Spare Room » Ana Samways

Spareroom in Hiatus

Ana Samways — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:13:59 +0000

Hey Spareroom readers! You may have noticed a severe lack of posts over the last few months. Apologies for the delay in letting you know, but we are having a break from the site to raise our baby Gabriel (now six months). See you soon, Ana Samways and Steven Shaw

The Julie Project

Ana Samways — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:29:17 +0000

I bawled while reading about Julie Baird’s unfortunate life, but I am a cryer. Darcy Padilla photographed Julie over an 18 year period, from when she was a teen with her 8 day old infant to her death from AIDS at 36. The fly-on-the-wall photographs are not easy to look at; they are confronting, brutal and terribly sad. And they made me angry. Why would a woman like this have child after child? To think of Julie as a person and not a series of political issues is important. It reminds us of the fragility of human existence when poverty and poor mental health are factors, and the intergenerational nature of such deprivation...

Sevens Shenanigans

Ana Samways — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:05:53 +0000

"We were dressed as 'Scrabble' and asked to have a photo with the police," says Nikki. "They had no idea what we spelt"...

The People’s Prime Minister

Ana Samways — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:11:44 +0000

Like a horny teenager our Prime Minister John Key said he though Liz Hurley was hot (that's hawt as in boffable, a MILF) and then he minced down the catwalk at the launch of the Rugby World Cup volunteer uniform like John Ingman in Are You Being Served. And the news cameras were there to catch it all. Goff must be delighted...

Paul Henry’s TV Debut

Ana Samways — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:02:25 +0000

Whether you're missing Paul Henry or just missing hatin’ on him you might want to take a look at this NZ On Screen clip from 80s game show Every Second Counts...

Bain Jersey In Music Video

Ana Samways — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 02:56:04 +0000

Massive double take... Is one of the infamous David Bain jerseys starring in this music video by North Shore Pony Club?...

Popeye Arms

Ana Samways — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:36:06 +0000

A truly memorable music video for a cover of the classic Diana Ross hit "Love Hangover". It's one of those train-wreck deals, that you just can't stop watching...

The Monkey

Ana Samways — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:19:35 +0000

You must show this to the nearest child - the old upside down chin trick done superbly well here...

Dear John…

Ana Samways — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:57:14 +0000

Remember this 1980s ad for a bygone technology? This Kiwi classic for BASF cassette tapes used a catchy tune performed by NZ jingle king (and former member of The Underdogs) Murray Grindlay and ad industry diva Jacqui Fitzgerald -- an adaptation of the 1953 Jean Shepard/Ferlin Husky hit "A Dear John Letter". Pioneering NZ filmmaker Tony Williams directed, creating a Korean War/M*A*S*H* setting and using a Wellington quarry as a stand-in...

Comply With Me

Ana Samways — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:31:04 +0000

A delicious parody with all new lyrics for "Come Fly With Me," following the much criticised US airport security "enhanced pat downs". (Via Boingboing.net)

Three Pigs and Other Choice Links

Ana Samways — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:29:51 +0000

Three Little Pigs reworked: A new, less likely to offend version of the popular story has made its way into US classrooms.... More after the jump...

Youngest Fashion Designer Has Speech Impediment

Ana Samways — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:34:00 +0000

Wellington: A Love Letter

Ana Samways — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:54:25 +0000

This guy just raised the bar for "I'm-leaving-town" emails.... This was sent around colleagues at Weta in Wellington (by headband guy Jesse Lewis-Evans) and forwarded to us here. Delightful!

Badvertising and Other Choice Links

Ana Samways — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:23:43 +0000

Badvertising: An ad for Dutch clothing company has been banned from Facebook and described as porn in pinstripes, but is it really any worse than any other sexist ad dross? Click through for Choice Links...

Church Take Hard Line Over Ad

Ana Samways — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 23:55:02 +0000

The star of this erectile dysfunction ad has been kicked out of her church, according to the Courier Mail. Libby Ashby said she had been "disfellowshipped" from her local congregation after appearing in the ad. See the ad after the jump...