...

Okay so it's taken me living 35 yrs., a divorce, selling my home & beloved truck (Oh how I miss you Baby), giving up my puppies (the loves of my life - I weep when I think of you both), quitting my job, being away from everything I know and everyone that has meant anything to me, and moving to the other side of the planet where I don't know a goddamn soul to undertake a grad school experience in an educational format that makes no sense to me to be able to remember and live by the two things that have resinated in my head since I was knee-high to a grasshopper (and it might very well be the $7.99 wine talking or the new full on skid row digs)...1. I never want to regret and 2. the worst thing that could happen in any instance is that you die and you have to do that anyway. I'm still lost, lonely, and broke but for some reason it feels alright now. So have a solo dance party (curtains open) with the volume a little too loud, have a margarita with lunch, say something that makes you blush...

Having said that I will move to a lighter subject I would like to entitle...Kiwi observations.

• always, I repeat, always have a cardigan and/or rain jacket on hand
• "Give Way" signs instead of "Yield"
• candy = lollies
• garbage = rubbish
• elevator = lift
• $1 and $2 coins instead of bills
• "Way Out" signs instead of "Exit"
• I've found that Wellie (anyway) is light on the street signs and numbers
• no screens on windows
• not expected to tip
• no big "car culture" the vehicles here look like toys and/or toasters
• "Working Girl" (this one is for you 2 Bucks) is big...for the walk home - sneakers with women's dress suits and flip flops with dress slacks (the best sighting was a suit on a skateboard)
• the cheapest tequila is $30NZD
• wearing no shoes is not out of the ordinary
• walking on the left side of the sidewalk takes some getting used to
• forget your makeup and don't worry about your hair - the wind will inevitably jack it up
• gruesome warning labels on smokes
• semi-bland food