maddy's rambles

2002-07-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

I just checked my stats and it appears that folks are still checking this page regularly. I'm not here any more!!

I AM NOW AT
MADDY.SOVEREIGNMAGIC.COM

Everything, including the old stuff and old comments is now there. Visit me there. OK?!

2002-07-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

Welll, this may very well be my last ever post with Blogger. But fear not. You can now find me safely ensconced in MovableType over here.

I have been rescued from banner ads, by the wonderful Shannon, who has given me a subdomain and the use of her server space and MT. We love Shannon. It was a bit of an ordeal switching over, with lots of little things not quite working as they should.

Comments from here have not (yet - perhaps) been exported to the new page, but you can certainly continue to make them here, or head on over to my new home and post them there. I'll read 'em wherever.

The template is set at the default for the moment. I'll work on that when I get back from holiday. Prepare to be suitably impressed!

This blog will stay here for a while, but with no further posts. All the entries are now in place over there...

How about bookmarking or blogrolling my new home? Go on, you know you want to!

When I do eventually get my own domain, I'm going to do what Shannon has done. Why don't you consider supporting ASAP!!

Goodbye Blogger. We've become such good friends.

2002-07-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

I decided to get it over and done with and do the "name is" thing. If you've explored past this site, you know my name is actually Sarah. But I'm going to do Maddy as well, because that is how a lot of people think of me.

I went past the first 10, because some of them just sucked:

Sarah is:
... now sixteen years old! Umm, no. I'm not. Out by almost a decade.
... also on the cover of the magazines In Style and Seventeen. Cool. And here was I thinking I wasn't model material.
... evil. I'm hurt...
... here! I sure am baby, the wait is over!
... also in the new David Cronenberg film eXistenZ. No, that was a crap movie. I don't appear in crap movies.
... currently on tour with Champions on Ice. This one is a bit scary.Aapparently there is an olympic skater who shares my surname!
... well. Correct.
... seeking to fill positions in the Jerusalem area. Not at the moment, I'm not. I'm staying clear of Israel for the near future.
... Buffy! I wish.
... the new vicar. Not likely.
... a corpse. Not yet.
... pregnant. It's a miracle!
... in the swimming pool with her new eye. Umm...
... now seventeen years old! That was quick!!
... a minister and through the instruments of sound, silence, state of prayer she unleashes glories of divine expressions of angelic chorures, rapturous words forming prfound ground for remembrance, for awakening, for enjoying, for releasing, for unifying. Wow, how impressive am I?

"Maddy is":
... the kind of woman who won't take any crap from anyone. Well, of course. Go on, give me crap. I won't take it.
... a friendly, tail-wagging charmer and just about as normal a dog as you'd ever meet. Who you calling a dog?
... really nice. Thank you.
... spayed, so there will never be any baby bunnies... but she hasn't caught onto that just yet. But I really like bunnies... Does that mean I'm still going at it like...
... a part of my family now, so I have to accept the good with the bad. Bad, what bad?
... irritated and begins to fight back. Keep calling me a dog and I will...
... bad at running. And running is bad.
... very sociable and loves attention. I AM a Leo. It's expected.
... hearing: "Blah blah blah blah blah MADDY...blah blah blah blah blah." It's all about me!
... a dedicated and committed mother and dropped out of Law School to raise her son. Google had better not be psychic. I'm not quitting.
... glad that she doesn't have to go to church. Uh-huh. She is.

2002-07-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

It's official. I am insane. There is no other satisfactory explanation for my trip to the mall and supermarket. School holidays, children and teenagers running amok. Me, impatient, stressed, tired. Not good. I didn't hit anyone though.

I was stocking up on more cat food. I swear some weeks I spend more money on my cat than myself! I spent a bit more than usual, getting 'special' food. I don't want him to run away when I go on holiday. Ten days is a long time without my cat. He'd better miss me as much as I am going to miss him!

2002-07-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

Well this is a stupid law!

STUPID!! I can honestly not believe that such a law remains on the books. That is utterly insane. I can't believe that her probation officer would press charges. There must be some sort of background motivation there. That's like calling her in for jaywalking. I equally can't understand why anyone would chose to prosecute the case. Unless of course they were using the poor girl (no poor boy here, he got off pretty freely) as a test case...

Not only does such a law hark back to times long gone when it was OK to impose one's moral/religious beliefs on another. Ok, so that's a little idealistic, but at the very list, such action is surely no longer justified in a society which increasingly embraces difference and choice. Laws concerning the age of consent to sexual intercourse, and public indecency would safeguard just as well the concerns most normal, moderate, intelligent, sensible, educated, sane people would consider worthy of legislation.

Why on earth would anyone chose to prosecute this case? The 'misdemeanour' surely isn't the behaviour that is sought to be reprimanded, and it is impractical to prosescute everyone. Is this going to deter anymore than a handful of scared kids.

Does anyone have the right to dictate who you can or can not sleep with? If this law remains on the books, it would be interesting to see how 'sexual intercourse' is interpreted. Clearly homosexual activity would be contrary to this act, necessarily out of wedlock. Most people have decided that is not a sensible prohibition either.

The DA said the statue is most commonly used to prosecute public sexual conduct. Why would that be when it would probably be covered by a plethora of exposure, indecency laws, and probably disturbing of the public peace. My guess is that the evidential onus is easier for the state is discharge. Not they aren't married, yes they were 'doing it'. And with a willing witness or corroborating evidence, there would be no requirement to catch them in the act! Lazy sods.

"A legitimate interesting in controlling the sexual activity of juveniles?" Why? Because sex makes them bad people. Or is it just sex out of wedlock? We can't be having people of poor moral fibre now, can we. But hang on, these two were of the age of consent. Are we saying that we are giving them the ability to consent, but only if they are married? Where's the justification for that? Their parent's didn't complain, so even if we are saying they don't have the power to decide for themselves, no case ought to be justified. If the real issue is stopping teenagers from having sex, change the freaking age of consent and then prosecute them on that ridiculous basis.

In my mind, any law which opens up hundreds of thousands of people to liability when the state has no interest in prosecuting all but a couple of them, should be gone. Never mind that this impinges on civil rights and all that. This is a very inefficient use of tax payers money. I'm sure the vast majority of people would prefer to see prosecution of real criminals, money spent of investigating unsolved cases than hauling teenagers before the court.

Why on earth would anyone chose to prosecute this case? The 'misdemeanour' surely isn't the behaviour that is sought to be reprimanded, and it is impractical to prosescute everyone. Is this going to deter anymore than a handful of scared kids.

Now for the unfair treatment of the two convicted teens. Well, clearly something is up. I'd like to know what the sentencing guidelines are. What exactly was it about this girls record that meant she deserved more than a fine and an essay? Boot camp? That kind of invites the suspicion that they were indeed concerned with her moral character and lack of discipline. Hmmm. Sure, that's a valid stance to take in a society. But is that really the best way to go about it. Given they didn't know it was even illegal, what kind of justification is there for punishing her in such a manner for the indiscretion? She made no choice other than the personal moral one that it was OK for her to 'do it'. And how is that different from the actions of the boy?

I wonder what his essay was on? I could think of a few choice topics. How about "I live in a society that appears to discrimate on the basis of gender", or "Double standards are cool".

End of rant. Thanks to Shannon for the link.

2002-07-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

Though I don't believe in God, I've been experiencing this overwhelming desire to thank him/her/it these last few days. Not for the wonderfulness of my life, or the beauty of nature. My gratitude is directed towards the fact that my next three exams are 'ratchet'. What that means, dear friends, is that they will only count towards my final grade if they are helpful. And you know what, they aren't going to be. I still have to sit the damned things and suffer the 'humiliation' (as if I care what others think) of not doing so well. Somehow I don't think optional exams would take off!

I'm currently reacquainting myself with the ins and outs of the law of evidence. It really is fascinating, and it's practical application is readily apparent (unlike an astounding amount of information imparted by various lecturers). However, we seem to have covered an awful lot in this past half year.

The same can be said for my employment law and family law classes. These two exams are on Thursday, the day after evidence. Luckily, employment is open book, so I may be able to salvage some semblence of a reasonable grade. Family I have the first question for. While that might be nice, the lecturer's thoughtfulness won't really benefit me at all, as I have no time to prepare an answer!

I've organised a friend/work mate/former flatmate to feed Maddy while I am away. I wish I could take him with me. Somehow I don't think my mother would appreciate that, however. Come to think of it, Maddy probably wouldn't enjoy a plane journey in a box...

I need to start packing soon. The last time I went home it was summer, and I packed accordingly. It rained nearly the whole time I was there. Now it's wintery. I think I might take my bathing suit. Coming home is going to be hard. Christchurch is definitely home for me now, but I still refer to Rotorua as home. Though I only lived there for three years, anywhere my parents are will always be home. That's where the heart is, right?

It struck me today that there is a mere 26 days to the election. Who to vote for? No question as to whether I will vote or not. No vote, no complaint. And I'm sure I will feel a desire to complain. Bring on the propaganda, I say!! Why should I vote for you? What's in it for me, huh? Bear in mind that I did my budge today. It doesn't look good...

I'm currently reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. That is, in addition to my text books... yeah, right. I'm only 23.5% of the way in (yes, I did just work that out on the calculator), but I've been captivated right from the start. Comic books, the American Dream and World War II. You laugh, you think, you feel. That's the mark of a good book, if you ask me. And the library's copy isn't hardback (it's one of those heavy soft-cover ones, if that makes sense). Hardback books are pretty, but I don't enjoy reading them. I don't know why. Am I strange?

Added a few more sites to my 'recently discovered' blogroll. If I don't get time to read them all, the list is going to be longer than my favourites, and we can't have that! There's a few kiwis lurking in there as well. I actually did a for 'kiwi blog new zealand'!!

I've been listening to one of my old cassettes, Roll by The Brainchilds. They were from Wellington I think. Circa 1995ish, I believe. Wonder if they are still around? I must investigate, if only to provide a link!!

I'm also wishing I hadn't onsold my copy of Bic Runga's Drive. With the airplay for the new single, 'Get Some Sleep' (which is a brilliant idea), my interest has been rekindled. And Beautiful Collision is a pretty cool title for the follow up album that has been so long in the coming... It's being released in the US in a few months, I believe.

As for another kiwi invasion of the US, I just recieved an update from nilfun.com informing that Mr Neil Finn is about to head back. There are some clips of the Finn Bro's "hooley" (his word, not mine) at the St James at the end of NZ Music Month. I must check them out! So must you!!

OK, that's enough procrastination. I must study. But first, I must drink more Dilmah. As a non-coffee-drinker (just the thought of it makes me retch), I've often laughed at the particular ways people like their coffee. And here I am considering taking some of my leaves home with me! I'm allowed my quirks. At least I no longer take my own mug with me!

2002-06-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

I don't often participate in the various questionnaire's that seem to take the blogging world by storm. So, it is with some surprise to myself that I am going to post my answers to Jodi's "Infrequent Inanity". Why? Why not?

1. Are your Sundays spent in a lazy daze or in a panic to get everything done that you didn't accomplish on Saturday? Usually I am working, so my state of mind is probably a combination of both options.
2. When you put away freshly laundered towels, do you put them on top of the towels that are already in the closet or at the bottom of the pile? They absolutely go on the top. I have towels that I have never used. I like it that way.
3. On a plane, do you prefer an aisle or window (or middle??) seat? Window. Preferably by the emergency exit. Not that I'm paranoid or anything. Besides, those clouds are just so cool.
4. Chinese food: Chopsticks or fork? In a proper Chinese restuarant, it's chopsticks all the way. Otherwise a fork.
5. French fries: steak-cut or shoestring? Shoestring. Who cares it they have absorbed more cooking oil? Not me. I like the crunch.
6. Band-Aids®: Pull off quickly or peel off slowly? Depends on whether or not it is my person on which the band-aid is residing.
7. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal (other than your spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend)? My cat is pretty stuffed, with his OCD, but other than that, no. My childhood teddy bear Edwina is within sight though, as is a small collection of Sesame Street toys.
8. Catherine Zeta-Jones: overrated or ... not? Everyone but me is overrated. OK, so maybe not. I really don't have an opinion either way. Unusually.
9. Chocolate: dark or milk? Chocolate milk and dark chocolate. My idea of chocolate heaven is anything with hazelnut praline. Mmmmm.
10. Would you ever consider plastic surgery? I wouldn't rule it out. Does having my bunions corrected count as cosmetic surgery. My feet are ugly.
11. Do you love me, do you Surfer Girl? Why, I hardly know you!

2002-06-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Too cool. Oh my god! Did I just say 'Too cool'. I swear I haven't said that for at least 10 years. Wow. Anyway, I just stumbled across a webring for NZ blogs. I'll join up as soon as I get home. Is it strange that when I have access to the world, I'm excited about connecting with people in my own country?

2002-06-29T01:42:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first post using the newly installed w.bloggar application. It means that I can work on my posts without being online, because it saves posts locally. I can also preview my posts before actually posting. That'll be handy. I don't know how many times I've had to go back and edit a post because I hadn't put in the closing tag for italics... It's got a bunch of other features and helpful little things, and works with a bunch of blog tools, so you should check it out.

I've been over at phil's trying to suss out this variation on the BlogAmp javascript, so it will display differently, and with a link for the artist. But I failed. Not surprisingly. Still it was fun wasting time, distracting myself from the fact that my evidence exam is looming, to be closely followed by employment and family... OK, so it didn't work. But it was fun!

IP was alright, I guess. Except that I spent far too long on the first two questions, leaving myself only half an hour for the third question, when I should have had 50 minutes. Mind you, I didn't really have that much to say about that particular one anyway, having left the worst question until last!

I've been listening to the sound of my stomach rumbling. I haven't eaten since about 6 AM...

2002-06-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

I over slept. I have 8 hours to my IP exam. Hmmm. Tea. I need tea.

2002-06-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

One more exam down, four to go. Saw the lecturer afterwards, and he asked how it went. I told him he could have been much nastier. He agreed. I think I might have scraped by. But you never can tell. Maybe my first failure is coming my way. I quite possibly deserve it, considering my pathetic attempt at studying. Speaking of which, I have IP tomorrow afternoon, and really need to reacquaint myself with the intricacies of copyright, trademarks, and passing off actions...

2002-06-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Call me an attention seeker, but I love that people are reading what I am writing! And it sure is a small world.

If you are not in the habit of reading my comments (admittedly, I haven't had 'em for that long), you might have missed a rather cool comment in response to me mentioning The Velmas. Tuesday's Child mentioned parking behind a car with the licence plate "velmas" in Albany, NY and that this could well have been the car of one of the bandmembers. This struck me as pretty cool, so I mentioned it to "Harvey", who confirmed it was actually his car! Cool, and weird, all that the same time!

Why am I blogging at this time of the morning, when I should be studying? And why does the damned cat persist on scratching on the door when the window is open?

2002-06-27T02:40:00.000-07:00

What would you look like if you were a South Park character?

The Scruffy Student

Lawyered Up?

2002-06-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

OK, so I now have my own "Blogs I Like" thing thanks to BlogRolling.com (which I spotted in use at Monday's Child. Check it out over there to the right, under my random BlogSnob ad. Anyway, it is a really cool tool. Now when I next visit my faves, I can add them to the list at the click of a few keys. I've added a handful just to test it out, but it is just that. It will be huge!

And no, I haven't been studying. I'm going to now...

2002-06-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

Maybe when I get back from holiday I will revamp my page again, and add the huge list of blogs I check out regularly. I am well and truly addicted to this stuff! You should see my favourites/bookmarks. When I've got more blogs than musicians, then I'll start worrying!!

In the meantime, check out Geek-O-Rama (who has the dubious honour of being the first blog I know of to link to me!), and Methoozla's Musings (a fellow Kiwi).

If you are looking for some super new and independent music, you have to check out CDBaby.com. Not only are they nice enough to charge realistic intenational postage (and you can opt to not get sent the plastic case, saving even more), but they obviously have friends at the post office. Much quicker than Amazon. I'm also told that musicians get a better deal with them. That's got to be good. So from now on, where I have a choice between the two, I know who I'm choosing. Besides, when you make a return to purchase, you get a free CD!!

In case you hadn't guessed, the CD I ordered, by The Velmas has arrived. It's good!

I did well on my IP essay. Which is a relief. I was a bit worried about going into the exam on Saturday without any knowledge of what one of the markers was like. It's also pretty nice knowing I don't have to pass the exam to pass the course as a whole. But I'd like to!

I just got an email saying my student ID/access card has been handed into lost and found, so it's back onto the bus and out to The Feelers...

2002-06-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

I had my first exam yesterday. Ethics. It was pretty bad. But reassuringly, everyone else thought the same. It's not easy when the format of the exam is completely different from the previous exams, which themselves had no set formula. It's just nice to know what to expect, I think. I was a bit gutted that I didn't get to write about contingency fees. Hopefully I muddled my way through. I had fun writing about the 'changing' face of the profession, though. We were prompted by a quote from an article entitled "The Legal Services Market" (the reference is [1996] 5 Journal of Judicial Administration 147) by Sir Daryl Dawson:

The primary aim of a professional man or woman was not to make money but to provide, for example, good health care or good legal services... [I]t was the subordination of personal aims and ambitions to the service of a particular discipline which marked out a profession.

We were asked to discuss the concept of professionalism and its relevance in the current environment in which law is practised. Dawson fondly recalled the times of 'social trustee professionalism', where lawyers were like Atticus Finch, with a profession based on altruism and collegiality, supporting the need for self-regulation. He contrasts this with what is undoubtedly the predominant and current model, that of expert professionalism, and the marketing of expertise. It is interesting to consider whether the duties owed by the lawyer to the client are still adequately justified by the 'public good' when that may no longer be the actual motivation for their existence. Perhaps that is why the government is seeking to have more of a role in regulating the profession.

In my comments, Max made reference to my comment about the application of Rule 3.01. I absolutely agree that where there are rules, they should be followed. In the absence of precise rules, there does need to be a ruling. That is my problem with the Rules as they stand. The use of contingency fees is widespread. That has benefits (like access to justice, freedom of contract, and so on). It has has it's drawbacks, just as the the increased temptation for fee-chasing and litigation blackmail, with a creep in fees over a period of time. There are also issues as regards the respective interests of lawyer and client. While there is obviously a concurrence of interest on one level, there is a distinct possibility that interests will diverge where settlement is offered. It is in the lawyer's best interest to settle, increasing the fee relative to the work completed. The client may very well prefer to litigate fully, at no extra cost to themselves.

On the face of it, the practice of contingency fees could very well be tortious, contrary to the torts of champerty and maintenance. So, there is always the possibility that any arrangement entered into could be illegal, as well as unreasonable and contrary to the Rules. A complicating factor about the Rules is that there status is uncertain. If they are delegated legislation, under the authority of the Law Practitioner's Act, they do have force of law, and would therefore override any contrary common law principles. If that is the case, there is the additional problem as to the status of the commentary, which makes reference to contingency fees. There is no guidance as to whether the commentary has the same weight, if any, as the Rules.

Anyway, Max highlighted an interesting area. While the majority of practitioners would appear to support the use of contigent arrangements (as does the Minister of Justice, in some form, so legislation akin to that in the UK may be coming), it is perplexing that the New Zealand Law Society is uncertain about their validity. This is especially so given the fact that it is practitioners that furnish the society. What we need is a test case, or legislation. Then there can be no doubt.

Well, I should stop thinking about professional responsibility, and get to work on international and intellectual property law. I have those exams tomorrow and Saturday...

2002-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Anonymous - The place to blog anonymously.

This is such a cool idea.

2002-06-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Shorter Sleep Makes A Difference! See! Staying up all night to study isn't good for me! I knew it all along...

My sister said I made her day.

2002-06-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

I picked up my copy of Room For Squares on Saturday. It's fantastic. I love it. John Mayer was in the country for a few promos, and made an appearance on Space, which I happened to catch as I was up and not studying. It was an acoustic performance of 'No Such Thing' very much in the vein of the live material that is on his page on mp3.com. Brilliant. Anyway, I was about to give in and order it from the US. I was trying to be good, and hunted all the smaller CD stores around town, but couldn't find it (though they pretty much all told me they had been asked for it). I reluctantly headed off to the place where everyone gets a bargain, and found it there. I think I have a problem with buying music from the same place that sells budget, rip-off stuff, and is the biggest parallel-importer in the country...

Oh, I mentioned the other day that I was going to order from cdbaby.com the CD by The Velmas. It's on it's way, baby!

Think lawyers are a law unto themselves? You are quite possibly right... The drawback of any self-regulating body is that cases are judged by ones peers. When there is no clear guidance as to what is acceptable, apart from widespread practice (which is not beyond impunity), what's a lawyer to do. You can follow the code and still later be found guilty of misconduct! Check out the "Rules". In many cases there are no actual guidelines of practical application, or if there are they have tenuous justification. Check out the commentary to Rule 3.01, that the common practice of contingency fee arrangements may be permitted. How freaking helpful is that?! Back to studying... and hoping there is a question on all this in my exam!

Listening to all sorts today: Lean, The Verve Pipe, John Mayer, Poe, Neil Finn, and many, many more... it's going to be a long day. My first exam is the day after tomorrow!

Before I go...

	HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES!!! I love you a whole bunch! You're what? 34? Wow. It's almost 21 years since you wore that lovely pink terry-towelling dress for my fifth birthday. Look at how far you've come!
From left: cousin Tony, neighbour Bernard (at back), neice Alison, nephew Patrick (married now!), cousin (obscured), me (gorgeous in in a chiffon dress and woollen cardigan), cousin Karensa (at back), nephew Andrew (in front), friend with a name I couldn't spell back then either, and my lovely sister Frances holding our nephew Sean (I think).
	Three smart and adorable kids. That's truly something to be proud of, Sis. I can't wait to see you all when I visit after exams!

2002-06-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I really am going to study today. I have to. I'm working all weekend, and then my first exam is on Wednesday. Ugh. I have no idea what is going on in the world. At least it isn't snowing anymore.

My current mood is

I'm listening to John Mayer... who is finally getting some airplay on NZ radio!!

2002-06-17T01:45:00.000-07:00

It's snowing. I'm sure it's too early for snow. Especially here in the city. It was raining when I left home, heading to university to return my library book (unread) to stop the fine accruing at $3 a day. When I began my venture back it was snowing. It was quite pretty, with the street lights highlighting the snow against the pitch black night. But then I'd look down, past my sodden gloves, and soaked jeans, at the slush on the ground. Dirty snow is not nice. But I'm not sure I'm keen to have a heavy downfall here in the city just so I can look at some nice white snow. Not that it'd stay white for long, what with the smog and all. But I get to wear my jerseys, so am I happy chick tonight. Even if I did feel bad for the pizza boy who had to deliver my dinner...

I've been watching Scrubs...

2002-06-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

A book of last words that don't have to be famous. Spotted that on the blog of a fellow NZer. It's interesting reading...

2002-06-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

I visited Phil for some more help today. I now have handy functions that allows me to link and/or quote at a right-click. No opening another window, no logging into blogger.com. Maybe I'm lazy, but I like this. See how it (BlogQuote) works:

Install BlogThis

You can only have either Pro or Classic installed at any one time (the flavors just install over top of each other), but you can have both BlogThis (the original) and BlogQuote (which puts any highlighted text in the page you are blogging into an italic blockquote) installed at the same time: when you just want a link to the page, use BlogThis, and when you want to quote something, use BlogQuote to make the quoted text stand out from your comments.

2002-06-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

So students are going on strike in support of their teachers (or perhaps against the government). Something's got to give. The election is on the 27th of July. Does Trevor have time to do anything? Or will people's careers and educations be messed around even more? It's interesting to note that there is no indication on education site (that I could see) that teachers had failed to ratify the settlement. Check out the PPTA.

The cynic in me is realising that tertiary education isn't going to feature in this election. But I shouldn't be pessimistic, because it is bad for me...

Online personal ads. No, I don't have one. But good on Yahoo for cashing in on the lonely, anonymous state of the world where people are more likely to find love online than talk to their next door neighbour. Sure, it may not be the desperate that are driving the industry (they would say that, wouldn't they), but don't you think it's kind of sad that younger people are using such services, perhaps limiting the scope of their real-life personal interactions. Are computers taking over our lives?

Lawyer jokes are welcome. We shall have our revenge...

2002-06-13T22:52:00.000-07:00

Oh, before I forget, venture off and investigate The Velmas, and support some new and independent music. I've listened to a demo, and some of the singer's individual material, and I was quite impressed. The advantages of being a fan of The Verve Pipe! So I'm going to order the CD when I've got a little space on my credit card!

While I'm thinking about good music, I visited Lean just before and noticed a rather cool 'popup' advertising their next gig. I miss my Lego. A rather attractive photo of the guys, too. If you haven't listened to my copious ramblings about them yet, go and check out Lean. You can listen at garageband.com or iuma.com. Step out of the mainstream and listen to some more music that isn't being force fed to you by those nasty major labels. Go on, I dare you.

2002-06-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I took the IQ test on www.emode.com. I scored 135, and the title of Visionary Philosopher. After 40 questions, it was determined that I am equally good at mathematical and verbal tasks, and learn from experience. I get the maths and verbs bit, but how on earth do they know that I learn best from experience?! I do?! You can pay to get a full report sent to you (a whole 15 pages) but I don't think that's going to be happening any time soon. Still, I would like to know which questions I got wrong!!

I went back today and did a variety of tests, including emotional IQ (apparently I'm very empathetic), and the 'right job' quiz. At least my choice of job fits in with what I already thought of myself, revealing "From that, we can tell you are tirelessly inquisitive and thoughtful. You love exploring new ideas, investigating, and understanding the world around you" and that the right job was something allowing me to be analytical. Cool. My personality type is "Observer". I'm happy with that.

My theme song is "Walking on Sunshine", I'm more nice than naughty, I'm a subtle flirt, and my inner rockstar is Sade. Oh, and in my past life I was a leopard. Uh-huh. It must be true, I found it on the internet...

It was the last day of lectures for the term. I know have 12 days to prepare for my 6 exams. I really need to draw up a schedule. That will give me a legitimate reason for not actually studying. Anyway, I have no more lectures on international law, or ethics. I'm not too upse about missing out on international, but I'm a bit sad about ethics. I liked it. So many law papers are 'black letter' law where you learn the law, how it works, how it doesn't, and maybe a bit of it's history. There isn't often scope for any indepth critique or suggestion for reform. Ethics actually required you to THINK about yourself and how you fit into the scheme of things, whether the whole thing (like the legal profession's monopoly over many aspects of legal service) is justifiable. Still, I guess there is nothing to stop me from thinking about whatever I want to!

My family law, employment law, and evidence classes continue for the rest of the year, and I pick up the advanced intellectual property paper to replace the one that just finished. I'll have a much lighter load in the second half. I might yet pick up another paper, but then again, I might not. I could always just studying really hard for the four papers I will have... um, yeah. Maybe.

I went to the supermarket today. I used a trolley. Big deal, I hear you say. Well, you see, I don't normally. I'm not a very patient person, and I find the supermarket incredibly frustrating because of all the people who have no idea what they are looking for, or decide to chat with their neighbour in the middle of a bloody aisle. Usually I just charge around with the handily supplied 'express bags' grabbing the few items I can carry home on the bus (no car, no licence). I have no idea what possessed me to get a trolley today, and the minute I was in the supermarket, I regretted it. My social conscience prevented me from abandoning it in the produce section where some little old lady would be blocked off from the lemons. As a consequence I must have given at least five people the "would you move your f#$&king trolley out my f*&$#king way?! now!" look, and stood 'patiently' while they decided whether they wanted the $1.35 packet of rice or the $1.45 one. ARGGHHH!!!

While I'm ranting about supermarkets, why is that some families like to shop together? I don't mean Mum or Dad and the kids (I'm not that unreasonable), but the middle aged husband and wife team. You know the ones, the husband pushes the trolley, the wife seeks out the bargains (while standing in the middle of the aisle blocking off other shoppers!!), and then trails along next to the trolley, taking up valuable space in the trolley passing lane. I swear some people have no idea that they aren't the only people in the world. Normally, this isn't a problem for me, as I can squeeze through with my bags. Not today. And because I had a trolley I had no idea how heavy all the cans of tomatoes (they were on special) would be once I got off the bus. I hate the supermarket.

I did have a pleasant shopping experience at the butcher shop though. The butcher is located just down the street from the supermarket, and generally cheaper, and so gets a lot of my custom. The butcher is getting on in years, and what you could class as a 'gentleman'. Once you've paid for you purchase, he brings the bag around the counter, and opens the door for you, passing you the bag as you exit. It's so sweet. I guess I'm an old-fashioned girl at heart!

I've been listening to Tori Amos...

2002-06-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

Please disregard my whiney last post. I got it sorted. I just didn't know enough about FTPing. But I know enough now, thanks to Phil and some careful instruction reading. So, the upshot is, my minimal expenditure on my ISP is very good value! Why pay for a fancy host with PHP when I get it for free with my internet conenction? Most of the other providers I checked out wanted $20 for a similar service, and I would have needed my own domain name. Now I just need people to use them, so it looks like people read my site. I know they do, sitemeter tells me so... I'm watching you!

I've been listening to Phantom Planet...

2002-06-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

Oh, last night I tried, once again, to put a place for comments under each post, so I don't have to use the shoutbox that currently exists (which people seem to be afraid of using, and email instead!). It would be nice to have the comments moved into the archive along with the relevant post, instead of the static comments box, which once it is full, renders comments invisible to readers (though I can still see them).

It turns out my ISP (the cheapest I could find), does support PHP, so I can use remotely hosted dotcomments, as explained by Phil Ringnalda in his ever helpful unofficial FAQ blog. Anyway, it was all going OK until it came time to create the necessary subdirectory. I can't. And I'm pretty sure that is the reason why I couldn't get it to work. Damn it all. Maybe I can create a directory, but I don't know how. According to my FTP programme, what looks like a directory to me (my bit of the public_html directory) isn't. Maybe the solution is simple, but one consequence of my cheap internet connection is expensive service. Today I don't feel like paying $2 a minute to call for help when chances are the person I speak too won't know what I'm talking about, and if they do, the answer will probably be no.

One day I will find a cheap host in NZ who offers what I need, so I don't have to fork out US currency to get it. I have found one no frills provider, but that still leaves the question of registering a domain name and the fees associated with that. Priorities. So send me email!

Oh, and check out Jen's blog. She was having difficulties with her old blog template, and I directed her to BlogSkins. She's got some rather cool quizes linked. Give 'em a go. It's fun.

I've been listening to Poe...

2002-06-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

One day of term to go. This year has gone so fast, and I'm conscious that I have not achieved what I had intended. My master plan was to stay on top of my work, be dilligent and focus. What a joke! It's just so damned hard to focus when you know that in the past you've coasted and done just fine. When my some bizarre happenings I was super studious in the first half of last year, I blew myself away with how much better I could do. Why am I happy with my consistent OKness? I am happy. I feel bad for a few minutes when I think of all the time I have wasted, and the effort I could have put in that would have paid dividends, but then I go back to thinking that I'm going alright anyway. No doubt my apathy will kick me in the ass when it comes to finding a real job. And yet even that isn't enough motivation to shake me out of my tree. Why not?! It's not as if my heart isn't in the law, it so is. This is what I want to do, something I truly see myself doing. I'm not missing anything. I've got the knowledge and skills, without a doubt. I'm just not applying myself so that my assessment reflects that. I've never studied for exams, at least not in the traditional sense. I think it's too late to start now. It's obviously not the way I function. And yet every now and again I feel the need to beat myself up over it! Hence this post!

My Mum sent me some gloves and scarves to match the hats she made me! And the guy at the service station gave me a free chocolate fish! Life is good!!

2002-06-11T03:30:00.000-07:00

I cried a lot this morning. I had to say goodbye to someone who at one stage meant the world to me. I guess this last week saw the culmination of a few months of denial, feelings of rejection, confusion, and resentment. I'd like to think nobody was to blame, that we just drifted apart, but I'm not sure. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, but I think something changed in our dynamic. All I know for sure is that I tried very hard to keep things the way they were. But you can't control how another person thinks, more's the pity. Perhaps the reason I felt so bad was that sense of failure. I could have let things so how they were, but that wasn't doing me any favours. In fact, it was probably the opposite. I had to make a break, I couldn't just let it go. I needed to share my feelings one last time, to clear the air. For my sake. There's no looking back, except to some wonderful memories. But it is no use pining for something that isn't going to return, and I wasn't satisfied with how things had become. I've got that sense of closure now. It pretty much came as soon as I got my feelings out. There's still so much more I could have said, but it wasn't worth it. I'm not into wasting my time, in that sense. Why should I have continued to put myself on the line, when I can now move on with a clear (enough) conscience? Things change, nothing lasts forever, and all of that. So, today was tinged with sadness and reminiscence, and some self-pity. But overall, there was a sense of well-being, of strength. I'm a better person for my experiences, I know more of myself. That can't be bad...

Anyway, my Grandad is doing well. He got through his surgery well, and seems to be on the road to recovery, rather against the odds. All that finger crossing must have paid off. Selfishly, this means I get to see him when I visit my family after my exams. My ticket is all booked now, for travel on the 5th of July, returning on the 15th. Of course, there's the small matter of exams between now and then...

A lot has been going on in the country this last week, while I've been neglecting my blog. To be honest, I'm not that concerned that I don't know about half of it. I am conscious that I should care, but I have to wonder if I will ever have the time, and inclination, to catch up. I'm not sure what it is that I've actually been doing with my time. Certainly not studying. Tomorrow, I promise myself. I will study.

I've changed my template again, so it now looks as the designer intended, plus all my nonsense and introspection. You'd think I was indecisive or something...

I've been listening to Tonic...

2002-06-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Grandad's surgery has been cancelled a couple of times, but he may have had it today. He doesn't produce white blood cells anymore, so the hospital needed to get specially treated blood. There was also some doubt as to the benefit of the surgery taking place. My sister, who lives an hour or so away from my parents and grandfather, has been keeping us all up to date. Apparently he was doing OK last night. Fingers still crossed.

If you've been here before, you 'll notice I've changed the template. As noted near the end of the page it was designed by wicked designs. Given that the template, which I found on blogskins.com is called 'pink is for girls', you can guess that I've fiddled with the colours quite a bit. I've no idea how long it will stay like this. I just felt like a change.

I've had an interesting email conversation with a reader about the legal profession. That's something I intend to discuss later on, probably after exams. I definitely have views on the legal profession. I think that is only sensible given I'm intending to be a part of it.

Exams are getting rather close, and I'm not getting any more prepared, so once again my blog shall be a little neglected. But when I need to vent, I'll be back.

I'm listening to Dimmer...

2002-06-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

My grandfather is probably out of surgery now. He fell out of bed yesterday morning and broke his hip. They are going to pin it. The thing is, he has pneumonia, and so can't handle a general anaesthetic. Fingers crossed. Times like this, I wish I lived much closer to home, or at least had the cash to travel whenever the need or desire arose.

So, Queen's Birthday weekend is over for yet another year. I had the great pleasure of working. I had to call in sick on Sunday, because I could barely open my left eye. It is an unfortunate complication of contact lenses, over-heated, dry air-conditioned existence, that I am susceptible to giant papillary conjunctivitis. My eye was very, very, very red, extremely itchy, and incredibly sore, such that it felt it was going to simultaneously sink into my head and burst out. Thankfully, it did neither, with the aid of an abundance of eye drops, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory tablets. Once again, I am reminded of how poorly I can see without my contact lenses. I would wear my glasses so much more if I could actually see as well with them as I can with my contacts. I know I take my vision for granted, but it totally sucks sometimes to be so short-sighted.

I did manage to get my IP essay in on time. Just. I was planning to have it all handed in by 1 PM. However, along came 2.30 PM and I was just finishing. Then of course, the bus was late, and the computer lab at university that I usually use (I don't know why, I'm drawn to the Macs when I am there ) was closed. Add in the fact that usually when I am opening a file I saved at home the format is screwed up (not great when you've got tons of footnotes), and I was a stressed out girl. Luckily, everything went well, despite my irrational fear that the lift would break when I was on my way to deliver my essay. Now I just have to wait for the mark!

Exams are less than a month away now. I'm not ready. I'm hoping to make a dent in my international law notes today. Unfortunately, I went and left my CDs at home, so I'm sitting here thinking more about how loud the keyboard clicks rather than the intricacies of sovereign immunity. I get another distraction today, before IP at 3 o'clock. Some politician is coming to give a talk about proposed sentencing reforms. Should be interesting, if not filled with election year propaganda.

Back to the grind... probably only to get distracted by the thought of an important email I need to write to someone special. But more about that another time.

2002-05-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. I'm on caffeine overload. And I can't believe I'm actually up and dressed when it is a measly two degrees. Admittedly, it hasn't started raining... yet. Actually, I don't think it is as cold as it was yesterday morning, but who can remember that far back to be certain?! I'm skipping a couple of classes this morning (though I'll make the trek in for two hours of family law), so I can finish up my intellectual property opinion. So what am I doing blogging???

My mother made me some hats and some sheepskin lined slippers (which I am wearing now). I love my Mum. I haven't been home since my Dad's 70th birthday in February 2001 (and I still haven't developed the rolls of film I shot that day, and the Christmas prior - see, it's not just school work I proscratinate about). Anyway, the folks are planning on getting me up to Rotorua (where it is 8 degrees!) in July when my eldest sister comes over from Perth, Australia. I'll also get to catch up with her two oldest children who are now living in Rotorua. I love my family. I've got to get through exams first, though, before I can think too much about what I am going to do over the semester break... and this assignment.

I'm listening to Better Than Ezra. Oh, I made BTE quiz last night. More delaying tactics! No more, must go offline ... soon.

2002-05-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

Clinton's in Auckland, the Dalai Lama is in Wellington, and the Crusaders paraded in Christchurch.

And if you thought $800 was a bit steep to have dinner with Bill, I guess you think the $25,000 top businesspeople shelled out to have a few drinks with the man before. There was a formal meeting with Helen Clarke as well.

But not such a welcome for the Dalai Lama. Foreign Affairs seem concerned about the impact on relations with China. He will be met as a spiritual leader, but not as a political figure. Are we really that scared to upset China that we are willing to overlook Tibet's struggle for independence? It seems we are. And yet we put relations on the line with Indonesia over East Timor...

Go the Crusaders! OK, so it's a bit late for that. I'm not really into rugby, and I'm not really a Cantabrian, but you've gotta give them credit, they are good. Hopefully they can pull off the same feat for the NPC later in the year. Apparently 120,000 people lined the streets for the parade. Not me, it wasn't until I hopped on the bus after visiting the supermarket that I remembered. It was full of people dressed in red and black. Fifteen of the guys were named in the All Black squad as well, with Reuben Thorne taking up the captaincy.

"Carter Holt Harvey announced that for the Kinleith pulp and paper milll to remain viable it must lose 389 employees. Half may be re-employed by another contractor, but the others have little hope." (3 News) Crap. Does another small town bite the dust?

Will I get to vote a couple of days after my birthday? I have no idea who I'm going to vote for yet, I think I'll need at least that long to decide. I firmly believe that you have to vote to be able to complain about the government, and if things don't pick up soon, I'm going to be complaining alot. How the government can ignore the plight of a very large section of the public, with the potential for the all important growth, is beyond me. I guess that's why I'm not a politician. I'm already sick of the election year tactics, especially as none of them have directly impacted on me!

I'm just glossing today, I'll no doubt talk more about these issues sometime soon. I must admit I felt a bit bad that I've neglected my blog the last couple of weeks. Like there are hords of people dying to read what I write!

I'm employed for at least the next month, which is reassuring. I even ordered a new uniform, though I'm still not chuffed about paying for it. At least the trousers are a bit more wearable than the current ones, and I guess the pale mauve 3/4 sleeve shirt is an improvement on the ugly maroon with white flowers I wear at them moment. But at least the old uniform is free and doesn't need ironing. I suppose if I have to iron my uniform each week I might have to bite the bullet and buy and ironing board. Then I could start wearing the handful of shirts I don't wear now because they need ironing... I hate ironing. Wrinkles are good. I'm sure genetic engineering is bad, but I do think I could tolerate cotton and linen that doesn't need ironing. I'm sure they'd be big money in that...

It's winter. While there were no clouds in the sky for the most part of today, it was damned cold. And I've got a sore throat. It's not fair. I'm not supposed to get sick!! Just as well my Mum is making me a new hat and some slippers! It's not like I don't already have a dozen hats and scarves, but you can never be too prepared!

I got my ethic's essay back this morning. I did OK. Better than I thought I would, and probably better than I deserved to considering the paltry effort I put in overall. There is definite room for improvement, but I feel a little more confident for the exam now. One month to exams now. I have six. That's 18 hours of exams. I'm nowhere near ready, but hopefully one day soon I will wake up and miraculously be prepared. A girl can dream. I should be working on my IP essay right now. I've got the file open on my computer, just waiting for me. Mind you, it's been open for the last 4 or 5 hours and I've not yet added a word... and it's a subject I'm really interested in! OK, so I should stop procrastinating and do some work so I feel less guilty (who am I kidding, I don't feel guilty) about watching 24 tonight...

Obviously I haven't changed my blog template yet, but don't think I haven't been thinking about it!

I'm listening to the news at the moment, but when I was making my dinner (lamb meatballs cooked in a coconut cream based curry sauce, served on rice), I was listening to Tonic.

2002-05-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit slack this week, when it comes to blogging at least. I've actually been productive on other fronts, catching up (though I lose that term loosely) on readings, making astounding progress on my intellectual property essay, and all that jazz. I've also semi-decided on a topic for one aspect of my master's research. Never mind that I haven't applied or been accepted yet!

I want to look at performer's rights (that's a specific aspect of copyright law), checking out the topical issue of bootlegs (live, not ripped) on the internet.The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) happens to have released a discussion paper on the topic last year. I discovered this after I'd narrowed down my topic (I'd known I wanted to do something about music, copyright and the internet), but nevertheless, it shall provide a nice basis for the consideration. The discussion paper (which is available online) highlights the lack of knowledge and understanding in New Zealand about performer's rights and seems to suggest that there would be no protection as regards the recording ('fixing' in the relevant jargon) of live performances were it not for international obligations.

I feel a bit old at the moment. I know 25 going on 26 isn't old. But my mother turned 66 yesterday, and my flatmate turned 21, both events necessarily causing me to reflect in the fact that I too am aging. Have I lived the life of the average 25 year old? I'm guessing that because this is my eighth year at university that the answer is no. I haven't travelled, and in my current financial state, can't see it happening in the near future. One day.

I did my bit for students the other day. Emailed some Ministers about student allowances and loans and the the lamentable state of politics where important issues are passed aside in favour of negative personal politics. I've never done anything like that, but the student association (UCSA) president, Richard Neal, in his 'redphone' emails to the student body provided the email addresses and suggested text (which I added to considerably). So, I did it. Got the standard "the minister receives a lot of email" response from a couple, but some emails suggested my own had actually been read. I emailed Richard and said thanks for looking out for us, and making it easy, and it seems that he has received a good response and is off to lobby a few people in the next couple of weeks. No one will be holding their breaths, but it is good to know that concerns aren't falling on entirely deaf ears. I guess the fact that it is an election year doesn't hurt...

Check out the university magazine, Canta, online!

I've been listening to Better Than Ezra. Kevin Griffin, songwriter extraordinaire.

2002-05-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

East Timor has won its hard-fought battle for independence. Finally something I've learnt in my international law class has a practical significance that is relatively close to home...

2002-05-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty busy the last few days, making some headway on my IP assignment. It's starting to get chillier here in Christchurch: yesterday I wore my scarf and packed my gloves. Maddy's tail is healing nicely, so it looks like he'll get to keep the end of it after all.

The power went off on Thursday night, for no reason that the power company was aware. It was just this place, none of the neighbour's in the block of flats, and the fuses were all OK. Totally random. It was only off for about half an hour, and the most obvious thing as we were sitting there in the candle light, was that it was so very quiet. Without the hum on the computer processor, the heater, the stereo or the TV (not to mention the bubbling of the pot of soup I had just put on the stove), it was all but silent. I'm all for optional silence, but when it happens without warning, it is very boring, I think. I could have done with some silence last night, my neighbours had a party. I'd hate to see what their place looks like, after all the smashing and banging I heard. If the fact that their kitten was scratching and meowing to come into my place (they have a cat door), is anything to go by, it's not pretty.

It's nice to have the buffer of doing my Master's degree between me and the real world. Friends are currently interviewing for law graduate positions, and it seems incredibly nerve racking, as some got no interviews (from tons of applications in some cases), for what seems to me to be no apparent reason, and some are getting the feeling the decision is made before they get to the interview. Still, in the end, who knows how prospective employers think. All will be revealed soon. I'm feeling complacent I guess. I'm not perturbed about finding a job when it is all over, though I'm sure it will not be a walk in the park. I'm not sure it's a good thing. I was going to apply for summer clerking positions this year, but they got shoved aside when I had to do my last two assignments. If I really wanted to do it, I would have done. I'll need a job, my current one isn't at all certain, and I could do with the very limited experience that comes with clerking. I think I just have this somewhat misguided hope that it will all work out in the end...

I'm not happy with my blog design now, I think I'll change it later. After I've sorted the laundry.

I've been listening to demos of material from The Verve Pipe from bvamusic.com.

2002-05-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Can I be a good lawyer? I don’t mean to question my technical ability (though maybe in some areas I should), but rather I ask whether I can be a moral person and still be a lawyer. It’s not a necessarily comfortable question to ask oneself on the verge of your final degree year, pretty much totally committed to this profession. That’s the question my ethics lecturer asked of me yesterday. Well, of the class, but you can’t help but answer that question in relation to your own thoughts and values. I want to be a good lawyer, in every sense of the word. But is that possible? There are several theories on the profession of law (one even doubts that it truly is a profession, in the classical sense, in today’s modern business environment), the one seemingly most predominant that of the ’hired gun’. This is a simple agency approach, whereby the lawyer is a mere technician supplier their services to those who can pay, and are in the need. As in any agency situation, the acts of the agent, here the lawyer, are actually the acts of the principal, that is, the client. Given this approach it is perhaps easier for many to justify the acts they carry out which were it not for the fact of the lawyering, be viewed as morally reprehensible, like bullying an opponent, humiliating a witness, so long as the end result (the purpose of the contract, after all), is in the favour of the client. Lawyers pride themselves on their loyalty to a retained client. Can a zealous advocate be a good person? Is the duty of loyalty and the obligation to act in the best interests of the client merely a shield to protect lawyers from the fact that they are less than nice people, an excuse or justification. It sure is a handy line to pull out when someone asks how you could possibly act for a rapist, after you mention the presumption of innocence and that he is actually and alleged rapist. I don’t doubt that it is necessary that there be ethical guidelines for practice, and there are many different justifications for their existence. It is handy, however, that they seem dual purpose, and might aid a lawyer in deceiving, or denying their own moral person.

It is seen as a key feature of the ’hired gun’ approach that lawyers are neutral, and will act for anyone (who can pay, that is - another bone of contention, but entirely realistic, I think). This total objectivity, it seems, is cast aside when the lawyer is retained, and there is absolute dedication to the client’s cause, ‘worthy’ or not. Theoretically, it might be simple to delineate between asks done, causes supported, as a lawyer, and those as a regular person. I don’t think it’s that simple in real life. I don’t think I would want to befriend someone who could so easily shun the less pleasant aspects of their character, be willingly subservient to the moral nature of the client, and yet here I am, about to become one.

It is argued by some that lawyers, in their role as counsel, are morally neutral, that all actions are on behalf of the client. That is the ‘hired gun’ approach. But I think it is impossible to be such. Judgements are made as to the worthiness of someone’s claim, the importance of the right they are trying to assert. Who are lawyers to stand in the way of another’s rights by refusing to act? They are human beings. Everyone is different, and I think, everyone will draw the line differently when determining who they will or will not act for. Imagining (and hoping it never actually happens) that a client confesses to me, I am still able to be their advocate, so long as I obey the various professional duties, and duties such as that not to mislead the court, preventing any positive defences. But would I want to? Could I act for a woman who confessed to murdering her husband for his money? Because she had been beaten and abused for years, and finally snapped? Because she found him having an affair with a friend? Because she found him molesting her child? Would I defend or assist a ’pornographer’? A child pornographer? What about assisting a business man in minimising tax by taking advantage of some loophole in the legislation. It’s in the best interests of my client, but is it right?

And who am I to decide what is right? Should the lawyer’s right to be a moral person be subject to the client’s right to have their rights vindicated? Who is more important? It would seem the client is. But in doing the best for the client, is the lawyer overlooking a higher duty, a duty to serve justice and the wider community? Is helping a client dodge tax good for society? Should a lawyer have as an aim the desire to make the world a better place?

I was on jury service when I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. It is the adversarial system which is in the forefront of most people’s minds when they consider the profession of law, and yet it is a very small part of the profession, the majority of which is transactional, though it does often involve two parties to a dispute, or at the very least, a dispute waiting to happen. It was in the court room, during a week long trial where a father was defending allegations of indecent assault and rape by three of his pre-teen daughters (their names were Beth, Serene and Anne - I can still remember them after all this time) . Not the nicest thing to sit through, and yet I was enthralled. The prosecutor (who I now know did a lot of work in the family court, but now practices solely in commercial negotiations, which in itself is very interesting, given the very different nature of those areas of practice) conducted himself with dignity and care. The defence counsel did also, I must admit. Sure, the tricky questions were asked, but there was no bullying, just what seemed to be a desire to let each party speak their story. I think I decided I wanted to be a part of that, this ideal I saw as ’justice’. I wanted to help people. But what I did seems in stark contrast to this motive.

I enrolled in a business law course, and a legal executive certificate (8 full year papers teaching what is taught in 13 weeks for the Professionals course that is compulsory for admission to the bar, and a whole lot more) administered by the law society. Now I am doing the ’real thing’, and I guess I am absolutely acculturated to this less than pleasant conception of what a lawyer is, of what I will be, assuming I get a job. Criminal law has been the highlight of my degree so far, in terms of enjoyment, interest and achievement, but the bulk of my optional courses are commercial in nature. I’ve enjoyed those, too. I guess if I was absolutely focussed on making the world a better place, I would have chosen courses like Jurisprudence or Civil Liberties and the like. Instead I’m fascinated by Intellectual Property. I should point out that the Ethics course is also compulsory for admission. Does it make me any less worthy that I have used commercial reality to dictate what I have done? Should the fact that I have a massive student debt, and that commercial and corporate practice is where the jobs, and money, are dictate my career path? It has, without a doubt. I’m doing Family law this year, but I am conscious it is not the most well-paid of the areas of law I am studying, and yet it may be the most akin to my initial motive for becoming part of the profession. When I picture myself as a lawyer, I don’t see myself in the Family Court…

The power and wealth that can come from the legal profession is very appealing. I can honestly say that I was not drawn to it because of that. I’m not so sure that is not the way I am thinking now. Can a profit-driven, self-denying lawyer be a good lawyer?

2002-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Can you miss someone you've never met? Yes.

2002-05-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

That conversation with a friend, I'm not sure how it started. Somehow we ended up talking about relationships, which is not something I do very often. I guess the basic premise of the talk was what kind of person I was, and what I expected from a man. I like things me own way, and I fight for what I want. If I really want it. I think I know how to pick my battles. If something isn't that important to me, I'm willing to cede. I think it is because I feel strongly about what I want (for good reason, usually), that I don't understand why someone would feel less so. The people who know be best, and I'm happy to admit they are few and far between, would most likely appreciate that I am a strong woman. But I've never actually asked that question. To myself I feel a mass of contradictions. I can be the sweetest, most caring, infinitely loyal person. A lot of people never see that. I'm not entirely sure that I want them to.

Anyway, back to my friends. Would I be happy with a 'weak' man, one that would willingly do my bidding without question? Absolutely not. Nothing drives me crazier than the kind of person who leaves every decision to you. It's not that I don't feel capable of making decisions, I do it all the time, and I'd like to think I don't do a bad job. But should a person have control over the lives of two people when one of them is just as able to share in the responsibility? I don't think so. But the point my friend was trying to make, I think, was directed at how I intended to 'get my own way' and be with someone who was just as prepared to get theirs? Conflict would abound. I'm not opposed to conflict, I think it is healthy. Conflict just for the sake of it, that is bad. But when it arises out of standing up for something you truly feel strongly about, I think it would be dangerous to deny that. That's what I meant before when I said I pick my battles. I'm happy to walk away, or to compromise. If it's not that important, I'm unlikely to be arguing about it, at least without extenuating circumstances. Why would I be willing to compromise, or not fight for something that I feel strongly enough about to be arguing in the first place? I accept that people have different views, in fact, I embrace that. Do I really want to be with someone who is so different from me that they don't think the same things are important? Having different interests is as important as shared interests. But different views of life? I don't see how that can work.

While anyone's thought processes, their views, are necessarily subjective, I do consider myself as objective. I will not idly dismiss another's view point, provided they take the time and effort to present it to me in a clear and logical manner. I'm not going to assert my contrary opinion in the face of counterveiling evidence that is sound. I've been wrong, on rare occasion, and I'm not afraid to admit that. I need a man who has the strength of conviction in his own values and beliefs to teach me the 'error of my ways'. I deserve that, I think. In the end, however, it's up to me to decide if I will be a willing pupil at any given time, to decide if I have little enough belief in my own feelings to subjugate them to the ways of another.

Another friend, the one who knows me best of all, in many respects, did a fairly good job of describing my perfect man once. Or at least my ideal based on the things I had shared with him. Perhaps that view isn't entirely correct, and I am misleading myself and those around me. How can someone truly know me, when I have to doubt that I truly know myself?

Gotta go. I've been listening to Lean...

2002-05-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

I asked the person who designed this blog template, at 1greenEYE Designs, to check it out, to see if there were any problems. Slight adjustments have been made, which I like, so all is seemingly well! Something might be up with my comments box, so if you have any problems viewing my page, please let me know...

I have to work today. I don't want to. No surpise there. I'm not sure it is going to be a good day. I did my usual straightening routine on my hair, bu the curls are slowly springing back into action. I can deal with that, but I'd much rather things went the way I wanted them! I had an interesting talk with a friend on Friday about what I wanted and needed, and how unlikely it was that I would get it. I'll ponder on that while I am at work, and post later.

I got an instant message from a fellow fan of The Verve Pipe yesterday afternoon. Mike is part of a band call The Velmas, who will have a recording out soonish. Anyway, I told him I was working on my assignment, which I had been. He commented that I always seem to be working. My reply, glib at the time, was that it just seems that way, that I get little done, in reality. Well, yesterday I could not have said a truer word. All I did yesterday was type a couple of paragraphs, read a few pages, and then I spent the rest of the day, well into the evening, working on my blog! But fear not, things are under control...

I haven't been listening ot anything, because my flatmate is still asleep (damn her for sleeping in when I have to go to work!), and I thought I'd be considerate for a change! Besides I'm sure I'll have great pleasure listening to Westlife and Britney Spears at work all day... aaargggghhh!!!!!!

2002-05-11T01:10:00.000-07:00

OK, so I've got a new layout. I'm not sure that I am absolutely in love with it, it is a little girly. However, it took me ages to recode it all, so it can stay like this for a while. I'm getting some kind of error every now and again when I view it in IE, though it is fine with MSN (which uses IE!), and Netscape (though Netscape tells me there is an error on the page - damned if I know what it is). Anyway, the point is, if you are getting what looks like a bunch of boxes within boxes and it is hard to read, it isn't meant to look like that. If you know what the error might be, let me know, otherwise try one of the other options for viewing! Sorry, but I'm not so much of a computer geek that I know what is wrong!

Listening to Neil Finn...

2002-05-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The Tuis have been handed out, and the winner is... Che Fu!

I'm mucking around with my blog template, so don't freak out if the next time you visit it is some other hideous colour scheme. I didn't pick this one, and it's too hard to change, so I'm having to start from scratch. I have no idea how it is going to end up. In the mean time, visit another BlogSnob blog by clicking on the little ad to the left!

I'm listening to Shihad (I'm going to start calling them Pacifier when that is what my CD says), noting how fine Jon Toogood looked as he handed out an award last night. Time in LA has treated him well.

2002-05-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

I think I'd make a good mother. Here I am, pretty certain I need to go to the doctor, and where to I go? To the vet. The little darling has been fighting again, and this time he got his ass kicked. So, a rather nasty abcess did develop on his tail. Ick. Now he has a partially shaved tail, a gaping wound (which he persists in licking, and making my skin crawl) , some drugs, and the possiblity of amputation looming. He's lost tone in his tail, and his reflexes are down. Sure, he feels the pain when his tail gets squeezed, but he doesn't pull it back to stop the pain. Not a good state for a kitty who is fond of waltzing into places he shouldn't, he could get caught up and get hurt even more. I hope it heals and all returns to normal. I was too scared to ask the vet how much it would cost to have the lopping off done, for I have a feeling it would not be cheap. And I must admist my friend would look rather less than optimal with only two thirds of a tail.

I was checking out the money news on Xtra this morning. That's not something I do very often. One of the features was an article about the rejection (I didn't even know there had been a proposal) of a joint ANZAC currency. I'm sure there would be many 'patriotic' New Zealanders who shudder at the thought of becoming more closely aligned with Australia. We've already changed from paper to plastic, brightly coloured, money as they have. I can see the benefits of having a joint currency, given the large number of New Zealanders living in Australia, and the importance of the tourism markets to each country. It would be nice to not have to visit an exchange before heading over the Tasman, I am sure. We are close geographically, and NZ is small in terms of a market, but is that really a good reason to amalgamate? Other close nations have continued with separate currencies. Are NZ and Australia destined to become something like the former EEC. Are New Zealanders ready to bring their policies into line with those of Australia. Many would argue not, at least on the basis of their human rights stance. Should we let politics determine our economic well-being? We are heavily influenced by Australia. I see that everyday when I read through Australian legal authorities trying to determine how things would go down in NZ. It seems that one of the bases for the rejection of an ANZAC currency is that NZ is not ready to relinquish control over its monetary policy. I'm not sure how valid a claim that is, in isolation, given that so many of our financial moves are dictated by moves in overseas markets. For example, I was able to follow a link to the following story, picking the NZ$ to rise (good news for me, hanging out to order some more CDs from the US), following a favourable shift in the balance between the US and Australian dollars. Hey, it seems they are even considering letting highschool students take a role in guiding policy!

Do we, as New Zealanders, want to reinforce in the global mind that we are part of Australia, just a couple of islands floating adrift from the mainland? Do we want to be associated any more closely with the Australian government's approach to aboriginal rights? Do we want to alienate the many potential immigrants we need to bolster our economy from the effects of the 'brain drain', by aligning ourselves with governments such as John Howard's? Are we blinded by the fact that Australia was a lowly penal colony and we were Britain's farm? Do we need to look to the future and see the possibilities in a joint republic? How would our evolving national identity fare in the face of a merger with Australia? Would we inevitably become the little sister (or are we that already?), or could be still maintain some level of control in the face of majority rules? Should we even be asking these questions when there are calls from some to give some level of governance to Maori? Is control 'ours' to be ceded? I know the article was about currency, and these questions aren't directly on point, and have been posed before. Have they been answered?

I was watchign the news on TV last night, and noted special mention made of The Datsuns. It seems the boys from Cambridge, are on to bigger things in the UK and US. Good for them. I personally am not impressed by their song 'Supergyration'. My favourite kiwi track of the week is 'Staring at the Ocean' from Heavy Jones Trio (their official site seems to be down, but try it later, who knows, it might work!) , who were signed to BMG. More proof that Christchurch is the place to be.

I see there are 5 NZ artists (Goodshirt and Nesian Mystik taking out the first two spots, followed by K'Lee at #5) in the top 50 singles this week, according to the RIANZ. Goodshirt, P-Money, and Salmonella Dub feature in the album charts.

Tomorrow night, the New Zealand Music Awards are announced. Who of the nominees is going to win a coveted Tui?

I'm sitting in the computer lab at university. Lectures are done for the day. I had ethics (which took an interesting swerve into sociological theory in considering the role of lawyers), and employment law. Now, I'm off home to get to work on my IP assignment. I haven't been listening to anything (except people sniffling and typing, and giggling at what I hope is an amusing email and nothing to do with me)...

2002-05-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

It's a moment I think most students dread. Having their name called out in a lecture theatre. I got my turn today. Intensely embarassing. Still, I scored a marshmallow chocolate bunny, so all was not lost. In a moment of geekiness, I had emailed the lecturer who had set the question for the Intellectual Property assignment, pointing out an error with the dates posed in the fact situation. This lecturer has finished his stint, and today was the first lecture with a new lecturer. And first call of business was telling the class about the correction necessary, and then embarassing me. Charming. I'm a little bit miffed that everyone knows my name now. I've managed to get through law school without having my name on the lips of every student (being a few years older than the bulk of the class helps) and lecturer. I generally sit near the front of classes, because I have this thing about being close to exits, so I'm sure most people would recognise me (I certainly get nods of recognition from lecturers I pass, and they can always peruse the student ID photos if they are particularly curious). Still, it's a whole other thing people knowing your name. I should be grateful it was for something positive, but still... now everyone knows I'm a geek!! And I must say, I'm glad that law school has finally decided to introduce blind-marking for internally assessed components of courses!!

IP was actually really interesting today. For a change, the two hours didn't seem so long as they have done in the past. We've moved onto trade marks now, and all credit to the lecturer, he ain't bad. This somewhat surprising, as he isn't the most popular one around, having a tendency to mark hard and mumble. He's always been relatively kind to me, marking wise in other papers I've taken where he has lectured so I'll defend him on that, but he tends to go off on tangents when lecturing (I guess I can relate to that, as well). I guess it could be the time constraints imposed by the course, but he actually stuck to the topic today, and was fully (well, almost fully) coherent. And did you know that in the early 90s it was established that half of Coca Cola's capital (something like $14 billion) concerned the two trademarks Coca Cola and Coke (insert those little TM things there, if you will). That's a whole lot of money, when you think of the plant and everything else that makes up the rest of their property, worldwide. Coke is also a good example of how keeping a secret can be better business than using intellectual property law to protect interests. I bet they are glad they never did make a patent application, for it would have long expired.

It's kind of depressing when you get more wrong numbers than people you actually know calling you.

Well, I'd better go and make my dinner (chilli) and feed my kitty cat. He's staring at me from the top of my monitor. Very cute, but incredibly disconcerting. And I think he knows that...

I'm listening to Matthew Good Band.

2002-05-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

I've been incredibly tired these last few days. Last night I went to bed at 5.30PM, and slept for a good 13 hours. And I'm still tired. I only had one lecture this morning, so I came home to rest before my two hour stint of IP this afternoon. How sad is my life? Anyway, I got to share my bed with the cat, whose also feeling a little worse for wear. Fighting again, he was. Hopefully he will mend without requiring the friendly vet's attention.

The whether has been really changeable. Yesterday I headed off to uni wearing a t-shirt and skirt, with a cardigan for good measure. I needed it. Today I wore a turtleneck and a skirt (ok, so I wear my denim skirts a lot, I like 'em!), with my t-shirt in my bag in case it got hot. I changed as soon as I got home. I love winter. I love summer. And I'd love autumn and spring as well if they could make up their minds as to what the day was going to be like. Consistency is not overrated.

I'm not overly free with my praise, and tend to offer it only when I think it is truly warranted. And I am hard to please. I fired off an email to my new favourite band, Lean the other day, suggesting they submit their details to 8BallRadio, and offering just a portion of the praise I feel they deserve. I truly do believe there is a mass of potential there, and only wish I could hop on a plane to San Francisco to catch a live performace or four. Anyway, I thought it was incredibly sweet of their singer, Mike Whipple, to reply thanking me for my thanks. If treating fans with gratitude and respect counts for anything, these boys are going to be huge. Cris Logan, the drummer, also seems particularly charming. It was because of Cris that I discovered Lean, for he posts occasionally on the bulletin board for The Verve Pipe, and I followed a link (being the inquisitive girl I am) from his bio (it doesn't hurt that he's a big fan of Toad the Wet Sprocket and Neil Finn, either!), and had a listen. I liked. You go and have a listen here, and then go and splurge here!

I've found dozens of bands I would know nothing about thanks to The Verve Pipe and their fans. Lovely people all around, if I say so myself!

Well, the time has come to leave. Gotta go and pay some bills before heading back out to university. You can guess what I've been listening to...

2002-05-04T01:41:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to Carole King a lot today. I seem to do that when I'm all domestic. This is the first Saturday I have not worked in a while. It's not totally a good thing, as I will end up with less cash. But I made the most of it (as I plan to make the most of the following 3 weekends where I am working only one day - and hoping my next roster will include a few more hours). It was a brilliant day, quite sunny and humid, much better than the last two, which were very windy and rainy.

So, I did my laundry (and actually hung it on the line for the first time in a few months), made fudge, cleaned, played with the cat, and the kitten from next door that seems to think it lives here, and generally did the stuff that gets neglected when I'm at university five days a week and working all weekend. I indulged in some of my homemade (yes, my home) soup for lunch, and made myself a nice juicy hamburger for dinner. I rediscovered the joy of having beetroot on my hamburgers. I swear I've had this can of beetroot in the cupboard for well over a year, and had forgotten what it tasted like. As soon as the can was open it all came flooding back! It's funny how certain scents can remind you of things, huh?

I've been making good progress on my IP assignment, photocopying (and probably breaching a few copyright provisions myself) a dozen cases and passages from texts. Even bought myself a new highlighter! Pointed out an error in the question to the lecturer, too! Still, going on long with my nice relaxing day, what was supposed to be me finding salient points for my essay ended up being a nap on the sofa. With the neighbours kitten (it's this scruffy, fluffy ginger thing) at my feet and the man of the house (my darling Maddy) on my chest. A good day. After a very long night.

I do have to do some work tonight, however. Time goes so quickly. Besides, it would be strange going to work fully awake. No doubt there will be an abundance of people wanting to purchase their Mother's Day gifts. It's amazing to me the number of people who have no idea what their mother would like. And the number of people who think it is a good idea to buy a fragrance for someone when they have no idea what kind of fragrances they like... Oh the joys of retail.

Shame on me, I'm listening to the 80s music show on Classic Hits. Sheena Easton rules.

2002-05-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the commencement of New Zealand Music Month. What started out as a week has become a month devoted to New Zealand music. Or at least, that's the theory. It's a nice theory. The NZ Music Industry Commission's website indicates that they are "are encouraging radio stations to devote the whole month of May to NZ music this year but, like last year, there will be a special week within the month which will be where commercial radio will focus NZ Music Month activities - the week of 13-18 May". I guess that is why, when listening to some radio station (I have no idea which - I'm a bit of a knob-twiddler), I heard an 'advertising spot' for NZ Music Week sandwiched between two decidedly non-kiwi acts. I decided to check out what some of the stations were planning to do, if anything. Channel Z seem to have a fairly reasonable approach, though they probably play more NZ music than any of the commercial stations I've had occasion to listen to. Though they often seem to take a rather critical view of some of the more popular bands of recent times, such as The Feelers and Zed. Still, they do seem to lead the way. The Edge seem to be running a competition of some kind. Oh, and they give a summary of what four NZ acts are up to. Golly. Let's hope they do a bit better in what they play. They could afford to lose a few repeats of J-Lo and Destiny's Child.

I think I have to hand it to The Rock. They are a Radio Works station just like The Edge, and seem to have gotten the scoop. They are going to have performances from some up-and-coming acts, like Elemeno P, Betchadupa, and The D4, and throwing in Eight, Savant, Tadpole and Stellar*. And in the mean time I can listen to the one station I know of that plays 100% New Zealand music. They might broadcast out of one of the saddest cities I've ever been to, Palmerston North, but at least they play a variety of NZ artists. Tune in over the 'net at www.vision100.com. I can guarantee you will hear something you have never heard before, but definitely want to hear again!

So, it's been twenty-one years since the birth of Flying Nun. This month sees the release of Under The Influence a commemorative album showcasing 21 FN songs, covered by old and new-ish acts, like The Clean, Chris Knox, HDU, PanAm and The D4. Stephen Malkmus, formerly of Pavement, even drops by to pay tribute to that Dunedin sound! The idea was to record 21 songs in 21 days. By all accounts, and intoxicated time was had by all as they somehow managed to do it. I've added it to my shopping list!

I'm listening to an abundance of New Zealand music. Funny how I can never hear enough. I'm going to enjoy this month.

2002-04-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Work was work. It always is. I found out that yet another staff member has left. Can't say I blame them. Once again I woke this morning feeling even more tired than I did on Friday night. I wish I could say I had a wild weekend, but alas, I was working on my international assignment. It is now safely in the hands of the marker. Fingers crossed.

It has been an awful day, weather wise. The rain has been quite icy and rather heavy. Luckily I've spent the majority of the day inside, researching for my latest assignment. This one is for my intellectual property, so the very fact that I am interested in the subject (and the knowledge that my six exams are looming) might just get me to finish it well before the end of May, when it is due. We'll see, I guess. This assignment is concerned with protecting trade secrets and copyright issues in the context of an employment relationship. A much more realistic question than that posed for my international assignment. I'm pleased to note that there is an abundance of case law and secondary materials to guide me through this topic. I'm not so pleased that I have to read a mountain of paper (or the online equivalent), however!!

I was informed by one of my lovely sisters that the original author of Chicken Little is unknown, and that the story first appeared in a chilren's fairy tale book in 1912. The story is also known as Chicken Licken, and while the character's names may vary a little, it is reassuring to find that the essential nature of the story, and it's moral, remains intact. I wonder if the author had any idea how popular their story would become?

I was pleased to hear that the NZ tax payer would be spared a lenghty trial in the case of baby Kahu's kidnapping. It is a little scary to discover how much planning the offender put into the crime. I guess there are disadvantageous to appearing on the country's Rich List. Who would have thought?

I'm hungry, but I don't know what to have for dinner. I hate that. I think I might resort of cheese on toast, with some of the tomatoes from the plants which, despite all the odds, have been growing on my balcony. I still find it hard to believe that they actually grew for me. I'm pretty good at killing plants.

Over the gentle hum of the heater, I've been listening to Athenaeum.

2002-04-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Why do I keep receiving emails about getting a Diploma, Degree, or even a Doctorate? Do people actually call the toll-free number? "Get your dipoma is days! No required tests, classes, books, or interviews." Doesn't that sound fantastic? What makes me laugh is where they say (and they are all the same these emails, though from different addresses) "Diplomas from prestigious non-accredited universities based on your present knowledge and life experience." If they are based on the present knowledge and life experience of the stupid people who fall for this ploy, for a useless piece of paper, well, you see where I'm going. Still, it must be tempting, with promises such as the ability to "Obtain a prosperous future, money earning power, and the admiration of all." Is that why I have been studying for so long??

I got my ethics assignment in on time. I'm pretty happy with it, though it felt a little bare. I guess I did have a spare 500 words up my sleeve, but I didn't think I could add anything (quickly) that wasn't pretty much redundant. My international assignment was due as well, the one on treaties. I think this is the first time, ever, that I have handed in something late, without an extension. I've had the assignment for 4 or so weeks, and I haven't handed it in yet. Oops. I'll lose 3% of my grade by handing it in on Monday. I figure the work I can do on it in the meantime is sure to boost my grade a little more than that! I'm sure my attitude towards the assignment could have been better, but whilst it is compulsory and worth 40% of my final grade, it will count only if it is better than my exam result. Let's hope it isn't! I know that if it counted for sure, I would have stayed up until the early hours getting it finished. It didn't help that both assignments were due on the same day. I've never had that before either,though I always manage to pick papers with exams on the same days - but that's not a real problem as I don't really study for them! I set aside international to get ethics done, and then distracted way through ethics, totally disregarding the fact that I hadn't yet finished international. I had so much time, and I don't really know where it went.

I've always been a procrastinator. Apart from the first half of last year, where I worked so hard and did so well it scared me, I've always left things to the last minute. I don't get stressed out about things, am not nervous about exams, and I honestly find it hard to 'get down to it' when I know I don't really have to. And I've not found that setting myself deadlines helps. I know I should, but...

I'm off to work now, but I have been listening to Glen Phillips. Check him out here.

2002-04-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I've spent the morning working on my ethics assignment like a good little girl. It really is quite interesting. It's just damned hard to write about! Oh, I did take a break to add a 'shoutbox' to my page, powered by Activetopic. So, leave me a message if you want. I want you to. Just remember I can edit any uncomplimentary ones out!! Anyway, work is calling. I'm listening to Semisonic.

2002-04-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Working on my ethics. And listening to Tonic.

2002-04-23T01:16:00.000-07:00

I really couldn't believe it. My flatmate (not yet 21) hadn't heard of Chicken Little. Now, children's books aren't something I discuss very often (unless it is to rave about Lynley Dodd's Hairy Maclary stories. I love those books). Anyway, how'd I come to be thinking about Chicken Little? Well, I was walking towards the bus stop and a damn acorn hit me on the head as the wind gusted. It's definitely autumn!

So, I was thinking about Henny Penny and the gang for the rest of the afternoon. I still remember quite vividly reading the story when I was at primary school. And I guess the moral of the story still holds true. I couldn't find (quickly) who actually wrote the story, but I did find that it had been rewritten and reillustrated a number of times. I even found a page where you can listen to the story being read aloud. Too cool.

Just the other day I was reading in the paper a call for the return of The Wombles. Are kids today missing out on the pleasures I enjoyed as a child? Is Pokemon and all those other animated shows beneficial for children? To be honest, I can't even tell them apart, such is the homogeneity of the animation. The Wombles had a message. They were into recycling before it was a popular issue, and well, they were just plain cute.

"I wish I was six again". That's a line from a John Mayer song, called "83". It's essentially about the innocence of childhood, and how time goes so quickly, without any conscious decision. From where we stand now, things were so simple ("Make me a red cape, I wanna be Superman"), and so easy back then. Maybe our view is a little romanticised, but it sure was good. Ever had that feeling? I sure have. If only I knew than what I know now. How cliched!

Well, ethics is calling, and so is my cup of tea. And I'm listening to Stir.

2002-04-22T17:47:00.000-07:00

I just recieved the best news I've heard in a while. The most atrocious show on TV has been cancelled. Goodbye Ally McBeal.

2002-04-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I've just spent the best part of half an hour trying to add a popular music feed to my page, via moreover.com. Couldn't get it to fit into the tables on my page, and (even more frustrating) the colours in the wizard don't seem to match the ones in my page. Don't know what's going on there, but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough. After I've finished my ethics paper, of course!

The next few days are meant to be particularly dismal here in Christchurch, but that's fine. Apart from two hours of intellectual property lectures (and more than likely getting yet another assignment question) this afternoon, my next class isn't until 9AM on Friday. Evidence has been canned for the week, and with ANZAC day , there are no classes either. Which is good for me, more time to work on my ethics! Not that they are at all questionable, mind you.

I was pleased to catch the news yesterday that baby Kahu had been found safe and sound, after what must have been a week since being kidnapped at gunpoint. Now I see that Helen Clark is in the news stating that the alleged kidnapper will be given a fair trial, despite the high profile nature of the case. I should hope so. But with the (understandable) media frenzy that surrounded the case, I'm sure it will be quite hard to find 12 people to sit in a court room with a clear and fully objective mindset, should the person charged plead not-guilty. I was surprised to see a story about the authorisation given to pay the $3 million ransom. For a start I wasn't aware the government actually had that amount of money, but what really struck me was the the opposition has chosen such an opportunity to score points over in usual election year fashion. Given that her popularity seems to have taken no dent in response to the art scandal, why on earth would the population of voters consider the government authorising the payment of ransom as a negative thing? Sure, the money could go elsewhere (What's happening to it now, I wonder? Back into the coffers, or now that they know it's unallocated, is it going somewhere useful?), but I think the majority of folks would be pleased to know that if it was their kiddie that got snatched, there'd be hope for them. The public truly rallied behind the family, and I sincerely doubt that any more than a very small minority would begrudge the government's involvement, whether it is questionable it would have been available for all victims or not.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see that the recent spate of crime in the Hutt has been at all damaging to the government. The police have had an opportunity to show their caring side, and despite a murder and a kidnapping within the space of an hour or so, have seemingly dealt effectively with both investigations. The number of murder trials that have finally come to fruition, and resulting in a conviction, during this term of government, especially in the last year, must be gratifying for the government. I'm sure they won't come out an expressly say that they have a handle on crime, but most folks will be aware (subconsciously, at least) that this may be the case. If we can't stop crime, at least we can do is aim for the effective administration of justice.

I laughed out loud when I heard Marcia Clark on Enterntainment Tonight last night saying that she didn't think that Robert Blake would get a fair trial for the murder of his wife. Comments about the media frenzy surrounding the OJ trial abounded, and how that affected the outcome. And here they are, whipping up a storm already. To be honest, the name didn't mean a damn thing to me until I watched the little summary of his life so far. I'm sure by the end of the trial I'll know far too much...

Now for a radical subject change. I'm listening to Shihad's The General Electric. As I listen to Pacifier I have to wonder whether the new name, announced recently at The Viper Room in LA, is going to make any difference. I have a feeling they are going to the Shihad for a long while in NZ. Still, good luck to them, and look out USA, our boys are coming to get you! Visit nzmusic.com to find out what's been going on in the land of Shihad. I still think it's silly (and a shame) that the name had to change. Are we really that sensitive to the thought of holy war that a mutation of the word 'jihad' would stop us from buying good music, from speaking the name on the radio? I hope not, but I'm not sure. I guess for some the fear is closer to home than others...

With death in mind: I feel not a little sadness at the passing of Layne Staley. Thirty-four is too young for anyone to die.

2002-04-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

I discovered Blogger following a link from the website of one of the staff at my new favourite online radio station, 8BallRadio. The station is broadcast out of Santa Barbara, CA - along way from NZ. I was pleased to discover they have at least two kiwi artists on their current playlist, even if it is only Garageland and Bic Runga. Not exactly up to the minute stuff, but it is something!

It's not that I needed another website, but the idea of just typing what I wanted to, that appealed. This one will be no hassle to keep up to date. I promise. So, I've spent a little time fiddling with some templates (HTML is no longer so foreign to me, though I most certainly am not fluent), adding in a fraction of my favourite links. However, if you are interested in having your own blog (that's short for weblog, in case you were feeling a little stumped), there are heaps of templates to choose from. Unless you are incredibly picky about layout, and want things as much your own way as possible, all you really do need to do is log on and start typing whatever it is you have to say! Cool stuff, huh?!

While I'm on the topic of NZ music, I must say I find it amazing the number of people in the US and Canada that have contacted me after spotting me on various bulletin boards, talking about being from NZ. I guess that in itself isn't that earth shattering, but the fact that these people immediately connect NZ and Neil Finn, well, that is something. Mostly it isn't just that these folks admired Crowded House, and Neil Finn, but that they consider them among their absolute favourites. Is there just a little irony there? I guess we take the Finn's a bit for granted, here in NZ. Being a fan myself, I can appreciate what attracts music lovers worldwide to Finn, but still I am in awe of the success he has achieved and attained in the mind of so many, so far away from home.

Today was the first day back at university for three weeks. I did not want to go. Why is it that you often feel more exhausted after a holiday than before? And it's not like I've been incredibly productive with my time, either. I've almost completed one essay, for my international law paper. It was based on a scenario where Iran, Russia and China conclude a treaty (or do they?) to develop a counter measure to George W. Bush's missile defence system. All I can say is that if they ever do such a thing, they'd better get legal advice from someone who is actually somewhat interested in the ins and outs of reservations, ratification and enforceability of unregistered treaties. Apathetic I may be, but I think this is something I shall happily leave to those folks demented enough to wish to advice government. Ick.

The essay I am working on at the moment (or should be, at least), is on the ethical, legal and professional considerations involved in a lawyer acting for multiple clients in a single transaction. Tricky stuff. Actually, I'm really enjoying the ethics paper, something I had not anticipated. It's one of those subjects where there are more questions than answers, and in that regard I am transported somewhere back into the mindset I had whilst doing my sociology degree. I've learnt a lot about myself and the way I view the profession I have chosen. Some of it is flattering, and some of it isn't. Maybe one day soon I'll write about the revelations that can occur in an early morning ethics lecture.

We had a cat crisis the other day. The blighter had been fighting again, and I don't think he came off victorious. Anyway, he developed a nice pus-filled abcess on the top of his head, which chose to burst precisely when I was getting into my treaty essay. Panic about the ridiculous vet fees I had to pay the last time, and how the hell I was going to stop the cat from scratching his head quickly ensued. All was well in the end, though a small bald spot hasn't made the cat any cuter!

As fun as this has been, I must stop procrastinating... Oh, and the weather is crap, and I am currently listening to Lean, which is not!