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Published: March 14th 2008
Before I start this blog, I want to address some of my last blog. I talked about a pill I took called "party pills". This pill, which I bought over the counter at a liquor store, was legal (today, the NZ parliament voted to make it illegal, actually) and I could not have gotten in any trouble for using in it. Nor is it or was it considered dangerous. They banned it because too many young kids are getting it illegally. One of my concerned parents sent me an extremely upset e-mail over the topic. The e-mail consisted of two parts, which I will summarize: 1. "PLEASEDON'TKILLYOURSELF". This part I understand, any parent doesn't want to read about what they perceive to be danger for their children, although I adamantly explained in response that I was in no danger and the pills were the equivalent of a high quality bottle of liquor. And part 2. "I don't want people reading about about you doing this." This part I have a problem with. My mom, aka Tipper Gore, really wants me to not discuss things because they are vulgar or lewd or whatever. If you agree with Tipper, feel free to join this
organization and forget about the first ammendment (or see the great scene in Field of Dreams where this situation is discussed). I understand her concern, but my goal with this blog was to describe my life as it was really happening here. Party pills are a part of the NZ culture, and I am here to experience precisely that. (On a side note, prostitution is also legal here. Although my Catholic upbringing will never allow me to morally check that part of NZ culture out, my contractor, Aaron, who doesn't drink, smoke, gamble, or do drugs, says that brothels are a natural part of life and that every kiwi man has attended them repeatedly. The Thai's, who live next door, work their butts off all week and then every friday night head off to, as they call it, "Ma saw gee"- how they pronounce massage- to have a good time. It's wierd that that is legal and accepted here. I wonder what would have happened if the New York governor had done something like that here. Oh, by the way, $60, and most of it is tax, in case you were wondering.)
What this has sparked is that I have realized I should keep some of my comments private, only to be read by certain individuals. Because of this, I will now only allow immature, lewd under-25 year olds to read my private blogs. I have already posted a couple, and most of these are the more interesting stories that I knew without a doubt certain people shouldn't read. If you want to read them, send me a private message, and I will accept you. Hopefully there will be no complaints for what I write there. And Jake, if you let Mom read them, I'll beat the crap out of you when I return.
This blog is really about the fact that I am moving to Napier on Sunday. I will stay working at the same orchard I have been, but I will move to a hostel called the Aqua Lounge, which seems to be interesting. Rent goes up to $110 when I move there. The Congolese, which I have found out is the correct term, moved out on Sunday right after I wrote my blog, but the man suddenly reappeared on Wednesday. He has been living with us since.
It's wierd to move out of the Aladdin, although I hate it there. It is somewhere where I know that I will never return, and it is the first place I have ever been that I can for sure say that. Pretty much every where I've been, including SF, Florida, Toronto, and Auckland, I will visit again at some point in my life, but I will never return to Hastings.
Work has been going Ok. This week, I did 4 bins on Monday, 3 on Tuesday, 3 on Wednesday (Aaron was 1.5 hours late picking me up both days), 0 on Thursday because of rain, and today, for some reason, I went nuts and did 5.5 bins. From 12:18 to 4:30, I did 3 bins, which is almost impossible, and I set my new personal record of 1 bin in 1 hour 18 minutes. I know it's wierd to time it like that, but you have to do these things to keep sane.
My offical title is "apple picker", but I think my real title should be "Subject in the experiment of How long a person can listen to the same 400 songs on his i-pod every day before he goes insane". You know its getting bad when not only can I sing along with the songs, but I can talk in time with the introductions that the musicians give in the songs that are live. I have really gotten into a couple kiwi bands, The black seeds and Katchafire, and you guys should really check them out on you tube. They are just chill bands that have a Raggae feel to them. There are some pop bands here, but most of the bands are funk or reggae or alternative. From what I have seen, i really like the music scene in this country. I think it is because money doesn't decide what is produced like it does in America- most of the bands are independent and do whatever they want.
Moneywise, I just got paid today, and I know have $850 NZ in my NZ bank account, on top of the $1050 American I have . By April 2nd, when I'm leaving, I should have over $3000, especially if I have more days like I did today. My vague plan is to travel from Napier to Taupo, to Rotorua, to Tauranga, to Thames, to Auckland, then into Northland, up the NW coast of the country through Dargaville, to Cape Reinga, then down the East coast of the northern part of the North Island to the bay of islands. If you want to look at exactly what that entails, just google 'map of New Zealand' and you should be able to follow my path. I figure that path will take about 12 to 15 weeks to complete, and that by the time I get to bay of Islands, I will be broke. Wherever I am when I hit $500 left, I will stop and find a job. I'm cautiously excited for this. It sure beats apple picking.
Alright, I have more to say, but I'm running out of time, so I'll get back to you on Sunday or Monday from Napier after I have settled in. If you have any questions, let me know.
To finish, I say this, addressed to Hastings:
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I gave her my heart but she wanted my soul..
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Laura Davis
non-member comment
I'm with Tipper
I am going to retroactively fail you. The first amendment prevents the government from unreasonalbly restricting your free speech - not your mother. Your mother is free to give you hell. I stand with Tipper.