Driving

Now playing: Relax, Take It Easy - Mika

Today is Good Friday. I went to work anyway for the day, partly because I had a lot of work to catch up on, and partly because I had dollar signs flashing in my head. It was an OK day, nothing outrageous happened. It was very quiet, so many people said they would be there but weren't so it was pretty average. Actually, I was very sleepy and came home and my head went straight to my pillow.

Just got back from a 90 minute drive with Tim. It has been so long since I went driving at night through Auckland - I think the last time was with Stacey, we went driving for hours that time, music pumping, around Devonport and Mission Bay and all this just random stuff. That was fun. Anyway, tonight was great because it brought back heaps of memories of just chilling out with friends. And since I've been back in Auckland as well I haven't actually ventured off the bus route, so it was good to drive along familiar streets and past the houses of people I used to know.

Mika. I'm officially obsessed. I cannot get his songs stuck out of my head. I've watched his interview on the French music TV channel Taratata over a hundred times already. I don't think I can listen to Grace Kelly without wanting to get up and sing, so I've been careful not to play it on my iPod when I'm on the bus or at work.

Well, I suppose it's time to start my One Tree Hill marathon.

One Tree Hill

Now playing: Grace Kelly - Mika

I've borrowed the first two seasons of One Tree Hill from Stacey and my plan is to do a marathon this long weekend. I doubt that I'll get through much though, but I'll try my best!

My Celebrity Look-alikes

Sixty six bits of fish and chips

I was speaking on the phone to someone today and he said after a bit of conversation, are you an Aussie? I said no, and then thought about it and said well, I did just move back from Melbourne where I was living for a year and a half, but .. I should hope that I don't sound like one of them. He said well, it's the way you say 'six', you sound like an Australian when you say it. I laughed and said oh, yeah, I know why. It's because when I was over there I was so conscious of saying it (especially when our codes to customers had so many sixes in them) that each time I said it I had to try and hide the real accent.

It's funny, I remember when I came back to Auckland for a visit during Mother's Day and I was noticing the heavy New Zealand accent on TV, especially the music channels. Even people like Bernice Mene, who is on the Centrum ad, her accent is typical of a New Zealander. I remmeber when I went back to Melbourne and even though I had just been back in Auckland for two days, I started with the accent again and customers were saying, you're a Kiwi aren't you. I had to say yeah, I just got back from Auckland and I think I picked it up again.

Highlights of the week. Well, today we had afternoon tea catered for us which was very nice. The weather here has just been shocking - I've made good use out of my umbrella. It is a bit of a shock to come from Melbourne where it had been so warm to Auckland where it is just so cold. The rain here has been heavy and winds are gusty. It was like the Friday before Christmas last year when I went to the laundromat and got soaked.

Monday I was given my contract at work to sign, I have seven days to return it, I'll probably sign it over the weekend. I should really get my lawyer to look over it. But that's more money to spend isn't it. Other than that, that's pretty much been my week.

Tonight will be the first night that I've gotten to bed before 9.15pm in a long time....

Day out

This morning I was at work by 8.15am. We were about a week behind on Monday with our work and we finally cut that back to about a day and a half by yesterday. I decided that I would work today it's extra money, plus I don't want to have to do it during the week on top of the new work.

The joys of having a macro. I sped through about a days worth of processing in four hours. I suppose I could have gone the long way because then I would have been paid for a days work. But I suppose if I had been using the macro during the week, we wouldn't have been behind so then I wouldn't need to be working. I guess that means ... macros make doing work faster, doing work fast means less overtime, less overtime means less money, therefore don't use macros. It helped today though because the last thing I wanted to do on my Saturday was work.

I met my brother for lunch and we went to Skycity. Then we went to Louis Vuitton and had a look around. I was going through a catalogue and saw something that I really want. They don't have any in New Zealand at the moment, there will be a display model coming soon though. I want it but I don't think I'll ever buy it because it's expensive for what it is, and for how often I'd use it. I might settle for the tie perhaps. Even the shirt though in the same Hibiscus print is really pretty.

We went browsing all of the boutiques - Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Hermes, Dior. He ended up getting some bubble tea and we sat at the train station deciding where to go next. I wanted some jewellery so off we went. We ended up back at Louis Vuitton and tried on a bracelet - very nice, perfect fit. It's on. It's the new "I want". Maybe next week.

Off we went to look for some more jewellery. We ended up at Fabric on High Street and when we walked in, I immediately saw the Dior Homme stand of jewellery. The had the bracelets that I was looking for all over Melbourne and found that you could only get them from Assin. So, we decided to get them. We got one each, I got the 'YOU' and my brother got the 'ME' bracelet. So it was a good day.

Playhouse

This evening after work, a group of us went down to The Playhouse for drinks. Emma used to work at Telecom before heading back to Ireland around the same time I left for Melbourne. She came back to Auckland for a wedding of one of our workmates and is leaving tomorrow, so we all decided to catch up.

It was a sense of deja vu in that we were having drinks celebrating her going away just as we did 18 months ago. The same people were there, no one more, no one less. We ate the same food, we talked about the same things. It was so strange. It was weird because it felt like I had never even left and that we had been sitting there talking for the last 18 months of my life. Crazy.

I didn't have my camera on me at the time but I thought, seeing as though the same people were there and we sat at the same table, why not just put up pictures from when we did it last time? So I have.

I got my usual vodka and lemonade. The guy who made it for me first did it just how I like it - in a tall glass, one shot with a wedge of lemon. When I went back for another one, this girl made it for me. You could tell she was new, she was English and probably didn't know what the hell she was doing. Anyway, she put the one shot in a small tumbler with lemon, basically because the glass was so small and it was basically equal parts of vodka and lemon, the drink itself tasted like shit, and she charged me the same as well. But oh well, it definitely kicked in.

I'm sweet

Now playing: High - Lighthouse Family

Today is Karen's birthday. I sent her an email wishing her a Happy Birthday and wished her a good time with her brother, who she had told me while I was living there, that he was flying over from New Zealand to spend her birthday with her. She emailed me back and had this to say.

From: Karen Kennedy
Sent: Thu 8/03/2007 1:54 PM
To: Anthony King
Subject: RE: Happy Birthday

Anthony,

Thank you so much for the good wishes thats really nice of you to remember, I have to say we miss you and the world would be a much nice place if there were more anthonys in it.

again thanks

Karen

I thought that was really nice and it made me smile for the whole day. Ilijana told me that Karen was telling everyone that I had emailed her and Tina said that Karen was rapt to hear from me and she had a tear in her eye. Emma said that apparently "I'm sweet". I can't help it. It's just me!

Because that wasn't awkward...

Now playing: Incredible - Shapeshifters

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.