Halftime

Well everyone. It's been a long time since you've let me rap at ya so here we go.

The last update was from the deep depths of a pre-winter depression I think. The weather was cold, the skies were grey, the city was preparing for hibernation. Things are much better now. Much, much better. For starters I have been downloading some new music (new music makes me happy.) I've been downloading like a fiend actually-the new Plaskett and Sufjan are wonderful, Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal are getting some well deserved rotation time, and Bloc Party is batting home runs out of the park (just to name a few.)

Also, school is almost finished up for this block. I have 3 days left and then I am back in a high school moulding young minds. I get to stay here in ChCh for this placement and I'm at a 'rough' high school out in the suburbs. I'm sure it will be fine. I'm just stoked I don't have school for the next 7 weeks and that I don't have to move this time since ski season starts June 4th at the nearby mountain. So starting next week I have 5 weeks of teaching, followed by a 2 week break (which I'm trying to get to Fiji for,) and after all that I will be well over halfway done my schooling here. Time has flown by. Maybe I should start thinking about what I want to do next year...

Thirdly, I found myself a jobby-job at a place downtown called Science Alive! Science Alive! is somewhat like the Ontario Science Center but a lot smaller. I originally applied to an educator position for the Saturday Science program but I arrived on-scene a little late. Anyway...I volunteered one Saturday and they liked me (how could they not?!?) So some strings were pulled and now I work as a presenter in the Interactive Area. Basically I wander around and make sure people are having fun and not getting hurt. There is a vertical slide (a 30" high slide that starts completely vertical and ends up with a curve to slow you down,) a climbing wall, a human gyroscope, and a blacklight mini-golf course. So far it's really good. And it might turn into something more long term if I manage to become an educator.

Finally, I met a girl. It is amazing how humans of the female persuasion can lift the spirits. Yeah...I don't know what to say really...we're having fun. The whole thing is a long story that I might get into someday with some of you but not here and not now.

That's about it. A more high spirited message than the last. Take care everyone.

Check this out

This is pretty amazing.

http://www.local10.com/education/4490802/detail.html

My bicycle is my home.

One day I was walking through the park and I saw this guy with a bike covered in luggage carriers. There were heaps. I thought it would be funny if that bike was his home. Probably not so funny for him. But I think it is funny to say "My bicycle is my home."

Here is some random stuff. I'm random like Rando Calrissian. Some is pretty old.

a) When you drag your feet across hard, dry sand you can make a sound similar to a zipper zipping. It is really neato.

b) Maori kids love low-rider bicycles. I have seen some ridiculously awesome cycles.

c) Seashells are incredible. Each one is so unique and perfect at the same time. I don't know how anyone could not be amazed by them.

d) You know when you were a kid and you went to the beach or a swimming pool, remember when you would have your parents or friends throw a ball or a frisbee into the water and you would try to catch the thing in the most all-star of all-star fashion? Yeah...I still do that. And damn is it fun. You should have seen some of my snags. This Week in Baseball worthy, let me tell you.

5) Sometimes New Zealand feels about 10 years behind Canada. But in other aspects they try so hard to be super ahead of the times. For example, no windows have screens on them...so if you have your window open at night and the light on then your house becomes a bug sanctuary. On the other side, everyone has a cell phone and a DVD player and satellite TV. It's like they try to overcompensate or something and make believe that éverything is normal.

6) Moving to New Zealand and bringing a tuba is ridiculous. Who plays the tuba anyway?!?

Yeah. So I've been at school for about a week and a half and I think the blahs have set it. I don't really know what the blahs are, or why I even wrote "the blahs" but I just feel kinda ho-hum. I think maybe I'm bored of it all right now. All of it. I was talking to a friend and she said how her peeps back home always ask why she isn't more excited to be in New Zealand. She was like, "it's just like anywhere else. It feels like about 2 hours from home." And I can totally agree. It is so much like home. Just 13000 km away. But what's different really? The drivers drive on the left, no screens in windows, and an accent (that I don't really notice at all anymore.) I wish I could find a job that involved travelling to places (other than this place-more exotic) and getting paid to do it. I really don't know if I can stay here another year. I'm sure you are reading this right now and saying "You ingrate!" but sorry folks...that's how it goes sometimes.

I'm trying to end with some brighter but I have nothing. Although, it was 20°C and sunny today, which is a welcomed change from the ~13° and cloud bs we have had lately. And i am making eggplant parmagiano for dinner. Speaking of which...