This past week marked a year since I arrived in Wellington, a city which felt more like home than the city I have lived in for most of my life. I have thought fondly of my time spent in New Zealand, and most importantly, the people I met there. The general friendliness of Kiwis remains one of my fondest impressions about my experience there. There was always someone smiling at me, and it helped me to feel like less of a stranger than I truly was. I have discovered that Canadians and Kiwis share an inexplicable connection that makes the process of meeting new people and friends effortless. If you have ever thought about traveling to New Zealand, do so, because none can rival the hospitality of Kiwis.
Wellington is a city full of art and culture. Everywhere you go in the core of downtown, you will find street performers and artists, music of all kinds, and friendly people going shoeless. The city is very pedestrian-friendly and so you see more people in a given day than you would trapped in a vehicle necessitated by suburban sprawl. If you go to the Cuba Street Mall, (which is not a mall by Canadian standards, it's a street) you're bound to see someone you know, even if you know very few people. This constant face-to-face contact with other residents develops a very strong sense of community, one which I have not experienced anywhere else I have ever been. Wellington is a remarkable place.
All of the people that I met in New Zealand have a special place in my fondest memories, during the best summer I have ever had. Well, so far.
Also, I am dying for a Moro Gold chocolate bar.
Long Weekends and the Un-Hangover
My father got married this weekend, and during the course of the reception, I ingested an unadvisable amount of alcohol for someone of my tolerance. Needless to say, the following day was unpleasant. In additional to my chemical disruption, I also did not sleep well, so my day yesterday was a complete write-off.
After an evening of drunkenness, we experience a low, where the highs of the previous festivities are inverted to the lowest depths of regret. The fun is great, but the backlash is a bitch. Well, today, I am experiencing the backlash to the backlash. I feel more rested and lucid than I have felt in a while. The nausea has subsided, and the headaches are no more. I am born again sober, and it's great. I've been productive today, completing several things on my ongoing list of things to do. One of those things was to continue posting on my blog.
So if you're unsure what to do with your next long weekend, I have a recipe that will bring you highs, lows, and moderate productivity. I have included some extra options for the reckless.
Long Weekend Special
Day 1: Consume too much alcohol. Mix in some family and friends for a good time. For a more cake-like texture and a bit of drama, add a splash of drunk texting. For extra spice, drunk text your friends' ex's.
Day 2: Stir in as much water as you can without feeling bloated or full. Eat bacon, but do not eat eggs. Moan and regret for 7 to 14 hours hours on low. Get a good night's sleep.
Day 3: Sleep in, but when you awake, marvel at the glory of not feeling like shit, and remind yourself how good it is to be alive. Eat a Mr. Freeze freezie. Post on blog.
After an evening of drunkenness, we experience a low, where the highs of the previous festivities are inverted to the lowest depths of regret. The fun is great, but the backlash is a bitch. Well, today, I am experiencing the backlash to the backlash. I feel more rested and lucid than I have felt in a while. The nausea has subsided, and the headaches are no more. I am born again sober, and it's great. I've been productive today, completing several things on my ongoing list of things to do. One of those things was to continue posting on my blog.
So if you're unsure what to do with your next long weekend, I have a recipe that will bring you highs, lows, and moderate productivity. I have included some extra options for the reckless.
Long Weekend Special
Day 1: Consume too much alcohol. Mix in some family and friends for a good time. For a more cake-like texture and a bit of drama, add a splash of drunk texting. For extra spice, drunk text your friends' ex's.
Day 2: Stir in as much water as you can without feeling bloated or full. Eat bacon, but do not eat eggs. Moan and regret for 7 to 14 hours hours on low. Get a good night's sleep.
Day 3: Sleep in, but when you awake, marvel at the glory of not feeling like shit, and remind yourself how good it is to be alive. Eat a Mr. Freeze freezie. Post on blog.
On Lesbians...
I discovered in New Zealand that I often develop little crushes on women who turn out to be lesbians. This is clearly not an ideal situation for a straight male. However, I managed to use it to write a song that is truly my own.
This new song is so very me, in that it contains complete tangents, and is the goofiest song I've ever written. It's strange that I tend to write lyrics that are way darker and more serious than I truly am. This song feels much more true to life. Topics include the aforementioned lesbian hunting, Star Wars Episode III, and Natalie Portman, my biggest celebrity crush. Watch here for an upcoming youTube video of it!
This new song is so very me, in that it contains complete tangents, and is the goofiest song I've ever written. It's strange that I tend to write lyrics that are way darker and more serious than I truly am. This song feels much more true to life. Topics include the aforementioned lesbian hunting, Star Wars Episode III, and Natalie Portman, my biggest celebrity crush. Watch here for an upcoming youTube video of it!
So Many Separate Projects...
Lately I have been keeping myself busy with a bunch of different artistic endeavours. I arranged a two-song medley of "Idioteque" by radiohead and "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles, and performed the set alongside Cody Kurz and Melissa Gan (double bass and violin respectively). It was a lot of fun, and I really liked the sound of that ensemble. I have a few other songs that I want to arrange for that group, and I hope to drag them both out to an open mic night at Lydia's some time soon.
I have also performed alongside Nolto a few times lately. I still don't know what the general reception is to acoustic hip hop. Once we get a few more tracks ready, I hope to film a performance of ours, and record it as a live album. Slowly, but surely, that project is creeping towards its intended goal.
In addition, I feel really good about the progress we've made on a movie by Five Stones Films. Every time I go through it, I feel less and less compelled to make any changes. The opening scene has already been shot, and you can see an example of it here.
In general, it has been rare for me to consistently make progress on this many projects at once. Normally, I want to do a number of things, but only one gets worked on at a time. The first that I truly started artistic multitasking was in New Zealand, where I had the time to do so. I've proven to myself that I can actually work on a number of things at once, and that I actually truly enjoy bouncing from one project to the next as my interests change. It is clear to me that I have been persistently more prolific since my trip abroad.
Thanks, New Zealand!
P.S. I miss your chocolate bars.
I have also performed alongside Nolto a few times lately. I still don't know what the general reception is to acoustic hip hop. Once we get a few more tracks ready, I hope to film a performance of ours, and record it as a live album. Slowly, but surely, that project is creeping towards its intended goal.
In addition, I feel really good about the progress we've made on a movie by Five Stones Films. Every time I go through it, I feel less and less compelled to make any changes. The opening scene has already been shot, and you can see an example of it here.
In general, it has been rare for me to consistently make progress on this many projects at once. Normally, I want to do a number of things, but only one gets worked on at a time. The first that I truly started artistic multitasking was in New Zealand, where I had the time to do so. I've proven to myself that I can actually work on a number of things at once, and that I actually truly enjoy bouncing from one project to the next as my interests change. It is clear to me that I have been persistently more prolific since my trip abroad.
Thanks, New Zealand!
P.S. I miss your chocolate bars.
Housekeeping
It has been far too long since I posted here regularly. I went through a less-than-awesome transition period upon returning to Canada from New Zealand, and it took me a while to get settled. I now have a full-time job at Long and McQuade as a guitar salesman, and I hope that the stability of a real job will allow me to return to my more regular blogging schedule.
I have been slowly working on some musical projects lately, and I have a few upcoming concert appearances. I really want to perform live music on a regular basis again, and the next few months should help me regain the wonderful habit of regular performance.
In addition to my musical projects, I have recently begun doing some revision for a script that is being turned into a short film by Five Stones Films. So far it has been an interesting project. More on that as it develops.
In the meantime, I have uploaded a few tracks composed in the late stages of developing Notepad Command.
Notepad Command Extended Music Release by RHProductions
I have been slowly working on some musical projects lately, and I have a few upcoming concert appearances. I really want to perform live music on a regular basis again, and the next few months should help me regain the wonderful habit of regular performance.
In addition to my musical projects, I have recently begun doing some revision for a script that is being turned into a short film by Five Stones Films. So far it has been an interesting project. More on that as it develops.
In the meantime, I have uploaded a few tracks composed in the late stages of developing Notepad Command.
Notepad Command Extended Music Release by RHProductions
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