We live in an amazing time on an amazing planet. This morning I woke up and looked out the window to an orange sky. My first thought was, I must have something in my eye, I tried to rub my eyes and yep the sky was still orange. Freaky! Let's go wake up my daughter Alex just so she doesn't miss out on this strange phenomenon.
You know what else is cool? Thousands of conversations happening around the world about the event on facebook, twitter, skype! Maybe 5 years ago this would have been reported on TV news and that's that. But in 2009? Not only is the mainstream media reporting this event, but ordinary people are connecting with each other and reporting in real time! Just think about it:
You're checking your facebook and notice all your Sydney friends uploading pics of red sky, links to news articles, and videos. You then call them on your mobile phone (or Skype) and bingo! You have your very own personal local correspondent giving you a live feed! Don't tell me that isn't cool.
One other thing I am observing is that after the ooh-ing and aah-ing at this fascinating once in a lifetime event, reality kicks in. People are bitching about flights being canceled, the clean-up of the dust covering their furniture and carpets, and difficulty breathing. I've been clearing my throat every couple of minutes, and someone even proclaimed digging out orange snot.
I'm thinking of today as a gift, I'm one of the few on the planet who happened to be at the right place at the right time. Even if I do have to whip out the vacuum cleaner again tomorrow. Totally worth it.
*link to flickr gallery of the orange dawn
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
My Dilemma
I've intended for this to be a chronicle of my journey into my new life. And believe me, I want it to be as honest and as frank with you as I am with myself. This is really how things sound in my head when I tell the story of my life, which I believe to be an open book. In fact, maybe that's what my book will be about.
However, as open as I am about my life, my feelings, my dreams and hopes, it always involves my relationships with other people. It's occurred to me that, these people in my life may not share my belief in telling my story in so public a forum as a blog. I find that I am also honour bound to protect their privacy.
Since I am publishing this as myself Michael Mencias instead of say hotfunkystud1447, my friends would know who I am talking about even if I disguise the names and places.
You know what I have decided? This blog is about me! It's not about you. Sure eventually you may be mentioned, but only as a cameo or a recurring role. And remember that how I write about you is my own personal view of you which I do tell you to your face anyhow -in front of witnesses. So let's get back to talking about me. This is my world. My Leap of Faith.
However, as open as I am about my life, my feelings, my dreams and hopes, it always involves my relationships with other people. It's occurred to me that, these people in my life may not share my belief in telling my story in so public a forum as a blog. I find that I am also honour bound to protect their privacy.
Since I am publishing this as myself Michael Mencias instead of say hotfunkystud1447, my friends would know who I am talking about even if I disguise the names and places.
You know what I have decided? This blog is about me! It's not about you. Sure eventually you may be mentioned, but only as a cameo or a recurring role. And remember that how I write about you is my own personal view of you which I do tell you to your face anyhow -in front of witnesses. So let's get back to talking about me. This is my world. My Leap of Faith.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Serendipty
Today we went to Paraparaumu 50kms from Wellington and met Jay's family: wife Helen and their three children Isabella (8), Cricks (7), and Catalina(6). They are awesome geeky little girls who play in SecondLife and SIMS3. To show my appreciation for Jay's family I offered to cook a 3 course lunch for them. We had stuffed mushrooms for starters, grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce, baked pumpkin, spinach and capsicums for mains, and leche flan with fresh strawberies for dessert. The flan was nearly burnt, but otherwise the meal went down quite well.
After the lunch Lindy called her Wellingtom friend Pania so we can maybe catch up. It turns out she's in Paraparaumu as well and we agreed to meet at the beach. Meanwhile, Lindy and I were strolling past the Kapiti Social Club where I overheard a woman say to an intercom that she was there for Salsa. Did she just say Salsa? I spent a half hour on the net and called a NZ number to be told that there is no Salsa in Wellington until Thursday! It turns out this woman does a weekly Salsa class and social at the Kapiti club every Sunday 4-7PM. So Lindy and I went up and had a few dances before meeting up with Pania at the beach.
After hanging out with Pania, we headed straight on downtown to Wellington and hope to catch some nightlife like a bar, restaurant, or cinima. We ended up in Circa Theatre at the waterfront we watched an improv show held by ImprovFM for NZ$12 each. Just think about it: live theatre for $12 (even less if you convert to AUD), shit I spend more to watch a movie!
It was very serendiptous to be in the same place as Pania when she would normally be 50Kms away, that we were able to find Salsa in such an obscure place as Paraparaumu beach on the three hours of the one day a week we could have found it!
Looking forward to more cosmic setups tomorrow.
After the lunch Lindy called her Wellingtom friend Pania so we can maybe catch up. It turns out she's in Paraparaumu as well and we agreed to meet at the beach. Meanwhile, Lindy and I were strolling past the Kapiti Social Club where I overheard a woman say to an intercom that she was there for Salsa. Did she just say Salsa? I spent a half hour on the net and called a NZ number to be told that there is no Salsa in Wellington until Thursday! It turns out this woman does a weekly Salsa class and social at the Kapiti club every Sunday 4-7PM. So Lindy and I went up and had a few dances before meeting up with Pania at the beach.
After hanging out with Pania, we headed straight on downtown to Wellington and hope to catch some nightlife like a bar, restaurant, or cinima. We ended up in Circa Theatre at the waterfront we watched an improv show held by ImprovFM for NZ$12 each. Just think about it: live theatre for $12 (even less if you convert to AUD), shit I spend more to watch a movie!
It was very serendiptous to be in the same place as Pania when she would normally be 50Kms away, that we were able to find Salsa in such an obscure place as Paraparaumu beach on the three hours of the one day a week we could have found it!
Looking forward to more cosmic setups tomorrow.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Adventurer
I'm in Wellington staying with Jay Montilla. I haven't seen him in about 4 years, it feels serendipitous that I am visiting him now. Like me he's just left his job and is finding a new way of living his life. Not bound by the rules of conformity to how people thought you should live life. We have finally learned to become ourselves.
This morning I woke up at 4AM in Lindy's place. We set out for our early flight into Christchurch. The night before I convinced Lindy we should go visit my friend in Wellington so we booked ferry tickets via the internet*. We got to Christchurch at 1230PM local time, got our hire car at a little past 1PM leaving us a very tight deadline to get to the Ferry in 4.5hrs over 338Km of the South Island's stunning vistas.
As soon as we got in the car, we fixed up the iPod first before the GPS navigation. We had our priorities right eh? We sped North to Picton and was one of the last 10 cars to check in for the last ferry to Wellington that night. Called Jay to let him know and he warns us that the ride could be rough across Cook Strait. It wasn't.
The ferry was an impressive ship, it took rail cars in the bottom deck, cars and trucks on the main deck, and then the passenger decks above. We were hungry so we had dinner on the ferry. After that we found a desk with a power point and watched movies on my laptop. I stepped out on to the outside deck in the middle of the 92km crossing and was amazed at how black everything was was in open sea at night. We only realised we were in Wellington harbour as we were surrounded by the city's lights twinkling in the distance.
We just got back into our cars and drove off as soon as the ferry had docked. Then it was the GPS guiding us all the way to Jay's house.
Tomorrow we will be a new adventure.
____
* I am amazed at how travel has become so easy to organise in today's internet age. Think about it. As of Monday I had no clue I was going to travel. By Monday night I had already booked my rewards plane ticket to Christchurch; Tuesday I had hired a car with roofracks, snowchains, and GPS, Wednesday I had travel insurance sorted; Friday night I had contacted Jay to let him know we were coming, and I booked the ferry passage. And here I am now typing this blog entry using Jay's connection. SO so so so COOL!
This morning I woke up at 4AM in Lindy's place. We set out for our early flight into Christchurch. The night before I convinced Lindy we should go visit my friend in Wellington so we booked ferry tickets via the internet*. We got to Christchurch at 1230PM local time, got our hire car at a little past 1PM leaving us a very tight deadline to get to the Ferry in 4.5hrs over 338Km of the South Island's stunning vistas.
As soon as we got in the car, we fixed up the iPod first before the GPS navigation. We had our priorities right eh? We sped North to Picton and was one of the last 10 cars to check in for the last ferry to Wellington that night. Called Jay to let him know and he warns us that the ride could be rough across Cook Strait. It wasn't.
The ferry was an impressive ship, it took rail cars in the bottom deck, cars and trucks on the main deck, and then the passenger decks above. We were hungry so we had dinner on the ferry. After that we found a desk with a power point and watched movies on my laptop. I stepped out on to the outside deck in the middle of the 92km crossing and was amazed at how black everything was was in open sea at night. We only realised we were in Wellington harbour as we were surrounded by the city's lights twinkling in the distance.
We just got back into our cars and drove off as soon as the ferry had docked. Then it was the GPS guiding us all the way to Jay's house.
Tomorrow we will be a new adventure.
____
* I am amazed at how travel has become so easy to organise in today's internet age. Think about it. As of Monday I had no clue I was going to travel. By Monday night I had already booked my rewards plane ticket to Christchurch; Tuesday I had hired a car with roofracks, snowchains, and GPS, Wednesday I had travel insurance sorted; Friday night I had contacted Jay to let him know we were coming, and I booked the ferry passage. And here I am now typing this blog entry using Jay's connection. SO so so so COOL!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Procrastinator
I admit it, I'm the biggest procrastinator. I mean, why do things today when you can put it off for tomorrow? I gotta leave some for later right? Who am I kidding? If it is a difficult and unpleasant task, it goes to the end of the queue, all the cool and fun stuff gets higher priority. That way if I die suddenly, I've managed to go get that sky-diving certification before I got to weed my garden.
Today I wrote that letter to my real estate agent begging them to let me keep my cats. Now it is all in the hands of the gods. Meanwhile now I get to watch DVDs, read my book, and go out dancing knowing that I have gotten that scary unpleasant task out of the way.
See how it works is that these annoying tasks are put off until they can no longer be put off and have become a top priority preventing me from doing all the cool and fun stuff I want to do.
Today I wrote that letter to my real estate agent begging them to let me keep my cats. Now it is all in the hands of the gods. Meanwhile now I get to watch DVDs, read my book, and go out dancing knowing that I have gotten that scary unpleasant task out of the way.
See how it works is that these annoying tasks are put off until they can no longer be put off and have become a top priority preventing me from doing all the cool and fun stuff I want to do.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Start in the Middle
You are starting in the middle of the story. My name is Michael and I am a chef -as well as a writer, salsa dancer and DJ, and an actor, and a massage therapist, and a former programmer and IT analyst. Okay I got a lot of interests. We'll cover them as we go along.
Today I was feeling a little overwhelmed and nearly depressed. I have this problem you see. My landlord wants me to get rid of my cats after I got busted during an inspection last week. It was my fault, I forgot about the inspection. In the last ten years I have always made arrangements to conceal my cat whenever an inspection is due.
I have four options:
-give away my cats
-give away my cats temporarily and get them back once the heat is off
-ask my landlord to let me keep the cats
-move out
I'm leaning towards trying for the third one and revisiting my options if that doesn't work. I'm tired of lying. I have to trust the universe that it is pushing me in the right direction.
Just today the universe has given me a pleasant surprise. I haven't gotten a shift at my work (aboutlife.com.au) since Tuesday and it looks like I won't have a decent income this week. But just an hour ago my mentor at TAFE called me and offered me a catering gig for this Saturday. Of course I accepted. I really shouldn't have stressed out and just allow my life to unfold according to the cosmic plan, not according to my plan. Although, sometimes we both have the same plan and that is humbling when that happens.
Speaking of the cosmic plan, one of my friends invited me to go dancing tonight. I hadn't planned on it but it seems the universe is giving me a sign. So off to dancing tonight for me! I'm looking forward to what happens now.
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