reLAXing

Well, this is novel, I am currently in the AirNZ international Business Lounge at LAX (Los Angeles) I have had a shoer and am half way to Heathrow. The 1st leg was a bit bumpy and i think I have a busrt Blood Vessel on my face, It randomly started bleeding a few hours ago, I put a plaster on it and after a while took it off thinking the flow had stopped, after my shower i found it was bleding again, on goes another plaster, its itchy now. I also seem to have cought a colld/runny nose. So, it hasnt been the BEST flight, and i do have mr angy/boring man next to me on the plane. But at least I am at the front, lods of space and really quiet. Looking forward to getting to Heathrow though. Bring on Leg 2. ALIVEUKNZ'05 Has Begun....

From the Airport

Well, I am currently enjoying the facilities of the AirNZ Business Class Lounge and Aukland International Before I board my plane to ENgland (I got seat 1B so i am at the very very front of the plane!) So thats exciting, The wait for the flight isnt, still got 3 hours till take off and ive been here for an hour and a half due to the arrival of me flight from Tauranga.
Also my drive from Wellington to Tauranga yesturday was long. But I enjoyed it the most part, I t was only the laast leg from Taupo to Tauranga that was dull due to slow drivers, roadworks and tireness. I got up at 4am, was on the road by quater to 5 and at home in Tauranga be 11 15, wich cant be bad. Anywhoo I better let somone else use the computer now
Byeeeeeeee

Well I am all packed

Well, I am all packed and ready to move out of halls. Have to be up at 4 30am tomorrow so that I can leave on time and get to Tauranga early enough.  So I am off to bed. Next post maybe some time away, if I don’t update before/during ALIVEUKNZ’05 then it will not be till 17th November. But I will be checking emails while away so don’t hesitate to email me. If it urgent send a text to my vodafone and ill be back to ASAP. Hope to see you all soon
Byeeeeee
Al

Labour Weekend

This weekend was a long, long weekend. On Saturday I got up and got ready to fly to Tauranga. At lunchtime I then flew to Tauranga on the Air New Zealand Link with 25 other people (making the small prop plane we fly in quite packed.) So, that was nothing too out of the ordinary, I have done that a quite a few times this year.

As soon as I got off of the plane I noticed the temperature difference. It must have been 10 degrees warmer than Wellington! Mind you, Wellington was particularly cold that morning. Waiting there for me were my olds. Was nice to see them as I haven’t for about 8 weeks or so, and I didn’t see them on my birthday, obviously.

That afternoon I drove my dad’s new ride on lawn-mower and then my mum’s new sports car, a 1995 Mazda MX5, which was nice. AND, I had a home cooked roast, which makes a welcome change from the meals I usually cook for me. Not that I can’t cook, I just don’t bother with roasts for myself.  

On Sunday we were going to go out on the boat, but the battery charger is broken and the neighbors house that were supposed to be keeping an eye on while their away, was broken into. So instead we waited for a locksmith and the police that never came. But it looks like nothing was taken, so I guess it isn’t soo bad. I did however then go for drive and a wonder along the beach at Mount Maunganui, which was nice.

Monday rolls round and I drop off my job applications to Dick Smith and Sounds so hopefully ill be working in either of those for the summer. Then I drove to Taupo where my cousins live on their lifestyle block. The home-grown pork and lamb was fantastic on the BBQ, as was the freshly shot venison. (Sorry vegetarians, I can’t help enjoying meat)

Tuesday, today: at about 6 45am I get a text from my mum informing me our cat has given birth to three kittens, one grey and two black, so I look forward to meeting them on Friday. Then at 7 45am I leave Taupo to drive down to Wellington. I was a long drive due to roadworks in several places as well as the usual trucks and such.  So, 5 hours later….I arrive in Wellington.

Then after a quick chat with Sarah I go to STA travel and buy my BritRail pass for getting around the UK next week. I get back home and meet up with Sarah and Time for another flattie meeting and to draw up a few contracts between us. Tim then arranges our appointment with the Landlord at 11am tomorrow. I, on the other hand then make dinner and start to pack up my stuff ready to move out. I can say without doubt I am now very tired and in need of some sleep. Hope that you all had a good Labour Weekend. Byeeeeee

Has anyone else noticed....?

Has anyone else noticed that if you’re a regular blogger, and you read other regular bloggers blogs that you end up picking up a lot of the trends in other bloggers language, style and type of comments…. (did I over use the word “blog” there?)

Don't call me a first year!

And that’s that, I have finished my first year of university. Only three more to go. And at current pace of time that will just fly by. Who knows what will happen after that? I don’t. Might stay in Wellington for a while and then go overseas. Living in two countries may not be enough. BUT, I really like it here so we shall see.

Also, we have a flat for next year sorted! Wohoo! Not gonna say where it is on here for obvious reasons. I don’t want just anyone turning up do I? But feel free to ask me when you see me.  

And, I leave Wellington for just over three months as of next Thursday (. Yep, going to the UK for two weeks which will be great. Then Tauranga for summer and a job, not a bad place to be, but I am going to miss the great city. AND, if your ever in the Tauranga area let us know, and, if I can, we can meet up! (If I like you that is :-P). But I may come down for a weekend if I get bored. Catch YOU all later.
Byeeeeeeeeeee
Al

AND WE HAVE A FLAT

AND WE HAVE A FLAT!

October by Alex Ive - Another crap poem by yours truely

October by Alex Ive
*Warning, I do not make a good poet*

October comes but once a year.
When, depends on the hemisphere,
In the autumn or in the spring.
October is a global thing.

Some days I feel that it’s not my day,
Sometimes even when it’s my birthday.
I look forward, I look back ,
Memories it does not lack.

October, the month of the great flood.
Caused by saturation of the mud.
Uckfield makes the news
Followed by the Ouse.

Month of the hurricane.
Mad weather in the main.
Now I live down under.
I often wonder.

Never normal.
Sometimes formal.
I’m another year older.
Because it’s October.

A. E. Ive 2005

Primo-holics Anoyminous

Hey everyone my names Al and I’m a “Choc-Ice Primo”-holic. I have gone an hour since my last Primo.  

Today has been a good day

Yay, it looks like we HAVE found a flat for next year. Litterally right next door to uni. With a good view and lounge too! Yay!

Well, I think my mind needs a rest.

Bwahahahahaha I feel hysterical today.

Right so; turns out one of the future flat mates have something to fall back on if we can’t find what he wants from the houses we find. The market for rentals now is not fantastic and so we are having to find the less than perfect place. However, the afore mentioned flat mate still believes we can find it, yet, he is not really looking, Sarah and I are. Basically, in summary at this time we do not know if we are looking for a two, three or four bedroom place. At the moment I am leaning towards wanting the two bedroom place…

So, in the coming weeks I have to:

Find out if were looking for a two, three or four bedroom place for next year.

Find a place for next year.

Sign the lease for a place next year.

Learn the entire STATs 193 course.

Sit the STATs 193 exam.

Get a job lined up.

Fly to Tauranga to pick up the car.

Drive down to Wellington.

Move Out of Halls.

Organize exactly how my trip to the UK will work.
Call everyone in the UK that I want to visit so I know that there free, or indeed where in the country they are these days.

Get my UK rail ticket.

Drive to Tauranga.

Then go to the UK on the 29th October.

So yeah……lots to do & think about.

T-Minus 12 days

Right, so Sunday did nothing for me, in fact it made me feel worse and more depressed. I did nothing all day apart from study psychology and eat rubbish food. Just waiting for the weekend to be over, and the possibility of more birthday related mail on Monday.

Monday comes round and so does my Psychology exam. It went okay; I think I have done well enough to pass anyway. Anyway it was good to get it out of the way.
The rest of the day was spent with Sarah looking for flats for next year. It was pretty fun, but not as successful as we would have liked. But we did have the most awkward lift journey ever in the Bayleys building, so that was nice.
After that we looked on the internet for a few more places, again with limited success. Ah well, we have a few possibilities to look into.

And now, I check the mail, nothing. Still only the one card. Oh well, there’s still time.

Being 19's a ball! i.e. Pointless. (Some of this blog may look familier, but theres new stuff there too. Please read it)

So, I am home from my night out now, and my birthday is over. Am I sad? Kinda. But not because the day is over, but because of how uneventful and depressing it was. With no family and none of my closest friends around, as well as only one card (which was from my parents, which happened to be an 18th birthday card but with the 8 crossed out in pen and replaced with a 9). And nobody to spend the day with it made me think of "home" (As in England) and how I would get visits from people in my town as they day went on. Ah well, those days are not just good memories, and now its time to moove on with the next stage of my life.

However, I do wish to thank all those who sent me a birthday greeting of any description, be it email, text, instant message, or some as yet un-received mail, or even blog comment. I really do appreciate all of them, really I do, pity I couldn’t see more of you guys on the day. Ah well, hopefully I will catch up with you all soon. (If your in Wellington this week is good, If your in the UK, 30th Oct -15th Nov look good, and if your in the Bay of Plenty then any time from Nov 1

T-Minus 0 days, 0 hours, 0 mins

So, I am now 19! A nothing year if there ever was one. But, in one year from now I will be 20!
Another birthday, another year, where will I be next year? And who will I be with? Nobody knows for sure. But I am guessing I will be in Wellington with fellow birthday mate Kurtis, and his girlfriend, my best friend, Sarah.

T-Minus One Day (and one house)

Well, I have been complaining a lot less recently. BUT, now I have something to complain/be angry about!
The house we wanted for next year has fallen through.
Last week we said we would have it and asked for a copy of the lease.
A week later and we finally hear from them.
It turns out it has gone to somebody else because they were gonna live it over summer, but that’s stupid because we had already agreed to pay of summer!! Argh! So now, two weeks before I leave the country I have nowhere for next year. Looks like I shall have to come flat hunting in the summer. Grrrrr! I am not cheerful.

Although, the sun is out, so that’s nice.

Five Years Ago....

Its amazing what five years can do isn’t it?

Let’s see where I was 5 years ago…

Well, 12th October 2000, was no ordinary day in itself. It was the day of the Sussex Floods. I woke up to find that the town center was under depths of water of up to five feet. Including the family business.

After a few months of hard work and an insurance claim of around 350,000 pounds we were back in business.

That December and January we went on our world trip.

Vancouver
Honolulu (Hawaii)
Auckland
Rotorua
Taupo
Whittianga
Adelaide
Sydney
Gold Coast
Kuala Lumpur

It was the holiday of a lifetime!!!

Then we got back and faced the Foot and Mouth epidemic.

Then not much happened

Until somebody offered to buy the business and we considered the option to move to New Zealand.
The ball was rolling, and after almost two years of medical and police record related dramas, associated with the dramas of selling a business we had our visas.

Two years ago I was two days from leaving my current school, as well as my 17th birthday.  That was a strange day, sad in some ways exciting in others.
On the 21st October, the leaving party!!
That November 14th 2003, we left the UK!!
We lived in Tauranga for a year and I went to Tauranga Boys
Now, I go to Victoria University of Wellington!
That was my last 5 years, in quick summary.
What’s in store for the next 5 years!!

T-Minus 2 days!

Good, got some Accy revision done today, it helped having Neight’s notes though bwahahaa, and it also probably helped being with somebody else studying rather than procrastinating by myself, made it far more enjoyable. That’s all there was to my day really

T-Minus 2 days and still plans are slim to none, although my mum says that she MIGHT call me. WOW, fun!

BUT, there is mail waiting for me to pick up tomorrow! EXCITEMENT.

T-Minus 4 Days....

Okay, so its 9pm and the furthest I have been from my bed is about 5 metre. I feel lazy…BUT I have done study, yep, I have revised some STATs today, go me!! Apart from that I have just been contemplating possible birthday celebrations, so far, still nothing, too many people have exams soon and the such, looks like it may be uneventful. Oh well, hopefully ill find some people on the day to celebrate with. We shall see…..
Laterz

Blogs = procrastination

Yay bed at 5am, up at 12pm, I have a FANTASTIC body clock. Ah well, I just had a Starbucks Mocha that fully woke me up, taking away the groggy feeling and all. Maybe I should make an advert for them…hmmmm, what could be the slogan….

Starbucks: Less groggyness, more coffeeness.

Well, I hope I improve before I get paid to do advertising…..wooo go Marketing! Not that I am a capitalist right wing…..guy…..

I should REALLY do more with my life…..

BUT, I AM NOT COMPLAINING, yes the diet seems to be working, I get the odd withdrawal symptoms like the “if you cant say anything nice say nothing at all” syndrome (I say nothing) No, actually that makes me sound evil. I’m not evil. I can say something nice about anything/anyone

Except maybe racist people.

Or those that think there better than somebody else or only think about themselves and don’t show others the respect they deserve.

Ahem, hmmm, well, this quick entry is getting longer isn’t it?

Did you know there was an Earthquake here in Wellington on Saturday at 11 21pm, I felt it. Windy Wobbly Wellington is back! I will miss it over summer. I love it here.

So, really I SHOULD be studying, and I will, after I have done this post. (That’s why it’s so long)

How about some more random facts before I go?
Ok then:

• I have a fear of spiders and other buggy things, and will use violence if someone undermines that.

• I cannot swim very well but love to go jet boating, I will be able to go jet boating on my/our jet RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) During Summer! YAY!

• Two months ago I didn’t like coffee at all, now I do.

• My body clock has run out of batteries.

• I have been sky diving, jumped off of the Auckland sky tower and bungee jumped in Taupo, the Bungee jump was the worst. I loved the other two.

• I am addicted to chicken.

That is all I can think of at this time.
Hope everyone who reads this is well and having a good day. Would be great to hear from all of you, talk soon, take care, and see you later. AL

So I just found out...

So, I just found out that my best mate and her boyfriend, the mate with the same birthday, are going elsewhere for his/my birthday. Which sucks. Ah well, what can you do….

Weeeekend

Yay! Looks like were getting the lease for the flat on Victoria Street! Second meeting with current tenants went well, just got to negotiate a summer rate if possible.

What else did I do this weekend?
Played pool on Saturday night….Lost 4 games; won 2….It was NOT my day.

Today, all I did was eat and watch the Bathurst V8s!

One week to go...

One week to go till my birthday. Still have not planned anything. Will most likely just find some mates to have a few drinks with, nothing tooo over the top. With exams and the like, should keep n top of things, -ish. Ah well, let’s see how it goes…..(P.S. a surprise arty would be great! :-p but yeah, unlikely to happen)

Banned from Starbucks

So, what to put on my blog today….

Did you know that for years I avoided going into any Starbucks cafés? Why? You may well ask. Well here is why:
I was 14 when I first went into a Starbucks.
It was at the top of a Mountain in Canada (Whistler, near Vancouver).
I order a grandé hot choclate.
My hands are very cold.
I clasp the Hot chocolate to warm my hands up and start staring out the window, not paying attention to anything.
My brother sits down in front, I don’t notice him.
He flicks my hand.
This makes me jump.
Which makes the hot chocolate jump.
So, this hot chocolate is thrown up into the air, and then falls, spilling hot chocolate EVERYWHERE, and over EVERYONE, including me and my mum.
The café is put into chaos, everyone is laughing at the huge amount of mess I managed to make.
My clothes are saturated, and now I need new clothes, which we buy from the shop next door.
I then thought, Starbucks WAS NOT for me.
Now though, I have more reason to go……what are my reasons? Well, that’s something to think about isn’t it. Maybe because I now like coffee, who knows?

Did you know???

Did you know that the designer for the iPod range was a Jonathon Ive, and therefore, presumably it is an Ive-Pod?
Did you also know that I am Alex Ive?
See the Link?
I hope I add more meaning to the Ive surname when I’m older….maybe an i*insert amazing new thing that everyone MUST have in order to live a rich and meaningful life here*
Ok, so I should get out more.
But shhhhhh

I AM INSANE!

I had THE trippiest dream last night/this morning.

I went on a quick trip to Mars, where I bumped into Andy.
We ran into some trouble that ended in me throwing a grenade, and pushing an Army General off of the roof of a police station by the Spaceport thing on Mars.
This means that were in extra trouble, the police and army for mars are after us.
Andy Manages to escape.
I don’t and end up in jail with a load of Martians and an old school friend.
Then I get a text from Neight saying that his car broke down and he needs help, I can’t reply because I AM IN JAIL ON MARS.
Then I find out they have this bizarre rotational prison system and somehow on the second cycle me and an Indian girl end up in the corridor and not the jail. Another Indian lady comes up to us and tells us to get away from the prison as it is about to rotate.
So we run away discreetly as possible and avoid eye contact. She gets caught but I make it onto the shuttle thing and get home. Home being my old house in Uckfield (UK) where I find my mum vacuuming the driveway with the new vacuum cleaner she got herself for Christmas which is in a week.
I then go online to check emails and the like and one is from Russ from a website that lists people’s middle names….
Then I talk to Andy who says he hid in his personal tunnel.
Then I woke up
NOW THAT’S TRIPPY.

I feel older today. Its sarey.

Hmmmm, so looked at the place on the Terrace. Great location! Had some uniqueness to it, like stairs to nowhere, a wooden walkway to get to the front door, a really long toilet room and a small bedroom with no windows but some stairs in it. SO the fourth bedroom would probably pay less rent than the rest of us. We still need to find a fourth flattie, so if $90 a week for a room on the Terrace sounds good, let me know. Anywhoo, the other problem was the lease starting in November, meaning having to pay rent for the summer when were not there, BUT as I said, IDEAL LOCATION, 5 MINS TO UNI, 5 MINS TO TOWN. $110 a week for a room with a window, $90 without. All in all something to think about.

Wet Wednesday

Wohoo, no more first year psychology classes ever! Yup, after the test today the lecture tomorrow was cancelled! So, only Accy tomorrow, and only stats on Friday! And it’s raining, which is lovely. I just hope it gets harder, I like heavy rain. Yeah so, looking at a flat on the Terrace later, lets hope it works out!

BIG NOTICE!

Wednesday 5th October. Remember this day for it is the start of my “no complain” diet. I am now officially aiming to cut my complaining by 50% or more. So, wish me Luck, I AM a pome after all, complaining is what we do best.  

Bugger

Bugger. Psych test tomorrow. Forgot bout that…..doh! Its stupid we have the final exam in only 2 weeks. Oh, and it seems salient wasn’t published this week because of an article on RISING FEES, so that’s great! Oh and bloody Star Mart doesn’t sell bread, and City Stop does, but it’s crappy and expensive. So much for the nice treat. What else is happening in the world?

Those horrible Bali Bomb attacks, second time they have been hit. Poor bastards.


And. R.I.P. Ronnie Barker, we will remember your role in Porridge always.


As another note. People no longer leave comments. That sucks, are you reading this stuff? Ah well, guess there is not much to say. So, it’s all good, but any comments would be appreciated, and hopefully responded to.

Slightly Less Super Super Stats Tuesday

Ok, so, today I feel crappy, stinking headache, haven’t had anything to eat all day. Don’t feel like cooking, can’t afford not to. Another stats assignment back and I did badly, again. Tuesdays Suck.

Let us Link together and never let go.....

Yeah so, as the blogs I read now all have fancy new links I thought that I would put a few of mine up. Look at them. Enjoy them. Live them. Breath them, they are all you will ever need, until I post some more up sometime.

Moving on Up

Wohoo, looking at places for next year on Wednesday and Thursday, can’t wait to live somewhere proper and not this silly hostel crap!

Useless Stuff that you don't need to know. (just like any other Blog)

Wohoo, my room is clean! Tidy! And Organised! I feel much less stressed now. Now I will be able to study much more easily wich has to be a good thing.

So, what else to say?
Do I hear “random facts about yourself?”
Ok then
Ill give you some:

1. I was Born in Lewisham in East London, so I am technically a Cockney

1. I will be 19 on the 15th Of this Month.

1. My old Hometown was “Uckfield” in East Sussex England, famous for flooding and the home to one of the worst train lines in all of Europe.

1. I was born with 11 toes.

1. I now have 9.

1. When I first moved to New Zealand we moved to Tauranga, and for ages I hated it.

1. I now live in Wellington, and currently like it here.

1. I am going to the UK between the 29th October and 17th November.

1. I do not like the texture of onions.

1. My surname is Ive. So, I am, and always will be Alive.

Crappy "Lazy Days" Poem

Now, here is a pretty crappy poem I wrote before bed. How crap? You be the judge.

Lazy days

Another Lazy day
The only way to spend a Saturday
Is to eat, sleep and drink.
It is not a day to Think.
Or a day to work
But a day to Lurk
In the darkness of the sheets
Until the time of boredom greets.
Then you wake with a hunch.
That is indeed, time for lunch
But what to do with the rest of the day?
The rest of this, Saturday?
We could walk along the pier
Until the time to drink is near.
As the sun sets, out comes the booze
What the hell, nothing to loose.
Let’s drink till dawn.
Now it’s Sunday Morn-----ing.

October? or Rocktober?

So, why didn’t I update my Blog yesterday. Well, some might say that I couldn’t be bothered, others that I was busy. Both are pretty spot on…..I woke up pretty late, like 10am, finished off my ACCY assignment, last assignment of the year! Yay! Handed it in, went to my psych Lab, found out (eventually) that I got 75% for my report! Wohhoo! Then got my student ID for cheap UK rail travel!
Finished Uni for the day with stats, went home got some beer, and some dinner, and spent much of the evening with Sarah, Kurtis, and later, Tim, (all future flatties) was a good night, despite only fitting three games of pool into the hour!
Today, got up real late 12pm, went shopping, n that’s it.
Possibly going out tonight.
We shall see.