Wellington Brick-Con 2015

Last weekend (31Oct-1Nov) was a momentous event for LEGO fans in Wellington.  We had our first ever Brick-Con!  This was organised by the Wellington LEGO User Group (Well-LUG), which has a very active community of mostly AFOLS (Adult Fans of LEGO).  The Little People of New Zealand, a charity that supports people with dwarfism, as the beneficiary of this show.

I, along with my son and daughter, visited the show yesterday afternoon.  I was thinking the crowd would be more manageable by then because it is on its final day but was I wrong!  The place was jampacked.  And take note - adults outnumbered the kids!

We enjoyed viewing the exhibits.  There were lots of minifig collections on display, MOCs (My Own Creations), Sets, Star Wars... being a Star Wars fan, this was definitely a must see - I went round that area twice!

A Whale of a Time at Waikiki Beach

We planned this holiday for months, and when we arrived at Waikiki Beach in Hawai'i, it was a dream come true.  We had gloriously sunny days, the sand wasn't scorching hot and the water is warm.  And the views!  It's breathtaking.

I absolutely love going to the beach in the tropics.  My family loved it too.  Who wouldn't?!  Hawai'i is the perfect place for a beach outing.

During the many afternoons we spent there, we saw photoshoots for weddings and engagements, surfer dudes, people basking in the sun, kids have a great time in the water.  It is such a fun atmosphere!

Titanopsis galore

Although the name implies mammoth proportions, the Titanopsis is actually quite small and fagile-looking.  What I like about it most is the curious way the tip of the leaves look - knobby and mottled.  It makes for an intriguing specimen.

Luckily, I found one that was ready to flower, and after a couple of days, it rewarded me with 2 flowers!  They're like a breath of spring in the middle of winter.

Cactaholic part 2

Frithia Pulchra
There's this group of cacti which prefer to lie low on the ground and disguise themselves so as not to be seen by plant-eaters.  I'd like to have some Lithops, but have not seen one yet.  In the meantime, I have the split rock cactus (previous blog post) and the frithia pulchra.  At the end of each tubular leaf is a 'window'; I suspect that in the wild this helps them blend in.

The cactaholic

I guess it just starts with one, which gets followed up by another, then another, and before you know it you're hooked.  Collecting cacti and succulents, that is.  I am no stranger to gardening, though.  Back in college, my friends and I worked part-time at the Library and growing african violets by the windowsill was a favourite occupation amongst the Librarians.  We brought home leaf cuttings and soon we were cultivating other plants and frequented the Orchidarium to feed this latest obsession.  I had a number of bonsai that I was quite proud of.

So growing cacti and succulents isn't really a new thing for me.  Even better, these plants are more forgiving and require less care so it's easy to become enamoured and attracted to collecting these.

As of last count, I have around 35 different kinds.  I will feature them all on this blog in batches.  And here's the first set.

Astrphytum ornatum var. marbellii

I was attracted to this cactus by its symmetrical, twisting shape.  Only in cacti can you find such amazing living sculptures.

BancFirst Steven Adams Commercial

Interestingly, I understood what he said, regardless of subtitling.  Listening to the local FM radio is paying off.

Happy 2015!

2014 had been good to us overall, and the summer holidays was a relaxing finish to a great year.  Personally, I think that in our 6th Christmas break here in New Zealand, I am finally getting used to the quiet celebration, and prefer it now over the busy celebrations in the Philippines.

Which reminds me of the YouTube video I saw of the end of year celebrations in Manila: