Camping (alternative title: "Ew")

Summer has arrived in the land of the long white cloud. All around the country, people in the urban centres are packing up their trailers, utes and minivans and making for the countryside (yay!) to camp (say what?).

Camping. Sleeping on the ground. No running water or electricity. Meals cooked over a fire or small gas stove. The call of nature answered ... where exactly?

I know so many who enjoy camping, being in the outdoors, disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of modern living. But I myself am not so keen. Which confuses people sometimes. Aren't you from the islands where you may have had to live like this? That's precisely it, Einstein. When you have had to "camp" out of necessity and not for the fun of it, the word holds a completely different connotation.

The recent cyclone hit in Samoa took me back to the days of Cyclones Ofa and Val that hit Samoa when I was a child. I remember several neighbouring families taking shelter at our house as theirs were destroyed. I remember sharing bedding, clothing and pretty much all else we had with the neighbours. When meals were cooked in a huge pot over a fire surrounded by a crudely built "wall" to keep the cyclone winds out. When "entertainment" was singing and story telling and playing cards in the dim light of the moli matagi. The frequency of showers were directly proportional to the number of times it rained. And when the cyclone left, life continued that way as the neighbours worked on rebuilding their houses, and as the power and water people worked on restoring the infrastructure.

I definitely don't regret having experiencing such times, and I think I am a better person for it. One day, when the zombie apocalypse hits (or I move back to Samoa...whichever happens first), I may have to live like that again. And that is perfectly fine with me. But until then, until I actually have to, I will not stay in a tent, pee in the bush or go where my mobile phone doesn't have more than two bars.

Stay safe out there, campers :)

Get up

I think I've been living in New Zealand too long.

Today on the bus, an elderly man got on and it was already quite crowded. I sat there in my chair and watched him walk past me looking for a seat. It wasn't until he'd passed me that I realised I was still sitting in a seat. Not a big deal for some people, but for me growing up in the wop wops of Samoa, it's a big freakin deal. If someone older than you gets on the bus and there are no available seats in front of you, you get up and you move towards the back. Regardless of whether there is a seat elsewhere for you, regardless of how much older the other passenger is, you get up. It's a sign of respect and humility.

But today I didn't. Never mind that it probably meant nothing to everyone else on the bus, never mind that the man found a seat in the end, it felt absolutely horrible. No exaggeration. Teariness ensued. Possibly because I realised that I may have lost some of the things that I value and consider an integral part of who I am. The little things that seem so insignificant. Imma get them back.

Note to self: Tomorrow on the bus...GET UP!

It don't matter if you're black or white

Today at the supermarket, I was drooling over the chocolates that were not on my diet list, when the cutest little preschool-aged boy tugged on my dress and said "Mummeee, I want some this" pointing to some lollies.

Poor kid must not only have been lost, but he might have lost his colour sight. He was a blondie blue-eyed palagi. And I am ... well ... not.

Happy ending: his parents were nearby...cracking up at his mistake from the fruit section. Sounds about right though: fob in the chocolate aisle, palagi parents in the fruit and vege aisle. I don't know how on earth this kid mistook me for his mother.

Til we meet

I came across this post today, and blog hopping activities were halted while I had a little cry, which surprised me since it's been over a year now.

http://familylifeinfife.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/saying-goodbye.html

Til we meet, little wing who flew away too soon.

Weekending

Word on the street is you can't beat Wellington on a good day. Make that a couple of good days, and it becomes a sweet weekend.

Time For Dancing, a little wander around Cuba Mall, indulging in the best sushi and best pizza in town, Butler's Chocolate Cafe dessert, a 40th birthday at the pub, and a cowboy themed 4th birthday. As Taylor Swift says, "Like, it's exhausting!" And we didn't even make it to the Botanic Gardens to see the blooming tulips. Oh the stresses of life.



Dancing comes first

Cuba mall stroll

Some window displays for World of Wearable arts (WOW) awards on this weekend

Mouth full of chocolatey goodness @ Butler's Chocolate cafe

Now come the photos from the 4th birthday party. These parents put a lot of thought and attention to detail to getting the cowboy theme of the party through! Makes my efforts look pitiful. And these are only the photos of the food. They made a tee pee from scratch, and had the place decorated up as well. A+ for effort. We're definitely keeping this friend. Lol!

Home made tee-pee cake

"Eagle Wings" and "Gold Nuggets"

Look at that! So cute, right?

More food!

Thanks for visiting :)

Faakupu feelings

Coz I haven't posted about this enough on social media, have you checked out this song out recently?

I have to admit I had never heard it prior to Willie Jones singing it at his X-Factor USA audition, which aired on NZ TV this week. So I went and YouTube-d the song, and found this clip of the original artist performing it live.

Nice song huh? Oso ai le fiafia. Lol! Enjoy.

Observerations

Some random thoughts on everything and nothing:

• How is it my daughter only knows 'Savalivali means go for a walk' from daycare, taught to her by her Maori and palagi teachers? Can't be because I'm a slack parent. When I find the answer, I'll be sure to let you know.
• Doing budgets is so exciting and saving is not. If I could save money using a spreadsheet, it would be so much more fun...I mean geeky and soooo boring (yay)
• I really dig the X-Factor (USA). I thought it would be a one-season-stand, but no, two years on and we are still so in love.
• I am old. The hubby and I just watched 'Gone in 60 Seconds' and reminiscing, and then 'Better Days' by Citizen King played during one of the scenes ... and you're like who is that? My point exactly.
• "Can't afford" is such an interesting phrase. You may "not afford" to buy lunch at work so you take a sandwich every day, but if someone close to you dies you can somehow "afford" to produce several thousands of dollars in a matter of days.
• I must be Samoan, because I just used death of a close family member as an example in a discussion of financial matters. Just another day in the life.
• 300 is on TV right now. What a wonderful educational film on history.

Ok, those may have made more sense as random Facebook posts, however the Facebook account is unavailable due to scheduled maintenance (of my mouth).

Until next time, remember you are beautiful. No, don't check the mirror, just take my word for it.

Appreciating David

David? Who the fly is David? No, not Beckham nor Bain.

David, son of Jesse, the shepherd kid who could sing like an angel, slay a giant with a slingshot, become king of Israel and Judah, steal another man's wife and kill him (just in cases), and all in one lifetime.

Although endorsed by God himself as a man after His own heart, David was not one of my favourite people in the Bible. I never forgave him about the whole Bathsheba saga. (Coz you know, I was there and all and it deeply affected me).

Anyway, I was reading that story again today and I don't know if I had just forgotten or always skipped over the part immediately after David's "momentary indiscretion" (as K.Stew put it), but ... David's child dies. Despite David's repentance, fasting and praying, his child dies as a result of his sin.

David's response to the news of the death was to arise from the ground, where he was prostrate before the LORD; he "washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped." And not until that was done did he eat.

Amaze to the days.

What a stuff up. What a massive consequence to pay. What a comeback.

There is hope for me still. (Not that I've stolen my neighbour's wife or anything, though)

Current affairs

I hate hate hate when the news (not E! News, but real news, the programs on free TV during the news hour) report stories such as this:

"Kristen Stewart has confirmed cheating on Robert Pattinson ... "

Really? I mean, seriously...really? REALLY??!!!

I don't even know if those are their correct names. You know why? Coz I don't care! I do not care what, or in this case who *snigger*, that actress who ruined Snow White and the Huntsman for me and that guy from Hufflepuff are doing behind each other's backs.

If I wanted to get the latest on Hollywood celebs, I would watch E! News because:

• They have stylists (Oh...the boring news people do too? Awkward...)
• They don't follow celeb affair stories with an update on the latest National Business edition
• Giuliana is gorge
• They know who the hell they're talking about (I do not believe that Peter Williams has a clue who these  debaucherous youngsters are)
• They actually call celebs by their real names, i.e. K.Stew and R.Pats

So please, One News and 3 News, for the love of Pete and for the sake of my sanity, stick to natural disasters, heart warming stories of New Zealand's good Samaritans, and (I can't believe I'm saying this) the All Blacks.

Faceless

Faceless (adjective) - without a face(book page)
[from the official RockFob Dictionary: Insomnia Edition 2012. Italics omitted in some editions]

I deactivated my Facebook page this afternoon. Why? To free up my time to do the billion and one things that I have to do before our month-long holiday to Samoa [we interrupt this blog post to unco-dance around the room and rub your face in the fact that we three beings are going on holiday baby ... holiday ... woot ... ok, that's enough].

Back to pre-holiday reality. Where there is a billion and two things now to do. We have ten more sleeps until we fly out of this freezing cold flu-infested arty farty city of Wellington. Only ten more days to:

• finish some work for a customer that I am about a week behind on (thanks to the abovementioned flu bugs)
• write pages and pages of handover documents
• finish buying the oso for our eagerly awaiting fans (i.e. 2 years' supply of chocolates that will be compressed into an average-sized tote bag that weighs as much as King Kong but will be swung easy-breezily onto the plane to escape detection by the lovely customs officials)
• buy some summer clothes for myself (considering it's smack-bang in the middle of winter in Wellington, I would have to say even Tom Cruise would struggle to find a way out of this Mission Impossible)
• learn how to apply makeup (don't ask. I now have to dig out the email that my dear sister Donna sent me...basically a loser's guide to makeup. When will the tired washed-out zombie look ever be "the thing"??)
• spring clean the house (since someone will be house-sitting, we can't leave the house in the usual state we do when we rush out of the house for a holiday. sad face)
• do other stuff that I can't remember

So anyway, my work mailbox has finally freed up from whatever task it was doing, so it's back to the grind for me. Good times to roll on!

Miss Know-It-All

I was chatting to my younger brother in Samoa this evening, and he was telling me he was taking several computing classes this semester at the National University of Samoa (NUS). It took me back to my one year there for UPY (a.k.a. 7th form). To be more specific, a computer-course-related memory. Or not ...

Computing class was a visit to Snoozeville, to be honest. And I was a wannabe know-it-all rebel kid. (Or whatever you call a kid who lacked motivation and preferred to have coffees in the cafeteria or sleep on the stage of the fale Samoa instead of attending class).

Setting the scene...It was computing tutorial time. My partner-in-crime buddy who we'll name V (does that give it away...oops) and I were at the cafeteria (shock horror) making coffee (me) and buying monkey balls (V). We hear a voice next to us say, "Pass the sugar please." Hole in the ground, please appear to swallow me up. It was our computing tutor, coming to get her caffeine fix while her class slaved away at whatever task she had just given them. All except the two of us. Against every urge in my body, I did not run. I stood my ground, smiled nicely at her and passed the sugar. Then I added milk to my coffee, and made sure it tasted just the way I liked it. THEN I ran. Lol. Suffice to say, we had learnt out lesson: When wagging computing class, avoid the cafeteria.

By the way, kids, don't try this at home. Or at your school or whatever. You do not want to be a wannabe know-it-all rebel kid. You want to be the super kickass brainiac that never skips computing class. Even for coffee. Or monkey balls.

P.S.
Dear UPY Computing Tutor, 
On the off chance that you're reading this (and pigs fly), sorry for being an annoying little s...tudent. Believe it or not, I am now a programmer. Ha! Who would've thought. On that day in the cafeteria, neither you or I did, that's for sure. 
Regards, your favourite (?) virtual student.

The ending of 'When Water Burns'

No, I am NOT disclosing the ending. Or any other spoilers for that matter.

But OMG I loved that part when people didn't explain the ending and all the plot twists of When Water Burns on Lani's Facebook page.

Thankfully for me, I have finished reading the book. But before I did, I accidentally read someone's comment on Lani's FB author page about some of the main twists at the end. *sad face*

Come on folks. Don't spoil it for others. The books haven't even made it to Samoa yet!! I know it's hard to contain the excitement of the revelations of Book 2, but it would be nice to allow others the same opportunity to experience those first hand. And not via some Facebook comment or Twitter update.

I am, however, more than happy to discuss and OMG with you on Facebook mail, because When Water Burns rocked my socks! I loved it. For me, it was better than The Covenant Keeper. Believe it or not, Leila has grown on me (miracles do happen). Lani, how you did that I do not know.

Actually, I will say one thing about the ending. It gave me that feeling I had after reading each of the Harry Potter books. The need to do some baking, make cups of tea, and then sit down with my siblings and have discussions long into the night, about the plot, character development, all our different perspectives on what happened, and best of all, our predictions on what was to come in the next book! And I exaggerate not. So Laura and Donna, be prepared for when I see you next month. Have your PowerPoint presentations ready, and assign the tea making duties. We have serious Telesa business to attend to.

Bugger it

Winter bugs are going around. In our household's case, it's the second time they have come around this winter.

I hate it when the Shadow is unwell. I hate that helpless feeling I get when I see struggling to breathe through her nose (coz she's a bit anal about having to breathe through her mouth...lol), or getting delirious from a fever, or trying to get that cough muck out of her throat and throwing up everywhere ... and I can't take it away.

And naturally at times I get a bit short of patience (from lack of sleep the night before due to her nonstop coughing...and the fact that I've got the same bug myself). But then I see her knocked out from exhaustion, looking like a little (sick) angel, and I'm ready for the next round.

I melt.

Holy smokes

Tonight at life group, as we were praying for one of our fellow life group members, God spoke through me like I have never experienced before.

I was sitting there with my eyes closed, waiting for one of the more spiritually mature members of the group to speak a profound word or scripture (as you do) and the next thing I knew, my mouth opened and I was talking. Babbling. Crying (yea ok, this part was not new, I cry about everything). And I had no idea what I was going to say, so I was hearing it for the first time as the words came out of my mouth. It was a short and simple sentence, but I only just managed to get it out, and I literally felt a strong force leaving from my chest and out through my mouth. I was gulping for air. And did I mention I was crying?

I have experienced many times before while seeking God, having a phrase placed into my heart. But my head had always instantaneous picked it up, and that was where it stayed. I had never public shared these words, but acknowledged privately the revelation from God. But this time, my brain was definitely kept out of the loop. From God to lungs or heart (somewhere in my chest cavity) and out my mouth. The word "awesome" is overused and often misused. This time I feel it is really appropriate. I was truly filled with awe. I am still filled with awe. There are no other words, but "wow". I have always known that God speaks in different ways to and through different people, but I was reminded tonight in a most bizarre way that I still have so much to step into in terms of my spiritual growth, and in terms of knowing God more intimately. There are fantastic mysteries to be explored with God.

The recipient of the message said it was spot on with what she was struggling with mentally, and thanked me over and over. But I forward that thanks back to the owner of those words (hi God, I know you privately follow my blog). Thank you for allowing me to be a part of that experience. Thank you that you are.

Not to us, Lord, not to us

    but to your name be the glory

[Psalm 115:1]

Wring wring

Currently reading When Water Burns by the fabulous Lani Wendt Young, and I find myself constantly wanting to ... well, not wring Leila's neck ... but to give her a little shake and say "Wake up, girl! Can't you see what's going on??"

Then I remind myself that she's only in UPY (7th form) and I'm as old as the hills. Ha!

Thinking back on when I was that age...well, I'd rather not, actually. So you go, Leila! You're doing pretty well in comparison (and I refer NOT to her man, either). Double ha!

By the way, so many people have finished the book, and I noticed some have started discussing the plot on social media sites. Ugh. Could you, like, not? Or at least give spoiler alerts? Coz I think I know a "twist" that will happen at the end as a result of someone's comment. GRRRR!!! Going Hulk now. Hulk reading When Water Burns. A sight to see.

Cheating and stealing

Since I'm such a slacker and I'm sick of talking about how much weight I'm gaining or the latest cute / annoying things the Shadow is doing, I decided instead to cheat; stealing Brooker Fraser's song Betty as my thought vomit aka blog post.

Lately while listening to songs I've heard hundreds of times, I've realised that I haven't actually listened to them properly. A few days ago it was Warning Sign by Coldplay. Today it was Betty by Brooke Fraser (and quit your laughing...FYI: The Breeze is not the only radio station I listen to).

The first verse and chorus:

You got a quick snap-lock on your cold, cold heart
You got your Y.S.L. kicks and a red birthmark
In the shape of Canada
That you try to keep a secret 

You've got your scars and you've got your birthmarks
You've got Toronto hiding on your hip, honey
You've got your secrets
You've got your regrets
Darling, we all do

I am one to dwell on past mistakes and regrets. Too busy trying to justify and redeem, instead of learning and moving on. Somewhere inside is the me who is "hidden by my expectations".

It's a big, scary world out there. Stepping out of the skin that we wear for the world, and displaying what really lies inside, warts and all, is risky. I hope for the courage to do that. And the grace to allow others to do the same.

Dedication to my x

This week I welcomed a new baby into my life. Hold the congratulations, I refer not to a human one, but to...

...an HTC One X!

A what, you say? Check out the pics below. I never thought I would ever say this, but I'm in love with my x (ha!)

My X

Back view. With beats audio (what's that? beats me. oh!)

Oh yea, and that's my other baby, Lali the ballerina butterfly at dancing class earlier today.

Wow, what an intriguing and well written post. Not.

Comfort food

Thank you Lord, for giving us our daily bread.

Food for the spirit:

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11

Food for the soul:

Food for the body:

...all of it...

A Thousand Years

Last Tuesday morning, our family lost a child. Not lost as in we went to the mall and got separated and we couldn't find her. As horrifying as that would have been, the loss we experience is more permanent. Lorna-Lauren Faasili passed away at the age of 9 after a fatal asthma attack. She left behind her devoted mother, Tu'i, and beautiful twin sister, Hellena.

I remember getting the text from my sister. "Did you hear? :(". In my mind I guessed that someone had gained weight, or broken up with someone, or something had gotten lost/stolen. Things that at the time I thought were significant and warranted a sad face. Never did I guess what followed. "Lorna's passed away."

Life has since been a surreal experience. It's been a week now but it still feels like it was all a bad dream, and that soon we will wake up to normality, where we still referred to "Hellena and Lorna" as a pair. Where Tu'i had two girls to keep her up at night to scratch their itchy eczema.

What is now deemed "important" has changed so dramatically. I don't watch the news, and have stopped stalking people on Facebook. I feel like screaming, "How can you carry on? What does that matter?". How can such a tiny girl leave such a gaping hole? I don't know. But I am reminded, in a most poignant way, that life is precious and fleeting. We are not long here, our time is but a breath, so we better breathe it. Ironically, Lorna passed away due to asthma, yet in her short time here she sure did breathe. She lived her life completely.

So as we continue to mourn her, and as the wound of her departure continues to heal, I try to remind myself to use every minute I have to live and to love.

"I'll love you for a thousand years. Love you Lorn-baggz" - Hellena

Still not a book groupie

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting in person for the first time Lani Wendt Young. Exciting! Seriously, that was not sarcasm (for once).

Mental notes in the 24 hour lead up:

• Remember to remove facial hair. Seems a bit silly, as some people tend to "landscape" as they go (thanks to my sister for the term) but I usually forget about things like that until there is an upcoming event, and I look in the mirror and go "Holy smokes, there's a dude that looks just like me!" So yes, note to self: do the mo.
• Remember not to say anything silly
• Remember not to hide in the corner and then sneak out without even saying hello
• Research parking spaces close to the Vic Uni library

Mental notes post event:

• Yikes, I still have my mo! And someone took a photo too! KMN.
• I definitely babbled when I finally got to meet Lani. Most definitely. Did I really say such stupid thin? Ugh. KMN.
• Yay, I got an autographed Galu Afi book!
• OMG, I gave Lani a hug! Lani prefers her personal space. Oh wait, so do I! Oh no, what have I done?
• Did I spit while I was talking? I'm sure I did. Oh dear. KMN.
• I think the young uni guys at the back might have been mocking me. Lol. At one point, I was sitting right at the back with them because I had to answer a call (the mobile phone kind, not the one from nature). So I was sitting there all serious, listening to the presentation and nodding, and laughing loudly at the jokes. Meanwhile, they were all joking, poking, texting, etc, and probably thinking, "Check out this sneeeerious dude."
• There was a lot of talk about and comparison to Twilight. I tactfully kept my mouth shut. Lol!
• Lani did mention "Hunger Games" once and I very nearly cheered. And did plenty of other geeky things (coz the list could easily get very long).
• I stood in the line that led to Lani's signing desk. Instead of running away. Amazing, right? I'm proud of myself.
• Lani is not really a hermit (liar liar pants on fire!). She had no mo (like, who would have one anyway?). She didn't stutter or stammer or whisper when speaking. She didn't go bananas when the student panel pointed out "discrepancies" in the TELESA book. She wore hot heels. She gave hugs. And she smelt lovely. (Ok that last one sounds a tad disturbing and stalkery, d'oh!). She was really more Nafanua-esque than hermit. Thank goodness I at least did my eyebrows, or the photo that was taken of us would have been just downright unfair.

The biggest question on everyone's lips was, of course, "When is Book 2 'When Water Burns' be out?". To keep updated on all things TELESA, you can follow Lani's blog or her Facebook page. Go do it, you never know when there will be a special price, giveaways and even limited time free copies available!

This was not a paid endorsement of TELESA or Lani Wendt Young. However, any payments / donations (from anyone really) will be accepted (and then given back, as per Samoan custom, but you have to give it back, and it could back and forth a few times, but the end result is that I get to keep the donation. Got it? Thanks)

Broupie

I'm not some kind of book groupie, yet I couldn't help laughing when I noticed these in my wardrobe.

A "direwolf" top

A "mockingjay" dress

Wanted: Ruby Slippers

Must be in good, working condition, i.e. when I click my heels 3 times and repeat "There's no place like home", I'll end up back in Samoa.

It's time for the semi-regular homesick blog post, so tune out now if you're sick of it.

You know what really grates me? When some middle-class people from NZ visit another country where things don't run at the standard they expect and services may not be as good as they expect (or are just downright crap ... or non-existent even), then they return with "horror stories" about how awful it was. I turn double-Hulk especially when those people are Christians. (By the way, those "other countries" include but are not limited to Samoa).

I hate, hate, hate it when I see people so eager to pray for the lost, the less fortunate, the poor, etc and yet when dumped into a situation amidst those poor unfortunate people and all that is really reflected is self. I had a terrible time because the service was slow. I couldn't understand anything because no one spoke English. I didn't get what I want. I complained about their standards. I'm so glad I left. You had to pay to swim at the beach!

Pisses. Me. Off. Listen up, I've got a few things to say, and I'm gonna say it real nice:

If you voluntarily decide to buy a plane ticket and visit another country for recreational purposes, please do not expect everyone there to learn your language so they are able to understand you and cater to your every whim. If you really wanted to understand and be understood, learn their language. That country is their home, they have the right to speak whatever language they choose to.

You are no longer in your country. Whatever standard of service you receive here does not count for anything. Without having the full picture of the standard of living, cultural differences and economic situation (amongst other things) in that country or area, you don't really have a basis to determine what is an "acceptable" standard of service for what you are paying.

Have you ever considered that the unappetising food you received at the hospital, the long waits for whatever approval processes, the corrupt officials and the mosquitoes are what the locals are faced with. Every single day. Can you honestly tell me that your anger and complaints were for the "better good" so that the standards can be "raised", or were they really out of self-pity, or your expectation of what you think you deserve from life, or a misconception of what hardship can really mean? Did you take time out from drowning in your sorrows to bless someone? To put yourself in the shoes of those around you? Oh wait, they probably didn't have shoes. How unhygienic of them. Maybe that's why they couldn't run as fast to fetch the silver platter.

I miss home. Warts and all.

Bad romance

This post was initially an anti-Valentine's rant. Instead of that though, I will just share a true and (very) short story of my favourite Valentine's Day.

Once upon time there was a girl who went to Canterbury Uni. She met a hot boy there, and together they wagged classes, ate heaps of Chinese food and watched every movie released at the cinemas. When Valentine's Day rolled around, they had been together for over half a year (round about, they hadn't kept track so they also had no anniversary day as such). The girl did not expect to receive anything. She didn't believe in the Valentine's Day hype. The boy also wasn't too hot on this day, but perhaps he felt he had to get something for this girl, because he bought her red roses and a little teddy bear. When she received them, the girl was surprised but pleased. Then he followed up with the line that completed the awesomeness of the moment, and convinced her that he was the one for her. "Do you like them? I bought them using your EFTPOS card." 

The boy and girl got married and lived ... well, they lived, and still are. Living, that is.

The End.

And Gaga thought she could write a bad romance...ha!

P.S. The girl won't be buying the boy anything this Valentine's Day (following the tradition of all the previous ones), but she loves him truly, madly, deeply. Especially deeply.

Cheers big ears

Dear guy lying on my living room floor,

Thanks for putting up with my obsessive compulsive habits.
Thanks for understanding my need for a complete and concise explanation to everything.
Thanks for putting up with my terrible passenger seat driving.
Thanks for not saying anything about my shocking driver seat driving.
Thanks for accepting my crazy family as your own.
Thanks for forcing me to go to sleep when I'm about to collapse from exhaustion yet insisting that I must burn the midnight oil for work.
Thanks for knowing exactly when to switch the channel in anticipation of those reptiles-that-shall-not-be-named  appearing on the screen.
Thanks for understanding my gym allergy and my TV baking show obsession.
Thanks for your wit.
Thanks for having your own laptop so that I don't have to share mine.
Thanks for not letting me get away with being a dick.
Thanks for teaching me how to communicate.
Thanks for your money.
Thanks for being the yin to my yang.
Thanks for allowing me to be me and, despite how that may look/feel/act/sound on any given day, loving me regardless.

Happy 6th Anniversary.

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can't relate
And you're still here
("Everything" - Alanis Morisette)

Love,
The girl sitting on your couch

Nek minnit

What was I saying about having a good work day? The very next day the rainbow dissappeared. I received 2 major assignments:

Assignment 1
To start work as a Business Analyst for one of our new clients. It went something like this:

WorkBoss1: What's your availability like? WorkBoss2 mentioned that we might be able to use you as a Businesss Analyst at this client.
Me: Really? Now why would he say that? [chuckle - so they would think it was the IT humour talking ... but really...]
WorkBoss1: So you can start in 2 weeks' time? Great! I'll let them know.
Me: [turns monitor away from boss and Googles "Business ... Analyst"]

Assignment 2
One of our clients is a big electricity generator and retailer. There are some changes being made to the country's electricity market, so a workshop is being held next week for all market participants. I have been assigned the task of representing our company at this workshop.

My boss reckons it will be good networking. Networking!? So why on earth did they choose me ... hello, I don't even talk to the people at work that don't work on projects with or have the same cuppa-tea-making-time as me.




Checks pants. Yep, there's definitely poop there.


I think I am about to die from not-knowing-what-the-hell-is-going-on-ness. Oh my life, I should start fasting right now, and don my sackcloth, cover myself in ashes and weep. Lord, if I make it through this alive, it will be nothing short of a miracle.

First day wrap up

Today was my "first day at work" ... sort of. About a year ago now, we moved from Auckland to Wellington, and somehow I managed to keep my job with the Auckland company. There was the tiny issue that they didn't have a Wellington branch. Yet. So I became it. Theta Wellington, all on my lonesome self, with a proper office and everything in town but no work colleagues in it. Now that I think back on it, it seems a bit comical, like I was some mental person with the delusion of having a desk job in town.

Anyway, last month Theta Systems acquired a smaller company in Wellington, which has now become the "official" Theta Central Region (I think that's what we're called now). So today was my first day working in their office. It felt kind of weird, since I was the original Theta person, and yet I was "the new girl". But apart from that, the day actually went well. It was a massive change not having my Facebook logged on in the background, so I could switch windows when I saw a notification. Ha! But work flowed smoothly, everyone was super-nice, yada yada yada.

However, by lunch, I was ready for some "me time", so I hit the streets.

First stop: Cafe Rahzoo

These guys have a massive  & delicious selection of salads, and you can pick any 3 choices for  $8.50

Next stop: Midland Park, across the road from Rahzoo, where I got my daily dose of Vitamin D while I ate my rabbit food.

This was later in the afternoon, during lunch it's all packed out with lunch-eating Welly folk

Final (and favourite) stop of the day: Whitcoulls

In the fantasy section there were a whole bunch of comfy lounging chairs, where I curled up and enjoyed a Jon Snow chapter of 'A Dance With Dragons', before buying my trusty black Collins diary for 2012 and heading back to work.

Next thing I knew my daily alarm to pick up Lyla went off. So much for stressing about my "first day". This was one hell of a sweet day.

More rambling than anything

Tonight I was reading a book to Lyla and it had a map of New Zealand and Australia. She pointed to Australia and said "I want to go there." Great idea! I have actually never been there. What?! No!! Really? Really really. The only countries I've ever been are Samoa and New Zealand, and since pretty much everyone in Samoa has been to NZ, it doesn't really count, right?

So I'm thinking this year I will cross the ditch and finally make my way to the Land Of The Big Red Dust (that's Australia, by the way. Does it have a pre-colonial name, like Aotearoa?)

I'd have to get a new passport though, as the current one I have is "defaced", thanks to my lovely daughter deciding on one of our flights to kick her cup of water which tipped directly onto the pile of passports, where mine sat proudly on top defending the others and sacrificing itself in the process. So where was I? Oh yes, that's about $200 right? Or maybe even $300. For a Samoan passport. Why not an NZ one? Because I'm not a citizen yet. Sssh. I really should put my application in. Then go in to the citizenship ceremony, sing the National Anthem and declare my allegiance to the Queen and my love for Camilla. I hope no one I know is there to bear witness. Ha! I jest. I would love to be a NZ citizen (in case I'm caught up in some Middle Eastern country drama and need rescuing and I'm not sure Stui has the sway or care to get me out). So starts my list of mini-goals for this year, which are not a must, but a nice-to-have.

1: Apply for NZ citizenship
2: Get a NZ passport
3: Visit Australia (finally...and without all the hassle of having to get a visa)

The End

Doin it

This morning, as I put my breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, I give thanks to God that  not only do I have a dishwasher and dishes, but for the food that was on those dishes.

I remember all the times I complained "I have nothing to wear!" or "We're eating that again?" How ungrateful. The Lord has blessed our family abundantly. Our worries are so insignificant in the big picture, and not just in this life, but eternal life.

I write this as a reminder to myself of several things:

• Always give thanks to God for all things. Always.

• There are those, not just on the other side of the world, but around us, that are much less fortunate than we. Some are driven to crime just to survive. It's easy to persecute or even try to justify their actions when you're living comfortably, but I pray that I will always try to see and move from God's perspective.

• Life is too short to stuff around trying to be a law-abiding citizen and nothing more. As much as I hate to admit it, I have barely scratched the surface of living the life that God has planned for me. Hovering on the tip of salvation is no longer enough. It's time to really dive in now. To do the deeds.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Feeling Good

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good.

Yep, this is it, the big new year's post. With the resolutions. Except this year, I have no resolutions. Oooooh, what a rebel! I do, however, have goals. What? That's just the same. Not to me. I have made many a NY resolution, high on the hopes of what promises to be the biggest and bestest year of my life. And I have to say I have probably kept ... oh, about ... zero of those resolutions.

So now I set goals. Things that have been on my mind for a while, things that I already want to do but have not gotten around to making a commitment, things that I want to better myself in. Yea ok, still smells like a resolution. And now they are also public. Eek.

1. Be gone, Bejewelled Blitz!Having wasted a lot of last year playing Bejewelled Blitz in a half-daze, I have decided to remove it from my life. The app is now gone from my FB page. Now here's to making sure it stays off.

2. Reach my goal weightI am on a weight loss journey at the moment. My aim is to reach my goal weight (no, I'm not telling), and once I reach it, to maintain it for 12 months. One can only hear "Ua e lapo'a a" so many times before committing murder.

3. Improve fitnessI'm dreading this one. But I will make use of the steep hill we live on to do interval hill walking. continue to thrash the hubby at handball. Do Round the Bays. Drive less and walk more.

4. Holiday
I'm not usually good at taking proper holidays, ones where you leave your house, and do not log into your work laptop once. This year I will try to do it twice. Wish me luck.