From the Mountains to the Sea

I turned in my last essay, and then skipped town with some buddies. We went to the Coromandel Peninsula where we hiked the Pinnacles:





We also spent some time at Hot Water Beach.. You dig a hole and hot water bubbles up, and it's like a homemade hot tub. Except when we went it was raining and cold, and therefore, not that fun...



We also checked out Cathedral Cove which is this huge tunnel carved into the side of hill basically...It's right on the beach and quite lovely...








Other things that happened on this trip:

--We met the current MVP of the NBA, Dirk Nowitzky.

--We ran over a possum with the car.

--I had some really good food at the local establishments.


Next up, Fiji!

Waking Life...

I've been absent from my blog for a while--sorry! In my defense, I have been writing essays for the past month. I only have one essay left which means have completed 1/4 of my Masters. Sweet as!

This Wednesday will be the start of my winter break. Here are my plans:

---sleep!

---finish reading The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie

---bake ginger snaps

---watch some movies (just for fun!)

---clean the flat before new flatmates come

---check out a thrift store I found

---write a new song

---see the new Harry Potter as soon as humanly possible

---and go to FIJI! I'm heading off for 10 days with some friends, and I'm really excited. It will be a lot warmer there than it is here, and I'm hoping to work in some surfing...I promise to take some sweet pictures.

I am just now recovering from a case of insomnia. The last two nights in a row have been good, but for the past two weeks I could not fall asleep for anything. And when I did, I had the strangest dreams (time travel, mops, homework, flying like a bird over Pangaea).

This past weekend I went with some friends to see Warren Miller's Off the Grid. It was about skiing, which I know nothing about, but I was told that it was one of the better ski movies out there.

Did you know that in Japan they have snowball fight championships? Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZU1BLotGpU&mode=related&search=

A few more Kiwi words:

choice = cool, sweet, or awesome

batch = a summer home, or second house

flash = fancy, dressed up, expensive looking

"dob in" = tattle on (At church, what happens is if you know that someone had something good happen to them in the past week, you dob them in by standing up and telling everyone during sharing time. Then you both get a kit-kat bar. From what I understand, it's an Australian phrase...)

Random Rules:

http://www.avclub.com/content/randomrules

I love this game! Since I have been writing this blog, here's what came up randomly on my iTunes (no skips!):

Cold Truth by The Guggenheim Grotto

The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon

Punkrocker by Teddybears featuring Iggy Pop

Wise Up by Aimee Mann

Lesson Learned by Ray LaMontagne

Surviving Life in a Movie

Just in case you wake up one morning to the discovery that you are living in a movie, here are some tips to surviving:

--When traveling through time, DO NOT touch anything or talk to anyone, especially your future or past self. Doing so will destroy life as we know it and you will spend the two hours fixing it.

---Don't worry about bombs. Any bomb can be diffused by cutting the correctly colored wire, and you will always be able to guess which one.

---Don't pay a cab driver, unless you fling the cash at him without counting it beforehand--you always have just the right amount.

---If you are driving, don't pay attention to the road. Just concentrate the conversation you are having with the other passengers.

---Remember to save your best secrets for your dying words.

---Never trust anyone who has a big scar on their face.

---Don't worry about children--they never die. But they may be much smarter than you or evil.

---Don't tell anyone if you are dying from an incurable disease. Let them find out after you have already been admitted to the hospital. They will have no clue you were even sick because your disease will not have any symptoms, except maybe extreme paleness.

---Don't try to retire from your life of fighting crime. Something will happen on your last day (probably during your goodbye party) to prevent it.

Good luck! And remember, sequels are nice, but trilogies are best.

http://www.moviecliches.com/index.html

Discoveries

Discovery #1: Snorkeling
We drove about an hour north to Goat Island where we were able to snorkel. It was amazing! If you ever get the chance to snorkel, make sure you do it. I got to swim with schools of fish, and see the bottom of the ocean--I just wish I had a camera with me since words can not describe the beauty of it...

Discovery #2: Children's Church
I went to check it out, and see if I would like to become a regular helper on Sunday mornings during church. I had a great time, and they really need helpers. The age group is about 5-10 years old, so there is a wide range of ages. And kids are just funny. I try not to laugh in their faces though...

Discovery #3: Music is a Hobby
Last week I played an open mic at Forde's Pub which is just down the road. It was really fun, and everyone seemed to enjoy my playing. I played two cover songs ("The Other End of the Telescope" by Aimee Mann and "Till the Sun Turns Black" by Ray Lamontagne), and of my own songs I played "Wander My Way Home," a new song called "Strength to Try," and another newer song that still doesn't have a title. I was very pleased with how the night went.
Then, last night I went to the worship team practice at church to check it out and see if I would like to join up there. Unlike children's church, the worship team is overflowing with talented singers and musicians. It was a fun time, but I realized that while I love to sing and play my guitar in worship, joining a team would really suck the fun out of it for me. Music is my hobby--I pick it up when I feel like it, or when I just need to clear my head. So I decided to keep worshiping from the seats instead of from the stage.

Discovery #4: Kiwi Pies
Kiwi's love pies! But a pie here is not like a pie at home. Pies at home are fruity and sweet and they are eaten for dessert. Here, pies are made with meats, cheese, veggies, or eggs. And they are small, like a Hot Pocket. You can get them everywhere and they are always served really hot. They are the perfect little snack.

Discovery #5: New Tunes
Here are some of my new favorites:
"1234" by Feist
"Not Dark Yet" by Bob Dylan
"Save Yourself" by The Colour
"Worried Shoes" performed by Daniel Smith and Sufjan Stevens
"Here (In Your Arms)" by Hellogoodbye
"Philosophia" by The Guggenheim Grotto
"Violins" by Joey Cape
"These Friends of Mine" by Rosie Thomas

Books Are Friends

In an effort to stuff my brain full of knowledge until it explodes, I've been reading many books of all types...

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
This is one of my favorite books ever. It is arguably Lewis' best work of fiction, and contains one of the most well-written female characters ever. In it he retells the myth of Cupid and Psyche, but it ends up being a allegory about how humans need to relate to God. We wear so many masks, and are often completely unaware of who and what we truly are. The books asks, how can we come to God until we have faces, until we own up to our true selves?

Miracles by C.S. Lewis
Definitely harder to read and understand but a great book that provides logical reasons to believe in the possibility of miracles. To me, the best chapter deals with the miracle of the Incarnation. If you don't think you can wade through the other chapters of philosophy, I would suggest just reading the Incarnation chapter--it's brilliant!

Emma by Jane Austen
I never read it before, and I'm about halfway through. So far, I don't like it as much as P&P or Mansfield Park, but it's still a fun read. I have to have something relatively light to read before bed.

Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen
I just started this one as well, but already I am really enjoying it. It's good soul reading. So far it has been talking about loneliness a chance for spiritual solitude and communion with God...

The Dance of Life: Spiritual Direction with Henri Nouwen edited by Michael Ford
This is basically a categorized book of quotes by Nouwen from a whole bunch of his books, so it's a super fast read, except that the ideas makes such an impact, I have to stop just to digest them.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling
Ok, I know it's not out yet, but I'm really looking forward to it! Only 82 days left!

Creatures, Caves, and Hobbit Holes

I thought it was about time I showed some pictures from my trip to Hobbiton a few weeks ago... I was a proud geek and took a lot of pictures, but I won't bore you with all of them here. Just sticking to the highlights:

The Hobbiton set was built on a farm in Matamata, near Hamilton. It is still an active sheep farm today, but the owners kindly let the city host tours to the remaining sets.


Much of the set has been removed but the actual hobbit holes still exist.


This is me in front of Bilbo's house.


Bilbo's house (aka Bag End) was the only one big enough to go inside. They needed it to be large enough to get a camera in to shoot Gandalf coming to visit.


Much of the sets are gone due to 1) the filmmakers were required to return all the landscapes back to their original state; 2) copyright issues; 3) they were only made to last for a short time; 4) sheep are stupid, and would kill themselves by eating any bit of set design left over.


The large tree and lake behind me are both featured at the beginning of the first movie during Bilbo's birthday party. I think the Party Tree was my favorite part of Hobbiton...


See how dorky I can be?

Now go watch Lord of the Rings.

This trip to Hobbiton was the same weekend as a few other adventures with my Biola friend Rebekah. We stayed with her relatives, so it was great to be in an actual Kiwi home.

Besides Hobbiton, we also went to the Waitomo Caves. You put on wetsuits and golashes (!) and they lead you underground to crawl, walk, swim, and tube in a whole network of caves. The ceilings are covered with real glowworms! And I saw an eel and a weta, which is a hideous and large NZ bug that gives Weta Workshop--Peter Jackson's special effects company--its name.

This is me just after caving. Hidden underneath the hills behind me are miles of caves and tunnels--you would never guess it just by looking at the surface!


Rebekah and I also saw an ostrich while driving. We stopped to take a few pictures and I snapped this just at the same moment the bird decided to...well, just take a look...


We also went to the Otorohanga Kiwi House which is a habitat for Kiwi birds and other local plants and animals. By the way, a kiwi is 1) a flightless bird that is a national symbol of NZ; 2) a fruit; 3) a New Zealander.


The Kiwi House also had tuataras, a lizard native to NZ. I was told it is related to the dinosaurs!



In other news:
My Easter turned out be pretty nice. I went to church and then I came home and made dinner for four friends. I told them I would be cooking to celebrate Easter and they could eat even if they don't celebrate Easter. The food turned out pretty well, although I had a very close call with the garlic at one point. Do not, my friends, mistake a "clove" for an entire head of garlic.

Right now, I am enjoying the last days of my Easter break. I've just been relaxing, working on homework, playing guitar, watching movies and YouTube, sleeping, and reading. Yesterday I went to the Auckland Museum with some friends from church which was quite fun...

God continues to teach me a lot--I'll fill you in another time--but I really feel like I am being transformed and prepared for whatever is next. I'll let you know what that is as soon as I know it myself...

Several Unrelated Topics

Ready to learn more Kiwi words!
sweet as! = "cool!" or, "sweet!"
chilly bin = a cooler, or an ice chest
motorway" = any highway, or freeway-type of road
heeps = a lot of, or a bunch of (as in, "There are always heeps of cars on the motorway during traffic.")

Baseball season is back! Go Sox!


I can't believe Easter is here already! The coming holiday has made me a little homesick. Good Friday at my church at home was always a big deal. Pastor Mike's concept of "The Darkest Night of the Year" was one of our church's most unique traditions. In college, I remember one disastrous Easter with Kimi at a church held in a movie theater where one of the songs for worship was by Matchbox 20. I'm not sure what this Easter will bring, but I will be sure to let you all know...

In other news, lately I am into learning new songs on my guitar (KT Tunstall, Teitur, Corinne Bailey Rae), writing a short story I just started working on (although it's turning into a novel), and listening to worship music (usually I just listen to my devil rock music). Oh yeah, and sometimes I manage to squeeze in some homework.

Had a conversation today with flatmates about the so-called differences between "Catholic" and "Christian." I am constantly being reminded of how little I know, or remember, about the Bible or church history or the world in general (if only I had gone on one less GYRAD and spent more time studying at Biola!). I keep praying that Jesus will show in my life, despite my own shortcomings and inadequacies. It is also very challenging being the token Christian--defending and explaining myself all the time. It's both wonderful and tiring. Today I was really encouraged by the song, "How Firm a Foundation"--there are some amazing lyrics in this song! I have included a few of my favorites here, but you can read the full lyrics here at: http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/How_Firm_a_Foundation/


How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”






This past weekend, I was traveling so stay tuned for more pictures and stories.

Thanks for reading, and keeping me in your thoughts and prayers! I have gotten some very kind feedback on my blog which I really appreciate.
Happy Easter!