Pay day

Now playing: About A Girl [Unplugged] - Nirvana

Work today was uneventful. I signed two birthday cards, we celebrated someone's birthday with song and cake and I made friends with someone over the phone named Luke (it seems that my day wasn't as uneventful as I thought).

At lunch I ran down the road to get some passport photos taken - I needed a new photo on my work access card. It was raining. I checked the weather forecast yesterday and it didn't say anything about showers. I wanted to wear my sweater today because I just felt like it. I thought I'd be regretting it by the afternoon - turns out I was the only one dressed warmly! I didn't have my umbrella on me, how lucky would I have been if I did.

When I got home there was a parcel from Alistair's mum! How unexpected. Turns out it was a 21st birthday present. The chairs that they had given me got some good use when I was at the apartment in Melbourne, but I had given them back when I moved out as I didn't have room to bring them back. That was so nice of her. I will make a thank you card tonight (you're probably wondering what the present was).

So, that's about it for now. Still dreading those early morning starts. I might do some more overtime this weekend, not sure. And it doesn't even have to be the weekend either - I could go into work early or stay back a couple of hours .. hmm.

Lazy Sunday

Now playing: Inaudible Melodies - Jack Johnson

I know it was my plan to do absolutely nothing this weekend, but I decided to do some overtime because I took Monday off (and that was the day I actually did jack shit) so I went in to work for a couple of hours and that was OK. I had had a bit of a dilemma in the morning because I only had a $50 note on me and no change for the bus. I was going to get a hamburger to break my note, but decided to get an Instant Kiwi instead. Jay said the money was his if we won. We didn't (and I'm not just saying that because I don't want him to have my winnings, we actually didn't win).

There were only two other people when I got to work, I just sat there with my iPod and listened to music; I think at one point I was nearly going to sing a Kylie song out loud, but remembered where I was and decided not to. It was a bit of a shame because I was planning to just sit in the office and make toll calls all afternoon, but I couldn't.

iPods. When you think about it, aren't they so amazing? They are these little white (or black, or coloured, but lets go with white) little bricks of joy, they hold albums and albums full of music and they're the size of a pack of cards. Now, that is pretty amazing. Sometimes I look at my iPod and smile because it makes me happy.

After my little stint at work I went for a walk down Queen Street and have to admit, that I was a bit disappointed with what Auckland has to offer. Where are all the shops? Where are the department stores? I walked into Smith & Caugheys which here is the most upmarket place ever, but in Australia would be like Myer in Geelong. And everyone thinks that it's hot shit, but people need to get out and explore the world, it is so much bigger (and better) than Auckland. Anyway, I bought three pairs of CK's (which were a total steal at $14.99 a pair, I remember the days where I would buy them duty free at $45 each).

Today I watched One Tree Hill which is just great. I started unpacking my things but got bored so stopped. I must say, as stressful as packing up my apartment was, unpacking is SO MUCH WORSE! You need to find places to put everything. I am such a hoarder. It is a bit harder with the fact where I am now isn't empty, so I need to find free spaces to put things.

Sunday afternoon. A time to listen to some lazy music and chillax I think.

Daniel

Daniel. His name is Daniel. I will call him Dan. He is a German exchange student, blue eyes, blond hair, skinny, about six foot tall. Apparently he just screams out that he's 'the one' (for me).

I kid you not

---------- Original message ----------
From: Davys, Renee
Date: Feb 21, 2007 5:36 PM
Subject: i kid you not
To: anthony.lkd.king@gmail.com

i think i met the man you're going to marry yesterday. ^_^

Another day, another dollar

Now playing: N Dey Say - Nelly

I started work this morning, back at Telecom, still in Wholesale Provisioning doing what I know best. I was meant to start yesterday but I decided to sleep in, and then when I did finally wake up after 11am I decided that my day would be better spent watching The Nanny and other daytime programmes I've come to miss.

People were excited to see me today. "Oh Anthony, how ARE you? Welcome back!" was typical of the reactions I got throughout the day. Everyone was asking me if I was happy to be back, I said yeah, sure (without any feeling of course). It's amazingly scary how much of everything I remember - the system, the processes and procedures, the whole job basically. It is as though I never left and I can just get straight into the work and do it. Very scary.

Things I've noted:

• New Zealanders have funny accents
• Officemax is the office products supplier at work
• I can get a seat on the bus
• How strange that phone numbers only have seven digits instead of eight
• No one here cares how they dress. Melbourne is full of such fashionable men
• Where are all the trams?

Well, I got a days break, so I guess that's something. I can't wait until the weekend. I'm going to do NOTHING and it's going to be great.

Goodbye Melbourne

I woke up early this morning, leaving the hotel and catching a tram back to Alistair's place where we loaded up the car and headed off to the airport. I had so much stuff and it only just fit into the car.

We got to the airport and met my brother there who had to catch the bus in and also take a bag and a suitcase for me. We arrived three and a half hours before the flight was due to depart because we wanted to check in early. We had both come up with sob stories to aid us with the excess baggage. We came up with them separately and surprisingly enough they both had something to do with a death in the family and us sending things home.

90kg. That is the total weight of all my baggage. They gave us 25kg each, so we were effectively 40kg over the limit. At AUD$18 per kilo, well, you do the math. We both seemed unfazed when he told us the final amount. We just said 'OK'. A little while later, the guy said, is someone paying you? I said excuse me? He said, is someone paying the baggage charges for you, or is it coming out of your own pocket? I said, my own pocket. He said 'oh, I see'. I think because of our reaction when he told us the amount, he assumed we didn't care because it wasn't our money.

The flight was OK. My brother and I were seated next to one another. He stole my middle seat. We were seated next to a guy who looked exactly like Todd. My brother did not watch any of the movies or even listen to music during the flight. Instead, he decided to bother me and ask me to photograph him doing the various brace positions. I watched a French movie (of course) called L'Équipier which was about a seaman who was in the army and moved to work in a lighthouse. And of course there is the love affair with the married woman of his co-worker etc etc. It was good. Typical French movie though as far as setting and plot goes. But definitely made me want to go explore the country areas of France.

My cousin picked us up from the airport. When we got home, my brother walked in the front door as I was unloading the van. My mum started chasing him and trying to hug him, saying she hadn't seen him in 24 hours! He was running away. I said "hello, I'm home" and she didn't even come out and see me! And then I walked into the house and said "I'm outside unloading the van if you wanted to say hi", but nope, nothing. I walked in and put the boxes into the spare room in the front. Only after about 5 minutes from when I actually got home did my mum come and say hello!

Well, it's odd to be back home. Everyone keeps asking me what it feels like to be back, and I really don't know. So stop asking!!

Beautiful day

Today was such a beautiful day. It was 38 degrees, very hot, but the sun was shining and everything just felt really good. My baby brother flew in from Auckland this morning to help me get my stuff back home. I met him in the city and we did some shoe shopping (with a list, in and out of the store) and then had yum cha at the best Chinese restaurant in Melbourne, at Red Emperor at Southgate.

Then we went to Geelong. We caught the train down - I wanted to say goodbye to Ali's parents and his sister, and also just go back down there, as the last time I had been down was for his dad's 50th, which was in May. And it seemed fitting that I go as well seeing as though I spent so much time there before I moved over to Melbourne and I always felt at home there, and never had any worries as I sat infront of Eastern Beach with my fish and chips.

Gen picked up us from the train station and I saw their parents briefly before they had to leave. Gen took my brother and I down to Eastern Beach and we walked along the Esplanade. It was just so sunny, people everywhere, I haven't seen the Promenade that busy before - I suppose each time I had gone it wasn't during school holidays and I was the only person there.

They had erected the giant ferris wheel that was housed at Docklands nearly a year ago. I remember the first time I saw it - Alistair and I were driving back from Geelong and we had seen the ferris wheel on a travel show the night earlier and said we would stop by. It was so amazing, and I realised that I could see it on my walk to work every morning but for some reason had just never noticed it. It was so great to see it there in Geelong and I instantly recognised it.

We spent about an hour down at the beach, before heading back to Melbourne by car. My brother and I had KFC for dinner and we stayed at a hotel in the city, watching TV all night. It was actually quite fun. That's a typical Saturday night for me though. I even stayed up late enough to watch the beginning of Quizmania.

Well, one more sleep and I'm off to Auckland. I can't believe how fast the week has gone.

End of a chapter

Now playing: I'm Always There (Baywatch Theme) - Jim Jamison

I don't think that it has really sunk in yet, that I'm leaving Melbourne and heading back to Auckland. Today was my last day of work. It seems like only yesterday that I was emailing Emma with the subject "15 days, 4 hours, 32 minutes and 47 seconds". I made lamingtons last night for the shared morning tea - raspberry and lime ones.

I felt amazingly relaxed today at work. Still agitated and stressed like I always do, not being able to sit still on my chair, always kneeling on it somehow and spinning around, but even so, much more relaxed than I have been in the past couple of days. Tina made her infamous sausage rolls (the last time they will even be brought to a work spread, for reasons of which I won't go in to). I tidied up my desk, spent some time just hanging out with people and catching up. It didn't feel like a Friday at all, but it was good.

I make people cry. That's what I do. I was emailing Caroline today. She said she heard I was starting back on Monday and I said it was true.

From: Caroline Fotu

Sent: Friday, 16 February 2007 10:59 AM

To: Anthony King

Subject: RE: i heard

Oh okay! Well everyone is looking forward to having u back! They all excited! Don’t get a big head now lol

It was funny because everyone apparently is exciting I'm coming back to work and everyone here in Melbourne is sad that I'm leaving. Like, I must be a pretty wicked person to have that effect on people. And I know, I know, I'm so modest, but it makes me feel good that I can at least make an impact on people, whether positive or negative. The last thing I would want in this world is to be not remembered.

So, as I said, I made a couple of people cry. It started with Tina, who then made me cry. Then Emma, and even Ilijana just from watching everyone. I was leaving at the end of the day and Ilijana was on the phone and she put the customer on hold and we hugged and said goodbye and she just started welling up and started crying and I was thinking my god, I can't believe that someone like me can provoke these feelings in people!

And I am just as sad as everyone else, I really am, because I don't particularly want to go back to Auckland. In fact I don't want to go back at all but it's just something I have to do. The job itself here in Melbourne wasn't that great, but the people .. what can I say, they're the reason I've been waking up each morning for the past eight months that I've been single. When Ali and I broke up, there was really no reason for me to stay in Melbourne, but the people I work(ed) with, they are just great.

So, that was my day. It is slowly sinking in I think. And Quizmania - it's on in 40 minutes. Better get my phone charged, ready to ring.

Happy Valentines Day

Today is Valentines Day. It's been a while since I've been single on this day, it's good though because I don't have to do anything! I was on the tram on my way into the city and there were the odd couple kissing and making out (although I suppose this happens no matter what the day is) and a few people with some bunches of flowers, but not too many people. I think people are probably over it now. A bit like Christmas. It's not that much of a big deal to most people.

Emma and I went to Bay Street to buy some flowers for Rowan at lunch. I took an extra ten minutes for lunch. Apparently Ilijana was asked where I was, "where is Anthony, why is he gone, where is he?!" Ilijana said why would she know? Apparently everyone thought we had lunch together. I came back to work and acted like I wasn't late. Who cares - it's my last week anyway.

This evening I had the pleasure of Tina and Hanka's company. What better than to spend the most romantic day of the year in the presence of two ladies, wining and dining at the beautiful NewQuay. The atmosphere down there was just great and the weather was just perfect. There were so many restaurants to choose from and we ended up at Medici, which had a set menu but that was OK. Most of the places had Valentines Day menus and we didn't need a reservation here. The night was just great, talking and spending time outside of work. An adults dinner we called it. We had coffee and sat outside, it was 8.30pm and the sun was starting to set, just beautiful.

It was a great night. I felt good - I didn't spend the day alone, and two people had dinner with me over their own partners! Great weather, great company, great memories.

Three days to go

Now playing: Kelis - Lil' Star

It seems that for the past couple of days, all I have been doing is sleeping. I have just been so tired. I guess that's what moving and being stressed does to you. Work has been so busy because we have been understaffed. I am counting down the days (only three more working days left!). On the job front though for Auckland, I think I will be starting back at Telecom on Monday. Here's hoping, they have already set me up on the system and stuff so it looks good.

Today after work I had to go back to St Kilda and sign the bond claim form. Then I went back to collect a couple of things that I had left in the apartment (the other night I was looking for the tea and couldn't remember packing it - I even swore that I checked every cupboard before I left, seems like I didn't because the tea was waiting for me at the concierge desk!). On the way home it started raining would you believe. I walked to Red Rooster in the rain, where I bought dinner. The lady called me 'sir' and that made me feel good about myself. Then back to watch TV and nap.

The sky is just looking very beautiful. I remember when I used to walk home from work every day and I could always see the sun setting, it was so beautiful, the sky was the most amazing colour. I never used to have my camera on me. I miss walking home through Docklands, through the park. It's so nice and calming down there

Ana is back in Melbourne on Thursday, we are planning to meet up during the day and get smashed. I have three days sick leave left, pretty convenient! We are also doing a morning tea for my last day on Friday.

Well, that's all for now. The rest of the week will just fly past, I just know it.

One of those nights

If you've never known thirst, how can you appreciate water? If you've never known sadness, how will you recognise the value of joy? I'm going through the angst over my fear of the future. I feel bad, but I feel glad, because I know I'm merely at a point of comparison so that when the sun shines again, I'll see how truly blessed I am.

Because I'm leaving Melbourne this weekend, I'll just miss out on getting Westlife tickets. Oh damn.

Moving Day, again

I watched Quizmania this morning from about 1am for a couple of hours. Just before Emma and Rowan left the apartment, I asked whether or not it was on, and Rowan said it would be, but I thought it wouldn't be on Friday nights. But he was right, and it was, although it was on like an hour later than usual. I was so bad - I was meant to finish off packing and I didn't. Well, I didn't start packing until after midnight, when I had had the whole night to pack. I was just being lazy.

This morning was so stressful. I woke up at 6am and started packing and trying to tidy up. But then I got bored. Alistair came and took away my bags. Then Rowan and Emma came and they took away all my boxes, some of the sofa, some bedding, tables, TV and all the other stuff I didn't want. They were so great. They brought over a mop and some rubbish bags that I used to throw away everything. It was great - I had dirty dishes in the sink - straight into into rubbish bags they went. Rowan cleaned the whole balcony for me AND mopped the bathroom and kitchen floors!! And helped take all the boxes down to the car. And Emma made heaps of trips down to the car and to the rubbish area too. So helpful. It was odd to see the apartment so empty and bare again.

Their car was sooo full. I worked out they have been over at my apartment four out of the last seven days!

I returned my keys to the concierge after I left the apartment. It was just after midday. Emma kept asking me if I wanted some time alone before we left (I didn't). Robert, the nicest of all the concierge staff, was working today (just as he was last Saturday). He was so nice, he greeted me by my name and I thought, I am so going to miss this. He is so friendly. He said that they were sad to see me go. It was funny because he asked me for the 'resident moving out' form and pretty much the whole form was blank except my name! The form is where you write your moving company and request a time to actually move out. I think he realised over the last three days that we have been taking things down the lift in a sneaky fashion.

So it was sad to go. I will miss walking out of the big glass doors each morning to go to work. New adventures lie ahead.

One more sleep

Now playing: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Today at work, everyone kept wishing me well and the best for the future. Most of it was over the phone - when I was speaking with an account manager or someone in the warehouse. They would say at the end of the call, oh yeah, all the best. A couple of people, who don't work directly with me, came up to me in person and said it and shook my hand. I had to keep telling everyone that I had one more week.

Finally, when the tenth person gave me best wishes, I freaked out and started saying, maybe it IS my last day? Maybe I got the day wrong. And I kept asking everyone around me to see what they had heard. Some had heard Tuesday was my last day. Some thought it was today. Others knew it was next Friday. I confirmed that in fact I did have another week to go. Kind of sad, because I don't want to go to work, I think I need a break. Hopefully this coming week will go by so fast that I won't know what hit me.

We didn't talk to Sam today. Even people who weren't there last night didn't want to talk to him, they were pissed at him for just being 'Sam'. And then he went off to this meeting for an hour and didn't even tell anyone so people are against him. I wonder how long this will last. I'm pissed because now I don't have anyone to give my stuff to, so it means I have to throw it out.

Rowan picked Emma and I up from work and we drove back to the apartment in the van. Then we got Emma's car and drove to the petrol station to fill up the van, then back to return it. It was (according to them) very stressful. I wasn't driving, I was sitting in the back of the car (for some strange reason) and it was great. After we dropped off the van, we came back to the apartment and they filled up their car with some more furniture and stuff like that.

Tonight, I need to pack. So far I have only done one box, which isn't much. And cleaning. So much cleaning to do.

Pizza and beer (minus the beer)

Tonight I had some people over. Alistair, Emma, Ilijana, Monty and Rowan. After work Ilijana, Emma and I went to the bottle store on Bay Street. Then we picked Rowan up from work, and went to get a van we had rented to move my bed out of the apartment. Then it was back home and we started drinking and making pina coladas. And Alistair arrived and Monty came soon after. We had pizza for dinner. It was fun, wasn't a party as such, more just hanging out outside of work. Good times.

I didn't get drunk, although I did fall over a couple of times and apparently I walked into a door. We moved my queen size bed out of the apartment without being caught. Then we took the sofa down and one of the concierge staff was in the carpark walking around and we thought we were going to get caught! He knew we were there though, he just ignored us and made it seem like we were good at hiding. But we had all been drinking so we could have just over exaggerated the situation. Then Rowan pushed the sofa around the carpark on the wheels. It was funny.

Sam didn't come - he made other plans. Long story, but he was talking to his friend on the phone, loudly for people to hear, and he was making plans! But he didn't even tell anyone he wasn't going to make it. So we waited all afternoon for him to 'fess up and he didn't.

Two more nights. My apartment is looking a little bit emptier, still messy. The last Thursday night in my apartment. How sad. I missed Home and Away and Neighbours tonight :(

NZ 4th best in the world

According to the International Living travel website, the top four countries in the world to live are:

1. France
2. Australia
3. Netherlands
4. New Zealand

I have lived in Australia and New Zealand and I want to do France next, so it looks like I have good taste. France is the top country for the second year running.

Childs play

Now playing: Flawless - George Michael

Emma and Rowan just left, they brought me over three moving boxes, for moving! These boxes are great - they are quite large and what they don't know (yet anyway) is that I'm going to play in these boxes like little kids do. I have already set them up around the apartment and I've been hiding in them (from who, I don't know).

You do not want to know what we were talking about the two hours they were here. But I better write something otherwise I'll have nothing to say.

• human anatomy (mainly the uterus, ovaries and womb)
• the fact that Emma did not know what a kiwi was
• a 'mystery' boyfriend
• someone all three of us do not like

That last point took a good hour. Other things I did today, well I cleaned the bathroom, including the shower, while I was having one. I also cleaned the kitchen and the stove/oven. Did some vacuuming and listened to a lot of music. I did lots of singing and dancing today.

Last night I tidied up my wardrobe, all ready for putting into boxes, or suitcases. I'll see what happens. Tonight will be watching lots of TV. I missed So You Think You Can Dance last week because I was out with Ana. I already know who wins though because I was stupid enough to read it on Wikipedia. And more packing.

Shopping, guys, Melbourne is great!

Now playing: Lips of an Angel - Hinder

Woke up today and got my haircut. Pretty non eventful. Although, I was in the city waiting for a tram and they weren't due for ages. So, I ran down Collins Street because I didn't want to be late. It reminded me of when I used to live on Collins Street (the hairdressers was right next door to the apartment). I used to run down the four blocks to the supermarket after work to get some supplies. Good times.

Walked into Louis Vuitton and had to open the door myself. The doorman pretty much ignored me because I was wearing shorts and a tee and was carrying a plastic bag (I bought some stuff at the salon). So someone asked me if they could be of any assistance (she didn't really care, she didn't even look at me when she said it, she was looking at paperwork). I said yes. Can I please see the Brazza wallet. She said, the what? The brother wallet? I said no, Brazza. She said, can you please spell that. And so I did, in French too might I add (she was Japanese but they all speak French there anyway). She looked it up on the computer and she goes oh, the new one. It's right here. I had a quick look and said, OK, I'll take it. So I am now the proud owner of a new wallet. She followed me around the store after she realised I had money. I asked about the price of some jewellery - it wasn't as expensive as I had thought. The doorman opened the door for me and I didn't smile at him like I usually do when I look at people.

Emma is going to cut up my credit card when she comes over tomorrow.

Went to the markets and bought a weeks worth of food. Then went to the laundromat. I had to drop off some clothes and also pick up some drycleaning. I must say, the guy who was working there today was absolutely gorgeous. There are usually two people working on Saturdays there, he could have been there last week (I remember I was checking out one of them but he seemed so straight last week), but he was just there by himself today. He was very nice to me, I'm sure we had a moment, we were definitely flirting, that's for sure.

When I picked up my washing hours later and put them into the dryer, it was just him and I in the laundromat. We struck up a conversation. He asked me if I was having a good day and I said I was. He said good. I asked him the same question and he said he couldn't complain. Then Lips of an Angel started playing on the radio. I heard it for the first time this morning when I was getting dressed, because I was watching Video Hits and I thought, I must download this song, it's great. Anyway, it started playing and I smiled. Now whenever I hear this song, I bet I'll think of the laundromat worker. I do that - songs remind me of stuff. I can remember what I was doing the last time I heard a particular song, each person I know has a song that reminds me of them. Not even lyrically speaking. More like a memory.

I have started packing. One week from now I'll be out of this place. I will miss it. They are so nice to me. Today, Robert, the nicest of all the Concierge staff at Yve called me and said, have you vacated your apartment? I just received a form and someone is moving into your apartment!! I said oh, no, I'm vacating next week. He said, would you be so kind as to drop by the Concierge Desk some time and fill out a vacating premises form? We just need it for our records. I said sure, no problem. He wished me a nice day. Anyway, I came back this morning from shopping and pressed the counter bell and he came out and said "Hello, Anthony" and told me about the form and everything. Like, it's great living here, the staff know all the residents by name and apartment. It's nice coming home from work at night and being greeted by your name and have someone ask how you are. It's a nice touch and I'm going to miss it when I move out!

Off to do some more packing. The Brady Bunch Movie is on TV this evening. Just in case you were wondering what I'll be doing tonight. Also, Spy Game is on, so I'm not that much of a loser.

What is a kiwi?

Rowan said it best. "New Zealanders or a Native Bird to New Zealand or a type of fruit originally coming from China".

Emma and I were singing Old MacDonald today (via email) and I started off with a cow. So we did the "moo moo here, and a moo moo there" thing. Then we went on to a kiwi. Turns out, she didn't know there was such an animal called a kiwi. I asked her if she could take a guess as to which animal grouping it could be - a type of cat, bird, fish? She seemed to think it was something like a Tasmanian Devil. It wasn't. I nearly died.

What else happened today. Well, I went to see Athena and the gang. I was walking up and they all shouted look, it's Anthony. Here he comes! It was a bit awkward because I hadn't met any of them before but we all shook hands and said hello. We were all standing in a circle talking about how I was moving back to Auckland. I just pictured them naked and the awkwardness seemed to just disappear.

Funny things about Melbourne:

• all the taxis are yellow
• they don't have ads between TV programmes
• hook turns

My apartment building was featured in the City Weekly today, that was a fun read. I was also asked today if I was going to transfer to our Auckland office, I laughed.

Conversation of the day
AK> Who is Mike? Is he new?
CJ> He took over *****, it's because she's pregnant
AK> WHAT? With who?
CJ> I know! Who would sleep with someone that dumb!