This Is A Picture Of The Auckland Skytower. It's An 'icon' Of Auckland City. I Took It Last Month While

This is a picture of the Auckland Skytower. It's an 'icon' of Auckland City. I took it last month while crossing the road. Normally it's lit up in blue, but for a few weeks it was wearing red and black to show solidarity with Christchurch in the aftermath of the Canterbury Earthquake.

I'm showing this picture for 2 reasons:

It's a really good picture! I took that while crossing the road late at night, one arm up in the air, hoping for the best. Damn right I'm stoked.

It was during this night, while walking around broke and alone in this new-ish city where I didn't have a job, home or friends that I realised how happy I was. 

It feels so damn good to be free again and start a new adventure. 

I hate performance reviews. Hate them. The day before I left my last job, I guzzled down some wine while putting my performance reviews through the paper shredder. It was about 1pm. Everyone else was still working quite hard.

Damn it felt awesome.

Anyways, click on the link to read why the NY Times thinks performance reviews suck too

Oh, hey! Sup?

So, I neglected this for a few months. I had some good reasons though! Life's been busy. Here's the update:

That job that I hated? It's goneburger now. I got made redundant but was given three months notice. These three months were probably some of the best, most productive months in the entire 3.5 years I spent there. I was moved away from my manager, team and job and to a new manager, team and job. After a 30min meeting with my new manager, we both decided that I'm clearly NOT an administrator so she moved into HR. I was pretty stoked since I had no training, experience or qualification in HR but what the hell! I apparently did a really good job. I impressed some people, enjoyed my last few months, learned some new skills and now have the all-important reference for my CV. But the best part? I'm no working longer working in my old job. Hurrah! Tears of freaking joy! I'm so thankful to my last manager for taking a chance on me and trusting my abilities and skills. It helped build up some much need self-esteem and confidence after spending 3 years in a job that nearly destroyed both and rocked my mental health in a way that no-one should ever go through. Thanks last manager. You were fantastic and I wish I'd worked under you earlier.

I moved. And not just to a new flat this time - I moved to a new city. Excitement! Except it's not really a new city because I've moved back to Auckland, the home of my childhood (from the ages of 3 months to 10 years old). However, I'm not living in my old stomping grounds (Grey Lynn and Henderson - WEST SIDE FOR LIFE!). This time I'm living in Ellerslie. Apparently it's "trendy". Bullshit. There isn't a single cinema or supermarket in Ellerslie. Can you believe that crap? Not even a cinema!! They do have 3 cafes though, but none of them are open past 4pm! If I can't get a coffee at 10pm then I am not happy, and I can't find a coffee at 10pm anywhere in Ellerslie. No, getting a coffee from a service station or McDonald's is not an option. Making my own coffee? Oh, fuck off.

I'm now trying to find gainful employment. Again. While doing this, I'm doing a whole lot of temping work. Let's see if anything comes out of this.

And that's the top 3. There's been a whole lot of other shit, but I just don't feel like putting that into words right now. To sum up, life's good. I'm pretty happy in Auckland, although I'm still planning to move to Melbourne in a few years.

In the meantime, the theme of this whole blog thing is about to change. I originally started this on the orders of a good friend/former work colleague. Knowing that I enjoy writing (I'd been her personal editor for almost the entire time we worked together) and that I was miserable in job, she got me to start this up and write during my working hours. It made a massive difference and I can never thank her enough. Thanks Coco.

So, what to do with this thing of mine that kept me sane? Why, I'll keep going of course! This blog has always had a rather strong pop culture bent and I've always pushed the meaning of that term as far as I possibly can. Watch as I continue with that. I don't plan to use this to talk about the discoveries and trials I come across in Auckland. I've always had an aversion to blogs like that and anyway, I have twitter for that shit.

So, it's business as usual. My definition of it anyway. And subject to my whims.

Good times.

On the way to work this morning, I happened to be walking behind a guy who was doing that thing were you start singing along to whatever song you're listening to through your headphones.

He was listening to 'All I Wanna Do' by Heart (conveniently posted above in youtube form). Brother was really going for it too. I wouldn't have been surprised if his eyes were closed as he belted out the chorus.

I don't blame him. It's a great 80's song with a great 80's video. They don't make 'em like they used to, kids.

Conrad Smith is a smart and talented Taranaki boy, so I have a lot of time for him and will forgive him for most things. 

Except this. Socks and sandals? In Hong Kong? During Summer? No, Conrad. No.

This made me so sad. How awful

White privilege is making comments such as “You worship cows, don’t you?” when a fellow Hindu classmate in your food and nutrition class says they can’t eat/ make anything that has beef as an ingredient.

White privilege is not having your teacher force you to make spaghetti with ground beef in...