(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times)
I’ve stopped counting sleeps, it’s finally here. I’m on holiday.
Right about now, I’m probably sorting out last-minute bits and pieces and packing my SPF-gazillion-plus sunscreen before I head off for a family holiday on the sunny Gold Coast.
I think I’ve driven my colleagues to distraction over the past week, counting sleeps until I hit the holiday zone.
I can’t believe that after all the excitement of the election, I’ll be in Aussie when we finally hear who won the top prize. And I don’t just mean Donald Trump’s Apprentice.
As for the other big vote-fest, what is going on, New Zealand? Yes, I’m a loyal Southlander and was pleased our Steven made it through another round of NZ Idol but I have to agree with the judges that he should have been in the bottom two along with Rosita. Teresa and Jesse certainly didn’t deserve that dishonour and as much as I find gap-toothed Teresa’s I’m-about-to-cry-eyes distracting, Sunday night was one of her best performances.
Xtra’s Idol site features the blogs of three couch critics who offer their opinions on the show each week. Now, I realise one of those bloggers, Glenn Hart, is probably a little peeved at Teresa’s eviction from the competition but that’s no excuse for saying: “Invercargill, I hate you. I really mean that.”
I guess he’s assuming it’s Tim Shadbolt and his dancing shoes all over again but, really, how many people does he think live in Invercargill? I realise us Invercargillites are a pretty important bunch but I don’t think were able to make ourselves outnumber the rest of the country.
Even if we included sheep in the head count.