Thursday, April 30, 2009

29.04.09

I had my hair cut today. It was such a relief.
I don't think I'm alone in that when my hair reaches a certain, gross length it begins to get me down. It does this in a very subversive manner.
It's like when you have a great hair day and you just feel so confident and positive for the whole day. Except this is the opposite. For weeks on end.
So you can understand that as soon as the hairdresser took the scissors to my mop I instantly felt a release of all that negativity. It felt good.
This may be very superficial and stupid but it's the turth (that pretty much means 'truth' it's just cooler).

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

28.04.09

I have these new jeans right.
They are dark blue and therefore very dyeful.
Hence, my hands are blue for most of the day.
This makes washing my hands a very satisfactory experience.
I love seeing the blue, murky water drip off my hands as they get cleaner.
It really is such a fantastic feeling and my hands are clean and proper colour again.
Not that blue isn't a proper colour to be.
I don't want to be discriminatory or anything.

27.04.09

Cheesecake is really a spectacular food.
It kind of is some sort of goo on your tongue but when your tastebuds get a whiff of the tangy, sweet, cheesy taste I think they get a bit confused and tantalised at the same time.
It really is a most obscure taste.
But one of my favourites.

26.04.09

This is the day I was born 19 years ago.
A pretty remarkable day.
For me anyway.

I had a tea party and I was well spoilt.
I love tea and I love parties. Not usually my own ones but this was so nice.
There was old fashioned teacups, doilies, cupcakes, asparagus rolls, coconut ice, club sandwiches and a whole lot of my favourite girlies. It was splendid.

I felt so special all day.
It struck me how lucky I am to have such awesome friends that could make me feel so loved and I want to be a friend like that to them.

Feelin' the love

Sunday, April 26, 2009

25.04.09

I love doilies.
It's my tea party tomorrow so I kinda made doilie sculptures as decorations and strung them up by the window.
They look so pretty with the light shining through.
And the teacups! Woah. I love teacups.
Real old fashioned teacups.
How posh.

24.04.09

This morning I went for my defensive driving practical session which is set up like he full license driving test.
He said I was good but I would have failed at part one and not even made it to part 2.
The reason is that I coast around corners. I leave the clutch in and don't engine brake. Tsk, tsk.
I have been correcting it as I drive and I think I'm sweet to go for my full.
It feels like I have been waiting for this for so long. No more curfew. Can take who I like.
Fantastic.

Friday, April 24, 2009

23.04.09

Oh man I am getting excited about going to Tonga.
This evening we had a meeting about it and we got to hear loads of awesome stories about how God is moving in Tonga through the radio ministry.
It is absolutely mind blowing.
They were calling it a revival of repentance. Not so much signs and wonders (although there is some of that) which are things often associated with the word "revival", but people are turning to God in such an amazing way.
The testimonies I heard were incredible. One girl was brutally beaten by a teacher and the family called it in to the radio which sent the nation into a frenzy of prayer. Tonga was praying for her and her family for hours until the announcer received the news she had died and he had to broadcast it to everyone who was listening and praying so hard. He said the lines just went silent. No callers. Five minutes later the family called again and said a miracle had happened. She was alive again! After he announced that news the calls didn't stop for hours.
What an awesome testimony.
I cannot wait to see it in action.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

22.04.09

I admit I am dreadfully sentimental.

I have just sifted through my memories box containing things such as letters, cards, pictures, and mementos.

It's so awesome to pick something up and recollect the very moment in time it was written. There's one scrappy piece of paper which is absolutely covered in scrawls and pictures. It took me back to that hot summer's morning sitting in a boring church service with Emily about 5 years ago. We had so much fun suppressing giggles as we drew what our future children would look like with our future husbands. Oh it is so funny to go back into the mind of 14yr old me.

I am also reading through my end of school book which I made people write nice things about me in. It's hilarious to see the personal jokes I had forgotten in the year and a bit since I left. Goodness it seems like ages ago I was sitting in english trying not to blush as Naomi teased me about a certain boy. It's great to remember.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

21.04.09

My friend is leaving for three months to go on her big O.E.
This evening we went to Lonestar for a farewell dessert thing.
It is always nice to get to know people better. Her friends from a different church were there. I know them kinda but it was really great to chat and to get to know them better. We had quite a few laughs and it was just fun.
People are awesome.
Laughing is awesome.
Yay.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

20.04.09

I saw the waterlillies today at the Monet and the Impressionists exhibition at Te Papa museum.
Flip.
I couldn't believe I was actually standing in front of it.
It was beautiful.
Way better in real life.

The other works there amazed me too. I love the way they played with light. It was as if he used fluorescent paints. The whole exhibition was breathtaking.

Here's one of my favourites


Washerwomen
about 1855
Jean-François Millet, French, 1814–1875

19.04.09

All day was spent on the train to Wellington. Seriously. All day.
12 hours to soak in the scenery and make new friends.

After a wee while we got a tad tired of the beautiful landscape so we decided to befriend some fellow passengers.

It was so cool. We made friends with this Russian couple. She had come out to see him a he lives in Wellington. She couldn't speak much english but she had a very styley crochet vest on.

There were these kids on the train too. They are from Chicago and are living in NZ for a little bit. They were so loud. But their accents were cool. Dan got their email and I hope they stay in contact.

It's so nice to meet new people. Even if you only know them for a day.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

18.04.09

I apologise for making this post about a movie too but it's a good'un.

I Am Sam

Flippin heck Sean Penn can act. I really loved it.

I worked in a special needs school last year and my favourite class were a group of boys with autism, like Sam.

I had never really thought about what happens when they turn 21 and they are no longer allowed at school and they have to fend for themselves. It's crazy. I can't imagine any of them being able to be a father and yet, they could be where Sam was and capable of it.

It's amazing how the human brain works and the developments the class made each time I got to work there. I could see an improvement in the way they interacted and how they got on with each other each visit.

It was so awesome this one time when one of the boys looked at me and smiled. Just that instant of recognition and communication was so special. He was non-verbal and he didn't look into your eyes when you spoke so it made it such a great moment when he did.

Times like that make all the patience and hard work worth it.

Friday, April 17, 2009

17.04.09

This evening, instead of going out I chose to stay at home and watch a film.
Well, two.
But one affected me.
That's a lie. They both did.
I want to talk about Children Of the Silk Road though.

I realised again tonight that although Jonathan Rhys Meyers is definitely a bit of eye candy, he can't act to save his life.

That's not what affected me though.
I cannot believe how far those kids had to walk in the snow just to pursue a future that wasn't likely to be all that positive or secure.

I don't think I would have survived a time like that.
It makes me think just how lucky I am to have been born in NZ to awesome parents and peacetime.

The courage of those kids is astounding.
It was a true story too!
Crazy.

George Hogg was an amazing man. He changed the lives of all those kids. Gave them hope.
I'm beginning to understand that trying to change the world all at once is a silly idea. It's about affecting one person's life, and then another, and another. Hopefully it gets contagious.
That's what I would like to be.

16.04.09

Tonight I got an unexpected call on Skype.
It's been yonks since anyone called me to have a chat.
The call was from Simon, whom I haven't talked to for eons.
I don't know if he reads this. If so, hello and thanks so much for calling.
It was a lovely surprise.
If you would like to know who Simon is, he makes awesome videos. Here is one of them.





and...

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

15.04.09

I organised my birthday tea party today.
Boys, don't get excited. It's strictly only female.
Way cooler that way.
Mum and I made invitations and put them in envelopes to send off the old fashioned way.
Isn't it so great to get something in the post?
It feels so important.
That's how everyone will feel when I send these. It's nice to know that you are going to be inducing that feeling in some of your friends.
I believe snail mail should be used more often. It's way easier to be more personal in a letter than in an email or text. Plus it feels more significant.
AND you can decorate a letter or a card.

BRING BACK LETTERS!

14.04.09

The server was down all day at work today.
This made it extra fun because all we could do was talk.
And talk we did.
Grand.
Talking is fantastic.
You can learn so much from other people simply by conversing with them.

13.04.09

Flip I was so tired today.
Cannot believe it.
I was so stupid because I had a Red Bull just before hopping in the car so I wasn't able to sleep.
It's cool though because w had some good discussion about how camp went and what improvements we can make on last year.

Am I allowed to be disgusting and say that I loved squeezing all the pimples that had been pent up all weekend?
I think so.
It was fantastic.
I'm not feeling so fantastic now that my skin is all blotchy and sore but at the time of the squeezing it was glorious.
I was looking forward to it all weekend long.

Mmm mmmmmm.

12.04.09

Easter Sunday.

JESUS HAS RISEN!

Wow.

Today just holds so much hope for me.

I can't believe God's grace, that someone like me was worth dying for.

But there's no hope in death.

Jesus rose from the dead which is great news for me and for all mankind because it means we can have a relationship with God. WAHOOO!

I'm actually so excited right now.

God is good. All the time.

All the time. God is good.

11.04.09

This may be seen as a positive or a negative thing.
At the time I thought it was so dumb but now I can see that it was cool.

In the main meeting this evening there was some stuff going on that my church and other churches present don't practise. It got a bit freaky for a few of our campers who hadn't seen that sort of thing before so our pastor and youth leader decided to take us back to camp and talk about what was going on.

At the time I was so frustrated because I thought it was just my church again, staging a walk-out when they didn't agree with something and not giving it a shot. But now I see that it was because most of our campers had no idea what was going on and they were really freaked out.

I'm glad we got the chance to talk about it amongst our group.
For the rest of camp we were so much closer as a group and I feel like we were able to talk about some issues because of what happened which aren't really addressed in my church.

I just hope that no one was too offended because we left and that they can understand the reasons behind it.

10.04.09

Tonight I saw Mumsdollar live at camp.
Oh I love them.
There's something great about familiar music.
The first chord they struck was amazing.
A feeling I can't describe washed over me and I had to sing and dance.
I am so sad they are breaking up.
Seriously.
So sad.
So.
Sad.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

09.04.09

Today marked the first day of Eastercamp 2009.

I woke up way early and went down to Mystery Creek to help set up tents and the site.

It took all day and loads of hard work but we did it.

I was the only girl and I took great pride in the fact that I put up just as many tents and worked equally as hard as the guys. It was fun.

It felt so good to sit down at the end of the day and to remember that we had started with a flat(ish) piece of land and see what we had transformed it into. It was also great that when all the young people piled off the bus they saw the set-up and were really excited about it. It's nice when what you do is appreciated.

This is Yvette in the coolest caravan you can imagine.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

08.04.09

Just got home from The Killers concert.

Wow.

That's pretty much it.

My ears are still ringing from being right next to the speakers, my retina is burned with the picture of the coolest lead singer ever, and my mind keeps replaying moments from the concert.

It was incredible.

The frontman was awesome. He totally got into it an he was lovvin it onstage. He gave off good vibes.

And the set...

The set was so cool. Zebra backdrop, neon lights, mirror mozaic piano, fake plants, fireworks and mini atom bombs!

Not really, but they had mushroom clouds and fire.

Wow.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

07.04.09

It's coming up to Easter and I have been so busy doing loads of things for Eastercamp and I haven't stopped to think of what Easter really means.

Tonight at lifegroup we watched a DVD. It was Louie Giglio preaching. He has massive earlobes. Seriously. Google it. Your wildest dreams will come true.

Anyway, he was talking about The Unthinkable Rescue and he went through the story of the prodigal son.
It's so awesome that God sees us where we are at, no matter how far from him we feel, and he's waiting for us to turn around and come home. The coolest thing is that he's not waiting there to bash us for going astray, he comes to meet us where we're at and treats us like a son/daughter when we deserve much, much less.

It's amazing.

I'm so glad the God I know isn't just some scary old man up in the clouds but he knows me intimately and loves me so much.

Sometimes it's easy to forget.

Monday, April 6, 2009

06.04.09

Today was one of those days where comfort is of the utmost importance. Function over form.
I basically bummed around at home and then went to work and bummed around some more.
I was in a bit of a weird mood. My mind wouldn't stick to one thing.
Those moods can be cool.
I felt so vague and kinda loopy.
It's good to be loopy sometimes, have your head in the clouds.
I don't want to come down.

05.04.09

I had a party!
Well, it was for kid's church this morning. Ahh such fun.
We had ice cream and lollies and then we sent the kids to their parents all sugared up and full of treats.
Oh well.
No one has complained as of yet.
It was awesome because I actually had to do the whole thing. It wasn't like a programme which I could follow.
And it was successful. Wahhoooo!

PLUS there were 12 kids who responded to the salvation invitation which is such an answer to prayer and totally awesome. Makes me all excited when kids want to make a commitment.

Lovvin' it.

04.04.09

This evening it was my friend's 21st.
Funfun.
It was at my house.
I love being the host.
When I get a house of my own (I do realise I may have to share with others) I will have people over all the time.
It's a whole heap of goodness.
Especially when it's well recieved.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

03.04.09

Today my friend got on my nerves a tad. Maybe more than a tad.

I decided to react differently this time and be straight up and explain why I was peeved. In the most pleasant way possible.

WAAAYYY better outcome.

Learnt me a lesson I did.

You gotsta be truthful but nice and respectful at the same time.

We is all good now.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

02.04.09

My brother is such a sly dog.

So I went to watch him in the school production of The Wedding Singer. He played the jerk fiancee, Glenn.

He totally had a kiss onstage and neglected to tell us. It was hilarious. Came out of nowhere. POP and then there it was. Had me laughing it did.

But man the show was impressive. I'm so proud of them all. Especially him. He sang and danced and acted really well. Like so well. Indeed.

I'm well proud.

01.04.09

I did not suffer from any April Fools pranks today unless you count the ridiculous upside downedness of YouTube. Stupid joke I think. Just such an inconvenience.

I did discover the amazingness that is Tumblr. It's an awesome website.
It looks so funky.
People post the most amazing things. The photos have me wrapt.
I could browse for hours if I could work out how.

But seriously check out these:





Don't you think those cookie cutters are the coolest things you have seen in your life?
And she needs no explanation.

Tumblr is going to leave me with no IRL.

Oh here it is: http://katiedid536.tumblr.com/

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

31.03.09

Today was full of remarkable moments.

1) I decided to branch out again and get a vanilla bean and honey smoothie. I was thinking it would be rather milky but no! It gave me quite a shock. It was all yoghurty. After the initial surprise wore off I rather enjoyed it. Acidopholousee goodness.

2) We had a test in Tongan and it was just fun. None of us were expecting it to be about grammar as Mele had said it would be on origins. We all cracked up and just did our best. I love Tongan. It's the best class. And we are all bonding very well. They are so freaking cool and I'm hoping a bit of that will rub off.

3) On the way home from uni my bus pulled up alongside another and I looked across to see Lily. When our eyes met her face exploded into a smile and she waved. It was so lovely to be greeted like that, like she was genuinely excited to see me. Makes you feel special and it put me in a good mood.

It was a day made up of little things which happened to make it overall a splendid day.