Wednesday, June 29, 2005
thunder bolts and lightening very very frightening
in typical English fashion I will continue to begin by talking about the weather... big thunder storm last night, don't think I ever heard such loud thunder in NZ and lots of sheet lightening, but it had cleared up by the morning, nice to have a cooler day today.
Well just thought I'd post before I leave, go hard and goodluck for those of ya doing G8 stuff - its really neat to be over here and know stuff is happening back home!
There is going to be a kiwi 'neighbourhood' at the rural convergence site and it'll be good to catch up with some folks from NZ.
Also looking foward to a boogie with the 'disco bloc' at the 'Make Poverty History' march on Saturday, its the big planned and official rally expecting around 200,000 people in Edinburgh, should be a laugh! Be amazing to be part of something that big, even if it is 'symbolic'...
Oh, I can hear thunder again, gonna race home before I get rainned upon!
love and hugs
me
Well just thought I'd post before I leave, go hard and goodluck for those of ya doing G8 stuff - its really neat to be over here and know stuff is happening back home!
There is going to be a kiwi 'neighbourhood' at the rural convergence site and it'll be good to catch up with some folks from NZ.
Also looking foward to a boogie with the 'disco bloc' at the 'Make Poverty History' march on Saturday, its the big planned and official rally expecting around 200,000 people in Edinburgh, should be a laugh! Be amazing to be part of something that big, even if it is 'symbolic'...
Oh, I can hear thunder again, gonna race home before I get rainned upon!
love and hugs
me
Thursday, June 23, 2005
hot and sticky
its been rather busy and very hot the last few weeks. England is in the middle of a heat wave, and its been that sticky muggy hot weather here for over a week, Notts is smack bang in the middle of the country so I suspect being nowhere near the ocean doesn't help either, haven't felt the slightest notion of anything breeze like. Shouldn't complain I know, but been working through most of it which is very depressing!
Going back to last week, I spent two (more) days in Sheffield for some protesting - we stayed at a convergence space which was a big old cutlery factory in the central city, so rooms for sleeping, cooking, meetings, banner painting etc, there was even an indymedia centre full of computers all found in skips! I was mighty impressed. We had several rallies and critical masses, couldn't get anywhere near the places the G8 ministers were meeting cos of the very heavy policing. I think they might have outnumbered us at some stages! It really was quite ridiculous and over-the-top though, I loved it when the clowns came along from the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army and made a mockery of the whole thing. There was also a great samba band to dance along to so it was really a big street party with cops on the side. (see sheffield indy for photos).
Then it was back to work, which is fine enough. Lots of planning meetings for Scotland though, everyone is frantically getting things ready and doing a million and one things, I am going up next week to help with very last minute stuff before it all starts to kick off on the 2nd July..
Had the G8 bike-caravan stop off here yesterday, they are half way from Brighton to Edinburgh! I helped cook tea for the 40 or so of them.
I went and spent an evening at a lovely allotment garden a few nights back - cos not many houses have gardens to speak of there are big patchs of land (council owned) that are divided up into plots for people to rent out and grow food etc on. This one had about 200 plots and had hedges inbetween then all so moving around all the hedge corridors was like being in a huge maze! Only downer was that it "exaserbated" (my favourite word) my already horrible hayfever.
Hmmm, other ramdon tid-bits... 'scoobies' are the latest kids craze over here, basically bits of plastic rope to tie in knots and make patterns with, like friendship bracelets. But you see them everywhere, not quite sure where they came from!
I still haven't gotten used to the long day light hours, it doesn't get dark till 10pm then there is light streaming in my window by 4am - very annoying actually.
Ok, well, I can't actually think of much else, I never can when I sit down to write these posts.
Sending my love to you all, and hoping everyone is well and happy
:)
Going back to last week, I spent two (more) days in Sheffield for some protesting - we stayed at a convergence space which was a big old cutlery factory in the central city, so rooms for sleeping, cooking, meetings, banner painting etc, there was even an indymedia centre full of computers all found in skips! I was mighty impressed. We had several rallies and critical masses, couldn't get anywhere near the places the G8 ministers were meeting cos of the very heavy policing. I think they might have outnumbered us at some stages! It really was quite ridiculous and over-the-top though, I loved it when the clowns came along from the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army and made a mockery of the whole thing. There was also a great samba band to dance along to so it was really a big street party with cops on the side. (see sheffield indy for photos).
Then it was back to work, which is fine enough. Lots of planning meetings for Scotland though, everyone is frantically getting things ready and doing a million and one things, I am going up next week to help with very last minute stuff before it all starts to kick off on the 2nd July..
Had the G8 bike-caravan stop off here yesterday, they are half way from Brighton to Edinburgh! I helped cook tea for the 40 or so of them.
I went and spent an evening at a lovely allotment garden a few nights back - cos not many houses have gardens to speak of there are big patchs of land (council owned) that are divided up into plots for people to rent out and grow food etc on. This one had about 200 plots and had hedges inbetween then all so moving around all the hedge corridors was like being in a huge maze! Only downer was that it "exaserbated" (my favourite word) my already horrible hayfever.
Hmmm, other ramdon tid-bits... 'scoobies' are the latest kids craze over here, basically bits of plastic rope to tie in knots and make patterns with, like friendship bracelets. But you see them everywhere, not quite sure where they came from!
I still haven't gotten used to the long day light hours, it doesn't get dark till 10pm then there is light streaming in my window by 4am - very annoying actually.
Ok, well, I can't actually think of much else, I never can when I sit down to write these posts.
Sending my love to you all, and hoping everyone is well and happy
:)
Monday, June 13, 2005
more ramblings
hey fellas
not much new or different has happened this week to report, still hanging out in Notts, working at the cafe (which is nowhere near as fun and groovy as Abes and Kerb - really!!) doing bar shifts here and there, going to the odd meeting to feed my meeting addiction ;) and generally having a smashing time!
Thanks to Michael I have a fresh supply of NZ music, which is fantastic and can't stop listening to Fat Freddys Drop - I listen to it constantly and converting others over here too!
Big news I guess is my trip to Sheffield on Saturday, caught the train up to go on a peace/anti G8 rally there - had no trouble finding the starting point cos just followed the line of police that were on every corner! There were about 3-400 people and we marched all through the centre of town before ending up at 'Peace in the Park' which is an annual event (so not a green festival this time but pretty close!) music, info, food, activities etc and a pretty nice day even with the cloud.
Going back again for a few days on Wednesday as there is more stuff happening around the G8 finance and interior ministers meeting there before the summit, so should be interesting...
Umm, still constantly having the 'where are you from?' conversations, esp now that I'm working, and my accent sometimes makes taking orders interesting, I guy had to say 3 times he wanted a caramel shot, I thought he said 'cow's milk' and just looked at him funny. There is also a documentary on telly tonight that I'm going to miss all about the 'Maori gang problem' - huh? so a few people have brought this up and wanted my opinion!
Also working on getting some of my photos on the web, so stay tuned y'all
cheerio, big hugs all round xxx
not much new or different has happened this week to report, still hanging out in Notts, working at the cafe (which is nowhere near as fun and groovy as Abes and Kerb - really!!) doing bar shifts here and there, going to the odd meeting to feed my meeting addiction ;) and generally having a smashing time!
Thanks to Michael I have a fresh supply of NZ music, which is fantastic and can't stop listening to Fat Freddys Drop - I listen to it constantly and converting others over here too!
Big news I guess is my trip to Sheffield on Saturday, caught the train up to go on a peace/anti G8 rally there - had no trouble finding the starting point cos just followed the line of police that were on every corner! There were about 3-400 people and we marched all through the centre of town before ending up at 'Peace in the Park' which is an annual event (so not a green festival this time but pretty close!) music, info, food, activities etc and a pretty nice day even with the cloud.
Going back again for a few days on Wednesday as there is more stuff happening around the G8 finance and interior ministers meeting there before the summit, so should be interesting...
Umm, still constantly having the 'where are you from?' conversations, esp now that I'm working, and my accent sometimes makes taking orders interesting, I guy had to say 3 times he wanted a caramel shot, I thought he said 'cow's milk' and just looked at him funny. There is also a documentary on telly tonight that I'm going to miss all about the 'Maori gang problem' - huh? so a few people have brought this up and wanted my opinion!
Also working on getting some of my photos on the web, so stay tuned y'all
cheerio, big hugs all round xxx
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
follow this link...
Monday, June 06, 2005
back to making a bit of dosh
hey, hope everyone had a fab long weekend, would you believe the Queen doesn't have her birthday over here, in her very own country! how odd.
Well, I've got a real job - to go along with my cool unpaid job here at the bar - at a swanky cafe in town. Had one shift already and going in again today, its alright, they make coffee all funny but getting the hang of it, nice to be getting a bit of cash coming in instead of living feebly off the NZ dollar which doesn't go very far over here!
Last week I was busy with bar trainning and shifts, but also some time to relax and blob. Went and saw the remains of Nottingham Castle which wasn't all that flash (cos its not really there anymore!), learnt a bit about how it was where the first Crusades left from, that it also houses the oldest pub in Britain and of course all the Robin Hood stuff. Hope to get out to Sherwood Forest while I'm here too. Oh and went out to Hucknall on the tram yesterday and saw where the esteemed Lord Byron is buried.
Also went to a film screening and talk about the Zapatistas, an American called Jon Ross spoke, he's lived and written about the Zapatistas of Mexico since the beginning of the rebellion in 1992 and was very inspiring to listen to.
Enjoying life at the flat, being a home body and cooking my own meals again! Also being a nerd and listening to a lot of BBC radio.
Not much else exciting and fascinating to tell, so sending my love xxx
Well, I've got a real job - to go along with my cool unpaid job here at the bar - at a swanky cafe in town. Had one shift already and going in again today, its alright, they make coffee all funny but getting the hang of it, nice to be getting a bit of cash coming in instead of living feebly off the NZ dollar which doesn't go very far over here!
Last week I was busy with bar trainning and shifts, but also some time to relax and blob. Went and saw the remains of Nottingham Castle which wasn't all that flash (cos its not really there anymore!), learnt a bit about how it was where the first Crusades left from, that it also houses the oldest pub in Britain and of course all the Robin Hood stuff. Hope to get out to Sherwood Forest while I'm here too. Oh and went out to Hucknall on the tram yesterday and saw where the esteemed Lord Byron is buried.
Also went to a film screening and talk about the Zapatistas, an American called Jon Ross spoke, he's lived and written about the Zapatistas of Mexico since the beginning of the rebellion in 1992 and was very inspiring to listen to.
Enjoying life at the flat, being a home body and cooking my own meals again! Also being a nerd and listening to a lot of BBC radio.
Not much else exciting and fascinating to tell, so sending my love xxx
