Career-ize

Hey guys! I am just in Rotorua for the weekend so thought it was about time for an update for all my friendy friends.

I got my final semester marks back - they're okay, but not great. B, B+, B+, and an A. That gives me my BSc though, so I am happy! I am working in Hamilton at Convex Plastics, which is an amazing innovative company that manufactures blown films for plastic bags, packaging, and banners. I am a Lab Tech there, but am involved in a really really exciting project on biodegradable stuff - my specialty :D It is awesome to be asked for my opinion and knowledge on various things, and people are so encouraging of my creativity. I can't wait to get back from the U.K. and get into a job with a company like Convex - forward thinking and innovative. The big boss has even said he is happy for me to use Convex time to work on my own personal engineering invention I want to look into! I am really happy there, and really excited about my career.

In January sometime I will be heading down to Wellington to live with my brother Gareth, his fiancee Juliet, her sister Nikki (of Tales of the Red Headed Devil Child fame), and the Devil Child herself. I am very very excited!! Apparently I get to live in the dining room as the new house they found is only a three bedroom. No worries though, now that I have finished study there will be a noticeable absence of the massive green desk and the huge bookshelf of texts, so my belongings will be able to fit into the small room. Just trying to find a job down there now, so if anyone knows any companies that might want a girl with a degree in materials and process engineering and environmental technology, give me a yell. I am hoping to get something in the environmental side of things, like water treatment or landfill design, just because it is an industry I won't be doing my Masters so it will be good to get a taste of it. Mmmmmm, wastewater.

I have attended several Rotary meetings as part of the Ambassadorial Scholarship I have. My sponsor club in Rotorua (Rotorua Sunrise) is really exciting, I got to do a little introductory speech to them and that was cool. I also went to the Hamilton East club, and the Te Puke club. Everyone has been so so welcoming - I spoke at the Te Puke club and I almost cried when I was thanking them for the scholarship - I am so overwhelmed and happy that I have been given this amazing opportunity, I can't describe how grateful I am towards the Rotary Foundation. All the money I will be getting is from Rotary members, normal people, funding ME! to travel and study! I really hope I make Rotary proud.

So this weekend, I had a garage sale at my house in Hamilton. Jenna came round with a carload of her stuff, and we spent from 6:15am to after lunch sunbathing outside the garage and selling things. Then we sorted out the stuff left over - big ticket items we are going to put on trademe, and all clothes and shoes that didn't sell we boxed and are going to take to Habitat for Humanity. So check out my trademe listings, they will be up in a few days. Then I drove to Rotoma for Johny's birthday. He would have been 23 today. His death is still so raw, I am dealing with it a small bit at a time. I miss him a lot - just knowing I will never get to see his goofy smile again is really hard. Some other day I will tell you things I remember about him, but not right now.

Now - it is time for me to go grocery shopping with my dad. We are going to buy lunch supplies for the week. I get to work at Scion tomorrow, for Convex. I worked at Scion last summer, so will be cool to be back in the lab with all the guys there.

Til next time!!

xx

the curse of being female

They found Deon on Thursday morning last week. Then I cried, it's real now. RIP DEON xx.

I have 2 tests this week worth 10% each, a report to write, and big assignment to work on, and two other assignments to get started. But I am in cruise mode. Hence the blogging at 11:45pm. I totally am not motivated at all for these University assessments. Although I should be, I need top marks to study in the UK. BUT I suppose the tests are only worth 10% each, and I'm a bright cookie, I should be able to pass just from going to lectures. So I'm only going to be missing out on 5% in each subject. I can handle that.

Now that that is sorted, let's discuss my social life. Chelsea turned 22 on Saturday, and I crocheted her a neck warmer in cream and dark olive. The two buttons I sewed on cost $7 A BUTTON! they were cool, but only from Spotlight so I am still shocked at the price. The neckwarmer turned out pretty cool though, I hope she wears it. Nikki - it was made of 50% wool so you should be proud of me :-) ... I also baked Chels a carrot cake to which I added a couple of tamarillo's as well. I love tamarillo's. Loving the baked goods idea for people's presents, so handy and economical. It's my dad's birthday this Friday, but his gift is already hanging out in Wellington at my brother's house - boys, you are lucky if you have sisters, I am always hooking Gaz up with presents for the 'rents! Although he did choose this one whilst I was down there, so big ups to him. Must be growing up. Jenny (Juliet and Nikki's mum) is having her 50th this weekend as well, on the same night as Debbie's 21st. So I will be late to yours Deb! And I don't think baked goods is going to cut it for you... I will have to see what other thrifty things I can come up with... help, Nikki?

I have heartburn. I get it pretty much every night if I stay up late. I should have some Quickeze handy but I am in denial that I even get heartburn. My heart can't get burned, it's made of Stainless Steel.

So this weekend just been I got to borrow my mum's car, the berocca tablet. It is a burnt orange Kea Rio, SPORTS EDITION! WOOOOHOOOO! After a few minutes I got used to the clutch and it was actually quite nice to drive. Did good at sober driving the troops into Rotorua town and back on Saturday night. The Pig was pretty good, and Chelsea and her friends had a weird game going where two teams tried to score as many points as possible in doing these little challenges. Most of the tasks involved members of the opposite sex, so I didn't really get too involved as I'm far too conservative! This poor guy was left extremely confused after one of the girls kissed him and then promptly turned her back on him. After 10 minutes of watching him stand there trying to get her attention, I had to apologise and explain to him it was a game and that he should forget about the girl. At which point he tried it on with me, so I ran away pretty quick. He was obviously a loser just out to score, but I still felt sorry for the guy. Unfortunately we got to Lava's after 1:30am so weren't allowed in. It is lame how Rotorua clubs shut at 3am, when I make the effort to go out to town I like the clubs to stay open til 5am! Anyway, will maybe be out again next Saturday after Debbatron's 21st, will be good to see Lava's again. I don't spend much time in Rotorua these days, and the only clubs I get to see are Wellington and Auckland. and Hamilton when Stell drags me out. I guess that's actually quite a lot. Hmmm.

Last night I got to talk to my other best friend, Luke, who lives just out of the Gold Coast in Australia. I haven't really really spoken to him in a few weeks, so it was awesome to talk about what's been going on in our lives etc. I didn't have much to suss out with him, getting the scholarship has made things relatively stress free! One thing I did realise though, is how picky I am with the boys I am attracted to. Obviously I am very picky with who I get into a serious relationship with, but even the boys that I want to go on dates with are few and far between. If the guy doesn't cut it, I am just a social retard with him. I mean, more of a social retard than I normally am. Actually, maybe there's no difference in my lack of social skills, but I definitely feel really uncomfortable when my gut is telling me that he's not awesome. Some of you that have met me may be a bit confused at me calling myself a social retard. You haven't seen me around boys I like - believe it or not, I am very shy! And I am blatently honest, and like to lay my cards on the table straight up front, which often leads to me blurting out inappropriate information 2 seconds after meeting a guy. I really should try to create some mystery one of these days.

Yesterday Jenna picked me up from the busstop and we went perfume smelling. She wants a new perfume to have as well as her signature one, Miracle by Lancome. I am also planning on picking up a second signature one when I head to Melbourne, so I did some choosing of my own. Jenna was not so successful, but I came away loving Cinema. Miss Dior Cherie is nice too. When I was in Melbourne last year my cousin Anna and I went to a perfume store, and after telling him I liked vanilla and this and that, a really helpful guy brought over some perfumes for me to try. His first two that he thought I would like were Vera Wang - Princess (my current signature perfume) and Cinema. So I guess he's pretty freaken awesome at his job, because more than a year later, they are still my top 2 frangrances ever. So I will stock up on those duty free :D. Also gotta grab some feijoa 42 below vodka when I go through, can't beat it!

I think that's about it for me, I've written quite a substantial blog this evening/morning!

McUpdate

Hey everyone!

Just a quick blurb today. I have had a nice few days off - Saturday to Wednesday at my parents house visiting my cousin Anna from Australia who was staying at my Granmas. My Grandmother then fainted, and spent 3 nights in hospital - drama drama drama - was quite scary because it happened when Anna and I were in town with her, so I called the ambulance and got everything sorted out. Anyway, then Thursday I spent all day in the lab, before Friday I had my whole family + Anna (who is family) over for lunch at my house. Then we went and got professional photographs taken of our beautiful selves... yeah...

Then i have just spent the weekend chilling out, watching movies, getting ready for school tomorrow. Tomorrow is the start of a VERY busy semester which i am quite worried about, but i am sure i will be alright! have tightly scheduled in my class hours and I don't seem to have much room for exercising - which doesn't fit too well with my new "lose weight" plan. Which isn't so new after all, I am just trying to make it work... Anyway, we shall see.

So a friend and I are having new challenges each week - the following is NO TAKEAWAYS. Hmmmmm.....

Exciting week though, new classes, and on Saturday is the girls day out in Auckland - me, mum, jenna, her mum, her god mother, all going to Auckland to shop and then go to Cinderella on Ice !! Exciting! Then only the following weekend is Sarah's 21st, and then one more week until i fly to Wellington for my 22nd Birthday! HOORAH. Let's hope I have zero assignments then. I doubt it.

Oh I also made one and a half scarves - crochet - great to be back in to it :-)

Ok, gotta go, it's almost 10pm - my new bedtime. Hahaha

Right...

Zonked. Happy Zonked.

Just got back from Ohope - had a fantastic weekend/Sunday&Monday. Hannah, Roz, Jenna and I just hung out in Jen's bach, played charades, watched movies, sunbathed, and walked on the beach. We spent a good half an hour down at the beach drawing in the sand - our names, animals, and several other things - the Ring of Fire, the Rainbow of Doom, and the Pot of Rage (clearly found at the end of the Rainbow of Doom). We also had a heated debate over what Whale Island should be called - I think Snail Island from the Port Ohope direction and Turtle Island from the Whakatane side. Not Whale Island. Ever.

Walking on the beach today and then sitting in the car for the 2-3 hour drive home, I had time to reflect on a few things. Didn't really come to any conclusions, except that I am Happy. How cool is that?

finished project!!

I finally actually made something out of my craftiness. I was at stella's this weekend, who is actually my grandmother's cousin's grandaughter (point of this is that i am close to her whole family), and i was practising my crochet on the couch. Practising because i am horrible at it. Anyway, Stella's brother Nolan was extremely amazed that I was actually making "something" out of yarn. The bright orange yarn. So he asked me to make him a sweatband. He wanted a thin one, so it was actually something I could do - 5-6 rows of single crochet stitch using an H hook with about 4ply bright orange acrylic yarn. He was stoked - i was amazed at his happiness, but yeah, it was great to actually finish something - even if it only took me 30 minutes!

While i was relaxing out at their beautiful home (argh i sound retarded - but it really is tranquil out there), I managed to convince stell, alice, and noley to come over the road to the primary school courts and play tennis with me. I have never played tennis before, and I have severe hand-eye co-ordination issues. I played the whole half hour or so, while the other three took turns (as none of them really wanted to play in the first place). In the beginning I was AWFUL but towards the end I had improved quite a lot so was able to get in some good rallys with Noley. Really glad I did it - played squash yesterday with Jenna, but haven't been doing that as regularly as I should be.

Off to Ohope tomorrow morning with Jenna so hopefully will do a bit more relaxing there - but maybe get some Uni work done also??!!

xx