My travels here are coming to an end soon. I leave for Vancouver tomorrow, and I'm already packed to go. I'm really going to miss this place, though I am certain I will be back some day. I would really like to go on tour here some time. I've met a lot of cool people here in Wellington.
Tonight I will be playing my last performance here, at a new open mic event. It's only in its third week, and that's where I'm having my farewell get-together. It seems appropriate to be spending my last evening playing music and hanging out with the open mic crowd.
Kaikoura
I've been in Kaikoura for the past two days. It's a tourist town on the east coast of the south island, known for whale-watching, dolphin-swimming, and great scenery. Unfortunately, the weather has been shite, and it rained for most of yesterday. However, I stayed at my friend Ayça's place, and worked on some writing projects all day. It was actually quite productive. I also played at a local bar last evening, which was a lot of fun.
Today I walked down to a seal colony, and got amazingly close to some seals. The scenery was amazing, despite the dull weather, and the rain stopped long enough for me to walk there and back home. It's been a great trip. I definitely plan to see more of the country when I am next in New Zealand.
Today I walked down to a seal colony, and got amazingly close to some seals. The scenery was amazing, despite the dull weather, and the rain stopped long enough for me to walk there and back home. It's been a great trip. I definitely plan to see more of the country when I am next in New Zealand.
Two Weeks Left
With my departure two weeks from tomorrow, I have been trying to fill up my schedule with as many awesome things as possible. Tomorrow I am going on a three-day trip to Kaikoura, to work with another writer to rewrite a few episodes of a web-series that will be shot in Auckland sometime early this year. While I'm there, I've also worked out a gig at a local bar for Thursday night. Upon returning on Saturday, I will be preparing to play on the acoustic stage at the 350 Birdman Competition on Sunday.
Tonight, though, I have to pack for my trip and go to a new open mic event at Meow here in Wellington. It's a busy week, but I'm sure it'll be a good one.
Tonight, though, I have to pack for my trip and go to a new open mic event at Meow here in Wellington. It's a busy week, but I'm sure it'll be a good one.
It is important to travel once in a while.
It is such a healthy thing to go somwehere away from home until you miss it. Just once in a while, so that you can remember what you miss about home. Because once you have a little time and distance from it all, you start to forget about the things that didn't matter, or which bothered you. And you realize which things you actually miss about home. You get a clear sign of the things you miss, and the things you don't, and it's amazing for self-reflection. You realize what is was about the things you did that you truly enjoyed.
You also gain exposure to new things when you travel. I have started listening to all kinds of new artists since coming to Wellington. I have spent all week listening to Amanda Palmer's album "Who Killed Amanda Palmer." I also cleaned my iPod. I took off everything, and only put music on it which I have recently acquired, focusing on new artists I want to experience, with a very few classic album exceptions. I added Weezer's Pinkerton, because I use it to induce sleep. Not because it's a boring album, but because I have a Pavlovian association between Pinkerton and sleep.
Since I decided to come home early, I have enjoyed myself more. I have relaxed about the whole financial thing, and really taken the time to do the things that interest me. It has been so amazing. I recommend this interesting TED talk, which explains many of the wonderful things I am experiencing on my holiday in New Zealand.
You also gain exposure to new things when you travel. I have started listening to all kinds of new artists since coming to Wellington. I have spent all week listening to Amanda Palmer's album "Who Killed Amanda Palmer." I also cleaned my iPod. I took off everything, and only put music on it which I have recently acquired, focusing on new artists I want to experience, with a very few classic album exceptions. I added Weezer's Pinkerton, because I use it to induce sleep. Not because it's a boring album, but because I have a Pavlovian association between Pinkerton and sleep.
Since I decided to come home early, I have enjoyed myself more. I have relaxed about the whole financial thing, and really taken the time to do the things that interest me. It has been so amazing. I recommend this interesting TED talk, which explains many of the wonderful things I am experiencing on my holiday in New Zealand.
Mixed News
I have changed my original plan to stay in New Zealand until April. I have decided to return home on February 2nd, for a whole host of reasons. The most pressing reason is that I haven't found a job, and staying til April would leave me in financial ruin. My trip would be tainted, and so far, it's been amazing. If I leave now, it will be an wonderful and much-needed holiday. If I wait it out, it might be the worst decision I've ever made for my finances.
In addition, I am trying to start up a musical project with and old friend, Kristel. (She isn't old, the friendship is.) I'm really excited about it, and since I came to New Zealand to further my musical career, it would be foolish not to come home for an opportunity like this one. And the opportunity wouldn't have happened if I had stayed at home. I needed this trip more than I ever could have imagined. I will never forget this place.
So I now have about 4 weeks to enjoy what I can here in New Zealand. I hope to do a trip to the south island sometime soon. With the money I'll save leaving early, I can actually do things here, and enjoy the time that I have left.
It was saddening to actually change my flight, but I know that it's the right decision, for so many reasons.
In addition, I am trying to start up a musical project with and old friend, Kristel. (She isn't old, the friendship is.) I'm really excited about it, and since I came to New Zealand to further my musical career, it would be foolish not to come home for an opportunity like this one. And the opportunity wouldn't have happened if I had stayed at home. I needed this trip more than I ever could have imagined. I will never forget this place.
So I now have about 4 weeks to enjoy what I can here in New Zealand. I hope to do a trip to the south island sometime soon. With the money I'll save leaving early, I can actually do things here, and enjoy the time that I have left.
It was saddening to actually change my flight, but I know that it's the right decision, for so many reasons.
Welcome, 2011.
I spent New Year's Eve busking around downtown Wellington. There were a lot of buskers out there, and most of them had amplifiers. This left my friend, Tamau, and me at a great disadvantage. It was not as wildly profitable as I had hoped, but it was still a lot of fun.
Due to the fact that I have not found employment, I might be returning to Canada sooner than I had planned. As much as I would like to stay here for longer, if I do have to head home early, I won't be sad about my trip. It has been exactly what I needed it to be, and much more. The fact that I haven't been working has actually been one of the best parts of this trip. I had no idea how badly I needed to unwind until I had the time to do so. And the repeated job searches have led me to a bunch of opportunities that I would otherwise have missed out on, including the chance to help rewrite scripts for a comedy that's going to be shot in Auckland sometime early this year. I have always been interested in screenwriting, and now I have gotten a start. I like scripts. I would never have known that if I had found a job right away.
I've written a fair bit of music, and had time to reflect on the shortcomings of my songwriting. I have met some great people, and had a blast here. I have no regrets about what has happened so far. Don't get me wrong, if I found a job tomorrow, I'd be ecstatic. But if I have to go home early with the experiences that I have had here so far, this trip will still have been a bigger success than I was hoping for.
Due to the fact that I have not found employment, I might be returning to Canada sooner than I had planned. As much as I would like to stay here for longer, if I do have to head home early, I won't be sad about my trip. It has been exactly what I needed it to be, and much more. The fact that I haven't been working has actually been one of the best parts of this trip. I had no idea how badly I needed to unwind until I had the time to do so. And the repeated job searches have led me to a bunch of opportunities that I would otherwise have missed out on, including the chance to help rewrite scripts for a comedy that's going to be shot in Auckland sometime early this year. I have always been interested in screenwriting, and now I have gotten a start. I like scripts. I would never have known that if I had found a job right away.
I've written a fair bit of music, and had time to reflect on the shortcomings of my songwriting. I have met some great people, and had a blast here. I have no regrets about what has happened so far. Don't get me wrong, if I found a job tomorrow, I'd be ecstatic. But if I have to go home early with the experiences that I have had here so far, this trip will still have been a bigger success than I was hoping for.
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