Sunny day in wintry weather

At Memphis in the sun - Wellington is so sweet when the sun shines and the sky is blue. I think that's why Wellie lovers are so passionate about their city, when it smiles, it is like the whole world smiles with you.

Today with my coffee is a new magazine, a freebie, callled, attractively, 'Vice'. It is indeed a global magazine, representative of today's cyber generation. There are no boundaries in this mag, and everything is available if you wish it. New Zealand is well represented, and it's free. Well only because some of the big brands, alternate of course, are there to finance it. But is a glossy, and it has a big distribution.  About twenty-five countries are listed on its inside page, and I bet their reps and writers are all under twenty five years old.

Cover of 'Vice'

Memphis sun...

..and smart phone clients.

Aussies making movie on the evil of Sugar

Advertisers in Vice - the E-cig!

Perfume Genius - trans singer

Someone's Mum, in a photo shoot.

In Vice, I read articles about The Mob's women, labelled the 'mafiosa', and their roles. It's mainly concerning the Mexican cartels, the most infamous in the world these days, having succeeded in making New York look boring. Another article about a trans singer called Perfume Genius; and another about a young one-time miscreant at a halfway house having spent time in prison for stealing a book. Rude awakenings, they call it, but life was never like this in downtown OZ, so it wakes me up too, although I have had my taste of the 'other side', but it was a different era.  

There is also a story of a writer called Rudy Wurlitzer, about as alternate as you could get, the Timothy Leary of today you could say. I heard Timothy Leary speak in California on my first trip there in 1969.. I didn't know then what a legend he was or would become.

It is not surprising that Memphis has a few of these magazines for their clients. It is, after all, not your 'normal' cafe, and that's why I like it so much.

Now to to witness, with some apprehension, a talk, complete with Power Point of course, at the Otago Medical School at Wellington Hospital. Our esteemed HIV lead Doctor is delivering, and has invited Body Positive, ie, Ron et moi, to attend. The large University lecture room is half filled with med students and doctors eager to be brought up to date on the Infectious Diseases scene, principally the AIDS epidemic. 

Nothing was really new to me, and a few of the doctors showed their interest by asking questions. This doctor, a lovely and sensitive man, gave an informed up-date for those present, and his on-screen overheads illustrated his points. He finished with the arresting photo of Dame Whina Cooper on her Land Rights March.

 Another talk followed about cardiac arrest and its latest treatments. It was actually more interesting and relevant to me I felt. We finished at 1pm, Ron made his contribution, and all is well.

Now back to ordinary life, away from the throngs of earnest and excited young future surgeons and research scientists. It has, all the same, been an interesting visit.

The Medical Update...

Final slide..of the famed 80 year old Maori Dame Whina Cooper, who walked the length of the north island of New Zealand in 1975 to advocate for Maori Land Rights, and the nation was inspired. She became known as the 'Mother of the Nation'.