i was trying to decide if i would be better off
a) sleeping for a large portion of today as well (i'd just done another 12 hours last night)
b) trying to get some chores done (like washing clothes and such)
c) seeing about spending some time in the sun
when edm called to see if i wanted to go to wagamama for lunch pretty much Right Then. so c) won out. i was feeling much more ill-ish today besides being tired. body was not working as it should quite, but i was able to get a huge bowl of soup down and 'walk' along the bay in the springtime sun (it was more like shuffling since my body was just determined to be overly tired despite the fact that i had obligingly given it water and carrot juice and a huge bowl of soup so we spent quite a while moving from one place to the next). we stopped for tea (to try to rectify the caffeine intake, but it didn't seem to help that much) and wandered slowly around the other end of the waterfront.

eventually after sitting and babbling (er, well, i babbled. edm listened. this is not an unusual thing. what is unusual is that instead of carrying on about the latest h/d i've read or going off about the job, i was babbling (again) about why i like the twilight series, and my bafflement about those that dislike the fourth novel (and i'm counting on you, dragonfly_lily, as someone who can explain this too me without getting into a catfight about it). don't get me wrong, i have no problem with folk not liking an author or a series. i certainly don't think these are great literature. what i can't figure out is how book four is any different than books one to three. as far as i can tell she kept all her characters perfectly in character and went exactly where i expected her to (with some interesting side trips on the way). i'm not looking for a discussion as to why folk didn't like the characters or the series or even stephenie herself (again, everyone is entitled to their opinion), but i am interested as to why some love some of the series and hate the rest. anyway, i was saying sheepishly that edm was probably tired of sparkly vampires and he shrugged and said it was a change. [*pets him*]), we shuffled off for some dinner at the thai chef, which was rather lovely. after, what would have been a quick-ish stop at the store if i was moving more than 1/2 a kilometer per week, we called it a day. or rather a night by then.

and then i spent a heap of time trying to balance my books and discovered that i forgot to pay my credit card payment that was due during wow. [*headdesk*] fortunately this only cost me a fiver. also realised i have yet to finish balancing all my finances from the trip. [*facepalm*] in anycase, i do seem to be mostly on track with my kiwi and american bank accounts finally. and no, i didn't attempt to look at what i'm worth now that the entire world finance sector is trying to collapse. since i came to nz, the majority of my net worth is in the usa stock market. i don't own any property or a vehicle of any worth. i'm desperately hoping that the market will have recovered to a somewhat better point before i need to sell any of my stock. i'm trying to ignore the fact that my entire net worth just plummeted alarmingly.

oh yeah, and on friday i found a note from my landlady telling me she's increasing my rent by $100 a month. [*weeps*]

hope to get back into reading (rather than skimming) and commenting on your blogs. i miss y'all something fierce.

eeep! time for bed.

erm, i spent all day in bed today. slept for much of it. read for the rest. oh except the time in the shower and the couple of hours on the phone to phenix_tears. so yeah.

if anyone missed me at fidels yesterday it was because i left work a titch early and went home and took a nap. also missed a kitchen tea today (that's sort of like a bridal shower). so either i'm sick, or really depressed, or some combo of the two. bah.

i made it through the day, mostly. and then because edm is a good man, he took my whiney little arse out to french food and listened to me carry on about work woes and lack of sparkly vampire woes and my contemplation about how close i am to being completely unable to cope and how much of that is due to lack of sleep and how much is due to other stuff. [*flails*]

and then i came home and watched this fabulous vid that phenix_tears had on her lj:

( 5 friends (uncensored) )

raitala is back to making podcasts (this time with rickey_a's help). check out her itunes feed or her lj to get the first half of lush life (h/d) by pir8fancier. it's beyond awesome, i've listened to it twice already.

and, in case you couldn't tell, any spare energy anyone wants to send my way would be gratefully received.

am less coherent today than i was yesterday, if that's possible. and twice as mopey (yeah i know, seems like quite a feat to achieve). left work early today and slept through the afternoon. will post, and read some more and go to sleep. am hoping this will improve the general state of my headspace soon. still barely touching lj. sorry about that.

random link i got off of dr horrible's twitter page: yearbook yourself, an awesome time wasting site. you'll need a picture of yourself to play.

also



[*beams*] (oh, and that was for this al/scorp btw)

also, also, have been so out of it haven't seen hd_inspired. anyone got any recs from the past two weeks or so?

sorry, i know i've been absent. the first bit was because i was extremely tired from the two job thinger, but i was only doing one job during the weekend and sun was the last day of wow. the weekend, however, included a bit of flat hunting (that wasn't v. successful, since the flat that S's man is moving out of isn't much bigger than where i am and would cost considerably more and have a higher bus fare into town. [*shrugs*] still it was lovely that they took time out of their weekend to show it to me before the landlord puts it on the market), and more disposal of goods and not nearly enough sleep.

also have finished all of the available official twilight series (yes including the draft chapters of midnight sun). have to say i am an unashamed fan. of all of it. really enjoyed it. even want to see the movie (though i don't think it will be like i see the books, but i'm curious to see what they do). i think stephenie creates really interesting characters and situations. when i'm not so tired i'll do a spoiler-iffic review of it all.

for today, since i don't want to sit and mope at you anymore, i'll give you some cool vids and links.

first off, to give those of you that have no idea what this thing i just did is, some official vids for world of wearableart.

( wow's sponsor's (montana wines) vid )

( tourism nz's vid about wow )

next, i'm sure many of you have seen these next couple. a hysterical fake ad about kids songs done by rock stars:

( kids' rock ad (by tim hawkins??) )


and last but not least, one sentence - true stories, told in one sentence. this is v. v. awesome. some are funny, some heart-wrenching. ( my faves so far? )

also, mistful has put up the pdf of her fanfic. get it now before she takes everything down.

so yeah, sorry i haven't been reading lj for the last few days. let me know if there is something that i've missed that i need to know. i promise to get back to the comments and emails folk have sent, just not tonight. [*crawls back under the blanket with tales of romance*]

i had to put this vid up because it is too hilarious. for those of you that are dr who fans, think of the angel statue episode. short vid, it'll make you giggle. promise.

( stealth cat )


also the evil league of evil is looking for new members. really, honestly. :D

in other news, have finished the monster mailing at work. [*cheers*]

[*falls over*]

i have little tiny paper cuts all over my hands. go huge mailings. we are getting close to the end though.

despite being thoroughly exhausted (to the point where i feel a bit drunk all the time), edm and i went to see journey to the centre of the earth. was it cheesy? hell, yes. did it have a viable plot? not so you'd notice. where the effects cool? you bet your sweet bippy. was it worth sitting through bad dialogue and mediocre direction to see brendon fraiser in 3-d? and how. [*drools*]

am back at wow tomorrow (as well as my regular job), so should really go to bed about now.

things i'm grateful for today:
1. good cheap food
2. tea. seriously. would so not be standing upright without it.
3. kitty cuddles
4. that i managed to keep my goal of four grateful things list for every day of september. [*cheers*]

spent a lot of the day folding and stuffing. this was good since my brain is pretty well fried. so fried,in fact, that i can't even manage to deal with lj. sorry. i know i am missing birthdays and i'm sure some interesting posts, but just too tired.

have been enjoying eclipse just as dacro said i would. [*nods*]

unable to do much else but say what i'm grateful for today:
1. ironically, huge mailings
2. comedy
3. friends
4. the fact that i'm almost done with the month of gratefulness lists (yes, i know. bad attitude)

you know, i never thought i'd say i was glad it was the end of the weekend - but bloody hell, i'm glad it's the end of the weekend. two days without wow. don't get me wrong. i love it, but the idea of not running around all evening has a lot of appeal. back to it on wednesday. but that'll be fun.

speaking of which, if you're curious about the winners, take a look at their website - world of wearableart

because i put the last tina fey/snl vid up, i couldn't resist sharing this one as well: ( palin/couric snl opening )

am so going to bed now. [*falls over*]

things i am grateful for today:
1. the short phone call from my bro and nephews today
2. a moment to sit and read today
3. the fact that all my electronics know it's daylight savings automagically (we switched last night)
4. another sunny sunday (even if i spent most of it in a darkened theatre lobby).

it's saturday so i have some time off, kinda. i really need to be working on some spreadsheets for security and such, but will do that after i post and eat a bit.

first off, i neglected to mention that it was pombagira's bday yesterday and that we had a lovely (if rather brief) lunch to celebrate such. being the big spender that i am, i treated her to a $7.50 chinese buffet lunch. she seemed to enjoy it though. [*covers her in more bday kisses*] hopefully, since i it was at after two in the morning when i was writing, she'll forgive me for the posting oversight.

rushed off this morn (granted it was late morn, but considering i didn't turn out the light until 3am, it required rushing) to see the judge's forum. it was interesting as always. got to see L again briefly. but both she and i are both rather beat and she had to deal with changing hotel rooms and such. besides, she doesn't need to spend time with someone old enough to be her mum, especially since she's made friends with lots of other charming designers from all over the globe. nevertheless i'm pleased to have met her, chuffed that i got to hang out with her on awards night and go to the designer party after. am also v. glad that my emails and information made her feel more secure about flying across the world. and i'll be keeping an eye to see where she ends up in the fashion world.

i really do need to be getting back to my work [*gets back to work*]

[*comes back*]
things i am grateful for today:
1. my little printer
2. caffeine
3. thumb drives
4. connections to fun and interesting people

omg! L, that daughter of my sis-in-law's friend? she won the student award!!! how cool is that? she also came in second in her section. awesomesauce.

for those of you following the bus strike saga, wellington city council took a big rolled up newspaper and smacked both the drivers and the company on the nose and said 'bad dogs!' so no more lockouts or striking while a big international fest is going on. this is a goodness.

it is mucho late and i need to be in bed so i can get back up and go to the judges forum. at least i don't have to be up for a 9am breakfast with interviews with the local media like L does.

today i am grateful for:
1. getting to hang with a wow winner
2. the black velvet jacket my bro and family got me cause it kept me warm
3. my boss letting me sit in some empty seats to see part of the show and awards
4. four days in a row of only one job, w00t!

eeep! it's late.

in a an act of sheer stupidity from a public relations stand point, the bus company has locked the drivers out. there is absolutely no bus service until further notice. [*headdesk*] fortunately i have a car and the angels are watching out for me. didn't have to pay for parking today and shouldn't tomorrow either. [*cheers*] others are not so lucky. one of my volunteers had to quit because she can't get in to town to work for us. it turns out it's okay for us, but stink for her, cause she's missing out.

anyway, i really need to get to bed, so...

things i'm grateful for today:
1. my car
2. volunteers who don't need buses
3. ( this cool hovis commercial by ridley scott )
4. the fact that stuffing will need to be done soon at work so my lack of sleep won't matter

[*falls over*]

an amazing thing happened today. the bus drivers held a strike at an inconvenient time. i know all you americans are confused by that last sentence. strikes aren't meant to be convenient in your experience. and they last well, all day, for days on end. in wellington people strike for an hour or two. usually when the least amount of people will be bothered. like the bus strike a few days ago that lasted from 10am to 2pm on a weekday. sure a bunch of retired people were put out, but no commuters or school children. today the held a strike on the busiest commuter lines (again, not all routes, but a heap of them) from 7.30 - 8.30, key commute time. people were bewildered and miffed. what was the meaning of striking when it would mess with their lives? i just goggle at them all.

finished new moon and have already started in on eclipse. am going to guess that new moon will be my fave because frankly ( spoiler )

ended up leaving work early again today to go help at wow. again, thoroughly grateful work is slow enough right now and bossboy is kind enough to let me go play. turns out because of the way they've hired folk this year, i'm not needed nearly as late, which is good for me, but also a little sad, since i like hanging out with the girls and don't have much of an excuse to now. [*pouts a little*]

still, even with less demands at wow, i still find time disappearing rapidly. so onto The List.

things i am grateful for today:
1. bossboy and flexible work hours
2. the bus that shouldn't have been running but was
3. the chance to glimpse L's entry in the show
4. the chance to hang with some of the wow girls during the show

i'm not even going to pretend i'm coherent enough to write a post. instead i'll point you to a few things.

oldenuf2nb has written a wonderful happy/sad piece, the leaves (h/d, teddy, PG-13, 1100words). this is a short glimpse at a raising!teddy world. gorgeous. go read.

if you find social sites (like this one and facebook and such) and commentary about social sites interesting (fungus_files, i'm thinking of you specifically), and you have 25 minutes or so, check out this vid: in charge - the role of inconvenience in designing social systems by Clay Shirky, Faculty at the Interactive Telecommunications Program, NYU. i didn't think i'd want to listen to the whole thing, but clay is really interesting.

today i am grateful for:
1. dinner with tyellas (thanks again for suggesting it, hon) [*smooches*]
2. the ease of reading my e-book, while waitng, and waiting, and waiting for the bus
3. seeing a heap of familiar faces at wow, and having them happy to see me
4. getting a box from my dad and K with an afghan in it on a windy night [*cuddles up in it*]

autumnal for the north, spring for the south. it was a gorgeous day today, but nippy. could have as easily been an autumn day as spring. everything feels v. v. shifty right now. am itchy and a slight bit grumpy.

totally treated myself with doing nothing but reading tonight. i haven't been taking time to read much h/d at all what with all the sorting and cleaning and i've only been reading snatches of new moon on the bus. so tonight i treated myself to a bunch of new moon (which i'm liking better because there is less bad romance at this point, and more mythology), and a lovely h/d that's from the current back to school fest over at hd_inspired. it'd been recced so i thought i'd give it a go. rising from the ashes (h/d, R, 30,432words). nice, well worth the read. watched the awesomesauce moving storyboard thinger over there as well - Trees of One's Own Choosing (or) How Sirius Black Scared Some Sense Into Draco Malfoy (h/d, PG, runtime06:02) is v. v. cool.

also treated myself to this v. nude, v. not work safe h/d by red_rahl - and never let go. v. v. gorgeous.

things i'm grateful for today:
1. red_rahl's drawings
2. a half-day at work tomorrow (well, a full day, but half at wow!)
3. a new printer at work and the old one gone, gone, gone
4. lamb with guinness stew

in honour of the vernal equinox i threw out a heap more paper. before that i went to a t leaf tea party. and i also spent money on a nice lunch at wagamama, some xmas presents for some of you, and some bloody expensive clothes. the clothes were on sale and their super good quality and 100% merino wool. i got a cami (the peacock one over on the right) and a long sleeved top (the spice/sprig one that's last). and no i don't know why they have the models stand in such odd positions. the tops are both v. yummy and wonderful. well worth the money, but still slightly choke inducing, even with the 25% off.

the tea party was nice and both edm and i bought one of the teas we got to taste as part of the do - honey original. it's made from honeybush leaves. as one might expect, it tastes a bit like honey, and no caffeine. and it was also 25% off. w00t!

i have managed to make considerable progress on the flat cleanup which is a goodness. the mad sorting has left me little time to comment on all your lovely posts, but i am skimming through them. can't promise i'll be able to keep that up, but will do my best.

a big congrats to the now married mijan and fiona_fawkes! couldn't happen to two nicer ladies. [*big smooches*]

i gak'ed this from oldenuf2nb. despite not liking to discuss politics, i'm including this vid here because i think it's incredibly effective. i'm impressed by the variety of people included in the vid and the montage of historical and present day footage. besides i want to make sure my sis-in-law and mum see it.

for my mum and sis-in-law: ( american prayer - dave stewart (obama vid) )

also, beautiful art over at hd_inspired, give me your hand (h/d, G). it's anonymous currently, but if you've seen any of her other extrodinary work, you'll recognise the artist. be sure and tell her how much you like it. i adore the colours in this as well as divinationprofessor!draco. yumm

finally, things i'm grateful for today:
1. sales!
2. pretty/tasty new things
3. neatly filed papers
4. chocolate covered candied ginger

a big thank you has to go to edm today. i woke up wanting to hide in bed all day, but knew it would be one of my last few days for a bit where i would have much hope of actually accomplishing anything (being as i'm only a few days from d-day (duel!job-day. when i start working for my regular job 8.30 - 5.00 and for wow 5.30 - 10.30 and then do it all over again the next day for about 2 weeks)). thus, i required someone to figuratively hold my hand to actually manage such. edm gave up his saturday afternoon and evening to:

• drive to my place, picking up a cordless phone i'd been given on the way
  
• help me determine what went into the charity pile for some things i couldn't decide about
  
• help me load said stuff into the car
  
• help me unload it at the charity place (mary potter hospice)
  
• wander around with me a bit at the garden store (we weren't planning on buying anything, i just needed to stare at plants and fountains for a bit)
  
• go to the weta cave*
  
• go for tea
  
• help me take some books to be purchased at the used bookstore
  
• have a fantastic dinner at thai chef, a new-ish restaurant we'd been eyeing

[*hugs him*] now that is a friend. ♥

i'd more or less planned on falling on my face after we finished dinner even though it was early (only 8.30 or so) but i ended up going through a box i had of magazines and clippings mostly about lotr. i managed to put half the box into the recycle, but couldn't quite give up some gorgeous pics of elijah and my other boys. so v. v. pretteh. still, it is progress of a sort. and other letters, cards and miscellaneous things now have more than enough space to be stored. [*nods*]

so still exhausted and worn, but feeling fairly good about today's progress despite it all.

today i am grateful for:
1. edm's friendship
2. my new (used) cordless phone
3. yummy thai food in wellington
4. the weta cave

*the weta cave is a new-ish store that has opened up next to weta workshops/digital (and for those of you that have been in a different cave. those are the people who did all the effects for the lotr movies, king kong and a myriad of other flicks). i've been meaning to go since they opened, but haven't found time. it's quite close to the charity shop we dropped stuff off at and so we popped in. i was not disappointed. is v. v. cool. [*wants to work for pj all over again*]

you'd think if they are gonna start pushing a movie months and months before it's usa release date, they'd release it shortly here thereafter. you'd think. not in the case of wall*e. i've seen that teaser so many times in the past 5 or 6 months i've been ready to run screaming from the theatre.

it opened yesterday. if you guys hadn't all loved it i never would have gone. edm and i saw it tonight. yes, it's brilliant. for those of you that haven't seen it yet, put it on the net flicks list (unless you live in a lame country that just got it, then go to the theatre). serious. is wonderful. despite the annoying teaser.

is late, am tired, but still grateful
1. for movies like wall*e
2. for weekends (yes, again. deal).
3. the prospect of sleeping in
4. tarot cards

[*falls over*]

was going to Do Some Stuff tonight, but am so v. v. drained. the sally army came to the office today and wouldn't take half our crap, so one of the bosses took the rest to the tip. at least we've cleaned out some of the huge piles there, but there are so many more. [*weeps quietly*]

besides, a southerly blew in and brought (as it usually does) a heap of rain. so i ended up catching the first bus home and finishing twilight. ( yeah, it's got problems, and yeah, it's often sacchrine, but i liked it - so sue me. spoilers and some thoughts about it below the cut )

( and another thing, who in their right mind thought this would translate into a movie? (more spoilers) )

oh, and can i just add in here that being down in the middle of the pacific we have been v. much removed from the twilight craze so i am almost completely unaware of what happens in the series (i hadn't even heard of them until i went on hols). please don't comment with spoilers for the other books. [*smooches*]

today i am grateful for:
1. getting my usa voting card in the mail, which gives me hope i'll get my absentee ballot
2. my heater to warm against the southerly
3. some semi-decent candidates for the new position at work
4. things going to the tip

[*goes to start new moon*]

it appears to be general clear out time. tomorrow at work, we have the sally army coming by to pick up some of the extra office supplies we have. we share the floor with another not-for-profit, and they just rearranged where everyone was sitting, so there has been a major overhaul on their side. we are attempting to do much the same. er, not sit different places, just get rid of some of the heaps of useless excess.

and tonight i am going through my desk drawers the continuing attempt to make some space in my life (or prepare for my life to go somewhere else if it needs). progress is still slow, but is being made, so that's good.

as beneficial as i am sure all this shedding of things is, it is making me feel a bit like bilbo - stretched thin, like butter over too much bread. and i haven't even started doing the two job thing for wow. what all that means is i'm taking some time to just sit without a computer or anything in front of me, so i may be a bit absent in my comments for a few weeks. i'll do my best to skim, but it seems i need a bit of downtime right now.

am still enjoying twilight, though i have to say that edward (the sparkly vamp) is becoming increasingly too perfect for me. i'm a bit worried about stephenie's fantasy men. it makes me want to rewrite the thing.

also, there are far too many pens floating around the world. i have a heap in my desk that i'm not sure what to do with. [*sighs*]

things i'm grateful for today:
1. two spots for the sunday t leaf t party with blooming teas
2. interviewees to be interviewed at work tomorrow
3. invoices payments that balance
4. fantastically insane yoga classmates