A Chance Encounter

So in lieu (sweet! I've always wanted to use that word in writing) of keeping up better with my blog, and considering the night I had, I thought I should write down my past two days. I last talked to you guys on Thursday I believe. That evening went well. I looked after Yannik, and took him to the wave pool. Actually he was rather crazy at the pool, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy jumping into a crowded location and then beating the water with his arms all around him. Also the waves were turned on (for the first time since I've gone there). This meant that I could not let Yannik pass a certain point in the pool because of rules. This is not necessarily the easiest thing to explain to Yannik and I was forced to do some dragging back over the line, while swimming in what felt like the seven seas. Finally the waves stopped and I was relieved as the pool emptied out, and Yannik and I had a corner to ourselves. It was relaxing at that point till suddenly I saw his bathing suit in hand and he threw it across the pool. It is never easy to try to dress a naked child, underwater, in a public pool. So we managed to cover him and I then said that we were leaving if he was going to act like that. So we got out and dried off. At which point Yannik handed me back his towel and ran back into the pool for another swim. (It was just one of those moods he was in I suppose) well we came back home and I was going to make some Bibimbap, but since it was late I sort of played some speed up rules. Since I did it fast, and because we lacked some keep vegetables, lets just say it was a rather horrible disaster. Well, can't win them all I suppose.

Friday was a much simpler day. After looking after Yannik in the morning, I went to Kirsten's (Leigh's Sister's) house and helped them with some yard work. I worked till two there, and then returned home. While there I did notice a large bottle of juice that seemed to be labeled as Lemon Barley drink. I thought what an interesting combination. It sounds delicious I must try some. So I took out a glass and poured myself a big batch. I took it all down in one large gulp, at which point I thought "WOW" that is strong stuff. And sweet as sugar too. Its then that I looked at the bottle more closely and noticed the directions to match one part Lemon Barley Syrup to 5 parts water before drinking. ... I had just had a whole glass of concentrate.

Anyways, I returned home and watched Yannik without much event. That evening I found myself being rather lame and so I stayed home and read in bed for hours.

The next morning I woke up to a beautiful day. I spent the day reading outside and catching up with old friends online. That evening at 8 I headed into town for an Improv Bandits show. This was the group that I was taking the Improv classes with. I was able to see them finally do a show. It was a pretty solid show, although it was all shortform. However they had some really cool new games that I can't wait to send home. So I went to the show, and since I like to think of myself as the badass lone wolf, I went alone. However, just to mix things up for a change, I thought wouldn't it be a crazy idea if I went out and met up with some after the show. Crazy thought I know. So Monika (one of the Germans (but not a nanny)) met me down at Britomart after the show. We met up and went into a Belgium beer cafe for a drink. Now to me Belgium beer is the one kind of beer that beats German beer. Monika did not seem to agree with me on this. At any rate, in this bar there was a band playing. Now some of you may have heard me go through the list and explanation of instruments I would love to learn. If you have I suggest skipping ahead. However for those of you who have not, it goes something like this:

1.Stand up Base -- I think it would be so cool to stand up with a base and sunglasses on (even though I'd be in a dark room) and just like smack a base, Bom bom bom bom (that sounds better when you hear me do it)

2.Harp -- Harps are huge! Like taller than me huge! and how cool would it be to like carry a harp on you back and be like "Lets ROCK OUT!" and spin your harp and just 'dud dud dudud dud!" Pluck it like crazy

3. Fiddle -- I want to learn the fiddle, and not the violin. Because in my mind a violin is played properly and in proper locations in a proper form. While I feel like the fiddle is played only when dancing around a fire doing a jig. And thats AWESOME.

4. Saxophone -- I only desire to play the saxophone One, because Bill Clinton plays it (props to him), and Two, because I would love to do a gut busting solo and like do a slide on my knees and then laying on my side and walking in a circle while lying on the floor, all the while blowing people's minds with my sweet as* saxophone playing.

* I should specify if I have not already, that Sweet As is a common slang term used here in NZ. It is not the sweet ass of America, but rather used as either an awesome or cool or in response to someone, similar to "cheers"

Thus this completes my list of instruments I would like to learn and why. Sorry the grammar is bad, but I get a little excited at the thought of some of those so I write it like I speak it. At any rate, in this Belgium Beer Cafe, was a band playing. And in this band was the epitome of everything I would love to be as a Stand up Base player. This man had and electric stand up base that was covered in Jack Daniels stickers. He had a sweet little mustache and dreads to match. when we walked in the man was leaning at about a 45 degree angle playing his base and tearing into it. Later we were sitting there and he went in a crazy Stand up Base solo that included both him straddling his base and playing it between his legs, and laying it flat on the ground and playing it while laying on the ground next to it. He was like my Stand up Base Idol.

Well after departing the bar and leaving my idol behind (as much as it pained me to leave) we headed back down to Britomart (the train depot and where the buses come and go from). It was about 11:40 and Monika was going to head home. Unfortunately my last bus home leaves at 11 and after that there are just two more buses, at 1:30 and another at 3:10. So the Lone Wolf was back in his native state and he was on the prowl for the next 2 hours. So what does a Lone Wolf do when he is alone. Well naturally he looks for a place he can step into to use the restroom. He may normally consider finding a corner to do such in, but considering that as soon as Monika left the Lone Wolf watched a man get chased down and tackled by the cops as he was urinating on the side of Britomart. The Lone Wolf decided a restroom would be the best solution. So I found a nice Irish bar called the Fiddler and went inside. After using the restroom I thought hell why not buy a pint of Guinness and see whats going on. They had a sweet as singer playing some good old Irish drinking songs in the corner. After ordering my beer, and looking around I realized I must have been in the hub of Irish culture in Auckland. It was a small bar, but it was filled with redheads, and everybody including both bartenders had thick Irish accents going on. I stayed and had a beer, and chatted a little bit, but considering my accent (essentially considering that its not Irish) I decided it may be best for me to go after my first beer. So I left the fiddler, and decided maybe I'll go to the culture that has always accepted me, "I'll go grab some Korean food". At this point it was 12:30 or so and I figured I'd look for some Bulgogi and then head back up Queen st. and catch the bus. So I am walking down Queen st. when somebody on the street says to me "You know what these mean man" pointing down to the two street grates he was standing on both labeled FH on them. "Free hit!" he said and lightly punched me in both arms. I chuckle and continue to walk, but he runs up beside me and continues to talk to me. His name was Chris, and apparently Free Hit is a game played by all Kiwi youth (normally ending around the age of 12 I presume, but alcohol can turn a man into a 12 year old agian) Well, it just so turned out that they were going to a friends 21 birthday down on the pier at Buffalo bar. The very same bar I go to for Couchsurfers. He said I should come along and that he could probably get me in, I smiled and said its cool, I friends with the owner. NICE! I thought. I've been here three months and I can tell some guy not to worry about getting me in somewhere, "Please, I know the owner." Haha. Well anyways he was impressed and we continued to chat. He introduced me to the group of 7 or so he was with. I figured well lets forget Korean food and see where this adventure takes me. So I wound up at Buffalo bar with a large group of people I had met on the street cause one of them punched. I thought this is interesting. But I had a lot of fun. I was able to walk right into the bar and grab a free beer from the owner and then sit back and smile. I spent the night just chatting and meeting people. Around about 2 in the morning Chris (it seems all the people I meet over here are named Chris) said they had to head home around 2:30. I told him my bus didn't leave till 3:10. So he said "hey I have some tickets to a private concert up on Albert street if you want them. Not like I am going to use them." So he handed me tickets to a concert up the street. I headed out and hit it up. It was pretty cool to walk up pass a long line of people waiting to get in and hand the bouncer a ticket that said VIP Permission. The bar was pretty cool and DJ was alright. But by that time I was rather hungry and tired so I didn't stay long, and walked to the bus.

So that was my evening. Sorry the post was so long. Have a good one.