Mission Impossible.

Job Update: even when flung at aforementioned bar, they said nisch nisch. Ouch. Apparently other people had had the same idea and gotten employed there first. I hate them.

On the up side I had an interview with a sales and marketing firm today that said: hey, you're friendly, we're thinking you can sell people crap. Not sure exactly what that all entails, but tomorrow I'll be shadowing someone to see if I like the work.

Here's to hoping I won't be one of those obnoxious people on street corners shoving coupons for 1/2 price curry lunch specials in everyone's face.



My potential future:


Hurrah for a college education.

Flavor of the Month

I’m such a dirty cad. Seriously, looking at the last few posts it was all this mushy, lovey dovey stuff about how Wellington is the coolest place ever—which, yes, it’s awesome, but I’m now…kinda…ready to move on. And it’s not Welly, it’s me. I just hope we can stay friends after this post.

Despite the cool things that are happening, I’m starting to get that familiar itchy feet feeling that tells me to pack it up and keep moving. Do you get it too? It begins gradually; I’ll go through my day and just feel discontent and unsettled. A couple more days will pass and it’s like nothing feels quite right, and then suddenly I realize: the itchy feet syndrome’s back. And the only remedy is to change something—my environs, what I'm doing, whatever, but until I do something nothing feels right. Hence the impending breakup of an otherwise healthy, flourishing relationship with Wellington. Insert sappy music.

Yet at the moment I can’t just throw my stuff in my bag and head off; I now have certain obligations here that I can't give up 1) because people are depending on me and I’d be a total @$$hole if I dropped the ball on them and 2) because Wellington is gonna be a pretty incredible place in the next month (to continue an already overextended metaphor: I’m now using Wellington).

So how to remedy the discontent in the meantime? By planning the next episode of my adventures and work my butt off to fund them! Yup, I’m giving into the man, forgoing the whole “work as it comes” motif and throwing myself at whatever bar will take me for the next month. In the last four weeks I’ve applied for about twenty to thirty really cool jobs, but, surprisingly enough, they want dependable people that are going to be around for a while. So with humility and only the slightest traces of desperation I’m forgoing the attempts at cool gigs like working at a gym, organic cafe or governmental agency and instead focusing on getting Mac’s Brew Bar to hire me: a place where there’s more travelers working than Kiwis and things like “overtime” and “benefits” are all pish-posh and humdrum. That’ll get me right through the month to when my parents come out and whisk Carly Ann and me off to explore the North Island—hurrah! Then they’ll take off, Carly Ann will return to Wellington and I’m thinking I’ll cruise about the Northland and Bay of Islands doing the Joe-average backpacker thing: surfing, hanging out in beach towns, perhaps picking up a filming gig if I can, fruit picking if must and then make my way down, once again, to the South Island for further exploration with a good buddy of mine.

And after that: Asia. I’m dying to go, particularly to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. I’ll have a solid month and a half before needing to make my way state side, which I know isn’t a whole lot of time but enough to take a Thai kickboxing course, meet up with some NZ travelers who’re going there ahead of me, explore gorgeous places and fully appreciate the ridiculous exchange rate. Soooo….if you have any suggestions on places I really must see while there, lemme know.

Itchy feet thusly abated, I’ll do my best to live in the present moment and enjoy my last few weeks here in Wellington—and be sure to fill you in on the more worthwhile and blog-appropriate details.

Vagabond Dribble

I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to be a real person after all this. Seriously, the whole running around and doing whatever odd jobs pop up thing is a real good gig—of course it helps that I’m in a kick-ass place with kick-ass people. Seems everybody around is not only cool and interesting, they’re either out there supporting the arts or creating them. And it doesn’t come off as self-serving, as it often can in LA, but more as a big party where everybody gets to play. You wander the streets and there’s people littering the sidewalks at cafes, grooving to random free concerts, doing crazy flips in the skateboard park or packing out local theaters. This city’s passion and vitality are infectious. And I'm diggin it.

So the last few weeks have been totally random and fun—I’m all signed up with a couple temp agencies so everyday I keep my phone handy just in case I get called in to answer phones, file paperwork…or sell train tickets for The Police concert that happened last week. That was fun. I collected my necessaries at the Wellington train station and then got sent out to a very out of the way station with another dude. We wiled away the afternoon in our nifty MetLink jackets and approached passersby to see if they wanted to purchase return tickets. We’d then reach into our little fanny packs and pull out a very unofficial looking stub, punch a couple holes in the sucker and then take their money. Yeah. People trusted that.

So that was Friday. Saturday was filled up with auditions for some little projects—nothing that pays heaps, but, eh, that’s what train station gigs are for. Then Sunday Carly Ann and I spent the whole day wandering the city, visiting the Farmer’s Market, dancing at a reggae concert, eating sushi and finishing off the day with white wine in the park as we watched the sunset. No, we are not dating. Yesterday was museum day, complete with a string quartet accompanying a dude that plays whalebone instruments that was freaking amazing. Then after working a couple of hours at the Fringe Festival headquarters we headed home to cook up a curried veggie feast and yuck it up with our flat mates and our buddy Jim.

This morning was fittings for my costume as an extra for this futuristic, action movie. It’s not for a few weeks, but they called me in today to get all suited up. Can I just say that “acting” is the best gig ever? I’m getting paid to play dress up. My 4-year-old self thinks I’m awesome. In fact, the outfit I get to wear is this designer dress that is without a doubt the most expensive thing I’ve ever put on—plus it’s really cute. And the hot little black suede wedges might just accidentally walk off set with me. Oops. I put “acting” in quotes because, from what I can tell, my part is to amble along a street behind the real actors. Amble. I can do that. I’ll let ya know how it goes.

So that’s my life! Happy times, very happy times. And with some incredibly awesome people coming to visit me over the next couple months, I’m pretty much walking on Cloud 9. Love y’all and thanks for the updates!!! It’s so great to hear what each of you are doing :-) Rock, rock on.

PS I put up my first attempt at a website—you’ll find it at chaibait.com. I know it’s not real great or anything, so if you have any opinions on how I can make it better content/look-wise just lemme know! Thanks dudes.

Urban Immersion

Alright, holiday break’s over and we’re back in business. I certainly hope your 2008 is going splendidly. From what I hear there’s some sort of primary something-or-other going on over there, yeah? Maybe? I dunno, I thought I heard something like that. Ya’ll have fun doing your patriotic duty.

As for me, I am still being a bum. And a very happy bum at that. I actually just found out about an hour ago that I made it into a Wellington Fringe Festival show! Quick note for non-theater nerds: fringe festivals happen at various parts of the year all over the world and are essentially a month long celebration of theater. You see crazy costumed people wandering the streets handing out fliers for the dozens, even hundreds of shows going on. They range from really good and innovative to painfully bad, so when you wander into a show space, you’re kinda rolling the dice.

Aside, er, aside: I’m excited. I came to Wellington with the purpose of auditioning for Fringe shows but was finding this to be quite a bit tougher than expected. Turns out there aren’t just audition notices wallpapering every street corner. Instead I’ve spent the last few weeks rooting around the city, theaters and various Internet sites to no avail. That is until tonight. So I’m at the internet café at about 6:50 this evening printing out some resumes to hand out to some local pubs when I turn around—and there it is. The audition sign:

Auditions! Being held 10 January from 5:30-7:30. Call blah blah blah for audition materials and more information. Address: blah blah

I’d left my phone back at home and I wasn’t exactly packing my headshot and resume with me, but I thought, eh, I got forty minutes, we’ll go see if they need an American chick. So off I went across town, peeled in, read over the script, gave my reading and I have a part! Granted, they were getting a bit desperate for actors (only 5 had showed up for the 2 parts they were casting) and my American accent was the most believable for the role (go figure), but I’m still gonna be excited and I hope you will be with me. It actually is a really cool show: commedia d’ell arte influences and all that. I play Jack and have a really sweet costume. I’ll fill you in on all that in the coming weeks.

And what have I been doing with myself other than that?

Well, besides being fantastically ill Monday (I’ll save you those details, and no, I was not hung over thank you) I have spent the last couple days wandering into town to edit at the gorgeous, happening Wellington library. I’m working on my first officially paid free-lance film gig, hurrah! The week around New Year I got to hang out with a bunch of “skiffies”, crazy sailors who specialize in racing the 12ft skiff class. These are quick and dangerous little boats that capsize as much as …insert your favorite political joke here. Ex: Bill gives Hillary Clinton supportive nods. In fact, why don’t you post it in the comments, I’d love to hear ‘em…Each day the photographer, Garrick, would pick me up at 9 and we’d spend the whole day in the chase boats filming away. Though most of my shots are pretty shaky, I had a blast and am having fun putting together a rockin little dvd for the boys. I’ll put up a promo within the next week. Good times.

From what I’ve heard at home people are having some really good stuff happen, from weddings to jobs to travels, so boring or no pop me an update if you feel like it! Miss you all :)