White Crosses

I have just returned home from the launch of a photography exhibition organised by our Jacki Dawson, our Road Safety Co-Ordinator, called "Cross Roads" by John Robinson. (Page 3 of link)
All of the photos feature white crosses on the side of the road.
I was lucky to have a chance to chat with John before the exhibition, and as you can imagine, after five years of touring with the photos, he had a lot of stories from people who had been to see his work.

So I told him about the story of a very close friend of mine who lost someone very close to her in a crash. He honoured my friend by echoing my words during his presentation at the launch, saying that we must remember when seeing the crosses on the roadside that each one of them represents a family who Christmas will never be the same for again, because there will always be someone missing. Someone who should have been there.

And for this we are all responsible. Every needless death on the road is a loss to all of us. And that whenever we see one of those white crosses we should ask ourselves, "What can I do to make sure this dosen't happen again?" Whether it means easing off on the gas a bit, checking all your passengers have their seatbelts on, passing on that third drink, or the bravest thing of all - being a passenger and having the balls to ask a driver to slow down!

Police, Council, Traffic Controllers, Traffic Engineers and Construction workers - there are a lot of people working really hard to keep you safe on the road. I deal with them everyday, and regardless what you think, when someone dies on our roads, it's not business anymore - they ALL take it personally.

But no matter how hard these people work, it all comes down to you being a responsible driver and passenger.

A little grace from Hone Tuwhare

Rain
I can hear you
making small holes
in the silence
rain

If I were deaf
the pores of my skin
would open to you
and shut

And I
should know you
by the lick of you
if I were blind

the something
special smell of you
when the sun cakes
the ground

the steady
drum-roll sound
you make
when the wind drops

But if I
should not hear
smell or feel or see
you

you would still
define me
disperse me
wash over me
rain

Hone Tuwhare
1922 - 2008

The best things about being a non smoker... Part One

I am going to call this Part One because it's only been 6 days and already there's heaps!

When I spray on my favorite fancy perfume I feel like a lady, not like a warthog pretending to be a lady.

Rain is quite beautiful when you can enjoy it from the comfort of your desk

My amazing powers of smelling chocolate through multiple layers have returned!

My boobies are enormous after all the ice cream I have been eating

Knowing that I am loving my body instead of abusing it makes it feel so much nicer

I don't get light headed walking up the stairs

I have not used my eftpos card for four days in a row

I don't have the hassle of extra stops on the way home - I don't need to get anything, I can just go straight home!

Where ever I am, what ever I am doing, I am complete and whole within myself and capable of facing any challenge this world presents me. I do not need anything else.

:)

The Vest that Hugs you

ScienceDaily (May 25, 2008) — Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel “deep-pressure” vest developed by Brian Mullen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The vest, which can also be used for adults with mental illness, delivers a “portable hug” called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS).
Initial results of a study with students at UMass Amherst who did not have autism or ADHD showed that participants preferred Mullen’s prototype vest, which applies pressure that feels like a firm hug or swaddling, over the current gold standard weighted vest.

I want one!
For the first time ever, Max has competition as my preferred fashion source. Imagine how happy you could be in a vest that hugs you, whenever you want, whereever you are, all day!

This could be just the start of something amazing... imagine a neck rub scarf! Or a hat that actually fixes your hair! Gym pants that massage your thighs to mobilise cellulite while you exercise!

What would be your future product suggestion for Professor Mullen?

The world's most perfect sandwich

Years of research and experimentation have culminated in the following sandwich, which I believe, is the world's most perfect sandwich:

Nothing but the finest, freshest homemade multigrain bread will do. Recipe is below.

Spread some mango and ginger or spicy peach chutney on one slice
then a couple of slices of manuka smoked ham
swiss cheese
fresh lettuce
slices of tomato
sprinkle salt and pepper
slices of avocado
on the other slice of bread spread some Best Foods mayonnaise
pop it on top.

Enjoy with a glass of cold orange juice :)

Bread recipe:

For a 1kg loaf, put in your breadmaker in the order given:

370ml water
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
375g/2 1/2 cups high grade flour
225g/1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tablespoons milk powder
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup wheat germ
mix of kibbled wheat, sunflower seeds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds - about 1 cup
3 teaspoons Edmonds Surebake yeast.

Choose the wholemeal setting, medium crust.

I encourage you to experiment and critique, and look forward to your feedback.

Claire

If you could say one thing to the world...

I remember watching "Miss Universe" as a kid and the contestants being asked the question "If you could say one thing to the world, what would it be?"
And look! Now everyone can say everything to the world - I'm doing it right now!
I have to confess that blogging seems a little self indulgent to me, but I'm an open minded individual so I am going to try it on and see how it feels. If we have the technology, why not use it, right?
And we'll see if the world listens :)