Three Blind Mice

Our flat is infested with mice.

We thought it was just one at first, silly us.

The day that finally drove me to go get the mice traps was the day a mouse, chewing on a VERY stale peice of pita bread, woke me up.

I don't know how many people have seen me in the morning, but it isn't pretty, especially if I get woken up by some twat on the drums. My flatmates have gone so far as to describe the quiet in the morning as 'better to let the dragon lie', but I digress.

The mice made a huge mistake waking me up. To get back at them, I cleaned my room, I cleaned the flat, finding a dead mouse on the way. I decided enough was enough. They had been using the space under the sink and under my wardrobe as a house too long! Vengance would be mine.

So after a trip to The $2 Shop, 4 mouse traps were set up around the flat. We soon realised the most effective bait was sultanas, which had been soaked in vanilla essence. With this knowledge, we have killed 6 in the traps thus far.

8 mice have been found dead in total. The first was a young one found under the door. The second, in a mouse trap in my room, then another in my room, then once was beaten to death by my flatmate (Boyacrossthehall) The next was found under the sink, and then another in the same place. Then finally, tonight was a double whammy; two mice found going for the same peice of bait in another flatmates room.

It's fun to kill mice, I'm checking the mouse traps often in hope we have some more... if this keeps up, we're gunna have to breed them to keep killing them!!

Now I'm beggining to wonder... Am I sick?

Did You Get Up At All?

I think I've lost faith.

I'm feeling spiritually empty. I feel like God is no longer with me, like He no longer rules my life, and other things, stuff like money, and time do instead.

I no longer have any passion for playing drums, for playing worship. It's as if all the joy I used to feel has been sucked out.

I know God is still there, He helps me out of the hard times, pulls me up when I fall, but I also feel like it's very half hearted on my behalf. I'm not playing worship until I can get the spiritual side of my life cleared up, and although I have explained this to a flat mate of mine, I haven't shared the whole situation with anyone until now.

When I was looking for jobs, I was sick of lying to my parents, sick of hoping my loan would keep coming thru so I could pay rent and get food. So I prayed, it was a last resort, and I know it shouldn't have been. My prayers were answered and I dove head first into work, forgetting who brings me these good things in the first place.

Being in the flat I'm in, with who I'm with, I was kind of hoping that the extra support would help, and at least I've found a church, but I don't go with any regularity, infact, I introduced myself, jokingly, to a guy I already knew, as "Kat, the 5th member of The Flat" (because, well, that's how everyone knows us) and he looked at me and said "seriously? Well, uh, hi!"

But instead of feeling supported, and helping the guys, I feel like I'm dragging them all down with me.

I guess this is sort of a confession, I'm sure somewhere in the Bible it says "confess your sins to others" so that's what, I guess, I'm doing.

Francesa Rudkin Drinks Diet Coke

To put this in an easy and clear format: I've left my course and am working as one of those annoying Hoyts Cinema Attendants in the sparkly blue waistcoats and bowties.

(Hence why I had a Hannibal Preview earlier)

So, why have I not told the world the trials and tribulations of my job seeking etc? Well, for a couple of reasons, one: my mother didn't know until a couple of days ago (and yes, she still does read these columns, just comments under different names apparently...), two: I couldn't be bothered. So now, while I can be bothered I'll give a quick recap of the last couple of weeks and what has been going on in them.

First of all, I gathered many opinions and lots of advice. Then I went on a huge scoot all around Wellington one night and made up my mind.
I then left my course.
I was now searching for a job, any job, as long as it payed money, I would take it.
First of all there was the kitchen hand position, I got a trial, at 5am the next morning. So I went to bed early, got to sleep, to wake up 3 hours later to remember we lived above a pub, and Thursday night (being the night I was trying to sleep on) was the loudest of them all. Needless to say, I woke up with a start at 7am, a huge chorus of 'FUCK' was sung around the house, a phonecall to the company appologising, and I was back on the hunt.
I was now looking for a job, any job, as long as it payed money and had nothing to do with food preperation.
Then I tried StarMart, to be turned down in favour of my flatmate (!!).
Then I was getting desperate, I hated not telling my parents and sitting around the house all day, so I tried two different New Worlds.
Then I responded to an ad in the paper for Hoyts.
I got a New World and Hoyts interview on the same day. I must have been pretty impressive 'cos I got them both.
But Hoyts gives you free movies and previews (all I could think of was "Lord Of The Rings!!!!').
So I took Hoyts.
My mother got tipped off on her birthday about 3-4 days before I was going to tell the p's, another chorus (this time with an encore) of 'FUCK' was sung.
P's are OK with it, I'm working.
I write this column

Easy peasy really. So there you go :-)

I probably should have warned of extreme diary-like content.

Aw fuck it.

An Easter Recipe For You All

While you're wiling away the weekend and feel like MORE chocolate (as who wouldn't) try this. Some people may know if it already, but it's so gooood I thought I'd share it with you all.

Chit Chat Straws

You need:
A cup of milo (the fuller the cream of your milk, the better this tastes)
A packet of your favourite Chit Chats (I recommend the new Chit Chat Snow, Mint doesn't taste great but it works as well)

Method:
Bite off both ends of a chit chat, place one end in the milo like a straw and suck the milo thru, when the milo starts coming into your mouth eat the chit chat. Repeat.

Easy really and SO nice.

For a better milo, make it entirely out of warm milk with just a little hot water for mixing sugar and milo. You can also heat up chocolate milk if you're lazy like me.

Warning: Hannibal spoilers Within

Well, I've seen a preview of Hannibal (yes, I do realise it doesn't come out 'til Thursday). I must say, Julianne Moore makes a terrible Claris Starling.

Anthony Hopkins' portrayl of Hannibal however, was brilliant, better then Silence of The Lambs in my opinion. His timing, his stance, the way he spoke, it was all art.

The make up effects were spectacular, even if they at some points had the entire audience gagging.

The plot doesn't follow what I have heard the one of the book is, well, at least the ending is different, Hannibal and Claris do not become lovers, and she does not become a cannibal. Thank God, it was bad enough watching a guy eat his own brain (yep, eat his own brain), I don't think I could have stomached watching Claris eat it as well. I barely stomached the rest of it.

I won't give away the entire plot, I'm sure it wouldn't take too much searching the net to find it out, but The Making of Hannibal completely overlooks the importance of a role that isn't even mentioned, and yes, for those who have read the book, there are pigs, they are huge, and it is gruesome.

This movie isn't for the faint of heart (or stomach) and it is definately R18 for a reason, but Anthony Hopkins' portrayl makes it worth seeing.

I missed Jodie Foster :-(

Please Release Me Mister Man

Isn't it funny how certain smells and sounds remind you of things, places and people you'd forgotten you'd seen, been or met?

For me, the smell of oil paints and turps reminds me of fifth form art. The smell of puke reminds me of my friend Scott's house (where we had a party, and a guy puked all over the floor). The ocean air mixed with a pine scent reminds me of my grandparent's house and so on.

And I think the smell of stale urine will forever remind me of the Limp Bizkit mosh pit.

Certain songs bring back memories as well. I can't listen to 'All In The Family' by KoRn (featuring Fred Durst :-P) without thinking of my Good Bye party... albeit I don't remember much of that particular one. Whereas 'Clown' by KoRn (hmmm noticing a pattern...) reminds me of driving around Rotorua with the windows wound down with music on full volume, money in my pockets, while trying to get alcohol for the back seat (we were underage at the time). Playing a song 'Rain' on the drums, (it's a Christian worship song) reminds me of a mid year camp.

Certain smells and songs remind me of people. When listening to 'Faith' by Limp Bizkit I'm reminded of a friend of mine, Heidi. While the smell of warm, rotting fruit reminds me of about five people, those who know about the incident will laugh, those who don't, well, it's better off not knowing.

I'm never going to be able to sing "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee" without thinking of BigTaz's 21st either.

Strange what tickles the senses....

Dearest Doris, May She Rest In Peace

The flat car (otherwise known as Doris) has officially died.

She led a good life, she took us where we wanted to go, and took her time doing so, and always made a fuss when there were too many passengers and we were going up a hill.

She was reliable, even though the window-windy-down-things were nowhere to be seen, except for one, which was passed around the car whenever we wanted to wind up/down a window, and the front locks didn't work properly and unlocking her involved opening the boot, climbing thru and unlocking her from there.

She was involved in a crash today, while trustingly carrying home the band gear from church, as well as the groceries. Not knowing that today would be her last day.

Even though she was old, unregistered and not so pretty, she will stay alive in our hearts, not quite forever.