Really Important Things

Really Important Things

Finally got around to sorting out the messy pile of notices, those “Really Important Things” that came off our fridge door during the earthquake and I realise that in light of our recent natural disaster, all our “Really Important Things” are actually now redundant;

High school camp in two weeks time. Camp is unlikely in the event that no schools are even open, and when they do get the all-clear as a structurally sound venue for housing large groups of children, they probably wont be doing much in the way of adrenaline-inducing adventures. Really, it would be more worthwhile for them to rehash the “what to do in the event of a natural disaster” drill. Again.

The compulsory social survey I was required to participate in as part of a Statistics New Zealand evaluation of New Zealander’s general satisfaction with society. Don’t think they’ll follow that up for a while, in fact I have already taken part in another, informal, social survey gauging my physical and emotional state since the quake. Which, by the way, was fine in the immediate days after the quake, but is considerably lessening as the disaster days deepen, and more friends leave town permanently, and more iconic built beauties are pulverised, and more irritating dust is blown into my eyes, and more fragrant aromas encircle the city, and more expectations are placed upon me to ‘just get on with it and back to normal as soon as possible’, like any of this could be considered ‘normal’.

Police documentation about the burglary we had three weeks before the quake. I think the police are otherwise engaged in more pressing concerns at present, such as looting, falling cliffs, rocks and buildings, dangerous roads, purifying water...and the list goes on.

A guest list for my daughters upcoming 16th birthday party. This is on hold until further notice, though I did manage to drive for an hour over humpy, dusty roads to get her a preservative-laden cake, with flour no less, from one of the places I would least like to be in during an aftershock – The Mall.

An application for contents insurance (will anyone insure me after I’ve been burgled and quaked?).

Bus timetables. Buses…bahahaha…roads…bahahaha.

Lyttelton Summer Times Festival brochure featuring awesome acts in our local historic venues (downgraded to a hearty celebration of life in the designated welfare park, surrounded by historic ruins – a good party, nonetheless, but not quite the festivities originally planned).

A lovingly coddled Scorpio Books voucher I received for Christmas (is Scorpio Books even still standing, oh, please…one small victory for the culture of Christchurch?!).

A free family pass I won to travel up the Port Hills Gondola (uh…no thanks).

It turns out the Really Important Things are so basic we usually take them for granted; water, food, shelter and the company of our loved ones. Thankfully, I have all of those and even electricity to run the fridge. Probably wont stick the Really Important Notices back up there though.