Dad says he'll be giving more info ... but the time and date are confirmed
Sunday 5 Nov
Start at Khandalah Park 12:30pm (J'ville train departs Wgtn rail
12:02, get off at Khandalah)
Walk to Mum and Dad's place in K'town ( probably via the cemetary) and finish with a BBQ there.
Dad is suggesting that if people want, they could actually show up at his place *first* and then go together to Khandallah park. I think I might try to catch the train from J'ville rather than drive ... but maybe not.
Please join us. It *really* is not difficult, but definitely is enjoyable.
Point of Fashion: Halloween?!
Current Obsession: wedding plans
I am currently playing in two RPGs. They have both started and I am starting to get clear ideas of the characters. I generally play a certain type of character, young, strong, female and that hasn't changed. I am trying to make them distinct and different and so to help myself I am going to do an excellence exercise, namely comparing and contrasting the two characters.
If you are not interested in Roleplaying, you probably won't be interested in the following. Even if you are interested in roleplaying you may not be interested. People who are playing the games may be about to see OOC info, but I think they are all strong enough to handle that :)
Cass Crewdson vs Lily Devlin.
Cass and Lily are both attractive young women with a tendency towards the performing arts. They both have much older loves in seperate cities. They both live away from their parents. They are both relatively new to the place they currently live and are in the process of making/cementing cities. Both have past (and present) experience with vampires and magic.
Cass is only 17, she is in her last year of highschool and aspires to be a film actor. Her mother is going through some personal stuff of her own and decided Cass might be better off back in small town Exeter, which they left 4 years ago. Cass has a gorgeous 24yr old boyfriend that her mother is also trying to seperate her from. Cass is (rightly) worried that this plan might work. She has been going to a performing arts school and has already completed all highschool requirements, but the tertiary provider she wants to attend won't allow her to enrol until she is at least 18. The current year will be a strange hiatus for her life.
Lily is 23. She is good at languages and attained a music degree at a german university. She currently DJs for a living. After some funky stuff happening in Germany she ran away to Prague and is currently living there slowly building up a fan base and coming to terms with Magic. She is still in love with her ex-boyfriend Jaeger, who is still currently in Berlin, but feels that their relationship is more than doomed and is afraid that if she does see him, she might be drawn back into it.
Cass lives in a Buffy-verse. She was introduced to the mystical side of life through her elementary school friend, Candy, who was a potential and is now a fully realised slayer. Cass is the single child of a young and ambitious single mother and is kinda used to doing her own thing. When faced with strange creepiness she doesn't back down or lose her head, even though she is not necessarily well-trained or equipped! Cass likes to have plans and to feel in control of her life. She will work as part of a team, but doesn't particularly like being a follower. Cass enjoys competition.
Lily lives in a WhiteWolfWorld. She was introduced to the mystical side of life through being the herd and then actual girlfriend of a Vampire. He had decided to turn her and it was during the Embrace that she Awakened. She is now trying to deal with being a mage. Lily tends to go with the flow. She is happy to follow someone else's lead and the panicked running away from Germany after being Awakened was probably one of the few times where she has really strongly and decidely gone directly against someone else's wishes. Her Djing "career" isn't exactly what her parents wished for her, but she did go and get a degree first and meanwhile started DJing. Part of her wanderings around Europe may be based on her fear of them actually confronting her about it.
Phew! I feel much better now!
Point of Fashion: Gymming soon
Current Obsession: measurements
These are due to me taking 2 gym classes yesterday (swiss ball and yoga) and a gym class (box fit) and dancing class today. I had to get back on track though as I was totally slack after Wednesday last week.
This is because I am too busy (yes, it's that old tune again).
On Thursday, I had work dinner and singing lesson.
On Friday had dinner with Bean et boy.
On Sat I hung around with Beau making wedding invites, hemmed pants, met with Zeph and headed to Scarlett's B'day party. Then crashed at Zeph's.
On Sunday I drove to Foxton for lunch then Otaki for Beau's grandma's memorial, then stopped in Kapiti for Hotstuff at Matt and Debz, then dropped Beau at his RPG and swung by Zeph's for Princess Bride, then visited T and the Patch in their new flat and exchanged presents.
On Monday, got to sleep in with Beau, then drove back up to Kapiti and hung out at Luke and Sam's. Ate lunch, played cranium, hopped in spa, more ppl arrived, played charades type game taught to me by Beau et boy on Friday, also did some more wedding invite work. Drove back to Wgtn, had dinner at Beau's parents and did more invite work.
Tuesday, yesterday,work, two classes at gym, went home for dinner, then to A's house to watch ANTM that T had taped for me.
Wednesday, today, work, 1 gym class, Jonno's birthday impromptu BBQ, dance class, home.
Thursday, tomorrow, work, sauna at gym, pick up Jenni for RPG in K'town.
Friday, hopefully see Monk at monastery, then RPG in the haven of pines.
Saturday, dressmaker's appt and T's Halloween/Birthday party.
Sunday... rest? Please tell me if I've forgotten something.
The busy-ness and wedding stuff is kinda stressing me out. Beau and I kept mini-fighting over the weekend. I'm worried about wedding and next year with no job and no real plan. Luckily, Beau is basically fabulous and totally made me melt with love by playing me some possibly wedding songs.
I want to get into this musical that I'm taking singing and dancing lessons for. However, the dance lessons finished today 'cause not enough interest (actually probably good for me as I don't need the extra activity). The dancing lesson was better today, but I'm worried I'm not good enough to get in. That seemed to be what the instructor was saying. Yikes. Doesn't really matter though. I just want to know *now* if I'll get in or not so that I can have a better idea of what to do next year.
I do enjoy all my activities. That is the horror/joy of it all.
Only two days until the weekend and then I can sleep in!!
I need to do some sewing!
Point of Fashion: Have been outside, it is still cold.
Current Obsession: Dance
Well now that Show and Jap trip is over, I should really be devoting my time to wedding things... instead I am taking lessons in prep for auditioning for Chicago.
Mad? Yes!
This week I have had both a dancing lesson and a singing lesson.
I haven't had a dancing lesson for *years* and I miss it. This one wasn't everything I wanted. It started late, because the actual dance school is doing a show. We didn't do any warming up, which is a pity, 'cause I was hoping to get some stretching done. Also, we only really got to do a tiny part of one song. We should be building on that next week though. I'm also getting the thing where I feel really awkward meeting new people. I feel like the geeky uncool girl and that noone likes me. *Hate that*!
Singing lesson was good. I asked Sokky to photocopy two songs for me to try, All that Jazz and Roxie. My teacher is pleased with me. My transitions between chest and upper voice are good, also, I'm healthy and generally in good voice. Need to work on support and breathiness, which is always true. It was decided that All that Jazz is a better audition number for me. Shows off my range more and is just a bit more swingy. Roxie has a much smaller range and isn't as interesting. I have a good voice for this type of music. Sok's is much better suited to floaty soprano than mine. Teacher approved of Sok's auditioning for Hoffman. I have two weeks 'til next lesson. Must practise "Zoo-i-a"s and "Ve Va Ve, Vle Vla Vle, Vrre Vrra Vrre"s.
Other things I have done this week include "reunion dinner" for trip and 2 gym visits. Didn't do any exercise yesterday 'cause had the dinner and singing and visited with Japanese teacher for a while after the dinner.
Things to do this weekend:
More invitiations must be made and some actually handed out!
Dinner with Bean and her Boy.
Miss Scarlet's Birthday Party.
Sleepover with Zeph.
Memorial in Otaki for Beau's Grandmother.
Possibility of heading to Paraparaumu Beach on Monday.
Hopefully sewing and exercise sometime.
Sokky, would you be interested in doing the Pilates class with me on Sunday in the Hutt?
And in the interests of other exercise, Dad is planning a walk from Khandallah park up Mt Kaukau then to Karori along the fridge to end with having a BBQ at Mum and Dad's. This is being planned for Sunday the 5th of November... we could probably have *more* fireworks then too!
Comments on any of the Above?
Point of Fashion: Pretty Teacher
Current Obsession: Time
This week/month seems extra jam-packed with various fundraising activities.
October is International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Work is doing some minor fundraising for it. We have already run out of pink wrist bands. I saw an "article" on 60min last night about people trying to get money for Herceptin and Zeph was at a fundraiser for that just this weekend past.
This week is also Bandanna week. This is a fundraising event for Canteen, an "NZ organisation supporting young people living with Cancer". Work doesn't seem to be selling them, so I'll need to go into BP or New World or something if I want one. The patterns this year look extra cool!
I also found a flier amidst the junk mail for the Plunket Annual Appeal. This is also the week for that! They don't try to entice you with wrist bands or bandannas. You do get to see pictures of lovely jubbly babies. I'll try and send something off for that too. Plunket is an awesome NZ resource and I want it to be there for me to use too!
All these wonderful charities. Don't you kinda wish the government could give some of that "surplus" to them?
Point of Fashion: I was asked to wear Pink!
Current Obsession: $$$
Had a good weekend and had much fun catching up with ppl at Jenni's birthday bash.
I'm very pleased that I decided not to just blob at home on Friday and instead went out and saw some of the people I thought I'd be missing on Sat. It meant that I visited Sass's flat for the first time and it is BIG! They have a wonderful loft with sky-lights that I declared as being perfect for a sleepover. Now Sassa just has to *organise* it. Who knows when it will happen?
Weekends just keep getting more and more booked. I have at least 2 things I have been invited to in December and neither have anything to do with X-mas!
In party news:
Sokky and Miss Pain looked Fab as the two flinstone ladies. Sooo cool.
Zeph's J is most adorable (and flattering) when tipsy.
I want Evie's corset sooo bad. Nevermind that it wouldn't fit me at all. I *wants* it!
I hope I get to wear my wedding dress again and that I look as lovely as the birthday girl when I do.
I got to re-wear a bridesmaids dress! I'm thinking my hens night theme will be "bridal party" and that you must wear an outfit you have previously worn to a wedding.
Also, I looked hot in that bridesmaids dress. Not often that you get to say that!
Jenni's left earring kept trying to escape!
Want to see babies in real life and not on tiny camera screen. Must organise with Bean so that she can come too!
Things I should be doing:
Looking for my Jazz shoes.
Typing out stuff for my wedding invites.
Exercycling (although not that much since I already went to gym).
Getting ready for bed.
Figuring out how to get some sheet music before Thursday!
Point of Fashion: I have sweated in this
Current Obsession: My arms are achey!
Beau talked to his parish priest and confirmed that he will do our wedding *at* the temple!
Have had Bean and *her* beau as houseguests. They are now looking for work and house-sitting for my parents in K-town.
Dad is still retired... but currently earning more per week doing contract work than he was before.
Muggle and Bambi have been training elephants, white water rafting and staying in 5 star hotels!
I didn't put on too much weight in Japan. I guess walking around looking at temples and lugging 20kg suitcases may count as exercise.
I have two RPGs I need to do character stuff for.
Have no costume sorted for Sat!!
I have 2 birthday parties the following Sat... woe!
Have been told several times in the past week that I'll be a "great loss". Awwww!
Had a visit from Stoozle last night and tried on bridesmaids dress #3. Hopefully I'll make it to *this* hens party!
Looking forward to saying Hi to ppl on Sat. Doubt I'll have time to actuall *catch up* with anyone, then again, I wasn't away long enough to really need a catch up.
Have been to hospital everyday for the last 3 days visiting cousin.
Have many wedding or audition things I should/could be doing instead of blogging... ah well, Bedtime!
Point of Fashion: Exercise has been had!
Current Obsession: procrastination
There was some worry last night, when a storm hit Tokyo, that we wouldn't make it home on time. The flight was late, but we did get away safely and arrived in Auckland, just in time to make the connecting flight home. Phew!
The trip was a success. The students were fabulous! Really very positive and supportive of one another. I was especially proud of their performances at the farewell party the school put on.
I feel really lucky to get to go with them, as I am unlikely to attend a school trip to a foreign country again. I never got that chance when I was a student. I only hope that they realise their own good fortune.
Anyone may go on a tour and visit shrines, temples and shopping trips, it is really only school trips that organise the chance for you to stay at the home of a foreign family and get to experience the *real and current culture*.
They made many new friends and cemented existing friendships. They got to try out many new and varied foods. They got to shop in malls, in stalls and in Disneyland! They were taken out of their comfort zone and handled it with aplomb. They probably learnt more than they realise ;)
Even though I *should* have probably spent the money and time on planning my wedding, or at least doing some school work, I wouldn't change the trip. Very, very cool.
Point of Fashion: warmth
Current Obsession: bedtime
I know it is utterly ungrateful. I am so lucky and happy to be able to go to Japan! I am getting to try out and do heaps of really cool and fun things.
However, I am tired and a little bit sad.
I want to be with people who love me, not people who work with (or in the case of students, against) me. I spent 12 hours at Disneyland feeling like a 3rd (or fifth or whatever) wheel with students. I am sharing a room with 3 students as well, which means I am really seeing them 24hours and they are still not over the whole sharing a room thing.
I was really looking forward to buying some Yukata, but it turns out I am a couple of weeks too late. They are out of season. I need to buy some presents, birthday and otherwise and I don`t have a clue what to get. Probably the wrong thing. There has been so much shopping already. It seems like all the kids want to do, yet some have run out of money! Tomorrow is a day of just shopping. Harajuku! I am looking forward to it.
When in Kyoto, I didn`t get to go to the costume institute `cause it isn't open on the weekend and that was when we were there. I did get to see many lovely women in Kimono! Fashion is fun here, although I may be a little too old for it and definitely too fat large.
Tired, tired, tired.
Time for bed. Only have 20 min before the bath gets emptied. I am loving the whole Japanese public bath thing. Baths are soo good
Point of Fashion: I did manage to buy 1 cute top
Current Obsession: BEDDDD!!