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Home / New Zealand

Sideswipe: Nov. 30: This guitar's way out of tune

NZ Herald
29 Nov, 2011 04:30 PM2 mins to read

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All you need is three chords and the truth. Photo / Supplied

All you need is three chords and the truth. Photo / Supplied

Opinion

Seller's sign says: "Needs minor repair. Suit beginner." Seems a little optimistic. Taken at the Thames market by Rochelle.

Wonders of technology
A reader writes: "My brother and his best mate, both in their mid sixties, spent a fortnight in Opua doing maintenance on their yachts. His mate had recently bought
a new cellphone to keep in touch with his wife at home. A day or so after they arrived the phone died and he decided to have another phone sent by courier. The day before the new phone arrived they had another look and realised it had simply been switched off."

Be careful what you wish for
...Louise Hilton writes: "A couple of years ago our 8-year-old grand-daughter asked her grandad what he would like for Christmas. Grandad replied: 1. a bucket full of nothing. 2. A long wait. 3. Wet paint. 4. Soft eggs. Grandad received: 1. A plastic bucket with holes in the bottom and nothing in it. 2. A long piece of steel on a rope. 3. A small jar of wet paint. 4. A chocolate egg."

No dishwasher, no deal
Lisa interviewed a young applicant who wanted to move into our apartment as they travel three hours every day and our flat was across the road from where they work. "They didn't move in - because we wash dishes by hand and they can't live without a dishwasher." Anyone else got funny stories on laziness paradoxes?

Thank goodness for plastic
Nearly the last scar story: "I am nearly 64 and have at least 10 scars on my body," writes John Cooper of Whangarei. "One of the first was when I was about 13. No plastic shampoo bottles in those days, all glass. Our family had a big cast iron bath and I stripped off and 'slid' down the slopping end on to the broken shampoo bottle I'd failed to see. Today I can still feel the searing pain as I sliced my bottom. Lucky it wasn't dead centre."

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Tales of unexpected on hold
The bunny picture (hanging off the front of the Ute) and the scar stories were a bit much for some readers so I have taken heed and won't publish any more ... till after Christmas, when the rest of the tales of surviving misfortune and idiocy will be published.

Discover more

Opinion

Sideswipe: Nov 22: Poke your nose and ears here

21 Nov 04:30 PM
Opinion

Sideswipe: Nov 23: Political shoo-in

22 Nov 04:30 PM
Opinion

Sideswipe: Nov 25: Teenspeak troubles

24 Nov 04:30 PM
Opinion

Sideswipe: Nov 28: Sugary treats

27 Nov 04:30 PM
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