ULTIMATUM!

So I asked my Dad what he was planning on getting me for Christmas.
I proposed that instead of getting me a present, he should let me buy his Wii of him or give me the Sega Master System which no one uses anymore.
Seriously, it just sits there at the family beach house gathering dust, it's got some awesome games too!

Dad decided no, that wouldn't work. But he offered me another idea.

Now, anyone who knows me will know I swing radically between sloth like untidy-ness to OCD-esque categorising and organising of my things.

Dad offered me this ultimatum: If I can keep my floor clear and my turtle tank water crystal clear for the next few times he visits my flat, he will buy me a brand new Wii bundle in my choice of colour.
AAAAAH! Sweet merciful nerdfighter!
That's a pretty good deal.

Last time Dad made an ultimatum it cost him $3000. He said if I didn't smoke before my 21st he would pay me $3000. I'm now 22 and have never touched a cigarette. Great Success.

So I am currently in the middle of tidying my bedroom.
I can barely see the floor.
But this means progress!

My wardrobe is now organised! dresses-skirts-shirts-random-jackets-uniform-costumes.
My books are finding their way onto the bookshelf in my wardrobe. I threw a bunch of old paper into the recycling and put a few items up on freecycle.org in the hopes they will find new homes.
Some of my nicer ornaments will be going on Trademe so I can pay my electric bill this month.

Oooh! While I was cleaning my Doctor Who vhs bundle arrived, yay!

Right, back to it then. Hopefully by my next blogpost I'll have kept to it.

Theatre Review | Silent Night

Holy crap guys I'm a theatre reviewer! I feel so cultured o.0

Through a lucky hook up I get to attend every opening night at a local theatre which means I'll be seeing approx. one metric butt load of plays. So I emailed a local review site saying hey, you should bring me on as a reviewer.

Well holy sex-scene Batman, they did it!

UPDATE: "Lucky hook up" is now boyfriend ^_^

So here is my first ever official theatre review, look forward for more to come!

I wasn’t sure what I was in for from this one woman show. All I knew was that it was about a pensioner on Christmas. I certainly didn't expect a rollercoaster that tears down the fourth wall and would bring tears to my eyes, both of laughter and sadness.

Yvette Parsons (Dan is Dead / I am a Yeti) takes the stage as Irene McMunn, an elderly widow spending her first Christmas alone in her retirement unit. It deals with all the ups and downs that come with age; friends passed on, family who aren’t as close as one would like, Christmas day spent with the cat. The set is simple and effective, a small lounge, ready for Christmas day lunch. This is a story told with words not fancy lighting effects or expensive props.

Over the hour, Irene directly addresses the audience to share with us memories from her life. The actress retells these tales with such believable emotion that I was unsure whether the character was simply retelling or actually believed herself to be reliving them. Some stories had the audience doubled over with laughter, while others had some people in need of a hanky. I found myself slightly unnerved by just how similar this character is to my grandmother.

The word rollercoaster really is fitting, the high points were hilariously high and the down points were truly saddening. As time went on I found myself wondering how on earth this story could end. One brief moment of terror as Irene clutches her chest, short of breath… but no, this story doesn’t end there. If I had anything negative to say it would be perhaps the emotions occasionally swing too rapidly between happy and sad.

The acting is brilliant. The story is touching and relatable. Though I originally thought the hour run time would leave me dissatisfied, my attention was held in such a way I felt I had been watching much longer.

I definitely recommend this show to all (though if you’re the sensitive type, take some tissues) and be prepared for the urge to reconnect with your grandparents afterward!

Directed by Stephen Papps. Produced by and starring Yvette Parsons.

Venue: Bats Theatre Wellington http://www.bats.co.nz/content/silent-night

Showing: December 6-10 at 7pm
Price: $18 Full / $13 Concession / $14 Groups 6+