02 November 2015

Wellington Brick-Con 2015

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Last weekend (31Oct-1Nov) was a momentous event for LEGO fans in Wellington.  We had our first ever Brick-Con!  This was organised by the Wellington LEGO User Group (Well-LUG), which has a very active community of mostly AFOLS (Adult Fans of LEGO).  The Little People of New Zealand, a charity that supports people with dwarfism, as the beneficiary of this show.

I, along with my son and daughter, visited the show yesterday afternoon.  I was thinking the crowd would be more manageable by then because it is on its final day but was I wrong!  The place was jampacked.  And take note - adults outnumbered the kids!

We enjoyed viewing the exhibits.  There were lots of minifig collections on display, MOCs (My Own Creations), Sets, Star Wars... being a Star Wars fan, this was definitely a must see - I went round that area twice!

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30 October 2015

A Whale of a Time at Waikiki Beach

We planned this holiday for months, and when we arrived at Waikiki Beach in Hawai'i, it was a dream come true.  We had gloriously sunny days, the sand wasn't scorching hot and the water is warm.  And the views!  It's breathtaking.

I absolutely love going to the beach in the tropics.  My family loved it too.  Who wouldn't?!  Hawai'i is the perfect place for a beach outing.



During the many afternoons we spent there, we saw photoshoots for weddings and engagements, surfer dudes, people basking in the sun, kids have a great time in the water.  It is such a fun atmosphere!

06 August 2015

Titanopsis galore

Although the name implies mammoth proportions, the Titanopsis is actually quite small and fagile-looking.  What I like about it most is the curious way the tip of the leaves look - knobby and mottled.  It makes for an intriguing specimen.

Luckily, I found one that was ready to flower, and after a couple of days, it rewarded me with 2 flowers!  They're like a breath of spring in the middle of winter.


24 June 2015

Cactaholic part 2

Frithia Pulchra
There's this group of cacti which prefer to lie low on the ground and disguise themselves so as not to be seen by plant-eaters.  I'd like to have some Lithops, but have not seen one yet.  In the meantime, I have the split rock cactus (previous blog post) and the frithia pulchra.  At the end of each tubular leaf is a 'window'; I suspect that in the wild this helps them blend in.

04 June 2015

The cactaholic

I guess it just starts with one, which gets followed up by another, then another, and before you know it you're hooked.  Collecting cacti and succulents, that is.  I am no stranger to gardening, though.  Back in college, my friends and I worked part-time at the Library and growing african violets by the windowsill was a favourite occupation amongst the Librarians.  We brought home leaf cuttings and soon we were cultivating other plants and frequented the Orchidarium to feed this latest obsession.  I had a number of bonsai that I was quite proud of.

So growing cacti and succulents isn't really a new thing for me.  Even better, these plants are more forgiving and require less care so it's easy to become enamoured and attracted to collecting these.

As of last count, I have around 35 different kinds.  I will feature them all on this blog in batches.  And here's the first set.

Astrphytum ornatum var. marbellii

I was attracted to this cactus by its symmetrical, twisting shape.  Only in cacti can you find such amazing living sculptures.


19 March 2015

BancFirst Steven Adams Commercial

Interestingly, I understood what he said, regardless of subtitling.  Listening to the local FM radio is paying off.

05 January 2015

Happy 2015!


2014 had been good to us overall, and the summer holidays was a relaxing finish to a great year.  Personally, I think that in our 6th Christmas break here in New Zealand, I am finally getting used to the quiet celebration, and prefer it now over the busy celebrations in the Philippines.

Which reminds me of the YouTube video I saw of the end of year celebrations in Manila:

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