I'm cleaning my room. It's one of those cleans where you get into the nooks and crannys and actually go through your stuff and reorder it all. Therefore, as a result, my room is actually messier now than it was when I began.
That said, the parts I've got through look better, so that's a bonus.
I've just discovered The Uptown Boogie, which is a show on George FM from 4-6 on Saturdays. It also happens that it plays the exact kind of music I've been getting into lately. Score.
I went to the gym today - once more tomorrow and I've officially avoided the punishment. At this stage I'm only applying the punishment to this week, but I might make a '4 times a fortnight' kind of deal with myself with a punishment clause attached - I certainly can't deny it's the motivation behind hauling my butt out of bed and going.
I had a good, long sleep last night. I woke up feeling refreshed and jumped right into the day. I like it when that happens.
Right now I'm kind of procrastinating going to the supermarket. Actually I've been doing that for a couple of weeks. I'm pretty much down to nothing I can eat. I began a gluten-free diet about 3 weeks ago and, while I made a decision to come off it last weekend, my body didn't react too well to the reintroduction of gluten. Therefore I'm back on it and I'm out of gluten-free everything pretty much.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Threats work
Threats work.
I went to the gym today, I worked out for half an hour and now I am pretty buggered.
But it worked. If it wasn't for the threat of punishment I would have flagged the gym for the pub this evening.
It's sad that such a small workout has left me feeling so tired, but I think it's got a lot to do with the late night I had last night as well. I should really implement a constant bed time but I'm a night person and it's pretty hard to stick to them for long.
And so this is today's blog because I am tired and I can think of nothing else to say. I'm going to spend my night watching TV and get an early night for the masses of housework I've got to do tomorrow morning.
I went to the gym today, I worked out for half an hour and now I am pretty buggered.
But it worked. If it wasn't for the threat of punishment I would have flagged the gym for the pub this evening.
It's sad that such a small workout has left me feeling so tired, but I think it's got a lot to do with the late night I had last night as well. I should really implement a constant bed time but I'm a night person and it's pretty hard to stick to them for long.
And so this is today's blog because I am tired and I can think of nothing else to say. I'm going to spend my night watching TV and get an early night for the masses of housework I've got to do tomorrow morning.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Rotten eggs and punishments
My day has moved along like any regular day would. I'm pretty busy at work designing a training program to be taught (by me) next week - scary stuff!
I also managed to (accidentally) freeze my salad.
Holly already knows this because I interspersed my day by sending her emails. I like the fact we're both at work and can email each other throughout the day, it makes things a little more fun.
My iPod ran out of battery half way through the day, that sucked. I'm not a big fan of the music my coworkers like. Combined with a hot office it usually makes me want to go to sleep, so I decided to try out George FM to find I really like it!
This weekend holds a travel expo in Greenlane and trips to the gym. I've been so slack at going since I got back from Mahia (read: I haven't been at all) that I'm making a commitment to go on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If I don't, I'll do a punishment. Frankly I think a punishment clause is the only way to make me go. My punishment will be to break two rotten eggs into a pair of old shoes (oddly enough I do have easy access to rotten eggs) and then wear the shoes as I play in the park across the road for half an hour. I will have to video and post the punishment.
Now that is enough to make me go to the gym (although I don't know what I want to avoid more, the punishment or the video editing)!
Right, that's enough of my crap, surely there are more interesting things to look at online than this drivel.
I also managed to (accidentally) freeze my salad.
Holly already knows this because I interspersed my day by sending her emails. I like the fact we're both at work and can email each other throughout the day, it makes things a little more fun.
My iPod ran out of battery half way through the day, that sucked. I'm not a big fan of the music my coworkers like. Combined with a hot office it usually makes me want to go to sleep, so I decided to try out George FM to find I really like it!
This weekend holds a travel expo in Greenlane and trips to the gym. I've been so slack at going since I got back from Mahia (read: I haven't been at all) that I'm making a commitment to go on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If I don't, I'll do a punishment. Frankly I think a punishment clause is the only way to make me go. My punishment will be to break two rotten eggs into a pair of old shoes (oddly enough I do have easy access to rotten eggs) and then wear the shoes as I play in the park across the road for half an hour. I will have to video and post the punishment.
Now that is enough to make me go to the gym (although I don't know what I want to avoid more, the punishment or the video editing)!
Right, that's enough of my crap, surely there are more interesting things to look at online than this drivel.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Work
I'm really busy at work at the moment. So busy in fact that it follows me home.
Next Monday and Tuesday I'm presenting a 2-day training seminar and designing a lesson plan with learning objectives, Powerpoint presentations, a user manual, a training CD ROM and various other training resources from scratch is very hard!
It's not helped by the fact that the software I'm supposed to be teaching isn't even completed yet (it's FULL of bugs).
I guess, at least, I'm lucky enough to have a job where I'm in charge of stuff like this. It's not as if I haven't done training and manual writing before either - the projection room at Hoyts was left with a booklet outlining how to do everything and anything to do with film handling - it's just nice to know that what I'm doing now will continue to be in use after I leave, as will the systems I'm currently putting in place. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Hoyts.
It'll be worth it in the end though - my objectives at work are fairly clear, and the reward at the end of the tunnel is absolutely worth working over the weekend and at nights if I need to.
Next Monday and Tuesday I'm presenting a 2-day training seminar and designing a lesson plan with learning objectives, Powerpoint presentations, a user manual, a training CD ROM and various other training resources from scratch is very hard!
It's not helped by the fact that the software I'm supposed to be teaching isn't even completed yet (it's FULL of bugs).
I guess, at least, I'm lucky enough to have a job where I'm in charge of stuff like this. It's not as if I haven't done training and manual writing before either - the projection room at Hoyts was left with a booklet outlining how to do everything and anything to do with film handling - it's just nice to know that what I'm doing now will continue to be in use after I leave, as will the systems I'm currently putting in place. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Hoyts.
It'll be worth it in the end though - my objectives at work are fairly clear, and the reward at the end of the tunnel is absolutely worth working over the weekend and at nights if I need to.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Rah
It's another day in which I can't be bothered to blog.
I bought a gnome money box yesterday. Here is a photo to make up for my supreme inability to blog.
I bought a gnome money box yesterday. Here is a photo to make up for my supreme inability to blog.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Anniversary Movie Marathon
Today is Auckland Anniversary and I think I'll spend my public holiday doing a movie marathon. Well, sort of. I'm going to see two movies at the cinema back-to-back. I haven't done that in a very long time - not since I worked in a cinema.
It's going to suck having to pay full-price rates for them, but I'll be able to cross two movies off my list as the Rialto is still showing In Bruges and about half an hour after it finishes there's a screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm doing pretty well with that list so far - I've seen Slumdog Millionaire and Dr Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (I know people refer to it as 'Dr Stangelove' but I love it's full title) in the last couple of weeks.
I am kind of tossing up about Benjamin Button though - Wall*E is still playing at Broadway just down the road and it's a much cheaper ticket price. This is probably my last chance to see it on the big screen, but at the same time I probably won't see Benjamin Button on the big screen if I don't see it today. Talk about frustrating!
Oh well, either way, that's how I'm spending my Anniversary day. Happy Anniversary Auckland.
It's going to suck having to pay full-price rates for them, but I'll be able to cross two movies off my list as the Rialto is still showing In Bruges and about half an hour after it finishes there's a screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm doing pretty well with that list so far - I've seen Slumdog Millionaire and Dr Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (I know people refer to it as 'Dr Stangelove' but I love it's full title) in the last couple of weeks.
I am kind of tossing up about Benjamin Button though - Wall*E is still playing at Broadway just down the road and it's a much cheaper ticket price. This is probably my last chance to see it on the big screen, but at the same time I probably won't see Benjamin Button on the big screen if I don't see it today. Talk about frustrating!
Oh well, either way, that's how I'm spending my Anniversary day. Happy Anniversary Auckland.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Musical evolution
I've been playing a lot of music lately.
My current obsession with Z Trip led me down to the video store to pick up 'Scratch' earlier this week, it's a documentary on DJ-ing and it's history (and really good if you happen to be interested) and one of the DJs said something that repeated exactly what I've been thinking since I saw Z Trip at the Big Day Out last Friday.
My music taste is perhaps best described as 'eclectic' - I've got KoRn, Justin Timberlake, Third Eye Blind, Portishead, Radiohead, Kate Nash, Alanis Morissette, Tiki Taane and Flight of the Conchords in my CD collection and my mp3 collection is far more eclectic than that, attracting what many probably find on their own mp3 lists - a lot of trash. It's a lot easier to blow off owning 'I'm too Sexy' on mp3 than it is to own The Best of Right Said Fred on CD.
The fact is, what I'm most attracted to in songs is the beats, perhaps an interesting wee trick on a guitar, a nice build, a catchy chorus or a thrumming bass line.
And the thing I'm discovering is turntablists specifically seek out those moments and distort them, loop them and reorganise them to create what can only be described as 'ear candy'.
I go through phases reguarly and every year I come out of the Big Day Out with an artist I simply rave about for ages. This time I've come out with an entirely new genre that I've fallen in love with. It's not just the Z Trip I love, a few searches online and recommendations from friends have led me to Girl Talk (who is playing a sold out gig in Auckland tonight - I'm a little bummed about missing that!) and Minty Fresh Beats' Jaydiohead (that's Radiohead and Jay-Z mixed up).
Part of me would like to start experimenting on a turntable to see if I could do it - most of the people I've seen in interviews have had a 'Woah!' experience like I have and many are also drummers. Unfortunately, DJing is an expensive hobby. The turntables alone cost more than $600 for a pair and then after that you also need to consider mixers and amps and the actual music itself.
The main problem I have now is - how do I know if this is just one of my phases or a genuine interest developing? Is it really worth going out to buy turntables and vinyl to try?
I guess I just need to find some local DJs, see some more gigs and let this develop. If it's a new passion it won't go away, if it's a passing fad then it will.
All I know is that I can hardly stop listening to this stuff. There are hours of it on my iPod - all the crappy pop I used to have on it has been booted and I know longer suffer from shyPod (which is the condition of being too embarrased by the contents of one's iPod to want to let people see what's on it). I'm left with my favourite songs, which are mostly throbbing pop/rock or dub, some Portishead, hours of Z Trip, the entire Jaydiohead album, two Girl Talk albums and The Grey Album (a mix of The Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black album, mashed up by Dangermouse - who is one half of Gnarls Barkley).
I love the way the music mashes and what gets said in the cutting, the beats that can be produced and the new spins put on my old favourites. The samples being using from rare recordings... it's like this insane, amazing instrument. I'd never actually realised how involved it was and how... hypnotising it is to watch someone good jump on the tables.
As a quick example, check out the video that made me see Z Trip live in the first place:
My current obsession with Z Trip led me down to the video store to pick up 'Scratch' earlier this week, it's a documentary on DJ-ing and it's history (and really good if you happen to be interested) and one of the DJs said something that repeated exactly what I've been thinking since I saw Z Trip at the Big Day Out last Friday.
"It's like I'd waited my entire life to hear this sound, I just hadn't known I was waiting to hear it"That's exactly how I feel. I've always been a little self conscious about my musical taste because I love big beats and funky bass. This generally means I like pop and hip-hop which often is pretty bad.
My music taste is perhaps best described as 'eclectic' - I've got KoRn, Justin Timberlake, Third Eye Blind, Portishead, Radiohead, Kate Nash, Alanis Morissette, Tiki Taane and Flight of the Conchords in my CD collection and my mp3 collection is far more eclectic than that, attracting what many probably find on their own mp3 lists - a lot of trash. It's a lot easier to blow off owning 'I'm too Sexy' on mp3 than it is to own The Best of Right Said Fred on CD.
The fact is, what I'm most attracted to in songs is the beats, perhaps an interesting wee trick on a guitar, a nice build, a catchy chorus or a thrumming bass line.
And the thing I'm discovering is turntablists specifically seek out those moments and distort them, loop them and reorganise them to create what can only be described as 'ear candy'.
I go through phases reguarly and every year I come out of the Big Day Out with an artist I simply rave about for ages. This time I've come out with an entirely new genre that I've fallen in love with. It's not just the Z Trip I love, a few searches online and recommendations from friends have led me to Girl Talk (who is playing a sold out gig in Auckland tonight - I'm a little bummed about missing that!) and Minty Fresh Beats' Jaydiohead (that's Radiohead and Jay-Z mixed up).
Part of me would like to start experimenting on a turntable to see if I could do it - most of the people I've seen in interviews have had a 'Woah!' experience like I have and many are also drummers. Unfortunately, DJing is an expensive hobby. The turntables alone cost more than $600 for a pair and then after that you also need to consider mixers and amps and the actual music itself.
The main problem I have now is - how do I know if this is just one of my phases or a genuine interest developing? Is it really worth going out to buy turntables and vinyl to try?
I guess I just need to find some local DJs, see some more gigs and let this develop. If it's a new passion it won't go away, if it's a passing fad then it will.
All I know is that I can hardly stop listening to this stuff. There are hours of it on my iPod - all the crappy pop I used to have on it has been booted and I know longer suffer from shyPod (which is the condition of being too embarrased by the contents of one's iPod to want to let people see what's on it). I'm left with my favourite songs, which are mostly throbbing pop/rock or dub, some Portishead, hours of Z Trip, the entire Jaydiohead album, two Girl Talk albums and The Grey Album (a mix of The Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black album, mashed up by Dangermouse - who is one half of Gnarls Barkley).
I love the way the music mashes and what gets said in the cutting, the beats that can be produced and the new spins put on my old favourites. The samples being using from rare recordings... it's like this insane, amazing instrument. I'd never actually realised how involved it was and how... hypnotising it is to watch someone good jump on the tables.
As a quick example, check out the video that made me see Z Trip live in the first place:
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Her Story
I visited my grandmother today. While I was there I borrowed the book she wrote about her history and past. She spent many years of her life trying to find out who she was and where she came from, and this is her story.
I've been keen to read it for a while. I've been blessed to have most of my grandparents live for a long time, and as time goes on I realise that I'm only more and more blessed to have that time with them.
So rather than blog about me, I'm going to go read her story.
I've been keen to read it for a while. I've been blessed to have most of my grandparents live for a long time, and as time goes on I realise that I'm only more and more blessed to have that time with them.
So rather than blog about me, I'm going to go read her story.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Blah post
I'm not feeling the blogging thing today.
Long weekend! Yay! Nothing much planned for it, but will be great all the same.
Starting the weekend by catching up on DVDs and TV.
Man I'm lame.
Long weekend! Yay! Nothing much planned for it, but will be great all the same.
Starting the weekend by catching up on DVDs and TV.
Man I'm lame.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Merry Happy
Right now, even though I'm in Auckland, I'm enjoying life.
I had a wicked summer holiday and I've just been to the best Big Day Out where I actually found an artist who rivals Portishead as my All Time Favourite Artist.
I've got goals and I'm working them off the list - slowly.
I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either. I have a good job, and great friends.
I know who I am and I know I'm not perfect, but I try my best.
The world is in turmoil, but I needed to say - there is happiness in all things, there is always a bright side to every crap situation, all you need is people to believe in you and belief in yourself.
I had a wicked summer holiday and I've just been to the best Big Day Out where I actually found an artist who rivals Portishead as my All Time Favourite Artist.
I've got goals and I'm working them off the list - slowly.
I'm not rich, but I'm not poor either. I have a good job, and great friends.
I know who I am and I know I'm not perfect, but I try my best.
The world is in turmoil, but I needed to say - there is happiness in all things, there is always a bright side to every crap situation, all you need is people to believe in you and belief in yourself.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Inauguration
I kinda like the idea that, after all the formalities and celebrations of today, Barack Obama went home tonight, and literally got the key to America. I like to think that right now, he is reading some special President's Book passed down from President to President or finding out that UFOs are real, but Area 51 is not, or meeting the Minister for Magic....
I like the idea that right now, Barack Obama is President, and that he is getting everything that comes with it - from the power, to the money, to the satisfaction, to the little things that have got to make a job like that rock.
I may revise my opinion later - history is judging Bush, and it is unfavourable - but never before has there been a President with such high favour, with such a connection to his people - I can only hope that this is a good thing and it won't all turn to custard over the next 4 years.
Good luck, President Obama, may you do exactly what you are able to do, may people recognise that you are only human, and not a superhero, and may you and your family have strength and faith as you go into this position with the weight of the world on your shoulders.
I like the idea that right now, Barack Obama is President, and that he is getting everything that comes with it - from the power, to the money, to the satisfaction, to the little things that have got to make a job like that rock.
I may revise my opinion later - history is judging Bush, and it is unfavourable - but never before has there been a President with such high favour, with such a connection to his people - I can only hope that this is a good thing and it won't all turn to custard over the next 4 years.
Good luck, President Obama, may you do exactly what you are able to do, may people recognise that you are only human, and not a superhero, and may you and your family have strength and faith as you go into this position with the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Retrospectively Wellington
One of my friends is visiting Wellington for the first time this weekend. When I thought about what she shouldn't miss there, I got thinking.
If I had one hour in Wellington, I would walk with Holly and Shera from the train station to Te Papa via the Waterfront, then get a coffee and cake at Espressoholic.
If I had two hours in Wellington, I would walk from the Civic Square to the end of Chaffers Park via the waterfront with Holly and Shera, then go with them to meet up with other friends at Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had a morning in Wellington I would get up early and walk down Cuba Street. It's the most eerie place at 5.30am when the street sweepers are the only things about. Then I'd buy breakfast from New World Chaffers Park, walk out to my spot past Oriental Bay by myself and eat breakfast while watching the city wake up. Then I would go into town, stopping to see the Colossal Squid at Te Papa, and meet my friends. We would walk up and down Cuba Street, taking in the new stores and trying a new cafe. Then, if we had time, we would go to Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had a whole day in Wellington I would spend my morning as above, except that we would have lunch at the BNZ Center (where I'd get a Ka Pai salad). We would spend the afternoon looking around Willis St, Manners St and Lambton Quay. We would walk through Parliament Gardens, then catch a cable bus back to town because our feet would be hellishly sore. We would go to a random restaurant for dinner then walk around Cuba Street, savouring the night life. We would finish the night, where else? At Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had one night in Wellington, I would begin it at JJ Murphy's, in a booth with a big bunch of friends. From there, I'd make them take me to the best bars and clubs in town - being away so long I no longer know where's good, but I would like to try out the bar with the bowling alley and The Flying Burrito Brothers for a round of frozen margaritas would be called for I'm sure. We would go for as long as we could, then drunkenly stumble down to the Civic Square and around the Waterfront. Hopefully we would keep our clothes on and not go swimming in the harbour, but it has been known to happen before! We would do at least one random mission, stay up all night and eat breakfast at the first cafe to open, which we'd probably argue about for a couple of hours beforehand.
If I was in Wellington in Winter I would take my warmest hoodie and my longest coat. I would bundle myself up against the wind and the rain and walk the Waterfront past Oriental Bay to my spot amd back again. Then I would shelter from the weather and warm myself up again over a hot chocolate at Espressoholic.
If I was in Wellington in the Summer I would do exactly the same thing - except without the heavy clothing, and I would be cooling myself off with smoothie from Tank, sitting in Aro Park.
While I was in Wellington - no matter when or for how long - I would talk to strangers. Wellingtonians are friendly and they all tell great stories - a side effect, I guess, of spending so much time in cafés, bars, pubs and restaurants talking to each other!
If I lived in Wellington... well, who knows? One thing about being away for so long is that I appreciate the things I miss so much more. My friends are the thing I miss most. All my best friends are down there and I've never managed to catch up with them all in one visit - someone always misses out. A huge bonus about living there would be the ability to reconnect with the ones I've lost touch with.
Obviously, I miss Espressoholic. When I lived in Wellington I spent many mornings there reading the paper and having a coffee before work. I've spent many evenings there in between pubs or just relaxing with friends instead of boozing. I've spent many afternoons reading, meeting friends and I've definitely had my fair share of coffee and cake!!
Cuba Street is another thing I miss loads. I miss the people. I miss the fact that, on Cuba Street, it doesn't matter who you are or who's watching - everyone is just themselves and nobody really judges. The people are simply what makes the atmosphere of Cuba Street such an awesome place to be. I had two flats on Cuba Street in my time - one in the Mall above a pub, which had the leakiest roof I have ever seen, and one in upper Cuba Street. I used to go by half a dozen prostitutes each Friday/Saturday night walking home from work to that place. I would live there again in a heartbeat.
Not to forget the Waterfront. That place was a great help with my depression. It gave me a place to go and think. I miss having a waterfront in Auckland like you wouldn't believe. Right by a churning ocean is the best place to be when you're moody, and on a calm and sunny day, it's a great place to just appreciate life.
I miss Te Papa too. It's not somewhere I visit much as a tourist when I'm down for short stays (though I still think a first-timer needs to at least go to the Olden Days Exhibit and even I'll be checking out the Colossal Squid on my next trip), but it's a great way to waste time if you've got nothing to do, no money and you've had more than enough coffee for a while. Many hours have been spent in Te Papa looking at exhibits, pondering lightbulbs and talking with friends.
Parliament was my favourite thing about living in Thorndon. I used to judge the wind in town each day by looking out my window at the flag on top of the Beehive. Then I would walk to work right through Parliament. What an amazing commute to work - right through the central political arena of my country. In how many other places can you do that?
Could I do a similar blog to this for Auckland? Or Rotorua? Or Whangarei?
No. I've got my favourite spots and must-see things in each of those places (for instance I must visit Albert Park, Mt Eden Villiage and Sylvia Park in Auckland or Charis and the Waititi Stream in Rotorua or A.H Reed Park, The Quarry Gardens and The Piggery in Whangarei), but, while I love Whangarei loads - to the point where it feels more like home for me after only one year than Rotorua ever felt in 13 - the only place, in the entire world, that I can write almost 1000 words of pure praise for, is Wellington.
God I miss it.
If I had one hour in Wellington, I would walk with Holly and Shera from the train station to Te Papa via the Waterfront, then get a coffee and cake at Espressoholic.
If I had two hours in Wellington, I would walk from the Civic Square to the end of Chaffers Park via the waterfront with Holly and Shera, then go with them to meet up with other friends at Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had a morning in Wellington I would get up early and walk down Cuba Street. It's the most eerie place at 5.30am when the street sweepers are the only things about. Then I'd buy breakfast from New World Chaffers Park, walk out to my spot past Oriental Bay by myself and eat breakfast while watching the city wake up. Then I would go into town, stopping to see the Colossal Squid at Te Papa, and meet my friends. We would walk up and down Cuba Street, taking in the new stores and trying a new cafe. Then, if we had time, we would go to Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had a whole day in Wellington I would spend my morning as above, except that we would have lunch at the BNZ Center (where I'd get a Ka Pai salad). We would spend the afternoon looking around Willis St, Manners St and Lambton Quay. We would walk through Parliament Gardens, then catch a cable bus back to town because our feet would be hellishly sore. We would go to a random restaurant for dinner then walk around Cuba Street, savouring the night life. We would finish the night, where else? At Espressoholic for coffee and cake.
If I had one night in Wellington, I would begin it at JJ Murphy's, in a booth with a big bunch of friends. From there, I'd make them take me to the best bars and clubs in town - being away so long I no longer know where's good, but I would like to try out the bar with the bowling alley and The Flying Burrito Brothers for a round of frozen margaritas would be called for I'm sure. We would go for as long as we could, then drunkenly stumble down to the Civic Square and around the Waterfront. Hopefully we would keep our clothes on and not go swimming in the harbour, but it has been known to happen before! We would do at least one random mission, stay up all night and eat breakfast at the first cafe to open, which we'd probably argue about for a couple of hours beforehand.
If I was in Wellington in Winter I would take my warmest hoodie and my longest coat. I would bundle myself up against the wind and the rain and walk the Waterfront past Oriental Bay to my spot amd back again. Then I would shelter from the weather and warm myself up again over a hot chocolate at Espressoholic.
If I was in Wellington in the Summer I would do exactly the same thing - except without the heavy clothing, and I would be cooling myself off with smoothie from Tank, sitting in Aro Park.
While I was in Wellington - no matter when or for how long - I would talk to strangers. Wellingtonians are friendly and they all tell great stories - a side effect, I guess, of spending so much time in cafés, bars, pubs and restaurants talking to each other!
If I lived in Wellington... well, who knows? One thing about being away for so long is that I appreciate the things I miss so much more. My friends are the thing I miss most. All my best friends are down there and I've never managed to catch up with them all in one visit - someone always misses out. A huge bonus about living there would be the ability to reconnect with the ones I've lost touch with.
Obviously, I miss Espressoholic. When I lived in Wellington I spent many mornings there reading the paper and having a coffee before work. I've spent many evenings there in between pubs or just relaxing with friends instead of boozing. I've spent many afternoons reading, meeting friends and I've definitely had my fair share of coffee and cake!!
Cuba Street is another thing I miss loads. I miss the people. I miss the fact that, on Cuba Street, it doesn't matter who you are or who's watching - everyone is just themselves and nobody really judges. The people are simply what makes the atmosphere of Cuba Street such an awesome place to be. I had two flats on Cuba Street in my time - one in the Mall above a pub, which had the leakiest roof I have ever seen, and one in upper Cuba Street. I used to go by half a dozen prostitutes each Friday/Saturday night walking home from work to that place. I would live there again in a heartbeat.
Not to forget the Waterfront. That place was a great help with my depression. It gave me a place to go and think. I miss having a waterfront in Auckland like you wouldn't believe. Right by a churning ocean is the best place to be when you're moody, and on a calm and sunny day, it's a great place to just appreciate life.
I miss Te Papa too. It's not somewhere I visit much as a tourist when I'm down for short stays (though I still think a first-timer needs to at least go to the Olden Days Exhibit and even I'll be checking out the Colossal Squid on my next trip), but it's a great way to waste time if you've got nothing to do, no money and you've had more than enough coffee for a while. Many hours have been spent in Te Papa looking at exhibits, pondering lightbulbs and talking with friends.
Parliament was my favourite thing about living in Thorndon. I used to judge the wind in town each day by looking out my window at the flag on top of the Beehive. Then I would walk to work right through Parliament. What an amazing commute to work - right through the central political arena of my country. In how many other places can you do that?
Could I do a similar blog to this for Auckland? Or Rotorua? Or Whangarei?
No. I've got my favourite spots and must-see things in each of those places (for instance I must visit Albert Park, Mt Eden Villiage and Sylvia Park in Auckland or Charis and the Waititi Stream in Rotorua or A.H Reed Park, The Quarry Gardens and The Piggery in Whangarei), but, while I love Whangarei loads - to the point where it feels more like home for me after only one year than Rotorua ever felt in 13 - the only place, in the entire world, that I can write almost 1000 words of pure praise for, is Wellington.
God I miss it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
One thing not to do at the Big Day Out
Between the train station and the stadium on Friday, I was given a 3 pack of some breakfast drink. It was like Up and Go but not.
I thought this was brilliant. I had one before I got in and packed the other 2 into my bag thinking they'd come in handy late on in the day. They were with me during my 3 hours in the Boiler Room and I had the second while watching Serj or the Datsuns from the stands, but the last one was left in my bag.
Toward the end of the night I hadn't been on any rides and thought that it would be a good time. Every year I go on the centrifugal force ride - you stand and it spins you round and round, pinning you against the machine. Naturally, this is the ride I decided to go on.
Being by myself, I figured the best place for my stuff was on me. I managed to put much of my stuff in my pockets and the remainder in my bag, thinking the bag would be fine as it would be pinned up against me.
This was fine and I had a great ride, but as I got off I noticed my bag was awfully... wet.
Turns out I'd exploded the breakfast drink in my bag. I rescued what I could (rinsing it off with my water bottle) and threw the rest (including the bag) out. The bag was bought for last year's BDO - frankly the fact it made it to it's second was a bonus. Most of the stuff inside it was written off by the gross brown crap that got everything but the important things got rescued.
Just one of many reasons why you should only keep stuff you don't mind losing in your bag!
I thought this was brilliant. I had one before I got in and packed the other 2 into my bag thinking they'd come in handy late on in the day. They were with me during my 3 hours in the Boiler Room and I had the second while watching Serj or the Datsuns from the stands, but the last one was left in my bag.
Toward the end of the night I hadn't been on any rides and thought that it would be a good time. Every year I go on the centrifugal force ride - you stand and it spins you round and round, pinning you against the machine. Naturally, this is the ride I decided to go on.
Being by myself, I figured the best place for my stuff was on me. I managed to put much of my stuff in my pockets and the remainder in my bag, thinking the bag would be fine as it would be pinned up against me.
This was fine and I had a great ride, but as I got off I noticed my bag was awfully... wet.
Turns out I'd exploded the breakfast drink in my bag. I rescued what I could (rinsing it off with my water bottle) and threw the rest (including the bag) out. The bag was bought for last year's BDO - frankly the fact it made it to it's second was a bonus. Most of the stuff inside it was written off by the gross brown crap that got everything but the important things got rescued.
Just one of many reasons why you should only keep stuff you don't mind losing in your bag!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Z Trip
Wow, I'm still recovering from the Big Day Out. One of the reasons I'm still recovering is because I'm become a huge fan of the man below (and January's Guy With His Shirt Off) DJ Z Trip.
I'm into this dude. He's got wicked taste in music and he mixes it awesomely. I love his politics (he did sets encouraging people to vote for Obama and in celebration of Obama's win) and honestly, he was awesome to watch DJ.
I'm officially a fan.
I'm into this dude. He's got wicked taste in music and he mixes it awesomely. I love his politics (he did sets encouraging people to vote for Obama and in celebration of Obama's win) and honestly, he was awesome to watch DJ.I'm officially a fan.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
BDO - a brief overview of awesome
The Big Day Out was too epic to get into one post. I'll probably post about bits and pieces over the next week. The only thing I'm really gutted about is that I didn't take my camera!
I spent 3 hours in the Boiler Room and it was... oh it was fantastic. After I'd got in, got my drinking wristband for entry into the R18 areas later on it was getting close to 2pm so I went in to catch the last bit of State of Mind who were followed by P Money.
Due to the fact he's worked with Scribe and Akon, I think people grossly underestimate P Money but he does a WICKED set. He had the crowd rocking. While he was on I realised there was an opportunity to see Tiki from the front so I figured I'd give it a go. I waited and I waited and about two thirds of the way through P Money a spot opened up in the front row of the stage.
A great thing about the front row of the Boiler Room - there is plenty of fresh air from the sides and they'll fill your water bottle for you. You can survive for a very long time there. I was there for nearly 2 hours.
Tiki was.... well Tiki blew me away. He was awesome, as always.
I followed Tiki by checking out Z Trip - who was my favourite act of the day. He's a DJ from the US and he specialises in mix ups. I'd recommend people try him out - you can download much of his stuff for free under Creative Commons - meaning it's free AND legal - here.
After Z Trip, Lupe Fiasco was on and I managed to catch a great performance of Kick, Push - which was all I really wanted to see so I was happy. Anther happy catch was I Bet That You Look Good On The Dance Floor by the Arctic Monkeys who I otherwise missed.
At about 10pm I realised that if I skipped The Prodigy and went home, then I could go home, have a shower and go out and catch the after party happening at Coherant. I sent out a text and Shaun volunteered to come with. The after party featured another brilliant set by P Money, joint on the mike by Tiki. I was also blown away by the fact that hanging out at the party was Z Trip.
Wicked, wicked bloody day and night.
Bring on BDO 2010!!
I spent 3 hours in the Boiler Room and it was... oh it was fantastic. After I'd got in, got my drinking wristband for entry into the R18 areas later on it was getting close to 2pm so I went in to catch the last bit of State of Mind who were followed by P Money.
Due to the fact he's worked with Scribe and Akon, I think people grossly underestimate P Money but he does a WICKED set. He had the crowd rocking. While he was on I realised there was an opportunity to see Tiki from the front so I figured I'd give it a go. I waited and I waited and about two thirds of the way through P Money a spot opened up in the front row of the stage.
A great thing about the front row of the Boiler Room - there is plenty of fresh air from the sides and they'll fill your water bottle for you. You can survive for a very long time there. I was there for nearly 2 hours.
Tiki was.... well Tiki blew me away. He was awesome, as always.
I followed Tiki by checking out Z Trip - who was my favourite act of the day. He's a DJ from the US and he specialises in mix ups. I'd recommend people try him out - you can download much of his stuff for free under Creative Commons - meaning it's free AND legal - here.
After Z Trip, Lupe Fiasco was on and I managed to catch a great performance of Kick, Push - which was all I really wanted to see so I was happy. Anther happy catch was I Bet That You Look Good On The Dance Floor by the Arctic Monkeys who I otherwise missed.
At about 10pm I realised that if I skipped The Prodigy and went home, then I could go home, have a shower and go out and catch the after party happening at Coherant. I sent out a text and Shaun volunteered to come with. The after party featured another brilliant set by P Money, joint on the mike by Tiki. I was also blown away by the fact that hanging out at the party was Z Trip.
Wicked, wicked bloody day and night.
Bring on BDO 2010!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Today's the day!
The Big Day Out is a marker for lots of events for me.
2001 was my first Big Day Out. Limp Bizkit, Rammstein, Coldplay, Placebo and Betchadupa. I went with my cousin, she lost her bag in the mosh pit. Last time I will ever ride the Kamakaze.
I began my OE (Overland Experience which took in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and New Plymouth over 4 weeks) with the 2002 Big Day Out. This was the last time it rained at the Big Day Out, the year fans rushed the stage at the System of a Down concert and the only time I have left the BDO before 7pm. Apart from SOAD and Shihad I don't actually remember who was there.
I moved to Auckland in 2006 the day before the Big Day Out - that one was the one with the Franz Ferdinand, White Stripes and Iggy Pop. It was the least-crowded BDO I have ever been to and the one where I was alone all day.
In 2007 I went with Shera and her ex-boyfriend. This was the one with Tool and Lily Allen. It sold out and Shera and I had to line up at Real Groovy for hours to get her tickets.
In 2008 I went with Shera and Dane - and it's where they first hooked up. God bless it, two very good friends making each other happy. This Big Day Out featured Bjork, Rage Against the Machine, Tiki Taane, Hilltop Hoods and Kate Nash.
2009 promises a good day. The weather looks to be quite a scorcher and my lineup got very interesting when I reexamined it last night.
BDO WOOO!
2001 was my first Big Day Out. Limp Bizkit, Rammstein, Coldplay, Placebo and Betchadupa. I went with my cousin, she lost her bag in the mosh pit. Last time I will ever ride the Kamakaze.
I began my OE (Overland Experience which took in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and New Plymouth over 4 weeks) with the 2002 Big Day Out. This was the last time it rained at the Big Day Out, the year fans rushed the stage at the System of a Down concert and the only time I have left the BDO before 7pm. Apart from SOAD and Shihad I don't actually remember who was there.
I moved to Auckland in 2006 the day before the Big Day Out - that one was the one with the Franz Ferdinand, White Stripes and Iggy Pop. It was the least-crowded BDO I have ever been to and the one where I was alone all day.
In 2007 I went with Shera and her ex-boyfriend. This was the one with Tool and Lily Allen. It sold out and Shera and I had to line up at Real Groovy for hours to get her tickets.
In 2008 I went with Shera and Dane - and it's where they first hooked up. God bless it, two very good friends making each other happy. This Big Day Out featured Bjork, Rage Against the Machine, Tiki Taane, Hilltop Hoods and Kate Nash.
2009 promises a good day. The weather looks to be quite a scorcher and my lineup got very interesting when I reexamined it last night.
BDO WOOO!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Big Day Out!!!!!
Big Day Out tomorrow!!
I've reexamined the timetable and it's looking like it will be an awesome day actually!
Start with P-Money, Tiki Taane, Z-Tripp and the first 15 minutes of Lupe Fiasco - which is almost 3 hours straight in the Boiler Room.
After that, I head out to the Converse Essential stage for Sneaky Sound System - the fresh air will no doubt do me good.
I'm then leaving an hour and a half for dinner, toilets, rides, shopping etc.
Then off to The Black Seeds on the Green Stage. Followed by whatever I can catch of the Arctic Monkeys on Orange Stage (the only time all day I plan to go to the main stages).
From 9 I don't have much until 10.15 when Prodigy start - I can walk around, sit and watch Neil Young, see The Trons - whatever.
I'm favouring the bus to get home. I'll make my mind up at the end of the night.
So excited now!!
I've reexamined the timetable and it's looking like it will be an awesome day actually!
Start with P-Money, Tiki Taane, Z-Tripp and the first 15 minutes of Lupe Fiasco - which is almost 3 hours straight in the Boiler Room.
After that, I head out to the Converse Essential stage for Sneaky Sound System - the fresh air will no doubt do me good.
I'm then leaving an hour and a half for dinner, toilets, rides, shopping etc.
Then off to The Black Seeds on the Green Stage. Followed by whatever I can catch of the Arctic Monkeys on Orange Stage (the only time all day I plan to go to the main stages).
From 9 I don't have much until 10.15 when Prodigy start - I can walk around, sit and watch Neil Young, see The Trons - whatever.
I'm favouring the bus to get home. I'll make my mind up at the end of the night.
So excited now!!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Supermarkets
I did my grocery shopping today and I'm astounded at how bad some checkout operators are at packing my bags.
I used to work as a checkout operator so I know it can be tough and I know that it pays crap and that your feet hurt the whole time, but similarly, I put my groceries onto the conveyor in the same way I expect them packed - all the non-food items together, the chilled foods together, the grocery items together, the fresh produce together and the light, crushable items at the end.
It's honestly not rocket science to pack bags when your customer does the grouping for you.
But the number of times my milk ends up in the same bag with my bread, or a bag ends up with just a couple of items in it is insane! Today I didn't take my green reuseable bags because I didn't think about it when leaving the house this morning, but when I re-sorted my bags after leaving the checkout I used 2 less then the checkout operator who had packed them!
It just makes me angry - I'm spending a retarded amount of money to buy my groceries - I would like my bread to be the same shape when I get home and I don't want my eggs crushed. I would like my cold items to be packed together as much as possible so that they stay that way and I do not want my lettuce in with my washing powder!
The worst thing about it? Unlike Mt Wellington where I had a choice between Countdown, Foodtown and Pack n Save, I can't go anywhere else. The only supermarkets within walking distance or on a bus route are Foodtowns - and they all blow as much as each other.
I used to work as a checkout operator so I know it can be tough and I know that it pays crap and that your feet hurt the whole time, but similarly, I put my groceries onto the conveyor in the same way I expect them packed - all the non-food items together, the chilled foods together, the grocery items together, the fresh produce together and the light, crushable items at the end.
It's honestly not rocket science to pack bags when your customer does the grouping for you.
But the number of times my milk ends up in the same bag with my bread, or a bag ends up with just a couple of items in it is insane! Today I didn't take my green reuseable bags because I didn't think about it when leaving the house this morning, but when I re-sorted my bags after leaving the checkout I used 2 less then the checkout operator who had packed them!
It just makes me angry - I'm spending a retarded amount of money to buy my groceries - I would like my bread to be the same shape when I get home and I don't want my eggs crushed. I would like my cold items to be packed together as much as possible so that they stay that way and I do not want my lettuce in with my washing powder!
The worst thing about it? Unlike Mt Wellington where I had a choice between Countdown, Foodtown and Pack n Save, I can't go anywhere else. The only supermarkets within walking distance or on a bus route are Foodtowns - and they all blow as much as each other.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Introduction
I've had a thought for a while now and today I bought it up with Holly.
I thought it would be cool to turn this blog into a book.
Not every blog, obviously, and I would probably only actually publish 1 or 2 copies - I'm not so full of myself that I consider the contents of this blog of such importance that it would fly off the shelves and become a bestseller - outside of myself and possibly Holly I doubt anyone would want to own it at all - but if I could take the photos, funny quotes and the good blogs that I've written and will write over the course of five years and publish them as a coffee table book? I would quite like to own that.
The one problem I have with blogging is that it isn't a physical object. Perhaps it comes from the finality of a physical object - it is there. With a blog, experience has taught me, if a server somewhere in the world crashes the entire thing can be gone overnight. You can't hold a blog or smell the pages. For thousands of years humans have treasured physical objects because they are real and we can place a value on them. A blog on the Internet is a great way for me to undertake this project because of the role the Internet plays in my life, however a physical object to signify the amount of work that has gone into this blog over the period of five years, I think, would be a nice way to close the chapter (so to speak) on this project - one that takes considerable time and, despite the drivel that is sometimes published here, effort.
And just like that, I have my introduction.
I thought it would be cool to turn this blog into a book.
Not every blog, obviously, and I would probably only actually publish 1 or 2 copies - I'm not so full of myself that I consider the contents of this blog of such importance that it would fly off the shelves and become a bestseller - outside of myself and possibly Holly I doubt anyone would want to own it at all - but if I could take the photos, funny quotes and the good blogs that I've written and will write over the course of five years and publish them as a coffee table book? I would quite like to own that.
The one problem I have with blogging is that it isn't a physical object. Perhaps it comes from the finality of a physical object - it is there. With a blog, experience has taught me, if a server somewhere in the world crashes the entire thing can be gone overnight. You can't hold a blog or smell the pages. For thousands of years humans have treasured physical objects because they are real and we can place a value on them. A blog on the Internet is a great way for me to undertake this project because of the role the Internet plays in my life, however a physical object to signify the amount of work that has gone into this blog over the period of five years, I think, would be a nice way to close the chapter (so to speak) on this project - one that takes considerable time and, despite the drivel that is sometimes published here, effort.
And just like that, I have my introduction.
Monday, January 12, 2009
I'm late!
Well, I was.
Today's my first day back at work and I was planning to get up mega-early in order to knock off a little of the extra time I have to work this week to leave early on Friday for the Big Day Out.
Unfortunately that didn't quite work out. I instead got woken by my flatmate as he was getting into the shower.
Funny story about my flatmate and the bathroom: he takes longer than his two female flatmates combined.
So while he was in the shower I made and ate my breakfast, made my lunch, made my bed and packed my purse.
I finally got a shower, got dressed, slapped on some make up (I have not missed doing that in the last two and a half weeks!), sprayed on my perfume and dashed out the door.
I'm very lucky that, because I walk to work every day and that walk takes an hour, when I'm running 'late' it actually means I'm running on time if I take the bus. A bus was just coming past as I got to the bus stop which meant I got to work bang-on 9am.
Hopefully this isn't an indicator for the rest of 2009!
Today's my first day back at work and I was planning to get up mega-early in order to knock off a little of the extra time I have to work this week to leave early on Friday for the Big Day Out.
Unfortunately that didn't quite work out. I instead got woken by my flatmate as he was getting into the shower.
Funny story about my flatmate and the bathroom: he takes longer than his two female flatmates combined.
So while he was in the shower I made and ate my breakfast, made my lunch, made my bed and packed my purse.
I finally got a shower, got dressed, slapped on some make up (I have not missed doing that in the last two and a half weeks!), sprayed on my perfume and dashed out the door.
I'm very lucky that, because I walk to work every day and that walk takes an hour, when I'm running 'late' it actually means I'm running on time if I take the bus. A bus was just coming past as I got to the bus stop which meant I got to work bang-on 9am.
Hopefully this isn't an indicator for the rest of 2009!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Movies
One of my goals is to see all the movies on the IMDB Top 250 list. I figured today would be a good time to sit down and set what those are and how many of them I have seen. As of today, the list looks like it is listed below. Of those movies I have seen 71 of them which means I have a further 179 to watch before I've completed the goal.
We've got plenty of these at home so I'm going to start in our own DVD collections - if I manage one a week I'll be down to about 120 by the end of the year. I think I can manage one a week.
All movies I've seen have been struck thorough - anything watched since publishing this list will be coloured in blue.
We've got plenty of these at home so I'm going to start in our own DVD collections - if I manage one a week I'll be down to about 120 by the end of the year. I think I can manage one a week.
All movies I've seen have been struck thorough - anything watched since publishing this list will be coloured in blue.
The Shawshank Redemption(1994)- The Godfather (1972)
- The Godfather: Part II (1974)
- Buono, il brutto, il cattivo., Il (1966)
The Dark Knight(2008)Pulp Fiction(1994)- Schindler's List (1993)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- 12 Angry Men (1957)
- Casablanca (1942)
- Star Wars (1977)
- Shichinin no samurai (1954)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)- Goodfellas (1990)
- Rear Window (1954)
- Cidade de Deus (2002)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- C'era una volta il West (1968)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring(2001)The Usual Suspects(1994)Fight Club(1999)- Psycho (1960)
The Silence of the Lambs(1991)- Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb(1964)- Memento (2000)
- North by Northwest (1959)
- Citizen Kane (1941)
The Matrix(1999)It's a Wonderful Life(1946)The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers(2002)Se7en(1995)- Léon (1994)
- WALL·E (2008)
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
Taxi Driver(1976)American Beauty(1999)- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
American History X(1998)- Vertigo (1958)
Slumdog Millionaire(2008)- Paths of Glory (1957)
Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le(2001)- M (1931)
Forrest Gump(1994)The Departed(2006)- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- Double Indemnity (1944)
- Alien (1979
A Clockwork Orange(1971)- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- Das Leben der Anderen (2006)
- The Third Man (1949)
Chinatown(1974)- The Shining (1980)
- The Pianist (2002)
Saving Private Ryan(1998)- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
- The Wrestler (2008)
- Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day(1991)Monty Python and the Holy Grail(1975)L.A. Confidential(1997)- Aliens (1986)
- Requiem for a Dream (2000)
- Laberinto del fauno, El (2006)
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- Das Boot (1981)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button(2008)Reservoir Dogs(1992)- City Lights (1931)
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Rashômon (1950)
- Raging Bull (1980)
All About Eve(1950)- Metropolis (1927)
- Der Untergang (2004)
- Modern Times (1936)
- Rebecca (1940)
- Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Prestige(2006)Amadeus(1984)- The Elephant Man (1980)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- Vita è bella, La (1997)
Nuovo cinema Paradiso(1988)The Apartment(1960Sin City(2005)- The Great Escape (1963)
No Country for Old Men(2007)- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- The Sting (1973)
- Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
- Touch of Evil (1958)
- Hotel Rwanda (2004)
- Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
- The Great Dictator (1940)
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
- On the Waterfront (1954)
Batman Begins(2005)Back to the Future(1985)Braveheart(1995)- Jaws (1975)
- Ladri di biciclette (1948)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Blade Runner(1982)- Strangers on a Train (1951)
- Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- There Will Be Blood (2007)
- Unforgiven (1992)
- Notorious (1946)
- High Noon (1952)
The Green Mile(1999)- The Big Sleep (1946)
- Fargo (1996)
- Oldboy (2003)
- Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Gladiator(2000)- Per qualche dollaro in più (1965)
The Wizard of Oz(1939)- Die Hard (1988)
- Mononoke-hime (1997)
Donnie Darko(2001)- Yojimbo (1961)
- Ran (1985)
- The General (1927)
Annie Hall(1977)- Smultronstället (1957)
- Salaire de la peur, Le (1953)
- Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1(2003)- It Happened One Night (1934)
- Heat (1995)
- Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
- The Deer Hunter (1978)
The Sixth Sense(1999)- Ben-Hur (1959)
- Platoon (1986)
- Gran Torino (2008)
- Into the Wild (2007)
Million Dollar Baby(2004)- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
- Notti di Cabiria, Le (1957)
Life of Brian(1979)- Diaboliques, Les (1955)
- Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Ratatouille(2007)- 8½ (1963)
The Big Lebowski(1998)- The Killing (1956)
- Amores perros (2000)
Finding Nemo(2003)- The Graduate (1967)
- Brief Encounter (1945)
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Stand by Me(1986)Snatch(2000)- The Night of the Hunter (1955)
- Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
- The Wild Bunch (1969)
- Gandhi (1982)
- The Gold Rush (1925)
- V for Vendetta (2005)
Gone with the Wind(1939)The Princess Bride(1987)The Incredibles(2004)Trainspotting(1996)- The Thing (1982)
- Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
- Scarface (1983)
- Battaglia di Algeri, La (1966)
The Lion King(1994)- Milk (2008)
- Harvey (1950)
Groundhog Day(1993)- Children of Men (2006)
Toy Story(1995)- Sleuth (1972)
- The Hustler (1961)
The Terminator(1984)- The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
- Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
Twelve Monkeys(1995)- The African Queen (1951)
- Umberto D. (1952)
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- The Conversation (1974)
- Duck Soup (1933)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels(1998)- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
- Låt den rätte komma in (2008)
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- The Lady Vanishes (1938)
- Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (2007)
- Stalag 17 (1953)
Crash(2004/I)- Casino (1995)
King Kong- The Kid (1921)
Ed Wood(1994)- Hotaru no haka (1988)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
- Dial M for Murder (1954)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2(2004)- The Exorcist (1973)
- The Lost Weekend (1945)
All Quiet on the Western Front(1930)A Streetcar Named Desire(1951)- Rope (1948)
- Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
- Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
- Patton (1970)
- Wo hu cang long (2000)
- Rosemary's Baby (1968)
- Glory (1989)
- Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
Little Miss Sunshine(2006)- Belle et la bête, La (1946)
- Frankenstein (1931)
Magnolia(1999)- His Girl Friday (1940)
- Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
In Bruges(2008)- Spartacus (1960)
- Strada, La (1954)
- Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Big Fish(2003)- The Philadelphia Story (1940)
- In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- Network (1976)
- Manhattan (1979)
- Roman Holiday (1953)
- Safety Last! (1923)
- Mystic River (2003)
Bride of Frankenstein(1935)- Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
- Great Expectations (1946)
- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- Rocky (1976)
- Dolce vita, La (1960)
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Laura (1944)
- Quatre cents coups, Les (1959)
- Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Casino Royale(2006)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
BDO hints and tips from a seasoned pro
Ah, time to start preparing for the Big Day Out. I've got my ticket, which is obviously the most important part of any Big Day Out kit but there are several other things that need thinking about. Below are some hints from 7 years of BDO experience. If you have any more, feel free to add them in comments.
Firstly, one of the biggest challenges is working out what to wear. Every year I've gone I've favoured 3/4 pants. Try to find ones with big pockets. 3/4 pants are brilliant because they're cool enough with the heat but warm enough at the end of the night when you're a little worn down and the weather gets cool. They're the smartest choice you can make. I mentioned big pockets - if you can get into the BDO with no bag it's worth doing. Everything on your person reduces the risk of losing anything and also gets you straight into the event without having to submit to a bag search. There are, of course, exceptions - one friend of mine lost his pants at the entrance to the D last year - but it's far more you'll likely lose a bag than your pants! If you do decide to take a bag, make sure it's sturdy with a strap that goes around the body. Keep it as small as possible and make sure the items inside it are not of value.
Wear a top that covers your back. A t-shirt is a great idea. An exposed back invites sunburn and it is not pleasant being crushed against a sweaty back in the mosh pit! Short sleeves are the go here - if you're wearing 3/4 pants and a t-shirt you'll be fine for the whole day. Go for a light colour because black in the sun is no fun at all. Also, wear a hat, sunburn is not a funky look and you'll feel like crap once the sun goes down and the big acts come on. Something you can roll up and throw in your pocket and something that fits your head because if it's not there firmly chances are you'll lose it.
Finally, wear closed-toe, sturdy shoes. Don't think fashion when it comes to your footwear (although it's a good secondary thought) - think practicality. If you don't own your BDO shoes by now, wear your ugly trainers. There is no time to wear them in a week out from the event - you want something that is comfortable because you will be on your feet for the majority of the day and you want something that can take being trodden on a few (hundred) times.
Once you've got your outfit sorted, think about your health. Essential items in my BDO kit are plasters, panadol, a small tube of sunblock, some musli bars, earplugs and a small packet of tissues. The tissues are for the portaloos - there is no chance they will be stocked with toilet paper after about 3pm so it's worth taking your own. Make sure they are plain - no aloe vera and definitely no menthol!!
Small tubes of sunblock are hard to come by but I found a 50g tube of Cancer Society Sunblock in a Pharmacy for $6 a week back which is perfect. Sunblock needs to be reapplied liberally through the day and it costs a fortune once you're there. Earplugs are worth taking too - pick them up while you're at the pharmacy (although you can get them for a couple of bucks at the event) - because the music is LOUD. You can still hear it well with the earplugs in but they block a lot of the excess noise, saving headaches later on.
No matter how much water I drink or how well I look after myself at the event I always leave the Big Day Out with a headache. 12 hours of constant music, sun exposure and being around thousands of other people really takes it out of me. Take panadol before 7pm and again before you leave the event. Headaches will make the big acts (the one's that you're probably there to see) less enjoyable and will ruin your day. Musli bars are also great to keep up your energy when you're waiting for an act to come on - you don't want to leave your prime position for a snack - wrapped lollies in your back pocket are also good but make sure they won't melt!! Finally, make sure you get sturdy plasters. I always find the plastic ones fall off within minutes. Splash out and get some Elastoplast Tough Strips. They're big and they stay on.
Other things you should think of - if you're looking to take in illegal substances, arrange that now. I make no judgements on your drug use but I will say that items become increasingly difficult to get a hold of close to the event.
Check the timetable now - the Auckland one can be found here. Work out what time the first act you want to see is on and plan to arrive 30 minutes to an hour before that act. It's a very long day and the gates are open the whole time - there is no point in getting up too early and wearing yourself out before the acts you want to see are on. Get some sleep and save the wait in line. There is no line at all after 12 and it's easy to get in. I worked this out a couple of years ago and I won't change this habit for the world. There is no rush to get there - go when you need to and not before.
Take a quick look at this year's map - things change year to year and even seasoned concert goers find themselves a little lost from time to time. It's worth noting that this year, the misting tent has moved, a new stage has been added (the Silent Disco) and there's an extra ATM.
Which brings me to the next point - take cash! At least $50. That's the amount I find is enough to feed you, buy water and get transport back home again. You should take ID and your EFTPOS card as well, but cash is absolutely essential. The lines at the ATM are long and if you want to spend every minute enjoying yourself, you don't have the time to wait.
Work out how you're going to get there. The train is really quick and easy (taking 20 minutes from Britomart to Mt Smart) and there are buses that go from Queen St to the event - for more info check out MAXX for the details.
Think about the friends you're planning to see there and give them a friendly poke via Facebook or text to see how their timetable is looking. Try and sort out a general time to meet them. Cellphone service can get sketchy on the day and trying to find your friends at the Big Day Out can be maddening - even if you're actually in contact at the time. At the very least sort out the meeting place with them now (see the map above) because it can be very hard to describe where you are once you're in there (best places to meet are the misting tent, or the grassy bit between the entrance and the Boiler Room). Make sure you've got their cell phone numbers.
When it comes to your cell phone, just take something that works. If you have a big flash awesome phone and a back up, take the back up. Make sure it's got the numbers you need on it and that it's fully charged the night before. Keep it in your pocket and put it on vibrate because you won't hear it. Set up alarms to remind you about your must-see acts to go off 30 minutes before the set is due to start. Telecom customers have a huge head start at the BDO because Telecom is a major sponsor so you can charge your phone there in the worst-case scenario.
Get your water once you're there. Buying water outside the event is cheaper but the hassle of getting it in is not worth the $2-3 more you pay inside. You only need to buy water once - there are water tankers there where you can refill your bottle for free (be prepared for a 10 minute wait to do this though). Buying water should be the FIRST thing you do at the Big Day Out. If you do decide to bring your own water make sure it is a brand new, sealed bottle. They'll throw it out if it's open.
Timing is key - it'll take up to 10 minutes to get up and down the main stairs to and from the main stage at night (less earlier in the day)- a far faster method is to enter via the West Stand entrances by the food vendors but that method can thwart your ability to get right down in front as you have to navigate the stands. If you want to see an act from the front of the stage, get there two performers in advance. The Green and Converse Essential stages work in tandem, as do the Blue and Orange stages (the main stages). If you want to see an act on the Blue stage, get there for the previous act on that stage. Wait through that act AND the next act on the Orange Stage - you should manage to get a pretty wicked spot for your act with this method and you might even discover another act you really enjoy - it's landed me front row for Coldplay, System of a Down and Kate Nash and with Kate Nash I managed to catch Tiki Taane's return to the BDO by accident. As a practical example, say you wanted a primo spot for Neil Young - get into the D before The Living End, stand back and wait for The Living End to finish - move forward as far as possible when the audience for The Living End move out. Wait through the Arctic Monkeys and concentrate on getting into position. By the time Neil Young is on the stage, you'll be somewhere near the front.
Be aware that the later it is, the harder it is to get into the 'D' around the mainstages - if you want to be up the front for Serj Tankian, The Living End, Arctic Monkeys or Neil Young, get in early. I don't think it'll be as bad as last year where the D closed 2 and a half hours before Rage Against the Machine came on stage but you don't want to miss your favourite act because you didn't think about it in advance. Toilet breaks will take at least 20 minutes - lines get longer as the day gets on so try and go early and hold it. The best toilets are those under the West Stand (by the food vendors) but even they're not that flash by the end of the night. Be aware that some people are neanderthals and urinate on other people in the mosh pit. It's rare, but it does happen.
If you find yourself with time to spare, walk around the event. Listen to artists you've never heard of before, get friends to tell you who they'd see and see them if you can fit it in, ride the carnival rides (they're free), get high in the Boiler Room, sit in the West Stand if you feel tired and need a rest - it's shady and you'll catch the action on the main stages.
If you lose your friends, go for a walk. You'll probably bump into others and you'll have a chance to see and do exactly you want to see. You can meet up later, just make the most of the time you have there.
This year I'm going to get to see the rest of the Big Day Out while the main acts are on - something I've never done before as I've always been at the main stages. I'm looking forward to it - the more I go, the more I discover and I always walk away with a new CD to go buy the next day. The tips above are simply a product of seven years experience and I add to them each year. In the end, go with a positive attitude and expect nothing except to have a great time.
See you there!
Firstly, one of the biggest challenges is working out what to wear. Every year I've gone I've favoured 3/4 pants. Try to find ones with big pockets. 3/4 pants are brilliant because they're cool enough with the heat but warm enough at the end of the night when you're a little worn down and the weather gets cool. They're the smartest choice you can make. I mentioned big pockets - if you can get into the BDO with no bag it's worth doing. Everything on your person reduces the risk of losing anything and also gets you straight into the event without having to submit to a bag search. There are, of course, exceptions - one friend of mine lost his pants at the entrance to the D last year - but it's far more you'll likely lose a bag than your pants! If you do decide to take a bag, make sure it's sturdy with a strap that goes around the body. Keep it as small as possible and make sure the items inside it are not of value.
Wear a top that covers your back. A t-shirt is a great idea. An exposed back invites sunburn and it is not pleasant being crushed against a sweaty back in the mosh pit! Short sleeves are the go here - if you're wearing 3/4 pants and a t-shirt you'll be fine for the whole day. Go for a light colour because black in the sun is no fun at all. Also, wear a hat, sunburn is not a funky look and you'll feel like crap once the sun goes down and the big acts come on. Something you can roll up and throw in your pocket and something that fits your head because if it's not there firmly chances are you'll lose it.
Finally, wear closed-toe, sturdy shoes. Don't think fashion when it comes to your footwear (although it's a good secondary thought) - think practicality. If you don't own your BDO shoes by now, wear your ugly trainers. There is no time to wear them in a week out from the event - you want something that is comfortable because you will be on your feet for the majority of the day and you want something that can take being trodden on a few (hundred) times.
Once you've got your outfit sorted, think about your health. Essential items in my BDO kit are plasters, panadol, a small tube of sunblock, some musli bars, earplugs and a small packet of tissues. The tissues are for the portaloos - there is no chance they will be stocked with toilet paper after about 3pm so it's worth taking your own. Make sure they are plain - no aloe vera and definitely no menthol!!
Small tubes of sunblock are hard to come by but I found a 50g tube of Cancer Society Sunblock in a Pharmacy for $6 a week back which is perfect. Sunblock needs to be reapplied liberally through the day and it costs a fortune once you're there. Earplugs are worth taking too - pick them up while you're at the pharmacy (although you can get them for a couple of bucks at the event) - because the music is LOUD. You can still hear it well with the earplugs in but they block a lot of the excess noise, saving headaches later on.
No matter how much water I drink or how well I look after myself at the event I always leave the Big Day Out with a headache. 12 hours of constant music, sun exposure and being around thousands of other people really takes it out of me. Take panadol before 7pm and again before you leave the event. Headaches will make the big acts (the one's that you're probably there to see) less enjoyable and will ruin your day. Musli bars are also great to keep up your energy when you're waiting for an act to come on - you don't want to leave your prime position for a snack - wrapped lollies in your back pocket are also good but make sure they won't melt!! Finally, make sure you get sturdy plasters. I always find the plastic ones fall off within minutes. Splash out and get some Elastoplast Tough Strips. They're big and they stay on.
Other things you should think of - if you're looking to take in illegal substances, arrange that now. I make no judgements on your drug use but I will say that items become increasingly difficult to get a hold of close to the event.
Check the timetable now - the Auckland one can be found here. Work out what time the first act you want to see is on and plan to arrive 30 minutes to an hour before that act. It's a very long day and the gates are open the whole time - there is no point in getting up too early and wearing yourself out before the acts you want to see are on. Get some sleep and save the wait in line. There is no line at all after 12 and it's easy to get in. I worked this out a couple of years ago and I won't change this habit for the world. There is no rush to get there - go when you need to and not before.
Take a quick look at this year's map - things change year to year and even seasoned concert goers find themselves a little lost from time to time. It's worth noting that this year, the misting tent has moved, a new stage has been added (the Silent Disco) and there's an extra ATM.
Which brings me to the next point - take cash! At least $50. That's the amount I find is enough to feed you, buy water and get transport back home again. You should take ID and your EFTPOS card as well, but cash is absolutely essential. The lines at the ATM are long and if you want to spend every minute enjoying yourself, you don't have the time to wait.
Work out how you're going to get there. The train is really quick and easy (taking 20 minutes from Britomart to Mt Smart) and there are buses that go from Queen St to the event - for more info check out MAXX for the details.
Think about the friends you're planning to see there and give them a friendly poke via Facebook or text to see how their timetable is looking. Try and sort out a general time to meet them. Cellphone service can get sketchy on the day and trying to find your friends at the Big Day Out can be maddening - even if you're actually in contact at the time. At the very least sort out the meeting place with them now (see the map above) because it can be very hard to describe where you are once you're in there (best places to meet are the misting tent, or the grassy bit between the entrance and the Boiler Room). Make sure you've got their cell phone numbers.
When it comes to your cell phone, just take something that works. If you have a big flash awesome phone and a back up, take the back up. Make sure it's got the numbers you need on it and that it's fully charged the night before. Keep it in your pocket and put it on vibrate because you won't hear it. Set up alarms to remind you about your must-see acts to go off 30 minutes before the set is due to start. Telecom customers have a huge head start at the BDO because Telecom is a major sponsor so you can charge your phone there in the worst-case scenario.
Get your water once you're there. Buying water outside the event is cheaper but the hassle of getting it in is not worth the $2-3 more you pay inside. You only need to buy water once - there are water tankers there where you can refill your bottle for free (be prepared for a 10 minute wait to do this though). Buying water should be the FIRST thing you do at the Big Day Out. If you do decide to bring your own water make sure it is a brand new, sealed bottle. They'll throw it out if it's open.
Timing is key - it'll take up to 10 minutes to get up and down the main stairs to and from the main stage at night (less earlier in the day)- a far faster method is to enter via the West Stand entrances by the food vendors but that method can thwart your ability to get right down in front as you have to navigate the stands. If you want to see an act from the front of the stage, get there two performers in advance. The Green and Converse Essential stages work in tandem, as do the Blue and Orange stages (the main stages). If you want to see an act on the Blue stage, get there for the previous act on that stage. Wait through that act AND the next act on the Orange Stage - you should manage to get a pretty wicked spot for your act with this method and you might even discover another act you really enjoy - it's landed me front row for Coldplay, System of a Down and Kate Nash and with Kate Nash I managed to catch Tiki Taane's return to the BDO by accident. As a practical example, say you wanted a primo spot for Neil Young - get into the D before The Living End, stand back and wait for The Living End to finish - move forward as far as possible when the audience for The Living End move out. Wait through the Arctic Monkeys and concentrate on getting into position. By the time Neil Young is on the stage, you'll be somewhere near the front.
Be aware that the later it is, the harder it is to get into the 'D' around the mainstages - if you want to be up the front for Serj Tankian, The Living End, Arctic Monkeys or Neil Young, get in early. I don't think it'll be as bad as last year where the D closed 2 and a half hours before Rage Against the Machine came on stage but you don't want to miss your favourite act because you didn't think about it in advance. Toilet breaks will take at least 20 minutes - lines get longer as the day gets on so try and go early and hold it. The best toilets are those under the West Stand (by the food vendors) but even they're not that flash by the end of the night. Be aware that some people are neanderthals and urinate on other people in the mosh pit. It's rare, but it does happen.
If you find yourself with time to spare, walk around the event. Listen to artists you've never heard of before, get friends to tell you who they'd see and see them if you can fit it in, ride the carnival rides (they're free), get high in the Boiler Room, sit in the West Stand if you feel tired and need a rest - it's shady and you'll catch the action on the main stages.
If you lose your friends, go for a walk. You'll probably bump into others and you'll have a chance to see and do exactly you want to see. You can meet up later, just make the most of the time you have there.
This year I'm going to get to see the rest of the Big Day Out while the main acts are on - something I've never done before as I've always been at the main stages. I'm looking forward to it - the more I go, the more I discover and I always walk away with a new CD to go buy the next day. The tips above are simply a product of seven years experience and I add to them each year. In the end, go with a positive attitude and expect nothing except to have a great time.
See you there!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Back in Aux
Yesterday I came back from 10 glorious days at the beach. It took 11 hours and four busses - yes FOUR busses! The first bus took me from Nuhaka (which is about 20 minutes drive from Mahia) to Napier, then I switched and got on a bus from Napier to Taupo, then another from Taupo to Auckland and finally one from the CBD to my house. Sometimes not driving sucks, but the whole holiday cost me less than $150 (that includes what I spent while I was away, accomodation - which admittedly was free - and transport) it would have cost that in petrol alone if I'd driven.
Today I've done a huge load of laundry, bought the groceries and now I'm getting to relax. I've currently got both laptops running as I'm determined to keep the old one for back up but it means I need to uninstall practically everything on it. The poor thing is near-death and if I'm using this computer as my main one now then I don't need anything on the old one except Windows, Firefox, Word, Excell and the scanning programs. Most of the old drivers are coming off, as are most of the plug ins. After everything is uninstalled I'll run a series of scans and finish with a defrag. I don't need anything on it but I'm reluctant to get rid of a working laptop.
It's awfully nerdy that I'm quite excited to have two laptops.
Sometime in the next 2 days I plan to get to the gym, but apart from that I've got absolutely nada to worry about. Two more days of freedom and then back to the hum drum of the office. I've still got the BDO to "look forward" to but at this point I'm going by myself which does not make for a fantastic BDO in my experience. Hopefully I'll meet up with friends there I guess.
Today I've done a huge load of laundry, bought the groceries and now I'm getting to relax. I've currently got both laptops running as I'm determined to keep the old one for back up but it means I need to uninstall practically everything on it. The poor thing is near-death and if I'm using this computer as my main one now then I don't need anything on the old one except Windows, Firefox, Word, Excell and the scanning programs. Most of the old drivers are coming off, as are most of the plug ins. After everything is uninstalled I'll run a series of scans and finish with a defrag. I don't need anything on it but I'm reluctant to get rid of a working laptop.
It's awfully nerdy that I'm quite excited to have two laptops.
Sometime in the next 2 days I plan to get to the gym, but apart from that I've got absolutely nada to worry about. Two more days of freedom and then back to the hum drum of the office. I've still got the BDO to "look forward" to but at this point I'm going by myself which does not make for a fantastic BDO in my experience. Hopefully I'll meet up with friends there I guess.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sunset on the sand
I like sunsets. Apart from the fact that they’re often very pretty, I like the peacefulness of them – the sun goes down, often in a brilliant display of colour, and then it is night.
Mahia has the best sunsets hands down. Over the time I’ve been here I’ve been going out each evening and getting photos of the sunsets. Only one day hasn’t been recorded – the 31st of December – because I was swimming at the time and also because the sunset was very boring to tell the truth.
So here are my favourite shots for each day of my holiday.
Mahia has the best sunsets hands down. Over the time I’ve been here I’ve been going out each evening and getting photos of the sunsets. Only one day hasn’t been recorded – the 31st of December – because I was swimming at the time and also because the sunset was very boring to tell the truth.
So here are my favourite shots for each day of my holiday.
30 December 2008
1 January 2009
2 January 2009
3 January 2009
4 January 2009
5 January 2009
6 January 2009
7 January 2009Wednesday, January 7, 2009
:-(
I am pissed.
I'm looking at the Big Day Out timetable and I would like to know...
Why are Sneaky Sound System on the Converse Stage? Clearly they are a Boiler Room act.
Why is Tiki Taane on at 2.45pm when Weta is on at 8.00pm? Tiki is a multi-platinum act with a HUGE number 1 song in the last year! He'll do huge numbers in the Boiler Room - he's the act that will pack it out.
Why does Sneaky Sound System clash with Lupe Fiasco and Tiki with the Ting Tings? That's just unfair.
I'm seriously considering selling my ticket - it looks like it's pretty much going to blow this year.
I'm looking at the Big Day Out timetable and I would like to know...
Why are Sneaky Sound System on the Converse Stage? Clearly they are a Boiler Room act.
Why is Tiki Taane on at 2.45pm when Weta is on at 8.00pm? Tiki is a multi-platinum act with a HUGE number 1 song in the last year! He'll do huge numbers in the Boiler Room - he's the act that will pack it out.
Why does Sneaky Sound System clash with Lupe Fiasco and Tiki with the Ting Tings? That's just unfair.
I'm seriously considering selling my ticket - it looks like it's pretty much going to blow this year.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
I love the Summer Holidays
A big nothing day today. I began the day reading junky women’s magazines – I don’t generally touch them throughout the year but my auntie has the biggest pile of them in the house and I figured why not. My main goal has been to keep my legs out of the sun as much as possible. I’ve just been running around so much since I’ve been here that I wanted to simply do nothing.
I did walk down to my grandparents house to drop off my grandfather’s pills which had been dropped at the camp. I stayed there and chatted to them for an hour or so before making my way back and catching up on my blogs etc.
I have one full-length day left in Mahia. I leave on Thursday and tomorrow is my cousin’s only full and proper day off the whole time I’ve been here. I’m not sure what we’re doing – it’s pretty much whatever Kelly wants to do I think. Then I leave the next day first thing in the morning.
I did walk down to my grandparents house to drop off my grandfather’s pills which had been dropped at the camp. I stayed there and chatted to them for an hour or so before making my way back and catching up on my blogs etc.
I have one full-length day left in Mahia. I leave on Thursday and tomorrow is my cousin’s only full and proper day off the whole time I’ve been here. I’m not sure what we’re doing – it’s pretty much whatever Kelly wants to do I think. Then I leave the next day first thing in the morning.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Nothing day
Not much happened today. I went with my cousin to Gisborne where we dropped off the recycling (we’ve dropped over a two tons of recycling off over the time I’ve been here), bought new stock for the shop at Gilmores, did the banking and a little shopping of our own.
My sun burn is hurting. I can’t crouch down and despite the fact that I’ve been in long jeans all day, whenever I’m in the sun my legs burn. I hate sunburn. I hate the pain, the itchiness and most of all I hate that I can’t stop complaining about it!!
My sun burn is hurting. I can’t crouch down and despite the fact that I’ve been in long jeans all day, whenever I’m in the sun my legs burn. I hate sunburn. I hate the pain, the itchiness and most of all I hate that I can’t stop complaining about it!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Moko the dolphin
I went for a massive walk today – to Opoutama and back – which is about an hour each way. I went via the beach on the way there and the road on the way back. It was great to just put my iPod on and go for a trek – unfortunately I forgot to put sunscreen on the back of my legs so I’ve got some impressively sunburnt calves, but it’s Summer, I usually burn something no matter how hard I attempt to avoid it.
I also managed to get some great shots of Moko the dolphin. She stole someone’s boogey board and was very playful. I took a risk and took in my camera – the results are the photos below.
The kinds of crowds Moko attracts... the little girl on the left doesn’t know it yet but she’ll lose her boogey board to the dolphin in about 20 minutes...
Playing with a ball
Punting the ball into the air
The last the owner will see of her boogey board
Bye bye boogey board!
Later in the day I got this great shot of Moko tossing a paddle that she’d taken from a kayaker
I also managed to get some great shots of Moko the dolphin. She stole someone’s boogey board and was very playful. I took a risk and took in my camera – the results are the photos below.
The kinds of crowds Moko attracts... the little girl on the left doesn’t know it yet but she’ll lose her boogey board to the dolphin in about 20 minutes...
Playing with a ball
Punting the ball into the air
The last the owner will see of her boogey board
Bye bye boogey board!
Later in the day I got this great shot of Moko tossing a paddle that she’d taken from a kayakerSaturday, January 3, 2009
New Years Next Day
Last night my cousin Kelly, her friend Abbey and I all celebrated New Years. Because Kelly and I had been working the actual night of New Years we decided that we would have our drinks and a BBQ on New Years Next Day (which is what I call the 2nd of January).
So last night I set up the meat and made some salads while Kelly and Abbey were out doing work in the camp. We couldn’t bring the BBQ down to us because we couldn’t find the keys so I set off down the camp with Abbey to cook the meat while Kelly set up the back yard with a table, booze, plates, music and lights.
We came back and had the best feed since I’ve been here. We drank and we were merry. Then at midnight we ran across the road to the street lamp and the three of us had our own New Years countdown before Kelly went to bed to crash.
Abbey and I were still very much awake however so we took ourselves down to the beach to look at the stars. We were wandering down when we spotted the smouldering remains of a bonfire. We grabbed some driftwood and stoked it up a bit, getting it going – at one stage there were 5 bonfires going on down the beach and it’s not uncommon for people to jump between bonfires as they walk down, meeting new people, stoking them up a bit and moving on.
Soon enough, Abbey and I were joined by a Canadian and a German – both of whom had just spent a couple of hours at the pub. The German managed to beat himself up pretty badly, tripping over a piece of wood and face planting in the sand, that’s definitely going to be smarting today! We had a chat before Abbey and I moved off up the beach to go play on the playground which turned out to be incredibly disappointing. When I was growing up, the playground was simply four swings – 3 for older people and one for a small child. Now there’s a full playground but only one swing – for a small child. That is crap because I love swings and without a swing, playgrounds are just a collection of fun toys I’m too big to play with.
We carried on, walking down the road, over the creek and back to the camp. We pulled the last of the stuff back inside and went to bed – a very good New Year for me.
So last night I set up the meat and made some salads while Kelly and Abbey were out doing work in the camp. We couldn’t bring the BBQ down to us because we couldn’t find the keys so I set off down the camp with Abbey to cook the meat while Kelly set up the back yard with a table, booze, plates, music and lights.
We came back and had the best feed since I’ve been here. We drank and we were merry. Then at midnight we ran across the road to the street lamp and the three of us had our own New Years countdown before Kelly went to bed to crash.
Abbey and I were still very much awake however so we took ourselves down to the beach to look at the stars. We were wandering down when we spotted the smouldering remains of a bonfire. We grabbed some driftwood and stoked it up a bit, getting it going – at one stage there were 5 bonfires going on down the beach and it’s not uncommon for people to jump between bonfires as they walk down, meeting new people, stoking them up a bit and moving on.
Soon enough, Abbey and I were joined by a Canadian and a German – both of whom had just spent a couple of hours at the pub. The German managed to beat himself up pretty badly, tripping over a piece of wood and face planting in the sand, that’s definitely going to be smarting today! We had a chat before Abbey and I moved off up the beach to go play on the playground which turned out to be incredibly disappointing. When I was growing up, the playground was simply four swings – 3 for older people and one for a small child. Now there’s a full playground but only one swing – for a small child. That is crap because I love swings and without a swing, playgrounds are just a collection of fun toys I’m too big to play with.
We carried on, walking down the road, over the creek and back to the camp. We pulled the last of the stuff back inside and went to bed – a very good New Year for me.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Swimming with Dolphins
Today I finally got to go swimming with Moko the Dolphin. When I woke up this morning I looked out my window and could see a group of people down on the beach directly in front of me. That’s the tell-tale sign that Moko is in the bay. I looked closer and could see her swimming amongst them. Unfortunately, by the time I got down to the shore she’d swum off again. This seems to be a pattern.
Since I’ve been here, every time she’s in the bay I get stuck working in the shop or camp, or by the time I get there she’s gone again. It’s been very, very frustrating. So today I decided I was simply going to wait until she turned up.
So with that I threw on my togs, applied my sunscreen and went down to the beach, book in hand (my second so far of the holiday) to wait. I went for a good swim and came back in. Pretty much the moment I had sat down I heard the kids in the family next to me cry out ‘dolphin! Dad, I saw the dolphin!’ I turned around and sure as sunshine, there she was. I got back into the water and swum out but she’d gone again. As I say – pattern.
At that point in time, there was a sandcastle building competition and a sand dig happening down at the boat launch area (a favourite spot of Moko’s to play in because the boats are always coming in and out) and, with the combination of boats and lots of people it was pretty much a no-brainer to work out where she’d be. She seems to love the attention so I meandered down to the other end of the beach, watched the sand dig for a few minutes then looked out to the water to see – you guessed it – Moko the dolphin surrounded by a bunch of people.
So I went out. I got pretty close a couple of times – close enough to see that she was twice as big as I thought she was going to be (she’s about 2 meters long) – and close enough to satisfy my eagerness to see her. I was just about to head in when she started swimming in my direction so I stood still and waited. She passed within a couple of meters of me and to be honest, that’s good enough for me. I don’t want to run the risk of hurting her and I don’t want to scare her. DOC has been asking people to keep their distance and that is what I did.
If she happens to come up to me later in the week and have a play then I’ll play with her but I’ve seen her now, and that is good enough for me.
Since I’ve been here, every time she’s in the bay I get stuck working in the shop or camp, or by the time I get there she’s gone again. It’s been very, very frustrating. So today I decided I was simply going to wait until she turned up.
So with that I threw on my togs, applied my sunscreen and went down to the beach, book in hand (my second so far of the holiday) to wait. I went for a good swim and came back in. Pretty much the moment I had sat down I heard the kids in the family next to me cry out ‘dolphin! Dad, I saw the dolphin!’ I turned around and sure as sunshine, there she was. I got back into the water and swum out but she’d gone again. As I say – pattern.
At that point in time, there was a sandcastle building competition and a sand dig happening down at the boat launch area (a favourite spot of Moko’s to play in because the boats are always coming in and out) and, with the combination of boats and lots of people it was pretty much a no-brainer to work out where she’d be. She seems to love the attention so I meandered down to the other end of the beach, watched the sand dig for a few minutes then looked out to the water to see – you guessed it – Moko the dolphin surrounded by a bunch of people.
So I went out. I got pretty close a couple of times – close enough to see that she was twice as big as I thought she was going to be (she’s about 2 meters long) – and close enough to satisfy my eagerness to see her. I was just about to head in when she started swimming in my direction so I stood still and waited. She passed within a couple of meters of me and to be honest, that’s good enough for me. I don’t want to run the risk of hurting her and I don’t want to scare her. DOC has been asking people to keep their distance and that is what I did.
If she happens to come up to me later in the week and have a play then I’ll play with her but I’ve seen her now, and that is good enough for me.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Do you have a wristband on?
While I’ve been at Mahia I’ve been an unofficial employee – which means I work but don’t get paid. It’s not all bad, I am still on holiday and if I really don’t feel like doing anything I can just bugger off and find somewhere else. However, because the only people I really know here are my family and my family were working last night, I was too.
Last night I worked security. That was certainly interesting. Every camper had a green wristband on and my job was pretty much to make sure that only those wearing wristbands could get in. It was pretty easy, despite the fact that we were right in front of the main party we also were surrounded and supported by a dozen police officers which meant that, in general, people behaved themselves pretty well.
Mahia is a very small place. It has a golf course, a camping ground, a couple of dairies, a dive shop (which is a new addition since the last time I was here) and a TAB/Off-licence/Pub. There are two parties in town – the pub (which charges $50 a head just to get in on New Years) and the street lamp.
The pub hasn’t been around that long – I think it opened in 2000. Before that, the only party was the street lamp. Back in the day there was only one street lamp in Mahia (there are now a couple of dozen) and every New Years Eve, all the campers and the locals and those with baches around the place would congregate under the lamp to see in the New Year. When I was a kid we were strictly forbidden to go to the lamp at New Years, but we could grab Popa’s binoculars and look down from the veranda and see the hive of activity.
Whenever I explain this particular phenomenon to people they’re always pretty incredulous that Mahia’s party is under a street lamp, so I guess I better explain a little more. The lamp is right outside the camp and also in front of the beach. It’s situated on a fairly large piece of land and it’s on a main thoroughfare. I don’t know why it is people decided to start going there each year but it’s certainly a tradition now.
When I was younger there weren’t any cops in Mahia for New Year. It wasn’t really a place for people to come – some came to the camp and enjoyed the fishing and the swimming and the awesome weather, others had their own baches but mostly it was a pretty quiet spot. Slowly over the years it’s got bigger. Apparently the Millennium was huge (we’re not that far out of Gisborne so we would have seen the sun first as well) but mostly it’s just a nice, relaxed place for a summer holiday.
These days Moko, the dolphin, is attracting many, many visitors. I cannot tell you how many campers I’ve heard say are here to see her. I’ve talked to some people around the camp who have said there are huge pods of dolphins further out to sea and I’m told that Moko will simply swim up to you and ask to have her tail patted – from what I hear she gives many people the shock of their lives when they see her. She’s been coming here for 3 years now and my cousin was saying that there are now no sharks whatsoever around the place. I used to go fishing with my grandfather and catch sharks on a regular basis way out at sea – that doesn’t happen anymore because Moko is policing the waters.
Last night we had almost 700 campers in our camp. Some were here for the party, some for the dolphin and some just to have a relaxing holiday. Whatever their reasons I’m sure they had a great time – we had about 5 arrests last night and very few problems. We’ve got a dolphin policing the waters, entertaining the masses and bringing in the tourists. The sun has been shining almost every day and we have the most rocking street lamp in the country.
Happy New Year people.
The Mahia Streetlamp, New Years Eve 2008
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