review

Since arriving back from holiday, I have: new glasses; made salsa verde (thumbs up); rejuvenated my herb garden (read: replanted everything except the flat-leaf parsley, which is the hardiest plant I've ever known); joined a gym; had a great haircut, maybe even my favourite yet; had a catnap most afternoons.

I read some books over the summer break. The Year of Living Biblically (A.J. Jacobs) was quite good, but I had expected more. It was getting tedious by the last chapter, and then it ended abruptly. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Barbara Kingsolver) is still accompanying me wherever I go; I've found it a good book to read in fits and starts, which suits me. The Post-Birthday World (Lionel Shriver) was excellent – this was probably the only fiction I read in 2007, and it was great. A bit heavy on the similes, however in all, a well-constructed plot. What a clever woman.

Lined up are: Towards Aotearoa (David Eggleton); What I loved (Suri Huvstvedt); a selection of Peter Gossage's picture books (thanks to my staff discount at Reed/Raupo); and re-reading Franny and Zooey (J.D. Salinger). That list will keep me going for awhile – for the last few months of 2007 I only seemed to read for the 10 minutes before I fell asleep. I remember a time in my life when I would devour a book (or more) a day; I could read my way through whole library shelves over the summer holidays. I guess that has to change when there are bills to be paid.

Goals for this year include: staying out of hospital; continuing my everlasting search for clothes that look good and keep me warm; refining my recipe for caramel slice until I reach the ultimate confection; find a permanent job in publishing. This year I am also looking forward to seeing my name in print again (more than once, actually – more information when the books are published), inviting friends from Dip.Publ for dinner, night classes, and finally working out how to use the rowing machine at the gym without hitting my knees.

Finally, below are assorted photos from our holiday over the festive period.

Happy 2008, everyone.

***

Trip to Auckland Zoo, 27 December

Guess the city!

Hint: Festival of Lights

Need another clue?

That's right – Sunny New Plymouth.
Jeremy and I spent a night there on our way home from Auckland.
It was really great; the Govett-Brewster Gallery was fab. The above photo was taken from this rock/mountain we climbed up. I'm surprised it wasn't blurry, because I had jelly-legs; there wasn't much between me and a 50-metre drop to the ground...

Kowhai Park in Wanganui

My dream house

mery christmas

I've just finished my six-week contract at Reed Publishing, coincidentally on the day that Reed Publishing stops trading as a separate entity. From next year, Reed will be Raupo Books and an imprint under Penguin Books. The last six weeks have been an interesting time, and I have worked on many books. I'll let everyone know when they are going to be released over the next year.

2008? Well, I'm going to be in Wellington for at least six months: I have an internship at Awa Press in Wellington. After that – who knows?! But it is comforting to know that I have three weeks' holiday to enjoy and then a job to go to; a publishing job in Wellington, no less. So 2008 is going to be another year of change and excitement. And that, really, is probably a good way to live.

Lastly, I want to wish everyone compliments of the season, and I hope that you all get to spend time with the people you love.

Jeremy and I at my graduation party in November

first week

I've been in Auckland for nearly one week. My first week at work has been pretty fun; at the moment I am editing a book about dogs who have jobs. It's children's non fiction, with funny pictures. So it isn't glamorous, but it's good experience, and everyone needs to learn about dogs some time, right?

On my lunch break on Tuesday, I discovered a good sushi place (Sushi-ya) up the road from the office. I'm not meant to eat sushi; something to do with rice collecting bacteria really quickly. But Sushi-ya has a man standing there making the sushi while you walk past and take from the pile, so I figure the turnover must be pretty good. And they have delicious miso soup. Umami indeed.

Living at home is nice; there are lots of feijoa smoothies in the fridge, and I have been drinking them with my breakfast each morning. Last night we went to the supermarket and I managed to sneak lots of yum food into the trolley. I'm sure she saw, but the best part of not living with your parents is when you come to stay, they like to buy you nice food.

So another busy week coming up, and an even busier weekend. My flying visit to Wellington will include making sandwiches, a super-fun party, taking Mum back to the airport, an early Christmas lunch with Jeremy's family, and rushing back to catch my own plane. Hopefully it will also involve eating at Oaks Satay Noodle House, having (decaf) coffee on the waterfront, maybe some gelato from Kaffeeis, and seeing my cousins. It's going to be jampacked, but it will be fun. Plus, I'll get to see my (ex?) classmates, and I've been missing hanging out with them every day. Oh, and Jeremy.

Today, back here in Auckland, the sun is shining and the air is starting to warm up. I think it might be a shorts day. Later I am going to help Mum run errands, and continue plundering her cookbooks for more ideas for the graduation party next week. I think I've got the menu sorted, but I'm always open to new ideas! At the moment I'm just trying to finalise the club sandwich fillings. I'll definitely make a cream cheese, mint, and cucumber sandwich; I'm just not sure what the other option will be. How glorious: a weekend of reading cookbooks!