the semester is almost halfway over.

A cup of tea (and other things), an over cast sky and rain, and in my mind I am in berkeley, sitting at my desk with guitar in the air, relaxing with Jasper.

it makes me sad.

i just deleted my facebook profile.

it was surprisingly liberating.

So dad hooked me up doing data entry. it is tedious and repetitive, and the early mornings are a shock, but noneless less i guess it is good to actually be a productive member of society... well, we'll see how that goes.

Last weekend went to Kepple island with PJ and Michael, which was great. Although the feeling I had on sat morning left much to be desired, it is an effect of lying on the beach not quiet there in my mind. Also, I drank too much beer. oh well.

Then on sun went on the boat with Dad, Shelly and other people, which was much fun. I got sunburnt, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

I am also getting rsi in my index and middle finger from using the mouse too much. it is getting a bit painful. it sucks.

The end of another year is fast approaching, Christmas has come and gone and once again, similar to last year, I am left thinking about all that has happened this last year...

... i spent half the year in the States, and it is strange looking at old photo's from Cloyne Court and all the people there... I know I will see many of them again, especially if my Europe plan goes accordingly (will all be confirmed once I get back to Dunedin, confirm holiday breaks, get my money from the bank and but a ticket), but of course that will be in their summer so people that i would like to see may not be there... There are certain times where I have to laugh at myself...

...This year I have been to Canada (twice), Coachella, LA, Las Vegas, NY, as well as SF and Berkeley (given). Oh, and Santa Barbara also... Then also Australia (twice).

I've been thinking about all my experiences and the people I met; it is strange; california and the time I had there will be a part of me- it helped shape the way i look at things and my attitude. But even as I write this i'm not sure on the basic details, did things happen as I recall? I'm thinking of what life's been like settling back into

The second half of the year has flown by as well, although it has been vastly different... I've been doing alot of thinking about what I was doing this time last year,  at this stage getting ready to go to Vancouver. After spending Christmas in Fremont with Matt...


... What does this next year hold I wonder?

School starts, then Europe (via Cal) then what? I graduate proper, and find a job? move away? stay in the same place? there are alot of unknown... in many ways it is very scary, but exciting too.

2007, the year james growns up?

Today was my Birthday. I am twenty two years old.

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I never realised how popular 'myspace' is... now if only people would use facebook instead, that would be much more awesome.

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

I am in Australia now.

It is hot, humid- a vast change from Dunedin, that is for sure.

I am feeling good, although my stocks are down, which sucks, but the airline gave me many glasses of wine, so things can't be that bad :-)

One exam left on Friday: Natural Resource Economics....


I read a very good book the other day, "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed" by Jared Diamond (who also wrote Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies). It details the importance of the environment on society through the economy. It made me think about the supposed effect of Global Warming on Australia and how things are always more complex and dynamic that a simple black and white paradigm that is so often presented by the media. That's not to say that the media is doing a bad job given the constraints put upon it, just that life is not quite so simple as it could be believed...
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Also went and played games with Dan, Tony and Tom yesterday. The social dynamics that emerge are very interesting, and amusing to watch... although maybe not so much when the tide turns! :-)There is always so much subtle, and not so subtle manipulation that goes on...  watching how people respond is very interesting, especially observing the differences in response!

I sold my motorboke... i feel sad

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/opinion/30harris.html?ex=1317268800&en=c6ea4450122c3e93&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

A interesting parallel with what's happening in the US compared to another well know democracy, that of the Roman Republic

What is it about girls that make them so incredibly frustrating... what? I don't understand it at all. The same things, again, and again, and again... why?

The human condition, to never be satisfied, or something deeper...?

In-flight announcements are not entirely truthful. What might an honest one sound like?

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7884654

I only seem to update at the weekend... ...almost midsemester break, I'm almost counting the days. Assignment extensions are great.

It's the weekend again, which is always a good sign. And further, the sun is actually shining, for the second day in a row would you believe it.

So I have been thinking that next winter for three weeks I will go and visit Europe. France, Italy, maybe some others. Drink some wine, have a taste of summer... could be good?

In the past two week nothing too thrilling has happened...

... last weekend went and had drinks at Katherine's, which was much fun.

Other than that have just had school, with assignments and problems sets starting to come in again... the hot water in the apartment went away for a couple of days, which was mildly unpleasant and blah, blah, blah, the usual crap.

Well, school started last week, so it's been a bit interesting to start this all again. I'm doing four courses, so that's not too bad, but am already looking forward to the summer.

How's this for a sad story;

Last week I went a bought a cellphone, so that I could once again be in the technology age. Four days later the cell phone was gone. Where did it go? Not in the car, not in the house, nowhere to be found.

It took four days to loose it.

Four days.

Sometimes, I am an idiot.

So now I have a new cell, or rather, an old cell that is new to me... And then, to top it off, my computer died, so I had to reformat the HD and try make it work again... it was stressful, and I think I lost some stuff, but nothing to bad. There is still hope in the world.

Also, moved into a new apartment on Saturday. So that's fun.

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I've been thinking a bit about this last year quite recently... I've been back for 6 weeks now... It's very odd being back in NZ. It's cold and I keep thinking I see people from Cal around the university. This either means that I'm missing it or just going crazy. It is strange telling people about what Cloyne was like and the atmosphere of Berkeley and California, and all the people I met and friends I made... I'm missing you all. Sometimes I get the urge to walk down to the FSM "bad" cafe, or hang out in the courtyard, but of course that's not possible... It's strange looking at all the photo's and thinking about things like the Thai restaurant or Telegraph, or the Special Dinners and the good and bad times...

Arrived back in Dunedin this afternoon after a rather average flight. I got stuck in customs for about an hour because of people not having their passports and things together taking ages before me. I was not impressed.

The rest of the Australian adventure was rather good. Drove down to Brisbane on Saturday - a seven (!) hour drive and picked up Mark, then Sunday and Monday spent looking around the city and Surfers Paradise. On Saturday night went out drinking with my younger brother, PJ, which was rather fun, but drank too much and felt it in the morning (not to mention the night before). Lost about 20 $ on roulette though, but all in good fun.

Dunedin is cold.

The next few days have various errand I need to do, such as making sure I'm in some courses for university- rather important- and working out where to live.

Otherwise am just tired- woke up at 5.45 to catch my plane :-(, woe is me.


by jamesmnz84