Mexican food is so complex it's crazy.

So Mexican food is pretty much one of the best things in this life, so much so that I believe there should be a latin saying reflecting this. "Mexicanos cane es veritat viver", maybe. I just made that up, but it could work.
I mean what can compete with avocado, spicy meat and cheese? Um nothing, that is what. I wouldn't even care if James Franco was around.



vs. Franco



Who are you again?

And the fact that it's good any time of day. Burrito breakfast? Yes please. Mid morning taco snack? Yip I think SO.
So clearly, we are sold on this. Burritos and tacos are the best food, ever. They are up there with flying jet planes and coconut rough.


But the question I find myself often wondering is, which is the superior form of these delicious foods? It is a complex and highly debatable topic, let alone the whole personal preference debockle.
Burritos are not crunchy, but that is almost to their benefit. Whereas tacos ARE, and that is one their total highlights, it can tend to simultaneously be their downfall! Like a drug addict, their high is their low, if you will.

Burritos are soft in their texture and delicious to the bite.




Tacos are crunchy and have PIZAZZ, like a crazed Mexican saying "Ambidi ambiti" (I recall this from ads of 3 amigos as a child, this is not proper spanish, I repeat) riding off into the sunset on his horse. BUT… the inners are hard to devour with this crunch exterior, without being a ravenous pig. Which actually, I'm OK with. So it's not that bad.



Hmmm. It's tough. And I've reached no conclusion. Tacos and burritos are like a metaphor for everything awesome in life. They are good, yet they have their down sides. But in this case they both have very little downers.

Also I was definitely lying with the whole Franco comparison. I would throw that taco in a bush or at the nearest passer by and headline for Franco in any scenario.

I know F-all about Politics and I'm not enrolled to vote. There I said it.

I'm just going to put myself out there and say I know f-all about politics. Okay even worse than that, to the disgust of probably many, I don't think I've voted ever.
Granted since my voting eligible years I've been mostly overseas, although I'm pretty sure I've been in the country for a few.
Actually I'm more than sure I definitely was.
And I am right now. But I just don't know anything about it all. I mean, I get a general vibe of what I think of different politicians demeanor on the news, every time I accidentally catch a news broadcast featuring a NZ politician. Whether they seem like a slimy stereotypical politico bastard (or bastard-ette), etc. whether they are funny looking, talk weirdly or talk like the opposite sex (Helen Clark).




But I am grossly uninformed on political issues. And even worse, I actually find American politics more interesting. Because it's a bit more accessible when the likes of Jon Stewart can break it down and make it comedic.

(The man)




In my defense I've always seen politics as a catty, bitchy (that might be the same as catty), immature, sneaky, and basically unhonourable business. The way they scrap and backstab each other in such a public arena is shameful and quite frankly reminds me of getting rejected by my peer group at intermediate when 80% of my friends started horrible rumors about me but then 10 days later asked me if I could be part of their 'best friend group' again. So why should I condone this kind of behavior in adults trying to appear responsible and in charge of all that tax money?

Well 'vote', some might say. And this could just be the answer! Oops.
And to be honest I think quite a few folks my age just pretend to know about politics to seem semi-intellectoid. They're usually the ones who wear glasses yet have perfectly adequate eyesight.



I'm basically admitting to being a really ignorant, slightly trivial person here, but alas, I probably am at times. Hey at least I know what's broke so I can fix it! Is there a "NZ politics for dummies"? Or a web site that breaks it down in between jokes? If so I'll be away laughing.

Until then, I'm just another ignorant non-voter who haters gonna hate. But after all this ranting I feel like I'm just gonna vote after all. I'm full of shit.

Hunter S Thompson: The legend of GONZO

I recently read GONZO:The Life of Hunter S.Thompson (Jann Wenner & Corey Seymore). It’s no rarity to have a facination like myself, with the huge mother of a force that was Hunter S.Thompson. He’s a myth, a legend, a pop culture icon and loved by most, especially the hedonistic kind…for his original and genius writing to his reckless nature, wacky fashion getup, even his grunty mumbled spoken word. He was icy cool at rejecting societies normal ways.
But after reading this I realised HE wasn’t really the myth of himself, that wasn’t real…the sad truth was he was an addict like any other addict, except he was enabled by his myth to live as an addict. He was violent, and mean. And probably underneath it rattled with demons. But like a lot of those types with abit of madness: Freud, Hemingway, Kerouak: his work was genius.



I still like him even though he had a dark side. Most people have one. But I feel sorry for the women in his life! To me he epitomises individuality and hedonism, intelligence and recklessness. Being alive and doing whatever you want. I respect his ability to live that way, because I couldn’t handle it myself. It wasn’t the easy path. The recklessness caused extreme pain to him and his family that wasn’t carried over to the publics myth of him. To me his suicide was the inevitable end to a life lived to extreme excess. And when his first wife Sandy asked him later on if things turned out how he’d wanted, his reply was “Well, of course not… but it’s been glamorous”. I think that says it all.

New Discoveries that tickle my world...

Qingdao: A little slice of Europe on the coast of China. So, so, so pretty. Delicious seafood, pretty cobbled streets and ocean views littered by coconut stalls. Bikerode through the town and enjoyed some TSINGTAO (Pronounced the same as Qingdao) local beer by the sea. Even met some fellow nu – zelandas.

GALA DARLING: So very positive her pages make you feel like conquering the world. Think “manifesting magic”, and “love letter’s and feather headdresses”. Sparkly!

My new Canon G11!! I have been waiting 5 months for this bad boy. Taking photo’s is such a good way of connecting with where I am right now, since I’m a foreigner living in China the curiosity of my environment is a little above average! Finally got to snap the curious gentleman cobbler who works from a cart outside my apartment. I exchange smiles with him daily. He fascinates me, even though we’ve never communicated in actual words! This is him.




The fact there is a “dragon boat” holiday next week (whole week off, yippee!) How cool is that! Let’s find a dragon boat to ride. So awesome I can’t express my delight at such a holiday name.

Drawing. I love drawing. I only really REALISED I could do it when I came to China, and living alone here my drawing pad has been like my comrade/bestie.








The movie AKIRA. Rocks my socks. MANGA is art and it’s damn cool!

China has delicious icecream…peanut flavour today mmm yummm. Also the best flavour yogurts- think coconut and red bean. Weird> Yes! Very tasty though.

Illustrator and photographer Kelly Thompson. NZer. Such pretty drawings!

Stereomood.com: If you spend a bit of time at the healm of computer…this is such an awesome mood lifter soother amplifier!

Little booties. Baby accessories are hands down, some of the cutest things in existence. In Qingdao I found some super cute ones for friend Joe’s upcoming arrival of be-be.

In Spanish, “Guay del Paraguay” means as cool as Paraguay, which roughly means as cool as a cucumber! These weird sayings get overlooked in your own language but it’s funny to learn them in other languages, makes you realise how unique and strange these parts of our language are.

Today in China I am…

Getting bangs. And today I hang out with my student Selina. I like hanging out with Selina, she is very sweet and clever. She gave me a pretty pink headband last time she visited me. Bless. This is Selina.



Then I will lurke at the park and people watch/ try sneakily steal some snaps of random Chinese happenings. Did I mention I’m having a cupcake party next week? Can’t fricken wait (CFW). It’s gonna be a blast (IGBAB).

Pre bangs.



This is during bangs.



Post bangs.




It’s in celebration for my 27th bday, yes holy toledo’s I’m nearly 27. Ouch.

NI HAO, bitches!

ＴＨＩＮＧＳ Ｉ　ＬＯＶＥ　ＡＢＯＵＴ　ＣＨＩＮＡ：

All the little kids with mohawks. It recently got pointed out to me how many there are. Now I count them like sheep (yihuh I’m from NZ). It’s the “I can see the sea!” game but counting Mohawked little chinese kids instead.

The Chinese old men. NOT IN A SEXUAL WAY! Their styly styles, and the fact they don’t even know they are stylish. Huge Jackie O style glasses, golf hats, aviator style glasses and Mao revolution style jackets. They’re fashion guru’s!

Dumplings. Cold noodle salads. Chinese style flatbread. Lychee tea. Melons. Dragonfruit. Hot pot. Chopsticks with pretty designs. My pretty tea cup with a handpainted dragon, bought from the Hutong district (awesome) in Beijing.

My lil pink Chinese bike. It’s tiny and speedy and it’s love.

Random fireworks, let off at all times of the day and in the most unexpected of places. Such as a side alley, as I’m walking past. “What the fuck was that?! Is someone shooting at me?” Takes a while to get used to, unless you’re from South Central Los Angeles.

My students. Innocent and sweet wee legends; I love them all and they are some of most genuine people I’ve ever met, period. Humble backgrounds mostly and it shows, they’re all so dedicated to their families and bettering their circumstances. They’ve taught me what integrity means and I’ve taught them a few English words in the meantime. Sweet trade.

Pretty much everything is cheap as all hell. Think 2 yuan (<40 cents) for a delicious filled pita with pork, vegetables, egg and delicious flavourings. Sigh. Helps I live in a pretty small area by China standards (5mil). Beijing, Shanghai etc are way more pricey.

Spotting people asleep in the randomest of places and positions during afternoon nap time. See PREV: spotting kids with mohawks, this is like that game and just as awesome.

Heaps more cool and crazy rad stuff too. That’s enough for the momento, back soon with more reasons I love this commy nation!



Summary: China rules.


Peace, love, COCO pops and chocolate strawberries.

Dennis Hopper: homeboy is a fricken legend

I was ranting some time earlier about how I went to the Dennis Hopper expo and it rocked my socks off. I love how many different mediums of work he's into: film, photography, sculpture, mural, writing, sheesh... think he'd turn to mosaics and cave enscriping if he had the time. Even got into the graf scene in L.A.
It's all stuff I related to: love his photo's, love his paintings- some of them are GIANT portraits it blew my mind, and he can really paint.
I read he lived in Taos, New Mexico for a long time which made me like him even more. I went there about 10 years ago and never stopped thinking about the place. I want to move there for awhile someday and sleep outside with the stars, it's that kind of place. Sigh. I'm a dreamer. Thank god I still am.
Jeez I munched him, sounds like I wanna marry the guy!

I might just get up and....move to CHINA

In 4 days I'm moving my sorry ass self to China! That's right...it sounds like a joke, like it's the end of the earth or the furtherest place I could escape to. I guess it is in a metaphoric kinda way.
I'm gonna teach some english, eat some rice, master chopsticks, play some mahjong, smile at a little Chinese kid, ride a bike on a rugged road and make a new Chinese friend.
Oh and eat me some hot mumma chilli! yum yum.
A totally crazy adventure I am sure...definetely the polar opposite of my normal life's realities. Which is not such a bad thing- sometimes we need to yank ourselves out of the comfort seat and remember it's a big, wide world out there! This radical change of scene is an exciting prospect. Yeeeyaaa for adventures.
Time for some life-to-the-CORE moments...here goes.
Watch me, I'm falling...