Tauranga

It’s too early for things to settle into routine; too late for novelty.  That means the administration of day-to-day life.  Apply for an IRD tax number, get a haircut before work starts up, etc.

A few purchases: first was a laser printer, whose primary duty will be printing out Google Maps directions to different areas in town, and, once I know my way around town, the secondary duty of printing out D&D character sheets. 

Then an alarm clock.  I had brought my alarm clock with me to New Zealand, and it was a good one, too, with an iPod dock, so I could wake up, if I wanted to, to the bandoneón of Le Gran Astor, but my grand plan of plugging an adapter onto the end of a surge protector came to an end when the surge protector tripped the circuit breaker of the new flat.  So, I headed over to Harvey Norman to pick up an alarm clock designed to work with the electrical infrastructure of New Zealand.

Apparently, there is a grand “cold war” between the forces of Electronics/Furniture retailer Harvey Norman – which is where my roommate Ben works and where most of his friends work – and the forces of pure electronics store Noel Leeming.  Personally, I can’t tell the difference, but then again, I’m a huge geek. 

But while I was in Harvey Norman, I picked up a new camera – the bottom-of-the-line Canon point-and-shooter.  This is mostly because I’ve realized that some of the best sights are momentary opportunities – and my DSLR is not well suited to that task. 

Also, it’s heavy.

Ben’s Harvey Norman friends were over last night – my first night in the house – for  a “food tasting” party.  It’s like a tupperware party, but with gourmet food.  After the food tasting, everyone wanted to go out “into town.”  I had no idea what “into town” meant and I was being egged-on to go.

So, I went.

“Into Town” meant bar-hopping on the Strand, which is a collection of bars playing loud music.  It’s… not my scene.  I flaked out early, blaming jetlag. Maybe someday I might be a kiwi, but I don’t think I could ever be a “bloke.” 

Back to today, however.  Around four, I met with my new workmates, and we discussed things that – well, things that probably fall under “confidential business plans.” 

I was a little worried to find out that Janine, my supervisor, has pitched me as a kind of “supergenius” of social media.  Oh, I’m sure I’ll do a good job, there, but I like keeping my expectations low.  Like Scotty, it’s hard to be seen as a “miracle worker” if they expect miracles as the baseline. 

I’ll be honest, I’m a little terrified.  I always end up underestimating myself, and to compensate I take on projects that I think I cannot accomplish and then proceed to actually succeed where I was expecting myself to fail.  Rationally, I know I’m ready for this project.  But every instinct tells me that I’m a useless idiot, who deserves nothing more than to be pitied and mocked and be a target for rotted fruit, as I’m sure I would be if I were alive in the ancient time of 1973.

On the other hand, I also think I’ve got a good shot at developing some wonderful ideas, and the work promises to challenge me – something I’ve been sadly lacking for a while now.  (Not that i was phoning it in at NetQoS, but I had reached a plateau with the skills I could learn on the job there.)

After that, I tried to get to Mount Maunganui; the actual mountain, not the town.  Though, I only got as far as the town – there’s no drive up, and I realized that if I were to set out on foot I wouldn’t get back until after nightfall.  Plus, I would be dripping with sweat in my good work clothes. 

So, anyway, for my friends and family, I’ve got some more pictures to show you.  Hope you enjoy them.

Central Tauranga

From the photography of brian boyko

Tauranga City Centre

Tauranga City Centre

These are birds.

This is some kind of boat.

A mother and child playing in one of Tauranga’s fountains.

This train runs along Tauranga’s coast.

The living room of my Brookfield flat.

This is the view from the second floor.

And this is my room – about as big as the one I had in Austin, only I don’t have my own closet or bathroom.