Events: Foo Fighters 2011

The Foo Fighters's concert was at Western Springs Stadium on the 13th of December. I was there with Michael Jacobson. Yes, me, Jawyei, was at a concert. I don't know why it's so unbelievable to some of you but I was there. Mike J texted me late in October whether I wanted to go the Foo Fighters. Seeing as I've never been to a concert before, I was curious to see what it was like and what better concert to go to than the Foos.

Nearing the date, I was amping myself for a great evening. However, on the day itself it was raining. Not pouring down but drizzling. Throughout the day I was hoping it would clear up just for the evening but it wasn't the case. At $120 a ticket, I wasn't going to wuss out. I could have though, got myself some rain proof clothing but I thought it might clear up. Mike had some rubbish bags when I picked him up at but only one large one. I got a tiny white one which couldn't fit over my shoulders.

When we got to the event at about 6.30pm, we were in line for 20 minutes....for the toilets. There were only about 6 toilets for silver ticket holders. Later we found out the rest of them were all neatly arranged in the gold ticket area. It seems strange to me that organisers would deprive of such things or were they thinking there weren't going to be that many people going to see one of the biggest rock bands in the world? We also had hecklers and one was a stand out. She said, "Look at the line; I hope you're not busting to go". No, I'm not busting to go so shut the...

When we got our spot on the grass at the top of the embankment Tenacious D was just starting. Now, I'm not sure if it was because we were in the cheap seats but the sound was a bit off. Throughout the concert I could either hear the guitar but not the singing or vice versa. It's not so much of a problem if you know the songs and can sing alone with them but I don't know most of Tenacious D's material. They were only on for about 50 minutes before the Foos got on and they were doing a 165 minutes set.

The sound problem, which was still there, wasn't too much of a concern as I know every song they played except for the ones off their new album. The energy was electric and everyone was really getting into it. The rain even stopped at about 9pm. It might be the case for all concerts but they really knew how to get the crowd going. I was fully enjoying until some people were yelling over the fenced area how they're getting this for free. Not to mention some roaming people who decided to stop right next to Mike and I and started talking rather rocking out. It was a welcomed when they left and I could get back into it again.

The night was definitely interesting and well worth the experience. Next time though I'd like to be closer to the stage if possible. Even though there was a lot of energy where we were, the guys in the gold looked like they were having a crazy time. Would also be good not to just have to look at the big screen all the time. The biggest regret I had this night was not having a compact camera. I got some photos but it was using my crappy Nokia. I guess it's better than nothing but damn, maybe it's time to get an iphone...

Events: Diwali Festival 2011

The last Diwali festival I went to was way back when I was at university. At an estimate, 10 years have past since then. I don't remember much of it besides Indian food. I've got selective memory when it comes to these things so when the banners were up for 2011's Auckland Diwali Festival I had to go and make more of a memory.

It was dubbed the festival of light. When I got into Aotea Square at about half eight on the Sunday, it was suitably dark for what I expected to be; light fantastic. In my mind I was thinking lamps and candle display. I guess I was basing it too much on the Chinese Lantern Festival. I'm not sure if I got there too late or if something like that was somewhere else but it was definitely not very lightly. What I got instead was something like a rock concert. Everyone was huddle around the stage bouncing alone and having a good time. Those that weren't were in line at the food stores.

Ah, the food stores. There's nothing like walking the street where I've walked to get to work, smelling of spices and all things yum. It's not often in New Zealand that I get to waft in aromatic sensations so I took my time examining each stall. I didn't have any cash on me so no delights were bought.

The night ending with fireworks which started off small and had a really long pause. When people thought that was it, the rest of the fireworks came on. After that finished I hoped back on the trained slightly disappointed. What I imagine it would be it wasn't. Maybe next time I need to take someone that's Indian.

Events: Auckland Food Show 2011

It’s that time of the year again. The Food Show 2011. The venue was the same as last year but the company was different. We had additional Food Showees in the form of Alex Mason and Andrew Mardon along with Kim Shepherd, Michael Jacobson and myself. Having to have waited in line either in the cold or rain in the previous two years I pre-booked tickets this year and saved $2.50. However it was more expensive than last year and I don’t know why. When we got to the event there was no line, it was just as cold but it wasn’t raining. It didn’t seem like there were less people there. Maybe this pre-booking on the Internet thing might be catching on.

The show this year was like that of last year. Not much difference and thus I have the same to say about it. What it really should have is sections of food stalls given a theme. I know it’s a commercial venture and people buy floor space but still, it would make the show that much better. What was missing and it was missing last year as well was this one stall which had these olives that Mike J and I consider the best olives we’ve ever tasted. Since my first food show I’ve been on the look out for those but never seem to find it

Shopping wise, I’m always on the look out for nice spicy foods. This year I bought a 3 for $10 laska+lentil curry pre-made. There was quite a hot tabasco sauce I wanted and quite a nice peanut satay sauce but never got around to heading back to the stalls.

Trekking the stalls this year seems to be quite quick. I’m not sure if it was because we had more people but the pace was faster than I was expecting. Still, what I wanted to sample I did. I noticed this year there was a cooking type show and even spotted NZ’s first top chef run past me with hands full of gear. Didn’t get to check that out this year but maybe next however those sorts of cooking shows aren’t as interesting if you can’t eat the food they cook.

I’m all keen for the Food Show 2012. You want to come?

Musings: A Nostalgic Moment

Having been in Auckland now for while and still without a job I have I bit a rather large bullet and applied for unemployment benefit. I've applied before. Towards the end of 2004, not too long after my graduation, I couldn't get a job in Auckland, urge me to get the benefit. It was better than dwindelling my savings and that amount will be taxed out of me when I get a job anyway. I was reluctant at first but I eventually made the walk to the WINZ office on Queen Street. Upon reaching the counter to make an appointment I was told that appointments are done over the phone. In my mind it played out as "Go away you government leeching person. Call us so I can answer the phone and do something I could just do right now". First impressions weren’t good for them and then the pre-benefit seminar made it even worse. Now I am in the same position. No job in Auckland requiring financial assistance.

Last time I was in Auckland Central. I could just walk to the office. This time I had to discover the foreign concept of public transport. What is this that I have to abide by an inconsistent schedule and getting off not near where I want to go? It's a strange concept but I'm all for that than having to pay moneys to stop my car in a spot.

After one meeting with WINZ I decided to head to the University of Auckland to see if I can find someone to have some lunch. It was when I couldn't find anyone for lunch that I found myself seated in the exact same location, alone with lunch in hand, 10 years ago. It was in the upper level of the gymnasium over looking the physical recreation people doing physical recreational things. The moment was as pure and shocking as the best nostalgic moment anyone has. It made me think, 10 years on from when I first entered university, what has changed?

I suppose a lot has changed in my surroundings but I never thought when I was sitting in that gymnasium, 10 years from then I'll be back in the same position. Even though the moment was incredibly cool it was painfully depressing as well. It relates back previous blog entries and I can't help but think, 10 years on, am I really that different to that 18 year old boy. The boy who was afraid to take out his brick black flip Motorola Microtac 5200 phone because everyone had Alactel 301 and their variants to the boy who has a black flip Nokia phone to everyone else's smart phones. The boy who wore black school shoes as it was the only good pair of shoes he has to the boy who wears black school shoes...

It's not all bad. I do have something the 18 year old boy didn't have. Hindsight. I am wiser now I guess but there's always something that I feel I'm missing and never obtained in the last 10 years.

Events: Auckland Migration

The process started when Kim Shepherd and Joshua Smyth decided to move out of their current residence and look for accommodation with myself. I was having no luck relocating. My initial plan fell through after I finished at Northtec so I had to start looking for places myself. Single room apartments didn't have car parks and single room rentals were rare or too expensive. I tried looking for places that are after flatmates and after about 10 emails/txt's within two weeks I only ever got 3 replies. One was good, said to come down have a look but within an hour they contacted me back saying the room was filled. One did say come have a look and while I was down the last one contacted me and ask if I could come the following day. Since I couldn't make it I txted them back asking if today was possible but never got a reply. The one I did look at was hesitant about accepting an unemployed person. That can't be helped as I was having no luck with jobs either. It was good that Kim and Josh wanted to move out as well. Things became really quick then.

We lined up a few houses to look at on a Saturday then proceeded to try viewing them. That wasn't a good plan but we did get to see two places. One was on Dominion Road the other in Remuera. We didn't like the Dominion Road one because it was only until October and the location wasn't the best. The Remuera one looked homely and by the time we got to the viewing there was only three families there. We didn't think we would have much of a chance but we applied for it anyway. The application was quick, the following week we heard back from the land agent and she told us we got the house. Within two weeks we've found a place compared to my two months of looking.

So now that I'm in Auckland, hopefully things might start getting better for me. It could be another one of my bad decisions but now at least I can see where it takes me rather than wonder about it. Now where's that job?

Musings: Distance

A friend of mine once said that it's hard to keep in contact with people that aren't close to where are. He continues to say that if you are able to talk to them in some way that's good enough. There are a lot of truths in what he says. A lot of people, once they finish high school lose touch with the good friends they have made there. Why? Well sometimes it's because you don't like the people you met at high school and wouldn't bat an eye if you never see or hear from them again but most of the time it's because they've moved on to the next stage in life and usually that means away from where everyone congregated.

The next stage in life after high school for me was university. There's a saying that goes, the friends you make at university are they friends you'll have for life. For a lot of people that's what happens but I argue it's because usually during the university years you are working with and making friends that are going to be working in the same field as you  and often going to be in the same area after university.

For those that move away, as the years goes on without regular face to face contact, they start to become distant. That's because friendships aren't nurtured and people grow apart. Friends become acquaintances and then acquaintances are never heard from again. Reasons they have moved away might be because they have found a career path in that location or a partner has taken them there. Whilst there, the people they met will then become their 'friends for life' and usually due to proximity. We are prone to a life of convenience and it even applies to the people in our lives.

It's not to say those you lose contact with disappear into obscurity. No. If it happens it takes a very long time. However, what I am trying to say is the more time that separates people the more distant a person can get or seem. It's because without regular contact you don't know what the others are doing and the events they have been through. You cannot grow with them, so to speak, and share their experiences. Without that sharing you know less of a person as time goes on. People can talk about it but without experiencing it with them, one it's not the same.

Of course when I talk about these things, I talking from my experiences. It has been 7 years since I finished university and 11 years since high school at the time of writing this. I moved back to Whangarei from Auckland because I couldn't get a job and living expenses was a concern. Ever since then I have kept up with people as much as I could but whenever I do it was a special trip. There was no 'hanging out' in the sense you could just head out for a casual gathering and then come back. Sure it was doable but at 4 hours minimum travel time plus travel time in Auckland and time spent with friends, it's not a quick night out. Add to those, 25 litres of petrol, it isn’t cheap either. Nevertheless whenever people invited me or I need a weekend away I would travel down.

As the years went on I felt like I was becoming less a part of the group but as the visitor from the north. New bonds form what was local and easy to access, I've been in Whangarei. The group moves forward this visitor is just that, a visitor. I have seen this with friends I have. All not in the area that I’m in. All moving on with their lives. Some of them have got married, some of them have migrated overseas, and some of them are buying if not bought a house and other living the life of the mid-late 20 something’s. As everyone moves with time it seems like I'm getting left behind and as the distance increases, I'm left wondering, could I close the gap?

The Internet, through instant messengers and social networking helps but what if the person doesn't use them? For some reason though, instant messages, emails and other forms of text communication is not the same as 'hanging out'. Though the facilities are there, I've found, as we move forward, even Internet communications fades. It seems like the only way is to move into the same area as them.

Events: Lantern Festival 2011

One Lunar Year has passed since I was at the last Lantern Festival held at Albert Park in Auckland and I had one year to make up for my mistake I made last year. Those were leaving too late and getting traffic jammed in Auckland central thus extending the time to find a car park, abandoning the friends I went with and then completely losing them in the crowd and being too frantic and self hating that I did the mentioned things that I didn't get any food from any of the food stalls that line the entire length of Princess Street.

This year Kim Shepherd and I decided to head into town early. It was easier done as I wasn't driving from Hamilton but when we got into city centre it took us about one and half hours to actually find a park due to traffic, restricted parking and parking lots being full. Finally we found a parking lot that wasn't full at Sky City Casino before embarking to the event.

The timing of the parking wasn't all bad. Sure it sucks to just sit at lights crawling a couple of car spaces forward before stopping again and watching all the party goers in their nice dress flowing around you, but when we actually got to the event it wad night fall. First was to get food. This time I actually went to get something to eat and although some of the snacks I got were average, the Nasi Lemak I had was right on point the flavours you'd get in Malaysia.

The lantern festival is one of the few events in Auckland where you can experience what it's like to be in a densely populated country. It's the experience of not having personal space, something we take for granted in New Zealand. As Kim puts it you slot yourself into the mass of people and just move in the general direction they move. You also can't be nice about getting you place especially lining up for food. Be nice and it'll never be your turn. No where else I've been to in New Zealand do you get to experience that.

With food out of the way it was time to take look at the lanterns. I was impressed that even though there were a couple of setups that was recycled from last year, the majority of them were new. Kim mentioned that it was a shame that they don't decorate the existing sculpture and fittings there with lanterns just to give them a different look. I agreed, Albert Park looks really different when the festival is on and by decorating the existing fixtures, it would change the feel of the park more.

The evening ended with a live show. It was about 10pm by the time we wondered into the concert area and the band that was playing was Askar Grey Wolf. A very interesting and confusing band. They fuse folk music from China, India, Middle East and Central Europe and mix it with rock. The combination is definitely something I haven't heard before. The crowd was quite placid during the show but some how the lead singer, who was a character in himself. A Chinese Led Zeppelin look a like, he was rocking the small crowd to them wanting an encore. It was a shame it was such a small crowd but he did work them even though they had no idea what he was saying or singing. I think at a proper music event, the people would be more into it but still very entertaining to watch and listen to.

I'm very impressed with this festival. I thought that because I've seen it last year it wouldn't be appealing again this year. I was wrong. I guess it's just something that I enjoy no matter how many times I've seen it. It was just a shame I was not able to share this with someone was unable to see most of event due to my mistake I made last year. We'll have to try this again next year.