The other day I beat up a chair. I was in a foul mood and things weren't going my way, so I threw the chair on to the ground and I kicked it and stomped on it.

Doubtless, the country's coroners may feel the messages contained in their findings are not getting through.

I'm only ever a yachting fan when the America's Cup is on and right now my lack of knowledge of the sport is causing some frustration.

Driving in heavy rain, crossing a busy road or riding a bike in peak-hour traffic all involve a degree of risk.

Hopefully by the time this goes to print we are all on a "Cup Hi" and singing bye bye American Pie after wishing Larry a warm Kia Oracle.

Tauranga recreational fishers have so far adopted a pragmatic view of the Government cutting the snapper catch limit from nine to seven per day.

"I am the one in ten. A number on a list ... Nobody knows me, even though I'm always there, a statistic, a reminder, of a world that doesn't care."

When I was younger they called me lighthouse, ginger nut, stop sign and carrot top.

Before I had children the most precious thing I carried in my car was my morning flat white.

Thousands of school children are in Tauranga this week to take part in a locally grown success story: the NZCT AIMS Games.

I love a bargain, but it irks me when people want something for free at a cost to others.

Saturday night's test match between the All Blacks and Springboks should have gone down in history as one of the all-time classic encounters between the world's two greatest rugby powers.

The annual "pink walk" has become part of Tauranga's calendar over the past decade, turning The Strand bright pink each October as thousands of women walk to raise money for Tauranga Breast Cancer Support Service.

When life as a single mum who also works full-time gets a bit much, and it sure does at times, I like to dream a little.

As far as U-turns go, it was pretty impressive. Bowing to public pressure, Mayor Stuart Crosby used this week's mayoral candidates' forum to announce a reversal of the council's unpopular decision to hike parking charges to $3 an hour.

It's not surprising Buddy Mikaere sparked an outpouring of opinion when he vented his frustration over an aggressive pram-pusher on the Mount base track.