Get Well Soon Rob :(

This is the gap between Nun Rock and Camel Rock at Piha. The red circle marks a ledge that hundreds of people have jumped off into the water over the years. I think there is another ledge further up that people have also jumped off, but I'm not sure. Once you get up there I am told there is no way down other than to jump.

Anyway, one of my cousins, along with some of my cousins friends, did that jump a couple of weeks ago. I was there the day they did it, although I got there too late to go with them and watch. Another of my cousins, his younger brother, missed out on doing the jump when they did it, and decided that he had to do it as well, so today (yesterday now) he went and did the jump.

He broke his back.

His friends went and got the lifegaurds who took him off the rocks he'd managed to clamber on to, and took him to shore, where an ambulance raced him to Waitakere hospital.

He's in Middlemore hospital now, waiting for an operation tomorrow. He was given a quadruple shot of morphine to ease the pain (he's a big guy, he can take a quadruple shot!). He may be lying on his back for the next six weeks, and it may be years before he can do proper physical activity (like surfing) again.

It's terrible!! I'm really gutted for him. Fortunately he hasn't lost his feeling, or been paralyzed!!!!! That would have meant something I don't even want to think about.

:'(

[Edit.: Check out http://www.tv3.co.nz/default.aspx?tabid=112&articleID=3367 - he made it onto the news! I don't know how long the link will last]

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I'm going ice-skating again tomorrow, with roughly the same bunch of people. Last time was great fun, tomorrow should be even more fun! I think (from what I've seen) ice-skating is like cycling - once you learn you never forget. An elephant never forgets.

Also I've got until Saturday off work! That's an entire THREE DAYS!!! That's the most I've had at one time since I went to Paul's bach in early december!!

That's really sad.

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There is one TV show that I hate above all other TV shows. My hatred is made worse by the fact that my sister is a avid fan of it, and watches every episode she can. It's Home and Away. I hate it! Here's why:

- The "actors" cannot act to save their lives. Every line sounds pre-meditated and artificial. Of course, it doesn't help that...

- ...The scripting is entirely artificial. The script writers couldn't tell a decent story to save their lives. The episodes are NOTHING like real life! It's set in a beach town in Aussie, and as far as I can see (which is fairly extensively) no one seems to have a job (except the bartender); they just spend their entire time gossiping, and having affairs, and breaking up, and crying because they actually "loved" the person they were cheating on, and worrying that they're being cheated on, and arguing over whether or not they should be with someone. I don't watch enough to see if there is much character development, but I suspect that it extends no further than getting bitterer and bitterer over their betrayals.

- The scripting is entirely artificial. The plots, as far as I can see, are absurdly over-dramatic, and again, artificial. Every episode there is either a) someone fighting to live in hospital (and often wondering whether it's worth while now that he's with her); b) a murder or a near murder (often in revenge for a betrayal); c) someone having an accident and ending up in hospital in the next episode; or d) someone being chased through the bush. Every few minutes yet another girl is either crying to a guy, or arguing with him, or screaming at him. Sometimes it's a woman to a man, sometimes the guys have a go at each other too. There is no real life, sometimes there is a glimpse of someone doing a real-life activity at the beginning of a scene (like cooking, running down to the shops, etc.) before abandoning it in favour of crying/arguing/screaming/having an accident.

I HATE this show. It gets a 0 out of 10. That's 0% in a percentage grading system. That is not a lightly given mark. There is NOTHING wothwhile in this show. Even 5 minutes of it is enough to make you feel like your IQ level is slowly counting down to 0.

Here's some pictures from this week's episode from the Home and Away site (yes I went and visited it. I put on a radiation suit, crossed myself, called an ambulance (just in case) and went in), complete with the captions from the site (captions are below the pics). Here you go:

Who's stealing the food? The kids return home from the beach. The door is ajar and they notice food they left on the table has disappeared. Sally must have moved it - but Ric ponders on the idea it might have been taken by the mystery person he saw in the bush.

Leah's in trouble! Leah loses her footing and slips off the rocks, in to the ocean. She helplessly struggles to keep her head above water as she is overcome by the waves.

Dan offers support. Leah fears the accident may have affected the baby. Dan takes her hand, offering all his love and support.

Tasha is too trusting. Jonah feels terrible for being forced to put pressure on Tasha.

Ric gives chase. Ric receives a note from the mystery person.

Ric gets a shock. Finally Ric catches up with the mystery person.

It's a girl. Belle explains she is not hiding, but is trying to find her mother after recently finding out she is adopted.

There you go - in this episode, someone has an accident and goes to hospital, someone is chased through the bush, and Jonah appears to be unable to decide something about Tasha (in the picture before the one I showed of them, there is one where Jonah's mother is drugging Tasha's drink, so that Jonah can "go through with it". It doesn't explain what "it" is.

Mmm. Yes. I hate this show. Here's some episode summaries (I think they lead up to the one I showed):

Episode 4100:

As a freak storm descends on the town, Summer Bay's favourite residents are rocked by a series of heartbreaking, devious and deadly decisions; Scott and Hayley bid a heartfelt goodbye to Summer Bay, Kim risk's his life to put an end to his pain, Leah is hiding a secret that could make or break her marriage, and Beth is horrified when Graham and Amanda become husband and wife! But nothing will prepare anyone for the explosive climax that will change their lives forever.

[Summer Bay is the name of the beach town where it's set]

Episode 4101:

A vicious cyclone descends on the Bay. Kim wages a desperate bid for survival in the wake of his overdose. Flynn's decision to end his life throws his family in to turmoil. Amanda and Graham's marriage pushes Beth to the edge.

Episode 4102:

Summer Bay braces itself for devastation as the cyclone rips through town. Kim's heartbreaking fight for life continues.

Episode 4103:

Lives are on the line as the cyclone continues to terrorise the Bay. Leah is taken hostage by an enemy from the past.

Episode 4104:

Tasha's world comes crumbling down around her when Robbie is swept away by raging flood waters. Leah's hostage nightmare intensifies as she struggles to escape her captor's clutches.

Episode 4105:

Morag's investigation of Project 56 leads to a violent showdown. Peter's re-appearance complicates Leah and Dan's estrangement.

If any of you budding film-makers ever make a TV show (or movie) of this quality, I will personally hire someone to hunt you down and shoot you. It is a crime against humanity to even produce a show like this.

I hate it.

Get well Robert! :(

Night~