The Book of Ashes

Flatwarming at Fi's friends place 9:18AM

So Saturday I went round and did a little quick work on the server then went out and met up with Mel and Bev & Jo and two of Mel's friends, Steve & Roger. It was good to catch up and after lunch we ended up going to Frank Kitts park and playing hacky for hours in the sun. I haven't played hacky for ages but it is heaps of fun. The day was the first alright one we had had in ages.

Upgrade: The houses area is looking a little better now.

That night Gerry & I went out with Fi to one of her friends places for a birthday/flatwarming/rugby party. It was pretty cool and I had a good time. Unfortunetly some friends from Dunedin weren't there but it was good to meet all Fi's friends and I had heaps of vodka jellies... some with jelly babies in. So Gerry and I ended up going out for a bit of a boggie. I was actually pretty pissed by then, my only have 3 or 4 drinks a night thing has gone out the window which was why I didn't drink at all for the month before cause I know once I start its harder to stop. But after we hit the town I didn't have any more drinks and we would have danced for a good couple of hours so I was sobering up a bit by the time we got home.

This morning I woke up early and did a little reading. I was feeling a little seedy but after a few weights, a skip and a jog with Gerry (and an egg for breakfast) I was feeling pretty good. I went round to Damian & Kelly's and did a little work on the server then came home to go see a Knights Tale with Gerry but she was stuck out in the hut trying to retrieve her car which had broken down the previous week so I decided to go by myself. I had decided it was going to be a bit sad and soppy and so it turned out a bit better than I expected. Its definitly a chick flick with the good looking main actor and lots of poetic lines. I got an excellent one from it but won't write it up here as you will probably want to hear it at the movies first. It was nice though, I wish I was that smooth. Then I came home and cooked a roast for Gerry and I.

I have found that I am running everywhere now. I ran from the movies to the super market to pick up some veggies for tea and home again. Its faster and good for you and makes you feel great so theres not really any reason not to run.

After diner Gerry did a dairy mission and got us a Memphis Meltdown and a Black Forest Moritz. Of course I went the Moritz, yummm. Then I've just had a baileys and coffee then maybe off to bed early to read methinks.

I found 10 cents yesterday. There is a saying that goes round in my head which goes something like this.

""When you need it, the money will come.""

I've never had need for money, but then money is something that shouldn't be needed. When I was in uni I always had plenty even though everyone else was poor. That was because I didn't spend it on anything. I never brought clothes or CDs or anything, so I could always afford lunch or beers or whatever. I think that in second year my weekly spending at the dairy was about $2.50 thats how cheaply I lived. Now that I'm earning I don't have need for it either. I waste quite a bit but thats just because its there, but that may be changing soon anyway.

Kate, good to see you're writing heaps now. I agree that psychology is really interesting. My exflatmate in Dunedin (aye Dan) did a first year psyc paper and used to tell me about stuff from it all the time. I didn't know that much and sometimes I couldn't tell if he was making stuff up or it was really true so I borrowed his first year text book and read it from start to finish. I learnt so much and it was so interesting, I think the self learning thing is the way to go. I always wanted to just turn up to lectures that I hadn't enrolled in and sit there and learn stuff but I was too lazy for that. Reading is the way to go

My list of things you can harrass me about. 9:36AM

Ok now I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not already but something I picked up from that ""True Professionalism"" book I read was that criticism doesn't always work that well unless the person recieving it is open to it. For example you can tell someone that they're slacking off and should work harder and they just get angry at you and don't work harder cause they don't care. BUT, if they say to you, hey Ash, I've been slacking off lately can you harass me when I do this, then they're given you permission to harass them and so can't get angry and usually take it on board.

If you give someone permission to harass you about some matter then you'll be much more receptive to it when they do.

Ok so here goes. I give anyone I know permission to harass me as much as they like about the following and you may quote that I said this from here...

1. I decided at the start of this year to buy one new piece of clothing per month to build up my wardrobe as those that knew me at uni will tell you I pretty much wore the same clothes every day for a year back then, I didn't have much. But now I'm 3 items behind and in desperate need of some new jeans/cargo pants/trousers. You may harass me about this as much as you like till I buy some.

2. Feel free to harass me every time I buy BK, Mac'ers or KFC. I should never do this.

3. I need to increase my sociability a bit. I'm ok in a one on one situation and Fi & Gerry actually think I'm talkative (little do they know from wence I came) but I need to speak out more in groups. Ask me to tell a story if I'm too quiet. I am becoming a bit of a story teller.

4. Feel free to harass me if I turn down an oportunity or if I'm lazy. If I don't go on a walk or won't go to a dance class I've been invited to or whatever, kick me hard and tell me I'm useless.

5. Harass me if I'm shy. This is my last biggest outstanding inhibition and is related to the speaking in groups thing but is especially bad with talking to woman.

6. Tell me when I spell or speak words incorrectly (not in my diary entries though as I don't have the time at the moment to check it thoroughly).

7. Tell me when I'm arrogant or give a looking down on someone perspective. I don't mean to do this but quite often do. Kick me for it, cause I don't want to be like that.

Right thats enough of that for now.