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Month: April 2009

  • April 24, 2009

    In defence of plastic bags

    So Foodstuffs is gonna start charging for plastic bags? Whoop de do. Pak and Save’s been doing it for yonks. And if you can afford to shop at New World, then you really have no cause to complain for paying a few cents per bag.

    (Just as an aside, all the rumours of a Pak n Save being built in New Lynn on my old street were wrong, wrong, WRONG. Nope, it’s gonna be a New World. Like we really need one there. It’s not the wealthiest of suburbs, and we already have the overpriced Foodtown to contend with – although it is 24/7, handy for drunken shopping expeditions or early morning emergencies)

    But I really do have a problem with people who bemoan the latent evils of plastic bags. Tell me, what do you people use to put your rubbish in? Flatmate’s ex used to encourage us not to put bags in our bins. But of course! We could simply WASH out the bin after each emptying, and continue to throw all manner of chicken bones, gristle and rotten food in there, to mention a few!

    Unless you live with clean freaks, there’s no way RINSING a bin in lieu of lining it would ever work. Just. Too. Disgusting. I shudder to imagine what would happen if I tried that.

    Bags serve a purpose. They line our bins and give us something to put our rubbish in, and carry it out to the wheelie bin in. I don’t line our bathroom bin, and I try not to line our bedroom bin. But our main bin needs a bag in it. Even then, it still gets filthy and smelly.

    We have a nice big stockpile of plastic bags at home, thankfully. Before, we used to run out of bags by the end of the week (when we shopped solely at Pak n Save and would buy as few bags as possible. Now we sometimes go to Countdown, where we get bags for free…I know, I know…but to my credit, I did remember to bring our reusable bags last week. Yay!) Without the trusty humble plastic bag, where would we be? We’d be forced to buy the thick black PROPER bin liners, which are SO much worse for the environment and take forever to break down.

    I don’t mind paying for bags. Even if Progressive start charging for bags, I’d still buy enough to hold our rubbish for the week. I just think they are far more useful than the bag-bashers imply. It’s not like they were designed simply to wreak havoc on the environment.

    Plastic bags are not all bad. They do have a use.

  • April 23, 2009

    Not looking hopeful….

    Trying to avoid sinking into a pit of total despair.

    Here’s how it’s been. Search through job sites everyday, monitoring anything new advertised. Figure out if it’s remotely plausible to apply for any of the new positions. Spend an age pulling together a CV/letter trying to highlight any relevant skills/experience, then hit send. Or, call the number, only to be toldthe job is ALREADY gone. Or, get no answer, but keep trying. Once you eventually DO get through, are told they stopped taking calls and answering the phone because they were so swamped!

    You can’t win. You can call the same day a role is put up. It’s still not fast enough! What to do, short of sitting at the PC 24/7??

  • April 23, 2009

    Free speech

    I like to wander over to Jezebel occasionally. I really like their features where they tear apart the week’s goss magazines, and sometimes their Snap Judgements are really spot on and hilarious.

    I was pretty gutted when they decided to ban commenting. And then I didn’t visit the site for a few weeks. When I finally remembered to, whaddya know? Comments were BACK! I guess it’s one of those sites (like I said in a tweet) that just isn’t as good without feedback. It’s one of those sites that thrives on comments. The stories are only half the story. The comments are what bring it to life. They have some DEDICATED commenters, and some lively debate.

    But I find a lot of their commenters…well, exhausting. And repetitive. And boringly predictable. A lot of them are super feminist, a lot of them are tough and defensive and come from abusive backgrounds. And sometimes the vibe gets a little overtly PC and I just can’t take it. And yes, I find them somewhat annoying. Once, I can’t remember what the original article was about, but the comment thread was by some Christian proclaiming that she didn’t hate gays – no, she LOVED them – but thought their lifestyle was wrong. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Male and female fit together, nothing else works.

    So of course, everyone jumped on her. She tried to defend herself, and I think, did so very politely and elegantly. She never once lost her cool and remained gracious throughout. She was asked lots of questions, which she answered, and responded to most points raised.

    Now, I totally don’t agree with her. But I admired how she conducted herself, given the hostile environment. If she’s been reading Jezebel, surely she knows what the community is like. And she must have been brave indeed to put her lone opinion out there – a rare conservative voice among countless liberals, stereotypical feminists, and LGBTs. (And if that was  the first article she ever read and commented on, well that was just stupidity, I guess).

    But I really didn’t see why everyone insisted on carrying on so much. She obviously wasn’t going to change her mind. Or concede any points. Some of her argument didn’t make sense. They still weren’t going to back her down. She was a HARDCORE Christian, and nothing anyone could say would change that. So why did they keep trying, and abusing her? Why continue on a lost cause? I think most of them were just ranting for the sake of it – she was an easy target, and she didn’t lose her cool back at them.

    And really, can someone’s opinion be WRONG? I mean, I think her opinion was wrong. I don’t agree with it. But by definition, an opinion is what someone thinks. It can’t be WRONG. It can be hurtful, and homophobic and illogical, but it can’t actually be wrong.

    That’s something I struggle with. A lot of my friends have diametrically opposed political/social views to mine. It makes for some sparkling discussions sometimes. And as long as it doesn’t cross the line into hate speech – as long as it remains civil – even though I may throw my hands up and bemoan their ignorance, we live in a country which celebrates free speech and where everyone is entitled to their own views.

  • April 22, 2009

    Midweek slump

    First day back at work after my leave.

    I nearly missed the bus home again today. Why? The lifts. The goddamn lifts at work, the slowest, oldest lifts known to man. The lifts which go all the way down to B, then all the way up to floor 4, before coming down and settling on 3.

    Early to work? Think again. Once you’re done waiting for the lift, you’ll be five minutes late.

    And now that daylight savings has kicked in, it’s dark by 6. It’s dark when I walk to the bus stop, and home from the bus stop.

    Last time I finished work at six I missed the bus by about 20s. Today I sprinted – in boots – and made it just as the bus pulled away. ONLY because the driver was nice, and there’s a handy light just after the bus stop which seems to be red about 90% of the time.

    Then I got home to the phone bill. I had a 17 minute cell call earlier this month to a source for a phone interview for a story I wrote. I knew it was a long conversation, but 17 minutes?????

    On the bright side, I came home to dinner cheerfully cooking away (thanks BF) and knowing that I can accompany him to an interview on Friday. Thankfully my cool boss doesn’t mind whether I come in during the morning or afternoon. So I can direct BF up to Albany (neither of us are on the Shore, ever, and he doesn’t like or know the area at all) and give him some support, and then maybe we can tiki tour around up there. We’re def. not Shore people, but it’s nice to be away from home. And if we’re up there and have to spend the gas money anyway why not make the most of it?

    Now I just have to get him to put together a list of three companies he’d like to work for – something the agency wants to see. I totally agree – what’s the point? In this economy there’s no way this new, small agency would be able to place you where you want. I’ll be amazed if anything at all comes from this. Still, it’s small, it’s friendly and a far better shot than the big faceless agencies who focus on admin or managerial staff. We want to impress them.

  • April 22, 2009

    I’ve had around $35 sitting on my rewards card for awhile, and haven’t been sure what to do with it. The smart thing would be to prepay my Visa fee for the next six months, but that’s so…boring. By the time that fee is due I should have accumulated enough dollars again to pay for that.

    Anyway, last night BF wanted to go to a movie, and I figured, why not put some of those dollars to good use? So he got a good night out for free, and found out that he also has a free movie on his movie club member card for next time.

    There’s still $22 on it which I think I’ll use towards groceries (Countdown accepts the card) given how tight things are.

    We’re still waiting to hear back from Work and Income. I’ll be grateful with whatever measly amount they qualify him for. As for helping with the job hunt – ha! Unlikely. They are so disorganised; the times he’s been in and gone through the database, the staff null and void most of the jobs as they’ve already been filled. Well, hello, take them OFF the list then! Apparently it’s not that particular lady’s job. RIGHT. Whatever, SOMEONE should be doing it, cause it’s a waste of time for jobhunters, as well as the case managers who have to go through and turn them down because nobody bothered to keep the database up to date. He’s also been advised to go to another branch office as their job hunting facilities are better, but I really don’t see how that can be.

    Also, we sold that car service voucher (the $40 one we got for $20) to a friend, for $30. And with any luck he’ll let us use anything on it he doesn’t.

  • April 21, 2009

    Jetsetter

    I think one of the things I’m going to do once I graduate is start a travel fund. I really want to be able to go on a holiday once a year. We get four weeks paid leave a year by law, which is TONS! Having a separate account devoted entirely to travel should be a good motivation, and stops the whole “do I really want to raid my savings” issue.

    Notes from the Frugal Trenches also has some really good tips here.

    I like the idea of mixing it up and alternating big vacations with smaller ones.

    I’m keen to do a Pacific Island, go to Australia, road trip around the South Island, and of course Europe, some of the States/Canada and the Mediterranean. And maybe around Malaysia/Singapore/Hong Kong. Gosh, that’s a lot! Something like Europe we would probably do as an OE, I think, and work our way around. We also want to go on a cruise, which might make a good honeymoon or something.

    I haven’t heard of free stopovers before, but I’m keen to find out more! I guess another thing is to travel when no one else wants. Then again, you risk being stuck somewhere where there’s an unstable political situation, a health risk or a terrorist attack. Like all the people who got stuck in Thailand (was it last year or early this year?). And right now the MFA is advising against travel to Fiji. Call me crazy, but I probably would still go anyway! Not to the main island, but there are tons of other ones, the touristy ones. And when me and my mum went to Singapore and Malaysia about 5 years ago, the Sars thing was still winding down and people were paranoid about travelling to Asia. A few people on the plane were wearing the face masks. I found out recently that trip only cost $500 return EACH, including our two nights at the five star Sheraton. And we lived to tell the tale…

  • April 20, 2009

    I’m not gonna try to be a super chef

    laksa

    Laksa...yum yum

    Funnily enough, I have an entire bookmarks folder devoted to recipes. I go for the simple, 5 ingredient type meals whenever possible. But you know, you get bored of pasta, stir fries and meat and two veg…sometimes you want something different!

    Some of my most favourite foods I would never be able to make though. The labour, time taken and not to mention the insane amount of ingredients is just too offputting.

    For example, I really like ethnic foods…Thai, Indian, Malaysian…very spice heavy and full of things I’ve never actually heard of, let alone know where to find. (Not necessarily spicy dishes though,  my constitution isn’t that strong. It’s still stronger than BF’s, who couldn’t even handle this Mexican chicken fiesta salad…. I like a good strong mouthwatering laksa or curry, but only once in awhile. The flushing, sweating and scorched mouth are somewhat of a deterrent).

    Basically, they’re foods I love to eat, but reserve for eating out at cheap and cheerful food courts, or slightly nicer restaurants. Luckily we’ve got some really good eats in Auckland, not that our budget has stretched to this lately! I have a list of places I want

    to visit, but haven’t checked anything off it in a long time.

    I guess I’m just too lazy to actually get around to printing my recipes and putting down stuff on the weekly shopping list. Plus, after a couple, I get discouraged by the sheer amount of things I have to buy. Like FB, we tend to buy a lot of the same items every week – basics – and go from there. It does get repetitive, but it’s easy. I like easy.

    So, I’ve decided to try and whittle down my recipes list and try making one new dish a week – that way it doesn’t blow out our grocery bill. As Notes from the Frugal Trenches points out, it’s actually really expensive to be trying new recipes all the time, unless you happen to have all the ingredients on hand (unlikely, unless you’re a huge foodie).

    rendang

  • April 19, 2009

    Thoughts on a Sunday night

    There have been a lot of op-eds and columns about how 20somethings are being hit hardest by the recession. Last in, first out. Brought up with the idea that if you just worked hard you could get ahead. Thinking you should get a degree, find a job, buy a house. And how that’s just not true, and it’s all falling apart.

    I’m just glad we don’t have a mortgage.

    I know once we get through this, nothing will ever be the same again. I won’t take anything for granted. I’m going to be even more cautious than I was before. Nothing is for certain. Nothing is safe, nothing is assured, and it can all be taken away from you in an instant. Corps have no loyalty to you. All you can do is look out for yourself, be prepared for anything and pick yourself back up.

    I feel stressed a lot, and I freaked out today at the butcher’s because we had to keep it to $20 or less to stay under budget.

    It’s not like my card would have been declined or anything, but it would have been money we didn’t have.

    We got in at $21, and BF came up with a $5 bill from nowhere.

    “See? Now we’re UNDER budget,” he told me.

    Bless him.

    Please, let Work and Income DO something. DO their jobs and give him what he’s entitled to. $10. $25. $50. Whatever.Any little bit would help, and keep us afloat for longer. $100 would be gold. That’s about how much we’re falling short by.

    If this is being a grown up, REALLY realising that the only person with your best interests at heart is YOU….I don’t like it.

    As long as we can get through this.

    One step at a time.

  • April 19, 2009

    Things to do, places to see

    American culture is pop culture. Pop culture is American culture.

    Something we learned in first year Intro to Pop Culture (if I recall correctly) and so very true.

    I figured I’d make a quick list of things I want to see in the US when I get there eventually…one day. Maybe I’ll even remember to look this list up and refer back to it!

    Vegas (Photo)

    The Grand Canyon (Photo)

    Taco Bell (Photo)

    IHOP (Photo)

    Chinatown (Photo)

    Central Park (Photo)

    The MOMA (Photo)

    Just shopping in general (Photo)

    Am I too old to enjoy Disneyland? (Photo)

  • April 18, 2009

    Bad drivers

    This is going to be a long, rambly one.

    Right now I’d be happy to never leave the house again.

    It seems every time we do, we encounter some terrible, terrible drivers on the roads. And bad driving doesn’t just affect the bad driver. It affects EVERYONE else out on the roads.

    I’m sick of people racing through tiny gaps in traffic, changing lanes abruptly without indicating, going 20k for no reason or practically stopping while negotiating corners.

    I’m sick of people who don’t look when they reverse out of carparks, and don’t indicate, and pull random manouevres without checking for cars around them.

    It’s dangerous and it’s scary.

    I’m just tired of being constantly stressed (and this is just me in the front passenger seat, not even driving). Anytime someone nearly swipes us, or we end up braking suddenly, I get super tense for the rest of the ride and I freak out over the smallest things. It’s like every possible hazard magnifies 10x for me, and it’s happening more and more. I think the last time we drove anywhere without some heinous driver pulling at least one dumb stunt along our way was over a week ago. Honestly, it just ruins going anywhere for me.

    I know I’m letting it get to me but I am terrified of being in an accident. BF can’t afford to have any more accidents. In terms of being able to afford the excess, repairs for himself, and not to mention that insurance would probably not renew his policy.

    I do not like his car. I think it was a bad buy, but we’re stuck with it and are waiting to get it paid off.

    He doesn’t like it anymore either, but really that’s partly his fault (the worst damage was from an accident when someone hit him, but the rest did occur when he was at-fault). Now he doesn’t care what happens to it and every so often (like today) gets fed up and says things like, “I don’t care if someone hits me. It’s their fault. They’re not driving properly and if they write me off it’s not my problem.”

    I try time and time again to explain that he DOES NOT have full insurance. Full insurance for a year would cost as much as the car is worth! Full coverage is for pricey, pricey cars, owned by people who can actually afford to drive and look after them. Not for small rustbuckets.

    And inevitably he bitches and moans about why have insurance at all? One of his friends doesn’t. And that friend is an excellent driver who’s never had a crash, owns his car free and clear and has a more reliable car with less ks on the clock. Of course, he should still have insurance. But BF is never driving uninsured again as long as I have anything to do with it. 03-driving-us-course_l2_w728_h340

    Insurance is there to cover his ass if he hits someone so he doesn’t spend the next 50 years paying it off. If someone hits him, then yes they should pay out, but I wouldn’t count on that. Good luck trying ot get money out of their company by yourself. He only has third party and fire, so his insurance isn’t going to fight to recover any money from another company. We don’t pay them for that. We would have to do it ourselves…good luck for that, given how we tried that last time with the woman who hit him! It’s just not going to happen.

    Just drive safely! As frustrating as that is with the shitty drivers on our roads, who are just getting worse and worse, that’s all you can do. It’s boring, and painful, but it’s got to be done. BF has learned his lesson and drives much more carefully, but trying to get him to continue in that vein when nobody else is doing so, is really hard.

    Here’s hoping and praying the car lasts until it’s at least paid for.

    If he ends up going back to study, he won’t have much income for three years. Will the car last that long? How much is it gonna cost in repairs over that time? I don’t even wanna go there…

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