Found in the clean-out

So I thought we had a clean-out before we moved to this house, but somehow 12 years of junk came with us from our old home, and then I collected more junk in my Newtown home which came here. Some went into the garage for storage, but most went into the spare room next door:

Yeah. And that's after I've done half of it.

I just seem to have a lot of stuff. I guess we never really properly threw things out from earlier years, or I was a bigger hoarder.. but some of the things found in this clean-out are:

- Pictures of my cat sleeping on my Dad's chest at our old house, c. possibly 1995.

- Boarding pass stubs and bag tags saved from flights in the US, on airlines I don't recall travelling with.. (so I have flown American Airlines before..)

- Street maps of Manhattan, Melbourne, Montreal and San Francisco. I go to a lot of M cities, huh.

- Tickets to nearly every show/concert I've ever been to. Woah. Comedians like Ed Byrne, Billy Connolly, Dylan Moran, Rove McManus, tickets to 4 of the 6 Ross Noble shows I've been to, Sarah McLachlan twice, Finn Brothers, Bic Runga x2, David Gray x2, A Perfect Circle, Bette Midler, Elton John, Barenaked Ladies.. and I have a stack from musicals and events like the Serenity charity screening.

- About 800 yen in coins.

- Posters from The Secret Garden tour I was in in 1996. We're not even on the posters (the US/Australian cast are), but hey.

- Letters from my ex-boyfriend, my cousin, and a good friend from primary school, spanning 1996-2003.

- 4 old cellphones. 2 of them still work, 1 is my old US cell.

- Scrapbooks from when I was 6 years old, with all of my birthday cards, pieces of wrapping paper, and inventive uses of duraseal making pictures at the back. Aw.

- A scrapbook my mother made with every card sent to her when I was born. I never even knew that existed.

Ahh. 25 (well, almost) years of stuff. The clean-out continues..

Posting.

My last post was Humming Along's 200th. It has been a strange milestone, as my posting is often erratic and infrequent, but nice to achieve nonetheless.

You'll notice that there was no Valentine's Day post. Not because I'm one of those cynical people who rant about every day being the day to show your love and not some created holiday for such a purpose, because as I may agree with that sentiment in part, it just doesn't happen. I don't know anyone who is romantic and generous every day (who has the money?), though Dave sure tries. I'm looking forward to having a little romance back in my life.

Today, over at Chris' blog, we liveblogged the Oscars, which was kinda fun. It was a bit naff and tacky this year, with a strange orange host (despite my love for Hugh Jackman, his hosting job left a lot to be desired), long drawn-out acting nominations, with lots of up-your-ass Hollywood love for each other, and not enough fun. It all seemed a bit forced and silly, which I suppose it is every year, but still. Eh. It was fun doing our picks and Oscar Bingo, though none of us won - no pregnant actresses! No backstage views! And I think Andy needed someone to trip up.

I also had my appointment this morning with Immigration New Zealand, which despite the name, aren't really helping me to immigrate here. I had my fingerprints scanned, which was kinda fun, watching my prints come up big and black on the monitor, like I was some sort of large-handed chimney sweep. And then a badly-lit serious photo was taken, and I was out of there. Queues were forming and people were sitting for what looked like hours to try and get their New Zealand Residency permits or bring in their wives or husbands from overseas.. I was a little guilty for a moment that I am planning on leaving this glorious country: a country that so many people see as paradise. 

But I shook it off. I'll be back. Oh and hey! I booked flights. Oops. Let's hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot with that one.

(Final visa paperwork goes in Wednesday. I'm trying not to panic.)

The calm before the storm.

At 6 weeks to April (and therefore some sort of solid departure date), I'm really starting to get cracking. Today begins the mass clothes clean-out, some serious assignment work and some more listings on Trademe (NZ's eBay). I have boxes from when I moved back into Ma and Pa's that are still unpacked, that may just remain that way and go into storage, and a whole lot of beautiful clothes that I have to make a decision on -- staying or going? selling or storing?

When I think about moving, it still seems incredibly daunting. There are so many things I want to sort before I leave, but at the same time, when I write a list it really is achievable. I just need to get my butt in gear.

To add to that, I've won a free gym membership, which of course expires in 9 days so is making me antsy that I'm not taking more advantage of it. My arms hurt like hell from the Pilates class I did attend the other day, however..

And the play is going well, come see it! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44658517210

xx

(Trademe listings: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=167461)

Re: yesterday

The backyard normally/today compared to the worst it got to yesterday:

Those steps drop about a metre.

The yard slopes upwards from the creek, so the water is really deep in/above/around the creek and shallow in the corner there. One small corner stayed un-flooded.

Next time I'll throw a pool party.

Summer?

Backyard under water.

Yeah okay.

Woah.

It's the 10th of Feb. Well, in ten minutes.

I'm applying for my visa tomorrow. Well, that or the next day. But the 10th of February was the date in my mind to have the electronic/online portion of my visa application done. I'm waiting for the visa fee that I transferred from savings to show up in my account, and then we're good. I'll then make a biometrics appointment with Immigration New Zealand so that they may fingerprint and photograph me in all my glory.

Next step is to gather all my supporting paperwork. 

This crazy bundle of me-madness includes:

- An employment questionnaire. Are you gonna work in the UK? 'Cause it's kinda the rules that you're not gonna be a dole-bludger.

- A passport photo. I'm gonna be the cutest girl on her visa ever.

- My passports. Yeah. I can't go anywhere. And they get to see my sexy 14-year-old self. Ugh.

- My grandmother's birth certificate. Seeing as I am applying for Ancestry, and she was the UK-born one.

- My mother's birth certificate. So that my grandmother is matched as my mother's mother. Even though my mother has a different name to her birth certificate. But it's declared and all. Just confusing.

- My birth certificate. Completing the trail of mothers who have helped me become Ancestral and the like.

- My CV. To go with the employment questionnaire. So I look all employable.

- Proof I am looking for work. Correspondence with an agency. Woo.

- 3 months of bank statements. To again prove that I'm not gonna be a dole-bludger. Or that I just stole it.

- The fee. $554 of my hard-earned, non-refundable money.

- A return-addressed courier pack. So I get my passports back safe and sound, and fast.

Those are the basics. The application form has also asked for back-up of my answers, such as:

- My Certificates from my course. 'Cause I'm a-studyin'.

- Wage slips/or contract. To prove I'm-a-workin'. Girl. For 2 years in the airline.

- Pay slip. To prove I'm a) employed, b) employed by my employer, and c) am earning the money I said I'm earning.

- Proof that I don't need any of my savings to fly. Yeah. Qantas points declaration. Qantas ticket quote.

MAN. They don't just let anyone in, huh.

10 things we'd really like you to know.

(From an Airline Customer Service Agent).

1. Be on time. If you run in 15 minutes before your flight and then proceed to curse me out that I won't let you on, I will call the police. It's your responsibility to be on time. If you're late because you've been at the airport queuing for half an hour, then that's different. But if you're just late because you didn't leave on time, that's not our problem. It's not a bus. You can't run chasing after it. Read your booking.

- At -15, we close acceptance for boarding. 

If you're here exactly at this time, we can maybe get you on.

- At -10, we are in the stages of final call. 

You have no chance. Stop whining. Go rebook at the reservations counter.

- At -5, everyone is on board. 

We are closing the door on the aircraft.

2. Queue correctly. When you come to queue up, check the screens and get into the correct line. If you're not sure, ask. Don't get pissed at us if you get to the front of the business class queue and we send you to the economy queue and you have to wait another 20 minutes.

3. WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE CALLED. No, seriously. That wee sign at the front of the queue that says that is not just for show. We are not ignoring you, being rude, or being slow (well most of us). We often have bags to tag up, because we have let our passenger go so they don't have to wait and watch us do it, or we have one or two more things to type into the computer. When we push the bag release button and look up at you to say 'hello' or 'next' (and hopefully smile), you are welcome to come on up. We'll be friendlier, less stressed/pressured, and much more interested in giving you our best service.

4. Say hello. There's nothing worse than the passenger who just barks, "Smith, Auckland." Like, honestly? I'm not a mind reader. What flight to Auckland. Which Smith. And I'm not a machine. If you wanted a machine, go use the kiosk to check in. I am a human being. Greet me, be nice to me. Don't grumble when we ask for ID. We're required to. Don't grumble when we ask the security questions. We're required to. And I know your day has probably been shit, but so has ours. Because we are grumped at by you all day long.

5. Pay your excess. If you can't afford to take 30 kilos, you can't afford to take 30 kilos. I don't have some magical power that means I can waive it. I have to get my manager. We have to have a really good reason or a higher allowance somewhere in your booking. They'll say no. Just repack. It's in the terms and conditions of your ticket, which you are legally bound to when you click that "Yes I understand the terms and conditions of this ticket" box and buy your ticket.

6. Know your visa requirements. If you have lived in New Zealand for 30 years, but you're on a British passport because you've never bothered to get a Kiwi one, then yes, you need a visa to enter Australia. It's also part of the above-mentioned terms and conditions that you understand that it is your responsibility to check that you need a visa. Don't make me feel bad about not letting you travel. Get one.

7. I cannot upgrade you. Gone are the days where you could smile sweetly or cry and get bumped up to business class. Check-in agents have no ability to do that. Reservations agents have no ability to do that, unless you use airpoints or money to upgrade yourself. Under very special circumstances, the team manager can authorise an upgrade.

8. There are only limited exit row seats. Unless you are 6'6", it's hard to wrangle anything otherwise. If they're gone, they're gone.

9. I cannot check you in for tomorrow. If you're not flying today, I can't do it. You can check in domestically online, or internationally 3 hours before departure, sorry. Also, you cannot tag your bags through to tomorrow (unless it is continuous travel, ie. leaving here tonight, going to Singapore, going to London technically tomorrow morning). If you are flying to Auckland to stay the night, then flying out internationally in the morning, you have to check in with your airline at the international terminal tomorrow. Sorry.

10. NO BOMB JOKES. We have to take it seriously. You laugh and apologise, but hey, I'm sorry, too. We will tell our supervisor. They will call Aviation Security. They will call the Airport police. You will be offloaded. And then the pilot on the next flight will be asked if you are allowed to fly. Don't risk it. We've had passengers stay overnight in Wellington as they have missed the last flight saying this. It happens.

Thank you, and have a nice day.

Currently lusting over..

..but cannot afford to buy:

Cosmopolitan glasses in Turquoise from Glasses Direct. I've been looking for new glasses that interest me for a long time, and at £24 (including lenses!) they're a total steal. They are essentially my current sunglasses (rip-off Ray Bans) with vision included. Now I just need to get my prescription from my optometrist and get my ass to the UK, so they can be mine..

Voco Alarm Clock in Madam. Who doesn't want Stephen Fry waking them each morning with:

“Excuse me, Madam, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but it appears to be morning. Very inconvenient, I agree. I believe it is the rotation of the earth that is to blame.”

Hee. It contains 150 wake-up messages, and 20 thank you messages. Stephen Fry telling me I'm fabulous and important in his lovely and polite tone. So much better than the beeep beeep beeep...

A Samsung Tocco. It's not an iPhone, no. But the more I've looked into them, the more I like them, and I'm excited to get one when I arrive in Edinburgh.

A touchscreen with a customisable home screen. 5MP camera. And it's just super cute to use, from the videos I've seen.

It still amazes me how cheap cellphones and cellphone plans are in the UK.. well, anywhere. New Zealand is so far away, in a bit of a duopoly with networks, that we never get any decent deals. I've been locked into a contract for ages now, and I always overspend, because there's really no way of monitoring my usage properly. I guess I need to go back to prepay in the UK, but we'll see how we go.

Smittens. Okay, well I'm not that desperate for these. But it is a truly adorable idea. One large mitten for D, one small mitten for me, one mitten to share to hold hands in. Sickening, I know. But handy if Edinburgh gets much snow next year!

(I can't decide whether this post made me happy or sad... oh being broke.)

Okay so I've been bad.

But it's a really weird time for me.

This time last year my relationship with Dave was new and exciting, and we were spending a lot of time together. Summer in Wellington brings events such as the Wellington Races and the Sevens, and a whole lot of walking in town, icecream and swimming at Days Bay.

We got together on the 30th of January, had drinks after the Sevens, and our first few dates in the first two weeks of February. I coerced him into jumping off of the wharf at Days. We spent many summer nights walking through the city, playing games at Southern Cross, drinking and goofing in town.

It was a really carefree, relaxed time. It feels like a world away compared to my life right now. As well as work, I'm juggling Taming of the Shrew, my business course, my visa application and still trying to spend some time to talk with Dave, pack up/sell my stuff and oh yeah, sleep.

Boo.

But at the same time, I think about my life in a few months' time: my life with Dave, where my course is done, my time is easier to schedule, and I'm more free. Free of the useless junk and clothing that clutters my life, and a lot of my stress at the moment.

I really kinda love that boy, too. That hasn't changed. Only seems to grow. Butterflies, butterflies, butterflies.

♥