User talk:Maxwell Smart123321/Archives/2021/September

30 days period

Hey Max, remember to reactivate your Twitter account, as past the 30 day mark of a deactivated Twitter account, you will lose all your followers and your username as well. Hope you're doing well, sending love and care your way.

Twitter: Deactivated accounts can be reactivated within 30 days of deactivation by logging in with the account username (or email address) and password on twitter.com or through your Twitter for iOS or Android app. Read detailed instructions on how to reactivate your account.[1] shanghai.^{talk to me} 07:52, 27 August 2021 (UTC)

Hi thanks for letting me know. Hope you are doing well. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:40, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Doing well, hope school isn't treating you too harshly. Just don't want there to be anymore bad blood, all love here. <3 shanghai.^{talk to me} 06:00, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

@RogueShanghai Thank you luv. I appreciate it. I do apologise for everything that happened I was not in a good mental space and took it out on Katy. I guess I thought I was joking but I was just not in the best mental space. Truth is I love her and she was one of my first stans I grew up with her work and Smile was actually one of my favourite albums of 2020. I think I was just mad and took it all out on whatever I saw. Hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Love, me. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:23, 1 September 2021 (UTC)

James Bond

You'll see I've added a sentence in George's bio about his being considered as James Bond; even being considered is a significant development in his career and I suspect ought to be mentioned. As good as George would be in the role, I think Regé-Jean Page would also be excellent, and perhaps it's time to have a man of colour portray Bond. George could widen his acting scope by playing a Bond villain perhaps, although it's quite difficult to envision him as a bad guy (just as Tom Hanks was ludicrous playing a hit man in Road to Perdition). Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:03, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Wes! Love the addition. I agree a coloured Bond would be so cool!! I agree George would honestly make a good villain. Would love to see him branch out more into American films perhaps for more mainstream recognition. Can't wait to see what the future holds for his career! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:40, 2 September 2021 (UTC)

Reply

@Maxwell King123321: Apologies; only saw the last message now in my notifications. It's fine; I don't blame you for being stressed out and tired, and I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me for the really negative things that I had said as well. Life is life; we get tired and angry and exhausted sometimes and that's okay. Hope you see this. -Rogue shanghai.^{talk to me} 08:38, 3 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Rogue. Of course there are no hard feelings. Although I would like to say that for now, I won't be returning to Twitter. Hope you can understand and accept my choice. Just for now I need to work on my mental health a lot more. Thanks for understanding. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:25, 3 September 2021 (UTC)

Wolf

I've added a little more info about the plot of Wolf (2021 drama film) on its page, based on this website from the Toronto Film Fest https://tiff.net/events/wolf, sounds like a bonkers and fascinating film but maybe a bit brutal too, will see what the reviews say, cheers Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 17:34, 3 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Wes! Looks really good! Might add the page to my watchlist closer to the release date that way we can stop any unwanted vandalism. I am actually looking forward it looks like it will be interesting. Hope you're doing well! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:25, 3 September 2021 (UTC)

Thanks Max, let's both add it to our watch lists. Hope school is going well for you, happy Spring for you coming up. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:36, 4 September 2021 (UTC)

Unfortunately we are on lockdown. :( We went back a couple weeks ago because of the Delta variant so I can't enjoy the sunshine at all ahaha. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:40, 4 September 2021 (UTC)

New Role for GMac

Well, he's keeping busy, just saw this ... https://deadline.com/2021/09/michael-socha-thomas-turgoose-george-mackay-tom-burke-a24-period-drama-1234828709/ Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:56, 9 September 2021 (UTC)

WOW! I am a sucker for period dramas so I cannot wait! Stuff like Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice are some of my absolute favourites. I am glad he is branching out this way. Soon we can put "established actor" surely! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:17, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

Your submission at Articles for creation: Skinny Dipping (song) (September 10)

Your recent article submission to Articles for Creation has been reviewed! Unfortunately, it has not been accepted at this time. The reason left by Robert McClenon was:  The comment the reviewer left was: Please check the submission for any additional comments left by the reviewer. You are encouraged to edit the submission to address the issues raised and resubmit when they have been resolved.

• If you would like to continue working on the submission, go to Draft:Skinny Dipping (song) and click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window.
• If you now believe the draft cannot meet Wikipedia's standards or do not wish to progress it further, you may request deletion. Please go to Draft:Skinny Dipping (song), click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window, add "{{Db-g7}}" at the top of the draft text and click the blue "publish changes" button to save this edit.
• If you do not make any further changes to your draft, in 6 months, it will be considered abandoned and may be deleted.
• If you need any assistance, or have experienced any untoward behavior associated with this submission, you can ask for help at the Articles for creation help desk, on the reviewer's talk page or use Wikipedia's real-time chat help from experienced editors.

Robert McClenon (talk) 06:29, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

Hello, Maxwell King123321! Having an article declined at Articles for Creation can be disappointing. If you are wondering why your article submission was declined, please post a question at the Articles for creation help desk. If you have any other questions about your editing experience, we'd love to help you at the Teahouse, a friendly space on Wikipedia where experienced editors lend a hand to help new editors like yourself! See you there! Robert McClenon (talk) 06:29, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

More Wolf

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/most-anticipated-fall-festival-films-2021-venice-tiff-nyff-1234657731/ has a short preview-review of Wolf that predicts it will be impressive:

• “Wolf” (TIFF) In October 2020, a curious news brief hit the wire: Focus Features had picked up the rights to Nathalie Biancheri’s third film, which follows a young man (George MacKay) who believes he’s a wolf trapped in a human body. The film, of course, is called “Wolf,” and the straight-forward nature of that title hints at the full commitment on display in the highly original and deeply felt final product, which also includes turns from Lily-Rose Depp and Paddy Considine. Set mostly at a rural clinic for people suffering from “species dysphoria” — a real condition — “Wolf” follows Jacob (MacKay) as he alternately embraces and resists his treatment, surrounded by others who feel just like him (one patient believes he’s a squirrel, another thinks she’s a horse, and so on). Nefarious Dr. Mann (Considine) and his helpers bemoan the lack of empathy the world shows his patients, but little of it is to be found in the clinic itself — even as Biancheri’s film inspires it in her audience. MacKay is tasked with a two-fold toughie: his emotional life is as fraught as his physical one, and the rising star needs to convey internal pain alongside a challenging external performance, including numerous scenes that see him embracing his wolf-y side and then being punished for doing just that. A curious, fierce drama about self-discovery, “Wolf” seems poised to break out big time at TIFF, before going on to a fall release. —KE

It opens in theatres in the USA early in December; maybe you can check to see when and where down your way. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 04:11, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

I hope we are off lockdown by that time. Not sure if you heard as my talk page archives quite fast, but we went back into lockdown recently and they shut in person university for me so everything has moved online which is stressful. But maybe I can use an online site or something. The preview sounds so cool! Honestly it's shaping to be such a good film! Can't seem to find anything about New Zealand release dates but things have been delayed since the lockdown so that may be why (?). I've been listening to so many Christmas songs lately, I can't believe its September, nearly October! This year has gone by like a flash! Best, Max. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 05:58, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

Max: Sorry about your Skinny Dipping Song article! They've rejected stuff from me in the past too. Christmas songs, ugghhhh; at least up here they generally wait until November to start playing them! Sorry about your lockdown. I've been working remotely since March 2020, and my company's building here won't be open until February or March 2022, so I sympathize with you. With more variants circulating, I wonder if this pandemic cycle will ever end. Cheers, Wes. (And I do very much appreciate you taking the time to chat back and forth with me, my Kiwi friend!) Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 07:01, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Wes, not to worry about the article I think its because the song is a day old so there aren't any good sources yet. It will most likely be made by someone else you know how some editors can be very bias and such. And I loveeeee Mariah Carey as you might have noticed from my talk page so I have to lay off her Christmas discography until now. And that sounds intense about the building! 2022 is so far yet so near haha! Have you been vaccinated yet? I haven't yet I think my mum want me to wait a little bit I believe; my sister is very anti-vaccine so it might be a while haha. But I think it might be a good idea to be vaccinated. And same I love replying back it feels great to know that someone else from another country is going through similar things. Sometimes it can feel lonely on this side of the world haha. Have a great evening! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 07:56, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

hey Max: I very much believe in science/medicine (I work for a big German company that makes medical devices, such as CT scanners, MRI machines, x-ray machines, etc.), so yeah I got the vaccine as soon as it was available in my state (Pennsylvania -- I live near Philadelphia). That was the Moderna jab, the 1st in March, the 2nd in April. No side effects, and my family and I have been healthy throughout the pandemic (my wife and two kids also got vaccinated). I encourage you to do so, unless you have a medical reason not -- in our community we've seen otherwise healthy but unvaccinated teenagers and young adults like yourself become ill and even die from COVID, so even young people aren't immune, as you know. (Sorry for the unsolicited advice Max, I'm just speaking as a concerned Dad / Uncle who has kids and nephews around your own age, and that's what I've told them as well. Due to our chats, I have come to care about your well-being, of course, and I'd hate to hear that you became ill with it, especially since even a mild case can have long-term effects on the body and brain.) What reason does your sister have, if you don't mind my asking? Sadly, in the US the jab has become an ideological issue for many on the political far-right (the trumpers, as we call them, even though trump and his wife got the jabs themselves).

Sorry if you feel a bit isolated in NZ. I've never visited the Southern Hemisphere (Mexico is as far south as I have ever been in my life), and I imagine living in your country, as beautiful as it is, might make you feel remote. I'm sure NZ isn't a perfect nation, no place is, but I do admire your relatively peaceful society where I presume you can get around without much fear of becoming the victim of gunshots. Here, it is in our minds all the time that any stranger we meet outside our home might have a gun with them and might shoot for any reason. There are large parts of the city of Philadelphia, for example, that we wouldn't dare enter, especially at night, because there is so much active gunfire. In some parts of this country the worship of firearms has become essentially idolatry; sad to say the right to possess firearms has been embedded in our federal constitution since the 1790s, and as interpreted by our right-leaning federal supreme court, it is practically impossible to ban guns in any jurisdiction here. There are many great things about the United States, but there is a kind of ideological sickness too. It's been said that our Civil War (1861-1865) is still being fought politically, and that's sadly true. And I'm not saying that as a political left-winger either, I am really quite moderate in my political leanings. Sorry for all the whining ... well, keep in touch anytime you want mate. Wes, Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 12:30, 10 September 2021 (UTC) (Do you live on North Island or South Island?)

BTW, here is a wiki article I created from scratch a few years ago under a different wiki user name; it's probably the least dry article I've written on wiki ... it's about two of my favorite subjects, law and baseball ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Common_Law_Origins_of_the_Infield_Fly_Rule Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 13:21, 10 September 2021 (UTC)

Aw thank you Wes! That means a lot it feels great talking to you I can see you have a lot of experience in life and it means a lot. I really appreciate it! Also on the subject of the vaccine I got my mum to book ours for this coming Tuesday! I will let you know how it goes! As for my sister, she is not as liberal as me so she has quite strict and narrow views on things (funny she's a Trump supporter). As for NZ yeah it can be very quiet here. I'm kinda mad they delay so much here; because of our lockdown we've missed out on a Marvel movie which I love and I'm kinda mad they didn't release it on streaming services which is crazy. And that is true about the gun laws. From what we see it definitely looks like it can be so dangerous especially with all the incidents that happened last year I do feel for you guys. As a child I used to want to live in the USA because all my favourite computer games originated there but now I see perhaps it can be a blessing living far away from all of that. Although one New York is a dream destination of mine. I've been looking into journalism as a career option and I think that is something I want to continue so New York would be first on my list. Even Las Vegas! And I live in the North Island (Auckland City) and since it is the biggest city, we are at the highest point of the lockdown in comparison the other countries. And your article looks so good you've been editing for a while that's so coooool! I went to a Rugby game before a couple weeks before lockdown and where sports may not be my thing (I tend to be a reader more ahaha) I loved the environment and the atmosphere. Watching it on TV is so different. Anyway sorry for my rambling, have a good day! I will keep you updated with my vaccine. Best, Max. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:55, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

Yup, good luck with the vaccine and please let me know how it goes Max. If you ever do visit New York City, and care to meet me there for lunch, let me know ... it is only a 90-minute drive from our house and my wife and I go up there a lot. Although it's the largest city in the US, it has a relatively low rate of violent crime. I've walked around Manhattan after midnight and felt safer than walking around other American cities during the day (I have also lived/worked/attended Uni in Boston, Massachusetts (wonderful city); Detroit, Michigan (a very, very dangerous city); a small city in Minnesota (horribly cold); and as well doing a term at the London School of Economics (London is my favourite city in the world ... I envy George living there)). And don't worry about rambling Max ... happy to read your rambling any time! Take care, cheers, Wes Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:38, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

Beautiful city you've got there Max! https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auckland_City_Of_Sails_(1275841961).jpg

Update had to change the vaccine day to Thursday because I have a test on Wednesday and I don't want any complications to arise. Also yes!! New York really sounds beautiful. On that same note London would be fabulous too. As you know I'm a massive Harry Potter fan and I would love to go to Hogwarts one day! That's so lucky you got to work there!!!! Also yes it can be beautiful on its day... too bad we're on lockdown I miss the ocean.

Also sending my thoughts to you and the rest of the US on this day (technically it might be a day early) for the 9/11 disaster. Cannot believe it has been 20 years I wasn't born when it happened but Mariah Carey outlines a lot of her reception to the disaster in her memoir (she had released a movie on the same day which did terribly in critical reception) and it sounds like it was a hard time for everyone. In case you wanted to read about it here: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9627906/mariah-carey-glitter-justice-retrospective/ I remember one of my English teachers saying a couple years back that everyone even the students just sat and watched horrified at the footage. It sounds intense! Hope everything is fine now. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:08, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

I don't want to bombard you with messages Max, but it's 22:22 here and I'm watching the Philadelphia baseball team on TV as I usually do evenings and it's quite convenient to reply right away with my laptop in front to me! Thanks for the kind words Max, about 9/11. I was working in Philadelphia at the time, about 90 miles away from New York City, and it is the most horrible/memorable day of my life, as far as public events. It changed the world, and not for the better. From a lawyer's perspective, it certainly has eroded civil liberties here, and in the UK, and probably in most developed nations. You can pull up the news footage from that day on youtube if you care to do so. It's especially terrible to watch the second plane fly into the World Trade Center live, as we saw it that morning on TV, and then watch the towers fall down, knowing that you had actually, in real time, witnessed thousands of people die in an instant. It was stunning beyond belief to those of us who grew up thinking the United States was the mightiest country in the world and could never be attacked successfully.

My grandparents lived in New York, and when I visited them as I kid I would often go up to the observation deck of the North Tower, 1000+ feet above the street. It was my favourite place in New York, not just because of the endless views, but because it was so far above the traffic that it was beautifully quiet up there. All you could hear was the wind. After 9/11, I had nightmares for several years about being up on top of the North Tower, as I used to do as a kid, and being trapped up there after the plane hit the tower. My cousin was a NYC police officer, and worked for a year afterwords retrieving body parts from the wreckage. He still can't bring himself to talk about it, and I don't blame him. You guys born after 9/11 were born into a different world for sure, kind of like those of us born in the decades after WWII were born into a different world too.

The former site of the twin towers are now a wretchedly-designed (I think) memorial that I can't even bear to visit any more. It consists of two pools, one on the exact site of each tower, with water flowing down into a large square opening. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum#/media/File:North_Tower_Fountain_National_September_11_Memorial_&_Museum_(Sept._17,_2011).jpg They remind me of souls being sucked down a drain, with no hopeful symbolism at all. Another reason I can't bear to go there is that the actual area where you must walk was piled with hundreds of shattered corpses that day, and I just don't like being at such a deathly place. Bad vibes, and all that. You may know that it is near the southern tip of Manhattan; when we visit NYC now, we go only to the middle and north of Manhattan, miles from the WTC site. I was never in the military, and grew up in a peaceful, safe neighbourhood, so I had never witnessed any death or violence like that.

Sorry for all the downer, but I know my kids, who were babies then, did want to hear what it was like that day from my wife and me, and I thought you might have been curious too. Anyway, I'll get out of your hair for the rest of the day, and sorry for my babbling! Good night from Pennsylvania Max. Wes. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 02:51, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

Wow Wes! What a horrible day that must have been for you and your family. Will definitely keep you guys in my prayers and thoughts tomorrow. And please don't worry I love hearing and reading your outlook and point of view, I do not mind at all. Guess it's time for me to pop off to sleep. Good night,,, Max! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 12:02, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

20 Questions

Hey Max, when I told my kids that I have a "pen pal" in NZ, they said "You should play 20 questions with him." That is a game they do with a new online acquaintance in which you ask the other person 20 (or so) questions. The other person can decline to answer some questions if they want, but if they choose to answer a question then they must answer it accurately. In turn, they can then ask you 20 (or so) questions, which may include some of the same ones you asked them. If you want to give it a try, here are my questions to you:

1. What is your favourite colour? Grass green, neon purple and pastel blue.

2. Do you have earthquakes where you live? We have but I think I slept through them lol

3. Have you ever visited Australia? Yes, twice; once in 2006 and then in 2014; we did the full tour the first time and then only Gold Coast in 2014

4. If so, have you been face-to-face with a live kangaroo? Once (I think, not entirely sure)

5. If you were a new student at Hogwarts, into which House would you be placed by the Sorting Hat? (My kids tell me that the Hat would put me into Slytherin, because "all the kids who later became lawyers were in Slytherin"!) I have done the online test many times and Ravenclaw is my constant house so I would most likely go there. Haha, yes most politicians tend to be Slytherin.

6. What is your favourite novel? Either The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (It's a Hunger Games spin-off), Divergent or Animal Farm by George Orwell. Oh and I also really liked To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

7. Are there actually wild kiwi birds living all around NZ? Yes MANY! I have seen a couple in the forest actually once when we went pinecone picking.

8. Did you learn to do the Haka in school? I have learnt a couple different versions; we went on a school mission trip to Tanzania Africa in 2017, so I did it there for the people to share our NZ culture with them. We also went to share the Gospel and did a couple plays.

9. Do all boys in NZ learn to do the Haka in school? Not all but most people know the basic ones

10. Apart from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who is your favourite H.P. character? Remus Lupin (One of Harry Potter's father's best friends) is my favourite character of all time in any novel. He is so relatable and there is this quite famous fan-fiction called "All the Young Dudes" which is well known and it is told from his perspective. It is written in a way you cannot tell it is a fanfic but rather it seems very realistic as if JK Rowling actually wrote it herself.

11. Do you have a pet animal at home? Nah not really an animal person although my younger sister has a bird.

12. Do you have a favourite poet/poem? Emily Dickinson; her poem: "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"

13. Can you say a sentence in Māori? Kia ora koutou katoa (Greetings to three or more people)

14. Do you think it would be weird if you were up here over Christmas and experienced Christmas in cold temperatures with snow? It probably would be a little different but I think it would be a great experience! I've only ever touched snow once in the South Island a couple years back.

15. Where is the highest place above sea level you have ever been (not airplanes, but a mountain or a high structure)? I think on Mount Kilimanjaro we went quite high but I have been in the Sky Tower many times.

16. Do people eat kiwi birds? (Sorry if that's a stupid question, but I have no idea.) Haha no we don't because they're natives and considered sacred

17. A few years ago when your country voted on a new flag, did you think they should keep the current one or adopt the proposed one? Definitely prefer the original; don't know why people would suggest changing it - I think majority of NZ was against it as well

18. In NZ do kids do "trick or treat" on Halloween? They do but I personally do not participate in it as my parents brought me up against it

19. What is your favourite book of the Old Testament? I love Hosea and the overall extended metaphor it exhibits; Psalms is also a personal favourite I have been reading that a lot lately to help get through Uni

20. Have you ever seen a baseball game? (I know there is some baseball in NZ but probably not a lot!). Never in person but I have seen some on TV but I'm not a massive sports fan but I don't mind sailing.

Feel free to ask questions to me as well (which may include some or all of the non-NZ-specific ones above, or others that you may come up with). Cheers, Wes

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 21:30, 11 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Wes! Yes I have played that game many times! I put my answers next to the questions. Here are my questions:

>Thanks, great questions. Here are my rather wordy answers:

1. Favourite colour(s)?

• >Green green green! Must be the Irish part of me!<

2. Favourite part about being a lawyer?

• >Being a peacemaker by conciliating or settling conflicts by creatively crafting an agreement that both sides think is fair to them. I am about as non-confrontational a lawyer as you will ever find. <

3. Have You seen the Harry Potter movies or read the books? If so, who are you favourite character(s)?

• >I read the first and last books, and have seen all of the films, probably more than once. Like you, I really like Lupin ... both the character and the actor who played him. I think the books are a work of genius, and I suspect that kids will still be reading them 200 and 300 years in the future! I also like Dumbledore, and toward the end I came to have a lot of sympathy for Draco, because I think his father emotionally abused him, and when he couldn't bring himself to kill Dumbledore or betray Harry to the witch, I came to like him to a large degree. I think over the span of the books he matured into a thinking young man, although certainly not a perfect one.<

4. Favourite Mariah Carey song?

• >Sorry sorry mate, I don't listen to her stuff! My kids do, but I don't. I know she is a wonderful singer, but I'm not into her type of songs. (See next answer for more info.)<

5. Do you have a favourite singer or band?

• >I really, really love classical music, more than any other music. For modern music, my tastes run to stuff that was popular when I was younger ... 70s and 80s stuff. I really like the Thompson Twins, for example, Jackson Brown, and a guy you might not know ... Todd Rundgren. Some old Beatles stuff too (not so much Rolling Stones). (Here is one of my favourite Todd Rundgren songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjMKz0wCGmw.)

6. Favourite film and TV Series?

• >I have several favourite films: in no specific order, "1917" (you should see it soon ... George was brilliant in his role and should have won a bunch of acting awards for it -- when my family and I were driving home from the movie theatre after seeing it, we all kind of looked at each other and said "Who is that guy? He's a fabulous actor!" We weren't familiar with George before that.);

• Kenneth Branagh's version of "Henry V" from the late 1980's; another 1980's film called "Glory," about African-American soldiers in the US Civil War; some American law-related films from the 1950s-1960s: "Judgment at Nuremburg;" and "Twelve Angry Men." Also two other World War I films: "Paths of Glory" by Kubrick, and "All Quiet on the Western Front." I especially like the latter (and the novel) because it tells the story of WW I from the point of view of a teenage German soldier. I am proudly of both Scots-Irish and German ancestry, and so have great sympathy for the boys who served in both the Royal and the German Imperial armies in that war. Finally, I like "Breaker Morant," about Aussie soldiers in the second Boer War and how they were scapegoated by the Brits. (For a completely unmilitary guy, I sure do like war films!)<

• >TV: I am not a big TV viewer (except for baseball games). For example, I only ever saw one episode of "Game of Thrones" and was disgusted by the violence and never watched it again. My all-time favourite TV series is "Malcolm in the Middle," maybe because I am the oldest of three brothers and a lot of the plots are similar to what I saw growing up!<

7. One place you would love to visit?

• >I love visiting Ireland and Britain, and have been over there dozens of times. I haven't yet been to Scotland, however, and would like to go up there. And yes, I would really love to visit your country too (more so than Australia), except for the long flights to get there! I've been to China three separate times, and the 14-15 hour flights to and from the US just about killed my back! If I could teletransport myself to NZ I'd do it for sure.<

8. Favourite New Testament book?

• >Gospel by John, and Letter to the Romans. I also like the end of Revelations, about the new Jerusalem and God wiping away the tears, and the sea giving up the dead in it. (Other parts of Revelations are quite unsettling, as you know.) I like the part in Romans in which St. Paul talks about how he wants to do the right thing but sometimes he just can't! I really identify with that! (BTW, my favourite Old Testament book is Ecclesiastes.)<

9. Would you ever want to live in another time period?

• >Yes, several past time periods, but with a caveat. I would want to be able to snap my fingers and instantly return to my present life if I got into danger. That being said, the 1920's in the United States would be really interesting to me. Parts of the Middle Ages too, but I suspect the sights and smells would probably knock me over. I would say I would like to go back to the time of Jesus and hear Him preach in person (if I understood Aramaic, of course), but going back there knowing that in fact he is the Son of God would surely make me faint in His presence!<

10. Worst novel you have ever read and why?

• >Oh man, that's a great question. I have a hard time with pre-20th-century novels. One of the worst was something called "The House of the Seven Gables" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_the_Seven_Gables) which I had to read in school when I was 14. It was unbearable Victorian gibberish, I thought then anyway. I don't like Dickens either, sad to say, because he goes on and on and on. But the absolute worst is "Ulysses" by James Joyce. I've tried to read it three separate times as an adult and have never gotten past 200 pages. It eventually just becomes a bunch of non-sequiturs strung together and a total waste of time, I think.<

11. Best novel you have ever read and why?

• >Two or three best, I think. "The Great Gatsby" by Fitzgerald. "Empire of the Sun" by JG Ballard. "Lord of the Flies" by Golding. Gatsby because it is a well-put-together story with interesting and sympathetic (well some of them) characters, and because of the final line, which may be the best final line of any novel in the English language: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (and Max, if you read Gatsby and don't quite get the final line, don't worry, I think nobody under the age of 30 or 35 can really get it because a person needs to have done a certain amount of living as an adult before feeling the real sting that line brings) ... Empire of the Sun because Ballard is my favourite fiction writer, and he so well represents the awful world that his young hero, Jim, encounters alone in Shanghai in WWII; and Lord of the Flies, in spite of it being a "high school" book, is one of the most vivid descriptions of an environment I've ever read, and because of the Christian symbolism in the plot and among the characters.<

12. Favourite Hymn + modern Christian song?

• >I'm an Anglican-Protestant Christian, and like old Anglican hymns the best. "Come Down O Love Divine" is my favourite; we had it sung at our wedding service, and I've told my kids I would like it sung at my funeral too, whenever that happens. The lyrics, which are ancient, really capture for me the longing for the Holy Spirit that Christians have. Modern ... our church is pretty "traditional" and doesn't have the praise band genre of sacred music, so not really into modern Christian songs.<

13. Do you have any pets as well?

• >Three female cats at our house (Zelda, Daisy, and Molly). We had a boy cat (Peeta) until recently, but one of our kids took him to live with her at her flat. We are a cat family for sure!<

14. Thoughts on 2019 college admissions bribery scandal?

• >Woo, you hit a sore spot with this question! I really, really, really dislike the practice of many "elite" US Universities to admit undergrad students on non-academic grounds: athletes; kids of celebrities and politicians; kids of wealthy donor families; and kids whose parents attended the university ("legacies"). That is loathsome, and the bribery scandal showed just how easy it is to manipulate the process.

• It happens in England too! One of my nephews did a post-grad degree at Cambridge, and I visited him there when he was a student. He took me to formal dinner one night at his college. I happen to sit next to a nice lady, who told me that her son was an undergrad at Cambridge and her daughter was an undergrad at Oxford, and their family had moved from across the world to England when her kids were younger specifically so they could attend those unis. I asked her "how did you know they would be admitted to Cambridge and Oxford"? and she matter-of-factly said "because we are a wealthy family and gave each university millions of pounds." I was so shocked I could have fallen onto the floor, but she then said something like "Look, when you are as wealthy as we are that's just how it happens." (I verified later that indeed her family is extremely wealthy.)

• I also did a post-grad degree at an "elite" (haha) uni here, and I laugh and laugh when they send me letters asking for contributions. If they changed their system to admit academically-qualified kids on a lottery basis as undergrads, I could support that, but the sports people and alumni and wealthy donors would scream bloody murder if they tried that. So, I think the parents involved in the 2019 scandal were properly sentenced to prison, but the uni administrators who facilitate that system should also be sanctioned.<

15. Favourite Christmas song?

• >Arrggghhhhh Max, I don't much like the commercial side of Christmas, so I tend to like very silly Christmas songs instead of the same old same old ones from the 1950s and 1960s. While it's not exactly a Christmas song, I do love the beautiful "Walking in the Air" from "The Snowman" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVGCLdQYsrk). You might have watched that as a kid. Our kids loved it, and so do my wife and I, still.<

16. A celebrity you admire and why?

• >Hmmm ... I probably admire courage more than any other virtue, so I admire people who risk personal abuse to take a principled position ... right now I would say I greatly admire Dr. Anthony Fauci (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Fauci), medical advisor to the US President, who told the truth about the pandemic despite Trump's lies, and so suffered a huge number of death threats because of it (and still does ... he remains medical advisor to President Biden, and so is targeted by the right-wing fanatics who don't believe in medical science, apparently).<

17. Would you rather listen to music on a radio or on streaming service (such as iTunes and Spotify).

• >I mainly listen to music online from two sources: youtube, and BBC Radio 3. In the car I will turn on the local classical radio station. I don't use iTunes or Spotify because the sources I just mention really satisfy my music needs.<

18. One thing you would like to see changed in the world?

• >Worldwide, I wish people were more moderate in their outlooks and willing to compromise on things for the good of society (this is true both of "left-wing" and "right-wing" people). As you probably know, the US has really a two-party political system, and the two parties have moved to the extreme edges of the right (Republican) and the left (Democratic). I have always voted Democratic because many of the Republican positions are just morally wrong, I think, but I don't agree with all of the Democratic positions either. I wish there were a middle-of-the-road moderate party in this country to join, but the people who are most politically-active tend to be extremists, so no moderate party ever gets traction.

• For example, I have relatives in Ireland who are Catholic, and I've asked them why, after 100 years, they can't accept the existence of Northern Ireland and get on peacefully. They say things like "Because it would betray all of the Catholics who have died since 1922 in the fight against the Brits." The Unionists say the same, only from the Protestant side. Ireland is ruled by ghosts, in that sense, and so are other parts of the world. In the US, there are still people down South who have the view "My great-great-great grandfather died in 1862 fighting against the North, so I will always oppose rights for black people, immigrants, etc. etc." I just can't get my mind in a place to understand such views, being ruled from the grave.<

19. Do you collect anything or like to collect anything as a hobby? (I personally collect vinyls)

• >Yes, I collect flags, since I was a teenager. I have about 165 flags of 3 x 5 foot dimension from countries and local places around the world (including NZ ! ) I put them out in front of my house on a six-foot flagpole I have on a tree, and change them in rotation every 1-2 days. People in the neighbourhood often stop by and tell me how much they like seeing my different flags. (. . . and you know mate, I have often wondered why your flag is so much like the Aussie flag, other than the colour of the stars, and whether one country or the other might want to change!)

• I do rather like this proposed new flag for you guys (just kidding)! ... https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/d369f85a81b6d187c7e11322b8fd0322dcac165d/7_0_4119_2067/4119.jpg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=32d282d07a5d6efdc7ad5d189c2cd08f ... Seriously, I think your flag is really beautiful, and I like that you have retained the Union Jack as part of it.<

20. Best part about living in America and why?

• >Oh, excellent question. I like the idealism of the country at its best, as far as the goal of equality for everyone (the reality, of course, is very different in many cases). I like the commitment of many people, lawyers and otherwise, to improve the rights and liberties of people throughout its history. I like the huge geographical expanse of the country, and the different topography found here, deserts, oceans, huge lakes, mountains, prairies (I know NZ has many of the same qualities, of course!). I admire the willingness of people, from our 1776 Revolution up to now, to risk and lose their lives for the sake of the country. I like the tolerance that, at its best, the country shows (although there is plenty of intolerance here as well).

• You have to remember that my answers are coming from the perspective of a white male Christian person of northern European ancestry who was born here and who grew up in a peaceful neighbourhood in a middle-class family that encouraged me (and paid for me) to get a good education and enter a profession. If I were an immigrant, or non-white, or came from a lower-class family, or a one-parent household, or grew up in a dangerous place, or went to bad schools and couldn't achieve entering a profession, or grew up in a non-English-speaking household, then my answers would be quite different.

• No doubt much of what I've said in the two paragraphs above could equally be said about your country. I don't subscribe to "American Exceptionalism"... that God has blessed the USA above all other countries and that it is the best place on earth. I may have mentioned before that I have triple-citizenship, US, UK, and Ireland, due to my parents and grandparents. If trump had been re-elected (or had pulled-off his planned coup d'etat after he lost the election) then we, seriously, might be in the process of moving to Ireland or the UK right now to get away from his brand of fascism that a significant minority of this country supports. I do love this country, but I also love my other two countries, and would feel equally at home living in any of the three, and I know enough history to realize that the rights and liberties and democracy in this country can disappear almost overnight, just as they have elsewhere.<

• Woo, sorry, I didn't meant to write you a book Max, but your questions were so good that I had to answer them fully. Feel free to send any other question/topics to me anytime to chat about.

• Finally, while I am OK with you continuing to call me Wes, I am also OK if you want to call me by my real first name (really, either is fine with me). If you do, here is how you can find out what my real first name is:

• five letters:

• 1st letter: it is the same as the first letter of the surname of your Prime Minster from 1940-1949
• 2nd letter: it is the same as the first letter of the name of the Biblical book that comes immediately after Judges
• 3rd letter: it is the same as the first letter of the first name of the Hebrew brother of Moses
• 4th letter: it is the same as the last letter of the name of your country's third-largest (by population) city
• 5th letter: it is the 11th letter of the English alphabet

• I don't expect you to give me your real first name; you can do so if you are comfortable, but it's truly fine for me to keep "Max" with you, so no worries.

• Have a good Sunday mate!

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 05:25, 12 September 2021 (UTC)

---

Have a great day, Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:58, 12 September 2021 (UTC)

Stats

And remember this (apparently genuine government poster) about the Aussies mate: https://i.redd.it/v0swe7gizjm51.jpg ! Good luck on your stats test; let me know how it turned out when you get a chance Nick. Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:12, 14 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Frank! Thank you so much I will let you know how it goes! You know how last minute preparations can be. Have a great evening! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:52, 14 September 2021 (UTC)

Initial "Wolf" Interview with George

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-george-mackay-nathalie-biancheri-interview-1234664280/ ..... after reading this interview, I am even more confused about the film ... sounds like it could be a silly mess ... I wonder if George over-thought the role ... Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:14, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

I had a read of it and same I am very confused too. I don't understand how this story works at all but I hope he doesn't make a fool of himself with this role. Especially after being so well received with 1917. Let's just hope he was able to pull it off in a good way. Also, thought I would let you know, my arm is definitely feeling the soreness today. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:45, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

• Sorry about your arm Nick, but I hope that's the only adverse effect you have from it. Are you getting a second jab in a few weeks? The side-effects seem worse after the second one. I had to spend the entire next day in bed I felt so ill, but then it left and I was fine. The film, could be great, could be an embarrassing dud, but I guess we should give George credit for giving such a bizarre role a try. He sure does choose a variety of characters. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 03:17, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

Yup next dose in a month. On that same note, I was going to take a day off but I had a couple of zoom calls. Apparently, we should be going back to level 3 (not sure if you know what that is but we have levels of lockdown here in NZ) early next week sometime but since in-person university is cancelled for the rest of the year, it is going to be a lot harder so I have to attend all zooms. I am very intrigued with Wolf I hope it comes to cinema here or else I'll have to try find it online. Hope you're doing well. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:45, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

• Good luck with the remote Uni classes. Our younger kid graduated from Uni in May of this year, and last year had all remote classes, which she really disliked to do, but it's better than nothing I suppose. I'm anticipating the worst from the film reviews, so if it's positive I'll be pleasantly surprised. The description in the interview of the scene of George and the girl circling each other like a couple of animals made me cringe a bit. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 13:27, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

The media loves to destroy people and their reputations. They thrive on it. I study a lot of these incidences in my journalism courses and its honestly sad how the media does this. As for the scene, it does sound a little off but I guess that is where the method acting comes in (?... hopefully). Also sorry to hear about your daughter, I had my first ever semester at Uni cut short after two weeks to go online it was so upsetting. I haven't even had one full semester yet that's how many times we've gone back and forth with the lockdown. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:06, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

• I don't know if the news media in NZ is as sensationalistic as a lot of the Brit media. Even the US media is often awful to read. I often kind of shudder to pull up the news ... "Doom Scrolling" as they say. I always feel depressed to some extent after reading or hearing the news. But when I go a day or two without reading it, I feel like I'm missing the world. As you say, destroying reputations seems all a part of journalism too. On the whole I think George gets pretty positive treatment in the media. The worst journalism I've ever read about George was a review in the New York Times of True History of the Kelly Gang (one of the weirder films I've ever seen). The writer dismissed George's performance by saying "George MacKay is content to run around shirtless making faces." That was actually pretty accurate, although he deserved more credit for the role than that. I think he did the best he could with a dreadful script, ha! (What did you think of that movie?) Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 23:59, 17 September 2021 (UTC)

• New interview on youtube today about Wolf with George and some of the women ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7tT71ZKIWY ... I haven't watched it.

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:19, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

Hmm gave it a lil glimpse. Seemed a little bit awkward but it must be because of the zoom environment. However, it seems like it'll be very interesting to see what happens. I haven't actually seen True History of the Kelly Gang but I have seen some scenes here and there and it does look a little bit creepy. Have you seen How I Live Now? George is in that one too; I actually enjoyed it thought it was very reminiscent on The Hunger Games which I love. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:27, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

• Well, I think you should see Kelly Gang, since it's one of the major films of George's career so far. Sadly, although the poor guy obviously threw himself 100% into it (losing so much weight for the role that he looked alarmingly gaunt and ill), his performance won't be remembered as one of his best. The script doesn't give him much to do except stand around shirtless and occasionally scream. It is indeed creepy on a number of levels too, e.g., an oedipal thing going on with Ned's mum. I know Ned Kelly is a big thing for the Aussies, and I think people over there either loved or hated the film. I saw it twice and still don't understand a lot of it, but some of the visuals were quite spectacular and I salute the cinematography.

• I haven't see How I Live Now although I've heard it's quite good. Actually, I've only seen a few of George's films: 1917, Kelly Gang, Best of Men, Defiance (when he was 16), and of course Peter Pan, when he was a little guy playing one of the lost boys. No doubt I'll see Munich when it comes onto Netflix later this year, and I might or might not see Wolf depending on the reviews. If it has a lot of violence/cruelty/sex in it, then I'll skip it. I'll let you know if I see any reviews on the web over the weekend. Cheer Nick. Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 03:42, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

Wolf review

oh man, here we go: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-review-george-mackay-lily-rose-depp-1234663616/ .... "MacKay, already known for his full-bodied dedication to his roles (hello, “1917”), turns in the best performance of his still-rising career." Ballinacurra Weston (talk)

Ooh okay a B+ isn't too bad! I just had a watch of the interview. It seems like they really thought out this film and a lot of preparation went into it. Hopefully it all pays off in the end. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 04:16, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

• Nick, I added a comment in George's bio about the good reception of his performance in Wolf but of course please feel free to edit that as you think best. Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:01, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

Nothing to add think its worded perfectly! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:43, 18 September 2021 (UTC)

• I haven't found any other reviews of Wolf so far. There might not be any others until its theatrical release in December, when the newspapers will probably start to publish them. Based on what I've read in the one review, I am not at all sure that I want to see the film, due to cruel things the doctor does to George and the other patients. (I also don't need to see George, handsome fella though he is, hopping around naked!) If I come across any other reviews then I'll post the links on this page for you Nick. Happy Sunday mate. Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:35, 19 September 2021 (UTC)

• here's one that isn't so enthusiastic ... https://keithlovesmovies.com/2021/09/18/tiff-2021-wolf-review/

• https://filmupdates.net/2021/09/18/tiff-review-wolf/

That last one you sent seemed to be in his favour. But that first one seemed to really disagree altho 74% isn't bad per say. I agree I think closer to a more worldwide release it will get more reviews. For now let's just hope the current ones do him justice. Have a great weekend. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 04:20, 19 September 2021 (UTC)

• Nick: more reviews (not so enthusiastic):

with additional details of the plot: https://thatshelf.com/tiff-2021-wolf-review/

https://onemovieourviews.com/2021/09/19/tiff21-review-wolf-special-presentations/

After reading more details of the plot in those reviews, I am definitely tipping away from seeing the film. I hate watching films that show cruelty to kids; that just turns my stomach, no matter how fictional the setting. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 03:10, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

Yeaah... I just gave it a read. Hmmm I hope this won't be damaging to any of the actor's careers. Yeah I might have to pass and just focus on seeing maybe just clips. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:12, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

KFC in your city

Mr. Nick: I suppose it's not really funny for your community, but this made me chuckle for sure ... especially since I hate KFC food, yuk ... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/21/new-zealand-police-arrest-pair-trying-to-enter-auckland-with-large-amount-of-kfc Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:24, 21 September 2021 (UTC)

Haha hi Frank, I heard about this. I think most of us had a laugh about it but thankfully takeaway stores open up today which I am thankful for. My family has decided to wait a couple days so that we miss the rush before we go out to get something. KFC is very unhealthy I tend to prefer Subway or Roast shops a lot more in comparison to a lot of my uni friends. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:29, 22 September 2021 (UTC)

• I agree with you about Subway Nick; it's my favourite take away stuff! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:31, 22 September 2021 (UTC)

Review / Spring

Best wishes for your Spring Equinox Nick.

Here is a newer review of Wolf -- good heavens, it sounds like George's Mum may have written it! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/reviews?ref_=ttexrv_sa_3

And 35 ratings of the film, by demographic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/ratings?ref_=tturv_sa_3 Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:57, 22 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Frank, 48.6% of people said 10/10!!! Wait that sounds pretty good. Maybe things are looking up for the film after all. Perhaps if they got some more notoriety by doing more interviews. Also, I had no idea what Spring Equinox meant until today Lol. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:27, 22 September 2021 (UTC)

• Our Autumn equinox, of course .. days are getting dark and cooler, which is ok after our terribly hot summer with a lot of days with temp 32+ C. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:53, 23 September 2021 (UTC)

Oooh yes I believe we call that Daylight Saving here. We are about to begin Summer soon can't wait as long as lockdown doesn't continue. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 06:44, 23 September 2021 (UTC)

Facebook, George's Family

Nick, I don't know if you use Facebook; if so you might or might not know that George's sister Daisy has a page: https://www.facebook.com/daisyelizabethmackay

He keeps off social media himself, which is a very smart thing for him to do, to avoid stalkers and online abuse.

Last year I had the cheek to send a brief message to Daisy with a request asking if she would get a piece of info from George for his Wikipedia bio. As fully expected, I never heard back. No doubt Daisy is quite sick of getting messages that are about her brother and not about her, so I don't at all blame her!

Their Mum and Dad might also have their own Facebook pages too, and who knows maybe their grandparents, cousins, etc. as well in Australia, Ireland, and wherever. Like George himself they seem very sweet, pretty normal people, under the circumstances that George's fame has brought them. Mr. and Mrs. MacKay apparently live on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, because George sometimes mentions in interviews that he goes there and stays with them periodically when he isn't at his flat in London. I don't know if you are familiar with neighbourhoods in London, but he said in one interview that he lives in Kentish Town, which is a pretty normal place too, and not in a gated estate or secure high-rise along the Thames. If he becomes James Bond, though, he might have to change to a more secluded place to live, ha! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:17, 23 September 2021 (UTC)

• Another review I noticed today: https://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/tiff-21-review-wolf-transfixes-audiences-with-its-wild-perception/article

That is interesting yea I can imagine she must be very tired of people looking into her life because of her brother. Sounds mighty tiring being a celebrity. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:05, 23 September 2021 (UTC)

Yikes, more COVID

Careful mate, especially since you don't yet have your second jab! https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-covid-cases-delta-b1924587.html Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 19:34, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

Ugh I am so sick of lockdown !! Can't wait for the second jab in a couple weeks; else I will be staying home anyway as Uni is online but I really do miss going to the cinema. So many movies I've missed out on. Hopefully we've got it back up by the time (and if) Wolf comes out. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:21, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

• Wolf opens in the US theatres on December 3rd, I believe. I don't know when it opens elsewhere. If I hear anything, I'll let you know Nick. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 23:43, 24 September 2021 (UTC)

• I admire your PM quite a lot, but this is really tough for many people: https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/long-reads/new-zealand-covid-borders-locked-b1923258.html Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:52, 27 September 2021 (UTC)

Yeah it is really tough but I definitely think the best idea is to keep things enclosed for now. We have many movies coming out in the cinemas and I do not want to miss any. Hopefully COVID is just stamped out.

GMac, short film and new interview

I forgot to ask have you watched George's short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlbEmCOxGM Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 21:15, 27 September 2021 (UTC)

• No I haven't seen that film but will watch it tonight; thanks for sending the link. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:43, 27 September 2021 (UTC)

• • Nick, thanks again for sending me that link. I just watched it. It's quite a moving short film, and actually reminded me a bit of my group of mates from high school and uni (fortunately, none have yet died). I wondered at first if George might have written the script, but I saw in the credits that someone else wrote it. George said in some interview that he does write poetry and other things, but so far has been too shy to put it out for people to read. I bet it's good though, because he's such a creative and intelligent guy.

• • Also, here's a new interview with George published in England yesterday: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/26/george-mackay-the-trick-climategate-wolf-munich-edge-of-war-interview Not much in it he hasn't said elsewhere, but I like reading interviews with him; he's thoughtful, introspective, and articulate, more so than just about any other actor I can think of. He'd be a good guy to sit down over a pint and talk with. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:36, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

For your next bout of Insomnia, Nick

The latest wiki article I wrote from scratch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_High_Court_of_Errors_and_Appeals Guaranteed anaesthesia, but it's the sort of stuff I like to write about because no one else has written about the legal history of my state, and it's kind of like being an explorer in an unknown land to piece it together. (You can tell how I must be a barrel of laughs at parties!) Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:47, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

Wow! I can't believe you wrote that whole page yourself. You're basically like a pioneer in your field. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:55, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

• You are too kind mate! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:03, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

• and on another issue, it seems a VERY slow news day in the UK ... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/couple-hardboiled-egg-sunflower-b1927827.html Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:29, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

Haha it looks like the UK has finally cracked. On that note I thought I'd let you know I got a A in my Statistics test from a couple weeks back! Honestly quite shocked! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:16, 28 September 2021 (UTC)

• Hey CONGRATS Nick! Truly, that is an accomplishment. Thanks for letting me know. I was just wondering yesterday how it turned out for you.

• When I took stats 100 years ago, I elected to take it Pass/Fail because I knew I would struggle with it so much. I ended up passing the course, but only after failing the initial exam, which my professor had all marked up in red pen and writing "WORST RESULT IN THE CLASS!!" as I saw when I got it back. One of the most embarrassing moments in my uni life! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:15, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

100 YEARS AGO HAHA! And omg your professor sounded cruel!!! For us I guess if they did that they would be in a lot of serious trouble as our uni is very anti-bullying of any kind and they promote kindess so much ahaha. I did a computer science paper last semster because they couldn't cross credit some of my statistics papers for my business side of the degree and I only just got a C (the lowest grade I have ever received!). Worst time of my life I didn't want to take that paper but I had too. At least I passed! I technically failed the exam but the course overall I passed. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 00:31, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

• Oh man, I'm glad you have anti-bullying rules at school. Well, everybody should get a C once in his life; makes you appreciate all the good grades! Also, I though you'd enjoy seeing this player on the Philadelphia baseball team who looks like he could be George's younger brother (assuming that, if George had a brother, the brother could grow a beard, which GMac says he can't, ha): ... https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ELAKo5BqYAUNGVfQJRiU1RbhmE8=/1400x1400/filters:format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19731226/1207310218.jpg.jpg Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:24, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

Omg he does look a little bit like George !!! George seems to be in everything ahaha. It is weird I never really have been a huge sports fan. I get told sometimes it's weird I'm not because I'm a male but yeaaaa idk it's crazy. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:29, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

• Don't worry about that Nick. I'm not a sports fan either, apart from baseball (for which I am a HUGE fan, having played it for many years and then having coached teenage boys in it for 18 years after that). In the US, gridiron football is the #1 male obsession, but I loathe it and ignore it as much as possible. I care little about basketball and ice hockey as well. I like soccer/football during the World Cup, but otherwise not so much. I think rugby is big in NZ, but we have very little of it here and to me it just seems like a bunch of enormous blokes running into each other, but without padding as you would have in American football. I once passed a professional rugby team at an airport in England, and was astonished at the size of those guys. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 02:21, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

• One more about sports: in high school I was on the athletics team as a runner (not a very good one though), and my favourite piece of literature then was The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, which spoke very much to me because I so identified with the boy who is the protagonist and like him spent hours every day running and running alone with my thoughts.

• Also, I responded to your comments on my talk page. Thanks for those, my kiwi friend! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 02:47, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

• OK mate, be careful what you ask for, I have reverted to my decorated user page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Ballinacurra_Weston Please let me know what you think ...

Omg my family is rugby OBSESSED! I am always in my room when they watch blasting music on my vinyl or headphones or something. It is practically like American football I believe. I have never read that book it looks interesting (if i liked sports that is). Idk why but I read a lot of fanfiction. I guess I just love reading different perspectives of some of my favourite movie/book characters. And I cannot wait to see your user page omg I didn't realise you had one ready omg! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:21, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

• Loneliness of the LD Runner is only incidentally about sports. The lad's running is just a vehicle to carry the main story, which is his principled behaviour in the face of corrupt authority. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 03:49, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

Email

Nick, since we're communicating about some non-Wiki things from time-to-time, I'll give you an email that you can use for that purpose if you wish. Entirely up to you, but I'd prefer to have messages that are off-topic for Wiki on email, so I encourage you to use it. You can get to me on ... 30geiste@gmail.com ... "Geiste" is not my surname; there is a back story to that email address that I'll tell you some time if you are interested. At this point it seems to me that we are comfortable enough personally with each other to use email, so that everything we write isn't potentially available for anyone on Wiki to read. If you were a kid I wouldn't offer this, of course, but since we're both adults it should be OK from my perspective anyway. No pressure on you, just want to give you the choice! I'm also happy to disclose my full name, if you are curious (but not on here, just via email, and I wouldn't necessarily expect you to reciprocate as to your name). Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:49, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

Hi Frank will be sure to use it! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:23, 30 September 2021 (UTC)