I'm in Love!

I already knew I was in love.  But this festive season has solidified my adoration for this.

I love New Zealand!

It's just so beautiful here, I keep running into it wherever I go...

Glorious skies, beautiful rivers, lush trees, green paddocks, fluffy clouds... Sigh.

I'm so glad I live here!!  You should all come see it someday! :)

These pictures doesn't do it justice, but really, it's beautiful.

Change of Heart?

2011.  

University.

Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Majors: Social Anthropology & Religious Studies.

Minor: French.

Duration: 3 Years.

Career All That Will Lead To:  NOT A CLUE.  Hopefully something overseas?

HELP I'm possibly having a change of heart?!?!

So if you know me, you know I love photography.  As a hobby.  Nothing more.  Or so I thought.

Now all of a sudden, my dad says my photos are good and I should look up some photography competitions to enter.  There are two problems with that.

1. I am no way near good enough to compete with people whose full time profession it is to capture the daily goings on of this world, and who know what they're doing when it comes to technical jargon and things like editing on Photoshop (I tried to use that once, I gave up) and light and stuff.

2. I do not have a decent camera.  Yes, it's a Nikon Coolpix L20, 10megapixels... but that's about all the specifications I can roll off my tongue (to be honest I don't even really know what megapixels are, all I know is the more you have, the better the photo).  Other than that, I just point, shoot, and hope for the best.  

So, what does this have to do with my university studies in 2011?

Well.  That is the problem.

Social Anthropology sounds good on paper.  But there is no guarantee I will enjoy it.

I love taking photos.  But I know nothing on the topic, except you need a camera, and you point and shoot.

What do I do?!  I'm already enrolled for University in 2011, student loan is applied for and everything, so I can't pull out now, not that I would, I do want to study Cultural Anth and Religious Studies, but I'm just thinking about other options...

But if that doesn't work out, maybe I can take a course in photography and see how that pans out?  Maybe I should look up some of the adult classes you can take at the local high school, I think they do a photography course.

Either way, if I'm serious about my photography, I need to do something!!  I can't flounder in ignorance of the topic that is supposedly my hobby...

Dreams Are Free

Last night, I had too much caffeine, and didn't fall asleep until 2 hours after I went to bed.  I slept fitfully, but when I did, I had the most amazing dream.  

I dreamed that I was back in Paris (I went there in 2009 as part of a 46 day Contiki tour of Europe, so my dream was pretty accurate - see below!) and actually had time to walk around and soak up the culture.  And luckily for me, dreams are free.

This is me at Notre Dame Cathedral. :)

But, right now, I'm pretty poor, and for the next 3+ years it's not looking any brighter.  I'm going to be studying, so that means no money for anything except essentials.

So what is my point in this blog post?  Well, that dream, combined with a conversation with my mum yesterday, got me to thinking.  What would I do if I won the lottery.  I mean, of course, it's never going to happen, I never win anything, but I like to plan how I would spend the money given the chance.  Because, as I said, dreams are free.

So here's what I would like to do, if I did in fact win.

I'd pay off my parents mortgage, and then give them some more money so they can build their dream house, with land for my mum to have a horse.

I'd buy myself a house (not too big, a modest size).

I'd buy a car - VW Beetle, yellow convertible of course.

I'd pay for my study, no loan!  Woohoo!

I'd put some into savings, and live off the interest it earns.

I'd also travel a lot. :)  PARIS.  Say no more.

I'd help out some family and friends.

I'd give a lot to charities.

There's so much more I could do, but it would depend on how much I won haha :D

Anyway, thats just dreaming.  But if you won the lottery, what would you do?! :)  It's just fun to think about.

I'm A Nerd & Proud of It!

What comes to mind when I say "nerd" or "geek"?  Bad fashion sense?  Glasses?  Acne?  Obsessions with role playing computer games perhaps (no offense to my friends who enjoy this pastime)?  Or someone being put up a few years in school because they were too smart for their own age group?  Someone who lacks social skills, has few friends, reads too much, is very quiet, spends lunch breaks in a library, works at a university... help me out here... I'm leaning towards stereotypes and characters off The Big Bang Theory (which, by the way, ROCKS).

Well anyway, there are many types of nerd out there, and I'm not talking the sweet crunchy kind, because whilst those are delightfully tangy and tasty, they are not relevant to this subject.  What I'm really talking about is the latest trend, that it's becoming fashionable to be considered nerdy.  

And while that isn't what I'm going for, I find my self releasing my inner nerd, and reverting back to the people-pleasing-note-taking-dictionary-reading geek of my youth (I know I'm still young, but I'm talking even younger!).  

I got very excited when I received a book in the post today, which I ordered online (of course, how else do you do it?!  Ha.)  It is "Anthropology for Dummies".  Now that may sound brilliantly boring to the average Joe Blogs (pardon the pun), it is so cool for me!!

Yes, that is my duvet cover, and no, I couldn't decide what colour nail polish I wanted. :)

  

In case you didn't know, next year, I'm starting my first year of university.  I'm going to be doing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in (you guessed it!) Cultural Anthropology & Religious Studies, minoring in French.  So I figured I should do a bit of background reading on the subject, so I know what I'm getting myself in for when I start class next year.

Everything is coming together in terms of university for me now.  I have a rough timetable.  I'm essentially fully enrolled now, and have almost finished applying for a loan to pay for it all.  I know when I will be able to fit in work, I've looked at transport costs, and I've even got some stationery ready to go.

I'm READY.  And waiting.  So thinking I would use this time wisely, I bought this book.  I can't wait to begin reading, to see if it really is my cup of tea.  If not, uni is flexi, I can just change classes. :)

I'm kind of enjoying being nerdy again.