While it may all seem like a struggle...

I got a lovely reminder today of how cool our little country can sometimes be. I know, I know, it's easier to bitch and moan, hell there's plenty of material open to attack if that's your inclination. Let's face it our pozzie at the ass end of the world has a few shortcomings. But sometimes, in some small ways, we get it right too.

This writing thing can have me fidgeting around, frustrated and introspective and wondering what the hell it's all for anyway. And then I look up and see that we have a Film Commission, and that it does just that - commissions films. Ok so the budgets might not be huge, the numbers of films made may not satiate the desire to see our own culture reflected back at ourselves, but stuff all countries have what we have. There are few places on earth where a writer can approach an agency for GOVERNMENT funding that exists purely to finance creative talent - and sure, this is a two-edged sword that has it's own sets of issues, but still, money exists for getting scripts to screen.

And Radio NZ. This station pays writers to reflect NZ. They don't care about commercialism (in fact often produce works who would otherwise have no voice), they provide a service on every side of the experience, and are one of the largest international producers in the world of Radio drama - RNZ slays countries with more money and larger stations because of a commitment to creativity, to new zealand, and to new zealand art.

It's easy to get pissy and focus on the bad and the wrong. But for today, matthew, I'm gonna be happy about the state of our nation in it's commitment in some small way to making it possible for voices to be spoken.

And with that patriotic little rant I shall jump off my soapbox and get back to the business of writing something that is worthy of getting a slice of money that National hasn't yet managed to commit to another roading project in Auckland.