So today I bought myself a 6 month membership to Moana Pool and I went for my first swim after work. It's been ages since I last went to the pool and I forgot how much I love it.
I swam laps for a while then I did some aqua jogging (hard core aqua jogging - no belt!) then a few exercises and last, hit the spa! And now I am tired! The bike home from the pool sucked but I feel toned and trim already!
It's been a while since I posted one of these for a while. So the trip is temporarily on hold, I sat down and looked at my finances the other day and with the US dollar not being so great against the kiwi dollar, I need a lot more money than I had initially calculated. So I will stay where I am for a bit longer. I love my job so it's not so bad, maybe do a couple of little trips for practice until I have the money to do the whole thing.
So this is a view of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
The one major thing to see in Wyoming is Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful: But I just found this cute website with a few random facts: http://www.pocanticohills.org/usa02/usa02.htm
- The famous Battle of Little Big Horn between Colonel George Custer and Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull happened in Wyoming near the Little Big Horn River in 1876. - Wyoming women were the first to get the right to vote, that's a good fact for a kiwi girl, I bet women in Wyoming would be interested in a NZ $10 note. - Wagon rides - Rodeos - Bison!!!
So I decided that since Movember has been and gone and Christmas is over, I need a new "thing" to keep me occupied for the month of January so I decided why not cricket? My workmates are a bunch of crazy sports freaks so cricket seemed like a good option. Previously, I thought cricket was about as interesting as watching paint dry but once you understand the rules it's not so bad and now I love cricket. In my office we even have Black Cap sponsor kiddies, I have Daniel Flynn and he's not too bad. Jimmy needs to talk to his sponsor kiddie about responsible drinking.
I'm even running a sweepstakes for the Australia vs. NZ series to raise money for Relay for life.
So here is my cricket 101 (this is what my workmates gave me to begin with):
CRICKET: As explained to a foreigner... You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay all out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!
You could see how I got confused.
And for some reason cricket makes me think of this video, NZ televison took a massive hit this day and it wasn't that great to begin with:
What I did in my holidays - by Sarah Naylor. Illustrations by Sarah Naylor. Published by Sarah Naylor
On Wednesday the 24th of December, I drove to Wallacetown for Christmas. Laura and Olivia couldn't come because Laura went to Australia with Jimmy and Olivia went to Hamilton. I drove Laura's car.
On Christmas, I got up very very very early. Mum got up at the same time as me.
"Merry Christmas!" exclaimed Mum! "Merry Christmas!" I said.
I got lots of presents. I got some DVDs and some new clothes and some earrings and some scorched almonds and some perfume and some other cool things too.
We went to Aunty Jeannie's for Christmas dinner. There were lots of people there. We ate lots of food.
I went to Garston for new years. I had to paint the house at Garston. Uncle John and Uncle Allan helped me. We painted it white with brown. A bee stung me. It hurt. I went back to Mum's house for two days then I went back to Dunedin.
I'm so slack. Here is something I stole from Amelia's blog to kick the year off:
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Loads of stuff:
Temping was a lot of new things - answering phones for Harvey Norman, parcel detective for Courier Post, generally bluffing my way through every day.
Becoming a permanent staff member for the first time ever instead of part time or fixed term.
Entering and winning Movember.
Being Santa!!!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any last year, this year I am going with the old standard - get more exercise - never works.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends had babies, no one really close though.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
Had contemplated Korea to teach English but chickened out, was supposed to have an interview for some call centre work in Australia but that fell through but it was all meant to be as I love my job!
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Hmmm, will have to think on that one.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 7 - the day I officially started working for the Ministry of Health March 8 - Sally & Don's wedding
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finally managing to escape my old job after a couple of months waiting for my redundancy and my boss trying to force me to resign. Getting the job at the Ministry and winning Movember. Giving up my P habit - P for pineapple lumps, it has been 6 months, 1 week and 1 day since my last pineapple lump.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Dunno, maybe chickening out of Korea but I don't see it as a failure so much cos I'm having such a great time doing what I am doing now.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting my job - there may have been a dance.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Probably Jo's Welsh tra'or song, it has been a hit around the office. I don't understand why my 1991 VIP Pose Remix wasn't a bigger hit:
I can't read or write, yo, but that don't ma'er, Cos I'm one fly girl who can drive a tra'or!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? A bit of both
b) thinner or fatter? Probably fatter - did I mention I spent all my money on food?
c) richer or poorer? Richer - goodbye part time wages, hello permanent staff!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I had found more extra curricular activities
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressing about small stuff
20. How did you spend Christmas? Down home with Mum and the whanau, Christmas dinner with the extended family in Winton - lots of food!
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Not in love, a few crushes
22. What was your favourite TV program? Probably Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, I didn't watch a lot of TV
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't really hate anyone.
24. What was the best book you read? I can't remember, I don't know if I really read much.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? 1. She & Him: Musician/producer, M. Ward and actress, Zooey Deschanel, awesome! I describe them as bluesy, country, very retro, adorable. My favourite track from their album is Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
2. Frightened Rabbit - I think they're Scottish, indie rock band. Favourite track - My Backwards Walk, some great lyrics.
3. Rilo Kiley
4. Thou Shalt Always Kill - Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip. Hilarious!
26. What did you want and get? I made a decision about something and it's been good, no more uncertainty.
27. What did you want and not get? Can't think of anything
28. What was your favourite film of this year? Maybe The Dark Knight, I've seen so many movies last year.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I had the flu. I was working at Courier Post, I made morning tea for the staff, including scones for Emma who had been asking for scones for weeks, I had a music practice and my flatmates put on a supper for me.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting to the States.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Buy stuff I like that remind people of other people, ie. my Jemma shirt and my Heidi outfit
32. What kept you sane? Acting crazy - 80s language week, tourette's Monday, Government assassin day, Movember, secret Santa...
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I dunno.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The elections - hoping National wouldn't get in. *sigh*
35. Who did you miss? Anna-Kate, Cate and my Dad.
36. Who was the best new person you met? All my crazy workmates - Jemma, Jimmy, Greg, Mua, Pam...
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Life is what you make it.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Another one to think on
