I do not like it Sam I am


No, not Teacher's College, I like that well enough, what I am currently waffling on about is the news that my beloved Grissom is leaving CSI.
Le sigh.....

In other news, Teacher's College is fine, not too challenging intellectually, but it just takes up loads of time, which means that I haven't done much work on my proposal or my work-that-I-get-paid-for which is kind of stink but really, whats to be done? The routine is coming together so it won't be long until I've got a handle on it, and have my days planned out.
The lack of easily-accessible internet is a double edged sword, because while there are a bajillion things I haven't caught up with online, there are also a bunch of other things I have done because I haven't been wasting time online catching up with things that aren't really that important in the grand scheme.

Teacher's College is weird in a way because we are constantly asked to think about our time at high school and the teachers we had, and it almost feels like now-me is visiting then-me.
If only I could, oh the things I would say to myself.

Right, back to the salt mines.....

Steady as she goes

This whole 'absence of immediate and fast internet' thing is certainly proving harmful for blogging. As soon as I have some money I am buying a wireless router so I can has the internets in my room, and therefore will never have to get out of bed again. Schwing!!!!

I've been watching "Weeds". Admittedly I have only-just-last-night finished the first season, but I can safely say that I love it and have a big girl crush on Nancy Botwin.
Watching it prompted a big thought the other night, about suburbia and the popular culture representations thereof, and I was going to speechify in defence of suburbia but right now I have a belly full of tikka masala and an absence of motivation so I think its time to crawl into the recliner with a cup of tea and watch the Food Channel.

I miss Maggie.

In Dreams

Do you ever have those moments where you think things are okay in your mind, and you are just fine with the way they are and think that maybe if one had more time one would sit down and really think things out but its really not urgent or pressing or whatever?
Then one night you will be just chilling out about stuff and things and not worried at all about anything in particular, and then you go to bed and have a dream in which things happen and people appear and there are events and sequences and interactions and then you wake up in the morning and it all just makes sense? All this stuff that you thought might take some serious figuring out eventually just turns out to be so simple and you are kicking yourself for not realising it earlier, even though its not even the time for it now, let alone earlier and may only be the half promise half possible time for it more-than-one years down the track from now, but at now at least you know and somehow that makes it all a bit better.

Yeah, me too.

Phew.

Yes its great to be home. 

Yes I miss my friends in the US.

No, I don't miss the heat. 

No, I haven't finished my dissertation. 

Yes, I am going to be a teacher. 

No, I haven't recovered from the jet-lag.

Yes, I miss my wireless internet access.

No, I don't miss the crap food. 

No, I haven't uploaded my photos to Flickr yet cos I can't get my laptop to work on my mum's internet connection. 

Yes, I am excited about getting on with my life. 

Strange, I have been feeling short of breath. It's almost like I can't really breathe until I get back here, so what is normal breathing anywhere else feels like being short of breath here. 

Gotta love that clean green nuclear free New Zealand air.....

On the phone to ISP tomorrow about installing a second plug for the internet in my room. There is a good chance I will be residing at Chateau Mum for some time.... at least until she gets tired of me and kicks me out, then I'm off to Chateau Dad. I have become so spoilt with internet access and I'm really not so ready to give it up. 

Is that sad?

Angry angry flight gods

I don't know what I did to piss them off, but it must have been something good.

The most recent examples: Last week, flying from Syracuse to Memphis, via Charlotte, North Carolina.
The flight left Syracuse on time (miracle!!!) but by the time we got to Charlotte the bad weather had caused many delays. So, we sat there on our poky wee plane for half an hour until we could get a gate. Fun times.
I was supposed to wait in Charlotte for maybe an hour and a half, but the delays meant that I had to hot-foot it to the gate to catch the flight to Memphis. Luckily I checked the boards for the times, and because of the weather, my next flight was delayed for an hour and a half. Time for a wee feed.
Finally, after a second delay of another 40 minutes (yes, that's two hours and ten minutes) I get on the plane to Memphis, where dear Sunshine and Van-Nasty were waiting for me and the other members of our party, wee Sethie and HKD.

We then proceeded to rock Bonnaroo, but that's a story for another day.

From Memphis, I took off for LA, via Phoenix, for a 9.30pm flight from LA to Auckland. The flight to Phoenix was fairly uneventful, except for the 45 degree heat that blasted me as I got off the plane onto the airbridge.

In Phoenix I got on my plane headed to LA, and we taxied out to the runway, at which point the captain informed us that we had to head back to the gate cos the plane was broken.
Mechanics ensued. Plane was allegedly put back together. We taxied out to the runway again.

Rinse and repeat.
Clearly the duct tape they used to fix the plane was no match for the Arizona heat, and we had to get off the plane and find a new one.

At this point I realised that the chances of me making the 9.30 from LA were rapidly shrinking. Off to the US Airways desk!!!
The pretty lady there informed me that we were going to get a plane soon and that I could get on the 10.30 from LA to Auckland, and she would call them to arrange it all while I got on the new un-broken plane to get the hell out of Phoenix.
I finally make it to LA at 9.25pm. Wait in line practically eating the luggage trolley while waiting for my bags, so I could load them up, take them to Terminal 2 and check in with Air New Zealand. Check in completed at 9.45pm. Continue to security.

Happily the usually insane security at LAX was fairly quiet, which was good because I was foul and tired and smelly and ready to crack some skulls.
I arrive at the gate just as they announce the boarding, simultaneously singing the praises of the nice people at Air NZ who are so accommodating and didn't charge me the $150 to change my ticket; and wondering what I did to anger the flight gods to the extent that I clearly have.

The occasions upon which I get on a plane that takes off and lands on time and meets all proper connections are considerably fewer than situations like the above.

I suppose I should consider myself lucky that my bad-flight-luck extends only as far as delays and missed connections, rather than the exploding-planes alternative.

But anyway, now I'm in Auckland airport waiting for my flight to Christchurch so I can see my mum and have a shower and wash all my clothes and get on with my life.
Boarding in half an hour...... fingers crossed.

Leaving, on a jet plane; don't know when I'll be back again.....

Its D-Day.
I'm leaving.
It's weird. Doesn't quite feel real.... which makes sense because that's how it was when I left to come here.

It's been fun.
Fun, brutal, lonely, fascinating, enriching, isolating, lively, gruelling, exhausting and one hell of a learning curve.

More adjectives to follow. I have to negotiate the DMV now. Urgh.

Hot Hot Hot Hot McHotter

Damn. Its hot.
And its not just hot. Its humid. Thankfully I have a spray bottle of cold water, a large glass of sprite with ice, and a fan directed right at me.

So..... I'm leaving this town on Wednesday. Gone baby gone.
All moved out of my flat, with zero thanks to my Most Considerate (/end sarcastic font) flatmate, who not only claimed to clean the bathroom and didn't, left a whole bunch of stuff, including about 40 books, for me to get rid of. No phone calls or emails to ask if it was ok that she left them, just a note. So I moved all the stuff, cleaned the entire place from arsehole to breakfast, took care of all the final bills, then emailed her to say that her stunt was a bit average.

Now I am ensconced at the Smith's house, which means Caleb and Maggie the Mega Dog 24-7. Caleb gets progressively cuter and happier everyday, and has now mastered the art of crawling forwards. Because Matt and I have been taking Caleb out and about so much, people presume that he is my baby, so when they ask me how old he is, and I say "ummm.... I dunno..... Matt? Is Caleb 7 months?" they think I am a terrible parent.

I've reached the stage where I am thinking about all the things (ok, people) that I am going to miss once I've gone. Its a bit sad, but then I realise that all the ones that really count will still be my friends, and are all coming to visit me in NZ.

But before then..... Bonnaroo!!!!! This time next week we will be rocking out, although its entirely likely that I will be collapsed in a heap on the ground due to the heat.
Seriously. My people are not equipped for anything above 25 C. I come from a long line of blue eyed freckled people from cold rainy places. Heat + me = messy.
You have been warned.

AOL Radio: only mildly sucky

On winamp there is a Brit Pop station, which I tend to listen to quite a lot because the radio stations in this town suck gigantic turds. Most of the time its pretty cool, as in right now they are playing the mighty Stone Roses "I am the Resurrection" which seriously shizzles my nizzle.

One problem however, actually two problems.
One is called Coldplay: Yes they are British, but they really need to be played on the "whiny annoying fuck-off-and-leave-me-alone" station.
The second is called Radiohead: Come on. If I wanted to listen to music made by suicidal squirrels that features random noises and a whiny voice that makes Chris Martin look like Captain HappyPants, then I would listen to the "Pretentious Art School Wanker" station.

Get off my Brit Pop you bastards!!!!

You know you've been in America too long......

....when you see a Mustang GT and your first thought is WANT!!!!!
(and your second thought is PHWOAR!)

My life in a triptych

Everything I own here must be put into one of three categories:

1) stuff that is coming home with me via Tennessee, and therefore must fit into 2 suitcases, 1 backpack and a handbag.

2) stuff that is going to be shipped home, and therefore that I will have to do without until October.

3) stuff that must be either sold, given away or put in the rubbish.

The problem with the first category is that it is summer now, and in Tennessee it is going to be even hotter and so I need several summer-type outfits and sandals and the like.
HOWEVER!!! When I get home it will be late June, which as everybody in the Southern Hemisphere knows, is smack bang in the depths of winter. So I also have to pack a jacket and some woolly socks and a hat. Plus the absolute minimum of five (ok, six) books, my laptop, my external hard drive and all associated cords, camera, sleeping bag, towel, toiletries to last from Sunday to the 19th of June, hats and sunscreen and sarongs because I am the whitest person in the world, various essentials such as can't-live-without dvds, summer jammies and one or two reasonably respectable outfits for when I get home and for Memphis, because you can't turn up at the home of The King looking like you've been dragged backwards through a bush. Did I mention this all has to fit in TWO SUITCASES!!!

Unfortunately my suitcases lack Tardis capabilities, so this is proving problematic.

There's really no problem with the second category, because I've filled 2 medium sized boxes and 2 small boxes and its mostly done.

The problem with the third category is that I hate throwing stuff out. Wastage drives me around the bend, so thus far I just have a large pile of things to give away to people.

Half used bottle of handcream, anyone?

urgh.

This will be brief because I am horrendously hungover.

I am Nic-Less as he headed off to NYC today for 48 hours, then off to Spain to walk across it. As you do.

I have (finally, one year later) updated my Flickr account. More to come.

Sophie is still delightful.

I finally watched the CSI finale, and all I have to say is WTF?!?!?! I did not see that coming.

The future of the future

You know how sometimes even though life is still being life-ish and throwing big steaming turds at the people you love, and things are stressful and occasionally disappointing despite the presence of some of the best people you know both physically and digitally, you get these brief little moments when you get a glimpse of your planned future and you get a little skip of joy in your heart and you think that despite all the crap that just keeps coming everything might just be ok?

I had one today.

'smy birfday today.

Awesome.

Crikey McDickster

I have returned from my East Coast adventure... relatively unscathed, unless you count absolutely shagged from driving 1300 miles in 7 days..... ten hours driving on Thursday.
We did the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Viet Nam memorial, two Smithsonians (air and space and natural history) and the WW2 Memorial; camping on Cape Cod; dipping our toes in the Atlantic; snacks at Plymouth Rock; dinner and Boston Lager in a Boston Irish bar; a stroll through Boston Common, and a drive what felt like the entire length of Beacon Street. Since Sunday I have driven in or through New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and back to New York again.

Because a picture is worth a thousand words and because I am utterly shagged (see above) here is photographic evidence for your perusal while I drink my gin and tonic and pass out from utter wrecked-ness.
Travel: awesome and exhausting.

Scheizen!!

I'm here in Maryland, after a rather harrowing drive last night through verging-on-driving-underwater type rain and arse-loads of wanker drivers. In an attempt to be all conscientious-like, I get up nice and early so I can get to the World Bank early and get extra nerd points..... and the fucking archives aren't open until 10am!!!

I see a leisurely breakfast in my immediate future.....

ps its still raining like a mofo. Last time I was here it was warm and sunny and now I am officially disappointed.

Me name's Gough and I'm off!!!

Going to DC soon.... well to Maryland, from whence I will go to DC in the morning to hang out at the World Bank with all the cool kids.
Tuesday I will pick Nic up from whichever airport he decides to land in, do some DC touristy things, then drive north for a Massachusetts camping adventure. I have been supplied with a map of Cape Cod and given some advice from people who know it well, so it should be a good time.

Apparently I am unlikely to get eaten by a bear in New England. Happiness abounds.

Back in a week.

Happy birthday Sunshine!!!

I have just sent out invites to the "fuck off Claire" party.... at final count we were nearly at 50 people. Shit. Am tempted to send them to my blogger friends as well.... you know, just in case they were in the area..... because people from Colorado and Arkansas and Vancouver and Toronto often stop by Shitsville, New York for a weekend.

Foolishly I went and said I was going to make pavlova. Hens? Get laying!!! I am going to need a bajillion eggs!

In other news, Operation Arse Shrink has been going well. I am eating larger lunches and smaller dinners, walking loads and I even have sore stomach muscles from doing sit ups.

The upside to walking lots is spending time with my one true love, Maggie the Mega Dog.

Things I like about walking with Maggie include:
- she stops and gives me kisses whenever I want them
- she doesn't want to talk about her feelings
- she doesn't talk about psycho-babble bullshit and only cares about the important stuff in life
- occasionally she will be struck by these attacks of utmost joy and will spontaneously frolick and gambol like a happy little lamb, and I find these moments refreshing
- when there is freshly cut grass she declares damn the torpedoes and rolls around in it, turning all her white hair green like some late-to-the-party St Paddy's Day drinker, all the while knowing that the rest of us are a little jealous because the smell of freshly cut grass is so appealing that we secretly want to roll around in it too.
- I get to look at this face. This picture belongs in the dictionary, next to 'happy', and cross-referenced with 'have you ever seen a more beautiful dog?'

Oh Maggie..... however am I going to steal you away and sneak you through customs when I go back to New Zealand?

Language crime-stoppers: our work is never done

Dear CNN

Please be advised that the plural form of 'roof' is not 'roofs', as I recently witnessed on a broadcast. It is, and has always been, 'rooves'. I don't care what your second rate online dictionaries or my own mother tell me. Honestly, this is the kind of thing I expect from Fox.

Yours grammatically, in defence of the English language,

Claire the pedant.

In which I am a tasty snack.....

...for this guy.

I went to the zoo on Saturday (and I know its probably not PC but I love zoos.... but only the ones with happy healthy animals who have the appropriate space to run around and do animaly things) and came across my new best friend here.
He was staring right at me through the glass, so I said to Matt "hey, that lion is staring right at me. Its kind of freaking me out" at which point I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP the lion LICKED HIS LIPS!!!!!
Apparently I am the kind of tasty treat lions go for these days.

Witch-hunting!!!

Because we are poor and adventurous (which makes for an interesting combination, to be sure), I am taking ex-blogger Nic on a camping adventure! In Massachusetts!!! Which I can spell!!!

The original plan was to go to Boston, but then the accommodation fell through, and the backpackers were too expensive (and did I mention that we are poor?) I am borrowing some camping gear for a few days and we are going to have an adventure. I want to visit Cape Cod and Salem and Boston and Walden Pond so it may well be an action packed few days.

Do they have bears in Massachusetts?