A bit of Lee goss for Abra!

Heard this on the radio the other morning:

Ex Blue member LEE RYAN is taking on rapper 50 CENT. Lee thinks that 50 "is not tough at all". Lee also said that he “meet up with 50 a while ago he's not really that tough. Not tough at all. They don't scare me. They want to come down my area then they'll see what rough really is."

Hmm, now I don't know what either 50 cent or Lee's upbringings were like, but didn't Lee grow up in Essex like our Mary!? And who is "they"? I thought 50 cent was one person...that Lee, ah bless'm!

Saturday

It's 12.41am on Sunday morning. I am just home from town. And no, this isn't a drunk post. I didn't drink tonight. Don't even be shocked, or scoff or whatever - I can so go out without drinking and have a good night! It started with Jem and I visiting Tans, then we decided to go for an early dinner. Then I drove us over to Jem's to watch the netball (NZ won). She drank and Tans and I didn't. I was cracking up at everything, I think I had too much sugar in drinks and lollies. Jem straightened my hair which was a novelty, then at about 9.30pm we went to a sports pub to meet Phil (Jems bf). We listened to a band there, and went to the pokies and played a cheeky $2. I picked a machine, and the things were going around and but I asked a chick if anyone was on the machine, and she said nah, nah. So I sat down put my $2 in, and played a bit. Should've realised that when I had barely won anything, but it said $10 on it there was something strange! Then I did win some. So I collected, and then this guy came along, "Oh, hey! What happened to the auto play that was going?" And I looked blankly at him, then he went away! Oops, freaked me out cos it's definitely a major no no to steal people's machine! Oh well, I'm a novice, but I got a good $20 or so out of it. Then I put $2 in another machine, and I kept winning! When I got 3 pyramids I could choose 1 of 5 features to play and I kept winning, then I'd get 3 more pyramids! I was on fire! The machine even run out of $2s!! In the end I tore myself away and got $90!! I realised it was reward for not drinking! Not bad for a cheeky 2 in the machine! After I drove us down town, and we went to the Sail, stood round chatting, played the pokies around, but lost $10, discovered there is a complimentary coffee machine there too! So stoked as I dug into the coffee. I could hear my liver praising me! I so could've stayed out having a bit of a yarn and boogie, but Tans was ready for home, and as I was driving I couldn't well let her taxi home.

So yeah, good night. Even without the pokie win, would've been well happy with the night. As I wrote that story, I thought of Jo, cos I know Jo that you appreciate the detail and rambliness of my stories! But this was a good one eh!

I've been working!!

But don't get excited - I've finished. For the last two days I and 3 others have been standing beside a turning thing that has 8 pottles in it. Honey pours into the pottles and as they come around filled, 3 of us screwed lids on they pottles and put them on trays while the other person put out more pottles on the turning thing! Oh the excitement that WINZ can give an unemployed person! But I shan't complain, I got a bit of money, and a pottle of honey (not the stuff we helped with). I'm also really sore on the sides of my back from leaning side to side, rather than turning around and bending forward!

I got rung up yesterday while I was at "work" by the recruitment agency in Chch, but by the time I got back to them they'd given a job to someone else. I was offered a job at Ballantynes (a quite flash department store) the other week for 6 weeks, but it wasn't doing anything I remotely wanted to do, and all I could think was, what if I get offered another job - so I didn't take it. Bit optimistic as I haven't really heard from any of the others!

I have just got a student loan statement from IRD, and they want $1100 NOW, because I haven't payment my minimum non-resident required payment this year. Pisses me off cos last year I paid way over what I was expected to pay. I can't be bothered arguing with them though, so I have just paid it online...Hope I get a job soon, cos funds are running low...! Also pissed off cos of all the interest that has gone on it in the past 4 years! Grr!

Last weekend was a long weekend - Labour Wkend. The best weather, and so far it has been sticking around with a balmy 24 degrees today! Yay. Had such a nice weekend though, Casey came down, so nice to see him. I decided we should have a bbq at Shaun and Ann's but turned out the weekend was double booked for other mates so it was just the 4 of us there!! Nice all the same! On Sunday had a bbq at Jemma's. Such a good night, sat round in the sun drinking and yarning. Then went it was getting cooler, her mum cranked out the brazier and we barbied sitting around the warmth of that! We even went into town for a few drinks at the pub! On Monday we went out for lunch, dining outside in the sun of course, then went down to the bay, wandered on the beach, then watched skateboarders and bmxers doing tricks on skate park. Was a lovely day too.

This is Jo and Paul, who are getting married on December 3rd. Jem and I are their bridesmaids. Such a lovely couple! 

This is the paddling pool at the Bay. It used be surrounded by trees, but they must have done it up... Such a lovely place for kids I'm sure! 

This is the Caroline Bay Soundshell! A bit dead now, but during the Christmas Carnival its all happening! (Least it was a good 12 years ago when I last went to the carnival..!)  

Since I've been away, so much has been done to the Bay, and they've got it looking really beautiful. This is the Rose Garden, with the Piazza in the background. The Piazza is was few million to build with much public outcry! Personally, I think it is quite cool, and a nice feature! At the top is the iconic Hydro Grand Hotel, years old but I think it may get demolished one day... 

The roller skating rink! - where I spent my childhood, perfecting the talent!  

The lovely Caroline Bay! 

Went for a walk yesterday down around the bay... This is what I missed when in Japan! So nice to be on the coast again! 

My place in the world...

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Your personality type is SCUAN

You are social, calm, moderately organized, accommodating, and non-intellectual, and may prefer a city which matches those traits.

The largest representation of your personality type can be found in the these U.S. cities: Memphis, Reno, Orange County, Louisville, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, W. Palm Beach, Providence, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Cincinnati, Nashville, Houston and these international countries/regions China, Netherlands, Croatia, Wales, Denmark, Australia, England, Taiwan, Belgium, Scotland, Turkey, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Spain

What Places In The World Match Your Personality?
City Reviews at CityCulture.org

This is the full SCUAN write up...quite me I think!

SCUAN

spends more time in group activities than solitary activities, not easily hurt, does not like to do things alone, comes alive in night life activities and crowds, trusting, fits in most places, positive, more comfortable when things are imperfect, more artistic than articulate, does not like to go days without speaking to anyone, more abstract than logical, not self absorbed, not materialistic, self expressive, modest, not vain, likes change, not introspective, happiest when helping others, loyal to a fault, wild and crazy, acts without thinking or planning, thoughtful, happy doing mindless work, easy to persuade, socially comfortable, high energy level, rarely prepared, outgoing, self confident, level emotions, not interested in science, easy to get to know, fearless, content, positive, optimistic, not easily hurt, relaxed, usually happy, able to disregard rules, underachiever, likes to tell jokes, not embarrassed easily, adapts easily to new situations, interested in others

Want to blog, because I'm so so bored...but don't want to blog cos I am so so bored! Talk about dilemmas! Definitely starting to be irritated about being unemployed. I haven't applied for much this week, but I also haven't heard from any that I have already applied for. That's the worst thing I think, I've applied for countless jobs, some with due dates two weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything. Argh, do they not realise that some people REALLY want to get a yay or nay so they can move on!!

Sorted out the dole, and that has made me wish I hadn't bothered. It was going to be worse cos my 'case manager' thought I'd have a big stand down cos I earnt lots in Japan. But it turned out that I could start getting it now. However, I am being put forward for any old random jobs that come in - hence I am may be labelling jars next week (though even they haven't got back to me!) for 8 days. While I am unemployed I also have to go to a "Work Track" course for TWO weeks! What sort of bullshit is that!? Arghhhh...!!! I so hope I hear from some job people soon before I commit myself!

What else... Oh our cat was put down last week. Poor ol' Socks was about 19 years old and tho happy purring away, sleeping and eating, it'd vomit all the time, so Mum took her to the vet and they said her kidneys were failing, so it was bye bye Socks. I told Mum we should get a dog, but that's not going to be happening! Think we are a no pet family for a while. Not bad tho to get to 23 and have only had 2 cats all that time. I have a mate whose family have had so many cats...!

Weather's nice today - thats a plus after such shitty, cold weather for ages. Hopefully it keeps up for the weekend cos I plan to be outside. K, rambling now, so it's over and out - bye!

For Jenny...

to give her something to do for a few minutes of her day...

Nothing new to report, still unemployed. I went to Christchurch to talk to the recruitment agency on Wednesday. That went okay, did a word, excel and data entry test that went alright. I wish they had my mobile number cos the next day as I was wandering around shops Dad called and said the agency had called and there was a job that was going until December...by the time they got back to me after I left a message, the job was gone! Oh, the excitement of the trip was going to a Japanese restaurant and ordering miso ramen, and the guy only talked Japanese to me, and we just conversed in Japanese. He didn't even question if I could speak or understand Japanese! My pronunciation of miso ramen must be good! It was cool though! Then I realised I must look like some kind of Japan-obsessed person as I went to pull on my book to read - Haruki Murakami, pulled out my mobile with dangly keitai charms (only 3!), and as I walked down the street after I'd left I realised my bag was from Japan too! Oh well!

Anyway, since being back home from my night away I applied for a few more jobs, got contacted by another recruitment agency that my aunty had sent my CV to, got contacted by an agency where I applied for a job. The woman asked me some questions that I wasn't prepared for, so I'm sure I've buggered my chances up there! She asked how much I expect to earn (no idea - something decent!?), why would I be good for the job? It is primarily contact centre stuff, why would I be good for that?... Anyway, she's short-listing and will get back to me...not holding my breath of course! Heaps of other jobs I've applied for still haven't got back to me. Good sign or not?

On Thursday I have to go to have meeting with my "case worker" for the dole! Am a bit annoyed that it only gets back paid to when I applied for the seminar - if I'd known that I would've applied as soon as I got home!

No other news to report... Home and Away is exciting, as is NZ Idol - down to the last two now! Sorry Jenny, I think I've already told you most of what I just wrote! I might try for something different next blog to mix it up a bit..!

Yeah, so my last blog was relatively incoherent and rambly, so you are all lucky that I decided not to write another one when I got home from town this morning - it was considered briefly! Was very lucky to have 2 fun nights out in Timaru - probably cos it was the first time in over a year! It was also the start of daylight saving, so at 2am it became 3am and the pubs closed. But when one end of town closes at the other end one bar is still open so we went there. When that closed after dancing around for a while, we walked to the petrol station for a drink (non-alcoholic) then walked home. As I crawled into bed it was 5.55am, but really it was 4.55am (making it seem so much better)! Fun times, but thats the end for a while, must be healthy now until Jo's wedding on December 3rd.

You know in Japan, how you go to the toilet in a bar or restaurant there is always a hook somewhere to hang your bag? Well, Timaru doesn't have that. I realised this weekend, and I miss that feature of a Japanese public toilet. Before we went into town last night, I put Jem and Tans through the torture of my favourite karaoke songs on my ipod. Not all but there was definitely Whitney, Disney and Kylie & Jason! They loved it all deep down! Then when we were at Bar Xcel (I know, cool name), the last bar we were dancing, and they played Tori's "Pour Some Sugar on Me", then "I love Rock n' Roll" - I almost thought they had our Shidax Karaoke CD!

There were a couple of Japanese related jobs in the Christchurch paper this weekend, I don't think I quite have the fluency they are looking for, but I think I'll apply. The other jobs I've applied for recently were all due about now, so I'll be getting responses from them this week I presume...good or bad! And I call WINZ (Work and Income NZ) last week to apply for the dole, and have to go to seminar before they will give it to me! So gutted, and such a waste of time cos it's not like I'm sitting around and planning on living on my dole cheque! So it will be a fun couple of hours on Tuesday...! Thats all for my life update for now...

Whoa/// a blog just published and I wanst ready to publish

...how weird..! so the blog below is actually written ath e same time as this, so should really come at thei start of thins... if youi get what I mean...

So we went into town, and it was pretty cool so some people and it was weird ro see people who wer emy oldest brithers year at school but I'd never seen them oout before I went to Japna. The WEIRDEST thing I swa was this family friends kid who claims to be 18, but I don't think I've seen him since he was like 7! So scary, as the only thing I remember of him is when I was at his sisters birthday party when I wa young and after dinner he picks up his plate and knife nad fork and start s walkong towrds the kitchen . His mum saiys wat are you doiing , and he says I'm taking my plkate to the kitchen." He had to be told that you don't have to do that in a restaurant! - anyway, I'm definitely feeling a tad old!

We to a few other bars, and we ended up seeing our mate Jo's brother out, who had to caom back from Aussie to like cos of a bad injury... Cracked me up that he only got backt o town at 6.30pm but was already out! Was cool to talk to him cos when I was yiounger at high school and he ws a couple of years older than us, I was fully intimidated by him! But its good what a few drinks and a few years can do!

Ok I think I have honestly rambled enough, and I should go to bed. I apoligive for the mistakes in writing this I have made But I have barely looked up at the screen the whole time and I have had a fe w few drinks so really I shoudlnt have even bothered realyy eh!

Oh weell... oyasumi yo!

P.S. I just rememered something
Last year when I came home Jem introduced me like this " THis is Selene, she's from Japan..."
Tonight she said " This is Selene, she's just lived in Japan for two years."
I feel so special! nIGHT!

excuse me cos.

I have been otuut drinking and I don't want ot turn on the light or correct errors so I wikl just lkeep typing while look ing as hard as I can at the keys...
so I ween tout drink ing with Jem tonight. we met her bf Phil and his mate Dan out. We had a few wines before we went into town, and we were talking about something at our mate Tans' place and I said it wa "super cool" - they all cracked up big time and were histerical about me saying that!? is that a weird thing to say or have I picked it up from someone some wehre?? Who knows!? bu ti didn't think it was so strange to say somthing was "super cool!"