http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm Russell Kirkpatrick's Journal en-us Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:49:10 --0800 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:35:00 --0800 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss fiona@speculatedesign.com fiona@speculatedesign.com http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/18/Its-just-falling-water-why-the-fuss But it's not. The sound, the spray, the beauty and the scale of a waterfall evoke feelings of majesty and awe from most of us.Marokopa Falls, in south Waikato, is no Niagara Falls. But it has its own symmetrical beauty. A short walk from a back road,... Russell Reconnects Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:35:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/18/Its-just-falling-water-why-the-fuss http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/15/Giants-of-the-Forest One of the most intense experiences I've had recently was visiting the giant kauri of the Waipoua Forest in New Zealand's Northland. Nothing prepares you for the shock when you first see Tane Mahuta (Father of the Forest), the largest remaining kauri... Russell Reconnects Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:08:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/15/Giants-of-the-Forest http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/13/Further-Adventures I recently had a wonderful afternoon at Piha, a beach on the west coast near Auckland. I'm not much of a beachy person, having a cordial dislike of the surf, and Piha is a dangerous beach. But it sure is nice to look at.Highlight was a little way inl... Russell Reconnects Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:54:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/13/Further-Adventures http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/11/The-Adventures-of-Russell Episode 1: Russell Climbs Mt Te ArohaI'm on a quest to reconnect with the natural landscape. For twenty years or so I've been busy, too busy to walk or climb or stop and watch. It's affecting my writing: I've searched for inspiration and come up empt... Russell Reconnects Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:59:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/9/11/The-Adventures-of-Russell http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/8/6/Extracting-words My latest novel, with the working title 'Silent Sorrow', is progressing, albeit slowly. I'm trialling a new way of writing, with much less forward planning. The result has been a fair degree of under-writing (quite the opposite of my first series) an... Russells' Daily Grind Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:32:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/8/6/Extracting-words http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/7/3/Day-6-and-home-Disaster-Averted We were supposed to be on the road by 8am. And we would have been but for a pair of drunken hoons. No, not Stuart or myself, two Monaro-driving morons who were working on the roof of the local hotel and who fled after leaving a $500 bar tab. They wen... Russells' Daily Grind Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:20:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/7/3/Day-6-and-home-Disaster-Averted http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/7/1/Day-5-A-Day-of-Not-Quite Today would have to be classified as a disappointment, as nothing fulfilled its promise. The drive through to the West Coast from Queenstown was magic, with a stop to take a photo of Arrowtown and later on of the Haast River – boulders the size... Russells' Daily Grind Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:30:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/7/1/Day-5-A-Day-of-Not-Quite http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/30/Day-4-A-Day-of-Wonder-and-Glory Wish I could tell you how good that was. I knew it would be good, but I had no idea it would be magnificent. Stuart agrees - he is gobsmacked. We're going around with silly grins on our faces and speaking in silly French accents like a couple of scho... Russells' Daily Grind Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:37:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/30/Day-4-A-Day-of-Wonder-and-Glory http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/29/Day-3-The-Dart-River-Adventure The day began early with Stuart complaining bitterly about - well, let's say men are men and sometimes smell like men. Too tough for you, Stuart? Take a drink from Hard Man's Creek, that's what I say.We were taken from Queenstown to Glenorchy by bus,... Russells' Daily Grind Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:32:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/29/Day-3-The-Dart-River-Adventure http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/29/Day-2-Oamaru-to-Arrowtown Stuart MacBride is a very funny man. Many people are funny without intending to be, but Mr MacBride means to be funny. Droll, in fact, is the best word to describe his wit.He has discovered he is taller than me, and takes every opportunity to explore... Russells' Daily Grind Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:24:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/29/Day-2-Oamaru-to-Arrowtown http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/27/Day-1-Christchurch-to-Oamaru Today my youngest brother James and I played our annual golf grudge match. To my surprise James won, helped a little by the 18 shots I gave hom. But he had a glorious period that meant I was consigned to the 2009 dustbin.After lunch Stuart and I head... Russells' Daily Grind Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:42:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/27/Day-1-Christchurch-to-Oamaru http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/26/Gallavanting I'm about to set forth on a trip around the South Island with a total stranger.I've done this before, of course: long-time readers of my blog will remember three years ago I took Ellen Datlow on a week's tour of the South Island. This is the same dea... Russells' Daily Grind Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:32:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/26/Gallavanting http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/20/Your-Weekend I've had a few writeups in the print media these last few years - both for the novels and for the atlases - but the article appearing in todays 'Your Weekend' is the best I've read.Don't know what it was that made the interview go so well. Actually, ... Reviews and Interviews Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:46:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/20/Your-Weekend http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/4/Off-to-Adelaide Having attended the chaotic but wonderful NZ Natcon last weekend has reignited my hunger for the company of writers, readers and fans. So in a rash and ill-considered decision I'm off to Adelaide and the Australian Natcon, to be held this weekend.Cur... Con report Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:43:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/6/4/Off-to-Adelaide http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/31/Sir-Julius-Vogel-award-and-Book-Launch It's been a great night. The launch of 'Beyond the Wall of Time' was a great success. My friend Donna Hanson launched the book in front of an enthusiastic and supportive bunch of fans at the NZ Natcon. Thanks to HarperCollins, to Donna and all those ... Book release Sun, 31 May 2009 18:40:00 --0800 http://www.russellkirkpatrick.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/5/31/Sir-Julius-Vogel-award-and-Book-Launch