Ooh - ooh ain't it good for you. My own home recipe will see you through (Traffic)

Photo by Myles Tan on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Part 4: What are the patterns I picked up in childhood?

[A pattern is when things happen or appear in a repeated order that you can notice and predict; childhood is roughly the time before puberty]

In many ways the patterns I picked up on before teenagerhood are still with me. That's because they resulted in a couple of epiphanies that came along during that time. They provided the path I have been following ever since.

The patterns have their bedrock in life with my parents and brother at 18 Korma Ave. There were loads of books around, there were loads of records around, we were early adopters of mass media, and technology (dad built our first TV). 

I had a few close friends but I was also reserved as far as that went. There were the usual birthday parties with friends from school or football and my parents friends but no one person stuck until I was a teenager.

Family patterns were set early too. My brother and I were close in those childhood years and we lived in a peaceful, calm house. Our parents clearly loved each other (if there were disagreements, I never heard them). Feelings of trust and gullibility came from this environment. I was closer to mum than dad during these years. I have many of her traits and Ross is a lot like dad with his skills and attributes. That's simplistic, I know, but it's how I see it.

My childhood included many visits to my three grandparents' homes but they seldom came to ours. We were close to mum's Adsett family because she was close to her brothers but we had little to do with the extended Purdy family. I didn't even know about them until my twenties. I don't really know why it was like that.

As a result, I read a lot of comics and books (Marvel and DC, Look & Learn, Shoot and Goal), watched a lot of Television, listened to a lot of music on the radio, played a lot of sport - not just football and tennis but loads of other things like swimming (we had a pool), softball, cricket, singing (I was in the choir at Royal Oak Primary), art (I loved to draw), table tennis and I even played a game of rugby when they were short. I was good at sport and sport was good for me.

Traumas in childhood were few. I pulled a boiling kettle onto myself when I was two. I have the scar on my ankle where the drip was attached but no memory of it - just what mum told me. A large, loud, terrifying pig dog frightened me as mum walked me home along Pah Rd - leading to my deep distrust of dogs. Returning to Auckland from a Sydney holiday, we had a flight that hit really bad turbulence (so bad Ross and I still remember the sensation). That has led to a lifetime of nervous flying.

These patterns led to three key childhood life changing epiphanies :

• Epiphany 1 - At age four I fell in love in love with football.
• Epiphany 2 - Watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
• Epiphany 3 - Deciding on a career as a teacher when I was 12.

Love and peace - Wozza

The pen that writes your life story must be held in your own hand (Irene C. Kassorla)

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Part 3 - What do I like? What do I hate?

I kind of balked at this question in Ryan Holiday's book. I dislike a few things, but I don't hate anything. 

[That Star Wars thing. Yoda points out that "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."]

I've written about my likes before here. If you can't be bothered reading that post here is the Readers' Digest version:

• They fit into various categories like sport: Arsenal F.C.; Rochdale; Pitsburgh Steelers; the All Blacks.
• Music: The Beatles is the obvious one but I am a completist for a large number of artists and labels.
• Films: again Star Wars is obvious but there are many others like Once,
• Books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is calling me for a fifth read through.
• Ephemera: The 'I love...' list at the back of my 2005 journal written while living in England summarises things I'd written about during the year:
• The weather
• The Houses
• 28 Victoria Road, Leigh-on-sea
• Scottish borders
• The trains
• The underground
• People (staff) at school - King John
• The Guardian newspaper
• The Times
• Weather forecasts
• Snow
• Walking - Southend/Hadleigh Castle/ Hockley Woods
• Leigh-on-sea shops at night
• London sun
• Fopp
• Picking one at random - here's an excerpt from 2 January about the Scottish borders:
• The border area remains a real favourite of mine. We stopped at the English/Scottish border - huge winter winds/ a rain shower and gathering gloom from impending night and the mists made this a real highlight! I can't help it. I much prefer autumn and winter to the heat of summer. Gloomy days and early darkness have a lot of appeal. Particularly when allied to the warmth of English houses and pubs.

Much like everyone, I'm multi-faceted and full of contradictions. But I know what I like.

Love and peace - Wozza

Remember, one man's ceiling is another man's floor (Paul Simon)

Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

So, here we are, as promised - this one is about my flaws. I said I'd limit it to the top 100, but let's see where I get to, shall we?

1. Gullibility - I'm quick to believe stories. A current student keeps feeding me tales and I swallow them up every time.
2. Loyalty - it can go either way, be a strength or a flaw, but my tendency is to stick with the tried and true. I inherited this trait from my father. I can't help being influenced by him*. The expression 'loyal to a fault' applies.
3. I also tend to get defensive with negative feedback and criticism. I'm aware of it and I've been working at it over the last couple of decades. It remains a WIP.
4. The obsessive-compulsive side of my personality manifests itself in my music collection. I am a completist with certain artists and labels. It began as a teenager with The Beatles and John Lennon but has spread over the last 30 years. That's it for the emotional/personality flaws. 
5. In terms of social and interpersonal ones I will own up to a reclusive gene, and a struggle with an aspect of phatic communion - small talk. I tend to get awkward in some social settings.
6. A behavioural flaw centres on my fog dwelling. It may appear that I'm absent-minded at times but the reality is that when I'm completely locked in/ focussed I enter into a kind of foggy dream state where nothing else exists. I understand that this can be very frustrating to key people in my life.

How many was that? Six or seven (ha ha). 

Love and peace - Wozza

*BTW it was his birthday on the weekend (he would have been 98). His influence remains strongly with me as you can tell by my frequent mentions in these posts.  

I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be (Joan Didion)

Photo by Vicky Sim on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

The unexamined life is not worth living, according to Socrates, but the examined life isn't a snap either.

Polonius' advice to his son (Be true to yourself) and the Oracle at Delphi's advice (know thyself) are all well and good but knowing yourself is not a breeze.

As Ryan Holiday says, self-awareness is rare and is a pursuit that takes a lifetime.

From time to time, I attempt to explain who I am in this blog. Here's another chapter in that on-going quest.

Ryan suggests some questions in his book Wisdom Takes Work to help work yourself out.

• What are your strengths?
• What are your flaws?
• What do you like? What do you hate?  
• What are the patterns you picked up in childhood?
• How does your mind work? Why does it work that way?
• Who are you, really?

Now I'm not about to answer all of those now, but I'll have a go at them one at a time.

First up: my strengths.

This is interesting because when I've asked others what they think my strengths are, I get surprising answers. Sometimes things I didn't think were my strong points.

For what it's worth, here are my four cents worth:

1. I knew what my purpose in life was from an early stage. I was twelve when I focused on teaching as a career. I have never deviated from that idea, even when a series of failures could have derailed me. This could be called stickability or naive and blinkered. Those all describe me.
2. A clear moral purpose. I learnt early on how right and wrong worked. Sometimes from doing dumb stuff I got to understand what was wrong. My parents were always there as an example of what was right, they still are. I was a lucky boy and they guide me still - what would Graham do? What would Dulcie say?
3. Emotional intelligence. I remain calm, believe everyone is doing the best they can, and I seek first to understand.
4. A reader and a listener - that describes me well. I loved reading from an early age. I still have a few books in my possession that were my favourites as a toddler. My early memories are often around mum taking me to buy books in Remuera, visiting the Onehunga library, or charging through the colours of the SSR readers at Royal Oak Primary. That love has stuck with me - I am always reading at least one book - most often two. Those quiet times reading probably helped me to become a better listener. It's a key skill and I practise it as much as I can.

Next time - my flaws. I'll aim to keep it down to a top 100.

Love and peace - Wozza

It's a family affair (Sly and the Family Stone)

Wie geht's?

Part two of some recent snaps from the whanau get together at Maple Grove, Palmerston North and Wellington. Special times with a special bunch of people. Warning - super cute geekids ahead!

Love and peace - WNP

Wear your love like heaven (Donovan)

Wie gehts?

We're back at Maple Grove after a week away, first in New Plymouth and then with the whanau in an Air BnB in Wellington, where all the grandkids (the cousin crew) turned up. Because we're all distributed in a variety of countries, these are special times and it's great to spend time with these remarkable people.

These days everyone has a phone, so, luckily, everyone has a camera to document these times. Here's a selection from the beauties taken during the week from a variety of people. They show some lovely family moments, captured forever.

Love and peace - Papa

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young)

Fanfa is always aware of the camera.

Wie geht's?

The long-awaited fandamly reunion with Purdettes arriving from 'Stralia and Denver happened this week. It marks the first time that we've ever had the four grandchildren together in one place. Very special!

The g-kids - Billie, Asher, Ivy and Poppy

Love and peace - Wozza

Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, 'I'm possible' (Audrey Hepburn)

Wie geht's?

There were some seismic shifts in the football world this week as the 'Round of 32' played out in thrilling fashion and the Earth tilted slightly off of its axis for a split second with some huge results.

A few key teams like England and Belgium squeaked through after falling behind, but huge players like Germany and the Netherlands exited the tournament via penalty shootouts. Shock horror!!

All of the tweaks to the FIFA World Cup have worked out brilliantly so far. The time wasting and feigned injuries have been largely sorted, two players have been sent off for aggressive acts (covering the mouth while dissing an opponent), VAR is better integrated into games, long-range shots and therefore goals have increased, and the sheer onslaught of games has dramatically increased the daily highs and lows of tournament football.

I'm lovin' it!

Love and peace - Wozza

Floating down, the sound resounds around the icy waters underground (Pink Floyd)

Wie geht's?

As mentioned on Jewels for the Thirsty's 581st edition, this week was really messy. It meant a break in routine, with (shock horror) some days going by without any blogging activity, I had to lean into that situation, then I got a cold and had to take a day off school.

That's never easy either - it's stressful trying to think of relief lessons when your nose is running like a tap. Because I left my school device on my school workspace I had to do relief lessons on my phone. Eugh.

Anyway, the week has gone by in a kind of spacey mad surreal way. A few days in Hamilton with the out-laws while the minister of defense was in hospital (he's back home in New Plymouth as we speak) added to the surrealistic tinge. Then a fuzzy head thanks to the seasonal cold which bizarrely lasted about three days.

All things considered, last week sets me up well for the last week of term ahead. Hopefully, with a clear head, Wow, reality! What a concept.

Love and peace - Wozza 

I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah. Two hundred degrees, that's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit (Queen)

Wie geht's?

When I looked at the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule, I didn't put a ring around Group J's first round game between Jordan v Austria as essential viewing, but I aim to watch as much of every game as I can. So, I tuned in when I got home from school.

Oh my! What a game that was! End to end attack and defense right from the first whistle. It was a magnificent game between two equally matched teams who were both desperate to win. It ended up 3-1 to Austria but that score line tells you nothing about how exciting the game was.

For me, it was easily the best game of the tournament so far (all the teams have now played a game). Jordan were magnificent in defeat. I'll be cheering them on in their next game fersure.

Compare that to the much-vaunted Portugal side with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on the field for the whole game. It was very disappointing. For much of the game he ambled around offside, in the penalty box, waiting for a chance that never came. It was like his team were playing with ten men for the whole game.

So, no Ronaldo goals (yet?), while Kane, Mbappé, Elijah Just, Haaland, and Havertz scored two each and Messi three in their first game. 

Age catches up with us all.

Love and peace - Wozza

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere (Frank A. Clark)

Wie geht's?

The FIFA World Cup is already consuming a lot of my daily attention. It's every four years, so I'm being kind to myself.

It's hard not to be impressed by the stadiums and the spectacle (Flower of Scotland was an awesome moment), but it's the football that I'm loving the most. 

What a great game football is! Generally, it flows, demands attention (it's end to end), and is drama-filled (joy, elation and despair are seconds away).

The changes to speed up the game, and the reduction of the VAR agonies by building those decisions into the game are all paying off. Amazingly, the summer heat does not appear to be affecting the players and their skill level at this highest of stages is gobsmackingly amazing.

And NZ, England, France, Argentina, Portugal and Spain haven't even played their first game yet!

There will be plenty of obstacles along the way in the next few weeks, but one team will rise above the others. It will be absolutely fascinating.

Love and peace - Wozza

Change is the law of life (John F. Kennedy)

Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

The whole quote by JFK was - Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future. AI is certainly happening now and will influence the future big time.

Yes, one of the biggest changes happening in the world today is the spread of AI both for good (developing vaccines against viruses and diseases like Ebola) and for nefarious purposes (deep fakes etc). 

I can only control how I react to it though, and that's by getting along without it as much as possible.

There was a great opinion piece in this week's Guardian Weekly by Wendy Liu titled Why do I avoid AI? Because thinking should be difficult.

She's wary of what she calls 'cognitive offloading'. As she puts it - 'Thinking is the point. I don’t want to get into the habit of avoiding it purely for the sake of convenience'.

More and more I see AI moving insidiously into people's lives. Certainly, my students are coming to rely on it more and more.

Some time ago, I decided not to use AI for my blogposts - either to generate subject matter or to actually write for me. What would be the point of that? 

Like Wendy, I want to be true to myself, or as she puts it - 'taking a path that I think will help me become the kind of person I want to be: someone deeply rooted in the world, who moves with intention and integrity'.

Love and peace - Wozza

In the end, we'll agree, we'll accept, we'll immortalise (Yes)

Wie geht's?

Sport brings out the best and worst in people. 

By any objective measurement, Arsenal F.C. has had a stellar season. Having led the English Premier League for most of the season, Arsenal are now champions. Generally, that's achieved by scoring the most goals, letting in the least and therefore accumulating the most points. That achievement is massive. It's 22 years since we were last champions. That's worth celebrating!

All that, plus we narrowly lost the Champions League final on penalties to PSG, having gone undefeated in that competition until then.

The haters are going to hate though.

They will call our team names (the 'boring' tag long became a badge of honour), support any team that plays against us in the name of 'rivalry', and celebrate our losses. How pathetic.

I will support England in the FIFA World Cup 2026, despite the fact there are non-Arsenal players in the squad. Obviously, I'll also support New Zealand, and Brazil as well - as I always do.

If a former Spurs player, Harry Kane, gets to lift the World Cup trophy, I will be ecstatic.

Every four years we get a chance to celebrate the beautiful game with a global competition. Pity that some of the game's supporters aren't beautiful in their support.

Love and peace - Wozza

To sleep, perchance to dream (Hamlet)

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦
on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

My sleeping patterns are interesting at present - Monday to Friday - sleep right through the night - awaken to the beeps of my phone alarm at 4.30am.

Saturday - a bit meh - shallow sleep mixed in with some REM. No alarm but still wake around 5 after dozing.

Sunday - fitful light sleep right through.

So, as I said to a colleague today - Working Monday to Friday may be taxing on the brain and therefore knackering, but I sleep soundly - which is healthy, right?

To sum up: not working = not knackered = no sleep = unhealthy. 

Another good reason why I won't be retiring soon.

Love and peace - Wozza

Eight miles high (The Byrds)

Photo by Wolf Zimmermann
on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

For the second year in a row, I managed to find a great desktop calendar that has a quote per day on it. I tear them off each day and save up the best ones for my Purdzilla blog. I currently have an overflow. 

Some of my readership like me using quotes in my day to day existence, and some don't.

Those that don't subscribe, I guess, to Ralph Waldo Emerson's statement - 'I hate quotations, tell me what you know'. Ha! That's a great quote!

Here's what I know - I love quotes. I find inspiration in them and the desktop calendar provides a constant stream.

The one for Thursday 21st May for instance was by C.S. Lewis:

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

That's a message and idea I need to be reminded of from time to time. 

Love and peace - Wozza

P.S. Big happy birthdays in May continue with Chris joining Andrew and Fanfa. Happy birthday for the 23rd of May, Chris. 

They say it's yer birthday...

Here's looking at you, kids.

Happy birthday Fanfa.

Wie geht's?

Recently, Samantha and Andrew had their latest birthdays. Since their last round-the-sun celebration, their lives have been altered forever by the birth of their first child.

Nothing prepares you for that explosive moment of unconditional love - when you are 100% charged with the protection and sustenance of another human being. It's real shock and awe territory. 

Three of the Purdettes have handled the transition to parenthood like a boss. I take my hat off to them. They make it look easy (it isn't).  

So, happy birthday to Sam and Drew. In a few years you'll be getting a special breakfast in bed from Billie (warm milky tea and soggy toast loaded with butter) but until then - celebrate good times.

Love and peace - Dad

Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown; waiting for someone or something to show you the way (Pink Floyd)

 

 

Wie geht's?

It's been 50 years since I was in the graduating class of '76 at Mt Albert Grammar. That was a recent shock discovery. Fifty years. Holy fulele!!

All of the guys in that picture (one of two 7th form classes in 1976) have Gold Cards and none of us look the same anymore. I'm in the far right of the third row and I don't look like that youthful 18 year-old now. Another shock.

As I look at that photo I can't help wonder what happened to them all. I'm still in touch with a few via Facebook and I know about Nicky Singh's passing. I wish I didn't know about Nicky, so maybe it's better to be ignorant about their whereabouts.

On one hand, fifty years ago seems like a long time, but in the scheme of things it's a brief moment in time.

Love and peace - Wozza

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make (The Beatles)

Happy MD to DM.

Wie geht's?

Happy Nu Zild Mothers' Day to Jacky, Jade, Ashleigh, and Samantha.

The quote on my calendar for today is one from Ann Landers. It reads:

In the end, it is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves.

Those influential years appear to be quite short - the independence streak hits pretty quickly in toddlerhood and just keeps on going. 

It's interesting watching that develop in our grandchildren. Pretty soon, once starting school, they'll come under the influence of others - friends, teachers, boyfriends, girlfriends...

In those young years, let's say in our first seven, all of the preparation and groundwork is laid for the rest of our lives and we are totally ignorant of it as children. 

For a parent, it's an awesome responsibility.

Love and peace - Papa

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like an apple.

May last year

Wie geht's?

Time flies. Just one year ago most of the Purdy clan were cloistered together in Denver Colorado for the wedding of 2025. So - a very happy one year anniversary to Andrew and Samantha Kalicki.

Crazy. That seems like yesterday. Here is a reminder:

And here's a repeat of my post America post:

The three weeks certainly had travel's usual mix, but I easily listed 26 moments from my travel diary that were mind-blowingly great. However, 26 rosy-tinted moments would be OTT, so - here are my top 10.

10) Celebrating our 41st Wedding anniversary and Jacky's birthday (twice as we crossed the international dateline).

9) Capitola - staying at The Inn at the Depot air B'n'B and dining down by the sea.

8) Babysitting/spending time with Poppy and Asher at 3236 Arapahoe St, Denver.

7) Finding Arsenal kit at the Soccer Warehouse in Anaheim.

6) S'mores at Fanfa/Drew's house with everyone (toasted marshmallow with chocolate inside a Graham cracker).

5) Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland with Jacky, Jade, Chris and Asher.

4) Best scenery - the Big Sur coastline and listening to two whales slapping the water with their fins.

3) Best finds - tough one to select but I've whittled it down to two. Both had that rush of can-I-believe-my eyes. First would be finding copies of three albums by The Cowsills. The best being a copy of Captain Sad for $6 in Wax Trax Records in Denver. Second would be finding a copy of Robert Bly's Iron John book in a secondhand tool store, also in Denver. Another big plus: loved my record shopping expedition with Adam, Ashleigh and Poppy - three generations of record lovers is special.

2) Best Meal - While in Sonoma we drove to Bodega Bay and the Armstrong Woods. Driving back to Petaluma via Highway 116 along the banks of Russian River, we stopped at a roadhouse for lunch - grabbed a pizza slice each and a House Coffee. OMG. It was amazingly good sitting it that almost empty roadhouse having that simple meal with Jacky.

1) A solo father-of-the-bride dance with Samantha to Bruce Cockburn's Wondering Where The Lions Are was my personal number 1 highlight. Some context: when the kids were little I'd wake them up by singing the opening lines to the song:

Sun's up, uuh huh, looks okay
the world survives into another day
and I'm thinking about eternity
some kind of ecstasy got a hold on me.

Samantha clearly remembered that and honoured that memory by choosing it for our dance. It's a moment of ecstasy that I will cherish forever.

 

 

There you go - some great memories. Glad I have this blog to retrace my steps in from time to time.

Love and peace - Wozza (May the 4th be with you, always)

Keep calm and carry on

Photo by Wolfgang Rottmann
on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Living in a 120 year old villa has its fair share of joys and frustrations. 

On ANZAC weekend I found myself locked out of my bathroom. Conveniently, we have two bathrooms - a 'his' and a 'hers'. Somehow the catch had fused into the locked position in the 'his' bathroom door and everything we (visitors joined in the attempt) attempted failed to open the door.

Problem solving suggestions were plentiful: shoulder barge the door (ha ha - yeah right) ; cut a hole in the door (yikes); remove the lock (we tried that without success); break the window (drastic); remove the whole window from outside. Okay.

Removing the window proved harder to do than anticipated but we got there with help from a crowbar after taking off the hinges. Luckily they were on the outside of the window.

Phew. what a mish.

Keeping calm and carrying on was the ticket to success in this case (and in so many others). That slogan from 1939 is a beauty.

Love and peace - Wozza

Happy anniversary baby, got you on my mind (Little River Band)

Happy birthday Dulcie! (Photo credit: Graham Purdy)

Wie geht's?

Quite a few April anniversaries happen that need some commentary. 

There are plenty of happy occasions to celebrate. We've had my parents wedding anniversary (on the 18th in 1953), Jacky and my wedding anniversary (on the 21st in 1984), and mum's birthday (on the 23rd in 1930).

There are also two losses of life anniversaries in April: Lucy Adsett, a.k.a Ma (on the 3rd in 1974) and our dear friend - Margo Buchanan-Oliver (on the 25th in 2018).

I know these are just names and dates to the blogosphere, and that a lot of others celebrate their own anniversaries as they come up but clearly without Lucy and her daughter Dulcie Adsett and then her wedding to the strapping young pharmacist Graham Purdy, you would not be reading this, because I would not exist.

That's a huge debt of gratitude I owe all three.

That Earth-shattering event in 1984 also means that our four children exist and consequently, our four grandchildren also exist. So, I think you'll agree, that one is worth a massive celebration as well.

Love and peace - WNP

Have you heard the news? (Frank Zappa)

Wie geht's?

Recent weeks have seen three big news stories in NZ: Cyclone Vaianu; the voyage of Artemis II; and the war in Iran.

Trying to get some objective news on all three has been difficult.

The NZ media sensationalised the approaching Cyclone (a.k.a. a hurricane if you live in some areas of the northern hemisphere) and with our memories of Cyclone Gabrielle still in our minds, we worried about it of course.

As to the other two stories - I've taken to buying The Guardian Weekly again for in depth coverage of major events.

Frinstance - the most recent edition gave a clear-eyed run down on the election in Hungary. I felt informed! A rare thing in these days of unrelenting biased social media feeds.

Lately, I have managed to get a copy each week from Paper Plus in Havelock North (a handy walk from school) or Whitcoulls in Hastings.

I love the Guardian Weekly. It has even had an upgrade in format since I bought it last. Wahoo! 

Love and peace - Wozza

They say it's your birthday (The Beatles)

Wie geht's?

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, When I'm mmmmm mmm? (The Beatles)

Four and a half years ago I used the same line for myself, now it's JFP's turn.

Join with me in a huge rendition of Happy Birthday to Jacky today from all the fandamly and friends around the planet.

Love and peace - Woz