Going nowhere slow. How does that work....? Take your pick.

I feel compelled to post, because I feel bad about not posting.

If that makes sense. It's not that I don't want to post, I do. It's just that....

I don't really have much to say... I haven't been up to a lot lately. Since uni finished I haven't done a lot with my life. And that was only a few weeks ago now.

List of things I could potentially write about:

The paint fumes at mum and dad's.

Little Hoe drinking a lot of water because of the paint fumes.

The pervert painter who leers down my top.

That going out for dinner every night because there is no kitchen is no longer fun.

How irritating it is that fireworks have been postponed AGAIN.

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge and my adventure to Taupo.


If anyone has any preferences please let me know :-)

Yours,

Susie Johnson

Random Acts of Achievment

I've been thinking about this a bit lately - we all have big fat goals in our lives such as having a great career, owning a house, maybe starting a family (ew) becoming Prime Minister (you'd vote for me aye?!) etc etc

But what about those random goals that you think it would be cool to do before you die??

The streaker woman (I don't think it counts if you have a bikini on, but still, more power to her) had a list of stuff she wanted to do before she died - and now she's done them all. Kudos to her.

One thing I want to do in my life time, is be on an album cover. Of course, it wouldn't be my album (as I have no talent, and have the singing ability of a chainsaw) and I (personally) think modeling is filthy, but still - I think it would be cool to be on an album cover. It may not be my face - even my hand would do. It doesn't have to be a good band, but it would be my claim to the world.

People won't remember me for having a good job or whatever - but if someone bought a shitty album in 50 years time and asked "whose hand is that?" I would be stoked.

So what have you day-dreamed about doing?? What is your random thing that you want to do or be part of before you die?? And nothing serious or meaningful like "I want to help kids in Africa" or "I want to cure my herpes" - although finding the cure for herpes would be a really funny random act. I don't care how silly it is - or how you intend to do it (I'm aware that I may need to start a band with me playing the triangle, or start dating a rock star - possibly a crusty old one, urgh), share your day-dream - we're all friends here :)

More Other Sports Stories

How does that make sense? "More other sports stories."

I asked myself just that when I was checking up on who won the Melbourne Cup because Tim said I should do a post on it, being the horse girl that I am.

This is a two pronged post - the first prong will inform you of who won the Melbourne Cup which you probably already know by now if you care and exactly why I don't particularly care. The second prong will attack the Xtra news section with all its prong-like goodness on how they come up with such a sad expression as "More other sports stories."

The winner of the Melbourne Cup was a Japanese horse named 'Delta Blues.' I have no idea if the horse was bred in Japan or is merely Japanese owned, but it seems to have done a very good job. See, I don't even know if it's a mare or gelding, so for now it can remain "it."

The second place went to another Japanese horse.

While I will admit that I am a "horse girl" as I was surrounded by various horses and ponies from a fairly young age, I have to point out the difference between the sort of riding I did and racing.

Racing is in a league of its own with money, jockeys doing crazy things to keep themselves light enough, drugging horses and did I mention money?

I'm not saying that the kind of riding I did (mainly dressage) is any less worth than racing. It's just that what I suppose we can call "equestrian" as opposed to racing just doesn't involve such a large turnover of money and it isn't exactly a quick way to become rich.

I rather doubt that it is done for the glory because it isn't a very glamorous job to work with horses. Early starts, low pay, physically demanding etc etc. But when you do get to the top it is very cool.

So I'm not really qualified to tell you anything about the Melbourne Cup because you could probably learn more about it from a small baked potato.

Now - my beef with Xtra. When I went to look at the sports section to find out who had won the Cup so I could pass the news on to you, dear readers, I noticed that rather interesting sub-heading at the foot of the page: "More Other Sports Stories."

At first I supposed that Xtra had made a grammatical error. Surely "Other Sports Stories" would have been sufficient. But no, they had added the "more." I pondered this for a few seconds and then realised that they were referring to "other sports." As in sports that did not fit into their stupid little categories of Rugby, League, Netball, Cricket, Soccer and Tennis.

It makes any sport that isn't rugby, league, netball, cricket, soccer or tennis have to go into a communal sports bin of news. I'm just peeved that cycling and multisport don't have their own sections.

Alright, that was your sports for this evening, I'm Susie Johnson, goodnight. Grrrrrr.

FREEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!

FREEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

All yesterday and this morning I had 'The Final Countdown' stuck in my head, now it's 'Think' by Aretha Frankling (Freedom....).

Today, at 5.30pm, I put down my pen from finishing my last exam. EVER (granted I pass) and it felt terrifying.

I walked my last walk to the Gravel Pit, and I was looking at Massey for the last time reminiscing, thinking how it would be a long time until I came Massey again. As I was in the car park I said "Bye Massey"

Then, as I went to use my ticket to get out, the ticket wouldn't work. The line behind me increased and the security lady had to come over and help me.

As I drove away, I said "Fuck you Massey, hope you choke on it"

It hasn't sunken in yet that I've finished, I think it will tomorrow when I clean my room and start packing. And when I buy a trashy magazine, go out for lunch, sleep in......

End of an era kids, end of a significant chapters in our lives. We just attained us a degree - and doesn't it feel good :D

The Tour de Manawatu

Yesterday was the Tour de Manawatu. It's an annual event put on by the Fitzherbert Lions Club and is categorised as a "fun" ride. As the man who seemed to be in charge said at the start - "This is a tour, not a race." I didn't feel like mentioning that the Tour de France was a race, and that at that very moment in Southland there was a national tour going on that was very much a race.

Fortunately I was in no position to correct him as I was surrounded by the 452 other cyclists in the 50km section. I wasn't about to complain either, as it was my first time racing and to be honest, I was rather petrified. This wasn't helped by the fact that I hadn't trained properly in over 2 weeks.

It was comforting though, to see heaps of cyclists who looked as if they were out there for the first time in a pack as well. A woman next to me at the start who would have easily been over twice my age asked me amiably if there were any hills out there. I made a non-commital noise in the back of my throat and tried not to think about the two (in my opinion, not Dan's!) relatively big climbs (PEAKS!) about 15km in.

I won't bore you all with details of the race, but it was a really awesome ride and I would encourage anyone to get out there and try it. There are three different sections, 120km, 50km and 20km. So no excuses, anyone can do it. There were kids as young as six doing it and men and women as old as 78 or so doing it as well.

SO YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!!!!

Seriously.

Coming back into town along Napier Road I will admit was a bit tiring as there was a very strong head wind and by then my legs were a tad tired, but once you actually got into town it was great as there were heaps of people to cheer you on and the roads had been closed off so you could really go for it.

And here's me finishing!

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

(I'm on the right by the way!!)

I can't wait for the next race! Don't know when that will be but I will definitely post on it. In the meantime, I'm off to New Plymouth on thursday to support Dan with the NZ Tri Series. BRING IT ON!!! YAY!

No one but the world need know....

This is just one of many "secrets" on the site Post Secret

It is updated every sunday, and started as an assignment - but once the world found out the site has kept going and has even produced books!!

Anybody from around the world can send in an anonymous postcard with their deepest darkest secrets or thoughts on them. Some are funny, some are sad, and some are rather beautiful.

A friend of mine put me on to this site - and now I am passing that on to you guys. Enjoy - there's always something fascinating about other peoples secrets....