Yay! Today I finished my last day of tutoring for the semester. The day never seemed like it would end as we calculated the final grades for each of the 400+ students in the course. But, thankfully, we got it all done which means I am officially on holiday!
So here are my plans for my time off:
---Road Trip with Friends:
I am heading on a 4 day trip with some of friends from my building. We heading south to Rotorua, Lake Taupo, and Mt. Taranaki for tramping and sightseeing.
---Road Trip by Myself:
After that I will take a 12-day trip to the South Island where I will make my way from Christchurch, through the mountains, to the Franz Josef glacier, to Queenstown, and then back again. It will probably be cold and wet, and maybe even snowy! Expect some amazing pictures when I get back. It will also be a good time to recharge my batteries before my final semester.
---Read Books:
Here's what I have in the queue to read:
Emma by Jane Austen
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Midwinter Nightingale by Joan Aiken
The Birth of America by William Polk
Beware of God by Shalom Auslander
By the way, book recommendations are always welcome!
Check back in mid-July for some sweet pics!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Halfway Point
The semester is nearly over! Looking forward to a much-needed break...
I am actually fighting of a cold today (it's winter here), so I'll try keep this brief:
So far, I have written about 20,000 words of a rough draft of my thesis, so I've made some good progress.
I finished tutoring for the semester, except for some exams I have to mark. It was a great gig, and I'm hoping to get re-hired for next semester.
I am learning German! Well, sort of. I have several German friends here right now, so I have been learning a few phrases---another unexpected experience that comes from living in New Zealand.
Here are some tunes I have been spinning in high rotation lately:
"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver
"Everybody Here is a Cloud" by Cloud Cult---check out the entire album Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
"Go to Hell" by David Ford (not as angry as the title suggests!)
"OK, It's Alright With Me" by Eric Hutchinson (thanks Bethany!)
"I Love the Rain the Most" by Joe Purdy (again, thanks Bethany!)
"The Cure for Pain" by Jon Foreman
"Loose Lips" by Kimya Dawson
"Crown" by Mason Jennings
"Sun Down" by Nik Freitas
"Bag of Hammers" by Thao
I am actually fighting of a cold today (it's winter here), so I'll try keep this brief:
So far, I have written about 20,000 words of a rough draft of my thesis, so I've made some good progress.
I finished tutoring for the semester, except for some exams I have to mark. It was a great gig, and I'm hoping to get re-hired for next semester.
I am learning German! Well, sort of. I have several German friends here right now, so I have been learning a few phrases---another unexpected experience that comes from living in New Zealand.
Here are some tunes I have been spinning in high rotation lately:
"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver
"Everybody Here is a Cloud" by Cloud Cult---check out the entire album Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
"Go to Hell" by David Ford (not as angry as the title suggests!)
"OK, It's Alright With Me" by Eric Hutchinson (thanks Bethany!)
"I Love the Rain the Most" by Joe Purdy (again, thanks Bethany!)
"The Cure for Pain" by Jon Foreman
"Loose Lips" by Kimya Dawson
"Crown" by Mason Jennings
"Sun Down" by Nik Freitas
"Bag of Hammers" by Thao
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sailing!
Here are some pictures from a recent sailing trip I went on.
My friend Marleen invited me to go with her friends, and we had a lovely day.
We caught fresh mussells and ate them right on the boat!
Yum!
I wanted to climb the mast like Jack Sparrow, but that was not allowed...
Ahoy!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Some Highlights
---On Mother's Day, Christine, the regular leader for children's church, was away, so I was left in charge. We had no major mishaps and we didn't lose any of the kids, so I was quite pleased.
---My adviser asked me to come and talk to one of his classes. I spoke briefly about choosing a topic for my thesis, researching, and writing. I think I was a bit rambly, which shouldn't be too hard to imagine....
---A few weeks ago, I got together with some girlfriends to watch the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, which is fantastic, and also about five and a half hours long. I really didn't expect us to watch in all in one go, but after the first disc ended--right after Mr. Darcy proposes---we could NOT turn it off. And we had a ton of cookies, and tea, and Thai food making it the perfect girls' night.
---A friend of mind threw a murder mystery dinner and the theme happened to be set in Chicago in the 1920s. I ended being the resident historian and got to explain to the Kiwis about things like the Black Sox scandal, Al Capone, and Prohibition. It was a great night, except I was wrong in guessing whodunit.
---I recently finished reading Children of Men by P.D. James. It's a British novel that became the inspiration for a fantastic movie from a couple of years ago. Then, a couple of days later, I found that Children of Men would be showing on tv! So I told all my friends on my floor that we needed to watch. However, after about ten minutes I realized that probably it might not appeal to everyone, and when it ended, only one guy seemed to liked it. Everyone else seemed slightly confused. I always forget my love of bleak, dystopian futures is not necessarily the norm....
---My adviser asked me to come and talk to one of his classes. I spoke briefly about choosing a topic for my thesis, researching, and writing. I think I was a bit rambly, which shouldn't be too hard to imagine....
---A few weeks ago, I got together with some girlfriends to watch the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, which is fantastic, and also about five and a half hours long. I really didn't expect us to watch in all in one go, but after the first disc ended--right after Mr. Darcy proposes---we could NOT turn it off. And we had a ton of cookies, and tea, and Thai food making it the perfect girls' night.
---A friend of mind threw a murder mystery dinner and the theme happened to be set in Chicago in the 1920s. I ended being the resident historian and got to explain to the Kiwis about things like the Black Sox scandal, Al Capone, and Prohibition. It was a great night, except I was wrong in guessing whodunit.
---I recently finished reading Children of Men by P.D. James. It's a British novel that became the inspiration for a fantastic movie from a couple of years ago. Then, a couple of days later, I found that Children of Men would be showing on tv! So I told all my friends on my floor that we needed to watch. However, after about ten minutes I realized that probably it might not appeal to everyone, and when it ended, only one guy seemed to liked it. Everyone else seemed slightly confused. I always forget my love of bleak, dystopian futures is not necessarily the norm....
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A Year Without Music
Last November I made the decision to not buy any music (cds, records, downloads...) until I had completed my Masters degree. If you know me at all, you know that I am a bit music obsessed. I love finding new bands and rediscovering I missed out on due to the unlucky chance of being born in the wrong decade. But I realized that I just couldn't reconcile spending money on music when I have to pay for school. Plus, it never ends. I mean, the need, the desire for more music is never quenched so you just need to get more and more of it. It's the definition of addiction, and I hate having an addiction. I realized I had songs on my computer I did not recognize, and cds that I have not listened to since the day I bought them! That is just wasteful.
So, no buying music until 2009.
It was very hard at first, but now I am really learning to enjoy the music I have. By this time, I no longer feel that itch to buy every album under the sun. Plus, there are plenty of ways to get free music (legally), that I still get to entertain my hobby.
So, that being said, let's have some fun! It's time for Random Rules:
"Night and Day" Sondre Lerche covering Cole Porter on the album Duper Sessions
"Chicago (adult contemporary easy listening version)" by Sufjan Stevens from The Avalanche
"Patty Lee" by Les Savvy Fav from Let's Stay Friends
"Just Like You" by Waterdeep from You Are So Good To Me
"The Greatest" by Cat Power from the album The Greatest
"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (outtake)" by The Beatles from Anthology
Remember, the original version of this game can be found at the AV Club website--check out the link to the left...
Thanks for reading. Peace.
So, no buying music until 2009.
It was very hard at first, but now I am really learning to enjoy the music I have. By this time, I no longer feel that itch to buy every album under the sun. Plus, there are plenty of ways to get free music (legally), that I still get to entertain my hobby.
So, that being said, let's have some fun! It's time for Random Rules:
"Night and Day" Sondre Lerche covering Cole Porter on the album Duper Sessions
"Chicago (adult contemporary easy listening version)" by Sufjan Stevens from The Avalanche
"Patty Lee" by Les Savvy Fav from Let's Stay Friends
"Just Like You" by Waterdeep from You Are So Good To Me
"The Greatest" by Cat Power from the album The Greatest
"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (outtake)" by The Beatles from Anthology
Remember, the original version of this game can be found at the AV Club website--check out the link to the left...
Thanks for reading. Peace.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
New Friends, New Challenges, New Shoes
New Friends
---The last few weeks I have begun to make friends with some of the people in my building, mostly with two German guys named Greg and Boris. They're pretty funny, and I like talking to them. Greg has visited California once and really liked it, so we bonded over that.
---I have been co-leading a small group at church for 18-25 year olds, so I've been meeting a lot of my peers from church. The group is fun so far, and new so we've been trying to keep it casual. I've been leading worship at our meetings, just playing a couple of songs on guitar, which is fun too.
---Last week at church an American guy named Michael was visiting. He's been backpacking across NZ for the last three months, and is planning on returning to the US to travel around in a van, play his guitar, tell people about Jesus, and see what happens. Based on these facts, I decided we would be friends. I also told him that if he makes it to California or Illinois, I know people who can hook him up with a free meal. If he comes your way, help him out!
New Challenges
---It is visa renewal time again, and once again I find myself running around, trying to get things done, and worrying about getting deported (just kidding about that last one). Something always goes wrong, but for now, thankfully, the worst has passed and I should have a new visa in about month.
---My job as a tutor is going really well. I have gotten a little bit of positive feedback from my students, but mostly just I really enjoy it. It's hard to invent new ways to discuss things each week, but so far I feel like I am doing a pretty good job.
---Recently, I find myself in a bit of a spiritual slump. I've been having to learn how to remain faithful even when I don't feel like it, and trust that God is around even when he seems a bit silent. It is a good lesson to learn, even if it is really hard. I have found encouragement from reading the Bible, and from many of you--thanks for praying and supporting!
New Shoes
---I really need a pair. My red converse--my trademark, my lucky shoes--sadly, are falling apart in every possible way.
Sorry there has been a lack of pictures on this blog lately. Unfortunately, my Internet connection is temperamental which makes posting photos a drag.
Oh, and happy April Fool's to you! I have to confess now that I sent some of you a news article I made up about Sufjan Stevens' new album. I hope it made you laugh. If you did not receive it and want to read it, just let me know and I'll email a copy to you. I have to confess, I was pretty proud of the fake song names I came up with.
Later days!
---The last few weeks I have begun to make friends with some of the people in my building, mostly with two German guys named Greg and Boris. They're pretty funny, and I like talking to them. Greg has visited California once and really liked it, so we bonded over that.
---I have been co-leading a small group at church for 18-25 year olds, so I've been meeting a lot of my peers from church. The group is fun so far, and new so we've been trying to keep it casual. I've been leading worship at our meetings, just playing a couple of songs on guitar, which is fun too.
---Last week at church an American guy named Michael was visiting. He's been backpacking across NZ for the last three months, and is planning on returning to the US to travel around in a van, play his guitar, tell people about Jesus, and see what happens. Based on these facts, I decided we would be friends. I also told him that if he makes it to California or Illinois, I know people who can hook him up with a free meal. If he comes your way, help him out!
New Challenges
---It is visa renewal time again, and once again I find myself running around, trying to get things done, and worrying about getting deported (just kidding about that last one). Something always goes wrong, but for now, thankfully, the worst has passed and I should have a new visa in about month.
---My job as a tutor is going really well. I have gotten a little bit of positive feedback from my students, but mostly just I really enjoy it. It's hard to invent new ways to discuss things each week, but so far I feel like I am doing a pretty good job.
---Recently, I find myself in a bit of a spiritual slump. I've been having to learn how to remain faithful even when I don't feel like it, and trust that God is around even when he seems a bit silent. It is a good lesson to learn, even if it is really hard. I have found encouragement from reading the Bible, and from many of you--thanks for praying and supporting!
New Shoes
---I really need a pair. My red converse--my trademark, my lucky shoes--sadly, are falling apart in every possible way.
Sorry there has been a lack of pictures on this blog lately. Unfortunately, my Internet connection is temperamental which makes posting photos a drag.
Oh, and happy April Fool's to you! I have to confess now that I sent some of you a news article I made up about Sufjan Stevens' new album. I hope it made you laugh. If you did not receive it and want to read it, just let me know and I'll email a copy to you. I have to confess, I was pretty proud of the fake song names I came up with.
Later days!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Year of the Rat
Did you know that this year is the Year of the Rat?
I recently got a job at school as a Tutor. I will be working with the freshman level media course. Since it is a class of about 400 students, the Tutors run discussion sessions and help with grading. I haven't had any sessions yet, but this week it all starts.
Also, I have been doing a lot of work on my thesis. I recently met with my adviser so I have a pretty good idea of all the work I have before me. Yikes!
And, at church I have been helping with the kids, as usual, helping with sound/AV occasionally, and soon I will be a part of a small group!
The Year of the Rat is already quite full.
Instead of music, lately I have been listening to This American Life---check it out here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Archive.aspx
I recently got a job at school as a Tutor. I will be working with the freshman level media course. Since it is a class of about 400 students, the Tutors run discussion sessions and help with grading. I haven't had any sessions yet, but this week it all starts.
Also, I have been doing a lot of work on my thesis. I recently met with my adviser so I have a pretty good idea of all the work I have before me. Yikes!
And, at church I have been helping with the kids, as usual, helping with sound/AV occasionally, and soon I will be a part of a small group!
The Year of the Rat is already quite full.
Instead of music, lately I have been listening to This American Life---check it out here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Archive.aspx
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