Women. Ladies. Wahines. Gals. Chicks. The fairer sex. We are strong, fierce characters who also have the fabulous
ability to talk about anything from tampons and technology to rugby rules and
Ruby Woo Mac Lipstick. We hold our own
in the boardroom and bedroom while juggling our families, careers, girlfriends,
households, self-esteem, lifestyles and money. We cannot live without these
great women, our sisters, our comrades in the clubs and confidante’s in the coffee
houses. This blog is to celebrate all
the good women I have met and enjoyed the company of in my life. Whether they
are old friends, related, acquaintances, old workmates, new workmates or someone I was only
able to admire from afar, each one has had a very profound and lasting
influence on my life, and through this blog, I hope they will have a positive
influence on yours.
I met Mereana Faulkner quite a few years ago now when I was doing a
promo in Whangarei for The Edge; she was the PD of the Radioworks office. (And
later went on to be the GM.) I liked her
instantly. She was straight-up, wise,
beautiful, natural, funny and very talented.
I was fortunate enough a few years later to attend her
engagement party and subsequently her wedding to Jason. These days she is Mereana Hawthorn, working Mother of two gorgeous boys, wife of one brickears husband and friend to many.
Mereana is everything that we women want to be – amazing
under pressure; glamorous in a casual way; loved by all and admired by many. I
don’t think ego and Mereana go together at all, despite her numerous accolades
over the years and amazing success in her career.
Most importantly, M has that natural, flawless ability to
not sweat the small stuff. Even on her wedding day, which was another hot
Northland one, Mereana was the calmest, coolest person in the place and I believe
the ONLY one who wasn’t sweating. She was also cool, calm and collected when
she hired the world’s hottest Nanny, blonde, slim, sexy. Instead of vetoing her
because of her looks, Mereana hired her because of her amazing domestic skills
and incredible chemistry with the children. How many of us would do that? You
and I both know we’d hire the oldest, “curviest” Nanny on the list. She just doesn't sweat the small stuff.
She has a big laugh that fills the room and makes you feel
like Tina friggen Fay if she laughs at something you’ve said. Whatever you do, you always want to get some
sort of reaction from her because it’s always memorable.
Like the radio awards one year where she sent me from zero
to hero in an instant. This is back in the day
the radio awards was a very swanky, glittering affair with drinks, ceremony then more
drinks, dinner and dancing.
Both Mereana and I had been nominated but unfortunately that
year neither of us gave acceptance speeches. We were consoling each other after
the ceremony and heading to the dinner at Sky City when Lynley Sutherland (a
former Radioworks GM to Mereana and someone I sort of knew) came over and we
chatted. As we parted Lynley said,
“Tarsha, you look just lovely this year in your black dress, it’s a good thing
too because last year you looked like a hooker!” and she walked away. I
instantly went bright red and felt really stink. Mereana burst into laughter
and said, “Ohhh babe…I know it might not
feel like it right now, and although Lynley is pretty straight up, she
definitely meant that as a compliment. Besides, you do look really lovely.” And with that we got on with it. I definitely avoided Lynley for the rest of the night, but I never sweated or moped on that comment thanks to Mereana.
Over the years Mereana has had some sad moments, some great moments and
several hundred hilarious ones in between. But she does it all with ease, grace
and without breaking a sweat. If there were ever a poster girl for cool, calm
and collected, Mereana would be the one on all of our walls. Everything seems clearer, better, soulful, lighter and
easy with Mereana in your life, and everyone who knows her will agree. Mereana Faulkner, thank you.
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