Sunday night, Wilhelmina Wellington twitches as the doorbell rings yet again. A silver-haired Kiwi dame of the old school, she hadn’t thought of Halloween at all until her husband, Walter, appeared, asking “Have we got any lollies, love? There’s the most adorable littlies at the door!” This is the first year the increasing Halloween nonsense […]
Entries Tagged as 'social mores'
The Inevitable
September 21st, 2010 1 Comment
Willow had gone into her favorite cafe that Tuesday morning with a spring in her step. She’d had a lovely time at Nerdnite on Monday – oh, the heaven of going out in the evening as a nerd and having it be a good thing. The latest round of budgetary threats at her government department […]
Tags: romance · social mores · wayland · willow
50s Meet 80s, or, Pass the Salsa
August 30th, 2010 Comments Off on 50s Meet 80s, or, Pass the Salsa
Three days ago, Willow timorously asked her friend Winona for help. What should she wear to go salsa dancing? Friday night found Willow standing shyly, hands jammed into the pockets of a cowl-necked cobalt tunic picked to Bring Out Her Eyes, looking for the guy who invited her salsa dancing. The crowd is intriguing; pairs […]
Tags: social mores · willow
In a Buzzword Blizzard
August 27th, 2010 Comments Off on In a Buzzword Blizzard
Frankie’s fired! Nervberg, as the second in command at the Department of Stodge, has been delegated the dirty work of making several of the staff “redundant.” The graphics design part-timer, Frankie, is one of them. He explained it all to Winona, who manages Frankie, in a buzzword blizzard. Cost cutting – restructuring - budgets – […]
Tags: jobs · social mores
113 Years On
August 18th, 2010 1 Comment
Let’s eavesdrop on some of Wellington’s movers and shakers, gathered in a penthouse flat. “…generating dollars per hour…” “…they want me to start this contract in Geneva as soon as possible, the problem is the paperwork that the U.N. requires…” “…extremely busy, no sign of the recession…” “…I say, this pinot noir is tasty. Penfold’s? […]
Tags: government · social mores · style
Nerdxhaustion
August 6th, 2010 1 Comment
Five days after his vacation, Will is drained. An IT programmer and an introvert, he longs for the days, three short years ago, when being a nerd meant you didn’t have to be that social. You had your best mate and your girl and your computer, and Hell Pizza delivery, and life was good. He […]
Tags: geekery · social mores · will
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Ulrika?
August 2nd, 2010 1 Comment
On the drive back from the ski weekend, somehow Winona and Ulrika wound up together in the furthest back seat of the 4 x 4. Dusk came down. Will was absorbed in driving. The two people in front of them fell asleep. And in the darkness and quiet, on the long dull rainy drive home, […]
Tags: migrants · social mores · ulrika · winona
Leave Town During The Film Festival? Are You Mad?
July 16th, 2010 Comments Off on Leave Town During The Film Festival? Are You Mad?
Winona is vexed. Her partner Will says that his work friend Ulrika, a Swiss expatriate inspired by the crisp, cold weather, wants them to join her and a few other people on a ski weekend. Winona can’t ski, but that doesn’t bother her. The real problem is that she doesn’t want to leave Wellington during […]
Tags: films · social mores · ulrika · will
Our Scum
June 28th, 2010 1 Comment
Will has spent the rainy Saturday at his best mate Wayne’s place. They only left the garage for bathroom breaks. Between replacing the engine of a secondhand 4 x 4 (Will spotted and handed over tools) and dissecting the All Whites’ football performance, time has flown. The 4 x 4, with the key in the […]
Tags: beer · social mores · wayne · will
Happy Midwinter…Thing…Can We Make It Matariki Now?
June 21st, 2010 1 Comment
You can tell there’s something up. All the shops are having sales. There’s increased social buzz around town. Museums and bars are having special events. There are even holiday decorations. Something is giving the soggy winter air of Wellington a bit of sparkle. Isn’t it a pity that nobody can agree exactly what it is? […]
Tags: social mores · weather · Wellington