Seven Days of Koko

Wilder Web

I love my city! This visitor loved it too (& took some beautiful photos while she was here). (via Gala Darling)

Celebrity Bad Science: Sense About Science Campaign Lists Worst Offenders. (via McQuillanatorz) "Celebrities rarely shy away from public peddling of dubious ideas about health and science, and 2012 was no exception."

Wow. So this is an interesting thing to read as you make your New Year's Resolutions. (via Pinky Fang)

I love these 18 user rules a mother gave her son along with an iPhone. Everyone should use them. Especially this one: "11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that." I've bitten my tongue when a friend checked her cell phone in the middle of a movie once. Not cool! (via justb)

As someone who's been the grammar police on more than one occassion, this article on literacy privilege has made me rethink my ways. (via McQuillanatorz)

Bahahaha! What not to tweet. (via ColeyTangerina) "To properly mourn a celebrity, use the following tweet construction: “RIP, Celebrity Name. [Google, Wikipedia, Ctrl+V famous quote].”"

Waaahh! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Woman Dances Like Nobody is Watching. (via Dooce) I'm pretty sure I would've joined in with her.

Hehe. 46 Reasons My Three Year Old Might be Freaking Out. (via Blue Milk) "He’s hungry, but can’t remember the word “hungry.”"

The beauty of good design is perfectly illustrated here with the 34 Coolest Food Packaging Designs of 2012. (via Sarah-Rose) Although number 9 is kinda problematic to me.

When Apa & I get married next month our celebrant will be a good friend of mine. I just hated the idea of having a stranger be such an integral part of our day. Here are some other couples who had people they know marry them.

Here's a really good piece from Fit and Feminist about What Lena Dunham and the ladies' locker room have in common. And this is totally me too: "Now, confession time: I have not actually seen “Girls.” I have read more criticism of the show than I ever thought possible, to the point that any interest I may have once had in the show – or, for that matter, in said criticism of the show – has been beaten out of me."

A best-dressed list that is actually pretty interesting, for a change.

If this piece is anything to go by, I really need to get around to reading those Jeffrey Eugenides novels that have been sitting on my bookshelf for some time now.

Henry Chalfant's photographs of New York City subway graffiti.

Great photos of Obama in 2012. (via Yes and Yes)

A lovely piece by Dooce on childhood bullying & how she explains it to her daughter. “someone could have said something mean to her, and it didn’t make her feel good. And maybe she thought that saying something mean to someone else would make her feel better.”

Some of the most amazing paper cut art that you'll ever see.

Cute! Any videographers out there wanna make a film like this of Koko & I?

Tears! So many tears! ALL OF THE TEARS! ~

12 Months of Koko

My girl is one today! Happy Birthday Sunshine!

JANUARY

 

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Wilder Women ~ Yeah Yeah Yeahs/Lorde

Making an active effort to listen to new music is so, so good! I'm loving it. It's like I'm a teenager again, listening carefully to new songs, dissecting the lyrics & melody, studying the music videos. Awesomeness.

Here are a couple courtesy of Tangerina ~

This song makes me want to smash a guitar. It makes me want a gold lame shift dress. It makes me want to have a bonfire.

Sometimes my Mum calls Koko "Princess", & I always say "She's not a Princess, she's a Queen. An Empress. A High Priestess."

And we'll never be royals
It don't run in our blood
That kind of luxe just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler
You can call me Queen Bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule
Let me live that fantasy

Wilder & Tamer

WILDER

This is pretty much my philosophy.

~ When you go to the op shop & they have exactly what you're looking for.

~ My new black shorts. I think I've found my summer uniform.

~ Hot English Mustard that clears the sinuses.

~ Salads.

~ I've been thinking it's a day ahead all week, so I'm pretty stoked that today is only Friday, & not Saturday already.

~ Interacting online with people you really respect & admire.

TAMER

~ Listening to your next door neighbours having a massive angry shouting fight.

~ I've been feeding my friends' cat while they are on holiday, & the other day when I went to let him in for his evening feed he was nowhere to be seen. Cue a stressful night of me worrying that he's lost/dead.

~ Koko has four teeth now, two top & two bottom, which means she can bite, & even worse, SHE GRINDS THEM TOGETHER! Worst sounds in the world.

~ Having to chase up people who haven't RSVP'd to my wedding invites.

2012 ~ The Year In Review

2012 was a huge year for me, mainly because it was the year I became a Mama. Kowhai's arrival has brought such joy to my life, & to the lives of everyone around us. She is so infectiously happy all of the time, & I feel truly blessed to be her Mama.

Here are some more of the year's highlights, along with my books & songs of the year.

JANUARY

We had a tea party to celebrate my sister's 40th. Pretty dresses were worn & it was lovely.

Koko was born! Amazing.

 

FEBRUARY

 

Valentine's Day was spent wandering around the botanical gardens, followed by milkshakes at Maranui where we saw a pod of Dolphins in the bay. 

 

I became an Aunty again & my brother Matthew became a Dad when lovely little Noah was born.

Our friends Ben & Lisa got married in Masterton on the most glorious summer's day.

 

MARCH

 

We went to Melbourne. It was awesome.

 

APRIL

 

Koko's first easter.

 

MAY

 

Kowhai & I marched to Parliament with the Asset Sales Hikoi.

 

JUNE

 

My nephew Eli had a wicked lamingtons birthday cake.

Koko was bathed by St Oran's pupils.

 

JULY

 

Koko met her cousin Ali.

Matching poo suits were worn.

Koko graduated from the front pack to the back pack.

& this happened.

 

AUGUST

 

We all met Apa's sister Karina & her daughter Isobel.

 

SEPTEMBER

 

We finally got around to burying Koko's whenua & planting her kowhai seedling.

 

We holidayed up north where Kowhai met her great-grandparents.

 

OCTOBER

 

Evil Genius turned 1 & we had a huge weekend of celebrations with lots of friends & family.

My lovely friend Alex was a beautiful bride.

Koko was Dr. Hannibal Lecter for Halloween.

 

NOVEMBER

 

Koko attended her friend Libby's 1st birthday party & thoroughly enjoyed the ball pit.

I turned 32 & was given this awesome swan mask.

We hiked up to the Ataturk Memorial on Wellington's south coast.

 

DECEMBER

 

Koko's first Christmas.

 

Here's what I read this year (favourites are in bold) ~

 

~ The Rehearsal ~ Eleanor Catton

~ Mercy ~ Jodi Picoult

~ Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself ~ Judy Blume

~ Under the Bright Lights ~ Daniel Woodrell

~ Muscle for the Wing ~ Daniel Woodrell

~ The Hunger Games trilogy ~ Suzanne Collins

~ Necklace of Kisses ~ Francesca Lia Block

~ Pink Smog ~ Francesca Lia Block

~ Sons for the Return Home ~ Albert Wendt

~ Half Blood Blues ~ Esi Edugyan

~ The Bell Family ~ Noel Streatfeild

~ Sea Fever: From First Date to First Mate ~ Angela Meyer

~ The Kite Runner ~ Khaled Hosseini

~ The Pact ~ Jodi Picoult

~ Dear Fatty ~ Dawn French

~ The Happiness Project ~ Gretchen Rubin

~ How to be a Woman ~ Caitlin Moran

~ State of Wonder ~ Ann Patchett

~ A Simple Path ~ Mother Teresa

 

Jodi Picoult & young adults fiction are my literary junk food. I devoured The Hunger Games trilogy in no time. Sons for the Return Home was the first Albert Wendt I'd read, & it was so intelligent. When your friend goes on an amazing adventure & lives to tell the gripping tale, you have an obligation to pimp that book out to all & sundry. So, hear this people: GO READ SEA FEVER! Dawn French's memoir had me laughing one minute & crying the next. Seriously, so good. State of Wonder transported me to the depths of a Minnesotan winter, & then the oppressive heat & otherness of the Amazon rainforest. Brilliant.

 

Here are the songs that I loved the most this year ~

 

Okay, so not a new release this year, but my love for this song, & this video, continued in 2012. Swagger going swell!

 

I don't often agree with Simon Sweetman, but I agree with him on this being the song of the year.

 

I know, I know, I can hear you cringing from here, but it's just so damn catchy! Kowhai loves it too, & I sing it to her like this: Hey, I just met you/& this is crazy/but you are Kowhai/& you're my baby.

 

I'd love to hear about your highs, lows & favourites of 2012, so leave me a note in the comments. Here's to a brilliant 2013! Onwards & upwards!

Seven Days of Koko