So the interview was extended to FIVE DAYS so that interview girl could meet the director of my company tomorrow. I've never even heard of a five day interview, even for CEOs! She also had two phone interviews and a skype interview before this, and had come by and met everyone about 6 months ago. This is for a position that is definitely the lowest salary and lowest on the totem pole in my company--basically just slightly below my role in the hierarchy. And for only a year-long contract.
They've spent oodles of money flying this girl out from 6 hours away (at least a $1K return flight), putting her up in a flashy hotel, paying for all her meals, and at least 6 people have lost 2-3 days of work each to entertain and interview her and keep her busy.
Meanwhile, my boss has told the other candidate that if it is up to her, she will get the job (and it IS up to her, ultimately).
I don't know what we're doing. What is the point of this? No one can give me a straight answer, and we haven't even advertised the position. Are we going to have to do this for every single candidate once it gets advertised widely?? I can't handle it.
I guess the good part is that I got a free lunch and dinner on the company because of it. Last night we went out to dinner and the three of us spent $155 (including a $55 pitcher of daiquiris...yum). The night before, another coworker took her out to a 5 star dinner at the fancy Eight buffet at the Langham--apparently that cost $170 for two people! Holy...!
My part of the interview process is over, but the bad part is that I spent almost 2 whole days with her, only about 2 hours of which were absolutely necessary. And not including meals. I had a major deadline this week, and now I've already missed it. It's a time sensitive project, so I'm quite annoyed that this was shoved on me like I had nothing better to do.
I've also learned just how bad one of my coworkers is at planning. This coworker was in charge of interview girl's schedule, but bungled every single item on the list somehow. Don't understand how this coworker still has their job!! Thank goodness I don't have to deal with them for most of my work...
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Reminder
I. feel. amazing! after working out. I need to make sure I do this every day, so I wanted to remind myself somewhere.
EVERY DAY.
Luckily today it was sunny and a decent temperature to work out after work today, so I could go on my run. I forget how much I love it until I'm actually about 10 minutes into it. After that point, something in my brain clicks off and I zone out. I go into a mechanical auto-pilot. I don't think up amazing ideas during my runs like some people do--my brain completely shuts down, in a very good way. Kind of like taking a nap?
Today was also Day 1 of the four day interview of this girl who applied for my officemate's position (officemate is getting her PhD). I'm on the interview panel, and it is totally great that I get to weigh in on who I am going to work closely with, but four days...what are they thinking?! It went well, but I could tell that she is bewildered about the length of the interview. She left her city at midnight last night, arrived in Auckland at 6 am, and went straight from the airport to our office building to start her interview. I can't imagine...a full day interview on no sleep?! Poor thing...
My portion of the day was just getting to know her and seeing if we could get along well enough to do the job together if my bosses decide that she fits the position. I also was in charge of telling her about the job and the specific details of the projects that I do, and getting a feel for whether she could handle the duties of the position & had the necessary background. She seems fantastic, and I'd think she'd fit in just fine.
But still, this other freelancer girl is vying for the position. She already fits in well and is doing the work required of the position. She basically has it locked. I don't know what is going to happen now. I feel so bad for this interview girl, that she is spending so much time and energy on this!
To add insult to injury, our in-house asst. director, who is for some reason in charge of her schedule, surprised the interview girl today and told her she had to give a presentation on Wednesday. A day and a half away. Whhaaaaa?? That should definitely be something that is communicated to the interviewee before traveling 6 hours by plane. This isn't a test of her flexibility, either--it is just that our guy is SO BAD at his job that he failed to tell her until today. I think I would have started crying if someone told me that during a four day interview.
He also decided, on a whim, that my officemate and I were going to dinner with her tonight. Unfortunately, we both have plans this evening, so we can't make it. That just makes us look really bad as a company! How about checking with me before you schedule my off-time, buddy?! Also, he scheduled me to give her a tour of our labs tomorrow at 2 pm, but I already have another meeting at that time that I can't get out of! AND the lab managers need at least three days' notice if they are needed after 1 pm, because of their semi-retirement schedule. He also thinks that we can walk from campus to a restaurant that is 15 minutes away, order, eat, and walk back in an hour. Hahahaha. I told him my suggestions for his schedule last week (not knowing that *I* was the one doing the lab tour), but he didn't change one thing on it. I've already complained to my bosses that this was unacceptable and completely unprofessional.
Also weird? I don't think they are advertising this position. I can't find any evidence of it online and the interview girl told me that she heard about it through one of my bosses. Maybe my boss is trying to keep my old co-worker from finding out about it because she told my old coworker that there was no money for her position anymore when she didn't renew her contract? (In reality, my boss didn't like working with this particular employee, nor did anyone else.) Odd...
EVERY DAY.
Luckily today it was sunny and a decent temperature to work out after work today, so I could go on my run. I forget how much I love it until I'm actually about 10 minutes into it. After that point, something in my brain clicks off and I zone out. I go into a mechanical auto-pilot. I don't think up amazing ideas during my runs like some people do--my brain completely shuts down, in a very good way. Kind of like taking a nap?
Today was also Day 1 of the four day interview of this girl who applied for my officemate's position (officemate is getting her PhD). I'm on the interview panel, and it is totally great that I get to weigh in on who I am going to work closely with, but four days...what are they thinking?! It went well, but I could tell that she is bewildered about the length of the interview. She left her city at midnight last night, arrived in Auckland at 6 am, and went straight from the airport to our office building to start her interview. I can't imagine...a full day interview on no sleep?! Poor thing...
My portion of the day was just getting to know her and seeing if we could get along well enough to do the job together if my bosses decide that she fits the position. I also was in charge of telling her about the job and the specific details of the projects that I do, and getting a feel for whether she could handle the duties of the position & had the necessary background. She seems fantastic, and I'd think she'd fit in just fine.
But still, this other freelancer girl is vying for the position. She already fits in well and is doing the work required of the position. She basically has it locked. I don't know what is going to happen now. I feel so bad for this interview girl, that she is spending so much time and energy on this!
To add insult to injury, our in-house asst. director, who is for some reason in charge of her schedule, surprised the interview girl today and told her she had to give a presentation on Wednesday. A day and a half away. Whhaaaaa?? That should definitely be something that is communicated to the interviewee before traveling 6 hours by plane. This isn't a test of her flexibility, either--it is just that our guy is SO BAD at his job that he failed to tell her until today. I think I would have started crying if someone told me that during a four day interview.
He also decided, on a whim, that my officemate and I were going to dinner with her tonight. Unfortunately, we both have plans this evening, so we can't make it. That just makes us look really bad as a company! How about checking with me before you schedule my off-time, buddy?! Also, he scheduled me to give her a tour of our labs tomorrow at 2 pm, but I already have another meeting at that time that I can't get out of! AND the lab managers need at least three days' notice if they are needed after 1 pm, because of their semi-retirement schedule. He also thinks that we can walk from campus to a restaurant that is 15 minutes away, order, eat, and walk back in an hour. Hahahaha. I told him my suggestions for his schedule last week (not knowing that *I* was the one doing the lab tour), but he didn't change one thing on it. I've already complained to my bosses that this was unacceptable and completely unprofessional.
Also weird? I don't think they are advertising this position. I can't find any evidence of it online and the interview girl told me that she heard about it through one of my bosses. Maybe my boss is trying to keep my old co-worker from finding out about it because she told my old coworker that there was no money for her position anymore when she didn't renew her contract? (In reality, my boss didn't like working with this particular employee, nor did anyone else.) Odd...
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Slight Raise
Every once in a while, about twice a year, I come into my office and there is an envelope on my desk. Like Pavlov's dog, I greet this envelope with excitement and curiosity, as it has always indicated either a raise or a bonus, without fail.
Tonight I wandered into my office to do some catch-up work for the week ahead, and the envelope was waiting for me. A $1,530 raise! Backpaid from January 1 on April 1! Just a little bump in pay, but every bit helps. :)
Tonight I wandered into my office to do some catch-up work for the week ahead, and the envelope was waiting for me. A $1,530 raise! Backpaid from January 1 on April 1! Just a little bump in pay, but every bit helps. :)
Oh Taxes
Doing your US taxes are so boring when you know you have no hope of getting anything back nor owe (i.e., you solely earn wages in a country where the foreign income exclusion law applies). The End.
(but at least they are done.)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Pregnant
HAHA. No, not me...sorry, that was a dirty trick.
One of my last holdouts of all my friends just announced that she's pregnant! I can't tell you how many conversations we had about how we didn't want kids, the last one being just last August, but I totally understand her position: her husband desperately has wanted kids since they started going out. He is 5 years older than my friend, patiently waited 7 years until she was ready to get married to ask her to marry him, and then waited another 4 years of marriage for her to agree to get pregnant. She is a wonderful, loving, intensely kind person, and he is so funny and patient (obviously) and smart. They will be fantastic parents & I am SO happy that they will be pouring their respective great qualities into another human being.
But it does feel very weird to be the only one left. My friends have started getting pregnant since I was 17 years old. Until I was about 26, hearing about friends getting pregnant made me cringe a bit--especially for the 17 to 22 year old bunch, it just seemed like it was way too early, they'd be missing out on so much, and they were just kids themselves. Back then, I didn't give it much thought--it was kind of a given that when you got older, you got married and had kids. It is what everyone does, so I thought I would obviously follow suit.
When I was 26, it started to make a little more sense when my friends talked about kids, but by that time I had completely reversed my position on having children--I just plain don't have the urge to have one. Somewhere in there, I stopped thinking about what everyone else did and expected of me, and started to really think about what I wanted for me, and children in no way factor into the plan I have for myself.
Every time I heard about another friend getting pregnant after the age of ~28 or so, I cheered because these people were all in really good positions to have them. They all will be really great parents, and these kids will no doubt get a really good, balanced upbringing. That is what we need more of in this world. I didn't have any sort of urge to have kids myself, but I was glad that good people that I knew were having them.
Nowadays, in my early 30's, it's all over. Even my online friends are pregnant! Not that it is a reason to have them, but now I kind of feel like I'll be totally left out if I don't ever get married and have kids. With this recent announcement, aside for my happy feelings for my friends, personally, I was completely thrown. Today I started to get twinges of feeling like everyone else has passed me in the race of life and I will be alone forever if I don't make a move soon. Is that my biological clock that I hear ticking? If so, it just got activated and it feels more like a ticking time bomb.
This is what I mean when I complain about not having more friends my age here in NZ--my 23 year old NZ friends just cannot relate to this feeling. I remember having a pseudo-quarter-life crisis at 24-26, but this is so much worse. It is this horrible feeling of playing catch-up and constantly feeling like I haven't made it far enough and am not as far as I wanted to go, and time is running out. It started for me when I turned 30, and has only intensified since. I've always been a late bloomer, emotionally running years behind my chronological age compared to my peers, but kids have a chronological age limit on them, so the contrast has thrown me for a loop. Using my normal schedule, I'll be married right at about the time I hit 40, but by that time it will be dangerous and so much scarier to have kids.
So, if you are of this age (33) and are in my position (single and childless, and don't want kids but all your friends have had them), is this a normal feeling? Does it mean I want kids now just so I'm not left behind or alone? Will it suddenly change to me wanting kids? I'm so confused. What a mess. I'm just glad I have a few years to figure it out and don't have to make a decision right this instant!
One of my last holdouts of all my friends just announced that she's pregnant! I can't tell you how many conversations we had about how we didn't want kids, the last one being just last August, but I totally understand her position: her husband desperately has wanted kids since they started going out. He is 5 years older than my friend, patiently waited 7 years until she was ready to get married to ask her to marry him, and then waited another 4 years of marriage for her to agree to get pregnant. She is a wonderful, loving, intensely kind person, and he is so funny and patient (obviously) and smart. They will be fantastic parents & I am SO happy that they will be pouring their respective great qualities into another human being.
But it does feel very weird to be the only one left. My friends have started getting pregnant since I was 17 years old. Until I was about 26, hearing about friends getting pregnant made me cringe a bit--especially for the 17 to 22 year old bunch, it just seemed like it was way too early, they'd be missing out on so much, and they were just kids themselves. Back then, I didn't give it much thought--it was kind of a given that when you got older, you got married and had kids. It is what everyone does, so I thought I would obviously follow suit.
When I was 26, it started to make a little more sense when my friends talked about kids, but by that time I had completely reversed my position on having children--I just plain don't have the urge to have one. Somewhere in there, I stopped thinking about what everyone else did and expected of me, and started to really think about what I wanted for me, and children in no way factor into the plan I have for myself.
Every time I heard about another friend getting pregnant after the age of ~28 or so, I cheered because these people were all in really good positions to have them. They all will be really great parents, and these kids will no doubt get a really good, balanced upbringing. That is what we need more of in this world. I didn't have any sort of urge to have kids myself, but I was glad that good people that I knew were having them.
Nowadays, in my early 30's, it's all over. Even my online friends are pregnant! Not that it is a reason to have them, but now I kind of feel like I'll be totally left out if I don't ever get married and have kids. With this recent announcement, aside for my happy feelings for my friends, personally, I was completely thrown. Today I started to get twinges of feeling like everyone else has passed me in the race of life and I will be alone forever if I don't make a move soon. Is that my biological clock that I hear ticking? If so, it just got activated and it feels more like a ticking time bomb.
This is what I mean when I complain about not having more friends my age here in NZ--my 23 year old NZ friends just cannot relate to this feeling. I remember having a pseudo-quarter-life crisis at 24-26, but this is so much worse. It is this horrible feeling of playing catch-up and constantly feeling like I haven't made it far enough and am not as far as I wanted to go, and time is running out. It started for me when I turned 30, and has only intensified since. I've always been a late bloomer, emotionally running years behind my chronological age compared to my peers, but kids have a chronological age limit on them, so the contrast has thrown me for a loop. Using my normal schedule, I'll be married right at about the time I hit 40, but by that time it will be dangerous and so much scarier to have kids.
So, if you are of this age (33) and are in my position (single and childless, and don't want kids but all your friends have had them), is this a normal feeling? Does it mean I want kids now just so I'm not left behind or alone? Will it suddenly change to me wanting kids? I'm so confused. What a mess. I'm just glad I have a few years to figure it out and don't have to make a decision right this instant!
Ticking Along
I have no major financial updates or news-worthy proclamations or specific topics in mind for the blog lately...I'm just sort of running dry on the finance posts, and nothing in my life is changing much. Far from a bad thing, this is what I crave: stability and boringness. Change happens no matter what, so I am enjoying the lull while knowing that life can (and will!) throw me a curveball any second now. Even with the lack of good blog gossip, I still love my blog more than ever! So here we go: another rambling post detailing random events in my life:
*Oh! This one is finance-related: I rented out the garage again, just today. I put an ad up on Gumtree last Saturday, and someone wrote me on Tuesday wanting to rent it immediately. He didn't flake, he came tonight and signed the handy garage lease I found on the internet, and we're good to go! $18 per week more in my pocket for the next 6 months (he pays $36 pw, my roommate and I each get half). Best thing? He won't even use the garage Monday - Thursday so if I have a rental or a friend coming over I can still use the spot those days. So easy, and my rent just automagically decreased from ~$840/mo to $768/mo.
*Downside to the above? Dude keeps texting me to go on a date and wants to friend me on facebook and hang out and stuff. I'm like, guy, you were born in 1986. I'm EIGHT YEARS older than you, thanks but no thanks. I would like a polite, friendly distance between me and my garage tenants. I wouldn't mind having another friend, but no complications, please. By the way? My cutoff is 5 years younger than me, and that is stretching it...
*I am swamped with deadlines at work in the next week, and people keep scheduling effing meetings and other obligations for me to do instead. How do I get all of my work done if I'm in meetings and babysitting people all day?! (See: The Other Side)
*Two work trips (maybe one to Welly (!) & a definite one to Palmerston North (boo?)) are in the pipeline for the next few weeks. Potentially another one to Taupo...
*I have two friends that are committed to traveling somewhere on the North Island and camping out over the 4 day Easter holiday. One of those friends has a car, saving us rental costs. SC-uh-ORE!
*My performance review still hasn't been scheduled. What a surprise.
*I had a game night at my house tonight! I love them, they are so fun. Only one person drank anything, which is great--I love that I know people who don't need to drink at every single social event. It would have been good for all of us to have one or two to take the edge off, though--there were some awkward moments and weird silences that I didn't know how to fill. As the hostess, I feel like that is my duty, and I am not always sure how to handle it.
*Winter is looming. It has started to rain every afternoon, after being gorgeous and sunny in the AM. I don't know if I can deal with too many more Auckland winters.
Friday, March 25, 2011
A New Zealand Itinerary from a Resident
Through all of my travels, I've learned that the best way to travel is to know a local. I've been in NZ for nearly 3 years now, and have explored most of it! (Almost...have never been to Gisborne or Napier and need to explore Wellington more.) I did my first road trip around NZ over a month long field trip in grad school in 2004, so I know of what I speak.
I decided to share the itinerary that my mom, sister, and I are doing later this year in the hopes that someone else would find it useful. The items on the list are expensive, but they are highlights of NZ, must-not-misses for those traveling around NZ (in my opinion) and who only have a week and a half to see those highlights. It's also geared towards those that are more of the car window tourists: bungee-jumper/extreme hiker-types will find this itinerary lacking in many respects. Budget for this trip to be posted another day soon.
Day 1. Fly from USA/Europe/wherever to AKL.
Day 2. Lose a day in transit (stupid international date line).
Day 3. Arrive in Auckland. Stay awake to get over jet lag! Tourist shopping on queen st. Ferry harbour cruise. Go up Sky tower ($) OR visit the Mt Eden summit (free). Ferry to hike rangitoto? all great options to see an overview of city and to stay awake long enough to start defeating the sleepies.
Day 4. North to woodworking shop to buy kauri wood (this one is specific to my mom--she and my dad are really into woodworking these days). See large northland Kauri trees. See hot pink sheep at Sheepworld. Maybe take in a sheep shearing show? see the gannet colony at Muriwai Beach on the way back. See sunset on west coast beaches (piha/muriwai/etc.)
Day 5. south to Waitomo Glowworm cave boat tour in AM; Te Puia dinner show in PM in Rotorua. Stay overnight in Rotorua. find hot pools to soak.
Day 6. free day to explore north island; zorbing? Luging? Chairlift? taupo excursion? tauranga/mt manganui? coromandel? Back to Auckland in PM. Pack for S. Island.
Day 7. Fly to Hokitika from Auckland. Drive north to pancake rocks, stop to see glaciers. Stay night in Franz Josef. go on night walk to glowworm grotto.
Day 8. Take heli-hike on a glacier in AM. Drive and spend night in Wanaka.
Day 9. Drive to Te Anau via Queenstown. Night in Te Anau.
Day 10. Do Milford sound cruise. Night in Te Anau.
Day 11. Drive to Dunedin. See penguins in PM on Otago Peninsula for free (Pilot's Beach; Nov - March best; penguins come in just after sunset; DO NOT TAKE FLASH PICTURES of the penguins--it hurts their eyes)
Day 12. Explore Otago Peninsula and Dunedin. Fly back to auckland in PM.
Did you know that there are penguins in Auckland? My roommate saw them coming onto shore on Waiheke last week. Apparently there are a several pair that live under the Matiatia ferry dock. I think sightings are much rarer there than they are in Dunedin, though.
Interviewing Skills--The Other Side
I'm on an interview panel at work for an effing THREE DAY INTERVIEW next week, out of the blue. I have to have a one-on-one session with the candidate for 4 hours one day, take her out to lunch another day, sit through her one hour presentation and another 4 hour panel interview the next. All for a job similar to mine, which is for the lowest rung on the totem pole position. I mean, I love my job, but it isn't hard. It doesn't take a genius to do (obviously), or exceptionally specialized skills, or anything. Nothing that warrants 3 days of torture for someone! All for a position that is all but filled by one of our freelance, recently graduated students that is 100% perfect for the job and really wants it and it fits in with her career goals. We are all going to vote for the freelancer to get the job, we love her and she does fantastic work and is great to work with. It just seems like a huge waste of time for the interviewers as well as the poor interviewee. I've never done an interview that was more than 4 hours long!
So...any tips on interviewing people? I have never done so and just plain don't have time to research it, given the insanely quick timing and all of the other deadlines I have going on. I am glad they are considering my opinion when hiring someone that I will work with closely, but dang if I don't resent the time investment for what I consider a done deal already! A meet-n-greet over lunch, sure, I can see how that would be beneficial. But all this time wasted on someone who probably will not get the job? Nope.
So...any tips on interviewing people? I have never done so and just plain don't have time to research it, given the insanely quick timing and all of the other deadlines I have going on. I am glad they are considering my opinion when hiring someone that I will work with closely, but dang if I don't resent the time investment for what I consider a done deal already! A meet-n-greet over lunch, sure, I can see how that would be beneficial. But all this time wasted on someone who probably will not get the job? Nope.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Australia Budget Right On Track
Actual Spend:
$830.14 accommodation (one night free; 15 nights)
$376.39 activities (Crocodile park; Great Barrier Reef snorkel cruise; Whitsunday Islands sail)
$809.18 airfare (AKL-->Melbs; Melbs-->Cairns; Brisbane-->AKL)
$68.68 alcohol (for only 3 drinks...aaaccchhhh that hurts!)
$109.44 communication (stamps, phone SIM and top ups, postcards)
$229.63 eating out (3 big dinners out--mexican, thai, & pizza, the rest fast food and smoothies and goodies!)
$235.66 gas (down great ocean road and cairns to brisbane)
$241.64 groceries (lots of salad stuff!)
$335.65 shopping (AMAZING shopping...wish I had an extra suitcase and more luggage kgs!)
$575.50 transportation (car rentals, bus and tram fares, parking fees, etc.)
$124.26 travel necessities (laundry, internet, locker fees, earplugs, airport trolley, etc.)
$3,936.17 NZD total
Budget: $4000 NZD
WHEW! Just under the wire there. I'm sure there are a few things I forgot, too, to bring the total to an even $4K.
Roughly, I spent $55 per day on accommodation, just in twin rooms in hostels. Would have been less but the last two days I spent $72 per night on a private room (friend left early).
Spent $15 per day on groceries, and $14 per day on eating out, roughly $30 per day on food! Not bad at all. I brought a soft cooler to use in the car, and we froze water bottles each night at the hostel to keep in the soft cooler.
Spent $50 per day on the car rental and gas.
We didn't go completely cheap, but we did everything we wanted to do as cheaply as possible, if that makes sense! Bought groceries for our breakfasts and lunches and most of our dinners and snacks, and stayed in twin rooms in hostels (~$30 to $40 a night each). Most of the cost of accommodation, gas, car rental, and food was split with one other person. One night we spent the night with friends who offered up their floor to us--fantastic!
I could spend days recounting all that we did, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
$830.14 accommodation (one night free; 15 nights)
$376.39 activities (Crocodile park; Great Barrier Reef snorkel cruise; Whitsunday Islands sail)
$809.18 airfare (AKL-->Melbs; Melbs-->Cairns; Brisbane-->AKL)
$68.68 alcohol (for only 3 drinks...aaaccchhhh that hurts!)
$109.44 communication (stamps, phone SIM and top ups, postcards)
$229.63 eating out (3 big dinners out--mexican, thai, & pizza, the rest fast food and smoothies and goodies!)
$235.66 gas (down great ocean road and cairns to brisbane)
$241.64 groceries (lots of salad stuff!)
$335.65 shopping (AMAZING shopping...wish I had an extra suitcase and more luggage kgs!)
$575.50 transportation (car rentals, bus and tram fares, parking fees, etc.)
$124.26 travel necessities (laundry, internet, locker fees, earplugs, airport trolley, etc.)
$3,936.17 NZD total
Budget: $4000 NZD
WHEW! Just under the wire there. I'm sure there are a few things I forgot, too, to bring the total to an even $4K.
Roughly, I spent $55 per day on accommodation, just in twin rooms in hostels. Would have been less but the last two days I spent $72 per night on a private room (friend left early).
Spent $15 per day on groceries, and $14 per day on eating out, roughly $30 per day on food! Not bad at all. I brought a soft cooler to use in the car, and we froze water bottles each night at the hostel to keep in the soft cooler.
Spent $50 per day on the car rental and gas.
We didn't go completely cheap, but we did everything we wanted to do as cheaply as possible, if that makes sense! Bought groceries for our breakfasts and lunches and most of our dinners and snacks, and stayed in twin rooms in hostels (~$30 to $40 a night each). Most of the cost of accommodation, gas, car rental, and food was split with one other person. One night we spent the night with friends who offered up their floor to us--fantastic!
I could spend days recounting all that we did, but I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
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| Ned Kelly's armor, Melbourne library. He was a very interesting person in Australian history. |
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| Melbourne from St. Kilda |
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| St Kilda penguin! |
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| Great Ocean Road loveliness |
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| wild koala. I die. |
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| Anglesea kangaroo! |
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| No comment |
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| cassowary. cross between a turkey and a velociraptor |
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| she is angry. |
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| zoo koala I got to pet. I die again. Look at those EARS!!! |
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| Not cool. |
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| Millaa Millaa Falls |
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| Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays |
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| see the gorilla face? |
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| Basically all it did the entire trip. |
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| Ibis wandering the streets of Brisbane. |
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| so neat! |
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| coral madness, Great Barrier Reef |
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Indian Summer
It's well into March, and although we had a cold spell for a few days a week or so ago (during which I actually turned on my heater for the first time in months!), summer seems to have returned for a bit. I'm loving it! I'm going to Waiheke on Sunday. It's about a 40 min ferry ride from Auckland, and has basically a totally different climate than Aucks--usually warmer and sunnier! It's where myriad glitterati and world famous such as Jay-Z & Beyonce and Bill Gates (or so I've been told) have houses in NZ, so it's a pretty posh place, with lots of vineyards and beaches. I hope to do some hiking, swimming, and watch my friends wine-taste (I hate the taste of wine and am horrifically allergic to it on top of that--I get a raging headache about a half hour after drinking even a sip).
I'm also in the throes of a performance review at work, finalizing my mom and sister's trip to NZ/Oz this December, and making sure I get everything done that needs to be done at work and home.
My performance review consists mostly of me reviewing my bosses and company instead of the other way around. It is so great that they take my wants so seriously and accommodate and support me and my vision for my career so thoroughly. Just when I start to get worried that my job is taking a turn away from where I want it to go, I mention it and my bosses jump to correct the turn. Again, I will reiterate my want: IWantToMoveToDCAndGetAPuppyAndLiveNearMyParentsAgain. But how on Earth do I give this up?? Something has to happen to force my hand, because this is it: my dream job. Fun work, relaxed schedule, great people, as much time off as I want, great balance of short term projects with stable long term ones, every day is different, oodles of opportunities to learn new skills, advancing my career in the direction and field of study I want it to go, opportunities to publish and present and pad my resume like WHOA, and I make enough money to live how I want (I certainly don't feel deprived) and save for everything that I think is important.
The bills from my mom and sister's trip to NZ and Oz are piling up. But that is ok: a) I've already saved for this; and b) spreading the trip costs throughout the year will make the trip so much more enjoyable! We will have basically no logistics to work out once they get on the plane to Auckland--we'll just follow the itinerary I made up and let the chips fall where they may.
As for my to do list, I'm trying to be Organized, Efficient, and get everything done. I made a huge list of things to do this week--stuff that would make a normal person or a mother think it was a relaxing week, and I'm overwhelmed and realizing just how lazy I have been! It's like I can only focus on one thing at a time: Social Life, Health, Sleep, Work, Cleanliness, etc. If one thing is going really well, all of the others fall by the wayside. There must be something wrong with my motivation and energy levels! Take cleaning, for example, how often to normal people clean their house? My mom would do it every week, but I'm averaging once a month for a good old fashioned scrub of everything. If my roommate also cleaned once a month, it wouldn't be so bad, but I think I'm going to have to talk to him because it looks like I'm the only one doing it!
Lately I've not posted much but rambles about life updates. I suppose I should do more financial updates...everything is ticking along there so I don't even think about them that much. Everything, in fact, is somewhat stable and boring, which I LOVE and is great! I'm at my best when everything is boring. It is unexpected change that kills me.
I'm also in the throes of a performance review at work, finalizing my mom and sister's trip to NZ/Oz this December, and making sure I get everything done that needs to be done at work and home.
My performance review consists mostly of me reviewing my bosses and company instead of the other way around. It is so great that they take my wants so seriously and accommodate and support me and my vision for my career so thoroughly. Just when I start to get worried that my job is taking a turn away from where I want it to go, I mention it and my bosses jump to correct the turn. Again, I will reiterate my want: IWantToMoveToDCAndGetAPuppyAndLiveNearMyParentsAgain. But how on Earth do I give this up?? Something has to happen to force my hand, because this is it: my dream job. Fun work, relaxed schedule, great people, as much time off as I want, great balance of short term projects with stable long term ones, every day is different, oodles of opportunities to learn new skills, advancing my career in the direction and field of study I want it to go, opportunities to publish and present and pad my resume like WHOA, and I make enough money to live how I want (I certainly don't feel deprived) and save for everything that I think is important.
The bills from my mom and sister's trip to NZ and Oz are piling up. But that is ok: a) I've already saved for this; and b) spreading the trip costs throughout the year will make the trip so much more enjoyable! We will have basically no logistics to work out once they get on the plane to Auckland--we'll just follow the itinerary I made up and let the chips fall where they may.
As for my to do list, I'm trying to be Organized, Efficient, and get everything done. I made a huge list of things to do this week--stuff that would make a normal person or a mother think it was a relaxing week, and I'm overwhelmed and realizing just how lazy I have been! It's like I can only focus on one thing at a time: Social Life, Health, Sleep, Work, Cleanliness, etc. If one thing is going really well, all of the others fall by the wayside. There must be something wrong with my motivation and energy levels! Take cleaning, for example, how often to normal people clean their house? My mom would do it every week, but I'm averaging once a month for a good old fashioned scrub of everything. If my roommate also cleaned once a month, it wouldn't be so bad, but I think I'm going to have to talk to him because it looks like I'm the only one doing it!
Lately I've not posted much but rambles about life updates. I suppose I should do more financial updates...everything is ticking along there so I don't even think about them that much. Everything, in fact, is somewhat stable and boring, which I LOVE and is great! I'm at my best when everything is boring. It is unexpected change that kills me.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Whoops!
I just wanted to change my font, and since Blogger wouldn't let me do it simply, a half an hour later...whole blog change!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Good Stuff
I just got back from Oz about a week ago, but it feels like it's been forever! Last week was a four day workweek for me but it was pretty epic, work-wise. My first journal article ever was submitted for publication to a journal. So exciting! Also, I was asked to be on an organizing committee for an international conference in my field. I'll be doing the BS work that no one else wants to do, but that's ok. It's a start.
I also need to work on my performance review questionnaire to make it clear what I want from my time in Auckland. With some changes going on (officemate is starting her PhD in June; she does different projects but basically the same job I do), it sounds like my job duties are going to be less and less of what I want to do and away from the direction I want my career to head. I need to know that I made it clear what I want to my bosses in case they have any ideas to get me back on track. I have told them but having it in writing makes me feel better.
Over the weekend, I was frantically watching the earthquake and tsunami and nuclear reactor disaster footage, and stayed up all night to make sure my friends in Hawaii were OK. I thought my roommate was going to have a party on Saturday night, so I invited everyone I know over, only to have my roommate's friends bail. Several of my friends showed up to an empty house--how embarrassing! It was a good night nonetheless, we just hung out with three of my friends chatting, drinking, and eating, and called it a night around 11. I had planned a picnic and several activities (tennis, frisbee) in a local park on Sunday, and everyone initially said they could come, only to bail on me an hour or less before the event. Literally every single person did this in succession. That definitely put a damper to the end of the weekend, and so it ended on a low note. I don't get it. When I say I'm going to do something, I do it, no matter if I feel like it or not when the event occurs. And I always have a good time or make the best of it; I don't agree to do something unless I think I'll enjoy it. Why are people here such flakes?
Last week an impromptu fieldwork opportunity came up for this past Monday and Tuesday, so I was busy getting ready for that all weekend, and was in Taupo staying at the Hilton last night in a $400 room! It was pretty amazing. The fieldwork was tiring in the sun all day Monday and Tuesday, but not difficult by any means. I had an amazing new field partner and we had a GREAT time both days and on both drives to/from our fieldwork. She's so cool, and I am happy I got the chance to get to know her better--we're definitely hanging out again. Another friend that I've been hanging out with lately happened to be staying in Taupo last night, too, so I asked him to have dinner with me and my field partner. His normal accommodation (free) was full last night so we invited him to stay with us, and the three of us checked out the hot pools at the Waikato Riverside and then slummed it at the Hilton. It was so fun! I love getting to know new people, they are so interesting! Funny enough, every single person that I hang out with regularly is American. What is that?! It is definitely not on purpose but I just realized it today and got annoyed with myself for not branching out more.
The rest of this week will be extremely busy with work but I'm happy about that--the more overtime I work now the more time off for travel I have later!
I also need to work on my performance review questionnaire to make it clear what I want from my time in Auckland. With some changes going on (officemate is starting her PhD in June; she does different projects but basically the same job I do), it sounds like my job duties are going to be less and less of what I want to do and away from the direction I want my career to head. I need to know that I made it clear what I want to my bosses in case they have any ideas to get me back on track. I have told them but having it in writing makes me feel better.
Over the weekend, I was frantically watching the earthquake and tsunami and nuclear reactor disaster footage, and stayed up all night to make sure my friends in Hawaii were OK. I thought my roommate was going to have a party on Saturday night, so I invited everyone I know over, only to have my roommate's friends bail. Several of my friends showed up to an empty house--how embarrassing! It was a good night nonetheless, we just hung out with three of my friends chatting, drinking, and eating, and called it a night around 11. I had planned a picnic and several activities (tennis, frisbee) in a local park on Sunday, and everyone initially said they could come, only to bail on me an hour or less before the event. Literally every single person did this in succession. That definitely put a damper to the end of the weekend, and so it ended on a low note. I don't get it. When I say I'm going to do something, I do it, no matter if I feel like it or not when the event occurs. And I always have a good time or make the best of it; I don't agree to do something unless I think I'll enjoy it. Why are people here such flakes?
Last week an impromptu fieldwork opportunity came up for this past Monday and Tuesday, so I was busy getting ready for that all weekend, and was in Taupo staying at the Hilton last night in a $400 room! It was pretty amazing. The fieldwork was tiring in the sun all day Monday and Tuesday, but not difficult by any means. I had an amazing new field partner and we had a GREAT time both days and on both drives to/from our fieldwork. She's so cool, and I am happy I got the chance to get to know her better--we're definitely hanging out again. Another friend that I've been hanging out with lately happened to be staying in Taupo last night, too, so I asked him to have dinner with me and my field partner. His normal accommodation (free) was full last night so we invited him to stay with us, and the three of us checked out the hot pools at the Waikato Riverside and then slummed it at the Hilton. It was so fun! I love getting to know new people, they are so interesting! Funny enough, every single person that I hang out with regularly is American. What is that?! It is definitely not on purpose but I just realized it today and got annoyed with myself for not branching out more.
The rest of this week will be extremely busy with work but I'm happy about that--the more overtime I work now the more time off for travel I have later!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
There Are A LOT of Good People in the World, In Case You've Forgotten
I have my wallet back. If you haven't gathered this already, that last post was not hypothetical at all--100% true.
Recent events surrounding that wallet fiasco have simultaneously reminded me of all of the good, wonderful, helpful, generous, and honest strangers that surround me in the world. From start to finish, everyone was completely willing to give me way more consideration than I think I deserved. If I could find these people, I'd love to thank:
- The bus driver who kindly stopped on an unscheduled stop to let me out once I realized my wallet was missing. He also gave me an extra round trip airbus ticket to use. If he hadn't done that, I would have definitely missed my plane.
- The people on the bus who helped me look for my missing wallet.
- The taxi driver who took $7 (my last remaining cash) instead of the full fare (about $10), dropped me off at the exact place I lost my wallet so I didn't have to wrangle my luggage across the street, and helped me with my luggage, as well as made sympathetic noises to soothe the Crazy In The Backseat who thought she'd miss her Australia trip.
- The ten or so people at the bus stop who looked around for my wallet even though it clearly wasn't there, and endured me mistaking several of them for people who were at the bus stop the first time (they weren't the same people; I was just hoping someone had seen something or had picked it up. Panic can make you see funny things.)
- The traffic control guy at the bus stop who was filming everything 5 feet away from where my wallet must have fallen out of my backpack/was stolen and dropped?. He reviewed his tape, and although he saw nothing, he was still sympathetic to my plight.
- The shopkeepers near the bus stop who stored my luggage for me while I ran home to sort my life out. They were also incredibly kind and sympathetic, although very pessimistic about someone returning the wallet.
- My friend for calling me and talking me off of the ledge while on the second bus ride.
- My other friend/acquaintance for notifying me of someone calling her about finding my wallet.
- My friend who I traveled with in Oz, who initially offered to pay for everything upfront.
- The flight attendant who waved me to the front of the check in line upon hearing my story; and the check in lady who pulled some strings to get me on my flight.
The biggest two that blew me away, however, were the following:
- When I returned to NZ, my wallet was still with the people that picked it up. After two weeks away, I had no food in the house to eat for dinner after my plane landed. I tried to buy groceries at the local grocery store, only they don't take credit cards, only cash or NZ debit. I still didn't have my NZ debit card or any NZ cash, but the guy behind me offered to pay for my groceries. HOW SWEET IS THAT?!
- Very obviously for this list, the lady who picked up my wallet and returned it with everything intact. She called all of my friends on my phone list until she got someone on the phone that could notify me. She and her husband live over an hour and a half of bus rides and walking for me away from my apartment in Auckland (only a 20 min drive, though), and upon hearing that I didn't have a car, they drove my wallet to me at work. WHAT NICE PEOPLE!
I am completely humbled by the collectively enormous amount of kindness shown to me over the past few weeks. No one is truly on their own, no matter how much it feels like it sometimes. We can't make it without each other, so how we treat other people matters.
I definitely feel like I owe this kindness back, threefold, to others, and like I've probably got very little good karma left in my bank. Time to top it up! Do you have any helpful things you do for people (big or little)? I'm looking for some ideas.
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Reward! ?
As a purely hypothetical exercise, please tell me what you would consider a suitable reward in the following situation:
Background info: (can skip if you are in a hurry)
Your wallet falls out? or is stolen? as you board the bus to the airport with all of your luggage. You realize the wallet is missing approximately 10 minutes down the road. You get off of the bus with all of your luggage, $7 and two return bus tickets to your name (the bus driver gave you an extra since you got off the bus so early). You call a cab because, while close to home, you are running out of time, have all of your (heavy...20+ kg) luggage and even though the fare is $10, he takes your $7 and a return bus ticket. You go back to where you last saw your wallet, and it is nowhere to be seen. You ask around the shops to see if anyone turned it in, you ask the patrons waiting for the bus, you ask the traffic control guy that is videoing the area where you got on the bus, just 7 feet away. No one saw anything.
You are freaking out, as your plane leaves in 2.5 hours at this point. You have to check in 90 min before your flight (online check in not available) to make it on your plane to Australia. You run home, leaving your luggage with a shopkeeper, and frantically grab your alternate wallet (thank God you have one) with extra US ID, US debit card, and two credit cards. You also transfer money from your savings to your checking that is linked to the extra debit card in your alternate wallet, so you have access to cash.
You get on the airport bus once again with the return ticket (no cash left) and make it to the airport check in line 85 min before your flight. A very nice airline attendant waives you to the front of the line after you explain your situation and they process your check in and luggage with seconds to spare. You make your flight and have a lovely time in Australia because of what happens on the airport bus the second time around.
The question:
While on the airport bus the second time with the minutes counting down to make your flight to your grand adventure, you get a phone call from a friend--did you lose something? Someone has contacted her about your missing wallet (you put your friends' phone numbers in there in case you lost your cell phone) and wants to return it, completely intact. They saw the wallet on the ground and picked it up for you and will hold it. The friend can't pick it up for you but when you get back from your trip, you contact the wallet holders and they offer to drive it to your workplace since you don't have a car and are going to be in the area in a few days. The wallet has $200 to $250 cash in it, your ID, debit card, and two credit cards. What is a suitable reward for these lovely people?!
P.S. Yes, I'm back. A lot has happened in the last few weeks so expect many many posts!
Background info: (can skip if you are in a hurry)
Your wallet falls out? or is stolen? as you board the bus to the airport with all of your luggage. You realize the wallet is missing approximately 10 minutes down the road. You get off of the bus with all of your luggage, $7 and two return bus tickets to your name (the bus driver gave you an extra since you got off the bus so early). You call a cab because, while close to home, you are running out of time, have all of your (heavy...20+ kg) luggage and even though the fare is $10, he takes your $7 and a return bus ticket. You go back to where you last saw your wallet, and it is nowhere to be seen. You ask around the shops to see if anyone turned it in, you ask the patrons waiting for the bus, you ask the traffic control guy that is videoing the area where you got on the bus, just 7 feet away. No one saw anything.
You are freaking out, as your plane leaves in 2.5 hours at this point. You have to check in 90 min before your flight (online check in not available) to make it on your plane to Australia. You run home, leaving your luggage with a shopkeeper, and frantically grab your alternate wallet (thank God you have one) with extra US ID, US debit card, and two credit cards. You also transfer money from your savings to your checking that is linked to the extra debit card in your alternate wallet, so you have access to cash.
You get on the airport bus once again with the return ticket (no cash left) and make it to the airport check in line 85 min before your flight. A very nice airline attendant waives you to the front of the line after you explain your situation and they process your check in and luggage with seconds to spare. You make your flight and have a lovely time in Australia because of what happens on the airport bus the second time around.
The question:
While on the airport bus the second time with the minutes counting down to make your flight to your grand adventure, you get a phone call from a friend--did you lose something? Someone has contacted her about your missing wallet (you put your friends' phone numbers in there in case you lost your cell phone) and wants to return it, completely intact. They saw the wallet on the ground and picked it up for you and will hold it. The friend can't pick it up for you but when you get back from your trip, you contact the wallet holders and they offer to drive it to your workplace since you don't have a car and are going to be in the area in a few days. The wallet has $200 to $250 cash in it, your ID, debit card, and two credit cards. What is a suitable reward for these lovely people?!
P.S. Yes, I'm back. A lot has happened in the last few weeks so expect many many posts!
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
My Deal a Day Addiction
I just had a wash, deep conditioning treatment, haircut, blow dry and style, and offered a free sample for $37--a pretty good price for an upscale Auckland salon. I got the deal through grabone. My friend and I each inform each other of deals we are looking for (dentist, microdermabrasion, hair cuts, gym memberships, massages, etc.), and we each monitor different deal sites and inform one another of any deals we are interested in. This particular deal came from my friend, and I reciprocated with a dentist deal.
I do wonder if I'm going overboard on these deals, though: I have no fewer than 5 deals that need to be redeemed right now. Some of the items, like the haircut, I would have spent anyway at a different hair place--although at a much lower quality salon, such as the Sharing Shed (what does that even mean?! Makes me feel like I'm getting my hair cut in a barn). The dentist and discounted dance class deals are less than I would normally pay, so those are deals (I think). Still other items are on my goal list: gym membership, massage, microdermabrasion. I never buy anything I don't think I'll use, are over my price limit, or are impulse buys (although the deals only last a day, so the thrill is like an impulse buy). I have a set list of items I am looking for, and only buy those items.
I do get tricked somewhat, though. Since I have pre-paid for the deal weeks or months before actually using the deal, it is nothing to buy additional services once I am there. At the salon today, I opted for their $10 brow wax, which I'd never had before! I do think I needed a shape-up and had thought a lot about getting one before, and I didn't feel like I had the skills to pluck the massive forest into two shapely brows on my own. I was also about to travel and wanted to look my best. I ended up feeling like I only spent $10 for the whole shebang, even though I actually spent $47! I am very pleased with the results, though, so I suppose it was worth it. I need to remind myself of the trick of overbuying next time, though!
I do wonder if I'm going overboard on these deals, though: I have no fewer than 5 deals that need to be redeemed right now. Some of the items, like the haircut, I would have spent anyway at a different hair place--although at a much lower quality salon, such as the Sharing Shed (what does that even mean?! Makes me feel like I'm getting my hair cut in a barn). The dentist and discounted dance class deals are less than I would normally pay, so those are deals (I think). Still other items are on my goal list: gym membership, massage, microdermabrasion. I never buy anything I don't think I'll use, are over my price limit, or are impulse buys (although the deals only last a day, so the thrill is like an impulse buy). I have a set list of items I am looking for, and only buy those items.
I do get tricked somewhat, though. Since I have pre-paid for the deal weeks or months before actually using the deal, it is nothing to buy additional services once I am there. At the salon today, I opted for their $10 brow wax, which I'd never had before! I do think I needed a shape-up and had thought a lot about getting one before, and I didn't feel like I had the skills to pluck the massive forest into two shapely brows on my own. I was also about to travel and wanted to look my best. I ended up feeling like I only spent $10 for the whole shebang, even though I actually spent $47! I am very pleased with the results, though, so I suppose it was worth it. I need to remind myself of the trick of overbuying next time, though!
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