30.11.12

Tonight we watched a movie at Laban's house to celebrate his birthday. It was great. We saw Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and it was a good level of gross and great 80s.

It was also a nice, relaxing way to spend a Friday night after a busy week, with tea and good friends.

29.11.12

And so begin the festivities.

Mine kicked off with a little Christmas party at Jessamy's. We discussed favourite and least-favourite Christmas songs. The two tops of my lists are All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Do They Know It's Christmas?

You can decide which is which.

However, the first bite of Christmas mince pies made me a bit excited about the season. I love them so much!

28.11.12

This morning was our last ever Maccas girl's breakfast which brought back memories of waking up far too early, picking the girls up and heading to McDonalds for a  pre-school feast.

Unfortunately they've stopped making yoghurt berry crunch, which is a major disappointment, but it was ok because the company made up for it. I love these girls and this reminiscent breakfast made me realize just how difficult it's going to be to leave them.

26.11.12

Tonight I got a text out of the blue from Cindy who wanted to have some company while she ate dumplings. Of course I agreed because of my quest to become more Korean, even if it meant I had t have two dinners. I couldn't just watch her eat!

It was absolutely delicious. I love her a lot. She's so cute and she had a huge bowl of noodles and soup, plus a plate of dumplings, and sides! That's flippin admirable!

25.11.12

The lasts are here.

Tonight I MC'd at the last Wave of the year, and my last for a long time. Beforehand it was chaotic as usual, mixed in with a few emotions.

I love it so much, and I really will miss being involved in a service like that. I can't wait to see how much it's changed and grown over the time I'm away though.

24.11.12

Tonight I went to a party with many cool people at it. They are cool but also crazy at the same time. I had a few great but awkward conversations. And some with local musicians I have only admired from gig audiences. It was a bit surreal.

Laban did an amazing rap as a birthday speech which absolutely made the night through the roof awesome. Chuck in some Bananagrams and Boggle with people I've Facebook-stalked on many occasions, and there you have an evening I've only dreamed of.

But I'm not that creepy, really.

23.11.12

I've been dipping my feet in the ocean most chances I can get as of late. Until today it has always been far too cold to tempt me, so it came as a very pleasant surprise to find that my toes didn't want to recoil in sheer terror after running to the waters' edge this afternoon.

It was actually warm. WARM! It's not even Summer yet!

22.11.12

A head massage is one of the most relaxing things that could ever happen to a person.

I love going to the hairdressers, mainly because I don't have to beg for one, it's just all part of the experience.

I thought I'd have to grovel today though, when she did the shampoo, did the conditioner, got out the towel and started drying, all the while trying to make conversation and break into my sacred calm-zone!

It was all to taunt me though because she put this other stuff on my scalp and then it began, the best two minutes of my day. I actually could have fallen asleep. Apparently people do sometimes.

21.11.12

This morning I was thrown in the deep end and had to lead Mainly Music without knowing the songs (lyrics, tune, or actions) and with zero experience in front of 50 0-5 year olds and their mums.

It was terrifying.

But it happened far better than expected.

I definitely had a favourite kid and I played with him, stamping our feet, for ages after the programme. Yes, he's the child of the owners of my favourite cafe, and yes I did introduce myself and let her know I recognized her. No, I'm not creepy at all!

20.11.12

It's always nice when something goes better than expected.

Telling RTK about the changes next year was something a bit scary, but they got onboard really quickly and started dreaming about what things can be like.

I love seeing them fired up and passionate, and I love getting really encouraging texts which show that they're thinking and God is planting seeds. YES!

19.11.12

Goodness me, did we have the meeting to end all meetings tonight at church. There were 30+ of the most involved children and youth volunteers, staff, and elders. It was all about how things are going, and plans for next year.

It was pretty intense as we talked about scrapping things, starting new ones, and all the things that aren't working.

I learnt something about myself, that I'm not as easily pushed over as I used to be. I know how to fight for what I believe is best. It's a great realization and I think it's all happened pretty recently.

18.11.12

I had a lazy Sunday afternoon!

It's a very rare occasion, which made it all the more enjoyable.

I sort of didn't know what to do with myself.

My life is going to get more of them shortly.

17.11.12

Oh man, this morning I had the strangest experience. I went to a bizarre Korean bazaar.

There were second hand and new clothes, many delicious lunch options, and so many books.

Priscilla introduced me to an older Korean lady who took my hand when she found out I was going to Korea, and then absolutely beamed when she found out I'm Christian. "Oh, you're going on a mission!", she said with all the delight in the world.

She then bought me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and made me put on plastic bags as a raincoat and bonnet.

It was all a little bewildering, but very sweet.

16.11.12

I forgot how happy it is to see Amy Lloyd.

I really appreciated her smiling face and cute stories of ditz and drama tonight.

I love how some people have a way of cheering you up and just brightening your day.

15.11.12

I clicked 'send' again this evening. This time was no less emotion-filled.

Thus far in life I have not had to make a CV. It has been glorious, just to go from job to job either with a hook up from a friend or by being approached personally.

The prospect of teaching at an amazing school on Jeju Island in Korea, or working in their Seoul offices persuaded me to cave in and make one. Seriously, this school is incredible. It's an all-girls school run by kiwis on a beautiful island, and the architecture, landscaping, tennis courts, pool, gardens, and so on make it a dream workplace. I'd go there just to hang out.

After schmoozing out a hopeful cover letter, I've just sent it in, knowing I'm pretty under-qualified, but fully capable of a few positions.

It feels good!

14.11.12

The weather has been absolutely crazy today. Just as I was about to leave work, the skies opened up and a mighty downpour began. After a lovely wee chat with Melinda, I noticed there was a patch of blue sky so I made a dash for my car.

Driving home I went through patches of sun, overcast, and showers. At one stage there was a half-rainbow, as if it was all squished up because the colours were radiant. It ended in a fluffy white cloud, and just as I was admiring it, my eyes darted towards a flash I had just seen out of the corner of my vision, in the ominous grey clouds right next to the rainbow.

I couldn't believe that I was seeing lightening at the same time as such a beautiful symbol of hope. It was very cool.

13.11.12

Tonight I put in a solid few hours finishing my application to EPIK, the teaching programme in Korea. After crafting an essay, making a lesson plan, and filling out pages and pages worth of info, it's done!

Pressing 'send' was an incredible feeling. It was a mixture of terror and excitement, with a bit of relief in there somewhere. I reallyreeeaaaalllly want to get into Seoul.

We will have to wait and see.

12.11.12

Tonight in the car on the way to band practice, I had a sudden urge to go on an adventure. My mind channelled it into wanting to do something afterwards. It's weird how sometimes all you want is alone, and other times all you want is company.

It never actually happened. After band I dropped Dan at football and went to the beach. I was in a new mood. I'm blaming it on one of the songs we listened to. It made me all pensive and I got that tugging feeling in my chest. It's quite a nice feeling to get. A bit inexplicable sometimes though. It's like being a little in love, and wanting to be fully in love at the same time as sadness and contentment. They're all pulling at the same time.

It's probably just me who feels like that sometimes.

11.11.12

HAPPY PEPERO DAY!!

Despite not celebrating this brilliant occasion, today was great.

It was the closest to a real Sabbath day that I've experienced for a while now. I went to St. Paul's this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. The worship completely refreshed me. It felt so good just to slip in and slip out of the service.

 And then, as if that wasn't Christian enough, tonight at Elliot and Sarah's leaving dinner, there were just a few of us left so Lucy suggested we pray for them and Pete as they embark on their mission trip. It was so good to just be hanging out and then, right there, to be able to pray. I think that's a mark of true, real friendship and God being part of life as we interact and chill with each other.

It was a great thing.

10.11.12

You forget certain qualities about a person if you don't see them for a long time. Just subtle things you pick up on and eventually take for granted when you see them often. Gestures, phrases, intonation, and mannerisms fade out over time and distance.

It was so good to be reminded of all Phil's little isms tonight as we hung out for the first time in many months.

09.11.12

Oh man I had such a good nap today. It has been years since I have napped, but this one made up for all that. It was so necessary and waking up from it was so sweet. I felt rejuvenated and full of energy to tackle the night ahead: a family photoshoot, dinner, and then to Phil's gig.

What a great night it was, too!

08.11.12

The cable car was the last thing on our to do list for Wellington, and it certainly did not let us down. It's so cute, and intriguing. It works in such an amazing way, the bottom car pulling the other one up the hill by making the most of gravity. The whole time I was freaking out. Yay for physics!

Up the top was a beautiful panorama of the city, which was best taken at a glance because the wind levels were seriously high. We found a sunny, still spot which had some trees as shields and lay down to soak up some rays and enjoy our last afternoon in Wellington.

What a fantastic city.

07.11.12

There is one piece of art in the world that I have found that really connects with me. I don't know what it is about this portrait by C.F. Goldie, The Widow. It may be the sadness in her expression, the photo-quality detail in her hands, and the glowing embers hidden inside the hut, but I could look at it for a long time.You feel like you know this lady, this widow, and feel some of her pain.

It's amazing to me that a sheet of paper, a few drops of paint, and some utensils can be used to create emotion like that.

06.11.12

Today has been a great day. It's been one of the best in my life for ages. Maybe it was the sunny disposition of a new city, maybe the actual Sun had something to do with it, probably the food and company did too.

Amy and I woke up and had a yummy breakfast and coffee at Floridita's, followed by browsing in the vintage stores down Cuba St. When lunch time rolled around, we had a great time watching the sushi go round and round the carousel at Wasabi Sushi. It was the best sushi I have ever tasted, and it wasn't just because it was like a fun game to decide whether we wanted it, and snatch it in time before it drove by and we missed our opportunity.

This was followed by a visit to Amy's workmates (sort of) at the shoe shops, and some purchasing of our own, which made me feel so pleased! Consumerism won today.

After a coffee in the cutest little place, Crumpet, and a change of clothes, it was time for a cocktail from the Embassy Theatre and the best film I've seen in a long time, Safety Not Guaranteed.

Still buzzing from the movie, we had tacos at Sweet Mother's Kitchen to finish an amazing day, full of bests.

05.11.12

Wellington, day 1!

By 10:30am I had consumed coffee, a donut, a veggie breakfast, half a scone, and a pot of tea.

If the rest of the week is going to be like this, I will be pleased indeed.

Other highlights of the day include:
- Laying in the sun by the waterfront, dozing off momentarily in the sun
- Seeing Matt and Melinda and hanging out with them
- Escaping the rain and finding shelter in Fidel's with hot chocolate yumminess
- Having photos to update my Instagram feed with
- Seeing many stylish and attractive people

04.11.12

Worship was stressing me out bigtime today. Actually, just pretty much everything was.

I prayed that somehow, during practice, God would help me unravel it all and focus on Him. It was an occasion that I believed He could answer my prayer, but didn't really expect Him to.

He definitely did, and as practice went on I felt more and more calm. It was so great to experience peace like that, and an answer to prayer.

02.11.12

I had four separate chills with people today.

1. Alysha and Cindy:
We went to Delish Cupcakes and had a delightful time talking about boy crushes, jobs, school, and cute things. I love those girls so much. Hanging out with them always makes me smile. They are beautiful.

2. Links:
This girl gives me hope. She is so onto it and passionate about the same sorts of things I am. She inspires me so much because of it. After having coffee and a free mocha tart, I came away feeling so secure, comforted, and praising God.

3. Janet:
JanJan has a way of passing on joy to whoever she meets. She's a little Korean powerhouse of giggles, stories, and gossip. We dreamt and planned about living in Korea next year. I am so excited to have a friend over there as near and dear to me as she is.

4. Yvonne and Michael:
Second day in a row and not a dull moment. We went to the beach and lay on a blanket with a guitar. They are both incredibly talented and it was perfect just laying there, listening to their harmonies and staring into the sky. The clouds formed big, puffy hexagons like on a soccer ball, with stars peering through the cracks. At one point they parted to reveal a bright moon with a yellowish hue. It was beautiful. Once again, time escaped us and I went to bed well after midnight.

What a great day.

01.11.12

Von and I got to catch up with Michael Lee tonight and it was great. I was only going to stay for about an hour, but as per usual when we hang out, it got late very quickly.

That doesn't happen for me with many people. It definitely does with Von on many occasions in cafes where we just talk for far too long. I think it's quite special.

Another remarkable thing about our time was the way that Michael reacted to my website idea. He was so supportive and excited which made me even more passionate and dreaming even bigger. I can't believe how amazing it is to have great friends who are so helpful and creative who just want to help me so much. I feel very blessed.

31.10.12

It was our church Light Party tonight, a community event which provides an alternative to Halloween.

I dressed up as Snow White and boy did the kids love it! Most of the adults were calling me Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, but the kids would say, "Hey, Snow White!!!" excitedly as I passed. One little boy in a wheelchair was a bit awestruck as his parents told me Snow White is his favourite, so I chatted to him for a while.

It was great fun! I loved making the kids all excited and bringing joy to their little faces.

One girl from church looked up at me and asked, "Are you Snow White?" After I replied positively she looked at me closer and said with confusion, "But are you Katie too?"

It was gorgeous.

One day I might just work at Disneyland.

30.10.12

Tonight Melinda bought a pizza for her dinner and ate it at church. It always amazes me how generous she is with her food. Where I would guard mine with my life and glare at someone who even dares glance at it, she gives it away happily.

She ended up with only a few slices as she offered it to everyone else. She wasn't even bitter about it.

Maybe I'm just way too overprotective of my food and this shouldn't surprise me.

29.10.12

There's something magical about driving up my driveway with the window down and as I race up the hill, whiffs of the fresh Spring flowers fly past my nose.

It really makes me appreciate life.

03.11.12

Tonight was Sam's birthday, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. The speeches were so touching. I teared up in quite a few. His grandma started hers' way back in 1946 and gave a brief history of Brown's Bay, ending with a short memory of Sam's birth. It was all very cute.

The whole family was very sincere, and surprisingly, so were his friends. Usually the boys make up dumb stuff to say with no preparation, and in some cases, too much alcohol. That didn't happen so badly tonight which was really nice.