Victoria Park, Auckland

Today is beautiful. It is so sunny and clear, warm with a cool spring breeze. The air is scented with sea and grass and city.

In the park earlier I passed a bagpipe band (playing something nicely dancy and unscreechy) and then an open area around which there were lots of people standing. In the centre there were a couple of men doing something, and from a distance the amount of tracksuits, caps and cool haircuts congregating near the graffiti covered bridge posts made my heart leap at the prospect of actually seeing one of those dance-offs that breakdancers do in music videos and movies. After all, they were all standing around the edges watching one or two people performing in the centre.

As I got closer I realised that in fact these were petanque fanciers bowling for all their balls were worth. And so I continued to my shopping with a desperate urge to pop some robotic moves on their supermarket asses. Upon returning home I found the site linked above which is brilliant and which I shall be incorporating into my daily dancing round the house routine. I hope to be able to moonwalk by October.

Pictures for HDIF

Decisions decisions

St Mary's Bay, Auckland

A tree in St Mary's Bay that is, not a bay tree belonging to St Mary. Its nearly spring now and there are some fabulous blossoms all over the shop. You may notice that I'm a bit of a tree fanatic.

The sun is shining and I am scheming all sorts of schemes. This place would just be perfect if I had a companion or housemate to share things with, someone to get me going to a few gigs and share the summer sun. Plus there's the Big Day Out in January and weekends away at Waitomo and Taupo still to enjoy. Hmmm....

Conversation with Sleeping Man

tricia says: (9:34:58 pm)
   Hi. Another late one for you I see

tricia says: (9:43:46 pm)
   or perhaps you've just left your computer on.

tricia says: (9:52:28 pm)
   Yes. Thats what you've done. Maybe you're slumped over it with your unconcious dribble spilling over the keyboard. Maybe you'll wake up and the space bar will malfunction from overgob.

tricia says: (10:05:42 pm)
   Maybe your computer is smiling down at you, its electronic gaze filled with the love of a young nurse for her wounded hero.

tricia says: (10:09:40 pm)
   It slows down its processor and calms its fan to hear your snore, and it feels at peace, as though it could pull out all its plugs and lie there with you forever.

tricia says: (10:12:34 pm)
   I've got a blog now by the way. http://tethysia.blogspot.com/

Ponsonby, Auckland

I've been here since April doing the design student thing, which is all good. The city is gorgeous, the weather is great - sunshine to keep my spirits perky even in the dead of winter and heavenly heavy rain - and the sushi and coffee are splendid. Many of the people are weirdly up their own arses but I suppose they feel they have a right living in the country's closest thing to a bustling metropolis. The main pedestrian crossings in the city centre can be traversed diagonally which still gives me a thrill.

I've been on the internet a lot recently. The friends I have here are unreliable and (though absolute darlings) are unlikely to remain friends once I hop the island, so its been good to rabbit away and get rambles, sarcastic quips, gossip and other such things a girl can miss when she's far from her boys.

The saleswomen here are terrifyingly assertive - shop assistants seem eager to assist, bank tellers tell you what you should do, even the Dunkin Donut woman has a spiel. No wonder everyone back home hires kiwis, they're customer service crazy. I've heard that Japan is even worse and that you have to swipe them away like flies. I look forward to finding out one day.

The clothes here are great - there are loads of good second hand places. Weird, then, that the local dress is unbelievably dull - black black black and lots of girls with the uniform of cowboy boots over jeans under overlong tshirt under oversized belt, livened up only by the occasional Asian fashion student flouting her stuff. Thank god for her. There are some 'alternative' types who shop here http://www.illicithq.com/ and with Misery, the fantastic designer who has the shop next door. She does wonderful dresses, I'll have to find you a picture. Mine are still the only flares I've seen since I've been here.

Study is like anything, it has its ups and downs. I love the course but I've been getting a little lazy lately. I'm even more lazy when it comes to getting a social life. I get invited to things but it all seems the same. I'm down to one night out most weeks. There are some great djs playing trendy music in trendy little bars around the place but I'm craving a live gig, banter or hard grog. I know, I know, its all down to me, and if I got my act together and went to something I'd probably meet more like-minded people. I know.

Ignore me. Things are quite magical really, I'm here for exactly the right amount of time (mind you I could have done with moving the whole thing on a few months to get the real summer heat) and I have an outstanding visit from Dan, a backpacking jaunt in Northland and some cool Auckland days to look back on. And another 4 and a half months to go!