Guess who’s back, back again

I guess if you grew up in the late 90’s/early 00’s, you will never really forget any of the words to any songs that Eminem ever sang. I am kind of ashamed to admit that I used to be a bit of a fan of Eminem, in fact, I was a little hip hop bunny in general. I went through a phase of being obsessed with Ja Rule… ok, I am going to shut up now because I’m starting to blush. Thankfully I now have much better taste in music. Well, at least I think I do. I bet in ten years I’ll look back and go, ‘NOFX? Omg, how could I?’

Having said that, I still have a couple of Hanson songs on my itunes and if 5ive (do you remember them!) comes on in a club I will always dance to it hardcore. Yep, I will never grow up. You also know that you haven’t grown up when you still laugh at swearwords. At work, we have a phone mediation team we send applications to, and one of the mediators always puts ‘cnt’ for contact in the case notes. I have yet to stop laughing when I see it, and I have also converted one of the Wellington girls to my way of thinking, and now we email each other whenever either of us sees it. Ok, that isn’t saying much because we email each other all day. We call each other all day too, actually, but we have a rule that the phone is about actual work.

So I had my only exam for the semester on Tuesday, and my semester is officially over! I am sooooo excited about this – only one semester left until I graduate! I’d decided on going back, until the last two weeks of semester arrived and it was crunch time again. This is my fifth year of uni and I am so over studying. I’m gonna go be a big bad lawyer next year, I have decided. Hopefully. If I can afford to move anywhere after going to Aus and Rarotonga in one year. And buying completely unnecessary things, like a new dress, and shoes that cost $100, but they are so freaking cute that I had to own them. And perfume, that I didn’t need, because I already had about ten, but it smelled so good. Long story short, I need to stop going into shops, forever, because clearly it is bad for me. (To try and justify it, I did actually need a new dress. Weddings, you know.)

Quote of the day: ‘You’re a bitch, and you’re gonna die of diabetes!’ Look up Eagle vs. Shark on youtube, because that is maybe the funniest line ever. Can Jemaine Clement do wrong? (Well yeah, maybe if you look at his face). Jemaine fails my ugly J test – normally I will fall for any musician who 1) has a name starting with J, 2) plays guitar, either acoustic or electric, and 3) is ugly. Examples, Jack White (I have such a bad crush on him. Like, really bad, and I am not even kidding), Josh Pyke, Jack Johnson, John Butler – doesn’t he look like if you had sex with him, you’d be making the world a better place? Jemaine Clement does not make the list. Perhaps being a comedy musician is not quite musician enough?

Also, snaps for the random person who commented on my blog and inspired me to start writing again! PS: Did you know apparently Rarotonga is a spelling mistake?

Things I’m stoked about today…

… Orlando Bloom’s episode of Extras. Big ups to whoever smiled down upon Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and brought them together with Orlando because the result is so piss-funny that I almost die laughing every time I see it. ‘Well don’t slag them off, it’s their opinion!’

… Continuing in the humour on TV vein, congratulations to NZ’s very own Flight Of The Conchords who won a Grammy today. I actually couldn’t give a shit about the Grammys but hey, they are from NZ and tall poppy syndrome isn’t cool. These guys are absolute genius and any awards they win are very much deserved, although I have to admit I think the guy who plays Murray, I think his name is Rhys Darby, deserves an Emmy for Best Comedy Performance or something, because christ, he’s funny.

… Grinspoon, for writing the song Killswitch, thanks guys, you’re awesome.

… Natio hand cream, Oh. My. God. My hands have never been so lovely and soft.

… whoever decided that I’m am awesome employee and so I can stay at my job after uni goes back, score. The job is stupidly easy and I really like everybody I work with, so I’m stoked. Also, I’m stoked uni is going back in two weeks cause I’m so bored. I’ve got some awesome papers this year, Family Law, Human Rights Law, Major Political Thinkers. Um. I can’t remember what else I enrolled in. War and Religion I think. Uh… there’s four others but I must not be excited about those ones.

… Last week I manned up and re-pierced my own ear, and by re-pierced, I mean pushed an earring through a half closed-up hole (the lady at the chemist said it was just fatty tissue, not skin!). It’s healed beautifully and I am going to wear pretty, even earrings tomorrow. They pierced them unevenly when I was younger, I got the low hole re-pierced so they were even and then one day stuck a sleeper in the bottom hole accidentally and the top one closed. It’s not closed anymore! All because my desire for symmetry overcame my desire not to suffer pain. I am a bit OCD. … and ok, yes, mainly it’s because I am cheap and I didn’t want to pay $25 so they could move about .5 of a millimetre of tissue.

… my mum, because she’s paying for me to go to Perth in July for my host sister’s wedding, and then I get to chill with her for 3 days in Sydney on the way back. Sooooo excited.

… my dog, but I am always thankful for my baby, he is so lovely and delicious and I wish I knew how to post pictures on this because you would all go, AWWWWW, capitals and everything. His name is Louis (pronounced Louie) but we call him Lulubelle. Tim (my dad’s partner) wanted a really gay dog and he wanted to call it Lulu Fifi Trixibelle. Well, we got a ‘gay’ dog – Louis is three quarter schnauzer crossed with a quarter poodle and he’s dark grey and sooooooooo cute – but he was a boy. Dad insisted on Louis. He has pretty much been Lulubelle ever since, or just Lulu if we’re feeling affectionate. I adore this dog, I taught him how to sing even, which basically means now if I make a fuss over him he howls and it drives Dad and Tim insane. I’m such a good daughter. Having said that, if I am dogsitting and I get woken up at 6am because he wants to go for a ‘walk’ it’s another story. Imagine lying there and awakening because you can feel something watching you, and as soon as you crack an eyelid that something pounces on your chest and pants in your face and licks your cheek. It is not so cute then.

… my niece, I talked to her on the phone today and she said ‘I miss you Aunty Miranda!’ Either she’s learning to guilt-trip people (that’s my girl!!) or my sister told her to say that. I suspect the former because apparently now if you make her mad she says ‘I don’t want to be your friend anymore.’ HOW CUTE IS THAT! I mean, yes that sort of thing should be discouraged but she’s three. I am sooooooooo proud of that little girl, she’s absolutely incredible.

… Architecture In Helsinki, because why break with a trend? I am going to find a man who is into this band and I am going to marry him. I swear I will find the only straight man in the world that likes them and we will get married. Maybe on the spot. If not marriage we will at least sleep together a few times.

… the girl who was on the Michael Jackson concert I watched on TV the other night, who is forever captured on video being carried away literally kicking and screaming from MJ himself. It was the best part of the concert – the rest was long and boring and it turns out I don’t like Michael enough to watch the whole thing.

- Just to end, on a slightly less positive note, can it please just fucking rain already!? This is NOT Australia! This is prime dairy farming country and it rains all the goddamned time so what the FUCK is up with this drought! It’s very uncool! RAIN ALREADY! This is New Zealand for chrissakes, we don’t live smack bang in the way of the roaring forties with mountains all along the West Coast for no goddamned reason!

Okay, done with the rant. Seriously, it needs to rain. Maybe it will rain tonight!! It’s humid enough… I live in hope!

Time to update!

I guess it’s about time that I write in this thing, huh? One day I’ll get better at it. Today is going to be about random points – because I am far too all over the place to write a coherent post.

Things I’m currently obsessed with:

- Architecture In Helsinki. But really, I am never not obsessed about this band. It took me a little while but I finally love Places Like This as much as In Case We Die. I could never, ever pick a favourite AIH song. They all make me so happy I could explode.

- Season two of Extras. I die every time I watch it, it’s so goddamned awkward that I sometimes actually can’t watch. Similarly, I am in LOVE with Flight Of The Conchords,  I think everyone should see this show. ‘At least I didn’t shoot a monkey’ is quite possibly the best line, ever, in any tv show or movie.

- The Sarah Silverman ‘I’m Fucking Matt Damon’ video clip. I don’t find Sarah Silverman funny at all, but this video kills me, especially the little gangsta rap dance. Matt Damon is probably my favourite actor of all time, I love how he’s so willing to pisstake himself.

- Coffees, the early mornings for work are killing me. I can’t wait to go back to 9am starts for uni, sleeping until 7:30 is perfect. How will I ever cope with real life?

Things I am currently worrying about:

- Being the only single person, apart from the little kids, at my friends’ wedding in March. The bride and groom just invited my best friend’s new boyfriend to the wedding (she’s a bridesmaid with me) and so now she is going to have someone to exlaim over how lovely she looks and to hang out with and I’m going to be surrounded by couples on a day celebrating love reminding me how I don’t have it. AWESOME. Also, I can’t tell my best friend I’m kind of pissed she invited him, because it’s selfish of me. It’s just that it sort of felt like this wedding was going to be the last big thing that we got to do, just the two of us, because I am pretty sure that he might be ‘the one’ and while I am incredibly stoked and happy for her, and really like him, I’m sad that now it won’t be just the two of us at the wedding being stupid and feeding each othe cake and wine. Also I am jealous. Not because I want him, but because I want to be stupidly in love with some boy that I think is incredible. Well, some man. Day by day I get more and more conscious that I’m by myself and every single one of my friends is taken. I’m not even kidding. Like, actually not exaggerating at all. I know three single people and that’s a workmate and my friend’s two brothers that hang out with us sometime (and no, they are not options).

Sob story over, I swear!

So is this post, actually. I’m out of things to write. Go buy Jack Johnson’s new CD, it’s brilliant.

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?