Chris A's blog

Rather than bother with third party apps and so forth. Hope this works:

Facebook album one
Facebook album two

Let me know if you can't get access.

*edit* - A newer album

Facebook album three

Just tying up some loose ends while I pack. But anyway it's been good to see you all during my long ass break (only 1 month to go). In true Bradesque fashion I've made a travel blog, partly for my own interest and partly because Victoria university wants me to be able to share an account of my travels with them. You can check it out here

Ciao

Go the weetbix

"Do you seek to enter the United States to engage in export control violations, subversive or terrorist activities, or any other unlawful purpose? Are you a member or representative of a terrorist organization as currently designated by the U.S. Secretary of State? Have you ever participated in persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany; or have you ever participated in genocide?"

I'm amazed they have any terror threats with this excellent piece of safety net. Any terrorist who lies on this just wrecks it for other terrorists.

I was sitting in my car for 3 hours in Te Puke last night, it was wet, I was bored and waiting. So I reach back and look for a new CD, not that it would of done any good. The head unit has lost the ywas and it became half parlyzed, leaving me no LCD, but I could control track album/volume controls, then I lost that, leaving me just volume controls, then that died, leaving me trapped listening to a CD at a volume I found a little too high. I found later the remote works, so all is not lost, unless you count the eject CD function disabled. God I wish that CD wasn't scratched.

So while I was looking for a new CD from that pocket behind the front passenger seat, I found mysef with a handull of digital camera. I loaded the memory card into mine and discovered it was from a nice psuedo-hitchhiker we met in Wanaka and gave a ride to Queenstown.

It's a nice camera, 5x optical zoom, 8mp and I'd like to try and get it back to her. All I know is I think her name is Vicky, she is American and she was working at a bungee place in Queenstown. I'm assuming AJ hackett is the only bungee place in Queenstown, if anyone know to the contrary, please correct me. This chick helped my friend down a long track when she twisted her ankle, and tried her best to give us a place to stay, which only didn't work out because her flat mates family were staying.

Well Friday snuck up on me and I still haven't got tickets, a replacement flat mate confirmed, solid travel plans, even enrolled in courses, booked a visa (how big a kick in the nuts would it be holding plane tickets and not getting a visa.) and that's just the shit I've thought of. So today I hope to submit course selection stuff and book plane tickets. I decided on the 27th of July as I leave on a Friday, thus making it easier for my parents to drop me off and it is the earliest I can arrive.

I'm going to need as much time as I can muster between when I get there and when I have to be there. My first train trip is a short 11 hours, from LA to San Francisco followed by 36 hours to Denver, then a quick 20 hour ride to Chicago, then I either go from there to Boston (24 hours) or Upstate NY (19 hours), I have to do both, unless Travis moves, its just a case of the most efficient train timetable. Then I have to dash to Philadelphia and then work west again to go to school. Don't think I'll have time to see friends in the South East, but I'll see how I go. That's a lot of train time, I may just not want to do it then. I hope perhaps I can road trip some segment of this journey. I think I'll be doing Upstate NY to NY city.

As for a leaving date, that's much harder to pick. It will be winter and it gets pretty cold there (my sheet says -20 degrees) I'll miss Christmas here and it looks like New Years, (exams finish on the 21/12) but I'll know for sure when I've booked.

On another note my t-shirts from threadless arrived. I'm pretty happy with them.

Just took a ride with my flat mate to pick up his girlfriend from some hotel down town and there sitting in the lobby was a bunch of the French rugby team. Sorta makes me wish I knew more than a language. You never really know when you may run into a touring international sports team.

We also had car trouble twice. My car pushing skills are 1337.

"Good news: your acceptance packages have arrived!!! Congratulations!!! I’ll leave the documents at reception with Crystal so feel free to come to pick them up at any time that suits you."

Well, that's good. I've been waiting a long time to hear that. I'm going to go down to campus and do what I need to do for that, then head back up to the big campus and do the whole library study thing. Kind of cliche I know.

Having applied for my passport last Friday, my list of shit to do needs to be made and prioritised. But I get a little moist when I saw the dollar hit its highest point ever (since being floated)

Still need to get:

• Visa
• Plane tickets
• Medical/Travel Insurance
• NZ Flag and other kiwiana stuff (respect)
• A Plan of all the people I want to catch up with

I'm think of leaving on the 1st of August. But if I can get a messed up plane ticket that diverts me round a bit, then that will change.

After too much to drink on Friday, Saturday was going to be quiet one. So I agreed to join the rest of the flat to see Adrian (only other male flat mate) play a game of club rugby. It was quite cool, we kitted our selves out with lawn furniture and had seats by the half way line.

Despite the scores leveled out at 6 a piece at half time and the Roosters (Adrians team) scoring 3 after the break they couldn't hold onto such a lead against the sleeping juggernaut that was Petone. Some sloppy play ended up costing the team 3 tries (intercept right in front of us) but at the end of the day it was all good. They even gave us a free double sided A4 leaflet showing all the clubs line ups for the weeks playing.

We nearly ditched the game to go see Jerry Collins playing. But it turns out Petone had a secret weapon. They had there own All Black Neemia Tialata lucky for Adrian he was on the other side of the scrum. This is the same guy who was part of the All Black pack that demolished the "world beating" pack that was England the week after beating Australia. I only found this out after the game as he was a reserve player and they get no mention on the leaflet.

Also interesting to note he was not meant to play in the front row, but did anyway. Completely disregarding the NZRU instructions.

Highlights included:

• Few punches hear and there
• Adrian's girlfriend cheering when he got hit or tackled.
• A head clash in front of us that had a dude KO'd Very flattering lying face down on your arm with your hand sticking out by your crotch. I'm sure he would of see the funny side.

Oh and my flatmate got yet another concussion. I keep trying to tell him he should take care. He's having trouble focusing today.

I was up all night after leaving my last financial accounting assignment to the last night and I handed it in 6 mins late, I normally wouldn't be worried, but it looked like the box had been cleared. Gayness.

I come home after tutorial (which I was late to) and skipping a lecture due to fatigue to find out between me heading down and going to tutorial and then submitting it, they had extended the due date by 5 days. Cunts.

But on the way to dropping it off* I worked out the difference to my grade a 40% assignment and an 80% assignment would make. It worked out to 1% of my final grade. Hardly make or break stuff. My econ tutorial, which is worth 0% to the final grade would be more beneficial due to how it helps make comprehension of problems easier to understand.

Same would go for my Management tutorial. This isn't an Econ vs Accy thing. More of what is perceived as better for you.

This assumes poor work ethic. Obviously if you do well all round, then kudos to you. This is more about allocating the procrastinators scarcest resource - Time.

On the bright side at least, I wont be trying to get more marks out of it, allowing me a free weekend

* I used Excel, I don't do math while I'm walking