Universal Management

I really wonder if there's an elf somewhere that listens to my complaints and coordinates responses from the Universe. As I was watching TV the other day, I was bombarded by ads informing me that the iPhone is now available from my no-contract cell provider...something I believed would never happen. Needless to say, it brought back my Apple addiction with a vengeance. I am now disgusted with myself.

My Apple addiction is the result of purchasing a Macbook a few months ago, and loving the sleek design and intuitive movements. I dare not praise it too much, as all the men in my life disparage Apple (for the same reasons, hah).

Aside from the Apple Issue, I do legitimately think that this elf listens to my complaints, or at least passes them on to the appropriate department in Management. In the past year, I've noticed that when I finally spend some time bitching (pardon the language, but there's really no other way to describe it) about something, that something is immediately solved, or I am given new information about it.

For example, when I wondered if the Study Abroad office at my overseas university had lost my application, I received an email congratulating me on my acceptance. When I complained that I wouldn't know about my overseas housing until I arrived, I received an email from the director of housing offering me a place. When I feared that my Visa application had been incorrectly filled out, a day later I received the Visa. Doesn't this sound like the intervention of Universal Management to you? I always knew that cursing a computer gets it to boot up faster (at least with Windows it does), but this seems counterintuitive. We are taught as children that hard work and faith, not whining, produce results.

Yeah, that's not what my experience is telling me. So I guess I'm still a child. A very whiny, but highly gratified child.

Mwahahaha.
WolfGrrl

Down Under

Yes, typically that phrase refers to Australia. But that's not the down under I'm talking about. I was going through older posts and it occurred to me that I never mentioned New Zealand again. Oopsie.

As a third year student, I have the option to travel abroad for a semester without interrupting my degree program. I chose New Zealand for a myriad of reasons (it kept coming up in my study abroad search list, for one), only to be blessed with a chance encounter and a friend - now boyfriend - who lives there. How awesome is that? Fate works in such cool ways; sometimes I feel that I am under a guiding hand. But back to the point.

I have chosen New Zealand. I realise not many people know anything about New Zealand, unless they happen to have seen The Lord of the Rings.

Well, we'll have to fix that. One of my hopes is that while I am abroad, this blog will double as a travel journal. I will post (selected) photos so that you all may travel with me! NZ is a beautiful country, and when seen through happy, excited eyes...

Well. Let's get some basic info down, okies? 

A map for those of you unfamiliar with world geography. 

Isn't this country a beautiful one? Can you blame me for wanting to visit...for reasons other than my wonderful boyfriend? 

WolfGrrl

The Bucket List: An Excerpt

This is an excerpt from "100 Things I Want to do Before I Die: In No Particular Order"

That "no particular order" part is VERY important. Because I wrote these as I thought of them; obviously I need a child before I can have a grandchild, and a husband would be nice before having a child...you get the idea. 

1. Drink champagne under the stars.
2. Pet a tiger.
3. Pet a wolf.
4. Thank a soldier.
5. Stand on a mountaintop.
6. Have a son
7. Get married (to someone I love)
8. Dye my hair
9. Sail on a yacht
10. Go to Budapest
11. Make a wedding cake
12. Ride a horse on the beach
13. Go back to New Zealand
14. Meet a movie star
17. Finish my novel
19. Go to Italy
20. Meet the Queen
21. Help someone
22. Paint a picture
23. Have a garden
24. Go to Disneyland/Disneyworld
25. Ride in a gondola
26. Fall in love
27. Open a bakery
28. Adopt a child
29. Adopt an animal
30. Be financially secure and independent
31. Have a grandchild
32. Own a sportscar
33. See a fairy
34. Dance
35. Be loved
36. Learn to ski
37. Go sailing (in a sailboat)
38. Get picked up in a bar
39. Graduate from college
40. See the Earth from space
41. Catch a falling star
42. Have wings
43. Be a model
44. Have my own library
45. Learn to ice skate

Some of them are ridiculous, some of them are funny, and some of them I truly, deeply mean. I made this about a year ago, I believe; it might be a little longer. And it's an odd feeling to realize I've done (or shortly will do) quite a few of these things. I used to have a difficult time imagining a future for myself - any future. But now...the world is full of surprises, odd little twists or unexpected bends in the road. My road goes on, and I'm comfortable enough not to try and circumvent Fate (any longer) and attempt to get a sneak peek at the end.

Signing off -
WolfGrrl