I manage to get up early and shower and shave and put on a decent shirt. This (all combined) is actually quite an achievement, although I've managed it for a few days in a row now. It's the little things that matter. Especially when I've been so de-motivated that I can't be bothered shaving. Not that that's been caused by anything new, I've been like that for months now. Classic depressive symptom, really. If you've felt it, you understand. Like, I know I should shave, but the idea of doing so just seems like waaay too much effort.

Anyway. A positive day. I actually get a few things done at work, plus my credit card statement has arrived, which means I can do an expense claim and get money back from work - it's over $1000 - which I need right now.

I make it to the Film Society, which is screening Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control by Errol Morris. A very strange documentary about a lion tamer, a gardener, a robot scientist and a biologist. That somehow works very very well.

On the way down I see some disturbing graffiti. It says 'smash Schenck'. Susan Schenck is a psychology professor at my university - she's doing studies on the long-term effects of MDMA. And she's using rats as subjects. The local animal rights people haven't taken kindly to her - well, one guy anyway. He's already been in trouble for bursting into her lecture theatre to denounce her, and she had to have security guards there for a while. Waaaaay over the top.

On my way home I see a tent set up in Te Aro Park. I'm initially hopeful that it's some sort of land rights issue and that it's the work of 'Brother' (aka the Blanket Man, the half naked Maori homeless guy who is looked on as some kind of visionary by a lot of people). It turns out to be some kind of student thing, no doubt a protest against the probable fee rises of next year. Disappointing. 
| ¶ 8:37 pm