Creative Writing

I just got back from getting coffee with my creative writing professor in the campus bookstore cafe. We talked for an hour and fifteen minutes about my portfolio and how to expand it, and what was good, and how to make it better, ect. He is a really talented published writer with tons of good advice, so I am honored to have had the opportunity to do that! I can't believe how well I lucked out with this creative writing class I've been taking. I have a lot of inspiration after that meeting, too! Lots of work to do!

It started raining on my way back from campus which made deciding over walking to the harbor, walking to the grocery store, or staying in and making dinner a lot easier.

Speaking of rain, the forecast I mentioned a few posts back about it raining Monday-Monday has been pretty much totally wrong. It didn't rain on Tuesday at all, and it's Wednesday and it just started raining now, at almost 5:00pm... it's been gloomy, but I don't even mind. Lately, any weather besides rain is fine with me, and these past two gloomy-but-dry days have definitely lifted my spirits.

Katy Perry

I got the wind back in my sails quick!

I spent the first half of the day hanging out in Verve, a really cool cafe that offers FREE INTERNET. Free anything is rare in New Zealand, and not only is the internet in Verve free, but it's fast too. Incredible. AND they have outlets to plug in my computer, which is necessary. They played an entire Ryan Adams CD while I was there and I was absolutely loving life. After it was done they popped in Sufjan Stevens, another great choice. I think I'm going to spend more time there.

Tried my first "flat white" while I was there. It's about time. I've been avoiding weird New Zealand coffee but I finally decided I needed to see what the difference was between a flat white and a latte. I found out that there is none. (Not unless you believe there is a difference between macrofoam and microfoam)

I got a bowl of fries with aioli and tomato sauce, too. Their aioli did not impress me though, I must say. So far Fergburger still has the best aioli I've come across.

I left Verve and took the cable car up to class at 3:30. After my 50 minute lecture I basically ran home and Alexis Sara and I set out to sneak into the Katy Perry concert. It proved to be harder than expected. When we realized we wouldn't be able to sneak in a back door, we waited around for some scalpers to see what the going rates would be, but didn't see any. I guess no one wanted to part with their precious Katy Perry tickets. Sara gave up and walked home and Alexis and I went to American-themed restaurant/bar "Chicago" to create plan B over a beer. Little did we know, inside the bar something incredible was occuring: the Red Sox game was on. Strangest/coolest experience of the day. Even Alexis, a Yankees fan, was excited to see it on. That is either a testament to how long it's been since we've seen an American sport on TV, or to how crappy of a Yankees fan Alexis really is. We watched innings 8-11 and headed back out to give the Katy Perry show another go.

We couldn't get in but we did find a balcony-type area behind the arena with a door that you could hear through pretty well, and we camped out there and enjoyed the concert for free. Sara came back and we all had a good time. Once during the show a man opened the door and came out to answer a cell phone call. I saw inside and there were plenty of open seats. We asked if he would let us in but he wouldn't. In retrospect we should have pulled him out, ran in, and shut the door behind us. We would have been ON the stage. We're too polite I guess.

After the show we waited to see Katy make her exit, and she did, in a SUV with totally tinted out windows. We were all pretty unimpressed. There was only about 40 people out back waiting for her, all spread out, just chilling. It's not like she was in danger of causing a riot or anything. The least she could have done was roll the window down and wave.

Anyway, we walked away feeling satisfied. We didn't get in but we experienced enough of the concert to enjoy it. AND we didn't have to fork over hundreds of dollars for it like other people did.

Tomorrow Sara and I plan to actually purchase some tickets for a concert for a band called Cut Copy that's happening at the end of May. I've really never heard of the band, but Sara played me a few songs and I can tell it will be a fun show. I'm really excited, actually.

Until next time! Cheers.

Rainy Welly

Wow I live here.

Well, the weather that everyone has always warned me about is finally here. Rain rain rain rain rain. It was nice on Sunday but of course I was locked up in my room finishing a book for my NZ Lit class. It's gettin' me a little down. I just checked the weather and it says rain until next Monday. Ugh.

I'm trying to be optimistic, but when it's raining every day it's just kinda hard to be inspired to do fun New Zealand things, and then I waste precious days being bummy. I think I'm just in a rut. We went out on Saturday and I was really excited to finally be out in Wellington again, but when we got out to the clubs it just wasn't much fun. We tried our best to have a good time but mad creeps were swarming.

We've been planning for weeks to some how sneak into the Katy Perry concert that's going on tomorrow night, but I just have no wind in my sails right now.

The fact that my iPod got broken and my nose ring had to be taken out probably aren't helping my mood either. I'm already trying to mentally prepare myself for the 42 hour journey home sans iPod. I guess I can use the $55 headphones I splurged on for this trip as an fashion accessory :/

I know I shouldn't be complaining. I'm in New Zealand and it's awesome. I'm just being honest, though.

I need to plan something exciting to get me back on track.

RIP Nose Ring

Goodbye dear nose ring friend. You'll be greatly missed. Maybe one day you will be re-pierced again, but until then, rest in peace.

:( :( :( :( :(

Quick Update

I feel like I haven't been writing in this enough lately so here's a quick update before I head out:

Last night we went to the Hurricanes vs Blues rugby game and it was a lot of fun. The stadium was pretty empty, but I guess that's how it usually is. New Zealand is a tiny country I'm not surprised they can't even fill a stadium. I'm guessing it fills up for the All Blacks though.

Look at the beautiful scrum.

The Wellington Hurricanes lost but we still had a good time. After the game we wanted fish and chips and ran around like crazy people trying to get a cab before the places closed but we ended up just cutting our losses. It was good to save some money at least.

I just made dinner (splurged on parmesan cheese yumyumyumyum) and now I'm going to get ready, get weird, and go out with Alexis. We haven't been out in Wellington in what feels like forever so I'm excited about it. Should be a good time ;)

P.S. Time is ticking away towards my flight home and it's getting scary! I will be excited to get home and see my pup Winston who just turned 11 on Friday, though. ELEVEN. I can't believe it. Happy birthday to Win!

Hermit Week in NZ

I have nothing exciting to report on unfortunately!

I have to present my portfolio on Friday in my creative writing class so I've been pretty much working on that non-stop. It's been rainy and crappy so I guess I'm okay with being stuck in my room like a hermit.

Friday I have tickets to see the Wellington Hurricanes rugby match against the Blues! I'm so excited to see some real live rugby! Can't wait!

Here's another picture of Queenstown that I don't think I've posted yet. Beautiful. Cheers.

Beach Trip

Yesterday was a hilariously heavenly beautiful beautiful beautiful day at the New Zealand beach. The best day. The sun was warm, the water was cold and clear, the hills were towering over us and there were dogs having so so much fun. I didn't bring my camera but I won't forget it.

I really just felt like I was IN New Zealand, which, even after three months here, is hard to get my head around sometimes.

This is an older photo but it was this beach: