Dinner at Sakura

We had a dinner to celebrate Kunihiro an Go, and to grieve the fact that we will not see them again after this year. Kuni will be going home and attempting to get a job or study or both, while Go has finished his Honors degree and will be going to Japan to start working. Good luck to them both! (so I guess this means that we will have to find replacements when they are gone...) Dinner was nice, but it was not very filling.
After dinner we returned to Vic house to have icecream and wine. Mmm.. :)_
Nice wine and some icecream, and my stomach didn't hurt afterwards. My oh my, a whole day without studying. I was going to watch a movie afterwards, but ended up in Katherine's room after the wine. Oh well. Phrase of the day: "Put it away."

I had an exam on Wednesday, as you know... And it was EASY. I'm hoping that this is a good sign. Then we had planned a dinner for Trong, because he was going away earlier than the farewell dinner for Go and Kuni. But then he decided to go on the 27.. and we just decided to have the dinner anyway. :D We went to a

restaurant called the Tug Boat Restaurant in Oriental Bay. It was pretty flash, and the prices were high.. But the food was not that great. It was ok. We agree that the fishermans table is better though. The scene is better at the tug boat, but the food is better at the fisherman's table. yeah.. anyway.. ^_^

I just got back from a lovely run in the rain. :D I'm freezing, swetty and feel really tired, but still it's great! A woman asked me when I was running past her: Why are you running?! (she was drunk). I yelled back: Because I want to! And then it hit me... I actually like this! Even though it feels like hell, and I feel like the most unfit person in the world, when I'm done I feel great! So now I am going to go to bed with a happy (though disturbing, for some people who don't like jogging) smile on my face.

hmm

Yesterday there was a full moon, and I went around town taking some photos. They didn't turn out too great, but ok I guess. I am now only hours away from my first exam, cannot wait to be done with it! Info 101, this is the end of our relationship. I haven't studied too hard, but still feel pretty confident. We'll see when the report card comes....

After getting into Stafford my stress level has been eased a lot. And Christine has promised to help me with storage if I need it, so now I am confident that I will have room for all my stuff. After the exam tomorrow I look forward to a flash as dinner and a whole week of studying my favourite subject. :) Things are looking up. Now the only thing that is missing is sleep... Cause I'm really awake, and still I have to sleep to wake up early tomorrow. Humm... Someone knock me on the head with something heavy..

To Luke I bestow

Soundtrack: Biohazard - Kill or be killed

Except - prep. With the exclusion of; other than; but: everyone except me.
To leave out; exclude: An admission fee is charged, but children are excepted.

Accept - To receive (something offered), especially with gladness or approval: accepted a glass of water; accepted their contract.
To admit to a group, organization, or place: accepted me as a new member of the club.
To regard as proper, usual, or right: Such customs are widely accepted.
To regard as true; believe in: Scientists have accepted the new theory.
To understand as having a specific meaning.
To endure resignedly or patiently: accept one's fate.
To answer affirmatively: accept an invitation.
To agree to take (a duty or responsibility).
To be able to hold (something applied or inserted): This wood will not accept oil paints.
To receive officially: accept the committee's report.
To consent to pay, as by a signed agreement.
Medicine. To receive (a transplanted organ or tissue) without immunological rejection.


It's hard being trilingual sometimes

Behold our new neighbourhood!! After a long time of dreaming about the promised land, the perfect flat, the hood of our dreams, it is finally reality. Me and Jo will be living in Stafford house next year! Wuhu! Have been a bit stressed today cause the offers were out but me and Jo had heard nothing. So Christine offered to call the warden of stafford and check! And yesss, me and Jo are exepted. So, now it is the matter of getting a two or three bedroom flat. At least now we don't have to stress when we get here with finding a flat! I can do it over next summer, take time to find the perfect flat.. ^_^

Eat my dust!

Soundtrack: A-ha - The sun always shine on TV

I've been roaming around the streets of Wellington this trimester, and lately I've even started to jog! Wow.. that is pretty huge for me! I hated jogging before, now it is something that I actually see myself doing.. so after a few late night jogs around the city, I decided today to get some essentials that I really felt that I need to pursue this new "life style"; a sports bra and shoes for jogging! It feels good to be running away from all the pressure of exams and all the stuff that I have to get organised now before I go in just two weeks and five days. Thank goodness that I'm not leaving Wellington for good! Then my exams would have gone straight down the drain in mourning the city and all my friends. I'll return here next year to see most of them! But alas, Kunihiro and Go will not be here next year. I'll miss them heaps... :'(

Studying is going so so. After this exam it will go a lot better though. I just have to find inspiration for studying, and that is hard when the subject is horribly boring. No more info! Just 4 more days and I never have to think of it again. I'm quite certain that I'll pass, so no pressure here. ^_^ The pressure is on for Tourism, I have to achieve and A or better (yikes!) to be a tutor later.. something that I really want the opportunity to be if I feel like it in later years. Then there is Management... the hardest exam. I MUST PASS!!!! I SHALL PASS!!!! I'll be studying my ass off for the last week. After that I have Melbourne to look forward to, and seing all my friends and family at home! Yay!

want more candy

Soundtrack: Armand von Helden - My my my

I can't believe that it's only 3 weeks left till I go home! Time flies so fast... Three more weeks and I'll be stuck in winterland for months. I have tonnes of stuff to do once I get home, so it'll probably be over real fast. I have books to read, people to visit, have to get a job, going to my grandmother for Christmas... Lotsa things to do. :) And Cristine told me that the offers for Stafford will be out next week!! My my my... Don't know what to do if we don't get in.. Guess we'll have to search online for a flat then. A bit more risky, but it's probably doable. So many things to think of here in the midst of exams and all... Goodbyes, organising things for the summer, cancelling my telephone and all that. Wow... And on top of that I'm close to failing management as it is.. I hope I'll do a bit better on the exam!! *sigh* I really cannot afford to fail any courses... Better get down to business!!

Some neighbours

Tawhana, aka Sonic the Hedgehog. Dressed and ready for the vic house ball.


Do not be alarmed. They are completely harmless. Apparently Calvin got this "haircut" in exchange for a beer. Lloyd doesn't need any explanaition.

Picnics and Parties

Soundtrack: Mandalay - This Life

On Saturday we decided to go for a picnic. It was bright and sunny as we called up Kuni, and he immediately agreed to go on the picnic! Way! So, the four of us packed our bags and went up to the botanical garden. Our aim was for the duck pond and the rose garden, but we never made it to any of those destinations. Instead we placed ourselves on the stage in the park in shelter of the rain.. haha. Typical, picnic and rain. I was feeling a bit tired when we got back, and wasn't really in the mood for going out, but decided that I would anyway. It was a good old fashioned scandinavian style vorspiel! I liked it quite much, normally now there is no vorspiel, and I just never feel ready to go out on town because there is no build up to it. The vorspiel is what welds partypeople together and makes you ready for town. It was fun, but I guess the people are not quite my regular crowd. It's hard to explain, because they were really nice and stuff and were really easy to communicate with, and were sincerely friendly (not fake friendly like Kiwi girls). I've had a weekend with lots and lots of Scandinavians. Friday I went out with Anette x2 and another Norwegian, and yesterday there were 6 of us, 3 norw. and 3 swedish girls. whoa. I think it'll be a long while before I go drinking again.. I'm so fed up with partying right now... It's good to get it out of your system though, now I can focus completely on my exam studies!!

The Alcoholic

Soundtrack: Pulp - Common People

I think Trong is right, I'm turning into an alcoholic. I drank on Wednesday, was out again tonite and I'm going out tomorrow as well. that's three nights in one week! There was an "end of the year tourism party" today, I went to check it out for a while but there was no one there from first year. I kind of expected it, but I thought I'd check it out anyway. Tomorrow I'm invited to a Vorspiel on Kelburn Parade, to a Swedish gril who apparently also studies tourism. That might be cool. I hardly know anyone in my class, exept for a few people that I've been in tutorials with. It was good today though, we went to Eastside, Havana, the big kumara and the Malthouse.

Earlier today I wanted to get out a lot of CDs from the library, and there was a firealarm! I thought it was a dud, but no. Some pranksters had tried to start a fire, burning some paper. And in a way they succeeded... The firealarm was set off, and so was the sprinkler-system. I can only imagine how much damage the water must have done to all the books and the computers. It makes me sad... There was 6 trucks in front of the library... Always when I don't have my camera these things happen. I need a cameraphone!

Why on earth am I dreaming about my friends dying all the time??? Last night I dreamt that Gøril and Lars died, and they followed me around. Only, I was a tall blond boy, not myself. They died in a carcrash, and I was in the car with them when they died. They were following me around, and whenever I looked at myself in a mirror, they would be on either side of me. Lars would possess me, and I would feel different, while I could communicate with Gøril at times. So weird....

No more sugar thanx

Massive overdose on Chockolate Oreos... It's only the second package of Oreos that I've bought in my life, but I think I'm done with them already. The same thing happened last time, overdosed and feel sick to my bones, just wanna hurl. At least they don't have them at home, so I don't have to see them for a long time.

I'm still pretty unproductive. Today was the very last day of the term, no more lectures, but three exams. For the first time, I'm faced with having to revise for two exams of subjects that I don't like and don't want to continue with. That feels scary, it is almost as if I'm doomed to do bad because I don't feel committed to the task. All I know is that I have to pass in order to be able to get support to stay here. But passing is not that difficult... that is not the issue here. It might be for the most difficult one, but I feel that the issue is that of passing with a good grade. Ah well. I will do my best, and I will soon start revising. Sunday will be the day when I start!

I had an absolutely disgusting dream last night. I dreamt that I was on a trip with some people, and just as I started to care about them and feel comfortable, this guy killed one of my friends. I crawled into his bed, and all that was left of him was his face, the guy had cut his face off and put it on his pillow so it looked like he was asleep. And then this guy came after me. He was chasing me, and I was always locking doors, fearing that I wouldn't be able to lock it before he caught up with me... You know, the fear that really feels piercing in a nightmare, where you wake up and still the stress and the fear is so strong that your heart is racing and you try to figure out what the dream might mean..

The couch potato

The last few days I've been doing nothing but watching The Sopranos and The Secret Life of Us on dvd, and being the ultimate sloth. I've just barely managed to get to my classes, and certainly I haven't done anything here at home. Exams are creeping closer, and I guess soon I have to bring myself back on track and start studying for them. I have one week to study for each exam, so It's quite nice laid out that way. Had a looong day today, with shopping, formal dinner in Vic House, Karaoke and ending up in the hallway talking to Greg for hours. I'm probably just gonna watch more S.L.O.F (it almost reads sloth...) and be lazy for the rest of the night. Tomorrow is my very last lecture this year.. Soon I'm going home!! I can't believe how fast these 8 months have gone... And now just one month to go before I go home for the summer. My my my...
I'm gonna miss all the funny characters here in Vic house and my friends over the summer. Then next year we'll probably be living in Stafford house, the promised land... ahhhh. :) Unless they decide that we're not worthy. In which case we have a challenge ahead. Ah well. I've had too much red wine to worry about that right now. :)

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

u 

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.

FOOD

Soundtrack: Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy/Kaizers Orchestra - Evig Pint

This is it, no more holiday. Now it is just onwards till exams are done! wow, that feels strange, soon I will be going home... Some of the things that I am missing it will be great to see again!!! I found a fan-page of goat cheese online. HAHAHA: http://food.impassionet.info/browncheese/ I cannot believe that they have a fanlisting... Anyway, I'll try my best to bring a small stash for next year. Maybe it is possible to freeze it.. hmm. I also really miss x-mas dinners!
Well, I guess going home will not be that bad after all.
Now I am used to eating hostel food or asian food most of the time when we go out, and I love it! But when all comes to all, U always miss what you are used to eating from home. Everyone does. Kuni misses Japanese food, Jo is really hungry for Malaysian cuisine, and I've seen how much Feli has been enjoying the Singaporean food scene since she got home... I should try to take some photos of our food when I go home. ^_^ It is very different... I'm gonna eat so much fish!!! It'll be great... *droole* I'll try to eat some meat too, but if it is too hard to go back then I'll stay vegetarian. I don't want to spend a whole week on the toilet... I can just spend some days there during xmas, hahaha. Ah well, I guess I should go shopping for xmaspresents before I become completely broke. But first of all, the test tomorrow in Microsoft Access, and thank goodness, after that I never have to see the dratted system again!!! WUHU!!

ZZooo

We had a wonderful day at the zoo yesterday. :) When we finally got on the bus after a one hour delay (for various reasons, heh) it looked like the day could either be sunny or rainy, and I was determined that it would be sunny. After a bit of rain, I was right. The zoo is not that big, but it is a nice zoo. The reptile house was a bit of a joke though, it was so dark that you could not even see the ground, much less the animals that (supposedly) were there. We saw a gekko, and that was all. No snakes or spiders and stuff, like in other zoos. They had monkeys and a selection of african animals, we got to see the tigers get fed. They were so cute... Sigh. Didn't get a good shot though, because the fence was fenced off so
we couldn't get close. I'm not that surprised by that though.. :D As the tiger was playing with the bucket her food was in, she looked over to the platform where we were watching her with hungry eyes. I guess the children that were playing on the platform looked much a better meal to her than her actual food. We all symphatised with her, as we know what that feels like. Hostel food..
The Kea was quiet and it was kinda like seing it in Hastings, I want more now. I want to see them free! Laughing and making a mess, I heard them in Mt Cook, now the next thing to do would be to see them.. I Am now facing the assignments that I have to do, and think it is high time that I started working seriously on them. Looking at what I have done so far, I guess I'm not that much in trouble, I have done something and that helps. :)Trying to get back on track for next week. It'll be study study study! That's my job now, so better just get used to it. Four more years of this! That means I must like it... I chose it..

Dunno what to put as title

Soundtrack: The National Bank - Tolerate
Well, there is a large chunk of our holiday gone.. Still haven't been to the zoo. I hope the weather will get better so that it will be a perfect day to go there. So far I have been enjoying myself to the max. Holidays rock! Now after blogging I will snuggle up with my knitting. On the picture is this holiday's fruits, my work, the only produce that I have to show from this holiday. It's good to have some time to make stuff. When you're in school all the time you work and work and you don't really feel that you are making anything.. you have nothing to show for it, "just" knowledge. That is why I enjoy handcraft I guess. you make something that is tangible, you can see it, feel it, touch it.. (and so on). So simple and out there.. :) I could easily enjoy myself as a tailor. I just haven't got the proper education for it. But as much as I love tourism I don't think that I'm in the wrong lane or anything. I'll just be one of those grandmothers who knit socks to ungrateful kids until I get really old and everyone starts appreciating them.. I remember when I got socks as a kid, it was the most boring gifts ever! Now I wish that I could get more of them... homemade socks are the best!!

Today me, Jo and Trong went for a midnight snack at midnight espresso down Cuba street. MMmm, my favourite cafe. And they are never closed, at least to my knowledge. The best! Lots and lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan food, and cakes that are huge, and freshly squeezed juices.. It feels a bit weird to go to a cafe at half past twelve at night though.. :D

OKAY, FINE!!!

Since I've been teased and pushed about a lot tonight, I figured maybe I should post the URL....Travis couldn't stagger his curiosity anymore and deciced to look up my HGL. I didn't even know that they had photos of the lecturers online.. But anyway guys; there he is: http://www.vms.vuw.ac.nz/vuw/content/person.cfm?school=vms&id=447
I hope that all of you enjoyed that.

drunk Tina

She should not be allowed on blogger eh? It's just too much. I had the coolest drink today! I think it is called bank draught and it is fire! Blue fire and they let u suck up the vapour when it is done burning, weird as. It was sooo pretty though.. I wanna party moooore!!! Whyy.. I'm not even falling asleep, I just wanna meet more ppl and have fun. I think it is for the best that I was ushered home though, have already spent far too much money on drinks n stuff. Kuni was great as usual, he did leave quite early though.. Kuni! you missed so much! We went to this flash as jazz restaurant that was called Juniper, it's on featherston street (the flash district)and the food was sooo good, I cannot believe how great it was! MAN, that was the best meal I've had in ages! I feel already that I just want to eat out everey day, seeking new restaurants and nice ppl.. after that we went to the loaded hog, where they had cheep beer!! 1$ a beer from the game started till the first point was scored, and average 2.5$ a glass. It was a rugby match between Australia and South Africa, and SA won! only just though. After that we went to the wellington brewery, red square, coyote and rain, and I wanted to go on but I wasn't allowed. Ok though, town is ex. I'm pretty happy happy and have had a good as night, the bestest Saturday in a long while! now I should just go to sleep, and dream wonderful dreams, hopefully no more about my HGL, I can't take anymore. Luv to all. :) *happy drunk Tina*

Amelie

I just realised today after watching Amelie; I am her. Though it sounds like a pretty standard thing to say, it is true. I'm quite sure Mattis would agree to this, having lived with me for half a year. I'm quite happy daydreaming all day long, doing nothing to try and reach my dreams. Oh well.. Not much to do about that today though.

Wednesday drinking

Soundtrack: U2 - Numb
We finally got out on a Wednesday! Hihi... We went to our wonderful Jazz-club, Sandwiches, and after that we went to Zeebos, Indigo (just to pee cause MAN that's a dodgy place!), Syn and The Big Kumara. So now I'm all warmed up to go to The Loaded Hog on Saturday! Partypartyparty! Feel pretty all right now. Slept the bestest sleep last night, except for this really freaky dream!! I dreamt that I and some guy was driving on the road, and then suddenly there were these tornadoes everywhere! (dunno why I would dream such a thing, I've never even seen one in RL) Then I disappeared and the dream was about how a family was trying to get to a safehouse to avoid the tornadoes.. they journied there and then there was this huge tower of beds and stuff.. it looked pretty fragile. And to top it all off: I dreamt that I was sleeping in a room with my mom in another bed, and there was this ghoul there that was tapping me on the neck. The really creepy thing was that my neck was cramping at that point, so I woke up cause I thought it was real!!! It felt like someone was tappin me on the neck! Whoaaa... *shudder*
So I'm a bit tired today. But in a good way.

Chockolate fish cafe!

Here we all are at the chockolate fish cafe! Finally, I got to go to the celeb cafe that everyone is talking about. Think, here Liv Tyler, Elijah Wood, Gandalf (!), Viggo Mortensen, The man himself Peter Jackson and tons of other stars have eaten! Hihi, the food was superb, I had something called Kedgeree, it was soo nice! smoked fish, rice and curry and something. I'm still full, and it was over 6 hours ago!! We had to walk there, and it was very windy. By the time we got there our hair was full of salt and tangled up, and standing out in all directions. We must have looked so graceful...
Just had a three hour nap, and feel refreshed as! Holidays are great. I have to get started on some of the school stuff that I have to do though, too much lazing around and that will surely be the end of my glorious plans of getting up to scratch.
I'm getting high on downloading System of a Down at the moment, they are so cool. :) My taste in music keeps
expanding evermore. Who knows how it will end up?

SWEET HOLIDAY HELLLOOOOOO

Soudtrack: Magnet - Lay lady lay
I'm done!!! I have done all my work that is due tomorrow, and can finally enjoy my holiday! And as you all can see, no more boring dark blonde Tina! Redhead! Now I wish that my contacts would arrive.. though I have lost all hope. Word of advice: Do not order from Coastalcontacts!

Sweet sweet holiday. I'm probably going to work quite a bit though, but just the feeling of not being forced to makes it so much more enjoyable!

Aw.. kinda tired now though. Have to wait for my hair to dry, as I just finished colouring it. Thanks to Joanne for the help!! *Muackz* And tomorrow I get to walk down the terrace again, down to Rutherford house to hand in my Assignment. I hope for sunny weather, although I'll feel great even though it is POURING!
Ah, life is sweet. I just planned my degree this afternoon.. I just love university. So many cool things to learn!!

Update

An update on the Monsoon Poon dinner: a flash as nice as pretty reasonably priced place. Man we loved it! My food was so good... I wanna go back there some time. Kuni was very stressed though, I wish him a good test on Saturday!! We went here to eat after the Sin City.

A break

Soundtrack: Thievery Corporation - le monde

Hey all! After a very refreshing day where only 4 hours was spent on studying (JEEEE) I've been enjoying myself to the max and am now tired and satisfied. We saw Sin City, which is one of the most beautiful films that I have seen in a while. Graphics, not contents.. :) the story was kinda ok, but yes, I liked it a lot! That is one movie done, then we will watch Charlie and the Chockolate factory on the 9th of september. Well enough, it doesn't come to NZ before that day!!! Wow.. And I thought Norway was slow. And we went for dinner with Kuni! More on that when I get photos from Trong.
And: I got myself a photoblog! Check it out! There I will put all my photos that I feel is worthy of a place on the web. (on their own, and not it context like in here...) Now I can use my photography-hobby for something. The url:

http://www.fotothing.com/TinaRTiller/

Well satisfied of my break from studying, I'm gonna snuggle up in bed and get ready for another hard day of studying tomorrow. :) Possibly the last one!!!

GGG

I WANNA REEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAD!!! *sob* I guess I just want to do something else than work all day. AND: Tomorrow is the day!! We are having dinner with KUNI!!!!! And watching Sin City! More on that tomorrow.

Biological clock ticking?

Lars told me today that my ex is engaged. ENGAGED?! Hello..? Not that I think about him anymore, and I wouldn't even blink at him having a new girlfriend, but engaged... Why? It's only one year since our relationship officially ended.. I will spare you of the many reasons that I broke up with him. (Though it is good for me to think of these reasons.. haha) It just makes me think of how UN-engaged I am. My friends, I'm getting old... It's time to start getting attractive in a quick pace here. I'm definitely not getting any younger. It may very well be that the first midlife crisis is when you are 25. I'm getting close to freaking out myself... I guess this means that I ought to get out more often. Go pubbing or get a hobby or something. Start training. i.e.: panic. I cannot believe that I whasted 5 whole years of my life doing something and being with someone that made me miserable... Even my mom said that she didn't see the spirit in me anymore when I moved up north to be with my x. Am I really that dependent on other persons?? I really shouldn't be..

I'm a bit homesick now. I miss my friends at home. I cannot wait to go visit Norma, I haven't seen her for .. 6 years!! Oh my goodness. And I miss Vanessa, Wenche and Odny, the unbeatable three. Man we have some good times, they know me like none other. And my replacement brother Gert René, always giving me some wisdom. Also hope to see Gøril when I get home. You'd better visit me girl!! Bring René when u come! Renée, that kept me alive when I was living at Husnes for 9 months. :) And Lars that kept me alive for 5 years when I was living in Bodø.*sigh* And Luna! My little sweetie.. LOVE U ALL!

studying

Soundtrack: Røyksopp - Only this moment

I think even Mattis has had a more exciting day than me. No time for nothing.. studies broke down at 0:30, couldn't do anymore. I'm happy about today though. It has been a good day of studying, and I came pretty close to my goal. I was thinking of finishing by Saturday, but I guess I'll finish on Sunday instead. Interesting huh? ^_^
I got my Simak-books today. Hoping that I will have some time in the holiday to read. After my holiday goals.

Ow so tired

Today has been a super hectic day. Off to school and taking notes like a hero on our fieldtrip, got one assignment back, whasted some time printing notes off to workshop to do access for one hour then ran to cablecar to get down to town and post package for Feli came back and had dinner after picking up my parcel... And have been doing schoolwork for the rest of the evening. Mondays sure take up a lot of time. Now James is working overtime to get my room warm as so I'll get drowsy and can fall asleep faster. The whole week will probably be like this, I just hope that I can keep this drive, it's not too slow cause I'm kinda inspired to do as good work as I can. Nerds ROCK! I wanna be one. Found out today that if I'm gonna do masters I have to do tourism research in my third year, which means my HGL is off limits for good. I'm gonna have to forget abt him... :'(
Now that he's off limits I want him even more... I need a replacement. Can someone please send me a average tall German (approx. 185 cm), light to medium blonde with blue or blue-green eyes, has to have a nice smile and a wonderful sense of humour please? He has to be kind and loving, exciting to be with and it would be nice if he could share my love for travelling. Has to have a job, and be about 30 years old. Playful but grown up as well.

I'll be checking my mail....

Lazy Sundays

Soundtrack: Depeche Mode - The love thieves

Lazy Sundays rock. Today, I finished my dreaded info assignment, so from now on it is just workworkwork on my journals, and then hand in one week from now. Then finally holiday. Relaxing for the last time in a week, in other words. It feels nice, mellow. I bought 5 books today, hence the drawing. I bought Gary Larson's "Far Side Gallery", no 1 - 5. Boy... that was one of the bestest things that could be offered me.. about 300 kr ($60) for the lot. Not a bad price. It is dawning upon me how much I need a job when I get home though.. I thought about working here but the pay is so low. I'd rather have a shit job at home than a good job here, and that makes me wonder about the future. I know it is really early yet, but where am I going to be in 5 years? Will I do Masters? Where am I going to live? Yea, I thought it was great getting away from my ex and stuff, but at least when I was with him I knew exactly what was in store... which wasn't much, ok, but at least I knew. I guess that was the reason I left as well, but I sure lie awake sometimes wondering about my future. I'm kinda older now, and should be more secure about these things. All the people around me now are like under 20, and I'm becoming 25 in the end of this year, and still I have no clear path ahead. Kinda makes me afraid of finishing my studies, because once I'm done with them I don't know any more. Things that occupy the mind. I guess I'm gonna have to go out and get drunk and be irresponsible again, that usually helps calm me down. Can't wait for the 20th.