Book suggestion Hi Donavin,
I've been reading your blog for weeks and it sounds like your having a great time. I'm at work and I should just get to your request. “The Greatest Story Ever Sold" by Frank Rich, he’s a NY Times Op-Ed columnist. After you read this you might never come back to the states.
Keep having fun,
Christian
Missing you at Benson The blogs are a welcome distraction from the oppressive weight of tender preparation for the world's most politically charged building envelope. You are a diarist that even a Russian intellectual would appreciate. Remember in your travels, the ring "wants" to be found.
Greetings from the Great Pacific Northwest! So glad to hear about your NZ life, please keep up these beautifully written blogs. Fall is sneaking up on us here in Seattle, and you, please start using your sun screen! I love the architecture in your neighborhood. Glad your job is fun, exciting and challenging.
Jim Lesniak
Got my computor back afder hard went. Your blogs sure are intersting.
Today i got my internet back,had to take it back to shop,they didn,t charge me anything to fix it
Your sure must be having a good time,we,er glad for,nothing like the other job.
Ihad better go to bed now,went throught 589 e-mails
Yesterday we helped cut up 2 elk at Warrens
Love grandma
This is a great report of your week end and of your work party of one! I know that Stephanie was impressed with your accomplishments. Donavin, you are even a greater guy that I already knew you were! I am just so proud of you. My week and week end was a fabulous one, as well. Three of my closest friends from HS and I got together for dinner and a 5 hour bull session, something we do a few days before our every 5 year HS class reunion. This time it was our 50th, yep, I am older than dirt. This was a tremendous evening with such cordial,warm and friendly people. Conversation was non-stop for 5 hours. At this age, it is a thrill to be with one another and we all realize that being here is a privilige and an absolute blessing. Over 20% of our 560 classmates have passed, and even with the joy of this special event, knowing the facts has really shaken me. Your two year stay in NZwill be a very rewarding and memorable time of your life. I'll bet you come home with a bloody NZ accent!! Jim Lesniak
And NO White Christmas You Bloody American Blokes, buying watermelon in the late winter...hope you shot that bloody red beast full of some good double malt Scotch or a fine white lightning Vodka...serve her up flaming...quite a show....Flaming Watermelon
of course, we here in USA buy their fresh apples in January
dont' look for any snow at Christmas, even on the Southern Alps
you gotta ski and snow board there in July
you're having FUN on your great adventure. enjoy
we're heading out this weekend on our yearly camping trip S. Oregon coast N. California and the Redwoods
Exposed to Art Portland Ore is the only city in the world that has a man in a trench coat exposing himself to art, bronze of course....lifesize statue of the former mayor Bud Clark with his trench coat open in the park blocks....you'll have to go there to see what's under the open coat...remember thought that he was 65 when he posted for the bronze
New Job, Driving & Women Get a WOMAN, much safer and healthier than pubbing and drinking...all us married guys outlive you single bloks
Congrads on the job...enjoy the Friday afternoons...not all the rest of the world is as capitalist work crazy as Americans...remember, when you are at work, you are only making money for the owner...Friday afternoons are for football , soccer and time with the family
Suggest wearing that hard hat while driving for the first 3 months and putting that orange vest on the left front bumper....headlights on at all times
Stay in New Zealand if the Republicans take the Whitehouse again our you will find your butt drafted in Iraq or some other Middle East hell hole...They don't serve but they think they know how to start unjustified wars
So happy for you! I am so happy to hear about how well you like the company you work for and your workmates. Go with the flow is a good idea...especially if you see that other work groups do the same on Fridays.
Greetings! Donavin, We are so glad that your new job is meeting your needs and that you have such good friends and associates to work with. Trying to run your wipers to clean the windshield, but signalling left is something that you must have learned here in Ballard. I see this far too often in traffic! One old gal continued around the traffic circle, over and over, because her turn signal was stuck. Your blogs are a thrill to receive and are always delightful to read. Have a great week. Jim and Melinda Lesniak
Art in the City Hi Donavan,
We appreciate the blogs. It's nice to keep abreast of what's unfolding in NZ.
A correction: I wasn't director of parks, but chief planner in charge of planning. A big difference. I had 10 staff; the director has 350.
Portland has a sound process for establishing and maintaining public art on city property. (Funded through a percentage for arts budget that is built into all city projects.) The Metropolitan Arts Commission, composed of artists and art lovers, commissions and maintains all art on city (and county) property. An excellent process, and the results are usually positive but not always.
John
I wish I had discovered this blog years ago. I did the mass email update for my previous adventures (United States and Europe) and now have no online documentation to share with fellow travelers.
To the chagrin of some friends and family wanderlust has struck again. I managed to stay focused for nearly a year and a half in a job related to my college education, however the desire to travel has grown strong again and can no longer be suppressed.
I have secured a 12 month Visa for New Zealand and hope to document this adventure for posterity, or at least the life of the TravelBlog.
Enj... full info
Bryan
non-member comment
What Book?
"Mark Twain: A Life" by Ron Powers