Merry Christmas from Godzone...

[toprob]

I don't think I did a Christmas post here last year, but the year before I was still quite ill with poor heart function, which slowed me down a lot, and my New Year's wish was for something a bit more exciting. Well, I guess that my city being hit by a massive earthquake was exciting enough, so this year I'm hoping for a 'normal' 2012 -- whatever that means.


Since the earthquake, Christchurch has been forced to basically scrap the central city, and start over. This will take a long time, and at the moment no major rebuilding has started, and the CBD is off-limits, but there are some nice projects designed to get life back into the city. One is the Restart Mall, which was put together on the recently cleared Cashel Mall site. Many retail stores have been able to return to the city, albeit built around colourful shipping containers.


'Restart' is one of many words which has taken on new meaning since the earthquake. Restarting implies something having stalled, so it generally isn't seen as a positive step, and almost never a choice. But restarting can be very positive, even if it is forced on you, and that is the attitude of many locals, and the 'theme' of the recover programme. It would have been a lot better if the earthquake hadn't happened, but it did, so let's see it as an opportunity. This Christmas one of the movies playing in our theatres is 'When a city falls', a documentary showing the aftermath of the earthquakes. I haven't seen it yet, and I won't until I can watchthe trailer without feeling a huge emotional jolt. That might be a while.

I know that people are right to think that restarting can be a positive thing -- I've been through divorce, and come out knowing that I'm a lot better off, despite the fact that the process itself is not pleasant. So I've decided to 'restart' a few other things, including Godzone Virtual Flight. Here I am coming into 2012, worse off that I was two years ago in a lot of ways, but happy and healthy enough to know that I can only go forward. If it's good enough for the people of Christchurch, it is good enough for me.

Thanks to everyone who supported Godzone throughout 2011, and here's to an even better 2012.

[Ian Warren]

Merry Christmas done shortly a new year , photos ,airports , airshows , computer game s and NZFF Flight Simulation ..... not sure what that,s all about apart from the fact its so dammn accurate except i now use this this as my personal GPS and cannot find Whopper king , Little Mac and the Fried Chicken man shop

[Splitpin]

Well written Rob, Merry christmas .

[Rotordude]

Nice words... Merry Christmas Rob

[Link148]

Robin.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. If you keep producing such high quality addons for FSX as the Nelson one there is only one way for your company to go and that is onwards and upwards. Keep up the good work on your addons. I for one won't be buying any Ozzie made NZ add ons. Support kiwi made! Look forward to your next work.

Nick.

[AdrianPetford]

Thanks for those inspiring words, Rob. Definitely food for thought. Your work and that of the other NZ designers has given me a lot of pleasure through what has otherwise been a difficult year. Good luck with the "new" Godzone, I'm looking forward to what will doubtless be more great things to come.

Merry Christmas to you and yours and all the best for 2012,


Ade