is going to be a little Trip Hopi.
Later on in the day I caught up with Kiff and D's dad and new ladder mum as their in Wellywood for the long weekend.


I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.
Albert Einstein:

Buggerd

Well had a short day at work had drinks, hot angry buns and Easter eggs thanks to the boss! Got home did lots of house work and that's about it. Im completely bugged so of to bed! Nunight

"ZZzzzzz ZZZ Zzzzzz"
J Mackie

Happy Birthday Rosie

Its my littlest sisters Rosies 10th birthday today "Happy Birthday!" Well I finally booked my trip to the south Island last night something I have been meaning to do for ages. Im going to spend some time touring around on my Vespa Im going to exploring the northern part staying in back packers and at friends houses. Its going to be a well deserved Holiday and the first for years! I had Deirdre well serviced today as she was well due! this is going to be my first overs seas trip with her and hopefully many more to come! I have this huge map of NZ on my wall and I'm highlighting all the roads we've been down. It should be all orange by the end of the year !

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.”

Why phonetic808 ??????

OK a few of you might of wondered why I use phonetic808, well it all started in 97 when i got my first email address, at the time i was a HUGE Photek fan, and loved all things ph (faa) also being dyslexic i find it easier spelling thing fonetikaly as our language sucks! Well what about the 808??? well as the internet got more populaer it was harder to have phonetic as a name so I had to use the addition of numbers. years before we all had computers in our houses a little drum machine was released by Roland in 1980 called the TR-808 which created a lot of the beats in modern day music, many bands have use this gem of a boom boomer, from Whitney Houston - featured prominently on "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." to Aphex Twin. I have always wanted one but there as rear as hens teeth and can fetch up to $3000 US. I do however have its Sister the Roland Juno 6 which was there synth that was released the same year. All fundidalo fantastic analogue stuff. so thats why phonetic808
The Picture is a of a flyer I made from my DJing days at the Buzz Bar back in 98-99

Like a prune, you are not getting any better looking, but you are getting sweeter.
-- N. D. Stice

Im going to be a rock* when i grow up

Well tonight I caught up with one of my Welly friends as they want me to join there band (I hope they know that i carn't play any musical instrument to save my life or any one else for that matter) its going to be a jazzy lounge thing with weird electronic sounds produced by yours truly. actually looking forward to our jam sessions which are due this Easter. I think I'll have to get a rock star hair cut next! What ever the out come or hiar cut, it will be interesting as I'm not used to making music with other people, I prefer do in it in my room alone with the door shut with a bunch of grapes for a 48 hr period
It was good being back at work today after a week off missed the place and the people.

It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.
-- Andre Gide

Johnny's Back....!

Been a bit of a funny day today. My old cat Mitzi made an appearance, she hasn't been seen for the last 6 months and turned up on mums door step the day I was due to leave, I had a good little cuddle and spoilt her with some milk and food. The flight to Auckland from Whangarei was very bumpy at one time a lady down at the front screamed with fear then I shouted whooo as I was really enjoying the bumps, everyone looked back at me with discuss. I got stopped at security in Auckland as they thought I had dodgy stuff in my bag which was full of art supplies they asked what the paint was made from (Gouache) i didn't dare tell them it was bird poo as they might of thought i was taking the piss, got through in the end. Candida Rose and Dean meet me at the airport and Candida had baked lots of little cup cakes for my return! Thanks :o)

this quote is funny even from a blokes perspective :-)
I think, therefore I'm single.
-- Female philosopher

Last night up north

Well the Herbs were ok last night it was only two of the members. Went for a little drive up to Kerikeri today and had a little lunch near The Stone Store. The only good record shop in the intire of Northland is in Kerikeri so I had to spend some money and support them, mind you they didn't have the CD I was looking for (José González 'Veneer') but ended up getting Bob Marley & The Wailers 'Jungle Dub' and Herbs 'Listen' both OK but I wished I waited till i got home as Wellington Public Library probably has them for $2 a week. I caught up with a few more friends later on in the day before I leave tomorrow. actually looking forward to being back home in Wellywood. Mums still feeling a bit queasy but recovering and will probably work from home next week.
Today's Photo is by one of my favourite graffiti artist Banksy were he painted a little girl floating over the Segregation Wall in Palestine.

Somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don't have any surface noise. I said, "Listen, mate, *life* has surface noise."
John Peel

The herbs are in town!

Possibly might be going to see The Herbs tonight with mum and her friend Glo, The herbs are basically the godfather's of reggae/dub in NZ and paved the way for today's nz music scene, One of my all time favourite NZ songs was French Letter by The Herbs (actually it was the remix dub version on the b side) which was a protesting song amid at the French nuclear testing at the time.
Spent the morning at my old work were they had there Friday morning Waiata practice. Later I caught up with one of my old mates Paul then we meet his new girlfriend out at Parua Bay.

Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours.
-- Benjamin Disraeli

Chores chores chores

Spent most of yesterday doing chores around Mum's house, then later she had a friend around for tea. whilst we were eating a little field mouse ran across the living room floor! i jumped up on my chair and screamed (i was so embarrassed, they made me put it in an up side down cup and put it outside with the cup still over it. I wanted to set it free but they said leave it till it dies, poor thing it actually looked real cute. and when I went to bed last night mum had put a old shoe lace to look like a mouses tale, under my pillow to make me squeal again, but I didn't even notice it ha :o)

Oh, crumbs.
Penfold from "Danger Mouse"

Hell reunited!

I caught up with Meka my old dog today, it was just like a romance film she saw me from a distant and ran through a daisy infested field and we intwined in the middle of the field and rolled around for a good 20 min :-) she remembered all the secret tricks I taught her. Later in the day I picked up Leyla and Sven up from school we went in to the town were i spoilt them a little then we went to the new Hell Pizza in Whangarie then drove up Parahaki to eat our kai. Mums doing alot better took her out for a little drive and been spoiling her rotten.

Gray hair is God's graffiti.
Bill Cosby

Fungerz (back home)

Arrived in Whangarei at around 8am and went strait to the hospital to check up on me mum. she was surrounded by flowers and cards, and was really happy to see me. She stayed there till lunch time which was great as i got to finish her hospital lunch Mmmmmm. back at her house just about to cook her tea, (hope that doesn't send her back to A&E) Shes alot better which is good :-)

Mum's in Hospital

I have just found out that my mum was admited to hospital on the weekend, so Im flying up to Whangarei first thing tomoro (Thanks dad for helping me out at short notice with the airfare). Its to do with a medical dye that was used on her spine in the 70's to show up in Xrays, which turned out to be bad and has been slowly damaging the nerves in her spine. I dont know too much but dosent sound to good :-(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!!!!!!!!

Happy birthday mum, you rock! thanks for all your input over the years and for putting up with me as a teenager! have an awesome day! Love jxx :o)

Big night out

As you can see we had a fun night, We went to a Weta fx doo and there was lots of booze which Candida turned into toxic Cocktails. Today was a very relaxed day, Candida had a ride on the back of my Vespa down to town for some scrambled eggs down at the City Gallary. They had a beautiful exhibition by PROTEIN LATTICE defantly worth a visit. We also had a quick look at Freedom Furniture for stuff for her new flat. Just having a very lazy evening veging on my big brown chair watching trash on TV.

If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.
-- George S. Patton, Jr.

Radio Bowls

It was the Radio Active card launch today at the Newtown Workingman's Club. We had put our team (The Bowls Axe) together a few weeks ago but didn't have enough practice and our captain didn't even turn up :-( so then the responsibility was put on to me. Our first game was good but it was all down hill after that :-( we ended up coming lastish out of the 20 or so teams. But it was all in all an enjoyable day! lots of nice slick Dub was being played trough the P.A then some Surf Guitar band played for the finals. off to a cocktail parity tonight so managed to borrow a tucks of a mate.

Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.
-- Joan Crawford

Yesterday

This is late but I was sort of was preoccupied last night. We had a very little party in the f4t house last night, Candida, F4tty and I had a few drinks and played a few bored games. Also yesterday I caught up with my dad for breakfast, as he was in town for some medical conference.

I was brought up to believe that how I saw myself was more important than how others saw me.
Anwar el-Sadat (1918 - 1981)