I AM A WIP (Work In Progress)

An idea should be like a skirt...long enough to cover the details and short enough to keep everyone's attention!

2011-04-09T21:25:00.005+12:00

I've been working on a few projects for my websites...I have a few that I want to promote but I have yet to put up enough content to warrant a big announcement.....I found a brilliant website that I think is very innovative and I know it surely will take off.

The site uses geolocation to promote or recommend food. I have considered starting up a similar website for New Zealand.I spoke to an expert regarding this and it seems that it would cost around NZD$60,000 to build a website that incorporates geo-location using google maps and that was not including development costs for an iphone and android application. I don't have that kind of budget but my dreams are not so easily crushed...so I am pressing on trying to find investors and perhaps people who will help me get this idea off the ground. I believe that if there is anything that is to do with food and restaurants then Wellington should be the centre of it all since I have heard someone say that Wellington has more coffee shops per capita than any other country in the world. I did some research and it seems to be true "Wellington promotes itself as a culinary capital, famous for its variety of restaurants and cafés. There are more than 300 cafés throughout the city, reputedly more per capita than New York City. Wellington's renowned café culture combines great coffee, good food and people-watching. It provides an opportunity to study weird and wonderful artwork, free-flowing design ideas and the ingenuity of each individual owner."

There are more coffee shops per person in my city than in New York.....New Yooorrk! These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you....okay back to my blog...I believe that with the correct elements a website that allows people to share opinions about food will surely be popular in New Zealand. I have yet to prove this though and I guess that I will have to prove to investors that people would be interested in sharing and discovering food.

Apart from the lightbulb in my head, there were a lot of things that have gone "undocumented" since my last few posts which I will endeavour to address in my next few posts.My self taught guitar lessons are coming along well and I have recently discovered the joy of sharing my music with my friends.

During the month of February, my flatmate and I had the privilege of hosting 4 girls in our beloved flat...it was perhaps the craziest week of my life.I believe that if oestrogen was a visible hormone, I would have been swimming in it. There were also pre-existing tensions with the girls. It was amazing how they got along though, since they were all from different countries and cultures. "W" was from Hawaii...and I call her "Hula girl" she was a real wild one...she was beautiful and had a sweet smile...she had a companion, who was American (from Texas) well named Jill perhaps she was looking for her "Jack" to tumble down a hill? Jill was very outgoing just like W but she was such a free spirit and she sometimes would wonder off on her own, which I was always concerned about but the other girls would reassure me that she was just being herself :P We also were "M" who was such a hard ass (don't ask me how I know it was hard..lol ;) English woman called "M" and that stands for "Magically CRAZY" lol she had such a crazy personality but she was fun...her head was in the clouds most of the time...she had a deeper calmness that did not expose itself until I spent some time talking to her privately..she always mentioned her home town in Yorkshire and she refers to herself as a "pudding" (I never really got that) then finally, S that stands for "snow white" but she had a beautiful light tan when I met her and she has beautiful to-die-for green eyes. She was the only local girl , from way up North in a place called Whangarei (Maori people pronounce his as "Fangaray" with an "F" sound which I believe it should be pronounced since the place was named by the early native settlers but some people still call it by the European name as "Wangaray" with the English "W" sound...this co-incidentally was the same place my ex-girlfriend is from.(I KNOW RIGHT!?) I had an instant connection to this girl "S" that I will refer to as Snow White..I immediately identified with her because she was different from the other girls. I could sense the tension brewing between her and the other girls but my good sense told me not to get involved....my craziness on the other hand prevailed.

One day when I got back home I find Snow White missing her seven dwarfs and she was on our deck. It seemed like she was locked out. I had not spoken much to Snow White until then and I walked through the gate unnoticed by her...she had her ipod on (my evil mind starts scheming here) I looked at her and she was in her own little bubble so I decided to be funny (risking perhaps not even getting to know her) I walked towards her slowly, came in from the front and she didn't see me (she was looking down) I jumped on to the deck and grabbed her arms and shook her and she totally freaked out!! LOL yeah I remember thinking to myself at that very moment "yep,I'm bad" lol Michael Jackson bad....OW![crotchgrab] thank God she had a sense of humour!! she found it funny...haha but then I said "sorry I scared you" and then asked her what she was doing sitting on the deck and where all the girls were. The answer is perhaps a longer story than this post can handle but basically, she explained that she had recently broke up with her boyfriend and she had decided that this trip would help her by getting her mind off her ex boyfriend. The sad truth was, it turned out that it wasn't working out because she was still feeling so brokenhearted that the other girls may have felt that she was a bit of a drag since they were out to have fun...and so I did feel for her and I think they were being a little unfair but understandably so, I tried to be objective and take a neutral stance so over the course of their stay, I decided to stay by her side since she was the one that needed comfort but she could not find it in her friends and she tried to make amends with the other girls especially the crazy "M" but it turned out that it just was not working. Sadly the four crazy beautiful girls all had to part and each of them had made an impression on me...I felt so lucky that I had the chance to get to know them. We were like a family (including all the drama lol) I miss the hugs, I guess I was longing for a family environment again. I don't really do well on my own because I have excessive emotional needs that are perhaps unusual for a male. Go figure! lol I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, it has become so commercial, we don't need a day to express our love for someone...make it a year...make it every waking moment of your life.If I was in love with someone they would "know" it, not by flowers,chocolates,dinners or fancy cards....but by actions (not necessarily involving flowers,chocolates,dinners or cards) I don't have any problems expressing my affection for my friends and it doesn't have to be on a nominated day. This year while everyone was out romancing their lovers, I was all alone.I had to work so after a long day at work I went to the supermarket...tired and hungry, and shopping for a meal with bread in my hands. As I was walking toward the counter, I could see from a distance this beautiful blonde walking up to me, as she got closer I recognized her, JILL!! she smiled, so I smiled (Justin Bieber can sue me for that one) lol she walked up to me and wrapped her arms around me and gave me the sweetest little kiss and said "Happy Valentine's Day" I can never forget that! She had made my day and I love how she didn't care about everyone at the supermarket who were looking on to see this commotion. Hula girl also wished me "Happy Valentine's Day" and I kindly thanked them and they knew I wasn't into the whole gimmick but I was smiling all the way home...we walked along Oriental Bay and were all just talking about the time that we enjoyed together.

Sadly, their differences meant they all had to go their separate ways ,so the two Americans went to the South Island and the Yorkshire pudding and Snow White went Northward to their home town in Hamilton. This left me and my old flatmate Myth in the deepest silence...which he says was nice as he finally got a break from all the noise, as for me,I grew up in a house full of laughter and noise so I missed the girls more and it was an amazing experience to meet people who were so different. They were like family to me. We had got a new flatmate since we had to ask our old flatmate to leave.I have been considering moving but decided to stay because the old flatmate was leaving. We shall see how it goes.

I have a spanish word for today : no escrito- meaning unwritten (most of my experiences remain unwritten)

Adios! :)

Strangers have the best candy..uhm..chocolate :)

2010-12-20T15:11:00.003+13:00

During the final weeks of December, there was a lot of commotion along the bay area close to where I live. I was walking home late one evening and I saw a group of people staring at what appeared to be a spectacular light show, so out comes my phone/camera and I start taking videos of this cool lights show.

I walked further down to where a crowd had gathered and a guy comes up to me, looking really happy and then offers me some chocolate.....alarm bells went off in my head and I looked at him suspiciously and asked, "what's the catch?" he replied, "oh there's no catch, just spreading the joy" I wondered what it was all about and because he seemed friendly,accepted the chocolate. I took a few steps and then this pretty blonde girl walks up to me, now at this point I'm REALLY suspicious :P pretty blonde girls don't generally walk up to me with a smile lol but I immediately try to disguise my nerves and my "okay,act cool" reflex kicks in so I say, hey, and she smiles and says do you want some chocolate? I did not hesitate to accept them lol..she totally disarmed me..damn I need focus! grrr...

I walked home with chocolates in my hand and joy in my heart...they certainly did spread the joy that night :)

After this event, I received many more chocolates and also these wristband thingys. Cadbury is really marketing in a very social way and I think most companies realize that advertising is not about inanimate signs and displays anymore, it is about people and emotions, because if you can invoke these emotional connections in people, you can get them to have a certain affinity to your products. I never went to business school and stuff but I know a thing or two about how to sell things. I take my hat off to you guys at Cadbury and I wish I had the budget to advertise so radically.

Here is a video that I put together of how they Cadbury home works. Basically, it activates secondary lights dependent on a noise threshold. The more you clap your hands or make noise, the brighter the lights although some of the front lights are just in a sequence and do not seem to be connected to any triggers.

Hope you enjoy the show :)

"Anything unrelated to elephants is IRRELEPHANT! :P"

2010-11-29T15:28:00.005+13:00

I have moved not far from where I used to live, still live along the bay but I now live with a guy, a girl and I wish I had a pizza place to go with it :P

On the second week of September I was doing my usual shopping at "New World" a large chain store supermarket place close to where I live and as I was exiting there was a public noticeboard, where people normally put up little notepad adverts. Something that caught my eye was a beautiful burgundy color that prompted me to take a better look. I noted the number and sent the owner a message expressing my interest in this beautiful piece of carved wood. I got a reply not long after saying that he had it up on an auction website. Told him that I would be happy to pay him to withdraw the auction and let me purchase it before the auction closes. After using my masterful negotiation skills he was on his way to drop it off and even included a case for the guitar and a tuner, some replacement strings and 3 guitar picks.....I met him at a neutral location (as these things are usually done) took out the money, asked to inspect the "merchandise" and it checked out (I only just strummed the strings once and it sounded okay to me, as it made a stringy jing jing noise :P) paid the man and then asked him out of curiosity why he was selling. He said that he was moving to Australia ( The guitar was an Australian brand called Ashton-most likely,not a coincidence) I knew she was special so I put her gently back in her case and thanked the guy "D" and his girlfriend who was doing the deal, and they were on their way, and so was I.

Holding my newly acquired piece of musical weaponry, snug under my arms, I walked back home from the said "neutral location" thinking to myself, this is truly something special :) I was so excited about having a musical instrument.....I had so many songs in my head that I wanted to play...I was so positive about playing music. I got home to realize, I had no clue where to start :(

I was not without help though, I remembered the wonderful family that I had lived with had a beautiful daughter that I have named "Sahara" and she was a musical genius! I decided to ask her for help, she was more than happy to get me started on the beginner stuff...major chords...she taught me through txts!! AMAZING! I learned how to play guitar based on txt messages on my phone! I have been practicing to perfection since then so I hope to share my progress some time soon. The first song I tried to play was "one drop" by Bob Marley...I play it fairly well now...the chords are G,Em,C,D

Well, if you were hoping to find elephants on here, I'm sorry, all I can do is write it...ELEPHANT! :)

Have an awesome week peepole!

The PERFECT STRANGER :)

2010-08-31T21:12:00.008+12:00

It was a beautiful Wellington Wednesday and I was walking along Oriental Bay....on my way to do my shopping when I saw a poster that caught my attention....

Just then I had this sudden primal urge to go to the zoo. I had been wanting to go to the zoo for some time now but I never seemed to have the time, but this time I was going to forgo my shopping day for a bit of something unusual. I checked my blackberry and used google transit and found the location of the zoo and then the times and schedules of the buses. I had my headphones on so I was "in my zone" but I was pretty happy and I believe I was walking like I was on air for some reason. I think people can actually sense your happiness, judging by how many people smiled back at me that day, or perhaps it was just the contagiousness of a smile :)

I got to the bus stop and there were a few bus shelters on Courtnay Place so I paused for a moment to select one. I realized that there was someone in the second bus stop and she seemed to be staring my way but I totally ignored this as I was "in my zone" and chose to stand in the other bus stop with a smiling blonde chic. I stood there waiting for the bus but I tried to find the bus which would require the least walking. I realized that the girl that was in the bus stop moved to the bus stop I was in and I sort of looked at her to see if she was staring and what and most importantly why? I have no idea, but I just pretended not to notice her noticing me (I suck at pretending :P) I finally got my bus and decided to hop on and the blonde chic and the other girl were talking when I left them.

I get to the zoo and it was awesome!! It was quite a hike though, had to scale a hill over the hill was the zoo so I kept thinking of animals that I wouldn't otherwise see in my lifetime if I didn't make it to the zoo. I was a man on a mission that day :) I got to the zoo and they had awesome service, the receptionist had me setup for a tour and just as advertised, I got a $5 Winter Wednesday discount, which I was pretty happy about. I got into the zoo and it didn't look like much lol I think it was more of a bushwalk, the first creatures I saw were so cute though. They were tiny monkey things (yes I call them that because I didn't read the zoo signs :P) I got to the birds,sorry, I mean "Aviary" (I remember that sign lol) and just when I was there, I heard this pretty heavy American accent and then a pretty light kiwi or New Zealand accent...the voices sounded so familiar. I turned to recognize the two girls from the bus stop. Blondie and the girl who was sitting on the other bus stop. I overheard them talking about what locals say vs what they mean. They got to the topic about how locals sometimes say "TARUE!" and manage to make it sound like they understand you on a very deep level but they don't really mean it, they just say it slowly and it fools people into thinking that they are clued up about a certain topic....I then felt like I have to say hi and my curiosity about why this American woman (stay away from me-Lenny Kravitz) was staring at me and it wasn't in a bad way...it was more in a "subtle intrigue" way. I blurted out "that is so true!" (nice one dude!lol) I think that joke fell to the ground right there...but it worked and I agreed with them and we started talking and I got their names. American Woman was E and Kiwi Chic was H so we started talking about what it was like in NZ and started sharing our traveling experiences and also talked about the social order of things and of course, we looked at some interesting animals....along the way :)

We then got to see a kiwi for the first time!! I can't believe I've been in New Zealand for so long and I've never seen the iconic creature.....well, this was my change. There was a show running so we went in and sat to watch the show. The lady asked "Has anyone here NOT seen a kiwi before?" and I put my hand up along with E and we were asked where we were from. I said "Fiji" and E said "Minnesota" and then someone else in the audience said "Boston" and the presenter asked "Do you watch Boston Legal?" and I don't know why that was funny lol but I got the joke a little late...coz I wasn't paying attention. I got to see a kiwi for the first time..it wasn't that spectacular but it was cute. The kiwi is named "Tahi" which is the Maori word for "One" the little kiwi got the name because he lost his leg in a possum trap. It was such a cute little thing, I asked what sound a kiwi makes and apparently they make a high pitched squeeky squeebly sound. Not the "caw caw,caw caw" I was hoping for lol.....I had a great time checking out the creatures but I felt that it was time to go home. I turned to my two newfound buddies and H had some friends she probably planned to meet up with at the zoo. We had some formalities like the "how do you do?" little bits and pieces and then H wanted me to join them but I was more interested in hanging out with E so I had to decline and so I walked E towards the exit and she asked me if it was the right way to the exit and me being a typical smart ass, I reassured her that we were going the right way...when in fact...lol we went around in circles and I had to eventually admit my own stupidity....but of course, I did so with all graciousness lol We had a laugh and we talked about America and there were lots of comparisons. We had a walk that seemed to take forever....looking at her, I remember wondering whether she was the perfect stranger, she was adorable and smart and she laughed at my jokes (this doesn't necessarily mean that she finds them funny,just that she is willing to share a laugh with me) but I'd like to think I'm Mr. Funny Pants lol anyway she walked into my life when everything was totally messed up. I had so much on my mind, had this messy long distance relationship with a girl from another city which I happily left behind (the city,not the girl) the girl is still lingering but along comes this stranger and I was so taken by her.....I felt like we shared something special. I shall call it a "travellers buzz" because whenever you're travelling, I don't know if you've noticed, you always seem to draw these amazing individuals to you and if you go out on a limb and make an effort you will certainly meet some really amazing people! :D

I wasn't the traveller in this case but...I was happy to have met such an amazing person :)

I'm in a ratrace but I don't think it is a race since I don't seem to be running :P

2010-08-30T20:54:00.007+12:00

I haven't been writing much since I moved to Wellington because everything has been "full on" and for those of you unfamilar with the language of the locals. In New Zealand, that means hectic or intense. I have been working intensely in order to submit an application for Permanent Residence in New Zealand. The fees are crazy expensive, NZD$1200,I could buy a used car with that amount of money here....I've been looking to get a license first lol. I have been saving up for a trip to Fiji as well...so much going on and yet I feel like I'm getting nowhere. I have had a quiet day at work so I decided to take the time to bring my creative side back to the fore,I have learned that pressure inhibits creativity. If you want to be as creative as possible, you must NOT have a deadline. Don't get me wrong, I am all for getting things done on time but if you want things done quickly,you shouldn't expect results of a higher quality, there is always a compromise somewhere.

I've been pretty busy but I want to share my second zoo experience here in Wellington.I have to get permission to write about this beautiful stranger first though....I will post this as "my wellington zooper experience" I still managed to add a second blog to my list of blogs but I haven't shared it publicly yet. I've set it up mainly to research some advanced techniques to hug people....yes HUGS :P

Anyone can access it on http://advancedhuggingtechniques.blogspot.com/

Hope you all have a great week :)

Samsung 3D LED TV Wonder-full Commercial

2010-08-14T19:33:00.001+12:00

My sunshine after the rain :)

2010-06-15T13:41:00.003+12:00

I can see the pain deep in her eyes,even though no one sees how she cries,
locked away in her sweet little heart,are her true feelings so difficult to impart,
I can't wait to see her sweet smiles again,feels like warm sunshine after the rain :)

Written by freelancer45

Trying to figure out what google analytics is all about

2010-06-03T22:22:00.008+12:00

It is late in the night and I had a bit of a holiday. Went to Auckland to see my family and meet some friends and just get away from all those phones that keep ringing haha. I got back and logged into my account. I am running an ad campaign on google adwords trying to figure out what it all means. I haven't really read the whole how to stuff they send me but I'm pretty sure I got much of it right. I own a few domains so I run google analytics on them and using my free credit, courtesy of google :) I was able to get traffic to my website using tiny little clicky things. Adwords seem a little confusing but I think I get how it works. Just need to keep messing with it.

I locked up the office and was skipping down the road in Oriental Bay listening to : Lady Gaga...hmm catchy stuff..she is a freak and you can expect nothing short of crazy when you see this crazy blonde.

WoW! you can play PACMAN on Google! :)

2010-05-22T12:34:00.005+12:00

I woke up this morning...did my readings then opened up my google chrome and there it was!!

Click in the middle and you can actually play PACMAN! :D

It has been a crazy week for me. I have discovered the politics of people....while I try to remain ever so neutral as is my stand and my mindset. Many people are either for or against a cause/person/belief/idea and I find that it is all a little too much drain on my poor little brain :P

I have been working really hard but I realized that I am somewhat at a disadvantage when it comes to my work situation.I need to work a lot more hours if I want to make more money...but I like time to myself and also I devote a good part of my time to voluntary work that I do. While I keep my blog free of any religious or political affiliations...I feel like my efforts to remain neutral at work are being undermined. I am over it now, I work hard and I do my best but I am a tech at heart and I don't think that will ever change. I like being on the phones and I love talking to people but in order for me to be effective, I feel that I have to get work that is hands on and satisfying. I am happy with my current job but I can see the need to supplement my income with other work that actually satisfies my inward desire to fix things....I am flying out to Auckland soon and I will miss my dearest family. They have been so wonderful...I have decided that I will move and it seems that everything is working out. Someone called me at work and offered me a place to stay again...we have a mutual friend. I feel like there so much going on for me....but I also see the need to be wise in making decisions that relate to finance,recreation and technology. I'm hoping that everything works out.

Peace out everyone! :)

Failed Paradise has FAILED! :(

2010-05-06T11:37:00.004+12:00

I was wanting get on to view one of my favorite blogs and it didn't show up for some reason..hmmm....so just like the tech that I am,I tried to troubleshoot the problem...trying a different browser,checking my ports. Did a whoislookup to find out where the host was and it seems like godaddy is hosting the site. I know godaddy can't be down right?? the only thing left then would be user configuration. The site is run by a good friend of mine so I posted a note on his wall about the error. I hope this is a temporary issue....error message says :

Internal Server Error

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Please contact the server administrator, support@supportwebsite.com and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

Apache/1.3.33 Server at www.failedparadise.com Port 80

Anyway, I went to lunch with someone yesterday...it was amazing and normally Wellington is so windy but for some reason..it was dead calm yesterday.It seems like the wind stopped just for us...we sat here:

View lunch in a larger map

I love the sun...and I got lots of sun that day...looking forward to winter...uhm NOT! haha...I was told that the Windchill in Wellington is a killer.

Hopefully everything works out in my new city..only time will tell how well I will fit in here.

FaceBook In Reality - idiotsofants.com and BBC'sThe Wall

2010-05-04T22:38:00.001+12:00

I found this to be funny because it was so true...this is exactly what people are doing on Facebook! I'm really glad I don't have too much personal info there that is correct. There are some serious privacy issues there...I don't have anything incriminating there as well....I'll definitely deactivate my account but I will be downloading all my friends contacts first.

Busy week...full of fun stuff :)

I may not have everything I want.....but I've got everything I need :)

2010-04-15T09:24:00.006+12:00

I have moved from Lower Hutt to a lovely place in Oriental Bay..courtesy of a very generous family that I met 2 weeks ago.I am living in the attic....just like a monster should..lol I am happy up here,I get good sunlight and I get an awesome view into the harbor area.I only have to walk 15 minutes to work and to the city center along the sea front.I am in an ideal location and the family I live with have been so amazing....I have what I need now,a good family but I think I am ready to start a family of my own....I have met someone that I really like but I don't want to rush into anything just yet, experience has taught me to be more careful about who I choose to have close to me.My week has been filled with activity....I've met many more people since I moved to Wellington over 6 weeks ago...I keep saying that I've only been here for 4 weeks because that is how I feel..time sure flies when you're having fun :P
I have been working longer hours because some of my work mates are on leave.I also went out to my first bar in Wellington...I've been to a few bars and clubs in Auckland but I was eager to see what the atmosphere is like here in the Windy City (atmosphere,windy....funny how that seemed to fit in the same sentence) I went to a place called Hotel Bristol on Cuba Street.It seemed like an aged colonial style "tavern" type place...filled mostly with middle-aged,upper-class patrons.They had pool tables and a lounge upstairs and they also have sizable TV screens fitted in viewing areas around a few of their rooms. My new-found friends had taken me out on a "boys night out" to show me around and to get to know me a little better. They all had the same first name "R" and they were only distinguished by a nickname.I just let them recommend a beer.I was bought a Kilkenny which is an Irish beer.I must say there is something classy about drinking beer that has it's heritage dating back to 14th century Ireland. I had a great time with my mates and they dropped me off to my new place.

I'll be back at work...talking to very interesting people :) I am also going to fly back to Auckland next month to see my sister.I'm feeling pretty content these days but I still need to get my social life up where it belongs.I work zombie shifts but I am planning to ask the great people at work to adjust my work schedule.
Keep smiling everyone and have a great day! or at least try to :P

The world is full of beautiful people,none are more beautiful to us than the ones we choose to love!

2010-04-01T07:49:00.006+12:00

I was waiting for the bus today and there was this beautiful woman standing at the bus shelter....she looked like she was foreign and she had backpacks and lots of travel gear....so I asked her the obvious since that has always been a hit with people I meet and talk to.....I looked at her and she smiled at me so I felt comfortable and safe then I asked her "are you a traveler?" she nodded then said yes (so I smiled and breathed a little sigh of relief coz that means she understands English lol) I asked her where she was from and she replied Finland....we had really great conversation...I said that I was a bit of a traveler myself and that I was from Fiji and she said she was just there recently and she also said it was a beautiful place...I agreed with her...completely lol we talked about what things are like here in NZ compared to our home countries....she enjoyed how friendly the people were in Fiji and she said she went to different villages there but she stayed on Yasawa Island...she agreed with my comments that even though the life there is simple...the people are generally more happy...and in Western or more modern societies such as New Zealand,we have everything but we are still not happy.She said "yes,people always want more" I said yes,that is true and explained that I had always wanting something more too but being here has changed me.....she just took off her hiking gear and jacket to get comfortable but the bus was coming so....we couldn't chat....as she was getting ready to get on the bus I shook her hand and we exchanged names....she said her name was Marli or maybe Marley or Marlene or maybe Marlin....should have asked her to spell it....I said we probably won't see each other again so goodbye and she said bye....so I had such a smile on my face today.I met a Finn? Is that how you say it?lol I met a Finnlandian? Or maybe I will just say I met a Finnish person? Well it was a real pleasure...more bus stop moments to come :)

"This time baby...I'll be bullet....proof!"

2010-03-13T21:55:00.005+13:00

I finished work late on Saturday night.I keep wanting to stay on at work longer for some reason.Jim who works night shift on Saturdays with me had to tell me to go home.lol he said...we had the same argument last week...I then had to stick around for another hour coz there wouldn't be a bus until 11.50pm.I went to the bus stop...and this time,I managed to resist the urge to talk to strangers at the bus stop....lol my cousin calls it "bus stop syndrome"...so,I decided to go across the road and take some money out to get something to eat.I was worried that someone would mug me or something so I had caught a glimpse of a figure approaching me from my side...I got a pleasant surprise when it was a woman in heels with gorgeous
blonde hair and pretty blue eyes behind a bright pink opera type mask staring at me she said.I am so sorry but I would like to ask you for your ATM bill (I always thought that thing that comes out after you take out your cash was known universally as an ATM receipt...but then again,I am in New Zealand) I just stared her in a "are you crazy?woman?" kind of way but from where I was standing,she definitely had nothing to be sorry about lol...I was soon asking what all this racket was about.she politely explained that it is called a scavenger hunt part of a Radio Promotion called ZM's Single Girls Scavenger Hunt.

"ZM's Single Girls Scavenger Hunt - the amazing race in lace with Vodka Cruiser Cans!

Grab the girls, register your team of 4, and get ready to take part in a race around the city wearing lacy stuff!!

JUST TO CLARIFY LACE:
Anything goes - as long as it's lace!
Wedding gowns are not encouraged... but corsets, lingerie, or ANYTHING lacey is sweet :)

There's $4,000 CASH up for grabs for the winning teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch!"

Hmm...worth getting all laced up and asking strangers for their ATM Receipts...lol I would say :P while I was just being a joker and acting clueless..and dumb like I had no idea what was going on (I'd heard about this from a workmate the day before...but I wanted to be cruel for once lol) Her friend (what a friend indeed!) quickly came to her defence and said: This is a list here,just so you can see it is all legit,they were 4 of them in total..the leggy blonde seemed to be the leader of the pack hehe...she was hot :P okk....I admit I was dazzled by the almost perfect combination of lace and legs and the mask did give her an aura of mystery ;) I gave her my ATM receipt because I was feeling bulletproof on this particular night....I wasn't broke lol...She said "I don't even have to look at it" being a guy,you'd worry if a woman said this to you in another context lol...I was thinking,go ahead I have money this time lol but she had left me temporarily speechless at this point....the girls were all talking amongst themselves...eyeballing me lol the leader of their scavenger pack signaled for them to move out by saying...thank you so much for helping me out or something like that and she said enjoy your evening...with a huge smile of satisfaction on her face...wasn't sure if that was from checking off on her list or...uhm..something else...as they walked away...I could just hear the laughter LOL! CRAAAYYYZZZAAAY! so much for NOT talking to strangers at the bus stop :P

I had an AWESOME week...killer weekend so...I've been listening to La Roux. Love her song "bulletproof" and "I'm going in for the kill" is it me or is there really something sexy about bullets and killing people? lol

Here are some pics I took over the weekend...enjoy :)

My nails were getting too long...I noticed that I have girly looking hands when my nails are long :P
The Dutch Shop in Petone, this place is so Euro....pretty cool! What have windmills got to do with the Dutch?
This is the kitchen where I currently live...I cooked chicken stir fry for my family here...they loved it...compliments to the cook (I don't expect any kisses yet lol)I may know how to cook but I still love to get Mac Dee's :) lol by far,this is what I want to use in order to keep my weight at normal levels. I read somewhere that calorie counts for meals at the "M" is really high..read the nutrition info and seems to confirm this.

We work when we HAVE to...so we can party when we WANT to :)

2010-03-07T16:31:00.006+13:00

While I haven't been partying much....I have been working alot lately. I have managed to get more work but....I'm thinking of slowing down as it has been a tough week for me.I managed to view another place...well didn't exactly view it because silly real estate people were not there.I got to the place and took a snap. Not a very big place...and since property managers are involved.I think it would be a costly affair.

It looks like some kind of hostel.I wasn't able to go in and so I called the number on the listing and they said there wouldn't be any viewing until next week.Sorely disappointed,I decided to walk back to the bus stop....the neighborhood looked like a pleasant place to live. The shop owner down the corner from the bus stop was an Indian man and he was quite friendly. Stood there watching the KFC across the road.I wasn't hungry and had to make my way back to work.I have been doing the hard hours at work and I should be well rewarded next week. I am not looking to go out partying but I think I may go out for a drink or two :P

I haven't had much of a social life but I have been meeting new people....at the bus stop lol...my cousin calls it "bus stop syndrome" she has seen my contagious over-friendliness with strangers at the bus stop so....she may be right.I think I shouldn't talk to strangers at the bus stop but I just get the urge to say hello....everyone that I talk to usually respond and I have met a few interesting people this way. Today people are so caughtup in their personal music players and phones that they don't take the time to stop and say hello.I make it my business to know your business lol....I guess you can say that I am nosy....so perhaps I need to tone it down a little.I am pretty happy though,being single has really worked out well for me.I am able to enjoy being so random and not having to worry about anyone but myself and focus on what is truly important to me.I had heard the phrase "thanks,you've made my day" 3 times already this week and I think there is much more to come :)

I can safely say...all in a days work :)

Finding my place....

2010-03-04T13:14:00.004+13:00

I went to see a place yesterday in an area called "Hataitai" I'm still uncertain how to say that...I wasn't expecting anything with 5 stars since the advertised rent was cheap...I was right not to expect that. Upon arrival at Arcus way...where it was NOT a road but indeed was a "way" made up of gravel and some areas were paved but mostly looked like a place out in the countryside.I got there to see a blue and white old colonial designed home.Met "O" the contact person for the advertised room. She seemed friendly, showed me around..the room was not too large,had one window and was facing towards the East so I'd get the lovely sunlight that I need to keep me smiling all day :) The bathroom was old and looked like something out of the movie "Vacancy" I mean it was okay...just that it did not appeal to me in anyway. She showed me the backyard..this was the highlight of the place. A large green lawn with a park bench and big trees providing some cool shade...this was more appealing than the bathroom lol....If I could,I'd probably prefer to live in the yard :P

All in all,I liked the place.For a decent amount of money,I could live closer to work but I don't think it would be walkable, if ever I attempt it,it would probably take me a while to get to work...so I have had to weigh that out and they asked me to leave my name and number with them...so they can get back to me.I think the previous dude who lived there must have had some sort of falling out with the other two flatmates or something like that...this wasn't a problem for me...but I had to think whether it could be later on down the line.I get along with most people though,mostly the younger people because I can relate to alot of people who are growing up.My own experiences have taught me valuable lessons in life and if I can help someone learn a thing or two that may help them...I will gladly do so!:)

I've had much time to think things through and my current accommodation will hold up until I can find a decent place closer to work.I try not to stress too much about it because stress can be paralyzing to a certain extent.I live my days one day at a time and that is how I can keep smiling :)

My Facebook Suicide Note*

2010-03-03T12:08:00.003+13:00

MY FACEBOOK SUICIDE NOTE*

So my journey is about to be cut short,
A few more clicks and my online existence is not,
A few more tears as I look back,
At the few years since I added my first contact.

I try to find a suitable ~~stateus~~ status,
Hopefully it's one without errors
I would like to say "goodbye world"
Since the begining of code is "hello world"

There are many friends I stand to lose along the way,
but I know I'll see them in REAL life some day,
A few enemies I've added as friends,
But they're the ones I hope not to see again.

There were random people I never knew,
But being a nice guy..accept was all I'd do!
Then there were hearts and drinks and farms,
"Gosh,they're turning us all into facebook bums!"

I wonder what life will be like without facebook
But I realize all I have to do is logout and LOOK :)
People tell me to get a life
but what I would prefer to get is a good wife
In reply I sometimes say get some bookface
You can never win the friends race
Too many friends to track and trace
What matters is not the quantity of your friends
but the quality that matters when your account ends!

So here I am staring at the deactivate button,
Seriously "I'm really gonna do it come on!"
I look back one last time with a tear in my eye
I don't wana live my life on facebook I just wanna die*!

Posted by Fila Kaboom (Suicidal) Paulo.
copyright imawip.blogspot.com

##Please be advised that the following is only a poetic expression of my feelings and the conflict inside me as to whether I really need to be on facebook or not.This does not in anyway mean that I am suicidal (well that is up to you to decide :P) I love my life and I treasure it as a gift from God.Please don't kill yourself after reading this...try to GET a REAL life instead :P ##

* ANY REFERENCES TO FACEBOOK SUICIDE AND DEATH AS MENTIONED HERE ONLY REFERS TO DEACTIVATING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

I posted this on my facebook...but I'm still considering my facebook suicide :P

Try to be realistic....plan for miracles :)

2010-02-26T17:47:00.006+13:00

My week has been pretty hectic...but pleasant :) I've been listening to alot of Esmée Denters (a Dutch hottie...or a hot Dutchie,depending on which end you are looking from..lol) lately since,I've been having to take a long 20 minute walk from the bus stop to my accommodation after midnight most times.Justin Timberland is a pretty good producer and I think I prefer Esmée Denters to Britney.I love her song called "What if" I think that it speaks to my heart....I keep thinking "what if i stayed back in Fiji?" "what if I had decided to continue dating my Panda?" what if...what if lol I don't really want to dwell on my past.I'm looking to my future....looks much brighter than it used to.I have truly been through so much since I moved to this new and beautiful country,New Zealand :) I still have this strong desire to get married at the age of 27 and I still have no clue who to....I just know that by the time I'm 27,I shall be married to someone.

I think it is just a natural progression of my life stages but I know that ultimately,I have the power to choose.I am planning for miracles in the sense that I know when I meet my future wife,I will know and we would get married after about 6 months...in some romantic scene that keeps playing out in my head.I know the idea is very much fantasy...but I don't expect the reality be so far off from what I have in mind.I have a quest to be self-sufficient and more independent right now...and I'm doing pretty well.

I worked lateshift with Don tonight.I was asked to lock up and so my supervisor gave me the keycodes for the office.The keycode is....324513gofish! you didn't think I'd actually post it on here,did you? lol

I've been breezing through my workload.I find this job so easy that I don't think I ever want to go back to onsite and hands on work...but that is my passion....it brings the greatest satisfaction and I love fitting things together..it is just how my mind works.

I have been working on my project for my website.I am going to sell products online with the help of L.N. and hopefully our little business venture takes off.

I miss my home so much and I am counting down to my planned trip back to Fiji...that will be the biggest miracle I am planning for...who knows? maybe it will be for my honeymoon lol....

ONE DAY!keep smiling everyone! :D

"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything!"

2010-02-19T08:16:00.007+13:00

I finally got paid and so I have a content smile on my face today :) I am enjoying the work I do, I have helped so many people so far and I still have a strong desire to help more people that call us up. I am learning the way of the Customer Support Jedi now and I think I can "master" it pretty soon.We had a lot of customers calling us up reporting a hoax email that they have been receiving. Luckily most of them have been following our updates and they knew what to do when confronted with a message asking to re-confirm their username and password or else their account could be terminated or something along those lines...but one unlucky guy called me up to inform me that he had sent his details out in reply to the hoax email and that he only realized after he had read our hoax email alert via our website that he had done something wrong. I advised him to remain calm and that we would be able to help him by resetting his password. I helped him out and let him go on his way. It had been an eventful evening, my last caller was the best one :) She asked me if I had patience and I smiled (although she couldn't see that over the phone) and said "Yes, I have been told that I am very patient" She then said that it was a good thing because she isn't very good with computers and she would be needing someone like me to help her out. After hmm...at least 2 hours of "being patient" I was pretty tired, it was late in the night and the other guy working night shift with me had to leave and so I was locking up. I had my supervisor leave me the keycode for the security system and so I was a little nervous at this extra responsibility that seems to have been thrown recklessly at "the new guy" hmm...I spoke to "W" for such a long time...struggling to remain professional because she was just so interesting. We started talking about other things (which usually never happens with my other calls) I really enjoyed talking to her and I thanked her for making my night (she kept me company until I finished my shift :) I was just so happy that I can help her out. There is much satisfaction from helping someone with a motive other than money.Unfortunately,my bills aren't paid by the many "thanks" that I get from appreciative customers. I am loving my job but hating the ordinary nature of tasks. I do get a little excitement each day and I tend to find that in the simple things :)I can't think of a better way to spend my Friday night (hints of sarcasm intended)

Apart from work,I really don't have much of an active social life anymore since I don't know too many people here.I hope that all changes soon.I am gonna try to find accommodation closer to work then see how things go.

I am selling my blackberry after upgrading the Operating System Software to version 4.5 and installing new applications.I did however run into a few issues.I downloaded the software from the blackberry website and then followed the instructions on how to upgrade your blackberry pearl OS software.

I ran into a few glitches when I did so.I lost all my blackberry service books and it made it impossible to download new service books on Vodafone New Zealands network unless you are subscribed to BIS(Blackberry Internet Service) I was left hopeless,only able to use my Opera-mini which I installed through the blackberry application loader on my laptop. I scoured the internet for articles on how to restore service book entries with Vodafone New Zealand's network. I found something on VodafoneNZ website forum that is from a Tech here.Basically the Tech mentioned "that there was no manual way to install this" from his knowledge.This is NOT true,this is my fix for missing service book entries.I just went on to "options" and "Advanced" and "Host Routing Table" then pressed the BB or "options" key and selected "Register Now" The forum said that the only way to restore your service book settings was to sign up for an "On Account" plan or to insert a Vodafone On Account SIM and it will setup the service book entries.I just kept registering (repeating the above steps) until something gave...first time I did register,nothing happens.I was very persistent and about 1 day later.I got a message from "Activation Server" saying I have successfully registered my blackberry device.I am delighted since now I can even receive my own vodafonenz.app.blackberry.net address.

Sadly,I still need to sell it so I have listed it on trademe.I don't want to sell for anything less than what I know it is worth with all the configuration setup on a Prepay account.If I don't get buyers then I will just keep it since it is probably worth more to me than what other people are willing to offer.

I had a great week..how about you? :)

Making the move..

2010-02-11T13:59:00.003+13:00

It's been a tough week for me...I breezed through the training....took alot of calls in helpdesk and I handled them so well that my Manager has asked me to start my shifts.I have temporary accommodation but I need to move closer to the city.I love my new job, even though I used to hate being in the helpdesk before. I learned to enjoy my work with a focus on helping people resolve their internet issues. I live with my cousin and her son and their mom,who used to be married to my uncle...so the situation is slightly awkward and not the ideal living situation for me. I was invited by two newfound friends B & M (they're married and are expecting their first child soon) to their place for dinner with other friends E & M who were the first Spanish speaking couple I met in New Zealand. They were really nice and I loved learning a few words from them.....we had lasagne for dinner and some carlsberg and corona for drinks then we watched a DVD which had really old musicians playing for some music festival or concert (I wasn't paying attention coz they were songs from waaaay before my time lol) I had great conversation and we left with hugs and kisses....which was really nice to have since I have not had any since I left Auckland....I know right? poor me :P

Absolutely love Wellington and I keep seeing this ad on TV...beautiful and peaceful....I love my country so much :)

I ♥ Wellington! :)

2010-02-02T08:03:00.003+13:00

I made the discovery that virgin blue and pacific blue are one and the same! I'm such a coconut sometimes :P
I left Auckland last week,catching a flight further south to Wellington City...My flight was TERRIBLE! It was only my second flight and because it was a much smaller plane,I had issues with slight pressure changes descending….my ears were killing me...I was lightheaded and hanging on to the armrests on my seats for dear life! I had never experienced that before.....probably because I am not accustomed to flying….but I survived and landed was able to bear it for a few minutes out of the total 1 hour and 5 minute flight.
I flew with Virgin Blue, and did not realize until check-in that they are also known as Pacific Blue.It was the cheapest seat I could find because all the other ones were sold out.I would say Pacific Blue is a good “value” airline.On the flight, the hottie on the mic who claims her name was “Mandy”- I didn’t buy it...coz she called the other air hostesses,her friends, Sandy and Candy but I think that’s a system they have...coz the guy she called Randy,was actually named Raj..lol (I checked his name tag)…anyway Mandy was really funny on the intercom thingy, on take off she said something like: “Do not be alarmed, we are now switching off all lights to enable our flight to take off and also to enhance the appearance of our crew” crack up! Lol, made the flight more interesting…she also said something like “we offer a variety of entertainment options…..if you wish to be entertained,just look at one of our crew members” She made some other smart ass comments that were pretty funny and she had such a personality...I was truly entertained! :)
As the plane landed...the views of Wellington were unexpectedly absorbing,beautiful mountain ranges sharply descend onto a beautiful coastline in some areas...with the city on a gradual plane....facing outward into a well laid out,glistening blue harbor...I fell in love with her soon after ;)
I got in and my host, a cousin of mine,came to pick me up....got home full of excitement,I met her family and had a long chat....I’ve never met her and her family so it was a long catch up...then off I went to my interview.

I went into the building all dressed up.Met the Operations Manager and he introduced me to the Helpdesk Manager...sat down to fill a form (questionaire type thing) I hadn’t written in such a long time...my writing looked like it was written in an earthquake..hands were shaky, nervous, I guess.It was a scenario question....I think I nailed it. Second part was spelling, circle the correct ones..I think I did that :)
These guys were pretty relaxed…so I was able to talk to them about my goals (to work in the IT industry in New Zealand) shared a bit about my life and my work history. The interview ended well and so I have been asked in to see them again today.Hope that my second interview goes well..for now...adios :)

At the time of writing this draft....I left for my interview and I got back...good news, I got the job :) yay! I'm thankful to my family my friends :) I truly feel blessed!

My advice to everyone reading is...endure the worst times,coz when it gets really bad, the good times should be just around the corner :D

Here are some pics..Enjoy!Looks like I'm not the only one who ♥'s Wellington :P View of Wellington City from Tepapa Museum (I heard it is one of the world's largest museums)
A lovely place on the coast in Eastbourne.

Light at the end of the fibre optic cable

2010-01-26T22:00:00.003+13:00

I finally got an interview with Actrix Networks, an ISP down in Wellington.My uncle came by my new home to pick me up, now I am in Te Awamutu, a small town close to Hamilton.I love the change in scenery, the concrete cityscape I am used to seeing has been replaced with beautiful hillsides and valleys....this is Waikato District! The place is full of farm land with most of New Zealand's farmers residing in the region and mostly sheep and dairy...I love the smell of green.....I am flying to Wellington from Auckland airport so I have to get up early tomorrow.

I received a message from the manager of operations in Actrix stating that attending the interview may not mean that I will get the job but I still wish to try anyway.

I am going with a positive attitude and a supersmile :D lol hoping to bring some personality to this helpdesk position and put some cash in my pocket too....I have a passion for people and computers and I just hope that those qualities will shine through tomorrow.

Thanks to all my friends and family for their support and of cos I thank God for blessing me with all my talents :)

I took a few pics on my phone today....enjoy :)

I saw this beautiful rainbow.....hadn't seen one since the one on the train...I'm sure its on a previous post.

The neighbors down the road.....they don't take time to stop and see the colors....
I loved the fact that I could still see the sun shining through the clouds...unfortunately I can't take better pics coz I sold my digital camera.
This was taken at a Vet Clinic or something like that....for animals and pets...pet shop I think...

GODZILLA IS ALIVE!!! RUNNNNNN! LOL

"A glimmer of hope!" :)

2010-01-19T12:56:00.000+13:00

I got an email yesterday from G who owns Tech Voice Data, about with a reference from L (the Canadian) that I was involved with briefly...she had recommended me to him and he wants to meet me for some business,possibly contract work.This could be my BIG BREAK! but I still want to find something to support myself while I wait for the 15th February meeting date....I am excited but not without a hint of pessimism-I don't think contract work will fly with immigration people. The requirements for anyone expressing interest in residing in New Zealand (at least in my case as a skilled migrant) is that I find suitable employment relevant to my field of study. I want to apply but I don't want the uncertainty of not knowing if I qualify. I can only keep trying so in the past few days I applied to about 9 IT related jobs within Auckland but I only got one reply today :

"We have received your job application for Technical Support / Office Administrator and thank you for your interest in this opportunity.

Your details have been assessed and unfortunately your application does not meet our position requirements.

We thank you for forwarding your details and wish you all the best in your job hunt."

I would appreciate some specific reasons why I do not meet the "requirements" but unfortunately most emails I get don't mention anything except for one which had an online form that I filled in a rush because I was on a public computer and did not have enough time to check.Read it below :

"Although your skill set closely matched what we were looking for,
grammatical errors in your application showed us that your written
English is not up to the level that we need for this customer facing
role."

Now,I don't know if anyone has noticed that I'm not perfect or not...I do make mistakes and admittedly,I acknowledge that I was at fault for not checking "grammatical errors" that may have been present.This one seems to have eluded me :(

Well,I'm not one who gives up so easily...like that darn energizer bunny.....I'll keep on keeping on until something gives. Thanks to all my family and friends for the support and to Kezia.

I am living in a different "undisclosed location" temporarily and hopefully I will be able to work at the local supermarket or whatever. I am still pretty "plus plus" ++ about everything....so hope my enthusiasm and positivity doesn't run out.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side......

2009-12-13T19:44:00.008+13:00

My week went by quickly perhaps because I have been very precise with my online applications for work....I get rejection letter after rejection letter...which normally discourages me or diminishes my drive somewhat, but I am pretty up beat despite all the emails I have been getting in response to my application....I think there isn't a nice way of saying..sorry but you're just not good enough for this position....or we prefer a local...or sometimes it has more to do with specific requirements that have not been met.In the past few months of relentlessly bothering recruitment agencies and companies in Auckland I had called up Advanced Personnel, a company in South Auckland that was recommended by a relative.Talked to a friendly voice..finally! I have to call back next week in order to be registered...once that is done,I wait..some more.I don't want to wait any longer than I have already so I've been going through the hundreds of jobs advertised online hoping to find my golden goose egg....This has been ridiculous because I know I could be making more money in my home country.Something inside me tells me to stick around and look around....so despite the gloomy outlook, I am persisting with my positivity.....hoping that something goes right when everything seems wrong!

I am determined to do my best to find work in my field of study but I will probably have to work in "other capacities" until I find suitable work.I have always believed in hard work and I have always tried to give my customers the best.....I am posting a primary goal of getting employment and a secondary goal of getting employment in my field of study. Its a little late for a resolution but the new year does look promising even if it has been my worst year yet.

Hope it all goes well...here's to a fabulous 2010! :D

I'm legal...finally!

2009-11-22T11:16:00.003+12:00

I'm finally legally living in New Zealand once again...due to the situation created by my then current visa expiring while waiting for renewal...but now I get to work for unspecified hours, for an unspecified employer. Yay! :) but that's just half of my trouble, now I have to find a job within my field of study in order to attain a residence visa, which I would like to have so that I can freely travel to my home country and back as I wish. Things haven't been the best for me in this "foreign" land. I know now what many immigrants feel when they decide to move to the greener grass (allegedly) on the other side. Moving to a new location creates a hole in your social life that cannot be immediately filled with friends that are of a different culture and social structure.To successfully settle in my new environment, I have had to observe the seeming weird (at first) way that the local people live out their busy lives. I also had to watch alot of local TV and that was just to learn the little words and phrases that locals use to express themselves....like "hard" I'd like to think I am...it was used in a context of agreement which sounded weird to me but HEY! when in Rome.......

I haven't picked up the kiwi accent yet but....I am hoping not to. I am happy with the way I speak but I feel like it draws too much attention and curiosity from many people.....so I find myself mixing things up....so I sound like a total goofball! I just want to sound like myself...my cultural identity crisis continues.....

I have been desperately trying to secure a job interview.....which was annoyingly difficult given the way employers discriminate, yes they do, despite what many people believe, employers have to discriminate in order to fit the right person into a job role.I had learned these facts from an IT workshop I attended a few weeks ago....I've been so lazy with my blog....partly because I've been hard on myself in other areas like.....finding a job! lol

Yes I can LOL in my blog..lol! :D I read in the listener that it helps to write a professional blog if you want to increase your chances of scoring yourself a job. I also realized the reality of the situation here which is a major factor in my difficulties in finding employment.....it is not JUST ME! :P haha talk about being so self-centered....yes other people can't find jobs too....but this is far from reassuring for me."One hundred and thirty-eight thousand New Zealanders are now trapped in the awful reality of unemployment, up 48,000 in the year to June. That's 6% of the workforce. Maori and Pasifika peoples are being hit even harder, with unemployment running at almost 13%. In each week in August, 1000 people more signed on for the unemployment benefit." While I don't qualify for any type of UB here since I am not a resident...this does more to strengthen my resolve since I have to compete with 138,000 locals who are unemployed! Shocking and sobering statistics...but I remain positive about my chances even as an immigrant. but it is not all doom and gloom as the forecast for people like me...I continue to annoy employers about how good I can be if I worked for them..eventually they shall give up and surrender a job to me! my evil plan should work :P

Seek New Zealand general manager Annemarie Duff says,"Job seekers have had to completely change their attitude to the way they go after jobs. They've had to be more focused, and they've had to think about what they have to offer to businesses." Now there are tentative signs the job market could be turning. "We are definitely starting to see a pickup in the last three weeks. We are starting to see an increase in the number of jobs advertised. It's early days, but it's a good sign," she says.

Oh well apart from that....I have not had too many issues with my personal life.....met a nice Canadian woman..but I have become somewhat disconnected with any type of relationship...so ends another chapter of my unattainable love life. I don't mind being a loner because if I find a job it may take me around the country...it is then a wise move not to be involved or as some of my friends put it "chained" to a certain area. I hardly consider being in a relationship chained or restricted...rather it is a freedom to enjoy specific attention from someone you care about.

I am still alive but....trying much harder to stay that way. I am just hoping that some New Zealand employer would see my value and potential and hire me....Since I don't qualify for unemployment benefits I have been working on an online store that I will launch soon with the help of my business partner Allen. I will keep everyone posted on the progress and hopefully....the pieces of the puzzle of my life end up falling in the right place :)

To all my dear friends...thanks for the support!