The Little Words Mean the Most

LA from N. Zed

It's wood violet time again

Coming to summer drinks soon here in Foster, violet-embedded ice cubes.

Frankly, sadly, I love my stinkin' badges

The fabulous FINZ conference

Fundraising Institute of New Zealand. Day one: teach 6 hour master class. Day two: learn about social media. Day three: a plenary on donor newsletters and my workshop on cases. L-r: "the worm," a device-driven way of instantly evaluating a debate; a urinal with a baked-in fly image, proven to aid men in aiming -- I led a tour of fascinated women into the men's room, so they could see this wonder, which improves cleanliness in male bathrooms significantly, amongst my tour-ees a mom with two young boys (she uses floating balls for aiming, with mixed results); the gala, where national awards were made (we were seated at table #1, right across from New Zealand's minister of revenue, Hon. Peter Dunne); black light wearable art (the dandelion is actually a woman's hat); Japanese dining out the last night; our chariot home to North America (where I watched mid-Pacific a delightful, low-budget New Zealand film, Eagle vs. Shark [2007], directed by Taika Waititi; his new film, Boy, has just been released; we saw that, too); Fanny Adams women's briefs, New Zealand's favorite undies (the promise: they won't ride up, no panty line), purchased at the farmer's market; direct mail entrepreneur, Australia's Sean Triner, Pareto co-founder, demonstrating the snake that surprisingly bit him.

Hiking in Abel Tasman

L-r: mainly note the rock messages. People write them with stones at low tide. The coastal tramp takes you above white sand beaches fringed with ferns and palms. There is almost no graffiti in Nelson, New Zealand. But you can rent a rude camping vehicle.

Market day in Nelson

Every Saturday, Nelson, an arts-saturated place with visible wealth and lots of retirees, has an outdoor market selling farm-fresh food as well as crafts and other things like massage. L-r: meat pies, one of several massage tents, soap in the shape of cupcakes, locally grown licorice, the word on coffee, hot nuts while you wait, hand-cut greetings cards, and a politician's ride.

 

Red Cross Red Crescent: the party

We headed up from Nelson on the South Island to Auckland on the North Island for a night and a day spent with the 19 national offices of the Asia/Pacific Red Cross Red Crescent movement. They are trying to establish a "knowledge network" through which fundraisers and communications people can share ideas and solutions. Simone and I spoke as part of the launch. L-r: leaving Nelson, we read in the paper that the kiwi reintroduction was going off as planned (we'd met the re-introducing team on our tramp); we flew over Mt. Taranaki, a volcano (last erupted in the 18th century) that is perfectly circled by farms attracted by the fertile soil; noted a helpful (last bag) alert sign at baggage claim; watched Pacific Island drummers and dancers perform at the conference dinner; flew back to Nelson, the port and some typical sea coast.

Greetings from tomorrow

[Time check: We are in the Auckland airport, ready to board our flight from New Zealand back to the States, two conferences under our belts. And smiley-face delighted with the experience.] Below, photos and commentary from our second tramp, up Mt. Arthur in Kahurangi National Park, which rises so high it becomes alpine at its peak. L-r: An architect's office on the road in, to show our friend, Greggie Laramie, super-duper architect. The vineyards around Nelson are attaining deep reputations internationally, with Pinot Noir one of several specialities. It's very farmy here, with gorgeous beef. The shack is a national pastime. The native, flightless (hence, vulnerable), and iconic kiwi bird has all but disappeared from many areas of New Zealand, which was free of mammals until European settlers arrived. On Mt. Arthur, a re-introduction campaign is underway in the damp, mossy forests. The trees look white because they're draped in white moss. Traps are set and baited with fresh eggs to catch and kill stoats (a weasel-like ground runner that thrives on kiwi chicks). Carnivorous plants line the trail (the little red guys ooze a sweet substance that attracts unwitting insects). And on the Saturday after we hiked, a new group of kiwi birds was helicoptered in: that's the ranger mowing the chopper pad.