This was sent to me by an Aussie that I work with in San Jose......I gotta say Katherine Mansfield looks strangely like Alison Holst.....I'm thinking something is a little "off"....you be the judge! That said this about sums up Wellington!!!!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Just to prove I do more than work
.....I did have a small adventure this week! Yesterday I headed off to the Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Festival. Michelle, Marcia, Dee and I headed down to the boardwalk to join the masses......and I mean masses. Place was jam packed. Grand fun though - you buy a tasting kit that has 5 tickets in it, p
aper cup and spoon (serviette too!). Then you walk around and choose which chowder you want to try. There were dozens to choose from. If you want to you can then vote on your favourite. Tasting sizes are relatively small....still I was hard pushed to use up all five tickets so stopped at four......Dee and I shared a giant can of beer as well (they do everything big here) so I think that filled me up along the way! After the tasting three of us decided to do one of the rides - the Fireball....says it all really. Mostly these things make me laugh hysterically (okay so it's restrained hysteria....but you get the picture), Michelle provided the screams and Marcia the wahoos. We couldn't convince Dee; the possibility of throwing up put her off (none of us did but someone on the ride was less fortunate....I didn't see that so it proved to be good clean fun for me). We then went on a second ride (all of us) that was less thrill but provided a wonderful sensation of flying - nice.
aper cup and spoon (serviette too!). Then you walk around and choose which chowder you want to try. There were dozens to choose from. If you want to you can then vote on your favourite. Tasting sizes are relatively small....still I was hard pushed to use up all five tickets so stopped at four......Dee and I shared a giant can of beer as well (they do everything big here) so I think that filled me up along the way! After the tasting three of us decided to do one of the rides - the Fireball....says it all really. Mostly these things make me laugh hysterically (okay so it's restrained hysteria....but you get the picture), Michelle provided the screams and Marcia the wahoos. We couldn't convince Dee; the possibility of throwing up put her off (none of us did but someone on the ride was less fortunate....I didn't see that so it proved to be good clean fun for me). We then went on a second ride (all of us) that was less thrill but provided a wonderful sensation of flying - nice.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Gap week
So this is supposed to be my "gap week". The week I was to have between IT releases - completed one on Jan 31, next one Mar 1. Ha! No such thing as gap week. For the past three weeks my days have started with a conference call at 730 am (this as I commute to work)...busy, busy, busy commute home at 515 pm, back online by 630 pm then stay on line for as long as required (as early as 8pm on a good day and as late as midnight on a not so good day). Weekends less time online but not far from my computer. It's fair to say I am feeling a little tired. Folks around me are (mostly) working as hard as I am so I am not alone in the pain (and I don't have a family waiting at home for me so in someways I am better off). The economy is really tough so those of us that have jobs are committed to making sure we keep them - so I don't want to sound like a complete whiner. I am still really loving what I do and feel like I am continuing to build my professional/management skills; not everyone can say that with a smile.
Last weekend, in the interests of demonstrating to myself that I had some kind of life, Michelle and I headed out to a girlie dance in Santa Cruz. I've never been to a dance in Santa Cruz so this was a whole new world. It was cute - Michelle and I figured we would either be among the oldest (given the university is here) or among the youngest. The latter proved to be true! It reminded us of the good ole days of Wellington and the Brooklyn dances. The music was.....hmmm not what it could have been. I did dance though so there must have been something in it. All up we had a good time and it was nice to get out.
Sunday I took Michelle along to a friends beach house for dinner. This was grand fun. Six of us - four new folk - lots of laughter, smart conversation and fab food. Had me feeling human again.
Weather here has been torrential rain (yikes I mean bucketing down). Made me smile to think my bike was safely undercover but it does mean no walks on the beach (well I say that like I don't get home, get into my PJs and sit at my laptop!).
I'm really looking forward to April and heading to Palm Springs. I am most definitely not taking my work laptop...although the boss did ask if I would have my cellphone (lol). Oh well it is nice to feel needed. I'm not expecting to get any calls, I've already organized a stand in and she is more than competent.
Friday, February 13, 2009
The cutest thing
Not only was the Koala wildly cute to look at, but the firefighter was just fab. He knew what to do (or was prepared to do something) and also thought his daughter would love to see the video. It was filmed on a cellphone. Culturally it's a very Aussie moment.
The fires in Aus are so sad...shocking....this is a little heartening.
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