tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107584472011-12-15T15:46:11.354+13:00The title of this blog is an obvious reference to my favourite author, Jane Austen. My other great inspiration is Ella Fitzgerald. I intend this site to be general musings about things which interest me, and hopefully you as well.Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.comBlogger1691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-20150630580735971032007-03-16T11:35:00.000+13:002007-03-16T11:39:19.874+13:00

Yes I admit, I haven't updated this website for some time. And I seem to have lost motivation for doing so, so I thought I would officially announced my intention to take a break from updating it, perhaps permanently. I hope you will still enjoy my previous posts from the past two years.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-55004562593204136882007-01-26T11:55:00.000+13:002008-12-10T00:05:08.816+13:00

We are off to Sun Peaks in BC, Canada. Our longest trip (2 weeks) since we got married 3 years ago. I am excited beyond expression.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-85131173700924808462007-01-19T14:52:00.000+13:002007-01-22T11:34:43.999+13:00

This adventurous little chap is now in safety. And here's another one!

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-85384727222310341502007-01-18T10:00:00.000+13:002007-01-18T10:43:04.393+13:00

New crossword here.Article about the new Persuasion here.A new novella series as a sequel to Northanger Abbey.Help decide the promotional poster for 'Becoming Jane'.And a quiz to round things off.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-63661412352714958832007-01-15T16:30:00.000+13:002007-01-15T16:31:23.776+13:00

This is a lovely story.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-31271575851642016362006-12-28T13:12:00.000+13:002006-12-28T13:14:08.228+13:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:Countess-Palatine Charlotte the Contrite of Wallop upon Deane Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-50467878303740695922006-12-27T11:07:00.000+13:002006-12-27T11:10:39.491+13:00

Here's a nice article about these lovable creatures - beginning with none other than Pingu, of course.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-49225894214556276152006-12-22T12:47:00.000+13:002006-12-22T12:50:03.108+13:00

Truth is stranger than fiction - it's a white Christmas downunder!

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-59162212404644796912006-12-21T15:15:00.000+13:002006-12-21T15:28:19.881+13:00

Oh dear. The moment someone gets a whiff you like wearing fur, you are immediately everyone's worst enemy.Now, I hear the reason the PETA people are adverse to this fashion trend is because the animals are killed in a rather unsavoury manner in order to obtain their hides. I object to animals being mistreated. I love animals, as you may be able to tell from this blog. As a kiwi though, I find it

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-27401369325688316252006-12-21T10:17:00.000+13:002006-12-21T10:20:30.562+13:00

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-84583630248058953562006-12-20T10:58:00.000+13:002006-12-20T14:50:28.375+13:00

So we had some FlyBuys expiring next year, and decided to cash in our rather pathetic total. It came down to only two choices - some plastic utensils or a penguin shower radio. Hubby picked up the radio last week.This little chap is quite something. His goggles are the on/off switch, his flipper control the AM/FM and tuning, and his foot is the volume. He sits on our shower wall and belts out our

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-28241465268032923552006-12-20T10:51:00.000+13:002006-12-20T10:53:18.673+13:00

El Nino makes its presence felt again.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-81636701920198739502006-12-18T13:28:00.000+13:002006-12-18T13:29:34.156+13:00

"Daily wit and inspiration from Austen, compiled by Lori Smith, author of A Walk with Jane."

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-49243122645694976192006-12-15T09:08:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:51:04.238+13:00

Read this interesting article with Andrew Davies, care of Jane Austen's Regency World magazine.Plus, a quiz about JA parties.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-66798615876883811542006-12-14T10:38:00.000+13:002008-12-10T00:05:09.118+13:00

Click here. I love the t-shirts.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1165435508241411072006-12-07T09:00:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:05:55.399+13:00

Stuff like this helps me feed my cat addiction, while I'm not allowed to have one...http://www.stuffonmycat.com/Do any cat-loving readers have favourite sites?

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1165200467728541182006-12-04T15:43:00.000+13:002006-12-18T11:38:48.617+13:00

Cherry Tree Cottage is a charming escape, just a minute's walk from the lake.(I don't normally promote stuff like this, but I know the owners and can recommend the accommodation from personal experience)

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1164155221766866012006-11-22T13:25:00.000+13:002006-12-15T09:26:47.410+13:00

This is cool. Type some stuff, press the button, then... magic.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1163394450808016802006-11-13T18:05:00.000+13:002006-12-15T09:33:58.128+13:00

This hilarious observation comes from the Herald.***Did Prince Charles fall asleep during Prime Minister Helen Clark's speech at the dedication of the New Zealand memorial in London at the weekend? The Queen appeared to suspect her eldest son had nodded off and gave him a stern stare during the Armistice Day ceremony in Hyde Park, the News of the World newspaper reported yesterday. Seconds later

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1163025943265366552006-11-09T11:45:00.000+13:002006-12-15T09:39:04.987+13:00

This is quite entertaining.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1163024978702512872006-11-09T11:28:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:52:51.088+13:00

Take advantage of this service, whereby you can have your favourite novels drip-fed to you by email.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1163024733887752782006-11-09T11:24:00.000+13:002006-12-15T09:56:57.318+13:00

A few of these are quite challenging!

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1163019748758419662006-11-09T10:00:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:53:10.469+13:00

What is NZQA thinking?

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1162850338483263062006-11-07T10:55:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:06:15.838+13:00

Ports of Auckland say that the proposed waterfront stadium could not be finished in time for the World Cup in 2011. Thank goodness - there's no way they can justify raising travel taxes to pay for something which will only last a few weeks, but will be a liability for years. Have they learnt nothing from the indoor stadium across the road? Coldplay were supposed to be there in July, but it is

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1162503639899815372006-11-03T10:39:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:38:51.260+13:00

My little site has now had over 10,000 visitors, which is a nice wee milestone. A lot of that is thanks to BE, but it feels nice all the same. Thanks to everyone who has visited, and many thanks to those who have stayed and read for a while.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1162165367809410432006-10-30T12:39:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:50:28.657+13:00

"The story the reader reads is probably never quite the story the writer felt they were writing, because the reader will bring all sorts of judgements and experiences which the writer can’t anticipate."Margaret MahyFrom an article entitled "Margaret Mahy's Marvellous Mind" at Idealog.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161905564011583482006-10-27T12:30:00.000+13:002006-12-15T10:53:51.831+13:00

How cool is this?(from Miss Snark)

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161894694143567052006-10-27T09:30:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:00:10.907+13:00

So I’ve been researching and submitting to agents in the UK, and most recently the US. After refining my query letter and narrowly selecting the most likely agent fits, I have finally garnered some interest from the US. I have requests for 2 partials and a full. The full has been requested on an exclusive basis. My warning antenna automatically shoots up, thanks to Miss Snark, so in my letter to

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161293915908780472006-10-20T10:29:00.000+13:002006-12-18T12:52:32.826+13:00

An interesting article on the origin of Halloween and whether JA would have celebrated itA tricky quiz on movie adaptations vs the books

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161212512527752092006-10-19T12:00:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:05:39.017+13:00

A careful courtship at Auckland Zoo started yesterday, but the two Sumatran tigers at the centre of it were sleepily unaware of all the fuss - and each other. New male Oz is being introduced to his intended, six-year-old Molek, who arrived from Hamilton Zoo on Tuesday. It is the zoo's first attempt at tiger breeding. "Putting them together will be a fraught day," said zoo veterinarian John Potter

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161211387265533232006-10-19T11:42:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:08:21.056+13:00

We jumped at the opportunity to hear this jazz legend live, as it was his ‘farewell tour’. For those who don’t know, Loussier takes classical music from the likes of Bach, Vivaldi and Ravel, and gives them a jazz arrangement. The concert was divine. There were amazing solos from his double bass player and drummer. You never knew what might pop up next – from a few lines of La Cucaracha on the

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1161123578523898722006-10-18T11:18:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:13:44.109+13:00

The best thing about this movie experience was that it was a gold class freebie put on by one of my company’s suppliers. I had never been to the Gold Class cinema before, and I’m not sure if the free wines and gourmet nibbles in the lounge beforehand are included with a regular ticket price. The nibbles were fantastic, and with the free popcorn provided in the theatre, I would not require any

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1160512571355530662006-10-11T09:35:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:17:57.377+13:00

So I had my hair straightened a few weeks ago, before it could be styled for bridesmaid duties. And it seems straighteners have come a long way in the last few years, because the last time I had it done it lasted less than a day. This time around, my hair stayed straight right until I washed it again. Overwhelmed with feelings of loss when my regular curly/thick/frizzy hair returned, I began

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1159919592854751262006-10-04T12:49:00.000+13:002006-12-15T11:24:15.812+13:00

This is an email doing the rounds. Made me giggle quite a bit.NEW YORK - A public school teacher was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference, Attorney General ohn Ashcroft said he believes the man is a member of the notorious

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1159499845517002032006-09-29T15:14:00.000+12:002006-12-15T11:28:41.318+13:00

REPEATSJust about every writer unconsciously leans on a "crutch" word. Hillary Clinton's repeated word is "eager" (can you believe it? the committee that wrote "Living History" should be ashamed). Cosmopolitan magazine editor Kate White uses "quickly" over a dozen times in "A Body To Die For." Jack Kerouac's crutch word in "On the Road" is "sad," sometimes doubly so - "sad, sad." Ann Packer's in

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1159483189396590592006-09-29T10:36:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:53:18.709+13:00

It's a great concept for a shirt, but funny that it proudly proclaims "Made in the USA". Out of anyone, Americans are the worst murderers of the English language.This and other gear for writers here.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1159318170825415652006-09-27T12:45:00.000+12:002006-12-15T12:07:11.656+13:00

Brought to you by our friends at Austenblog.Joan Klingel Ray, Ph.D., is in her third term as President of the Jane Austen Society of North America, a title she will hold until December 2006. A native of New York City, she is a professor of English and a President’s Teaching Scholar at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Ray is the author of Jane Austen for Dummies, recently

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1158622727788663392006-09-19T11:35:00.000+12:002006-12-15T12:17:15.186+13:00

Something that we Aucklanders have always known has now been made official...Reports show Auckland is an 'asset to the nation' Tuesday September 19, 2006By Bernard OrsmanThe widely held belief that Aucklanders are a drain on the country is challenged in two reports claiming the Queen City sends $3.8 billion more in tax down to Wellington than it gets back in government spending. The rest of the

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1158529531550391932006-09-18T09:44:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:55:10.367+13:00

Play Mastermind and find out. Apparently a score of over 20 is 'very good'... I scored 16.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1158457200143978852006-09-17T13:34:00.000+12:002006-12-18T10:55:33.098+13:00

The great thing about this tart is that your don't have to bake it blind. You can make the base several hours or a day ahead if you like - but cover it in the fridge so it doesn't dry out.Mix 125g butter, 1 cup flour and 1/2 icing sugar in a food processor. With floured hands, press the dough into a 21 cm loose bottom flan tin. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (it bakes best from cold).Preheat

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1156993098161727952006-08-31T14:52:00.000+12:002006-12-18T11:05:49.988+13:00

Taken by yours truly in the Tongiriro National Park.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1156463188505277992006-08-25T11:40:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:00:11.586+13:00

My connection is a bit too slow to do this justice, but apparently it's very funny.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1156461223386218172006-08-25T11:03:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:04:14.594+13:00

Click here to see gorgeous photos of the world's most grand libraries.It seems companies want to control the way we use language. I don't know why Google has problems with us "googling" - I would have thought any publicity was a good thing.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1155862512533181782006-08-18T12:54:00.000+12:002006-12-18T11:31:21.851+13:00

Off to Whakapapa for a week. The forecast isn't that great, but hopefully we'll get one or two days in...

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1155597306443437912006-08-15T11:12:00.000+12:002006-12-18T11:55:28.495+13:00

Good to know.Pedestrians will stand a fighting chance of escaping head injuries if bowled over by Citroen's latest luxury car, but social conscience will carry a hefty price tag for its owners.Although the European carmaker has yet to finalise New Zealand specifications for the Citroen C6, which is expected around Christmas or early next year, it indicated yesterday that buyers were unlikely to

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1154470636221119892006-08-02T10:10:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:14:25.044+13:00

So I sent off submission #3 this week, to another local NZ publisher. When going through all the local publishers' lists, again, a new theory on why I'm being rejected hit me. (This is of course the back up theory, firmly behind the 'my book sucks' theory)All of the books on the local lists seem to have some kind of reference to NZ in them - they're set here, or feature NZers in other parts of

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1153951761402289872006-07-27T10:08:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:33:14.979+13:00

Common sayings with their origins from the sea:To Know the Ropes In the old days, there were miles and miles of cordage in the rigging of a square rigged ship. The only way of keeping track of these lines and to know the function of them, was to know where they were located. It took an experienced seaman to know the ropes.Gone By the Board Anything seen to have gone overboard or spotted floating

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1153778949016802742006-07-25T10:05:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:25:12.775+13:00

Courtship brief but marriage lifelong William Phillips says he was not quick enough to get away from his future wife, Peggy, when they met for the first time in 1946.Mr and Mrs Phillips celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last weekend with more than 80 friends and family members at their Milford home.Now 85, Mrs Phillips fondly remembers meeting her 90-year-old husband, William, shortly

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1153429109998802192006-07-21T08:53:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:32:40.105+13:00

* You can walk on custard. Custard is a non-Newtonian fluid. When thickened with starch, custard's physical properties change from those of liquid to those of a solid depending on the amount of pressure applied to it, so much so that a person is able to walk across a swimming pool full of custard.* "Aioli (garlic mayonnaise) epitomises the heat, the power, and the joy of the Provençal sun, but it

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1152842309612274972006-07-14T13:25:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:34:21.768+13:00

It was my birthday recently, and as a result my music collection has grown a little."Home" by The CorrsI was initially a little disappointed as I started to listen to this album. On the first few songs Andrea's voice just wasn't that charming - I think perhaps they are set too low for her. However, from about track 5 onwards everything is as you'd expect. Lovely songs, great arrangements and that

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1152745398366017532006-07-13T11:00:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:37:22.726+13:00

A few weeks ago I received the first rejection of my novel from a publisher. Although I had constantly told myself 'it will probably get rejected', nothing could prepare me for the moment I first found out. Sitting at my desk at work, putting on a happy face for mcolleagueses, I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. It was just a form letter - we are too busy to comment, we only publish

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1152510315995379682006-07-10T17:35:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:37:59.016+13:00

Fugitive otter Jin has been captured on Motutapu Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.A Department of Conservation spokesman said the short-clawed Asiatic otter, which escaped from Auckland Zoo on June 13, had been recovered safely in a trap.The otter had earlier been sighted at Devonport, and Rangitoto Island.The otter was being returned to the zoo today.Zoo spokeswoman Jane Healy said the otter

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1152052388551460202006-07-05T10:30:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:41:11.947+13:00

I've been away quite a bit lately, and consequently quiet on this blog. So I thought I better post some evidence of my travels. Here you go.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1150670883030606012006-06-19T10:43:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:42:05.159+13:00

This was the movie I selected to watch on the plane home from Sydney. I have to say I’m glad I didn’t pay good money to see it elsewhere. Romantic comedies these days just seem to lack the originality and spark of those classics from the ‘90s.The premise is that Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) is a 35 year old man still living at home. He gets rid of girlfriends who want to get too serious by taking

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1150425019295965552006-06-16T14:23:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:47:19.916+13:00

I got back from Sydney yesterday. My flight over on an A320 was late, crowded and long (the only saving point being my nice view of the city and harbour on the way in - I can now say I've seen the bridge and opera house).Yesterday's experience was a complete joy in comparison - the flight wasn't full; I had the window seat with no-one next to me; the on-demand entertainment system at my

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1149831556037761822006-06-09T17:31:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:51:25.478+13:00

... I did yesterday. I wept as I held and stroked my cat, my dear sweet companion of nearly 15 years. I saw her struggle to breathe; she did not want to eat; and fluid leaked from her eyes. Then I acted on the advice of the vets and walked away to allow them to put her to sleep. I could not believe that I would be responsible for destroying this precious life, but it made logical sense to not

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1149630707158616772006-06-07T09:48:00.000+12:002006-12-18T12:52:02.656+13:00

All manner of tidbits for aspiring writers are liberally shared by an incognito New York Agent, Miss Snark, here. As you might expect from the name, each dose is injected with an amusing combination of satire, impatience and an unhealthy obsession with George Clooney. Quite addictive.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1148377766345126372006-05-23T21:42:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:07:15.415+13:00

The coming weeks will see me do something I've never done before - travelling for work. Next week I'm off to Christchurch and Queenstown, but next month I will be going to Sydney for a one day training session. I've been in Sydney once before - on my way back from Cairns last year. We sat in the airport for a few hours and I saw the tower in Sydney from a distance.I thought that I might get to

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1147731367565726512006-05-16T10:14:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:08:08.537+13:00

New Zealand climber Mark Inglis last night stood at the highest point on the planet as he became the first double amputee to conquer Mt Everest.His wife, Anne, confirmed her husband's achievement as she spoke to him briefly after he stood atop the 8850m mountain."He's incredible," Mrs Inglis said. "He's dreamed of this all his life, probably. He's over the moon."They didn't expect to be this

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1147482394149550352006-05-13T13:00:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:10:05.371+13:00

I knew as soon as I looked at the envelope from the Ministry of Justice addressed to my husband, that he had been called up for jury duty. Sure enough, when he opened it the words "JURY SUMMONS" were printed in menacing bold print at the top of the letter. Well, maybe he will be able to get out of it because of work, we thought.Reading the contents further, we discovered that when on jury duty (

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1146520449967850992006-05-02T09:43:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:12:44.771+13:00

A chubby wee goldfish dubbed Nemo was miraculously found 2km from his Mosgiel pond after he was washed away by floodwater last Wednesday.A neighbour was walking his dog along a road on Sunday morning when he saw a flash of gold in a mud-walled ditch.As a farmer collected eels stranded by the flood on a nearby paddock, the man and his dog stopped to see the colour in the mess.He recognised it as

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1145869636130262812006-04-24T20:49:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:14:12.987+13:00

I bought this CD from a street vendor on La Rambla in Barcelona. It was packaged with two others and I had no way of knowing if it was any good - except for some key factors: it was published by Verve Records; Oscar Peterson is a legend and I'm sure he would only play with the best; and Gershwin's music is gorgeous and has infinite scope for interpretation.When I finally got home to my CD player,

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1145495912728822172006-04-20T13:10:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:19:06.903+13:00

Yes, we braved the school holiday/Easter rush and went down to Wanaka for the Warbirds air show. The first obstacle to get over was the flight itself. Fog struck Auckland and we sat in our plane on the tarmac for 2 and 3/4 hours. So it took us 5 hours to get to Queenstown, instead of 1 3/4. We rushed over the hill to Wanaka, gobbled down some lunch and headed to the airport. No sooner had we

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1144884405438955082006-04-13T11:21:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:20:30.816+13:00

My novel is printed, and it is now on its way to the publisher with letter and synopsis in tow. It's going to take me a while to get used to not having that nagging guilt in the back of my mind all the time: "Should be working on my story".Of course, if I feel like doing some more writing once I've had a break, I do already have 3,000 words written in various bits and pieces for my next novel.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1144287198888852402006-04-06T13:29:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:28:09.497+13:00

Meaning, it is my goal to submit my novel to #1 publisher on the list by Easter. I'm feverishly working on it at the moment, still changing out all the words I like to use all the time. Believe it or not, it's exhausting work. What I have got printed out and ready to go are: my letter, my synopsis and my title page. Yep, I'm very good at procrastinating with the fluffy stuff.Better get back to it

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1144115685792307492006-04-04T13:50:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:34:18.465+13:00

We piled on down to Princes Wharf on Sunday night and hung over the railing next to White, in order to gawk at the Diamond Princess and she departed for her last NZ tour. I've never been on a cruise, and you can put up some pretty good arguments against it: tiny cabins, lurching seas, hidden costs everywhere, only a few hours in each port... but when you see such a grand vessel leaving the wharf

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1143512911485145422006-03-28T14:19:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:43:00.041+13:00

These two recipes helped me throw a successful dinner party a few weeks back. I also served crackers, brie, cammembert and rosemary & garlic chips as an entree, and espresso truffles with coffee.The Mains: Cannelloni by Food in a MinuteIngredients1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped1 tsp minced garlic250 g Wattie's Frozen Chopped Spinach, defrosted and drained250g container Tararua Cottage

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1143064012749313222006-03-23T09:45:00.000+12:002006-12-18T13:44:16.310+13:00

So, the NZ athletes aren’t bringing home as many medals from the Commonwealth Games as we thought they might. I turn on the TV, and members of the public are berating them.“We just don’t seem to have that winning attitude, like Australia”“They’re just not trying hard enough”Excuse me, People-who-were-dawdling-around-somewhere-long-enough-to-talk-to-a-TV-crew, but when was the last time you put

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1142293082996098782006-03-14T12:36:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:07:45.256+13:00

Writers, do you ever start to hate words that you just can’t help using over and over again? Last week I finished polishing my synopsis and draft letter for my submission. This week all I am doing is referencing a plethora of thesauri as I strive to cut down on the usage of these words which seem to pour forth from me at alarmingly frequent intervals. Last night it was “comfort” and it’s

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1141684240762644182006-03-07T11:22:00.000+13:002006-03-07T11:30:40.780+13:00

On Saturday my husband and I popped into the supermarket on our way home from the beach. As usual we mainly picked out the items that were 'on special', and made our way to the checkout. The lines were horrendous, and after waiting for a few minutes I left hubby with the trolley and went to find some extra items 'on special'. When I came back to the trolley, my husband had his cellphone to his

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1141097780118163682006-02-28T16:34:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:14:54.166+13:00

I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a while, since the last time I could afford to buy myself books (some years ago). I finally opened it a few months ago, and it’s been a pleasant tome to dip into every now and then. Thompson introduces the diary with a description of a meeting of director, writer and producers before launching into epistles of the actual shoot.The diaries themselves are

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1140565738310794492006-02-22T12:48:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:15:56.693+13:00

I have a bit of a dilemma with regards to my almost-finished manuscript. I have given it to a couple of my friends to read. I’m anxiously awaiting their opinions, but I recently read (in Gordon Wells’ “The Business of Writing”) advice from a writer stating that you shouldn’t look for criticism from those not in the business. I don’t know anyone in the business, so I’m wondering if I should just

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1139984774542016822006-02-15T19:06:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:17:07.359+13:00

Here are two recipes: one for if you're in a hurry and one if you have time to do things properly. With both of these, I find that the recipe makes too much for one pizza - so either freeze half or just do half the quantities. My favourite part is always kneading the dough. It's almost therapeutic. Seeing the dough rise is fun too.1. From Alison Holst's "Dollars and Sense Cookbook"This makes 6-8

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1139620145186270762006-02-11T13:59:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:22:00.861+13:00

My little blog was started exactly one year ago. At the time I was unemployed and was certainly more profilic than I am now. But I hope that someone out there has found something entertaining, amusing or thought-provoking in my updates. Back then my novel was 50,000 words long, and I was busily working on it while going to copious job interviews. Now it's 100,000 words long and I'm working on

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1138748166957822872006-02-01T11:45:00.000+13:002006-12-18T14:35:56.890+13:00

We went down to the Viaduct on Sunday night to sample the festivities. We actually parked by the university, and as I’d refused to wear shoes and socks my feet were aching by the time we actually got to the waterfront.The acrobatic stylings from the RNZAF actually started a few minutes early, and by the time we’d found a good vantage point (that Hilton monstrosity was getting in the way) it was

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1138063288124623132006-01-24T13:39:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:01:47.659+13:00

It’s a wild, fierce day. Even as I sit here in the office, the rain is bashing at the windows and the wind screams through any doors. The stairwell is dark, which only serves to increase my desire to get back to my bed and snooze. Apparently, the radio was warning this morning to remove anything from your backyard that could potentially be a missile. Oh yeah, did I mention it’s summer here in New

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1137630421597036702006-01-19T13:20:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:14:21.340+13:00

Here's my result: Everyone adores you! But you're the heroine's sister, not the star attraction. You're accomplished in all things, but not as accomplished as your sister. You're like Pride and Prejudice's lovable Jane Bennet.Play here. You can also find out if you are a 'vulgarian', but I'm sure Jane Bennet would do nothing of the sort.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1137452171448982612006-01-17T11:55:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:25:08.688+13:00

I’d like to state straight away that my sister picked these 3 DVDs for us to watch as a family over the New Year period. If you can’t guess what happens in these films and you don’t want to know, you might not want to read these.Pick 1: The TerminalTom Hanks starred in this film, and carried the whole thing. Even Catherine Zeta-Jones was just a pretty face who cried a lot. The plot centres around

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1137014198091049942006-01-12T10:14:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:28:34.415+13:00

That's my kind of headline. Here's the article from the Times.GETTING up in the morning is the first, and for many people, the most perilous moment of the day. You can sprain an ankle on the stairs, scald a hand while making tea or be floored in an ungainly tussle with your underwear. But according to researchers, grogginess after waking should be treated more seriously for how it impairs

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1136846794722432332006-01-10T11:45:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:46:48.730+13:00

100,001 to be precise. This feels like a significant milestone in the progress of my novel, even though it doesn’t really have anything to do with it being finished. But in my mind, it must be getting close. I’m filling in lots of fiddly little scenes, rounding off minor characters, and putting context around conversations. Doesn’t sound like hard work, but it is. When thousands of words were

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1134857206778011862005-12-18T11:02:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:47:48.861+13:00

Take this test at the BBC website.I scored 16/20.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1134856899651432612005-12-18T10:59:00.000+13:002006-12-18T15:48:26.074+13:00

This is quite cute.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1134592490969691592005-12-15T09:32:00.000+13:002006-12-20T10:55:10.181+13:00

A big ape might have hogged the limelight in Wellington yesterday but the real thing is about to take up a starring role at Auckland Zoo. Baby Bornean orang-utan Madju is just over a month old and slowly stepping into the public eye by spending longer periods in an outdoor enclosure with mother Melur. The mother-baby bond in great apes, which share 97 per cent of their genetic make-up with humans

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1133986600232341942005-12-08T09:15:00.000+13:002006-12-20T10:58:04.652+13:00

Tired of the same old lunch at your office desk? Help is at hand. A supermarket is launching the ultimate life-enhancing snack -- the musical sandwich. In a trial certain to be welcomed by the estimated one million Britons who eat their lunch at their desks each day, Tesco will use technology similar to that used in singing greetings cards to sell musical sandwiches. Opening the top of the

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1133482389109308582005-12-02T13:11:00.000+13:002006-12-20T11:19:39.934+13:00

A cat that ran away from its Wisconsin home in September was found in France recently, and was due to fly back home this week flying Continental Airlines business class.It's believed the cat had wandered onto a sea container in Wisconsin destined for Belgium, before eventually being found in Nancy in France.Source - Reuters.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1133224015644132582005-11-29T13:24:00.000+13:002006-12-20T11:42:50.070+13:00

Your Personality ProfileYou are dependable, popular, and observant.Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness.In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do.You are unique, creative, and expressive.You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while.And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!The World's Shortest Personality TestYour IQ Is 115Your

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1132704419420973172005-11-23T13:02:00.000+13:002006-12-20T11:56:33.333+13:00

The article below is from the Herald.I'm in two minds about this: first of all, if the guy wants to have bras on his fence, on his land, who's to stop him? It does all seem to be PC nonsense and a sad symptom of the mess our country is in. On the other hand, isn't it a bit sad that a bunch of underwear is referred to as a celebration of our Kiwi culture? Can't we do any better than that? I've

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1132441757630108072005-11-20T12:00:00.000+13:002006-12-20T12:23:57.293+13:00

These muffins are yummy, easy to make, and becuase of the cheese in them, you add no butter to the mixture. Apparently it makes 12 medium sized muffins - I ended up with 10.Put 2 cups (200g) grated tasty cheese, 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour*, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar and a pinch of cayenne pepper into a large bowl. Mix lightly with your fingers to combine.In a small container beat 1 egg and 1

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1131501436512667332005-11-09T14:46:00.000+13:002006-12-20T12:46:19.267+13:00

I was lucky enough to win free tickets to this concert on Saturday (thanks TVNZ!) It was fantastic. I was a little bit wary about the first piece, as it was obviously modern. I’m not a fan of much written after the 19th century. The contemporary item is usually at the beginning of programmes, and most often I sit through it, waiting for the items to follow before I begin enjoying myself. This

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1131321788230926422005-11-07T13:00:00.000+13:002006-12-20T12:58:33.212+13:00

Must get up to Whangarei at some stage to see them!!The birth of three white tiger cubs in Whangarei has boosted the animal's fragile numbers worldwide - and helped save a fellow feline in the process.The latest litter of royal white Bengal tigers at the Zion Wildlife Gardens run by "Lion Man" Craig Busch is crucial because the cats have been extinct in the wild since 1958, and only 120 survive

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1131310235582175202005-11-07T09:45:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:19:55.584+13:00

Combine a boogie board with an air mattress, throw in some fresh snow and a fast slope, add a lot of fun and you've got airboarding, the new snow sensation from Switzerland.Airboarding is being introduced to New Zealand by Snowplanet, the country's first indoor snow resort, on November 7. Later in the month, Snowplanet will add Pistenflitzers, a toboggan-style slide aimed at families, to its new

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1131166340777691562005-11-05T17:34:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:21:46.898+13:00

I finally watched Bride and Prejudice this week, leant to me on video. If you have seen it, you'll recognise my subject line. Having never seen a Bollywood film before, I was a little taken aback at first with the raucous dancing and singing numbers, but in no time at all I was really enjoying it. Being a fan of musicals in general probably helps.It was nice to see mostly fresh faces on the

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1130886308682703652005-11-02T12:04:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:24:40.405+13:00

Don’t be offended if musicians ignore what you’re saying while music is playing - the language part of their brains could be already fully engaged, research from the University of Auckland shows.PhD student Lucy Patston from the faculty of science has discovered that musicians hear music as a language."Past research has shown that musicians process music on the left side of their brain as opposed

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1130272390846319192005-10-26T09:30:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:25:53.851+13:00

This could only have been thought of by an Australian. Canned wine. And they're openly targetting it at young people, who have no clue that wine is supposed to be sipped from a glass, let alone a can. Surely this can't be a positive development?Full story here

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1130198753027645922005-10-25T12:59:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:26:44.786+13:00

So I’m sitting here at work with my email, internet and word processor, sitting in a multi-level building with my car close by. My fingers tap and my mouse clicks, putting together next month’s internal newsletter. But my head is somewhere far away… in England, in the early 18th Century.This is the setting for my novel, you see. The more I write, the more I find the need to research, reading bits

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1129780306405487942005-10-20T16:50:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:31:31.993+13:00

My Bloginality is INFJ!Only 1% of the population, apparently.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1129777753451873312005-10-20T16:03:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:32:42.447+13:00

A cunning rat released on a deserted island off New Zealand outsmarted scientists and evaded traps, baits and sniffer dogs before being captured four months later on a neighbouring island, researchers said.Scientists from the University of Auckland in New Zealand released the Norway rat on the 9.5-hectare (23.5-acre) island of Motuhoropapa to find out why rats are so difficult to eradicate.They

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1128567638066172142005-10-06T15:58:00.000+13:002006-12-20T13:35:52.655+13:00

I’ve come to realise that, when it comes to your future employment, we’re deceived as children. As an intelligent young girl, I was put into advanced classes and taught “enriched” curriculums of maths and science. Throughout my school career I was encouraged to think about my future and which course I would take at University. The whole of my life was centred on my school education – the rest was

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1127772209595273572005-09-27T09:46:00.000+12:002006-12-20T13:36:35.108+13:00

Leaf Salon reports on a new website which recommends what you should read next, based on what you've already read.Give it a go and let us know if it's a useful tool.

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10758447.post-1127617185122943042005-09-25T14:07:00.000+12:002006-12-20T13:37:38.397+13:00

I popped my (autographed) copy of Hayley's new CD into the player with high expectations. This amazingly talented young woman is a wonderful example of a Kiwi living the dream. Now based in London, Hayley says she has had more control over her new album, and was picky about which songs would make the cut.The album begins on a quiet note with "Prayer", which is almost like a lullaby. Hayley's

Carlottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535517744566885004noreply@blogger.com0