YES WE CAN

So, its 9:00 AM and I'm doing some last minute studying for my econ midterm and it dawns on me that I should look up some definitions that I don't feel so comfortable with online instead of trying to dig through my chicken scratch notes. Since the internet is the biggest distraction ever known to mankind I obviously get sidetracked. "Hey! let's watch youtube videos!" I think to myself. I end up searching for this video thats been mentioned everywhere but that I haven't actually gotten the chance to see:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1yq0tMYPDJQ

Man, I swear I started tearing up about halfway through it and by the end I was straight up bawling. If only Greenlining can make videos like that. actually... yes we can!

Yesterday I had a study sesh with firecrotch; aka Thomas York (not from Radiohead--I wish) aka. Tommy, aka. Cal freshman who is schooling ME.

I feel Spring in my bones! What does this mean? Well, particularly it means...

1) a well deserved shopping trip soon
2) more sunshine = more vitamin D and also a boost out of my pale complexion
3) bunnies
4) daylight savings (ew i hate springing forward)
5) FIFI's homecoming!

anyway, YES WE CAN (or yes I can!) will be my motto for today. Keep that momentum going!

Greetings from Mars

Salutations readers of fpzworld.blogspot.com. I must regrettably admit that today was the first day Zowie and I were able to hold a longer than 10 minute conversation as I am constantly (well, for the past week at least) missing in action since I've been detained at Prison a la Chester. Just kidding, its kind of a fun place. Sometimes he opens my cage and feeds me. If I'm lucky I get oatmeal and couple scraps of antioxidant dried fruit mix. If not, well I just cry in my dark and lonely corner.

I went for a well deserved run today, as a"fuck you" to my sickness and also to enjoy the fantabulous sunshine. As I'm jogging up claremont, I get passed by some girl who has a shirt that says "Marathon finisher" on her shirt. "Alright, ok, " I think to myself. "So this girl is really fit and I'm not as fit and she's passed me but that's ok." Then I look and she has these gargantuan Olympia calves that are like "whoooaa nelly" and could probably send me flying over the moon if she knew martial arts and if we happened to get into a violent spat over the fact that crunchy/chunky peanut butter is sooo much more tastier than that creamy Jiffy shit. Hypothetically of course.

Nothing much new in my life except that I have a horrid econ midterm on Thursday. Zowie and I are planning some city fun this weekend possibly involving more Castro madness, bicycle madness (an event called Critical Mass), Berkeley Bowl(ing), and of course food.

The Bucket List

Okay, so I saw this great comedy with morgan freeman and jack nicholson called the bucket list the other night. They both realize that they only have 6 months to live. While sitting next to eachotherin the hospital being miserable they decide the best way to go out is to live their last few months to the fullest. The movie is about them writing a bucket list and completing all the things they listed on it. It helped them find joy and meaning in their lives. Some of the things on their bucket list included sky diving, race car driving, witnessing something majestic, climbing the himilayas. The movie was funny and very inspiring so I decided to create my own bucket list. If you guys like you should see it or just write a few things that would be on your bucket list. Things you'd really like to accomplish during our short time here on earth. My bucket list (which I now carry around with me everywhere I go) includes:

-Hike the California coastal trek
-Climb half dome
- Do 3 beautiful hikes in California
-Live in Santa Barbara or San Diego
- Do a hike or work a cool summer job in Alaska
-Do 2 other beaituful hikes in the US (outside california)
-Volunteer as an english teacher/hosptial aid in Thailand
- Work at the oakland childrens hospital
-Fly fish in Alaska
- Learn how to play 3 songs that I love on the piano and write my own
- Take a surfing lesson
-Do an adventure trip in s america, for 1 month and then some volunteer work after that. also do this in India, Nepal, and Africa.
- Go to a week long buddhist retreat.
- Go to a gigantic music festival
- Learn how to do an American indian dance
-Write a standup comedy and perform it.
- Learn to cook 10 very yummy meals
- Download 16 new songs each month and put them on my mp3 player
-Make my own wall calender with pics for each month that I took and that make me happy.
-Vaolunteer with habitat for humanity
-Serve food at grace cathedral in SF.
-Create my own class at Cal.
- Be a tourist in SFO for a day and get a guide to show me all the neighborhoods
- Learn how to make coffees and cocktails
- Live each day as if it was my last b/c that's all I am certain I have.
- Keep up to date with close and distant friends and family. Be a great friend to them
- Journal daily
-Have an oscar weekend where I watch all movies that one best picture and listen to all songs that won best song.
-Memorize 3 great myths and tell them to someone else.
- Attend 3 incredible festivals around the world.
- Do 2 great hikes in New Zealand
- read 5 great books
- Take a guided tour of each of the 7 wonders of the world

My friend from ireland had the great idea of putting things on the list that you've already done. So I included a few things that I can already check off my list to give me a boost forward. These aren't all of them, but most. If you guys get time I'd love to know what would be on your bucket list!!! My bucket list is 1 lined piece of paper front and back.

Did you hear a knock at the door??

Hello Hello!

So in recent news I will be moving back home. Surpirise surprise, Nate is picking me up at the airport on March 12th. Crazy and yet shocking I bet!

The decision was a tough one. You know when you are trying to make a decision and you've got about 5 different voices coming at you with their input. That's how I feel. My heart is saying one thing, my head is saying another, all my friends here in new zealand are saying another, the boyfriend is saying one thing, the family another etc. Have you ever had to make a decision and you've got all those sort of thoughts from different sources coming at you?

Neway, I think for this decision I'm going to listen to my heart and see if that leads me in the right direction. I'm learning more and more that its the best guide. I'd like to travel a bit before I go and do a hike or 2 but if not I can always come back when I'm much more motivated about it.

I'm super excited about coming back! I want to get a job waitressing in the city so that i can do some hiking in the sierra's, an adventure trip in alaska and canada!

Anyone want to do a half-dome or yosemite hike this summer complete with tents, marshmellows, camp fire stories, alpine flowers, and bears :) haha

Ralph Nader!??! Really!?!??!

Onward!

A brief update...

Taking Over was awesome -- it appealed to my city planning interests and really, couldn't have been much better. It was a one-man show and let me tell you, that one man was truly talented. Afterwards, the Berkeley Rep hosted a free party complete with food, alcohol, and a cute DJ. I love it when I discover new things in Berkeley

My parents also came to visit me last weekend -- they arrived on Saturday and stayed until Monday morning. The highlights include:
-Yet another play at the American Conservatory theater called Blood Knot
-Running the Chinatown 10k! It was so so fun; I ran well and was able to finish 14th out of all the women
-Shopping at Macy's...always a guilty pleasure
-Original LP and I picking our fantasy baseball rankings; we got our line up earlier this week and are very pleased with our draft picks -- if we win the whole league we get $10000!

IM sports has started! This past Tuesday the White House had our kickoff dodgeball game. We lost bad but it was BLAST. I have bruises all over my knee (which makes me nostalgic for speed soccer...) and an incredibly sore right arm -- our next game is this Tuesday and we play Sigma Chi...wish us luck

And as for me, I'm trying to make the most out of my last semester and am soaking in the Berkeley life. I'm still running and eating oatmeal in the mornings and coaching tennis in the afternoons -- I've developed a new habit however, of purchasing a baked good from Nabolom Bakery on college every Friday morning; the apple/pecan scones fresh baked every morning are truly heavenly -- what more could I ask for?

Its moving day!

I have a funny roomate as well.....only she absolutely despises americans!She is funny but half the things she says is a put down about america. when I told her I'm leaving she said "who am I going to take the piss out of now?" She's from england.


So today I move into another chapter of my great adventures in New Zealand. well, okay lets be more specific....Nelson, New Zealand. I havent gotten past those bourders much.

I had a emotional breakdown the other night at the restaurant which probably made the other waitresses think I'm a little psycho. haha...I was extremeley tired working non-stop 6 days a week for the last 5 weeks and one of the cooks scolded me for not putting a docket up and I just broke! Out of all my years at stressful ral's I managed to only have one episode which happened after working 6 days in a row during graduation where it's crazy busy every single shift.

newho, if we think about things in a positive light. The change will be a great one. It means I will be working less--only 4 days a week. I'll also be able to do a nice 3 day hike monday-wednesday. I'm hoping to meet lots of great people at this new hostel since I'll be sharing a room with them.

Neway, just wanted to wish you two a great day!! I hope your doing good in school and it sounds like your taking time off to enjoy the pleasures of life! :)

Friday Morning

Today is a rainy, dreary day. Zowie has made me a bowl of whole oat oatmeal with banana and honey and man is it good. How could I ever have thought instant was good? There's no going back. We're both at our desks, NPR is on... Kosovo's independence, the global credit crunch, authorities finding the vestiges of a plane in Venezuela, the Dow is down, NASDAQ is down....
California, in order to alleviate its debt, is debating whether or not to close national state parks. THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.

Anyway, Zowie tells me that our other roommate is psycho: i.e. she goes to bed at 8 and wakes up in between 2 and 3.

* Im getting over a cold-- my sniffles have morphed into phlegmy coughs. sweeeet
* UN festival tomorrow

more later

P.S. Sierra, <3 your posts btw-- hang in there!

Hollaa!

My dear you guys. That pillow fight looks awesome! I hope you really got in there and got your anger out on some random stranger...hahaha.

Ms. Laura how was the play. Was it funny or inspiring to you??

Life here has been good. Filled with lots of work and little play, but okay. I just had 2 days off which was really nice. I spent some relaxation time on the beach while planning my itinerary for when I can start traveling in April. I also may be doing a nelson lakes mountain hike on monday if the weather is agreeable.

In recent news, I'm moving on Saturday. I'll be leaving my wonderful home at the bug. I'm moving to another hostel which is right in the very center of town. I wont be cleaning anymore which means I'll be paying rent. I'll be living in one room with 5-6 other travelers who are also working in nelson for a while to save money. I think the change is a good one. It allows me to meet a lot more people my age from all over the world who are travelling as well. Since they will be staying in nelson for a while they will make good friends for doing activities. On the other hand I'm sad to leave the bug b/c it's got such a great kitchen, friendly owners, perfect size, free internet and I only share my room with 2 people---not 6! The hostel where I'll be moving to on saturday is called accents on the park and its just below.

With the change means my whole work schedule will be changed as well. I'll work split shifts 4 days a week with 3 days off. Split shifts go from 11-2 and 6-11:30. I'm still at the waterfront. It's gotten pretty busy with tourists, but the other 4 waitresses I work are so funny. We often laugh through the stress which makes it nice.

And I'm really learning how to cook here! I've perfected the quessidilla. I put mushrooms, sweet corn, spinach, onions, beans, cheese, tomatoes in it. Put some sour cream and salsa on the side and you've got the best quesiddilla ever! Here I made a fattachinee alfredo with mushrooms and chicken inside it. It was so freakin good!!
Me and Maddie (my fellow waitress friend) went out for a great night last saturday. There is a great night life here in nelson. Being from nelson maddie seemed to know so many people at the bars. We danced the night away. There were so many people out on the streets. People of all different ages from all over the world dancing, playing pool, talking....it was awesome!

I had a wonderful valentines day thanks to Nate! He sent me flowers with a wonderful card and a nice video saying hello. I miss him a lot and it often makes me a bit homesick, but I'm happy that we will be living together over the summer. While I'm here we're planning on putting together a summer goal list which of course will include restaurants,surfing, hiking, cooking and a nice trip to canada.

I still cant decide on Peace Corps or thearound the world trip. I've got to figure out the finances of the around the world trip before I actually commit to it. I'll do that when I get back I think. Hope all is well with everyone. Please please please update me on how you are doing!!! What you've been up to etc. I really enjoy reading what you guys have been doing back in Berkeley!

Arican Film Festival

To ease the reverse culture shock my dear friend Jordan has been suffering from since he's returned from his year in South Africa, I suggested we go see a production at the African Film Festival screened at the Pacific Film Archive

The night we went, the show featured three shorts from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Nigeria. All three were fantastic -- the Zimbabwe film (Growing Stronger) was a documentary about AIDs and the Nigerian film (Mama Put) was a comical yet surprising story about a single mother in Lagos.

But my favorite feature of the evening was the Lesotho film Meokgo and the Stick Fighter. It was only 20min long, yet it was more than enough time to impress me. The landscape shots were crazzzzy good -- When thinking about Africa, I def don't envision the green mountains, waterfalls, and cold weather shown in Lesotho. Fifi, if you go to Africa, Puma and I are for sure gonna visit you.

As for now, I'm pulling feathers out of my hair from yesterday: chesternet, getting ready to see a play with Puma this evening: Taking Over, and am anticipating my parents arrival tomorrow!

Interogation chamber....

1. First and foremost, how much do you miss us?

2. Do you think the earth, sun, sea, and stars are one and that you love everyone? In other words, have you been more hippified?

3. Do they have Cheez-its in New Zealand?

haha...yes they have cheezits! I've started to enjoy chips with hummus lately though.

4. When are you going to tell us about your job?

Ohh my job is just below. You can see a pic of it and all my work mates! right now I'm working 6-11 at night 6 days a week at the restaurant. I also clean (make beds, clean restrooms, clean kitchen and organize living room) in the morning from 10-12:30.

5. We know nobody can compare to us, but your New Zealand homies must be pretty badass -- have any been able to teach you Spanish/practice your French?

haha...no practicing frenhc or spanish. But their have definitely been people in the hostel from s america and france who would love to teach me some or practice if I wanted. People in hostels realy are so friendly and open to socializing.

6. Who would you rather have a kiwi love affair with -- George Clooney or Russell Crowe?

haha...russell for sure. He's got those arms of steel and there is something sexy about a man that can win over a whole stadium full of people AND who counts down the days and hours until he will get home to his wife.

7. Do you know what country you've been placed for PEACE Corps?

no, my medical file was incomplete. They need me to get 880$ worth of dental work done and do another medical tests that I didnt pass. I wouldnt find out my placement till the end of may at the earliest. :( . Its just cost so much freakin money so far. I'm not sure if I want to spend another 950$ more when I'm not even getting to choose where I go really. When I get home I want to really look into how much an around the world trip would be! I've talked to a few people at the hostel about it who have done it and it's really not as expensive or difficult as it sounds. I'd buy the plane ticket which would take me to s america, s africa, india, nepal, china, japan, maybe alaska....nate and I are talking about going together. I'd waitress for about 1.5-2 years to earn money and then leave for my adventure!

8. And finally...WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?! Puma and I are going through massive Sierra withdrawal and we need our fix soon.

haha...ahhh that's sweet. I'm sure you guys are soo busy. I moved my flight back a month and am planning on coming home on May 1st. Definitely would like to be at graduation!


okay , I have to make up a questionarre for you guys!

1. Do you and chester have a favorite song you like to listen too? Me and nate dont...haha. Also do you guys have a song for me to listen to?? Any new good music??

2. Did you learn anything new today...if so what was it???

3. If you could be anywhere right now doing anything you wanted what would it be?

P.S

I just read your quetionarre below. I'm so sorry i've been mia. since work I'm trying to do what is most important in life which is to keep in good touch with friends. But I seem to not have a lot of free time to do it anymore. I'll do better I promise! I'm going to atleast blog once a week! and of course I'll get back to answering your questions soon. I've gotta email nates valetines present now ;)

pf course I miss miss miss you guys and am always wondering how you are doing!

Waddup!

Hike, buskers comedy, work mates, and cooking

I've been truly inspired by all the meals I am seeing and have decided to start learning how to cook on my own! Here I am using 2 stoves, 3 cooking pans, and 3 boiling bowls to make a pasta. haha....I guess the motto is the more you do something the more efficient you become. I have to admit my veggie tikka masala is the shit and I also made some yummy curry the other night too. I've made a habit of taking pictures of the stuff other people in the hostel are cooking for dinner :) so I can make it myself.




These are my work mates from the restuarant. We had a holiday here in New Zealand so the owner decided to take all of us out to lunch!...so nice! We had 2 wonderful platters of food and drinks. The three girls sitting across from me are the other waitresses (tiffany, esme and mattie) I work with. The man and the women to the right of themare the owners (pete and carolyn) . To the left of me are the wonderful chefs and kitchen hands (greg and vikki and jeremy).


I went on my 7 hour hike and forgot lunch. so i, thank god, brought some chocolate chip cookies as my food for feul. I had so many freakin cookies over the course of that 7 hours.


This is one of the view spots from the Abel Tasman Coastal Trek i took. It actually only took me 5.5 which is definitely my limit!



We saw some buskers and this is one of the girls. Its a comedy / circus show were people do things like sand on boxes and juggle "razor sharp blazed of certain mutilation.




and this is the waterfront cafe where i work! Hurray, I love this place. I work from 6-11 6 days a week. It takes me about 20 minutes to bike to work. February is the busiest month so its been really busy at the restaurant. I'm happy to have tomorrow and wednesday off. Tomorrow me and my hostel friends are going to make pizza. On wednesday one of the girls at work who grew up in nelson is going to show me around the area! Isn't that nice! i think we will go out to lunch then to cable bay.

Hope everyone is doing well! I gotta read your updates!!

Questionnaire for FiFi

For: Fifi
From: Puma and Zowie


1. First and foremost, how much do you miss us?

2. Do you think the earth, sun, sea, and stars are one and that you love everyone? In other words, have you been more hippified?

3. Do they have Cheez-its in New Zealand?

4. When are you going to tell us about your job?

5. We know nobody can compare to us, but your New Zealand homies must be pretty badass -- have any been able to teach you Spanish/practice your French?

6. Who would you rather have a kiwi love affair with -- George Clooney or Russell Crowe?

7. Do you know what country you've been placed for PEACE Corps?

8. And finally...WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?! Puma and I are going through massive Sierra withdrawal and we need our fix soon.

so tired!

Hey homies!

Nate keeps letting me on your outings whih sound like so much fun. especially the cheese and wine. I wish I could be there. I've been really busy with work lately and am trying to get some time to mail nate his valentines day present.

I'm gonna head to bed. But I get the day off on tuesday so hopefully I'll get some time to really give a good update ;)

OH MY GOD

ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hike

Hey homies!

My hike today went fabulous! 10 out of 10! I'll hopefully be able to do a blog on it soon. For now it is sleepy time :)

Hellooooo!

went to buskers comedy/circus show tonight! Funny shit!

Going to do an 8 hour hike tomorrow in Abel Tasman National Park. The Abel Tasman Coastal Trek. weeehoooo!

Have to wake up at 5:30 tommorrow morning...Updates coming soon ...:)

Sounds like you party birds are having a lot of fun. I'm just very curious to know if ms. laura has found a nest to play in??

I can't wait to read the update below!!!