RWC Confessions

With all the hype around the Rugby World Cup, I thought it would be the perfect time to make some rugby confessions. Actually they're not all that dramatic, so I'll rename that list:

3 Rugby Things You Didn't Know About Me And Probably Couldn't Care Less About

1. I thought the way the RWC song (the "World In Union" one?) was performed during the opening ceremony was ... lame. I apologise if you're reading this and you're the chick that sang it or whoever put the music together, or if you're a friend or relative. I don't mean this as a personal insult, and unfortunately your relation to them does not influence my opinion on the musical arrangement. I always thought of that song as a dramatic and inspirational sounding song, not a poppy lip synched one. I guess South Africa spoiled it for me. If you disagree, feel free to try and convince me, because I have recorded the opening ceremony but can't bring myself to watch that part again.

2. I don't think Dan Carter is all that...off the field. And I mean in the looks department, just to clarify! I don't deny that on the field he deserves to be drooled over by all the SKY commentators. But in the looks department ... I don't see it. (GASP! Oh no you DIDN'T!). Oh yes I did. It's such a burden, to have this complete disregard for all those Dan Carter undie ads. And that little boy face of his. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he is "ugly". Far from it. But when I see Dan Carter, all I can see is "that really talented first-five that comes from my beloved Canterbury." The end.
[starts ducking all the eggs that female readers are throwing at me]


And last but not least, the nail in my RWC coffin...

3. I don't support the All Blacks. That's putting in "nicely". I have never liked the All Blacks. I guess I've always been one for the underdogs, and I guess that's something the All Blacks can't help. Living in New Zealand has only made my dislike grow. I don't understand how the best rugby team in the world can't win the world cup. Apart from the so-called "food poisoning" incident. I mean, people say Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is a crybaby for what he said about having only 3 days of rest before "that Wales game", and yet here you find a whole nation that can not shut up about their team getting "poisoned" in South Africa, causing them to lose the World Cup final. How many years ago was that again? How many world cup tournaments ago? Then you have all non-Cantabrians calling Richie a "cheat" during Super Rugby and NPC tournaments, and then he dons the black jersey and exhibits his same "cheating" ways and the nation grovel at his feet. I could go on, but I won't. I do value my permanent residence permit.



Deception. Disgrace. Exile - what could happen to me,
should the AB's not win the RWC


So there you have it. Feel free to stone (with words only). I'm interested to hear what you have to say. (Well, I'm also a bit bored now that I've vowed to log on to Facebook only once a day for a few minutes in protest of its stupid new layout and security issues).

Crazy little thing called love

"When love calls, how sudden the fall
 But falling's the easiest part"
- Bic Runga

The love of a nation for a rugby team. Love that causes a massive outbreak of some unknown illness in Samoa, resulting in an all-time high record of people staying home, and the more serious cases referred to New Zealand ... to Hamilton, to be precise. You know of what I speak.

Manu Samoa played against Wales, in a match we all hoped, prayed, wished, and (let's be honest) assumed they would win. It was not to be. We played well. Wales played better.

Social networking sites exploded with blame, accusations, and rants of a hurting people. The following day was a Monday. I was unable to take sick leave (which rightfully should have been bereavement leave...I was suffering from a loss), but being forced to go to work allowed me to take a harden-up pill and move on.

Several days on, I think the rest of the country has healed too. The Manu's open training session in Auckland was still full, the people still showing love. Of course, there are still hater groups targeting certain players, but haters are gon' hate, and players are gon' play.

Love has its ups (remember the Wallabies game?) and downs. But love is unconditional. So despite a big hit to the pride and ego, I know that come the weekend, we will be back. Forgive me, Manu, for my anger. I am back, and ready to partake in your victory over Fiji.

Win!

And the winner of the FREE electronic copy of TELESA: The Covenant Keeper  from our previous post is ...

OMGeek Girl
OneSamoana

Please mail me your contact details, and Lani will get in touch with you.

From the comment it sounds like you may already have a copy of the book...? If so, here is one you can give away as a gift to some lucky person you know :)

For everyone else (all the other 4 of your who commented...ha!), don't despair. Everyone's a winner. How so? Well, you get to continue behind-the-scenes with Lani Wendt Young, as she touches on another important topic in her book: rugby. Loves! Today's tour stop is in Stellaville. Drop in and say Hello!

TELESA: The Covenant Keeper

By Lani Wendt Young

Available NOW at Amazon and Smashwords

Why there’s a lot of Fire in this Book

I’m thrilled to be a guest on Rock Fob’s site today – the very first stop on the Telesā Book Blog Tour. Two months ago, I saw a photo of star Samoan rugby player Ezra Taylor for the first time, right here on RockFob’s blogsite. I was intrigued. Why? Because I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had seen Ezra before…

Striding through the pages of the TELESA book. Dancing the Samoan slap dance. Training on a Samoa College rugby field. Smiling with those laughing, dancing eyes. I went back and double checked the TELESA book…

Excerpt from TELESA: The Covenant Keeper. Daniel walked out onto the stage which had been set to represent a forest clearing. There was a pool in its center, ringed by burning flares, and a cluster of rocks was where he would sit. He wore only a brief piece of siapo fabric tied at the hips. His burnished chest was bare save for the single bone carving that hung around his neck. His whole body gleamed with glistening coconut oil and his tattoos spoke their story clearly in the moonlight. He was the noble warrior of every myth and legend and there was a hushed breath of awe before the audience rippled with applause, the more feisty among them whistling and catcalling. ‘Woohoo! Go Daniel! Work it, baby, work it!’

I compared the descriptions with the photographic evidence. And then I was certain. Ezra and Daniel were one and the same. (Or at least, they were very closely related!)

As TELESA: The Covenant Keeper  takes flight into the world, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you, the first reason why there’s a lot of fire in this book. Say hello to:

DANIEL

Thank you Sina for the opportunity to visit your blog. And a huge thank you for helping us to find ‘Daniel’.

Everyone, would you like to read Daniel’s story for yourself? You have the opportunity to win a FREE electronic copy of TELESA: The Covenant Keeper  right here on RockFob! Leave a comment and be in to win. Why do you think Ezra Taylor is a great cover-model for Daniel?

Last Friday Night - the remix

Katy Perry has a song called "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)". When I first heard it, I was thinking "Very catchy beat and tune", then when I listened a little closer I discovered the lyrics are about going out, getting trashed, getting chased out of bars, random sex, etc. Ok, not my thing. My own fault for not seeing that coming, I mean it's a Katy Perry song about a Friday night.

It made me think though, I can no longer relate to that. My Friday night is the yang to KP's yin one. And I'm very happy about that, and thankful for my two buddies that I get to spend every Friday night with, the house we get to spend Friday night in, and the delicious food we usually pig out on every Friday night.

So here's the reeeemix, Rock Fobby style Friday night (sing it to the tune of KP's song):

Last Friday night
Yeah I washed all of the pots
But forgot to wash my socks
Stinky feet next day, that's hot

Last Friday night
Always rugby on TV
One-eyed for my Canterbury
Constant Facebooking and Tweet

Last Friday night
Lyla bossing us around
While snack shopping at Foodtown
Think I gained about 4 pounds

Last Friday night
Thought about doing some chores
Instead I chilled to Jersey Shore
Whoa-oh-oah

This Friday night
Do it all again
This Friday night
Do it all again

What the Foo?

About 5 weeks ago, I blogged in excitement and anticipation for the Foo Fighters stadium tour in December. In that post, I threw together a quick to-do list in order for us to be able to attend this concert. This was all before ol' Murphy (owner of Murphy's law) joined the party...

One of the main determining factors of us making it to the concert was one of my favourite f-words: financing. So, surprise surprise, we were blessed with the opportunity to financially assist with some extended family happenings. Big bummer in terms of the Foo plans, but no matter, I still have a sellable kidney available right?

Well actually, it turns out I don't. That's where things get very interesting. The last bullet point on my planning blog post was to make sure I didn't get pregnant. The last time the Foos were touring NZ the hubby and I had tickets, but they were in the General Admission area (where you would wanna be in a Foos concert) but I was too far along and we sold the tickets. So guess what happens this time around. I kid you freaking not. I am preggo. Again. So there will be no invasive surgery to get that kidney out for the black market. Gutted.

What is up with the Foos fertility fever?

Next time, if there is ever a next time, I will perhaps follow Telecom's failed Backing Blacks campaign line and abstain for the Foos. Ha! Make that a Tui ad.

*****************************************************************************

This has been sitting as a Draft since I found out I was preggo, awaiting the second I passed the 12 week mark so I could post it. Although things didn't turn out how I had hoped and expected, and I am once again un-preggo (as far as I know), I still want to post this. Hopefully, you've read down this far, so I don't get awkward congratulatory messages. I do, however, still accept support in the form of brownies and choc chip cookies :)

Also, I just noticed that had I mentioned my supplementary folic acid and iodine tablet intake, this blog could have been titled: Sex (or the lack thereof), Drugs and Rock'n'Roll. SCANDALOUS!

Crumb

noun
A very small amount of something

Here are this week's crumbs:

Manu money matters
An article was published in "Le Weekender" exposing details about the misuse of finances donated to the Manu Samoa by the people. I won't go into it any further, except to say that it is disappointing and just downright stupid. Greed plus power is a recipe for disaster. It is especially a downer in this case, where people who had little gave a lot, and gave wholeheartedly, trusting that the funds would be managed appropriately by the stewards.

That money could have been spent on so many useful things, like paying someone to do the team's washing, to prevent this from happening:
 

Honest to goodness tweet from one of the Manu players,
whose name has been filtered out to protect his identity
(coz I'm profesh like that)

 Mad love
No matter how bad things can get, and for me they got pretty bad 2 weeks ago, God has been the light. I dread to think of where I would be without Him. This week's impossible work challenges I also overcame as a result of God's power. Nothing but mad love for the ultimate Father.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way

- James 1:2-4 (The Message)

Tow Woes
On Wednesday, my car got towed from the parking lot behind work. The way it works is this: you drive in, park your car, pay the ticket machine thing and print out a ticket, and place the ticket inside your car on the dashboard.

I haven't had any previous problems following those instructions. Until Wednesday. I did everything except the all important last step, putting the ticket on display. So when I walked to my parking spot after work and looked at the empty space, before my heart could complete its sinking motion, my head had already replayed the morning's actions and I knew what I had done...or not done.

We got the car back, but our parking expense for the day, instead of the usual $10, was $185. Big fat tired sigh.


And last but not least...

Hot and Spicy
(No, this is not related at all to the Rugby World Cup)

KFC hot and spicy chicken is "back" ... from wherever is usually goes before it periodically returns. Big yippee from me...I only like the spicy chicken from that place. So every time it returns, our little family has a KFC feed. Just the one...until the next time it returns.



You know where that's going. Straight to the bootay.

And that's where I leave you, folks. Looking a photo of a delicious piece of hot and spicy chicken thigh. Off I go to bed before I make a late night dash to the nearest KFC.