Miraz Jordan

What fabulous news for Aotearoa New Zealand re Covid-19 today: 🦠

active cases: Zero

28 February to 08 June 2020:

confirmed cases: 1154
total confirmed and probable cases: 1504
recovered cases: 1482
virus-related deaths: 22

(Not good for the 22 who died, of course. 😒)

Waiata #4 to learn: Ko Mātou

Ko mātou, te rōpū mahi e
Ko mātou, te rōpū mahi e
Ka papaki noa
Ka titiro noa
Ka tutuki noa
Ka kikini noa
Kei te aroha
Ki ngā taonga
Te iwi Māori e

In English:

This is our group
This is our group
Clasping
Admiring
Reaching out
And touching
With appreciation
The treasures
Of our people

Note: it's the same tune as "Yellow Bird".

We really enjoyed watching Netflix ☛ Space Force 📺

Space Force is a workplace comedy series that centers on a group of people tasked with establishing … the United States Space Force.

Hmmm, Feedbin has been down for hours now. I’m missing my RSS feeds…

Waiata #3 to learn: E toru ngā mea

E toru ngā mea
Ngā mea nunui
E kī ana
Te Paipera
Whakapono
Tūmanako
Ko te mea nui
Ko te aroha

In English:

There are three
Great things
That are spoken of
In the Bible
Faith
Hope
And the greatest of all
Love

This is an inspirational waiata about the importance of guiding your life by the principles of faith, hope, and love — aroha. Aroha means more than simply love — it can mean caring and sharing and also supporting people.

This waiata can be sung unaccompanied. It is in the call and response style and needs a strong singer to lead it. Alternatively, use two groups and then swap their parts.

At 13.5 Oshi has developed arthritis so now visits the vet quite often. 🐶 He has 1/2 a Carprieve anti-inflammatory pill with each meal, has had 4 weekly Arthropen injections for cartilage repair and joint lubrication (more to come) and is switching to Hills j/d biscuits. 💲💲

In 2010 I bought a basic Avanti bike that served me well. In 2018 I bought a much better bike so this was relegated to towing the dog trailer. Now I have an electric bike I’ll sell the ‘good’ one. I gave this to Bike Space Ōtaki a charity that gives them to folks who have a need.

At last, haircut day. Before (with 3 months growth) and after. Really enjoyed chatting with my hairdresser too. Turns out we both dislike the same Levin veterinary clinic we both no longer use.

I just don’t like the look of these clouds…

Waiata #2

The next waiata I want to learn is Hokihoki tonu mai:

Hokihoki tonu mai - Again and again she returns
Te wairua o te tau - the spirit of my beloved
Ki te awhi Reinga - from Reinga, for an embrace
Ki tenei kiri e - with this skin of mine
Ki tenei kiri e - with this skin of mine

Ka pinea koe e ahau - I will pin you to me
Ki te pine o te aroha - with the pin of love
Ki te pine e kore nei - with a pin that will never
E waikura e - rust away
E waikura e - rust away

This 2.5 minute video is really cool. Now I know why no-one would ever put on flop-flips to zag-zig down the road to look through some brac-a-bric: The English language ‘laws’ you never knew you knew. Tip: it’s Ablaut Reduplication.

I’m watching an excellent free course called Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life

Just came across this supremely relevant-for-these-times quote from Stanley Kubrick:

However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.

Ohhh, absolutely ROTFFL hilarious: Netflix ☛ Hannah Gadsby: Douglas. Definitely NSFW. She is so so very clever: all the strands so beautifully woven together and so so very funny.

Waiata #1

I want to continue extending my knowledge of Māori language and culture. My current effort is to learn the waiata Tūtira mai ngā iwi, composed by Canon Wiremu Te Tau Huata in the 1950s.

Tūtira mai ngā iwi,
tātou tātou e
Tūtira mai ngā iwi,
tātou tātou e
Whaia te maramatanga,
me te aroha — e ngā iwi!
Kia ko tapa tahi,
Kia kotahi rā
Tātou tātou e
Tātou tātou e
Tātou tātou e E!!
Hi aue hei !!!

In English

Line up together people
All of us, all of us
Stand in rows people
All of us, all of us
Seek after knowledge
and love of others - everyone
Think as one
Act as one
All of us, all of us
All of us, all of us
All of us, All of us!!
Hi aue hei !!!

Learn a bit more about it and hear it sung at Kawe Kōrero sings Tūtira Mai with composers daughter. Note: the intro is in Te Reo, but then switches to English.

Wow, it’s 4 years since I listed anything on TradeMe. I hate selling stuff, but have several items that need to be exchanged for space and $: my old Fuji X-M1 camera, iPhone 7, and other stuff I can’t bring to mind right now.

This week I’m on a free learning binge. Currently watching:

• Robin DiAngelo on topics such as Deconstructing White Privilege and Debunking the Most Common Myths White People Tell About Race.

• Leading the Life You Want (boring lecturer)

• Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life

I noticed this patch of iceplant among the Spinifex at the beach this morning. Not sure if its the native plant or an invasive.

Terminology can be such a pain. The intersection of State Highway 1 and Waikawa Beach Road is a problem. It feels dangerous and its difficult to make the turn when its busy. Im trying to write a brief article about it and need terms like ‘flush median’ and ‘right-turn bay’. 😫

Some here might like to look at the four drone photos of Waikawa Beach posted by a local on Twitter today. He likely used a Phantom 4 Pro with 20 megapixel camera.