New Zealand's Prime Minister speaks in Tongues---Parliament amazed by this incredilbe 'gift!'

Prime Minister Key of New Zealand has a remarkable gift. He apparently regularly speaks in ‘Tongues’ in the NZ Parliament. He has shown this capacity, this gift on many occasions, causing a great deal of admiration to be directed at him from the NZ public, namely the ’voting’ public, although of course a great many NZers did not bother to vote in the past election, further exposing NZers to yet many more months of listening to Key as he repeats his aforementioned ‘skill.’ An example is the incredible ‘gift’ could have been observed by anyone present, either in person or electronically, as he admitted yesterday that he did not speak to his ‘friend’, Cameron Slater, the man who gave ‘Dirty Politics’ a whole new goal post to aim at in future, as the PM but in some other capacity. One wonders what other ‘registers’ the PM may use in the coming months as he unloads his policies on a NZ that generally did not vote for him! Perhaps he may slip into one in which he takes away the rights of NZ workers for a tea break---oops, they did that last night, so the ‘tongue will switch’ to yet another focus of his ‘plan for NZ.’ Watch out for the ‘Charter schools, Tongue,’ as he pays back his little friend, ‘David Seymour Charter Schools,’ thereby cementing his alliance with the tiny party that the tongue- twisted convolutions of party politics has given us. Still, at the end of the day once he conveniently forgets one of his tongues, we have this situation because we----or is it you---couldn’t be bothered voting? Did you really think that NZ was in good hands and that the ‘tongue is just—well---a slip of the tongue and it’s just another day in the life of Johnny! www.authorneilcoleman.com

Don't eat that chocolate-coated ice-cream on a stick whilst wearing your ball gown!

OK, I haven't worn a ball gown---yet, but if I did, I would not attempt to eat a chocolate-coated ice-cream on a stick! Why not? Well have you ever eaten one and not lost part of it to the floor or the footpath? Some brands are worse than others. You rip the packet open, anticipating the first delectable bite of the treasure within and just as you open your mouth, a flake of the outside coasting falls away. If no one's looking you may consider picking up the bit but usually you have to walk on, before the next bite causes another avalanche of chocolate wonderfulness! Damn---what a loss. Why does this happen? Unless you are at home, with no one looking, with a plate held strategically under your ice-cream, then be prepared to lose a significant portion of your ice-cream on a stick. Maybe there are some that don't do this--tell me about them. Maybe they use some terribly dangerous chemical to make the chocolate adhere to the ice-cream beneath the surface, so that's out as far as I am concerned, but I am sick of picking bits of chocolate coating off my lap or worse, my nice new shirt! I think now that New Zealand has a 'temporary ' seat on the UN Security Council, we should push for a world-wide solution to this vexing issue. The world will be a far better place and it's citizens far more content if a solution is found! Hell, if you are trying to read ROSKILL, my book, you don't need bits of chocolate falling and staining the pristine pages, or the screen of your Kindle! www.authorneilcoleman.com

Magnificent tofu with mince and aubergine! --Yes Airfryer helped too!

I arrived home after a ---well---- busy day at school! I needed a good walk with Perdy down at the Bay.' I was overcome with the need to create something special for dinner and have left-overs for tomorrow night and for lunch. This is what I came up with. I do need to say that nothing detracts from the wonderful meals I have with Doug after our walks on Friday afternoons! I fried off an onion in a little oil with a bit of sesame oil for taste. I chucked in some mixed frozen vegetables. Then, in went the mince (you chose how much!)I added a packet of Magi Chow Mein mix. In the meantime I marinaded some tofu in a mixture of soy sauce and desiccated coconut. After the mince was cooked I added the tofu and gently cooked the mixture. The smell was incredible. I pretended I was in an exotic place, like Bali. I turned of the stove and got the Aubergine ready. I cut it up and tossed it in a plastic bag with salt pepper and dried mixed herbs. yes--you guessed it. I then stuck it in the Airfryer and cooked it. Wow what a combination. I didn't need rice or a carb! The meal was perfect--healthy and oh son tasty!

Is 'P' (methamphetamine) your demon? He punched the wall--it was either that, or his partner!

‘You fucking bitch!’ he screamed as he let loose with another flurry of punches, directed at an already much disfigured wall. ‘Why can’t you leave a man alone; what with your smart-arsed replies and bloody nagging?’ Shit, it’s not as if I don’t bring home the money---isn’t it?’ Mary shied away, glancing at a man she no longer knew; not the one she had married all those years ago, the happy years and now---this. A man who had changed from a supportive and loving husband to one who resembled the characters in the movies they used to watch on TV, a shadow of his former self. It wasn’t the physical and verbal abuse alone either; there was also the total breakdown in their finances. Bills had gone unpaid for weeks and they were about to lose the home they rented. Gone were the dreams of a new beginning, since arriving from Christchurch and then---the kids. Watching them turn from their dad was just too much. She saw fear in their eyes and the once close relationship between the father of her children was gone, perhaps forever, but occasionally she saw them watching, a furtive glance, as if to say----‘where have you gone Dad?’ ‘P’ (Methamphetamine) is a scourge on New Zealand society. It breaks up families, destroys businesses and family finances. It put the very existence of families at risk. Can a family ever recover once a parent enters the dark world of ‘P?’ Is there any hope. Who can the teenage children turn to when everything seems hopeless? Find out----read RSOKILL by Neil Coleman. You can either download it directly to your reading AP (Kindle or other devices) or buy hard copy. Go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/047325655X and if you buy the hard copy from the website www.authorneilcoleman.com you get an E-book download free. The other alternative is to contact the author directly for local delivery. neilcolemanauthor@gmail.com ROSKILL is a hard hitting sorry that is repeated in any city, town---anywhere in the world. It is also a story of hope! Every parent should read it and all teenagers too. Roskill was featured on the good Morning Programme on TVNZ! In the 25th September, 2014. It also featured in MiNDFOOD, September issue, 2014, pages 44-45. Please pass on the links to your circles and share. With thanks, Neil Coleman

Tasty dumbass way to piss yourself off!

We have just entered that wonderful time in New Zealand when Strawberries have become cheap. Now for the next three months at least we will be able to get 3 punnets of them for $5. Yummy, red, juicy, delicious and cheap NZ Strawberries---nothing quite like it, but as with all delectable in abundance fruits, one needs to 'invent' new ways to serve them. I have already arrived at that point so this is what I did. I simply placed two tablespoons of sugar in a stainless steal frying pan with a slosh of vanilla essence. While that was 'heading towards becoming caramel, I topped and halved the punnet of berries. Once it was bubbling I chucked in the berries and tossed them. They sizzled a bit and I poured them onto a plate. They cracked and pooped and looked delicious. BUT----bits of caramel HAD ATTACHED THEMSELVES TO THE PLATE, SPOON AND THE PAN. I IGNORED THAT AND ATTACKED THE 'PRODUCT.' HEAVENIY--JUST WONDERFULLY YUMMY AND ONLY A BIT NAUGHTY. Later however, I paid the price, not in some gastro-related payback---oh no------It took bloody ages to remove the concrete-like appendages of candy from the implements. I scrubbed and chiselled till I sweated. See---nothing that tasty comes without a price. Will I do it again?--yes, but I need some common sense suggestions as to how I can prevent the 'payback! www.authorneilcoleman.com

Blame the fiasco that is the Middle East on Colonial powers, some people say!

I get a bit sick of reading posts that seem to blame all the 'ills' and the spawning of groups like ISIS on the actions of Western powers over the past few centuries. Just go back a bit further in history folks and learn about how the region has always been the focus of invading armies and the slash and burn tactics of tribal, religious and groups seeking to carve out an empire. Europe does not have that on its own. Indeed it has even been the victim of such practices, from within and outside its borders. Let's face it, half of Spain was once under the influence of an Islamic empire! Sure, the discovery of oil in the regions and the resurgence of new empires is just a latter day fact. The same could be said for Africa. To those of you who say that Europe (and now China) should have stayed out of these regions---well they would have found their own way of doing exactly what European powers have done. People are people whatever their ethnicity. People love power, control and riches. It is the timing that just makes it seem that the USA, Europe and China are the villains. Damn---it doesn't say much for humankind does it. I now await with baited whatever, the insults to fly, from people who view history from a mere few hundred years only!

Sometimes I need a reminder to never go back, because I don't want to be 'that' person--the unhealthy one, that is!'

Yes, I know, from time to time I stick up pictures of me--the way I used to be, the big 'happy guy'---yeah right!---the guy who loved to eat and laugh and drink and hardly ever do any exercise. OK, I walked a bit with Perdy, but I sought every excuse to 'NOT do the extra circuit, or walk up a rise that was anything other than short--or gentle. Then it was a big rest and a huge reward in the style of something very unhealthy to eat. I was obsessed with cooking and eating---all day and at every occasion. Guess what---not everything has changed. I still have a love of food and I connect with my mate, Doug, who has also had the Bariatric Surgery, but it is different---in scale and the accompanying walks. We walk for ages and we cook little meals and ones that do not have loads of carbs. We love to spend evenings, walking and then partaking in tiny and wonderful morels. We delight in posting the results. We are both very aware of the 'creep back' in weight, that can result. I suspect I am at that stage now, so it is going to be increased physical activity (won't Perdy ne happy!) and careful choices re food. We need to get our heads around the triggers to eating and make sure that we are never pressured to eat the things by other people, simply because they have put the effort in to the preparation 'old favourites.' For the most part, our friends and families understand our position. I totally acknowledge the support of friends and family in the battle that will never stop'--it has just taken a different focus. Life has changed for the better. I have more energy for walks and the wonderful 'sojourns,' we post each weekend. Driving is safer, because I do not get that sleepy feeling after lunch or a few hours driving. Mind you---Perdy's need for runs and a drink, force us to take healthy breaks. I have more energy for writing and I would dearly love to start another book, but I can't. It is just too expensive, given the trial and lack of tribulations for ROSKILL. If the sales increase--well that's another matter. That is where I need my friends on FB to help me spread the word. I think I have reached point whereby I have exhausted that position--I need the 'friends of friends' to help spread the word amongst their circles. I have had exposure, via radio interviews and a TV appearance, plus an excellent article in MiNDFOOD (September issues---pages 44-45, 2014 issue) but even that hasn't really had much affect. What's next? Who knows. I am out of ideas! OK enough for today--off for another walk with Perdy down at the Bay! www.authorneilcoleman.com