Sarah Naylor

Weirdness.

2010-05-31T20:04:00.002+12:00

Last night I had a dream that I won a date with Justin Bieber. Weird.

2010

2010-04-29T17:56:00.002+12:00

So these were my goals for this year:

1. Move to a new place.
2. Get some more hobbies.
3. Take an international holiday.
4. Throw a big party for my 30th birthday.
5. Buy new stuff.

It has been 8 months since my last post. Crazy! So a quick update. I am still in Dunedin and still working at the Ministry of Health.

I technically didn't make any new year resolutions this year but I had set the above goals before new years. It may be the first time I have kept a new year's resolution.

1. Move to a new place - This year will mark my 11th year in Dunedin, my seventh flat(if you count my year in Keeling House at Studholme Hall) and 30th flatmate. I have loved my flatting experiences but have for a while felt that it was a change from "student flatting". In March, I moved to a new place in Anderson's Bay. It is great, it is clean, tidy and all the furniture matches. I share with Zelle, who owns the flat. It is a proper grown up flat. If you are in the area, come round for a cuppa, I have chocolate biscuits.

2. Get some more hobbies - My biggest thing is my goal to walk every street in Dunedin. Before you quote the classic Dunedin dad joke ("I've already walked Every Street in Dunedin"), let me clarify - I am walking every single street in Dunedin according to Wises Map. I read an article in The Star last year about a man who was onto his tenth time round the city's streets, to clarify even further, this includes Dunedin city out to Port Chalmers on one side of the harbour and Portobello on the other, Mosgiel, Waldronville, Outram and Warrington. I am approximately a third of my way through my goal. I began on 1 January and aim to complete by 31 December, with the hope of also doing streets in Ranfurly, Waikouaiti and other outlying towns.

My other hobby this year is football. Last year I was super supporter, this year I have donned a strip and you will find me on Sunday afternoons in Cavy women's midfield. This weekend will be the forth game of the season (Look out Dunedin Tech!). Loving it!

3. Take an international holiday - On Saturday, I turn the big 3-0 and next Saturday, I take off for two weeks in Australia, my first time out of the country. I am so excited! I will spend a week in Brisbane with ex flatties, Jo and Brodie and baby bump then down to Melbourne for a week with Annette and Gerg.

4. Throw a big party for my 30th - Yuss! Tomorrow night, drinks, nibbles and live jazz with 80 of my closest friends, family and workmates. One more sleep! One more sleep!

5. Buy new stuff - Ummm, kinda on hold, refer to numbers 3. and 4. :-P

So that's it.

PS. Hi Jemma! How do you make nachos?

How is the exercise going now?

2009-08-28T19:17:00.005+12:00

Wow, it has been over a month since I last posted, so much for blogging once a week.

It is 7:17pm on a Friday evening, I am sitting in bed on my laptop eating cereal for dinner which is a little sad but mostly I am TIRED!!! So the exercise is going well.

The football season finished a fortnight ago, Caversham came dead last (unfortunately). We had the team break up last weekend and I got a certificate! For my dedicated and enthusiastic support (Go Cavy, you're so savy!!!). I think it is my first sporting award ever! Last Sunday was my first Sunday without football although I did go and buy myself my every one football boots, shin guards, training cones and a bag for my boots. I have yet to try them out and I am itching to. I want to get real good before next season.

Last year at work we did a 10,000 step challenge where in teams of ten every one had to walk around the coast of New Zealand with the goal of walking a minimum of 10,000 steps every day. I came in half way through the challenge so I made it my goal to walk 20,000 steps every day. I have started that up again unofficially and this year (as individuals) we are walking around Ireland and North Ireland, starting in Dublin and heading South so for the past four weeks it has been all about the steps.

My general plan was to start with 10,000 steps a day and each week improve on my average or the average of whoever was leading the challenge which until the end of last week had been me but one of the girls went skiing on the weekend with a grand total of 163,000 odd steps (I am still dubious about her numbers) which has pushed my average from 17,000 steps a day to 23,400 steps a day and I am really not happy about it.

Plus I have been swimming every day this week. Monday and Tuesday were light days step wise due to other commitments but Wednesday and Thursday were massive. I spent all of Wednesday evening just walking around. I biked home from work, no one was home and there was no dinner, since I cooked the night before, I didn't much fancy cooking two nights in a row so I went for a 40 minute walk (about 4,000 steps) in the hopes that when I got home dinner would be started. When I got home Dave had only just put meat on to defrost so I went for another walk in the hopes that when I got back dinner would be ready (about 20 minues, 2,000 steps). Then after dinner, I took the dog out for about 50 minutes (5,000 steps). I feel I safer if I take the dog with me, it means I can go for a walk in the evening, I think the dog would protect me. It is not so great taking the dog for long walks though, it was good for a start, she wanted to run so the pace was reasonably fast but then she either got tired or bored or got that we weren't going to go any faster and then she just wanted to sniff EVERYTHING, then I got tired and I really had to pee, I wanted to get home and the dog wanted to sniff EVERYTHING. So I made it home with a whopping 29,000 steps for the entire day. Today is very low, I am too tired but I plan to go on a mission tomorrow.

The revoluton won't be televised but it will be served with cake...

2009-08-02T19:00:00.003+12:00

This week has been a good week, things seem to be settling down at work after our busy period, it has helped that the weather has been quite good, I think it really puts people in a better mood. I haven't been exercising too much this week other than walking or biking to or from work. I hurt my achilles the other week but I'm going to give it a go tomorrow.

This week has marked I.C.B.L's grand return to the official cake bake (as requested by management). I made this Che Guevarra cake, although I think it looks more like Jesus (goes well with the virgin Mary cake I made a couple of years ago. It is quite nice to be back, I must admit I have missed it a little, although I think I ate a lot less at ICBL.

Who would have thought that I liked sport so much?

2009-07-19T17:14:00.003+12:00

One of my biggest childhood tragedies is that when I was about nine or ten I decided that I would play softball. I went along to one of the practices and one of the older girls took me under her wing and taught me how to bat and stuff and I remember I wasn't bad but the boys laughed at me, I went home and I never went back.

This week is the official start of my triathalon training. A couple of years ago, Kat, Liz and I did the the Blokefree Triathalon at MacAndrew Bay. I have decided that this summer I am going to do the whole series, I think there are three of them.

This week I have been quite active. It also helps that I have rebelled against public transport. As I have promised people that I won't bike to work in the snow or the frost I have been getting up at 6:30, checking the weather and deciding on my mode of transport from there. So on Monday, it was very frosty. I walked to work, it took me 25 minutes longer.

On Tuesday, I walked to work, went for a swim after work then walked home again.

On Wednesday, it was fine enough to bike to work. Because I had got up earlier to check the weather I started work at 7am. I went for a 4k run with Lori at lunchtime and biked home.

I walked to work on Thursday (I probably could have biked but better to be safe than sorry). Brett, Lori and I went running at lunchtime. I did my first non-stop 4k and shaved 1:47 off my previous time. I had worship team in the evening and walked home after that. I was exhausted.

I walked in on Friday, I was going to go for a swim after work but ended up having dinner with my workmate at his flat. Tradition American cuisine - medium well done cheese burgers, potatoes with sour cream and Pepsi. I was going to catch the bus home, Charles lives in North East Valley so we walked to the Gardens corner. It was 8:45, the timetable said that the Normanby bus left there at 8:15 and 9:15, my bus left the Octagon at 9:30 so I decided to walk to the Octagon, I ended up catching the Normanby bus on my way to the Octagon. Really!?! That took me to South Dunedin and I walked from there.

Yesterday I went for a 23k bike ride.

Today I biked to church. Football was a home game against Dunedin Tech. I was so prepared, I played bass at church this morning, I was wearing my football gear under my dress pants and jersey so as soon as the service finished I was ready to go.

I played the second half today. I am loving football. Today I was in the backs. The game was a draw 1-1. I am keeping up my tradition of one ball to the head each game. It was kind of funny actually, I think it was half fluke/half defensive, the ball hit me in the hand, carried on and hit me in the head. The other team kept yelling 'Hand ball, hand ball' and Gala yelled back 'it was defensive, it would have hit her in the head' and I yelled back, 'it did hit me in the head'. I found it amusing, actually I don't really know what the outcome of that was. I still don't really know how to play football but I love it.

I am trying to get a group of people together at work to start our own 10,000 step challenge like we did last year, put in an entry fee and have prizes for the best individual, best team, most improved, most consistent so I am going to dig out the pedometre and start counting my steps.

Bending it like Beckham

2009-07-12T20:18:00.002+12:00

This is not me, this is Keira Knightly and this is not what I looked like today. Today I graduated from super supporter to not-quite-as-super player. The team were down in numbers so I got to play. I played a full game of soccer and it was awesome. OK, we lost but it was great. I had so much fun. I started on the wing, I spent a lot of time running, I don't think I managed to fool anyone into thinking that it wasn't my first time playing soccer. I got shifted to the forwards with Jemma half way through half time. Haha! Sarah the striker, not quite but I did get a shot at goal, it didn't go in but still, impressive I thought and I only took one ball to the head the whole game which I felt surprising. I am knackered now though.

I was running...

2009-07-08T18:36:00.002+12:00

So the other week I may have accidentally told my boss that I would join the Wednesday runners.

Today I went for my first run in over a year and actually it wasn't too bad, we did a 4km run and there were only two incidents of wanting to die.

We completed our run in 26 minutes and 47 seconds (the average is about 24 minutes & the record is 20:22), not bad for my first run. I have felt quite tired all afternoon and my legs don't seem to be working the same as they were this morning but it was quite satisfying. Although Jemma said I looked so red it looked as if somebody boiled me. I will go again next week I think.

Invercargill

2009-07-07T20:37:00.004+12:00

So much for trying to blog regularly.

So, last week, very exciting, I took my first official annual leave (other than when the office is closed and you have to take leave). Today was my official one year anniversary at the Ministry of Health as permanent staff and I was the only person in my team who hadn't taken any leave or sick days so it was well over due.

I headed down after work with Laura and Jimmy for Liz and Katrina's combined 30th, which was cool, five years ago I was at their combined 25th. It is kind of weird being around all these people who went to my high school, I think I see maybe five people from high school and even that is very rarely.

The main purpose to my holiday was to meet Sally's beautiful addition to their family, Stella Maree Hamilton. She is beautiful. We had lots of cuddles. Aunty Sarah has the magic touch, she can get the baby to go to sleep. I had a fun couple of days with Sally and the kids - Blake's 5th birthday, blue birthday porridge and a visit to kindy.

It was a baby week, I also met my cousin's bubba, Tessa Jane, who is a little giggle monster, she also does a very good blue steele.

Other highlights included improving my driving skills at McDonalds drive-thru and not dropping my change on the ground this time.

Walking through Queen's Park - one of my favourite places in Invercargill.

Catching up with my friend, Erin who I hadn't seen in a couple of years.

Movies and dinner with my Mum.

I got back to Dunedin on Saturday.

It was great to spend some time with Cate, who is over from Perth on Sunday. We had lunch at the Meridian.

I managed to power up to Tonga Park after lunch and catch the last ten minutes of the match. It was a draw, 2 all against Balclutha. Better than a loss I guess and they are finally off the bottom of the table. And, I am stoked, the girls got their team jackets on the weekend and Donna ordered an extra just for me, the super supporter. I can't wait to wear it to the game this Sunday.

Get a perm!

2009-06-06T00:04:00.001+12:00

Jemma Jemma Jemma Jemma Jemma Jemma Jemma cloning dogs Jemma.

1 May 2009 - The Best Birthday ever!

2009-05-10T21:40:00.005+12:00

I think my 29th birthday was the best one ever. I've had great birthdays before but this one I had stuff all day:

Phase 1: The desk balloon assault:

Thanks Jemma, thanks Mua!

Phase 2: Independent Cake Bake League (a genuine kids' birthday party), mmmmm fairy bread

Phase 3: Lunch at The Asian - the most awesome restaurant in Dunedin, 13 people, 2 large soups, 1 entree, 11 large mains, full for the entire day, $11 per head, awesome!

Phase 4: Coffee & hot chocolate from Mazagran!

Phase 5: Social club drinks!

Phase 6: Dinner at The Alehouse with my favourite people

Phase 7: Cocktails at Pequenos

Home - 2:30am.

Thanks to everyone who made my birthday awesome!

Hey there sports fans!

2009-05-06T21:11:00.005+12:00

Just an update on a few things that have been happening. With cricket January being over my workmates decided I should support rugby league for the month of April. I had to pick one team to support. I couldn't decide, Jemma wanted me to pick the Sea Eagles, Greg wanted me to pick the Warriors (back in the day when I used to follow league, they were my two favourite teams, after much persuasion I decided to choose a different team. I went with the Roosters (In 1975, Jemma's mum's cousin scored the 60th best try in NRL history for the Roosters, it was impressive too). I have no idea where the Roosters are ranked, it was way more fun making up my own team - the Naylor Ninja Robots! (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=76183598383&ref=ts) A fake team is way more entertaining.

My latest hobby is football! A couple of months ago I got a Facebook invite from one of my teaching friends, inviting me to join a women's soccer team, I decided that I was fun too unco-ordinated for soccer and declined the offer, the last time I played soccer I ended up running up and down the field, almost kicking the ball and getting thoroughly grumpy.

Anyway, it turns out my workmate is playing for the same team so now I am super football supporter. We tried to come up with some chants but they need some work:

Cavy girls are very savy,
All the rest can go down the lavy!

You can't expect too much from a night at the Southern.

I even went out and bought sports tops and footy socks in team colours. Every Sunday, I go and watch the girls play football, so far they haven't won any games but they score one goal each match. I missed last week, I would have been kind of gutted if they did win and I wasn't there to see it, maybe this week will be their week.

Saturday Rambling

2009-02-07T19:02:00.003+13:00

I'm tired. It is kind of weird that I am tired. I've been tired all week, it makes no sense to be tired on a working week that is one day shorter than every other. But I did have a few late nights. On Monday, Laura invited me to Changeling at Rialto as a fundraiser one of her client families were having to take their little girl to the States for stem cell research (http://www.darylann.co.nz/). What a wee cutie! The movie was very good, I am a fan of Angelina Jolie's work, it was very well-done, very heartwrenching. Wednesday was another fundraiser movie, Goodbye Lenin for Laura's Relay For Life team. On Tuesday I got together with Jesse to practice some 1930s jazz for a friend's upcoming 30th, very fun. OK so maybe I am also tired after 8 hours of cricket last night, I went round to my local again and I may be a local at my local (I am now on first name basis with the bartender and two other locals). Good match, the Black Caps pulled out another win, I still will not win the office sweepstakes but at least my team didn't lose even if my individual players weren't great. My flatmates joined me for the last couple of overs then we came home and decided to watch Freaky Friday which made it after 2am before getting to bed. I was the first up this morning. I'm always the first up but I like it, it's quiet, I have the illusion of having the house to myself.

I got my haircut this morning. I walked to Dowling street, it takes about 45 minutes. I listen to my iPod. Emily put a whole bunch of music on the G:/ drive at work the other day and I made a playlist, it's random, from Deftones to Soundgarden to Counting Crows to Cypress Hill to Roxette to Nirvana to Burt Bacharach to Audrey Hepburn... but I'm a random kind of person. Some times I don't like how much these things intrude on our lives though. People used to write letters, then no one wrote letters they sent emails, now no one sends emails they just add you as a friend on Facebook. How many little interactions do we miss everyday just walking from A to B cos we're plugged into the iPod, off in our own little worlds?

Krisandra is an artist. It's very short at the back... like clipper short with one copper tail left on the right side. I love the way it feels. It looks edgey. I can't wait for my next 6 week appointment and a change of colour.

I walked home via the one-way south, it seemed like the more direct route. My friend Andrew works for Jackie's Rent A Car so I called in to say hi. We watched the beginning of Madagascar 2 on the computer but Andrew had to take a car out to the airport so he dropped me off at the flat.

I had a healthy lunch of pancakes and I put some chicken in the slow cooker for dinner. Our oven is mysteriously broken so we have to make do, that and chicken seems to be the only food we have at the moment. Sarah put the flat EFT POS card in "the container" before she went away and no one can find it or remember the PIN number so we make do.

I fell asleep in front of Gilmore Girls and it was suddenly 5:30. The smell of chicken is drifting up the stairs and it smells divine. I am making mashed potatoes because I don't really feel like rice and there needed to be something to accompany the random Italian BBQ chicken casserole creation I have made and I am going to put cheese in it, cos I can!

Fishy fishy fishy!

2009-01-28T19:44:00.002+13:00

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!

#4 Wyoming

2009-01-27T19:53:00.004+13:00

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!!!

We don't like cricket, oh no, we love it!

2009-01-22T18:51:00.003+13:00

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

2009-01-21T21:12:00.004+13:00

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.

Happy new year - for Emma

2009-01-19T21:25:00.007+13:00

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.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Shingles, not a fun time.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My Doc Martins!

12. & 13. were apparently stupid.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Food! Friday lunches, filling the lolly jars, cake bakes, food food food.

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

Mo Money, Mo Problems!

2008-11-19T19:56:00.002+13:00

Hi All,

I've joined a team of Mo Bros who are growing Mo's for Movember (the month formerly known as November). As a Mo Sista I'm helping raise funds and awareness because I'm passionate about getting guys to tackle their own health issues by being proactive in the fight against men's depression and prostate cancer.

To donate you can either:

1. Click this link
https://www.movember.com/nz/donate/d...
and donate online using your credit card
Don't forget my registration number - 2105586!

2. Write a cheque payable to 'Movember Donations Account',
referencing my Registration Number 2105586 and mailing it to:
Movember
PO Box 12 708
Wellington 6144

3. Or make a cash donation to myself.

Remember, all donations over $10 are tax deductible.

The money raised by Movember is used to raise awareness of men's health issues and donated to the Cancer Society of New Zealand and the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. These two charities will use the money raised to fund research and increase support networks for those affected with prostate cancer and experiencing depression.

Did you know:

Depression affects 1 in 10 men....Most people who experience depression make a full recovery. The first step is seeking help.

Last year in New Zealand 2,700 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 600 died of prostate cancer - (that's nearly two each day).

Thanks for your support!

Sarah.

More information is available at http://www.movember.com/.
Movember is proudly grown by Marmite, Schick and The Rock.
Movember is proud partners with The Cancer Society of New Zealand and
the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike...

2008-10-01T18:35:00.003+13:00

With the advent of daylight savings I decided I would start biking to work again, since we now have extra daylight in the evenings I am hoping to be able to bike home from places in the evening where I would usually have to rely on others for rides. It's been mostly pretty good, I get to sleep in for an extra half hour as it takes me a third of the time as it does to walk to work. My independence was foiled on Monday night when it absolutely poured with rain and I then had to get a ride home from life group for me and my bike.

Today wasn't so great, it rained, I had a head wind and a bus cut me off ("Come on! I'm a lot smaller than you!") but yesterday I did get wolf-whistled at, cos I look so sexy in my shorts and my high-vis vest, hehe!

Misadventures in plasma donation

2008-09-30T18:55:00.010+13:00

I had my 2nd plasma donation this afternoon, it was not a pleasant experience although I did not end up in a toilet in Scotland. So I decided to alternate arms today to avoid gaining some junkie style track marks on my left arm. All was good, until the end of the first cycle when they return the red blood cells, my arm really started to hurt. The nurse came over and decided to take it out and go back to my left arm, I was keen to soldier on although a little iffy about having to do the needle thing again but then there was a light headed patch and I had to lie down. I am now a medical statistic, an incident report was filled out and I add to the statistics of what type of person is more likely to faint... I would like to point out that I didn't actually faint. So I have a kick ass bruise on my arm now, although I did get a free coffee mug. Apparently 5 visits makes you eligible for a coffee mug or a drink bottle. I'm hoping the 100th visit will be a plasma TV, plasma for plasma. Good idea I think!

Arrrr me hearties!

2008-09-21T17:46:00.009+12:00

I love casual Fridays. I love International Speak Like A Pirate Day. I love it even more when they are the same day. So I went to work on Friday dressed like a pirate, it was great! I don't really need too much encouragement to dress in costume. Many people came up to me and commented on what a great idea it was and how come the whole office didn't do it.

Here is a great website to determine your pirate name:

Pirate Name Generator

Or a useful website on how to speak like a pirate:

How be speakin' Pirate-like

I topped my day off by gatecrashing the DCC staff party at Pirates Rugby club as the Scurvy Dogs provided entertainment - they be me one of me favourite Dunedin bands - Arrrrr! I came home with a handful of pirate prizes, condoms or rubber dinghys for rescuing Seamen.

Check out their website:

The Scurvy Dogs

In other news I got my haircut:

Father's Day

2008-09-07T17:04:00.003+12:00

I always enjoy the Father's Day service at church, there are always crazy competitions and prizes for the dad's and grandads. But sometimes things sneak up on you. I love Pastor Paul's stories, he was talking about stories of his dad and his relationship with his daughter, marrying his daughter, baptising his daughter, meeting his granddaughters and it made me sad because I'm never going to have those moments with my dad. I miss you everyday Dad, I miss you everday. xx

Here comes the sun!

2008-09-06T15:54:00.005+12:00

It's a beautiful day this today, I biked out to Portobello and back just for the hell of it. It was gorgeous, Spring is springing, blossom is starting to appear around the place and it was nice to see the sun after a bit of rain this week. I love the smell of the gum trees out by Glenfalloch.

The week has been mildly horrible. I have lots of processing to do but haven't really got to it because I have been up to my eyes in queries from providers and other people round the office, plus an urgent audit that I've had to sweep under the rug because it was doing my head in and I don't really get it, it may have to be done on Tuesday when Jemma gets back from her holiday and can give me a bit of a hand, everyone else has been too flat out to help me. This is one that Nga should have done months ago before she resigned and left me with everything, I think I've had a couple of those problems this week. But that's life I guess, it doesn't always work out the way you want it to, hopefully the next pay fortnight won't be so hectic, the last one was alright.

Things have been different this week, we have a new team manager, he's a hard case who suffers from tourettes (not really), we also lost Greg and Breanne to assessments (no more Sug and Fiene, sad!)

Ooooh, we are resurrecting the Ministry of Health volleyball team. I have been looking for a new challenge/hobby, volleyball seems as good as anything. I have no hand/eye coordination and know nothing about volleyball but it will be great to get to know some other people round the office, plus hot Anthony is in the team. And we get uniforms and at the moment the team name is leaning to 'Ministry of Pain'! Cool!

I caught up with Andrew last night. We went to see [Rec] at Rialto, it is a Spanish horror film which I never got to see at the film festival. It was awesome! A good old zombie film, fantastically, squirming in your seat, edge of your seat, scary. I came out of the theatre shaking, it was great!

Hello Blog! How ya been?

2008-08-18T22:51:00.004+12:00

It's been a while since my last post, not too much has been happening.

Olivia was down for the weekend for her graduation which was a delight, I'm so proud of my little sister (both my sisters actually), she was so cute and excited about it. Here is a photo from the day which I took and am quite proud of really. This is the fifth grad ceremony I have been to, two were my own.
I swear Peter Broughton does the same speech every graduation and it makes me wonder why he still carries notes, surely he must know it by heart by now, I think I almost do. Apart from Olivia graduating I found the ceremony quite special because Mason Durie was awarded the honorary doctorate. I have studied a lot of his works during my time in education, Te Tumu and with Te Kahui Atawhai O Te Motu. Also Tania Smith was graduating and if she hadn't been in New York, Anna-Kate would have crossed the stage to get her PhD.

Work is going great. The past couple of weeks have been crazy as we just finished the last of two dummy runs for the ARCC changes. Last week was very busy as we had to push through payments for Northern and Midland, 11 hour days and a fair amount of stress. We finished Southern today and have Central to go, hopefully things will settle down after that and we won't be quite as rushed, I'm looking forward to getting into my own work within the next couple of days and maybe get to the bottom or very near the bottom of my intray.

Here's a cute photo I found of me and my workmate, Breanne at Fiona's 40th party on the weekend, Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.

Te wiki i te reo Maori

2008-07-23T21:22:00.001+12:00

I say potato, you say...

2008-05-14T18:35:00.001+12:00

So the only thing I had on my list in Idaho is 'potatoes'. Very cliche, but I will now have to visit this giant baked potato, wherever it may be!

So I really need suggestions for Idaho, any ideas?

Killin' them off!

2008-05-13T19:45:00.002+12:00

I'm day 2 into my new assignment. I decided to go to work AMA but I didn't want to lose my assignment. Ironically I am working at the Ministry of Health. So far it is pretty boring but I'm told it is going to get better. I've done a lot of filing but my main job today was killing old people... no not really. The resthomes and hospitals fax us through the date of death for people on our database, it was my job today to process them into the system so we no longer have to pay subsidies for that person.

I have been doing a little marking for Te Tumu the last few days. I finally got that finished today so tomorrow I can just come home and relax then go to bed early. I don't have any outside commitments this week (until Saturday) so I can concentrate on getting better. Yesterday was pretty miserable being at work and very sore and uncomfortable. Today I tried taking some paracetemol which mostly helped although in the afternoon the shingles started to itch which wasn't pleasant. The doctor prescribed codeine for the pain but I don't take it during the day because it makes me too sleepy and I am told that it can cause constipation, no thanks! I'm hoping that the itching means they are healing. Fingers crossed!

They should give it a nice name like fluffy rabbit spots...

2008-05-10T19:15:00.003+12:00

I was talking to a friend the other day who said that she feels the best now at 37 than she did ten years ago. Well, I've been 28 for 9 days and I've had a cold for 11. Well, yesterday I developed a rash, this morning I went to the doctor and I have shingles.

It was way cooler being sick as a kid, I got to stay home from school, our next door neighbour, Nerilee babysat and she baked chocolate chip cookies and let me watch Dirty Dancing ("No one puts Baby in a corner."). The doctor recommended I take a couple of days off work, I just got a sweet as new assignment, if I take time off they will give it to someone else.

I have to take these giant pills five times a day for a week, I'm gonna be rattling by the end of the week.

And why can't they give it a nice name? At least chicken pox makes you think of chickens, shingles just sounds like scabby grossness. Dumb!

#3 Oregon

2008-05-07T10:59:00.006+12:00

The third state on my list is Oregon.

In Astoria I can see the house from the Goonies. I had wondered whether I could find the same point of coastline where they line up the medallion with the rocks to find One-Eyed Willy's pirate ship but that might be a long shot.

Also the climatic final scene of Free Willy was filmed at the Hammond Mooring Basin in Astoria. "Jump Willy! Jump!!!"

I have a lot of things to do in Portland. One of my favourite Angelina Jolie movies is Foxfire which was filmed in Portland. There are a couple of filming locations I want to see, these being Lincoln High School and the Broadway Bridge:

I don't know if you can climb on the bridge like Angelina does in the movie, it would be cool though. There is also this really cool old house in the movie but I doubt that it exists.

I also take the recommendations of this interesting blog I found one day to visit Sesame Donuts and to ride the bus.

Whenever I meet people from the States I always make a point of asking them things they recommend in their home state. Jono's friend from Oregon recommended that I go see an I-Max movie, I visit the Spruce Goose (thank you Howard Hughes) and I visit the beautiful Columbia Gorge:

On again, off again, now definitely off.

2008-05-05T08:36:00.003+12:00

I am not going to the Gold Coast. After talking to Sarah at Adecco on Tuesday (or was it Monday? I forget) and finding out that the interview for the call centre in Southport was back on, I talked to her again on Friday and it is now definitely off. Apparently what happened was the company in Australia had decided to restructure and heaps of people were laid off; then they seemingly changed their minds and told Adecco here that they were in fact taking on new people but Adecco talked to one of their temps over there who had just walked off the job because the pressure of the job was too high. Apparently there is quite a lot of animosity because of all the people who lost jobs and the sales demands are really high. The girl from Adecco had apparently been working in call centres doing hard selling for ages and she couldn't handle it so Adecco thought that being that I have no call centre experience they didn't want to throw me in to something that I was going to hate. I agree. But being that I was still getting my head around going again, with less notice and a little more pressure, I'm not too sad.

So, it's back to the drawing board. Te Tumu have offered me a marking position which I'm not sure whether I will take or not. It would be a secondary job if I did take it, something to boost my income a little. I have to decide whether it would be too big a time commitment on top of what I am already doing. Also, do I want to go to Korea? If I take up marking I will have to be here until the end of October.

As of yet, no work for this week. Apparently things are quiet at the moment, I would think that winter would be a busy time with lots of people taking sick leave.

I have been nursing a cold for the better part of a week now but I think I'm over the worst of it. We had Branded conference at church this weekend. I was involved in worship on Saturday morning and Saturday evening. So I was dosed up on Paracetomol and IBProfen (I don't know how to spell). It was awesome, the worship was great (I was certainly kept on my toes on Saturday night with one song being switched at the last minute, two key changes and two spontaneous choruses thrown in spur of the moment, I think I managed well) and the speakers were great! So yesterday was a quiet day at home. Sarah gave me the 5th season of the Gilmore Girls on DVD so I spent a large part of my day in bed watching DVDs. I also recently acquired Foxfire on DVD. It's an early Angelina Jolie movies, one of my favourites. It's not a bad movie, it gets a little silly towards the end but redeems itself in the last five minutes and Angelina gives a stellar performance.

Washington State

2008-04-30T20:00:00.006+12:00

Onwards with my US road trip, more things I would like to see and do in Washington State.

Here is a very beautiful picture of Mt. Baker in Washington State.

Washington State is another state that I am very excited about because I get to see my good friend, Emily. Who has been living in Seattle (although is or has moved recently but is still in Washington State). That's Emily in the bottom left of this photo. She's great!

Did you know that Washington DC isn't in Washington State? It is actually on the other side of the country. I only learned that a few months ago, I always thought Washington DC was the capital of Washington State but not so.

So a few things I would like to see and do in Washington State:

Seattle

Seattle Space Needle - it's gotta be done.

OK, this one sounds crazy but I wanna go to a Hooters. Jenanscia from cycle 2 of America's Next Top Model worked at a Hooters in Seattle. Do you reckon they'd give me a t-shirt? I wanna sling some wings. :)

At 171 Lake Washington Boulevard is the house where Kurt Cobain lived and commited suicide. It's a little morbid but I just wanna walk past there.

Even though I'm somewhat against them, I have to go to Starbucks in Seattle. It's gotta be done, maybe just to mock them.

Pike Place Market - Emily said that she once saw an old lady get hit in the face with a flying fish. Poor old lady but funny! That's better than a slap in the face with a cold fish. Dumb joke :P

Emily was telling me how she drives across this floating bridge every day on her way to work. What's that all about? Gotta see that!

Does anyone know if that giant window from Grey's Anatomy exists and is it in Seattle? It's probably on a sound stage somewhere in Hollywood I guess.

Aberdeen

Aberdeen, Washington is the hometown of Kurt Cobain. Andrew and I went to see the documentary 'About A Son' last year, it was brilliant. The movie is interviews with Kurt Cobain towards the end of his life, over top of videos and still frames from Aberdeen and Seattle. I just want to spend a day, walking around there, going where Kurt went, seeing what Kurt saw. Specifically, there is a muffler shop in Aberdeen that has a concrete statue of Kurt, the Young Street bridge which was the influence for Nirvana's song, Something In The Way and the sign into Aberdeen says 'Welcome to Aberdeen - Come As You Are'. Very cool!

I'd also like to visit some other towns with funny names - Shittum Gulch and Humptulips. Seriously!

And I would like to see Mt St Helens which is famous for being the US's most catastrophic volcanic eruption.

So that's it. If anyone has any other suggestions, I would be glad to her 'em.

Random - I would like to cross a state line in a Greyhound bus. I may buy a car to travel in so maybe from Washington to Oregon. Can I take a train through Canada to Washington state?

Update

2008-04-29T19:21:00.002+12:00

I had a call from Adecco today so it turns out that the interview was supposed to be off for the job on the Gold Coast is back on. The job still starts in May, I still don't know when the interview will be. It's a little frustrating, I was gearing up to go to Australia and now I'd kinda of got used to staying here for a little bit but I guess you've gotta roll with the punches.

Oh Boy!

2008-04-25T11:18:00.005+12:00

I was wrong in my temping/Renagade analogy. Being a temp is like being Sam from that great show, Quantum Leap. You leap into someone else's place for awhile as they need you, when they don't need you, you jump into someone else's place. Oh boy!

Courier Post is going well. Remember, if sending something by courier, always put your full name, address and phone number on the package as well as the full name, address and phone number for the person the package is the going to. It makes things easier if your package can't be delivered for whatever reasons. In the industry we call them UNDELS.

The job on the Gold Coast with Adecco has fallen through. Apparently Adecco have been doing this big recruitment but the company in Australia is restructuring and aren't looking for any staff at the moment. So I'm rethinking my options. I'm going to stick with temping for the moment and rethink Korea.

Secret Agent

2008-04-21T20:18:00.002+12:00

I am on a new assignment at Courier Post for a week or so. It's fun. My duties include customer service, answering phones, assigning pick ups to the courier jobs but my favourite part is dealing with undeliverables. It is a bit like being a detective, I have to see if I can find an address to send the parcels to. So let this be a lesson, whenever you send something by courier always put your phone number and the number of the person you are sending it to and use your full name. Temping is great!

Alaska - there are Polar Bears there!

2008-04-18T22:17:00.010+12:00

It was my last day at Harvey Norman today and I have to admit, it made me quite sad but I guess that is the life of a temp, you grow attached and then you have to leave, just like that show Renegade with Lorenzo Lamas, he drove in on his Harley, saved the girl from the bad guys then rode off into the sunset.

So I'm still waiting to hear when my interview for the job on the Gold Coast is, I had hoped it would be this week, it would have been so much less awkward but what can you do?

I thought I would use this blog to talk a bit more about my plans. It has been a dream of mine to do a road trip of the States since I was about 15 and my best friend, Sally and I wanted to sell our kidneys to fund a trip to LA to see Alanis Morissette in concert. I still want to see Alanis but I know that I need both my kidneys.

So here it goes, my list, State by State, in roughly the order I plan to travel.

ALASKA!!!

Alaska is one of the states I am most excited about because it looks so beautiful and I don't know of anyone who has been there.

Some towns I would like to visit:

Juneau - like the movie only spelt different. State capital of Alaska

Barrow - the US's northern-most city.

Eek - like the cat, apparently there is a place in Alaska called Eek, how could I not go to a place with such a cool name?

Mount McKinley - the highest point in the US.

Wildlife

I recently had a debate with somebody about whether there are polar bears in Alaska, I am sure there are, if so, I want to see one. I also want to see (if I can)a moose and a bowhead whale (the state marine mammal).

I would like to watch dog mushing (the state sport).

Food!!!

Food features a lot on my list. Here are some consumables, specific to Alaska:

Conecuh Ridge Whiskey - the state spirit, in some little bar somewhere (think Men In Trees)

Akutaq (Eskimo ice cream) - made from reindeer fat, seal oil & berries, although I am told they substitute the reindeer fat and seal oil, I don't want to eat endangered species. How gross does that sound?

I would like to take some New Zealand pounamu with me as gifts because jade is the state mineral in Alaska and I think that would be a nice thing to do.

That is my Alaska list so far. Any suggestions.

Random note - The Nalgene

Around Dunedin there are many students, you can always spot an American student by the fact that they carry a Nalgene and it is usually covered in stickers. My flatmate from Colorado lost her Nalgene and it was like she lost her identity as an American. My friend Emily left hers in NZ and I had to post it back to her, she sent me money from the airport before she left specially. I must get a Nalgene and a sticker from every state.

Livin' The Dream

2008-04-16T20:38:00.002+12:00

For a long time I have wanted to do a road trip of the United States. At the moment I am working to make that dream a reality. A lot of the things I have been doing in the last year or so have been working towards that, I got my drivers licence (almost, I can go for my full any moment now) and a will and grown up stuff like that.

A trip like this is no mean feat. It takes a lot of money. I had a number of options:

1) Teaching English in Korea
2) Contact 121 Programme in Southport, Gold Coast through Adecco
3) Working full time in New Zealand.

I have been temping at Harvey Norman for the last three weeks. They actually offered me a permanent job. I prayed a lot and in the end I had to say 'God, you've just got to make this really obvious because I don't know which option to choose'. Last week I went to talk to my boss and she had just offered it to someone else so I guess that answered one part of my question then the next day I got a call from Adecco to see whether I was still interested in going to the Gold Coast.

Supposedly I have an interview this week although there are only two days left in this week so I'm not really sure what is happening.

It is my baby step, it is a minimum three month commitment so I may go to Korea later in the year and on the the States from there.

In the meantime, I dream of Route 66, my American friends and Alaska.

An update

2008-03-30T09:43:00.002+13:00

So, Korea is on hold for the moment. I still plan to go but panic was getting the best of me.

For the moment I am temping and loving it. On Thursday afternoon I did four hours of data entry at an engineering firm. My Dad used to have an engineering company in Invercargill, I walked into the place on Thursday and it smelt the same, it reminded me of my Dad.

The recruitment place has been awesome. For the next three weeks I am answering phones, working the switchboard and doing data entry at Harvey Norman. I started on Friday, I had supposed to be going to another assignment (I love that word it makes me sound like a secret agent) but Harvey Norman needed someone to start on Friday so the agency found a replacement for the other job and they even picked me up so I wouldn't be late.

So that is me for the next three weeks.

Adecco offer a programme in Brisbane for three months working in a call-centre so I am looking into that as an intermediate step to Korea, kind of a practice run.

In the meantime I want to get all the visa documents in order for Korea so that when I apply I will be able to get them in the post right away and there won't be as much pressure.

What to do? What to do?

2008-03-20T17:53:00.000+13:00

Do I really want to go to Korea? I have a dream of going to the US and doing a massive road trip across all 50 states. Long ago I had decided that I would go to Korea for a year to teach English which would provide me with flights and is a good way to earn and save a lot of money.

So I sent my CV to a couple of agencies, they are all very nice and friendly and they called me on the day I sent my CV, I am still getting replies for jobs I applied for a month ago here.

I am absolutely terrified, it was always going to be something scary but a good growing experience but now I feel panicked and I don't know if perhaps it is too big a step, the teaching part scared me the most, teaching didn't work out so well for me the last time.

I don't want to give in to the anxiety and let it beat me but I just don't know what I want to do. I do know that I want to go to America and it is going to take a lot of money to do that.

It must be nice to be normal and not be scared about every little thing. I am looking forward to the long weekend, think some things through.

What should I do? I'm anxious and unemployed. Is this God opening a door?

Haha! I want this job!

2008-03-07T14:20:00.003+13:00

Today I have been looking for jobs in Korea. This one is the best ad I have seen:

UGLY TEACHERS NEEDED!!!
Posted By: ESL PLANET
Date: Monday, 3 March 2008, at 10:34 a.m.

We don't care about looks. We want to read your resume.
We don't want prom queens. We want teachers who can work well with others.
We don't want rock stars. We want teachers who can finish a contract.

So get rid of the latex, put the mirror down, lose the pouting stare and start updating your resume!

Some recent applicants:

Hugh Grant - Criminal record. Is not eligible.
Brad Pitt - No university degree. Is not eligible.
Robert Downey Jnr - Drug problem. Is not eligible.
Beavis and ButtHead - Non English Speakers. Are not eligible.
Britney Spears - All of the above. Is not eligible.

So if you have a decent resume, you work well with others and you can finish what you start...WE WANT YOU!

Don't worry be happy

2008-02-12T15:41:00.001+13:00

I'm realising that this blog is becoming a bit of a moan fest. Things are generally a bit up in the air at the moment. I thought things were all good with my boss. I told her on Friday that I wouldn't take the new contract and she was really good about it and she said that she would organise a redundancy package. I had expected her to yell or fight me on it. Today I thought it best to remind her that I need 2 weeks written notice so I sent her an email. She rang me before saying that she needs me to put in a resignation and I explained several times that I wasn't going on to the new contract, I am available to work under my current contract but if she's not prepared to give me any work then she has to make the position redundant and that she has to give me 2 weeks written notice as according to my contract. She says that she's not backing down on it and that she was going to read my contract and ring me back, well I haven't heard from her. I'm not backing down on this and I don't want it to get nasty but she can't make me resign but also I need my notice as I am applying for other jobs and need to tell potential employers when I am available.

So end of moaning onto different emotions:

I have a job interview tomorrow so I am a) nervous - it has been about 9 years since I interviewed for a job that I didn't get but b) I am surprised because I have only put out 9 CVs and have received no rejection letters yet. I didn't even think I would be considered for this job so I am quite proud although mostly nervous.

I am nervous about playing bass at Faith Festival this weekend but I am also (I don't know what word I am looking for - not excited, something else) about stepping outside my comfort zone in doing something I love even if it is in front of lots of people. I can be a rock star.

I am enjoying re-reading Harry Potter, just wish I had more time.

I am surprised that my driving instructor classified me as an 'overconfident driver' at defensive driving last night. I totally would have thought I was an anxious driver.

I am extremely happy that I have a hair appointment with Amber tonight and she hasn't gone to Spain yet.

I had the lovely surprise of running into my old friend Jen in Te Tumu today, she has been in Australia but was in Dunedin today for a job interview. I hope she gets the job and moves back to Dunedin.

I am getting nervous/excited about Sally's upcoming hen's party/wedding.

I can't wait for Olivia to come back from Auckland.

I had a great night at The Scurvy Dogs on Saturday night. I want to be a pirate.

No one said it would be easy...

2008-02-05T15:14:00.000+13:00

So, I've been having a stress. Prior to Xmas break my boss informed me that she wanted me to switch to a new contract whereas I would no longer be employed by the company as Research Developer but would be employed by myself and contracting my services to them. I was less than thrilled about this suggestion as my boss does not have the best track record when it comes to following through and providing me with work to do. I was supposed to give her a decision by Thursday of the following week but all advice given to me was to stall her which I did until yesterday.

So I had a conversation with my boss and I said that 1 week really wasn't enough time to make such a big decision but that I had thought about things and I'm not happy about going on to this new contract, to which my boss replied "I need you to go onto this contract" and that I have to give her a decision by Friday. So on Friday I tell my boss that I'm not taking her contract, I'm available to work under my contract and the ball is in her court whereas she gives me work, or makes my position redundant as per the clause in my contract. I'm not sure how that conversation is going to go.

This work thing is so over-rated, there should just be money for everyone. It's all Adam's fault apparently.

Just for Andrew, Sarah is...

2007-12-17T16:22:00.000+13:00

Sarah is excited that it is almost Christmas and can't wait to go home.

Sarah is wondering how she is going to catch up with all the people she needs to and pack and move all her belongings by Friday.

Sarah is getting tired of her job.

Sarah is confused about her job.

Sarah is thinking that maybe she should move on.

Sarah is excited about having a car to use over the holidays.

Sarah is a little nervous about it because she has never driven further than the airport.

Sarah is excited to catch up with an old friend tomorrow.

Sarah misses Cate already.

Watch out Dunedin!

2007-11-15T14:49:00.000+13:00

I am now allowed to drive unsupervised! I passed my restricted this morning! Yay! I was so nervous, I'm still recovering. :)

I have too much time on my hands...

2007-11-06T12:47:00.000+13:00

Courtesy of Four Four, it's America's Next Top Model epilepsy. Click on the pictures to see them move:

To hell with it all!

2007-10-18T16:05:00.000+13:00

So I am sitting in the central library, I've been here since 8:30am. My piece of crap work laptop finally carked it, which has left me squatting at university as I am still able to log on to the student network even though I haven't been enrolled in over a year and a half.

Well, I'm tired and I have the flu so I generally feel like shite! I hate my job, I generally have nothing to do. We have a big hui coming up but presently everything is under control, other than some documents which need to go out but can't go out till my boss gives the OK (who knows when that might be?) so I am sitting here with stuff of my screen but really I haven't done anything constructive since this morning. I could be doing self-guided research, I do have books open in front of me. I started a little report but frankly I think it's just wasting time because so far I haven't had feedback on my other reports and I don't really care. I'd rather be asleep somewhere.

It's been a long time...

2007-10-03T16:46:00.000+13:00

Such a long time, it took me forever to remember my login name and password then discovered that I can use my email username and stuff so it didn't matter.

A lot has happened since my last post.

My contract with uni ended in May which was a bit of a blow to find myself suddenly without employment when everyone had been under the impression that my contract would be extended however the funds just weren't available. As many of you may be aware Professor Ka'ai (dean of the dept, my supervisor and mentor) was stood down and later resigned along with Prof. Moorfield, my boss. If they had have been around another position would probably have been created for me.

I still miss all the staff and friends I made at Te Tumu incredibly.

However, through one of the lecturers at Te Tumu I was able to get the job I have now. For the past 3 months I have been working part time for a Maori social services collective as research developer. What does this mean you may ask, well, that took me a long time to work out too:

1. I do research for the company - my first project being a report on models of best practice for working with people (my COMF classes paying off).
2. Provider enhancement - working with providers to help them find resources, etc. to carry out their own research. I have recently been working with the Kokiri training centre in south Dunedin to help them find funding, etc. to purchase mountain bikes, etc. to take a group of young people on the Otago rail trail.

At this stage I'm not sure what the future holds, I have been thinking a lot about going over seas next year, possibly in May (I am bridesmaid in March for one of my best friends, Sally & Tish and Richard are getting married at the end of April) to Korea to teach English for a bit to save some money and fund my dream of a road trip across the USA from Alaska to Hawaii. I think I've watched too many movies but it's been a dream for a long time.

I have a passport and my current project is learning to drive. I am finally at the stage where I think I like driving, I've had 3 official lessons and I'm improving all the time so I hope to have my restricted in the not too distant future and my full by early next year.

So that's it really. I'll try to post a bit more regularly.

PS. Andrew, are you impressed?

Music: Jeff Buckley & Gary Lucas - Song To No One (Album: Jeff Buckley & Gary Lucas (Songs To No One)

I'm a new woman!

2007-04-21T12:41:00.000+12:00

I feel fantastically girly today. My sister came round this morning and sent over half my wardrobe to the op shop so we have just been shopping. There is nothing more satisfying than an armload of shopping bags.

I am currently in Arc cafe waiting for my friend Andrew who is up from Invercargill, to catch up over lunch.

I have a very busy weekend which requires me to be sitting in a theatre for long periods of time... that's right.... film festival! Last year I was unfortunate and got the flu so missed most of the movies I wanted to see.

My mum is up tomorrow afternoon for a visit before she flies off to Ireland on Tuesday. We are all very excited for her.

This is where I'm at...

2007-03-10T11:35:00.000+13:00

It's not often I get a chance to update this thing these days so I thought I'd just catch you all up on some things in my life at the moment.

Work - I'm still working on Te Kupu Arotau, the loan words project that I began early last year, my contract ends in May but it looks like we may not be finished till July. It can get a bit tedious at times but I enjoy the job and I recently moved from my little cubicle in the postgrad room to an actual office. I am still re-climatising as I'm not used to having sunshine or light in my work space as well as the fact that the heater is off but still works as if it's on high and if I open the window everything in my office blows away. But I am excited about the prospect of getting plants. Pesa next door has offered me a cutting from his spider plant, which I plan to name 'Peter'. I guess the geeks who read my blog will appreciate the joke.

Random holidays - I decided to check out and actually celebrate some of the holidays listed in my 2007 Collins diary, beginning officially on March 1st with St. David's day, the national day of Wales, greeting people in Whelsh, with my black t-shirt with gold cross and a daffodil, actually only one person I talked to knew what St. David's day was. And on the note of random holidays...

Lent - I challenged my flatmates to Lent, not for an religious reasons but just to prove that I could, after much deliberation I decided to give up TV, which includes DVDs and movies. That seemed like the hardest thing to give up particularly now when all the new seasons have begun and actually it hasn't been so bad. I miss DVDs most of all. Jo gave up coffee (I tried hard to get her to give up smoking) & Kat, gave up TV except... Grey's Anatomy & sport so basically all the programmes she doesn't watch.

Proust - I have been trying to read 'Captive' by Marcel Proust in place of TV. I'm not really succeeding. It isn't too bad to read but it's the type of book you have to keep reading, and I haven't really had the time to sit down and read it in large portions so by the time I pick it up again I have forgotten what's going on. So if anyone can recommend a good study guide...

Rugby - I went to my first game at Carisbrook during O' Week and loved it (true, I really went to see Elemeno P but the game was good too) so my aim is to attend as many home games this year as I can. I tried to upload a photo here in my Highlander's jester hat, face paint and fireman overalls but it hasn't seemed to work.

Paper making - My room and the laundry have been turned into a make shift studio for my latest project. I have a couple of phone books worth of dissertation that I decided to recycle into my own paper using my sister's paper recycling kit. I don't remember it being such an involved process (possibly cos my mum did all the work) but it has been suprisingly fun, if not very slow as I can only do 7 sheets at a time. It's going to be a long project.

Anyway, I thing that's all the stuff with me at the moment.

Music: Van Halen - Pretty Woman

We love long weekends!

2007-02-05T14:29:00.000+13:00

Here I am currently enjoying a 4 day weekend. With Waitangi day tomorrow it seemed stupid going to work for 1 day and what a beautiful weekend for it. I partied up large this weekend, getting home in the wee hours of the morning. It's been great. I have spent my morning shoe shopping, had lunch with Kat, mmm mmm steak n chips, now I am off to the pool!

Lady Fowler & her man

2007-01-16T12:03:00.000+13:00

Anna-Kate and Jeremy are finally married! It was a fabulous day, she looked so gorgeous. Wonderful weather, I got burnt to a little crisp. The wedding was held at Chingford Park, which I never knew existed before and it was followed by a picnic lunch which is really a fantastic idea.

Well, it is Catherine and Paul's turn this weekend. I love weddings!

Music: Mojave 3 - See You On Rooftops

That lyric game again!

2007-01-11T12:45:00.000+13:00

OK, you know how it goes. Random songs off my computer - name the song and artist:

1. Andrew - Smashing Pumpkins: 1979 (Shake down, 1979, cool kids never have the time...)

2. Cate - Phil Collins: Another Day In Paradise (She calls out to the man on the street, 'sir, can you help me?...')

3. Mike & Nick - The Eels: Novacaine For The Soul (Life is white and I am black, Jesus and his lawyer are coming back...)

4. He's a cold-hearted snake, look into his eyes...

5. Mike & Nick - The Police: King of Pain (There's a little black spot on the sun today, it's the same old thing as yesterday...)

6. Wham! Bam! I am a man...

7. Mike & Nick - Carly Binding: I See The World (I see the world and it's turning around with ease, it love is all we got we don't need your sympathy...)

8. We'll do it all, everything, on our own...

9. Well I know a place where the sun hits the sky...

10. Cate - Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah (Well I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord but you don't really care for music do you...)

11. Andrew - UB40: I Can't Help Falling In Love With You (Wise men say, only fools rush in...)

12. Mike & Nick - The Doors: Break On Through (You know the day destroys the night, night divides the day, try to run, try to hide...)

13. Andrew - Steppenwolf (actually this version is INXS but I'll give it to ya): Born To Be Wild (Get your motor running, head out on the highway...)

14. Cate - Anna Nalick: Breathe (2am) (2am and she calls me cos I'm still awake, can you help me unravel my latest mistake...)

15. Cate - Destiny's Child: Say My Name (Say my name, say my name, when no one is around you, say 'baby I love you'...)

16. All the people in the crowd, grab a partner take it down...

17. Cate - Aretha Franklin: Respect (What you want, baby I got it, what you need, you know I got it...)

18. Andrew - Gnarls Barkley: Crazy (I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind...)

19. Andrew - Destiny's Child: Emotion (It's over and done, but the heartache lives on inside...)

20. A man decides after 70 years, that's what he goes there for, is to unlock the door...

Love & marriage, love & marriage, go together like a horse and carriage...

2007-01-09T15:04:00.000+13:00

Hmmm, well the photo really has nothing to do with this post but I was singing the theme song from 'Married With Children' so that's me as Peggy Bundy at my friend Andrew's P party.

Anna-Kate's bridal shower this morning. So lovely, I can't believe my "twin sister" is getting married in less than a week.

It was a lot of fun meeting more of Anna-Kate's friends and her mum plus the usual games and stuff.

I will post some photos next week from the big day.

Music: Alanis Morissette - Mary Jane (Album: Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2007-01-04T12:38:00.000+13:00

Belated seasons greetings to everyone! I hope it was a wonderful time for all. Mine was fairly quiet but it's always great to get home and spend some time with family.

Here are some photos from my graduation (16 December). Thank you to my friend & fabulous photographer, Rachel Callander

This is my Mum, me and my Aunty outside some university somewhere.

I think this is my favourite photo on the historic bridge.

Ooooh so fancy, Rach, you're amazing. Out of interest I am only the 10th person in the world to hold my degree.

My hood was so pretty, I wanted to keep it.

Me & my mum!

The obligatory clock tower shot.

Te Whanake Online

2006-12-12T10:27:00.000+13:00

Friday afternoon saw the launch of Te Whanake Online, the Maori online resource as well as Te Aka Online, the dictionary I was working on earlier this year.

Here are the links, check them out, they are pretty cool:

Te Whanake Online: http://tewhanake.otago.ac.nz/kakano/home

Te Aka Online: http://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/

Music: The Beatles - Heather (Album: The Beatles - Rare Demos)

Elephants are in the dinosaur family, really?

2006-12-11T13:04:00.000+13:00

Another great episode of America's Next Top Model. I can't believe Jade is still around but she's worth just for the comment alone on elephants being from the dinosaur family. Uh no! Unless they're adopted.

Check out the soundclip (and recap of the episode) on Four Four:

http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2006/05/hands_off.html

Music: The Buzzcocks - I Don't Exist (Album: The Buzzcocks - Flat-Pack Philosophy)

Just a few pics...

2006-12-11T12:51:00.000+13:00

Here are just a few photos from the past few weeks.

Andy & Nicole's wedding in Chch:

And my pretty dress, this photo doesn't do it justice:

My sister's 21st:
This is my little 2nd cousin, Quinn helping Olivia open her presents (Isn't her dress pretty?):

Olivia & her cake:

And Mum & Laura:

Music: Carly Binding - So Radiate (Album: Carly Binding - So Radiate)

If you're bored and you know it clap your hands

2006-12-07T08:01:00.000+13:00

I popped into Student Webmail yesterday and found this in my inbox. Dana sent it to me ages ago and I said I'd fill it out but did I? NO! So here you go Dana, just for you, the longest survey in the world:

Longest survey you'll ever fill out! Copy and paste this. Fill it out and send it to all your friends including the person who sent it to you. Do this because the person who sent it to you didn't sit here for ages for nothing. Answer all the questions honestly, no lying to avoid stuff.

Time started: 8:03am

Full Name: Sarah Anne Naylor

Single or Taken: Chronically single

birthdate: 1 May 1980

Star Sign: Taurus

Siblings: 2 younger sisters

Eye colour: blue

Shoe size: 8

Height: 5 foot 5

What are you wearing right now: jeans, a blue shirt, crusty shoes (the green ones not the pink ones - I need new shoes)

Where do you live: Dunedin

Righty or lefty: righty

Any pets: Sassafras (cat) at Mum's & Mo (cat) here in Dunedin except Mo belongs to herself, I'm just the fool who feeds her

Can you make a dollar in change right now?: no

Who is your closest friend?: Hmmm, maybe Anna-Kate & the girls I live with

Do you have a bf or gf?: Nope, still chronically single in the last 6 minutes since the last question like this

Did you send this to your crush? I don't have a crush at the moment

Do you have any tattoos or piercing: ears

Favorite kind of pants: black three quarters handed down from my sister

favourite Color: Dunno, that's such a five year old question, I always used to say blue

Number: Same as above

Boys Name: Tobias (Toby for short) or Jack

Girls Names: Lily and I really like boys names for girls, Cameron, Cody, Corey, apparently boys names that start with C, oh and Dylan

Subject in school: Drama, English

Food: I'll eat anything but I'm a sucker for cheesecake

Month: January, aah Summer

Breakfast: bacon

cartoon character: homer simpson

HAVE YOU EVER.....

Given anyone a bath: Yes

Smoked: once, it was gross

Bungee: no

Made yourself throw-up: no

Gone skinny dipping: yes

Been in the opposite sex's washroom: Yeah, my fastest showering experience ever in Taranaki on the Te Tumu trip, me and Leana were sick of standing in line, it was stone cold and my shower didn't have a curtain

Eaten a dog biscuit: cat biscuit

Put your tongue on a frozen pole: no

Loved someone so much it made you cry?: yes

Broken a bone: no

Played truth or dare: yes

Been in a physical fight: only with my sisters

Been in a police car: yes, it was a friend of my Dad's

Been on a plane: yeah, my parents used to fly

Come close to dying: as a baby, I was a premmy

Been in a sauna: yes

Been in a hot tub: yes

Swam in the ocean: love it!

Fallen asleep in school: a lot, chem141

Ran away?: no

Broken someone's heart: possibly, I don't know

Cried when someone died: yes

Flashed someone: not on purpose

fell off ur chair: I fall down a lot

sat by the fone all night waiting for a call: not all night

fallen for one of your best friends?: no

Used someone: hope not

been cheated on?: no

done something you regret?: yes

your good luck charm: dont have one

best song you ever heard: like anyone could even know that... There have been a few songs when I was like 'Wow!' but I couldn't tell you the best, example? 'Addicted' by Kelly Clarkson

wat's your room like: big, Phantom of the Opera-y

worst thing you said: dont know

What is beside you: wallet, water bottle, headphones, 3 Bibles, 3 Dictionarys and a stack of old copies of my dissertation

Last thing you ate: 2 weet bix with milk and lite mango and peach yoghurt

wat kind of shampoo do you use?: pantene

chiken pox: when I was about ten

sore Throat: not right now

itches: nope

Staples: huh?

broken nose: no

Believe in love at first sight: I guess

like school: survived it but no not really

What schools have you gone to? Wallacetown primary, Collingwood intermediate and James Hargest High School + uni

Go to a Hanson concert if you had a free ticket: Ewww, Hanson is against my religion, annoying squeaky little girls!

Kill someone you didn't know for 15 billion dollars: no

loved someone and you were keeping something from them and it would hurt
them if they found out, would you tell them: yes

who Is the last person that called you: Anna Baker

What makes you laugh the most?: Funny stuff

What makes u smile?: My friends and family

Who was the last person you touched: Liz

You messaged: Can't remember, maybe my sister

Who broke your heart: it hasn't been broken

Who told you they loved you: depends what kinda love you're talking about

Who Is your loudest friend: Jo

Do you/Are You....kool? Nope and that is really unnecessary use of the letter K

Do you like filling these out?: I'm getting bored

Do you wear contacts or glasses: glasses

Do you like yourself: some days

Do you get along with your family: yes

Have piercings below the waist?: no

Stolen anything over $50: no

Obsessive?: yes

Compulsive: I don't think so

Suicidal: no

Final questions ------------------------

How many people are you sending this to? None, as many as want to read it

What are you listening to right now?: Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill

What makes you happy?: friends,family

What did you do yesterday: work, had dinner with my sisters for Olivia's birthday

Hated someone in your family: not seriously

Got any awards: yes

Where do you want to get married: hard to say, depends on circumstances

If you could change anything about ur self what would it be?: I'd stop sweating the little things

Good driver: nope

Good dancer: no

Good Singer: sometimes

a lava lamp: no

How many remote cntrols are in your house: I can think of 6

Are you double jointed: no

What do you dream about?: last night I dreamt I was returning some DVDS and I had a $20 fine

Last time you showered: last night before I went to bed

Last time you took a bath: Sunday morning when I was at Mums

The last movie you saw at the theaters: The Devil Wears Prada

Chocolate or white milk: chocolate

Root beer or Dr.Pepper: Haven't tried either

Mud or Jell-O wrestling: Jell-O

Vanilla or chocolate: chocolate on its own, vanilla ice cream

Skiing or Boarding: skiing

Summer or winter: summer

Orange juice or apple juice? apple

Coffee or tea: love the smell of coffee, love to make it, can't drink it

Phone or in person: in person

Oldest, middle, youngest or only child: eldest

indoor or outdoor: both

Do you want your friends to fill this out and send it back? sure

time end: 8:30am

Music: Alanis Morissette - You Learn (Album: Jagged Little Pill)

We will rejoice and be glad in it

2006-12-06T08:22:00.000+13:00

Well, it is a lovely day, I can sense the sun from over the wall of my box, hehe!

Well, (I gotta stop starting every sentence with well) heaps has been going on since my last post. It's the season for weddings, 21sts and graduations.

I went up to Chch the weekend before last for Andy and Nicole's wedding and it was my sister's 21st this weekend just been. Maybe I'll post some photos later.

Well, gotta go to work.

(Music: Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet (Album: Jagged Little Pill)

The Girls Prayer

2006-11-03T12:43:00.000+13:00

I saw this poster in a shop window as I was walking to work this morning. It made me laugh:

It is Push Play day today. I hung the green balloon out our kitchen window where you can see it from blocks away (maybe, if you have really good eyesight) but I didn't realise you have to register on the website to win a prize. I guess no bike for me this year. So sad!

Music: Ryan Adams - Dear Chicago (Live at the Carling Academy, 15 February 2006)

My blog is spastic

2006-11-01T13:21:00.000+13:00

Why do I have 3 of the same posts when there aren't 3 of it in the template. Damn new fangled technology.

Not much to say really.

A Cashless Society had our 2nd official gig on Saturday. It was "interesting" to say the least. At least the 2nd set was better than the 1st but people seemed to enjoy themselves.

Worship Team bbq on Sunday, always good times.

Bye

(PS. Leave a comment, I dare ya!)

Where have all the bloggers gone?

2006-10-24T14:55:00.001+13:00

Well, I agree with Karen, that there aren't many updated blogs left. I know it's been a while for me to so where better to start than Labour weekend.

I stayed around Dunedin but managed to keep myself busy.

Tish came round on Friday and was forced to watch America's Next Top Model (Yes, I love it!), then we made our self at home at Nova for the evening, playing Scrabble over hot chocolate and fries and aioli. I suffered a narrow defeat.

I spent Saturday morning at home, walked into town in the afternoon by which time the weather was absolute crap. I met up with Abby, we were going to get coffee ended up buying cake from the supermarket and eating it at St Kilda in the warmth and safety of her car.

Had dinner at Sarah Thompson's in the evening. We watched Ocean's 12, not as good as 11 but still enjoyable.

Church on Sunday morning, then out for lunch.

The railway station had its centenial this weekend, I was quite keen to go on the steam train to Sawyers bay but unfortunately they were all sold out. The whistles taunted me for the rest of the weekend.

It was Sarah's birthday yesterday so a bunch of us went to Filadelphios for supper after night church on Sunday. Mmmm, Filadelphios!

I came home and watched Nightmare on Elm Street 3 with Jo. Aaah, bad 80s horror, so not scary.

I spent yesterday afternoon making the best of Labour weekend sales.

There is no logic behind the picture of Johnny Knoxville except I thought this post needed a picture and this was what I found on my computer.

Master of the Universe!

2006-09-04T13:31:00.000+12:00

So, I haven't been able to log on to my blog in ages so the next few posts are gonna be random stuff from the past month or so. Well, I finally heard back from the third examiner of my dissertation and I passed! 90%!!! That's an A+, so the whole masters should round out to an A, I think.

OK, to recap: I handed in the final copy of my dissertation on March 10, it came back in May, the internal examiner had given it an A, the external examiner hadn't even given it a mark and basically ripped it to shreds so I had to do some more work on it. Resubmitted, it came back last month and while the external examiner had given it a mark this time, the two marks still weren't close enough to reach any decision so it went to a third examiner from inside the dept. There was a possibility of graduating in August but there was too much pressure for the third examiner to get it done within a week.

So I now graduate in December! Yay! Then I will be Sarah Anne Naylor (BA, DipGrad, MIndS), cool huh?

Back to normal...almost

2006-08-21T11:34:00.000+12:00

Wow, the last fortnight has been full on, it feels like I have just worked non-stop for the past 2 weeks and I just haven't had time for anything, like cleaning, etc and my flat was driving me crazy. I worked all day Friday from 8 in the morning to 11 in the evening, stopping to eat.

The wänanga went OK this weekend, although I was a total klutz, I burned my finger taking muffins out of the oven, I broke 2 glasses and don't ask about the macaroni cheese (hangi styles, same flavour, less effort - Oops!).

We finished up at 6pm on Saturday night. I came home tired and grumpy. I was in bed by 9. What a nana!

I played bass at church on Sunday morning which was a lot of fun. I went back to work for an hour then home. We had Connect at church on Sunday night (big worship service), I was supposed to be in choir but I decided that I really needed some down time/sleep time and it really wasn't in my best interests to go.

I finally got my room tidied, made the bed, did my washing, made my life normal again and got to bed early. I feel so much better for it.

We put all the balloons from Lizzie's birthday/Kat's welcome home in my room when I wake up in the morning I am in a good mood because my room is bright, colourful, happy and fun.

Music: Richard Ashcroft - Why Not Nothing (Live Acoustic, Paradiso, Amsterdam - 7 March 2006)

Oh the insanity!

2006-08-17T11:36:00.000+12:00

My life is crazy busy at the moment. Work, work, work! I was sick the other week so I have a few hours to make up, I worked in the kitchen last weekend, I am working in the kitchen again this weekend. Last night I worked out that when I hand in my timesheets on Tuesday I will have worked approximately 114 hours, that is a lot of hours, that is like if I worked about 8 and a quarter hours every day of the pay fortnight including Saturdays and Sundays. Hopefully after Tuesday, my hours can go back to normal. At the moment it kinda feels like I get up, go to work, come home to eat dinner then go to bed. Tomorrow I will pretty much work from the moment I get up till the moment I go to bed. *sigh*!

On a less whiney note: Kat got back on Tuesday. Yay! I really missed her. I am very excited about Malaysia's version of Twinkies (Twiggies) and cheap knock off DVDs.

Music: The Eels - Grace Kelly Blues (Black Session, Radio France, 23 March 2000)

I can't think of a title for this one

2006-08-14T15:30:00.001+12:00

Well, I had work from Friday evening till Saturday, in the kitchen for the PACI wananga. It was very busy and I only got about 4 hours sleep on Friday night (we had to be up at 5:30 on Saturday morning, a truely horrible time of the morning) but actually it wasn't too bad. It's a lot better with smaller numbers in the kitchen.

It was Jo's birthday yesterday. I had organised a not-so-surprise lunch (So, I was tired and it was very last minute and I just didn't have the time to invite people secretly, it was just easier to ask Jo for her cell phone and to ask who were good friends who lived in Dunedin) at Tokyo Gardens for Jo and invited some of her friends along.

After that we went to see 2 Film Festival movies.

We went to see 'The White Masai'. It is the true story of this Swiss woman, who while on holiday in Kenya, mets a Masai warrior and falls in love with him (love at first sight). She decides to stay in Africa, where she marries her warrior and lives in a mud hut. It was very good. The clash of two cultures is interesting, like the difference between her culture and his culture, where do you find a compromise where one isn't completely trampling on the others culture?

The second movie was 'The Road To Guantanamo'. This was also a true story of 4 friends who journey to Pakistan in 2001 for a wedding and while there decide to travel to Afghanistan where they are captured by the Teleban and imprisoned. Then they are captured by the Americans who assume that they are members of the Teleban and supporters of Osama Bin Laden, they are imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for 2 and a half years.

It was a good day.

Music: Tim Buckley - I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain (Album: Tim Buckley - Goodbye and Hello)

Looong day!

2006-08-11T11:02:00.000+12:00

Don't you hate those days when you just can't be bothered? Today is like that, I've been here for 3 hours and I'm bored out of my mind. I do 8 hours here then I'm working in the kitchen this evening and all day tomorrow. So bored!

Tomorrow evening should be more interesting. I having dinner with a friend and going to the Student.Soul musical. It is Jo's birthday on Sunday, then Kat gets back. Yay!

Music: Jeff Buckley - Opened Once (Instrumental) (Album: Jeff Buckley - Rarities from NYC)

No time to die

2006-08-10T14:00:00.000+12:00

Sorry, I haven't posted in a while I have been home in bed, dying. I still feel like crap but what can you do? I have no time to die this week, I have a wänanga this weekend (Friday evening to Saturday afternoon) and who gets sick during a film festival? Honestly! So many movies I wanted to see.

I don't really have any news, being sick did give me time to finish the 1st and 2nd seasons of ER, I've had the discs for a year and a half.

Oh! And I got new glasses:

Music: Pearl Jam - Parachutes (Live from Boston, 25 May 2006 - the first live performance of this song, if you're interested)

I am Switzerland. I am so independent.

2006-08-02T15:15:00.000+12:00

Yesterday was Swiss independence day, shame on you those of you who forgot.

Of course we celebrated (Lizzie has Swiss citizenship) - balloons in Swiss colours:

A cake shaped like Swiss cheese:

And this is me in my specially made Swiss t-shirt:

Sorry, I had rotated the photos, I don't know what their problem is!

Music: Pete Yorn - Alive (Live at Bart's Records, Boulder, Colorado - 25 May 2006)

The ugly...

2006-08-02T14:01:00.000+12:00

Now, that is a good looking bruise. The top photo is day 2, the second is day 6. I did the groceries last week. I had to carry them home from Countdown by myself, the damn shopping bags kept smacking me in the back of the leg. You can't deny it's impressive.

Music: Pete Yorn - For Nancy (Cos It Already Is) (Live - Fox Theatre, Boulder, Colorado - 25 May 2006)

The bad...

2006-08-02T13:02:00.000+12:00

So, i finally went to the optometrist last week since the blurry vision is driving me nuts.

Now, I have never been a huge fan of these medical kinda things (optometrists, doctors, dentists, etc. - sorry if you happen to be one of those, it's nothing personal). It definitely wasn't the most pleasant experience.

I'd been there less than five minutes, still had my glasses on, the optometrist barely looked at my eyes and asked if I had ever considered surgery. I have never seriously considered surgery, I've always had glasses, it doesn't really bother me and I can't really afford surgery anyway. Not true apparently with a referal to the hosptial, because in her words, "you have a lazy eye and while most people might not notice, I notice and it's important for a young lady to look good" (?!?) Yes, I have a lazy eye, it is one of the reasons I wear glasses to correct that, it is noticeable without my glasses but seriously (more ?!?) way to make me feel really confident in myself! So I have been referred to the hospital for eye surgery (did I mention ?!?) that I don't actually need but because I am a cross-eyed wierdo. I don't want surgery, all I wanted was new glasses!

And what is with eye tests, they always make me feel stupid and they never tell you whether you've read the chart right or not.

The result - one referal for surgery (seriously ?!?), a new prescription (my bad eye is about the same, my good eye is worse - I guess at least they're getting close to each other), and a bill for over $500 (I liked this optometrist thing a lot more when my parents footed the bill, darn adult independence thing!) and have I considered contacts. (?!?)

Music: Mazzy Star - Hair and Skin (b-side) (Album: Mazzy Star - The Other Side: B-Sides, Live Cuts & Rarities)

The good...

2006-07-31T11:37:00.000+12:00

It was flatmate, Liz's birthday on Saturday. She was away on a camp all day until late so jo and I spent the entire day planning this whole big surprise for her. We had decided that we would fill her room with balloons and leave her present in there for her. First we had to tidy her room, so at least she would be able to find her stuff and everything wasn't still on the floor under all the balloons. Here is the final result:

Jo made a kick ass chocolate cake and iced it like a soccer pitch. She did an awesome job:

We got Lizzie an electric blanket. We put the blanket on her bed so it was nice and toasty for her when she got home. She has been finding it a little cold since she got back from home. Look how excited she is!
Lizzie is in there somewhere:
So, Lizzie came home about 10:30. Jo and I had turned off all the lights and we hid in the kitchen when we heard her come up the stairs, then when she opened her bedroom door and saw the balloons, we brought the cake out singing happy birthday. It was so exciting. Lizzie said it was the best birthday ever!

Music: Alanis Morissette - At That Particular Time (Album: Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept)

Freakin' cool!

2006-07-24T11:06:00.000+12:00

This is me and Carly Binding, taken after the gig the other night. The show was freakin' awesome! Abby and I got there early and Carly and Donald were just there having dinner, so I caught up with Carly (we met a couple of years ago when she was touring with the theatre show of Blood Brothers). The show was really laid back, just Carly and Donald on acoustic guitars, singing each others songs. Between songs they would just tell jokes and take the piss out of each other. It was hilarious.

The highlight for me was the encore, they did a kick ass cover of The Pixies' 'Where Is My Mind' (It's the song from the end of Fight Club. I wanna post the original song here but I don't know how to.

Madison's birthday on Saturday was fun, I love kids birthday, she was so cute opening her presents. This is a photo I took a few weeks ago. Ain't she cute?

Kat left for Malaysia this morning. I miss her already.

Music: Anna Nalick - Breathe (2AM) - you know the song when Meredith pulled the bomb out of that guys chest.

The world is good again

2006-07-19T14:21:00.000+12:00

Yay, I'm not working this weekend after all! This is my happy face.

Music: Alanis Morissette - That Particular Time (Album: Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick

2006-07-19T10:23:00.000+12:00

I'm sorry Jesus if I totally messed up the title.

It's been a while since my last post. Not much has been going on really. I went to see 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2' on the weekend. I'd heard mixed reactions to it but I really liked it, I think I almost enjoyed it more than the first one or at least the same as the first one.

Liz got back on Sunday night, she bought me some twinkies, I've always wanted to try one, their not bad.

Well, in relation to my title, this week has taken a really stinky turn for the worst. I have been looking forward to this weekend for ages, I have tickets to Carly Binding & Donald Reid at Arc on Friday night (a concert I've waited 2 years for, the last time Carly toured, the South Island leg was cancelled) and Madison's 2nd birthday party on Saturday morning but I found out on Monday that all the wananga dates have been moved so I have to work this weekend. It sux! I will still go to Carly (I hope) and try and make an appearance for Madison on Saturday but you know it's really hard to relax and enjoy something when you are watching the clock the whole time and it just means a lot of running around and trying to fit a 40 hour week into 36 hours. So not very happy this week.

Music: Bright Eyes - Four Winds

Nuffink new

2006-07-12T13:33:00.000+12:00

Bored bored bored bored, bored bored bored bored!

Not much to say really. I finished work early yesterday, finally got to train a staff member how to use the new coffee machine, how I miss Azucena's machine, so much nicer to use. You can't make coffee with instant!

I'm at work, it's boring. I need new glasses, the computer screen is a little blurry, my eyes aren't good at team work, if I close one eye it is better. Must go see the optometrist soon, not this week.

Music: Something from Gatecrasher)

Kick ass weekend!

2006-07-10T13:18:00.000+12:00

WARNING!!! I use the word 'ass' a lot in this post.

So obviously, I had a kick ass weekend, what was so kick ass about it you make ask, well:

Kick ass haircut - Dana cut my hair for me on Friday night (fanks Dana!), now my hair doesn't suck anymore.

Ass kicking - I kicked Kelsi, Tish, and Aaron's asses at Buzz. I love that game, I kick ass at that game, it's almost too easy. I guess that is what you get from listening to a lot of different kinds of musics, reading trashy magazines and my ability for holding an amazing amount of useless trivia that I will never need (except playing Buzz)

Kick ass movies - I went to see 'Take The Lead' on Saturday night with my friend Abby and her mum. Kick ass movie! Love the dancing! Totally recommend it! Now I wanna take up ballroom dancing and hip hop (plus find a cute boy to dance the tango with :-P)

Kick ass bass playing - Worship rocked on Sunday morning, I had so much fun. Matt was drumming and he just goes hard (shot Matt!) so I go hard too. It was the first time I've ever not screwed up 'Indescribable' (at practise not during worship but it was alright).

Yeah that's about it. Kick ass!

Music: A Perfect Circle - 3 Libra's (Album: A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms)

Freezy morning

2006-07-07T11:22:00.000+12:00

It's a cold one today, I defrosted Kat's car for her this morning and it was already freezing as we drove to work. I envy Liz over in Denver summer, oh well the joke's on her, she has to come back to Dunedin winter.

I'm still waiting around to teach some of the staff how to make coffee, slightly annoying having to be on someone else's beckon call which takes ages to come.

I'm possibly going up to the Pierces tonight to kick Kelsi and Petra's butts at Buzz and the lovely Dana might give me a haircut. I'm kinda gutted that I have to cut my hair because it is finally at a length where I can tie it up without bits falling out and getting all up in my face. Damn punk hair, but I have the hugest split ends, it's really gross.

Anyways, better get back to work.

Music: Led Zeppelin - No Quarter (Album: Led Zeppelin - Remasters)

Stuff n' nonsense

2006-07-06T11:27:00.000+12:00

Well, I'm at work. My laptop has been taken away to install Microsoft Office on it properly since I have been running a test drive, so I'm back to PC for the moment. I still haven't taught anyone how to make coffee which makes my week kinda long, not doing much else cos I'm waiting for other people, hence why I worked half an hour longer than usual yesterday.

Here's a fun thing which I pinched from Neill's live journal (http://pelliondance.livejournal.com/). So, take random song lyrics, in Google Language Tools, translate said lyrics from English to German, then translate them from German to French, then from French back to English, post them on your blog and see if your friends can work them out:

1) Everyone knows this one:

Over a hot summer evenin on a train for nowhere jumping, I met the player; we were both too tired to sleep. Thus, we were caught exceeded rotations starin the window with blackening with the trouble and started to him outside to speak.

He said, wire, Ive cultivated a life readin faces of people outside, and knowin that its charts were him besides, held its eyes. Thus, if you do not worry about my sayin, I can youre ate to see outside. For a taste your to give sick to Whiskies you some councils.

2) And this one, minus a few obvious lines:

feet in engagements of the loves, in Thy our voices hear, we meet us to ask, a god defend our free country. The Pacific of triple protection star, of the waves of the polemic and the war, it which forms praise which is heard remote

3) a personal favourite of mine:

is to him such as the rain is above a your marriage day him a free voyage, if you already did not pay it are with that the good advice which you precisely did not take that would' ve… thought, only represent yourself

4)

my einsamkeit are to it killin me (and I) me must admit still believe (still to believe) if me with me are you, wants to say an understanding loses to me a sign to give, me strikes with baby another mark.

5)

I recall, me when, I remember, when I remember, when I was there with my understanding something lost which is so pleasant on this phase. Your feelings even had so much an echo in the sector and if you are outside there without Obacht, Yeah were me of note it were however, not because I did not know enough me knew with much precisely cornais which moves me form cornait which moves me form cornait which probably moves me form

Ho hum

2006-07-04T13:38:00.000+12:00

I'm just at work. I like my job and my laptop. I'm enjoying music from someone else's itunes library. Does anyone know how to "right click" on a mac laptop? I only have one button to click. I was gonna put a picture in here but I don't know how to "right click" to save it. I was supposed to be teaching the school administrator how to use the new coffee machine this afternoon but that has been moved till tomorrow, which makes today shorter but makes tomorrow longer. I'm quite looking forward to it. I miss making coffees. I made the chocolate fish (Azucena's signature drink) at worship team potluck last week, it was a lot of fun. One day when I have my own house I'm gonna buy a coffee machine just so I can make espressos for all my guests, and hot chocolates for myself.

Music: Baiterspace - Projects (Album: Baiterspace - B.E.I.P) Apparently this genre is 'industrial'. Interesting!

Quality Time

2006-07-03T11:15:00.000+12:00

Well, it is university holidays now. Kat and I are home alone, Jo went home to Pleasant Point to snow and no power, Liz flew home to Boulder on Thursday to hot weather and air conditioning. So Kat and I have been enjoying some quality time. We went to the movies on Friday night, 'The Breakup'. My recommendation is to wait for the DVD, it's alright, a bit slow though, most of the funniest stuff, you've already seen in the trailer.

We went to the farmer's market on Saturday morning, mmm, bacon buttie and truffles!

We had dinner with Olivia and Glen on Saturday night and dinner at Tom's last night.

Monday is such a let down and I managed to leave half the stuff I need for my second job at home, good one.

Music: A book on CD - Michael Moore: Stupid White Men

For Cate

2006-06-28T09:31:00.000+12:00

Apologies of the lack of updatedness of my blog. I've had the flu and I don't tolerate Jo's computer enough to update my blog from home. But I'm back at the office now, it was nice to be able to work at home in bed, aaaah work lap top how I love thee.

So I have a new laptop for "work" but it's way more fun to play. Here are some photos I took on my laptop:

Well I better get back to work.

Oh, I got a message from Nicole Linkletter (America's Next Top Model) on my myspace.com account, very cool, so on an ANTM note, this is for Cate:

Mmmm hot Nigel!

Remember the time...

2006-06-14T10:17:00.000+12:00

Remember that time I flooded two storeys of our house. Thanks brain!

Music: Alanis Morissette - Are You Still Mad? (Album: Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie)

The day after Monday

2006-06-13T10:17:00.000+12:00

Well, it's cold and snowy today (and not the fun kind). This week I am trying to re-establish some semblance of normality to my life after last week where I was incredibly busy and stressed out and generally not in the greatest frame of mind, what with working full time and spending my free time working on the changes to my dissertation. Well, I had my last meeting with my supervisor on Thursday and it is about ready to go for the second time. Hopefully, things will go better the second time around. I just have to spellcheck and print it out, bind it and hand it in.

I should be starting my new job tomorrow, hopefully, eight hours of dictionary entry is a long time.

I went to the movies on Saturday night. It was nice since it has been such a long time since I last went to the movies. We were going to see 'The Breakup' but it was sold out so we went to 'Poseidan'. It was no Oscar winner but I enjoyed it, it's been ages since I could just chill out to a good disaster movie.

So hopefully smiles and sunshine all round! Yay!

Music: Billy Idol - Sweet Sixteen (Album: Billy Idol - Idol Songs: 11 of the Best)

America's Next Top Model is...

2006-06-12T14:06:00.000+12:00

Nicole!

Another great cycle of top model. Doesn't Nicole look the lost Gilmore Girl? I found this hilarious blog about an old episode of ANTM (love the pics of Tyra Banks):

http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2005/10/no_vacancy.html

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a baby girl, actually she looks kinda cute. I have this theory that celebrity babies aren't very cute. Have you seen Liz Hurley's kid?

And here is a card that Kat sent me today that made me laugh till I cried:

http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.jsp?a=2359971905414M119923532Y

Music: The Corrs - Forgiven Not Forgotten (Album: The Corrs - MTV Unplugged)

"Married a gay ice dancer, threw a girls wooden leg in the fire, LIVE IN A BOX!!!"

2006-06-09T11:01:00.000+12:00

I live in a box. Or, at least for 10 hours of today I live in a box.

This is the content of my box:

Me
My computer
My computer chair
My computer table
Mouse pad
My bag (containing my lunch, various readings, etc. relating to my dissertation & my dissertation, cell phone, wallet, bus pass...)
2 CDs of photos from worship team camp 2005
A note to my boss of work related stuff
2 pens
My diary
An empty plate (I had cheese rolls for lunch yesterday, I haven't done the dishes yet)
My bracelet (I took it off, it bangs on the table when I type)
2 CDs (the Romeo & Juliet and the Scream 2 soundtracks)
A Pump bottle, 2 thirds full (not the original water)
The New Testament in Maori (for my new job which I start next week)
The New King James Bible (also for my new job)
A massive stack of scrap paper (mostly old copies of my dissertation)
A scrap of paper tallying my hours for this week
Timesheets
Headphones
The Williams dictionary of the Maori Language
Te Aka: Maori/English dictionary
My keys

On the walls:

A black and white print out photo of me and my flatmates (taken at the Blokefree triathalon)
Access code and password for the library
A Cashless Society setlist
A photo of Kat's office
Bus timetable
Notes on how to use single quotation marks in writing
Job contracts
Wall planner
Various work related emails
My jacket is slung over the top

This is my life in a box. 7 hours to go.

Music: Masquerade (Album: The Phantom Of The Opera soundtrack (the abbreviated version, not the 2 disc limited edition, which I also own)

Sooo last year!!!

2006-06-07T10:20:00.000+12:00

Blogs, I mean, nobody updates them anymore :-(

I have blog, sometimes I update it. Do people actually read it?

I did the Harry Potter test. Apparently I am a Hagrid, a big hairy giant, that's me:

Stupid thing!
They tell me to copy and paste a code and it doesn't even work! You'll just have to take my word for it!

Or I'll paste it as a picture

Music: Kelly Clarkson - Walk Away (Album: Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway)

Happy birthday Kat (& the Queen)!

2006-06-06T10:17:00.000+12:00

It was Kat's birthday on Saturday. I love birthdays. She had a course all weekend, starting at 8.30 on Saturday morning so Jo and I got up at 7 and cooked her a big breakfast, pancakes, french toast, ice cream, fruit salad. It was so much fun, the kitchen was full of balloons. So Kat got up to a warm kitchen (a rare occurance in our flat) and a big breakfast and presents. Jo and I had been up till like 1am wrapping presents, we got heaps of little things and wrapped them separately. Kat is like a little kid with presents, it was so exciting (I think I was almost just as excited about it all as Kat was). I love birthdays!

Mum came up on Sunday, we had lunch at Capers and roast chicken for dinner at Olivia and Glen's. I met my new niece, my sister's kitten, Missy. She is very cute, she'd have to be considering that they paid $480 for her (free cats are cute too), at least she doesn't look like a hand like that cat Rachel bought on 'Friends'.

I spent all day yesterday reading my dissertation and making more changes for my meeting on Thursday. A thorough waste of a long weekend.

I start my new job today, busy busy week.

Music: Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (Album: Johnny Cash - In Concert)

TGI Friday!

2006-06-02T11:32:00.000+12:00

Oh crap! I ate all the chocolate and it's only 11.26am! How will I survive?

It was going to be a cruisy day today except now I have a meeting and I have to meet Jo later to go shopping for "stuff".

Kat's birthday tomorrow, we are going out for dinner tonight. Mmmm, Indian!

Music: Delirious - White Ribbon Day (Album: Delirious - King Of Fools)

2006-06-02T11:31:00.000+12:00

It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing!

2006-05-31T09:23:00.000+12:00

A Cashless Society had our first official practise for the year last night. So much fun! I love playing jazz! Anna Barham has come aboard on vocals. Last night was pretty much just jamming some ideas but we have a set list of ten songs, very cool songs. We are hoping to play at Vision cafe one night soon. It'll be awesome. We are going to do 'Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)' which is an old Cole Porter song but Alanis Morissette does a really good cover of it on the 'De-Lovely' soundtrack. I played it for the others and they really liked it so we're gonna give it a go.
(I look so retarded in that pic)

Music: Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love (Album: Girl's Night Out)

Tired, bored and nothing to say

2006-05-30T09:17:00.000+12:00

So, I got this in an email awhile ago and never did anything with it, so:

Place an X by all the things you've done, or remove the X from the ones you have not, add your own comments in brackets and then answer the questions HONESTLY, and send it to all of your friends (including me).This is for your entire life

(X) Smoked a cigarette - only one puff on a baby cigar at a cousin's party, hated it, smoking is such a waste
(X?) Drank so much you threw up (Depends on your definition of 'so much', one beer, one vodka cruiser, one shot of chartreuse, not sleep, no food, the flu = vomit. I can drink in moderation it just turns out I can't handle my alcohol)
( ) Crashed a friend's car
( ) Stolen a car
(X) Been in love - I thought so
(X) Been dumped (Yeah, but if he hadn't have done it I would've, it was mutual)
( ) Shoplifted
( ) Been laid off/fired
(X) Quit your job (Not really, summer was over and I had to go back to uni)
( ) Been in a fist fight
( ) Snuck out of your parent's house (Only for fun and I snuck back in, my cousins and I ran around the neighbourhood in our pyjamas)
(X) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school (with a note from my mum, does that count?)
(X) Seen someone die
( ) Been to the States
( ) Had sex on a beach (Not before marriage)
(X) Been on a plane - Love it!
(X) Been lost
(X) Been on the opposite side of the country
( ) Regretted a friendship
(X) Swam in the ocean(I love the ocean!)
(X) Felt like dying (See question 2)
( ) Been arrested
( ) Cried yourself to sleep
(X) Played cops and robbers
( ) Recently coloured with crayons
(X) Sang karaoke (Singstar)
(X) Paid for a meal with only coins (Cashiers hate me!)
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made prank phone calls - I used to prank call my friends at Studholme when they were on phone duty, I remember Jacquilla almost paging the entire hall for Hugh Jass
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus (Mum still has one of my letters, obviously the reason why I never got that Beagle puppy I asked for)
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(X) Blown bubbles
( ) Made a bonfire on the beach
(X) Crashed a party (Lynda's 21st, I didn't know Lynda but I didn't have anything to do that night and the party was right next door to our flat
(X) Gone roller-skating
(X) Gone Ice-skating

Mother's name? Pat
What is your favourite drink? I dunno?
Tattoos? None
Body Piercing? Just my ears
How much do you love your job? I like my job most of the time, it pays well and the hours are flexible
Birthplace: Invercargill, NZ.
Favourite vacation spot? Somewhere warm preferably near water
Have you ever skied? Yeah, love it, suck at it but love it
Ever steal any traffic signs? Yes, the amusing story of the rockets stealing a giveway sign in the middle of the night, working by the light of Brodie's cell phone then telling Mike that we got arrested
Ever been in a car accident? Yes.
Favourite pudding? Cheese cake (not the supermarket kind).
Favourite Number?
Favourite movie? Labyrinth, The Phantom Of The Opera, Thelma & Louise
Favourite holiday(s) Summer.
Favourite food? Too hard to choose, food is good
Favourite day of the week? Saturday
Favourite TV show(s)? at the moment America's Next Top Model and Desperate Housewives
Favourite smell?
What do you do to relax? Watch movie, read book, sleep, hang out with friends, listen to music, play music
How do you see yourself in 10 years? Older, hopefully married, kids, happy, the usual
What do you do when you are bored? Read, bug my flatmates
What do you enjoy receiving? General goodness

Music: Alanis Morissette - Everything (Album: Alanis Morissette - The Collection)

Woe is me!

2006-05-25T10:18:00.000+12:00

I can't get the fancy linky thing to work! It just looks spastic! Look at the poor post that used to be 'Keep it going', poor little post, now all the other posts laugh at it. I am defective as a computer nerd.

Music: Ron Sexsmith - All In Good Time

Now, these look like good albums...

2006-05-19T12:32:00.000+12:00

I got this from I Am Fuel, You Are Friends. They are hilarious!

For Julie's 16th birthday, it looks like 'ole Dad is finally gonna pop the question.

Aaah, just another picture of my typical Friday night.

Cody, you can borrow a feelin' from me. It's that kind of heeby-jeeby feelin' that your lazy eye gives me. Or maybe it's your moustache. One of the two.

Aww, only 50 cents for Joyce? Heck, I'd pay, like 60, 65.

Now, ventriloquism is always a logical connection to environmentalism, because Trees Talk Too. What?

Thank God Ken is by request only.

Because nothing says, 'sexy' like the word pooh in your name.

"For the first time: Tino." Good God, Tino, please point those shorts in another direction. Gracias.

Devastatin' Dave is a turntable slave. What else can I say?

Do they have an actual midget in their crusade?

Satan is real, and apparently he lives in your barbeque. If that's not enough to keep you on the straight and narrow, I don't know what is.

Now these guys look like they know how to have a good time.Am I right or am I right or am I right? Right?

And that's just unfortunate.

I am fuel, you are friends

2006-05-15T12:17:00.000+12:00

This is a blog I am enjoying at the moment (I hope this linky thing works):

www.fuelfriends.blogspot.com

Check it out, espcially if you're into music

Music: Alanis Morissette - Sister Blister (album: Alanis Morissette - The Collection)

Ok, the linky thing didn't work. How do you post a hyperlink like this. Hypothetically I want to link to Alanis's website www.alanismorissette.com but I want to call the link something else. How do I do that?

Keep it going!

2006-05-09T08:15:00.000+12:00

OK so this didn't really get off the ground.

Here are the first lines of twenty random songs from my computer.
Post a comment with the title and artist/composer of the song if you know any! (No cheating by looking up the internet)
When someone guesses one correctly, I'll strike it out and post their user name.

1. If you think that a kiss is on the lips, c'mon you got it all wrong man... (Denial Twist : The White Stripes - <Heather">http://www.blogger.com/Heather)
2. Here is a story from the Bible that we know, a story about a miracle that happened long ago...
3. Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner... (Red Hot Chilli Peppers : Under The Bridge - <Rabid">http://www.blogger.com/>Rabid Melon)
4. Imagine me and you, I do, I think about you day and night, it's only right... (Happy Together - actually it was a cover by Simple Plan but I'll let you have it - >Rabid Melon)
5. C'mon over and do the twist, over do it and have a fit...
6. Turn up the car radio, we can be karaoke superstars...
7. I'll give you countless amounts of outright acceptance if you want it, I will give you encouragement to choose the path that you want if you need it...
8. It's good, isn't it grand, isn't it great, isn't it swell...
9. I want you to know, that I'm happy for you, I wish nothing but the best for you both... (You Oughta Know : Alanis Morissette - http://www.blogger.com/>Rabid Melon)
10. In a world where everybody's falling apart, one by one, part by part...
11. Dear Andre what a splendid party, a prelude to a bright new year... (Masquerade from The Phantom Of The Opera – Katrina)
12. Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you... (Time After Time : Cyndi Lauper - http://www.blogger.com/>Rabid Melon)
13. I've been missing you, I should be kissing you...
14. Where have all the good men gone...
15. Don't walk close, don't breathe so soft...
16. Well, you know I did it, it's over and I feel fine, nothing you can say's gonna change my mind...
17. These hands ain't the hands of a gentleman, these hands are calloused and old...
18. Oh yeah, you're pretty good looking for a girl, but your back is so broken...
19. I've seen them kneel with baited breath for their ritual, I've watched this experience raise them to psuedo higher levels
20. I would do anything, for my sweet sixteen...

Viva La Fiesta!!!

2006-05-08T09:17:00.000+12:00

We celebrated cinco de mayo at our flat on Friday night. Cinco de mayo (5th or May) is a Mexican holiday so Liz cooked a huge Mexican meal for everyone (Shot Liz!) and I made a pinata (For future reference this takes longer than 3 days) which was hilarious since we had nowhere to actually hang the pinata, Malcs had to stand on a chair while a person wearing a blindfold and a sombrero swung a baseball bat close to his shins. We did give him shin guards though. We also made margaritas. Mmmm margaritas!

Music: Alanis Morissette - Uninvited (Album: Alanis Morissette - MTV Unplugged)

MP3 Thing (Thanks Patrick!)

2006-05-05T09:15:00.000+12:00

OK, so I really don't have anything interesting to say. I got this off my friend's brothers blog. So here are the first lines of 20 random songs from my computer. Name the song and the artist in a comment and I will cross off the song and put your name beside it. I guess this will test how many people read my blog huh?

1. If you think that a kiss is on the lips, c'mon you got it all wrong man...
2. Here is a story from the Bible that we know, a story about a miracle that happened long ago...
3. Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner...
4. Imagine me and you, I do, I think about you day and night, it's only right...
5. C'mon over and do the twist, over do it and have a fit...
6. Turn up the car radio, we can be karaoke superstars...
7. I'll give you countless amounts of outright acceptance if you want it, I will give you encouragement to choose the path that you want if you need it...
8. It's good, isn't it grand, isn't it great, isn't it swell...
9. I want you to know, that I'm happy for you, I wish nothing but the best for you both...
10. In a world where everybody's falling apart, one by one, part by part...
11. Dear Andre what a splendid party, a prelude to a bright new year...
12. Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you...
13. I've been missing you, I should be kissing you...
14. Where have all the good men gone...
15. Don't walk close, don't breathe so soft...
16. Well, you know I did it, it's over and I feel fine, nothing you can say's gonna change my mind...
17. These hands ain't the hands of a gentleman, these hands are calloused and old...
18. Oh yeah, you're pretty good looking for a girl, but your back is so broken...
19. I've seen them kneel with baited breath for their ritual, I've watched this experience raise them to psuedo higher levels
20. I would do anything, for my sweet sixteen...

Good luck.

Life is so good!

2006-05-04T10:15:00.000+12:00

I had a teleconference yesterday with my boss and Professor Ka'ai (the dean of Te Tumu) and I have a new job! Professor Moorfield was given some funding last year to create a Maori dictionary of loan words, 2 positions were available but they only filled one. Dean is the other research assistant & he is reading Maori newspapers, picking out the loan words and compiling them in a database. My job is to read the Maori Bible and do the same, they thought I would be perfect for the job because of my faith). How many people get a job reading the Bible? And, and... I get a laptop! Plus, a little bird says that my dissertation is doing really well! I have had so many chocolates at church on Sunday morning cos there is always something to celebrate.

Music: Jackson 5 - Blame It On The Boogie (Album: ??? Some random mix on my computer)

The Azucena birthday club

2006-05-03T10:19:00.000+12:00

It was Rachel's birthday yesterday (the day after mine). Sam had organised (a not so) surprise birthday dance party for her at their place. It was good times. I headed out with Vanessa after Equilibrium practise (Student Soul's dance team), we took slightly longer than everyone else to get there because we missed the turn off to Sam & Rach's and ended up in Waitati, after which we ended up back in Dunedin and had to try again but we got there eventually. If you know Rach don't forget to wish her happy birthday and ask about her gorgeous green boots.

Music: Brooke Fraser - Mystery (Album: Brooke Fraser - What To Do With Daylight)

'Sigh' 365 sleeps to go...

2006-05-02T09:18:00.000+12:00

Well, another birthday done & dusted. I am now 26, last year I was old, this year I'm older. It is such a let down being at work after such a fantastic birthday yesterday! I will just have to find new things to look forward to and keep me entertained.

Music: Destiny's Child - Stay (Album: Destiny's Child - The Writing's On The Wall)