NorthWrite2012 panel discussion on the Business of Writing was entertaining. The table of women (all women at my table) included 3 North Americans, one of whom I thought I'd seen before, which is pretty good for my visually challenged self, since it turned out I met her a decade ago at my 50th in Wellington where we were both part of the NorthTec Applied Writing course and Pam came along to my birthday dinner.  That was the year I had 3 birthday parties... one at home with a jazz band and my local friends, one in Auckland with whanau and one in Wellington with writers and other Welly buddies.  It was a good year. I thought 50 was much less traumatic than I feared and I was dancing fit - still teaching 5 belly dance classes a week and having a great time.  Then came a brief marriage and menopause. I'm not sure I've recovered yet.

Never mind, I enjoyed the panel discussion and tried to encourage the woman sitting next to me to get over the fact her airline pilot husband of 30 years had left her for a hostess.  How trite is that? Might as well move on and enjoy yourself, I said.... life is short.  Try internet dating, mWy boarder did it when her husband and she broke up after a lifetime together, and she's had some fun.  I've written a song about her and am having fun playing it on my ukulele.  Soon I'll get my social media series of songs on You Tube. I'm looking forward to it.

Others at my table included Dale Spanhake from Mangonui, my favourite roommate ever, as she removes her hearing aids at bedtime and doesn't know whether you snore or make other rude sounds. We roomed together at David Hill's workshop held at Di Menefy's some years ago.  Ah yes, and  David still remembers my belly dance with bright eyes and a smile.  I am not attending his workshops this time around and I am sorry for that.

This week I have Mauricio from Venezuela staying with me as  Helper (from HelpX.net). He will be 27 tomorrow. He's gone to University di Verona in Italy, lived in Malta and is a developer. This morning I had a lesson on WordPress and we're figuring out how to use my ancient Epson scanner to scan my lifetime's slides (which he calls sliders and I'm not correcting him because I think that's cute). Over the last few days, with Bob my ukulele teacher's help, they have sawed and chopped fire wood and stacked it. Mauricio has also used my home mulcher to grind up some of the smaller branches.  Lots of electricity and mindless effort for a little bit of mulch...good to return the wood to the earth though.

At Joe Bennett's workshop this afternoon I was reminded not to use phrases others use....like cliches... and to use active verbs. Joe is entertaining and acerbic...says what he means and doubts everything.  I enjoyed that, he is refreshing and even though Americans don't get irony, I kind of got his workshop. Boy is Joe prolific, I had no idea. check www.joebennett.co.nz

Must away to bed as I have a work appointment at 8am and then go back to Whangarei for Catherine Arrow's social media workshop. I suggested she speak and enjoy her presentations but think I might want to stay in bed.  Never mind, (oops, cliche) I will go and then return to take Mauricio to Aissam's Moroccan restaurant in Waipu (now there's an oxymoron for Joe) for his birthday.  Must attempt to recall where I was for my 27th.... perhaps scanning my slides will help.

Ciao for now...