"Ki mai koe ki a au,
he aha te mea nui tenei ao:
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."

"If you should ask me what is
the greatest thing in the world,
the answer would be:
It is people, it is people, it is people."











I'm obsessed with travel. Obsessed with the human connection. Kindred souls who are drawn to the beauty and diversity of the world; expansive enough for a good old adventure yet too small for there to be any excuse to stay put.

Give me the rich nourishment that can only come from swapping stories, thoughts, and beliefs with strangers, richly seasoned by accents and experience.

Sometimes it all can get overwhelming, and I just have to laugh and cry "Goddamn, I am small and you are small but together we help make up the big picture, and perhaps that's the mantra that will keep us sane in these schizophrenic times."

I'm just getting warmed up.

(from my travel journal while away last weekend)

"This is beginning to feel like the long winded blues of the never.Barely controlled locomotive consuming the picture and blowing the crows,the smoke"

So I uh, loath my job.
Not that myself or anyone else who has an inkling of who I am as a person saw potential for a loving partnership in a mall support office setting but to be honest, I thought this would be less painful.
This isn't the cliche rant set to the tune of Office Space quotes. This is, I wake up in the morning exhausted, not from lack of sleep, but rather crisis of morals and priorities. Yes this gets kinda heavy. You've been warned.
Now granted, there are a few superficial qualms embedded in the clash. I'd imagine short of the heavily drugged/lobotomized demographics, few would find fulfillment in spending 9-5:30 barring one hour break, loading up Summer Fashion 08, item by item, onto a website. Apparently PA assistant also includes the job description of Marketing Temp. Go figure.
But that's all on the surface. And nothing that a few drinks at the bar after work can't heal. No, my real problem is that there is so much shit going down across the globe, on social environmental and political levels, and there are too many areas to count where people need help, resources, and often times just a simple voice.
That's all happening...and I'm loading the new Satin Wrap Top from Staxs, compete with a "don't miss out!" description and recommended body shape. (Women, feel self conscious!)

It's one thing to do nothing. It's a whole 'nother monster to be moving backwards.


Fuck its aggravating. Anyway, here are a few pictures to even out all the words. I have Monday off for Labour Day weekend and I'm heading down south to Rotorua. I'm ecstatic. Getting back to the original point of this whole trip. Adventure with little more set in stone than a ticket and a hostel reservation.

This entry refuses to come out positive. Maybe its a Monday thing. No worries though, I'm doing amazingly well these days.

"I know, I see, I feel and yes I fear it everyday

These ego's there minds and games
With all their power could end our days
Still the sun it shines and the moon it sinks with grace
It's such a shame that all this shit exists
Here on this earth, this magical place."
-Xavier Rudd, G.B.A

So how about this global recession huh

My heart goes out to all those severely hurt by the crisis, particularly those in the Third World countries where the most serious effects are occurring. These nations are largely forgotten even when things are going great in the West.

I keep finding myself preoccupied with the thoughts of whether this crisis is going to ultimately feed broader appeal to the budding reaffirmation of local business, or merely give big money corporations the chance to sink their roots further into our culture under the guise that anything that helps the economy is a step in the right direction. I'm not optimistic at the moment, to be honest.

Saturday I hopped a ferry to Rangitoto Island, which is this beautiful scenic reserve thats part tropical forest part volcanic desert. And the place was near deserted, so I got some great chill time out in nature, and more importantly, out of the city.

The weather was awful for photography though. Which I didn't fully register until after hiking two hours up to the summit on barely established paths.

So you get the blooper reel today :-P

Jess and JT
That was taken Saturday, the night before what became the Sunday I was officially in a fight with New Zealand. I woke up exhausted and run down as, from the combo of hiking all day and having a house party+night in the city clubbing. In a terrible mood, I decide that all I want from life is the chance to eat cereal and watch movies all day. Grab the box of Frosted Flakes (I think I'm regressing back to a teenager a little bit this trip), pour it out into the bowl...with about two dozen ants.

Goddammit New Zealand. What kind of cheap shot is ants in the cereal.

Gotta love living near the bush. I looked, and couldn't find anymore, which I realize doesn't make sense but shut up. I don't need that right now.

Love to all
xo

Talking Chihuahuas? Really?

First Aspiring Screenwriter: God, I can't beat writers block on an empty stomach.
Second Aspiring Screenwriter: I hear that. Let's get some....DUDE! This is going to sound really out there at first...but how well do you remember the 90s?

Beverly Hills Chihuahua is the number one film this weekend in the States.

Not gonna lie America, I'm pretty stoked to be sitting this one out.