The beginning of the last year of the millenium (like it counts for squat). That is unless the world ends on queue this May 5th.
For Auld Lange Syne....
2 January 2000
New Years Eve was a blast. The night mis-termed the "millenium" by the unintelligent and ill-informed peasants of the world, was SO MUCH FUN. I danced solid from about 10pm till three in the morning (when the DCC stoppped the music). Freaky thing was the fact atleast three strangers came up and took photo's that were quite definately of ME. It got me rather paranoid, especially considering how badly I dance. Other freaky thing. Some old skanky guy grabbed hold of my waist. Talk about "icky poos". There should be a law against old skanky guys. I thouse who grab people should be executed. But other than that I was a great night. Even if I spent WAY too much of it drooling over the talent. There was one vision in a tight black Tee with white sleeves. Wo-yeh, I'd SO like to go there. Not that I'm a desperate male or anything.
Then after all my dancing and drooling I went and watched the fireworks at day break. They were quite spectacular, though not as good as the otago anniversary ones in 1998.
That was all before limping home at 6:30ish and getting NO SLEEP at all.
So yesterday was a quiet one, I just sat around writing letters and reading. And getting frustrated that I can't seem to find Wormgirl's postal address in Te Anua. GRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Today was another quiet one. Wasted testing cheat codes for Age of Wonders. My life is so boring.
New Years Resolutions (not that I'll keep them):
To go jogging with my flat mate Amy, as close to every morning as possible (here's me counting chickens before they hatch, being the flat isn't entirely confirmed)
To stop being so timid and ask people out if I like them
To stop taking pity on myself and cut the depression binges
It's raining It's pouring
4 January 2000
On sunday night I had a long pleasnt conversation with someone on IRC. Something that I had not thought was possible. Though it did prevent my planned early night.
The last two days have quiet. Me sitting home and playing computer games. So that's all I have to write for now. Later.
I never can say good bye No no no I Never can say good bye
5 January 2000
I had a nice quiet start to today. Finally doing some writing for the first time all summer. And I suck at it. It was all terrible.
Then I wandered into town and watched "Inspector Gadget" with Midget. It was fun, but not too true to the original. And it wasn't really aimed at fans of the original cartoon, but at the new generation of little beasts.
Then I went shoppping with midget for Rachel's (ChickenLady's) birthday. So I took Midget to the adult shops, it was SO worth it to see the look on her face. Truely a classic moment, if only I had had a camera with me.
And my Spiderwoman has finally arrived, two weeks late. Yay, I have it atlast.
Well, that was my day. See you later.
You've got a friend in me...
6 January 2000
Toy Story 2 kicks arse. It's a really good flick. It was even better than I had expected. I went to it with Tash, pulling the whole two movies in one day trick. Pokemon : the first movie was plain BAD. So atleast I saw one good movie today.
That's about it for now. Holiday's make my life so un-noteworthy.
Go West Paradise is there you'll have all that you can eat of milk and honey over there you'll be the brightest star the world has ever seen sun-baked slender heroine of film and magazine
7 January 2000
Today was quiet. It rained this evening. This did not amuse me. As I was in town. To meet non-existant friends. And stood. Rain upon my head and shoulders. And became wet.
On the bright side i bought Tracy Chapman today. It's a great album, she has such an incredible voice. And plain groovy songs.
It should also be noted that I have finally organised my trip south. On monday I shall be heading to Tuatapere for about a week to spend some time with my dying Aunt, and hopefully do some tramping wuth Peter. Then I'll come home via Te Anua, so I can finalise flat details, with Amy. Or more to the point, confirm I'll actually be living there. i have no idea where I am staying in either place, or how I'm getting to Te Anua or back again. But I'm sure it'll fall together.
Sorry Is all that you can't say Years gone by and still Words don't come easily Like sorry like sorry Forgive Me Is all that you can't say Years gone by and still Word's don't come easily Like forgive me forgive me
8 January 2000
I'm peeling, and i've broken out. Grrrrrrrr, I hate what sunburn does to my skin.
I've spent today listening to CDs and playing with the graphics files for alpha centauri.
My life is SO BORING. Atleast I'm off on holidays in two days time. Which will be a nice change. First thing monday morning I shall be out of here for two weeks. Which should be a nice break. And hopefully by keeping busy I'll manage to lose some weight. So I shan't be quite as disgustingly obese when I start back at uni. Though I'm not expecting any miracles.
Grrrrrrr. There is nothing on TV. And I've nothing to do. GRRRrrrrrrrrrrr. It's saturday night and I'm sitting home alone. How tragic is that?
Not much more tragic than the fact I used 166.88 hours of internet time last month.
So long my friend I wish that I could see you Once again
9 January 2000
Well, this is me saying bye for two weeks or so. I'm off to tiki tour round southland. Hopefully it will be more fun than it sounds.
So everyone should email me, so I'll have lots to reply to when i get back and can thus feel popular. Or even better, snail mail me. Because then I get to reply on fun (if dodgy) stationary.
See you all again somewhere around the 24th.
10 January 2000
I slept so poorly last night. I woke due to breathing difficulties and the shock of it had me so full of adreniline that further sleep became an impossibility. Then my ODT papers were late. Though it's the last time I'm doing it for over two weeks so it was pretty predictable that something would go wrong.
My father was early, and I SO wasn't packed. So it all ended up a super-stressful rush, and got me really paranoid that I would forget something of the essentials. Then after passing by at SJS, it was a very long car trip, with only on stop, in Milton of all places. Then it was just drive, drive, drive, drive. With my brother going on and on and on and on about nothing at all. I was feeling sick, had a nasty head cold, and he just helped so much by asking stupid questions about things I didn't care about. If I hadn't been feeling so crap I probably would have yeled at him. But instead I just sat and stewed in my own juices.
Tuatapere! What can I say? It's a hole.
My relations are all mad. And they all treat me like I'm stupid and physically inept, because I'm just a towny. One of my aunt's lives about 1000m from the other, and didn't believe I had walked it. Guess who wasn't amused.
Now it's getting into the evening, but not really very late. I am so tired I'll be off to bed soon. Darn not sleep last night.
And with any luck I'll awake to find my brother has miraculously gone mute overnight.
11th January
I hurt all over. Life Lesson : Stop getting sun burnt.
Before I went to bed last night I talked with Amy. It seems I shall be here in tuatapere till the evening of the 17th. It also seems she no longer wishs for me to flat with her. Which is a right pain. It means I'll have to find a flat elsewhere. I'll probably end up with strangers. oh, woe is me.
Today I got up at about twenty to nine. it's one of my latest sleep-ins in a very long time. Especially nice after having had an early night. So then I stuffed around breakfasting for a while and just generally did nothing till we went off on a family walk (gee, now that sounded fun). My father, my brother and I walked down to the beach right by the mouth of the Groveburn and then right along past the Rowallan to Blue Cliffs beach. We even stopped and built lots of sand castles on a sand bar island in the Rowallan Mouth. Admittedly while doing this I got extremely sunburnt. The worst i've been sunburnt in a very long time. And the third time i've been sunburnt in as many weeks. The truely surprising thing though was that I actually had fun with my family. After that I had tea with my grandmother and aunt Alice (the one with cancer) and two of my cousins (Cheyenne and Elenor). It was quite nice. And the food was good.
Yet it must be said, I hate southland. i am so sick of Tuatapere. There are SO MANY flies and sandflies and midges and mosquitos and flies and sandflies. And as much as I like bumblebees, they like me a little too much. Well, I should go check me bed, it's a mezanine in the utility shed. and is open to the south east, which is nice, as it catches the dawn sun, but has it's draw backs.
12th January
The day of spud
Over breakfast this morning my uncle Rank decided my feet were too sunburnt, so I had them covered with potatoe pulp. it felt SO GROSS. And when I say gross, I mean it. Not a sensation I'd ever recommend. Though it does do wonders for the sunburn.
I also started into "Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galazy." Though I doubt I'll get it finished, I might just have to get it out of the library someday.
Dad and Alex got here this avo. I'm quite amazed Alex is surviving, though visiting my feral aunt almost killed him. Anyway, I'm off to continue my convalescing. My feet have to recover for tomorrow, as I'm tramping.
13th January
Last night Rachael (my cousin) dragged me off to the beach to soak my sunburn while her fiance and her little brothers were all out floundering. it was so nice. the water wasn't too cold and it was great on my glowing red skin.
Anyway, now I'm waiting for Peter to ring and confirm today's plan. He really should have rung by now. it's almost 10, and he said he'd ring early in the morning.Well Peter finally rang and came and got me mid-afternoon. After stopping at the Tuatapere dairy for essential (junk food) supplies we headed over to Lake Houroko. The drive there is breath taking, being that we were driving where the grader had just been and gravel road dust was everywhere. Though the road was okay once we were into Fiordland National Park and surrounded by forest.
The lake itself is so "picturesque" and has the added bonus that practically no-one goes there.
Anyway, the walk Peter had chosen was through the bush and up the side of a mountain. And idoit me had volunteered to carry the pack. Spot who is a genius, genius here. *pick me, pick me*
ARGH, I just realised I left Amy's christmas present in Dad's car, so now it's back in Dunedin. Dag-Nabbit.
Anyway, Peter and I walked a surprisingly long way up the side of the mountain to a lookout with a great veiw of the lake. I took some photos on Dad's camera (I got his camera but forgot Amy's present - bloody typical) and then we trundled back down again. it was SO much fun, and all it cost me was sore calves from my pants rubbing on my sunburn as i walked.
So that justified my trip to Tuatapere, now I have about four days left here to finish my book and get on Barbara's nerves and then i'm off to Te Anua to spend some time irritating Amy, who'll prolly be as annoyed as I am about me having left her present in my father's car. Actually she'll probably just take it as basic Matthew Robertson Stupidity(TM).
Well, that's me, for now.
15th January
Yesterday was a quiet one. Watching cows get moved, helping my cousins catch Carmen Sandiego and finishing The restaurant at the end of the universe. So if I can luck out and finish Life, The Universe and Everything today or early tomorrow I might manage to finish So Long and Thanks for all the fish before Amy comes to get me on Monday.
Speaking of Amy. I got her present in the post today. My father sent it down fast post once he found he had it yesterday morning. So there is a use for him after all.
Well, I have a book to get back to, though I'll probably end up just helping to catch Carmen all day.
P.S. I hate sandflies.
17th January
Okay, so maybe this isn't sensational, but you're still reading, so it can't be all bad. And then again, I'm not on a train anyway.
Yesterday I finished "So Long and Thanks for all the fish" about lunchtime. So now I have Douglas Adams nicely out of the way. It's done, I can say I've read it and never have to look at it again. Then, low and behold, I actually did an evening of farm type stuff. Riding around on the back of the Kingswood (Ute substitute) and shocking my aunt, who said I looked a little too much like a farm kid. I even planted spuds (something I doubt many of you will be able to imagine). After returning from my quick stint as a farm hand I aided my aunt Barbs in rearranging half the furniture in her house in the attempt to make it all look tidier. I must say that she hasn't done all too shabby a job of it.
It has been a good week really. It's had a bit much sunburn and WAY too many sandflies in it but other than that it's been a nice break from dunedin (and my mother). And now I just have to waste today and Amy will be here this evening to take me off to far and distant lands (Te Anau, an hour up the road from here).
Other bad thing about this visit, I've had lots of family character traits pointed out in me. GRRRRrrrr, I don't want to be like my family, my family is all screwy.Well, I'm now at Amy's. Her mother and brother seem nice. And so does her house. it's late and I'm tired so I shall have to write more once I'm more pleasant, say after 10 or 15 hours sleep.
18th January
I slept in this morning. Till about 11 (interjection from Amy "Slack Arse"). Then after breakfast we hit the supermarket for JUNK FOOD before scoring cheap tickets on the "Milford Monarch" and headed up to meet it.
Fiordland National Park Te Anau - Milford: Trees and mountains and trees and mountains and tress, oh, and there are mountains and trees too. It was all very "perty" and "bootaful" and extraordinarily dull. We stopped at a lookout to gaze over some glacial valley or another. it was all very picturesque and vaguely interesting from a geological point of view, I still fail to see quite why tourists blow so much money to see it. I guess it must just be some flaw in my nature.
Though I did enjoy the sign asking us not to feed the Keas. How much such a sign should be included in every scout hall.
the tunnel was also fun. Well, no, I'm lying. it was dull too, and wet and full of carbon monoxide, but I'm trying to sell the place as a fun tourist destination here, can't you see.
Admittedly the "Milford Monarch" trip was actually fun. Me and Wormgirl eating "Mr W's" the whole way and drinking rather warm chocolate milk. Though it's been really dry lately so there were no waterfalls. And clouds made Mitre Peak quite unimpressive. I felt quite ripped off. Also there was a complete lack of talent in Milford. No eye-candy at all. But what can one expect from somewhere only accessable via Southland.
Anyway, it's now really late as I've been talking to Amy for AGES. So I need to go sleep.
19th January
Chickens are not a pretty sight to wake upto.Today was quieter. Spent walking around Te Anau and window shopping. lokking at the wildlife reserve (a glorified aviary) and generally bumming around. I did manage sustained test-the-water cabbage with the same gorgeous tourist twice during the afternoon though, which was a nice little ego boost.
This evening Amy and I attended a "Mary Kay" party with a few of her friends from fiordland travel (home of Noel, the evil gang show producer). It was weird, and rather boring for me, I think Amy may have had a little more fun. Though I did score some Skin Management for Men : Conditioner, which is basically moisterizer with sun screen.
Well, once more it's late. So G'night.
20th January
I'm still in bed. Though I think it's still early so that's okay. I'm just lying in bed wondering whether I'll be able to live with Amy or not. She has offered me a reader's digest condensed room in her flat. it sounds to small to be managable but I'll have to wait until I've seen it. If it's as small as it sounds I'll just have to start flat hunting like a normal student. Which is something I'll almost certainly end up doing as I quite want a room big enough that I can have my lego out. I'm also not entirely thrilled about the concept of a mezzanine bed. So I shall have to wait and see.Amy's brother, Ashley, agrees with me that Amy is LAME. Atleast in respect to the christmas present she gave me. A copy of "What is a Southlander". It has Tim Shadbolt and Jeff Wilson on the cover, yet still tries to be serious?
I've spent most of today buying stuff and writing Postcards for those few people whose addresses I could remember. And in some cases, making addresses up. So I'll be surprised if all of the things I sent actaually make it where I want them too. I've also had WAY too much junk food, but that's life I guess. And I'm just a tad sore from yesterday and the combination of sunburn and Amy's violent side.
21st January
Though last night Amy decided to use me to prove a point. Her grandparents are staying and she was told to sleep on the lounge floor. but she didn't (shock, horror) and instead slept at the other end of the caravan they have me in. So now her mother will have jumped to some serious dubious conclusions and probably now thinks I've corrupted her sweet lil' girl. All I can say to that is "WHATEVER". I'm way tolate to corrupt Amy, compared to her I really am sweet and innocent.
I so need a shower. I have MASSIVE DEMONICALLY-POSSESSED HAIR. So I shall go have one, then trundle into Te Anau and post my post cards. Later.ARGH. Amy's stepfather left for work while I was writting the above and locked me out of the house. I am seriously not amused. And now I have to go to Te Anau complete with really big hair. And my fudge is in the house too. So I have no way of even controlling my medusaian mane. ARGH. Damnation upon all builder/bus drivers. This is SO frustrating.
And to top it off, I think I just swallowed a sandfly. This is NOT looking like a fun day. Well, now I'm off to inflict a big-haired grumpy me on an unexpection Te Anau.
After a bad start it's been on okay day. I drunk a hot chocolate really slow while reading the newspaper at a cafe and took some photos of a caged takahe at the Te Anau Wildlife park. I even started Amy a webpage.
22nd January
Last night Amy and I ordered pizza from her brother's work and watched the brady Bunch movie on TV. After the movie we had a mild attack of Coca-cola craving and walking into Te Anau in search of an open shop. Spot the small town, the only place open was Super Liqour. Other very small town quality of the place, everyone knows Amy. I mean EVERYONE, it was really scary. I also discovered (after buying a bottle at the same time) that I am NOT a fan of Ikon Harmonize.
Then last night I had a really weird dream, though that is all I remember about it, that I woke thinking how weird it was and remember nothing of the dream itself. I guess things like that probably aren't worth remembering.
I should probably get up at some stage. but it's a saturday I doubt any of this lot will be awake. i guess I'll just nap for awhile longer.
Yesterday I met Amy's sister Jo in passing before Amy had me pack up my stuff as we moved to her father's house. So that made for a reasonably busy if uneventful morning. After lunch, and meeting the rest of her family I went to Manapouri with her for the afternoon.
Manapouri : Small, quiet, bordering on dull. though I managed to keep myself amused for about three hours walking around the surprisingly long beach front down into Pearl Harbour on the Waiau. So it was quite fun really, especially after being found by Amy after Amy's boss lost a set of car keys and needed help searching for them.
Last night I also slept inside a house for the first time in ages, having spent 7 days in a utility shed mezzanine and 5 in a caravan. Yay for houses, even if it is a squeeky fold out thing.
24th January
Yesterday Amy and myself went on a day trip. We drove to Rainbow Reach and then walked about an hour and a half to Motorau and back around Lake Manapouri and Shallow Bay. it was quite a nice walk, except for meeting up with Noel and Sue Walker on the way. I had managed to avoid Noel so well over my week in Te Anau.
Anyway I'm going home today and have to pack up my stuff again.
Why do the babies starve When there's enough food to feed the world Why when there's so many of us Are people still alone Why are the missile called peace keepers When they're aimed to kill Why is a woman still not safe When she's in her home
25 January 2000
I got home last night and had a look at Amy's flat. It's WAY too small to be livable, so now I'm officially flat hunting.
Today I checked in at SJS and then stuffed around for a while in town and picked up the latest issue of "WILD THING" before heading home to catch up on email and start typing up my holiday web diary.
And I've been offered a cheap flat in NEV. But I'm not sure I could survive flatting with him, but I'll decide after I've seen the flat.
There you see her Sitting there across the way She don't got a lot to say But there's something about her
26 January 2000
Okay, today I've done practically nothing. Played a little Pokemon Gold, now that I have it in english. Caught up on some videos. And read a good chunk of "The Fifth Elephant".
I wouldn't mind a man Who wouldn't mind seducing me
27 January 2000
Today I had a nice long lie in reading "The Fifth Elephant" after having woken to my favourite episode of gargoyles, "Possession". Then a couple of hours getting frustrated over the half-arse translation job on Pokemon Gold. At that point I thought it was probably time to get out of my PJs and prepare for the day.
Then I was off to see a flat. A friend of mine, Josh, is looking for a flatmate. It's a nice house, but I'm not too sure how long it'd be before he and I would be at each others throats.
And I wake in the morning And I step outside Take a deep breath And get real high And I scream At the top of my lungs Whats going on
28 January 2000
Er, I got sidetract and didn't finish was I was writing last night when my evil mother made me duraseal all my brother's school books.
But then not all that much happened after that yesterday. I caught myself flirting with my rather cute neighbour. And got depressed watching Buffy and curled up sulking on Amylase (the giant teddy bear I named to both pay homage to, and simultaneously annoy Tina) for a while. Mainly I think I just had a couple of months of sulking to let out in one go. After that I durasealed books and had a couple of long catch up phone calls with friends of mine (yes, as unlikely as it sometimes seems, I do have friends).
This morning I restarted my paper-run, after a nice long break. Then spent the morning watching things I'd videoed off TV and been meaning to watch before showering and heading off to meet Midget in town. Her and I went to "Drive Me Crazy" which turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would, and nowhere near as teeny-bopper as I was expecting. Though there were so many teen-boppers watching it, and they all thought we were mad as Midget and I were the only people there who got a lot of the jokes, it had a surprising complex ironic humour that none of the teeny-boppers got.
Then I scored some comics for a buck each, including a first edition. Anyway, I'm off now. Bye.
But in the end You still have no friends
30 January 2000
On friday night I went to KC's, which as much as its a crap hole, it was a lot of fun. Admittedly it was only fun as Susan (a friend I've known since 7th form) was there to dance with.
Yesterday was made up of much walking. Walking to the worlds crappiest "House Truckers Craft Fair" and then walking back through town with friends (Tashanaaron). Walking home from town in the rain. Going to a party in the Azalea gardens (which involved walking around the gardens in groups). But it wasn't too bad. I got a chance to catch up with a few people, especially Oliver who has the dubious honour of being my best friend and to whom I have hardly talked in the last year.
Today. Talk about a dull start. I taught me lil brother my Star paper run so he can take it over once I finally find a flat. And then i curled up in bed and watched Clockwatchers, a very enjoyably movie starring Toni Collette. And then finished The Fifth Elephant, an exceptional book I heartily recommend to all (though it'll be better if you've already read Guards, Guards; Men at Arms; Feet of Clay and Jingo).
Well thats about all I have to write for now. Later. PS: Anyone know of a nice-ish flat with a decent sized room wanting of an occupant? I have to escape this place before I flip and slay my mother and that thing of hers.
