Election debates...

It's probably a good time for me to do a little post about the New Zealand election. Today I've listened to the Mulitparty Debate featuring the leaders of the lesser parties (from 8th October), and I'm also currently near the end of the Ardern v Collins debate (from 30th September).

Again, as per last time out, I know so little about this election that it's probably best I just sit back and watch. It'd be a miracle if someone from the UK reads this blog in the next few days, so I don't think there's a cat in hells chance that a New Zealander will come across it before they vote 😅. Still though, it seems a bit wrong mouthing off about something I know so little about. So I'll try to keep my opinions to a minimum.

Listening to both debates I'm left with the feeling that their debates have been of a higher calibre than ours. It might just be the novelty of watching unfamiliar faces, but I actually liked all the politicians much more than would've been the case were I watching a UK based political debate.

I was impressed by Judith Collins again, but even my disdain for Jacinda Ardern has softened somewhat.

So I'm just impressed in general. I now just need to make sure I pencil in the election date and don't miss any of the drama.

Chinese

On a side note I've also been trying to learn some Chinese in the last few weeks, both the language and the lettering. I think I'll struggle with the spoken word (I'm basically just watching the odd YouTube video). However, strangely I'm getting the hang of the symbols a bit.

I'm systemically going through them. Drawing, or rather copying out, six at a time on Paint, then kind of playing a little guessing game where I cover up the top row and try to remember what they all mean.

Each time then going back through the previous sets of six I've scribbled out and trying to remember them too. So the first few dozen or so are now rammed into my memory.

Hopefully I'll actually keep it up now.