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Mike's Pith & Wind - TV
‘I wanna watch TV in a different time zone!’ Homer Simpson – from The Simpsons Fear Of Flying episode
I can remember when there was no TV. Even when TV was introduced in NZ in 1960, and finally in Christchurch the following year, we didn’t own a set – but we knew someone who did. It became a weekly ritual for Richard and me to take the back gate to the right of way that took us through the grounds of our old primary school and out onto Dyers Pass Rd, up past the Kettle’s IGA store and down Hackthorne Rd till we came to the Gormans’ house, all the way singing ‘The Gormans’ to the theme tune of The Lawman in excited anticipation of the visual smorgasbord of American westerns and sitcoms to come.
My school chum, Michael Gorman, was the son of the Christchurch Gas Company manager, whose gasometer dominated the Christchurch skyline along with the Cathedral spire, and undoubtedly his dad's responsible position enabled the Gormans to be at the forefront of the conspicuously affluent in Christchurch society. Being friends with, and living so close to such privileged children was tantamount to being privileged ourselves. The Gormans were very generous with their good fortune, and even invited us over to Diamond Harbour for the day where they had a bach, (pron. ‘batch’ - the kiwi equivalent of a holiday ‘shack’), and a powerboat in which to frolic and water-ski. (I have a bizarre memory of a rather corpulent Mr Gorman in his board shorts drying his hair with a towel, with one testicle dangling round his knees like a hairy, pink yo-yo.
The Gormans’ TV was probably one of.. read more

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Dick's Toolbox - Moveable Feasts
As an atheist I don’t know if saying ‘Thank Heavens it’s Easter” was appropriate, but having a strangely tense job that connects me peripherally with the lunatic ramblings of a increasingly disturbed ACCC, I went with the flow and embraced a few blissful days off down at the beach. At the caravan park. In fact, at the moment, were you to offer me a religion with another set of celebrations guaranteeing a day off, I’d support it like a shot. Unless it demanded some serious commitment like a second circumcision, which is not going to happen as they took far too much off the first time.
But if you looked at the various religious calendars you would find ample reasons for swanning around looking devout. Some religious holidays occur on the same day or month because of the overlap between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Being so.. read more