A couple of years ago mum and I did a sponsored marathon power walk through London at midnight in bras, in aid of Breast Cancer UK. The Moonwalk. We decorated our bras as 2 wee Scottish lads, kilts, ginger beards and all.
Earlier today, Mt Ruapehu held their Bikini Downhill - a grand slalom done in bikini top or bra in aid of the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation. Well, it was too good a chance to miss. Mum shipped over her Hamish and Tavish, I fleshed it out with a saltire flag cape and became the flying Scotswoman. Great day, althoug a lot colder than central London in May!
As at the Moonwalk, there were plain and decorated bras, some of them on men. 2 girls did the course in full bikini. Brrrrr...
Watch a video of the event here: http://www.mtruapehu.com/winter/mountain-events/. The videos are down the left - click on 'Rip Curl K2 Bikini Downhill 08'.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Another day with Charlie III
There's nothing more teeth-grindingly irritating than a broken speaker. I've been driving my car on mono for months since one of the speakers started crackling.
Today I finally did something about it. As is becoming quite common, I took great joy in dismantling a large proportion of the door and finding the solution to a new speaker slightly too small for the existing mounts - attach it to an ice cream tub lid, of course. Can't take full credit for that bit of genius, that should mainly go to Bex. Now there's just the chore of making a second large ice cream tub lid available to mount the second new speaker on. What a struggle...
Today I finally did something about it. As is becoming quite common, I took great joy in dismantling a large proportion of the door and finding the solution to a new speaker slightly too small for the existing mounts - attach it to an ice cream tub lid, of course. Can't take full credit for that bit of genius, that should mainly go to Bex. Now there's just the chore of making a second large ice cream tub lid available to mount the second new speaker on. What a struggle...
Friday, September 19, 2008
Lots of ideas, no plans (group email)
Today's a good day to be sending an update email. It's two years ago to this day that I flew out of Glasgow to head off on this adventure. It's not really that significant in the grand scheme of things, but it does mean a lot to me. It makes me very aware of how long it's been since I've seen most of you, and how long it's been since I last set foot in my beloved Scotland. For the record, all you lot back home, I miss you all very very much. I will come home, I promise.
When Sarah saw me onto that plane in 2006 I never imagined I'd go through half of what I've been through in the intervening years (welcome to life, Jo), although I certainly had high hopes. The biggest thing I've realised, learnt and finally accepted (and it may seem bloody obvious, but those of you who know me well will understand how big it is for me) is that life will ALWAYS throw curveballs at you, will always surprise you and, try as you might, there's no way you can plan for that, so there's no point in stressing overly about it, and that's ok. It's not scary. I bore people to death with my 'no plans, just lots of ideas' mantra - and worry my father - but it's still working for me, so I'm sticking by it for now.
Philosophical rant over. Where am I now?
Well, speaking of curveballs, the WoW job wasn't really working out, Mt Ruapehu offered me a really interesting project-based job. So here I am, back where I swore I'd never return to, working as Marketing Assistant. There are so many different bits and pieces I do, but the main gist is: lots of updating of the website content, helping out with events, and some longer term projects. Gregg, the recent addition to my life, lives and works up here too, which is a wonderful bonus. I'm back living with Bex, which ROCKS, and I'm getting plenty of opportunity to hone my skiing, meet new mountain people, and be reminded of all those little Mt Ruapehu irks and giggles.
I'm not toning down the extra-curriculars either. I've just finished a basic avalanche awareness course, which saw a bunch of us out in crazy strong winds and snow learning snow science and how to use avalanche beacons. Despite falling and coming out of my skis a record number of times, despite being dragged well out of my comfort zone, despite having way too many skin cells scoured off me by the weather, it was a great experience. For those of you who have seen the photos of me and mum doing the Moonwalk a couple of years ago, the see-you-jimmy bra is being brought out again (well, thanks to my brilliant mum, sent to the other side of the world) to make an appearance at the Mt Ruapehu Bikini Jam (skiing in bikini tops for breast cancer charity). It's all good!
After the ski season? Well, that's the million dollar question. Lots of ideas, no plans... My visa expires mid-February, which doesn't leave me much time left in NZ, so there are some big decisions to be made. I'll keep you posted.
When Sarah saw me onto that plane in 2006 I never imagined I'd go through half of what I've been through in the intervening years (welcome to life, Jo), although I certainly had high hopes. The biggest thing I've realised, learnt and finally accepted (and it may seem bloody obvious, but those of you who know me well will understand how big it is for me) is that life will ALWAYS throw curveballs at you, will always surprise you and, try as you might, there's no way you can plan for that, so there's no point in stressing overly about it, and that's ok. It's not scary. I bore people to death with my 'no plans, just lots of ideas' mantra - and worry my father - but it's still working for me, so I'm sticking by it for now.
Philosophical rant over. Where am I now?
Well, speaking of curveballs, the WoW job wasn't really working out, Mt Ruapehu offered me a really interesting project-based job. So here I am, back where I swore I'd never return to, working as Marketing Assistant. There are so many different bits and pieces I do, but the main gist is: lots of updating of the website content, helping out with events, and some longer term projects. Gregg, the recent addition to my life, lives and works up here too, which is a wonderful bonus. I'm back living with Bex, which ROCKS, and I'm getting plenty of opportunity to hone my skiing, meet new mountain people, and be reminded of all those little Mt Ruapehu irks and giggles.
I'm not toning down the extra-curriculars either. I've just finished a basic avalanche awareness course, which saw a bunch of us out in crazy strong winds and snow learning snow science and how to use avalanche beacons. Despite falling and coming out of my skis a record number of times, despite being dragged well out of my comfort zone, despite having way too many skin cells scoured off me by the weather, it was a great experience. For those of you who have seen the photos of me and mum doing the Moonwalk a couple of years ago, the see-you-jimmy bra is being brought out again (well, thanks to my brilliant mum, sent to the other side of the world) to make an appearance at the Mt Ruapehu Bikini Jam (skiing in bikini tops for breast cancer charity). It's all good!
After the ski season? Well, that's the million dollar question. Lots of ideas, no plans... My visa expires mid-February, which doesn't leave me much time left in NZ, so there are some big decisions to be made. I'll keep you posted.
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