Weekly meetings are via Zoom due to the situation with Covid-19
President
David Shackleton
“No one grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals”
Samuel Ullman
It was great to induct Philippa Bascand this week as our newest member; a big thanks to Heather for introducing Philippa to the Club. We now have 52 members up from 47 at the beginning of the year. We still have a way to go to achieve an equal gender balance with almost 40% of our members being female. However, we are improving and heading in the right direction.
I mentioned incorrectly that this was the first week we are donating the Buy the Box funds to purchase Emergency Response Kits for Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. In fact, it is the second week and as of Thursday we have raised $580, so I am sure we will have hit our goal of $600 by now. Thank you all for your incredible generosity.
We are planning the changeover for the first week in July. We are currently working through the options available to us and will get back to you with a firm date and venue very shortly. In other news Tessa Murphy is the new President of Rotaract. Tessa is taking over from Iona who is stepping back to be the VP. Iona has been a great friend of the Club and has been immensely helpful with the Auction, our webpage, social media etc. We are most grateful for all her help and wish both Tessa and Iona much success in their new roles. Tessa will hopefully be joining us at a meeting shortly.
Talking of social media, the team who are responsible for our Facebook page and social media links are Warwick, as the Administrator, Jane and Linda as Asst Administrators and Nicci, Bev and Paula as our editors. Warwick is our gatekeeper with the aim to ensure we have no duplication of messages or posts.
We need to increase our activity on social media, especially Facebook and all photos and articles are welcome, just send them to the team above.
See you all on Wednesday, keep healthy and positive
"Having had two online regular meetings, we're all getting accustomed to meeting via video link.
These have gone really well with great participation. We came across these couple of links on video meeting etiquette, which generally apply to our meetings.
In addition in a Rotary context when we have new members and visitors it is good to ensure please that your name (including surname) is correctly showing (you can do this by right clicking on your name on your personal image). Muting your mic and turning off the video when moving around are important too (both prevent distraction)."
……...……...…………...…………..
This weeks speaker....David Quinn
David Quinn was born in London, England, was educated in Upper Hutt, his partner's an Irish woman he met in a bar, works as a mortgage broker and wants to run his own business one day.
He’s a keen sportsman, played rugby for the Upper Hutt Club, but also for Wellington and Marist St Pats, is also keen on tennis and golf and (sadly for him) is a fanatical Arsenal supporter.
His story about going kayaking with his then new girlfriend’s family that brought a positive response from club members listening to David’s new member talk this week.
He was all rigged out in the proper gear, climbed into the kayak saying to himself, this can’t be that hard, but he managed to capsize the kayak very quickly and spend twenty minutes trying to get back in to the laughter of those on shore.
He works as a mortgage broker for a Taranaki based but rapidly growing nationwide business seeking to “achieve a stronger financial position” for his clients, who are mostly first home buyers.
David reports that business is still strong despite the lockdown with some clients restructuring debts and re-organising their finances.
He gets a lot of satisfaction from his work, and asked about his five year goals, he said that he would like to own and run his own business so he “could create my own culture.”
Reporter
John Bishop
………………………………………….
Kiriwhakapapa news
Miss Piggy’s diary – Episode 6
It has been quite a different week. I understand that the official lockdown ended on Tuesday, although I am still in my own little shed with just one rat for company. Actually, the rat is not there for company but for my food which it has been stealing regularly. Julian has been putting my food dispenser higher and higher at night to keep the rat hungry. It means that in the morning for breakfast I have to really stretch my poor arthritic legs to get any food. But the rat is cunning enough to leap on to my food tray from almost anywhere and still steal some pellets.
Why is the rat not yet an ex-rat? A good question. Julian has put down six different traps in my shed, four different versions in total, as well as poison. But the rat has so far avoided them all. Julian is not impressed. Well, he is sort of impressed, but not pleased.
But Tuesday was the big day because, as you all know, and as he has been reminding me for weeks, it was his birthday. Sue had been working on making presents for him and had brought a few ideas to me, all of which I had rejected as not having enough chocolate. But the day started quite differently from usual and became quite hectic.
Julian had recruited a local ‘sniper’ a few months ago to help reduce the deer population on his land. With the lockdown, the sniper had been confined to barracks, but on this first day of level three, he had asked Julian to come out to see if he could remove a deer or two. I heard him and his mate sneak past my shed at daybreak and then a couple of hours later I heard him run back past towards the house, which was unusual.
He told Julian that they had shot a deer but it had managed to get on to the next door farm before it was finally shot and brought back. The neighbour does not want anyone else shooting on his land, which they all understand, so plans had to be made. Unfortunately, out of the 1000 hectares available, the farmer was out with his sheep very close to where the deer was and was not pleased about what he thought had happened. To cut the story short, after a phone call and a visit from him and his father who both run the farm, peace was restored, good neighbourly relations retained and no harm done. But it made for a busy day of visitors when for weeks before there had been none at all.
Meanwhile, later on the big day Julian was able to open all his presents and the special 3D card Sue made him. He took a picture for you all to see When I say all his presents, it was a small ‘all’. But he seemed very content with them. He did say the chocolate cake was really good. Unfortunately, I cannot confirm this as he and Sue scoffed it all down and left not even a crumb for me.
Julian and Sue also went shopping again this week and found the real world not quite as scary as it had been the last couple of times. But they did say it was nice to get back home and into the bubble, although I have yet to see this bubble.
Amazingly I got some grapes. Sue took pity on me and spent quite a few dollars on a bunch of imported grapes and Julian let me eat a couple. He is aware that if I have too many, I may get that addiction problem again. But the bought grapes seem to have a lot lower GLC content than the ones he grows. I do not get the relaxed spaced-out feeling I normally get when eating the home-grown ones – strangely they are from vines with unusual and long thin serrated leaves.
I hope you are all making the most of your extra freedom this week, but carefully.
Alias
Julian Bateson
…………………………………………..
House of Grace - a letter of thanks
Hi Bev
Hope you and your bubble are safe and well.
Wow a big thank you to the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson for the recent generous donation of $600. Please find receipt attached.
We are so grateful for your continued support, it is really nice to know there are a lot of people who care about the young mums and babies we working with! With the recent move to level 3, we are able to expand the bubble at the Wellington home from 2 girls to 4, our Wellington home has others on the wait list as well.
Hope you have a lovely day in the sunshine today
Many thanks
Rebecca Bangma | Accounts Manager | The House of Grace
T: 04 920 5667 // PO Box 51184, Tawa, Wellington 5249, New Zealand
Cyber crime - using Password Managers and data breaches
I found an old Listener article ‘One password to rule them all’ by Anthony Ellison (Issue: 14-20 December 2019) with useful tips for protecting your passwords and checking if your data has been breached. If you think about your passwords for all the web services you use, it’s wise to have them protected so that your numerous usernames and passwords aren’t exposed.
Firstly, it is recommended checking to see if your data has been breached. This website: www.haveibeenpwned.com searches a massive database of email addresses and passwords that were compromised in past data breaches and posted on the web, usually by hackers looking to sell them to cybercriminals. Just open the site and type in your email address. A chronological list gives you details of where your data has been breached. For me, it included some historical worldwide breaches in earlier years that I recall hearing about at the time eg LinkedIn. Once you have identified these sites, if you haven’t done so already then you would be wise to update your passwords for them.
Ellison recommends saving your usernames and passwords into a Password Manager which stores all your passwords in an encrypted “vault” and fills them in automatically when you log into the webs services and mobile apps you use. As you would expect, this is far more secure than using the autofill function on web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox, and you only need to remember one password, the one that unlocks the vault. Some Password Managers are free but will limit the number of passwords you can enter. Others require a paid subscription much as you would do to protect your devices. Popular Password Managers listed are: Dashlane, 1Password, LastPass, Keeper, Norton Password Manager and Trend Micro Password Manager.
I found it useful to do a stocktake of my data security and lockdown has provided an ideal time to do this.
NB: If you are rostered for duty and cannot make it, then please arrange for someone else to take your place and let Brent know at brent.gerrard@outlook.com or 021 725060 Txts are fine too!
Rotary - 4 Ways to engage members online: Click here
………………………….
Members TV recommendations
Ozark-Netflix
The amazing Mrs Maisel-Prime
Into the Wild 2007
Unorthodox on Netflix and also Making Unorthodox
The English Game on Netflix
The Enemy Within on Lightbox
The Good Place on Netflix
Grace and Frankie on Netflix The Trial on Netflix
Run - on Neon
TVNZ on Demand
Killing Eve (season three)
Rebekah Martinsson
The Lawyer
Bang
Hillary (as in Clinton)
The Repair Shop on Fridays
7.30pm on TV1
..........................................
Food availability and delivery
Sarah Meikle, Visa Wellington on a Plate, said her team wanted to do something to help hospitality businesses. They have created a region-wide directory of eateries called “At Yours” https://www.visawoap.com/?delivery_locations=all&filter_by=all , which will be offering takeaways and delivery during level three. Set to launch on Monday.
Go well
Joy
……………………...
Free recommended viewing......
Watch Shakespeare’s Globe, London’s 2009 production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by former Artistic Director Dominic Dromgoole and starring Ellie Kendrick (Game of Thrones, The Diary of Anne Frank) and Adetomiwa Edun (Merlin) from the comfort of your own home.
This film of its production will be available to watch as many times as you like until Sunday 3 May via the Globe’s YouTube channel, shakespearesglobe.com/watch.
You can view YouTube on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and most Smart TVs have a YouTube app.
Following the release of Romeo and Juliet (2009) will be The Two Noble Kinsmen (2018), plus two previously unreleased titles, The Winter’s Tale (2018) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (2019). A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2013) will conclude the series. These films will all be available for free, one on rotation every two weeks.
Films will be available to watch on demand from the date of their release for 14 days.
The wine industry in New Zealand is very young particularly when compared to the European greats, France, Italy and Spain. James Busby is credited with planting the first grapes in New Zealand back in the 1830s or 1840s, but the New Zealand commercial wine industry really started with the Dalmatian immigrants in the 1900s. Names such as Soljans, Babich, Brajkovich, Mazuran, Fredatovich, Selaks, Delegats, and many others were the heart of the industry from that time.
Most of the wines made in those early days were fortified wines akin to port and sherry styles. They are called fortified because they are preserved by the addition of alcohol to stop fermentation. It was not until the 1970s that the New Zealand wine industry started to make styles that were more akin to wines coming out of Europe. Names like McWilliams, Nobilos, Corbans and Mission (the oldest winery) were at the forefront of the industry at this time. A company called Villa Maria was in its infancy, still part of that Dalmation heritage, with George Fistonich at its helm.
People who remember the wines from this era will recall names such as Cresta Dore, Bakano, Pinotage, Velluto Rosso, and Liebestraum. There were even the shocking sparkling concoctions of Cold Duck and Poulet Poulet. Does anyone remember the colours?
The 1980s in contrast was the era when the New Zealand wine industry started to come of age and produce wines in styles comparable to those available from Germany, France and Italy. The early 1980s saw the arrival of such classic wines as Te Mata Coleraine and Awatea.
There was a big move away from beer and spirits to drinking wine – wine tasting clubs sprung up everywhere as the thirst for knowledge grew. Hawkes Bay became a prominent quality wine district, Gewurztraminer came from Gisborne. Ernie Hunter put New Zealand on the world stage with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and so it continued.
The beer flagon society was also catered for with 3 litre casks of sweet and medium white and red wines the favoured choice for every party from the university student to the social elite.
Then we had a glut – and the Government actually paid grape growers to pull out certain varieties.
What was the main grape variety pulled out? It went from being the most harvested variety to almost non-existent within a matter of 1 season. A prize (virtual of course) to the first correct answer.
………………………………....
Nicci Tong - a profile by Jean Sloan
When you talk to Nicci Tong about her work, you would be forgiven for thinking that interior design has been her life-long calling. She speaks so passionately about helping people re-create their personal spaces.
But, Nicci is an example of how it is possible to re-invent one’s self. As a very young woman, just out of Uni, Nicci didn’t know what she would do with a degree in Physiology. Turns out her degree opened doors to good employment opportunities, but Nicci knew she wanted a more creative career. Living as a square peg in a round hole, even a successful one, could never lead to professional satisfaction.
In her mid 30’s Nicci took advantage of an opportunity to get some career coaching, a decision that changed the trajectory of her life. “I have always loved interior design but couldn’t see myself as an Interior Designer since I was completely against the idea of designing spaces from scratch. I’ve always been very resourceful, and this approach felt wasteful”. As luck would have it, as part of her career coaching, Nicci found a way to combine her passion for interior design with her innate resourcefulness. It was through this process that her first business “Room Space Design” was created.
Fast forward a few years, Nicci is armed with some real-world business experience, a diploma in interior design as well as personal experience of having renovated her own villa. Her entrepreneurial focus morphed into the success of what is now Homes with Soul – a business helping people define their personal style, and update their interiors in a way that incorporates their treasured belongings.
“I love to hone into the style and personality of my clients to create timeless interiors. I’m not one to follow trend.” Inspired by a client’s treasured personal belongings, Nicci most enjoys working with her clients to transform their homes - into spaces where they feel happy and content. “We purchase new pieces where necessary but it’s also the configuration of the space that can make a big difference,” says Nicci. You don’t need to start from scratch to create a home you love. Afterall, it’s being surrounded by history and memories that creates a soulful home.
Nicci has worked hard to build a reputable brand in the local interior design market. She regularly blogs to a growing fan base and Tommy’s Real Estate Magazine has featured 2 of her articles (so far)! She’s recently started offering virtual consultations on ZOOM and this time next year hopes to offer an on-line course. It’s clear that Nicci has found her niche.
But, you know what they say about all work and no play….well, that is only true of Nicci if it also refers to working hard at doing something fun! Nicci’s artistic talents are not limited to design. She sings too and would like to do more of it. Her voice is most suited to the likes of Adele, Nora Jones, Eva Cassidy and Sarah MacLachlan. “I’ve been meaning to start a YouTube Channel for ages” Nicci said. Lucky for us, she is not one to procrastinate (any more) and promised to post her first song on You Tube for our listening pleasure in time for today’s newsletter.
.jpg)
.png)