A Facebook Status Year in Review

It was a quiet year for me on Facebook, Here is a look back at 2012 through Facebook statuses:

January

Good luck with results NCEAers!

Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes I will reply as soon as! If I didn't reply to your txts then I probably didn't receive it..my phone's screwing up on me right now!

February

Packing at the last minute...always happens!

Right to permanent residence in Hong Kong is up for review :O

March

Back to the Nokia brick 

April

GOOO Breakers! Counting down the seconds!

Ice-Cream Sandwich! Finally! :D

May

All out of my hands now

June

Need to stop putting 'Limit Alcohol' on medicine labels for children! 

July

OK time to get back into music!

The lady at McDonalds tonight told me I was such a hustler for a white guy just because I asked for something off the Loose Change Menu!

That's it! Batman has inspired me to join a gym and become a superhero!

Answered the phone using the wrong pharmacy name in front of the boss today..woops..

August

It's all your fault Amy for making me feel so old right now! Why'd you have to remind me of my age! 

The Burger King guy asked me where I was from today. He said he has an Indian friend who looks just like me... 

Aaah Grey's Anatomy...good inspiration! (despite the lack of pharmacists)

September

Professional moppers 

Just has to rain on my days off work doesn't it!

Ever since working in pharmacy I seem to be talking to myself more and more...

Been realising I'm not very good at keeping in touch with people! I will be working on it!

The Lord's Prayer Concert! 

October

Congrats to all the graduates today! Made me feel young going back to uni today!

November

My one week Facebook ban is over! 

Time to do all those things I wanted to but never got round to doing! 

December

Last day at work! Time to find a new job!

So how exactly does end of the world work? Everywhere at the same time, or staggered?

All these Christmas statuses are making me feel Christmasy! Merry Christmas to you all too! 

A New Start

Today was a very special day - four members of our youth group were getting baptised today!

Because it was a special baptism service, all four of the churches combined for this service this morning. We only have a few of these each year. I wanted to arrive at church early as I needed people to sign some baptism cards we had prepared for them, but of course with us Andersons it's always hard to get anywhere on time! Fortunately I was able to call Joylynn at church and ask her if she could pass the cards around.

When I got to church, the service just started, and so I got the remaining people who were yet to sign the cards to come into a side room to do so. The plan was that I would get some people to present the gifts to the four people as they went up on stage after their baptism to receive their certificate. Well...that was the original plan...

After the sermon was over, it was time for the baptisms! Aonghas was out all morning filming the make-up of someone's wedding, so I was anxiously waiting for him to return. He didn't make it in time though, so it was up to me to film the baptisms! Tim had his camera, so at least there was someone to take photos!

One by one, Andrew, Wei, Angie and Grace went into the pool (which is on the stage) where our youth pastor Karvin asked them a few questions, to which they said 'I do'. After that, they were submerged in the water and officially baptised!

They went into the toilets to dry up while others from the other churches got baptised, and a choir from one of the other churches performed.

As they performed, I was frantically discussing with some of the others whether we were meant to present the gifts as they came on stage to receive their certificates, or if we should just give them their gifts after the service. In the end we decided to give the gifts to them after the service. PHEW!

The guys came on stage to receive their certificates and were each given a bouquet of flowers.

At the end of the service, we got all the youth group together ready to take photos with the newly-baptised guys! The only problem - everyone else was hogging the stage! We decided to storm the stage and hold our ground! After managing to round everyone up, we got our photos taken, and then it was off for lunch!

It was pie time for lunch - beef or chicken! When I went to get beef, the guy told me there were only chicken left, so I took a chicken pie. That kind soul Rebecca offered to swap her beef pie with mine. When we went outside to sit with everyone else, I bit into my pie only to discover it was a chicken pie, while she bit into a beef pie!

It was a really nice day, everyone just sitting outside in the kindergarten eating and talking together. There were quite a few pies left over! It was just a shame I had to leave soon to help Aonghas film a wedding!

Congratulations, Andrew, Angie, Grace and Wei on your baptism! May this be a new and exciting chapter in your spiritual life! :D

(Thanks Tim for the photos!)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

It's that time once again where we celebrate the birth of Jesus, spend quality time with our family and friends and get fat on food!

The weather isn't so great today, so I'm not too sure what we've got planned for today but hopefully we won't be stuck at home for the whole day!

Anyway I'm off to open some presents! I will be back on to report on the day later. 

Have a great day everyone!

Still Alive!

Well it looks like we're all still alive post-21st December.

Some reckoned the end of the world was actually midnight GMT dayime, which would mean 12pm later in the day. That came and passed, and nothing happened!

Probably the most memorable quote from the day came from a friend who just wanted to check up on me right after midnight...

A Christmas Card!

I got my first Christmas card from someone who isn't my student! Thanks Joanna! To be fair, she did write a Christmas card to hundreds of people, but that's still cool. The message made me smile!

A Dinner Catch-Up

Tonight Chen, Gwen and I caught up over dinner. It's the first time I've caught up with them in quite a while! 

We started off at this Japanese restaurant, which was quite nice. We just updated each other on what we were up to, as well as reminisce over past memories.

Soon it seemed as though the restaurant was about to close! We didn't feel full though, so we ended up finding ourselves at another restaurant, Carls Jr for our second dinner!

It was a good catch-up!

Wild West Auckland Weather!

Who knew things would get so crazy out in our neck of the woods today! When the skies looked dark this morning, I had a feeling the weather wouldn't be too good, but when I heard a huge bang which sounded like a cannon go off follow almost immediately after the flash of lightning, I knew something wasn't right!

Reports are now coming in that things are quite messy over in Hobsonville/Greenhithe, with a few deaths and injuries. Roofs have come off or caved in, trees have been uprooted..it's all sounding a little scary! Apparently the roof of the West Wave Swimming Centre's men's toilet has caved in, and people on talkback radio are reporting that roofs of other buildings, like Repco down Central Park Drive (which is down the same road as my church!) has come off!

The scariest thing is my mum and our friend's mum went to Albany for a clothes sale this morning. My mum isn't too familiar with driving to that area, and I had to give her directions. I've tried contacting her but she left her cellphone at home! I hope she's OK! I don't know how she's going to get home right now in this weather..

My Students Surprise me Again

This morning was the end of year concert at the music school. It started at 9.30 in morning, so I asked my students to be there about 15 minutes before, but when I got there around that time, they were already there!

Recorders were to perform second after the first group of flutes, so I gathered all my students together in one of the classrooms and tried to go through all their songs before we were to go up on stage. I have to admit, I was quite surprised at how well some of the students were playing! I have to admit I was a little nervous over the week thinking about how well they'd do.

After a bit of a pep talk, it was finally time for the kids to head to the hall to perform! I lead them to the seats on the side of the stage, and got each group to come up and perform one after the other. Some groups had a student who wanted to introduce the group themselves, while I had to do it for a few of the classes.

There were no major catastrophes. There were a few little mistakes, but I'm sure the cuteness factor covered it! I pretty much teach the youngest students at the music school, all the little kids who have never played music before! I was extremely proud of the way my students played, the way they were able to count themselves in, and keep going even if they stuffed up...a little!

I led them all back to the classroom to give them reports and a little prize afterwards. I gave them each a lollipop, a pencil, a little packet of Oreo's and a little notebook. I think I spoiled them!

I returned to watch the rest of the performances. I just missed Rebecca, Nadine and Joylynn (who attend my church) perform flute, but I guess I can re-watch the video! Before I knew it, the violins were up! My brothers and I were the last violin group to perform. We had Arthur (another violin teacher who often comes to help out) helping us which was good.

The guitar students were the last to perform before prize-giving. It's always a joy to see some of my old students performing, even if it's another instrument they're playing! I just hope the time I spent teaching them helped contribute to where they are today!

A few of my students actually won awards for other instruments too! My top music theory student, who won the top recorder award last year won the top flute award this year only after playing for one year!

I guess one of the benefits of being a music teacher are the presents you get from students (just a side thing of course!).

After the concert, my brothers and I met up with the music teachers at a nearby cafe for a coffee and a bite to eat. It was really good having a chat to them, as my teaching timetable this year didn't allow me to schedule a morning tea at the same time as all the other teachers! It was quite interesting talking to them about teaching, students and all sorts of other things!

Oh well, that's my seventh year of teaching down. Looking forward to the next!

Hello, Windows 8!

I've just reformatted my laptop, and installed Windows 8! It's still taking a little getting used to, especially the new start menu. I figured, we'll all eventually have to use it, so I might as well start now!

Leaving my Mark

I spotted this photo on the wall in the tea room at work today. With only a few weeks left before I leave, at least they'll have something to remember me by!

Group Run!

After music teaching today, Winston and his mum were going to have lunch at McDonald's, and asked if we would like to come along.

I don't know how many times I've had fast food this week now! I really should ban myself from fast food for a while.

I was telling Grace about how Aonghas and I went for a run the day before, and we came up with an idea to go for a run later tonight. I volunteered my brothers, despite them not being home (but they need the exercise anyway!). I then asked around to see if anyone else would be keen.

Eventually, we got a group together and all met up outside Trusts Stadium later that evening! A few of the guys had just had dinner, so they were going to take it easy.

We decided to jog along the track which runs alongside the river, goes up to the motorway, up to Central Park Drive and then back to Trusts Stadium.

Aonghas and I used this app, Endomondo to track our run and compare it to the day before. Surprisingly, tonight's run felt a lot easier! Admittedly, we all took a little break at the halfway mark, but by the end of the run I still had a little bit left in the tank to crank up the speed!

The run was a lot shorter than we had anticipated, as we finished in about 20ish minutes, so we got Wei to teach us some tai chi! That is some hard work!

It was starting to get dark, so we decided to cross the road to church for a drink. Some of our mums were there for a group meeting anyway.

We ended up sitting around talking before they had to close the church!

We might end up making this a more regular thing. Round the Bays, here we come!

(http://youtu.be/X95CEwlRJaM)

Back...Again

Wow so I've neglected my blog for the past month! I guess my pharmacy exam is a good excuse though! Now that I have nothing to study, I will spend a bit of time filling in the gaps over the past month or so.

I'm pretty sure I had a whole list of things I wanted to do after sitting my exam. Now I just can't remember what they were...

Share a Coke with Me!

I was at the airport Countdown with my mum while waiting for Aonghas to arrive from Australia, and found these Coke bottles! 

Now we just need to find one with 'Hamish' on it!

Flowers are Blossoming!

Church was quite busy today! I had to lead children's worship in the morning, and then after Sunday School and lunch, I had baptism class. I was meant to join the choir as well but it clashed with baptism class, so I guess I'll have to start next week!

After church today we went to Cornwall Park to check out the cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms turned out to be quite a popular tourist attraction! There were quite a few people taking photos, even a newly-wed couple having wedding photos taken there as well!

We also saw a few cows as well!

We decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant. The last time we were here was after preparing for the church music conference. This time I decided to try a chicken cutlet with white sauce on spaghetti.

It was pretty good! I was starving at that moment, since I didn't have much to eat at church!

Early in the Morning

It's 4am in the morning and I'm up, as Aonghas is off to Melbourne in a few hours and I have to go with my mum to drop him off at his friend's house!

He's going to Melbourne as part of his 4th year Engineering project group to compete in some robotics competition.

He's meant to be at his friend's by 4am but he only just started packing at...4am!

Anyway, we're off now! I'm going to be so dead at work later today...

Late Night Bite

So it's a Monday night. I don't have to go to work tomorrow, so I'm just staying up late for no reason.

I've been chatting to a friend who says my brothers and I all look alike, and that we look Maori o.O

~~

Had fun skyping Amy tonight...

~~

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbAPvEAzdY)

An old childhood favourite...

Another Night, Another Night Market

It was only a couple weeks ago we went to the Papakura Night Markets. This time, we went to the Glenfield Night Markets!

Originally it was looking like we wouldn't end up going, as Emily one of the women we were going to go with, just remembered she had a meeting till 7pm, but we then decided we'd just go after. It is a NIGHT market after all!

Next thing we knew, the sky opened up, and the thunder and lightning came along! We called the others and they were still going!

I decided to drive, as I thought I'd be able to get some wet weather driving experience. I ended up taking the wrong turn several times, but eventually we got there...even earlier than everyone else!

We had a little wander around, checking out the food stalls till the others showed up. I was starving by now!

One of the criticisms of our last Facebook Check-In at the Papakura Night Markets was that the photo did not match the status:

so we decided to go all out this time and actually PIG OUT!

We really wanted to try different food. Winston bought some Japanese balls (well they were ball shaped anyway!), while I went for these sticks that look like Chinese churro's! 

Nadine and Leonie bought actual churro's. I think Leonie's addicted to them now since going to the Papakura Night Markets! 

My mum also bought some squid.

Meanwhile, Joylynn really wanted candy floss. For $2, she got a great deal! She didn't actually manage to finish it all either!

After all the eating, we finally decided to have a look at the stalls. The girls bought some cellphone decorations, and then we bought some fruit drinks before it was time to leave as we had to get Joylynn home early!

I can proudly say I drove the family home without getting lost this time!

Ten Rules for Happier Living

I saw this on the wall at work today and found it quite interesting:

Ten Rules for Happier Living

1. Give something away (no strings attached)
2. Do a kindness (and forget it)
3. Spend a few minutes with the aged (their experience is a priceless guidance)
4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel)
5. Laugh often (its life's lubricant)
6. Give thanks (a thousand times a day is not enough)
7. Pray (or you will lose the way)
8. Work (with vim and vigour)
9. Plan as though you'll live forever (because you will)
10. Live as though you'll die tomorrow (because you will on some tomorrow)

I Guess I'm A Global Parent Again

I just got a phone call from an Australian number, which turned out to be a guy from UNICEF asking if I'd like to reconsider donating to them again (I did for a few months before I stopped just before the end of my last job).

I tried telling him that my current job is almost over and so my financial future is a little uncertain, but in the end got sucked in once again and agreed to donate $15 a month for the next few months!

I gave him my card number and expiry date, and that was that.

It was only after I hung up that I realised..what..did..I..just..do?! I don't even know this guy, and how do I even know he really was from UNICEF?! He could've been an imposter, out to get all my money!

I quickly rang up UNICEF NZ and double-checked, and fortunately he was genuine. The moral of the story kids, is to think before you act!

Time to Fly!

I just got my Air New Zealand Airpoints card in the mail today! I think I might just have to do a bit more travelling to make the most of it..

You're Not Forgotten!

In the past few days, I've been realising I haven't been the best at keeping in touch with people! I always tell people I won't forget them, and truth is that I don't forget people easily. I remember most people I deal with! 

I see things about some of my friends appear on my Facebook Newsfeed from time to time - friends I haven't talked to in a while! I'm tempted to, but because quite some time has passed since I last talked to them, I feel a little awkward/random doing so! 

I feel really bad though, because I am quite aware of what it's like to have people start to drift away from you by not talking to you as much anymore, and pretty much leaving you feeling like they've forgotten you, and maybe that's what I've been doing unintentionally too!

Therefore, I've decided to make a better effort at keeping in touch with friends from now on!

October Baby

Tonight a group of us from church met up to watch October Baby:

"A college freshman's world is rocked when she learns she is the adopted survivor of an attempted abortion."

This was the only screening in Auckland, and I think it was organised by Mana, a Christian book store. There were limited tickets and we got the last eight! Apparently there were only seven left, but the man at the store kindly gave up his ticket!

Winston and I quickly bought some popcorn at Countdown while waiting for the others. Wei hadn't arrived, so I gave him a call. He was still at home and thought the movie was next week!

While we were at Countdown looking for There were those Coke bottles with the custom names on them. There was a whole shelf of bottles with 'Raj' on it, with a few with 'Feng' and 'Sione'! Very multicultural!

When we got into the theatre, it was quite full, and we had to sit in third row from the front! It wasn't too bad though. I just slouched in my seat so I wouldn't get a sore neck! I admit it was a little hard to eat! Winston and I ended up being some of the messiest people in the theatre!

There were a few laugh-out-loud scenes, with some guy laughing randomly at some things!

At the end of the movie there was a round of applause before everyone started leaving. It did leave me rethinking my ambivalence towards the whole issue. I've never really thought much about the issue, but I think it's really time I formed a viewpoint on issues such as this!

We went across the carpark to Burger King afterwards for dinner. Wei and I split a dinner meal, which meant I got two burgers! I sure was full afterwards! I think I'll need to do extra exercise this week to burn all that fat off!

Drawings from the Past

While trying to tidy up the lounge a bit, I came across my old sketchbook from when I was a little kid!

Flat Tyre

We had just finished youth group, and all got in our car. As we were travelling down the road, something didn't feel right. Aonghas pulled over at the Trusts Stadium (which is pretty much across the road from our church) and we discovered we had a punctured tyre!

None of us knew how to change a tyre, and everyone had left church by now! It was also past 11pm at night, so most people would be asleep too! It was all up to us!

 Aonghas went on the net and with the help of Andrew jacked up the car, found the spare one and replaced it. 

Forty minutes later...

The culprit turned out to be a screw!

(http://youtu.be/goixqA5FhXQ)

Paperwork Galore

It just has to rain on my days off work doesn't it? I guess that's a good thing in a way. It's making me do some work!
I've been spending most of the day doing paperwork as part of my internship...again. I'm looking forward to the day I won't have to do this anymore!
I've been dozing off throughout the day, even while in the middle of a Facebook conversation with someone! (Sorry to that person!)

Late Night Food

I actually had something to look forward to after work tonight - the Pakuranga Night Markets! Leonie, our friend, had never been there before, so we offered to take her, her brother Winston and her mum after I finished work.

Work was quite quiet, but at least the pharmacist I was working with was quite nice and taught me a thing or two!

Work finally finished, and they were all waiting for me in the car outside!

When we got there, it was already quite packed! The markets are held at the Westfield Pakuranga carpark. There were heaps of food stalls and other stalls selling all sorts of goods. We spent most of the time looking at the food as we were all starving! Leonie was the first to buy something, getting a Chinese pancake. Winston went for the Japanese pancake, and then it took us a long, long time to decide what we wanted! I ended up deciding to take the plunge and bought a Chinese pie!

Our parents came back later on and had bought some dumplings and some dim sum.

There was a Christian stall that was wanting people to fill out a survey in order to get a chocolate bar. My mum and brothers completed it and got their chocolate bar.

It was then that we realised we were running out of time as some stalls were starting to pack up! We had a look around at what was being sold. Most of them were selling cellphone accessories and clothes.

There was one last thing we just had to try - Churro's! I've tried them before, but I don't think anyone else had! We went over to the Churro stall only to discover that the girl who was there was one of Aonghas's primary school friends! That was pretty cool!

Winston got a jumbo one!

It was time to go and we were full!