FNC - *general screaming*
Kia ora, welcome to Friday Night Chats! I have had a hugely annoying week, and I am very, very, very glad it's Friday. Even though I have to work tomorrow. Let's chat!
This week I lost many days to hospital admin. It's part of the invisible load of having a kid with a chronic illness/neurodivergence. Tuesday, what I thought would be an hour-long appointment turned into an hour and a half, which was actually great because the specialist was so thorough.
But they wanted a blood test, and Ham is just not able to do that. We tried numbing cream (wait one hour), and we tried the lab (one hour wait), and she got the needle in his arm, but not in his vein. And he understandably lost the plot. Most of the day gone....
Wednesday, transition to high school diabetes meeting. Well, that's a 50-minute drive from my house each way. Three hours long (good info, but I thought it would be an hour). Most of the day gone...
Then there's the stuff like seeing our son's band play, which we love - but he's always the last band, and we are not home until 9pm on a school night once you drop off all the kids. Eddie is doing this class for boys that is meant to help them go from intermediate to High School, and it's from 6.15 pm to 8 pm. That's a 30-minute drive from me, so I have to stay out there that whole time. I mean I can work in the car or take the dog for a walk but you know...
You're just a taxi driver! And you're endlessly doing errands! Sorry, I am in a v0ery moany mood!
But I got my work done - mostly thanks to Josh, who is now my colleague! Yay! I have a colleague! He will help me write stories like he did this week, handle all the admin and tech stuff I can't, and sometimes post his amazing Bad Newsletter pieces.
I have a vision of Emily Writes Weekly, maybe one day just being The Weekly with regular newsletters from other great writers. That's my hope. An optimistic one in a cost-of-living crisis, but well, we have to aim high, don't we?
On Saturday, I'm going to be at The Dowse Art Museum! One of my favourite places! Along with very cool people - Tory Whanau, Alice Soper, and Nicole Titihuia Hawkins, I'll be taking part in The Wheel of Avalon!
Step onto the dazzling set of The Wheel of Avalon, Bronwyn Holloway-Smith's bold new installation reimagining the iconic 1990s game show Wheel of Fortune New Zealand.
Yes, I get to spin the wheel! So come and see me! It's at 1 pm and it's free, but you have to register.
I'm really sorry, but FNC tonight might be a bit light. I've been so busy helping Tania Waikato with her list of schools. And Ta Wik a Te Re Moriori (Moriori Language Week). There have been so many racist comments on Eddie's beautiful videos.
I wanted to make sure I deleted them all before he saw them - he doesn't have social media, so we agreed each night we would read the comments together. I can't believe how horrible people are - well, I guess I can.
But to a 13-year-old? This one woman, Judy Gill, made the most racist and awful comments, and I looked her up, and she used to be a teacher?! It's frightening that these people walk among us.
But I'm glad Eddie didn't see any of it. He said, "It's so cool, Mum, how excited everyone is about Te Ra Moriori!". Long may he hold that view of the world...
(This is also why I think this place is such a special place - because it's the one corner of the internet that is kind).
Also - this fking government???!! It’s like whack-a-mole?! I can’t even keep up! It’s awful! Wtf! Seriously?!
Me reading comments this week:
What I'm reading:
We Have Always Judged Books By Their Covers
Epstein Helped Build MAGA. Has He Blown It? Steve Bannon, Jeffrey Epstein, Bubba, and the end of democracy
Anticapitalist Punk Guide to Using Your Money Ethically
"Blowing Bubba": The Epstein-Trump Email-Turned-Meme, Explained
The slow demolition of our democracy
What I'm watching:
I found this guy - Alec with Pen - who does hilarious cartoons on Instagram. He's probably on TikTok too, but I'm old and I don't have TikTok. I only look at it when my friends send me links. Anyway - I love this one.
I smashed The Beast In Me on Netflix as background while I worked. Claire Danes is very much like Sarah Snook (all her fault) - very good face acting.
I also really, really like Pluribus on Apple TV. It's so weird. I've only seen one episode but I'm into it.
I watched the Women of Pike River doco on Docplay. It's harrowing but really important. Those women are incredible.
What I'm listening to:
We had the Not Your Work Christmas Party Christmas Party last weekend and it was so fun! So many bangers. Truly, how good is I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany? Also, our DJ played Gloria by Laura Branigan, which is my ringtone. And when I tell you I WENT OFF, I really did. I cut many shapes, my friends.
I have been listening to Blood Relatives - an investigation into the Whitehouse Farm murders. It's fascinating. I didn't know about the murders before. And it really is a fascinating investigation.
Very odd that nobody talked about the massive conflict of interest the family of the parents had, and how much they gained by Jeremy Bamber being responsible for the murders rather than Sheila. It's an excellent podcast.
I am also really enjoying this song by Kate Nash, it's a year-old?! Somehow I never heard it. But anyway, I'm playing it lots.
What are you listening to? Watching? Reading?
What are your plans for the weekend?
I want to thank you all so much for being here. I know times are tough, it means so much to me that you continue to support me and my family and this work.
Thank you so much, Emily xx
My bestie Noods and I are devastated about the government’s latest attack on trans children so we made this which you may like to share. I send my love to all of the parents of trans kids reading this and all of my trans and non binary readers. I love you and I’m sorry.
