Fake Batman goes to Christchurch police

Today in New Zealand:

A fake Batman has marched into Christchurch central police station demanding to know what emergency had triggered the 'bat signal' - white light beaming through the sky.

The caped crusader, dressed in full superhero garb of mask, cape and tights, was insisting that the White Lights of Hope, which commemorate the earthquake anniversary, bear an uncanny resemblance to the bat emblem that flashes through the night sky.

In the comic, it's police commissioner Gordon who orders the call for Batman to come to the rescue, so who better for the Canterbury faux hero to ask for.

'First of all he wanted to speak to the commissioner,' Sergeant Chris Jones told The Press.

'And then he wanted to know what was going on and why he'd been called, because he'd seen the lights in the sky.'

Sgt Jones, who was just clocking on when the hero arrived on Sunday, said he was too 'scrawny' to make a convincing Batman, adding Robin would have to be '6 foot 4 and built like a tank to help him out'.

After a brief chat, the superhero, who was being filmed by a friend, made a quick exit, leaving the officers chuckling.

'Contrary to popular belief, the police still have a sense of humour,' Sgt Jones said

Empanadas!

Well they stock Maseca now at the New World (grocery store) here in town so I am finally able to make my own mexican food including Empanadas which are amazing! Sadly I still cannot get Mexican cheese to go with them but I'll live. El Gusto Mexican Canteen has also opened up in town which I have started to go to every thursday before Catan. They have something new I haven't had before called Sangria which is a truly delicious punch that has oranges,wine, some other stuff and tequila. soo good! Well off to work I go!

Spring Forward!

Notice: NZ time is now one hour a head. so if it's 12 pm my time, it's now 6pm your time :)

cheers.

Scooter

Since my old scooter is still in bits needing one teenie weenie part; I opted to buy a new scoot!

my sad old scooter

My new scooter needs some love from a paint job and some cleaning up but it runs good! It's a PGO Comet. Kind of like a Comet 260. It's not in the same league as a Nimbus and is commonly passed by butterflies but it's still a scooter!

Getting ready for Halloween

Testing out costume parts for halloween at work - mwahahaha

I Remember

Sept. 11, 2001

Ten years ago today I was a freshman in high school. It was still warm but I wore blue jeans and a t-shirt to school instead of shorts because the rooms were too cold with the air conditioning. I had band practice that afternoon and we were hashing out a new set for the game. My first class was Biology with Mrs. Gurosky and I sat in the middle of the row on the far end of the room. We were talking when the principal came over the PA system and this little brown box told us that a plane had hit one of the world trade towers. I thought it was an accident. To be honest, I didn't even know what the towers were although I had seen them on tv. Within minutes a second announcement told us both towers had been hit.

The rest of the day in every class was spent on the edge of our seats. Some teachers told us it was the beginning of a war. Others told us not to worry. Girls cried because they feared their boyfriends would be called to a draft. Some used cell phones in the bathrooms trying to call family in New York. I worried about my aunts friends. I feared war.

Silent students sat in front of televisions showing the news. It was improbable to believe as the destruction looked like a film. Like it could not be real, except that it was real. Real enough it would define the world my generation grew up in, real enough to change everything.

Where were you?

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today I had 3 plane tickets. The first plane ticket took me on my first flight; I had never flown or been in an airplane and it was wonderful. The second ticket took me to LA, the furthest west I had ever been to a state I never thought I would see in a city I never dreamed I would visit. The third ticket took me to New Zealand. The first country I had ever visited and a world of excitement. 

I had packed my life into four small bags for the journey. In retrospect I could have fit it in one but then again this is what I was allowed to carry so I did. All I really need is chuck t's, blue jeans, a dr pepper shirt and macbook. 

I said goodbye to the family and mexican food and greeted a great adventure.

Me and my sis

Me and the family. We love Auburn if you can't tell

Sis, Dad, Me

Now I live in New Zealand and love it. I host couch surfers from Australia, Germany, Russia, and God knows where else in my flat. I work at rockin little Design Studio and design everything from Magazines to displays.

 I freeze my butt off in winter but love traveling to crazy places.

And of course have weekly 'parties' with friends. It's a good year.

Daffodil Day

Daffodil Day is the Cancer Society's annual flagship event and one of the most important fundraising and awareness campaigns in the country. As well as providing an opportunity to raise awareness of cancer in New Zealand, Daffodil Day is a major funding source for the Cancer Society. They are proud to be regarded as one of the country's most trusted charities and this is reflected in our fundraising practices.

The daffodil is one of the first flowers of spring, whose bright yellow blooms remind us of the joys the new season will bring. It represents the hope there is for the 1 in 3 New Zealanders affected by cancer.

The donations we receive go towards vital scientific research into the causes and treatment of all types of cancer, as well as providing a wide range of support services, information, health promotion and education programmes to reduce cancer risk, awareness campaigns and programmes for people affected by cancer.

The National Bank of New Zealand is the proud principal sponsor of the event, and the hard work of its employees helps focus the nation's attention on our cause every year.  

I supported by buying a bunch of them at the grocery store, with the profits going to support cancer research.

Engaged

This year at the Star Trek convention:

More Snow Pics!

it's been snowing here about 20 min of big fat flakes

an hour

sign dude dancing in the snow

my snowman

Snow in August!

Sensei Keiko Fukuda is 98-year-old and the first woman to ever earn Judo's highest-degree black belt. Totally my hero.

This is an article from Yahoo News:

Is earning a black belt on your life list? Then this elderly woman in San Francisco just might be your ultimate hero.

Just two years before her 100th birthday, Sensei Keiko Fukuda has  become the first woman to achieve a tenth-degree black belt—the highest rank in the martial art and combat sport Judo. Fukuda is now one of only four living people who've earned the tenth-degree (or dan) black belt. To put the accomplishment into better perspective, throughout history, only sixteen people have ever achieved this honor.

Fukuda began practicing Judo in 1935 and is the sole surviving student of its founder, Kano Jiguro. At her teacher's urging, she learned English to help spread Judo internationally.

During a time when getting married, building a family, and becoming a housewife was the norm, Fukudo bucked tradition, opting out of marriage to pursue the martial art.

"All I did was Judo...this was my marriage," Fukudo reflected tearfully to the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is when my life destiny was set. I just never imagined how long this road would be."

She described the Jiguro’s school, known as the Kodokan, as "old-fashioned and sexist about belts and ranks." In fact, an edict that prevented women from achieving any higher than a fifth-degree black belt kept Fukuda at that level for thirty years. She was finally elevated to sixth dan in 1972 when a woman's division was created.

Fukodo said she approached Judo and her life with the intent to "be gentle, kind and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically." Fukuda says this kind of beauty is decidedly not external. "A compassionate soul is inner beauty," she explained to the paper. "I believe this is true beauty...All my life this has been my dream."

Dream realized, the 98-year-old Sensei Keiko Fukuda continues to teach Judo three times a week at a woman's dojo.

A year ago today

Hard to believe but a year ago today it was a warm and sunny summer afternoon in Alabama for me. I had hair that was long, super curly, and always in the way basically because I had no time to care for it or even the desire to wear it town in the blistering heat. Let's face it, AL humidity and summer are just too much to wear your hair down. I was working at Outdoor Distributors; a dead end, low paying job that I was thankful to have just because I knew it was hard to get work in the small town for such a short time period. I was planning on leaving for NZ in less than 3 months and even tho I had been stashing money away in a savings account since my 16th birthday and first job at the Piggly Wiggly (even in college) it would still be nice to have some extra cash for my trip. So I sold my hair for a nice sum that covered the cost of my plane ticket and some of my pre travel medical expenses (that I ended up not needing but I digress).

my rockin new pixi at matt's apt one year ago

Now I am working in Palmerston North, New Zealand as a graphic designer with a great group of people! Sweet As!

hair today after many hair cuts to keep it from growing all wonky!

The Settlers of Catan

The Settlers of Catan or "catan" is classified as a geeky board game but it's really just an awesome strategy game that me and the girls from work + Becks have taken to playing every Monday night in my new flat. It's fun to have a girlie game night <3 of card throwing, name calling, and cut throat strategy.

Becks wins!

The Game: Players assume the role of settlers on the game board, each attempting to build and develop their settlement while trading and acquiring resources. Players are rewarded points as their settlements grow; the first to reach a set number of points is the winner. Simple enough right? Except the board changes every game, dice determine resources produced and plays decide wither or not they want to trade with you which can sometimes be based on if you stole their cookies while they weren't looking rather than strategic game play.

This is the expanded version, normally there aren't that many cards. We had to move it to the conference table to accommodate the scale

board close to end game... this may have been end game, I dunno but I won anyhow (white)! Go Becks with longest road (orange)

Stand By Me Cover