untitled

He asked me why i was so late
he was wearing a flowery hat
and
an apron around his waist
you're wearing an apron, i said
i know, he said
but he's not cooking i thought
how have you been anyway,
he asked as he opened his arms for a hug,
he gave good hugs
but he didn't listen to my answer
i'm trying to wrap up this guy who's been talking for ages

We got upstairs and
there was a guy talking into the mic
holding a Macbook in one hand
he squinted into the screen
and read
from the screen
he sounded bored
he was bored
a few people turned around
and acknowledged my arrival
with curious glances
and smiles
it was a writer's party
a sit down party
i was invited along because
there was people I had to meet
should meet
collab with maybe
a new project
something

i wasn't invited to dinner

As the night went on
i realised
something
these people
these writers
couldn't read
they
could not
retell
their stories
how beautifully tragic
they read

with
no
emotion
tripping over
lines which they had
(i assume)
carefully crafted
and it was dark and
i watched
and cringed
and listened
and smiled
and clapped quietly
when they were done

A couple
the girl wore
a dress and walking shoes
and i noticed that she had her shoes
propped up
next to my bag
there was a guy too
we were all sat at the back
and they whispered
through everyone

Casting Call, part 2

Some of you may remember my blog post Casting Call where I was given a small cameo role in a friend's production after he unashamedly explained his choice with 'you don't sound like you should'. I'm still not really sure what this means. I confused a few people in New Zealand.

Anyways, here is the vid:

  
And hey, my line is the title of the short, it ties everything together!

This is their first short, and I think they did a pretty good job. What do you think?

Check out their website for more info.

So true

We went to check out the Cloud because the Black Seeds were playing. I had tried a few times before to get in but the rugby was going off and while I was enjoying the hype, I wasn't ready to give up my afternoons queuing to be squashed into a venue. I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday night. It's a good wee pop-up venue, and the crowd were chill. We even squeezed our way to the front. Love a chill crowd. Of course, met a couple of Scottish lads at the front. It's not so easy to get to the front of a crowd in Scotland. They were both wearing their rugby tops. I asked if I could have John's rugby top. I thought we had an exchange but he thought I was talking about his red shirt underneath. No, I said, your Scotland top. He thought about it, no. Oh, I said. Well you can wear it for 5 minutes. Great, enough time for a photo then, happy with that. Took a few photos, hung out til the Black Seeds had finished their set and we were on our way. Off to find another party. I was KEEN to check out the Puma After hours Club that's been in town but I think we walked in the wrong direction. Soo got chatting to some lad who was shouting down from his balcony. I just wanted to find the after hours club. I was trying to find a good wi-fi connection so I could use Google Maps. The guy was now downstairs trying to hustle us into his apartment. He had already bribed Soo with a cigarette. They were hollering at me. I just wanted to find the after hours club. Hey, c'mon, he says we can go up, shouts Soo. I don't want to go up there, I say to myself as I walk towards them. Hey, this is Dollar. Sue, nice to meet you. He's from X, says Soo. I have no idea where X is so I just nod and smile. Cool, I say. C'mon, let's go, everyone is upstairs, says Dollar. Dollar, dolla bills y'all. His yellow watch stands out beautifully on his black skin. Yellow stands out beautifully on my skin too. I ask him if I can have it and go to unbuckle it. He says, no. I say, okay. It's a  fuckin good watch, I say, I like it. We get to the flat after walking up one flight of stairs; going through a door and turning into the third door on the right. It's dark inside with balloons taped to the ceiling. We were handed Vodka Cruisers, raspberry flavour. Everyone was drinking Vodka Cruisers. Guys, and girls. It was a 25th birthday. I thought to myself, what the fuck but didn't want to be rude so drank it like everyone else. I found some 3D glasses and popped out the glass and wore them for the rest of the night. I have no idea why. I even have photos. I took some photos of myself in the mirror when I was in the bathroom. I was having fun doing that til someone knocked on the door so I said, gimme 2 minutes. I had a quick pee, and washed my hands with the posh soap then  went back out to the party. I got given some chocolate cake on a paper plate. I had no interest in talking to any of these people so I sat out on the balcony where the smokers were taking slow drags on their cigarettes and smiling into the room. Their eyes were not focus. Too many Vodka Cruisers I bet. I still had my glasses on with no glass, and my raspberry Vodka Cruiser. I put down the cake and the Vodka Cruiser and looked around. Who were these people? I didn't want to be rude so I started eating the cake. I didn't get given a spoon so I had to use my hands. It was good cake. The creamy middle looked like brie so I just ate the sponge around it and left the middle. Soo was smoking another cigarette. I went back inside to find a napkin to wipe my hands. I couldn't find any. Only cakes. They had a square sponge cake still in the plastic bag. Cakes everywhere. I was looking for something savoury now but there were no nibbles anywhere only empty Vodka Cruiser bottles. I even looked in the pantry. Soo was now dancing with Dollar. I couldn't tell if she was enjoying herself or not. Google Maps confirmed that we had walked ages in the wrong direction from the Puma after hours club. I said to Soo it was time to go.  I rummaged through the plastic bags for a Vodka Cruiser for the road but they were all finished so I took a Red Bull instead. Wow, that was random, we laughed as we retraced our steps back to the entrance. We got distracted at this point by a 24hr shop where I bought a kiwi pie. I swiped my card and entered my PIN. Do you have any ketchup, I asked. The man said, no. I was a little disappointed. I hope I didn't look too disappointed because it's not his fault but why would you not have ketchup. I felt like putting back the pie and asking for a refund but of course I didn't. It was tasty. I think we had given up on the after hours club at this point. We went instead to a pop up bar that's normally a really average coffee place with horrific customer service. With the rugby it has had a pop up extension of sorts and now sells drinks with a big TV screen. We were here just a few weeks back, and there was a creepy old man who gives me the creeps just thinking about him. He wasn't there tonight. Thank fuck. Creep. I recognised the Japanese boy with the dreadlocks from last time and smiled at him. I think I was the creepy old man this time if it's possible for me to be a creepy old man. He smiled back, and I smiled at him a bit more. Soo drank a Coke. I talked some very important rubbish to some Irish lads then it was time to call it a night. Soo paid for the taxi. I must pay her back. I woke up the next day a little bit tired but with a Red Bull in my bag. The Black Seeds were excellent by the way. xx

$5 coffee

Where am I, Auckland?? 

I thought they had a cute collection of stuff behind the counter. Kinda organised, collected clutter. I like it. Like every employee has their own wee stamp on the place. I think that's important. I'm a big fan. 

Meanwhile, $5 coffees! So, extra for soya milk (fair enough); extra for take away cups... I agree with the principle, save the world yup, but what about saving pennies!?? $0.50 is still money! Would they serve me coffee if I brought in my own mug because I would do that. Probably. If it wasn't raining. And if I wasn't in a rush because then it might spill over the sides. It would get cold faster too. Gosh. They have a monopoly on my take away options. Carrying a mug of coffee down K Road probably wouldn't be that unusual though... What's good K Road?!?

Hey,  if you can guess where that photo was taken I will buy you a coffee.

Bring a mug.

962 Newmarket

Last seat on the bus
Facing backwards
Facing the bus
Asian kid doin maths homework
Lady doin a bit of sewing
Headphones competing
iPhones playin
Standing
Hold on.
Window seat
Daydream
Fresh start.

Karangahape Road

K Road 

School girls eating candy floss

On their way to school

Rainbows
Eighthirty coffee

Art galleries
Adult shops

Open for business, 9am.

Women with beautiful legs
K Road bridge
Men with beautiful legs

The green Link bus.

Pubs selling coffee

Pubs selling drinks

Banks
Calender girls
Because boys
We've got nothing on
Charity shops
Over priced charity shops
kFM
Dancing man with sunglasses
Rain
Dancing in the rain.


$2 shops
Bottle shops
Tattoo parlours
Shisha pipes
People just hangin out
People just dancin out
on the street
From the night before
Maybe
Who cares.
Buzz.
Creative buzz.
Creative energy.
Non stop.
Different.
Everyday different.

Ponsonby

Dogs that look like they have beards

Owners who look like their dogs

Sunglasses, always

Run or shine

Sunglasses

Sexy bicycles

Just look at the cyclist

Fixie?

Yup, course

Fancy little cafes

Conch Records

The green Link bus

Cute boutiques

Speedwalkers

Women

Marching along the payment

Power walking

Two by two

Brunch

Mums taking their buggies for a walk

Coffee in hand

Flat white with soya milk

Phone in the other

Hello hello

Trying to steer with their wrists

Important people outside Chapel bar

Always

Drinks and chit chat

Kids in designer clothes

on their scooters

Helmet on

Upside down Mini

Coffee. Coffee. Coffee

Paper cut-out of the Royal family

The whole gang

Did anyone else see that?

Well, pretend

Humour me

Love my tan

Love my look

Love my style

Ponsy. Ponsonby.

Monday

I was in a bad place
Oh Monday, you're just not my favourite
Blue. Boos. Monday.
Biggest weekend come down in ages
Monday blues, boo.
Oh, I'm speaking in metaphors
Metaphorical come down,
Not pharmaceutical. Gosh.
Crashing.
CRASHING, boo.

Finally.
Finally, finish work.

Home time.
Karangahape Road time

K Road makes me smile
I find myself smiling when I go down K Road
I find myself waiting for the green man a lot
On K Road
It was where Upper Queen Street meets
K Road, on K Road.
Through the crowd.
Through the crowd on K Road
My first Auckland accidentalchinesehipster
Through the crowd. Mid to late 40s
A red helmet. Orange, brown roots
Under a red helmet.
Dyed to cover the greys, obv
Mismatched denims
Not that matching would be better.
Flared jeans.
Flares, and a BMX bike at her side.

A BMX bike.

She was wheeling it along but
The helmet was strapped under her chin.
I think it was her bike.
I think it was her BMX bike.

I love you lady, you made my day
I love you K Road
I love you accidentalchinesehipsters.tumblr.com
I love you Monday

Closing time

It was closing time

The man took the chair, turned it upside down, 

popped it on the table. Cushioned side down. 

He then moves to the chair next to it, 

repeats this step. Upside down. 

This one had a fluffy cushion which he placed 

on the other side of where it had been sat all day. 

Onto the table. Upside down. Distracted, 

he walks back into the cafe.

The man shuffles back but he has moved 

onto another table. There was still 4 seats waiting, 

waiting to be popped on from the previous table.

Forgotten

He was old. 

This man.

Again, he pops on 2 out of 6 of the new table,

 and then clears cups from another table. 

Walks back into the cafe.

My friend is off to be a sailor in forbidden waters. Nothing exotic, just the UK but yea he pissed someone off at some point so he might not be all that welcome. He can always study something else at uni, he concludes. Maybe sound engineering. What did you study? English language. Ah, that explains why you're... Ah, what's the word... I've got a really good word. He swirls his hands. Thinking. What's-ing.

The man has been waltzing around 

flipping random chairs here and there.

Apart from the kid's table 

which he has stacked on a normal, adult (?) table 

with the kids chairs on top. All four legs.

The man had created a piece of art in his closing, and tidying up efforts.

Quirky, old ocd man.

01:14

Zines: the art of self publication

Zine (n) /zi:n/
A small self-published magazine which is often handmade, and made up of original work. Copies are usually made with a photocopier, and it generally has a small scale distribution. 

One of David Merritt's efforts: recycled book cover, typed up prayers... staple it altogether!

Last weekend I was down at Tangleball where they were running a zine workshop- a kinda hands on, make your own zine affair.  I wasn't sure what to expect before I got there but it was heaps of fun.  We were warmly welcomed by Tessa who also showed us how easy  it was to make the base of a wee zine booklet.  Easy as an A4 piece of paper.  A few folds, a cut down one of the creases then open and fold it in on itself.  Easy.

A solid base. Now we just had to find content to fill that bad boy. Magazines, newspapers, drawings, rubber alphabet stamps, pens, scissors, glue sticks... Heaps of stationary! There was also books and encyclopedias to cut up but I dunno, I just feel quite uneasy about cutting up books.  I feel the same about writing in them, it's just not right. Anyways, I somehow found myself cutting up an encyclopedia (Aa- As).  It was a real old copy that someone had dismissed onto the streets, and Tessa thought she would save it, but not really because there I was cutting it up.  Now I wouldn't normally but she convinced me it was okay, and I was getting involved so...  Yea, it still didn't feel right.  I only cut out a wee section though- a wee piece of South East Asia.  I thought I would make a zine about my travels to Auckland city but I didn't find too much relevant material so I'm stilling workinonit like Dilla.

*more
So there I was walking down K Road.  I love K Road, so many different characters. Anyways, on Thursday evening I bumped into David Merritt with his boxes of zine making gear- rubber alphabet stamps, ink pad, stapler, and a box full of recycled book covers.  He had a small collection of zines laid out on the bench next to him, and he was putting together more.  I didn't make it to the zinefest but I had read about it, and him. He was the man who sits on K Road selling zines, and there he was. What a guy. I had to stop for a chat. 

David Merritt

What a character!  He was great chat. A quick witted, but also very humble man.  

He was like, okay so what are you: a graphic designer, copywriter or a writer?   I was like, I write things. Yeah, you're a geek I can tell! Why do you think that, I asked, is it because I'm wearing glasses?? No. Is it because I'm Asian?? Haha, no. See you've got it wrong, for me a geek is anyone who is passionate about something.  Yea, you're totally right, I agreed.  He goes on, it's just a lot of the time it's seen as a bad thing, or it's computer related but I can tell that you 're passionate. That you're a geek.  Take one of these, go on, take the one down at the other end, GEEK PRAYERS, yea, that's it. Take it, it's yours, now get out of here.

I was kinda overwhelmed by the gift.  We had only been chatting for like 10 minutes but I was very pleased with it.  It looks like he had stapled his collection of Geek Prayers together, and then sewn in a small thread binding.  My first zine!  Hopefully next time I meet him I'll have one to trade with him.

I know, I know: you love what I'm doing, keep it up... Don't make your friend wait any longer... Get out of here. I'm going for a hot chocolate. 

Legend.

The Loft, yoga studio, Auckland

I've done quite a few yoga session since I left on my travels in September.

From a studio set in the serene surrounding of paddy fields and beautifully fresh air, in Ubud, to an air conditioned studio in one of Singapore's many, many malls.  The world class instructors make up for the lack of atmosphere in the latter.  But all in all, it's been pretty good, and varied.

I have found a nice wee studio in Auckland.  It's called The Loft but I'm pretty certain there is another floor above it.  Anyways, for $17 ($14 for students) you get a 75 min yoga session, dinner AND dessert.  Absolute treat!  It's all vegan food so it's all round goodness.

Monday's Vinyasa class is worth checking out.  It's in the smaller room so only fits like 12 people but it's great, and a bit more challenging which I like.  Miki teaches this class.  She is a quirky Japanese girl who effortlessly demonstrates some positions, and says things like 'if you've never done this position before... watch the person in front of you' for others.  Lucky the person in front of me knew what they were doing.  I'm still trying to learn all the different names.  The small room is literally 6 mats wide, and 2 deep.  Intimate.  I like it.

Tuesday's Ashtanga class is good too.  Miki again.  I've been a few times, and the class size seems to vary a lot.  It's in the larger room. The first time I went, it was packed out, I think someone even had a mat in the changing room at the back! I wasn't a fan of the crowded class at first, thinking they were packing too many people in but I kinda forgot about it throughout the practise, and I've been back since so all good.  Second time, the class was a better size.  Heaps of sun salutations, balancing poses, stretches.  A good balance, and at a decent pace too.  Mat hire is free, and there's loads of blankets for relaxation at the end.  THEN it's dinner time.

Food food food.  Vegan isn't a lifestyle I have ever really considered.  I've done a vegetarian challenge but never vegan.  Every time I've been to the Loft though they've cooked up something different (from the last time), and tasty, and it all seems pretty simple too.  Portion sizes are huge.  They make these delicious chocolate brownies but without the chocolate.  They use carob.  I hadn't even heard of carob before but it's tasty as.  A tasty vegan friendly chocolate alternative!  I kinda joked that the girl next to me got a bigger piece than me, and she was like, we can swap, I like the corner slabs anyway, and that made me go hmm maybe the corner slab is better, maybe I'll keep it.  I ended up with both pieces cos she was so full after dinner, hahah.  Treat!  Hopefully carob is good the next day too.

I believe Wednesday, Thursdays are hatha classes, I've not tried them yet but the website will tell you more about the classes.

See you there!

http://www.theloft.org.nz/

NEXT: I'm keen to try Bikram yoga, and also laughing yoga.  I'll be back.