Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: Life on Mars

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  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    I’m going to have to manufacture an excuse to come up to Wellington and be drunk and disreputable again sometime soon, aren’t I?

    Yes.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    You're going to have to manufacture an excuse to come to Auckland too, you know. I am sure we could rustle up a good time for you. If you come in summer-ish time, I know someone who has a very good deck for parties, too.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    If you come in summer-ish time

    Auckland's always summerish, from our perspective! :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    And the news from Auckland:

    A magnitude 2.9!

    "There was a big jolt and Auckland doesn't get earthquakes, so this was scary,'' Dr Blue said.

    ''It's quite scary given what has happened in Christchurch and to think it could happen to Aucklanders is worrying and unnerving.''

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Lilith __,

    Arggh! Just read that.

    It was unusual getting a measurable earthquake in Auckland. First time I can recall feeling one here.

    But it was NOT "scary". It was a short ripple that made the floorboards crack.

    Aucklanders on Twitter are cracking self-deprecating jokes and Jackie Blue spoils it. Sigh.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Jackie Blue spoils it. Sigh.

    Not to worry, she's given us a good giggle down here. :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark, in reply to Lilith __,

    I'm glad, Lilith. I would hardly have called it scary - I thought the dog was behind the chair bumping it. ONCE. So yes, not exactly an epic event.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Lilith __,

    Oh you can laugh but she is the National rep for my electorate :(

    And dammit I didn't even feel it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Tamati Coffey's tweet was, I think more representative of the mood of Aucklanders last night than Jackie Blue:

    state of emergency declared in Auckland after 2.9 earthquake reportedly disturbs 2 glasses of Pinot and causes 3 machiatos to spill

    See also Emma's friend JSR:

    That did not deserve a #aklquake tag. It doesn't even deserve a #lolquake tag. It doesn't even deserve a tag. #

    Scott Yorke:

    We are a resilient people, we will get through this #aucklandquake

    And my favourite, from Peter McLennan:

    Dear Chch, its ok, we're fine. Dont send The Feelers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • bmk,

    Is my memory serving me right in that she also raised the issue of deadly dihydrogen monoxide in the house?

    Since Jun 2010 • 327 posts Report

  • recordari, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Dear Chch, its ok, we're fine. Dont send The Feelers.

    Or Gerry Brownlee. Send the signing guy though, so he can tell us with appropriate sign language where to stick our non-quake event.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It was unusual getting a measurable earthquake in Auckland. First time I can recall feeling one here.

    There was one 3-4 years ago. That one, I thought I'd left the handbrake off on the car and it had gently rolled into the house.

    This one was strong enough that I had a quick look up and down the road to make sure a truck hadn't crashed outside.

    Dont send The Feelers

    And please feel free to keep Dave Dobbyn as long as you need him.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to recordari,

    Send the signing guy though

    Oh no, you can't have him!! He's much too cute to give away.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    reportedly disturbs 2 glasses of Pinot

    Nope my glass did not spill at all.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Hebe,

    I felt something in my chest shut down, lock into a hardness. Like drawing in a cold winter-morning breath and having it stick. It was, I realised, Coping. It was ensuring that what I saw wasn't going to make me feel upset – or much of anything else.

    That's a great desciption of the the indescribable Emma. The nearest I have experienced to that "thing" I do in Chch now is what I called "putting on my city eyes" when I lived in London; when it all got too much, too noisy, too dirty, too busy, too sad seeing the homeless next to the uber-rich, I put on my city eyes and just didn't see it or feel it all. Eventually it became automatic to wear my city eyes every time I went out the door.

    It's what I do here now, though last evening at dusk I saw the wooden ribs of the Basilica dome against the sunset. You could see through the dome! That nearly broke me.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    My mother was driving around what used to be our local area in CHCH a couple of weeks ago: it wasnt until she headed past where the Burwood Hospital used to be
    (all six of her children were born there) that she felt deeply moved...

    "It's just gone. All gone."

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Islander,

    I didn't know that...we stick close to home these days. Just over to Burwood seems like"there be dragons" territory now. Does anyone else make sure one of the parents is in the area of their children's school at all times? After June 13, we're both a lot more jumpy; and any other city would be the same. My innocence is lost; I know what nature can do now.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Hebe,

    So is the Kate Shepherd retirement village that 2 of her daughters (not me!) wanted to buy her a unit in (she is comfortably esconsed in the home she grew up in, far far away from Canterbree's madding plains...)

    Hebe, most of my whanau with kids have now shifted out of the Quaky City...or had left years before.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Isabel Hitchings, in reply to Hebe,

    Does anyone else make sure one of the parents is in the area of their children’s school at all times?

    I'm ok with not being too close to school because I know there are always adults my kids (and I) trust there but my youngest really needs me around school quite a bit and it's in fucking Halswell and I don't drive so if I'm there at all I'm there for the whole freaking day so I'm at school more days than I'm not. I really like spending time at school but I mourn for when we were in town when, in between helping with spelling, I could go and sit in the food court or post a letter or go bra shopping all by myself.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    fucking Halswell

    my sympathies to your and Emma's broods

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hebe,

    Yes; fuck it. Getting to Halswell is not easy. I go to Lincoln a couple of times a week and the trip is so much more tricky and time-consuming now. The car-pool has fallen apart because people have moved house or left. The childcare back-ups have left town. And I miss Java, Ballantynes basement for retro tucker and a whole lot of other things that I can't even remember now. And the Art Gallery shop for those blank black notebooks. And the art shop in Manchester St. And Kawa cafe in Avoca valley. And the proper Piko.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Hebe,

    the proper Piko

    Sad to hear about that one

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Danielle, in reply to Rich Lock,

    And please feel free to keep Dave Dobbyn as long as you need him.

    I, personally, would be quite keen on Dave Dobbyn comforting us in our Tiny Earthquake Hour of Need.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark,

    Did anyone else catch the news item about the Wellington event this weekend where retailers from central chch are getting to sell their wares? Happened to see the lovely woodturner who worked from the Arts Centre for 28 years. His stuff is fantastic - I got my keyring from him. It's a thing of beauty. I hope they all did very well, and what a fantastic idea.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    people make a city not just buildings...

    ...the lovely woodturner who worked from the Arts Centre for 28 years.

    It was great to see Wellington retailers extend a helping hand to their Christchurch counterparts.
    <rant>
    It also highlights how badly the Arts Centre's tenants were served by that once august institution's management and Trust Board.
    Chartered with the dual tasks of being a community arts space and guardianship of the precinct of faux-Gothic structures and a lovely Great Hall - all of which is largely memorable because of the range of tenants and wares (including the weekend market).
    Come the September earthquakes the buildings were badly damaged, and more so in February.
    It appears that The Arts Centre's response was to forget about the people and follow their stone heart - they fired all their staff and terminated all leases (except Untouched World's, I hear that they helped pay for their building's earthquake strengthening and fit out, so that probably gave them a free pass - one wonders if it also helped that one of their directors was on the Trust Board at the time, even though they apparently recused themselves from discussions at meetings - and what a shame (and double standard) that the Arts Centre won't now accept The Dux de Lux's owner's similar offer to help pay for fixing the non-Gothic stand alone building it occupies - the reopening of which would be a real tonic - with or without gin - for the city).
    I haven't heard if the cast out tenants have been given a first right of tenancy on their spaces - but given the time that the Arts Centre will take to restore itself, many will have disappeared. Then we'll probably see more of a mall concept emerge and less of the small artists and craftspeople that had subsidised rents under the charter (this is the charter that a few years back was slightly amended to incorporate the word 'develop').
    At least one of the fired staff had the wit, vision and heart to start the Gap Filler project - something the Arts Centre could have been behind on behalf of the performers who would normally use the Arts Centre, and did the Arts Centre try to advocate for alternate spaces for their tenants or market, I don't think so (but would welcome proof to the contrary). The commercial market from the Square got the use of the neighbouring YMCA's carpark for their use.
    I think the Arts Centre (mgmt & Board) should be ashamed of how badly they have lost their way, how does one go about getting a whole board replaced and how can one find out how much has been spent in recent years on flash Auckland lawyers instead of on earthquake strengthening?
    </rant>

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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