Lyrics I love

These aren’t necessarily lyrics that come from my favourite songs, just a few that identify how I’ve been feeling lately.

Bro – Goldfinger: You use your fake friends, use them then throw them away. So now it’s the end! Don’t fucking smile, just get the fuck away from me, get the fuck away

Neighbourhood # 3 (Power Out) – Arcade Fire: And the power’s out, in the heart of man. Take it from your heart, put it in your hand. What’s the plan? What’s the plan? Is it a dream? Is it a lie? I think I’ll let you decide. Just light a candle for the kids, Jesus Christ, don’t keep it hid!

Light Grenades – Incubus: Survived the plague, floated the flood, just peeked our heads above the mud, no one’s immune, deafening bells, my god, will we survive ourselves?

Forever Song – Josh Pyke: I wanna know that I know what I’m talking about, until I do, all the walls seem white. But when I know that I know what I’m talking about, I’ll take your burden if you’ll say it’s mine

The Irrationality of Rationality – NoFX: When one makes 20 million, ten thousand people lose. What stops that one from swallowing a shotgun?

Riot – Mad Caddies: This empire’s crumbling down, greed of the nations will burn to the ground again. But will we understand? Raise our hands for equality?

Consequential Apathy – RxBandits: Where you going? What’s this life for? How do you wanna be when you grow old? What you wanna say, what you wanna do? Nobody’s a victim, it’s only up to you. Wise man say you reap what you have sown, only what you have sown

Let’s Face It – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Why were we put here? What for? We’re unsure. We sure weren’t put here to hate. Be racist, be sexist, be bigots, be sure: we won’t stand for your hate

All The Young Fascists – Shihad: They’re taking all the colours away, can’t put it back together again. They’re taking all the colours away, we will never forgive, and we will never forget. Chop the tree down and replace it with nothing, they kill ideas at the push of a button; pull your strings, do your thing – you’re just a puppet, right?

As you may be able to tell, for some reason I’m feeling a bit disgusted with humanity at the moment. Not sure why. It may have something to do with the fact that I saw Sweeny Todd tonight. Do yourself a favour, and don’t see that movie. I didn’t like it at all, and I very rarely actively dislike a film. I’m seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. I can’t believe shit like this movie gets voted best film and gets to be called art – yes, I really consider serial killing and cannibalism to be art.  What a standard to aspire to! I wish the world would just wake the fuck up some days. Complacency gets us absolutely nowhere.

The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice

Does anybody else think that Seaweed from Hairspray is just adorable?? His real name is Elijah Kelly, I do believe. I watched it with my nana tonight, it was pretty awesome. I love the costumes so much. I wish I was energetic enough to bother dressing sixties, it’s so damned cute. Unfortunately I am a lazy shit, I think that messy hair is cuter than tidy hair and I love my jandals. I do have funky glasses, though, when I’m not wearing contacts. Plus, I like stuff with pockets, so I can just put my ipod in one and my phone and eftpos card in the other and go.

I am listening to some old-school Pink right now, her first hit even, Get The Party Started. She’s a bit cool. I did this with my best friend (hereinafter referred to as the BFF – yeah, that’s what we call each other, lame hey) on Singstar and she kicked my arse, she got Hit Artist and I got.. I can’t remember what I got, but it wasn’t as good as that. Of course I got it rubbed in my face, but hey, that’s what best friends are for. That, and leaving each other filthy comments on Bebo. And texting each other when discovering the death of movie stars! Is anyone else as gobsmacked as I am by Heath Ledger’s passing? The poor, poor guy. Apparently the ‘God Hates Fags’ dot com church are planning on picketing his funeral. This makes my blood boil. It makes me hope that Jesus is real! I want those gay-bashers to live thinking they’re all pious, then die, all stoked that they’re gonna get to go to heaven and chill with the big JC, and to have Jesus be like ‘nup, sorry, we only let people in who do what I asked, which, by the way, is to love everybody, and you failed, you fuckers!’ How the fuck do these people know that God hates fags!? Are they personal best buddies with God or something?? Did they get a special fax from heaven the rest of us missed? Because when I read the bible, well the Jesus part at least, all I got out of it was:

‘Hey, sup? I’m the son of God, you can call me Jesus. I’m a friendly kinda guy, I love everybody, and I want you to love everyone, too. You should probably believe in me if you want to go to this awesome place called heaven and chill with me when you die. But if you don’t want to, that’s cool. If you do decide you like me, how’s about you just accept everybody as they are for the rest of your life? Probably you shouldn’t have sex with people from your own gender, but hey, if you do, I’m gonna love you anyway, cause that’s just the way I roll. Peace out dudes, see you in three days!’

Or does God talk to them, the way he does to old Georgie Porgie? FYI, you fundamentalist fuckers – in the 21st century, we call voices in your head a symptom of schizophrenia!!! Wow. I really did not intend to turn this into a rant on how much I dislike and disrespect gay bashers. I think love is just lovely, no matter whom it’s between. It’s such a beautiful thing and fuck everybody who tries to tear it down. It’s not the fault of those two guys walking past you on the street holding hands that your mum was a repressive bitch who didn’t love you enough. Suck it up and be a nice person anyway, you arsehole. Jesus will love you more! My dad is gay, and in a committed relationship with his partner of three years. When my sister was pregnant, my brother-in-law’s conservative Christian family discussed coming together over the baby once she was born to pray out the demons caused by my sister’s association with my family. And once, when BIL and my sister and the kid were up on their way to stay with my dad for the night at their house in Auckland, BIL’s dad phoned and said they had decided it was a bad idea for them to stay with my dad, because they didn’t want the kid around the bad spirits that hang around gay people. Seriously? I can’t believe these people have the gall to consider themselves educated people. I can’t believe they think that they have the right to say something like that to my sister about her father.

I hope people like that rot in hell. Well, I don’t believe in hell actually, and it’s mean to wish bad things on people. So I will just get really mad about it, and hope like crazy that they’re a little nicer in their next lives. And hope that one day, we will eradicate homophobia – and racism, and sexism, and.. uh, religionism? – from this world, because we will be so much better off if we just learn to love each other, rather than hate things we don’t understand.

Review of 2007, three weeks after the fact

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Um… lived in a flat. This is hard! Paid my own rent. Studied hard.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next this year? Nah, I don’t do new years resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes, my nana.

5. What countries did you visit? None, but I went to the South Island, good times.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? Happiness. My best friend around heaps (this wish is already granted, yay!)

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 29th October… the day my grandmother died. 21st September, the day I found out she was going to die

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Probably passing all my exams. Paying my own way for the first time.

9. What was your biggest failure? My B- for disputes. What the fuck. That paper is meant to be easy! A B-! Frankly, I was insulted. Although I guess for a like 25% attendance rate, B- is decent.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nah. Not really. Got a tummy bug and threw up for a solid few hours, that was about it.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Um… tickets to Architecture in Helsinki!!
12. Where did most of your money go? Rent, food.

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Visiting my best friend in the South Island, Architecture in Helsinki, my 21st, every time my best friend came home

14. What song will always remind you of 2007? Hmm. Lovestoned, by Justin Timberlake, Hiphopapotamus vs Rhymenocerous by Flight Of The Conchords, Fire In The Sky by John Butler Trio, Leaving Jesusland by NoFX, Who Put The Bomp In The Bomp Bomp Bomp by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (download this! Seriously, you will love me forever), Wishbone by Architecture in Helsinki (also now Jen’s song!), Call Me Anytime – The Cops, Your Boyfriend Sucks by Deja Voodoo, Tired Bones by Mad Caddies, Sneaks City Shutdown by The Sneaks… shall I continue? Consequential Apathy by RxBandits (not only a cool song but AWESOME bass line), Love Today by Mika, Hump de Bump by Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’m sure there’s more. Oh yeah, Pyramid Scheme by Mad Caddies – not my fault they came out with a new cd! Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! by the Mint Chicks. Cool Me Down – Black Seeds. Candyman by Christina Aguilera. Anna Molly – Incubus. Ok, I’m done, I promise! No, wait. 19 20 20 by The Grates. NOW I’m done.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? way happier

b) thinner or fatter? about the same

c) richer or poorer? definitely poorer

16. What do you wish you’d done more of? Study

17. What do you wish you’d done less of? Sleep

18. How did you spend Christmas? Just at home with ma famille, it was quiet. It rained.

19. Did you fall in love in 2007? No, I don’t do love really. I am too picky and scared of rejection.

20. What was your favorite TV program? Bones! Always Bones. And season one of Heroes, season 2 blew. I was disappointed by it.

21. What was the best book you read? Jasper Fforde books, the Thursday Next series. Read these. Seriously.

22. What was your favorite film of this year? Hairspray!!!!!!

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I had a big party, I was 21. On the actual day I worked and spent the afternoon with my best friend, and Dad made a roast for tea. Chicken, not turkey like I asked for. Hmmph.

24. What kept you sane? Nothing did, really. Texts every day from my bff.

25. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Drew from Home and Away, Scotty on Shortland Street (they could be twins!!), Andy Lee, Ryan Sheldon. At least one of them is a Kiwi.

26. Who did you miss? My best friend, she lived away last year. But she’s back! Hey now, hey now my boyfriend’s back… um. Sorry. I like Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, shoot me.

27. Who was the best new person you met? My flatmate Theresa. I love her!

Wow, I had a boring year. 2007 sucked, looking back on it. I was depressed for the last three months of it. Stupid 07. Bring on 08 and trips to Perth (my absolute favourite Aus city) and Rarotonga!!

Yay!!!

So, at the end of June I am off to Perth so I can be maid of honour at my beloved host sister’s wedding on July 4th!!!! So excited. I get to be a maid of honour twice in a year!!! How lucky am I?

Eight Things…

Cause I got tagged! How exciting. Seriously, I was actually excited. Just an aside before I start, I bought a gold watch today, and it’s my new favourite thing. Also, yesterday I got new perfume, and I smell so damn good. I’ve been sniffing myself constantly ever since. So, basically… I love myself right now. And my awesome taste in things.

Okay, Eight things!!!

Eight things I am passionate about (in no particular order)

1. The French language. I am not particularly good at speaking it, just because I don’t have much of an opportunity to practice, but I love it. It’s just inherently beautiful.
2. Travelling. I get itchy feet. Even just heading out of town to the beach for the day makes me feel better.
3. My friends. I have lots of acquaintances, but my true friends are just so, so important to me.
4. Justice. You know what makes me so mad? When someone gets acquitted in a trial, and people go around saying ‘oh, they did it, they just had a good lawyer.’ You can’t deprive someone of their freedom unless you’re 100% sure that they committed the crime, that’s just wrong. That’s why the jury must be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused did it. I hate people who have no faith in the legal system! Try fucking living without it, douchebag. See how you like that.
5. Music. I am not very musically talented, but I listen to a lot.
6. My best friend. I know I mentioned my friends in number 3, but the two of us are just on a different level.  I love that girl to death and I’d do anything for her, including dying.
7. Bright colours – that sounds stupid, but I feel happier when my surroundings are colourful. If I’m wearing a dull-coloured outfit, I always brighten it up with jewellery or shoes.
8. Faith. I have faith something is out there. I’m not sure what it is, but I believe we’re being taken care of.

Eight things I want to do before I die

1. Go to Gallipoli for Anzac Day
2. Fall desperately in love – and get married to the person!
3. Take a girly holiday (I’m doing this in November. My best friend and I are surprising another friend who we’re bridesmaids for with a trip to Rarotonga.)
4. Pay off my student loan
5. Find a job I’m passionate about, even if I don’t like it all the time
6. See Architecture in Helsinki live again
7. Learn how to do completely selfless things
8. Have children (way, way down the track. I saw my sister give birth, I will put doing that off as long as I damn well can. But not forever)

Eight things I say often

1. Fuck!
2. Like, actually (to emphasise something, not in a bimbo girl way)
3. Yuck!
4. Bullshit
5. How can I help? (at work)
6. People make me so fucking mad!
7. Umm… yup (in that, I don’t really want to do that, but I’m going to say yes so you’ll feel bad and not make me do it type of voice)
8. Get one up ya (usually to my best friend)

Eight books I’ve read recently

1. The Persimmon Tree, Bryce Courtenay. Despite my inherent dislike of his cardboard cut-out characters, I liked this one. Except, please don’t write in a lingo. Let the readers imagine it. Please.
2. The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
3. Lost in a Good Book, Jasper Fforde
4. The Well of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde
5. Something Rotten, Jasper Fforde
6. First Among Sequels, Jasper Fforde (I read the whole series, if you can’t tell)
7. Cross bones, Kathy Reichs
8. Candide, Voltaire (I’m such a wanker. We had to read it for French, and I loved it.)

Eight songs I could listen to over and over again

1. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Elton John and George Michael
2. Special Ones, George
3. What’s In Store, Architecture in Helsinki
4. Like It Or Not, Architecture in Helsinki
5. The Well And The Lighthouse, Arcade Fire
6. Silly Things, Sophie Koh
7. Leaving Jesusland, NoFX
8. Company Sin, John Butler Trio

But if I was making a triple cd (8 x 3) I’d include…

1. Birthday, 28 Days
2. Monosyllabic Girl, NoFX
3. Bog Brother, Mad Caddies
4. Zak and Sara, Ben Folds
5. Throwback, The Sneaks
6. Inside Outside, The Grates
7. Getting High On The Down Low, NoFX
8. Fire In The Sky, John Butler Trio
9. Lay Down Your Guns, Jimmy Barnes
10. Forever Song, Josh Pyke
11. Nothing New, The Waifs
12. Mother Greer, Augie March
13. Fire, The Black Seeds
14. Bro, Goldfinger
15. You’re Just As Confused As I Am, The Mint Chicks
16. The Bad Guy, Reel Big Fish

Eight Movies I Have Seen Eight Times - this sucks. I’m not that into movies.

1. Freaky Friday. Shut up. It’s not my favourite.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You
3. Bones season one. Does this count? Because I watch it a LOT.
4.  Transformers (okay, I haven’t seen it eight times but I wish I had. It’s hilarious.)
5. Queen on Fire: Live At The Bowl – it counts. Shh.
6. The Sound of Music – my dad is a big fan.
7. The Castle
   
8. Supertroopers (‘ohhh, bikers!’ ‘No, embarrassed like in ‘77 when you got caught fucking your cousin’)

I’m going to cheat and not tag people, I don’t know enough bloggers!

Turn it off, turn it off, turn the radio off..

… Try thinking for yourself for once in your life! Sorry, guys, not implying that anyone is a mindless zombie. I’ve just had that song (by Reel Big Fish) stuck in my head all day. Actually, now that I’m on the topic – do you ever listen to the radio? I rarely, if ever, do. In my car I either have a CD playing, or my ipod plugged in. Radio is not a medium I enjoy at all, really. I hate the inane talking, the constant advertising, the bad music – or music that I only like when I’m drunk in a club. Music engineered for the top 40 isn’t something I’m generally into. I mean, yes, there are songs on it that I do like, or bands that I enjoy. But my favourite bands are not really something you’d find on the radio, with the possible exception of John Butler Trio, who don’t get much top 40 play here really. I like fun bands – The Sneaks, The Mint Chicks, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (playing in Auckland on the 26th! I’m so excited). I like music with a bit of conscience to it, an awareness of current issues – NoFX, John Butler Trio. Some music just massively appeals to me: Arcade Fire, Sophie Koh, Architecture in Helsinki. Actually, speaking of top 40 hits, Mandy Moore does an incredible cover of Umbrella by Rihanna. I was not a fan of the original, and I love this version of it.

So, having a blog is harder than I thought it’d be. Excellent as I am at rambling in real life, I find it tough on the internet! Rest assured, I will try hard. I just can’t promise I’ll get better at it!

I went back to work Monday; it was so nice to be back in my routine, not to mention my air-conditioned office. I have two jobs at the moment, and should be winding up at my morning one in the next few days. I’m so stupidly excited about this, only having one job is going to be such a treat. I’m also looking forward to going back to uni – not for another, oh, seven weeks or so, but I can’t WAIT. I’m so over it just after exams, particularly last semester’s lot. They were hellish. But after about three or four weeks I get bored of not always having something to do, or not learning new things. I think my first semester is going to be really awesome this year: I’m taking a couple of politics papers which look awesome, Major Political Thinkers and International Policy. I’m also hoping to do a directed study comparing and contrasting different works of Voltaire, and in B semester I’m taking a Human Rights Law paper. I’m such a geek, I get so excited about my papers at uni. I just love to learn new things, and at this point in my degree (my fifth, and final, year) I’m more certain of what that is. I’m thinking at the moment that I’d like to head toward criminal prosecution. Despite what most people would think, most law students I know want to work for the big corporate firms, which would only ever defend criminal charges. Environmental law is also big here, but corporate law is the big one. I don’t want to be a lawyer for the money. I want to know that I’m doing some good, helping to bring criminals to justice. I’m probably one of the few law students who, at this stage in their degree, still believe in justice. You very quickly learn justice has very little to do with the law – most people already think this actually – but despite this, I’m passionate about doing something to help. Yes, I could spend my life helping people buy and sell property and get divorced, and make a shitload, but that’s not what I’m about. Fuck it. This is not about the money, the nice house, the BMW. This is not about flashy courtroom appearances (not that you’d get away with that in NZ anyway), or a reputation, or prestige. If I spend my whole life never earning more than $40,000 a year, at least I’ll know I helped. Up myself as this sounds, I know that I’m intelligent. I wasn’t given my brains so I could take advantage of people by charging them $100 just to make a phone call, plus another $50 for the time it took to get my thinking back on track. Yes, this actually happens in major firms. I was given my brains so I could help, and by god, that’s what I’m going to do.

A perfect start to 2008

It’s hot. Stupidly hot. This is not a word one usually associates with an NZ summer, but it was scorching today, probably 28 degrees or so. Shut up, that’s hot for us. Luckily for me, I spent the day at the beach, where it was a lot cooler.

As my title suggests, I’ve had a perfect start to my year. I had a fairly quiet New Years Eve, I spent it at my friends L and G’s house along with three other friends, it was great. L made cocktails, which were awesome, and I got quite drunk, but not badly. We watched TV and played Buzz and Singstar and just had fun hanging out. Once we all got ourselves organised (and fed! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all) we headed off to Waihi Beach for the first day of the year. It was perfect; we swam, played cricket and volleyball, and got sunburnt, in my case. I have NO idea how that happened, and I’m annoyed. I put on SPF 30 about three times. Today we went to the beach again, except we went to Whangamata, which is much more popular than Waihi, so parking was a bit of a mission. We only played cricket today, it was too windy for volleyball, but it was awesome anyway.

There is only one thing better than a day at the beach in my opinion – and that’s the post-beach shower. God, it feels so good. To be clean and moisturised and have soft, non-sand-and salt encrusted hair is maybe the best feeling in the whole world. Or at least in January. I even conditioned twice, just to be nice to my hair after two days worth of salt water. I’m also a fan of the post-swim mint – sea water just tastes so disgusting and there’s almost no way to get that taste out of your mouth.

So, 2008 has gotten off to a fantastic start so far: sun, sand, heat, and good company. 2007, while not being a bad year exactly, was not a great year for me and I’m not sorry to see the back of it. I’m very excited for what this year is going to bring, although I have no idea what that will be. I’m just excited for it. It’s my last year of university – I actually have trouble comprehending that. I remember when I started at 17, five years seemed like such a long time. And suddenly, it’s been and gone in the blink of an eye, I’ve got two semesters left and I’ll have two degrees. That’s nuts, isn’t it, that half a decade can pass just like that. I feel like I’ve learned so much, yet nothing at the same time. 2008 is also the year that one of my oldest and best friends will get married – the 28th of March, at a beautiful winery just out of town. I’m her maid of honour, and I’m 95% sure I will cry like a baby, in front of ninety people. Neither of them are really expressive people, so to hear them say their vows to each other is going to be emotional. 2008 is also the year of the Oh My God, Studying Is Actually Over trip. Well, end of studying for my best friend and I, anyway. Our good friend L is getting married in Feb 09, so we’re going to take her to Rarotonga for a week at the end of November as a present for her/celebration for us. L has never been out of the country before either, so I can’t wait to tell her. We’re surprising her with the trip on her 23rd birthday in June, so she’s got time to get used to the idea, and maybe save a bit of spending money.

I’m not really sure what else 2008 is going to be the year of. All I know is that I’m looking forward to it. Are you?