Twilight fever

18/11/2009 11:23:00 a.m.

Ladies enjoying twilight fever at Johnsonville medical centre

A blood-related disease is spreading through Johnsonville Medical Centre.
At least five nurses and two receptionists there have Twilight fever. They’ve read Stephanie Meyer’s vampire series multiple times, watched the first film in the saga, Twilight, and all plan to see the latest instalment, New Moon, when it opens in Wellington this week.
Nurse Lisa Reid was the first to get into the series. Casual chats during work with other staffers caused a rapid spread, and before long all were reading the books. The obsession has got to a point where, when one of the receptionists discovered a copy of her book was bent, she bought a brand new one.
“Edward (played by Robyn Patterson) is your dream man,” says Reid. “He’s everything a woman wants. Very romantic. And he doesn’t eat people. It’s the hardest book to put down, I was reading until 4am.”
Twilight, the first in the vampire saga, grossed more than NZ$515 million worldwide at the box office (as of September 2009), and New Moon, which opens in New Zealand on November 19, looks to match that.
All of the women agree the forbidden love aspect is very appealing. And the fact that the characters are attractive is a bonus. Six of the computers in the medical centre have Twilight screensavers.
“I don’t know any guys who like it except one of my gay friends,” Reid says.
The staff enjoys the irony of a group of medical centre workers obsessing over books/movies with blood as a central feature. In America, a blood donor centre is offering reserved seating and a t-shirt to the opening night of Twilight in return for the blood of Twilight fans.
All of the Johnsonville Medical Centre Twilight fanatics initially planned to attend the midnight screening of New Moon on Thursday but realised it would be too disruptive if they all came to work drowsy the next day. Instead they will see it in a large group on Friday.
Except for Reid, who is determined to catch the 10pm screening of Twilight, followed by the premiere of New Moon with her sister Janelle at Queensgate. They will also wear their own custom-made Twilight badges featuring: “WWED (What Would Edward Do)” and “Jasper says relax” – Jasper is a character with the ability to manipulate the emotions of people around him.
New Moon is released in New Zealand cinemas on November 19.

Cover Story

Best of Wellington 2011

Fringe Festival

Briefs

Plane direction
A new training academy will open in June to help fill a shortage of qualified air traffic controllers in the Middle East and Asia. Global-ATS, a privately owned UK-based academy, will operate from the Wellington School of Business and Government campus. The academy will open with three staff, up to 10 air traffic control students and 70 associated safety management course participants.
Here comes the sun
WELLINGTON city council is one of several New Zealand councils signing up for Solar Promise, a campaign launched last July by the Nelson Environment Centre. The scheme aims to take away barriers to using solar energy and make the technology more affordable. City Council is working with the Regional Council to develop a targeted rate for solar hot water systems, as well as setting up an online map to indicate levels of solar radiation across the city.
Parsons stays put
JULIAN Parsons says his bookstore Parsons Books and Music isn’t going anywhere, despite news that brother Roger’s Auckland Parsons store is closing its doors. Parsons opened in 1958 on Lambton Quay and is still on the same site today.
Bikes allowed
Bikes will soon be allowed on trains on the Johnsonville line at all times following a review by the Greater Wellington Regional Council. Councillor Daran Ponter says that the introduction of the new Matangi units on the line, scheduled for mid-March 2012, means that there will be greater capacity than currently provided by the English Electric units.
Carter clean and green
TEAM members at Carter Observatory have been recognised as keen greenies. Carter has won a Qualmark Enviro-Bronze Award for high standards in environmental practices including energy efficiency, waste management and water conservation. More than 700 businesses carry the Enviro Award mark.
Bowling for a market
MORE than 25 stalls will be waiting behind the fence at the 100 year old Hataitai Bowling Club at the suburb’s Community Market on Saturday. The stalls include sweet treats, produce, books and vintage clothing. The market runs the first Saturday of each month.
Hataitai Community Market, Bowling Club, 9am-1pm, February 4.
Iconic tour
THE second largest wooden building in the world graces Lambton Quay near the Cenotaph and it’s now open on Saturdays for free tours. The colonial-style Government Building features a Kauri-clad interior and cast iron fireplaces.
Government Building Open Day tours, 11am and 2pm, Saturdays, until March 31.
Get arty
FOR those who would like to progress from finger-painting, artist Stephanie Woodman is running classes to teach drawing and painting in a range of styles and mediums. Sessions include acrylic painting techniques, glazing, watercolour and abstract, and there are special classes for teenagers and kids.
Stephanie Woodman art classes, Toi Poneke, Feb 7 – April 5.
Wheels are turning
WELLINGTON Regional Council’s Daran Ponter and Paul Bruce are to present the Bus Review, a proposal for a major shakeup of bus services in the city. It’s also a chance for the public to discuss their ideas and issues.
Bus Review, Crossways Community Centre, 7.30pm, February 7.
Violinist awarded
CONGRATULATIONS to violinist Minsi Yang, recently awarded The Elman Poole Music scholarship.
The scholarship is an annual award for up and coming New Zealand instrumentalists to train with the London orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia.
Yang gained her music degree from Victoria University, before heading to Auckland to study for her Masters degree.
Leap into song
LOCAL songwriters will this month participate in February Album Writing Month, an international songwriting event that usually challenges participants to write a song every two days for the whole month. But it’s a leap year this year, so songwriters have to write 14 and a half songs in 29 days, the ‘half song’ being a collaboration with another writer. At least 12 Wellington songwriters have signed up to take part. ‘Fawmers’ will post audio recordings of their songs on http://fawm.org
Coastal tunes
THE Tora Coast in the Wairarapa will this Waitangi weekend host a music festival celebrating good food and good sounds. TORA!TORA!TORA! features Imon Starr aka Olmecha the Relic, Jon McLeary and The Spines, Louis Baker, Vanessa Stacey and Conor McCabe. This is the third time the festival will take place.

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