Swinging

One thing I really love is swinging on a swing. Like, at a playground. It's so endearing and frivolous, and also a great time to reflect on things. I enjoy watching the scene around me change as I sweep a parabola through the air.
As a kid, I wasn't a very good swinger. It took me ages to get the hang of it, and I was always pretty wussy about going too high. Even now, after years of experience, it takes a while for my insides to feel okay about flying up and down. And at 27, I wonder if there's an age when it's no longer acceptable to swing. While playgrounds are the domain of children, swinging is enjoyable (and light exercise!), and it feels too arbitrary to simply stop. You needn't let things slide into an unrecoverable childhood nostalgia. Stay young at heart, you're never too old to have fun!

Camp A Low Hum 2012

This past weekend I went to Camp A Low Hum in Wainui. I think it was the best Camp I've been to, and one of the best weekends ever. The more I think about it, the more it makes me happy, and though it sounds cheesy, it feels like I've 'been a part of something special'. Euphoric times, and I was very lucky to see a whole bunch of (new and old) friends from NZ and abroad. Weather on the first day was wet and pretty bleak, but there was heaps of great music. My friend Dove and I chose what the other would wear: he got a a shirt with a cat and his name on; I got an incredible kaftan. Mysticism ensued, and my sunshine ceremony may have helped, for the remaining two days were beautiful.
There were heaps of musical highlights: So So Modern (epic in the rain), Kikuyu, Terrible Truths, Dan Deacon, Aa (maybe my fav show?), Castlecliff Lights, Guerre, Shenandoah Davis, Kirin J Callinan, Hawnay Troof (killer party/killed my voice), Spring Break (Sexiest Pool Party), Jon Lemmon, The Shocking and Stunning, All Seeing Hand, Prince Rama.
And there were heaps of non-musical highlights: crazy dancing with friends; palm readings (love dat Party Line); thanking Kikuyu for playing and having her remember me from Camp '09; corn chip sandwiches, a capella bleep bloop accompaniments to songs; playing The Ninja Game, The Fruit Game, Wrestle Quest; getting an amazing mixtape-in-a-coconut; finally learning to 'whooooo' at a concert.
Such an incredible festival! I'm in complete agreement when people say it's one of the world's best, and I'll be back next year

Giveaway! Choose Your Own Crochet

I'm really enjoying crochet, and I like making 'things' - objects and stuff, more so than useful items. Check out some of my past projects here.
Now though, lucky reader, it's time for a giveaway. I will crochet you whatever you want. To enter, just leave a comment (or email me (superchai @ gmail . com)) saying what you'd like. Simple! I'll send it anywhere in the world, and will design and make it myself. Be creative (so no hats, sorry) (and maybe include some kind of reference picture if it's obscure...)! Entries will be open until July 31st, and before you know it a Thing of Your Choice could be heading your way

Campus A Low Hum 2011

I went to Campus A Low Hum again this past weekend, and I had a really great time. The weather was incredible - gorgeous hot days and lovely warm nights. I had a good time with the people I was with, and I think apart from Gina and a few others, almost everyone I wished was there, including my whole flat. Tenting was great fun, and I think we ate pretty well.
The bands were obviously one of the main highlights. I really loved St Rupertsberg, Hold Dear, Delaney Davidson, Secret Knives, Toro y Moi, Chelsea Jade & James Duncan, Ghost Wave, Glass Vaults, Pond, Megalex, and Caribou, who totally blew me away.
There was a really great range of music, and plenty of other things to check out. I really liked the art pieces that were scattered around the site. Many of them had to be discovered, which made it more rewarding.
I ended up getting a ride back to Wellington on the last night, and we arrived at 4:30am - it was a pretty great adventure, and a nice way to cap off the festival.
Gina met me at the airport, and it was so great to see her again. I'd been away for a two and a bit weeks, and missed her like crazy.

Fascinating!

Air New Zealand has a monopoly on flights to and from Palmerston North, so I always prefer to 'take the scenic route' and travel via Wellington. I was there for a week this time round, and Beth had the whole time off work, so we managed to do plenty of cool things that we'd wanted to over the last few years. We ate lots of yum food, explored the streets, went pasting (No Face from Spirited Away! (among others)), travelled to Somes Island, made rainbow cake, snuck in to spas, watched movies, visited Strathmore, drank cocktails, attended fun gigs, and bumped in to friends and strangers.
The main reason I'd travelled when I had was for Laneway Wellington. It was pretty good overall. The definite highlight was Beach House, who were overwhelmingly gorgeous. I was covered in shivers their whole show, which actually made me feel really hot. Deerhunter were disappointing with sound issues, though they did play Desire Lines, which I'm pretty crazy about.
I met up with my very good friend Adam, and we had sushi train. I also had juice with the lovely and very supportive team from Music 101.

It was a really great trip. Wellington, you're a gem.

Cupcakes for Christmas!

I hope you had a nice christmas. I called my family in Palmerston North, and had lunch with Gina and her family. It was really nice. In the late afternoon, I went pasting with some friends. It was still light and I wanted to give the city a present. The City Council has erected a number of very helpful information signs and maps about the city centre. Quite fortuitously, I found that a cupcake pasting I'd made perfectly covered the council logo at the bottom of these signs. I made up a new 'batch', and went about giving all the signs we could find a fun addition.

I think the council do a generally good job, though cupcakes make for a nicer logo. Christchurch City Council = CCC = City of CupCakes.
Thanks to Jasper for the photos

Parade

Hannah and I went to the Christmas Parade in town today. It was overcast but warm. I'd been looking forward to attending; I'd not been to the Chch parade before. And I had a really great time. I couldn't stop smiling, for so many reasons. It was great seeing lots of kids happy, and most of the floats were really colourful (especially the groups from various Asian countries). I was really pleased to see a group advocating buying less, and spending more time with those you love. Conversely, floats for corporate fast food chains, radio stations and car yards can fuck right off.
I often feel pretty negative about the latter, and end up fantasising about illegally damaging property, or making grand vitriolic statements. But really, I'm not sure what that would accomplish. I think it's a lot better to try and take a positive, alternative route of action. Don't support those you despise in any way. Shop locally and communicate with your friends. Act in a way that inspires others - they're usually more receptive to a flower than a stick.
I hope you'll be having a nice christmas. I'll be in Christchurch, with friends. If you'd like a christmas card, let me know your address - superchai@gmail.com

The last few days

I'm in my last week of uni, ever. I'm very close to finishing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science, and I don't have any plans at the moment to do any post-grad work. I think I shall write more about uni another time; for now, here are a few things I've done lately.
-The other day, cycling to uni, Kim caught up to me on her bike. We cycled the rest of the way, then I bumped in to her as she was leaving, and her, Eamonn and I cycled home. It was a perfect day for a bike ride, and Kim and I used our bells, which just seems like the most cheerful, spring-like sound ever (Eamonn has no bell, but squeaky brakes).
-Gina and I have been meeting up at uni. It's been nice spending time together, but more specifically, we've been partaking in Don't Forget to Write - writing letters to strangers in the library at uni. I've received some interesting ones, and I think I may just start writing to strangers in the phone book.
-Hannah, Eamonn, T'nealle, Jono, Melinda and I went and saw Spirited Away at the Academy Cinema in the Arts Centre. It was a free screening as part of the Japanese Film Festival, and was much better than I remember.
-Eamonn, Melinda and I watched Donnie Darko. It was about as good as I remember.
-I made a large pasting which will probably go up tonight. Out of newspaper, I also made a few pictures of little tufts of grass, and flowers, which I pasted around the bottoms of power poles etc near my house. A man walked by and said 'you're doing a great job'.

Urban

It was a Saturday night spent with a pretty girl. She picked me up from work and we walked town. Standing on a rooftop, you could see the lights of the city, and take your pick of which concert to eavesdrop upon. It's spring, and the air was warm and richly fragrant. We avoided the people yelling and lining up for clubs, but were entertained by a possibly homeless man who was drinking, and had been 'on the run from the police for five months'. We explored the art of my favourite alley-way, and I planned my own additions.
It felt like a perfect night, and it makes me feel a little giddy that someone so wonderful could come so out of the blue.

Sticking together

This song from Los Campesinos! features the lyric 'On the back of a natural disaster, fixed with parcel tape and with kids sticking plasters'. I was doing the dishes, and it hit me - yes! That's how to rebuild this city.
I sat down and sketched a few sticking plasters on pink paper, and made about 50. Last night, I made some wheat paste, and T'nealle and I went pasting around town. We hopefully made the hurt buildings feel better, and they might heal quicker.

Barricades could not stop our repairs

It was a really fantastic night. We were patching up a crack in a paving stone in the Square, and a man walked past and said 'great stuff guys - really cute. Thanks'. Which is the right reaction. I think they look great, and I hope they make people smile when they see them. T'nealle took plenty more pictures.

Swinging

I passed back through Wellington after being in Palmerston North. It was a flying visit, but absolutely brilliant. Beth and I had planned to explore around Mt Victoria, and though the forecast was horrible, it was a gorgeous day. We walked around, taking photos, exploring, using swings, and making our own from a skateboard. It's above the bus tunnel if you'd like to use it

Campus A Low Hum 2010

I went to Campus A Low Hum over the weekend, and it was amazing! One of the best weekends I've ever had. There were so many amazing bands, and cool stuff that happened; it was so much fun.

Some of my favourite bands were The Ruby Suns, Signer, Parking Lot Experiments, A Dead Forest Index, East Brunswick All Girls Choir, So So Modern, Dan Deacon, Polka Dot Dot Dot, Jens Lekman and Tommy Ill. Phew! Lots of amazing bands, and super sweet times.

Amongst all the things that happened, there was a mixtape swap. I crocheted a CD cover, and I think it looked sickeningly cute. I'll upload the mix shortly. I put the blog address on the track list - if you received my mix, it would be nice if you left a comment.

Bountiful suburban streets

This happened quite a while ago, and I'm a bit surprised it's taken so long to post. A few months back, my flatmate Eamonn and I were walking to the chip shop on a Saturday afternoon. Around the corner from our place, on the side of the road, was this:

A beautiful Hammond Organ. It had a sign saying FREE, TAKE ME, I Work. It was a total 'OMG' moment. We had nothing else to do that day, so thought about how to get it back to ours. It was only about a 4min walk, but that thing is really heavy. After about 100m/10min, we stopped outside a house that had a ute. We talked about it, and decided it was worth a shot asking the owner for a lift. He was an engineer having his lunch, and while a bit bemused/a surly kiwi bloke, was an absolute legend, and took us around the corner.

The sign had not lied, and it works a treat. You should come around some time for an organ jam.

Re-Collections

I've found that a Blog A Day is tricky, especially in nice weather, and when I'm busy doing things. Also, I would not like to force an 'inspired' post. Maybe there'll be 31 posts by the end of the month.

I went to Auckland this week to see Animal Collective play. I went with my friends Josie and Tim. It'd been a long time coming - we'd booked tickets in September or something, and I kept making plans for the days I'd be away. I got to finally meet Nick and Sarah from Einstein Music Journal, which was fantastic. I speak to them fortnightly on the radio, but we'd not met 'til now. I got hello hugs, which was great, and they are such lovely people - it was like hanging with old friends.

And so off to Animal Collective. We walked there, and arrived just before they started playing. I promptly lost the people I was with, and danced on my own. I had a really good time. They played In The Flowers first, which has so much meaning to me. I guess because it reminds me of Beth. She was there, but arrived late, and we didn't get to meet up until after the show. Still, it was so amazing to see her again. I just held her, both of us covered in sweat.

After the show, we walked around, half-looking for a party. I was just happy to adventure, and spend time with her. We lay down in the Domain, looking at stars. It was everything I could've hoped for. I think I probably enjoyed seeing Beth more than the concert. At the airport, we were on different flights, and she managed to sneak up on me. I gave her An Awesome Book, and will see her again in a few weeks. I feel fulfilled.

Sunday afternoon

Spring seems very eager to get started here in Christchurch. The sun is feeling warm, and the sky is clear.

As I lay in bed this morning, I listened to Radio for Kids on RDU. The kids that phone up can be annoying, but often tell great stories (about kid stuff). Their taste in music is pretty bad, but the show plays some amazing recorded stories. Like, Thomas the Tank-engine. And Oscar Wilde's short stories, read by men with the most wonderful voices. Wilde's 'The Selfish Giant' was read today, and was stunningly beautiful,

'He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.'

I've been reading about possums in New Zealand as part of a case study about an invasive species. I read in the sunshine and enjoyed a cup of tea. After noon, I crocheted some granny squares (pics coming...), before heading in to town to meet Sophie for afternoon tea.

It was nice to see her again. We went to Soul Food on High Street. I had a fantastic pie.

We walked about the streets of the inner city. She studies theatre costume design, and I asked her what would be the most basic, number one piece of information about that. She said, "make it fun."

As I walked home, the sun was setting; through high cloud it created a faint rainbow halo.

Hauted Love loves you

I went and saw Haunted Love last night - and they were really great! I missed their first song, but they seemed in great spirits. Some very clever banter covered up organ malfunctions. And they played some great songs! Nothing off their EP Darkness in Diamond City (which I've been loving), but that's something to look forward to next time.

I'd spoken with one of the girls, Rainy, on Wednesday, and got a Hello Hug when I met her. It was awesome. I also got a Hello Hug from Geva. I was speaking with the girls after the show, and woah, woah, woah! We have a very-special-super-secret-amazingly-exciting-project coming up, which I will tell you about next week. Eeeek! So excited!

The Bats also played, and I always forget how amazing they are. Super tight, with a massive catalogue of great songs.

I'm crocheting a hat for Netta. I also talked about a craft collaboration with T'nealle that should be pretty choice