Happy Easter!

New Inspiration

Being in New Zealand on holiday is giving me all this new inspiration to create again. Maybe it's because I'm not working and I have more time to think. Maybe it's because I'm going to bed at reasonable hours and getting plenty of sleep. Maybe it's my beautiful natural surroundings.

Regardless, I'm having no trouble waking up in the morning and running in the hills, writing, fleshing out new creative ideas, and rethinking some of those old projects I never finished. I'm looking forward to getting back to Boston and getting out my paint brush again, getting my pencils sharpened, setting up my mini recording studio again, and just generally creating new things.

I need to take more holidays like this...

Here are my latest photos of New Zealand.

New Zealand

So I've been in New Zealand an entire week. It's been really nice. It's been sunny and warm the whole time (in fact, I have quite the sunburn right now), I've been running all over town, I went mountain biking with my brother, I caught up with Ross, Nick and Brendan, and I sorted out my stuff at the farm. I now have just one box of stuff sitting in New Zealand... It's amazing what you discover you don't need...

Then on Saturday, my mother found a job in the paper. A senior software developer position right here in Nelson. I'd never really thought about working in Nelson. I didn't think there would ever be any positions for me. I sent in my resume and asked for some more information, salary range, etc. I haven't had any firm answers yet. I'm not even really sure if I'd want it. I still have to talk to the company and meet some of the people, make sure the position is right for me.

It's funny when that happens. Just when I thought I really enjoyed Boston and I might live there forever, new and unexpected opportunties present themselves. This doesn't mean I'm writing off Boston quite yet. I have so many friends and such a great job there... But I'm open to options... Let's see what happens next...

Right, time to soak up some more Nelson Sun...

Two Questions Everyone Should Ask Their Parents

I'm currently in New Zealand enjoying my holiday, but I've been playing with the idea of these questions. I'll include my answers.

Two questions you should all ask your parents.
1. Was I an accident and/or surprise?
(yes - well a little bit, but isn't the first one always a surprise?)
2. did you drug me as a child?
(not that she will admit - which I think is a no, but who really knows...)

Time Photo Essays

I found these photo essays on time.com today, I think they are amazing. Some of them have an audio soundtrack too.

Some of my favorite so far:
Led Zeppelin
Punk in the 70's

An Honest Mistake

I'm going to try and post some fun music videos every Friday. First, The Bravery's "An Honest Mistake" This is one of my favorite songs (and video) at the moment...

A typical Weekend day in the life of Sam

6:15. wake up to alarm. Curse myself for forgetting to turn it off the night before. go back to sleep.
7:30. wake up again. Think for a minute I'm late for work, remember it's the weekend and roll over and go back to sleep.
8:30. wake up and get up.
8:35. Check my work email, gmail, facebook, news, etc.
8:40. Think about what I'm going to get done today. Make a big list in my head. Ignore the list and catch up on the TV shows on my laptop that I missed because I was out at Clerys until late the night before.
10:00. Think about cleaning my room or doing washing. Instead, a combination of play guitar, go for a run, play a video game, watch TV/DVD, eating, etc. Sometimes it's just one of these... other times it's all at the same time (I'm a chronic multitasker).
3:00pm. Finally clean my room, do some washing, various other boring tasks.
6:00pm. Go out in a random location for dinner and drinks with friends. Davis Sq, Harvard Sq, Downtown. Never Clerys.
1:00am. Get home. Crash.

A typical day in the life of Sam

6:15. Wake up to my clock radio. At the moment it plays this stupid radio station where these two guys play tricks on people. Think Jackass on the radio. I roll over and half snooze, half listen to the radio until it switches off an hour later.
7:10. 100 Sit-ups/Crunches in bed (why get all cold on the floor?)
7:15. Get up and jump in the shower.
7:20. Iron a shirt
7:25. Get dressed and leave the house.
7:30. Walk to the red line subway
7:35. Get to the subway.
7:40. A train arrives. Read my book while on the train.
8:00. Arrive at downtown crossing. Change trains
8:05 Get on the Orange line subway
8:12. Arrive at work. Plug in my laptop. Check my work email, gmail, facebook, news, etc.
8:30. Get a cup of tea and breakfast. Breakfast varies between an English muffin, a bagel or cereal.
8:45. Start work.
10:00. 10 minutes break. get water, check my email, read the latest updates to the news.
12:00pm. Lunch time. Walk across the road and buy a cheese sandwich - just like in school.
12:10. sit down at my desk again, read more news, forums, websites, etc with my lunch.
12:45. Start work again.
3:00. Afternoon tea time. Stretch my legs, do a loop of the floor, get a second cup of tea, and some animal crackers or candy from the vending machine. Have a chat at the coffee machine with whoever is there.
3:15. back to work.
5:00. Feel 'done' for the day and wish that I could leave work.
5:45. Actually leave work.
5:46. Go to Cleary's Pub for a pint and a quick bite to eat with whoever is there.
7:30. Get back on the Orange line for home, get my book out again...
7:37. Change trains at Downtown crossing again. (I usually have to wait 10 minutes for a train at this time of night)
7:45. Change to the Red line
8:05. Get off at Davis sq, where I live.
8:10. Walk in the door. take off my work clothes.
8:15. Check my work email, gmail, facebook, news, etc.
8:30. Cook a better dinner (depending on what I actually ate at Cleary's).
9:00. A combination of play guitar, play a video game, watch tv/DVD (and usually work if I'm doing this), talk to a friend on the phone, washing, cleaning, eating, etc. Sometimes it's just one of these... other times it's all at the same time (I'm a chronic multi-tasker)
11:00. Think about going to bed.
11:45. Go to bed. Check my work email, gmail, facebook, news, etc. one more time before I go to sleep.
12:05. lights out.