Post happy Wednesday

Ok, 3rd post in one day. Has anyone watched, or even heard of, The Sarah Silverman Show? It's so crap it's hysterical. That's probably why New Zealand has imported it...it must be cheap. They seriously have some of the worst American television on their FIVE channels;) Anyhoo, despite it being crap, she did have a useful epiphany this episode, and developed a new word...Memosexual. After deciding she was a lesbian, then failing at it (just as she says she failed at being a heterosexual), she decided she needed to be a memosexual first. How true.

Now for something completely different, I totally did a stupid white person thing the other day, or perhaps just a stupid white American thing. I went out for Mexican food. Nah, that's not the stupid white person thing. There's a fairly decent Mexican take away near work, so I've been three times in the past week:) The first day I went there was this black guy behind the counter taking orders, and when I heard him talk, I was like..."Oh wow, a black African-American!" Now, this was simply because I've been living in what I feel is mega non-diverse land for over 9 months and although there are tons of Asians here, I miss the diversity of being back home. I miss black people, and I miss Mexican people, and Adelaide especially, where I'm going to end up, feels super white and like it's lacking something. But back to the Mexican restaurant...I think the "oh wow, a black African-American!" showed on my face because although the guy smiled when he asked me what I wanted, as soon as I spoke...he turned me over to someone else and stopped smiling:/ I could be totally over-reacting out of my white person guilt or whatever, but I felt like a total schmuck.

Another reason not to vote Hillary

Is she serious?

http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2007/12/hillary-as-kind.html

"It's one thing in politics to cite an opponent's record when criticizing him.
But it’s quite another to cite his Permanent Record—the legendary, indelible and largely mythical account of all that we do as schoolchildren.Yet that’s just what the campaign of Democratic presidential contender Sen. Hillary Clinton did Sunday, issuing a spitball of a news release that alluded scornfully to an essay that primary opponent Sen. Barack Obama wrote when he was in kindergarten.Referring to an old Associated Press story that quoted Obama’s former teacher, the release informed us that, “In kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled ‘I Want to Become President.’"

By the way, I'm reading Barak's book, Dreams from My Father, which I'd highly recommend.

5 months in a hostel

Well, we've been living in a hostel now for about five months. It comes with it perks and drawbacks, but you can never call it uninteresting. There are always people around to chat with, have a drink with, etc, and they're from all over the globe. And there is always someone to wake you up in the middle of the night at least once a week, making tea or a phone call in the hallway at 2am. My biggest pet peeve is that for some reason, it is obviously not a universal assumption that bathroom door shut means bathroom occupied. Thank god I've learned how to properly do the lock. Last night I had an amusing incident while sitting on the porch, which reminded me how much fun hostelling can be, if only for the diverse persons aspect. It was a nice night, and we have a gorgeous view as the hostel is at the top of a hill, so I was sitting on the porch when I heard what sounded like a rustling noise. I thought perhaps someone was having a joke. It went on for a little longer then out of the darkness came an old man with a big ole walking stick and a small plastic bag of groceries, approaching the hostel very very slowly. When he eventually got to the front door, he said in a breathless voice: "That walk up the driveway is a killer, especially at night. It's kind of spooky in the dark." What's spooky? Just an example...it takes all types and you'd be amazed who stays in hostels.

Home Alone & Sexism Down Under

My sexy husband is away for work on and off for about three weeks. So far I have accidentally turned off my alarm clock and ended up over an hour late for work, discovered that steak pies taste cook spread on salt and vinegar potato chips...and been totally bored off my friekin arse. Perhaps it would be different if I wasn't living in a hostel, but I think I've forgotten how to live on my own;)

The Christmas season is gearing up here, and while someone mentioned to me yesterday that the day is in fact about three weeks away, I'm not feelin it. It's getting warmer here and the days are longer so I'm home well before dark and don't even notice any Christmas lights. Then again, I've had no sense of what time of year it is for about 9 months now. My workplace does now how to celebrate, and we had our Christmas party on a yacht last week! And...we can call it a Christmas party and put up trees in the office (I forgot about how everything changed from 'Christmas' to 'Holiday' in the US a few years ago). The one thing which the workplace is doing for the season I don't agree with. We all got an email last week with the subject "Ladies Christmas Shopping" saying something to the effect of:

"We're again giving all the ladies in the office half a day off to do their Christmas shopping. Please advise your manager when you will be taking your half day."

WTF?! I was told this is due to the fact that most of the 'ladies' are in lower level positions and the men get taken out for golf etc by their clients. Hmmm, how about re-working the hiring processes instead of a 'throw the dog a bone' half day off. And why do they think I need half a day to do my Christmas shopping, as opposed to something a bit more worthwhile??

A view inside

Technology is wonderful. As I've posted before, buying books off the shelf down under is a definite no no for me, as it's far too cost prohibitive. I've stared a wish list on amazon.com so that I can store books I eventually want to purchase (otherwise I don't have a chance at remembering them), and will buy them when I'm planning a trip back to the States. Nothing like discounted costs and free shipping, as well as...a view inside the book. It's almost as good as being in the book shop (minus the comfy chairs and coffee) and pretty much, I won't add anything to my wish list before being able to 'browse'. Trips to the book store now only consist of the coffee, comfy chair and a stack of magazines.

I Love my Airport

Who knew The Onion also did videos:
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/americans_enjoying_thanksgiving

Happy Belated Turkey Day!

Momma Down Under

Well, my mom's just finishing up her week-long visit to Auckland, and we're both totally worn out from running around like chickens with our heads cut off all week seeing things. So far, we've seen:

• Eden Gardens (which I totally agree is one of Auckland's best kept secrets and one of the must do things here)
• Mt Eden
• Sky Tower
• Downtown Auckand & Viaduct area
• Waiwera & nearby areas on a Saturday road trip
• Mission Bay
• Auckland Botanic Gardens (a SERIOUS disappointment to me, although Mom liked it, but I put that down to her not seeing the Sydney & Adelaide Botanic Gardens first)
• Newmarket & Auckland Museum (the Museum being another Auckland must do)
• Waiheke Island on a day long vineyard tour (where by the end Mom was "make sure-ing" her glass was empty)

Amazingly, the weather has been the best it's ever been since Steve and I arrived here, with almost no rain after a week of rain every day. I'm learning what the sun down here is really like, as I burned bright red after two days of being out and about in it minus suntan lotion. Won't make that mistake again.

Pics, from top clockwise are: my sexy husband and I, a view of the city from Mission Bay, the view from Sky Tower, two photos of the Botanic Gardens, Eden Garden, and four pics from the vineyard tour.

Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes Day is 5th of November, but the fireworks were the weekend before. We could see these from the front of our hostel. Strangely, this holiday is celebrated in New Zealand, but not in Australia, although they're both still commonwealth countries with the queen as the head of state. Guess there's less chance of a fire starting here, as the fireworks have been banned in Australia for about 30 years. Anyway, the holiday celebrates the unsuccessful plan of Guy Fawkes, a Catholic, to blow up the English Parliament a lot of years ago. He was executed, and although I think they sometimes burn him in effigy on top on bonfires as part of the holiday, I don't remember how.

Not as rare as you think

It's bad enough people did it in the 40's and 50's, but this reminds me of a Halloween party I went to about 7 or 8 years ago in which one of the attendees came in wearing an afro wig, face covered in dark brown make-up, and shouted while waving a toy gun: "I'm a n----r with a gun!!" What the fuck is wrong with people? (These are probably the same dudes who tell you to Vote Republican to Keep America Safe!)

http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/who_doesnt_pose_with_a_white_g.html

A kitty stuck under the house, obnoxious Americans & Anti-American-isms

Woke up at 3,30am on Saturday to a strange scratching noise, stumbled over to the french doors to hear meowing, and a couple of minutes later a paw sticking out from...the floor! In the 1-inch gap between the wall and carpet tack two eyes peared up at me. One of the hostel cats has been stuck under the house now for 2 days. We've ripped a not enough big hole in the floor, called out the SPCA, taken some bricks out of the outside wall (which should be a big enough hole yet the cat is only peeking her head out for food), and as of this morning, I don't hear any more meowing, but I'm not sure if she's out. Positive thoughts needed.

The other night, I was introduced to a new hostel stayer who is from the East Coast and told he was another of my country-men. About 50% of the Americans I meet on the road are horrendously annoying, and this is one of them...talking about how much money he makes, asking others about their financial situation, being too loud and know-it-all, etc. This being said, it still hugely pisses me off when people make comments about all of us Americans based upon their experiences with a few. I've had a few of those experiences this weekend, and it's really just enough already.