Last bits of Leisure

(dinner- for lent I gave up packaged food, except for crumpets, cheese and meats)

(great beer bought from an in-store keg, wheaty)

Word: Pentecostal- every other church in Wellington.

Book: Tiki Style by Sven A. Kirsten

Summer is coming to a sad close here in the Southern Hemisphere, but not without an exciting tsunami warning. Bays up in Northland were like, “washing machines.” Thank you NZ news.

On my way to a Pacific Islander Wesley church on the other side of town an Aro Valley character made a dash to chat. Appearing out of thin air Peter spoke strictly in alliterations, which made conversation a bit odd and drawn out. The 20 minute run-in with Dr. Seuss ate up all my walking time to the PI church, so I settled for a church near by called, “Abundant Life a Church of Many Nations”- which means lots of Asian cultures, cheers to that! Apparently it also means very few new comers, being that I was practically singled out from the alter. After and during the service half of the congregation introduced themselves. A very friendly bunch. One man thought my name was Henry- that always tickles me, it happens a little too often..

Visiting different churches around Wellington is quickly becoming a fun, slightly secular weekend activity. Can’t help myself from enjoying all the newness and people watching (sensory overload makes worship nearly impossible). There is an automatic comfort level assumed by Christians that needs to be studied on an academic level. You never know what Jesus lovers are going to say. Today a woman asked me if I was single, and about 5 different people said, “See you next week Anne-Marie!!” on my way to the door. It was nice. Last week a man with a giant rat-tail chased me out of a church yelling “THANK YOU FOR COMING, GOOD-BYE, THANK YOU!”- looking around to see what hoard he was addressing I stopped in my tracks, turned around, and attempted to wave. We had an awkward moment together. Peace be with you?

Read a book on Tiki style history, which had me cracking up all afternoon. Man I need to get a social life.

Built Structure

(notes)

(sketches of Pacific Island homes)

Word: Pandanus- used for roofs in Pacific Islands

Book: Pacific Island Style- Peter Shaw & Glenn Jowitt

Traveling does not ameliorate the desire to travel. Wafts of knowledge inhaled from books are noisome to the pocket book. Oh well. With that said tomorrow I ride the rail to Paraparaumu to pick up a guitar bought off trade me, which is a local on-line auction site. $60USD for a guitar- must be quality. Trade me is bit like craigslist. A 19-year-old woman auctioned off her virginity on trade me last year. Apparently virginity is going for about $40,000NZD round these parts of the world. Prostitution is legal in NZ, so I believe the young woman was taxed.

The better part of this evening was spent studying up on Pacific Island building materials and styles. Wellington’s central library has a nice collection of design books. DVD’s cost $4 to loan for 3 days. Be thankful for your very fee free libraries in the USA. Use them or loose them!

This sketch does have a point- built environment and location might be the central themes of my thesis (relative to distance from water). Being on the fringe of research it seems that methodology and un-bias surveying is all about being well organized and having lots of money. Could be wrong.

Over the past couple of days I have looked up about 40 words on my Mac dictionary- writing the definitions down and studying them. I’ll be the first to admit that I am no natural academic! Some of us are not born knowing it all. Electronic Dictionaries are good teachers; know where your dictionary buddy is at all times!

(additional reading)

NZ Designs and decorative arts- Reed

The Necessity of Craft- Lorna Kaino

Our stories in Craft- Mau Mahara

Crafted by Design- Jeanette Cook & Stephen Robinson

Studies

(Victoria is at the top of the hill)

(Summer time, lovely palm tree noises in the wind)

(Study time at my desk)

Starting is often the most difficult part of doing something. Especially when skill and initial knowledge is severely limited! Moving to a new city we find ourselves angry about the unknown origins of the layout- what’s the point of this light, why is it here, is this a one way, was that a stop sign? Profound amounts of frustration are unearthed as are fingers fumble for the flip switch. Dark rooms stay dark because whoever designed the house was an idiot for putting the damn thing a million feet from the doorway. You get the point. Learning is difficult, especially as adults; we cannot easily put aside expectations and demands, which hinder the process of growth. Sometimes “a” says “a” sometimes “a” is says e (schwa), sometimes “a” says ah.

Yesterday a leech shared the shower grounds. It was hard to ignore him. He kept rearing one of his ends and “looking around.” There are no walls to the shower here, so things can get pretty wild- because wild things can get in. The other week a GIANT spider kept inching towards my toes, perhaps they looked tasty. Shower time was decidedly short that night.

Readings have begun and so have the millions of questions. The page turning subjective well-being classics, The Sense of Well-Being in America by Angus Campbell, and Social Indicators of Well-Being by Frank M. Andrews and Stephen B. Withey will be good company for the next couple days. This blog will become one of pointless pondering, which anyone is more than welcome to graze over.

Today I met up with another Santa Barbarian. Santa Barbara is filled with good people, glad there is a fellow SBer around, how strange!

How is the Olympic craze in the states? Here it is as if the Winter Olympics do not exist. No Kiwi has placed higher than 10^th, heaps of jokes were made last night over a young German man with the last name “Wank.”

Overwhelmed

(Post cards for sale out of the postgraduate geography department)

Word: Free-lance- Working for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company

Book: Between Tides-Jewellery by Alan Preston, Photos by Julia Brooke-White

Julia Brooke-White is my flatmate/landlord. She is a free-lance photographer.

Julia loves islands- particularly Raoul Island- 1000km from Auckland. I’m told that extremely formal golf is a required activity on Sundays.

While vacuuming the house a lovely book was asking to be picked up. The title page was signed by the artist himself, how interesting. Flipping back to the photography credits Julia is cited on practically every page. It’s lovely, find it if you can.

Julia is a woman of many talents. Her baking fills the house with whole-wheat warmness. She is a storehouse of information about islands in NZ and the Pacific. Her friends just as interesting. At the moment Julia is trekking with 15 other buddies up North. Upon the arrival of one particular friend, Julia was presented with a handsome throw, personally sheered and hand knitted from un-dyed wool. Who knew sheep could be so many different colors?

Past flatmates have come over for a visit- good to see everyone is still friends. There are heaps of spiders around, apparently the old flattie got really into spiders. Once or twice the image of spider Sodom and Gomorrah ran through my head whilst vacuuming today. Being Sunday, the spiders will live off of grace for another week.

Julia is gone for 6 days, so the place is in my hands. This will happen more often than not. The wind keeps me company. A strange buzzing noise was coming out of the kitchen not too long ago- after convincing myself it was not the plums hitting the roof an investigation ensued. Poor bugger- stuck in the sink, a bit hopeless, sat a frustrated cicada. These things get everywhere; their drone-like mating call is just as pervasive. Insects aside, would be attracted to their racket is beyond me. Come to think of it, do cicadas have a sex? In all good intentions to save mr/mrs cicada I killed it in the process. Sort of like over-evangelizing? Cluster cuss!

Wellington’s summer is bright (note the hole in the ozone) and active. Young people room the streets beer in hand. Activates abound, athletes run the city. After a long weekend of painting & walking it is time to hit the books- imbibing knowledge in a formal sense…

Wellington Life

(extinct bird beak pin, Te Papa)

Word: Zine- little magazines Wellitonians make and sell at certain Wellington locations.

Book: The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle (Just finished it for the first time)

Officially enrolled. School is on the horizon. The only exciting part of International postgraduate orientation was meeting a young woman from Mongolia. She had fierce green eyes. And what was she studying? Information management, what else? Met a few Americans- we are a funny looking bunch, such big eyes and rambling mouths. All good of course. Must we talk to everyone, everywhere? I certainly cannot help myself but comment…did you get an apple from upstairs- they are so crisp…where are you from? And off we go.

After orientation I scoured the campus for a piano. NO LUCK. I had to sign up for a 30-minute slot at the music building, which ate 6 of my dollars. Guess there will not be any composing this year.

For all you birders I spotted a Tui on my way home. Rather it spotted me, letting the whole valley know it was sitting atop a tree, watching me, watching it. What a noisy white throated thing. Pretty.

There are little bookish-magazines sold at certain shops around Wellington called zines. No subject matter is too droll or outlandish for a zine. The other day I read an article about a couple that sketched cats around Wellington. In order for a cat to be cataloged (pun intended) they had to have seen it a few times, and “spent time with it,” despite the fact that a cat is a cat, and it spends time with you. I’ve found myself partaking in this odd act of cat calling, being there are MANY charming cats, perhaps awaiting the company of an American? No cat’s ever made a move to groove on with me. Damn, the zine will be as close as I get to them. Wellington is a place of odd things, as well as lots of cats.

A few days ago I found myself wondering around Te Papa (Kiwi National Museum) with two French wwoofer’s. Did you know in the bowels of Te Papa resides the only colossal giant squid? It has 360 degree revolving talons on its tentacles! Bad ass. Sweet as?

Tour of Home

Good-bye!

Dinner time!

Big bed, nice light.

WOW! My room is big and bright.

Almost to my room, that's where we eat.

Back through the kitchen.

Back entrance, toilet 12 0' clock.

Bees are at the top!

Neat tiles, go up them!

Going back outside.

My shower has no boundaries.

Go down stairs

Cute kitchen!

Choice collection!

Come on in. No handle of course.

There's my window!

Go up the stairs!

That is my window in the center!

This is my walkway. No street noises.

Take the royal tour! Start from here on up.

Far North

(Croxford Girls)

(Dead things n' Weeds, Near Matapouri)

(Jetty, Russell)

(Scenic View, Opononi)

(Me & Kauri, Waipoua Forest)

(Baby Rental Car, Kohu Kohu)

(Tree Fern, Waipoua Forest)

(Waitangi Day, Auckland)

(Cleaning time, Joff's house)

(Coastline, Matapouri)

Word: Barmy/ Balmy- extremely foolish; eccentric

Book: The Power of Place By: Winifred Gallagher

New Zealand is a land of rolling hills into rainforest lining the coast that shoots up into snow-capped mountains. Did you get that? Everything is here, within a few hours you could burn out on geographically wonders. Kauri trees in the Far North, clear blue waters on the East Coast, mountains in the South, pre-teen volcanic isles lurking in the Auckland harbor- everything! The foliage is fun. Tree Ferns act as umbrellas, popping out the of hillside in perfect distance from one another, choking out the sunlight for invasive weeds. I feel at home here.

The people in NZ are special as well. It was lovely to see Jonathan and meet his beautiful family. It was lovely to jump off a jetty with the kids from Kohu Kohu. They asked a myriad of questions about celebrities and parties when I told them where I came from. Strange, the most famous person I’ve ever seen (besides Desmond Tutu) is Rhys Darby from Flight of the Conchords! He was who was eating dinner with his family right next to us at a restaurant called Lone Star in Auckland just a few days ago. The best question hands down came from a 10ish year old Kohu Kohu native- “Have you even been lost?” What a remote life these children live in the Far North!

Driving up north by myself in a sad excuse for a car was a fantastic experience. An Englishman taught me how to weave Maori baskets, a French woman laughed at all my jokes for a day, and I spent 2 nights in a place called The Tree House. On top of that I rented a kayak and paddled out to a little island and spent most of my time driving from beach to beach, swimming wherever, whenever. The views were stunning. Russell is one of the last places I remember being on a family vacation before my father passed. It was a happy reunion, a peaceful graze with the past. Arriving back in Auckland during peak hours was not all that bad. After getting fantastically lost in Epsom I pulled over- almost magnetically drawn to sweet local wine shop. The cashier was of great company and help. Not bad looking either. We conversed for an hour or so over my sandwich and his coffee, interupeted briefly by the occasional customer. When traffic died down I continued home printed directions in hand, compliments of Lloyd.

Not all has gone smoothly. RIP iHOME. A causality of high & barmy American stupidity. The iHOME was an absolute pain in the ass to drag around- but it has always been essential in my room. iHOME even went around the world via MV Explorer. It had a good life; it’s in a better place now (sitting in my office). Besides that great material loss, which is not that great or an irreplaceable loss, all is well in Kiwi Land. On the subject of kiwi’s I am 76.3% sure I saw one, scurrying into a bush as nocturnal flightless bird do at 11:00 am- let’s just say I did.

New Zealand New Home

(New Zealand Construction Business)

Word: Keen- 1. having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm. 2 sharp or penetrating- cold, clear, quick to understand, highly developed. 3 informal & dated- excellent. 4 very low price; competitive.

Book: Big Weather Poems of Wellington

“Elaborate forms of urban life, Wellington: swirling trees

aeroplanes pass between, a freshly mown lawn

arriving from

three blocks away”

-Gregory O’Brien

Sounds of droll hums and squeaky cogs have filled Professor Morrison’s (Phil) and Liz's (his lovely wife) home for the past 4 days. Each day Bit O’ This -Bit O’ That, a kiwi construction business, remove and compact clay from Phil n’ Liz’s’ hillside. The retractable additions and a sturdy tractor are no match for these Wellington hills- creative ingenuity, such as a man sitting atop the scooper for balance, as well as a few beams for the tractor to tromp up, are essential for getting o’ bit done.

The first day in Wellington included 80-degree weather, all white cricketers in the sun, a delicious crepe, and a few Samoan Rugby matches. The second day consisted of 3 ugly flats, hours on the Internet, vicious southerly winds and a walk about town. Currently there is a ferocious flat mate search. The influx of international students skyrockets in Feb, creating a hostile housing hunt. One flat I visited was being viewed by 30 people in one afternoon. Ridiculous. After walking 2 days of what felt like the entire city, which is very walk-able, my heart was set on Aro Valley. Feeling a bit hopeless on the third day, my professor gave me a golden paper with a class he wanted me to look into. On that paper glowed an add for a place in Aro Valley. I gave the advertiser a ring, and poof- one conversation over a cup of earl gray tea later a north facing Aro Valley room was in the works. Amazing what can still be done without the Internet. The owner of the house is a photographer who is often out of town. Julia has an amazing collection of local woodworks and art. By local I am referring to Aro Street, the heart of Aro Valley. With a move in date secured with some cash I am off to Auckland to visit family friends. Orientation begins February 17^th. Cheers to a new life!