Off to Rotorua

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd leave a quick note as tomorrow the youth choir is taking me to Rotorua. Friday we sing a concert, we get recorded on Thursday for Praise Be, Sat is off to Tauranga for a concert there, and then we're back on Sunday. I have already been singing for three days, and had a concert (and two long evening rehearsals) last week with my other choir. So I'm kind of looking forward to being on the road tomorrow, but also not 100%. Plus Jenna isn't here so that makes it much less exciting.

And I'm supposed to be packing right now - I have already booked a rental car for labour weekend, investigated insurance (AMI won't insure me without a deadlock on my door.. dumb!!!! so I"m now trying AA..) and done the dishes and cooked chicken fried rice for everyone for tea.

Now I'm booking tickets for a theatre night - Friday 9th September.. actually I should check my diary first...no looks free :) I have grad training that day and the day before but that's ok, no clash. So I guess Karthik will be the lucky one to accompany me! It's a play that my friend Steph is involved in, I'm not sure if she's the director or producer or what but anyway. Steph and I went to school together, she's a very talented individual and currently resides in Wellington. So I'll get to see her too when I'm back from Tauranga!

Ok I really should stop procrastinating. Have a nice week everyone!

Atilla the Hun: Born 406, died 453

The subject line today is in reference to a man feared by many, (in fact no historian has many positive things to say about him), because sometimes I think it is fine to be grumpy. Sure, I'm not going to try and take over the last remnants of any empires, and kill or pillage, but I just thought 'hmm what interesting fact should I share with you today' and Atilla the Hun suited my mood. I have just been to *the dentist*.

Now, normally I like the dentist. Strange you might think but true. Cos they're nice to you, in chch you pay like $50 and they do your xrays, and brush your teeth with the yummy stuff, and poke and prod you and send you away till next year.

However, now I'm in Auckland. I went to one nearby because a) I could walk there and b) I had a voucher for my first visit free. And the dentist was nice. But she didn't brush my teeth at all! Instead she told me I should come back, and spend an hour with a dental hygenist for $130!!!! That's quite a lot, considering today's appointment would normally have been $70. Anyway she also took an xray of me using some big machine, then charged me $54 and I didn't even ask for it or want it! AND THEN she said I had brilliant teeth but needed two tiny wee fillings! Can I trust her? What if she just wants me to spend money? It will cost me $400 to get these done. Yes, $400. And it will require 40 minutes of a Wed evening, and (sadly) injections.

So I might ring some other places and get some quotes to compare it too. I mean - even if I had to taxi there and back surely it'd be less than this!!!! Lisa had her wisdom tooth out for like $150. And next month I have to pay 3 fortnightly rents so I'll be poor anyway.

Also today I tried to donate blood. Persuaded Stephen to come along too. And that turned out to be the only bit of community service I performed since they put the needle in me, started pumping out blood, I felt really hot suddenly, and yucky, and then suddenly fine - by this point I'd apparently fainted, convulsed, and they'd removed the needle and put a fan on me and a cold flannel on my forehead. Dumb. And I ate breakfast, morning tea and lunch.

Work was good though. And now I have a free evening!! So that's very exciting. So I will try to cheer up.

Oh, and I am a prize idiot for cutting up my piano warrantee, thinking I didn't need it anymore, and the full version would not fit in my scrapbook.

And I booked my holiday to Oz after Xmas and was hoping to see Dad's cousin while over there, but he'll be in Thailand. :(

The Roman Emperor Caligula had his favourite horse wined and dined at banquets, and was planning to make him a Roman consul, but was assassinated.

The Emperor was assassinated, not the horse. Although it probably wouldn't have lived a great deal longer.

So everyone I thought I'd write a brief post since it has been a wee while and I wouldn't want to get out of the habit.. and Karthik hasn't been here all evening so I don't have to worry about entertaining him :) I really should be in bed already, I was so tired last week I was like a zombie, and over the weekend I didn't really catch up and was still tired, and didn't exactly go to bed early last night either but today and yesterday have been functioning fine, a couple of yawns in the section meeting today but it was in Pitt St so we had a nice view to entertain us. I yawned a bit in choir tonight too but was mainly hungry. But some nice girl in choir gave me a lift home and Karthik drove me there so by 8.15 I was home ;) Noone cooked tonight so I had toast and some Greek spread on it and olives, and apple pie. I thought about spaghetti, but toast seemed more immediate. Oh and choir was fun for the second week in a row! Yah!

Also tonight I finished the jigsaw! 2000 pieces, I'd never done it before, I did it all myself starting last Saturday, and the most recent weekend I couldn't do it cos I wasn't here, so that's pretty quick! It looks really cool. Unfortunately there were 2 pieces missing, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

I have been quite practical lately too. The shoe man said he couldn't fix either of my pairs of broken shoes so I bought super glue, glued one heel back on and glued the button on the other one, and it seems to be all good so far - I've had 2 days at work with the glued-on heel shoe and it hasn't come off ;) I hope my luck holds up. I guess when it finally breaks I'll have to go shoe-shopping again :(

And I also sewed the strap back together on the top that Jenna borrowed from me for 6 months that I've never worn. After doing this I noticed two white stains on the front that I can't get off. Hopefully some Friend and some intimate time with the washing machine will help this, but I don't know.... Yes I know you'll be amazed that I know how to use a needle, I won't see I'm terrific but I'm functional for simple tasks. My mum and Little Nana and Big Nana did teach me that much.

I also wrote 2 cards tonight to various people, and read a letter from my local MP, and browsed the next semester of continuing education courses at Auck uni. There are some fascinating ones, and some are only 1 or 2 sessions so I might have to get involved again.

Isn't life fascinating. Ok i'm going to read my library book on the Musée d'Orsay now in bed - this will be fun. I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful day tomorrow.