tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74238263739536139372011-07-09T02:20:13.772+12:00amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.comBlogger911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-12015684845051046832009-12-03T12:07:00.002+13:002009-12-03T12:09:01.353+13:00

CowOriginally uploaded by tkw954I haven't posted anything here for a while, so this is just to let you know this blog still lives. The photo at right is currently my most popular photo on flickr, due to it being on the first page of the yahoo image search for "cow". Flickr rates this photo as "most interesting", likely due to the fact that someone actually believed that the hawk was preying on

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-62050860360544739922009-09-24T19:13:00.003+12:002009-09-24T20:01:39.925+12:00

Ever since I was young, when I was depressed, melancholy, lonely, or bored I would pick up a pen and write in a journal. It started when I was 11 writing in my blue diary (that had a lock on it that I used to have on braided purple embroidery thread in a grape lip-gloss container hidden in my desk drawer). After that I graduated to less private notebooks, realizing that what I had to write about

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-33292118912850579342009-09-04T14:38:00.004+12:002009-09-04T14:59:38.452+12:00

Crap. I didn't mean to steal Travis's blog post thunder by posting something else on the same day... but in a really strange round-about way I found this clip. It's Josh Charles (Dead Poets Society - swoon!) talking about comedy and his then-current TV show, Sports Night, on The Daily Show from 10 years ago. 10! WOW! The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cJosh

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-48249279853876986722009-09-04T10:40:00.005+12:002009-09-04T10:48:06.602+12:00

The votes are in, and the winner of this year's Onslow T-shirt Design Contest is: Retrosaurus Rex! Thanks to everyone who entered. If you'd like to buy a shirt, email travis+tee@nutaksas.com (get it?). Pricing will depend on interest, so if you want one cheap get your friends to buy one (or more) too.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-81551695216939783282009-08-12T16:45:00.001+12:002009-08-12T16:47:40.330+12:00

Nothin new at the moment... except for this excerpt. "Give Pete a Chance"

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-21191731350123338712009-08-07T10:21:00.003+12:002009-08-07T10:38:04.261+12:00

I watched quite a few youtube videos of Rhys Darby yesterday. I thought I'd post a few... (the Account Balance one cracks me up).Rhys Darby - Voice oversRhys Darby - Account BalanceHere's the link to some other vids. Enjoy.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-14718781473500170692009-07-30T16:04:00.003+12:002009-07-30T16:06:15.556+12:00

I saw this posted on Fush & Chups today, and it kind of sums up... well, you know.(there's a photo in here that looks like nearly every villa in Auckland - even our place). Seriously - this'll be the last video I post today.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-49830807487238571972009-07-30T13:25:00.002+12:002009-07-30T13:31:41.966+12:00

I've been watching the ads on TV for a month now, and I missed 3 of the earlier episodes. I hope they all end up online someday because I'm learning a lot about Kiwi culture watching it. It's really funny.96-9392-8988-85The 2Degrees ad is pretty funny, too. I laugh every time I see it.And here's some iconic Kiwi comedy. I split a gut watching this the other day with Travis.Enjoy.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-60754910421230293572009-07-29T13:46:00.002+12:002009-07-29T13:49:15.187+12:00

Travis and I watched this last night and it left me agog... can I be agog in a negative way? Only a partial interview was available on the show... here's the whole interview.The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cBill Kristol Extended Interviewwww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorJoke of the Day

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-76154040979354908692009-07-29T12:13:00.001+12:002009-07-29T12:13:00.816+12:00

Our House, originally uploaded by tkw954.Travis took this really cool picture a few weeks ago. Just thought I'd post SOMETHING on the blog. :)

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-52914566856603980952009-07-11T16:42:00.004+12:002009-07-11T16:51:47.136+12:00

Today I gave a presentation on microcontrollers at Barcamp Auckland. As promised, it can be found here until I find a more permanent host (7.2 MB). (Image: Ioan Sameli.)

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-77368143824039996302009-07-01T15:18:00.003+12:002009-07-01T15:27:07.468+12:00

Travis and I on Canada Day, on Canada St, which is across the street from where we used to live.What better way to spend the morning on the way to work.Check out the other photos on flickr.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-58850529392171048052009-06-30T16:19:00.002+12:002009-06-30T16:20:45.844+12:00

I'll eventually break this up into two projects - a self-portrait project and a "postcards" project, but I was so excited with the tutorials I found today I was editing everything in sight.Plus, I wanted to add some more photos to flickr and make ONE MORE post in the month of June. :) HAVE A GREAT CANADA DAY!

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-33102335835887331852009-06-28T19:23:00.002+12:002009-06-28T19:58:54.324+12:00

It's really hard to think of June as being the middle of winter. There are only two types of weather in the NZ winter - cold and clear, and warm and wet. When it's cold I can do laundry. When it's wet I don't have to put the heat on in the house. I'm enjoying it, though. Still no snow to shovel!On June 23 Travis and I celebrated 5 years since our first date. :) And then on June 24 we celebrated 5

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-6392497833118049192009-05-25T08:38:00.004+12:002009-05-25T09:44:55.150+12:00

Trav has posted some photos of what we've been up to lately on his flickr page.Our weekend in New Plymouth for the "May Long Weekend" was great. I loved that city. It's so beautiful - on the coast, lots of parks and gardens. We didn't get the grandiose view of Mt Taranaki from the city because it was so cloudy, but the city itself was nice enough without the view.Trees in Pukekura ParkReflection

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-36929875661663268932009-05-15T10:24:00.005+12:002009-05-15T13:42:57.395+12:00

A lot has happened since my last post. Or since Travis's last post.We've moved.Many of our friends have gone on holidays, or are leaving very soon.My coffee table was stolen out of my garage. I was working on refinishing it.Fall is officially here, including copious amounts of rain.However, at this moment in time, it's so awesome outside - not a cloud in the sky - I had to post this photo of me

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-80859502361093169232009-04-03T10:15:00.008+13:002009-04-08T16:12:49.154+12:00

Last week Amy found this article describing caffenol, a photographic film/paper developer made from groceries. Specifically, it is water, instant coffee, washing soda, and vitamin C. Apparently the caffeic acid in the coffee reacts with the silver halides to develop the black and white image. I think this is great, because there is nothing particularly toxic in the mixture, meaning that it

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-48014073385197557932009-03-25T15:54:00.009+13:002009-03-25T16:17:22.857+13:00

Since Andrew and Rachelle brought us my football from home in November, (almost) every week a group of us have met in a park and played an informal game of touch football.The weather has been excellent every time we have gone out to play. We have only been rained on a handful of times, and it's usually at the end of our game, anyway.Every Tuesday (and, in March, every Wednesday) we met at 5:30 to

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-85607503653133912262009-03-08T14:28:00.002+13:002009-03-08T14:35:08.145+13:00

I was going through all of my vacation photos just now. Travis sent me a link to an ad for a movie we had heard about called One Week, starring Joshua Jackson. We'd been wanting to see this movie ever since we saw the interview he did with George Strombo on The Hour. So, I found the trailer for it on youtube, and had the worst sob I have had since I moved to New Zealand. I think it was probably

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-48723098462852535722009-03-03T12:32:00.002+13:002009-03-25T16:19:54.816+13:00

DunedinOriginally uploaded by tkw954I finally uploaded the last of my photos from our South Island trip. Click the photo to view them. This is the Dunedin Municipal Chambers.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-1440420246938834252009-03-02T15:22:00.005+13:002009-03-02T15:58:21.871+13:00

As a follow-up to "Driving Times in NZ", I am pleased to present the equivalent chart for North America, centred on Saskatoon. Notice that it takes over 80 hours to get to some parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also notice that Google seems to think that it's possible to drive from the middle of the Pacific.View Larger MapHere is a comparison of the North American and New Zealand driving time

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-43884551778523510282009-03-02T10:25:00.004+13:002009-03-25T16:19:33.476+13:00

Liam Finn, Living LoungeLiam Finn, Living LoungeAmy and I went to see Liam Finn a the Living Lounge last night. Liam plays almost all the parts himself (with the help of a loop machine and EJ Barnes). It was an awesome show in an awesome venue. The Living Lounge is a tent in Western Park, Auckland, and has excellent acoustics. This is the first show we've been to where the PA system hasn't

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-32734659301607509372009-02-24T15:57:00.002+13:002009-03-25T16:20:14.630+13:00

DaredevilOriginally uploaded by tkw954I've uploaded the second batch of my photos from our trip to the South Island, including Kea, Kaka, Seals, and Amy doing her "Danger Stick Figure" impression.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-14931359113421905892009-02-24T14:57:00.004+13:002009-03-25T16:17:46.356+13:00

I don't have a real "reading list" per se... my reading list generally consists of what I'm reading right now. Many of my friends say to me, "How can you do that? Reading more than one book at a time? Don't you get confused?" Have you seen my house? My life? You know me... I can't sit still and work on one thing at a time! I've never confused the premise of one book with the other.So, right now I

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-9756191490598616632009-02-19T16:02:00.003+13:002009-03-25T16:19:02.429+13:00

HokitikaOriginally uploaded by tkw954I've uploaded the first third of my photos from the South Island to Flickr. This takes us from Christchurch to Queenstown, via Greymouth, Franz Josef Glacier, Haast, and Wanaka, including the highest paved road in NZ, the Crown Range Road.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-67040829078451712372009-02-19T15:48:00.004+13:002009-02-19T15:59:55.855+13:00

For interested parties, here's the live Twitter feed for Webstock09 (the conference I am currently attending) in Wellington.I'd just like to say how interested and impressed I am at the fact that there is a team of sign language translators signing through all of the main presentations. At times, the translating has been very humourous.I don't have my photos off my camera yet, let alone on

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-41290940834921284202009-02-19T13:23:00.003+13:002009-02-19T13:31:31.918+13:00

After our trip around the South Island, I got to thinking about how long it takes to get everywhere in this small country. So I made this map of the driving time from our house in Auckland to everywhere in the country. The driving times come from a Matlab script I wrote that queries Google maps, and the mapping functions are from M_Map for Matlab, using shoreline data from GSHHS. Click it for

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-74599296193617894862009-02-19T08:56:00.001+13:002009-02-19T08:57:59.052+13:00

Hopefully I won't be updating the blog as a summary of my time at Webstock, but just in case I do, this is my apology beforehand.I'm at a web industry conference in Wellington. It hasn't started yet, but I anticipate it will start in about 5 minutes. The venue is the Wellington Town hall... oh, well, my 5 minutes has ended in about 30 seconds. The conference has started. And I'll keep you posted.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-89830481588573908982009-01-28T13:39:00.003+13:002009-01-28T13:47:02.978+13:00

$3875.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth.I just stumbled on these two:http://howmanyfiveyearoldscouldyoutakeinafight.com/http://www.howmany90yearoldscouldyoutakeinafight.com/25

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-83581936979676894692009-01-28T09:37:00.002+13:002009-03-25T16:20:52.680+13:00

Succulents, originally uploaded by Amy Templeman.If anyone knows what this plant is, please let me know.Also, check out my flickr pics. I'd blog about something interesting, but I'm not very interesting at the moment. Beach, beach, more beach, sewing, watching TV shows online, football, netball, cooking and cleaning. Oh ya, and working for 8 hours a day. That's all I've been up to.I did, however,

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-70559593643086938142009-01-19T15:30:00.003+13:002009-01-20T09:33:02.693+13:00

Except for completing immigration papers and more immigration papers by a very disorganized (and either a partially dyslexic or illiterate) Amy crying a whole lot of tears (which resulted in bloodshot eyelids) two days of hiking mountains failing the warrant of fitness fixing the car getting the warrant of fitness swimming in a mud flat when the tide was out because we were too impatient to wait

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-84541551174425056712009-01-05T10:22:00.002+13:002009-01-05T10:27:06.663+13:00

Waiti Stream, originally uploaded by tkw954.For scale - those are people on the dune. They look like red and white specks.Swimming, originally uploaded by tkw954.I didn't know what to expect on our short excursion. Certainly not a gorgeous fresh-water lake nestled between the biggest sand dunes I've ever seen and rolling green hills dotted with cattle. I could have stayed here all day, although

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-21232487975210020232008-12-28T17:49:00.002+13:002008-12-28T17:52:19.453+13:00

Auckland at NightOriginally uploaded by tkw954I have a new flickr account (thanks Mom and Dad), which has hundreds of new photos and old favourites. Some aren't tagged yet, but if you leave a comment I'll prioritize that photo.http://flickr.com/traviswiens

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-48726411918882161002008-12-27T19:57:00.003+13:002008-12-27T20:07:14.127+13:00

Travis and Amy - Christmas Morning, originally uploaded by Amy Templeman.We got up late-ish this morning, ate some wifesaver and opened some gifts. Travis's parents gave us money to buy things we wouldn't normally buy - they recommended canvas printing a photo or something. Thank you so much!!! I think I know what picture I want enlarged... the nice beach one that I sent in a Christmas email.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-11861482033304185682008-12-27T14:54:00.001+13:002008-12-27T14:56:16.560+13:00

Here's some more stop-motion video. This time it is of Amy's flowers opening.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-59227562485364419992008-12-21T23:44:00.003+13:002009-03-25T16:21:26.210+13:00

Here are some stop motion videos I shot this week. The first is the opening of a Pōhutukawa flower. This is from a flowering tree endemic to New Zealand. Their bright red flowers are everywhere this time of year, so Kiwis associate them with Christmas. You'll have to excuse the choppiness, this was filmed over a number of days and my camera's batteries needed to be charged periodically.The

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-90002103953652132482008-12-21T23:11:00.005+13:002008-12-21T23:46:18.161+13:00

I don't know where it came from, but it ate Travis last night. Both Travis and I were up in the night scratching various body parts. I was up at 5am soaking my ankles in vinegar and water and, while I was up, I asked Travis if he wanted some itch relief, too. So, I vinegared him up, then we went back to sleep.This morning I put more vinegar on my ankles (I have something called SOOV Bite, but it

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-66764102359765379832008-12-20T17:46:00.003+13:002008-12-20T18:08:28.058+13:00

I had a great time visiting with Janci and Jared. It was much too short of a visit, though. They had a wonderful time touring the south island, however that took up most of their 20 day visit. Travis and I only got to see them for 8 days, and that includes 2 partial traveling days.Since they got back from Christchurch last Saturday we went to the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, to Herne Bay

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-54603032539714050872008-12-05T08:30:00.001+13:002008-12-05T08:34:35.289+13:00

The unveiling of Street View this week is pretty cool. Travis and I even saw one of the street view vans last week just down the street from our place. It wasn't taking pictures - just parked.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-30197229253611593042008-12-04T23:00:00.004+13:002008-12-04T23:35:14.618+13:00

So much to talk about, so little time.Goat Island Marine ReserveIt's the summertime now. The weather is beautiful and I want to be outside. Travis and I taught a few of our friends how to play "American Football" yesterday. All we heard today was "THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! WE HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN!!" It WAS a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again. We will because the weather is so damn awesome

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-21981842733226336362008-11-16T10:18:00.011+13:002008-11-16T12:02:22.457+13:00

Here's more photos... however, this post is not about photos.I should have written my caving adventure as soon as I got home. Right now it doesn't seem like it was a mentally and physically demanding excursion.Travis, Andrew, Rachelle and I went on a 5-hour caving adventure in the Waitomo Caves. Our guides were awesome. We started off by getting outfitted in some heavy-duty wetsuits.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-70111914794013377932008-11-06T10:46:00.001+13:002008-11-06T10:46:52.386+13:00

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-77521252232317260852008-11-04T10:58:00.005+13:002008-11-04T12:43:38.796+13:00

OOOH! Now that I have a camera, I just can't stop taking pictures. Click on the photo above to check out my photos on Flickr. Remember, I just got the camera 3 days ago, so I haven't had a chance to go anywhere interesting yet.Love,Amy

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-32337293870021786952008-11-03T09:03:00.004+13:002008-11-03T09:40:23.038+13:00

I've been bitching for a while that I didn't have a camera. What kind of person who says they have a degree in photography (okay, I don't have a degree in photography, but it's the closest thing I had to a studio major) doesn't have a camera? Well, I had my camera when I left Saskatoon on Feb 21, and when I got to Auckland on March 1, I didn't have a camera anymore. Where did it go? I don't know.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-49686322830118639642008-10-27T12:41:00.004+13:002008-10-27T15:40:46.490+13:00

I've been lazy with photos. I don't have a camera. Travis has a camera. Mine got lost en route to Auckland. Sad, sad Amy.There are photos on Travis's hard drive that I have just recently found - some of them dating from May 30. I did not have these on MY computer, hence, did not post them on the blog. Now I've got some... I'm still missing quite a few, but here's a start to tide you over.Created

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-50143244095969962242008-10-15T14:25:00.003+13:002008-10-27T14:16:09.739+13:00

We took off on Friday, Oct 10 to Urititi Campground.It was great.There were no fire pits or bbqs... it was good that we had a camp stove so we could cook our food. And cook we did! Our tent is huge - just the right size for us. ;) The air mattress also works great. Sleeping bags were good, too. I started off being too hot, but then, as always, got too cold. The next night I started off wearing my

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-77796239270805007812008-10-09T08:58:00.005+13:002008-10-09T09:29:45.152+13:00

Travis and I watched the NZ Music Awards last night. I had heard of all of the nominees, which was a bonus. I had even heard most of the music. I'm especially loving Anika Moa right now. There are a list of albums I need to buy in the next little while. Here's a short list of some NZ artists you might want to check out: Tiki Taane, Liam Finn, Shapeshifter, Kora, Katchafire, Salmonella Dub, Cut

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-70550023071231320912008-10-06T17:25:00.003+13:002008-10-06T17:44:11.371+13:00

I managed to skip the month of September. September has never been a good month for me. VERY strange memories of September. I can pretend I have a good September memory, but it is usually trumped by a bad one. September of 2008 felt different than any other I have ever experienced, due to the fact that I am in New Zealand, and school does not begin in September. (all of my bad memories are

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-66800728433497090682008-08-27T09:04:00.006+12:002008-08-27T09:09:14.283+12:00

This is my second glass piece I've made. It's not quite done yet since I'd like to sand it down a bit more. I spent nearly an hour getting it out of the plaster, and almost 2 hours grinding and sanding it down to get it to the point it is right now.I'm very surprised it's actually purple - last night it looked very grey under fluorescent light.I love this entire process of creating these pieces.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-54801000043139033692008-08-23T12:29:00.003+12:002008-08-27T09:26:07.248+12:00

Watch the video. I'm surprised I'd never heard this song before - just heard it on GeorgeFM and I HAVE to hear it again. Funny and poignant, and a reaction to Gil Scott Heron's poem "The Revolution Will Not be Televised". Watch that one, too.Enjoy.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-16032963083120291602008-08-21T15:06:00.002+12:002008-08-21T15:25:42.104+12:00

I'd actually like people to comment on this post because I'd like to hear peoples' thoughts on this matter.When does a house become a home? When do YOU feel comfortable in new surroundings? Do you put up pictures and artwork to make somewhere feel more homey? How about feeling settled in a new city... when do you feel like you're a part of the scene?I've been asking myself this question a lot

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-62762821787203770492008-08-19T10:58:00.002+12:002008-08-19T11:10:36.001+12:00

I don't understand the phenomenon of adding a fried egg to a perfectly good burger (or ham sandwich, or chili, etc), but that's often what you'll find on a sandwich in New Zealand.Take, for instance, the Kiwi Burger at McDonalds. Beetroot, fried egg, and a beef patty. And, of course, other "salads" (which is Kiwi-speak for onion, lettuce, tomato... or anything that would go INTO a salad).Also,

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-40509177136901401982008-08-18T11:19:00.007+12:002008-08-18T11:31:41.412+12:00

This was me in May sprinting across the finish line of the women's duathlon. I will decide next week whether I think my body will be able to handle a half marathon. Emma has asked if I want to run in the Auckland Marathon... and at first I said "Yes?". Then I did some reading, did a bit of research, went for a couple of runs, and checked out the running program that they've got online. If I

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-7628833638682092732008-08-14T10:51:00.005+12:002008-08-14T12:01:18.493+12:00

My first cast glass piece. I like the colours.I've noticed over the past few weeks I've started obsessing over things. Little things. For very short periods of time. Ideas, people, books, movies, arts, crafts, designs, you name it, I've obsessed over it.Most recently I have obsessed over the following:Thursday, August 7 - The Princess Bride 30th Edition novel. Goldman is a genius.Friday - Art,

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-32607430969461294812008-08-05T16:38:00.004+12:002008-08-05T16:42:17.466+12:00

I am a fan of Trailer Park Boys. This fall I watched all the episodes from every season Travis had available. This show features hilarious writing (or, perhaps, improving) to get these great mixed metaphors... or phrases that are just plain wrong. Either way, it's freakin hilarious.(note: there is some language that isn't appropriate for all audiences... but, whatev).

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-58294235494853951392008-08-05T10:57:00.000+12:002008-08-05T10:58:52.224+12:00

This is a great idea.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-40224080806821139762008-08-05T09:17:00.002+12:002008-08-05T10:17:28.673+12:00

Pretty uneventful for a long weekend. Yummy food and beer, jogging as a result of yummy food and beer, cookie baking, bread baking, the food show, dehydration, headache, new 30th Anniversary edition of The Princess Bride (book), shopping, laundry, laundry, and humidity.Friday was pretty eventful. I went to Helen's house early to bake cookies and bread. It was an almost failed attempt at the

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-35160680533392600952008-07-26T12:51:00.004+12:002008-07-26T13:23:28.222+12:00

I've been slacking when it comes to blog posts lately. Here's a run-down of the past weeks' adventures:Attended BarCamp Auckland 2 on Saturday, July 12. It's a mini, one-day web conference for web geeks. No, it's not a LAN party, like some of my friends thought. That's just WAY too geeky.Went to 2 films at the Auckland Film Festival - Be Kind Rewind with Jack Black and Mos Def, and Gonzo: The

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-4977817696126329932008-07-07T10:56:00.006+12:002008-07-07T11:09:55.989+12:00

Right now it's 8 degrees and raining outside, and it's about 13 degrees inside. BOO. Travis has the space heater at his office, still. A lot of good it does there when I'm freezing my ass off in here. I'm wearing a toque, wool socks, BIG wool sock/slippers, tank top, wool sweater with hood, scarf and jeans. And two blankets (I'm working on the couch). Brrrrrrrrrr.I'm working in town today - at

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-38159897308637024212008-07-02T11:42:00.005+12:002008-07-02T14:19:52.933+12:00

I made food for our upcoming Christmas in July party. Saturday was the shopping day, and Sunday was the "prepare the food" day. I made the following:Perogies (potato, cheese and onion, of course)Inhaler Buns (grandma's recipe)Cinnamon BunsNanaimo BarsJust call me Baba AmyPerogies. The first batch I made on Saturday weren't very good - I didn't add enough salt to the potato mix... tasted really

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-1606810820313610932008-06-29T19:08:00.005+12:002008-06-30T09:01:05.932+12:00

Last night, The Black Keys rocked the Powerstation in Auckland. I don't think I've heard so much sound from such a small band since Bob Log III. They also had a giant inflatable tire (made in Akron, Ohio), which was too tall for the building. The bands were also punctual, with The Vietnam War going on at 8:59 and the Black Keys starting their set at 10:00 sharp. Very professional. Someone

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-51018198470438291862008-06-29T18:45:00.004+12:002008-06-29T19:05:46.960+12:00

Here are a pair of parrots (or parrot-type things) that visited us in Titirangi last week. I don't know if they are native or feral, but they didn't seem to mind the hail that was falling.

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-78598268487538054202008-06-26T08:36:00.004+12:002008-06-26T09:48:40.844+12:00

This is a lovely idea. Easily turn the power off to your appliances by turning off the power to the device, rather than unplugging it. Here's a link to the wikipedia article (for the electrical geeks) explaining what it's all about.I don't feel like doing too much more research on these power plug-ins... I just think they're great. Here's one more link about power in NZ.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-17089638866262803992008-06-25T13:59:00.001+12:002008-06-25T14:01:39.595+12:00

Well crap. No wonder you can't get Nanaimo bars in New Zealand. They don't have Graham Crackers, graham cracker crumbs, graham flour.... nothin'. I've been doing some research. Apparently it's a North American thing. Who knew?!I wonder what they make cheesecake crust out of?

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-46125944914497522542008-06-22T12:16:00.009+12:002008-06-22T12:58:49.692+12:00

Now that the longest night of the year is over, I feel it's time for some accounting. Since we moved to Auckland, Saskatoon has had 366.1 hours more sunshine than here. That's 15 and a quarter days. And by the time the equinox rolls around, we'll have lost 762.2 hours of daylight.WHO'S TO BLAME? SOMEONE MUST PAY!A whole extra month of darkness.The graph above shows the number of daylight hours

Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314236527446854856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-89732915171736911532008-06-20T09:55:00.005+12:002008-06-20T10:03:44.552+12:00

Again, not odd, but there are just some things I have problems getting used to.Now that Travis and I are driving more often (read: have access to car and live far out of town for another 6 weeks) I have found a few strange things about New Zealand driving habits.Car driving oddities:1. No one has daytime running lights. For a place that is overcast and rainy a lot, you'd think you'd naturally

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-17433445576792701912008-06-20T09:55:00.004+12:002008-06-20T10:00:08.024+12:00

I've been listening to KiwiFM in the mornings. They've been talking about Kyle Macdonald, the Red Paperclip, and Kipling. One of the morning show hosts mentioned she'd trade her job for the house in Kipling. There have been lots of emails talking about what Saskatchewan is like. I had to throw my two cents in - so I emailed them this morning. Here is my email.... it was then read on the air about

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-3351229387225610002008-06-16T11:49:00.004+12:002008-06-16T11:58:43.358+12:00

After months of hesitation, Industry Minister Jim Prentice has finally revealed his re-write of Canada's rules of copyright. As expected, the bill contains major concessions to the American entertainment industry. Prentice's bill forbids Canadians from engaging in ordinary practices such as ripping DVDs onto video iPods, unlocking digital phones for use with a competitor’s services, and paves the

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-12760594388185066042008-06-11T13:53:00.002+12:002008-06-11T14:19:29.739+12:00

I'm not crying, or whining, or doing anything at all, except working. But it is one of those days where I feel weird. You know, those days when you ask yourself why you're here. It starts out by thinking about why you're sitting in the house working. And then why you're in this city in this part of the world. And why you're in this part of the world and feeling the way you do - which is a little

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-66518566563527723992008-06-08T18:21:00.003+12:002008-06-08T18:43:05.757+12:00

Okay, so maybe it's not odd that in the city of Auckland you can find paddocks with sheep or cattle grazing on them... but to me it does seem a little bit out of the ordinary.I should keep my notebook handy so whenever Travis and I explore a new park in Auckland I can write down what farm animals I find grazing there. So far, this is what I've found.Mount Eden Domain - cattleOne Tree Hill/

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-76588283552101824412008-06-08T16:16:00.003+12:002008-06-08T16:58:14.719+12:00

I love Mexican food. Travis loves Mexican food. I love cooking it, and I love eating it. Therefore I will post some of my favourite Mexican recipes - I don't know if you'd say I perfected them, but I use these recipes ALL THE TIME. One little tidbit I found in the couple years I've taught myself to make burritos and enchiladas from scratch is the defining spice in the recipes is not chilies, hot

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-89003067461784705752008-05-22T10:28:00.002+12:002008-05-22T10:32:42.463+12:00

It feels much better getting ready for work in the morning - sometimes even getting spiffy - and working, rather than lounging around in my PJs until 7pm, which I did yesterday. Although, days like that are good for me, too. But today I just feel spiffy. It's definitely the lipstick.I'm looking forward to dying my hair, too. I'm going to Henna it up in the next few days. Hopefully it'll take the

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-26074656120640734042008-05-13T21:04:00.001+12:002008-05-13T21:07:07.704+12:00

Enjoy.Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-86345762464335858142008-05-13T20:48:00.004+12:002008-05-13T20:58:32.525+12:00

I'm officially a duathlete. I don't know how to spell that, or if it's even a word.I ran a duathlon with Helen on Sunday morning. 3.5km run, 10km bike, 1.5km run. I set a goal for myself - I wanted to be in the top 1/4. In the back of my head, I wanted to be in the top 100 to cross the finish line, but I wasn't sure if that was possible without having trained more than going to one spin class and

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-8854750050295450072008-05-07T10:50:00.003+12:002008-05-07T10:58:31.767+12:00

I'm sure these items are found in other parts of the world, but I'm not sure what I would do without my towel heater.The mildewy smell is not very pleasant if your towels don't properly dry. I remember this smell from the last time I was in Auckland visiting my sister. Imagine, if you can, a day in Saskatchewan when your towel couldn't dry on the bar overnight. You can't imagine? How about if

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-43168563147820775532008-05-01T09:06:00.003+12:002008-05-01T09:21:02.344+12:00

After a weekend of debauchery, playing dress-up and indulging a bit too much, Travis and I set out on a mini-adventure in the wilderness. This wilderness happens to still be governed by the Auckland Regional Council, so it wasn't that far out of town, but it was still an adventure nonetheless.The Hunua Ranges can be found just south-east of Auckland. We drove out there late afternoon on Tuesday,

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-63029736910786983842008-04-25T13:33:00.002+12:002008-04-25T13:48:23.746+12:00

K. This has nothing to do with New Zealand, Auckland, or anything about my time over here so far - except for that today I downloaded a lot of awesome music.I downloaded some new bands and some not new bands. I was inspired by the music from the jPod soundtrack. I now have Fink, Cinematic Orchestra on my iPod, and I added to my collection of Bonobo and Chromeo.I also downloaded the new Portishead

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-13269476182500561662008-04-24T22:08:00.001+12:002008-04-24T22:08:02.026+12:00

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-80212659113640353162008-04-23T11:02:00.001+12:002008-04-23T11:02:27.871+12:00

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-68338809779535215642008-04-16T09:52:00.002+12:002008-04-16T09:54:28.993+12:00

Thank you friends! Thanks for the invitations, the stories, the wine, the venison, the music, the bread-slapping, the laughs, and, most importantly, your open arms. (pics to come)

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-80940502668862498402008-04-11T15:24:00.007+12:002008-04-11T16:19:17.674+12:00

Turns out it's not where but who you're with that really matters. - Dave Matthews, "Best of What's Around"Travis and I are learning how to live with each other. The other day we were discussing Myers-Briggs personality types. Travis is a INTJ. Apparently that means you're a brilliant judgmental intuitive introvert. I think this statement (from the wikipedia article) sums up his personality to a

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-91923996408168116502008-04-06T19:08:00.004+12:002008-04-07T07:34:56.974+12:00

[my latest email to family... enjoy]So, we've changed time here in NZ... I believe we're now... 6 hours off of saskatoon. I thought we were moving to 4 hours off.... but it's 6. Sorry if I told people the wrong way before. (according to my computer's clock, Saskatchewan is 7 ours off Auckland. I think this "clock" needs a fixin'.Today Travis and I went on a wine tour on Waiheke Island. We want

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-25437746417591107302008-04-05T15:44:00.006+13:002008-04-06T20:07:10.250+12:00

If you visit Auckland, there are a few traffic tips you must be aware of, especially if you are a pedestrian.A general word of caution: you are taking your life into your hands walking anywhere in Auckland. This means on the sidewalk, too.Tips:Avoid crossing the roadif the first point has you continually walking around the block, you will need to break rule 1.Pedestrians do not have the right of

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-28521546146402125932008-04-04T15:03:00.002+13:002008-04-04T15:30:11.090+13:00

Driving is something I've done since I was 12 years old. I learned how to drive in a wheat field, as did most kids who grew up on farms in Saskatchewan. Driving a car is a right of passage on the prairies. You then get your own car, and you drive that car everywhere. Having said that, you wouldn't imagine how excited I was to come to a big city and not have to worry about driving a car.There are

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-87349970291998213152008-03-31T13:08:00.003+13:002008-04-04T15:03:24.269+13:00

[This will be the first in a series of posts regarding cultural differences between Canadians/North Americans and Kiwis, as perceived by me and Travis]In Canada it is almost unheard of to walk around barefoot. Our climate, for one, ensures that we are sufficiently shod all year round.Four years ago when I visited my sister in Auckland I made a startling discovery within an hour of arriving. In

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-41114081468113240012008-03-20T13:31:00.005+13:002008-03-20T14:08:16.497+13:00

I finally got a chance to set up my new office space. It's still in my apartment, however, my computer isn't sitting on my kitchen table anymore.Travis and I moved our bed from the "master" bedroom (which is still pretty tiny), to the smaller room (now the bed has 2ft of room on one side of it). I spend most of my waking hours working, so I figured I'd rather have space and a balcony in my

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-17704793351424758832008-03-18T08:59:00.003+13:002008-03-18T09:06:34.679+13:00

Multitasking is a very difficult thing for me - especially when it requires 1) hot kitchen appliances; and 2) computers. Distracted by work and my crappy, crappy internet connection that allows me to do ZERO work at the moment, my toast got charred. SO charred, in fact, that it set off all the working smoke detectors in my place (note: Hallway smoke detector is not working) and has filled my apt

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-41367066788623755532008-03-17T08:50:00.003+13:002008-03-17T09:00:19.708+13:00

Not many people would find the topic of yogurt interesting. I know I don't.However, I have started to make my own yogurt. It's partly out of thriftiness, partly out of practicality. I eat a lot of yogurt. Since Travis and I live so far from any big supermarket with decent prices and selection, I have found a cheaper and lighter way to transport yogurt home. EasiYo is a system of yogurt making at

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-17191392430624669552008-03-16T16:34:00.000+13:002008-03-16T22:34:17.553+13:00

This past week:Travis went to work some more and finally got his IRD # (like his SIN number.... now he can get paid!). Yay.Amy started working on Wednesday. Yay again! My commute happens to be longer than Travis's since I walk to work with him in the mornings, then walk home. Round trip: 30 minutes. He starts work at 7:30; I start work at 8am.Went to Quiz night on Monday with Helen and the Quiz

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-86214153111375672762008-03-08T19:00:00.000+13:002008-03-16T22:27:45.099+13:00

[this was originally written as an email, sent to friends and family on March 7, 2008]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AotearoaI'm alive. Travis and I stopped in Vancouver for a few days before we headed down to Auckland.... and then we went to Fiji for 5 days. Fiji was excellent. I highly recommend staying where we did if you come down to visit us :) - The Funky Fish resort on Malolo Island http://

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7423826373953613937.post-32424322247200074412008-03-07T19:20:00.000+13:002008-03-16T22:27:08.077+13:00

[this was originally written as an email to family, sent March 6, 2008]Everything is good so far - we found a place to live... yay! And we even have dishes and forks and spoons and one pot. And Pillows! we'll be sleeping in luxury this evening. ;) But I have lost my camera, so any pictures we send will be from Travis's camera, and he's a little lax with the photo uploads, so I don't know when

amy raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860271699946098254noreply@blogger.com0