Vic House hoody

Soundtrack: Thomas Dybdahl - Adelaide

The Vic House hoodies are on their way, and this is how the design looks this year: Tada! Designed by Rory, a fellow floor-mate, it shows some of the stuff that has caused fire alarms over the year. Apparently, we have had more this year than what is usual, so is't quite appropriate.

Today nothing much has happened. Just chilled, cleaned my room so now it looks spotless, and will watch as much Sopranos as possible tonite! A day of sloth. But at least the weather is not that good, which makes a perfect excuse to stay inside.

The best day ever

Soundtrack: U2 - Discoteque

Today (yesterday now) was one of the best days ever! I woke up after a good night's sleep, and actually felt rested for once! Got up and kick started the day with a mouthful of cola(which kept me hyper for hours...). When we got up to uni, we saw that our reports were in a box, carried by our professor. *heartbeat* I was really nervous about it! after keeping us on the edge for about a whole lecture, he made us watch while he laid them out nicely, grouped by tutors. And then finaly we could have them back! My baby.. I spend soo long time on this report, and I would have been absolutely heartbroken if I'd gotten a bad grade, but it was an A! Soooo happy, I walked down to vic house again (is it a bad sign that every time I try to write vic house I type in vic hourse?) and it was pizza for lunch! jippi! I asked Jo what she was up to, and we decided to go to this other Asian market in Webb street, far off from city core. And we also decided to surprise Kuni with a visit to his house! Hahaha *evil laughter*. Kuni was very surprised to see us at his door. The house he lives in now is super nice, and from his balcony (he has a balcony!) he can see the sea... Well some of us are lucky. After visiting him we went back to vic house again for a nice dinner (!) and after that I went out on town with Anette. It was so good to be chatting randomly in Norwegian again.... ^_^ We went pub-hopping, and she took me to this cool as underground bar that I NEVER would have found if it wasn't for her. and there we saw Elvis!! It's this guy who is in Welli to do a show, he is an Elvis look-alike. I tell you, that's scary! You walk into a club, and the first thing you see when you sit down is Elvis? hmpf. So tired now. Tired and happy, awesome days like these don't come that often. And tomorrow: More Sopranos!!!

Freedom at last!

Finally the day came. No more assignments before exam. Not that I plan on neglecting my revising for exams, but: I shall definitely have a few days of rest now! Tomorrow I'll engage in some of my favourite activities: Photographing and possibly shopping!! I'll try not to shop though. And tomorrow I'm getting the report back! *nervous....* Now the rest of the day before dinner I'm just going to sleep. After dinner I'll catch up with some of the stuff that I should have done AGES ago.. like Feli's birthday present (I'M SOOOO SORRYYYY!!!) and writing a letter to Norma, who is probably wondering whether I'm still alive or not (AGAIN: SORRY!). have to get my nephew a birthday present, and yea... The whole world just stops when you have too much to do. Or rather: You stop, but the world keeps turning and then when you resurface you realise how far behind you are on stuff.. *sigh*
oh well. I'm diving in.

I want to break free

Only one more journal entry, and 400 words on my essay to go. then I'm done. I'm sooo tired, think I'll sleep some now and get up at break of dawn to finish my work. I can sleep the rest of the day when I've handed it in, so it'll be sweet. Night till Monday we had yet another fire alarm... I'll get hold of Tarz and show you guys the design of the vic house hoodies when I get my life back. you'll all agree that it is the right design. ^_^
Ok now, time to concuss and tomorrow at 3pm I will be a very happy girl! All work and no play makes Tina a dull girl....

hole in the head

Oh my goodness how much I have to do before Wednesday.. I have a Journal to do, I have an essay to do, I have a test tomorrow in HTML, and it is humanly impossible to remember all those codes and symbols! HEEELP!

9 signs that your studying is getting to your head:

1. Your neighbour pisses you off when he's too noisy. (bOOm bOOm bOOm bass, and "hyjaaa maan!" "shiit man!" "who's your daddy now!!?" is he for real...)

2. Your neighbour pisses you off when he's too quiet.

3. You get upset when your friends want you to do stuff with them, but you have no time.

4. You get upset when your friends do stuff without asking you. (Like, hellooo... you would have to say no anyway... why make it worse..)

5. You get upset when you have so much to do that you don't know where to start.

6. You get upset when you have ONE last thing to finish, but you're sooo tired from all the other stuff that you've done that you get writers block!

7. You almost start to cry when dinner is bad (no surprises there)

8. You feel that you have to eat all the time to keep studying

9. You decide to blog about the things that drive you insane instead of actually doing some work.

Wallace and Gromit

You have to see it!! It was soooo good!!!
Ahhh.... that will keep me smiling to myself for a good two weeks. :) It was one of the best movies of the year, that's for sure. Lots of subtle jokes and references to classic movies... Yea. Get off your butts and settle them in front of the movie screen!
Other than that it's been a rather uneventful day, lots of studying, need to do heeps more tomorrow and on Sunday. Better get to bed and get some rest before tomorrow.

study...... must study......

Today they found a dead German tourist in Egmont national park, and another tourist from England was kidnapped right here in Wellington, he was beaten up and mugged... Wow... I though New Zealand was so super safe, cause I haven't heard of things like this before. And here I am wandering around in the night-time taking photos and stuff. Maybe it's time to become a bit more careful, get someone to go with me and so on.
So tired but pretty happy about today's work effort, minus the 4 hour nap (heh) that could have been used to study. Ah well, what can you do. Some times you need to sleep some more before you can go on. Been working on the html codes today.. It's true what they say, you start to understand all the funny letters and shit that is in your template and so on. I get a lot of it now, but still have one more part that need to be completed. Hopefully the test will be simple as, at least I haven't had any problems understanding what to do so far. :)
I really like the days when I'm woken up by my dad. He called today at 8:40 am, a bit early, but I had been snoozing since 6 so was kinda on my way to waking up. (II must be the undisputed snoozing champion, some weeks ago I did 5 hours in a row!) Talked with my dad for 2 hours before walking up to campus for my tourism class. All in all a pretty ok day, but tomorrow it is time to get serious about the journals!

Spring

It's spring now... I'm ever so confused. At this time the days should get darker, we all should start feeling slightly depressed and be running off to tanning studios to make ourselves feel better. Funny place to be this. The tree in the quad at Vic House is growing new branches, and everywhere leafs are popping out. And in one month I'll be leaving all this to an uncertain three months at home. No job at salmon farm. People are getting laid off now so I guess they won't need me either... what shall I do.. hmmm. Really need a job to accommodate my luxury lifestyle of eating out several days a week and shopping... Last resort would be to get a job here.
Where does that beeping sound come from!!? It's driving me insane! somewhere outside...
We had our management simulation thing today, and it went great!! Everything worked as it should and we managed to reach our goal. Hopefully that will drag my grade for tutorial attendance up. :) Glad that it went that well after working my butt off for the production.

Pierced ears

Tina at 6:56 am 

Sunday I was talking to Feli, and she wanted to ask me whether I had pierced my ears yet.. Originally I was going to when we were in Taupo. I said: No, I should just get around to it though. So yesterday, I went shopping (bad Tina) and just suddenly decided to have my ears pierced. So I did. It looks a bit funny with the rings an all, but it was cheaper to use rings than studs. Did it in a piercing studio u see, not a hairdresser. $70! Less than half of what it would have cost at home! I'm pretty pleased.
You're probably wondering what I'm doing up at 6... Well... Yesterday's weather was soo bad that I decided at 8pm to sleep. At nine I crawled into bed and stayed there until 5:45 this morning. Now I have two mindmaps to do before school, which should be no problem at all. And we have the good lecturer this week! He works with motivation, and thus he is really motivating! :)
BY THE WAY... Have anyone else noticed the comments-spamming? I hate it! So from now on you'll have to do the word-verification thing. :) We'll se if that helps.

Finally we met up with Kuni again

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today me, Trong and Jo went to have dinner with Kuni at Arashi, a Japanese restaurant on courtenay place. It was nice there, and we sat on cute little mats on the floor... :) I've managed to finish my assignments today, so now there is only 3 more things to do before the exam. This week I will be sooo busy... Hell week begins. It's the last of the last! After this, only exams left! And today I got to know that my info exam will be only multichoice.. SWEET AS! That will be somewhat simple, I'm sure. I just wish I could get back the tourism assignment now, pretty nervous about the grade on that one.. But as they spent one month just to mark the essays, it might take longer.
I've started on my christmas presents already, and I have to get something for my nephew soon as well... I'm sure I'll forget though. Hmmmm... Getting a memory card for my camera. Look out Singapore and Malaysia! I'll be armed and ready! :D Already feeling small butterflies in my stomach when I'm thinking of going there. My first holiday in Asia. My photoblog will be bombarded with photos after that...

Ju on 1 and 2

Today we have been scared. But the end of Ju On 2 was so stupid that I'm not walking around like a nervous wreck.. it's ok. I'll handle it a little bit better this time. Still it is a bit scary when the corridor is empty, and I go to the toilet and the toilet is all empty, not a sound in the whole house. Today there is security people patrolling the house. there has been too much happening the last few week-ends I guess. Everyone has been fired up abt the election, which I find a bit strange. 18-year-olds at home generally don't care that much about voting, the turn up is only about 50% for "first time voters." I'm really on my way up and out of the hole that I dug myself about one week ago. I think of the fond words of one of my all time favourites: It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live... My children will learn quickly who Albus Dumbledore is. As soon as they are old enough they will be brainwashed with Harry Potter.. hehe. Don't think about all the things that I could have, feel grateful for the things that I actually have now.
This winter I'll get into shape, so that I can walk the Tongariro Crossing next mid trimester break around easter next year. It looks so beautiful up there. I'll go up to the crater too, and see the volcano. Woooo.. a bit scary, but I think it will be a wonderful experience. Can't wait to go home and interact more with nature.. :) Miss that when I'm here.

Loic's sendoff

f 

Loic is leaving us all on Saturday, sadly. We decided to have a sendoff dinner, just to mark the end of another era. I'm kinda getting tired of all these sendoffs, it just makes me sad all the people that we have lost throughout the year. Luke, Regina, Felicia and now Loic. I guess that is the reality of an international student. We meet so many great people, but we just don't get to keep them. I'm gonna have a nightmare sending off everyone in my 4th year, since most likely I'm doing a masters degree, and Jo and Trong (?) are doing honours. Loic, I'll miss u heaps. I remember how it was like to be the only European in vic house, it was really weird. It's hard to find someone who is passionate about football (the REAL form of football) and who share the same history and understand your reasoning.
Well... I'm gonna concuss now. I'll sleep like a log, hopefully I'll manage to get to my classes tomorrow. :)

stupid wishlist

I tried to add HGL to my wishlist, but apparently he is not for sale!! ;(
Well, he did update his picture, so here is another URL:
http://www.vms.vuw.ac.nz/vuw/content/person.cfm?school=vms&id=447

We have had a GREAT day, going to the National war memorial, and to a restaurant called the fisherman's table. It was good... the sunshine was soooo great for body and soul.

getting better

Everyone are walking around worrying about what everyone else thinks of them all the time, worrying that they're not good enough, worrying that they are not perfect.... I guess that is the trap that I have fallen into now for a couple of days as well. Felt so homesick that I just wanted to hide under my bed and sleep for the rest of the trimester. I guess in the end it is all about how you view yourself. I used to be world champ in that area, I'm trying to find my way back to sublime self esteem. Everyone needs to feel that they belong somewhere. I'm stuck inbetween right now, it's like Kings of Convenience so soothingly sing: Homesick, cause I no longer know, where home is.. I don't know wether I belong here or in Norway, or any of the two places anymore.
Wish my family was closer sometime, all though it's a bit of a mess right now. My brother has not spoken to my mum for almost 3 years now, because she remarried. Now he is saying that if her new husband don't leave her for 5 years then he will talk to her again... That is just stupid. I'm worried about my nephews, that are too small to understand all this, and who deserve to have two grandmothers spoiling them rotten. I wish I could be closer to mum, to help her through the madness. In two months I will be home again though, missing all my friends here in New Zealand. I need a holiday now.. too much to do, and the last assignment took the energy out of me in a way.
Thank you Trav for being a really good friend these last few days. :)

I feel utterly alone and homesick today.. Funny how it is possible to feel alone when there are so many people around you. It feels like being unhappily in love, although that does not make much sence at all.

mess & Hannibal

I've been way too busy to blog lately, but now I finally will have some days off. :) As you can see from the photo I've been far too busy to tidy my room lately as well, and then this happens. It looked bombed until I had some time to tidy a few hours ago. Now I am done. 22 pages of reportwork is done, and now I am feeling really nervous about the result.. Too much work just means that you will be more disappointed if the grade is horrible...
At least I have my good grade from last essay to cheer me up. :) And: I give to you: My favourite subway worker of all times: Hannibal Lecter look alike. Mr nice guy himself. I like this guy for some reason, and it might be just because he looks like A. Hopkins. I had a sub today in substitute of spinach pads here at the hostel.

I'm dead tired now.... should maybe just concuss on my bed.

Yea.

Does this look familiar?

Soundtrack: Portishead - Roseland NYC Live album

Our beloved ritual on Saturday nights: The fire alarm of course! Once again the perpetrator was a microwave oven.. but this time it was real. Someone actually wanted to get the fire alarm going, must have thought it would be fun or something... so someone put shoe polish in the microwave. Great.
In the photo you can se Trong, Jo and Trav, well tucked in ann warm... ish. Well anyway, yesterday was fun. We went to see the All Blacks vs Wallabies game, and the AB's won of course! Hahah, who would have thought that rugby would be this much fun? Still working my ass off with the assignment.. I have 2300 words now, so it is not looking too grim. Most of it is done, just have to do the rest! *sigh* On Thursday I will have my life back for a few glorious days. And there will be much rejoycing. jeee...
then I can finally enjoy my tripod to the max, and do all the things that are way overdo. write letters and stuff like that.

Picture: Cuba Mall, 1969. Source: Graham Stewart (2005).

I just have to have a small break from my studies, I thought drinking a can of coke was a good idea. It was for a while, but now I'm soo hyper that I can't consentrate fully on what I am doing.. Hehe. I thought I'd share a small piece of my work with u. Look at cuba mall! Now it is a street with only pedestrian access... it's so strange to think about.

Only two months now until I'm going home for the summer... Tempus Fugit. Maybe it is true that the older you get the faster time goes by.. One year of your life will decrease in size until you die. One year of my life this year is a larger part of my life than next year will be... it's just time, but it feels so precious. I used to have too much of it, but now I just can't get enough. At least now I have two whole days to work without being disturbed by lectures and things like that... *ugh* Only thing disturbing me now is the All Blacks vs Wallabies tomorrow! GO ALL BLACKS!!!

busy

Soundtrack: Ive Mendes - If you leave me now
Not much to blog about lately. All I am doing is working on my projects and stuff.. Saw movie both yesterday and today, and feel a bit bad that I didn't spend those hours working. Ah well, I am well on my way writing my report. So my life for another week will be just running to uni and back, and working. But I realised yesterday that I have to change the way that I look at life for a while.. I should not be procrastinating and putting off work, my task in life now is to be a student. To learn and enjoy what I am learning.. so there you have it folks. I'm a full time student! Haha... big news.