FQ1: What's a new food or drink you've tried? How'd it go?

DRINK: After drinking all the Export Gold beer and typical of 3am, we went looking for more booze to drink and for some unfathomable reason, my brother thought drinking my aunt's Muscat would be a good idea seeing as she had found it "hard to find" here in New Zealand. Honestly, I'm sure we didn't mean to drink the _entire_ bottle. Besides which it wasn't very nice. Like extra old nana's sherry. Very raisin'y and by the time we were an inch from the bottom of the bottle, very sickly.

FOOD: Falafels aren't new to me, but I've never had a 'home made' falafel, always part of a middle eastern platter of dips and goodies at Bodrum or someother such restaurant. When I stayed in Rotorua, my cousin Kristy made falafels and salad and it was *so* delicious I made her show me how so I could have it when I got home. Mouth wateringly good!

FQ2: What's a new television show or movie you've seen or book you've read? How'd it go?

TELEVISION SHOW: I don't watch television all that often, but I did see a new show screening last Thursday night. An Australian offering called, "Strictly Dancing" and it was just horrible. I don't know if I thought it wouldn't be horrible I mean, it didn't surprise me that it was horrible; maybe I was expecting to be surprised it was good. There really is nothing on TV.

BOOK: Friends have recommended a few books to me lately. Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks read okay - good, in fact. Bit "boys own" for my tastes, but I'll try another before I decide to continue with his work. Amy was given The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger for Christmas. She's finally finished it (she kept having to stop because it was too sad at times, she said, but she loved it) so I started that last night.

MOVIE: I saw a bunch of new films at the cinema over the christmas break. The last movie I saw was Phantom of the Opera while I was in Wanganui. I wouldn't recommend that to *anyone*. If someone suggests to you that it's the last movie _on_earth_ STILL refuse to see it. You're better off cleaning your oven or or alphabetising your socks or staring at dirt or contemplating why Phantom of the Opera survived the celluloid disaster that wiped every other movie off the face of the Planet. A cockroach of a movie.

FQ3: What's a new place you've been to or web site you've visited? How'd it go?

NEW PLACE: the Sargeant Gallery in Wanganui - it's such a beautiful building set atop the most beautifully curved concrete steps - I really need to go back and photograph those steps - they had perfect step feng shui.

WEBSITE: Flickr isn't new, but I have added a new contact to my list of photostreams I like to look at. I don't know who Carr*e is but I sure do like her artwork.

FQ NEW: Do the new! What's something new you've been wanting to try but haven't? What's stopping you?

I've been thinking for ages about this, and it's not something new I want to try, but old that I want to revisit. Making the old new again. Things I *used* to do like.. quilting, and drawing, and having a long term, loving relationship. Making the old new again - no need to reinvent the wheel, but it sure could do with some inflating. And what's stopping me? absolutely nothing!