filmgeeknz

New blog

2007-07-20T04:21:42Z

If you're looking for my thoughts on life, the universe and everything then you're in the wrong place. Try http://filmgeeknz.blogspot.com/

:-)

LOL

2007-07-12T22:16:35Z

<img src="http://bluepyramid.org/ia/tfotrjrrt.jpg"> 

You're The Fellowship of the Ring! 
by J.R.R. Tolkien 
Facing great adversity, you have decided that your only choice is to
unite with your friends and neighbors. You have been subject to a ton of squabbling and
ultimately decided that someone humble is your best candidate for a dangerous mission.
You're quite good with languages and convinced that not all who wander are lost. If you
see anyone in black robes on horseback, just run. That's just common sense. 

Take the <a href="http://bluepyramid.org/ia/bquiz.htm">Book Quiz</a>
at the <a href="http://bluepyramid.org">Blue Pyramid</a>.

cries

2007-05-30T20:59:12Z

OK, so here's the deal: normally right before a test I do everything I can to avoid studying. Often I find myself planning the rest of my degree 'cos at least it's got something to do with school (it makes me feel less guilty I guess). So at 12pm today I have a test, and as normal I'm planning the rest of my degree

Anyway, up to now I thought that with some cunning on my part I'd be able to get out of this place in a year (that's 6 months early). I figured 2 Summer Semesters and BAM! I'm out of here. Every time I'd looked, I've been able to do this.

This time? Notsomuch.

Turns out that the compulsary third year paper I have to do as a geography major has been moved to Second Semester instead of First (when I was planning to do it).

What does this mean?

Well, it means I'm stuck in the hell hole that is Auckland for another six-God-damn months!! It also means that I have to do Summer School AND Second Semester. (I have to do Summer School as if I want to specialise in GIS (and I do) I have to do a course only offered in Summer School).

Fucking stupidity. If I wanted to specialise in physical geography and GIS I'd be fine, no problems, but I'm a human geographer through and through - I understand societies, cities and humans much more then I do waves and rivers and biogeography. If I didn't want to do GIS I'd be fine but the problem is, most of the jobs in geography are GIS based, or at least require understanding of GIS.

So what to do? I could get a Summer job that allows me to do a part-time Summer Semester I guess then do Second Semester as well (I was really hoping to be out of here come Second Semester). I could do Second Semester part-time (but then I have to work in Auckland in an actual job and quite frankly, fuck that). It's not all bad, there are other courses offered in Second Semester I was wanting to do and now I guess I can do them, but I really don't want to do both Summer and Second Semesters I guess.

I guess I'll sort it when I come to it, but I really wish they'd just put 315 into first Semester. Then I'd be happy.

Anyway, guess I should go learn about walking school busses...

I'm A Smarty Pants

2007-05-27T10:41:34Z

I am a sheep

2007-05-26T03:53:24Z

If you don't get it, then you don't get it I'm afraid. Get up to date on your online-pop-culture, go google Hymn of One or something.

Also, I'm currently on my break from a split shift. Due to pure idiocy my boss was going to work ANOTHER 20 hour day (that'd make it 4 this week). I told him I'd do the lates and he could go get some sleep.

Honestly!

City streets at night, can be so intimidating

2007-05-23T21:01:41Z

Here's the pain in the ass thing: the break in has changed our lives, and not necasarily for the better.

On one hand we've got ourselves a monitored alarm, security doors, insurance and written down the serial number of every major electronic in this house.

On the other we're afraid to sleep with our doors closed, afraid to turn off the bathroom light at night, afraid to leave and afraid to stay.

OK, it's not so much we're afraid as we feel safer with those things.

Yesterday I left the house for 10 minutes to go get a paper (I needed it for an assignment, and it had to be yesterday's paper), I felt free and at the same time worried. Free because I'd made it out of the house. Worried because I'd left Holly in there alone.

Today Holly left for work. I slept through her getting up, having a shower and getting ready, but the moment she closed the door (the new lock requires a bit of a slam) I sat bolt upright in bed. Took me about 5 minutes to work out why Holly wasn't here and what had woken me up.

We had almost as many people though our house yesterday then we have had collectively since we moved in.

I would quite like to go to uni today but I can't leave. Still more people are coming (today it's the glazier to replace two panes of glass the fucker cracked when his monkey foot kicked down our fucking door). Plus until the alarm and the safety doors are installed, we're not keen to leave the place.

I hate that he's changed our life. With three kicks he has changed our life.

I can't express how angry that makes me. That he broke into our house with the intention of taking our stuff that we have worked hard for. That he just wanted to take it, and that his greed has led to our fear. That he has made us feel unsafe in our own home because he wanted a PS2 or a big screen TV? That's the worst thing. That all this was over a few fucking gadgets.

Why You Should Never Sleep Naked

2007-05-23T01:33:32Z

How to say this? Well this morning while sleeping I heard some loud banging - nothing unusual for this house as the pipes can get pretty loud from time to time. Also we back right on to the train tracks so noise doesn't tend to disturb me much.

This time was different however because after the banging I heard my flatmate yelling "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

For those who haven't met my flatmate she's lovely. Usually very even tempered and she doesn't swear. Her yelling is really what woke me up. I sat bolt upright in bed and asked "What? ME?!" to which she opened my door and said "no, some bastard's just broken down our door."

So after struggling into my pajamas I ran out to discover this:

He kicked our door down!!

Basically he'd knocked on the door (and woken up Holly who couldn't be bothered answering), then knocked on Holly's window (which made her suspect something), then tried to break down the back door (which somehow we overlooked until about 30 minutes ago), then the front.

Once in the front door, he got about a step in before Holly ran out screaming, then he took off.

Cops were here within 5 minutes, then fingerprint people, then the landlord, then builders and security experts.

We've had phone calls from family, friends and called an alarm company. The security on this place is going to be beefed up something shocking by the end of the week and until then Holly and I will be extremely reluctant to leave it. (Infact both of us are reluctant to leave each other at the moment).

It got us thinking, it's got us moving. We refuse to give in to this asshole. We're not moving, we're going to beef up security and move on. Fuck him. What kind of a wanker invades the home of two women in search of some electronics and DVDs? Obviously if he were going to be violent we'd have known about it by now, and I think Holly gave him such a fright he won't be coming back (we hadn't answered the door at all and yet we were home, there is no guarantee that we answer the door when we're home). Really this is the best thing that could happen, but there's something about a home invasion that shocks to your core.

He was here, he invaded our privacy, our home. He came with the intent of taking our things that we worked hard to have. He wanted to take them from us without earning it. He wanted to do it the easy way.

Fuck him.

But when you smile, oh how I feel so good

2007-05-21T11:26:42Z

OK, so apparently I should update.

Quite frankly every blog and site I check has been checked today... including many hours wasted on YouTube so I guess I realy should do something a little more productive. In an ideal world I'd work on my geography lab, but this is not an ideal world and I cannot be fucked.

Actually that's a good place to start. Uni. It seems to be a giant push at the moment. I'm just not interested in it at all and I'd rather waste hours surfing YouTube, which actually discusts myself. In 20 years time (infact possibly less then that) I'm going to regret so badly doing it, but I just cannot get the motivation to get off my ass and go learn. It's perhaps aided by the fact I don't seem to be actually learning anything when I do go. I'm highly unimpressed with this semester's courses, but I know for a fact I started the semester feeling like this and that I'm not the only one behaving this way.

So there's uni which is just a giant pile of assignments to me (seriously, like 4 a week), then there's work. Here's the thing: work's finally becoming bearable. I go in, I know what I'm doing. I know where the problems are, I know what to expect. But some of my workmates are so freaking lazy. I feel like I go in and I'm the only one attempting to make the place run. I'm the only person cleaning, the only person vacuuming, the only person changing the ads and trailers. I don't like these jobs, no projectionist in their right mind likes these jobs, but they need to be done, and I am the only one doing them (or at least that's how it feels).

The funny thing is I texted my old boss, the one who pretty much got me to the level I am today and had a little whine and a moan. She told me to put my head down, get on with it and keep my most murderous thoughts to myself and I'd get the recognition. I figured yeah: recognition in the way of more work. Turns out she was right. I found out that our rosters had been altered and my previous day shifts had been swaped for swings. I'm told the complex manager wants one of two people doing those swings (it's the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean this week so it's a big one): my projection manager and me. Aparently someone has indeed noticed my hard work, and that makes me all warm and fuzzy :)

I'm going to my Grandmother's (surprise) 80th birthday in a couple of weeks and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be the only representitive from my particular branch of the family there but heaps of my cousins and family I like is going to be there so it'll be really fantastic to catch up with them all. As a cherry on top the whole thing's opened up a bunch of lines of communication that have been shut for a while so I'm getting in touch with cousins and aunts and things and that's really great.

I'm really looking forward to the season finales of Lost and Heroes this week. ABC announced a while back that lost is ending in 2010 - 3 more seasons, 16 eps each, running back to back from January. This is AWESOME news for Lost fans. Season 3 has given us more answers then the last two but it's still question after question. It'll be awesome when it all comes together. I don't much like talking about what may or may not be happenning but I'm sure it'll be good. I'm losing interest in Grey's Anatomy tho. I'll still buy season 3 on DVD when it comes out at Amazon and I'm reserving judgement until I've watched it but 'Jumping the Shark' comes to mind when I think of it.

So, here are some things I'm loving at the moment:
Bebo, Kanookle, Perez Hilton, Live-Action Simpsons.

Something that scares the crap out of me: Fish-Ebola

Just cos:

Sometimes I don't understand Auckland

2007-04-23T00:17:24Z

Why would ANYONE in their right mind want to get rid of this?

It's one of the best things about this stupid city!

Really? Is it hard?

2007-04-16T06:10:09Z

I've been spending some time on nzdating.com over the holidays and it amazes me the behaviour of men.

I mean, why do they send me pictures of their penis?

I liken it to meeting someone in a bar. Noone walks up to a girl in a bar, flops out their piece and says "hey babe, you want to suck on this? Come out to Manukau and we'll get in on in the back of my car" and yet the online equivelent of this (sending a pic and a message) seems to be entirely appropriate.

I'm not that difficult to get into bed, I'm really not. The hardest bit is getting me to actually meet a guy. Once I'm meeting him all he has to do is carry a conversation and flirt. It might take a few dates, but it'll happen.

To be honest my profile says I'm bored and I'll chat "even if it's about your penis" but that is a JOKE. If guys actually want to talk about it, I always ask what they call it and then steer the conversation to something else, it's not an invitation to send me lurid pics. I understand the confusion but it happens to girls who don't have that on their profile.

It's an TVeaster Miracle

2007-04-08T01:29:48Z

I'm not making this shit up.

The TV is now working.

My TV died on Easter Friday and resurrected itself three days later on Easter Sunday.

I know some people practically worship their TV's but that's just silly!!

Happy TVeaster!

Warning: Mild Blasphemy Ahead

2007-04-06T01:18:49Z

So today's Good Friday. Today is the day that Jesus died nailed to a cross to pay for our sins. Horay for Jesus.

I woke up this morning and thought "I want to relax infront of the TV and watch Boy Meets World" (I've been slowly working my way thru the episodes, I'm onto season 3). So I went to turn on my TV.

The remote didn't work so I thought "Holly's turned it off again" and went to press the button, but the button was already pressed. A quick check said yes, it is plugged in... the projectionist in me plugged it into other sockets to see if it was the sockets...

My TV died on Easter Friday.

So according to the story, Jesus was resurrected 3 days later (Easter Sunday).

So we're wonderring... will my TV ressurrect on Sunday??

More news as it occurs...

dum de doooo

2007-04-02T22:31:24Z

A friend gave me the heads up to this article - 40 Mistakes Men Make While Having Sex With Women....

I kind thought it was appropriate.

Also to all the people who don't read perezhilton.com...

Alanis Morissette singing 'My Humps'

So, this is an update

2007-03-31T14:24:02Z

My flatmate and I have decided to update our respecive journals with something a little substantial because we are both slack (we are slack because we're working our asses off opening a new cinema).

So the new cinema - well, we have the world's biggest screen (yay us), we have bean-bag chairs in one cinema (it's called the half pipe if you want to go to it), we have the lay-z-boys in LaPremiere and we have lots of leg room. Our tickets are no more then SkyCity or Rialto so if you're in Auckland come check us out at Sylvia Park.

OK, so that's the pimping done. In all honesty I'm working like a dog when I'm there. I don't feel comfortable pointing out all the issues online but they are there. The technical issues will be addressed in the coming weeks, but staffing issues (there is a serious lack of projectionists for one thing) are going to be harder to fix.

But we're busy. I got home last night (after a 12 hour day with no breaks) and went to the toilet. While I was there I realised I hadn't actually been to the toilet all day - every time I tried to go I got stopped.

How insane is that - so busy I forgo a basic human function.

Don't even ask about eating. We're surviving on a mix of sugar and caffine pretty much.

The new flat is nice, our landlord's a bit funny but the flat's cool. Our neighbours moved out today. Holly (my flatmate) and I think our new neighbours should be two oiled, tanned and toned men who will become our slaves and change DVDs for us, and make us dinner and massage our feet.

Hey, we work 12-16 hour days - we can dream!!

What else has gone on in my life since moving from the hostel? Um... oh. I got laid.

There's this thing - when you haven't had sex in a long time you forget how good it is, and then you have it and all you want is alot of sex. It's called waking the monster. Once the monster is awake, it needs regular feeding.

So it's been a LOOONG time since I've been laid (4 1/2 years) - my monster has been in hibernation. I woke it up for some of the world's worst sex. We are talking a small penis, a lack of knowledge on how a clitoris works, an inability to use positions which make up for the small-penis-ness, NO oral (he wouldn't let me and he wouldn't give) not to mention he was a minute man. I don't know if you've heard 'Not Big' by Lily Allen, but it perfectly describes the experience.

And I'm relieved he never called me back. Good sex can be taught, but he wasn't listening.

So basically he woke up my monster and fed it a cookie.

Now it wants it's steak dinner...

I don't think there's much else to add here... I'm going to go to sleep methinks - I'll get called in much too early tomorrow I'm sure.

toodles!!

Nerdy meme

2007-03-28T04:40:13Z

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Social Nerd You're interested in things such as politics, psychology, child care, and peace. I wouldn't go so far as to call you a hippie, but some of you may be tree-huggers. You're the type of people who are interested in bettering the world. You're possible the least nerdy of them all; unless you participate in other activies that paled your nerdiness compared to your involvement in social activities. Whatever the case, we could still use more of you around. ^_^
Musician
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Literature Nerd
Anime Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Drama Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

I always wondered... personally I'd call that more of a geek but *shrug*

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

2007-03-15T02:14:28Z

Some Madness on Mt Albert Rd

That is all.

A gentleman doesn't cum in your mouth

2007-02-20T08:00:16Z

Heh... been dying to use that as a title for over a week now. Quite possibly the world's funniest quote... but anyway...

I'm beginning to think that perhaps I don't take enough risks... that perhaps there's alot more to life then what I do with it. That there are people out there to meet, people to fuck, things to do.

That perhaps the existence I've been carving for myself over the years - hiding in my own shell, celebate (the exact time period for that one will not be announced to the world...) and hiding away from everything - well, maybe that's not the way I should live.

The way I'm living now is a damn sight better then the way I was living in mid-2003 where I literally didn't leave my room for fear of gaining the Wrath of The Evil Flatmate. At least life isn't like that anymore.

I'm also not depressed - I'm quite healthy and happy. A little dissatisfied with my weight, but I'd like to think I'm making some positive moves about that - I'm discovering more about myself - I've just got to work up the courage to get the help I need for all that.

I'm not addicted to drugs of any kind, I'm smoke-free, THC-free and (contrary to what those on the 207 field trip might think) I'm not a big drinker.

I get good grades, hold down a job... I'm incredibly lucky in that I'll be moving soon which means a better place and a better job (so excited about the new job).

But I still feel as if I'm missing love, affection. I think part of me feels like I don't deserve it, like I'm too fat, too ugly, too damaged. That it's going to take a special person to understand me - and perhaps all that's true - but I've been getting offers lately - lots of offers. Up until now I've turned down each and every one of them but I'm beginning to wonder if I really should?

Then I get to the point where I almost say yes, the crucial moment, and I freeze. I realise if I have sex with this person that person will abandon me and I'll have to stay and pick up the pieces all over again. That to have sex with that person means tears, and heartbreak and depression and time that I just don't want to spend mending my broken heart again.

Now I realise exactly how badly I was hurt all those years ago. I might not feel anything toward the person now, but I got very badly hurt, and even worse, very badly scarred - and I'm still paying for that one night

TradeMyIdiot...

2007-02-14T05:38:57Z

Sometimes people like to prove to the world just what kind of idiots they really are. Today I've had a fantastic example of idiocy.

Firstly some background info: I'm a LOTR collector, and back in '04 I picked up some bags at the world premiere that I have been slowly selling when I am poor. I'm down to my last couple and I'd like a good price for them. I've recently put one up on TradeMe where it's been getting a large number of hits and while it hasn't hit reserve yet, these things never do until the last few hours anyway.

So I have this listing, it's doing ok, and then today I get this comment come through my inbox:

"have you checked out the $200 fading ticket stubb above this auction? i hope you all get your prices, i just want your newer bag as i have used MY bag until it is all tacky-looking! lol! :) these sorts of things are not rare at all but the LOTR craze is over. i have put up one-of-a-kind original art for as little as $1 reserve & not got even a nibble! so i wish you well, you guys, i really do!"

This almost killed me. No collector actually uses their bag. None! We have these bags as keepsakes, and they're either protected behind fadeproof glass or tucked away in some dry but dark corner with the rest of our valuable collections. To say his bag is all 'tacky-looking' makes me want to do nothing but hit him with a large and heavy stick!

Secondly I went and had a look at his "art", and found: it's crap.

So I wrote a sweet little reply that went like this:

"lol, well I'm not selling a used ticket stub, I'm selling a genuine collector's item, which many people would keep in pristine condition rather then abusing. You're right, the LOTR craze is over, my 'buy now' price is significantly higher then my reserve price and I don't honestly expect the buy now price to be reached, although it would be nice if it did. These bags, in good condition, rarely come on the market - less then 3000 were made and a significant proportion of them were thrown away. If a genuine collector (and yes, they still exist) wants this item, they will pay the quite reasonable reserve price for it."

Kinda nice seeing as this person seems to be a bit of a nut job and really I just wanted to remove their bid and tell them to go fuck themselves.

Then this evening I log on to find the following two comments:

"touche' about not taking care of one's collector's items...but i have so many!...and all is doomed to fade into the west! :) the bags were designed to be useful after all, & it's tempting to skite around town when you have one"

you must be gettingRrepeat views & people must covet this for its usefulness & commerciality after all! i write "rare" on many of my auctions for things that truly are, ie One of a Kind paintings & prints but they only get the odd hit, i can only assume because it's just "useless" art executed by an "unknown" artist! the original of one belongs to sean astin. he loved it & told me it was going into his LOTR museum. but no one i've told believes me & so far have had little interest in it!"

Here is what I would write if only I hadn't come to the conclusion that this person has some sort of a mental disorder.

Yes, I'm touchy about people who don't take care of their collectors items: if they are not taken care of, they cease to be collectors items. Good for you for having so many, I have quite a few myself - that's the point of being a collector - to amass a collection (or 'collect'). Some may be tempted to skite around town, but most people are secure enough in themselves that they don't have to walk around name dropping. "Rare" means just that - that it 'rarely' comes about, ie only once and a while. "One of a kind" means there is only one. I know perfectly well there is more then one of these bags around - I own more then one. Yes, your art is really quite crap. Fan art hardly ever gets bought because collectors see no point in owning it - if it were an original John Howe or Alan Lee painting then it would be worth thousands, but yours unfortunately is not. No-one belives your story because every man and his dog in this country has a LoTR story - I have numerous LoTR stories. To quote a very famous movie: "You are not special, you are the all singing, all dancing shit of the world"

Shortbus

2007-01-27T08:00:30Z

See it.

Best film I've seen since I can't remember when.

:-)

A Summer-Time Challenge

2007-01-10T01:14:10Z

OK, your holiday is almost over and the weather's a bit crap (at least if you live in New Zealand. If you don't not you're probably at work so have you really got anything better to do?) so I thought I'd post a question to the users of LiveJournal (well, my very small friends list and the people they point to this post... *hint hint*)

I've recently discovered that I am the world's worst flirt. This most likely accounts for the rather long dry-patch I have had and also for the fact that I rarely get anybody I actually want (as opposed to the ones I don't want who I have to turn away which just makes me feel worse given the unreasonably long dry-patch...)

Anyway, because I'm useless at subtlities (otherwise I'd have no problem with the flirting) here it is straight up:

How do you flirt?

What are your 'moves'?

What's the thing guaranteed to get you in the sack?

Because I'm sick of not knowing, because dammit I am a sexy woman who likes sex, who is just a wee bit picky and who has no idea how to tell the ones she does like that she likes them.

So I ask for your help, the help of the Livejournal community at large - help a girl get laid.

Just 'cos you're old you think you're wise

2006-11-24T11:12:13Z

OK, I'm terrible at updating, I'm sorry.

No, actually, I'm not. My personal journal (a strange thing these days - it's written on actual paper with a real pen) has a large number of entries. In my absence from online blogging I've started reassessing myself, and I'm discovering more and more every day that I am fucked up.

I have body issues and I'm not confident. My total belief that I failed everything this semester led me to come home and mainline vodka (as well as anything else I could get my hands on) half way through the exam period. As it turns out I've passed at least 3 of the 4 subjects and all that worry (not to mention the substantial hangover) were for nothing.

I've stopped smoking. Today is Day 16. Day 17 commences in 19 minutes. The big urges are gone, but occasionally I really want one. I can be around smokers but I find myself lecturing them which is entirely a product of trying to convince myself that I don't want and/or need one. The not smoking thing means that I'm a little more anti-social then usual as I tend to hide in my room watching DVDs, TV or reading.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that I like being single.

Yeah, the lack of sex is a bit horrible, but honestly, I've got enough sex toys to deal with that.

I like the independance of being single. I'm a little nutty and well equipt for keeping myself company so the whole companionship thing isn't a big deal - I have friends and I have family and I have myself. I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that unless someone really special comes along; someone who respects me and my boundaries (and my independance - I love that more then any man or woman I'm afraid) that I'm just going to remain single for the rest of my life, and I'm OK with that. I'm not sure my mother will be (I think she's looking forward to the grandkids that probably won't be arriving through me) but I am.

I've been listening alot to Lily Allen. She rocks. She has some very cheeky lyrics but I've been feeling quite feminist and anti-boys lately so she's pretty much the perfect accompaniment. I'm looking foward to the Big Day Out - I will definately be grooving out to her that day.

Well I'm going to go, no doubt I'll be up for a few hours yet with my crappy November-December insomnia but unfortunately the computer room will be closing soon

Rainbows and Lollipops

Whitcoulls List

2006-09-27T22:29:23Z

In the interests of procrastination I have done it as well...

Bold those you've read, italicise those you've started (whether you intend to finish them or not!), underline those you want to read.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
Cross Stitch - Diana Gabaldon
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons
My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
The Bible
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling
Sushi for Beginners - Marian Keyes
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis
Angela's Ashes - Frank Mccourt
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Rachel's Holiday - Marian Keyes
Magician - Raymond E. Feist
Jessica - Bryce Courtenay
The Bone People - Keri Hulme
The Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel
Wild Swans - Jung Chang
River God - Wilbur Smith
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J. K. Rowling
Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
The Penguin History of New Zealand - Michael King
I Know this Much is True - Wally Lamb
Watermelon - Marian Keyes
Tully - Paullina Simons
The Other Side of the Story - Marian Keyes
Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
April Fool's Day - Bryce Courtenay
Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Chocolat - Joanne Harris
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
The Catcher In the Rye - J. D. Salinger
It's Not About the Bike - Lance Armstrong
The Killing Floor - Lee Child
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J. K. Rowling
Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer
1984 - George Orwell
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Hard Way - Lee Child
The Edmonds Cookery Book
The Girl in Times Square - Paullina Simons
The Potato Factory - Bryce Courtenay
Dune - Frank Herbert
Into The Wilderness - Sara Donati
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander Mccall Smith
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
The Summer Garden - Paullina Simons
The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult
Four Fires - Bryce Courtenay
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
Last Chance Saloon - Marian Keyes
The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
Perfume - Patrick Suskind
Northern Lights - Philip Pullman
One Shot - Lee Child
Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married - Marian Keyes
A Breath Of Snow And Ashes - Diana Gabaldon
The Whale Rider - Witi Ihimaera
The Vintner's Luck - Elizabeth Knox
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J. K. Rowling
The Bridge to Holy Cross - Paullina Simons
Whitethorn - Bryce Courtenay
A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
Deception Point - Dan Brown
Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
London - Edward Rutherfurd
Holes - Louis Sachar
The Last Juror - John Grisham
White Gardenia - Belinda Alexandra
Shantaram - Gregory Roberts
Angels - Marian Keyes
The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood
Brother Fish - Bryce Courtenay
Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult
The Queen's Fool - Philippa Gregory
The Denniston Rose - Jenny Pattrick
The Tea Rose - Jennifer Donnelly
Eragon - Christopher Paolini
The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

25 fully read, that's not too bad...

I am officially in love...

2006-09-05T05:27:40Z

With this man.

I wish more men thought that way.

In other news I'm in the Whang, doing absoloutely nothing and loving every second of it :-)

Stupid Fowards

2006-08-17T02:27:40Z

I got an email today - a foward. It was from someone I don't like very much, don't talk to and don't consider a friend, yet she thought it was appropriate to send me what might be accurately described as the worlds worst foward.

First of all - I've seen the same email come from the UK - the only difference between the two (this includes the statistics at the bottom of it) is that all references to the 'UK' has been replaced with references to 'NZ'. While I can't pass comment on the UK version, having never been there I thought I'd add my comments to this version. Partly to be trite, partly because I'm bored with an hour and a half to my next lecture and having just finished my essay.

Being a Kiwi is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV.
How many people here have a german car? Hands up please. Any Audis, BMWs, Porches Volkswagons in the house? No? That would be because Kiwi's by far prefer their Mitzis, Hondas, Subarus, Holdens, Fords, and Mazdas. I'm not saying German cars don't exist in New Zealand - I live in Auckland I'd be stupid to say that but in general, German cars are not the ones we buy.

We do however have a fondness for Irish pubs.

On Belgian beers... this is a list of some Belgian beers, go - take a look - I'll wait here. Tell me how many you know. Personally I know one of those beers. I also happen to be quite fond of it (Stella Artois). As far as I'm aware Kiwi's are much more likely to reach for a Steinlarger, Tui, Lion (Red, Brown, Double Brown), Waikato, Speights, Macs (one of the many different versions) or Monteiths. We're a patriotic bunch. We might dip into the Aussie stores (Fosters, XXXX, VB) but as the song says "you can get Fosters on tap, but it still tastes like crap"...

The kebab holds up, I've had numerous kebabs while pissed - that said I've had many more hamburgers and/or chips while pissed. The White Ladies in Queen St (Shortland St if you want to be pedantic and it's moving soon anyway) and Newmarket I am finding are the stuff of legends. Quick, polite service and the hamburgers are the best I've ever tasted (please note I was rather pissed at the time). Wellington has an all night 6-night-a-week (not open Monday night) fish and chip store that serves a bad-ass hawaiian burger at 3 in the morning and is right next to a strip club making for interesting people watching. Curries... hands up all who have had a curry after getting pissed? I honestly couldn't think of a worse idea really.

Personally I have no idea where my furniture was made and I'll concede that it may have been made in Sweeden but more likely it was made in either New Zealand or China. Most New Zelanders have at least one piece of Made-in-China, assembled-in-the-living-room, Warehouse bought furniture. I have several. They are most definately not made in Sweeden.

I conceed American TV shows - but very few English-speaking countries have a complete absence of American programming, and many non-English-speaking countries also show it, so it's a bit of a non point - it's not "only in New Zealand".

I could be wrong here - but who has a TV not made in Japan? I know I don't. Again, I'd say it's one of Japan's major products - it's another non-point, you can get a Japanese TV to watch American programming almost anywhere.

Only in N.Z. ... can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Not always true. Ambulences can get there quick if it's an emergency and pizza places can be very slow if the rugby's on. Now if we were talking about the police instead, then there might be a point.
Only in N.Z. ... do supermarkets make sick people walk all the way to the back of the shop to get their cough, cold, aspirin while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Every supermarket I've been in makes you walk half way across the aisles, then half way up that aisle. I'm splitting hairs I know, but it's not "all the way to the back" that's (generally) where the Deli and Bakery go. Show me a country that doesn't make people buy ciggy's at the front. Again, it's a non-point.
Only in N.Z. ... do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries and a DIET coke.
Can't argue with the fact it happens, but it also happens in the US, the UK, Australia and anywhere else with a bloody McDonalds.
Only in N.Z. ... do banks leave both doors open and chain the pens to the counters.
They do indeed chain pens to the counters but the doors are not open. I'm with the National Bank and they have to press a little button to open the doors every time someone wants to get in. I'd have to conceed in the case of KiwiBank though. Damn post offices...
Only in N.Z. ... do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars on the drive and & lock our junk and cheap lawn mower in the garage.
Not in Auckland we don't! Leave your expensive car in the drive and watch it speed away... Bye-bye car... Anyone with a garage full of 'junk' generally has a not-so-expensive car sitting in the drive.
Only in N.Z. ... do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want
to talk to in the first place.
I only know one person with a machine capable of screening. Last time I checked most people used Telecom's message service, on which you can't really screen in the conventional sense. But that said... any country in the world with these capabilities does the exact same thing. Another non-point.
Only in N.Z. ... are there disabled parking places in front of a skateboard park.
Anyone ever seen that? All I've ever seen infront of skate parks is a gravel area perfect for doughys. Things may have changed since I was a teenager and hanging out at skate parks though. Besides, there is nothing to stop a deaf person skating. Who says a wheelchair can't go up and down some of the ramps at a skatepark?

NOT TO MENTION...
3 Kiwis are injured each year testing if a 9v battery works on their tongue.
58 Kiwis are injured each year by using sharp knives instead of screwdrivers.
31 Kiwis are injured each year by watering their Christmas tree while the fairy lights were plugged in.
8 Kiwis had burns trying on a new jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouth.
A massive 543 Kiwis were admitted to emergency in the last two Years
after opening bottles of beer with their teeth.

and finally.....

In 2005 eight Kiwis cracked their skull whilst throwing up in the toilet
I had a look around and while the UK publishes Hospital Episode Statistics they'll tell you only what happenned, not how. (fell out of tree etc) New Zealand tends to publish Mortality Statistics. I highly doubt the accuracy of these results but as I can't be bothered to fully research I'll let you make your own minds up

Interesting Link: Only in America (sound familiar?)

IF YOU'RE PROUD TO BE A KIWI SEND THIS ON - YEAH RIGHT

Referencing

2006-08-08T02:48:55Z

Ah, university life - the pub on campus, the endless wait for a computer, almost being run over on Symonds Street... it's all fun and games until it comes to the real stuff - the essays and the study.

So, in starting my first two essays I firstly headed to Wikipedia to gain inspiration. I best clarify - in no shape or form can we reference Wikipedia in an essay - I just use it as a basis for ideas. So I find this fantastic quote on Wiki, which of course I can't use unless I can find the original source (this in turn of course is not referenced on Wiki - that'd make life easy!) Cue the last week and a half where I have been searching the University Library in every spare moment for this quote.

Today I found it. The whole damn article, hidden away in the 2nd floor. That's quite a feeling of accomplishment. I can officially use the quote because I have it's source!! Haha!

As part of an assignment (on malls and consumption) I get to visit malls around Auckland... Shopping in the name of eduction...

I love my life :-)