TIME NOW FOR SEVEN SHARP AND AN ARGUMENT OVER FULL STOPS. YES. THIS ONE'S UPSETTING THE YOUNG ONES. WE'LL TELL YOU WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE WAY YOU'RE TEXTING. PERIOD. BUT FIRST, TO OUR BORDER. NOT THE INTERNATIONAL ONE BUT THE REGIONAL ONE THAT STOPS YOU GETTING IN AND OUT OF AUCKLAND. EVERY DAY POLICE ARE STOPPING HUNDREDS OF DRIVERS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE VALID REASONS FOR TRAVELLING. THE TRAFFIC JAMS THAT THESE BORDER CHECKS CREATE ARE FRUSTRATING FOR EVERYONE STUCK IN THEM. SO, HOW IS IT AFFECTING THE FOLK ON THE FRONT LINE? HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND. (FUNKY MUSIC) IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE NOT USED TO ` NOT BEING ONE, NOT BEING WHOLE AS A COUNTRY. THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OF AUCKLAND EFFECTIVELY BEING UNREACHABLE, IF NOT UNTOUCHABLE ALMOST A NOVELTY, ALMOST A NOVELTY ALONG THE BORDER WITH THE WAIKATO. THE KIDS COULD ALMOST BOUNCE FROM THE WAIKATO INTO AUCKLAND. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S 100% TRUE. BUT NOT ANY MORE. WHILE THERE'S NO DENYING THE ENORMOUS HARDSHIP FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T GET THROUGH, THE LOCALS HERE AT BOMBAY WANT TO REMAND US OF THE PROFESSIONALISM AND INVIDIOUS POSITION OF THOSE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE ` AND THE WEATHER ` 24-7. THEY'RE DOING A THANKLESS TASK AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF DIGNITY AND SHOWING A LOT OF RESPECT TO EVERYONE THAT COMES THROUGH. (CHUCKLES) WHO WOULD WANNA STAND OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG IN THE COLD RAIN? I THINK THEY DO A RIPPER JOB. YEAH. ABSOLUTE RIPPER JOB. I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY'S BEEN KIND TO THEM, WHICH IS UNFAIR. THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB, YOU KNOW? IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. HATS UP TO THE DEFENCE FORCE AND THE POLICE AND THE SECURITY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED THEM, NOT ONLY HERE BUT ALSO UP NORTH. WHAT DOES FRANK THE PUG MAKE OF THEM? FRANK LOVES THEM. HE LOVES CHATTING TO THEM. YES. (CHUCKLES) AND JOINING US NOW IS SUPERINTENDENT SHANNON GREY.THAN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, SHANNON. I KNOW YOU'RE VERY BUSY. TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE JOB YOUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN DOING AT THESE CHECKPOINTS. OH, I THINK THE FIRST THING IS TO SAY THEY'VE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB OUT HERE. AUCKLAND WEATHER HASN'T BEEN TOO KIND TO US OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF RAIN. THE TEMPERATURES HAVE DROPPED RIGHT DOWN. BUT ACROSS OUR 13 CHECKPOINTS, OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE, WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE US AS WELL. THEY'VE BEEN ENDURING THE SAME WEATHER THAT OUR POLICE STAFF HAVE. AND HOW'S THE VIBE FROM THE DRIVERS COMING THROUGH, SHANNON? MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, UM, PRETTY UNDERSTANDING. YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT WE'VE STOPPED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'RE AT ABOUT 207,000 VEHICLES, AND IT'S ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENT OF THOSE THAT WE'VE BEEN TURNING AROUND. SO, MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION, AND EVEN THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED AROUND HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING OF THAT. ANY BAD BEHAVIOUR? WHAT'S THE TALLEST TALE YOU'VE HEARD? (CHUCKLES) LOOK, I CAN COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY HAVEN'T COOPERATED WITH US AS MUCH AS THEY COULD HAVE. THAT HAS RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF PROSECUTIONS. BUT ALL IN ALL, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND HAVE GOT RIGHT IN BEHIND THE JOB THAT NEW ZEALAND POLICE AND THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE HAVE BEEN DOING ON THESE CHECKPOINTS. AND WHAT ABOUT THE LOCALS THERE? HAVE THEY BEEN LOOKING AFTER YOU? THE LOCALS HAVE BEEN GREAT. LOOK, WE'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY SWAMPED WITH PRAISE. WE'VE RECEIVED LETTERS. WE'VE HAD SCHOOLKIDS HERE DELIVERING CARDS TO OUR POLICE STAFF AND NZ DEFENCE STAFF, AND OF COURSE, SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A FEW GRIZZLES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT A MAJORITY OF IT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR OUR PEOPLE. YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK OUT THERE. SUPERINTENDENT SHANNON GREY. LOVELY TO TALK TO YOU. ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. GOOD TO TALK TO YOU. CAPTIONS BY KRISTIN WILLIAMS AND CAMERON GRIGG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2020 I'M SO EXCITED. MIDNIGHT SUNDAY, WE ARE ALLOWED OUT OF AUCKLAND. IT'S NOT THAT WE'VE GOT ANYWHERE TO GO, IT IS THAT WE COULD LEAVE IF WE WANT TO DO. SHOULD WE DO SOMETHING? DO YOU RECKON A MIDNIGHT ROADIE? EFFORTS MIDNIGHT AND I SWING AROUND AND PICK YOU UP, I THINK WE COULD GO TO HAMILTON AND GO UP NORTH BEFORE WE GO TO WORK. SO HAMILTON GARDENS. BEAUTIFUL TIME THIS YEAR. DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE OPEN AT 130 IN THE MORNING? THEN I WILL GET YOU UP TO KAIWAKA FOR A CREAM DONUT. BEST DOUGHNUTS IN NEW ZEALAND. THAT IS A PLAN. WE MIGHT BE A BIT TIRED. NOW, DESPITE YOUR BEST INTENTIONS, THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'RE PROBABLY DOING THAT INFURIATES SOMEONE YOU LOVE. IT'S A TINY LITTLE THING, BUT THE CHANCES ARE YOU'RE DOING IT QUITE A LOT. WHAT IS IT? WELL, WE'LL GIVE YOU A CLUE ` IT'S TO DO WITH TEXTING. TIM WILSON WITH THE FURORE OVER THE FULL STOP. WE DON'T DO THIS ANY MORE, OR MUCH OF THIS. MR WIDDICOMBE, I HAVE YOUR SAN FRANCISCO CALL FOR YOU. OUR PHONES HAVE BECOME OUR WRITING DESKS. WE COMMUNICATE THIS WAY, OFTEN BY TEXT. BUT THERE'S A PUNCTUATION POINT YOU'RE LIKELY USING THAT'S CAUSING CONSTERNATION. FULL STOPS IN TEXTS ` THEY'RE TROUBLE FOR GEN Z. COME ON, SNOWFLAKE. YOU'RE FREAKED OUT BY a FULL STOP? TIME TO BLOW YOUR NOSE ON YOUR PINAFORE AND DRINK A CUP OF HARDEN UP. OK BOOMER. IT'S GEN X, ACTUALLY. WHATEVER, THE SENSE IS THAT IT'S PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE, AND YOU'RE CUTTING OFF A CONVERSATION. IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. NOW THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING SO MUCH ONLINE, THIS IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING HOW YOUR OFF-LINE BEHAVIOUR AND ONLINE BEHAVIOUR HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER. SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTATOR JESS MOLONEY HAS SOME STRONG VIEWS ON ONLINE ETIQUETTE, BUT SHE'S NOT THE CAUSE OF THIS CONFLAB. YOU'RE PROBABLY DOING IT WRONG. THIS PALAVER OVER PUNCTUATION HAS BEEN RAISED BY VICTORIA TURK, THE AUTHOR OF 'KILL REPLY ALL' ` A NEW BOOK ON DIGITAL ETIQUETTE. ANOTHER OF TURK'S DON'TS? SPARE THE EMOJIS, BECAUSE TOO MANY OF THEM SPOIL THE MEANING. TOO MANY EMOJIS, BUT IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. TOO MANY EMOJIS, BUT IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. THEY HELP CONVEY EMOTIONS. BUT THERE'S ONE THING YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ` LEAVE A VOICE MAIL. LOGGING IN AND LISTENING TO A VOICEMAIL IS SO 1990. SAY IT'S IN A TEXT. NO FULL STOPS, EASY ON THE EMOJIS, AND VACATE THE VOICEMAIL. BREAK THESE RULES AT YOU PERIL, OTHERWISE, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF PHONE ALONE. THE OLD VOICEMAIL. NOBODY USES IT ANYMORE. DON'T TELL ME YOU DO. I LEAVE A GOOD VOICEMAIL. WHO WOULDN'T WANT A GOOD VOICEMAIL FOR ME? YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE SENTIMENT OF A VOICEMAIL. DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU TEXT IN CAPITALS. NO. THAT IS HORRIFIC. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE YELLING AT SOMEONE. IF YOU'RE OVER 40, LEARN YOUR ACRONYMS. IF YOU'RE OVER 40, LEARN YOUR ACRONYMS. TOOK A WHILE FOR A FAMILY MEMBER OF OURS THAT 'LOL' DOES NOT MEAN 'LOTS OF LOVE.' IF YOU ARE RUNNING WITH LOL, IT IS NOT A SIGN OFF. THERE ARE PLENTY OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN, BUT ONE OF THE TRICKIEST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BIRDS AND BEES OR ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL ON THE INTERNET. IT HAS TO DO WITH MONEY. SO HOW DO YOU TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT MONEY WHEN MONEY MAY WELL BE TIGHT AND CAUSING YOU STRESS? HERE'S RACHEL PARKIN. AH, SCHOOL. YOUNG MINDS CRAMMED FULL OF STUFF. THINGS HAVE CERTAINLY CHANGED SINCE MY DAY. DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS IS? THESE DAYS, IT'S ALL ABOUT DEVICES, AND THESE ROLLESTON COLLEGE KIDS ARE LOGGED ON,... SO THIS IS THE DASHBOARD. ...TO LEARN... # MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. # IN A GROWN-UP WORLD. # WHAT ARE YOU DOING? UM, STOCK MARKET ON BANQER. SO... TRADING? YEAH, YEAH. STOCK TRADING. THE BANQER HIGH PROGRAMME, DREAMT UP BY KENDALL FLUTEY BACK IN 2015,... THAT'S WHERE YOU CREATE A BUDGET FOR THE WEEK. ...SIMULATES LIFE AFTER SCHOOL. WE GET TO PRACTISE STUFF LIKE CAREERS, PROPERTY, BUDGETING, INSURANCE AND THE STOCK EXCHANGE, AND BASICALLY JUST LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A REAL BANK ACCOUNT AND BE RESPONSIBLE WITH MONEY. TODAY, THOUGH, UNBEKNOWNST TO THESE KIDS... WELL, I'VE TOLD THE STUDENTS` I'VE GIVEN THEM SOME INSIDER TRADING TIPS, TELLING THEM THAT MEDIA STOCK'S GONNA DO WELL. POPCORN MEDIA'S ` THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. BUT I'M GOING TO TANK THEM. NO! BECAUSE, AS WE'RE ALL LEARNING, LIFE CAN CHANGE VERY QUICKLY. KENDALL RECKONS MONEY SMARTS HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. AND KENDALL'S HERE NOW. GREAT TO TALK TO YOU. MONEY WORRIES ARE CAUSING A LOT OF CONCERN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. HOW DO YOU TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT IT? KIA ORA KORUA. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. WE ARE IN A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, AND THIS CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT. I THINK MY GENERAL ADVICE FOR PARENTS WHEN TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT MONEY IS TO KEEP IT AGE APPROPRIATE. SO DON'T BURDEN THEM WITH THINGS THAT THEY CAN'T ACTUALLY HAVE AN INFLUENCE OVER AND MIGHT JUST STRESS ABOUT. BUT ALSO SEE THIS AS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS INTO THE FINANCIAL FOLD. DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN FROM THE REALITIES OF THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY WE'RE IN NOW, OR BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH THEM? IT'S A REALLY FINE LINE THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO WALK THERE AGAIN. AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT AGE AND STAGE. SO YOU DO WANT TO BE HONEST AND TRANSPARENT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH ON YOUR CHILD AND STRESS THEM OUT. SO REALLY GAUGE WHERE YOUR CHILD'S AT, WHAT CAPABILITIES THEY HAVE, WHAT CAPABILITIES YOU WANT THEM TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND COMMUNICATE OPENLY AND CLEARLY. BUT I THINK WE DO NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE DON'T PUSH IT TOO FAR AND PUT TOO MUCH OF THAT BURDEN ON THEIR SHOULDERS RIGHT NOW. AND KENDALL, TELL ME WHAT'S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN ARE ENTERING ADULTHOOD? YEAH, I THINK THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE I CAN OFFER TO PARENTS IS TO BECOME AN INTENTIONAL PART OF THEIR FINANCIAL JOURNEY. SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, INSTEAD OF JUST THROWING THE DOORS OPEN AND SAYING 'YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN,' WE ACTUALLY WANT TO PICK OUT LITTLE CHUNKS OF RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE YEARS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS LIKE INTEREST DEBT, INSURANCE, INVESTMENT, BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH THOSE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES IN THE REAL WORLD. THANKS, KENDALL. A LOT OF GREAT ADVICE THERE. GREAT TO TALK TO YOU. THANKS, TEAM! I STILL RESERVE THE RIGHT TO NAG THEM AND SAY THAT MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` WE'RE REWARDING A CHRISTCHURCH FAMILY IN THIS WEEK'S ASB GOOD AS GOLD. PLUS ` THE LATEST WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING. GET OUT A BOARDGAME. WELCOME BACK. LOVELY TO HAVE YOU WITH US. EVERY PARENT KNOWS THE STRUGGLE OF RAISING AN INFANT, EVEN WHEN IT'S TROUBLE FREE. BUT FOR FAMILIES WITH HEART KIDS, THAT TIME IS EVEN MORE PRECIOUS, WHICH MAKES THIS WEEK'S ASB GOOD AS GOLD RECIPIENTS EXTRA SPECIAL. DESPITE THEIR OWN TOUGH TIMES, THEY'RE PUTTING IN LOTS OF TIME TO HELP FUNDRAISE AND SUPPORT OTHERS IN THE SAME SITUATION. AND JUST A NOTE, THIS WAS FILMED WHEN WE WERE IN LEVEL 1, SO PLEASE DON'T BE UPSET ABOUT THE HUGGING. (GENTLE MUSIC) WHO ARE WE GONNA MEET TODAY? WE'RE MEETING JASE AND CASEY GOSNEY AND THEIR LITTLE SON MIKAIO. SO, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A BATTLE FOR THEM TO CONCEIVE MIKAIO. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. TWO YEARS AGO, THEY WENT THROUGH IVF TREATMENT. THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT. BUT AT ABOUT 18 OR 19 WEEKS' PREGNANT, CASEY FOUND OUT THAT MIKAIO HAD A HEART DEFECT, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HEART CONDITIONS BEFORE MIKAIO'S JOURNEY, REALLY. JUST WHAT YOU AND I WOULD KNOW, BASICALLY. THEY JUST HAVE TAKEN IT ON BOARD TO BE THESE AMBASSADORS FOR HEARTKIDS, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL. LIKE, HOW DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR THAT AS WELL AS RAISING A HEART CHILD, WORKING AND RAISING FAMILY AS WELL? IT'S INCREDIBLE. JASON, IN PARTICULAR, CYCLED CAMBODIA. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, HE RAISED OVER $4000. THREE, TWO, ONE. GO. (EXCLAIMS) ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THAT THEY CAN DO TO SUPPORT, THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE ALL FOR IT. IS HE AS TOUGH AS THEY ARE? YES. HE IS. HE'S PROBABLY EVEN STRONGER. (CHUCKLES) HIS NICKNAME'S 'BATMAN'. HE'S OUR LITTLE HEART WARRIOR. HE'S AMAZING, AND HE'S JUST SO STRONG. AND HE'LL SPEND ONE DAY IN HOSPITAL AND THEN THE NEXT DAY YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW. SO BIG TWO, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF HIS LIFE, THEY DIDN'T EVEN THINK HE'D BE HERE. SO EVERY MILESTONE IS A MASSIVE ONE TO CELEBRATE. SO, WE'VE THROWN A BIT OF A PARTY. SO, IT'S LITTLE HEART WARRIOR MIKAIO'S SECOND BIRTHDAY TODAY, AND I COULDN'T THINK OF A MORE APPROPRIATE TIME OR PLACE TO GO AND SURPRISE HIS PARENTS... OR FOR THAT MATTER, A MORE PERFECT ADDRESS. (POIGNANT MUSIC) HI, YOU GUYS LOOK SHOCKED TO SEE US. HEY, I'M MIKE FROM SEVEN SHARP. GIDDAY, MIKE. CASEY. HOW ARE YOU? BIRTHDAY BOY. IT'S MIKAIO'S BIRTHDAY. (CHUCKLES) THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS NOT JUST TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUDDY, BUT ALSO TO SAY THAT YOU ARE THIS WEEK'S ASB GOOD AS GOLD RECIPIENTS. ASB WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU $10,000. THANK YOU. THEY'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THAT MONEY BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR HEART KIDS AND BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE MAYBE YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT OF A RELEASE OF PRESSURE AT THE MOMENT. YEAH. THANKS SO MUCH. (EXHALES) THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) WHAT'S GOING ON? YEAH. (CHUCKLES) SO WELL DESERVED. WHAT DO YOU THINK $10,000 WILL MEAN FOR YOU GUYS? OH. (EXHALES) (SOBS) IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. AFTER YOU. (CHUCKLES) UNREAL. HOW DO YOU FIND TIME TO HELP HEART KIDS WHEN YOU'RE SO BUSY ALREADY WITH YOUR OWN? I THINK HAVING MIKAIO HAS JUST GIVEN US A WHOLE NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE. WE CONNECTED WITH HEART KIDS BEFORE MIKAIO WAS HERE. THEY INTRODUCE YOU TO OTHER HEART FAMILIES AND YOU SEE THE HEART KIDS, AND THEY'VE GOT MIKAIO'S CONDITION. THEY'VE GOT HALF A HEART. YEP. AND THEY'RE 8-YEARS-OLD. AND THAT JUST GIVES YOU HOPE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HANG ON TO. JASON'S DONE A LOT OF FUNDRAISING FOR THEM. I ALWAYS, UM, WANTED TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK. MOST HEART KIDS ARE TINY, WEE THINGS. YES. YEAH. WHAT ARE THEY? NORMALLY` MIKAIO'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. HE'S A BEAST. (BOTH CHUCKLE) HE'S OUR LITTLE SUPERHERO. YEAH. HE'S PRETTY SPECIAL. HERE WE ARE 2-YEARS-OLD. AMAZING. WE'RE SO LUCKY. WE JUST EVERY DAY JUST... APPRECIATE IT. JUST TAKE DAY BY DAY AND APPRECIATE THE SMALL THINGS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S AMAZING. MM-HM. IF YOU KNOW A DESERVING NEW ZEALANDER, NOMINATE THEM AT ASB GOOD AS GOLD.CO.NZ. THEY SEE MY LOVELY PEOPLE. GREAT RECIPIENTS. NOW ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OUR ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS HAVE BECOME PRETTY LIMITED. FOR MANY, CONCERTS, TRIPS TO THE THEATRE, AND 101 PERSON PARTIES ARE ALL STILL OUT OF REACH. AND WITH SEVEN SHARP ONLY ON HALF AN HOUR A DAY, YOU'VE STILL GOT 23 AND A HALF HOURS TO FILL. BUT KIWIS ARE STILL FINDING THINGS TO DO, AND ONE ACTIVITY IN PARTICULAR SEEMS TO HAVE A MONOPOLY ON OUR SPARE TIME. LAURA DANIEL HAS MORE. BOARD GAMES ` THEY'RE PERFECT FOR WHEN YOU'RE BORED, AND 2020 HAS SEEN MORE BOREDOM THAN EVER BEFORE. NO POINTS FOR GUESSING WHY. WHEN YOU FEEL TRAPPED, YOU FIND YOURSELF IN PURSUIT OF A WAY TO BETTER YOUR LIFE WITH MINIMAL RISK. SORRY FOR ALL THE PUNS. IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT BOARD GAMES IN EVERY SCATTERGORY ARE SELLING OUT, WITH RETAILERS AND MANUFACTURERS COLLECTING A LITTLE MORE THAN $200. I MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT. SO WHY DO WE LOVE BOARD GAMES SO MUCH? I HEADED TO MY LOCAL BOARD GAME CAFE ` YES, THAT'S A THING ` TO TALK TO BOARD GAME EXPERT AND FELLOW PUN ENTHUSIAST JAMES MCFADGEN. I LOVE WATCHING A GROUP AS THEY JUST SUDDENLY GET THE MECHANICS OF THE BOARD GAME SLOTTING INTO THEIR HEAD, AND THEY UNDERSTAND, 'OH MY GOD, THIS IS IT. THIS IS HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER.' 'WE CAN WIN IT,' OR, 'I CAN WIN IT,' OR, 'YOU CAN WIN IT,' OR, 'OH, I'M TOTALLY SCREWED HERE.' AND THE MOST POPULAR GAME AT THE MOMENT? EVERYBODY WANTS TO BUY PANDEMIC RIGHT NOW. THEY JUST WANT TO BE AT HOME, WORKING TOGETHER, SAVING THE WORLD AND FANTASISING ABOUT WHEN IT'S REALLY SAVED. IS THERE AN ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD IN THE GAME? THERE ISN'T EVEN A NEW ZEALAND IN THE STANDARD EDITION OF PANDEMIC. IT'S TERRIBLE! BUT WHAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO PLAY WITH IN YOUR BUBBLE? YOU COULD TRY A SOCIALLY DISTANCED GAME OUTDOORS, BUT IT MIGHT BE MORE TROUBLE THAN IT'S WORTH. SOME BOARD GAMES HAVE SOLO PLAYER MODES, SO YOU CAN PLAY THEM ALONE, BUT YOU CAN EITHER PLAY OVER VIDEO CONFERENCING FACILITIES. OTHERWISE, THERE ARE SOME WEBSITES THAT SUPPORT BOARD GAMES ONLINE AND YOU PLAY THE VIRTUAL VERSION OF THE BOARD GAME. SO I THOUGHT I'D TEST SOME ONLINE BOARD GAMING WITH MY BEST FRIEND. IS IT A FINGER? IS IT A HAND? IT LOOKS QUITE RUDE, ACTUALLY. I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHAT IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE. IS IT TWO LEGS OF LAMB? STARS... COME ON. COME ON! COME ON! OH, IT'S A NEW ZEALAND FLAG! YE` NO, NO, NO (STAMMERS) ARGH! THAT'S TIME. IT DIDN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE NEW ZEALAND. AS HATED AS A GAME NIGHT CAN GET, IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE MORE BENEFITS TO BOARD GAMES THAN JUST KILLING TIME. THEY'RE ALSO QUITE GOOD FOR YOUR CRANIUM. STRATEGIC GAMES LIKE CHESS AND RISK AND ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS PROBABLY KEEP YOU A BIT MENTALLY SHARP. WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING BOARD GAMES, YOU'RE PLAYING THEM WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND I THINK THAT REALLY HELPS REDUCE THAT SENSE OF SOCIAL ISOLATION THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL, AND EVEN PEOPLE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT DEPRESSED BEING ON THEIR OWN. SO IT CAN BE A REAL ANTIDOTE. I GUESS YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT SORT OF BOARD GAME. I USED TO PLAY RISK WITH MY WIFE, AND SHE HATED IT BECAUSE I'D EVENTUALLY OBLITERATE HER OFF THE MAP, AND SHE'D JUST GET REALLY GRUMPY AND GO, 'WELL, I'M NOT PLAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU JUST WANT TO WIPE ME 'OFF THE WHOLE FACE OF THE EARTH.' (LAUGHS) SO, THAT'S ONE WITH A FEW MORE NEGATIVE VIBES. BOARD GAMES ASIDE, IT IS A TOUGH TIME IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS PEOPLE CAN COPE? I'D ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, REALLY, TO GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT THEIR VALUES, WHICH MIGHT SOUND LIKE A WEIRD THING, AND PROBABLY DOESN'T RELATE TO BOARD GAMES A HECK OF A LOT. YEAH. BUT ACTUALLY, HOW DO I WANT TO BE IN THIS LOCKDOWN? DO I WANT TO BE KIND? DO I WANT TO BE CARING? DO I WANT TO BE PATIENT? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DESCRIBED? I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A BIT OF NASTINESS OUT THERE, LIKE, ESPECIALLY ONLINE, AND ALL IT IS ABOUT IS WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL YOURSELF, RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. REALLY GOOD POINT. WHAT CAN YOU CONTROL? AND I WOULD REALLY ADVISE PEOPLE TO LIMIT THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK MUCH BETTER TO HAVE A LITTLE READ OF IT, PUT IT ASIDE, PLAY A BOARD GAME WITH YOUR FRIENDS, PLAY IT VIRTUALLY, BUT DO SOMETHING REALLY POSITIVE TO SOCIALLY CONNECT, RATHER THAN SORT OF DOING IT THROUGH, SORT OF PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVELY GOING, (GRUNTS) ` SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR WELL-BEING DURING THE NON-BOARD GAME VERSION OF THE PANDEMIC, PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND PICK UP SOME DICE. JUST WATCH YOUR TEMPER. # OH, SHE'S SWEET BUT A PSYCHO. # A LITTLE BIT PSYCHO. # AT NIGHT SHE'S SCREAMING, 'OH, MY, MY, MY. OH, MY, MY.' # I'M A LOT ABOUT LIKE THAT SOMETIMES. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOU AND PICTIONARY. YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED. A TRADEME AUCTION TO PLAY A GAME OF MONOPOLY WITH FINANCE MINISTER GRANT ROBERTSON AND NATIONAL FINANCE SPOKESPERSON PAUL GOLDSMITH. IT WAS WON BY A CAR DEALER WHO BID $10,300. REALLY? YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY ME TO PLAY WHEN I BELIEVE. IT'S THE MOST FRUSTRATING GAME OF ALL. ON TOMORROW'S SHOW, HOW WOULD YOU COPE IF YOU WERE FORCED TO WALK YOUR DOG TWICE A DAY? AND COULD YOUR PUFFY POOCH EVEN HANDLE THAT MUCH EXERCISE? THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY. THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. SURVELLANCE OZ IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. CHEERIO. CAPTIONS BY KRISTIN WILLIAMS AND CAMERON GRIGG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2020