And the award goes to...

Listening to: The Higher ++ EP - HDU. Late 90's moody and occasionally angry guitar rock instrumental, with the highlight being the evocative and contemplative 'Lull', which got some single airplay on Channel Z back in the day.

Those of you who know me in real life can attest that I'm not really into self promotion or own-trumpet-blowing, but I thought this was worth mentioning.

Most of the time if you win or place at a modelling competition run by my club, you will wind up with a nice A5 size certificate like this:
In fact, since entering the club and competition scene a couple of years ago, I have somehow acquired quite a few:

I couldn't make the end of year prizegiving for my club back in mid November, so asked one of my clubmates to accept and hold anything I picked up for me in my place. I got in touch with him a few days later, and he confirmed he had accepted my certificates and my award on my behalf.

Umm, my what?

Turns out that in addition to picking up the prize for best New Zealand aircraft at the internal club competition, I had also won one of the half dozen or so prestige / actual trophy awards, the one for best New Zealand subject in any category.

I couldn't remember what it looked like, so was a bit surprised when I turned up at my mates place to collect, and he walked out with a handful of certificates and one of the biggest pieces of pounamu / greenstone I have seen outside of a museum:

With my name engraved on the side even:Just for a sense of scale, here it is alongside a coke can, and the model that won it:

I'll have to give it back next year, but until then it is on our mantlepiece equivalent in the lounge. Nice.