The House of Lava

It's two months late, but still I suppose it's time to post the obligatory New Year's blog.

Big things that happened in 2007... Nothing, really. Compared to my more illustrious and colourful mates (you all know who you are), mine has been the usual drag of uni, work, and two-dimensional women interspersed by the occassional gig with Friends of the Enemy.

Came to the awkward conclusion that there aren't that many hot chicks in NZ, and all hot Asian women are either in Malaysia or Hong Kong. Travelled to China at the end of December and it's still fascinating how a country of 1.5 billion could have NO HOT CHICKS. Still, it was a great experience and a chance for me to practice my burgeoning Chinese - all 24 weeks of it. Needless to say, I'm still shit at it.

So, enter 2008 and what's new?

Two things pop to mind. First, I got kicked out of FOE. They cited me not matching with "their long-term vision for the band". I say it's because I argued one time too many with Nick Johnson - or maybe because I tried to hit on Mazey's sister in Dec 06 - or perhaps I was Asian. No matter, my only regret at the moment is not being able to record FOE's later songs, which have the best basslines I've ever come up with since I started playing the bass. Been auditioning for various other bands, but strangely enough I don't really care if I get in or not. I love music, and I love being surrounded by it - but for some reason I just don't care as much about it? I don't know. It's weird.

In other news, I have bought myself a new car. Well, technically it's an old car but to me she's all new. Only 170000kms under the hood and mighty fun to drive. Enter Olivia. 1974 Triumph Dolomite, 1854cc engine that churns out an arse-whopping 91 horsepower - and apparently good for 160kph. She's small, she's fiesty, and motorway speeds she drives like a dream.





If you don't like it, fuck you. But I'll still offer you a ride in her. In the words of (most of) my mates, "When I sit in this car, I understand what the appeal of it is". Give the lady a chance, you'd be pleasantly surprised.

In the good tradition of resolutions (which I've never made before), I shall plan on making (and breaking) these 8 resolutions - it is 2008 after all: -

1. To score 1st-class Honours in Engineering papers this year, and maintain at least an A average for my Arts degree
   
2. To kick arse in my Formula SAE project - I'm developing the new engine and if successful it will be put into the 2009 car.
   
3. To make significant progress in upgrading Olivia to the Sprint model (new engine, gearbox, diff, mags)
   
4. To do an 8-minute mile. Twice. In a row.
   
5. To do the North Island road trip I've planned (Auckland-Coromandel-Rotorua-Taupo-Napier-Masterton-Wellington-Cambridge-Auckland). Total driving distance: 1700km
   
6. To reach 80kg, without resorting to obesity tactics (I'm 67kg)
   
7. To quit what Peck Yun started (to be fair, I've already cut down a lot from last year)
   
8. To get a long-term lay companion. I've decided shags on tap is better than meaningful overnight relationships or 2D girls.
   

Taking bets now to see how many I will achieve.

Well, so I'm moving out of Xanga for many reasons - one of which is that this little bit here seems pretty cool.
We'll see how things go, I suppose.

Exams are over - yes, they are. But I've no idea how badly I did, actually I do but let's not get into that. Third year's been pretty shit results-wise though with my random jobs teaching and stuff, I've met a lot of new cool people

Now that holidays have begun in earnest, I'm actually going pretty hardout to earn some cash in NZ over the summer. For the last two years, I went back home to a (great but) low-paying job or no job at all. So now, I'm going to make some moolah and purchase various things including: -




Ah, c'est beau! C'est $1800 Oh, well. We'll see how things go I guess.

Yeah, work. I've been chosen to be a body double for this Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon-esque film that's being filmed here. It features this Korean dude called Jang Dong Gun (speak little Engrish - me supposed to be his body double - like his butt or something I guess... no wait, he was in Taegukgi as the older brother. That movie was great!) and Zhang Ziyi, no wait.. it's Kate Bosworth now apparently. Lois Lane. It's all going to be filmed out West in Henderson Valley studios - and I suspect it's going to be very very 300-ish. Expect random Persians to be kicked into wells pretty damned soon - and to see my arse on screen for you. (Unless the talent agency bullshat me and I am actually "man-who-sits-by-house-talking-before-bad-guys-attack".) We'll see how that goes I guess.

After that I'm starting a research studentship in the Engine reserach dept. in the university. NZ may be the arsehole of the world but if I get to work on a project developing the new engine for the uni's Formula SAE team (www.fsae.co.nz), it's damned good. In fact, that's my fourth-year project.

I suppose that's all. Not much reason to be unhappy - but the easy mind always has time for ungratefulness.