I should get around to fixing my bike stand. I'm used to reaching back with one foot and flipping it back up before going around a corner, but today I got my shoelace caught on it attempting this move. Cleverly I got it unhooked while still riding in a straight line, but next time might not be so lucky.

Rugby starts tonight (sorry to add to the oversaturation) and I intended to ignore it as far as possible -- not a fan of rugby for many reasons including these -- but ended up watching live coverage of the opening ceremony and mostly enjoying it. I loved seeing all those beautifully carved waka paddling into the harbour in Auckland, and the singing and dancing and that projection on the stage adding to the spectacle. It's great that the whole world is watching this -- I quite like the celebration of various countries and people coming to visit New Zealand, and the display of flags hanging on the lamp-posts in town is fun. I just wish it could be a celebration of something other than sports.

Oh, and that haka group was amazing, with the women armed with patu and stamping and shouting! I wonder if the warrior women are there for modern sensibilities, equality and stuff, or if they're actually traditional and I've never seen them before because the idea horrified European colonial types and women doing anything but melodious singing and poi used to be suppressed.