But I digress. Embarking on mastering the ABCs of journalism also was challenging.
If I thought covering the waterfront rounds (ships, seas and sailors) was a trifle boring, I had another thing coming.
On the bumper-to-bumper road to profiling a Taiwanese (or was it Japanese) submarine at the Suva port one day I was rudely diverted to cover an after-school accident where a 10-wheeler truck had crushed an 8-year-old schoolgirl, who had lost her footing when a peer accidentally pushed her while they were horsing around on the walk to home.
I was a mess when I returned to the office, my fingers trembling on the keyboards of the rickety typewriter amid the cacophony of phones ringing.
But I coped. Courts, council meetings, parliamentary proceedings and countless cheque presentations followed but somehow, miraculously, I negotiated those on account of the odd murder/assault/crash or military coups to jolt me into a sense of realism.
I eventually "graduated" (it was a promotion in those days) to page designing and subediting to build a comprehensive resume.
Not surprisingly, though, I found myself gravitating to sport almost a decade after migrating to New Zealand.
Yes, the intriguing world of erratic politicians, transparent confidence tricksters, supposedly disenfranchised farmers, sandal wood poachers and anti-nuke protestors kept the arousal levels high.
However, sport offered a sense of escapism other rounds simply couldn't match.
How else do you explain the snippets of life experiences that have a tendency to break the humdrum of our daily routine.
For argument's sake, let's look at the TV gaffe on flying a shortlisted alternative flag during the Black Caps versus Zimbabwe cricket mismatch this week.
It must have made the anti-current New Zealand flag mob chuckle (some still fly derivatives of such alternative flags outside their homes).
Was it a case of ignorance or a cheeky political manoeuvre?
Either way its cameo appearance made a resounding statement, one that clearly identified with everything Kiwi.
What can we make of Hawke's Bay Magpie Michael Allardice's homophobic slur under the Chiefs' banner this week?
Deplorable, no doubt, and the 24-year-old lock's apologies have been duly and commendably served alongside those from the franchise. That he took ownership to remove anyone casting aspersions on his teammates is laudable, too.
It's a badge of blunder Allardice will wear for some time for an oversight that has unceremoniously turfed him into the deep end of a hot spring of social intolerance of the minority.
Of course, stripper Scarlette's further allegations of inappropriate touching has pushed the code up there with rugby league misdemeanours.
Is Mad Monday to blame for that or is it simply another example of providence?
Again, sport, in an uncanny sort of way through an unsuspecting Allardice, is providing a platform where the country's No1 code sits in terms of addressing not only homophobia but racial prejudices and boorish sideline behaviour.
But the inappropriate remarks have had a far wider-reaching effect as gay lobby groups demand he undergo counselling and, with the franchise and NZRU, hold community meetings to remedy such preconceptions.
The jury is out on two other cases until this weekend.
What will the Hurricanes do with benched boy Julian Savea?
Let's face it, winger Cory Jane did little and even when he was supposed to tag Savea on to the field in the second half he made a hash of that, too.
All Black coach Steve Hansen was never going to throw Savea on the scrap heap and rightly so.
While that gesture is bonus points for humanity does it do anything for transparency and accountability based on one's performance?
That takes me to the choice of Glen Jackson as a referee for the Super Rugby final in Wellington tonight. You see, like it or not, it's more than just a game between the Canes and the Lions from South Africa.
It's a snapshot of what constitutes fairplay not just in rugby-dom but society, never mind that Jackson is suitably qualified and, presumably, immune to crowd intimidation.
In the eyes of South Africa, should the Lions fail, justice should not just be done but seen to be done.
How hard is it to recruit a neutral ref from Australia?
Ah, that's why sport is politics and best equipped to provide a platform for moral and ethical issues.
