I’ve been away for quite a few years, almost five. I’ve missed out on seeing my niece grow up, missed out on Kerry becoming a woman, missed out on watching her relationship with Ray blossom. In the past 11 months I’ve been back, I’ve noticed how much of a wonderful family Kerry, Ray, and Kyra have become. Kyra is the most special child I have ever met, and I am so glad Kerry has met someone like Ray, who is a wonderful father to Kyra, I am so happy he is a part of their, and all of our, lives. I am so pleased he is now the husband to my beautiful baby sister, and I am honoured to call him my brother.
January, 2007
9
Jan 07
I Need A Flatmate!
One of my flatmates is moving out on the 22nd. Do you want to live somewhere choice? Check out my listing on TradeMe.
Update: I have a new flatmate! Woohoo!
8
Jan 07
2006: The Movies
On October 4, 2005, for some unknown reason, I started noting down every movie I watched with the date and a rating from 1 to 10 in my Moleskine. I’ve become rather obsessive about it, but I have noticed that either I only watch good to excellent movies, or my rating scale has a very fucked up bell curve. I am very keen to give 8s and 9s, but hesitant to give anything less than a 6. I’m far too generous, perhaps. Anyway, these are my movies of 2006.
10 – My Favourites
Crash
Mon Oncle
Bad Santa
The Weatherman
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Clerks II
Nacho Libre
Roger & Me
9 – Movies I Liked A Fuck Of A Lot
Garden State
Shaolin Soccer
Howl’s Moving Castle
Freaks
House of Flying Daggers
Office Space
The Hebrew Hammer
Waking Ned Devine
Click
12 Monkeys
The Brown Bunny
Fast Food Nation
Ed Wood
Night on Earth
Casino Royale
8 – Movies I Liked Enough To Probably Watch Again
In Her Shoes
Eddie Izzard: Circle
Love Actually
Lost In La Mancha
Ellie Parker
Sky High
The Pink Panther
Microcosmos
American Pyscho
Mysterious Skin
Pirates of the Caribbean 2
7 – Movies That Were Still Worthy Of My Time
Rumble Fish
Shopgirl
Just Like Heaven
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose
The Legend of Zorro
V For Vendetta
Silent Hill
The Departed
6 – Movies To Watch When There’s Nothing Better To Do
The Fog
The Wedding Crashers
The 40-Year-Old-Virgin
Dear Wendy
Final Destination 3
Miami Vice
Saboteur
5 – Movies I Wish I Could Have Decided Not To Watch
King Kong
X-Men 3
4 – Movies I Should Have Turned Off
Melinda & Melinda
3 – Movies That Never Should Have Been Made
Elizabethtown
Conclusions I Can Draw From This Data
- I am really far too generous with my ratings.
- Some of those top 10- and 9-rated movies would switch around, for example, Shaolin Soccer kicks the arse off (no pun intended, really) Clerks II, but obviously at the time of watching Clerks II I really liked that movie, more than the brilliant Shaolin Soccer.
- I am a sucker for romantic comedies, and really any movie that makes me cry.
- I obviously don’t like Alfred Hitchcock as my previously second-lowest rated movie was The Birds.
- I really like Johnny Depp and Steve Martin.
- Daniel Craig is the best Bond ever.
- Adam Goldberg in shiny blue Speedo underpants with visible cock outline is so hot.
- Adrian, I’m really sorry I didn’t like your movies. You should tell the directors to have better scripts next time.
- I have questionable taste.
8
Jan 07
2006: Terminé
I don’t think I have ever been so pleased that a year has come and gone. It could be that I am looking forward to seeing what 2007 has to offer, or rather, what I can offer 2007. All I know is that I’m going to make sure 2007 is nothing like 2006.
This time last year I was in Antwerp with P readying ourselves to move to New Zealand. At the end of February we were here, setting our lives up. By the end of May we were going our separate ways. I am still trying to pick up the pieces of my former self: trying to figure out where that relationship ended and I start; trying to remember what it’s like to be me as a person singular, trying to figure out where I fit in this chaos that is life. My journey is seven-months strong and has been full of things I didn’t think I’d be experiencing – the ending of old friendships and the beginning of new ones, rediscovering forgotten passion and passions, and the constant over-analysis of why people, including me, do the things they do and why they are who they are.
I’ve met some amazing people since I returned to Wellington. Googling and finding my friend Jake was the best thing that happened to me last year, by a long stretch. Jake has been my best friend, my confidant, my rock, my means to meeting new wonderful people. Through him, I met a large group of brilliant people who have welcomed me with giant squeezy huggy arms whom I am eternally grateful of meeting. Rachel is one of the most down-to-earth women (I guess I can’t say girl anymore, I’m no spring chicken no more), one of which I have never felt so comfortable and open around so quickly. Penny: who I could only aspire to be more like, she is intelligent and witty, constantly on, politically astute, open and honest, and straight up beautiful, not to mention the most amazing cook I have ever had the pleasure of being invited over for dinner by. Dr Nick, who was a wonder to be on holiday with because you always need a doctor in the house, he is solid and confident. River, who is a bizarre yet lovely combination of grounded and fru-fru crazy hippie, who seems to be one of those few people you meet in a lifetime who seem to fully understand you. There are the others I met but don’t yet know as well, but who will be appearing in my forthcoming write-up about PHAT07: Jess and Merlin: the best and most wondrous huggers on the face of this earth; Carla and Tom: always in top form; Gus and Alena: who I will get to know better in 2007; Lee: one the most helpful people ever; Matt: a refreshingly negative Englishman; Phoebe: beautiful Phoebe, I don’t think I have ever met anyone so loved.
Then there are those who are outside the aforementioned group yet have been a big part of my 2006 life. Marco: the craziest fun-loving nutter I’ve ever met, who played a huge part in the destroying of my liver, Marco who I know trusts me in a way that I appreciate; Mikey: one of the most talented and inspiring people I’ve met in recent years, who always has a smile that makes me want to smile; Adrian: who laughs as hard at my jokes as I at his, hard enough to have a sore stomach and cheeks, who embraces my neurosis and led me to appreciate my nuances; Russell: who became my favourite concert-buddy, who introduced me to music that steered me down the path to meet amazing people, thank you; David: who opened my eyes to things political and non-political, who perhaps broke my heart a little but reminded me that I had a heart to break; Matt F: a reminder that there are people just like that out there – they just require introduction.
I am so glad I met you all.
2006 was a year of growth and discovery. I discovered I still feel passionate about photography, I discovered that even when I’m not writing I wish I was, I discovered I want to surround myself with people such as these and the importance of such things. My hair also grew long enough to tie into a bun without clips – an achievement unseen since 2001.
2007 is going to be bigger and better. I am starting to discover pieces of me that have lain dormant for years, pieces of me that shall no longer rest unappreciated.