you know you’re from christchurch when…

Everybody has different ways of coping when tragedy strikes

To quote Dad,

“…In Australia, when something bad happens, it doesn’t take long before we’re all sitting around with our mates and a few beers, making up jokes about it”

There’s a new book out right now in New Zealand, that seems to show that a lot of Kiwis have the same attitude

It’s not laughing AT the tragedy itself

Which is, in this case, the earthquakes in Christchurch

It’s laughing DESPITE the tragedy

This book, “YOU KNOW YOU’RE FROM CHCH WHEN…” is a collection of hilarious quotes taken from what was originally a Facebook page

Where people affected by the earthquakes could go and share a joke and have a laugh

Some quotes from the book:

* You tell your kids Santa will land on the lawn where the chimney is.

* If you are doing 30kmh, you’ve got up to a good speed.

* The only items you have on your shelves are the things you want to claim insurance on.

* The idea of drinking straight tap water scares you more than earthquakes.

* Your kids have stopped asking for a sandpit.

* A bucket of shit is no longer that old car you drive.

* Going to Wellington to escape earthquakes makes sense.

* You sleep in one suburb, shower in another, get water in another and go to the toilet wherever you can

* Dressing up to head into town involves putting on a hard hat, high-visibility vest and safety boots.

The books creator, Bruce Raines, came to the show last night in Timaru, with his lovely wife, Kim

It was great to meet the man behind the number 1 selling book in the country

His books shows that humour can be a coping mechanism

Sometimes it’s exactly what you NEED to get you through

The fact that it’s been outrageously successful, shows that there are many, many people who agree

Dad was particularly happy to meet Bruce

As he’d been asking for the book in every bookstore we’d come across so far this tour

Only to be told it had sold out

So last night Dad finally got his hands on a copy

They got a chance to swap books and autographs with eachother

I reckon sense of humour is like sex

You can keep it to yourself

But where’s the fun in that?

 

YOU CAN BUY BRUCE’S BOOK HERE!

(the proceeds are going to  the Earthquake Mayoral Fund)