Work Stress and Boys

I had a terrible night at work tonight. I have problems with my supervisor (he likes me as a worker, but I can’t stand him, he really grates me) and tonight I just really couldn’t handle his shit. I’ve been finding work hard in general recently, really. It was a great job while I was a student, as it was like a break from study, and a mental break from all the pressures of being a student. However, now that it’s all that I’m doing, it is the very definition of tedium. A lot if the people who work there are incredibly superficial and I don’t want to know them, others are just plain thick. I do have friends there, they’re not all nut cases haha, but they are increasingly few and far between.

I just… I guess I’m a little dissatisfied with life in general at the moment. I know better things are coming my way, and that keeps me going for now.

Boy advice?? Please? There’s a guy I work with who I’ve been talking to recently. We’ve been out for coffee and have plans to go to the market together tomorrow. His facebook says he is in a relationship and he specifically invited my for coffee as friends, but… I actually don’t know if I’ve ever met someone so lovely. I totally totally respect that he has a gf, I wouldn’t want to break up something like that. But… Just now, for example, at 3:15am he happened to be awake and knew I was finishing work and text to offer me a ride home so that I wouldn’t have to walk in the rain… Normal guys don’t do that!! He is actually so lovely! Aargh why are all the good guys taken. And why do I always leave the country just as I start to get to know people. Life is totally out to get me.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape

Image

Escape: Getting out of my current surroundings, finding somewhere I can relax, enjoy the scenery, take a long walk. This is in the Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany

Getting Carried Away in my Own Wee World..

I’ve been rather neglectful of this blog recently, and I don’t really have any excuse. I think I’m just getting sick of the internet, and always being surrounded by electronics. Now that I have a smartphone I feel that the internet and all its time wasters follow me where ever I go! I don’t want to give up on this though… So how about an update on my life?

I’m still working at the casino, and volunteering with AFS. I’m moving to Shenzhen, China, later this year. Which is in some ways great timing as I’m once again becoming tired of my life here in Dunedin, with working at the casino, going about my life in such a routine. However, in other ways it is unfortunate timing – I’m just starting to make some new friendships, only to have to abandon them in a couple of short months.

Today, for example, I went out for coffee with a workmate. He is absolutely lovely, and he unfortunately (for me) has a girlfriend, but I’m really happy to be able to get to know him a little better. Turns out we get along really well too! I was worried we wouldn’t have a lot to talk about, because as a general rule my social skills aren’t great, and I’m not a wonderful conversationalist. However we met at 11:00am, and didn’t leave until almost 3:00pm! Who knew I could hold a conversation for so long!!

And last night I went out to dinner, followed by ten pin bowling with two other workmates. Friends!! Who knew I was capable of this sort of social interaction!? Not me! My mother would be so proud…

I bought a new macbook a couple of months ago, and I am still astounded on a daily basis by how incredibly perfect this machine is. I love love love it. Everything is so incredibly well thought through! I just dribbled on myself…. Hahaha..

Anyways I’m starting to ramble now, but I wanted to let you know I’m still here! Hopefully will get back into this blogging thing more seriously again sometime soon…

Today I Don’t Look Like Myself…

The other day I bought a new camera. It is delicious. And I’ve been playing around with it a bit. Anyways, I was reading a photography blog just now, and it presented me with a set of challenges to complete over 30 days. I’m not going to do them all, but one of the first ones was to talk a self portrait. And so I did. Here I am:

Self Portrait 01/05/13

Normally I’d be wearing make up, have done my hair etc… covered up that annoying red mark at the top of my nose.. but I have run out of foundation, and haven’t gotten ready for work yet, so here I am just as me. I think I look a little different to normal. I mean, sure, normally in potos I will smile and stuff, but still, this isn’t the girl I normally see in the mirror. Maybe I’m just tired. Or perhaps I’ve gone a little insane

Anyways, have a look at emilyphotographs.wordpress.com where I have put up a few of my favourite photos from my travels, and now that I have this gorgeous new camera I will start putting up new photos too!

Today is my twenty third birthday..

..And what a good day it has been! I woke up this morning to catch this awesome picture of the sunrise:

Then went out for breakfast with my flatmates. It was pretty delicious (my fave breakfast place in town), and they brought me out a pancake with candles on it! So here is my yummy breakfast, and also my birthday pancake:

Best Eggs in Town!!

Unfortunately I’m not a huge pancake fan, but my lovely flatmate Morgan had some of it!

My sister Harriet gave me this delightful card, which I love:

And it came with an awesome acrostic poem! I still can’t read it without laughing aloud

My friend Emma also made the most amazing birthday cake in all of history. The inside was pink, icing was dark blue, and it had a custard filling and skittles on top! Amazing! Also, headaches from too much sugar!

I then had coffee with a friend, and walked home in the rain, realising as I walked that my city is pretty beautiful, even in the rain..

In the evening I did some shopping with flatmates, and watched some tv All in all, a success, I feel!

My life is one big bag of excite

So we all already know that I’m headed away to China (working visa dependant), that’s old news. However, yesterday I was talking to a Canadian friend who I met while on exchange in Germany, and learnt that he is doing the same thing!! Not with the same programme, nor in the same city, but not too far away either. I am so excited to see him again!!! He was one of my best friends in Germany, and I miss him a lot. Excite!!!

Also, as some of you already know, last night (NZ time), a bill was passed in parliament to make gay marriage law! I can’t even describe how exceptionally proud of my country I am right now. This video shows the results of the vote, and how spectators sang in parliament The song is Pokarekare Ana, a love song, and is possibly my favourite Maori song ever. I may have cried a little watching this

So yesterday was a pretty great day in my little life. Hope it was lovely for all of you too xx

Frosty Mornings

This morning, at 6am, I went to the gym with my sister. She’s just starting out too, so its hard for both of us, but at least we can motivate one another to actually go. Waking up at 5:45 is not easy, especially when last night we had temperatures below freezing… Winter is coming!!

Anyways, it was good. We went on the cross trainer for 30 minutes, then did 30 minutes of circuits. We were going to do some core too, but we were running a little late and she had class so we left that for next time. And as painful as it was to get out of bed that early, I’m so happy that I did it Afterwards I came home and made this delicious breakfast:

Wholegrain toast with a wee smidge of vegemite (similar to marmite for those who know what that is..), half a tomato, some spinach leaves, a slice of cheese, and a scrambled egg made with almond milk. Yum! I also had a teaspoon of almond butter, which was so tasty haha.

In other news, I have a sore ear I’m a bit of a piercing nut, and the jewellery of my newest piercing (about 4 weeks old) fell out yesterday. I had to get my sister to help me put it back it, but its in a really awkward part of my ear, so was hard to do, and now it’s a bit inflamed from being touched so much But yes, that’s all that’s going on in my life right now!

On a side note…

Does anyone else get really weird spam? I mean, there’s the normal “hey I found your website helpful, come to mine so I can spam you for the rest of your days” type, but today I saw this one: “I’m console learning from you, piece I’m improving myself. I utterly likeable city everything that is typed on your place.Cook the tips upcoming. I favored it!”

….. That makes no sense to me whatsoever….

 

I love it

Today I Went for a Run

This was my first run in a long long time. Like, pretty much since I was in high school, which was about 6 years ago now. I was sitting in my room thinking… “I should go for a run. Now. Before this feeling passes. Go on, get up, get dressed. Go. Go. GO!!” This is what I ran:

It isn’t a long way, only 1.4km (just under a mile), but for my first time, I’m just proud that I got out there and did it. Fot the first minute or so I loved it, it’s a nice sunny autumn day, and it felt nice to be outside. Then the fact that I was running actually hit my body, and I hit a wall. Let me tell you now that Dunedin is an extremely hilly city. Dragging my body uphill when suddenly I felt about 300kg was painful. But I told myself “Once you get to this next intersection (top of Tennyson St), you can walk a little”. And I did it. Then I ran again. And my lungs were burning, and my chest became strangely itchy, and my face felt like it was on fire, but I ran. Maybe (hopefully!) tomorrow I’ll run again. If I can increase my running distance even just a little each time I go, I will be happy.

Also, I took a before picture today. I’m not really comfortable with my body, so it’s hard for me to post this and therefore admit to looking like this but here goes.. I took the picture to try to hold myself accountable to this whole fitness thing, because hopefully before too long I can put another photo up, and see a difference.

My height is 167cm / 5’6” and my weight 75kg / 165lbs. I’ve gained about 15 kg in the last couple of years, and I’m not all that happy about it. I mean, I realise I’m not obese or anything, but I miss having a flat stomach, I would like to shrink my thighs a little, and my breasts are, well, humungus. I’ve gone from an NZ 12C (UK 34C, US34C) to an NZ 16DD (UK38E, US38DD), which I’m really not at all happy about. I miss my old boobs! I’d also like a little less overall chubbiness, especially in my face But anyways, this is my starting point.

Ballet was cancelled this week, due to mid-semester break, but I’m looking forward to going back next week, even if I can only go to one class because my boss rostered me on to work ballet days, even though I asked him not to I’m also looking into Bikram Yoga…. has anyone else tried this? I’d love to hear how you have found it, or any other things anyone has really enjoyed and round helpful. I’m reluctant to join a gym, seeing as I don’t know how long I’ll be in Dunedin for. I also find the gym a bit of a drag, and struggle to find the motivation to go, as I prefer taking classes etc, which is why dancing works for me, I guess.

Anyways! I guess this is only the beginning…

 

My Life is Likely to Change Dramatically…

I was accepted to go to China!! Also, my father (who has colleagues in Shenzhen) has done some research on the company that is recruiting, and it is all looking legit! I am so excited haha. I haven’t accepted the offer yet, I need to talk it over with my family, but I want to!!

I think my father’s main concern now is that, by NZ standards, the pay rate is very low. However, I have done some research, and it is more than 4 times the minimum wage, and about double the average wage for Shenzhen, so that is actually looking quite good! I also get accommodation provided to me, on top of this salary, so that increases the benefits even further! There is also a programme fee, but this covers my training, flights, and insurance, so pretty much pays for itself in that way.

Exciting exciting exciting!!!!